T minus 1 day

Wow. Got back to NYC yesterday and have been running around like a mad woman. CANNOT believe that I leave for Napa at 5am tomorrow. So much to get done before then. All my guests are very excited as am I. Had a wonderful time in Atlanta. Mary Rowe is a little person and talks up a storm now- too cute. Rain in Gotham. Love to all.

Hi All

Wow Lizzie, you look great. Sounds like you had a fantastic week in Chicago. Lydia, I can't believe your life. You just go from one vacation to the next! Quite the summer. Justin started law school last Wednesday so we're going through some adjustments in the Shaw/Buell house. So far he's really loving it and I'm reading a bunch more while he studies. I've read two books since Wednesday! I bought some rollerblades and have been going to Golden Gate Park. The first day I tried to skate around my neighborhood, which was a disaster. You can't really skate in my neighborhood. Too many hills!! You either go 2 mph or 30! Pretty scary. I got my first solor interior design job. It's a friend of Justin's. I stopped by his place on Sunday and woh do I have work to do. All I'm going to say is he has a blue leather recliner couch. That should say it all. Nothing new is going on other than that. We had to go to another wedding this weekend - Justin's aunt, which was actually super cute - two 70 year olds getting married. Love everybody.

I am back

Hello everyone. I am so sorry to be off the blog for so long. I have been in the mountains for a week without internet access. Had a great time with Anna, Steve and their kids in Blowing Rock, NC. The weather was amazing. We went to the Tweetsy Railroad where the kids rode the train and cowboys and Indians jumped on and proceeded to have a shootout. Baker about died! I did a very un-pc thing and bought both kids cap guns there. I guess if they both become gansta's, it will be my fault. We also went to Grandfather Mountain and hiked and walked the swinging bridge. It is a suspended bridge 1 mile in the air that sways. Very scary, but fun. The kids loved it. Baker is quite the rock climber too. Mom comes tomorrow and Lizzy on Thursday. Still hoping that Michael can get a reasonable ticket to join the fun. Mom is going to Yoga with me on Friday. I think she will like it. The kids start school in a week and a half and are more than ready for it. Can't believe that Baker starts Kindergarten next year. Scary. Lizzy, love the pictures. You have lost weight and look great.

Tennis hos and golf pros

What a weekend in Chicago! The costume party was a blast and I won best dressed girl. Beautiful weather. Boated, found a new apartments, saw old friends, blah, blah. Warming up in the kitchen all week for the cook-off Saturday. More pics to come. Where is everyone!?!

Well, here are some pics. They are not very good, but it's all I have for now. The guy I am walking with is Cassidy. He was the groomsman I was partnered with and is Park's good friend from Boston. Upper left is a pic with old high school friends, Friedman and Joanna Galler. Can you believe the weather at the wedding? Blue sky.

Jam-Packed

Whew, do I gave a week planned. Perry is coming here this week with his girlfriend to look for a place and we are going to a concert in Central Park on Thursday. A friend's birthday on Wednesday night. We are going to watch A River Runs Through It on the Hudson river outdoor amphitheatre. My boss, Sean, is here this week and I have dinners tonight and tomorrow at some spots I have been dying to try out. Off to Chicago on Friday (the airport is sure to suck) and am really excited to find a new place. I have a 9:30 am appointment with a broker. After that, is my costume party at 5pm. I bought the cutest polo tennis dress and am going to do my hair Farah Fawcett style with a striped headband. Mr. Best Man is coming to the costume party with his brother which means I's be stavin' myself this week to squeeze my hiney in that tennis skirt! Countdown to Napa has begun and the troops are excited. Magoo, will you be joining in on the fun? Best to Lyd as she is off on her N.C. adventure.

Update

So cute Lucille. Her room look turned out so shabby chic because of the bed and chest that I got at Lakewood and the soft stripes, that I think I am going to stick with the pretty white bedding i got with the shabby chic pillow etc. I would however, love the t-shirt!!!! As for Clark and Lucy. I do not think I am in the wedding. Mom made it seem like we weren't in the wedding because there were 3 of us and it would take up the whole wedding party for Lucy. Plus, Clark asked Chaz a few weeks ago and hasn't said anything to me. I would love to be, but don't think so. Have had a great week this week. I have being going to Yoga Mon, Wed and Fridays and really loving it. The Dills are here right now which is heaven. We are going to the Aquarium this afternoon, finally. Tomorrow, Martha, Mary Rowe and I are going to Lakewood to see if I can find a side table for MR's room. Lakewood is the monthly antique show in Atl. by the way. It is for trade only on Thursday, but the masses can come in for the weekend if you pay. Amazing stuff. 7 buildings of wonderful things. Dill is making a major dinner tomorrow night. Then on Sunday, I am going to Church with Martha and the kids and then Dill and David are making a big brunch. Finally, on Monday, I am going with Anna and the kids to her parents house in the mountains for a week. Dill and Steve will meet us up there for weekend. It will be so nice to cool down for a week. Bruce Hornsby was great on Wednesday. Very fun. It is an outdoor small venue so it was a perfect place. Dill made an amazing dinner so it was nice to eat a great dinner and listen to music. Lizzy, glad you are so well. Lucille, congrats on the grades. How did you do in the class with the crazy teacher? The one you had the come to jesus with? Love to all.

Here is an even better pic Lyd...
http://www.malabar.co.uk/largeimages.php?category_id=10&product_id=3079

http://www.malabar.co.uk/largeimages.php?category_id=10&product_id=3082

Wow Lizzie. Life is sounding pretty fantastic! Not too rough huh? So glad to hear it. I can't wait for your Napa weekend, should be a blast. I met up with Clark & Lucy last night at a Blue's Bar. Lucy looks great. Aparently, girls, we are supposed to get measured - pronto. So I am going to try to get to that this weekend. I am sipping champagne as we speak because I just got my grades for my two design classes and so far I'm a strait A student, so I'm thrilled! I'm looking forward to this weekend. We are going abalone diving down in Mendacino and then everybody is coming back to our place for an abalone cookout. I wish I had some of Lizzie and Dill's cooking skills, because I have no idea how to cook abalone. Any suggestions?? Speaking of Dill, I saw this great shirt yesterday that said, "What's the Dill Pickle" and it had this super cute print of dill on it. If you want it Lyd, I'll buy it for you. It's so cute and it's a great shape.
Lyd, here is the website that has a picture of the fabric I thought would be cute for MaryRowe since she loves purses so much.
http://www.malabar.co.uk/product_details.php?pattern_book_code=EMBRKNDWLD&patternbook_id=2951&category_id=10&product_id=3079&pid=7
and this one is so cute for Baker, the color is not as much yellow as it is cafe au lait.
http://www.malabar.co.uk/product_details.php?pattern_book_code=EMBRKNDWLD&patternbook_id=2951&category_id=10&product_id=3082&pid=7
Anyhoo. The fabric is ~ 120/yd so it's a little pricey, but maybe you could just do a decorative pillow on the bed or on a chair if there is one in the room and you could sew it yourself to save a little cha ching.
I hope everybody has a great weekend. I'm hoping to get some good pics from abalone diving that I'll post. Lots of love! L

Ain't Life Grand

Well, it's official: I am pumped to move back to Chi-town and the fun starts immediately. Next weekend I go to find a place and I am going to a "Tennis Hos and Golf Pros" costume party and the Cubs/ Cards game. Yeeehaaa. All my friends are fired up and I think I am going to call this guy I met at Fisher's wedding to see if he wants to meet up. Atl is around the corner and then I am off to Napa with the crew to cause trouble. It just keeps getting better. Tonight I am going to grab tasty mexican with Sophie Metz and Lindsay Buehler. I saw Lauren Bacall last night at BLT Steak and immediately txt messaged Chaz. This Saturday, Simone and I are going to have a champagne brunch at Pastis and layout by the pool. Things are really starting to shape up!

the time of my life

Well, fisher's wedding was this weekend and I cannot WAIT to post a picture. It was an absolute ball- just a blast! The weather was perfect, I loved my dress, I saw all my college friends, the band at the reception ROCKED, there were fireworks, I danced my behind off and snuggled with the best man. Fish looked gorgeous and everything was just perfect. I have been walking around with a huge smile on my face. In other news, I am slammed at the office and am trying to figure out how and when I can get to Chicago to find a place. Lyd, did you see Iron Chef America? They stole our idea! Dill and I would rock that! Love to all.

Are you there god, it's us, the Dills

Well, It feels like the end of summer officially. We did not wake up and tear out the door to the pool this morning, we went to church. Time to get back into the swing of things. Every time we go I always love it and wish I went more. Kind of like when you are dreading working out and then you do and feel great. Or probably not for you young ones yet, or Mom for that matter, but when you have been super busy or traveling and apart and haven't done "it" for a while and you finally do it and think, "wow this is really fun, I should do this every day"! Moral of the story, great start to my day today, going to church that is!!!

Dill just finished doing the stripes in Mary Rowe's room and they look incredible. I will post a picture later. Lucille, you will love it. We are setting up her bed later today and so she will finally be out of the crib. Feels crazy not to have a baby in the house. No crib, time to have another one. That is no announcement, just a thought.

Lizzy, how was the wedding? Can't wait to hear.

Love to all.

I am definitely a gemini

Well, the other personality of mine came into effect this afternoon. Woh. I had a little word with my "conceptual design" teacher and good lord did he take a beating. I let him have in front of the whole class and it felt SO GOOD. I've had some pent up issues with him and they certainly burst out today. Good thing I only have one class left. Ha. Sometimes I do surprise myself. Don't mess with the Magoo I guess. Thank god it's Friday.

shawbang

Lydia, I think that is a GREAT idea, good for you! I would definetly go to the Palmilla if I had the choice. You are going ot be one hot momma by the time you get to January! I went on a super hot date, wow. This guy is handsome. No juicy details, just a nice dinner and good converstaion. Hope to hear from him when I get back form the Cape. Speaking of, I am on the train now, just passed Providence. Just got word that my nemisis, Janna, will be at the wedding. As much as I would like to be a total bitch to her, I need to be an adult. She is someone I know from high school and man, oh man, does she suck. Counting down the days till i get to Atlanta. Excited about the extra day I picked up.

Well....

Lizzie, how was the date? Safe travels to the wedding today. I know it will be a blast. Excited for your move back to Chicago. Enjoy your remaining 6 weeks in NY. Dill and I are starting a major family health and fitness kick today. The only problem is that I can only do yoga or ride bikes because of my foot. Lizzy, I am joining Weight Watchers on Wednesday. I am doing the weigh in meetings with a friend, but will also have access to online stuff. We are each trying to lose 20 pounds by January and if we do or are on the right path, we are going to Canyon Ranch, sans kids for 5 days or to Palmilla in Cabo. Trying to decide. Wish me luck. The Dills are coming in a few days which will be great for me. A nice rest. Dill and I are going to see Bruce Hornsby at our small outdoor dinner ampitheater next week. I have actually seen him twice already. Once years ago I even saw him when he sat in to play keyboard at a Dead Show. I am sure this will be a very different experience and concert than that!!! Love to all. Chaz, any house news?

Hot date with a Brit

Well, I have a date tonight with a guy that I met two weeks ago through my friend Andy. His name is Wayne and he is from London and just moved here. We have been trying to get together but both have been traveling. He is moving to the west village so I have offered to pick a place or two in the area to show him around. The fun begins at 7. I leave in the morning to go to Cape Cod for Fisher's wedding. My dress is silk so I am certain that I am going to be sweating through that sucker through out the whole ceremony. I had a nice meeting with Sean on Monday and will be returning to Chicago by mid-September and resume working in my old office until we begin this new venture in industrial design. Can't wait. I am SO pumped for the cook-off it's stupid. I think we should film it, write a cover letter and send with a bottle of Howell Mt to some senior marketing execs at food network. You never know what they would think/ do with! Wouldn't be a fun show to have on food network where ordinary people do iron chef at home and one of the iron chefs comes over and is a judge. If I see Batali again at the spotted pig tonight, I'll ask if he'd like to come down south... Love to all!

Hotter than...

Well, we are back and it is miserable! So hot that I don't want to go outside. Had a great trip back. Went straight to Cinncinnati the first night and then home from there. Definately driving again next year. Loved just sitting and knitting while Dill listening to the old Lone Rangers on CD and the kids watched DVDs. That is good new Millenium travelling for you! Miss everyone already. This was one of my favorite Michigan summers. So glad that Luc, Justin and Liz where able to come. Dill and Justin definately have a little Man Crush going on. Thanks for the pictures Luc, they were great. I am getting Mary Rowe's big girl bed set up in the next couple of days so let me know when you get a picture of the purse fabric. Lizzy, can't wait until the cookoff. Great ideas. Mom may come after going to Chicago to visit Oscar and Lucas. Rather fancy to say one of the judges went to Cor de bleu! (sp?) The Dills are coming in a few days for a week and then we leave for the mountains for a week with my friend Anna and her kids. It is a 6 hour drive, but no problem there since she has a shiny new mini van that has evey bell and whistle possible. Kids practically cry when you get to your final destination! I don't want one, but certainly won't turn down the offer to take a road trip in one! Love to all.