tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35288667497540636772024-03-05T23:39:58.501-08:00Hilary: EQotWI'm eclectic and so is my blog. Let's be friends.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00814110363186796408noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-80937315134989434852013-06-17T11:20:00.002-07:002013-06-17T11:20:52.946-07:00SquishFace: Our little french bulldog<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
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Say "Hello" to our little addition! SquishFace is a 9-week old french bulldog girl.</div>
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For the past year Taylor and I have talked about, researched and looked for a dog. We've done a ton of research on breeds and, despite my tendency to stay away from trending topics, we found that the best breed for us right now is a frenchie. French bulldogs are so hot right now.<br />
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A couple months ago our good friend, Kasey, told us about a puppy store in the local mall so we started stopping by just to ooh and aaah at the different breeds of dogs. The owner is a tall, friendly dog-fanatic who put us on the French Bulldog call list, meaning he'd call us whenever he got a frenchie puppy in. He called once, but the little thing looked too much like a pug to be cute. I know, that doesn't really make sense but I firmly believe little squishy bulldog/boxer faces are adorable and pug faces are just weird.<br />
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We fell off the call list.<br />
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On Saturday we were out doing errands. (Side note: When a foot injury puts your husband housebound for a week, going out to the grocery store together feels like an adventure.) We were on our way home when I thought about the puppy store. We didn't have anything else planned so we headed down and immediately got absorbed by the Chow puppy that looked like a teddy bear. I was trying to wake up a Boston Terrier when Taylor called my name:<br />
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"It's a little Frenchie."<br />
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When the shopgirl pulled her out of the crate and put her in the play area for us, Squish was still trying to wake up but immediately pushed her chest out and struck a regal pose before tossing the rope toy around. Watching her play was entertaining but as soon as we pulled her up on our laps she cuddled down and started snoring.<br />
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We decided to call her SquishFace, a variation on ScarFace, which means we can call her by any derivative of "Squish." She really is a perfect little puppy. She's small, affectionate, lively and she's exactly the type of french bulldog we pictured owning. It's definitely a sacrifice to take care of her and train her, but she already has a little place in our lives and hearts.<br />
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Let me know if you have any advice on puppies!<br />
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-40877224250808866372013-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:002013-06-07T06:00:07.352-07:00Miami and Southbeach Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week Taylor and I met up with my family in southern Florida for a vacation. We met in South beach, which was insane because it was Memorial day weekend and the streets were packed with mostly nude party-ers. We saw all kinds of undress, the most memorable of which was when we stopped to watch a tranny do a Beyonce performance at one of the outdoor bars and we saw a guy and girl bond over the fact they were both only wearing thongs. Yup.<br />
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The best part (As much as I enjoyed the insanity of late-night partying,
it wasn't my favorite part.) was the hotels. The entire main drag of
south beach is lined with hotels built between the 1930s and 1950s and
they are gorgeous. <br />
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Art deco is one of my favorite styles and the insides
of the hotels are modern. One of them especially had a fascinating
artistic styling, so much so I snuck some pictures.<br />
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The first morning we were in Miami we went walking around and I found a pink Monster Rehab, and though I don't think it tasted very different from the regular Rehab, I loved the pink can. (Weird how girly I've become.)<br />
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There's been a conscientious effort to beautify the south beach area so there is an outdoor art installment called something like the Iron Trees where the metal frames have created vine-trees. I did some looking around online and I haven't been able to find anything about them. They're actually really impressive and I recommend visitors go visit them.<br />
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There was actually an impressive amount of street art in Miami. Austin, Philip and Taylor spent all week finding and collecting pieces from different locations and artists.<br />
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-21633292940911601172013-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:002013-06-04T06:00:09.868-07:00Finding "It" in JacksonvilleI'm trying really hard to get to know Jacksonville. It's a conscious effort because it doesn't really offer a whole bunch of stuff right off the bat. I'm convinced that there are cool things in the city that are waiting to be found, so I have to go find it. Whatever <i>it </i>is.<br />
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So, I have officially started a <a href="http://unpluggedfoodies.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">food blog</a>, just in an effort to keep my personal blog a little cleaner. The first post is about <a href="http://unpluggedfoodies.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/the-burrito-gallery/" target="_blank">The Burrito Gallery</a>, in downtown Jacksonville.<br />
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I think my favorite part was the building right next door; an art deco styled building that is in the middle of renovations. The arched entry way was lined with glass tiles, some of which were missing. The entry way had some random blue mosaics left over from whatever original set-up was there. I really wish I knew what was going on with that building, it really felt like it has something to tell.<br />
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Isn't that a fascinating mix of quaint, European and crumbling Americana?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-78383609237096409502013-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:002013-05-15T05:00:01.611-07:00Unplugged Thrifting: My thrifing obsessionIt's been a long time coming, but I finally started a blog dedicated to my thrift shopping adventures. I'm not sure if thrifting is the excuse for the blog, or if the blog is an excuse for the shopping. Either way, they're a match made in heaven.<br />
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I recommend you check it out: <a href="http://unpluggedthrifting.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Hilary's Awesome Thrift Shopping Blog</a>. </div>
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Thrifting is awesome and has been before Macklemore made it mainstream.<br />
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Does that make me a hipster?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-46865641039927767072013-05-13T18:45:00.000-07:002013-05-13T18:45:36.355-07:00My Mama While Facebook on Mother's Day turns into a My Mom is the Best Mom in the Whole World War, which can be pretty annoying, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing pictures of all my friends' mothers! I've always liked meeting people's parents because it highlights the inherited personalities and can explain so much about someone's background. And the pictures of mothers did that for me.<br />
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So here's my mom: Shari.<br />
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Mom and I are a lot alike. I got her introspective, German personality and blue eyes. She's a lot stronger than I am in many ways; she really is an emotional rock and she's highly intelligent and she's patient. Holy hell, the woman has the nerves of a saint.<br />
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She's the best. I love you, Mom!Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-52948407268943224382013-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:002013-05-10T05:00:05.256-07:00Quidditch World Cup VI: Day Two
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The final match for the championship title was between UCLA and
University of Texas. Obviously I was
disappointed to see UCLA struggle, but I was able to watch the game
with our Event Director, who I adore, which was a great way to end
the tournament.<br />
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How could you not love this reaction to a win?</div>
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Sunday was a little less hectic, when it came to my responsibilities, but I'd had 7 hours of sleep in
the past 48 hours, so I was feeling a little less than on my A-game.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcH0SYy2ncrqv9EALv1ul3WYgPvD2mTgACFIAF3ilkpMN_VrY9CQBk07N8KV8BVP8rQSThhkBej4WsqKHVdxwioKDw8FuIqxVykZVG1-qfe8bTUNSSbBtzHLd-5JO5vGpMz8NNqrX3XtL/s1600/starkids-qwc.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcH0SYy2ncrqv9EALv1ul3WYgPvD2mTgACFIAF3ilkpMN_VrY9CQBk07N8KV8BVP8rQSThhkBej4WsqKHVdxwioKDw8FuIqxVykZVG1-qfe8bTUNSSbBtzHLd-5JO5vGpMz8NNqrX3XtL/s320/starkids-qwc.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our biggest entertainment act, and my biggest responsibility on
Saturday, was <a href="http://www.teamstarkid.com/" target="_blank">StarKid</a>
who does sketch comedy of sorts. That meant I had to do more
celebrity-balancing stuff throughout the day instead of just
power-housing around the event. It's fascinating to me what an
encounter with a little bit of celebrity-status does to people.
StarKid is pretty well known, thanks to their Harry Potter themed
YouTube videos, which caused quidkids to act like starry-eyed teens.
There were no real issues and as with everything else, things ran
smoothly as a whole, but there were a couple times I had to direct
people away from StarKid, staff included.<br />
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Closing ceremonies were the thing I feel I performed weakest on. I forget how very few
people actually care about the closing ceremonies, so when we gave
away the sportsmanship awards after the final game, we were missing people and there wasn't
as much excitement as I would have liked. If I were to do it again
I'd give as many trophies away at the start of the championship match
as possible. It didn't really matter, but I wish I could have done
that differently.
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One thing I think we all forget is how lucky we were with weather.
While things were really hot on Saturday and most of Sunday, a huge
thunder storm was coming our way and started an hour after the
closing ceremonies. Because teams were flying out Sunday night, if
there were any more delays to games, or if the rain had come any
earlier, we would have been forced to post-pone the championship
game. But in postponing it, I don't know when we would have finished:
The storm lasted long enough and teams had to leave so who knows what
we would have done!<br />
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The IQA and Kissimmee put together an after-party at the Wizarding
World of Harry Potter for anyone who wanted to buy tickets at the
world cup. A small group of WCOT had some things to finalize some
things before driving ourselves over to Universal Studios, including
taking care of one of our team members who was dealing with heat
exhaustion, so by the time the seven of us got to the park we walked
in by ourselves. The after-party was perfect. It was dark, rainy but
warm and everyone at the event was associated with the IQA so it felt
like we were Hogwarts Students going to Hogsmead for the evening.<br />
<br />
At one point it started pouring so everyone scattered to find
shelter, which caused me to lose the group of friends I was with. As
I stood under an overhang I saw a group of people dancing down the
middle of the street. It didn't take me long to realize it was the
marketing team. I'm obsessed with the entire marketing team so I
bolted out and joined the madness. <br />
<br />
I'm obsessed with the IQA, quidkids and the madness that was Quidditch World Cup VI.<br />
<br />
<b>#OBSESSED</b> Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-45153316883971145522013-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:002013-05-08T06:00:00.656-07:00Quidditch World Cup VI: Day One<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:link { }</style>
<br />
The WCOT staff spent Friday doing prep work and finalizing plans,
so that when we got to the field at 5:30 Saturday morning we were
ready for the onslaught. Despite our planning, Saturday morning kind
of turned into mayhem.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW4FfHb3q155bozZ_Q-BZK237K-yElDp6cYXP0TASRNtwrvhwGiwqyLNCP7355vzY-JbtdI4dAg9FeF5MilS4TSCfqJnvfmELNoZ7UWysKOswz6pbePRZqaTfcz-7GDgTVj7b5ssOkaZ8/s1600/event-staff-iqa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW4FfHb3q155bozZ_Q-BZK237K-yElDp6cYXP0TASRNtwrvhwGiwqyLNCP7355vzY-JbtdI4dAg9FeF5MilS4TSCfqJnvfmELNoZ7UWysKOswz6pbePRZqaTfcz-7GDgTVj7b5ssOkaZ8/s640/event-staff-iqa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I tried really hard to be organized and ready but as soon as we got to the park everything went down at once and I felt completely scatter-brained. Teams
arrived way earlier than anticipated; we were low on volunteers that
early; last-minute changes to the opening ceremony (which included a surprise inclusion of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDhghlilcZQ">Harlem
Shake</a>); set-up and coordinating people. I didn't expect to have so many reasons to
be running around the event all day, which is silly considering I was
overseeing teams, guests and entertainment, but I was all over the place. I prefer it that way but it was nuts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFh3X3bycYgu3j_xmBGmJ9DTSsmC9NWpczlMxW0YSGwg4C-j5fcrUzTV65bZOpjl_fj0rUJb9gCy36Gm0Fm8UgpIjmzyBT2L7Ql7erpsHIF_RxEkJ0bfQwW7Ej0ENWY0Xh8EGFliAiV2O/s1600/quidditch-hilary-jarman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFh3X3bycYgu3j_xmBGmJ9DTSsmC9NWpczlMxW0YSGwg4C-j5fcrUzTV65bZOpjl_fj0rUJb9gCy36Gm0Fm8UgpIjmzyBT2L7Ql7erpsHIF_RxEkJ0bfQwW7Ej0ENWY0Xh8EGFliAiV2O/s640/quidditch-hilary-jarman.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I was oblivious to this picture. This is Katie. She rocks.</div>
<br />
Despite the fact my
walkie-talkie was constantly buzzing I was able to watch a quidditch
match. It's very easy to see why people love the sport. Quidditch is
fast-paced, physical and unexpected. The game has very specific rules
and structure, which makes it easy to follow, but the Snitch, who is
a third-party person with zero rules, can do anything he/she wants so
everyone is on their toes. At one point in the weekend I was driving
a golf cart around the event when a Snitch ran away from his game and
jumped in my cart, safely eluding the Seekers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg058-IhCvoiQFCjbxHm5ABpk7N5hhACmzW56qODmD2Z9ZFZDI5Mbf70R02Ij5RV-DCkyl_6gijBJurEgi3ss8pzeWcKbXddaEu0iscHlW4YHShXYHCi_iwAB34S-dwwqXjD70GG-Oqy8aW/s1600/quidditch-match.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg058-IhCvoiQFCjbxHm5ABpk7N5hhACmzW56qODmD2Z9ZFZDI5Mbf70R02Ij5RV-DCkyl_6gijBJurEgi3ss8pzeWcKbXddaEu0iscHlW4YHShXYHCi_iwAB34S-dwwqXjD70GG-Oqy8aW/s640/quidditch-match.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was so freaking hot. This is Kedzie. He's fab.</div>
<br />
Our entertainment for the day was <a href="http://www.nathannickerson.com/" target="_blank">Nathan
Nickerson, a magician</a>, and <a href="http://harryandthepotters.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Harry
and the Potters</a>, a wizard rock band. Yes, you read that right. They play rock music from the perspective of Harry Potter, and they sell golden snitchwiches, which are peanut butter sandwiches with Golden Grahams cereal. If you're extra lucky they'll add honey. I was one of those people. Yes, I bounced in my golf cart seat as I ate it. Delish. And very Harry Potter. <br />
<br />
If you aren't already a quidkid I recommend taking a few minutes to listen to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq5NbWmyGWk" target="_blank">this amazing TED talk </a>from the founder of the Harry Potter Alliance about the influence of Harry Potter throughout our society. <br />
<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-56293816035477695672013-05-06T05:00:00.000-07:002013-05-06T05:00:20.342-07:00Quidditch World Cup VI: The Lead-up<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
I've struggled getting to this post (which has subsequently
turned into four posts) because I was too busy to take pictures,
there is so much to tell (because I've completely failed to even
mention quidditch on my blog yet) and I hate having long posts with
limited images. But, the 2013 Quidditch World Cup was too epic to
leave out, so here we go.<br />
<br />
<br />
Over Christmas Taylor and I met up with some of my high school friends at <a href="http://www.lavicsj.com/LaVictoria.html" target="_blank">La Vics</a> and <a href="http://tinytruant.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Nadia</a> mentioned she was volunteering with the International Quidditch Association's world cup. Let me stop here: Yes, the magical sport from the Harry Potter books. Read my <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2013/05/quidditch-non-magical-version.html" target="_blank">breakdown of the non-magical quidditch sport</a> if you missed it.<br />
<br />
<br />
Because the event was happening close to where I live (Kissimmee, just next to Orlando), she said I should volunteer. Assuming I would be a day-of volunteer, I got online and started poking around the site, only to stumble on the position of Hospitality Director. Apparently the original director's team qualified for the event so he had to back out of the position. I applied, had a Skype interview, received a "You're Hired!" email that evening and the next night I was back on Skype for my first meeting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL6YvKx1QdTBprgypC1T1jwSsWULL4n9WbkMy4556ZvY5aGVqcgEver4bdwSCLE69klcuJY7gsl7vQP9YZf3T1eKilRn1BQ53yOP2vAew0hjPdmMulcpnufwr-jZQsrqrd3lMVQ2gPxuu/s1600/quidditch-world-cup-team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguL6YvKx1QdTBprgypC1T1jwSsWULL4n9WbkMy4556ZvY5aGVqcgEver4bdwSCLE69klcuJY7gsl7vQP9YZf3T1eKilRn1BQ53yOP2vAew0hjPdmMulcpnufwr-jZQsrqrd3lMVQ2gPxuu/s640/quidditch-world-cup-team.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When you're thrown into an upper-level management position half-way through the planning process of a major event, with an organization you know nothing about, you tend to feel like you're drinking from the world's largest fire hydrant. Luckily, the entire World Cup Organizing Team (WCOT) was amazing. When I say "amazing" I mean I go through withdrawals every Thursday night because we no longer have our weekly meetings. <br />
<br />
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<br />
<b>The Responsibilities</b><br />
<br />
My team was split into three sections: Teams, Guests,
Entertainment. Let me just take a second and say I could not have asked
for a better team. They were hard working, easy to communicate with, and
they made the entire process fun. Seriously, I got so lucky.<br />
<br />
Teams
ā Registering teams and organizing player rosters; check teams in to
the event; communicate with teams; coordinate travel and accommodations.<br />
<br />
Guests ā Ticket sales; plan and coordinate VIP everything; guest experiences.<br />
<br />
Entertainment ā Plan, book and support our non-sport entertainment.<br />
<br />
Kidditch ā Kid-sized quidditch for attendees.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Arrival</b> <br />
<b> </b> <br />
I drove down to Kissimmee (just outside of Orlando) on the morning
of Thursday 4/11. Let me just say, I understand why toll roads exist,
but I hate them with a passion. I would much rather pay taxes than
pay tolls. I was so pissed off after my third toll stop in ten miles
I swore them off for the rest of the weekend.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T9FXUVtS0Ha9j-GZzcSHiSijpTvL7-QWkR1HZsJ41-o2ZW0oKwFn-Nq9oVgJKiSfVorXSpuJTZgi74zYNg5Y6h7J7a8XHihXOe-vjeOr07QqM3-OeDDDPN71o0wf5GCZIIja6Afzis73/s1600/austin-tindale-park-iqa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T9FXUVtS0Ha9j-GZzcSHiSijpTvL7-QWkR1HZsJ41-o2ZW0oKwFn-Nq9oVgJKiSfVorXSpuJTZgi74zYNg5Y6h7J7a8XHihXOe-vjeOr07QqM3-OeDDDPN71o0wf5GCZIIja6Afzis73/s640/austin-tindale-park-iqa.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Anyway, the whole shebang took place at <a href="http://www.osceola.org/austintindall/home.cfm" target="_blank">Austin Tindale park</a>, which
was great, apart from the 30 minute drive from our hotels. We spent
the day getting all the general set-up and organizing done.<br />
<br />
Pretty
much everyone already knew each other, so it was kind of like being
the +1 to the popular kid's high school reunion. Only one person knew
me beforehand, but I was immediately accepted.<br />
<br />
<i>There's something unique and very distinct about
quidkids</i>. They are quidditch and Harry Potter nerds and that
passion drives them to volunteer hundreds of hours in developing the
sport and the league. It pays off. The event was wildly successful
behind the scenes and we heard lots of positive feedback from players
and guests alike.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn9P4dpPoO0g0e9SyrIqLf7r8jebm8B86wm42-10Ea-qtpwNl3EmyhrzgJXUDhl8dkXr4_HZI-Aom90m3xcKSuS6iTVp-SDIIgDQr4cU9PvCgaMUnGapKH4d-KlQpPn28KoBHeuD-SnxU/s1600/iqa-quidditch-cup-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn9P4dpPoO0g0e9SyrIqLf7r8jebm8B86wm42-10Ea-qtpwNl3EmyhrzgJXUDhl8dkXr4_HZI-Aom90m3xcKSuS6iTVp-SDIIgDQr4cU9PvCgaMUnGapKH4d-KlQpPn28KoBHeuD-SnxU/s640/iqa-quidditch-cup-flag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-45299103362042731172013-05-04T08:35:00.002-07:002013-05-04T08:35:33.312-07:00Quidditch: The Non-Magical Version
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The alchemy of the Harry Potter generation: Play quidditch despite lacking magic. </i></div>
<h3>
<u><br /></u></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUd2N4lQ9k6axy899l45rZFkk31ar0zd23ujYuz-8Wt1BgTuGO6T1xh1FL_qT9rYTSRfEcfboPczq2Za3LZJBi-bNoTSOmwSRNSMT3AVmA0QKuPMK_WL7BHwzaW3WRCe71ktB1LRjglXa/s1600/iqa-logo-quidditch.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUd2N4lQ9k6axy899l45rZFkk31ar0zd23ujYuz-8Wt1BgTuGO6T1xh1FL_qT9rYTSRfEcfboPczq2Za3LZJBi-bNoTSOmwSRNSMT3AVmA0QKuPMK_WL7BHwzaW3WRCe71ktB1LRjglXa/s200/iqa-logo-quidditch.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>
<h3>
<u>Quidditch </u></h3>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h4>
The Game as Played in Harry Potter</h4>
Players fly on brooms around the field. Points are earned by
throwing balls through hoops. The game ends when the snitch is
caught.<br />
<br />
<h4>
The Game as Played by the International Quidditch Association</h4>
Players run on brooms around the field. Points are earned by
throwing balls through hoops. The game ends when the snitch is
caught.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheO2g-A_RXCrw6cABrp6WWgZiiYTLsPqHuUXjB9m25RXRUdY77UVckTEvywCaEcyp719q_zXK2NRMe3zdMYoTTMhLE8B2f9IowumTC4ObuyuW47A08_Phpv-zJzwB_0mc0Z7fLjv2mKiUn/s1600/quidditch-iqa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheO2g-A_RXCrw6cABrp6WWgZiiYTLsPqHuUXjB9m25RXRUdY77UVckTEvywCaEcyp719q_zXK2NRMe3zdMYoTTMhLE8B2f9IowumTC4ObuyuW47A08_Phpv-zJzwB_0mc0Z7fLjv2mKiUn/s640/quidditch-iqa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
The Players </h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h4>
Beater (Two per team)</h4>
Novel: Players responsible for using bats to beat bludgers away
from their team members and toward the opposing team members with the
goal of knocking them off their brooms.<br />
IQA: Players throw bludgers at other players. When a player is hit
by a bludger they are out of play. In order to become an active
player they must tag the hoops on their side of the field.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeLNh0F3V4xZcSUFX1ykb1Vv2X8KI99C1z7Lrrtj_xVHVOHOCsIFRtS48dJRBL8AqMPffyu8UxhrdrnLaQb01R6Ji3jqCwv4fPwhkbZQQm93jiAbkjvcCwh0C7LPD96k7wArc2c88w7iL/s1600/beater-quidditch-iqa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeLNh0F3V4xZcSUFX1ykb1Vv2X8KI99C1z7Lrrtj_xVHVOHOCsIFRtS48dJRBL8AqMPffyu8UxhrdrnLaQb01R6Ji3jqCwv4fPwhkbZQQm93jiAbkjvcCwh0C7LPD96k7wArc2c88w7iL/s640/beater-quidditch-iqa.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Keeper (One per team)</h4>
Novel: Player responsible for protecting the hoops on their side
of the field.<br />
IQA: Player responsible for protecting the hoops on their side of
the field.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Chaser (Two per team)</h4>
Novel: Players responsible for throwing the quaffle through the
opposing team's hoops to score points.<br />
IQA: Players responsible for throwing the quaffle through the
opposing team's hoops to score points.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwsoFVDBzQQU5KSxn5nZbxGWbAUTGKxwRVY2l4C7FNXng3npHPteKB5YXrwMEo0umiOT9RLA7VIM5DiBSZpJfNoF_eyUpG_3e3zIfTmpvUU_16e3wHeykY8HD8BwFmyUDvJg-JximYMxI/s1600/quidkid-quidditch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwsoFVDBzQQU5KSxn5nZbxGWbAUTGKxwRVY2l4C7FNXng3npHPteKB5YXrwMEo0umiOT9RLA7VIM5DiBSZpJfNoF_eyUpG_3e3zIfTmpvUU_16e3wHeykY8HD8BwFmyUDvJg-JximYMxI/s640/quidkid-quidditch.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Seeker (One per team)</h4>
Novel: Player responsible for finding and catching the snitch.<br />
IQA: Player responsible for finding and catching the snitch.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Balls </h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h4>
Quaffle (One in a game)</h4>
Novel: Points are scored when Chasers throw the quaffle through
one of the three hoops positioned on the opposing team's side.<br />
IQA: Slightly deflated volleyball used by Chaser. Points are
scored when Chasers throw the quaffle through one of the three hoops
positioned on the opposing team's side.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOqdkIgu7trgszc88R2qXmG0WQolB5y5iW6nLgZ5YULvhD2fn_PY-6ypsIKZpbldJHJkXW0voucPYGAurFG7iqE_sa-sZ5zXN5skHC4iFF81z3XPx373lY8Z4c5GQmGDe-Xc4g2GwdERt/s1600/chaser-quidditch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOqdkIgu7trgszc88R2qXmG0WQolB5y5iW6nLgZ5YULvhD2fn_PY-6ypsIKZpbldJHJkXW0voucPYGAurFG7iqE_sa-sZ5zXN5skHC4iFF81z3XPx373lY8Z4c5GQmGDe-Xc4g2GwdERt/s640/chaser-quidditch.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Bludgers (Two in a game)</h4>
Novel: Magic balls that fly around the field with the sole purpose
of knocking players off their brooms.<br />
IQA: Dodge-balls. Beaters throw them at players on the opposing
team, temporarily knocking players out of play. When a player is hit
with a bludger he/she must get off his/her broom, run back and touch
his/her team's hoops before becoming an active player again.<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h4>
Snitch (One in a game)</h4>
Novel: A small, magic ball that that flies around avoiding
capture. Once the snitch is caught the game is over.<br />
IQA: A person. This person is not associated with either team and
has no rules about where he/she can go or what he/she does. The
snitch has a flag-football styled tennis ball in a sock hanging from
the back of his/her shorts. When a Seeker pulls this off the snitch's
shorts the game is over.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSynxtRA2aQ-xEEMMRnfx0gzqfH6O3aSXVHlSPnt_qOcQUVRXyGgjcEFERjAaqF3mdgzv0KJT0d2QiXm3WvWfbAJ75dK98zC0FrvuJ07c6xtjYiC3AM55offAcabYHGGEc_JluItDr-CB/s1600/snitch-iqa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSynxtRA2aQ-xEEMMRnfx0gzqfH6O3aSXVHlSPnt_qOcQUVRXyGgjcEFERjAaqF3mdgzv0KJT0d2QiXm3WvWfbAJ75dK98zC0FrvuJ07c6xtjYiC3AM55offAcabYHGGEc_JluItDr-CB/s640/snitch-iqa.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUd2N4lQ9k6axy899l45rZFkk31ar0zd23ujYuz-8Wt1BgTuGO6T1xh1FL_qT9rYTSRfEcfboPczq2Za3LZJBi-bNoTSOmwSRNSMT3AVmA0QKuPMK_WL7BHwzaW3WRCe71ktB1LRjglXa/s1600/iqa-logo-quidditch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
The biggest challenge of adapting the game is the golden snitch.
Without magic, what do you chase? I remember playing a version of
quidditch in elementary school, right after the third book came out,
that was superbly lame because a tennis ball was used as the snitch.
Not difficult to catch, nor interesting. The IQA nailed this one. The
rules of general play are very structured, but the snitch's freedom
brings a level of spontaneity and unknown that adds a unique level of
interest to the game.<br />
<br />
You can read more about the <a href="http://www.internationalquidditch.org/" target="_blank">International Quidditch Association</a>
and <a href="http://www.internationalquidditch.org/mission/" target="_blank">its origins here</a>. <br />
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Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-36955362308164188682013-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:002013-04-01T06:00:02.296-07:0025th Birthday BikeI've been wanting a bike for a while, so it wasn't a huge surprise to get one for my birthday, but I was really excited. Taylor found a big beach cruiser that is all aluminum, so it won't rust, and looks slick. The first time I took it down to the grocery store, I was locking it up when a man said, "Looks like you got the Cadillac of bikes!" and as I unlocked my bike a woman asked where I got it. Taylor said that it got cat-called as he was leaving the store.<br />
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This was the day I got it and since then I've taken all the stickers off so it's solid white. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoI2D1bfWcs" target="_blank">Here's a video of me on my bike</a>.<br />
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Because I want a bike buddy, we also got Taylor a bike. His is a switch fixie, so you can either have it as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle" target="_blank">fixed gear</a> or a single gear. We tried out the fixed-gear style and it was counter-intuitive to always pedal, but it definitely gets you moving. I almost rode backwards, but I didn't trust my balance enough to really do it. We've gone on a bunch of bike rides around our neighborhood so far. Once we rode down to Publix and got some spicy fried chicken, which was actually really good.<br />
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We don't really have a great spot to store it in our apartment, but we're working on some crazy schemes. Any recommendations?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-23326905216609451052013-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:002013-03-29T06:00:00.756-07:00Mom and Dad vist Jacksonville Part 3Our last full day with Mom and Dad was cool and gray so we decided to drive around downtown Jacksonville.<br />
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We stopped by <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/sweet-petes-candy-shop.html" target="_blank">Sweet Pete's</a> and wound up at <a href="http://gatorsbbq.net/" target="_blank">Gators BBQ</a>, a hole-in-the-wall Mom discovered when researching places for us to go for Taylor's birthday, but is far enough from our house we had never tried before. As can be expected from a southern BBQ pit, the food was delicious.<br />
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Side note: Dad reminded us that he was subjected to sulfuric-water-based drinks all weekend, which I don't notice anymore. Taylor even claims it makes the drink taste better.<br />
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As we chatted with the lady who took our order she mentioned taking her grandson up to the Okefenokee swamp where they went on a guided boat tour and saw dozens of alligators. Because we had no plans, we headed up to the swamp that is just over the border in Georgia.<br />
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The Google directions wound us up into the middle of the swamp, which we later realized was not the closest entrance and we worried would put us in the wrong location for sight seeing. When we finally reached the park we had indeed missed the last guided boat tour.<br />
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We ended up renting a john boat and took our own tour. It was incredible. We saw dozens of alligators in such close vicinity they hissed at us before splashing into the water in addition to birds and<span style="color: #0000ee;"> turtles. I know, the white pants were a bad idea but I had no clue I needed to <span style="color: #0000ee;">be on adventurer<span style="color: #0000ee;"> mode<span style="color: #0000ee;">.</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJZzTd_VqrC5RGkgwahdgeaqWGivfZ0p-ZZkfWrj0Mom5m_toK59VgymnfIqhtxNE6G74fwLxFGhLosDvB44WoeINBdUQjy5Jj1sXDOsFgxsy4rS35SwcxvCMBd7p0HVjt-sZgSKkEtji/s1600/Mom-And-Dad-3Day-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJZzTd_VqrC5RGkgwahdgeaqWGivfZ0p-ZZkfWrj0Mom5m_toK59VgymnfIqhtxNE6G74fwLxFGhLosDvB44WoeINBdUQjy5Jj1sXDOsFgxsy4rS35SwcxvCMBd7p0HVjt-sZgSKkEtji/s640/Mom-And-Dad-3Day-08.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuW3LQdVvi2RxCqZH6R1UnJ3KIbInvRy-tYuYMBNdTLGdYO_8wGtRBEryN9hOsfFjw7E5n8L6t657qlspDyPBaAp6Z97nwi2VY1J6PYTMrOMXfv1ml_SVsvnXkNFQgpakDb2bCfkRckF0/s1600/Mom-And-Dad-3Day-07.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuW3LQdVvi2RxCqZH6R1UnJ3KIbInvRy-tYuYMBNdTLGdYO_8wGtRBEryN9hOsfFjw7E5n8L6t657qlspDyPBaAp6Z97nwi2VY1J6PYTMrOMXfv1ml_SVsvnXkNFQgpakDb2bCfkRckF0/s640/Mom-And-Dad-3Day-07.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Surprisingly enough I found the little, yellow water lily flowers to be one of my favorite things.Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-24805636644223749202013-03-27T06:00:00.000-07:002013-03-27T06:00:12.288-07:00Mom and Dad visit Jacksonville Part 2Day of of adventuring with Mom and Dad took us up to Amelia Island, Florida. It's the same place where Taylor and I went to the <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/island-barbeque-competition.html" target="_blank">BBQ competition</a> and bought <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/roadside-jacksonville.html" target="_blank">boiled peanuts while exploring the back roads</a>.<br />
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When we got to Amelia Island we found ourselves heading into <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch/" target="_blank">Fort Clinch State Park</a> where Taylor and I showed Mom and Dad how to <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/weekend-update-from-taylor.html" target="_blank">find shark's teeth </a>and we played bocce ball.<br />
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On our way out from the shore we found a little armadillo snuffling through the grass beside the wood walkway. It was the first time I'd ever seen a live armadillo and they're really cool little creatures. At one point we scared him up the walkway and his feet sound like little dinosaur feet. Apparently they are carriers of lots of different diseases, so while I had zero interest in getting close I was able to get a couple pictures.<br />
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We then walked along the quiet main street of Fernandina Island where we bought some salted caramel ice cream. It was a really salty ice cream, which was a lot of fun and when I hit a pecan it tasted just like pecan pie. I really must be southern that I am obsessing over that right now.<br />
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From here we went and watched the sunset while eating fried alligator. I was a little disappointed to not have it taste weird, but it did taste really good. Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-91850351691409943732013-03-25T06:30:00.000-07:002013-03-25T06:30:03.255-07:00Mom and Dad visit Jacksonville Part 1I have finally pulled myself out of a week-long birthday-induced food coma. Yes, I am now 25 years old and it has been an epic celebration, starting with Mom and Dad's visit two weeks ago.<br />
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First, I'll start by saying that every meal we ate was delicious. You know how most times you'll have a couple rock-awesome meals interspersed with some good, but not hugely note-worthy meals? Not this trip. Taylor and I planned out our favorite restaurants and then we tried out some new places that are now on our "Favorite Food Spots" list.<br />
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Some highlights were:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chicken and waffles with spicy, maple syrup from <a href="http://metrodiner.com/" target="_blank">Metro Diner</a> (Served with "Strawberry Preservatives." Dad found that to be hilarious.) </li>
<li>Fried gator from <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/weekend-update-from-taylor.html" target="_blank">Singleton's Seafood Shack</a></li>
<li>Latin fusion coconut soup </li>
<li>Kilwin's toasted coconut icecream</li>
<li>Bangin' shrimp quesadilla from <a href="http://tacolu.com/" target="_blank">TacoLu</a></li>
<li>We change Dad's perspective of energy drinks a little by introducing him to the <a href="http://followgram.me/i/296315504649555501_3526266" target="_blank">white Monster Energy drink</a> and the <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/despite-loving-blue-im-obsessing-over.html" target="_blank">pink Rockstar Energy drink</a>.</li>
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Our first full day we spent in <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/st-augustine-florida.html" target="_blank">Saint Augustine</a>, which offered more people-watching opportunities than when Taylor and I went because 1-this is Spring Break season and 2-this is motorcycle get-together season. We experienced everything from a small church sponsored thrift shop to a very high end art store that tried to woo us with promotions of a pre-iron-casting party with the artist. We also stood at the apex of the main draw bridge and waved to the ferry passing below.<br />
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On the drive down we walked along the beach where we ran into an elderly couple from Budapest. They were the ultimate stereotype from the knitted vest with heart buttons to their racist, but not malicious, comments, their love of Romania and America and their accents. Bless them and my parents for striking up the conversation.<br />
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After dinner we drove down to a park along the Saint John's river where we watched the sunset while Mom and I took pictures. <br />
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Can you believe that was all one day?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-55993902719945805722013-03-08T12:35:00.001-08:002013-03-08T12:35:53.669-08:00New York City: Eat, drink and stay warmThis is the delayed update of the second-half of my trip to New York:<br />
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In a lot of ways my time in New York City was two separate trips: New York Fashion Week and a sister (plus brother-in-law) weekend. Luckily I'd already been to NYC before as a tourist, so I didn't feel any pressure to spend my time doing anything other than being a New Yorker.<br />
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Thanks to my <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/12/washington-dc-in-october.html" target="_blank">extreme luck with trips and weather</a>, McKenzie and I spent Thursday prepping for storm Nemo by making a huge pot of soup and french bread, working and watching Parks and Recreation. I looked into switching my plane flight but the prediction was snow for Friday only which would, and did, allow me to fly out Sunday morning without any problems. The only damper Nemo put on our plans is it prevented Philip and Elizabeth from driving up from DC to hang out. Booooo.<br />
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New York was so cold, but it was beautiful. The snow added a unique dimension to tromping around and I was so glad McKenzie had two pairs of rain boots. They saved my feet as we sloshed through gutter-puddles.<br />
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As typical New Yorkers we spent the entire weekend eating and walking, thrifting, walking and eating. McKenzie and I both found some awesome thrift finds, but my favorite one I couldn't buy: a full-length black, fur coat. It was perfect. I love fur coats and they are all over New York right now! It still surprises me because I grew up near San Francisco where fur is a no-go. Sadly, I couldn't convince McKenzie to buy it.<br />
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We ate at <a href="http://www.murraysbagels.com/" target="_blank">Murray's Bagels</a> twice. I had the bagel with all the grains and nuts on top with cream cheese. Delish. </div>
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I also ate <a href="http://www.2brospizza.com/" target="_blank">2Bros pizza</a> twice, as requested by Taylor. It's still my favorite by-the-slice pizza place because it's so tasty and it only costs a dollar.<br />
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We met the dear Jessica McCord for dinner at <a href="http://www.bareburger.com/" target="_blank">Bare Burger</a>, which is fun because everything is natural, including the chocolate peanut butter shake. It was totally different than what I expected, but the natural-peanuty flavor was fitting and delicious. McKenzie and I also hit up <a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shack</a> for late-night cheese fries and shakes, which is something that fits my personality perfectly: late-night food runs out in the city. One of our late-night dinners was at <a href="http://www.themeatballshop.com/" target="_blank">The Meatball Shop</a> in Williamsburg.<br />
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First of all, I love Williamsburg. I am the stylistic and demographic equivalent to Williamsburg and I felt right at home in the little streets. Second, the restaurant felt like a German wursthaus except they were bumping 90s rap/hip hop. I think the music was because it was late on a Saturday night, but still, I found the whole thing comforting.<br />
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Donuts. <a href="http://doughnutplant.com/" target="_blank">Doughnut Plant</a> was epic and I want to go back all the time. We ate a crĆØme brĆ»lĆ©e, a tres leches, a pistachio and a coconut cream donut. All of them were incredible and it's probably a good thing I don't live in New York because I'd eat there at least three times a week. And I'm not exaggerating.<br />
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<br />I've already found an awesome eatery I need to try on my next trip to New York. Anyone have any other suggestions of their favorite places to eat?</div>
Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-2800652674236082602013-02-12T18:44:00.000-08:002013-02-12T18:44:52.311-08:00The Heart Truth: NYFW Red Dress Show<br />
My New York Fashion Week adventure turned into a Week in New York adventure, so Iāll have to break it down into a couple posts. First, Iāll break down my direct experiences with the Diet Coke Red Dress fashion show and later this week Iāll show what I did with the other half of my time.<br />
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I finally got into my hotel on Tuesday evening after my shuttle driver forgot to drop me off near Times Square; I ended up at 188th street before he realized his mistake. I stayed in the Westin New York at Times Square and it was perfect. McKenzie and Austin came and stayed with me so we made a party of it, even filling the bathroom sink with ice to make a place for our Diet Coke.<br />
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After getting all fancied up (I nailed my sock bun, by the way) McKenzie and I met up with the other four winners and their +1ās, our Diet Coke contact and the winner of the Diet Coke and Target t-shirt design contest and his +1. We piled into an SUV limo and drove over to the Hammerstein Ballroom to attend the pre-show event.<br />
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The backstage was set up so the party was in the balcony while the models get their hair and makeup done on the floor below us. Right about the time our initial star-struck-ness wore off (McKenzie helped me identify any Kardashian-related people) we met Minka Kelly, the celebrity face of the Diet Coke campaign. Iāll admit, I didnāt know who she was before I won because I had never really seen any of the shows she acted in. She was really genuine and sweet.<br />
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As we took one-on-one pictures I realized that the way I had my arm around her felt a little like I was her boyfriend so I said, āI hope this isnāt awkward,ā to which her response was to grab me in a big bear hug. āIs it awkward now?ā We just laughed; no, it wasnāt awkward.<br />
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McKenzie and I spent the next couple hours spotting out celebrities, enjoying drinks from heart-print paper straws, chatting with different women and getting heart-themes painted on our fingernails. My favorite part of the evening was interacting with different women. While waiting to get our nails painted by the artist we chatted with a woman and her mother, who was a federal employee, and with two women from the James Beard Foundation.<br />
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As I was walking out of the show at the end of the night, I spotted two women: one tall, thin black woman standing 6ā4ā and an older woman with beautiful white hair and a black, fur coat. I doubled-back and went up to tell them how impressed I was by the first womanās height, admitting it was my first fashion show and Iād been nervous to wear heels. They both seemed surprised/disappointed to hear that:<br />
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āAt these things, you just do you!ā<br />
āYes! I wore four-inch heels on the plane yesterday!ā<br />
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Can you see why I loved it?<br />
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The show itself was very fun feeling and actually quite short. It started with a video about the Heart Truth then each modelās reason for supporting the Heart Truth campaign was projected onto the screen as they walked the runway. Each models let their personality shine from <a href="http://images.starpulse.com/news/resize_image.php?source_image_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.starpulse.com%2Fpictures%2F2013%2F02%2F07%2Fpreviews%2FToni%20Braxton%20Kelly%20Osbourne-JTM-063527.jpg&fp=168x123&target_height=300&target_width=300" target="_blank">Kelly Osbornās</a> āRock Onā to <a href="http://cdn02.cdnwp.celebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/07/wendy-williams-heart-truth-fashion-show-2013-600x337.jpg" target="_blank">Wendy Williams</a>, āHow you doing?ā The dresses were gorgeous, <a href="http://www.becauseiamfabulous.com/wp-content/uploads/Minka-Kelly-Oscar-de-la-Renta-Dress-The-Heart-Truth-2013-Fashion-Show-1.jpg" target="_blank">Minka Kellyās Oscar de la Renta</a> design was my favorite. My favorite moment was watching a non-celebrity walk the runway. She was selected to be a part of this because she applied the Heart Truth changed her life. I wrote a little more about her for the Coca Cola blog*.<br />
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The entire event motivated me to be the type of influential and intelligent woman who is invited to these types of events. One step at a time, right?<br />
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*Actually, I was involved in two different Diet Coke articles. I wrote the <a href="http://www.coca-colablog.com/featured-stories/the-passion-behind-the-red-dress-fashion-show/" target="_blank">blog article</a> and I was <a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/ladies-in-red-minka-kelly-and-diet-coke-hit-the-runway-to-promote-womens-heart-health-awareness" target="_blank">quoted in this story</a>.</div>
Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-44224612947379905282013-01-25T13:54:00.000-08:002013-01-25T13:54:17.534-08:00Diet Coke #ShowYourHeart competition: I won!As a supporter of heart health, Diet Coke is sponsoring a <a href="https://secure.dietcoke.com/showyourheart/index.html" target="_blank">Show Your Heart contest</a>. The idea is you post a picture on Instagram within the "Show Your Heart" theme, then five people are selected to fly to New York City for the Red Dress fashion show.<br />
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Two days ago, I submitted my picture. I figured it would have a good chance of winning, if it could be seen through the hundreds of pictures being posted, because it is creative, artsy and (semi-) unique, in ways similar to last year's winners.<br />
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Yesterday, Diet Coke announced its first winner, and it wasn't me. It was a pretty rough day yesterday in general, so I finally just told Taylor I didn't think I would win, because I never win competitions. It's just not in my luck.<br />
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Little did I know, that very night I received a message from Diet Coke. They picked me as the second winner! Let's be honest, I'm unbelievably excited. I'm going to New York City in February and McKenzie gets to come play with me! I just hope I don't freeze.<br />
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All those years of drinking Diet Coke finally paid off. To celebrate I made <a href="http://badtadmd.com/brown-sugar-cookies/" target="_blank">delicious brown sugar cookies</a> from Dad's blog in my red KitchenAid while drinking Diet Coke.<br />
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-30821064347602320932013-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:002013-01-21T06:00:00.856-08:00Refurnishing Furniture: BeforeTaylor and I decided it was time to make our apartment a home. We've been living in limbo since we got married (even longer than that if you count all the years spent in student apartments) and we got tired of it so we started looking for furniture and decorations.<br />
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We started with a Walmart desk, but it was just looked and felt cheap so we returned it and started hitting up all the thrift stores. We decided to find a wood desk and paint it black, all thanks to the personalized guidance of my sister-in-law's experience <a href="http://executivequeenoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/08/across-country-to-atlanta.html" target="_blank">painting furniture</a>.<br />
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We found this desk for $20, the side table for $10 and the mirror for $15. </div>
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Taylor's been busting his butt sanding, painting and sealing and it's looking incredible. His mom and sister have been a lot of help in making things look professional. If we had more space I might consider making and selling some.<br />
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We finally feel comfortable and homey in our place. I was really kind of sick of our apartment, but now I love it. Stay tuned for the "after" pictures later this week.<br />
<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-81500710997150398332013-01-08T08:00:00.000-08:002013-01-08T08:00:03.676-08:00CAwesome ChristmasI coined "CAwesome Christmas" while sharing an iPhoto PhotoStream with my siblings. Aren't I a clever one? Speaking of clever, we taught my Grandma how to use PhotoStream. #win<br />
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The trip was awesome. Taylor and I are finally recovered from the two weeks of overeating, oversleeping, and semi-sickness we both experienced, and we're finally getting back into a normal schedule. He doesn't start school for another week so we're both trying to stay busy as a good start to 2013.<br />
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We got into California early enough we got to celebrate Philip's birthday with him by eating <a href="http://www.kingeggroll.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">King Egg Rolls</a> and <a href="http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/" target="_blank">Nothing Bundt Cake</a>. A quick word about both: Kings is a wonderful Chinese place (you may or may not hear no English as you visit) where I recommend you simply eat egg rolls. My family usually gets friend rice, and I always request, then wonder why I do, a steamed pork bun. I can't eat egg rolls anywhere else. Nothing Bundt Cake was one of the best finds ever brought to our family. The cakes are delicious, moist, huge and covered in delicious frosting.<br />
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Beyond the food and family time, the best thing we did was a day-trip to San Francisco. It was by far the clearest day I've ever seen in the City, you could not only see Oakland, but you could see the entire bay clearly.<br />
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Do you love my sockbun? I mastered the technique while in California
and I'm afraid I may do it every day thanks to its ease the way it makes
me feel awesome. Then we watched the sun set on the Golden Gate bridge. Please, everyone, do yourself a favor and go to the bay area.<br />
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-81415802687574252342012-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-18T08:00:09.364-08:00I work out. A lot.I love to be in the kitchen, because I love good food. Here are some recent successes.<br />
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Personal-sized chicken pot pie</div>
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Cake pops (before frosting)</div>
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Election Night Swirled Cake </div>
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(The above two are the brain-children of my friend, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/allisa.mason" target="_blank">Allisa</a>.)</div>
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Homemade Nilla Wafers </div>
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Stromboli </div>
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Christmas cookies: marshmallow and candy canes</div>
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(Recipe from my friend, <a href="http://thenielsenstory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Allison</a>)</div>
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Coconut macaroons</div>
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Why, thank you. :)</div>
<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-32819787380922954022012-12-13T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-13T08:00:02.163-08:00Thanksgiving in GeorgiaFor Turkey day we drove up to Atlanta to spend the day with Taylor's parents and sister. It's amazing how getting away from your daily life to spend a couple days eating, sleeping, cuddling and doing a bunch of nothing will make you the happiest person ever. Also, it gave me the opportunity to experience fall, which doesn't really exist in Jacksonville.<br />
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Thanksgiving day Taylor's mom, Corinne, and I spent all day in the kitchen. Taylor came in after catching up with his dad and the three of us busted out a delicious, southern meal. I made my first pumpkin pie (recipe off the can) and I was about to pour it in the crust when I realized I forgot to add sugar! Thank goodness I didn't ruin the pumpkin pie, I never would have lived that one down. And, yes, my mother-in-law is shoving butter under the turkey skin. Welcome to the south!<br />
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The next day we drove down to the University of Georgia to check out the law school. It is gorgeous! The day was warm, the campus is clean and quaint with all the brick buildings and we ate a lunch of turkey sandwiches and <a href="http://www.badtadmd.com/444" target="_blank">Taku ginger cookies</a>. We decided we're not interested in transferring to UGA because there's nothing there, which would be really tough for me. Helped us appreciate all the things Jacksonville does offer.<br />
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Taylor and I took an afternoon to ourselves and he showed me around Acworth, GA. On one of the buildings in the little downtown was an historic, Coca Cola advertisement wall. Taylor then told me about an NPR article he heard about how Coke holds records for selling coke for the same price for decades, and why that happened. <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/11/15/165143816/why-coke-cost-a-nickel-for-70-years" target="_blank">Check it out, it's really an interesting story</a>.<br />
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We then stopped by a park that has a couple pecan trees, and when we realized there were still some fresh nuts on the ground, we collected a bunch to make into a pie. It's proof I'm maturing nicely that I love pecan pie so much, I use to be turned off by it because there was no chocolate.<br />
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Making the pie was the best event of the weekend. We collected the pecans in the fall light, then cracked them together at the kitchen table; trying to crack the shell while keeping the nut in one piece, then as Taylor prepared the nuts I mixed the filling and Corinne built the crust. It was a unique, simple and bonding experience. Yes, mushy, but I'm a romantic and it was wonderful. And the pie was freaking delicious!!! Seriously, check that baby out. I ate it for breakfast the next day.<br />
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We ate the pie while playing Rummikub, and Siam, the cat, liked the crust so much he helped himself to my lap.<br />
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He also really liked boiled peanuts, which is why he was always underfoot in the kitchen. But how can you say no to an adorable, old cat like that?</div>
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-58930065322097070932012-12-11T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-11T08:00:04.005-08:00Washington DC in OctoberThis post is way delayed, yes I know, but at least it is happening (unlike my flight home from DC, but we'll get to that). The weekend before Halloween my immediate family (minus Taylor, because he's a dedicated law student) met in Washington DC to play. It was a great weekend! I'll bullet point it, along with pictures, to keep it as easy to read as possible:<br />
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<ul>
<li>McKenzie and I spent Friday together in old-town Alexandria walking through town and thrift shopping, before meeting up with Philip and Elizabeth for lunch at the food trucks down town. I really needed that time to just chill with my siblings, especially my sister.</li>
<li>For dinner, once my parents were in town, we went and got falafels. Love them. Plus, the little shop felt a lot like <a href="http://www.lavicsj.com/LaVictoria.html" target="_blank">La Victorias</a>, so I felt at home. </li>
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<li>We saw some of the sights, including looking at some of the monuments at night, and the masonic temple in Alexandria. We didn't go inside the temple, since we didn't have time, but it's still awesome to look at.</li>
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<li>Saturday we explored Annapolis, which included a white Monster Energy drink, cheddar, jalapeƱo Cheetos, Kilwins' toasted coconut ice cream (Literally, the best EVER.), and a four pound shake. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(If you haven't tried those Cheetos, or Kilwins ice cream do yourself a favor and go get some immediately. Otherwise, your life won't be complete.)</span></li>
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<ul>
<li>Since we were together right before McKenzie's birthday we all ate drunken ribeye from <a href="http://www.greatamericanrestaurants.com/mikesmain/" target="_blank">Mike's American Grill</a>. In case you haven't noticed, we ate really well on the trip. If you're near Springfield, VA, you MUST try Mike's. Below is my steak, taken in memory of my steak-loving husband, who wasn't there.</li>
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<ul>
<li>We then watched the Giants win the World Series (booyah!!) while waiting on hold for hours to change our flights.</li>
<li>Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, all flights were cancelled so Mom, Dad and I switched our flights to leave out of North Carolina, we rented a car and drove all night to catch a morning flight home. Thankfully that was the most trouble it caused any of us. Count your blessings.</li>
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Talk about a whirlwind summary! </div>
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Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-15435895209819041412012-12-07T11:48:00.000-08:002012-12-07T11:48:21.020-08:00Random life snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<ol>
<li>My birthday is in 98 days.</li>
<li>I finally got my hair cut yesterday. I last got my hair cut in July, before leaving Utah, and I've been pushing it off, but the final straw was when my mom mentioned taking family portraits over Christmas. I went to the <a href="http://www.myaurasalon.com/" target="_blank">local Aura salon</a>. I highly recommend them, they're connected with Aveda and I've always been pleased with what Aveda does. Jamie cut my hair dry, which was a first for me and I loved it. She washed, dried, straitened my hair and then cut it. It looks and feels wonderful! (Extra bonus: My hair smells great still!)</li>
<li>The following pictures are:</li>
<ol>
<li>The sunrise from our balcony.</li>
<li>Testing red lipstick.</li>
<li>Homemade cookie cutter from Grandad Hurst.</li>
<li>Elizabeth's color coordination.</li>
<li>Proof McKenzie has taught me everything I need to know about topknots, messy buns and head scarves.</li>
</ol>
</ol>
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<br />Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-24558587044855548542012-11-16T10:04:00.000-08:002012-11-16T10:04:00.141-08:00Weekend Update from TaylorThe other night Taylor wrote this email to our families. He captured our weekend so perfectly, I'm just going to cut and paste it here (with the appropriate pictures). Enjoy!<br />
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"To all: After class on Friday, Hilary and I decided to drive up to the St. Johns River ferry. The details on the ferry website say that it leaves every half hour from Mayport Villiage to Ft. George Island. The tickets were listed at a dollar per person, and we thought it sounded like a great date for the broke, law school couple. Without researching the location of Ft. George Island, we jumped in the car and headed towards Atlantic Blvd. On the way to the ferry we stopped at McDonalds to fuel up on Spicy McChicken "sangwhiches," and salty french fries.<br />
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"We arrived at the ferry port exactly at the half hour. The director told us that the ferry was leaving, and that we needed to hurry. We parked the car as fast as we could and boarded the ferry, with the gate closing behind us. Once on deck, the First Mate asked for our fare, and we handed over our two dollars. The sun was setting in the western sky, and dolphins were playing in the wake of the ship. We thought we had found the perfect date.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0N8hH7ZrPG96jdQWAbUR5Mxfl5hOBCG7GLr2NYuDD921DMvSt0qlbkL4LbaX4qg5TopSMdIyG6YFSeRMRpXZBN5iyMsW2MYSKR4LVxCFM9snv7_gX5cPPBnGmuzJNPM2zt8o0EH-xMBd/s1600/Jacksonville-Ferry-Singletons-Seafood-Shack2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0N8hH7ZrPG96jdQWAbUR5Mxfl5hOBCG7GLr2NYuDD921DMvSt0qlbkL4LbaX4qg5TopSMdIyG6YFSeRMRpXZBN5iyMsW2MYSKR4LVxCFM9snv7_gX5cPPBnGmuzJNPM2zt8o0EH-xMBd/s640/Jacksonville-Ferry-Singletons-Seafood-Shack2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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"About one minute after departure the ship made a 180 degree turn towards the west. I was somewhat confused why the ship would be heading down river, but was too enthralled with the scene to care. Five minutes later the ferry docked on the other side of the St. Johns River. It didn't take us long after our arrival to figure out that Ft. George Island is merely the mass of land on the north side of St. Johns River. We had both assumed that since it was called an island, it surely must be out at sea. What Newbies are we. Fortunately the First Mate allowed us to travel on the return trip free of charge. I guess you get what you pay for.<br />
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"After our adventure at sea, we stopped at a Singleton's Seafood Shack, which was next door to the ferry port. We were still full from McD's, so we only ordered a basket of fried calamari. The batter was fair, but the calamari was tender and fresh. The back porch, where we chose to sit, was a floating dock with four large fishing/shrimping boats docked at its edge.<br />
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"The food was great, and the scene was even better. With the sun setting, and salty air at our nose, we enjoyed our delicious, seafood treat. On the way home we stopped at Peterbrooke Chocolatier for some homemade ice cream.<br />
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"I spent Saturday morning at the law school, working on a paper due this Wednesday. When I got home we packed a cooler full of Diet Coke and headed out to our favorite beach. On the way out to the beach we spotted an alligator basking in the sun, so we pulled over to snap a shot. They are impressive creatures on TV, but even more so in person.<br />
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"Now that the water is too cold for a typical day at the beach, we have adopted a new beach activity; hunting for fossilized shark teeth. The trick is to wait for a wave to wash away and scan the shoreline for little, triangular-shaped, black dots. We found about twenty teeth in just over an hour. Hilary is a better tooth scavenger than I, and she found the largest, and coolest teeth. Every weekend feels like vacation, which provides a much needed, weekly decompression from law school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxZpUHd_0_C7XnaYAmtyBCxiE7XzhLDU7Ny6hgKlakigITygfmVQ_90xa8VZ6StSSoNqc3ZRnrSqrgZ7UTpCtW8TzF3c580WPawW9C_vmlFgFEaV0bhRdEHMEffGRS4nS93FjpPVxrXrq/s1600/Jacksonville-Sharks-Teeth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxZpUHd_0_C7XnaYAmtyBCxiE7XzhLDU7Ny6hgKlakigITygfmVQ_90xa8VZ6StSSoNqc3ZRnrSqrgZ7UTpCtW8TzF3c580WPawW9C_vmlFgFEaV0bhRdEHMEffGRS4nS93FjpPVxrXrq/s640/Jacksonville-Sharks-Teeth.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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"We can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving. The daily high is still around 75 degrees. Hilary isn't phased by the warm weather, and she is already decorating for Christmas. We are both excited for the holiday season this year because it marks the end of our first year of marriage, and my exit from the Army.<br />
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"Unfortunately I don't plan on making emails like this one a regular event. I just happened to have a few spare minutes this evening while Hilary decorated the house. Love, Taylor<br />
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"PS: Hilary here! Taylor covered everything, but I just want to send my love and a few words about decorating. I love the holidays, and since we'll only be in our place for half of December I jumped over Thanksgiving and decided to decorate for Christmas now. Taylor and I drove down the street this evening and collected some big, beautiful pine cones and acorns. Then we went to the dollar store where we bought festive wrapping paper and some ornaments. Voila! Six dollars later we are seasonal! Love, Hilary"Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-4881088379444546312012-11-15T08:56:00.000-08:002012-11-15T08:56:06.625-08:00I worry about Coozie's feelingsWhile organizing the kitchen, just now, I went to put the cookie scoop away in its drawer when I saw I'd accidentally put my <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=coozie" target="_blank">coozie</a> in that drawer instead of the cupboard.<br />
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"What are you doing in there? You don't belong there." I told the red lump of foam as I threw it into the cupboard.<br />
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I immediately felt bad, worried I would give it a complex about "not belonging" and whatnot. Before I could realize I was being neurotic, I reworded the sentence into a more feeling-friendly statement.<br />
How's that for over-sensitization?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528866749754063677.post-65793426080867924632012-11-12T10:50:00.000-08:002012-11-12T10:50:00.148-08:00Sweet Pete's Candy ShopMy family knows how to make amazing food, because we love to eat amazing food. You know it's a Hurst party when you have cream cheese in three different forms, Hurst Hooch (homemade rootbeer), ice cream and Grandad's candy. Yes, I grew up in a world dipping chocolates with Grandad, the real-world Willy Wonka. See proof from my <a href="http://hmocruz.blogspot.com/2011/01/serious-bidness.html" target="_blank">amazing artist and journalism cousin</a>. Thus, when I found <a href="http://www.sweetpete.net/" target="_blank">Sweet Pete's</a> candy shop, where they do candy making classes, I knew we had to go.<br />
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The location is downtown, in an old house that has been renovated into a shop and candy-creation facility, complete with party rooms on the second floor that boast a teal, glitter fire place. I wish the Halloween decorations weren't there because the whole place is so happy and beautiful and then there's a gigantic spider.<br />
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Luckily we went in the middle of a lollipop class that was being held for an eight-year-old's birthday party, so we got to watch Pete in action. Yes, we met the Pete.<br />
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We bought a good mix of chocolate covered things, and some jelly beans, and best of all was the salted caramel. The caramel is smooth and creamy and then BANG a pop of salt. And the flavor sticks through the whole experience, as opposed to being nice at first then wandering away by the end.<br />
I love food. Anyone else have family traditions like that?Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02648092723235562915noreply@blogger.com2