My name has gone from "that can't be your real name" to "I heard that's a popular name now"....
Okay, maybe it hasn't reached that point yet. We're still not sure if it will make the "what the hell were they thinking" list. Perhaps it will be similar in quirkiness to the celebrity baby names "Apple" "Moses" or "Pilot Inspector." But regardless of the category my name lands in, thank you, Jamie Lynn for raising awareness for those of us with socially awkward names.
http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/07/maddie-briann-a.html
Crazy......
~B
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Shea is Movin' Out!
What do Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltry, Paul McCartney have in common???
They were all guest artists at the Billy Joel concert in Shea Stadium last night.
This artical forgot a big star, but it's pretty well written anyway.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/nyregion/19joel.html
A couple days ago my co-worker, Jeff, casually mentioned in an e-mail that he was going to the Billy Joel concert to which I jokingly replied "wow! You happen to have any extra tickets??" He said he might have two! I didn't want to get my hopes up, after all this concert was SOLD OUT in February, it was the last concert to be performed at Shea Stadium, and WHO WOULD TURN DOWN BILLY JOEL TICKETS?!?! But yesterday morning he told me the tickets were miraculously still available. So, of course, one of your beloved Broadway Bloopers spent the night with her good friend Billy (B-ster to the close friends).
Regardless of the fact that the stadium ran out of alcohol half-way through the concert- and they apparently bought over 450,000 cases of beer- the entire concert was fused with energy from an eclectic crowd of stoners, parents, bikers, youngsters, and hipsters. One of the biggest highlights of the night for me was looking around at everyone attempting (and mostly failing) to get out all the words to "We didn't start the fire" and accidently catching a show in the back of the stands. Subsequently the huge group in front of us took out binoculars and focused on the XXX show for about 20 minutes, giving my group the play by play. And there's always that wasted chick that you think is hysterical. Ours was standing next to us later in the night and when her beloved Garth Brooks came onstage she told us that if we were closer to the stage she would flash him. When Paul McCartney entered the stage for the final encore, she decided it was time to flash.... from the upper deck.
In the end, it didn't matter that we were too far back for the sound systems to work correctly and the lights to impact us. It was great to be there for a night of star-studded performances and emotional farewells. A night when the great Billy Joel decided to turn the stage over to the legendary Paul McCartney for the last song on the Shea Stadium stage.... "Let it Be"
They were all guest artists at the Billy Joel concert in Shea Stadium last night.
This artical forgot a big star, but it's pretty well written anyway.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/nyregion/19joel.html
A couple days ago my co-worker, Jeff, casually mentioned in an e-mail that he was going to the Billy Joel concert to which I jokingly replied "wow! You happen to have any extra tickets??" He said he might have two! I didn't want to get my hopes up, after all this concert was SOLD OUT in February, it was the last concert to be performed at Shea Stadium, and WHO WOULD TURN DOWN BILLY JOEL TICKETS?!?! But yesterday morning he told me the tickets were miraculously still available. So, of course, one of your beloved Broadway Bloopers spent the night with her good friend Billy (B-ster to the close friends).
Regardless of the fact that the stadium ran out of alcohol half-way through the concert- and they apparently bought over 450,000 cases of beer- the entire concert was fused with energy from an eclectic crowd of stoners, parents, bikers, youngsters, and hipsters. One of the biggest highlights of the night for me was looking around at everyone attempting (and mostly failing) to get out all the words to "We didn't start the fire" and accidently catching a show in the back of the stands. Subsequently the huge group in front of us took out binoculars and focused on the XXX show for about 20 minutes, giving my group the play by play. And there's always that wasted chick that you think is hysterical. Ours was standing next to us later in the night and when her beloved Garth Brooks came onstage she told us that if we were closer to the stage she would flash him. When Paul McCartney entered the stage for the final encore, she decided it was time to flash.... from the upper deck.
In the end, it didn't matter that we were too far back for the sound systems to work correctly and the lights to impact us. It was great to be there for a night of star-studded performances and emotional farewells. A night when the great Billy Joel decided to turn the stage over to the legendary Paul McCartney for the last song on the Shea Stadium stage.... "Let it Be"
What a night. What a performer.
~B
Saturday, July 12, 2008
June: a recap
Okay, friends.... I've been waiting for pictures from Jenny for this blog, but I don't think that will happen in the near future. So let's chat.
We've been up to all sorts of mischief in the past month and a half. Beginning, of course, with amazing trips home to watch our siblings graduate High School. She drove her car down to Virginia and hung out with Heather to celebrate her accomplishment.
[Insert picture here...]
While I took the long plane ride to San Fran to watch Kyle recieve his diploma (I'm SO PROUD of my lil bro!!!) and to catch up with the family whom I love and miss every day.
The following week, my company hosted a cruise around the Hudson bay that your two lovely New Yorksey ladies were both invited to attend. The weather was fair and the views were gorgeous. We passed Lady Liberty, man made waterfall installations, and watched the Sunset onboard our "Great Gatsby" style yacht.
The next weekend we both flew to the state we know and love so well, to watch two of our good friends from college celebrate the next phase of their lives. The trip started off incredibly well. Our rental car was upgraded to a lovely spacious SUV. Kelsey and her bf were able to hang out with us the evening we flew in and we were allowed to use Kelsey's apartment as our home base (WE LOVE YOU KELS!). Just when we were ready for the bad luck storm to hit us, things just got better...
This trip was a whirlwind of nostalgia. CU Buffaloes that we hadn't seen for up to about 4 years were in attendance at the groom's gorgeous lake-side house in Loveland, CO. The music was live and perfectly scheduled (there was a Stage Manager for the wedding- to keep it on track, of course), the food was real Mexican cooking, the alcohol was free-flowing, the fireworks display and light show were phenominal, the fire pit was buzzing with conversation, and the dance floor was rocking all night long. Here are a smattering of pictures from the event (including the gorgeous couple who caught the bouquet and the garter belt).
On our last day we saw Company which Kelsey was performing at the Lakeshore Theater. She was beautiful and natural up on stage and I felt so lucky to be able to see her perform again. The perfect end to the perfect weekend.
After the show when we went to check in for our flight that evening things finally started to get Rocky (ha! "Rocky" get it?) when our flight home was cancelled and the airlines were very unconcerned that they couldn't get us home until the following Wednesday. After much yelling at customer service representatives, Jenny was able to get us both aboard the red-eye flight for the following night and we secured our rental car for an extra day without penalty fees or higher rates.
What were we to do with this day off from the Universe??? Sit around Kelsey's apartment sulking and fighting with the TV? Shopping in the Great Denver Mall? Contacting long lost friends for a short coffee visit? Or perhaps... just perhaps.... the Universe wanted us to go to Eliches Gardens Theme Park and scream our heads off on countless roller coasters. As if our choice of "day off activities" couldn't be more perfect, we discovered that Eliches was celebrating "Gay Day"- the day after pride weekend where Eliches is traditionally taken over by the gay Denver community. Needless to say, we had a BLAST!
[Insert SUPER CUTE Theme Park Pictures from JENNY'S CAMERA here...]
After our travels across the country and back we decided it was time to stay in our home for a while. Our next trip would be to Long Island for some wining and dining fun with a group of friends on the Fourth of July. But that is a story for another time...
Until we meet again.
~B
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The American Evolution
Before I catch you up on our many adventures of the past month (combined we visited Virginia, California, and Colorado). I want to share a few pictures that stopped me dead in my tracks this morning.
If you can't change 'em..... Mold to fit 'em.
God Bless Unhealthy Americans.
~B
If you can't change 'em..... Mold to fit 'em.
God Bless Unhealthy Americans.
~B
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Here's to fans...
I think I've died...and I didn't go where I expected to.
It is hot as Hades in the Dunne-Gagnon household and we have officially gone crazy.
It started this morning. Unbearable heat. Choking heat. I would rather jump from a fifty foot building - just for the breeze- than stay here and feel this sweat-in-every-spot-makes-me-want-to-die heat.
But wait (lightbulb!) we are members of the few, the proud, the central air community!
We shut all of the windows, run to the thermostat (which was clocking in at a staunch 93 degrees) and flip it over to AC. Good glory here we come!
We wait. The fan clicks on. There is a strong whir of air from the vents and ...
IT'S HOT.
Hot air is funneling into our already hot apartment.
Maybe it needs a few minutes, so we wait.
15 minutes go by and I've started to sweat.
30 minutes go by and Briann and I are literally dripping.
45 minutes go by and we're getting faint.
Briann has a glorious idea and in a flash we're out the door and in the car - AC is heaven.
We proceed to spend the day gallivanting around the air condition wonders of Jersey City and Hoboken. Mostly we spend our time getting lost, but we don't care as long as it's cool.
Armed with two new fans and a number of other completely unnecessary accouterments from Target, we head back.
We hope against hope that a miracle has occur ed and our AC (which isn't slated to be fixed until tomorrow morning) has magically fixed itself, or at least that our apartment is a bearable temperature as we reach the second floor landing, 12 stairs waiting in front of us to spell our fate.
Stairs one through 7 seem great, it is very possible that tonight will be fine, warm but not overwhelming.
Then we reach the 8th step.
Oh dear, sweet Jesus.
Not only is it hot, it's humid. The air doesn't move and our current (and highest yet) temp is 97 degrees.
I am currently sitting catatonic on my bed drinking white wine (for the chill, of course - not to medicate my sad, sad, and did I mention HOT existence) with a wet towel wrapped around my head and a fan blowing HOT HUMID DEATH AIR directly on my barely clothed body. Briann and I have hit the wall, kids.
We are really hoping that we make it through the night and praying for a light fall of snow.
In the meantime we deliriously took these pictures, enjoy and...call us tomorrow, here's hoping we haven't melted.
Time to go take an ice bath.
- J
It is hot as Hades in the Dunne-Gagnon household and we have officially gone crazy.
It started this morning. Unbearable heat. Choking heat. I would rather jump from a fifty foot building - just for the breeze- than stay here and feel this sweat-in-every-spot-makes-me-want-to-die heat.
But wait (lightbulb!) we are members of the few, the proud, the central air community!
We shut all of the windows, run to the thermostat (which was clocking in at a staunch 93 degrees) and flip it over to AC. Good glory here we come!
We wait. The fan clicks on. There is a strong whir of air from the vents and ...
IT'S HOT.
Hot air is funneling into our already hot apartment.
Maybe it needs a few minutes, so we wait.
15 minutes go by and I've started to sweat.
30 minutes go by and Briann and I are literally dripping.
45 minutes go by and we're getting faint.
Briann has a glorious idea and in a flash we're out the door and in the car - AC is heaven.
We proceed to spend the day gallivanting around the air condition wonders of Jersey City and Hoboken. Mostly we spend our time getting lost, but we don't care as long as it's cool.
Armed with two new fans and a number of other completely unnecessary accouterments from Target, we head back.
We hope against hope that a miracle has occur ed and our AC (which isn't slated to be fixed until tomorrow morning) has magically fixed itself, or at least that our apartment is a bearable temperature as we reach the second floor landing, 12 stairs waiting in front of us to spell our fate.
Stairs one through 7 seem great, it is very possible that tonight will be fine, warm but not overwhelming.
Then we reach the 8th step.
Oh dear, sweet Jesus.
Not only is it hot, it's humid. The air doesn't move and our current (and highest yet) temp is 97 degrees.
I am currently sitting catatonic on my bed drinking white wine (for the chill, of course - not to medicate my sad, sad, and did I mention HOT existence) with a wet towel wrapped around my head and a fan blowing HOT HUMID DEATH AIR directly on my barely clothed body. Briann and I have hit the wall, kids.
We are really hoping that we make it through the night and praying for a light fall of snow.
In the meantime we deliriously took these pictures, enjoy and...call us tomorrow, here's hoping we haven't melted.
Time to go take an ice bath.
- J
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Birthday Extravaganza
I just started working for my friend, E, who created a company called SittersStudio- a babysitting company for families in NY which has expanded to include Chicago and will soon include San Francisco as well. I will repeat again, this is a babysitting company. Understood? Awesome.
So it wasn't out of the ordinary when E called me the other day and asked if I would be a sitter for a 10 yr. old girl's karaoke birthday party. She said I would be in charge of the karaoke machine and making sure the girls would be having a good time. There would be an arts and crafts section that another sitter would manage and there were only going to be 10 girls.
I walk up to this amazing apartment complex and say hello to the concierge who is going to be showing me around. Then the craziness begins. I find out that we might be kicked out of the party room, there will not be an arts and crafts section OR another sitter, they need me to help transport the balloons, there are going to be twice as many adults as kids at this party, I was going to have to harrass people to get them to dance and have fun, oh yeah, and the mom is a nutjob. Turns out, she wanted a DJ, not a babysitter, because I ended up messing with the machine all night, getting yelled at by her for not switching cables fast enough for her to sing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1 of probably 10 ballads she sang that night), and I had about 2 minutes with the kids when they asked me if they could sing Hannah Montana and she balked and said "No, I want my brother Steve to sing- they had their chance".... Really? REALLY???? Well, I guess they did sing Rihanna's "Please don't stop the music" with her I-Pod after the mom forced them to have a 10-yr old 'sexy dance competition' to the same song. Gross.
Let me give you the rundown on this 10 year old girl's birthday:
So it wasn't out of the ordinary when E called me the other day and asked if I would be a sitter for a 10 yr. old girl's karaoke birthday party. She said I would be in charge of the karaoke machine and making sure the girls would be having a good time. There would be an arts and crafts section that another sitter would manage and there were only going to be 10 girls.
I walk up to this amazing apartment complex and say hello to the concierge who is going to be showing me around. Then the craziness begins. I find out that we might be kicked out of the party room, there will not be an arts and crafts section OR another sitter, they need me to help transport the balloons, there are going to be twice as many adults as kids at this party, I was going to have to harrass people to get them to dance and have fun, oh yeah, and the mom is a nutjob. Turns out, she wanted a DJ, not a babysitter, because I ended up messing with the machine all night, getting yelled at by her for not switching cables fast enough for her to sing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1 of probably 10 ballads she sang that night), and I had about 2 minutes with the kids when they asked me if they could sing Hannah Montana and she balked and said "No, I want my brother Steve to sing- they had their chance".... Really? REALLY???? Well, I guess they did sing Rihanna's "Please don't stop the music" with her I-Pod after the mom forced them to have a 10-yr old 'sexy dance competition' to the same song. Gross.
Let me give you the rundown on this 10 year old girl's birthday:
- 600 Pepto Pink Balloons (one to fill every square inch of the rented room)
- A 3-tiered pink birthday cake
- Full bar (for the 15-20 adults that I ended up babysitting)
- Strobe light and Disco ball (she wanted the room to look like a nightclub)
- A Photographer
- A Doorman
- Two Large Bags of Juicy Couture
- A Wii (that I ended up wrapping) + some games
- 1 Live Bunny
- A room overlooking the Statue of Liberty
- And yet, somehow, it was all about the parents........
At the end of the night, when they were getting kicked out of the room, the dad whipped out WADS of $100 bills. After the horror that I endured, did he tip me? I'll give you one guess....
This is normal in NYC???
~B
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow....
For all of you lovely people who don't keep up with my Facebook/Myspace/Gmail/Why are there so many communication sites/AIM/Real Life......
Hair Today~
Gone Tomorrow~
That's a special New Yorksey magic trick from me to you.
~B
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