a few traditions

swingle from 2013

Easter weekend is one of my favorites of the year.  although J and i have been together for a while we don't have too many traditions around holidays.  maybe it's because our families are spread out and we're always traveling, but a few years ago i decided that we would not travel for Easter and that we would start making our own traditions at home.  i am so glad i did because it's become something i really look forward to.

the day before easter we take a nice walk over into Red Hook.  we love this neighborhood.  it feels very New York and old school to us and the people are amazing.  there are so many great places to grab a bite or a drink and just walking and taking in the neighborhood is so great.  our tradition starts with the walk and we slowly head over to Red Hook Winery.  we also do the wine tasting (tasting of six, please!).  we then decide on a wine to buy and enjoy with Easter dinner.

swingle from 2014

after the tasting we walk over to Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie for  a swingle (chocolate covered pie on a stick).  simply.  amazing.  we sit on the water (this year it was so windy that we just ate it and walked) and stare at the Statue of Liberty and just chill.  it is so rare that we just sit and hang out like that.  

on Easter Sunday our tradition is to make pasta carbonara, one of my absolute favorites, and drink our Red hook wine.  some years we color eggs and eat bagels in the morning and some years we just do dinner.  it is so much fun and it makes me excited for the traditions that we haven't yet created.

swingle from 2015

getting ready for vacation

Photo Credit from Blizzard-Secret

so, J and i leave for our honeymoon in less than three weeks.  to say that i am excited is a major understatement.  i am not ashamed to admit that i have started packing.  i may have even started a few weeks ago.  there's a logical reason for this though!  our itinerary has us on a few planes, trains and automobiles and because of that we have decided to not overpack.  i am so scared of the airline losing my luggage (we will be on 5 planes total) so we also decided that we will only do carry-ons.  and this is my dilemma...  how do you pack for two weeks in a duffel bag?  and then i found these.  it has completely rocked my world.  you can fit so much in this thing!  and then i just stick it in my duffel.  i also got this one for my unmentionables.  again, amazing.  now, i have to figure out how to pack my shoes.  any ideas for that?

good weather approaching

you guys, it was actually nice out last week!  for a few days i was able to leave the big, bulky North Face behind and wear my lighter coat.  and... i actually walked home one day!  and it was a bit warm even with the lighter coat!  this is amazing.  i grew up in New England and am pretty used to cold and snow (what my poor family and friends went through this winter is bananas), but for some reason this winter was really starting to drag me down.  i just needed sun.  and a day where i didn't feel like walking outside meant freezing my bum off.  when it's so nice out i get to experience this, walking over the BK bridge.  and even though it's super crowded with bikes and tourists, it's still a helluva walk.

my weekend

the weather has been so cold and i have not wanted to go anywhere.  i grew up in New England, but for some reason i am really feeling this winter right now.  i've been so positive up until this point!  we didn't do much of anything, but it was our friend's birthday on saturday and as a treat for him and his wife we babysat their two (wonderful, smart, beautiful) kids.  i've also had a tradition of making him his favorite peanut butter pie every year.  this year i refrained from having a piece, but it actually did look good.  i may have licked the spoon.

oh, another thing we did this weekend was start season 3 of House of Cards!  this season is blowing my mind!  i am obsessed with Robin Wright.  she is amazing.

lastly, J thought he would take Boo out to enjoy the snow on sunday.  she was so cute out there, but definitely got tired of it after a quick bit.  that little kitty sure does make me laugh.  look at those paw prints!

I Love NY (99.9% of the time)

(photo from my instagram)

we had such a great day on saturday.  we were able to sleep in, make breakfast and just chill out for the morning.  J decided to head to St. Ann's Warehouse to get tickets to this amazing show.  he called about an hour later with the good news and i was on my way to meet him.  it had just started snowing heavily, but i was thrilled on my walk to the train knowing that i was about to see some amazing theatre.  i get to the station and wait about 25 minutes without a train in sight.  at this point i was panicked because curtain was in 15 minutes.  i go out to the street and decide to try a cab.  did i mention it was snowing?  i finally see one and he decides he doesn't want to take me to dumbo because he is on his way into manhattan.  i remind him that dumbo is on his way to manhattan.  he stays firm.  we then argue and curse words may have flown out of my mouth.  i am not proud.  i call J in a panic and he decides the only thing for him to do is get into a cab in dumbo, pick me up in cobble hill and then drive back.

okay, i'll pause here to tell you that in times of frustration i may overreact and let my frustration come out as anger.  J has been on the receiving end of that.  again, i am not proud.

J and i argue as he is actually in the middle of doing a very nice thing and coming to my rescue.  we finally, after missing each other and my walking through a snowstorm with a large chip on my shoulder, meet up and i jump into the cab.  we head to the theatre and we are late.  the show has started and we now have to wait to go in.

and then we do.  and we are transfixed.  completely.  and the anger, frustration and grumpiness that consumed me for the past 40 minutes disappear.  and the show ends and we are in awe of the beauty we were witness to and we find a wine bar and drink wine while the snow continues to fall over this great city.

and just like that NY goes from feeling so heavy to feeling as light as a feather.

p.s. i was not the genius behind the writing on that car.  some other grumpy New Yorker handled that.

trying something new

(Adrian Lungu Photography)

i normally never do resolutions for the new year.  history has proven that when i make a big resolution announcement, i inevitably fail.  instead, i try to look at the start of the new year as just that, the start of a new year.  this year, however, i decided to look at 2015 as being filled with as many things "new" as possible.  maybe it was because we were just married at the end of last year or maybe it's because of my feeling stagnant.  whatever the reason, i'm trying to fill my days with new things.  whether it's new recipes to cook for friends, taking ski lessons, or trying to write more.  and then there's my current favorite, Italian classes (ciao! buona sera!  mangia la pasta!).  it's been a fun start so far.

Broad City

are you guys watching broad city?  you totally should be!  it's currently in its second season and it is amazing.  we watched a few episodes last season and then binged on the whole season a couple of weeks ago.  we are now so hooked.  these women are hilarious, spontaneous, and so much fun.  my favorite thing about the show is how in love with each other they are.  it is so rare to see a show completely about the friendship between two women.  i am all in!