The Most Perfect Day!

This weekend has been such a blur. I once again tried to cram way to much in but I wouldn't change anything. 

First, J and I went to see New York City Ballet's "The Nutcracker." It's funny because my experience or the Nutcracker was always Pacific Northwest Ballet's and I assumed it would almost all be the same but as it turns out, the NYCB choreography is much truer to the original choreography. The dancing was just on another level. Even J murmured "how is that possible" at one point during the sugar plum fairy's dance with her cavalier. 

The only draw back was all of the kid noise. Haha. It sounds like such a snobby thing, and I really love kids. Plus, I know when I have kids I'll bring thing to theater and ballet, but it's just a strange thing when you pay a lot for a ticket to go to the ballet and hear kids rustling candy wrappers the whole time. Actually my biggest problem wasn't the kids, it was the adults who somehow thought that since it was a kid friendly performance it meant they could behave as kids. The woman beside me literally stood for the beginning of the second act, and we had good seats. It's not that she couldn't see. (End rant. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to bring my kids and be the mean mom that won't let them rustle candy wrappers). 

After the ballet we headed to Brooklyn to this neighborhood called Dyker Heights. It was featured on one of those, "Extreme Christmas Lights" specials, and for a good reason. More lights than you can imagine. J was such a good sport and I laughed good-naturedly about my pure joy and enthusiasm despite the freezing weather. 

(More lights below)

On the way home he surprised me by stopping at my favorite restaurant in my old neighborhood, Lot 2. He won serious points with that move and then was rewarded by them having his favorite cocktail featured as the drink of the night (Veiux Carre...recipe at very bottom. It's the perfect winter warm you up cocktail. It was a shame I don't live a few blocks away and we couldn't stumble home because we both would have gladly imbibed more.)

Then we were going to have "Christmas" because I'm heading to the west coast for Christmas with my fam tomorrow but we decided to watch an episode of Breaking Bad instead...priorities. Christmas tonight though!

Opera Fancy

Thursday night we went to see Puccini's 'La Boheme' at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center and it was probably one of my favorite things I've ever seen! The sets were amazing, the music was gorgeous, and I got to dress up, "opera fancy!"  I had so much fun! I even bought a Christmas ornament from the gift shop because it was pretty, and the perfect kind of souvenir in my opinion.  After the show J bought a DVD of the opera, which in his book is the perfect kind of souvenir...to each their own, I collect Christmas, he collects DVDs/Blu-Rays...

Humphrey was none too impressed with my fancy "Jessica Simpson" heels, but I loved them (often her line is strangely gawdy, or oddly proportioned but these heels are def going to be my new go to black heels)

Here are some pictures from our fabulous night!


He hates selfies, but we were so fancy that I made him.  Too bad it was so cold and you couldn't see our outfits.

Opera glasses & dresses!

We're going to the Opera! THE OPERA! La Boheme at The Met! I can't contain my excitement or my exclamation points! I can't say I am super knowledgeable about Opera, but I've always wanted to see it live, but it's always so expensive. 

Well we didn't find a huge loop-hole in the expensiveness of opera, but J found a deal for tickets at the top of the Met, and like 3 rows from the back, but I'm so excited.  This means I need a new dress, right? You can't go to THE Opera at THE Met in New York City and wear your Target wardrobe, even if you are sitting in the riff raff section.

Shopping Spree right before holidays, and move, and life?  Not in the budget.  Instead I'm trying Rent the Runway.  They have tons of amazing dresses.  You get to rent for 4 or 8 days, and then you send it right on back in prepaid shipping and they dry-clean.  I love that they have reviews by real people with pics of them wearing the dresses, and also comments like, "couldn't move my arms but I looked great so it didn't matter."

You choose one dress, and your size, then you can get a second of the same dress diff size for free, plus your second dress style is just $32.  I have a friend that's used it a bunch of times, and it seems, great.  I'll have to let you know how it goes...I'm worried I'm going to fall in love with these luxurious gowns and want to burn my target-filled wardrobe.

Here are the two I chose...I'll update once I get them and make a decision.  The short one, I think I'll go black tights and heels to make it less of a cocktail dress, and more dramatic night at the opera.  What do you think? (I used the real person pics v. the model pics)

Slate & Willow - Mae Sequin Shift

Badgley Mischka - Forbidden Territory Gown