I don’t know about you all- but I’m so happy and so excited the weekend is here! After another busy, snowy week- I’m looking forward to spending a little bit of time away from home. I’m supposed to head to NYC tomorrow morning to spend a day in Brooklyn- just for fun- and check out the David Bowie exhibit over at the Brooklyn Museum(and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at a couple of Irish pubs around the city.)
On Sunday, it’s back to Boston just in time to stop by the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade- a tradition for my friends and I- and partake in a little day-drinking before I head to my place, throw on some sweatpants and watch ‘The Walking Dead’.
Expect a lot of pictures!
I’m really looking forward to just being able to get outside and not have to shovel, really. My brother and my sister-in-law were kind enough to stop by during Tuesday’s blizzard to help me get my driveway clear and my car cleaned off of snow- but I don’t know how much more of this I can take!
“Go on without me. I’m done for.”
I heard we have another storm coming next Tuesday/Wednesday- although reports have varied so I really don’t know how accurate that is. I’m hoping it’s just a rumor or, worst case scenario- we just get some rain, instead. I’m keeping the shovels nearby, though. Just in case!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone- and have a fun, safe St. Patrick’s Day if you’re planning on partying!
No, the photo above isn’t a snapshot from December that I waited to post ’til now- but was actually taken yesterday morning during a break from shoveling my way out of the aftermath of Winter Storm Quinn- which dumped just under two feet of snow on my neighborhood.
After the “thunder snow” (a thunderstorm within a blizzard) passed- the cleanup of powder, downed trees and power lines was completed surprisingly quickly! The temperatures have thankfully been on the warmer side, too- so a lot of this should hopefully melt within the next few days- or at least until the next storm, rumored to hit on Monday- rolls in.
I had originally planned an OOTD/Outfit of the Day post for today to showcase one of my early Spring styles- but given the recent weather- it looks like I’ll have to postpone it for next week, instead.
This coming weekend I’m staying close to home (so many flights, trains, ferries, etc. have been cancelled/delayed due to the weather- so I’m going to wait a few days to let things get sorted out before I travel again!) to spend time with family and friends- but I’m planning a day trip to Brooklyn next weekend, as well as catching the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
Until then, I’ve got a recipe to share and a peek at some of the metallic pieces currently brightening up my closet coming up on the blog within the next few days.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone- and if you’re in the Northeast- stay warm!
Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! It’s great to be back on the East Coast!
… Just kidding. It’s been an icy, snowy, freezing cold mess since I landed back home in Boston on Tuesday night- and all I want to do is just return to Nevada and bask in the sunshine and perfect temperatures again. 72 degrees and not a cloud in the sky in early February? Yeah- sign me up for that. I’ll take ten of those.
Actually, I have every intention of packing up and moving out to good ol’ Henderson, Nevada (just 20-30 minutes away from the bright lights and the excitement of the Strip) as early as this Fall if circumstances permit- so I figure I just have to tough it out for a few more weeks until Spring gets here, and then hold on tight through the Summer. I’ve already been re-evaluating my budget and actively researching real estate in the area- and looking at some pretty promising prospects!- so I’m not left rushing through any life-changing decisions at the last possible minute come September/October.
But I digress! This most recent trip was purely for fun and to get away from the snow and the sleet for a few days. I only had a couple of things on my itinerary- leaving the rest up to fate. The most important thing was spending time with my West Coast Wife, Kelsey- who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. She’s wonderful and amazing and gorgeous- and she has the sweetest husband and the cutest baby girl I’ve ever seen in my life. It was an absolute joy to spend so much time with them all this past weekend. I miss them tons already.
Kelsey and I first met through The Killers, so it was only fitting we went to their hometown show at MGM Grand together this past Saturday night as their ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ U.S. tour was coming to an end. The guys knocked it out of the park as usual- even throwing in a really fun cover of “Viva Las Vegas” and mixing up the setlist a bit for the occasion.
I’m still in awe of their stage setup- and having been a few whiskey sours in by the time the show wrapped up- I’m pretty sure I gushed to my friend Steven about how much I loved it in excess. He’s brilliant- and both sober me and inebriated me feels it’s necessary to tell him once in a while!
The boys are back in Boston for our Boston Calling Festival in May- and I can’t wait!
During this most recent stay, I hung my hat at The Cosmopolitan– which offered the best view I’ve ever had of the Vegas strip (my room overlooked the Bellagio fountain!) as well as plenty of unique and incredible dining options. I didn’t have to venture too far to eat well and affordably. Breakfasts were typically at Eggslut, while post-drink carbs could be found- with a little searching- at the secret pizza place hidden within the hotel.
At one point during the weekend, Kelsey and I headed to one of my favorite neon and gaudy restaurants/lounges- Peppermill– where I had the greatest biscuits and gravy I’ve ever tasted and a mimosa that was strong enough to almost take the sting out of the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss later on that night.
I never went hungry- or broke!
Peppermill!
I spent some of my downtime during my stay perusing and people-watching on the Strip- and I gambled a little- although I admittedly didn’t win anything. A lot of the casinos had Chinese New Year themed decorations everywhere- and since the impending holiday marks the Year of The Dog- I was all about the adorable stuffed dogs and statues of canines they had in lobbies and throughout the hallways of places like The Venetian, The Bellagio, and Caesar’s Palace.
I bet the actual celebration in the city is insanely fun. I wish I could have been there for it!
Overall, I had an amazing time- and this trip really gave me something to look forward to when it comes to relocating. It was great catching up with old friends, seeing one of my favorite bands in their element, being able to actually relax and have fun while simultaneously enjoying some decent drinks and delicious food- and being nice and warm throughout the day (and even after the sun had set!)
I’d love to head out to the area again sooner rather than later- even if it’s just to look at some apartments or houses up close!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I’ve got to get some work done at my office- and the regular posting schedule will be back up next week!
Good Morning and Happy “Hump Day”, everyone! I’ve managed to dig myself out from beneath the latest snowfall here in Massachusetts to get into boss babe mode at work, re-pack my suitcase for Las Vegas this weekend, and reflect upon this past month. With five Mondays- January may have felt like an eternity to get through to some- but for me, it was pretty busy, and a little crazy, and sorta’ fast-paced- in mostly the right ways!
The month- and year- started off peacefully enough- with a weekend spent at a quaint bed & breakfast in New Hampshire with my best friend to bid farewell to 2017. But, once I was home and back to work- that’s when the real excitement started. There were blizzards, birthdays, and appearances by The Killers (and that was all within the first week!)
I spent time at an incredibly bright and flower-filled art exhibit here in Boston before eventually working my way out West in the middle of the month to kick-off an extended weekend in San Diego to celebrate my birthday. This is where things got a little tricky- because while I had an amazing time in the sunshine and had the opportunity to catch up with longtime friends I hadn’t seen in months- one of my friends got really sick with a flu that had been going around about halfway through my stay. His being down for the count as he tried to recover threw off some scheduled birthday plans- and my trip ended on a much calmer and much quieter note than I had anticipated.
I tried to make the best of it, though. With half-priced margaritas in the afternoons (Happy Hour is illegal in Massachusetts- just a little not-so-fun FYI- so I fully embraced it as much as possible!) and views like this everywhere you turned- who could feel sad for too long?
When I returned from California last week, my family and some of my local friends from around home made sure that I knew they didn’t forget my birthday while I was away. With dinners, cards, and a pretty funny cake (thanks, Mom)– I feel just as loved at 32 as I did when I was 22. Even more astonishing as that the celebration isn’t even done, yet! Before I leave for Vegas, more of my extended family want to treat me to another party- and when I come home from my second voyage to the West Coast- my friends have another get-together planned for me.
I used to worry sometimes that getting older wouldn’t be so fun or as appealing as it seemed to be when I was younger- but the people in my life have made sure that it is and I’m so, so grateful to them for it.
Side Note: A lot of people who follow this blog and my social media accounts sent such lovely, encouraging, funny, and kind messages before, during and in the days following my birthday- and words can’t even begin to describe how much it meant to me. From the bottom of my heart- thank you all! I truly appreciated all the love. It was overwhelming in the best way possible!
Courtesy of my Mother.
And finally, this past weekend- in honor of the WWE’s ‘Royal Rumble’- I headed to my friend Phill’s annual PPV party in an Alexa Bliss costume (with color coordinated cupcakes in tow!) to watch the show, stuff my face, participate in the pool we had going- and compete for our “Best Party Snack” prize- the Snack-Down Championship Belt.
While my cupcakes didn’t score me the title- I was pretty content that the “People’s Elbow Macaroni & Cheese” won- because it was delicious!
We are so nerdy and I absolutely love it.
So what do I have planned for February? Vegas, baby! I head out this coming weekend to visit with friends from Nevada, catch my beloved Pats in the Super Bowl, and maybe see a show or two before it’s back home to work in-between planned day trips to NYC, sharing some Valentine’s Day-inspired recipes, showcasing more pieces from my wardrobe and trying to get through these last few weeks of Winter unscathed.
And to kick things off in February? I’ll have a recipe post later up this week (Super Bowl appropriate!) before I hop my plane on Saturday morning.
Winter in Boston can be a trying time- even for the most outdoorsy of snow bunnies. It’s bitterly cold. There’s sludge everywhere from cars and endless foot traffic. The temperatures make everything run slower than usual (like the T, or your phone)– and every once in a while it warms up just enough to melt the snow that’s been piling up for weeks- only to suddenly drop back into the single digits seemingly overnight, freeze all those melted puddles- and turn the entire city into a slippery nightmare.
That last thing happened this past weekend, actually.
Anyway, this recent cold snap is just one of the reasons I’m heading out to Southern California for a few days starting this coming weekend- but leading up ’til then- I needed a break. I needed something warm, and bright, and cheerful- to get me back into a chipper mood and make me feel refreshed again. You can only stay cooped up under your blankets for so long, after all.
Enter the Museum of Fine Arts and their current exhibit honoring Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami.
I’m a big fan of Murakami’s work- which has always been colorful, fun, and most of all- unique. The MFA never fails to showcase talent in such a way that the entire experience is memorable- so I was really excited to see what they’d do with this exhibit.
Let’s just say that by the time I left- I was dreaming of Spring and I couldn’t stop smiling. This gallery was exactly what I needed.
Between the flower-printed floors, light fixtures, and the huge and busy, bustling murals that took up entire wall spaces- this exhibit is truly something to behold. If you’re in the Boston area and you need something to get you out of your Winter blues for an afternoon- ‘Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics’ runs through the MFA until April 1st, 2018.
Blondie Birdie 