Wonderland in 2007

December 26th. Does this date indicate that it's time to bring things down a few notches and prepare for the new year? The Christmas season has officially climaxed, producing a lingering nostalgic feeling not so unlike post-partum depression(or so says the literature). You are no longer decorating and hastily planning festive events, your calendar has suddenly freed up your weekends leaving you without reason to miss your study group, your sexy attention-grabbing holiday attire is left neglected at the dry-cleaners, the once magnificent-appearing tree has managed to last through your party before sucking up its last drop of nutrients, the presents now lay strewn about the house rather than perfectly and affectionately wrapped for all to appreciate and speculate over their hidden treasures and the house is just a hair quieter than the preceding weeks.

It was a great holiday however. One filled with mistletoe and nog parties, jingle-bell rock concerts (too bad I was incapacitated with the flu until the last song of the night), gingerbread house-making contests, family and close friends (or if you're my parents, a house sandwiched with long lost relatives, your neighbors and your neighbor's friends' neighbors).

To say good-bye to 2007, I thought I would put together a snapshot of the last year (and a half), capitalizing on all the most spirit-filled moments of course. I apologize in advance for not being able to capture on film all the people with whom I've been able to create and share wonderful stories. There have been many a camera lost in my day but the memories I still hold. (Although I hear your memory is the second thing to go...)

From vino tasting to cheesy garb

Pearl Street had its first wine tasting turned Christmas extravaganza this past Saturday. As my school semester wrapped up, the opportunity for celebrating ripened. It also gave me a chance to try my hand in the kitchen with Rachel Ray's Express Meals. The plates were shiny at the end of the night and the bottles dry so I may have to repeat my culinary adventures for a new trial of judges (preferably before the toasting ensues) this weekend at the family yankee swap (if there are any takers). Pesto pizza with zucchini and mozzarella anyone?

Note the classy Budweiser t-shirt was upgraded to mom's festive holiday mock (the only shot I got was from the rear, my apologies Santa). In fact, that sweater landed me a couple of scratch tickets for outdoing the tackiest of the tacky that evening. The sweater has now transferred hands (temporarily) and will be making a guest appearance at Burkey and Jon's upcoming Christmas show next Thursday night at Copperfield's. This garment will have seen more spotlight than I could ever hoped for. Someone needs to put a tracker on that thing.

Bizarre Bazzars

A friend of a friend sponsored a craft fair the other night at Toast in Union square. She performed a medley of folky covers, with which I was unfamiliar, and with what appeared to be a random handful of males she came across in her passing through Inman square, Neponset Circle and Beacon Hill. To my delight, the crew complimented each other famously. The goods for sale were mostly pieces of recycled art, like crushed Coke can clocks (how's that for alliteration?), tape measure earrings and hard-cover book clutch purses (which I nearly bought as a Christmas present for my older sibling until it registered that he's my brother).

Luckily, there are various arts and crafts events coming up in anticipation for the holidays. The South End's annual market at the Cyclorama is this Sunday 12-7p. Last year, I found it well worth the dollar for admission to peruse the clever and wacky handmade items for grab. I couldn't convince myself to fork over the dough for a screen-designed T-shirt but it at least sparked some ideas (Still working on opening that personal clothing line...)

Also this upcoming week is Winter Arts week in Boston. Each night, at a different location, there will be art for sale, live music and complimentary apps and drinks for the first hour (free to get in). The schedule is as follows:

SUN 12.09.07 7PM TO 10PM AT BARLOLA
160 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 617.266.1122
Complimentary Cocktail Tasting
Live Flamenco Performance
Pablo Picasso, Claude Manet & Peter Marx Lithographs

MON 12.10.07 11PM AT VIA MATTA
79 Park Plaza Boston, MA 617.422.0008
Late night Christiania Vodka Tasting at the Enoteca
"Soundscapes & Landscapes" Artwork by Lisa Finch & Duncan Reid
Downtempo DJ set by Yuki

TUES 12.11.07 10PM AT PHO REPUBLIQUE
1415 Washington St Boston, MA (South End) 617.262.0005
Complimentary Appetizers + Christiania Vodka Tasting
Downtempo DJ set + Artwork by Jen Roberts

WED 12.12.07 10PM TO 12AM AT VINALIA
34 Summer St Boston, MA 617.737.1777
Complimentary Christiania Vodka Cocktail Tasting
Open mic with Live music by Circus Band + Artwork by Ivan Brens

THURS 12.13.07 7PM TO 10PM AT ZOCALO
414 Commonwealth Ave Brighton, MA 617.277.5700
Complimentary Mexican Appetizers
Music compiled by Brother Cleve
Artwork by Tim Whitehair, Manuel Rodriguez Jr., and various artists

FRI 12.14.07 9PM TO 2AM AT GOOD LIFE
28 Kingston St Boston, MA 617.451.2622
Complimentary Appetizers + Christiania Vodka Tasting
Music by The Band of Gypsies + "The Female Perspective"
Art by Marisa Oge, Marie Share, Margaret Whitehair & Nicole Olenio
House music by DJs Francesco Spagna + Enrique Florendo

SAT 12.15.07 12PM TO 8PM FINAL EXHIBIT
325 Columbus St Boston, MA in the South End
Complimentary Chistiania Vodka Cocktail Tasting
Art Collections from various artists

If you are go-oing to San. Fran. Ciscooo...

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

Actually, as Scott pointed out, the hippy generation is quickly becoming extinct and subsequently being replaced by a hipster-grunge crowd, particularly in the Haight-Ashbury district where the McCabes currently reside. (I'm sure flowers would still be a nice accent and welcomed anyhow, though a peace sign gesture from the locals is not a guarantee.)

I was fortunate enough to spend the bulk of last week in the bay area with my lovely family featured above, in addition to Holly and Loren who are missing from the photo, to complete our adult kid's table for this year's turkey feast.

Apart from fullfilling my Thanksgiving duty and eating just the right amount before the button on my pants gave way, I tried my hand at frolf (maybe I should've used two), hiked along the Presidio and walked its nude beach (yes there was one brave soul out there but I opted not to post his picture), read at a relaxing cafe, under Scott's recommendation, after which I'm going to model my own someday, absorbed UV rays in late November! and relished every second of it, became somewhat more acclimized to having a fancy-pants camera within a 2 foot radius at all times, (Vacation is a good enough excuse for a little extra hair shine, right? I'm anticipating a photo spree in a mere 3 weeks in Milton and have been shampooing everyday since my return.) dined at the infamous Cha Cha Cha's (mmm plantains and sangria) and laughed and "clucked" along with Marley for 4 days straight. (Yes, Sue I realize that this is a run-on fragment amounting to a paragraph of sorts.)

Clearly I set myself up for disappointment next year. Thanks for a great holiday week! See yall in a few weeks!

Gap casting call

She's not taking autograph requests yet folks but she can give you some skin and she is willing to allot time with you to share a yogurt, an emphatic head-bob or even her furry penguin. Ladies and gents, be on the lookout for one of the newest and freshest faces to hit national billboards and stores. Marley McCabe has just completed her first week of a finalist photo shoot for Baby Gap, qualifying as 1 of 5 top candidates out of 860,000. That's right, at just 9 months old, Mars is taking America by storm.


After the release of her "squinshy" face, the public can't seem to get enough of her. Already riding in a Mercedes town car, dazzling the crowds, sporting the most fashionable Baby Gap attire and making more bank than Auntie D, Marley is sure to receive an Oscar by the age of 2 1/2. But let's focus here people. What Mars needs now through December 15th is your enthusiastic support by way of online votes (and mushy age-appropriate sweets wouldn't hurt either). Cast your votes (you're allowed 1 vote a day) here!

Ftorek on the rise

Middlebury men's soccer won the NESCAC championship against Amherst this past weekend and continue on to the NCAA tournament on their home turf this Saturday vs the winner of the Bridgewater State/Wheaton game. Cousin Casey Ftorek, holding several NESCAC player of the week awards, currently leads the NESCAC with 11 goals through 15 games this year. It's a privilege to witness his finesse on the field first hand and if that's not enticing enough for you, it's also worthwhile to see Ftorek confidently taking the field whilst his vibrant bandanna (as opposed to the one displayed in his profile pic) attempts to tame those free-flowing (frosted??) locks. And who dawns those hair accessories better than you Case? Love you man. Should be an eventful weekend if anyone is in the Middlebury vicinity (but don't worry, I'll keep you updated of course!)

... Just got word that Middlebury maintained its near-flawless record this past weekend and will be heading to Disney for the semifinals against Lora (Iowa)... In case anyone needed another excuse to shoot down to Florida for the weekend... your welcome.

Safe Passage

I first caught wind of Safe Passage from my lovely cousin-in-law Brianna. Safe Passage is is an organization that brings hope to children who live and work in and around the Guatemala City dump. With a school on the periphery of the dump, Safe Passage provides the materials and uniforms necessary for the children to attend public school, supplies them with nutritious foods, and provides lessons to reinforce concepts learned in school as well as classes focused hygiene and respect. Most importantly, Safe Passage offers a "refuge" for these children where they can play in a safe environment. Brianna and Chris McCabe (I think this is the only serious photo they've ever taken) spent time volunteering in Antigua, Guatemala where they initially became involved with this incredible organization. Since then, Bri has done a tremendous job advocating and keeping the public (esp her blog followers) well-informed with the ongoings of Safe Passage.

Having spent the earlier part of my summer in Guatemala with similar populations as those that Safe Passage supports, I am particularly looking forward to the upcoming benefit concert featuring Marta Gomez. Marta will be performing at Wheelock College on December 1. Hope some of you can check it out or at least give the organization a look. !Cuidate!

Dones

John Doney put forth a powerful performance last night at the Lizard Lounge's singer/ songwriter open mike challange. Each artist is allowed to share 2 songs with the crowd, which are in turn judged by the throngs of listeners filling the bar, including 3 designated judges. Dones kicked things off with his hit "Dead End" that had the slender of the judge trio bobbing his head in sync as Doney sealed his solo act with "Hint of Trust". Both song selections are embedded with unfiltered emotion and passion that is unspeakably clear in their delivery. Undoubtedly the best sound you could hope to hear upon opening your apartment door is Doney tearing it up on guitar and letting his vocal cords take a hold of him (and the apartment for that matter). I often find myself singing Doney's little diddies around the house before realizing that I now know nearly all the lyrics. (I mean I've even offered to be his back-up fly-girl but Doney's still sitting on the idea for one reason or another. I have been dubbed his songstress however!)

Unfortunately, a musician resembling the lead singer of the Counting Crows (physically) and John Mayer (musically) was nominated for the final round along with 2 other more or less mind-numbing performers. Hopefully the Lizard Lounge will be able to recognize talent on cue next time. Congrats on the show Dones.

Get out your wallets

Finalizing your weekend plans? Why not check out David Sedaris speak at the Boston Symphony Hall Friday night? NPR favorite and author of Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day (among others that I have yet to read), will be taking the stage at 8pm with opportunities to address any audience questions post-show. Tickets are hot right now so get clicking or pick up that cell.

Also coming to town this weekend is the Decembrists who will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre this Saturday and Sunday evening. The best way to get the lowdown on these guys is to check them out either on youtube or Scottie's blog

(but you may have to dig a little for the entry or maybe we'll land a little help from our friend).

The Boston Celtics take the court against the Washington Wizards this Friday at 8pm to kick off the new season. Tickets range from 10 to 200 bucks. I think $192 is my personal limit, maybe I could kick in an extra bill or 2 but $200?? With new additions, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics will be thismuchcloser to kicking some tail this year.

It may be the day after Halloween but that doesn't make it too early to think about Christmas! (or does it?) The annual Christmas craft festival at the World Trade Center runs this Friday through Sunday. If collectible snowmen and homemade jams are your bag, then get out your holiday sweater and head over to the mob scene in Southie... and then tell me how it is. (I'm not opposed to early holiday presents fyi, as if you needed the reminder.)

Hallow's Eve

Halloween. To me and maybe to a select few, this word evokes memories of Frankie's classic teaching stories. Back in the hay day, when FB was employed by the Boston Public School system, he gave a lecture on compound words to some of his 7th grade students weighing in at 2 bills and pushing the age of 20. One such pupil, raised his hand to suggest an example of a compound word: Halloween: "When you see your friends you say hallow and when you're playing a game you gots to weeeen!" The story relays much better when read with a Caribbean-slash-Aussie inflection (because who can differentiate the two right? Riigghttt. Worked for me anyhow..)
With the World Series coming to a close this weekend, Noel trekking to Boston for her 25th birthday and a gala of opportunities to dress like an ass, there was no room for disappointment. Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon (aka Chuck Norris) made a late yet emphatic appearance in Southie last Friday. The trio disbanded Saturday evening but Assault and Battery held their own (as you would expect).

Is it appropriate to dress as assault for your first day on a pediatric rotation on Halloween? Naw, ya I didn't think so either..

Good things happen in the dark

The city of Boston has chosen to adopt the global Lights Out initiative beginning March 15th of the upcoming year. The idea centers on combating climate change. The city's light supply will be interrupted for 1 hour and the residents are asked to wing it in the dark, aside from the guidance of 1 fluorescent bulb. San Francisco had their "earth hour" the other night and it's been speculated that during this hour, San Fran saves 15% of the energy it consumes on a typical Saturday night. Those crunchy-granola folk may have been more excited about the opportunity to fine tune their seances but it's still pretty incredible, no? Boston may be a little slow on the uptake but we come around.

Ball Bustas

I felt this excerpt from our inspiring "bench coach" should be shared. Andrew Kelley writing about our softball team playoffs this Sunday vs. the Beavers:

How about those Ballbusters? After their loss to Balls deep last year no expected them to be back. But Chris Brandi stopped popping up to first base and Mike Early and Whitey stopped coming to games and they find themselves right back in the thick of things. And they have not one but two sibling combinations. I am not sure who is more dynamic the Halliseys or the Travers. And Mush and D-Mac and Coco and Dales...you have to have a nickname to be good. Hunter is at the back of their pen and Warner's inside out swing makes the girls' hearts swoon. And when Burkey is around, hey, hey I want to be a rockstar: all the good golddiggers are going to wind up there, all the playboy bunnies with the bleached blond hair. Mary has a silky stroke that's the envy of the league. Who can stop these guys? There's only one postseason. There's only one Fall Classic. There's only one October.

There's only one October. I live for this! Bring on the Beavers.

Dane Cook

Eloquent, right? I don't think I could add anything to that even if I wanted to. Here's to the Bustasss!

Makin moves

If anyone's looking for a rowdy night and is willing to throw down a few bills, I suggest renting out the Bustonian, complete with a comedic driver, a dance floor and stripper poles (to be expected). Mary Flynn turned 25 Saturday and by that I mean 25 tricks. Pole tricks, of course. Don't worry, we kept it PG but that's not to say we didn't all get a work-out. If you're willing and able to go this route, be cognizant that a) someone may inquire how many beers were spilled on you upon exiting the dance floor b) it's possible you'll recall that you haven't shown off your retired gymnastic skills in a while and hey! there are plenty of bars to flip from! c) Rachel Smith may just wind up on the bus by the close of the night AND get hit on by you and/or your friends d) once the eyelids fail to stay open, an antiquing opportunity presents itself e) it will be necessary to factor in a lengthy recovery period once the night finally concludes.

Is this turning into a birthday blog? In that case, happy bday Shannon Lyons! 142 Pearl would like to jump on this opportunity to make a mockery of our theatrical talents once again, this time in your honor. If you would so kindly take a listen, and possibly shake that thang, we'll have a preview of Saturday's dance-a-thon!
Shake it!

I'll dip to that

The mad dash began Friday at 5:30am and ended at some point while in a deep REM cycle the following morning. Mike Wilson is moving to L.A. so naturally there is going to be a farewell send-off which happened to be set for Friday evening. In preparation, I made a deluxe 10 layer garbage dip Thursday night that ended up hanging out in the McCabe fridge instead of making the transition to Cambridge with its creator. Well, alternate plans had to be devised for our runion. After a full day of feeling displaced fundi and engorged ta-tas, I headed to meet Daly to make the hand-off. While en-route, a train caught fire at Park St and initiated chaos in Boston. Standing amongst a throng of people on a street corner, I bumped into Whitey who was also going to meet Daly and the two of us jogged to Southie in search of the dip. Well, Daly pulled through, as per usual, and Whitey did his part by imparting me with a shopping bag for transport. As I'm entering the T, the dip chooses to put up a stink about all the mishandling and neglect and crashes to the floor. There goes mom's casserole dish and the drool-inducing dip spread over 4 stairs. My heart sinks for about 5 minutes before I declare that I can't show up to the party without dip in hand (mainly out of fear). Back at the apartment, I delegate the avacado smushing to Chris Doney (the roomie's little bro), while I address the stitches in his lip. Having never removed stitches before, a 5 minute process turned into 30 minutes. A quick drop off and I'm off to a last-minute concert. Reinvigorated, I return to pick-up the new dip before entrance to the fiesta. The dip is strapped into the passenger's seat and we're off. Five minutes into our journey, we feel a sudden, forceful "hey, how are you?" with a neighboring vehicle. Outraged, the dip and I pull over on Storrow Drive to attend to insurance protocol and feeling like we're pouring out at the sides, we fix our sloppy appearances. Annddd we made it (just as the Sox hit a homer to steal our glory)! In the end, the dip served its purpose and many bellies were appeased.

And all that Jazz

Berklee faculty member Esperanza Spalding led her group in a set opening for the McCoy Tyner Septet at the Beehive last Thursday night to kick-off the Beantown Jazz Festival. The Beehive was an ideal hub for chowing down on savory veggie burgers (who would've thought that was a possible descriptive for such a food) and finding yourself mesmerized by the long hyperactive (and probably incredibly calloused) fingers of the cello player. The festival continued through the weekend, at which point one of the twins I nanny for made her spotlight debut in the Boston Herald trying her hand at the xylophone. Not to steal all the credit, but I'd just like to add that the girls and I have had some pretty rigorous practices to Charlie Brown's album lately and, well, if I was in attendance Saturday, that front page would've looked a shade different. I'm just saying.

The Red Sox clinched the American League Division Series Friday night coinciding with the arrival of our Chicago visitor, Chris Huff, whose team also sealed the deal that very evening. Amidst the Kenmore square chaos, cousin Katie McCabe was hosting her send-off party on Lansdowne St. The (naked) human keg cups were amusing, as were the sporadic champagne showers. But the ridiculously long lines had to be the highlight of my evening. Good thing Katie's flight departed safely on Sunday so there won't be a need for a repeat party for a while. Katie has shared her online journal site with us so that we may track her adventures through Fiji, Australia and New Zealand here.

My former Maine roomie was in town for a boat show this weekend, which happened to be in close proximity to the Harpoon fest, a 2 for 1 for some of us. The most notable random run-in at the brewery had to be a retired member of the "three muskateers", as they were known by Scott and his buddies in H.S., Jeff Oster. After assembling the jumbled (slurred) pieces, I think Oster was trying to send his greetings Scottie. And then a distant second would be cousin Garrett, who I was under the impression had turned 21 years ago, but in fact it was merely days ago. Peculiar. Following the Harpoon festival, 142 Pearl St had a pre-housewarming (we were down a roomie so we're still waiting for the real deal). It was a solid end to a long 24 hours and an excellent warm-up for the Ball Busters blow-out the following day at softball. Here's to team unison guys. I think a pasta party wouldn't be a bad idea next time though.

September 25

Forgive the de ja vu of this entry if you will. When you have 2 brothers with birthdays 2 days apart things start to blend together all too well. It's all about Scott McCabe today though people. Another San Francisco-er, big brotha Scott made his mark (in MA, let's remember our roots now) twenty-some-odd years to the T. I think it's only appropriate that everyone swing by AG's site (soon to be relocated under his own master-mind domain!) and plant (post) a wet one under the comments section or a simple birthday shout out would do the trick.

I'm hoping there will be a sufficient intake of meatballs and chocolate chip cookies on your end today Scottie, be them simultaneously or independently, and I'll do my best to contribute my part of course.

And, 142 Pearl St would like to extend its short and sweet birthday wishes to"Mr Scottie Boy". We were envisioning Eddie and we heard Garth. A blasphemy yes, but maybe the birthday boy will be swayed... what do you think folks?

Just for piece of mind: the image is shot but the idea is there!

September 23

Well James Matthew is the lucky fellow who was able to celebrate his birthday on both coasts today (physically) and essentially across the entire midwest region, a rare occassion indeed. J flew home this weekend with Liana and Marley to attend a "barn wedding" in western MA. Having the superpowers to be in 10 places at once as he does, J made the rounds before jetting back to San Fran this morning. Unfortunately, little sis failed to be in the right place at the right time (go figure). Instead, she honored the era of Jamie, at an 80's party sporting his letterman jacket, over which all the attendees and T riders gawked. Thanks Jame, it was an honor.

On behalf of me and my roommate (and 2004 travel companion to SF) Brian G, we'd like to wish Jamie a HAPPY spankin BIRTHDAY! Here we go Wildcats!

On a side note, earlier tonight, I attended Cambridge's River Sing on the water to join the crowd in giving summer a swift boot and welcoming the beautiful fall season, the best time of year to be in San Francisco if I might add. Apparently, River Sing is a new tradition that is supposed to bridge Boston and Cambridge via music. Not my particular choice of melodies but a lovely and enjoyable evening nonetheless. Happy Fall ladies and gents!

Did you hear?

Just a few announcements for folks. First and foremost, Scott has wowed us again. Big bro's latest publication has just been released. You can find his short story, Cheese and Crackers in this month's issue of the Summerset Review. If anyone's familiar with the McCabe side of the fam and/or hanging at the Green Harbor pad, you may want to prepare yourself for some tugging on the old heartstrings. Beautiful work Scottie!

Secondly, our good pal, Chris Burke and his band Staff Johnson have just been invited to make their debut at the Paradise Lounge next Friday, the 21st. Lyrics Born and Hot Hot Heat have got some fierce competition my friends. And, it just so happens that Staff Johnson will be opening up for the Alternate Routes, led by Tim Warren, a fellow Fairfield stag, not to mention my first crush back in the day. Here's one of their singles entitled Time is a Runaway. Bet you couldn't guess the name from the song... And, just for good measure, I should add that Jenny Lewis, a personal favorite (note the ripped-off song title serving as my blog identity), and her band Rilo Kiley will also be playing on the 21st at Avalon. We have a big night ahead of us people. Let's be sure we bring our A-game, ya?

Thirdly, lil Mars celebrated turning 7 months old this weekend, which us east-coasters can appreciate thanks to Jamo and his punctual picture taking (and posting) skills. If you haven't checked out his smugmug site, you better have one hell of a reason and then you better make an immediate visit and comment on how wonderfully talented my big big bro is and how f'n adorable my neice is. Thanks.

And lastly, while we're talking rights of passage, Alayna, a classmate and good friend of mine, nailed the booty-shake this weekend. Naturally. What better accomplishment could you ask for on your birthday? I mean, JLo has a lot of tail to work with but it is what it is. The bar was set and Alayna, with a little help from some skinny white girls and whoever was within arm's (or booty's) length, stepped up to the plate like a pro. Happy 2-8 lady!

Oh baby! Oh boy!

Friday was baptism by fire day as some would call it. My first clinical on a labor and delivery floor and guess what I saw?? Yup. I got the works first-hand. I was assigned to a lovely happy-go-lucky couple who was having its 2nd C-section after mom and child number 1 battled through the first one 5 years earlier. Although it was a scheduled event, I was not fully prepared for the dissection that took place.

Perched atop a stool hovering over the resident and the attending, yet keeping my distance from any loose flying liquids, it became clear that I wasn't going to miss any part of this invasive surgery. (Fortunately the mother was shielded by a hanging drape in front of her face). Not long after the physicians had reached their destination, did a forceful spray of amniotic fluid and blood cascade onto the resident. Ding, ding, ding. It was just about time to heave-ho at the baby's head. The newbie, weighing in close to 10 pounds, put up a fair stink about having to squeeze through the underestimated abdominal incision, let alone leave his warm and familiar sleeping quarters. After much stretching and tearing with metal tools that resembled shovels and with the aid of a vacuum, a healthy boy was safely excavated. It was something like you'd see in a science fiction film really - a slimy, not quite human-looking creature molding it's way out of the belly of a woman with a non-visible head.

Clearly not my sport

I think this little incident warrants another glimpse at the scene from a player and (later) a daughter's perspective. But thanks for deciphering and relaying the situation at the wee hours of the night Scottie.

If we're going to do this right, we're going to have to back it up a bit. I'm talking senior year at M.H.S. During one of our friendly lacrosse scrimmages, I assumed my usual position on D and paired up against a chatty cathy playing attack wing. Stick on the ball, where I like to keep it (as opposed to my face), I sense some tension from my opponent (who is also my teammate mind you). Next comes a "shot" from in front of a rather contorted and frustrated face. Little did I know her "goal" that day was actually my face. A multiple-fractured cheekbone and an embarrassing prom later, one would think that I would have retired the stick for good.

Well here we are again with renewed confidence and pent up aggression aimed at anyone in the vicinity of the goal I'm guarding. Turns out that didn't work to my advantage. After catching a stick in the eye, I returned to the hospital ER accompanied by pops of course. I think we ended up making at least 4 enemies that night and increasing our wait time 10 fold. The tech at the front desk ended up in tears, the plastic surgeon never showed, and Frank was banned from our town hospital. I did, however, receive my stitches before 1am.

Note: Don't go to a community hospital if you're not willing to clear your day's schedule and if you do go, don't piss off the hospital staff.

raise up with stix

this is my face on lacrosse.

fearlessly risking my future in modeling to win a women's league lacrosse game tonight, r.u.w.f. met the business end of a lax stick tonight. six big ones (sutures, that is) through the eyebrow later and i've pioneered a new kind of piercing. wait two weeks and all the hipster teens will be lining up at the emergency room doors for a stitching. (they call this trendsetting, if i'm not mistaken.)

to be filed under: who says girls aren't tough?

or: go ahead and try me, chip, and i'll come at you like a spider monkey. grrrrr.

142 Pearl St

I've done the leg work for you guys - procured an apartment with a legit roofdeck, scrubbed away the grime and google mapped the addy- so there's no time like the present to come hang in Central Square with the gang: myself, Brian and Dones.

Today is my last official day of freedom but don't worry guys, my unemployment reign continues. I'll just be stationed in a classroom in Charlestown instead of finding silly, yet deliberately enjoyable time-fillers. I guess it's about time to get those brain cells fired up again, eh? I've been assigned to an OB floor at MGH too so I'll be getting a taste of women's health, (which is the track that I chose before I was accepted to school based on the fact that I am a woman). I can only guess that I won't be giving gyn exams just yet. Might have to make a return visit to Maine.

If you've got it, flaunt it

...You've got your work cut out for you Jame.

I challenge you readers to find someone with longer lashes than "Trouble". Booh-ya Mars.

A Heartwarming Work of Staggering Genius

I was first introduced to the brilliant author and editor Dave Eggers a few Christmases back when I received The Best American NonRequired Reading from one of Egger's steadfast followers and the McCabe family member and witty artist himself, who displays his adoration of literature through the annual gift giving of books.

Since that revolutionary year of St. Nick, my Egger collection has catapulted (which, in Dana terms, is equivalent to tripling in size - comprising my entire top row of my 5th grade-sized bookshelf) and I have become alarmingly attentive at the mention of his ongoings, if only to relay the deets to Scott. On 09.26.07, Egger will be visiting Berklee's Performance Center in Boston in support of his newly launched writing center, 826 Boston, an extension of his first, 826 Valencia in San Francisco, opening in Roxbury this month. If you have time, I recommend checking him out. Annddd if you have even more time and enjoy writing, the center is in need of volunteer tutors.
Now there's the ad bit I was going for.

Stampact Challenge

A Ftorek tradition that all began with cousin Sam's wedding in 2003 was revisited the other day by a more intimate yet distantly-related group. Under usual circumstances the Stampact Challenge will arise at a large family event, such as a wedding or a reunion. More recently, however, members of the family (particularly Anna and I) have been challenging friends to compete and possibly break Sam's record of one hour and 17 minutes.

Saturday was the fateful day. Corliss and myself vs. Warner, Skwar and Daly. After borrowing 5 pairs of retired sneakers from Wendy and clan, Rob, with sincere intensity, recited the rules and gave us the run-down before we were on our way. The idea, for those unfamiliar, is to grab a canoe, paddle out to Stampact island, less than a half mile from shore, and proceed to race around the island (which we calculated later to be 2.5 miles around) with one foot in the water at all times. Sounds harmless enough until you reach land and realize that the water is chest-level in most places and the bottom of the lake is covered with rocks, which would explain the scattered, vary-sized welts and scrapes on your legs.

Team Corliss and Dana finished at 1:27 while Warner and Skwar (who had a 'man down' as Frank would say) were being blown off course for the next 30 minutes. The wind and the waters may have been unfavorable that day or the competitors may have been a bit hungover but who's to know? Strategies are underway for next year's face-off as we speak and hopefully we can get some other Ftoreks and McCabes in the mix as well.

***Another birthday shout-out is an order at this time. Chris Corliss liss liss liss (that'd be the echo factor people). The big quarter century mark. Oh, how they grow up so fast! Happy birthday C-Bear.***

Jro to Jho. Hell of a season.

A couple weekends ago some of the Fairfield girls witnessed our first friend take the plunge. J-Ro, as most of us know her, is in the know-how when it comes to throwing a legendary wedding-weekend blowout. Prior to the big festivities, however, there was some concern about J-Ro taking on the Scottish hubby's name. Could J-Ro be dropped all of a sudden for J-Ho (or Jen Hornby for the more mature)? Matters were quickly resolved. It can't be done... And there was much rejoicing.

The ceremony took place in the gardens of the Lincoln family estate in Arlington, VT with a surreal mountainous landscape on all sides. Lize, Noel and I faired well with our readings, improvising with delayed gestures and exaggerated winks to win over the audience. Needless to say, we were then familiar enough characters amongst the sea of J-Ro's relatives that we were able to skip the repetitive introductions. Whew. And onto the dance floor. Here's where things got a little hairy (and I'm not just referring to what the Scottish groomsmen had in store under their quilts for us). The electric slide was performed to a multitude of songs, why should it be constrained to only its self-title? the bride's mother and her friends did a lil diddy about liverwurst (naturally), the bar acquiesced to doing shooters one hour before closing, and Lize wound up with her feet off the ground for the last 30 minutes of the reception. Some chose to go to a lake house where the groomsmen were staying and others, namely me and Shannon, unintentionally called it an early night and crashed at the Cutleaf Motel, which after night one had inherited the nickname "the Cut-throat".

And when you think your body can't handle any more punishment.. you fall back on your go-to undergrad drink, vodka-180's. The following night the party picked up on cue but in J-Ro's frat-like basement (who's the dude with the pony?). While Noel was minding the bathroom floor, Jessie K and Mrs. Rochette were minding their pole dancing manners. Clearly I'm not one to stand by (even though it means clearing out the dance floor)..."I just want to DANCE".

A good time was had by all but in the end I'm thankful that I have time to prepare before wedding season truly strikes.

*** But before we depart, let us take a moment to wish Liana, my sista from anotha motha, a happy happy birfday!! May you wear Bird's # well.
It'd be a lie if I said I don't feel like dancing to celebrate with you but looks like we'll have to wait this one out. Cheers L-diggity!***

Dance your pants off

Chris Burke, of the band Staff Johnson, will be performing next Thursday night, the 16th, at, you guessed it, Copperfields. It's a guaranteed night of cheap drinks, dance-your-pants-off music and endless comic relief. Unfortunately the ginger on the bongos will not be granting us with his presence but you never know what Burkey's got up his sleeve. A guest appearance on the harmonica by Aymer (all the way from England)? Wouldn't be the first time. In any case, come support our fellow local musicians, and brain tumor research at the same time Thursday evening.

Here's a jingle from State Radio who has recently added a new member on the drums and back up vocals, Mike Najarian, former Staff Johnson drummer:
Camilo

And a Burke classic to whet the appetite:
Haiti

Burkey will also be jamming with a buddy this Friday at the Sweet Water Cafe in Boston for all the non-Fairfield folk around this weekend (as opposed to the FU group who will be attending Jro's wedding in VT).

Nantizzy

Lbowe, Skwar, Doyle and I had a girl's venture to Nantucket last weekend, a place where you would only find a McCabe if one of his/her good buddies were to choose it as a wedding destination or if he/she has the option of leaving a downpour wave in the stix for some resocialization and a little beach action.
















A few daiquiris into our first night, an investigation-what was to become an ongoing quest throughout the weekend- was undertaken: Is it possible to find a guy wearing both a whale belt AND a gold chain (and by chain I'm referring to a substantial Piece sported mostly by the North Shore born and raised)? Our conclusion: The data points to implausible. But if one breed were to convert, the chain wearer would most likely be the switch hitter.

In the end, no whale belts were purchased (and naturally no chains to be found on the island) so no harm done.

Maine: the way life should be

So here I am. Just around the bend at the 2nd white barn, beyond the ladder supporting itself against a half-cut tree, past the squashed frogs decorating the dirt road, around the vacant corn field and to the left of the lone yellow tractor.
I guess this is what you can come to expect when you apply for a "rural community health rotation" in Maine. And I love it.

I'm renting a lake house, which is actually situated on a pond in Sabattus, ME. My roommate has transformed this cottage into a pimped out bachelor pad (stainless steel appliances, massive flat screen tv and don't forget the hot tub), save for the bear and moose figurines scattered throughout the house to remind us we're surrounded by woods.

4 days out of the week you'll find me at Sabattus Street Primary Care working under the supervision of an internist and in the company of two 22-year old newly engaged medical assistants (I just might be the only single and/or childless person over the age of 20 in these parts). Although I've only completed my first year of an NP program, the physician treats me as though I'm already a practicing nurse practitioner. In my first week, I've given several rectal exams (my apologies to my first patient for haphazardly giving myself a tour), administered a steroid injection to an arthritic patient, performed a pap and done cryotherapy on a patient's junk. An exciting week all in all.


Cousin Kevin McCabe, from Waterville, had his all-star game Friday night that ended in a huge victory for the East. Kev, never having kicked a field goal before and effortlessly nailing them consecutively throughout the game, is now convinced that he is going to be a kicker in the minor league soon enough. More power to you Kev-o.

Also, had some Beantown visitors over the weekend. We hiked up a rather minuscule hill called Bradbury Mt., hit up the Lewiston area dive bars, tested the local pond water and sat around in the non-hot hottub. The highlight of the weekend though would have to be the neighbor's water trampoline with inflatable tubes perfect for gladiator dueling. Either no one was home or some dude was sitting inside with his buddies making a few bucks. Now that's a disturbing thought.

Napoleon

For those of you Miltonites out there, I'm sure you're familiar with the town legend, Rich Hill, who's currently playing for the Chicago Cubs. Well if you missed last week's game on Fox, check him out rattling off the line-up for 2 announcers who have never heard of Napoleon Dynamite. Amazing.

Free Summer Concerts

Starting July 12th and running through August 16th, WBOS will be sponsoring a concert series to be held at Copley Plaza in front of Trinity Church from 5:30 to 7:30 every Thursday.
Brandi Carlile kicks things off in just a couple weeks followed by a personal favorite from Longmeadow, MA, Martin Sexton.

Brandi Carlile - Hallelujah
Martin Sexton - Glory Bound

The complete schedule is as follows:

July 12 Brandi Carlile
with special guest The Dennis
Brennan Band

July 19 Martin Sexton
with special guest Chad Perrone

July 26 The Cat Empire
with special guest Eli "Paperboy"
Reed & The Trueloves

August 2 Double bill with deSol and Ryan Shaw

August 9 Fountains of Wayne
with special guest Sarah Borges & The
Broken Singles

August 16 Double bill with Jonatha Brooke and Matt
Nathanson

Giving NY a second look

Being unemployed as I am, I find that I need to contrive activities to entertain myself for longer hours.

I am now a member of the Dragon Boat race Boston team, with whom I'll be "competing" (or trying to keep in step with) in Montreal come late July, and a participant-in-training for the upcoming Holliston, MA triathlon, in which Dales and Corliss are conveniently enrolled for now as well. If I'm going to sacrifice my body, it will not be alone.

Last weekend, I hopped on the oh-so-reliable fung wah bus and headed to NY, Brooklyn specifically. What a thriving neighborhood Carroll Gardens is. So many quaint restaurants with hidden gardens in the rear and eclectic boutiques lining the streets. I was in my element. Before venturing out in the mornings, I attempted to tackle the Wall Street Journal (or at least the first page). Didn't follow most of it, but hey, I was in NY, it felt appropriate at the time. Spent some time at a couple roof-top bars, a hippie loft party, Buddy Burritos, and the Broadway comedy, Spelling Bee. As an FYI, I would stay clear of the F line late at night and it doesn't hurt to stay awake for your subway ride home either.

Speaking of Brooklyn, it was my first time in the majestic Symphony Hall last night. The Brooklyn band Hem performed on stage with the Boston Pops. Knowing little about Hem, since they were a last minute replacement for M. Ward, I didn't know quite what to expect. There were 6 band members in total last night, 4 being of the original crew. The lead singer was a stately dressed woman in her late 30's with soft features and red curls framing her face. She appeared soft-spoken but was able to project her voice effortlessly so that it filled the hall. Although the electric guitarists contradicted each other in style and composure, one resembling Jamie's good friend Ben Beach with his sheik and intelligent upright-citizen look (or maybe it was just the glasses), while the other was chosen for his role as a bad guy in a Quinten Tarantino film, they were able to harmonize beautifully together. In addition to the lead singer, there was a young, modest back-up vocalist, an Italian pianist with an incredible hockey cut, and a mad scientist on the slide. The slide and the harmonica offered a twangy sound that the audience seemed to appreciate. Hem's music has been labeled as pop country at times, and it became evident why when I caught myself imagining one of their songs as the theme to a Disney animated movie. For a mellow band with a number of lonely lyrics, Hem had the right amount of liveliness and spunk, with the help of the Pops of course, including a xylophonist, a dj keyboardist and an electric drummer. A very impressive demonstration all in all.

Get in my belly

One of my favorite past-times; eating! How could I resist?
These are just a few restaurants I've explored in the past and some that I have yet to visit but am looking forward to checking out.

If you're looking for a reasonably priced intimate dinner, give the Dish a try on Shamut Ave in the South End. The tiny neighborhood restaurant maintains its familiar staff and regular customers due to its relaxed, amicable and dog-friendly atmosphere. One of the only places in the area with a sidewalk patio, the Dish is great place for a first date or catching up with an old friend.

There's a new addition to Porter Square's eatery selection: the Ethiopian restaurant Addis Red Sea, which currently has a location on Tremont St in the South End, offers cheap, authentic-style eats. With its opening just last month, the restaurant has seen its fans queuing down the street to sample the expanded menu and traditional decor.

Upon returning from Morocco, I was on a search to appease my newly acquired taste for homemade bread (I don't actually like the taste of bread but somehow this thin pita style appetizer worked for me!) and hummus that I had enjoyed in the open markets of Marrakesh. I found the next best thing. The environment of Tangierno, in Charlestown, emulated some of the nicer restaurants in Morocco, aside from the price inflation. Couches, flowy curtains and dimly lit candles suggest a romantic setting. However, the belly dancers on Thursday evenings and the traditional upbeat music, perhaps at a decibel too high, can be quite distracting. Good for a night out with the girls and throwing back some Belgian beers.


The artsy Spanish-American spot, Central Kitchen, on Mass Ave in Central Square, is a favorite among locals. One of the "Terrace Boys", Epps, over in Arlington gives it high reviews and he's always been a straight shooter when it comes to dining out. Epps even referred his roommate, Mike Warner, to dazzle his date there one evening. Turns out there was a second date to follow so it must have been a combination of Warner's charm and the Spanish beauties performing in the middle of the dining room that made her swoon.

Beehive, the recently opened and frequently talked about South End restaurant and jazz club is located in what was formerly a boiler room on Tremont Street underneath the Cyclorama . The wait here has been borderline ridiculous, especially since you won't be able to hear yourself let alone others once you're inside but apparently there is reason for the hype. The food is Middle Eastern and Mediterranean and on a slow night, like a Tuesday, you'll be able to appreciate the "gypsy food" that's served late into the night and the bustling (hopefully less so midweek) atmosphere of this lively nightspot. If nothing else, at least you will be supporting local Berklee students who have been nailing gigs here most nights of the week.

Amateurs only

With my brother Scott's blog, which has been somewhat recently revived and therefore followed with a close eye as of late, and with Jamie's ability, the leader of the 3 siblings, to create a web page that allows us to follow his ongoings in San Francisco, with the main attraction being none other than my talented young niece, Marley, I myself have been inspired to create a trial compilation page.
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Ideally, I'd like to share some sites that appeal to me in hopes that someone else might find them equally as useful or entertaining. Or at least, I can provide a simple distraction for those hard-working employees out there.

For starters, I want to introduce you to some tracks created by my college buddy and soon-to-be roommate, John Doney. Dones is currently in Costa Rica in hopes of learning some Spanish and producing some tunes that will complete his album. Upon return, he will be holding a cd release party in the Boston area. I'll have dates posted once they're finalized.
Here are a couple sample songs from Doney's cd, "The Trail of John Doney":

Mouthful of Tears
Sadder Days