Tom and Diana: East Coast Life

We hope all of you have enjoyed this wonderful holiday season as much as Tom and I have. Each year this time is so magical for us! We had a wonderful time with friends last night for a traditional Italian Christmas Eve Dinner (love you Marc and Donna and your white clam linguine!!!) and wonderful conversation. Today Tom and I enjoyed our present opening and once again we feel spoiled and blessed-- so blessed.

Here are some pictures from all the snow we've had that (a foot fell last week at home and 2' at the boat) has led up to this beautiful White Christmas! Tom captured some of Ollie frolicking in the snow. So funny to have seen in person. Where is Frank you may ask? He barely ventured off the deck--even though I shoveled a path for him in the grass.

Enjoy your day, your families and friends and have a joyful 2010!

who love NY as much as I do (Steph, Bev, Marin, Ang, Rachel, Jean, Melissa and more)--- enjoy this little video by dailycandy.com
It gives a great view of the city and what there is to love about it! I just wish the video was longer! :)


http://www.dailycandy.com/new-york/video/78982/Empire-State-of-Mind

Tomorrow we are supposed to have our first HUGE snowstorm of the year and the forecast is calling for 8-14" OR MORE for the Tri-State area! YAY! I love it!! I went to the store to stock up on the essentials in case we get snowed in! Tom laughs at that, but being from Seattle---I have always hoped to be snowed in... like that famous Little House on the Prairie Christmas episode where the Ingalls are completely snowed in (not the one where Mary and Laura both got the same dress and they were actually happy--that one sucked)... and if you don't know what I am talking about, well, that is just sad. Youtube it--in fact, here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6clU0xMEUkE


Or, if you have the opportunity, ask my sister, my mom or my aunt Renee or Aunt Cindy as they all know what I am talking about (even my brother knows, but he'd NEVER admit it... Poor Grant, 2 older sisters did him NO favors). ANYWAY-- since this post was NOT intended to be about 70's television but sortof ended up being so, I will close this post up with the old TV sign-off of "Stay Tuned"... we'll update you on the snow later!!

Picture courtesy of nbcnewyork.com

There have been many songs written about my favorite city but this one I am really liking right now. Alicia Keys was a guest on the Colbert Report yesterday to perform her song Empire State of Mind 2 and Stephen Colbert questioned why the song focused on the city only and not the 'burbs (like NJ and Conneticut--Stephen lives in Conneticut). I am pasting the lyrics of the original song but also a clip of a "remake" of the song Alica and Colbert did featuring Colbert's customized rap solo (that follows just a 15 second commercial).
Its classic!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/115500/the-colbert-report-alicia-keys-and-stephen-perform

Lyrics:

Ooohh New York x2

Grew up in a town that is famous as the place of movie scenes
Noise is always loud, there are sirens all around and the streets are mean
If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that's what they say
Seeing my face in lights or my name in marquees found down on Broadway

Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Some will sleep tonight with a hunger for more than an empty fridge

I'm gonna make it by any means, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These street will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

One hand in the air for the big city,
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

The answer, if you ask most New Yorkers, is "not much". Its been a frustrating time since the attacks on our country in regards to the rebuild. It has been postponed for multiple reasons (some considered good, others not) and is years behind schedule.

I have been down there countless times and if you didn't know better, you'd think it was just a regular construction site. The site itself is fenced off and the fences are covered (initially they were not) so seeing into the construction zone is impossible from the street. However now, The Port Authority of NY and NJ have added views (pictures and videos) from the site to flickr.com and youtube.com.


Check it out.
Picture is courtesy of Joe Woolhead found on nbcnewyork.com

Hello readers! This post is not meant to be a toot my own horn type of post, but it is to notify you to check out Empire Sports Now! It is a NY-area Sports blog that I am now a writer for! As you know, I love to write and while travel writing is my passion---I am a huge sports fan and a huge NY area sports fan which led me to this site and this fabulous opportunity!!

Being their newest writer, I have been assigned the New Jersey Nets. For those of you who do not follow sports or the Nets-- tell everyone they are your favorite team and that you love them and that you never miss a game!!

For those of you who know a bit about the NBA (National Basketball Association) will know that the Nets have THE WORST record in the NBA right now (2-22) and they just can't seem to catch a break. While it is difficult to write about them in a positive way that keeps my readers engaged----its great fun for me to be involved in basketball again-this time as a journalist rather than a coach or a player.

If you know me well, you know that I am not a fair-weather fan. I do not jump on bandwagons (never have, never will like or have faith in the Seattle Seahawks or Seattle Mariners) nor do I become a hater when "my teams" have an off season or two (GO UW Huskies!!! Its just a re-building year (or 4)!!) so while it may be a difficult job writing about the Nets right now-- I am in it for the long haul and I am waiting for when they turn the page on this season!! :)

Enjoy the website. It covers all NY area sports. Please do leave a comment or, if you are so inclined, follow us on twitter! As always, thanks for reading this blog and I hope you have a moment to check out my new undertakings at
http://empiresportsnow.com/

Our little Franklin Delano Ellefson (Frank to most people) is 3 today! Yay Frank! You are 3! PARTY!!

Here he is at his party.


And here is the aftermath... too many dog treats for the boy (and his sister)!



**(disclaimer: tom and I are officially "those people" who treat their dogs like many treat their kids...)