An Ode to Moms & 2011

Happy New Year!  I cannot believe it is 2011, I remember in the year 2000 when my dad secretly made me unplug the computer because he feared an electrical combustion or some other type of life threatening event occuring.

Last year on New Years Eve, I didn't even make it to midnight without puking (fail) and worried the whole time wondering what the 2011 glasses would look like (yes, I am a worry wart).  The 2010 glasses made so much sense 2, the eye was a 0, the other eye was a 1, and then the zero hung off the end.  See below:

I don't know him.

I still don't know how the 2011 glasses looked, someone please send me a picture if you have one.

Here is how I feel about every "new" year; it is a time to look back on the past year with all of the good times and laughs that happened with your family and friends.  Last New Years day, my friends and I all woke up with our clothes on from the night before, ate rock hard bagels (thank you Mary), too hungover for mimosas, talking about what our last semester of college would be like, and then laid around all day eating junk food, wearing goggles, and watching sappy love movies.  January 1st marks a new year, but also means a time for new opportunities, a time to grow a little wiser, and a whole new year to live a life with the people you love most. 

I don't usually like to talk about resolutions; for me they are a little too personal (although I am close to perfect) and I think the idea of the "New Year" resolution paralyzes you.  If you only make change ONCE a year, you are simply only giving yourself one time to change out of 365 days which ends up being .002% for growth (I know this percentage is semi irrelevant).  I think when you find something that you need to improve, you should start right away.  I don't usually quote things but I think Third Eye Blind says it best: "Every moment of your life is a chance to get it right".

Props to everyone making resolutions, I hope you stick with them!  One goal that I want to achieve this year is to run a half marathon by the summer, wish me luck.  On a side note: I loved 2010 and everything about it; I truly would not change a single thing about it.  I am excited to see what 2011 brings along :)

I know I have been slacking on updating the blog.  The retail and restaurant industry in December is disasterous, I am not sure how I am actually alive to write this right now.  I vow to explore and write more; I appreciate all of the email, texts, and facebook posts reminding me I was slacking.

Today was the perfect rainy day to do some exploring with one of my best friends, her (my) sister, and her (my) child.  After doing some shopping, we decided to go to the South End Buttery for brunch.  One thing about me is that I always wake up really early; so by 11 AM today I had worked out, showered, cleaned my room, did some laundry, and ate breakfast.  So while Sadie, Camille and Francis ordered breakfast, I annoyingly ordered lunch but with a mimosa -- it is called brunch for a reason right?  Both Sadie and Camille ordered eggs benedict and Francis had pancakes.  I ordered a grilled cheese and parmesan garlic french fries (I swear I am working on eating healthy when I go out to eat).

Cam enjoying her Irish tea.

Obviously, the grilled cheese was amazing and the french fries were mind blowing.  The fries were so good that I could have eaten them without ketchup.  Both Sadie and Cam loved their breakfast but it was Francis and his pancakes that won over the heart of everyone.  The pancakes were light and fluffy but filling.  Sadie the true baker she is whispered multiple times "I wonder what their recipe is".  I will also note that the pancakes were so good that they did not need syrup (I am huge on condiments).

Squizz waiting for his next bite of pancakes.

He successfully ate both pancakes.  Besides the food, we had a phenomenal waitress and the seating area is beautiful.

The South End Buttery also has an amazing bakery.  We all took desserts home and I shared my vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting with my mom.  My mom does not usually rant or rave about how good dessert is but she told me that these cupcakes were better than Kickass Cupcakes....I think they were both delicious for their own reasons, but you should check them out. The Buttery is located on Shawmut Ave. This picture is for you Nicole since you live a block down:

Here is their website and facebook page: http://www.southendbuttery.com/site/, http://www.facebook.com/butteryse

I realize that every post I write is all over the map with no direction.  I titled this post "An Ode to Moms and 2011" because while we were out to eat, I noticed that right when we got our food, Camille and I dug into our food while Sadie patiently cut up Francis' pancakes.  She made sure they weren't too hot, that they tasted good (success), and that he was happy before she even looked at her own food.  I know that this is everyday business for mothers but for me it was something that was so selfless. Call me morbidly obese, but I cannot remember the last time I considered someone else while I was eating my food.  I hope I inherit these motherly mannerisms or my children will be hungry.  Take some time to reflect and  thank your mom, dad, and everyone else in your life that selflessly commits small acts of kindness for you on a daily basis.

If there are any places that you would like me to check out, please let me know!

Best wishes for an amazing 2011.