Structure...we all need it. We don't always like it.

Happy Monday loyal followers. Over the weekend I started to think about all the ways my life (and I) have changed over the course of the year and half that I've been writing. I've moved twice, I'm no longer single, I've changed careers and I've officially entered my "late" twenties. With these personal changes, it seems only fitting that my blog make some changes as well.

With that being said, I've decided to add a bit more structure to my posts. I'm going to try and post 2-3x per week on a variety of topics. The schedule I'v landed on is as follows:

• Mondays: Recipe Roundup. Food inspiration that's got me itching to cook.
• Wednesdays: Trends I'm Trending. Fashion, food, exercise, decorating..you get the idea. All things trendy that I'm hitching my wagon to (and think you should too)
• Fridays: Weekly Musings. Life happenings, trip recaps, family drama...the works.

This will be the best kind of structure, I promise.

Can't wait to see you all later for this blogs first installment of "Recipe Roundup". 

Xoxo,

Sari

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Summer Book Round Up

Every summer I get the reading itch. A desire to lounge by the pool, on the beach, or in the house to get lost in the land of make-believe.

So far this summer I've been slow- I've only read two books, but Josh and I (see I didn't even call him the boy) are leaving on Thursday for vacation for 10 days (yes 10 whole days, canyoubelieveit!?!?! Clearly I'm not that excited) down on the Outer Banks in Nags Head. His family has been vacationing here for years, might I even say decades, and this will be my first summer joining.

In preparation of our trip, I've scoured the internet, tapped my book sources and compiled a list of must-reads. I have 4 shiny new novels en route to our apartment and I can't wait to sink my teeth in. Here is my reading round up for the summer.


What I've Read So Far

1. The Last Original Wife-  A classic beach read. This newly released page turner by Dorothea Benton Frank caught my eye in the Penn Station book store en route to Fire Island. It was hard to get started but once I did, I couldn't put it down and wound up finishing it during our weekend trip to Newport.

    2.   Firefly Lane- This one totally caught me off guard. Josh and I were up at my
          parents house this weekend house sitting for the dogs when I realized, GASP,
          I didn't have a book. Resorting to my ultra lazy ways, I decided to scour the house
          for hidden gems (aka please don't make me go to the book store). Right in my
          room, underneath my high school yearbook and Camp Watitoh scrapbooks lay
          this paperback. I remembered trying to read it in years past with little luck, so I
          was reluctant, but upon digging in- I was hooked. I read all 479 pages in 2 days.


What's On My List

    3.   The Widow Waltz- With a place on the "Best Books of 2013 So Far" this classic
          beach read had me intrigued from the moment I heard about it

    4.   Revenge Wears Prada- The devil is back and better than ever. Or so I've been
          told. The sequel to the much-talked about 2004 page turner, is supposedly better
          than the original. When my good friend and book confidant suggested I read this,
          how could I say no? Start your engines people.

    5.   Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger- Called off engagements,
          second chances, and high school sweethearts- say no more. When a girl leaves
          her perfect fiance for his less than perfect brother, I want a front row seat.

    6.   Summer People- Family drama and the island of Nantucket, what every beach
          read is made of. A friend of a friend said this was a "must read". I don't often hear
          that and like what i see in the synopsis. So when the stars aligned, I added this
          one to my cart.


I can't wait to get on the plane on Thursday, arrive at the house and totally disconnect. I'm planning to turn off my phone, I know big moves, and avoid Facebook, email and Instagram to the best of my ability. While the sound of drama, status updates, make-ups and break-ups won't be keeping me company, these books definitely will.

What are you reading this summer? I'd love to know!

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Introducing...The Boy

I know, I know...it's about time! Given the fact that the boy and I have been dating for over a year and now live together, I figured it was time I gave him a proper introduction.

While many of you know him personally, and others feel you know him through this very blog, several loyal readers have nudged me to formally introduce him. 

So I give you, "the boy". The one I have so affectionately referred to on this blog in many posts, most notably here, here and here, the one whose dating life has been splashed across the tabloids social media (this is not exactly E! news, people) and the one who has made my life better in ways I never imagined, is officially unveiled. 

Profile of "The Boy"

Name: Josh
Age: 27
Hometown: Sunnyside Gardens
Profession: Art Director (duh, that's how we met)
Favorite Sport: Hockey
Team: Rangers
Favorite Food: Velveeta (leave judgement at the door)
Passion: Music
Pet Peeve: Moldy towels, unlocked doors, poorly folded shirts

So there you have it, a quick glimpse at the guy I love who puts up with me, supports me, laughs at my jokes, massages my feet and takes tons of road trips even though he'd be perfectly content staying home, ah love (I do plenty for him too, it's not completely one sided).

From now on, he will be referred to by name and not affectionately as "the boy" as has previously been the norm.  It's been a good run, but everything runs its course. 

Happy Tuesday!

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Battle of the Sexes...Sort Of

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since my last post. Hellooooo abandonment!

I promise I have a good reason for my absence, or a few reasons at that. But first, we'll focus on the big one.

The boy and I moved in together. We had been planning it for months; talking about it, anxiously awaiting it, organizing for it, discussing it and then finally- it happened! We packed up our apartments (in a few more trips than either of us expected), loaded the moving van and departed for our new home. All I will say is this: nothing prepares you for moving in with someone, except actually doing it. We had boxes labeled, furniture picked out, lists on hand and several "we're together all the time anyway, it won't be any different" conversations behind us but the truth is, living with someone is different.

It's the joining of two lives. Two styles of living... and yes, that means all aspects of living, not just those you want to compromise on (which is where maintaining separate apartments totally leads you astray). Eating, sleeping, alarm sounding, towel hanging, cooking, food buying, remote controlling, bed making, schedule adjusting- everything. The sudden realization that the way you've lived for the last 5 or so years is going to take a hit, in order to compromise (key word) to accomodate for another person, is not always easy. You've made your bed a certain way for years, allowed your alarm to go off endlessly (probably a bit too endlessly) and left the apartment door unlocked because you have some false sense of security in new york, without impacting anyone but yourself.

Now, that's all changed. Everything you do, and say, impacts another person.  I think I was more surprised than the boy was at the amount of compromise that would be coming our way. He's been great- super accommodating and understanding of my control freak need to have the bed made, and perfect, all day every day (thanks Mom) and very willing to compromise. I was the one who had a bit more work to do.

All in all, moving was more of a transition than I anticipated but once we had some conversations to straighten me out- it's been smooth sailing and we are loving day to day life together. Everything from cooking dinner to commuting to work together is definitely more fun now that we're under one roof.  We had our first dinner guests last night and the boy cooked an amazing meal- it was nice to entertain in a space that's ours.

This weekend we're off to Newport! I've never been and I'm excited to spend the weekend by the water in a new place.

More to come on work, pictures of the apartment and other daily musings. And I promise it won't take me two months to post....really, I do.

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Confessions of a perfectionist

Ok, ok...it's been a while. I've sat down to write a few times. I've even queued up some posts that still sit in my draft folder, begging to be published, yes, I'm aware posts don't talk. But for one reason or another, the posts didn't seem important enough, funny enough, good enough.

That whole notion of enough, got me thinking about life in general and the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect, or pretty darn close. Maybe it's where I grew up, where I live, where I work or just who I am...but there is this constant pressure to make it. To dress the best, have the most plans, go to the best places, have the nicest things, to summer at the beach. These are all luxuries that we'd be lucky to have just one of, but for some reason, if and when I don't do them, I feel like I'm falling short.

It's hard not to get swept up in the the race. It's easier to accept the craze, to fall victim to the idea that wearing the same dress to three weddings in a row is uncool, or that your jeans (which are perfectly good) are last season's cut. It's harder to stay rooted in who you are and what you believe, and to do what works for you, especially when everyone around you seems to have life in the fast lane down pat.

There is a lot of change happening around me, and in my life. My best friend from high school got engaged, my roommate graduated from graduate school, in less than a month I'm moving out of my "all girls" apartment and in with a boy, my other best friend will be married by the time the clock strikes July, and my grandparents who have always been summer staples in my house- won't be coming up from Florida this year. While many of these changes are exciting, they're also unsettling. That's what change is- it's flipping things on their head and waiting for them to land. Flipping them on their head- i'm good at, the waiting part- not so good.

I've found myself feeling worried over the last few weeks and getting bogged down by little things that didn't go exactly the way I had hoped, getting upset in comparing myself to someone else, and even freaking out that I was having these feelings. Freaking out over a freak out? Tell me about it! Long story short, I wound up having a long talk with a good friend in which I realized that it's ok to freak out every once in a while, as long as it takes you to a better place.

Greetings from said better place.... now on the other side of my "everything is changing, what is going on" meltdown, I'm very excited about the changes in my life, and I'm looking forward to living more in the moment. To accepting that there are things I can do, can achieve, can afford- and things that I simply can't (even if everyone else around me can).

As we head into Memorial Day Weekend I'm looking forward to savoring the little things I have planned. The first day of packing (eek!), a girls day with my PIC in White Plains, camping out in my backyard with the boy (yes we are that cool), a barbecue with my family, and s'mores by the fire pit.

Thanks for reading my musings.

Happy almost official-start of summer weekend blogobites.

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Sure...why not? Let's apartment hunt again

Life has been crazy lately. Between work, friends, family and travel- it's been a whirlwind and I can't believe it's already April!

Spring is probably my least favorite season (I know, everyone thinks I'm nuts) but there's something about it that just rubs me the wrong way. The positive side? It mean's we're one step closer to my all-time favorite season...Summer. 

Meanwhile, as we wade through April and May in pursuit of June there's lots on the agenda. My best friend from college, Martha, is coming into town this weekend. We're going to have a girls weekend and catch up and I cannot wait! It's almost been a year since we've seen each other but since we talk almost daily, it feels like it was just yesterday.

Halloween Circa 2008

Summer 2012 on Martha's Vineyard

We had a wonderful first few days of Passover in Florida last weekend. We had a few Seders- first a BIG one with about 30 people, at my grandparents house in Florida on Saturday night (a few nights premature), a second smaller one, still in Florida on Monday night. And finally, a belated celebration with my dad's side of the family, last Saturday night up in Carmel.

They were not without drama (when is it ever with my family?) but it was wonderful to spend time with family and get to celebrate another holiday with the boy.

Speaking of which...The boy and I are apartment hunting! Big news for this blogger as I've never lived with a boy. The PIC and I will be vacating our apartment at the end of June and moving on to the big girl world of cohabitation.

My return to apartment hunting has been just as stress-inducing fun as last time around. Agents to the left of me, brokers to the right.... it's as if the market waits for potential renters, baiting them with words like "pre war" "sunsplashed" and "steps to Central Park" all the while looking to pounce with completely unfounded broker fees, condo approvals, application fees and absurd meeting times. "No I cannot meet you 85 blocks from my work at 1pm. Yes, that's right I do have a full time job" how were you expecting me to pay for this overpriced nugget of NYC real estate? In hugs? Great talk.

I will say, going through it with the boy has been great. He's been so supportive and we've been on the same page every step of the way, which is a great omen for what lies ahead. We've had the same thoughts on what we like and don't like in each place we've seen. We align on our budget, our "wish list", and even on our thoughts of the crazy brokers who bare the overwhelming burden of opening the door for us (i'm not bitter just bewildered that a key-turn gets you 15% of some poor unsuspecting soul's annual rent, maybe i'm in the wrong profession...).

We are focusing our search on 1 bedrooms on the Upper West Side, preferably with a doorman for a price that won't break the bank, ok at least not the WHOLE bank (tall order I know). I get a weird rush each time the door is about to open on a new place. A feeling inside as if this will be the one gem of a new york city apartment that no one else has seen, that is significantly under market value but huge, filled with sunlight and looks exactly like Carrie Bradshaw's Sex and the City digs....right because that's how it works.

For the most part we know what we're getting into before we see a place, but sometimes the only thing that can prepare you, is being there in the moment. Here's a sneak peek at what we've been through the past week, welcome to our roller coaster friends, buckle up.

Our reaction to the view from an 86th street apartment

The result of misleading photos of a place on 93rd

When the dream prewar condo on 95th lacked a condo fee

More to come as we get closer to our move in date, the glory days of packing, organizing and the big one- deciding on furniture.

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Finding Nemo

Apparently now we're in the business of naming winter storms. Who am I to judge? Nemo it is.

Nemo's on the move.

The boy and I were supposed to fly to Florida today to visit my grandparents this weekend. To say I was looking forward to the trip is a severe understatement. I'd mentally packed my suitcase (weeks ago), made a fool-proof-won't-even-forget-underwear list, preemptively decided what I was going to order at my favorite dinner spot & envisioned boarding my Monday morning flight with a warm glow.

Clearly Nemo had other plans...

Winter storm are one thing, I understand we can't control the weather and airlines are looking out for everyone's safety- but for gods sakes- plan ahead. We live in the North East, this isn't the first time a winter storm has hit, GASP, in the peak of winter.

Forecasts came out days before alerting everyone of the storm, yes Delta, that includes you. Yet, the a few nights before the storm, Delta had no plans to add extra call lines, help people change flights,  or allow trips to be rescheduled.

Here's a little insight into what I'm talking about....

Call #1 (Wednesday night)- we're not switching flights, we don't anticipate cancelations; 48 minute hold time
Call # 2 - we're switching flights with the fee waived, not the fare difference; 60 minute hold time
Call # 3- we're waiving fees & fares- all flights are booked. You can connect in DETROIT during the blizzard. Your flight is scheduled to depart on time, hang tight. 55 minute hold time
Call # 4- your flight has been canceled, we can't get you on a new flight until Sunday afternoon. You're returning Monday at 7am? We apologize for the inconvenience. If you'd like a refund we can connect you to our refund department; 1 hour 15 minute hold time + 40 minute hold time with refunds

Fast forward to present day: we're not going Florida for the weekend and I don't anticipate ranking Delta at the top of my Christmas card list next year...call me crazy.

In the spirit of "glass half" which the boy greatly appreciates about my personality, I'm excited for a weekend of snow angels, cozy movies, hot chocolate and gluten-free goodness. I'll be hunkered down on the upper east side (in the land of heat & hot water) if you need me.

XOXO friends, stay safe.

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