High Altitudes

Earlier this month, a few of us had the privilege to spend some time with our grandparents in their beautiful mountain estate. In case you’re new to this blog (i.e., I’ve said this so many times before, but in case you forgot…), my grandparents have a lovely home in Bristol, VA. They also own a house in Vero Beach, FL.

Anyway, my mother, Mary, and I went up for a short visit two Wednesdays ago. We stayed for a day, and came home on Friday morning. My grandfather had baked us an apple pie, which we enjoyed after lunch upon our arrival.

It was cool and breezy in Bristol, the perfect temperature. One of the things I like the most about going to Bristol is walking through the gorgeous hills of my grandparents’ golfing neighborhood. Their house is actually situated at the top of a steep hill, and there isn’t a single square foot of flat ground in the entire subdivision. It reminds me a little of Israel in that respect – always a good thing.

Mary and I took many enjoyable walks. One afternoon, we even took a Penny Tour. For the uninitiated, a Penny Tour is when you flip a coin to determine your route. Heads you go right, tails you go left. Or vice versa. I’m not sure if there’s a right and wrong, but Mary and I made up the rules as we went along. This certainly allowed us to see more of the neighborhood than we might otherwise have found time to view.

On Thursday, my grandfather took us to visit Heartwood, an central hub for Southwest Virginia’s arts and crafts. Besides the interesting and impressive art, musical instruments, and pottery, Heartwood also boasts a full cafe and coffee/wine bar. Mary and I had a lot of fun taking cool pictures and sipping some of the most inexpensive iced coffee we’ve ever bought.

Spending time with my grandparents is always a treat, and this trip was no different. They are some of the most hospitable hosts I know, and there home feels almost like a mountain retreat, so comfortable do they make us.

I’m thinking another trip is in order, perhaps when the leaves start to change color…

Change of Plans

by Julianna Squicciarini

Well, it’s time for another one of those “update” posts. Since the last one, a few things have changed.

No, don’t worry: Morgan is still happily engaged to Greg and apparently getting married next March. March 6, it seems. Might want to mark your calendars. Also, check out her personal blog for all those great wedding details girls love (www.torahgirl.wordpress.com).

As for me, I have officially decided to go to Israel this fall. Even better than that, I plan to go and study Hebrew while I’m there at an immersion school! This being the case, I’ll be there for about four months. <wow> I am SO excited about this opportunity. You can’t imagine. But if you’d like to try, check out my personal blog here: www.eshetkayil.wordpress.com. Feel free to sign up for the feed (located on the top right of my site), since I know you’ll want to keep track of my travels and I.

Another change in our lives is the USO. We are not working there anymore. It’s been almost two years, and when the time to renew our badges came along, we just decided to look for another opportunity to which we could devote our time and energy. <sigh> If you have any ideas, pass them along.

As I will be in Israel in October, though, I will not be participating in the Light the Night Walk on the 16th. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! Go walk for the cure anyway! Tell me all about it!

There is not much more happening in our lives right now…summer is here, and we’re enjoying a slightly more relaxed schedule. Don’t think we’re slacking – the business is still going strong, and we’re all working diligently.

Speaking of working diligently, we just returned from a few days at the beach. Actually, our family had a complex and confusing travel schedule this past week. Some of us were up in Bristol visiting our beloved grandparents; others were off at the beach; still others were here at home. By Tuesday evening, all seven of us had been reunited on the scenice shores of Ocean Isle Beach, and we enjoyed celebrating Morgan’s birthday as a family. But the next morning tore us apart again, as my father returned to The Residence, like the responsible business owner he is.

Now, however, we are all home with that signature glow that can only be achieved by spending time on an eastcoast beach. We had an excellent time.

Over the river and through the woods

Two weeks age the Squicciarini girls, myself included, took our annual trip to Bristol, Virginia (or Bristol, Tennessee depending on which way the wind is blowing). As we prepared to drive up there, people would ask, “oh, what are you going to do there?” as if the answer might be “skiing!” or “hiking the Virginia Creeper Trail!” or “a 3-day detox!” but in fact the correct answer was “NOTHING!” <grin> Realistically speaking, everyone wants to spend a weekend in December getting away from holiday crowds and stress.

The best part about Bristol is not feeling guilty about doing nothing. Not meaning to imply at all that we would feel guilty about doing something… but the chance to do nothing, or if not nothing, frivolous activities for which we never have time at home, like reading or crossword puzzles, is nothing short of thrilling. Interestingly, I came with my laptop, as a responsible employee would, prepared to stay on top of the business situation…and then realized we didn’t have wifi. (Yay!)

We spend most of our time in the living room (the great room, as my grandparents say), curled up on the comfortable oversized furniture staring at a framed scribble above the fireplace which is in fact artwork created by Salvador Dali. Once or twice we venture into town, taking in our surroundings and supporting the local economy in our own small way.

The culinary highlight of our trip was Friday evening, when we whipped up a small square baked ziti topped with parmesan cheese and cracked pepper, accompanied by sparkling pomegranate juice in tiny glasses. Another evening we made individual omelettes stuffed with vegetables and cheese… food seems to taste better up there. I think it’s the mountain air. <wink>

We went to sleep Friday night and woke up a few hours later to find that it had started snowing… by Saturday midmorning the world was white and producing the unnatural brightness which comes from snow everywhere. Mary and I took a frosty walk down to the clubhouse and caught snowflakes on our tongues. Unfortunately we did not make snow angels. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never done that (YET), probably because the idea of getting completely cold and wet is entirely unappealing. But it’ll happen one day… <grin>

We did not write another Ode to Bristol, but we reread the one from last year and laughed about those memories. I love Bristol. Bristol reminds me of how much I love spending time with my sisters. Especially in cozy mountain houses. =)

Traveling in Style

This week Mom and I headed up to Bristol together to visit my grandparents at their magazine-worthy mountain house. You may not know it, but my mom is the most sophisticated traveler. She plans her outfits in advance, and since the clothes in her closet all magically match each other, she always looks perfectly pulled together. She’s just effortlessly stylish. For the road trip she’ll wear gray jeans and a chic sweater, leather ballet flats and cool Brighton sunglasses with silver accents. She’s so cultured – she’ll remember to bring accessories like lavendar-scented pillow spray and miniature packages of Ocean Spray dried cranberries. She spreads her stuff out on the bathroom sink in neat green mesh zippered bags filled with cute travel sized products. Her travel bags are Vera Bradley, in a fashionable black and tan print. Her purse is always a classic Coach bag or something similar. She’s the kind of person who takes along a “wrap” … you know, one of those wide scarves, and then not only wears it but even manages to look naturally elegant. It’s… inspirational. That’s all I can say.

Dinnertime Conversation

My grandfather (HFS): You should consider renting a porta potty when you have all those people over every other week.

Mom, Nana, and me (in unison): Ewwwwwwwwwww!

HFS: No really, it’s a good idea.

Me: Well, we’d basically have to buy one, don’t you think?

HFS: No, just rent it! They’re not expensive.

Mom (AMS): Um, Dad… women don’t use those.

HFS: Sure they do!

AMS: No… I don’t use them.

Me: Neither do I.

AMS: I’d never use one. Kathy, would you use one?

Nana (MKS): No! Never!

HFS: Yes you would – you’ve used one!

MKS (aghast): I Have Not!

HFS: I’VE SEEN WOMEN COMING OUT OF THEM!

Me: Yeah, well… they weren’t using them, take my word for it. 

HFS: <shakes head with resignation>

 

Trivia: according to wikipedia, “portable toilets are referred to colloquially or sold under such brands as port-a-john, job johnny, port-o-let, port-a-loo, sani-privy, port-a-san, porta-potty, tidy john, John To Go, Biff, toi-toi, J-Jon, P-Unit, and porta-kybo.”

Patriotism: virtue of the vicious or virtuous devotion to one’s country?

The Five enthusiastically celebrated Independence Day 2009 with our grandparents in Bristol, patriotic Americans that we are… in perhaps the start of a newer 4th of July tradition. As I reflect on this particular holiday, which needless to say is close to my heart due to the proximity of my birthday, I can recall several different phases.

When we were very little, there would be a gathering in our cul-de-sac… Mr. Donaldson (“Burt”… a true Southerner), our previous next door neighbor, played a key part in organizing this event… there was ice cream (which was rare for us back in those days… yes, amazingly healthy children) and  fireworks (even though they were illegal)… and sitting on the grass in our front yard, which seems to appropriately capture an aspect of the original American frontier spirit.

As we got a little older, the three girls started spending the first week or two of July with my grandparents in Vero Beach, FL… a distinctive point of this phase was the standard phone call to Uncle Adam, since his birthday is the 4th of July… we would have a festive dinner al fresco… then go out on the Indian River Lagoon to watch fireworks from their boat. I love watching fireworks from a boat. And I don’t think they’re illegal in Florida, which is kind of a plus, because <polishes halo> most of the time we are law-abiding citizens.

The last couple years we’ve stayed in Charlotte, or been at Sandcastles, Ocean Isle Beach. The highlight for us is normally the Charlotte Symphony’s annual ‘Celebrate America’ concert in Symphony Park on July 3, complete with fireworks… and we might have a few friends over to swim or grill… before spending a week at the beach. It’s like the perfect American holiday celebration, something out of a Pottery Barn or Ralph Lauren catalogue.

This year,  in what came as a sad disappointment to the Charlotte community, Symphony officials chose to cancel the patriotic concert because the Squicciarini family would not be present. However, because of our love for the city, we begged conductor George-Albert Schram to reconsider. “The show must go on!” we pleaded. He finally agreed, with the provision that there would be no fireworks. “How could we light up the Charlotte sky when you will be missing?” he asked, in his charming accent. So the music played…

And G-d Was Watching: Top 7 New Traditions of 2008

1. Dinner parties
Frequency: monthly
Started: January 2008
Details: the story of this tradition is like a match – it started off with an enthusiastic flame in January when we had the brilliant idea to have a different couple over for dinner each month, as a complete surprise to our parents, accompanied by incredibly gourmet food… and it worked out splendidly for the first two months!… but by March things had started to burn down a little, and it was kind of scorching our fingers, the way matches do when you have that one last candle to light but no matter how hard you try it’s just not going to happen… and by April the dying ember was officially out, leaving behind the stub of a used match and a wisp of smoke… reminding us of its former glory.
In other words, once the summer entertaining started, we lost track of the formal dinner parties. So this is a tradition which both started and ended in 2008.

<insert moment of silence>

<on to more cheerful thoughts>

2. Valentine’s Day Lunch
Frequency: annual
Started: February 2008
Details: Julianna hosted a girls luncheon at Maggiano’s in Southpark for Valentine’s Day, which received rave reviews from the young women in attendence. The luncheon featured three female speakers, each with a different perspective on “romance. ” She’s decided to repeat the event in 2009 with an unexpected twist… but I’m not allowed to give it away.

3. Spring Beach Trip
Frequency: annual
Started: Spring 2008
Details: this tradition might be the family favorite… get this: early in the year, before Passover starts all the spring holy days, instead of having a large Purim party like we ALWAYS do, we covertly left town and escaped to the beach. When the holiday arrived, instead of making a guest list, deciding on a menu, and cleaning the house, we were walking on the sand, lying in the sun… savoring a few days of complete peace and quiet. We justified our “desertion” as a well-deserved break from throwing parties all year long. So for Purim 2009, don’t expect to see us around. We’ll be at an undisclosed location… somewhere on the east coast.

4. A special addition to Pesach
Frequency: annual
Started: April 2008
Details: a new element was introduced to our seder this year… something heretofore never a part of our traditional meal… an innovative way to recall a familiar taste.

I know you’re dying of suspense.

We filled our seder table with bowls of wasabi peas…

(and then gleefully fed them to small children. :O ) It was a cool way to enjoy the distinctive horseradish flavor and we’re DEFINITELY having those again next time! 

5. EXCEL Reunion
Frequency: TBD, annual or biennial
Started: June 2008
Details: Team #1 from EXCEL 28 had our first reunion, at the DMC in Dallas TX… where it all started. We’re spread out all over the country, so it was fantastic to be back together again. Just thinking about EXCEL makes me feel like a stronger, more confident person. That place is not for the faint of heart. Seeing the other girls is like greeting distant relatives… as if we’re connected, on a “heart” level. <3

6. Nortonmania
Frequency: annual
Started: August 2008
Details: Although we aren’t (well, try not to be!) caught up in celebrity allure, it’s undeniable that as a family we appreciate movies. We could probably teach a course in film appreciation (starting with, what else, The Godfather, of course) based on what we’ve seen over the years. It wouldn’t be a comprehensive course because we’re not into horror films (too macabre) or slapstick physical comedies (too juvenile). But I digress… TANFF [The Annual Norton Film Festival] began as a tribute to one of our favorite actors, Edward Norton, by commemorating his birthday, and quickly developed from there into a week-long event filled with Norton trivia, quotes, and film commentary. Mark your calendars for TANFF 2009, beginning August 18.

7. ACES Bristol Trip
Frequency: annual
Started: December 2008
Details: for ten years, my sisters and I had a sleepover on Christmas Eve in our rec room. It was a big deal when we were little… that was the age when it’s actually 1) comfortable to sleep on the floor and 2) natural to wake up way too early in the morning. We loved this tradition… and it acquired Squicciarini lore over the years, rising in the hierarchy of family customs, attaining eminence and stature, until for us it was quite on par with, say, standing for the Hallelujah Chorus in Handel’s Messiah.

But…

This year, since we’re practically all “in our twenties” as my father indirectly referenced us the other day, (!) we found it was time to alter the accepted norm. As it turned out, we had the chance to spend a few days together by ourselves at a lovely home in Bristol VA, a serene retreat from the holiday bustle. Although we haven’t told the house owners yet, we plan to return there every December for the continuation of our new and improved ACES tradition.

Shouldn’t be a problem… grandparents are nice that way.