bachelor year kick off!

So this past weekend was a doozy! Our good friends, and engaged couple, Dan and Kasey came into town for one of Dan's many installments of his "bachelor year".  A few of our Revere friends and their significant others started off the weekend Friday night by enjoying some wine and tapas at the Stanton Social  which was phenomenal! You can check out their french onion soup dumplings on teh food network's the "Best Think I Ever Ate". Here are a few photos from the evening.

 

The following day we all got back together for brunch and then the boys and girls separated to celebrate bachelorhood. Kasey and I opted to go to spa castle, a 100,000 square foot korean spa that has so many different sauna's, napping rooms, heated floors, cooling areas, outdoor heated pool, swim up bars, salt scrubs, etc. You pay one fee and have access to any of the public places in the 5 story building. We wore beautiful (sarcasm) uniforms and hopped from sauna's ranging in heat from 34 degrees to 192 degrees. After a rooftop swim with back massaging jets we had some pistachio almond ice cream and headed to a comedy show. We saw 4 wonderfully hilarious comedians while sipping some cosmopolitans. Overall a wonderful bachelorette evening while the boys took a slightly different approach of by hitting up a beer garden and going to a club to see a DJ. Mike strolled back into the apartment still laughing just as the sun was coming up so its safe to say a good time was had by all.

Again, we all reconvened for morning brunch before these fools had to fly home. We were all just a tad tired...

I also wanted to update you on my final photos of my color theory window so here they are!

color theory windows are up

As you can tell from the title, our color theory windows are up at Anthro! This was a very simplified, back to the basics window. I chose to do a warm color palette that will hopefully bring a toasty atmosphere in these cold, gray winter days. As always, I have two windows to complete. Take a look at the results! (these are just initial pictures, more detailed shots to come later...)

I'll save the more intricate details for when I post the photos from the window photoshoot. In other news I had yet another fun weekend! We tried out a new restaurant on Friday, Ovelia. We probably wont return because it was a bit over-priced but it was a great atmosphere and a memorable time. I ordered the Saganaki veal burger with blograviera, greek yogurt-tahini spread on turkish pide bread served with hand cut oregano fries. It was delicious.

On Sunday we did a little shopping without buying anything. Mike was looking for a new coat, and I was looking for a bold flannel shirt which apparently doesn't exist for women. On our way we encountered this lovely musical act. They guy in the background they guy is playing a guitar, drums, horn, AND singing. Not sure why the skimpy women were there but anyway, as you can see it drew a crowd.

 During our shopping we encountered this beautiful view of union square.

Oh and also we encountered the famous no pants subway ride! Looks like we just missed it but they sure were celebrating when they got off. 

eat, drink, repeat.

Well its been another fabulous year and I'm so thankful for everyone in my life. The holiday is over and its "back to reality" but i'm focused and determined to keep that holiday spirit in me always and to make my everyday reality one that I'm happy with everyday. 

On NYE we went out for our 2nd year anniversary to what is quickly becoming one of our favorite local places, Milkflower. We dined on the "van dammer" wood fired pizza which had brussel sprouts and a cracked egg in the middle. We then made the trek to Brooklyn to meet up with old friends, drink whiskey sours, and listen to AMAZING music at Radegast bier hall. See some photos below and guess if we had a good time.

 

I unfortunately had to go to work on Friday to take down all the holiday in our store. Luckily I had 

my trusty visual sales associate with me to lend a hand. Together we took down about 30 christmas trees (dried pine needles sticking into my skin and all), de-installed one of our holiday windows, and covered the artwall with some fresh canvas. We definitely burned off a lot of calories from Christmas cookies that day. 

Anyway, on to the weekend! Determined to start the new year off how I want to spend every weekend we went to the next restaurant on our list Astoria Bier and Cheese. It was a very pleasant experience because its an all glass front of the building so we sat and watched it pour rain outside. We then went and had some Thai food next door and later met up with more old friends at our apartment for some whiskey gingers, cosmopolitans, and good conversation. 

After a food and drink filled Saturday we had a very pleasant Sunday of sitting on a bench outside Madame Sou Sou's (the coffee shop around the corner) before heading to Manhattan to FINALLY see the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I plan on going back a dozen times so it was nice to be able to leisurely walk through just a few exhibits and plan a return trip. 

 

Oh...and we had more curry (of the Indian variety) after our museum visit. Surprise surprise.

Other than eat, drink, and be merry for the last couple of days we did manage to plan our Denver trip. We had bought the plane tickets months ago but we finally booked our Bed and Breakfast. Check out this amazing room we'll be staying in for the first two nights!

And the rooftop room will be staying in the last night as my Christmas gift from Mike. Can't wait to check out our next potential home town (yes mom and dad I said it...) 

almost christmas!

Christmas is almost here!!!!! I''m trying to experience every last ounce of Christmas I can before its here. I'm very excited about the gifts I got everyone and I can't wait for them to be opened. Mike is also taunting me with hints about his gifts. The anticipation is killing me. Anyway after being sick for a few days I'm definitely feeling a little bit better so I was able to finish up the last of my christmas shopping at the brooklyn flea today. Chrissy, Mike, and I impromptu decided to stop in after church today and it did not disappoint! (with the exception of the snob running on the coffee stand) Mike found a framed print we both really liked and decided to purchase it for the apartment. It was a steal ;)

Anyway back to christmas in NYC! I bought a Sinatra Christmas album at a Brooklyn record store last weekend and have been playing it quite frequently. Right now we are cheating on Sinatra and watching Michael Buble perform his 2011 Christmas special. This really is the BEST time of year. Here are some Christmas photo highlights from the past month.

We also got to see Judah Friedlander at a comedy club for Mike's work Christmas party. He didn't seem to jazzed to have Mike's drunken co workers coming over to talk to him but at least he took a picture with us!

Oh and also I saw MY FUTURE DOG at the Brooklyn flea today. Look how big his head is. He seemed so calm and wise but also like he would defend his owner at any moment. Little did his actual owner know, I was plotting ways to steal him...

Other than christmas shopping, movie watching, and tree lighting we've continued to explore Astoria. Here is a shot of sekund sun which is a brand new bar/restaurant that opened around the corner of us. I am a big fan of how nice the bartenders are and the food was wonderful as well.

Ketchup

Alright ya'lol it's been awhile. As you all know holiday display prep was long and stressful but it's been over for a couple weeks and new window prep has begun. With a new store and a new team things don't run as smoothly as I'm used to but I'm sure everything will work out in the end. I'm really excited for our new windows ( after many many sketches) and as always I will show them to you as soon as I can!

Other than that, life has been great! We have a new mattress!!!!! Sleep has never been so good. Mike and I are both are in love with the apt and both agree as long as we are in nyc, this is the apartment for us. Astoria is amazing and you guys need to visit!

I've been on a Christmas high and I can't wait to give everyone their gifts this year. I'll be flying home the morning of Christmas Eve and plan to spend every minute with friends and family.

Soupsgiving

Yay! The holiday set up is complete and I am gonna sleep for 12 hours and hop on a flight back home for Thanksgiving and a well deserved break. It will be a little sad being this is the first holiday without my papaw but there will be plenty of love and food and relatives and friends to make up for it. As I'm sure I'll get a million questions about what the store looks like, what the Rockefeller center windows look like, and about our new apt I decided to make this a very picture heavy album that everyone can feel free to ask me about at "soupsgiving" on Friday at my house! 

This year my family decided to take it easy and have our big meal consists of all different home made soups so that friends and family can filter in an out on Friday. Mike and I are making salmon chowder that I'm sure will get some praise from guests and some thumbs down from most of my family that doesn't like sea food. But oh well, this city slicker has gotta bring some flava'! Having our meal on Friday also frees me up to spend Thanksgiving at Mike's house for the first time ever, so everything works out well. Enough jabber here are some pictures!

Rockefeller center windows first! I'll take some better photos closer to Christmas when its in all its gloy but for now this is what you got. Some of my best friends and I met up to celebrate and to look at the windows if you're wondering who those good looking people are in the last photo.

 

Now my store's windows...

Any FINALLY the interior of my store...