NYC

My Week in Instagrams: 3/22/15

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This week was such a weird mix of cold & snowy days (BUT IT’S MARCH) and days too busy to even think about Instagram. So this looks like a collection of pretty bleak photos. Although the weather was that way, I assure you I had a much happier week than this post will imply!

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The week kicked off with a day off on Monday, and I thought it would be fun to wander around Central Park and read for a few hours. Unfortunately, this week was not nearly as warm as last week, and so I spent Monday very very cold but still outside, because I insist on acting like it’s spring even if Mother Nature does not.

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SPEAKING OF SPRING, the first day of my favorite season was on Friday, and this was the view from my office as snow fell for a solid 12 hours. No thank you.

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More from the spring snowstorm – I have to admit the warm ground made for a much prettier snowfall than we’ve had all winter, but I maintain the the prettiest snow is no snow at all. Also please note the piles of trash everywhere, because Brooklyn.

IMG_3660Ah, something (literally) happier. On Friday night, I finally got to check out the Brooklyn Night Bazaar, and holy crap it is officially my favorite thing to do in the city. There is SO much to do there, but my favorites were the blacklight mini golf and the local vendors. Of course I couldn’t stop myself from buying this beautiful bracelet – hopefully it serves as a reminder the next time the weather doesn’t quite behave.

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My Week in Instagrams: 3/15/15

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As I said a few days ago, this week rocked. The weather has completely turned around, and with it, my attitude. I plan to post a bit about my recent trip to Ohio, but in the meantime, here’s what I got up to in NYC over the past few days.

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The first warm day – Monday – necessitated my favorite activity: Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge! I’ve seriously done this a million (four) times now and it never gets old. By the time I reached Manhattan I had taken off my jacket and was strolling in short sleeves while everyone around me rocked their parkas. I don’t care how crazy I looked; I was so happy!

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Tuesday was another warm day just perfectly designed for an outdoor adventure. My favorite spot in the city is Rockefeller Plaza, so I headed there with a book before work. (This was apparently a week of repeat adventures, but I’ve missed my favorite places over the freezing winter!)

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Saturday was rainy and gray, but even that couldn’t bring me down: Just a reminder that it’s warm enough to not be snow! I curled up at my favorite coffeeshop, Manhattanville. I also enjoyed my first iced latte of the season on the house, because – no joke – I won an Instagram contest. And so all of the loves of my life converged. (Also: A.D. 30 is rocking my world so far!)

What have you all been up to? I’m so excited to catch up!

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Revival

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You don’t need me to say it, but I’ll say it anyway: It’s been quiet on this here blog of mine.

At first it was that winter funk- my first ever. It was too darned cold to do anything, let alone anything interesting enough to blog about. Last week – the first week of March – NYC saw no fewer than three snowstorms. Three. As soon as the worst was over, I was on the first plane to Cleveland for a much-anticipated girls’ weekend.

Last week

Last week

It turned out to be just what I needed: Two and a half days of junk food and television binges with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin. (My uncle was a very good sport about having all of these women descend upon his home). When I got back on a plane Monday morning, I felt like my soul was ready to get back to the cold, wintry grind.

Except… sometime during the weekend, a switch flipped in NYC and winter ended. Temperatures have been above freezing and even soaring into the 60s, and the skies have been shining blue (with one rainy exception, but hey, with spring come showers). I’ve gotten back to exploring, to lunch dates and reading in sunny parks. It’s been perfect.

This week

This week

All of this is to say that I do believe my rut is over and as my days become more exciting, my hope is that this blog will as well. I’m going to try to get back on a somewhat regular schedule, and I have so many post ideas – I just need to find the time to get them out. I hope you’ll stick around!

My Week(s) in Instagram: 2/22/15

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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:

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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.

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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 😉

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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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 week(s) in Instagrams: 2/8/15

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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.

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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.

IMG_3426 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!)

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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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