Packing, packing, and more packing!

Does this look familiar? We are moving 3 weeks from today!!!!

The Producers

Oops! Forgot to write about our first show of the season at the North Shore Music Theatre...The Producers, which we saw 2 weekends ago.

We love the NSMT...this is our second year with season's tickets. They put on such a great show and with theatre-in-the-round there isn't a bad seat in the house. Also, we are thrilled not to have to drive into Boston for the shows!

Our review of this show: probably 3 out of 5 stars. Even if you've seen the movie, you know that this show is LONG. And it was a little too long for our liking. But the company did a good job...in particular, the costumes were phenomenal. You might recall that in the production of Springtime for Hitler there are chorus girls...one with a giant pretzel on her head, one with a giant kielbasa, and two others (who were evidently less memorable, since I can't recall what they had on their heads!). Anyway, the pretzel and kielbasa were hilarious. Probably the part of the show that we enjoyed the most...which I'm guessing is less a reflection on the show than on Dave and me!

Golf Tourney

I played in my first charity golf tournament on Thursday! It was a rainy, cold day, so not optimal weather...and of course all of the wet grass affected play. But it was fun. The tournament was to benefit the Protestant Guild Learning Center in Waltham, MA...a private school for kids with developmental disabilities. They're one of our first customer schools for our software. And you know what they say...the worst day on the course still beats the best day at the office!

Here's a pic of me from the tourney...I might look a little bit different from last time you saw me.

Wii Fit

So here's my latest thing: the Wii Fit. Have you tried this?!? It is simply AWESOME. It include yoga, balancing games, aerobic games, and strength building games. And it is SO much fun. I think my favorite so far is the Hula Hoop!

My tap dancing performance

This is hilarious...my performance in the "Tap Showcase" from last Saturday. Adult tap-dancing classes...who knew?!?

TapOle

Last night Dave and I went to see a performance by the group TapOle. The group includes two Spanish tap dancers and two Spanish guitarists. They were simply INCREDIBLE. We had great seats...completely unobstructed views of the dancers' feet.

It's funny because these professionals just make it look so darn easy, but now that I'm tapping I really have an appreciation for how difficult it is to make it look so easy!

Even Dave thought they were phenomenal. So if you have the chance to see them, do: http://www.tapole.com/english/index.asp

Book Club in Connecticut

We had a really fun book club this month. Angela flew in from LA to be a special guest member. We miss having her in the group, so it was great having her here...maybe this will be an annual event!

For the actual book club, we were lucky to be invited down to Hilary's parents farm in Litchfield, Connecticut for an overnight trip. Such nice people...they showed us amazing hospitality and their home was beautiful. They had already read the book that we read this month, Don't Let's go to the Dogs Tonight, so they joined our book discussion. Their book club has read many of the same books we have, so it turned into an interesting, meandering discussion of many books.

Spring was just starting to, well, spring when we were there....plants starting to come out...some pics of that here too.

Moving Tip

If you live in New England, California, NY, NJ, CT, Maryland, DC, Virginia, Ohio, or PA, and are planning a move or know someone who is, then I've got a great tip for you!

www.citimove.com

This site allows you to create an inventory of all of your junk that you want moved. Then it puts your job out to bid to moving companies, both national and local. The companies bid (and re-bid) against each other to get your job.

It's a great service...I used it when I moved from Waltham to Chelmsford and now Dave and I are using it to move to Tyngsborough. We put our job out to bid last night and so far have two bids....one for $2250.00 and one for $550.00! As bids come in we'll compare customer reviews of the different movers and decide who to use. Last time I did this I ended up going with a company with excellent reviews that was NOT the lowest bidder.

I was VERY happy with the movers that I used. Great service and very pleasant guys....and since it was a local company I got a great price. I think it was $325 for moving my one bedroom apartment's worth of furniture. And at that price I was able to generously tip the guys who did all of that heavy lifting!

More House News

Well, good news on our home inspection...our new house looks like it's in good shape, with only a few very minor things that need to be addressed. We asked the owners to fix a couple of spots where the carpet is buckling and needs to be stretched and retacked...and also to fix the post at the top of the stairs that's wobbly. The post, in particular, will be a pain because they'll need to go up and under the subflooring to fix it.

Our inspector was very good and thorough. If you're ever buying in Eastern Mass or surrounds, we highly recommend him (and he came highly recommended from a friend of ours):
http://www.pro-techconsultants.com/

And here's our house...only 2 months to go...we close on June 30th!

First Golf of the Year

Saturday was my first golf of the year in New England! Some of you know that last year we joined a country club, Sky Meadow: http://www.skymeadow.com/index.cfm Dave's been having a blast since we joined. It's a nice place.

So Saturday was the icebreaker/scramble to kick off the new season. The scramble was best ball-step aside. Dave and I were on the same team with two other people who were very nice (and patient with me!).

And the reason I'm writing about this is not just that it was fun and great to be outside...it's also to brag a little! I had a great chip shot that sailed right toward the flag and then bounced into the cup!!! I was thrilled! That could have been my shot of the year, so you don't mind if I bask a little, do you??

We Sold Our House

Yes, we're doing the happy dance. We sold our house, AND we put in an offer on another house...which is now under agreement. We'll keep you posted as things proceed....pics to come...

Lots of friends

Fun weekend two weeks ago....

Friday we had sushi with Richard & Catherine (you remember them from the Florida post).

Saturday we tried a new Mexican place with Kate & John. Here they are with their margaritas.

Kate is also our stylist and owns her own salon: http://www.blushhairstylingsalon.com/ She does a fantastic job...if you're looking for a new look...or just an update of your current one, go see her!

On Sunday Hilary and I went to see China Forbes at the Paradise. China Forbes is the vocalist for Pink Martini, who I've written about previously, and she's also launching a solo career: http://www.chinaforbes.com/main.html I found her music to be a little bit depressing...not necessarily something I'd recommend. Stick with Pink Martini, China!!

Book Club

For our April meeting we read "Little Heathens," an interesting, non-fiction book about growing up on an Iowa farm during the Depression era.

Two things that I want to share about this....first, just the description about how to make headcheese is worth reading this book. Yuck.

Second, we had book club this month at Karen D's house. And these pics are worth sharing. Karen is lucky enough to have a husband, David, who does most of the cooking and meal preparation. In the years I've known them, never have I seen this:

Weekend in Florida

Three weeks ago we spent a long weekend in Port Orange, Florida with some friends....Richard & Catherine (right) and John & Linda (below R & C). We had such a great time. In a charity silent auction, Richard bid on a week at a beautiful home on a golf course and won! We were thrilled to be included in the trip.

The gentlemen golfed and the ladies lunched and lounged by the pool...does it get any better than that?!? After a long, cold, New England winter we were all happy to be in the sun, feeling its warm rays on our skin....and in my case, my painfully pale wintry skin!

Dave and I made a short pilgrimage to one of my favorite places of worship....the beach! So here are a couple pics of us....

1st Date Anniversary

So today was the 3rd anniversary of my first date with Dave!!! On one hand, it doesn't seem like it could have been three whole years ago, but on the other, it seems like we've been together SO much longer than 3 years.

The really nice thing was that Dave surprised me by sending me flowers at work today...here's a picture of them. They came with some Godiva chocolates....deelish!

Tappity tap tap tap

Some of you already know...but many of you don't...that my new thing is tap dancing. I've been taking adult classes since September and it is SO much fun. It's exercise that doesn't seem like exercise...and those of you who know me best know that exercise isn't exactly my favorite thing to do.

I'm taking classes two nights a week from a wonderful teacher in Lexington named Valery Marcantonio. Her group is called "All That Tap." We really have a great time and the people are so nice and fun. One of the interesting things about dancing as an adult is that I find I really don't compare myself to anyone else...it's just all about improving each week.

Dancing for exercise is something I would definitely recommend to any "grown ups" looking to get more movement into your routine. If I can do it, you can do it!

Magnolia

Tonight my book club met. We read "The Moviegoer" by Walker Percy, which isn't all that important for you to know. What IS important for you to know is that the book is set in New Orleans, and we always try to have a book club meeting that relates in some way to the book we read.

So we met at a wonderful southern style restaurant in Cambridge called Magnolia's Southern Cuisine (http://www.magnoliascuisine.com/). What a tasty, tasty treat it was. They have the kinds of things you would expect on the menu...jambalaya, blackened everything, crawfish. But they also have a lot of unusual things...case in point, the deep fried avocado stuffed with cheese.

As usual, the company was excellent and we had a lot of fun. If you go, don't miss out on the oven roasted portobello mushrooms stuffed with warm goat cheese and chopped pecans. And the Pecan Pie is absolutely to die for...it's a large slice, so plenty enough to share. It's not overly sweet and has a delectable flavor.

Pink Martini

Last night I saw the most fantastic band, called Pink Martini. My friend Hilary treated me...thanks, Hilary!!!

They describe themselves thus: "Pink Martini is like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s -- but with a global perspective which is modern. We bring melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something which is new and beautiful."

This group is a 12-piece orchestra with a wonderful vocalist, who last night sang in no fewer than seven languages....English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Arabic. The orchestra includes piano, upright bass, cello, violin, harp (played by Beach Boys' Mike Love's sister, Maureen), guitar, bass guitar, trumpet, trombone, and a variety of percussion (including drums, bongos, various international percussion instruments). Really talented musicians and the vocalist is also amazing.

We saw them perform at the Boston Opera House (http://www.bostonoperahouse.com/ pictured at right) and I've never seen such a diverse audience. Quite literally aged 8 to 80...families, couples, young people, old people. I think if there was a common feature it would have been that it did seem like an NPR crowd. My kind of people!!

Though based in Portland, Oregon, Pink Martini plays all over the world. They are on tour in the U.S. through the end of May...if they're coming anywhere near your town, definitely don't miss them. You can check tour dates and hear samples of their music on their website: http://www.pinkmartini.com/

Black Bean Brownies

I think you probably won't believe me when I say this, but this recipe makes some GREAT brownies! Honestly, just try it before passing judgment. And for those of us watching our girlish figures, these brownies are only 2 Weight Watchers points each (use the information for the dry brownie mix that you use to figure this out).

Black Bean Brownies
1 15-oz can black beans
1 cup of water
1 box of brownie mix

Puree the black beans and water in a blender. Fold the black bean puree into the dry brownie mix. Bake. Seriously, that's it.

I found that I had to bake the brownies about twice as long as directed on the box, as the black beans take longer to set up than oil and eggs would. You'll have to just keep an eye on them and see how long yours takes.

Let me know what you think!

To Kill a Mockingbird

It's terrible and shocking that here I am at 37 years old and this is the first time I've ever read To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. But it's true.

What a wonderful story. This should be required reading for every citizen in America. I used to think that Demi Moore and Bruce Willis were mad for naming their daughter "Scout." But now I need to get a dog so that I can name it Atticus Finch.

If you haven't read this incredible book, do hop down to your local library and check out a copy. You'll be glad you did.

Vacation!!

I'm SO excited!!! We're planning our vacation for this year and we've decided to go to Istanbul, Turkey and Budapest, Hungary. 5 nights in each city and small tour groups in each. I am just beside myself!! Yay!!!

Budapest is in the left photo, Istanbul is on the right.

So you gotta know there will be LOTS of blog entries from this trip!!!

Gibbet Hill Grill

If you live in the Boston area and haven't yet tried the Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton (http://www.gibbethill.com/index.htm), you're definitely missing out. We went last night with 3 other couples. Our friends Harry & Christine, Denise & Nate, and Jen & Ronny were nice enough to join us. We had a really fun time...and getting four couples together is no small feat! Steak is the big thing at this place, and I can personally vouch for the filet mignon. I've never heard a complaint about anything else on the menu though, so you can feel safe ordering anything.

The desserts are out of this world, and huge (that is half of Christine's chocolate layer cake in that bag!), so save room! Between all of us we also tried the raspberry cheesecake, the chocolate brownie sundae, and the apple crisp. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Gibbet is pronounced with a soft 'g' and a gibbet is an English gallows, generally situated on a hill for public executions! You may be thinking, "hey, that doesn't sound like an all that appetizing place to eat." But if it helps at all that this hill in Groton was named in 1655, then maybe you'll give it a chance.

After a period of time as a sanitarium, in the 1930s the Groton Hunt Club used the property for fox-hunting parties, dinners, dances, and nature outings. From the 1940s through the 1990s, the property was used as a cattle farm, breeding Black Angus. In the late 1990s, the property was put up for sale and was about to be purchased by Modern Continental (for those of you who don't live in the Boston area, this is one of the construction companies responsible for the infamous Big Dig)...who planned to build a 78-home tract on the property.

Amazingly, the 338 acre farm and adjacent 188 acre orchard was whisked out from under their nose by Steven Webber, founder of Geotel Communications, and a Groton native, who purchased the property for $10 million. He vowed never to allow residential development of the site in order to maintain the rural setting of the town. The Gibbett Hill Grill, which opened in 2004, is run by the Webber family in a refurbished barn on the property. There is also an extensive network of trails on the property that the public is welcome to walk or hike.

It's an inspiring story of someone using his money to preserve green space for future generations...and in the meantime, we get to enjoy the fantastic food, homey atmosphere, and great service of the restaurant. So go check it out and make sure you give me your reviews! Here's a pic of the place:

More of the Poconos

Upon review of my post from yesterday, I realized that I really did omit some of the more interesting "cultural experiences" from our trip to the Poconos. I think I'd be truly remiss if I didn't regale you with those tales here....

When Dave and I first got into town on Friday afternoon we stopped by the Hawley Diner. It's exactly the sort of place you think of when I say "diner"...shiny, silver, and sort of shaped like a breadbox. So first thing I know, the parents of a young daughter and baby in the booth beside us both LIGHT UP CIGARETTES. It definitely made me think of that Reese Witherspoon line from Sweet Home Alabama: "Oh wow. You have a baby...in a bar." The mother looked pretty mean...I'm certain she wouldn't have appreciated my constructive feedback, so I held my tongue.

The second interesting cultural observation was at the guns & ammo store. They had one of those roadside marquee signs that has the light-up arrow on it. Anyway, on the sign were the letters "We buy used gun." That's not a typo. We buy used GUN, singular. I'm so mad at myself that I didn't take a picture to put up here. Again, I thought that stopping off to provide constructive feedback might not be wise.

The last, and most fun, is reported here secondhand, as I did not personally observe it. I have it on good authority (from Lisa & Scott) that a LOT of people with, shall we say, outdated hairdos do attend the Sunday morning 11:30 mass. Apparently there were a lot of mullets. The only other place I've seen a mullet of late is on Guitar Hero. For a very weird experience, see the wikipedia on mullets:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullet_(haircut)#History_and_cultural_significance Little did you know that there are chullets, frullets, momullets, skullets, and many more variations on the classic mullet. Just in case you're looking for a new style to try out with the ladies....or the gents, for that matter....!

Poconos weekend

We're just back from a long weekend in the Poconos where we met up with our good friends, Lisa & Scott, from DC. Hard to believe my parents honeymooned here. And sorry to disappoint you all that we did NOT have a heart-shaped or champagne glass tub in our room.

Visited some very interesting places including the Alpine Wurst and Meat Shop in Honesdale Pa, when they have pretty much every conceivable kind of meat available. Delicious food...you can order meat online: http://www.thealpineonline.com/ I had the roast beef...and make sure you try the sweet potato pancakes with sour cream. Suffice it to say there were plenty of sausage jokes and "that's what she said" jokes (in fact, more than enough) to go around.

Also had a wonderful dinner at The Settlers Inn in Hawley Pa. Phenomenal food and great atmosphere...entirely unexpected and delightful place in the midst of many mediocre eating establishments. It also has a B&B if you're ever in the area: http://www.thesettlersinn.com/

Don't miss Callie's Candy Kitchen & Pretzel Factory in Mountainhome, Pa: http://www.calliescandy.com/ If you can, catch the candy presentation by Mr. Callie himself...very entertaining guy. You'll spend more money than you thought possible on candy, but who doesn't like chocolate?!?

We're not much for antiques, but we did check out Castle Antiques & Reproductions...you can see that Dave had fun. I had the most tremendous allergic reaction to all of the dust...wear your SARS mask!