Super Bowl XLVIII

Super Bowl was weird this year (which is why you are just now reading about it here...in mid-March).  We were all spread out over various offices throughout New York and New Jersey. I was unfortunate lucky enough to be one of the few stuck over at the Hilton Meadowlands in Jersey.  Stuck was exactly the word.  We worked all day and ventured to one of the wide variety of chain restaurants or Wal-Mart in the evening.  Let's just say it was a step WAY back from New Orleans last year in terms of nightly entertainment and food selection.  I mean, WAY back!

Mom and Dad were on deck for the big game this year, but they didn't arrive until Thursday night.  Chris came out for a fun little date night on Wednesday, but otherwise I spent most of my time recovering from some sort of sickness the winter so gladly bestowed upon me...and counting down the days until it would all be over.

view of Manhattan from the top floor of our hotel

Surprisingly, the work portion of the event wasn't too bad at all this year.  We had a super early morning on Super Bowl Sunday which was a change from previous years, but I did have a chance to have a little fun on Saturday night.  I met Christopher along with Mom and Dad in the sea of people that was formerly known as Times Square in the early evening to get a few photos with the Super Bowl letters on Super Bowl Blvd.  Needless to say, that was a mistake.  By the time I found them, I was just totally over the whole thing.  Picture taking in that mind set is a real thrill...

 

Afterward, Chris and I made a mad dash back to my apartment to change for NFL Honors.  Quite possibly the quickest I have ever gotten ready.  We all headed over to Radio City for lots of laughs and a fair share of tears, too.  Those Man of the Year montages were tough to watch.  Lots of great men doing wonderful things in their communities though!  And if the montage didn't make you tear up, the acceptance speech Charles Tillman gave was sure to get those tear ducts flowing.  What an incredible story!  Of course, one of the highlights of the night for me was as far from NFL based as you get...I was stoked to see JESSE PINKMAN!!  Also known as Aaron Paul...for anyone that somehow missed the amazing Breaking Bad series.  (P.S. - Start watching Season One tonight.  You won't be sorry.)  Anyway, we had a fun night together and topped it off with dinner at one of our favorite Thai restaurants! 

Aaron Paul presenting an NFL Honor Award

Charles Tillman giving an emotional acceptance speech.

I stopped in Baked by Melissa for some Super Bowl treats before we headed back to dreaded Jersey.  We all liked the Denver cupcakes better than the Seattle ones, but both were pretty tasty.

A few hours later (seriously, I was up at 3:30am), Super Bowl Sunday began for me.  This year, the credentialing group had the honor of welcoming all the vendors to the scene to get proper credentials and uniforms for the event.  It was a LONG morning, but we were finally released around 1pm when we all headed back to the hotel for a quick rest before heading back over for the game. 

Fortunately, we didn't have too much of an assignment at the actual game. We stuck around for the first half to make sure we weren't needed in any official capacity before we checked out the halftime show and then disappeared into the crowd. 

I was able to find a seat nearby my parents so for the first time in five years, I was actually able to watch the Super Bowl.  At least the fourth quarter.  Too bad it wasn't a better game because there really wasn't too much to enjoy at that point...but I still finally sat in a seat and watched.  I was quite happy about that fact.

After the game, I drug mom and dad over to the Super Bowl letters for some photo ops.  We were all worn out at this point, but I'm glad we found them there! 

 

The weather waited to turn until the next morning which was nice on Super Bowl Sunday night, but not so great the next day.  We scurried back to midtown Manhattan where we bundled up and hunkered down for the following few days.  As I mentioned at the top, it was a weird Super Bowl, but at least it's in the books now!   

 

Andrea :)

Burlington, Vermont

We finally made our trip to Burlington a couple of weekends ago.  Chris had planned to propose to me there back in December, but three flight cancelations and one amazing proposal later, we finally made it!

Our first stop was the Ben & Jerry's factory just a few miles outside of Burlington.  This place was so much fun!  The tour was neat and informative even though they weren't in production over the weekend.  It was very interesting to hear the history of the two fellows that created this amazing ice cream. 

 

Of course, the tour ended with a taste test.  It was particularly unique because the flavor for the tours each day is made fresh and won't ever be seen tasted in that exact manner again.  And it was a shame because the flavor we tried - Strawberry Blitz - was DELICIOUS!!

After our bellies were full of ice cream, we headed over to briefly check out the Von Trapp Family Lodge.  And get a great view of the mountains in the process.  There wasn't too much to see there, but it would be a neat place to stay for a family getaway.  The scenery was fabulous.

On our way back through the winding roads, we came upon a cider mill and winery.  We stopped to check out the shop and get a hot cup of cider.  We did a quick taste test at the winery, but nothing was quite sweet enough for me.

We ventured over to Prohibition Pig for lunch before heading back to Burlington for the rest of our day.  This restaurant was quite small, but packed a big punch.  We really enjoyed our meal here.  Chris went for the BBQ washed down with a glass of Schlitz while I had a burger and duck fat fries.  Tasty all around!  I would definitely recommend stopping by this spot if you are ever in the area...just be prepared for a long wait!

We headed straight to the Magic Hat Brewery upon our return to Burlington.  We didn't want to miss the tour there.  This place was decorated to the max for their upcoming Mardi Gras celebration.  I wasn't a fan of any of the samples, but I believe Chris found a couple he enjoyed.

We took a brief rest stop back at our hotel before venturing down to Church Street marketplace to wander around in various shops.  They had everything there - books, records, home goods, and even some delicious chocolates!

We made one last stop for the day at Bove's - an amazing Italian restaurant!  We both tried different sauces on this tasty pasta.  I had alfredo sauce.  Chris went with a roasted garlic.  We were stuffed when we left, but it was SO good.  Highly recommend this spot if you ever find yourself in Burlington!

Our adventure in Burlington was short, but we had a great time!  We sure have learned how to pack in the fun!  I'm already looking forward to our next adventure in Vermont :)

Have you ever been to the Green Mountain State? 

Andrea :)

Linking up with Bonnie for Travel Tuesdays!

It's Mardi Gras!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!

Going to Mardi Gras has been on my bucket list for some time.  I came close last year when I was in NOLA for Super Bowl.  I came even closer when I was in NOLA for work this past weekend.  Maybe next year I'll make it there on Fat Tuesday to experience all the fun :)

I was mostly working for the roughly 48 hours I was in NOLA Metairie this past weekend, but I did manage to catch the Isis Parade on Saturday night.  I was surprised by how many families were in attendance.  I guess I just assumed that all the parades were wild and crazy, but this one was quite family friendly.  It also was on the outskirts of New Orleans rather than right on Bourbon Street in the middle of the city.

Here are some photos to make you feel like you were there as well.  Enjoy :)

 

 

Andrea :)