February 2 (last Saturday) marked one of our favorite holidays of the year…Mardi Gras.I’m not sure why C & I enjoy celebrating this holiday so much (maybe it is the costumes, the beads, the flashers, the craziness or the big parades), but we do.While it was a bummer being away from my Krewe in the STL, we had a great time here anyway.
Being on a grad student/teacher budget, C & I only allow ourselves 1 big party a year, this year we decided it would be Mardi Gras.Unfortunately a 50-foot flatbed trailer would not fit in the apartment (not to mention the elevator), so we had to start from scratch.Any good party requires food drink and decorations, so we went shopping.
This photo only represents some of the items purchased (no decorations and most of the refridgerated items are not pictures).This photo was inspired by the cover of an International Economic Development textbook used at G-town, which features some of the photos shown here.
Anyway, so the party was great.BM came down from NYC with his high school buddy, R, and R’s wife; the lot of us were joined by 30-35 other peeps from the DC metro.Fine times were had, libations were ingested and fun had by all.Make sure you check out the photos from our party below and here.
In a totally fun Tuesday activity, our neighborhood, Clarendon, has a fun, small Mardi Gras parade down one of the area’s main streets.The parade features local businesses that dress up their trucks, mini cooper or small trailers as floats; BATALA, all women’s drum band; a local high school band; and plenty of drag queens (but no flashing is allowed, the parade is G-rated) – check out pics from the parade.Who knows, maybe I’ll convince them to let me have a float in their parade next year.Oh well…
Also, you can check out photos from my Krewe’s float in STL, which should be up soon on the Digger Krewe website.
Have better photos, click the upload photos button in the MG album and upload your own photos.
Michael and I traveled to our nations first capitol, NY for the long weekend in honor of our Presidents!We even visited the Federal Hall where George Washington first held office. For me it was great, because I had just been talking with my students about it!I had no clue that our nations first capitol was even in NY…what did I learn when I was in school???We stayed with Brendan and Chris in their NY apartment, which was much more spacious that I envisioned NY apartments…perhaps I have been misled all of these years or perhaps theirs was just spacious.We arrived Saturday afternoon by bus, the Vamoose actually (my first trip by bus EVER)!Brendan took us around his hood once we arrived, which is in the financial district of Manhattan - very cool.We looked across from Battery Park to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and Governor’s Island.We went into Trinity Church and another Church (I am not good with my Church names).After walking, warming up with tea, resting and playing some Rummy it was time for dinner and drinks.
For dinner we went to a Malaysian restaurant in the middle of Little Italy and Chinatown, afterwards we headed to a Speak Easy Bar called The Back Room or The Back Room (co-owned by Tim Robbins, I just discovered)!The entrance (a toy store) was guarded by a man and not until we asked him where the bar was would he let us in, I think he enjoyed watching us walk in circles for a few minutes.We headed down the stairs, into an “alley” and back up some stairs to where we found The Back Room!We were served in teacups (wine & mixed drinks) & paper bags (beer).It was as if we stepped back in time.The bar was cozy, red and velvety.The music was rockin’ and everyone was having fun.We found a red velvet couch and stools to sit on and we sipped our drinks.My red wine looked like coffee in my tea cup, it was hysterical!
The next morning we woke up, chilled and headed out for brunch with Reno & Crystal (who had also come in for Mardis Gras with B).Brunch was across from The Beatrice Inn where all of the movie stars hang out…so says my People Magazine.Michael actually identified it first and of course I had to have my picture snapped!We also walked around the corner from brunch and got famous cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery (I got a piece of flourless chocolate cake…it was delish)!We shopped a bit with R & C (C and I hit up Anthropolgie while the boys did their own thing) and then M and I headed to the Met where our friend A had left us tickets (she works there).The Met was packed and the modern art exhibit was a bit dreary for our tasting, but we did enjoy the Egyptian exhibit which was quite expansive.The coffins were amazing along with everything else.M and I realized we needed fresh air, so we walked and walked and finally found a place for a little snack that did not cost us each $20, which was quite exciting!We then found Bloomingdales!Yeah!It was huge and the sales were great JAfter shopping (again) we decided it was time to head back to B & C’s were we vegged and picked up our feet for a bit and then headed to dinner at restaurant that was in an old bank vault!It was called the Trinity Place. If you were wondering if it was cool; yes it was.If you are wondering if it was good; yes it was awesome food.
Monday morning B had to go to work, but we went to breaki with C and then to Century 21 (no not the real estate company), it is like a HUGE Marshall’s with designer items, Michael got a suit and I got 2 new pairs of shades…ooh la la!After shopping (we are good at this) we headed back uptown to go to Times Square and grab a bite to eat.We wound up eating at a fast food kosher restaurant that was actually not bad…The Kosher Delight.It was either that or pizza (which neither of us eat) or scary Chinese…I felt like it was a bad omen that no one was in there.
It was time to head back to the bus where we were greeted by Orthodox men with payos!The men collected our money and we were then ready to hit the road.I will not bore you with the bus ride home, all I will say is that the 4 ½ hour bus ride took about 5 ½ hours after some detours and traffic we finally made it home (back to Arlington) grabbed some Chinese food for din and they conked out once we arrived home.Thanks for a fabulous trip B & C, you were wonderful hosts!Next time we look forward in meeting S (C’s girlfriend for those of you that are confused).
The only things that we did not get to do that we wanted to were to go skating at Rockefeller Center (it was raining dangit) and to go to Soho...we will save them for next time! Along with the summer concerts B told us about!
Life has been busy here in VA.M has been busy prepping for and taking his midterms and I have been busy with my fabulous little 4th graders.In another 2 weeks it will be time for Report Cards again, I can not believe it!In the middle of being busy and working hard, last Friday night after I had just finished making some popcorn and getting cozy on the couch to watch “The Waitress” with Kerri Russell, M and I heard a bell ringing.We poked our head out into the hallway to find that the other residents in our building were also poking their heads out their doors...we decide we had better head outside because it is the fire alarm ringing like nonstop.We shuffle down the stairs and head out onto the lawn to find all the other tenants gathered in the parking lot, the sidewalks and patches of grass.We see no flames and smell nothing, we begin chit-chatting and M and I laughed at the fact that this was a great way to meet all of our neighbors.Although our building is friendly, everyone keeps to themselves and we have only met a few people.Twenty minutes later, after four fire trucks arrived we were told we could head inside.Apparently some people having a party on the 5th floor (we live on the 2nd) were making popcorn and it burst into flames on the stovetop...lesson learned do not make popcorn during a party.
Two days later (on Sunday) M was busy studying at the library and I was finishing making some chocolate marshmallow crispies for him when all of a sudden ZAP the power went out.I went about my business for a bit and then realized that the power was not coming back on immediately.I texted M and he said the power flickered at the library, but ½ of the lights came back on.I came to the conclusion that the emergency lights were the ½ that stayed on, because that is what was on in our hallway of our building.I also called my friend T who also lives in Arlington and she said her power also flickered, but came back on.Something weird was happening in A-town.I decide to go for a walk, because there was not much to do in the apartment but grade papers and I was not in the mood.After leaving the building I find that the street lights are also out and people are hanging outside their buildings wondering what was going on and were relieved to hear that they were not the only ones without power.After walking through Courthouse (our hood) to find that the power was out everywhere I made it to Clarendon where there was power.I visited my friend C at Lululemon where she works and then did some other shopping.To M’s relief I came home empty handed.After killing time for nearly 2 hours I headed home to find that the power was back, to this day I am still not sure what happened.All I can say is that it was weird.
The only other exciting thing this week (other than both of us having mystery flu bugs) is that my kindercubs had a performance at the retirement center next to our school today!It was quite exciting.We have two more performances before the season is over!M will hopefully be at the next two since he has missed the 1st two, I will make sure he gets better pictures than I did…they just wiggle so much!Also, I can not take pictures while the dance, because I am coaching!I know, it is quite hysterical to think about.
Also, I just found out that Rick Recht, who is coming to JDS on March 14th will be making a guest appearance in my classroom! He will be coming to 4 classes to sing and chat; later he is performing 3 concerts during the day for our school! How fun! He is doing shows for K - 2, 3rd – 4th and then 5th – 6th! I will let you know all about it afterwards! For those of you that do not know I worked with Rick way back when I was a camp counsenlor at Ramot Amoona in St. Louis...before he was a Jewish Rockstar! I wonder if he will remember me?!?!?
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February, 2008
, we had a great time here anyway. 
