A New Adventure | Peaches Prattlings

{October 28, 2017} A mitzvah, a family event

Today, PSM and I attended a family event together.

PSM’s first cousin’s son, JK, became a bar mitzvah today. What an honor to be included in these family events. I’ve been to other family functions, holidays, parties, this is a little different, these events are more formal and special.

I got in last night, did you love my hotel room!? PSM went to the dinner they were having at the hotel where most everyone was staying and got to spend some time with his family, they are a fantastic bunch of people and so close, it’s special.

This morning, we went to the synagogue to watch JK take his place among the congregation, become an adult and lead us through his Torah and Havdalah. He gave a great speech, chanted the prayers and Torah and Havdalah portions so well, he made his family, friends and his congregation proud.

Years of study and practice go into learning the prayers, preparing for this special day, spending time working with the rabbi on the prayers, working with the cantor learning to chant the prayers and readings, working with his parents preparing his speeches. All of this culminating to a very special day for everyone, of course, most importantly, the bar mitzvah himself.

Hard work should be well rewarded and after such a ceremony, we celebrate! The first, was right after the service, we had a small luncheon and then later in the evening, we had a good old fashioned party! It was at the Empire Room on the NY State Fairgrounds.

There were appetizers, drinks, dinner, dancing, games for the kids and time to spend together catching up, making new friends and just enjoying being together and participating in the joy of the day and the pride his parents and family felt.

This was a true celebration! Mazel Tov to JK and his family.

{October 25, 2017} A new friend and a concert! A pretty good day!

Tonight I made a new friend, introduced them to a new restaurant and went to a concert. This was all after working a full and fabulous day! Not too shabby, huh?

So, fabulous day to start. We went live yesterday with the application I am supporting and that was quite the experience. Some things went better than others and then there were the others, but over all, I’m pleased.

Then, dinner with a new friend! SMH is a new member of the team I am on in Chicago. Tonight we were going to go to one of my favorite vegan restaurants, Kitchen 17, to introduce her to vegan deep dish. Well, before we went to dinner, SMH was given two tickets to the Katie Perry concert! Did I want to go? Sure!

So, the concert started at 7pm, we were hungry and went to Native Foods, another fabulous vegan restaurant I love. I cannot believe I forgot to take a picture of my food! I had their new steak sandwiche and it was fabulous! Enough that I ate it two days in a row, right?! SMH had the reuben, you know much I love that sandwich. I couldn’t finish it like the night before, no idea how that happened!

After dinner we went over to the United Arena for the concert. We got there as the opening act was finishing up, about three songs we heard, Noah Cyrus, the younger sister of Miley Cyrus. She was pretty good, I don’t know her music.

The negative, we waited a little over an hour for the main event. It was after 9:15pm when Katie Perry came on stage, not cool. The arena was packed with all ages, but a large number of kids under 10 years old, think their moms were happy the fact that their kids were up and waiting, waiting, waiting. SMH kept looking at each other, how long do we give it! We are two adult women at a concert on a Wednesday night, have to go to work in the morning. We all know that I don’t sleep much, but still, we felt old asking this question!

The one good thing…all the music that was playing while we waited was 80’s, I was happy! Of course, to SMH and half the crowd these were oldies, as they had not been born yet in the 80’s!

When it started, what a performer and performance! The sets, the musicians, the music, the backup dancers, the lights, the sounds, the effects! I’ll be honest, I don’t know a lot of Katie Perry’s music, more than I thought, which was definitely nice! The first few songs SMH and the rest of the crowd knew, and then she went into some ‘old school’ Katie Perry, ‘Hot and Cold’, ‘I Kissed a Girl’, the sets changed almost every song or every few songs and they corresponded to what she was singing. Really great and simple sets and props to convey the message and tell a story. Sometimes, I’m not sure what that story was, but it told a story!

We gave it until about 10:30pm and then we were out and we were ok with that. Get this, SMH’s mom was invited to the same concert! She had plans and wasn’t there, but how cool would that have been to see her there! Overall, a great night, making a new friend, introducing her to some good food, which she really enjoyed, a great concert to end a great day!

Enjoy the photos and the clips!

{October 24, 2017} Happy Birthday GM!

October 23rd was a vey special day, my Grandma M’s birthday.

This was my mom’s mom, one of the grandma’s MGS is named for, has her exact name in fact. She definitely takes after her namesake!

She was an amazing grandmother, fun, funny, sometimes when she didn’t even realize it! She taught me to play cards like poker, gin, casino, solitaire. We used to stay up playing gin all night. The woman was relentless! She knew what I had and what I played! “Are you sure you want to play that?” What? It was freaky!

She used to organize trips to Atlantic City for groups, arranged everything, from the buses to the casinos, made sure everyone got there and back. She was politically active, working the voting polls every election, campaigning for Cancer Care.

She was an amazing cook, well, when it came to Jewish food, anything else was a challenge, but her specialties, oh man, wow! We loved to tease each other and it was our thing, she would make applesauce and no matter how much sugar she put in, I would ask her if she added any, not enough! She would gasp and then threaten me with a plau-uch and a chamaliah [spelling not sure!] That’s a back and front handed hit to the tush, all in gest of course! “Why, I’m going to give you such a chamliah and a plau-uch!” Oh no!

There were so many things I loved about my grandmother, she was fantastic and stubborn and smart and traveled and would include me in so much! She would do take me to the theater to see a musical, The Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York City each year was a tradition. I remember her taking me to Coney Island as a kid and riding the Log Flume, the aquarium, the zoo, the park, wherever the adventure took us. Next year, I’ll tell you some more fun stuff! Why give it all away, we’re going to be talking for a long time!

Could we fight and disagree, you bet your sweet bippie! Did we kiss and make up, you bet your sweet you know what! She was fierce and protective and feisty and argumentative and curious and loved life, how could you not love her? I know I did.

Happy birthday, if I could be half the grandmother you were, I’m gonna rock! I love you.

{October 23, 2017} Let’s get some cultchah on!

Nope, not a typo! Must be read with a New York accent!

I came into Chicago earlier today, I had a dinner meeting in the office at 5pm. I got settled into the hotel and since I didn’t have a lot of time, I thought a few minutes of culture and art would be nice.

I decided to go to the Art Institute of Chicago and even better…I get in for free with my work ID! A little culture for free, score!

First order of business, go in a different direction than I always do. I tend to stick to just the modern and impressionists. I ventured to the left this time.

Chagall windows, Picasso, Dubuffet and Miro sculpture models for pieces around Chicago. Then some sustenance, a fabulous bowl of sauteed brussel sprouts. Now to walk off the sprouts.

Greek and Roman statutes, different installations, architechture, book covers and sketches, I couldn’t resist the impressionists and modern.

I was there a little under two hours, admired, enjoyed, discussed and pondered. Quite enjoyable!

{October 22, 2017} Time with my girls

I don’t know if you have heard me talk about my girls, my nieces, EJS and MGS. Oh well maybe once or twice, ha ha!

This weekend, albiet short, was the chance to spend one on one time with my sister, which you know is rare and a date with just me and my girls. How happy was I?

GES and I went somewhere, more will be revealed later, some quality time at lunch then retail therapy. I’m really good at encouraging her… to spend money! She got some great stuff! For the first time, there were more shoe options for her than me! I’m an eight, she’s a five, what are the odds?

We got home and the parents went out for dinner with friends and it was me and my girls!

Turns out no kid appropriate movies were in the theater so it was mac-n- cheese for dinner and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They both curled up with me, MGS on my lap and EJS next to me and laughed and talked about the movie.

After, no fights, just teeth brushed, jammies on, hugs and kisses and lights out. That was easy.

I am leaving early in the morning to go back to Chicago, big dinner meeting tomorrow night. Extra hugs and kisses since I won’t see them again until Thanksgiving.

{October 20, 2017} Travel too much?

Um…I don’t think so, others might.

I’ve told you, at least I think I have, that if I’m not on a plane every week or every other week, I get a bit antsy. I like my lifestyle and now I’m spoiled. I admit it!

Well, things just got real! I am currently Platinum status on Delta, that’s the third tier and Gold status on United. I was wondering when I was going to catch up to PSM on United and promote to Gold, this was a few months ago when I was traveling back and forth to Hawaii more often then he was and then one day, wow, Gold!

Now I’m Platinum on Delta and Gold on United for this year and working towards Platinum for both for next year. Platinum gets you some nice perks. More upgrade opportunities to first class, better seat options, more free checked bags, boarding earlier, first on, first off, more legroom and some other nice perks.

Well, all of a sudden, I go to check into my flight and bam! Platinum on United! For this year and next! What? When did that happen? Who cares, I’ll take it! Now, all I need is Platinum on Delta for next year and I’m golden! Ha ha!

So… tonight I was upgraded to first class from Chicago to Boston. They serve dinner on these flights, but since I was upgraded, no vegan for me. The flight attendant told me to pick something from the snacks for sale and I got hummus and chips. She was very sweet and took this box and put it on a tray with a placemat, napkin roll with real silver and added a roll for me and the wine glass. Not necessary, off course, I would have been happy just to have the snack, but she made it more special, thank you!

Let the spoiling commence and continue!

{October 14, 2017} The Orville and Hot Wives

No, this is not a title for a new dirty movie!

These are two new shows I found on Hulu.

The Orville is a new show by Seth MacFarland, the creator of Family Guy and Ted. It’s set 400 years in the future, we follow Captain Ed Mercer and his crew of…I like the description IMDB gives, motley crew of space explorers. Wait until you find out who his first officer is!

This is your ‘typical’ exploratory space mission show with some comic relief thrown in. It feels like a combination of Star Trek, all of them, before you ask, and Galaxy Quest. The first two episodes you’re getting to know the crew, they are a transport and get in the middle of ‘stuff’. It’s billed as a comedy-drama and, well, it is. They start to get into some touchy subjects, it definitely is interesting the way they handle it.

I’m not sure if the show will be around for season two, I haven’t heard much advertising for it lately, but I haven’t been looking. The reason I say this is because I’m not sure how this show is going over with the public. I found it on Hulu and I binge watched the the first seven episodes, I felt like I couldn’t look away. Half way through I asked PSM if we liked this and we were both on the fence, but we kept going.

It will be interesting to see if it makes it and I would love to see what others think. No hype makes me skeptical.

Now, moving on to The Hotwives of Orlando and The Hotwives of Las Vegas. It’s a spoof of the reality shows, The Real Housewives of…

It follows the lives of a group of rich women in Orlando and then Las Vegas. Some of them are married, some have jobs, another is a former child star, sisters. They did a great job with the cast, the script, the absurdity of it all. It’s like the sitcoms or sketch comedies that spoof soap operas.

It’s funny that I picked this slow because the original series carried over for a blip to The Orville.

Neither show is taxing on the brain, The Orville will make you think and be nostalgic for space exploration shows. The Hotwives, on the other hand, may make you wonder ‘what was I thinking?!’ It’s like a traffic accident, you can’t look away!

Enjoy?

{October 13, 2017} I really enjoyed this challenge.

Thank you CWB, so much fun.

I really enjoyed the challenge: Seven days. Seven black and white photos of life. No people. No explanation. Challenge someone new each day.

I took up the challenge, took a bunch of black and white photos and challenged others. I really enjoyed taking the photos, I took a bunch, then decided what to post.

I’ve also really enjoyed looking at all the folks who have been challenged and what they’ve posted. There is something pleasant and soothing and thought provoking to black and white, no matter the subject.

Here are some of the photos I’ve taken over the last week.

And tonight’s post.

{October 11, 2017} Three new vegan meals in two days? Yum!

I’ll take it!

One of my favorite vegan restaurants in Chicago, Native Foods has launched its new menu and I have tried a few things between yesterday and today.

I couldn’t believe it, vegan bagels, lox and cream cheese? What?! Yup! A bagel, unfortunately plain, but wait! The cream cheese was made from cashews, it was creamy and light and tasty. The lox was thin sliced carrots, but it’s the way they marinated it smells and tastes like lox, wow! They offer it just like a ‘real’ lox platter with capers, lemon and onions. Doesn’t it look fabulous?!

Last night, I ordered from True Foods, we’ve talked about it before, I hope you remember! I ordered a pizza with butternut squash, onions, spinach, cranberries and almond ricotta! Wow!

I also ordered guacamole with chips and Winter Squash toast, this had brussel sprouts and toasted hazelnuts. Yum! Think I was able to come close to finishing? Not a chance, guess what was for lunch!

Tonight, I went back to Native Foods, with LJ this time. I ordered plantains with two different dipping sauces and for dinner, chicken and waffles! The syrup was maple siracha, a little too spicy for me, but the ‘chicken’ and waffles, tasty!

Dessert was our favorite oatmeal cream cookie, which we shared, so rich!

Don’t the pictures make you hungry!

Day 5 of 7 Challenge!

{October 10, 2017} O M G…La la la love!!

My friends and family so know me!!

Look at what SDL and Miss A gave me for my birthday! Anyone who knows me knows my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz! I love everything about it, I even have my “Dorothy Converse”! Converse/Chuck Taylors that are covered in red sparkles!

The way my Monopoly connection started was when LGR gave me a Wizard of Oz version and it kind of took off from there, people gave me a bunch of different versions. Love it!

I got a bag with Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers, “There’s no place like home” so true! It feels like I’m coming home when I’m with my friends. There was a Wizard of Oz Mad Libs book, can’t wait! A coloring book and colored pens, love! Great for my travels, I can’t wait to use it on my next long flight home!

The last, possibly best, gift of all! A t-shirt from Miss A…BAE Best Auntie Ever! O M G! A title I wear with pride! And she helps make me a BAE!!!

Thank you so much SDL and Miss A, you made my big day extra special! I love you both!

Day 4 of 7 Challenge:

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