Hello all! I am in the BEST mood today and it’s because of a few things.
Well, it’s Friday and that always puts me in a good mood. I’m also SO close to being done with my first semester of grad school. Also school-related, I found out this week that I got into BU’s summer program. Read: I’m going to LONDON for 6 weeks this summer to cover the Summer Olympics. NBD. That’ll be a post to come but I screamed and jumped up and down on the couch when I got my e-mail.
Finally, tonight is opening night for the DanceWorks Boston winter show!
DWB Winter 2011 Choreographers... Yeah buddy!
After 3 months of intense rehearsals and an awesome tech week, DWB could not be more ready to perform tonight and tomorrow night at the Boston University Dance Theater.
I’ve said it before but DanceWorks is one of the reasons why I haven’t lost my sanity this past year. It’s also where I have met some of my best friends in the entire world, been myself, gotten to choreograph and be choreographed.We really are a family and I am so blessed to be a part of such an incredible group.
Okay, it’s been approximately 3 or so weeks since I panicked about school and I haven’t written since. I hope you are still out there listening to me ramble in my now dust-covered corner of the Internet.
So it’s time to tidy up a bit.
In the past three weeks, I’ve calmed down and gotten through my first few projects for my grad classes. I survived. And did pretty well. Maybe I overreacted a bit at the beginning. Maybe.
A lot has been going on here at Chocolate & Wine. Here are some highlights:
2 weekends ago, I attended 2 weddings: my cousin George married his beautiful fiancé (of 4 years!) Julie, and my friend Raechel married the love of her life, Steve. Both weddings were gorgeous and I cried a lot. Of course I did. I realized how much I can’t wait to plan a wedding of my own!
George & Julie's Wedding with the family
And wedding #2..
Raechel and Steve
This past weekend, I spent Friday in the North End with Stephen and we FINALLY got to go out for his birthday surprise. I took him to Riccardo’s Ristorante where they put on a “Mystery Cafe” show every Friday night and serve a three-course meal. The show was hilarious, if not a bit cheesy, and the food was as genuinely Italian as you’d expect from the North End. Highly recommended for good food and a good time.
We capped our night with beers at a bar called The Point and goodies from my favorite North End bakery.
Heart You.
Saturday was party marathon day. Together, my two best friends and I tackled a “I’m Pretty Good at Drinking Beer” party (where we consumed no beer or any beverage other than iced coffee), taco night hosted by Alyse (which were de-lish!), a Halloween party and finally, my sister’s 21st birthday celebration at Tequila Rain in Boston.
Swy, Jeff, Alyse... That's nice.
Did you know Halloween is one of my favorite holidays?
So freaky, so cool, so legit. Cat costumes are the way to go.
And it wouldn’t be a 21st birthday without a 16-ounce beer in each hand.
Happy 21st! Here's 2 Coors Lights.
Sunday brought another 3 events: the Boston Bruncher’s 1st Birthday Brunch at the Island Creek Oyster Bar on Comm Ave. in Boston, my good friend Miriah’s daughter’s Christening (that little baby is nothing short of an angel) and a 4-hour dance rehearsal with DanceWorks Boston (always a fun time!)
A sneak peak into Birthday Brunch!
Then on to the Christening…
You can't tell me she isn't the cutest baby in the world..
I made favors… Oreo ball truffles with a piped pink A on each one, individually wrapped with a pink ribbon and a tag.
Not bad considering I usually stink at piping.
They came out pretty freakin’ cute.
Everybody loved them. Makes me happy when people like what I make!
Along with my jam-packed weekends and filming/editing-laden school schedule, I managed to get in a couple of quick training runs for my 3rd 5K coming up this weekend! I, along with my friend Kim, will run the Witch City 5K in Salem, maybe even dressed up a bit.
This upcoming weekend also brings pumpkin carving with my BU friends and a huge DanceWorks Boston Halloween costume party on Saturday night. I will, unfortunately, have to keep my drinking to a minimum because of the race on Sunday morning, but that won’t stop me from wearing those cat eyes!
I promise not to wait another 3 weeks to post. I have finally pulled myself out of a slight rut I had fallen into, but I’m back and excited.
And I had delicious Bon Me truck food for dinner the other night: a brown rice bowl with tofu, shitaki mushrooms, cilantro, pickled veggies, bean sprouts and mesclun greens. YUM.
Healthy and filling.
I wanna know: What’s new in your life? What would your dream wedding consist of? And what are you being for Halloween this year?
I have been part of the Boston Brunchers* since April of this year when I went to my first-ever brunch at the Biltmore Bar & Grille courtesy of Megan’s wonderful invite. Since then, I’ve been hooked. I have been to many brunches (and one dinner) including Local 149, Lil’ Vin’s, Bristol Lounge, and The Cottage.
Delicious mussels from Lil' Vin's
The friends that I’ve made and the food I have eaten are all part of the experience that is the Boston Brunchers. It is unique, fun, and I wouldn’t give it up for all the cannolis in the world (and that’s saying something; I really love cannolis…)
Boston. Our home, and home to some of the best food in the country. Overeat. It’s okay – we don’t judge. Support. We love each other and each other’s blogs. ‘Nuff said. Tweeting. We are good at it. #BostonBrunchers #Nom Obviously the best blogger group in Boston. Not realistic. How much food we think we can eat in one sitting.
Brunch. The best meal of the week. Hands down. Recipes. We share them. Unbelievable. How many courses restaurants set in front of us fo’ free! Never having to say you’re sorry – for eating too much food. Coma. The food kind: what happens to members after brunch. Subsides after many hours. Healthy & Happy. What all of the Boston Brunchers are. Eater. A requirement for membership. Renee. Our fearless leader, boldly bringing us to new places and dealing with all of the paperwork. Stuffed. You probably won’t need dinner. Or maybe even breakfast the next day.
My grandmother, Lena, had a beautiful life. She married my grandfather at the young age of 16 (he was 18), raised four wonderful childen (3 girls, 1 boy), watched 7 grandchildren grow up (2 boys, 5 girls) and saw 2 great-granddaughters brought into the world.
Christmas 2010
My grandmother was always the foundation of my family. She cooked, cleaned, raised her kids, took care of my grandfather (who was a bit of a handful in his older years if I recall correctly) and made sure her house was always full of love (and food.)
Grammy & Grampy
As a child, I spent much of my time at my grandparents’ house. They lived in the second floor apartment of their 2-family building while one of my aunts lived on the first floor. As an early teenage, I pet-sat my aunt’s 2 fluffy bishons which gave me an excuse to be with grandmother every afternoon. Grammy always made me dinner on nights before I went to dance and on the off nights, I would stay late and watch TV with her. No wonder why I love the Food Network, Jeopardy, The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune so much.
When my grandfather died in 2000, I was 12 years old. He was my grandmother’s whole life but she pushed on, caring for her family, still being the strongest woman I’ve ever met.
Grampy and Girls 1997
During the summer of 2005, my grandmother had a stroke while asleep in her bed. The doctors didn’t expect her to make it very long, but she managed to live almost 6 years after the stroke occurred. She is the most resilient woman I’ve ever met and I hope to be just like her.
I love you Grammy. I’m sure Grampy is happy to see you after all this time.
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