Miles from Fenway: The Best Family Ever

Have I ever mentioned how fantastic my family is? Yes? Oh well, I'm going to do it again.

This weekend, in honor of my 27th birthday, Mom, Dad, and my newly-21-year-old brother all came down to NYC to celebrate. And let me tell you, best birthday weekend ever.

It started out on Friday night with dinner at Good, which lived up to its name (at least for my mother and I. Dad and my brother weren't as happy with their selections). The birthday cake which Mom had arranged before she even arrived in New York (got to love the power of the Internet and a determined mother) was absolutely to die for. It was like a doughy chocolate pudding. Not too rich, kind of melty, oh God it was just so ... well, GOOD.

After dinner the four of us made our way to the White Horse Tavern where many drinks were had, MM and her boyfriend met up with us, and I laughed harder than I had in a long time. Mom and Dad called it a night around 11pm and my brother and I promptly found another bar near my apartment where more drinks were had, I kicked his ass at darts, and we got to catch up in a way that's not really possible over the phone.

Saturday found my brother and I nursing hangovers and heading with my parents to the Central Park Zoo. It may be kind of small, but it's a very nice zoo for being in the middle of Manhattan. They've done a lot with a small amount of space and I swear I could have sat and watched the penguins all day.

Next came a trip to the 7-11 in midtown that was recently turned into a Kwik-E-Mart in honor of the new Simpsons movie. Too much fun. With large character cut outs all over the place, signs that were fashioned in the style of the show, and merchandise such as Buzz Cola and Squishees, there were a lot of photo opportunities. Going to have to get them up here soon because they really did do a good job of making you feel like you had walked into the cartoon.

After killing time for a while at Dunkin Donuts and a bar nearby in midtown (where my brother and I decided it was time to rally and had two pint-sized red bull and vodkas) we headed down to Professor Thom's for dinner and to watch the Sox game against Tampa Bay. Having heard so much about it and knowing how much time I spent there it was really great to be able to share it with the family. The Welshman met up with us for dinner and the game as well (he's met the fam multiple points at this point)And even though Mom's not a sit-down-and-watch-all-nine-innings kinda person, she and dad made it all the way through the tenth and to around 10:30 before bailing and heading for the hotel.

Which left my brother, the Welshman, a few of my friends who showed up towards the end of the game and I to head to 2nd and 2nd for karaoke. I should have known the night was going to go downhill when we did a round of soco and lime shots and then a round of Jager Bombs. But I had no idea that at 4am I'd have watched my brother sing Annie Lenox's "Walking on Broken Glass", that I myself would have sung two songs, or that my little brother and the Welshman would have found each other to be twin souls and how entertaining the two of them would be singing "Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy" together.

Sunday at brunch the Welshman, my brother, and I tried to recount the night to my parents and failed miserably as there's no way you could adequately do so (and I am doing just a woeful job right now). But the mimosas helped my hangover at least!

So sure, I got a new iPod for my birthday (mine broke a year ago and I never replaced it) but what really made it so great was to have all four of us together for the weekend. I mean come on, I've got parents that I actually like having hang out with my friends and who don't mind having a drink or two out at the bars and a little brother who's just the man. There's no other way to say it.

Am I the luckiest girl in the world or what?!

Labels: family

posted by FINY @ Monday, July 30, 2007

2 Comments:

At 7/30/2007, Unknown said…

Sounds great, but you do realize you spelled Kwik-e-mart wrong? Is the hangover still affecting you?
At 7/30/2007, FINY said…

yes, yes it is. Damn, I am so ashamed right now. It's most likely because I haven't watched the show in ages. I feel like the writing has gone downhill of late.