Finally, Robin and Patrick got married today. Even Emma could not stop the wedding! It was gorgeous. Props to Brenda for pulling it off. Robin looked just beautiful and Patrick, well, he was as hot as always. Maybe even more so in his tux. Hard to improve on perfection! Have I mentioned how good looking he is before? Now, I love Jack. There's no one I would rather be with. And Jack is hot. But I can appreciate Patrick's hotness. He just, like, super hot. God-like, even (OK, so maybe that's a bit much, but you get the idea). Robin's a lucky, lucky girl.
Anyway, Christmas was wonderful. I did get the things on my list and even some surprises! So, props to my mom, too! Jack, Maxie, Matt, Brighton, Royce, Logan, Holden and I spent New Year's Eve in New York City bar hopping and having fun. We crashed at Ned's place (God love him for letting us and his decision to take his family to Buenos Aires for New Year's!).
Tomorrow (well, technically, today since I'm up so late) Brighton and I are going on a pre-school ski trip to Vermont. Her family has a cabin up there by one of the resorts, so it should be loads of fun.
Schools starts up in a couple weeks. Classes start January 19, so I still have time to hang out at home. But this is my last semester! So exciting and so scary. I don't think I'm ready to grow up, dang it!
Things this year were pretty tame by Quartermaine standards though. No fights! Not even ones of love! Well, unless you count the little spat between the men and women about whether we should watch football or the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I love football and all, but unless my Bills are playing, nothing messes with my parade! In case you were wondering, we won and banished the boys to another room! As always, Cook made the best dinner with all my favorites, especially the stuffing and pumpkin pie! Yummy. My parents invited the Scorpios and Jax and Brenda so maybe everyone (and by everyone I mean Tracy) was on their best behavior. Emma and Harlan have already gotten so big! Which reminds me that Robin and Patrick have re-set the date for the wedding after Christmas so I'll update on that later.
Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way, I've been thinking about Christmas. My mom's been asking me what I want, so I've come up with a few things.
1. Vineyard Vines Tote: Collegiate Collection.
LOVE! It has the Cornell bear!
2. Brooks Brothers Pajama Set
I need some new pajamas and I adore these!.
3. Sperry Nautical Print Bahama Shoe
Every girl knows life is not worth living without shoes! So they're not the high fashion ones Maxie would pick and I won't be able to wear them until spring, but they're so cute!
So, those are some of the things on my list. Now what I really need to be thinking about is what to get everyone else!
However, that evening we were all still able to celebrate the birth of Emma Grace Scorpio-Drake! Emma is beautiful and healthy. Robin's doing wonderfully. I think she and Patrick are just happy to finally have her here. Maxie's been shopping for baby clothes and babbling on about how she's going to teach Emma everything she knows about fashion. Poor kid doesn't know what she's in for!
So I guess Robin and Patrick's idea to be married by time the baby came didn't quite work out as planned! But, Brenda's already on the ball planning the replacement wedding while Robin recuperates. I think Robin's decided to wait until December when Maxie, Georgie and I are out of school, but there's no official date as of now.
Harlan and Emma are already the best of friends, as expected! They are able to sit together without fussing! Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
The election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of this great nation will go down as one of the most important events to have occurred in my lifetime. And I was a part of it. This was the first presidential election I have been able to vote in and I am honored it was of such an historic nature. I have been re-inspired by the strength of our democracy as we peacefully observe the transition of power in our government. Of course, our nation is still in trouble and our problems will not fade overnight. However, I finally feel as though America is moving in the right direction. And for the first time in a long time, the United States of America is once again a beacon of hope for the rest of world. Our ideals have been renewed and we will once again lead the world in search of life and liberty for all.
So, congratulations, President Obama. May your election inspire the generations of today and those of the future that, with hard work and determination, anything is possible. And may your leadership re-inspire American ideals around the world.
Patrick asked Matt and Noah to stand up with him. Matt and Jack are planning the bachelor's party! Who knows what they will be like. Maxie, Georgie and I are throwing Robin's bachelorette party Friday which is fitting since we will probably be the only bachelorettes there anyway! We decided to have a dinner at a nice restaurant in town. Felicia, Brenda, Lois, Elizabeth, Emily, and Mom will all be there.
I'm excited that this wedding is finally going to happen. And soon, there will be another addition for the new family!
Luckily, I'm home for Fall Break. Robin did have to do a little convincing (with the help of Mac and Felicia) to get Maxie and Georgie home for the weekend. She told them that she needed help with the baby's nursery. I know, that's really a pretty lame cover story, but they fell for it. They couldn't just let the kid live in a bland room!
Anyway, once Maxie, Georgie, Lois, Brenda and I were all gathered, Robin spilled the big news. There was a lot of crying and screaming. And then more crying. Brenda and Lois are throwing together an engagement party for tomorrow night which will be wonderful. Robin even asked us all to be bridesmaids (Brenda will be the matron of honor).
But the even bigger news is ... the wedding's on November 1! That's less than a month away! Patrick and Robin both wanted to get married before the baby arrives, and she's coming pretty soon! So, Brenda and Robin sure have lots of planning to do! Brenda's already taking advantage of the fact that Maxie, Georgie and I are in town now to pick out bridesmaid dresses tomorrow before the party so she can place the order. Robin was nervous about planning a wedding so quickly, but never fear because Brenda's on the case!
It's going to be AWESOME!
Jack and I went to Sonny’s wedding in NYC today. Robin and Patrick were there too. Seeing Sonny so happy makes me happy. I know it makes Robin happy too. Jack didn't really want to go since he doesn't particularly care for Sonny (so he'll fit right in with my family!). But he's always been very considerate of our friendship. As has my family, really. Reluctantly, but they have. Patrick too, actually. They know what Sonny means to me. And Robin. I'm really glad we all went.
I was just sitting there in that church looking at Sonny on the altar and all I could think about was the first time we really met. My mother was fighting breast cancer and Stone was dying. My famliy constantly shut me out. I know they didn't want to scare me but I was already scared. My mother was sick and my friend was going to die. But they thought if they didn’t show me their own fears, I wouldn’t have a reason for harboring my own. Like, somehow, I wouldn’t notice how messed up everything had become and I wouldn’t be afraid. But I was. I was 8 years old. I knew Stone was dying and I thought my mother was next. The day I met Sonny, my father took me to the hospital to see my mother. She was very weak from the chemo and my father asked me to sit in the hall while he and my brothers talked to the doctors. I guess he thought that since he was the Chief of Staff and everyone knew who I was, I wouldn’t be able to wander off. But I couldn’t just sit there. So I wandered. And I found myself in the hospital chapel. I went to the altar and I pleaded with God to save my mother. To stop what was happening to Stone from happening to my mother.
I sat there feeling scared and alone. Like no one in the world could help me. And there was Sonny. I didn’t even hear him come in, maybe because I was crying, but it was as if he just appeared out of nowhere. He comforted me. Talked to me. Told me everything was going to be OK even if he didn’t necessarily believe it. It’s all I had wanted to hear. What I needed to hear. He was consumed with grief over what was happening to Stone, but he managed to comfort a scared little girl.
Since then Sonny and I have always shared a certain closeness. Robin has a similar relationship with Sonny because of Stone. I can’t describe what his being there, on that day, in that chapel, has meant to me. And I know Robin feels the same way. That’s why neither of us could ever turn our backs on Sonny.
I do think that Grandfather is ready to hand the company over to Ned and AJ pretty soon. He won't say it yet, but I think the time has come. After my grandmother died, he really threw himself into the company, but he's not getting any younger and I think he deserves to be happy and retired. I think by summer he'll start letting AJ and Ned take over.
Anyway, I'm pretty excited about the Bills. They've won their first three games so I hope they keep it going. I wouldn't want to jinx anything, but is there a Super Bowl in my future?! I hope so! Maybe Grandfather would even take us! I've never been to Arizona. I bet I would like it! I shouldn't get too excited. I mean, the Bills are famous for choking (especially in Super Bowls) anyway. Let's just hope they get through this game first.
Even the Big Red have won their first two games. Maybe this is my football year. Then again when your in a conference with Harvard and Yale, who let's face it are not exactly football powerhouses, it's shouldn't be difficult to get some W's. We play Lehigh this weekend so we'll see how that goes. Jack's coming for the weekend and the gang's all going to the game. I love watching the guys watch the game because they get so into it. I mean, I adore football, but the guys think every play is a life or death situation. Jack has actually become quite the Cornell fan since we've been dating. He loves coming to the games. Tailgating, pre-gaming, hanging with the Sig Pi boys. I swear, you'd think he went here and was a member of their frat! They even made him an honorary brother. And they gave him a certificate! Royce, the president of Sig Pi, made one on Publisher and presented it to him. It was so cute!
Anyway, my original point was this year's football potential is looking good!
Fall Break will be here before I know it. October 11-15. It'll be the first time I've been home this year since Robin's baby shower. She should be popping that baby out before too long!
I should probably be doing school work (I do have a presentation on Tuesday and all), but I can't seem to bring myself to actually do it. So here I am.
Robin's baby shower went well. Brenda managed to prevent a last minute disaster with the caterer, but other than that, the part went on as planned. Maxie and Georgie even found the most adorable cake. Robin was surprised, which I admit I was bit nervous about. She's not too big on those. Robin likes to be in control of things what with her, let's say, eventful, upbringing. But Brenda insisted and it turned out just fine. I was in charge of the guest list so I made sure everyone Robin would want there was there. It wasn't too big, just her closest friends and family, which I knew she would prefer over a big, splashy affair. Let's see there was Anna, Felicia and Tiffany. Brenda, Maxie, Georgie, and me obviously. Some of Robin's hospital friends including Emily, Karen and Elizabeth. Lois and Brook Lynn were there. And Lucy Coe and Serena too.
Speaking of Lucy, she's driving herself crazy making arrangements for the Nurse's Ball in February. Just let it be known that I LOVE the Nurse's Ball. It's the annual AIDS/HIV fundraiser/gala at the hospital where my parents work. I look forward to it every year. Lucy organizes pretty much the entire thing with some help from Robin and some other people from the hospital. And she hosts it. After Stone died, Sonny donated an entire wing of the hospital just for AIDS and HIV patients in his honor. I was only 8, but I remember that Nurse's Ball like it was just last year. Even though I've been to every single Nurse's Ball, nothing tops that one. Robin gave the most beautiful and heartbreaking speech in front of the entire town, which I'm sure solidified my complete adoration of her. Seriously, when I was a kid, there was no one in the world I looked up to more than Robin. Even in the face of everything she's gone through in her life, she handled it all with courage, grace and dignity. And the entire town adored her (they still, rightfully I think, do). I wanted to be just like her. I still look up to her, but I've learned that just being me is OK too.
Anyway, the Nurse's Ball. Why is it so fabulous? Well, there's the dinner, the auctions, the dressing up, the whole society event thing. But the very best part of the Nurse's Ball are the performances. The skits, the showtunes, all of which are performed by hospital staff and townspeople alike. I've been in skits for the Ball every year since I was 7 years old. My favorite skit (that I was a part of) was when I was 10 and it combined the songs "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." It consisted of Grandfather, Scott and Mac with their "little girls": me and Emily (Grandfather's), Serena and Karen (Scott's), Maxie and Robin (Mac's). Grandfather, Mac and Scott introduced us girls one at a time as they were "dropping us off at school" singing "Thank Heaven for Little Girls." Then it turned into the little girls (of which Karen, Robin and Emily were not so little!) going wild as we sang "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" while Mac, Scott and Grandfather, exasperated, tried to settle us down. It was cute and hilarious. My parents recorded it and sometimes I'll watch it with Grandfather and Emily. Good times.
So that's the Nurse's Ball. It's good fun and for a great cause. I can't wait until February! I wonder what skit we'll do this year...
Robin's baby shower is coming up and I've been thinking about names for the baby. Have I mentioned that she and Patrick found out it's a girl? I think I did and I'm so excited. I've considered a few names, not that I really have much of a say, but still, it's fun to think about. I wonder if they'll name her after someone else. I don't know how I feel about that, personally. On the one hand, I think it's quite an honor to name a baby after someone you love and hold in high regard. On the other hand, there's something to be said about letting a new person enter the world with their own identity. Either way, as long as it's name isn't Apple or Denim or something equally ridiculous, I think either way is fine.
Anyway, names for Robin's baby. If she wanted to honor Mac in some way I think Mackenzie would work. It's a common girl's name and I think it's cute. I also like Madeline which works for Robin and Patrick in a few ways. First, it's French and Robin, having spent years living in Paris, is a bit of a Francophile and I think she'd like a French name for her baby. Also, it's Patrick's mother's name so they could honor her memory. And for short, they could call her Maddie, which is completely adorable. What about Madeline Mackenzie Drake? I kind of like it. Go me. Who knows what they'll actually name the kid. I think Robin's mentioned Matilda, which she likes because it's French. And Patrick hates because, well, it's Matilda and I can't blame him there. I think his exact words were something to the effect of, "Kids beat up other kids named Matilda." Then again, Patrick hasn't really contributed anything useful to the name pool either. He wants to name her Dale because Dale Earnhart is his favorite stock car driver. That's right, Patrick Drake, the brilliant (and insanely hot) neurosurgeon, is a NASCAR fan. Gag me. I think my opinion of him dropped a bit. But at least he's still pretty. So, there's that, I guess. All kidding aside, I seriously hope this poor kid winds up with something better than Dale or Matilda for a name. She does have to live with it, after all. Maybe I'll be dropping some hints about Madeline Mackenzie from now on. Subtly, of course!
At the very least, the name Matilda presents the opportunity to use Mattie as a nickname. And that would go right along with the tendency of the Scorpio-Jones' to give their girls masculine names. I mean, with Robin, Maxie and Georgie, a name like Mattie would fit right in with such a non gender specific family. And now that I think of it, not only do they just have masculine sounding names, but they were all named after men. Robin after Robert (her father), Maxie after Maximillian (her great-grandfather), and Georgie after George (Felicia's uncle). Even I was named after a man. Alison is a derivative of Alan, my father. And when people shorten it, they usually call me Al, which it pretty masculine, never Ali (with the exception of Luke of course. But he only calls me Ali Q because it sounds like Suzie Q. And sometimes he does refer to me as Al).
And those don't even include my school friends many of which have masculine names like Brighton, Logan, Easton, Kingsley, and Emory. Their names are also usually family related.
And while I thinking about it, many of the kids I know back home are named after people their parents want to honor/memorialize. Let's see there's...
-Harlan Jane Jacks: Also named after a man! I know I've already mentioned Harlan so I won't go into the details of her name.
-Alison Bard Quartermaine: That's me. I guess my parents were just honoring themselves with my name. My first, Alison after my father, and middle, Bard, for my mother's maiden name. To be fair, my parents had decided that my mother would pick my first name and my father would choose my middle name. So I suppose they were honoring each other, which is sweet.
-Maria Maximilliana Jones: I know I've already talked about Robin, Maxie and Georgie being named after other people, but actually, Maxie's first and middle names were someone else's first. Her full name is Maria (pronounced like the singer, Mariah Carey) Maximilliana Jones. Maria is her great-grandmother.
-Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Jr and Lucas Jones: Two people are named after Luke. His son, Lucky aka Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Jr, and Lucas Jones, his nephew.
-Lesley Lu Spencer: Speaking of the Spencers, Lulu's full name is Lesley Lu. Lesley after Laura's mother and Lu after a friend of Luke and Laura's.
-Lila Rae Alcazar: My niece Lila was named after both her grandmothers.
-Morgan Stone Quartermaine: My nephew's first name is Grandmother's maiden name and Stone after Stone Cates, a patient of my father's and, more importantly a friend of my father, AJ and myself.
-Spencer Alexi Nicholovich Cassadine: Yes, that is the kid's name. Nikolas' family, the Cassadines, didn't get along too well with Luke, so naming his son Spencer was his way of putting the past behind them. I think Luke was really honored. Alexi is the masculine version of Alexis, Nikolas' aunt, with whom he is very close. And Nicholovich is from the Russian tradition of having your child's middle name result fromt the father's name. So, Nicholovich is for Nikolas and the suffix "-vich" is the male suffix. If Spencer had been a girl, then it would have been Nicholoevna, with "-evna" being the female equivilent. Nikolas explained this all to me after Spencer was born because I didn't understand why he would torture the poor kid with such a name. But now that I know why, I kind of like it.
-Alan Quartermaine, Jr.: My brother AJ. I guess my dad has two people named after him too! Both just happen to be his own kids!
-Kristina Lansing: Alexis' daughter is named after her sister who died several years ago.
So, see, Madeline Mackenzie Drake would fit right in! Robin and Patrick could let me name their kid. I mean, Maxie named Georgie when we were kids. Seriously! Tony took Maxie and I to visit Felicia and Georgie (then she was just known as "the baby") in the hospital after the birth and Tony, Felicia and Maria were trying to think of family names. They kept rattling off some women in their family and Maria mentioned the wife of an Uncle George. Maxie perked up and suggested they name the baby George. Naturally, Felicia told Maxie that George was a boy's name whereupon Maxie pointed out that her name was a boy's too, but they called her Maxie and they could call the new baby Georgie. And, thus, Georgie had a name! Cute story, eh? Gives me hope for little Madeline Mackenzie. But I won't hold my breath.
Not too much has changed in months since I last wrote. Jack and I are still together. As are Maxie and Matt and Dillon and Georgie. Maxie is majoring in fashion merchandising (shocking) and Dillon is studying film and advertising. I don't know if I've ever mentioned what Jack does but he is a private investigator. He works at a PI firm with Robert, Luke and Felicia called Spencer, Jones and Scorpio. Coop has graduated from the Police Academy and is working as a cop. Brenda couldn't have been more proud if he were her own kid.
Let's see, what's changed...
Nikolas and Emily got married in July! The wedding was gorgeous. They had the ceremony in the garden at Nikolas' estate. I was a bridesmaid, as were Lulu, Brook Lynn, Skye, and Elizabeth was the matron of honor. Lucky was the best man and Spencer was the ring bearer and Kristina (Nikolas' cousin, not Scott's daughter. That's Christina. I know, it was a bit confusing at the wedding because both were there!) was the flower girl. Mom and Laura were thrilled. They've always thought Nik and Em should be together. Which is funny because Emily had a huge cruch on Nikolas when they were in high school and Nikolas only thought of her as a friend. Go figure. Emily moved out of the Quartermaine house and into Wyndemere. That's right, Nikolas is so rich his house (and when I say "house," I mean "castle-like mansion") has a name.
Brighton, Kingsley, and Logan made the now annual summer trip to my house. I don't know why but they seem to love the commotion of the Quartermaine house! It's become tradition! Brighton also dropped in often while we were at our house on the Vineyard. Just like when we were kids!
Oh, and speaking of Logan, Holden FINALLY made a move! HA! It was apparently awkward yet completely adorable but they've been seeing each other since. They make the cutest couple in the world.
Lulu is dating Johnny (also a junior), a guy she met at her school last semester.
Brook Lynn and Lucas are also dating. Adorable.
And something most be in the water because everyone is pairing off. Even Tracy is dating. Hilarious! Only because he's a bartender. Tracy's a bit of an elitist and normally a bartender would be beneath her. But she seems happy.
Serena is getting ready to start college at NYU so she'll be at school with Dillon, Lulu and Lucas as well as in the city with Brook, Maxie and Georgie. Dillon and Brook are living in Ned's penthouse and everyone else is in the dorms I think.
Brenda and Jax had a baby! A little girl for Jax to dote on. And I'm one of her godmothers! Robin is the other. Coop and Jerry are co-godfathers. Her name is Harlan Jane Jacks. Harlan for Brenda's father and Jane for Jax's mother. She adorable. But that could just be the co-godmother in me. No, she just adorable!
Speaking of babies, little Harlan is going to have a friend soon. Robin is pregnant with a little girl! She and Patrick are so happy. Mac and Felicia are thrilled. Especially Mac. Another girl to look after. Robert, Anna, and Noah are just as excited. Whenever he sees Robin, Jack talks to the baby. He says he wants her to recognize her Uncle Jack's voice! Dork! And now he has Matt doing the same. Between Jack, Matt and Mac, it looks like the Scorpio-Drake baby will have a few uncles doting on her. Maxie wants to make her clothes and Georgie can't wait to read to her. I just want her to come out! Dad was so happy for Robin. He's been with her since she was diagnosed with HIV (he's the one who told her she was infected and has managed her treatment) and he has a huge soft spot for her, and vice versa. Robin never thought she'd be able to have children and whenever Dad looks at her, happiness just radiates from his face. He was one of the first people Robin told.
The kids are getting so big! Michael will be 11 in December and Morgan is 7. Christina will be 8. Spencer is about 2 1/2. Kristina is also 7 and Molly is about 3. Cameron is 4 and Jake celebrated his first birthday in May. And Lila has grown so much! She's nearly 2 now!
Well, I guess more has changed than I thought. It's really been a great year so far and with Robin's baby arrives things can only get better!
So this wonderful tidbit makes this Thanksgiving (already one of my favorite holidays) even better. I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, I love helping Cook make the food (now that he actually lets me in the ktchen!), I love the big family dinner. Everything about it makes me giddy this time of year.
So Nikolas spent Thanksgiving dinner with us (Spencer stayed at Luke and Laura's with his cousins), but he and Emily planned on heading to his mother's afterward. He invited Dillon, Brook Lynn, and I along so we headed to the Spencer's house. Dillon and I stayed for a while (we both love Luke's antics!) then we headed to Mac's while Brook Lynn helped Lulu baby-sit Cameron, Jake and Spencer (Emily, Nikolas, Luke, Laura, Lucky Elizabeth went out to celebrate the engagement and get the parents some adult time).
We made it to the Scorpio's in time for football and dessert! I love Felicia's pumpkin pie. Patrick and Robin made up so they were there. Robert too as well as Mac, Felicia, Maxie, Georgie, and Jack, of course. They live there and all. I love the Scorpio-Jones house. Something about just gets to me. It's homey. Obviously, I think of my house as home, but it doesn't have the same homey feel as that house. I think that's why I loved being at their house so much as a kid. And I think my parents recognized it too because instead of hiring some drone of a nanny for watch me, they always arranged for Felicia to keep me before I went to school and, later, afterschool. And it was convenient since Mac and Felicia's house is on the way to the hospital. Maxie and I would always play and do our homework together until Mac came home. Then he would gather Maxie, Georgie, and I and spend time with "his girls" until my parents picked me up.
While I'm reminiscing, as much as I loved the Scorpios, I loved going home just as much. I loved family dinners every night. I still do. We have such a big family, dinner is always eventful. And now, since AJ got married and had kids, the dinner table has gotten more crowded. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I love it.
Whew, it's been more than a month since I posted last.
I'm back at school, which gives me something to do. It's been great to see my friends again after the summer. Especially Brighton. She just makes everything so much more fun!
I ran into Robin yesterday. She and Patrick broke up. I felt so horrible for her, but more than that I'm really mad at Patrick. I've looked up to Robin my whole life. She's one of the best people I know. How dare Patrick hurt her! Even if he is incredibly hot!
Sonny's got a new lady friend! Hahaha! Why is that so funny? I don't know. I just think it is. LOL.
Jack invited me over to Mac and Felicia's for dinner next weekend so I'll be heading home pretty quickly after getting back in Ithaca. But that should be interesting. Mac is very protective of his girls (and he kind of considers me to be one of them) and, like a cop, loves to interegate the men in their lives. I can't wait to see what he'll do to his own brother! Jack and I haven't spent much alone time with Mac, so we haven't experienced his wrath, so this should be interesting. Luckily Felicia will be there, she has an amazing ability to talk sense into Mac.
Summer is beginning to dwindle as the first day of classes creeps closer. I'll be a junior. Which Brighton, Maxie and I have decided is the perfect year of college. It's long enough to be older (and, subsequently, better!) than freshment and sophomores, but still have that senior year buffer between you and the real world (or business school). I wonder how we can make that last longer?
Now that I've got underclassmen requirements out of the way, I can focus on major classes. Well, and two PEs. Swimming! I love to swim. I swam in high school. It's great exercise and it's something you can go for a lifetime without beating up your body. I tried to convince Brighton to take it with me, but she was determined to take fencing. Fencing! I love the girl, but I don't want to be anywhere near Brighton Livingston with a sword! I was able to get her to commit to sailing for our other PE. But that wasn't exactly diffcult. She loves sailing as much as I do.
I've also decided that I love Coney Island. Hot dogs, cotton candy, rides ... it's like paradise! No wonder Brook Lynn is always yapping about how much she loves it!
So we got a bit of a surprise this morning. Jack, Coop, Dillon, and Lucas came from home! and Jack and Dillon brought Royce, Holden and Erik so our party already doubled in size. And it got even bigger since Brighton and Kingsley were coming into the city to meet us and spend the night (yes, I got permission from Ned!). The boys took us all out to brunch and since they had promised not to interfere in our girl time, told us they wouldn't see us again until dinner. We all went to the Beauty and the Beast matinee (adorable! Yes, I'm a Disney lover.). I think the boys are joining us for dinner. Tomorrow's our last full day in NYC, so we're all going to Coney Island and heading home the next morning (the boys are staying with Erik at his family's brownstone, which is isn't far from Ned's penthouse, in the Upper East Side.
Being in NYC has been amazing. To be in the most exciting city in the world with some of your favorite people is priceless. Yesterday we all went shopping together, which was nice but it's hard to make everyone happy (Lulu and Brook Lynn want to catch shows, Georgie and Serena want to see the sights, Maxie and I want to shop) that way so we divided into pairs today. Me and Maxie, Georgie and Serena, Lulu and Brook Lynn. Then we met up for lunch at the Ritz, which I love (even more when Ned pays!) and went our separate ways again.
Maxie is more of a fashionista than I am, so she really loves to shop. I'm more into classics that never go out of style. She's all about the cutting edge, think Carrie Bradshaw with her stilettos, while I'm more comfortable in my polos. But we manage to hit stores that satisfy us both (aka, I watch her Ooo and Ahh over the lastest at Bloomingdale's and Saks while she follows me around J. Crew and Brooks Brothers! LOL).
Tonight, Georgie, Serena, and I made dinner in the penthouse. We had chicken parmesean with wild rice and veggies. For dessert, brownies and ice cream! If that doesn't say class I don't know what does! Come on, who doesn't love brownies and ice cream!
We're in NYC! I love the city. So many people in motion. The sounds, the sights, sometimes even the smells! Tomorrow we're hitting the shopping full force! I think we're going to Planet Hollywood tonght. I've always thought that place was cheesy, but Georgie and Serena are so excited about it, it's hard not to be excited with them. Should be a fantastic week!
I really have nothing to report but I feel like I should update this thing. I've just been hanging out this summer with Jack and my friends. Maxie, Georgie, Lulu, Brook Lynn, Serena and I are going to NYC in a few weeks for some girl time so I'm definitely looking forward to that. Ned's letting us stay in the penthouse which will be awesome even though he's already given Brook Lynn and I a huge lecture about not destroying the place. I understand his concern, but we're fairly responsible (especially with Georgie around!) and I'm certainly old enough to control myself.
Oh, and the Quartermaine family beach trip was a success. Of course two weeks in Martha's Vineyard is hard to screw up! Being at our beach house is one of my favorite times of the year. My family seems to relax there. Less craziness would certainly make the Quartermaine residence less entertaining but sometimes it's nice to feel normal.
I know I've always said I love adventures, but after this summer, I think I can leave them. Let's just say, I will NEVER GO CAMPING AGAIN! We got lost. Yes, in this day and age, full of high tech GPS gadgets, Jack and I got lost in the woods. More like the mountain since we were in the Catskills. Yeah. It was not fun. Luckily, Mac, Robert and Luke found us.
I'm really glad to be home. Everyone was so worried and walking into the house it was like they hadn't seen me in years. Everyone had to hug me and make sure I was OK. I wasn't gone that long, and in reality we weren't that lost, but apparently they were really worried. It's nice to know they care so much.
I had an interesting couple of days and in thinking about how I'm going to attempt to write this journal, I realized that if anyone were to actually read this thing, they would probably have no idea who these people are and how I know them. So here's a little cheat sheet for the people in my life who may or may not even appear in this journal so that I don't have to clog up my entries with long explanations.
My Family (The Quartermaine's!)
-Alan: My father, he's the Chief of Staff at the hospital.
-Monica: My mother, also a doctor (cardiologist).
-AJ: My oldest brother.
-Carly: My sister-in-law, AJ's wife.
-Michael: My nephew, AJ and Carly's oldest son
-Morgan: My nephew, AJ and Carly's youngest son
-Jason: My next oldest brother.
-Skye: My oldest sister.
-Lila Rae: My neice and Skye's daughter. She the newest edition to our family. She was born last year.
-Emily: My next oldest sister via adoption. She went to med school (at Harvard) and is an intern.
-Nikolas: My soon-to-be brother-in-law, Emily's fiancee. He's descended from Greco-Russian nobilty. Seriously.
-Spencer: My nephew, Nikolas and Emily's son
-Dawn: My sister. She died when I was 4.
-Edward: My grandfather, Dad and Tracy's father. He's ornery and very hard to please. He built the family company with my grandmother.
-Lila: My beloved grandmother, Dad and Tracy's mother. She was the glue, the heart and soul of our family. She died in July of 2004.
-Tracy: My aunt and Dad's sister. She is a force to be reckoned with!
-Ned: My cousin and Tracy's oldest son. Ned's ususally pretty busy since, in addition to his duties at our family's company, he often helps Lois and Brenda run their record company.
-Lois: Ned's wife. She's from Brooklyn and is absolutely hilarious. She and Brenda run a record company.
-Brook Lynn: My cousin and Ned and Lois' daughter. She has a beautiful voice and studies opera at Juilliard.
-Dillon: My cousin and Tracy's youngest son. He's not just my cousin, but one of my best friends. He's studying film at NYU so he and Brook live together in the penthouse Ned owns in NYC.
-Justus: My cousin, a lawyer. One of the most normal people in my family. And he gives the best advice. I adore him. He runs the family foundation. When I was growing up (and sometimes, today), people didn't believe that we were really blood related because Justus is black.
-Jimmy Lee: My uncle
-Bradley: My uncle, Justus' father, Grandfather's son, Tracy, Alan, and Jimmy Lee's brother. This is a little complicated. Before he met my grandmother, Grandfather had an affair with Mary Mae, a respected African-American in the community in the WWII era, which resulted in Bradley. Grandfather really loved Mary Mae but they knew it would be too hard to make a life together, so they ended the relationship. Bradley died before my grandfather even knew he existed, but since he found out in 1994, Justus became an official part of the family and he and Grandfather have become close.
-Mary Mae: Bradley's mother and Justus' grandmother. One of the town's most respected women, I used to sit on her lap and listen to her stories. She died when I was 9 in 1996.
-Scott: Technically, my uncle. He's my mom's adopted brother (my mom was adopted too, but not until she was older) and a lawyer. In fact, he's the DA.
-Gail: My grandmother, Monica and Scott's adoptive mother, respected member of the community
-Lee: My grandfather, Monica and Scott's adoptive father, respected member of the community
-Karen: Scott's oldest daughter, my cousin, a doctor
-Serena: Scott's middle daughter, my cousin. She's three years younger than me.
-Christina: Scott's youngest daughter, my cousin
My Friends (from home) and Friends of the Family
-Maxie: My best friend. I've known Maxie my entire life. When we were kids we did everything together and still do generally. She studying fashion at the New York School of Design.
-Jack: Maxie's uncle (he's only a few years older than us) and my boyfriend
-Georgie: Maxie's younger sister and Dillon's girlfriend. She's two years younger than Maxie, Dillon, and I. She's planning to major in sociology at Columbia.
-Mac: Maxie and Georgie's stepdad. He's the police commissioner. Mac's been pretty much the only dad Maxie and Georgie have known. He raised them, his neice Robin and, to some extent, me. Mac was like a second father to me growing up.
-Robin: Mac's neice, Maxie and Georgie's cousin. She's like a sister to me. She went to Yale (BOO! LOL) and the Sarbonne in Paris. She was Jason's first (and probably only real) love. He's been in other relationships, but I don't think he's cared about another woman as deeply as Robin. When they broke up she left for Paris (she was there for years but came home about three years ago), went to med school, and became a doctor. She's also HIV+.
-Felicia: Maxie and Georgie's mom and Mac's wife. She helped Mac raise Robin and he helped her with Maxie and Georgie. I love Felicia. Like Mac, she was like another parent to me.
-Brenda: Robin and Lois' best friend, Sonny's ex-girlfriend, and a beloved friend of my family's. Brenda's like yet another sister to me. My family adores her. She fun and outgoing. She lived with us for a while and let's just say life was never dull with Brenda around! I miss her being around the house even though she only lives across town now! She runs the record company with Lois.
-Jax: Brenda's Australian husband, business tycoon.
-Cooper: A good friend of Jack's and Brenda's nephew. He's in the Police Academy.
-Patrick: Robin's boyfriend. He's incredibly hot and a neurosurgeon to boot. Lucky Robin! LOL.
-Matt: Patrick's brother, Maxie's boyfriend, and Jack's friend. He's in med school.
-Noah: Matt and Patrick's father. Also a doctor. Must run in the family!
-Stone: I can't really mention Robin without mentioning Stone. He was Robin's first boyfriend. They were so in love. He died from AIDS in 1995. He was only 19. He played with Maxie and I alot as kids and the entire town was devastated when he died.
-Robert: Robin's dad, Mac and Jack's oldest brother, and Luke's best friend. And he is as awesome as Luke. We thought he was dead for years (he and Anna were presumed dead), but he turned up a couple of years ago. Robin was happy that he was alive, but felt abandoned since they "died" in 1992 when she was 15, leaving her in the care of her Uncle Mac.
-Anna: Robin's mom, Robert's ex-wife. Robin found out her mom was alive and living in Pennsylvannia in 2001, but she didn't have any memory of her life before the accident. She eventually recovered her memory and they happily reunited.
-Frisco: Maxie and Georgie's real dad and Felicia's ex-husband. I don't really know Frisco that well. I remember when he came home when Maxie was really sick (also when Georgie was conceived). He left afterward and came back once after Georgie was born and we haven't seen him since. He's also one of Robin's godfathers.
-Sean: A friend of my parents. He used to be the police commissioner but retired. He's another of Robin's godfathers.
-Tiffany: Sean's wife.
-Luke: Tracy's ex-husband. I still think of him as family. I love Luke. He's fun and he made living in the Quatermaine house even more interesting. He's the one who calls me Ali Q.
-Laura: Luke's wife, the love of his life. Even when he was with Tracy, I figured he'd eventually find his way back to Laura. They've been in love since she was a teenager. Mother of Nikolas (not Luke's) and Lucky and Lulu (Luke's)
-Lucky: Luke and Laura's son, Nikolas' half-brother. My former step-cousin. A detective.
-Elizabeth: Lucky's wife, Emily's best friend. They have two children Cameron and Jake. Emily, Nikolas, Lucky, and Elizabeth used to call themselves the Four Muskateers when they were in high school. They did everything together.
-Lulu: Luke and Laura's daughter, Lucky's sister, Nikolas' half-sister, my former step-cousin. I've known Lulu most of my life (she's a little younger than I am, but my family adores her mother), but I didn't really get to know her until her dad married my aunt and they lived with us while Luke and Tracy were married. Lucky was already living on his own then.
-Spinelli: One of my friends. He's kind of a geek, but I love him anyway. He knows everything about computers. And he lives with Jason. Don't ask why. They have a strangely close relationship. But Spinelli makes everything strangely interesting.
-Kevin: Mac's best friend and a colleague of my parents, a psychiatrist.
-Lucy: Felicia's best friend and Kevin's wife. Lucy's kind of weird, but she grows on you. She runs a club that Luke owns.
-BJ: A childhood friend of mine and Maxie's as well as Maxie's cousin. BJ was a year older than us. She died in a school bus accident when she was 9.
-Tony: BJ's father, Frisco's brother, and a friend of my parents. Tony's a doctor and works with my parents.
-Bobbie: Tony's wife, BJ's mother, Luke's sister, and Carly's mother. She's a nurse which is how she met Tony.
-Lucas: A friend, Tony and Bobbie's son and BJ's younger brother. He's Lulu and Brook Lynn's age.
-Sonny: A very unlikely friend of mine. The business that he owns is a direct competitor of my family's company. Needless to say, for that reason he's not exactly popular in my household, but Sonny and I have been close since I was about 8 years old. He's also a good friend of Luke and Robin's and a business competitor of my family's company. He took in Stone (his parents abandoned him and he lived on the street) and paid all his medical bills when we all found out he had AIDS. Stone was like Sonny's little brother.
-Alexis: Nikolas' aunt. She's a great lawyer. Has three daughters, Sam, Kristina (not to be confused with Scott's Christina), about 6, and Molly, almost a year
-Ric: Alexis' husband, Kristina and Molly's father, also a lawyer
-Sam: Alexis' adult daughter, Nikolas' cousin
My School Friends
(I've suddenly realized just how many people I've met and become friends with while at school so I'll just list my closest friends, the people I most hang out with)
-Brighton: My roommate, Delta Gamma sorority sister and best friend from school. She's from White Plains, New York in Westchester County. Our families have neighboring houses on Martha's Vineyard so we grew up spending our summers together dreaming of going to Cornell together. And now we're living the dream!
-Kingsley: Brighton and I met Kingsley and Logan (see below) our freshman year and the four of us have been pratically inseparable since. We're all political science or history majors and minors so we try and take classes together. And we all live in the sorority house together. Kings is from Greenwich, Connecticut.
-Logan: Kingsley's roommate and our sorority sister. She's from Boston.
-Greenlee: A friend and sorority sister from Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Journalism and political science double major.
-Royce: A Sigma Pi brother (most of my guy friends tend to be since it's the frat my sorority does the most with) from Boston where he knew Logan (she introduced Brighton and Royce). Brighton's boyfriend. Pre-law.
-Holden: Sig Pi brother from Brighton's stomping grounds: White Plains. Engineering major. Royce and Holden are roommates and the best of friends. I love them because they always include Jack when he comes and visits. And luckily it's not just to appease me, the three of them have become really good friends. So much so that they yap on and on about sports that they forget us girls are even around (except Holden, he ALWAYS knows where Logan is. LOL) He and Brighton grew up together and their families are very close. They're like brother and sister. He has the most adorable crush on Logan, but she's completely oblivious.
-Phillip: Also a Sigma Pi brother. Pre-med from Charleston, South Carolina.
-Waverley: DG sister from Newport, Richmond, Virginia. Phillip's girlfriend. Pre-law and Spanish major.
-Easton: DG sister from Rhode Island. Biological sciences major.
-Skip: Sig Pi brother. History and political science double major (so he studies with us a lot!) from Chicago.
-Erik: Sig Pi brother. Kingsley's boyfriend. Has become pretty good friends with my cousin Dillon. Pre-law. From Manhattan.
-Caldwell: Sig Pi brother. Econ and business double major from Maine.
-Hatcher: Sig Pi brother from Charlotte, North Carolina. Business major.
-Emory: DG sister from New Hampshire. English major.
-Julia: A friend of mine from another sorority (gasp! LOL). Psychology major from Florida.
-Ethan: Sig Pi brother. History major.
