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this hm quote for philadelphia

It’s a wonderful day in Philadelphia. I didn’t spend much time looking for an apartment in this city of so much to do. I walk down the street and people actually smile at strangers. Me! I find being next to the train station and hearing the trains pass is all right. I didn’t know until now that the street in front on my building comes alive after midnight. That’s okay. There aren’t many restaurants in this area, but there are a lot of museums and there’s Whole Foods www.wholefoodsmarket.com and Trader Joe’s www.traderjoes.com . The one restaurant that’s nearby is a very good one. It’s called Aya’s Cafe. I don’t prepare hummus because it’s good at Aya’s. I first thought Aya’s was better, but mine’s good just in a different way.! www.ayascafe.net . It takes only a few minutes to walk to Rittenhouse Square Park from where I live. And along the way I pass many shops that entice, lots of cafes that make a delicious cup of cappuccino, small shops that give a warm welcome when a customer enters. I’m going to find out which restaurant prepares the best campari drink www.campari.com . I’ve been drinking campari for a long time, and this I know, some places skimp with the campari and are generous with the club soda. I really like the shoes at Benjamin Lovell www.benjaminlovellshoes.com on 119 S. 18th Street. This is probably not a good thing. It’s still warm enough to absolutely enjoy being outside. Nice!
www.philly.com
www.philadelphia.com
www.library.phila.gov

“Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.” – Henry Miller

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The Funk

Emi speaks: I think I have the funk! You know what I am talking about when the season changes from glorious fall to yucky winter. Everyone around me seems to have had it, had it, or is getting it.

I keep blaming it on allergies but I know it’s more than that. My head is killing me, sinuses are a mess and draining, and I feel sluggish and just down right yucky!

Even my exercising doesn’t seem to be warding the funk off this year! It seems like people at the gym are all getting sick too — maybe that is where I contracted this funk. Thank goodness Michael and Sebastian are doing ok.

I probably just wore myself down too much by staying up late playing boggle and that did me in.

Well to those out there that have the funk… rest up, drinks lots Qof fluids, and take your vitamins… for me it will be lots of vegging out on top of that and NYQUIL! 

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a 29/11 on board

My daughter-in-law, Alicia, is a bundle of energy. If you get to play a board game with her, and want to win, you must play as though your life depends on it. Otherwise, you have no chance of winning. Even then, you might have to go defeated. She’s FOCUSED! That said, we (Alicia, Michael, Sebastian and I – Emi had the flu and was immersed in her studies at Columbia, Sumi, Toshi and Sophie were/are in Japan, Yang and Han were understandably tired from working long hours at their business, and Alex was visiting family in Virginia) had an absolutely marvelous holiday week together in Raleigh, even though, alas, we never won a game, not once, nada. Right, Michael?

Alicia said she’s on board for posting on this blog. This will be a real treat as she’s upfront in how she thinks, talks, acts and writes, and will bring everything she knows about a subject, the good and not so good of it, to her postings. We’re a little bit nervous about this, ha ha, just kidding, Alicia. We trust.

Just like Emi, Alicia is a 29/11, which means, among other things, she needs to release lots of creative energy and not keep it within. Exercise is the perfect way of doing this. After reading Dan Millman’s book, The Life You Were Born to Live, danmillman.com she hasn’t stopped exercising. It works, she says.

Michael was a die-hard New Yorker when he went to Raleigh to visit a high school friend. Destiny plays a part in one’s life at times, other words can be used in place of destiny, but, for now, lets stick with destiny, and he met Alicia on the first evening of his visit. Ten years later, New York still holds a place in Michael’s heart, but Raleigh is where he hangs his Yankee cap (if you can wrestle it away from him). And so, a big Korean family from Virginia became part of our family and we became part of theirs when Alicia and Michael married.

Alicia’s mind keeps going, and so her posts will have a whole slew of topics she’ll want to discuss. It’ll be a lot fun and very interesting. Indeed!

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the taxi driver

This month I traveled from Philadelphia to Raleigh on Southwest Airlines. I didn’t know there’s a train going to the airport (I’ve lots to learn about this city where there’s so much to do and friendly people everywhere ready to give advice), and since my flight was an early Sunday morning one, I decided to flag a taxi. And so a wonderful, witty person slipped into my life for 15 minutes by way of a taxi. He had radiant, happy eyes, a big smile, and was very unlike the last taxi driver who relished talking about the crime in Philadelphia. When just that month you’ve moved to Philadelphia you don’t want to hear about the crime. Yes, you know it exists, but no need to be in a taxi with a driver obsessed with the topic. This last taxi driver from Africa was entirely different. His story was of being misdiagnosed when he went to a doctor, and spending one agonizing week alone worrying about his wife and two young children, before realizing that maybe he should go for a second opinion. A really good idea as the second doctor said nothing was wrong with him. The funny part of the story was what went on inside his head during the week he thought he was dying. He was laughing out loud funny, and that’s the way I got out of the taxi – lol.

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Chocoholics Unite!

This is the time of year the call of chocolate is too strong to resist! Why o why do I not have the power to resist chocolate and sweets in general. I think it could be hormonal… seems to be getting worse over the years.

Dark, milk,white, cakes, cookies, ice cream — I will take it all.. and I love it all. I need some type of repellent to these things — evil, evil, sweets… oh the downfall of all my working out and trying to stay in shape are my addiction to sweets. Give me Godiva, lindt, Haagen-Daaz, or Herseys. 

I have just been told go to the 8th floor of the saks fifth avenue www.saks.com in NYC (the original) and get the expensive chocolate… make sure to go alone so not to have to share the expensive chocolate..

So I am here to say, my name is Alicia and I am a chocoholic. I need help!

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Motherhood for Me

Motherhood for me has been such an interesting journey and my son is only 18 months old as of yesterday Nov. 25th. I knew it would change me and change my life but I didn’t know it would add so many layers to my life.

Before Sebastian was born I thought I already had a full life. It was like a part of me awoke after he was born and they told me I had a baby boy in the hospital. I guess that part of me was always there but I just didn’t realize it or know it until Sebastian arrived.

For this reason alone I am so happy we decided to embark in the world of neverending worry, love, and concern, and hopes for our child and hopefully future children. That part of parenting is so mind boggling. All the worrying and hopes and concern you feel for your child it is just nuts. You worry if they are sleeping enough or eating enough or not enough. You worry if they are developing at a fast enough pace or if you should or shouldn’t be giving them certain foods. It is just neverending… I mean there is a whole book section on how to properly raise your child. Unfortunately there are differing opinions on how to raise your child and do things.  That topic is a whole other blog in itself which I am sure I will get there one of these days.

Ok back to motherhood and how much I absolutely love it. The best part is the first time you see your baby in the morning. It is truly like Christmas every day when you see him for the first time.

I just can look at him for hours and think how spectacular he is and how cute and funny he is.  I mean what a sense of humor our child has. He really just cracks me up.

I love thinking of all the wonderful experiences we are going to share all through the years of him growing up. It really is exciting. I can’t wait! I do have to remember to not wish today away.

For the days are long but the years are fast when raising children – such a true statement.

The one thing I love about my son is how sweet and comforting he is to me. He truly has saved me from myself in a way. He puts so much perspective in my life – keeps me grounded.  I can’t say enough great things about being a mom.

When I hear my friends are expecting I am so excited for them to experience the most amazing joy in life… giving life. What a true gift it is, the best one I could have ever hoped or asked life to give me.

Just as Oprah www.oprah.com says, “This I know is true” I know being a mother is the most amazing job and experience this life has to offer and I am blessed to have it.

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My First Post on this thing called a Blog

What is the meaning of blog anyways… ok this is my first post and I feel like I need to write something life altering.  We have just finished a wonderful Thanksgiving in NC. I definitely ate way too much — need to look for redemption. I am hoping burn off the extra calories at my spin classes this week.

I think I definitely have an obsessive personality. I tend to get very addictive. I have definitely developed an addiction to spinning classes at O2 Fitness.  That is a smaller gym in Raleigh, NC www.o2fitnessclubs.com  I think what makes the classes fun are the other people in the class with you and the instructor. I definitely have my favorite teachers – Chrissy & Brandon are awesome. I love Casey’s music and Hadara is great too on Tues.  Ok, back to my obsessive (addictive) personality.  I even went as far as to buy special cycling shoes that actually lock you on to the bike.  When I went to the Biking store www.trekraleigh.com the sales guy asked me what type of bike I had and I said that I didn’t.  So I am the nutty customer that buys shoes for a bike that doesn’t go anywhere. I am sure since I started classes this past January, I have probably biked at least 1000 miles or more. I mean when I go out of town I miss class and get stressed if I have to miss class. With that being said I am not going this evening since it is the last night my mother in law is going to be in town and we are spending time together.  I am thinking I will feel guilty but I am thinking that it will be ok…. At least my spinning addiction has gotten me back into shape since the baby. That process is in a whole other blog post.

At least to my benefit this addictive behavior does not include drinking or drugs or smoking. Ironic it tends to be good things for me.

This past weekend I discovered you can play Boggle online with other people…. totally addictive. You definitely must try… if you think you are a good Boggler, think again, once you go to the site www.weboggle.shackworks.com you will see how crazy good these people are. You can also sign in with interesting usernames. Some people are political with their names and others are just down right funny… one that I remember to be funny was “Dumpling Running Man”.  I challenge you to try the site out. Beware though… I was stuck playing until 3 am Thanksgiving day evening because I was on a mission to be #1… still not there yet. I feel this draw to play when I get near a computer… It is amazing that I am actually on a computer and doing something else.

Ok so there are two examples of my crazy addictive behavior. I am curious if anyone else shares my afflictions. – Alicia

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still on the move

We’re in Philly, and Pauline can’t wait to get her car away from the tow dolly, and put an end to that experience. We learned a valuable lesson, you can’t master backing up with a tow dolly attached to a truck in one day. And we needed a big space for sweeping turns. From Beacon, NY to Philly, Pa, I felt for her every stretch of the way. I wouldn’t want to drive under those circumstances.

Pauline is so eager to rid her car of the tow dolly that she  just about tackles most of the unloading except for the hefty mattress, even though I hired cracker-jack men to do the lifting and moving,  she doesn’t seem to notice them; she’s like a woman possessed. And so the unloading was accomplished in record time.

The movers were nice enough to lead us to the Philly U-Haul office as we followed them with the truck and tow dolly through the streets of Philly – not an easy drive either. Ha! There was no need to rush because, well, it took the employees 30 minutes to figure out how to extricate the car from the tow dolly. That done we brought the truck across the street for inspection and got the clean bill of health for the truck which allowed us to stand in line (for 90 minutes) to finalize things.

We had lots of company waiting in line. One person was at the counter. It seems the manager had upped and quit at some time during the afternoon. Saint Bill, as Pauline called him, was doing his best to keep up, but the line was getting longer and it wasn’t moving very fast. Just as we got to the counter a long over-due employee arrived to help Saint Bill. I got to hand it to him, he never wavered, maintained the same nice demeanor, and did his job under stressful circumstances. Stressful because there were some angry people – screamers – who gave him an earful. Whew!

We went back to my place to think about where to have dinner. We’d not eaten since early morning. It turned out that finding a good place to dine was the easy part of the day. Let the fun begin.

And so be it!

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about moving

Philadelphia is a welcoming city. And moving there last week was a fun, harrowing and hilarious experience. Toshi, my son-in-law, took an early morning train from Manhattan to a town along the Hudson River to pick up a U-Haul truck and help with the move. He said it was a great ride along the River. I had a few good people helping me. Actually, good isn’t an adequate word, they were clever and came with a sense of humor – much needed qualities when moving without professionals. Professionals couldn’t be used on this trip as there were stops to be made and dates to work around.

Someone who swore up and down that he’d be around to help load never showed. Somehow deep down I sensed that would happen. However, I think it’s good to trust. And, happily, it was for the best because, Toshi, being who he is – always resourceful – found a big, well-muscled fellow working in a nearby shop who was more than eager to help out and make some money. He and Toshi gave it their all and the truck was set to go with everything loaded in it in no time at all. Good call Toshi.

On we rode to the Catskills for additional furnishings, and to meet my cousin Pauline who came from NH to drive a U-Haul to Philly. She’s a brave one. There she waited at the town’s U-Haul office for a tow dolly for her car, while at the country house Toshi and the former country store owner wrestled with a beautiful hefty bed trying to load it onto the U-Haul truck. The former country store owner has a name, but he continues to be called, when he’s not within earshot, the former country store owner. All right! The bed is secured and we’re off to meet Pauline. There’s no phone signal at the country house, and we’ve no way of knowing that Pauline has called three times as she sat watching the friendly, new owners of the U-Haul company trying to get their computer in operation. After they’d entered all of her information, their computer went down. By the time we arrived, they were asking anyone in sight for help in restoring it. There was nothing to do but wait since we needed the tow dolly, and it wasn’t forthcoming until the problem with the computer was solved.

In the meantime, we learned a lot about happenings in Puerto Rico and the Colombia drug cartel from people wandering in and out of the office. And we learned that four months ago someone exchanged the hustle and bustle of owning a restaurant in Manhattan for the ease and enjoyment of owning a restaurant in this little town. Word of mouth (the best kind of advertisement) is sending customers his way. So off we went across the street to the word-of-mouth place. Toshi had heard the reviews and was already there for a quick bite before going off in another direction having somehow materialized a ride for that appointment. It’s amazing how things get accomplished out of sheer necessity. There are always possibilities one never imagines until necessity chimes in.

When we returned to the U-Haul office, the two friendly, new owners were under their large desk still working on their computer. From our end it looked as if they were getting nowhere fast. Only thing to remember about this situation is that it won’t last forever. Nothing ever does. Right?