Sunday, June 28, 2009

Two best friends, sharing one wonderful one short day

So, as you all know, I went to New York City yesterday with my friend Kim. She had never been, and I was more than happy to be her tour guide.

We agreed to meet at a commuter lot and then drive the rest of the way together. I arrived before Kim, so I entertained myself with some self-portraits while I waited.



Then Kim called and told me she was running late. So I waited some more...



When she arrived she was full of apologies, which included a donut for me. I just laughed and told her not to worry about it... it was all good, and there was no need to stress about it. Soon, we were on our way.

The drive there was easy... we took a slightly different route than the one I took last time I'd been, so I was a smidge nervous about screwing it up, but we arrived with no problems. Once we were parked, we hiked our way up to Central Park, where Kim whipped out her camera and started taking pictures. (I think she took something like 300 pictures while we were there. Don't worry--I don't have quite as many.)

We walked the lower loop of the park, and there were tons of people around. It didn't feel crowded or anything, though... it was just obvious that everyone was taking advantage of the gorgeous weather. I'd never walked too deep into Central Park, so I enjoyed all the new sights as much as Kim did.

We stopped along the way for some pictures... I took the first one, and Kim took the 2nd one.





Then we came across a random rock and I told Kim she should totally climb up there so I could take her picture. And she did, giving me this lovely pose.



Then she gave me a decent pose...



Then of course, she made me pose...



I'm not sure what I was doing here... Fixing my hair? Flexing my biceps? Who knows...



Me taking another picture of Kim taking a picture. No, this isn't posed at all... why do you ask?



We wandered along the trails, kind of looking for the Central Park Zoo. We realized we'd overshot it and re-routed ourselves, but by the time we found out, we weren't really too pumped about it anymore, so we by-passed it. We walked along the outside edge of the park, along 5th Avenue, and then popped back into the park to find some benches to eat our lunch on.



While we were eating, we enjoyed people-watching. Some guy dressed like Michael Jackson walked by us twice... the first time, I was the only one who noticed him, and it didn't dawn on me who he was dressed up as. when Kim saw him a few minutes later, she immediately said, "Oh, look, Michael Jackson," and it was then that I noticed his white face, silver glove, etc. Yeh, I'm quick like that.

After lunch, we left Central Park and hit up FAO Schwarz, which I think might have been one of Kim's favorite stops, judging by how much time we spent there. We had fun acting like kids and playing with all the toys. I took several pictures for Ari's sake, with some of her favorite characters... Elmo, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and the Very Hungry Caterpillar...



They had a bunch of little birds that chirped, and I found an oriole. So this picture is kind of more for Tony than for Ari, since he's a Baltimore Orioles fan...



There was a whole Harry Potter section... and we're both Harry Potter nerds, so...



After FAO Schwarz, we kept wandering down 5th Avenue, me pointing out all the big designer-name stores along the way. And once we got the Disney Store, of course we had to stop in there. And I had to get a pic with my man, Johnny...



We continued down 5th Avenue until we came to St. Patrick's Cathedral. We would have gone inside, except that there was a wedding going on. Our next stop was Saks 5th Avenue, and after that, Rockefeller Center.



From there, we made our way down to Times Square, where we entertained ourselves in Toys R Us, the Hershey's store, and the M&M's store (which I never knew was 3 stories). No pictures from any of those spots--they were massively crowded.

Behind me is the tower where they drop the ball on New Year's Eve. I was surprised to see the ball still up there... I kind of figured they just took it down shortly after New Year's.



You can't really tell in that shot, but I was standing in the street. I remember reading, months ago, that the mayor of NYC was considering blocking off some of the roads in Times Square in the summer to help with pedestrian congestion. I had completely forgotten about that until we got there and I saw it. I kept going on and on about it to Kim, because I've been to NYC so many times, and it was so weird to see people just walking along in the street.

It was about dinner time by now, and we were both dying to sit down and rest our tired feet. We hiked a few blocks back up toward Rockefeller Center, to Ted's Montana Grill. Kim had never eaten there before, but she loved it. We stuffed ourselves with bison burgers, onion rings and fries, and Kim even tried her first cappucino. It also gave us a chance to chat... it's kind of hard to carry on any kind of deep conversation when you're hurrying along the sidewalks and gaping at the sights (and, in Kim's case, taking pictures of everything).

While we were eating dinner, it started to absolutely pour. I had a view of the window from my seat, and I could see trees blowing in the wind and people scurrying by, huddled under umbrellas. The forecast had called for a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, but we'd been lucky enough to have perfect weather all day. We took our time finishing our dinners (and that was part of the reason Kim went for the cappucino--to kill some time). By the time we were done, it seemed like it had stopped raining, so we ventured out to find that not only had it stopped raining, but the sky was blue and filled with white clouds again. Our timing was impeccable.

Our first order of business after dinner was to find a pharmacy so I could buy some band-aids. I'd been developing blisters on my heels all day, but they hadn't really bothered me much. But after sitting down for a couple hours, they suddenly hurt so badly, and I realized I needed something. We took a gander at Radio City Music Hall as we left the restaurant, then headed back toward Times Square, keeping our eyes peeled for a Duane Reade. We found one pretty quickly, and I bought some heavy-duty band-aids. Kim bought some Advil, and while I wasn't looking, bought me Twizzlers to make me feel better. Between that and the band-aids, I was golden.

As we continued walking, Kim spotted this rainbow between buildings... yet another sign of the perfection of the day.



We walked by Madame Tussaud's... well, I should say, we tried. There was a mob of people around the entrance. I mean, Times Square is one big mob scene in general, but this particular crowd seemed unusual. We discovered why when we finally glimpsed the window--there was a wax figure of Michael Jackson there, and apparently, everyone was trying to get a picture of it. I'm not sure if Kim snapped a picture or not, but we quickly hurried along. She spotted a Sanrio store across the street, and we spent a few minutes in there.

I asked her if she wanted to see the Empire State Building, warning that it was still several blocks away. But she was game, so we headed down toward 34th Street via Broadway. Along the way, we passed by Herald Square, where Broadway and 6th almost converge. It's another little spot where parts of the street are blocked off, with little tables and chairs set up. We had a view of the Empire State Building from there, so Kim took a few pictures. We headed back uptown via 6th, and passed Bryant Park along the way. I had forgotten where it was, but I was happy to come across it, since I'd intended to show it to Kim. Really, I think the only major stuff we didn't see/do was Statue of Liberty, Battery Park and Ground Zero. Other than that, I think we hit up all the major tourist-y type stuff.

As we passed by Times Square again, I took a couple more pictures, simply because I was so fascinated with the idea of people being able to just walk in the streets. If you look closely in this one, you can see a couple people sitting in lawnchairs. I never did figure out where they got those from.



By now, it was about 8:30, and we were both exhausted from all the walking. I asked Kim if there was anything else she wanted to see/do before we left, and she said no. We reluctantly headed back toward the Crowne Plaza where we'd parked, neither one of us wanting to leave the city.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff from our little adventure, but I'll probably remember more once Kim gets a chance to go through her pictures. So there's a chance I may steal some pictures from her and do a follow-up entry. Of course, she's on vacation now, so that probably won't happen anytime soon.

It was a fantastic day, though, and we kept marveling throughout the day at how perfectly everything worked out. We got there without getting lost, and hitting no traffic... the city wasn't too crazy/crowded (as I'd worried it might be, on a summer weekend)... we had glorious weather... we got tons of exercise... we got to see tons of stuff... and best of all, we got to spend some quality time together. We've already decided that we definitely need to do this again sometime.

And, for the record, my legs are wicked sore today. But it was so worth it.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Of Twizzlers, Vienna Fingers, Nutter Butters and Dove chocolate (Hungry yet?)


So there's this line I always throw at Tony... He has the tendency, when he loses his train of thought mid-conversation, to say out loud, "What was I saying?" To which I like to answer, "That you love me. Can't live without me." Not only because it's true, but also because it derails his train of thought even further, which amuses me.

So the other night I was surfing TV channels when I came across "Fools Rush In." It's one of those movies I will always, always stop to watch, and it was almost over, so I settled right in. In the scene where Salma Hayek is in labor, she starts screaming in Spanish during a contraction. An EMT-type-person asks Matthew Perry what she just said, and he replies, "That she loves me. Can't live without me." I can't believe, with all the times I've seen this movie, that I never realized that's where I got my line from. And here I thought I was being so original.


My kidlet is turning 3 in a week. And since the 4th of July falls on a Saturday this year, that means I get next Friday off, which means I have her birthday off. Not that she's really going to notice or care, but it's still cool.


Tony and I were chatting a couple nights about what we needed from Target. We usually hit up Target because it's just one exit up the highway, and Wal-Mart is a bit farther. (Plus, I just like Target better, but that's beside the point.) As we were talking, I grinned and said, "You know... if you went to Wal-Mart instead, they have Twizzlers on sale."

He smiled back and said, "I was already planning on going there."

"Why? Just to get Twizzlers?"

"Yup."

He rocks. And I'm going to have to send him on another run soon, because the Twizzlers are now almost gone. It's a sickness, I know.


Speaking of food, I am craving some Vienna Fingers and Nutter Butters in the worst way. And Dove chocolate (because they totally make the best chocolate).

All I ever think about is junk food, apparently.


I was reminded the other day that Tim Burton is remaking "Alice in Wonderland," starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. Tim Burton + Johnny Depp always assures brilliance, but add the splendid insanity of "Alice in Wonderland" to the mix? This may very well be the Best Movie Ever.

Johnny Depp was on Letterman last night and as I watched, it occurred to me that I think that was the first time I've ever seen him on a talk show. He seemed awkward and uncomfortable the whole time. But it was adorable, of course.


I have come to the conclusion that I don't like my ankles.

Also, I hate my hair. But that's not news.


Oh, yeh, and by the way... I'm going to New York City tomorrow! But not alone... this time, I will be accompanied by my awesometastic friend Kim, and I will be playing the role of tour guide, since she has never been. I am so excited... not only to get to see my beloved city, but also to get to show it off to one of my favorite people. Plus, it looks like the weather is going to be perfect--hot, yes, but at least no rain is in the forecast. NYC, here we come!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Beginning of the birthday festivities

We spent the afternoon at my parents' house for Father's Day, and my mom surprised me by asking me if we wanted to have Ari open her birthday gifts while we were there. Mom and Dad are going to be away the weekend of her birthday, so I guess she wanted to take advantage of the fact that we were all together. (I can't believe Ari's going to be THREE in less than 2 weeks, but that's another tangent.) So there are pictures, of course...

Ari, me, and my mom...



She gots movies... (And, I swear, we do brush her hair. Honest. It's just out of control. I really need to work on getting her used to having barrettes and ponytails in it.)



My mom found this little doll named "Princess Ariana." My mom is the queen of finding perfect gifts.



She got some books, some markers, and some sticker books (her current favorite thing)...



Included in the pile of gifts were a couple from Steve, Eden and Lyvi. Lyvi has this same puzzle and she and Ari had a lot of fun putting it together while they were visiting. I don't know what's up with Ari's weird face here, but as soon as the gift-opening was done, Ari insisted on putting this puzzle together right away.



She also got a dress from them. A size 4, but I'm betting it will fit her now. Tall girl...



The significant thing about this picture is that we caught my brother Pete... and his entire face... and he's smiling! Oh yeh and Ari got a cute dress.



Again with the weird face. This is what happens when we ask her to say "cheese." Maybe we need a different word...



She was much more excited about these sunglasses than she appears in this picture...



Ari and all her loot...



And that is all. Like I said before, she'll be 3 in less than 2 weeks. We really should start planning her party...

Saturday, June 20, 2009

"Hey, what's the big idea?"


I don't remember if I mentioned it here, but a couple weeks back, I got a chip in my mostly-brand-new windshield. Well, it wasted no time in morphing into a crack. The good thing is that it's way over on the passenger side, so it's not in my line of vision. The bad thing is that that means I keep forgetting that it's there. I really need to look into getting it fixed.


I fail to see how a shampoo or conditioner can claim to straighten hair. I mean, I could see how maybe a hairspray or a gel could help the straightening process, but a shampoo? I say this because I went to buy some shampoo/conditioner the other day, and rather than getting the same old stuff, I decided to try something new and grabbed a bottle of Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight shampoo + conditioner. It's not that I expected it to make my hair magically straight (and, for the record, it makes no difference at all in how my pre-straightened hair looks)... it just got me thinking that that seems like a weird claim for a shampoo to make.

Anyway, non-straightening aspects aside, I'm not a big fan of the shampoo. Think I'll go back to my Pantene Beautiful Lengths crap next time around.


They recently installed automatic hand-soap dispensers in the bathrooms at work, and for some reason, my brain seems to think that means that the sinks are now automatic, too. I can't even tell you how many times I've stood there with my hands hovering under the faucet, wondering why the water isn't coming on, only to remember that yeh, it's not automatic, dummy.


It occurred to me the other day that I cannot, for the life of me, write lowercase Q's. They come out all garbled and weird, and then I have to trace over them, which only makes it worse. The only way I can write them is if I really stop and concentrate, and even then, they still look a bit wonky. Am I the only one?


My charming little daughter has picked up a new phrase, straight from the mouth of Donald Duck: "Hey, what's the big idea?!" So far, she only says it jokingly, not with an attitude or anything, and it cracks me up. I am just waiting for her to bust out with "How exasperating!" any day now.


Lately, Ari's been waking up while I'm getting ready for work in the morning, so she'll wander into the bathroom and hang out with me for a bit before going to wake up Tony. We had the following conversation the other day...

Me: Hey, Ari, do you want to do something for Mommy?

Ari: What?

Me: Can you go into the hall closet and get a new bar of soap?

Ari: (whines) But I don't want to go back to bed!

Me: Um... Ari? Did you even hear what I said?

Ari: (blankly) What?

Me: I said, can you go get a new bar of soap for me?

Ari: (brightly) OK!

Yes, folks, she gets her first-thing-in-the-morning alertness from me.


And that's all I've got for now, kids. Happy weekend to you all... and Happy Father's Day to all those father-type figures out there!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Your recommended daily serving of light and fluffy randomness


I love Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop Tarts. Probably more than I should. Especially since I've got myself convinced that they're healthy because they're a breakfast food and surely they must be fortified with ... stuff ... just like cereals are.


I went for a walk the other night with my BFF Dawn and her daughter. And afterwards, I got dragged to Dairy Queen. I wasn't kicking and screaming or anything, but I did put up a rather feeble protest. And then she offered to pay. How is a girl supposed to be strong in the face of temptation like that?

My Oreo Blizzard (with chocolate ice cream, of course) was quite delicious... thanks for asking.


I watched the last half of the Tony Awards on Sunday night (I forgot it was on, otherwise I would have DVRed the whole thing). It was fun, as always, to see the different performances. Now, all of a sudden, I kind of want to see "Hair," simply because the song they performed was so much fun.

I missed seeing Bret Michaels get beaned on the head with a piece of the set. Observe...



I really shouldn't make fun, though... poor guy broke his nose.


I came across a show the other night called "Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed." I've seen it before--I recognized the magician and his creepy little mask (which I presume he wears so that other magicians don't hunt him down and lynch him for giving away all their tricks). Shows like that absolutely fascinate me because... well, because I am dumb. Seriously, I am a magician's dream volunteer--I cannot for the life of me ever figure out a trick, and I am always in awe. Any given magic show--whether it's a street performer or someone fancy like David Copperfield--commands my attention, and I sit there like a little kid, mouth hanging open, completely impressed, wondering, "How did they DO that?"


A quick reminder for all my fellow "Pushing Daisies" fans... the series finale (*sniff*) airs tomorrow night at 10 PM on ABC.


So that sunburn I got last Saturday? It's peeling now. I've been lotioning up my shoulders like crazy, in an effort to avoid this, but no such luck. It itches like crazy and looks so gross. Blech.


I listened while Tony read Ari "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" before bedtime a few nights ago. When he was done, she insisted on reading it to him, and I listened in awe as she "read" the book nearly perfectly. Yes, I know she's not really reading... which means she has the book memorized... which, to me, is even more impressive. And she even read it with feeling, too... for example, emphasizing the word "still" every time she said, "But he was still hungry."

There were a couple times she hesitated, and, wanting to be helpful, I supplied the word(s) for her. About the second time I did this, she politely said, "Mommy, don't talk." From that moment on, anytime she halted, she would look at me out of the corner of her eye as she thought, as if daring me to speak.

Also, she says "cocoon" as "muh-coon." It's too cute to correct her. Just like I don't correct her for calling the monkey bars "nunkey bars."


Ari and I were goofing off in the car the other day... we play this game a lot, saying "I love you" back and forth, usually with me starting my reply before she's done talking. Which is a bit presumptuous sometimes.

Ari: I love Mommy.

Me: But I love YOU.

Ari: I love Mommy!

Me: But I love you!

Ari: I love Mommy!

Me: But I love you!

Ari: I love Daddy!

Me: But I lo-- Oh.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Last batch of pictures

(In case you haven't seen them yet, there are 3 more entries of pics below this one.)

OK, now for the last batch of pictures. These are from last Saturday, which was Steve, Eden and Lyvi's last day here. We (meaning us, them, and my parents and grandmother) went to a state park (same one we went to on Memorial Day, actually) and the weather could not have been more perfect. It was sunny and warm, but the breeze kept everything cool. I was actually a smidge chilly all day, even in the sun. Which is why I didn't realize how much sun I was getting. Which is why I ended up with sunburnt shoulders. But at least I remembered to put sunscreen on my kid, so yay for that.

I love this one of Ari and Lyvi... I asked them both to look at me and smile, and what do you know, they did.



After lunch, we headed down to the beach...





Ari found a bug. (Have I mentioned that she calls a bug "a fuzzy"? It's so cute.)



Steve and I took pictures of each other taking pictures of each other because we are so super-cool like that.



Tony picked up a set of beach stuff for Ari--a couple pails and shovels and few other containers for making sand castles and such. This shovel did not quite make it through the day. I decided to memorialize it in this portrait, which I entitled.... aw, crap. I had a super-dramatic title when I took the picture, because I remember telling it to Steve, and now it's gone. Just like this shovel. *sob*



Tony got right to work building a somewhat-elaborate sand castle.







Ari finally got around to kicking off her Crocs (hand-me-downs from Lyvi) and discovered the joy of feeling sand between her toes. And she promptly buried her feet in the sand.



Tony's finished sand castle, complete with broken-shovel-handle-repurposed-as-a-flag.



And then Tony gave the order for the girls to destroy the castle. They were almost a bit hesitant at first, but quickly got into it and smashed the thing to bits.







Eden took a family portrait for us.



The closer-up version...



When we got back to our picnic table, we had a little visitor. And our arrival made no difference to him--he kept snacking away, and Tony found a few more bits of food to toss at him.



And then it was bubble-blowing time. Ari loves this...



After blowing for a while, she decided she needed to chase them...





One of my favorite shots of the day... I love the look of concentration on her face...



And so ends the Great Picture Dump.