Trying

My boss at work made a great point when we all went out to lunch a couple of weeks ago. The people who continually talk about "trying to have a baby" don't realize what kind of pressure they are putting on those they are talking around. When you actually stop and think about it, telling people you are trying to have a baby forces them to think about you and your significant doing things no wants to picture.

Face it. Outside of yourselves, no one wants to think about those things. No one... that is for sure. But how else can you discuss you and your partner being ready to try to become parents? I don't think there really is another effective way to talk about it. But I think there is something to be said about "thinking about it." I have thought about it a lot of late, as Kimberly and I are ... well ... you know... trying.

It is amazing how quickly the weight of a situation can come over you. I've been told over and over again I'd make a great dad. And I greatly appreciate anyone who has ever thought that or said it. But it just seems such an amazing task. Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of great dads. Mr. L, my uncle, my brother, and a long list of others who do a great job with their kids. But me? Me being a father, a dad, a pappy? You only get a couple of shots at it, and what if you screw up?

And then I realize (each time mind you), there is NO possible way, any single person on this earth is ever "ready" to be a parent. I think you can be prepared... you can give off every possible vibe of being the best parent ever... but until that baby cries in your arms for the first time, all is left to your imagination at best. Once that kid's life depends on you, all bets are off and "play" time is over. It's put up or shut up time.

I had the pleasure of heading down to Maryland to help watch my niece (and nephew who doesn't need watching) over this past weekend. Both of them are amazing kids and show me what a great influence good parenting can have. My niece is stubborn, and so very cute. My nephew is quiet, yet so very strong. And they are just amazing to watch grow, even from a great distance. It was a perfect time for me to be around them. It allowed me to take a deep breath and see what all the planning was for all at once... for two great kids like that, maybe somewhere in our future.

So, as Kimberly and I continue to grow as a couple and see where our lives take us. I look very much forward to being a father, a dad, a source of money for some 13 year old some day. I am scared at times, but welcome it as being the greatest challenge we'll face. And one I think we are (believe it or not) as ready as we are ever going to be!

The Big East Knows How to get Down

I am sure you have all seen this by now... but I just had to share.

No idea why this won't format correctly though...




Looooooooove it!

Joe & Clare's Wedding...

Kimberly and I put on our evening's best and headed over to Warren, NJ for Joe Pisapia and Clare Cardillo's wedding reception. We didn't make it to the ceremony, but made it to the Stonehouse at Stirling Ridge in time for the cocktail hour and p a r t y. We ran into Joe and Clare during the cocktail hour and they both looked fantastic. We hung around with Brian and Leigh and Mr. and Mrs. Alspach for much of the cocktail hour. Brian and Leigh's wedding is only a few months away in August.

Joe and Clare had a band played, believe they were called Around Town. They were solid and had plenty of people in the band to play. The place itself was gorgeous and as the sun went down there was a fire built right outside the ceiling to floor windows. As with all great weddings, there was a mix of great food, great people, and plenty of dancing. Joe and Clare led the way on the dance floor, making sure to involve everyone by getting themselves out there first.

For dinner, they had Halibut or Filet. The filet was fantastic. It was served with roasted potatoes, zuccinni, and asparagus. I hate asparagus, but actually enjoyed it as part of this entire meal. The dancing happened around all the various food items and, as is almost always the case, really picked up after dinner was finished. I think Joe and Clare had a great time, Kimberly and I sure did.

The whole night was made that much better by our table mates. Kurt and Geana Morris were to our right, Rennee Rifkin and her boyfriend were across the table, and to our left was Anthony, a good friend of Joe's, and Dhvani, also a very good friend of Joe's.

This wedding was the first one Kimberly and I attended as husband and wife. It was a somewhat surreal moment to be a guest and not have to do all the running around (though I still did to take pictures). It was a relief with a smal pang of missing something. Overall, I think it was a great wedding to be back part of the "normal population", and not the focus of attention. And its always great to see two people you care about join their lives together.

AIDS Walk 2009 - Done and Done

Kimberly, her cheerleaders from Bryant High School in Astoria, NY, and myself ventured in to Manhattan to take part in the AIDs Walk. I made the terrible decision to walk from Penn Station up to Central Park... three avenues and 25 blocks. That equates to around 2.2 miles when all is said and done. So, before even walking a step to help raise money for AIDs research, I put in 2.2 miles. Then came the 6.2 miles that took us through Central Park out to the west side of town and back into Central Park.

Around mile number 2 my knees began barking at me. Around mile four, my left hip decided to go all geriatric on me. And by mile six, I was in more pain than I can remember for a long, long time. I tried my best to suck it up and walk... but you know me... I had to complain. I didn't do too much, because a couple of Kimberly's cheerleaders were well out ahead of me in the complaining department. But all five of them made it through all 6.2 miles and seemed to be proud of themselves at the end.

Kimberly and her girls raised about 340 dollars to donate to the foundation. Thanks to everyone who donated and keep up the great work. As the economy continues to stink, its even more important to donate to these good causes.

Splash of Thai - South Ave

Kimberly and I ventured out on Friday night to the local Thai restaurant on the other side of the tracks here in Westfield. We went to Splash of Thai with Matt and Kate. Matt just finished getting his college degree and we were in the mood to celebrate. The service was very good and so was the food. We got an appetizer of "Assorted Rolls" which included spring rolls and a couple of raw tuna rolls. There was another roll included-which was fantastic- but we had nary a clue what it consisted of at all.

I got the "Drunken Noodles" and wasn't really sure what to expect. The food was great. It came with scallops, shrimp, and chicken and was just spicy enough for my liking. We also got a Hot Chocolate fondue thingermabomber. We had to order it before our appetizer came which was different, but it was well worth it. As an aside, I am not exactly sure what Kimberly and Kate got but they both enjoyed it. Matt got the Wild Boar Stir Fry... and enjoyed it. Said it tasted just like... pork. Thought I was going to say chicken didn't you?

I would highly recommend Splash of Thai. There menu is pretty big and should have something for everyone from those who can't handle anything spicy to those who really like a big kick.

Congrats to Matty on finishing school. Up next for him... consolodating those student loans!

AIDS Walk 2009

No idea who reads this, but figured I would put this out there. Kimberly is walking in the AIDS Walk in NYC this Sunday. She is particpating along with her cheerleaders from Bryant High School in Astoria.

Kimberly and I walked in this event two years ago and the day was a lot of fun. The walking path pretty much runs through the upper 80's and Central Park. They have vendors along the way to hand you water, other drinks, and snacks.

If you feel like donating, you can click on the link below.

Kimberly's AIDS Walk Page

Random Wedding thoughts

One of the things that I thought would be great to do with this space is talk about our wedding back in November and share with brides and grooms to be some advice and thoughts.

Looking back at the wedding day itself, there is one thing that I think Kimberly and I would have thought out a bit more if we had the chance. Photographs. We chose a company, Bella Pictures, that had offices all across the country and a great reputation. We had heard so many disturbing stories from friends and strangers alike about terrible photographs, awful personalities, and, in the worst case scenarios, bankrupt companies who run without giving you your memories. Bella was too big a company to not at least come through with the pictures that were taken. They also had a great way of going through your photographer selection process. You would rate at least 50 pictures that would then match you up with a photographer.

With all that said, whether you go local or national, be sure to be in control of your entire day. If there are pictures you want, tell the photog before your day even begins. Give them a full background of people and shots that you want and let them capture the rest. The strangest thing for me was that I didn't take a single photo the day or night of our wedding. I love taking pictures and love taking candid shots. Our photograher Tobias did a great job with capturing individual moments, but there were definitely random group shots I wish I had asked for at the time. Shots of my brothers and I... shots of me and my second family, the Lanzafamas. So while there are amazing shots... we don't have all the shots we wanted.

The day flies by and really should be a time of fun and love. But taking the time to plan out what shots you are looking for and letting your photog know will let you look back six months later and love every single shot you have.

As an aside, we had a great experience with Bella and would recommend it to others.

First Trip to the New Yankee Stadium

This past Saturday, Kimberly and I jumped in the Hyundai and headed down to Belmar, NJ to help out with the surprise of my buddy Mike on his 30th birthday. His wonderful fiance' Kristina had rented a limo to head to Yankee Stadium to celebrate. We all piled into the stretch SUV and started the celebration early.

The ride in was fun and rolling up to the Major Deegan I had a great sense of anticipation. I had passed the new stadium a few times while driving into Astoria in the past, but I had yet to get there for a game. We got dropped off right in front of the the golden Yankee Stadium lettering on the new home office of baseball.

We all fled the confines of the SUV to head into the River Ave home of the Bronx Bombers. I was very impressed with the way they made sure to give you the opportunity to see the field while walking the concourses. Fine, beers are 9 bucks and food is over priced. And there are many empty seats. But I loved the place. I can't wait to go back with friends and family.

The Yankees lost in my first trip to the new Yankee Stadium. CC Sabathia didn't have his best outing. But it was a great trip.

Gabi's Sushi and Noodles - Elm St. Westfield

Kimberly and I got sushi tonight from Gabi's. This is the second time we've ordered from there. They are located on Elm St. in Westfield, situated right off of the other entrance to our parking lot (so we don't have to head out to the street to get there) We got a spicy tuna roll, a volcano roll (spicy tuna on top of a shrimp tempura roll), salmon sushi, and yellow tail sushi. We enjoyed all of the food and were definitely impressed by the speed and freshness.

We are looking forward to ordering some different rolls as time goes on. They are a solid small restaurant in the area. We've been told that there are over 50 restaurants in the Westfield... we have a lot of eating to do apparently. We shall see how it they all turn out!

Spring Fling - Downtown Westfield

Kimberly and I woke up this morning to a bustling downtown here in Westfield. It is the 15th annual Spring Fling event here. There are a ton of vendors lining Prospect St, Elm St, and E Broad St. While it seems as though we are stuck here (our parking lot is behind our building and opens onto a street that is full of tents/vendors), we enjoyed walking around this morning and got plenty of sun.

I am looking forward to grabbing a London Broil sandwich around four or so (ahhh early dinner.) Won't be as good as mom used to make, but hey it will hit the spot I am sure. Currently, we are relaxing but can still hear the music from the street below. We stopped by the Overlook Hospital tent and got some good information about the local hospital. Kimberly also made friends with the New Jersey Youth Theatre Program. I hope that is a chance meeting that will lead to some connections down the road.

Rockin' Joes - Prospect St. Westfield

Kimberly, Sarah, and I went into a coffee shop around the corner from our place this past Sunday. We had wanted to get out and enjoy the weather. We had hoped to grab one of the tables they set up on the sidewalk. Kimberly and Sarah got there before me and were unable to secure one of the sunlit high tops, so instead we ventured in and took a seat on some of the wicker furniture inside close enough to the windows to catch the nice breeze.

Sarah got a frozen hot chocolate (still not sure how that works, but I am all out of explanations for this oxymoron these days). Kimberly had a tea, and I got the Caramoo (steamed milk, caramel, and whipped cream).

The drinks were good. They were enjoyed by their respective owners and in the swap of beverage ("you gotta try this") ritual we all took part in. My Caramoo was pretty darn good and tasted like something I should be having for dessert. The service was quick, but still polite and relaxed.

The venue has a great ambiance. They have some comfortable furniture as well as some great things to look at hanging on the wall. They have a ton of guitars, albums, and album covers all over the place along with a great picture of Yankee closer Mariano Rivera! Any time you walk into or by Rockin Joe's you will here some of the all time great rock music playing.

The best part of our inaugural visit to the coffee shop was meeting the owner Lance. He chatted us up for a long while telling us the story of his store (its a franchise), his family (moved to NJ from the Wall Street area of Manhattan), and told us some great information about Westfield itself. He let us know about things to look out for (Jazz nights in the summer and more) and what to expect from the other stores and restaurants.

All in all, we had a great time at Rockin Joe's and would recommend it to anyone. Kimberly and I will surely head back in there any chance we get. The service was friendly and the drinks were great. Next time we gotta check out some of the food!

Back to the Basics of Blogging

So, I think it was about ten years ago that I started to blog. And those were very interesting times. It seems like a perfect time to get back in the saddle and started blogging again. I plan on getting the wife to blog as well. Maybe we can get some great wedding tips on line and help some other people plan for their wedding. Also, you can look forward to some stories about Westfield, Old Bridge, Plainsboro, Maynard, Waltham, Germantown, Kazakhstan and all the places in between.