Go Big Red!

My husband is a very proud graduate from Lawrenceville boarding school in New Jersey.  Five years ago, him and all his friends (with whom he has still remained very close) reunited in Lawrenceville for their 10 year.  This was shortly before my time with Mike, but I've seen the pictures.  It was quite a turnout from their class, and it was a little bit of a wild ride.  But this year, was the big 15 year reunion. And this year, there are more wives and babies between all the members of the class of 1997. 

This is an actual shot from campus. Gorgeous

Mike and I took the train out to the campus for the reunion festivities.  We were joined by the Bucks and welcomed by the official class of '97 greeter, sweet Mr. Ashby McElveen and his beautiful wife.  This high school reunion wasn't like normal high school reunions.  It was more like a college alumni weekend, where people from every 5 years were reunited with their high school buddies.  There were reunions from 5 years all the way up to 50 (maybe even higher, but I didn't see any of those folks!).  And everyone was at the saaaame hotel.

The first night was a welcome dinner for Lawrencians of all ages.  Hundreds of alumni gathered for a night of delicious food and cocktails.  Some old, some young, some coaches, and some faculty.  The boys were so happy to be back on their old stomping grounds and they kicked off the weekend with a barrage of stories and memories.  Despite the fact that the Mobleys visit Princeton 4-5 times a year, I have yet to spend this much time at the boarding school of which my husband is a proud alumnus (yes, that's the proper term, I've specifically looked it up before this entry). Every time we're in Princeton, Mike tells me "I wish we had time to go see Lawrenceville".  Needless to say, he was thrilled to share the beautiful sights and chronicles of his high school career.

On day two, after we piled into a packed car to find booze for the day, we headed to campus to explore the grounds.  And I'm not exaggerating when I say, this place reminded me of Hogwarts.  They had dining halls, and dorms, and prefects....everything but the magic!  But the most important task of the day was to adorn ourselves in Lawrenceville red.  We visited "the Jigger" where all of us stocked up on the necessary Lawrenceville school apparel and trinkets.  Between the group, I think we left with more than enough t-shirts, cufflinks, scarves, ties, belts, dog collars, hats, sweatshirts, and just about anything else you can name (except the bathrobes...no one bought the aggressively fancy Lawrenceville bathrobes).

Shortly after that, we ventured through the football stadium, over the bubbling brook, in front of the ropes course (where Mike reminded me that he was head ropes course instructor), and past the field house to watch the varsity boys lacrosse team.  Mike and Chuck mingled with old coaches, and chatted animatedly about what "little contact" there was between the boys and how good the two of them were "in their prime".  They did indeed relive the glory days while watching the game.  Had the opportunity presented itself, I'm positive they would have put on gloves and masks and played right along with their successors.  Outside of the obligatory "let's go watch your boyfriend play his sport" situation in high school, I don't think I've sat through an entire lacrosse game, and it was REALLY fun.  I'm not sure I know all the rules, and there are 20 different colored circles/lines on the field, but I could really get into it!

The final night of the weekend was a more intimate night with just the class of '97 and their significant others.  Since the group was quite small, they had their class dinner inside the field house, one of Mike's favorite places on the whole campus.  He didn't waste any time before he gave me the tour and pointed his name out as lacrosse AND football captain (swoon!) among on the wall of other former team captains at Lawrenceville.  MM Mobley, as it was written on the wall,  is in the company of several years of athletic tradition, and being captain of both teams is probably one of his proudest accomplishments to date.  It meant a lot to him to be able to share that with me, and I was glad to get a glimpse into his high school life.

Alumni weekend went by way too fast, and before we knew it we were on board the train headed back to Penn Station.  In 2012, I think the Lawrenceville alumni weekend was more of a theme of "reminiscing" and "sharing".  I'm sure it was a much different experience for my husband for the 15 year, and being able to share his high school with me rather than partying with some of his boys that he's known now for over 16 years.  But we all had a great time, even though it was a bit different circumstances. I can't wait to go back to visit again, potentially for the big 2-0.  I must say that I'm proud to be married to such an athletic mastermind! Now, let's just hope that the kids take after YOU honey!!!!

Happy Birthday Mr. Handsome

I'm not sure what it is about boys, but for some reason they don't love their birthdays as much as girls do.  Guys don't celebrate for 2-4 weeks.  Guys don't buy needless presents for themselves because "it's their birthday".  Guys don't cheat on their diets and eat cupcakes and other sweets because "it's their birthday". And guys don't find it necessary to take a holiday from working on their birthday?  It's a phenomenon that will never make sense to me.


Regardless, I find it my personal duty to ensure that everyone feels special on their birthday.  But more importantly, I find it even more my duty to make my husband feel special on his birthday! And what better way to make someone feel special than by showering them with gifts!  Mike has been a little mad at me these past few weeks because every day that he comes home from work, there is some sort of package or box.  But this time, instead of having a daily delivery from GILT or Shopbop, they were all presents for my Beloved.  So I had a few things for him to open over the course of the day.  My favorite gift to him being a pair of hula girl cufflinks from the 1950s that I found at a vintage market around our neighborhood.  Mike has started quite a cufflink collection, and I could have gone nuts shopping for vintage cufflinks, but now I'll just have to take him back there and we can shop together!

Last year on Mike's birthday, we were still on our Honeymoon in Bora Bora, and we had a delicious meal at Jean Georges at the St. Regis.  So this year, we thought it would be a treat to have dinner at the Jean Georges restaurant in Manhattan!  Mike's mother was in town for the week as well, so she joined us for a feast of epic proportions (even though the actual portions were quite reasonable).  We had some of the most amazing combinations of fish, foie gras, Wagu beef, and an unbelievable assortment of dessert (my favorite).  And when you thought it was all over, they give you MORE dessert with the check!  It was one of the finest meals I've had in a while, but I'm sorry to say, that I think I liked the Bora Bora Jean Georges just a tiny bit better.  It could have had a lot to do with the atmosphere though!!!!

I think I did a pretty good job on the gifts that I bought my husband for his special day, but apparently he wanted to treat himself to a little present for his birthday. So after a few cocktails with on of our other favorite Mikes (who also celebrated a recent birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEOHANE!) over a Sunday Brunch (and a Sophia Vergara sighting), the Mikes headed to Guitar Center to spend some of the hard earned money on shiny new guitars!!!!  The two of them spent almost 2 hours in Guitar Center, where they both looked like little boys in a candy shop.  2 hours and what seemed like $10K later, they both walked out with their guitars and brand new cases.  A great self-purchased birthday gift indeed.

Normally, I'd make Mike feel bad about dropping that kind of dough for his 6th (yes 6th) guitar.  But it's his birthday, and he works his little hiney off, so it's very well deserved.  Plus...it's the most awesome looking guitar that I've ever seen, and it sounds like velvet when he starts playing that thing!  And the look of pure joy on the two of their faces when they left that store was really a sight to see.

I'd like to take the chance once more to say happy birthday to the sweetest, most thoughtful man I've ever known.  Mid-30s never looked so good!  I hope you had a great one and I love your face off!!!!   XOXOXO

Come Sail Away

I love being home in New York with my husband, but sometimes you just need a weekend away with your girls (or guys in his case!).  I'm not an expert on marriage after only a year, but I know that it's these weekends once or twice a year with our friends that keeps us sane and makes us anxious to come home to each other.  After graduation, my ladies and I started a yearly tradition of doing one trip together a year.  No matter where we were or what was going on, we all picked one weekend to make a point of seeing each other.  Those first few trips brought us to Vegas as early twenty-somethings where we were showered with champagne and free bottle service by men young and old in the City of Sin.  But in the past few years, our efforts have switched as these yearly girls weekends have evolved into bachelorette parties and wedding weekends as each of us has started to slowly tie the knot one by one.

This year, my dear friend Randi is getting married in New Orleans, which will be my first trip out to the Big Easy (blog to follow of course!).  So for Randi's bachelorette I hopped on the Amtrack to head down to a beautiful spring weekend in Saint Michaels, Maryland. For those of you who have no idea where that is (which is most of you), it's a quaint little nautical town on the Chesapeake Bay, just 1.5 hours outside of Baltimore.  I was in awe driving across the Bay Bridge as we made our way to the festive little town.  The Inn at Perry Cabin is where the 8 lovely ladies stayed for the weekend, and the hotel was magnificent.  Coincidentally, it's also the site where some of the beautiful wedding scenes were filmed on the movie Wedding Crashers.

No, we're NOT singing "Girls just want
to have fun".....this is Def Leppard people

St. Michaels was literally a nautical wonderland of festivity.  I've never been to the area, and everything was so cute. The sidewalks were peppered with crab themed paraphernalia, the restaurants served the freshest of Chesapeake's finest seafood, and every establishment had just the right touch of authentic flare.  I could have stayed there for weeks, and even better was that I was surrounded by 7 smokin' hot ladies and some of my best friends in the entire world.

It would be an understatement to say that our group of girls brought a lot of attention to the town for the weekend.  Maybe it's because we all wore stilettos in a town of sandals and flip flops.  Maybe it's because we wore some of our finest cocktail dresses to the only bar in town.  Perhaps it's because we monopolized the karaoke station and entertained bar patrons with the sweet lyrics from Def Leppard and Coolio.  OR, maybe it's because we walked through another couple's wedding ceremony and were banned from returning to the dock until after the services. But it also could have been the fact that each lady had impeccably styled hair and makeup, despite the questionable weather forecast.

I've been to a few bachelorette parties over the past 6 years since graduating from college.  And each that I've gone to has been a perfect reflection of who the bride is and what makes her a happy.  While I'd like to also respect the bride and not divulge too much information the details of her bachelorette party, I will say that it was the perfect weekend for my beautiful friend Randi.  Instead of strippers and clubbing, we had sailors and champange.

My own fresh oyster!

No raunchy phallic shaped straws for this classy bunch of broads.
We all had matching gold charm necklaces and nautical scarves instead.  And Randi didn't wear any obnoxious blinking bridal veils or gaudy fake rings out to the bars....she just wore a captains hat with some understated lace instead.  This group didn't wear any matching t-shirts, but rather we paraded around town dressed like we were all straight out of a Vineyard Vines or J Crew catalog with a barrage of navy and white stripes.  And instead of limo transportation, we sailed for hours across the Chesapeake Bay snacking on wine and cheese.  We enjoyed fresh oysters directly from the Bay instead of questionable shots from bartenders.  I've uploaded a video of our captain hauling oysters in direction from the bay.  Check it out here!

Zeta Love!

As always, when these weekends come to an end, I'm reminded of how much fun I have with my ladies and how much I miss them while I'm all the way out in New York.  I am so thankful that we've all stayed in touch and we still continue to take time every year to go away as a group, and twice a year isn't too shabby for how busy we all are in our lives. I can't wait to see everyone again in a few weeks when Randi and Pablo tie the knot in New Orleans.  And I hope I'm lucky enough to go back to Saint Michaels again, because it truly is one of our country's greatest gems.

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!!!!