Newport With The Girls

Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you enjoyed your weekend.  We had some snow that turned into rain.  Great sleeping weather.

While the girls were home, the Mister and I took them to my favorite town, Newport, Rhode Island.  We ventured out on the day after Christmas and it was not crowded at all.  Guess everyone was at the malls.

We went to a different part of the downtown area that I had never been.  We found some great shops.  

This shop has beautiful things.  Can you see the adorable pooch in the window?  He was so friendly, unlike the miserable sales lady.

My buddy, Mary, tells me that the Tennis Hall of Fame is great fun.  We didn't have a chance to stop in this time, but I look forward to touring it on my next trip.

When ever I see a J. McLaughlin store, I think of my friend, Patricia from PVE Design.  She does beautiful paintings of their stores. 

I have a few pretty scarves from J. McLaughlin, but never thought of framing one.  Love it!

We celebrated #1's birthday a little early since we wouldn't be together for the big day.

To me, nothing tastes better on a cold day than french onion soup.  It did not disappoint.

Celebrating her bday with a few calories.

I think this is where #1 asked her Dad if he would co-sign on a credit card for her. 

This is a great shop, too.

Hopefully, the Mister is going in to buy me a mansion!

Newport has great antique and consignment shops.  I hit the jackpot when I found this needlepoint rug.  I have been looking for a large rug for quite some time for my dining room.  The one we have is too small.  Fortunately for me, there was not a spot on it and showed no wear and tear.  The store owner thought  that it may have been hung on a wall.  Fortunately, for the Mister, he managed to talk the price down!
  

Go Mister!  
More $ for Homegoods!!!  
He doesn't seem to see it that way....

Hope you have a great week!

Chili looking for New Year's treat.

Happy 23rd, #1

Hello dear friends.  Today is my #1's twenty-third birthday.  It doesn't seem possible.  And I still waiting to lose my baby weight!

As many of you know, my # 1 is living in Texas.  She considers it home, since she spent more than half of her life there.  Today's post is dedicated to my #1 girl.   

Happy birthday to my #1 girl

Who's hair could never hold a curl.

But she's got a smile that could light up a room

She makes me happy when I'm caught up in gloom.

And oh how time flies!

Cause for me to shed some tears and some sighs.

Can't believe you're twenty-three

With a real job and bachelorette pad.

Can it be?

Dad and I are so proud

That much is true!

The other thing is that

We love you!

 ******

And now a letter to the birthday girl from her little sister.

Happy Birthday Mere, just wanted to remind you of a few of your more shining moments of your first 23 years… since you may’ve forgotten in your old age.

Remember when it was Halloween night, we were moving, and you were dressed up as a cheerleader? You were making a pyramid in the corner of the room and I thought, “How sweet, she wants to play horsey with me.” So, naturally, I hopped on. Seconds into my ride you bucked me off and I got stitches because of it – dad also got interrogated by the hospital about his parenting methods. Mom was at Homegoods.

Remember when we were sitting in the kitchen, both scarfing down surprise pieces of red velvet cake when you decided it would be fun and playful to stick your finger in my icing? Needless to say, someone ended up with more than just my icing but a boot and broken toe as well.

Remember when we started our own band? We had one hit: Avril Lavigne’s Sk8r Boi. I was the lead singer. We didn’t last long.

Remember when we were the queens of the cul-de-sac and got yelled at for making our own fort? We were trying to contort the branches and in the process deforested the small island in the middle of the street.

Remember when you triple dog dared me to dive head-first into the wave when vacationing in Mexico? Yeah, I did it. And I lost my glasses to the Gulf in the process. Note: I am near legally blind without glasses and they were my only pair. The rest is a bit of a blur.

Remember when you surprised the family with peanut butter balls? You used about 1 ¾ cups of Crisco to make them easier to work with. Our colons still carry those with us to this day.

Remember when we were staying at a hotel and you took control of the remote? Somehow we ended up watching people looking like they were hurting each other. Remember mom walking into the room because she heard moaning and the look on her face when she saw what we were watching? Classic.

Remember when we started our own club? The Cool Cat Club; I was voted President, you were my noble VP. All I remember is fearing assassination.

Remember when you played the flute and practiced it everyday? Yeah, me neither.

Well, the first twenty-three have been real, they’ve been fun, I can even venture to say they’ve been real fun on occasion. Keep setting the world on fire, Mere. I love you more than all these silly words. Let’s "play it by year" and stay "observetant" this 2015. Happy Birthday, Nugget. 

- #2

Happy January "tird" as my #1 used to say!

Beantown with Sista & Co.

Hello dear friends.  Can you believe that it is January 2nd already?  This year is just whipping by.  

As a side note to this post, I received a new camera for Christmas.  I need to eventually read the manual so I can find out why the pictures have a yellow hue.  This is where the Mister and I differ.  He cannot wait to sink his teeth into a juicy owners manual.  I, on the other hand, would rather have a root canal without anesthesia than read one. 

Last weekend, we met my Sista and her family in Boston for dinner.  It was a beautiful mild evening.

We rendezvoused at one of my favorite hotels in the Back Bay area of the city, the Fairmont Copley Plaza.  It has a great bar and the appetizer menu is mouth-watering.  

I positively adore the lobby! 

Three lucky guests of this beautiful hotel.  I complimented the very unfriendly master on how well-behaved her charges were and asked for her secret.  She impatiently rolled her eyes, pursed her lips and said "training."  Hmmm...  Maybe that's what we're missing with Chowdah.

The bar was packed so we sat in my favorite room in the hotel and enjoyed cocktails.

The hotel had a small bar set up right next to the pretty parlor, so we didn't have to waste time or calories getting our drinks.

This is Catie Copley who is one of two residents of the canine persuasion.   Not only is she the ambassador of hospitality, she is an author of two books: Catie Copley's Great Escape and Catie Copley. The hotel celebrates her birthday every year with a frosted dog bone and a cake for hotel guests. 

Catie was a little tired that night.

She probably had a late book signing the previous evening.

#1 enjoying her crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

The Mister donning his new lobstah bowtie.

Nef #1

Nef #2

Sista & Co.

We then strolled over to Lucca for dinner.

The food and wait service were wonderful.

It was an evening full of old stories which the kids have heard a million times and lots of laughter.  What would have made it perfect is if my #2 was with us!

 Cheers!

from the 

Mary Kate and Ashley

of 
2015

Enjoy the weekend!