Us? Responsible?

I can hear ya’ll now, “Well, just where do you think you have been!?!” I know. You’ll never guess. Go ahead and try. Stuck at home in bed for a few days with some crazy bug causing everything ingested to be violently ejected from my mouth, and yes, my nose. Gross! Happy to report I am feeling like my old B Cup self and a lb or two lighter (although only for a day). So anyway, that’s that and I missed you too.

So after I rallied I ended up having a great weekend “playing parent” to the cutest little guy ya ever seen! Yup, two parents actually trusted my hubby and I to care for their most prized possession. I think we did an ok job if I do say so myself! Henry (you know, the tike from the blog Hank’s Dream) spent a good chunk of the weekend with us. We had a total blast (might have to try this parenting thing out for ourselves sometime) and I think his parents did too judging by their tired eyes and baritone voices when they picked him up on Sunday afternoon.

I was a little nervous when I picked him up he may not be sure about my supervision, but alas he couldn't’t get rid of his parents fast enough, “Mommy bye!” He travels like a champ! He swims like a fearless (seriously, in my 5 years of teaching swimming lessons, I have not seen anything like it) fish! He LOVED the slide (forward on his bum and backward on his tummy).


He picked up a cute chick! He FINALLY decided to submit and end his love/hate relationship with Miss Kato! He ate his weight in Chipotle, turkey/cheddar brats, pancakes, ice cream (sorry Mommy about the chocolate stained jammies), popsicles and ham sandwiches! He loved “running” with us in the stroller (and watching Miss Kato go #2…boys). He tooted and blamed it on Miss Kato (so it starts THAT young…again, boys). He slept like a rock and was an absolute angel (only scowled once when I had to have a little heart to heart with him). He learned how to call ducks. And my favorite part… he giggled not stop. And the saddest part (aside from when he had to go home)… I think I’m now officially playing second fiddle.

All the pretties...

Think quick! What does 1 34B cup + 1 Fab Over Forty = ?Give up? One helluva a good time at the Giorgio Armani makeup counter at Saks (5th Ave and 49th Street, NYC). Oh yes, its true. The makeup guru (doesn't she look SMOKIN' H-O-T!) roped me in like a baby calf at the Brown County fair. After a day of schlepping in the steamy hot city Rafael had his hands full trying to degrease my shiny forehead and bronze-me-up like an air brushed super model. As you can see the first step was this crazy, cool, foaming cleanser to suck out the oil and dirt and let in the fresh H2O. No surprise my face bubbled like an Elka Seltzer tablet! Next some concealer on upper lids and under eye area to brighten, then a layer of some kind of powder mixed with some kind of bronzey foundation stuff (I told ya-he's good-and I... don't know what the hell I'm doing), next a medely of eyeshadow so perfectly nude I was amazed, followed by a bronzer and perfect "10" blush, a sleek (not sticky) gloss, a tweek to the bushy brow line and the finale was this glittery, fabulousness of a mascara! I looked like a million bucks and the total dollar amount for all that makeup would be too (honey, don't freak-I made it outta there with a nominal investment-gulp)! I mean this isn't the kind of makeup you see at Walgreen's or Duane Reade for that matter (nor are the prices) but having the cutest makeup artist in all of Manhattan making you look smashing counts for something, doesn't it? AND this is the most quality chemistry in makeup on this planet (I know, sooooo dramatic). Ok, no surprise I am way over my head with all this makeup talk, so if you really want to learn more turn to the professionals (I required 2 recaps on the whole process in order to try and recreate it myself) Rafael (love him) or Kari (again, http://www.faboverforty.com/). All this glamour calls for a night on the town (alas, a topic I have a PhD in), doesn't it? Sure we could gone to some swanky upper East side club or restaurant for fancy drinks and dinner... but we, in all our fanciness, chose Edwards in Tribeca for salads and sodas. Good food, good makeovers, great company!

Nothin' like the view...

...from the cheap seats (and lets face it-nothin' cheap about a day at the ballpark anymore). Incase you have been living under a rock or really don't give a pop fly about baseball THIS is THE LAST year the Yankees are playing at the original Yankee Stadium (opened in 1923)! The new Yankee Stadium is right across the street waiting to over shadow all the history made by Mickey, Babe, Joe Di, Etc! I wonder why we can't just let the greatest ballparks of all time be? Does Budweiser really need to sell more seats + more beer at each home game (the stadium holds 57,545)? Anyway people, this is part of American history and it's going fast so warm up your Visa, MC or Am Ex with an inflated, over-face-value-ticket (unless you were like me and bought seats back in March) and experience it for yourself. Bring along tons of cash for the $9.00 beers and $5.00 dogs (and some Zantac if your heartburn prone). Purchase yourself some NY garb so you look the part and enjoy an afternoon with the "home town nine" as it was meant to be: OUTDOORS! Grab the 4 train uptown (were you paying attention) and head to the Bronx and put your finger on the pulse of the strong, impressive and wildly over payed New York Yankees (opps they lost to the Reds 2-4). You gotta do it-just so you can say you did, don't ya, huh? Anywayz, it was the BIG surprise (before he guessed it-long story) I had been planning for a million years for my hubby's 32nd birthday (honey if your reading: better remember to award me the Best Wife Ever Award). Totally fun, totally cool, just go do it!

PS Today was a toss up for my hoakey, have witted attempt to coordinate music. Is the better ball song Cheap Seats by Alabama or Put Me in Coach by John Fogerty? Cast your vote for MVP on my poll!

I recall...

...Central Park in fall (OK so not really fall more like early summer). So tell me if you've had this kind of moment before... it's a moment always burned into your memory. Not in a bad sort of geriatric "junk" kind of way (you know who you are), but more a moment in time never to be forgotten. I have been fortunate to have lots of these sort of blissful memories-you're at peace, your surroundings are inspiring-dare you say perfect? You are completely, well, simply put, happy. This is how I felt the first time my hubby and I stopped by the Tavern on the Green in Central Park last year. The building is old, full of history, if the walls could talk you could fill the air waves of 1,000 blogs. A glass atrium sparkles with numerous, voluptuous, colorful, jewel-like chandeliers. Pink (go figure) and white linen table clothes placed perfectly on heavy, white, iron tables with coordinating chairs. The central courtyard is covered with a canopy of trees, full of summer foliage, baskets dripping with flowers suspended from its strong arms. AND what sealed the deal for me...hundreds of English, floral patterned, fabric, lanterns suspended from the highest crook to the lowest bough. The condensation from the side of my cold, lemonade glass, cooling my warm hands. My cute, sun-kissed hubby sitting across from me, eyes sheltered by his Lacosse aviator shades, ordering us a chocolate cake drizzled with raspberry. I loved it all. I was completely, well, simply put, happy. A moment in time I will always remember.

My hubby remembered the lemonade was $11 a glass. He was completely, well, simply put, astounded. (but I think he still loved it too). We went back again last weekend-and my memory served. Check it out for yourself...

Be sure and see the photo as promised of the weekend birthday boys. And 34B cup "does the subway" photos...

In Transit

There is something to be said for city living relying solely on public transportation. Think about no car payments or pricey insurance with two consecutive speeding tickets (not me, my hubby). Never would you have to haggle with a car sales person for an entire afternoon until out of sheer exhaustion you purchase the vehicle to "get it over with." No more sweating/freezing/crying at the pump watching the dollars fly by at $4 bucks a gallon. Instead you show up at the station, slide your handy metro card through the greasy card slot and "stand clear of the closing doors" as the train car speeds away to the next stop. The investment is nominal at about $80 for unlimited chances to sit back, relax and let some other knuckle head get you to where you need to go for 30 days. I doubt anyone is driving an insured car, fillin' er up with gas for less than that unless you call yourself "Uncle Buck." As a little bonus you are forced to get-cher rump in gear and walk more, you know, a couple blocks here and a couple blocks there but every little bit helps. The NYC subway system is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it. One helpful hint to get ya moving like a crabby New Yorker in a hurry is this: Ready? Uptown vs Downtown vs Cross town. Every single time you get on a train you are going to need to know if you are headed uptown (i.e. Central Park, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, eventually Harlem, and the Bronx) or downtown (i.e. Soho, Tribeca, Financial District, Battery Park, and eventually Brooklyn). Crosstown means just that smarty pants, going from the West side of things (lined with the Hudson River) to the East side of things (lined with the East River). Here's where they throw you one little side winder. You gotta watch for the "local" trains that stop at every station and the "express" trains that only stop at the larger transit stations with lots of connections (i.e. every single train stops at Grand Central Station). OK fine, so enough the transportation lesson-you get the point. It's A. Easy B. Cheap C. Convenient with an added fitness factor.

So on the flip side of the subway tracks taking the train will take a little more time and planning. Your not gonna "buzz" up to Central Park for a couple of hours then to Soho for lunch and then to the upper East side to your favorite antique store and back home to Tribeca. Instead you need to get a game plan before you step out the door so you can make the most of your time in the city. Second, we (as in all us car owning, gas burning, global warming folks) take for granted the "luxury" of being able to park our rig right in front of the grocery store, load (or if at Byerly's have them loaded) into your car so we can drive into our attached garage and unload them easily. In the city market trips are often and for a small amount of items and when you go on a complete bender at the Triple B (Bed, Bath and Beyond) you'll fork out $20 bucks to have your goods delivered later that same day. These are just the facts Mam. So having a car is A. Fun (depending on the kind of car) B. Flashy (again depending on the kind of car) and C. Convenient too. So whatever your typical means of transportation... the grass may always be a little greener on the other side of the median.

Later today... I finally get a camera cord and change up some of these stock photos to BCup photos. Tomorrow... One of my favorite spots in the big apple.

Happy Birthday Boys!!!

So today I am gonna ace out Fashion Friday, one of my favorite things to wish two of my favorite boys a Happy Birthday. Actually, their big day is not until tomorrow, the summer solstice (another favorite thing), but I'm so excited I can't wait any longer... (hence the timer in the side bar)

I'm a lucky gal. I married my best friend. I met him in college when he briefly dated one of roommates (a whole nother blog post) The dude who puts up with all the stupid things I do and appreciates all the good stuff too. He's a real guy's-kinda-guy who likes baseball, football, hockey, etc, golf, hunting birds, fishing, wake boarding yada, yada, yada (with all the coordinating gear). But he's got a little metro sexual flowing through his viens too with his $65.00 haircuts, and new Mavi jeans. He's my partner in exploration and often my voice of reason. And seriously, he's easy on the eyes too. Happy 32nd Birthday Jerrid! I love you!

To little Hanky Panky: Watching him grow up before my eyes has been nothing short of amazing. Two years old and he's all little boy and barely any baby anymore. This kid is just H.A.P.P.Y. and melts my heart. He loves driv-n, baseball, Miss Kato (in a love/hate sort of way), go, go racing, bike rides, playing in the dirt... you know boy stuff. He's chatting up a storm putting together all sorts of sentences and loves his Frankie's "supreme" pizza just as much as I do. If I didn't love his parents so much I would run off with him to Mexico. Happy 2nd Birthday little feller. Auntie loves, loves, loves you!

I'm kickin' myself right square in the arse, cuz I left my camera cord at home and I can't post the cutest picture ever that I have of these two. Damn *%&^ing, son of a ##*^&!!! I'm gonna see if I can buy one today-so check back ya hear?

LIVE from New York...

...the greatest city in the world.

It's Daaaavvvviiiiid Lettermaaaaan! Yup, you got it. The B cups and my hubby made "the gold list" casting call for the studio audience. Lets just say this. 3 rows back and sitting at the end of the aisle, I was ready to "name that cut of meat" if Dave woulda asked. Prime seating as they "warned" us for our 1 minute of fame. But, alas nothing doing with the audience tonight except for a wide pan of the whole gang (scope me out tonight in a white, short sleeved T-like every other Tina, Diana, and Harrieta). The whole process to get those coveted tickets required us to spend the better part of 7 hours in Times Square, but worth the time investment to see Dave, Paul, Biff, Alan and special guests Jason Bateman (hottie), Teri Garr and Keyshia Cole. Yes, the Hello Deli is right around the corner, and yes it is just as dumpy in person as it looks on TV. The Ed Sullivan Theatre really is about 60 degrees (cold enough to hang meet), and for sure we recommend you try and get seats its a ton of fun. Speaking of fun, gotta run for dinner reservations in the West Village. Tomorrow, Fashion Friday is gonna play second fiddle, cuz I gotta wish two of my favorite boys a Happy Birthday!