Photos

February 4, 2011 In Photos, Virginia

i can have all the toppings i want?!

I don’t know about you, but usually when I am road tripping and hit up DQ or whatever other roadside ice cream place to get my chocolate fix, I find myself wanting to say: “Come on dude- add another scoop of M&M’s!” or “Feel free to put in 96 Oreos if you wish. I can handle it.” Often when I order ice cream there are just not enough chunks of goodness in my cup. (A terrible problem to have.) Enter: Verry Berry.

Verry Berry is a grab a cup, pull your own ice cream or frozen yogurt…

…load up any amount of goodies your little heart desires, from fruits to nuts to all things chocolate…

…and enjoy.

Yum.

They leave piles of Post-it notes and Sharpies on the tables, for those feeling creative (which of course we did.) Write what you wish, plaster them on a big ol’ Post-it wall:

A treat and entertainment for only 2 bucks. Whatta deal! I would have never walked into the place had it not been for my 2 young pals Lily and Thabea who I was looking after. The kids always know where the best treats are.

Thanks girls! Pencil me in for a Verry Berry date again soon. This makes the favorites list for sure.

February 3, 2011 In California, Photos

whoop whoop!

Yesterday we had the most hits ever. (As in visitors here.) That deserves a big CHEEEEEERS! So? Some bubbly:

Those delightful glasses were the ones I sipped at Mumm Napa during a day off in the Valley this fall. I love some good bubbles. Especially bubbles at Mumm.

Baby steps have turned into big steps. We are hitting the tipping point with Blue Lollipop Road. Every new reader, shout out, comment and collaboration we get to work on makes me screech with delight. Thanks everyone!

Keep reading and spread the word. More to come and it’s going to get even better!

Cheers to trusting your gut and following what you love.

What are you all following out there?

January 31, 2011 In Photos

don’t worry, i had a banana today too

Mmmm….Fluff. I had to get some of this goodness when I spotted it at the grocery store up north to share with some southern friends who said they’d never had it. Growing up it was a huge treat to get the every once in a while peanut butter and Fluff sandwich on really bad cheap white bread. SO good. Here’s my new and improved adult version:

*Natural peanut butter
*Fluff (I’m sorry, there’s no such thing as organic, or natural any kind of this. You just have to roll with the original and embrace the cavities.)
*Nutella
*Good quality crusty fresh country loaf bread
*Grill it, put it in a panini press, or toast in toaster oven

Um, Yeah. That my friends, is a sandwich like you read about and officially qualifies as a smack-yo-mamma-good eat. It will be a menu item on my food truck some day accompanied by Oreos for garnish. Can you say smiles?

You know you want to run to the grocery store right now and buy the stuff to make one…

January 31, 2011 In New York, Photos

sauced in saratoga

Hey, you’ve got to do something to keep yourself warm in that crazy winter weather.

Looks like I missed a Chowderfest by about a week. This small Upstate, NY town is the perfectly quaint kind. You know- the kind you see in brochures? I can still hear the commercial sound bites from when I was growing up: “Saratoga; The August Place To Be.” Indeed it is. Ahhh, those gorgeous houses and all that horse racing. This recent visit didn’t have me too excited to walk around long in the frigid temps, although I did enjoy my time there. It’s always fun daydreaming of my summers in the Northeast, wandering the charm of all those picturesque towns like this one.

Let me know when the green grass, sunshine and warm temperatures are back Saratoga. I’d be more than happy to come back and get sauced with you!

January 28, 2011 In People, Photos

meet mia

Mia is my friends daughter. I hadn’t caught up with this old friend in quite some time, so we were just chatting and chatting away last week in her living room. In bops this little cutie saying “Look Mommy! I did my own make-up!” Trying not to laugh my friend responds “Yes honey- we see that.”

Oh to be that adorable and have that shameless pride.

Thanks for entertaining us Mia!

January 27, 2011 In Photos, Vermont

anybody up for a swim?

Come on in- the water is fine!

I had a full on plan to jump in that and make a snow angel but I forgot. Now I’m gone so it’s too late. That is a total bummer.

Anyone else have a photo of a self-made snow angel they’d like to share with us?

January 27, 2011 In Photos, Virginia

v cheese

Cabot Extra Sharp Vermont White Cheddar is a food group for me. I sliced up a snack of cheese and crackers this week tore a piece in half and nearly gobbled up before I noticed it looked like the state of Virginia:

How random is that?

Maybe I’ll see Jesus or Jay Leno in my toast tomorrow morning and be able to sell it on eBay.

January 25, 2011 In Photos, Vermont

score!

I picked up some very important materials for the kick-off of the next BLR project starting tomorrow:

It made me very, very happy to know my small town “penny candy” store was still kickin’ it old school, same as 20 years ago:

I visited Willy’s in 2009 and wrote about it here. I was glad to see the wall of candy fully stocked this go around. I didn’t see the blue lollipops I needed, so asked the girl working there. (Same girl who’s worked there for at least 20 years.) Why do I love small towns? For that reason, and the fact that she happily answered my “Can you order me some?” with an “Absolutely! They’ll be here tomorrow by 3pm and don’t worry about paying for them until you pick them up!”

Small town country store experience: Check. Speedy service and better price on my blue razz pops that I have found anywhere else in the country: Check, check. Nostalgia and feel good times in Vermont: Check, check, check.

Thanks for helping me kick off my next project Willy’s. High-five’s and blue lollipops all around!

January 24, 2011 In Photos, Vermont, Videos

“my legs are numb!”

We dress in ridiculous clothes, do the robot and jump in snow piles that are almost up to the roof to entertain ourselves around these parts when the temperatures are frigid. There is no time to be cute, so I am looking super hot in Dad’s big boots:

My sister likes jeans instead of snow pants:

I had to make some video:

It was pretty easy to convince her to jump back in the snow pile:

She was screeching that her legs were numb (it was her idea to jump in and take photos in the first place!) We laughed so hard we were crying. It’s too bad we are so boring and don’t know how to have fun.

No snow bank jumping this morning. It still says -15 on the thermometer outside at 9am. OUCH! I’m thinking Costa Rica or some other southern destination might be a good choice for next January…

January 22, 2011 In Photos, Vermont

vermont in the winter

Remember a few days ago when I posted those lovely green mountains and summer photos from Vermont? As promised, here’s the winter version! The Peacock mailbox looks a bit different eh?

Mom’s wheel barrel of flowers? No, you can’t see it. Do you spot that bump in the snow? Yep, it’s buried under there:

Here’s the BLR Mobile covered in powder. This was on the first day I was here. There’s even more on it now. I am taking up a collection to see how tall it gets before I brush it off and start it up:

I thought it’d be fun to go out in my pj shorts and sweatshirt with just Dad’s boots on to snap some photos:

That got cold real quick.

Since I took these photos, it has snowed more, more, and more. This morning my sister and I thought that was a great excuse to go outside again, act like complete jackasses, take more photos and shoot video. I don’t know when was the last time I laughed that hard.

Check back for more on the subject of snow in Vermont on this soon to be -17 degree night and what we do to entertain ourselves. I’ll post the jackass video this weekend.

Ahhh…family time.