A Splash of 21 Humor

Make it fun! Life, that is.

Monday, October 30, 2006

D.C. Halloween 2.0




















This weekend I went to Washington D.C. to visit my buddy Paul and to see Cassie (my cousin) run in the United States Marine Corps Marathon. As you all know, I have a special place in my heart for this city because of living there for a while. It was a lovely Fall weekend with some of my very favorite people in one of my very favorite places!

Paul, his friends, and I went out in costume for Nightmare on M Street, a fantastic downtown DC bar crawl (this is now the second time I've done this). I expressed my Native American roots (yes, 1% bloodline does count as having roots.. he he) and dressed accordingly. Paul (who is straight) was a cowboy from Brokeback Mountain. He wore an athletic bandage on his wrist and a T-shirt that read "I Can't Quit ME," (a joke on the famous movie line, 'I can't quit you.'). The women (and one very-amused drag queen) loved it!















His friends were an assortment of characters ranging from the Atomic Wedgie man, Lindsay Lohan (Alison, Paul's roomie... see above), a mechanic, a ninja turtle, and other fun costumes.















On Sunday, Paul and I met up with some friends and with my family to cheer on Cassie an the 34,000 other marathon participants. Cassie is 19 and this is her first marathon. She did unbelievably well and we are so proud of her!!! 3 hours, 43 minutes- in the top 10% of all the runners, top 4% for women. What a champ!

































Might I add again how amazing it is to participate in a marathon in any capacity? Next to live football games, I think marathons are my favorite sport to attend live. They are just so inspiring: all the runners pushing their bodies to the limit, and all the spectators lining the streets with brightly-colored posters and noise-makers out to cheer them on make for an emotional day. I cry every time I go to one. Congrats to everyone who participated.














Team Cassie

Friday, October 27, 2006

Pumpkins















I work near a farm, so I visited their pumpkin patch on the way home and bought some pumpkins. Dan and I cooked dinner and spent the evening watching Halloween movies and carving our pumpkins. Always a fun time.

The Halloween season has been great this year... some of my favorite things have been: carving pumpkins, watching Halloween and scary movies, roasting pumpkin seeds, drinking lots of hot cider, the local Halloween parade (awesome dogs & old cars & cute kids in costume), the awesome decorating in my town. Can't wait for the weekend and Nightmare on M Street with Paul!




















Thursday, October 19, 2006

Day 7: Final Day in Paradise















Today was our final day in the Bahamas. Dan and I had such a great time snorkeling on Rose Island on Monday that we tried to do it again on our own. We rented gear and walked a mile down the shoreline past the resorts (Atlantis, bayside pictured above) ... the surf was heavier than we anticipated and we were too scared to swim out from the beach too far without a boat or life preserver close by (these beaches down here are ROCKY, people, and I wouldn't be able to perform a water rescue on my boyfriend).

Still, we splashed around in a GORGEOUS cove that we discovered and picked up some lovely shells. Miguel came with us and tried to bring Kristi back for a picnic lunch for the four of us, and was detained at the edge of the Atlantis property where there is construction going on. Apparently none of us were supposed to be where we were because it is a construction zone.















Atlantis Lagoon
















Waterfall at Atlantis

So we spent the rest of the day by the lagoon, just hanging out. We did the water park at Atlantis (very fun... we rode innertubes through protected water tubes right in the middle of the shark tanks!) and later ate dinner together at a local restaurant, Bimini Road. I had some conch fritters in honor of Cait and the Conch Republic. The last night of vacation was spent hanging in K & M's room, finishing our Corona from the night before and listening to the soul band music coming from the grounds outside.

This trip was just about perfect.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Day 6: More Bumminess




















Today was a wonderful bummy day. We spent the entire day on the beach and by the lagoon with Kristi and Miguel. I read an entire book and worked on my awesome tan.

We spent the evening drinking Corona (we splurged at $45/case because we were so sick of rum) and playing cards on the Atlantis grounds with Kristi and Miguel. The guys rigged a cooler out of a grocery bag and the case box and filled it with ice at the ice machine. They carried the heavy bastard outside using a bath towel as a sling between them both.

Thank goodness for Dan and his new bottle-opener flip-flops!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Day 5: Nassau















Today we met with Kristi and Miguel midday to take a water taxi into Nassau. It was kind of disappointing. Our overall impression of Nassau was that it was dirty and run-down. It didn't feel safe. And it was really sad to see how much poverty there is here with the ritzy white Atlantis a stone toss away. It was just frustrating.

Shopping was not what I expected either. Everything was expensive and looked like it was mass-produced in China. No original art, jewelry, or handcrafts. Maybe we were just in the wrong part of town, but I would've expected more from this place.

The highlight of the day was going to the Pirates of Nassau museum. Arggh! It was well done. And I almost got abducted (see pic).




















We parted ways with Kristi and Miguel and went back to Land'or (played some Bingo at the pool and sat in the sun for the afternoon). After showering, Kristi and Miguel came over for dinner. Dan cooked his legendary Red Beans and Rice, we drank up on our duty-free alcohol, and played cards. Notice the drunk gangsta girls...

Monday, October 16, 2006

Day 4: Rose Island Excursion















Today we spent the entire day on an excursion to Rose Island, an all-inclusive packaged event organized by Club Land'or. We met up around 11 am with the group (15 or so couples, both young and old) that were staying at Land'or and boarded the large party boat (pontoon-like). We knew the day would be really fun when the first thing the boat captain did was hand us a drink upon boarding. We cruised out of the harbor to "Party Till the Break of Dawn," "Dance Up On Me," and other traditional Junkanoo songs (Junkanoo music is the traditional folk music of the Bahamas...it's considered to be a percussive sound of dance music rooted in West African rhythms, its dominant elements including goatskin drums, cowbells, horns, and whistles).





























We arrived at deserted Rose Island 45 minutes later and helped the crew carry our BBQ lunch and beach bar libations up the cliff on the bay/docking side of the island, over the top of the island, and down the other side to the beach. The island was very rocky and pirate-like, with little beaten wooden shacks and huts and painted wooden arrow signs directing to the beach, the bathrooms, and the dock. After crossing over the top of the island, we had to walk through a palm tree grove, littered with hammocks, to the beach. I walked around all day in bare feet, to which the excursion hosts called my "island feet."















Dan and I snorkeled on the bay side for a while (gorgeous fish and conch and reefs) and then feasted on the buffet lunch on the beach side. The food was good and the liquor was unlimited and strong (They had good stuff - Bacardi 151, Jose Cuervo, etc.) After lunch, we played some organized "camp games," one of which was the egg toss (nothing like chucking a raw egg at your guy from 50 feet away). Dan and I won and I think he was very proud of me since I was his football protege.


































We got some beautiful pictures of the island and of Dan in his kilt and me posing like the Little Mermaid (he made me do it!). We danced our way back to Club Land'or late in the afternoon (notice evidence of a guy who had a little too much fun on the island with the open bar) and invited two of our new friends over for dinner (Dan is quite the host and cook). We drank lots of rum and had a fun evening with Dan wearing his kilt all around the Atlantis grounds.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Day 3: Beach Bums & Zeus

Sunday was a relaxing day. Dan cooked breakfast for me and we spent half the day on the beach. I spent the afternoon with Kristi and her family at the lagoon beach on Atlantis. Dan and Miguel left us for the afternoon to cheer the Saints and the Titans on to victory at the sports bar (have you noticed the common theme of the daily visit to the sports bar, yet?)















One of the cooler things I saw today was the feeding of Atlantis' giant manta ray, Zeus. Atlantis is a virtual waterworld, built around an aquarium of sorts. This particular manta ray is 8' across and eats 15 lbs. of food twice a day. He does backwards somersaults after eating because he is happy (see pics).





























Kristi's family hosted a pizza dinner in their suite for everyone since it was their last night there. The newlyweds and Dan and I are the only ones staying the whole week. Fun hanging with the fam!

Ended the night with gambling and drinking.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Walking down the aisle... with Kristi & Miguel




















The beautiful bride before the ceremony.














Kristina, Kristi & her parents.




















Kristina & Kristi.














"Here comes the bride..." on steel drum.




















Walking down the "aisle."














Wedding guests (including Miami Vice Dan) watch the start of the wedding. Notice Grandpa without shoes on! Awesome.




















Bride and groom.














The wedding. So relaxed and lovely.














Mr. & Mrs.!



























Arriving at the waterfront reception.















My friends are so damn cool - Last week's bride climbed a house and this week's bride protected her dress from pasta sauce with a strategically placed napkin!

Day 2: Kristi & Miguel's Wedding

Kristi and I woke up around 9 and went for breakfast. After breakfast we parted ways and I walked back to Land'or (10 minutes away) and met up with Dan. He had already been out to buy perishable groceries (I love this guy). Since the Bahamas are known for being really expensive, we brought an entire suitcase of canned goods to cook all our meals. Dan and I spent the day on the beach. I alternated between being a beach bum and running errands for the lovely bride-to-be.















The wedding began at 5:15 pm and was beautiful. The ceremony took place at the Atlantis' lagoon on the beach (see pic- beach to the top left). We carried white Calla Lily bouquets. Two rasta men with dreadlocks played a guitar and steel drum, and everything was so relaxed. Pictures are floating in from fellow wedding guests (my camera battery died at the beginning of the ceremony) so I will add as I get them (the reason why there aren't any of the bride and groom up yet).




















The reception was on an intimate balcony a short distance away that overlooked the property. Absolutely gorgeous.















After the reception, we changed and came back over to Atlantis to watch the PSU/Michigan game at the sports bar. The newlyweds joined us. (I had a Bahama Mama here, Doug, AND I heard "Seems Like You're Ready," and thought of you...) Bed around midnight.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Day 1: Friday the 13th















Happy Friday the 13th (Sending special love to Colorado today!)!!

Dan and I caught a plane from Newark this morning (complete with breakfast and a movie) and arrived in beautiful sunny Nassau around noon to the sound of the Junkanoo band. 85 degrees, heavy humidity and lots of sunshine. How I love the Caribbean!

We are staying at Club Land'or, a smaller "resort" with several villas. It's one of the older lodging establishments on Paradise Island and still retains some old-time charm-- and it's at a great location right across the marina from Atlantis and the harbor shops.

We tried to check in early, but our room wasn't ready. In America, they tell you, "Tough luck. Wait." In the Bahamas they send you to the pool bar to drink for free. Oh yes. We befriended Al and Tony, the bartenders (and as we quickly learned, the guys that basically run the place and facilitate Jimmy Buffett's so-called 'Coconut Telegraph' of Club Land'or).

I met up with Kristi and her family and wedding coordinator for a walk-through in the afternoon. It was a Bahamian style wedding "rehearsal" where we got all of our instructions. Dan and I finally got to check in a bit later and then joined Kristi, Miguel and their families for a welcome party in her parents' suite.















We all parted ways with the boys later on and I stayed the night with the bride.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Changes in Latitude...

On my way to the Bahamas! Tonight I drove to Philly with Dan since we are flying out of Newark International early tomorrow morning. We stayed the night with Cait’s mom and brother in the cute farmhouse they're renting in Bucks county… wine and cheese and great conversation, as always. Makes me miss Cait a ton. 4:30 wake-up call... but warm weather beckons!

Let's all get on the same page to give you a point of reference for future entries. The Bahamas are an independent country (still loosely affiliated with Great Britain) made up of hundreds of islands. They're located east of Florida / the Florida Keys / Cuba. We are visiting New Providence Island, one of the larger islands and home to Nassau (the capital of The Bahamas). A smaller island, Paradise Island, is located immediately northeast of Nassau. It's connected by a bridge and houses celebrity homes, a few smaller hotels and resorts, and the famed Atlantis Resort and Casino. We will actually be staying on Paradise Island.

Bahama Mama

I'm heading to the Bahamas tomorrow (with Dan) for Kristi & Miguel's wedding and a much-needed week-long vacation!! If you're going to be down there, stop by and say "hi." I'll be the hot bikini-clad brunette on the beach reading the James Patterson book with my boat drink in hand. I'll be lounging on the chair next to the blonde guy wearing a kilt... regimental, of course. Sounds like a party to me!

Check back next week for pictures and stories about my trip (as you all know, there are ALWAYS stories to be told in my little world).

Much love!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Walking down the aisle.... with Apryle & Phil

I swiped these awesome pictures from Phil's Dad's website and from Marcia so you all can "attend" Apryle & Phil's beautiful wedding!















The groom and groomsmen anxiously await.















Carrie (Phil's sister).















Kristina (Apryle's childhood friend).















Emily (Apryle's childhood friend).















Marcia (Apryle's childhood friend).














The bridesmaids.














Apryle and her dad.














The wedding.














Prayer & vows.




















Doug (Apryle's childhood friend & Kristina's brother) sings Garth Brooks' "The River."




















Married!



































































Entering the reception.














Dessert table!




















The groom made their lovely and tasty wedding cake.















All the young people at the wedding sans Marcia (who had left).





















The groom climbs his house.




















The bride, not to be outdone, climbs the house.