NYC // a sunny saturday in june

Screen Shot 2013-07-17 at 10.14.26 AM

I think if I tried I might be able to run this blog on New York City pictures alone for the rest of it’s pretty little life. What do you think? I’ve been playing around with the idea of doing a little blog redesign lately, it’s just really a thought right now, but I was toying with the possibility of tabs or categories, and I was thinking one of them could absolutely be New York City, right? Forget that I don’t live there {never have, likely never will}, I just crazy love that place. Such fun.

Anyway!

Onward to my latest city adventure… June, 2013:

In late June, the very night that I was done with school, we hopped in the car to drive down to New York for the weekend. My good dance friend Kolbe from high school was getting married on Saturday night and I was so excited to be able to celebrate with her. I was completely exhausted with the end of the year, but something about coming to NY energizes me. The views! The taxi cabs! Even the crowds of people! Plus, I love Kolbe to the moon. The thought of watching her walk down the isle and dancing the night away with my old ballet friends just seemed like the perfect way to spend my first official weekend of summer.

nYC-5 nYC-8 nYC-9 nYC-10

Saturday Zan and I spent the day wandering around the upper east side. We stayed in a friend’s apartment on 86th street right by the Carl Schurz Park, which if you don’t know already, is an absolute GEM of a place. I honestly felt like we struck gold when we stumbled upon it– a small park right on the edge of the UES, well kept and beautiful, we loved it. We woke up on the early side {Gotta jam-pack the day! Always!} to get some NYC bagels. Oh, YES. Bagel Bobs. SUPER GOOD. Then we headed to the park, enjoyed some green grass and some water views before heading back towards Central Park.

nYC-16nYC-17 nYC-18 nYC-19 nYC-20 nYC-22 nYC-24 nYC-29nYC-26 nYC-27 nYC-28

We ended up at the MET, partly for the free air conditioning, but also because I’ve been wanting to head up to the rooftop garden cafe for awhile now. I have not been inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art since I was probably around 12 years old and let me tell you that place is just LOVELY. I love a good classic museum, and I think this one is the definition of it. The Roof Garden Cafe was really amazing, too. It was pretty darn hot in the sun, but there’s a nice terrace to relax under {no formal seating, fyi!}, and there are drinks to order and enjoy to cool you off. I got a simple mint lemonade. Hit the spot.

nYC-30 nYC-31 nYC-32 nYC-34

After the MET, we walked back down 82nd street {or up? across?} to meet up with Colleen, Molly, and Tina. I always try to see these awesome people when I’m in NY because I just love them so. We ate a late lunch at the Penrose and I loved it. This menu is my favorite kind of menu. I got the eggs benedict, because, I pretty much always get the eggs benedict. {It was a good one!} At lunch we got to hear the full story of Colleen’s engagement {!} and we raised our glasses to my new job and to new beginnings. Thanks for the fun afternoon, friends! Love you girls a lot a lot a lot.

You, too, NYC. Love you a whooooole whole lot. Forever. For always!

//

Tomorrow I will share some pictures of my friend’s wedding in Central Park! Because it was gorgeous and wonderful and it deserves its very own post!

on summer nights with blogger friends.

photo-2Screen Shot 2013-07-15 at 11.32.44 AMphoto-3 photo-4

A few weeks ago Rachael, Natalie, Bridget and I went out on the town for some good old fashioned late night picnic-ing on the Rose Kennedy Greenway over by the North End. We threw around a few emails with a few ideas, picked a date that worked for everyone, and then a plan was born. And what a good one it was. We got a some Lobster Rolls from Pauli’s (they were HUGE. and amazing.), Rachael brought paper cups, Bridget brought a bottle of wine, and we parked ourselves right by the fountains for a delicious dinner for 4 overlooking the city. We even had some music entertainment for awhile— a street player who was actually pretty good. It was really quite the lovely setting.

Have you ever had a picnic on a summer night before? If not, then you must. We met just as the sun was setting and the night time air was cool, but not cold. Also, I think we picked a day early enough in the season that the bugs weren’t around yet (or maybe that’s a city thing?). Either way, it was the ideal setting for lobster roll eating and easy conversation.

I love these blogger friends of mine. Besides being around for fun adventures, they are also just downright wonderful people. Their company makes the night go by so fast (it’s always so late when we part!) and I always leave with such a happy heart.

//

Some of our other adventures here and here.

Oh! And the first time we met here.

little things.

afterlight

This morning I woke up at 8:00, poured myself a mason jar of iced coffee and then I went over to my calendar to assess the situation. As it turns out I have been on summer vacation for officially three weeks. There is this part of me that gets antsy around this time every summer because as much as I want to enjoy it/make the most of it/sing to high heavens that I’m in love with it, I can always feel it slipping away at the same time, which makes me a little sad. I know this is ridiculous. I know that some people get no official vacation to speak of at all and so I tell myself to QUIT IT. Just soak it in, girl. Things are GOOD.

Here are just a few things I’ve been loving, reading, buying, seeing…

I’ve been wearing this swimsuit a ton this summer. I love the pattern {I got it in green, too!} and the fit is perfect. Usually a j.crew swim suit lover, this year I tried Boden and I love them. They have SO much cute stuff {like this and this and this and this}, I kind of want it all.

I know I’ve been instagramming and twittering the bejesus out of this book, but WILD. Seriously, wonderful. Loved the way Cheryl told her story– I thought the pacing was perfect and her writing terrific and her adventure… well, just read it. You will love it.

I’ve been making iced coffee a few days a week this summer {honestly, it’s so easy– I just brew a very strong 12 cup pot, then let it cool and pop it in the fridge. Lasts for a few days and is really nice to wake up to!}, but doesn’t this coffee smoothie recipe look amazing? I think I need to try that one out sometime this week. YUM. Plus, that Joy the Baker never let’s me down. Love her every which way.

I finally am finding time to read blogs! For awhile there I was struggling. My favorite lately is Camp Patton. Girlfriend for real cracks me up. But I feel like I need more? I feel like my feed is empty lately {probably because SUMMER, but still.} Got any favorite reads for me?

This pin board. And really, all of Kate’s pinterest boards.

This etsy shop! WANT IT ALL.

Favorite instagram feeds… one. two. three. four. five. 

And last, but certainly not least: FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

YOU GUYS. This show is the absolute best. I just want to hug every single character and yell CLEAR EYES FULL HEARTS CAN’T LOSE at the top of my lungs when I get out of bed every morning. We are in the middle of season 2, and just like my angst over the end of summer, I can feel my angst over the last episode of FNL, too. I just never ever want it to end. Make it last, make it laaaaaaast.

Texas {and Tim Riggins} forever, and have a Happy Monday, y’all.

my serendipitous summer.

The last month of school this year might have been the craziest month of my adult life. I can’t be 100% sure, but I’m close to 95% at least. As much as it was wild and crazy {more on my new teaching job soon!}, it also had a sort of serendipity to it that I love.

Usually by May and most definitely by June I know my plans for summer on the job front. Since I get summers off, I usually use this time to babysit since the extra money is nice {and needed} and I have no other real commitments yet in my life. The past 2 summers I spent my days in Beacon Hill– mostly just afternoons, and it was perfect. I’d take the train into the city, hang out with Sophie for a couple of hours each day and then head back home no worse for the wear. I liked it, being able to be in Boston, and the hours were just right. But this year, Sophie has a new little sister, and so a full-time Nanny has got the job.

I knew this all year so I had plenty of time to figure out what I was going to do this summer. Except for that I didn’t. I didn’t send any emails or make any calls or give any effort towards finding a new gig. I think it was both that I didn’t have the energy to find a new family and also that I just didn’t want to. My requirements for a summer job are kind of tough… I just want to make a little money, preferably involving kids, but for a minimal number of hours and with minimal effort. But I still want “me” time, too, and a good amount of it, which is why I don’t want a full-time thing. This is my summer vacation, after all. My rest and recharge time. It’s just nice to have something to do every day, somewhere to go, someplace to be.

I thought about tutoring for a hot minute. I made a flyer and sent it to a few people I know and when I didn’t hear back from anyone I just thought, well, I guess I could just take the summer off. Not ideal for my bank account, but do-able.

And then I got a phone call that was what some people might call fate. I think I’m calling it that. {I’m a true believer in “everything happens for a reason”.} The family that I nannied for right out of college needed a last-minute sitter for the summer. Just for after camp for a few hours in the afternoons in July. Their mom had just gotten a new job that she needed to start right at the end of school and they wondered if I was free or new anyone who was.

Free? I was free as a bird.

And these kids? Well, they are my favorite.

vsco_0

So that’s where you’ll find me on weekday afternoons this summer. Hanging out with these two littles who I’ve literally known since they were babies. Feeling thankful that I didn’t have any other plans {be it misfortune or laziness, I still haven’t figured it out}. We’re doing a lot of reading, swimming, lemonade-standing. Also, lots of Boston things… museums and boat rides. All the best stuff.

It’s all worked out perfectly. Just the way it’s supposed to.