12.30.2005

A Very Special Day--Far, Far, Away


Today at 2:30 p.m., EST, my very dear cousin Crissy is marrying Erik Kenny on the island of St. Lucia. Undoubtedly, they'll have a beautiful ceremony and I wish I could be there to see her walk down the sandy aisle in her gorgeous dress. Pictures will have to suffice until February 18, when we party-it-up in DC for their big reception! Just checked the weather in St. Lucia, and it looks pretty good, aside from some wind and chance of a shower. I hope everything goes well for them and that they're having a great time in paradise...

In other news from a colder part of the planet, we had a really fun time last night with the Flynns. We didn't end up in Chumleys (waaay too packed), but discovered a great little place around the corner (that happens to be owned by the Chumleys people) called Blue Mill Tavern. Entering the restaurant was like being tossed into the past--there was an art-deco feel with a huge wooden bar, and the dining room was encased in mirrors, and life-size murals depicting scenes out of the 1940s. The food was great, and as a bonus, Bill Pullman was sitting right next to us! So he's not Lindsay Lohan, ScarJo, or Brad Pitt, but it was a celeb siting through and through. Too bad I couldn't remember his name when I saw him--kinda defeats the excitement of a run-in when you have to announce, "hey look, it's that guy!".

Afterwards, Bec and John had us over for the most delicious apple and cranberry and walnut crisp (a la mode). A perfect way to cap the night!

Today is the last day here for our designer, Carl, so we're having a sushi lunch in his honor. This means I'm going to have to cancel my eyebrow appointment at Sephora, but I'd take free lunch over unkempt eyebrows any day!

12.29.2005

A Rainy Day in New York



I hear New York is beautiful when it snows. Little would I know, as so far this winter has brought only a few inches of the white stuff. (And besides, it snowed overnight and had all but melted by the time I woke up, so that doesn't really count...). One might think that any precipitation that falls here in late December would be at least freezing rain, but today it's raining. A lot. And I forgot my umbrella, so when I exited the subway at 86th and Lexington, I received my second shower of the day. Good thing my office is only a few blocks away...

Rotten weather aside, today should be a good day. I am pretty busy at work and tonight we're meeting up with the Flynns again (last night, we had a lovely prix fixe dinner at
Artepasta and then walked over to Washington Square Park and back). We're going to Chumley's, a onetime speakeasy in the Village with a working fireplace and lots of history. Afterwards, we're going over to Bec's for dessert, which I'm sure will be a delicious treat--both the dessert and the hospitality. Mark and I wanted to make sure that his family saw our apartment first so that they didn't have such lofty expectations of NYC spaces after visiting Bec and John's place!

I'll try to take--and post--some pictures of the night.

12.28.2005

Savor that bliss...


I just got an email from theknot.com indicating that we've been married for 60 days. While I usually don't keep track of these kinds of facts or figures, I was still happy with the pleasant little greeting, and noted the knot's advice on "savoring the newlywed bliss." Actually, their advice wasn't really groundbreaking (communicate, compromise, blah, blah, blah), but it made me think about different ways in which Mark and I can continue to be happy long after our "special day" (hah hah).

To begin with, we (okay, I, but Mark will hopefully join the club) have committed to getting out there and exploring the city more. We've finally settled into a nice routine--work, hitting our
new gym, dinner around 10, sleep by 12--neither of us want our lives to be, well, routine. So hopefully the many flavors this city has to offer will spice things up! And instead of wistfully thinking "...wouldn't that be cool...", I'm finally seriously considering checking out the various gallery, live music, and exhibit listings in Time Out New York and New York magazines. Certainly took long enough, I know, but hey--we've been a bit preoccupied!

The bliss factor can also be boosted by visitors. This week, Mark's parents and sisters are in town, so we're planning to hit a few spots with them (sadly, this all has to occur in the post-work hours since Mark and I are on the clock this week). I've been having fun coming up with a list of "must-see", but under-the-radar sites in NYC. (Note: if you're reading this and haven't visited us yet, whatcha waiting for? The eggplant couch is ready and waiting for you!)

Of course, the holidays are always blissful, so the concern to savor our wedding day happiness is pretty non-existent right now. And who knows, maybe all of the warm and fuzzy feelings will stick around for good. But it's good to be prepared, right?

12.11.2005

Home Improvements

Now that we (finally) have a bit of downtime, Mark and I have been working a bit on improving our apartment. In baby steps. We've hung some things on the wall, hammered some nails, drilled some screws, and now our home is becoming more of a well, home.

Below are some pictures of the apartment, including our very first Christmas tree, purchased in the lovely metropolis of Jersey City!

Mark taking a snooze

Foyer

Our kitchen

Our "foyer"

Our rearranged bedroom. Check out that awesome spiral votive holder (thanks, Maureen, Erin and Eileen!)

Merry Christmas!