Where Have I Been?

It's been just under a week since my last post, but it feels longer. I just haven't been taking many pictures. Simple as that. 

I spent yesterday afternoon working from HBS, since I was nearby after running some errands in Inman Square and Harvard Square. I took this picture from the 3rd level of the parking garage, as we were leaving campus. I really needed a day in a different environment; a day of sun and a sparkly sunset.

*Today's Lost in Thoughts is inspired by graffiti. Read it here.

Little Emmy

Friday night we were invited to a friend's house for a little dinner party. We had fondue, and it was a brand new experience. I'd only ever heard of cheese or chocolate fondue, but this was a real dinner. There were potatoes and mushrooms plus chicken and beef, all of which could be cooked on our special forks in either oil or a beef broth. Who knew? 

We also got to meet this cutie patootie, named Emmy. She's about 3½ months old, and weighed something like 3 lbs. She's so tiny! Emmy's a Maltese, so I guess she won't be getting too much bigger; she'll probably get to be around 4 lbs. Holy moly, huh? She's pretty irresistible, and ridiculously well behaved!

Harvard Stadium

Last night we had the first HBS Partners book club gathering of the new school year. My friend Daniela hosted, and she and her husband live on campus. The bus I take to HBS drops me off right outside Harvard Stadium, and it was stunning last night.

The sunlight, blue clouds, and the blue sky sure made for a pretty picture. I like how the cyclist on the right is just entering the frame, too. 

Book club was super fun, by the way. There were some newcomers and only one person read the book; we spent the whole time catching up and talking about our summers. We also ate a lot (or too much, in my case). It was great! 

A Saturday Full Of Work + Play

Yesterday, Eric was doing some school stuff, so I caught a ride to HBS to do some work before meeting a friend in Harvard Square. I enjoy working at the school, because it's a nice change of scenery. Spangler was deserted and peaceful; no distractions whatsoever.

I worked quickly, and then headed to Harvard Square early to spend some time in the sunshine. I bought myself an iced tea lemonade, and found a nice spot to read in Harvard Yard. 

It really felt like fall, and so many people were out enjoying the weather. There were kids running around, people working at outdoor tables, groups of new students looking slightly lost and amazed, and tourists everywhere.

Somebody lost a shoe. But quite frankly, I think these are a fashion travesty, so at the end of the day it's not a huge loss. 

At 2:00 it was time to meet up with my friend. How lucky that we had arranged to meet right where this busker was performing! I was a few minutes early, and I got to enjoy his singing up close and personal. He was quite good.

I spent the late afternoon with Eric, and then took him out to dinner. Afterwards, he treated me to ice cream. Aren't we just too cute?

I hope you all are enjoying the brisk weather and the seasonal changes; just another reason to love New England! 

HBS Clambake

On Labor Day, the HBS Partners Club held a Clambake for partners and their students.

These are the Partners Club committee members; they organized the big event! I'm glad they were able to enjoy themselves, because I know they worked hard to put this all together.

We missed most of the appetizers, because we were late, but we were in time for the clam chowder. Then they served full lobsters, grilled chicken, corn and coleslaw! There was watermelon for dessert, and it was absolutely perfect.

I guess we needed more dessert though, because after the clambake we got ice cream! While we were in line we saw this gorgeous English Mastif. She was pretty shy, and very soft!

One Year Down, One To Go

You guys. Do you know what happened today? Eric took his 5th four hour final of the semester, which means he has officially completed his first year at Harvard Business School!

Just over a year ago we found out that he was accepted; I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. In that time

• we spent more non-work-related time in Cambridge (even though HBS is on our side of the river) than the previous 3 years combined
• Eric read thousands (my estimate) of pages of cases
• we had to make shelf space for giant binders filled with the aforementioned cases
• we attended two (!) formal dances (see pictures here and here)
• we were reminded how awesome it is to have spring break
• we made some wonderful friends*
• we both laughed and learned and grew

Oh, and in case you couldn't tell, I'm really proud of Eric. He has taken school seriously and has embraced the case method; I know that he learned a lot and enjoyed his classes. Next year will be really different, but I think we're both looking forward to seeing how it will all unfold.

*Speaking of friends, I wrote about my HBS book club on the ELM blog today.

On Campus

On Friday I spent the day at HBS, and it was awesome. In the morning I drove to school with Eric and I participated in a panel for incoming partners (accepted students' significant others). Five of us talked about our different experiences job hunting, offered advice, and talked about the amazing resources HBS has to offer partners.

The rest of the day I worked from school. It was so nice to be around people! I felt super smart, too, which was an added bonus. I was even able to have lunch with Eric while we listened to a few of his section-mates talk about living, growing up, and working in China. It was really fun and I learned some things.

After Eric's classes ended, we walked around campus and took pictures the school's windmills (top), flowering trees, and pretty buildings. It was just such a great day!

*Check out Everything Little Miss on papernstitch!

Newport Ball

Friday was the Newport Ball, the second HBS formal we've attended. Eric got all suited up in his tux, and I wore a black satin cocktail dress. Dressing up is so much fun.

There were good things and bad things about the ball, so I've made two lists:

Cons:

• I was freezing for hours. It was raining, in the 40s at most, and we were in a tent for dinner. I had no idea we'd be in a tent, so I just brought a little wrap instead of the coat, scarf, and mittens that would have been appropriate.
• Dinner was served at 2 different times, depending on section, so it was really hard to find my friends afterwards because there were 900 people there.
• I wasn't a huge fan of the music.
• It felt chaotic and I kept waiting for somebody to tell me what to do or where I should be (that never happened).

Pros:

• I got to know a bunch of new people since I couldn't find my friends. I had some really great conversations and enjoyed the company.
• I wore low heels so standing for a long time was not a problem (and I did stand for a really long time). Plus there were chairs, so when I wanted to sit it was easy (that wasn't the case at the Holidazzle).
• It was a buffet, so I got to eat a lot of salad (the best part of the meal).
• I eventually did find some of my friends, and we had a great time.
• It was warm inside (once I discovered that there actually was an inside).
• I got to wear a pretty dress and Eric got to wear his tux (and we looked great)!

As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons. I had a good time even if I was freezing and somewhat confused about the goings on!

Saturday we went on two mansion tours (no pictures allowed inside) with a small group while other people went to a wine tasting (which we heard was terrible).

The mansions were cool and it was a lot of fun. We carpooled in a station wagon, and I sat in the way back (you know, the backwards seat!) and took pictures from a different POV. After the tours we had Awful Awfuls (milk shakes) at the Newport Creamery.

That night was a dinner at the Clarke Cooke House for Eric's section. A few of his section-mates put a lot of effort into an end-of-year presentation which we enjoyed after a delicious meal. Sunday morning we met up with some friends from college for brunch and hanging out before heading back to Boston. Overall, good weekend.

Check out this slideshow for more photos from the weekend.

HBS Chapel

Last night we went to the HBS Chapel for an awesome a capella concert. Two of Eric's classmates are in the all-male group called Heard on the Street (HOTS), and they were amazing. Like now-I-want-autographs good.

The Harvard Opportunes (the undergrad mixed a capella group) opened the show, and they were fantastic. Next, HBS' all-female group, the She-E-Os, performed. And then the boys came out and, like I said, they were just stunning.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me; I didn't have a great view from my seat anyway. BUT, it was my first time in the Chapel and I just had to whip out my Blackberry to get a shot of the greenhouse and waterfall that were in the entrance!

Wow, what a building! I mean, it's interesting from the outside (it's cylindrical), but the inside is a beautiful sanctuary.

Anyway, great concert. Wish you were all there.

Happy weekend!

Spring Break {Part 2}

Saturday we went for a short hike in the woods. The great thing about hikes on the Vineyard is that the goal is always a beautiful beach. As we approached the sand we saw a few rock sculptures. This one really seemed to defy gravity.

After spending some time exploring the water's edge, we continued our hike. We climbed up a small hill and looked out over the ocean. The trees are all bent from the sea breeze.

After the hike, we went back to the house and we all read/napped on the beach for a while. The weather was just amazing; I still can't believe how beautiful it was. In the evening we headed to The Net Result to pick up some lobsters and oysters for dinner (I had fried clams and coleslaw since I'm not a huge fan of lobster fan or oysters).

While we waited for the lobsters to be steamed we walked around Gannon & Benjamin's looking at the boats they're working on. It was so cool! The tools they use look like they've been around for a really long time.

Eric's grandfather joined us for our decadent dinner. He's an amazing guy, and he told us some really interesting stories. Eric and Mike ending up talking to him for long time after dinner while Brooke and I cleaned up and played some games.

Sunday, I woke up to watch the sunrise. Everything was so quiet and peaceful. I spent a few hours sitting in a sunny spot on the couch reading and enjoying my last morning of vacation.

After everybody else got up and ate breakfast, we cleaned up the house and spent some time in downtown Vineyard Haven. Most of the stores were closed because it was Sunday + the off season, but I did manage to get a gift for a friend (I had something specific in mind and her birthday was soooo long ago). After lunch it was time to say good-bye. It was hard to leave! It was warm enough to spend the ferry ride outside, which is always the best.

Eric and I will be back soon enough (I hope!). See more pictures of our trip on my flickr.

*It's Thursday, so head on over to the ELM blog for some sunny inspiration.

Spring Break {Part 1}

Last week was Eric's spring break. It was great having him home for the first part of the week, and I took some time off for the second half so I could have a mini-break, too. Our HBS friends, Brooke + Mike, picked us up on Thursday in the early afternoon, and the four of us headed off to catch the boat to Martha's Vineyard.

As we approached the island, it looked so different. We're used to seeing it with tons of green leaves and boats all around us in the water. It was a little strange, but that's why it's still the off season. The weather was almost too good to be true! It was just glorious (all weekend).

It was their first time visiting, so everything from parking for the ferry to visiting the shops on the island was exciting for them (and for us too, because it's just such a wonderful experience). We got there late in the afternoon, so we didn't do too much besides get groceries for the long weekend before grabbing dinner at Offshore Ale. As we drove to the restaurant, the sun was setting in a spectacular display.

Afterwards we played games and chatted and just relaxed, in the way that feels so right when you're on the Vineyard.

Friday morning I woke up bright and early to get some exercise in before we started our day. Then I got everybody to go for a quick mile run to the West Chop Lighthouse and a 2 mile walk to finish the loop back home. Since it was Brooke + Mike's first time visiting, we had a lot to show them. First we set off to see the gingerbread houses in Oak Bluffs.

Then we drove to Edgartown where we walked around for a bit and visited their Lighthouse.

Then we drove across the island to Gay Head (aka Aquinnah) to check out the view and another lighthouse (3 lighthouses in one day!).

After that we went home. And then we realized that I was severely dehydrated. I'm not exaggerating; I got pretty sick. I'll spare you the details, but I drank a ton of water and then made a pretty speedy recovery after a few hours of total misery. I was even able to join everybody for dinner at the Black Dog Tavern - a first for me! That place is usually too crowded for us to visit, so I was excited for a chance to check it out!

Soon I'll share pictures from the rest of our trip!

1 Semester Down

Today Eric took his last final of his first semester. Can you believe he only has 3 semesters to go until he's got an MBA from Harvard Business School (HBS)? It may be cliche, but it's true: time flies when you're having fun!



Dear Eric,
I'm so proud of you.
xoxo,
April

Tree Trimming Party

On November 29th we were invited to a tree trimming party. It was the first I've ever attended, and it was adorable. It was hosted by one of Eric's analytics learning team members. (Analytics was held before the real school year started to give non-finance people a bit of a crash course and prepare them for the regular curriculum coursework.) I think it's great that he's still in touch with his 4 original team members.

Everybody brought something to share. There was a delicious cake with a melted butter topping (heaven), cheese curds (a Wisconsin delicacy), apples and caramel sauce, cookies, a traditional Indian dessert, egg nog, and mulled cider. There may have been more, but that's all I remember. It was so festive! Oh yeah, the hostess was also playing Christmas music and It's A Wonderful Life was on mute in the background.

We brought clementines and I made 2 paper crane ornaments for the tree (do you seem them?). Everybody helped decorate while we all chatted. It was really fun!

Are you getting into the holiday spirit? Have you checked out the Everything Little Miss 2009 Holiday Gift Guide?

*As always, click the pictures to enlarge!

2009 HBS Holidazzle

Friday night was the 2009 HBS Holidazzle. It was a black tie (optional) gala for all of the current HBS students and their partners. We had to be ready by 5:15 in order to catch the bus from HBS to the hotel. I was mildly surprised to discover that we'd be riding on a school bus (it was surreal to see people openly drinking on a big yellow bus).

We arrived at the Westin Copley around 6ish for hors dourves. It took me a little while to feel comfortable in my new dress (I got it second hand for a steal and then had it shortened about 6 inches), but as I looked around the room and saw the other girls all decked out, I began to feel like I'd gotten it right!

Dinner started at 7:00. Each section ate together, in separate rooms. That meant that I didn't sit with any of my usual partner friends, but I had the opportunity to get to know some new people. It was nice to spend some time with Eric's section, and during dinner there were slideshows, videos, and jokes about the first semester. There were lots of laughs.

An ex-colleague of Eric's made Jello shots for him to bring to the event, and I'm pretty sure our table had the most fun.

After dinner, we headed up to the ballroom for dancing and a dessert buffet. The dinner was just for first years to celebrate with their sections, but after dinner the second years joined us, so the ballroom was packed.

Everybody looked wonderful. Dressing up is fun! But know what? I think there were one or two people who didn't recognize me with my hair down (and curly).

Confession: I didn't dance. Not even to one song. The dance floor was uncomfortably packed, and I wasn't feeling the music. But I still had a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the company immensely.

I think my favorite part may have been seeing Eric in his tux. We picked it out over the summer, and I've been looking forward to this since we took it to the tailor! So handsome.

By the end of the night I was hobbling around. Heels really aren't my thing. I'm more of a sneaker kind of girl. We took a cab back to HBS, and it dropped us off pretty much as far from the car as possible. I walked very slowly with Eric, but when we were about three quarters of the way it just hurt too much. I took off my shoes and felt momentary relief. But then I noticed how cold the pavement was and my feet starting hurting in another way! So I ran. LOL. There I was, all dressed up, with my heels in my hand, sprinting across the HBS parking lot. I wish I had a video. It was an invigorating way to end the evening. ★

{Brooke took the first picture, another partner took the one of Dani, Brooke, and me, and Eric took the last photo. I took the others.}

View From The Charles

Last night I met Eric at HBS so we could grab a quick dinner together before I went to a girls only movie night at a friend's. I love crossing the river at night -- HBS is on the Boston side of the Charles -- because all the lights twinkle and reflect off the water.

Last night felt like a real fall night, too. There was an appealing chill in the air, and as we walked I could feel my cheeks getting all rosy (I love that!). We ate a little burrito place before Eric escorted me to my destination.

*Don't forget to check out today's Lost in Thoughts over on the Everything Little Miss Blog!

Vermont Weekend

We spent the weekend in Vermont on an HBS Section retreat. What on Earth does that even mean? Let me try to explain. Eric is in the HBS graduating class of 2011. There are about 1000 people in his class. Those people are divided up into lettered sections (Eric is in Section B) of about 90 people each. The 90 people in each section attended classes together for a few hours every day.

The weekend retreat to VT was a trip with just Section B. It was an opportunity for the students to spend more time together outside of the classroom, and for partners (like me) to meet and get to know other students and partners. Most of the people in Eric's section are single, but there were about 20 partners who were able to make it this weekend (we heard somebody flew in from Paris!).

We left Boston around 4 on Friday afternoon, and I finished my work in the car. I think we checked into the Hawk Inn & Mountain Resort around 7:30 that night. The resort was a little weird because we stayed in condos that weren't really near each other. The main parties were in a house which was at least a mile drive from our house. Walking wasn't really an option because we were basically on a mountain, it was pitch black at night (no street lights), and it was raining (sometimes pouring).

It rained all day Saturday, so outdoor activities weren't very appealing, but we still filled the day. In the morning we went to a breakfast that was arranged for students with partners. That was very nice, and I enjoyed meeting people in a quiet, comfortable place (there was a very loud party on Friday night). Eric and I set out on our own after that to go to the Simon Pearce glass blowing facility. We watched them make a fancy martini glass and a decorative pear. It was sort of magical. Saturday afternoon we played board games and at night there was a BBQ for the whole group.

We left pretty early Sunday morning, and I took pictures during the drive because it had finally stopped raining. You can see more on flickr.

Up & At 'Em

I went for a walk bright and early this morning. I left the apartment at 6:20. I knew that if I wanted to get any exercise today, I'd have to do it early. I also wanted to get a picture of the sunrise.

Yesterday the sunrise was bright pink and magnificent, but I didn't get outside in time to take a picture. Today, not so much. I had a great walk anyway, and I loved the chilly air on my cheeks. OH. MY. GOD. It's the best!

Plus, I photographed some romance.

This afternoon we're headed to Vermont for an HBS weekend retreat. I don't really know what's in store. I'm a little nervous because I won't know any of the 90 or so people who will be there (besides Eric, of course), but I'm sure I'll make friends.

Happy Friday. I hope you have a fantastically colorful fall weekend.

HBS Picnic On George's Island

We took a school bus yesterday morning. A big yellow one, just like I used to take in kindergarten.

The bus took us from HBS to Long Wharf, where we got on a ferry headed to George's Island (one of Boston's Harbor Islands).

When we got to the island we were provided with a lovely picnic lunch. We ate with some friends we met back in April. We also met some new couples, which was nice.

After eating, we walked around the island and explored Fort Warren a little bit. I got some of our friends (and Eric) to do an awesome wedding-ish photo involving a big jump. Hahaha!

After we made our way to the top of the fort, Eric took a picture of the girls. The little one in front is Kiri's oldest daughter (the younger one was preoccupied during the mini photo shoot).

It was a great day. The sun was out, the company was fabulous, and we got to check out an island!

We were back at HBS around 2:00, at which point Eric and I headed to Harvard to spend the afternoon and evening with his parents. Yeah, we had a pretty successful holiday.

I hope you all enjoyed Labor Day as much as I did! What did you do?

*I put a few other pictures on flickr.