Why LI?

As you know, I've had the opportunity to live for lengthy periods of time abroad, and have been lucky to travel to something like 35 countries around the world. Where have I experienced the biggest culture shock? Japan? India? Vietnam? Nope. Try Long Island.

Once you see the evidence below, you'll understand exactly why.

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Summer List.

Here is a list of 20 things I would like to do this summer, in no order of importance:

1) Go to the beach-- a lot! (if it ever stops raining, that is)
2) Go to 10 new restaurants
3) Some kind of boat activity: kayak, row, intertube, raft, etc.
4) Go fishing!
5) See a game at Fenway Park
6) have at least 3 picnics on our roof (shh, don't tell! we aren't supposed to)
7) 3 trips to Boston to see my new niece and nephew
8) Boat through NYC harbor with my parents (not really fair, this is happening on Friday!)
9) Buy fresh produce at one of those stands by the road in rural long island
10) Speaking of rural long island, I want to check out at least 5 of the vineyards
11) Go back to this place for a drink, or even stay the night. So cool!
12) Get on a bike
13) Lounge on the Esplanade
14) Go back to Ellis Island
15) Take another cooking class
16) See Montauk
17) Buy a wedding dress (not really looking forward to that process)
18) Figure out why there are no mini-golf courses in Long Island. Must find one.
19) Roof deck bar visits to the Empire Hotel, the Gansevoort, and maybe that one in LIC I've been meaning to try.
20). 2 words: Beer Garden.

To be ordained

One thing I am so happy about with regards to the "big W" next year is that my big brother has agreed to officiate the wedding for us and my sister will be standing up with me as my most awesome Best Lady. Now, neither Damir or I have any idea yet what the actual ceremony might entail, but its already comforting to know that up there at the front with me will be the love of my life, and my brother and sister.

Hopefully the ceremony will be just like the picture above from circa 1978-- my sister on one side, my brother on the other and me in a wedding dress. Though I don't imagine they'll be wearing costumes, but I'd certainly be open to it if they really wanted.

I always wanted to say that my brother married me. Ha! Get it? Try the veal, and don't forget to tip your waitress.

Its very confusing though to understand whether or not my internet ordained brother officiating is actually legal in the Sunshine State (that's Florida). The law states the following:

741.07 Persons authorized to solemnize matrimony. (1) All regularly ordained ministers of the gospel or elders in communion with some church, or other ordained clergy, and all judicial officers, including retired judicial officers, clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public of this state may solemnize the rights of matrimonial contract, under the regulations prescribed by law.

So the question is: what is a "regularly ordained minister"?

Of course we can go to City Hall and have it done "for real" but it would just be nice to have some clarity on this issue: yea or nay?

On a related note: one more decision is in the books, we picked our photographer. Super exciting!