I love fall.

Once I come to terms with the fact that it's no longer warm enough to go to the beach, dine outdoors, or slip on a pair of flip flops or a sundress, I fall in love with fall all over again (pun intended).  

It's not quite cool enough in the city for changing leaves, but there are a few hints of fall...

And I would even argue that fall makes adults do things that remind them of their childhood days...

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.

Forever Searching...

for the perfect pump.  I'm not really much of a shoe girl, not because I don't like shoes, but mainly because most of the shoes that I love and admire are half a month's paycheck {oh wait, I don't have a paycheck}.  I spent much of my exciting Friday night  scouring the Internet for the perfect neutral pump with the caveat that it needed to be reasonably priced.  My criteria:  

• Neutral colored - grey, bone, or beige
• Minimum 3 inch heel - any shorter and it's unflattering on my 5'2" frame
• Not too pointy, not too round, it had to be juuuuuust right {a la Goldilocks}

I was surprised that I found these at DSW's website!  I know it looks kind of old lady by itself, but picture it with a printed spring dress or with a great pair of black trousers.  Are you with me now?  

Then, I found this adorable pair of flat sandals.  I really love the turquoise color.  It will add a bit of color to my normally neutral colored outfits.  Pair them with these jeans or this skirt, and voila! 

Both pairs are well under $100...mission accomplished!

Dog and Man Proofing

I'm on a quest to give our apartment a little facelift upon my return back to the Big Apple in 1 month and 1 day.  It's nothing major, but just a few changes to make it look not so ho-hum.  I was perusing countless design websites, making note of amazing rugs and pillows for my said project, but then realized...I have a dog and a man that live with me.  What does that mean?  The colors and patterns I choose have to hide dirt REALLY well.  Because I probably won't end up buying any of these due to the abundance of white, I figured I'd post them.  A girl can dream...

Love this ikat-ish print pillow found on Etsy.

And how smart are these pillows?

And I've always loved these rugs, but these would look a dismal shade of brown/grey/nyc grime in about 12 hours in my apartment.  

Spring Time

After a long blistery winter in Boston, nothing makes me happier than signs of Spring...Does this mean I can dry clean my wool sweaters?  please say yes, please say yes.

(photo of cherry blossom trees in the Boston Common found here)

A Trend I'll Never Get

I understand fashion is up for personal interpretation, so it's rare that I ever come out and say, "Whoa. Whoa. That should never be worn."  Even with the crazy haute couture stuff...in my opinion, those pieces are considered artwork and should be admired for their beauty and handiwork.  

I will never get the menswear trend that is hitting WOMEN's fashion.  I am a WO-MAN, with an emphasis on the WO.  There are a few things I take issue with:

1.  No man in my life has items like this in his closet.  Granted, if I wanted to execute the menswear trend based on the "male muses" in my life, I'd be wearing hooded sweatshirts, vintage t's, a lot of fleece, and running shoes.

Example 1 Wing-tipped Oxfords

Example 2 Boat Shoes

These should only be worn by a woman if she is manning a ship or some other type of aquatic vessel.  I get the preppy trend, but I can't get on board with these (pun intended).

Example 3 Pleated High-Waisted Khakis

This item is wrong for so many reasons.  Not until a few years ago was I successful in banishing all pleated pants from my husband's closet.  #1. They're not flattering.  #2.  1984 called and they want their pants back.  

2.  Women should dress in a way that is body-conscious and flattering.  I'm all for gender equality, but it should stop when it comes to clothing and accessories.  I've never been one to dress for male attention, but men don't want to look at a woman wearing baggy, pleated pants and boat shoes!  Unless they are of the ilk who keeps the September issue of Vogue on their coffee table, they won't get that you're trying to be on trend.  They'll just think you raided your father's closet c. 1982.  Not cute.  

3.  I get that not all women love pleats and ruffles, but there's a way to dress that is chic and minimalist without looking like you are a dude.  Here are some of my picks from my favorite line Theory.  Theory does a great job of making amazingly flattering clothes that are appropriate for even the most conservative office setting.  Their pants are pricey ($250+), but I assure you, they're worth the investment.  I've had mine for 5+ years and I will cry on the day I retire them.  

Her shirt is fitted in all the right places and the pants are loose enough to be comfy but cut in such a way that makes her legs look like they go on for miles (okay, that might have something to do with her being a model).

This blazer is double-breasted (a nod to the menswear trend), but made feminine with a wide belt and a girly blouse underneath.  

Lastly, if you are compelled to take part of the menswear trend, I suggest offsetting the dude factor with sweet ballet flats like these:

Chills!!

I don't think it's any coincidence that Sex and the City 2 is coming out on my birthday this year!  SATC is one of those shows that I can watch at any time of the day and be enthralled in each and every episode regardless of how many times I've watched it.

The newest SATC2 trailer is here and I got chills.  It looks like Aidan's back, who for the record, was one of my top fave boyfriends next to Big.  I mean, look at him!  Does she finally give Big a taste of his own cheating medicine?  I will honestly not be able to handle it if they break up in this movie.  I've been on that emotional roller coaster through several seasons (and one movie) and my poor heart will not be able to endure any more pain.  If they Big and Carrie go kaput, look for me checked into the mental ward at the hospital down the street from the 86th Street movie theater.

Without further ado...

Art is in the eye of the beholder?

After a week of trying to do everything BUT find a job, write papers, plan my life, etc., I had this urge to make the apartment over.  I won't go into details of all the things I would want to change in our apartment, but let's just say that my other half thinks this poster constitutes as artwork.  I'll also add that this is attached to our bedroom wall with athletic tape underneath a New York Yankee sign made by a child 20 years ago.  (Don't judge, I have to choose my battles wisely, okay?)

(image found on this educational site, not an ARTWORK site)

The hubs loves maps and we both love traveling, so we have not one, but TWO world maps in our 900 square foot apartment.  One map is nicely framed, the other is shoddily taped to a Crate and Barrel mirror with more athletic tape.  Hubs had a great idea to mark each of the spots we've been to on this second map, but I'd like to take this idea and make it a more legitimate piece of art in our space.

I stumbled upon this map on Etsy, and I think it's genius and chic all at the same time.  The challenge will be for two of the un-handiest people to get this on the wall properly.  

(image found here)

Backed Up Pipes are No Fun

Don't worry, I'm not about to write about clogged drains and toilets. I'm going to talk about something that my friends and I tend to be a wee bit obsessed with:  Dropping the kids off at the pool, #2, etc.  Get my drift?  If not, you're not smart enough to be reading this blog which is always chockfull of thought-provoking anecdotes.  

My everyday bar:

(can be purchased here for a great price)

This will get the pipes going...in one tasty bar, it has 12 grams of fiber, which is almost HALF of what you need in one day. It's completely natural with no corn syrup (the evil of food) and enough sugar to taste good and fuel a workout.   I've been known to eat three in one day! (Note to self: Two weeks traveling in Asia will eff your digestive system up!) I wasn't alone, however, as one of my friends had such issues that it became a topic of interest of the professor with whom we were traveling.  Every chance he got he was inquiring about her "progress".  Can you say awkward?  

These bars also come in other great flavors that sound pretty yummy:

Peanut Butter

Chocolate Brownie (kind of funny considering the subject of this post!)

Banana Walnut

As a reward for reading this post, go here for some "sheets and geegles".  

Empire State of Mind

Yesterday marked the two month countdown until we pack our car with my belongings and drive south and west to New York City for one last time.  When I left for Boston back in the Fall of 2008, I was happy, relieved, and excited to leave The Big Apple for the smaller city of Boston.  

I've started to compile a list of things I want to do once I move back.  I guess the silver lining to the distinct possibility of being jobless on my return to the Upper East Side is that I can cross stuff off this list relatively quickly.  

1.  I can't count how many times I've ran in Central Park, but regardless of what's going on in life, the loop around the reservoir provides a sense of calm in a city of craziness.  I can't wait to resume my daily runs in the greatest park in the world.  

 

2.  Catch several games at Yankee Stadium.  As a daughter, sister, and wife of passionate maniacal Yankee fans, going to Yankee games has been a staple to my summer for many years.  

3.  Catch up with old friends at the Olive Garden.  Don't be judgey:  I've already explained my penchant for chain restaurants.  If you're judging me, you're not alone because I have other friends that like going to real NYC restaurants.  My favorite place in the city isn't really known for its food (quite frankly, it sucks), but I love it for the memories and scenery.  

4.  Until I land a job and can afford to buy myself an iPad (this name still reminds me of brands such as Kotex or Always) or an Amazon Kindle, I want to go to the New York Public Library to get books.  We live in a Manhattan rental apartment, where space is at a premium.  I don't want to buy more books that just end up collecting dust on an overstuffed bookcase.  Plus, my heroine Carrie Bradshaw *almost* got married here. 

I never thought I'd miss you, NYC.  Don't let me down when I move back!

Hello 2009!

I've never been one to make new year's resolutions, but I'm feeling like I should this year in light of everything that is going on in today's world. The world is a shakier place which requires all of us to be stronger individuals in order to survive the chaos. Here are my hopes for the year.

1. Never take my friends and family for granted.

2. Work out at least 5 times a week and do not underestimate the positive effects exercise has on my mental happiness. Do a long run at least once a week (6 miles or more).

3. Read one Yankees article per day once Spring Training starts. I was a bad fan last year and I'm determined to be more dedicated this time around.

4. More importantly, I vow to read (and not just look at the pictures and read the captions) at least two business articles per day whether its in the WSJ or Business Week.

5. Take one interesting photo per month so I can make a calendar for 2010 with my photographs.

6. I'm not going to have Sunday Blues or a "Case of the Mondays". As I was looking on one of my favorite sites See Jane Work, I found the infamous Red Swingline Stapler. Oh Milton, how I love you.

6. Live a more balanced life.

Photo of the scale found here.

Hope you have a blessed and glorious 2009!

Don't Hate the Chains

Most people would dream of going to cute Italian restaurants once they've been away from NYC for a few months, right? Not this girl.

Monday night, we went out for what was to be a very cool NYC outing...about 4 hours earlier than one would expect. We started dinner at around 5:30 in Little Italy. True-blooded cool people start dinner around 9:30. Whatever, we're old. Get over it.

It was a warm 60 degree night in December in New York City. We got off the subway at Canal Street, walked in the wrong direction for about 2 minutes (thanks to me) and finally found our way to what looked like a cute and charming Italian restaurant in the Little Italy section of the city.

It looked so quaint with its stucco walls tastefully decorated with nice wreaths and lights. We took a table outside and embarked on the night I'll call "Colon Blow". One delicious Sangiovese glass of red wine, 1/2 order of soggy calamari, and one order of pesto pasta with portobello mushrooms and sundried tomatoes later, I had one really disappointing meal. To add insult to injury, the total bill was $100 for the two of us. Bleechhh...

I won't even go into detail about what the meal did to my colon and my digestive tract for the next 24 hours. Basically, my colon hated me and wreaked havoc on Monkee's belly.

Fast forward to today. I met up with one of my beloved friends Kip at another Italian restaurant in Chelsea. What little find would that be, you ask? It would be the Olive Garden. Yes, that's right, the Olive Garden.
I love this place.

My meal cost $17 (with a generous tip and tax) which included: 3 (okay, 5, I lied) crusty yet soft garlic breadsticks, unlimited salad, one lunch-sized serving of whole wheat linguine with marinara sauce, and free refills on my favorite beverage - Diet Coke.

Based on these past two recent experiences, it will be a looong time until you'll find me an authentic New York City Italian restaurant. At the Olive Garden, it's WYSIWYG.

Moo. Moo. Moo.

Been busy with finals and final projects, but I have a quick thought.  I know firsthand how it must feel for celebrities when they see doctored images of themselves in magazines. As the finishing touch to a marketing project, our team decided to take a picture of ourselves doing the good ol' Toyota jump.  Disaster.  1.  Girlfriend can't jump.  2.  My belly was exposed and it wasn't pretty. What could be more unflattering than a little belly fat being caught in action as someone is jumping??  *dry heave gagging noise*.

Fast forward to about 10 minutes of tears and self-depreciating jokes.  I begged my team member to photoshop my stomach so that it looked like my shirt was covering it.  He didn't get the color quite right, so it kind of looks like a maternity band on the top of my pants. 

Moo on that. 

Not Feeling so Merree...

These three pictures pretty much sum up how I've been feeling all week. I'm sour, agitated and bitter. And in case you were wondering, that second photo is NOT me. I did sport a similar haircut for much of my youth. Try not to be jealous.

Now that I think of it, this reminds me of the time I got my haircut in the Philippines. My mom, brother and I spent the summer in the Philippines back in 1986. My mom took me to get my haircut and I pretty much got the same haircut as the girl (or maybe it's a boy?) in the picture above. Not that the hairstyle I had before was that much better, but I assure you, the end result of the Filipino stylist's vision was not pretty. I recall straight short bangs with a feathering effect, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I left crying and hid underneath the bed when I got home. Wow, I was already vain way back then. Interesting.

As usual, big brother comes to the rescue: Ryan told me if I ate a lot of cheese, my hair would grow quickly. Like many of the other lies he told me as a child, I believed him. I went downstairs and grabbed the largest can of Kraft cheese and started eating it. (Filipinos eat their cheese from a can. Don't ask.) I don't recall waking up with long locks of hair, but I do recall a massive stomach ache that may or may not have been the cause of a trip to the Filipino emergency room. For the record, I think the trip to the ER had something to do with my inability to swim in the ocean with my mouth closed which caused me to drink a lot of dirty ocean water. Life 1, Me 0.