Wandering into Synchronicity

A great story!  I've omitted names to protect the guilty ...

He:

Super thirsty, I arrive at the bar in the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan.  There were two Russian babes sitting at the bar in the middle, and a lonely older guy to their left.  I really don't want to speak with anyone.  I just want one of those cold beers they serve in a frosted glass.  (They always remind me of the Ice Hotel in Kiruna, Sweden.)  So I sit next to the older guy and order a beer.

She:

It's been a long week and I'm exhausted.  I'm looking forward to meeting my blind date but I must admit I'm more excited about our meeting location.  I know me, and the chance I will find this guy intriguing is slim, at best.  He had presented me with a choice of venues.  Despite loving the alternate location, and after an unusual waffling on my part, my gut told me to choose the St. Regis.  I walk in and see the gentleman I am supposed to meet sitting at the bar.  Then, immediately, I see this hot guy standing on the other side of the bar stool that is clearly meant for me.  Well, he's as hot as one can tell without seeing the face.  I make a conscious effort to turn my complete attention to the man I'm meeting so I'm not rude to him.

He:

Five minutes later, this gorgeous babe arrives.  I'm not quite sure why she is with the 'Oldie,' but I say to myself, "Lucky old dog!"  And, I must admit, for just an instant I wonder if she is a super classy call girl.

She:

I share with this gentleman that I didn't re-read his profile because I like to get to know someone from through conversation.  (Yes, I confess this is an online dating 'first meeting.')  "So," I say, "tell me your life story!"  And to my shock and dismay, he did!  I sat there as he gave me his entire business life story.

He:

I overhear the conversation where the Oldie spills out his resume.  I'm still not sure if they're meeting for business or pleasure!  I finish my beer and head over to The Peninsula Hotel.

She:

About 15 minutes into this resume-recitation, out of the corner of my eye I see hot guy leave.  I'm disappointed, and wish I'd seen his face so I would know if he truly was hot.  This is going to be a long evening.  Sigh ...

He:

Time to bar hop ... 

She:

I'm dropped off at home.  It's 10pm on a Friday and I've had a week of long work hours, so the last thing I want is to be home.  I text a few friends to see if anyone is out on the town, then hop in a cab back uptown to Philippe to meet a few of the girls.  Champagne is flowing!

He:

A friend drops me off but I'm not really in a mood to go to bed.  I head to Philippe for one last drink.  I go to the bar and gorgeous babe is there without 'Oldie' and is with friends.  My luck!

She:

This very attractive man walks past me.  He has an incredibly handsome chiseled face.  He makes eye contact as he walks by.  He walks back to me and asks me if he saw me at ... ?  Where??  It's loud in the bar & he has a French accent so I'm unable to understand what he's saying.  I ask him to repeat himself and he does.  Rather than confess that I still have no idea what he said and ask him to repeat yet again only louder, I pretend to understand & I respond 'yes.'  I assume he's mistaken me for someone else or just laying a line on me.  We fall into conversation.

He:

I talk to her.  Great, she remembers me from the St. Regis!  I'm so happy that she noticed me.  She clearly doesn't want to talk about what she was doing there.  That's ok.  We talk and talk ... about random stuff like employers we've had.  She introduces me to her friends.

She:

I introduce him to my friends.  They give him a hard time and he plays up to it quite well.  Impressive. 

He:

Her faux-French friend admits that she is from Senegal and the little Brit dancer who does not know the difference between faux and real Champagne end up leaving.  My lucky break!
 

They:   ...

She:

As we're saying goodbye, he asks me what I was doing at the St Regis.  OMG!  He's 'Hot Guy'!!

Rock Climbing & Trapeze Flying!

I'm going to have to wait a bit longer on the trapeze flying as my body was simply too exhausted this weekend.  I was quite disappointed as I have so been looking forward it.


However ...

Last weekend's indoor rock climbing was amazing!  The wall was both inviting and intimidating upon my arrival.  My stomach was in knots and my palms were sweating.  Oddly, once I was harnessed in, a familiar feeling came over me.  There's a certain amount of security that comes with the harness.

Happily, my experience climbing 'rocks' indoors was very different from outdoors.  When climbing outdoors, there's an added fear factor of never knowing what you're reaching your hand into or on.  Indoors, you know it's simply a rubber nob.  No potential lizard, snake, nor other ferociously biting animal.  

I have an entirely new respect for the rock climbers who hang from the underside of cliffs and formations.  Their strength, focus, determination, and lack of fear is impressive.  (Not to mention their incredibly in-shape bodies!)

My favorite part of the climb?  Sneaking in a swat drop on the way back down! 

Bodies, Adventure, Travel, and Topless Bathing Suits

Body Preparations

Laura Termini, a lovely friend of mine, has just the thing to help us get in shape for the summer!  Laura is a highly recognized artist in the Hispanic US, as well as South America.  She's known as a model and actress for TV, movies, radio, music, theatre, and over 20 telenovelas. 

Don't make the mistake of assuming that since Laura is a model she doesn't understand weight management.  Her natural dietary supplement kit, NeoDiet, is highly effective.  After gaining some weight due to a short stint with a prescriptive medicine, I received a gift from Laura of one of her kits.  Quickly and easily I lost half of the weight.  I just ordered another kit and plan to be back in my amazing wardrobe in time for summer.  Try it, it works!!

Springtime Adventures

If you're like me, you get an extra boost to your need for adventure as soon as the spring breeze begins!  This is the time to search your area and find a few things that you have never done before, and, do them.  May will prove to be a wonderful month for me as I'm registered for an Indoor Rock Climbing lesson, as well as an Outdoor Flying Trapeze class.

I must admit, while I've always wanted to do both of these I'm very nervous.  I enjoy rappelling but when I tried outdoor rock climbing, my body froze to the side of the rock.  And I was only 6 feet off of the ground!  Trapeze?  Well, the fliers in the circus I saw as a child made it look so easy and enjoyable.  My palms are beginning to sweat already ... 

Travel Adventures

Ireland.  The origin of the Burke clan.  I have always wanted to visit, and shortly, I will.  Watch for a future posting of my adventures in Dublin, Belfast, Shannon, and the counties in between!  I definitely want to spend time exploring Counties Limerick, Clare, and Galway, as those are the counties from which the Burkes hail.

Beach Preparations

A couple of weeks ago, I received a telephone call from two very dear friends of 32 years, Chris and Tony.  Tony recently moved to Florida and Chris was visiting him from Cincinnati.  The two friends called from a tiki bar on the beach.  They wanted to know what size clothing I wear, and what size Sophia wears.  Such a personal question for a man to ask a woman!  I put our men on hold and dialed Sophia in for a 3-way call.  (Sophia is Chris' niece, and a dear friend of mine here in NYC.)

A few days later a package arrived with strict orders that it had to be opened by Sophia and I together.

So when I joined Sophia and a few friends for champagne the other night, I took the package with me.  Oh the laughter as we pulled gift after gift from the box!!  The first items were adjustable bikini bottoms, one for each of us (by Sunsets).  Next, we received lovely bathing suit cover-up blouses that tie at the waist, by Indian Beach Fashions.  My blouse is a lovely sky blue (the photo below does not do the color justice), and Sophia received a white blouse.  To complete our gift and ready us for summertime fun on the beach, there were two cheesy "I love Florida" beach towels!  They are too funny!  

I love my new beach attire.  And yes, it did arrive sans bikini top! 

La Storia del Pendente di Firenze

(The Story of the Florence Pendant)

While strolling through the crowded, narrow streets of the leather market in Firenze, my travel companions & I were on the lookout for a gift for a new friend, Diana.  Since we had only arrived in Italy the day before, we knew our search may need to continue through Roma and possibly on throughout our journey to Campobasso, as not just any gift would do.

Diana had come up with a wonderful idea.  Since we both travel so much, each time we travel we’ll pick up a little gift for each other.  The parameters were it could be nice or cheesy, but couldn’t cost over $20. 

Exhausted and nearing the end of our street market shopping excursion, Nelson was walking several booth lengths in front of us basking in the joy of his finds….a wonderfully soft leather jacket and a wonderful suede shirt.  Treasures for which he had been searching the US for several years.  Canan and Pietro were glancing at the jewelry booths.  And I was simply walking down the middle of the street, glancing from side to side, looking for something to catch my eye.  And something did.

About six booth lengths ahead was an INCREDIBLY hamina Italian man walking towards me.  We caught each other's eyes at the exact same time and began the “italian check out thing."  He looked at me and smiled (asking if he may approach).  I returned the look and smiled (answering that he may).  Neither of us lost eye contact.  Neither of us blinked.  As he was coming towards me in the crowd, it was taking what seemed like forever for us to get within speaking distance.

Just as my hamina Italiano was a distance of four people from me, out of nowhere someone grabbed my arm and I was whisked off the street!  Canan had found a piece of jewelry which could be the highly sought after Diana-gift.  In the whirl that was my vision whilst being pulled into the booth, I saw my Italiano stop, start, and stop again...caught as off-guard as I was.  As I glanced at the piece of jewelry Canan & Pietro were pointing to, a pendant caught our attention and we all pointed to it saying "now THAT's Diana!"  A beautiful pendant of a brown, tortoise shell-looking stone, a silver band along the edge, and shaped like an upside-down teardrop.  I quickly turned my attention back to my hamina friend and ran into the street.  He was a few booths past, turning around, looking for me.  Our eyes met.  He stopped.  We held each other's gaze.  "Signorina, you like?"  The jewelry man physically turned me around and began haggling over the price of the pendant.  I turned my head, looking over my shoulder and, alas, my hamina Italiano from Firenze was gone from my life forever…

Ahhhh, the things we sacrifice for our girlfriends.  :)

~ May 16, 2002

Enjoy An Evening with New Chamber Ballet

Performances this Saturday and Sunday.
Order your tickets now, only $25 ... www.newchamberballet.com

 

Breaking Bread in L'Aquila (Italy)

L'Aquila, a region of Abruzzo Italy.

A town, I must confess, I have never visited.  But one of which I have heard often.  My dear friend, Maria Filice, speaks of L'Aquila lovingly and, with smiles.  Always with smiles.  It is the hometown of her late husband and a place where they shared many memories. 

On April 6, 2009, there was a devastating earthquake in L'Aquila.  As you can imagine, my friend was concerned for her friends who live there, and quite saddened at the damage. 

One year later, on April 6, 2010, the first anniversary of the earthquake, Maria's first book will be launched, Breaking Bread in L'Aquila. Maria was greatly distressed for the people of L'Aquila and vowed to publish a cookbook in their honor. My friend has the most sincere heart and gives out a great deal to those around her.  And, she has always been a fabulous chef with an innate talent.  I spent Thanksgiving 2008 with her and was overwhelmed with her ability to come up with a recipe idea, blend a few ingredients, and serve up the most scrumptious meals I have ever tasted outside of Italy.

Read, in Maria's own words, the background of this wonderful cookbook and why her marketing campaign is based on a promise she made to an elderly woman there in L'Aquila:  "We Have Not Forgotten." 

Available April 6, 2010.   Pre-order your copy!

Maria is donating the net profits of this book to help re-build this beautiful city. 

Also, check out Maria's blog, Food and Fate.

About the Author
Maria Filice, first-time author and food stylist, is a first-generation Canadian-American Italian. Maria grew up following her Calabrian family’s old country values. She learned from the best—her mother, grandmother, and aunts—whom she watched from the time she could barely walk. While she observed her relatives cooking together, with a little of this and a little of that, she listened well.

Today, her relatives and friends are delighted as she entertains them in her kitchen with her storytelling and her cooking. In both her kitchen and her professional life, Maria’s philosophy is to live life to its fullest. Her lack of formal training cannot diminish her passion or dissuade her from taking risks with her cooking. In truth, her fresh eye has allowed her to excel. Her natural flair for food styling reflects her personal style and demonstrates how a simple recipe can look beautiful.

Maria’s warmth, humor, and gregarious personality always make guests feel motivated to discover their own style in the kitchen. Today Maria Filice resides in Upstate NY as publisher of Telos Press, as well as publisher, author, and food stylist for Food and Fate Publishing.

Spring Preparations

The last of the pictures are hung & carpet unrolled ... finally!