an eye to the past in NYC.

back again, unpacking and re-packing for tomorrow.  we got in from nyc last night, spent a cozy night in our own bed, and we leave bright and early tomorrow for denver.  it's our first trip back since the move back in december, so we are super excited to spend some time with friends, family, and doing some upkeep on our house while we are in town.

nyc was, as always, wonderful.  i love spending time with my family more than just about anything else.  i love walking into my nanny's house to see it unchanged - not just since the last time i visited, but for as long as i can remember.  it's a safe, familiar feeling. 

my family is complicated, as most families are.  it hasn't always been that way, but a lot of things have changed in the last few years that have made things shift in new ways.  and it's comforting to me, no matter how much my family dynamics change, to run up into this apartment and barge in without knocking, smelling the same smells from my nanny and eating the same unchanged spaghetti recipe since i was born.  it warms my heart and soothes my soul when i need it. 

here are a few of my nostalgic pictures...

nanny's kitchen - this corner has been the same since i was in a high chair

hung up in the dining room for as long as i can remember

my nanny herself - an absolute saint

my godmother and i in her new apartment in the village

my friday in the city with PI

and a few other weekend pictures. 

puppy in a boutique

walking the highline on saturday

view from the highline

tea shop in chelsea market

eighth avenue street festival

of all the craziness of the weekend, the strangest to me was running into an old friend that i knew in prague in the middle of lunch on saturday.  we were at separate tables on the patio and i instantly recognized him.  really makes you think how small the world can be sometimes - a guy i studied abroad with in prague and i eating at the same restaurant in the village, enjoying the sunshine.

i gotta run - dinner planned with dad tonight before we head off in the morning. 

til next time...!

what's been going on vol II.

yesterday i finally [and quickly!] debriefed on my sister-in-law's visit.  just four short days after she left, we flew off to nyc for some family time, mostly for two reasons:  first off, a family wedding; second off, meeting my new nephew! 

the weekend was amazing, and such a whirlwind.  i started this post like 4 times, each time with more photos than the last.  i seriously have over 200 photos of this weekend, i will try to do 1-2 photo summation of each day.

day one
so the most amazing thing happened on day one of our trip.  i met my nephew for the first time.

this is the first picture ever taken of me and my first nephew the first time i held him.  the most amazing feeling.  i truly looked at him and just fell in love.  it's not the best picture of the two (or three) of us from that day, but just has to be included because it totally changed me. 

the rest of the day was pretty kick ass too - got to see my godmother's GORGEOUS remodeled city apartment [finally homeowners - an amazing feat in the city!] and saw an old friend that we studied abroad with for dinner.  we enjoyed many margaritas tacos at diablo royale it the village, and drinks at our usual pub on hudson st.

us on the rooftop patio at my godmother's new house

us with steve, our great friend from prague

[yes, i broke my own 1-2 picture rule on the first day.  but had to share that rooftop pic!]

day two
wandering around the city is always a great day.  we shopped through soho, sifted through a flea market in the village, and met up with PI's family, my mother- and sister-in-law.  we even picked up PI a new suit at topshop for his promotion [20% for students? yes please!].

after the leisurely part of the day, we sped to uniondale for the family dinner before the wedding.  it was so awesome to see so many family members we haven't seen in a while, and dinner was such a blast.

us with oma, who we haven't seen in 4 years!

day three
hooray - wedding day!  we slept in, ate at an awesome east coast diner [there's nothing like them], relaxed and then enjoyed a beautiful wedding.

me and my date

the beautiful bride

 day four
after the wedding festivities were through, we got to spend another relaxing day at home with little jack.  we took him for a walk and had breakfast, then headed into the city with my godmother for a lovely french meal at lyon.  we met some of my godmother's friends, who have become like friends and family to philip and i.  they are such awesome people and have done so much for us. 

kind of like this look for PI.

afternoon in jefferson square.

 day five
last day of the trip :(  and we spent the entire day with captain jack.

when my cousin n - who is like my sister [which is why her son is considered my nephew] - were growing up, my mom took so many pictures of us that she made us a book of just pictures of the two of us.  so now that she has a baby of her own, we thought we should take some pictures of us plus jack for our book.  so here are my favorite shots.

my gorgeous cousin, who has become even more beautiful in motherhood

we didn't even plan this - just kissed him at the same time.

just staring at him and smiling. so amazed at all the love there is for this little tiny baby.

and that truly was our whirlwind trip, but amazing.  can't wait to head back in december!

til next time...! 

lovely, lovely weekend.

just wanted to share a photo so you could understand how excited this weekend made me.

like i said, two of my favorite people on earth came to visit us last weekend.  my cousin E & her husband P came from queens.  it was a glorious three and a half days off of work and we just had an amazing time.  some photos to follow...

what can i say, P  & philip kind of love each other

it's not a vacation without a stop at the tap room!

double IPA, seasonal, raspberry ale

drinking, walking to a comedy show, what's not to love?

red square, 2am.  enough said.

roomie clarence made a new best friend! 

so did miss E :)  anamana! 

easter family pic :)

me & PI, hair thanks to pinterest!

love love love

growing up, my cousin E and i were complete opposites.  and i don't even mean that figuratively, i mean that if i loved something she HATED it.  but now that we are older, we both discovered that we had a ton of things in common over the weekend.  our home decorating style is the same - the couch she just bought is practically identical to mine.  it was such a great time and it meant the world to philip and i that they visited us.  

but the flip side is now it is totally crunch time!  just a few more weeks of school left - through the first week of may - and then i'm done.  i had a mild panic attack today as i registered for my last semester of college (fall 2012).  all the classes that i need are available and i am registered for, which is insane... but that means it's all really happening, really falling into place.  it seems like just yesterday i was contemplating even going back to school in the first place.  

that makes me happy :) 

til next time (which might be may... ugh...)

xoxo

NY recap: high highs #5 - #10

ohh, that bittersweet feeling when vacation is over. 80% disappointment that it’s back to reality and 20% looking forward to sleeping in your own bed, using your own shower, cuddling with your kitties :)


i thought i'd share a few high highs of the trip - i'll try to do one a day because there is just no way that i could do one high high for the whole trip.  over a week of family time, city time, time with good friends, and of course some wonderful meals from my godmother and nanny.  


high high #5 - tuesday the 22nd 


seeing this guy.  

friends since praha, 2006

one of our best friends from prague and a groomsman in our wedding, mr. s.  it was so great to see him, catch up, and meet his lovely new girlfriend. plus we ate at an awesome restaurant, one mario batali's otto pizzeria!  side note - the food is super affordable, so if you're in the area check it out.  but a big play of comfort food (pasta) was just icing on the cake of the evening. 


high high #6 - thursday the 24th

me & em, the bride-to-be at our station and bar!

time with our favorite soon-to-be-married couple!  it's kind of a tradition in our family to head out for drinks after holiday meals - so we walked up to a local bar after thanksgiving dinner (and dessert).  we shared a few pitchers of winter seasonals with the bride and groom.  i felt SO blessed - it was just two days before their big day and we got to spend the entire evening with them.  i totally believe that these two are meant for each other.  they are just the complete embodiment of two genuinely good people meant to be together.  so over-the-moon happy for them! 


thanksgiving was all around a lovely day.  i really needed that family time, especially with some family members i hadn't seen in quite a while.  it was almost perfect.  and when your godmother, who is aa trained chef, is making thanksgiving dinner well then it's even better.


high highs #7 and #8 - saturday the 26th

me, aj and my two cousins who are like sisters to me

i really hate to say it because this defeats the purpose of high highs, but i have two!  the ceremony went off without a hitch and the cocktail hour was amazing.  when the reception began and the band started playing, it was the biggest party you've ever seen.  one of the first songs they played - just as most people were sitting down to eat - was 'that thing you do.'  yes, the 50s song from the tom hanks movie.  well i'm not proud to admit this, but my two cousins, my brother and i made up a dance to this song back in the day when the movie came out.  we would dance around in my godmother's apartment and may have even performed our routine for family (yes, we were super cool).  so when the song came in, immediately my brother, the my cousin the bride, my other cousin the maid of honor and i were out there dancing our dance like you've never seen.  it was a fantastic memory of my childhood i was able to relive and a reminder that no matter what happens, we will still have that special bond the four of us have always had.

my favorite couple ever!

but a very close second would have to be the last dance of the night - shout.  typical song played at all weddings, right?  well when the groom has a cowbell and is in the middle of the dance floor, it livens it up a bit.  especially after 'a little bit softer now,' when everyone is starting to stand back up and get a little louder, and the bride dances onto the floor with a tambourine.  EVERYONE was dancing and was pretty tipsy at this point - and it was just the most fun moment of the night.  a perfect example of how much fun these two are.  pretty hilarious :) 


high high #9 - sunday the 27th 

me & dad at the wedding :)

brunch with my dad, his wife and aj.  i miss my dad so much and it was great to spend some time with him.


high high #10 - monday the 28th

part of my home, my childhood - astoria park

catching the N train back to astoria after a lovely dinner with my incredible godmother and her equally amazing husband in the village at one of our favorite places.  i had my headphones on and was standing on the platform at union square when the train rushed by me, blowing my hat off my head and my hair back off my shoulders.  and in that moment i realized how much i miss the city.  


don't be fooled - the rest of the trip was just as much of a high as these moments.  but these were just the best of the best.  i can't wait to get back out there soon - so many exciting thigns are going on with my family that i want to be a part of!  


but in the meantime, i have a few more days of hell school until it's break.  just five more days... 


until after school!  i can't wait to post bathroom updates for the upstairs, bathroom design ideas for the downstairs, and HOLIDAY decorations! 

what i'm thankful for

hi friends.  i've made it to new york and it's been a wonderful trip so far.  in the weeks leading up to this trip, i was a little worried... 10 days is a long time to be away from home when we have SO much to do.  but it's been great, because we have TIME.  time to see old friends, time to laugh, time to sit and talk with family, time to reminisce.

i have a lot of things to be thankful for thankful for this year.  i thought i'd share the 10 things i am most grateful for from last thanksgiving to this one.  i'll try to keep it semi-brief, because i have mashed potatoes with truffle oil waiting for me... that's right.

1.  that i'm surviving school.  i was so worried going into this semester that i wouldn't be able to handle it all.  but i've done decently well in school and have been able to have some remnants of a social life.  some remnants.  but i've also had time to volunteer and spend time on things that are important to me, which has been a real gift.  i will have to juggle more going in to 2012, so this was a good test of just how much i can handle.

2. it's been a good year for friends, both old and new.  i'm thankful that i've met so many new people through school, the campaign, blogging, and other avenues.  i'm also very thankful that i've been able to rekindle some long lost friendships that had fallen by the wayside throughout the last few years.  i love the people in my life and i'm happy to be adding new ones every day.

3.  i'm so, so, so very thankful for our home.  sure, the roof over our heads has been leaky at times (not literally) but when so many people have lost their homes in the last few years, we are lucky that we own such a beautiful house that we are able to make improvements to.  it's our home, and i can't wait to spend the holiday seasons there for years to come.

4.  it's been a rough year for my family.  but i am so thankful for my ever-changing family that is so wonderful in so many different ways.  we lost someone very special to all of us back in february and it's taken my family a while to re-adjust itself to what it means to exist without her.  but we've made some strides, and i hope that we are on our way to a new definition of family.  she was a great woman, a true matriarch that held us together.  we've fallen apart a little without you nanny, but we'll get it together.  we've had some great additions to our family this year - my new aunt beth, my first and most-loved nephew little man, and my cousin's soon-to-be-husband patrick (wedding is tomorrow!).  i'm thankful that i have such loving and supportive parents and in-laws.  i don't know what i'd do without this support system.

5. we have had a few ups and downs health-wise this year, but everyone in my family is strong and healthy.  i'm very, very thankful for that.

6.  i'm blogging while on vacation.  i'm thankful that i have a job that allows me to take this time off to spend with my family during the holidays and my cousin's wedding.  i'm thankful that i'm able to semi-relax on this vacation, too :)

7.  one miracle of this year is the celebration of love during the holidays we get to experience tomorrow.  i can't think of two people more in love than my cousin and her fiance and i just can't wait for the wedding tomorrow.  no black friday shopping for me, just manicures with the bride and my fellow bridesmaids before it's off to the rehearsal.  it's the perfect reminder of what this time of year should really be about - family and love.

8.  our kitties.  they just make me happy.  :)

9.  my husband, the love of my life, philip.  i couldn't do half of anything i do without him.  he's my everything.  a quick story: five years ago it was our first thanksgiving together (or rather our first holiday together) and i remember almost every moment.  holding his hand before dinner, kissing in the kitchen, choking up at the dinner table with our friends in prague talking about how thankful we all were for one another in our lives.  i was convinced it would be the only holiday i'd get to spend with him.  and every thanksgiving, i remember that feeling and i'm thankful that he's the person i spend all my holidays with.

10.  it's been a year for personal growth.  i've kind of figured out what i want to do, i've gone back to school, and my life has a direction.  and i love the direction it's going in.

happy thanksgiving friends.  what are you thankful for today?

xoxo

fill in the blank stressful-friday

guys.  it's been a rough day.  for real.  it was one of those days where nothing really went my way, and just when i felt like i couldn't possibly handle ONE MORE THING something else happens.  when everyone needs me to solve all their problems but i can't seem to solve my own.  it was a long one.  but finally, i am done with my last day of work before vacation.  

siiiiighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

just some blanks tonight, school tomorrow and sunday, then it's vacation time.  i'll have most of the day monday to sleep in, clean the house, pack and prepare.  i love those kind of days.  now if only i would wake up tomorrow and it would be monday... 

1.   a nervous habit i have is   just one habit? picking at my cuticles.  twirling my hair.  fidgeting.  shaking my leg.

2.   something that makes me sad is  well, there is something, but i'm not going to make it public.  but it makes me sad from time to time.

3.  today i am thankful for  my upcoming vacation!  it is crazy stressful right now getting ready for the trip - but once that moment, my favorite moment, arrives it will all be worth it.  and i get to see my loving family, some amazing friends, and watch one of my favorite couples tie the knot.  nothing could be better.

4. my favorite room in my house is    my living room. it's the only room that's actually done - no paint, no decorations, nothing missing.  so i love hanging out there because it is what the rest of my house will feel like someday... 

5.  i can't stand  intolerance, racism or stereotyping of any kind.

6.  if i had an extra $100 to spend on whatever i wanted today i would  look for christmas presents!  i have picked out a few so far and can't wait to do more holiday shopping!  that being said i might also be a little selfish and spend this fake $100 on something for my house for the christmas cocktail party :)

7.  the last person i hung out with was  my girlfriend walker, who came over on wednesday night to drink wine, eat thai food and help me dye my hair.  high school style.  it rocked.

another friday off!

friends!  sorry the blog has taken a quite pathetic turn lately.  i'm in the last push - just 10 days until i'm on a plane to new york for my 10 day vacation.  thanksgiving, my family, miss emily's wedding... it doesn't get much better than that.  of course to enjoy all that i first have to survive one more work week and one more school-filled weekend (next weekend).  i have a midterm to take in the meantime, and when i come back from this trip it will effectively be december!  what the heck people!  at least i have today off to do some work and clean my house, before a big fancy chamber dinner tomorrow night.  this is my weekend to get caught up.  let's see if that actually happens :)

1.   my favorite new blog of the moment is  hello giggles! consistently hilarious.

2.   something i am thankful for is no school this sunday!  sleeping in!  

3.  something that made me laugh this week was me trying to stand up after bending down to grab something but stepping on my dress, so instead falling over on the ground.  in front of my staff.

4. an item that is currently on my wish list is someone to come paint my f*@$(%^ entryway.

5.  i am excited about five more days of work/school before a MUCH-NEEDED vacation to see some of the world's greatest people and my beautiful cousin's thanksgiving wedding!  i' got excited just typing that sentence!

6.  if i were a color i would be blue maybe, or yellow.  lately probably a deep, golden yellow... because it's bright and happy but not in an obnoxious way : )

7.  my favorite way to spend a chilly fall day is by drinking something warm and laughing with my husband. but lately i have been just doing homework.  lame.  

side note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend brooke today!