Saturday, July 14, 2012
It Wouldn't be a Party Without an After Party
The title of this post perfectly describes the mentality of my family. There just wouldn't be a party unless there was an after party. Today is no exception. It was my cousin Bernard's (or Nardi as my Aunt Elaine likes to call him), 47th birthday yesterday. So obviously that called for a celebration. Why wait for Lyndsay and Zach's wedding next week? This weekend was perfect, and in our family, there's never any hesitation when it comes to celebration. This time, it came in the form of the facebook event "My Big Fat Italian BBQ".
Sunday, July 8, 2012
A Perfect Beach Day - Fulfills Exercise 13
Seaside Park, would have to be, in my mind one of the nicest beach towns in New Jersey. And please, don't get it confused with Seaside Heights. We are nothing like the Jersey Shore or any of the people from there. Not even in the tiniest bit.
The Fourth of July has always been our big holiday. Every year, our family, and two other families get together down at the beach. We spend the day there and shoot off fireworks to cap of the day.
Our ride starts out different than most people's drive to the shore. We pass what my brother calls the "wild cows" and what could only be describes as a truck graveyard.
Drive down the road a little way and you notice that there is a logo you would recognize. Ocean Spray. New Jersey's Pine Barren region is famous for their cranberries and every September there is a cranberry festival. That is why some of the cranberry farms in New Jersey are highly sought out by people who make cranberry juice. This one, happens to be one of the growers for Ocean Spray.
Continuing down a long country road, you finally end up back in civilization. You're in Lakehurst, the New Jersey town most famous for being the crash site of the Hindenberg in the 1920s. Eventually, Route 37 turns into Route 35 and you're on the island that is home to some of the big time North Jersey BEach towns like Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Lavallette and Ortley Beach.
Our Stop, 11th Lane in Seaside Park. To say the house sticks out like a sore thumb would have to be an understatement considering it is the only bright purple house on the block. Or anywhere in the area for that matter. None of the houses are huge, but it doesn't really matter because what's important is being on the beach and spending time with family and friends.
We have our usual "beach meal" of hoagies before heading out to the beach. The sand was the hottest thing I had ever felt in my life. Walking on that sand almost felt like you were walking on the surface of the sun itself. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was so hot you could cook an egg in it. I wouldn't advise eating the egg you cooked because it would probably have some sand on it.
Out on the beach there was a sea of people. I was shocked because that day was supposed to be almost 100 degrees outside. I could only imagine what the people farther south had to deal with.
The beach was scorching but the cool water ( about 75 degrees) made it a little bit more bearable. During the day I did my best to stay in the water just so that I would know that I was staying cool. In order to do that I tried my hand at Skim Boarding, Long Boarding and Ocean Kayaking, in addition to just swimming with family friends and all my cousins. In my own opinion, I would have to say I was relatively successful considering the circumstances. I didn't completely fail at any of the new things I tried, I just had one mishap with the ocean kayak and that was more my dad's fault than mine. After I tipped the Kayak he tried to wrangle it in and ended up hitting me in the knee with it. I ended up with a battle wound, a nice bruise, but that was about it.
The other thing about that day was the new spectacle of my cousins new puppy. He is named Chase. I really couldn't tell you what kind of dog he is, I have to imagine he is some kind of mutt. Everyone wanted to play with him and I don't think that dog got put down for more than five minutes. The only time he got a chance to run around on his own he ran into the ocean and got knocked over by a wave because he is so little. He loved the water though. My dad and my cousin's fiancé even put the puppy on a boogie board in the ocean just to see what it would do. Only in my family.
Drinking on the beach and spending time with family and friends highlights my summer days. While I am back in school I would give almost anything to have this kind of day back. I can't wait till my cousin's wedding on the 21st when we can all get together again. This time in Minnesota. I hope they're ready for my entire crazy family.
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| The truck graveyard |
Our ride starts out different than most people's drive to the shore. We pass what my brother calls the "wild cows" and what could only be describes as a truck graveyard.
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| Ocean Spray |
Continuing down a long country road, you finally end up back in civilization. You're in Lakehurst, the New Jersey town most famous for being the crash site of the Hindenberg in the 1920s. Eventually, Route 37 turns into Route 35 and you're on the island that is home to some of the big time North Jersey BEach towns like Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Lavallette and Ortley Beach.
Our Stop, 11th Lane in Seaside Park. To say the house sticks out like a sore thumb would have to be an understatement considering it is the only bright purple house on the block. Or anywhere in the area for that matter. None of the houses are huge, but it doesn't really matter because what's important is being on the beach and spending time with family and friends.
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| Mema & Grandjim's house |
Out on the beach there was a sea of people. I was shocked because that day was supposed to be almost 100 degrees outside. I could only imagine what the people farther south had to deal with.
The beach was scorching but the cool water ( about 75 degrees) made it a little bit more bearable. During the day I did my best to stay in the water just so that I would know that I was staying cool. In order to do that I tried my hand at Skim Boarding, Long Boarding and Ocean Kayaking, in addition to just swimming with family friends and all my cousins. In my own opinion, I would have to say I was relatively successful considering the circumstances. I didn't completely fail at any of the new things I tried, I just had one mishap with the ocean kayak and that was more my dad's fault than mine. After I tipped the Kayak he tried to wrangle it in and ended up hitting me in the knee with it. I ended up with a battle wound, a nice bruise, but that was about it.The other thing about that day was the new spectacle of my cousins new puppy. He is named Chase. I really couldn't tell you what kind of dog he is, I have to imagine he is some kind of mutt. Everyone wanted to play with him and I don't think that dog got put down for more than five minutes. The only time he got a chance to run around on his own he ran into the ocean and got knocked over by a wave because he is so little. He loved the water though. My dad and my cousin's fiancé even put the puppy on a boogie board in the ocean just to see what it would do. Only in my family.
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| The newest addition to our large family, the little Chase |
The Other Side of the Shore - A Perfect Storm
Watching a storm from the beach is one of the most scary, yet interesting things I can say I've ever experienced in my life. By being on the beach, there is nothing blocking your view of the horizon leaving you to see every lightning bolt in full view. That's great, unless you're scared of thunder, which I always have been.
Sitting on the beach we could tell that something was off. It was supposed to be 100 degrees out and it just wasn't. I wouldn't go as far as to say it had been cold but the temperature had definitely dropped since we had been out there. You could see the sun go behind the clouds and the sky became a hazy almost heather grey. The wind picked up and the flags were all flapping. You could just tell a storm was brewing.
We made our way up to the house hoping to not get caught in the rain. The kids were lucky and so were the moms. The dads however, not so much. A light rain started as they walked back from the beach.
Once everyone was in the house, we all began to look out the large back paladin window out onto the Sand Dunes and the water. You could see the sky turn from the light heather that it had once been to such a dark charcoal grey, you weren't sure if it was grey or black. The wind picked up even higher and thunder began to rumble. And suddenly out in the sky you see the most majestic yet scary thing. Down at the beach you don't see just the light. You see the whole lightning bolt. It is so hot that it is almost a purpley white and you see it just go over the horizon. There was lightning almost every second as far as the eye could see.
Once the storm was over, the sun came back out. It was setting so we were able to see both a rainbow and the weird effect that comes along with a sunset after rain. The lightning was still happening and at that point you could see horizontal lightning because it was still stuck in the clouds. It was actually pretty cool to go outside and see.
As much as I hate storms, I would have to say a storm down the shore would have to be a perfect storm. It's interesting, scary and beautiful. Unless the power goes out, but we didn't have that happen.
Sitting on the beach we could tell that something was off. It was supposed to be 100 degrees out and it just wasn't. I wouldn't go as far as to say it had been cold but the temperature had definitely dropped since we had been out there. You could see the sun go behind the clouds and the sky became a hazy almost heather grey. The wind picked up and the flags were all flapping. You could just tell a storm was brewing.
We made our way up to the house hoping to not get caught in the rain. The kids were lucky and so were the moms. The dads however, not so much. A light rain started as they walked back from the beach.
Once everyone was in the house, we all began to look out the large back paladin window out onto the Sand Dunes and the water. You could see the sky turn from the light heather that it had once been to such a dark charcoal grey, you weren't sure if it was grey or black. The wind picked up even higher and thunder began to rumble. And suddenly out in the sky you see the most majestic yet scary thing. Down at the beach you don't see just the light. You see the whole lightning bolt. It is so hot that it is almost a purpley white and you see it just go over the horizon. There was lightning almost every second as far as the eye could see.
Once the storm was over, the sun came back out. It was setting so we were able to see both a rainbow and the weird effect that comes along with a sunset after rain. The lightning was still happening and at that point you could see horizontal lightning because it was still stuck in the clouds. It was actually pretty cool to go outside and see.
As much as I hate storms, I would have to say a storm down the shore would have to be a perfect storm. It's interesting, scary and beautiful. Unless the power goes out, but we didn't have that happen.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Jet Skiing, Tubing and Boating, Oh My! - Fulfills Exercise 15
A weekend with my cousins is never without incident. It never has been. It is something you always kind of expect. We've been known to say that we put the FUN in dysfunctional. This weekend was no difference. A weekend down the shore at Dena's house, and it was definitely not incident free.
There were six of us who were spending the day together. Myself, my brother Julian, Jordyn, Gianna, Bianca and Michael. We were at my cousin Johnny Boy's house in Brick. The house has a lagoon in the backyard which leads to the Barnegat Bay and the house itself is no more than 15 minutes from the Seaside Heights Boardwalk.
After finally getting to Johnny's around 10:30 AM, we came out to the backyard intent on using the jetskis. There were two of them, candy apple red and royal blue. Climbing on, we put three of us on one and three on the other to make sure we all went out. Little did we know that eventually we all would end up falling in the water. The Barnegat Bay was an adobe brown with a green and it made me slightly nervous that I couldn't see the bottom. It was this fear of the unknown because since I couldn't see what was going on in deeper portions of the water, anything could be down there. The contrast between the stunning Azure color of the sky was unlike anything I had seen prior. With the pine tree and Avocado green of the foliage around the bay not to mention the houses in every color of the rainbow from heather grey, Army Green, Apricot and almost any other color you could think of, it was a very colorful site out on the bay.
Julian drove the Royal Blue jet ski with Michael and Gianna on it. I was on the Candy Apple Red one, and Bianca and Jordyn were on with me. We raced to the other side of the bay before turning around and coming home. We didn't want to go too close to the bridge because none of us have jet ski licenses and by the bridge is where the NJ State Police are. We really weren't trying to add "get pulled over by jet ski cops" to the list of things we did that weekend. Especially considering what was about to happen.
Jordyn and Gianna both ride horses, and as a result Gianna had the brilliant idea to try and do some of the things that she could do on her horse on the jet ski. Hind sight is 20/20 and looking back on it now my brother probably realizes that this wasn't one of his brightest moments. First he starts to do a figure 8 on the jet ski. They're fine and then they decide they're going to do a zig zag. Let's put it this way, jet skis are not made to do zig zag because the next thing we know, they aren't following us anymore. I realize they must have fallen off. Worried about them we stop and I lean to the left to see where they are. Bianca and Jordyn, as the nosy bodies that they are decide they're going to look left as well. The three of us like a bunch of jerks, lean to the same side and tip our jet ski over as a result. At this point my brother has already gotten back on his jet ski and is driving past laughing at us.
Later on we get my cousin Johnny Boy to take us out on the boat. We attach to the back of their boat this thing Jordyn and Gianna call "Big Mabel". Big Mabel is a raft which is attached by a rope to the back of the boat. You put a life jacket on, turn on the engine of the boat, and hold on to the raft for dear life.
From the very beginning there was a specific order to who was going on, with whom and exactly what order. Eventually my cousins Gianna and Michael go on together. At this point, a lot of boats and people were out on the water. The water had gotten really choppy to a point where you were holding on even tighter to this raft. That is when something happened that I couldn't tell you whether it was funny or awful. At the time I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my entire life. Gianna decides it is a good idea to let go of the tube with one hand. I am not sure what she plans on doing with that hand but it ended up being her downfall. The next thing we knew she was in the air like a jack in the box. She had flown about 15 feet and before we knew it crashed into the water. I was laughing so hard but it had to have hurt. We made jokes about it the rest of the day because that is just the kind of family we are.
Like I said, a weekend with my cousins is never without incident. Next time - 4th of July in Seaside. And that time it is going to be my whole crazy family.
There were six of us who were spending the day together. Myself, my brother Julian, Jordyn, Gianna, Bianca and Michael. We were at my cousin Johnny Boy's house in Brick. The house has a lagoon in the backyard which leads to the Barnegat Bay and the house itself is no more than 15 minutes from the Seaside Heights Boardwalk.
After finally getting to Johnny's around 10:30 AM, we came out to the backyard intent on using the jetskis. There were two of them, candy apple red and royal blue. Climbing on, we put three of us on one and three on the other to make sure we all went out. Little did we know that eventually we all would end up falling in the water. The Barnegat Bay was an adobe brown with a green and it made me slightly nervous that I couldn't see the bottom. It was this fear of the unknown because since I couldn't see what was going on in deeper portions of the water, anything could be down there. The contrast between the stunning Azure color of the sky was unlike anything I had seen prior. With the pine tree and Avocado green of the foliage around the bay not to mention the houses in every color of the rainbow from heather grey, Army Green, Apricot and almost any other color you could think of, it was a very colorful site out on the bay.
Julian drove the Royal Blue jet ski with Michael and Gianna on it. I was on the Candy Apple Red one, and Bianca and Jordyn were on with me. We raced to the other side of the bay before turning around and coming home. We didn't want to go too close to the bridge because none of us have jet ski licenses and by the bridge is where the NJ State Police are. We really weren't trying to add "get pulled over by jet ski cops" to the list of things we did that weekend. Especially considering what was about to happen.
Jordyn and Gianna both ride horses, and as a result Gianna had the brilliant idea to try and do some of the things that she could do on her horse on the jet ski. Hind sight is 20/20 and looking back on it now my brother probably realizes that this wasn't one of his brightest moments. First he starts to do a figure 8 on the jet ski. They're fine and then they decide they're going to do a zig zag. Let's put it this way, jet skis are not made to do zig zag because the next thing we know, they aren't following us anymore. I realize they must have fallen off. Worried about them we stop and I lean to the left to see where they are. Bianca and Jordyn, as the nosy bodies that they are decide they're going to look left as well. The three of us like a bunch of jerks, lean to the same side and tip our jet ski over as a result. At this point my brother has already gotten back on his jet ski and is driving past laughing at us.
Later on we get my cousin Johnny Boy to take us out on the boat. We attach to the back of their boat this thing Jordyn and Gianna call "Big Mabel". Big Mabel is a raft which is attached by a rope to the back of the boat. You put a life jacket on, turn on the engine of the boat, and hold on to the raft for dear life.
From the very beginning there was a specific order to who was going on, with whom and exactly what order. Eventually my cousins Gianna and Michael go on together. At this point, a lot of boats and people were out on the water. The water had gotten really choppy to a point where you were holding on even tighter to this raft. That is when something happened that I couldn't tell you whether it was funny or awful. At the time I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my entire life. Gianna decides it is a good idea to let go of the tube with one hand. I am not sure what she plans on doing with that hand but it ended up being her downfall. The next thing we knew she was in the air like a jack in the box. She had flown about 15 feet and before we knew it crashed into the water. I was laughing so hard but it had to have hurt. We made jokes about it the rest of the day because that is just the kind of family we are.
Like I said, a weekend with my cousins is never without incident. Next time - 4th of July in Seaside. And that time it is going to be my whole crazy family.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Subtle Differences
During my travels I've noticed a lot of subtle differences between France and the United States. A lot of things I always assumed were the same here and weren't different anywhere else. That is where my naivety came into play.
The first one takes place every day. The EU created coins for the 1€ and 2€ coin. With this I definitely find myself forgetting that I have these 1 and 2€ coins and thinking I have less money than I do. The coins also get heavy and annoying to carry around after a while. Especially differentiating them. Just give me a $1 bill so I know what I have and be done with it.
Another thing that plagued our whole trip was the fact that at Parisian hotels there are only one hotel key per room. You are supposed to drop it off when you leave in the morning and when you come back at night you can pick it back up. This was a little problematic because my roommates and I came back at different times so someone would get stuck staying up to wait until every one came home.
On our second day here we went to the Musee d'Orsay and various other places. Eventually we ended up on the Champs Elysses, one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, and easily the most famous in all of Paris. It equates to the Miracle Mile in Chicago and Fifth Avenue in New YorkCity. Walking down the street is a religious experience for anyone who likes fashion, even if you don't buy anything.
The first thing I noticed there was the way they have car dealerships on almost every corner. For me, that equates to having a car dealership in the Moorestown, Cherry Hill or Towson Mall. So you walk in and you have to go somewhere else to actually purchase the car. I don't know where, but you do.
The other thing I noticed that day was that their credit cards are different. The strip on their card is at the end. They stick it into their credit card machine as if they were sticking it into the ATM. I don't know if that is just France or the whole EU but that threw me off. As much as I was trying to prevent looking extremely touristy, that one basically gave me a sign that said "I'm not from here"
A couple of days later we went to the Pantheon and Montparnasse cemetery. This day we experienced a different side of France. We purchased lunch In the supermarket and then went to Luxembourg Gardens to eat it. While in the supermarket purchasing lunch I noticed two things that were different from the United States. The first is that cashiers in the grocery stores sit down. The other thing is that they charge 4 European cents for a bag. It isn't like the United States where it is common courtesy that they give you a bag for your groceries and if they didn't, you as a person would absolutely look down on the grocery store and most likely not go back there.
The first one takes place every day. The EU created coins for the 1€ and 2€ coin. With this I definitely find myself forgetting that I have these 1 and 2€ coins and thinking I have less money than I do. The coins also get heavy and annoying to carry around after a while. Especially differentiating them. Just give me a $1 bill so I know what I have and be done with it.
Another thing that plagued our whole trip was the fact that at Parisian hotels there are only one hotel key per room. You are supposed to drop it off when you leave in the morning and when you come back at night you can pick it back up. This was a little problematic because my roommates and I came back at different times so someone would get stuck staying up to wait until every one came home.
On our second day here we went to the Musee d'Orsay and various other places. Eventually we ended up on the Champs Elysses, one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, and easily the most famous in all of Paris. It equates to the Miracle Mile in Chicago and Fifth Avenue in New YorkCity. Walking down the street is a religious experience for anyone who likes fashion, even if you don't buy anything.
The first thing I noticed there was the way they have car dealerships on almost every corner. For me, that equates to having a car dealership in the Moorestown, Cherry Hill or Towson Mall. So you walk in and you have to go somewhere else to actually purchase the car. I don't know where, but you do.
The other thing I noticed that day was that their credit cards are different. The strip on their card is at the end. They stick it into their credit card machine as if they were sticking it into the ATM. I don't know if that is just France or the whole EU but that threw me off. As much as I was trying to prevent looking extremely touristy, that one basically gave me a sign that said "I'm not from here"
A couple of days later we went to the Pantheon and Montparnasse cemetery. This day we experienced a different side of France. We purchased lunch In the supermarket and then went to Luxembourg Gardens to eat it. While in the supermarket purchasing lunch I noticed two things that were different from the United States. The first is that cashiers in the grocery stores sit down. The other thing is that they charge 4 European cents for a bag. It isn't like the United States where it is common courtesy that they give you a bag for your groceries and if they didn't, you as a person would absolutely look down on the grocery store and most likely not go back there.
These differences make Paris, as well as other European cities exactly what it is that they are. Those things on the other hand make it almost a culture shock for people from the United States who are coming to these European countries. It also does the same to those who are coming from France and Europe who are coming to the United States. These are things that after a while an individual will get used to, but takes some practice in the beginning.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Giverny
Giverny is a small Village about 45 minutes outside of Paris. It was the home of Claude Monet and the scene of one of his most famous paintings, the water lilies. During out trip, we were lucky enough to be able to venture out to
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Languages
This trip seemed to encompass everything I've either never done well or never done at all. The other thing that I've always struggled with is foreign languages. A family friend of ours is bilingual and can speak English and Swedish. My 3 year old cousin is bilingual in English and German. My boss is fluent in 3 languages and can speak 7. Me on the other hand, I can barely speak one. I know about 5 words of Spanish even though I took it for more years than I can count. I can tell you two things, "I am the party" and "I speak Spanish" and that's about it.
During my trip to Paris we were supposed to be ambassadors. We weren't really supposed to be tourists. By being ambassadors one of the things we had to do was make sure we
During my trip to Paris we were supposed to be ambassadors. We weren't really supposed to be tourists. By being ambassadors one of the things we had to do was make sure we
Monday, June 18, 2012
Soccer, Hockey and Football
This past Monday in Paris, Lauren, Catherine, Jordan, Joelle, Laura, Jocelyn and I made our way to the Eiffel Tower for the first time. When we got there, we were surprised to find that "Hyundai Fan Fest Park - Paris" had been set up. It was basically a gigantic watch party for the European Championship taking place in Soccer. Looking into the event later I found out that this was something that was set up in 9 cities throughout Europe for the duration the UEFA European Championships. The game we watched was Spain v. Croatia. Spain ended up scoring with approximately 2 minutes left in the game. When Spain scored, the place went crazy. They shot off flares and people were screaming. People were wearing outfits I would never be caught dead in public wearing. But this scenario showed me exactly how Europeans feel about soccer. The only way I could possibly equate it would be the way Canadians love hockey and the way Americans love football.
After my trip to Toronto, you can see shades of the same love that Europeans have for soccer in the way that Canadians love their hockey teams. The Toronto Maple Leafs are consistently one of the worst teams in the league, but manage to have one of the best records when it comes to selling out their arena. Montreal Canadiens fans have been known to drive to New Jersey just to see a game in order to cheer on their hometown player in Martin Brodeur. Everyone is in love with their hometown player because almost everyone in Canada has one. Hockey is such a popular sport that it isn't uncommon for someone in your town to play hockey.
When you go to the Visitor's Center in Thunder Bay, Ontario, one of the "Must See Attractions" is the Sod Farm owned by the Staal Family. I know for a fact, it doesn't matter who lived there, but in New Jersey there is no way we would go hang out in a sod farm. But this is Canada, and they love their hometown heroes, regardless of what they do. And if you've ever watched the sports channel TSN (Canada's version of ESPN), they have 24/7 hockey coverage because that is the number one sport in the country and everyone loves it.
Americans, although they love the sport of football, they are nothing like Europeans and Canadians. They all have their favorite team, but that's it. Mine, the New York Giants. The chances that an American would watch another football game of their arch rival is almost non existent. Both Canadians and Europeans have no problem with it. They see it almost as scoping out their competition.
By experiencing the homes of these sports you realize just how passionate their fans are. You realize how much they're in love with the sport, and not necessarily their team. Although they all have a favorite team they're just as passionate about, for them it's mostly the sport. For people to get that loud about a team that could be considered an arch rival is almost unheard anywhere else. Experiencing the love Europeans have for their soccer team by being able to see such a major soccer tournament in Europe was unlike anything I've ever experienced previously. I would love to do it again and could only imagine what being in a place like that during the World Cup or the Olympics must be like. Time will tell if I will ever be able to experience that, but if I can, I should start getting ready now.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Flying
Flying and I have never really gone together harmoniously. I don't do it enough to make myself comfortable with it. I knew three days before this flight even took off that I was going to have problems on this plane. So much so that I called a doctor and had him prescribe me Xanax.
The day finally arrived without much convincing but when it came time to get to the airport things got a little shaky. It took my mom, dad, brother and boyfriend Bobby to get me on the plane but not without some tears.
My first real international flight (I wasn't counting my trip to Toronto), by myself. I was scared out of my wits end. Could anything else possibly go wrong? Not only did I miss everyone from home, I'm claustrophobic sitting in this window seat and I have these two weird people next to me. In my own personal opinion, there was literally no possible way things could get worse if they tried.
Over Memorial Day Weekend I realized I was severely claustrophobic. I tried to climb under my cousins deck to get a necklace that broke and almost lost it. That is because it was almost as if I could feel the patio closing over me and I wouldn't be able to get out. That is what scares me, not being there, it's the not being able to get out. The same feeling overcame me as I sat in the window seat waiting for my plane to take off. It was almost as if the cabin was closing in on me. I lost it, almost immediately I was in full on tears, making a scene on the plane. I didn't know what to do and the 8 year old boy sitting next to me is now looking at me like I'm some kind of psychopath because I'm crying on the plane.
I finally grabbed a hold of myself inside and realized that the only way I was making it to Paris was if I stuck it out through this flight. I couldn't get off or I wouldn't go. There isn't a way to teleport myself because if there was and I didn't have to deal with flying, please let me be the first to know. I looked out the window and started to calm myself down after talking on the phone to Bobby. I texted and took pictures until the flight took off in order to keep my mind elsewhere.
After the plane finally got in the air, I seemed to have calmed down a little. I did my best to fall asleep on the flight because I knew that I was going to have to be up the whole next day. Needless to say, it didn't work. I think I fell asleep for a grand total of an hour. Before I knew it, the little boy next to me had made himself comfortable in my lap. I don't know you, and you're going to lay in my lap? That is where I had to draw the line. I told his mother and the mother got mad at me like "how could you be mad that my child is laying on you?"
By the time the plane landed at 8:30 AM Paris time, I was about ready to kiss the floor of the airport I was so excited to be off that plane. I hadn't eaten since the Chickie and Pete's sandwich in the Philly Airport and I hadn't slept except for an hour since 7:30 AM EST. By the time that day was over, I was convinced that the rest of the girls on the trip weren't even going to want to be friends with me because I was so miserable.
Note to self: try to avoid flying when you can.
The day finally arrived without much convincing but when it came time to get to the airport things got a little shaky. It took my mom, dad, brother and boyfriend Bobby to get me on the plane but not without some tears.
My first real international flight (I wasn't counting my trip to Toronto), by myself. I was scared out of my wits end. Could anything else possibly go wrong? Not only did I miss everyone from home, I'm claustrophobic sitting in this window seat and I have these two weird people next to me. In my own personal opinion, there was literally no possible way things could get worse if they tried.
Over Memorial Day Weekend I realized I was severely claustrophobic. I tried to climb under my cousins deck to get a necklace that broke and almost lost it. That is because it was almost as if I could feel the patio closing over me and I wouldn't be able to get out. That is what scares me, not being there, it's the not being able to get out. The same feeling overcame me as I sat in the window seat waiting for my plane to take off. It was almost as if the cabin was closing in on me. I lost it, almost immediately I was in full on tears, making a scene on the plane. I didn't know what to do and the 8 year old boy sitting next to me is now looking at me like I'm some kind of psychopath because I'm crying on the plane.
I finally grabbed a hold of myself inside and realized that the only way I was making it to Paris was if I stuck it out through this flight. I couldn't get off or I wouldn't go. There isn't a way to teleport myself because if there was and I didn't have to deal with flying, please let me be the first to know. I looked out the window and started to calm myself down after talking on the phone to Bobby. I texted and took pictures until the flight took off in order to keep my mind elsewhere.
After the plane finally got in the air, I seemed to have calmed down a little. I did my best to fall asleep on the flight because I knew that I was going to have to be up the whole next day. Needless to say, it didn't work. I think I fell asleep for a grand total of an hour. Before I knew it, the little boy next to me had made himself comfortable in my lap. I don't know you, and you're going to lay in my lap? That is where I had to draw the line. I told his mother and the mother got mad at me like "how could you be mad that my child is laying on you?"
By the time the plane landed at 8:30 AM Paris time, I was about ready to kiss the floor of the airport I was so excited to be off that plane. I hadn't eaten since the Chickie and Pete's sandwich in the Philly Airport and I hadn't slept except for an hour since 7:30 AM EST. By the time that day was over, I was convinced that the rest of the girls on the trip weren't even going to want to be friends with me because I was so miserable.
Note to self: try to avoid flying when you can.
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Home of Hockey
Toronto, Canada is the home of hockey. It is the location of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and until recently was where they held the NHL Awards. It is also the home of the NHL Combine, the first weekend in June. You walk around the city and no matter the temperature people have been known to walk around the city showing their Maple Leafs pride. No matter how bad that team is, they still have one of the best fan bases in the National Hockey League and can continually fill their seats.
The NHL Combine takes place about two weeks before the actual NHL entry draft. It is when the top 75 NHL prospects come together in Toronto to prove to the 30 league teams that they are NHL ready. The prospects are put through rigorous fitness testing and interview from General Managers of the 30 teams. Since the 80s, we have been family friends with former Penguin, Ranger, Red Wing and Flyer, Ulf Samuelsson. Both his older sons, Philip (20) and Henrik (18) are NHL Prospects. Henrik, the younger of the two is Draft Eligible this year. He was the one participating in the combine this year. Philip, my brother Julian, and Philip's best friend from college, another NHL Prospect, Brian Dumoulin, decided we would go to Toronto and just "check up on"Henrik's progress. Really all we wanted was to go to Toronto. Julian, Philip and I hadn't been there in a few years so what was the harm in going back.
The first day we were there Henrik was completing his last full day of activities for the Combine. That gave us some free time. We decided to go to the International Hockey Hall of Fame and see what was going on there. The one thing that I was disappointed wasn't there was the Stanley Cup. That was to be expected though. The Stanley Cup spends the summer traveling the globe because each member of the Stanley Cup Champions and their organization get to spend a day with the cup. To this day I couldn't tell you what I would do if I got to spend the day with the cup. But I most likely won't get the opportunity because I will never win the Stanley Cup so it's a non issue. The Hockey Hall of Fame was almost a haven for these boys because Hockey is their life. Both Philip and Brian played at Boston College on Full Scholarships and now have made the jump to play professionally, Brian for the Carolina Hurricanes* and Philip for the Pittsburgh Penguins. My brother does the color commendation for the New York Islanders radio broadcasts. Watching the three of them there was like watching a little kid open the present they had been waiting for on Christmas.
After going to the Hall of Fame, we met up with Henrik and one of his other prospect friends for dinner. We all went out and talked to the two boys about their time at the Combine. They couldn't really tell us much, but considering the circumstances what they did tell us was big news. Henrik told us that he had spent a lot of time talking to the team their dad used to coach for, the Phoenix Coyotes. He was hopeful that something would come out of that conversation. We will just have to see.**
The second day we ventured away from the hockey side of Toronto. We went to the Red Sox/Blue Jays game. Seeing the way that the Blue Jay's stadium was only half full, as you can see in the picture to the left, further proved how much Canadians love their hockey. If I had a dollar for all the people I saw during this trip either wearing a Maple Leafs jersey, a t-shirt or was showing their Maple Leafs pride in any way, I could buy myself something really nice. The Blue Jays on the other hand, it was almost as if Toronto would be ok if they left. There were more Red Sox fans there than Blue Jays fans, to a point where if you closed your eyes you wouldn't be sure if you were in Fenway Park or not.
It was an interesting experience being in Toronto and seeing these different sides of it. To see the inter workings of the NHL by seeing the boys during the combine. You also saw how differently they feel about baseball in Canada as opposed to the United States. If this was a Red Sox game in Boston, I would be willing to bet those seats would be packed. The Phillies are 10 games back and they are still consecutively selling out games. The Blue Jays are lucky if they will ever sell out.
I can't wait to come back to Toronto, and I can't wait to see what happens with Henrik in the Entry Draft. I am so proud of him so to see him do well would be great.
* Please Note: After this post was written, on June 25 during the 2012 Entry Draft, Brian Dumoulin was traded to Pittsburgh with Brett Sutter and Carolina's 2012 first round draft pick in exchange for Jordan Staal.
** In the first round of the 2012 Entry Draft, 27th Overall, Henrik was chosen by the Phoenix Coyotes.
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| Henrik's Picture from the Scouting Combine |
The first day we were there Henrik was completing his last full day of activities for the Combine. That gave us some free time. We decided to go to the International Hockey Hall of Fame and see what was going on there. The one thing that I was disappointed wasn't there was the Stanley Cup. That was to be expected though. The Stanley Cup spends the summer traveling the globe because each member of the Stanley Cup Champions and their organization get to spend a day with the cup. To this day I couldn't tell you what I would do if I got to spend the day with the cup. But I most likely won't get the opportunity because I will never win the Stanley Cup so it's a non issue. The Hockey Hall of Fame was almost a haven for these boys because Hockey is their life. Both Philip and Brian played at Boston College on Full Scholarships and now have made the jump to play professionally, Brian for the Carolina Hurricanes* and Philip for the Pittsburgh Penguins. My brother does the color commendation for the New York Islanders radio broadcasts. Watching the three of them there was like watching a little kid open the present they had been waiting for on Christmas.
After going to the Hall of Fame, we met up with Henrik and one of his other prospect friends for dinner. We all went out and talked to the two boys about their time at the Combine. They couldn't really tell us much, but considering the circumstances what they did tell us was big news. Henrik told us that he had spent a lot of time talking to the team their dad used to coach for, the Phoenix Coyotes. He was hopeful that something would come out of that conversation. We will just have to see.**
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| Toronto v. Boston |
The second day we ventured away from the hockey side of Toronto. We went to the Red Sox/Blue Jays game. Seeing the way that the Blue Jay's stadium was only half full, as you can see in the picture to the left, further proved how much Canadians love their hockey. If I had a dollar for all the people I saw during this trip either wearing a Maple Leafs jersey, a t-shirt or was showing their Maple Leafs pride in any way, I could buy myself something really nice. The Blue Jays on the other hand, it was almost as if Toronto would be ok if they left. There were more Red Sox fans there than Blue Jays fans, to a point where if you closed your eyes you wouldn't be sure if you were in Fenway Park or not.
It was an interesting experience being in Toronto and seeing these different sides of it. To see the inter workings of the NHL by seeing the boys during the combine. You also saw how differently they feel about baseball in Canada as opposed to the United States. If this was a Red Sox game in Boston, I would be willing to bet those seats would be packed. The Phillies are 10 games back and they are still consecutively selling out games. The Blue Jays are lucky if they will ever sell out.
I can't wait to come back to Toronto, and I can't wait to see what happens with Henrik in the Entry Draft. I am so proud of him so to see him do well would be great.
* Please Note: After this post was written, on June 25 during the 2012 Entry Draft, Brian Dumoulin was traded to Pittsburgh with Brett Sutter and Carolina's 2012 first round draft pick in exchange for Jordan Staal.
** In the first round of the 2012 Entry Draft, 27th Overall, Henrik was chosen by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Looking out into History
Sitting 16 stories up in the Penn Mutual Towers in
Philadelphia, located at 510 Walnut Street, the view is exquisite. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Looking out
one window your view overlooks the Delaware River, staring straight out at the
USS New Jersey and the aquarium. The other window is even better. There is
Philadelphia as far as the eye can see on a clear day. The Ben Franklin Bridge
in all its glory, Aramark, Dow, almost anything you could think of. But the
most majestic part of this view is what is known as Independence Square. That
is made up of three things that are near and dear to us in the US as a part of
becoming our own country. The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall have been
around what seems like forever. The National Constitution Center on the other
hand, is relatively new, but tells the story that those of us from the United
States have come to know by heart. This area was a mainstay for those in the Philadelphia area when it came to field trips year after year. 
Looking out that window is like looking directly into the year 1776. As you look out, you see beneath you, Independence Hall. It at one time was our capital building and Philadelphia was our capital. After a few years of construction, it has been restored to the glory of 1776. This makes the view that much more historical. Behind the building is statue of Commodore John Barry, namesake of one of Philadelphia's four main bridges.
The other thing you see is the National Consitution Center. Built in the early 2000s and opened in 2003, it tells the story of the United State's struggle to become an independent nation. The main exhibit hall presents a chronology of constitution history which includes artifacts and original documents, interactive exhibits based on the preamble of the Constitution and ways to discuss the Constitution.
The one thing that you can't see from our windows on the 13th floor is the Liberty Bell. It is considered to be one of the most iconic Revolutionary War artifacts an at one time was in the steeple of Independence Hall which lies now about 100 feet away. Its crack and its story make it what it is today. A symbol of Freedom.
Looking out that window, you almost can hear the story being told to people from all over the globe. It is a symbol that our meager beginnings as a country have never been forgotten and will live on in all their glory as a part of Philadelphia.
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| Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell |
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