So this happened... I attended a press luncheon for the opening of the 10th Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP), this one at the new Maryland Live Casino in Hanover, Maryland. Bobby greeted each of us with a handshake and then spent about 30 minutes telling us the story of this restaurant and explaining his food philosophy for burgers, fries and shakes -- the stars of the BBP menu. This self-professed burger guy says he likes his food simple and made with quality ingredients. The luncheon was a very casual, informal meet-and-greet. And one that I almost missed. Yes, I almost skipped it because I had been there the night before covering the casino opening and was lacking sleep (don't look at the bags under my eyes). But I coffee-ed up and went anyway. And I'm so glad I did, not just because I got to meet a Food Network star (well, yes, that) but because I got to sample the menu. I ordered the LA burger, which features avocado (a fav) and watercress. I ordered it sans cheese … [Read more...]
Project 52 Resolution
I got a new camera for Christmas. Its been on my wish list for over a year but it took me a awhile to figure out which camera I wanted (I decided on a Nikon COOLPIX S9100 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 18x NIKKOR ED Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Black) -- note this is an affiliate link). And then I waited for it to go sale (hubby got it at a good price at Best Buy). I don’t aspire to be a professional photographer but I do aspire to be a better photographer. I want to learn how to use my camera to its fullest and to take better pictures. So I thought I’d participate in Project 52, a weekly photo challenge hosted by Darcy at My 3 Boybarians. I discovered her blog during her 31 Days to a Better Photo series; check it out. The theme for week one is resolutions. I don’t think my photo is terribly creative (another reason to keep at the challenge) but it represents some of my goals for the year, both personal and professional. What are your goals for 2012? How … [Read more...]
If You Couldn’t See…
I watch CBS Sunday Morning every week. Or at least I try to. Its part of my Sunday morning ritual -- a carry-over from the days before I was a mom when I would lounge around in my PJs, sipping my two cups of coffee and reading the local paper while watching this show that's always felt like a magazine on screen with its off-beat profiles and interesting interviews. I still enjoy my coffee, although perhaps not as leisurely, but the newspaper is gone and now I have to negotiate with the toddler to watch my show instead of Disney Channel cartoons. I'm lucky if I catch the whole thing (thank goodness for DVR). There was a segment on yesterday's episode that really stuck with me. It was about Captain Scott Smiley who lost his vision after a car bomb in Iraq sent shards of glass into his eyes and brain. He didn't let this stop him from living though and has since returned to active duty. His story is truly inspiring but what struck me the most was how he's never seen his children -- they … [Read more...]
Working From Home With a Toddler
I've been working from home for a month now and I'm surprised at how much I enjoy it and how easy its been (totally just jinxed myself). I'm not so naive to think that working from home is a cakewalk. There have definitely been challenging days, days when I didn't get done what I needed or wanted to, days when I wanted to throw my computer at the wall and run screaming down the street.But those days haven't clouded the good days or the joy I get from this additional time with my son. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed working from home as much when he was an infant. I enjoy sharing my office with this toddler. He's cute and funny and smart -- I know, I'm totally bias -- and I love just getting to know him more. I'm sure we'll continue to have our workplace squabbles but we're having a lot of fun, too. Do you share your home office with a toddler? How's it going? … [Read more...]
Carnival Time!
One of my fondest childhood memories is of going to the annual summer carnival. I remember that it was held in a great, big field before that field was transformed into a shopping center. Then it was moved to a field closer to the fire department. When that happened, it felt like the carnival got smaller, but it could have been my childhood impression. I’ve always loved that every town in the county where I’m from hosts a summer carnival. Some are bigger than others but they all happen during different weeks so that you could visit them all. This year, I took my son to my hometown carnival. He loved the merry-go-round but that was it. Then, we took him to the carnival in our new hometown. I was so taken by the difference between the two. Ours is a little more kid-friendly and less expensive. He loved the swings – you know the ones that go around in a circle – the cars, and the bounce house. What I loved was that we could walk to the carnival from our house and the nostalgia I felt … [Read more...]
