Team Travis

light

I attended a wake for the brother of a co-worker from my job at the bar yesterday. He was 23. He died of a brain tumor. After an hour or two of waiting in line we finally walked up the steps and into the funeral home. Immediately I was overwhelmed with that smell… the sent of flowers…. but so much more than that – its that over powering, awful smell. I waited in line, got on my knees, said and “Our Father” and hugged the family. I hugged my friend for an extra minute… I didn’t want to let her go… I got outside and talked to Bailey, about the year we have had… about how we thought we had gone through so much… but how this stuff really puts it into perspective.

I got sick, really sick, her boyfriend and roommate was deported, we went to jail, we packed his stuff, we packed her stuff, her grandfather died…. this year sucked but God … its days like that when its all put into perspective. I am lucky, we are lucky… all that stuff happened to us for a reason. What in the world could be the reason for this? All I know is the love you have for siblings is unlike any kind of love in the world. We have this connection, unmatched, un comparable, in equivalent to anything else in the world.

I am lucky and I know that….

Project Oregon Trail

ASA_MapUSA_hoiz_popup1Bailey has decided to move to Cali – i knew this was coming when she booked tickets to Cochlea. Its been something she has talked about doing for so long – but I think I was (selfishly) praying she wouldnt go…

On a much brighter note… she asked me if I wanted to drive cross country with her… and of course I said yes…

We already mapped out all of our stops. We plan to make the trip in 1 week… there are SO many things to see, we had to compromise and make a list that would make both of us happy!

1. Boston to DC

2. DC to Nashville

3. Nashville to Saint Louis

4. Saint Louis to Kansas City

5. Kansas City to Denver

6. Denver to Grand Canyon

7. Canyon to Coast of Cali

8. Drive up the beautiful coast of Cali to San Fran

Think we can do it? Who has advice on making the cross country drive?

I thought I got over the worst heartbreak…

To My One True Love,

Its funny I thought I had gotten over the worst heart break I would ever have – they say your 1st love is the worst, not because you LOVE them the MOST but because its the first time you experience the heartache of a break up. I think I realized “Mr” wasn’t my first true love, in fact the relationship I had with him never would have happened if it werent for my TRUE first love, you, I don’t know why it took this long, I mean its been over 7 years. I still remember the day we met, I was so nervous, I threw up on the way to meet you, my parents and sister were there, and of course my high school best friend V, you introduced me to the two other best friends I couldn’t live with out when I moved into a dorm looking over the Boston Common. My love for you grew as I got a job at the 21st Amendment, which when I started as a 18 year old, I could NEVER have imagined the opportunities I would get or more importantly the people I would meet.

I went to my first Bruins game, my first Celtics game, countless Red Sox games (I still get butterflies every time I walk into Fenway). It sounds so bad but you introduced me to the man who I thought was my first love, I traveled, I fell in lust, I laughed, I cried (too much), I laughed so hard I cried…

You taught me to think twice before you move, that most couches (esp the huge one I had to have as a Sophomore) don’t fit into the old stairways of the Northend, and no matter how much you think you can do on your own, moving is IMPOSSIBLE with out a mans help.

You taught me life lessons, some hard ones, I found out I was sick … you introduced me to the best doctors and specialists.

Marathon Monday which I have enjoyed with you so many times before, is the day I realized you are my first love, because the heartache I feel from the Boston Marathon is so much worse than anything I thought was love before.  I can still here sirens outside the window, its been 3 days… I can’t beleive it takes someone hurting you for me to realize how much you mean to me.

pray-for-boston

You my Boston have made me who I am today, and I will forever be grateful. I will stand by you and everything you mean to so many people.

All my love, -F

As president Obama said, Boston is a tough and resilient town and so are its people…

Strength Finding

Last week we all had to read “Strength Finders” and take a test online where you had to pick one phrase or the other depending on what you feel more stronger about. The test determines your top 5 strengths based on the answers. The test was given company wide and the results were compared within each group to see where our strengths lie. “From cradle to cubical we spend our lives we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.”

strength finders image

The idea is building a team through strengths. One of the ideas in the book is if you spend your life trying to be good at everything you will never be good at anything. Society encourages us to be well rounded but this theory breeds mediocrucy – instead we should focus on what we are good at. My top five were:

communication: people with strong communication theme generally find it easy to put thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.

individualization: people strong in individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person, They have the gift of figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.

input: people strong in the input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

learner: people strong in the learner theme have a great desire to lean and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome excites them.

restorative: people strong in the restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.

 

A weekend fit for a queen

While this weekend was for V’s birthday – I think I would call it top 10 weekends for meee! Friday night we met a few of my friends after work then headed to Southie where we dinned at Paramount South Boston, one of the amazing restaurants I used to work for. Chef Gabe was there and brought out countless dishes for us to try.

IMG_0960 (800x600) 111urlWe rang in the big 25 across the street with Irish Car Bombs. YUM.

Saturday evening we headed back to Southie to new-ish restaurant called Local 149. With the edgy hipster feel the food and drinks were outstanding.

url1 url ur2We headed to a few other places and ended Sat night at Whiskey Priest with all of our friends from home!  There is just something about being in the comfort of the people you grew up with that feels so good.

Sunday was supposed to be the real birthday party – it was a day brunch at Gem Night Club. We did something similar to this in NYC at Lavo and its one of those that will go in my “once in a lifetime” buckets. Gem wasnt bad though, it was actually pretty fun. Great DJs, the best friends, drinks flowing…. made for quite the Sunday funday… I have to say… work on Monday isnt so hot.

placeholder

photo weekend

-Frankie

Birthday Extravaganza Weekend

TGIF – I never say that – usually because I work on the weekend at some point and lately they just haven’t been all that exciting. I am truly looking forward to this weekend. I am kicking it off  with a hair appointment at the ultra professional Jeffery Lyle Salon on after work JL-newsite-1

(courtesy of Jefferylylesalon.com)

then out to celebrate with a few friends from work + then to my fav part of boston … Southie 🙂
Saturday (i am working so lets skip that) marks the 25th bday of my BFFL! WOOOO

Yes we still celebrate like we are 21 accept we are 25 and can handle our booze (and go drink for drink) as well as the next guy. My BFFL turns 25 this Sunday and we are heading to GEM nightclub for a little partay brunch on Sunday! I am SOOO looking forward to it!!

181702_614974783620_3397941_n

Its crazy to think we have been friends for 10 years but I wouldn’t change a single thing. What do you guys have planned for the weekend?

xo

-Frankie

 

Bona Clara Launch Party

379277_152977078192492_2063020373_n

Last night was the official launch party of Bona Clara!!! We had the perfect space – a private room at Eastern Standard,

25938_152975651525968_798440123_n

delicious cocktails,

539350_406975389394059_2007252136_n

beautiful displays

426138_152975751525958_1296894554_n

a few of boston’s most fab bloggers, the ladies from What Gents Don’t Get

3d3d65a69f53ad5c37c3350ade7d7f1e

and the amazing woman behind Rue Le Chat not to mention several others –

598455_153025351520998_2074853688_n

and amazing friends and friends of friends. It was a perfect night all around + left me with butterflies of excitement as Jasmina announced this is just the beginning of something truly amazing.

539309_152975631525970_2122146172_n

(our team doing the “kiki” arms wide or the “frankie” cool dude hands move)

I have to say I belong here and it feels so good…

xo