A New Friend

My trip to Washington DC was amazing and it allowed me to feel, for a couple of days, like I was dabbling in a life that wasn't my own--leisurely walks to the farmer's market, a lazy Sunday brunch followed by the New York Times book review.  It's a life that I sometimes covet and is very far removed from my own.

A couple of friends from New York were there and I grilled them about living the artist's life in New York City.  From what they tell me it's almost as nice as I imagine it (except for the fact that one of them got hit by a car last week.  YIKES).

One of the New York bunch was the wedding photographer, Dallas (Dallas is not actually a wedding photographer but Frances is VERY persuasive).  I've had an internet crush on Dallas for a long time and I met him at a party once but we were never really friends.  He was seated at my table for dinner so I was finally able to get to know him in real life.  He is charming.  He is the kind of person who when you tell him that you are a stay-at-home mom will put his arm around you and tell you that you are doing the most important work in the world.

(And even though it would be the perfect moment to drop the bomb he will not tell you that he writes children's books.  You'll hear that from someone else.)

Needless to say, when I got home I immediately started re-stalking Dallas and ordered his book.  It is charming.  You can read it online for free but you're going to want to order it because you are going to love Red Fred and the Jolly Troop and their New York City life.

Red Fred also has a blog where a new story from the troop is published weekly and every Friday they have downloadable coloring pages.

The troop is pretty adventurous.  Their stories made me a little nostalgic for New York (which is odd because I have never lived in New York and have never even been there but I missed New York somehow--maybe it's just the dream of that artist's life)

Here is the troop at the Alexander McQueen show

They recently went camping

And, thankfully, the whole troop was able to stay safe during hurricane Irene.