Adventures with the hot-doggers, Round 2!

Almost three weeks later, they’re still here!

LOVE IT .

Turns out that in the process of being re-located (ah, the life of the Weinermobile)- Annapolis, MD → McLean, VA – they are just about the same distance away (actually a little closer), in a different direction. This area continues to amaze me. So, in the meantime, the adventures have continued.

As you can read about below, DUFF (from Ace of Cakes!) called LB and was all for the Weinermobile making an appearance at the famous Cake Shop. This rendezvous was all set for Monday at Noon. WELL. Let’s just say, I spoke too soon. Rather than continuing the pattern towards warmer weather and hopes of Spring, the Maryland sky decided against our little date. Instead, it dumped 8 f-ing inches of SNOW all over the state on Sunday night. Subsequently, I didn’t give my scheduled presentation Monday morning, the 27-foot hot dog car couldn’t make it out of Annapolis, and even my “work” day was cancelled. Whaaaat?! It snows like twice this entire winter. Where did this come from?! Nobody knows. Gah.

Uh. Anyway.

After rescheduling 3 times (whoa, those bakers are busyyyy), it ended up that I couldn’t make it. Instead I was sitting in a Maryland State Senate meeting listening to debates. Random? Yup. But LB and AA had a greeeeat time, and I think you will enjoy these pics!

Charm City Cakes and BIG BUNNN.

LB: Master Hot-dog cake maker!!! Aaaand, next addition to the CC-Cakes team?
Love that cake.

They’re Awesome and did get me a little card signed by Duff, and provided tons of pictures. They Also captured the famous peeps on camera: Weinermobile Chats with Ace of Cakes
Check. It. Out.

Other adventures? Look and see.

Me: Lowest score x 2 games in a row. Yea. I gots skilllllz.

Before the party, it’s the hotel lobbyyy. Or bar.

Just Love. Another night in the cittyyyyy.

Now, I get to hang with these people for at least one more weekend before they jet-set to their next destination. See ya when normal-life resumes!

Adventures with the Hot-Doggers, Round 1

The visitors have left MD and moved on….to VA. Yup, still close! Love it.

But, the past 10 days have been packed with photo-ops and good times. So! Here are a few glimpses into the Life of a Hot-Dogger, and us tour-guides/roomies that gallivant around with them!

Me, LB and Ash. Too. Much. Fun.

The Wienermobile…..Inside. Front….

…..Middle…..

…and Back. Yes. This thing is huuuuge.

From the outside……JUST AS FREAKIN BIG.

We headed up into Baltimore and around Fells Point again. LB loves the water, and I love the cityyyy.

.Gazing.

Oh, there’s water in Annapolis too. Yup, we love that too.

Exploring adventures were cut a little short by the fact that it was chillyyyy over the weekend.
But we saw a lot during Round 1!

Meeting the ACE

I have a small announcement to make.

Tomorrow, I am meeting THE Ace of Cakes. Duff. From Charm City Cakes.

!!!!!!! O…M…G !!!!!!!!

So. As I mentioned, I took LB and AA (wienermobile-ers) to see the famous Cake shop last weekend. This was the second trip in a month for me. Yes, you can only stand outside and sit and stare. But, totally worth it. I looove that show and it’s so cool that the shop itself is just Right there.

Anyway. We went, took pictures, marveled, and got ready to go. LB had her business cards with her and somebody had an idea: write Duff a note on the back! Somewhere along the lines of…..”Hey, we drive the wienermobile and would love to come meet you, and we’ll bring the 27-foot long hot dog car!! Sincerely, LB”. Yea that’s not exactly what it said, but you get it. She left her cell # and we thought “Omg it’d be so cool if he called!”

Oh. He called.

A few days later I’m on the way back from work, and I get a call from a very excited LB. She had this message for me: THEY CALLED! WE’RE GOING TO THE CAKE SHOP MONDAY AT 11 !!!!!

Nevermind the fact that I have a huge presentation tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. It’s just a little project I’ve been working on for about 4 months. Which I’m very ready to get out of the way!

After that, I’m meeting up with those crazy hot-doggers and getting my camera ready!!

Just be patient. Pictures are coming.

Take me Back

LB is in town; has been since last Thursday and will be until next Monday. Wheeeww.

Yes, this is why I haven’t been around these parts lately. Instead, I’ve been traveling to and from Annapolis, staying there, staying here, going bowling, having dinner fiestas, drinking & dining in Pubs…….ya know, the usual…?? Right.

I’ve had way too much fun in the past 5 days. LB and I lived together for more than the majority of our College lives, and this is all too familiar. Sunday night we cooked dinner at my apartment, watched the Oscars while browsing through People magazine, and did laundry. It was like we were right back in State College, doin our thing.

Ah, I wish.

My life will seem so boring next week! Aside from some serious work projects that I’d rather not think about right now.

In the mean time, you can find me with LB and AA (her Weinermobile drivin-partna’….aka the Texan ;)). I’ll just be gallivanting, not stressing about work/life/internship stuffff for the next few days. And I’ll be loving it.

(Don’t think you won’t be seeing pictures of this mobile either. There are many!)

We have room for the wiener!

!! Newsflash: LB will be in Maryland!! With the WIENERMOBILE!!

She gets in tomorrow, early-afternoon-ish, and I’m So Damn Excited. I haven’t seen my roomie since before Thanksgiving, and that trip to Happy Valley was far too short (which will always be the case). The only plan thus far is a weekend in Annapolis, which needs no real “plan” because there’s always Something to do.

I asked what they were doing Thursday evening – thinking … “Office/30 Rock” partyyy (just like the apt days!) ?? Might be an option. I got this response – “Oooh, is there Parking for us??!!” – meaning…is there anywhere in my apt complex to park a 27-foot long Hot dog?!

And my answer “Ha oh yea, we can fit the wiener in!”

Which is true. But wow, that Mobile can make any sentence slightly inappropriate.

Anywayyyy. Rather than driving back and forth between the apt and Navy-central, I’ll actually be staying there. Yesss. No travel crises allowed. The hotel is lookin’ gorgeous, and way out of my student-budget price range. It’s good to have friends with jobs. It’s like a mini-getaway! A much needed adventure.

I’m not enjoying the fact that it’s only Thursday (….uh, almost). I need Friday, and a half day at work, and a Mini road trip, and a PSU Reunion. Now now and Noowwww.

playing tourist!

What to do – when a good friend comes to visit on a whim and the weather graciously cooperates???

Play tourist, of course.

Usually this means a trip down to DC – museums and monuments and all. But! The North side of this state deserves some attention too. So, we decided to go see things that were even new to Me.

I live very close to the Charm City. Guess what that means?? I live near CHARM CITY CAKES! Oh, we went. And the Food Network has a huge hold on this place. The windows are covered in black tarps (nope, can’t even peak at the cake-making), and the door opens to you “By Appointment ONLY”. Psh. We’ll just enjoy the view from outside, thank youu.

Moving on…..

To Fells Point, MD. An old (old!) neighborhood in the Baltimore Harbor, home to many many bars, restaurants, shops, theaters, hotels and….more bars. It’s all historic and brick with cobble-stone roads and places like “The Horse You Came In On Saloon”. I want to come in on a horse! And then have a drink!

Anyway. I took a lot of pictures, because it’s just one of those places. You want to capture it, and you love it.

The Bond Street landing.

My buddies. Happy by the water.

Stand by the sea.

My view at lunch. Yum.

Cool door. Cooool window.

We had a blast, and every time I do stuff like this I appreciate this area that I live in more and more. Even if I’m out of this area by the end of the year – I lived here once. And – budget or no budget – I’m experiencing that as much as I can!

consistency will return

Since coming back from our “holiday” break, my schedule has changed on a weekly basis. I spent time in two separate hospitals and had a short jaunt with the School Lunch Program. And now, finally, I’m about to enter back into the world of Consistency. One location, for six weeks. Yesssss.

Our hours will be something along the lines of 10 am -6 pm, including a free lunch  and excluding anything related to medicine and disease. Whoa.

It’s back to food service stuff, which I’m not 100% thrilled about. Usually this means Free food, which I am thrilled about. I’m also ready to know that I have my mornings to myself, to work out or sleep in or sit and watch Matt , Meredith and Al on the Today Show. Getting my run out of the way means I never have to stress about what traffic will be like on the way home and/or getting a treadmill and/or running before the sun goes down for the evening.  Since I’m in training-mode right now (which I talk about elsewhere), this is perfect.

In other areas of my life – things are changing by the weekend. This last weekend I had a surprise visitor from Penn State; I found out she was coming down on Thursday and was pretty freakin excited. We had a gooood time, got all touristy and even found a famous bakery. Oooh, more on that later.

This upcoming weekend I have family friends coming from home to the DC area. I. Can’t. Wait. to see some familiar faces and show them around.

Next weekend: LB is making her first visit to MD (well, since I’ve been here)!! Oh, I’m excited.

Good things happening here.

Not a lover….yet

Jack drove down to visit last week, and spoiled me by showing up on Wednesday.

We had a lot of fun, as usual, just doin the ‘normal’ things. Because they’re things that we don’t always get to do.

A Long distance relationship makes grocery shopping together ‘fun’. How ’bout that.

Saturday we went out to dinner. I’m still not really sure what restaurants are in the are, because Hi I have no extra spending $, so when I do spend, it’s usually on drinks/bars/traveling. Food? I can make that myself.

Anyway. There’s this place really close to our apt that has been recommended by 3 separate people. None of whom live even within 20 minutes of me, sooo I’m thinkin’ it must be good. Italian always makes for a good date right? Yesss.

I’m not a wine – lover. I want to be. It seems classy. When somebody has a “glass of wine” before (or with) dinner they look sophisticated. When I order a Vodka-tonic before dinner, I feel like I’m 22.  This place didn’t give me much of a choice though. Beer of wine, what will it be? Beer with bread and pasta  just seems like I’m just asking to be bloated all night. Ehhhh. Ew. So……Red wine? Gah. Sure.

*Cheers*
To the first time I’ve ever ordered wine with dinner.
To the first time I’ve finished a glass of wine, on my own.
To the first time I haven’t made a face after the last few sips.
Aaaand, to the first time I actually got a little wine-buzz. Yessssss.

Date was a success! I’m still not a Wine-o, or even close. But hey, baby steps. I’m getting there.

Prepping for the parents

The parents are back in town!

Driving in from WV, they’ll get here around 5. If you wondering why they’re in WV (nope. I’m not from WV), it has to do with conference things. Those fancy get togethers where people sit in lectures all day, and get compensated by a free stay at a fancy hotel. And muffin breakfasts. Pretty sweet deal, yea?

So, they’re coming from one of those. I’ve put out the warning: You will be driving on the DC-Beltway. There will be traffic. And, in other words, I’ll probably see you around…..6 or 7…? Sounds about right.

Since I’m usually off around 4, this gives me plenty of time to spice up the place. Vacuum (which makes everything look So clean. without much effort. Good stuff.), do laundry, make the kitchen look tidy…..that stuff you’re supposed to do anyway, but put off until you think somebody might notice. Well, I vacuum my room like once a week. Maybe because it calms me, maybe because it’s the sanitary thing to do…but mostly, because it’s a quick distraction from homework and it’s my substitution for weight lifting. Which never made anything look clean. And makes your hands smell weird (ew).

My Dad has never been in the area, and he appreciates everything travel-related. And he’s a serious history-buff. I’ll still be at work Thursday and Friday, but I have no doubt they’ll find many ways to distract themselves. In fact, I’ll probably lose them to old War sites and history museums and scenic drives where the leaves are changing (seriously. it’s gooorgeous here right now). Until we meet up for happy-hour of course.

Anyway. I’m exciiiited. My parents are pretty fun to have around. I pointed out to them that they’ll be here just in time for dinner tomorrow night. Very nice planning on their part. So my job is to find a ‘new’ place to eat. Which isn’t hard, because I’ve gone out to eat like, umm…..twice?…since I’ve lived here. It’s not in the budget!! Target and Outlet malls are.

So thats my hump-day excitement. Yesssss, family time!

I guess when you graduate these are called “reunions”

I’ll have my first official visitor in, um…..3 days!!!!

Yes. I’m excited. Veryyyyy excited.

Aside from holiday breaks where I get all adventurous and head West, I have lived next to or with this person for the last four years. That’s basically 1/5 of my life. And she’s basically the best roomie ever. And basically, Friday can not come fast enough. How are we supposed to adjust to going from daily doses of each other to having to schedule reunions??!

Gah. This ‘graduating’ thing is a little crazy. My roomies are all spread out now. I can’t run across the hall and say “LB I need fashion advice. ASAP!!”. Or watch Sally do her nails while we all watch TV. And I can’t go next door and sit on Em’s floor, and chat with her, and listen to her music that always grows on me and steal her jackets when I’m freeeeezing cold because I’m still in some southwestern-fantasy where I don’t need winter clothing.

But, for this weekend, I get a taste of my former reality. I get a nice big breath of fresh air.

Em is heading up here for the weekend and staying with me!! Really, she’s also visiting a certain someone at a certain Academy, and I get to provide room & board (and drinks!) and tag along. Yesssssss.

It will be our first overnight visitor. The apartment is finally ready for this. Stocked with a couch and lounge chair. Neither of which came from a thrift store. Thanksss IKEA. And I am more than ready for this.