Pantella's Pancake Tri

This morning at the bright and early time of 5 a.m., Mark, Keren, and I headed to Staten Island for the 2008 Pantella's "Flat as a Pancake" sprint triathlon. (We had the pleasure of having Keren stay over on Friday night; we took her to a good ol' Italian place in 'Boken for a carbo-loading dinner). Since I'm not quite in race shape (to say the least), I came along for moral support and photography duties. I was nervous/excited for the two of them; especially for Keren as this was her first triathon ever! Mark, of course, is an old-hand at them, but it was his season opener.

The morning was beautiful and the setting picturesque despite being in the often pooh-poohed borough of SI. Mark's wave was first to go in the water, and I was thrilled to see him emerge from the Bay in the top ten of his wave. A little later on, K came out, smiling and looking like she was having a great time. Then off on the bikes they went, and I was able to see them both pass three times on the multi-loop circuit. I'm sure that was quite a bore for them, but it was a great spectator's course! The run was an out-and-back on the boardwalk, and I was able to see the top folks finish as well as M & K start and end. I took lots of pictures and video (hope to post that soon) and tried not to get too envious of all of the people crossing the finish line! It's hard to watch a race, but I know I'll be back out there soon!

More pics follow...again, a big shout out to Mark and Keren...I am so proud! :-)

It was Keren's first-ever triathlon, and she did great! I tried to chip in with coaching and pre-race advice but otherwise acted like the typical nervous spectator I become each time I watch a triathlon. I'd much, much rather be competing--it's a lot less nerve wracking!

The other three legs of Mark's triathlon:

Race...
Recover...
Rest!

Wednesday in the City with Corinne

Corinne made a special day trip up to NYC on Wednesday for one of the last performances of Sunday in the Park with George. She had seen the cast perform on the Tony's and decided she just had to go; and of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to A) spend time with my BFF and B) see the show. We got cheap tickets to a matinee and grabbed a quick bite with Mark in Bryant Park before dashing over to the theatre.

The show, a revival, was up for a bunch of Tony's this year, and for good reason: It's a unique and enlightening look at the life and influence of the neo-impressionist Georges Seurat and centers around his famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. This is a very familiar painting--I'm pretty sure we "studied" this painting or a similar work by Seurat with the Art Lady/Man, (the "Man," of course being none other than Mr. Dreskin--Corinne's dad--perhaps the only Art Man to ever walk the halls of Whetstone!).

The second half focuses on Seurat's ficticious great-grandson, who himself is an artist struggling with same inner-demons Seurat did hundreds of years prior. It was different and super-serious for a musical, but we both really enjoyed it. Afterwards, we hung out for a bit in the West Vill. before C trekked up to Queens for her ride home. It was a great day and felt almost like we were living in the same city again!

Sunday with Sam

On Sunday afternoon after an early start at the Philly tri, the 'rents and I had the pleasure to take Sam into Hoboken while Leezie and Speed were hard at work. He was a doll and entertained himself for a good 45 minutes on our bed with nothing but his rattle. He's such a good baby! Here are some pics from the day...click on the slideshow for full-size images!

Ladies Who Lunch

On Monday afternoon, in honor of bride-to-be Bec, we celebrated with a ladies luncheon at Perry Street. As some of you may recall , Bec treated me to a lunch at Perry Street around this time last year, and I never got over the flavor explosion that occured in my mouth that day! Needless to say, I was incredibly excited to go back, especially for such an exciting occasion! This time, I opted for the tuna burger and grilled hangar steak (with a liquid gruyere sauce), and, for dessert, the chocolate pudding atop devil's food cake. The food is amazing and so creative, and of course the company--which included John's mom, Francis (in from Toronto for the occasion ), Anna, Bubba, and my mom plus the four of us--was unbeatable. We're all so thrilled for Bec and John, and this was the perfect way to kick off the build-up to their October wedding in New Paltz!

The lunch capped off an action-packed three days, which included another party, a triathlon (for anyone who hasn't heard, Bec and Karl placed first and third, respectively, at the Philly tri!), and an afternoon in Hoboken with Sam and the 'rents. More on all of that later (and plenty of pis, too!).

Another weekend, another trip

Somewhat purposefully, we've packed a trip or event into nearly every weekend until August 1 (trying to squeeze in everything while we can, I guess!). This weekend: MD/VA/Philly.

After another trip down the Jersee turnpike last night, I'm back at the 'rents in Wheatone, doing some work and chilling until Pat & Mary's engagement party this evening in VA. Mark's playing golf and the 'rents are running errands, so I should have ample time to write a few columns and chisle away at my ever-increasing workload. Once again, I've put off everything 'til the last minute and have about 30 stories due between now and July 1. But I can handle it!

The extended Flynn fam is down for the big party tonight, so it'll be great to hang out with the cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Thanks to Leezie, who so generously donated a bunch of dresses to my bump-worthy cause, I'm all set in the "what to wear" department. (Note for anyone who may be pregnant next summer: She has quite the enviable maternity collection!)

Then, tomorrow morning at 4 a.m., the 'rents and I will be scooting up to the city of bro' love to watch Karl and Bec undoubtedly kick some major butt in the Philly tri. We hope to be there by the first splash at 6:55 a.m. The early call time will be totally worth it, as this may be the only chance I get this season to watch them both compete.

Afterwards, we're going to travel back to NYC for an afternoon with Sam...and work for me. Speaking of which, back to it I go...

Seeing Triple

Some shots of Ashley's adorable kiddies, Jack (21 months) and brand-new twins, Hanna & Olivia (born May 12). She definitely has her hands full with these three, but you can't complain when they're this cute!

If you're flying the friendly skies on American this month, reach into your seatback pocket for the current issue of American Way magazine (with Will Ferrell on the cover). There, in the DownLow section, you'll find a Q&A I did with the Supernanny herself, Jo Frost. Here's what the page looks like...and if you want a sneak peek, check it out here (scroll all the way down to get to my piece, but read the other stuff because it's all good!).

And while we're on the subject of American Way, another story of mine (with Son of Rambow editor Garth Jennings ran in an issue last month. I kind of forgot about it, but if anyone has the chance to see his movie, you should. It's really entertaining in a witty, British kind of way. Here's that piece. (Again, scroll down 'til you see the picture of the two boys in combat gear).

Father's Day at the Farm

I had a wonderful weekend at home! We left late Thursday night and drove down to Arlington, where we stayed the night with Maureen. Early on Friday, Mark left for his golf trip in Cape Charles, VA, while I stuck around the area for a very relaxing and fun next three days. I met up with Corinne in Bethesda for lunch and a movie (Savage Grace, very odd and a highly do not recommend despite Julianne Moore's beautiful costumes). Afterwards, I scooted over to Silver Spring for a delish dinner at the Golden Flame with the 'rents. On Saturday, M and I got mani/pedis and then dashed up to the Farm (with a stop at Ragged first!) for Father's Day festivities!

We had a low-key Saturday night with a dinner at the KK (I opted out of my plans to go to B-more to watch Allie D. sing, a bummer, I know, but I was pooped...) . On Sunday we got up and started getting ready for the guests! Kasia's parents arrived around 2 and we celebrated Father's Day with a long Chair Circle session and a yummy BBQ. As the only "kid" around, I had a nice chance to spend time with everyone and to completely relax. We had gorgeous weather and a nice time catching up and hearing the wedding details (A & K were ensconced in their Engaged Encounter weekend and couldn't make it up...I felt for them!)

Later on Sunday, M and I drove back down to Arlington to meet up with the Flynn's (Mark had reconnected with them earlier in the day) for dessert at Maureen's. It was great to see everyone...even briefly. And yesterday, we rose early to shop at White Flint...M/"Grand Liz" bought Baby F bedding for F at Pottery Barn Kids and we tried to find a dress for the various upcoming occasions to no avail. Maternity stuff is way too pricey for this bargain hunter!

It was sad to get on the road and head back up to Hoboken, but alas we had to. We extended the extra-long weekend a bit more with a gourmet meal with Rick and Patty. I pretty much ate my way through the weekend, but it was totally worth it!

Baby model alert!

A shoot for Baby Gap? Nah, just a typical afternoon walk with Sam! I took these pics last Thursday on our way over to Aunt Bec's for a visit. As usual, he was flashing his adorable smile and his eyes sparkled in the early evening sun. How cute is he? (I think we can use the second picture as his headshot when he goes to try out for commericals...hee hee).

Livestrong.com

From an editor of Livestrong.com, a site I've contributed a bunch of stories to...launching 6/17! Check it out!

Set your DVRs, TIVOs to record TWO shows next Tuesday 6/17 when we launch LIVESTRONG.COM. Our partner, Lance Armstrong, will be on TV telling the world about our new site:
11amET/10am PT - the View on ABC
11:30pm ET/PT - Late Show with David Letterman

I've been blogged!

Meghan, my friend, former co-worker, and gifter of jobs (she's the reason I worked at CG!; I took over her position!), has a great blog on Women's Health mag website. I've been reading it since she started months ago and am always inspired by her drive and funny, fitness-related stories. In her latest post, she mentioned a certain someone who recently ran a 10K...at seven-months pregnant. Sound familiar? That would be me! It's a sweet shout-out and I'm honored to have made it onto the pages of her blog. Check it out!

Tech-challenged

You know how they say things happen in three's? Well, currently, I'm battling a busted iPod (non-working menu button), cell phone (zero battery, even after charging), and laptop (sticky mouse). As most of us are, I am completely dependent on these three items, and as a result of them malfunctioning, I feel like my life is in disarray. Sad, but true. So today, after I finish up some columns and before I head over to Sam-mind, I am going to have to make stops at the oh-so-fun Sprint and Apple stores to try to salvage at least two of my broke-down gadgets. I haven't had luck at either place in the past, so I'm not too too hopeful, but maybe they'll have sympathy on the large pregnant lady walking around in the heat! (Though it's not even that hot today, so that probably won't work, either).

After all of that, Mark and I are heading down the road for a weekend in VA/MD. M's joining his friends for a guys' golf weekend somewhere on VA's eastern shore, while I'll be hanging with the 'rents and whomever else is around for Father's Day weekend. Can't wait!

Me and my BFF, Sam. Note that we're both sporting some chubby cheeks...they're adorable on him, not so much on me!

10K at 30 Weeks!

On Saturday morning I joined 6,000+ other women for the NYRR Circle of Friends Mini 10K. It's always inspiring to run in a women-only event, but even more so at 7+ months pregnant! Throughout the morning I received congrats and compliments from my fellow "competitors". All of the extra moral support--and the physical boost from my new Medela bump-belt, which worked wonders to protect my abs and pelvis--made running those 6.2 miles a breeze. (Yes, I did stop for all water breaks and yes, I did run extremely easy!)

It's always going to be hard for me to enter a race and not really "race", but having the company of Keren (who did awesome in her first official 10K! ) and her co-worker, Michelle, kept me relaxed instead of worrying about how far back in the crowd we were. There will come a time when I can worry about pace and place again, but for now, it's all about having fun. And that we did: After crossing the finish line and collecting our medals and pink carnations, we hung around to watch the elites collect their loot and got a quick breafkast at an UES cafe. All that and I was home by 11:30 in time to head up to Ramsey for Mark's golf lesson. More on that later...

Hands On

While you can usually walk the streets of NYC (or Hoboken, whatever the case may be) as a virtual unknown amongst the crowds, the tides definitely turn when you're sporting either an injury (crutches, cast, etc.) or a baby bump. Suddenly, it's like there's a spotlight on you as you walk down the street, drawing out the stares, smiles, and general odd-ball behavior from passerby.

I remember Bec having some funny incidents when she was hobbling around with her stress fracture a couple years back, and now I've started to experience some myself. There are the comments ("God bless you and your baby!" Or, my favorite, "Another one?" when I was pushing Sam around the other day). There are the unsolicited stories: One woman told me how awful of a month August is to have a baby--she had hers in August, you know, and swelled up like a whale and spent two nights in the hospital due to dehydration.

And then there's the whole belly-touching-by-strangers bit. I was warned this would happen, but didn't think New Yorkers had it in them to just randomly touch my stomach. But that was until today, when the hands of a Starbuck's barista landed firmly on my bump. If she wasn't a sweet-seeming grandma type, I may have thrown my decaf iced mocha right back at her. I go to that Stbx all the time, so let's just hope she doesn't make reaching-out-and-touching me a habit!

Running Again

Though I was complaining about feeling extra-tired after Tuesday night's run, by the end of the day yesterday I was back to my normal self. So I decided to join Keren at Saturday's Circle of Friends Mini 10K in Central Park. (Don't worry, I'm not planning on running all 6.2 miles. It'll be more of a run/walk to the finish line). This is a great all-women's race that I've done before and really enjoyed; plus, Deena K. is headlining the pro-field, so it'll be cool to be among the throngs of runners streaming in to the finish area well after she and the rest of the elites do.

It's Keren's first race in the park and her first glimpse of competition before she and Mark brave the chilly waters in Staten Island for their 6/28 sprint tri (a precursor to the NYC race, which, unfortunately we'll both be missing this year for obvious reasons...Baby F & A & K's wedding!). While I definitely have the itch to compete these days, I'm very happy to support my friends and fam in their own endeavors. Next year I'll be back at it!

Rainy Day

Finding it hard to get motivation today. I think it's the weather. Gloomy and wet. Ugh. Yesterday--a lovely summery day--I spent indoors at the Starbucks around the corner working on a story about STDs (for teen girls). It was well worth it because the story turned out decent, but I would have loved to be outside! At least I did get a chance to enjoy the sunset along the West Side Highway for the Urban Run. Did 30 minutes last night, and am a bit sore today as a result. I felt fine during the run, but afterwards my body was responding like I'd just completed a half-marathon. Just don't think this belly's made for running anymore....

Spending the day with Sam, so hopefully the skies will clear and we can take at least one of our many walks!

good weekend

We had a great, low-key weekend. It's one of only a few that we'll actually be at home this summer (until August, that is!), so Mark and I took advantage of the down time. We watched some NetFlix (Into the Wild and 310 to Yuma), did some work (column crunch-time for me), frequented our fave 'Boken spots for B and L, and even headed up to New Paltz on Saturday afternoon/evening. Mark discovered a great 9-hole golf course neslted among apple orchards, and while he putted away, Karl and I had a nice lunch at the bakery in town. Then we all drove over to Rose Lane, where Bec and John gave us a tour of their beautiful house that is very near completion. It was my first time seeing the site as more than just a pile of plywood, and I was completely amazed at all of the work and creativity put into the structure. It's going to be a gorgeous home, as many of you will see in October at their wedding!

Amidst a downpour, we then drove a bit more to the Brauhaus (sp?) near Mohonk for a fun dinner before heading back home. Sunday was spent writing and watching the always-adorable Sam for a couple of hours.

One year as a freelancer!

It's so lovely to wake up on a Monday morning with the sun streaming into my bedroom and the air crisp and cool (we still don't have A/C so the windows are wide open) knowing that in just a few hours I'm going to see Sex and the City! Hah! As most rat-racers are slogging their way into work this morning, I'm already at my office (AKA the living room), doing some work before heading over to Battery Park to meet up with Leezie, Karl, and Bec for an 11:30 showing. It's been exactly one year since my freelance career began, and I must say that I definitely made the right decision. Not because I can see movies in the middle of the day (though I admit, that's an excellent perk), but more so in that I am doing exactly what I want to be doing (writing and editing), when I want to do it (all hours of the night!), without the unnecessary stress of a boss or the typical and very aggravating co-worker competition.

So, happy anniversary to me! And instead of gifting myself with a Tiffany's pin (which was the one-year prezzie from my last employer), I'm celebrating with something ten-times better: Yup, the movies with my sisters! :)