snippets of the weekend 2.13.2023

Friday was a glorious day - got work done, was alone all day with pets - took a long lunch walk and dipped my feet in the ocean - tried out a new bakery two blocks from my house, read a great book, took a nice sunset walk, and got a lot of sleep.

Saturday I read and walked most of the morning. MFD arrived in the afternoon. I saw his new car and we headed right upstairs to clear the main floor out of everything except four pieces of furniture. Lots of up and down to the second and third floors. When we got hot and took sweatshirts off we realized we were wearing the same tees.

We took a walk on the beach and saw a ton of dead sea things much to the delight of the dogs. This happens in the winter a lot after beach replenishment work. It's like a purge since stuff has been moved around off-shore and while sand was being brought in. We went to the Anchorage for dinner. MFD had creamy dill pickle soup as a starter and it was freaking delicious, as was my burger and fries. I might try and replicate the soup at home next week. We drove by the Wonderland ferris wheel lit up green for the Eagles. Back at home I started a new book and painted my nails.

Sunday I woke up early despite staying up late to read. I ran errands with no phone which feels wild these days especially when store cards etc are in my phone wallet LOL. I returned a library book, put gas in the car, picked up a bakery order at Baked by the Ocean in Marmora, stopped to grab a bottle of wine, and picked up a few things from ShopRite. Back at home I made spinach dip then packed up and headed back to Philly. A bit of rest there and then off to Frank & Amanda's for the Super Bowl. We had a good time. Better luck next year Eagles!

weekending reels on Instagram 

 

Snippets of the weekend 1.30.2023

Workday spent with Mae and Billy while the best friend dogs were upstairs with MFD. Fresh nails (Olive Ave Pisces - dark purple - and Essie below zero). Knocked off at 4 to head to Cape May Courthouse to go to ReStore and TJMaxx on the hunt for a new side table for the shore main living room. Check, and check on two of my favorite candles that are no longer made, and check on a collapsible sled MFD purchased for...I don't know why. We are 46, do not sled, and in fact have seen no laying snow in Philadelphia this winter. We followd up with a dinner at the Lobster House. I got baked stuffed shrimp and did not like them but not because they were bad, just personal preference. Closed it out staying up late to finish a devastating book.

Since I was up late, I slept in and slid slowly into the day. I packed up some returns and dropped them at the post office, then headed up to the boardwalk to take a walk around. I saw the theater getting ready to make a comeback, which is super exciting. Those of you who grew up going to Ocean City boardwalk movie theaters on a rainy day or during a night of vacation know!

I also checked out the beach replenishment project which was at 11th from the Music Pier, then headed back home to sit out on the winter dirty porch and air out the apartment. MFD went back to Philly to work, and I made slaw for carnitas tacos - pulled the meat off the bone for those as well. I read throughout the day, puttered around, took a long walk with the best friend dogs, and sacked out on the couch at night.

Sunday we had a little lie in and MFD decided he wanted to go home to watch the Eagles game on a whim so we got our shit packed up and cleaned up, took a walk, and headed home. I started laundry and dropped him off at my brother's for the game while I ran errands through the first half - returned a bunch of shit and picked some random needs up. I watched the end of the game outside there and we came home and watched a bunch of Yellowstone episodes. 

weekending reels on Instagram 

As you know, I don't fuck with sports much period, particularly the NFL, but I do love many of the Eagles players, everything about Jalen Hurts including his game day outfits, the story of Jordan Mailata, Nick Sirianni's F bombs, both Kelce brothers and their podcast snippets (not a full podcast listener), how much Philly people love being from Philly and how hard they go for their teams, when players on said teams truly understand what the city and its fans are about, and the humming energy and shared excitement when one of our teams is on a championship run. And of course also football food so looking forward to Frank & Amanda's Super Bowl party already. 

 

TWTW - February Furniture Fiesta

Friday A banner day for a lunch walk. I made stringbeans and mushrooms with a side of pesto pasta and chicken thighs for dinner. Dad & Carol arrived around 6 and I was in bed by 10.

Saturday Bruce woke up with the shits that then translated into the pukes. I tell this dog not to eat dead sea creatures. Does he listen? He does not. I painted my nails (OPI Mylar Dreams and Princesses Rule!), Dad & Carol got donuts. My dad and I went to Ventnor to pick up a piece of furniture that would not fit in his car, so the woman made alternate arrangements...to be continued. I picked up holds at the library, went to the grocery store, and read. It was a glorious weather day and it was so nice to ride around with the windows open and be outside without a coat. 

At 2 we had to go back over to Ventnor for no reason, just for a guy to load the furniture into his truck and follow us back to OC. When we got back, MFD was there so my Dad was off the hook after it got inside. Lots of moving furniture and arguing because the width that was on the listing is the body, not the top that juts out and prevents it from siding all the way back in the recess of the wall. It's still in progress, I'm swapping my cream colored storage bins in Philly for these white ones, but it's staying and it functions like we need it to. There is an entire desk set up inside of this piece as well as storage. Thanks to my Dad who went back and forth with me twice and endured the whole unplanned saga with me and Carol who stayed with the dogs as MFD was delayed in his arrival due to showings in Philly. 

Dad and Carol got dinner from Jon & Patty's, and I did a salad and fries. Another early to bed to read with my two black and white animals. 

Sunday Bruce was not in the mood to get up. I spent the morning purging and organizing, and we took a beach walk at the end of the island. Dad & Carol were there for a little then went to another beach to shell. I read a bit when we got back.

I am never into the Super Bowl unless the hometown team is in it then the excitement is intoxicating but I am always into the food and usually buy block pools to support organizations of kids. Carol made Mozz sticks, MFD picked up hoagies from White House in Atlantic City, and I made homemade wings. MFD was the only person in America to scan the QR code because the rest of us are over them. The game was actually good, although if I'm rooting it's for the underdog so I wish the Bengals won. Loved the halftime show - where can I get a knock off of Dr. Dre's jacket? I won $125 in a block pool from the Rhode Island Doyles. Good times. 

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you celebrate all types of love all year and that you have a lion's share of love for yourself. 

TWTW - the year of dip has begun

Friday Was a good day despite me waking up on the wrong side of the bed. I got a manicure at lunch for the first time in a year I think, killed it at work, my new phone came, hopped a train a little after 4 and saved $31 using Target Circle plus got a $10 gift card, came home to dinner made, washed my overly dirty hair, and chilled the F out. I watched the Taylor Swift documentary on Netflix. It was interesting to see a young celebrity deal with the expectation of women to be nice and quiet. Also I forgot how fucking terrible Kanye was at the VMAs. 

Saturday I made power breakfast muffins and we piddled around then headed to Fishtown for the grand opening of Harriett's Bookshop at 258 E. Girard Ave. Local friends, check it out. It's a new, small, black woman owned business. These are my buys, MFD got two books too. We tried to get something to eat in Fishtown but our time was limited so we attempted Three Monkeys which was a half hour wait and said fuck it and went to Redhouse Bagels before popping in to Aldi to pick up a few things. 

MFD headed out almost as soon as we got home, and I did laundry and read before setting up my Imbolc altar, and making some lemon poppy seed muffins, salad, salmon, rice, and brussels sprouts for dinner. I set MFD to untangling a mess of three necklaces before he went out, and I finished a book and fell asleep at 1:30.

Sunday I was not asleep long before I heard the old dog crying. He had pooped his way down the stairs and around the first floor, so I was up at the ass crack cleaning that up. MFD joined me and then it took a while but we both went back to sleep until about 10. I did some work work then weekly food prep. The nail photo is why I do my nails myself. Not even three full days. Not my ideal start to a day, sleeping in feels like wasting the day to me, but it was necessary and I rallied.

Dip making for the super bowl. We're all here for the dips, right? This is my self proclaimed Year of Dip. Dip #1 of the year was a chive/mascarpone/bacon dip for which I used Giada's recipe. It was good - I added two additional pieces of bacon, and I'd add two more the next time which would double the amount of bacon in the initial recipe. Dip #2 of the year was a crockpot jumbo lump crab dip that I got from a coworker and is much different than my usual hot crab dip recipe and method. I also made wings but we care more about the dips, right? Also let's get it out of the way from the start that dips photograph terribly but taste delicious.

We went to Frank & Amanda's for the super bowl through the first three quarters. The half time show was awesome with over 40 ladies out there killing it, the company was great, and I ate too much. And I painted my nails in the back room with the younger girls since i felt the need to remove Friday’s nail salon chipped polish LOL. 

Weekly food prep: Breakfast is scrambled eggs topped with broccoli that will get made tonight, no room in the fridge yesterday. Snacks are cucumbers and dip. Dinner is the broccoli/chicken/bacon dish I pulled from the freezer over leftover rice and chili with corn bread. The chili is loaded with veggies - red onion, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms. Salads on the side of both. Still working through those freezers. Lunches are leftovers or PB&J on Dave's bread.

How was yours? 

Failure and fire and no one likes us and we don't care

image via 6abc Action News, the only news in town

Philly's been in the news a lot this week. If you haven't heard, our football team won the Super Bowl. 

The majority of the after stories focused on destructive assholes who celebrated by destroying shit. 

Who does that? Well, assholes in every city, unfortunately. Not according to the Internet, though. The Internet would like to pin assholes squarely on Philly. We’re used to it.

So even for non-fans like me, it's been an awesome but oddly defensive feeling week.

On failure making us who we are and being a common denominator for all of us regardless of life status, here is the speech of Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. True, humble, relatable. 

Failure comes for all of us, big and small fails, fails only we know about and fails that are visible to many. When failure comes, you’ve got to get up and grow from it. Be you, do you, work hard, have your own back, and don't look outside for validation because when you look outside for validation, you will let doubt and shame from the outside creep in too. You don't need that shit. Just keep going.

Then there’s Jason Kelce's speech, delivered in an Avalon Stringband Mummer suit and fired up with the F bomb - mummers, Eagles, F bomb is like a Philly trifecta - that will live in infamy in this city. True, fire, relatable. Up there on the Art Museum steps, Jason Kelce is Rocky after he’s been told he can’t win. Jason Kelce is all of us. 

It’s hard to explain Philly to people. That speech and this little ditty, sung by Kelce and Celek and fans along the parade route but certainly not new to this city, both do a good job of giving you the feel of our culture. 

No one likes us, no one likes us, no one likes us,

We don’t care

WE'RE FROM PHILLY FUCKING PHILLY 

NO ONE LIKES US, WE DON'T CARE

There's a lot to be said for not caring what people think. You can be out there living like Jesus and Mother Teresa combined and people will still think what they want of you, and say what they will. They’ll find shit to talk about because some people just like to talk shit. It’s fine. It’s the way of the world. If you're a good person, you’re a good person. 

I still don't give two shits about the NFL and would take a knee with Colin Kaepernick any day of the week and twice on Sundays, but I love the hell out of people with fire and heart and I love the underdog. This Eagles team has fire and heart, they’re all up there on the stage as Super Bowl champions barking like dogs in front of God and the world while giving zero shits, and quite a few of them have a social conscious to boot. 

This city has fire and heart. We identify as underdogs - we think Rocky is a real person from this town and screw you if you say it’s just a movie. We are working class people; a city of neighborhoods; people with a cultural tendency for bluntness that is often mistaken for rudeness; people who care more about what’s in your heart and what's real than how polished you are; people who are more apt to roar like lions behind those who speak from the heart even if it's a little messy and not conventionally classy; people who might curse more than you like but would give you the shirt off their back in a second. We work hard, play hard, and love hard. 

If the world wants to lump us all in with the few who destroy shit and rocket bottles at people, it’s fine. We know what we are, and it’s not that. 

And if you don’t like us, we don’t care. You can already buy a shirt for this occasion. If you recall, I bought another version at the Cheesesteak Festival in 2015. 

Yo. Happy Friday from Philly.

Thursday Thoughts - will we leave each other alone like this on the streets of Philadelphia

1. You know things will be nuts when your train conductors tell you not to take regional rail to the Super Bowl parade. My office is a few blocks off the route. My plan was the same as when the Phils won: go into work, go down to see some of the parade, go back to work. Not happening this time. Trains are running crazy and my worst fear is being caught in the city longer than I want to be and having to sleep in my office like someone in a movie. I want to see the spectacle but not be inconvenienced by it and you can't have it both ways so I’m working at home today and will see it on TV and through the lenses of some awesome Philly instagrammers (streetsdept, phillychitchat. urphillypal, 6abcactionnews, parkwaymuseumsdistrict, peopledelphia, illadelphia, phobymo, mauricejphotos among others).

2. Is it possible to lay on the couch or in bed without dogs all over you? Asking for a friend who suffers from resting bitch face.

3.  I'm poised on the precipice of not buying bread again. I am testing a few sandwich bread recipes. Do you make your own sandwich bread? Hook me up with your favorite recipe.

4. I'm working on cooking from my freezers and pantry and buying things here and there so I haven't been getting my groceries delivered. Which means more frequent but quick in and out grocery trips, all requiring that I stay on top of my reusable bags in the trunk game.

5. Show Us Your Books coming up on Tuesday! What are you reading?

6. I have a water pillow and skincare to return. Two lines of skincare, actually. I need to get my ass in gear. Damn returns.

7. There are a lot of people out there who never think about how their life would be drastically different if they were born into a different family or a different neighborhood. We cannot put our life experiences on top of everyone else as if we all started from the same place.

8. You know who has military parades? Dickless banana republic leaders, unstable dictators, and killers.

9. Reminder: I love weird. Come sit next to me.

10. Ecard of the week: This one's going to have to come out of circulation now.

Short and sweet this week. I had stomach issues Tuesday night and my second tension point release acupuncture yesterday afternoon, which basically renders me mute for the night so I had to throw this together on the quick. My brain has also been on the fritz this week.

If you're in Philly and at the parade today, enjoy, have fun (and patience!), and be safe!

TWTW - the one with the super bowl

Friday like most offices in Philadelphia, we had pre-Super Bowl party Friday afternoon where we all wore Eagles gear so of course I had to get a shirt with a pug on it. I picked up Termini Bros cupcakes from the Comcast Center and got to see one of the nine student-painted Dr. King sculptures around town. You can see them until the end of February.

After that I enjoyed a night all to myself in a clean house since Linda cleaned Friday and MFD was in Harrisburg for a conference. Sweet, sweet alone time after I picked Bruce up from Camp Bow Wow. I started a book and trolled the OCNJ events schedule for the year.

Saturday I was out early to visit Lola Jean and Baby Stephen, followed by a trip to the grocery store, and hit Produce Junction for fruit and $5 flowers on the way home. I got new skin care after trying literally all other things at this point. I spent the rest of the day doing five loads of laundry and putting it away in the same day (second week in a row for this phenomenon), changing sheets, finishing my book and taking 4903493 photos of my dogs sleeping. MFD got home around 6:30 and it was a quiet night for us.

Sunday breakfast, started a new book, painted my nails (Zoya Rikki), and took even more dog sleeping photos. It's an illness that has no cure. MFD was out doing Code Blue bus duty by 6 am, then had showings and took a nap while I went to Sam's and the beer store. Completely inadvisable outings on Super Bowl Sunday.

We spent the first half at Frank & Amanda's. 

The food, company, and decor were awesome and I won $30 in the first half block pool. 

Holler!

Super Bowl second half at Ferko. People were out celebrating after, especially as we pulled into our neighborhood, but it was a lot of beeping and chanting and singing. Flipping cars is not the norm. Climbing light poles is not the norm either, but that is a preferred celebration method here. Lights at 16th & Chestnut and the 16th & Market light were out this morning. As in every crowd, there are a few destructive assholes and that's what you see on the news. Everyone likes to act like Philly is the only town who has assholes. While we have our fair share, Boston had some of their own on the UMass Amherst campus last night. I don't understand destruction period, win or lose.

Weekly food prep: Breakfast is scrambled eggs topped with steamed broccoli. Lunch is PB&J on Dave's Killer Powerseed Bread with a Gala apple and sliced bell peppers. Snacks are oranges and chips. Dinners are the freaking ham chowder from the freezer I've been trying to pull out and get eaten for the past three weeks and leftovers from Saturday's roast pork tenderloin/sweet potato casserole/steamed green beans. I also made spinach dip and bacon wrapped tater tots for the Super Bowl because even when your hometown team is in it the food is what matters, okay?

This entire town needs an Advil. I've had four. It was awesome and I'm not a regular fan. Those people are literally doing a dance into work this morning. It's infinitely better than when the entire town needed an Advil and the Eagles DIDN'T win back in 2005. 

Anyway, how was yours?