Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Members' Collection House Tour

July 7 - "Members' Collection House Tour" 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Several museum members have opened their homes for guests to view their extensive lightship basket collections. Learn about what has attracted these collectors and how they continue to search for special treasures to add to their collection.  Tickets available for $40 and include a reception at the last house on the tour.


Buy tix here

Friday, June 17, 2011

Every Resort Town Should Do This!

Stop & Shop Product Finder
They changed the Stop & Shop around. Forget about esthetics, where's the hummus? Here's the first version of where to find most things you want - we'll keep refining it as we visit and with any suggestions you send in. Click anywhere on the lists to download a printable pdf version. (I dont know how to add this feature allowing you to print a PDF but if you shop in Nantucket the original is from the Mahon About Town Newsletter dated June 16, 2011.)
Pancake Mix Aisle 1

Click to Enlarge

I don't care if they changed the store around or not as everyone who visits a new place never knows where anything is kept.  You end up with a crowded store filled with clueless people crashing their carts into each other every weekend.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Father's Day ideas

Father's Day is on Sunday, June 19. "News flash!" (Read with dripping with sarcasm) I find men to be a bit difficult to buy for.  We all do.  You do know why don't you?  It is because when we are small we don't have any money of our own (or access to money if we do have some of our own for some reason.) So the money we spend on a gift for Dad is usually his money.  This coupled with the fact that men hate to shop equals this response "Nothing!" or worse "Socks & underwear." when you ask Dad what he wants for Father's Day, Christmas or his birthday. Here is what, I think, is a genius suggestions for a fun Father's Day gift:

& a standing date to do it together on Sunday night. 

A one year sub is about $40 or you can try it out a month at a time for $7. No shipping! If one of you is terrible at XWs the Monday puzzle is up by 7:00 p.m. EST Sunday night. If one of you is great (& patient) The Sunday puzzle is still up at 7:00 p.m. as "Yesterday". You can call your Dad up on the phone & speak while you work on the XW or there is an Instant Message (IM) panel on the right hand side of the page which you can use to "chat".  Remember to log off with GG (Good Game) at the end of each match. 

If you want to try something a little different, there is a Challenge option. This pops up older puzzles & allows you to play against each other (or collaborate if you don't want to compete.) There is also a WordPlay Blog which is fun to read.



CAVEAT: The site can be wonky.  Also, it can be confusing to get in to the Play with a Friend site the first few times you try it.  It is NOT intuitive.  You feel like you should click on the TODAY'S PUZZLE text when what you really need to do is to click the PLAY box in the Solve with a Friend Section. 

We both know you know you won't make the Sunday date every week, but if you put it on the calendar there is a better chance you'll make it or at least reschedule.  I don't speak to my parents every week.  I know some speak everyday(!) and most try to speak them every week which is noble.  I'm not making judgements or casting aspersions, I just think as we & our parents get older we should make it a point to reach out to them more often. 

You should be sure to introduce your Dad to the amazing Rex Parker blog.  He does the puzzle & explains the rationale of the overall theme & individual clues, he's really witty!  The comments are very creative, illuminating & downright hilarious at times.

Also, taking your Dad to lunch, dinner or drinks is a nice thought.  Just the two of you, his favorite spot.  Or maybe a lecture?  My Dad took me to hear Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. speak at the Midland Center for the Arts when I was a High School student.  We discussed policy all the way to the lecture & all the way home and I think for many days after.  What a great gift & it wasn't even my birthday!

Hope this post gets the creative juices flowing & you come up with something really terrific for your Dad!

ABG
*or I suppose you could do it in paper & talk on the phone while you do it!

Monday, June 13, 2011

My new PFD

Bacon is an excellent swimmer.  He has a barrel chest from his greyhound-like ribcage and he has webbed feet.  For some reason he doesn't love swimming.  He'll splash around in shallow calm water but he'd rather not be over his head.  He usually stands on the shore and barks at us to come out of the water and back onto the beach. 




Over Memorial Day he did swim out after the fishing lure (cast from the shore) so that was a big improvement.  I've had reports that he hopped right on the kayak yesterday and swam in the last 100 yards or so to the shore at the end of the ride. 



His "Dad" thinks that if he had a life vest or a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) as they are called, that he'd be lifted slightly out of the water and therefore more confident.  So I ordered one frome Abe's of Maine.  Here are the photos:

Post Fashion Show Nap

He wore it swimming/kayaking on Friday & it worked really well!

Friday, June 10, 2011

Place cards Part 2

As promised the steps I took to cobble together some place cards for a dinner party last night & the finished product:
Motel Deluxe plain lime place cards with white trim, some little paper flowers from Jolee's by You I considered pasting on the ladie's place cards.

Microsoft Word French Script MT 36 pt Font in Lime
B'loonies that I found at Duane Reade



How to video on blowing up B'loonies from YouTube

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Place cards

I really like place cards and always offer to do them for any parties I'm lucky enough to be invited to attend.  Imagine my surprise (when I dragged my co-worker over to 57th St., near Carnegie Hall yesterday in the heat) to see Kate's Paperie is closed!  Luckily this is a smaller dinner party (8 ppl) & I have a desk full of place cards ranging from adorable to plain (as well as prices ranging from $$$ to 99 cent bargins!)

While I was looking for inspiration on the web I ran across these two really cool ideas:

Topiary Place Card Holders which you can order here.


and

These gorgeous placecards from Timeless Paper

I'll try to post the steps I took to make my home-made last minute place cards later today or tomorrow (or Saturday.)

Do you have any suggestions for place cards that you'd like to share?  I'd love to hear about them!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Around the Town

Post # 3 of 3 "Around the Town" Here are a few pix from around the town of Nantucket over Memorial Day Weekend.

This is a great store, actually it is two stores, antiques on the top & maps in the basement. The sign over the basement window says "Scrimshaw".




Antique Store & Map Store
 

 There is an interesting story about the name Petticoat Row


Petticoat Row Bakery
 


The window boxes are shaped like boats.

Outside the Jared Coffin House


First Congregational Church



"Secret Garden" on West Chester St.



American Seasons




SECRET TIP:  This sign is on West Chester Street just up the block from Centre St. If you take a right here and walk up the hill, you will find the Oldest House.  It has a huge front yard and a garden in the back.  If you continue straight on, through the front yard, you'll see the house & the garden on your left.  Keep going straight ahead, you see an opening in the back fence.  This is the entrance to Coffin Park.  Follow the path and you'll see some picnic tables.  You've ended up at Something Natural! Treat yourself to a sandwich, cookie, Matt Fee Tea or all 3!
 Corner of Centre & West Chester Streets

Sunset at Galley Beach

Photos: ABG

Where the FIGAWI?

Post # 2 of 3 - "Where the FIGAWI?" We were on Nantucket for the Holiday Weekend.  It was also the 40th Figawi Race weekend (Hyannis-Nantucket-Hyannis.)



Photo credit


Here are some of sights:





Photos: ABG

How did you spending your long weekend?

Wacky Alpaci!

I was on Nantucket for Memorial Day Weekend.  I snapped a few fun photos which I am going to post as three separate "themed" posts. Post #1 "Wacky Alpaci!"

Initially I thought that these were GIANT Llamas then someone (a small child, truth be told) informed me they were actually Alpacas (or is it Alpaci?)

CLICK PIX TO ENLARGE

3 of 5 Alpacas (alpaci?)
The MSPCA (on Crooked Ln.)  is in the background.
The other 2. I like how the brown one is peeking out from behind the white one.
Their barn is in the background on the left (wht. bldg.) the MSPCA is on the rt. (grey/brn/shingled bldg.)
 

Photos: ABG