Snowicane 2010

A hurricane hit NYC this week in the form of a snow blizzard.  Is it bad that I think it is so cool that I live in a place where hurricanes strike?  It was the 4th worst snow storm in NYC history.  I have never seen it snow so hard in my life...especially for so long.  It was pouring down and the flakes were huge at times!  After it was all over, I took this picture outside of my apartment:

There is a BMW buried below all that snow!

Movie Madness Continues!

Today, I continued my quest to see as many Oscar nominated movies as possible before the big awards show!  Lucy and I went to see all the nominated Short Films at a theatre in the West Village.  I did this last year and loved it.  They were maybe even better this year.  It's amazing how they can fit a whole story into a fraction of the length of a normal movie.  Last year, I had a clear favorite and it did end up being the Oscar winner.  This year, I'm not so sure.  I also realized this weekend, that in addition to the 5 movies I'll see next Saturday at AMC's Best Picture showcase, I have 14 other movies I'd like to see before the Oscars.  I've got some major movie watching to do...plus the Olympics are on all week.  Not sure I'll make it!

This past Friday night, I got to see Mindy in a play in Brooklyn Heights. Her New York City debut!! Yea, Mindy! The play was good and Mindy did great. She even had a director come up to her afterwards and ask for her headshot and resume. Hopefully, she'll have another gig soon. Mindy's friend, Allison, went with me and afterwards we went to dessert in Brooklyn Heights. Since we're not super familiar with Brooklyn, I did some research and found a place called "The Chocolate Room". It was such a cute little place and the desserts were to-die-for!

Looking Back : MLK Day Weekend, etc...

Yeah, we're still "Looking Back" here at Suz in New York.  I just can't seem to get into blogging this year!  So, I'm just going spew at you all the stuff I've been meaning to blog for the past 6 weeks but haven't gotten around to and be done with it!

MLK Day weekend was a great 3-day weekend in the city.  I really should spend more of my long weekends here, but I seem to be addicted to leaving town anytime I have an extra day!  It was nice to just stay here for once and I stayed quite busy.  I went to Kids Club on Saturday and afterwards met Mindy for brunch at Popover Cafe.  It was only my second time to eat there which is crazy because it is so close to my apartment.  The atmosphere isn't the greatest, but the food is really yummy, especially the popovers!

On Sunday, I met Shera for brunch at Penelope, which is my favorite brunch spot.  So cute and good food, too!

After Sunday brunch, I met Rosella and Christina to see "Wishful Drinking", Carrie Fisher's Broadway show.  She is crazy and the show was really funny.  We enjoyed it and were glad we finally got around to seeing it - it was the very last day of the show!

Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking

MLK Monday was the day we went to The View and I continued to stalk John Stossel.  Luckily, I don't think he noticed me sitting in the audience.  I don't watch The View and was disappointed that John Stossel was the guest that day, but it was still a lot of fun. 

Waiting for the show to start with Christina and Rosella

Look at all those lights!

The ladies

Pants on the Ground was the definite highlight

of the show.  He was hilarious!!

There he is!  The one and only, John Stossel.

Enjoying the show!

Later on MLK day, I met Joy for dinner at a new Taco Bar on the UES.  It was really yummy and I'd like to go back and try some of their other tacos.  After dinner, we went to the movies to see "It's Complicated".  I actually liked the movie better than I thought that I would.

January also included Christina's birthday dinner at Il Vagabondo, an Italian restaurant on the UES.  Not only was the food delicious, the restaurant is so cool!  It is located on the bottom floor of a brownstone...so quaint.  They also have a bocce ball court inside.  So fun!  We played a round after dinner and it was a blast.  I'd love to show you pics, but this was during the time I was without camera and Christina hasn't shared hers yet!

My book club met to discuss "The Little Stranger".  I liked this book for the most part.  It got a bit slow in the middle, but the beginning and end were good.  We met at Barrio Chino...awesome Mexican food on the LES.

Not Black & White

I was just looking at the pictures I posted of the blizzard last week and was confused why they were all in black & white. I knew I hadn't made them that way. Turns out they aren't black & white at all, that's just what it looked like outside on a gloomy snowy day. Weird!

I Can't Believe this was Going On Yesterday

And just a half a block from my apartment!  Yes, there were many cross country skiers enjoying Central Park yesterday.  It was the result of the big blizzard of 2010.  My office even closed down for the day and although I could have easily gotten to work, I enjoyed the extra day at home.  I mostly stayed in, but did get out for a long walk in Central Park to enjoy the beauty of the blizzard and I ran a few errands while I was out.

I have never seen the Reservoir looking quite like this

Who doesn't love a good Pinetum??

I do!!  Especially on a snowy day!

Who says NYC is all buildings and concrete??

Not me!

Who says there's no nature in NYC?

I don't!

Entering the Great Lawn...the perfect spot for

snowball fights and snowman building

How cute is this snowlady reminiscent of

the Statue of Liberty?

Check out the tree in the very middle of this

pic.  Notice the top is broken off...limbs

are around the base of the tree?  This happened

as I stood there.  I heard the loudest pop and

then it all came tumbling down.  The snow was

too heavy for the branches.  I was scared to

walk under any trees after that.

How cute is this Central Park restroom??

I have never seen this done before!  I

LOVED these little snow guys someone

created on the trees...so cute!!

I like to imagine Jerry Seinfeld sitting behind one

of these windows, drinking a cup of hot coffee

and enjoying his gorgeous Central Park views

(this really is his apartment building)

I love pretty doors.  Especially ones

with snowy trees on either side.

The view of the brownstones across the street from me

Movie Madness!

I am so excited for the Oscars this year. I feel like I'm back to my old self during this season. Something about living in New York kind of took away some of my Oscar love the past few years. I guess because there's so much else going on to occupy my time and getting to movies is harder and way more expensive. But, this year, I'm back in full force! Out of the ten Best Picture Nominees, I have seen only 2...Precious and Blind Side. I am probably going to save the majority of the others for the AMC Best Picture Showcase. They are doing it over two Saturdays this year since there are so many movies! Lucy and I did it last year and loved it, so we're going back. Until then, I'm trying to see a bunch of the other movies that are nominated in other categories. Friday night, Lucy and I did a double-header and saw two great movies:

The Last Station : best actress nominee Helen Mirren, supporting actor nominee Christopher Plummer. I was worried at the beginning of this movie as it didn't immediately draw me in and it took a while before I really got into it. I liked, didn't love this movie. This is Lucy's favorite kind of movie, so she did pretty much love it. The acting was very good and the scenery is beautiful. It was an interesting story, but we both felt that they didn't develop the story well enough. If you aren't super familiar with Tolstoy, you don't completely get it...that's how we felt at least. I do not expect there to be any winners from this movie.

Crazy Heart : best actor nominee Jeff Bridges, supporting actress nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal, Original Song nominee. I really liked, almost loved this movie. It told a good story and the acting was great. I loved the music! I would expect Jeff to win and the song to win. I'd love to see Maggie win, but think Mo'Nique may beat her for Precious.

There are still a ton more movies I want to see and I've even got a spreadsheet all put together to keep track of it all! I'm fully back into it this year!

Other things I did this weekend:

-- Saturday lunch with Sarah. She was in town for work last week and staying with her friends who live on my block so she came by and we grabbed lunch. It was fun to see her back in NYC!

-- I spent a few hours on Saturday afternoon helping Kim rearrange her new apartment. She just moved into an incredible 2-bedroom apartment in the West Village. It has so much character and is huge and in a great location. Plus, she got a heck of a deal (think Monica's deal on Friends). It's $200 less/month than my itty-bitty studio. Crazy!!!

-- I babysat on Saturday night again. I don't know how I lucked into such an easy job! The kids are so sweet and easy! I seriously think they have great parents. Not only are the kids great, their house is SO organized and they have so much cool stuff for the kids to do and the kitchen is full of used cookbooks and its stocked with food. The mom clearly does some real cooking. I love their place!

-- I spent the bulk of Sunday afternoon at leader training for Small Group leaders. The longer I hold this position, the more I realize what a responsibility it is. The administrative/organizational stuff is easy and is what I love to do. But, I'm also responsible for making sure our group is staying on track with the vision of the church as a whole. This is the part that's hard. Our group has been together for so long...we pride ourselves on that, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's such a good thing. We are a bit resistant to some changes the church is beginning to implement in the group structure and the goal of the groups is to grow them and multiply and we're not very good at that because we don't want to split up. We're also supposed to be neighborhood based groups, and only about 1/2 our group lives in the neighborhood where we're meeting. So, I've got some serious praying to do and have got to start initiating some discussions with the girls about these things. Yuck.

-- I totally skipped the Super Bowl on Sunday night. I just didn't care. I kind of would have liked to see Carrie Underwood's performance, but I didn't even tune in for that. I just went to church like normal. Hope the rest of y'all enjoyed the game or commercials or half-time show or whatever it is that compels you to tune in!

Looking Back : Christmas with Family

For several months before this trip to Dallas, I had been keeping a list of things I wanted/needed to do in Dallas.  I started receiving Daily Candy emails last year for both NYC and Dallas and anytime I read about somewhere interesting in Dallas, I added it to my list.  I checked several things off that list and still have more to check out next time I go back.  So fun to explore new things that have popped up since I moved away!

Mom and I were up and at 'em my first morning in Dallas.  We picked up Ryder and Beau and took them to Uptown for a ride on the McKinney Avenue trolley.  Mom had been wanting to take Ryder to do this for a while, but knew she couldn't manage both boys alone, so I told her I would help so Beau could come too.  I am pretty sure that the last time I was on that trolley was when I was little and my own Grandmother (Mammaw, dad's mom) took us.  We had a lot of fun doing this with the boys!  It's such a cute trolley and Uptown is such a cute area.  We went down to the West Village to catch it because there is plenty of parking there.  It worked out so well!

Kay Kay waiting for the trolley

Ryder looks pretty excited about this!

Beau, too!

While we waited, we met this HUGE dog!

Clearly these boys are not as afraid of

dogs as I was (still am sometimes!)

Here comes our ride!

Our driver was a bit of a grouch and yelled at us when the boys started playing with this steering wheel at the opposite end of the trolley from where he was driving.  It was completely open, so we thought that's why it was there.  We didn't know that he would later drive the trolley from that end.  After he yelled at us, we shut the door to that end - why wouldn't he have done that???

Ryder taking it all in

Beau had trouble sitting still!

So much to see!

Just hanging out

Mom and I checked out a bunch of stores on West Lovers Lane.  Before I moved, they had started opening up stores in little houses there, but there are more now and some really nice ones.  We had a lot of fun browsing in all these cute stores - mostly home decor, which is what we love!  I saw a plant I wanted that I really liked, but wasn't sure I could get home. The owners were really nice and we chatted with them for quite a while and they assured me I could get it home on a plane if I really wanted it.  They packaged it up real nicely and I'm happy to say it's sitting on my window sill now!

I babysat the boys a couple of times while B&B had plans.  They are quite easy to babysit, although the first night I stayed with them they were more HYPER than I have ever seen them.  Literally bouncing off the walls.  When Beth got home, I told her they had been in rare form and she asked if they'd had a lot of sugar.  I told her no and then started to list off what they ate...oops.  I learned that lesson!

My dad and I got to take Ryder to his first hockey game.  We all had a blast!!!  My dad was on the fence about going and I'm so glad he did.  He had a lot of fun.  Ryder loved the game and asked questions and my dad and I tried to explain to him what was going on.  The very first thing that happend when we got there (a few minutes into the game), was a big fight.  It was totally for show to get the crowd growing...the refs just watched these two guys go at it for a few minutes before breaking it up.  Dad and I were worried about exposing Ryder to the fighting, but I tried to explain that it was just for show (I really think it was) and then the best part was when the guys were sent to their Penalty Boxes.  Real life, adult time-out!!  I think Ryder got that they were in trouble.  Ryder was really into it for the first 2 periods.  He had trouble sitting still for the 3rd period.  (Okay, okay, maybe I didn't learn the sugar lesson.  Beth later clued me in to the fact that it was probably the Sprite I gave him between the 2nd/3rd period that riled him up.  I thought I was being smart just to not to give him a caffinated drink)!

I love that when I asked to take Ryder's

picture he put up his #1 finger.  Where

do kids come up with this stuff??

Next time, he went for a thumbs-up

Unlike last Christmas, when I think I saw 5 movies, I only made it to 1 this year.  Mom and I went to see Brothers.  It's not a happy story, but I really liked this movie.  As I type this, I realize that it wasn't nominated for any Oscars.  Not sure I agree with that!

Beth and I took Ryder to the Christmas windows at Neiman's downtown (the original!).  This was a LOT of fun...especially for Ryder.  Unfortunately, you have to be 4-years-old to go, so we had to sneak off during Beau's nap time.  Neiman's window displays were interactive...kids could actually climb INTO them and run through them.  From the outside, we could press buttons that were speakers to the inside so we could talk to Ryder as he ran through the tunnels.  It was very cool!

Ryder running through the tunnels (you can see him

behind the words on the window)

Ryder sliding down one of the slides

Ryder went through the windows multiple times

and RAN through as quickly as possible each time.

At this window, there was loud music playing and

it told you to dance here.  Ryder would stop for

about 10 seconds each time, do a quick dance  and

then get back to running through the rest!  So cute!

The last tunnel to get out of the windows

Christmas Eve was spent going to Watermark (B&B's church) followed by dinner at their house.  This was Ryder's first year to participate in the church service.  Beau went to the nursery and my mom and I volunteered to sit in the balcony with Shep.  We were prepared to take him out if he became fussy, but he was so great!  He slept for a while, but when he woke up, we were singing and he LOVED the music.  Then, I fed him a bottle during the message.  It was perfect.  The service was great too.  Watermark always does a meaningful Christmas Eve service.  In fact, I highly recommend you take a look at the Cardboard Testimonies they did during the service this year that display the life changes people in their community have experienced this year.  A great way to celebrate what that little baby born so long ago is still doing in the lives of those who choose to believe and trust in Him today.  Grab some kleenex before you watch...some of the stories may bring you to tears!

Christmas Eve dinner was fabulous-o!!  My immediate family as well as Brian's immediate family were all there.  A total of 16 people.  Beth did fondue and it was oh so good.  We had cheese fondue with meat, bread, apples and potatoes to dip.  Beth's sis-in-law, Melissa, made a delicous salad to go with it.  It was all amazing!  For dessert, we had chocolate fondue with an assortment of dippers that was equally as yummy.

After Christmas Eve dinner, Beth again pulled out her costumes for the kids to put on the Christmas story play.  Always so cute and fun.

Joseph & Mary (Robert & Harper)

The Inn Keeper (Jackson) explaining to Joseph

that there is no room in the Inn!

Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus (Shep, of course)

(Love Harper's little hand on Shep's head)

A little bit of chaos is okay in our Christmas play.

(Ryder & Jordan as wisemen, Melissa as an angel)

Have you ever seen a cuter Sheep (Beau)?

It had been snowing all day long on Christmas Eve.  Such fun!  Beth's house looked so pretty in the snow as mom, dad and I headed home that night.

Christmas morning brought brunch at Beth's followed by gift opening at their house.  We ate a quiche I made and Beth made something sweet (it's escaping me now....it has been like 6 weeks)!  That morning, we just opened the gifts under B&B's tree and saved the ones under mom and dad's tree for later.

The boys loved the headlamps my Uncle

Don sent them from Colorado!

There was just enough snow to make a snowman on

Christmas Day!  They made a bigger one in the back,

but I didn't get a picture of that one.

After a morning at Beth's, mom, dad and I went back to their house for an afternoon of cooking for Christmas dinner and some relaxation time, too.  The Mc Family stayed home so the boys could nap...actually, I bet they all napped!  They came over to my mom's late afternoon to open gifts under my mom's tree and enjoy a yummy dinner.  My mom made brisket and I made all the sides...my fav potato casserole, green beans, strawberry jello/pretzel salad and a chocolate tort for dessert.  All our Holiday favorites!

Do you see the sweet present under this tree?

There he is!  He layed under the tree so sweetly for

a very long time...loved the lights!

The boys had quite the time in their PJs unwrapping

gifts all day long!

Later that evening, we went for a drive to see some Christmas lights.  We always love Crazy Liz's lights.  She had a huge Abominable Snowman in the front yard and Beau was terrifed of it.  I know it's not nice to make fun, but his reaction was absolutely hilarious to me.

As many of you know, it's the day AFTER Christmas that is my favorite of the Holidays.  I just love spending the morning shopping the sales with the girls.  Mom, Beth, and I were some of the crazy people waiting in line outside Container Store when it opened.  I don't know why we bother going there as they seem to sell out of EVERYthing before Christmas.  They have the greatest wrapping paper, but it's just too expensive.  We did have a ball at Crate & Barrel and bought some things and especially enjoyed all the free samples of their goodies they give away that day.  We went to several other stores like Pier 1, Hobby Lobby, and the Wisteria warehouse.  Lots of fun!

Mom and I spent part of an afternoon/evening putting together this puzzle I got at the All-Star game last year.  I get tons of the most random things working at the NHL and give most of it to my dad or the kids.  We had fun working this puzzle.

My last evening in Dallas was spent having our annual Cousin Christmas (not MY cousins, unfortunately).  As I've explained before, my mom and dad share a blood cousin (and I'll remind you again, my parents are NOT blood related)!  So, it makes for a unique relationship.  Susie and her family have always been around at so many of our family events.  Now that my parents live in Dallas, its been fun to see their relationship grow.  Susie and her husband really have become great friends of my parents...they're even planning a getaway to France this fall!  This year, my mom hosted the party, so Susie and all her gang came over.  It was fun to see everyone...the kids did their regular gift exchange and the adults all got caught up. 

My last morning/afternoon in Dallas was a quiet one.  I packed up and then B&B and the boys came over for lunch before I had to head to the airport.

It was a wonderful trip!  Ten days is a long time to be there, but I have to admit it seemed a lot shorter than the 16 days I was able to take the 2 years prior.  It'll probably be a long time before I can ever swing a 16 day trip to Dallas again, but I'll take what I can get!