Tag Archives: Friends

Today: Will tweet for jeans.

8 September 2011

6 Comments

Tuesdays are usually my night to hit the boxing gym (and subsequently get hit by other people, in the head) and then hit the hay.  I change out of my “real” clothes the second my condo door closes behind me.  Yoga pants were made for 6pm.  This Tuesday, however, I held off on the elastic waistbands and heavy bag to meet Tina and Bridget for Champagne cocktails, tweeting and shopping at the Nordstrom Rack opening event in Burlington.

This event was designed for someone so much cooler than me; it’s a miracle they let me in the front door.  Truly.  The store opens to the public today, but we were given the chance to check out the Rack’s goods a few days early, while tweeting up a storm (#rackopening).  All the while, a DJ played some pretty awesome music, drinks and appetizers made the rounds, and a security team guarded the door.  We each received a gift card, which I put toward a great pair of jeans (Joe’s Jeans are perfect for shorties like me, no hemming needed).  I imagine this what shopping with Britney Spears (before she shaved her head and used her umbrella to poke holes in a car door) was like.  I’ll take shopping with Tina and Bridget over that hot mess any day of the week (yes, especially Tuesdays).

I first discovered the danger magic of Nordstrom Rack a few years ago, when Nick was in Portland, Oregon for business (that sounds so mysterious).  I flew out to visit him for the weekend, arriving in the middle of the work day.  What’s the first thing you should do in a strange city?  Take a tourist map and venture out into unknown neighborhoods!  Flash your cash and jewelry!  Act nervous and distracted!  Duck into the first doorway that isn’t blocked by a man wielding some sort of sword!

That first doorway happened to lead to Portland’s Nordstrom Rack.  I felt like I died and gone to fashion heaven.  If I wasn’t traveling with a strict carry-on only policy, I would have done some major damage.  (For the record, Portland isn’t that scary.  Me on no sleep navigating a new city, however, is very scary.  And yes, there really was a sword.)  If you’re looking to score designer jeans, fun watches and costume jewelry, a special occasion dress or killer handbag, I highly recommend a Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday… really any day trip to the Rack.

You may have to supply your own Champagne, music and security detail though.  Can’t win ‘em all.

Also On Tap for Today:

Do you prefer shopping solo or with friends?

Today: Bagels and bubbly.

3 September 2011

5 Comments

We got things popping early this morning, enjoying brunch on the roof with our friends Tina and Mal.  What”s better than having great running pals?  When those great running pals become become bagel and bubbly buddies, too.  We always have such a great time with them!  We had planned to get a long run in before brunching, but every now and then, it pays to just cut to the bagels chase.  This morning I whipped up a platter of grown up bagel bites, which paired perfectly with mimosas.  (Everything pairs perfectly with mimosas.)

We planned to eat by the pool, so I wanted to be sure our low key brunch was, well, low key.  Who wants to tote around knives or creamed cheese?  Don’t answer that.   I pre-made a few bagel sandwiches, cut them in quarters and secured each quarter with a toothpick.  My favorite combos:

  • Peanut butter and jam on plain bagels
  • Cucumber and garlic hummus on everything bagels
  • Heirloom tomatoes and cucumber slices with veggie cream cheese on wheat bagels
When you spend four months seeing your friends solely in Spandex, it’s easy to let your guard down.  It’s easy to be goofy.  They’ve seen me at my worst (stumbling into the South Boston Running Emporium after a soul-crushing 18 miler in the snow), so why hide the fact that I just hit myself in the face with a Champagne cork?  Oh, man.  I like to think I know my way around a bottle of bubbly, but somehow the cork got away from me, grazing my cheek and shooting clear off the roof, landing in the driveway below.
I need a life coach.  I’ll bring bagels.
Also On Tap for Today:
How are you spending Labor Day weekend?

Today: Stick it.

4 July 2011

8 Comments

You’re either going to thank me or curse me for this one, but honestly, I couldn’t keep this dessert to myself.  S’mores.  On a stick.  Yes, really.

It will take you no longer than 5 minutes to whip up a few of these little guys, and you’ll only need four simple ingredients, including the stick.  Break out the marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham crackers.  A few easy steps and boom!  You’re the most popular person in the room.

  1. Grind down graham crackers in your food processor (or crush them by hand, or with a rolling pin, in a plastic bag)
  2. Melt dark chocolate and stir
  3. Stick your marshmallows… on a stick
  4. Dip the ‘mallows into piping hot melted chocolate and roll in crushed graham crackers
  5. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cool in the refrigerator before serving
I brought a batch to the Cape this weekend for my family’s 2nd of July celebration (they travel well in a vase), and a second batch for our post-race 4th of July cookout today.  If I could justify making a third batch for tomorrow, I would.  I’m working on it.
We had a fabulous Fourth– a great (hot and sweaty) race at Patriot Place, lots of pool time and cooking out at my parents’ house, gorgeous weather, and fabulous company… complete with Clark’s favorite pug, Murphy :) .  I can’t think of a better way to celebrate America’s birthday.  I wish it could be summer forever.
Also On Tap for Today:
What’s your favorite snack on a stick?

Today: Why? Because I love you.

14 February 2011

2 Comments

Happy St. Valentine’s Day from me to you.  With a ribbon on it.  And a paper rose.  And some glitter.  And a heart-shaped doilie.  And two of these little ginger snaps.

When I was sixteen, I spent Valentine’s Day in Rome as a nerdy American exchange student.  I think I’ve told you this story before, but it’s too mortifying to not dig up again.  In my universe, Valentine’s Day is for everyone you love– your handsome boyfriend, your parents and siblings, your grandmother, your Frenchie (obviously), and most certainly, your friends.  It’s a day to be a little mushier than usual, and as James Taylor would say, it’s a day to shower the people you love with love.

I didn’t know my Italian host family before arriving in Rome, but they were generous enough to be taking care of me and that automatically made them quite lovely.  My mother helped me pick out little Valentines and chocolates for each of the family members– the mother and father, the Nonna, the daughter, and the two sons.  I was excited to pull these little treats from my bright red suitcase on Valentine’s Day morning and bring them to the breakfast table with me.  As I handed each Valentine to its intended recipient, I was met with puzzled looks.  ”Valentine’s Day is only for lovaaaaaaahs,” one of the older brothers declared.

My face turned the color of a Valentine and I contemplated crying, or fainting, or pretending to speak neither Italian nor English.  I’m sure I got over it eventually, but my cheeks still burn thinking of that mortifying morning.  When you’re sixteen and a twenty-five year old Italian in skinny jeans is saying the word lover, it would be impossible to not be mortified.  In my opinion.

I also remember this (only slightly creepy) brother was wearing a BUM Equipment sweatshirt for essentially the entire length of my stay in Italy (he kept telling me  it was “very cool and American,” and I kept trying to translate the phrase “Only if you take a time machine back a decade,” to no avail), and that makes me feel better.

And at the end of the day, I’d rather embarrass myself than not let people know I care about them.  Even people wearing the word bum across their chest.  Point being: Valentine’s Day is not only for lovers.  It’s for everyone you love.  So get out there and be mushy.

Also On Tap for Today:

How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day?

Today: Charmed, I’m sure.

2 February 2011

2 Comments

 Charm bracelets have been around in some form or fashion (according to Wikipedia, obviously) for 75,000 years.  That means they’re almost as old as the jar of mustard I found in the back of my refrigerator this morning.  My parents bought me my charm bracelet when I was in eight grade, I think.  I (that is to say, the bracelet) had just two charms at the time: a tennis racquet and a soccer ball.  Totally ballin’.

I don't advise wearing this through security at Logan.

Next came the music staff.  Inspired by President William Jefferson Clinton, I played the saxophone, but had the wherewithal to quit before we were required to play in the marching band.  Polyester does not agree with my sensitive skin.  Nor does social ostracism.  Just kidding.  I also sang in the Chamber and Jazz Choirs.  Judge freely.

Charms make brilliant souvenirs.  They don’t take up any room in your suitcase, and they’re always right on your wrist when you’re in the mood for a mental vacation or a trip down memory lane.  From our summers on the Cape, I have a lobster trap (complete with a trapped lobster), a Nantucket basket (Nick thought this one was an NFL helmet… he might have concussion), a whale’s tail, a lighthouse and a scallop shell.  From my parents’ adventures, I have a buffalo (I think this is from Arizona, but I’m not sure if they have buffalos there, so I could be wrong), and sandals from Sanibel and Captiva.

Vista House (in miniature).

Nick bought me this miniature Vista House.  He was in Portland, Oregon for work a few summers ago, so I went out to visit for a weekend.  We drove out to the Columbia Gorge, climbed a bunch of waterfalls, and enjoyed breathtaking views at Vista House.  Then I deleted all of the pictures on my camera… so we retraced our footsteps and did it everything over again.  Everything, except for the deleting part.

Vista House (in real life).

I tend to think it was worth going back for photographs and memories like this.

Let’s see, what else is on here?  I have a thistle–the emblem of Scotland– for my grandfather, who wasn’t prickly, but he was Scottish.  Similarly, I have a pineapple, which reminds me of my parents’ house and is the symbol of hospitality and welcoming (and fruity beverages).  I also have a vintage charm that I found on Etsy, a tiny silver key with the Virgin Mary on one side and Our Lady of Guadeloupe on the other.  It’s really cute, in a holy way.

When my younger brother and I visited our older brother at the UVA Law, we visited Montecello.  I wasn’t feeling well and nearly fainted in Thomas Jefferson’s bed (where he, coincidentally, had died many years earlier).  To commemorate the trip, and my survival, I picked up a quill pen and ink charm, with TJ’s signature on the inkwell, in the gift shop.  Next to that is a ferocious looking eagle, which soared onto my bracelet after I graduated from BC.  And by soared, I mean it was attached by one of those melting tool things the jeweler uses.

My newest charm has extra special meaning.  It arrived in the mail a few days ago from my friend Kristine, and is in the shape of Cinderella’s castle to celebrate completing my first marathon.  It’s a great reminder not only of what I can accomplish through hard work, but how blessed I am to have such incredible friends and family.

If I ever forget for a second how lucky I am, all I have to do is look down at my charms.  They’re magically delicious. You saw that coming.

Also On Tap for Today:

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry?

Today: I get by with a little help from my friends.

11 January 2011

8 Comments

And my amazing (and fast!) boyfriend.  And my incredible family.  And the strangers on Twitter who tweeted words of encouragement at 5 AM on race day.  And my fellow Team in Training South Boston teammates: Nick (obvi), Amy, Brian, Tina, Mal, Colleen and Ben.  And our coach Christina.  And the incredible TNT coaches, mentors and staff who lined the marathon route offering support and encouragement.  And all those who have bravely battled blood cancer, and their families who battled alongside them.

When it was all said and done, getting to the finish line was easy; I had all these people carrying me.

Also On Tap for Today:

  • More photos and a proper marathon recap (or 9) soon
  • Picking up Clark! :)
  • Doing a crippled version of the Snow Dance

Who’s rooting you on?  Go on, give them a shout out.

Today: Yes, you can… run 26.2 miles!

6 November 2010

2 Comments

 This Sunday, Christie– one of my favorite people– and her husband are running the New York City Marathon.  I wish I could toot down there and cheer them on in person.  I am so proud of and so inspired by them.  This one’s for you, Christie and Mike.

Give it hell, my friends.

“Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.”  –Hal Higdon

Also On Tap for Today:

  • 16 miles through Southie, the Financial District, Back Bay and Cambridge– done!
  • Fun centerpiece ideas for fall
  • Sigma Tau Gamma formal (here’s to hoping no teeth are lost)

Do you have a message of motivation or admiration for Christie and Mike?  Please share it here!

Today: Float the lazy river.

6 July 2010

3 Comments

If only that poor family traveling west on the Oregon Trail in their rundown wagon had to cross the Lazy River, instead of those pesky rapids.  I imagine they’d caulk the wagon and float every time, likely ending up in the Caribbean.  Or Louisiana at least, pre-BP disaster.  But– as usual– that’s neither here nor there.

I was so overcome with joy that I didn't realize I was shooting in black and white.

I relished in crossing off another item from my 38 while 28 list while we were in Delaware: Visit a water park.  It was amazing.  Very, very amazing.  I don’t think I’ve been to a water park since I was 10 or 11, during a family trip to Disney (complete with swimming with mini-sharks at Typhoon Lagoon! :) ).

Can you feel the excitement radiating from the brochure?

I am now resolved to visit a water park at least every week once in a while.  We passed Jungle Jim’s on our way to the beach house and I became obsessed.  It took very little convincing to get a group to go, after all, it is Delaware’s largest water park.  Kristine, Christie, Nick and I had an absolute blast.  We were some of the first people in the gate and spent three hours floating the lazy river, splashing in the wave pool, and screaming our way down the tube rides.

Anaconda or family tube ride?

Nothing beats a day of fun in the sun.  In a family-sized inner tube with your favorite people.

Also On Tap for Today:

When was the last time you had some kid-type fun?

Today: Delawhere?

2 July 2010

1 Comment

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  When in Delaware, eat fresh strawberries, drink Dogfish Head beer, play lots of Phase 10 with Kristine and race 14 year olds to the front of the line at Jungle Jim’s (which is, in case you didn’t know, Delaware’s largest water park). As the Delawarians do.  I think.  Our friends Christie and Mike found a great beach house for a group of us to rent in Rehoboth/Dewey Beach.  I think I’ve driven through Delaware (is that how we got to Virginia?), but I’ve never really been there before.

The Wheelie Cooler is packed and ready for a road trip.

Our route from Boston resembled a choose your own adventure novel.  We combined the powers of my Tom-Tom, printed out Google Maps directions (to ensure we didn’t find ourselves boarding the Cape May ferry), and my internal compass, which remembers the route to the Bronx as if it were freshman year all over again, and off we went.  Our first stop was to drop the little monster off at The Pawsitive Dog, where Clark would spend the week with Jenifer and Breslin.  I had separation anxiety, meanwhile Clark had the time of his furry life.

If you look up, it's as if the traffic on the GWB doesn't even exist.

We put our Fast Lane pass to good use, cruising along the Mass Pike, the Merritt Parkway, the Hutch, and ye old George Washington Bridge.  New Jersey was largely  uneventful, but we did pass a few Real Housewives of NJ in their minivans on the Turnpike.  I don’t think any of them have Bravo contracts, but they seemed really real.  The Tom-Tom could not figure out what we were doing in Philadelphia, but Google Maps made us do it, and I kind of liked it.  We passed a giant ship, a million churches, the places where all the sports teams play, and some pretty bridges.  We crossed the Betsy Ross Bridge into Delaware, which nearly bankrupted the Fast Lane pass at $4 (that is, until I realized NJ cost us $8).  Betsy gave us the flag, though, so what’s $4?  We passed two Air Force bases, two regular airports, and a whole lotta corn fields.  And then we were caught in the most aggressive rainstorm I’ve ever witnessed.

We're not in Massachusetts anymore...

The ride on 13 and US-1 was breathtaking.  We passed one family farm after another.  Is Delaware part of “America’s heartland?”  If not, it should be.  The area got a bit more commercialized as we approached the beach house (we passed something called the Electric Banana…), but there were farmstands on almost every block.  A local foodie’s heaven!

Oops. sorry. I drooled.

After eight or nine hours, we arrived in all of our glory.  In our badass rental flex fuel powered SUV.  With our Wheelie Cool(er).  I just now realized I am completely rambling… so I am going to save the best (including our adventures at the water park and brewery) for later, hopefully tomorrow.  Please.  Contain yourselves.

Also On Tap for Today:

  • Long walk at the beach with Frenchie Fry followed by a much-needed trip to BYOD
  • Daaa naa.  Daaaa na. Da na, da na… Shark alert!
  • Flipping through my giant stack of magazines

How do you stay alert, focused and entertained on long road trips?

Today: Long live the long weekend.

1 June 2010

1 Comment

Thanks to the men and women who gave their lives for the good ol’ U.S.A., we savored every minute of this long Memorial Day weekend.

We got a few home improvement projects accomplished (details to follow :) ), spent time with my friends and celebrated Kristen’s graduation (congratulations, Doctor!), enjoyed several strolls along the ocean, took Clark for his first swim in my parents’ pool, slept late, read books, spent time with my family, ate pizza, listened to the Red Sox on the radio, wore lots of sunblock and kicked off the unofficial start to summer.


Sand is excellent for exfoliating.  And it’s high in fiber.

Also On Tap for Today:

How do you kick off summer?