live.laugh.love.

"we all think we're going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren't met. but sometimes our expectations sell us short. sometimes the expected simply pales in comparison to the unexpected. you got to wonder why we cling to our expectations, because the expected is just what keeps us steady. standing. still, the expected's just the beginning, the (unexpected) is what changes our lives" -grey's anatomy

a little (forward) thinking...

In a desperate attempt to start thinking about all things summer, I decided to torture myself by looking at some bikinis on the internet last night. There is nothing quite like finishing dinner, feeling happily full, and then skimming pages worth of swimsuit models showing off their bronzed perfection sprawled across tropical beaches. Life's unfair! Anyway, I found a few adorable pieces that I can't wait to purchase! I always go to two places for my swimsuits: Victoria Secret and J.Crew. There is nothing quite like the classics! Here are some of the items on my summer 2010 lust list: 

Victoria Secret:

(hands down-my favorite! Simple, yet so adorable)

(how precious is the little starfish)

J.Crew:

(i usually detest a one-piece...but i am a sucker for a great paisley print)

(i love this purple floral print! finding a great purple swimsuit is so hard to find!)

Accessories a la Bloomingdales!

(How on earth can you pass up Tory Burch sandals for only $45!)

(these Corso Como "Feature" ruffle flat sandals are beyond chic! perfect for a dinner by the ocean)

(this is my idea of the perfect beach bag!)

L-O-V-E-L-Y Weekend! Happy Valentine's Day

Finally!! I feel like this weekend took forever to arrive. I have been so overwhelmed with work and my crazy schedule that I had to remind myself that it was the weekend. I don't go crazy during Valentine's Day and I do not need to be "wined-and-dined". But I just adore all of the love that everyone expresses during this holiday. It's a holiday designed to make us stop for a moment and realize how lucky we are to have people around us who love us unconditionally. I love Nick so much and I remind myself everyday (not just on February 14th) how lucky I am to have such an amazing soul in my life. I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day and that you take some time during the 364 other days of the year and remember what's truly important in life...love and happiness! mwah!! :0)

(Fourth of July in Westchester)

(my love)

Dining out

Have you ever had so many choices that it's impossible for you to make a decision? Well, that's exactly how I feel sometimes when Nick and I try to pick a new restaurant to try here in Manhattan. It can be a maddening task-I always feel pressure to find something on the menu we would both like, that it's a nice location, decent reviews..ahh! It drives me nuts. It's as if I was choosing my last meal before walking The Green Mile. But when this happens, sometimes I opt for picking our favorite go-to place here on the UES: Beyoglu. The food is not amazingly inventive or gormet..it's just good! My favorites are the spinach with greek yogurt and the shepherd salad. The Turkish/Greek cuisine never lets you down..it's always flavorful, healthy and leaves you feeling good afterwards. Everyone says that you should "eat like a tourist in Greece". This food never disappoints. Check it out next time you are in the city or if you're as indecisive as me :)

Dear Cupid...

I have the world's greatest boyfriend who I love more than life itself. I told him not to get me anything for Valentine's Day with the exception of flowers. I can't resist a beautiful bouquet of colorful roses or daisies. They have a way of instantly making my day brighter! My reasoning for asking Nick not to buy me any gifts is because the reality is-living in Manhattan is expensive. Our day-to-day lives in this city costs a pretty penny (i.e. rent, groceries, subway passes etc). Don't get me wrong, I love it here and would not chose to live in any other city right now. But it's not cheap! All I need is love...and that's priceless :)

But if there was a Valentine's Day cupid....

I have basically been drooling over the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM bag since it came out a few years ago. In my head, I always come up with a bunch reasons why I need this bag...but then I inevitably think about the countless reasons why I don't. If only there was a Valentine's Day cupid that could make my dreams come true! But there is no magical V-Day fairy that generous! One day, I will splurge and treat myself to this perfect purse. I deserve it! 

(fresh) powder

A winter blast is coming to new york city tonight. I love the way this city looks when it is lightly snow-kissed! I hope this is one of the last snowfalls this season {wishful thinking}. I am very much ready for spring :)

Let's indulge!

Even though I consider myself a healthy eater, I do have my moments of weakness. Don't we all?! I do have a lot of self-control, i.e. not ordering the pasta dish and opting for the grilled chicken salad when dining out. I enjoying eating veggies and healthy versions of classic dishes. As crazy as it sounds, sometimes it's fun to eat healthy! However, with that said I have to admit that I have the ultimate girly weakness - chocolate! Yum! My other weakness is the candy stash at work...but I am working on not giving in to the constant temptation!


Anyway, back to the chocolate! The other day, I happened to catch an amazing show on The Food Network called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". This show has me glued to my screen every time I catch it on TV. In this particular episode, chef Claire Robinson took us on a trip to Brooklyn, NY to visit a little bakery called "Baked". How apropos! Claire's dessert of choice was Baked's "Sweet and Salty Brownie". It basically made me salivate all over my remote control. The brownie consisted of dark chocolate, caramel and fleur de sel! I would certainly venture down to Brooklyn for this savory treat! 

After watching this episode, I was on a hunt for my own brownie concoction! I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's and shop their weekly. I picked up their "Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix"! I couldn't believe such a thing existed! Wow, it's amazing! One of the things I hate the most about baking brownies from Betty Crocker or Pillsbury brands is that it's always a greasy mess...and it always gives me a tummy ache. This mix has two ingredients: *the mix & 2/3 cups of non-fat vanilla yogurt* That's it! It was so delicious and a relatively healthier alternative to the fat-filled brownies our moms made. If you are anywhere near TJ's while you're in a chocolate-craving frenzy, run..don't walk! Pick this up and indulge without maxing out your diet bank account! 

(note my NYSC key fob in the picture-oh, the irony!)

love love love!

I can't believe it's February already! I feel like Christmas just passed and now all of a sudden we are a month into 2010! February is such a romantic month...for obvious reasons. This year, Nick and I will be celebrating our 2nd Valentine's Day together. It's amazing how one person can change your life in such an incredible way. Being with Nick has turned what used to be a depressing and meaningless holiday into a symbol of everything good in my life. I have never loved someone as much as I love this incredible man. I am someone who can truly appreciate the blessings of having someone love me unconditionally. I understand  and appreciate what an incredibly rare gift I hold in my hands. Even though our V-Day will be extremely low key for us since Nick's surgery rotation demands much dedication and finals are just around the bend, whatever we end up doing will be just lovely. Even if Valentine's Day involves us ordering take-out in our sweats while we watch TV, it's perfect as long as we are together :)