Blogging Haitus

So it's been a while since my last post. I hadn't intended on taking a break... it just happened. Maybe part of me felt blogging was overrated. Who really cares about your daily ins and outs of your life? But, eventually I decided it's a good way for friends and family to keep up with Nick and mines life. So here is a rather quick update of the last couple of months.

Mom's Visit to NYC
Mom came to play for a weekend. I always love when she comes - lots of good restaurants, shopping, and Broadway. We shopped - as evident of the Macy's and UGG bag below. We saw The Newsies - which was awesome. I absolutley loved that movie! I remember renting it all the time from Blockbuster. Oh, and we ate at... Buddakan, Cafeteria, EJ's. Delicious.

Christmas in Mississippi

Nick and I headed to Madison, Mississippi for Christmas. It was the first time we had been to visit since my parents moved from Dallas. I was really excited to see everyone and the house - I had heard a lot about the house.We spent a few days in New Orleans which was great. Such a cool city. The rest of the time we spent relaxing with the family!

New Year's Eve
This year we spent the new year ringing in at Mike and Jenienne's. Love them and they always have the best parties. And this one did not disappoint. 80's theme! It was a blast - friends, drinks, and dancing! Every minute was a blast!

 

 

Vermont Ski Trip
Another Killington ski trip. This time minus the awful long bus ride. We went with our friends Chris and Niki and had a great time. It was cold. Really cold. I have determined I am such a warm weather girl. Saturday we had a great day of skiing. Sunday the temperature dropped and my knee hurt so I took it easy.

Atlantic City
It was the second weekend we spent with Chris and Niki. We were headed to Atlantic City to celebrate some 30th birthdays. The Revel, which was the resort we stayed at, was awesome. Loved it. Atlantic City - not so much. Dirty and ugly. It was a weekend of gambling! I was never really good at gambling... I had a hard time putting a $20 into a machine when I knew I could just keep the $20. I ended up playing the slot machines a lot. Nick took his chances with craps... we came out even by the end of the weekend. Not too bad. It was a great weekend!

 

 

Crawfish
I finally found a place that serves broiled crawfish! My favorite! It was delicious and we will definitely be going back!

 

Nick's 29th Birthday

Tuesday was Nick's birthday and we celebrated by eating at Maya... tasty Mexican! And for dessert - Magnolia Bakery. Sadly, there are no pictures of this celebration.

There you have it. A quick round up of what has been going on in our lives the last few months. Many more fun posts to come in the future!

Sandy and the Nor'easter

It's been a week and half since Sandy. Yesterday the eastern coast was hit with a nor'easter. What is going on with the weather?!

Nick and I were extremely lucky with Sandy. We live in the Upper East Side... aside from some wind we really didn't experience anything. It was a drastic difference in lower Manhattan. You were in a completely different world if you lived lower than 34th street.


Picture by New York Magazine - New York City with no power is an eerie experience.

Lower East Side. Underwater. Unreal. 

Sandy and I had no real issues... we didn't lose power, our apartment didn't flood, etc. The only issue I had with Sandy is when it caused my mom's flight to get cancelled. She was suppose to fly into LGA on Thursday night. Sandy flooded the whole airport causing a tremendous backlog of flights. Because of that she was unable to spend the weekend with us. In hindsight, it's probably best because the lower half of the city was still without power... not much of a fun weekend. So, she will be here next week! Yay!

It's really sad. A lot of people lost absolutely everything. I can't imagine what that would feel like. What I've learned about this city, in the two years that I've been here, is that it is resilient. People come together and rebuild. It might take a while but it will get done.

Yesterday another storm hit - the Nor'easter. The eastern coast can't catch a break! Lots of wind, snow, and blistering rain.


 First snowfall of the year

I'm just hoping for some sunshine... apparently we get that on Saturday and Sunday when it's suppose to be in the 60's. I just can't keep up with all the weather changes!

Happy Halloween

It's Halloween in NYC! However, I do believe it will be the most un-Halloween ever... due to hurricane Sandy. I'm sure you've seen the news... lots of damage. But hurricane Sandy gets its own post in a couple of days.

Last Friday night Nick and I went out with our close friends Matt and Pam. We love them! Pam is Nick's "work wife"... they have spent a lot of quality time together!

We met after work and headed down to the lower east side. We were having dinner at 'inoteca. Three of us (Matt, Nick, and myself) had all had dental work done earlier in the day and we were starving!

'inoteca is this great restaurant with a really cool vibe. We sat down and immediatley proceeded to order some wine followed by A LOT of food. And when I say a lot I mean it. I don't think I've ever ordered that much food before. The food was delicious - I was surprised I really enjoyed all the dishes brought out.

We ordered truffled egg toast, prosciutto,7 different kinds of bruschetta, porchetta panino w/ salsa verde, arugula, mustard seed mayo, and we each ended with our own entree - pasta. Delicious!


It's a little dark - I always forget to put the flash on. 

After dinner we headed a few blocks to The Killers: New York Haunted House. It's Halloween time and of course we had to do a haunted house (I mean... it's me you are talking about)! We had timed tickets so we only waited for about 20 minutes. This was actually the first house that I allowed the actors to "touch" me. We were marked with this red paint on our forehead that allowed the actors to know they were able to grab us...

Pam and I were definitely grabbed. Must have been because we were girls and the actors were mainly guys. Mine wasn't too bad but Pam's actor had her up against the wall and put some nasty fake blood on her neck... not smart actor - she was in a white shirt!

Overall the haunted house was okay. There were about two times that someone jumped out at me that got a good scream. I always compare haunted houses to the one I visited with a group of friends senior year back home. It was 45 minutes of pure terror. Nothing has lived up to that yet.

Overall a great Halloween festive night with some great friends!

5 Years of Marriage

This past weekend Nick and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary!!

Friday night Nick took me to L'Artusi in West Village. This restaurant is now on our Top 10 list. Every single bite we had was amazing. The restaurant ambiance was great and the waiter we had was incredibly nice!

We started off with the roasted mushrooms - pancetta, fried egg, and ricotta salata. This is one of the dishes they are known for and it lived up to it. So flavorful. We also started with the dayboat scallops. It wasn't what we expected when it came to the table but it didn't disappoint either. We were definitely off to a good start. I ordered the spaghetti - garlic, parmesan, and chilies. It was the freshest spaghetti I've ever had. Nick ordered the orechiette - sausage, salumi, and pecorino pasta. Another amazing dish! We were 4/4. And then came dessert - our favorite part. We decided to splurge and order two... First up, apple tart surrounded by applesauce with vanilla ice cream. Second, hazelnut chocolate torta - I have to say Nick's was one of the best desserts I've had... and I don't even like chocolate that much! It was such a great meal and a wonderful way to start off our anniversary weekend.


I can't even describe how good this was! 



Yum!

Saturday we decided to have a "young at heart" day. We rented a car and drove up north into the Hudson Valley area. There was an apple picking farm called Barton Orchards in Poughquag, NY. You could pick apples, pumpkins, and vegetables. They also had live entertainment and tons of delicious food stands. Most importantly apple cider doughnuts (heaven!), funnel cake (whenever there is a funnel cake - you have to get one), apple pie, and many more delicious treats.


Apple picking!


Every tree had hundreds of apples below it - Nick and I wondered what happened to all of them at the end of the season?


I got one!


After we finished picking them from the tree we stopped at the bins that had some already picked!

Nick and I had an amazing time. The weather could not have been more perfect and the fall colors were gorgeous!

We made it back to the city in time for our dinner reservations at August in West Village. This restaurant is so small and cute. Very nice date spot. August had a lot to live up to after dinner at L'Artusi. It was definitely a wonderful meal but not quite as good as L'Artusi.

We started with the margherita pizza which was quite tasty. I ordered the scallops with mashed potatoes and Nick had the baked Skate - which is a white fish. Very flavorful. We opted not to get any dessert - we had doughnuts waiting at home!

I really feel quite lucky to have Nick by my side. We've been together for a total of 11 years now and I love him more every day. He's my best friend and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

Wedding in Rosemary Beach, Florida

I love weddings! And I especially love weddings on the beach!

David Dix and Sloan Looney got married in Rosemary Beach, Florida this weekend. It was beautiful, lovely, heart-warming. Not to mention perfect weather. You couldn't have asked for a more wonderful weekend.

Nick and I flew to Atlanta on Thursday night and spent the night with my aunt and cousin. It was so great to see them. Lisa will make anyone laugh! We didn't get to bed until midnight and then had to wake up about 5:45am to catch our flight out of Atlanta. So much flying... didn't like it one bit. The flight from Atlanta to Panama City, FL was diverted to Fort Walton because of visibility. We landed in Fort Walton and refueled and waited for the fog to clear. For someone who is terrified of flying.. this sucked. Another take off and landing... awesome.

But, we made it! And it was gorgeous. We quickly unpacked and made our way to the beach. We met up with all the wedding guests and saw David and Sloan - who looked incredibly happy and relaxed. This day was dedicated to relaxing under the umbrella and swimming in the ocean. We loved every minute!


Heaven.



Town Square of Rosemary Beach - the entire area is beautiful. They really did a wonderful job with this community - modeled after the West Indies.

Nick and I also met up with an old friend from high school who happened to be friends with David as well. I hadn't seen Daryn since graduation (which was 10 years ago). It was so great to see her and meet her fiance Matt. It really is a small world.

That night Nick and I had dinner at George's... lovely outside setting with the sunset in the background. The food was amazing. It was a really nice evening just being with Nick... peaceful. We don't get a whole lot of that in the city. After dinner we made our way over to the restaurant where the rehearsal dinner was finishing up. They were serving drinks and dessert - yummy margaritas! We didn't stay too long because we were exhausted. Traveling takes a whole lot out of you.






Saturday = wedding day! And we had another lovely day at the beach! Nick and I rented some chairs on the beach and relaxed for most of the day. The only irritating thing about this trip was the flies... they wouldn't leave you alone. It was bad enough that we had to go get bug spray. And these flies were mean - they bit you and it hurt



The wedding was held on the beach and it was a beautiful set-up. There was clear, blue skies in the background with waves crashing on the sound. The groom and groomsman were in white shirts and khaki and the bridesmaids were in a lovely orange color. The ceremony was beautiful and it really made me thankful for Nick. I cherish the time we spend together and couldn't imagine my life without him.





David and Sloan with Georgie - their daughter. She is precious!

The reception was a full on party! It was on this large green space with an open tent. Lights were all around us and the decor was just right. The food.. oh the food! Shrimp and grits, mac-n-cheese, wings, burgers, sweet potato fries... perfect Southern food! I fell in love with the shrimp and grits. And then there was the cakes... delicious!




David is a huge fan of the Mavericks... and his cake looked like an exact replica of a basketball.

And then there was dancing! Surprisingly, Nick and I were out on the dance floor most of the evening. Who would have thought?! And it wasn't even slow songs... we were getting our groove on! We sent Dave and Sloan off into the night with bubbles. A perfect end to a perfect wedding.



Nick and the groom!


Daryn! So glad we were able to catch up!



There was an after-party that all the "young" people went to. Nick and I didn't stay too long but we did stay long enough for Nick to get a little "tipsy." I won't go into details but lets just say the walk home was pretty entertaining!


Matt making Daryn and Nick shots! 

Sunday morning we woke up and spent a few hours on the beach before we had to head to the airport. It couldn't have been a better weekend. We are so grateful we were able to celebrate David and Sloan. Nick and I wish them all the happiness in the world!

Labor Day Weekend Food Extravaganza

This was a GREAT holiday weekend! I love three day weekends... I really think we should have them all the time. But sadly that is just not the case.

As the title suggest Nick and I had quite the foodie weekend. Lots of new places and new foods! We loved every minute of it.

First off was a new Mexican restaurant on Friday night. Nick had booked a special on Groupon and we thought we would give it a try. Turns out it was pretty decent. The pitcher of margaritas was tasty (plus strong!) and chips with guac and queso was delicious. We ate a whole bunch of chips! Sadly, the fajitas were not up to the standard we are use to. They used this odd sauce that just didn't work. We would gladly go back - just order a different entree.

Saturday I took Nick to Bar Pitti. I had been there once before with some girlfriends but it's such a great, traditional Italian place (and cheap!). The city was quiet... a lot of people got out of town for the long weekend. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We ordered Fettunta E Proscuitto to start - grilled country bread with prosciutto di parma, garlic & olive oil. I love proscuitto! Nick and I both went with a traditional pasta dish. Mine was excellent... Nick's needed a little more flavor in the sauce but overall he enjoyed the restaurant.





After lunch we made our way to our favorite gelato place... we really can't get enough. Every time we are in West Village we have to stop. Once we had our gelato we made our way up to Barney's Whole Sale event. Nick informed me we were NOT buying anything... just looking.

Yeah - that never happens! He ended up with a new tie and shirt and I found a really cute pair of grey skinny jeans. The discounts were amazing and the store was packed! The men section had a lot more to choose from... the women's was a little picked over. We still made out of there dirt cheap - if we had bought those three items at normal price it would have set us way back!


There were some elbows being thrown in the women's section!

Saturday night I made reservations at Jane. I really didn't know much about it but the reviews were excellent. The restaurant was in West Village and it was incredibly cute. Perfect date night restaurant - we really enjoyed the ambiance. And the food! The food was the best. Every dish we had we absolutely loved! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.... I highly recommend this restaurant. We will be back!





Pork chop with cheese grits... yes, please!


Steak and fries.. you really can't go wrong!


One of the best desserts ever! It completely upstaged my apple crisp. Nick ordered cookies and milk... warm chocolate cookies with cold milk with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. Heaven! 

Sunday afternoon we decided to see Total Recall at the Union Square theater and then head to dinner afterwards. The movie was okay but what had us excited was the stadium seating. It was so nice to be in comfortable chairs, be elevated, and see the screen. Stadium seating is one of the things we miss most from back home!

We made our way to dinner after the movie. It was a place called Freeman's in the Lower East Side and it's location is quite unusual. The lower east side is a bit of a transitional neighborhood. Some parts aren't too nice... this restaurant was located in a back alley. You wouldn't know it's there unless you were looking for it.



The restaurant had a real old world feel to it. It was extremely warm and inviting. We started off with some cocktails and for our appetizer we ordered the grilled cheddar toasts and the devils on horseback. Now, we didn't have a clue what devils on horseback was. We asked and turns out it was prunes wrapped in cheese and bacon. Definitely interesting... we were feeling adventurous so we decided to try it. Turns out it was really good. Nick says bacon makes anything good! Nick ordered the herb-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and I had the seared scallops with heirloom tomatoes. Everything was perfect - I especially loved the tomatoes! Dessert = brownie with vanilla ice cream (you really can't go wrong!)


The picture is a little dark... the figs are on the left. I didn't want to be THAT person who takes a picture with a flash on in a dim-lit room.

On the way back to the subway we passed Rice to Riches. We had seen this on TV and Nick wanted to give it a try. I was pretty confident I wouldn't like it. And I was right - the texture was just something I couldn't get past. Nick thought it tasted just like chocolate pudding.







This was on the main door. I love it!




Monday was a fairly realxing day. We had planned to go downtown for brunch but after being down there the whole weekend we decided to go to our staple brunch place - EJ's. Love this place - best french toast!


Yes there is the option to get toppings but I like my french toast with just butter and maple syrup!

I made shrimp tacos for dinner and I have to say it was pretty darn tasty. Definitley one of my better recipes!



It was a wonderful weekend. I feel so fortunate to be in a city that lets us explore the way NYC does. And I really have to be one of the luckiest women because I never tire of spending time with Nick. He's not only my husband but my best friend and I enjoy every single second with him.

Our plans for next weekend... in the words of Nick, "We are doing nothing - think CHEAP!"