Other Musings – Perfectly Eventful

In a New York Minute

You may have (hopefully) noticed that I’ve been missing for the past few months! For those of you who follow me on social media, you also have probably noticed that relocating to New York has kept me pretty busy! I’m finally feeling a bit more settled and able to get back to things that I enjoy and make me happy, like writing and keeping up my blog! Of course, a little break for the holidays helps too!

I’ve been trying to make the most of the city that never sleeps…which means I’ve been doing a whole lot of eating and drinking my way through Manhattan. I have tons of new restaurants, bars and cocktails to review, as well as a few shopping secrets!

Stay tuned and in the meantime here are some ways I’ve been spending my time.

i made a few trips to DC for exciting celebrations!

Spotted some of Fall’s most wonderful sights in Union Square.

Stopped to smell the roses and see the skyscrapers in Bryant Park.

intrepid — Embraced my inner-tourist and visited the Intrepid.

Sale Savings in Spades

Ladies, if you haven’t been alerted to the Kate Spade Surprise Sale yet, I’m about to ruin your productivity for the afternoon. And no, I’m not sorry but you will be if you don’t check it out now!

There are some crazy deals happening and if you’re an avid Kate Spade ~~addict~~ fan like yours truly, then this sale is more exciting than Ryan Gosling without his shirt on. Ok, almost as exciting.

I’ve included some of my favorite finds below. You might be wondering why the heck I chose a baby bag considering I’m childless, but let me tell you. I have a similar bag from the Kate Spade Outlet and it is by far the best work bag I’ve ever owned. I use it every day and am able to comfortably fit and carry everything I could ever need, including my gym clothes. After all, isn’t that what baby bags are intended for – carrying anything and everything? My anything and everything just doesn’t involve any children.

Splodge Dot Baby Bag $149 (originally $298)

Five Points Camille $169 (originally $478)

Eat Cake for Breakfast Tote $119 (Originally $248)

Fringe Benefits Necklace $99 (originally $228)

Kingsbury Park Catalina $199 (originally $448)

I ordered the black and white Kingsbury Park Catalina bag. A friend has it and raves about it, so I thought I shouldn’t pass it up considering we live in different states now! I can’ t wait until it gets here! Hurry up and shop before the sale is over tonight at midnight!

Smorgasburg Sunday

The weather last weekend was quite possibly as close to perfect as it could get. Sunday was simply glorious, so you can imagine how I squealed with glee when we went to visit our friends in Brooklyn and they suggested we attend Smorgasburg in DUMBO. Did I mention they also welcomed us with mimosas? And a nine week old french bulldog puppy? Sunshine, blue skies, a food market, mimosas and a puppy? Yeah, life really doesn’t get better! Don’t believe me, check this puppy out.

I’ve been like a broken record since we moved to New York, telling my husband over and over how we have to go to Smorgasburg. Around 75+ vendors from the greater New York City area gather to sell their packaged and prepared food and drink. On Saturdays, you can stumble across Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Sundays in DUMBO at Brooklyn Bridge Park inside of the historic Tobacco Warehouse. I was a total tourist snapping pictures of the bridge, but how could I not with this gorgeous view!

Just one of the rows and rows of food stands.

I sampled way more vendors than I’d care to admit, but my absolute favorite had to be the Bamburg chicken schnitzel sandwich from Schnitz. Life changing, seriously.

And who wouldn’t enjoy some good old fashioned pigs in a blanket from Brooklyn Piggies? I also sampled a strawberry basil lemonade which was tasty but could have used a good straining. The mini cheesecakes from Bite Me cheesecakes will NOT disappoint.

Last but not least, a few of my Sunday staples. A great hat, sunnies, some lipgloss, a statement necklace and a postcard from Bite Me.

Hat – BCBG (similar fedora from Juicy Couture) | Shades – Dolce and Gabbana (similar here) | NARS Lipgloss in Easy Lover | Statement necklaces galore

If you’re planning to head over to Smorgasburg, friends so you can sample each other’s dishes and cash. All vendors are cash only and while there is an ATM onsite, it is best to be prepared Most dishes are a full serving, not just a sampling, and cost $10. The vendors with the longest lines aren’t necessarily the best, just the ones with the most notoriety. Don’t get sucked in and waste time waiting in line. Oh, and definitely save room for dessert.

NYC Snapshots

I was lucky enough to have a few visitors for July 4th weekend, one of which is the mega-talent behind Mangolens Photography. You might remember our gorgeous one year anniversary shoot he did for us last September.

He was snapping shot after shot during his entire visit and captured some beautiful shots of the city. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share a couple of the shots of my new hood and the views from my roof deck!

Pushcart Coffee, on the corner of Second and 21st, is the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop. With superb coffee and even better customer service, I walk in and want to stay around for awhile to let my caffeine buzz be compounded by the shop’s bustling energy. They also sell iced coffee concentrate which is crucial for summer!

A roof deck ended up being one of the deciding factors in our apartment search which is ironic considering that outdoor space was not something either of us were initially hoping for. I set one foot on top of this roof deck though, and I knew this had to be my home. The views are incredible and since we live right above a park, it almost feels serene to sit up there and watch the world go by!

I’ll leave you with this snapshot that I took on July 4th. Yea, America! Happy Friday!

NYC Discoveries

Last Saturday afternoon, as I was waiting for a bus to Queens, a woman asked me if I was a New Yorker. Out of habit, I responded that I wasn’t. Then my husband reminded me that we’ve been living in Manhattan for a month and a half now. I just about choked on my coffee – has it really been more than six weeks?

To be fair, we’ve traveled for about half of the weekends we’ve been up here which definitely makes it feel like we’ve been in New York for less time than we actually have. However, I have to give myself a pat on the back for the number of neighborhoods and restaurants we’ve explored in the time we’ve been here.

One of my absolute favorite days so far was when the hubs decided to surprised me with a nice little morning of R&R in the East Village. While we had a somewhat early wake-up call, our cab stopped in front of this sign and I knew I was in for a fabulous day. Great Jones Spa is quite literally an oasis in the concrete jungle. As we were being lead to the locker rooms to change for our couples massage (major bonus points), I could hear the faint sound of rushing water as the attendant mentioned, “full use of our water lounge.” Now, I know New York births many oddball trends, but I have never heard the phrase “water lounge.” Lo and behold, as I descended the staircase to the treatment rooms, I was greeted by the water lounge complete with a steam room, sauna room, “cold plunge” pool and thermal hot tub. Oh, and did I mention the fluffy robes, comfy chaise lounges and tropical vegetation all perfectly lit courtesy of the tremendous skylight above? Ah, yes. Perfection. We headed to our rose petal adorned treatment room and emerged an hour later in a state of blissful relaxation, ready to experience all the water lounge had to offer.

The only problem? We did not know there was such a thing as a water lounge, so we did not bring bathing suits. Great Jones Spa has a solution – disposable bathing suits. Well, I wasn’t about to walk out of there without experiencing the water lounge! Bring on the paper bikini! Let me tell ya folks, it ain’t pretty, but it’s functional. I proudly pranced into the thermal hot tub in my glorified adult diaper and paper halter top getup and then promptly hightailed it out once a silicon-enhanced bachelorette party showed up. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a spa experience or a brief retreat from the city. You don’t need to pay for a treatment either – you can have complete access the water lounge for $50 per three hours. I know I can’t wait to go again!

*Photos are courtesy of Great Jones Spa and Spa Well Guide

The Big Apple

Well, I’m officially a New Yorker. I’ve been up here for almost two weeks now. The move was a bit crazy but we made it! The night we left DC it just so happened to be feeling the effects of a tropical storm, so we followed the rain north the entire drive to New York and it decided to rain the entire next day, too. All of our belongings are moved in, but our apartment vaguely resembles the site of an attempted robbery, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?

I’ve found that while I love the character and uniqueness of our place, it requires a great deal of specific furniture needs which has led to a great deal of very specific purchases. I’ve received a Target furniture or decor shipment nearly every day and we even ventured to the Ikea in Brooklyn our first weekend in New York. I’ve gotta say, Ikea can cause the demise of the happiest of relationships, but Brooklyn does it right! They offer a free water taxi from Manhattan and a service that allows you to have all of your purchases delivered to your home the same day for only $89. It doesn’t get much easier than that. I’d like to thank you, Ikea Brooklyn, for allowing couples to purchase modular furniture with ease and without argument!

Here are a few snapshots of my first two weeks in the big apple!

We went to the most elegant wedding I’ve ever been to last weekend. Here is the view from the cocktail hour.

My little helper when I was working from home.

The view from the free water taxi to Ikea’s Brooklyn store.

We came across filming for Spiderman on Sunday afternoon, including props hiding out on the street!

Monday Motivation

The Shoe Hive: Worth the Buzz

This weekend was positively picturesque and my husband and I decided to take advantage of it by strolling the streets of Old Town on Sunday. After gorging ourselves at a late brunch at Jackson 20, I set out to peruse the racks of some of Old Town’s best boutiques. Or, rather, since my birthday is in less than two weeks, one might say I was taking a more proactive role in the acquisition of my potential birthday gift.

For months now, I’ve been meaning to make my way to over the Shoe Hive and for one reason or another, I wasn’t able to. I FINALLY made it over there on Sunday and holy moly – I am glad I did!

Walking into the Shoe Hive is like opening a little window to heaven. Every style, color and brand name shoe you could ever hope for line shelf after shelf, interrupted every so often by a gorgeous designer purse. Pumps, wedges, sandals, flats, boots – the gangs all there and ladies, they are waiting for you to pay them a visit.

There isn’t a shoe store in DC quite like it. The selection is unique enough that you will leave feeling like a trendsetter but familiar enough that you can go there searching for something specific without being disappointed. Not surprisingly, shoes are the major merchandise draw, but the bags, sunglasses and jewelry are not to be underestimated! Delicate gold chains adorned with state charms, pretty printed scarves and a range of Tory Burch and Kate Spade mint-hued bags all caught my eye.

Bottom line, if you’re in Old Town, you need to go. If you’re not in Old Town, you need to make plans to go ASAP. Your feet will thank you!

These Jon Josef smoking slippers exemplify the type of item you can find at The Shoe Hive: classy and charming with a little dash of spunk! ($132-$154)

Rebecca Minkoff – need I say more? This shoe is a summer staple. Brown, black and buckled!

These Sam Edelman flats are the spring shoe trifecta: cutout detailing, mint-colored and feminine. ($94)

I had a Rachel Zoe “bananas” moment over these charm necklaces. They are the ideal layering piece and sentimental to boot.

There isn’t a better selection of Hunter boots anywhere in the area!

On that note, I’ll leave you with this little beauty from Tory Burch! ($595)

Like it. Love it. Buying it.

I’m taking a deviation from the norm with this week’s LLB by throwing in a bit of decor. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve just moved into a new apartment, that I will incidentally be leaving in six months, so I’ve got interior design on the brain. Like anyone who’s settling in to a new home, my mind is overloaded with new, fun ways to decorate. However, I have to hold myself back from any major furniture or decor purchases considering I have no idea what my new home will look like in six months. So, I’ve limited my scope to decorative storage items, lamps and other small-scale tchotchkes.

I’ve wanted to redecorate our bedroom for almost a year now, so I thought I’d start by buying some new through pillows, rearranging and re-using some of the furniture we already have and buying some new table lamps. Of course, I decided this without realizing just how expensive lamps can be! I thought I’d share a few of the styles I’m digging – and the budget option that I am ultimately going with.

Like it

This is the little lamp that could. With a minimalist shape and a fun pattern to add some punch, it is a wonderful wallet-friendly option. Yellow and teal is one of my favorite color combinations and the black stripes help keep it from looking too youthful.

Room Essentials Stick Lamp with Flower Print | $21.99

Love it.

I’m a sucker for anything chevron. A pair of these lamps flocking the bed would be gorgeous. However, I don’t have $400 to throw around, so while I pledge my undying love (insert I love lamp joke here), I knew I needed to look for another option.

Robert Abbey Blue and White Stripes Lamp | $187.91

~~Buying~~ Bought it.

The bold pattern of this shade is exactly what I’ve been looking for and is a fraction of the price. I purchased two from Target’s website and am planning on visiting a local store to pick up some bases on the cheap. All in all, I’m hoping to keep the total to less than $100, making a big impact with a little budget.

Threshold Flocked Large Yellow Lampshade | $19.99

My usual go-to for home decor is Homegoods, but I wasn’t fond of the lamp selection when I took a trip there this weekend. I was, however, able to stock up on a great chevron rug, some assorted storage baskets and small accessories. What is your favorite home store?

A Little Valentines Day Love

Happy Valentine’s Day loves! As I’ve already mentioned I know Valentines Day can be quite the polarizing holiday. Sure, the greeting card companies, chocolatiers and florists are all in cahoots to rob us blind in the name of love, but why not embrace a day devoted to appreciating all of the people we love? I also think we shouldn’t limit love with the lens of romance. Love comes in all shapes and sizes. We’re living love stories every day as friends, sisters, mothers, girlfriends, wives. Let’s make sure we tell those love stories with as much appreciation as we do the ones about our prince charming.

In honor of sharing the love, I couldn’t resist a little V-Day crafting. I purchased a few muslin bags, love dovey stamps, colorful inks and pounds of chocolate to create my own customized gift bags.

I purchased all of this craft-making goodness from Paper Source.

Small heart stamp: $5.95 (xo stamp not available online)
Muslin bags (set of 6) :$5.95 | Assorted stamp pads | $5.95 each