January 2013 – forEVR and always

Lately…

January 31, 20131 Comment

We have had a wild week. Between getting everything done at work, packed at home, Rondo dropped off (and sick last weekend), and I haven’t been feeling all that well, it has been really stressful…but tomorrow we are off to paradise for a week of nothing but sunshine and fun!

Here are some pics from the last week…

(growing orchid and rondo stalking our sushi)

(jay nursing baby rondo back to health and my ridiculous work sign)

(making my packing list and pounding this delicious breakfast)

(lychee martini from republic and spicy coconut chicken soup…whoa)

(sweet babe asleep on the car ride to my parents’ yesterday)

Now one more night here and we are off in the morning. Be prepared for an absurd amount of vacation pics when we get back in a week!

(m&d&n – thank you for taking care of our babe. i hope he isn’t any trouble. and thanks for always loving me even when i’m a total, utter, complete nutcase)

xo-j

one week

January 24, 2013Leave a comment

One week left until we leave for vacation! YAY! All we have to do is get through 5 more days of work and we are done. I have a countless number of things to do before we leave…I need to make around 476 lists (maybe more) of things we need for the hotel, beach, flight, not to mention packing up our little babe for a week-long stay at his 3 wonderful aunts house (thank you girls). I know, I know, he’s a dog…but…

…how do I say goodbye to that face?!

I have a feeling once we look like these people again ↓↓↓

…all sunny, happy, not being pushed by strangers on the subway, or obsessively checking our iphones, we will find a way to get through it!

xo-j

Places We Find Rondo

January 22, 20132 Comments

(rondo going to the moon in our grocery delivery box)

Rondo is quite the jumper. He can get on/in almost anything in our apartment and it is just hysterical. Here are some of my recent favorites of places we have found the little guy…

(on the butterfly chair snuggling his zebra)

(tucked himself under the blanket on the couch)

(his new favorite place, on the high chair in the kitchen)

(making sure the tub is nice and shiny)

(the best one ever…taking jay’s working from home spot!)

He’s a riot!

Party Time / Day Off

January 21, 2013Leave a comment

(view from walk with rondo saturday night)

This weekend was a blast, and fortunately for me, it is still going on as I have the day off (sorry if you’re ready this at work Jay)!

Friday night I had dinner with Lauren at Ed’s, and stuffed my face with unbelievable food…

(lobster roll and fried oyster & bacon sliders…ahh!)

(blueberry creme brulee and yummy crackers)

Saturday we hung around and enjoyed the (slightly) warmer weather before going to Adie’s birthday party!

(some pics from my walk with rondo…love that last one)

Then it was party time…

(a little too much fun out)

Now it’s time to watch the President and go to Trader Joes…exciting day off eh? Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend too!

xo-j

La Esquina / Hot Date

January 17, 2013Leave a comment

Last night I had a night out with one of my bests, Adie! We did some (unsuccessful) shopping in SoHo, explored the weirdest Asian store ever (we were both way into it), and went to taco heaven at La Esquina.

Here are some fun ones from last night…

(view from dinner)

(like i said, taco heaven)

(yummy food & sodas)

(wrapping paper for the birthday girl…she loves some jesse pinkman)

(at home after dinner snuggling the boy)

(bracelet purchase from last night)

What do you guys think of the site redesign?

xo-j

Surgery

January 14, 2013Leave a comment

Friday I had a procedure done to help with my breathing, or lack of breathing! Over the past couple months I haven’t been able to breathe well causing quite a lot of trouble for me physically and emotionally (I get so scared I won’t get air in!). Hopefully now that the surgery is over, and once I have recovered, I will be good as new and breathing like a functioning human being again.

Thank God my Mom was here on Friday to help me! I was a mess! Bloody nose on the subway, felt like I had been punched 29058035 times in the face, and a bit out of it. I couldn’t be more thankful to have had her with me, I’m a lucky kid…

(lookin fly in my hospital gown…yea…)

After the surgery Mom and I had lunch together at Forcella…it was just the medicine I needed.

(proscuitto, arugula, parm, and mozz pizza…holy cow…and cute mama with her spin pizza!)

Since I couldn’t really go out this weekend, or drink, or stay out late, we had a lazy one. We saw Zero Dark Thirty, ate a ton of delivery, and cuddled the boy…

(hanging with my boys, and the absurd amount of snacks i ate saturday night)

(nail color from santa)

(my crazy long hair…idk what to do with it)

(mural of paradise in my neighborhood…less than 3 weeks till we are here)

Now all I can do is hope I start to feel a big difference in my breathing and I’m good to go!

xo-j

Dinner / Movie / Mess

January 10, 2013January 17, 2013Leave a comment

Last night Jay and I decided to go to see Silver Linings Playbook (so good!) at Nitehawk! We love this movie theater! They have amazingly delicious food (clearly the most important part), a full bar (eh maybe this is most important), and its really intimate (not a huge megaplex). Check out their menu here!

(theater, how you order, ticket)

Anyways, we had a great meal (I had shrimp and fried grits oh.my.god.), we loved the movie, and it was a fun night out. Then we got home…

Where this monster had thrown up all over our comforter! YAY! It’s my own fault he overate and looks like he snacked on a toy too…poor little guy. So after a scramble to clean our mattress cover, get new sheets on, and find blankets to sleep with, we were off to bed. Always something right?

Wishing everyone a sick-dog free day!

xo-j

Lately…

January 9, 2013January 17, 20131 Comment

(our orchid is thriving…i have no idea how)

The past couple days have been busy with work for both of us. But here are some pictures of life lately…

(weirdo is obsessed with the butterfly chair. it’s his new hangout)

(he is way too loved)

(erin and i exploring at lunch found a beautiful church and indoor garden to eat our lunch)

(can’t stop eating brussel sprouts…i thought i was going to die i ate so many the other day!)

(it may not be beautiful, but those chicken tacos and beans were so delicious)

(3 more weeks…all we have to do is make it 3 more weeks until we are here ^)

xo-j

Ziti Time!

January 7, 20137 Comments

This weekend we did a whole lot of relaxing! A fun dinner at our friend’s apartment Friday, movies and fun night in Saturday, and laundry/de-christmasing the apartment Sunday. I think we both needed that kind of weekend.

On Friday I made ziti for dinner with friends and I wanted to share the recipe with you. It is a family favorite and one that I love to make!

ZITI RECIPE

What You Need:

1 – 16 oz box ziti
1 large onion (or two small)
2 tbs olive oil
8 cups sauce (I use original Francesco Rinaldi…any will work)
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp garlic (I use a little close to 1 tsp though)
2 tbs sugar
1/2 cup ricotta
2 tbs Parmesan
1 cup shredded mozzarella (I use more like 2 cups)
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely chop up the onion…

Then cook the onion on medium heat with the oil until soft…stir constantly!

2. In a pot boil water and cook ziti for 10 minutes.

3. Once the onion is soft, add the sauce and seasonings to the onion (basil, sugar, garlic, I also add a bit of oregano, pepper, and parsley)

4. Cover and simmer the sauce mixture for 15 minutes.

yummy yummy sauce

5. Once the pasta is done and drained, and the sauce has cooked, mix the pasta and sauce in a pot. Add the ricotta and parm and mix.

6. In a glass pan, pour the pasta mixture. I do layers…put 1/2 the pasta mixture in the pan then a bit of the mozz cheese, then the rest of the pasta on top and lots of cheese….

7. Bake the ziti for 30 minutes at 375*.

Here it is…beautiful, delicious ziti!

8. Enjoy with friends…

(rondo and albus loving each other at em & reg’s while we ate)

I actually added chicken sausage for the first time on Friday and it came out amazing! To do this slice sausage into tiny bites (crumbles), then brown in separate pan, and add to sauce mixture for the 15 minutes. It was a new twist and came out really well!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

xo-j

Then there are days…

January 4, 20131 Comment

There are days where I love nyc…when friends are visiting, going out on the town, eating amazing food, celebrating holidays, loving my neighborhood…and then there are days like yesterday…

Yesterday was 30 degrees outside but 85 degrees on the subway, we had to have the exterminator come to get rid of the mice (gross), I literally had to drag Rondo into the vet because he didn’t want to go in (and of course we were running late), I started making dinner then realized I didn’t have 1/2 the ingredients (awesome), and I think both of us are getting sick…ay! I try not to whine on here but yesterday was so frustrating…

Here are some things that remind me how good life is…even when I’m about to pass out on the subway from my jacket, there are mice crawling in our obscenely expensive apartment walls, and work is making me bananas…

(rondo and nick over on nye)

(found this weirdo in the tub yesterday just hanging out)

(this great pic julie took of rondo out with us on nye)

(shawty boom)

(oh wait…this one makes me feel queasy)

(Thanks for letting me steal all your pics Jules…you’re amazing!)

Have a wonderful weekend all!

xo-j

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