Mama Mia!

Day: 483

Photo taken on Sunday, November 27, 2011 at Mama's in Copiague, NY at 848pm. (Pictured from my scary head: Steve, Charlie, Moma, and Daddio)

Italians have an interesting take on portion control...there is none. And that's why whenever I go to Mama's I leave there with dinner for the next day and the following day after that. This is the first time Charlie, Moma, and Dad have come here to dine and we neglect to tell them about the amount of food they are going to get come eating time. Their eyes turn to saucers when our waiter sets down Moma's entree, Chicken Cristoforo. It's a monster! And then Dad feasts his eyes on his jumbo shrimp and wonders how much more room his stomach can make for it (not much). Even Steve taps out after one piece of chicken leaving behind three more pieces for tomorrow. Charlie barely makes a dent in his seafood lasagna and me? I make it through one out of four chicken cordon blues before I push my plate away.

But then I order dessert.

And my dessert can feed an army...and then some.

Leftovers

Day: 394

Photo taken on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 in Bossdad's office at 137pm.

I can't believe Bossdad makes me wait for my lunch until now! Knowing that he has brought me his infamous pot roast for lunchies today, I can't seem to concentrate. He even packs grated cheese for us to top the delicious noodles and meat! It has been sheer torture to wait for this moment all day until now and even Bossdad looks annoyed he has to wait until the camera flashes before he can dig in.

Oh but the wait is so worth it...this is a meal they serve everyday in heaven.



Also, fun fact about my shirt of choice today: I happen to wear it on this exact day last year. Except that time I wasn't eating yummy pot roast and was instead trying to choke down year old wedding cake.

Gam-Gam

Day: 384

Photo taken on Saturday, August 20, 2011 while having dessert in Grandma's kitchen in Whitestone, NY. (Pictured from my big ass head: Charlie, Steve, Daddio, and Grandma)

Tonight we are celebrating Grandma's 85th birthday! Wu-hoo! You go, Grandma Z.!

We make a reservation at Ponticello's in Astoria but when we arrive our table is nowhere to be found. After waiting around for 15 minutes, we decide that their clientele are not leaving anytime soon so dad demands we be seated in the empty room to the left. It is here that we can be as loud as we want since the entire time we're here not one other patron dines in the vicinity of us. (I guess Grandma was being too rowdy.) So eventually we have to move the party here and after Grandma settles down, we're able to serve the rainbow cookie birthday cake.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I hope you had a fun time with us!

^_\

Obliviate

Day: 378

Photo taken on Sunday, August 14, 2011 in the TDM living room at 451pm. (Pictured in a circle from right: Me, Flexible Pres, Moma, part of Dad, and Kimberly)

Let's call a spade, a spade...

I freakin' RULE at the Memory Game. Right now I have only four matches but in a few turns I'm going to beat Kim and amaze Preston as I clear the entire board.

There are only two things I excel at, skiing and memorization, and this game only requires one (not skiing just so you know). Though using both skills at the same time makes me look like an even better skier than I am. After going down a certain slope twice, I can visualize the perfect path through moguls to make me seem like an expert. It's totally cheating but I don't care. This is what I have to work with and dammit, I'm beating a five year old at this game today!

Good thing Preston is not like is Uncle Pher when it comes to sportsmanship. Luckily, Preston's like me in that aspect-that winning isn't everything-and even though he loses this game, he can kick my butt in Barnyard Uno.

Celebrate good times, COME ON!

Day: 376

Photo taken on Friday, August 12, 2011 having homemade cake in the TDM kitchen at 925pm. (Pictured from left: Me, Kimberly, Steve, cake, Preston moving, Moma, and Daddio)

Moma has a philosophy about birthdays. She believes everyone should get one day a year to do whatever they want with whomever they want. The day should be special and all about the birthday boy or girl. I fully endorse this idea and have taken her advice through the years. It starts on one particular birthday as I am sitting in the medical records room in a dour mood when suddenly Moma calls. "Why are you working on your birthday?" I sit there in silence for a moment and ponder this. Yeah...why am I sitting here on my birthday? I promptly grab my things and leave so Moma can take me to lunch and then veg out on the couch to watch a cheesy romantic comedy together. Ahhhh, Birthday Bliss.

So even though Steve's birthday is a few weeks off, Moma decides to give him an early celebration since she won't be in NY until September. I think this is very nice of my parents, to give Hubs special attention when we come down tonight. Everyone needs something like this every now and then, cheers you up to feel loved. Plus little shindigs like these rile up Preston and he gets silly. I love silly Preston:

TGIF

Day: Three Hundred and Forty Eight

Photo taken on Friday, July 15, 2011 in the Surge kitchen at 916am.

When my coworkers find out Preston is in town, they beg me to bring him by so they can meet him. They have heard so many funny stories and seen so many cute pictures but they want the live version. I ask Kim if it's possible to bring him to the Surge before she heads out to Long Island to meet up with some friends and I learn it is possible! Even though he is supposed to be going out there for breakfast, Preston's eyes light up when he comes into the kitchen and sees all the free food displayed on the community table. He doesn't know what he wants so he settles for a little bit of everything, including Julia's fruit!

He is such a ham! Plus he already knows the way around the place and acts like he owns the joint even though it's his first visit. Everyone is just taken with him and can't help asking him questions just to hear is funny answers. He also has an issue with my broken desk and keeps trying to put the keyboard back where it belongs even when I tell him, "It's broken. Believe me Preston, it drives me nuts too." I think Bossdad should consider hiring him as my assistant because his OCD tendencies rival my own.

Unfortunately, their visit is short lived and we all reluctantly bid adieu to my family. I look forward to Kim and Preston's next visit to the Surge! Maybe next time they'll come on Potluck Day!

Um...Ow.

Day: Three Hundred and Forty Seven

Photo taken on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at Heartland Golf Park in Brentwood, NY at 406pm. (Injured foot belongs to me, putters belong to Steve, Chris Reed, Pher, and myself.

Besides me getting my ass handed to me by Pher, Chris Reed sucking it up on the even holes, and Steve silently winning at this point, we're all having a good time. That is, until I misjudge the length of my feet again and the tip of my flop gets stuck on the wooden bridge. I don't know what happens but I trip and a sharp pain races from my toe to my brain. Immediately my hand goes to my toe and presses down; I fear the nail has been ripped up and I can't bring myself to look at it.

Apparently I must have yelped because Steve races over asking me what I did. When I tell him, he bends down to take a look, as do I, and we see a lot of blood leaking out from under my fingers. "Did you break it or is it just cut?"

"I'm afraid to look," I wince. Steve braves it and I peel my fingers away to reveal...

"Just a deep cut," he says and he takes off at lightning speed for napkins. The game gets put on hold until I can staunch the bleeding enough to finish the round (which I lose, as per usual).

I swear, you can't take me anywhere.

Death Note...DOMINUS!

Day: Three Hundred and Forty Six

Photo taken on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in the living room at 950pm. (Families that watch anime together, stay together. From right: Pher, me, Steve, and Charlie)

Is it bad that I am totally taking off work tomorrow in order to stay up all night to watch anime and drink an 18 pack of Bud Light?

I know what you're thinking...

BUD LIGHT?

No need to worry if I'm sick, there will be IPAs later but right now I am trying to figure out how to scratch something onto the bottle with a key as I take notes for our other BLOG. It is so much fun to keep track of the jokes we are all making as Death Note unfolds in front of our eyes (two pairs of eyes completely virgin to the storyline). Between the dialogue the four of us add our own until we giggle so much we need to go back a few chapters. So of course after a few episodes I have to pose the question to my brothers:

"Would you use a Death Note?"

And why am I not surprised that both answer yes?

Food Coma

Day: Three Hundred and Thirty Four

Photo taken on Friday, July 1, 2011 at Tony Roma's in Bay Terrace in Bayside, NY at 853pm. (Pictured from left: Charlie rockin' out, Aunt Pat, Caitlin, Uncle Dennis, Danny, Grandma, Steve, and despite what it looks like, I am not head banging-that would be Steve pushing my head for amusement when the camera clicked off.)

Three of us intend to come into Queens tonight and take out grandma for some eats but then Aunt Pat invites us out for a family dinner instead which is very nice to include us ragamuffins! I'm always one for the saying: the more the merrier, so I am happy to be sitting here laughing and dining with everyone again. This is my first time to this particular restaurant so the Keane's give me the lowdown on what to order and my palette is pleased by their suggestions! Good food, good fun, good times.

^_\

You Say It's Your Birthday

Day: Three Hundred and Fourteen

Photo taken on Saturday, June 11, 2011 in the kitchen at 1129pm. (Pictured from my thumbs up: Jess, Michelle, Chris Reed looking aghast, Kristen, and Charlie)

Nothing says "Birthday Party" quite like cooking crabs alive and then ripping them apart to feed your guests.

If you would like to read about all the other events prior to the savage killing, Michelle wrote a very nice post of the birthday extravaganza here.

Bahston

Day: Three Hundred and Eight

Photo taken on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston, MA at 247pm. (Pictured: Me and my double chin, Maeve, Kim, and Preston)

This has been such a fun day that unfortunately at this point is coming to a close. The weather is so gorgeous that it feels fantastic to be out walking around Boston but before we could fully enjoy the scenery, we have to let Preston take the T. I truly wish I had his enthusiasm for riding public transportation because it would make my work week a helluva lot better. Preston is a train expert and can literally sit for hours on Youtube watching Amtrak trains go by so how could we deny him the T?

Look how excited he is!!

From here we head to Thatcher Street to meet up with Kim's fabulous friends: Jessica with Michael, Taylor and Avery, Alyssia, Brooke with Rider and Nate, and Kim with baby Addison. I am thrilled to finally meet them all since I have heard and read such wonderful things about them. (Don't you just love the BLOGging world? We're all so connected!) We join them for lunchies at Regina's Pizza which is A-MAH-ZAAAAH! Preston orders a sausage bar pie and I help myself to two slices of that awesomeness of awesome.

After the delicious grub we head down to the playground with our desserts for some fun with the kids. I'm so very proud of Preston that he has no fear when sliding down the pole and gliding across a sand pit holding onto the glider for dear life.

We end the day with a stroll through Faneuil Hall Marketplace where we encounter great street performers and also a moving statue. Preston gets a kick out of her when he hands her a dollar and receives a fortune:

What a great trip! I am very glad to meet new friends, catch up with my hottie sister and sweet nephew, and hang out with my beautiful BFF! I'm looking forward to my next Boston excursion!

PS- How cool is Maeve's hat?!

Cuttlefish?

Day: Two Hundred and Ninety Four

Photo taken on Sunday, May 22, 2011 outside of Rachel's Waterside Grill in Freeport, NY at 934pm. (Picture taken from the sidewalk garbage can: Me, Moma, Grandma Z., Charlie, Daddio, Father Bill, and Steve)

We are celebrating Charlie's 31st birthday tonight (a little early but who's counting?) and before he arrives (a little late but who's watching the clock?) I check out the menu and point out what he will most likely will order. It's the most expensive dish on the menu which he has a habit of ordering. It started back when he was a kid when he went out to dinner one night with Grandma Z. and Pop-Pop. He couldn't have been in middle school yet but there he was, menu propped up in front of him, looking at it with determination in his eyes. When the waitress came to take his order he told her he would like the lobster. Pop-Pop nearly choked. "You'll have a hamburger!"

Sure enough, once Charlie gets here and orders his usual coffee, he decides on the twin lobster tails stuffed with crabmeat. Steve hears him order it but I don't catch it since I am debating over which fish I want blackened-salmon or cod- so he nudges me and lets me know Charlie is going for the lobster. I smile. Of course he is; not only is it his birthday dinner so he gets whatever he wants but my older brother also has impeccable taste when it comes to food. Now movies on the other hand...  ;-P

Charles in Charge

Day: Two Hundred and Ninety One

Photo taken on Thursday, May 19, 2011 in front of Donovan's Grill & Tavern in Bayside, NY with Daddio and Steve at 8pm.


Moma is supposed to be in the picture as well but she is going on her 57th hour of being stuck in Richmond International Airport due to inclement weather. As you can tell by the clear sky behind us this is very true and her plane ought to be grounded for at least another 15 hours until it clears up. Though she hasn't missed out on much tonight. Everyone's meals are "eh" and I think Dad's disappointment in his usual Shepherd's Pie has made him realize that there are other restaurants on Bell Blvd worth trying. We had intended to go somewhere else but Dad had a "Katie being Katie" moment instead: when we couldn't find parking close to the other dining establishment we came to Donovan's because they have their own parking lot.

Happy Moma's Day!

Day: Two Hundred and Eighty

Photo taken on Sunday, May 8, 2011 in the lobby of the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA at 3pm. (Pictured: Daddio, Moma, Preston, Kimberly, and I. Back Row: Thomas Jefferson)

Very much like my parents' birthdays, it is still very hard to come up with a great gift idea for their respective Sundays. Luckily for me but not so much for my mom, she misplaced her set of keys recently therefore I am able to purchase her a new Coach key chain for Moma's Day as a little extra gift. (*Note: Kim had been the one previously to buy her a Coach keychain. It was a cute flip-flop. The one I buy her, has two cute flip-flops. Just saying.) So besides that and her very nice plants from Kim and Pres, we take her out for an amazing brunch at this lavish hotel. It was Kim's idea two years ago and it was a fabulous way to spend a morning: gorgeous surroundings and unlimited trips to the dessert station. But last year, we forgot to call the day after Mother's Day so we were then #150 on the waiting list. Yeah, 150. It's really that good.

But this year we are #15 and Kim and her lawyering ways gets us a spot for the Champagne Brunch two days in advance. I think all of us enjoy the delicious spread and I know for a fact Preston loves the jazz musicians set up in the corner. One lady even comes over to remark on how interested he is because she too watches him grab a chair, pull it across the room, station it in front of their instruments, and literally sits back with his hands behind his head and watches them intently. Preston never ceases to amaze us.

So Moma, I hope you enjoyed the brunch and the rest of the day spent hanging out with your daughters! We love you very much!

^_\

For Kimberly's take on the weekend and some really great shots of everyone please click here! (My fave is of Preston with the alligator...you'll know which one.)

Footsie

Day: Two Hundred and Seventy Eight

Photo taken on Friday, May 6, 2011 with Moma in BT Nails in Midlothian, VA at 639pm.

I'm not very girly but when it comes to getting pampered and massaged, I will NEVER say no. Moma coerces me into pedicures when I return from college saying that they use lotions to rub your feet and it is so relaxing you could fall asleep. She has me on the lotion part because if I don't have to do it compulsively, maybe I can actually enjoy it for once.

And I do. I am so hooked. As long as I choose a polish that I can see through, I will sit in that chair until they forcefully kick me out. Plus the girls that work there are amazing and do a thorough and great job, digging out all the damage I do to my nail beds from running and making my man feet look presentable. They are miracle workers!

Mangia!

Day: Two Hundred and Seventy Four

Photo taken on Monday, May 2, 2011 with bossdad at Centolire on Madison Avenue in New York, NY at 113pm.

It has reached the point that there is absolutely nothing to buy my parents for their birthdays; they seriously have everything they could possibly need. The days of buying my dad a CD from The Wall are over because even though The Wall hasn't been in the Walt Whitman Mall for a decade, I am sure the CDs I purchased for him still have the cellophane on them including the blue sticker that guarantees a replacement CD if it should scratch (or end up on a different CD you did not buy at The Wall). The days of me picking out ties for him are over: 1) because mom is the queen of matching shirts and ties and 2) because every tie I buy him finds its way into the Goodwill bag after one wearing. The days of cuff links didn't even start because mom has cornered that market and it is dry already, folks.

So that leaves Broadway shows and food. I would have picked another Broadway show but seeing that I have still yet to take him to his last year's Father's Day gift of Avenue Q, I settle for food. I let him pick the place and time and here we are! Dad's birthday luncheon! I can't possibly go wrong with this birthday gift because we always order the same thing when we dine here: fettuccine bolognese (which is the best damn bolognese I have ever eaten).

I can tell already that the gift of a dining experience with yours truly is definitely better than a Goofy tie.

Team Reab

Day: Two Hundred and Seventy Three

Photo taken on Sunday, May 1, 2011 in Sai on the way to JFK airport at 503pm. (Pictured in front seat: Steve and I; Backseat: Anna and Pher; Back-backseat: Mike and Jenn)

I don't care if it is only for an hour, I am happy to see Pher and Anna. Since we end up hitting traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike and have to wait a half an hour for gas at one of the rest stops, it only leaves us with enough time to drive Pher and Anna to the airport. We had planned on all going upstairs to Dad's apartment for a soda and some relaxation before heading out but that plan has gone out the window. Instead poor Jenn and Mike are losing circulation in their legs as I try to maneuver around the potholes and bumps in NYC so they don't smash their heads into the ceiling. Despite the cramped space, we are all enjoying each other and catching up on what has been happening in each other's lives.

Pher and Anna had a wedding this weekend and are now on their way back to Arizona and I am sad to see them go. I'll be seeing Pher in July when he comes back from his trip to Italy but Anna has to go straight home (booooo work!). I am grateful for this car ride, a chance to joke around with both my family and Steve's and look forward to the next time we will all meet again under one roof. Just hopefully not Sai's roof.

Later Taters!

Day: Two Hundred and Sixty Seven

Photo taken on Monday, April 25, 2011 in front of the TDM mudroom door at 202pm. (Pictured hands from left: Steve, me, and Charlie. Pictured on the stoop from left: Moma, Grandma Z., Kimberly, Preston, and Daddio)

I hate saying goodbye.

It really is no fun at all. I don't like the finality of it; it creeps me out sometimes because I know I will be seeing everyone again so why do I have to say it? I usually settle for some version of "see you later" because it sounds better.

But then if someone wishes me a "safe flight" I HAVE to say, "Tell that to the pilot!" What started as a joke has turned into a compulsion and I will seriously freak out if I accidently say, "Have a safe flight!" and they don't return the punchline. One time I called Moma back in a panic right before she shut down her phone before boarding. I have chased Bossdad down the hallway to make sure he says it though he has come up with his own version of tell-that-to-the-pilot. Dad says, "Make sure he doesn't drop me in the Hudson." That sounds reasonable.

So don't take it personally if I drop you at the airport and I don't wish your flight to be safe. I really do want you to be safe but if you don't say the infamous line, I might end up chasing you through security. And then I'll get arrested.

We Gather Together

Day: Two Hundred and Sixty Six

Photo taken on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 in the dining room of the TDM right before dessert at 801pm. (Pictured from left: Kelly, Grandma Z., Daddio, John, Steve, Preston, Kimberly and her deisel arm, Moma, me, and Alec)

I find holidays are best when it is "the more the merrier". Back when we lived in Greenlawn, once the main course was cleared away our parents opened up their home to all of our friends for dessert. Moma has a habit of making two dishes per person so we have always needed the extra bodies to help us consume all of the delicious treats. Today we are blessed to have Kelly, John, and Alec join us for the whole day of food and great laughs. It has been a fantastic Easter and I look forward to more holidays spent like this with family and friends because it is important to celebrate with the ones you love. Plus they are the ones that will not judge you no matter how many desserts you put on your plate.

Also, when I help clean up at the end of the night I insist upon Sharking the floor only to end up breaking the Shark into two pieces. Luckily, I have made it Preston-sized and he loves his new vacuum very much.

The Egg and I

Day: Two Hundred and Sixty Five

Photo taken on Saturday, April 23, 2011 in the kitchen of the TDM at 235pm. (The dyers: Steve, Moma, Kimberly, Preston, Grandma Z., and I)

What is Easter without eggs? Or Jesus? Or a Jesus egg?

Pretty much Preston runs the show; we just make sure the eggs find their way back into the container so they don't drop dye all over the table or crack open. It's just interesting how when the task is all complete, he has to arrange them in color order. There are six colors-two eggs of each-and he lines them up in Roy G. Biv fashion, then decides to line them up in pairs after scrutinizing them for awhile. I observe Preston doing this and I proudly nod my head at his compulsive ordering.

He's definitely my nephew.