Laboring Through the Hodgepodge

Here we are again...add your link at the end of my post and then hop around to some of the other bloggers who've joined the party this week.

1. Labor Day (in the US of A) is approaching...what's something you've labored over this year?

The Hodgepodge? 

Ha...I do love it still. I've had to work my brain a little bit harder to come up with the questions this year, but as long as I continue to enjoy it each week I'll keep calm and Hodgepodge on.

2. What is one word to describe your 'job' or career?

evolving

3. What was your worst or least favorite job ever?

I've never had a job I truly hated, but I guess cleaning latrines as a CIT would probably top the list of 'least favorite'.  I loved everything about being a CIT except for that whole latrine thing.  

4. How do you measure contentment?

I'm not sure contentment can be measured...seems like people are either content or they're not. For me, contentment isn't found in things, nor is it found in my circumstances, be they grand or disastrous. In fact I think true contentment is often found in spite of my circumstances. Or maybe that's just when I'm most aware of how content I really am.  

I don't think contentment means you quit trying and growing as a person, or that you settle for where you are at the present moment.  I do think it means giving whatever it is my best effort, and then being satisfied and at peace in knowing whatever the outcome, God's grace is sufficient. Sufficient for the moment, the day, the circumstance, the challenge, the anything and the everything too. He knows the end from the beginning and when things don't go the way I wanted or anticipated, I remind myself I only see in part.  He's got the whole big picture in His hands and that's good enough for me.    

5. Pickles-like or dislike?  What is something you eat that requires a pickle?  Dill, bread and butter, sweet gherkins...what's your favorite kind of pickle?

Love! I like all pickles, but my new pickle addiction is the Clausen spicy dill. I like pickle relish in my tuna salad, and it's a must on a hot dog. Bread and butter pickles make me think of the relish tray at Thanksgiving so they're a favorite too.

6. In your current house-town-state, what is it you like living close to?

Hmmm...that's a toss up between this-

NYC-view of Columbus Circle/Central Park from The Mandarin

and this-

tinytown lake

I'm definitely part city mouse, part country mouse.  

7. What is one thing on your 'want-to-do' list before summer draws to an official close?

Take in a sunset from a boat deck on the water.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

#7-happening this weekend!  

Five things on Friday

It's Friday and I was out on the town last night which means I'm too tired to get creative and am going with a list of all the swirly thoughts that are in my head this morning.

Well, not all of them.

You're welcome.

1. I was out on the town last night.

Did I already say that?

By 'out on the town' I mean I was back in NYC.

I was in a restaurant though, not a nightclub,

but that's pretty much what 'out on the town' means if we're talking about me.

Hubs had a dinner with some work colleagues and originally it was going to be just the work people but then spouses and significant others were added to the mix so I was included.

We met at his office and trekked back into the city for a fabulous meal at a wonderful Indian restaurant called Tamarind.

We used to eat Indian food at least once a week when we lived in the UK.

Sadly there is no Indian food in our little NJ town.

Boo.

Do you like Indian food?

When I ask people that question they usually have a yes or no response.

There's not a lot of middle ground on this one.

I love it and so do my girls and the hubs.

I like spicy but not nuclear.

Daughter1 is the same.

Daughter2 prefers hers more on the mild side.

Then there is hubs-

it's hard to make something too hot for my hubs.

He orders spicy with a side of chopped green chilies.

Owners of Indian restaurants seem to admire and appreciate this.

2. I see why NYC commuters are 'cranky'.

The traffic.

Holy moly!

We were chugging right along but as we approached the Lincoln Tunnel things began to slow.

And bottleneck.

And annoy.

About a mile from the tunnel our GPS informed us we would arrive at our destination at 6:08.

It was currently 5:56.

I thought, 'Wow-we're going to be so early.'

Ha.

The Lincoln Tunnel is a mile and a half long.

At 6:48 we were still not thru the tunnel.

Bother.

We were finally parked and walking into the restaurant about fifteen minutes prior to our 7:30 reservation.

I cannot imagine making the commute in and out of the city every.single.day.

Yet...several million people do...

and we should not wonder that it sometimes makes them 'cranky'.

3. It's raining here today.

Rain isn't snow.

But rain has to go somewhere and we are praying the gutters are defrosted enough to accommodate all the rain in the forecast.

There will also be winds.

High gale force winds.

What is a gale force anyway?

4. I'm going out to lunch today.

Sushi.

It's been World Cultures Week here as far as meals are concerned.

Have I talked about anything besides eating out on my blog this week?

I think not.

5. The lovely but not so sweet smelling pup will be having a bath while I'm out.

The back yard is covered in snow but she's found something to get into that is most definitely not snow.

And on that pleasant note I will end this post.

Have a great weekend everyone!

It was Grand

I spent yesterday with some friends in NYC.

We had plans to take the walking tour of Grand Central Terminal, plans which of course included a nice lunch out.

FYI- most of my plans include lunch out.

I'm thankful to have friends who don't mind driving into the city.

I could do it if pressed and I'd be fine I think up until we hit the squeeze play at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel which, in a split second, requires the exact correct proportion of patience and aggression.

The weather cooperated as much as we could hope for in February and although it was a ridiculous 20 something degrees when we headed out the sun was shining brightly and that makes all the difference in a day.

If you're in NYC I recommend the tour.

It's a self guided audio tour and the cost is $5 for adults which has to be one of the most reasonable things to do in all of NYC. The building itself is beautiful and full of so many wonderful bits of history, architecture and of course, food.

Grand Central Terminal was built in 1913 by shipping and railroad hotshot Cornelius Vanderbilt (not by himself, of course). The Vanderbilt symbol was the acorn and the oak leaf and you see both of those incorporated into different pieces throughout the building.

The terminal was nearly demolished back in the late sixties when rail travel became less popular and hundreds of homeless folks began making their home inside this ginormous building. Thankfully the terminal was saved, primarily thru the efforts of The Landmark Preservation Commission with a little help along the way from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Today it is positively hopping with over 700,000 people passing thru its doors every single day.

New York is just full of people, people.

The main terminal area with its massive ceiling and beautiful staircases is definitely worth a look. Windows dominate the room and are interesting...they're double sided and actually have walkways between the two panes of glass.

These chandeliers were almost tossed until someone had the bright idea to have them cleaned and it was discovered they were not brass but solid nickel topped with gold.

Ooops.

The staircases are marble and were designed to resemble the staircases in the Paris Opera House. Here we are standing on one trying to take a picture, and no of course we did not annoy any travelers who were trying to make their way in and out of the building.

Some of these ladies read my blog (hi girls!) and we're learning as much history and trivia as we can for the day we all end up together in Cash Cab.

Have you seen the show?

So fun!

Anyway, let's talk about something important.

Like food.

And celebrities.

Grand Central has five restaurants and lounges, a 'food court' and about fifty shops.

There is an absolutely fantastic food market in the station and we may have gotten slightly off track (Ha) when we walked by all the amazing cheeses and other goodies. The chandelier in the market is made to look like an olive tree but uses lights in place of olives.

A walk thru the food court is part of the tour and it's fun to see how they've incorporated pieces from old trains to give you the sense of sitting in a dining car while you're eating.

We didn't eat here but instead had a lovely lunch in one of the nicer restaurants that overlooks the main terminal -Charlie Palmers Metrazur.

What made this particular venue even better was the moment we discovered Larry David was sitting only about four tables from ours.

We spent much of the meal attempting to subtly take his picture.

I think you can probably imagine how subtle a table full of women can be when they spy someone famous but seriously, if those pesky people at the tables between us would have just taken the hint and scooched over I could have had a nice photo.

Instead I have this-

That's him, or rather part of his head and shoulder, in the back right. For those who don't know, Larry David is the co-creator of Seinfeld and also has his own show on HBO called Curb Your Enthusiasm.

As he got up to leave a few of us may have decided we needed to go to the restroom at that exact moment. We all came face to face as he exited the men's room but something about taking a picture in that moment just didn't feel right so I put the camera away.

Besides, we had other celebs to stalk see so we needed to move on.

An event happened to be taking place in the terminal that afternoon, an Oscar tribute of sorts. You could have your picture taken with this year's Best Actor Oscar statuette.

We weren't really interested in doing that but we'd learned earlier in the day that Whoopi Goldberg was going to be there so we hung around for a look.

At first we couldn't see much more than the top of her head but we arrived at a good time because before long she was escorted out...right in front of us-

Naturally I was fumbling with my camera and she stopped and said, 'Did you get it?' Unexpectedly gracious I thought.

Why is it so much fun to see someone famous?

I can't explain it...it just is.

After all the excitement it was time to head home... back to the 'burbs and the snow and the pulling dinner out of the freezer because you neglected to do so in the morning...back to your regularly scheduled programming.

A day in the city did make for an awfully nice and much needed commercial break though, for these very real (but way more fun) housewives of NJ.