Blue Lollipop Road

well hello joe!

SURPRISE!!!

I told you there would be something good coming. (And this is only the beginning.)

Guess who I get to meet and hang out with in 2 weeks? The one and only Million Mile Joe!

Hondas Million Mile Joe

Joe, like me clearly loves his Honda. His 1990 Accord that is soon to hit a million miles is the same exact year and model that was my very first Honda. How cool is that? Joe has logged his miles and miles in notebooks, (which I have done during various trips over the years) and taken countless photos of his odometer. (Me too!) I’m thinking Joe and I will have plenty of good stories to share when we meet. It’s as if we are kindred spirits in Honda love. Maybe it’s because we are both New Englanders?

I was thrilled weeks ago when Honda has mentioned a potential meeting, It’s been hard for me to hold my tongue, so naturally I am very excited to share the news here now.

There is a lot more to come in the way of surprises and tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned and keep following! 7 days and counting until I pick up my loaned Hybrid Civic and officially kick off this next great adventure!

1
0

meet mike

Free hugs in Union Square, NYC

Last week after a 2nd annual chocolate feast with friends at Max Brenner in NYC, we walked out to the packed Union Square.

***(Omigosh! Check this out. Just found it when Googling Union Square to find a link to post here. So cool; The Say Something Nice videos. LOVE this. The podium was in the same spot that Mike above was giving away free hugs. Talk about a few feet of land with some seriously good mojo! My favorite part of the video is around minute 2.5 when the little boy screams “To infinity and beyond!” with Buzz Lightyear in tow while being hoisted up by his mother, and the group of ladies after that singing together inspiring the random guy walking behind them to clap along. This video gives me about 54 ideas for BLR projects I’d like to create, and reminds me why I fight to keep up with posting here every day; In a world that often seems crazy, sad, too busy for fun, stressed out, and unconscious- I continue to find a plethora of happy, inspiring and hopeful people, places and things like these that totally energize and motivate me to want to do more good.)

Ok, now back to Mike and free hugs…

Stuffed from our chocolate chunks pizza:

Max Brenner chocolate pizza

(Double chocolate melting chunks, with hazelnut bits, bananas, peanut butter and roasted marshmallows. Can you imagine the smile on my face? It makes me all giddy just typing those indulgent words!)

…we planned to walk our feast off for a while, but just a few steps in is where we ran into the Free Hugs crew. Just like we indulged in chocolate, we felt compelled to indulge in a hug too. My friend embracing away:

Free hugs in Union Square, NYC

…and me too:

Free hugs in Union Square, NYC

…plus photo of course!

Is it weird hugging a random hippie kid stranger who’s been on the streets of New York touching hundreds of people and sweating all day? Nah. I say life is short. When your feeling it- live in the moment. Hug hard and mean it.

I totally bought a t-shirt from Mike too. I never do that. I mean ever, but in that moment I felt the need for my very own “Free Hugs” tee. The money supposedly goes to a bunch of nonprofits the huggers raise money for. Who know where my 10 bucks will actually end up and who cares. All I know is I intend to have lots of fun wearing that shirt for years to come.

Thanks for the hug Mike!

Here’s to hugging it out and saying something nice too.

0
0

and the list grows…

I had a couple votes this morning to head to Portsmouth, NH for Labor day Weekend (Ahh…fall in New England) and check out The Friendly Toast for breakfast eats. (You know how much I love a diner.)

Also, in true serendipitous timing the 16th Annual Southern Vermont Garlic Festival is next weekend too, which happens to be the day after I pick up the Honda in NJ. How in the world this festival is in my hometown and I’ve never been before, when I love garlic and good eats, seems impossible. (Thankfully that farmer in NY told me about it last week!) This might have to be the year I go get my stinky breath on.

I have just learned of The Common Ground Country Fair in Maine that I will miss because I will have already returned the loaned car, but I am thinking this one is something I am going to have to hit up one year for sure.

Oh so many things to see and do, so many people to meet, so little time. Keep sending thoughts of places, eats, events, and characters! I am going to squeeze in every last ounce of it all I can!

 

1
0

weekday errands

Oh small town America how I love you. I love the characters who live in you, the quiet streets you have that I go for long runs on, and the seeming ease and overall relaxation way of life. I love the businesses that have bells on the doors to let the shopkeepers know I’m there there, and friendly “Hello!” greetings. I love hand written receipts covered in greasy fingerprints from those carbon-copy spiral-bound notebooks that your auto shop hands me after changing the BLR-Mobile oil. I love that restaurants are called Mr. Chicken:

Funny signs, Upstate NY

…that have picnic tables, and painted signs with slightly creepy looking beach bum guys on them, making sure to let everyone know you have good eats:

Funny signs, Upstate NY

I love that your volunteer ambulance garage has a sign outside that’s missing a letter:

The BLR-Mobile finding funny signs in Upstate, NY

(on both sides) but no one really wants to speak up and tell you because it’s the thought/thanks that counts anyway, not the spelling.

My intention yesterday was simple: Drive “into town” for an hour or so, get an oil change, go for a run and pick something up from the store. Regular ol’ get things done business-day chores turned into once again being presented with the lesson that if I keep my eyes and ears open, stay curious about my surroundings, engage with new people, and keep appreciating the simple, small things- whether I’m “there” for an hour or a year, and whether it’s a teeny town or big city, I will always have soul-filled days and great adventure.

Not bad for a Monday.

0
0

thank you thank you!

The gratitude continues to awesome, generous (and funny) people who support Blue Lollipop Road:

*Huge thanks to Matt at DPI Inc. in Wilmington, NC who has made and donated BLR signage for the 2012 Hybrid Civic I will be driving. You rock Matt! Thanks for always being a fan and keeping me visible as I continue down the highways of life!

*To reader T, who had a good time teasing me yesterday about my “Ancient Old Lady” check book balancing from my office photo. You crack me up. Yes that new fangled online banking plus a good ol’ pen and calculator. I cover all my basis (and I am still laughing 🙂 I’ll take the teasing any day of the week. Thanks for being such a loyal reader!

0
0

lunch at bryant park

I had lunch last week at Bryant Park in NYC. I had been there before, but not on a warm sunny summer day, and never to stay and eat under the canopy of trees and beautiful green:

Bryant Park NYC at lunch time

Bryant Park NYC at lunch time

Bryant Park NYC at lunch time

It’s hard to believe you are smack dab in the middle of the gargantuan and bustling Big Apple when you are there, because there’s a quiet, calm, relaxation to those few acres with people reading, napping, noshing, wandering:

Bryant Park NYC at lunch time

Bryant Park NYC at lunch time

We ordered sandwiches from Tom Colicchio’s well-known ‘Wichcraft and discovered very quickly we made the right choice. Hello marinated zucchini pressed sandwich with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan!

Marinated zucchini 'Wich Craft sandwich

Mmm…

Lunch dates, annual meet-ups with old friends NYC, green space, yummy eats, and people watching. I’m a huge fan.

0
0