Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Trust the Gorton's Fisherman

I just saw someone get off the subway dressed in full Gorton's Fisherman gear, hat and all. Maybe Deadliest Catch is filming in NYC?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Weekend Recap

We stayed in the City this weekend to catch up with friends and relax. We had dinner at Sonaly and Raul's apartment on Friday night. They have a new addition to the family, Ariana. She's a beauty and one of those most laid back babies I've ever met.

For the first time in almost a year, Matt worked most of the weekend. I'm not complaining at all! I took advantage of the "me" time on Saturday afternoon and spent a good hour or two here. Stay tuned for more on those projects! We saw Slumdog Millionaire on Saturday night. It was the best movie I've seen in years. See it.

We didn't leave the apartment on Sunday. Isn't that pathetic? Little did we know that Matt was coming down with a bug. He's been sick two or three times in the eight years I've known him, but he caught something nasty. Needless to say, we didn't get any sleep on Sunday night. He's on the mend though and thankfully, I didn't catch it (yet!).

What's on tap this week and coming weekend? Absolutely nothing!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

What's Cooking?


Chicken curry made with Maya Kaimal's Tamarind Curry sauce. Throw in some veggies and serve with some store-bought naan!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Jeans on Fridays!

I can barely contain myself. We received a memo at 4:00 today saying that our business can wear jeans on Fridays! This will make getting ready on Fridays very easy for me. Now, too bad I only own one pair of jeans. Guess I'll have to go shopping...sigh.

It doesn't get any better than this...

I'll be enjoying this in a few minutes when I clean up my dinner dishes! Too bad it's only available January - April.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Change is Good!

Love this! Yesterday was a wonderful day in American History.

Monday, January 19, 2009

New Resident

A cat has taken up residence under our deck. We saw the tracks in the snow this weekend, but I finally saw it crawl under the deck a few minutes ago. I didn't see a collar or tags. It's freezing here, down in the single digits at night! Poor cat. Not quite sure what to do. Is it a male or female? Do cats have kittens in the Winter? I'm going to worry about this all week. A call to Bideawee might be in order.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Where do Saturdays go?

Thankfully, it's a three-day weekend. Saturday is a blur. We got a late start yesterday, leaving the City around 1:00. Bad Rosedales - we decided to stop at Century 21 in Westbury on the way to Westhampton. This is never a good idea for two reasons: 1. You're in for at least a two-hour stay because you have to sort through the racks and 2. You're in for at least a $250 shopping trip because you have to sort through the racks.

So, what did we find? I was good and didn't purchase anything. Matt's two biggest bargains were Battistoni ties. These retail for up to $125 each...he paid $18 for each of them! Reading this in NYC, Brooklyn or LI? They had Ferragamo and Vineyard Vines, among other brands. I also spotted some Vilbrequin linen shirts and pants. I didn't see any Lilly yet.

By the time we arrived at the house, it was 5:00. We had a very exciting evening that involved a trip to Target, dinner, and an episode of No Reservations.

I'm off to do grocery shopping and swing by Michaels later today. Maybe I'll stop at the Gap or JCrew outlets too and look for some socks...wild and crazy, I know!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Wahoowa!

In case you missed you it, Tina Fey accepting her Golden Globe. And of course, this stuff this never gets old.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

RIP

Apparently I lived under a rock in 2008...Isaac Mizrahi and Target announced the end of their Partnership about a year ago. That would explain why his line is on Uber-Clearance right now.

And for those of you living under a rock this year...Country Home and Cottage Living folded. Rumor is subscribers to Cottage Living will receive Coastal Living, but there is no word on what will replace Country Home subscriptions.

Who's next?

Things I'm Admiring Right Now

It took us about two years to settle in to our 700 square feet in New York City. So, at that rate, it will take us 6-8 years to get the house to a point where we feel like it's home! June-December were all about maintenance and cleanup, so this year we want to add some personal touches and just relax out East. Here are some items I'm keeping an eye on through January and February. I'm anticipating major markdowns as the stores make room for the late Spring/Summer lines.

Ballard Designs



I fell in love with Ankasa during a trip to the Turks & Caicos with Megan last May. We admired the embroidered pillows on the linen slip covered couches in the lobby of our hotel each day. Ankasa isn't the most budget-friendly brand out there, but it created three pillows exclusively for Ballard.

A sea life studies print would be perfect in a stairwell or in a guest room.

Target Home Event

Run, I repeat run don't walk, to Tarjay because this stuff won't last! All of the pieces are great. I have my eye on some of the capiz pieces and the woven ottoman for extra seating.

Lands End

Mom made us a GORGEOUS blue and ivory crocheted throw for Xmas, which we argue over when it comes to curl up on the couch. We could use a few more for the family and guests. How about the washable wool throw in camel plaid? Note to self, we could use one or two canvas tote bags too. Lands End wins over LL Bean in our house for quality and color selection.

Pottery Barn

1982 called and they want the plastic vertical blinds in the living room back. These would be a nice change. Matt thinks replacing the blinds is the solution. I love him, but not for his decorating taste.

Urban Outfitters

When was the last time you were in Urban Outfitters? Probably in 90's for a t-shirt or themed attire for a Sorority mixer. The Apartment line is interesting and has some fun pieces. I like the jet set storage bench in sage tweed, oak jewelry stand, and Seletti porcelain pieces.

Wal-Mart

There's lots of buzz out there about the Canopy and they have a Better Homes & Garden collection too. The Sisal Remnant Rug comes in four colors, Rustic, Pecan, Garden and Toast, and would work in a living room, bedroom or office. The Spa Pique Duvet Cover Set, at $47.88 (love those Rollback prices!), is a steal.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Goodbye 2008 and Welcome 2009!

This is my first post, so I thought it was a good opportunity to recap 2008 and officially welcome the New Year.

It's been quite a year! I closed out 2007 by wrapping up the three-year MBA saga (a big thank you to Mom and Dad for making the trip in May for the official graduation and celebration), taking a much-needed break in Virginia with family, and a hopping on a plane for a 7-day getaway with Matt and the O'Haras in Acapulco (also the site of our engagement in January 2005). And being the kid who could never sit still, I came back to NYC in January and resigned from the firm where I kicked off an eight-year career out of undergrad. No need to worry though, I began an adventure at a new company in February and if I have my way I'll be here for quite a long time.

Matt and I started a home search in early 2008. What began as "just looking" quickly turned in to Saturday's on the road in Hamptonland with the most lovely Broker in all of the Hamptons. We put in a bid in March and the rest is history...well, not without the hiccup of Molly being in the Turks and Caicos the week the sellers were finally ready to close and Matt caught in the middle of a Wall Street downsizing storm. The Happy Ending was Matt closing on the house and surviving what would be the first of many rounds of layoffs. Big thanks to Adam, Matt's Best Man from the wedding and our fearless attorney, for guiding us through the process.

We had many visitors in Westhampton this Summer and Fall. We anxiously awaited Fridays each week, and the cooking out and beach time that followed each weekend! I was thrilled that Amy, James and Genevieve spent a weekend with us in August. Megan and Mark followed for a Labor Day weekend visit and the US Open. We're still working on getting Mom and Dad to Westhampton this Spring.

We joined other Cornell alumni at Aaron and Adriana's Rio nuptials in late July. We traveled to Praia do Forte, Salvador and Natal for two weeks in early August, and we're thrilled to add another Brazil to our travel log.

Fall and Winter have been filled with lots of trips to Home Depot and learning the ropes of home ownership. We know that we're blessed to have this getaway. It has changed our lives on so many fronts.

Visit often for updates this year. I'll be covering everything from my desks in NYC and Westhampton, and no topics are off limits. Decorating and renovating, vacations, visitors, family and friends, and the "creative projects" I have planned...you'll hear about it all.