Washington DC is just a fun place to visit, no question about it. Museums (which I love) are of the highest caliber in the world and all within close proximity of one another. Oh yeah, did I mentioned that they’re all free? Great for the budget traveler. Food is about what you might expect…It’s fantastic. Ambiance? The feeling of historical significance hits you like a 2×4 when you walk the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or any other memorial for that matter. It always get me when I take a moment to stand in very spot that Martin Luther King delivered his “I have a dream” speech. Just incredible. The balance of architecture and open space is quite impressive throughout the district. Quite frankly, it’s visually stunning.
I’ve experienced DC a number of times in the past, but my fiancé (Kathleen) has not. It was really important to me that she felt what the political mecca of the world was all about. As I’ve been working in DC for the past few months, it was just a matter of convincing Kathleen to make the trip – it didn’t take long. I also invited her friend Tara to partake in the weekend’s festivities. They both braved the long drive and we started our excursions on a Friday.
My close friend, Joe, would essentially be our tour guide for the weekend. Not only does he have a heart of gold, he also has an ultra-convenient SUV that easily transported us around the city. What a blast! It might not seem like we experienced alot but I can assure you, we squeezed a lot into our trip.
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Does anyone else out there find it exceeding difficult to find a TV show that both you and your significant other can enjoy together? Well, it’s a regular challenge that both Kathleen and I deal with on a regular basis. She’s obsessed with her morbid crime documentaries or dry Egyptology shows, where as I enjoy silly shows like House or So you think you can dance. We all have our vices…But every once in a while there’s a show that really works for both of us. The Cake Boss is one such show.
The show is about Buddy Valastro, who is one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the United States. He’s the master baker of Carlo’s City Hall Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey. He’s the BOSS, hence the name. He basically supervises a team that includes his mother, four older sisters and three brothers-in-law. The show blends the artistry of cake-making and the drama associated with running a family business. There are a bunch of characters on the show, which bring us endless entertainment.
While watching a recent episode, Kathleen and I thought it would be a cool idea to visit the actual bakery in Hoboken. We joked around about a few times, but I didn’t actually think we’d ever end up going. I mean, it’s not like it’s just down the street. We’re talking about a 2 hr drive. Well, as you might have guessed by now, we chose a date and stuck to it. We’d be accompanied by our close friend Tara and Kathleen’s brother, Joey. We chatted and laughed the entire way there. It was great! continue reading »
Kathleen and I have had some pretty crappy New Year’s Eve experiences over the past few years. We were anticipating more of the same, so our expectations were pretty low. Unfortunately, it just seems that by the time New Year’s Eve rolls around we never manage to find the time to plan anything. Couple that with the fact that we just don’t like driving much during the year end celebration, and we’re left with minimal options.
This year, the planning was left up to my sister and her husband. It was planned several days in advance of the big day, so we were really playing it by ear. I have to say that the event could not have worked out any better. My baby sis had some delicious spaghetti & meatballs ready for us upon our arrival to her home. We had a few drinks to kick off the festivites, then took a cab to our party destination, Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk, or SoNo. The evening was filled with finger foods, an open bar, dancing and just good times. continue reading »
8 Oct, 2005 | by
Richard Vinhais
The trip was rather spontaneous. One day we’re talking about craving lobster over trips and the next we’re mapping out our trip to Portland, Maine. The idea being that if we’re going to have lobster then it needs to be from a place where lobster is know. What better place then Maine? After a long drive, we arrived around mid-day and decided to explore the town. Almost instantly, we identified the restaurant we’d be attending that evening. The Portland Lobster Company! Oh the expectations were high but the locals spoke highly of the place so we gave it a shot. What a great time! Food was wonderful and the company was grand. Check out some of the photos from the evening: continue reading »
