My dad called this article to my attention the other day: It documents the research performed by Dr. David Pritchard, an immunologist-biologist at the University of Nottingham, in which he suggests that infecting patients with small doses of hookworms could in fact significantly reduce the symptoms of allergies and asthma.
Now, while I'm not exactly rushing to have myself infected with parasites, I was certainly intrigued to learn more about Dr. Pritchard's work. I have been battling allergies since I was 13 -- in many different forms. For a time it was a chronically stuffy nose, then in recent years it morphed into severe sinus pain (which was significally ameliorated by surgery last year, but not entirely eradicated), and of late it's been intensely itchy, watery eyes that are rather susceptible to infection.
What's a girl to do? Other than permanently relocating to either Hawaii or Arizona (which would only be a temporary remedy -- my opthamologist informed me that despite having no sinus or allergy trouble while in Maui, in a matter of months I would have developed new allergy symptoms, should I have stayed), my options have usually been limited to monthly allergy shots and Sudafed.
According to the New York Times article, "the National Health Services ethics committee let Dr. Pritchard conduct a study in 2006 with 30 participants, 15 of whom received 10 hookworms each. Tests showed that after six weeks, the T-cells of the 15 worm recipients began to produce lower levels of chemicals associated with inflammatory response, indicating that their immune systems were more suppressed than those of the 15 placebo recipients. Despite playing host to small numbers of parasites, worm recipients reported little discomfort.
"Trial participants raved about their allergy symptoms disappearing. Word about the study soon appeared online among chronic allergy sufferers, and a Yahoo group on 'helminthic therapy' sprung up."
How did Dr. Pritchard come up with the magic number of 10 worms? As with most scientific experiments, trial and error. He began his study by infecting himself: “I gave myself 50 worms, and I felt it,” he recounted. “I had stomach pains and diarrhea. But with 10 worms, we’ve ascertained a dose that does not cause symptoms. The patients are happy. They’ve kept their worms, and I get an e-mail a day from people all over the world who want to be infected.”
The question is, am I willing to live my life with worms floating around my innards? If folks who get Botox are content to walk around with meat bacteria in their faces, how bad could worms be?
I think I need to see some more studies on the matter.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wowee Maui!
Considering that this is most likely going to be my last "wedding"-related post, I purposely put off posting about the honeymoon because, well, it's sad for me to move on from the wedding and to start concentrating on reality again. But, I know that there are some of you out there who have expressed interest in a recap of our fabulous Hawaiian vacation, and as always, I aim to please.
Long story short (I know, too late), our honeymoon in Maui was a dream come true. Despite encouragement from others who have honeymooned in Hawaii, we opted to stay put on one island. I'm sure all the other islands have their own charms, but we do not regret sticking to Maui for one second! Maui was relaxing, it was pampering, it was exciting -- in one word, paradise.
As with the wedding recap, I'm just going to list the highlights -- a Sarene's Greatest Hits, if you will -- because if I tried to do more I'd probably start to use up significant memory space -- and bore the lot of you.
Best evening show -- Yes, we went to a luau, which was fantastic. Especially the sunset:
"What's your name?"
"Sarene."
(pauses and looks at me in puzzlement)
"Were your parents at Woodstock?"
Then again, Andy had it much worse. Since Mr. Gibson is a HUGE fan of The Andy Griffith Show, most folks in the front row were dubbed "Goober," "Barney," etc. Andy had the honor of being dubbed "Gomer" at the start of the show and (with PLENTY of help from Warren) was made to be the "rube" for the rest of the evening. He was a great sport though :-)
Best day trip -- The Road to Hana. As Steven Tyler once sang, "Life's a journey, not a destination," so goes the philosophy for driving the road to Hana. Yes, the roads are treacherous, yes, the town of Hana itself is one big disappointment, but was it worth it? Hell, yes. In this case, I'm just going to let the pictures tell the story:
Tip: Instead of spending time in Hana, set aside time to check out Pa'ia, the hippie-dippy town at the start of the Hana Highway -- and pick up lunch or dinner at the Pa'ia Fish Market.
Best almost-celebrity-sighting -- Dr. Dre was staying at our hotel. We didn't see him, but the same guy who gave Andy a SCUBA lesson took Dre for a dive a couple of days earlier.
Best skill acquired (Sarene) -- How to play Guitar Hero. Did I mention the game room at the Four Seasons had a wide selection of Wii and PlayStation 2 games -- including Guitar Hero? I'm ashamed to admit that I spent a little too much time trying to master the basics of GH (although now I do play a mean "Slow Ride" by Foghat), even though the eight-year-olds watching me were probably snickering behind my back. Truth be told, they probably had every right to do so -- when I saw them pick up the "guitar" and glide their fingers along the control panel with the greatest of ease, I knew I was out of my league.
It made me nostalgic for all the Passovers I spent at the Concord Hotel, back when we needed quarters to play arcade games (Pole Position, where have you gone?). But I was nostalgic only to a point -- the video games were free at the Four Seasons!
Best skill acquired (Andy) -- Driving. Andy drove both ways on the long and winding road that is the Hana Highway. Despite the fact that I grew up in the suburbs and he grew up in Manhattan, I think we can safely say that Andy is now the more experienced and, let's not mince words here, aggressive driver of the two of us. Mad props, my boy. Mad props :-)
Best beverage -- the Lahaina Lemonade. Served poolside at the Four Seasons, this refreshing concoction is vodka, chambord and fresh lemonade. I miss it almost as much as the Evian spritzes (yes, staff members would walk around and offer to spray our sweaty faces with a cooling mist).
Best hotel-room amenity: The 24-hour music in the bathroom. No shower was complete without a little Creedence Clearwater Revival or some traditional Hawaiian tunes piped in.
Best Hawaiian snack: Lemon-flavored shave ice at Aloha Shave Ice Company. Even my Puerto Rican husband agrees it gives the good ol' piragua a run for its money.
Best reason to go to Hawaii: See all above "Best ofs"
Best reason to return to New York: Yeah, I'm still stumped on that one ;-)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
I'm married!
My apologies to all of my loved ones who have been chomping at the bit to read the reacap of my own wedding. It's taken me three weeks to finally come up for air after the whirlwind that was the wedding weekend and our honeymoon in Maui, but here, at long last, is my post on the auspicious events of May 25, 2008.
I spent most of the honeymoon writing down every detail of that weekend in my journal -- and figuring out how exactly I would create a post that didn't sound like a timeline ("At 4:30 a.m. I woke up, after a night of no sleep. At 5 a.m. my breakfast arrived. At 5:30 a.m. the hair and makeup artist arrived and started on my hair 15 minutes later...zzzzzzz...yeah, I fell asleep reading that too.). So, after much debate, I think I've come up with a recap that will convey the most information, and keep all of you interested at the same time :-)
First of all, it goes without saying that the day was magical. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. My heart was filled with joy not only because I married the love of my life, but also because all of our beloved friends and family were there to share in the day with us.
Yes, there were moments of drama and setbacks, but when you consider that the worst parts of the day consisted of Andy forgetting his vest, our Bono-impersonator friend Tony missing the ceremony, getting into a fight with the bandleader and basically making a drunken fool of himself (he has since apologized), and Andy's brother giving the tackiest best man speech anyone has ever heard in their lives, I'd say this wedding was a smashing success!
So, here now is a list of the day's most memorable moments (I don't have professional photos yet, so this post will have to make do with the few non-pro pics I have):
--Getting into the elevator in full bridal regalia with my photographer so we could start taking pictures -- and a woman proceeding to smell my bouquet without even asking!
--Being told by my photographer, "You're Eve!" when he shot me taking a bite of a green apple (I am praying that I look as half as sexy as I felt in these photos).
--Seeing Andy burst into tears when he saw me for the first time in my gown, and holding each other close (for as long as the photographers would let us before they ordered us to get moving!).
--Andy and I constantly telling each other how freaked out we were in between shots.
--LOVING how gorgeous my mother looked in her regal mocha gown, and how HOT my sister looked in her indigo bridesmaid's dress.
--Oh, yeah...LOVING my gown!!!!!!
(Yay Kimberly Dawn!)
--Getting a kick out of my cousin's husband's seersucker suit. All he needed was a boater! What wedding doesn't need a little Southern charm (he's from New Orleans)?
--Feeling like I was going to pass out right before I walked down the aisle...when Stella, my seamstress from Kleinfeld (and all-around wedding goddess), yanked so hard on my veil (in an attempt to straighten it out perfectly) that I almost fell over backwards!
--Hearing my mother tell me she loved me just as the doors opened to the ceremony room and I began to walk down the aisle on the arms of my mom and dad.
--Smiling like I never have before as I walked down the aisle to "In My Life," and seeing loved ones like the members of Unforgettable Fire, their wives, and Meredith :-)
--Feeling calm for the first time all day once Andy and I were together under the huppah.
--When the officiant declared that Andy and I were husband and wife, we both had a look on our faces that caused my friend Ian to say later in the day, "I didn't know if you two were elated or horrified." (It was a little bit of both ;-))
--Hearing everyone scream "Mazel Tov" when Andy broke the glass -- which was almost as incredible as walking back up the aisle to "Fields of Gold" and seeing all of my girlfriends sitting together, smiling at both of us.
--Having the staff of the Ritz-Carlton blow bubbles at us as we exited the ceremony room.
--Having Ariel, maid-of-honor extraordinaire, have to take me to the bathroom every time I had to go. She got a special gift from Hawaii as a result ;-)
--Waiting for my mother's cousin to finish taking her sweet time getting her next cocktail so we could make our grand entrance into the ballroom.
--My bustle breaking and Andy stepping on my dress just as we made our grand entrance.
--Andy and me singing "All I Want Is You" quietly to each other (while Tony, the Bono impersonator, sang it for real) during our first dance.
--Dancing to the band's AWESOME rendition of "Sweet Child O'Mine" while Andy danced in back of me so he could hold up my dress.
(This was not during "Sweet Child O'Mine," but I have very few photos to work with, so use your imagination ;-))
--Watching my mom and her ballroom-dancing instructor do the West Coast Swing to "Sweet Child O'Mine" (who knew?).
--Seeing Marci dance up a storm finally after being plagued for years with back pain.
--Andy and me kicking major, major ass during our performance of "All Because of You."
--Andy and me kicking even more major ass during our subsequent impromptu performance of "Message in a Bottle" -- and seeing my mother in the back of the room, standing up and clapping along with enthusiasm.
--Devouring the most delicious, divine wedding cake I had ever tasted, courtesy of Buddy Valastro at Carlo's Bake Shop -- after the band played "Pour Some Sugar on Me."
--Having my grandfather tell me this was "the best wedding [he's] ever been to, other than [his] own."
--Having my dad tell me it was the fifth greatest day of his life (his wedding and the births of his three children were the first four).
--Having my friend Liz (Ian's wife) see the look of "Ohmigod! I'm married, now what?!" panic on my face at the afterparty and reassure me that "Nothing has changed, everything is the same." (She was right.)
--Being able to spend my first 18 hours as a married woman in the arms of my husband in the most magnificient honeymoon suite (With a 180° view of the New York Harbor we kept saying, "Who needs a honeymoon in Hawaii?") the Ritz-Carlton could provide.
I spent most of the honeymoon writing down every detail of that weekend in my journal -- and figuring out how exactly I would create a post that didn't sound like a timeline ("At 4:30 a.m. I woke up, after a night of no sleep. At 5 a.m. my breakfast arrived. At 5:30 a.m. the hair and makeup artist arrived and started on my hair 15 minutes later...zzzzzzz...yeah, I fell asleep reading that too.). So, after much debate, I think I've come up with a recap that will convey the most information, and keep all of you interested at the same time :-)
First of all, it goes without saying that the day was magical. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. My heart was filled with joy not only because I married the love of my life, but also because all of our beloved friends and family were there to share in the day with us.
Yes, there were moments of drama and setbacks, but when you consider that the worst parts of the day consisted of Andy forgetting his vest, our Bono-impersonator friend Tony missing the ceremony, getting into a fight with the bandleader and basically making a drunken fool of himself (he has since apologized), and Andy's brother giving the tackiest best man speech anyone has ever heard in their lives, I'd say this wedding was a smashing success!
So, here now is a list of the day's most memorable moments (I don't have professional photos yet, so this post will have to make do with the few non-pro pics I have):
--Getting into the elevator in full bridal regalia with my photographer so we could start taking pictures -- and a woman proceeding to smell my bouquet without even asking!
--Being told by my photographer, "You're Eve!" when he shot me taking a bite of a green apple (I am praying that I look as half as sexy as I felt in these photos).
--Seeing Andy burst into tears when he saw me for the first time in my gown, and holding each other close (for as long as the photographers would let us before they ordered us to get moving!).
--Andy and I constantly telling each other how freaked out we were in between shots.
--LOVING how gorgeous my mother looked in her regal mocha gown, and how HOT my sister looked in her indigo bridesmaid's dress.
--Oh, yeah...LOVING my gown!!!!!!
(Yay Kimberly Dawn!)
--Getting a kick out of my cousin's husband's seersucker suit. All he needed was a boater! What wedding doesn't need a little Southern charm (he's from New Orleans)?
--Feeling like I was going to pass out right before I walked down the aisle...when Stella, my seamstress from Kleinfeld (and all-around wedding goddess), yanked so hard on my veil (in an attempt to straighten it out perfectly) that I almost fell over backwards!
--Hearing my mother tell me she loved me just as the doors opened to the ceremony room and I began to walk down the aisle on the arms of my mom and dad.
--Smiling like I never have before as I walked down the aisle to "In My Life," and seeing loved ones like the members of Unforgettable Fire, their wives, and Meredith :-)
--Feeling calm for the first time all day once Andy and I were together under the huppah.
--When the officiant declared that Andy and I were husband and wife, we both had a look on our faces that caused my friend Ian to say later in the day, "I didn't know if you two were elated or horrified." (It was a little bit of both ;-))
--Hearing everyone scream "Mazel Tov" when Andy broke the glass -- which was almost as incredible as walking back up the aisle to "Fields of Gold" and seeing all of my girlfriends sitting together, smiling at both of us.
--Having the staff of the Ritz-Carlton blow bubbles at us as we exited the ceremony room.
--Having Ariel, maid-of-honor extraordinaire, have to take me to the bathroom every time I had to go. She got a special gift from Hawaii as a result ;-)
--Waiting for my mother's cousin to finish taking her sweet time getting her next cocktail so we could make our grand entrance into the ballroom.
--My bustle breaking and Andy stepping on my dress just as we made our grand entrance.
--Andy and me singing "All I Want Is You" quietly to each other (while Tony, the Bono impersonator, sang it for real) during our first dance.
--Dancing to the band's AWESOME rendition of "Sweet Child O'Mine" while Andy danced in back of me so he could hold up my dress.
(This was not during "Sweet Child O'Mine," but I have very few photos to work with, so use your imagination ;-))
--Watching my mom and her ballroom-dancing instructor do the West Coast Swing to "Sweet Child O'Mine" (who knew?).
--Seeing Marci dance up a storm finally after being plagued for years with back pain.
--Andy and me kicking major, major ass during our performance of "All Because of You."
--Andy and me kicking even more major ass during our subsequent impromptu performance of "Message in a Bottle" -- and seeing my mother in the back of the room, standing up and clapping along with enthusiasm.
--Devouring the most delicious, divine wedding cake I had ever tasted, courtesy of Buddy Valastro at Carlo's Bake Shop -- after the band played "Pour Some Sugar on Me."
--Having my grandfather tell me this was "the best wedding [he's] ever been to, other than [his] own."
--Having my dad tell me it was the fifth greatest day of his life (his wedding and the births of his three children were the first four).
--Having my friend Liz (Ian's wife) see the look of "Ohmigod! I'm married, now what?!" panic on my face at the afterparty and reassure me that "Nothing has changed, everything is the same." (She was right.)
--Being able to spend my first 18 hours as a married woman in the arms of my husband in the most magnificient honeymoon suite (With a 180° view of the New York Harbor we kept saying, "Who needs a honeymoon in Hawaii?") the Ritz-Carlton could provide.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
"I'm getting married in the morning!"
Come on, sing with me, you know the words!
"Ding dong, the bells are going to chime!" (Well, not for me, but they sure will in several churches throughout the greater New York metropolitan area as tomorrow IS a Sunday.)
*Sigh* I always knew I'd sing this classic gem from My Fair Lady the day before my nuptials -- trouble is, I am not an Edwardian-era Cockney dustman, nor am I getting married in a church, so I guess now that I think about it, "Get Me to the Church on Time" is a rather irrelevant song for my wedding day, isn't it?
Oh well.
Eh, the hell with it, let's enjoy it anyway:
Once again I am embarrassed to say I have no other excuses for my blogging delinquency other than, well, I've been SO FUCKING EDGY these last few weeks leading up to the moment when I say "I do." Apparently I'm not alone -- over the past 48 hours Andy and I have been getting into arguments over who is more on edge. Need I say more? It's time we got married already, and so tomorrow morning we are doing the deed. Finally. And yes, I am excited beyond belief. Nervous? Not so much as we've been together for almost six years now, but ask me again tomorrow -- I may have a different answer ;-)
Frankly, I'm mainly nervous about performing U2's "All Because of You" -- despite the fact that I've been rehearsing it for almost four years now.
We had our rehearsal dinner last night at Jane restaurant, which I was only able to handle after a much-needed afternoon back at good ol' Euphoria Spa with Ariel. Their Tropical Javanese Bridal ritual (1-hour massage, pomegranate body scrub and yogurt body wrap with a scalp and foot massage) followed by a makeover could not have been more worth the money (despite their accidentally overcharging me initially!). Once again, major props to my massage therapist, Diane, who took such good care of me at my bachelorette party, and Stephany, the esthetician who did my makeover (and pre-bridal facial a few weeks ago).
As I close out this post, I am heading off to the fabulous Ritz-Carlton Battery Park for my final few hours as a single woman. My goal is a) to calm down and b) to get some much-needed sleep, considering I have to be up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to start getting ready (yay 11 a.m. wedding!).
To all of my, oh who am I kidding? To my handful of readers, thank you for your supportive, insightful comments, and most of all, thank you for reading! Trust me, there is plenty more to come even as I become a "Mrs." (which is only a technicality as I am not changing my name, much to my future mother-in-law's chagrin 8-))
Will blog more very soon!
"Ding dong, the bells are going to chime!" (Well, not for me, but they sure will in several churches throughout the greater New York metropolitan area as tomorrow IS a Sunday.)
*Sigh* I always knew I'd sing this classic gem from My Fair Lady the day before my nuptials -- trouble is, I am not an Edwardian-era Cockney dustman, nor am I getting married in a church, so I guess now that I think about it, "Get Me to the Church on Time" is a rather irrelevant song for my wedding day, isn't it?
Oh well.
Eh, the hell with it, let's enjoy it anyway:
Once again I am embarrassed to say I have no other excuses for my blogging delinquency other than, well, I've been SO FUCKING EDGY these last few weeks leading up to the moment when I say "I do." Apparently I'm not alone -- over the past 48 hours Andy and I have been getting into arguments over who is more on edge. Need I say more? It's time we got married already, and so tomorrow morning we are doing the deed. Finally. And yes, I am excited beyond belief. Nervous? Not so much as we've been together for almost six years now, but ask me again tomorrow -- I may have a different answer ;-)
Frankly, I'm mainly nervous about performing U2's "All Because of You" -- despite the fact that I've been rehearsing it for almost four years now.
We had our rehearsal dinner last night at Jane restaurant, which I was only able to handle after a much-needed afternoon back at good ol' Euphoria Spa with Ariel. Their Tropical Javanese Bridal ritual (1-hour massage, pomegranate body scrub and yogurt body wrap with a scalp and foot massage) followed by a makeover could not have been more worth the money (despite their accidentally overcharging me initially!). Once again, major props to my massage therapist, Diane, who took such good care of me at my bachelorette party, and Stephany, the esthetician who did my makeover (and pre-bridal facial a few weeks ago).
As I close out this post, I am heading off to the fabulous Ritz-Carlton Battery Park for my final few hours as a single woman. My goal is a) to calm down and b) to get some much-needed sleep, considering I have to be up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to start getting ready (yay 11 a.m. wedding!).
To all of my, oh who am I kidding? To my handful of readers, thank you for your supportive, insightful comments, and most of all, thank you for reading! Trust me, there is plenty more to come even as I become a "Mrs." (which is only a technicality as I am not changing my name, much to my future mother-in-law's chagrin 8-))
Will blog more very soon!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
And people are still wondering why this country has gone to the dogs...
So yesterday was my final dress fitting. Long story short, the dress looks amazing, except I still can't breathe up top. Trouble is, if we let it out, it's just not going to look good. Oh well, beauty is pain.
Anyway, as we were wrapping up with the seamstress, I was taking one final look in the mirror in full bridal getup -- the veil, the headpiece, the works. Suddenly we were approached by one of the bridal shop's directors who came to thank me for my business and to let me know how lovely I looked. A kind gesture, no doubt, but it's obvious they do this with all their customers.
Our conversation eventually ended up on the subject of my place of business, where, as many of you know, celebrities have been known to stop by on occasion. The director then asked me, "Who is the coolest person you've gotten to meet at your job?" I didn't hesitate to respond with "Barack Obama."
To which she responded, "Oh, but what about actual rock stars? I'm not really into politics. I don't even vote!"
Need I say more? It's people like that who help to ensure another four to eight years of an administration that will push our beloved country further down the toilet.
As much as I wanted to engage this sad excuse for an American citizen in a real political discussion, I felt the need to at least remove the yards of tulle surrounding my body first. Unfortunately she didn't stay around long enough for me to say little more than "Well, you should vote!"
And maybe if more people like her voted, we wouldn't have to read heartbreaking editorials like this one on a regular basis.
Anyway, as we were wrapping up with the seamstress, I was taking one final look in the mirror in full bridal getup -- the veil, the headpiece, the works. Suddenly we were approached by one of the bridal shop's directors who came to thank me for my business and to let me know how lovely I looked. A kind gesture, no doubt, but it's obvious they do this with all their customers.
Our conversation eventually ended up on the subject of my place of business, where, as many of you know, celebrities have been known to stop by on occasion. The director then asked me, "Who is the coolest person you've gotten to meet at your job?" I didn't hesitate to respond with "Barack Obama."
To which she responded, "Oh, but what about actual rock stars? I'm not really into politics. I don't even vote!"
Need I say more? It's people like that who help to ensure another four to eight years of an administration that will push our beloved country further down the toilet.
As much as I wanted to engage this sad excuse for an American citizen in a real political discussion, I felt the need to at least remove the yards of tulle surrounding my body first. Unfortunately she didn't stay around long enough for me to say little more than "Well, you should vote!"
And maybe if more people like her voted, we wouldn't have to read heartbreaking editorials like this one on a regular basis.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Welcome to the Henhouse: Part II (a.k.a. the Bachelorette Party)
So far during this engagement period, I have to say that being the bride is pretty darn cool. Except for one thing. Last weekend I learned that the one downside to being the bride is you never end up being the one who takes the pictures. And that meant I couldn't post about my hen night until my sister, sister-in-law-to-be and dear friend Melissa uploaded their photos and sent them along.
But now that I have the all-important visual proof of this afternoon and evening of debauchery (not really ;-)), here is my much-anticipated recap:
As with my shower, this bachelorette party rocked my world! Once again, mad, mad props to Ariel, my aforementioned friend Melissa and believe it or not, my mother (the generosity just keeps on coming) for putting together a day that not only was tons of fun for everyone but really took my personality and interests into consideration.
We begin with the day's preparation. Melissa and I stopped off at a local nail salon to get manicures -- at which time I discovered that my 13-year-old self still existed somewhere deep inside my 30-year-old psyche. I decided to get what I like to call Hannah Montana nails. Now, I don't care what age you are. You are never too old for blue sparkly nail polish!
Onward to Euphoria Spa, my favorite Manhattan location for all-out pampering -- damn, Ariel and Melissa knew me well! Here, Melissa, Ariel and I were joined by Marci, my high school friend Stephanie and my FSIL Ingrid (Andy's sister). But before the massages and facials could begin, Melissa, Ariel, Stephanie and I were treated to a super-fun (and HARD) belly-dancing class taught by the awesome Darshan.
Big thanks to Marci who served as our photographer!
If I learned anything from this class, it's that all my years dancing as the "Mysterious Ways" girl for Unforgettable Fire did not prepare me at all for what belly dancing really entails. But now that I know some of the basics, trust me, I'm hooked!
After working up quite a sweat in the class we were all SO ready for our spa treatments. I wound up having to wait an hour for mine, but once I saw the delicious munchies the staff at Euphoria had put out for us (veggies, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.) I had no problem lounging in my robe and snacking and gabbing the afternoon away with everyone. Did I mention that we had the spa to ourselves for three whole hours?
My hot-stone massage was 50 minutes of divine indulgence. I was coming off of a pretty stressful week at work, so I did little more than savor the warm, soothing touch of the stones and my massage therapist's hands. As soon as she told me that the hot-stone massage was good for calming the nervous system I think my shoulders dropped six inches.
Eventually I wobbled out of the massage room and somehow managed to shower and get changed -- and it's a good thing I did, because next on the agenda was dinner at Otto, one of my favorite restaurants. Here's the group right before we left the spa (note my bachelorette-party-required tiara with veil):
How were we to get to the restaurant? So glad you asked! What would a bachelorette party be with out a pimped-out limo -- complete with neon lights, a stocked bar, and a DVD player that was showing How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days on a loop (go figure)? Here I am, checking out the booze on hand:
And here I am with Ariel:
Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Marci before we piled into the limo :-( but once we arrived at the restaurant we were met by my friend Laura, who joined us for the rest of the evening. Here she is with Stephanie:
The food was excellent -- I've come to expect nothing less from Mr. Batali. We feasted on appetizers of shrimp, mussels, roasted veggies and cheese, then enjoyed the rustic pizza and pasta specialties of the house and topped off the meal with, what else? Decadent desserts in which gelati played an important role. Can you blame me and Melissa for looking so happy here? Oh, right, there was a lot of wine being poured too ;-)
(Yes, I am wearing a "BRIDE" tank top, courtesy of my FMIL)
When every morsel of food and drop of wine had been consumed, Melissa, Stephanie, Laura and I then bade farewell to Ingrid and Ariel, and had our sweet ride take us to Flannery's, the Irish bar where Andy and I met, for a nightcap. I hadn't been to Flannery's in over a year (last time I was there was the day Andy and I got engaged), and the only thing that's changed (for the better) is now they finally have Woodchuck cider on tap (Magners used to be my only cider option there...bleh!).
Here I am, in the exact spot on the stage where I met Andy back in August 2002. (By this time I had switched the "BRIDE" tank top for a much more naughty one (not really :-p), courtesy of my absentee friend Kimberly Dawn:
From an anthropological standpoint, it was interesting to see how my friends interacted with each other. We all got along splendidly, but, especially once we hit Flannery's, I noticed how the single girls tended to gravitate toward each other, whereas the married/engaged girls stuck together. Stephanie and Laura are without a doubt two sophisticated single ladies about Manhattan, therefore their bond seemed stronger than that with the other girls in attendance -- and they continued chatting with each other once we sat down at the bar. Melissa and I are both headed to the altar this year, so we found ourselves engrossed in conversation with each other more. Funny how that works! No matter, it was not hard to get us together for this parting shot:
Even though we were all ready to call it a night as early as 12 a.m., I had no regrets. This bachelorette party was everything I could have wished for and more. Hell, I even did the requisite "poke my head through the moon roof" as we cruised through Union Square (okay, okay, it was for a total of five seconds because I'm a wuss, but it was SO worth it!).
Finally, here's the freaky-deaky cap to the evening...
Just as the limo pulled onto the Manhattan Bridge to take me and Melissa back to Brooklyn, I glanced at the TV screen which, yes, was STILL playing How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. At that same moment, the taxi that Kate Hudson was riding in (in the movie) pulled onto the Manhattan Bridge too (same direction, through the same archway). Unfortunately for us, Matthew McConaughey didn't pull up beside our car too :-p
But now that I have the all-important visual proof of this afternoon and evening of debauchery (not really ;-)), here is my much-anticipated recap:
As with my shower, this bachelorette party rocked my world! Once again, mad, mad props to Ariel, my aforementioned friend Melissa and believe it or not, my mother (the generosity just keeps on coming) for putting together a day that not only was tons of fun for everyone but really took my personality and interests into consideration.
We begin with the day's preparation. Melissa and I stopped off at a local nail salon to get manicures -- at which time I discovered that my 13-year-old self still existed somewhere deep inside my 30-year-old psyche. I decided to get what I like to call Hannah Montana nails. Now, I don't care what age you are. You are never too old for blue sparkly nail polish!
Onward to Euphoria Spa, my favorite Manhattan location for all-out pampering -- damn, Ariel and Melissa knew me well! Here, Melissa, Ariel and I were joined by Marci, my high school friend Stephanie and my FSIL Ingrid (Andy's sister). But before the massages and facials could begin, Melissa, Ariel, Stephanie and I were treated to a super-fun (and HARD) belly-dancing class taught by the awesome Darshan.
Big thanks to Marci who served as our photographer!
If I learned anything from this class, it's that all my years dancing as the "Mysterious Ways" girl for Unforgettable Fire did not prepare me at all for what belly dancing really entails. But now that I know some of the basics, trust me, I'm hooked!
After working up quite a sweat in the class we were all SO ready for our spa treatments. I wound up having to wait an hour for mine, but once I saw the delicious munchies the staff at Euphoria had put out for us (veggies, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.) I had no problem lounging in my robe and snacking and gabbing the afternoon away with everyone. Did I mention that we had the spa to ourselves for three whole hours?
My hot-stone massage was 50 minutes of divine indulgence. I was coming off of a pretty stressful week at work, so I did little more than savor the warm, soothing touch of the stones and my massage therapist's hands. As soon as she told me that the hot-stone massage was good for calming the nervous system I think my shoulders dropped six inches.
Eventually I wobbled out of the massage room and somehow managed to shower and get changed -- and it's a good thing I did, because next on the agenda was dinner at Otto, one of my favorite restaurants. Here's the group right before we left the spa (note my bachelorette-party-required tiara with veil):
How were we to get to the restaurant? So glad you asked! What would a bachelorette party be with out a pimped-out limo -- complete with neon lights, a stocked bar, and a DVD player that was showing How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days on a loop (go figure)? Here I am, checking out the booze on hand:
And here I am with Ariel:
Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Marci before we piled into the limo :-( but once we arrived at the restaurant we were met by my friend Laura, who joined us for the rest of the evening. Here she is with Stephanie:
The food was excellent -- I've come to expect nothing less from Mr. Batali. We feasted on appetizers of shrimp, mussels, roasted veggies and cheese, then enjoyed the rustic pizza and pasta specialties of the house and topped off the meal with, what else? Decadent desserts in which gelati played an important role. Can you blame me and Melissa for looking so happy here? Oh, right, there was a lot of wine being poured too ;-)
(Yes, I am wearing a "BRIDE" tank top, courtesy of my FMIL)
When every morsel of food and drop of wine had been consumed, Melissa, Stephanie, Laura and I then bade farewell to Ingrid and Ariel, and had our sweet ride take us to Flannery's, the Irish bar where Andy and I met, for a nightcap. I hadn't been to Flannery's in over a year (last time I was there was the day Andy and I got engaged), and the only thing that's changed (for the better) is now they finally have Woodchuck cider on tap (Magners used to be my only cider option there...bleh!).
Here I am, in the exact spot on the stage where I met Andy back in August 2002. (By this time I had switched the "BRIDE" tank top for a much more naughty one (not really :-p), courtesy of my absentee friend Kimberly Dawn:
From an anthropological standpoint, it was interesting to see how my friends interacted with each other. We all got along splendidly, but, especially once we hit Flannery's, I noticed how the single girls tended to gravitate toward each other, whereas the married/engaged girls stuck together. Stephanie and Laura are without a doubt two sophisticated single ladies about Manhattan, therefore their bond seemed stronger than that with the other girls in attendance -- and they continued chatting with each other once we sat down at the bar. Melissa and I are both headed to the altar this year, so we found ourselves engrossed in conversation with each other more. Funny how that works! No matter, it was not hard to get us together for this parting shot:
Even though we were all ready to call it a night as early as 12 a.m., I had no regrets. This bachelorette party was everything I could have wished for and more. Hell, I even did the requisite "poke my head through the moon roof" as we cruised through Union Square (okay, okay, it was for a total of five seconds because I'm a wuss, but it was SO worth it!).
Finally, here's the freaky-deaky cap to the evening...
Just as the limo pulled onto the Manhattan Bridge to take me and Melissa back to Brooklyn, I glanced at the TV screen which, yes, was STILL playing How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. At that same moment, the taxi that Kate Hudson was riding in (in the movie) pulled onto the Manhattan Bridge too (same direction, through the same archway). Unfortunately for us, Matthew McConaughey didn't pull up beside our car too :-p
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