Someone's Trash Is My Treasure

Another busy weekend in Rhode Island.... I picked up extra shifts in stores on Friday and Sunday to make some extra money (moving trucks are expensive!!). I am definitely going to have to get used to standing on my feet for long periods of time again... my legs were aching when I woke up this morning.

After breakfast on Saturday, I packed a backpack with a reusable bag, a poncho, a water bottle, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and cash. No, I wasn't going hiking, but you're not that far off. I drove to Massachusetts for the Brimfield Antique Show. The Brimfield Antique Show is the largest antique show in the United States. Along with some of my other adventures, it is also in my "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" and "10 Best of Everything" books. Instead of re-creating the wheel, here' s a short synopsis of what the show is all about:

The Brimfield Antiques Show began in the 1950's and has become the largest and best-known outdoor antiques show in the country. Running along Rt. 20 for a distance of perhaps a half-mile and perhaps 500' or more, back on each side of the highway, the Brimfield Show is a huge, vast undertaking, filled with thousands of dealers dealers over the course of the week, selling everything from the finest antiques to 'yard junk', requiring a day or two to see everything there is to see. Food courts and rest facilities abound, and the Shows are filled with hidden treasures and the 'right kind of people', creating a safe and fun environment for everyone, children included. Shows are patrolled by uniformed and undercover police, and rarely is there any trouble of any kind.

Brimfield is a quaint, picturesque rural New England town, home to 3,000 residents. Founded in 1731, (the year before George Washington was born), the town's 35 square miles are surrounded by apple orchards, horse farms, and wooded hills in an area known as the Pioneer Valley, and Foothills of the Berkshires.
During show-times, the town's population balloons to over 250,000 visitors and over 5,000 dealers for the 6 days the Show operates. The Show has a carnival-like atmosphere, appropriate for all ages, where good vibes prevail, (and few, if any problems ever present themselves).

Dealers come from all over the world as do visitors. From millionaire world-famous rock stars and movie stars to the local resident from down the street, the Show is a Mecca for serious and casual collectors of all kinds of antiques. A few of the Fields require an entrance fee on the initial opening, usually $5.00-10.00, which tends to be waived later in the day. Most fields do not have any entrance fee, and generally, you can move freely from field to field.

Well, I didn't see any rockstars, but I saw plenty of other people. It's hard to really understand how many people are packed into such a small space until you are there. All things considered, everything runs very smoothly. ... I didn't see any fights, hear any cars honk, or any other type of chaos (not that most people interested in antiques would start a riot or anything). It was very easy to find parking (I had a harder time finding my car later in the day), and I didn't have to pay to get into any of the "fields. The traffic turned out not to be that bad on my way in (especially since I came later in the day), but I had a slight delay on my way home (only a half an hour, so not *that* bad). The whole "Fields" and "Promoters" thing can be a bit confusing ,so I'll break it down for you:

1. The Show does not have any formal organization with the exception of the dates, which are chosen by some county auxiallary group. It occurs for five-six days three times a year. The days and times are dependent upon the Promoters...

2. The Promoters are the people that host the "Fields." They are generally local townspeople who rent out their yard/field/space during the show. They are responsible for providing bathrooms, security, etc. Depending on the location and the Field, the promoter charges the antique dealers $XXX to have a booth at their field.

3. The Fields are where the show is held. Each field is run by a different promoter and given a different name. For example, two sisters (the promoters) run "J & J Productions" (the Field) that is known for its high quality and rare items (from the dealers).

Here are a few of my pictures from Saturday...

The show is set along the highway, but the highway becomes more of a sidewalk three weeks a year

There are food vendors with everything from a pickle on a stick to fried dough, lemonade to root beet floats. Yum.

Cowboy boots made of metal, anyone? You laugh, but I saw a guy carrying one later that day.

There was a beautiful display selling salvaged fountains and statues... I would have bought this metal archway/gazebo (not sure what to call it), but it wouldn't fit in my car.

Lots of old furniture...

And buddha statues? This place has everything! (Think: Ghostbusters quote)

I didn't go to the show looking for any specific items, so I did a lot of wandering and people-watching. However, I did find a few things I couldn't live without (of course!). I bought about a dozen old Indianapolis postcards that featured downtown highlights and the city. Not only do I love to write letters, the postcards themselves are adorable. On top of that, the artwork isn't copyrighted, so you can reprint the images. I'm thinking of using them for a craft project I've been wating to try. I also got a few cigar boxes ($3 each!), which are great for getting organized. I like to keep cards or jewelry in them.

My favorite find of the day came within the first 20 minutes I was browsing. Both my Mom and I really like vintage linens, i.e. tablecloths, runners, aprons. These items were so carefully hand-crafted back in the 1940's and 1950's- you can't find anything like them in stores today. Aprons are often hand-stitched and featured special appliques, and tablecloths were hand-printed. There was a mega-booth (probably the size of a medium-sized garage) that only had vintage linens. Even though I was by myself, I felt like I had come with a dozen other ladies. We were all oooh-ing and aaah-ing over finds one another had pulled out of the pile.

I hadn't really found anything that I loved, so I headed to the back table to look at 'Novelty" tablecloths. As I sorted through the pile, I came across the most wonderful vintage tablecloth I have ever seen. It was pink and light green with flowers on it. When I started to look closer, I noticed that there was a present on it... and then a cake... and then an umbrella. Yes, it was a tablecloth for a bridal shower! I talked to the owner of the booth, who told me that she had only seen two of these in 15 years of collecting vintage linens. I had the feeling that if I walked away, I would never see it again. It wasn't cheap, but I don't regret getting it at all. I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I'll be sure to post some soon. Someone hurry up and get engaged- I'm ready to throw a bridal shower!

A Weekend With My Valentine

This past weekend I had a very special visitor! Nick flew into Boston on Thursday afternoon (he will do anything to avoid connections, and there is not a direct flight from Indianapolis to Providence) and I picked him up after work. In order to avoid rush hour traffic, we decided to eat dinner in the city. I took Nick to Newbury St, a popular shopping area in Boston. I was starting to get a little hypoglycemic, so we ate an early, casual dinner at Upper Crust (*love* their calzones!), followed by some window shopping in some ridiculously expensive stores.

I ended up going into work on Friday after much debate between the two of us about the underlying meaning and implications of me not taking a day off. From my point of view, why wouldn't I take the day off, and why didn't Nick want me to? His argument was that we would still be able to spend time together and that I'd have an extra vacation day to visit him for a 3-day weekend. In the end, I didn't take the day off for 2 reasons: 1. I had a lot of work to do in the office 2. I started to agree with Nick's point. He is going to China in April (*so* jealous!), so I won't be able to visit when I originally planned (he will be gone on his birthday, April 4). At least now I'll have the option of taking a 3-day weekend in March. (I hate it when he's right!)

When I had gotten home from work, Nick had flowers and chocolates waiting for me.

They smell wonderful! Fresh flowers are one of my favorite gifts.

As a combination Valentine's Day and birthday gift, I got Nick a new iPod nano! Apple offers free engraving (he wanted his full name and new e-mail address) and free shipping. The new nano shoots video, which will be nice for his trip this spring.

On Friday night, we went into downtown Providence. My co-worker, Alan, had given me a free pair of tickets to see the Providence Bruins game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Our tickets were in the luxury suite, which was more relaxing, and there were 5 other people from work watching the game. It wasn't anything fancy, but we had a nice time. Nick had never been to any type of professional hockey game (his last one was a high school game), so the opportunity for free tickets couldn't be passed up. After the game, we went out to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. (I know, I didn't take him to any local restaurants, but it was what sounded best to both of us at the time.)

Alan and his son, Daniel, who was so well-behaved for a two year-old

So upset that we forgot to take a picture of ourselves!

On Saturday, Nick and I made one of our wonderful homemade breakfasts. We had blueberry pancakes, fresh orange juice, turkey bacon (for me- it's not really my favorite, but I need the protein), and an omelet for Nick (complete with tomatoes, goat cheese, peppers, and onions- this guy doesn't mess around in the kitchen!) Nick and I make a good team- my pancake batter is better than his, but I always end up burning them, while he seems to cook them just right. We lazed around and watched some of season five of The Office that Nick had brought with him from Indy. Nick had never really seen the show when we started dating, so we began watching the seasons on DVD. When the fifth season came out, we vowed not to watch the new episodes until we could watch them together (Awww, how cute).

On Saturday afternoon, Nick and I drove to Princeton, Massachusetts to go skiing on Wachusett Mountain. This area is only an hour from my apartment and had night skiing available (we aren't always morning people on the weekends). There are 22 trails with a peak elevation of 2,006 feet. The weather turned out to cooperate, too- it was just above freezing and not too windy. I had not been skiing in seven years, so I guess I was what you call "rusty." However, for whatever reason, I didn't think I'd have that many problems, but I struggled a little more than I thought I would.

A picture of Wachusett Mountain at night

The trails at Wachusett Mountain

Nick had skied much more than I have, and I didn't want him to be bored by going on all of the easy trails. (He was such a good sport the entire time- it was so nice to ski together.) We started off on a blue square trail (medium difficulty), which didn't seem all that bad until about a third of the way down the mountain. I managed to have two major falls with my feet over my head both times. (At this point, I am laughing hysterically after my falls- I am sure that I looked like some sort of cartoon character tumbling down the snow.) After a couple of runs, I started to get the hang of it with the help of my ski instructor (that would be Nick). He was very patient with me, even when I got frosty with him (no pun intended) a couple of times. (I can take one piece of advice per run... e.g. I will focus on keeping my skis together this time, but I can't keep my skis together, keep my back straight, and look for soft spots in the snow to turn.)

Before our skiing adventure

On one of the lifts... we look like we are going to rob a bank!

Nick and I went inside the lodge at the base of the mountain to get a drink of water and find the bathroom. I went into the restroom and looked into the mirror to pull off my hat, gloves, and scarf. There was a woman who was cleaning up around the sinks.

The cleaning woman: "Is it raining outside?"

Me: "No, I just fell a couple of times."

The cleaning woman: "On your face?"

Me (laughing so hard that I could barely answer her): "Twice!"

I had gotten so much snow underneath my hat during my falls that my hair had become so wet that it looked like a bucket of water was dumped on me.

After our quick rest, Nick and I decided to try to find Bullock Lodge. Bullock Lodge is a small cabin about halfway down the mountain in between two black diamond trails (aka difficult) that serves hot cider and doughnuts, so you know that it was a high priority stop for me! We started down one difficult trail but not the right one- the trail that the cabin was located off of was closed shortly for grooming. I fell on the trail after about 200 yards, but after regaining composure, I did well going down the rest of the trail, well enough for me to even give a "woo-hoo!" scream. When we returned to the top, the trail to the cider house had been opened (another difficult trail). There is a split halfway down the mountain, and instead of going left, Nick and I went right. We spotted the lodge through the woods, and Nick quickly yelled that there was a path through the woods that we could use to reach it. I was in front of him (going way too fast, I might add), so I didn't have much time to cut over. I made it onto the trail, but because I was out of control, took a serious tumble about 50 yards later (It was more of a face-plant that a tumble). This fall hurt the worst of all... I felt my chest and face hit the hard, icy ground, and my left leg had a sharp pain. Nick helped me get up- no broken bones, but I was definitely banged up.

We made it into the cider house for our respite, and I was so glad to be there. Not only were the homemade cider and doughnuts amazing, the lodge was warm and inviting. A local farm, Red Apple Farm, makes both the doughnuts and cider- just thinking about them makes me hungry!

Not the greatest picture (my camera kept fogging up!), but here's a view of the inside of the lodge

We went down several more trails, and after one more serious head-over-heels fall, I was done for the day. I went inside to the lodge at the base of the mountain to warm up, while Nick did one more run on his own. All in all, it was a very successful (and fun!) day on the slopes.

Nick and I made dinner at my apartment on Saturday night- tacos, Spanish rice, and frozen margaritas (well, for me... Nick stuck to his wheat beer). We were thinking about enchiladas, but I had forgotten to pick up the sauce and chiles. I can only make a few meals that both of us like, and this happens to be one of them. Sometimes it is more relaxing to eat at home than to try to go out to eat, especially on holiday weekends. (Growing up, we would always try to eat at home for Mother's Day and Father's Day- it can be too crazy to even make the trip worth it.)

Nick had to be at the airport by 1:00 PM today (Sunday), so we took it easy in the morning (more pancakes!) since we had to leave by noon. I still get sad every time he or I leave one another (well, I get sad when anyone leaves after visiting me here, for that matter), but for Nick, it usually doesn't hit me until I get back to my apartment. All of the little things around my place start to have memories connected with them (why else would I have olives, Dr. Pepper, or Franziskaner in my refrigerator?). I've been doing really well the past couple of months as am working to "embrace" my experience here in Rhode Island, but there is a part of me that will always miss my valentines at home.

My Favorite Squeeze

Every once in a while, I get a craving to have breakfast for dinner. It wasn't a regular event at my house growing up because my Dad isn't a huge fan. Instead, when he would go out of town, we would feast on pancakes and bacon. Pancakes are by far my favorite breakfast food (when they are done right, of course), but I also enjoy French toast. I found the following recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine. (I am not a regular reader of this publication, but it was the only decent reading available at my doctor's office. And yes, I am that person that tears things out of the community magazines.)

French Toast

-2 large egg whites

-1 large egg

-3/4 cup low-fat milk

-1/4 tsp vanilla

-1/8 teaspoon salt

-butter or butter spray

-8 slices whole wheat bread

In a pie plate, use a whisk to beat the egg whites, egg, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, and press the bread lightly to coat both sides well. Place 3-4 slices in a skillet, and cook 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with fresh berries and maple syrup.

Nutrition info (per 2 slices): 300 calories, 12 gm protein, 46 carbohydrates, 9 gm fat, 6 gm fiber, 56 mg cholesterol.

Now, I know that I'm no cooking genius, but how hard can this recipe be? This is the second time I've made this recipe, and both times I have ended up with bread that is too burnt on the outside and still soggy on the inside. The first time I blamed my pan/skillet (it does the job 95% of the time, but how good can a $5 pan from IKEA be? It serves my current purposes, but I would eventually like to upgrade.), but now I'm starting to think I don't have the heat set correctly. Any tips?

To go along with my breakfast for dinner, I made fresh orange juice- YUM!

FLASHBACK: (Since I did such a poor job of updating during the holidays, I am going to be using these "flashbacks" to bring everyone up to speed.)

On Christmas Eve, I got a call from Nick, who had just finished opening up some of his Christmas presents. When I asked him what he received, he immediately said, "My mom got me a juicer!" to which I replied, "Really?!" He was excited (by his standards) and went on about how he couldn't wait to use it. I would have been more excited for him, but I got him a juicer, too!!

During our Europe trip, Nick raved about the fresh juice we would have in the mornings at our breakfast spots, so I made a mental note (along with a note in my Blackberry) to get him one later. (Note to self: write blog posts about the trip to Europe in the near future.) We imposed a $20 spending limit on Christmas presents this year (a chance to save money and be creative), which was perfect- I had seen a Black and Decker juicer at Target for $19.99.

It turned out that Nick got a much fancier juicer-a Jack LaLanne juicer. (I'm sure you've seen his commercials on T.V.) His Mom got a good deal on one at a garage sale, so it couldn't be returned. However, I'm not sure Nick would have wanted my wimpy juicer. During my Christmas vacation, he made me several good juice combinations, including grapefruit, oranges, apples, and carrots. I liked the juice, but I have 3 qualms with the juicer:

1. It is *huge.* Unless you have a lot of storage space in the kitchen (or can hide it someplace else), it stays on the counter.

2. The parts can't be put into the dishwasher. I mean, I don't mind hand washing some dishes when it's absolutely necessary, but I can't see myself cleaning this thing by hand every morning (or see myself making juice every morning).

3. The pulp is separated from the juice- this can be both a pro and con. It allows you to put fruits and vegetables you might not otherwise consume (I don't know whether to say eat or drink here), and you can use the pulp in muffins and other recipes (but how many people really do this? Seriously, fresh juice and muffins every morning? Who is this person? Betty Crocker?). I personally love the orange juice with 'lots of pulp."

Here is where my juicer comes into play...

1. All of the parts (except the base with the power cord) can be put into the dishwasher!

2. It is small enough to fit under the kitchen counter.

3. You have the option of having high or low pulp juice.

But, at the same time, you can only use it for citrus fruits. I guess it depends on what qualities you are looking for in a juicer. :)

My new favorite kitchen appliance...

For those of you who are wondering, I ended up getting Nick a combination Christmas and anniversary gift (We were at Pat and Sarah's wedding on December 27 when I just started introducing myself as his girlfriend). I didn't stay under my $20 limit, but Nick got me a coral-colored cashmere scarf and glove set (love it! It's the very first things I've ever owned made of cashmere), so we were even in the end. At Details, one of my favorite gift stores in Indy, you can buy pictures of letters from around the state, including IU, PU, and Indy. I used pictures taken from downtown Indy to spell his last name.

Here is the full picture.

The first 3 letters- the "K" is from the construction of Lucas Oil Stadium. The "L" is from the top of the Indianapolis Museum of Art building. The "E" comes from the of Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers schedule is posted.

The last 3 letters- The "M" is from the Indiana State Museum, which is just a short walk down the canal from Nick's apartment. The "E" is from part of a building downtown that houses Hard Rock Cafe. I think the "N" is from a random parking sign, but I'd have to look at the back of the picture to be sure.

As for this year, there might not be any holidays on the near horizon, but I'm going to call Julie soon to start planning birthday and Christmas presents.

I Know You Want One

I was sitting at my desk earlier this week, minding my own business, when my boss came to my desk. I see Debbie multiple times every day, so it was no surprise except for the fact that she was holding a present for me! She told me she ordered it for me as a Christmas present, but it turned up in the mail the day after I left for vacation. When I ripped the wrapping paper off, I was ecstatic... Debbie got me a Snuggie!

You might be familar with the Snuggie, but if not, it's "the blanket with sleeves." They have ads all over tv. (Click here to see a Snuggie ad.) At first it seemed like a joke, but before I knew it, they started advertising for different types of Snuggies... zebra-stripe, pint-sized, etc. I think it is one of those things you secretly covet but would never buy yourself. And not only did I get my very Snuggie, I got a Purdue Snuggie!

I immediately opened the box and tried it on at the office- I couldn't wait to wear it! (Note: the office can be drafty where I sit, but I'm not sure that a Snuggie is very professional.) Alma, who sits next to me, heard the comotion and wanted me to come show her my new present. I ended up seeing Troy, who now calls me "Grandma." (Last week my neck was bothering me, so I had a heating pad on my chair to loosen up the muscles. The addition of a Snuggie probably didn't help my case.)

Warm and cozy in my new Snuggie!

Thanks, Deb! I love it!

One If By Land, Two If By Sea

What a wonderful, action-packed brithday weekend! I just loved having Lisa come to Rhode Island to see my stomping grounds and having Dan join us in Boston. And on top of that, we did a ton of exploring... Boston on Friday, Newport on Saturday, and Providence on Sunday. I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog (eee!), but I can't be up too late tonight. (Tomorrow morning I am going to Arizona to help Mike with a couple of immunization training sessions.) That being said, I'm going to stick to writing about Friday night on this post.

I took my very first vacation day from work on Friday (I love my job, but I needed a break), slept in (my favorite), and then picked up Lisa at the airport. For an airport its size, the Boston Logan Airport is very easy to navigate. I mean, I have gotten a little turned around half of the times I was leaving the airport, but I think I've got it down. Lisa and I met Dan in the South End for lunch, then began our quest on the Freedom Trail.

The Freedom Trail is a 3-mile, self-guided tour that highlights 18 Revolutionary War landmarks. Starting in Boston Common (the nation's oldest park), a red-line on the sidewalks directs you through one of America's most historic cities. (I *love* that it is so easy to walk around in Boston... everything is very compact but somehow doesn't feel congested.) Rather than go into detail on every stop, I think I'll tell this story with pictures.

An outside view of the Boston Public Library... We didn't make it inside, but I've read about all of the neat things they have there. I'll have to go back there by myself.

A view of Boston Common- so refreshing to see some green in the city

The Massachusettes Statehouse is next to Boston Common

Dan's hero, Benjamin Franklin

This looks like it belongs in the movie National Treasure

Old South Meeting House

There was a firetruck and a decent size crowd, but we never figured out what was really going on

Paul Revere's house is on the left. We took a tour of it, but they wouldn't let you take any pictures, even without the flash. It always blows my mind to think about how people used to live.

We stopped in the North End to visit a must on Dan's list, Mike's Pastries. I was skeptical at first (we all know how much I love sweets!), but the canolis we had were to die for.

Can you believe that this is a picture of marzipan? They could have passed for real fruit

We cut back through Boston Common after getting off the train, and I saw two things I love...

1. Hostas

2. Weddings- the bride was gorgeous (we saw her at the hotel across the street later)

I love the old and the next are right next to each other... isn't this a great picture of Lisa?

Ok, I know I am missing some details, but I am falling asleep at my computer. I will write more,soon!

Goodnight...

Working for the Weekend

Well, next weekend, that is... I've been attempting to get ahead of the game the past couple of days so that I can relax next weekend when Lisa comes to visit. I normally don't have to do too much work on the weekends. However, I am going to be in Arizona next Monday through Thursday helping with immunization training in Tempe (back to my old stomping grounds!). I actually spent two months in Tempe when I did a summer internship several years ago, so I'm looking forward to going back... it may be hotter than hades there in the summer, but it is *gorgeous* when it's not scorching.

Mrs. K, I am so sorry that I missed your birthday on Monday! Nick reminded me about a month ago, and I forgot to write it down. He claims he said something about it that day, but I *know* I would have remembered if he had told me recently. Hope you had a happy birthday! (I also realized that I don't have any pictures of you or your family... looks like I've got a mission for Thanksgiving.)

Speaking of the K's, I never finished telling you about Nick's visit last weekend. We were watching an episode of The Office when he suddenly got up from the couch and told me to close my eyes and cover my ears. I had no idea what he was doing, and I was anxious to know what was going on! (read: me screaming "eeeee!") A couple of minutes later (it felt like much longer), he let me open my eyes. First, he gave me the sweetest card (last weekend actually marked a year since we met... and yes, he was the one that remembered). I know most guys aren't into cards/notes, but I think Nick knows how much I love them. Then, he gave me a copy of The Prince of Tides, one of his favorite books he's been telling me about for some time. (Note: I was at the bookstore about a month ago looking for a good book to read when Nick called. I asked him for the name of the book he had been telling me about, but he "just couldn't remember" it. I thought nothing of it at the time, but it turns out he had already gotten the book for me.) Then, he had me close my eyes again-- I asked if I was going to get a kitten (wishful thinking!). I opened my eyes to find a small backpack in front of me. Before I even opened it, I had an idea of what was inside... a picnic! (When we were in Mainz, Germany this summer, we saw the most adorable picnic basket that I desperately wanted to take home with me. We still had over a week of travel, and there really wasn't a good way for me to take it back to Indy without spending a fortune on mailing it home. I was absolutely delighted that Nick remembered the picnic basket that I loved.) The backpack had several compartments: an insulated portion for storing food, a pocket for miscellaneous storage, and a large, zipped area that kept plates, silverware, glasses, napkins, a cutting board, a knife, a wine bottle opener, and mini salt and pepper holders (I'm sure I am forgetting something.. Oh yes, there is a side holder for a bottle of wine.) What a great gift!

On Easton Beach in Newport with my new pinic basket!

On Saturday night, Nick and I went into downtwn Providence to see "Waterfire." I am not really going to do it justice by trying to explain it, so here's Wikipedia's version...

"WaterFire is a popular environmental art installation created by Barnaby Evans in Providence, Rhode Island. It consists of a series of up to 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence in Waterplace Park (the Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck, and Providence rivers), with accompanying world and classical music, sometimes with live performances. Started in 1994, events continue to be scheduled on an approximately biweekly basis from April through October. WaterFire is a public art work that uses the urban experience and its attending visitors as an element within the artwork. One impetus for WaterFire is to continue the revitalization efforts in the downtown Providence area by bringing residents out to celebrate in the city's downtown streets and through increased tourism from out of state visitors (60% of viewers are from outside the state). Average attendance is 45,000 a night, ranging from 10,000 to 100,000. WaterFire is presented for free, with twenty percent of the funds needed to cover the expenses provided through governmental means and the remainder coming from on-site donations by visitors, private donors and corporate sponsors."

So, there you have it. When we arrived around 7:30 PM (it was supposed to start at 7:15 PM), there were a ton of people standing around, but nothing was really going on. We decided to stake out a spot just off the main part of the park so that we'd be able to have an unobstructed view. As the sun was setting, the action began. There was a procession of people from that week's sponsor, United Way, carrying torches to the center part of the park and around the lake. Then, several boats full of people all dressed in black came down the river to light the fires. During and after the fires were lit, there were opera singers staged around the park singing songs I couldn't understand but sounded very beautiful (Italian, maybe?). I had *very* different expectations from what it ended up being. I was imagining some type of Indiana Jones student show you'd see in a theme park, complete with blowing fire, loud music, and people swinging from ropes. A little disappointed I didn't have anyone shoot fire at me, but I still liked the event.

Part of the Providence skyline

At Waterplace Park before Waterfire starts

An attempt to photograph fire (it's as hard as it looks)

Another attempt to photograph fire (Better but less than ideal)

I made a promise to myself that no matter what I'm doing, I will take a picture of a group or couple if they ask me (I've asked for more than my share, that's for sure)

After that, we walked around Providence until we decided to eat at Capital Grille. The restaurant is very nice (I've eaten there once before with Deb and Troy), but unfortunately, we didn't have the greatest waiter (I think I may have gotten my mom's restaurant curse!). If there is one pet peeve I have, it is running out of water and having to wait to get more to drink. I mean, I'm not talking I drink all of the water and if they aren't there lickedy split, it's the end of the world. I could probably even do 5 minutes. BUT, I was eating something spicy (calamari with hot cherry peppers), and he was in the general area at least five times before we could get his attention. (And the only reason he brought me water is because Nick stopped him on his way to the bathroom to tell him his girlfriend was dying of thirst!) Despite a slight lack of water, the dinner was wonderful... great food, great scenery (we sat outside, and you could still hear the music from the river), and great timing (we didn't have to wait!).

I would finish, but I need some beauty sleep! More to come tomorrow about our day in Newport.