New York at Christmas Time

So the college boy turns 21 in February. Like many folks do, they celebrate this milestone occasion in Las Vegas or a place where the kid can order a drink legally.

Well, Brandon will be in Idaho playing baseball on his 21st Birthday as the season will have begun. So he received an early birthday present... a trip to New York with his girlfriend Kalli to visit Aunt Jennifer.

Wow did these two kids have a wonderful time and we were so happy for them.

Something about New York in the winter and around the Holidays. So festive & sparkly and cozy. Aunt Jennifer and beau Kevin of course showered them with food & fun and they tooled around the city exploring and mastering the subways.

Pictured above is Brandon with Kalli and pictured to the right is Brandon with Aunt Jennifer.

They ate slices of pizza, visited the Statue of Liberty, checked out ice skating at Rockefeller Square, and absorbed the holiday spirit that is so prevalent in the city that never sleeps.

Jen and Kevin were wonderful hosts and the big kids had a great time ushering in the New Year with them.

There's a 12 year age difference between Jennifer and I. When she was born both my sister Michele and I treated her like a doll and an extension of our toy collection. We took her everywhere and she was part of our clique as the cute little baby.

It's wonderful to flash forward all these years and watch her relationship with my boy's. They are close enough in age that while they are not in the same stage of life, they certainly can relate to one another. Makes for a special bond.

What a splendid way to ring in 2012!

Day 312: Birthday Tunes

I'm going to hold off on updating you on my computer ordeal until tomorrow and instead post about my long distance run today & my fabulous early Birthday present from kid sis Jennifer!

Remember a few days ago I posted about borrowing hubby Brian's ipod and how fun it was to run with music... well the little one and her darling beau Kevin, bought me an early 50th Birthday present... a PINK ipod.

Pictured here is the kid sis and me in New York over our Thanksgiving trip this past November.

This past weekend teenager Harrison transferred my play list from Brian's ipod on to the little bugger and today was my first time using it! Wow, how cool... it's tiny enough to clip on anywhere and the music was terrific! He even downloaded two of my favorite songs to add to the list... Thug Mansion by Tupac (2pac) and Forget You, by Cee Lo Green, awesome!

Athletic trainer & friend Melody kicked my ass once again today... 21 fucking miles is all I can say. Everything hurts. My feet, knees, hips, lower back, bowels, and new blisters on my boobs, is there anything left on my body?

Pictured here is me and Melody celebrating her birthday last year!

So I have made it to 21, which still leaves 5.2 more miles to go to 26.2, and one month left. No doubt I'll finish the race, I have always finished every project I have ever begun, I'm not a quitter. But it hurts, I mean really hurts!

Thank goodness for my little pink friend, she'll come in handy when I need a little inspiration to keep me logging those miles. Thank you Jennifer & Kevin for what is truly a very thoughtful, useful and loving gift! They even had it engraved to say Happy 50th Birthday! What could be better?

Day 230: Updates on Tidbits

Several of you have asked me to follow up on some pending items that I have posted about on the Birthday Blog or to give more scoop about a particular topic.... so here we go ...

Yes, I am now talking to hubby Brian even though I wasn't post the scare of my life the other night .... (Read Blog Post Day 228)

The replaced Simon mattress is fabulous! So much better then the slab of cement we originally purchased. Brian and I are very grateful for our comfy snooze! (Read Blog Post Day 205)

The entire lower part of my body is in very bad pain from my fall the other day. I had a tough workout this morning, running suicides (sprints) and tonight I'm just damn sore all over. (Read Blog Post Day 229)

Kid sister Jennifer and beau Kevin sent us fresh farm cheese FedEx today from the countryside in New York! You may have read about it in my Blog .... We visited the farm on our trip to New York over Thanksgiving, Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, in Hudson, New York.

They sent us Hudson Valley Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese, made with fresh sheep and cow's milk! Can you imagine we received a box of fresh cheese all bundled and packed on ice packs! Delicious. (Read Blog Post Day 223)

And updates on painful matters going on in friends' lives. Since I wrote about some challenges friends were facing (Read Blog Post Day 207) unfortunately other very sad things have crept into the lives of people I love.

My dear friend & NWPC sister Terry Gibson buried her 18 year old grandson this week. He was a recipient of a heart transplant and didn't make it ... Just a young boy.... there's nothing you can say to a parent who buries a child or to their grandma... My prayers go out to Terry and her family.

Another family is faced with their daughter having major surgery next week to remove a tumor which has not been determined as malignant or benign. The waiting is a life sentence. Painful. Our prayers go out to this family as well.

And there are other very dear friends who are experiencing issues with their children that are very painful. All we can do is be there to listen, support and love. I send you all my love ...

Day 220: THIRD DAY: Central Park and the Country

Another glorious day in the city! Brian and I explored the neighborhood while the teenagers snoozed .... our days have been full and our evenings very late.

We walked to the East River just blocks from Kevin and Jennifer's new apartment. Magnificent is all I can say. Beautiful parks where children were playing and folks were walking their dogs on a cool crisp morning. I mean breathtakingly beautiful.

We took a brisk walk and soaked in the way of life for New Yorkers. Very different then our Southern California lifestyle, but equally as magical. The city is intoxicating and invigorating, that is for sure. But you gotta have a lot of strength, chutzpa and dough to play and live in this town.

After our wonderful morning we headed back to the apartment to get ready for once again another yummy meal. We headed over to Seriphina, another spot I wanted the boys to eat at. Truffle pizza again with delicious pasta. What could be better? It was a late lunch but the place was packed and the people just kept comin' in. Talk about a lunch crowd ... any of our joints in LA would die for the action this Italian place was getting. Great food & great energy.

From there we walked to Central Park. I could spend hours in this park. It is beautiful and full of life. Babies in strollers, joggers, walkers, Zoo visitors, lovers, old, young, it's all happening at this jewel smack in the middle of an island separating the Eastside from the Westside in Manhattan. Just amazing!

Then the boys and I hooked up with Aunt Jennifer to head up to the Country to prepare for Thanksgiving. Kevin and Jen have a home in a small country town called Austerlitz, about two hours out of the city.

The afternoon was all about logistics!
The four of us -- Jen, Harrison, Spencer and I - headed out of town while Brian stayed back to have a "boy's night dinner" in the city with Kevin and also to greet college boy Brandon who was flying in from Portland on a red eye flight. He wasn't able to join us the entire week because he had school so he arrives at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning and will hook up with Brian then.

Jennifer is quite the New York driver ... she maneuvered the insane traffic getting us out of the City up through the Bronx and Harlem to the highway. Whew, you know me I was a wreck with how those New Yorkers drive ... but there was Jennifer, cursing and nudging her way into the lane she needed. Thank goodness it was her driving and not me.

She was so sweet to offer to take the boys to Mo'Griters... one of the eateries profiled on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives located in the Bronx in a car repair shop. Well, oh my gosh is all I can say about this little adventure.

Here we were in her shiny new Lexus driving in an area we ought not to be to find this dive. Harrison spotted the sign and we made our way in only to learn that City officials had shut down the joint a few months before. What a disappointment. The boys were really looking forward to grubbing on good BBQ, but heck we gave it a try and it was a fun excursion.

We made it to the house in Austerlitz, New York and just melted at how beautiful it is. Nestled on 3 acres of land with endless trees and no neighbors on top of you. What us Angeleno's wouldn't give for a little land like this!

Pictured here is the house and their very own backyard pond!

It has been a long day and so tonight we just snuggled in front of a fire and chilled. Tomorrow it's off to prepare for Turkey Day!

Day 218: FIRST DAY: Sunday Football JETS Style

WOW, that's all I can say about our first day in the City! We rose early today after a great flight to New York last night and an amazing welcome dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant! Kid sister Jennifer & her beau Kevin took us to one of their favorite spots in their neighborhood on the upper Eastside. Nothing like a truffle pizza to welcome you to the Big Apple! YUMMY!

Today we had a scrumptious breakfast at another one of their favorite neighborhood joints, Gracie Mews, before we headed off to the brand new Meadowland Stadium in New Jersey for a JETS football game. Harrison had researched the football schedule and discovered that we'd be in New York for a Sunday day game at the brand spanking new 1 billion dollar football arena. It did not disappoint that is for sure. Makes our Los Angeles Staples Center seem like an antique.

So we headed to Penn Station bundled up with jackets, gloves and hoodies. We took a train from Penn Station in Manhattan to Secaucus, New Jersey where we then transferred to a smaller train earmarked for the Meadowland Stadium. There we were us four Californians with a train full of green jersey wearing insane hardcore JETS FOOTBALL fans. That in itself was an experience!

All of us were in awe of the new stadium ... its grandness and newness and of course its prices. Brian and I drank 18 dollar Bloody Mary's! What a way to kick start your Sunday football action.

Our seats were awesome, of course thanks to the hubby Brian Simon. The boys were in awe. They have never been to a professional football game before (only college games) because of course LA doesn't have a professional team. So this was a real treat. And New York fans don't disappoint. For those of you who remember Raider football fans, you get my drift-- hardcore and committed to their team.

Well I gotta tell you the JETS team did not disappoint. I mean the last 49 seconds of the game was some of the best and most exciting sports action I have ever witnessed. I mean jaw dropping excitement as local Southern California boy Mark Sanchez throws a pass to score a touchdown and win the game with seconds remaining. The stadium erupted and we were all hoarse from cheering! The win made the schelp back on the trains bearable!

Pictured here are the boys Spencer & Harrison mowing on prime rib sandwiches! The food & bar area in the new stadium is the bomb! Absolutely a spectacular sports arena.

And as if the daytime adventure wasn't enough we headed back to kid sister Jen's apartment to change for a delicious dinner out on the town.

We hit a place called Peasant in the Chelsea area of New York on the lower Westside. It's a Funky, cool, hip area of the city. The meal did not disappoint. There are no gas ovens -- everything is cooked and prepared in a wood burning oven -- delicious!! And a magnificent wine list too.

Pictured here to the right are kid sister Jennifer and me at yummy Peasant Restaurant. Pictured below is the gang enjoying our beautiful dinner to candlelight!

It was a truly full, fun, and adventuresome day with the family in a great city!

What a way to kick start our New York vacation! WOW!

Day 215: Packing Anxiety

Okay, everyone has something that they do not do well ... cooking, dancing, gardening, driving, writing, the list goes on and on with how many tasks we manage daily and the degree in which we perform these chores or activities. Some we shy away from. Others we just never engage in. For me the task that causes me the most anxiety is packing for a trip! Sounds odd doesn't it... I mean you'd think one would be so excited about getting the heck out of town (which I am) that they'd happily throw some items in the bag and hit the road.

For me it's a bit more complicated then that. What if I bring too many clothes? Or not enough? Or not the right clothes... will it be very cold, mildly cold or will an unseasonal heat wave hit the city when I've packed all winter sweaters and scarfs? Such a dilemma I tell you.

The Simon gang departs on Saturday for New York City, yeah! We are going to spend the week and the Thanksgiving Holiday with kid sis Jennifer, her beau Kevin and his 6 year old son Zachary. We are all super excited to be on the East Coast with the cold wintry weather and to spend time with Jennifer & Kevin in their Country home in Hudson, New York.

As you know if you follow my Blog, we usually host Turkey Day and it is always fun & festive.... but this year due to numerous reasons we elected to change it up and try something new. So off we go on Saturday morning. College boy Brandon will fly out of Portland, Oregon on Tuesday and hook up with us then in Manhattan.

We have all kinds of fun activities planned, but that will be another post, today I need to vent about my anxiety surrounding packing the right items ... not just for myself but for the boys too! Can't have them showing up in the city not dressed properly!

So here's the deal for me... as you know I'm a huge accessory queen ... I change my handbag daily to match my outfit. Same with my jewelry... I know it's weird but that's who I am. So when I set out to pack I have to carefully imagine every accessory that goes with each outfit, I sound crazy don't I, again that's me! And I like to have options... do I want to wear slacks, leggings, a skirt out to dinner or walking around .... I don't know what mood I'll be in so I end up bringing all three choices.

It's similar to going to the grocery store and trying to plan dinner for the next 5 nights ... how the hell do I know what I'll want to eat on Thursday if I'm food shopping on a Monday? I need variety and options and don't want to be boxed in ... that's how it is for my clothes!

So tonight begins the process of laying everything out that I believe I will wear and then going crazy because it's all way too much and then I feel overwhelmed and just throw everything in the damn bag... oh such problems!

Day 170: My Favorite Time of Year

I've written before how the Fall Season is my favorite time of the year. Especially October. It's the time when our weather begins to shift from hot days to more warm days, and cool nights. When the sunrise and sunset have more burnt orange tones and when the days get shorter as the clocks get pushed back an hour. It is also the time when the boys have settled back-to-school and by now are in a full routine, albeit an always changing one when you have teenagers, and it's a time to celebrate my favorite Libra Birthday's and to celebrate my two favorite holiday's Halloween & Thanksgiving.

I love when the air is cool and you bundle up in your sweater. I love that tonight as my boys did their homework they asked for a cup of tea with honey as the rain came down outside. It's a night for a fire.

October is a month to honor two people I love. My Mom, Suzanne, was a Libra and my hubby Brian is a Libra too. Probably two of the most significant people in my life who share a birthday two days apart.

October kicks off a busy time in the Simon house. With Birthday's, our annual Halloween party and are annual Thanksgiving feast we are busy and full the entire month through.

This year we are not hosting Turkey Day and instead will be flying to New York to spend the holiday with kid sis Jennifer and her beau Kevin. A change of pace. A fresh landscape. An opportunity to travel with the boys. A chance to celebrate Turkey Day in the country on the East Coast.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I have always loved its meaning -- giving thanks for your lot in life. Taking stock in what you have, the people you care about, being grateful for your health. It's also my wedding anniversary. Brian and I specifically planned to get married on Thanksgiving weekend so it's also a time to honor our marriage. Going to New York is for us as well to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary.

I think it's only fitting that today it's raining as we begin the first week in October. Just the way I like it. Something about the weather, the change of seasons, the anticipation of Halloween, it all brings up such cozy memories for me. I'm hoping Brian and Harrison will cook their famous Simon Chili.

I will miss certain people this year. It won't be the same Holiday without Nat and his Pink's Hot Dogs. It won't be the same without one of my chicks, Brandon who is away at college. He and Papa Nat shared a special bond getting those Pink's Hot dogs for the big Halloween party. It's not the same without them together. And of course I'll miss my Mom, not only on her October Birthday, but at the festive Holidays as she is the one who started this whole crazy Fall kickoff of seasonal holidays.

Her traditions have been passed down to her daughters and in turn I have passed them on to my sons. They come to except our traditions and cherish them as much as I do ... well maybe not as much as me yet, that will come with time and even more so when I'm not around anymore to host them.

Enjoy the Fall season... be warm & cozy, and celebrate your traditions and family!