Category Archives: #Happy Family/Babies/Pets

Super Bowl Sunday We Are All Winners

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By Guest, Bob Chianese aka Mr. Wonderful

The Super Bowl has become a singular, once a year spectacle that celebrates what has become our Country’s national past-time sport, the game of football.

When Super Bowl I was played in 1967, it was truly a game for the real football fan.  More importantly, it was a public relations event designed by the National Football League to recognize its merger with the newly formed American Football League.

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl I and II against the upstart American Conference Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively.  The Packers winning of those two games, in rather convincing fashion, denied the legitimacy of the newly formed American Football Conference as well as the Super Bowl itself.

Everything changed however, in 1969, when “Broadway Joe Willy Namath” led the New York Jets to victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. The turning point signaling that the American Conference had arrived and the Super Bowl was now a big deal.

There have been 45 Super Bowls played since 1967, and interestingly the National Football Conference has won 24 times and the American Football Conference has won 21 times, almost even. Over the years, some games have been great and some stinkers, nonetheless the event itself has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds.

The Super Bowl is now a spectacular national and international event, a reason to party, put our everyday lives aside, and have some fun. Today, people watch the Super Bowl not as much for the game, but instead to watch and laugh at the newest and exorbitantly expensive television commercials by companies such as Budweiser, Pepsi, and General Motors.  Most certainly, we want to view the grandiose halftime shows by pop stars such as Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson, and Madonna.

People gather in Pubs and homes to party, eat nachos, pigs in blankets, Swedish meatballs, and all kinds of goodies.

Betting pools, part of the standard fare, have nothing to do with who actually wins the game, but rather the random number you pick that hopefully will match each teams score at different times during the game.

The Super Bowl is now a national day of celebration centered on a football game.  It says a lot about the American Culture.

Super Bowl XLVI (the number 46 doesn’t suggest enough pomp and circumstance) pits the New England Patriots (AFL)  against the New York Giants (NFL) Does anyone really care who is playing or actually wins the game? It is really just a big party, a day to revel in good food, eye-popping ear splitting entertainment, create memories, and share in the fun with friends. One of the greats, Vincent Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything.”

There are no losers.  The teams playing have already achieved immeasurable success. It doesn’t matter who wins the game. They have already won the hearts of their fans, demonstrated their athletic prowess, and earned the accolades bestowed on them.

Oh, I forgot to finish Lombardi’s thought, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

So,” I’m not gonna fugget-about-it. Winning is the only thing.  I’m a diehard Giants fan who bleeds blue – Repeat 2008!!! Go Big Blue!”

Peace On Earth

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Peace on Earth

Aging & Attitude

We ride the noon shuttle from Lake Buena Vista Embassy Suites to Epcot planning to stay for the fireworks.  By 7PM, everyone is spent, having ridden Test Track, Mission Space, and Space Ship Earth. Then snapped pictures with Disney Characters; Minnie, Mickey, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto at Epcot Character Spot, viewed the indoor Aquarium, Turtle Talk with Crush, visited several countries and went to Italy for dinner.

It did not help that the shuttle broke down on Route 4 delaying us some.

The weather is wonderful, slightly overcast skies, but not gray and the lines at the park manageable.  The spectacular Christmas decorations dazzle us.  The landscape appears luscious in multi-shades of green with red Poinsettia accentuating the differences.

“Look at all the people.  This is really a phenomenon.” My husband marvels, surrounded by an international crowd of young and old who traveled to Disney.

It is not just for the rides.

Inside the Magic Kingdom great things are possible.  The world is beautiful, goodness, joy, and merriment abound. But Mr. Wonderful’s feet hurt. He and most of the group are ready to leave.

My feet hurt too, however my grandson and I decided to stay.  We will ride Soarin’ and watch the fireworks scheduled at 9:30pm.

Soarin’ is a multi-sensory attraction that simulates a hang-gliding flight over California’s Golden Gate Bridge, Redwood Creek, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles, Anaza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Camarillo, and feels like the real deal.

The wait at Soarin’ is sixty-five minutes.  My grandson, days away from being a teen, waits patiently in line participating in the wall games while I chat with a couple behind us from Chicago.

We discuss the scheduled 9:30pm fireworks and my confusion, “Doesn’t the park close at 9:30pm?  They assure me we will see the fireworks; which they saw at 8pm the night before.

Our sixty-five minute wait was almost up it was 7:55pm.

We are ready, to quote Disney:  “Feel the wind in your hair. The air fills with the scent of orange groves, evergreens and the sea breeze. Your feet dangle free. Dip down so close to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, you think your toes will get wet. Then return to the sky and continue on Soarin’ to a fantastic finale where fireworks burst into sensational colors around you.”

The five-minute ride surpasses the sixty-five minute wait, and the probability of only moving in place. You think your toes are wet for a moment.

We exit excitedly, anticipating rockets and roman candles sparkling across the sky.  Rushing towards the lake Dominic prompts me, “Nana, ask someone.” People are skirting the area sitting on stone walls.

An attendant explains, “Illuminations: Reflections of Earth glitters, gleams, and glows over World Showcase Lagoon in perfectly synchronized splendor”, is a Holiday Special, different from the nightly fireworks and tonight’s closing event, and definitely starts at 9:30PM.

We can relax, purchase a snack, and find a viewing spot.

I watch my grandson say goodbye to childhood, confident and mature ordering a pretzel, opting for cinnamon and sugar (plain salt are sold out) and yes he will pay the extra dollar for cheese.  He casually counts his money, smiling, engaged in conversation, so like his dad, gentleman style.

“IlluminNations” started, “featuring breathtaking fireworks, brilliant bursts of fire, laser light effects, dramatic fountain barges, a stirring musical score” that manipulate emotions, accompanied to a symphony rendition of “Let there be Peace on Earth” and left us feeling joy, hope, love, and peace.

We turn to our neighbors, tears in our eyes; shake hands, offer peace, and I think, let it begin with me.

                                                                ….Just  Saying 

                                                                                              Merry Christmas

What Do You Want For Christmas?

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What You Want For Christmas?

Aging & Attitude

“What do you want for Christmas?” Mr. Wonderful* inquires, walking into the kitchen wearing drawstring athletic shorts, his toes protruding through open toed sandals, and cheaters sliding off his nose.

“You mean besides World Peace” I quip.

“No, seriously what do you want for Christmas?”

“Jobs for the unemployed would be nice.”

“You’re the one who wants packages under the tree, think about it.”

And I do.

I want it to be 1958 and wake to a shiny blue two-wheeler and bride doll. The air crisp, sharp enough that your nose hair freeze, the sun strong and no wind on Long Island. Santa left the same Schwinn bike for my sister, Mariellen, an English Racer with handbrakes for Victor, my brother.  I ride in circles, periodically going in the house to coax my brother and sister into joining me. They will not, but I am determined to hold on to my joy.

I want it to be 1971. Mr. Wonderful dressed in full Santa costume, white beard and black belt, drives the New York State Thruway, waving at cars and greeting toll booth attendants with Ho, Ho, Ho.

I want it to be 1977. My son wears PJ’s, a blue robe, belted and slippers, his face aglow at the Fisher Price garage Santa left. His sister wears a hand me down Santa infant suit, her arms flapping, matching his excitement.

I want it to be 1985 and a white German Shepard dog does not bark once during the night to wake our kids. He kept his surprise til Christmas morning.

I want it to be 2003. It snows all day, continuing into the night, creating a spectacular White Christmas our daughter’s Southern guest marvels.  We troll the unplowed streets of Newton after midnight, make angles in the snow, sleep late and eat dinner in our pajamas.

I want those simple uncomplicated times.

But were they?

Christmas greeting cards scotched taped around a door frame were fancy decorations. I could decorate the entire house, wrap the presents, and bake cookies, all the same day.

Last week it took one day to unbox the artificial tree and determine if plug A really went into socket E. Only one small section of lights is not working. We turned it towards the wall. Days two and three were spent putting on the ornaments, up and down the ladder, watching not to fall.

I am not the only one getting older, facing the challenge of aging; everyone else is too.

So this year, we are all going to Disney.

                                                                                                  ….Just Saying

*Mr. Wonderful is my husband of forty years

Lady Gaga & Eataly

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Lady Gaga & Eataly

The morning air is a crisp forty-three degrees and the day promises to be sunny.  A Canadian guest also staying at Comfort Inn cautions my husband, “I wouldn’t go outside dressed like that.”

Mr. Wonderful is wearing a short sleeve t-shirt, Dockers and moccasins without socks. We are 497 miles from warmer weather and plan to be home in Florida for afternoon coffee and cookies.

We choose Comfort Inn because of Bonus Points; for every three nights stayed, we get a night free, a good deal. It is seven in the morning. We anticipate a hot breakfast, seeing steam rising on hot trays and an attendant busy in the kitchen.

We have been away nine days visiting our daughter, family and friends in the New York City area and saw it all, including Lady Gaga’s Workshop and Eataly.

Lady Gaga?

Well, Tony Bennett is a favorite of mine. Bennett, an artist and big fan of Lady Gaga after singing together, plans to draw the diva, nude. Their duet, “The Lady is a Tramp”is exceptional. Gaga really can sing. If Mr. Bennett loves and respects her, so might I, and we head to Barney’s to check it out.

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The elevator door opens on the fifth floor to an oversized Lady Gaga turned spider and mini shopping areas with motorcycle jackets $625, stiletto Christmas stockings $65, Swaronski tea-cups $65, and  bouncing balls $9. The array of items is huge and unique. It is a shopping experience not an interactive workshop, raising funds for the charity “Born this Way”.  Perhaps because we expect over the top it is underwhelming, merely interesting and amusing. Robin Roberts, “Good Morning America” met Gaga and previewed the products.  The interview can be read at,  http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/lady-gaga-barneys-york-95-chocolate-shoe/story?id=15005951

After checking out Bloomingdale’s windows we head downtown and stumble upon Eataly.

OMG, if you are anywhere near 24th Street and 5th Avenue anytime soon, you must, absolutely must, visit Eataly.  Eataly is the brain child of Oscar Farientti who partnered with Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and son, Joe Bastianich to create an Italian eating, dining and shopping extravaganza. Farientti has numerous stores in Italy and Japan but only this one in the United States.

Customers roam the block wide store enticed by smells of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, prosciutto, sfogliatelle(shfooyadell’) and espresso.

The website http://eatalyny.com is thorough, user-friendly and worth the time to become familiar with this open-court environment. The tool bar leads to information about the partners, eating with menus, cooking lesson schedules and descriptions, shopping, shipping and more. You can order books, housewares, cheese, pastries, produce, and beef via tabs, The Market and Shop.

A Walking Tour,  guided tour that includes sampling of focaccia, pizza, mozzarella, gelato and chocolate is $35. Cooking lessons are $100. There are twelve different eating opportunities under Eat, that include; formal dining at Manzo to LaVazza Bar (Birra & Wine) to Gelateria (yes to die for gelato) and Caffe Vergnano(coffee bar).

It is an overwhelmingly scintillating experience similar to Tony Bennett sketching Stefania Joanne Angelina Geimanotta, aka Lady Gaga, nude….just guessing.