Mama gets hitched!

Friday morning, after flying into BWI and staying with Aunt Linda, Kevin and I headed over to the George Mason campus to get a piece of the Final Four action.

Ladies and gentlemen, you've all seen his mug on ESPN and your local news...here I am with the world famous George Mason:

NOW you know who he is, right? ;-)

We headed to the bookstore so I could buy some GMU pride and we waited in line for 45 minutes with 100 other proud Patriot fans clutching tacky Final Four tees. It was exciting to see such spirit!

But I hate lines. So, after buying a George Mason University tee, I definitely felt the need for a beer! The perfect place was right across the street....Fat Tuesdays (or just "Fats")!! I did some serious partying at Fats while in college. Seeeeeeerrrrioooous. It was our "Peach Pit," but dirtier, hippier, naughtier....umm, OK, so it was nothing like the Peach Pit, we just hung out there all the time.

Kev enjoys beer in the sun at Fats. Fats always has peanuts on hand!


After our lunch, we popped into Burke Florist, where I worked during college. Clearly I am a legend there ;-)...."Everyone, this is Rosie. I was just talking about her designs!" I actually couldn't believe that people I worked with back then, after 8 years, were still there. Particularly Terry, a flamboyant gay man who likened his diarrhea cramps to menstral cramps. As if!

On to Charlottesville we went, stopping for iced lattes before going to Mom's. Mom has a new house...it is totally Charlottesville and totally her. We hung out for a bit with new step dad, new step uncle, and little Soph, who was sick. We ate some pizza and drank some vino....the pizza was from a fundraiser for Sophie's step team. Do you know what step is? It is like a hip-hop dance team that stomps and claps rhythmically...Sophie is co-captain. It is realllllly cute!

After dinner we walked to the downtown mall to the ever chic and trendy Blue Light Grill, where Drayton--my brother--cooks. I was hoping for some random C'ville "God I haven't seen you in forever" encounters, but I never got any. I did, however, get immediately recognized as Dray's sister by all of his co-workers.

Can you see why?


Drayton hooked us up with one of his specialties....a fried green tomato something-or-other with seared tuna and a tasty little mixed green number. YUM, it's nice to have family members who cook!

So serious about the food:


Saturday morning I felt all the wine I drank....ick. We had a little breakkie at Bodo's (if you have ever been to C'ville you know Bodo's) and drove over to check out my brother's new house. The house was nice, but I was way more interested in checking out his NEW GIRLFRIEND. It has been a long time since my brother had a girlfriend. I loved her! She has such a fun little personality! My mom actually met her (Emily) at Whole Foods where she would come in to study for the bar exam. She told Emily she had a son who worked at Blue Light and to go in there and check him out. So she did, which I greatly admire! She is really outgoing and chatty....I love people who are outgoing and chatty. She is also smart. Go Dray!

Saturday afternoon I made all the flower arrangements, naturally!


I also chugged a shitload of H2O to get myself in shape for the bachelorette party! OoOOOoooOOOOooo!

The bachelorette party was so fun! Not just because there was a stripper, but because it was a gathering of awesome women with yummy food and great wine all in honor of my Mom! I love all my Mom's friends....and my aunt and grandma were there too, plus my BBFs Jess and Patsy! Love them girls!

Patsy, Me, and Jessica Blanche:


We all giggled over the stripper, of course. Some of the women were INTO HIM (Tanya!). But eventually he was dancing in the room by himself (everyone was gabbing to themselves...not interested.) My Mom instructed him to "give me special treatment" so I got a lap dance. (If you want to see pics of it, you'll have to check out the set of pictures on my flickr page.) I alternated between watching a wagging weiner pouch with watching a losing basketball team (George Mason!). SNIFF SNIFF...they lost. But it was great energy while it lasted!

After the bachelorette party, Patsy and I went over to KC's to drink mojitos. I phoned UVA hospital to inform them that Patsy would not be in to work the next morning at 7 am. I don't know if they believed me, but I used my best professional voice. I also nipped a huge problem in the bud....who wants to work hungover? Especially when you are dealing with people's lives! I called Kevin to come get us...he didn't have nearly the night we did. The bachelors never do. They watched the game at Starr Hill and sat around drinking beer and eating chips. Someone wanted me to ask Kev is it was "a bunch of Jewish men self-analyzing themselves." I thought that was pretty funny....Kev was the only non-Jew!

Sunday morning the new and extended family went to brunch. I was hurting but not enough to suck down 2 bloody marys. YUM. (I feel like I spent the entire weekend hungover...sucky). I now have not only a new stepfather, but 3 new step brothers....they are all cool and all about my age. One lives in NY City, one in Richmond, and one in Miami. A pretty good looking bunch of guys, I must say. The families were pretty segregated the whole time, though. I guess we have a lifetime of holidays and such so the fam will come together eventually! One of the step brothers is about to have a baby so my Mom will be a step grandma!

I have to hand it to my Mom for being so chill the day of the wedding. Even though it was at her house with just family, if it were me I would have been every bit the PERFECTIONIST. But it was quite relaxed.....everyone arrived and had cocktails and apps in the lovely spring sunshine in the backyard.

The actual ceremony was held in the house between the dining room and living room so everyone could fit....my side of the family was in the living room, the Marks side was in the dining room--segregation...I'm telling you! Although, I guess at conventional weddings they divide sides, too.

Sophie played Pachabel's Canon on her violin and it brought tears to my eyes. She is so sweet:


Mom giggled through it all:


After the "I Dos," everyone got up and danced. It was very joyful (and I am stealing the idea when I tie the knot):


We ate South African food, drank wine, and made merry. Everyone in my family plays music....so, they played:


It was great to reconnect with my family. They are so much fun! I don't get back to VA nearly enough...

So there you go! You can see all the pictures from the weekend here.