Handmade Ornaments

Photo from here.

The New York City streets are lined with Christmas trees. No tree lots here. I'd trade the usual smell of exhaust and garbage for the smell of pine any day! I did a little write up on the BEST handmade ornaments this season has to offer for Gallant & Jones. You can see what I found here.

Writing that post and smelling the trees makes me miss having a tree of my own. This is the first Christmas in years that I haven't had one. Somewhere in the attic in Denver is a small collection of ornaments I shared with my ex. I can't wait to iron out the wrinkles in my favorite tree skirt and hang those ornaments once again. I was worried when I packed them away last year that using them again would be too painful. Now? I can't wait. They are, after all, a part of my story.

Park Avenue Armory

On Saturday, my girlfriend Kelsea invited me to walk through the park to the Upper East Side and check out the Park Avenue Armory's current exhibit, The Event of a Thread by Ann Hamilton. I couldn't turn it down.

The Park Avenue Armory hosts unconventional art and design in its 55,000 square foot hall. The Hamilton exhibit was SO much fun. The hall is divided in half by a gorgeous silk curtain. On each side of the curtain, there are a series of swings for guests to swing on. As each swing moves, the curtain sways. Several attendees would lay down beneath the curtain to watch it flutter as everyone else would swing.

It was totally worth putting off studying for my law & ethics final exam.

Well & Good NYC Event

I spent Thursday evening at the Holiday Beauty Soiree put on by ABC Home and WellandGoodNYC.com. Several local business owners, including Tracie Martyn, a celebrity facialist, offered free services and showcased their product lines.

I was excited to finally check out ABC Home as I had heard so much about it. It lived up to all the hype. I'm still dreaming of the grey tufted sofa in the basement....

This place setting by Jan Burtz is perfection.

Thank you ABC Home and WellAndGoodNYC.com for hosting! Such a beautiful evening.

How New York City Does The Holidays

Typically, I'm the girl who is playing her Pandora holiday station well before Thanksgiving. This holiday season, however, has been different. WHEN DID THE CHRISTMAS GET HERE?! I have been so busy with school that I haven't been able to pay two seconds of my time to the magic that is the holiday season. Over the past weekend, I was determined to fix this.

I dashed down to Rockefeller Plaza Friday night to meet the boy and gander at the tree, along with hundreds of tourists. Everyone was so thrilled to be there. It was beautiful.

On Saturday night, I went to my church's Christmas concert. Oh. My. Goodness. Seeing that I live in Manhattan, the concert was comprised of Broadway stars, Juilliard-trained vocalists and even Desirae Brown-Luch of The Five Browns, who played Ave Maria with her husband on the violin. I'm not sure church concerts will ever top Saturday night. Magnolia Bakery's hot chocolate preceded the concert, Cafe Lalo followed it. I love New York.

Now it's back into the madness of graduate school. Only two more weeks left in the semester! Oh my gosh. Only two more weeks left in the semester?!?! Cue panic.

Breezy Point, Queens. Post-Sandy

All photos taken on an iPhone 4s.

Election Day

Photo from here.

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
-Abraham Lincoln

It's been a rocky campaign season from my perspective. America seems more divided than ever. Stuck on pointing fingers. Saying nasty comments about another person's presidential preference. I think we have two good men on the ballot today. Regardless of who wins, the bi-partisinship can start with us. Let us not be enemies, but friends.

Back From Sandy

Headed out for a few more Diet Cokes before Sandy hit.

Hi folks.

So we were hit by a hurricane.

While I came out relatively unscathed on the Upper West Side, most of the city wasn't so lucky.

I ventured down to Lower Manhattan the day after Sandy came and went. You can see a few of my photos from the adventure here. From what I understand, Staten Island and portions of Queens are in shambles.

Today, my life returns to (somewhat) normal as I head back into the classroom for the first time in 10 days. For many, however, normal isn't coming back for a long while, if ever.

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg said money is most needed in recovery efforts as so many New Yorkers have stepped up with food and clothing donations. Even if it's only a few bucks, it helps. You can donate here.