Guess what I brought back from Disney with me?

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, I'm back from Disney—I know, BOOOOOOOO! Florida was in the high 80s and sunny; New York, 60 and rainy. Disney was full of fun and roller coasters; New York is work, work, work. On vacation, all my meals were cooked for me and I had gluten-free Mickey waffles every morning; New York means I'm back to cooking for myself, trying to eat healthy, working out every day and having protein bars for breakfast.

And most annoyingly, in Florida I was healthy; here in New York, I'm sick.

The day after we arrived back in town I developed a cold which went from slight sneezing to stuffy, sore throat and cough. Now, I'm full-blown sick and wishing I had a week to recover from it. I've gotta admit, it's even harder to be excited about being back in town when you're having problems breathing out of your nose and your stomach muscles hurt from coughing so much.

But there are some good things about being back home:

photo credit: FOX/Glee

*I'm catching up on all my TV shows! When Matt and I got back, we had a marathon night of TV that we'd missed while we were gone. House, Glee, Medium, The Office, Gossip Girl, America's Next Top Model, Hellcats, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Nikita. As much as I loved Disney, I also love my must-see TV!

*Seeing all my friends again! There are about fifteen people in my life that I see on a daily basis whom my life wouldn't be the same without. I know this isn't typical of a workplace, but some of my best friends are my co-workers. Co-workers (like Toni and Marisa) have been my long-term friends and then there are my newer friends (like Jess and Kathy) who I truly enjoy seeing on a daily basis. We also just got a new addition to our team at work, Morgan, and I was totally excited to come back to see her, too (I can already tell she's going to be in that circle of friends, too)! And then there are my happy hour buddies (Tammy, Kate, Jessica, etc) who I meet up with nightly and we gab, gossip and giggle together like only girlfriends do. As much as I loved having some alone time with my man, I did miss my BFF's.
*Getting back to my routine. My mom likes to joke that I would be the easiest person to stalk (take note all you stalkers out there), because I like to walk the same way to and from the subway every day. And I'm not just talking just walking down certain streets, but I like to cross to the other sidewalk at specific places and walk on certain sides of the streets....and I don't like to deviate from my routine. As much as I loved the adventurous nature of our trip to Disney, I find comfort in knowing where I'm going to be headed every day, what's on my to-do list and that at the end of the day, I'm going to be snuggled up with my honey watching whatever show's on that night and typing away on our respective computers.
*And back to this blog! I tried my hardest to post blogs while I was away, but most days Matt and I were both so exhausted, I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone write one of these. And though keeping up this blog takes work and time, I really do enjoy writing it. Especially when I know that you all like reading it—that's really what makes it all worth it!

So, I guess it's not all that bad to be back here in the bustling city....now if I could only get over this stinking cold!

5x5,
B.

Disney Day 2

by Brittany Geragotelis

Disney Day 2:

Our day started off pretty early (around 8ish) when I forced Matt out of bed and over to get breakfast at the resort cafeteria. We were both exhausted from the day before; when Matt laid down the night before, he passed out nearly instantly and didn't wake up again until I practically shook him awake the next morning. I would've let him sleep in, except I was craving my gluten-free Mickey waffles (take a look at the pic here!) and I was eager to get over to the Magic Kingdom for some good old mousey fun!

So, we headed over to the Magic Kingdom and made our way around all the good rides: Pirates of the Carribean, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain. And in between going on rides, we shopped. And shopped. And shopped some more. I bought a few presents for people back home and Matty was sweet and bought me a really awesome sweatshirt.

We worked up an appetite going on all those rides, so we ate at a nice Italian food restaurant

near the front of Disney called Tony's. Matt and I feasted: me on a cesaer salad, gluten-free spaghetti and meatballs and a TO-DIE-FOR pistacio creme brule. OMG, soooo good (take a look here). While we were there, the couple next to us were celebrating their honeymoon. I snapped a pic of the happy pair as they were blowing out their candles at lunch (pic below!)!

When we were finished with lunch, we decided we were done with the Magic Kingdom for the day and headed back over to Hollywood Studios for a little fun. We were going to go on the Tower of Terror and the Rock n' Roller Coaster again, but we both wanted to check out the backlot tour first. This turned out to be really cool and fun, as we learned a little about how Disney does special effects in movies. I was even chosen to be a part of one of the shows. I played the captain of a boat that was being shot at by imaginary airplanes. It was awesome! Matt took pics of the whole thing, which I'll publish once we get home. The whole tour was really neat and I took a LOT of photos....so have fun checking them out below!

By the time we were done with the tour, we'd actually run out of time at the park and had to head back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner that night. This time, we were eating at Epcot at a hibachi grill called Tempen Edo in Japan. This was the first time I'd ever eaten at a place like this and was excited for the chef to cook our meal at our table (check out the pic!). Unfortunately, they seat you with other parties, and there was a family across from us, with two little boys, one of which partway through our meal, fell off his chair and cracked his head on the ground. He hit so hard that they called the paramedics to check him out. Luckily, the kid turned out to be fine, but that sort of put a damper on the night.

While at Epcot, we managed to drag ourselves to a few of the attractions there including: Mission: Space and Soarin'. Both were a ton of fun...though the rides left Matt's stomach feeling a little queasy.

By the time we made it back to the hotel (around midnight), we were both exhausted. Matt even described me as "a military task force of fun." Well, yeah, okay. That sounds about right!

5x5,

B.

Disney World Countdown...D-Minus 20 days

by Brittany Geragotelis

all photos credited to Disney

I got home last night to a new package from Disney! Upon opening the thick padded envelope, I was delighted to see our Disney luggage tags, basic itinerary and a book full of vouchers for things like discounts on mini-golf, spa visits, Planet Hollywood souvenirs and free games at the hotel arcade.

And then it hit me. In 20 days I will be embarking on my first adult vacation...And we're going to Disney World!


Yeah, I know, that may sound backwards. Taking your first "adult" trip to a kids park. But you have no idea what Disney means to me. Ever since I was old enough to remember it, my parents used to pack us up in the car and we'd head off in the middle of the night to Disneyland (a few times we drove from Washington to California, but mostly we flew. For some reason I always remember taking off when it was still dark out. My mom always warmed the car up for us before taking each of us out to the car wrapped up in our own individual blankets and buckling us in for the ride.). Once we were there, we'd spend a few days riding rides, eating food and spending some quality time together. My mom even used to make us get up early, so we'd be at the park when they cut the ribbon in the morning. Then she'd make us all run from one ride to the next. These are some of my favorite memories of growing up.

So, can you see why Disney is such a magical place for me?

This is why I felt it was apropos that Matt and I spend our first real vacation together (and not the kind where you're surrounded by family. That's nice too, of course, but I'm talking couple time here.) at the happiest place on earth.

And although he'd never admit it to anyone else, Matt's excited to be going too. He's even the one who convinced me we should take a day trip over to Universal Studios to check out Hogwarts. To say I'm excited about this trip is an understatement. I made our dinner reservations at some of Disney's finest dining areas about three months ago, and plan to wake up early every morning to have my gluten-free Mickey waffles (yes, they have them!). I'm going to line up at the ribbon in the morning before they open the park and then I'm going to (try to) convince Matty to run with me to the first ride. I've even been working on getting him to agree to take silly pictures with me while we're there (I think he still needs convincing on this one though).

Either way, we're looking at an opportunity to build some new memories, just the two of us. And I can't think of a better place to do it than the magic kingdom!

5x5,
B.

Greetings from Arizona

by Brittany Geragotelis

So sorry for the internet silence these past few days (five to be exact), but I was in Arizona and had no web access. Matt and I took off on Thursday afternoon for the west coast because my nephew was being baptized and our whole family was meeting up to celebrate the occasion.


The weekend itself was really nice. We stayed in a really nice hotel called the Conquistador. It was actually a resort with a golf course, spa and several pools...there was even a waterslide! In short, the place was gorgeous! And in between doing family stuff, we were all able to spend some time relaxing by the pool.

Besides the fact that this was the first time our whole family (I have two younger sisters) had been together since my 28-year-old sister, Amy, got married three years ago, I was meeting my nephew, Cash Ryan, for the first time. Now, I know everyone says that their nephew or niece is the cutest thing ever, but Cash really is. Cutest. Thing. Ever. When he smiles (which he does A LOT), it just melts your heart. He's six months old and a pretty easy-going baby. He rarely cries and laughs when you talk to him. Anyway, the baptism was nice (and also interesting, to be honest; I didn't realize churches still performed exorcisms...way to go organized religion) and we all had a chance to get dressed up and spend the day together.


While we were there, I also got the chance to meet my 21-year-old sister Jacey's boyfriend, Micah, who has one of the best senses of humor I've ever seen (can you see a sense of humor?). Really funny...and very sweet to my sis, which is what matters most to me.







But the baptism wasn't the only thing we were celebrating....it was also both my parent's birthdays! So all of us girls (along with our special man friends) took my parents out to dinner one of the nights and surprised them with a Nintendo Wii. They had no idea we were getting them one and I think they really enjoyed the night. We even had the waiters sing to them!


All in all, it was a great weekend, and I was exhausted by the time I got back home...thus the reason you didn't get a blog yesterday. Now, I'm home for three days before heading off to New Orleans for work (and play). But more on that in a future blog...

5x5,
B.

It's weird...but kinda cool.

by Brittany Geragotelis

When we were at the beach last week, I got into the habit of waking up pretty early (like around 8ish; Hey, for a vacation, that's early). One of the mornings, I woke up (early), made some coffee (decaf) and went out to sit on the back deck (I liked to sit and listen to the waves in the morning) as I proceeded to try and wake up.

Only this time, I went out there, to find Matt's 8-year-old cousin, Maya, out on the deck, even more excited and energetic as usual. She was bouncing around and didn't even wait for me to ask her what was up before she spilled. "There's a wedding on the beach!" Sure enough, I looked out and saw an altar set up down by the water and about a dozen or so chairs lined up in front of it.

We were all so excited at the prospect of bearing witness to a couple's union--without having to get all dressed up to do it. It was exciting and sweet and for the next 30 minutes, I was glued to my patio chair as I sipped my coffee and watched guests start to arrive. By this time, Maya had lost interest and disappeared upstairs to find something else to hold her attention, so I was left there on my own to witness the blessed event.

As I waited, I tried to guess what the gown would look like. Would it be a big poofy affair, like a princess sort of look...or would the bride go the sundress route and wear something that could get sandy and wet? Maybe something modern...or a more traditional gown?


Finally, a crowd began to form as people headed down to the beach, including a few girls that were wearing the same sundresses, which led me to believe they were the bridesmaids. Everyone hugged hello and I watched as the officiant, dressed in a long, white, regal-looking robe made his way to the altar. I blinked as everyone turned to face where the bride would walk down the isle.

There was no dress. There were shorts. White shorts, actually, and a matching white button-up shirt.

And two brides.

The two women walked down the sandy isle together, arm in arm and their friends and family surrounded them as they approached the man who was going to marry them. As they reached the altar, the man threw off his robe to reveal white shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.

In four words? It was (freaking) awesome!

I wish I hadn't been so far away that way I could have heard them, but man was everyone in that group happy when the vows were made and those two people were able to make those promises to each other. It was beautiful.

A little bit after the ceremony ended and the guests fled the beach, Maya appeared on the porch and I told her that it was two women who'd been married that morning. She looked confused for a minute and then said, "Two women?" I said, "Yep." Then, totally deadpan, she said to me, "That's weird...but also kinda cool." I asked her why it was weird and all she said was, "I don't know. But it's kinda cool, too." Then she skipped off to tell everyone about the wedding she'd seen on the beach.

5x5,
B.

It's a sad, sad day

by Brittany Geragotelis

We're leaving the beach in an hour and I have to admit, I'm a little depressed. I'm sitting here, crying a little into the cake that I'm eating for breakfast (not really though, because that would be a waste of perfectly good cake!). Waking up each day, pulling on a swimsuit and heading down to the beach for some sun-soaking (don't worry, I wear 80 SPF! I practice safe sun.) and reading my magazines....there's seriously nothing like it. I really think my quality of life would be so much better if I lived near the beach--or at least just not in busy, busy NYC.

I'm so sad to leave, I don't think I can even summon up a blog today. So, instead, I'll just leave you with this picture. It pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now. This is Matt's dog, Tyler. She's not happy to be leaving either...

5x5,
B.

Vacation Breakdown

by Brittany Geragotelis

I only have one more day left at the beach before we head back to Baltimore and then NY. My time here has been sublime (albeit too fast) and has been full of a lot of relaxing, eating and having fun. Here's a rundown of what my vacation's been like:

Days down at the beach: 5
Hours (on average) spent soaking up rays: 15
Bottles of sunscreen used while here: 2
Naps: 3
Articles written for work: 2
Buckets of fries eaten: 3
Magazines read: 6
Days I've exercised: 1
Episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" watched: 7
Money spent: $93
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshakes slurped: 5
Days dieting since down here: 0
Trips to Dunkin' Donuts: 3
Kids I've played with: 4
Days waking up past 10AM: 1
Movies watched: 1
Blogs written: 4
Bad days at the beach: 0

Okay, gotta head back down to the beach for my last-ditch tan efforts...see you all back in NY!

5x5,
B.

Ways to survive (and enjoy) a family vacation.

by Brittany Geragotelis

There was a point growing up when I went from loving my summer vacations with my family to resenting them. I hated the fact that I was being pulled away from my friends for a week and being forced to hang out with my parents and sisters. I was convinced that my BFF's were all having so much more fun than I was and I was going to be missing out on something big back home while I was away. Because of this, I insisted on complaining and scowling the whole beginning of the trip, trying to make everyone around me just as miserable as I was.
What ended up happening was that I eventually got over myself and actually had fun--although I never would've admitted it to my parents (Check out the pic here for proof...can you find me?). So, if you're headed away for your family vaca, why not cut out the teen angst and get right to having fun? Here are a few ways to have a good time right from the start and maximize your enjoyment while you're away...because the truth is, whether you complain or not, you're stuck going. Might as well enjoy it.

1. Be pleasant and get what you want. Like I said, you're stuck on this vacation, so arguing about it is pretty much pointless. If you have a good attitude from the beginning, your parents are more likely to say "yes" when you ask whether you can have desert for breakfast, go play mini-golf with your siblings or stay up an extra hour to finish the movie you've been dying to watch.
2. Go on an adventure. Whether you're at the beach, in the woods camping, at an amusement park or visiting family in another state, there are always opportunities for adventure. Look for buried treasure, search for the perfect pair of sunglasses, find your summer crush, or simply seek out your secret hideaway. Whatever you choose to do, will get your adrenaline pumping and leave you feeling excited and happy.
3. Try something new. Make it a point every day to try something you haven't before. Whether it's a new food (chocolate banana cake, anyone?) or waking up at sunrise to watch the view, venturing into the unknown will keep you on your toes and open your eyes to fun and exciting experiences.

photo credit: MTV/Laguna Beach

4. Make new friends. No matter where you end up, chances are there are other kids your age bored and looking for something to do. This is the perfect time to get to know your neighbors and possibly make a new friend. Not only does this mean more fun for you while you're away, but it allows you to go home with a new Facebook friend.
5. Enjoy the food. Vacation has a way of making people indulge. And this can be great for you, because you'll end up reaping the rewards. Desert every night? Yes, please. Steak instead of burgers? Mmmm! Cool watermelon, smooth ice cream and heaps of french fries...Vacation's not a time to diet and since you're away from home, your regular meals don't apply. Enjoy the food free-for-all before heading back to more healthy fare.
6. Sit back and relax. You can do this on the beach while you're getting a tan, or on the porch in a hammock while reading a book. Whatever you choose, make sure to schedule in some down-time in between all the fun activities you've set to do. It's never fun heading back home feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation.
7. Leave your cell in your room. I know this one's hard to do, and you're probably thinking, "Is this girl crazy?!?!" But trust me...the world's not going to end if you give yourself a few hours sans phone and computer. Truly allow yourself to unwind and enjoy the carefree atmosphere--free from drama, responsibility and stress--by turning all your electronics to "Off" for a few hours each day. Chances are, when you power back on later, you'll realize that no one but you knew that you were even gone.
5x5,
B.

Beach Boogie Boogaloo

by Brittany Geragotelis

Tonight after work, I'm leaving NYC behind and heading to Ocean City, MD for a week+ of fun in the sun. And to be honest, this getaway couldn't have come at a better time...I am in serious need of a week off to refresh, reboot...and get my tan on!

I'm already making a mental list of everything I plan on doing on my vacation. Here it is (in no particular order.):

1. Work on my tan—After the longest winter known to man (okay, so maybe just known to me), I am desperately needing to exchange my pasty white skin for a hue a few shades darker. With that sun-kissed look that only a week on the beach can bring, I can look forward to clearer skin, a leaner look and not having to wear much makeup. Oh, and the feeling of heat on my skin? Is there anything better?

courtesy of SELF Magazine

2. Read my magazines—I have no less than 15 magazines that I've managed to let pile up over the past couple of months and they're all currently sitting in the bottom of one of my bags. Actually, all that bag holds is magazines. It's my plan to sit on the beach, day after day, hour after hour and catch up on everything I've missed. Can't wait!

3. Stuff my face—For the last three weeks, I've been on a healthy-eating diet. It's consisted mostly of chicken, brown rice and vegetables and I've even given up deserts and junk food, too, so that I'll look like Giselle in my swimsuit (or at least feel like I look like her). So, in Ocean City, I will be eating Boardwalk fries, ice cream, sandwiches, waffles, bagles, cookies, etc. And if I come back 5 pounds heavier? Well, at least I'll come back happy...

4. Relax—I'm hoping that the above things will help me to do this. We don't have any concrete plans set for while we're down there, so we'll be able to really achieve relaxation. I'll get lots of sleep, lazy around in the sun and take mid-afternoon cat naps. And most importantly, leave the stress of the real world behind.

5. Walk on the beach—In the morning. Maybe in the afternoon. Even nighttime is a fine time for a walk on the beach. Whether I'm quietly reflecting, hand-in-hand with Matt or gabbing with Matt's mom or cousin, I'll be happy and barefoot.

So, that's what I'll be doing. What will you all be doing this next week?

5x5,

B.