Happy Monday.

 downtown Boston, last month

Happy Monday (and happy last day of February! Hooray -- we're one step closer to Spring!). Not many words tonight. It was gray and rainy day, but a nice, full day nonetheless, ending with a showing a one of my favorite films over at the Harvard Kennedy School, Amazing Grace. Powerful and inspirational...makes you think about how one person can change the world.  

Tonight...

 

 the band

...tonight we saw the Beatles. And they. were. A-mazing. Highly recommend this show if they're coming your way.

Central Park.

 
Central Park trees

 

A perfect evening stroll through Central Park...

New York Views.

 upper west side

Have I mentioned that my oldest and dearest friend in the world now lives in New York with her husband? No? Probably because it pains my heart a little that they moved in right as we were moving out. And that they now, in fact, live just a short distance from where we used to live. AND that it would be pretty dang fantastic and dreamy to be neighbors again like we were when we were kids and lived two houses apart and did everything (everything) together. Sigh. We stayed in their super cute Upper West Side apartment during this visit and had so much fun. Not to mention the views. It was pretty great to wake up to this each morning:

 (it snowed!)

xo

New York recap.

 lower east side building

So...a little recap of New York. There was:
~the gig
~hanging in the Village with friends
~a friend's show
~yummy brunches
~some Upper West Side wandering
~Levain cookies (best cookies in the world)
~a late night game of Cranium
~church
~Central Park walking
~lots of visiting/laughing/fun

Despite the busyness and my (still) tiredness, it was such a fun and lovely trip. I *do* love that city.

(more NYC pics to come this week...)

Back.

 Caffe Vivaldi gig, NYC

Back from a packed, tiring, wonderful weekend away in New York. The gig on Friday was a success (so good to be back at Vivaldi playing again) and the rest of the weekend brought lots of fun moments with friends. Exhausted now and off to bed. More tomorrow!

Heading to the Big Apple...

midtown manhattan, summer 2010

Excited/happy/thrilled to report that tomorrow I'm heading to New York for a weekend of fun with friends and a show! If you happen to be in the city, feel free to stop by Caffe Vivaldi at 8pm tomorrow for a night of original, acoustic music (mine, that is :). Probably won't be back on here until Monday, so have a great weekend!

Lecture.

Charlestown, MA

It was another incredible day of class with a special guest lecturer. I am feeling *exceptionally* blessed to be able to sit in on these classes, which are some of the most intriguing and interesting lectures I've ever heard. Today, while the focus was still on leadership since that is the theme of the course, there was also a heavy emphasis on finding your passion...dedicating your work and time and life to something worthy, something of value, something that moves you. It certainly moved me and made me think a lot...still feeling ponderous this evening.

Happy (day-after) Valentine's Day!

 rose petals served with dinner at Tangierino

Hope it was a lovely one for you! This was our first Valentine's Day together *not* spent in Santa Fe, NM with family. But all in all, our Boston-style V-Day was quite lovely. Firstly, the weather decided to cut us a break with some beautiful, 50 degree temps and sunshine. Bliss. Then, after a full and busy day of classes and errand-running, we headed out for dinner at a beautiful restaurant in Charlestown* that absolutely dripped romance, complete with scattered rose petals, red walls, low-lighting and yummy Moroccan food (Dan's pick :). A wonderful evening.  

*Charlestown is a great little neighborhood of Boston with charming, historic row houses lining quaint gas-lit streets. 

Happy weekend-ing.

I've been really bad about posting on Fridays lately....we usually end up going out, getting home late, then I forget all about it! 

Here are a few pics from the store yesterday (of my display). It was a good experience, overall, though I saw first-hand how the cold weather is affecting foot traffic. So, yes, a bit discouraging at times, but the silver lining was getting to work in a new environment and interacting with the few customers that did make it in. 

Local Collection, Boston

Enjoy the weekend!

Happy Thursday.

church in South End, Boston

Not much to say on this blustery Thursday night. Worked from home, too cold to venture far. Had a good rehearsal. Now putting the finishing touches on my heart boxes for tomorrow's event. (just a lil' reminder: if you're in the Boston area tomorrow, you should stop by Local Collection in Faneuil Hall between 12-3 for a behind-the-scenes look at my art-making process and a 15% reduction on all City Girl Designs inventory). :) 

Bright spots.

Cambridge, Mass.

Some bright spots on a Wednesday:

~an amazing class on leadership

~lunch with a friend, the sharing of vision and dreams

~a good photo shoot (still can't believe photography is part of my job now)

~listening to my husband hum a little tune in the next room while he studies

Cold. Very cold.

the only thing warm around these parts....

I've been home from running errands for over an hour now and still. can't. get. warm. Despite the scarf and the blanket and the fire going. Sigh. I know I keep talking about the weather (sorry) but I really do feel like this winter is like one giant hurdle that I can't quite clear. Dan and I agreed tonight, as we drove home past 20 foot snow drifts and swerved our way down Massachusetts Avenue in order to keep from getting hit by reckless Boston drivers (no offense, Boston, but your driving needs work), that this place is tough. Or maybe it's just us? Don't know what's going on, but it's just....well, it's all just been a bit rougher than I/we imagined. Adjusting to this place and feeling connected and the weather, etc. There are certainly very high high-points (ie: getting to audit classes, rehearsals, etc.) but the day to day in all this gray/cold can be tough. 

Just have to remind myself that it would be that way in the vast majority of the country right now -- seems like we're all in a deep freeze. Even magical New York isn't immune to this mess, I know. 

Anyway, just venting a bit, from beneath my many layers of clothing and piles of blankets and...yeah -- just venting :)

Love in a box (or, Map Heart Boxes for sale).

paris heart box

Just in time for Valentine's Day...vintage Paris map heart box, now available in my Etsy shop.

Or...come on down to Local Collection in Faneuil Hall this Friday (2/11) at noon where I will be doing a demonstration on how to make these little guys, plus have more options available (Italy map heart boxes, New York, etc.). AND (bonus) all of my stuff will be on sale that day...woohoo! Hope to see you there :)

Happy Weekend.

Boston Public Library

Have a lovely Super Bowl weekend! I am gearing up for a loooong day of rehearsal today and some Super Bowl fun (complete with chili!) tomorrow. Have a good one. 

Nostalgia.

Bethesda Terrace, NYC

Remember when I lived here? And it was all summery and hot and stuff? Yeah, me too ... *sigh* ... Feeling nostalgic for both at the moment (the city and the hotness). And refusing to post another icy/snowy/slushy photo this week. So there you have it. 

Groundhog Day.

another blustery day

Word on the street is that Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today (and neither did the Staten Island groundhog, Chuck, who I had never heard of until today). Thank. You. Lord. This winter is swallowing me whole. Dreaming about moving to Florida (or California or Hawaii) on this drippy, cold day. And wearing dresses like this. Or this. Or anything non-fleeced-lined. Sigh. 

Harvard & (shocking) more snow.

We're up to our eyeballs in snow over here (again) and I am pretty much o-v-e-r it*. But it sure does make for some pretty idyllic scenes, especially around Harvard's campus**.

*storm today. storm tomorrow. blah blah blah. 

**I'm trying to sit in on as many classes as I can since we're only here for one more semester. I had high hopes for this morning's human rights class, but it wasn't exactly what I expected. Still, great to be in a classroom setting again (even if I am a bit of an impostor ;)