Goosebumps.......

It's now time for the Wide World of Sports - Phillies Edition! The Philadelphia Phillies are on a roll, baby, with butter!! I am sitting here at work proudly wearing my I Heart The Phillies T-Shirt and my stomach is in knots!! Yep, the official slogan of the Phillies - "You'll Get Goosebumps" is finally coming to fruition this season! THE PHILLIES AND THE METS ARE TIED FOR FIRST PLACE!!! Hello??? It's absolutely amazing! Tonight is the first of the last 3 games of the regular season and we are up against the Nationals. Did I mention we're at home and have been for the entire week? Phans are out of their minds and the energy down at Citizens Bank Park is so crazy that you can feel it all the way across the river into Jersey! There's even a minute chance that I may be going to the game tonight - Craig has a ticket, of course, and deservingly so. I don't make predictions because I am not trained to do so, and refuse to because I am somewhat superstitious. I do believe with all my heart that the Phillies deserve to win this, though! With a team like Victorino, Rollins, Howard, Utley, the list goes on and on.....the way they all play together just blows my mind! PLUS - we have the best mascot in Sports History!! I'll add that all up for ya: Best Team + Best Fans + Best Mascot = WIN!! GO PHILS!!!!!

Can We say funny??

This is a clip from a "Who's Line Is It Anyway" segment including the Oh So Fabulous Richard Simmons. Effin Hysterical!! ENJOY!!

It's Been Awhile.....

I took a short sabbatical in blogging as my plate was pretty full with travel to Florida. Yep! Got home Monday evening - late - and finally now have a few moments to blog. Trip was fabulous! I visited with family and friends and consumed mass quantities of alcohol. (Sorry I missed you, Russ!! I am sure we'll drink together soon!!) All in all it was a great trip, and I look forward to going back again and again and again!

I'd like to take a moment to reflect on that which is known as the monopoly of the airline industry. Now - I am not a traveler, however, my boss is and I am constantly booking flights for him and his travel for work. Yesterday, in fact, I booked two separate flights for him - totalling over $1,000! I understand that we have the new 9/11 Security Fee - I'm totally OK with that. I can even slightly understand sky rocketing fuel prices. However, what I do not understand is why those traveling must rely on the "cheapest" form of travel by air - which usually turns out to be a nightmare! I've had several situations recently in which my plane has been delayed, I've sat in my seat on a plane, on the tarmac with no Air Conditioning for over an hour, seats not working properly, etc.

Monday evening's flight was the icing on the cake. We booked our flight via Southwest because they were the cheapest at the time (high airline costs are another intolerance) and their flight times were conducive to my travel schedule. I am actually a fan of Southwest's procedure of picking your own seat. It makes it easier and less stressful. What I don't like is their pre-boarding procedure. Anyone disabled - OK with that - children traveling alone - OK with that too! What I am not OK with is allowing parents with small children on first. Especially if you are taking a flight out of Orlando, the kids are wound up on sugar and Mickey Mouse, and 80% of the plane is pre-boarding because they have small kids. WTF? Are you kidding me? If the rest of the plane must deal with your screaming children, you should wait in line with the rest of us! It's as simple as that!! Especially since the rest of the plane has to hurdle over the mountain of strollers left at the entrance of the plane. Absurd!!!!

The other thing that was irritating the living daylights out of me was the fact that our plane was delayed. I can understand bad weather, but there was none. NONE AT ALL!!! Apparently in the early morning there was some maintenance. OK - that's good, I do feel safe. But to snowball to the effect that our flight was an over an hour delayed???? Again, WTF? Are there no procedures set in place to fully accommodate those passengers who need to arrive at their destination at a specific time? I'm paying for a flight to take off at this time, I sure as hell better be taking off at the scheduled time. Why was the maintenance not checked the night before? Why didn't they just bring another plane in?? Needless to say I didn't get home until very late just to wake up a few hours later and get my butt out of bed to go to work. Thank God for the crazy gay flight attendant who was our comedic routine throughout the flight!

Screaming Children. Check! Late Plane. Check! Crazy Gay Flight Attendant. Check! Finally sleeping in my own bed.......Priceless!

Halloween Preparations Begin.........

Well, I am officially on the mend and on my way to recovery! Antibiotics and Steroids are allies against the "Germ-ans" fighting the war in my body!! I have discovered this weekend what I am going to be for Halloween. No, I am not going trick-or-treating. Since I have known my husband, he and his best friend (Beth) and former roommate held what is known as THE Halloween Party. Not just some random gathering in which people come over, drink, and have a good time......oh, no. It is WAY beyond that. It's one of those parties that our friends will end up telling their children, and their children will tell their children, and so on. Yeah, it's pretty much famous.

Hundreds of people come. I am serious! Police have stopped by on occasion, but only because a friend of a friend of a friend was acting like an ass. We're talking several types of kegs, food out the buttocks, decorations, costumes, and ice sculptures! As in ice sculptures, I mean shot luge ice sculptures - usually in some sort of phallic icon like a huge penis or a naked woman in which the alcohol shot exits through her nipples - you get the idea. It's probably one of the best times we have each year and a lot of hard work and effort goes into the planning and pulling off of said party.

My job is decorations. And I'm good at it!!! Beth has bestowed this gracious job to me, and I must say, I look forward to it every year! I use what decor she has from the previous year, pick up a few pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, and mums - and basically go to town. I try to pick up a few new items each year to add to the fun too! Last year, I had to decorate a week early because Craig and I had a wedding that day and a show that night. This year, I do have a show that night, but plan on taking that Friday off to do my magic, and just head over to the party after my show - with cast mates in tow!!

An important aspect of this party is not just the ambiance, good times, alcohol and food - it's also the fun of dressing up! What's Halloween if you don't have a costume? It's required for this party and everyone usually steps up to the plate and beyond when it comes to the creativity of the costume. Last year, for example, was an 80's themed party. My friends Amy, Jennie, Liz and I dressed up as the Misfits from Jem and the Hollograms. Craig was Richard Simmons, complete with sparkling tanktop and short shorts. Beth, our gracious host, was She-ra from He-Man and Glenn, her husband was Freddy Krueger. The costumes were amazing as was the effort put forth by all attendees. In fact, our friends Stephanie and Dana (two cute little blonde girls) dressed up as Milli Vanilli - black face and all!

This year, however, we do not have a theme. I like to be creative, but in the same respect, I have a ton to do that day, including a show right before in which I will be in make up and wig. So, I decided to pay tribute to one of my favorite shows on TV - in a costume that will be easy, quick, fun, and do-able! I am going to be Juliet from LOST. If you haven't seen the show, I pity you! It's one of the best shows on TV and the writing is out of this world! If you get a chance, check out Seasons 1 & 2 on DVD - trust me, by the time you are finished picking up your jaw from the floor, Season 3 will be out in time for you to watch before Season 4 starts! It's one of those shows that simply captivates you. Juliet is one of those characters who I hated the minute she was introduced, then I liked her, then I hated her again, now I don't know what the hell I think - and I LOVE IT!!!! She was involved in a type of "surgery" so I found Dharma Initiative Patches (iron on) that I am going to affix to a pair of white scrubs. No crazy make-up, no crazy hair. Simple. By the time I get to that party - I'll be ready to get my drink on!!

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It's Beautiful Outside and I Feel GROSS!

I cannot explain how excited I am about this weather we are having!!! It's what I consider to be PERFECT weather. The sun is shining, the clouds, which are few and far between, are little cotton balls dancing on a deep blue sky, the air has a light breeze, and the grass is green and lush. The temperature is in the mid 70's and has been in the 40's at night. Just beautiful in every aspect! My favorite time of year is approaching and I can smell it in the air! The leaves changing colors, pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks - I am getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking of it!!!

THEN - all of a sudden as I am enjoying this fabulous weather in our co-ed softball game on Saturday, I start to feel awful! I have never had "allergies" before so I thought - WOW - this must be allergies.......or is it? As the day went on and we were getting ready to go out, I felt like I hit a brick wall! I like to describe any type of infection in my body as a "war!" My body is fighting the "Germ-ans!" Unfortunately, I don't think that my body is winning this battle. Allergies, Smallergies! I don't know what it is, but I feel gross. Achy, congestion, cough, sore throat and my ears are clogged along with itchy eyes! Allergies - maybe - but whatever it is, it is definitely hindering my enjoyment of this fabulous weather. I just got the phone call from my Dr.'s Office - they're calling in a Z-Pack Script for me. I gotta rid myself of these "Germ-ans" and get on a plane on Thursday to Florida!!!!

And Now For Something Completely Different

Craig and I found this last night and thought it was hysterical. Hope you enjoy it too!! I am Irish, so this is not to offend anyone - just laugh! I know you wanna!!!!!

I Ate My Way Through New York City

"Food, Glorious Food!" As you may have guessed, food is a passion of mine. It shouldn't be because I have put on a few extra pounds, but what's there not to love? Flavor, aroma, texture, the art of creating something that tastes so good......ahhhh......I just love it! I take pride in my cooking, and my husband isn't complaining! I am not a "baker" let's not get confused - I am a cook! Not a "chefie" as Rachel Ray would say. I love to cook for people and enjoy my time that I spend in the kitchen. I must say, however, I enjoyed this past weekend's romp through "The Big Apple" and found that "The Food Capital of the World, well, really is AMAZING!!

We started off with a visit to Roy's Pizza. Traditional, delicious, New York City Pizza. There's nothing like it in this world! Dinner was at a cute little hole in the wall in Chelsea called "Chat & Chew." (Kudos to Richard for the suggestion!) It was a gloriously cooling night in New York so we enjoyed a table outside. This restaurant specialized in comfort food - YUM-O! Craig had a cheese burger (surprise) that was bigger than my fist and I ordered good ol' country fried steak with green bean casserole and smashed potatoes with skin. The potatoes reminded me of what I make! Creamy, buttery, yummy! The steak was out of this world! We also enjoyed BBQ for lunch one day at BBQ Rub. I was slightly skeptical, but again was astonished at the quality of the food. I had a boneless rib sandwich that was to die for! The sauce was sweet and tangy and it quickly brought me back to Florida BBQ! Who would have thought that the South had actually influenced those "Damn Yankees"?!

We also ventured to Pinkberry. I first was introduced to Pinkberry after watching MTV's the Hills - yes I watch it and it's an indulgence so to speak. Pinkberry serves frozen yogurt that is healthy and tart. Yes, tart, which is why they offer an array of toppings like fresh fruit, chocolate chips, yogurt chips and cereal! I chose strawberries, bananas and Fruity Pebbles!!!! I recommend it to ANYONE!

Our two mornings in NYC were dedicated to none other than the famous New York Bagel. Day 1 - Everything Bagel with butter. Seriously so good! Harder "shell" and soft on the inside. It basically melted in my mouth. However, while I was there the first day, I was sure to size up what my second day's choice would be. Day 2 - Plain Bagel with Scallion Cream Cheese and Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil. Wait.......here that? It's a choir of angels! Need I say more?

I'll end this blog with the scrumptious dinner we had with our friend Rich at the restaurant he works at - Cookshop. (http://www.cookshopny.com/) The ambiance, the friendly staff, and the amazing food was simply perfect. Craig had NY Strip - of course - that was cooked PERFECTLY, juicy, tender, awesome! I had sea scallops that were like "butter" and Rich had Pheasant - which I had never had before - and I must say, I am now officially a fan! We snacked on fried spiced hominy, bread sticks that were brushed with olive oil and garlic, deviled eggs, cold eggplant soup, etc. It was a feast for a king! Last but not least, DESERT! Because Rich worked there, we got the Royal Treatment and we were blessed with 3 different deserts. My favorite was the chocolate cake with the black pepper ice cream - all made from scratch. If you're in NYC, please stop by, say hello to my fabulous friend, Rich and enjoy a meal that will rock your world!!

Best of all, after all the eating this past weekend, I didn't gain one pound because we walked it all off! All the joys of eating fabulous food in NYC!

We will never forget!

It's a humid and rainy September 11th. Melancholy weather for a melancholy day. Craig and I went to New York City this past weekend. He had purchased tickets for us to see "Wicked" and we had the opportunity to visit with our dear friends Rich and Richard and stay with them at their apartment in Chelsea. Since Craig and I had the whole weekend in NYC, we decided to go down to Ground Zero. I had never been to the World Trade Center in the 23 years I spent living two hours from the city in southern New Jersey. I guess many people take for granted what's right at their fingertips at times. However, this visit was one that I will never forget. Just like I will never forget 9/11.

We walked down to Ground Zero. The hum and beeps of construction vehicles filled the air. It was warm outside and the sun was shining. I couldn't believe how big the Twin Towers were. I've seen pictures, but to actually stand where two gigantic buildings once stood and see nothing was just breathtaking in a way I can't describe. We then went to the WTC Tribute Center. There they had artifacts like a fireman's suit, laptop cases, and various other things found within the rubble. What moved me the most was the room dedicated to all those who lost their lives. Their names on the wall captured in a beautiful mural alongside another wall with pictures of those victims. Tissue boxes strategically placed at each corner for those that needed them.

It's ironic how I grew up knowing there was not one world event that I could say, "I knew exactly where I was when...." I had heard my parents say that about Kennedy's Assassination and various other important world events. I never thought I would be one of those people. Unfortunately, now I can say those words. I knew exactly where I was when I heard on the radio what had happened that important day 6 years ago. The day Americans took a step back to realize how wonderful it is to live in a land that is free. I just want to thank those who gave their lives to help save those who were trapped, the firefighters and emergency responders, and military personnel. May God Bless all of those who's lives were lost on 9/11.

And away we go.......

Here goes nothing. I've been so interested in reading blogs recently that I have finally decided to give it the good old "college try!" Why not? I have opinions, thoughts, feelings. Who's to say that it won't intrigue at least one person? So here's a little about me: I'm 26, married to a wonderful man, and do my best to enjoy life to it's fullest every day. I am actively involved with community theatre, singing, acting and all that jazz. We live in Edgewater Park, NJ. Nothing crazy, just a cute little one bedroom apartment that we have made our first Home. I enjoy watching sports, singing (if you couldn't tell already), good friends, cooking, crafts, and just learning by living. A ton of exciting things are happening in my life right now, and I hope to share them all, here, in this blog. ENJOY!!