Ri Ra

As anyone can tell, my trips have not been long at all.  This one was no different.  I made the short journey on I-95 to Providence, RI.  I went immediately to Anthony's apartment and spent the afternoon playing with his gorgeous daughter Amelia.  She's going to turn one year old on St. Patrick's Day.  Ant and Carrie are the best parents and it's clear that Amelia loves both of them very much.

That evening I went to the Providence Place mall.  Perusing the stores was fun, but ultimately I made my way to the movie theater and watched Hall Pass... by myself.  That was a first for me.  I really wanted to see The King's Speech, but it wasn't playing at that time.  Hall Pass was funny but not great.  It was set in Providence though which made most of the people in the theater excited when they showed the city exteriors and skyline.

That night was relaxing at that apartment.  I got to catch up with one of my best buddies about work and life.  It was definitely a testament to why I'm on this trip. 

The next day, Ant made us all pancakes and bacon then we packed up Amelia and went out on the town.  I went to the Brown Bookstore and bought a couple books for the trip.  We walked up and down Thayer Street which is loaded with small shops and restaurants.  It was reminiscent of Church Street except it's not 'pedestrian-only.'

The real treat of this step was last night.  Anthony made a gourmet meal; pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, squash, etc.  My friends Corey, Jackie and my cousin Scott all came over.  After we ate, we went downtown to Ri Ra for drinks.  Again, it was so great to catch up with the gang and friends from back home.  I hadn't laughed that hard in a while.

Today I'm on the fence of whether or not I'm going to travel to New York or spend another day in Providence.  Check in tomorrow to find out!