New York City remains much the same: Cold, snowy, repeat. I’ve always heard that February is the absolute worst when it comes to winter, and now I can 100 percent verify that! This past week featured record-low temperatures: Walking to work on Thursday morning, the windchill was negative 14. So needless to say, this summer girl is over it.

It’s not all bad around here, though: My friend Nicole is stopping by this week on her way to a conference in Syracuse, and in two weeks I’ll be back in what I jokingly refer to as my homeland – Cleveland! I know, not the best place to go in the dead of winter, but it’s shaping up to be a pretty rad girls weekend with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin!

Here’s what I’ve been up to in the meantime:

What a contrast between a couple of days, right?! I’ve learned that even when it’s still SO COLD, having the sunshine out can make all the difference in attitude.

I continue to believe that i have the best roommate in the world. When I slept until noon on a snowy day last week, I woke up to fresh crepes and about 8,000 different kinds of jam. Other awesome things Becca has done recently: unclogged our shower drain and picked up groceries for me so I didn’t have to go out in the snow. This makes me sound like a lazy slug, but I’m learning to embrace it 😉

Another bitterly cold yet sunshine-y day. The science just doesn’t quite work in this girl’s mind.

My Valentine’s Day shaped up in exactly the way I predicted it would! Becca and I ventured to Williamsburg for brunch before settling in during a snowstorm with junk food and Netflix – my true loves.

Well it’s no secret how much I love Saturday Night Live. So it only made sense that I ventured to 30 Rock during the #SNL40 anniversary celebration last week with my friends Emmie and Kelli! Alas, we did not spot any celebrities. It all worked out OK the next day, when we camped out to watch the special and eat breakfast foods. ALSO: I gave up alcohol for Lent, so that beer was one of my last adult beverages for the next six weeks.

I’m a big fan of the “treat yo self” philosophy, so when this Kate Spade bracelet went on sale recently, I knew I had to have it. I bought the matching earrings last year and I was so excited to complete the set without breaking the bank!

I don’t usually include my throwbacks in these posts, but seriously, how adorable were my brother and I in the early ’90s?! I’m seriously wishing I still had that sweater – it looks so warm and cozy!

Another weekend, another snowstorm. Yesterday involved a lot of decorating, cleaning, online shopping, baking, and Pitch Perfect-watching. My sister made those wine and coffee cards and we finally got around to hanging them in the kitchen! Thanks Ally!

How are you dealing with the bitter cold this winter? Or are you one of the luckier ones?

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My Instagram page lately has been about as active as this blog – which is to say, not at all. Part of it stems from my recent social-media cleanse – my instinct is no longer to photograph and share everything, which is great! But a big part of my absence stems from the fact that New York City in the winter is just about as awful as I expected it to be. It’s not pretty like it is in the spring, summer and fall. It’s slushy, it’s gray, the ground is one giant thin sheet of ice. It’s also so cold that if I do catch a glimpse of beauty, I don’t want to take off my gloves to snap a shot with my phone.

Life is rough, I know.

I do have a few recent snaps to share with y’all, though! And hopefully soon it’ll warm up and the snow will melt and life will return to its normal glory. One can hope.

After the recent non-blizzard, I was so excited to finally be able to go outside again that I took a lunchtime stroll through the village once I was back at work. The snow hadn’t yet melted (it still hasn’t), and not many people had trekked through and ruined its beauty quite yet.

 A new coffee shop just opened in my neighborhood, so on Friday I set up shop there (a nice excuse to get out of the apartment) and worked through some church admin stuff. The best part? My friend Emmie lives in the building just across the street, so my ability to stalk has greatly increased. (Don’t worry, Emmie knows I was there!)

Finally: Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean I have to go without one of my favorite treats! I can always count on my church friends to go out for ice cream with me, no matter the weather. It’s the perfect snack after a day of services or a night of meetings!

What have you all been up to?!

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It took me a few days this week to realize that even though I’m doing a social-media cleanse, I can still take pictures of what I’m doing! Today, I present you with an unfiltered look into my life offline.

I had Friday off from work (thank goodness – this week was more than a little stressful) and so slept in before venturing into the city for brunch with my roommate Becca and our friend Jess. I had been to Poco before – their unlimited mimosas make it my favorite spot to bring out-of-town friends – but this was the first time I’d had the French toast. It was incredible and I know I’ll be having it again!

In case you weren’t sure how cold it was in NYC: Cold enough for the fountain at Bryant Park to freeze. Seeing the fountain frozen is basically a rite of passage in the city, so I ventured up to snap some photos after brunch (before jumping right back on the train to Brooklyn).

Yesterday was such a fun night in the city – a bunch of girls from church rented a space and we watched Clueless and just enjoyed each other’s company. After the movie, a bunch of us headed to Schnipper’s for a late-night snack. Although the restaurant is known for burgers and sweet-potato fries, I couldn’t resist some mac & cheese!

And finally, for a bit of self-promotion. Liberty Church’s community groups opened sign-ups this morning! Sign-up day is always one of my favorites – sorting through the groups and weeding it down to one or two to join is such a challenge! This season is especially special to me for a couple reasons. This will be my third community group season at Liberty, meaning that when it’s over, I’ll have been a part of this incredible church for a full year! Time flies! I’m also excited because I am leading a community group for the very first time! My friend Bre and I will be teaching The Power of a Praying Woman on Tuesday nights in the Union Square neighborhood – so if you’re a Liberty lady or live in NYC, we’d love to have you join!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful, relaxing weekend!