Sometimes I just want to look like I belong in a rock band, okay?!

Time for Lauren’s weekly Fill in the Blank…

1.  A very nostalgic place that reminds me of being a kid is definitely Disneyland! I love it there! It’s one of the few places that I feel free to skip, run, laugh and eat churros like they’re going out of style, without judgement. Luckily, Tim loves it as much as I do; I can’t wait to take Marco.

2.  If someone really wants to show me how much they love me they will build me a library…AHEM, TIMMY!! Ha ha. Otherwise, taking the time to listen when I need an ear, makes all the difference to me.

3.  Lately I’ve been wondering a lot about Marco’s future. He’s only 7 weeks old, but here I am, planning his acceptance into Yale University.

4.  When it comes to saving money, I am not very good! Once the bills are paid, our remaining money seems to get filtered down into books, clothes, delicious meals, vacations…now that we have Marco, we’ll have to work on that (especially if we’ve got Yale tuition to pay!).

5.  I’d prefer a book over television  any day!  There’s a lot of crap on air these days, but the shows I do like are: House, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Psych, Burn Notice, and Mad Men. I sometimes catch CNN (I <3 Anderson Cooper!), but usually I just read the articles online or on the CNN iPhone app.

6.  I wish I knew how to make meringue. I’ve never actually attempted it, but I know that it is hard to make it perfectly. I love lemon meringue pie. Mmmm.

7.  I’m just waiting for Marco to interact more with me!

Okay, I don’t want to celebrate too early, but…so far the containment cap on the oil well seems to be holding well, and for the first time in MONTHS, there is no oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico.

I’m afraid to jinx it!!

Tim and I feel so lucky to live in the Napa Valley; not only is it beautiful, but we’re surrounded by fantastic wine and food! Today, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite wines (mostly local, of course!).

WHITE
BLOCKS Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough, New Zealand
Purchased at Trader Joe’s for $5.99!! Citrusy and crisp. Great summer wine.

Luna Pinot Grigio – Napa, California

Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling – Columbia Valley, Washington
Refreshing!

ROSE
Castello di Amorosa La Fantasia – Calistoga, California
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t liked this slightly sweet, fruity, effervescent wine. Highly recommended for summer picnics!

BUBBLY
Schramsberg Blanc de Noir – Napa Valley, California, (Prefer vintage 2003 or 2005)
The absolute best sparkling wine. Not too pricey (usually around $35, but Trader Joe’s sometimes has it for $28).

Veuve Cliquot  Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label- Reims, France

Cristalino Brut Cava – Spain
Inexpensive (I buy it for $9) and tasty! Fruity, crisp flavor.

RED
August Briggs Zinfandel – Napa Valley, California
I loove this wine. Tim and I had a barrel tasting of the 2008 vintage, and it was so good I went back for seconds (and maybe thirds, ha ha!).

Chariot Gypsy – Napa Valley/Sonoma/Monterey, California
This is a good red wine; a mix of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Syrah. Sold exclusively at Trader Joe’s. It’s sometimes tough to find, but it’s only $4.99 and kind of an underground hit with TJ shoppers.

ZD Pinot Noir – Napa Valley, California

What wines do you like? Recommendations?

What a strange, sad, crazy week this has been!

First, we had one of the worst ‘sleep weeks’ with Marco…between Thursday afternoon and Friday evening, he hadn’t slept a longer stretch than 1 1/2 hours, and most of the time he was awake, fussing. It was miserable!  Then, Tim had to work through Thursday night, because of an issue with a server. I was home alone with Marco almost all night.

Friday was Adrienne’s birthday, and we’d made plans to have lunch in St Helena with them. I’d had to cancel because Tim was ridiculously exhausted, and Marco was in no condition to go out in public. Later in the afternoon, we heard from Adrienne and Justin…they returned home from their vacation to find they’d been robbed! Someone had broken into their home and stolen almost everything of value. Tim and I decided to drive down and visit them, and make sure they were okay.  The thieves left all of the important paperwork (birth certificates, social security cards) so at the very least, they don’t have to worry about identity theft. 

 Yesterday, I found out that an old friend from high school, Isaiah, had passed away a few days ago. I was very sad to hear about it; I’d really had no idea the extent of his illness. Isaiah had Type 1 Diabetes, but I’d always assumed it was pretty well under control.  He was always such a good friend during our high school years, and though I hadn’t seen him since we graduated, we’d maintained friendly communication (thanks, Facebook). Anyway, it was definitely a bit of a shock. I am holding his wife and 5 month-old daughter in my thoughts.

Here’s hoping this week is much better for all my loved ones!

1.  My favorite thing about this week has been cute new shorts from Forever21, a pair of jeans from Target (did I mention how cute my butt looks in them!?), and some good books to read.

2.  The weather this week has been very warm during the day, but luckily, cool at night.

3.  The last (interesting) item I received in the mail was a check, ha ha!

4.  The last movie I saw was ‘Eclipse’. Good fight scenes!

5.  If I could be doing anything I felt like today I would be curled up in bed, reading.

6.  As a teenager I was a bit of a nerd, but I was happy. I had my circle of friends, and I spent most weekends watching local bands play.

7.  I wish I could trade lives for the day with my cat, Stabler.

Adrienne‘s birthday!!

Happy birthday, my lovely friend. I love you!

June 2001

September 13 2008

September 19, 2009

Perhaps…perhaps all our loves are merely hints and symbols; vagabond-language scrawled on gate-posts and paving-stones along the weary road that others have tramped before us; perhaps you and I are types and this sadness which sometimes falls between us springs from disappointment in our search, each straining through and beyond the other, snatching a glimpse now and then of the shadow which turns the corner always a pace or two ahead of us.
– Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

This novel is so beautifully written. The themes of Catholicism, familial pride and the lack thereof, homosexuality, love, and the disintegration of the ‘English life’ pre-World War II, are here given masterful attention; each are tenuous strings, tying the Flyte family to the narrator, Charles Ryder.

Literature buffs must read this book!

We had a fabulous holiday weekend! On Saturday, my mom and sister came up to visit Marco. We went to Gott’s for lunch, and had a great time visiting. For Independence Day, the lovely Gomers joined us for a cookout (I had a veggie burger).  Belle gave Marco a kiss on the cheek!! On their wedding day, I’ll remind her of this, ha ha. 

Here are a few adorable pics of my gorgeous baby boy: