Water Fire

The Gelato Gang was at it again, this time with a Field Trip to Water Fire in Providence.  Our tour guide for this trip was Kate, who did a fabulous job of planning and executing our little trip.

Bob, Pat, Rick, Kate, Tag and I 

We got into Providence early so we could walk around and see how everything was set up without any crowds.  Providence created a canal right in the downtown area.  As a matter of fact, the canal goes right under the Providence Place Mall.   All along the length of the canal, braziers were set up, ready and waiting to be lit for Water Fire to begin.

On one end is a large basin, where more braziers wait to be lit.

There are many restaurants and shops along one side of the river.  They also had a few craft tents along the side streets.   

 We weren't sure where to eat. Kate had suggested New Rivers Restaurant.  As we were standing in front of it discussing the menu, Bob started talking with a gentleman who lived in the area and gave us four or five suggestions. 

 So we walked to several of those places and found them to be too expensive or unable to accommodate us without reservations.   So we ended up back at New Rivers!  They also had a reservation list but there happened to be 6 seats at the bar.  The bar was curved and we sat on the corner which made for nice conversation. 

We left the restaurant in just enough time to see some of the brazier being lit.  There were speakers set up all along the canal, and this beautiful music played all night long.

There were gondola rides available for hire.  Great job for the many college students in the area.

We thought it amusing that there were chandeliers hanging from the bridge underpasses.

This underpass was filled with hand-painted tiles apparently made by children.  Maybe in honor of 9/11?

The braziers were lit along the whole length of the canal. You could smell the smoke and hear the crackling of the flames.  It was like a long line of campfires!

The braziers stay lit until 11pm, so long boats filled with wood cruise up and down the canal all night with workers adding wood to the fires as needed. 

This week part of the celebration was a parade of breast cancer survivors and a tribute to breast cancer awareness.  A very poignant moment for me was placing a luminary along the edge of the canal in memory of a loved one.  I placed one for my Mom, who beat breast cancer but ultimately died of cancer in 2010.    I want to thank my good friends for their support and love and hugs as I struggled to contain my tears during this short ceremony.

We walked back down the walkway to the basin area

where we were just in time to see the Breast cancer survivors march in carrying torches.  They were heading to the basin where they would light additional braziers.

The Statehouse was illuminated in pink for the night.

There were a line of food trucks at the top of the basin. We helped ourselves to some ice cream for dessert!

Now we worked our way back down to the other end of the canal, where we came upon a stage with a young couple singing and playing guitar.

Bob, Pat and Rick check out the heat on the (fake) brazier decoration.

There were several of these "living statues"

For a small donation, you could pose with this young lady.  Tag seems pleased!

This art installatin was titled "Starry, Starry Night"

And finally we walked all the way back down to the basin.

Where we were unexpectedly treated to fireworks!

What a day!  What an evening!  What great fun to spend time with wonderful friends!  Kate did a superb job as tour guide and we all had a great time! Thanks friends!

Emily's 11th Birthday Adventure

Our oldest grand-daughter Emily turned 11 this year!  Mom and Dad had a small birthday party with just the grandparents, and Emily got to blow out the candles on the delicious Cookies and Cream birthday cake her Nana made for her.

She also got to invite her very Best Friend, Mari.

She and Mari are two peas in a pod - making videos and trying out clothes and hairstyles and indulging in all the fun of being a "tween".

For our Birthday Adventure this year I got us all tickets to Blue Man Group!

We drove into Sullivan Square and took the subway to The Cheesecake Factory first - it's both Emily's AND Pepere's favorite place to eat!   Emily was hankering after Chicken and Waffles, but they only serve them for brunch and we were too late!  She quickly decided on chicken fingers and fries.   I was very impressed with her poise and assurance in ordering her own meal.

We walked from the Cheesecake Factory to the Charles Playhouse where Blue Man Group performs.  Before the show started, they handed out flourescent paper to use as headbands - at one point in the show they glowed in the dark.

We had to take a quick selfie because there were no photos during the show!

(the guy behind us apologized for photo bombing us, but he really couldn't help making sure he had a nice smile!)

Except this illicit photo  (which Emily reprimanded me for!!)

Emily loved the show and laughed her way through it.   Pepere and I enjoyed it just as much as she did!  I had to laugh at one point, when one of the Blue Men was very, very slowly pouring paint on a drum to build up suspense, Emily said out loud, "Just pour it in already!!"

We took the subway back to Sullivan Square.  I tried to get a few pictures of Emily and her very fashionable attire  (three outfit changes before we got there, as well as a long discussion on which purse to bring) but she was being sassy so I only got a couple of good shots.

She got her first cell phone about a month ago and I was very impressed with how respectful she was with it. She put it away during the dinner and during the show.   She asked if she could take it out and play a game on it while we were riding back on the subway, and then she offered to let me have a turn on the game.

Of course she would play for 5 minutes and I would play for 5 seconds!  But we had fun playing together.

Another very successful birthday outing.  So much fun to spend time with our wonderful, happy-go-lucky, smart, beautiful and loving grand-daughter!

Karen's Birthday Adventure

My Hubby put together a fantastic birthday surprise for me.  His company had taken him on an excursion to an Escape Room and he thought it was something I'd really enjoy.   So unbeknownst to me, he planned a day at the Escape Room in Westford for my birthday.

The best part for me was that he invited all my children.  When we got to the Escape Room  (unrealistically early for my usually-tardy Hubby) we checked in and he insisted on waiting outside for the 20 minutes before it was our turn to start.

We sat on the bench outside and next thing you know, my daughter Jamie shows up with her boyfriend Sean.  Then Nick and Kelly arrived and I knew Doug wouldn't be far behind.  I was completely delighted that when he showed up, his wife Kara and my granddaughter Emily were with him.   I didn't expect Kara because she's had a recent head injury; but after speaking with the guy at the Escape Room, and being reassured that there was nothing to harm her and she wouldn't ruin it for everyone if she left early, she agreed to join in. 

After a short introduction we were told our "story".   "A robber has stolen four Championship Rings from the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics. He has them hidden in his Boston apartment.  Our task is to find the rings and escape the room with them within the hour or the room will be blown up!"

We walked into the room and the fun began.  We were asked not to divulge any secrets so as not to ruin it for other people who will go in later, but basically there were a lot of locked cabinets and drawers and we had to figure out the combinations for the locks to find more clues or find the rings.  We were allowed 3 hints (which we used) and the guy had to come in with some long-nosed pliers to release a sim card that was put in incorrectly and got stuck........But, with our collective intelligences, we managed to get out with 8 minutes to spare!  The guy told us later only about 30% of the people escape within the hour.

And I do mean we used all our intelligences.  I was very impressed that every single person contributed in some way to help us figure out the puzzles.   We weren't allowed to take pictures in the room, but the guy took a picture of us all at the end.

Emily got the chance to wear the four rings before she reluctantly had to give them back.  Even though one ring was Tom Brady's, he didn't show up in person to claim it.

After that, Hubby had let the kids know that he wanted us all to go to lunch together.  Kimball's was right up the road, so we all went there.   I knew they had added an outdoor restaurant and was told the seafood was great and they were right!  It's my favorite kind of dining with ordering at the counter and bringing your trays to a picnic table.

After lunch, Emily batted her big blue eyes at her Daddy and convinced him to give her some money for the arcade.  Doug and Kara headed home but Nick, Kelly, Jamie, Sean, Hubby, me and Emily went and played in the arcade.   Emily's favorite game was Deal or No Deal

Jamie tried out the motorcycle

Hubby thought it was hilarious that I tried a snowboarding game

Jamie and Emily teamed up to knock down a bunch of clowns

I know Sean got the high score on the punching bag, but I lost track of Nick and Kelly and what games they were playing.

We all pooled together our tickets to see if Emily could win her choice of prizes.  She came up short and then a random stranger came over and gave her 800 tickets!  She was very happy with her prize, and I was proud that, since she now had 300 tickets left over, she paid it forward and gave it to another little girl.

After the arcade we went outside for ice cream - we were at Kimball's after all!

What a fanastic day and so much fun to spend time with my kids!  Thank you so much Hubby for such a wonderful gift!

Audrey's 5th Birthday Adventure

Hubby and I attended a fundraiser for Shriner's Hospital because some friends were playing the music for the event.  I participated in the silen auction, and won four tickets to the Children's Museum of NH in Dover.   

I thought it would be a great idea for Audrey's 5th Birthday Adventure.   Audrey graciously allowed her sister to come on the fourth ticket.

We began our adventure with lunch.  I let Audrey choose the restaurant, and she decided on Friendly's.  Great choice!  Mini hamburgers with fries...

Elise literally ate the cheese off the cheeseburger bun and that was it!

And "Monster" ice cream for dessert......for everyone including Pepere and  me!

The waitress was agreeable to putting their coloring sheets up on the wall.

First stop at the Children's Museum is the Yellow Submarine....Pepere liked that!

You can "steer" it while watching out the window for sharks, etc.   While Elise was steering, Audrey commentated...."Elise! Turn the wheel!  You're going to hit the rocks!"   And she learned you can drive right through the seaweed!

Next was the Post Office.  We took turns being the Postal Worker and the one who rings the bell for service.

There was a room with all kinds of soft sculptures so you could make your own creation.

Pepere shows off his muscles

Audrey shows off the flower Pepere made for her.

I regret I did not get a photo of the sand table.  There was a light above it with a sensor that apparently measured the height of the sand.  When  you made the sand into a mountain, it looked brown with a topographical type map of the sand.  If it was hollowed out, it looked like a lake.  Fascinating for the kids AND the adults!

Audrey was impressed with the dinosaur's teeth!

Audrey designed and built this tower  herself!

Pepere "helping" Elise with her tower.

Puppet Theater

They had lots of cute puppets there!

I also missed taking photos of the Magnet Area and the "Cantina" that was a play restaurant with plastic food for serving.

This area was very cool.  The wooden pieces on the wall have sensors behind them so when you press on the wood they make a musical note.

Elise instructs Pepere to dance

And finally at the top of a long ramp was a "cave" that Audrey loved because when  you pressed a button, it emitted purple lights displaying heiroglyphics.

Both girls were fantastic all day and listened very well.   At the very end, after each girl had another turn driving the submarine and I'd said it was time to go, Elise suddenly went deaf!!  LOL   She didn't cry or throw a tantrum, she just crossed her arms and pretended she couldn't hear me saying it was time to go.  

It's always an adventure for Memere and Pepere just as much as it is for the grandkids!  And we enjoy it as much as they do too!