Jumping On The Bed

Honestly? The kid can't jump yet.

But he is SO looking forward to the day he can!

Slow Down?

So having a kid is somehow supposed to slow us down and hinder us from going out?  We don't think so.  Out with friends this week:

MONDAY. 

Campo.
www.camponyc.com

TUESDAY. 

Brasserie 8 1/2.
www.patinagroup.com/east/brasserie8

WEDNESDAY. Home! 

Maria made dinner:

Broiled tilapia with garlic/parsley butter, yellow rice, and steamed broccoli.

THURSDAY. 

Tai & Thai.
(formerly known as Tiny Thai)
www.taiandthai.com

Virgin Mary

Memorial Day Weekend

Don't think we have any pictures from Memorial Day! (Sarah, did you take any?) We don't remember! Did we really have THAT much wine? Memory loss? Shame on us!

Had a really great weekend. We got up to the lake late Thursday night, and it is always nice to wake up knowing we have days and days of relaxation ahead. Even though we were SO BUMMED that it wasn't in the stars for Mel/Suzanne to be able to spend the weekend with us, we were happy to have Red/Suzanne and Van/Sarah able to come up and play!

Menu highlights?
Skirt steak, ribs, coleslaw, guacamole, egg concoctions, cupcakes, beer, leftovers, and (of course) Helluva Good.

Activity highlights?
Golf, hike around the lake, Julie/Andrea's, Sand Beach, quality time, cracking up with Cooper, fire, and oh yeah - the dock is in.

Gorgeous weather all weekend, and we even got a little color! A huge shocker is the fact that we hit NO traffic on the way back into the city on Monday. Met up with Mel and Suzanne (and Van!) for dinner. Walked home. Happy we had such a chill and low-key weekend, because we have plans EVERY NIGHT this week.

Spring Fling

That time of year again - Spring Fling!

Went up on Friday night for Fling'Stock '09. Out for dinner before heading back to the compound for more beer and the dance party.

 

We even were allowed to "smuggle" Cooper in and crash the party. (WE LOVE KIM)

Oh, and "beer o'clock" arrived quite early in the AM.

Amazing food!

And good times!

Other news?  

*WE WON $73 ON OUR PREAKNESS WAGER*

Happy with that morning OTB run!

Photo Ops

We like this photo, but think we looked cuter a few hours earlier before all the alcohol came into the picture.....

Governor David Patterson backstage at the Action=Equality rally.

Way too serious for a Sunday.

Undefeated

The MTV team had a softball game last night at Riverside Park. MTV lead the entire time, and luckily held those W Hotel guys even after their bottom-of-the-last-inning rally. Final score? 9 - 8, and we also have to boast that there were way more females on our team. We rocked.

Undefeated!

Overheard the opposing coach advising his batter......
"Keep it away from 3rd base. Everything to 3rd is an out."

(Lori was playing 3rd.)
(You GO Girl.)

Our Lake Run

We jack'assed all over the great states of NY and NJ to make a lake run with Maria's dad's truck. Did many many miles, and managed to out run the rain. Had everything set and protected just in case - but you know how those bungee cords tend to slip.





After numerous stops to inhibit the tarp from flapping in the breeze, it got to the point when Lori contemplated just laying on top of the damn thing until arriving at Highland Lake.

Cooper was happy to hang out with his grandparents, but we think he was relieved to see us when we returned home.

Call Your Senator

CALL YOUR SENATOR

Do Not Pass GO.  ASAP.  Please.

Step 1.  Go to this website:  Broadway Impact

Step 2.  Click on 'FIND MY SENATOR'.

Step 3. CALL your senator.  

Hi, my name is ___________.  I live at ____________ (your address, including zip code).  I am a constituent of your district, and I would like you to vote for the Marriage Equality Bill (S:4401).  Thank You.

Step 4. You're done?  Great!  Now email your senator.

Step 5.  Next?  Call/email EVERYONE you know in NY State.  

Step 6.  Have them follow Steps 1-7.

Step 7.  Repeat.

There are 33 days left until the the New York State Senate finishes their session for the season.  This bill is NOT going to coast through the Senate like it did in the Assembly.  You KNOW that those crazed religious groups, who only want people to have freedom for things they deem freedom'able, are calling their representatives constantly. Do NOT allow what happened in California with Prop 8 to happen in New York.  Haven't we learned our lesson?  

IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN NEW YORK -

Contact people who do.  Cut and paste.  Send an email.  

It doesn't take very long at all, and this is important.

This Is Very Very VERY IMPORTANT.  

Put it on Facebook.  Twitter it.  Email your friends.  Call your aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and anyone else you have ever crossed paths with over the years.  Text.  Smoke signal.  There are quite a few NY state senators who are on the fence.  DO NOT allow groups who use lies and manipulation to distort the facts and make taking away a group's civil rights look justified.  DO NOT sit back and watch it happen.

CLICK THIS LINK:

BROADWAY IMPACT

CALL YOUR SENATOR

Action = Equality Rally

HRC teamed up with Broadway Impact to organize the Action=Equality Rally on Sunday evening in front of David Patterson's New York City office.  Anthony was one of the organizers, and he deserves a huge round of applause for all of his efforts!  A truly amazing day.

This past Tuesday, the NY State Assembly approved legislation that would make New York the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage. The final vote was 89 to 52, and this included the backing of 5 Republicans.  New Yorkers are very lucky that Governor Patterson is such a strong supporter.

It is estimated that between 20-30,000 people showed up for the rally.  Imagine what the numbers would have been if the sun was out! Crowds went back almost four blocks. 

So many people showed up to be on stage and take part in this history-making event!  So many more than this short list, but you can get an idea of the talent that actively give their time for this cause:

Sen. Tom Duane Cheyenne Jackson David Hyde Pierce

Kristin Davis Cynthia Nixon Gov. David Patterson

Ana Ortiz Mayor Bloomberg Speaker Christine Quinn

Daniel O'Donnell Audra McDonald The Cast of HAIR

Cynthia Nixon is standing on a riser.... She's not that tall!

Maria was asked to interpret at the last-min, and she tried her damn'est to find a partner to share some of the stage time - but couldn't find anyone who was available.  She would never let an event like this not be accessible if she could help it..... So it was Maria onstage for an hour and a half without any sort of break at all!  As luck would have it, Alyssa and Adrienne were attending the rally, and THANKFULLY they jumped up and helped out.  They are the BEST! 

This video is HRC's backstage coverage of the rally.

AIDS WALK New York

We ventured out of the apartment early on Sunday morning to get to the opening ceremonies for the 2009 AIDS Walk New York by 9am. Skipped the VIP breakfast at Tavern On The Green because that would have had us leaving ridiculously early instead of simply early.


AIDS Walk New York has been going strong since 1986, and the amount of walkers, sponsors, and money raised keeps on growing and growing. There were many politicians on stage, as well as appearances by Hilary Duff, Carson Kressley, and a bunch others.  Maria was up there interpreting in the cold!

Over 45,000 people walked this year.

The Sunday That Wouldn't Die

Had a GREAT weekend, but feel like we didn't stop moving at all! Will post pictures of Fling'Stock and the Spring Fling as soon as we get some forwarded to us! The two downpours were very short-lived and survive'able, and Kim/Michele have that shindig down to a science.

Home from Brewster on Saturday night, and hung out with Arlene/Suzanne and a friend of theirs for a little while. Maria tried to make brownies for them (damn, no eggs), went to the store for a cake Arlene could appreciate (bought double chocolate by mistake), so we just went over there empty-handed. Very bad guests, huh?

Sunday. Can you say 'over-extended'???

1. AIDS Walk New York. 9am.
Maria interpreted the opening ceremonies.

2. Church. 11am.
Since we won't be around all Summer, we wanted to make sure we made it to services at St. Paul / St. Andrew's Methodist Church. Great to speak to Manny and Julia to confirm Cooper's baptism.

3. Brunch. 1pm.
We attended a post-AIDS Walk get together at Monica and Ellen's place. So good seeing them while they are in town from Atlanta!

4. Ninth Ave Food Festival. 2:30pm.
We walked from the Upper Westside all the way down to the beginning of the festival on 57th Street. Ate our way down - Thai food, fried Oreos (of course), and a gyro to share. Too bad we were too stuffed for the pierogis or churasco.

5. Mary Poppins. 4pm
Maria's parents, Liza/Todd, and the twins all went to see Mary Poppins and had a great time. The boys even showed off their skill at the 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' song. Walked over to Carmine's with them, but we weren't able to stay for dinner.

6. Rally. 5pm.
HRC worked with B'way Impact to organize a rally in front of David Patterson's office. The turnout has been estimated to be 25,000 people. Anthony Hayes worked his butt off, and the event was just perfect. Way to go Anthony! Lots of famous names/faces. Will post pictures soon.

And poor poor Cooper..... The kid just wanted to take one nap that wasn't interupted all day, and I don't think that happened! We got home and he simply crashed a little after 8:30. He took advantage of his time in his own bed - slept 11 hours last night! Luckily we will be back on schedule today. We know he is relieved.

And us? We fell asleep on the sofas by 9pm.

Hangin' With A Homeboy

We got this jogging suit as a gift, and it absolutely cracks us up.  Once he gets too big for this one - we have a 'Tony Soprano' outfit hanging in Cooper's closet.

Seems he is following suit and becoming quite the little Uptown boy.  Harlem - born and bred! 

Mother's Day

Cooper has FANTASTIC taste.....

We each received a little blue box for Mother's Day. After an intial moment of freaking out that maybe we purchased the same thing - we were able to relax. That didn't happen.

And we each LOVE our gift.

Went to lunch at the Manasquan River Golf Club. Table for 18.

Afterwards we all went over to Karen/Randy's to see their new addition....

He is an Australian Shepherd puppy. They named him Shea, but we think his nickname will be CitiField.

We Love Toys

Lori sat with this Tetris Cube for hours. HOURS. We all tried to solve it, but no one could make a complete cube with the damn thing.

Concentration must run in the family.....
Michael and Christina went our and bought beach cruisers on Saturday night, and then went for a long ride in the morning. LOVE the donation to the garage. (We can't wait to ride them too.)

They call themselves SUPERHE'WOS.

For The Birds

Over the weekend, Alex told Maria he wanted to get some wood and build his own birdhouse with a hammer and nails, and then paint it when it was finished. Michael/Christina went to three different stores to find a build-your-own kit, but came up empty. Luckily they found plain wood houses, picked up paint and brushes, and the twins were ready to start their project.

They actually were very good. Looks a hell of a lot messier than it actually turned out to be..... While all of this was going on? Maria's parents were calm, sitting in the other room, and allowing paint to be had by two 4-year-old boys in the kitchen. (WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, AND WHAT DID THEY DO WITH MY PARENTS???)

Hotness

Christina.

Snuggie.

$19.95 - and they throw in a free booklight. 

And?  

She loves it.

No comment. 

The "jazz hands" make the outfit.

Expressions

So we didn't think we would be the type of people that would have a jillion pictures of our child on our blog..... But have ya seen him??  So cute! LoL  Worry not, Maria will create the perfect balance of Cooper and her political rants to keep all blog readers satisfied.