Sweet Blog O'Mine

Category: Fun

  • Weekend Wrapup

    I’m less than a week away from my triathlon, and I actually feel ready, for the most part.  Was able to sneak in some good training this weekend, including a brick — a bike/run back to back — which wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. 

    Rob is back from London for a bit so I joined him and Sara for lobster rolls at Pearl on Friday night followed by a bottle of wine and cookies (yes, cookies) at the new 8th Street Wine Cellar, which is destined to become one of my new favorites.  Was up bright and early for a trip to the farmer’s market on Saturday and went a little crazy there — brought a beautiful and delicious salad of corn, yellow and red tomatoes, snap peas, scallions, and purple basil to a picnic for Annie and Tara.  After that, it was off to the Lovely Miss Katie’s birthday celebration, where I saw tons of folks, including Luke, Michelle, and Jim, (I promised them a shout out).

    Up the next morning for the aforementioned brick (thanks, Frank!), then a few errands before dinner at Joe’s.  I’ll let him tell you his thoughts on it before I tell you mine.  He was kind enough to let me sous-chef a bit — as you might imagine, I’m generally not so good at just shutting up and taking orders, but I was good this time around.

  • And Much Lobster Was Had By All

    Lobstahlove

    Over the course of four days, we ate lobster rolls once, fried clams twice, and whole lobsters twice.  We also made some kick-ass grilled salmon with corn salsa and shrimp tacos with grilled onions, guacamole, and chipotle crema.  To balance it out, I swam across the lake and back once (1/2 mile), went on two runs, and finished up the last day with a swim/run combo (getting ready for the tri).  Got to catch up with the family and some family friends a bit as well.  In addition to cooking and eating, we spent a great deal of time reading, sleeping, and throwing either a ball or a stick into the lake so that Lucy (the dog), could jump in and fetch it.  As a gesture of thanks for our entertaining her for hours on end, she ate our cheese plate while we weren’t looking.  The pictures from the weekend are here.

  • The Trail of Tears

    Sunken_forest

    Slowly easing back into reality after a week’s vacation at the beach.  Highlights included several outrageously delicious meals (grass-fed beef steaks, grilled veggies, gumbo, steak tartare, paella, shrimp tacos . . .), a handful of solid runs, some major beach naps, dogs in costumes (not sure I’ll be living that one down for a while) and a rotating cast of characters throughout the week with whom to enjoy it all.  Other "highlights" include getting hot tub hickeys (not as exciting as they sound) and walking slogging to the Sunken Forest only to arrive just in time for mosquito feeding hour.  What started out as a pleasant adventure turned into a 5 hour expedition — by the time we arrived, we were in such a rush to get through it, both to make it back to civilization before the sun went down and because we were quickly turning into a mosquito buffet.  I didn’t even bother to slow down to take real pictures, as illustrated above.  A special shout out to those who had martinis and dinner waiting for us when we got home.  Another goes to Beth, who finally made it out to the beach after all these years, to Sara and Arlan, for making the most out of their day trip, despite the weather, to Jenn D., Emilia, Lauren and Frank, for being there to keep me company during my midweek stint, to John B., of course, and to everyone who helped me with my true Spanish-style dinner on Saturday night (we finally sat down for the main course at 11:00).  And, as always, to everyone who made me laugh until my abs were sore.  The pictures from the week (not that many, considering how long I was there) are here.

  • Long Lost Cousins?

    BillthecatfaceBill2

    Only because somebody made me do it.  I’m not naming names or anything, but TGIF.  See, I’m willing to humiliate myself on the damn internets for the amusement of my blog readers.  Seriously — someone owes me a cocktail for this one.  Photo courtesy of Doug.

  • My Idiot College Friends

    Courtneyandchris

    Recently I spent a good chunk of the day with a friend and his buddies from college.  First we went out for a few drinks, then met up with them later along with another slew of his college friends.  As I listened to them joke around and watched them interact, at some point I commented that it was fun to see him hanging around with his idiot college friends.  He might have been taken aback for a second or two, but he then realized that I meant this with nothing but kindness.  As I explained to him — when I hang out with my college friends, I am super-comfortable, and we often act like a bunch of idiots (much like we did in college, or every year at OJ).  Regardless of how it came out, it was a compliment — to him, to his friends, and to my idiot college friends.  I got to spend the weekend with them, re-living many an a cappella road trip, driving a van up to Natick, Massachusetts for Chris and Courtney’s wedding, which was great fun.  Congratulations again to the fantabulous couple!  Pictures from the weekend are here.

  • Hold the Line

    Sunset

    For the record, this is the sunset from the ferry on the way home.  I didn’t get a picture of the stunning pink sunrise I saw Sunday morning.  Another great weekend, including an fantabulous Saturday night dinner from Iron Chef Joe and his sous-chef team, a rockin’ jam session on the beach, a four-mile run, and enough belly laughs to last me through the week.  I also finally remembered a song that I was trying to think of last weekend — quite a relief.  Heading to iTunes to buy it right now.  The pictures from the weekend are here.

  • Faux Fourth

    P1000639

    Although it wasn’t really the fourth, it was still a blast, and I still got to sing the Star Spangled Banner (and there was still pig . . . and beans, and yucca, and some killer hot sauce).  Pictures from the weekend are here.

  • Non-Beach Beach Weekend

    Pepsi

    Given that I wasn’t at the beach I spent a hell of a lot of time outside.  After Jenn’s barbecue I spent some quality time on Jimmy’s gorgeous and tranquil rooftop (I’m going to plant myself there one day and refuse to leave — it’s that comfortable).  Today I met up with Frank and Lauren for a cycling adventure from Williamsburg to Water Taxi Beach, where we lounged away the rest of the afternoon and evening.  We finished off with a seafood-fest at the Waterfront Crab House, where Tara met us for some down-n-dirty crustacean action.  Pictures are here.

  • Extra Toasty Pine Nut Action

    Bill_at_the_grill

    Had a great inaugural weekend at the beach, with a gorgeous beach day on Saturday, a delicious lamb dinner, and great company.  Thanks to Rob, Bill and Sam for joining me!  The "extra toasty pine nut action" refers to a conversation we had about the toasted pine nuts that I put in my spinach salad one night; Matt greatly appreciated them, and it’s possible that it might end up as someone’s theoretical online dating profile headline (or so he threatened).  The pictures are here — not that many this time around.

  • Show Me the Money!

    Got a call yesterday from Nathan, who informed me that one of my pictures is famous — he’s featured in a CNN article, and I took the picture of him "reading" in the bathtub.  Now I’m just waiting for the royalties to start pouring in . . .

    The Seattle pics are up but I’m still cleaning them up a bit, so will add the link later.

    I’m off to the beach for my first weekend of the season — hooray!