Moving Day!

I can't believe it's finally here. After months of putting everything in motion, our movers are here today to take our stuff to Chicago! This is bananas! With 4 major moves in the last 4 years I think I can classify myself as an honorary professional mover.

This is what the apartment looks like right now:

This is where I am stationed right now, do not worry the grey goose is not for me :)

Now we're just gearing up now to spend Friday night with Jon's parents and sisters family, I can't wait to have some quality time with them!

California Dreamin'

After an amazing trip with Jon to California I'm finally back home. A lot has changed between now and then, i.e. I no longer work for NBCU, this is our final week and a half in NYC, and I start school in just about a month. It's hard to believe all the changes going on, both scary and wonderful at the same time.

California was the perfect opportunity to get away and relax before all the mayhem began. We did the coastal drive starting in Napa Valley and ending up in San Diego. Having met and started our dating life in NYC Jon and I have never really gotten to know each others driving or passenger styles. To summarize, one of us is a bit more of a lead foot than the other, I'll let you decide who you think that is!

Napa was the perfect way to start out the trip and celebrate my birthday. We had such a special treat as we were able to go to Thomas Keller's French Laundry for my birthday! What an amazing once in a life time experience. Jon really made this birthday weekend so memorable from massages to wine tasting to French Laundry (I feel kind of spoiled after this :)!

First dinner in Napa at Bottega!

Trying to figure out which is the right bin :)

(not as easy as it looks)

Our wine tasting group

Mischief!

Lamb dish at French Laundry!

After Napa we headed to Monterey for a night and then on to Los Angeles. I definitely miss LA for all the wonderful things it has to offer: amazing weather, great food, and the good friends that are still there. We were able to relax, eat some awesome meals, and catch up with some good friends. The last leg of our vacation was to drive down to San Diego where we were able to catch dinner with Kathy and her bf Seth! It was great seeing them and we hope one day we can do more meal catching with them without flying cross country :)

Beautiful Coastal Drive!

Lunch break

Breakfast at the Griddle Cafe

Amazing eggs benedict with potato skins!

Runyon Canyon!

Hiking after breakfast

Seth & Jon outside of the Clippers training camp

Coronado Beach...beautiful

Jon flew home to have his annual Yankee's Game Weekend while I stayed in San Diego for a few extra days to spend some girl time with Kathy and ultimately fly to Arizona to visit Cynthia at school before heading back to NYC. I have the best friends and I'm so thankful I was able to catch up with them all, the time between visits always seems way too long!

Quality Time with Kathy!

Quality Time with Cynthia!

I guess now it's Chicago here we come!

Did you hear that?

Silence in NYC is valuable and very rare. There are small windows during the evening and certain times of the year that increase the probability of this phenomenon. Having decided to stay in the city for the holiday weekend, we were fortunate to be able to experience this rare luxury :)

Although it was a quiet, nothing planned, long weekend we did decide to get up early on the 4th and spend a relaxing day on the beaches of the New Jersey shore. It ended up being one of the hottest days of the year and thankfully we were able to take refuge in the cool water of the Atlantic! It must have been the sun, or maybe the 4+ hours on the train, but by the time we got home I was exxxhausted. I LOVE fireworks and I couldn't even motivate to walk over to the river to watch them...oh well, next year!

To cap off our perfectly relaxing weekend, and with the knowledge that most of the city had fled for the beaches, we decided to check out a normally ridiculously crowded pizza spot, Grimaldi's in Brooklyn. I've been once before and the pizza was worth the wait the first time, so I was more then willing to check it out again. The line wasn't too bad, I think we waited for 30-40 minutes and the pizza was sooo delicious. We got a simple cheese pizza and were in heaven! It was the perfect way to cap off the 4th of July weekend!

Happy Camper

Farewell Financial District

The first time I lived in the financial district was 4 years ago, wide eyed and fresh out of college. Back then it was slowly morphing into a residential neighborhood; management companies were luring young professionals down there with promises of luxury apartments at the most affordable Manhattan prices. They even tried to get everyone to call it FiDi for a while, I think in hopes of making it seem young and hip....fast forward 2 years later (having lived in LA and Hell's Kitchen in between) I moved back.... into a studio, my first very solo living situation.

This weekend marked the last few nights living in the Financial District (for the second time) and Jon and I celebrated by going to our favorite downtown restaurant The Bridge Cafe. This is one of the oldest bar/restaurants in the city and the food has always been amazing! We are creatures of habit at times, especially when it comes to food (shocking I know...hey when you find a good thing?). We have been here enough times where one or two of the waitstaff remembers us each time and (I think) finds enjoyment out of our return. This was no exception.

Scallops with Lobster Risotto

Soft Shell Crab

(when this is in season, it's the only thing Jon orders)

Yummy Desert!

What an appropriate way to celebrate our last night (and last time I'll live down there) in the Financial District. Saturday we got an early start and the move went very smoothly!

Just Like Always

I once read; "friends are like bras; close to your heart and there for support." Slightly comical, and maybe a little appropriate given all the hours of life I've dedicated to the lingerie business (oh the days of minimum wage at Vicky's), but truthfully given that most of my friends are geographically really really far away I do like to think I keep them close to my heart.

Luckily for me one of my best friends, Kathy, came all the way from San Diego this past weekend to visit me in New York! The best thing about my friends, because they are all so awesome in so many ways, is that no matter how much time has passed between talks/visits whenever we are together again we pick up where we left off! This weekend was no different!

Kathy's been to NYC a few times so we didn't do anything overly touristy....she did however get a mini "KP and Jon's tour de dating milestones" by accident. There was plenty of eating and lots of girly conversation, I think there may have even been some squealing, all in all a perfect reunion weekend!

Dinner & Drinks at the Red Head

(best fried chicken evvvver)

Normal

Less Normal

(I believe we were practicing reeling in the fish)

What a wonderful weekend! I'm sad distance prevents us from doing it more often, but when we do get together it's just like always :)

New, Old Love

I am a sap and absolutely melt when I see older couples holding hands...it's nice to know that after so many years they aren't tired of, and still want to hold each others hands (Jon you best be prepared to hold my hand for a long time).

On that note, there is an older couple that, more often than not, I see in the line of people trying to exit my subway station in the morning. Everyday it's the same thing; somehow he gets ahead of her in the throngs of people trying to exit at the same time (New Yorkers can be pushy, literally) and he always waits for her to catch up once outside. They then walk hand in hand on the way to work (at least that's where I imagine they're headed) and right before she turns down 6th Ave and keeps going they give each other a peck goodbye.

No matter what kind of morning I'm having, no matter how many people have pushed me to get out of the way this couple always brings a smile to my face :)

If you like Pina Coladas...

Boca Raton is great place to have one! It's a truly beautiful part of Florida as Jon and I learned this weekend while we were visiting for one of Jon's colleague's weddings at the Boca Raton Resort & Beach Club.

We got in late Friday night, enjoyed some drinks with the happy couple and guests and called it an early night. Saturday we lounged by the pool/beach. It was absolutely sweltering and we were lucky we didn't completely melt!

If only every day could be like this.....

the happy couple!

beautiful flowers everywhere

It was a beautiful wedding and we were so glad to be able to celebrate with Pete, Steph, and all their friends and family. Boca Raton was also the perfect weekend get away from the city. A little sun kissed and a lot more relaxed helped jump start the work week ahead!

BBQ, Baseball, and Superdawgs

For Memorial Day weekend Jon and I headed back to wonderful Chicago! It seems that when I travel with Jon I have about 100x's better flight luck then when I travel alone and this weekend proved no different! We got in right on time, even though Obama was apparently trying to descend on beautiful Chicago at about the same time we were.

There were a lot of home cooked meals which was a nice treat from the normal take out/ eat out routine we've been experiencing here. There was one special stop though that I promised Jon we had to make this time....a trip to Superdawgs! As someone who didn't really eat hot dogs through much of my young adult years I have to admit I can never pass up a Superdawg...yummy.

Jon with Superdawgs signature

gigantic ceramic hotdogs!

Fries...yumm...hot dog...double yum..

..pickled tomato...ehh

Happy!

Jon, Curtis and I got a real treat and were able to take in a Cubs game at Wrigley on Saturday afternoon. Wrigley is magic....as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the 3 hr + game that is baseball, I find I never mind when it's in this beautiful stadium (a cold beer usually helps as well).

Curtis and I cheering on the Cubs!

We had such a wonderful time celebrating our engagement in my hometown with the fam! That combined with the flight and weather luck we had means Jon had a pretty difficult time trying to coax me onto the plane back to NYC!

"Are you proposing!?"

The answer was yes on all accounts! Jon and I got engaged just this past Sunday and I have to say I could not have been more thrilled and surprised!!

After what was a very active weekend all I wanted to do Sunday was kick back and relax. We decided to grab Dim Sum that morning, and per usual I was "so full". Thankfully we decided to walk back to Jon's apartment because that's when he was planning to ask. He told me he wanted to see what was playing at the Angelika Theatre on Houston and I didn't really think anything of it.

As soon as we get there he won't let go of my hand and is starting to tell me this story about how we had one of our first dates here and that on more than one occasion I've mentioned to him that I remember he didn't kiss me goodbye on that date. I was about to agree that, yes I did remember when all the sudden he keeps talking and is using words such as "love", "future", "happiness", etc. The next thing I remember there's a little black box, he's on his knee, I've got the home alone face going on, and there's this woman repeatedly asking "are you proposing?"!

It was such a wonderful and surreal moment. He totally surprised me which I had thought was impossible. It took a few hours for everything to set in until we could finally call our parents, siblings, and friends to share the news :)

Hints that now make sense after the fact:

1. My mom asking if "anything was new" between Jon and I earlier in the week - this has never happened.

2. Jonathan staying late at work on Friday to "increase his home owners insurance" since I was moving in (this one fooled me at first, but I was suspicious).

3. Jon saying he had to stay late at work once because he had a meeting. A meeting that was apparently about "stuff" when I later asked what is was for.

FORRRREEEE!!

Since moving back to New York, almost 2 years ago, I have realized how difficult it is to have golf as hobby (i.e. my clubs have been in the back of my closet unused since). This past weekend though I broke the dry spell! Jon and I rented a car and spent the day in Jersey visiting the local Target (my fave) and playing a round of golf at one of the courses near the city.

I will admit I was quite nervous, 1. because I'd never played with Jon before (and secretly I didn't want him to be that much better than me) and 2. because inevitably we were also bound to be paired with another twosome. This is always one of the more nerve racking parts of golf for me, finding out who you're paired with (somewhat like a blind date). Thankfully we got paired with a very nice older couple who were very patient and who's daughter ironically went to high school with Jon (this is always happening to him).

I have to admit I was pretty nervous, and it showed in my first few swings (and even a whiff or two) but by the back nine I think I was getting the hang of it! Hopefully we'll get a few more opportunities to play this summer!

43 miles, no problemo

I can't remember how exactly I had first heard about it, but after I did I was convinced Jon and I had to participate in the 5 Boro Bike Tour this year! I vaguely remember in years past running into situations where I was required to dodge cyclists to cross Manhattan's streets and when I found out this was the reason, I was excited to be on the one stopping traffic!

Sunday we were off to an early start. I had wanted to get a spot somewhat close to the front of the pack, but as we learned when we got there it was practically impossible to determine where we were located amongst the masses. Luckily we were, in what we believe to be, the front of the 2nd big group of riders.

After almost an hour wait there was some rustling at the front and the indication we might be starting. Jon's friend Seth was so awesome and came downtown to see us at the start just in time! Somehow out of 32,000 he found us franticly waving to him while he along with other spectators cheered from above (The guy standing next to us even commented that he was impressed with 32,000 people Seth was able to find us!).

The weather was warm, the sun was out and riding conditions we ideal! New Yorks roads are not the smoothest & there were a few more log jams then I expected, but those were really the only downers. The ride started in the Financial District of Manhattan, thru Central Park, up into the Bronx, around Queens & Brooklyn and ultimately finished in Staten Island! The last few miles to Staten Island were the most difficult as you're already 30+ miles into the day. The long straight away and then the Verrazano Bridge (as it is basically as steady incline all the way up) were probably the biggest obstacles.

32,000 peeps!

Waiting for the ride to begin

(please note Jon's awesome sunglasses aka bug eyed

glasses he had to borrow :)

Just finished riding the FDR

Manhattan from Brooklyn!

Almost Done!

(no time to take pics, must eat!)

My favorite parts of the day were probably:

1. The fact that we didn't lose each other throughout the entire ride.
2. The awesome fanny pack that came with Jon's bike rental!
3. Seeing a familiar face at the start of the race!
4. Completing all 43 miles no problemo (even more of a celebration since I hadn't been on a bike before this and somehow screwed up my right hand brake the night before)

Such a fun New York experience!