Luck be a Lady

In the spirit of our unseasonably warm weather (80 degrees today!) we decided that as self-respecting New Yorkers, we should pay a visit to one of the icons of our great nation! No, it wasn't the Pope (who just happens to be in town), our beloved Senator (don't really know where she is, but just follow the mudslinging), nor even our self-liberated Governor (God bless his cheatin' heart)...

It was the real deal, Lady Liberty. And, we discovered that for about $100 a family of four can enjoy a nice harbor cruise with spectacular views of Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty. Or, you could do what any self-respecting New Yorker does...and take the Staten Island Ferry that basically follows the same route, for FREE!!! Keeping along the cheapskate lines, here is a miniature travelogue of our adventure:
Hold me close up, tiny dancer...

If you build it, they will come. Or go. You know. Whatever.

Jessie & Wyatt lovin' the Lady.

All jest aside, no matter what politics you subscribe to, she won't be denied...

Team G enjoyin' the ride.

We stopped to sniff the Tulips across the street from our house and, Wham! These two cute kids came outta nowhere and stole the show!

Home again, home again jiggity jog.

Welcome to the Jungle

So our first Broadway experience was not a Broadway version of a Guns n' Roses montage, as the title may suggest(though who wouldn't love to see the Broadway rendition of Axl, Slash & Co.)?
Tsk, tsk. No heavy metal concerts for the lads just yet(guess we were a bit premature on the leather pants purchase). Just a little good old fashioned Disney fun with "The Lion King:"

http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking/

Who doesn't love a heartwarming tale of patriarchal birthrights, deep loss and surprise reformation? An age old tale fit for, well, at least Team G. Grammie Connie was kind enough to treat us to a bit o' The King on her recent visit and we gave it two thumbs up; the costumes, stage management, lighting and choreography were all outstanding and breathtaking. The music itself was, well, almost as if it had been written entirely by Elton John...

But, the Broadway experience was in and of itself worth going. Again and again. The twins were on the edge of their seats the entire time, and I must say the adults also found the performance quite riveting. The sheer amount of time, effort, money and money that must have gone into a production of this magnitude is phenomenal. The stage management was seamless, dancing & choreography detailed and intricate, and the costumes incredible. We would recommend going should you be in town, and who knows, we might be talked into joining you! Thanks again to Grammie Connie for the tickets (and, of course, trekking all the way to New York to accompany us)! PS--I chose this picture because of the look on the little goofball on the right's face (closest to Mary). Priceless 4 year old charm...guess we're not ready for those kiddie model headshots yet.

Empty Calories & Full Lives

Ahhhh. Remember the carefree days when we could ingest trans-fat, polysaturated fat, palm kernel oil, and even (Gasp!)partially hydrogenated things? Before Oreos, Hostess, &Lil' Debbie had gone the way of the dodo and were replaced with funny little guys called edamame, flax seed, & acai berries? Well, here is a salute to those who once celebrated the fine epicurean merit of good-old-fashioned fat. Hat's off, and pounds on, to the clever ad execs who came up with these ones. Now, if you have been feeding your brains with lots of lard (and I don't just mean political ad campaigns), can you determine the relationship between these two ads? Hmmmmm. Now that's what I call a think-tank approach...

The Vermont 50 MT Bike

Here is a shout out to my mountain biking peeps coast to coast. In an effort to gain a more intimate relationship with my newfangled East Coast Roots, I have decided to enter what I understand is one of the best rides/races this side of the rockies. Not as gruelling or intense as the Leadville 100, but still a challenge and should be quite fun. 50 miles in under 12 hours. Should be do-able, right? We are going to make it a family camping and cheering on affair from Sept. 27th 2008 until Sept. 29th 2008. Click here for more info:

http://www.vermont50.com/index.html

I know attendance at this race for most of you is highly unlikely, but just thought I'd throw the invite out there in case you want to come view the fall foliage. You can ride it, run it, relay it, or drink beer on the sidelines and cheer me on. I will be needing all the support I can get, trust me (and if you want to help push me up the hills, I wouldn't complain).

Anyway, I'm super excited about it and am throwing any and all excuses out there for potential visitors! As motiviation for this event, I would like to leave you with this pearl of wisdom:

She's All Growed Up...Sniff...

I know, I know. More bike stuff. Some might call it a bit obsessive. I like to think of it as more like, a deep and unabiding affection. Of course, that's also what Tanya Harding probably said about Nancy Kerrigan. Well, either way, the Silver One (I have been in such awe, I haven't had time to find a proper name) is about 75% finished. Replaced the bars, seat and seat post on this outpatient visit. The next overnight stay will require a more invasive procedure to replace the stem, headset, cranks and bottom bracket. In her new Carbon Fiber gear, she is sure to look hotter than David Hasselhoff in a Speedo.

As if.

Check it out:

A Vending Machine for Cars???

Welcome to one of New York's less frequented attractions: the car-vator. Now, it may look like something where you just swipe your American Express Blue Card and just press A3 for Lexus, G12 for Mercedes, etc. And: Bam! Out pops a new ride! Here we go, my first choice:

Wouldn't that be handy? Sorry to disappoint, but this is simply a car park with a lift...gotta go up in this town. But, it sure is fun to watch as they retrieve them. But if there was a car vending machine, what I want to know is: where did they go and put the one in MY price range??? Ahhh, that's the ONE! My trophy car to compliment my trophy wife!












Oh, wait...that's my little pretty eyes. Isn't she amazing? Anyone break a nickel? Or loan me some sunglasses?

Virtual Tour of Casita de Caton

And now, ladies and gentlemen, let us interrupt your current program to bring you another exciting episode of Yo! MTV Cribs! Tonight we feature a homey yet avante garde home from the Kensington area of Brooklyn. Please join us for this tour as you witness, first hand, how the "other half lives." And by "other half," we just mean the other half of sane.

And now, let's dim the lights for the slide show:

The Living Quarters. Elegant, yet cozy. Emphasis on cozy. Like dancing at the Prom, or being in a cocoon (with television, if moths watched television, though they would be attracted to the light. Stop.).









Le Entryway (right). Fun 70's colors, but also practical. Not like 70's automobiles. Remember the Ford Pinto? Yup. 'Nough Said.











The Boudoir. Connected to Living Quarters through not-so-secret passageway. See blueprint for New York City Housing. Ha ha. I think that's what the Autocad plans actually say, too.










Ye Olde Dining Hall. Not exciting, but functional for the family meal hour. But it could be exciting if you are a fan of time. We do have a great clock with an Eiffel Tower background. Oui.


La Cocina. This is perhaps our favorite room. How could it not be? Did I mention we have a professional gas range/oven. Nice. Don't hate.










The Office. Not too much work getting done here, but sure fun to make mix tapes and buy useless stuff from the Internet elves.

Our Humble Beginnings. We've come a long way, baby!