Things

So, I keep a list of my favorite things.  These are the classics that don’t go out of style for me.  Some examples are:  My nephew Zachary (who has called me “Daunte” his whole life and I’m not so sure he knows my real name), the way my cat will wiggle her backside before she pounces on something (most likely my poor, unsuspecting other cat), the sound of 8 oars “locking in” on the smooth water early in the morning during a row, Bar Harbor Maine, tornadoes (not the damage they create, rather, the beauty of how mother nature creates these intense vortexes to redistribute energy in the atmosphere), diners, WXRV radio, What Not to Wear on TLC, auctions.  There are more items on the list, but I think you get my picture.

 

And then there is my “trendy list” (TL).  Some of these things may make it to the classic list, however, it is too early to tell.  Tops right now on the TL is Orbit Mint Mojito gum.  I cannot get enough of that stuff!  Another item on the TL is the word snarky.  I don’t even know what it means (perhaps I should look it up before I post this…) I did…according to the Urban Dictionary it means “A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism. Usually accepted as a complimentary term. Snark is sometimes mistaken for a snotty or arrogant attitude.”  Let the list continue:  Benjamin Moore paint samples (in particular the color Liberty Green -- do you think it would look good on a Victorian house?  I am leaning that way…), speaking of Ben’s, there is my boyfriend Ben (*good* shot at making the classic list here…), Orange County Choppers…

 

I’ve got a not so favorite things list, but I’ll keep this positive and spare you those details.

 

What are some of your favorite things?  Go read Mike Walter’s blog.  It’s actually funny!  It almost makes my TL.  Thanks for reading and stay cool.

 

--KM

 

I took a long weekend trip to Miami and had this wonderful idea: why not have one of my buddies, Amy (who happens to be a news producer), guest blog for me? This way, my blog gets updated, I look like I am working hard while on vacation, and you (our valuable blog reader) get some fine travel tips – enjoy!

Amy's Blog

Amy Cohen

The Crew:

Kim- you all know her

Katie – originally from New Mexico but now living in Philly working on her PhD in bio engineering

Diane – morning anchor at Fox 23 in Albany, NY and the organizer of the trip

Amelie- despite the name she's German, not French and is not only a medical doctor but a PhD too

and Myself, Amy – a producer up at News 12 Westchester in New York

First of all, I have to start out by saying how honored I am to be contributing to Kim's blog. At this moment we're all sitting poolside, enjoying our final few hours soaking up the sun…it's definitely not going to be fun going back to reality. Our weekend getaway to Miami has been in a word an adventure.

It got off to a bit of stormy start…but we never for a moment let it put a damper on our trip.

Kind of fitting, but it all began when a tropical depression decided to follow our favorite meteorologist Kim into Miami. Her plane wasn't allowed to land and she got to spend some time hovering over the Bahamas instead. But Kim eventually arrived in South Beach with a smile on her face.

Day two, the sun is shining as we wake up to start our day. We're taking a road trip to Key Largo to go snorkeling! About one minute after we arrive in the Keys…a dark cloud moves in and it proceeds to rain or should I say pour for the entire day! But despite the stormy seas…we still went on our snorkeling excursion.

For some of us (Kim and myself) battling sea sickness and others, (myself again and Katie) nerves because I've never been snorkeling before…and I have to say being out in the middle of the ocean in the middle of a storm is just a little intimidating! But, we all persevered and experienced something that we never have before. And I'm happy to report the remainder of the trip has been filled with nothing but relaxation, rest, good friends and fun.

Before I sign off to relish the rest of my time here…I'll pass along a few travel tips if you ever find yourself in Miami…a cab ride from the airport to South Beach costs $32, (not $35 as one driver tried to con Kim) and definitely don't pay $40 something for a shuttle bus.

A trip to Miami wouldn't be compete without a meal at Barton G….a restaurant with the most outrageous food presentations…guaranteed to be one of the most unique meals you've ever had! And finally, if you find yourself thirsty in your hotel room, you may want to think twice before grabbing that bottle of Evian from the mini bar. I learned the hard way, with taxes included it will cost you a whopping $5.25!

I'll end with a quote dedicated to the new "Golden Girls" but inspired by the original "Golden Girls"…"Thank you for being a friend."

Live at Fire House #206, Alexandria VA

What a morning!



Have you ever checked out the inside of a Fire House before? No?? Well I had the great pleasure of visiting Fire House #206 in Alexandria this morning. Captain Phillip Perry and his squad gave our team the inside scoop on what goes on inside the fire house from who is the best cook (you go Greg!) to what it takes to rescue someone stuck in a Metro tunnel.



If they're not posted yet, we will have some video clips of the tour posted by Thursday morning.



I was told that they often get asked about the pole that they slide down. Why are we so fascinated with that thing? I know I was, and had the chance to slide down it. (All I kept thinking about was Bridget Jones' Diary...) They actually have these 3 trap door-like things surrounding the pole to help filter out noise from below in the bay where the trucks are. You see, right above is their sleeping quarters. Each fire fighter has their own bunk and locker and they sleep in one common room. (This can be a problem for anyone who snores like a chain saw...errr...or anyone who has to sleep in the same room as anyone who snores like a chain saw!) It supports camaraderie, though, among the guys. I'm told, however, that as new fire houses are being built, they are trying to make the sleeping quarters more private and located on the same level as the trucks. So the poles are becoming few and far between (sigh.) DC actually has some poles that go up 2 stories (!!!) Yikes.



These men and women don't just fight fires. They are trained to rescue people trapped in cars (that's where the Jaws of Life come in), trapped in tunnels or trenches, or even just stuck on the side of a building washing windows. Each fire fighter has to be trained and ready to go to assist in any of these situations ... this means repelling down the side of the building is part of the routine. Be sure to watch how fire fighter Ken repelled down the side of the fire house for us live this morning. He may get ribbed for burning the pancakes when it's his turn to cook, but he knows what he's doing when it comes to getting people out of a dangerous situation!



And before you go thinking it is only men who live at the fire station, think again. I met a few ladies who live and work there, too. Liz King is a paramedic. She says the ambulance she is in is capable of doing anything an emergency room can. Liz and the other women who live there a few days a week have their own sleeping quarter. Like the guys, she has her own set of chores.



Of course I needed to know more details, like, how much does it cost to feed everyone and is that included in running the fire house? I believe the figure was $14 per day per person. That got you two meals, and each person living there pays that themselves. In addition to that, there is a common tax they all pay once a month to cover the items they all use (condiments, etc.) I was hoping I could sign up for their meal plan. Honestly, for the money, where else can you get the great cooking at that kind of cost? Our crew was well fed: eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausage gravy, pancakes, half smokes and even fruit salad!



There are three groups of people (teams?) at Fire House #206. They have a calendar that shows days marked in red, green, and black. Basically, each "team" works one day on and one day off for a certain amount of days. Then they have 4 days off while the other two teams cover the schedule. (I hope I got that right!)



Thank you Alexandria Fire House #206 -- for your hospitality AND, for your willingness to put your life on the line to keep us safe. You rock.