all that's past is prologue...

So we got up this morning after sleeping in — we went out to a gala last night and then out with friends while Beatrix was at a sleepover — and proceeded to re-wallpaper the bedroom. Because that's how we roll. Fist, though, the gala. Julia and Wade Burgess are the nicest folks you would ever want to meet. When we first met them, they truly had it all. Gorgeous home, two beautiful daughters, cabin up north, jobs they loved. But you underestimate just how close you can always be, as Nora McInerney says, to something bad happening. And one day, just awhile after they put their daughter Vivienne to sleep (just days before her third birthday) — well, that night they went in to check on her a little later and she was dead. SUDC, a rare but incredibly painful cause of death that affects hundreds of children a year. I can't even imagine, honestly. With more grace than I would ever muster, the Burgesses founded the V ivienne's Joy Foundation , and last night's gala was th

Tonight's soft opening was Grand Catch, over by Mac in the old Grand Central spot. The place has a great New Orleans vibe and does their seafood boil right! (though maybe a little skimpy on the potatoes and corn, and let's face it, no one in town does a better crawfish boil than Jake Endres). But Patrick put on his bib and gloves and dug in and enjoyed his greatly! I had the shrimp roll — also delicious. Beatrix stuck to rice — not much for kids on the menu. Abita on tap for Patrick and a fantastic cocktail for me (though I ordered it for the egg white and that part was a little skimpy). Great vibe and great food! It's stumbling distance from the Summit House, so we plan on being back — a lot!

We've been back a week (just seven days ago we were white-knuckle driving through an Iowa blizzard and our car was covered in half an inch of solid ice), and I have not had a chance to remark on the amazement that was our spring break trip! We flew into Vegas and spent the night at a HORRIBLE Howard Johnson's. Like incredibly dirty and so filled with pot smoke you got a contact high from it. But we were only there 5 hours, and then drove on. Lesson learned. Day 1 - Zion. Zion is a lot of people's favorite park, and I understand why. It's incredibly beautiful, and our hike (up to the start fo the Narrows) was gorgeous. I really want to go back and stay in the lodge and hike the full Narrows (though with a smallish kid and 40 degree water, I think restraint was the better part of valor on this trip). The river was lovely and we did play in it some. It was a beautiful park, but also between the shuttles and the construction and the people it was a bit hard to manipula

Apparently something in some digital profile calls me an "influencer," because I have been invited to two soft openings this week. Tuesday we went to Fresh Thyme, which opened on University Avenue in Prospect Park. Right now, our grocery patterns are very scattered, between Target, Mississippi Market, sometimes Aldi and Costco, TJ's, Lund's, and Kowalski's. I liked Fresh Thyme a lot, and expect I'll end there a fair amount because I have a lot of clients at University and 280. The takeaway food (soups, sushi, salad, olive bar) were good, the fruit and veggies very fresh and attractive, and a lot of good staples as well, and at least introductory prices were low. I can see shopping there a lot. Friend have commented that they prefer going to the Bloomington location and find that one technically "closer," but I'll shop in the city as opposed to in a suburb any chance I get. Then tonight we stopped by The Parlour, which we have liked in Min

After a great vacation, and driving from Denver to Minneapolis in one shot and through a blizzard, yesterday was a hard return to reality. I was running a little late to Beatrix's Girl Scout presentation due to a meeting, but pulled up only a minute late at 7:31pm and got a parking spot right in front of the church on Hamline, across from Randolph Heights. I ran in, and felt like I had hit the mom jackpot. And then, just a few minutes later, someone came in and told me my car had been broken into. In just a few minutes, someone had shattered my window, grabbed my computer bag and purse, and taken off. Before the police could even arrive, my phone was buzzing with fraud alerts from charges made. And most of all, my work computer, and its backup, were gone. It's like I lost my whole world at once. People have been amazing. My amazing friend Amber immediately showed up with cake and wine (how did she know exactly what I needed?). Patrick installed a 9-month old backup on

Patrick got me Blundstones for Christmas, after I not-so-delicately hinted how much I wanted them. They are cute and trendy and I've worn them pretty constantly for work since then. But now, these boots (shown covered with dust above, but they clean up well), have made it through five Utah national parks in five days. They've hiked up trails, rock faces, through sand, across parking lots. They re the best hiking boots I've ever had. Love them. (more on the trip soon)

"It's easy to make a clementine candle!" We saved some old clementines after they got woody, but they did not work. So then we tried it with a new clementine — scored the outside, pulled off the sections in full pieces, twisted a "wick" from the pith, filled it with olive oil — and it refused to light. We used up a ton of tighter fluid trying to get it to work, and then gave up. Pinterest fail. One thing off the bucket list. (can you tell we're a little at loose ends waiting for our flight to leave?)