My Week(s) in Instagrams: 1/3/15

January 4, 2015Leigh Anne Zinsmeister Leave a comment

Hello and happy New Year, friends! I just cannot believe it’s 2015 – despite my best efforts, 2014 has come to an end and now there is a fresh new year to make our own. But more on that later. For now, my Instagram feed remains holiday-heavy! Here’s a peek at the last two weeks since I returned to NYC:

Immediately upon my return to Brooklyn, I popped by the grocery store and picked up this mini poinsettia. You can never have too many Christmas things, in my opinion! It’s still going strong, thanks to my lovely roommate who waters it because I am super forgetful.

I’m not the only one who loves Christmas! Becca and I planned a fancy Christmas breakfast and cocktails, I made snickerdoodles for dessert, and she hosted friends for dinner while I worked. We somehow fit all the ingredients into our tiny fridge – feeling like adult Tetris champions over here.

Christmas day was GORGEOUS here on the East coast – temperatures in the 60’s! I took the opportunity to take the long way into work, wandering through Washington Square Park to admire the Christmas tree.

Sometimes I think the day after Christmas is better than the holiday itself: Writing to loved ones, watching holiday episodes of my favorite shows, and utilizing those gifts – such as that gorgeous mug Becca gave me!

Yup, she’s still the prettiest city in the world. No filter on this one besides the natural golden hour.

Sometimes I have to get up at 6 a.m. on the weekends to head into the office, but God is pretty good about rewarding me for my trouble! Not long after this sunrise, the clouds rolled in and it rained all day. Sigh.

Yesterday I ventured to the Upper West Side on a solo adventure – more on that soon! I spotted this squirrel in Riverside Park and he spent a good five minutes just striking poses for the camera. What a ham.

The city is still in full Christmas mode with decorations all around! This is overlooking Columbus Circle from the shops on a tragically snowy day.

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Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2014Leigh Anne Zinsmeister Leave a comment

“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth…” Luke 1:14

Merry Christmas, sweet readers! I pray that you are spending it surrounded by those you love (roommates and their significant others included, in my case!) and that you’re able to cherish this wonderful day however you please. Remember to be kind to those working – the journalists, the nurses, the cashiers at Walgreens – and to everyone you encounter today! Also remember, calories don’t count. All my love to you!

Festive Phoenix

December 24, 2014Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 3 Comments

By now, you all know how much I love Christmas in New York City – with the exception of that pesky winter weather, of course. So last week, I spent a few days venturing around Phoenix, Arizona, where I lived for 6 years before moving to NYC. The weather was a beautiful 60 degrees and the holiday decorations, very festive and very Arizona

It’s hard to tell, but every year this mountain (“A” Mountain) near Arizona State University features giant fake wisemen making their way to the top. I like to joke that the gifts they bring are likely vodka, rum and tequila.

Merry Christmas Eve! Where are your favorite holiday decorations in the world?

Christmastime in the city

December 17, 2014Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 4 Comments

I’m a city girl, through and through, and that’s never more true than at the holidays. My favorite Christmas memories as a little girl growing up in Cleveland are of going to Tower City to pick out gifts for family members. (No surprise that little Leigh Anne was also a shopaholic). In Dallas, I’d get a kick out of seeing the Christmas decorations in fancy nearby suburbs and at the Galleria. My favorite holiday song is Silver Bells: city sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style…

New York City, of course, blows those previous experiences completely out of the water. This city is iconic for its holiday decorations. As someone who loves cities and loves Christmas: It’s basically heaven. Last week I took some time to wander the streets – Silver Bells blaring in my headphones, of course – and take it all in. Here are some of the highlights:

Window displays at Macy’s

My favorite display, Louis Vuitton: Not the most festive, perhaps, but my favorite color combination

Macy’s entrance on 34th Street

Bryant Park skating rink and Christmas tree

Larger-than-life ornaments on Sixth Avenue

Radio City Music Hall in the background

Perhaps the most famous tree in the world: Rockefeller Plaza

Festive windows at Saks Fifth Avenue

Despite the cold, I have to admit: This season in New York City is absolutely incredible.

My Week(s) in Instagrams: 12/13/14

December 13, 2014Leigh Anne Zinsmeister 3 Comments

Hi friends! It’s been a while since my last Instagram post – December is such a crazy busy month! I wanted to stop by and give you all a sample of what I’ve been up to. This isn’t every photo from the past two weeks (NYC is so photogenic!) so be sure to follow me here to see everything!

I bought an ASU ornament to start to even the score a bit – my roommate is an Arizona grad (it’s her only flaw) and there are wayyyyy too many Arizona A’s on this tree!

The upside to walking to Trader Joe’s in snow/rain/sleet is that the streets of Downtown Brooklyn are looking incredibly festive these days!

Think Coffee has become my default break spot during workdays, now that it’s too cold to hang out on a park bench with a book. I love to settle in with a latte, a muffin and either a book or the latest episode of Serial!

My dear friend Misha was in town last weekend and dragged me to a University of Arizona alumni event in midtown to watch the PAC-12 championships. I wore a blue shirt to avoid the ire of strangers – but you all know I was still supporting the ASU Sun Devils (who were not playing, for the record.)

After eight months of living in NYC, I finally made it to a museum! Becca, Misha and I headed to the Met on a rainy Saturday.

Sometimes you just need ice cream for dinner, am I right?

New York is just as magical and festive as everyone says it is this time of year – I’ve spent many hours just wandering the streets taking pictures. Stay tuned this week to see more!

A Life of Genuine Delight

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