City Girl

YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF THE CITY,
BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE THE CITY OUT OF THE GIRL

I know this phrase all too well as someone who now lives just over the bridge in New Jersey, but grew up in South Philly. Everyday, especially recently, I have a deep urge to move back into the city. Maybe it’s the convenience, maybe it’s being closer to friends, but whatever the reason, my roots are in the City of Brotherly Love and it will always remain close to my heart. I think anyone who was raised in a city – maybe not necessarily just Philadelphia - have similar feelings about the urban setting of their hometown.  

There are obviously a variety of different, yet unique aspects of both Philadelphia and New Jersey, but this city girl still has a hard time getting used to the following:

Grass. Even though I’m allergic to the ever present green stuff, I’m just not a fan of it either. This may sound strange, but if I had the choice, concrete would supercede grass any day. Maybe it’s because I’m used to cement or maybe it’s because you can tell whether it’s clean or not. Maybe it’s because I grew up on a small street in the city where I sometimes walked barefoot along the sidewalks (trust me, they were clean because my mom was always out sweeping and washing the pavement). But, whatever the reason, my main concern about grass is what lies underneath the soil. Just think about it for a second. If worms can find there way out onto the sidewalk when it rains, imagine what else is hidden between those blades. The unknown bothers me the most, but I don't enjoy how it feels under my feet either. One thing’s for sure, I can’t walk barefoot on grass and you will never find me sitting on it without a blanket. To keep it simple, I skeeve it.

Bugs. The second thing I’m not the best with are bugs. I would like to think most females are not too great with the little creatures, but can’t be totally sure. This may sound gross, especially since I already spilled my feelings on the grassy subject. But, if I saw a cockroach, silver fish or spider, I would probably be fine and be adept at handling the situation. See, I’m familiar with these insects. It’s the exotic (I couldn't think of a better adjective) bugs I don’t know nor have ever heard of that’s the problem. A few years ago during a game of miniature golf near my house, I almost stepped on and killed (not on purpose) a praying mantis simply because it looked like a twig to my untrained eye. That was until the stick insect moved. As a result of this incident, I learned although there isn't a fine for killing a manti, it's not a good practice since they are great for gardeners. 

Circles. Enough said. The state of New Jersey has even started to realize this design might not have been the most effective. Instead, they've been converting many into four or five way (sometimes confusing) intersections. It’s also not safe when the car in front of you fails to keep up with the flow of traffic and breaks abruptly. 

Wildlife. I am extremely environmentally and eco-friendly. Just ask my parents. They'll tell you I preach – every now and again – about the importance of recycling for future generations. I think chopping down forests or vast areas of land for our own benefit is selfish. We should keep these areas for animals to roam since we've already taken to over crowding their original territory. Anyway, because of the latter, one of my biggest fears are random animals – mainly deer – jumping out into traffic. Even though I live in a rather developed area, I feel like they hang out in my backyard, more or less. With no place to go, they walk or jump across the roads we regularly travel. Whether it’s a small side street or a major highway, it’s still scary and probably one of my biggest fears when driving at night. And, yes, I’ve been privy to deer and other albeit smaller animals jumping in front of my car on more than one occasion.

Convenience. Most places in the Garden State are not in close proximity to each other. There isn't the convenience of a corner store unless you want to walk along streets without sidewalks or cross major intersections along the way. This is probably what I miss the most about the city. I miss the little things like walking over to a friend's house, talking to my neighbors or picking up groceries at the corner store. Instead, I drive almost everywhere. Thank goodness I have a reliable car!

My pet peeves are just one or two reasons why I love Philadelphia and cities in general. They may not be the cleanliest, but they sure are unique. I LOVE my town! Even though a few details have taken time to get used to, Jersey has etched out its own well-deserved space in my life over the years! But, that's for another post.    

I thought it would be perfect to finish with a few great shots my grad school friend, Sally, took during her visit in 2007. Even though it was a few years ago, the pictures are timeless. She definitely captured Philadelphia's distinct history and unique characteristics.

With

Love,

Philadelphia

XOXO

Warm Wedding Wishes

Frederick Masciangelo and Maia Silvestro became Mr. and Mrs. last Saturday at the Woodcrest Country Club in Cherry Hill, NJ. Dinner and tons of dancing followed the tear-filled outdoor ceremony. Even though rain, hail, thunder and lightening swept in the night before, the day of the event turned out to be warm and beautiful – a perfect setting for an outdoor wedding amidst the green of the golf course.

I snuck up next to the photographer to take some photos – they had a long photo shoot, so I had some time to drink, eat, mingle and take photos during the cocktail hour (and a half). Joe, the best man, was very serious during the ceremony – I think it might have been because he was a little nervous for his upcoming speech. But soon after his moment was finished, he was dancing with the best of them.  

VOWS

Lots of Pictures...with the bride and groom!

The bridal party included Maia's friends Emily (Maid of Honor) and Gabby (Matron of Honor); Maia's sister-in-law, Lisa; Freddy's cousin, Rachael; and Freddy's sister, Lori along with three junior bridesmaids consisting of Maia and Freddy's goddaughters and Sammy, Maia's niece. The groomsmen included Joe (Best man); Freddy's friend, Rob; Freddy's cousin, Jimmy; and Maia's brothers Joe and Dom along with Maia's nephew Dom.

Dad shot

And then onto the reception...

Freddy and Maia getting down

CAKE

After the wedding, while the bride and groom drove away in their limo, a number of the wedding guests headed out to have some drinks since it was still early.
Congratulations to new Mr. and Mrs!

From New York to Atlantic City

Whether we’re in Atlantic City, New York or right here in Philly, spending time with my girlfriends is one of my absolute favorite activities! I wish I could do it more often.
The last few months have been quite busy especially with three weddings coming up in the next month, but 'Fashion Frenzy' happened before the onset of bridal showers and bachelorette parties! During Valentine’s Day weekend, a few of my girlies and I took a mini-vacation up to the Big Apple to attend a Fashion Week show at the Waldorf Astoria. This jaunt was definitely something I’m glad we did (and was so pumped for since its inception) because it was ultimately so much fun! After our quick ride – due to Erin’s speedy driving – we arrived at the parking lot adjacent to the San Carlos Hotel, where we spent the night. From the moment we parked, we should have known the weekend would be memorable. After telling the parking attendant we were going to attempt to check in early, and asking if we could come back to the car to retrieve our bags, Erin and Marlena headed to check in. Not even ten minutes later when we walked the 100 feet or so back to the parking lot for our bags, the parking attendant had already moved the car. And, albeit not in a close location. Instead, he parked on the fourth floor.
When he originally wanted to take only one person with him to gather the surplus of bags, Erin knew better. She wouldn’t be able to carry our load herself so she took Marlena along as Veronica and I waited at the bottom of the metal stairs wondering if there was an elevator available. To break it to you lightly, there was not and this was before we realized the car was parked on the top floor. With all eight bags in tow, the parking attendant only offered to carry one and that wasn’t even until the last flight, Erin and Marlena struggled down the steps, but looked like movie stars nonetheless.
Back in our room, we proceeded to dress up for the Fashion Show at the Waldorf down the street. We chatted about what we were wearing, what shoes looked best and how we were going to do our hair as well as how nice the hotel was, which was a great choice (thanks to Erin)! After placing finishing touches on our outfits, we headed to the Waldorf for the show. I must say we fit in nicely and did not stick out, like we thought we would.
When taking our seats in the third row, we were excited for the show to begin even though we didn't know the designer. Walid Atallah was the elegant gown designer, whose final piece was a $1.2 million bridal gown.

Runway shots including the bridal gown finale and interior lighting on the walls of the Waldorf.

Inside the Waldorf before the show - we needed a group shot.  

Before the show, we had some extra time to briefly tour Manhattan, where we encountered a Cookie Monster looking for some change.

After the show, we headed to Pescatore for dinner and Branch Nightclub to end the night on a high note.  

GINA'S BACHELORETTE PARTY

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - APRIL 24, 2010

On April 24, 2010, we headed down to Atlantic City for Gina’s Bachelorette Party festivities. Erin - Gina’s maid of honor - planned our evening along with her bridesmaids to a T. We enjoyed dinner at Mia in Caesars with some of Gina and Mike's family. Pineapple upside down shots in our hotel room followed dinner. We even soaked up some extra girl time before heading to a show and then out at Dusk for some drinks and dancing. By the end of the night, many of us were walking barefoot, which I think is a sign of a fun evening! Instead of going into detail, the photos below give a sneak peek into the weekend's fun events....Congratulations Gina and Mike! I'm so excited for your wedding and for the beginning of your new life together...countdown to less than two weeks! Woohoo!

The Bridal Party in front of Mia before the start of the night...

Gina and her mom!

The Bride-to-Be!

 

Kris, Me and Mar....Me and the Bride in the hotel room before heading out!

After dinner, we headed to the next festivity of the night in Atlantic City...let's just say, it was an interesting part of the night and a memorable one!

At our table.....

Maid of Honor, Erin, Gina along with bridesmaids Marlena and Veronica

We thought the place was a little sketchy at first...hence the faces!

But we warmed up to the venue....

Toasting to a wonderful evening celebrating Gina's last nights of singlehood!

Our Verde Champagne and elegant container.

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!

The night continued to Dusk, where I have a few pictures of random people...just a snippet are below (thanks to Veronica, Erin and Shannon for some of the photos below too)...

"I live for the nights I can't remember with the friends I'll never forget!"

Random guys...who seemed to be enjoying themselves all over the dance floor. 

A couple photos toward the end of the night before we ended up at The Pier.

I CANNOT wait until next time.

"A friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself." - JM

My girlfriends and I (no matter the occasion) are always ourselves with each other. I love them all and spending time with them whenever possible...more events and memories are sure to come!