Long time, no post

We've been busy here. Let's see - I've been working on my website and contacting all the people I ever worked with. Ever. Most exciting - I signed a stock photo contract with a cool photo agency. Also keeping up the baby photo fun.

Pat and I started off September at a Labor Day barbecue at Steph & Joe's. We ended up hanging out in the park overlooking LI Sound and the Whitestone Bridge.


The next weekend we went to a Mets game with Dzija and Christi then out for hot Thai at Sripraphai.




I've been going out shooting photos around the city whenever I need to get out of the house. I went back to Park Slope and saw my old apartment & walked around the neighborhood.



Our friend from Rome, Martin, came down from Connecticut to visit.
We went out to Minneapolis for M & A's wedding, which was so rockin' it deserves its own post.

Last weekend we went to Dave and Jenny's bon voyage party to send them off to India in style.







Early Saturday we headed up to Maine for P's cousin's surprise birthday party. We hung out with my parents first in Boston, then drove up in time to surprise him. Fun! Plus, they have the most adorable kids & I took 78645976 photos of them. We came home via Wells and got delicious chowder nd lobster roll at Billy's. Great view too.




This past weekend P took his GRE and I volunteered at New York cares, painting murals at an elementary school in Brooklyn with friends. Fun, but exhausting. I only had time for a quick nap before heading out again, this time with P to see Spoon. They are so good live.

Summer closer

Thursday night we saw the Rentals at the Nokia for free. The theater is really weird, like a fancy movie theater. The openers were OK but too long and the Rentals were great but cut-off (literally, a dude came out and turned off the amps) mid-encore. Lame.

Friday night P. played guitar with his friends and I baked brownies. Saturday we drove up to Connecticut for a BBQ at my brother's house. We hadn't seen it before - really nice. Plus they have a giant deck with a pool and hot tub. Much swimming and eating later, we drove up to Boston, dropped off my other brother and stayed at my parents' house overnight.

Sunday we met K. for brunch at Christopher's in Cambridge and had so much fun with her and her daughter L. We went over to a toy store and spoiled L. a little bit. K is moving to North Carolina this month so we won't see them as often but hope to make a trip down. Came back to my parents' house to hang out and have dinner before hitting the road home.

Monday morning I started more work on the website and ordered business cards and photo mailers. Didn't come up for air all week. Did meet P, J, and C at Hill Country for Texas barbeque and Blue Bell ice cream Wednesday. And Thursday night K and I went to Fresh for free makeovers and met M and P for dinner at Mizu. Excellent sushi.

I got a couple of good deliveries this week - my bridesmaid dress for M's wedding & the business cards and photo mailers. The bridesmaid's dress is gorgeous - nice red shangtung silk, great cut. Plus I'm pleased with how the stuff printed and now I just have to send them out this week. Good craftsmanship all around.

Last night we had C & M and J over for dinner. I'd made a huge Fresh Direct order since we're attempting spend-nothing-September (after Labor Day), so dinner was easy. Fresh pasta, sauce, grilled garlic-lemon shrimp and a big salad. Then plum cobbler for dessert. J brought good cheeses to start and C & M brought wine. We drank it all - ha! Very fun night.

Now today we're going to a barbeque, tomorrow our friend D is visiting us and the weekend should be fun.

Of brides and baking

It's been a long, fun, busy week. The highlight - Melissa's visit.

Monday Pat and I had dinner at home - ribs from the Butcher's Block.

Tuesday I attempted to renew my license only to learn I need a different marriage certificate. After standing in line of course. But I did get some red decorations for M's shower at Pearl River including gorgeous silk for the table. Then I met Kristin & Nihad for shower gift shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Helpful staff but we needed them for EVERYTHING - not a very self-sufficient place. Spoons at the top of a 30 foot wall? We even got hassled for taking a photo of the roasting pan - luckily bridal registry helped us out.

Wednesday Pat and I went grocery shopping before he went to work to see what we could get at Stop & Shop cheaper and better than FreshDirect. Funny, even with the stuff we got there, my FD bill wound up the same since I added more food I'd remembered. Pat went to work and I made paper flowers/globes, cooked a pot of sauce and pork chop cacciatore. At night, we went to trivia with Pete & Breanne. We came in second and won $$$!

Thursday I cooked & cleaned for the party. Fresh Direct actually arrived early, so I had plenty of time to bake the red velvet cake and 2 quiches. Cleaned up the apartment and got it ready for M's visit. She got in early at Newark so P and I drove over there to pick her up. Even though I visited a couple of weeks ago, it was great to see her again. We all stayed up late talking.

Friday we did a whirlwind cleaning of the apartment (deeper than I'd done myself all week) then M and I went wedding shopping.

We started out at the Barney's Warehouse Sale. Craziness! She found her shoes at Otto Tootsie Plohound plus we found these adorable bride & groom picks for the cake.

We went up to Sue's for M to meet H. and I took the second round of photos. A little close to the first but those were late for the 1 month round anyway. After some fun baby time, we went out for Thai food then S. went home and M & I went downtown to a photo agency's 7th birthday party at Obivia. It was a bit awkward since I'd only spoken to the owner on the photo (albeit 84878 times), but after a couple of delicious cocktails I worked up the courage to ask who she was. Once we met, she was really sweet and I was happy we went. We left to meet Pat and Pate at Swift for beers. Very fun just chatting at a big table in the back.

Saturday was the shower and bachelorette party. All the last minute stuff (salad, flowers, putting up streamers) took longer than I'd thought but together with Kristin & Nihad, we got it done. We had lots of mimosas with fresh OJ, pom-bellinis and straight champagne before brunch. The mini bagels N brought were huge so that limited the appetites for the rest of the food, but a lot was still eaten. First gifts, then trivia, and finally red velvet cake. We had a lot of fun and I think M got some fab gifts.

In between the shower and bach. we walked over to N's apartment and M had a tarot card reading while the rest of us relaxed in the living room.

We went to Dashing Diva for pedicures and more cocktails. We brought champagne and Pauline bought Bartles & James wine coolers. Just like college - ha! The place was perfect, they even poured our drinks, except for this lame shoe raffle they kept trying to get us to join. Um, no. Sue B. even got her first pedicure ever and loved it.

Amazingly, we were early for our dinner reservation so we went to Dova for much-needed coffee then to Agave for dinner. The restaurant was fantastic. Great food & service. White sangria and fancy queso fundido to share, then I had fajitas for dinner. Everyone seemed happy with the food too - a rare thing with us.

After dinner some girls left and the rest of us walked north, losing a couple of people at every intersection. Five of us made it to Art Bar for a nightcap with M.

Sunday we slept in then M. & I met K. for shopping, starting at Bloomingdale's. Much lingerie shopping all over town after that. We stopped into Fresh so M could get some wedding day foundation, and spent an hour getting makeovers instead. Fun! I bought and eyeliner palette and got invited to a weekly Fresh event with lots of freebies and giveaways. We hadn't realized how late it was and hadn't eaten all day. So even though we were on the way to a BBQ, we stopped by 'Tisserie for espresso and treats first. We didn't want to be those guests sitting there jonesing for food, unable to focus on anything else.

An annoying subway trip to Brooklyn later, we got to Mark & Colleen's place for dinner. P and Pete were already there. Since it was raining, we ate the grilled steak and veggies inside. P. had brought out leftover salad from the shower and it all got eaten. I love it when leftovers are gone. We invited Colleen along for the Fresh nights and she was into it. Hopefully we'll go next week. We left pretty late and M & I stayed up talking even later. I think I went to bed at 2AM and she had to leave at 4AM for her flight home. So much fun having her visit. Plus, now that the shower is over, it feels like her wedding is right around the corner.

Monday I started the get-fit-for-M's-wedding gym binge. First I took my measurements and I'm up 1 inch at the waist from when I ordered the dress in May. Damn Italian pasta! Anyway, I did 35 minutes elliptical and 2 sets each of 3 arm free-weight exercises. It was actually nice to get back to the gym, especially during the day. Also worked on my website & set it around to friends to get opinions. Turns out everyone has different ideas - which I expected from my opinionated buddies - so I need to think through all their advice before making changes. When Pat got home, I made hamburgers and salad for dinner.

Tuesday gym again, this time adding abs. I was fighting a cold, so I made corn chowder for dinner. Also started sorting out some clothes for donation. Another rainy day. P and I watched "Hot Fuzz" after dinner - pretty funny.

Wednesday gym again, with abs and arms. I finished the clothing sort out and now everything fits in my drawers and closets better. I'll be a bit more ruthless once I'm working again and the depression-era attitude of saving I've lately adopted can be loosened a bit. Watched L'Eclisse while I sorted clothes - bleak alienation film by Antonioni from the 60's. Beautiful but a bit depressing on a gray afternoon.

When P. got home we went to the UN to meet Kristen (friend, former co-worker) for dinner. We all walked down to Saravanaas in Curry Hill for dosas. So good! I was so happy to see K. again and she regaled us with funny/crazy/sad stories from the months we were away. Very fun. On the way home, P and I stopped in to a new bodega and got some B&J's creme brulee ice cream. Yes, it's awesome.

Today so far has been a bit lazy. I should really start sorting out more of our stuff from the closets while I'm home, but it's another gray day and I might need to go take a walk instead. Tonight we're going to see The Rentals in Times Square. Should be interesting - it's been 10 years since "Friends of P" came out.

Site update

Check out what's new on www.kristinburnsphoto.com

I updated the News section and changed the photos to more recent stuff. Not exactly a redesign, but it looks much fresher and the photos don't take so long to load anymore. Next up, an interactive photo gallery and cutting the About section by half. Someday.

Back to Sunnyside

Now that we're back from Rome, there's no reason we shouldn't keep up the habit of blogging. Will it be as full of exotic locations or as action-packed? Maybe not, but neither is our life. So it will be just as real.

We returned from Rome last Tuesday night (3 hours late) and after a brief visit/couch-nap at Pat's parent's house, we were back in our apartment. So good to sleep in our bed again.

Wednesday was spent unpacking (me) and going back to work (Pat) then out to dinner with Pat's parents, sister and her husband for Mexican food. Yum - spice! Something we missed in Italy. Thursday I got a chance to check out the co-op pool (nice!) and Friday I flew to Minneapolis to surprise Melissa at her bridal shower.

After a surprise of my own - Pat driving me to the airport - and a 2 hour flight delay, I was off. M's soon-to-be in-laws picked me up at the airport and we stayed up late gabbing. The shower was being hosted at their house, so we got up early and decorated the house & made tea sandwiches. I hid out in the basement until everyone arrived then came up to surprise Melissa. Fun shower - very laid back with good food and music.

After the shower we moved my stuff over to M's house, which was freshly cleaned by her in-the-know fiance Andy.

M and I went to the mall to look at all her registry selections. Back at home, some of their friends came over to play Guitar Hero and scopa (Italian card game I brought them as a souvenir) and eat pizza. Way too many renditions of Surrender later, we finally turned in after 3AM.

Sunday we walked the art fair, shopped and M and I went to check out the wedding location. Lucky for us they were setting up for another wedding so we got lots of good ideas and outed her wedding planner's lies. Much relieved, we met A for Vietnamese food - make your own rice wraps. Then another night in with scopa.

Monday was my flight back. M and I dropped A off at a meeting and rushed for breakfast on the way to the airport. I got there really late only to find my flight delayed 2 hours. That made all 3 of my flights this week. Ugh. I hung out with my fun seatmate from North Dakota at the bar until they let us board again. Despite the delay, we had a fun flight and I'm going to try to go to his play next month. Pat picked me up at the airport and we went out to De Mole for yet more Mexican food.

I felt much better after spending the weekend with M. She was still stressed by the wedding planning but hopefully we talked through most of the stuff. I can't believe it's only 2 months away.

Tuesday was another day of unpacking, cleaning the apartment and uploading photos. Then I went for a walk in Central Park and met Pat at Sue & Dan's place for dinner. We ordered some fried chicken and gabbed all night. Most importantly, we got to meet their adorable born-while-we-were-gone baby Henry!

Very cute, plus my first subject for monthly baby photos. It's an idea Pat had that I may try to market - I'd sell a year of photos for babies and do one session per month.

Sounds like a good shower gift, no?

Wednesday we had a huge storm early in the morning. Flooded our boiler room & knocked out the hot water. But Pat and I persevered.

He went to work and I braved the trip to Union Sq. Actually the 7 was fine, but I had to take the bus downtown since the 4/5/6 were out of service and other trains were rare. I'd gone in to check out the Greenmarket since we were having John & Vicki over for dinner.

So much to chose from - I ended up with kirby cucumbers, boston lettuce, heirloom cherry tomatoes, sweet white corn on the cob & red-skinned baby potatoes. The meat didn't look fantastic so I went to Trader Joe's instead. After the long-ass trip home replete with chatty tourists, I went to the pool for a while and then took a bunch of food photos.

I cooked and Pat came home for pre-guest cleaning. J & V came over and we had so much fun catching up. They brought a peack-raspberry cobbler V had baked for dessert. Another late night, this time with Averna.

Thursday Nihad's came over for sushi and to finalized the details of M's NYC shower we're holding here next weekend.

Friday more time by the pool then Island Burgers eaten at the bar next door watching the Mets game with Pat. Mark met us there and we went downtown to meet Pete, Nate and Ryan for more drinks.

Saturday was a BBQ at P's folks' house & Sunday we walked to LIC and hung out at Gantry Park.

Today was lazy for me, after a night of bad sleep. But I talked to Katie - who's moving to North Carolina next month - and picked up dinner at Butcher Block.

This week looks like a good one - preparing for M's visit, shower & bachelorette party, talking to a couple of photo agents, going to an industry party Friday.