Life is full of adventure.

We have been all over lately! Boston, California, Tennessee...the list goes on! We are a traveling bunch and could not be enjoying this time any more. I will put up pictures from all of our trips soon but I wanted to share this picture from Tennessee this last weekend. We went canoeing down a river for a day and it was so amazing. The weather was perfect, our company was just right, and we made memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you Tenneessee for a great trip!

xo

Birthday Festivities.

Earlier this month, I turned a year older. 

We celebrated and it was a lot of fun. The husband is great with surprises and celebrations. The day before, we met my sister, brother in law, and nephew at the Pier One Park and ate Grimaldis pizza and drank ginger jasmine soda on the grass. It was a beautiful day and so much fun eating with the skyline in the background, fellow picnickers enjoying themselves, and the sun shining brightly. 

On the day of, I woke up to a whole day of festivities, mostly involving food, which was perfect.  Along each stop, he had a package and a note with a clue to what we were doing next. We ate awesome food, picnicked in parks, walked the High Line, met with friends for dessert with many stops along the way. We talked about this past year of my life and some goals for this next year. This is one of my favorite things to do on our special celebrations--reminiscing and setting goals. This is something that takes place quite often around here, especially on these types of days. I am so grateful for the wonderful memories I have from last year and I am looking forward to what is in store for me this next year. I look forward to continuing on this adventure of life with the ones I love.

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Here's to another year!

xo

Road Trip up North.

A few days ago, we returned home from our quick trip up north. We visited some friends in Providence, Rhode Island. Strangely enough, this was a dream come true for me. Ever since I learned about the states in grade school, I told myself that one day I wanted to make it to the "smallest state in the United States". I know that sounds a bit strange, but I am really glad that I was able to explore this quaint little state and the people that live in it. One of my husband's childhood friends attends Brown University, so we spent a lot of time around the school. While we were there, we also made a trip up to Boston, MA.  I had never been there before so we thought we'd make the hour drive up to explore. We visited the Central Park-like Boston Commons. We made our way to the Freedom Trail and spent the rest of the morning following the red path throughout the city visiting graves, churches, battle passes, Paul Revere's home, the US Constitution ship, etc. After finishing the historic trail, we made our way over to Cambridge to walk around Harvard University and MIT. After getting a parking ticket (nearly 4 minutes after our meter expired--they're quick!), we ventured off to grab some dinner. Life Alive caught our attention and we chowed down on some healthy, vegan food. We stopped by the bombing sites from the Boston Marathon. It was heartbreaking to see the items of homage sprawled out on the curbs. It's one thing to see on television but things become much more real when you are there, taking it all in. On our way out, we stopped by Fomu to grab dessert. This is an ice cream shop that uses coconut as the base for the icy-treat. It was delicious and definitely a place that we would go to again when back in Boston. It was a lot of walking, but I think that living in New York this last year prepped us for the day on our feet. 

The next day, we said our goodbyes, left Providence, and headed for New Haven, CT. Another one of my husband's friends attends Yale University, so we stopped by to visit him and explore the campus. Yale University is the most beautiful campus I have ever seen--the trees, gothic architecture, the community feel--all of it. It was such a treat to tour this charming school. For lunch we stopped by Frank Pepe's Pizza. Seriously, the best pizza we have ever had. If you are in the area, you must go. 

Before heading back to Brooklyn, we stopped and visited a family in Redding, CT (we also stopped by Terrain--amazing!). It was great to grab dinner and catch up with them and their lives. 

We are back in Brooklyn now but are anxiously awaiting our next road trip. We just have to figure out where to go!

XO

Warming Up.

These last two weeks have brought us out of our hibernation and out into the warm sunshine. Spring took its time this year, but it is here and here with vengeance! The flowers are breath-taking, the weather is amazing, and the city is giving off new vibes. When I walk around and see all of the shops out on the corners, colorful flowers and herbs at the markets, the people riding bikes and walking around, it reminds me of why we moved here. This is the brillance that I remember when we would visit. The bustling streets filled with smiling faces taking in all of the beauty surrounding us. On our free days, we have been trying to spend as much time as possible outside. Pat fixed up our bikes and we have been exploring all of our surrounding neighborhoods on wheels--which has been great! The farmer's and flea markets are popping up all over which are some of our favorite places to visit. The cherry blossoms are outrageous in the neighborhoods, botanical gardens, and parks. I am so excited that this season is here and am really looking forward to all of the exciting adventures we have planned for this summer.

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xo

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding.

Last night I had my first go with chia seed pudding and boy am I glad I did! The ingredients are minimal and it's super versatile so you can really add anything you want to it.  Since it was our first go-round, we kept it simple.

1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbs agave (any sweetener of your choice)
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

*Serves 2-4

Mix the wet ingredients together first. Then add the chia seeds and coconut. Mix thoroughly, cover, and set in the refrigerator overnight. It smells amazing and can be quite tempting so I understand if you can't make it through the night before you dive in! However, let it sit for at least 3 hours before you indulge to give the chia seeds time to expand. Once you're ready, you can top it with whatever you'd like--fruit, nuts, granola, chocolate, etc. We used what we had and went with grapefruit and walnuts which gave it a wonderful tart twist. It is delicious and healthy and a wonderful pick-me-up pudding. Enjoy!

xo