Birthday Insight - The Power of Numbers

Dinner at Om on Friday night was wonderful - my friend The Missus, her Husband, Bail and her husband treated me to a birthday dinner complete with lavender-infused cocktails and bold Pinot Noirs. The atmosphere was perfect - after we all paid our respects to Buddah (who sat across the table from us) we dined on beets, goat cheese, tuna tartar, duck, steak and lamb. For dessert, a chocolate-something-or-other and a creme brulee. Then the bill came. I reached for my wallet and was promptly told "no", but then laughter ensued among my dinner guests... Rude, I thought, to laugh at me. But it turns out they weren't laughing at me. They were laughing at the bill, not because it was high (although I can't be certain) but because, as Bail, said, "It is rather poetic."

I don't know the exact amount of the bill, but MFTM wrote up something about it on her blog...

"Since Frogger reads this blog, I won't write what the bill total was... But I will interpret for her the meaning of these numbers. Now, the numbers listed are numbers that I am going to divide up into two sets.

And, the first set of numbers, in numerology, means:
You are being loved, guided and protected in every way.

The second set of numbers means:
Money is taking care of itself. Focus on giving to others, and you will always have enough to spare and share.

I think this is a message for Frogger on her birthday that she really shouldn't worry and stress out as much as she might do."

Fascinating interpretation... I'm going to buy a lottery ticket, and then not stress about it.

Top 10 Songs for Friday

(A special Friday, too.) Instead of writing about my explorations today, I will sum them up with a playlist - in no particular order, here are my top tunes for this Friday, Aug. 29, 2008.

Happy Friday!

Airline Fees: The Good, the Bad and the Ridiculous

It's no surprise that airlines have gone above and beyond to recoup the cost of fuel. From paying for water and blankets to eliminating in-flight services all together, airlines are charging customers for just about anything they can these days. So if you're going to pay, you might as well price out the cheapest option.

I prefer to fly the low-cost carriers -- JetBlue, AirTran, Southwest, etc. -- not just because the cost of the ticket is generally cheaper, but I find the service better, the flight more comfortable and most times, the fees for in-flight items reasonable (if I have to pay).

The Consumerist recently came out with a quick-list of the top 3 most "fee crazy" airlines, and the bottom 3 "fee crazy" airlines. So, if you're flying, you might as well know how much cash to take out before you board the plane. If you're bored, hungry or thirsty, it's going to cost you.

Paris on a Budget

I love Paris. The scenery, the Siene, the food, the wine, the cheese, the shopping, the art, the wine, the shopping, the wine...

If you've been eyeing Paris but can't afford the exchange rate, you're in luck. Gourmet Magazine is publishing a "collectors issue" that features things to do, and places to eat, in Paris if you're on a budget.

The Paris issue will be out this September and some of the highlights include recommendations from world-renowned chefs giving their picks on where to dine in the City of Light. There is also a section of the Paris on a Budget magazine that offers hotel suggestions and ways to save on top tourist destinations.

And if you go, don't forget to take a quick look at the Paris Travel Guide...

Gustav, Gustav, Go Away!

MSNBC.com says, "We know it's going to head into the Gulf. After that, we're not sure where it's heading," said Rebecca Waddington, a meteorologist at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. "For that reason, everyone in Gulf needs to be monitoring the storm. At that point, we're expecting it to be a Category 3 hurricane."

We're still three days away, and according the map (see below) Gustav isn't scheduled to touch the US until Saturday. The fear then becomes getting home... if Gustav is tearing through the Gulf Coast from Saturday on, flying home might be a problem. I realize this blog is focused on travel adventures, but even I have my limits.

It's too early to call it, but it doesn't look good. Stay tuned...

Meanwhile, over at "On Common Ground," MFTM gives you job seekers some sound advice when it comes to applying for jobs. We realize it's a tough job market and we're sympathetic to that but, if you're going to apply for jobs, please pay attention.

Weekend in Florida with Gustav and Fay

I'm supposed to be in Florida this weekend, checking out my parent's new home and spending time with the family celebrating birthday's and anniversary's. It seems we may have a few extra guests, too.

Fay hasn't left Florida just yet, but her friend Gustav is charging in. According to the map, looks like Gustav should be arriving right around the same time my flight is due to arrive. This should be a fun, and thrilling, ride. "Ladies and Gentleman, this is your captain speaking. Please hold on tightly as we attempt the land the plane in 75 MPH winds."

Three Days Until Friday

Friday, I'm in love.

Bravo! Encore On Demand

One of the smartest things I've done in the past year was install cable TV in my bedroom. Some would say it ruins "the mood" but I say... there's no mood to ruin so I'm watching TV.

In light of creepy bastards trying to enter my apartment, my sleep has been subject to daylight hours in 15-minute intervals. I'm awake, I'm asleep, I'm awake, I'm asleep... then it's dark... and I'm awake. It's amazing how one attempted break-in can help improve your hearing. Now, I'm attune to every sound, creak, break, or crash that happens within earshot of my apartment.

Saturday night I spent the evening on the sofa, "sleeping" with one eye open and watching the door. Last night, I decided to give the bed a shot. Leaving the lights on throughout the house, I wandered into the dark bedroom, turned on the TV and scrolled around in search of something mind-numbing to watch. I opted for a movie On Demand, and found my way to Encore's On

Demand listing.

The options were endless -- and mindless -- and included classic favorites like, "Stand By Me," "High Fidelity," and "Only You." New movies including, "The Queen," and "The Pursuit of Happyness" were highlighted, but I choose to stick with the oldies. I flipped on "High Fidelity" and curled up with my pillow for a restless night. I was comforted by John Cusak's good looks and Jack Black's comedic timing. But, a standing ovation goes to Encore On Demand for providing a selection of movies to take my mind off the chaos of the outside world.

I didn't "sleep", per se, but I rested. The door is being fixed this week and with that, I may just feel safe enough to move the kitchen table back to its proper spot.

Roaming Around Boston

Today I left my apartment. I realize I can't sit here all day and "protect" my home, so I ventured out to meet my friend The Missus in the South End. We walked to the South End artist's market and I bought a particularly cool necklace for my fall jewelry collection. It's blue agate (I think it looks like a bunch of Earth's on a string) and Jewelry Central tells me that agate, in general, "is good for transmutation; helps with the emotion of acceptance; gives a mellow, blended aspect; and is beneficial in the stomach area."

From there we strolled to the movies and took in the new Woody Allen flick, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", which was excellent (if you're a Woody Allen fan). I wonder why men like Javier Bardem don't approach me in bars when I'm traveling and ask me to go away for the weekend and make love in mysterious places. Note to self: Plan vacation to Barcelona.

We met up with our friend Bail afterwards at a local pub and noshed on some rather greasy and suspect bar food while recounting the last 48 hours of our lives. 

I came home and settled into my place. Taking deep breaths and moving the kitchen table back in front of the front door to act as a block to the outside world. I opened a glass of Merlot, sipped quietly and breathed deeply. Tonight, I will be safe.

The Boob Room

Last night was birthday dinner number two with friends. 

Reservations were at 33 Restaurant in Boston's Back Bay.

I walked in early with one friend and then immediately showed us to our table "in the lounge."

It was a private area, there were only a few tables around and we were a big party. One wall was a LCD screen that turned various colors on a timer and the mesh ceiling hid the ugliness of the real ceiling, but who looks up when they are eating?

We ordered a half bottle of Moet and toasted to birthdays, friends and good health and happiness. Halfway into our second glass of champagne, my friend inquisitively asked, "Are those women's breasts?"

I looked up at the wall and noticed that the photos surrounding the area were all boobs. Women's boobs. All sorts of them. I asked our server what the purpose of the boob photos were and she said, "Usually, this downstairs area is the lounge on Friday and Saturday nights. From about 9 o'clock on, it's just the bar and people mingling. We put tables down here tonight because we had a lot of reservations."

That makes sense. Until we realized that the purpose of the photos were to provide an erotic atmosphere for the "loungers". Imagine? Here you are, sipping a martini in the lounge, and up walks a gentleman to talk to you. Do you think he really wants to talk to you? Or do you think he wants to know if your boobs look like those along the walls of "the lounge" at 33 Restaurant? 

To be honest, the food and drinks were just so-so at 33 Restaurant. The atmosphere, however, was charming. We affectionately named this year The Year of the Boob, and off we went into the night.

He's NOT the Exterminator

People, please, use your brain.

It's the oldest trick in the book -- man comes to door, man says he's the exterminator, man steals your valuables. 

I came home from my birthday dinner in the Boob Room at 33 Restaurant last night and thankfully, I was too tired and a little tipsy to notice that someone had dented in my dead bolt and the door frame had been chiseled and dented. 

When I woke this morning, I put on my flip-flops and walked out the door in search of coffee. It was then that I noticed the banged-up door. I immediately went to the landlord's restaurant and he came over to survey the damage. We asked the blonde dipshit on the first floor if she noticed anyone in the building yesterday, and the dipshit admitted she let in a man claiming to be an exterminator.

"Was he wearing a name tag?" The landlord asked.

"No."

"Did you get the name of the company he worked for?"

"No."

"Did he have any equipment with him?"

"He had a few mouse traps."

She can't be serious. But she was. And she let him in the building, right up the stairs to my apartment. Thankfully, my door served it's purpose - to protect my apartment from predators (insects or people). It's a little dented and beaten up, but it's standing. Still, I can't help feeling a little violated...

I'm going to clean.

Tom the Doorman

This morning, as I was packing up my bag for the day -- shoes, sandwich, banana, cell phone, make-up -- I realized that the scarf I usually have tied on the shoulder strap of my bag was missing. I wasn't devastated -- it wasn't one of my more expensive scarfs or something with sentimental value. It was merely an accessory to my work bag, and so off I went to work.

Stop at Starbucks: One grande dark roast, please. Reminder: Must buy coffee this weekend so I can save on buying coffee during the week.

Coffee in hand, I head to work. Upon entering the building I start to fumble in my big bag for my security card, which I can never find. I say hello to Doorman Tom. He's a pleasant fellow -- smokes about a pack a day, always says "hello" when you walk in, and is either pushing 70 or just looks it because of the decades of cigarette smoking. I've always had suspicions about om being a bit of a pervert. When the building first introduced the security cards, we had to have our picture taken. After Tom asked to take my picture for the fourth time, I started getting a little suspicious. The fifth time he asked to take my photo I ran for the elevators.

However, I was pleasantly surprised this morning when he pulled my scarf out from one of his desk.

"Is this yours?" he asked? "It was left in the elevator last night."

Oh wonderful! Thank you, Tom. And then Tom the Doorman said, "I thought you were trying to leave me a message."

Oh Tom...No.

Poetry: The Road Not Taken

In search of a happy place, I found my favorite poem, and that has made all the difference in my day. Some believe this is actually a depressing tale of failure and grief, but I read this poem as hope and justification for the decisions I've made and the possibilities that are yet to be discovered.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler long I stood
And looked down as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a road - and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Birthday Countdown Begins in Two Days

It's my favorite time of year. My birthday festivities are starting a week early this year, but that's OK by me - gives me an extra week to celebrate.

First up: Annual birthday dinner with TJ -- we share the same birthday week and for the past five years, we've celebrated by choosing one restaurant we want to splurge on and book ourselves a table. This year we're heading to Grotto -- an Italian restaurant in Beacon Hill.

One week before actual birthday: Birthday dinner with Boston family group 1. Since my birthday actually falls on Labor Day weekend and I am sensitive to the fact that many people will be traveling, I've moved my birthday dinner back a week so that all my dear ones can be around the table. This particular dinner is ultra-special...

Not only will I have my Boston immediate family around me, but we're celebrating with the power of numerology (which my friend Jane says is an awesome way to begin your year). I am turning 33, we are dining at 33 Restaurant, and it's Restaurant Week so all the 3-course dinners are $33. (I hope the staff at 33 aren't rude and pushy, because that would totally ruin my birthday numerology vibe).


6-days before birthday: Two-hour meditation, yoga and pilates class at the gym. Great way to "cleanse" as the big 33 approaches.

Birthday Day: NO WORK. I take this day as a holiday from work.

• 1 p.m. - personal training session.
• 3 p.m. - massage
• 5 p.m. - hair cut/color
• 7 p.m. - dinner with Boston family group 2. My co-workers and travel gals are taking me to "OM".

I leave the next morning for Florida to spend my birthday weekend with my family -- Dad, Mom and sis -- something I haven't done in years. It's already feeling like a very special year.

Champagne Cocktails and Taffy Dreams

Forget lobsters (of which we had two each) and rocky shore lines (of which we walked endlessly), this year's Maine memory comes in the form of pink champagne and licorice taffy.

I wish I knew the name of the pink champagne -- it was $20 a bottle and it was horrible, but surprisingly, an entire bottle was finished. Thinking back, that entire bottle might have been consumed by the one person who actually liked the pink champagne...

Before the more "adult" wines had been drunk and we were all too loose to drive, a few friends made their way to The Goldenrod, one of the best New England taffy factories. Unfortunately, the array had taffy had been picked through by earlier-in-the-day visitors, but lucky for me, there was an entire bundle of licorice taffy that hadn't been touched AND IT WAS ALL MINE!!

(Thank you, friends, for buying me my favorite taffy.)

The best part of Maine weekend? Sitting around the wrap-around porch with your best girlfriends and talking about Maine weekends past. Another year, another Maine weekend.

Maine Weekend

Setting: York Harbor, Maine.

Players: 10-12 girlfriends, depending on who can make it that summer.

Time: One weekend

Every year for the past seven years (I think it's seven, but as I get older my memory simply fades, so let's go with seven) we've picked one weekend during the summer to spend in York Harbor, Maine. The journey starts on a Friday after work (for some, mid-day) and ends on Sunday. Each year something more interesting happens; each year a new story to tell and new memories made.

It's collectively our favorite weekend of the summer. Some of the girls haven't seen each other for an entire year and others spend every other weekend together, but it's still a weekend to re-bond, re-group and rejuvenate among friends.

Over the years we've danced on bar tables, picked up bikers, fought off bats, chainsmoked, overdrank, canoed, kayaked, fell asleep on the beach, blown the fuse boxes, boiled lobsters, made early-morning coffee runs and ate leftover pizza from the night before. We've planned pedicures, pregnancies, outlet shopping and weddings. Families grow and priorities shift, but for one weekend every year it's just the girls.

It's the one weekend I leave the laptop at home, pack only sweats and running shoes, grab a good book and leave the worries of the city behind. This year... who knows what story we'll remember most, but it's certain to be another weekend in Maine that we'll never forget.

Day of Fun: Boston Duck Tours and Superheros from 1982

Today is the day we come into work, and leave shortly thereafter for the "Company Outing Day of Fun." The itinerary includes:

• A private Boston Duck Tour. By private, I mean the entire "duck" is filled with only people from our company.
• A "bonding" event at The TOMB (I'm still not excited about this, but I've made the effort to be pro-active and excited about being confined to a small room as the ceiling comes down on me while I try to solve a puzzle and break free from the room.)
• Drinks, food and drinks at "Game On!" in Fenway Park. And, it's a Red Sox home game day so the area will be packed with people.

My boss showed up this morning wearing his Superheros of the 1980s t-shirt, red Pumas and a black baseball cap turned backwards. It's going to be an interesting day...

Restaurant Week Dinner 2: Vintage Lounge

Restaurant Week Dinner #2:

Place: Vintage Lounge, Boston's Financial District

Purpose: We've never been and there's parking for those who were driving.

Scene: The VL is a modern affair. The lounge area features an L-shaped bar dressed in gold accents and high bar chairs on one side; leather couches and ottomans in various colors fill the remaining area for loungers to lay back with a martini and an appetizer. Section 2: Another bar with the same gold accents lead diners into a large dining room flanked with flowing velvet drapes and dining room tables with high-back brown leather chairs. Votive candles adorn the tables, but not in a romantic kind of way... the illusion is sensual and sexy. The parking lot located directly behind the window where we were seated reminded us we were still in the city. We watched as businessmen and women dragged their tired bodies over the trash in the streets and into their beaten up cars, while attempting to avoid the trash trucks and delivery cars that were making their final pass through the financial district before calling it a night.

The Food: Pre-prepared. That's the one bad thing about Restaurant Week -- many of the restaurants pre-prepare the food and just opt for a quick heat-up upon order. It's a chance you take, but in this case, we were pleasantly surprised. Skip the salad with tuna sashimi -- there are approximately three tiny pieces of sashimi mixed into a plate of baby arugula and drizzled with an overly salty balsamic dressing. I passed on finishing the first course because my ankles were swelling after two bites of the salty dish. The tomato soup was a hit among the rest of the table, and it was served steaming hot over cheese and a garlic crostini. Looked and smelled wonderful. The cornish hen, filet mignon and tomato gnocchi filled our table for the main course. Everyone was pleased. The meats were perfectly prepared and cooked to perfection and the servings were just the right size. The second course made up for the first course, and we finished our evening with creme brulee and chocolate cake.

Good job, Vintage Lounge. While I would recommend you chef lay off the salt, the overall appeal of the place is a winner.

Wedding in Sicily... To Go, or Not to Go?

Just got word that friend Tracey is getting married to her beau in Sicily this November. Tracey has lived in Sicily for six years now. Her love story is one for the books...

Tracey and her mother went to Italy to research the family tree. One day, in search of the grandparents birth place, Tracey fell in love... with the guide who was helping them find the birthplace in a remote part of Tuscany. Six years later, they are to be wed and I'm invited to the wedding.

It's a small ceremony. Friends and siblings. And while I'm not a fan of weddings (this comes as no surprise to the brides who have actually asked me to be in their weddings), I am in love with Italy. The thought of spending six days in Sicily in November seems almost euphoric. I'll get a little villa near the wedding site and just... be...

Flights aren't that expensive ($600 round-trip) but it is an expense. Thoughts? Votes?

Restaurant Week Boston: Dinner 1

Restaurant Week is one of my favorite weeks -- cheap ($33) three-course dinners at usually very expensive places. Tonight was dinner No. 1: Marco's.

I met my darling ladies for our party of four reservations at 6:30 p.m. We started with cocktails and then moved on to our first course. I had the caprese salad and it was wonderful -- the mozzarella was as soft as butter, the tomatoes were ripe and sweet and the balsamic dressing with thick and caramely. I chose the salmon for my main dish and I was unfortunately disappointed. The salmon filet was cold, but it was fresh -- seems like it was just cooked first and sat for a bit before the pastas were complete. The pasta dishes were amazing -- fresh, delicious and hot! I capped off my three-course with mango sorbet and finished my pinot grigio before heading home for the night.

Finally, something lovely to end the week from the hell.

Next up: Dinner No. 2 at Vintage Lounge.

Top 10 Things Heard This Week...

To say this past week has been a bitch would be an understatement. This is obvious mostly in the fact that this blog hasn't been updated in a week. I was simply to spent to pen the tales of the day. Instead, I thought I'd recap the week with a top 10 list of things said to me, or that I've said, which will give you an indication as to why I am spending this glorious rainy, thunderstorm-clad day inside organizing my iTunes, watching movies and fiercely cleaning my apartment. A good cleanse is good for the soul. 

Here we go (in no particular order):

1. "You're not up to speed on how to manage a news blog." Ok, granted, I have not updated this blog for a week, but I think I'm well-versed in blog management. For one, I managed a business news blog at a nationally-syndicated news site for two years. Second, I'm a writer, and any writer in this day and age can manage a blog (or should be at least familiar with how to post something into a text box and hit "publish").

2. "Am I getting fired?" Asked to General Manager after big shake-up at the office due to above-mentioned news blog.

3. "I don't think that will fit you," said the sales associate when I picked up a black tank top size L at 344 store on Newbury Street. F*** you, sales bitch. (For what it's worth, I didn't bother trying on the top. I left the store and went to Starbucks for a skinny iced latte, instead).

4. "We need to think about re-organizing the hierarchy of this group," said one office manager when discussing the details of my job.

5. "How do you know if you have a UTI?" said one friend who ended up in the hospital emergency room at 11 p.m. that night.

6. News headlines: 

"John Edwards admits to affair." Now I realize this has nothing to do with me personally, but it really ticked me off. The man was running for president, likely considered a viable candidate for VP at one point, and the affair took place during his wife's battle with cancer. I'm already in a foul mood. This didn't help.

"Bernie Mac Dies at 50." Again, doesn't impact me personally, but the man was a comic genius and his life was cut too short. Sad news for an already sad week.

"Attacks on day one at Beijing Olympics." This is just horrific, given all the turmoil that has led up to this event.

7. "If this were a musical, you'd be my back-up singers and would have the perfect song to sing right now," said to co-workers when handed a box of Kleenex after tears erupted behind closed doors in the boardroom.

8. "Your two-week trial for managing the success of the blog starts now. Please supply metrics for success." Stated in an email, which caused above-mentioned burst of tears. (Prelude: see point No. 1)

9. "I just don't find you very attractive. There just aren't any sparks..." said blind date after Chinese food dinner. (He followed this up with an email that asked if we could just "be friends," but I politely refrained from responding. I'm 33, I have plenty of friends, and they find me attractive.)

10. "I was never the girl who wanted a husband. I want Chanel and Valentino - they'll never leave me, and they always look good." Said one friend to another while sipping red wine and enjoying focaccia and roasted garlic on a Saturday afternoon.

And with this, I bid you a calm Sunday night.

Asshole in Our Nation's Capitol

There are obviously plenty of assholes in our country, but this one in particular really got to me.

It's sundown Friday night. We made our way to the Marine Barracks in the SE district of D.C. to watch the retiring of the colors. The 13-year-old wants to be a Marine. As we waited in a line approximately 100 people deep, a tall, dark Marine in full uniform approaches us. He hands us four tickets and sends us straight to Gate 8, where another Marine shows the four of us to our seats. There was a Marine in the sky watching down on us that night and knowing that if this child didn't get into the barracks to see the ceremony, he would have made our lives hell for the rest of the trip.

There we were, in one of the most pristine places on Earth, surrounded by Marines. The feeling was overwhelming. Indescribable, really. The Marines began their march to the lawn.

That's when my feeling of pride and loyalty turned to rage and disgust. The man in front of me was chowing down on his bean burrito, wiping his hands on his chair and text messaging on his cell phone.

Picture it, please: The Marines. Marching. Guns. Full military parade with the Marine band playing in the background. Disgusting man munching his bean burrito. It's disgusting... and then it got worse.

As if this asshole had absolutely no respect for our military, he proceeds to take out his MacBook, film a one-minute scene of the ceremony and then...

wait for it...

...starts moving around in his chair to find a WIRELESS CONNECTION so he can upload this video to You Tube while the retiring of the colors is going on. How do I know all this? Because he's sitting right in front of me and I'm witnessing this incredibly disgraceful display happen. Here is the asshole's photograph mid-email. People should be ashamed of themselves.