We Love Visitors

As luck would have it, my Dad was in town over the weekend and we had a great time hanging out with him. Not only did we get to show him our 'new' house, but we had an amazing dinner at Spasso near Penns Landing Saturday night. We thought just spending time with him was awesome enough, but Sunday morning John's wonderful aunt called and offered the three of us tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles game. My Dad took me to so many Eagles games in Arizona when we were growing up there, but I've never had the chance to go to a game with him here in Philly so it was a very special day (even more so since we killed the Chiefs). I love watching him bond with John and all the reminiscing that we get to do. It was one of those weekends that I will definitely cherish.

The Spot

Date night is something that John and I implemented several months ago and it's definitely an evening I look forward to each week. It's one night we decide to forget about everyone and everything and spend quality time together.
Last night we walked through downtown Ambler, a suburban town near us. It boasts a newly revamped and hip (yet so unpretentious) main street with great restaurants and bars, not to mention one of our favorite spots, the Ambler Theater. It's a non-profit, community movie theater that always shows the best independent films and doesn't charge you an arm and a leg. There is also something so wonderful about going to a movie theater where the people around you actually care about seeing the film as much as we do. There isn't that annoying chatter which drives me nuts and I also love sitting amidst the history (the building dates back to 1928) and plush surroundings...

It's an all together great atmosphere for cuddling up to my sweetie.

I'd highly recommend it to any Philly locals.

If You Dare

While on our Delaware weekend getaway a month back, John and I were dining on some nachos at a Mexican restaurant when he points to a large jalapeno pepper, turns to me and says "I dare you to eat half of that in one bite." Now normally, with my stomach, I don't even like to look at anything spicy, but that evening I had drank a jumbo white sangria and so replied, "I'll do it for a new purse."

John agreed to this bet because under normal circumstances I would have chickened out so he was a bit shocked when I downed half the little sucker just a few moments later.

And it was well worth it for the new Michael Kors bag I finally picked up at the outlets yesterday...

I adore it.

Roaring Good Time

Last night we had the privilege of attending a fun 1920's themed wedding.

John has known the groom since they were kids and the bride he worked with about ten years ago, when at that time he had a hand in introducing them.

The pair have been together so long that it was really nice to see them finally tie the knot. And I definitely haven't seen anything as unique as when the ceremony came to an end, the groom had his wedding band tattooed onto his finger while we looked on. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

Here are some pics from the night...

Ceremony

The tattoo moment

Their entrance into the reception

Our attempt at theme attire

'Celeb' Sighting

The highlight of our Labor Day weekend (aside from the extra day off) was by far catching a very close-up glimpse of Dina and Caroline from the Real Housewives of New Jersey, one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

John and I spent Saturday evening having a wonderful dinner at the Borgata in Atlantic City, followed up by a few hours of gambling. Around midnight we were winding down and decided to take a quick stroll around the casino. That's when I spotted a woman with vibrant red hair that I kept thinking looked so familiar to me. John was the one that actually shook me and said "look it's Caroline from the Real Housewives of NJ." He knows this because I make him watch with me and he loves Caroline's famous phrase "in my family we are as thick as thieves." He has often made me laugh be repeating it in his own interpretation of a NJ accent.

Then we saw Dina and some of the adult children from the show with about 10 college-aged New York guys crowded around them wanting photos.

It was a totally hilarious spectacle and I loved it. I also must point out that the ladies both looked incredibly thin. Either TV really does add ten pounds or I must find out the name of the diet they are on.

Junky Gems

In Seattle I had a wonderful and talented friend named Char who had moved to the Northwest by way of Michigan, leaving her family's junk yard behind. She never forgot those roots, however, and has taken her many creative instincts and turned it into Junkyard Jewelry. Earrings, rings, necklaces, etc. designed from pieces she has collected over the years (I like the insulated washer earrings myself).

Check it out here. I definitely think it's wonderful to support those folks who put their creative side out there.

I See You

Today I was able to have coffee with my Mom. Sure, it was over the phone, but this time I could actually see her via my computer screen. I actually got a little misty having her in right in front of me and it's all thanks to Skype.

You would think after all the years of living a part that we would have gotten on board with the whole webcam thing bad sadly it took someone pointing out the obvious to me a few weekends ago to make me realize that was something we could actually do. Thankfully, my Mac has one built right in and my Dad just so happened to have a webcam lying around his office. Finally, we put them both to use and the result is pretty darn cool.

It opens the door to so many possibilities, i.e. being able to show her a room or two in our house and my new glasses. It's a great feeling and all for free! Can't beat that.