Monday Night Music Fix: American Doll Posse by Tori Amos

Check out three tracks from ADP...

Big Wheel

Bouncing Off Clouds

Secret Spell

Wow it has been awhile since I have gotten a chance to post. No Monday Music...no Thursday Thirteen...no Friday Film Fest!

We have had the sickness in our house. Actually not our house but at my in laws. You see, last Saturday night we drove back to Ohio to finalize some paperwork on the house and restaurant. Our plan was to stay until Wednesday morn.

Plans changed. Bigtime. Wednesday morning rolled around and the boy woke up with MASSIVE diarrhea and a case of the throw ups. Not awesome. We collectively decided NOT to drive 7-8 hours back to NYC until his sickness had cleared up. The Chef also came down with the sickness and they both spent the day in bed.

Thursday rolls around and the Chef decides to fly back to NYC and return to get us later on in the week so we could pack our apartment up and move back to Ohio. So confusing and ridiculous I know. But that is how we work. And we work well together.

Long story short, the boy ends up in the ER for dehydration Friday night. He spends all night hooked up to an IV (awful to watch by the way) and we wait for him to pee. Finally 3am we are discharged and my amazing in laws head up to the hospital so we don't have to drive by ourselves home. Wonderful...

Saturday morning. The sickness is back. This time it has struck the Chef's Widow. That's right I was on the toilet while puking in the bathtub from 7am-5pm. Honestly I have NEVER felt that bad. NEVER. When I was in college, I had a slight tendency to abuse alcohol, many times I would finish a fifth of Jack Daniels in one sitting. After those unbelievable nights that I barely remember I never felt as bad as I did on Saturday. Thank god again for my in laws. They took care of the boy, made me jello, bought me Gatorade, and even cleaned the room that I had polluted with my sickness after it was all over. I really married into the right family:)

That is all I have for now. Ciao Ciao.

Friday Film Feature

I am starting a new segment today on Chef's Widow called Friday Film Feature. The Chef & I watch so many films together so I thought I would do something with that.

When the chef & I started dating in high school, our love of films (and weed) is really what brought us together. I remember going to Blockbuster at 15 with him and picking out the craziest most avant garde film we could find. Back then we were way more adventurous in our taste, although some of the movies we professed our love for were really cheese.

Now we have become horror guru's. We have become obsessed with gore and campy violence. Although the film I am recommending today is definitely not in that genre.


Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
First of all, this documentary focuses on a concert that was a tribute to Leonard Cohen, an artist and a poet that has been influential to countless others. This Sidney concert gathered a lot of talent that came together to celebrate his music. Lian Lunson, an Australian director, has taken the best tracks of the historical presentation that mixes well with the man it's paying homage to. Let the viewer be clear that for a better picture of who this man is and what he has done in his life, it will not be found in this movie. For that, anyone interested in Cohen's life must go somewhere else because of the limitations this medium had.

The life of Leonard Cohen is examined briefly as an on camera interview with him at his Los Angeles home. Several biographical bits of information are revealed during that conversation, but of course, it only covers the highlights of his life in sketchy details. One gets to know, for instance, about his early life in Montreal. The death of the father when Cohen was nine. His New York stay, at the legendary Chelsea Hotel, home of the cool people that influenced a whole generation. Then one learns about Mr. Cohen's introduction to Zen Buddhism and his becoming a monk.

A curious note arises from the lips of Leonard Cohen's lips about being a notorious ladies' man, something he was always notorious for, and yet, how far from the truth it was. There is also a moment in which the poet reads for our benefit the introduction he prepared for one of his books being translated into Chinese, a culture that always fascinated him.

The concert itself is an excellent way to hear Leonard Cohen's songs as others interpret them. Rufus Wainwright sings three numbers to great effect. Antony makes a poignant appearance belting "If It Be Your Will", all tics and mannerisms, yet making the song seem new. Nick Cave has also two good moments interpreting "I'm Your Man", and "Suzanne", two of the songs closely associated with Mr. Cohen. Perla Batalla and Julie Christensen who back up most of the songs, are perfect in "Anthem". Martha Wainwright's take on "The Traitor" has a different edge when she sings it, yet it's one of the highlights of the evening.

The best is left for last. Bono, and Edge, who have been praising Mr. Cohen throughout the film come together to back him as he sings his "Tower of Song" in his own inimitable style. It shows a lot of generosity on his part leaving his own material to be reexamined by a younger generation that clearly loves him.

Lian Lunson shows she had the right idea in how to bring the concert into a movie that gives relevance to a man that had it all, Leonard Cohen.

Thirteen Names We are Considering for our new Baby
1. Cotton
2. Roark
3. Bowie
4. Cillian
5. Thoreau
6. Dorian
7. Ewan
8. Caine
9. Huxley
10. Conway
11. Chance
12. Corbett
13. Cavan


Obviously we think the baby is going to be a boy. If it's a girl we might be f'd.

Monday Night Music: All Girl Summer Fun Band

I remember when I was told that I didn't support our troops because I did not support the war. I was called unpatriotic.
It looks as though those 'patriots' haven't exactly supported the troops as well as they proclaim too. Just another notch.

Things have been leveling out and I am getting more and more used the idea of moving back to Ohiya. Although I definitely CANNOT imagine living there for the rest of my life. I am just not a Midwesterner, I may have grown up there but it is no longer my home. The only reason I am cool with going back is the idea of the restaurant we plan to open. Cleveland has seen nothing like it and I know that it will be a success. Anything the Chef puts his name on turns to gold. Just look at the boy.

We are going to head back this weekend to figure out some specifics regarding the house and the restaurant. It's all happening...


Sorry about my lameness. I am in a mood. Haven't seen the Chef in awhile and I am nauseous.

Sunday Sweetness

Thirteen Things You Need to Know About Potato & Vito


1. Vito licks feet at night right before we go to sleep. He worms his way under our comforter and takes turns licking the Chef & my feet.

2. Potato has a serious skin condition that cause him to eat his skin raw. It also causes us to spend thousands of dollars on treatment. Hi is the most expensive free dog ever.

3. Potato is faster than a cheetah if he spies a squirrel. I have never seen ANY dog run faster.

4. Vito hates everyone except me & the boy. On the street he will attack any dog he sees no matter how big or how scary. He just doesn't give a fuck.

5. Vito loves loves loves to bask in the sunlight. He gets all pig like and rolls over so the sun rays can hit his belly.

6. Vito has super STINK breath so he takes Burt's Bees Natural Dog Breath Freshener. Seriously he does.

7. Potato sleeps all day when he has no backyard to play in. He lays two inches from the heater and sleeps. He awakes when the Chef comes home.

8. Vito is in love with Potato but also hates him because he takes away my attention. One day I imagine Vito is going to figure out how to poison Potato so it can be all about him again.

9. Potato is the worst dog that I have ever walked on a leash. He is a puller and pretty much impossible to walk with Vito & the stroller.

10. Because of Potato's skin problem, he has to eat really expensive organic, holistic duck dog food. It costs $60/month.

11. Vito has never had one health problem.

12. Potato can carry three tennis balls in his mouth while swimming.

13. Vito & Catcher have an unspoken agreement. If the boy does not like the food he has received at mealtime, he drops it down to Vito. This is why Vito is a fat ass.

I am back. Well now pretty much everybody knows that I have a baby in my belly. It is so weird though, this pregnancy is turning out to be way way different than the first. My mood swings have been insane. One minute I am sobbing at an episode of Wonderpets and the next minute I am yelling at my husband about how email works. WTF? I am also constantly craving brie & cigarettes. Yep, you heard it right, good old fags. I have no idea why I am craving my old addiction especially since Chef & I have been cigarette free since our honeymoon (Sep 06).

The brie cheese craving cannot be ignored. Yesterday the chef, catch, & i went to Blue Apron Foods & spent $40 on three different kinds of brie. Yummers.

I know if my dad ever read this blog, an immediate lecture on how fat the brie cheese was going to make me would most def ensue.

In other news, I just made Amy's Organic Cream of Tomato soup and it is hella gross. Stay away.

Monday Night Music Fix: Pink 'Dear Mr. President'

I have been so crazy the last two weeks and have neglected my dear blog. I am a bad blogger. Good mommy. Baaaaad Blogger. So here's the dilly:

• I am with child.
• We are moving back to Cleveland.
• We are going to open a restaurant in Cleveland.
• We are, hopefully, going to buy this house.
• If we do buy this house, we are also going to buy some of these and a few of these.
• If we buy some of these & these, we are going to sell some of these & some of this to the restaurant.

So that's the story morning glory. Bye Bye NYC, Hello CLE.

I know I know I have been an awful blogger this week. But the wheels are in motion and I have to put my full energy elsewhere. I'll be back or I may go crazy just not tonight. The drive back from Cleveland was very very long and we got in at 4am. The boy woke up at 8 am so my eyes are barely open right now. This girl is tired.
I will leave with a pic of my new friend Rocky. He eats garbage for fun.

Emergency trip to Cleveland. Will be back Thursday.

News....news...and more news. Must stop typing. Can't reveal yet.

When I was a little girl I used to have 'daymare's' about dying & death. They generally started right before I was going to sleep and I would have to tell myself stories to fall asleep. They were usually thoughts about how my life would be if people I loved passed away. Sometimes I would imagine my father's death, which would terrify me so bad that I would not sleep all night. Imagine that, a seven year old insomniac.
Ultimately these 'daymares' went away but the thoughts of them still resonated deep inside me. This led me to my biggest fear. Death. Ever since I can remember the thought of death has haunted me on a daily basis. Sometimes it would consume me so bad that I would be brought to tears.
And then one day, a funny thing happened. I no longer was scared to die (except on airplanes). The haunting had stopped and it was all because of the birth of my baby boy.
The life that he gave me was something I never thought I could achieve. His birth alone completely wiped out the thoughts of fear and death. My fear had turned into love for him and love for my family.
Now, that the boy is closely approaching his second birthday and our future is balancing in the wind, I find that I have a new fear. Something called uncertainty. Having a child seems to flush all the irresponsibility that used to define me, down the toilet. I have to think of the boy's future as well as our family's. With that magnanimous responsibility I find myself a little bit crazed and stressed.
As of today I do not know what I want the future to be like. Do I want to stay in the city? Is it going to be good for the boy? Should we move to the country and have a prosciutto farm? Do I want the Chef to be famous? Do I want the Chef to be rich? Is the boy going to be pissed that he doesn't have a backyard? Am I really going to like Zydeco?
This is all the shit that goes through me mind every single day. The uncertainty of our future is what is defining me right now. Am I ok with that? Can I be? Right now I just have to trust the fact that so far every decision we have made has been beneficially to our family. Those decisions have made us grow like we never thought possible.
I just have to keep telling myself that it will all work out.

I just want to reiterate how DANGEROUS pit bulls are....

Sometimes I love New York so much that I can't breathe. It can be such a beautiful place. A place that compares to no where else on the planet. How many people can say they live in a place that is not like any other?

So I just posted and my Ipod Radio (which I just found out about thaks to Papa Sawyer) just played 'Green Eyes' that reminds of some really great times I used to have with my friend Mikey. I searched YouTube so I could post it up for all y'all and I found this video dedication to a football (soccer) player named Torsten Frings. It actually fit really well cuz my MRM is really into the game and Torsten is pretty easy on the eyes. He actually kind of reminds me of the Chef. Weird. It's like 6 degrees or something.

So Cheers! Enjoy the tune.





Live Version by Coldplay if you don't feel like staring into Torsten's Green Eyes.

You ever have one of those days where you really want to rip someone's head off? Or maybe you are a pacifist and you just want to get really drunk? Or maybe you are an ex-smoker and the only thing you want to do is go buy a pack of Camel Lights and smoke 'em up? No... well let me just tell you a little bit about my day from HELL.

It all started with the renters. You see instead of selling our house in Ohio when we moved back to NYC, we decided to rent it. We knew there was no way we could afford to buy in the city due to the outrageous prices, so we thought it would be smart to build up equity on what we actually own. When I rented the house out, I followed the advice of a real estate, she made us a contract, I check the credit of the renters and soon enough we had a deal. If I only knew what I know now. Long story short they are absolutely fucking mad. Mad in sense that they both should be locked up in a psych ward. Mad in a way that neither of them ever speak to each other. One will call about something and then the other will call about the exact opposite of what the first one called for. Mad like super crazy, I'm talking Britney Spears Shave Your Head Crazy.
So they decided after months of calling and bitching about numerous things ( i.e. oil on the wall? WTF? Seriously they called me to tell me that. Why don't you just wipe it off, if there is oil on the wall...), they let us know that they wanted to buy a house and would like to move out in February and pay rent until April. The lease was until June 1st. We accepted! We were so glad to be done with the hassle of it all.
Today I had to deal with getting the keys back and it was ridiculous. First they never called my real estate agent back. He was going to get the keys from them last night. Again LSS basically I spent the majority of my day (5 hours) going back and fucking forth with each of 'em and my real estate agent/friend who was doing us a favor by getting the keys. He finally got them but not without me getting three more voicemails which I refuse to listen to ever. Ever.



Glad to be done with all the bullshit I focused on making the boy dinner ( a fabulous green peeper & tomata salad & antibiotic free meatloaf) and then giving him a bath.

Our normal routine is as follows:

• 6.30 Dinner
• 7.00 Bath for C
• 7.30 Teeth brushing & Book Reading
• 8.00 Bedtime

Tonight our routine got a little bit off track when Catcher took a giant caca in the tub. It was not pretty and it did NOT smell good. Disgusted and already super stressed I decided to wash C in the sink and get to the poopy tub later. He went down @ 8 and I sat down with a glass of wine at 8.05. I started to type this stupid long boring post and I accidentally knocked over my full glass of red wine. The glass went absolutely everywhere. The red wine went onto my new rug and I cut myself.

As you can see...my day has been shit. The only light in this dark day has been the fact that earlier in the day Catcher could not stop saying 'car ride.' He literally repeated for at least an hour. It was awesome as is he.

Hopefully tomorrow I will win the lottery or something. I am praying for some Karma.

Monday Night Music: Inara George

Happy Chinese New Year!

"It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and... this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... and I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."

The Year of the Pig 2007

The Boar type is usually an honest, straightforward and patient person. They are a modest, shy character who prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. When others despair, they are often there to offer support. This type of person is reserved with those they do not know too well, but as time passes and they gain confidence, those around them may discover a lively and warm-hearted person behind that mask of aloofness. Despite those born in the year of pig having a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, they have few close friends who understand them and share their inner thoughts and feelings. It is easy to put trust in pig type; they won't let you down and will never even attempt to do so. Such people simply want to do everything right according to social norms.

It is important to remember that these people are not vengeful creatures. If someone tries to take advantage of them, the pig type tend to withdraw to reflect on the problem and protect themselves. All they need in such situations is a little time to find a constructive way to respond. The people of the pig type are conservative creatures of habit. They dislike being made to travel too far from familiar surroundings, unless it is a trip to the countryside. They love nature and are never happier than when they are out somewhere, far from the city.

There is a tolerant and peaceful side to their character. Such people are never afraid to allow others their freedom of expression; they do not want to cause arguments and if there is any way to avoid arguing, they will probably take this option. They are not weak, however, and if the situation forces them to fight these people will rise to the occasion, whether it is to defend themselves or those close to them. People of the Boar type are the most admired by others.

We went to Chinatown yesterday to celebrate Chinese New Year, Year of the Pig, and it was an f'ng blast! It was way cooler than American New Years...

no offense but watching a ball drop while standing next to 10 billion people is not my idea of a good time.

We went to dim sum with the Chef's parents, which was great. The boy had a fabulous time and was so excited when the dragon's came inside the restaurant to 'bless it' for the year. The boy and papa even got to be in the middle of the parade and watch a kung-fu/karate? battle. Obviously not a real one.

More tomorrow. The 'rents are in town.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
All of Them. I hate paying bills. It sucks my soul right out of me.
2. Where's the best place to eat a romantic dinner?
St. Barth's La Villa Belle Aurore
3. Last time you puked from drinking? Christmas
4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? I probably could have last night at Franny's. But really I would have to say sometime in college. I was a bit of ho back then...j/k
5. Name one of your first grade teachers?
Sister Rita St. Joe's
6. What do you really want to be doing right now? watching The Illusionist but I promised the chef I would wait till he got outta work.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? What every kid wanted to be...a Marine Biologist, still do actually.
8. How many colleges did you attend? Three. Perfection takes time.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now? Because it is warm and my g damn apt is fucking freezing even with the Target space heaters!
10. GAS PRICES! Are Bullshit.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you?
Well obviously I would take the family. C-money, Potato, Vito, & Chef. I guess I could live in Key West for a bit, maybe St. Barth's, San Diego if we won the lottery...Anywhere sans snow.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? No alarm, just baby. Slept thru, the Chef handled it this morning. I celebrated VD a bit hard last evening.
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? No idea. All I know is the sake I was drinking wasn't just regular sake. It was Sake Liqueur and it made me loady!
14. Favorite style of underwear? None
15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex? Boxer Briefs
16. What errand/chore do you despise? Cleaning
17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery? Yes. Why? Are you looking for someone?
18. Get up early or sleep in? Sleep in. So not a morning person.
19. What is your favorite cartoon character? Scooby Dooby Doo. Where are you?
20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Drinking TP or Scrabble. Watch movies. Travel. Make Out.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing? Obviously I have no secrets since I discuss my life publicly on a daily basis on this shitty blog.
22. When did you first start feeling old? After the kid.
23. Favorite 80's movie? Heathers.
24. Your favorite lunch meat? Bologna.
25. What do you get every time you go into Costco? WTF is Costco?
26. Beach or lake? Beach, lakes are grimey.
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented? Yes.
28. Who do you stalk on MySpace? Potato.
29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Vodka.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about? I have a fabulous taste in films. No embarrassment.
31. What's your drink? Used to be Dirty Martini. Now it is Red Wine w/ Ice. I know I am so NOT COOL. Whateve, it tastes awesome & YOU know it!
32. Cowboys or Indians? Indians. Cleveland Rocks.
33. Cops or Robbers?? Doctor or Nurse?
34. What would you do for a Klondike Bar? Buy one.
35. Favorite Childhood Cartoon? Scooby.
36. Favorite Late Night After Party Eatery? Park Slope sux for late night eating, especially deliver. Nobody stays open past 10. So I guess I would have to say my fridge is my fave late night eatery.
37. What was your childhood fear? Death.
38. Who from high school would you like to run into? No one besides the people I still talk to or am married to.
39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? Book on Tape. Call me a nerd, I f'ng dare you.
40. Why do you fill out these surveys? I am starving for gratification from someone. I like to type. It's better than drinking alone.
41. Is it better to reign in hell or serve in heaven? Serve what...summons.
42. Norm or Cliff? What????
43. The Cosby Show or the Simpson? Simpsons, hell I have a Bart Simpson tattoo, what do you think?
44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Stalking my ex after we were done. It was over and he was NOT even close to being worth it.
45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work? My computer sits across from me at work, so yeah I guess I like him. He lets me blog all fucking day long.
46. If you could get away with it, who would you kill? Paris Hilton's Chihuahua and Paris
47. What famous person(s) would you like to have dinner with? Ewan McGregor
48. What famous person would you like to sleep with? Ewan McGregor
49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? Yep, summer fire '06.
50. Last book you read for real? Trying to read Tori Amos Bio, not getting very far...
51. Do you have a teddy bear? No, but Catch does.
52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? At a rave.
53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? San Fran
54. Number of texts in a day? 5
55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? New Career
56. Do you go to church? No. Rather not spontaneously burst into flames any time soon. Thank you.
57. Pencil or pen? Marker
58. bueller??? bueller??? bueller? has anyone seen Ferris?? what the fuck?
60. What do you want to achieve in life? Already achieved everything now I am just going to get really really fat, like 600 lbs fat....you can just start calling me Fatty McFatster.
61. How old are you? -897
62. where do you see yourself when you are 40? Hopefully drinking bourbon on the wrap around porch of my pretend house in the bayou.

Celebrity Look Alikes

Stevie Wonder
Boy Wonder

To My Incredibly Awesome Hubby,

I feel like I should express my love to you today, not because Hallmark is shoving a Valentine card down my throat but because Cupid has just shot an arrow into my voluptuous booty.

We always say that we have been together for ten years with a six year break and I absolutely love it. It does feel like that doesn't it? No matter how long or how short that break was we were always in each others lives. Whether we talked on the phone everyday or we saw each other once a year at the Annual Sawyer Christmas Extravaganza you and I never lost touch or faded as friends.

Now I am your wife and I must tell you that I feel like I was put on this Earth to find you. I know that has a high cheese factor but it is the ultimate truth. I feel like I have finally grown into the woman I was always meant to be and I am most definitely sure that I could not have done that without your love and constant support of me and our family. You are such an amazing man to be with. You blow the rest of them away.

Who would have ever thought that in high school as we got stoned at The Enchanted Forest, we would end up hitched with child & doggies? It's quite fantastic the way life turns out sometimes. Life is such a mystery but when a part of it is solved, that's it, your done for. When you and I eventually fell in love all over again it was like a part of my life that I had been longing for appeared. Suddenly I knew what I was looking for but no longer needed to look. This probably doesn't make much sense. I guess I am just trying to explain that what I feel for you is something so extreme and powerful, sometimes when I think about it I can't help but think it is not really real. It is something that I have never felt for anyone else. It is a feeling that I am not sure most people ever get to experience. Although I may not deserve what I feel I am so so so so thankful for it.

I love you Jonathon and not just the bullshit relationship meaning of love. I mean I absolutely love you. I can't stand the thought of you loving anyone but me. When you are gone I am insane. We know this. The paintings tell of it. When you are here sometimes I want to eat you and sometimes I want to kill you. But it is all a form of the most ridiculous love that one human being can feel for another. So that is it. My Valentines to you. The man that taught me what 'I love you' actually means.

PS I love your new haircut, you look dead sexy.
PPS I wish we could have come eat some of your fabulous Valentine's Day Dinner @ Parea.
PPS Come home soon to collect your presents...

Because I am not really a fan of Valentines Day I am not going to offer you any quotes of love or any stories about saints. What I am going to offer you is a story, a true story that actually took place in the real world where cherubs and cupids do not reside. It is not a pretty story, nor will it make you feel like laying next to your lover, it is sad, but nonetheless it is a part of our history. It should be spoken so the people who lost their lives on that tragic day are not forgotten.

For a city that is so filled with the history of crime, there has been little preservation of the landmarks that were once so important to the legend of the mob in Chicago. Gone are the landmarks like the Lexington Hotel, where Al Capone kept the fifth floor suite and used the place as his headquarters. But most tragic, at least to crime buffs, was the destruction of the warehouse that was located at 2122 North Clark Street. It was here, on Valentine's Day 1929, that the most spectacular mob hit in gangland history took place..... the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

The building was called the S-M-C Cartage Company and was a red, brick structure on Clark Street. The events that led to the massacre began on the morning of the 14th. A group of men had gathered at the warehouse that morning, set up by a Detroit gangster who told Moran that a truck was on its way to Chicago.
One of them was Johnny May, an ex-safecracker who had been hired by George "Bugs" Moran as an auto mechanic. He was working on a truck that morning, with his dog tied to the bumper, while six other men waited for the truck of hijacked whiskey to arrive. The men were Frank and Pete Gusenberg, who were supposed to meet Moran and pick up two empty trucks to drive to Detroit and pick up smuggled Canadian whiskey; James Clark, Moran's brother-in-law; Adam Heyer; Al Weinshank; and Reinhardt Schwimmer, a young optometrist who had befriended Moran and hung around the liquor warehouse just for the thrill of rubbing shoulders with gangsters.
Bugs Moran was already late for the morning meeting. He was due to arrive at 10:30 but didn't even leave for the rendezvous, in the company of Willie Marks and Ted Newberry, until several minutes after that.

While the seven men waited inside of the warehouse, they had no idea that a police car had pulled up outside, or that Moran had spotted the car and had quickly taken cover. Five men got out of the police car, three of them in uniforms and two in civilian clothing. They entered the building and a few moments later, the clatter of machine gun fire broke the stillness of the snowy morning. Soon after, five figures emerged and they drove away. May's dog, inside of the warehouse, was barking and howling and when neighbors went to check and see what was going on... they discovered a bloody murder scene.

Moran's men had been lined up against the rear wall of the garage and had been sprayed with machine-guns. They killed all seven of them but had missed Bugs Moran. He had figured the arrival of the police car to be some sort of shakedown and had hung back. When the machine gunning started, he, Marks and Newberry had fled. The murders broke the power of the North Side gang and Moran correctly blamed Al Capone. No one will probably ever know who the actual shooters were, but one of them was probably Machine Gun McGurn, one of Capone's most trusted men.

Surprisingly, while Moran quickly targeted Capone as ordering the hit, the authorities were baffled. Capone had been in Florida at the time of the massacre and when hearing the news, he stated, "the only man who kills like that is Bugs Moran". At the same time, Moran was proclaiming that "only Capone kills guys like that".
Moran was right.... Capone had been behind the killing and this was perhaps the act that finally began the decline of Capone's criminal empire. He had just gone too far and the authorities, and even Capone's adoring public, were ready to put an end to the bootleg wars.

Chicago, in its own style, memorialized the warehouse on Clark Street. The place became a tourist attraction and the newspapers even printed the photos of the corpses upside-down so that readers would not have to turn their papers around to identify the bodies.
In 1949, the front portion of the S-M-G Garage was turned into an antique furniture storage business by a couple who had no idea of the building's bloody past. They soon found that the place was visited much more by tourists and curiosity-seekers than by customers and eventually closed the business.
In 1967, the building was demolished. However, the bricks from the bullet-marked rear wall were purchased and saved by a Canadian businessman. In 1972, he opened a night club with a Roaring 20's theme and rebuilt the wall, for some strange reason, in the men's restroom. Three nights each week, women were allowed to peek inside at this macabre attraction.

The club continued to operate for a few years and when it closed the owner placed the 417 bricks into storage. He then offered them for sale with a written account of the massacre. He sold the bricks for $1000 each, but soon found that he was getting back as many as he sold. It seemed that anyone who bought one of the bricks was suddenly stricken with bad luck in the form of illness, financial ruin, divorce and even death.
According to the stories, the bricks themselves had somehow been infested with the powerful negative energy of the massacre!
Whatever became of the rest of the bricks is unknown..........
Or that's what the legend says....

In recent years, other bricks have emerged that claim to have come from the wall. These were not bricks purchased from Patey but were smuggled out of the lot by construction workers and curiosity-seekers. It was said that from these bricks come the legends of misfortune and bad luck. Are these bricks authentic? The owners say they are... but you'll have to judge for yourself!

Whatever the legend of the bricks themselves and whether or not they have somehow been "haunted" by what happened, there is little doubt about the site on Clark Street itself. Even today, people walking along the street at night have reported the sounds of screams and machine guns as they pass the site. The building is long gone but the area is marked as a fenced-off lawn that belongs to the nearby nursing home. Five trees are scattered along the place in a line and the one in the middle marks the location where the rear wall once stood.

Passerby often report these strange sounds and the indescribable feeling of fear as they walk past. Those who are accompanied by dogs report their share of strangeness too.... Animals appear to be especially bothered by this piece of lawn, sometimes barking and howling, sometimes whining in fear. Their sense of what happened here many years ago seems to be much greater than our own.

To hear more about The St. Valentines Day Massacre check out Prairie Ghosts.

POSITION :
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Momma, Ma


JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour
shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must
screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition
reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

I cannot believe how big my baby boy is getting. Yesterday I took him to get his first haircut, which he HATED. He ended up with a cross between a mullet and a mohawk. I just couldn't bring myself to cut off his curls.
When I look at him I realize just how fast time with him is going to pass for me. It seems that everyday when I wake up I meet a different boy, a smarter boy, a bigger boy, a sillier and sarcastic boy.
I feel like crying sometimes because I will never have my little baby back but the evolution of Catcher is so amazing to watch in wonder.
Sometimes I have a hard time with being a stay at home mom. These times usually are caused by lack of seeing my husband or I am deathly ill. Other than those particular times I cannot imagine doing anything else.
I am so FORTUNATE to be able to stay home everyday with Catcher. I am so FORTUNATE to be able to actively participate in his life and his learning.

Who would have ever thought that I, once a wild party girl who could out drink pretty much anyone in the room, would absolutely love raising a child and running a household?

I guess what I absolutely love about staying home is that I am witness to his growth and the expansion of his mind and it gives me a certain sense of accomplishment. Everything I do somehow, someway affects him and shapes him. It is so much responsibility but for once in my life I feel like I have no problem taking it on.

I just can't believe this kid is spitting out sentences like there is no tomorrow. I guess I am feeling a bit nostalgic today.
It seems as if when they cut off his hair they cut off his babyhood. He is no longer my little baby, he is now my big boy who uses real forks and can put his own jacket on.

Finally I am actually feeling like a human being again. After being couped up in our tiny ass apartment for a week the husband and I went out for a night on the town. Well actually we just went out to dinner, but damn was it good! We ate at The Spotted Pig, a restaurant that I have had adult beverages at many a times, but not once have I eaten there. This is what we ate:

• Beau Soleil Oysters with Mignonette
• Shoestring Fries
• Pot of Pickles
• Sheep’s Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage
• Razor Clam Chowder with Homemade Crackers
• Flourless Chocolate Cake

It was a great meal. The Gnudi was amazing. I told Jon if he had it smeared all over his body he couldn't handle the things I would do:)...That is how freaking INCREDIBLE it was. The atmosphere at TSP is pretty cool too, it is a gastropub (something Jon is considering opening) which means it is a bar but it serves bomb ass food as well.
When we got home I made him watch The Grammy's on Tivo with me. We waited and waited throughout the long ass show for the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform. Being a bit tipsy Jon went into a long tangent about how insane and awesome John Frusciante is and that he really liked his hair and beard. Being a bit tipsy myself I paid no mind until this morning when I found the husband shaving his long ass hair just like John Frusciante's. See what a night on the town gets you...

John Frusciante (second from left)My Jon Pre-Grammy watching (like a month ago, so his hair was actually way longer)
My Jon Post Grammy'sThe Hair That Wasn't There



PS...How many times did I say ASS in this post?