Fresh Start

Hello Friends.

I have a new blog and will discontinue updating this one.

Daily Dose of Chocolate

Take a look!!

Cheers, Rachel

I love stuff like this!!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/01/successful.imaginary.friends.mentalfloss/index.html?hpt=C2

Briefly in Boston

A lovely weekend with the Read Family in Bolton, Ma. They live in the most serene neighborhood. Allen and I basically run from sun up to sun down during the week and a calm weekend with the Reads was just what the doctor ordered. Jack and Caroline were such gracious hosts.

Adam was anxious to show us his really cool bike that is motorized.

Sweet Amelia is a girl after my own heart. She is all girl. The more stuffed animals and sparkly shoes, THE BETTER.
David reminds me of my brother Marc. He is always running, inventing, talking, moving, creating, jumping, examining.... all with a smile on his face. Just so active. I love it.
We made an afternoon trip to Walden Pond. Thoreau was not home.

We would have stayed and just .....thought..... longer.... but it was really cold, evident by the sheets of ice covering the famous pond. There were some guys still ice fishing.
Then we drove to Concord for some small town strolling.

This lamp kept scaring Allen. I want to get it for him for his birthday.

We wandered into a few bookshops, a kitchen store (dream come true), a chocolate shop (second dream come true), and then found a cheese shoppe (I mean, does it get any better?). The cheese shoppe was very european style. They also had a deli where we dicided to feast for lunch.

Our sandwiches were superb to say the least. My sandwich on a fresh baguette had turkey, brie, apples, and a champaigne mustard. I don't remember what Allen got becuase mine was occupying all of my thoughts. It was love and lust all mixed together for this sandwich.

See my grin below.... that is how excited I was to indulge.

We finished our lunch with a thick frappe from a local diner. Lovely.

Concord is/was the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson as well as Mary Louise Alcott. You can imagine Jo and her fellow little women walking the streets arm in arm as they sing at the top of their lungs.

On to the main event. Hello Boston. We only spent only one day in Boston. It snowed, but it was beautiful.

I love visiting a new city and feeling the energy that it radiates. Each city has it's own feel and makes you feel different. Boston's energy is a very deep, rich, and fulfilling energy that is full of ambition. You can almost feel the generations that have come before that have left their mark in some way or another. I know, enough. I will stop rambling.

Lovely weekend filled with lovely people.

Hello Old Friend

Welcome Spring. It has been too long.

All the trees turn pink and white around these parts.

Beyond Beautiful and I can't get enough of it.

Ikea

Can I tell you why we love Ikea....

Besides that Ikea has furnished half of our apartment, it provides for a delightful lunch.

Swedish meatballs, french fries, 2 hot dogs, chips, lingonberry juice, and a cinnamon roll.

For a grand total of - $7.

I mean, really?

Quick Trip

Allen and I have what you might call wander lust. We have a hard time staying put. Sadly, reality prohibits us from puddle jumping from here to Beijing like a full time job. We whole heartily welcome any excuse to explore. Allen got an interview Georgetown University for their MBA program. So North we go.

Road trips call for "stay awake" tactics. Allen uses fruit by the foot. Whatever works right?

Lay over in Richmond includes some tasty italian

and some Missy and Greg. We laughed, we ate, we napped, we HGTVed. Just what the doctor ordered.

On to Rockville for our Dabney fix. They live on the most charming farm.

Picturesque. Wouldn't you say?

I got to hold sweet new baby Blake. We played with our favorite curly haired little man. It was an excellent evening indeed.

Forward March.

Georgetown is beautiful. Here is my favorite Grad School applicant. Georgetown looks good on him.

A few reasons why I love DC.

1. The Sidewalks.

2. The housing.

3. Cupcakes.

I expected that Allen would want to share a cupcake. To my delight Allen takes a look at the glorious cupcake display and says, "Shall we EACH get TWO?" Ask me how much my love my husband-o-meter went up?

A little lunch and then back on the road. Short and sweet. (Get it? Sweet cause of the cupcakes?)

The drive home required two different Sonic Limeade trips. One more than a little out of the way and more than worth it.

Keep your fingers crossed for Allen.

Bill

This morning I had an little embarrasing moment. There is a cabinet by my cube that holds office supplies. People frequently stop by to grab a pen or a notebook. So this morning someone is looking into the supply cabinet and with his back to me I recognize him. Let's call him Bill. I say, "Oh Bill, I am so glad you stopped by I need to talk to you." He turns around and looks at me and I immediatly say, "Oh I am so sorry, I thought you were Bill!". He looks confused and says in response, "I am Bill".

I certainly fumbled for words after that.

Happy Tuesday!