Here we go a huntin'

Alright folks - this is a big one.  After what will be five years in New York City - the Mobleys are ready for a little more space...not like an extra bedroom & moving up to the Upper West Side space though - like YARD space, like a GUEST ROOM space....like HOUSE SPACE!  Yes, we're starting our hunt for our first house!  We're venturing away from the concrete jungle next year to the gorgeous county of Westchester to find our perfect home.

Before starting our house hunt, we had to discuss a few things in order to establish some priorities.  Would our house be a great deal on a fixer upper, or was it more important to be in move-in condition?  Did we want a festive hobbit-y Tudor home - so characteristic of Westchester, or the comfort and cozy retreat of a colonial?  Is it more important to renovate a kitchen or bathroom?  And if a house is perfect, but doesn't have an impressive backyard, do we count it out?  But what about a basement - do we care about having a finished basement?  These were all choices that we had to make before even selecting the homes we wanted to tour with our broker.

After what seemed like endless searches online, we have decided on Bronxville, New York as the future home of the Mobley family.  There were a few things that factored into this decision.  First was the proximity to the city.  Bronxville is a mere 28 - 32 minutes on the train to the city! That's closer than some commutes of my friends IN THE CITY!  Since we both work in Manhattan, and probably always will, at least in the foreseeable future, we didn't want to move somewhere that would mean we spent 2+ hours/day on a train.  That's just not fun.  The second thing we wanted from our future home was a village feel - a place that feels like a real town, not just a collection of neighborhoods.  Bronxville has the most adorable town that you ever did see.  There are still cobblestone streets in some of the older roads, the church is a stone masterpiece, and the streets are lined with vintage gas lamps (whether or not they still USE the gas lamps vs. electricity is still to be seen, but they are vintage, nonetheless).  And finally, it has to be said - we did think about schools.  We don't want to move to a town with a bunch of derelicts!  We wanted the option of great school for the eventual little WeeMobs that we'll have running around one day.  The first time we drove through Bronxville, and I saw the school...it was comparable to Hogwarts...well if Hogwarts was staged somewhere in New England...instead of REAL England.

So needless to say, this is an extremely exciting and potentially stressful or emotional time for us, Trulia has been an absolute lifesaver, and we are in love with the broker we found at Houlihan Lawrence.  And we know that at the end of this, we'll have a home! We can paint walls without having to worry about losing a security deposit!  We can build a real fire instead of having an electric space heater.  We can park our car in the garage instead of down the street for $350/month.  Wish us luck as we take on this journey and we can't wait to keep you all updated on the progress!

A return to Mike's Motherland

After visiting Scotland last year, and after the special time we spent together - Mike and I knew that we couldn't return without Bob Mobley.  Everything about Scotland was so amazing, from the city time we spent in Edinburgh, to the gorgeous autumnal weather we had in the Highlands - we couldn't wait to take Bob & Melinda back to some of the spots we fell absolutely in LOVE with during our trip last year.

As I mentioned during my last post, we ventured to Scotland via train - and even though we got the lay of the land during our trip LAST November, we made sure to keep some surprises for ourselves & for Bob & Melinda when we arrived to one of our favorite places on the planet.  There were a few events that never disappoint - which I'm sharing with all of you here!

1.  Another visit to Monteith's:  One of our favorite restaurants in Edinburgh was a lovely little nook called Monteith's.  As I mentioned to you last year, the establishment is pretty much as Scottish as you can get, with tartan covered booths, bar chairs draped in lambswool, and antlers adorning the walls everywhere you turn.  We have been dreaming about Monteith's since we knew we were going back to Edinburgh, and couldn't wait to walk through those twinkling arches with Mike's parents to share with them the little treasure we discovered back in 2013.

2.  A trip to Aberfeldy:  I owe my affinity for scotch to one man, and one man only...and that is Bob Mobley.  And when he found out I was working with Dewar's, he was the MOST excited, particularly because he's been a loyal Dewar's consumer since he could remember!  So it was only fitting that we treated Mr. Mobley for his 80th birthday with a little VIP treatment at the Dewar's distillery in Aberfeldy.  I had received the employee perks tour last year, but this was different - this was a unique experience set up only for our very own birthday boy.  We toured the distillery, but when the tour was complete, the four of us got to stay behind in the scotch storage room, for a little extra TLC.  Bob got to taste some unfiltered 21 year old scotch directly from the barrel!  But we didn't leave empty handed - we walked away with two bottles of our very own 1994 Aberfeldy Single Malt....bottled and sealed by the birthday boy himself!  A very special treatment for a very special man.  We all scribbled some private messages on our bottles before leaving the distillery & we'll be holding on to this special liquid for a VERY special occasion.

3.  Our stay at the Balmoral Hotel: We adored the Balmoral in Edinburgh - but perhaps the best part of the entire hotel is the whisky bar that boasts over 497 different types of scotch - a whisky lover's dream.  This was perfect for us, but even MORE perfect for our guest of honor.  The Balmoral was the ideal location to the Royal Mile, the train station, and all of our needs while in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.  And if we were lucky enough to catch the light just right - our room had a gorgeous view of the Edinburgh Castle, that caught the pink rays of the autumn sunset every night...the best view in the entire hotel!

4.  Stopping by the ol' Menzies Castle:  It wouldn't be a trip to Aberfeldy without a stop at the Menzies castle!  Last year, we caught the castle on the first day it closed for the season.  This year, we were a bit later into November, and we didn't have the same luck, but we WERE with a real Menzies herself with Mike's mom, so it was worth hopping out of the car to take a few pictures and admire the enormity of the estate with OUR little clan matriarch.

Despite a few repeated attractions, there were a few things we left to discover for this trip, and we had more time to do a few things much differently this time around.




1. A hike to Arthur's seat:  I'm not sure if the weather was too cold, or if we were a little too hungover during the time we were in Ediburgh, but one of the most amazing views in all of the UK is the hike to Arthur's Seat.  A steep, lush hill that promises a 360 degree view of all of Edinburgh once you get to the top.  We definitely didn't have the appropriate footwear, and we we reached the top in a bit of a cold sweat, but it was worth it, and it was absolutely magnificent.  From up on that hill, you could see the sooty, pointed rooftops of a medieval Edinburgh, the vast grounds of the castle and Holyrood, and the sparkling blue of the North Sea.  The trek in my three inch booties, was completely worth it - and they held up pretty well in the slippery slopes of the Scottish hillside.

2.  A quiet stay in the Highlands: One thing that we really wanted to accomplish during this visit to Scotland, was an extended stay in the Highlands.  Some time in a quintessential Highland town, where we can snack on authentic pub food, cuddle by a fireplace, and huddle up in a cobblestone cottage.  So we selected Kenmore as our Highland destination - as it was just a 15 minute ride from Aberfeldy.  Kenmore was an adorable town on a vast loch surrounded by one of the most well maintained golf courses I've ever seen.  And the Kenmore hotel claims to be one of the oldest Inns in all of Scotland! We didn't have much on our agenda when arriving in Kenmore, but we did have quite a goody bag after leaving Dewar's - and I'll just say the few bottles we purchased from the gift shop didn't make the trip back with us!

3.  The Taymouth Castle: Since the foliage in the Highlands is some of the most colorful I've ever seen in the autumn, Mike and I decided to take a walk through the grounds around the cottage.  On that walk, we saw trees that looked like they were out of some enchanted fairy tale, barrack ruins from former castle grounds, and a CASTLE! A massive, expansive CASTLE!  It's so typical Scotland to have a castle nestled among a golf course in a tiny little town like Kenmore.  Another little hike that payed off with some awe-inspiring landscapes!

And so this ends our UK tour with the Mobleys, an unforgettable celebration of a wonderful man who is 80 years young.   We always wish we had more time with all of our family, but it's even more special to have these quality memories that mean so much to us.  I'm not sure when we'll be heading back to the UK, but our trip with Mike's parents was a unique one that we'll cherish forever, and one that can never be duplicated.  Happy Birthday to the best father and father-in-law a girl could ever ask for, we love you beyond words!

Foggy London Town

For those of you who have had the immense pleasure of meeting my sweet father-in-law, Mr. Bob Mobley, you would know that he's one of the most enjoyable people in the world.  And this fantastic man turned 80 years old this year!  80...what a milestone.  The Mobleys are very fond of the birthday milestone vacation - as you may remember, we took a journey to Sayulita for Melinda's 70th birthday back in 2012.  Since Mike's dad has an affinity for European culture, we decided to join him for a United Kingdom adventure in London & Scotland.

I'd like to first start with our adventures in London.  Mike's parents had already been in England for a month attending to some business, so we met them at the conclusion of their work commitments to join them for some fun and celebration.  Below are a few highlights from the fantastic time we spent with the Mobleys in London!

1.  Some High Tea at Fortnum & Mason - since it's London & since you HAVE to have tea in London, Mike's mother had the brilliant idea of taking our tea at the world famous Fortnum & Mason, and Mike and I were in British heaven.  Not only was F&M, the perfect tea shop, complete with floors and floors of tea time goodies....we were there on the day that they opened the storefronts for CHRISTMAS!  We could have spent an entire year's salary in that store and walked out with sterling silver teapots, and the most unique British China, and every bulldog shaped home decor item you could imagine....but we resisted, and left with only one small bag full of treasures.  But we'll return, and we'll bring even more treats back next time!

2.  The Tower of London Poppies - We were in London during the 100 Year Anniversary of the start of WWI.  And to commemorate and honor the British lives lost, there was a spectacular display of poppies pouring out of the Tower of London, that was ONLY on display until Remembrance Day (another highlight I'll get to shortly!).  The poppies are symbolic of the beautiful flowers that bloomed through the battlefields covered in blood, but also is an icon every year that people wear proudly on their lapels all over Britain.  The sight at the Tower was incredibly powerful & extremely breathtaking.  It was beautiful, yet emotional when you think about all that it represents...a fantastic artistic installation that we were so lucky to have been able to witness.



3.  A cozy train ride through the countryside - We traveled between London & Scotland via train that we boarded at King's Cross Station...Especially notable, because I was able to get a little glimpse of Platform 9 3/4....which was a lifelong dream of mine since discovering Harry Potter back in High School.  They even have a special Harry Potter dedicated store at the train station - I was in nerd heaven.  We had limited time for visitation of many of the tourist attractions in London, but this would have topped them all anyway!  Not to mention, our train ride boasted some of the best views of the English & Scottish countryside.  There were quaint little farms, sparkling lakes, foggy hillsides, and miles of lush green landscape as far as the eye can see.  The perfect way to transfer from our London adventures to our Scottish escape!

4.  Remembrance Day in London - Our last day in London was on Remembrance Day.  For two history majors in my husband and father-in-law, and for two men who admire military history - celebrating Remembrance Day in London was a real treat.  We observed the day in witnessing the bands marching from Buckingham Palace & followed that with a lovely Remembrance Day Mass at the Guard's Chapel - right outside of the Palace.  The chapel has historical significance when it was bombed in WWII during a Sunday Mass, one of the biggest catastrophic events in British history.  But presently, it's a beautiful chapel & a wonderful memorial to the British military.  As expected, mass was more emotional than usual - complete with bagpipes & the recital of the National Anthem. It was a wonderful way to observe the day in our Sunday best.

Our time in London seemed extremely short - and before we knew it we were off to Scotland.  London was all about spending our time with family and taking part in they typical traditions and celebration of our English friends across the pond.  Being in London with Melinda & Bob, who have spent so much of their lives in Europe, meant that we weren't tourists in London - we were just some Americans...blending in!  I hadn't been to England (outside of a few layovers) since High School - and this was the first time that Mike & I traveled there together!  London is a city so special to my Mobley family, that it was the perfect destination for some family time abroad.

Now we're on to Scotland to continue the next leg of the Mobley family adventures!!!!

The Mobleys in Central Park

Outside of our wedding - Mike and I have been a little camera shy when it comes to professional photos.  We didn't really do engagement shots & we haven't really had a reason to hire a photographer since then, so most of our favorite snaps are touched up with my iPhone or Instagram filters.

This year, we thought that we could celebrate our 5th autumn in New York City by taking to Central Park with a fantastic photographer to capture just a few special moments between the two of us...well...the three of us actually.  As you can imagine, Winston absolutely stole the show...per usual.

We used a wonderfully talented photographer friend, Jenny Grant Digital Imaging, and she knew all the charming little nooks and crannies of Central Park like the back of her hand.  And, being a smooshy-faced dog lover herself, she was extremely patient with our slobbery little beast and captured our trio perfectly.

Aside from the lovely pictures that we were truly thrilled with, our second treat was the impromptu tour we took of the beautiful park right in our backyard - something we had yet to do since living in New York.  We saw places of Central Park that I've only seen on movies and TV shows!  And to top it all off - it was the quintessential fall day with the leaves perfectly turning for the season.

We wanted to share just a few of our favorite shots with you and thank Jenny again for the perfect fall treat and some pictures we'll cherish forever - on an absolutely PERFECT day.

A Haunting in Sleepy Hollow

Mike & I visited Sleepy Hollow back in 2012 just hours before we were hit by Super Storm Sandy.  We were there for the big block party, and we stayed through the evening for some fun on the haunted hayride through the Sleepy Hollow Graveyard.  Because we were in the UK last Halloween, we skipped out on our new tradition - but we would be damned if we missed it again!

There really is no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than to spend a day in Sleepy Hollow.  It's spooky, the entire town takes on the tradition (I mean...the high school mascot is the HEADLESS HORSEMEN!), and it is absolutely beautiful during the fall  - even in the expansive, yet completely haunted graveyard.  Outside of the yearly Halloween celebrations, there are not a ton of other activities to do in Sleepy Hollow - but it is a staple to get into the spirit.

This year, we added a new item to the itinerary after touring through Sleepy Hollow & the world renowned cemetery - we headed up to Croton on the Hudson for the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze!  We drove along the Hudson River during a blood-red sunset to arrive at one of the most spectacular exhibitions of pumpkins I'd ever seen in my life!

We traveled through a maze of intricately carved pumpkins in the most elaborate displays you had ever seen!  There were stacks of pumpkins up to 4 stories high, there were tiny pumpkins carved with only the tiniest of hands, and giant pumpkins carved to perfection.  All illuminated flawlessly by the flickering light of real candles....not one was blown out...and not one was powered by any sort of battery!  Mike and I were in absolute awe at what seemed to be a display of over 10,000 jack-o-lanterns.

Here are a few snaps from our 2nd trip up to Sleepy Hollow.  Even though we made it out here two years ago, it was every bit just as festive the second time around, especially with our addition of the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze...an event I'll be sure to frequent for years to come as a Westchester Halloween mandatory!  We hope you enjoy some of the photos, and we hope you all had a happy & haunted Halloween.

A trip to Harvest Moon Orchards

Mike & I have been trying to explore Westchester during our free time on the weekends in hopes of discovering the town of our future home.  There are just so many gorgeous places in Westchester county, and sifting through the possibilities is an extremely daunting task - but we'll talk more about that later.  Last weekend, we decided to visit Westchester by way of a pumpkin patch!  Sure, we can get pumpkins across the street at the local bodega - and of course I'm obsessed with our Union Square Farmers Market, especially in the fall.  But it's always more festive to pick out your pumpkin from a real farm - especially when dogs are welcome at this farm!

The three of us loaded up in the Jeep to head out to Westchester on a quest to find Harvest Moon Orchards.  It was a chilly autumn New York day, and rain was threatening a little bit, but the three of us were in for a true Halloween excursion.  When we arrived, the crowds all had the same idea as the Mobleys, but it was the first pumpkin patch we had been too since moving to New York!  And we found everything you could ever want from a farm - apple orchards, acres of pumpkins, a corn maze, hay rides, apple cider, and aisles and aisles of mums & Halloween decorations.  The grounds were extremely dog friendly - and of course Winston was pretty popular with all the sweet little children.

We were back in the Jeep returning to the city in no time, but it's amazing to just get out of the city and explore the beautiful state of New York.  It's easy to think that the best parts of New York are all found right here in Manhattan, and you can get anything you have everything at your fingertips living on this little island.  But some of the best parts of the city are still to be discovered if you can take some time to explore.  There is no where like the East Coast during autumn, and words cannot describe the beauty you can stumble upon when the leaves change just a short drive north of the city.  I never appreciated autumn growing up in California, because it just doesn't happen there - so we're both eager to soak up every gorgeous view and every fantastic tradition that we can in October & November.  It's worth making a trip out here just for the trees!

Winston was beat from chasing an endless supply of "balls" (aka apples everywhere!) when we got home from the Mobley farm adventure, and we had arm fulls of perfect pumpkins.  I can't wait to continue the tradition of visiting an authentic pumpkin patch next year and in the years to come.  It's just a little embarrassing when everyone is taking pictures of their little babies among piles of pumpkins - and I'm whistling at Winston to pose for some snaps.  But when you don't have kids, you take pictures of your prized pup at the farm!  If you haven't already visited a real farm for your pumpkins, I strongly urge you to make the trip and enjoy the wonder that is autumn in New York State.