Hanging out in DC

Wow ... all I can say is I cannot wait to bring Lizzy back to this amazing city!  I have so much I want to see and only one day to see it in.  I spent the last four hours walking around DC and grabbing a bite to eat.  Tomorrow I think I'm going to check out the Holocaust Museum and then get all my stuff ready for work on Monday.  I love my little monster and I cannot wait to get home to see her.  Miss you Miss Elizabeth ... mommy will be home soon.

AmericasMart

Well today was a success although not sure I'd come back for this reason again.

We spent the day 'teaching' summer school to a select group of retailers.  It ended up being mostly people from the Southeast but was still beneficial.  There were a few retailers who did not currently sell Chef'n and a few more who were getting ready to open up shop in the next few weeks/months.  I am spent though, repeating the same message 10 times in one day was quite enough. 

Headed to dinner tonight with an industry peer and his family.  What a fun night.  I miss you Lizbug and having dinner with three sweet kids made it a little more difficult but I made it through.  It was great being able to Skype with the hubbie and Lizster last night, wish I could do it every night I traveled! 

Off to DC tomorrow to work with a rep on Monday ... no use traveling back late Saturday just to turn around and travel back to DC on Sunday to work Monday so I'll be walking a bit more of the show tomorrow morning and then flying to DC.  I've never been before so it should be fun!

HotLanta ...

It's been a few weeks but I am on the road again ... heading to Atlanta for Atlanta Market.  Should be fun, but will definitely make for a long day tomorrow.  I'm walking the show looking at different showroom space on Saturday and then heading to DC.  I'll play tourista on Sunday as it made more sense to stay on the east coast for a day then fly back Saturday night, back out Sunday, to work in DC on Monday.  More to write later as I need to download a few photos from the last few weeks for the personal blog. 

Peace out for now from 36,000 feet.  I generally love wifi while flying!  My battery is about to fail though, now all they need to add is a power source for seats in coach.  Is that possible? 

Antipasto and a Lobster Roll

Antipasto for 2!



Antipasto for 50!



Yesterday I spent the day traveling Massachusetts and New Hampshire with one of my favorite gals.  We spent our time with just a few accounts but I love talking with the smaller stores, I always learn so much.  We started the day in downtown Boston at the custest shop on Newbury Street, Kitchenwares by Blackstones.  Incredibly nice store with an amazing selection for the size of the store.  http://www.kitchenwaresboston.com/

From Newbury Street we headed up to Salem, NH and visited another store called The Kitchen Place.  They have two locations and this is probably one of the finest gourmet stores I've ever seen in a mall.  They give the Williams Sonoma a run for its money (it's right below their store in the mall!).  Check 'em out: http://www.thekitchenplace.com/

From our few stops we then headed to dinner at this most fabulous Italian restaurant ... best Italian I've had in some time.  Tuscan Kitchen.  While the Yelp reviews were average at best, we all thought it was a delight and our waiter Edwin was awesome.  He had incredible suggestions on both food and wine and did not pressure us to rush our meal in any way.  I had the Pappardelle al Anatra - incredibly delicious braised duck.  Amazing!  Check out our appetizer entitled Salumi e Formaggi, at the top of the page as well as that version that was made for a party of 50 people!  http://www.tuscan-kitchen.com/

We hoped all over New Hampshire and Maine today.  Adorable shops yet again.  Portsmouth NH has to be one of my favorite towns in New England.  Such an amazing hippy-esque main street and no joke, four kitchen stores within walking distance ... and they all get along! That just doesn't happen!  One of my favorites (who also has another location in Portland, ME which we also visited today!) is LeRoux Kitchen.  If you cannot find it in this store ... you probably don't need or want it!  They carry eight different cherry pitters, which if you think about it is pretty crazy considering cherry season is only about six to eight weeks long.  http://www.lerouxkitchen.com/

We visited two other amazingly cute stores this afternoon, Keys to the Kitchen in Kinnebunk ... see website here: http://www.keystothekitchen.com/.  The most lovely woman works here and I picked up the coolest housewarming gift for my sister here.  I'll have to post a picture later as I do not want her to see it or read about it quite yet!   From here we went to have a Lobster Roll (see picture below).  I was told this is THE thing to do while in Maine.  It was all it was cracked up to be and more.  A full pound of perfect lobster on a lightly toasted hot dog bun with just a hint of mayo on it.  DELICIOUS.  One more stop in Damariscotta to visit Weatherbird and we had a full day.  Weatherbird has the perfect selection of better and best kitchen tools, gadgets and cookware.  The buyer at this store was a delight and had so much knowledge to share.  He was wonderful.  http://www.weatherbird.net/

I am desperate to get back to my baby.  She is changing so much and after last week she was a little testy when I first got home.  Unfortunately I think she is noticing when I'm gone and now has decided I'm the bad guy until a day later and then she forgives and forgets!  I wish it was that easy for all of us adults to forgive and forget that quickly.  Hope all is well with everyone.  One more day in Conneticut and then flying out of  Boston tomorrow evening, late!  I am due into Sea-Tac at 1am and then have to Shuttle Express it back.  Yuck!



Lobster Roll



Bean Town



Even hotter now then back in the day!

Well it's been almost a year but here we go ... again.  Back to Boston, home of my beloved New Kids on the Block!  Haha, what did you think I was going to say?!?  I have yet to really 'explore' Boston, maybe someday.  I'd love just once to be able to see a few historic things, sight seeing things during all my travels.  Maybe next month when I'm in DC for an extra day. 
The weekend was a bit crazy but Lizzy and Ben are okay.  Ben is still extremely sore and Lizzy, well she is just a barrel of fun right now.  Not sarcastic at all.  She literally spends all day playing and laughing.  Yesterday we hung out in the beautiful sunshine while dad cleaned and waxed the boat. 

It was hard to leave this morning.  Partly because of how fun Lizzy is to hang with and mostly because of what happened last week.  Although Ben and Lizzy were okay it definitely makes you put your priorities in order.  She is my world and it is amazing the pain, fear and love that goes through you when you hear that your child was in an accident.  God bless SUV's and carseats!  Luckily I'm in to Boston by 9pm so I will be able to Skype with the kiddo tonight.  Skype always makes everything better!



I see you! 



The Phone Call Every Parent Dreads ...

Yes the family is alright but I am home now, a day and a half earlier than planned.  I received a call Thursday evening, after a great day at the Dallas Market and a wonderful sushi dinner at Kenichi, from Ben saying that although they were fine he and Lizzy had been in a car accident.  Words cannot describe the emotional roller coaster that I went through over the next few hours.  He was calling me from the side of I-5, audibly shaken and not sure what to do. 

He assured me all was okay, the police were on the scene and the EMT's were on their way to do a once over on Lizzy, but all in all they were fine.  At that very moment I knew what I had to do.  Family had to come first.  Between him calling me to let me know and him calling me about an hour later from his sister's house I had already changed my flight and was coming home. 

Needless to say I had to ensure, with my own eyes and hugs, that my two loves were okay.  I did not sleep what-so-ever Thursday evening and even in pure exhaustion on the plane Friday could not sleep.  I picked up Lizzy and could not stand to let her go yesterday.  Although I'm happy to have an extra day at home before I leave again on Monday for Boston, I sure do wish it wasn't under such stressful and scary circumstances.  Here's to giving everyone an extra squeeze ... things can change in the blink of an eye and I cannot help but thank God that everyone involved was okay.

Southern California then on to Dallas!

I'm so sick of the Seattle dreary, crappy, spring weather.  It is time for summer dang it.  I have to say I'm excited to get away for a few days mostly because I need sun!  I spent the morning flying and this afternoon in Laguna Hills for a few meetings and then up to Hermosa Beach to visit with a girlfriend for dinner.  She and her husband just had a little boy about six weeks ago and boy oh boy (no pun intended) was he adorable ... or should I say handsome.  We headed out to dinner at some ridiculously good Mediterranean  place and they gave me a quick tour of Hermosa. 

From there I headed to San Diego to do a store training tomorrow and I have another meeting in the afternoon.  I love visiting Great News down in San Diego, if you ever get a chance, it is one amazing store.  http://www.great-news.com/

Okay I'm zonked, time for bed!