out and about | moonieandme

Project Undercover

Posted on August 24, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Moonie loves two big things about Project Undercover: their cute teddy bear logo and the fact that they collect unopened diapers, underwear and socks for 45,000 Rhode Island kids every year. It’s easy to remember to donate clothes and household goods, but sometimes we forget the stuff under the covers, so to speak.

But Project Undercover is reminding us through their various collections and awareness campaigns and, last Thursday, through a “Taste of Summer” fundraiser that drew hundreds of people to its cause. Moonie, of course, was high on the event’s guest list.

(Actually, I think his little bear buddy snuck him in.)

He had a blast sampling food from great local vendors La Creperie, The Duck & Bunny, Capital Grille, Sicilia’s Pizzaria, The Backyard Food Company, and Wes’ Rib House, happily washing down his yums with “Captain America” beer tastings from Trinity Brewhouse.

When he wasn’t wolfing down everything in sight, Moonie was grooving happily to live jazz by Doug Woolverton and Travis Colby.

Happy Saturday!

Posted on August 22, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Moonie would like you to know that it’s a nice day out, and he’d like you to have a wonderful Saturday, because it’s his favorite day of the week.

But he’d also like you to know that Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are ALSO his favorite days of the week. He didn’t want any to feel bad, so he loves them all.

Honeyglue

Posted on August 6, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Whoa. Guys.
Moonie and I just saw the most AMAZING film.

OK, I’ll back up. This week is the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), where hundreds of indie films are shown around our tiny state in just a few days. “Flickers,” as the festival is known, is in its 19th year, but this was Moonie’s first time attending. Even better, he was invited to attend the RIIFF premiere of “Honeyglue”, which features “Off the Trail,” our favorite song by local rootsy rockers The ‘Mericans, on its soundtrack.

We arrived at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, where Moonie immediately fell in love with all the beautiful lights.

When I finally coaxed him away from the lights and inside, Moonie got a special surprise. Chris Daltry and Michael Moore of The ‘Mericans treated the “Honeyglue” audience – which included its director, James Bird, and its star, Adriana Mather – to a live performance of their fantastic song “Off the Trail” just before the movie started playing.

Kilwin’s

Posted on August 4, 2015 by annierhodeisland

There’s a heaven on earth, according to Moonie.

It’s called Kilwin’s, and they serve both ice cream and candy (chocolates and fudge), and although there are no Kilwin’s shops in Massachusetts and only one in Rhode Island (all the way down in Newport), there are bunches in Florida, and Moonie checked them out.

I thought I was going to have to give Moonie CPR when he realized that one single place had two of his very favorite things.

Then I thought his little mind was going to blow when told he had to pick ONE thing, either ice cream or candy, but not both.

There were tiny little beads of sweat running down his little face as he agonized over the decision.

He finally went with salted caramel fudge.

I think he’s pretty happy with his choice…Although he’s asking when we can go back to Kilwin’s, this time for ice cream.

MASSive ComicCon

Posted on July 21, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Last month, Moonie and I got to attend the MASSive ComicCon in Worcester, MA.

It didn’t take Moonie long to make some friends.

Some were, well, not the nicest people in the world, but Moonie enjoyed meeting them anyway. Only he could giggle away with a gun pointed at his head. He told the joke about the crushed-looking bullet dragging himself in the door (“What happened to you?” asked the bullet’s concerned wife. “I got fired,” the bullet complained.)

The Big Apple

Posted on July 5, 2015 by annierhodeisland

A couple of weeks ago, Moonie and I headed to NYC as part of a street photography workshop. He was so excited to go to the Big Apple!

Oh, wait, buddy. Not that kind of big apple.

Anyway, he had a great time on the train ride from New Haven.

And an even better time people-watching at Grand Central Station.

Tracie and Matthew

Posted on July 5, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Moonie’s first-ever outing since coming into my life was seeing Cardboard Ox, a wonderful duet consisting of Tracie Potochnik and Steve Allain, and he’s adored both Tracie and Steve ever since. So he was overjoyed to catch Tracie not once but TWICE a couple of Saturdays ago.

First, Tracie joined some friends singing backup for Heather Rose in Clover at Rhode Island PrideFest, where Moonie also got to hang out with Tracie’s partner, Matthew Clowney. Matthew is a talented photographer and videographer and is on the faculty at RISD. He also recently completed a very cool project called the Trans Family Photo Gallery, which is a traveling art exhibit for children, designed to spark conversations, about a family with a transgendered grandparent. Matthew was pretty nice about letting Moonie help him record the live music at Pride, even if the headphones were a little big for Moonie.

Moonie says they fit just fine.

Moonie Donates Blood

Posted on June 25, 2015 by annierhodeisland

I have a confession: I’ve spent more of my life donating blood than not donating blood, but I still haven’t learned to enjoy it.

But it’s much more bearable when you have Moonie along for the ride.

I’m borderline anemic, so I bulk up on iron pills and things like red meat and spinach and Raisinets in the days leading up to each appointment at the Rhode Island Blood Center, but I still end up having my blood spun in the centrifuge to make sure the iron count is high enough. Sometimes they even have to prick more than one finger to try more than one spin. Moonie comforted me from the finger pricks.

He reminded me, when they brought out the intimidating bags and my heart started speeding up, that each pint can save up to three peoples’ lives and that I was doing a good thing. He’s a good little cheerleader.