When the going gets rough...

Rent a stretch limo in the Hamptons?  I'm not sure when my definition of weekend fun transitioned from riding a station wagon down A1A to riding a stretch limousine through the Hamptons, but I could get used to this.  'Twas the lovely Ilene's bachelorette weekend bash and the sweet Dana and myself had booked ourselves train tickets (including a picnic for two I prepared) to join her harem of NY ladies to celebrate her pending nuptials.  Sadly Dana couldn't join at the very last minute due to some health issues (RIP Dana's gallbladder), so I spent the train ride with the dapper Tom Wolfe and ate every last bite of the picnic myself (I know, shocker, right?).  Warning:  do NOT ride an Amtrak train through NYC while reading Bonfire of the Vanities if you find yourself missing New York.  Really ached with some divine memories of Manhattan and how much I enjoyed my weekends there in the days of yore.  Already looking forward to my return trip via the Brooklyn wedding bash in October!

ANYWHO.  I arrived late Friday night at Ilene's parents' gorgeous home in Amagansett, to what ended as a Miley Cirus dance party with a rabid pack of pumas.  These women are nuts y'all.  Our fun climaxed on Saturday morning with a private wine tour through some upstate NY wineries- both of which were full of tasty summer bubblies.

Our limo (waiting right behind daddy's little beach toy)

And all of the lovelies at our first stop of the day:

After a warm day of sipping and swirling, we returned home to some pool time, where I proceeded to fall asleep face-down on the pool deck (wearing a bikini and boat shoes) for over an hour.  I woke up with a pool deck imprinted on my entire body and I'll spare the pics of my lethargic, clueless self wandering the grounds looking like I'd just suffered a public caning.

All-in-all a delightful weekend with intelligent and outrageous ladies, just the way I like 'em.  I was sad to return to reality but certainly hope to take up the Stein family on any Hamptons offers in the future.  

Hope you all had an equally joyous summer weekend- Lord knows they're slipping away!  xo 

Politics as usual

During an invigorating 10-mile run with Biscuit before work this morning, we noticed that as the sun came up on the mall, so did tons of scaffolding and infrastructure a la July 4th concert series.  What in the heck is going on, we thought?  Well come to find out, it's 'ol Glenn Beck and his "Restoring Honor" rally this Saturday.  My first thought was thank GOD I'll be out of town for this round of morons.  And my second thought was WOW- if I were a black person, I would be so flippin' pissed that this bigot and his pea-brained tea-pary-ers have the nerve to stage their amateur hour at the site of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech!  I mean, all Americans have the right to be miffed, but particularly those who really and truly view that moment as their final gateway to political and social empowerment.  My heavens! 

This inflamed venue choice certainly brings back memories of a certain speech from a certain former President...

Gawd.  Thank goodness for the Washington Post's Eugene Robinson (who was with my main mang on Morning Joe today!) and other voices of reason thoughtfully responding on this mayhem.  Robinson says it best, as he writes "the majestic grounds of the Lincoln Memorial belong to all Americans -- even to egomaniacal talk-show hosts who profit handsomely from stoking fear, resentment and anger. So let me state clearly that Glenn Beck has every right to hold his absurdly titled 'Restoring Honor' rally on Saturday.  But the rest of us have every right to call the event what it is: an exercise in self-aggrandizement on a Napoleonic scale."

At least the Evangelical Christian right is beginning to question Beck and his idiotic shenanigans.

And let me be clear, dear friends, that I would be just as snarky about a similar effort from any of Beck's liberal counterparts, particularly the pesky Keith Olbermann.  That's why I suggest we all watch Joe and Mika in the mornings because they are objective, moderate and balanced and also I have a huge crush on Joe.

Now off to the Hapmtons for a fabulous weekend of less politics and more wine!  xo

Running and eating and running and EATING.

Well, well well.  If it isn't a touching work of art that perfectly represents the love triangle ruling my daily life:  me, running, and FOOD.

We are all jealous lovers yet complete enablers.  Granted, yesterday I did run eight miles before work at an average pace of 8:45 (scootin' for this old bird), BUT I also literally blanked out in a work-related conversation because I was fixated on day-old chocolate donuts behind the coffee counter, and I'm pretty sure the man who empties my office trash (Carl) was alarmed the copious amounts of snack food wrappers.  None of which is for lack of regular meals, as I ate my body weight in greek yogurt and two packets of oatmeal for breakfast, along with two servings of apple jacks (with milk), soy chips, various fruits, steamed veggies and a few handfuls of basmati rice for lunch.  Because that makes a delicious, balanced meal.  Just like I'm convinced I experience intervals of menopause-like symptoms on my summer walks to work (helloooo hot flashes), I'm now certain that marathon training offers insight into third trimester pregnancy (eating, and in my case also drinking, for two).  And most of it is really healthy stuff, but the point is:  I. Cannot. Fit. Enough. Food. In. My. Mouth.

Breaking news

A wise man (or something) asked me a very poignant question yesterday while we were illegally gchatting at work:  is there anything CNN doesn't consider breaking news?!  After sleeping on it, I was frankly at a loss after this morning's typical headline:

NEW JERSEY FAMILY'S PICTURE CATCHES THEFT IN THE MAKING

I mean obviously this is hysterical, but inadvertently catching a pesky, poorly-dressed white dude trying to swipe a briefcase while snapping a pic of your 6 year-old doing the robot is NOT breaking news y'all.  So, Benny, after this morning's corroborating evidence, I'm convinced the answer to your question is a resounding NO.

In other breaking news, and please don't get me started on how this political/media mosque obsession is the ultimate red herring at at time when our leaders have bigger fish to fry to say the least, some family members of 9/11 victims are uniting to support the mosque construction.  (I realize I'm legitimizing the debate and CNN at this point but please keep in mind that I am not holding/running for office and I have been candid about CNN's shortfalls).  Bravo 9/11 victim family members!  Thank you for coming out and saying what our President should have said in the first place!  But he didn't and Michael Bloomberg did, and successfully made him look like a total putz!  Brings back memories of when some 9/11 victim family members testified at the terrorists' trials and stood up against the death penalty.  Talk about people with actual standing to chat about issues (as opposed to, say, Hollywood) taking their platform and using it for the greater good.  Whether you agree or not, I'm proud of these families standing up for what they believe in.  Probably because I agree.  I'm sure there are plenty of examples of me applauding people for standing up for their beliefs when I don't agree, but I can't seem to think of any right now.  And oh, look at the time, I've got to get back to rewriting that Executive Order.  Toodles!  xo

Falling out of summer

Morning darlings!  Long time no chat.  Now don't judge me but before energy bill madness was upon us, I was able to fulfill most of my blogging duties from work during downtime.  But ever since the bomb exploded (and then died a sad, excruciating death at the hands of a Senate majority leader who shall remain nameless but if you don't know who he is, shame on you), I've been much busier around here and quite booked after the workday as well.  What can I say, I've been butterfly-ing all around town.  x

This morning was no exception, as I nearly killed my poor, overworked stems in Juliet's spin class.  The woman is pushing 50 and she is an outrageous physical STUD (as the military men would say).  As I gasped for breath and barely told Juliet today, I'm spinning as cross-training for my running, and I'm almost certain I've been working harder in my 45-minute spinning classes than during my weekly long runs.  Which is much-needed, as I have (get ready) FOUR half marathons and one FULL marathon in the next two months.  That's right folks- yours truly has flown off the handle and become more obsessed than ever at competitive running.  Which is ironic given the fact that I'm as slow as molasses.

There is so much to catch up on, and I will get there eventually, but first let me say that I am coming off a weekend high of a fabulous three days with the lovely Jessi-Anne, who took the nation's capital by storm and left it approximately 10 pounds lighter in champagne and vintage costume jewelry (a woman after my own heart).  And next let me say that this morning's walk to work displayed the first signs of the district falling out of summer and into autumn:  a drop below 70 degrees.  I did resist the urge to immediately switch wardrobes and bundle up in the north face, but do know that I'm about five degrees from earmuffs.

Happy Tuesday lovelies!  And welcome back to school my favorite teachers- glad to have my normal readers back and held captive to my never-ending monologue!  xo