BOSTON in the HOUSE!!!

Today is a gorgeous day in the city!! It is about 60 degrees, the sun is shining and there is a blue bird on my shoulder singing zippidy-doo-da. I mean you can’t get much better than today, well maybe ten degrees warmer, but hey let’s stay positive here people!  It is this time of year that makes me fall madly, truly, deeply (ha ha ha) in love with New York City, and the thought of leaving the city seriously brings a tear to my eye.  People are everywhere, trying to soak up as much vitamin D as possible! Heck it makes me want to take up smoking just so I can get a couple extra minutes in the sun! Which is a very BOLD statement for me to make! Any who, today is gorgeous and I am really looking forward to the weekend! Yeah just the weekend… Notice I didn’t say three-day weekend. My job doesn’t give us off Good Friday! What crap is that?? But hey, we’re staying positive!

This weekend was a pretty fun one! My roommate had two friends in town from Boston and I hung out with them a little bit. Friday I got off work and headed down to the Lower East Side Bank to get a second opinion on my taxes because I have to pay this year and lets face it folks I am in no position to be forking over extra money to the government! I mean come on!!! They seriously take half of my pay check every month!! New York taxes are out of control!  Any who, after sitting in that office for two hours; probably contracting AIDS, my name was called and they were like no… we don’t accept checks, we DO need your social security card and I’m sure your taxes will come out the same so, save your money lady. So I took  Antonella’s advice and high-tailed it out of there. On my walk home I went to Trader Joe’s to get stuff to make this pasta! From there I met Gretchen and her friends at this neighborhood spot for a few beers and apps before I went home. The spinach and artichoke dip was phenomenal, but then again when isn’t it… After that they went to our favorite spot to get “pickle back shots” and I proceeded to go home and make this pasta. After I cooked my pasta and consumed it I became lethargic on the couch and was ready for bed at 10 o’clock on a Friday! So much for my date with 20/20.  Then the girls came back and I heard a voice I didn’t recognize and low in behold a STRANGER had entered out little apartment! She was stroking Estelle on her head!!! She turned out to be a girl that they met on their trip to get pickle back shots and she was about ten (21) with curly-red-head!! (not that I have a problem with redhead, I plan on becoming one next winter) She reminded me of the first Victoria from the Twilight series (not the new LAME one) and she’s asking me all these questions. I mean can’t she tell I don’t want to talk!! My eyes were rolling around in my head due to my carb overload? “Where are you from”, “Three people live here”, “You have two dogs?”, “How old are they”, “Are you really not coming out” etc… etc… just a few to scratch the surface. After 15 minutes of her berating me, I had to escape and went and “collapsed” on my bed.  Oh… and she also did a Justin Timberlake beat box impression that was dead on… Which was impressive, but kind of creepy at the same time… Like what do you do in your free time? I knew right then that they made a BIG MISTAKE picking up this chick; she seemed like a huge party pooper! Any who, I drifted off into la-la land and dreamed of the never ending flowing rivers of mimosas I’d be dominating at brunch Saturday!

Saturday got off to a great start! The sun was shining and Stells was ready to dominate the pavement for her morning walk. After her walk I hit the gym… Well, sort of.. I got there and got frazzled, then rode the bike for thirty minutes and bolted out of there. There is this creepy trainer guy with a lisp that always asks me, every single time if I want to sign up for one-on-one trainer sessions! After I say no he will criticize me and then get on to me for not doing ab work and I’m like ummmm yeah… you 1. Already asked me this 18 times and 2. I am in the middle of doing my ab-work now… What the hell do you think I’m doing on the floor? Ughhh… Now, he just glares at me… He is a gym-time-party-pooper!!! If I end up missing… look for him.. Just kidding, but really though… find him.

Anyway, after that I went home and got ready for BRUNCH!! Which I’ve mentioned before is my favorite things to do in the city! This time we branched out from our regular places and we went to Barbounia, which is right by my apt!! It was a perfect choice! The décor was amazing! The bottomless bellinis were delish and the food was phenomenal! I cannot wait to go back!! Next time I have my eyes set on a table with pillows and fancy drapes by the window! Then the weather took a turn for the worst and I felt like I was in the middle of a tropical storm! So we ran as quickly as we could back to our tiny abode, in Gramercy. Where we ate pizza, drank “lager” and hit up a diner for multiple plates of cheese fries! Later that night we watched Human Centipede. Which, is hands down the most disturbing movie I’ve seen in a while. Gretch is not allowed to pick movies anymore!

                                                                   My Spinach Eggs Dish.

Sunday, was a lazy day; I woke up and took the dogs to the dog park with my roommate and then we went for dumplings. We tried this new place called DiDi Dumplings and it was alright; not my favorite but not disgusting. We ate them in Madison Square Park and people watched. Which is one another one of my favorite things to do.  There were two girls that brought a cute little table cloth, wine and cheese and had themselves a fun little Sunday afternoon. I was quite jelly and I WILL be doing that on my next visit!! Later that evening, my other roommate and I went to mass to collect our palms for Palm Sunday.  I hate that part in the gospel reading where I have to act like a barbaric townsperson screaming “Crucify him!” It just makes me feel weird saying that.  

Monday, I got home from work and took the dogs out to go the bathroom, and I saw the sign outside the Catholic Church that said Reconciliation Monday.  After, I got home and fed them I found myself walking out the door and towards the church. When I  began ascending the steps I started laughing out loud asking myself what I was doing, and what has over taken my body! I despise confession with a passion! I haven’t been in eight years!!! The last time I received the sacrament was at my high school senior year retreat! I’m really glad I went and I actually got a lot out of it. There was a mass service while I waited for my turn, which helped with my examination of my conscience. I’m trying harder to be a better Catholic. Going to Mass truly is the best medicine and I need to remember that!

Hopefully, this weekend is a splendid one! I have soooo many things I want to do, but no money to do it… WAH…  I’ll let you know how it goes, but I have set up a challenge for myself! I will take a picture every thirty minutes on Saturday to “document” my day! Hope I don’t forget!

Needles and Matches

Morning Folks!! Hope you are all enjoying this magnificent HUMP DAY!!! When I was a kid; well… until after I graduated I thought it was Happy “Hump” day as in “let’s get it on people”!!!! I’d be like how can radio stations say that!!?? So crude and immoral!! But to the point! Happy Hump Day Y’all! Only two more days and we will be back in the graceful arms of another glorious weekend! I don’t really have any plans this weekend; which is a WONDERFUL feeling! My roommate has a couple friends coming in town from Boston and I think I’m going to join them for a “boozy brunch” !! Looking forward to that since I was LAME at last weekend’s get together! I mean my shirt was inside out the entire time!!! I didn’t realize it till I got home and my roommate says: “You look cute, but your shirts inside out. I can see your tags”! hahaha! Oh well…

In a recent post, I mentioned my elementary school librarian Ms. Mitzi. She was the strangest person I ever met in my life and I will never forget her, and I am not sure if that a bad or good thing.  In about 4^th grade we got a new librarian and she informed us her name was Ms. Mitzi Martin and we were like eh? Mitzi? She had this wooden board that had her name burned into it with flowers, birds and butterflies that she hung behind her desk  and we were like “wow” (Just like Joey Lawrence from Blossom). 

She had fiery red hair and was a white as a sheet of paper. We all sat at our tables and pondered if library “time” was about to become “party” time; since our old librarian just up and retired in the middle of the school year. She was another character in herself. Extremely strict and mean, but confessed to us one day after reading  James and the Giant Peach that she loves to take her old pill bottles with her to the gas station and fill them gasoline because she loves the smell and wanted to be able to smell it all the time… No wonder little Drew and Michael started huffing glue out of their sandwich bags in the back of the classroom! 

Any way back to the point!! We pretty much did what we wanted in that hour of library time outside the classroom and randomly she would try to “teach” us. Mind you her subject was LIBRARY STUDIES and not RELIGION CLASS!!! (oh yeah, I went to a Catholic elementary school) So one day she is in one of her moods and tells us all these scary stories about God, Jesus and Mary. She told us that one time she went to mass and this woman dropped the communion host on the ground and it turned to flesh and started bleeding. At another mass she attended in Mexico I think it was; the priest was holding up the host and during the blessing ceremony it started to bleed and turned to flesh as well. She also told us of floating priests, stigmata, possession and being taken over by the Holy Spirit!  This  group of 10 year old did not understand any of this and quite frankly frightened us to the core!!! Had us shaking in our navy blue School Apparel brand shorts (please see post “Becky Bulls Eye…BAM” for reference). Nevertheless, the scariest thing old Mitzi did was when she popped in a video tape about the kids in Medjugorje that were visited by the Virgin Mary!! This video showed actual footage of the three children on their knees staring up in the sky having conversations with Mary!!! This miracle happened in the early 80s and doctors were sticking them with HUGE needles and burning them with matches to get a reaction and nothing would take their eyes of the vision in the sky that only they could see!! It was intense and they described these apparitions as ecstasy, when the children were in their conversations.  Well, Mary had a message for the children to the Pope and the world. Basically, the world is going to be in serious trouble and we need to start praying the Rosary. Which I did for years, daily when I was younger! The message to Pope John Paul was top secret and he took it with him to heaven.  I think I (we) need to start praying the Rosary again! ASAP, especially after my post yesterday! Ha-ha! (not funny)…

Here is a link with more information in the apparitions :

http://www.praypraypray.org/history_of_apparitions_in_medjugorje.html

So, after all of this I was seriously FREAKED out and terrified of Mary, Angels or any Saint appearing to me!! Noooo I don’t want to look at pictures of St. Theresa!! NOOOO not St. Francis of Assisi!!!  I made my Mom leave the hall night on every night and she finally asked me what was wrong and I told her of my fears and she responded  “ That would be the BEST miracle ever! Why wouldn’t you want them to appear to you?” and I replied because “ I don’t want to be a nun”! They just have horrible outfits and all the nuns I came across in my elementary school were mean or seemed really sad. Which is a really depressing statement, but at the time I was a freaked out ten year old! NO JOKE! 

So one night I’m deep in dreams about being Mrs. Devon Sawa when I’m awoken by a flashing light, and I hysterically start screaming and crying and then everything goes black! Oh my lord MARY IS APPEARING TO ME, but low and behold the hall light was just burning out! I will never forget that fear of that night and Mrs. Mitzi’s  terrifying stories she told us. 

 Devon in his Little Giants Days. Dream boat =)

Four years later, I’m chilling in my 8^th grade science at my new high school when low and behold our new teacher walks in Mrs. Mitzi!!!!!  However, she’s now going be the alias of Mrs. Mary Smith, and her hair is PURPLE (not shocked). Like what the hell!!!?? Can I not escape this woman, but then I thought to myself! Oh yes… now science class is “party time”. Which it was until she was fired because some students in one of her other classes were drinking beers!! Yes beers!! Who knows what is wrong with that woman! 

Update: I am no longer fearful of Jesus, Mary, God, Saints etc. I’ve over come my “fears”.

Happy Hump Day y’all; now I wonder what she’s doing now? I’m going to go try and stalk her on Facebook; hopefully she has not changed her name yet again!

"It's The End of The World, As We Know It"

Hola!!!! I know this is strange for me to post two days in a row but its not to be as strange as the post I’m about to lay on you! Soooo…  if you don’t like talking about the end of days DON’T READ TODAY’S POST!!!

In addition to my engaged friend coming in town this past weekend I had another friend from Miami come up with her boyfriend as well!  We all went to brunch on Saturday at the Sunburnt Cow! Which I have to tell you is my favorite thing to do in the city!! There is this blog that tells you where you should/MUST eat in the city, and has an amazing list of places to go for “Boozy Brunch”! Which I must tell you that the “list” was recently updated and excited me more than Christmas day finding “Ho Ho” put tons of magical presents under the tree! No joke! You can ask my roommate when I came across this little discovery last week! Here is the link… Just in case your into bottomless brunch! (and you are in the area)!

http://www.winedanddined.com/where-we-brunch/

But any who, we all went to brunch this past Saturday (like I said, ugh I hate when I repeat myself) and I was sipping on my moo-mosa having a grand ol time trying on the new ring and staring into the sparkly diamonds that reminded me of a crystal gel manicure from “Beautiful Nail”

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o

And then…. The conversation took a turn to the dark side! The darkest side a conversation can go on a glorious Saturday!! To the end of world!!!!!!!!! I hate this conversation and  I have been avoiding it since my second grade librarian, Ms. Mitzi scared us to death after a reading of Brer Rabbit! “The world is gonna end, and we all be numbered and have to live under the anti-christ’s (Marilyn Manson) rule for years until Jesus comes back to fight him.” Wow, what a great librarian; giving us the real “Facts of Life” (Remind me to feel you in on stories of Ms. Mitzi) Any who, we all came to a consensus that the end is near; with all of these insane happenings going on in the world right now!

Thousands of black birds dropping dead

 

         Thousands of fish washing up dead on shores across the world

·         Earthquakes in Haiti, Mexico, Japan etc.

·         Tsunamis

·         Turmoil in the middle east

·         Etc. 

I am just really scared and disappointed in all the things I may not get to do and see! I want to have children, I want to get married and grow old, I want to go to the masters, I want to surf, I want to go to Greece, I want to sky dive in Interlaken, I want to hold a koala, I want to have more time with my family and friends… I mean I could keep going and going…  I know this probably is not the most upbeat and positive post, but I’m scared people, and this paranoia is making its way into my dreams!! A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed that someone/something was going through all the apartments in New York City and killing anyone they found and would steal our food and anything of value. So my roommates and I all hid in our closets while the “thing” went searching for us. It was the most intense fear I’ve felt in a while and when I woke up I had to remind myself that it was just a dream…

I just wish I could know for sure if this was really going to happen! I’m hoping it is just another one of those dumb things that people like to do to cause hysteria in the world and promote their stupid Hollywood movies; for example, when everyone freaked in 1985 and in 2000 with Y2K! I just pray that this is what is going on! Please Sweet Baby Jesus say it isn’t so!!!

Tomorrow we’ll talk about serial killers!! Yay!! Have a great Tuesday!

As We Tip-Toe Through The Tulips

Well hello there… Long time no see you say??… I know! I’ve been LAME once again on my blogging responsibilities!! Tisk!! Tisk!!! I actually got a promotion to account coordinator on the Canon team, and as you can tell this has really messed up my whole free time. I have no idea what is going on in celebrity gossip, fashion, food, fun, events, culture… I can keep going! There are not enough hours in a day to get everything I need done!

Anyway, enough of that Debbie the downer stuff! For the past two weekends I have been attending weddings. One was in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where I went to college and saw my two friends Joey and Kate tie the knot (literally), and the other wedding was in Manhattan! My roommate’s sister got married and my other roommate and I got the invite!! Let’s just say it was a wedding like no other… My poor Dad… He doesn’t know what he’s in for!! I mean they had everything you can imagine under the sun!! A photo booth, lobster, oysters, crab, sushi, open bar, 12 person band, 360 views of Manhattan and even tomato soup shooters topped with tiny grilled cheese sandwiches!! It was sooo much fun and it is a night I will always remember! (I’ll add more pics when they come)!

On top of all the weddings this month my sorority sister came up for a visit with her boyfriend and he popped the QUESTION this past Friday in Central Park!!! Her ring is gorgeous! He did a GRrrrreat job! I Can’t wait for their wedding!! It will be another “P-Popping good time”!

So with all this wedding and lovie dovie stuff happening in April I’m going to share with you guys this poem one of my dear friends shared with me when I first moved up here and I was a little down in the dumps about how my love life was going! It gave me hope that there is that someone special that God put here on Earth for me and all I had to do was trust in him. It is kind of like a letter to you, from God (or whoever you may believe in)!

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone-
To have a deep soul relationship with another-
Be loved thoroughly, and exclusively.
But God, to a Christian, says:
I want you to be satisfied, fulfilled, and content
With being loved by Me alone-
With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me-
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship
With Me alone.
Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the best human relationship
That I have planned for you.

I want you to be united with another after you are united with Me-
Exclusive of anyone or anything else,
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, stop wishing,
And allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing-
One that you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best-
Please allow Me to bring it to you.
You just keep watching Me, trusting Me-
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things I tell you.
You just wait.
That's all.

Don't be anxious.
Don't worry.
Don't look around at the things
Others have gotten or that I've given them.
Don't look at the things you think you want.
You just keep looking off and up to Me,
Or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than any you would dream of.
You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready,
(I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time),
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I prepared for you,
You won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me.
And this is the perfect love.

And dear one, I want you to have the most wonderful love.
I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me,
And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love
That I offer you with Myself.
Know that I love you utterly.
I am God.
Believe and be satisfied.

 -author and original title unknown

Any who, I just love that! Hope you all have a great Monday!!!