Oh I'm a lucky man, to count on both hands, the ones I love:

Hello Hello,

I just got back from Rochester this morning from the Thanksgiving holiday. I had a wonderful time catching up with my family and slowing down the pace of life for awhile. My mother, being the excellent cook that she is, made a wonderful meal. It was also nice to see my grandparents while I was home and catch up with friends and old neighbors. This year, I have so much to be thankful for in no particular order:

1. A family who is healthy & happy

2. Grandparents still living

3. A boyfriend who loves me (most days. :) ) and who is now with me more often.

4. Friends I can rely on when things get hard

5. Two great roomates

6. A beautful house

7. A Job

8. Traveling - Hilton Head, Miami, the Shore, Alexandria, Atlantic City, NYC, Baltimore

Some days I catch myself missing my life in Rochester, but then I read above, and I realize how truely blessed I have been this year. I couldnt ask for more.

I hope this finds you all having a wonderful Holiday season. Make sure to count your blessings.

Sips & Bites

A few weeks back, I was feeling sort of depressed so I decided to see if I could conjure up a group of girls to do something fun. I had come across a wine class called "girls night out" at this place called Pinot Boutique in Old City Philadelphia. After trying hard to wrangle up some girlfriends, and realizing that everyone was too busy, I put it on hold.

A few days later my friend "A" came across a groupon for a discount on the wine classes I had been looking at, so we decided to buy it, even if it was just the two of us. Since the "Girls Night Out" class had already came and went, we decided to attend a class called "Sips & Bites with Vintage" Last night we left work around 5 & took the train to old city for the class. This specific class was given at a wine bar called Vintage , and not at the wine boutique itself, because it focused on not only wine tasting, but wine and food pairings. We arrived at Vintage and were seated with the other people taking the class. We were given a 4 course tasting (very small taste) menu each pared with a different wine.

First Course: Parsnip Soup paired with a Parradox Reserve Chardonnay. (excellent)
Second Course: Marcilliac - Marisots (red table wine) paired with salted beet and goat cheese salad (also good)
Third course: Santa Isabelle - Malbec paired with Braised short ribs (stellar short ribs &wine)
Dessert: Rosenblum Chateau la Paws - Ode de Bone paired with a pumpkin creme fresh.

All and all the food was great! Since it was only a tasting menu, we stayed after and ordered a couple more things from the wine bar because by that point it was 8pm and we were starving fro all our "tastes". On our way back to the train station, "A" and I were walking down Chestnut street and saw about 5 police cars lined up with some taxi's . She commented that she wondered what happened? When I looked over, all the cop cars and the taxi's were "NYPD" and "NY Taxi". We then realized that we had walked onto a movie set. They were using a store front in Philly to simulate NYC. When we arrived, they were filming a shooting scene complete with flashing police car lights and fake gun shot noises. We watched a few takes, it was pretty fun!

All and all, I am so glad we went, I can always count on "A" to be up for doing things with me. It is something I really admire about her. She never had any drama, and anything you suggest, she is more then willing to give it a shot. I wish I could say the same for the 11 other girls I invited but did not respond. I will definitely do this again soon, its nice to get out on a weeknight and break up the work week.

xoxo until next time.

Hey, its OK!

Every Month I subscribe to Glamour Magazine. There is a lot of good stuff in there but I am particularly fond of the one page spread that they do called the "guilt free Page" This months guilt free page went something like this:
Hey Its OK:
1. To wear Silly Bandz one day and Grandpa's Rolex the next
2. To the the dressing actually on the salad, not on the side
3. To wear the exact same outfit this tuesday as you did last Tuesday, right down to the earings.
4. To let whoever feels like it pay for dinner, without hte mental gymnastics over gender rolls and who earns more.
5. To come up with a whole load of laundry so your lucky underwear will be clean for tomorrow.
6. To be a tiny bit scared of revolving doors.
7. To have an unreasonably large purse.

This got me thinking of things that I worry are not OK.. or feel guilty about that maybe I should give myself permission to not feel bad.
1. To I eat pasta more then once in a week
2. To not know how your life will turn out
3. To buy as much COACH as you desire
4. To go to bed without the kitchen being spotless
5. To like shows that play on ABC Family
6. To get mad at my boyfriend for doing something dumb.

How about you--- if you could give yourself the permission, what would be OK for you?

If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.

This weekend was another great fall weekend weather wise. On Saturday night Joe & I met up with two of my girlfriends at Irish Pub in center city to watch the Phils game. After watching a very disappointing Phils loss, we headed back to Manayunk to go out to the bar. We decided to go to Mad River, since it was a little cold to be on the deck of Brew Pub. Mad River, historically, has been a bar that I love. Great music, great dancing, good drinks... large place. This time however, I looked around and all I saw were guys that looked young to me creeping all over. Just watching the scene dancing with Joe, it made me thankful to have a boyfriend, and not be getting groped by some drunk idiot looking to get it in. I don't know about any of you, but 25 came around, and all of a sudden my prospective on "the bar scene" dramatically changed. I am trying to hold on to my youth, because lets face it, we are at the best time in our lives right now, but part of me sometimes feels alone in a crowded room in those kind of places... and thankful I can enjoy the scene with a boy that I know loves me. Everyone says I am getting too old to live here in Manayunk, that this is an "after college" place. But, the truth is, I love my house, & I have worked very hard to make it nice. I love living in a suburban/city mix. I have no interest in living in center city Philly... and I love the bar scene most nights, because I'm not ready to get hit on by guys who's ages start with 3 just yet..who's racing to get old? NOT ME.

Speaking of that, on Sunday I regressed even more. I made Joe come with me and some of my friends (and their bfs) to Linvilla Orchards Pumpkinland. Saturday was a beautiful and sunny day. We went through the corn maze, ate cider donuts, drank apple cider, and picked pumpkins. I had a great time being outside getting fresh air and reverting back to my childhood. I even got a Carmel apple. Later that evening, I brought my pumpkin home and Joe and I carved it. At first, he wasn't that into it, but eventually, he took over the project and really started to enjoy it. It was a great day.

Red October

Wednesday Joe & I went with my roomate and her boyfriend to the Philies division series Game 1. Our seats, while they were in the 400 level, were in the 2nd row of that level behind home plate. This gave us a great vantage point to catch all the action. I left work around noon and met Joe at the stadium. We tailgated a little bit with my little from my sorority and a few of Joes friends until we went into the game at 5pm. To say that this was the game to see would be an understatement. The Phillies pitcher, Roy Halladay, threw a no hitter and the Phillies won the game 4-0. A no hitter game is very rare. It was the sixth of the 2010 season (the most no-hitters in one season since seven in 1991) and the second in MLB postseason history. Joe and Steve think it ranks up there as one of the best days of their lives to be able to see this live in person. Sara and I, while we enjoyed the game and like the fact that we witnessed history, dont think it ranks THAT HIGH. They say its because we dont understand sports... I think its just because they're guys...we'll never get it.

We have Game 3 of the next series and game 7 of the World Series, should the Phillies make it that far. Tonight Joe and I are heading to Old City to meet up with S & S and watch the next division game! Good luck Phillies..

September fun...

A new blog was requested to catch up on my life.. so.. by request.. here it is. The second weekend in September Joe and I went to a wedding for a friend of Sara's (and mine too I guess) from her office. The wedding was in Media at Kings Mill Inn As I go to more and more of these weddings I am starting to see what I like and dont like and what I want for my future wedding. (someday hopefully!) I really liked this venue, it had very nice grounds. Although I want to get married in Rochester, I liked that this had a very nice outdoor surrounding and you didnt need to go far to take pictures. The cocktail hour had great hot & cold h'orderves and there was an open bar. The food was a sitdown dinner, but you only had once choice: your plate came with crab stuffed flounder and a piece of fillet. The food was good, but I am all about giving people options. They had a head table that faced the crowd, traditional, but kind of annoying. I think its nice to have a head table, but that leaves the dates of the wedding party sitting alone.. which I think is awkward. I think it would be nice to sit with our parents, and let the wedding party sit with the people they enjoy talking with. My ideal table would be my parents, the grooms parents (note that joe has not positively taken this spot so I will not put an identity here) my maid of honor and her date, his best man an and their date) By the point in time I get married I hope that I am friends with my best mans girlfriend/wife and my groom is friends with my maid of honors boyfriend/husband. Yet all of these positions in the wedding party are still up for grabs based on who is still around and actively involved in my life over the next few years. Overall, we didnt know very many people at the wedding besides Sara and Steve, but we had a nice time.


On a second note, Joe and I are trying to plan a vacation. Both of us were lucky enough during our childhood to go many, many places. Therefore its been hard for us to pick a place that we've both never been already. After stumbling across a friends pictures on facebook, I have been throwing around the idea of St Lucia, and this hotel called Ladara. St Lucia looks beautiful and the hotel looks amazing (but pricy.) Take a look at the photo galary on this website. The rooms only have walls on three sides becuase you are so high up a mountain, no one can see into your room. Each room has their own dip pool, and there are infinity pools all over the property. This might be better saved for a honeymoon.. but a girl can dream. I threw out the idea to joe and told him it was a great proposal spot-- hahah.





If you could go on vacation where would you go? I need ideas, mind you, its winter, and in winter I go tropical. So, nothing cold!

So Long Sweet Summer

With the end of summer fast approaching me, the last few weeks were very busy trying to cram in some last minute fun. On the second to last weekend in August Joe and I went to his shore house to catch some last minute beach time. We had a great time hanging out at the shore bars and relaxing in the sun during the day. Not much else to report about it, it was just very relaxing.

The following weekend, I went home to Rochester to visit my family & go boating. We had a great time swimming and boating around Sodus Bay. My dad and I also went to the Public market Saturday morning for breakfast sandwhiches and to buy some fruits and cheeses. If you never been to the Rochester Public Market, or any public market for that matter, I suggest you go. It is a great way to get outside and buy some fresh fruits/veggies at the same time. Also, it supports local growers, which I think is worthwile. Here is a veiw from my marina over looking Sodus Bay.

Labor day weekend was another exciting and jam packed weekend. Friday Joe and I went back to the shore, and went to Atlantic City. We lost quite a bit playing black jack, but the night wasnt a total loss. We went to a club, Mixx, in the Borgota. We were dancing around and having a great time when I felt something hit me in the head. I look down and see money on the floor. At first, I didnt want to be the one that scrambled around on the floor picking up money that obviously didnt belong to me. (like a cheapo) but after a minute I realized no one was claiming it, so I said to Joe, "I think that money hit me in the head, pick it up" So we picked it up and counted it, $26 dollars... sweet. About an hour later, we were standing by the bar and I got hit again, another wad of money. By this point I start looking around, and realize that a bachelor party is throwing out wads of money and making it rain in their bottle service area. I unpaperclipped my second wad, another $26 bucks. Now if you ask me, I dont understand why the bachelor party was doing this, if not to solely attract women by paying them to come over. Who cares, I made $54 looking pretty, and it was the only money I won all night! The next morning Joe and I left the shore becuase Meg, my friend from highschool was coming down for the rest of the weekend. We had a great time going out on Saturday night. Sunday morning we took Meg to the Phillies game and the weather was perfect and sunny. All and all, another great weekend.

Last weekend was the last of the exciting weekends of summmer. Every year, Joes friends from college get together at one of the guys lakehouse in Monticello NY, just north of the PA state line -- east of Binghamton. It was the first year that girlfirends were being included in "guys weekend" so I was pretty excited. We arrived in Monticello on Friday mid-day, Joe and I both took a half day off. Friday night we cooked burgers, made a bon-fire, and played beiruit-- which I learned is different then beer pong. On saturday, we took our keg out on the party boat, and tooled around the lake, went tubing, and jet skiing. I had such a great time getting to know Joes friends. Also, there was no cell service, tv, internet, or any other social media at this place, so I really felt like I got away. On Sunday, we drove back and watched the first Eagles game, and I slowly realized that fall is setting in.

I am so happy to have had such an amazing summer. I have done so many fun things, and have enjoyed the work/life balance that my new job has provided me. However, I am ready for fall to set in and to get back into a more stable routine and be able to spend more time on myself.