365 Wonderful Days of Marriage

It's hard to believe that on this day one year ago, I married the most awesome person in the world.  This has no doubt been one of the most eventful 365 days of my life and every day since we got married has been an adventure. We're so lucky because people often say that the first year of marriage can be the hardest.  And we definitely had our challenges with career changes, a traveling husband, and having our dog in urgent care multiple times.  But overall, it was an absolutely amazing 1st year of marriage.

A friend of mine once talked about a tradition her and her husband started where they alternate planning anniversary celebrations each year.  So Mike and I thought that would be a great way to have little surprises for each other every year of our marriage and keep us both on our toes.  Since I had quite a large task of planning last year's wedding festivities, I decided to take the even year anniversaries, and Mike will be in charge of planning the odd year anniversaries.

As part of our wedding ceremony our priest had us exchange red roses (since we couldn't light a candle together due to wind, and I was scared of having wine in our ceremony for fear of spilling on my Pnina!!!), so I was greeted this morning with 2 dozen beautiful red roses, right on cue.  The 1st Anniversary traditional gift is paper, so Mike and I both stuck with the theme and bought each other paper based gifts.  What's even more remarkable is that we both bought each other gifts with a sailor theme!!!  Mike planned a wonderful dinner for us a A Voce on Madison. We dined on some delicious Italian food that included cannoli for dessert....of course. 

Both of our parents were also very sweet and sent us anniversary gifts as well.  My mom had this wonderful  highlight reel made for us from our wedding, and I could watch it 1,000 times and I still get a little misty eyed at how beautiful the day was and how much love there was on April 30th last year. Check it out here if you want to see it!!!!  Mike's parents also sent us a very sweet traditional 1st Anniversary gift of paper as well.  And I can't lie....it IS kind of nice when everyone you know remembers your anniversary because they are reminded our nuptials were the same weekend (NOT DAY!!!) as the Royal Wedding (or the death of Osama Bin Laden...USA! USA! USA!)

We've grown so much together as a little family and have learned every day how to be a better spouse to each other and I love my husband a little bit more each day. My life is a happier place with him in it.  And my heart does little cartwheels when I think about what God has in store for our family and the adventures we have ahead of us in the years to come.  I feel so grateful that we found each other and so lucky that Mike Mobley has brought me so much joy.  Here's to a great year of marriage and many more with the man of my dreams!

Feliz Cumpleanos Senora Mobley

Last week, my beautiful mother-in-law celebrated her 70th birthday with a fun-filled family fiesta south of the Border in Sayulita, off the Mexican Riviera.  When you are a woman as well traveled and as special as Melinda Mobley, it's very hard to find the perfect gift.  But sometimes, the best gift in the world is simply precious time spent in the company of family.   So the Mobley family devoted a whole week to celebrating such an amazing woman.

My sister-in-law, Jennifer, booked an awesome rental house for the entire week and it was the most breathtaking architectural masterpiece in the entire town of Sayulita.  The home came complete with 4 brightly colored bedrooms, three different floors, an outdoor kitchen and living room with views as far as the eye can see, a hot tub, a separate pool, two hammocks and unlimited little nooks to curl up and read a book (in the sun or in the shade).

I've been to a few places in Mexico, but Sayulita is a unique little town. Located just a 35 minute drive away from Puerto Vallarta (or 13 minutes or so away from Punta De Mita), it is reminiscent of a little surf town saturated with rich Mexican culture and delicious food.  Most of the locals walk around barefoot with boards under their arms, and there are people from all over the world who are either visiting or have opted for a more simple life in Mexico.  We met locals from Canada, Seattle, Southern California, even people from Finland!  There aren't any resorts in Sayulita, and the beach isn't peppered with vast hotels complete with cabana boys, but where they are lacking in that sense, Sayulita more than makes up for it with the culture and personality of the city.  

And the food, OH THE FOOD in Sayulita...wow.  JUST WOW!  I'm deprived of Mexican food in New York, so I couldn't get enough fish tacos, shrimp quesadillas, guacamole, fresh salsa and essentially anything in a tortilla.  Our first night we ventured out do a quaint little restaurant called Sayulita Fish Tacos, and it quickly became my favorite restaurant in town, and we ended up eating there a total of 3 times total over the week.  Outside of their addictive fish/shrimp tacos and delicious margaritas, SFT had a selection of over 250 different types of tequila, it was one of the most amazing sights I had ever seen.  There was even a bottle locked up in a cabinet for $400 per shot....not pesos people...$400 US DOLLARS.  Dios Mio!  

Even though we had such wonderful options down the street from our hilltop home for the week, Jennifer and I made one of the best decisions of the week in hiring a cook!  Our wonderful Sophia came over every morning and made us authentic Mexican breakfasts, with eggs, chorizo, casseroles, and of course fresh tropical fruit on a daily basis.  On the nights we opted to stay in, she came back for dinner and treated us to even more Mexican feasts.  If I could bottle up Sophia's peanut mole sauce...I could be a millionaire in New York.  And if I could eat her mango guacamole every day for the rest of my life, I would die a happy woman.  Everything she made went over famously with the whole family, and my favorite part....she made dessert with every dinner!  We had flan, flour-less chocolate cake, guava cheesecake, and deliciously tropical sorbets.  Divine....absolutely divine.  And after our bellies were full and happy, she had the kitchen spotless and all the dishes cleaned and put away so that no one was inconvenienced with the clean-up.  I'd highly recommend that experience to anyone traveling to Mexico, and if you decide to see Sayulita, Sophia is a magician!

Outside of the eating, which I've talked about at length, there were a few highlights from the trip that I wanted to share.

The sunsets and sunrises every day were something you just couldn't miss.  A few mornings I woke up to the sunrise and started the morning with tea and yoga overlooking the Pacific Ocean.



Every night, regardless of what happened that day, or how bad my heat rash was (sensitive subject....), all 6 of us convened at the top level of the house for cocktails to watch the sunset.


Some nights we opted for tequila on the rocks, and sometimes there we just a few cervezas.  But without fail, every night, we had happy hour for sunset.  

Another highlight for everyone what the level of relaxation we were all able to assume for the entire duration of the trip.  I know all six of us have a hard time finding time to chill during all of our busy lives.  But aside from a few driving episodes (which can be stressful in any country), everyone was absolutely in a state of zen. I think Mike even finished a book....GASP!  

At one point, I even felt TOO relaxed and had to spice up the day a bit with a little zip lining!  Mike was "head ropes course instructor" at Lawerenceville, so it wasn't his first time doing a zip line tour, but it was mine...another FIRST for me in 2012.  The views were breathtaking and we got to zip line through the jungles of Mexico on a private tour with just the two of us and our amazing guides.  Definitely a highlight for me.  

The shopping was so much fun and the pricing is somewhat negotiable, which makes it even more fun!  And the Sayulita culture embraces "Los Muertos", so it felt like Halloween in every store.  Mike was not satisfied until I let him buy everything he wanted.  

But sadly, I didn't not let my husband leave the country with the wall sized painting of a Mexican skeleton.  But we did come home with bags of jewelry, artwork, pottery and some treats for the DuPont family and our friends of course!

But the best night of the trip for me, was Melinda's actual birthday where we all enjoyed a family dinner on the water while a Mexican cowboy serenaded us with some famous Latin tunes on his guitar.  

It is amazing how quickly the week goes by when you are relaxed and enjoying yourself.  If only a normal workweek could feel like it flew by just as quick.  Before we knew it, all 6 of us had to say adios to part ways and head back to our perspective states.  While I was so happy to come home to my wiggly bulldog, it was hard to leave the Mexican retreat that had become our home for the week.  I know it was a memorable and enjoyable trip for me, and I hope that it was everything that Melinda could have ever wanted for her special day.    

If you want to check out the full album from our Mexican getaway, peruse the album here.

Spring Has Sprung!

I don't think I need to remind my readers how much I enjoy the changing of the seasons.  And honestly, I used to think that spring time was anti-climactic when measured up against the other seasons.  I mean, it's a season where the timing is decided by a fat rodent who may or may not be afraid of his own shadow, and I feel like it's the shortest season of all.  And for some people, springtime is characterized by days and days of  pouring rain.  But even though we had a mild winter this year, spring has been absolutely beautiful and I've developed a new found appreciation for the season of showers and flowers for a few reasons. 

1.  Full Bloom -Watching entire streets bloom with flowers brings an element of nature to New York city that almost makes you forget that you're in the middle of a concrete jungle.  Parks and sidewalks all over the city are littered with blooming trees, tulips, daffodils and fluffy purple flowers.  The colors are unbelievable, and even the barest trees are starting to show signs of budding.  My daily walk through Madison Square Park is full of the most vibrant pinks, purples, and reds that you ever did see!

2.  "Fashion shows" - Ok, so it's not THE NY Fashion Week, but the first day of the year where you can walk outside without wearing tights and boots is one of the best feelings I never knew about until these past few years.  When that day comes where you can talk on  your cell phone without having to have gloves on your hands, or when your morning time routine isn't delayed by how long it takes to put on scarves, hats, puffy coats, it's an amazing amazing feeling.  Springtime is marked by the departure of dark black coats, in favor of pastels and floral prints.  It's a beautiful display of colorful, flowy clothing, instead of the winter uniform of black and neutrals.  Chunky boots are ditched for those flats and pumps you have kept in storage for the past few months.  .  Which leads me to my next favorite thing about Spring....

3.  More Closet Space!! -  Winter clothes just take up too much damn room.  Sweaters are so bulky and cumbersome, and New York closets are not conducive to accommodating several pairs of boots. Packing all my winter attire away for the spring/summer cleared out an unbelievable amount of room in my closet.  And more room in my closet only means one thing....I can go shopping!

4.  Daylight savings - The first week of daylight savings is a pain...losing an hour of sleep isn't something that I adjust very well to, but it's worth it if you can muscle through the mornings because it means an extra hour of sun!  Even though I'm not leaving work any earlier, there is something about getting home while the sun is still up that lifts your spirits significantly.  And there is a lot more you can do outside with an hour more of sunlight.

5.  Baseball season - The arrival of spring means the start of baseball season!  Ok, maybe it's not the most exciting sport to watch on TV, but it makes my heart smile to think about leaving work a little early to enjoy a cold one and a hot dog on a warm summer evening.  Or trekking out to the ballpark with a group of friends to sit in cheap seats so that we can enjoy each other while enjoying a little bit of New York Yankees baseball.

6.  Happy New Yorkers - Much like the mad dash to bust out spring time clothes, I love the first nice day of the year, where New Yorkers appreciate being able to spend as much time as possible outside again after 4 months of hiding from the cold.  As a Californian, I took advantage of how consistently beautiful it was while I lived there, no matter what the season.  But something I love about New York is how UNIVERSALLY THRILLED everyone is when we have beautiful weather.  No beautiful day goes unnoticed.  It's the only time in the city of Manhattan where hands down, EVERYONE is happy.  And for a bunch of New Yorkers to ALL be in a good mood???  That's very rare.

7.  Outdoor Seating - This is a seasonal thing, not a permanent thing out here.  So when you start to see restaurants extending their square footage by adding some patio tables, iiiiiit's springtime!

Yes, I have itchy eyes, and yes, I pretty much have a permanent sinus headache during April and May.  But it's the changing of the seasons, and it's a beautiful thing.  And springtime is extremely underrated considering all the joy it brings to the folks who can open up their windows and get some fresh air without freezing to death.  And unfortunately, I feel like its the shortest month (damn groundhog!) because true spring seems to last only from the time between Easter and Memorial Day weekend.  So enjoy some vitamin D, and open up your windows folks because in a few short weeks, we'll all be longing for a nice cool breeze!!!!

Hoppy Easter

Mike and I moved over Easter weekend 2 years ago.  It was the first Easter I had spent without my family, and since then, we've started a little tradition of having a "kids Easter" every year.  April tends to be a busy month for the Mobleys, and while we would love to be with our family on Easter, it's hard to travel so far for just the weekend.  But our friends are our family too, and for the past three years (including this weekend), we've celebrated with "the kids".   Starting on Good Friday, New York transformed into full blown spring (which I'll talk about in my next post).  And while it was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in Manhattan, we thought it would be even more festive to enjoy the great outdoors out in the country.  So we took a quick little drive out to one of our favorite "homes" at the Buck's house in Princeton.  

There is no shortage of activities to do out in Princeton, and the magnitude of festiveness is uncanny at the Buck's home.  Immediately upon our arrival, we found ourselves as the subjects of an Easter Egg hunt.  I've got a bit of an eagle eye, and we found all 29 eggs within an hour or so of getting to the house.  And what would Easter be without some egg decorating.  Yes, everyone participated....even the boys.  All the kids had their own personalized eggs that we created with a mix of vibrantly colored dye.  

The activities continued after we packed up an amazing spread of wine and cheese to head out to the club for some paddle tennis.  Yes, it's a funny, preppy sport played on a mini tennis court that requires minimal athletic gear, and you can enjoy a nice Malbec while you're waiting to rotate in.

The five of us played under the lights during a sunset happy hour, and I'm sorry to say that paddle tennis is probably not my forte, but that's 100% ok.  It's still fun, even if you're not that good.  Before his back surgery, Mike LOVED playing tennis, so it was nice to see him get out and have some fun again.


Chuck made everyone a delicious family dinner consisting of filet mignon, peel & eat shrimp and some grilled veggies.  And as for the after dinner activity...POKER!  For the first time ever in my life, I played poker. The crew taught me how to play Texas Hold 'em, and again....not my forte...but I'm so thrilled to have FINALLY learned how to play poker.  A few hours of wine, cigars and Johnny Walker Black Label later, it was the early hours of the morning before we even knew it.

Winston, as usually woke up Mom & Dad eager to get out into the beautiful sunshine and enjoy the day out in the country.  At 8:30am, it was a brisk morning and the sun was up in the sky, happy to be celebrating Easter Sunday.   We enjoyed our coffee on the back patio while waiting for the rest of the crew to rise and shine.  Everyone, donned in their greatest Easter pastels, loaded up on Easter mimosas, ham, and deviled eggs before an aggressive and challenging game of bocce ball around the grounds of the Buck garden.  Regardless of the fact that I got schooled by my husband, and the fact that Winston added a level of difficulty by pushing select bocce balls around the yard with his nose, nothing beats some time in the sunny great outdoors with our fabulous friends and my "little family".  And before we parted to head back to the city we grilled peeps to try a Peeps s'more recipe that I learned from Pinterest....AMAZING.  Although it seems a little violent to burn peeps...just sayin.

I always miss my parents and brother on holidays that I don't spend with them, but our friends really are a family to us too and made for an extremely festive and memorable Easter weekend.

A New York Minute

 It's hard to believe that two years ago today, I boarded an American Airlines one-way trip to NYC!  I took a red eye with an 8 month old bulldog puppy and woke up in Manhattan where Mike was waiting for us in front of our new home....290 3rd Avenue in beautiful Gramercy Park.

Our empty apartment and Winston's first day as a New Yorker

Before moving to New York, both Californians and New Yorkers were convinced a little South Orange County girl wouldn't adjust well to New York and that I would find myself longing for the simple life of Laguna Beach very quickly.  My husband was extremely encouraging, and did everything in his power to make our move as easy and seamless as possible, because it was, after all, his job that transferred our little family to the Big Apple. 

I love New York, but I'd be lying to you if I didn't say that there were some things that were hard for me to adjust to:

1.  First and foremost, was the rent & space.  Mike and I are paying DOUBLE what we paid in LA, for 1/2 the space.  Each of us had walk in closets in LA, and beautiful views of the ocean and the mountains.  So it was no surprise to us that when we moved here, a storage unit was mandatory so compensate for the overflow of my husband's rock star memorabilia. 

2.  Homeless people.  I'm not a prude when it comes to bums....lord knows I've seen my fair share of bums in Venice Beach or along Hollywood Boulevard.  But at least in California, they stay out of the neighborhoods.   It was an adjustment to me to see homeless people on every corner you turn. 

Winston helping with the unending amount of boxes we brought

 3.  Cigarettes.  Californians just do not smoke as much as these New Yorkers.  I am 100% smoke free, but I feel like by the time I walk to work, I've smoked the equivalent of 2 cigarettes, and there is no escaping it.  You can be walking on your merry way, and get a giant plume of smoke blown in your face out of no where.  Bleh...

4.  Lack of "nature".  Sure we have parks, and sure there are beautiful flowers planted all over the city for each of the seasons.  But there is no natural escape in the city...whatever you do, you're still stuck in the concrete jungle.  I know there is smog in LA, but there are still canyons, parks, beaches just minutes away from where ever you are at any given time.  Sometimes I feel like I took for granted how easy it was to just take a hike (figuratively and literally), or how amazing the Pacific Ocean feels on your face.  There are some beautiful nature excursions out here, but it isn't at your fingertips, and it requires much more of an effort. 

 5.  Noise! New York is the City that Never Sleeps....so there is noise all day, every day.  Sirens, construction drilling, buses, people out on the streets, horns, you name it!  I never in my life thought I could be one of those people to sleep with ear plugs...but now I don't know how I'd sleep with out them!

But, within 3 months, I had fallen head over heals with the city that never sleeps. Regardless of whether you're here to stay or just on vacation, there are things about Manhattan that you just have to love!  And these are the things that made it easy as pie to adjust to living in New York. 

1.  Not having a car.  I was skeptical about selling the ol' Beemer.  There is something about having the windows rolled down, with the wind in your hair.  But once I got here, I was THRILLED not to have that added expense.  No car means no paying for gas, no sacrificing shoes/clothes to make sure I pay insurance, no monthly payments, no oil changes, no paying for maintenance, and best of all, NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!  There is always a safe way to party in New York without having to appoint someone as designated driver, and I LOVE that!

2.  Seasons.  I know I've talked about this a lot, but the #1 thing people told me before moving was "you're not going to be able to handle the winter".  Well you know what....I DID handle the winter, and I LOVE the winter.  Sure I didn't have to switch out my clothes every season in California, but I don't mind.  There is something festive every 3 months about the changing of the seasons in New York.  And I can honestly say, the first time I felt like New York was "home" to me, was the first "fall-y" day in 2010.  Seasons are beautiful, and I was missing out on all of that in my life as a Californian.

3.  Summer Fridays.  Yes, I had Summer Friday's in California, but it's a crazy phenomenon here in New York.  Weekends in the summer means that NO ONE stays in the city.  People flock every Friday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, to various coastal escapes including the Hamptons, The Cape, the Shore (yes, that's Jersey), Nantucket, Newport RI, Fire Island, Martha's Vineyard, wherever, just anywhere outside of the steamy confines of the city.  It's the one time of year when all New Yorkers experience the same sense of urgency in condensing a 5 day workweek into 4 days, so that Friday can be a day of travel out to one of the many beach destinations just a train ride away!

4.  Fashion.  I'm not sure if it's the different seasons, but people in New York are fancy paaants!  It's not unusual for me to see more Louboutins than I can count on two hands just during my commute to work.  Maybe it's because I see more people during my walk to work, but I find myself envying more and more pairs of shoes and handbags in my walk to work.  In LA, it's 100% more casual....and jeans are part of the "business casual" dress code.  That's not the case in NY, and both men & women dress to the nines for just a normal day on the job.

5.  Walking.  I walk to and from work every day....which is about 3 miles round trip.  Yes, it might mess up my hair by the time I get to the office, and yes, it's not optimal for shoes, but I've found a way to adjust and I love my walks MUCH more than sitting in AC and traffic.  It gives me time to catch up with people on the phone, it gives me time to enjoy the city before starting my day, and it gives me a little extra exercise before I sit in front of a computer for 10 - 11 hours a day. 

Hooray for another year in the city!!!!

6.  Coffee Carts.  Now this is just silly and small, but there are very few things more delicious than a cup of coffee from a CART (no corporate coffee establishment), where the guy behind the window is just as excited to see you on Tuesday as he was on Monday.  There is something to be said about getting a $2 cup of coffee for free one morning, just because he's happy you're there.  I really felt like a New Yorker the day I called him "my coffee guy".  

7.  Delivery.  You can literally get everything delivered to you in Manhattan.  Takeout, groceries, dry cleaning, booze, medication, even my freakin DOG can be delivered to my house after he comes home from doggee day care.  I've come to appreciate it and my door men every time I have to pull a late night at work, or when Mike is traveling.  Those delivery people are out there rain, snow or shine to make sure you get your goods.  And no...it hasn't made us lazier. :)

So after 2 years of living in Manhattan, Mike and I didn't even think twice before signing another year lease for our Gramercy Park apartment.  The past 2 years have gone by SO fast, we haven't even had time to THINK about living anywhere else.  I thought I'd be counting down the days until our 2 year least was up, but I we signed that paperwork within minutes of received the renewal.  Here is to another year at 290 3rd Ave and our cozy little one bedroom!!!!