Cape Cod Birthdays

At the end of February we took a little trip to celebrate a few birthdays. A long weekend at Cape Cod was just the thing for us overworked city-folk. And fortunately the weather cooperated.

We drove up from the city with Alison and Michael (and her dog Rupert, of course), Stephen drove down from Boston and Marisa drove up from the city later that evening. Things couldn't have started off better - we opened the fridge to put in a few groceries when we got there and look what awaited us...


Mom and Dad had been there a few days before we arrived and my wonderful mother, knowing how rest-starved we all were and how in need of a little R&R with our friends, left us 3 bottles of prosecco for celebratory purposes. It was The Best.

Friday night we just ordered pizza, had some wine and relaxed. I think we all went to bed pretty early. Saturday was coffee and toast and magazines and conversation in the living room for a few hours and then we went downtown to the Impudent Oyster for a fantastic late lunch. We strolled through downtown, popping into various shops, I swung by and got my bangs trimmed while the rest of the crew checked out some antique shops and bought some fudge and as the day drew to a close, we picked up lobsters for dinner. Lobster, corn and my favorite kale salad was a pretty killer dinner.


Sunday morning was a repeat of Saturday (with the coffee and the talking and the loveliness and whatnot) and then we headed to Hardings Beach for a walk.

(L-R) Alison, Geoff, Marisa, Michael (hidden behind Marisa) and Stephen


The Birthday kids...


Two of my oldest dearest friends from my early NYC days...


Rupert had quite the adventure at the beach. This is clearly not a water dog. But he had a great time.



Then we headed back to the house for a late brunch, as we were all starving. Alison set a lovely table (shocking, I know)...


We kind of made brunch up. I'd planned to make a whole wheat orzo salad at some point in the weekend, and ended up making it for brunch. Very easy - Whole wheat orzo with grape tomatoes, peccorino Romano cheese, lemon and arugula. I made up the ratios of everything and just kept adding things until I liked it. Stephen topped each plate with two poached eggs, because he is a kitchen wizard. And Alison made an orange & grapefruit salad with a little lime zest. Add some mimosas (OJ + that amazing prosecco -thanks mom!) and it was one fantastic brunch.


*sigh* I love traveling with other foodies.


And no, Alison and Stephen weren't on their phones during brunch - they were photographing their creations. Obviously.


After brunch I can't remember what we did. There may have been naps and showers and a bit of Downton Abbey watching and general down time. Michael's friends Jason and Jasmine made their way up to join us for the evening and once they arrived, we watched Chocolat before dinner. One of my favorite movies. Alison had promised Michael she'd make him a pie for his birthday - and make one she did. I believe this was a sage apple pie? Or a carmel apple pie? Or a caramel sage apple pie. Whatever it was, it was beyond delicious.


And Stephen made Alison a KILLER Guiness Chocolate Cake for her birthday. I think this even had a hint of orange in it somehow, which was beyond amazing. Alison promptly decorated it herself with things she found around the kitchen. She's resourceful, that one. (please forgive the horrendous lighting)


The birthday boy & girl


'Twas a lovely, lovely time. Lets do it again, please.

Old Friends

On Friday I had the chance to briefly see one of my oldest college friends. Mary and I met very early on freshman year and I remember thinking then how sweet and how pretty she was. And on Friday, (as with every time we get together) it was confirmed that both those things haven't changed a bit. She was in town for a quick trip without her two kids to see her siblings, who live in NYC and we were able to meet for coffee. I'd last seen her almost a year and half ago at the last Barn House reunion. In those pictures she was still pregnant with Issac, her second son, who is now - (obviously) nearly a year and a half. Crazy. Man, there is just something about people who have known you for a long time. And even though our lives are so different and she lives far away, it literally felt like we'd seen each other last week. How does that happen?? It's a mystery I'll never quite understand. Those special people who you can pick right up with like no time has passed. I love it.

Here we are on my roof, pretending to be models.


Mary, it was so great seeing you! I'm so grateful for you! Barn girls, who's jealous??!

Brunch in Brooklyn

A few Sundays ago, Alison hosted a girls brunch at her place in Brooklyn. And being the Little Miss Martha Stewart that she is, it was absolutely fabulous. I got there a bit early and helped with last minute prep; making coffee and whipping up a salad dressing for the CSA greens that were to be part of the meal.


Is it weird that I really like making homemade salad dressing? Like, kind of a lot? A mustard shallot vinaigrette is my new favorite I think ....


Alison made this fabulous quiche.


Then the girls arrived and we had a feast...



Amanda brought Miss Laura of course and she was QUITE the life of the party.


She's about seven and half months and at that I-must-be-Bouncing-at-all-times stage. Her legs are always moving. She also needs to know where Mom is at all times. But eventually she relaxed and got really into the rest of us. Particularly Alison's dog Rupert, as he is just her size.

Here they are really sizing each other up.



We don't all get together nearly often enough. Truly. Life gets hectic for all of us, I know - shows and jobs and babies and husbands and all that. But it is lovely to get together when we can. We should probably just put a quarterly brunch on the calendar, so we know it at least happens 4 times a year. Maybe we could make it happen more often than that if we remember that Alison will likely make us something like this.


Yep, that should do it.

My First Headshots

On the way home from brunch last weekend, Megan and I had an impromptu photo shoot in our neighborhood. She needed some headshots for a couple interviews/auditions and we just snapped a couple real quick. I didn't have the best lens with me and I truly don't know what I'm doing, but I thought they turned out ok, all things considered.

I think this one is my favorite.


My favorite kind of photography is the kind where I hide in the background with a long lens and catch a great moment when the subject doesn't actually know they are being photographed. I'm not super comfortable "directing" people yet. I think I need some practice in that department.

Like, for example, I told Megan to maybe give me a little half smile/smirk and jokingly said "you know, like you have a secret." This was her response.


Rightly so.

So I need a ton more practice (right, in all my free time), but it was fun. Thanks for being a patient subject, Megs!

The Barn Girls Take DC

It was all over far too quickly. This past weekend I skipped out on shooting weddings and headed to Northern Virginia for a girls weekend with the 8 ladies I lived with in college. I'm amazed every time I see them at how much we as a collective unit have dealt with. Good and bad. And as always, its good to feel known, supported, encouraged and loved for exactly right where you are. Not always perfectly so, but we don't strive for perfection, we strive for genuine relationships.

We're all quite different...in personality, in faith, in politics, in opinions, but I think it's safe to say we all take comfort, refuge and encourgement from being around people who want to really know you and who do their very best to listen, love and ask questions that help you to grow. I know I for one was HUNGRY for this weekend. I needed it. I needed to get out of the city. I needed a weekend with more than 1 day off. I needed time with girlfriends. I needed to be with people who have known me for almost half my life.

We spent a lot of time here:


Doing a lot of this:




And as I looked back through my pictures, we also spent a lot of time listening. Which I love. I love that I have so many photos of us listening to each other...







There were wonderful breakfasts, amazing margaritas, a zillion kinds of desserts, and a fantastic dinner out at a local restaurant featuring a tomato & feta salad that I will dream of for possibly the rest of my life. For serious.

There was this gorgeous butterfly who was digging hanging out with us in the backyard.


There were lemon & sugar facials on Sunday morning that were super simple and pretty stinkin' impressive. And came complete with a crazy instruction video.


And there was not nearly enough time with this guy.


Ali's youngest, Ryan, who is about 4 months old and possibly the most perfect angel child there ever was. He never cried once the whole weekend. And he makes the most amazing faces.




He even got in on the Listening...


And he's such a cuddler



I love these friends






Kate, Mary, Michelle, Courtney, Christy, Kathy, Becca & Ali


And yes, you are not mistaken, that is an Actual Barn near Courtney's house that we were able to take a picture next to. Come on...how perfect is that?


Girls, I miss you already. You can find more pictures (and an extensive photo shoot of Ryan) here. I'm already thinking about the next reunion. I'm thinking late summer 2011 at Cape Cod....who's in?