Step Up 3: The Wedding Dance

So some of you may think you heard a rumor that the third installment of Step Up will be in 3-D and you would be correct. It will be live and in person at our wedding! Just kidding..actually David and I are taking dance lessons to learn the Two-Step..the all inclusive, just above the sway, you'll be able to dance to any rhythm dance step. So we just want to give a holla out to our dance instructors. Your Stress Free Wedding Dance is a couple, John and Maria, who have a dance studio hidden in the Garment District where they teach people of our generation (aka, those who would rather be a b-boy in Union Square or a girl in a 50 cent music video) the dance of our more elegant preceding generation (the Viennese Waltz is actually kick a** if you see it done right). So it isn't about choreographed steps or counting in your head...it is learning to lead and be led. They are super low stress, don't make you feel like an idiot if you mess up and are just, good people. Definitely call instead of email, they are a busy studio. You may also learn fun steps as you try to get around their dogs Austin and Blue, who tend to like to cut in... let's hope we remember everything on the big day!

Hey LADIES!

Okay, we have to say a big thanks to Ryan, one of the greatest people in the world you will ever meet because even when we lost faith in the blog, he reminded us of what it exists and so, here is a holla to my ladiez who will flank me on the big day looking awesome and helping me stay sane (I hope). I do think I put that in their contract.... so here it goes. I apologize for the photos that also have me in them, as ladies tend to go to the restroom together, we also tend to take photos together.

So here goes:

The gorgeous lady to my left in this photo from Adios Soltera, the historic bachelorette party in Spain we took in May, is the sophisticated, gorgeous and amazing maid-of-honor Sarah Liza Hornung. In addition to knowing more than any average human being would need to know about paper and the printing process (see previous post), she has managed to put up with me since 1999 when we met in the largest dorm at our school, Thurston, 4th floor. She has helped me accept my love of shoes and beautiful things and is my favorite and most dangerous shopping buddy. She is a fantastic kitchen companion as we invent crazy new dishes and revamp tranditional dishes. Greek yogurt can replace mayo, I swear! She has made available her childhood home in Haddam, CT for "summering..." New York City summers are unbearable! She is an amazing confidante and our friendship continues to grow with each passing year. If I told you all the things we do together...dance, dine, yoga, knit, this post would be very long but needless to say, I don't know where I would be without her.

To the right of me is the ever inspiring Lisa Roche. Lisa actually began as David's friend but we eventually stopped waiting for him to make plans for us and just became really close friends. Lisa is my inspiration and hope and constantly reminds me to never give up on wanting to change this world and that life really is a journey. She seeks meaning in everything she does and we can spend hours on just one meal together. I'm hoping that in the next year I will be visiting her outside the country! I am so glad that I met her here in New York and know we will meet wherever our journies take us.

Next we have Vanessa (here with her man Mark) who is coming from the beautiful green lands of Ireland to be part of this special day. Vanessa actually introduced me to Sarah Liza and we, too, have been friends since freshman year of college. When Vanessa moved to New York it was a blessing. She introduced me to Masala Bhangra and we eventually moved in together to the very famous Hotel Ainslie. She is an amazingly talented artist and since moving to Ireland has started her own sweets business, which is totally incredible. She also introduced me to the Red Lion Inn, which has a great pour of Guinness and an amazing burger. Vanessa and I go way back and I'm so excited that she too will be celebrating her happy day next year! So congratulate her when you see her cutting up a rug at the reception. Three cheers for the Arsenal baby! I still wear my Arsenal knee socks from the fateful Halloween during the winter...


And now we go way back...all the way to 1995, when in the cafeteria of Our Lady of Lourdes High School, in the older ghetto building in the City of Poughkeepsie, one Leslie Weller asked me to join the soccer team. Awkward and a bit overweight, I reluctantly said yes and the rest is history..our history. She will always be my BUB (banged-up-buddy). We sang the entire Alainis Morisette CD Jagged Little Pill while looking at colleges and I've spent too many sleep overs at her house I can't keep track. She is funny and charming, and just, lovely. Her voice rocks the house and she and I were always the first on the dance floor. Leslie is my friend who after years of sporadic contact, when we reconnect it is as if we never skipped a beat. In the past few years we have seen each other more and I hope that trend continues because I love me a Philly cheesesteak! Onions and whiz please! All that's left for us is to do a Mardi Gras together but I dunno..I dunno if NOLA can handle it. Love you Les!


And last but certainly not least, is the very awesome soon-to-be-cousin-in-law Emily Grossman. Little did I know that David's uncle lived in the same town as me! Emily hangs out at the same mall as I did and drives on the same roads and lives walking distance from where my childhood home was. She played on the tennis team like I did and it's as if we live parallel lives. So go Po'town. This fall she is off to Hunter College and will be burning down the City with us (we hope). We're so proud of our cousin...sniff sniff.

So that's the lady crew and we rock the house so watch out men, because we don't go to parties, we make the parties :)

Driving in P-sie

Following up from yesterday’s post, let’s talk about how people are actually getting from the hotel to the various venues. A lot of people are flying into NYC for the wedding (for which we thank them profusely!), and are therefore without a car. As you probably already know, Poughkeepsie is a drivin’ town. People will therefore need rides from the hotels to the rehearsal (for those that are going) on Friday night, and from the hotel to the church and then on to the winery and then back to the hotel for the wedding on Saturday. If you will be in Poughkeepsie with a car and have extra space, please post a comment indicating how many people you can accommodate and at what hotel you are staying. This way we will cut down on any extra expenses that anyone might have to incur- people can share the price of gas and avoid renting cars.



Thanks for all of your help!

Meet the Groomsmen!

Since I've already talked about my wonderful Best Man, the honorable Carl Ayala, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight the other dutiful men that I'll be flanked by come my wedding day.

First off, there is Dylan Marchetti. I've known Dylan for just about as long as I can remember. If it weren't for Carl, Dylan would surely be my Best Man. Dylan is from 'North Brevard', a truly unfortunate place. How such an upstanding and worldly individual rose from those miserable environs is hard to decipher, but I imagine it had something to do with his having an indomitable will and the influence of friends like me. Dylan rose through the ranks of the movie business, starting out as a lowly concession stand attendant, moving on to house management and finally into acquisitions and distribution where he resides today as an important figure among important figures. One of my most successful friends, Dylan gives me hope that living your dreams is truly possible. Some of my deepest friendships were created in Dylan's garage one fateful summer, when all we did was hang out, listen to music and enjoy being young. While our lives have surely changed dramatically since those days, I feel secure knowing that our friendship will never change

Next, let's discuss Ryan Detwiler. I've known Ryan since middle school, where as a 7th Grader (while I was a mighty 8th Grader), I used to make fun of him in journalism class. While there was no sign of eventual friendship on the horizon at that early point, Ryan was part of the gang that gathered in Dylan's garage in high school, and, over time, he came to be an incredibly important influence on many aspects of my life. I revere him for his taste in music as well as his taste in people. After that summer, Ryan joined me at FSU for my second year of college. This is where Ryan and I truly bonded, struggling to get through the minutiae of a life lived in a sleepy college town in north Florida. I escaped to New York and Ryan finished his degree. Ever since, we have lived apart but have worked at keeping our friendship as alive and fresh as it was then, with great success. Hopefully we'll find ourselves living permanently in the same town again one day…

Andy Harrington is an old, old friend. I think his greatest traits are his courteousness and his love of all humanity. Andy enjoys playing guitar, teaching guitar, watching people play guitar and guitaring guitar. I'm thrilled to have such a true individual standing beside me on my day of days. When I look over at Andy, I'll think of all the wonderful times we've had in the past, from smashing his hand in the door of James Wiseman's minivan (I know it hurt but it looked wicked, like something out of a horror flick) to the time spent pulling apart a pawn shop guitar with a scalloped fretboard for no better reason than someone else had paid for it and it seemed like fun (even though the thing never worked right after that), and then I'll smile happily at the thought of all the great experiences yet to come. Why am I so blessed with such gifted and generous friends? Perhaps this is a question best left unanswered, but feel free to ponder it while imagining the sweet strums of an Andy Harrington-played guitar.

Lastly, we have Arnie Marcella, the brother of the bride. When I met Christie, I new I had met someone special. Little did I know that I would be getting a whole family of special to go along with her. I've lived with Arnie, I've cooked with Arnie and I've definitely drank with Arnie. It's always scary becoming part of a new family, but with Arnie, it's been easy. He's inspired me to pursue new paths and strengthened my love for the woman I will spend the rest of my life with. He is one of the most talented people I know, in his own way, and it's been a treat to see him recently take a position at Town restaurant as Sous-chef. Also, he looks a lot like Data from The Goonies.

I know Carl will feel left out if I don't include a picture of him too, so to stave off the hating - here's the best man:

Here's to the Groomsmen!

Trains, Maps and Nightlife!

With just over two weeks to go, we thought it would be a good idea to FINALLY update our blog. Here are some key pieces of information that will help you get to and around Poughkeepsie! Look out for more updates soon!

Link to Metro-North Railroad schedule for trips from NYC to Poughkeepsie

Information page for the Poughkeepsie Train Station

Fares from Grand Central Station to Poughkeepsie on the Metro-North Railroad:
Peak Round Trip ticket bought at Grand Central Station: $35.50
Off-Peak Round Trip ticket bought at Grand Central Station: $26.50

Tickets for trains leaving from Grand Central Station must be bought at the station or online in advance (for a slightly reduced fee). Tickets leaving from Grand Central Station may not be purchased on the train itself.

Check the schedule to see if your train is considered ‘Peak’ or ‘Off-Peak’

Map from Poughkeepsie Train Station to Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel (within walking distance)

Map from Poughkeepsie Train Station to Holiday Inn Express

Map from Poughkeepsie Train Station to Courtyard Marriott

Map from Poughkeepsie Train Station to Best Western

West Park Winery Web Site

Maps from Poughkeepsie Train Station to West Park Winery

Map from Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel to West Park Winery

Map from Holiday Inn Express to West Park Winery

Map from Courtyard Marriott to West Park Winery

Maps from Best Western to West Park Winery

Need a last minute gift? Visit:
Macy’s Poughkeepsie Galleria
2001 South Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Looking to enjoy the Poughkeepsie nightlife? Here’s a list of bars close to the host hotel:

Noah’s Ark
135 Mill St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 486-9295‎
Open ‘til 4:00 a.m.

Mahoney's Irish Pub & Restaurant
35 Main St, #411, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-7026
www.mahoneysirishpub.com
Open ‘til 4:00 a.m.

The Chance (Poughkeepsie’s Premiere Live Music Venue)
6 Crannell St.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-1966
http://thechancetheatre.com/

Stay tuned for more updates...