anniversary date.

A few weeks back, T finally decided to bust out a long-awaited secret date in honor of our one year anniversary. I quizzed him for days... Is it a show? Dinner? Some sort of class? Does it involve food? What could it possibly be if it doesn't involve food?! We met at the train and upon seeing him with a bottle of wine in hand I was even more perplexed. Turns out we were headed to Paint Along NYC for a BYO painting class! Despite his initial anxiety about being the only guy in the class and mine about being the absolute worst painter ever, all fears were put to rest after a few other guys showed up and the wine started flowing. It was a perfectly fun anniversary date and we're both happy with our artwork. 

Perfectly white canvas. So much pressure.

Classy wine spill.

Even though everyone does the same painting, there's definitely still room for some artistic freedom.

T, the minimalist, opted for a slender bird and three dainty flowers. 

My inner artist saw a portly bird surrounded by several flowers.

Have you been on any fun dates recently? I'd love to hear! 

love, m

one year.

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of my first date with T. We went to an unpretentious little dive bar on the UWS where he immediately charmed me with his sense of humor and subtle Southern drawl. Most impressive, however, was that it was a hot summer night and he was sweating significantly more than I was (not an easy feat)… I knew he was a keeper. It took me a while to convince him to hang around, but ever since I did he’s been a supportive and steady presence by my side. I’m so happy and lucky and thankful. 

T's got a secret date planned for tonight and then we take on the Five Boro Amazing Race tomorrow. This weekend is gonna be a good one. 

What are your plans?

love, m

the days i eat my lunch for breakfast.

Mornings are not my strong suit. Most days my alarm goes off at 5:30 to remind me to continue snoozing until 6:07 when I fly out of bed just in time for my 6:15 departure. Thankfully, I've learned to shave some seconds off of my morning routine by skipping my regular breakfast of Raisin Bran or oatmeal and instead eating my packed lunch on the train. At least twice per week my entire lunch is gone before 6:30 AM. 

This goes surprisingly well for most of the day. A multi-course breakfast complete with a sandwich, yogurt, chips and usually a piece of fruit and/or cookies holds me over for most of the day. The problem is that when I get home from work I'm ravenous. 

That's where this salad comes in. Here's my go-to dinner when I'm too starving to cook or wait for take-out. And since pretty much everything on this salad comes from cans, jars or bags, it's easy to keep these items on hand. Lettuce, corn, black beans, tortilla chips, salsa and avocado... delicious, filling and quick.

What do you make for dinner when your stomach is seconds from eating itself? (I need some more ideas to add to the rotation!)

love, m. 

the perfect in the day-to-day.

Southern breakfast buffet in Memphis (at Shoney's, no less.)

Despite being an “adult” for several years now, I really struggle to handle the never-ending tasks associated with daily life. I spend a significant amount of time feeling overwhelmed and anxious about staying on top of work, cleaning, errands, bills and everything else that every other adult also has to worry about. Recently, I've realized that while I’m constantly trying to check things off my list (usually so desperately that I don’t actually get to check anything off), I don’t stop to appreciate the things that bring me more happiness and satisfaction than actually finishing my grading or cleaning the bathroom. One of my main motivations behind this blog is to remind myself to stop and enjoy those little things. Here are a few from the past couple of weeks…

A cancelled flight and extra night in Nashville meant more bonding time with this little lady.

Summer essentials from one of J.Crew Factory's irresistible sales.

A recent dinner favorite: Jen's Apple and Gorgonzola Pizza

Lovely NYC night enjoying this perfect pour.

Have a wonderful week!

love, m. 

memorial day weekend.

Long weekends are just the best. Actually, this one was so much the best that I wasn't even that mad when I had to get up to go to work today. Four days was plenty of time to do all of those things that are just impossible to do during the week (i.e. sleep, clean and exercise) plus some cool weekend stuff. I'm feeling super thankful for a great couple of days enjoying the city, my friends, and lots of good food. 

Beautiful day in Astoria.

Jammin'.

If I liked any cat, it'd be Delilah.

Mets vs. Braves

Happy friends.

Shake Shack.

An afternoon in the park.

Healthy snack.

The best snack.

Hope you had a good one, too!

love, m.