Gigi Pictures

Here are some cute pictures of Gigi from this morning.

This one is of her talking on the phone with Daddy. Only two years old and already requesting to use the cell phone in the car!

Jamarama!

I am so excited! This weekend we are going to the 9:30 Club, I haven't been there in so long. A few weeks ago I was surfing around and came across the announcement of this show. I immediately called my husband and excitedly said "GUESS WHO'S COMING TO THE 9:30 CLUB!" I could hear him roll his eyes and in the most bland voice he could summon said "i don't know, who?" - "LAURIE BERKNER!!!" So I jumped back online and ordered tickets and a parking pass to be safe. Well the time has come and this weekend Gigi will get to go see her first live show. I am so excited for her. It's sold out and I'm sure it's going to be a mad house. It's not just Laurie Berkner but a bunch of acts and characters from the Noggin channel the whole extravaganza is called Jamarama.

Ok so yes, I would like to go see something hip at the 9:30 club, but in the circle I live in right now this is hip. I'll post pictures next week.

Finally some new favorite songs...

Finding new music that's hot can be hard to do. I happened on some songs on I tunes recently that I am really digging so I'll share my new finds with you. I know the hip folks will be like, this is news? But for those of you like me who don't get out enough to hear this stuff here it is:

Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco
The Deathray Davies - Clock in Now
Nine Black Alps - Cosmopolitan
Hard-FI - Seven Nation Army

Obviously these bands have more great songs, Arctic Monkeys have a new three song single out that is also very good. But these are the songs that caught my ear and made me explore more.

The Weekend

We had a nice relaxing weekend, the weather was great, we got some stuff done around the house and we took Gigi out to some new places. Sorry I don't have any pictures! Paul painted some in the kitchen, so we are not finished yet but getting closer, I know it's been forever. Also we took Gigi to the National Capital Trolley Musuem to ride on a trolley. For those of you who have not been there it's a pretty cool place, different trolleys from different eras and you get to ride on one. The ridership is down, so next time we go we'll be calling friends to join us.

safeway.com

I am a big Internet shopper, especially since Gigi came along, she doesn't have the patience to allow me to try stuff on. Sometimes it's just a time issue; there aren't enough hours in the day for everything that needs to be done. Given that, I don't know why it has taken me so long to get into Internet grocery shopping. Well I do know actually, the hubby is quite opposed to this method of getting our groceries. Although each weekend when it's time to shop, he wants to know if we "all" have to go?

Well this past weekend I just decided there was to much to do to allot an hour plus to going to the grocery store, so I logged onto Safeway.com. First I logged onto Peapod but they didn't have any good delivery times left, so I ended up at Safeway. It was cool. I picked out my groceries, paid for them and the next day they brought them to my door.

The hubby was given notice that this would happen and he used his normal methods to communicate that this was not pleasing him, although we would all have extra time for something else. It comes out that he likes going to the grocery store. I'm not sure sure if I'm buying it.

Port Discovery

This weekend we took Gigi to Port Discovery in Baltimore. If you haven't been there, it's an interactive children's museum near the Inner Harbor. Gigi didn't really learn anything, she is too young. But she really enjoyed all the physical activity.


Port Discovery




The slide




London Bridge


London Bridge 2

The Queen of the Damned and Princess Ariel

It's Halloween Eve, and our neighborhood ladies club put on a party for the kids. Gigi went as Princess Ariel the mermaid. She was VERY cute. It was a great idea, arts and crafts, refreshments and a parade and trick or treating through the seniors center. The kids had fun and the residents enjoyed seeing the kids. The only thing is that I was looking forward to seeing all my neighbors which I did, but when you are entertaining two year olds it's hard to have any adult converstions.


The Queen of the Damned and Princess Ariel


Pregnant Nun

Sorry Erika I missed the irony of yours and Tommy's costumes until I veiwed the pictures! Sometimes I'm a little slow.



Arts and Crafts


Hiding in the Cape

Gigi with her latest birthday gift... 

Construction Gals 

Miss Manners

I've been musing over manners lately, or more accurately the lack of manners. I pride myself on being polite, I say please, thank you, excuse me, I wait my turn, I let people in when they want to change lanes, etc. But it seems to me like there is more rudeness around than ever. What causes this? I am exploring a theory I am calling the Mass Mentality. Let me explain. You're in your car, people are cutting others off, honking at each other, not allowing people in, etc. Take this group of people, meet them one on one in a social or business situation, where you are deemed "safe or acceptable to know" and these same people are probably very nice and polite. Why does the Mass Mentality take over when they don't know you?

The mass Mentality seems to turn regular nice people into animals. Are we packed in too close together? Are we too busy to be nice? Do people feel like if they are courteous to others that they are going to lose out, miss their turn, get left behind?

What does this mean, is it the way of the world these days, if you want to survive and get ahead, forego the manners? Is it a decline in society? Is it that protocol has changed and those of us who have been taught to be polite, are operating under obsolete standards? Is it ok to only be polite to those you know?

I really don't think it's ok.

The Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch

This weekend we went to the pumpkin patch festival in Germantown with our friends Erika, Tommy and Ben. It was a lot of fun. Especially for the kids.

There is a hayride that takes you out to field where you can "pick" your own pumpkins. This great in theory, but we found with two toddlers and one of us pregnant. It's hard to carry very many pumpkins back with you!


Friends



Hayride

There were also all kinds of animals to see: Bunnies, pigs, goats, turkeys, chickens. The turkey scared Gigi.


Piggies

And Pony rides! Not normally my thing but these ponies looked well cared for so I figured it was ok. Gigi and Ben both liked the ponies.


Pony Ride

It was chilly and windy and we had done a lot but we hadn't gone down the slide yet. So we waited in line and Gigi and I went down the slide. She wasn't so thrilled about the idea when it was our turn to go, but she liked it on the way down.


Slide

It was a good weekend. No work on the kitchen, which was a ncie break. I haven't posted the final pictures yet because, well it's not finished. Almost, just a little more paint. Then I will get them up here for everyone to see.

Budding Artist

Artist


Sidewalk Chalk

Miss Gigi is turning into a budding artist. She wants to paint, she wants to use the markers, the crayons, the chalk. She loves doing the projects at day care. it's really cute - but messy!

I Got Chocolate

Ok this is the second of two posts in a row talking about indulgences. No wonder I feel like I am up a pound or two! I want to talk about gourmet chocolate, there is nothing like it, you can't get this stuff at the grocery store.

Yesterday a box of fabulous chocolates arrived at my door. Who sent them? Me of course, I have been waiting all summer to place my order. They won't ship when it is hot enough to melt your chocolate.

Right now I am waiting for Paul to make me a cappucino to enjoy with my chocolates, but it sounds like he's putting away the dishes. Where are this man's priorities!? While I wait I'll tell you about the chocolates. They come from Jacques Torres and if you don't live in New York you can have them shipped to you (weather permitting). I love dark chocolate so I got a box filled with 4 flavors:

Love Potion #9 - pure dark chocolate ganache
Golden Expresso - self expanitory
Bin 27 Port - port infused in chocolate
Wicked Fun - chocolate ganache spiced up with ancho and chipotle chilis (Erica you would love this one!)

Ah my cappucino has arrived. I've gotta go enjoy...

For you chocolate lovers there are also recipes on the Jacques Torres site.

Cupcakes

Cupcakes

I got an email the other day talking about this local place that DELIVERS cupcakes. They looked really good.

Here is the info taken from DailyCandyDC- Baker Robyn Savage delivers her fresh-made confections straight to your home, providing a much-needed service to agoraphobic sweet tooths all over town.
Savage started her one-woman operation, Le Cupcake, with the idea that it’s best to do one thing really, really well. And she does: Her signature confection is a delicious fluff of vanilla cake with a turban of sweet almond-flavored icing decorated with pastel swirls and sprinkles. They arrive in white boxes tied with pink and brown ribbon (packages so cute, you may be tempted to eat them, too). She’ll even whip up custom flavors.
Available by the dozen (703-533-8989) or individually at Stacy’s Coffee Parlor, 709 West Broad Street, Falls Church (703-538-6266).

MMMN this sounds good.

Also I found this cupcake blog http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/

I have a real cupcake craving going on right now!

Monica's Thong

Yesterday a friend of mine made an interesting comment about this out of control conservative movement. She blamed it all on Monica's thong. That this was the catalyst for many on the fence type voters who were outraged and wanted more resepectability in the White House.

I have to admit this comment seemed to have some merit, so I wanted to share it here. Any thoughts?

Gigi's Birthday Party

This weekend we celebrated Gigi's 2nd birthday. She had a great time. First on Saturday, my parents came over and brought her this flexible flyer Horsey which she really loves.

On Sunday, we had a few friends over. She really enjoyed being the guest of honor. We had a talk before hand about sharing her toys and for the most part she did very well. Also everyone loved the horsey...

Here is Ms. Azalea



And Ms. Dominique...



And Ms. Tula...


Ben enjoyed Cake!


Gigi wasn't sure about blowing out the candles


But really dug the presents




Isabella dug the horsey also...

The other big hit was the bubbles!


And alas, I also posted and then deleted a picture of my friend Erica, so I will have to resend it tonight. It was nice party.


Here it is!

More on the kitchen renovations next time...