Photos

October 15, 2010 In Photos, Vermont

i’m not on vacation. i live here.

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Did somebody say dream vacation?! I am IN! You all know I am a lover of road trips, so I naturally would plan a big ol’ road trip for my dream vaca. (Ok, so I haven’t been to Australia or New Zealand yet and I have been dreaming of feasting in Italy lately too…) I was joking with my little sister last week about taking her on the road and making the Diane and Erin Show. How fun would that be? I’ve recently updated the “bucket list” in my head from learning fluent Spanish and becoming a killer Salsa Dancer. I’ve added going x-country in/on:
1.) A convertible
2.) An RV
3.) A train

…and if you know me, you know I will make these trips happen. What do you want to make happen? I want to hear your story!

If I attempt to complete my mental bucket list I am in a good spot: My sister is trying to score a gig being an Au Pair in Spain so she will be able to teach me Spanish. My little bro is a Farmer and travels during the winter so I’m sure he could teach me some mad Salsa or other Spanish style sassy dances from all his South American adventures. I’d throw these two cuties in an RV or convertible and we’d hit the road Jack on June 1st one summer and just go go go until September 1. Full on top down, music blaring laughing and blowing through miles. We’d feast and explore. We’d go to National Parks and visit friends and talk to strangers. We’d take a million photos and videos and blog all of our stories. Oh how fun that would be. Here’s a photo of my two cutie-pie sibs that could be my partners in crime:

Brad and Erin at Vermonster Feast May 2010

Aren’t they adorable?

Get dreaming peeps! It could happen! I left the east coast with barely a dime in July and made it to Alaska safe, sound and jumping around like an idiot. If you dream it and enter it- it will come! Don’t forget to enter the “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, for a chance to win your own ultimate family vacation. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

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October 6, 2010 In California, De-lish, Photos

c casa su casa?

I’m coming up on 4 weeks in Napa and things are ROLLING. By that I mean I have met a ton of incredible people, had some of the best food and wine I have ever in my life and now have had an absolute awesome furry of work stuff rushing in too. Obviously all that takes me away from here but fear not- that is part of the plan.

BLR is getting a facelift (in more ways than one), I now have a few clients for my financial and life organization project, and I’ve got other work in addition to that too. I like paying my bills and I totally suck at sitting around doing nothing so this delicious bit of total productive and learning chaos is just what I’ve been looking for.

I might just take over the world. If only more hours were in a day.

Here’s a photo of my REEEEEdiculously delicious taco from lunch today in between running around like a madwoman at C Casa in the Oxbow Market in Downtown Napa:

Taco lunch at C Casa, Oxbow Market, Napa

Finger potatoes, fresh tomatoes, queso fresca, cilantro and ahh….

Can I tell you how amazing it is to have so many noshing spots that use compostable products and serve grass fed meats, and locally grown stuff? Can I tell you how much I need to sign up to start racing again and up my miles? There’s no getting away from feasting around these parts- ack! (Not that I am trying that hard to get away…) My dreams of being a size zero are so not happening in this lifetime. (Insert fake sigh here. I’m actually not that disappointed about that.)

Back to work I go. I had to quick post this deliciousness…

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October 5, 2010 In California, People, Photos

meet lowell

Lowell was bellowing “Popcorn for beautiful ladies!” through his popcorn bucket megaphone as my friend and I walked by his stand on Friday night:

Lowell at Cheers St. Helena

He had us at popcorn. We got some of course. He cracked me up, so I asked if I could take a picture of him. “Only if you will be in it with me!” he said.

We couldn’t argue with that:

Erin, Lowell and I at Cheers St. Helena

Strangers that make me laugh, Cheers St. Helena to kick off the weekend and good company in the packed streets of an adorable little town in wine country- I love it!

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September 30, 2010 In People, Photos

meet sarah. again.

Sarah is the Blue Lollipop Road Intern. She is talented, smart, fun and hard working. She’s helped me a ton this summer. Even though we now reside on opposite coasts, we’re still working together. YIPPEE! I am very lucky to have her help.

Sarah the Blue Lollipop Road intern with her tshirt from Alaska

She got a package I sent her yesterday and pinged me with this photo. How cute and funny is she?

Sarah found me when I posted an ad on Craigslist in June seeking and unpaid intern. She replied because she was born in Alaska and was super excited that I was going. Naturally I had to find something when I was in the last frontier to get for her. There’s a long story attached to this t-shirt, but really it boils down to a local artist, a gallery in Ketchikan (The Salmon Capital of the World) and knowing it’d be perfect for her as soon as I saw it.

I love finding gifts then sending them snail mail to people. Most of all, I love generous people like Sarah, who want to donate their time and talent to someone like me because she believes in what I am doing. When I am a bagillionaire someday, I am going to buy Sarah a lifetime supply of Fruit 66, more clay to throw pots and camera supplies than she’d ever know what to do with, and a new car or something. Until then, we settle on t-shirts and other little things that make us laugh.

Thanks Sarah. It’s no mistake that we met, I appreciate your spirit and creativity always and you are going places girl. Keep on truckin! Oh yeah, and spawn till you die. Hee hee…

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September 24, 2010 In California, De-lish, Photos

dinner at a castle

I try to be a vegetarian, but it just doesn’t work to well when someone offers you a filet like this:

Castle filet

(Grass-fed local beef tastes too good to pass up, what can I say?)…and with fabulous red wine and hilarious company like this? I’m all about it:

Our castle dinner table

I know, the waiter in the corner looks red-eyed and creepy like he’s going to kill us. (Darn red-eye photos!) He was actually funny and nice and brought me 3 chocolate desserts. Girls like boys that bring them multiple chocolate desserts.

Oh chocolate dessert

We had so much fun at the 50 year reunion of Phi Sigma Kappa last night, we are still laughing this morning. These are just a few photos. I have a video to come too. Also an after dessert port wine group photo with my friend/partner in Napa crime Erin and our new boyfriends who are all in their 70’s. All we had to do for this fun? Hand out a few name tags. What a great score.

It feels like I’m living in a carpe diem party everyday. I like this party a lot. I think I’ll stay.

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