Is this the end?

December 31, 2012 - Pic #366

Wow. Bitter Sweet... this is the last one. Like we all must, as I say goodbye to 2012, I look forward to 2013. Happy New Year's eve!

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December 30, 2012 - Pic #366

A rare sight! 2008 NYC Reunion: Becca, Sesi and Meghan were all visiting from their respective new cities at the same time. We went to Cilantros, a favorite of Meghan's that I've somehow never been to before. Good friends and good fun!

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December 29, 2012 - Pic #364

While home, I do love baking/cooking with the parents. I finally gathered the courage to try making Arancini (Italian rice balls) from a recipe in a cookbook I got in Sicily five years ago. From start to finish the whole operation took a little over four hours, but it was worth it! Hard to tell here, but they are the size of baseballs. Delicious. 

Dad Day!

Pic #203 - July 21, 2012

Had a wonderful day with Dad in the city: Earl's Beer and Cheese, the Intrepid Museum, a Circle Line Harbor Lights tour, Holy Creme for dessert, and Dad's introduction to Harry Potter movies. Lesson Learned: It is NOT a good idea to go to the Intrepid the first weekend the Enterprise is open for business, unless waiting in endless lines (without a roller coaster at the end) is your idea of fun. At least we had plenty of conversation time :). 

Bonus Pics:

And... we're back in Westfield!

Pic #189 - July 7, 2012

It wasn't exactly a short walk to find row #12 on the Baideme Vineyard, but obviously worth it. This weekend the family and I headed out to Westfield, NY to visit Dad's side of the family. Back-to-back reunions with the Mutch and Baideme families meant today was chock full of hugs, baked ziti, and stories that began with "Have I ever told you..."

Good times :). 

Happy Father's Day!

Pic #169 - June 17, 2012

I wasn't able to be with my Dad today, but this made it feel like I was! All over the Upper East Side, someone has written "Become Your Dream" and other feel-good sayings in sidewalk chalk. This is exactly the message my Dad has been passing along to me since I was born, 26 years ago. Makes me smile. 

I did a quick google search - turns out the sidewalk chalk movement has been inspired by a James De La Vega mural on 95th Street. Read about it in this blog post: http://uppereastsideinformer.blogspot.com/2010/03/become-your-dream.html 

Happy Birthday, Dad!

So technically, Dad's birthday was yesterday. I thought it would be fun to video chat for his birthday celebration, but we couldn't get the whole fam together until 11:45 pm. If you're looking for a good time, ask my parents to video chat and then watch as hilarity ensues. By the time we wrapped up the singing, the presents, and the cake (torture: watching virtual people eat ice cream cake while all you have is gum), it was passed midnight. That qualifies this as my pic of the day!

Pic #19 - 1/19/12

21st-century Baideme family portrait!