Spring break in the Garden State, March 2016

In just a few months, we will be back in the US, and re acclimating to life in the states.  I'm trying  to picture it.  We have lived in Bermuda for over five and a half years now.  I always knew we would return to the US, and I've looked forward to it.  It's watching the process unfold that makes me pause.  I can't wait to move back.  I've missed it so much.  I have no ambivalence about it.  But the process isn't that easy.  There is so much to do between now and July.

Over spring break, we returned to NJ for some house hunting.  You know how much fun it is to watch couples wander through homes on House Hunters or Love it Or List It?  It's not that much fun in real life with kids in tow or where your budget basically gets you the equivalent of Snoopy's dog house.  It's also different when you have a house of your own that must be sold, and it needs work before you can put it on the market.  Technology has improved over the years, so it's easier to view houses online and get a good feel for them before you go out to look at them in person.  That helps a lot since flying back and forth from BDA to the US to look at houses as a whole family is cost prohibitive.

Thankfully, on this trip, Grandma H and Michael took over kid duty, and left Jeff and I some solo time to look at homes, reinstate our state driver's licenses, and debate the pros and cons of mid century modern vs Victorian home ownership.

Unfortunately, this round didn't reveal the droids we were looking for.  Last week's solo trip on my end didn't either.  But, we have hooked up with a fantastic agent, who was vetted by my own real estate mogul brother no less.  She's been very helpful thus far, and I hope she will bear with us as we forge the path of home ownership again.

After exhausting the list of homes available to see, we decided the kids needed a break.  New Jersey is a wonderful place for kids, as I knew from the years we spent living there, when I was deep in the trenches of motherhood.  With two kids under the age of two, we spent a lot of time in the parks. Van Saun was a favorite.  They have renovated significantly, over the years.  None of that matters to a gymnast though. 

He saw toadstool seats and decided it was time for a spin.

Kids U. was another popular place for us.  Back it the day, I took Jordan and then Mina to mommy and me classes. Maybe I'm feeling overly nostalgic.  It was also the home of the infamous telephone in the toilet incident.  Mommies are not allowed to go to the bathroom during gym class, even if their daughter is left in the care of her teacher.  If mommy departs, it must mean it is time to start banging on the bathroom door, which results in mommy darting up, phone falling out of the back pockets of mommy's oversize corduroy Costco pants, and falling into the toilet.

 Kids U is also great because it had a huge play quad that you could use whenever.  We revisited it this time with Theo, who had a blast.



Spending some time in the Poconos over Easter.  The chilly weather encouraged the Easter bunny to hide the eggs somewhere warm... like the playroom. 



I got to enjoy my birthday over the break as well.  We had a lovely family dinner at Trattoria 903.



Theo didn't disgrace himself too badly.  There may still be some hope of taking him out to eat with us in the future (fingers crossed.)



Grandma and Michael got a Chocolate cake to rival all chocolate cakes for a lifetime.



Jeff and I also did some solo celebrating at the Mermaid Oyster Bar in NYC. 



And we enjoyed Aperol Spritz toasts for an evening of solitude at the Battery Park Ritz Carlton, kid free.

Between time spent with family and seeing good friends in our old town, I felt the week was supremely successful, even though we couldn't find the right house.  I vaguely remember when we purchased our first home.  I still can't exactly recall how we wound up in the town we did, or how long it took us to find the right home.  I remember loving the house and wishing it was in our budget.  Back in 2006, pretty much everything was overpriced thanks to the housing bubble. So, with this next move, I really wish it could be our last one - one to settle into our final house, the forever home.

The search continues.

Turning 11 - Birthday celebrations for Jordan.

We are going on six years now since we moved to Bermuda; and somehow during that time, this guy turned 11.

This was what Jordan looked like when we first moved here.  November 2010.  At the playground at Somersfield Academy.




And now:  January 17, 2016.



How did that happen again?

To celebrate, we had a full weekend of festivities.  Grandmas Helene and Grandpa Michael joined us again from New York.  This makes their 12th visit to Bermuda!





Ice cream is yummy! So is the birthday breakfast brunch at Bouchee! Thanks for the special treat, Helene and Michael.

Jordan had a birthday movie party at the Specialty Cinema in town.  We watched the first episode of Star Wars - IV, "A New Hope."  Big thanks to Ana, who handled the booking.  After some miscommunication regarding party times, she contacted me later and adjusted the price of the party to reflect the mistake.  I never asked her to, she just offered.  I love recognizing great customer service like that.  The staff at the cinema the day of also should be commended for keeping their cool and carrying on during the onslaught of 15 boys.

Oh look - there they are.

Group shot.









Jeff was the welcoming wagon:





shenanigans.



The Star Wars cake, courtesy of The Marketplace. They did a great job, and given Bermuda prices, it wasn't that expensive.








Loads of presents from his friends.



That evening, we went out to dinner at Portofino - a family favorite.  Jordan was serenaded by the waiters, who delight in calling him various names.  It's usually Pasquale.. this evening they chose Miguel.  They also know he is a huge fan of the Parmesan cheese.  When the waiter comes by with it for the table, he heads to Jordan first.

Their desserts also don't disappoint.



This guy was allowed to leave the confines of his cage for a little while as well.  Look how nicely he is buttering his bread.  That lasted for about 30 seconds.  And then he was a disaster.  He's not the best age for restaurants yet, but we try in limited doses.  Portofino is fabulously accommodating on that front. 

 

The next night was a Monday, and the actual date of Jordan's birth, but he had gymnastics after school.  He doesn't get home till after 8, but we all waited to eat with him (well, except Theo..)  A cheese plate and wine helped tide over the grownups until we feasted later. 

First there was steak.  Then there was cake.

 

I made a two layer chocolate cake and covered it with sprinkles.

 

He loved it.



Hard to believe that our time here is now marked in terms of "this will be the last time.."  But it's true.  I'm fairly certain this will be the last time we will be celebrating Jordan's birthday in Bermuda in January! 

Hope he remembers it fondly. 

Thanksgiving in Bermuda, 2015

I haven't begun detoxing from Thanksgiving weekend yet, so it's still fair game to post celebratory pictures.

 

We hosted a Friends giving dinner this year, and it turned out great!  Several weeks were spent planning and shopping and madly pinteresting..

 

Not really.

 

 I did enjoy looking at Pinterest a lot for inspiration, but I did not want to make myself any crazier than I already am.  The one bit of advice I took to heart actually came off of a site called Houzz.  They have a great plan ahead list that I looked at a few times this month.  The tip I borrowed from them is to print out your recipes ahead of time and make a laminated binder.  I know it sounds nuts, but I did it, and I can't tell you the number of times I flipped thru it in the days leading up to T-day.  On the day of cooking itself, it was instrumental.  I've gone back and printed out some pictures and  laminated my shopping lists and prep times and added it to the binder, so I am ALL SET for next year. 

 

I told myself I was going to be super organized this year, and I was.  Apart from the day my landlord came in (Thanksgiving Eve) and installed a new washing machine and proceeded to break the water valve, and I had an inch of water all over my floor.  No planning for that, alas.  I also didn't plan to drop an empty wine bottle and chip out a piece of my kitchen tile. 

 

Ooops.  It's not a party till something gets broken, right?

 

 

Southern Comfort Apple pie, pre baking.  I love this recipe, but it gave me some trouble this year when it came to warming it up.  I don't know why, since I've made it at least a half dozen times.  Pies can get crazy on you sometimes.  As long as they taste good, though, who cares?



Some fall inspired decorating the week of.  I also set the table the night before and watched Theo like a hawk so he wouldn't pull the tablecloth down and destroy my wedding glassware.



Very simple tablescape.  I got lucky and scored some sunflowers the day of the party.  It's not always easy to find what you want the day you want it, here in BDA, so I was super happy.  The burlap was another score here on the island.  I love Urban Cottage. 



Crostini, with goat cheese, fig jam and toasted pepita - courtesy of the Food network magazine I picked up while we were vacationing last month in the US.  Delicious, but you really have to time the laying out.  I put it out a bit too soon, I think and the cheese got a little dry.



We had quite a few kids join us, and they had their own table, which I covered in a chalkboard tabletop runner (another Urban Cottage find.) I put out a bunch of puffy paint pens and chalkboard markers, and they went to town.  I know you can find this stuff really easy in the US, but it's more of a challenge here.  Kudos to DNA Creative Shoppe, here in Hamilton.  I walked in and swooned. I won't even tell you how much I spent on pens for myself.  I am a notorious pen junkie, and hide all the good ones so the kids don't take them.



Jeff opening the libations.  Prosecco topped with a splash of Aperol liqueor.  I may have enjoyed these a wee bit too much.



Yeah - exhibit A on that point.  Look at my wee beady eyes.  When will I ever learn?

I was happy to host this dinner for a number of reasons, among them - it gave me a chance to toast a goodbye to our dear friends, who will be leaving the island in December.  They welcomed us here five years ago, and have been like family to us.  They depart for the US, and I know, as sad as it is right now, we will see each other again soon.



Miss Mina, posing with the ever fabulous Nisha.  I have never seen a bad picture of this woman. 

 

And my favorite part - the leftovers the next day!  YES!  This turkey was so good. I used the recipe from Anne Burell, and brined it in my fridge.  No fancy heritage birds for me (since they don't exist here, and the fresh ones I've ordered in the past are too small to feed the crowd I had.)  I just used a boring old Butterball, but defrosted it properly, herbed and buttered it properly, let it do a dry out in the fridge the night before, and flipped it during cooking (with Jeff's help.)  I think that's key.  Her recipe doesn't say anything about that, but I know you have to do the flip. 

 

Flipping is your friend.

 

Also, make the gravy ahead of time.  Ain't no one got time to make gravy when there are twenty people waiting to be fed.  I used Chef John's recipe. He's never failed me.

 

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! 

 

Haunted History Tour of St Georges

One of the nice parts about having family visit, is discovering new attractions in Bermuda.  Recently, I learned about a tour of St. Georges, billed as a Haunted History.  What better way of exploring the cobblestone back alleys of a historic UNESCO site?



Our tour leader, in full attire.  He met us in Kings Square, lantern in hand.



As the sun set and introductions concluded, we ventured forth.



It was definitely a little creepy, especially wandering the graveyard at St. Peter's.



But it was also fascinating to learn about the settlement of the town, the former residents, and their tales of love, death and valor.



St Georges is a living, breathing town, despite its heritage status.  People go about their day to day lives in the midst of living history.

I loved peeking into courtyards and learning who once lived in this place.



The kids did too.



The Haunted History tour is a lot of fun and a welcome new attraction for Bermuda.  It's an easy walk of less than a mile, through the streets.  Wear comfortable shoes and feel free to bring the school age kids.  Definitely a family friendly activity!

Kristin White is the creative director and writer for this tour.  She's an amazing young woman whose love for St Georges is evident in this project she's put together.

More info on the tour can be found on the Haunted History site. 

And if you have specific questions, or want suggestions about arranging an itinerary, contact me via my Tipglo account.  A small fee is charged.

Cousins!

Return to Captiva, Fl.

Escaping Hurricane Gonzalo

In the four years we have lived in Bermuda, we've been lucky to avoid any major hurricanes.

Our luck ended last week when the island was hit by back to back storms.

First, Tropical Storm Fay - with wind gusts over 100 mph.



Then, while the island was still recovering, we watched Hurricane Gonzalo make its approach up the Atlantic Ocean.

Projections put Bermuda on a direct hit this time.  That is rare, but we weren't taking any chances. The possibility of going without power for weeks was enough motivation to purchase tickets to get the kids off the island. We figured we could manage without power, and the baby would be ok with me, but Jordan and Mina would be better off with Grandma back in the States.

We bought tickets Monday night, for a flight Friday morning. This was under the assumption that the storm would hit on Saturday.

As the week progressed, it became clear that the storm was moving faster then expected, and the Friday flight would be cancelled.  We resigned ourselves to bracing out the storm together, and hopefully getting a flight off the island when the airport re-opened.  It wasn't the storm itself we were worried about, you see.  Bermuda homes are built to withstand the hurricanes.

It was the subsequent loss of power that had us concerned.  Friends who survived Hurricane Fabian (the last big one to hit the island) warned us that power was out for almost a month!

Loss of power means not just lack of electricity.  It means no showers, toilets, refridgerated food, internet, phone, or most cooking.  Multiply those needs by two big kids stuck indoors, and there was our motivation.

We scrambled to get baby Theo a passport.

This was no easy task, as he still did not have a birth certficate.  (See earlier post about this nonsense.)  However, Jeff worked his magic and managed to convince someone at the Registrar to take pity on us and print one out.  We gathered all the important papers and made it to the American Consulate to attest to our citizenship and claim Theo's American status.

Voila!  Passport pictures obtained too!



Then we learned that the airlines would be bringing in additional flights Wednesday and Thursday morning. With the help of American Express Travel, a new service Jeff learned about (no, they are not paying me) we managed to change Jordan and. Mina's tickets to Thursday, AND get two more for Jeff and me.

Off we go.



Fashionable travel wear.



No direct flights to NYC - so Theo enjoys his first layover in Miami.



It's ok.  We perservered and were rewarded with a beautiful fall trip.  Jordan admiring the foliage and fauna.




Baby passing with good friends while the big kids enjoyed a fall festival.



Best part - Theo got to meet the Grandparents!  Hi Grandma B.



And Grandma H, who hosted all of us at her home in PA.





We were also lucky to be in town while Uncle Osman was making his annual fall east coast visit.



Bonding, the techie-techie way.

As it turned out, the Category 3 hurricane found Bermuda well prepared. Our house withstood too much damage, and apart from a busted grill, we are ok. There is continued leaking in the basement, but what else is new.

For most people on the island, power was restored over the course of a few days. There are still some unlucky souls who do not have it back, and to date that means over 12+ days. They haven't had it restored since the first storm, so my heart really goes out to them!

I'm glad we had the unexpected trip back to the US. Fall is my favorite season of the year, and it's best appreciated in the northeast. The fall colors, the chill in the air, the mad frenzy of all things pumpkin - I love it.



Plus we had some good bonding too.