Weekend Getaway: New York, NY

Last weekend, Dave and I drove up to Brooklyn to visit Meghan and Derek. We were hoping to spend a relaxing weekend exploring the city with our friends. Luckily for us, that's exactly how things went down.

We drove into the city on Saturday morning...

Crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on our way into Brooklyn.

...and grabbed some delicious hot sandwiches at a local cafe before heading over to Roosevelt Island. We walked the length of the Island and checked out the lighthouse and the brand new memorial park at the southern tip.

Looking into Manhattan...

...and then looking over to Queens.

Check out the Oz-like FDR memorial just beyond Dave's shoulder!

As the afternoon grew cooler we started to make our way back to Meghan and Derek's apartment where Derek mixed up some Manhattans and we snacked on cheese and crackers.

Our college friend Julia joined us at Talde for dinner with her boyfriend. We ordered enough yummy Asian food to fill our entire table! My favorites were the Korean fried chicken and the Brussels sprouts.

We finished off the evening at the Brooklyn Academy of Music where we enjoyed after-dinner drinks and a jazz band.

Meghan made us buttermilk waffles on Sunday morning and then we headed home. Dave and I were so glad that we took this little weekend trip since we were stuck inside for a couple of days when Hurricane Sandy hit on Monday. I hope everybody stayed safe during the hurricane!

D.C. Weekend Getaway Recap

Now that September has arrived, I find myself clinging to all things summer. I'm enjoying dinner and wine on the balcony, long walks around the neighborhood in shorts and flip-flops, and hot, sticky days more than I have all summer because I know they will be gone before I know it.

So, I thought this would be a great time to recap a little trip Dave and I took to D.C. in early August. I blogged about our fabulous hotel already - it was as lovely as ever. After we checked in on Friday evening, we strolled over to our friends Bekah and Nate's house for drinks. Bekah and Nate live in a sweet, cozy garden apartment that was the perfect place for catching up. Later, they took us up to their roof to show us the D.C. skyline at night.

On Saturday, Dave and I ate a leisurely breakfast near our hotel and then headed over to the Newseum. We spent the afternoon wandering around the museum before heading up to the roof (are you sensing a theme?) for some fresh air. The view was great up there and it felt like a little bonus to the exhibits.

Dave is such a trooper - he very patiently let me take
several pictures of him throughout the weekend.

We worked up an appetite in the Newseum, so we headed over to Oyamel for tacos and limeade. 

Later that day, we met up with Bekah and Nate in Alexandria for a bit of window shopping and dinner. Alexandria is lovely and you will have to visit for yourself to get a feel for the town because I forgot to take pictures - bummer.

On Sunday, we drove over to Arlington for brunch with our friends Andy and Danielle. Danielle made us delicious omelets and mimosas which fortified us for our drive home.

I feel so fortunate to make this trip every summer and we always have a great time. I hope you enjoyed reliving a bit of summer fun with me. :)

Weekend Getaway: D.C.

Tonight, I'll be packing up my weekend bag for a trip to D.C. Dave and I go down to the capital every summer to visit friends and explore the city. Normally, we try out different hotels, but this year we are returning to The Normandy. Check out the gorgeous rooms:

 

Our plans are still a bit up in the air, but we are going to try to check out the Newseum. Have you ever been? I've had my eye on this museum for a while, but we never managed to fit in a visit.

I'll be back next week (I have off all week!) to share photos. Have a great weekend!

I'm Back!

After an unplanned 3-month hiatus, I'm back to blogging! I guess I just needed a bit of a break. :) Just for fun, let's take a look at what I was up to during the spring and early summer...

After years and years (and years!) of hard work, my mom earned her bachelor's degree in English. She graduated on a sunny morning in May. I'm so proud of her!

Uncle Gary came up for graduation day!

Michelle's sister held a polo bachelorette party for her. We chatted, ate yummy finger sandwiches, and drank Champagne while watching the ponies race back and forth.

The bride-to-be looked gorgeous, of course!

Later in May, Dave and I spent a long weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia with our wine and food club. We stayed in a charming house surrounded by rolling fields and horses. During the day we visited wineries and historic sights and then spent our evenings enjoying delicious meals and relaxing in the house's hot tub.

Our lovely farmhouse.

Mama horse and her colt.

We toured the University of Virginia campus.

Vines and roses!

James Madison's house - our last stop before heading home.

June was super busy for me - I traveled to Miami and Las Vegas for work. I also attended Michelle's Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding shower and Dave and I hosted a Rose tasting.

After much pre-wedding celebrating, Michelle and Chris were married on a hot and sunny July evening. Their wedding was so much fun and full of Michelle's creative, artistic touches. We had a blast catching up with our friends and dancing into the evening.

And now we are all caught up on the big stuff! I'll share some more stories soon including my 30th birthday celebration and our plans for the rest of the summer.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Meghan's Bachelorette Party

Last weekend, I made a quick trip into New York City to celebrate Meghan and her upcoming marriage. Her sister hosted a bachelorette party for her on Saturday night and since I wasn't able to stay late (I had an early flight the next morning - more on that later) I caught an early train into the city. I made my way to Brooklyn to catch up with these two ladies over tea. Later, we met up with the rest of Meghan's friends for dinner at B Bar. It was a chilly night, but we were still able to eat outside in the restaurant's charming garden.

One of Meghan's former college roommates gifted her with a decadent box of chocolates...

Meghan's sister gave her the prettiest tiara to wear since she isn't into sashes and shot glass necklaces...

And we toasted to lovely bride, of course...

I hope these ladies had an enjoyable evening! I hailed a cab (my first time!) back to Penn Station and just made my train out of the city. I secretly love taking taxis in NYC at night - it always seems so exciting to watch the city whirl by. This time was no exception. :)

Meghan is getting married next weekend and I can't wait for that first glimpse of her in her wedding gown!

Weekend Getaway: Ithaca, NY

I'm super excited for this weekend! My mom and I are going on a yoga retreat in the Finger Lakes. My yoga studio is running a three-day weekend retreat including yoga classes, wine tasting around Lake Cayuga, and delicious dinners. We will be staying at La Tourelle Resort which looks lovely. Our room has a fireplace - what a luxury!

I can't wait to hit the road tomorrow and start our weekend! I promise to take lots of pictures to share with you when I get back.

Weekend Getaway: Long Island

Dave and I are heading out to Long Island this weekend to attend his cousin Brian's wedding. I'm ducking out of work early tomorrow in hopes of dodging the infamous Long Island traffic to make it to the rehearsal dinner. It will be nice to get away for a bit - my cold has been hanging on all week and I'm sick of missing out on all the fun. I'm looking forward to dancing with Dave and eating wedding cake! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

I'm back from Spokane!

Spokane turned out to be almost exactly as I expected: quiet and scenic. As I drove from the airport to my hotel I noticed that the surrounding mountains were covered with pine trees and autumn foliage.

Sarah and I did share one good meal together (the other meal was not so good). We couldn't get over how quiet the city is. We could walk for blocks without passing another person!

Here are a couple of snaps from the SkyRide. I spoke to a couple of locals about the Spokane River and, apparently, the river dries up during the fall and winter and begins to flow again after the snow melts in the spring. I'm sure the falls look awesome during the warmer months.

The Spokane River from the SkyRide.

I came home on Saturday night to an October snowstorm!

Flying the Friendly Skies: Spokane, WA

I’m leaving early tomorrow morning for a business trip to Spokane, WA. I’ve never been to Spokane before nor do I know anyone who has travelled there. I’m so curious to see the city. I’m hoping for some fun restaurants to try with my co-worker, Sarah; quiet time for reading (perfect for the long flight!); and, if I have time, a ride on this:



Spokane Falls SkyRide

I'll be back on Saturday evening. Hopefully, I'll have some SkyRide pictures to share. :)