Book Review - Kissed in Paris

I just finished reading "Kissed in Paris" and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Two things though, one is that the story is your typical predictable chick-love-story-line and you already know how it is going to end from when you start it and, two, it was not exactly the most plausible storyline, I mean it could happen in theory but highly unlikely. None the less I still really enjoyed the book!

It was such a quick, fun, light read, a perfect summer pool/beach read. It also didn't hurt that I downloaded this book for free from amazon when it was on a special price one day, but I'd still even pay the mere $2.99 it is listed for.

I loved the scenery in this book which mostly took place in the beautiful South of France and on a vineyard. I also loved the 'coincidences' that the author put together to really bring the story full circle. Although it was not really plausible it made a cute little twist for the book and made me smile. I also enjoyed how the author made you feel about another character, it is always a good sign when reading a book and you feel the need to make comment out loud, or maybe that is just me. I said at one point "what a jerk," Mike was sitting there playing his video game and had no idea what I was talking about. I was sorry when the book ended, I wanted to keep going with the fun ride. The author is currently working on her third novel now, which I def plan to download when it's available. I read another book by this author earlier this year/last year and enjoyed it as well, I'm looking forward to reading her next book..... I love how books can transport you to different places and make you day dream about things like living in the south of France on a romantic vineyard!


Book Title:  Kissed in Paris by Juliette Sobanet


Book Summary from Amazon: When 29-year-old event planner Chloe Turner wakes up penniless and without a passport in the Plaza Athénée Hotel in Paris, she only has a few fleeting memories of Claude, the suave French man who convinced her to have that extra glass of wine before taking all of her possessions and slipping out the door. As the overly organized, go-to gal for her three drama queen younger sisters, her anxiety-ridden father, and her needy clients, Chloe is normally prepared for every disaster that comes her way. But with her wedding to her straight-laced, lawyer fiancé back in DC only days away and a French con-man on the loose with her engagement ring, this is one catastrophe she never could have planned for.

As Chloe tries to figure out a way home, she runs into an even bigger problem—the police are after her due to suspicious activity now tied to her bank account. Chloe's only hope at retrieving her passport and clearing her name lies in the hands of a rugged, undercover agent named Julien who has a few secrets of his own. As Chloe follows this mysterious, and—although she doesn't want to admit it—sexy French man on a wild chase through the sun-kissed countryside of France, she discovers a magical world she never knew existed and has to decide if the perfectly ordered life she’s built for herself back home is really what she wants after all.

Small Vindication

I'm not going to lie when I say I was a little bit excited when I came across this news today:

"A bridal store in New Jersey has decided to close and abandon some brides-to-be who were awaiting their gowns. Bridal's by Roma in Clifton closed and hasn't told them anything except to come to the store and pick up their dresses. There are some brides getting married as early as Sunday who are not sure they're getting their gowns. Fox 5 News has reached out to Bridal's by Roma and has yet to hear back from the store."

Of course I was not excited for the brides that are currently dealing with this dreadful situation, I can certainly relate, but I am excited that no one else will be put through their misery in the future. It is no surprise at all that this horrible store finally went out of business and no bigger surprise to the atrocious way that they have continued to treat their customers. After the experience that I had there, I would not wish that upon anyone but it seems they have managed to outdo even the horrible experience that I went through. 

Throughout the day today I looked at reviews people were posting on yelp, facebook, and other local wedding boards of the stories of countless devastated brides. It is unbelievable to see what they are putting all these Brides through. They are closing down without even notifying their customers and just hanging them out to dry with no refunds and worse yet no dresses, and no way of even telling you that you have no dress if you haven't found out about it yourself. I read this comment on yelp:

"HORRIBLE!! This place is a terrible excuse for a business!!! I placed my bridesmaides dresses through Bridal by Roma to find out today that they are going out of business. they were completely shady about the entire situation and continued to measure my girls knowing they were going out of business. I showed up today to get one of my girls measured and was welcomed with a sign on the door of the bridesmaid section!!! A went back multiple times requesting to be refunded as they would not state why but yet just said they cannot deliver the dresses they promised!! The cops were called and after hours of waiting and waiting the owner showed up (only from orders of clifton police) asTONS  and TONS of angry and upset brides. This is dusgusting the way this business is run , no wonder they are closing their doors!!!!"

I can't even imagine how a person/business could continue to do that to another unsuspecting person like that. These people seriously deserve to go to jail or be fined or something for how they are getting away with this. Some of the people were posting that several news stations, and the cops have been there to deal with the mass hysteria of this awful situation. I can't believe all the comments and stories of all these people that I am reading: 

"Get your dresses and get out!!! They are going out of business and trying to steal people's money. The cops were there tonight and it was insane. I took my dress and ran and I suggest you do the same. If they tell you they are closing for renovations they are lying. The owner told the cops they were closing. Hurry and get your dress or your money back before they run with your dress!!!"

"I drove by today and just a paper sign with sharpie marker "store closed. Alterations only!" Not a great way to inform customers"

"Let me tell you what a nightmare it was.... I went to pay my final deposit on the dress and they told me to come in on Saturday. They did not mention a word to me that they were closing!!! So, I get there to find that the store was closed so I walked around to the back. There were over twenty birdes hysterically crying because they were closing and half of these brides had their wedding the next day. There were cops everywhere and rumor was that the manager left. After a three hour wait in the hot sun an older gentleman called one by one in. As soon as you walk in there was chaos! There were dresses all over the place and so much screaming going on between the seamstresses saying how they were going to kill the manager. I'm assuming that not only the brides didn't know, but all the people working there were shocked as well. You have to pay cash no checks! I ran back out to the bank and ran back to the store. I got my dress and the older gentleman escorted each one of us out. If you have a dress there go get it now!!!!!"

What a crazy mess. I feel so bad for all these brides that are currently living through this nightmare. I hope that it all works out for them. I know in the end of my disastrous experience I ended up with an even better and more incredible dress that was meant to be my wedding dress, but it was not fun dealing with it. The only good thing to come of this is that this horrible company finally went out of business. I can only hope that someone sues them or they get what is coming to them for what they have put all these people through!

My Garden is Growing!

I can't believe it, my garden is actually growing!!! Mike was the first to notice it, I hadn't even bothered to go check it out when we got home, I didn't think anything would grow this quickly. Last Monday right after I planted the seeds it was torrential rain all day. I thought for sure the seeds would get washed away. The rain didn't stop for the rest of the week either, all last week it was gray and rainy. I had almost assumed my seeds wouldn't even make it. And then this weekend it was blistering hot, so it went from rain and no sun to obscenely hot, which didn't seem like good growing weather to me.

I got so excited when I went outside and saw the progress the seeds had made in just a week, one short little week. It made me so happy to see they were growing so quickly, that you could see legitimate progress. Here's the plants progress so far, from what I think they are:

 Believe these are my cucumbers because there are only a couple seeds I planted. I have to plant more seeds on the other half of the pot tonight

 I think this would be the scallions/green onions I planted, and there was either parsley or oregano in the middle of them

These are the tomatoes, although not sure which is which at this point, 

one is roma, one is beefsteak

 I think this should be the basil and either oregano or parsley is in the middle, I can't remember which one I put with what - opps! 

 And I'm pretty sure this is the zucchini/squash pot I planted, which now looks like way too much. I meant to plant them separately but I got carried away, my bad!

This one has not really grown much yet, but maybe soon, looks like it is starting to peak through. If the other one is the zucchini, I think I put the peppers and eggplant in this one, but I'm not sure it will be enough room, maybe I will have to move them, I have no idea! 

Stay tuned for more progress! I still have two more planters to plant seeds in, Mike said he would help me drill the holes in them tonight so I can plant.

A Life of Luxury

When I say that Rocky is one spoiled puppy I am in no way lying or exaggerating. This dog has a nicer couch than some of my friends had in college, although maybe that is not saying much. When we went to the city last week we were over Mike's friend Tim's apartment and they had these beautiful dog beds for their little dog gypsy, who is adorable, I wanted to bring her home for Rocky. When I asked where he got them from he told me Frontgate. Of course the first thing I did the next day was search for a new bed for the price himself, he needed an upgrade from his $20 petco bed.

I quickly learned that these beds do not come cheap but they are beautiful. I found one that I loved for Rocky, not thinking we'd actually get it I sent the link to Mike to just show him. Mike being our budget guy and that he is usual shoots down most of my ideas so I didn't think anything of sharing it. When Mike came running upstairs to meet me in the kitchen a few minutes later, he goes to me, "Rach, I bought Rocky the bed." I just laughed, it was too funny. I'm always amazed at how much Mike loves our little guy to go out and buy him this bed just like that and not think twice about it.

All week we patiently waited for Rocky's new bed to arrive. We kept telling him he was getting a new bed. We were so excited when the box arrived today and we took it out to show Rocky. Since Rocky was on the weight cusp for the bed sizes, the small was up to 15 pounds and the medium bed was 15 to 45 pounds, Mike had ordered the medium size bed. I'm not going to lie, this thing is pretty big.

I think we could have gone with the small and it would have been fine, but he now has plenty of room to spread out in it. I was contemplating returning the bed and exchanging it for the smaller one because its so big BUT while Rocky was home alone tonight he decided to rip the take off of it and he also ripped the bolster of the arm so Rocky made the decision for us that he will be keeping the medium size. I was a little disappointed that he had done that and ripped the arm part of it already. Sigh.

I do still have to call them, the bone pillow that came with it was supposed to be monogrammed but it wasn't but looks like we'll be keeping the bed. Here is the king lounging in his new bed, what an upgrade from his last one!

Cute Picture

Mike had to go to the city last week for work for a big team meeting they were having. They even put him up at a nice hotel so that he could be close and did not have to worry about commuting in for the meetings every day which was great. On the last night he invited me to come to the city to meet up with him and his team and join them for dinner and drinks in the city. I happily obliged his request to come to the city.

Although it took me at least 90 minutes to drive the 35 miles to get to the city it was well worth it. I was ok with the drive until the last block when a delivery guy on a bicycle was driving literally in the middle of the road with pizza boxes hanging off his bike and a cab cut me off and prevented me from going into the parking garage I needed and then I had to go all the way down and around again, I eventually made it there. Once I got there, one thing I will say is I was surprised at just how small the hotel room was that Mike had. I know it's NYC and all and I am used to small standards but I am just glad that I was not visiting from out of town and gotten this small closet size room.

For dinner we went to this Greek restaurant called Molyvos. It was very good, although I must admit I am more of a traditionalist with my Greek food, or maybe it is more the American version of Greek food. All in all though it was a great meal, no complaints on the food.

Anyway, this is all just my usual rambling since all I really intended to do was post a picture of the two of us someone took at dinner.....

Book Review - Discovery of Witches

I'm happy to say we had another absolutely wonderful book club this month. This month's book selection was The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. We all loved the book from start to finish, before we even got together we were all commenting how excited we were to talk about the book. In honor of the author who is a self proclaimed oenophile we decided to meet at a local wine bar, called Zinburger (Wine and Burgers). The author Deborah Harkness is a wine lover and even writes her own award winning wine blog!

We had such a fabulous dinner, enjoying our wine and conversation!  It was also Wine Wednesdays, which meant half price bottles of wine so we indulged in a $40 bottle of pinot noir and enjoyed our burgers while talking about vampires and witches. The zucchini fries were also particularly delicious. And to top it off the restaurant was right next to a frozen yogurt place, it could not have been a more perfect book club night, that was the best night cap.

I'm so excited that we've been able to keep our little club get togethers going strong for 5 months now and we already have so many future books planned out to look forward to as well. For next month we agreed to read Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, although it's not really my type of book, part of the fun of the book club is to read books you normally would not read, who knows maybe I will get a kick out of it. And we will be making this another dinner and movie night since the movie comes out next month as well.

Also of note to look forward to is the next book in the All Souls Trilogy (aka Part II of the Discovery of Witches). We also found out that the author is going to be in the city doing a book signing for the release at Barnes and Noble, a visit to the city might be in order for July's get together!!! For August of course we will be discussing the new book. And we already have December and January to look forward to, I want to read the Great Gatsby again in honor of the new movie and Nicole wants us to read The Hobbit, also in honor of the movie, so lots of books and movies to look forward to in our future!!!

Now onto my book review....

Book Title: The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Book Summary from Amazon: It all begins with a lost manuscript, a reluctant witch, and 1,500-year-old vampire. Dr. Diana Bishop has a really good reason for refusing to do magic: she is a direct descendant of the first woman executed in the Salem Witch Trials, and her parents cautioned her be discreet about her talents before they were murdered, presumably for having "too much power." So it is purely by accident that Diana unlocks an enchanted long-lost manuscript (a book that all manner of supernatural creatures believe to hold the story of all origins and the secret of immortality) at the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and finds herself in a race to prevent an interspecies war. A sparkling debut written by a historian and self-proclaimed oenophile, A Discovery of Witches is heady mix of history and magic, mythology and love (cue the aforementioned vampire!), making for a luxurious, intoxicating, one-sitting read.

Did you like the book: Yes. I loved how what I thought was going to be a simple story line that you thought you knew early on what was going to happen turned out to be so much more. I loved how the author would give you small pieces of information and then later tie them together into such bigger issues. There were def a couple of times when I was reading it and I was like "that makes so much sense" and it all came together. The book was long page wise but I read the last 300 pages so fast, it really picked up a lot at the end. And of course it really leaves you hanging right at the end for what the next adventure will be, it was the perfect place to end, and there were several items that happened in this book that will be sure to become larger issues in the next two books. I can't wait to see how they unfold.

Would you recommend this book to another person: Yes absolutely. I already plan to loan the book out to anyone that is interested. For my friends that enjoyed Twilight this was even better, it was a more adult tale intertwined with historical fiction and much more vivid scenery. The characters were much more developed and had such interesting histories and back stories. The history of the characters and the scenery played such an important part of the book, it was fantastic to imagine all of the beautiful scenery in Oxford as well as the French country castles and more. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy!

20 Lessons from Madam Chic

It's no secret that I do a lot of reading. I pick up things here and there, sometimes from the NY Times Best Sellers List, sometimes from a recommendation from a friend, and sometime's I'll just buy a book if it's under $3 there's not much to lose if it's not good, and it's still usually more rewarding than watching bad tv. One of the cheap books I stumbled on that I figured I would give a shot was a first time author that wrote a memoir of her time she spent abroad in college living with a French family. The subject matter immediately appealed to me, having lived abroad myself in college and also in love with French culture and Paris.

While it certainly wasn't the best book I've ever read, I took it for what it was an anecdotal story about this author's time in Paris. It wasn't meant to be about all French women or families, it was just things that she had observed. I think there was some great observations that def have some truth in them and can also simplify live to live a more elegant and simple life, which is also something that appeals to me. I'm not saying I agree with 100% of everything she recommends or mentions below but I certainly think there is some merit to a lot of her ideas.

I thought it was worth exploring or mentioning the different lessons that are included in the book. She goes into a lot more details and examples in the book of course, but here is a summary

20 Lessons From Madame Chic

1- Snacking is So Not Chic
Boost the quality of the meals you do have to reduce the craving for snack foods. Make dining well a priority. When you do snack- pick only high quality foods. Never settle. Never eat while walking, driving or standing. Avoid eating on the go at all costs. Allow yourself to feel a little bit of hunger to build up a healthy appetite. Stay hydrated throughout the day with water. And remember: mindless snacking is so not chic!

2—Deprive Yourself Not
Develop a positive attitude towards food and eating. Cultivate your passion for fine food and have fun discussing it! Be mindful and present when eating all meals. Employ the delicacy technique to create a special dining experience no matter what the circumstance. Whether you are having a tuna sandwich or a Gruyere soufflé, make sure the presentation of your food is enticing. Employ moderation and restraint while on holiday or at the buffet (in the long run, you will be glad you did). Strive to only eat quality food. Above all…enjoy your meals! We spend so much of our lives eating. Revel in it- have fun and take pleasure in the dining experience.

3- Exercise is Incorporated into Everyday Life
Incorporate exercise into your day by infusing it into daily tasks (like grocery shopping and doing household chores). Develop a positive body image- focus on the good things about your body. Create an active challenge for yourself every day. Park your car as far away as possible from your destination to encourage more walking. Get the dog out and go on a walk- choose a new route every day so you don’t get bored. Always take the stairs in lieu of the elevator. Do leg lifts while watching TV. Explore alternative forms of exercise such as yoga, tai chi or chi gong. In short, don’t be stagnant. If you are open and creative, you can incorporate into almost every aspect of your daily routine as a compliment to, or in lieu of working out in a gym. Make your leisure time more active. And most importantly, never be lazy! Laziness is so not chic.

4- 10 Item Wardrobe
Clear out the clutter in your wardrobe- be brutal! Store away any seasonal clothes that are not relevant for the current season. Commit to doing the 10 Item Wardrobe experiment for a set period of time (I did one month). Pick and choose your 10 items (remember these do not include outerwear, occasionwear, accessories, shoes and layering shirts). After doing the strict experiment note what works and does not work for you and add or subtract items as needed. Most importantly…enjoy the process. The whole point of the exercise is to bring you to a place of loving every item in your wardrobe and always having something appropriate and presentable to wear.

5- Find Your True Style
Only wear clothes because you love them, they look great on you and speak to who you are as a person. Define your true style to help guide you when shopping. Think of how you want to present yourself to the world every time you get dressed. Listen to your gut instinct about your style. Deep down you know if something works or doesn’t work.

6- Le No Makeup Look
Come up with a low maintenance no makeup look for everyday wear to always look your best. Go with the au natural look for fresh faced beauty. Use the defined eye technique for a bit of natural drama. Wear the defined lip look when feeling whimsical or romantic. Tailor your application time to your schedule. Keep your outfits and daily activities in mind when deciding on what makeup to wear. Consult professionals whenever possible to pick the most flattering shades for your skin tone. Use a finishing spray to keep your makeup in place (touching up your makeup in public is so not chic!) Have fun experimenting and don’t forget to change things up every now and then…

7- Skin Care
Make water your main beverage of the day- limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol. Manage your stress levels. When you feel stress creeping up, lighten things up! Get regular massages from a professional masseuse or a loved one. Consult professionals and get regular facials if they are in your budget or give yourself a facial at home. Do your research and purchase the best products for your budget. Protect your skin by always wearing sunscreen (and don’t forget your neck, shoulders, arms and hands!) And most importantly, no matter what state your skin is in, strive to be comfortable in it. Doing so works wonders for attractiveness.

8- Look Presentable Always
Dress presentably on a daily basis to honor yourself and those around you. Remember first impressions are terribly important. Don’t tempt yourself to be frumpy. Throw out or give away any clothes that are not up to par. Check yourself from all angles before leaving the house. Dress beautifully when you travel to heighten the atmosphere and encourage upgrades. Never save your best clothes for ‘later’. Wear them today. What are you waiting for? Chose a haircut that is easily styled and that fits into your lifestyle. Good grooming is imperative. When bathing in Paris avoid leaving the blinds up unless you want to be admired by a Parisian window washer!

9- The Art of Femininity 
Cultivate good posture and constantly check yourself until it comes naturally to you. Explore the world of perfume and either choose a signature scent or a capsule perfume wardrobe. Delight in the process as perfume is one of the great joys in life! Strive to always have well groomed nails- whether they are just buffed and filed or elaborately polished. Healthy hair in an attractive style does wonders for femininity. The intangible aspects of femininity like self confidence, a sense of humor and adventure are the most important- never lose sight of these things.

10- Only Use The Best Things You Have
Only use the best you have on a daily basis. Elevate mealtimes by using your best dishes, glasses, napkins and tablecloths. Arrange a special floral bouquet or cook a fancy dish to mark special occasions. Use the best rooms in your home and avoid saving them for special occasions or certain guests. You deserve to use the best parts of your home every day! Clear out and de-clutter your home and only own the best things you have. When making purchases only buy the best you can afford- always take your budget into consideration to avoid living beyond your means. Use your best manners on a daily basis, especially with those closest to you. Practice the art of living well every day- even when you are alone. Doing so allows you to develop a taste for fine living.

11- Life as a Formal Affair
Add as many formal aspects into your life as you desire to live well. Create formal rituals and traditions in your family to enrich everyday life. Mind your manners and take the high road always. Practice formal etiquette, even when dining alone, to make mealtime special. Dress appropriately for every occasion and remember it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. Cultivate your love of classical music and have it playing throughout your day. Write more letters- think how thrilled the recipient will be! Boost your vocabulary by incorporating new words into your speech to avoid language becoming too casual. Tailor what living life as a formal affair means to you and your family and delight in it!

12- Clutter-free Home (or Clutter is So Not Chic)
Which areas of your home require de-cluttering. Be honest with yourself. Tackle each clutter hot spot slowly and don’t take on more than you can handle in any given de-cluttering session. Cut down on how much you bring into the home. Only go shopping for things you really need. Figure out a system that works for the other people in your home. Make sure everyone is on board with your plan. Deal with things like filing and mail as soon as possible to avoid clutter catastrophes. Live a structured life at home and be strict with yourself about keeping everything in its place.

13- Seek Out the Arts
Totally immerse yourself in the arts to live a culturally fulfilling life. Play music throughout your day as a soundtrack to your life. Keep au courant with your local museum’s latest art exhibits. Attend theatre regularly- whether you patronize large scale productions or local independent endeavors. Bring the arts into your home and get your friends involved. Become an artist yourself- pick up an instrument, write that book you’ve always wanted to write, audition for your local play or get out the paint brushes. Relish the process and get creative!

14- Cultivate an Air of Mystery
Guard your words and never over-talk. Maintain your vital energy levels and only speak when necessary. Avoid telling people your life story when you first meet them. Instead talk about things like: art, philosophy or current events- make yourself interesting so they wonder about you. Keep the romance alive in your relationship by not discussing every mundane detail of your daily life. Your husband does not need to hear about your laser hair removal session. When grooming, always do it behind closed doors. Your lover does not need to know how you look so good- he just needs to know that you do, in fact, look good! Become comfortable with silence. Have one or two trusted friends to share your intimate secrets with. Learn to receive compliments graciously. And remember (not just in France, but wherever you are) never ask someone what they ‘do’ for a living.

15- The Art of Entertaining
No matter what sort of entertaining you are doing- be a confident hostess. This is what your guests want. Even if you don’t feel confident, fake it until it comes naturally to you. Put an effort into your appearance. Go with what you know. A simple meal that tastes good is much better than an elaborate meal with hits and misses (and is much less work…) Remain calm in the event of a catastrophe and always maintain a sense of humor. Resurrect the ritual of the apéritif and adopt your own signature drink (alcoholic or non). If you commit a faux pas, simply laugh it off. We’ve all done it. Create a memorable evening by choosing the right music. And, I’m sure you already know what this last one is going to be…Have fun with it! What is the point of going to all that trouble if you yourself are not going to have a good time?

16- Rejection of New Materialism
Avoid impulse purchases by carrying a list and only paying in cash when doing the daily shopping. Employ and maintain a capsule wardrobe to avoid buying too many clothes. Never let a sales person sway you into purchasing something. Stand firm and let your pride get in the way. Learn to appreciate what you already have. Pause before making any major purchases. Wait a few days and see if you still really want them. Only upgrade your home if you can afford to do so. Analyze your spending habits and take pleasure in what you already have.

17- Cultivate Your Mind
Never let yourself ‘go’ intellectually. Challenge your little grey cells on a daily Read or listen to audio books as much as you can. Seek out independent and/ or foreign films as a refreshing alternative to the typical Hollywood Blockbuster. Subscribe to a newspaper for their special articles and reviews. Be a patron of the arts in whatever field interests you most. Expand your vocabulary and subscribe to a word of the day. Try to use the new words in your everyday speech and avoid bad speech patterns. Watch less television. The less you watch it- the less you miss it. Travel as much as you can- visit places that are out of your comfort zone (though not too far out of your comfort zone- one must be safe!) and learn about new cultures. No matter how old you are take classes in whatever field interests you. Push yourself- it could just change your life.

18—Simple Pleasures
Deriving simple pleasures from the most mundane of things can set you up for a happy and exciting life. Learn how to cope with your Sisyphean tasks and turn them into pleasurable experiences. Adopting a positive outlook on life (no matter what) is key- as is a sense of humor. Employ your senses to derive maximum pleasure out of your experiences. Slow down and try not to rush through your day. Make a concerted effort to be in the present moment until it comes naturally to you. No need for guilty pleasures- pleasure should not make you feel guilty! Enjoy yourself.

19—Quality Above All
to living a life of quality to tune your mind to the concept of fine living. Become more selective of the foods you eat, the clothes you wear and the way you choose to spend your time. Become a connoisseur of fine, specialty food. Be an informed consumer when making purchases-read reviews and research companies and products before buying. Make every experience you have a quality one by adopting a good attitude and sense of humor towards life. Make the time you spend with your family and friends quality time.

Chapter 20- Live a Passionate Life!

Source: Scott, Jennifer L. (2011-12-04). Lessons From Madame Chic: The Top 20 Things I Learned While Living in Paris. Kindle Edition.

Garden is Planted

This weekend in the {sweltering} heat I sat outside on my deck and happily planted my seeds for my vegetable garden. With the seat pouring off me, yes it was that hot, especially for New Jersey in mid-May, its not like our pool is even open yet, I set up about 75% of my garden. I parsed out my soil into my new containers from Home Depot. They're nothing fancy and certainly not the best looking containers, they were however the most affordable and best size for the small space I have to work with on our deck.

I was in my own little zone out there, raking the soil, digging little holes to put the seeds in. Unfortunately Mike snuck up behind me and scared me and my cucumber seeds went right through the deck planks!!! He was nice enough to get me more cucumber seeds when he went to home depot later that day. I still have to plant those seeds and I have two more containers I need to plant before everything is all set up. I had run out of soil so Mike got me more soil too for my last two containers. Hopefully I can get those set up before this weekend.

I'm not going to lie, I'm a little worried about if I planted the right number of seeds in the containers and how far apart they need to be. I'm wondering if I planted too many seeds in each pot. I was figuring better to plant more than less to start in case they all don't grow. I guess it'll be a couple of weeks before I see anything other than a pot of dirt sitting outside. Plus they are getting plenty of water today since it's been raining pretty good all day. I hoping it is not too much water for them, it has been pouring here all day.

This will be another one of my great projects to see how it turns out. My last project, of the cake decorating class didn't come to much, especially since it was so expensive to buy and make all the supplies and I had to miss the last class. It was still fun, I just wish all my little hobbies/projects didn't cost so much money! At least if this works out there will be a small reward, my very own vegetables to eat.

Pictures of my dirt containers to follow when it's not raining outside,
I am staying inside where it is nice and dry!

Officially Certified

 It wound up being a good thing that I taped my step class for my assessment so early. Getting it done and out of the way turned out to be only half the battle. It wound it taking me almost another whole month to get my video tape converted to dvd format so I could send in my submission for evaluation. That was a whole other long story, my tape made its way around in an attempt to get it converted. It turned out the guy that was able to convert it for me is one of my neighbors, he literally lives about 10 houses down from us and I never knew, small world. Anyway, once I had the dvd I could finally send it in, I only had less than a week before it was due to get it in to meet the deadline (3 months from when you take the training).

I happily took the dvd to the post office on Monday at lunch time and dropped it in the mail. I was happy enough when they sent a confirmation email on Wednesday saying they'd already received the dvd and it would be 4-6 weeks before I heard anything back. Needless to say I was shocked when I got an email the very next day stating that I passed the assessment! I am now officially a BTS Certified Group Step Instructor :-) 

My assessment wasn't perfect by any means. There are a total of 10 tracks (songs) that are pre-choreographed that you have to teach. For the assessment you have to pass 7 out of the 10 tracks. I just made it, I wound up failing 3 of the tracks, but in the end it doesn't matter. I know I am hard on myself and of course I would have liked to have passed all of them but realistically I realize that it was my first class I taught ever and I still think I did pretty well. Now I can focus on getting better at teaching now that the hardest part is behind me with the assessment. And I finally have an interview at the gym tomorrow night so they can officially hire me and I can hopefully get paid to teach as well, since this was quite an expensive endeavor. Anyway I'm looking forward to teaching my own Group Step class soon! 

Mother's Day Recipes

Two of my favorite recipes that I made as part of our Mother's Day Feast Brunch were the mini zucchini quiches and blueberry streusel muffins. I could've easily kept popping those things, they were both so addicting. I loved the muffins because they had the delicious streusel topping and the zucchini were great too and were not too 'eggy' either. I figured I would post the recipe since I def plan to make both of these again. The zucchini quiche would also be a great appetizer for a party. Since you can make them in advance and they were hardly no work at all, much better than store bought and so much healthier too!

Weight Watchers Mini Zucchini Quiche (only 1 p+!)

4 spray(s) cooking spray
2 small uncooked zucchini, finely chopped
1 large uncooked onion(s), finely chopped
1 cup(s) shredded Parmesan cheese
6 large egg(s)
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh, finely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat two 24-hole nonstick mini muffin pans with cooking spray (or use just one pan and cook in two batches). Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon egg mixture into each prepared hole, making sure to stir mixture after filling each one. Bake until bottoms are golden brown and quiche are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove pan(s) from oven and let quiche cool for a few minutes in pan(s); remove quiche to a wire rack to cool more (and repeat with remaining ingredients if necessary).

Weight Watchers Blueberry Streusel Muffins (3p+ for mini/6p+ for regular size)

2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
1 large egg(s)
1 cup(s) sugar, divided
3/4 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk, divided
2 cup(s) fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place muffin liners in a 12-hole muffin tin. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat egg with 3/4 cup of sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and beat until thoroughly combined; blend in vanilla extract. Add half of flour mixture and half of milk to sugar mixture; beat until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and milk; beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries and fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full; set aside.

To make streusel topping, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup each of sugar and flour. Pour in melted butter and combine with fingertips. Divide crumb mixture over muffins; gently press into top of muffin batter with fingertips. Bake until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for about 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer muffins onto racks to cool completely.

Mother's Day Feast

This year for Mothers Day I wanted to treat the Mom's to a nice meal where they could relax and didn't have to do anything since they deserve it! We settled on coming over our house for brunch. I've never hosted a brunch before but boy was I looking forward to it. I quickly researched tons of recipes from my favorite website to prepare for the meal. I found so many I wanted to make it was hard to narrow it down, I really didn't do a good job narrowing it down either. I could have fed a small army with all the food I made, it was way too much for just 7 people but it was worth it.

I made so many different dishes from french toast, to eggs, to casseroles, baked goods and more. Most of the menu was inspired by Skinny Taste (of course) but there were a few other items on the menu as well. I don't think there was anything we were missing!

• Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets
• Make-Over Breakfast Sausage and Mushroom Strata
• Bananas Fosters Topped Overnight French Toast
• Ricotta Cheese Chocolate Chip Muffins
• WW Blueberry Streusel Muffins
• WW Mini Zucchini Quiche
• Vanilla Blueberry Pound Cake
• Ore Ida Potatoes O'Brian 
• Turkey Sausage Links & Center Cut Bacon 
• Plus my mom brought fruit salad and Long Island Bagels
• And my Mother-in-Law brought Red, White and Blue Trifle for dessert 

All of the food was so delicious. Everyone particularly enjoyed the Bananas Foster overnight French Toast and the overnight breakfast strata. I think those were the two biggest hits. The French toast really was incredible, I highly recommend that dish. But I also loved the mini zucchini quiches and the mini blueberry strudel muffins too. 

The men after Brunch passed out in their usual spots in a food coma downstairs. All of them sleeping on the couch as usual. My dad is sleeping too on the left althought you can't really see him.

We had such a great day. I can't wait to do it again next year.
Happy Mother's Day to the best Mom and Mother-in-Law a girl could ask for!!! 

Book Review - The Tiger's Wife

I read so many books that it's hard to keep track of them all. Plus Mike is always telling me I read them so fast, which is true, do I really retain all the information? Sometimes I read the books so fast because I'm so excited to get to the end and see what happens (the sign of a good book). I've decided I want to do a better job of keeping track of all the books so I can remember them and how I felt about them and if I'd recommend the book or not. I'm always looking for new recommendations from my friends and also want to recommend books to them. I'm going to to try to type up my own book reviews, to keep me on track I'm going to try and use a couple simple questions each time to keep the format the same and easy to review.

For my first book review, I want to write about the book we read last month for book club because it made me really conflicted.

Book Title: The Tiger's Wife by Tea Orbret

Book Summary: "In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to his worn copy of The Jungle Book and the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.” But most extraordinary of all is the story her grandfather never told her—the legend of the tiger’s wife."

From Publishers Weekly: "The sometimes crushing power of myth, story, and memory is explored in the brilliant debut of Obreht, the youngest of the New Yorker's 20-under-40. Natalia Stefanovi, a doctor living (and, in between suspensions, practicing) in an unnamed country crosses the border in search of answers about the death of her beloved grandfather, who raised her on tales from the village he grew up in, and where, following German bombardment in 1941, a tiger escaped from the zoo in a nearby city and befriended a mysterious deaf-mute woman. The evolving story of the tiger's wife, as the deaf-mute becomes known, forms one of three strands that sustain the novel, the other two being Natalia's efforts to care for orphans and a wayward family who, to lift a curse, are searching for the bones of a long-dead relative; and several of her grandfather's stories about Gavran Gailé, the deathless man, whose appearances coincide with catastrophe and who may hold the key to all the stories that ensnare Natalia. Obreht is an expert at depicting history through aftermath, people through the love they inspire, and place through the stories that endure; the reflected world she creates is both immediately recognizable and a legend in its own right."

Who were the main characters? The main character in the story is Natalia, a young doctor who has just learned about her Grandfathers death. The story is also about her Grandfather and the stories that he told her growing up.

Could you relate to any of the characters in the story? No, this was probably my biggest complaint about the book was that I could not form a connection to any of the characters. I felt like there was a lack of information that allowed you to connect with Natalia.

Did you like the book? Honestly no. I was sitting on the couch struggling to get through the book. I kept saying to Mike I don't understand this book and felt like it was dragging on, I don't feel like it pulled me in. Even when I had finished I was still so confused and had so many unanswered questions. I was searching online for like a cliff notes summary of the book in hopes that it could help answer some of my questions. Needless to say I was not surprised when I came across discussion boards with people that had the same reaction and thoughts as I did.

There were story lines and characters in the book that were just thrown in that did not further the book along at all and only left more questions. For example there was a story about the girl that was traveling with Natalia about her working with a prosecutor about a case but you never find out what happens with it. I also found it difficult to put several of the main story lines together to follow what the meaning of the story was.

Would you recommend this book to another person? No, I wouldn't. I would say to pass on this book. I am surprised by all the hype that it has received and that it is a NY Times best seller. I am all for an intellectual book that makes you stop and think about the story or use your imagination but in this case the lack of being able to connect with the characters I think really made it a difficult read for me.

Dinner Divas Goes to Boston

Well once again we had another wonderful "Dinner Diva's" evening filled with delicious food. This month it was my turn to host. Since I was hosting this also meant it was my turn to pick out the theme. I wanted to do something different that the girls have not done before, since they've been meeting for a long time before I joined the group there's been many themes that have already been done. My last theme was celebrity chefs, I chose Giada, that was also the dinner where I cooked the knife in with the pork tenderloin. I was determined not to do that again! For this month I decided to pick "Famous Food from a City," specifically Boston. Meaning the food should be something the city is known for or have the word Boston in the title. This was surely something the girls had not done before.

Our menu this month consisted of:

• Boston House Salad with homemade Blue cheese Dressing
• Boston Baked Beans
• Boston Baked "Schrod" - A Parker House tradition since 1906
• Roasted New Potatoes
• Green Vegetable
• Omni Parker House Rolls
• Appetizer - Michele - Boston Lettuce Wraps
• Dessert - Janet - Boston Cream Cupcakes

I'm happy to say that everything turned out great and there was no knife cooking this time. One of the great things about our little group or the intent is to try new things. I had a major cooking first yesterday as well, my first time using yeast. I made the homemade dough for the omni parker house rolls, which was really cool to see the dough rising and kneading it and it turned out perfectly, I was pretty proud of my dough, Mike seemed to enjoy the rolls the most, he's already requesting homemade pizza dough.

The Boston Baked Beans also turned out fabulous! We were smelling them all day. I was even outside with Rocky and the neighbor at one point and she was smelling them as well and commented how good it smells. The beans were by no means difficult to make, however it was time consuming. Since I only bought my beans that morning I did not have a chance to soak them overnight so I was only able to soak them for about 90 minutes, but it wasn't a problem at all. The beans essentially took from 11:30-6:30 in total. At one o'clock I then started simmering the beans which was about 2 hours, and then at three o'clock that was when it was time to put them in the oven with the bacon and sauce. At first I didn't realize the bacon went in raw and I was trying to cut it but you just layer it with the strips of bacon. Later when its done and you stir it the bacon pieces just break right up. One thing I will say is that this made a HUGE pot of beans. I would absolutely try cutting the recipe in half next time unless you want to feed your entire neighborhood, which I'm sure they'd enjoy because they were delicious!

Boston Baked Beans
Source: All Recipes

2 cups navy beans
1/2 pound bacon (uncooked)
1 onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Arrange the beans in a 2 quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion. In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.

My Kind of Night

I really do love to cook even if it's just for myself, sometimes those are my favorite kind of recipes, the kind I just throw together and improvise, they are also usually the recipes that Mike won't eat. I like the satisfaction I get from making a meal I enjoy and this was no exception. Since Mike is away this week I knew I could make whatever I wanted and not worry about him eating it, although that never stops me. Mike may have eaten this meal it probably wouldn't have been his first choice.

When I logged into my e-tools yesterday the featured recipe of the day was a Creamy Spinach Pasta. Normally pesto sauce can be really fattening with all the oil and the pine nuts however this spinach pesto is extremely low in fat and super healthy. I knew right away I had to make this and then I got it stuck in my head. However I wanted to make some  adjustments to it, since I didn't have any cream cheese in the house that it called for, although the way I ended up making it, I also didn't have any laughing cow but thats besides the point. I thought the laughing cow cheese in it was a great way to make this creamy while still maintaining the low fat integrity. I also wanted to add the tomatoes in since they're no points and it bulks it up, and for some added protein I bought some shrimp to put in it as well.

This dish was so easy to make, all it took was some pasta, the tomatoes and shrimp cooked themselves in the toaster oven so no work required there and for the sauce you just had to put the ingredients in the food processer. I'm so happy with the way this turned out, this would seem like a great way to get kids to eat more vegetables too since the sauce is just pureed spinach. I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl of pasta accompanied by a glass of wine wine and my book, that is my perfect kind of evening!

Creamy Spinach Pasta
Inspired By: Spark People and Weight Watchers

12 ounces of Pasta (I used thin linguine)
4 cloves garlic
3 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese
6-8oz fresh baby spinach
Grated parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
Reserved pasta water (about 1/2 cup)
Cherry tomatoes (about a pint, I used a little more)(optional)
Shrimp (optional)

Cook the pasta according to package directions in well salted water. While it cooks, drop the garlic cloves into the food processor while the blade is spinning to chop them. Add the cheese and all but a handful of the spinach leaves. Pulse until combined and creamy, and season to taste with red pepper, salt & freshly ground black pepper.

If you would like to add cherry tomatoes, I roasted mine in the toaster while the water boiled and the pasta cooked on 425 degrees seasoned with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. I also added shrimp to mine as well and roasted them with the tomatoes.

Cut the remaining spinach leaves into ribbons and put in the bottom of a large serving bowl. When pasta is cooked, drain and reserve about a cup of the cooking water. Put the drained pasta on top of the spinach ribbons and add the spinach pesto sauce. Add a bit of the pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency of the sauce. Fold in the parmesan cheese just before serving.

A Manifesto

I came across this manifesto today and found it so inspiring. It really spoke to me as I read through it. I felt like I need to embrace more of these philosophies and not get so lost in the small picture or things that don't matter. I love so many of the sayings listed on here, Travel Often; Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them; When you eat, appreciate every last bite and pretty much everything else listed. This is your one life to live and you're not happy with things you need to be the one to change it, no one else can do it for you. As soon as I read this I immediately wanted to write it down, to share it, to start living it and embracing it more. I really want to print out a nice copy of it and put it in a funky frame and put it on my desk where it will be a constant reminder to me, of good things and not taking things for granted and living life to its fullest!

Blog-worthy Casserole

While I have been doing a fair share of cooking, I have not put any of the great recipes I've tried on my blog lately. I'd say about 99% of the recipes I make lately are all from Skinny Taste. Anyone that has talked to me about cooking knows how much I love this website and how many great recipes I have tried. Way too many to list or blog about since it's just a straight replica from her website. I've even started a binder now to keep track of all my recipes of hers that I have been making.

I thought this recipe deserved to be an exception and needed to make it on my blog so I could share it with my friends and family in case they want to enjoy it as well. Even Mike said he loved it without me even asking and said it was delicious! It was a little intricate to make with the different steps, and multiple pots and pans to make everything. I did cheat a little and use jarred sauce in mine but it was just as good. It was the perfect cheesy rice combination with meat and peas, I even loved the ground turkey and chicken sausage it in (it does need both so don't skip the sausage!).

I am already planning to make this to bring over to our friends Mike and Sarah's house when she has the baby and we get to go visit, it's the perfect change from bringing over baked ziti or pasta. It says it freezes well also which is great, maybe next time it'd be worth it to make a double batch, oh the possibilities! For now I have been loving the leftovers!!

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
Source & Photo: Skinny Taste  (Points+: 9 pts)

I didn't even get to take my own pictures because we devoured it so quickly!!! 

2 cups uncooked long grain rice
4 cups water
1 (2.5 oz) sweet Italian sausage link, casing removed
10 oz (.65 lbs) 93% lean ground turkey (1/2 package)
1/4 cup onion, minced
salt and fresh pepper
5 oz frozen peas
16 oz homemade tomato sauce
1/3 cup egg beaters or egg whites
1/2 cup pecorino romano
cooking spray
4 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Cook rice in water according to package directions. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, sauté sausage meat; cook until brown breaking up into pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add turkey and onions and cook until browned, breaking up as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add peas and 8 oz tomato sauce and simmer on low, covered, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl combine rice, pecorino romano, eggs, and 3-4 oz tomato sauce and mix well. Rice should be a bit sticky. Spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray, making sure to spray sides too. Add 2 tbsp breadcrumbs to the dish and roll around to coat the bottom and sides.

Take half of the rice mixture (a little more if needed) and cover the bottom of the dish and up the sides; press to form the bottom layer. Add the meat and peas.  Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Top with remaining rice and press until even. Top with remaining 4 oz of sauce, remaining 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, and remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes. Cut into 8 pieces.

Cucumber Queen

I am the cucumber queen in my family, always have been, always will be. There are several stories of me growing up that involve my cucumber obsession. My Poppy told the story of when I was a little girl and I was standing at the top of the stairs I smelled the cucumber my Oma was cutting up and yelled out something like "I smell cucumbers" or something said much cuter by a 4 year old girl running down excitedly for a cucumber. Whenever we went to restaurants growing up and my family ordered salad they ever so kindly all sent their cucumbers my way, the ultimate cucumber sacrifice so I could get my fix.

I still love my cucumber fix, pickles too, I especially love the pickles you get in the barrels at the flea market. For some strange reason though I have never made cucumber salad. I have no idea why not (or that I can recall anyway). Having gotten a mandoline that made making this ridiculously easy dish even more ridiculously easy. I made this salad before I left for the gym and by the time I got back it was perfect! It is going to be hard for me not to eat the whole bowl in one sitting, but at zero weight watcher points who cares!!! So good and so easy, I can't wait to bring this to a BBQ this summer, it would be perfect!

Easy Pickled Cucumber Salad 
Adapted From: My Kitchen Adventure

1 large English cucumber, sliced very thin (on a mandolin if possible)
1/2 of a small red onion, sliced very thin (on a mandolin if possible)
At least 1/4 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
About 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
Pinch of white sugar, or truvia (optional )

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt.  Toss in the cucumbers and red onion. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. If refrigerating over night, you may want to drain any excess juice before serving.

Headed to the Capital

I'm so excited, I was able to pretty easily get Mike to agree to a trip to Washington, DC for Memorial Day weekend this year. I like doing these Memorial Day weekend trips, last year it was San Francisco, this year it's DC, wonder where we should go next year? This one was at least an easy sell, I saw a deal on Travel Zoo (one of my favorite websites, it makes me fantasize about all kinds of fun trips) for a hotel special in DC. If you prepaid and stayed over on Sunday night we were able to get the Marriott in Downtown DC for just $99 a night coming to $226 total for two nights with tax. For that price even Mike couldn't turn it down. We've both only been to to DC once when we were both in about 8th grade, my trip was only for the day so we didn't get to see much, I've been dying to go back since. Plus since it is not a terribly far drive from our house (as long as you don't hit traffic) it makes it a perfect weekend destination.

We're going to drop the little guy off at his country home, aka Mike's parents house, where he will be spoiled rotten for the weekend and then head down to DC on Saturday morning coming back on Monday afternoon. I am a little worried about the traffic since it is Memorial Day weekend but hopefully most of the traffic will be bound for more shore type destinations. One of the best parts of going to DC is that almost everything is free!!! I was shocked when I saw that, you don't have to pay for admission to any of the museums!

As of now the rough game plan is to get down to DC for about lunch time. I'm thinking we can grab lunch when we get there at Ben's Chili Bowl which is supposed to be really famous and of course really good! After that I have us signed up for a tour of the Capital at 2:30, which I've never seen before! Since the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court and the US Botanical Gardens are all right there next to each other I figure we can check those out too while we're right there, before we head back to the hotel and check in. I'm hoping for dinner that night we can head over to the Old Ebbit Grill and then maybe over to the POV Roof Terrace at the W Hotel for drinks after, since it's on the same block and all.

On Sunday I am thinking we will do a hop-on/hop-off bus tour since it will be able to drive us around to all the major attractions like all the memorials and museums. I know the two museums I would like to see the most at the National Museum of American History and the National Air and Space Museum. I figure if we do the bus tour we can catch all the other sites like The White House, Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials. After we're done with all our tours for the day I figure we can head back to the hotel and go to a restaurant near there that is supposed to be really good, Matchbox: Chinatown. And if we're up to it there is also a Memorial Day Concert at the Captial at 8pm we can check out if we want to. I also have a wine bar near the hotel that is supposed to be really good if we want to check that out as well, Proof Wine Bar.

For our final day in DC, I'm figuring we'll prob only stay till about lunch time so that leaves us the morning to go exploring. I figure we should leave after lunch since I'm not sure how the traffic will be since it's Memorial Day and we want to get back at a reasonable time, I just hope we don't hit all the traffic going back home. I know it's a very poignant and moving experience and can be very somber but I was thinking we might want to check out the Holocaust museum. I figure after that we can double back and see anything else we might have missed before we head out. If we feel like it maybe we'll stop by We, The Pizza for lunch before we get on the road.

I'm really excited for our trip, I think it is going to be a lot of fun, I'm glad we are going. I really want us to do more short weekend trips like this, now if only I could convince Mike! DC here we come!