Wedding Fun

Vince and Kaylene got married! Woo hoo! I was so excited to be at their wedding and get to hang out with college friends. We spent the weekend with Sara and Dave, and Carrie and her new husband Dave came in too.

Here is the one picture of the ceremony I got.

Vince and Kaylene's first dance.

Sara and Dave.

Carrie and Dave.

The college crew - Vince, Sara, Kasey, Kaylene, Carrie.

The girls.

Somehow I didn't get a pitcure of me and Rob. He was the cameraman. But here is one of us hanging out. I included it because you can see the flowers I wore in my hair.

After the reception there was an after-party at the hotel, where we all changed into our casual clothes and hung out and got to talk some more.

A very fun weekend.

Poconos Part 1

Well, I am finally getting around to blogging. But the culprit in my lack of time was not the work - it is that my laptop has died. I am taking it to get fixed on Tuesday, but I have had to share a computer with Rob. Sharing is no fun when the person you are sharing with has actual work to do and you want to sit and blog and check facebook. But now it is the weekend so here I am.

Some friends of my cousins have a house in the Poconos, right on one of the lakes with a funny name that I cannot remember. They graciously invited us for the weekend. Of course we accepted.

This is the view from the back window.The lake was completely frozen. The house had no internet (well there was a dial-up connection - but who needs that). And in some places we had no cell service. Perfect for a weekend getaway. The first day we were there we stayed in our pjs and did a jigsaw puzzle, and some of the millions of crosswords. I actually finished a few almost by myself. Then we went out for a birthday dinner for Peggi.

Day two we went walking across the frozen lake. It was fun.

When we weren't outside or doing crosswords, we watched the birds on the feeders. This picture was taken with Rob's new technique to read about in the Eagle post.

December 19

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Chloe had so much fun trying to make snowballs this afternoon.

Weekend in DC

Rob and I headed to DC this weekend to hang out with our friends Kirstee and Tim. We got in Friday night, had dinner and went back to their apartment to rest up for Saturday. Saturday was all about watching the GAME. Indiana vs. Wisconsin of course. We went to Rhino Bar in Georgetown, which happens to be the Ohio State and Penn State alumni hang out. But is also much cooler than the Indiana alumni bar. We got a table our pitchers of beer and plate of food and settled in for the long haul. Which actually turned out to be a pretty exciting first half, then came the second half. As Wisconson started to pull further and further ahead, the Penn State game was about to start. So we toasted our loss gave up our table and headed out to see some history. And what was the Penn State game all about???

I've only been to DC a couple of times and have never seen all of the monuments. So we took a little self-guided walking tour. From Georgetown, we walked to the Lincoln Memorial where there is a great view of the Washington Monument as well. Then on to the Roosevelt Memorial, which is very cool. It is a winding path of waterfalls with lots of FDR's quotes engraved on the walls. After the Roosevelt memorial we headed down to the water (not sure what body of water it is) and walked around to the Jeffereson Memorial. Because of the open columns on all sides of the memorial and the sky was so blue, it looks like a painting when you approach. And inside the way the ceiling is constructed it looks like it goes up forever. Next trip we are visiting the White House.

More pictures to come...

Fancy Dinner

Last night we busted out the China and had Sarah and Robert over for dinner. It's scary pulling all of the fancy dishes out of the cabinet. But oh, so worth it. I started the table with my new round Crate and Barrel place mats, and the white lace runner I bought in Brazil. I got this idea from the new Williams-Sonoma catalog, but C&B is so much more affordable for place mats. And when I went to C&B yesterday on the way home, the store redeemed itself (I've been a little disappointed the last few months) because in one of the bins they had $2 candlesticks. And oh, how I looked for those this summer for my wedding. So now I have them sitting safely in the china cabinet. Oh yeah, and we used the fancy linen napkins too.

For the rest of the table, the china was ready to go. Plates and bowls for soup. Desert plates and coffee cups counted and set aside for desert. For drinks, I pulled out the crystal wine goblets and our Mikasa drinking glasses (which I am saving for company until we break all of our current every day glasses). Silverware out and we are ready for food.

I also got a really cool decanter as a wedding gift so we used that for water (the wine went straight from bottle to glass). And then I found we have a dearth of serving ware. I have one platter that matches the china pattern, one white platter from college, and then I am stuck with mixing bowls. Not one serving bowl to be found!

On the menu:

Honey Pecan Pork Chops
Oven Grilled Asperagus
Mashed Potatoes (with real potatoes)
Buttered Bread

For Dessert:
Rob's apple Pie a la mode

My beautiful table:

Homecoming 2008

Last weekend was IU's homecoming. And in true Hoosier fashion I drug my new husband all the way to Indiana to experience this one of a kind college experience. Rob having gone to SVA never got to go to a college football game. And while IU is not the best place to be inducted to the sport the team pulled off a win, an upset even (as Northwestern was close to being ranked). I think Rob had a good time, although he doesn't quite get the whole band thing. Because geek that I am, of course I play in the alumni band, and as Rob knows no one else, he got to sit with the band.

I think the baffling part to him is that we talk and catch-up with each other and play a little bit, and it all just kind of happens to take place at a football game. Of course thinking you know you are going to lose doesn't make you want to pay much attention to the blood bath on the field. However it was a good game, so once this was realized I started watching...some. I really do like football, it's just that I like my friends who I only get to see once a year a lot too.

In addition to the game we ate a lot. Unfortunately for Rob all the eating and drinking was with my friend's who's husbands / fiances were unable to come. so Rob and four women. Lucky for Rob he's a good listener and lucky for us girls, we don't really notice when he's watching tv. WE hit the best places. Mother Bears Friday night. We've learned you've got to his this one the day BEFORE the game, because after the game it's a madhouse. Then after the game Saturday we went to Nick's. This was also a madhouse and quite a wait, because you can't squeeze five into the tiny booths. So we had to wait 45 minutes or so for a table. (This may also be a madhouse, but since it's 21 and over not quite as bad as Mother Bears - which is family friendly) Then after a little shopping trip to Greetings for our annual t-shirt buying and Urban Outfitters because hey why not, and Rob had an incident (ask him) we headed to Bears. Where Rob tackled the Hairy Bear. I think he's fully inducted as a Hoosier now.

Here are some videos Rob took of the alumni band. Kaylene, Sara, Carrie, Mom - if you have pictures of us can you send them to me please.

Puttin' on the Ritz

song i can't remember the title of

Some recent work by friends

The first is Rob's production group. They have been workign on some short films. The first two are now online.

One Stuck Duck

And another friend recently did this political short. Remember I live in New York now, and no matter what your political affiliation I find it funny.

The Vet Who Did Not Vet

And now I am off to Indiana for some friends, football, and family.

GAME NIGHT

Last night was game night. We had some friends over to host our first "party" since we've been married. Thanks to Michelle for the Chicken Salad and French Fry Casserole recipes. The game of the night was Trivial Pursuit - girls against boys. The girls won. More game nights to come. We have so many more games to break out. I forgot to take pictures of game play, but I did get this one of our friend's adorable daughter and our adorable rabbit, who we call Monkey, which is quite confusing when you are still learning your animals. :)

One Stuck Duck!

Last night I went to a film premiere. For a film that my husband Rob Powers and a group of his friends made. It all started in June, when they entered a 72 hour film festival, which means that they had 72 hours to create a film from concept to final. This got the creative juices flowing, and they already had the Production Company name (One Stuck Duck) and they set about making a second film, which has been in production for the last two months. Monday night, or maybe really early Tuesday morning, the film was complete. Just in time for last nights showing at Blondie's East Side. There were around 100 friends who showed up for the screening. Check out this post for info on the first film. It is a challenge for animators to keep working at jobs that pay, but to also do their own creative projects on the side. I'm hoping they stick to it, and more films will follow.

Memorial Day

All the way back to MAY! My friend Kirstee and her husband Tim came up for a weekend visit. We did some walking in Central Park and came acros this peice of Public Art. Its a metal detector that lights up. You walk through it, and the amount of metal you have on determines how many lights come on. Here are Kirstee and Tim:

Friendship

My friends are an important part of life. They are always there in good times and in bad. Doesn't that sound like something from a wedding vow. But it kind of is; a true friend is a relationship that lasts a lifetime. I've recently reconnected with some old friends. And it doesn't matter that we haven't talked in maybe a year or two, it's like we never parted. And I have made some wonderful new friends, who I think will be in my life for a very long time.

My friends know who I am. I don't have to put on a facade to make my life seem something it isn't. I am thankful to have people in my life who truly care for me and wish the best. I hope I am just as good a friend to them.

At Christmas I bought two mini-desk calenders. One for me and one for Sara. We often buy the cute things for each other we'd like to have ourselves, but can't justify. I thought the calender was a nice idea because we would be reading the same quote every day. Here are some of my favorites:

"A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil - but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small silly presents everyso often - just to save it from drying out completely." -Pam Brown

"Your dresses should be tight enough to show yo're a woman and loose enough to show your're a lady." - Edith Head

'Never try to make anyone like you; you know, and God knows, that one of you is enough." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Real sisterhood is a bunch of dames in bathrobes throwing back M&Ms and making each other laugh." - Maxine Wilke

I-N-D-I-A-N-A

October 19-21 I spent the weekend in good old Bloomington Indiana for IU's homecoming, and my 4th year in the Marching Hundred Alumni Band. I got to meet up with Sara, Kaylene, Kari, and Kari for the weekend. We had a great time catching up and cheering on our Hoosiers. Despite the loss to Penn State, it was a great game. There were some intense moments, and my throat was definatly sore from all the yelling...although that could also have been from all the talking we did.


Marching Hundred
322 - Kari, Me, Nick

Cheering!

Me, Holly, Kari
Kaylene, Carrie, Me, Sara

Girls on the Town

Sara came to visit last weekend. It was great to have a girl's weekend. Rob is amazed at the amount we have to say to one another. Sara arrived on Thursday evening, and we walked and shopped down Fifth Avenue! Then to dinner in Hell's Kitchen, Island Burger, gourmet hamburgers, yummy! Rob joined us briefly and after a quick stop to show Sara the office we went to a party.

Friday, I took the day off. We slept in and then hit lower Manhattan, shopping, and shopping, and shopping. SoHo, Tribecca, the West Village, then to Chinatown and Little Italy. Sara was happy to finally have the true Chinatown experience. The MOMA is free on Friday afternoons, so that was our next stop. Then back downtown to visit Bite, for a snack of banana nutella ciabatta. And off to a Birthday Party. After the party Rob took us back to Chinatown for food. Late night chinese yummm....Wo-Hop!

Saturday Rob joined us to go to Central Park. We found a waterfall and took some artsy photos. Here are some of my favorites.Then the BEST part of the weekend. Broadway. Legaly Blond the Musical. A great musical for girls. After we went to Sephora for lipstick and eyeshadow. Then to Rob's apartment for a couple of hours sleep before taking Rob's car to the airprt at 5am.Awesome Weekend!

Chocolate Haven

Last night Rob and I went to Max Brenner's with some friends (Angela and Max). Max's is the chocolate restaurant, perfect after any kind of day. I've been there a couple of times for Girl's Nigh Out, and with Rob for brunch. Last night being dinner we decided food was in order rather than going straight for desert. But the desert. Two chocolate waffles, the boys had the Munchies Waffle, a waffle with chocolate syrup, chocolate ice cream, and little chocolate balls, like mini coco puffs. The girls had the banana split waffle, made "healthy" with the toffee bananas and fresh strawberries (and of course chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream). I forgot I had my camera until after we had finished the chocolate coma...but here are two pics of us nice and full. Oh yeah, we also had some chocolate frappiccino type drink to wash it all down :)

www.maxbrenner.com