Snowed In

It snowed again today.  A lot.  For several hours.  Tyler and I are planning on leaving for NYC early tomorrow morning, so hopefully the snow will be gone by then.  Growing up in Southern Oregon, we had "snow" twice.  Less than a quarter inch and the entire town would shut down.  So while I think snow is beautiful in the city (where I can totally rely on public transportation), I'm not thrilled about driving in it.

White Christmas

It snowed Christmas Eve so we had snow Christmas morning.  It was gone by the afternoon, but beautiful to wake up to.  Perfect day to wear an oversized sweater and wool socks.

Spent the day playing trains with the twins.  Everyone involved was exhausted after dinner!

Christmas Vacation

In Pennsylvania for Christmas.  We brought the cat, which was an interesting experience.  He generally did fine with the car ride, but every so often had to complain (loudly) to let us know that he did not approve of being in his carrier for longer than five minutes.  But it's great having him here.

Around The Apartment: Fall Images

I just love the way film captured these shots -- so cozy and warm.  Its perfect for fall!

I think I'm going to have to retire that red coat for the rest of the year.  We've had mild weather so far, but its  starting to feel a little chilly in the morning (especially if its even slightly windy).

In other news, Tyler and I have been considering moving into a larger apartment in our building.  So, naturally, I decided to spend several hours last night deep cleaning the kitchen (we're talking scrubbing down the stove, which included the use of q-tips, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and a hand-vac, cleaning all the cabinets, tiles and walls, and organizing all the drawers and cabinets).  I guess this is how I de-stress.  While I was studying for the bar exam, I was always finding "urgent projects" which needed to be done around the apartment.  In fact, just four days before the first day of testing, I decided that I absolutely had to spend nine hours cleaning, decluttering and organizing one of my closets.  So, yeah...

Oh Tannenbaum

We got our Christmas tree and put up some decorations.  I love the way the apartment looks during the holidays -- so cozy and inviting.  And Christmas lights are seriously the best!

Here's a shot of the boys after lighting the tree (I think we used 500 lights for our 5 foot tree!).  Decorating is tough work!

It Feels Like Winter

It feels like 33° outside. And winter hasn't even officially started.

I hibernate when it drops below 45°. I'm just not made for cold weather. I planned on getting a Christmas tree today, but now I'm reconsidering. I mean, this would require going outside (not an option, really). And I can't trust Tyler to go alone. He would inevitably pick out a tree with a giant bald spot or one that's crooked.

I found a random roll of film the other day.  It had pictures on it from last Christmas (and earlier!).  Oops -- don't know how that happened.  But that's the great thing about film -- seeing shots you forgot you took. Its always a nice surprise.

Cumberland County

A couple shots from my trip back to Pennsylvania. Most of my time was spent eating and sleeping (no complaints here!), but I did manage to leave the house just long enough to snap a couple photos.

Autumn

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season in NYC.  There's nothing else like the crisp air and all the leaves changing colors.  Now if only the temperature wouldn't drop below 50°.

This morning I'm heading to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving.

Almost Monday Again

This weekend went by too quickly. Saturday morning started off mellow enough... 

But the rest of the day was a blur.  Quick trip to the gym, then dinner at Baby Bo's with some friends (best margaritas with fresh mango puree ever!).  The wait at the restaurant was much longer than we expected, and we had a play to catch at 8:15 p.m. (A Twist of Water), so half of our party rushed into a cab, while the rest of us raced to the 6 train (those of us on the subway got to the theater first!). The play was amazing, and we made it just in time!  We ended the night with drinks at the Hurricane Club.  I mean, how can you end a Saturday night without a drink in a coconut. 

Sunday started with brunch at Iris Cafe here in the Heights -- a definite favorite of mine.

Then Tyler and I walked around Brooklyn until I got too cold. I took some film shots, which I'll upload after they're developed.  I normally mail out my film for processing, but I'm looking for a local place in the city that doesn't charge a fortune and doesn't scratch my negatives.  Not sure one exists, but I'm hopeful.

Now its Sunday night...  At least I only have a 2-day work week!

The City by the Bay

I spent a week in San Francisco in October.  It was meant to be a short trip for a friend's wedding, but Hurricane Sandy left me stranded there for longer than I expected.

I love SF.  It has a totally different "feel" than NYC.  I was amazed by the total absence of traffic.  I took the bus everywhere, and we only stopped for traffic lights or at stops.  In New York, you can generally walk faster than the bus.

As you can see below, I really loved the random murals throughout the Mission.

Beginnings

The beginnings of my new blog...