Last week was a crazy one at my house! Our twin daughters, Genny and Bridget turned three years old. For weeks, the first thing Genny has been asking me when she wakes up is “Is today my birthday party, mama?” “No, Genny, but soon,” I reply. “Tomorrow?” she responds. I decide to tell a white lie “Yes!”. I know that she has no idea what all these time references mean so this way I keep her happy and avoid any possible three year old meltdowns.
Three, I’ve learned from experience, is the first birthday where kids have a real interest in their party so the pressure was on! Now, anyone who knows us knows that we get a wee bit carried away when we throw a party. So this year I was proud to show great restraint by planning the event at an art studio where they take care of everything but the cake. What a relief, I thought. I can invite their whole class -17 kids- and not have to deal with the menu, mess and mayhem. But then I found that I was really missing the planning process so in a crazy moment of ignorance decided to add a “part two”. Let the fun continue back at our house! Suddenly I’ve got 30 people – 15 adults and 15 children (under 6 years old) descending on our house 30 minutes after the first party ended. Part of me thought “I’ve got to be crazy” and the other part knew it would be great fun.
If you’ve never been to one if these soirees, let me give you a little peak at what goes on. It’s a bit hard to describe but I would say “happy chaos” sums it up.
Our kids – all 15 of them – have literally grown up together, spending 12 hours a day in daycare/school. As a result, the parents have become quite close. We do mini versions of this just about every weekend so we have it down to a science. An argument over a toy breaks out, a child scrapes their knee, someone is stuck on top of the jungle gym, someone else is thirsty – we can always count on the parent in closest proximity to take care of business. It’s what I call “seamless collaboration”. And when it’s time for dinner, an assembly line forms to dish out and serve 15 plates of hot dogs, corn and watermelon.
After dinner, while a handful clean up, the more energetic (aka younger) parents kick off the crazy dance party. (Tip: every family must have a kid party playlist ready to go. My personal faves are Rock Lobster and Shout!). This is intended to burn down the last bit of energy left in these kids! Once that’s done, time for a movie. Lights down, PJ’s on, pillows and blankets on the floor – and on comes the Wizard of Oz. Old school, yes, but those munchkins are guaranteed to mesmerize any small child. And they’re done way before those creepy monkees come on. Now the parents can relax, tell some funny stories and have a night cap before clean up begins.
Yes, my house was trashed. Yes, we were beyond exhausted. Yes, we can’t find our video camera, sunglasses and door knob. But it was all worth it: to celebrate the girls big day with great friends and make memories to last forever. Rest assured, there will be many more to come so I’d better rest up!
As the old saying goes, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s day, right? Of course! Well, if you’re not sure what to do, here are some hints from one patriotic Irish-American:
First, pick out your best “splash of green” – a tie, socks, a sweater – something that puts you in a playful, spirited mood. Never overdue it unless you want to look like a Midwestern tourist in town for the parade. Subtlety is key.
Now, head off to the office. St Patrick has blessed us today with incredible weather. Drink it in! If you give yourself some extra time you can stop in at Opal on 2nd ave for a free authentic Irish breakfast. What’s on the menu? Eggs, Bangers and mash, soda bread and more. A hearty fare that coats the stomach and prepares you for the day ahead.
Next, greet everyone at the office with “Erin go Braugh” or Ireland forever! If you really want to impress them with your “Irish” then go to http://www.irish-sayings.com/ and listen to Gaelic translations of popular phrases like sláinte (pronounced sloyn-tche) for cheers!
Lunch time! You’ll want to be amongst your peeps so head out to one of midtown east’s famous Irish pubs. They are plentiful and many of them have great food. My personal favs are the Press Box (2nd Ave b/t 49th and 50th) and Connolly’s (47th b/t Lex and 3rd). Both have a wonderful, friendly vibe and on St. Patty’s Day, the energy is infectious. I recommend you order one of the following: Sheppard’s Pie, Corn beef Reuben or the Chicken Pot pie. YUM. Now, I know you’ll be tempted but it’s best to hold off on drinking until later (see below).
The Irish people are historically known for their strong work ethic. They essentially built this city! So, in their honor, get back to work! Cross all those important tasks and projects off your list so when the “whistle blows” at 5:30pm, you can get your Irish on. Where to go first? Where else!? Marina Maher Communications Great Room for fun, food, cheer and music. It’s the perfect way to ease into the evening.
OK, the moment has finally arrived. Quitting time. Time to join the ranks of the inebriated on the streets of Manhattan. Before you leave be sure to don some “ pieces of flair” like green beads, a silly hat, shamrock earrings, etc. This will help you fit in with the masses. Now, I’m not going to dictate where to take your “party” because the Irish are not particularly big on planning. As the saying goes, “The future is not ours to know, and it may never be- so let us live and give our best and give it lavishly!”
But if you want some suggestions, here are a few great local pubs where the celebration will be in full force and will go to the wee hours:
E. 50s
• Celtic Cross at Turtle Bay
• Kegs & Eggs at T.G. Whitney’s
• St. Patrick’s Day at Redemption
• St. Patrick’s Day at Traffic
• St. Patrick’s Day at The Black Finn
There are three key goals that you must achieve in order to claim “Irish for a day” – they include but are not limited to:
- Singing along with a live Irish band, preferably a cover of the Pogues or Cranberries (probably way too loudly)
- Dancing the “jig” or some imitation of it (skill is not required)
- Doing at least one Irish car bomb shot (see video)
And when you get home after having the most fun ever, be sure to drink a big glass of water and take two Excedrin. May you have sweet dreams of rolling green hills, gorgeous ancient castles and Colin:
Hope you enjoy this most glorious event! I leave you with one last Irish saying:
“May you never forget what is worth remembering, Or remember what is best forgotten”
My husband and I have a tradition. Every year we ring in New Year’s Eve by spending the first half of the evening partying with our kids- complete with party hats, dancing, games and lots of Happy New Year shout outs. Believe it or not, our house gets pretty rockin when all three kids get those noisemakers going!
The second half of the evening is all about us. Once the last child is down we open up the champagne, enjoy a beautiful gourmet meal and start our annual planning session. Planning? That doesn’t sound very romantic, does it?
Maybe not but it definitely sets the year off right and brings us closer together.
We start by opening up a fresh new notebook and creating pages for the following categories:
- Proudest achievements
- Best moments
- Biggest regrets
- 2010 GOALS
We take about an hour or so brainstorming these topics. We reflect on the year, talk through our favorite memories and mutual frustrations. Think of this like creating your own personal montage movie scene. It brings some clarity to our lives, which as we all know, can often be a bit of a blur as we dash from one thing to the next.
Here is a glimpse at our discoveries:
- Proudest Accomplishments? Finally cleaned the scary attic. Goal for 2010 - tackle the even scarier basement!
- Best moments? Hanging out with our friends at the town pool on summer weekends, going on a Fall weekend getaway without the kids. So Goals for 2010 would be: Join pool and plan another getaway!
- Biggest regrets- didn’t see enough adult movies. Goal? See at least 6 films this year (sad, I know but at least its achievable)
We came out feeling incredibly blessed to have great jobs, friends and family and that our frustrations and regrets can often be minimized by refocusing our priorities on those things that bring us the most joy and satisfaction. I highly recommend you try this exercise – either with your partner or by yourself. Just make sure your goals are SMART ones (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) and check your progress at least quarterly to see how you’re pacing.
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now”
Yesterday we hosted MMC’s 2nd annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck lunch, our newest tradition. At MMC, we have such a strong sense of community, collaboration and team spirit that a potluck lunch is the perfect way to celebrate our successes together.
This year, staffers contributed over 45 dishes that told us a little something about who they are. We had exotic dishes from all over the globe including India, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Australia, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Korea, Israel, Iraq and Turkey. We also had many delicious recipes that harkened back our childhoods in Georgia, Florida, the Midwest, Buffalo and the Tri-State. We even had a few local favorites brought in from the best bakeries and restaurants in our area (Crumbs, Buttercup, Junior’s, and Hoboken’s Cake Boss).
We piled our plates high, found a fork and a chair and went to town. For over an hour we grazed through appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts. We also managed to chat it up with our colleagues, tell family stories and make some new friends. When we finally decided we couldn’t take another bite, we rolled back to our desks, let out a big sigh and got back to work.
Kate and I had so much fun organizing this event because, as Megan Svensen said, “It has all the elements that make MMC special: friends, food and fun.”
Note: Requests for a company sanctioned post-potluck “nap hour” are being taken into consideration for next year.
My personal favorite dish? That is tough! I’d have to say Marissa’s Sweet Potato casserole with melted marshmallows on top and Jackie’s peach cobbler. What about you? Let us know which dish stood out to you.
This past weekend I experienced an exciting milestone my 25th high school reunion in Ridgewood, NJ. Now, most of you are probably thinking WOW 25 years! That is OLD. But be forewarned: it’ll happen to you some day and it will seem like yesterday that you went to your 10th.
I started getting excited about this one right after my 20th reunion b/c I was 9 months pregnant with my son Griffin at that one. Which meant that I was very big and very sober. Two qualities I prefer not to have at any type of reunion. So this time I prepared well: hair and nails done, new outfits laid out and champagne chilling!
Our reunion was a weekend extravaganza starting with a casual event at a local bar on Friday night, a school tour, football game and finally, the big Saturday evening soiree a restaurant. I met my best friends at my parents house in Ridgewood on Friday. Mom and dad graciously offered to put us up for the night (I’m one of the few lucky ones whose parents still live in the house I grew up in). Mom took a few pix (a la the prom) and we were off. The evening started a bit slow because initially you’re overwhelmed with the prospect of seeing all of these people a quarter of a century later. You find yourself trying to keep a poker face as you read their name tags and try to remember what they looked like in 1984. But eventually I got in the groove: Oh that’s Maureen! She wore pantyhose in 4th grade and I thought she was so sophisticated. “OMG: That’s Kathy? She looks way better than I remember!” Or “I had a huge crush on that guy! He used to be a life guard yikes not any more!” We danced, laughed, reminisced and basically acting like crazy teenagers for 48 hours.
Key learnings and observations:
Make a real effort to look mahvelous. There’s no better phrase than “MB, you look fantastic, you haven’t aged at all!”
Be sure to attend with your closest HS friends rather than your significant other. Its way more fun to reminisce, assist eachother in recognizing faces and dish like crazy at the end of the evening.
Prepare ahead. If high school is a bit fuzzy to you, it will help to read through your yearbook and photo albums before attending so you have stuff to talk about.
Work the room. Don’t get stuck talking to one dud for 30 mintues. The evening will be over before you know it and you’ll be upset that you didn’t get to chat it up with some key people (like Stan, former football star, who made our jaws drop when he walked in!)
Take a lot of pictures. Me and my friends were up until 3 am looking at the pictures and laughing hysterically over who knows what!
Keep in touch via LinkedIn and FB. These people could be great business (and personal) connections for you.
And finally, don’t be self conscious. Whatever you were known for in high school: a brain, an athlete, a princess, a basket case – is history. This is your chance to show off the incredible person that you’ve become!
As a working mother of three, I don’t get to spend much quality time with my children so most weekends are spent at pools, play dates and trips to grandmas. But this weekend my husband and I treated ourselves to a night out on the town, Jersey-style! I know you’re probably picturing a schmancy Italian restaurant with big hair, bubbies and guys in guinea tees with “Born to Run” tattoos. But believe it or not, you can have a very cool, classy evening in the Garden State. Here is my story:
First stop: Dinner. After several unsuccessful attempts to get a reservation at Culinariane, Top Chef Semi-finalist Ariane Duarte’s very popular Montclair, NJ restaurant we finally got in and it did not disappoint. My Sashimi Tuna Flower appetizer was delicious, inventive and functional (the “petals” were crispy wontons used to scoop up the tuna, cucumber and crème fraise). My hubby had a cheddar cheese pierogi of braised rabbit in a whimsical carrot juice reduction. It was amazing, as were the main dishes and simple, elegant atmosphere and service. Chef Ariane was a true pro: she personally made sure we were happy and satisfied with our meals. It was hands down the best dining experience we’ve ever had in Montclair, which is known for its culinary diversity. We left the restaurant feeling satisfied and ready for more fun!
Next stop: Drinks. Our favorite pub is Egan’s, a stylish upscale Irish pub with great cosmos. As soon as we walked in and bellied up to the bar, I spotted one of our most famous local residents: Bobbi Brown; makeup artist to the stars and founder of her own cosmetics line . She was really flying under the radar without a stitch of makeup (), dark rimmed glasses, t-shirt and jeans. But being a well trained MMC’er; I recognized her immediately and respected her privacy by keeping our distance – while subtly observing her and her hubby from afar. Of course we were secretly hoping for some “Housewives of NJ” drama, but alas they were simply enjoying a relaxing night out, just like us.
Final stop: Home sweet home. At 11 pm we turned into pumpkins and headed home to pay the babysitter and get some sleep before the usual Sunday morning wakeup call: the girls, Bridget and Genny, singing a chorus of the alphabet song while practicing their crib jumping moves and Griffin wandering the halls making Godzilla impersonations. Ah kids. But first, we HAD to Google Montclair celebs and found a ton of them
In summary, we had a few key learning’s from this evening:
1. Spending quality 1:1 time with your significant other is SO important in the constant battle to balance your life!
2. Ariane should NOT have been voted off the show before Leah because her food rocks
3. New Jersey has it all: beautiful old homes, quaint artistic communities, great restaurants and plenty of our own celebrities.
Sometimes I laugh when I hear Gen Yer’s talk about Baby Boomers lack of technical proficiency or interest. I immediately think of my mom, Mary. She is 76 years old, which puts her in the “traditionalist” generation aka “old timers”. My mom may look the part, but she defies the stereotype. She purchased her first personal computer in the early 90’s and taught herself how to master creative software programs like Pagemaker and Illustrator. A true early adopter, when the World Wide Web came, she was one of the first to surf the net. Then in 2000, she bought her domain name, Murphsplace Portal Page.
Now, what is a woman in her late-60’s going to do with a website? Mary is a woman of many interests; poet, artist, sports lover, political activist, avid reader and film buff. What to choose?
Ever since she was a young woman, she’s been a fan of actors. As a teenager, she sent a letter and sketch to movie actor Montgomery Clift (From Here to Eternity). He promptly sent back a note and the original sketch, autographed. In the early 90’s mom was fascinated by English actors, especially after seeing PBS’ Pride and Prejudice. Darcy (Colin Firth) made her heart a-flutter so she set out to make her very first fan site. Thousands of fellow firth fans flocked to the site. She became the leading authority of all-things-Firth. She chronicled his movie openings, started discussions about his roles and wrote reviews of his films.
Then one day in 1997, she went to see LA Confidential and everything changed. She became mesmerized by Bud White, the bad boy cop played by then unknown (in the US) Aussie actor Russell Crowe. She was hooked. Poor Colin Firth became a distant memory. His website was semi-retired and a new site for Crowe, called “the Prose and the Passion”, was born. Since that time, “Murph” has had more than 3 million visits from fans seeking accurate and timely news about their star Russell Crowe News March 09. She’s been featured in Premiere magazine’s “top unique website names”, is consistently in the top 10 “Russell Crowe” Google searches, and has become a close friend of the star himself. Russell and mom have shared over a thousand email exchanges over the last 8 years. In the Crowefan world, she’s something of a celebrity herself. When attending his rock concert (Russell is the lead singer in a band) two fans asked for HER autograph!
I have had the honor of accompanying her throughout this incredible and often surreal journey. We sat at his table at two of his films’ world premieres, received a very memorable private serenade from Russell and his friend, musician Alan Doyle (The Great Big Sea) and visited three of his film sets, one as his guest in the South of France! He even offered her a chance to appear as an extra in his newest film, State of Play but Mary was too shy to take him up on it. Who knew my mom would be so cool?
So let this be a lesson to all you “Baby Boomers,” “Gen Xer’s” and “Traditionalists” embrace technology and you too may become friends with a movie star! And a lesson to everyone else: be good to your mom and she may just invite you along for the ride!
