Family and Friends

I’m exhausted.

January 17, 2010

I ended my 24th year on a high note. This past weekend was busy and a lot of fun but I’m so ready for bed, and not the work week to start!

I went back home to go into the City (NYC) to see Avenue Q for my birthday. I love that I grew up so close to Manhattan. Just a 50 minute train ride and I’m in the city the never sleeps. I am no expert on the island or the 5 boroughs but I love being in New York. I always take a deep breath in once I get out of Grand Central. Some might think it is too busy, too crowded, or too dirty but I love it and I breathe in that energy. New York City is the exact reason I truly believe the Boston is a confused big town.

My mom and I saw Avenue Q on Saturday afternoon. (Price hung out with my stepdad @ Cigar Factory Outlet in South Norwalk to smoke cigars and play poker). I have wanted to see Avenue Q for a very long time. I listen to the soundtrack often and find the whole thing hilarious. My favorite song is ” The Internet is for Porn.” My mom had no idea what the musical was about- just about a puppet that moves to avenue q. So when the song “Everyone’s a little bit racist” started she learned quickly this was no Sesame Street. The show was fantastic! Everything was great from the singing, puppets, songs, story, actors, music, and set. Fantastic. I love (off)broadway!!!!!!!!

Once we were back in CT we all got together for some dinner out at Cafe Mirage. I even got a candle in my bread pudding. so cute

My dad had to go to FL but we will get too see each other in a few weeks to celebrate then. 🙂

Can’t wait to see what my 25th year brings!

PS- Yes, I am rocking red/orange/yellow cowboy boots in the picture outside avenue q. I got them in Santa Fé 2 years ago and the are so amazing.

In a far off land and time…

October 11, 2009

Price, Emily, and I went to King Richard’s Faire today to take in all the costumes, music, food, and drink that can be consumed in a day. The costumes themselves were enough to give you mental overload, but at every turn there was something new, a guy in a purple dragon costume, ‘naughty’ pirates (not sure how that fits in with the Medieval or Renaissance theme), tigers, mud fights, a LIGER!, and much more.

Hercules the Liger- yes that’s a cross between a Lion and Tiger! He holds the title of largest healthy cat in the Guinness book of world records

Emily got to hold an owl!

This man had wings!!!

I can’t wait to scrapbook this!!

Quote of the day: ‘Mommy, that pirate music sounds Scottish!’- said by cute little girl in princess costume

Family puts the Fun in Dysfunction

August 23, 2009

My family is a cast of characters. when we get together things get a little crazy. My dad and oldest nephew’s birthday was on Saturday and we got together at the boat club for a BBQ. The weather was hot a gross so we stayed inside the main rec room while Michael, my brother in law, and my dad’s cousin manned the grills. Much appreciation for our great burgers, hot dogs, and sausages. Plus we had Greenwich Prime Meat’s (formerly Maneros) Gorgonzola Salad, which is one of my favorite things to eat.

Its really funny to see how much my brother TJ and sister Kristen are alike when we get together. We pick up on jokes, hand gestures, & laughs. Like my brother can hear a noise, which reminds him of a song, which I can get in about 4 seconds of him humming. Or when we and mention ‘ objects in mirror are closer then they appear’ and K&T’s mom says ‘like the dinosaurs!’ I knew she was talking about the 3 second bit in the first Jurassic Park movie.

jpark1b

So our time together is usually hectic with joking around, catching up on life, and patroling my three nephews running around. They were even more zany since it was Keagan’s 7th birthday and the twins, Grey and Cole, turn 6 on the 29th so there was some kid electricity in the air. Once I gave them their gifts things got worse with excitement and fighting. Price is just shocked that my sister can think through all of the noise.

Cole

Coleman coloring with Poppy Spaz (this was actually one of Keagan’s gifts from their grandma)

Grey with his remote controled spider

Keagan playing with his hovercraft (horrible blurry action shot)

After dinner there was more playing (chaos!) and running around until we sang Happy Birthday to everyone and they they got cake and patries so they were buzzing around on a sugar high.

Ready, Set, BLOW!!!! Love how Keagan had his collar popped the whole time.

In the end my sister and I were talking about another visit with the boys coming up to Boston. They were up last October so I think a year between visits is good. I think our apartment is finally clean from the sand, spilled juice, and general debris from their last visit 😛

It looks just like Greenwich!

August 18, 2009

I went to Newport RI this past Saturday to visit my Dad and Robin. He was in town for a Total Marine Rendezvous. We ment for dinner and a sunset cruise around the harbor. Eating lobster is really the once acceptable time to use a bib past the age of 1 1/2. You must embrace every opportunity!

There is something comforting and familiar about getting a guided tour on the water of the mansions on the water. Ahh it reminds me of all the homes in Bell Haven and Indian Harbor back home.

Do you need a house that has a dining room table that seats over 120 people?

All of this reminds me of the endless time when my sister and I would sit on the front of my dad’s boat and pick our houses when we would leave the harbor. ahh to dream…

Sandcastles in the sky

July 17, 2009

One word- exhausted.

Most three day weekends are relaxing but I took today off so I could go to the Brimfield Antique Show with Emily. Really, I can’t miss a chance to see the stuff that people have dug out of their attics and then buy it. So we planned for the show and then added on the New England Sand Sculpting Festival to make our day jammed pack.

Brimfield was insane. Some things were amazing like this set of dishes from the late 1800’s I wanted (too bad I don’t have $800 just to throw around) and other things were scary/gross like this one tent that smelled like grandma’s closet mixed with dead animal. While we were getting crispy in the sun I found some cool Pyrex, a rabbit postcard from 1906, 2 Vaseline glass juice reamers, and this AMAZING copper pot and Emily found this cool (‘hipster’) necklace and a decanter. The pot was the deal of the day- $50 and great condition. Plus the guy selling it was hilarious- he had this monster sized hands that had massive gold rings on all his fingers. HA!

So after getting a mild sunburn, spending all our cash on old stuff and Pilgrim sandwiches we headed off to the Revere Beach, America’s first beach, to watch grown men (and a woman) play in the sand. Luckily, the temp cooled off a bit and some clouds came in otherwise I would look like a lobsta right now. The sand sculptures were incredible. We hung around for a while watching them build, sadly one collapsed a bit but he quickly got to work on fixing it- I would have just fixed myself a strong drink at that point to take a break.

So glad tomorrow is Saturday so I can sleep in.

I’m on a boat! I’m on a Boat!

July 14, 2009

This weekend started with Price and I finishing the first disc (episodes 1-3) of the second season of Big Love. I love Netflix and Big Love! We love to hate Nicki and we think Rhonda is amazing! In the midst of all the Big Love watching I made a cake for my stepdad’s birthday. I made a double batch of “Over The Top” Chocolate Layer Cake and Classic Chocolate Buttercream from my favorite baking book. I have made some tweaks to the recipes because I have a convection oven but it is a fantastic book.

Saturday morning we drove to the boat. I love driving in the summer- windows down all the way! It makes me miss my jeep and driving around town with the top down. I held the cake the whole way because it started to slide in the case. (Note to self- put some frosting down first then cake to ‘glue’ it to the bottom.)

The dock had organized a lobster bake that consisted of pot luck sides and over 40 lobsters. Once dinner was over I brought out the cake and we all sang Happy Birthday to Richard. While eating dinner I was talking to a genius of a woman who said that essentially the marina is like an expensive trailer park. Genius! Just genius. She is right. Instead of trailers people have boats that they sit out on while you watch a fat man running around without his shirt on, people getting drunk (mid-day), kids screaming and running around, etc. Not to mention my need to watch NASCAR on the back of it. Oh how I love night races on the boat…. While I love being at the boat I will never look at it the same again because of her. Thank you!

Sunday wrapped up the weekend with some outlet shopping (yay new JCrew dress and flippy floppies) and our trip back to Boston. While I should have been doing laundry and food shopping we opted to watch Role Models instead. I love Ronnie. That little kid had a great delivery. Must watch.

Song of the weekend: “I’m on Boat” (feat T Pain)

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.