Around Town

Yesterday I took part in the Hinsdale Farmer's Market, which takes place every Monday during the summer from 7am-1pm just north of the Hinsdale train tracks.  I held an Arbonne table and split the tent with a friend of mine, Rachel Cantore, who owns her own business.  


It was a lot of fun!  Despite the early morning rain and cold weather, the day turned out to be sunny and mid 70s, which encouraged passers-by to stop and meander through the varying venders.  And the two of us had a really great response!  


For those of you who don't know Arbonne, it's a 31-year old skincare and wellness company that focuses on taking care of the entire person from baby to baby-boomer.  They're only sold via consultants like me (sdcaprini@yahoo.com), and they're the best alternative to what you're already using.  They have no mineral oil, no gluten, are certified vegan, no parabens or artificial chemicals or flavors, and the company not only lets you Shop and Save, but also Shop Save and Earn.  If you have more questions, let me know!

My friend, Rachel Cantore, is the owner of Rachel's Fusion, a personal company of hers which promotes healthy living through the combination of food and fitness.  She's a personal trainer, health coach, cooking teacher, and runs everything from her home in Burr Ridge, although she regularly also visits clients at their homes or gyms of choice as well.  Currently, she's focused on teaching cooking classes to men or kids and teens, showing them great alternatives to their current favs, Mac & Cheese or Burgers anyone?  And she also shows you how to do it on your own...and men, maybe even impress the ladies??


So, next time you need a caterer, want to learn how to cook with a healthy twist, or just want help getting back in shape, call her, then call me, and we'll talk how to keep all of the healthy choices your making stick with your skincare and vitamin choices!  

The Hair Loft - A Hair Experience

Thanks to Facebook, I recently discovered a new salon in Chicago that is innovative and changing the experience between salon stylists and end consumers: Us.  It's called The Hair Loft ltd.  It's a salon based in downtown Chicago on Huron near Ed Debevic's.  But for all of you still wondering, here is what makes it so unique:  Monday night Lab night.


Yes, that's right, "Lab Night".  And no, for all you science drop outs out there, or those who were terrified of mixing chemicals and dissecting frogs, it's nothing like that.  There are no white lab coats nor protective goggles that need wearing.  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  If you like free wine and hors d'oeuvres, a night with your friends, and a free hair lesson on "how to" with your own hair styles, then this is perfect for you!  On Monday nights from 6:30-8:30, the Lab is open to guests who wish to come in and learn just how to do all their favorite styles at home on themselves.  No more, "It always looks so much better in the salon," complaints!  And the best part:  FREE!  


Otherwise, they're right in price line with any other nice, higher-end salon, but their selection of services is based on "menu" options.  They really have taken the whole ordering experience to another level!  It's fun and flirty - just what they intended - and they even have Spa services too.  Aaaah, okay, time to grab the phone and find some other friends who like free things!  See you at "The Lab" soon!

Keefer's Restaurant

So last night, in celebration of my birthday and our one-year anniversary, we headed out to Keefer's restaurant in downtown Chicago.  They're known for their steaks and had a yummy seafood selection, so we were exceedingly excited about what dinner was going to offer.


And they did not disappoint.


As most high end restaurants go, everything is a la carte, so be sure you know that going in.  Nothing "comes with" anything else, which is where a lot of the bill can come in because suddenly you've added $50 to the bill because you wanted the salad or potatoes and spinach sides for every person.  

We, however, kept it simple:  appetizer, two dishes, and a bottle of wine.  The corking fee there is $20, so for us to buy a nice bottle of wine (in the $20-$30 range) to take with and then have to pay another $20 seemed silly when we had a perfectly good bottle there for $50.  We were able to taste the wine before we got it because it was offered by the glass, and the waitress did a phenomenal job suggesting it.  We wanted something full-bodied, a little spicy, but that would pair well with steak and still not overpower the seafood I knew I would order.  She recommended a Syrah by Beckman, and woah!  It was everything we wanted and now on my list of wines to purchase.  Highly recommended.


Dinner was simple: grilled calamari appetizer, halibut, and rib-eye.  And everything was delicious.  The grilled calamari, I will warn, has a twinge of asian flavoring to it, and I actually found myself, upon smelling it, wanting to grab for chopsticks.  It's excellent, but if you don't like asian flared food, this probably isn't for you.  The halibut was good and had a firm texture, but I still think the steak beat out all of the other food, hands down.  It was beautifully marbled, melted in your mouth, and the blackened seasoning gave it just enough of a kick to enhance the flavors.  It's also big, so it should fill you up.  If you're super hungry and don't order an appetizer, then you probably will want a side, but we actually ate all three dishes completely, still had room to split a small dessert and not feel stuffed.  And our dessert was free - a small chocolate lava "happy birthday" cake which was amazing, and I don't usually like dessert with hot, gooey chocolate in it.  In fact, I usually really don't like it, but the cake just melted into a velvety rich heaven once you bit into it.  Also on the list of things to recommend.


So, if you're looking for a nice restaurant to try or you've been here already but didn't get the rib-eye delmonico, then I say you need to put it on you "must visit" list and do so pronto.  5 out of 5 for the steak, 5 out of 5 for the calamari, 4.5 out of 5 for the halibut, and 5 out of 5 for the service and overall atmosphere.  Thank you for making the night so deliciously wonderful.

Personal Plugs

Hello readers!


Happy Friday and almost my birthday!! YAY!


In celebration of having a WONDERFUL June so far, I thought it time to update you on some fun news.


I have recently had two articles published in the International Business Times online magazine: One about Athens, Greece and the Riots  and One about Finding Family in Italy

Also, there has been a new review on my book, Living with B, on the Amazon.com website!  Click here to see it! Thank you Kelly!!

Okay, plugging over.  Hope you enjoy the articles!  I'm excited to share more with you in the future!

When Greek Unrest Moves Forward

Only three days ago I was in Athens, Greece, lamenting about how I had to leave a city with which I had fallen in love in such a short time.  In the brief seven day trip, I had come to love so much about the city: the people, the food, the history, the atmosphere and weather, the personality, and even the language, despite its clear challenges.  The one things, however, that confused me was the constant presence of upset and striking.


Now, granted, I did not see any full-blown brawls, but my friend and I witnessed a peaceful demonstration and a Syntagma Square full of camped-out Grecians in tents in protest of the government.  As a naïve visiter, I admired it all from a distance but with little understanding of what the conflict involved and why so many Greeks were so passionate about their beliefs and in their frustrations.  It took a local to explain to me some of the root causes of their displeasure, and while he was only able to explain a few of the concerns during our short encounter, I did understand that what he was explaining to me was only a brief skimming of the actual problem.  


I left understanding that Greeks were unhappy about the debt and even the misrepresentation of what they owed in comparison to other countries.  Some felt the media had expounded a debt issue to a "crisis" level that was not warranted.  Some people felt the EU and the Greek government were not properly supportive of one another and that Greece might be better off on its own again, sans the EU.  Still, some felt that the government needed to make reforms within the country to help pull the country out of its problem in a way that did not cut the legs out from under the middle class / working class people.  And then there was the issue of general unemployment rates.  In short, you can see why the brief conversation I had could not do justice to such an ingrained and involved predicament.


Ergo, I was able to continue enjoying my seven day vacation like any other tourist to any other city: parading around, strolling up and down the streets, drinking my strong Greek coffee at cafés and pretending I could speak Greek because I knew "Yiasas" and "Efaristo".  Unfortunately, I returned home to find this article posted to the LA Times only a few days after my arrival back to a comforting home, shedding a quick spotlight onto the upheaval that had hit the city I had just left and loved so much.  I missed the tear gas and the hours of conflict, the arresting of 12 protestors and the fleeing of tourists to side streets with the main government square turned into a brawl.  I missed the police lining the streets and the shouting in Greek that filled the city.  But more than that, I missed the true understanding that would have enabled me to empathize or truly comprehend the heart of the Greek youth, a heart that beat so strongly that it led the people to demonstrate and revolt for the inequalities they felt they faced.  It's not that I missed the protest, per se, but rather that I missed the cultural awareness that it takes to be "present" in a city that I now understand I was merely "passing through". 


How many times in history have we seen such actions: Tiananmen Square, the entire Civil Rights movement in the States, or the peaceful protests that just took place in Spain?  It is people doing what people feel they must do to make their voices heard.  In a matter of three days, the environment in Athens had changed drastically from a tourist-friendly city to one focused back on itself.  And maybe it's not wrong.  Maybe it's what Greece needs, or what the world needs to open its eyes to the problems people are really facing, the true reality, not the one we want to see "in passing".  We need to be present in our world, not tourists with a visiting mindset.  This is our world, our politics, our lives that are affected every day buy the decisions we make and the ones we allow others to make for us.  It's just unfortunate that it takes something like a riot in Athens to make the news to make us readers, visitors, and onlookers face something we maybe should have taken note of before.


Yes, I love the Parthenon, and the Temple of Zeus, Santorini island and the wine tasting in Crete, but in order to love those things, I must not only understand the culture that created them but also the one that supports them now.

A Grecian Summary

Yiasas and Kalimera! (Hello and Good Day!)  


Well, I'm home now.  My trip to Greece has ended, as all good things must, but it was one of the most amazing weeks of my life.  I know there were a lot of factors that aiding in that being true, but it was phenomenal and inspiring.


For those of you who have not yet visited, make sure to make it a part of you "must see" lists.  My friend and I did the Athens and 4-day Greek Island cruise and booked through a travel company called Friendly Planet.  Originally when I heard that it was "group tour" things, I was skeptical because I didn't want to be toted around in group formation for a week, but it wasn't like that at all and, in fact, our group was so wonderful that they only enhanced my entire experience.  Also, if you do decide to book with them and you have the ability to request your guide, request Ioannis A.  He is spectacular, really knows what he's talking about, can give you all the great inside scoops and information bytes, and has a great sense of humor!


Our stops?  Mykonos, Turkey, Padmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and, of course, Athens.  I will explain more as I upload photos and narrow the breadth of future posts to more specific experiences, but this is the basic overview.  The weather was sunny and 85-95 every day, there was so much to see, and the food was beyond mind-blowing.  My favorites were Rhodes and Athens.  I sadly didn't get to spend much time in Santorini so I can't comment on the island itself much, and Mykonos was breathtaking but is a quieter island during the day and a party-central area at night (but we were only there for the evening, not an entire night).  But I will definitely be going back to Athens and Rhodes someday.  That's a must!


Here are some photos of places we saw. Like I said, much more to come!  

Some cool facts about Greece though:  they are part of the EU, they do not have the "crisis" that most news articles have led us to believe for the reasons they have led us to believe; their main exports are olive oil (and it's subsequent products), food, wine, and tourism; they built a new airport and public transportation system when they held the Olympics in 2004; it has fallen under the rule of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Ottomans but has come away with it's own chosen religion (not one mandated by imperialism or mandated conversion); and it has 2500 islands of which 700 are inhabited.

Greek Time!

So, it's official!  I leave for Greece!  Best part??


I"M GOING TO GREECE!!!!


.....okay, yes, there's more, but really, when you're going to Greece, do you need any more? I mean, hello....it's GREECE!


But, my friend and I will be visiting the ruins, the famous-person-frequented island of Santorini, and then even enjoy Mykonos, Crete, and Athens!


No I LOVE traveling Europe, having lived in Spain twice and visited countless cities and countries, but I always had a helping hand: my Spanish.  I always knew I could default to Spanish if I needed, or I could pass as Spanish if I needed to not pass as English for the time being.  Most of the languages I encountered:  French, Italian, and even a little German, I could make out enough to know where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do, for the most part.  This time, though, I have no idea how to read or speak any Greek.  It's a Hellenic language, not a Romance one, so it's basis, lettering, and understandability is completely different.


Ergo, I made myself a cheat sheet!  I have a few key phrases written down and learned just in case I need them!

(spelled phonetically, not in Greek)  Bolded and Italic parts are the parts that are stressed.
Hello:  ya-sas, yia-sas
Yes:  neh
No:  Oh-ke
Please: pa-rah-kah-low
Thank You:  ef-kah-ree-stow
Toilet:  toy-let-ah
Water: neh-row
Food: fah-gee-tow
Do you speak English? - mee-las ahn-glee-kah


Oh boy!  We'll see how I do!  Maybe I'll just go around saying "¿Español?"  

Meditate Much?

I listened to John Tesh last night, a radio show host who hosts the program, "Intelligence for your Life".  I've talked about his show before, and I really do love it!  It's perfect when I'm running in between errands at night and he really has some great tips!


Last night's was on the power of meditation.  He spoke about how in recent studies, two groups were given two options to deal with pain: mediation and morphine.  Those with morphine lowered their pain by 20% but those who meditated were able to lower their pain by 40%.  Additionally, and unfortunately I was only half listening at this point, but there was something about being able to lower one's blood pressure or something through meditation just as well as taking medication.  Sadly, I don't remember the specifics.


Awesome, though!  With all the push and need for natural remedies and less reliance on things like OTC drugs and pharmaceutical companies, I thought this was really great information!  I'm not saying do away with everything, but it's refreshing to remember the incredible healing power the body possesses itself.


Maybe I should take his advice should Greece give me more of a sunburn than I can handle.  Aloe, vitamin E, and meditation anyone??

A Little Friendly Advice

I spoke to my aunt tonight. She's preparing for a commencement speech she is giving tomorrow and filled me in on what she was intending on saying.


Firstly, she and I both noted, we hate commencement speeches.  They're all the same and they're all really really boring.  Congratulations.  You've graduated.  You overcame obstacles and succeeded at things you didn't think you could do before; you're heading down new paths and taking old memories with you; may you go far in life...yada yada yada.  Blah blah blah.  Can I sleep yet?  Please.  We both agreed a new take on things was needed.


She decided, therefore, to take a different approach.  She is speaking in front of an audience of graduating performing arts students, having been asked to present at the ceremony due to her long time support for a friend and her own person performing accomplishments.  When deciding what to say, she decided to talk about tricks on how to succeed in life and the importance of a little thing called listening.


(all that follows is the summary of what she imparted on me)


Yes.  That's right.  Listening.  Pause, think, and reflect for a moment on that very single concept.  Listening.  How often do you actually listen?  No, not blindly go in and out of conversations and nod and say "mm hmm" at the appropriate points, but actually and genuinely listen?  Try it sometime.  Stop thinking about all the other laundry list of things you have going on and focus on who's speaking to you and listen.  It's amazing how much you can learn by doing that.  


That also, however, means listening to yourself.  What do you want and what does that mean?  Staying true to yourself and succeeding in an area about which you are passionate is only accomplished through working hard and listening to yourself.  You have a unique voice for a reason.  Don't drown it out because you think you're supposed to be doing something or supposed to be this or that person acting this or that way.  But, you can't know what you truly want if you don't stop to listen to yourself.  


Okay okay, enough theory.  What is the main point?  What's the "step by step" if you will she's trying to get at?  Well, here it is:


How to succeed according to Sharon Ohrenstein:
1) Listen
2) Be in the Moment
3) Find your Passion
4) Do the Work


You can't truly do no. 1 without no. 2, you can't do no. 3 without no.1, you won't accomplish or be any good at pursuing no.3 if you can't do no.4, and you won't do no. 4 properly if you can't do no. 2.  Ah, and hence, we've arrived at the full circle affect.  Lovely.


Case in point:  Liberace.  Famous Piano Player.  Amazing performer.  Completely and utterly successful.  Why?  All because one night, one really rainy night, he performed his absolute best for the small audience of 17 who came out to see him despite the terrible weather.  He could have looked into the audience and thought, "Why bother?" but he didn't.  He gave them the show he would have given an audience at Carnigie Hall, and you know what happened?  A TV producer happened to be one of the mere 17 people in the audience that night and he discovered Liberace and helped make him the amazingly famous face he was.  


So, when all that's said and done, what does that mean, exactly?  It means Pay Attention.  Be truly in the moment, and listen.  Listen to those around you and to yourself and what you want.  Find something you're passionate about and run with it.  Work as hard as you can and stay focused.  They say it takes 10,000 hours to be "excellent" at something.  Working 40 hours a week, that means you're looking at 3 years of work.  Three years of SOLID, TRUE, CONCENTRATED work just to be excellent at something.  If you spent any of those hours not "being fully present", then guess what?  You didn't really do 10,000 hours.  Keep trying.


So, dear all graduates and real-life inhabitants.  Take a moment and figure a few things out for yourselves.  Are you doing what you want to be doing?  Are you truly working at making your passions a reality or are you "working".  And lastly, are you really listening to those around you and to yourself?  If not...it may be time to get your internal volume switch checked.  Maybe then you can also actually listen to all the commencement speeches other people are giving.  :-)  Either way, thanks Aunt Sharon.  That was a really great chat.  

Road Trip Carmel, IN

As part of the Memorial Day excursions, I traveled to Carmel, Indiana to visit with family.  With three birthdays all in that weekend and having not seen them since my grandfather's funeral in December (which, let's face it, doesn't really count as "visiting"), a trip down was much needed!  I even brought the boy since my family lovingly joked that he must not exist if it's been a year and they haven't yet met.  


So, the two of us piled into the car on that wonderfully cold, Chicago, Saturday morning and headed out!  We didn't even have to worry about traffic as an 11:00am leaving time helped ensure the bypassing of traffic!  We figured either everyone left Friday or earlier that morning because the roads were quite clear.


I'd become accustomed to the I-65 scene, driving down multiple times a year when I went back to school at Miami, OH.  It's, let's see, flat...flat...and yup....even flatter.  The only "excitement" is the windmill field you pass through around exit 200.  Plus, I don't think that stretch of drive is ever truly sunny.  It's always cloudy and gloomy, like if you depress your driver enough they won't actually leave Indiana because they just don't want to drive through the gloom.  As a result, you'll need something to keep you interested since the scenery will definitely not do that for you!  Music anyone??


Sadly, we forgot ours.  Yup.  Aren't we smart?  Instead we actually had to talk to one another (eek! Shocking... remember that old art called 'conversation'?)  We actually had a really good time and made a few pit stops along the way.  
Note #1:  Coffee right before road trips is not the best of ideas.  
Note #2: A road trip to Indianapolis from really does not require very many pit stops.


We did however, stop at the following places.  Exit 230.  We picked up some coffee and a bathroom at the Marathon right there.  It right next to a trailer park which is right next to a "waterpark", which is a waterslide into a lake located behind the gas station.  In all my travels, that's a stop I had never made.


Exit 220 is the "Fair Oaks" stop at Winamac, or the "Look at how we milk cows and make all your favorite products" stop.  It wasn't open when we went, and we only needed gas, but word to the traveling, do NOT stop here if you want a deal on gas.  They are practically the same price as the suburbs of Chicago.  I'm pretty sure they know people will stop there anyways so they can charge whatever they want.  If you need gas, go to the "waterpark" Marathon or any of the stops further south of 220.  It's not worth it.  My boyfriend did however find it funny it's called Winamac.  (Win. A.  Mac. ... in case you didn't get it at first either)


Exit 130 is my favorite exit.  I stopped there religiously as I traveled to and from Miami.  As the midway point, it was perfect for a quick bathroom break and gas fill-up.  However, it also houses a Starbucks.  (*insert angelic "aaaah" sounds here*)  Love, love, LOVE this stop!  It's the Zionsville exit, in case you're more familiar with names of towns and not exit numbers, but still.  YAY!  


And lastly, you take 865 over to 465 to make the loop around Indianapolis to Carmel.  The Keystone exit is the closest stop to my aunt's, and I recently discovered Carmel is now famous.  It is the "Roundabout Capitol" with the most roundabouts of any city.  They have transformed that town into an amazing winding rollercoaster.  The ones on Keystone avenue are beautifully done, but the side street ones, while keeping traffic moving, cause more motion sickness than help to passengers.  Take a dramamine if you have a weak stomach.  


But, in all honesty, it was wonderful to see my family.  Three hours is a brief moment in the car anymore.  When I was younger I needed a break every hour or so, but now, with some good music and great conversation, three hours is almost a nice break. Now, we just have to talk to Mother Nature about making that stretch of Indiana a little more "sunny".

Oh the Monuments You'll See

So, back to Washington DC.  I heard from a friend whose daughter is there right now that it is absolutely and unbelievably hot, so I am 110% thankful we lucked out with the weather!  I little rain never hurt, and although a little heat isn't the worst of things, when you're outside all day trying to take in as much as you can, hot and muggy is not the most ideal weather.  


As mentioned, though, the weather was wonderful when I was there.  It rained the first day, which deterred from seeing Arlington Cemetery in its entirety, but otherwise it was sunny and beautiful!  And, that just meant I was able to soak in even more of the information and beautiful surroundings.  So, if you're heading the DC way anytime soon, here are a few things to know about the places you'll go (This gets long but has lots of photos!!!):


Arlington Cemetery:  an average of 27 funerals are held daily.  (that number, to me personally, is astounding!).  Arlington Cemetery is reserved for people who served our country, their spouses and any children who die before the age of 18.  It also holds JFK's grave, which gives a beautiful view of the DC area, and is the site of the Robert E. Lee house.  Also, be sure to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which happens every half hour on the :00 and :30.  Captivating!


Iwo Jima Memorial:  Beautiful.  Huge.  Gorgeous.  Looks like they're actually standing the flag straight up as you drive around the memorial...but I found the photo odd.  "War between the states"?  Isn't that called the "Civil War"? .... just saying....


The Cathedral:  It has a more official name than that, but I can't remember it off hand.  It's the largest or 2nd largest gothic cathedral in the US and houses a piece of moon rock in one of the stain glass windows.  If you've ever seen any of the cathedrals in Europe it's practically identical.

The Lincoln Memorial: Please spend more time at these memorials to really look at the intricate details and soak in their historical significance, because I hurried through them a little quickly.  Here, however, is a plaque on the ground stating "I Have a Dream" to show where Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his speech!  SO cool!  Then, when you walk inside the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln is HUGE!!!  He is 19 feet tall (which I learned is because the freedom statue atop the Capitol building is 19.5 feet and nothing can be taller than freedom)...but still...he's HUGE!  And folklore says that his hands are making an A and L in American sign language and that the back of his head has the profile of Robert E Lee.  Hmm..interesting.  I believe the Hand one, don't know about the back of the head one.  But, also, on the right side of the building, the builders misspelled the world "Future" and wrote "Euture".  They fixed it, but if you look closely you can still totally see the mistake.  Ha!  Love it.  Thousands of years from now when people study our culture and come to see our ruins they'll wonder what "Euture" meant and why we tried to cover it up!

Mount Vernon: When you visit Mount Vernon, make sure to bring a book so you can sit on the back porch and just admire the amazing view of the Potomac River.  Oh. My. God.  It's absolutely gorgeous!  The grounds on the rest of the plantation are beautiful as well, but this view is nothing short of stunning.  It's absolutely no wonder Washington wanted to be buried there when he died.  It was comical, though, to walk through the house and realize that back then they had no running water and therefore no bathrooms nor indoor plumbing.  "Roughing it," by today's standards.  :-)  But they were also much shorter back then, as evidenced by the 5'8" clearing on the back stairwell.  Better duck!

(We done yet??) haha.  Almost! Stay with me!!

The Newseum: This amazing building is where I had the incredible privilege of seeing the Presidential Entourage from the top balcony!  Holla!! But really, this place is amazing.  They're 4D video at the beginning is fun and reminds me of "Hunny, I Shrunk the Audience" at Disney World!  The varying floors have so many wonderful things to see like a part of the Berlin Wall, the remains of one of the towers of the Twin Towers, and the Pulitzer Prize Picture winners that you'll easily stay busy for a good two hours if you really take the time to look at everything.  And it's true what the intro plaque on the wall to the photos says, you'll cry and laugh out loud at some of the photos.  I know I cried.  Twice.  HOWEVER....be SURE to stop by the bathrooms while you're there!! "To err is human" is the quote on the wall and then within different tiles are different newspaper headlines that probably could have been written better.  I have included two for your enjoyment!

World War II: And lastly, for now, the World War II monument.  Wow.  Just Wow.  It's understated when you first drive up.  I thought, "Please, pillars?  More pillars?  Really?"  And then I walked through it.  The sheer size of it will turn you speechless.  I highly recommend just sitting on one of the stairs and taking it in.  Don't talk.  Just sit and look.  It's overwhelmingly powerful and the crispness and proportion of everything just encompasses you and makes you feel very small, like you should be honored to be an on-looker.  It's really cool.  And, just for fun, if you have a chance, take a walk around the outside of the monument (on the Lincoln Memorial side) and you'll see the graffiti of "Kilroy was here".  It's illegal to deface monuments, but this was the artist's own doing in memory of all the "graffiti-ing" the Kilroy stamp created.  Lovely touch.  Touché.

So, whilst only a really small chunk of everything the city has to offer in terms of memorials, I hope your next visit affords you time to see all the above mentioned locations.  It's well worth your time and you'll love every minute, even if sometimes only in retrospect.  Happy Travels!

My Dear Grandma...

This week I attended my Grandmother's funeral.  It was awful and wonderful at the same time.  I'll explain.


Grandmas are wonderful people.  They light up a room and make you feel like you can take on the moon and the sun all at the same time.  They're your biggest supporters and loudest cheering sections...and biggest candy suppliers.  :-)  Unfortunately my grandmother died of colon cancer, and, although I did know it was coming, it was still not easy.  Luckily, I saw her on a Tuesday, and she died early Saturday morning.  It was eerie, because she knew she was dying.  I saw her Tuesday as I was leaving Wednesday for a trip for three days and wouldn't see her on her birthday.  Knowing I'm heading to Greece soon, she said "In case I don't see you, have fun in Greece."  Thinking she misunderstood I would be home by Saturday, I explained I would see her soon and she said "no, no, if I don't see you, have fun in Greece."  Right then I knew, so the phone call (or text) was no surprise.  The rest of the experience had it's moments.


First off, Adolf's funeral home is amazing.  Originally in Berwyn, the newest location is in Willowbrook off Plainfield and Madison.  It's only five years old and absolutely beautiful.  They have a gorgeous kitchen for coffee and families to fill with all kinds of non-nutritional treats!  The home is wonderful and the staff phenomenal.  I would recommend them to anyone. 


The actual wake and funeral were extremely trying.  I know my grandma is my grandma, but although I was sad to lose her, she was older already and people can't live forever.  The hardest part, however, was watching my grandfather break down.  I've rarely seen the man cry in my entire life and watch him sob uncontrollably as he said goodbye to his wife of 63 years and best friend for longer broke something inside me.  My eyes seemed to be perpetually red.  The worst, though, was the actual burial.  I knew we'd be going to cemetery (and I hate cemeteries), but I didn't know she was going to be buried right next to my mother.  Any shred of composure I held up to the burial was lost.  I sobbed uncontrollably almost the entire time I was on the grounds.  


Also, side note #1, people need to not be so dumb during funeral processions.  We have flashing lights, bright orange stickers, and drive at 5 miles an hour for a reason.  Do not try to pull in front of us or pass through the middle of our procession.  There actually exists the chance that the person behind the wheel is in agony and even sobbing uncontrollably.  You are just asking to get hit.  Also, side note #2, when people park on both sides of the cemetery drive because they are currently burying someone and have therefore taken up most of the drive, Do Not Try To Pull Through The Parked Cars.  Dear man who came less than and inch from hitting my bumper, I stand by what I said.  There is no way you are in a cemetery and actually in enough of a hurry that you had to try to maneuver through our parked chaos and not gone out the opposite direction.


Luckily, though, and back to the real issue, my family is amazing and finds a way to break the teary occasion with joy and laughter.  Yes, I laughed during the wake and funeral luncheon.  (Lunch, by the way, is always a necessity after such draining experiences.  Free food and drinks?  Yes please.  Funerals require replenishing of energy.)  During the days, however, we told stories about Grandma, had a "memory table" where we wrote things we remembered about her.  Some included that she was the best to watch scary movies with, she always stole rolls, butter, and jam from restaurants saying, "They're just going to throw them away!", she always wore a blue mu'umu'u around the house, she prided herself on her spoon collection from all the places she'd been around the world, she always hid candy in her purse for us to find when we visited, and she was always always happy when she answered the phone.  She was an amazing woman and I will miss her dearly.


So, in short, although trying, draining, and overall exhausting though the experience was, it was a wonderful few days.  Thank you to Bohemian Crystal for the wonderful food, Adolf's for the gorgeous accommodations, and my family for being so amazing.  We will miss you, Grandma.

DC - The Overview

Hello again!  Sadly, I will be the first to admit that I know I went missing for quite some time.  My apologies!  I have spent most of the last week (well, three days I guess hardly amounts to "most" of the week) in Washington DC with the 8th graders for the 8th grade DC trip!  QUITE an experience, needless to say.


Yes, there is a LOT to discuss and a lot to share, but I'll save specifics for specific posts to come, but right now we are in dire need of an overview!


Categories:  (drum role please) . . . 

• Worst Part:  Waking up at 2am on Wednesday to make our flight.  
• Worst Part (part 2):  rushing through the White House tour as it was moved to 7am and ...let me tell you...7 am is not "peak time" for 8th grade interest.  When a tour revolves around self-started questioning, there might be a better time for students than 7am.  All I'm saying. More that 20 minutes inside said building would be been wonderful.
• Most Unfortunate Part:  Pouring rain during the Arlington Cemetery tour because so much was lost with people trying to squeeze into umbrellas and not seeing the beautiful scenery and all it had to offer.
• Most Surprising Part: being privy to a hearing and seeing a 14-gun-shot salute during a burial at Arlington Cemetery.  
• Most Emotional Part: Visiting the Police Monument and watching a student lay a bouquet a flowers above his father's name.  I cried.  A lot.   
• Most Beautiful Part:  Standing at Mt. Vernon in the backyard overlooking the Potomac River.     ... now if I only had a book and a blanket...
• Most Relaxing Part:  Enjoying the outdoor sun for an hour on Friday, 11am.
• Most Amazing Part:  Standing atop the Newseum balcony, hearing sirens in the background and thinking it was just another ambulance, only to turn around and see the 8-car Presidential Entourage speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue!!!  
• Funniest Part:  Having our ghost tour lady say that funeral homes used to call up the ice shops because they had dead bodies to preserve, except, instead of saying it that way she said they called up the ice shops saying, "they needed ice because they had a stiff one".  Absolutely the wrong wording or an 8th grade audience.

As basic overviews go, that's a pretty awesome synopsis over the overall experience.  Most specifics to come about places to visit, inside scoops, and take on "tour" food.  :-)  

Beware the Pizza

For anyone who may have been semi-paying attention say, oh, in the last six months or so, I think I've sprinkled in my gluten-free diet change.  Yes, I am "gluten-free".  I put it in quotes because I'm not really officially anything.  I'm not allergic to it and I don't steer clear of it like an infectious disease or like Elfaba from water (if you read the book, Wicked, not just watched the musical, then congrats on understanding that correlation).  However, I do stay away from it as much as possible and make a conscious effort to buy as much as I can that is certified "gluten-free".  Overall I feel better, am less bloated, have more consistent and sustained energy, and don't get whack-o cravings like I used to.


However, on the wonderfully rare occasion I do splurge or find myself in an sans-gluten-free-friendly environment, I do eat gluten.  Tonight, I happened to chow down on some local, leftover, thin crust pizza, compliments of my dad's weekend pizza night.  It was just cheese, so it wasn't even stuffed with lots of crazy ingredients, yet, about 10 minutes after finishing my four squares, my stomach went Ba-BOOM! and screamed "I Hate You!"


For someone who bases daily routine on a healthy diet, especially one that is gluten free or vegan, beware the pizza.  All I have to say is...blah.  I feel blah.  All of the beautiful perks of my gluten-free diet have, over the last three hours, have completely disappeared, and I could kick myself for not having the hard boiled eggs I had originally promised myself for dinner.  Stupid, stupid, stupid!!  And, I'm not even saying all pizza is bad, but be weary of what you're eating.  Homemade pizza is great and often quite healthy as you can consciously control what you put on there.  Even some restaurants won't create the same internal consequences, but I should have known better.  Best to always tread slowly to steer clear of the upset stomach monster that lurks behind poor food choices.


So, lesson of the night?  No more pizza from that restaurant.  Only homemade pizza or deep dish, and even then, eat slowly and with great caution.  Sorry stomach.  I'll make it up to you tomorrow.  

Black Swan

Yes, I finally jumped on the bandwagon.  Took me way longer than most people, but I finally saw "Black Swan".  Natalie Portman was completely perfect for the role, having an air of self-doubt about her anyways, the character she played completely came to life.  The other characters were brilliantly cast as well, although Winona Ryder's role was all that important, to be honest.  However, Mila Kunis was phenomenal, and I haven't really seen her in much other than "That 70's Show," which I feel is a great show with annoying acting.  

Part of why it took me so long to see this movie is because I am a huge scaredy-cat.  I have an imagination that just runs wild when it's given even less than an inch, so I knowingly stay away from most horror or seemingly creepy films.  I wanted to be sure I could watch it from the comfort of my home in case I needed to pause it for a moment.  However, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined or even heard.  The "scary" part was more that the director never let you catch your breath and re-center your stress.  I felt just as stressed out for Natalie from the beginning of the movie until the end.  Yes, there was one really creepy scene, but that was about it.  It was really just stressful.


At one point in the movie, though, after you'd been introduced to both the mother and the director, I was asked the question, "Who do you think is worse? The mom or the director?"  If you haven't seen the movie then you probably don't know what I mean when I say that I think the mother is worse.  You expect the director to be a little pretentious and expectant in what he thinks he can get away with, but the mom's incessant need to keep control over her daughter and guilt trip her into everything and treat her like she's twelve is supremely disturbing.  I would almost say it is the cause of some of the most stressful scenes in the movie.  


In all, though, I almost half expected the ending, which was unfortunate.  I realized early on that a lot of the exaggerated scenes were simply illusions stemming from a disturbance inside Natalie, so the ending did not fully surprise me.  It did, however, make my heart go out to Natalie's character because I genuinely felt bad for her.  So, if you haven't seen the movie, please do so, but make sure you're ready to handle the stress from it have have a quiet space you can go to afterwards to digest it all or talk it over with someone, because it will definitely make your wheels spin.  


Now, if I could just get away with wearing some of that show makeup...