Windy Wellington and Wedding!

So this is what happens when foodies get married...

Kiddies!

Like Norway, but on a different hemisphere.

Wedding favors.

Love the lights.

Beauties by the water.

Te Papa Museum.

Remember that time a stranger approached you
and tied your wrists?  Me neither.

Lamb carnage.

Nino's Fish. Apparently, he's a family friend.

Le Bernadin

For my *coughcough*th birthday, Harrison gifted me the Le Bernadin experience.  A dozen failed scheduling attempts later, we finally arrived at the acclaimed restaurant.  To begin, nothing that happened on that day happened as expected.

The Cast: me, Harrison and Ian.

The Mission: the full Le Bernadin Tasting Menu (as opposed to the Chef's menu)

Surprise Supporting Cast: Woody Allen, SoonYi, Dustin Hoffman, pounding rain, and a limo driver

Amuse Bouche

Pretty stinkin' pretty...

Tuna with Foie Gras

Scallop with Brown Butter Dashi

King Crab Medley

Wild Salmon with White Asparagus.
(The asparagus was my favorite of the entire meal...)

Striped Bass (not a favorite)

Pavlova
(NZ, I've missed you!)

Cacao nib covered mousse with brownies.  Shrug.

Harrison's Strawberries with Sorbet

And more...

Fruit Gummies.  I mean Fruit Jele!

At some point during the meal, it started pouring outside.  Huddled under the awning, we bumped into some familiar faces and end up snagging a stretch limo to get back to the train station.  I have a feeling the driver heard me muttering, "He's already here, why doesn't he just take us to the train station?!"  Guess it worked.

Way too happy about not having to
wait in the rain for a cab...

Ralphie goes faster!

Gorgeous day!

After skipping season race #2, I schlepped down to NJ for the third race of the season.  The weather was amazing, if a little hot.  I was definitely overdressed in a navy blue long-sleeve shirt.

Paul had looked at my previous race's data and noticed that I was taking one corner totally wrong and gave me a few pointers about how to fix this.  So, I figured, newer tires, better line.. better times, right?  Wrong.

The Nap.  (Needs Singer.)

The first two practices and qualifiers were no bueno, and I was definitely not excited about the feature.  There were 10 karts in my heat, and only one other person in my class (he was definitely sandbagging!).  I was also having a hard time making weight, between the sweating and the peeing.  We added 10 lbs to the front end of the kart, but then I came in 10 lbs. over after my first qualifier. Yick.  Additionally, I was not doing well on the passing game, and since my heat combined three other classes, this was a race where getting a good position from the start was important.  

I did manage to sneak in a nice nap before the feature race (sans Singer :( though).  In any event, I got a terrible start and it took a few laps to get around this one special guy before I started turning some better laps.  The best part was, I could feel my turns getting faster, since I was audibly drifting through them.  Zomgs, that's the best sound and feeling ever.  EVAR.  After I got out of traffic, I was doing a pretty good job reeling in the guys in front of me.  Unfortunately, it would have taken about 5 more laps to catch them and I dun' run out of race.  

Amazeballs crew chief!

A couple of things I learned: (1) staying on top of the kart in front of you is important for you... but also important for the person behind you.  I got to see how annoying this was being on the receiving end of it; (2) People will stare at you.  Unabashedly.  For no reason.  The best way to handle this is to return the favor with an even creepier smile; (2a) Men will think it's okay to call you sweetie.  Harness the annoyance.  

In any event, when all was said and done, I'd managed to take 0.25 seconds off of my fastest previous lap time.  Woohoo!  I'm coming after you, Sweetie.

Going, going, gone!

 Thank you Diego and Craigslist!  The shed is gone.  Hamer has officially declared my digs "less murdery".

Before: Front view of shed.

Back view; what you see coming towards the house.

Side view.

And.. gone.

Bobo's being good.

Bobo, unwillingly doing her part to protect the floors until they fully cure...  She loves the sun room though.

Floors.. check! Before and after.

The floors are done!  After getting quotes from four different flooring companies, I hired Paul Secondino from Advanced Wood Flooring (www.addwoodfloors.com) to bring life back to my floors.  He blew the other guys out of the water with his professional, thorough, prompt, and responsive manner.

Here's the side-by-side before and after:  

After!  

Before...

Here's the Realtor's rendition of the room.  Magical flattering lighting and all: 

Before: the Realtor used some 

photography magic to get this shot.

The first thing Paul did when he came to the house was get on his hands and knees and inspect the flooring. He was the only one of the four contractors to do this, and to identify the type of wood (white oak). I was very impressed! When I asked more technical questions regarding his buffing pads and sanding process, he was happy to take the time to answer my questions. Even before any money was exchanged, he offered to come back at a later date to do some "test sands" on areas he thought might be troublesome.

Here he is below, coming to do the test sands.  

Floors, with the carpet removed.

After the test sands were done, he put down a coat of finish to give me an idea of the final color.

Doorway of the worst room

A little color: front bedroom

After the test sands were completed, I was sold.  Advanced Wood Floors: Hired!

Floors, sanded. 

 I wish I could keep them unfinished, but Paul let me know that unfinished wood oxidizes.  That light color won't last forever.

First coat of satin down, and buffed

By the time the first coat was done, the character of the house had changed drastically.  I could see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Second coat: satin, unbuffed.

 After the second coat was done, Paul called to see what I wanted to use as my finish coat.  My options were satin, semi-gloss and high gloss.  My initial reaction was HIGH GLOSS!!! SHINE IT UP, BABY!  But after reading some reviews online, I realized that a high gloss finish would require much more maintenance, and wear would show much more quickly.  Doggies in mind, I decided on semi-gloss.

After!   I am thrilled with the results.

The entire process with Paul and his company were second to none.  I've never been more impressed.  I can't wait to show off the house when everything is done!

There are no tears in racing.. except when there are tears in racing.

My track dog. :)

A bit of a racing primer: a race day usually consists of a few rounds of practice, followed by two qualifying heats, then a feature race.

Your starting position in the first qualifier is based on your draw number.  This is literally a number you draw out of a bin.  The results of the first qualifier determine your position for the second qualifier, and your second qualifier results determine your start position for the feature (final) race.

I went into my first race of the season in a deep, deep funk and both mentally and physically exhausted.  I was really just hoping to make it through the day. My first two practice heats were ok, but I was feeling physically exhausted.  After the practices, I remember telling myself, "you're terrible at this and this is so expensive.  Maybe you should throw in the towel after this event."  Plus, my class was being combined with a Masters class, so I was extra concerned about a crowded field and the potential for numerous wrecks.  

By the time the driver's meeting came around, I was also in serious pain.  My stomach was filled with battery acid, and I could barely stay awake.  After the meeting, I limped toward the trailer, but not before I flagged someone down for some Tums.  Anyone with a hat that says "Race Mom" in rhinestone automatically earns my trust.  While she didn't have any in her car, she said she'd check her first aid kit and bring it to me.  I made it back to the trailer and lay down on the grimy floor, waiting for death by stomach ailment.  Not long after, I heard a girl's voice call out to me (like a Tums bearing angel!), "we found some Tums, are you ok?"  I thanked her profusely and chomped a few Tums.  Lying on the floor of the trailer, with Singer by my side, I tried to relax (and prayed for relief).  

The oddest thing happened.  Between the blue skies, the warm breeze, the grimy floor, Singer, and the roar of cars down the drag strip, I began to feel a peace I had not felt in a long time.  Eventually, the roar of the dragsters lulled me to sleep.  When I awoke, I felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off of my chest.  Still tired, but oddly less burdened, I made my way to the pits for the first qualifier.  I had the first start position, but gridded up at the back of the pack, terrifically unsure of myself.  But another odd thing happened: I began driving without (ok, less) fear.  I took turns more aggressively, I didn't get passed, and I ended up making a few nice passes myself.

Ralphie -- throttle cable intact

Heartened, I took a nap before the second qualifier.  Same thing: blue skies, warm breeze, Singer by my side, and the dulcet tones of serious horsepower.  I fell asleep, and awoke a few minutes before my race, feeling just a little bit lighter still.  During my second qualifier, I stuck with the pack, avoided two spin-out/ pile ups, and again, made some good passes.  It was a euphoric feeling to finally be making some headway in a sport I've struggled at for so long.

By the time the feature race rolled around, I was really excited.  I felt confident in my lines, and I knew that I was driving harder, braking later, and generally doing all of the things i wasn't doing before-- now!  Also, I had managed to score P3 for the feature.  Not only had I not been horrendously lapped during the qualifiers, I was legitimately beating people!  So, P3.  Clean start, made a pass, and was slowing reeling in the two guys ahead of me.  I could feel myself getting closer with each lap.  Until, coming into the start / finish line, I had no more go.  It was like the motor died, except I could still hear it.  As I was rolling poor Ralphie off the track, he sprang back to life... and then death again.  Turns out, the throttle cable snapped.

I was devastated.  I mean, for the first time ever, I wasn't sucking!  As we walked back to the trailer, I said, "I think I'm going to cry." I was so upset: here I was, doing everything I could do, finally doing everything right, only to have something unforeseen happen.  I kept thinking, "I was trying so hard and I still didn't win!" But between the naps, the blue skies, and the smell of two-stroke, I realized, "you know what, I had an awesome day today.  I did the best I've ever done, and I made serious headway.  And even though I had this setback, I've learned something.  Next time, I can do even better."  Nuts, huh?

In addition to this After School Special racing epiphany, I realized that this was the first time in two months that I'd done any real physical activity.  Some people need peace and quiet.  Some people need a glass of wine after work.  I... I need movement to maintain balance.  And Singer.  And, apparently,  a quarter mile lullaby.