Not killing time

Posted on January 23, 2009
Filed Under Boston, Food, Friendship, Society | Leave a Comment

Well, this crazy week is almost over. Not that I’m wishing the time away, but I am very glad the weekend is near. As my man, Henry David Thoreau said, “As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.” I like that sentiment because people are so often just waiting for what’s going to happen next instead of enjoying what’s going on right now. A similar message was conveyed in the book I read this summer, “Wherever you go, there you are,” which was all about being present in your life.

Work was very busy yesterday, then I headed to Harvard Square to meet up with friends for Steph’s going away party. I’m bummed she’s moving to Chicago because I think she and Jared are great together and I like having another cool girl around to hang with.

Tonight I’m having dinner at PICCO with Gina, Lexie and Nicole for girls’ night, or a hen party as Mike keeps calling it. I think I might be getting sick, so I’ll probably have an early night, but not before enjoying some raspberry Lindemann’s with ice cream after dinner. The rest of the weekend is pretty clear, so hopefully we’ll relax a lot and just have some fun.

Knitting, books, Vermont and Obama

Posted on January 21, 2009
Filed Under Books, Boston, Fashion, Friendship, Knitting, Love, Politics, Skiing, Society, Sports, Travel, Winter | Leave a Comment

I’m feeling a bit better after my bad day yesterday and trying to just take a deep breath and move on. Today is a new day and I plan to treat it as such. I’ve been working on this cool new scarf made with green alpaca yarn that Mike gave me for Christmas. It’s a long, skinny scarf made with the seed stitch and it’s about two-thirds of the way done. I’m really proud that I’m learning new stitches and patterns and hope to make something besides a scarf soon. I really want to make a purse, so we’ll see how that goes.

I’m reading a new book called “Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver all about nature and peoples’ relationship with it. So far it’s really good, as are the other books that I’ve read by her, “The Poisonwood Bible” and “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” which are fantastic. This book weaves together three stories about very different people all living in the same area that have some connection but are not totally interwoven just yet. I’ll write more once I’ve gotten furhter into the book, but so far, so good.

I’m really excited because next week is when Mike and I are headed to Killington and I took Friday off so we can go up early and have a relaxing time. I’m looking forward to getting away for a few days, exploring a new area and skiing. I bought a Vermont travel book last weekend for this trip and to help plan our week-long Vermont road trip this summer and so far, it looks like we’re going to have an awesome time. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

On a more somber note, I loved Michelle Obama’s outfits yesterday. Seriously though, I do think she looked amazing both during the day and at night, but the real story here is that Barack Obama is officially the president. We havebeen talking about this for so long and now it’s finally happening. Today, we woke up to a new dawn, a new era of hope and change realized. I have the highest expectations for what Obama can accomplish in office and was deeply moved by the inauguration yesterday. I hope that Obama truly does bring change to Washington and our country, we are all watching as he takes center stage.

President Barack Obama

Posted on January 20, 2009
Filed Under Politics, Society | Leave a Comment

I’m having a really crappy day and don’t much feel like writing, except to say I’m watching the inauguration and I’m so happy for President Barack Obama and our country. A new day is here and I wish the new administration the best as they confront the challenges we face. It’s going to be a long, hard road, but I’m hopeful that together, it’s one we can tackle. Cheers!

Walking in a winter wonderland

Posted on January 19, 2009
Filed Under Books, Boston, Fashion, Food, Friendship, Knitting, Love, Movies, Music, Skiing, Travel, Winter | Leave a Comment

Today, here in Massachusetts, we’re walking in a winter wonderland. It snowed a lot this weekend, more than expected and the world has been transformed into a snow globe. Unfortunately, that also means snow to shovel and cars to dig out. I just keep telling myself to focus on enjoying the snow (like with our trip to Killington in less than two weeks) and remember that winter doesn’t last forever. In fact, I don’t dislike winter, maybe besides shoveling, and it makes me appreciate the nice weather that much more. I like to embrace the seasons, so today, mentally, I’m hugging the snow.

In addition to the snow, I had a really great weekend. On Friday, it was bitterly cold so Mike and I stayed in and made a yummy steak dinner and watched “The Shipping News,” which was nowhere near as good as the book, but it wasn’t terrible either. I’d definitely recommend the novel over the film, but I think the movie was OK on its own. It just lacked the depth of the book and huge parts of the story were cut out. I think “Brokeback Mountain,” also by Annie Proulx, translated a lot better onto the big screen because it was a short story as opposed to “The Shipping News,” which was an incedibly detailed and rich full-length novel.

Saturday brought some relaxation and a trip to the mall where I scored some really cute brown leather boots, a few books and some clothes. Mike got some really nice jackets and we had fun people-watching. After the mall, we went to dinner and to see “Slumdog Millionaire” with Jared and his girlfriend, Steph. (We also ran into them at the mall moments after calling them to make plans for that night … it’s a small world after all …)

Dinner at Silvertone was delicious and the movie was awesome. We all loved the story, the incredible acting, rich scenery and lively story. I honestly think it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an inspiring and amazing journey through a vibrant country populated by some very interesting characters. After the movie, Mike and I hit up Craigie on Main for drinks and dessert. This place definitely gets my vote, as the service was fantastic, the cheese plate was delectable and the drinks were yummy. It’s a cool late-night hangout spot with a very chill atmosphere.

Yesterday, we relaxed for most of the day. Mike had to write a song for a class he’s taking and I was busy knitting away on a green scarf made from some of the yarn Mike gave me. I’m doing the seed stitch and so far, it looks really cool. In th afternoon, we shoveled, did errands and played Sorry before making chili, corn bread and lava cakes. It was a great meal after a cold, wintery day. We watched this hilarious old movie that Mike’s grandfather got him for Christmas called “Teacher’s Pet” with Clark Gable and Doris Day about whether education or experience is more important in the newspaper world. It was a great story that is as relevant today as it was then and anyone who has ever worked at a newspaper or gone to journalism school should watch it.

So even though I’m working today, I don’t even mind because the weekend was so relaxing and nice.

End of week mash-up

Posted on January 16, 2009
Filed Under Books, Boston, Fashion, Food, Friendship, Knitting, Love, Movies, Skiing, Society, Sports, Television, Winter | Leave a Comment

We’re having a Syracuse type of day here, by which I mean that it’s about zero degrees and the snow is super crunchy. It reminds me of walking around campus in the frigid cold and being so bundled that no one could recognize me. I took a page from that book today as I busted out my only-for-emergencies (although this used to be my daily outerwear in Syrause) long, black, puffy winter coat. I have to do some errands at lunch, so I felt that extreme measures were necessary. Wish me luck!

In other news, I’m glad it’s Friday! This week went by super quickly, so it feels like Mike and I were just skiing, even though that was last weekend. We don’t have many plans for the next few days besides staying warm, cooking steak and hitting up some movies. I’m excited to just relax and be cozy, some of my very favorite activities. I don’t have Monday off either so it’s just a typical weekend for me, but that’s all right, since Mike and I will be headed for a fun-filled weekend of skiing at Killington two weeks from today!

Yesterday, my boss wrote a column for one of our newsletters detailing how much television Americans watch. The statistics that stood out for me were that the average American watches four hours of TV a day and that equals about 11 years out of the person’s life if they make it to 65. Holy crap! I hardly watch any TV, basically just “Cash Cab” at the gym and “Jeopardy” during or after dinner. I do watch a fair amount of movies and “Gilmore Girls” DVDs but I’m usually also reading, knitting or gabbing while that’s happening. I don’t even have enough time to watch four hours of TV a day and I’m not sure how that’s even possible. But I believe it. The column was also about the correlation between watching too much TV and the occurance of obesity. Obviously, more TV = fatter Americans, but what I found ironic is that the only time I really watch TV every day is while I’m running at the gym.

The Shipping News

Posted on January 15, 2009
Filed Under Books, Love, Movies, Society | 1 Comment

Last night, I finished an absolutely incredible book, “The Shipping News,” by Annie Proulx, who also wrote the short story, “Brokeback Mountain.” I have to say, this was one of the very best books that I’ve ever read, and I read a lot of books. The visceral descriptions of characters, landscapes and scenes sucked me in and I couldn’t put the book down. Proulx is an amazing writer who spins fascinating tales about ordinary people living life. The people who inhabit her world are farmers, fishermen, carpenters and even a newspaperman and they take readers on emotionally wrenching and wonderful journeys both in this book and her short stories.

“The Shipping News” is set in Newfoundland and takes the reader through about a year in the life of a man, his two daughters and his aunt as they journey back to the land of their ancestors and discover who they are while meeting vivid characters and experiencing love, loss and life together. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a wonderful tale that will teach you about tying knots, different kinds of love and life in a small town on the edge of the world. Proulx won a Pulitzer for this book and once you start reading it, that comes as no surprise.

The book was turned into a movie and I know I saw it about a million years ago, but my mission now is to rent it and see how it compares to the book. I doubt it will be as good, although “Brokeback Mountain” translated well onto the big screen. Eithr way, this book was incredibly magical and I’m so glad I read it.

A few days in the life …

Posted on January 14, 2009
Filed Under Boston, Family, Food, Knitting, Sports, Television, Winter | 1 Comment

Interesting things that have happened to me this week (And it’s only Wednesday!):

1.) I won $500 at work for having the best suggestion in 2008. Woohoo! What do I plan to do with the money? Probably save it, but the other two winners and I are also treating ourselves to two-for-one wraps next week. Yeah, I’m living on the edge.

2.) I saw a car on fire this morning on my drive to work. Instead of stopping and staring, people were rushing by, likely because they were fearful of the car exploding. This meant that despite someone’s car being burnt to a crisp before my eyes, I wasn’t even late for work, unlike yesterday when a police car being towed delayed things by about a half an hour.

3.) The stairs at my gym are finally operational. There’s so much less irony in my life now that I don’t have to ride an elevator up one floor to work out.

4.) I figured out how to do some new knitting stitches/patterns, with muzzy’s guidance. Now I’m a regular knitting queen. Next project? TV cozy.

5.) Paid nearly $300 to get my car tuned up, but they shoveled all the snow off, so it was worth it.

6.) Got a fortune from a Chinese restaurant that said, “A deciding being is a human being.” Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Oh well, it’s better than the one I got at a Buddhist temple in NYC telling me to eat more vegetables to save money on groceries. Clearly these people have never heard of McKinnons and the delicious discount meat. (It’s nowhere near as gross as it sounds.)

Local road trip

Posted on January 13, 2009
Filed Under Friendship, Hiking, Love, Music, Summer, Travel | Leave a Comment

I recently wrote about Mike and I wanting to take a more local, low-key vacation this year. We got some great suggestions from blog readers and after talking it over, we’ve nailed something down. In June, we’re going to take off for a week-long New England road trip. First we’ll probbaly head to North Adams to hit up the Mass. MOCA and hike Mt. Greylock. Then we’ll hit up Vermont, hiking, camping, visiting towns and generally exploring the area. One of our long-term goals is to find an awesome place in New England to live and buy a house, so this is part of that exercise as well.

I’m really excited about the prospect of just packing up the car, putting on some good tunes and hitting the road. We’ve gone on a couple of car trips together and have always had so much fun. One of my favorite memories is still when we drove from Cape Cod to San Jose a few years ago (despite the car breaking down about an hour from Boston). Any suggestions of places/things not to miss in Vermont or anywhere along the way?

Hitting the slopes

Posted on January 12, 2009
Filed Under Boston, Family, Food, Friendship, Lake, Love, Skiing, Sports, Travel, Winter | Leave a Comment

This weekend, Mike and I took advantage of the snow and hit up two ski spots. After dining on some homemade french onion soup and watching “Austin Powers” on Friday, we drove to Bretton Woods way up north in New Hampshire for a crisp, clear and cold day on the slopes.

We skiied/snowboarded for the entire afternoon, despite the frigid temperatures and had a wonderful time. The view is just spectacular, with a clear shot at Mount Washington and the associated hotel, along with other peaks in the White Mountains. It was gorgeous. We drove to the lake after and went out to dinner with muzzy at the Corner House in Sandwich. It was an authentic little joint with yummy food and a great atmosphere. We watched a documentary about Hunter S. Thompson and went to bed early. The movie was pretty cool, but it’s sad to see someone so intelligent and talented destroyed by drugs and drink.

Yesterday we woke up to several inches of fresh snow and decided to hit Gunstock for a few hours. The powder was awsome and we skiied/snowboarded for the entire afternoon again. It was an awesome treat since we had’t planned to ski twice. There were a few clear shots at the lake and it was beautiful with the snow and ice gleaming. Ice-In was officially declared last week, so soon we’ll be walking around on the frozen wonder.

One of the best parts of the weekend was just driving around to our different destinations because Mike ad I got to talk about so much great stuff. We discussed our future apartment more and planned what should be a very fun week-long New England (primarily Vermont) roadtrip for this summer. It was a fantastic weekend full of fresh air, good times with good people and beautiful scenery.

Friday shout outs

Posted on January 9, 2009
Filed Under Boston, Family, Friendship, Love, Travel | Leave a Comment

First of all, thanks to everyone who recommended a vacation spot, we loved all the suggestions and hope we get some more in. I can’t wait to see where we end up going, especially because I love traveling so much. We’ll be sure to fil everyone in on the plans and the trip itself.

In other news, I’m totally exhuasted right now because all the fire alarms in our house (contains three apartments) went off right after I had fallen alseep last night. It took about 15 minutes of extremely loud beeping to get them to go off. About an hour and a half after I fell back to sleep, a fire truck pulled up outside our apartment. We still don’t know what happened upstairs, but there wasn’t a fire, as we talked to some of the residents when the alarms went off. So there were some loud noises, the alarm briefly went off again and eventually the excitement died down. I fell back to sleep but kept waking up all night, so I am very, very, very tired right now. TGIF.

I’ve also got a list of shout outs for today’s post. Number one is for brother bear, president of his fraternity who is attending a conference in Chicago this week. I’m so proud of him. Next is for John, Mike’s brother who got offered two great internships. I’m excited for you and I know you’ll have so much fun. And the third is for my friend Amanda who is having a baby boy in late May. Congrats on the big news!

And the last is for my friend Vanessa who is still waiting for word on her dad’s condition and recovery. My thoughts, prayers, wishes and heart is with you and your family during this difficult time. Stay strong and positive.

keep looking »