Thanksgiving On My Mind....

Yeah this is a screen grab from the news at 10 tonight.  I have no shame!

Ski & Travel Expo In Cromwell!

Thanks to everyone who came to say hi at the Ski & Travel Expo this weekend!

Scaring people at the FOX booth.

Another Prom Picture

Look for this to run as part of a new ad in Thursday's Courant!

Happy Halloween...Two Weeks Later

Sandy zapped the fun out of Halloween.  But I eventually had the chance to celebrate by dressing up as Sookie Stackhouse from the HBO's series True Blood!!  I got the outfit direct from HBO along with a fresh bottle of synthetic blood.  It tastes like orange soda!

ING Hartford Marathon

Interviewing Joe the Cup at the ING Hartford Marathon!  He can't talk.  I talk too much.  We were a perfect team. Congrats to all the winners...ESPECIALLY our very own Joe Furey who finished his first half marathon!  WHAT A TRANSFORMATION! We're so proud of you.

Meet Ryan!

He is my best friend's son....so Ryan is my son too. Is he gorgeous or what? Have you ever seen such a big five month old?

My First UCONN Game

I went to my first UCONN game this weekend for Sara Grant's birthday!  You know Sara for her web updates on the FOX CT News at 4.  She's one of my favorite people. In the winter, steer clear of us on the mountain. We're both beginner snowboarders!

I went tailgating for the first time since my college days at Penn State.  A few beers and I'm still recovering. I'm officially old.

Happy birthday Sara! (Far left)  You may not recognize Sarah Lombardi
and Kelly Sullivan, but you know their work!  Sarah (top right) produces
the News at 4 and Kelly (top middle) is a web producer!

We had great seats in the sky box!

Watching The Radar On Vacation

I was sending out tornado warnings in Connecticut from the beach today. Why do I always go on vacation during severe weather?

Apparently Boca Raton, FL is a ghost town in the summer. The "snow birds" all flock to the sunshine state after the first big storm. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my private beach!

Private beach?

Boca Raton, FL

What A Fighter!

I thought I had a whale on the line! King fish are fighters! I went deep sea fishing for the first time today at Deerfield Beach. It was a blast. I also caught barracuda and Bonita (used for bait). The boat crew did all the dirty work baiting and taking the fish off the hook. But it was my muscle reeling 'em in!

My Labor Day Weekend

Red Cedar Lake, Lebanon

The lake is so small, the people who gave us directions, didn't even know it had a name. (Google maps told us otherwise). But this hidden gem was a perfect way to pass the time on this unofficial "last weekend of summer".  I have a horrible confession to make. I didn't put sunscreen on my legs in a last ditch effort to get some color.  And I did.  I'm red.

I went to the beach with a new friend Lauren and her husband Andrew.  Lauren, A.K.A Lonnie is a baking enthusiast. And on the way to the beach I had a chance to check out her cooking blog. The recipe for banana bread was calling my name today so I made my first loaf!  Can you tell how proud I was?

Delicoius!  And a little overcooked.  But not bad for my first attempt! Tomorrow I run the Stratton-Faxon New Haven Road Race for the United Way.  Busy weekend (and I worked two out of three days)!

Run With Rachel!

Run With ME!  Just Don't run in these shoes.

Please run with me! I don't even like running (because I'm bad at it).  But I'm going to push myself and run the 5K for a good cause on Labor Day!  I would love to meet a lot of my viewers there! If you're interested, sign up and meet me at the blue United Way blue tent at 8:15 AM. OR you can look for me at the finish line...I'll be the one with the bright red face!

I'll be running the 5K. I'm told it's a relatively flat, moderate run that can be finished easily by walking (if you're not used to running). There is also a 20K if you're a legit runner!

If you can't make it, sign up as a fundraiser!  The goal is for runners to raise $250 each by reaching out through e-mail and social media. 

Your $250 contribution will:

•  Support our efforts to help New Haven students get the support they need to succeed in school
•  Provide early childhood education to kids in need
•  Help fund job training programs and income stability coaching
•  Deliver food and nutritional support to struggling families
  

If you need help with the registration, Cara Baruzzi in our office can walk you through the online process.
For race details, check the United Way web site.

Congrats Miss Connecticut 2012!!

Congratulations to Jaine Coann Lefevbre - Miss Connecticut's Outstanding Teen 2012 and to Miss Connecticut 2012- Emily Audibert! Check out the photo gallery on the Courant website.  It was a long three days.  I went from being a stranger to the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Pageant, to a big fan!  I feel like I got to know the contestant's personalities.  I also see how competing in pageants helps woman grow by developing their interview skills and talents.  

You don't even want to know the kind of chaos going on behind the scenes.  There were constant re-writes, additions, changes...it was insane!  Thankfully Lisa was back stage to help me!

I had another gorgeous gown from the Crowning Touch in New Bedford, MA and thanks to Stephanie for my hair and makeup!

Miss Connecticut Night Two

Second night in and I'm already starting to get to know some of the girls.  I'm normally a nervous wreck before big public speaking enagements.  (I can't actually SEE the people watching me on TV on a nightly basis.) But tonight I'm more nervous for the ladies!  They all put so much hard work into the scholarship competition. I have my favorites...even though I'm not supposed to.

Here is a pic of me with Miss CT 2011(far right), Miss Outstanding Teen 2011 (far left) and the winners after the preliminary competition.

I can't actually see the people in the audience because the lights are so bright.  So it's really hard to picture them naked.

Thanks again to Crowning Touch Salon in New Bedford, MA for the dress and Brian Fortin for doing my makeup and styling my hair (both the real and the fake curly extensions).

I'm Hosting Miss Connecticut!

I just finished the first night of preliminaries including competitions in fitness, evening gowns, interviews, talent...this is intense!  I don't envy the pressure these girls are under!  Katie Stevens made a surprise appearance last night.  I guess the American Idol star was a runner up for Miss Outstanding Teen a couple of years ago.

These women sure know how to strut their stuff on stage! Walking around in a swimsuit at the beach is tough enough, but to do it in front of an audience takes balls....er...guts.

The Crowning Touch Salon in New Bedford, MA provided my attire last night.  They brought two garment bags full of dressses.  There was just one problem.  None of them fit me.  Note to self, don't watch a YouTube video on how to take your own measurements.  Apparently I told them I had JLo's booty. A girl can dream, can't she? We still made it work.  Thank you Marla for helping to pin me in all the right spots so I didn't fall out of the dress! On the final night of compeition I'll be channeling my inner Lady Gaga. 

Brian did my hair and makeup...Yes, I'm under all those eyelashes! Apparently my sister showed this pic to my grandparent's last night and there response was "who is that?"

The ladies taught me how to pose pageant style.  One leg in front of the other (the leg on the side of the slit).  Hand on your hip. I borrowed "pageant shoes" from Morgan Amarone, Miss CT 2011.  What are pageant shoes you ask?  After intense study, I have concluded that they're just classy low profile platforms.  Very comfy. Oh and the dangly earrings are clip ons.  They don't hurt until you take them off and the blood rushes back into your ears.  Pain is beauty.

I'm Back!

After four months of filling in for Rachel Lutzker on Morning Extra at 9 am, I’m back to working nights! You can catch my weathercasts on the News at 4 and 10 PM Sunday through Thursday nights. Don’t worry Geoff Fox fans! You can still get your fix at 11 PM.

It was really fun filling in for Rachel Lutzker. Remember, I’m a meteorologist. I didn’t go to school to be an anchor or a host. I didn’t take any journalism or communications in college. So the whole experience was a challenge for me!

During my time on the show I had to learn how to read off a teleprompter! (You know us meteorologists just make the forecast up as we go, ha ha.) I helped prepare interview questions for our guests, I selected fun stories and viral videos to share with all of you. And I even got a taste of hard news. But through it all, I think I became a better meteorologist! How is that possible, you ask? Well, I’m more comfortable and confident on air. In the end, that helps me communicate the weather better to you!

I’m really going to miss everyone on that show. And drinking on live TV at 9 am. But I’m SO excited to return to nights! Weather is my passion. I love staying up late to watch the new model runs come in. But mostly, I love delivering the weather to everyone while they’re half asleep every night.

You may have noticed (thanks to those of you who did) that I took a week off before my transition to nights. I went to visit my grandparents in Nevada. I have always been extremely close to them, as they lived next door to me for my entire childhood! My grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s over a decade ago but recently had to stop traveling. It’s a horrible disease. But she is the strongest woman I know and she’s fighting hard. It feels really good to take care of her like she has taken care of me all these years. She deserves it. And my grandfather loves her so much it makes you want to cry, watching them together. Here's a pic of me with my sister and grandmother (we call her Nanny).


I’m so glad I got to sneak in a little time with them. I even had a chance to see a Vegas show and go zip lining in the desert! Bootleg Canyon Flightlines


But now I’m home and excited to get back to work. If you made it this far in the post, I apologize for rambling. See you at 4 and 10 PM!

Toys For Tots

On black friday I had the pleasure of going to the dreaded mall. (Cue scary music)

Actually...the Meriden Mall had surprisingly normal crowds. I was secretly hoping to see some elbow throwing (while watching from a safe distace).

But I digress...Nothing was going to keep me from the mall because I was there to help the Marine Corps collect Toys For Tots. The programs has collected 400 million toys over the years. This year their goal is 17,000 toys for needy CT families.

I was joined by the talented and lovely 102.9 WDRC-FM. We will be teaming up at several toy drives this holiday season (including one on Friday). Please come by, say hi, and drop off a toy!

Manchester Road Race

I had a blast covering the 75th annual Manchester Road Race. Sure, working Thanksgiving is never really ideal. But does watching a race surrounded by people dressed up in rejected Halloween costumes count as work?

Here is the highlight of my TV career:

Watch me and winner Brian Olinger have a little fun!

Some pics I snapped during coverage:

Hanging with Joe Furey on the way to the race! Yes, I'm wearing drumsticks on my head. And no, I didn't take them off during on-air coverage of the race.

Betty Hutchinson set the 90-plus women's record in 2010 with a time of 1 hour, 17 minutes, 31 seconds. Hutchinson ran again this year at age 91.

Julia Chase-Brand honored at the 75th annual Manchester Road Race. In 1961, Chase-Brand, then a 19-year-old from Groton, defied powerful Amateur Athletic Union officials and became the first woman to run the 4.78-mile road race at a time when women were banned from such events.
AND THEY'RE OFF!


Really? That's a costume? REALLY!? And what are you doing lady!?
Behind the scenes with the FOX CT crew!

Kicking Off The Holidays At Westfarms

Tonight I helped kick start the holidays at Westfarms mall. Yeah, yeah I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet.

Westfarms mall unveiled their new Ice Palace AND the winner of "The Voice", Javier Colon performed some holiday songs and his new single, "As Long As We Got Love".

There was a huge turn out, I was shocked! Javier is from West Hartford so he has a lot of love and support here in Connecticut. By the way, being on television doesn't prepare you for public speaking. When you can actually SEE all those people staring back at you....woah. I still get a little adrenaline rush thinking about it.

Pic Courtesy of West Hartford Patch

FOX CT reporter Jeevan Vittal was reporting at the mall, and since he was a good boy this year I shared Santa with him! Clearly, Santa was more interested in the photographer.

Joe Furey's TWO Surprise Birthday Parties

Joe Furey is one of my favorite people in the world. He’s a great friend, a loving Dad and one hell of a meteorologist! Sometimes he calls just to say hi and we end up talking for an hour! He calls me his fifth daughter.

Joe’s wife Tracy (who works for WFSB) wanted to plan a surprise party for his birthday at the New England Air Museum. She asked if I would help make a guest list and hand out invitations at FOX. (Obviously it would look suspicious if she showed up at work.)

I had one job…and I blew it. Somehow Joe found the envelope with a WFSB logo in the corner and his wife’s handwriting on it. Of course he started asking questions. So Tracy and I had to think fast. “We’ll have a fake surprise party on his birthday, five days before the real party!” Tracy even made fake surprise party invitations in case Joe went snooping around for more clues.

Well on his birthday, Joe was cranky. After the nor’easter everyone was tired and unshowered. “Joe, let’s have a birthday breakfast!” I chirped on November 1st. Joe is always happy and sweet. Not today.

“Why? I’m not hungry. And I hate surprises. Plus I’m tired,” Joe whined. Oy. Well I finally dragged him out to breakfast and, voila! We had surprise party number one with about 30 people.

Joe bought it.

The real party happened that Friday. Bruce DePriest (Joe’s best friend) wrote Joe a letter pretending to be a “Flying Club” meeting at the New England Air Museum and they invited him to speak! As the date approached, Joe kept wondering why it wasn’t canceled in lieu of the recent storm. The party set-up was fantastic! Tracy did an amazing job. Tables for the party were surrounded by antique airplanes.

“Shhhh….Joe’s here!” The roar of close to a hundred people came to a halt.
“SURPRISE!!!” Well…Joe looked like he saw a ghost.

Joe later told me he thought he died and was seeing his friends and family on the way to heaven. It was a great party and an interesting guest list. Joe has worked for many radio stations and TV stations in the state (we’re a very incestuous industry). So radio legends and TV anchors/meteorologists were strolling around mingling instead of competing for ratings.

We took a group shot of all the meteorologists there. I’m at least a foot shorter than all of them.
Testing the wind speed in the air museum. This is how the pros do it!
Joe got the very best in forecasting technology as a gift...a weather dartboard!
It was a really fun event and I know Joe had a great time! HAPPY BIRTHDAY buddy! I think Joe likes surprises now!

Here are some pics from Geoff Fox's camera:

Regis Tribute Dinner, Mohegan Sun

I’m sort of obsessed with Regis Philbin. And I heard there was a private tribune dinner for Reg at Mohegan Sun this weekend. I wasn’t cool enough to get invited. But I pulled some strings and scored two tickets for me and my sister.

I heard there would be surprise celebrity guests! BUT…no one was more exciting then Regis. Susan Lucci and the host of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ made an appearance. The A-Listers were busy I guess. Video tributes from Joy Behar, Larry King and Kathy Lee Gifford played on large video screens on both sides of the stage. The event itself was kind of sleepy. The average age of the audience was about 75 years-old. But I’m an old soul and I enjoyed seeing the television icon in all his glory. He sang, did a little stand-up…after all these years, he’s still got it!

I only hope my career can be HALF as long as his! Thank you Reg for being such an inspiration!