Vegas, Baby, Vegas!

We just took a trip to Vegas last week to celebrate...our anniversary, graduation, CPR's birthday, having two incomes, etc., etc.  I had always heard that Las Vegas is over the top.  That is an understatement.  Vegas is so gaudy, tacky, and artificial, that I couldn't help but find it absolutely charming and fun!  The main purpose of the trip was to relax and spend time together, so we booked a room at the Vdara, a beautiful boutique-type hotel and spa right on the strip, adjacent to the Bellagio.   What made this hotel incredible is that it didn't have a casino which made relaxing oh-so-easy to do.  Our days included a  morning workout at the gym, a delicious brunch, afternoons reading by the pool, and fun dinners out.  I had no idea that someone like me (one who doesn't gamble or go to clubs...really, I am fun!) would end up loving Vegas as much as I did.  

 The living area in our room at the Vdara.  Look at that view from the 43rd floor!

 Nothing beats a breakfast that includes OJ, bacon, and fried hashbrowns.

 Enjoying fruit smoothies by the pool kept the 90 degree heat at bay.

Our favorite meal at Spago was to die for.  Unfortunately, this is the only photo that was taken at the restaurant.


There are two things that make up a perfect vacation:    relaxing and experiencing new sights and places.  I'd consider this trip a winner.

Anniversary!

It's been four years since we've tied the knot, two of which were spent living apart in different cities.  Excited that we could spend the *actual* anniversary together, we made plans to "do it up right" by having a nice dinner at a swanky NYC restaurant.  Fast forward to a monsoon, a heavy lunch at the Olive Garden with a dear friend, and a strong urge to trade in my high heels and jeans for a pair of elastic-waisted sweatpants, we decided to ditch the fancy dinner and to stay in.  What do you expect from two people who managed to go to bed at midnight every single night when they were in Vegas?  The first night we crawled into bed at midnight and proceeded to watch a documentary about dogs.  True story.

So, the night's agenda included watching the third season of Breaking Bad and clogging our arteries (but warming our hearts) with burgers and shakes from the Shake Shack.  We may not have spotted any celebrities at a fancy restaurant, but  at least we were able to celebrate a wonderful four years with our entire family which includes this guy.

Ben loving life in Central Park

Yum!

I'm Baaack!

I have two days left at my current job and I can already feel the stress leaving my bones.  Summer went by in a flash and I have to admit, I didn't stop and smell the roses.  

In celebration of my favorite time of year (school supply shopping!), I went to one of my favorite stores with one of my college besties.  In a world where everyone is going paperless and digital (I'm an offender to a certain extent), Kate's Paperie is a haven of all things beautiful, all of which happen to be made with paper.  As much as I utilize email to keep in touch with friends and family, nothing makes me happier than getting a hand written card or than buying a beautiful piece of stationery.

Here are a few of the things I picked up.

I've pretty much moved over to having all of my contacts and calendars on my blackberry, but I've missed jotting down notes, to-do lists, etc. in a pretty little notebook that fits inside of my purse.  Undoubtedly, this will inspire me to write down the names and addresses of fun restaurants and shops that I see while strolling around in NYC.  

I saw this card and literally cracked up laughing out loud.  Not only is it witty and humorous, but it's letterpressed and printed on heavy card stock.  I'm stayin' classy, San Diego.  I hope my friends getting married get the joke.  If not, I should probably question the friendship. :)

Nothing like a skull and crossbones birthday card for my hubbie who is 6 years my senior.  That makes him 27.  Hee hee.

Unemployment volume 2

Part of unemployment is embarking on a three-week guided cleanse.  It's not as scary as it sounds, and it's more about committing to three weeks of healthful and wholesome eating.  And if done correctly, one gains a deeper understanding about their relationship to food as well as determining which foods they must have to be happy and nourished and which foods are better left by the wayside on a more permanent basis (I said buh-bye to cheese, bread, and pasta).  

The first week is all about easing in and cutting out all processed foods, dairy, gluten, sugar, and caffeine.  What's left to eat you ask?  Everything!  We've had healthy and nourishing meals with grilled chicken and/or fish with a ton of vegetables.  And in lieu of grabbing the granola bar for a snack, we've grabbed a piece of fruit instead.  

Week 2 is a little more challenging.  It's continuing the behaviors from week 1, but phasing out animal proteins and sticking with juice and veggie based soups and smoothies. This gives the digestive system a well-deserved break.  The first time I did this cleanse, I came up with a butternut squash puree which ended up being super tasty.  Maybe I was euphoric from being so healthy, but I'll let you decide for yourself by perusing some photos.

{roasted butternut and acorn squash, red onion, and jewel yams with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt}

{pureed the mixture from above.  Trust me, it's tastier than it looks...}

(...but my witty husband thought it reminded him of a witch's gruel.  Apparently it was made in the year 1642. Hardy har har}

My husband has been struggling with the cleanse so I "treated" him to homemade croutons made from day-old whole wheat everything bagels.  Cheater!!

{bagels cut up and drizzled with olive oil and a bit of garlic powder}

{Gruel + homemade whole wheat croutons = more appetizing?}

Lastly, week 3 is very similar to week 1 and is all about transitioning back to normalcy.  But normalcy doesn't have to include bad foods.  Right? Right. 

Unemployment volume 1

I'm back in NYC, currently a freelance stay-at-home wife/dogwalker (my dog is my only customer)/annoying errand runner.  There are a few things that I've done that make me appreciate the downtime I have before I enter the rat race again.

Buying Fresh Flowers

Peonies are my favorite flowers and lilacs have such a dreamy scent.  I'd like to note that buying these flowers must have been such a dreamy experience because I dropped a $20 bill somewhere on the sidewalks of the Upper East Side.

Making Corn Salsa from Scratch

Thanks to my pal, I was able to make this great new salsa.  It's super easy with dicing pesky cherry tomatoes as the most challenging part of the process. 

1.5 cups grape tomatoes

1 cup corn

1/2 cup red onion

1/2 cup black beans

1/4 cup cilantro (or parsley)

1/2 of jalapeno

1/2 tsp cumin

salt

pepper

2 T red wine vinegar 

Super easy, right?  20 minutes later, and voila!

Stay tuned for more adventures from my days as an unemployed gal!  Be prepared to see pictures of dogs, food, and NYC sites.

Bucket List (To Do) volume 1

I am one 300 word essay question away from completing my MBA.  It's a bit anti-climactic as I imagined my last assignment being much more glorious.  Anyway, the end of my academic career and the gorgeous weather has me daydreaming about trips I want to take.  

South of France

I'm all about mixing downtime with lots of activity.  Maybe it's the threat of wrinkles, but I no longer long for 7 days on a beach.  My trip to the south of France will entail a bike tour through fields of sunflowers and lavender.  

{photo found here on flickr}

{photo found here on flickr}

And I want to experience this on a bike like this {though I'm used to riding a much uglier bike with more speeds making cycling much easier}

{dream bike found here.  It took me a while to find a bike without a wicker basket}

The second part of the trip will entail some beach time in the French Riviera.  How cute is this?

{shot of paradise found here}

{postcard shot found here}

Bucket List (To Buy) volume 1

I have two types of bucket lists:  A to-do list and a to-buy list. Pretty self-explanatory, right?  I was perusing HauteLook, one of those daily omg-it's-already-gone sale websites, and I saw they were selling Cartier watches!  My heart stopped when I saw this perfect watch.

Things I love:

• The oblong face
• The red croco band
• The Roman numerals
• The 18K gold case
• Slightly oversized but still feminine
• Timeless and versatile. It will surely make me beam every time I look at it.

I wouldn't mind one of these either...