Weekend Update – the Carney Games!

August 12, 2013August 12, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

My whole body is SORE. Not from a super hard weight lifting/pump/workout class – but from a run and softball game. That’s right – softball. I played a sport this weekend that required hand and eye coordination – both of which I don’t have (which is why I run). And I’m paying for it now. Ouch!

This weekend, B’s family got together for their sorta-annual Carney Games! The Carney Games does not sadly, involve any cool carnival games – but it is a big family reunion/engagement party for his cousin/sporting competition/lots of eating and drinking. I admit, I was somewhat nervous. I’m not a softball player. I’m not an athletic person. Well unless you count being able to run athletic. But even that is debatable. But it was actually a great weekend with some fun activities, great food and good company. Here are a few highlights:

Right before the weekend started, B and I snagged awesome seats (fourth row behind the dugout) to the Indians game. It was a gorgeous night – sadly the Indians didn’t do so well …

B and I enjoyed an Indians game. fourth row seats ... but caught a loss. But a gorgeous night!

Then Saturday morning our alarm went off at 6:15 a.m. (too early for a weekend in my opinion) so we’d have time to get in a training run before the Carney Games began. We had 7 on the schedule and ran it with B’s sister Mary throughout the beautiful University Circle and Cultural Gardens. Definitely nice change of pace and it was another beautiful morning – upper 60s, partly cloudy – perfect for a run!

7 miler

Then it was time to get on the road for the Carney Games and play some serious softball. I was nervous. What if we lost — because of me? I was catcher, and actually sorta knew what I was doing! AND I ended up hitting the ball each time I was up. Pleasantly surprised!

Then it was time for some softball. I was catcher, and actually sorta knew what I was doing!

B and me post-game. We have actually a super similar picture from the last time we played softball together! I’m surprised – I had a really good time. I didn’t suck terribly, and wasn’t in a high-pressure position, so that made me relax and actually enjoy the game. Plus, B loves softball so I know it meant a lot to him that I actually played.

B and I have a very similar picture from the softball game two years ago. <3

Photo of the winning team. B’s family and extended family. I’m actually standing next to his cousin Michele who said she reads this blog! Hi Michele 🙂

The winning team! Yup. That's us. I think we won like 16-2?

The not-winning team. I think the final score was 16-2? See how serious it is – we all have matching shirts!

After the games there was an impromptu pool party back at B’s uncle’s house. They live on a sorta farm – they have horses, lots of land, some plants and a pool. A great place to host a family celebration!

Isn’t Oliver the cutest? He didn’t play but looks adorable in that t-shirt (this picture is before he got in the pool). Oh and he’s holding up a #1 because our team won of course.

See all that land in the background? Anyway, that’s the poor pig that was roasted to feed us. There was tons of awesome food – fresh pork, pasta salad, veggies, buffalo chicken dip, cake, cookies, and more.

That is my plate of food. I’m sorry that i’m not sorry that I ate every single bite. Plus a cookie.

my embarrasing plate of food

The next day B played some more softball with one of his leagues and they won their first playoff game! Woohoo! He’s played in this league for years and this is the first time they’re past the first round in playoffs. Exciting, I know.

While B was at softball I decided to go for a short run to loosen my legs. I was super tight, and I’m not sure if the 2 miles helped. I then hit the gym for the elliptical and some weights. I typically just use the weight machines but since my quads were tired from squatting while catching, and right arm was super sore from throwing all the balls back to the pitcher, I decided to do something different. I downloaded the Nike training app and decided to try out an arm workout and core workout. It wasn’t bad – it was kinda hard but probably because my arms were already so sore. I can’t wait to try it out again after my body recovers.

Yes, I started the “Butt Buster” workout but some of it (aka the thrusting) felt a little strange doing it at the gym so maybe I’ll do the rest of the 15 min workout in the privacy of my own apt… or gym.

Screenshot_2013-08-11-21-25-53

After working out, B and I grabbed some coffee and started packing. That’s right – we’re moving in just a few weeks and finally started packing! Well … we put together half a box and got rid of two giant garbage bags of stuff – one to donate (I got rid of a ton of stuff – sweatshirts, coats, more).

We opted for sushi for dinner now that our favorite sushi place downtown is open 7 days a week!

SUSHI 86

And any weekend that ends with sushi and fro-yo is a good weekend in my opinion 🙂

Hope you all had a great weekend! Some questions for you:

Does your family have a big family get-together or family reunion?
What’s your favorite fro yo topping? I chose mango balls, a gummy worm, cookie dough and my favorite – HEATH bar!
What’s your sushi order? I got (not pictured) a rainbow roll plus a few pieces of just the fish – mackerel and salmon roe. YUM!
Any tips for packing/moving? No – that’s why I’m asking you!

Another Wonderful Weekend in the CLE

May 7, 2013May 6, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

We had another wonderfully sunny, warm and beautiful weekend in Cleveland! Since I was out of town last weekend, I was excited for a few days of sleeping, a long run or two, and overall a relaxing weekend.

Friday night, B and I got a few invites to watch the Indian’s game or go out with friends, but we already had plans – a First Communion celebration. B’s cousin was receiving her First Communion and we were invited to the Mass and a dinner celebration after. It was great to see B’s family and we enjoyed some great food – including some homemade smoked salmon. I wish I had taken a photo – it was SO good! We got home somewhat late and since we had planned on a day full of errands and partying, for Saturday, we decided to stay in and watch up on our DVR and bake. I had my own mini Nutella bakefest – and made some awesome Peanut Butter, Nutella, Chocolate Pretzel Bars, along with some Nutella Heath Bar Rice Krispie Treats (recipe coming soon), while sipping wine. Definitely not a bad way to spend a Friday night in my opinion 🙂

a sneak peek at my baking – Nutella rice krispie treats!

Saturday morning, we woke up early to cross a few items on our to-do list – mine included running, going to the West Side Market, laundry, finishing baking and going to Kentucky Derby Party. And somehow, I got it all done! I got in 7 miles – the first 3 by myself, and the last 4 with B. Running with B is so much better than running alone!

running by the lake this week

After our run, B and I headed to the West Side Market for some groceries and samples. I LOVE the popcorn stand there and cannot make a trip there without trying my favorite flavor, Dichotomy (a mix between caramel and cheddar) and one new one, this time the spicy jalapeno popcorn. While we were there, I checked my phone and saw that Market Garden Brewery was offering a Kentucky Derby special – buy a mint julep and get a special official Kentucky Derby glass!

market derby

So of course we had to make a stop and try out their juleps. For the free glasses of course. And a soft pretzel.

Mint julep on the patio at Market Garden Brewery

After stopping by the Market and enjoying some afternoon drinks, I finished my baking and did some laundry, and we got ready for the Kentucky Derby Party. Each year, B’s brother and sister-in-law host a Derby Party. There is plenty of food, lots of drinks, and even a little gambling. As always, it was a fun event – and this year, I even won! I somehow guessed the 1st place winner, and even put money on #3 to come in 3rd place.

B’s niece in my hat

ladies with hats

winning ticket!

After having a few mint juleps and Black-eyed Susans (the official drink of the Preakness), I had planned on sleeping in on Sunday. But when B got ready to go to his Sunday morning softball games, I decided to join him and even go for a run while the team was playing. The first few miles were tough – my feet were a little tired after a week of running, but after I got warmed up, it was great. The area where B plays softball is a mixture of suburbs and parks, so it’s definitely not boring. I turned on some tunes and even turned on my MapMyRun app for motivation. And don’t worry, I took Monday off from running so my legs got some time to relax.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty relaxing – starting a new book, catching up on emails, preparing some meals for the week, and more catching up on the DVR. Slightly boring? Maybe. A pretty perfect day? In my mind, yes.

Some questions to ponder:

Do you make to-do lists on your weekends?
Do you enjoy the occasional low-key (“boring”) weekend? Yes! Sometimes a perfect weekend for me is spending time just baking and running.
How did you celebrate the Kentucky Derby? Did you win any money?
What’s on your DVR? We have Mad Men, Happy Endings, The Mindy Project, Glee, The Voice and New Girl.
What’s the last thing you baked?

Being a Tourist in My City – A Great Weekend In Cleveland

April 6, 2013April 6, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

Last weekend, my parents came to visit me in the CLE. It was a great weekend in Cleveland, with weather finally almost warm, a gorgeous sunny day on Saturday and of course, no lack of things to keep my parents busy.

Those of you that know me know that I’m one of the biggest Cleveland cheerleaders. I have so much civic pride and go out of my way (a little too much at times) to show it. Still, it’s easy to forget sometimes how awesome this city is. That’s why I love when family or friends come into town – I can act like a tourist!
beautiful Cleveland
So how did we spend our weekend?

Dining out at one of my favorite Cleveland Restaurants – Chinato

Friday night I made reservations for four at Chinato, a restaurant on East 4^th by one of my favorite Cleveland Chefs, Zack Bruell. It didn’t disappoint. I usually get their pizza or their Col Buco with slow roasted pork (I don’t typically like pork a lot … but their pork shoulder is amazing) but since it was Good Friday, I got the salmon with escarole and white beans and it was ah-maz-ing. Seriously. I want to eat it again. And again. My mom ended up getting the same and I got to enjoy her leftovers!

East Fourth at Night

Walking to the West Side Market

Saturday morning B and I met up with my parents and we walked to the West Side Market for the first time in forever! Last summer B and I walked to the Market for groceries nearly every weekend, but it hasn’t been warm enough or nice enough for us to do that yet this year – until last weekend with my parents! It was great – the Market was crowded and we were able to pick up all the veggies and meat and fish we would need for the week. We walked back through the Flats and took some fun pictures along the way.

Walking to the West Side Market

b and me walking back from the west side market

wsm

Visiting Gallery One at The Cleveland Museum of Art

Our original plan had been to drop off our groceries back at my apartment and then join my parents at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while B played basketball with his family, but after realizing that the Rolling Stones exhibit wasn’t yet at the Rock Hall, and that we only had a few hours until it closed, so we decided to drive over to University Circle instead to visit the Museum of Art. I had been there since the renovation and seen the beautiful Atrium, but hadn’t been to Gallery One yet. It was awesome! I can’t wait to come back and bring our iPad to try out even more of the interactive features.

Parents in University Circle

Parents loving Gallery One

Inside the Atrium at the Art Museum

We enjoyed dinner at B’s parents house and the next morning my parents drove back to NY. It was a quick trip, but a great way to enjoy just a few of the great things that Cleveland has to offer. I can’t wait until they come back later this summer! I’ve already started making my list of what we have to do next:

Try out another restaurant they haven’t been to – still on my list of places we can walk to are Pura Vida, Zocalo, Johnny’s Little Bar or Wink’s for simple burgers/beers
Check out the Rolling Stones Exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Visit the Botanical Garden – the last time we went with my parents it was March 2008 or 2009 and the weather wasn’t warm enough for most of the plants
Hit an Indians Game – being from NY, my dad is still in awe about how cheap tickets to the game are and what a great value you can get for your money … and loves professional baseball
Walk to Voinovich Park and enjoy the view

What’s on your summer Cleveland bucket list? What do you like to do when family and friends visit?

Weekend Recap: Denver Edition

November 1, 2012November 1, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

This weekend I traveled to Denver to spend some time with my good friend Caitlin. B and I had never been to Denver before and we both have friends there. It was the perfect chance for us to both take a weekend trip – and for me to have a girls weekend, and B to have a boys weekend as he stayed with his friends.

What were some of the trip highlights?

Dinner at Steuben’s : I tried my first Moscow Mule (it was SO GOOD. I told B that I’m never drinking anything else again) and we split fried corn on the cob, french fries and ribs! Sadly, no photos of the food were taken that I can share. It was gobbled up too fast!

Walking around, exploring the entire city by foot on Saturday: Cait was a great tour guide! We saw the Capitol building, walked past City Hall, the Public Library, the famous Tattered Cover Book Store, Art Museum, both stadiums (football and baseball), through LoDo and to the Highland. We even made a stop in the HUGE REI that’s there.

Drinks at Wynkoop: Not only did we get to enjoy drinks with tons of people dressed as gorillas – but it was also their 24th anniversary and we got $2.40 beers the entire time (plus birthday cake!). The ~~best worst best~~ best part – trying their Rocky Mtn Oyster Beer! That’s right – I drank beer that was brewed IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTERS. Gross? Maybe. Drinking something that tasted like beef jerky? #Winning.

Drinks and dinner at Vine Street Brewery: Post-Wynkoop, we hit up Vine Street Brewery to try some of their beers and dinner. Again, no photos. Instead, lots of fries and drinks.

Hiking in Elk Meadow Park: Just a short drive from Denver lies Elk Meadow Park. Cait and I enjoyed an easy hike and saw some snow covered mountains!

snow capped mountains in the distance

Running up the bleachers at Red Rock: The view was gorgeous – and the run was hard. Can I blame it on the altitude?

looking down the bleachers

Up the bleachers

Visiting the beautiful city of Golden: While didn’t make it to the Coors brewery, we instead enjoyed lunch and walked around the cute town and took pictures with the statues. Just as fun? You decide.

All in all it was a great weekend – but I was so glad to make it back to Cleveland before all the flights were cancelled and the effects of Hurricane Sandy blew into town. We’ve had nonstop rain in Cleveland since I came back (so it’s hard to look at all those blue sky pictures of Denver!) but it’s nothing compared to those who were in the storm’s path.

Thinking of all my family in NY and NJ who are suffering the effects of Sandy, stranded without power! Stay safe, warm and dry!

The weekend where I slept in a tent

September 17, 2012September 17, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I’m not an outdoorsy type of person. Yes, I love hiking, running, sunning myself, going for walks – but there are also a lot of things that I don’t like about the outdoors, like bugs, wildlife, dirt and nowhere to plug my phone. So when B and I hit the road Friday for a weekend of camping at Tygart Lake State Park with two other couples (Steve & Emily; Dave & Anson), I wasn’t sure how I would do. We were sleeping in a tent, on a campsite with no lights or even electricity – and no bathrooms! How would I check Twitter and Facebook if I couldn’t charge my phone? How could I use Instagram if we had no reception?

So Friday night, I turned off my phone and unplugged – literally – for the weekend. And of course, it was amazing. The weather was perfect – cool, crisp and clear – and the campsite was great – not too crowded, had great hiking trails and a beautiful lake within walking distance.

So what did we do to keep ourselves occupied without our phones? Friday night we got in late, B put up our tent (in the dark!) and we got to Steve & Emily’s campsite just as dinner was ready. They had made dinner (yes, cooked over the campfire!) and we spent the night eating, drinking and catching up by the campfire. I slept like a baby in our tent and sleeping bag – but it wasn’t a completely uneventful evening, as two raccoons invaded Steve & Emily’s campsite, fought over a closed box of Halloween Oreos, and then destroyed it. Whoops! Good thing I had brought some peanut butter chocolate chip Oreo bars (recipe posted soon) to share … plus we still had our s’more supplies.

the group – minus B and Lily – during the hike

Saturday morning we all cooked breakfast over the campfire – eggs, bacon and pancakes – and then set out to explore the campground by hiking the various trails. We probably hiked about three trails and spent almost two hours checking out the area on foot. After hiking, it was B and my turn to make our meal – we had brought chicken sausages from the West Side Market and peppers & onions. Most of us passed out after lunch, and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening doing some more walking/exploring, playing games, drinking and then cooking dinner (hot dogs!) and roasting marshmallows.

Tygart lake photo collage

Sunday, after another campfire prepared meal of pancakes, bacon and breakfast sausage (notice a pattern in our meals?), we hit the road. I survived my first real tent camping experience – including two days without my cell phone, one day without showering (this is a big deal for me), and four campfire cooked meals (I’m really impressed with everyone’s campfire cooking skills).We all had a fabulous weekend and I hope we make it an annual thing! A weekend where I can’t religiously check emails and I can wear yoga pants the whole time? Count me in.

The entire group .. including Lily the Wonder Camping Dog

Hike to Tygart Lake

A Schroon Lake Wedding – Congrats Mitch and Becca

August 14, 2012August 14, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Phew. Do you ever have those wonderful, fabulous weekends that are tons of fun, yet leave you needing another weekend to recover? Well, this weekend was one of those weekends.

My weekend somehow started on Wednesday. B and I hit the road after work for the long drive to Schroon Lake, where we’d be celebrating the marriage of Mitch, a close college friend, and Becca, who we somehow had not yet met. The 9ish hour drive ended at around 2 a.m., when we woke up Mitch and Becca and decided to hang out and talk about their upcoming wedding and some fun old memories until the wee hours.

Thursday morning I had to work, so I plugged in my laptop and sat outside while the boys (B and Mitch) swam in the lake and went for a boat ride. I couldn’t really complain about missing out – Mitch’s mom had made us an amazing breakfast (eggs over easy, toast, fruit and bacon) and I was able to sit outside and get my work done while enjoying some amazing views.

The view from my office for the day – Schroon Lake

Thursday night, we checked into the B&B where we were staying and then headed to the pre-wedding dinner and met most of Becca’s family and friends. We stayed out at the local bar for a little while before heading back to the B&B and cabins where everyone was staying to hang out until the wee hours of the night (notice a pattern?).

B and I at the “Rehearsal” dinner

the groom and his new wedding/birthday gift – a mini helicopter

Friday morning was the wedding day! Mitch, his friends, B and I hit up downtown Schroon Lake and Pitkin’s, a favorite local diner, for breakfast (me: Western omelet with hash browns; B: 2 pancakes, 2 slices of bacon, 2 sausages). The plan had been to go for a hike or golf during the day with Mitch before the wedding, but right when we decided we’d meet up, it started to downpour. And not just a little, misty rain – but the skies opened up and Schroon Lake experienced more rain than it had all summer. Two hours before the outdoor wedding was to begin. The rain didn’t stop. The wedding was moved from the gazebo in downtown Schroon Lake to underneath the porch at Mitch’s Lake House – which ended up being perfect and gorgeous! And of course, as soon as they were married, the rain stopped and we were able to enjoy the evening, dancing outside, by the lake, under the stars. After the wedding, we again went back to the cabins to party and I even learned a little ukulele!

Bride and Groom – no more rain!

B and I at the Lake House Wedding

Stalking the family photo – check out the gorgeous backdrop!

Saturday morning, Mitch’s friends again ended up at Pitkin’s for brunch before the full day of celebration (aka Lakefest) was due to begin at 11 a.m. Since the day’s festivities were starting with a BBQ, I convinced B we didn’t need to hit up the diner again, but instead could go for a run. Score! It was hot and humid, and we only ran around the town, but it felt good to get my legs moving before another day of festivities.

Mitch’s Lake House, Decorated for the Wedding

After arriving back at the lake house, B and I enjoyed a pontoon ride, tubing, a speed boat ride, and some swimming before it started pouring again. The rest of the guests were supposed to arrive around dinnertime, and again, like clockwork, as soon as everyone had arrived, the rain stopped. This time, a gorgeous rainbow appeared. We enjoyed dinner, more dancing, corn hole (somehow B and I were the reigning champs?), beer pong, and more made up games back at the cabins until late.

full rainbow!

Back to Pitkin’s – image from Yelp

Sunday morning, B and I woke up early and met up with everyone at Pitkin’s once again. Same order for most of us (yes, another Western omelet), but there was a bittersweet feeling as most of us had to get on the road for our trips back to our prospective home towns. Nobody was traveling quite as far (most of his friends had stayed close to home, in the Connecticut, NYC area), but we all knew the 4 days of Mitch and Becca’s wedding weekend had come to a close. B and I hit the road after another amazing greasy brunch and were able to even stop by my parents’ house on the way back, who had just returned from their travels abroad to visit my brother in Turkey and Scotland. We didn’t make it back to Cleveland until late, but it was worth it.

Cheers Mitch and Becca – thanks for including us in your special day and we hope to see you soon!

Another Summer Weekend is Gone

August 7, 2012August 6, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I can’t believe that summer is almost over and the first weekend in August has come and gone! And what another great, fun-filled weekend in Cleveland it was. Friday, after working late and a somewhat stressful week, B and I decided to stay in. Boring? Perhaps. But with a bottle of red wine, a pizza from Vincenza’s and a movie from our Netflix plus the Olympics to keep us busy, I was more than content.

Saturday morning B and I hit the gym for an indoor workout, as of course as soon as we headed outside it looked like rain. Notice a pattern here? Same thing happened last weekend. Anyway, after our workout, it of course cleared up, so B and I hit the golf course for a STEAMY round of golf. It was my third time ever playing a round, and I have not only gotten worse, but nearly melted in the heat. I apologize to the guys who were behind us and had to wait as I slowly got the ball closer and closer to the hole. After golf, we hit up Yogurt Plus in Rocky River to enjoy our soft serve creations. I meant to take a photo to share my Thin Mint, Cookies and Cream and Cake Batter Yogurt Creation, but of course I forgot to and instead ate it up before even taking out my phone.

love me some E 4th (and LOVE Samantha’s stilettos)

Saturday night, a group of us went out to celebrate my coworker Samantha’s birthday (which is actually today! Happy Birthday Samantha!!). We grabbed dinner and drinks on E. 4th, and bar hopped from Flannery’s to Greenhouse Tavern’s Rooftop to Wonder Bar before the torrential downpour/crazy storms hit downtown.

Group at GHT – Devin and his gf, Sarah and her bf, Samantha, B and me

Late night on GHT’s rooftop. Love the lights!

After the bars, we decided to watch some DVRed episodes of Through the Wormhole, a new show on the Discovery Channel by Morgan Freeman. The show will blow your mind! And, after a few beers and/or cocktails the show gets even weirder. Trust me. Don’t believe me? Here’s the description of the show: “Hosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole explores the deepest mysteries of existence — the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. Can we eliminate evil? What is nothing? Is there a superior race?” See? Mind blowing.

Sunday morning we dropped Samantha back at her apartment and decided to grab brunch at Panera before heading back downtown for a lazy day. And by lazy day, I mean I baked, grocery shopped, napped, went for a run, napped some more, caught up on the phone with some college friends made dinner, then went to bed. A perfect, relaxing Sunday!

How was your first weekend in August?

Wordless Wednesday: Weekend Collage

June 20, 2012June 19, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I had such a great weekend – from a homemade Italian meal (thanks to Gallucci’s) Friday night, to Marine Week festivities (including checking out their live invasion of Lake Erie) and a Saturday night on the rooftop, to a Sunday Indians game with friends (thanks to Cari for the photos and Devin for taking/asking people to take them) and then Fathers’ Day celebrations. It was so much fun, but I’m still too tired to write about it. So instead? A semi-wordless Wednesday post with a photo collage instead.

Weekend Recap – Parents, Art, Sports and A Marathon

May 22, 2012May 23, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

This past weekend was the Cleveland marathon. As you may know, I was supposed to run it and my parents had planned to come in town to watch – but on Friday I learned that I would not be running. My parents still came into town and B and I showed them a great weekend and beautiful weather (for visiting not running) and more of what Cleveland has to offer.

Friday, I hobbled back into work after hearing the diagnosis from my new doctor. I was in a bad mood, as my coworkers probably could pick up on, and so I was grateful when two of them asked if I wanted to grab margaritas after work. Now if it had been two days before my race – I wouldn’t have been drinking. But two days before a race I couldn’t run? Margaritas sounded great!

margaritas from zocalo

Friday night, my parents arrived and B and I introduced my parents to Greenhouse Tavern. Their first experience was not disappointing – they both loved their Ohio beef burgers, I enjoyed the seafood special (with local Lake Erie Walleye) and B enjoyed the lamb burger – which of course I snuck a taste of, yum! After dinner, we walked around and I showed off some of the new sights, including the new Casino. We didn’t go in, but the street was bumping!

Saturday morning we met my parents and headed over to the east side to experience the Rembrandt Exhibit. The last time I’d been in the Cleveland Art Museum was actually with my parents (last year), so I hadn’t seen this exhibit yet. It was really cool – not only was it a traditional art exhibit that showcased the artist’s work, but it also showed some works that were originally thought to be Rembrandt, but were later discovered to be either works by his fans or members of his studio. The exhibition showed how you could tell what was a real Rembrandt or not, and even showcased some work where it was yet to be determined if the works were his or not. The exhibition was also interactive- we tried out the audio tour and heard a few experts’ opinions on key pieces and played with the computer that let you digitally uncover a Rembrandt work (and see what had been done to touch up the painting through the years, so experts aren’t even sure it’s his). If I had better reception I would have been able to scan the QR codes to learn more about select paintings. If you haven’t gone yet, I definitely recommend checking it out – it’s here until May 28!

my family near the cleveland art museum rembrandt exhibit

Hanging out near the art museum

After the art museum, we walked (I hobbled) around Wade Oval and then enjoyed lunch at Trattoria in Little Italy. I’m still eating leftovers of the spaghetti and clam sauce!

After our lunch, we headed to Progressive Field to watch an Indians game. Despite having to miss the first inning (for some reason, Will Call couldn’t find our tickets … and then they did but only found 3 of the 4 tickets … and then they still couldn’t find the 4th ticket and so on), we had purchased better-than-usual seats through the Cleveland marathon discount code and got to enjoy a fabulous game, up close. Both my parents were impressed with our affordable but still great seats (as you can imagine, being from NY, my parents are accustomed to pricier Yankees tickets) – and a great ending to the game (we won and Perez struck out three batters in a row in the last inning). Oh, and we also got up on the Jumbotron – the third time this season for B and me!

B and I at the Indians Game

After the game, B went home to relax before the race and my parents and I checked out Colossal Cupcake for dessert. We split two cupcakes – the chocolate peanut butter cup and the almond – which were delicious but slightly more expensive than I expected. Still, it’s nice to have a dessert shop open late downtown! (Dear awesome ice cream shop, like Yogurt Vi or East Coast Custard Truck– please come downtown soon! Thanks, signed Melissa).

Saturday night, in true pre-marathon fashion, B and I watched Saint Ralph. If you haven’t seen it and appreciate a Canadian feel-good (well, sorta) sports movie, I definitely recommend it. We watched it before we ran the Columbus half marathon and B watched it before he did the Tough Guy in England, so it was fitting that he watch it before his first marathon.

Sunday, B woke up early to head to the starting line at 6:15 a.m. I couldn’t sleep, and made it to my parents’ hotel by 7:45 to join them for breakfast and stake out our first marathon watch point- just about the halfway point. B came by, feeling dehydrated, and at the last minute, his sister Katie (who wasn’t supposed to be running), jumped in and decided to run/walk the rest with him. A few hours later (and some sunburn later), my parents and I cheered on hundreds of other runners and saw B finish strong. I’m so proud of him for finishing the race – especially in the heat – but still disappointed that it’s not something I can cross off my bucket list. I’m so glad my parents were around – it was so great watching all the runners finish, but still was a constant reminder of the fact that I wasn’t able to compete with them all, and my parents helped to cheer me up. Anyone want to train with me for another marathon as soon as my aircast is off?

Me, B (with his Steve Prefontaine mustache) and Mary after their marathon

Hope you all had a great weekend in sunny Cleveland! Did you try something new this weekend?

Weekend Recap – Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Food – Part 1

May 14, 2012May 15, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

What a glorious weekend! I’m back from a three day weekend in NY, visiting friends, hanging out with my brother and celebrating Mother’s Day with my momma. Of course, I’m going to share it all with you.

Thursday

After work, B and I took the rapid to the airport and flew into Laguardia. That’s right, we flew. That may not sound like a big deal, but B and I hardly ever fly together. For some reason, we either fly without one another (like I did a few weeks ago on my trip to Orlando) or we drive places (like we usually do to NY). But this time – we flew! At the airport, we grabbed a quick snack (pretzels and beer!) at Great Lakes and a 6 pack to go! That’s right, you can buy 6 packs to go ~~to drink on the plane~~ to bring for a friend!

After landing in Laguardia 20 minutes early, we hopped in a taxi to our friend Jared’s place, where we were staying for the night. Jared lives basically on Central Park West, so it was a quick taxi ride and a great place to stay. We met up with Jared, who was just coming home from work (yes, at after 10 p.m.) and grabbed some drinks and a quick bite to eat at a local bar.

Friday

Friday, B and I got up early and did some work. I got in a conference call and some emails and had planned on taking the day off to explore and visit with my brother, but after my brother found out he had to work and some of the projects I was working on were on deadline, and some others experienced a mini crisis (of course on my day off), I ended up working most of the day until meeting up with my brother for dinner at 8. Thank goodness with my job I have the ability to work remotely! I was able to get a lot of stuff done, get on a client call, and answer important emails all from NYC. Plus I got an awesome lunch break – meeting up with my jr high and high school bff (and Maid of Honor) Jane, who lives in New Jersey and came into the city to see me, enjoy Shake Shack. We of course got in a quick trip to J Crew.

Cheeseburger, Shroomburger and Cheesefries

Jane and me – friends for 15 years!

Friday night, I said goodbye to B and met up with my brother at Columbia. He got out of work a little after 8, and then we took a few trains and headed to Williamsburg (Brooklyn) for dinner. My brother had picked out a place for dinner, called Bistro Petit – and it definitely took after it’s name – there were probably 8 seats in the whole restaurant! Luckily, we had made reservations and were even able to sit outside for the first part of our meal – watermelon salad. Okay, I admit, watermelon salad sounds boring. It does. But my brother wanted to order it, so we did. It was anything BUT boring. The watermelon was perfect and came in a spicy watermelon reduction dressing with pickled watermelon rind, grilled halloumi cheese and mint.

watermelon salad from Bistro Petit

Kimchi Bouillabaisse… and bread for dipping

For dinner, my brother got the homemade pasta, and I got the Kimchi Bouillabaisse. Wow. I was greeted with a steaming pot of mussels, scallops, pollack, shrimp, tofu, rice gnocchi (my new favorite thing!), watercress and kimchi. By the end of my meal I could have still drank the broth with a straw – it was so good! The chef came out to ask us how our meal was and explain a little about the pickling and process for making the salad – you could tell he was really into his cooking and it was great to enjoy the fruits of his enthusiasm.

We took a few trains back to Manhattan and I spent the night at Columbia. Ahh, living the life of a college student – for just one night.

More to come … (Update – post completed here)