Alice is Growing Up

My new niece Alice is 5 months old and my sister is going back to work today. Obviously my sister is pretty torn about it so I thought I would put up some images of baby Alice for her to look at during the day (not that she doesn't have a million pics on her phone already but it makes the blog look cute too).

Foggy Westport

Long Shore Trees

Pond Off Narrow Rocks Road

Compo Beach

Saugatuck River

The Best Baby Shower

Connecticut baby showers can be sort of fun. You get to watch the "mom to be" open presents so everyone can "ooh" and "ahhh" over how tiny everything is. You have to play embarrassingly silly games even if you don't really want to. Then afterwards during a light meal of wraps and fruit salad, the women sit around and discuss all things baby. So that's what I was expecting when I went to photograph a baby shower in Queens, NY...




The ice sculpture that greeted you when you arrived at the shower was hysterical!

There were lots of toasts of well wishes and love...

Teenagers dance at baby showers in Queens...

Everyone gets down in Queens! (do they say "gets down" anymore?)

One more shot of the ice sculpture...

Besides fun, the love in the room was extraordinary. 

 Here is a picture of Soleil kissing her aunt's belly and then asking if her new

 baby cousin can feel her kiss.

The best part of a baby shower in Queens, NY is no one wants to leave!

Here is a link to the BEST continental cuisine in Queens, NY and with the nicest staff around!

http://www.unclepetersrestaurant.com/

Yellow Snow

I know everyone is expecting snow photos with the 5 inches of snow that fell today in Connecticut but we got hit so badly last year that I am still a little sick of snow and my nine thousand pictures of it so I'm going another way. Remember the golden rule of this weather- Don't eat yellow snow!

All Thumbs

Don't you love a little one sucking their thumb? It reminds me of when the kids were small and the day was ending and cuddling up on the couch to watch The little Mermaid or Scooby Doo. Of course it also reminds me of orthodontist visits and bills but let's try not to go there.

Westport?

I took this pic the other day because I liked the setting and the light in the background behind the tress. But when I got home to look at it, to me the pic didn't look like it was taken in Westport. What do you think? Do you know where I took this pic?

Windy

How do you take a picture of the wind especially when it's too cold to get out of the car to do so? While I was waiting at Staples High School to pick up my daughter, I opened my car window (only half way, brrr!) and took a few quick shots of the wind's handiwork on the American Flag.

SoNo Baking Company

My sister and baby Alice dragged me to lunch at SoNo Baking Company today. The reason I say "dragged" is because SoNo Baking Co. is not where I can be when on a diet. Yes they have delicious soups and salads but the whole time you are eating, you are ogling the most decadent and beautifully displayed breads and pastries. I highly recommend a trip. You certainly won't be disappointed but your scale will!
By the way, I only ate one bite of my sister's lemon meringue tart (summer's coming).

Love the open kitchen.

Baby Alice slept through lunch!

My sister almost cried when her tart fell. 

But they gave us a new one for free!

Baby Alice woke up in time to hold the cookies to go.

http://sonobaking.com/

Scary Moon Last Night & Tonight

Channel 12 News

Today I was on Channel 12 News. Remember my blog post about Bruce the dog being a finalist in the Top Dog contest of Westport? Well Bruce won and the press came a calling! So Bruce's family and I all went down to the television station today for a short interview on local tv. It was not a thrill for me. In fact I tried to avoid it, to no avail. It turned out to be short and sweet and the people at Channel 12 News couldn't have been nicer. But if you happen to catch the show this week, remember the camera puts 15, I mean 25 lbs on you!

Declan, Bruce's brother getting ready for his close-up.

Bruce's sister Tova, sitting in the anchor's seat, practicing for when she takes over the news on SNL.

Bruce relaxing before his big moment on the small screen.

Link to original post about Bruce and the winning essay of Westport's 2012 Top Dog Contest:
http://katherinehooperphotography.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-dog.html

Link to WASA (they sponsored the contest) if you want to learn more about the organization and all the great things they do for animals in need:
http://www.westportwasa.org/

Stop & Shop

My son and I had some time to kill one night last week before I had to pick up my daughter so we went to Stop and Shop around 11pm to buy some junk food while we waited. I happened to have my camera in the back seat so I took it in with us. Obviously there is not much to photograph at a local supermarket but my sister thinks the pics are kind of retro or pop arty so here they are.

My son is color blind but sees yellows and oranges perfectly so this was his favorite.

Next we saw lots of boxes of food waiting to be shelved and my son asked me, "if we have all this food and more is coming in every day, why can't we just give it to people who don't have any". Good question.

Then for the last picture my son asks another question. "why cant all junk food be healthy?" I can't answer that one either, but I ask it myself quite often especially when I'm only on day three of my diet!