baron in september...

which is different from the baron in september.

choo choo for fun

the baron: are we going on a train tomorrow?
toddler x: yes!
the baron: what are we going to do tomorrow?
toddler x: train!
the baron: who are we going to see tomorrow?
toddler x: uncle dylan!

new york city, here we come.

summertime reading

'you have given me a country', by neela vaswani, was released earlier this month. neela is a friend of the baron's, a good writer, a good woman, just good. also, she's not afraid to speak a thoughtfully placed curse word, so.

the baron has yet to purchase 'you have given me a country', but will soon (it's on her list of things to do this weekend).

read an excerpt here, and a bit about neela here. then maybe add the buying of 'you have given me a country' to your weekend list of things to do as well.

something quiet

a dynamic performer

a good long while ago the baron made mention of mr. c, the lovely librarian/composer/humanitarian who also happens to wield a mean dust rag.

in that same post, she also made mention of his boyfriend, a six-foot plus, opera-singing charmer of a man who now has his very own website. said website, designed by a super professional web-designer, is tricked out with all sorts of bells and whistles (video! audio! a link to his vlog!!!)... reader, meet chris jones.

that time they went to costa rica

in 2006, the baron and lalee went to costa rica. on a lark. it was a pretty good week, and from these photos, it appears to be JUST TWO OF THEM, DOESN'T IT?


in playa tamarindo at witch's rock cafe. the baron and lalee showed those nachos who's boss.


lalee's birthday, another beach. april 7, 2006.


lalee's birthday dinner, playa langosta. awww-kward.


the entrance (from the beach) to the hotel. the baron really liked those monkey sentries.


coffee and cream and sugar. a good way to pass the afternoon.


their last night in tamarindo.


trying, unsuccessfully, to set the camera's auto timer before leaving the hotel.


their last breakfast.

that summer they went to neela's wedding...

in 2004, the baron, the husband, and their friend lalee were invited to a wedding in montana. the three went together - joined by dexter and the VERY NEWLY adopted tucker and harlan - and camped along the way.

the grand canyon: here, tucker is thinking it doesn't look so big.

here, the dogs are thinking they can take lalee and the baron into the canyon.

montana: resting on the shore of a lake, just after a two hour hike. harlan hated it, as you can see in his expression.

at glacier national park: the baron and lalee. the baron is thinking, 'is camping over now? because that would be really great.' harlan's thoughts are running along the same lines.

screen on the green, or, really? a movie on the lawn?

the other evening - an uncharacteristically cool and low-humidity one - the baron and the husband had small group of friends over to watch a movie. outside. projected onto an old, white bed sheet.

the baron, being rather more fond of indoor activities than outdoor ones, had reservations about the entire enterprise. however, in the end, all in attendance seemed to enjoy the night, and the baron was pleasantly surprised to find that:

-'back to the future' holds up pretty well
-citronella candles actually keep mosquitoes at bay
-everyone loves nerds and
-riesling is just fine to take the edge off

as it was a movie, the baron felt strongly that a concessions stand was in order (thanks to k for the popcorn)...


but harlan and dexter felt strongly that said concessions stand should be guarded...


while baron, ever the suspicious one, kept an eye out for the equipment.


the long view, to the bedsheet. the baron knows it seems a little hokey, reader, but trust her: it was actually quite fun! next up in the screen on the green queue? 'indiana jones and the raiders of the lost ark' - woot!

the sun will come out

today the baron is thinking of her second job - a college one - at a sandwich shop in her home town, conveniently located right across the street from her undergraduate institution. it was a super set-up for her: class in the morning, then over to the sandwich shop by noon to work four or 8 hours, then home. or, sandwich shop at 7am until noon, then over to class. (though, really, it was usually the first scenario; as the baron figured out quite quickly that the smell of onions had real staying power so she always aimed to work AFTER school.) and, by the way? home was a fast 7 minutes from campus AND work.

the baron spent over two years at this sandwich shop, having been shepherded in by her good friend xtina. it was a long two years: the job lost its lustre pretty quickly (having mostly to do with the owner and his special brand of douchebaggery, and NOT AT ALL having to do with the daily promise of free sandwiches, snapples, sodas, macaroni salad and cookies; also, yes, the baron gained weight while working there), but the baron and xtina did the best they could to keep themselves entertained.

earlier this week, the baron posted something about june gloom, and about how it's been raining in maryland for the past several weeks. this morning - for a change - it was actually quite sunny out. and. this made the baron VERY HAPPY.

so happy that, when she pulled back the bedroom draperies, her first thought was this scrap of lyric: "the sun will come out... pastrami!" sung, of course, to the tune of "the sun will come out tomorrow" from 'annie'.

in the name of entertainment, the baron and xtina used to sing this song at the sandwich shop; they would substitute the word 'pastrami' for 'tomorrow' and you know what, reader? the baron now thinks that their creative edits IMPROVED the song. and what else? they might actually have sung this song TO PASTRAMIS, either whole hunks of meat or sanwiches.

anyway.

happy friday, reader.

disneyland

as a condition of vacationing in las vegas, laura agreed to ask her brother, big d - who works for disney (reader, at the REAL magic kingdom, in anaheim, not that ersatz one in florida) - to sign her and the baron in to the park. he seemed happy sign them in (thanks, big d!), so on thursday they met him in anaheim.

that's him, below.




(a note: the baron thinks of big d as big for a reason... in this, she's standing on her tippy toes, as tall as she can be. if she weren't, the top of her head would reach the top of his shoulder. maybe.)









the baron and laura also spent time with the baron's cousin and her son... there's the son and travel duck at cafe orleans, waiting on their monte cristo sandwiches.








here are laura and the baron, near the end of it's a small world. the baron's thumb? covering the flash.
(it's a small world is one of the baron's favorite rides at disneyland. she always, every time she visits the park, makes an effort to ride it at least once. so. when laura and then big d told her there had been some changes to it's a small world, she was very prepared to hate the ride, or, to hate the park for having changed her beloved ride. it turns out, reader, that the changes were small (incorporating disney film characters into the landscape of the ride) and in keeping with the concept of the ride, which is to say all the new additions were done in the exact same style as the rest of the ride. phew.)



here are tbe baron and laura just inside the park. the baron suggested they smile BIG for the camera, and laura - as you can plainly see - took that advice to heart.


some conversation from thursday (names removed to protect the ridiculous):

-hey. i just parked at the pinocchio lot. where are you?
-i have no idea. what's with this parking? it used to be that the parking lot was right in front of the ticket windows. i'm turning onto disneyland drive.
-ok. you're close.
-i'll call you when i get to the garage.


(while waiting for indiana jones adventure: temple of the forbidden eye)
-dude, i think those two girls...
-are looking at porn on their blackberries!?
-yes! i feel like there could be a better time to do that.
-me too. inappropriate.


(at the churro stand and just after)
-is it time for a churro?
-that sounds good.
[8 minutes later]
-this is so good. i love churros.
-it's a good idea. fried and sugared dough. and you know what?
-huh?
-this is my first churro. i never had one before.
-[swallowing] what? dude, this is your FIRST churro? you sounded so excited about it before!
-well. i was.


(near pirates of the carribean)
-hello.
-[big d]
-we just got churros.
-[big d]
-we haven't been to calfornia adventure yet but-
-[big d]
-we're going over now.
-[big d]
-ok. bye. (to the baron) we'd better go to california adventure.


(inside california adventure)
-this place feels like knott's berry farm.
-what's that?
-it's a terrible amusement park. peanuts characters.



(after two terrible rides at california adventure)
-it's almost 6. xtina should be here soon for dinner. i'll call.
(after calling)
-we'll meet her by the california sign outside.




(at the california sign)
-xtina! you look so tan!
-yeah... just had my hair colored, which makes me look tan. so.


(at dinner)
waitress: are you related to monique?
-what?
waitress: you look just like this girl i used to know named monique.
-oh, no. i have a brother named jonathan.


(at dinner)
-so. how's everything with e?
-he's great! he just got another promotion...
-right. when are you getting married?
-right. i love getting that question.


(later, back at disneyland, while in line for space mountain)
-i am tired.
-i know. me too. i'm thinking this is the last one.
-it's 8:15pm.
-what! we've been here all day!
-do you think that woman behind us in line is dressed like that on purpose? is that a costume?
-because she's a stripper for her day job?
-or a hooker maybe?
-dude. do you think that waitress was hitting on me?
-i would not be surprised, no.
-did it occur to you as she was asking me about monique?
-yes.
-um, why did you not say something to me then? i have no ability to see that kind of thing as it's happening.

las vegas

as you know, reader, the baron was away from maryland last week, visiting friends and family. she spent part of her week away in las vegas, with her friend laura and laura's companion travel duck.



they had planned to see a show, spend time at the hotel spa, learn pai gow poker (laura did anyway), and visit other casinos on the strip, but alas... they instead spent three days at the pool. and shopping. and at the hotel bar.

snippets of conversation from the trip (names removed to protect the ridiculous):

late sunday morning:
-well. we're early.
-outlets?
-charleston street?
-ok. but we're not that early; we'll have to speed shop.

monday morning:
-what are you watching?
-dude, i think this might be the very last episode of 'charmed'.
-i don't think so.
-what? really? doesn't it seem like they're wrapping things up?
-uh.
-i'm watching tomorrow.

monday afternoon (after the pool):
-i feel like i didn't get any color.
-my breasts have red splotches on them! they're burned!
-what?
-the sun must have gone through my bathing suit!
-er. sure.

monday night:
-i think dessert is a good idea.
-it's happy hour at the bar.
-what does that mean?
-it means that beer will be half price.
-so... bar first?
-yes.

later monday night (two beers and one and one third martinis down):
-i am drunk.
-yes, you are.
-drink some water.
-don't boss me! also, i want these m&ms.
-how about every time you eat an m&m you drink some water?
-[chewing]
-dude, it's 7:45pm and we're going to bed.
-i am drunk.

tuesday morning:
-dude, i think *this* might be the very last episode of 'charmed'.
-i don't know.
-well. it's happening this week, anyway, right?
-it seems like it, but...

tuesday afternoon (to see a movie at the orleans hotel/casino):
-do you think the car is safe here?
-yeah. not sure. this casino seems a little run down.

tuesday evening (after the movie):
-even paul rudd could not save that movie.
-also, jason segal...
-needs some help. he couldn't get a comb?
-or some orthodontia.
-some teeth whitening at the very least.
-yes.

below, travel duck waits for the movie. in a very empty theatre.

gone to california

reader, the baron is taking a break this week. she has traveled home, to california, to see friends and family, so her posting this week will be light.

[you are thinking, "the baron, your posts have been light recently anyway!"]
[the baron would respond, "yes, reader, i am a crappy blogger. 'become a better blogger' is on my list of things to do, right under drop 10 lbs and read that tolkien trilogy. for real."]

thank god for mr. c

in a recent post (the last one, actually), the baron revealed to you, reader, that she doesn't care much for the washing of dishes. she had been prepared to defend herself, to claim that this - her avoidance of this type of cleaning - is anomaly, and that she generally works to keep a clean house.

but.

that's kind of not true.

what IS true is that the baron is fighting an unending battle against the dogs' hair, hair that pulls loose from their coats and puddles in the corners of the house, finding its way under the sofas and beds. to handle this most worthy adversary, the baron uses the Dyson Animal vacuum cleaner (maybe, by the way, the best gift the husband ever gave the baron), and on the whole - by waging two battles a week - she is mostly able to keep the hair at bay.

what is also true is this: that's pretty much all she does. yes, yes, she does laundry, and the occasional furniture wipe-down to catch the dust, but reader, the baron doesn't clean the floors, or the bathroom, or the kitchen (beyond keeping it tidy between uses), or the windows or the mirrors...



instead, over the last 18 months or so, she has come to rely on a man she'll call mr. c. (doesn't that make you think of mr. f, reader?). introduced to her by someone at her job, mr. c is the godsend who comes to the baron's house twice a month to CLEAN! he does the floors, and the bathroom, and the kitchen, and the windows, and the dusting, and reader, never have you seen joy until you've seen mr. c trying out a new cleaning product.

at first, the baron was just glad to have someone around to do the work she DIDN'T want to do; she'd heave a sigh of relief knowing that it was almost time for one of his visits.

but.

it turns out, mr. c is more than just the sum of his cleaning products! he's also a whole person, a humane, funny, snarky librarian with a wit that could cut you, reader, right to shreds. and his boyfriend? an opera singer. the baron, though grateful for his cleaning services, is also grateful just to know him (something that happened almost right away, as soon as she noticed that he remembered all the dogs' names and was not put off by baron's incessant barking).

see how that works, that positive reinforcement? deny housecleaning and get a friend!!

out like a lamb, or, an open letter from the baron to her friend laura

hello laura,

how right you were about march coming in like a lion (with a snow storm that began on march 2) and going out like a lamb! the weather today is gorgeous - totally sunny, a little breezy, and in the low 60's. i must admit, i thought that old adage was trite b.s., and so had never paid much attention to march's comings and goings, but i will probably do so from now on... after all, it was spot-on this time, and won't it be interesting to see if it's as spot-on next year?

in other news, i'm getting pretty excited about coming west - even the idea of las vegas for three days is growing on me. in preparation for all the pool-side relaxing i plan to do, i spent the better part of this morning waxing my legs, and, er, the other bits that should be hairless for the wearing of bathing suits. about las vegas, though, i've been thinking: don't you feel the time is right for a new tatoo? i do, and - even though i made you promise to stop me getting any more after that costa rica-induced one - i feel like this trip should be commemorated with something small, somewhere hidden. think it over... but, if you're wondering, i already know the 'what' and the 'where'.

friend, be good. i will see you soon.

-the baron

how fun!

a fun game, courtesy of life, period.

thanksgiving day, 2006

two years ago this month, the baron, the husband, and their good friend lalee traveled abroad, to italy. the baron and lalee left early in the month, landing in milan. they first worked their way eastward, to venice, then southward, to bologna, then florence (one of the baron's VERY FAVORITE CITIES) and finally to rome. the husband, only able to take one week's vacation, met them in rome, at a beautiful hotel in the via veneto area of town.

it happened that the last days of their trip corresponded with thanksgiving... and you know what, reader? no one in rome gave a damn about the americans' holiday. however, feeling like expatriates in a new and exciting city, the three decided to celebrate thanksgiving the best way they knew how: with a good meal. fortuitously, there was a vegetarian restaraunt near their hotel, il margutta ristorarte.

so.

the photo below is from that meal, and is kind of representative of all their photos from that trip, which is to say, they rarely - if ever - got a good one of all three of them.


also from that trip, this photo of the husband and lalee on a bridge (the name of which escapes the baron) near the vatican. the baron LOVES this picture because they look like they're posing for a catalog... though not the same catalog... lalee is maybe advertising sportswear, and the husband is maybe advertising spywear?

bazaar

a couple of weekends ago, the baron and the husband attended the harvest bazaar, hosted by the local elementary school. the bazaar occurs every year; parents of students who attend the school pool their baubles, electronics, books, and other junk, sort it by function (for example, you will see a fry pan and an ice cream maker sharing shelf space, as they can both be broadly defined as 'kitchen'), and invite the neighborhood en mass to attend. it's kind of an awesome tag sale.

last year, the baron and the husband got a bicycle, a cement paw making kit, and a really lovely birdhouse.

this year, they got these fu lion bookends...

and these delicate, green-stemmed glasses...

which immediately brought frangelico to the baron's mind...

which in turn reminded the baron of the first time she tasted frangelico, at a restaraunt in playa langosta, costa rica, on lalee's 28th birthday... sigh.

more talent than a handful of barons

a friend of the baron has recently started her own blog, meant to chronicle the comings and goings of her sewing life. and reader, don't expect her to write there about her recent kitchen renovation or new haircut... no! stitchworks is for sewing-related writings and ONLY sewing-related writings. other aspects of her rich life won't be shared there.

but, do not despair reader, because it turns out that this friend of the baron's has quite a lot to say on the subject of sewing. she claims to be a sewing novice, but the baron rather thinks she's lying about that... just see today's stitchworks post.

viva la hand sewing!

new kid in town

the baron isn't sure how many blogs are started every day; she guesses somewhere between 15 and 347,989. among the newly created is this lady's. her blog is called my bowl of tea and it promises to be a reliably good read.

friends, far away

today the baron is thinking about her friends, the far away ones.

the picture above was taken in november 2006. it captures a brief moment, a pause between connecting flights. they are at the newark airport, sitting at the bar of a bar with a jazz theme. the baron and her friends didn't quite understand exactly how newark airport, jazz, and the bar's brooklyn-brewed beer all fit together, but the walls were a lovely blue color and they were glad to be back.

you're wondering who's in the photo? it's the husband, the baron, and likelauralee.

photo stylings by l lee