Sunday, March 24, 2013

THINGS TO DO

Over the past month, I've received invitations to a wedding, a bridal shower, and a double communion.  All 3 of these blessed events are taking place within a month of each other.  Does it make me a horrible person that all I can think about is how bloody expensive the month of April is going to be?

Don't get me wrong, I'm honored to have been invited to all of the things.  I guess I'm just a cheap bastard who wishes that maybe they could have been spread out a little better.  Because we all know that even if I were to decline any of said invites, I would still feel like an a-hole if I didn't send a check or a gift.

And did I mention that one of them is in fricking Poughkeepsie?  

While we're on the topic of get-togethers, am I alone in thinking that having an engagement party AND a bridal shower before the wedding might make Emily Post shudder in her grave?  If you invite all the same people to all 3 events, you do realize that you're basically asking them for THREE gifts, right?

Thursday, March 21, 2013

TRADITION

The 19th was St. Joseph's Day.  This is a Catholic sort-of holiday celebrated by Italian people by eating custard-y pastries.  That's the kind of holiday I can get behind.  Since I live with an Italian man whose middle name is Joseph, I though maybe it would be nice if we celebrated.

Seeing that I'm Irish and I have no idea what to do on St. Joseph's Day, I turned to the ultimate authority on such things - Google.  I discovered that besides eating delicious, custard-y (or cannoli cream filled) zeppoles, people also have a traditional pasta dish consisting of sardines (UGH) or anchovies and breadcrumbs.  The fish is due to the fact that the holiday falls during Lent, when most people (back in the day) abstained from eating meat.  The breadcrumbs are to represent sawdust, as Joseph was a carpenter.  Knowledge!  So I went and got all my spaghetti, anchovies, and breadcrumbs and whipped up what turned out to be a really freaking good (if I do say so myself) dinner.  For dessert, zeppoles.

All in all it was a good night, and I feel like we may have started some kind of a tradition.  And anyone who knows me knows that I am corny as hell and love that kind of thing.  I feel like I need to buy a special apron or something.  I love it.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A CASE OF THE TUESDAYS

It's back to work after a long weekend.  Blerg.

This video is the greatest thing I've seen in a long time and it certainly made my morning a lot better.  Please enjoy...



And my favorite frame:






Monday, March 18, 2013

SPRING BREAK FOR OLDS

As previously mentioned, C and I went to big sis' house in RI this weekend.  We arrived on Friday afternoon and immediately had some chowder.  It's just about always the first thing I do once I cross the CT state line.  It was delicious, like it always is.  Once we got to Zuckerland North, we took a ride into Little Compton and picked up some things at the general store to supplement our dinner.  See, big sis had gone to the butcher and picked up some ribeye steaks for dinner.  Greatest welcome ever.  So we had a delicious dinner of ribeyes with a caramelized onion and blue cheese sauce, creamed spinach, and roasted potatoes.  And wine.  Lots of wine.  And fire!!




The next morning (after a healthy dose of Gatorade and Advil), it was game time. Seeing as it was C's first time in RI, I tried to squeeze as much nostalgia as humanly possible into a fairly small window of time. I drove him by the beaches I went to as a kid and showed him the houses we rented for years.  Then I dragged him to the St. Patrick's day parade in downtown Newport.  It was great, like it is every year.  I have a real weakness for bagpipes and fifes and drums, probably as a result of my Irishness.  I'm not sure C feels the same way, considering Italians aren't really big on the fifes and bagpipes.  There were also dancing lobsters though, and who doesn't enjoy that?


Next up was the tourist-y section of our day.  We drove down Bellevue Avenue and checked out the mansions, took the Ocean Drive and the Cliff Walk, and finished up with Purgatory Chasm and some beautiful views from the cliffs of Second Beach.  It was freaking freezing, but still beautiful.


All in all it was a great weekend, and I'm looking forward to going back when the weather is nice and C can fish for the much-talked-about Rainbow Trout.  Apparently he's convinced that the rocky shores of Brenton Point are sure to bring him the mother lode.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

HOME

Just arrived home after a wonderful weekend in Rhode Island. I'll update some more tomorrow, but right now I'm all tuckered out.

Goodnight and Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Thursday, March 14, 2013

UNACCEPTABLE

As of July, no more Google Reader.  I know this is the definition of a First World problem, but DAMMIT GOOGLE.  It was bad enough when they tried to shove Google+ down our throats by getting rid of the share option in reader, but now you get rid of it entirely?  Dicks.  

There's some way to download all my crap into Takeout and then I can supposedly upload it to start using a new service.  But I have no idea what any of that means.  I'm not my mom when it comes to the internet, but I'm not my sister, either.  In other words, someone is going to have to come over to my place and hold my hand and show me how to do all this.  And I can guarantee you that I'll still find a way to bitch about it after it's done.

Monday, March 11, 2013

BUDGET GAME OF THRONES

I've been going through a bit of withdrawal. 

Though I originally poked fun at the Throne Games fans, I've now officially joined their ranks.  You see, we got free Showtime and HBO for a year when we set up our new cable, and Charlie started watching it On Demand.  It took me seeing one episode to immediately begin watching the first two seasons.  I mean, who doesn't love the imp?  And who doesn't want Joffrey to get mutilated slowly and painfully?  (The answer to that should be no one.  Every one should want that.) 

But now I find myself without the hound.  So what to do? 

Vikings seemed like it could have been a space filler.  And while I applaud the History Channel for trying its hand at original programming, as well as riding the coattails of Game of Thrones, it's just not good.  There's no substitute for the real thing.  20 days!! 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

LAZY SUNDAY

Little one is exhausted after yesterday's brunch.


Friday, March 8, 2013

SLEEPY

I'm 100 years old.

Apparently, going out on a school night and not getting to bed until 11:30 is something I can't do anymore.  After I got home from work yesterday, I was exhausted.  So exhausted, that I didn't even blog.  Not even a phone-it-in post in the form of a Sadie picture.  I don't like that I'm one down in this here Forced March.  

I'm home from work today, due to my intense fear of snow-driving and the fact that I have what feels like a cage fight going on in my uterus. (The joys of being a lady!)  I plan on making up for some serious lost sleep as well as gearing up for another night at the (UN)FAIR to watch Charlie read.  There will also be some grocery shopping and cleaning taking place to prepare for the brunch guests we will be having over tomorrow.  This entertaining thing is fabulous, especially when you have a chef in the house.

Here is a pic of my favorite painting from the show.  I love that the creepy little bastard is all, "Go ahead.  I dare you to try and make it up those stairs."


Wednesday, March 6, 2013

SCHOOL NIGHT SHENANIGANS

This is going to be a short one, due to the fact that I'm sleepy and on a train home from the art show. It was an interesting show with lots of different pieces. There were photographs, paintings, drawings, installations, and music. As you might expect, some of it I loved, some not so much.
Charlie did really well, despite the fact that he was pretty nervous about the whole thing. Turns out he's going to be there for the rest of the show, which goes through the 10th.
All in all, it was a good night. I'm going to fall asleep on the train now.

***hugs and kisses and thanks to Big Sis for coming out tonight. Love your guts.

LAST MINUTE CHANGE!

So Charlie got a call from the (UN)FAIR lady-in-charge about 5 minutes ago.  She wants him to do his reading at 6:40.  So if anyone is actually reading this and was planning on going, 6:40, not 7:30.

The ice cream is still free, though.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

(UN)FAIR

If you're not doing anything tomorrow night, and feel like checking out some paintings, music, installations, and readings, you should head out to the (UN)FAIR Art Show.  It's at 500 West 52nd, 3rd floor.  
Yes, its weird that I (who knows close to nothing about art) should be suggesting something like this.  But Charlie is going to be doing a reading at 7:30, and his brother-in-law Eraj will have some photos on display.  So you should come.  Even if it snows.  There's even free ice cream!

theunfairartshow.com

Monday, March 4, 2013

MOVIN' ON UP

As previously mentioned, I recently moved.  As much as I loved my old apartment, it was tiny.  And had electric heat.  That I had to pay for.  So when C and I were looking for a new place, it was a requirement that we not have to pay for heat and hot water.  Other requirements were two bedrooms instead of one, dogs had to be allowed, no exorbitant realtor fee, and it had to be awesome.

We found it.

The new place is great.  Beyond free heat and hot water, it's almost twice the size of the old place and it's in the center of town.  We can walk places!  The Wellmont is on the same street, so if there ever happens to be a show that is not Matchbox Twenty, that would be nice.  And most importantly, the wonderpug has settled in nicely and seems to enjoy her new digs.

Now if we could just find a rug and some stuff to put up on the walls...

Sunday, March 3, 2013

HOME COOKING

Ever since Charlie and I got together, my mother has been torturing him to cook for her (he's a chef).  So last night we finally had her and my father over for dinner so she could have the meal she's been begging for.

Now, anyone who knows my mother knows that cooking anything for her is a bit problematic.  So when Charlie asked me "what food does your mother like?", it proved to be a difficult question.  All I could think of was chicken.  And it would have to be very plain, unseasoned chicken.  You see, my mom didn't exactly grow up in a culinary household.  The only spices in her arsenal are salt and pepper.  We've been working for years to get her to try food with actual flavor.  

So I called her up to ask her what she wanted for this sought after meal, and she said (of course), chicken.  More specifically, chicken fricassee.  So he obliged, and made it for her.  Of course he threw in some Dijon and Pecorino Parisian gnocchi as a dumplings substitute, but she was none the wiser.  God forbid we told her there was stuff like chervil and tarragon in the stew.  She would have refused to eat it.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

THE TIMES, THEY ARE A'CHANGING

A lot can happen in a year. 

Last March, all that was really going on was gambling and Weight Watchers.  This March, I'm in a new apartment with my not-so-new boyfriend.  

So do you want to start with the apartment or the boyfriend?

I had tried the whole online dating thing and it had not gone very well, but I figured I'd give it another go.  It had worked out very well for the Tangos (Jasmine and Danny, for the uninitiated), after all.  So I met Charlie pretty early on.  We got along frighteningly well.  That was last August.

Now here we are.  Living in this great apartment, in the town I love so much.  And we're HAPPY.  I had no idea it could be like this. 

Friday, March 1, 2013

WELL HELLO, MARCHERS

It's been so long since I last blogged that blogspot has changed it's everything and I HATE IT.

Moving on, it's the start of another Forced March. I'm in it to win it again (even though I have never gotten a prize. For why, big sister?) so bring it on, bloggers. I plan on boring you to death with all that has changed over the past year and, as per usual, pictures of Sadie.