Escape to Treasure Island

This past weekend, Tom and I ran off to Florida. We were hoping to relax on the beach and enjoy some beautiful warm weather. After all, the Nov. average in the St. Petersburg/Treasure Island area is in the high 70s to low 80s.

To start things off right, we quickly learned that we had the 'tour director' pilot who took a nice loop around NYC for an aerial view. I love those guys. Much like the pilot who few us down to the Grand Canyon in May. They must love their jobs.

Beautiful Blue Ridge (we think?) Mountains.

Atlanta, in all it's sprawling glory.
The photo doesn't do it justice, this city had so many 'arms', stretching in all directions.

When we arrived, we went to the Spaghetti Warehouse (which we kept calling the Lasagna Factory- a much better name in my opinion). The food was delicious, and in the center of Ybor City, Tampa. The buildings in this area were incredibly beautiful, and full of character. I would definitely recommend coming for the spaghetti, and walking around afterwards.

We then made our way over to the Manatee Viewing Center, at the TECO electric plant near Tampa. The electric plant takes in the cold water in the bay and uses it to cool the machines, releasing warm water back out. The manatees typically show up in early November to stay the cold months, and the busiest time of the year is in January, when you can see tons of manatees, sticking their nose above the water and swimming around.

Beautiful Spanish Moss was growing everywhere. This, in my mind, is the iconic tree of the south. I'm sure this is due to Steel Magnolias and Forest Gump, which I might have to watch again. It's been a while.

Quick selfie before church. Because I've realized around this point that we have about 1 photo together, for every vacation we've gone on. Anyone else fail to document themselves actually on vacation? I could very easily be stealing some stranger's photos, since we are rarely in them.

After church, we drove to Sawgrass Lake Park (and their resident alligators). Of course, we made several back stories for the alligators, who were being taunted by the fish and birds (who would swim over their tails or would land right next to them). Or, maybe they were full after eating tourist that morning. Or, they became vegetarians, due to the evil looking squirrels that inhabit the swamp (judging from signs warning us to not feed them.)

That evening it was pouring down rain. So, we went to dinner and movie.
But, it was the best movie. Go see Big Hero 6. Best movie we've seen in the longest time.

   

 And, the next day, still rainy. But we had tickets to Typhoon Lagoon, and nothing was stopping us. Except that the park was closed for the season, meaning we were directed to go to Blizzard Beach. Still fun, though this park was definitely more geared to smaller kids. The slides and tubes were fun, but they had a lack of Disney characters, only a goofy gator on skis. It didn't really feel like a Disney park, but we didn't mind. Especially since no one was there. It was pretty surreal experience, with zero lines to stand in.

We've always loved the Waffle House, located on the way to my mother's from NYC- but this one was right across the street from our hotel. Of course, we became honorary regulars for those 4 days. I'm sure they were heartbroken when we didn't show up on Wednesday. Maybe I should write a letter to explain...

Finally, on our last day, we got beach weather (and here's some proof that we were there)!

We only went into the water up to our stomachs before getting out. The water temp stayed around 65-70 degrees, which is definitely not comfortable. Tom said that he wished he would've booked for the summer instead since we never really got to swim. I told him he was nuts, this turned out to be a great vacation. The time spent goofing around a new place made up for any botched beach plans we made. The entire vacation reminded us of why we love to travel together, making the best of what some would call a 'ruined' beach vacation. 

So tell me...
Have you ever taken an off-season beach trip (and was it warm enough to swim?)
Have you ever gone to a Disney park and had no lines to stand in?

Thanking our Veterans, Gilmore Girls, and avoiding the 'empty' subway car

1. We celebrate Veteran's Day in the US of A on November 11th. When did you last interact with a member of the armed forces (either currently serving or retired)? Have you ever written a letter to a soldier, bought a meal or coffee for a solider, said an unprompted thank you to a soldier you encountered out and about somewhere? If you're not in the US, comment on a similar holiday in your own country.

I really don't have anyone close to me who is a veteran, but I send messages to those I know on Facebook on Veterans Day. And, yesterday, the Delta flight crew we had returning from Tampa made a big announcement and applauded those on board who might be or have once served us in the military. That was nice.

2. You can have fifty pounds of anything at all (except money)...what would you choose?

I've no idea, good thing no one is really offering? I might say something like 50 pounds of weight loss, but that seems a bit extreme. Maybe 50 pounds of apples? Or perhaps bananas. Fruit is obviously a big motivator in my life.

3. When did you last receive an invitation in the 'real' mail? What was it for and did you attend? When it comes to RSVP-ing, are you an 'early responder' or a 'last minute, barely-under-the-wire' kind of guest?

I am a 'early responder' but, my husband is a last minute person. We got an invite to a special dessert talk with Ken Ham, when he came to Long Island a few months ago. And despite having this invite a month in advance, he forgot it, and then the night before wrote an email asking if we could still go. No reply was sent back, not surprisingly. In general, my husband handles his own appointments, but anything that pertains to me goes into Google, with an invite to Tom, with email reminders set up for us 3 days in advance, 1 day in advance, and a text 6 hours before.

4. What's something you really don't like to waste?

Shampoo/conditioner/soap in the shower. We have a refillable wall dispenser, and when a bottle is almost gone, I spend about 20 minutes trying to get every drop into the wall dispenser. Any benefit given by the wall dispensor is probably overshadowed by my efforts of getting all the product out of the bottle.

5. Cheers, Friends, MASH, Seinfeld...of the ones listed, your favorite long-running sitcom?

Can I say non of the above? I am currently going through Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and have always loved King of Queens. Do those count as 'long-running'?

6. What decision are you glad you made?

Um, today I am glad that I chose to give up my seat on the subway when that person came on and cleared the car out. An empty subway car is empty for a reason.

7. In this month of 'Thanksgiving' what is one thing that's different today than it was a year ago that you're grateful for?

This Thanksgiving Tom and I will have been married 1.5 years, and have definitely grown much closer. Also, last year this time we were still 'winging' it, trying to figure out a routine and how to live with someone else. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I year ago today (the day after Veterans Day) I started working my morning split shift. 6-9am, from home in my pjs, answering phone calls and sending emails. I then have the late-morning to afternoon off, and commute into the office from 2-7pm. This has been the best thing to have happened to my job, since it allows me time to be caught up on all the household chores, make us breakfast and spend time with Tom watching the news. Weekday mornings, incidentally, have been the best part of my day since starting this shift.

I'm a fraud. This blog is a fraud.

This morning, I was greeted with a nice reminder of things to come:

In three days, we're flying down to Tampa to track down summer for one last hurrah. Back in June (as soon as we returned from the West Coast) Tom booked this trip and achieved genius status because he somehow knew we'd need it. It's cold up here, and in precisely three days, I will be past my current 'oh joy, its's fall!" mindset and move into the next phase of "where's all the heat??!". 

So, time to pack, clean off my desk at work, and prepare to go on vacation. In addition to preparing all my name change documents. Yes, you read correct. To be perfectly honest here, I'll have been married 1.5 years this month and haven't yet changed my name. This blog, The Newest Vazquez's is a fraud! 

I never had any intention of keeping my last name (and was/am excited to change). But, let me play the blame game here. We had to track down the pastor who married us to get a document back for our first two months of marriage, and then in July we promptly put the envelope of documents in Tom's dresser, never to be seen again. Until September 29th, when we finally found it. October 1st, with all my info filled out on the change of address forms, the government 'shuts down'. And then Tom booked our Coastal vacation tickets. And then one week after returning, he books tickets to Tampa for this weekend. And as long as there are airline tickets in my maiden name, we can't go anywhere. He seems to have this need to always have a vacation booked. He's sick, in the best kind of way. Don't get me wrong, it's a good problem to have, but I forbid him from going near Priceline or Tickets.com until December so I get a chance to change my name. I should consider adding a site blocker to his computer, just to make sure he doesn't sneak back on, book another trip and get his 'fix'. 

So, tell me...
Anyone out there do this name change thing? Any suggestions would be helpful!
Does your husband have an interesting addiction, like planning trips?

More Clearly Myself

We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves.

Lynn Hall

Do you ever find yourself living life and suddenly realize how much you've changed from your "previous self"? It happens regularly for me, often spurred on by the most commonplace things.

I asked the waitress to change the station playing Nicky Minaj's most recent song (yup, that one) because it was foul. We were at a sushi restaurant. Whatever happened to the classics? Windchimes by the River and Pan Flute guys, on repeat? Bring those back please. Wanting something and finding nothing wrong in asking for it- that's not something I would've expected to see from my previous self. I would've just kept quiet.

When someone asks me for directions in a neighborhood I'm only passing through myself... and I give them directions like I live there. I realize that I must look like a local, since they chose to ask me out of all the people to walk by them in the past two minutes. I remember I gave my first directions out when I lived here for only a month (and barely knew how to get home myself). I called Tom all excited, and asked if I was a New Yorker yet. I think he said not yet.

Being told by my family or friends from anywhere other than NYC that I walk so fast (or talk too fast, or am so busy, etc). It's completely true, I rarely am able to find a moment of calm, everything here is so hurried. Even at home, in complete silence, the factory outside has a beeping forklift backing up, cars honking, radiator hissing and banging. At 3 am, you can still hear the train rumbling by a block away. Some of my favorite memories of the year working in the country before moving here involve a cup of coffee on the back porch, relaxing as the sun rose. 

It's still a shock to me whenever we call a cab or interact with anyone who is Mexican/Puerto Rican/ Dominican (etc) and they assume I can speak or understand Spanish. I know that this is because I no longer have that "I have no idea what is being said around me" look on my face and oftentimes laugh along because I do have a decent idea what the topic is. At least I fit in, and will hopefully have some more Spanish under my belt before we return to Puerto Rico this summer.

I look around my home and realize that I never really was the type to dream about my future husband, kids, home and domesticity. But I kind of am rocking the whole wife thing. This morning we were talking about life insurance and last night want on a date to come home and do dishes. I woke at 6am(!?!) and made breakfast. My house is usually clean and stocked, and I wasn't an especially tidy or organized person up until I moved out on my own.

But. why? These all add up to a substantially different person from who I was even 5 years ago.

Growing up I wasn't really taught to be social or confident. To be fair, there wasn't another child around for miles around, so a lot of my childhood was spent with adults or playing outdoors. In grade school, little kids can get along with everyone, for a while. But when I reached 5th & 6th grade, AKA the awkward years, I suddenly found out that I didn't know how to talk to people. In the years when subgroups were formed, I fit nowhere. I wasn't into sports, my studies, fashion or really exceptional in any way. I was just quiet. Which led to an angsty teenager that then faded into a shy "nice enough" college student that didn't have much self esteem.

How things have changed. I'm reminded of this when I run into someone I haven't seen since college, high school, and especially grade school. When someone says 'Wow- you've changed so much" I realize that I just grew up. Life happens, and while I'm sure I would be different had I lived on a farm or in a suburb, it would've happened eventually. Life's trials and triumphs- struggling to make ends meet, learning how to live with roommates (and then a husband), then making it through two pregnancies that ended earlier than they should've. Learning how to be married and budget and plan and pray- all of it changed me. And while changing usually happens gradually, this year I can visibly see the changes in myself.

So tell me...

Are you different than you were 5 years ago?
What would be the biggest difference?

Halloween in NYC

The question "What are you doing for Halloween?" has been asked a bunch this week. Thing is, I am not a fan of Halloween in NYC. 

When I told Tom this, he got offended and said that I was being too critical of New Yorkers, and told me how him and his sister used to Trick or Treat. They would leave in costume with their mom and walk to 5th Ave (Brooklyn) to stop into every business. The avenue is filled with restaurants, 99cent stores, bakeries and delis throughout Sunset Park, where the owners and cashiers would put out bowls of candy and the kids would fill their bags with goodies. They never really stopped in at houses (since most buildings were just apartments), but there was the "holiday house" on 57th street where the owner would decorate and wait outside with bags of popcorn. And they were back home by 7:30.

Okay, fine. But I've never seen that. I have seen a lot of other things on Halloween, and heard the stories and seen the news on November 1st. So, while I don't want to accuse my husband of being biased, he totally is. I think the candy and the naivete of youth has left him with fond memories.

Tonight we are staying home, with a movie and some candy.
I can't imagine doing anything in NYC for Halloween (even trick or treating). Here's Why.

Drunk party-goers wandering the street from party to party. 

It's like St. Patricks day, where even if it is Tuesday at 8am and you are commuting to work, people are already falling down drunk. Last night (the 30th) on my commute home I saw 2 people faceplant because they were so far gone. Add in some ridiculously high heeled women and you have an emergency room visit.

Naked/sexualized costumes, all day long.

I'm not opposed to dressing up. I laugh at people in funny costumes, and think the little kids are adorable. But, when you're on your way to work, you are more likely to find yourself commuting alongside the woman dressed as a sexy cop/firefighter/prisoner. You know, the classics. The men tend to be more imaginative, but that opens the door for them to dress as, you know, genitalia. Or any other controversial costume they can think of. Imagine commuting with that sitting across from you, and being a mother with her young child sitting next to that.

Eggs. 

Thrown from kids on the street and on top of buildings. If you ask me, I'd prefer to avoid any activity where I could get egg on my face. Or car, or home. Or anything. Delis and grocery stores have taken to 'locking up' eggs during Halloween, especially since egg throwing often escalates into violence.

The L Magazine

Crowds.

I once attended a little parade known as the NYC Village Halloween Parade. Which, for the record, is nothing like the hometown Halloween parades I grew up with. No firetrucks, Girl Scouts with their floats, and little kids running to collect candy they threw. I've never, since moving here, had a panic attack, until I went to this parade. Besides all the hyper-sexed people walking around, smoking pot and drinking out of their purses, you couldn't move. Could not.

The only time you actually moved was when a fight broke out and the pushing forced others to back up on top of you. I went with my old roommate and her husband years ago, and we ran away to get dinner instead, after having gotten separated several times. Insane. Absolute, uncontrolled chaos. I think the parade needs to get shut down, but doubt that anyone with enough sway agrees. And the theme this year? The Garden Of Earthly Delights. Get out of the Manhattan tonight while you can, or suffer the consequences.

------

I miss rural Pennsylvania. Where the worst thing I've every known to happen (or, ahem, participated in) was TPing (toilet papering property). Maybe some silly string. And that person who handed out toothpaste instead of candy. He was the worst.

So tell me...
Do you avoid Halloween where you live?
Are you going out/trick or treating, going to an event, or staying home?



Same reason I stay inside for New Years.

My 90s country music, flying over the Grand Canyon and how Halloween works in NYC

1. My hubs spent last weekend pheasant hunting. Are there hunters in your family? If so, what do they hunt? Which of the following have you tasted-pheasant, rabbit, venison, duck, goose? Which of those would you most like to taste, or be most willing to taste?
Despite growing up in the countryside of Pennsylvania, I don't hunt and we didn't have any hunters in the family. But, I have helped to skin a deer, and have tasted venison. Not a fan, but then again, I would be fine without meat in general. Except bacon. I love that stuff.

2. What high spot have you visited that gave you a wonderful 'bird's eye view' of something below?
Most notably, our flight over the Rockies and the Grand Canyon. So much better than flying over the ocean, although the sight of warm beaches in Puerto Rico are a welcome sight as well :)

3.  Do you have any birds in your home? These could be either real live pets or decorative, as in bird prints, knickknacks, fabric or pottery.
The only bird-like think I can think of might be a cat toy. There are some birds in a painting on our wall.

4. Tell about a time you 'killed two birds with one stone'?
Okay, well there was that one time with the slingshot...

5. Your favorite song with a bird in it's title?
Easy! Tanya Tucker-Two Sparrows In A Hurricane. I have a soft spot for most any country song from the 90s, where you can always find a story if you listen to the lyrics. In an age where music videos were a cross between Olan Mills glamour shots and grainy videos with questionable acting ability. And, in this case, where the first verse and the last verse are identical because it's about different life stages. Give it a shot, people. Country isn't for everyone (I don't care for much before the mid-80s and I generally detest all the stuff after Y2K), but the idea of "two sparrows in a hurricane, trying to find their way" as a description of chaotic and hard times is very poetic. As is much of the 90s country, hence my love of it.

6. What most recently gave you goose bumps?
The air. It's chilly outside, and my landlords just turned the heat on the other day for the first time. And Dora has sat herself next to the heaters ever since.

7. Halloween is this Friday...any plans? Did you trick or treat as a child? Carve pumpkins? Share your most memorable costume.
Staying indoors, probably a movie night.It's cold outside, and while Halloween isn't something I flat-out object to, in the city I kind of do. This city is a controlled chaos, that on Halloween looses control. With 8.4 million. But I'll write more on that Friday. Because I'm still trying to figure this holiday in the city out. In the country it was so simple. candy and fake webs. We would throw together a homemade costume, and drive from house to house. Just because you live past where the sidewalk ends (or, like me, in the boondocks) doesn't mean you don't get free candy. You just had to burn some gas to get the goods.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's National "Cat Day" today, and we're celebrating with another visit to the vet. Really, asthma for cats. Dora is in the unlucky 1% who get it, and the poor thing is congested and wincing, like in pain. Hopefully we can figure out why the meds from last week haven't helped.

Five Things This Friday

5 Things that are happening right now.

1. Vising the Vet.
Dora went to the vet for her asthma shot, which she usually needs every three months. When we see her 'coughing' and trying to catch her breath we know it's time to stop in at the clinic for her shot. Which means that we wake the sleeping beast from her slumber and attempt to put her into her carrier before she wakes up.

And when she does wake up, this is the face she gives. You would think I was killing her from the meows of absolute sorrow. Upon returning from the vet and being 'freed'- she saunters out like 'I wasn't scared. Not at all.' And rubs my leg and purrs, because she's a punk like that.

2. Two weeks until Vacation!
Upon arrival, we'll be visiting some manatees, lounging on the beach and visiting Typhoon Lagoon. And because the forecast will be a balmy 79 degrees in Tampa, that means Tom will be freezing in the water and I'll be sunbathing and taking photos from the beach.

3. First Ebola patient in NYC.
Because..... it was bound to happen eventually. Tom has always mocked my overuse of hand sanitizer and aversion to touching the grab bars (I prefer to balance awkwardly and fall on other people as the train sways). And even though you "need" skin-to-skin contact for transmission, I think he'll come around to my side. Germaphobes unite!

4. Brrr! It's cold in here.
And I do realize that $50 is a lot to spend on a hat, but unless I want to look like a robber (you have seen Tom in his biking face mask, right??) this might be the only choice this winter

5. Blog overhaul!
I'm working with some amazing women who are working hard to help me get a new domain with Wordpress and enact some needed changes. Did I mention they were awesome as well, since they are using me a their 'guinea pig'. Meaning that they are offering their services for free in the name of building their client portfolio. Already so impressed with the communication and ideas we've discussed, can't wait to set everything up!

So tell me...
Are you freezing where you are?
Have you thought much about Ebola coming to a neighborhood near you?

Letting it go, joining Twitter, and where are the autumn leaves?

1. Elizabeth Lawrence is quoted as saying, 'Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." So have you done just that? And what did you leave undone in order to do so?
I did get to just 'watch the leaves turn'- I went to Central Park and sat by the duck pond at 100th street on the West Side. At first there wasn't much to see, but then at the pond the leaves were at least turning, if not yet falling.

2. Since we're talking turning...what's one thing you feel you're doing 'every time you turn around'?
Um, rotating? I'm not sure, but I guess you could definitely say that I am rotating every time I turn around.

3. How hard is it for you to 'turn the other cheek?'
Horribly hard. This is something that I tend to do, it get upset and hold a grudge. Of course I know it's wrong, but it feels so immediately satisfying to have control over them with refusing to forgive them. Of course, we all know that is hokey and isn't healthy is the long run.

4. When did you last turn a drawer, your car, a room, or your entire house upside down looking for something? Did you find it?
Last Tuesday. I put my keys on my bed where I was getting around, and when I went to leave I forgot I had even grabbed them, thinking they might either be in Pennsylvania or packed in a suitcase.

5. 'One good turn deserves another'...were you most recently on the giving or receiving end of that sentiment?
I don't know when the last time I even heard this statement was.

6. Red, yellow, and orange are the colors of fall. Also the colors of fruit. If you were permitted only one color of fruit in your diet, which would you choose? This question isn't as easy as it sounds, at least not for me.
The writer has some random thought process. Um,. I'd stick with Yellow. Because I like bananas, pears and golden delicious apples.

7. The Hunt for Red October, October Sky, Halloween...which 'October' film is your favorite?
None of the above? I am not into Halloween, and haven't seen the other two (although October Sky sounds interesting). We are most likely going to have a movie marathon on Halloween since Halloween in NYC is unlike any other night in the city. We are most likely watching Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, since Tom somehow has lived 27 years and not seen them.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I Joined Twitter. And.... I like it. So, come follow me to see when my new posts go up, and to see what life in NYC is like! www.twitter.com/FarinVazquez

No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

My mother was not a Martha Stewart or very "Pinteresting" in the kitchen. She always followed recipes and I don't remember her experimenting in the kitchen very often. In the days before Pinterest, All Recipes and even Martha, she used cookbooks. Sometimes Amish or Mennonite cookbooks, but more often than not she bought the church 'potluck' books that were compiled by the church ladies. And some of her most requested dishes came from recipes on the labels of cans and boxes.

So, when I tell people about "My Mother's World Famous No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake" what I really mean is the (take deep breath) "Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk Cherry Cream Cheese Pie" recipe (what a mouthful). Which, I just discovered, is online here. But, since I find myself referring more to this blog than to my recipe books for the 'repeat' dishes that please- I'm posting it here as well.

You can see, that this is not an Eagle Brand sponsored post. I'm all for buying the cheaper brand, as might be obvious with the White Rose Cream Cheese and Kirkland Vanilla extract.

I decided to use these little dishes, but traditionally this recipe is for a standard 9inch pie pan (or crust from the grocery store). I wanted to trey and use these 9 tiny dishes instead, and it worked out pretty well. Like my mother, changing the size of the dish used is as much as I improvise. When we have company over, I use a 9x13 inch baking dish, and double the recipe.

I find that making my graham cracker crust is incredibly simple. but you can always buy yours. If you're interested in how I do it--

Why We Don't Share Chores

I'm still brand new to this new world of domesticity, but when we were engaged Tom and I agreed on one hard and fast fact- we would not share chores.

Chores? Shouldn't I call it housework? I do enjoy certain aspects of running a home, such as picking items up, keeping things put away and dusting. I'll call those things housework. But then there are the doozies that everyone kind of hates a little. Those are the chores in question.

Picking Up the House
Even when we were dating, it became apparent that Tom doesn't go around the house putting things away. He will create a pile of his laundry next to the hamper because he doesn't think about it. He will leave drinking glasses in the living room, and forget where he put his keys and wallet more often than he'd like to admit.

I used to ask him to put his clothes away (or dishes in the sink), but why not just do it? I've at this point adopted the task of picking the place up throughout the day, as needed. And since I love a clean house and Tom just plain doesn't remember, I'm glad to do it.

Laundry (or, more specifically) the Laundromat

I HATE going to the laundromat. I don't use the word 'hate' often, but when you are completely dependent on separating and bagging up your worn clothes, hauling them downstairs to your pushcart, getting the pushcart out the door and through the front gate and onto the sidewalk and into the laundromat and getting your quarters and loading your soaps and then getting your clothes in.... (pause for a breath here).... then you have to hang out there with all these strangers and wait for it to finish. And then you have to load the dryers, wait for them to finish, fold all your clothes on the 1 ft square piece of counter-top real estate (that you had to fight for), pack your bags and return home.