Backtracking...Kings of Leon

Silas took me to the Kings of Leon concert at The Forum as part of my 40th birthday present.  It was really a romantic gesture because he's not a fan of them at all.  We had 3rd row seats on the floor and I've never been that close to a concert my whole life.  It was incredible.  The Local Natives opened up for them and they are currently a new favorite.  Their music is so deep and touching.  One of the singers dedicated a song to his mother who had passed away recently.  Holding back tears on that one.  Hopefully these vids will come through as beautiful as they sounded live and not as shit iphone vids.  Either way, enjoy.

How good is live music? Are you as passionate as me about it? Its amazing how band can transform your impression on them solely by their live performance. I've lost respect for artist hearing them live, and found new favorites and admiration for others.  Its so fascinating to me to be see what musicians come alive onstage.  Most of the time, I am not disappointed.  Jim James of My Morning Jacket touched on these events so beautifully when he said during one show I saw; "Its really nice to be here together, get away from our iPhones, our screens and our lives and just participate".

How often do we do that???

Backtracking: Disneyland.

I know we have a lot of catching up to do.  I disappeared after Blake was born and then just jumped back in like I wasn't silent for 9 or 11 months or whatever, and that's not cool.  I need to ease back and do some backtracking, because quite honestly, a LOT has happened.  I turned 40, for one ("The old age of youth, and the youth of old age" as my cousin Tommy cunningly refers to it). I kept taking pictures of food and babies and people and fun but I just haven't discussed it or posted it.  so can we go back in time a little? Because I want to discuss that pork belly I ate in March, and show you that amazing handcrafted artisanal cocktail of which ingredients I couldn't figure out.  So I have some old footage here, old indeed but not forgotten and worthy of discussion.  Bear with me as I jump around :)

Disney.

Driving to Disney.  He has no idea!

The obligatory "nestled in the gifts" xmas pic

And we're off!

Go to Disney when it rains. No crowds!

Loving the carousel, no doubt

Always trying to get girlfriend Chiara's attention.  Just wait, buddy.

He's shy around princesses

None of them can get over this princess-filled lunch

Ahhh, love

...aaand chocolate cake.

The look of awe on the first ride really made me weepy.

So magical!

Under the sea

Dancing and singing lobsters.  Happiest place on earth.

Apparently the churros at Disney are the best.  I can't tell one from another.

Still in awe that they talk to you.  Ariel's grotto is the bomb.

Look at the face. The connection.  I have a sensitive guy on my hands.

So when my friend Christiana said she wanted to take Chiara and her friends to Disneyland for her birthday, I had a pit in my stomach. Barf.  Lines, chaos, parking, nausea, kids running everywhere, how to corral them; general suckiness.  But I brought my friggin breast pump, and prayed for rain, which there was, and we went anyway.  So my friend Liv says: "i'm so dorked out for this Disneyland trip!" and I was like, why? I really WANT to be that kind of mom, the kind that digs taking their kid to Disney and all, but it just gave me anxiety.  Some come the first ride, The LIttle Mermaid, I had a moment of enlightment.  I saw Dax's face, wide with bewonderment, and heard the song Ariel sings and my whole box of childhood memories exploded in front of me.  I had tears in my eyes.  I emerged from the ride elated and teary, exclaiming "I LOVE DISNEYLAND!!" 

...or at least it felt that way in my heart.

Memories of Home

How can you see people drinking this at a bar and not order one?

Sink tubbies are the best

Our night to cook - baked haddock and scallops..and lobstah!

We finally made it to Neptune oysters for amazing seafood

Voila

Street pizza is best when eaten directly after a huge lunch of oysters and wine

Fist pumping that obnoxious watermelon cocktail

Departing Clams and chowdah with a Sam Adams

My girl maria and I, always in trouble

I miss family

The flight attendant gave us free drinks because Blake wouldn't stop crying. Thanks.

Travel is exhausting

Home sweet home. Its really bittersweet home because we miss you so but we are not prepared to move back. Ever.  I think we would love to be bicoastal and buy a little brownstone in the city but for now its 1-2 trips a year until Blake can stop squawking on the plane and crawling down the aisles at lightening speed. It is so hard to be away from family and old friends.  It is so nice to return home and hear the familiar accents and giggle about them like they sound foreign.  Its so nice to walk in to so many restaurants and have the freshest seafood.  Its so nice to have a home cooked meal every night in a different home, laughing to tears over bottles of wine.  Its so nice to sing old songs on the porch at night with your dad and cousins at the top of your lungs on too many Dark n' Stormies.  Its also nice to come back home and have bittersweet memories of people who love you, so far away...

Italy = Napa. Part II

Very fancy tasting with my sis' FIL at Hall

Incredible tartare at Farmstead

Can't beat the arties out here

Ahhhhh

I was enchanted by the musty smell of the caves

Pride Vineyards barrels

Flora & Fauna abound

Sherwin Family's delicious rose

Sherwin property

Lunch from the Oakville Grocery

Barnett has the best view

Gorgeous farmhouse chic at The Reserve

Hall had incredible artwork in the fermenting room and the caves!

This chandelier of aupsidedown vine was like a winter wonderland

Cocktails at L'Auberge

Perhaps the best grain free paleo bread I've ever had. I begged them to ship to me!

So the journey through Napa and SF continues and so does the eating and drinking. Highlights were the following;

• Enjoying a lengthy tour and knockout wine taste at The Reserve, thanks for our friends, The Cravatt's!
• A beautiful bottle of bubbly and a touching note from my friends waiting for us after dinner
• Hills and mountains and countryside...the air just smells better
• A private tasting at Hall under twinkling crystals
• A leisurely picnic lunch at Sherwin family while we tasted
• Our punchy tasting host at Barnett
• Dogs everywhere Dogs
• 5 course tasting menu at Redd in scenic Yountville
• Discovering the coolest decanter ever at Michael Chiarello's Bottega
• The most incredible Gluten free bread, cinnamon rolls, brownies & grain-free bread bakery at The Oxbow market
• Discovering a nifty artisanal cocktail joint in random downtown Napa
• Wine with lunch every day
• Learning that life is an adventure is you just let go and trust