happiness list

And I am back to my happiness list – I think this is my new favorite sometimes series, maybe closely tied with Letters to Norby (love that kid like wow). It’s one of those things that reminds me to stop and smell the roses – ever so important to do when the world sometimes just doesn’t go the way you want it.

So here we go:

Planning my last 5 vacation days for 2013. I have a very generous vacation time allotment, and even with these days, I still have some to use for next year. Most of the time will be spend with the family around Christmas, but one day is officially declared Jill’s NYC Staycation Day. Planning has officially commenced to make the most of the day.

Breakfast tacos from my favorite brunch place in Hoboken, Hoboken Gourmet. I love tacos, I love eggs, I am one happy camper when I have breakfast tacos.  I am also a massive fan of the vanilla hazelnut coffee which is a house specialty – it’s so good. Reminds me to make a mental note to get coffee from there next weekend as a treat (done).

Bikram yoga  - think we’ve finally gotten out of the hate relationship and gotten to the love stage. I started up again and just have been really enjoying the feeling of health and zen that the room is giving me these days. I am actually counting down to when I can go again, which means I am slightly hooked. I’ve been trying to get into yoga for the better part of a year, perhaps I am finally there.

Tootsie Rolls are also making me particularly happy, I think most people find them the rejects of the Halloween candy, but I go in search of them when I can. My office has trick or treating for the kids, which is so much fun – but upon the wrap up of the event, a colleague and I raided the remaining candy at our department- I’ve got a desk full of Tootsie Rolls and a happy little smile on my face.

Enjoying this cover of Miley’s “We Can’t Stop”… something about slowing things down makes me smile. 

And finally, a great lazy dinner of apples, cheese, peanut butter and pretzels - amazingly easy, delightfully delicious. 

tricks and treats

Halloween seemed to be in full effect over the weekend- seems like everyone was out in costume on Saturday night- which I agree is much easier then attempting to go out on a school night this coming week. I actually took a break from getting dressed up, I wasn't in so much of a Halloween spirit for myself - but I did enjoy walking around after dinner spotting some of the costumes of the night. Some favorites included - Jake from State Farm (well played guy in khakis and red shirt, you weren't hideous, but it was fun to say), Ghostbuster along with Maverick from Top Gun - two very manly costumes - yet oddly paired up, and Cookie Monster. I really liked walking around, but I really enjoyed not freezing my bum off in a costume too. My favorite Halloween costume though goes to Norbs who was the cutest little pumpkin that you ever did see. What were some of the great costumes you saw this year?


(photo from Saved By Grace of a Southern Charm)

on top of the world

A couple of weekends ago, I met a colleague from out of town to do some classic New York sightseeing – as someone who didn’t grow up in these parts, I am always looking for an excuse or two to do some of the more touristy items in the area. It’s a completely true statement, when you live somewhere you tend not to take good advantage of what there is offered. I met her at her hotel and we ended up walking down to Grand Central Station in order to catch the train, but that turned in to sight number one. Grand Central is one of those true masterpieces architecture in my opinion, I love old timey charm that you don’t get in very modern buildings – details are incredible to me. From there, I took us down to do some walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, something I think is just beautiful – you get to walk above traffic and see so many amazing views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn. Once over to the other side, I feel like it’s essential to get some ice cream and take a peek at the Statue of Liberty from a far. After that we hopped the ferry (my first ever ferry ride in NY between Brooklyn and the city) and made our way to the Empire State Building. I’ve done the Empire State Building once before – on a cool rainy night which was just the right touch of romance for that certain adventure, and I saw Jess from Gilmore Girls there too (extra bonus).  It still is one of the most incredible views out there, if you ever get the chance to go it’s worth it.  The day was topped off with a trip to one of my favorite restaurants nearby which was just a nice little treat.  All and all, I still love getting to play tourist in a city I spend almost every single day in.

much loved

This coffee table book looks so cute to me  - I think everyone needs a lovey and it’s great to see some truly loved bears and animals.  Much Loved by Mark Nixon is a collection of teddy bear portraits of some of the most loved of their kind. I still have my pink bear – Snuff, who’s been loved since 1988, making him 25 years young. Snuff now sits above my bed most nights watching me sleep (little creeper). Lately, I have been trying to track down Dolly – my lovey from birth, whom my mother painstakingly replaced her back regularly since I would wear it out, and eventually had to do reconstructive facial surgery when I wore through that too. I think Dolly must be at my parents’ house somewhere in a hidden spot as I cannot find her in mine – I really do hope I can find her as she was so loved for so long.

Did you have a lovey or two?

hilarious moments in working out

 

I am definitely into trying out new workouts, and just signing up to try places through Groupons, Gilt Groupe, etc. Over the past weekend, a friend brought me to try out her gym in the city, which is a gorgeous facility. Given the vast list of class options, we debated between dance and step aerobics. Thinking that dance class might involve some serious coordination or be one of those build as you go each week, we opted for what we'd assume would be an easier to follow step class. Oh, man were we ever wrong. The instructor was a very lovely man, who's only words of advice to us as newbies was to just not stop moving even if we had no idea what to do next. Oh my goodness, I wish someone was video tapping me during this entire class because after the first 15 minutes, I pretty much just started doing whatever came to my head because I had no idea how to "Hollywood", "ghost" or "Halloween" - yet all the regulars followed the directions and were moving around like a choreographed dance troupe, and I looked like a new born deer learning to walk. Step was extremely hard (made me kind of wish maybe we decided on dance) and I was sweating like crazy even though half the time I just kind of jumped around and pretended to know what was going on. It definitely will remind me to never assume any workout is going to be easy.


(photo via pinterest)

four-eyes

I clearly need to stop going to Kate Spade online. I find so many things that strike me as so cool and sort of make it to my maybe wish list (you know the list, things you like but mentally cannot justify in your head right now to buy).  This unique necklace in the shape of glasses is so cute – I keep thinking about what a fun little accessory that would be for work. My inner nerd rejoices seeing them and I wonder if I’d truly wear this fun piece or would just try it on all the time and just take it off feeling like it wasn’t truly me. Anyway, I think the glasses necklace is amazingly cute.

PS: Kate Spade is offering 30% off with friends and family with the code FALL13FF

Tell the Wolves I am Home

As an avid reader, I am always looking for something new to pick up and spark my interest.  One of my more recent reads, Tell the Wolves I am Home by Carol Rifka Brunt, definitely captured my heart and attention. Taking place in the 1980s, in a suburb of New York City, teenaged June becomes friends with her uncle’s boyfriend, Toby, after her Uncle Finn passes away from AIDS related complications. Both have been told to take care of each other via Finn, and start a unique and strange friendship. June’s family is also interesting and there’s many secrets. The historical setting of the 1980s makes you wonder about how now things might be a bit different  today and how someone can truly be so special it’s hard to share them with everyone else.  This up on my list of highly recommended reads.

(picture via pinterest)