The Scarlet Letter

Aren’t you vaccinated yet? Did you get your first dose yet? Are you registered to get your vaccine? I feel like I have been getting ALLLLL of the questions all of the time, and my answer has been “no”. I almost felt guilty with that reply. Like people were judging me, whispering behind my back “unclean“. So, today, Mr. and I were fortunate enough to be able to get our first dose. We registered online for the Rite Aid right down the street on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore. Registration was easy, and we had to wait less than a week for our appointments. We checked in at the pharmacy, waited a few minutes (we were early, as always). They even asked us if we would like to go in together. One little jab, and we were set! So, we got our date for the next dose, and they even said it might be sooner. So, still playing it safe, but gradually moving forward…

This is Us.

Drinking Buddy texted me the other day (out of nowhere), “I like her pants.” I haven’t spoken to him in about a week or so, yet I knew exactly what he was talking about. So, I know there are still stores open. And outdoor dining has re-opened. But Mr. and I still aren’t socializing, at least not with anyone but each other! Over the past few months, Mr. and I have been discussing a local news meteorologist’s on-air wardrobe/fashion choices. Well, apparently, Drinking Buddy and his roommate have been doing the same. Yesterday, Drinking Buddy texted me again, “I’m not sure about her outfit today.” Well, Mr. and I had already discussed it, so I had an immediate response for him.

When I put down my phone, I thought to myself, “This is my life now.” We get groceries delivered, alcohol delivered, meals delivered. We order everything online. We watch marathon days of cooking shows; or (worse yet!) nature shows. And, we discuss local newscasters’ outfits. This is my life now…

New Year, Same Day

I know, I know! I haven’t chatted with you in forever! I’m sorry, but we really just haven’t been doing anything. There are only so many photos of our dinner delivery I can share! So, I just wanted to pop in and wish you a Happy New Year. I’m not going to get in to the pandemic, or politics, or anything deep. I have a feeling 2021 will be very similar to the past 9 months (sorry to say), but we must persevere. And, I promise I’ll try to check in more often. Wishing you and yours happiness, health and hope as we move forward…

To Go or To-Go?

Day I-Have-No-Idea of quarantine. Mr. and I were having a discussion last night about this very blog, or lack thereof. He asked me why I haven’t been writing, and I said, “because I never go anywhere. I never do anything. I have nothing to write about.” He said, “NOW is the time you should be writing. Letting everyone know what’s happening, what’s open.” OK, good point. Here’s the thing: I don’t know how I really feel about everything that’s open. On the one hand, I strongly feel that we should support all of our local, small businesses. On the other hand, I still have concerns. Sure, all of these adorable parklets have been opening up on 2nd Street (if you haven’t seen them, take a walk or drive, and you’ll see they’re everywhere! This photo is Quinn’s Pub.) But on the other hand, the tables at some of the places (I’m not calling out any place specific) don’t seem to be properly distanced. And all of the groups of people walking past, not wearing masks. So, I don’t know if I will encourage you to go anywhere. We’re all adults here, we can make our own decisions. At the very least, we have been getting delivery or to-go, trying our best to support these struggling restaurants. So, at the very least, get out there and check things out, while wearing your mask and remaining distanced, of course. And decide to go or to-go…

 

Day 57

Day 57. We’re on day 57 of quarantine. At least I am. Mr. was going in to work for a while longer than I was. I’m fortunate enough to be working from home all this time. But let’s start at the beginning. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic. I have been thinking about this for quite some time. I have been wanting to reach out to all of my BSers. I’ve wanted to write something profound, prolific. This is a once in a lifetime occurrence we are living through. I’ve also been thinking about how naive we were. In the beginning, Drinking Buddy and I were like, “Hey! WFH! Let’s take advantage of this time off and enjoy some daydrinking!” HA! Little did we know, we’d be sitting around at home. Alone. With unwashed hair. Not remembering the last time we changed out of our ratty t-shirt. But the daydrinking is still happening. Perhaps a little more often than we’d like. And the projects! So many things would be accomplished! Cleaning out closets. Organizing that bookcase, and these shelves! Deep cleaning the kitchen! None of that has happened. Not even touched upon. I haven’t even filed my taxes yet.

What about when this is all over? Will it ever be all “over?” I’m not even sure how I feel about that. The bottom line is, despite all of my planning, despite all of my thinking, I’m just trying to hold my shit together. I hope you’re doing a better job of it than I am. Until we meet again…

Launch is Served

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (it’s OK, it happens), you’ve probably noticed this monstrosity in the ocean off of Belmont Shore. It’s a special carrier that is going to transport the Sea Launch Odyssey to Russia. The blue part on the bottom is the vessel, and the Odyssey is the platform-looking part which has already been loaded.

The Sea Launch project was successfully used to deploy commercial satellites into orbit between 1999 and 2014. The perceived benefit of the unique Sea Launch platform is its capability to launch near the equator, with the greater rotational speed at the equator requiring less power (or thrust, I think). In the absence of populated areas nearby, ocean based launches are also believed to be safer. The project became defunct, and now we don’t want this any more, so we’re shipping it off to Russia (you may want to fact-check this part). Thus concludes the educational segment of livingtheBS. I know you’re impressed by all of my scientific and technical terminology, just don’t expect too much of it…

 

Intention

Happy New Year Belmont Shore! I hope your holidays were joy-filled and content. Mr. and I relished in some lovely, quiet moments together, and enjoyed some merry times with friends. So, if you recall, I made it a resolution not to make resolutions a long time ago. But it’s not only a new year, it’s a new decade, so I have been taking some time for mindful reflection about myself and my life. I’m sure you’ve noticed that one of my mottos is #bekind. I always try to be kind to others, whether it’s a helpful hand, or a simple smile to a stranger. You never know what people are going through. Sometimes a friendly “hello” can make the difference in someone’s day. But do we treat ourselves as kindly as we should? I should exercise more. I should go into work early. My laundry is overflowing. I shouldn’t have had that last glass of wine…

I’m not saying throw all caution, responsibility, and health to the wind. But maybe we could be more merciful to ourselves. Who says there isn’t something healthy in sleeping in an extra half hour? Or sitting quietly and meditating instead of taking a walk? Try to find little things that bring you joy, and find joy in the little things. It could be a massage or a mani-pedi. Lighting a candle or incense. Being creative. Just taking a moment – whether it be once a day or once a week – to be kind to yourself. And forgiving yourself for whatever it is you think you did “wrong” to yourself. Balance. #bekind…

 

Step It Up

Guys! Can you believe it?! It’s almost Christmas! And, that means it’s time for the annual Belmont Shore Christmas Parade! It takes place tomorrow (Saturday) from 6:00 – 9:-00 pm. First of all, let’s take care of business. If you haven’t already parked your car for the weekend, do it now! The place gets crazy. BS side streets are closed starting at 2:00, and 2nd Street closes at 4:00. As per usual, you aren’t supposed to can’t place your chairs on the sidewalks until 5:00.

Now, for the fun stuff. This is the 37th annual parade, and the theme of this year’s parade is “Your Holidays Start on 2nd”. Participants include over a dozen marching bands, and hundreds of entrants including floats by neighborhood businesses, and local personalities. As I mentioned, the streets will be flooded. Oh, speaking of floods, the parade takes place rain or shine, so be prepared with your hoodie and raincoat. Drinking Buddy and I usually like to go early, find a bar with some sidewalk seating, and camp out for the evening (insider tip: booze and bathrooms, but you didn’t hear that from me!) Of course, the parade culminates with a visit from The Big Guy, and only he knows if you’ve been naughty or nice…

Tapped Out

IDK if you remember what a fan we were of Tavern on 2, so we were pretty bummed when they closed. But then, I heard about the new tap house that would be taking its place, and I felt a little bit of hope. The Long Beach Tap House has been open for a while now, and I’ve been there a few times. One of the first days after they opened, I popped in just for a beer (and honestly, to scope out the place). I sat at the bar and when I asked for samples of beer, not an eyelash was batted. I chatted with one of the owners, who mentioned that whatever they don’t make in-house, they source from local vendors (for example, their burger buns come from Pietri’s Bakery, just down the street). Drinking Buddy and I have gone a few times for some beers and snacks (nacho fries!), and Mr. and I have gone a couple of times for brunch (their bottomless mimosa game is ON POINT! plus, they have these cute little mimosa flights). Last week, Mr. and I went to their official grand opening, and I decided it was finally time to tell y’all about this place. Plus the fact that they opened with a limited menu, and are now feeding full-swing.

As you can tell from the photo, the décor is beach-shack themed. “Reclaimed wood” tables, surfboards, wooden bar stools and bar top. (Fun fact: I told my co-worker to check out this place, and while he was there, he texted me that his dad is in one of the murals on the wall!) They have 30 beers on tap, a full bar, and boozy milkshakes! I think it’s safe to say that their menu focuses on burgers (the one I had was delicious), sandwiches, and various fries. They service has always been terrific, and all of the employees are friendly and diligent. They are currently experimenting with Tap Takeover Tuesdays, and live music (I think on Sunday nights). I may miss my old friends at T2, but I think I am ready and willing to make some new ones here…

Dog Days

Guys, it’s hot. Too hot to cook. Hopefully, you’re like me and can make a meal out of pretty much anything. Cheese, charcuterie, grapes or berries, crackers. Hummus, cucumbers, olives, feta. But wait. Wasn’t there just a huge recall on hummus due to listeria? IDK what that is but it sounds gross, and makes people sick. As much as I am obsessed with TJ’s cilantro jalapeño hummus, I’d rather wait until the cloud clears and not buy it. Guess what? It’s suuuuuper easy to make your own hummus! Now, you know I don’t write recipes, but I basically use:  I can of drained/rinsed chickpeas. 1/4 cup (+ more because I like it) tahini. 1 or 2 garlic cloves. Juice of 1 lemon. Couple go-rounds (that’s an official recipe term) of EVOO. Turmeric powder (because I put it in everything). Ground cumin. And I also add in a garam masala powder I have to give it a little extra oomph. Maybe some water, if you need it (or more EVOO, or lemon juice, or all of them). You might want salt & pepper, but I don’t use it.

Dump it all into a food processor & buzz it up (I pulse it) until it reaches your desired consistency. That’s it. Dinner is served. The fun part is making creative touches to it. The aforementioned cilantro jalapeño. Roasted red pepper. Scallion parsley (pictured). Kalamata olives and pine nuts. The possibilities are endless. The best part is that you can say you “made” dinner without actually turning on an oven, stove, or grill, and you didn’t even break a sweat…