Ice storm Anniversary

Sunday was J and my official anniversary and I had big plans to make this big fancy dinner.  I planned the menu, placed a big grocery delivery from fresh direct...then the sky opened up and dropped frozen rain over our entire area and didn't stop.

It was impossible to walk anywhere, sidewalks, streets, trees, mailboxes all covered in a thick shiny layer of ice.  It was kind of pretty and if you were able to slide your way somewhere it was silent out and so peaceful.

All of this peace and quiet could also be attributed to the fresh direct truck's noisy absence.  We had almost no groceries, so our fancy dinner became thawed meat sauce that I made  too much of a couple months ago, some penne from the cupboard, and a salad made from questionably old spring mix. 

It was a far cry from delicious but it was kind of a nice way to mark a year.  It was a night that was a quiet reminder of  the day to day greatness that we enjoy even when we're not having a lavish dinner or trip to the opera.

I <3 NY (Weekend Edition)

I love NY, but some days I REALLY <3 NY! Saturday I spent an incredibly rainy day trying to accomplish some Christmas shopping with a friend. Of course we started with brunch...as is customary for all New Yorkers. We were talking about how brunch exists in other parts of the country but in New York it's an institution.

I tried to remember to snap some pics in between the rain drops...

One of my favorite things about New York is the art that you encounter when you take a minute and look. The entire city is like a gigantic canvas. This was from the sidewalk in front of Clinton Street Baking Co. I was craving their pancakes like crazy (maybe the best, ever) but they had a 2hr wait so we were standing in the rain googling brunch locations. Luckily in New York you're rarely more than a couple blocks max from a great brunch. 

I had this amazing Texas Toast French toast in orange blossom honey, covered in fresh fruit and whipped cream. I of course, also added a little pure maple syrup...when in Rome...

(Above) Outside the Duane Reade where I broke down and bought a new umbrella because I felt like a drowned rat. 

Finally we hit our breaking point and went to a movie, which conveniently was next to a Mexican restaurant where we indulged in Margaritas and a zillion calories. They look Christmassy though!

Then I headed over to Grand Central where a protest was taking place. Even with the mob of people, the police all hanging out, the holiday spirit was still in full force (below). 

I hit the magazine stand for some train reading

And then when I got home I took Humphrey for a walk, turned my new umbrella inside out, got soaking wet (again), then unsuccessfully tried to stay awake until J got home. 

Even though I spent most of the day in between drenched and just pruned, it was definitely an "I <3 NY" kind of day.

Sunday I headed out to brave the city shoppers, busy shoppers, dressed in holiday style...in the air there's a feeling of Christmas...but really there was, everyone was in a great mood. The only problem was there were lines everywhere. I think we were all just glad it stopped raining! It was gorgeous but oh so cold. 

After shopping I grabbed a quick bite in Chelsea then headed over to hang out with the Chelsea boys. 

We played on the roof for a while until one of the littles accidentally kicked a pipe and caused water to spurt out everywhere.  Once the panicked crying stopped (surprisingly not from me) we went in side to warm up and make gingerbread houses. I was really impressed by how long and hard they worked on them. They aren't known to have the longest attention spans in the world. 

After gingerbread mania, J picked me up from the train and I did a quick change in the car while he drove to some friends house so that I wouldn't be covered in icing when we got there.
("Don't get pulled over, I don't have pants on.") We had a nice quiet evening with some pizza, a Seahawks win, and I got to snuggle with their adorable little baby.  I may not have wanted to give him back when it was time to leave.

All and all a pretty great weekend. 

I'm linking up here, here for some more weekending!

Flashfloods, Thunder, Lightening and The Piano Man

I had one of the most amazing NYC evenings the other night with J.  I feel like I'm grinning from ear-to-ear each time I talk about it, and I can't quite convey how perfect it was. Confession:  I'm totally a sucker for romantic movies...the good ones, the bad ones...I'll watch them all (multiple times) but at the same time I have this (healthy) cynicism I think where I realize that isn't necessarily how real life actually goes.  But thinking back on the other night, I feel like I should check my cynicism more often. 

 

J's brother very generously got him tickets to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden for his birthday, and then very generously let me use the extra ticket! J picked me up at my apartment, and we made our way into the city.   As we walked to the subway I watched the clouds starting to gather and the sky turn a swirly black, "hopefully we miss this rain storm."  J said we wouldn't, and I told him not to jinx anything and think positive.  He doesn't believe in jinxes...thus jinxing us because as soon as we got out of the subway at Herald Square the sky opened up and unleashed buckets of rain. 

 

There is something so inconvenient but terribly romantic about this kind of rain, I think.  Maybe it is because you can't escape it, and are literally trapped in the rain...or maybe it's all of the times I've seen The Notebook...

I think it also shows a lot about how someone will handle a situation.  Rain like that where you're instantly drenched either turns you into a grouch or a giggly little kid.  I ended up as the latter, and thankfully so did J.  He held my hand and helped me weave through the throngs of sopping wet tourists, and as we ran I couldn't stop laughing, and then something hilarious happened...or at least I think so...I lost a shoe!  I ran right out of my sandal, and tugged on J's hand to turn around and watch it float down a river of rain...it went right on down 34th street so I found myself cracking up laughing, drenched clear through, running down 34th street with one barefoot! A barefoot in NYC is no laughing matter.  (So gross!) But I couldn't help myself...if it hadn't been raining so hard, and catching my shoe wasn't such a priority I would have sat right down and had a good belly laugh. J helped me chase after it, the shoe was reclaimed and we were on our way (with a couple other quick shoe losses) but I think I will always remember that rainstorm as one of my favorite NYC moments.  The rain, the traffic, the tourists, but it was all blurred out by this hilarious little story they were oblivious to in our own little world. Pretty great! 

Speaking of "pretty great..." BILLY JOEL was phenomenal!     

Forgive the horrible photography, but I find the more fun I'm having, the less photos I take.  (My mom has been complaining that I'm never posting anything on Facebook, lately.)

 

Shoe disaster averted, rain-drenched and drowned-rat looking we made our way into Madison Square Garden and had a blast at the concert.  I have enjoyed Billy Joel but honestly only know the words to a handful of his (most-popular) songs.  J is a super fan so it was extra fun to see how excited he was.  It was contagious. 

I've never been to Madison Square Garden before, and I was really surprised about the acoustics.  They were so great! And our seats were actually behind the stage but we could still see everything so well.  His piano rotates, too, so if you're considering going, and the only seats left are behind the stage, do it.  I think it is sold out through the end of the year, but it sounds like he's planning on continuing these shows until there isn't a demand...which will be never.   

A perfect NYC evening!

P&G Summer Glow Salon

 

Today the first friend I made when I moved to NYC almost a year ago, (aka Guggy) and I hit up Flat Iron Plaza for P&G's free Summer Glow Salon.  It was billed as makeovers but upon arriving we realized you could get your make-up done, your hair braided, OR nails painted, not really a "make over" but who really wants to get a make-over from a stranger?  I did need a manicure though...

 

We opted for braids...did I mention I needed a manicure? I almost instantly wished I'd gone with the other station. My braid was cute but it was just a regular fishtail...my mom was fishtailing it up when I was in elementary school, and I was hoping for something a little more interesting. 

Goodies

The event was well organized but it was sweltering, chosen more for style than function, the clear ceiling-ed tent turned the whole thing into an oven and I quickly downed my fresh juice provided by the Olay hydration bar.  (It was super tasty, but I don't really understand what Olay and juice have to do with one another).  Also, there was one mirrored wall (the "selfie wall") that did not do the oven-esque tent any favors.  Instead of creating a fun place for selfies it made you feel more like an ant under the watchful eye of Sid from Toy Story than the glamor girl Target was going for...it also did something weird to my teeth I think when it reflected.  Anyone seen this (below) episode of Friends?  And like how I'm modeling my braid? LOL I may have missed my calling.

 

The Accidental Slurpee

Summer has been sneaking in here and there in Brooklyn but today was definitely a summer day even though the calendar says we have a few more until it's official.  It was the kind of day that made you wish you were still a kid and it was appropriate to run around in your bathing suit all day, made the subway station nearly unbearable, and made fruit seemingly ripen out of nowhere.  It was also the kind of day where I may have consumed more cold desserts than actual food. 

This is what my day looked like, despite the small hitch in timing thanks to subway delays and sweaty run (literally) through disgustingly packed Times Square it was a good day. 

I spent the morning with my favorite Greek then headed back into Brooklyn for a Gelato and splash pad day date with some of my favorite little monkeys.  As I dashed home I accidentally ended up with a slurpee which I slurped while dealing with the suddenly overripe fruit in my kitchen before the ants decided to come back for the party. Oh and there was a sweaty run in flip flops thrown in the mix somewhere there.  I'm sure I'll change my mind by the end of the summer but the great thing about New York summer is the amount of time you have to run here and there.  Also, I feel like I don't need to work out so much when I'm constantly sweating anyway, right...that's how it works?
 

When it Rains it Pours

I woke up this morning to this adorable little face.  He indulged me and snuggled for a bit, and then started the stare.  This stare means, get up, I'm tired of snuggling and want to go explore the neighborhood.  Each morning he eventually looks at me with those big muppet-eyes anxious to go re-cover the neighborhood in his urine. Skip ahead about 10 minutes and I'm starring in my own wet t-shirt contest.  It went from barely drizzling and warm to downpour before Humphrey had even covered one side of the block!

Humphrey and I dashed inside, I changed into my second outfit of the day (at 8am) and headed out to meet my friend Sonia for breakfast in the city.  From my apartment it is approximately 5 blocks to the subway.  Today it was 5 blocks and at least 3 urban floods.

I kind of love the sound of rain on an umbrella with the New York street noise in the background.  Thank goodness, and Santa, for Hunter Wellies they got a workout on Friday!

You would think I would have learned my lesson from the first drenching of the day, but later in the afternoon I stepped out of my apartment and felt the thick air.  It was still bright and sunny though, so I estimated I had time to make it 11 blocks before the thick air turned into a massive thunderstorm.

I could see dark clouds forming to the South, but that was to the South.  I was heading North! And then 3 blocks later it was dark, and I was stupidly wearing flip flops and soaked again. Every time I would try to walk faster I would step right out of my slippery leather flip flops that were stretching out with every wet step.  The neighborhood was bursting with new rivers and I found myself wading through ankle deep moving water to cross streets.

I think I wore at least 4 outfits today.  Not only from the rain, but because between the rain and the rain and the pouring rain it was sunny and warm!