A New Year's Eve Wedding

My sister was commissioned to do a live event painting for a New Year's Eve wedding. The venue was the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. The Imperial Ballroom to be exact.  She would paint the festivities from the opera box or balcony above the room.

She usually takes a few reference photos as she can not paint all the goings on in one night.  She always finishes the painting in her studio.  For this wedding, she hired me to take the reference photos. She said her little point and shoot camera's flash would never be strong enough to record the action down below the opera box.

The ballroom was very impressive and looked like a winter wonderland.  The chandeliers were massive and exquisite!

Here's a view of the opera boxes. I took this shot before any wedding guests arrived.

With purple uplighting, the entire room was transformed into something magical and elegant.

The cake was topped with a glittery C for Caroline and Charlie, the bride and groom. The chairs were silver as were the tablecloths.

The bride and groom got a sneak peek at the room before the guests arrived and I got my first look at the dress. It was beautiful, flouncy and feathery looking. 

The bride smiled throughout the night. I don't think I have a single picture of her where she isn't smiling. As it should be, right?

Many of the tables had illuminated trees as centerpieces. It was tasteful and elegant.

The cake had center spotlight and it was a beauty.  Tiny "pearls" decorated each layer.

Again the cake. I do not know what flavor it was but it looked yummy. The cake is an important feature of the wedding painting so my sister asked me to make sure I got some good shots of it  for her reference.

Of course, the dress is also important so I took lots of pictures of the bride. I was also supposed to take shots of people doing things like dancing and clapping. And shots of people who were smiling and happy.

Mission accomplished in this shot. I think these two look very happy! They were so cute!

Most of my sister's customers want the first dance of the bride and groom as the focal point of the painting.

The clergy man gave the couple a lovely blessing. I used my zoom lens to get this photo.

The bride's dance with her Father was sweet. it looked like her dress had a crystal snowflake on it. Quite fitting for a winter wonderland theme.

My sister played catch up with the painting as we got stuck in a traffic gridlock on the way to the wedding. One of the streets was totally blocked off and traffic was being rerouted.

I took so many shots of people dancing and I used my flash to pick up the details since we were another story up in the opera box.

This wedding was a major dance party. The guests danced all night. I hardly saw anyone sitting at the tables.

People clapping and smiling just what my sister wanted for her reference photos. I can't wait to see the finished painting!

As you can see, we were pretty far removed from the wedding so I could snap away to my heart's content without interfering with the official photographer. I took 700+ photos.

The wedding lasted into the New Year and there was a big screen TV so we could watch the countdown to 2013.

The wedding lasted into the wee hours of the morning. I was exhausted having working during the day at my regular job. At the end of the wedding, just as we were leaving, I got violently ill and I was thankful that the ride home was quick. We did have a bit of a wait for the valet to get our car because there had been a hit and run right in front of the hotel. There were police cars and an ambulance blocking the road. The EMTS were attending to the victim who was still in the middle of the road. Yikes!

It was quite the evening and a crazy start to the New Year!

The Sleeper

                      “Time to start getting more sleep. This beautiful physique needs royal treatment.”
                                                       ― Elizabeth Rudnick, Tweet Heart

2012- the year in review

Every year I do a photo mosaic of the year in review. Wow, there's always so many pictures to go through and it's fun to reminisce when making the selections for the collage.

So here's a sampling of my year. As I look at it I realize there is a definite theme, food! I joined Weight Watchers and lost 18 pounds but still managed to be able to reward myself from time to time.

I found a new tearoom in 2012. Heath Tearoom in Rockport. Had a lovely time with my friend Lori Lee.

Spent some Summer nights just before sunset at Horn Pond in Woburn. So peaceful there.

I had a few dessert nights instead of full blown parties in 2012.

Found a new dessert place in Providence called Pastiche. It is located in the Federal Hill area which is full of great eateries.

I left my job of 20 years. Boy that was a very hard decision. I miss my former coworkers but I am still in touch with many of them.

Tried my hand at nighttime photography with my friend Don at Nubble Light in Maine.

Finally attended a Waterfire event in Providence. It was spectacular and I hope to go back next Summer.

Had my Wimbledon breakfast again last July.

A few trips to one of my favortie stores, Nesting left me a little lighter in the wallet. I also enjoyed shopping estate sales, flea markets, yard sales and auctions.

I enjoyed putting together my tablescapes for Easter and the Harvest dinner.

A mini sister's vacation wss just what my Sister and I needed in October.

Had a great time dining in a lighthouse in Newburyport.

Percy, Molly and Oscar never failed to entertain me.

Had a wonderful time at a Christmas tea in Chelmsford with my friend Karen.

Made a few trips last Summer to my favorite spots in Rockport.

Discovered some new coffeehouses, The Biscuit in Somerville, and Jitters Cafe in Melrose.

So that's a wrap for the year 2012. I hope the year 2013 is happy and healthy for all.

Nature's Jewelry- A Winter Walk

We had about 6 inches of snow last night. I think this is about the perfect amount of snowfall, not too much and not too little. Although the temperature was in the 20 degree range and there was a howling wind, I ventured out to see nature at her best.

My hometown looks very Currier and Ives-esque after a winter storm. You would think that since snow is white that everything snow covered would look bigger but it is just the opposite. Everything looks smaller and in my opinion more beautiful.

The gazebo on the Town Common looks like something out of a Victorian painting. All we need is a small pondand a few skaters to add a little more romance to the scene. And of course, if we're creating a painting we can leave the snowplow out.

I walked down one of the streets in my neighborhood just admiring the pristine snow. The plants and bushes had little ice pellets on them and they were breathtaking.

I was hoping the beauty I saw through my lens would translate to my photos but it's not quite right. In person, it looked like crystals and diamonds were shining on the trees in the late afternoon sun.  As if someone had flicked a switch and turned on thousands of twinkle lights.

The snow has a way of hitting just the right spots on a house like the turret on my friend Kim's house.

I tried to zoom in closer to capture nature's crystal and diamonds on the branches.

Smow is really nature's jewelry. There is nothing prettier to me. It is special because it is so temporary. The ice on the branches melts once the temperatures rise so it is constantly changing.

Once the sun hits those icy branches, the melting begins, but not today. It was too cold for any melting and I was able to enjoy nature's illumination.

The snow and ice made for some magical views. And the sky would eventually turn a lovely pastel pink. Had my fingers not been flirting with hypothermia I would have stayed to record the beautiful sunset.

 

 

Icy coldness just adds to the flavor of the shot and makes the painfullly numb fingers and face worthwhile.

 

 

Some of the homes looked Christmas card perfect. The snow was better than any holiday decoration.

 

My neighbor's yard took on a wintry mystique. A big gust of wind blew snow off the barn roof just as I was taking this shot. So cool!

His garden ornament was dancing for joy at the beauty around him. Or maybe he was just trying to keep warm!

 

And in my own yard, some perfectly formed snow and ice crystals make a lovely statement piece for nature's jewelry.

Christmas Festivities

One of the social events of the season is Jolie's Christmas Party. You may remember my post about her last year's party.  This year's party did not disappoint.  The food, the holiday decor, the company, was all superb.

Jolie's home is so warm and cozy.  She has an artist's eye for decor and her home especially sparkles during the holidays. I just drink it in and snap away, wanting to share it all with you. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing all the details of her home.

She has a collection of lighted buildings. It looks so gorgeous when it is the only illumination in the living room.

Greenery decorations on each window. And there are so many windows in the house.

Another view of the lighted village. There are some whimsical touches here like a flash of light illuminating Santa as if Santa is being photographed.

Jolie created this yule log complete with meringue mushrooms and real greenery on the tray. The outside of the log tasted like chocolate ganache. There was a "dusting" of snow on the top. It was crazy good!

 I mean really, these meringue mushrooms were so realistic! And tasted so fantastic!

All the food was so exceptionally presented. I vowed to try one of everything but there was so much to eat I could not eat it all.

See what I mean? This was so festive and delicious looking, how could one resist?

I loved this pot rack with all the copper pans and Jolie put them to good use. Jolie and her kids made everything for the party. The preparation is immense and takes days I am sure.

Red and green olives for Christmas. All so artfully displayed.  I am taking notes on all of this.

Lots of smiling faces on this night. The two people on the left travelled all the way from Sweden to attend Jolie's party! Only kidding, they were here for a few weeks visiting the US.

More great food to be consumed. The meatballs were delicious! So was the cranberry sauce and the tarts with cream cheese, goat cheese, parsley and peach jam. I lost count of how many of those mini tarts I ate.

The tree looked lovely and the gifts were already wrapped. Where does she find the time?

Back to the food, look at the bread selection. More than at Panera Bread!

Wait til you see all the main courses. There was a baked ham with sauce.

And a pork tenderloin and turkey with gravy and sauces to accompany them.

Guests were helping themselves to the meats from the stovetop. There was no room on the island for the big meat platters.

There were many generations of people at this party from kids to a woman in her nineties.

Those in the dining room were the luckiest of all as they were closest to the desserts!

More of the Swedish contingent. They were heading to New York after the party.

And last but not least, Morgan, the family dog. Morgan is a gentle giant and his space was invaded by all those party guests.  He was a good sport and did not make a peep at the party. I am sure he could not wait until everyone went home and he could attack the leftovers.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I was on my best behavior..  After all, I want an invitation again next year!

Harvard Square epiphany

I had a vacation day from work today and my plans got cancelled so I offered to help my sister with her Christmas shopping. She had made a list so it seemed like an easy task. She wanted me to go to one store in Harvard Square, Joie de Vivre, a small very quirky shop on Massachusetts Ave or Mass Ave as we natives call it.

The forecast was for wind driven rain but not too cold temperatures. I wore a light rain coat, blue jeans and snow boots. It was steadily raining but the monsoon had not arrived yet.

Parking was a nightmare. It usually is in that area but it was exacerbated by those doing Christmas shopping. I could not find a space near the store so I circled around to the opposite side of this busy street. I found one, not real close and the meter was for a mere 30 minutes. I hoped the meter maids did not want to go out in a nor'easter and I could be spared a ticket. I rushed out of the car and hurried to the store.

What a great store, Joie de Vivre. Lots of retro stuff, many low priced items, wacky stocking stuffers, and hilarious cards. Of course, 4 of the items on the list were sold out. So I improvised. Got some great stuff. My sister said if I found something I liked to get it because she needed a gift for me too. I bought a lamp for my new downstairs office. Photos to be posted later.

After visiting a second store, the Paper Source, for wrapping paper and a few small gifts, I took a mochaccino break at Rosie's Bakery.  At this point, the wind driven rain had arrived. I could not see my car and I figured the parking ticket was a certainty. I added a Mediterranean omelet to my drink order and I settled in to enjoy my breakfast.

Afterwards, I ventured out into the wild and wooly weather. You know, the kind of weather that if you were driving on the highway you would pull off because you couldn't see two feet in front of you. Umbrellas were virtually useless as they immediately blew inside out. I was having a hard time holding on to my 3 parcels. It took forever to cross the street, traffic, puddles, yuck!  I was not amused.

 I walked up the street a couple of blocks and could not find my car. At this point, the paper shopping bags were saturated and so was I.  One of the paper bags was starting to rip. I thought I would try to find a shop that had plastic bags and so I entered City Sports. The nice clerk said he would get me a plastic bag but came back with clear trash bags for me. He said he brought me the clear trash bags so I wouldn't look like a homeless person. Mmm, ok.

Continuing up the street, I still could not find my car. I turned and started walking in the other direction. The rain was coming down sideways and the winds were kicking up. My jeans were soaked and sticking to my legs. The water was dripping off my hair and rolling down my neck. I was getting chilled.  My bangs were so wet I had to slick them back and then the rain was hitting my face and eyelashes so hard I could hardly see. Plus when it is raining that hard it actually hurts. Real nice on my broken nose.

I walked into a store named Nomad just to get out of the rain and catch my breath. My arms were hurting from carrying my packages awkwardly so they wouldn't drag on the ground. The store had beautiful handcrafted items from all over the world. A young woman came up to me and said she would take my packages and put them behind the counter. She saw they were trash bags and then she told me she would just leave them by a display that she couldn't put them behind the counter. I told her no, she would not leave them out in the open and I took them and left the store. I am convinced she thought I was a homeless person and that's when her attitude changed.

I realized my car was not on this end of the street so I backtracked again. While I walked, I planned out all the wonderful things I was going to do when I found my car. A hot shower with my favorite Philosophy salt scrub and shower gel, a hot cup of tea and a gingerbread cookie while relaxing on the couch under my soft plush blanket. Aw, yes that will be wonderful but then my thoughts turned to the homeless. What if I were homeless and I got caught in the rainstorm and had no other clothes but the ones I had on? How would I ever get dry or warm? And how would people treat me? Would anyone help me? The temperature was scheduled to drop after today. How would I survive? I don't think I would.

Finally I found my car and I was never so happy to see it. I immediately turned up the heat to the max and I drove straight home. Christmas music on the radio and out of the rain, my mood immediately improved.

I arrived at home to see the entire contents of my recycling bin strewn across the driveway, lawn and the neighbor's property. Cat food cans everywhere, water bottles, plastic take out containers. and a Tidy Cats Kitty Litter container. As I picked up the debris it was still pouring. This discomfort is temporary I told myself.  You are minutes away from a hot shower, clean clothes and that cup of tea.

And finally, after the hot shower, I had my cup of tea and gingerbread man. While I was in the shower the sun came out!

Today's trials and tribulations had an impact on me. Just yesterday I had decided to join the 26 acts of kindness movement when a friend posted about it on Facebook. The 26 acts idea was created by NBC News' Ann Curry and was posted on Twitter at #26acts. Last night, I was thinking of doing things that the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting would have cared about but now I think my random acts of kindness will be centered on the homeless.

I found a non profit organization called Birthday Wishes and I am going to volunteer.  Their mission is to bring birthday parties to children living in shelters. Some of the shelters allow volunteers to come in and interact with the kids.  Other shelters are called safe shelters and the volunteers put together birthday boxes of gifts and supplies but they can't attend the parties. I am excited about this opportunity and I am going to round up my own group of volunteers.

So how about you? Are you in for #26acts? I did my first one today, Christmas shopping for my sister.  I have 25 more opportunities for kindness.

Christmas Mischief and Mishaps

Anything I would post about seems so frivilous after hearing the news from Connecticut yesterday.
I watched the coverage and was actually disgusted by the reporters asking for interviews from the children and their parents. I think they could have used a little more compassion.

I watched the interview with the teacher who locked her kids in the bathroom. What a brave, compassionate young woman. She is a true hero and if I had kids I would want her to be their teacher.

Anyway, I did write a post about my Christmas decoration progress today. If you want to escape the sadness for a few minutes read on:

I am finally getting down to decorating the condo for Christmas.  Last weekend, I decorated the mantle in the dining room but I am still tweaking it.  Tonight, I worked on the fireplace in the living room. It really doesn't take me long to decorate the condo since it's a small space.

This week I had a little mishap and it set me back on my decorating. On Tuesday, I fell in the parking lot where I work and I broke my nose. I tumbled feet flying behind me and I crashed onto the concrete face first. Well, first my knee then my hands then my nose and my forehead. What a bloody mess! I had my first ambulance ride and I spent about 3 hours in the emergency room.

I am one lucky girl. I did not have a concussion although I hit my head and I didn't break my kneecap although I hit my knee before breaking my nose. Just a broken nose, sore knee and facial cuts.
I think I have a guardian angel. It could have been so much worse!

Back to the fun stuff. I have a prelit garland that I use on the fireplace in the living room. This year I dressed it up with some gold leaves, gold pinecones and strands of gold beads. I wanted it to really shimmer.

I took about 10 seconds after I'd finished the fireplace for Percy to investigate. I think he can read, he went right to the stocking with his name on it. I should have known shimmery things would attract a curious cat.

How long do you think the garland will last on the fireplace? I am guessing not even 24 hours.

Right now he is back to resting on the cable box so hopefully he's done sniffing around. I'll let you know how it goes.