Bartender Wars!

This Week On Bartender Wars

Meet Gage, Deborah and Vinnie: the three bartenders battling it out to win the crowd's approval for their scotch drinks and signature cocktails. Then, get the recipes for their tastiest drinks below.

Pick Your Favorite Now

Which bartender should reign supreme? Read the bios below, then vote for your favorite mixologist.

Deborah Harris Gage Cass Vinnie Costa

or View Results

Vinnie Costa (48.65%)

Deborah Harris (42.47%)

Gage Cass (8.88%)

Total Votes: 923 vote again

Vinnie Costa
Bartender, The Duplex

Currently serving up drinks at The Duplex, New York's oldest cabaret, Vinnie has been bartending off and on for 20 years. He's seen it all, from celebrities to cheapskates, and his hilarious stories about life behind the bar are sure to leave you laughing!

Tonight on the Fine Living Channel

10:30-11pm!
Don't miss it

Photo Phriday: Vandalisim!

When I prayed to God for strength, is this what he meant?









I awoke to find my car had been broken into. Brook was as devastated as was I to see our personal property violated in such a way that we were downright distressed.

Called the police, took pictures, gas card stolen, called insurance, called gas card company, got to an auto body shop, left my car, got a rental, for all of this aggravation and "strength" lesson ("what doesn't kill ya, makes ya stronger ") it will cost me $100.00 (my deductible). $100.00 dollars that I have to pay out of my pocket for parking my car on the street like everybody else! Stronger my ass...more like BROKER!

Photo Phriday

Maxi, need I say more? What did you see?

Overheard at the Playground

While dropping off my youngest as school, one of her classmates comes over to say hello. They proceed to run and play while I wait for the morning whistle to blow.

The whistle blows (If you weren't awake, you are now).

Children all hurry to line up with their class to walk quietly into the school.

Daughter: I'll miss you Mommy

Me: Miss you too baby doll

Classmate to me: Is that cat feathers on your shirt?

Me to Classmate: Actually, its fur sweetie pies, we have 4 kitties.

Classmate to me: Oh, I thought they were feathers.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Questionable directions

Why do shampoo bottles still have directions for use on them?
Are we really that stupid a society?

Just sayin'

Photo Phriday: on saturday, shoot me

Sid and Harvey at 4 weeks...



The boy (the black on) is so protective of his sister!

Note their parents ever watching from across the way!

Happiest of Days

21 years ago today at 3:57 pm I gave birth to the most beautiful girl.



I will never forget that day, I did 3 loads of laundry and yelled for my mother once I started to really feel contractions, but I was so intent on finishing the wash that I waited till I was folded and the next load was in the dryer!

We arrive at the doctors office at 10am, sent over to the hospital at 10:30am (after my doctor asked what the hell I was doing here). I was in excruciating pain by 11 am (thanks D...lol). My water broke at 2:30pm and it was abnormal so we had to do an emergency C-Section (we, meaning the good doctors, I was just there).
At 3:57 my angel baby was born and just beautiful. It was one of the happiest days of my life and it feels like only yesterday.

Look at her now, all growed up and legal.

My only advise is not to get drunk, but get all the free booze ya can...its your 21st birthday!
I love you more than words can say, and then some.
I love you to pieces and all together too!
M

Free Money

I love winning!

This past weekend we met up with Hubbies Mom and Brother at the Empire City Casino and Racetrack in Yonkers after our dentist appointments.
We thought it would be fun to have a bite to eat and bet on a few horses while they were here on a day trip with Tommy's social club.

We get to the Casino at around 5pm and find them right away. I must go to the promotions desk first to claim my $5.00 free play voucher that I got for my birthday. That was a plus, my first games played will not cost me one thin dime of my own cash.
Schweet!
We then said our hello's to the group and were deciding where to eat. Cafe, Food Court, Expensive Ala Cart restaurant or Buffet.

The cafe was closed on the weekend, the Ala Cart was not really an option, I voted buffet to deaf ears and it was decided, the food court.
I did hear they had Chinese and my tummy was calling for it all weekend so that was a good choice.
Some said they were going to the food court, but then changed their minds and went to the buffet (I was jealous).

After it was all said and done, and everyone had a full belly, it was time to play.
The horses were starting at 7pm and it was 6:50pm. So no time to play (pouting on the inside), at least not yet.

I honestly did not want to play the horses, I know nothing of odds, if I like a horse's name I play it. Not a very smart way to bet. So I watched and it was rather exciting! Seeing it live and as it is happening right then and there was what made it so much more thrilling to watch.

Hubbie and I stayed to watch the first 2 races then left his mom and brother to their horses and we went down to the casino to play the one arm bandits for a while (jumping up for joy on the inside).

I scope the joint and see what machine calls to me. I wanted to play the Wheel of Fortune machine, but they were all taken. I played the bodega brand Wheel of Cash game (or what ever its called) instead. Inserted my $5.00 free play money, played for about 5 minutes and won $20.10 and cashed out. I wanted to come out even at least and now I am up $20.00!

Hubbie just watched, played a bit, but nothing called to him.

After cashing out the twenty we were on our way out when for some strange reason a Turbo Flame something or other penny machine caught my eye. I had three singles in my pocket (the change from a $5.00 I used earlier to buy my coffee) and said to Hubbie, "just $3.00, OK?" and he told me to sit.
About 4-6 spins later I hit something that looks big, Hubs tells me to cash out and the winnings were $40.80! On a penny machine! So I cash out and run with the extra $61.90 I now have in my pocket! Just in time to put towards Donna's 21'st Birthday present. I wish I could tell you what I am getting, but she reads this so she will just have to wait and thank me later.

So all in all I came out a winner with clean teeth!

Over heard at the playground

When I picked up brook at school the other day I noticed a very red eye and was immediately concerned.
I asked her how it felt and she said it was itchy and it bothered her. I told her we needed to go to the doctor when she said "I better tell her that my eye was making sleep and I wasn't even tired."
She had pink eye.



Out of the mouths of babes.

Welcoming Maxi

When three becomes four.

Meet the newest member of Our Family:

For all of you who know me, I am the crazy cat lady and have had cats for over 22 years now (and that does not include before being on my own). I am so used to four that after Micki's passing it felt as if I were missing something these past few months.

My hubbie calls me one day about a month ago to come and take a look at something at work. He stressed it was NOT a dog (we have been taking about getting a dog for Brook, but I am just not ready for a dog in our apartment).
So I pack up the kids and take a look at what he is talking about.
I was handed a co-workers blackberry with a photo of the most adorable kitty I have ever seen!
She was born August 7th at 1 am and has a brother or sister (that I just wish I could have taken but just couldn't)
I saw her at about a month old. We were hoping for a boy, but then it was too early to tell.
I picked her up on Thursday the 24th and took her to the vet on Sunday. She got only 1 shot and 1 de-wormer treatment because she was too little. We are finishing up the vaccines in a month when she is bigger. We did verify that she was in fact a girl and that it was very rare for a blue eyed orange and white kitty. Long hair to boot! I may have to invest in a new brush for all this hair to come!
What a squeaky fluff she is though, she cries to be pet and when she is looking for attention. And she is such a pleasure to have around. She is already litter trained and the other three are finally tolerating her! I think they can sense that she is not going anywhere.
I cannot stop looking at her and playing with her and just loving her. Please help me welcome my newest baby!

How do your reading habits stack up?

Stolen from my brother's (www.vinniecosta.com) blog, I took the challenge and lost to him by a mere 3 books read. I am sure that I totally beat him in reality because I actually read the WHOLE series of Harry Potter books and The Dark materials saga, so ha!

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books listed here. How do your reading habits stack up?

I read 50 out of 100, some were read a really long time ago (like the classics in HS) but Audrey Niffeneggers "The Time Travelers Wife" was fairy recent for me, so...I wonder also how the list was compiled.

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen [X]
2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien []
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte [X]
4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling [X]
5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee [X]
6 The Bible – [X]
7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte [X]
8 1984 – George Orwel [X]
9 Philip Pullman His Dark Materials Series- [X]
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens []

Running Total: 8/10

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott [X]
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy []
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller []
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare – [/]
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier []
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien [X]
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk []
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger [X]
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger [X]
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot []

Running Total: 13

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell [X]
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald [X]
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens [X]
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy [ ]
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams [X]
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh []
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky []
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck [X]
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll [X]
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame [X]

Running Total: 20

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy []
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens [X]
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis [x]
34 Emma-Jane Austen []
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen []
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe [X]
37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hossein []
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieresx []
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden [X]
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne [X]

Running Total: 25

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell [X]
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown [X]
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez []
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving []
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins []
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery []
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy []
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood [X]
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding [X]
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan []

Running Total: 29

51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel [X]
52 Dune – Frank Herbert []
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons []
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen [X]
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth []
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon []
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens [X]
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley [X]
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night – Mark Haddon []
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez []

Running Total: 33

61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck [X]
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov [X]
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt []
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold []
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas [X]
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac []
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy []
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding []
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie []
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville [X]

Running Total: 37

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens [X]
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker [X]
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett []
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson []
75 Ulysses – James Joyce [X]
76 The Inferno – Dante [X]
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome []
78 Germinal – Emile Zola []
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackery []

Running Total: 41

80 Possession – AS Byatt []
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens [X]
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell []
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker [X]
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro []
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert []
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry []
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White [X]
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom []
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [X]
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton []

Running Total: 45

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad []
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery [X]
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks []
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams [X]
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole []
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute []
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas [X]
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare [X]
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl [X]
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo []

Total: 50/100

Photo Phriday: Sid and Harvey

I know you remember my Pidge and Pudge, well meet Sid and Harvey...



1 week old



Two weeks old


Born 2 weeks ago under my couch on my terrace. I created a home for them and as soon as they are ready to fly I am getting an owl (fake of course, I am tired of cleaning up bird poo)!
What did you see?

Savant Spot: The Time Traveler's Wife

Brilliant, unique, sexy.
It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was hooked from the first 5 pages in! Its a little bit Sci Fi, little bit drama, little bit love story...my kind of mix!

Only in NYC

Do you get bombarded by nice Jewish girls throwing cards and honey sticks at you on your way to work?
No?
How about seeing one of these on your block...



No?

A giant motorized kosher supermarket cart.
Well, now you have seen it all baby!

Take Two...

I thought it was over.
I washed, scraped and scrubbed my terrace and just when I thought I was done:



Please welcome Sid and Harvey to the world!

Anthony was pulling the rug out to throw away for me (due to all the pigeon poop on it) so I could get the terrace power washed before the cold weather rolls in (so I wouldn't have to try to remove frozen pigeon poop!)
When he found two more babies!
Well, I am honored?
I feel bad for them and don't want them to die so...
I made a coop for them




and when Anthony gets home from work we are going to put the rest of the rug and the babies in there so they are contained to one spot.
I have gotten smarter when it comes to pigeon keeping.

When these two fly the coop (like Pidge and Pudge did) I am getting an owl, not a real one, one of those wooden ones to keep the pigeons away for good. It is not that I dislike them, I dislike the clean up after them...dirty birdies that they are.

Photo Phriday

Photo Phriday

Pidge and Pudge (my baby pigeons) have flown the nest and I finally have my terrace back, but they have not flown so far...
Eddie keeps a watchful eye over them on a daily basis, good boy Eddie...

On September 4th

My handsome, talented, spectacular brother Vinnie was born!



Happy Birthday Vin, I love ya too much!

Vin's Childhood Prediction

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away (our childhood) my brother Vinnie (vinniecosta.com) predicted that he would be the "famous one" and I would be the "rich one" when we "grow up"...
Does anyone ever really grow up?

I truly am rich, but not the monetary way by any means (hopefully to change real soon!)
and technically my brother is famous (5 Takes Latin America) seen on the Travel Channel & Bartender Wars (can be seen on the Fine Living Channel) on Cable TV.

I got an email from the president of the NRAA to email all the members about an upcoming Collage show in New Rochelle. I sent it out and thought about submitting my recent work to see if this is what they were looking for.
I email the curator of the Backstreet Gallery (as instructed) with a JPG of any collage themed piece and hope to hear from him.
I didn't hear back from him, however, I hear back from Jonathan Talbot (http://www.talbot1.com/), the curator of the "Bits and Pieces" Collage show.
He was very interested in the piece I originally submitted and wanted to know if I had more. I actually was working on two other pieces that very day and finished them both.
I was told to email the others when they were done and he would get back to me and also how many post cards would I be needing, totally free (except postage)!
I email him and am waiting to hear back.

Wow, I think, I was just invited to be in the Bits and Pieces Collage Show (in October).

If I make it in, you dear readers will be getting a post card from me with all the details.
Wish me luck.
This is what I submitted:


Docked



My New York


Seaside

All are for sale for $200.00 each or $500.00 for the three.

So does that mean I could become the Rich AND Famous one? Thanks Vin, your prediction is finally coming true!

Train Tuesday

Another hot day was predicted today and the train car I entered was like a refrigerator walk in box, not that I am complaining at all...but it wasn't the heat of the day yet, it was 8:15am! I am praying now that it will be this way when I catch my train home.
No such luck...I was on the train to hell!
Not only was every other car a "hot car", the conductor evidently just got his train license. I, of course, get in a hot car (being punished for even thinking it was too cold this morning) and about 45 seconds after departure the train comes to an abrupt stop.
Then, off we go again...then 30 seconds later another abrupt stop. Not only is this car I am in a hot car, but packed with commuters hovering over me and almost knocking into me and my hot coffee!
WTH?
Did I mention that I was in a single seat? It was one near the door where the ticket collector used to be able to sit. I love this seat because it is roomy, but not this evening! Since it was so packed there were people standing all over the car itself and me. I had a nice view of the crotchial area of the gentleman standing in front of me, as well as his BO...It was a brutal day after all.
We are passing 125th street now and low and behold, the train abruptly stops 5 minutes after passing said station stop. It was a rough and tumble bumpy ride the whole rest of the way and I was, quite frankly, a bit nervous, but I continued to read (The Time Travelers Wife, brilliant, so far) to keep my mind off the ride to hell.
Now, could things get any worse?
Yeah, much... I am told at the station before mine that the 2 head cars will not open at my stop...Nice of them to give us some advance notice.
So I had to get up, put my book away, pick up my coffee and walk down 2 cars (I was in the head car, of course).
I then get a phone call from my oldest telling me that a french fry is burning in the oven and what should she do, as I am walking through a crowded train with hot coffee and now a cell phone to my ear...
First I told her to shut off the oven (duh), try to fish out the flaming fry with a glove on and tongs, if it was still burning, get a cup of water and throw it directly in the oven!
Geeze. Twenty somethings...
She tells me that it just put it self out and she took the fries out of the oven and she wasn't going near it again!
Emergency diverted.
Finally home and off to an almost burned down house!
Something to look forward to, since I have truly arrived in HELL!

Photo Phriday: Pidge and Pudge

My babies are growing up! Not sure when they will be ready to leave the (terrace) nest, but they were both stretching their wings before settling in to their very comfortable position below.



Aren't they just gorgeous!

Train Tuesday: A/C issues

Now that summer has finally arrived, rather the humidity of summer, it is refreshing to know that all public transportation has A/C.
Not on this particular night.
I was running a bit close tonight to catch the 5:59pm but I made it with minutes to spare (thank goodness).
It was actually cooler OUTSIDE!
The tunnel to the train almost knocked me over being as hot as it was in there. I thought I would suffocate!
I wasn't expecting the train to feel the same way, but it did. Dripping now, I get on the train looking for a seat.
The A/C in the car I chose was not working properly but there was some air breezing through. Not enough for me, after running to catch said train, only to drip dry in the car. The only saving grace was that no one sat next to me in a 5 seater except one brave fellow (probably because no one could even sit in this car because it was so hot).
I suffered home, finished my book (which was fabulous) and by Mt. Vernon station, the Air kicked on.
Right in time, I am off in 2 stops...
I guess this is why the fare hike? Fewer train cars, no A/C till the ride is almost over, fewer trains...
Thanks recession.
Something's got to give.

What is that smell?

I was sitting on my terrace last week when a warm breeze wafted a pungent aroma my way. I looked at the trash basket and it looked clean enough, but I took it out anyway, thinking the dead smell must have been coming from that.
A few days after (clean trash basket) I still smelled something acrid.
Since quitting smoking almost 2 1/2 years ago,my senses have heightened 100 fold. It is a wonderful thing as well as a curse because I never knew that, for example, Grand Central Terminal smelled like a urinal.
I asked my husband if he sees anything while we were sitting outside chatting. He moved a few things around and saw nothing (it was 10 pm when I asked so I wasn't expecting anything).

The next day a went to water my terrace plants when I see a pigeon casually walking from under my table and then fly to my A/C.
Okay.
Lots of pigeons hang out here.
The next morning I wake up to a squeaking sound. It sounds almost like my dear friends dog's squeaky ball toy that she often plays with.
I wanted to throw that ball out the window! I go outside and see if Micky (the dog) is playing with her ball on the window. I see Micky, but she has no toy in her mouth but she is avidly looking up at my terrace. I then move the trash basket, move the cooler, move the table cloth up so I can see under it and this is what I saw:



So now I know where the smell came from and when I thought that it smelled like something died on my terrace, I was mistaken, LIFE was on my terrace, and it sure does stink!

I gave Momma Pidge a plate of bread and water. Time for me to google what pigeons feed their young and get me some.
I am truly honored that for the 20 years I am living here, on 3 different occasions, birds have nested on my terrace, whether it be in my plants or directly on it.
I feel like mother nature.

Train Tuesday:Train Cars

I know I mentioned this in a previous post, that the "even" numbered cars have no bathrooms and are generally cleaner smelling than the "odd" numbered cars by far.
What I also noticed was that some train cars have gotten a "seat" upgrade.
New pleather!
Not that I didn't love the shiny pleather red and blue seats of yore, the new matte pleather seating is much more comfortable and less slide-off proof!
What a pleasure it is to get onto one of these trains.
Today was my lucky day!
As if the commute couldn't get any better, I got myself a one seater on a so-quiet-you-could-hear-a-pin-drop car as well. Perfect readers commute. Too bad it only lasted for 30 minutes.

On volunteering

Volunteering is nice and all, but it could turn into a part time job!
I am the secretary of the New Rochelle Art Association and there is a lot going on.
We have the 94th Annual Juried Art Show in September, the show in Chelsea (more info to follow when it is closer to the date) in November and other assorted duties that I am involved in.
I have, so far, created an email/phone list for all the members who are going to be involved in the Chelsea show, called the members who have no email, responded to various emails and am trying to launch my own photography business!
This is by far the busiest I have been all summer, hence the reason for so few blogs, I have just no time left!

Train Tuesday: Observing

Sometimes I miss the early train due to the bus. If my bus is early, then I can catch the 8:15am train, when it is a mere 3 minutes late, I have to wait for the 8:37am train.
This was the case today, so I took this opportunity to people watch. I sat with my book and spied my surroundings.
Man with coffee and the Times.
Woman with bottled water and People Magazine.
Woman and child in stroller amusing said child with a stuffed doll.
Pretty boring stuff.
I decided to start reading, when all of a sudden...
"The 8:37 train to Grand Central is running 5-10 minutes late due to an electrical issue, again, the 8:37 train to ..."
Why do I even bother to leave early?

Photo Phriday: Hair

My hair!
Got it cut today (finally).
What did you see?

Photo Phriday

Today is Josie's Birthday!

Happy 5th to my beautiful Goddaughter!

Photo Phriday

The "Dated and Old Edition"

While doing a little housework, I came across my old Playbills and Concert and Show Programs and wedged in between them were these:

My first B & W "Bench" photo circa 1985, Mom and Dad's Backyard:



And my brother Vinnie's (www.vinniecosta.com) very first resume:





What did you see?

July 15, 2009

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince opens today.
Donna already saw it at midnight, so it was anticlimactic when I took her at 2 pm.

Here is my take on the movie:

If you didn't read the book, you may be a bit confused as to what is actually going on. Some parts were totally right on but others (like the very beginning) were totally made up and never actually happened in the book.
The parts with Dumbledore are far too few and left for the viewer to "figure out" what the heck is going on in crucial parts of the story...it jumped so much that I even second guessed myself.
The Potter crew is all grown up and are finding themselves, so to speak. It is very touching and predictable ( remember, I read the books already), it is nice to see it on screen.
There was a bit of darkness, but not nearly enough darkness. The added scenes really didn't have anything to do with the plot of the story and were a waste of film if you ask me for example, when the Death Eaters visit the Weasley's. Maybe more focus on the "Half Blood Prince" and "memories", less on "snogging" would have made for a more cohesive story.
I did enjoy the movie for what it was though, the movie.
Read the book if you haven't already.

Just wanted to share!

Train Tuesday

Just an observation, but did you ever run for the train, on one of the hottest days of the year and get into a car that has no A/C AND has a lavatory in it? It can be quite uncomfortable. The A/C usually does kick in, but the lavatory smell kicks in as well...P U.

Well, no more I tell you! Suffer no more!

I have learned (albeit, about 2 years ago) that the ODD numbered cars have lavatories in them and even numbered cars do not (and usually smell much fresher, for a train car).
So the next time you are running for that train, remember...EVEN, unless you have to go.

This is for Metro North RR, do not quote me on subway cars, do they even have lavatories on them? I have never seen one, but I could be wrong.

Happy rails!

It is almost official

I will be advertising myself very soon on Craig's list and getting cards made up.

For: The newest Freelance Photographer for hire!
"CMC Photography"

I will have more deets ASAP!
You all (my 3 readers) will be getting my business cards to distribute and I will be traveling the Tri-State area (travel is included in my contract)!

Wish me luck!

The adventure is beginning now!

I am available for Anniversaries, Parties, Graduations, Communions, Kids Parties...If your event needs photographing, I am your girl!

Anyone have suggestions on how to get the word out, other than legwork, word of mouth and Craig's List?

Would love to hear your opinions.

Happy Fourth of July all!

I am working today until 5pm, so I will be home in time for the fireworks! This year, no travelling to see them, its too the roof we go.
We see all the great shows all around us, the only problem is, where to look first!
Enjoy the day, be safe and well dear readers.

Photo Phriday

Walking down 5th Avenue at 46th Street (on my way to DD), NYC

An Old Priest and a New Priest may be needed

When I came home from a beautiful weekend in Rhode Island, I needed to make a few maintenance phone calls.
The first one was to an orthopedist for my knee. I kind of popped it out last Wednesday while cleaning (dummy) and got an appointment for July 27th! Yeah, July 27th. That was the first available appointment so I took it. It actually feels better now, but I know me and my body...feeling better does not necessarily mean is better.
The next phone call was to NR Chevy. The steering wheel was shaking on its own as if it wanted to drive itself.
It started doing this last week and I put air in the tires and wanted to check the power steering fluid but couldn't find the stick. I found out on Monday that I do not have power steering fluid, that it is all electronic, no wonder why I couldn't find it!
I dropped off the car on Monday and got a call telling me that the steering column needed to be replaced. OK great, it is all under warranty, so I do not worry. While it was there waiting for a part, I asked it they could look at the key's remote start and change the windshield wipers. No problem, it is all covered. It should be! The car is 1 1/2 yrs old and has 10,085 miles!
I call on Tuesday to check how its going. At 4:50pm I was told the steering was fixed but they needed more time with the key and if they could keep it one more day. All right, I have no where to go and nothing to do...yet.
I sleep well, knowing my car will be like new in the afternoon and am happy it isn't costing me a dime.
Today, I call Chevy and ask how its going. I am told that they were still working on the steering, that it was making a scratching noise and that the "clock spring" needed to be replaced. What the heck was that? Whatever, these new cars are a mystery to me. I was told later on that some of these new cars need software updates...what? I need to get an upgrade with an oil change?
I am assured that it will be ready before 3pm.
Donna, Brook and myself then leave the house for the playground for a bit while we wait to hear back.
I got a call at 2pm telling me that it is ready to pick up, yea!
I get to the dealership and get the paperwork, sign and drive away.
As soon as I got in the car the steering wheel started to steer itself...again. This was tested and fixed? It felt worse than when I left it there on Monday!
I call Mark (yes, we are on a first name basis now) and tell him that not only did the steering wheel move on its own, but it kept on shaking when I turned OFF the car!
He tells me it must be possessed and an exorcism is in order! We discussed our options and we came to an agreement, we needed an Old Priest and a New Priest. But seriously, he offered me a rental because I needed a car tomorrow to babysit for my sisters kids so she could go on an interview.
I agreed and drove back to Chevy to drop off the car, again, and went to Enterprise for my rental (on Chevy, no wonder why they needed government help). I really wanted to try a PT Cruiser, but Chevy only pays for Chevy. Makes sense. They don't want you to fall in love with another companies car now. So I am offered the Aveo or the Cobalt. Both too small and not even comparable to my Malibu. Then the agent says, I have an HHR. HHR? I never even heard of this Chevy make before today.
I loved it when I saw it! I want it I say...wrap it up.
Good thing Chevy was paying for this because the whole process took 1 1/2 hrs to finalize!
1/2 hour at the dealership and 1 hour at Enterprise. Thankfully Brook was with Pipa and Grammy, she would have been complaining the entire time!
I may have even gotten Donna a summer job there! Washing cars...hey, not the most attractive job, but a job none the less. We'll see.
This is the HHR, if you were wondering:





I like it!

Pray for me and my Malibu, that it gets fixed once and for all.

Train Tuesday

Today was the day that I actually found out how much the fares for the Metro North RR went up.

First, I was lucky enough that I had an extra quarter this morning for the bus (this went up from $2.00 to $2.25). Not a terrible increase when gas prices here in New Rochelle range from $2.89-$2.97 for regular unleaded.

I got to the station and checked out the new prices and they only went up $1.00 each way, I shouldn't say only. Instead of $15.50 round trip, I will be forking over $17.00. So my commute is costing me close to $20.00 bucks (with the bus and the train together).

Thankfully, I only work on Train Tuesday in NYC.

I will be looking for another job soon if Donna doesn't get one. In this economy, I cannot afford to stay home anymore . Donna's job will be to watch her sister and go to Camp Cathy and I (say a prayer) will be looking for a full time job. Enough of this part time, 2 days a week crap!
Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I do not love being broke all the time!

Better late than never...

June 23rd, 2009 was my cousin Carolyn's 40th birthday!
Happy Birthday...again.
As I always do (thanks to the internet and Facebook) I wished my cuz a Happy Birthday to her, I actually sang it (if you know the tune, feel free to sing along).
I didn't get to her party because Brook had 3 activities the same day (one got canceled due to rain, but she did have 3 events). My other cousin Debbie (who I work with in NYC) comes to me two Tuesday's ago and asks me if I would like to come to Newport RI with her to celebrate Carolyn's 40th. No brainer there, hell yeah I wanna go!
So I didn't feel so bad about missing her party!
Not only did we have a great time this weekend, I got a good workout.
We went on the famous Cliffwalk and are my limbs rubbery!
This is a little of what I saw, since my favorite cousins both left me in their dust (I am a slow poke, but they are seasoned runners, very unlike myself).

I did 6 miles the first day there and 2 miles the 2nd day there.
I got some great shots of the flora, the walk and the beautiful mansions.
The second day there, Carolyn's 6 girlfriends came to spend the night and party with the birthday girl and I have to say, she is a very lucky gal to have so many great girls in her life!
All of them were a laugh a minute and we had some great food, great alcohol and great convo.

Thanks Deb for inviting me and Thanks to the birthday girl for having me along for the adventure!
Glad to have shared it with you all!

Photo Phriday: Newport Edition

On the cliff walk (that I survived) there was a tunnel that fascinated me and was a great photo op!

What did you see?

Good news and bad news.

Brook update:
We are back from the doctor and good news is, no strep throat! Just a red sore throat. The doctor said it may be viral or just a cold. Whew!

Bad news, she is still banned from school and all activities for 7 days. So basically, its the TV computer and crafts galore this week for us.

More good news, I no longer feel guilty about going away tomorrow. There is really nothing more I could do for Brook that Anthony and Donna cannot handle for 2 days, which makes me feel so much better.

So now I get the well deserved break from a hectic school year between Barnard and Jefferson, a busy Art Association and busy schedule in general!
This is what I call a "Great Escape" if only for the weekend!

This is the end...

The last day of school is tomorrow and I won't even be there, I will be in my cousins car on the way to Newport RhodeIsland!
But enough about that, that isn't what I am writing about. I have a problem, well, not a hard problem, just a problem. Brook says to me at 7:10am that she is hot and burning and her throat hurts. With this swine flu going around I just cannot take any chances.
I have work today, rather, I had work today, I won't be going in but instead I will be calling the pediatrician at 8 am when they open to see if we can get an appointment today. My problem, I have the end of the year teacher gifts, grapes and banana's for tomorrows class party (that I will not be attending, Newport), we have a graduation party for her class at McDonalds at 3 pm (which I have to cancel as well). The problem is I feel guilty for going away now.
I haven't been at the doctor yet, so I have no idea what she has. Anthony will be taking off work tomorrow and Saturday and I will be home Sunday.
So, gentle reader, should I go away or stay home with a sick child with the rest of the family?
I say, Anthony can handle it, but then I say, how could I go?
Help!
I am going in the shower and will update this later. Here's hoping it is nothing and I wont feel so guilty.

Photo Phriday: A week late

On June 12th my baby girl "stepped up" to first grade!
What a wonderful day it was.





What did you see?

Bejeweled Blitzed!

Since being on Facebook (thanks Vin) I have not only reconnected with so many of my friends and classmates, I have found a wonderful new addiction (other than Farm Town, which I will save for another post) called Bejeweled Blitz.




The objective is to score as many points as possible by swapping jewels of varying colors in order to make rows of the same color that consist of three or more. Doing so will remove them from the board as new ones fall to take their place, and should the newly relocated gems line up as three or more to a color, they will be removed as well. The more jewels you remove, the more points you get. You continue to do this until the game ends.

The player is granted one minute to score as many points as possible. That’s about it, but there is some hope as the game is dubbed “beta“ (though so many Facebook titles have that tagged on them it seems to have lost its meaning, because it almost never goes away) and the one minute game is classified as the “current tournament,” suggesting new game play options may come along. As for social features, the game doesn’t use anything particularly new. Scoring more points earns you a few badges to show off in your Facebook profile, and like most social game games, when you play, your score is compared to that of your friends. This is where the addiction comes to play. You are always trying to "one up" your BFF's! Some scores are so ridiculous that I cannot fathom how in Gods name they even got those high scores. I think my highest was 94,500 points and that was a blast to get! So exciting to see all the jewels cascade, fall and burst into nothingness except high scores.

This makes for some exceedingly simple game play and a fun way to pass a few minutes (that lead into hours). The higher this score the better prizes you are eligible to win.

I have yet to hear of anyone winning anything yet, but I am hopeful it is myself or one of my friends so I can brag about it.

Today though, as I was getting ready to play a few minutes, I got this message when I went to sign in:

SO MANY GEMS, SO FEW SERVERS!

WITH YOUR HELP, BEJEWELED BLITZ HAS GROWN SO POPULAR THAT OUR SERVERS ARE BEGINNING TO BUCKLE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF MILLIONS OF FALLING GEMS.

THE SITE WILL BE OFFLINE FOR A WHILE TODAY WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR SERVERS TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY BEJEWELED BLITZ FOR MANY MORE HOURS, ONE MINUTE AT A TIME. WHILE WE'RE DOWN, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SNEAK IN A FEW UPGRADES WE THINK YOU'LL ENJOY!

PLEASE CHECK BACK LATER TODAY FOR YOUR DAILY DOSE OF BEJEWELED BLITZ.

-THE BEJEWELED BLITZ TEAM

What to do, what to do?
The last time I checked back "later" it was at 11pm.
I guess I am not Blitzing tonight! I wonder if everyone got this message?
I certainly hope so!