Birthday Brunch

The occasion was my aunt's 80th birthday. So today we had a brunch in her honor. Grandpa and grandson show a little love.



The birthday girl greets her son.



Lots of hugging going on today.



And still more hugging.



Let the eating begin, we had fruit, cheese and crackers.



Spring has sprung and we had a picture perfect day for the party.



After all the rain, everything blossomed.



Can you see the Boston skyline in the distance? It's there behind the sailboats.



My dad and his brother had a few laughs. My aunt and uncle came north from Florida for the party.



There were mothers and daughters.



And more mothers and daughters. The daughters are all growing up and turning in to stunning young ladies.



Back to the food. Oh how I love shrimp!



And give me a salad with goat cheese any day of the week.



We posed for photos. Lots of them!





Oops, someone has had enough! It's true, I can be a little overzealous when it comes to picture taking.



Sometimes I wear my subjects down and they give in.



Aw, is there anything better than sisterly love?



The caterers took a minute to pose for a photo. The company is Roots Catering. The food looked and tasted fabulous.




The bar was set up outdoors.



I swear I did not set this shot up. They were actually just watching someone practice her chip shots on the lawn.



Then the desserts came out!



Don't these look positively delicious?



Have you noticed the family resemblance in these photos? It calls to mind that John Hancock commercial that states "when you look into your parent/childrens eyes you surely see your own".



Mmm! Birthday cake. Someone likes strawberries.



The caterer did a wonderful job on the display.




Everyone had a wonderful time.



We'll hang on to sweet memories til we meet again.

Exeter- Art & Tiques

I took last Friday off from work. I took a little daytrip to North Hampton and Exeter, New Hampshire. I made a number of stops that day which I will share in
future posts. Today, I will post about the coolest shop in Exeter, New Hampshire.
It's called Art & Tiques.



I saw this display from across the street and it piqued my interest. I expected an artsy funky type of shop. It was so much more.



I entered the shop and there was Charlie. Isn't he adorable? He resides with shop owner Linda Anason. She told me Charlie was a rescue dog from the ASPCA. He has the sweetest personality and the most soulful eyes. He captivated me from the moment I saw him. I am glad he lives with Linda, she clearly loves him.

Linda was so nice to let me loose, camera in hand, in her shop. I took tons of photos!



I loved this teapot but it did not come home with me.




Baskets anyone? There were lots of them.




I liked this red birdcage too and the lantern above it.



All kinds of canes.



Are these your initials?



Where else can you get a fencing mask?



This guy was interesting.



Old baseballs for Red Sox nation.



I walked around with this purse in my hand but I didn't end up buying it.



Interesting items throughout the shop.



Don't you love old boxes? They are great for storage or decorating.



These would make wonderful accent items.



A mish mash of items in the shop. I love to rummage through things.




Pretty bottles on display.



Playing cards serve as price tags.



Paper people? I don't really know what they are.



I liked this lamp too.



Pretty glassware.



All kinds of silverware in baskets.




This clock was really neat. It almost glowed in the sunlight.

And what did I buy? Well, two items. One was an old trophy and the other was a vintage Polaroid camera. When I went to the register, the owner asked me if I was a dealer. I said, "no". She said, "You should be, you picked the hottest items." I was flattered by the compliment.



Rain boots, so cheery. I could have used these last month when we had heavy rain and flooding.

But Friday was absolutely gorgeous and I had so much fun scouring through all the items at Art & Tiques and playing with Charlie. The owner's business card even mentions Charlie.

If you live in the area, you simply must visit Art&Tiques, 130 Water St, Exeter. You won't be disappointed and if you do stop by, give Charlie a hug for me.

Looking back at Easter

Did you have a nice Easter? I did, so I thought I would share some memories of the day.

We went to Mass and then had Easter Brunch at my condo.



A chocolate bunny and a card at each placesetting.



This Easter colored cheesecake is from Junior's in Brooklyn. I had it on display for brunch but we were too stuffed to eat it for dessert!



We had fruit cup to start.



Mary made an Easter bread, an annual tradition.



I made overnight french toast. Make it the day before and bake it the next morning.



My sister made a Swedish Apple Pie.



Molly had an angel on her shoulder.



I decided rather impulsively to invite some friends over for dessert. After all, we hadn't even touched the cheesecake!



That's Oscar in the window. He thought it was more interesting outside. Yes, I did stand on a chair to get this shot. I took the photo before the guests arrived, although I am sure they would not have been fazed by me standing on a chair to get this photo. They always say, "blog shot!".




There's one of my Salvation Army teacups.



I love this cake pedestal. It's from Home Goods of course!




Another view of the tablescape.




We finally cut the cheesecake! It was so good, creamy cheesecake on the inside,
chocolate cookie crumb crust on the outside. And that topping, a Madras Plaid linen look layer with a little chocolate ganache thrown in.

I think after yesterday's feast I shall not eat for days!