Ok people, here’s the summary of my amazing, wonderful year: where I went, what I ate, what I did, what I watched, what I read etc. I’m going to try to encompass it all. Keep in mind, I only started writing this blog in August, so you guys have missed a few very exciting months that I will allude to here.
First and foremost: where I ate or drank, in kind of random order. There are oh, so many places it’s overwhelming to even think about. Luckily, I keep most things in my iPad calendar, so it’s a pretty good reference:
Morris Tap & Grill in Jersey (yum), MP Taverna in Astoria (a bad date before I met Justin, but damn that Octopus was delicious), Bayou in SI (more than once), Beso in SI (more than once), Thirsty Koala in Astoria, Labrador Lounge down the Jersey Shore for an awesome wedding shower, Bocelli’s in SI, Las Olas in Hoboken, Houston Hall in NYC, Flatiron Room in NYC, Extra Virgin in NYC, Thatcher McGee’s in NJ, Montmarte in NYC, the beer garden at The Standard Hotel in NYC, Max and Mira’s in Hoboken, Blue in SI (more than once), Mint in Westchester, NY, Bodhi Tree in NYC, aMuse in Rehobath Beach Delaware, Hanlopen Oyster Bar in Rehobath Beach Delaware, Tiny’s and the Bar Upstairs in NYC (first date with Justin!), Urban Table in Morristown, The Cuban in Hoboken, Northern Spy Food Company in NYC, Randazzo’s Clam Bar in Brooklyn NY, Prime Meat in Brooklyn NY, Fig and Olive in NYC, Le Souk Harem in NYC (sucked majorly), Victory Cantina in SI, 2nd Floor on Clinton in NYC (awesome speakeasy – please go), Plan B in NYC, Pho Mac in SI, Yuca Bar in NYC, Dos Comino’s in NYC, Portobello Cafe in SI, Beauty and Essex in NYC, The Cannibal in NYC, Marc Forgione’s in NYC, Resto in NYC, Milk and Honey in NYC (another awesome, awesome speakeasy), The Old Rabbit Club in NYC (yup, that’s a bar too), Carol’s Cafe in SI, Gatsby’s on the Bay in SI, Paco’s Taco’s in SI, South Fin Grill in SI, Char 4 in Brooklyn NJ, Lee’s Tavern in SI, Griff’s Bar in SI (who doesn’t love a dive once in a while?), Alor Pasta in SI (many, many times), Joe & Pat’s in SI, Alor Cafe in SI (better for brunch than for dinner), Fushimi in SI, WD-50 in NYC, the Manor in SI, Lemongrass Thai in NJ, Empire East Chinese take-out in SI, GoBo in NYC (since closed), Nini’s Cafe in SI, Marta in NYC, Brioso’s in SI, Taste of India in SI, Momofuku Milk Bar in Brooklyn, One if By Land Two if by Sea in NYC, Gato in NYC, Toro in NYC, Troy in SI, Scarpetta in NYC, the NoMad Library in NYC, Talde in Brooklyn, Anejo in NYC, the Glasserie in Brooklyn, Blue Ribbon Brasserie in NYC, M. Wells in Long Island City, Above Rooftop in NYC (not my scene), Michael’s Meatballs and Martinis in SI, Pizzaria Giove in SI, La Sirene in NYC, and not to mention some of the most amazing and impressive and delicious home cooking I have ever had (including pork belly, ribs, creamy polenta, whole roasted branzino, oysters,Yorkshire pudding, homemade gnocchi, bread pudding, mussels, salads, brisket burgers, foie gras, crispy salmon, fish tacos, luscious steaks, seafood lasagna, the most amazing simple pan roasted chicken breast I’ve ever had, chicken puttanesca, curried soups and curried meats, vegetable sides up the wazoo, you name it he cooks it).
Here is pretty much everything else: what I did/saw/loved/lived:
Went to an Umphrey’s McGee show at the Beacon Theater (another bad date before Justin, but a cool experience), saw Fresh Fall Fest at Beacon Theater including Bleachers, Ingrid Michaelson, Matt Nathanson, saw a Billy Joel concert at MSG (glorious dream come true), saw Hozier and James Bay Concert at Irving Plaza, saw The Grinch at MSG (I really do love the Grinch), attended a martini making class in NYC, attended a painting class with wine in Philly, successfully completed Organic Avenue three day juice cleanse (might have to consider repeating this for the new year), attended wedding at the Downtown Club in Philadelphia PA, organized and attended a bachelorette party in Rehobath Beach Delaware (stayed at the Avenue Inn, with awesome massage at their spa), attended a wedding at the Tarrytown House Estate in Westchester NY, completed Mudderella (fun but never, ever doing that again), watched movies (Her, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Grand Budapest Hotel, all of the Hunger Games series so far, Chef, The Godfather, Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life, Wolf of Wall Street, Closer, probably a bunch more I’m forgetting), Vance Joy concert at Webster Hall, watched TV shows (Homeland, House of Cards, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Breaking Bad, Top Chef), read stuff (Food and Wine Magazine religiously, The First Phone Call from Heaven (despised), the Lowland (loved), I Know this Much is True (liked, but took months to get through), The Fault in Our Stars (pretty good), Catch 22 (couldn’t get through it – will watch movie instead), The Giver (just started it), got trained in Narcan (a heroin overdose first response intervention), a wedding at the Mallard Yacht Club in LBI NJ, a pig roast Upstate NY at a friend’s beautiful home and stayed at the amazing 1850 House Bed and Breakfast, fell in love with bourbon, fell in love with Justin, got the worst sunburn of my life walking 9 miles on the boardwalk to the old Fort Wadsworth, moved in with Justin, watched a boxing match in Williamsburg Brooklyn, attended a Christening at the Excelsior Grand in SI, went to a Black Keys Concert at the Barclay’s Center, got laser hair removal (expensive and didn’t work so great), went on a Cruise to Bermuda on the Celebrity Summit with some of the best cruise food/drink/service/entertainment I could have imagined (the massage kind of sucked though), attended my brother’s engagement party, made homemade jarred tomato sauce to last a year with some pretty badass Italians, baked (rainbow cookies, pignoli cookies, raspberry chocolate bars, the failed sfogliatelles, black bean brownies), discovered the gloriousness and ease of food shopping on Fresh Direct, went to the Rock the BBQ food wine and beer event at Laurita Winery in NJ, learned to play the Italian card game Scopa and won $200 so far from Justin, saw Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall, went to a Bastille concert at Radio City Music Hall, chopped of my hair and donated it, went upstate for a long weekend with Justin and my family – lost miserably in Cards Against Humanity, started a blog (including twitter, instagram, Facebook, and pinterest pages), started working a second job.
I’m not sure how I feel about New Year’s Resolutions. Of course, it’s always on the list to start working out and eat healthier and to get into better shape. But reflecting on the year I had, I just really want to keep going. I think I grew up over this past year. I have learned what I want and expect from my relationships, and I’ve made some realizations on what I definitely do not want and refuse to accept anymore. I am blessed in so many ways, and thankful for everything that I have. I don’t want to talk too much about this mushy stuff in this blog, as my personal life is really not what it’s all about. But I will say that I have the most loyal and loving family, friends, and now boyfriend, that I could ever want. And I am confident in myself, more than I have ever been, as a great person: a good friend, daughter, sister, coworker, and girlfriend. I have the best job in the world, and live in the greatest city in the world. So yeah, maybe I’ll try to lose 5 or 10 pounds in 2015. But other than that, I want to keep living exactly as I am – enjoying every single second – and to continue sharing it with you.