alicia club chair

Relaxing.  A good book in-hand (that, or some ‘Real Housewives’ on the television).  My Golden Retriever curled up at my feet.  A floral scented candle permeating the room.  A glass of ice cold Sauvignon Blanc, or diet peach Snapple depending on the day (on a coaster, of course).

The perfect touch to any bedroom.  Any home office.  Any living room.  Any den.  Any closet…

I can see it now… life would feel so much sweeter in this chair.

JBird

I’ve been trying to get up to JBird on 75th Street (one of the very few UES “hotspots”) since it opened, and I was finally able to go with two of my girlfriends on Tuesday night.  It’s a mere 15 minute walk from my apartment, which beats a 15 minute subway ride, any day.

The service was slow, but it’s a nice spot to grab a drink and a few appetizers with friends.   I’m sure we will be visiting JBird for some cocktails again soon.

Joss & Main

“For those who delight in discovery, the thrill of the find, and a daily dose of design inspiration, Joss & Main is a premier members-only site that offers limited-time sales on the world’s best brands for your home and life.” – Joss & Main         

I discovered this website a couple of weeks ago, and I must warn you now that it is dan-ger-ous.

I am a little crazy when it comes to decorating, and I could literally buy something – anything! – from every single sale on Joss & Main… from furniture, to knick knacks to stationery, I am decorating my dream home as I write this.

My only word of advice: spend wisely!

Cool Treats

It has been hot, hot, hot in the city these past few days…

so what better way to beat the heat than with some homemade smoothie popsicles?

acrobats and magicians and rock opera… oh my!

Mike got us me tickets to Cirque du Soleilfor my Birthday this year, and neither of us had any idea what to expect.

Is it a fancy circus?  Well, kind of!

I was especially excited because we were able to see the show in Radio City Music Hall, a venue I haven’t been to since I went to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (A.K.A. the Rockettes) years and years ago.

Our seats were amazing because we could see everything, although it was hard to focus on one thing at a time because there was literally so much going on.  The first couple of scenes were seriously strange, and I even asked Mike, “Am I going to have nightmares from this?” and he answered, “Probably.”  (I’ve been deathly afraid of clowns and people dressed up as animals ever since I can remember).

As the show went on, it got more and more entertaining and the stunts became more and more insane, unbelievable and deathtifying (the music and set were also incredible).  I constantly found myself asking, “Did you just see that?!“

There was never a dull moment and fortunately, I have not had any nightmares… yet.

a three hour tour…

For those of you who may not be aware, my sister and brother-in-law are just a tad more talented and creative than myself… one is an interior designer and master cupcake decorator, and the other is a certified architect, respectively.

That being said, we can all assume that it wasn’t exactly my idea to take an architectural boat tour around the island of Manhattan (although I love boats), but I only wish I could take credit for it.  My parents have been wanting to experience this for quite some time, and my sister and brother-in-law jumped at the opportunity.

We had the most gorgeous day for a cruise.  The sun was shining, the air was dry, and the skyline was picturesque.

We hopped aboard the Cruise Harbor Line at Chelsea Piers and sailed around Manhattan, admiring famous landmarks, towering buildings, bridges and greenery (yes, greenery!) for nearly 3 hours.

I found it fascinating how calm and peaceful the city looked from afar, and we all had a wonderful time.  I would definitely recommend the cruise to both tourists and NYC dwellers!

casual footwear: dream vs. reality

I am terrible to my feet.  In fact, I abuse them.  My mom swears that my hammerhead toes suddenly morphed into what they are today because I always forced myself into too-short shoes.  The mere thought of putting on socks makes me ill, so you’ll never find me in sneakers unless I’m at the gym or going for a run power walk.

I do my best to walk home from work, weather and time permitting, and my beloved wedges, flip flops and paper-thin ballet flats are no longer cutting it for my just under 2 mile walks home.  I recently started wearing my Sperry Topsiders and Minnetonka moccasins for these walks (which has made such a difference), and decided it was time to get another pair of comfy shoes to alternate between.

Although I’ve been yearning for a pair of TOD’S loafers for the longest time (the orange are amazing and continue to be on my wishlist until I finally make them mine), I decided to be practical and spend slightly less of my hard-earned money on a pair of Superga sneakers that will absolutely be worn sockless.  And I think they’re the perfect summer sneaker for a leisurely bike ride or stroll through the city.  I suppose those beautiful TOD’s loafers will have to wait.

love/hate

Although I’ve been toying with the frightening, yet invigorating idea of escaping the craziness that is NYC and moving somewhere simpler, not to mention more affordable, I can’t help but be enamored by my home state every single day.

Where else can you enjoy silky smooth sands and go body surfing in the Atlantic, drive along the coast and go wine tasting at multiple vineyards within a 5 mile radius, observe some incredible architecture and take a cruise around one of the world’s greatest cities, dine al fresco and watch the sunset over yachts and sailboats, stroll through an elevated park that was once a railroad, and manage to devour Shake Shack for lunch and Ralph’s Italian Ices for dessert every single night for the span of 6 days with the people you love most?

Times like these make me realize why people can’t get enough of this place…

We have a love/hate relationship, New York and me.

staycation

My summer “staycation” couldn’t have been any sweeter…

My sister and brother-in-law were in town for their bi-annual trip to New York (Riley’s BFF, Bambi, in tow), and that always guarantees a fun time.

Friday was a beach day – we may have gotten off to a late start, but the weather was perfection, and there was some serious Pro Kadima being played.

After showering the sand off and changing out of our salty swimsuits, we all enjoyed some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the terrace and watched the sunset.

I guess you could say I like staycations an awful lot.

Aqua Grill

My manfriend took me to Aqua Grill for a celebratory dinner last Thursday, after canceling 7 other reservations.  Aqua Grill was a splendid choice, seeing as the bread was seriously some of the best bread I have ever had. I could not stop eating the onion focaccia bread,and I could have had just that for dinner… it was insane.  And I am a big bread critic.

As for the mains?  Those weren’t too shabby, either.  Mike went with the Bronzino, and I had the Asian-inspired Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, which was extremely different, but very tasty.