So far this week.

I met a dog named Jake at Levain Bakery. He was pretty, & my cookie was delicious.

I was walking up lower 5th Avenue yesterday afternoon. Elvis was walking down in a full ensemble of white & rhinestone. As he was passing me, he decided to jump in front of me & scream in my face. And then keep walking as if nothing happened. What?!?! I screamed back, & then almost went into labor. New York City is so random sometimes.

I saw a subway car covered in Target advertisements. And then I went to Target (+ Costco) for the 3rd time in 7 days.

Speaking of Costco, our new pattern is to go through one package of blueberries, one package of sliced mango & one package of grapes per week. Fruit is nice.

Oh! And peaches. I made peach cobbler again last night for friends. Monday morning (after I'd made it Sunday night), we ate oatmeal made with the leftover fresh peach syrup instead of water. Yum.

I discovered the softest sweat pants ever.

Doesn't that Trader Joe's cookbook look amazing? From Urban Outfitters.

I love The Bistro Truck. Love.

Kelsey introduced me to L'Arte del Gelato at Chelsea Market. Amazing.

Donkey arrived in the mail. Love him!

It's humid.

Baby Boy kicked me so hard last night, just before we were falling asleep. I buried my head in my pillow to keep from saying bad words, & then I cried. That's a first. 

My last 24 hours, with a tiny bit of commentary.

I've been doing mini-posting on Facebook more often lately. And kind of double posting photos & comments between the blog & said Facebook. It makes me feel like I'm duplicating a little bit too much, or maybe just over-publicizing my life or something. This makes me feel lame. And then I start to think that maybe I'm into this whole social media thing just a little too much & that I need to disconnect myself a bit more - because I blog often, & stay in touch with a number of people via Facebook, & sometimes I just want TO. TALK. to my friends, you know? Because that's genuine, & that's real. And really! My life isn't that exciting. Why do I even update my status on Facebook? To what end? I love my life, but does everyone else need to know every little thing about it?? But then, 5 minutes later I'll have a conversation with a friend about how much they love their Twitter account & I think Ooh, Twitter! That could be fun! But then I worry that doing that - for me personally - would really just threaten to push me over the looming cliff of total narcissism, & pretty soon I'll have a design / inspiration blog, a photography blog, a recipe blog (oops) & I'll start posting photos of my outfits + places of purchase (always Anthro, Etsy, handmade, or vintage of course) every single day because I'd just be THAT FABULOUS. 

And I'm pretty sure that's not where I want to be. 

Anyway. That's quite the tangent, except to say that I like to keep record of snippets of our life, & I always try my very best to be genuine. And for now, it's done via our blog (+ Baby Boy's top secret blog), & lately, with the addition of my little camera on my phone to catch little things along the way. 

Like yesterday. A Target in Harlem! It just opened, & I just went, & it's really beautiful. Like a real, huge, fully-stocked Target with nice people working there. I had three things on my list & of course came home with 25. And then! I went to Costco (downstairs 2 levels) right afterwards. I love Costco, & its recent arrival in Manhattan is equally revolutionary. Oh, & in case you're wondering, this is how we have to do such shopping in New York City: 

1. Take bus, cab or subway to 117th Street - Spanish Harlem. It's a long walk from the subway (all the way to the river) or a short walk from the bus. Pick your poison.  
2. Shop. Keep in mind that at some point, you have to carry everything that you buy (in my case, I brought a big Ikea bag with me to put all of my Target bags in, & then pushed my Target bags around Costco with a cart while I shopped, then pushed my Costco cart full of Target and Costco goods out to the cab line). 
3. Take a cab home. 
4. Have driver of said cab bring things to your door (if he's nice). 
5. Have doorman help you to the elevator (if he's paying attention). If it's a lucky day, you'll get a porter to help you all the way up.
6. Push bags down the hall since they're too heavy to carry on your own. Collapse of exhaustion. 

But it's so worth it! It really is. We can officially live here forever now. The assortment of things that I can get at Target (& Costco), inexpensively, & all in one place (!!) is just unheard of in Manhattan. Love it. 

And watermelon? They're pretty, & they make me think of summer, & picnics, & good food & all things pretty. I love fruit stands & stacked fruit. Beautiful.

And color! I love color, & my Tuesday was full of it - although my nutrition was admittedly lacking a bit. I can unabashedly admit to having a pistachio macaroon from Bouchon for lunch (a post-doctor's appointment reward - I'm so glad that both my doctor & my hospital are so close to Columbus Circle), & then Pinkberry with friend Amy shortly after, although they were out of watermelon this time, so I had mango, instead. Pinkberry + a macaroon for lunch. Perfect for a hot day. 

Speaking of proper nutrition, What to Expect sent me (& Mike) an email this week emphasizing the importance of calcium. Mike, who is a good husband & takes these things quite seriously, has since requested that I drink a nice glass of chocolate milk each day. Twist my arm. I've loved chocolate milk just about every single minute of this pregnancy & now I have even more of an excuse. I picked up this bottle at Agata & Valentina (loveliest grocery store on the UES, I think) & almost went immediately to Heaven (before I looked at the nutritional information). Despite the fact that Mike & I are both green, I'm quite sure Baby Boy is going to come out with brown eyes.

And speaking of food - I made Spicy Bulgur Burgers for dinner on Monday. We remembered how much we love them, so we made them again last night, because we're adults, & we can decide that we want to eat the same thing for dinner two nights in a row. Both nights, I made a salad with bulgur, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red wine vinegar + olive oil, & salt + pepper. And feta! So delicious. Mike asked if we could have it again tonight. I said, No! Maybe just to spite him, since 5 minutes earlier I'd asked if I could spend a truly obscene amount of money on custom letterpress baby announcements & he said that probably wasn't a good idea. I was kidding!! Mostly.

Speaking of Columbus Circle, I'm always intrigued with the Botero statues (titled Adam & Eve, respectively) & their exaggerated + anatomically correct bodies. Adam's special place is kind of warn off from what I'd imagine to be frequent touching. 

Ada + Corinne came there with me today, after we spent a good amount of time in Central Park playing in the water. It felt good. 

Afterwards, we went to Shake Shack for some lunch (I haven't been in weeks). That onesie? There's a part of me that kind of wants it for Baby Boy, but I feel like I need to study it out in my mind for a while before I make a decision. It violates all sorts of rules in my head, but at the same time - I like it. And that Shack Burger? I think it's the prettiest photo ever of a Shack Burger, & it's WITH MY iPHONE! While my giant camera + heavy lens sat in my purse, of course (but was well-used at the park)! 

In other, totally unrelated news - We discovered last night that we can see tourists taking photos from the Top of the Rock. Their flash bulbs look like fireflies. And! Last night, we hung two photos! Two! That's progress, & it felt wonderful. We're using Apartment Therapy's tutorial to help us properly on our way (I like this one, too), & I'm happy with the results. We only have approximately 13 more to go, which makes Mike very sad. Hanging anything on the wall is just tedious.

I'd love some new pillows for our living room couches. 

And a new bed (we don't need one). And new bedding (it's been several years, so I might call this a "need", although I can feel Mike giving me the look this very second). And this really amazing rug that I found. Sadly, it is approximately the cost of our rent each month. 

(This is why I keep a running "wish list" note in my phone.)

It's Wednesday! Halfway through week 32 of pregnancy. No wonder I'm nesting, nesting, nesting...  

31 Weeks.

31 Weeks

31 weeks pregnant. It's funny, because I came back from Washington & all of a sudden, people were making a fuss over me. Fretting. Strangers. Our doormen. Cab drivers. Pedestrians jumping out of my way when they see my belly coming towards them (maybe that's me just being a little dramatic). Smiles from older women. Stares from younger men. It's just funny. The other day on the subway, it was approximately 147˚. I thought that I was going to die, & it was one of those times where I just needed to sit (I often don't, & don't like feeling entitled, but still). No one budged, so I stood there with my fitted tshirt + big belly, feeling sad for myself & my discomfort. The nice professional looking man with a suit sitting 6 inches away from me? He didn't budge. But the tattooed, pierced & punky looking guy sitting a bit further away? He took off his sunglasses so that he could make eye contact with me & offered me his seat. I wanted to hug him. Don't judge a book by it's cover, right? He made my day.

(By the way - I think wearing sunglasses indoors is totally absurd. Two women in the elevator this morning were wearing their glasses - mine were on top of my head - & I wanted to ask them if it was just too bright for them indoors. I don't understand it.)

We had dinner with Corinne & Kyle last night at Kefi. I love Greek food, & I'm adding this to my list of places I'd like to go back to. They also seem to be baby friendly, which is something I've been paying attention to. I'm noticing far too many places that say No strollers, please. And, Emma & I were scorned in the Village earlier this week while trying to eat lunch at Cornelia Street Cafe (I'm still seething). They wouldn't accommodate her stroller - in an empty restaurant - & it was pouring rain outside. Pouring! And did I mention how empty the restaurant was?? I'm scared of baby prejudice. I really am. Even with friends. I mean, we've been childless for a really long time. Will people still like us? Worried.

We stopped by the Sant Ambroeus on Madison on our way home for a slice of their chocolate mousse cake (spotted on The Best Thing I Ever Ate). Amazing. I'm going back for their gelato, next.

This heat & humidity? I could really, really do without it right about now. I'm staying as hydrated as I can, but I still can't walk further than half a block without feeling 9 months pregnant & on the verge of going into sudden & very public labor. It's SO. HOT. And I'm SO. SLOW. It hurts. I get all crampy & achy. I took a cab to & from church today. I should mention (or maybe I shouldn't) that church is 7 blocks away, which makes this a totally ridiculous thing to do, but really, the heat completely negates said ridiculousness. Someone please tell me that I'll survive, because I'm thinking we're not going to have a fall baby ever again in NYC. It will be lovely when he arrives, but it's not currently the best weather for building. 

The temperatures are in the high 80's & 90's for the rest of the week, with a heat advisory through tomorrow evening. Thankfully, I'm hopping on a plane on Wednesday & zipping out for a last-minute trip to spend a few days with Mike in San Diego (he's there ALL. WEEK. for meetings in San Francisco, LA & San Diego - & after next Sunday, I'm not allowed to step foot on a plane per my doctor). The other day he said, Oh no! The high there is only in the 60's & 70's while we're there. My response? Yippee!! Because really, with that weather, I might just not ever get on the plane to come back. That sounds so perfect right now. Breezy & cool. 

(PS, Internet - any favorites in San Diego? We've been, but we're wanting to do some more exploring.)

I saw Eclipse on Saturday morning with nice friends who didn't judge me. I was entertained. I mean hey, it's Twilight & my expectations were appropriately set. Taylor Lautner drives me insane, by the way, & not in a He's so dreamy!! kind of way. I don't know what it is that's slightly (really.) irritating about him, but it's something. He kind of has a funny accent, right? Is it really midwestern? I can't pin it down. And, he's a terrible actor. And his shirt was off far too often. Kind of drove me nuts. But the movie was better than the first two, & they clearly upped the makeup budget a bit (no more of the low budget mime-vampire look, which is refreshing).

Our stroller is ordered, & is somewhere between California & New York as we speak. I keep checking things off the list, & that feels nice. Maybe I should actually hang photos up in our apartment now? Two months in, & I still don't have anything on the walls - just a bunch of frames leaning up against the walls while my indecisiveness rages on. Although really, I guess I've been gone a grand total of 4 (!!) of those 8 weeks that we've lived in this apartment, so I should cut myself a tiny bit of slack. I promised myself we'd do it this weekend, but the crib came - & we were excited - & it was really hot, so I was really tired, & I took a long nap yesterday... & we still don't have anything on our walls except for pretty grey paint. Maybe next week.

PS - Day #5 with my red nails & no chips. Still looking perfect. I'm sold.

74th & Amsterdam.

Because today was the perfect day to walk across the park with friends & grab a cookie on the other side (they were sadly out of cinnamon brioche).

On the eve of 18 weeks, we feasted.

We went on a date last night. I made a reservation a week in advance, we didn't invite any friends to come with us, & we went on a date. A real date, with just the two of us. Recipe is quickly becoming one of my very, very favorite restaurants in the city - casual, relatively inexpensive (especially their price fixe for lunch), & small + quaint. Sadly, I'd never actually been with Mike. So, a quick ride on the M79 through the park to the west side & there we were. Our meal was in the top 3 of any I've ever had in New York, I think. It was so good that I feel the need to document it (with words, not photos sadly). We ate: 

Jumbo Crab Cake

granny smith apple, celery root, crab bisque

Roasted Locally Grown Beets

goat cheese, lolla rosa, toasted pecans, banyuls vinaigrette

Seared Scallops & Gnocchi

kabocha squash gnocchi, pumpkin seeds, winter chestnut sauce

Tagliatelle Lamb Shank Ragoût

pecorino, wild mushrooms, smoked rosemary jus

Chocolate Pignoli Tart

sea salt, mascarpone gelato

I suppose this looks like a ridiculous amount of food, but we shared an appetizer (the crab cake - one of the best I've had), & my meal consisted of two appetizers (the beets & the scallops). Scallops with gnocchi? Those are two of my very favorite foods, & to put them together on one plate?! It was heaven. Truly, truly heaven. Our anniversary is in two weeks, & even though this place isn't fancy (we think that 5 years of marriage justifies fancy) we've added it to our short list of places to go.

I should also add that the Chocolate Pignoli Tart is easily the best dessert I've ever had in my entire life. 

In belly news, I've almost fully committed myself to pants with a stretchy waist band. What an amazing invention! Especially after a big meal. 18 weeks (today!) & I'm feeling pregnant finally (& not just sick + chubby). My appetite is strong, the closest I've come to throwing up has been nothing more than a close call every now & then, & I can see my bump even when I'm lying down (!).  I can feel Baby wiggling almost every day now. Magical. And tomorrow - it gets to be known as a "he" or a "she". 

Sunshine.

With this weather, I think that the blog will just be overtaken with flowers & birds & all sorts of happy, pretty things.

Seriously. It's in the 80's again today. And after spending most of yesterday on the couch (sick, again - I don't want to talk about it) I felt better today & got outside.

So beautiful! So much sun! Doesn't that bird just look so happy? I think so.

Friend Corinne & I grabbed some Ethiopian food (no utensils!) on the Upper West Side today & I snapped some photos of baby Ada by the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. And then - gelati (?!) at Rita's, which is turns out is quite worthy of the hype. Think frozen custard + Italian ice in one delicious & perfect combination. Yum.

We're back in the 60's this weekend, but that's okay - this week's summer weather been nice, but spring (& its mild temperatures) is my favorite. It will be perfect for Mike's birthday this weekend + the city wanderings we have planned.

Why I love New York, Trader Joe's & Mike.

Why I love New York: 

Because yesterday, on my first day back in the city: I had lunch with Kelsey at what will surely now be a favorite spot on the Upper West Side. Recipe is small, the ingredients are incredibly fresh, the flavors are spectacular & the menu is truly gourmet. Loved it. Then - I ran errands. I walked to a stationary store. I walked down a few blocks to the post office. From there, I went to the grocery store & carried my bags home, then to the bank, & then a bagel shop with Jill. All on my own two little feet (minus the bus to & from the Upper West Side). I like that my city is a foot city. Cars are totally overrated. It felt good to really walk again. 

Why I love Trader Joes: 

Our dinner tonight, after a late-afternoon run to Union Square today: Pork carnitas (fully cooked - just needed to be warmed up), homemade flour tortillas, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, cilantro salad dressing (not unlike the Cafe Rio green sauce), & fresh guacamole. Yum. All from Trader Joes, & put together in about 10 easy minutes, perfect on a night when the last thing I wanted to do was cook or leave the apartment. Other things I love about TJ's that ended up in my shopping cart - Monterrey Jack cheese, blueberries, basil, fresh mozzarella, fresh pizza dough, frozen edamame, frozen turkey meatballs, de-veined / uncooked / frozen shrimp, a BBQ chicken pizza, salsa verde, a mango, a few limes, turkey chili, bean burritos & cinnamon raisin bread. Among other things (I took a cab home, obviously).

Why I love Mike: 

He gave me a bag of all-green M&M's today for a little post-Valentine's Day gift. You know what they say about green M&Ms (I actually had no idea that they said such things until presented with a fully-green bag). And - he did all the dishes last night. A true gem. Love him.

Food.

We've had a nice weekend of eating so far.

Friday night - Pio Pio on the West Side with the Egans (where they have the full menu, vs. the East Side location that is smaller, with a limited menu). We love Peruvian food, & are big fans of the spicy green sauce that you can put on just about anything. Kind of like the tomatillo Cafe Rio sauce, but better. We ate Lomo Saltado, my very favorite Peruvian dish. Steak, rice, french fries (?!), tomatoes... all mixed together. Plus lots of green sauce, of course.

Last night - Malaysian, at Nyona on Grand Street (is that China Town, Soho or Little Italy? I'm going with Little Italy). We love eating with Tim & Amy in part because they're always up for something different (we're thinking Moroccan or Trinidadian next), not to mention the fact that they're just some of our very favorite people. The verdict of Malaysian is that it's sort of like Thai, maybe with some Indian influences, & slightly more... mushy. It was good. I liked everything we got except for Mike's sour plum juice (it was really, really gross but good for him for giving it a shot), & maybe the texture of the Sarong Burong was a little off (the taro was sort of grainy & mushy). I managed to hang on to my chop sticks until I was almost finished with my meal, but my fingers started to hurt, so I caved & asked for a fork.

Our Saturday was nice. We woke up at a decent hour, exercised (Mike to his normal Saturday morning basketball with the boys at the church, me to the gym). We ate a yummy lunch together. We went to the temple. The weather was balmy. I like that it's a long weekend & we still have 2 days left. I like that we have church at 11am now instead of 9am. And I like that we're having the missionaries over tonight & I'm making my favorite dinner for the 2nd time this week. I really don't understand people who don't like cilantro...

Christmas in the City: The Nutcracker.

It's fun getting dressed up & going out. We went & saw The Nutcracker last night at Lincoln Center, & even though we sat in the nosebleeds, it was pretty. I love the music, although I think I could have done without the first 30 minutes. But I'm glad that we went, & happy that Mike was a nice husband to take me.

Minor celebrity sighting of the evening: Rick Fox (Laker alum) & his girlfriend in line in front of us. I couldn't remember her name for the life of me until the girl next to us englightened me. Eliza Dushku. Bring it On? Buffy the Vampire Slayer? For 5 minutes I thought maybe she was in my program at BYU. Oops.

I'm happy with our tree sightings this year. Rockefeller Center. Washington Square Park. Lincoln Center. We're probably still missing a few, but overall - I think this has been our very best December ever.

Christmas in the City: Origami Tree.

(Someone please teach me about custom white balance. I just couldn't get it right, & my post-processing skills are sort of nonexistent. Try to ignore the fact that these are maybe the worst photos I've taken in my entire life. I promise it was beautiful. The lighting was just... tricky.)

Anyway.

I went with Jill & her sister Tracie to the Museum of Natural History on Monday to see the Origami Tree.

The Origami Holiday Tree has marked the start of the holiday season at the Museum for more than 30 years. The theme of this year's tree is Origami, A to Z, featuring a colorful paper-shaped alphabet soup. The 13-foot tree will be covered with letters and a corresponding object: an A and an Apatosaurus, a B and a butterfly, a C and a chimpanzee, an F and a frog, an M and a mastodon, an S and a sabertooth tiger, and a T and a Tyrannosaurus rex. Volunteers began folding in July to complete the 500 creations displayed on the tree.

Cool, right? I'd never been before & was glad to make it this year. So pretty, & the details were amazing. Makes me want to learn how to fold paper. Or at least go back & see what they come up with next year.

Afterwards? Shake Shack's latest genius addition: Hot apple cider (amazing) & donut holes from the Donut Plant. A perfect treat on a chilly day.