moonieandme | adventures with my nude lil' dude | Page 9

Lord of the Pies, Stop 5

Posted on November 22, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Dan and Moonie and I hit The Fire Brick Oven Pizza & Bar as our fifth Lord of the Pies stop. Our two coupons combined were good for a one-topping pizza, which normally costs about $16. The Fire’s brick oven pizzas are big and delicious (I’ve long been a fan of their margherita), and we were looking forward to choosing a topping!

First, we had to wait for Moonie to hug the candle on the table.

Then, we were served yummy warm rolls with a dish of garlic-filled olive oil to dip them in. Fancy stuff!

Sidy Maiga and AfriManding

Posted on November 22, 2015 by annierhodeisland

One sunny August evening, Moonie and I were supposed to be running a quick errand downtown when we were both suddenly filled with joy. The sounds of drumming in Burnside Park were calling us, and we answered.

Sidy Maiga and his group AfriManding were playing an extremely spirited set at the Burnside Park Music Series. It’s one of several annual summer music series in and around Providence, and how could we resist its charms? Especially with Sidy’s winsome, welcoming smile to the dozens of people who, like Moonie and me, had followed the sounds of joy to the park.

In no time we’d joined the crowd enjoying summer evening Trinity and Sam Adams brews and bopping to the energetic drumbeats.

Lord of the Pies, Stop 4

Posted on November 21, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Oh, yay! My friend Dan had been my Lord of the Pies companion last year, but he hadn’t been able to join Moonie and me on our first few stops. But a couple of weeks ago the three of us finally checked out Elmwood Diner. I’ve been to the Elmwood for a bunch of delicious breakfasts and lunches since they opened last year – some of the many adventures from the spring and summer that Moonie and I have yet to get around to posting – but it was Dan’s first time there and Moonie’s and my first time trying their pizza. This should be good!

It was also my first time being there at night. The Elmwood recently changed to winter hours, so it’s open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. five days a week (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Moonie loved the cozy evening ambiance, meaning he had to run around hugging each of the candles on the tables.

He also had to play hide and seek in the vintage-looking fridge holding bottles of soda.

And try on some shirts, too.

Lord of the Pies, Stop 3

Posted on November 12, 2015 by annierhodeisland

A couple of months ago, my friend Elaine and I tried to meet up for tacos during RI Food Fights’ “Taco Mania.” The taco place was closed, even though per the hours posted on their door they were supposed to be open, so we ended up at yummy Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza enjoying their $5 special (two slices of cheese and a drink). Now that Elaine and I planned on meeting at Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza for pizza, I wondered if we’d somehow end up with tacos instead.

But we didn’t! Because NBP makes some really good slices of New York-style pizza, and because not only Elaine but also our friend Jennifer Jane AND our friend Jake all met up with us, and because it was a Friday and good things seem to happen on Fridays. For Moonie, that good thing happened the moment he saw the pizzaria’s lights. He loooves shiny lights!

Even better, NBP carries Pelligrino soda, which makes Moonie happy (even if it also makes him belch).

Lord of the Pies, Stop 2

Posted on November 7, 2015 by annierhodeisland

You’d think his tummy would have been full from all that soda, but Moonie wanted to head right down the street to try Pizza J, which has only been open a couple of weeks but which everyone has told us is wonderful. How could you go wrong from the folks who brought us Julian’s Restaurant?

My rainbow-loving companion was immediately attracted to Pizza J’s windows.

And to their cool light display on the outside of the building.

And to this silly sign inside, which had my joke lover giggling maniacally.

Lord of the Pies, Stop 1

Posted on November 7, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Moonie has been SO excited to use his Lord of the Pies coupons! For the whole month of November, he’ll get to try pizza at a whole bunch of restaurants. Boy, does my nude little dude love to eat!

We kicked everything off at Providence Pizza Company on Westminster Street, which immediately attracted my shiny-loving companion with its glitzy PIZZA sign.

“Ooh…Pizza…”

I managed to get my excited little dude inside, where we ordered a yummy slice of cheese. The coupons all say “Dine-In Only” this year, but we were given the option to take our slice to go if we wanted. But Moonie wanted to eat there so he could sit in the table in front of the window and enjoy the glowing pizza sign, so that’s what we did.

He sprinkled our slice with oregano and happily bit in, shouting, “Yummy!” after every bite. Yes, every single one. I did manage to sneak a couple of bites myself before he’d completely polished off the slice, and I agreed with his conclusion. It was cheesy and firm, yet with a light, airy crust.

Moonie also decided to drink the whole bottle of root beer that we were SUPPOSED to share.

You’re be surprised at how loudly a teeny troll with such little lungs can burp after downing a whole soda. The other diners jumped in their seats each time my gross little guy let one loose.

The man who had served us the pizza was either the owner, the manager, or the world’s most conscientious employee, because he made a point of walking around to every table to ask how people were enjoying their food. The other customers, most of whom were trying more adventurous things like pasta dishes and calzones, had the same reaction as Moonie and me: a thumbs up for Providence Pizza Company.

Halloweenie

Posted on October 31, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Oh boy! It’s Halloween!
That’s Moonie’s FAVORITE holiday!
Just like Christmas is and Easter is and Labor Day is and….

Well, anyway, he’s been pretty excited about telling the kitty this joke.

Moonie: “Why didn’t the skeleton go to the dance?”
Kitty: (yawn)
Moonie: “Because he had no BODY to go with!” (rolling and kicking his little legs in laughter)
Kitty: zzzz

He’s also been excited about dressing up, and he kept disappearing into his little Moonie workshop, where he whistled as he worked with what sounded suspiciously like hammers and saws.

He first appeared as Sherlock Holmes.

But when I couldn’t take him shouting, “ELEMENTARY, DEAR WATSON!” every three minutes, I asked if he had another costume in mind. He brightened up and disappeared again.

I needed to pee and realized something. “Moonie, did you take all the toilet paper?”

He appeared smiling.

“What do parents dress up as for Halloween?” he asked.
“Really, Moonie? You needed three whole rolls of toilet paper for that?”
“MUMMIES!” he shouted, hooting in laughter.

I asked him to change out of his outfit, but he walked back in while he was about halfway there, now looking like this.

“What did Caesar say to Cleopatra?” he asked.
“What, Moonie,” I sighed.
“Toga-ether we can rule the world!” he shouted.
“Toilet paper,” I reminded him, tapping my foot.

Finally, he emerged from his workshop with a suitable outfit.
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Saturday Sing-along

Posted on October 28, 2015 by annierhodeisland

I didn’t think Moonie could top our lovely Friday night, but he had plans for three different musical events on Saturday. How does my little dude find these things?

First, he had me drive us over to Doherty’s East Ave in Pawtucket, where it turned out Moonie’s friend Jennifer Jane was hosting a “Beatles and Beer” event. I’ve never been to one, but clearly others had; it was the 40th B&B Jennifer Jane has hosted, and the crowd took up the entire back room that’s used for special events. Dozens of people went around the room introducing themselves and saying where they’d driven from for this meetup (not only far-flung parts of Rhode Island, but Massachusetts and Connecticut as well). Everyone took turns choosing a Beatles song for the group to sing, while others provided guitar and percussion to accompany the big cheerful chorus.

As the attendees sang and cheered, one nice lady at the next table suddenly handed me a plate of sweet potato tots. I thought she meant for me to pass them around, but she said they were for Moonie. Apparently my sneaky little sidekick had climbed onto her table to tell her just how much he loved sweet potato tots – all with his hungriest expression – and she’d caved.

If she only knew he’d eaten a whole cake before we’d gotten there! But she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and Moonie was thrilled with his bounty of tots.

They didn’t take long to disappear into that round little tummy.

We couldn’t stay for the whole sing-along, but we enjoyed the cheerful spirit of all these different folks brought together by a mutual love for Beatles songs. We’ll have to pop into another “Beatles and Beer” events…And Moonie will be asked to leave his begging face at home.

Ben and John and Ian, Oh My!

Posted on October 26, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Moonie has great taste. When his eyes gleamed as he mentioned that he was planning our Friday night, I figured it would involve some kind of junk food. Instead, our plans involved tasty, hearty food for the soul: a house concert starring Ben Stalets, John Faraone, and Ian Fitzgerald. It was held at a cozy home in East Providence with a respectful audience, and it was such a wonderful night of beautiful tunes.

Ben was the only one Moonie and I hadn’t yet seen perform, although we knew he’d been touring with Ian and were more than a little curious about the guy described thus: “His shit-eating grin gives way to a Hank Williams howl, a knack for storytelling reminiscent of your grand pappy, and a level of honesty only shared amongst life-long friends.” The description turned out to be 100% true. Ben was a great storyteller and fingerpicker, and he wasn’t shy about making us groan a few times with bad jokes, either. Moonie’s pipsqueak little voice howled across the room when Ben introduced a song written while dating a blind woman and joked that at least he hadn’t had to worry about her seeing other people. All in all, wonderful music from the grinning storyteller.

Next up was Moonie’s pal John Faraone, who is always enjoyable for his lovely songs – many of which invoke scenes of nature that invite you to revisit scenes in your head of similar places you’ve been and breathed – balanced with a witty sense of humor. With his slightly rounded feet, Moonie had a little trouble climbing up and balancing on John’s guitar, but John was patient and waited for him to stand just where he wanted so we could take this great pic of the two of them. John didn’t even mind that my phone blinded him with its flash.

The Great Pumpkin

Posted on October 21, 2015 by annierhodeisland

Last night, as I’m wont to do at each holiday, I was watching a Charlie Brown special. But it was pretty hard to see the TV, as Moonie’s spiky pink head was blocking most of the screen.

He’d never seen “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” and he enjoyed every minute. Especially as he’s spent the past few weeks picking out his own great pumpkin.

It was quite a process.

But he eventually got there. He liked this one best because it was a little bit heart-shaped, and Moonies are full of love.