Farewell Family B!

Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's off to Los Angeles to work for Disney they go!

On Sunday, Brian and Hannah were kind enough to set an afternoon aside to say goodbye to their friends from DC. It was a GREAT party. We're going to miss them!!

Brian and Hannah

Aunt Crazy, Hannah, and Meredith

The crowd

This was FUN!! At Hannah's wedding in 2003, Meredith and I sat with Tom and Jerry (I'm not kidding! Those are really their names!) We had a little reunion. They are just as cool as I remember, and I think Jerry is going to join us for a Girls' Trip to LA! Hannah emphasized the spare bedroom. :)

Jerry, Tom, Hannah, Meredith

Guests

Guests

Stacey and her husband (whose name I forgot, like many of the guests! Bad Anne.)

Guests

Guests

Guests

Some Guests

Stacey's husband at the yummy buffet

Mary, Mary's Husband, guest (I am REALLY horrible at this!)

Guests that are related to each other, maybe?

Guests

Guest, Guest, and Host - Brian

Janeen arrives

Guest, Hannah, Guest and Guest

Guest and Guest

Guest and Guest

Guests

Guests

AHA! People I know!! Meredith and Tim

Meredith and Janeen displaying the collage Mary put together - HILARIOUS

A close up of one of my FAVORITE pics :)

Sarah, Tim, and Meredith

I stayed in the same B&B as these folks in Maine in 2003 for the wedding, and we took an awesome whale-watching trip together!

Sarah and Matt Mattingly

Guest, Hannah, Guest (who looks a lot like my friend Missy - where is Missy?)

Hannah and Brian

Suburban Mommy and her "ex", Daddy B

Brian and Tim

More collage ... SERIOUSLY funny stuff!!

Brian and Janeen... Wow. Did I mention this was funny????

I love this picture of Brian and Hannah. We missed seeing Madeleine though!

Guest and Hannah

Stuff from Guests

Dinner club!

Tim, Meredith and Janeen ... Yes, Tim IS that tall and Janeen IS that short. :)

Bye Bye Hannah!!! We will miss you!! Take care of yourself!

Yes, I know ... enough pictures already. :)

FOOD

Do I have your attention? Who doesn't love food, right??

Michael Pollan and Marion Nestle

(purchased by Aunt Crazy from Action Photo Company)

OK, I'll admit it: I have a weakness for idealists. A big one. Idealists with IDEAS. "Actionable ideas" as my coworker says. Individuals who do the homework and then stick their necks out and say "Hey, let's try this to make the world better." I love that stuff and tend to follow this kind of person around like a hungry, stray dog; idealists are my Achilles Heel, you might say.

Last year, my friends Brian, Hannah, and their daughter Madeleine visited, and Brian told me about this book The Omnivore's Dilemma. I loved it! I learned so much about where food comes from.

I found out that the author, Michael Pollan, would be coming to Richmond to speak at The Richmond Forum. I waited for tickets to go on sale and called the day they did. Sold out! So I posted a desperate ad on my company's bulletin board, and a very nice lady sold me her tickets. The good news: they were right in the Orchestra section! The bad news: they weren't together. Still, I was ecstatic to get my hands on them.

I asked my friend Nicole to go and when she mentioned to her friend Stacey at yoga that she would be going, Stacey told her that Michael Pollan himself would be visiting her city garden the next day! Nicole scored us an invite!

It was so fun. First of all, the garden was gorgeous. An effective, functioning, inner-city, organic garden! I was extremely impressed. Second of all, Michael Pollan was so nice! He signed a card for my friend Brian and wrote "Vote with your fork!" As an economics major, that really spoke to me. :) I suppose he could have also put a play on the old saying "put your money where your mouth is", but it would not have sounded as cool.

Aside to Lindsey and Samantha if you're reading this: Where were you? You were under STRICT INSTRUCTIONS to stand by and watch the back of my jeans! Yep, you guessed it. Right in front of everyone, I dropped the piece of paper that Pollan signed, bent over to pick it up and RIP!! Kennedy's left butt cheeck busted right out of her pants. I know you were in Maryland and you were given the task of watching this particular pair of jeans about 3 months ago, but I am still disappointed in you. How embarrassing ... even for me!

Nicole in front of Tricycle Garden in Church Hill.

What would Tricycle Garden be without an actual tricycle on the entryway?

Stacey, Nicole's friend who helps manage the garden, explaining to Nicole about how the rainwater cistern works.

Pretty flower

Stacey with Michael Pollan

Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan - I didn't realize that was Marion Nestle or I would have taken more pictures of the FRONT of her. :) She gave an amazing presentation Saturday evening.

Hanging out in the garden in front of the "repurposed" shed ... the doors were a work of art and curved to close flush with the shed. The outer shingles were made from Number 10 cans (donated and cut by Ukrops for the garden.)

Not everyone was there to discuss local, organic gardening.

Michael Pollan talking to more folks.

Nicole checks out the herbs in Stacey's plot.

Not sure what caused the grimace!

I don't know what this photographer took with his Rolleiflex, but I was mesmorized and took a picture of him taking it!

A plotowner and his daughter (lower left) were actually there to weed! We loved her fairy wings.

A couple of boys playing in the gardens.

Nicole's a sucker for a kitty cat.

Stacey eating a freshly picked asparagas.

Refreshments for the guests

Theme of the day: let photosynthesis feed you!

Stacey and Nicole

Hanging in the shade with possibly one of the cutest babies I've ever seen.

A few hours later, Nicole and I grabbed dinner at Cous Cous before the event. (Thank you Entertainment Book!)

There was a VERY successful Farmers Market in the basement of the Landmark.

Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan purchasing at the Farmers Market

(purchased by Aunt Crazy from Action Photo Company)

Virginia Grown gave away reusable bags. Some people used them to tote home goodies from the Virginia growers who had booths. I was SOOOO tempted to take home some gorgeous tomato plants, but my yard is not quite ready yet.

Tricycle Gardens had a booth - Nicole talked to Stacey about upcoming classes.

Our great seats ... perfect location, but not together! This is Nicole in front of me, politely turning off her cell phone before the show.

Our seats!! This was taken during the Question and Answer period at the end. I have circled us in red.
(purchased by Aunt Crazy from Action Photo Company)

Thanks to everyone! It was a perfect day!!!

Monument Avenue Easter Parade

Last Sunday, Nicole, Janeen and I walked up to Monument Avenue to experience the annual Easter Parade. Oy, what a sight! There was a lot more going on than I thought... Janeen and I were completely overstimulated. The first 10 minutes I just walked around with my jaw dropped!

Cute little girl in her Easter best.

Janeen

Nicole and Janeen and hot dog

Bubble clown lady on bike

The crowds stretched for about a mile, I'd guess

I like this gentleman's Easter Egg Dreds and his little bunny cup.

Bands played at Lee Circle.

Lee Circle - Robert E. Lee monument

Homeowners were very hospitable ... is that Scarlett O'Hara or a flamenco dancer?

Bunny in basket

This gives new meaning to "top hat and tails"! I dig his shoes, too.

Chess tournament

Scotsman by the Jefferson Davis monument

Couple with hats ... Scotsman to the left, Patriot with Easter bonnet to the right ... do you now get why I was overstimulated??

Davis and Monument Avenue

Doggie with Snoopy tie

Ladies with lovely hats and their escort, who shook his hat off just prior to this picture.

The Winners! In my mind, anyway ... these were the best hats I saw all day.

I won!

I'm so excited! My name was selected from a group of Suburban Daddy readers by "Thing 1" in this video. I wonder what little munchkins will soon receive a brand new Sesame Street video! Probably the Luals, actually. Thanks Suburban Daddy!!

Another One Bites The Dust!

Last weekend was Soo's Bridal Shower and Bachelorette! My signature "single friend" and Austin, TX playmate is getting hitched. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. I'm so happy for her it's actually hard to put on the pout like I'd like to!

Soo Kang ... soon-to-be Soo Johnson

The Bridal Shower

The food - man, it was so good I cannot even DESCRIBE it. Our hostess, Joanne - who actually owns an entire APPLIANCE for Kimchi refrigeration - was able to make a delicious meal that fit our diverse palates.

Soo and Aunt Crazy

I knew this was going to be a great picture of Cindy!!

Laughing at the price tag still on - Oops!

Great gifts! Ca-ching!

This was funny ... Donna, one of Soo's friends, has a son who apparently tossed this toy in her present. Apparently Donna and her husband had been looking for this odd little creature for a week!!

Nice picture of Soo watching the "veil making game." I think she had a great day.

June, Soo, Suzi and Neffi

Joanne, Cindy, Soo and Donna

Kwang took this game VERY seriously ... she actually SEWED the flowers on the veil!

Lenear, Soo, and Luann

Tokey, Soo and Kwang

Soo's "Veil of Choice" to wear to the bachelorette party! (Mostly because it was the most durable; I'll admit, I didn't buy the MOST quality materials at Ben Franklin!)

Soo and her UVA friends, Suzi, Joanne and June (who actually married one of their college friends)

Preparations for the Bachelorette begin back at Soo's condo ... water, wine, nametags, and a wine stopper and shot glass in the required .... hmmm, likeness.

All ready for an evening out at Cork!

Aunt Crazy (Anne), Neffi, Soo and Lenear

Our VERY patient waitress and Cindy.

We chose this wine because of the description. I love that - "Good mouthfeel." They don't lie, either! It really did!

Soo and one of SEVERAL bottles of wine.

The only disappointment was the $9 cookie tray ... not much and not good. Otherwise, this place was AMAZING! Everyone was so nice and everything was extremely reasonable. Plus I am absolutely CONVINCED that this is where all of the attractive people in Washington DC go - I've never seen such a handsome crowd! Naturally, we fit right in. :)

The crowd - Anne (me), Neffi, Lenear, Soo and Cindy

Sookie

AHA! When the check was paid and we stood up to leave, we finally drew the attention of a table of guys, who bought us another round. I was glad for that. Every bachelorette should have a guy buy her a drink on her last night of freedom, don't you think?

Goofing off

Soo says farewell to Neffi and Lenear as they catch a separate cab.

Mystery man - who said "No pictures - I work for The Agency" - fends off my paparazzi attacks. You didn't see him here, folks.

Soo, Aunt Crazy, Boy, other Boy, Cindy

Vacation in Pine Island, FL!

Last week I went to Pine Island, Florida for vacation! It was beautiful. What a treat to get away from the cold!!

My first Pine Island breakfast with Mom: Fresh papaya! (Which I didn't actually like, but it's beautiful, isn't it?)

We went to the local fishing hole to pre-order stone crab for dinnner and I saw this box of newly harvested crab legs... Mmmmmmm.....

My rented convertible (thanks to a great deal on Hotwire.com!) parked at the Lazy Flamingo restaurant.

View of the Gulf from the northernmost tip of Pine Island, Bokeelia.

The perfect little green house Mom has rented for April. Is she going to be living the LIFE or what? I can't wait to retire.

Diane (our landlord and a friend of the Reiters) and Mom with their pre-Woody's cocktails.

Brian Reiter and Bruce (our other landlord) - check out the Reiters' corner lot on the canal!

Bar/Outdoor Laundry Room at the Reiter house .... so perfect!

Now on to Woody's!

We went to see the Skeeterland Band, and these ladies call themselves "The Swarm." I love it.

Kathie and Brian and their zebra-striped cart ... I love these guys.

Kathie and Mom - roommates in Miami XX years ago.

An egret in my Mom's backyard

Mom's backyard

Amy, Scott and I at lunch

Me, Mom, and Scott

A blue heron in the backyard

A manatee in the canal, drinking the freshwater runoff from the neighbor's boat.

The Swartzs arrive! This is Matt checking his blackberry at lunch because he just finished outfitting the new Yankee's stadium with Cisco wireless for opening weekend!

Lauren playing in the shells in Mom's yard.

My sister, Christie, relaxing out back with a cocktail.

Lauren resting in the hammock in the backyard with all of her friends.

I gave Lauren her birthday presents when we got to Florida. Here she is all decked out in her new Princess dress and her pink Barbie fishing pole.

Kyla making a typically hilarious face. This kid cracks me up!

Kyla running with her flower

I gave Kyla some Monsters, Inc. figurines, and she made us laugh as she fed Mike her macaroni and cheese at dinner.

Mike appears to be well fed.

Stone crab dinner in the backyard! Delicious!

Mom, Brian, Bruce, Diane, Kathie, and Christie chow down.

On Monday, we headed down to Captiva Island to play on the beach!

Kyla just KNOWS she looks good in this picture!

Mom

Matt and Kyla playing in the surf.

Lauren in her adorable yellow bikini.

Kyla and Mom waiting for lunch.

I can't believe I bought this dress for Lauren in England 2 years ago, and now Kyla is wearing it!

Kyla enjoying pulling Matt's hair.

What a cutie!

Goodbye Mucky Duck! Thanks for lunch!

That night, we took a walk.

The girls liked feeding rocks to this manatee mailbox across the street. Kyla even gave him a little kiss.

Matt, Mom and Christie

Will I EVER get a decent picture of me with my neices when they are not trying to escape my grip?

Christie gets a hug from Lauren.

Lauren in the hammock on Tuesday.

Lauren and Kyla with a bubble machine from Mema

I love it when Lauren laughs like this.

Kyla enjoying her shades.

Kyla and Lauren

Lauren with her first Pina Colada at the Tarpon Inn for lunch.

Kyla mastering a straw that is bigger than her head for her first pina colada.

My last drink in Florida: A rum runner with a loaded straw. Ahhhh ... what a vacation.