Big Shot Big Shoes

Patchogue, NY - I remember the first time I saw the Billy Joel cover band "Big Shot". It was almost a decade ago and it was at Mulcahy's in Selden or Centereach - I can't really remember.  What I do remember is how popular the band was and how DRUNK and ROWDY the Entire crowd was.

Also, I couldn't stop thinking about how much the band's lead singer, Mike Del Guidice sounded like Billy Joel.

So, last night my friend Tara invited me to come out to go see Big Shot - how could I say no?

Things for both Billy and Big Shot have changed since then.  In the past year or two Billy Joel has agreed to play at Madison Square Garden once a month until the public no longer wants him (until he stops selling tickets). Currently, members of Joel's past and present band periodically play with Big Shot.

Even more fascinating, now Mike DelGuidice is a part of the band.  Can you believe that?  Mike DelGuidice really is a Big Shot!

Krystie's Shower - Simple Keys to the PERFECT English Tea Party Event

Bayport, NY - My sister, Krystie had the PERFECT English Tea Party Wedding Shower this weekend, complete with facinators and white gloves for all.  

First, it needs to be said that the party would not have been as amazing as it was Da-ling, if it weren't for my mother, Cindy and a group of my sister's best friends (The Ladies) who have been planning this event with crucial detail for months: Megan, Kathleen and Bridget. I give you girls (and Mummy) an English Curtsy - you are wonderful and without you this event would not have had the sophistication and class worthy of a Kate Middleton-stamp of approval. 

The event was held at Grey Horse Tavern with a basic buffet-style brunch/lunch.  Our party took up the entire restaurant because we actually held a "Bro-Shower"for my brother-in-law in another room of the restaurant.

It was AMAZING to see how many AMAZING people, both FAMILY and FRIENDS that my sister has in her life. My cousin Anthony and his wife Debbie traveled in from Greenwood Lake, NY; Roberta and Kirsten came in from NYC; and the Wilfong's came in from Maine. But that's not all...it's our neighbors who show up time after time that really remind ME who true friends.   

The Cake was gorgeous and designed by my father's friend.  She did a beautiful white cake, flavored with coconut and pineapple. It was topped with a fondant tea cup - that was as gorgeous and delicate as the real thing.

Over the past few months Mummy has been visiting Country Junque, picking out gorgeous, delicate, flowery, or simple tea cups to give out as shower gifts. Mummy and the Ladies wrapped the tea cups in white tulle, to look like a vail and attached a quote by Mother Theresa. Guests also took home packages of "Thank you cards" made by Grandma Klahn. 

Guests were delighted by three-tiers of cookies including coconut macaroons, Napoleons and black and white cookies - but that's not all. It was the presentation of the cookies that really counted.  Bridget and her mom, Mary were amazing at paying attention to every detail. For the three-tiers of cookies they came up with the idea of using Marie Antoinette-Style decor, which gave the tea party a very decadent element. 

What I learned is, to pull off the PERFECT English Tea Party you MUST have:

1) Fascinators

2) Dainty Tea Cups

3) Cookies/Crumpets or Scones 

4) An Element of Decadence (for example: Marie Antoinette) 

5) Family, Friends and People who would like to be there

6) Etiquette (after all, this is a TRUE British Tea Party)

7) Tea (of Course) 

Be the View Now; Don't Find it 10 Years Later

I’ve been budgeting my time poorly this week – tisk, tisk, tisk on me! I have a huge event coming up this week and I want to do EVERYTHING.  Yet……it ALL can’t happen. 

What I’m looking forward to most at this event is spending some time with my grandmother and I plan on sitting right next to her and probably somewhere near my friend, Sue. 

Sue is my friend and my writing partner, she came over Wednesday for our weekly writing/editing session. However, we spent the ENTIRE time cutting and pasting for MY personal project.

We worked for two hours and chatted; she also told me a story that made us both cry.  The story involves the ways in which we choose to remember our loved ones: spritzing perfume, saving socks or a shirt, saving a voice mail. Some people like to pull out a photo.

But some photos come in very special cases. Does anybody remember the cone shaped key chains that magnify photos? They were big in the 60's 70's and 80's. You could find them at Splish Splash or any amusement park and especially on cruise ships.  They are square (four sides) with a glass hole for the picture in the middle.  They have a tab on outer side with a hole for a beaded tab - that's what allows you to use these "photo viewers" as key chains.

My friend Sue found out they are called photo viewers and even shared two photos with me. The first is a plain photo of the basic blue photo viewer. The second is of her Grandparents IN the photo viewer.  

Sue told me that when she misses her loved one, she takes out her viewfinder and looks and sees them there and it’s almost like they’re standing next to her. 

When I was a kid my Grandma would vacation on some sun-soaked island and bring back a bag full of stuff for my sister and I to keep: shampoos, conditioners, lotions and sprays - extras from luxury hotels but mostly printed with the words, “Hilton”; colorful necklaces with seashells or parrots, screen-printed tee-shirts, maybe a magnet or a keychain.  We EACH got one of those swag bags.

What we were forced to “split” was the “viewfinder”. Lots of “It’s my turn” could be heard on the car ride back from Franklin Square as tiny fingers grabbed.  The little head would dart in “this” and “that” direction as blinking lashes hit the eyehole, trying to get as close as possible to the image. 

Before Sue came for our session, I was on a mission which ended up being a complete waste…but not completely.

I strolled into one of Sayville’s Spiritual healing shops and I decide that I need a to breath in the patchouli-laden air. I walked through a sea of crystals of every color including two of my favorites moonstone, tiger’s eye. There were beautiful rosequartz shaped hearts, raw jagged amethyst, chunks of garnet and lapis lazuli.

 Then I neared a garden of little white-painted budha.  I thought of giving one to my grandma on Saturday because she LOVES BUDHA.   I picked him up and saw the price - $16.95 which is I believe is not what I wanted to spend on that item. 

I saw a necklace hanging it was red with an orange/yellow tint. I forget the name of the stone but I know that it’s a stone of protection.  It had two charms on it, a little white elephant and a silver knot. Aside from the main color scheme there are also a few  white then a foursome of multi-colored beads – I’m told those are all for protection and strength.

I plan to give this little gift to my grandma when I see her on Saturday.  Since I don’t have any more of my “viewfinders” I’m going to ask my grandmother for a couple of them. 

I’ve thought about it, when you are shutting your eyes and your mind and concentrating on just that little tiny photo in front of you I’ll bet that it feels like the person inside that viewfinder is right next to you.

Once again I’m reminded that I am very lucky that I don’t need a viewfinder to feel like my grandmother is here.  I plan to give her the necklace and have a great day.  The necklace will give her protection and strength for when she gets home. 

Easter Bunny Fun

This Was the first year Annabella was able to really appreciate who the Easter Bunny is and what gifts he/she comes with.  She was really excited (I think pre-school was hyping her up).  My mom ordered about a dozen books about Easter two weeks before Easter Sunday and we read a book whenever we got a chance.  Annabella pretty much likes a unique story from Mommy to go to sleep to every night so we would read an Easter book and then its back to Mommy's story about "cupcakes" and "Abby".
I wanted to give everyone a look at Annabella's Easter Basket and the process of doing the eggs.  We just bought the little packets from the store.  Lots of fun!!

Detroit Man who walks 8-hours draws comparisons to LIers who face similar transportation issues

This morning I was struck by the story of James Robertson – a 56-year-old Detroit man who walks nearly eight hours a day to get to his job at a factory 23 miles from home.  Mr Robertson has been without a car for nearly decade, making his dedication as admirable as his stamina.  He only accepts a ride when the weather is bad.

But what happens to people like Mr Robertson when the bad weather has cleared and all that remains are piles and piles of snow covered in ice? The same exact thing that happens to Long Islanders without vehicles: they are forced to climb mountains and dodge bullets.

Not literally – but still just as dramatic.

To understand what I mean, check out your neighborhood after a storm (we just had one so you have plenty of material to work with right now). Look at the sidewalks on major roadways and the sidewalks on residential blocks and don’t forget the sidewalks that lead to elementary, middle and high schools. (After all, our school-aged children account for a big chunk of the Island’s car-less).

What do these pathways have in common? They no longer exist.  These pathways are now covered in snow and ice. 

Now imagine navigating through that mess of un-shoveled sidewalks. You look ahead at the snow beneath you and it’s marked with the deep footprints of the people before you who walked from sidewalk to street to sidewalk again in an effort to find the least dangerous route. You choose to take a path of your own and your feet sink into the snow so you raise your knees to your gut with each step. Pair that confusion with speeding cars and the knowledge that at any minute one of those cars could lose control on a patch of black ice and ram right into you and there’s no car to protect you from the hit.

Many people, including Mr Robertson rely on their feet as well as public transportation to get where they need to go. So for that matter, take a look at our bus stops.  The few bus stops that have been paved of snow are also boxed in by snow, forcing riders to maneuver over hills that are often a foot or two high in order to get inside of the bus once it has stopped. For an able-bodied person this can be done rather easily, albeit with annoyance.  But how do the elderly make their way over these hills?  Or people with disabilities? In truth, it’s really not safe for anyone.

There are many Long Islanders like Mr Robertson who will find any way to get where they need to go. We need to make that journey safer for them.

If people shovel the walkways in front of their homes a lot of the issues with navigation can be solved.  The same goes for un-shoveled businesses. Municipalities who aren’t doing their share of the shoveling need to get with the program because there are too many people who rely on you – you need to take that seriously. 

We can work together to make Long Island a better place for everyone. 

5 People CHALLENGE

A good friend recently shared with me the motto that we are "the average of the five people we spend the most time with". Businessman Jim Rohn coined the motivational phrase in the 1970's and used it to inspire speaker Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield (creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul) just to name a couple of his early disciples.
Rohn is telling us to pursue the people that inspire us! Surround ourselves with the people that have what we want! If we do, maybe a little bit will rub off on us.
He's also warning us against the people that bring us down. 
For me - I've had GREAT friends in this life and I've had friends that have brought me WAY DOWN lower than I even knew was possible. I've also learned so much from the people that have inspired me from afar Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama (just to name two) while I've had to turn my back on celebrities like Lindsay Lohan that don't seem to be doing the right thing. 
Since this motto was created the world has gotten much smaller - the internet is in all (or most) of our homes and the people we identify as having a large role in our life has changed as well.  We are now both an average of the people in our everyday lives (our friends and family) AND of the community at large. I challenge anyone that reads this BLOG POST  to e-mail this post to 5 people that are positive in their life or inspire them to be the BEST "Average" them they can be.  They can be a regular person or a celebrity. 

Comfort Movies: 10 movies that never get old

Instead of grabbing for comfort food when you're down like mac n cheese or doritos, try a comfort movie.  its the same idea as comfort food - reminds you of a better time takes away your despair - except with alot less calories (especially if you skip the extra butter popcorn and Reeses Piece's).

Here are my 10 ultimate comfort movies

1 Braveheart
Everyman dies not everyman really lives

2 Shawshank Redemption
Brooks was here

3 Goodfellas
Do I amuse you?

4) Home Alone
Buzz, your girlfriend.  Woof!

5 Happy Gilmore
The price is wrong

6 Fargo
You went and married Norm Son-of-a-gunnders

7 The Hangover
She has my grandmas Holocaust ring

8 Scarface
Say hello to my little friend

9 Forrest Gump
Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to grt

10 The Godfather

Insert your own favorite quotes as you read and remember just how many times you've seen these movies and laughed, cried and pressed rewind over and over.