Last night we had an earthquake! We've had earthquakes in Oklahoma before, but they were very small.This one was pretty big and scary.
I was sitting on the couch with my dog Buttercup, and I started to feel the house tremble. As soon as I knew what it was, I ran to Meatball's bedroom and got him. The three of us sat on the couch for what seemed like a long time, but was only a minute. Nothing fell off the walls and I don't think there is any damage, but the crystal chandelier in the dining room was swaying back and forth. I actually had to grab it to make it stop moving!
It was a bit scary. I'm thankful that I don't have any pictures to post.

We spent Halloween giving out treats at the home of our friends, Jeff and Suzy and their family. It was great fun!

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When we were in New York we ate at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant. It’s said to have been a favorite of Frank Sinatra. Judging by the pictures on the walls, it’s a favorite of many celebrities. I can understand why…the food was delicious.
We also bought their cookbook, which has interesting stories as well as recipes. The veal meatballs are outstanding!

Happy Halloween! I hope you’re getting all treats and no tricks. Here is a picture of a few pumpkins in our front yard.

On a past trip to New York City we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria. I was looking for the glitz and glamour of an old New York City hotel...it did not disappoint. It's a beautiful old hotel and I was treated like royalty. I can't wait to stay there again.

We have a new market in Oklahoma City. The Whole Foods Market has just opened and it’s my new favorite place to food shop. Until this store opened it was very difficult to find some of the specialty items I sometimes need to cook.

Those days are over…this store appears to have it all! They have beautiful produce, a nice selection of seafood and a huge meat counter. I counted 17 kinds of sausage!
No longer will I have to find a substitute for a fabulous cheese I need for an Italian dish. The aroma from the bread department is enchanting and the pastry counter mesmerizing.
They had me at cannolis! They were good, too. In the past I’ve had to make a trip to New York or Italy for a good cannoli, but no more. I think I probably should buy some stock in the Whole Foods Market…I’ll be shopping there quite a bit.
WooHoooo! Life is good!

This year the Oklahoma City Ballet is presenting its 40th anniversary season. The season will include Coppelia, The Nutcracker, The Firebird and The Wizard of Oz.
Last night we attended a performance of Coppelia…it was WONDERFUL!

Marc and I are season ticket holders and look forward to the rest of the season. Thanks to many generous sponsors, the Arts are alive and well in Oklahoma City!

Over the years I’ve enjoyed eating in many restaurants, but one of my favorites would have to be Wilson Hamburgers in my hometown of Findlay, Ohio.
At Wilson’s you’ll get a made-to-order hamburger, fries and a coke and/or frosty. You can also get a piece of pie. The pie is fresh and the meat is, too! It’s simple and delicious.

Wilson’s is in the heart of downtown on Main Street. EVERYONE goes to Wilson’s.
After the Findlay High School football games we walked to Wilson’s. When we “cruised the circuit” we went to Wilson’s. The older crown gathered there to visit and have coffee and pie. They opened very early and closed very late. Every time I return to Findlay I stop there at least once a day. The food is as good today as it was when I was sixteen.

When I think nostalgia, I think Wilson Hamburger. Still YUMMY after all these years.

We attended the Columbus Day Parade in New York City. It was great fun!

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This is me on the scale at the American Museum of Natural History. See, I really did lose weight! Haha!!!

It would be hard to have a bad day on this scale. WooHooo! Life is good.

Last Saturday we made a stop at the American Museum of Natural History after our ride through Central Park. It’s at the north end of Manhattan, right across the street from Central Park. My favorite part was the dinosaurs. I’m certainly glad I don’t live in the time of the dinosaurs. Meeting any one of these creatures couldn’t have ended well.

Saturday morning we went to Central Park. We decided to hire a bicycle rickshaw to take us around the park. The cost was $70.00 and lasted about an hour…money well spent. It was a beautiful day and we had a very nice ride.
The highlight of the park was when we got to the Strawberry Fields mosaic dedicated to John Lennon. It was his birthday and a band was playing. The music was not loud and overpowering, but the voices were…in a good way. There were several hundred people softly singing John Lennon and Beatles tunes. It was quite a moving tribute.

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If you’ve ever been to Grand Central Station in New York City you know it’s much more than a place to catch a train. There are restaurants and many specialty stores. During the holidays there is a Christmas market, and many other events can be found throughout the year.
One of my favorite spots is the food market. It’s an open market that looks like a long hallway. You can find fresh produce, flowers, candy, pastries, bread, pasta and meat. It’s a great place to pick up dinner items on your way home from work.
My favorite sections are the cheese counter and the Italian meat counter. Look at all the beautiful prosciutto! YUMMY!

It's the next best thing to actually being in Italy.

As you may know, last year I was on a mission to lose some weight. It went really well until we had a foreign exchange student come to live with us. My diet went out the window when I started cooking for a sixteen year old boy. After he returned to Germany I resumed my diet and finally lost the weight.

Now I’m at my goal weight and have nothing to wear. It was such a pity to be going to New York and have nothing to wear. What’s a girl to do? Can you say SHOPPING SPREE?!? I sent Marc to explore the city on his own and I hit the stores as they opened. Half way through the day Marc met me at a store and lugged my bags back to the hotel. When the stores closed that evening he met me again and helped me drag more bags back to the hotel. Now that’s a GREAT husband!

I replaced my whole wardrobe in one big shopping day. What a nice reward for dropping the extra pounds. I’m buying a size 6 now…and it feels so-o-o-o good!

Here is a picture of me at Shoegasm. It’s not my finest picture taking moment…don’t I look a little crazy? That’s how I get when I buy shoes.

I bought four pairs of boots on this trip. The tall dark boots are actually rubber rain boots. I bought them for when I have to deal with the aqua alta (flooding) in Venice, Italy…the next time I’ll do it in style.

This past week we took a trip to New York City. As usual, we had a great time, and when we returned home we were so exhausted we needed a vacation from our vacation.

This time we stayed at The Wall Street Inn at 9 South William Street. It’s a nice hotel that we are happy to recommend. It’s quiet in the evening and very close to the subway, which will get you anywhere in the city.

Here is a picture of what Ground Zero looks like today. It’s amazing how much progress has been made since the last time I was there, almost four years ago.