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A Super Hero Filled Weekend

May 16, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

On Friday I was very generously given tickets to go and see the controversial revamped broadway show “Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark”.  I was extremely excited to see this newly improved show, in it’s second night in previews. The original show had been plagued with bad luck including accidents, injuries, horrible reviews and technical mishaps. Many New Yorkers, myself included were not going to waste time or money to go and see the show. However, after pulling the show off of the box office for a few weeks and re-doing much of the story and some of the music I have to admit I was extremely curious to go and see the new and improved production. If anything, it would definitely be something to talk about.

So, on Friday evening I headed into Times Square to go and see the show. Since it was a gorgeous evening I made the rookie mistake of getting off the subway one stop early, thinking that it would be a nice night to walk. BIG mistake. Times Square on a beautiful spring Friday night is madness. There are tourists everywhere and groups of people just stopping and staring or taking pictures. I felt like I was a salmon swimming up stream. And all the characters were out- pan handlers, street performers, tour operators, suspicious looking types, the police and even a few famous faces, like this guy:

Maybe he was on the way to the show?? 😉

The madness of Times Square

I eventually weaved my way down to the theatre on 42nd Street and waited for my handsome date to arrive so that we could go on in and catch the show.

My handsome date Eric =)

I am going to be completely honest here. I was expecting to be disappointed. My attitude going in was definitely jaded, I was prepared for the worst. So, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I began to get swept up in the magic of the theatre and after a slow moving start I really started to enjoy the show. By the end of the first act I was in awe of the incredible technical feat that this ambitious musical had taken on. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before. The high flying stunts are breathtaking and the music is edgy and dark. There is a story and it follows the classic Marvel tale that is beloved by soo many. I enjoyed it. In fact I more than enjoyed it. It was a breath of fresh air, something unique and different from the many classical broadway shows of the season. At the end of the show the audience gave it a well deserved standing ovation. The critics want this show to die a painful and expensive death because that news would sell. Personally, I am hoping that this new version with rise above the naysayers and through word of mouth people will come to see this show. It truly is a one of a kind spectacle!

Pre-performance curtain for Spiderman-Turn Off The Dark

It really was a super hero filled weekend because I also saw the movie “Thor” on Saturday night. It was date night and I lost out. I really wanted to see “Bridesmaids” but Ron convinced me that it would be a good movie to see with my girlfriends and therefore we should opt for the action packed adventure- fantasy film. I have to admit that I actually liked “Thor”. It wasn’t the best movie I have ever seen but the story line was good, there was lots of action and plenty of eye candy. Hello Chris Hemsworth !  And, the company wasn’t too bad either 😉

I think I am now good for a little while as far as my Marvel Comic book character fill. It is time for some bubbly and a good laugh with the ladies… who’s in for “Bridesmaids”?

Have a wonderful week… stay dry!

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Some Random Thoughts on a Friday the 13th

May 13, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

Happy Friday the 13th

Well, here it is Friday the 13th. I am not really a superstitious person so I am really just going about my day as I would any other day. I will even walk under ladders, cross paths with a black cat and put shoes on a table. Hmm… maybe I am just tempting bad things to happen. One thing I will NEVER do is say “Macbeth” in a theatre, I am not crazy!! 😉

Anyhoo, I have a few thoughts that I wanted to share with you, my reflections on some things that happened this week. It is getting a wee bit busy, the school year is drawing to a close for the girls, the weather is nicer, vacations and camps are being planned. As for me, I need to start figuring out my own path as to how I am going to fit in, in this big city. I am getting the itch to get back to work, but the big question is what and where?? But before I delve into THAT discussion here are the things that have been part of my life this week:

  • I can be a big old badass mother bear with NYC attitude when provoked. I got into a confrontation outside of the girls school this week when two jerks decided to be nasty to the kids for just being kids. Nothing infuriates me more than people putting down children for behaving in a fun way especially when the jackasses had chosen to walk in front of the elementary school!! When mama bear ‘ain’t happy, ‘ain’t nobody happy- grrrr!!
  • On that note, I should NEVER watch daytime tv. I tuned in to “The View” yesterday to see my good friend Bobby C. perform a number from the Broadway show “Anything Goes” (which was awesome!) but unfortunately I also saw a segment about a woman who was giving her 8 year old daughter botox treatments. I was sickened and outraged. Really? How is this even allowed? Such a sad world we live in that 8 year old girls cannot just be left alone to be little kids without body image issues. Ugh. Daytime t.v. = Rage!
  • My own lovely daughter swallowed a chain necklace last night. Yes, yes she did. For the first time I thought I would be taking a trip to the local emergency department. However, there is a wonderful service at our pediatrician’s office where you can phone and leave a message with the service and the actual doctor with call you back. We did not have this in Ottawa. It is awesome. Within 15 minutes our doctor had called us back and reassured us that she would be fine and that the chain would eventually come to pass. We are now on poop watch. Fun times!!
  • The weather in NYC this week has been absolutely gorgeous. Temps in the 70’s and beautiful cloudless sunny blue skies. I have been loving it, my only complaint is allergies. Whoa. Who knew that NYC would be such an intense area for springtime allergies? The trees are everywhere and they are pouring pollen into the air. If you sit down on a park bench you can actually see the pollen attach itself to your clothes. My eyes have not been happy. Luckily, there are many different non-prescription drugs available. Although in NYC you have to show i.d. to purchase them. Who knew? Something about meth users… sad. I learn something new every day.
  • Ron gave me a t-shirt one time with the slogan “My playground is Big” it reminds me of how I felt this week. I was a bit bummed because this was the perfect weather for sitting outside in the backyard with a cup of tea and the newspaper or a good book. Only now, living in an apartment we don’t have any outdoor space of our own. So, I decided to grab a tea and head to the park. I found a bench in the sun where very few people were wandering by and enjoyed some wonderful solitude reading as the birds chirped and the occasional cab honking sounded in the background. I thought to myself “My backyard is big”. Sometimes it is tempting to hang out in your apartment but if you get up and out, there are many incredible spaces in NYC to enjoy the outdoors.
  • A lot of thoughts have been rattling around in my brain this week. Planning, stressing, planning some more, thinking or just plain over analyzing ;), the best cure for this is to get out and walk. The endless space to walk in this city really is a true treasure. Pounding the pavement is a great stress reliever.
  • But, I also have had to remind myself to slow down a bit. Chill out. Take the time to breathe, even if my nose is stuffed up! The days move fast and it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. It is okay to step out of it sometimes and crawl at your own pace. I have been reading more this week. It helps me to centre and pause for a moment. Even if it is just for five minutes, it is is worth it.

Well, I am just happy it’s Friday, thanks for reading my end of week ramblings =), hope you have a spectacular weekend!

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Wordless Wednesday: Walking Down Riverside Drive

May 11, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

Over the last couple of days, the weather in NYC has been absolutely spectacular. Sunny, cloudless skies with temps in the low 70’s. My kind of perfect. I would be happy if the days of summer were all like this but I know that the heat and humidity are right around the corner. On that note, I have been trying to get out as much as possible to enjoy every moment of it. On Monday I took the Dopey dog on a massive walk- 92 blocks to be exact (Bogie was happy to stay at home and chill on the couch!). The view coming down Riverside Drive and the park was soo beautiful I took some pics to share with you. Hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful day =)

Riverside Drive

Beautiful archway at 124th and Riverside Park

Love this massive tree in the middle of the sidewalk

Rear view of General Grant's National Memorial

Tile mosaic around the memorial

General Grant National Memorial Front View

Tree lined walkway

Riverside Church

Sun streaming over the apartment buildings

Community garden in Riverside park (Please Enjoy The Garden)

Doorway of one of the gorgeous buildings along Riverside Dr.

Building artwork

Soldiers and Sailors Monument

My handsome walking companion- Dopey 😉

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A Big Old GHS Reunion in the Happiest Place in the World!

May 9, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

It has been almost a year since I tearfully said goodbye to friends, colleagues and students at GHS and embarked on my family move/adventure to NYC. So… when my crazy friends (see below) and former teaching buds suggested that I meet them to help chaperone this year’s band trip to Disney World, I began to look online for cheap flights to sunny Orlando.

Brad and Jason, being Brad and Jason!

After a bit of convincing from Ron (yes, the kids would be fine) I booked my flights and started to get excited about a trip to the magical world of Disney. I was super psyched to meet up with my friends and also I really wanted to see some of my former students. It had been awhile since I had the time to just hang out with teens. I missed hearing about the latest trends and about the state of the world from their point of view. It is always refreshing talking to the next generation of adults. Personally I think if we took more time to listen to the voices of high school students our world would be a much better place. But hey, that is just my two cents 😉

Anyhoo, I digress. So, I hopped on a plane and met up with the gang from GHS who had just survived a 27 hour bus ride from Canada’s capital. The students were super pumped to get going and head off to the rides at Hollywood Studios. The chaperones were equally excited and we started off our four day trip with the fast and furious, loud, Aerosmith blaring “Rockin’ Roller Coaster”. This ride set the pace for the rest of the trip as we jam packed tons of awesomeness into four days at Disney.

The whole gang in front of the Magic Kingdom

We visited all of the theme parks except Blizzard Beach and the band even squeezed in a fabulous tutorial session with the Disney Gang and an incredible performance at Epcot. My favorite moments included watching the students relive their inner childhood wonder at the Fantasmic fireworks, listening to the GHS performance under a cloudless blue sky and endless hilarious moments with old (and new) friends. I am not sure my entertainment center will ever be the same 😉

GHS performance at Epcot

Magic Kingdom

Mickey!

Not so funny to a New Yorker 😉

Lightning McQueen

It was a great trip. Most importantly it reminded of how much fun it is when you just let yourself act like a child for a bit. That really is the magic of Disney, being able to explore being a kid all over again. It is also a pretty magical place when the children having meltdowns are not yours 😉

I do miss working with students, a lot. And truth be told, I miss GHS. There are a fabulous group of people there- staff and students. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to hang with them again. Thanks to Stinky and Brad for the opportunity, Typhoon Sads for being a good sport, and to Joan and Heather, for embracing the wild and crazy hair. Most especially, thank you to the spectacular band gang for welcoming me with open arms and being such fun! Miss you guys already =)

The Tower Gang- LOVE

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Cheers to Mother’s Day!

May 8, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

I just wanted to take the time to wish all of the incredible mothers I know a very happy Mother’s Day! Being a mom is definitely the toughest job I have ever had and I am extremely thankful for the wonderful women in my life who support, encourage, laugh and cry with me on a daily basis. I have also been lucky to have such an amazing role model in my own mother. I hope your day has been surrounded by warmth and love and that you were able to take a bit of time to yourself to reflect, rejoice or even sleep 😉 I had a fantastic day with my family oh, and there was also the small little bonus of sitting across from Matt Damon in the park. A little extra Mother’s Day treat! Even though there are tough times and rough days, the joy that my family gives me is a gift that is beyond anything words can or could express.

I am one happy mama!! Cheers and love to you all xox

Cheers!!

Two special ladies: my mom and grandmother

My Mom with Paul and I

R's Mother's Day poem for me 🙂

Me and my girls xox

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Wordless Wednesday: A Little Fun In Disney!

May 4, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

I met up with some cherished former colleagues to chaperone the GHS band trip. We are having tons of fun in Disney! Here is a pic! Have a great day 🙂

20110504-041847.jpg

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A Little Face Time With Rob Lowe ;)

May 2, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

So, before the breaking story last night with the incredible news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed, a little tweet on twitter caught my eye. Rob Lowe would be signing copies of his new book “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” at the Barnes & Noble near Rockefeller Center on Monday. Huh. I am currently reading Rob Lowe’s book (on my Nook) and am really enjoying it. It is well written and quite captivating. I decided that I would venture into midtown to buy a copy of his book and get it signed by him. As my wise husband said “Are you really too busy to go and meet Rob Lowe??”. Um, NO! And so, this morning I embarked on my latest adventure in this great city.

I popped out of the subway in Times Square. I have to admit I was a bit tentative to see what the mood would be like there. Would there be protesters, people still celebrating or would there be a larger police presence? To the contrary it was actually a very quiet morning in Times Square, lots of tourists as per usual and the hustle and bustle of people going to work. The only noticeable difference was that people were stopping to read the news headlines that were flashing across numerous screens.

News headlines in Times Square-May 2, 2011

I continued on my way to the B & N. I arrived at 11:00 and Rob Lowe was not scheduled to arrive until 12:30. There was already a line that wrapped around the block. Not too bad. I debated if I actually wanted to stand around and wait. And then I gave my head a shake! First, this was Rob Lowe I was talking about and second, I live in NYC and am currently not working if I don’t take advantage of these situations now, when will I??!! I went in, bought the book, received a wrist band and made my way to the back of the line. Luckily I ended up standing on line with some interesting and fun people who made the time go by faster. We chatted about movies, Osama, celebrities and also the strange mix of people that were waiting to see Rob Lowe. Because it was a very weird mix. There was a guy who had flown in from Florida- can you say stalker??!! I figured it would be largely women my age or older who had always had a wee bit of a crush. Not so, there were lots of men, younger girls and much older women. I guess he appeals to all audiences. It was definitely a fun people watching moment.

Waiting patiently...

Line Friends 😉

I have to admit, as the line moved closer to him I was getting a little bit anxious, what exactly would I say to Rob Lowe when we were face to face? I mean it would be really embarrassing to just stand there and stare at him. I am happy to report that my many years of ahem, thinking on the spot, helped me out. This is how it went down:

RL: (looking up and making eye contact) Hi there!

Me: (Trying not to stare too boldly into his amazing eyes) Hi, how are you?

RL: Great, thanks for coming.

Me: I am really enjoying your book and I am also watching re-runs of The West Wing, one of my favorite shows of all time.

RL: I am soo glad you are liking the book. If you are reading the book and watching The West Wing (laughs) then you really don’t need to know anything else about me. Thanks for coming out today, have a great day.

Me: (Trying not to swoon) Thank you, my pleasure.

And then I walked away a wee bit stunned that I had just had a tiny little conversation with Rob Lowe. He is charming, personable, gorgeous and best of all… made beautiful eye contact while talking 😉

Yep, there he is.

He's talking to ME! (or at least my crazy curly hair)

One last pic cause he's so damn cute!

And now, I am back home doing laundry and rushing around to finish up errands before the kids get home! Back to reality. But I have to admit I am doing it all with a bit of a twinkle in my eye and a bounce in my step. Have a great day everyone!!

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The Manhattan Over-Share

May 1, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

Um, we can hear you...

Recently a friend of mine told me a story about how she was taking the shuttle to Newark Airport and was about to pull out something to read when the gentleman next to her started an animated cellphone conversation. He proceeded to talk about intensely personal issues with the person on the other end including family struggles and therapy sessions. It was a crowded train. She had no where to go and sat there as a captive but not necessarily willing audience member to the conversation. Who needs a book when you have a real life drama going on beside you?

This got me thinking about life in NYC. There are an abundance of people in the city and tons of people who over share in very public, crowded places. The other day I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office when the woman across from me got on her cellphone and proceeded to explain to her mother  what was going on with her medical issues. I pretended to be checking my email but I have to admit, a voyeur like me has a hard time trying not to listen especially when I am sitting within hearing distance. In my defence, waiting to see the doctor is incredibly boring and any distraction is a welcome relief 😉

I have also witnessed numerous couples having full out screaming matches on the street. As hundreds (no joke) of strangers are walking by, they are airing their dirty laundry at the top of their lungs. No one really seems to pay too much attention unless they are actually physically in the way. I guess this is what most people are counting on in NYC- everyone is soo busy with their own lives that they really don’t have time to be eavesdropping or they really don’t care. Both of these statements are true.

New Yorkers are also supreme multi-taskers. There are conversations that are had on the way from one destination to another. Unlike other cities where people drive from place to place and have the privacy to hold chats in their cars, many New Yorkers do not have this luxury, we walk. As we walk we make phone calls. I can’t tell you how many people I have passed on the phone using the line “Ya, Mom, I hear you but I have to go, I am going to lose you,  I am about to go into the subway”. Perfect excuse, right?

I guess the only problem I have with the over-share is when I can’t escape it and it intrudes into my personal space. There are some things I would rather not hear about. If there are a dozen empty seats at the park, please do not sit beside me and start chatting with a friend about your recent drugged out, sexed crazed adventure. If we are stuck in an elevator I really don’t want to hear about your mucus build up. And when I am behind you in line at Trader Joe’s keep your nanny and baby daddy issues to yourself. Because if you do, then I could check my emails, twitter and make my own “over-sharing” phone calls in peace 😉

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Wordless Wednesday: A Walk From The East Side To The West Side

April 27, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

It is another glorious Spring day in Manhattan. I had a doctor’s appointment over on the upper east side this morning and since the weather was so beautiful I decided to walk home back on over to the upper west side. Here are the pics I took as I walked. Enjoy and have a fabulous day =)

Walking down Park Ave.

E. 86th Street

No pee, pee, please!

Gorgeous lamp posts

Always remember to look up!

No, not the Dr. I was visiting 😉

5th Avenue in the sun

A moment of quiet

Peeking in to Central Park from 5th Ave.

The Met

Looking down toward the steps of The Met

Falling in behind a field trip

Side view of The Met

In full bloom

Strolling through Central Park

Trees over looking the Great Lawn

Turtle Pond with Belvedere Castle in the background

Romeo and Juliet Statue

Views back on the west side

Central Park West

W. 81st Street

The Planetarium at the AMNH

Columbus Ave.

Home Sweet Home!

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Spring Break- Day Six And Seven (I Survived)

April 26, 2011 by Sandra Guirguis

Day Six (Monday) We headed downtown to Tribeca to check out the Moomah Cafe. It is a wonderful place where the kids were able to choose and make a craft of their choice. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the staff is friendly and easy going. Best of all, because of the age of our children, they were able to make the crafts on their own and Cass and I sat at a table near by and chatted while drinking yummy caffeinated beverages. The kids also explored the funky forest and had a nutritious lunch.

Making creative masterpieces at Moomah

After lunch we traipsed through Chinatown and went to a very cool park in the neighborhood. Later on that afternoon we went and saw the Disney Nature movie “African Cats”. I highly recommend this movie. It is a beautiful film with a wonderful narrative. Proceeds from the movie go towards protecting the Savannah. A worthwhile cause indeed.

Cool playground in Sarah Roosevelt Park in Chinatown

And now, well, day seven, spring break is coming to an end and both the kids and I have survived. All in all it was a great time spent together and I can say that because my little lovelies are heading back to school tomorrow 😉 Seriously, we could not have had a better day to end the break on. It has been sunny and in the 80’s today. The girls and I went to a total of four parks. They rode bikes, played in the sand, climbed, played ball, had popsicles, enjoyed water fights, raced up and down rock walls and we all sweated! Yes, sweated, for the fist time of the season.

First hot day of the season!

Cooling Off!

They are both currently soaking the grime off in the bath. They are exhausted, I am exhausted and hey, isn’t that what it is all about? Giving them a much deserved break from the daily grind and reminding me how wonderful those precious quiet moments truly are =)

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