Ready to go Again?

There are many things in life worth repeating: weekend trips to a favorite B&B, a cherished recipe, a mistake that is too fun to learn from, a bone breaking hockey accident.

Wait, what?

The call came late last night, as all calls carrying bad news do.

As a rule, Adam calls me after his hockey games, when he is on the highway heading home. I may not always answer as sometimes these calls come quite late on weeknights but I hear the phone and know it means he is on his way home. So last night when the phone rang and startled me from being half asleep I thought "Oh it's Adam on his way home" and turned over to get back to sleep. But my eye caught the clock and the time struck me as odd. 11:20PM. His game started at 10:45PM so there is no way it's over and he is already on the highway. And he never calls me DURING a game. Unless.....

Oh hell no.

As the phone started buzzing again I knew before I even answered. "Whats wrong" I asked immediately. "Don't freak out" he said "But I think I broke my leg. I am on my way to Newton Wellesley Hospital".

And my gut reaction was probably not the response most people would want to hear from their loved ones in a time of need. "Are you F-ing kidding me!?".

Seriously though. Are. You. F-ing. Kidding. Me.

If you are new to this blog you may think "My god what a beast". But if you are not new you will recall two years ago the EXACT SAME THING HAPPENING . Feet first into the boards during a hockey game, shattered his ankle, snapped his tibia and fibula in one of the worst breaks the surgeon had ever seen which led to weeks in an external fixator and visiting nurses and me getting a crash course in "pin care" and pain management and him being in the worst pain of his life.

Not cute!

This time it was pretty much the same exact thing, hooked by a stick, went feet first into the boards. Only this time he broke his OTHER leg. Same bones as the previous accident, just higher up and luckily not as severe. No accolades from the orthopedists this time for having an impressive injury, which I am thankful for. But still, a broken leg is no one's idea of a good time.

So I spent the day at the hospital with my favorite patient and he was in surprisingly good spirits given his pain and then I read an entire Danielle Steel novel during his surgery and the man now has more titanium in him than the Bionic man. The surgery was a success and there is every indication he can come home tomorrow.

And you know, after the last accident I was very very against Adam returning to hockey. But he was insistent and boys will be boys. I distinctly remember when he was packing up his equipment to hit the rink for his first practice after the shattering of bones I was vocally angry about it. Eventually that anger cooled to tolerance laced with mild hatred. But now? Holy hell. Let's just say when we were in pre-op a nurse remarked "Oh you're a hockey player? My son plays hockey too!" and I turned to her and said "You better break him of that habit NOW! Please! If you want him to be without metal rods and plates in his legs later in life, tell him to find another sport NOW". She giggled like I was kidding.

If only she knew!

10-10-10

My experience at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast yesterday made a big impression on me. I am not speaking of my kickass burn (the blister of which has doubled in size and is quite awe inspiring and hypo that I am I revel in it), but of Suzy Welch's speech. Much of which was based on her new book 10-10-10 which is kind of handbook of self awareness and decision making wherin before making decisions you ask yourself, how will this choice affect me in 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years? It sounds cheesy I know but as someone who has scoffed that self awareness is for hippies, it made an impact on me.

As part of her speech Suzy had three questions she asked of us, questions that everyone should ask themselves and they were
1) On your 70th birthday what would make you look back on your life and cry with regret?
2) When you are not in the room, what do you want people to say about you.
3) What is something you loved about your childhood and something you hated.

I think these are really thought provoking questions. I shared them with some of my friends last night and was surprised that others were equally introspective about them. Maybe I am not becoming a hippie after all.

The first one really made me think long and hard and I am still not sure I have an answer. But even knowing that as of now I don't have an answer to that question feels like an answer in and of itself. I at some point am going to have to figure out what I really want out of life. Besides a decent blow out and a well made martini.

So I wonder of others out there, do you have immediate answers to those questions? You dont have to share what those answers are but I wonder if other people find those questions difficult to answer!

A Hot Mess. Literally.

The fact is and always will be: You really can’t take me anywhere.

I got up early today to get ready for an event at the Fairmont Copley I was attending with some coworkers. Suzy Welch was speaking at a networking breakfast for the Boston Chamber of Commerce and we were all really excited to attend. So, early I awoke and did my hair and face and picked out a professional but whimsical outfit and off I was to the city.

I am such a fail though.

For one thing, I always go the same way to work which is Quincy Shore Drive, to Morrisey Blvd, to the Expressway via Columbia Road, to The Pike, to Newton! So a reasonable person would think, well I will still go that exact way but instead of heading to the Pike I will head to South Station and make my way over to Copley.

But I first of all had it in my head that I COULD NOT BE LATE. I had visions of Suzy speaking, everyone listening in rapt attention, and me stumbling in 20 minutes late clutching my phone and bag, red faced from the run from the parking garage, probably tripping on my way in. Charming. So I decided getting on the highway in Milton made more sense. If you live around here you know that I am sincerely an idiot.

So there was traffic for days and I was running behind. Another thing you should know is even when I know where I am going, I like having the GPS on for backup. A comforting voice to re-affirm that yes, I do know where I am going. But Jane (as I call my cool British voiced GPS), was anything but comforting. She kept telling me to get off the highway and turn around. Turn around and go where! Boston is straight ahead! Jane what are you talking about! And she was getting increasingly pissed that I wouldn’t turn around. So pissed that when I refused to get off at exit 16, she stopped talking altogether.

What a beast!

But without her, I still made it to the Fairmont but then the question of parking arose. I thought there was a garage right next to it and there is, but from where I was I couldn’t get to it without going the wrong way down a one way. So I decided to go around the block and ended up almost accidentally getting on the Pike. Twice. At this point it is five minutes from the time I am supposed to be at the Fairmont sipping a coffee and listening to Suzy. So I bang down Boylston going what feels like 90 and eventually get myself to the Clarendon garage where I steam ahead to the third floor, throw my car in a spot and run over to the hotel. I arrive only 4 minutes late and people are still in the lobby getting nametags.

PHEW!

So I get my nametag and schmooze and other people are later than me and other people were clueless about parking (People who work in Newton forget that you cant just park anywhere you feel like it in the city) so I feel much better. We are seated and the event begins. Suzy is an incredible speaker, totally charming and really entertaining. People are listening intently and laughing and enjoying themselves. I am smiling and casually reach for the silver coffee pot to pour myself a cup…

…and burn the everloving F out of my hand. Of course! Because it’s me and if there is a hot surface within a 20 foot radius of me I will find a way to burn myself on it.

The searing pain makes me catch my breath but I get ahold of myself and smile it off. I put my bedeviled hand in my lap and focused on Suzy. But sweet jesus it HURT. Deep breaths. Calm cool collection. Ok I am fine.

Once the breakfast portion of the event was over it was time to make our way around and network. Which incurs hand shaking. Yowza! I did not cringe or wince outwardly because such a a thing is generally not done when making introductions, BUT with every squeeze of my hand It felt like burning my hand all over again. I powered through though! I met a lot of great people including Suzy herself who was such a delight and just a really inspirational woman.

Then again the fact that I powered through a networking breakfast with this bad boy makes me pretty inspirational too!



(Disclaimer: as with all burns (and I am speaking as an authority on the matter) the blister did not appear until a few hours later so it is not like I was shaking people's hand with this pus filled sac on my hand. Just clearing that up. Enjoy the image!)

Gilt Wins!!

(Macy's)




(Gilt)

NaBloPoMo In the House!

Starting off NaBloPoMo on a good foot - by totally forgetting to blog yesterday, November 1st.

D'oh!

I am still going to participate though because as you may know, I do what I want. Maybe if I double up one day it will even out, right?

Right!

Anywho the weekend was a bit of a blur and in the midst of the blur was one of my favorite holidays: Halloween! This year I revisted a costume I did a few years ago but totally sassed it up. Do I have a picture of this sassiness? Of course not. But here is what I did

1) Cut the sleeves off of my Ann Bolyen dress from last year, which gave me a dark green and gold tunic looking dress.

2) Used my long brown wig from last year.

3) Piled the wig on top of my head and wove bright green rubber snakes in and around it. Stuck a huge rubber snake around my neck. Painted my eyes green and was ready to go! Medusa in the house! Gorgon it up!

Adam word a fierce mullet wig, bandana, Trans Am t shirt and dirtbag mustache. I believe his costume was "a creep". And creepy it certainly was!!

We met up with Andy and his lovely roommates for some pre-party festivities and then joined the masses at Ashmont Grill's annual costume party which was a BLAST! I am telling you, when you see a large man dressed up as Marie Antoinette walking into a place, you know you are at the right party! Nearly everyone was costumed to the hilt and the bartenders did a great job keeping us all sauced. We danced to hits of the late 70s and hung out on the "haunted patio". All in all a splendid time.

Of course I was the deadbeatingest of all deadbeats yesterday. The majority of my day was spent trying to get into "Hell's Kitchen" but I just do not like it. I wish I did. But Top Chef still takes the cake followed closely by The Next Iron Chef (which in many ways is basically the same thing although Alton Brown is way more palatable than that Tom Collichio if you ask me).

And so here we are on Monday and I am actually looking forward to this week. Things at work are insane but the good kind of insane that keeps you busy and makes you feel like you're actually good at what you do. Love it.

Stay tuned for more inanity every single day this month. Work!

Two for the Price of One

Picture it: Southeastern Expressway 6PM, Wednesday, somewhere near exit 12.

My cell phone rings and it's my brother. Wait, first some background info:

Adam and I and my brother are kind of tag team taking care of the dog while my parents are in South Africa for a few weeks. So on Mondays and Wednesdays Adam goes to my parents' after work to walk and feed him, on Tuesdays and Thursdays I do, and on Fridays/the weekend Peter usually handles it.

Ok so back to the story. The phone rings and it's Peter

"What time did Adam walk the dog today?" he asks

"Uh, not sure. Probably around 4ish?"

"Do you know if when he walked the dog, there was a car in the backyard?"

"What!? A car"

"Yeah there's a car parked in the backyard"

"What!?"

Now this is not an every day occurance at our house. IN fact it has never happened. So we were both a little disturbed.

"What do you think its doing there?" I asked, knowing the obvious answer (Hello, dead body in the trunk. I watch Law and Order. I know what goes on).

"I don't know a stolen car someone ditched?"

"Why would they ditch the car in someones backYARD? I thought you would ditch a car some place it wouldnt be seen right away".

While we debated the finer points of thieves/murderers logic, I decided to call Adam and see if by chance he had seen anything when he was there feeding the dog. When I called him he informed me that while there was not a car in the backyard, there had been tire tracks leading from the front yard to the back yard and the yard was all kinds of ripped up. But no car. And furthermore if I ever checked my voicemail I would know this (true).

So I call my brother back, at this point heading over there instead of back to my apartment and relay to him this new info. Not only was a car parked there now but it had been making trips for some reason to and from the back yard. Curiouser and curiouser!

At this point a diagram might be helpful.



As you may recal Wednesday was really rainy and gross and as such this car and it's several trips had ripped up the side yard and much of the backyard. Peter told me he had called the police and they were going to send someone down but they weren't that surprised or concerned about it.

Clearly they don't watch Law and Order as much as I do.

In any case I told Peter that whoever's car that was had been back and forth a few times and Adam had seen the tracks. Nothing was missing from the house though. What the heck is going on?

We ended the conversation and I continued my drive to my parents' house. When I was almost there Peter called me "A tow truck just came and I called the police back and told them not to come...it was the PAINTER'S CAR".

My parents are having the house painted while they are gone and apparently he decided that because it was raining he didnt want to carry his paint buckets to the back yard, he wanted to drive them there by driving through the side yard and backyard instead of down the driveway (???)

I don't know how a mind works that decides that driving and tearing up the lawn of someone you work for is a good idea.

So apparently the whole abandoned car thing happened because on one of his trips out back the car got STUCK in the lawn and he attempted to dig it out with a shovel several times before leaving to call a tow truck.

Again. ???????

It doesn't make any sense to me at all. And yet to him it made perfect sense. I find this both amusing and a little scary. He did go back and sod over the ruined lawn and I am sure come spring it will be fine but in the meantime it makes a good story!

Not Five Things

Inspired by Jenny. And by inspired I mean totally ripped off from her. Thanks woman!


1) Samurai Chai Mate from Teavana: All of the caffeine of coffee plus "strong spices, invigorating herbs and revitalizing citrus". Delicious!!



2) Snakeskin Accessories. This obsession/mission began a few months ago at, where else, the Talbouts Outlet. I found the most amazing snakeskin bag. Roomy. Slouchy. Snakeskin. Braided Straps. Perfection! However at over $100 it was a bit out of my price range so I decided to wait for a price break, since there were so many of them I figured what the hey? Next thing I know they go down to $36 but are sold out! WAH!! This bag haunts my dream and I am on the hunt for it's twin. I just really love the edginess of snakeskin in a really nice leather. Sigh.

3) Finding the perfect "Fall" nail color. Right now it's Siberian Nights from OPI but I am getting bored with it. Have you tried the new matte color line? That might be next on the list althuogh my nails are so short I am accustomed to the pizazz of shiny nail polish.





4) Solutions AM/PM Face Cream. Its about time I got myself into a day AND night facial care regime and this fits the bill. I need a lot more moistureizer as the seasons change and the AM cream is nice and light but still makes my skin feel great. The night is a bit heavier but not greasy. Just enough so you feel like it's going to do good things for you while you sleep. And it does. Not to mention you really can't beat the price.



5) The fact that I have had this brower open ALL DAY and could not come up with a fifth thing. I am apparently only into four (4) things currently. That's all I can handle! Just four. A fifth thing would throw me totally off balance.

The Day of 1,000 Drinks

Saturday started off innocently enough. I woke up at 8AM with the kind of energy reserved shoppers the day after Thanksgiving. Not for any particular reason though. And it's unfortunate that I wake up during the week feeling like the walking dead but on the weekend when I can sleep in, I can't. Ho Hum.

So to expend this energy I did what anyone would do: I went food shopping. It was long overdue and I have to say that the supermarket pre-9AM on a Saturday is just as good as my old favorite time, pre-9AM on a Thursday. Seriously. Tons of carts. No lines. No screaming kids. Just me, and everyone else who felt compelled to leave the house in their PJS taking our time and doing our shopping. So nice. I didn't even mind that when I got home it turns out my pants were on inside out.

After relaxing a bit at home Adam and I decided to head out for lunch. Some of my coworkers have been raving about Abby Park, the newish restaurant in East Milton Square, so we decided to check that out. Designed by the same architect who did Davio downtown, the space is gorgeous! Nice large bar area, modern and inviting decor, super friendly bar staff (that = key) and a varied menu. Since it was only lunch we decided to get salads (Caprese for me, Cobb for him) and alcohol (nice crisp Albarino for me, Sam Adams for him). While we decided we will definitely go back for dinner sometime soon (they had me at this dandy addition to the menu), the salads were substantial and delicious and our drinks were great! Just the hearty fare we needed for our sojourn up the street to Lower Mills to check out the Dorchester Open Studios.

We bounced to The Baker Lofts where we checked out some vibrant abstracts and adorable ceramics

Then it was off to The Boston Home, where the art of some of the residents was showcased and we were blown away by the talent. I fell in love with a little water color of the harbor/gas tank but it was "Not For Sale". Sad!!! Still, it was lovely to see all the fantastic paintings and the Boston Home's art program is on my list of Awesome Things.

And then we went off to the First Parish church and visited my friend Paul who was showcasing his brilliant photography. There were loads of other artists in the space including jewlers, multimedia, glass blowers and (my fave) stained glass! The stained glass artist Raine Newman doesn't have a website but he does make beautiful stained glass pieces and I picked up a few brooches from him. Makes me feel like a church when I wear them!

So all in all the Dorchester Open Studios was a success! I wish more of the studios had been open at the Baker Lofts but such is life, maybe next year. In any case after all of that art-viewing we were in dire need of a drink. So where to? The Ashmont Grill of course.

Our favorite bartender whom we love TARA was working, thank god, and she set us straight with a pumpkin martini (me) and a large beer (him). We split the bluefish pate (I love this. So far only Andy loves it as well so if you go PLEASE try it if they have it and tell me you love it too.) and what the hell I had another cocktail, the cranberry ginger which was also divine. I am 90% sure we will be attending their Halloween party this Saturday. Who doesn't love a costume party and a haunted patio?

And who doesn't love having a week to throw together a costume? I will pull it out though, don't you worry.

After a brief stop at Esprit du Vin, we arrived at a party for our dear friend and Andy's mom. His family is so much fun and so great to hang out with, we always have a blast with them. Not to mention his mother is one of our favorite people ever, so of course we wanted to celebrate her day with her. We noshed on a delicious buffet and then over champagne and cake we toasted to her and then later had a Fleetwood Mac singalong in the kitchen. All in a night's work.

We sojourned back to Andy's after the party for a nightcap and then it was back to Quincy for bed. It was a busy day but a great day nonetheless.

Maybe see you tomorrow at Trick or Tweet?

Blogtoberfest Recap!

Last night was the third Boston Blogtoberfest planned by and hosted by the lovely Ms Jenny!

I headed into the South End after work, threw my car in the Ateilier 505 garage (I find as I get older the appeal of searching for street parking for an hour has waned. The bloom is way off that rose), and walked down the street to Stephi's to meet Peter for Pre-Fest dinner and drinks. I arrived first, ordered us an appetizer to split and a delicious "Winter White Martini".


hello lover.

Once Peter arrived we set to gabbing over delicious entree salads (Yellowfin Tuna for me, Roast Turkey Cobb for him). Stephi's meets all my requirements for a lovely dinner out on the town: ample bar seating, delicious and varied cocktail menu, reasonably priced entrees and super friendly staff. We both agreed it was divine and we would certainly be back. But for now we had somthing else to take care of - Boston Blogtoberfest!

It was held this year at 28 degrees and it was as usual a lovely space for the event. We put on our nametags and set to mingling and exchaning cards with Boston Blogerati, including new friends Julie, Rebecca, Pam, Jaclyn, Kristen and Angela and as always it was nice to see John Wall and run into the Dorchester peeps Albert and Rakeisha. There were a lot of other fabulous people I met but alas I left my cards at home and these are who I could conjure up on the fly. Suffice it to say it was a fantastic event and it's always nice to hob knob with new and interesting people. Great job, Jenny!

Peter and I Blogtobering (hijacked from the fabulous JQ Lounge)

I'm attending another event next week at one of my fave restaurants Tavolo. So if you are a local blogger/tweeter/social person come check it out!


(click for deets)

And on another note thank the LORD it's Friday! Two points of interest for the weekend (both of which Adam and I will be checking out).

Tomorrow and Sunday is the Dorchester Open Studios, where my coworker Paul will be showcasing his gorgeous photography among many other local and talented artists! Its important to support the arts in your community and this is an easy way to do so. Meander around. Check out some great art. Maybe even purchase something fabulous for your home.

On Sunday we head to Braintree for Bin End's Wine Flea Market for Charity. There will be over 75 delicious wines to taste and enjoy and BUY if you are so moved for up to 50% off. There will also be a raffle of local gift certificates and more wine all in support of Hugs for Healing, a local charity that provides comfort for patients undergoing treatment for cancer. Combining drinking with charity work? Sign me up!

Whatever you do, enjoy the weekend!

Will I Be Seeing You?

I'll be there! Wooooot!