Baby Madison 2010!

Our friends Cathy and Mike had a baby girl!

The new family together in the hospital

Close-up of Madison

Congratulations to the Steffan family! We are so excited for you!

Things My Wife Complains About: #13 Being Profiled

As an English-speaking thirty-year-old white male of European extraction, it's difficult for me to find opportunity for linguistic/age/racial/gender/ethnic discrimination. I suppose for a time I paid more for car insurance than was strictly necessary, and those scars are real. I try to sympathize with the injustices leveled around me, but I had difficulty finding the proper compassion for my wife during our recent vacation in Colombia.

Would you believe that in this Spanish-speaking country someone had the audacity to answer my wife in Spanish? I mean, this is 2010.

I tried, inadequately, to put myself in her shoes. How would I have felt were I in Scotland, say, and someone just started speaking English to me? My imagination failed. I couldn't fathom the injustice. Worst of all, the women who profiled my wife were British. They were trying to speak Spanish just because they were in a community where everyone speaks Spanish. Could you be more provincial?

Proposed Solutions!

1) Refuse travel to Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Iberian peninsula, California, Texas, Florida, and several neighborhoods in greater New York City to limit exposure to future profiling.
2) Purchase Spanish Rosetta Stone, Levels 1-5: play discs backward to unlearn Spanish language.
3) Don't talk to--or listen to--anyone who doesn't know the languages you speak and the situations where you prefer speaking those languages (hard).

Visiting Andrew 2010

We had a brief stop in Ft. Lauderdale and Boca on the way back from Colombia. We went to dinner with Andrew and his friends, sampled draft beers, and enjoyed some Jameson's black label when we returned to Andrew's apartment, so it was a very full evening. Then Andrew graciously took us back to the airport.

Posing with Mike and Andrew's fantasy football chart

Cartagena, Colombia 2010!

Kevin and I just returned from a fabulous trip to Cartagena. A lot of people have asked us why we picked Cartagena. What they really mean is - why did we pick Colombia? We first took an interest in Cartagena when we were shopping around for honeymoons. We weighed Martha's Vineyard, Ireland, Cartagena, and Greece, so we were all over the place. We crossed out the practical Martha's Vineyard, and the still-too-cold-in-June Ireland. Cartagena seemed like a good combo of affordability and romance. The more we looked into it, the more excited we got. Ultimately however, I realized that hundreds of people would ask us where we were going on our honeymoon and instead of getting a response with the happiness and excitement that I wanted surrounding all wedding-related topics, people would warn us that we would get kidnapped. And what if they were right? No one would even feel bad for us or send us ransom money. So we went to Greece and saved Cartagena for when no one was looking.

The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

It turned out however, that Cartagena was very safe. There were policeman and military men on nearly every block of anywhere a tourist would want to go. And the old city within the city walls is beautiful, especially at night. You could just go to the old city and be happy. The food there is delicious too. But we stayed near the beach, so we also spent some time there, and explored the Castle (go through the underground tunnels!) and the much less inspiring view from La Popa. We also took a day trip boat ride around Las Islas del Rosario (take the big boat if you don't want to spend the next couple of days sore) and stopped at Playa Blanca for sunning and swimming.

It was a fabulous trip with the caveat that air travel is officially awful in this country now. Not checking bags, multiple security lines, customs, and shorter lines for visitors than US citizens inside the US. After this summer is over, or rather the wedding-season is over, we are going to cut down or cut out air travel.

On top of Cartagena's City Walls

Outskirts of town

Fernando Botero statue at the Plaza de Santo Domingo

Entertainers at the beach in Boca Grande

Heading to our favorite bar at Plaza de los Coches

Montréal, Canada 2010

We are heading for Cartagena, Colombia soon, but I wanted to post a couple of pictures from our recenttrip to Montréal. Kevin gave a conference in upstate New York so we took the opportunity to go a bit further north. Kevin had been to the city before, and I had never been, but I had been to Québec province before so I was generally down with their faux-French ways. We started right off with a Schwartz's smoked meat sandwich. Wow, excellent. Then we walked around and went for (chocolate) drinks at Juliet et Chocolat and (stout) drinks at Ye Olde Orchard. The next morning we had brunch in Old Montréal, walked around,and finally went to Mont Royal.

Point d'observation, Mont-Royal

In line at Schwartz's

The lovely ladies of Old Montreal

Outside our brunch spot

Espirit Red Carpet Opening 2010

This week, in between working a full day, and going back to the office late night, Michele took her friend Susan, her cousin Tatiana, and me to the opening of the Esprit flagship store in Manhattan. It was a semi-fancy affair with a red carpet and free wine and champagne.

Half the people there were related to the fashion industry in some way. And the other half of us, well, not-so-much. The difference was a bit obvious. There were models mixed in the crowd, and a ton of other people who I figured were "somebody" except I don't read fashion magazines or watch the right television shows so I couldn't figure out who they were. Here is an incomplete list for those of you who know about these things or care: Emmy Rossum, Robert Verdi, Erin Lucas, Andy Hilfiger, Amanda Ross, Merideth Melling Burke, Paula Meronek, David Meister, DJ Mia Moretti, and Ryan Kehoe. There were also a bunch of people who seem to be known simply for being all the places famous or rich people go.

I was most impressed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was standing on the red carpet when we arrived. Jennifer Love Hewitt! She has lost too much weight and seemed positively waifish (this photo adds 5-10 pounds) but we love her just the same.

Before we left Macy Gray performed a few songs. It was a fun night, and thanks to Michele, so different than what I usually get to do.

Meeting Owen 2010

This weekend I ventured to Ramsey to spend a few hours with my old friend Chrissy and her new baby Owen. Move aside, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, you have been usurped by Owen. It was great catching up and baby-holding. He's pretty impressive. He already sort of bounces if you hold him and he absorbs everything like a little sponge.

Me and my buddy Owen!

 

With tired new mama Chrissy and the product of her hard work, Owen

My mother came by to see Chrissy and Owen and had a little wants-to-be-a-grandma meltdown. It was cute.

My mother practicing at being a grandma

Owen smiling!

Parents Visit 2010

My parents came over for brunch and hanging out this weekend. My mother fell in love with the complimentary donut holes at our favorite brunch place, Abilene. I always take them for granted, but it's true that they are a little piece of magic. Sadly it rained all day so we had to cancel any neighborhood walks, but we had a nice time bonding at home.

With my cute parents

In other news, we're doggy-sitting while our friends Jon and Becky frolic in Paris. Here is a picture that captures our adopted dog's soul:

Jordan snuggles Garfield

Attila Opera 2010

For my actual birthday, Kevin and I went to the opera again, this time to see Attila. This performance was better than Elektra in December, with better sets (read: more than 1), and more dramatic. The music was more interesting too, but sadly since there was no catchy tune, we couldn't come home and sing it like we did last time. Agamemnon! Agamemnon! So we just sang the Agamemnon song again instead.

On the battlefield

I know Attila's a tyrant, but his fiance seems harsh

My 31st Birthday in Chinatown NY 2010

Kevin and I had dinner with some very dear college friends of mine this weekend at Joe's Shanghai, the location of New York's best soup dumplings. At least, as far as I know. We had delicious drinks at Apothéke and regular drinks at Les Enfants Terribles in Chinatown. Jaime even made it as far as Boat Bar in Brooklyn, but that's because she stayed with us so we basically held her captive until we went home. Thank you for being so good to me, buddies.

Everyone at Joe's Shanghai

Soup dumplings are amazing!

Birthday cupcake! One candle for 30-one.

Drinks at Apothéke

With preggo Rachel and Tim

Chinatown!

Outside the fire station with Janice

Outside Les Enfants Terribles with Michele, Ash, and Jaime