48 hours in Manhattan

We stepped off the plane at 8:30 Friday night, and stepped right back onto the plane at 8:40 Sunday night.

48 hours in New York rivaled 50 hours in Vegas. Regardless of the fact the flight was half as long, the city was equally as exhausting.

I guess I should back up and explain that this great big, exhilarating, New York weekend was my birthday gift. Yea. You heard that right. Because I'm not spoiled or anything.

A few weeks earlier that sneaky fella of mine sent me an airline confirmation.

Having never been to the BIG CITY (yea yea - insert gasp here, I am used to it) I had no clue what to expect. Of course, everyone passed along their long lists of Must See's and Must Eat's and Must Drink's and Must Avoids, but we pretty much decided to go into it with an open agenda.

The taxi ride from LaGuardia to the W Hotel may have been the most tortuous ride of my life. Tate decided to book our hotel in Times Square so we were in a central location to everything... which was fantastic, but also terrible, because Times Square is... well terrible, as I quickly learned. The concept of traffic flow (both by foot and automobile) seems lost on everyone there.

As soon as we got checked into our room on the 36th floor, we were back out the revolving door, in search of food. Thus began our first leisurely stroll (and by leisurely I mean, block after block after block), where we stumbled upon a little Argentinian place in Chelsea (how fitting). By the time we walked in the door, I was less than pleasant, and an eleven on the hangry scale. They immediately brought me my wine and a basket of bread and all was right in the world again.

Porteno did not disappoint, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who asks. But then again, they brought us complimentary wine after our meal too so I may be biased.

Can I pause for a second and ask if there is an over-abundance of Irish in New York, or if every other bar genre just threw in the towel and added a 'Mc' in front of their name and Guinness to their tap line?

After a few drinks at one of the local Mc'watering Holes, we decided we better call it a night, and trekked back to the hotel. Saturday took us to the 9/11 Memorial, and museum (a sombering experience, but I somehow managed NOT to cry, so there's a miracle),

When we left the museum we made a pact not to spend the rest of the day dipping into depression, and proceeded to wander around the city and saw EVERY OTHER THING THERE IS TO SEE IN NEW YORK CITY. No really. I think at the end of the day we had logged like 20 some miles. Thank god, for once in my life, I heeded advice and wore practical(ish) shoes.

And then I did what any sane female would do. Dawned 4" heels for a Broadway show that night. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, no? That's what I kept telling myself as we climbed the stairs to our balcony level seats. (We saw An American in Paris )

Guess where we went after the show -- yep, another Irish pub. Shocking, huh? I told Tate we had to get drunk and find trashy New York pizza joint for a night cap (hey, you're only young once) so we did just that. Lucky for us, the one I picked had a cocaine dealer out front, so we had prime entertainment for the 14 minutes it took us to scarf down the most delicious thin crust pizza and a few bottles of water.

Sunday morning it poured, which was perfect because we wanted to do nothing but sleep. We finally managed to get up and showered shortly before checking out of the hotel at noon. Leaving our bags behind we headed back to Chelsea for brunch (Tipsy Parson -- GO! So good), wandered the High Line, hit up Chelsea Market, then were off to Central Park and the last leg of our whirlwind see-it-all-do-it-all Manhattan madness.

As late afternoon rolled around and we hopped into the taxi to head back to LGA, I closed my eyes and sank into the seat. I had achy legs, and a happy heart. It's not that I haven't traveled to a hundred cities, it was moreso who I was travelling with.

New York City wasn't what I expected it to be. I anticipated huge, bustling, high action... it was big, and it was busy... but it wasn't unmanageable. I anticipated overwhelming, but we conquered it easily. Guess that just proves you never know til you try

Interested in where else I've traveled? Check out my wander page to find out more!

Take it easy

I grew up on classic rock.

My mom is a hairstylist, always working on Saturdays. So growing up my dad would load me and my brother up and off we'd go to spend the day at the body shop while he worked on cars. I remember him pulling my hair into pigtails, buckling me into the bucket seats in the back of the s10 and singing along to Tom Petty on the half hour drive. "the tree's fallllllin...." was my 7-year old self's rendition of Free Fallin.

I'd play with my Barbies on the empty jack stands while he bending and twisted and beat on the metal bodies of cars the next bay over. Those Saturdays are where I earned my appreciation for classic rock. Classic rock and the smell of brake parts cleaner.

One of my friends gifted me quite possibly one of the greatest birthday gifts I've ever received.... tickets to the Eagles concert the weekend of my birthday.

Good tickets!

All night long I garnered remarks about how young I was, and how no one expected me to be an Eagles fan. But I just shrugged them off and told em my daddy raised me right!

It was a seriously awesome concert, although the crowd was understandably mellow compared to the concerts I am used to ha! I'm so glad I got the chance to see them once in my lifetime though!

birthdays in blue

I can't say I'm sad to send my 25th year on it's way. It had more cancer, surgeries, and hurt hearts than I ever want to deal with again.

It just so happened that my birthday fell on one of the biggest Colts games of the year, the night Peyton returned to Indy. So I gathered up some friends and we tailgated the night away!

As with all tailgates, we ate, we drank, we danced.

We Dirty Danced. 

I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all. And the fact that the boys in blue gifted me a big fat win against our ex-qb really made it that much better!

A celebration. Times two.

 Friday was this little ladies third birthday. Crazy to think she is 3 already. Even crazier to think how nearly 2/3 of her life has been clouded with that disgusting disease.

But, cancer was not the focus of the night. Celebrating was! And celebrate we did!

Always being the little stinker though, miss monkey had something up her sleeve.

Post presents and cake, she was running around the living room playing with her new dora ribbon baton and started singing "I'm gonna be a big sisser, I'm gonna be a big sisser".

The kid has some ridiculous things come out of her mouth, so we just laughed at her and let her keep going. By about the fourth chorus of this new song, I started giving sidelong glances to my sister-in-law who was sitting next to me on the couch. It wasn't long after I saw the corners of her mouth turn up, when I said "IS SHE BEING SERIOUS???"

Not only did we get to celebrate the little monkeys third birthday, we also got to celebrate the announcement of a new baby monkey on the way!

I'm elated beyond belief. Becoming and aunt with Olivia was the coolest thing that has ever happened to me, and now I get to be aunted again!

All the cool kids were born today!

Oh hey guys! We're just celebrating our birthdays today... 

come party with us?! 

my 23rd year

Yesterday begun the countdown - exactly one month until my birthday! To say that 23 was a weird year for me would be a SERIOUS understatement.

It was full. Full of so much everything.

3 days before my 23rd birthday, as I was still grasping at the coattails of 22, I found out that an offer I put in on a house was accepted. After 5 long months of hunting, I had found the one!

That next weekend I did what any about-to-be-first-time-homebuyer would do, jetted off to Vegas to see my best friend! I actually won enough money playing Roulette to cover what I spent on the trip, which was probably a good thing considering the amount of cash I'd soon be shelling out on an abode.

In early November I had my first blogdate EVER with Aly, the rest of November was filled with closing on my house and beginning to tear it apart. Spent countless hours throughout November working on the house, with the help of my parents, Chris and all my other friends who joined in on the fun.

In early December I hit a wall and had my first big house related breakdown. I was stuck. Frustrated. Oh, and I discovered that I most definitely have a ghost living in my home with me. Ethel. Good 'ol Ethel. She's a good ghost though, always playing tricks.

I rounded out 2010 with a broken furnace and think I fell asleep before the ball even dropped into 2011.

(Are you wore out yet? Because we aren't even 2 months into my 23rd year?!)

The first week of January I got all moved into my house. It was suddenly becoming a home. But, as is life, when one things comes together another falls apart and Chris and I found our relationship struggling. After many hard weeks of trying to force it we came to the conclusion that maybe we are just meant to be really good friends and not lovers.

Along with all of that fun I decided to toss my name in the pot for another position at my work. It didn't work out but I was glad that I got my name out there and made some people realize I do have a lot of potential.

I think it's safe to say that in late January I truly learned how to open up and lean on others. I realized that I just couldn't do it alone... and that that was perfectly ok! That stumbling was ok.

March filled itself up with soul-searching, DIYing and just continuing to get settled in the home. It was probably good that it was a calm month. Things were about to get real crazy!

Late one Wednesday night in April I received a random phone call from my best friend telling me that her husbands best friend was offering me up a plane ticket to come out to Vegas to see them all that following weekend. Of course, I graciously accepted the offer! After getting back I had a new view on life and became a self-proclaimed "yes" girl!


A handful of days after I got back from Sin City, I set off to Negril with my momma. Our girls getaway couldn't have came at a better time. I fully soaked up a week of sun and relaxation. Of course, anyone who knows me knows I can't just sit still and ended up acquiring a Jamaican Husband and the promise of "chocolately smooth Jamaican babies" (Jamaican Hubs Chronicles: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

May brought race cars to the circle city and with it all my racing friends came out of the woodwork - many a good night was had with everyone around! And in true "yes girl" form, I sashayed my way into Important Person status for some race happenings and ended up meeting some people who would prove to form a crucial part of my story of my 23rd year.

As May came to a close I found myself being offered another spur-of-the-moment trip on someone else's dime. I graciously accepted again, and made my way to the West Coast

After coming back to the midwest I dove headfirst into a budding relationship and spent most of June, July and August with that cute boy from the track. I was so happy at that point I even wrote about my appreciate for everyone that had cheated on me before. Oh the irony. According to the law of physics, what goes up must come down... so the end of August all hell broke loose and my true character was tested. A ruined trip to Jamaica, a stint in the hospital and a bomb being dropped.

September ushered in a season of deep thinking and more soul searching. I didn't completely break my spontaneous streak from the spring though, as I enjoyed a whole weekend with some newfound friends which was a welcomed break from reality. And now, as I round out my 23rd year I've decided to follow my heart and see where it leads me.


Twenty-three threw me into a position where I had no choice but to basically grow up. I've learned so much about myself and the girl I've become in the past 11 months. I'm strong-willed, stubborn as hell, but have a softspot deep down. I always follow my heart, even if it is poorly planned and spur of the moment. I get confused, mixed up and lost at times but I find my way. I've got a good head on my shoulders, compliments of my family and friends and randoms along the way, all of whom have had a little part in shaping the person that I am today.

It's been hard at times to share all the parts of this journey, my life, so publicly on my blog but I absolutely adore it, I love being able to look back on everything - relive the fun times, learn from the sad times and just enjoy the bond I've made along the way!

Happy birthday to my mister!

Today is ChrisChris' birthday! 28 years ago today that big 'ol head graced the world with it's presence!

We're celebrating tonight at BDubs, surrounded by a big ol group of friends and *hopefully* a Colt's win against the Titans!

Happy birthday boog! I hope you enjoy it! (Cause you're getting old, and people stop celebrating their birthdays when they're old you know! hahah) Love you!

Time-telling with MK

Did any of you notice something pretty and teal on my wrist from my Vegas recap post?

Yep, for my birthday Chris got me the Michael Kors watch I had been lusting over for months and I. LOVE. IT!


It's such a fun pop of color for any outfit!

[source]

Thanks beebs, Im glad you picked up on the twentysome hints I left on my blog! Love you!

Top 2 Tuesday : Favorite Gifts

The lovely Miss Taylor used my T2T topic this week!
Top 2 Favorite Gifts

1. Eastern Caribbean CruiseChrischris took me on a cruise as a college graduation present, the best part was that he booked it during my birthday so while I graduated in May, we cruised in October (just when it was getting nice and cold in Indiana!). I spent my birthday in St. Thomas it was awesome! It was our first vacation together and my first cruise ever.
A lovely week away from it all was JUST what I needed after 4 years of college!


2. Tiffany & Co. Necklace
I remember walking into Tiffany's and picking out my gift... I was in awe of the store! Everything was so pretty, and I was soo excited that my mom was giving me a piece of Tiffany's jewelry for my 18th birthday!
I don't wear it as often anymore, but I've been thinking about having it shortened a bit and wearing it as a charm bracelet, double wrapped around my wrist! Regardless it will always hold a special place in my heart!


This week was a hard one! I have a whole slew of gifts that I have loved!! Jeesh it took me a while to narrow it down. I'm blessed with amazing family and friends that give awesome gifts!

What were a couple of your most favorite? Come play along!

Burtday!

Please pardon my lack of blogging today... it's my burtday!!

(my cousin Alicia, myself and my bestie Casey... don't you love our 'staches?!)

Fiesta time!

Whoa October... whoa.

We're only 5 days into the month and October is already overwhelming me! I love that my birthday month has 5 weekends to it, but phew they are wearing me out just thinking about them!

I went to add something to the calendar on my phone this morning and froze immediately... look at this!
5 whole days that I don't have SOMETHING going on! Five. Out of 31. That is insane!
So... what are all the braille dots for? (And don't act like that's not what you think of when you see this) Here are a couple things I'm most looking forward to....

[touchdowns] a Sunday full of tailgating then watching the boys in blue at Lucas Oil Stadium

[vows] A friend from high school and her military mister's wedding is at a cute little winery the 16th
[candles] I'll be celebrating my 23rd birthday on the 20th! (That photo is from my 21st birthday)

[jet-setting and betting] I'm taking off to Vegas to spend a few days with this pretty lady and to experience the Sin City for the first time!

Is your October as crazy as mine is? I thought August was supposed to be the hectic month, but the Libra month is out to prove me wrong!