Candy Goes To The Oscars...Sort of.

 Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up....

Yes Bloggers! I am going to the Super Bowl of glitz, glam and Hollywood chi chi; the Oscars... Sort of because I'm not going to California but I am attending the Boston version of the Oscars. Just as fabulous if you ask me. The Ellie Fund, Boston's very own cancer fighting crusader is hosting it's 18th annual Red Carpet Gala at the Taj Boston this Sunday. Not only am I fortunate enough to be invited to this magnificent event, but I have the distinct honor of lending my expertise to the lovely ladies of our city.

In the hours leading up to the "Red Carpet" I will be "styling" some of Boston's leading ladies. Click HERE for information on appointments (availability is almost sold out).

I will also be posting pictures, live Tweeting and posting to Instagram, so sign up with The Candy Bar to follow all the fun this Sunday! Our links are below:

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Have a great weekend Bloggers and channel your inner close up.!

We Salute You....Lieutenant Dan.

Lieutenant Dan.

Twenty years ago, character actor Gary Sinise played the supporting role of Lieutenant Dan in the movie classic, "Forrest Gump". For me, that film holds a very special place in my heart. Not only is it one of my all time favorite movies, but while at the theater watching the movie, deep in the summer of '94, two days after my due date with Frick, my water broke. After the movie I went directly to the hospital to give birth to my first child. My bay girl.

But this morning I saw a piece on GMA about actor Gary Sinise and about how the role of Lt Dan changed his life. WOW, wow, WOW! is just about all I could say...

The role of Lt. Dan earned Sinise an Oscar nomination but his dedication to the role didn't stop there. Gary Sinise, since playing the role in the early 90's, has dedicated his time honoring and serving disabled US veterans and their families. Sinise told GMA's Josh Elliot, "I've walked into so many hospital rooms and they (the veterans) look at me and they think I know what they're going through." 

He founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to raising money for veterans and their families and he hasn't stopped there. Sinise says, "I just couldn't not do anything. I've seen a lot of need and I've become very committed to [being] somebody who can try to make a difference."

Earlier this month Sinise had the rare opportunity to take 50 disabled veterans and their families on an all expense paid, 3 day trip to Hollywood, where the real Lt Dan was created. Sinise was able to fly them on American Airlines to Los Angeles where they were greeted by a police escort to their Los Angeles Destination. They went to Disneyland and enjoyed a carte blanche day of enjoyment on the rides and were inspired by other veterans to try some things they normally would not. Of course, Lt. Dan was there every step of the way.

The next day the vets went to Paramount studios where they were treated to a special screening of "Forrest Gump".
"The film's producer Wendy Finerman helped remake the studio's backlot into an A-list-heavy celebration, complete with a flyover from a pair of P-51 Mustangs, and helped set up a screening of the movie." 

And in after the screening, a special surprise visit from Forrest Gump himself! Oscar winning actor Tom Hanks came out to greet the vets and express his thanks for their sacrifices. Even the most hardened heart would be hard pressed to keep a dry eye when watching this. 

Lt Dan, we salute you! And Gary Sinise salutes our vets,
"The whole purpose is to send them home smiling," Sinise said. "They should know that they're appreciated and that's what we're trying to do here."

Things That Go Bump In the Night

So I just flew back home last night from sunny Florida. It was a great break from the snow and cold and a welcome opportunity to unplug from the outside world. We stretched it out to the last possible minute too, leaving on a 7:20 PM flight home. Flying Jet Blue is a joy, usually. They have it all figured out. The TV's on board make the entire trip a breeze and I didn't have to miss a moment of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! Lucky me!!!What wasn't lucky was the decent down into Boston. Holy turbulence, and I mean HOLY! It started out innocent enough.

The pilot explained to us that we were beginning our descent into Boston and "would be landing shortly, so please fasten your seat belts and flight attendants please prepare for landing." Everyone did as they were told and we settled in for our descent. The plane began to shake and drop, which is normal for the change in altitude. As we looked out the window I noticed the descent into the clouds outside my window. Turbulent air seems normal for that, I thought. But when the plane continued to shake and drop, and drop and twist and drop, and the clouds had gone I thought this wasn't very normal.

"Ooohhh", the groans collectively could be heard throughout the plane and with each twist and turn the taste of the blue chips I had eaten a mere hour before began to rise in my throat. I looked at Frack, he looked at me. I looked at My Guy, he tried to contain his composure focusing on the screen in front of him. I looked at my mom, she was gripping her arm rest and she looked at me with a quizzical look, her normally bright complexion gone ashen. I looked around me. No one was smiling. As a matter of fact, almost everyone was gripping their arm rest tight with ashen complexions too.

It seemed as if the bumpy air was never going to stop and just when it subsided a bit, the plane would sharply twist around immediately putting my stomach contents back into my throat. Outside the window the city lights below us looked to be on auto-loop with the scenery barely changing. Then the violent shakes began and the people on the plane again groaned with despair. Me included! Holy....I shut my eyes so I wouldn't hurl and I tried to be strong for my family. Big drops and more shakes were felt throughout and just when I decided I could no longer take another second of it, I noticed the city lights getting bigger, closer. I finally held out hope that we just may land this plane.

After another 5 minutes of dropping and shaking we hit the ground with a resounding bang! Everyone's heads snapped forward but the sound of overwhelming applause and cheers drowned out my huge sigh of relief. It took us a good 3 minutes to compose ourselves when Frack spoke.
"Mom, I swear to God I was saying the 'Our Father' the entire time."
I agreed with him and tried to calm the nausea that took over my body.

Entirely drained and slightly sick, we left that plane quicker than the flight attendant could finish her announcements. You never saw so many green faces standing in baggage claim. And funny....

I overheard someone at baggage claim say that the pilot never opened his door to exit till the plane was completely empty.

A Break From The Snow

Hey Bloggers! I decided that the snow wouldn't get the best of me! So I packed my bags and took off for sunny Florida! I was beginning to loose my FRICKEN mind! Maybe I will find some Zen in the Florida sun.

I will be gone from the bloggersphere from today, Februrary 18th, 2013 to Tuesday, February 26th, 2013. 

May your week warm your hearts bloggers, because mine will warm my heart and anything else that needs warming.....Peace!

I've Just About Had It....

"Due to social anxiety and inclement weather conditions, outside is closed until further notice."-

Nick.@SocialExtortion

Oooops....

A young man goes into a drug store to buy condoms. 
The pharmacist tells him that the condoms come in packs of three, nine, or 12, and asks which ones the young man wants.
 "Well," he says, "I've been seeing this girl for a while and she's really hot. I want the condoms because I think tonight's the night. We're having dinner with her parents and then we're going out. Once she's had me, she'll want me all the time, so you'd better give me the 12 pack!" 

The young man makes his purchase and leaves. Later that evening, he sits down to dinner with his girlfriend and her parents. He asks if he may give the blessing and they agree. He begins the prayer, but continues praying for several minutes. The girl leans over and says, "You never told me that you were such a religious person." He leans over to her and says, "You never told me that your father is a pharmacist."

http://www.laughfactory.com/jokes/family-jokes/2

Somewhere In The Middle

You know the old saying..there are three sides to every story; her side, his side and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. This comes to mind as I peruse the news stories and the media  hooplah surrounding the open letter Dylan Farrow, adopted daughter of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen,  wrote which was recently published in the  the New York Times Op Ed. 

The letter recounts the story of how Woody Allen sexually abused Dylan when she was a young child of eight years old in her mother's house. The fallout has lit up a firestorm of commentary, opinions and open discussion of sexual abuse, thereby causing Woody Allen to publish a rebuttal in the New York Times this past Sunday. 

She said. He said.

When I read Dylan's open letter, my heart went out to that little girl, laying on her stomach in the "closet like room in the attic".  The letter, published earlier this month, was in response to the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award Allen was given by his peers at January's Golden Globe Awards. Dylan Farrow wanted everyone to know what she has always known. I have to wonder what she would have to gain by publicly outing this dark secret, except complete redemption from a victim to a perp. Why else? 

Then there's his response. Throughout his rebuttal were these words:

Dispositive

Acrimonious

Enmity 

Malevolence

Equivocation 

Insidiously 

I wrote them down. Each one indicative of anger, deceit and bitterness. These words were not so much directed at Dylan but at her mother, Mia Farrow. Herin lies the crux of this story. The failed relationship between Allen and Farrow. The children somehow became fallout and maybe Dylan believed that her story became a victim of that fallout too. Maybe that's why she wrote the letter. 

He said, she said. Somewhere in the middle....

The sad truth is what the judge in this case said many years ago when bringing this litigation to a close; we may never know the truth. 

Because whatever the truth is now lost to all but the two people who know it. What we are left with is a peek into this dark story and our opinions. Some on his side, some on her side. 

And the rest of us? We too, fall somewhere in the middle. 

Bad Weather Stew

Are you kidding me?

This time they got it right. No beauty emergencies today, that's for sure, so it looks like a lost day of revenue. I just made that FAB, slow cooker beef stew you see up above and I'm hunkering down for a day-long blasting of snow.

• The beef stew I made is from a blog called Butter with a side of Bread. I have made it before and let me tell you, it is just about the closest thing to perfection on a day like today!

• My Guy was out last night, so it was a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills MARATHON> Those bitches are so juicy...always fighting and swearing. It feels like home when I watch it! No wonder I love it so much. I'm half kidding, but really, after the latest episode, I was left feeling pitty for the ladies. Yes, they get paid a ton of money per episode and they have attained some twisted form of celebrity, but they fights and the petty drama that goes on makes me wonder about the toll it takes on their real lives...they have to fight to stay relevant or they get axed! I guess it no different than any other job except their bad behavior is rewarded.

• I bought a coat for my dog. Yes, I did and you know what? He needs it! He's an old fella. (we're not quite sure how old exactly-pound rescue) And his little Jack Russel body is slowly shedding hair. He doesn't mind his little velcro coat, it's bright orange and waterproof and as a matter of fact he kind of likes it! He has taken to wearing it around the house on really cold days. But on days like today I'm wishing I bought one for Buddy too. ( See Buddy here- it's funny. He's my Boxer)

• Tequila? A no no for Candy. Went out for My Guy's birthday on Sat night. I think I had a good time. 

• Since I'm  stuck at home today, I've decided it's the perfect time to study. I'm in the process of putting together The Candy Bar's E-Commerce site and I've been doing a ton of research on social media and online presence. It's very interesting and very motivating! So the good news is the day won't be a total loss! Happy Hump Day Bloggers!

NY-Seeee

So I was in New York yesterday, seeing my baby girl Frick and taking care of some business. While I was there, I experienced something I had never seen before. Snow in the City. Sounds like the title to a  bad HBO series, but it was quite a feat to behold. 

When I entered Penn Station on Sunday afternoon, the entire place was a see (sic) of color. I never saw so much blue and orange in my life. Denver fans to one side, Seattle fans on another and the orange and neon green wigs they were sporting were popping color all over the station. Once in the city, life returned to normal because by then everyone was safely ensconced in New Jersey. The best of all was the view from my hotel room where the Empire State Building was lit up in both neon green and neon orange. Too bad the game didn't live up to the hype. 

In the wee hours of Monday morning, about 4 am, Frick and I were awoken by some angry Denver fans who were taking out their anguish on the floor ice machine. The kicking and the screaming I'm sure, woke everyone on the floor up. But there was another sound in the wee hours of that morning...it was the sound of ice and snow hitting the window. That morning when I woke up I could see the rooftops of TriBeCa covered in white and whatever green trees around were covered with crystallized snow. For me, it was an amazing site. It was snowing pretty hard by the time I got on my way to work and all the majesty of the snow was lost. It turned into a slushy, black mess. 

NYC is not really conducive to snow, and that was evidenced by the traffic and slush that everyone tried to ignore. Yes it was a pain in the ass, but I have to say it was beautiful. And the snow continued all day, never tapering off, creating a huge inconvienience to all. Bonus for me, that it did not delay my train! The ride home was a spectacular site. The snow covered trees and rooftops proved to be a gorgeous distraction and it majesty, restored! 

In all the years I have been traveling to and from the city, I can't believe I have never seen snow in the city. It's kind of hard to believe. I actually had to see it to believe it.