32 isn't so bad...

When you have a husband like mine :)

He seriously made me feel special this year.  He always goes above and beyond but this year was especially nice.

My birthday was Monday so we started the celebration the Saturday before.

Husband made reservations at an adorably upscale bed and breakfast in a little town in Pennsylvania about 2 1/2 hours south of us.

Introducing Hotel Fauchere.  This place was seriously incredible.  Upon checkin, we were greeted with a glass of wine (for Nick, anyway) and surprised to have our room upgraded to the best room in the house.

We spent a lot of time relaxing on our private balcony.  Nick was in love with the marble covered bathroom.  The hotel dates back to 1852 and the room had some of the original charm intact but was tastefully updated and very comfortable.

Milford, PA, where the hotel was located felt like a town forgotten by time... it was one little main street with quaint shops and restaurants.  We went out for a quick walk before dinner and being 6 months pregnant, I naturally made Nick take me to the old-fashioned candy shoppe for fudge and penny candy.  Had we not had dinner reservations shortly thereafter I'm sure I would've stuffed my face with ice cream as well ;)

That night, we enjoyed a fantastically creative 7 course dinner.

Yes, that is a potted "plant" salad, a rock (with sliced bear) and a log (with foie gras) used as plates and on the bottom left is puffed clay.  Who knew you could eat clay?  It was surprisingly not bad.  For as odd as it looks, this dinner was delicious.

After dinner, we retired to our room to find a placard on the bed stating that if we chose, we could call the front desk for cookies, cold milk and a bed time story delivered to our room.  We were a little leery of the bed time story so we passed.  But cute thought, right?

As if being pampered with an overnight get-away wasn't enough, husband surprised me with the most amazing birthday gift... the DSLR camera I've been lusting after for a year.  I can't wait to learn how to use this thing.  Taking pictures of Bakmi with this will be so much better than with our little point and shoot.  The dogs will probably get tired of being my test subjects over the next few months.

Then on Monday (my actual birthday), I was presented with this gorgeous arrangement at my office.  I love surprise flower deliveries!  They were so fragrant that my office smelled incredible all week.  Now they're sitting on my kitchen table, still as fresh as they were 6 days ago.

The finale of birthday weekend was a dinner at one of our favorite places in Albany, Cafe Capriccio.

So.  No complaints about turning 32.  I had an amazing weekend with my favorite person and still feel like a 25 year old :)

Because I don't want to forget...

So.  I'm super late with this post.

We already know this, but my husband is seriously the best ever.  For our second anniversary (way back on November 8th), he planned the most amazing getaway to the city.  The only details he gave were what to pack.  I love surprise trips!

Now let's see how well I do at recalling the details of something that happened over 4 months ago.

Day 1:  lunch at my favorite NYC lunch spot, Jean-Georges. After a delicious lunch (that I apparently failed to document), husband surprised me with a visit to the Guggenheim.  He knows how obsessed I am with Frank Lloyd Wright (he designed the building) and that I've always wanted to go, so we went!  The exhibits change throughout the year and the one there that day was created by Maurizio Cattelan.  It was a crazy display of suspended, um, stuff.  (I'm totally not up on my art terminology.) Photos below.  The Guggenheim is such a neat building... it's literally a spiral that takes you all the way up (or down as we did it) in a circle so you're able to view the exhibit from all possible angles.  There was also a pretty bad-ass Kandinsky exhibit that I wasn't allowed to photograph.

Later that night we went to dinner with Sis, Nunz and Scooter.  How terrible is it that I don't recall the name of the restaurant?  Oh well.  It was fun.  And I got to wear one of my favorite outfits :)

Day 2: I awoke to more surprises.  Husband told me, however, to make sure I shaved my legs.  Pretty much a dead give-away.  Um, hello massage!  He whisked me off to Bliss Spa for a glorious 60 minute massage followed by a Shellac manicure.  Heaven.  After that, we walked to one of my new favorite places in the city, Eataly!  This place is seriously amazing.  It's a giant Italian grocery store with several different cafe areas to sit and grab a bite and a glass (bottle!) of wine.  And on the roof is a beautiful open bar where we had more wine and cheese :)  Sis joined us for this, too.  

Since it was such a beautiful November day, husband had one more surprise for me.  We walked back to our hotel on the High Line!  The High Line is a fairly new park.  It was originally built above the city as a freight line in the 1930s.  It sat neglected for decades until being transformed into a beautiful park.  It runs from Chelsea to mid-town (ish... I'm not terribly up on my NYC geography) and we walked the entire thing.  It was quite unique to see the city from such a different vantage point.  Can't wait to walk it again!

                

Day 2 ended with a fabulous dinner at  "our" table at our most favorite restaurant, Daniel.  Again, no pictures, but it was the perfect end to a perfect anniversary trip. 

Happy 2 year (and 4 month) anniversary, Babe!

   

V-Day 2012

Delivered to my office yesterday with the note:

"I love us"

All I needed and more.

Oh Napa, how I miss thee.

So.  I got into my car yesterday to head to an appointment and turned on the whore.  I mean GPS.  We just call her Whore because she likes to give bad directions.  Moving on.  I was going to a destination that I knew I had previously typed in so I tapped the Recent Destinations button.  Sadly, the first thing to pop up was Viader Winery.  A mere 2355 miles to the west.  Sigh.

Oh Napa Valley, we'll meet again, won't we?

If you recall, the husband and I headed to CA about a month ago (I'm so awesome at keeping my blog updated) for an awards-slash-anniversary celebration.

Since I think that literally all of my followers know me in real life and have heard the stories, I'll spare the details and just hit on the highlights.  Like my pretty green dress.  

Here is husband at the awards ceremony accepting the three (THREE!!) awards he won, from Mark at Sante Magazine.  Service Hospitality, Wine Hospitality and Spirits Hospitality.  Yay Yono's!

We met some pretty fantastic people at the Sante events throughout the week. Now we have new friends with amazing restaurants all over the country. And vacation destinations for a lifetime.

We made sure to teach our new friends the infamous "look-away".  They're now using it in their home states.  Love that we're spreading ridiculous traditions nation-wide! 

A plate like this appeared in front of us no less than three times throughout the week.  Who am I to turn down free dessert?

A winery highlight.  Loved this place.

Nick standing next to Chef Morimoto (pretending he doesn't know me as I'm taking picture after picture) at his new downtown Napa restaurant.

"A vanilla milkshake will make me feel better", said in a 4 year old's drawn-out whiny-voice, was one of the better lines I moaned during our honeymoon last year.  But seriously, these vanilla milkshakes will cure anyone's hangover.  And the shrimp tacos?  So good we tried to recreate them at home last week.  Best lunch spot in town.  Gott's.  Not our house.

Me at a winery.  Too bad I don't recall which.  Reason #3,463 I should update my blog in a more timely fashion.

 Me after too much wine at aforementioned unnamed winery.  Apparently I like to look at myself.  And document it.  I ooze cool-ness.

We got a little bored listening to our tour guide drone on and on (thinking he was the funniest thing alive) at Robert Mondavi.  So we opted for a photo-shoot to keep us occupied.  Awesome room though, right?

The husband, looking all GQ at Viader.

 We even found a dachshund to play with at one of the wineries!  Kiss kiss, Bisou!

 Between last year's trip and this one, I think we spent enough time at the bar at Bouchon to be considered regulars.  The bartender recognized us a full year later.  Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.  ha

Oh, pretty Villagio.  How I long for your luxurious hopsitality.  And your afternoon tea. 

Until next time, Napa Valley.  Don't forget me.

xoxo

One year down.

Showing off our marital bling.

One year ago today, we said I do.

And I still do.

I love you more each day and love the life we have created together. 

It's nice to have a BIP ;)

Happy Anniversary, Babe.

xo times a million.

Honeymoon Redo

First of all, I realized yesterday that I never did a honeymoon post. Shame on me. Seeing that it was hands-down THE best vacation I've ever been on, I probably should do a post sometime.

However, that time is not now... would take way too long and I am far too lazy.

On with my original thought...

Once again, thanks to my husband's awesomeness and the hard work of him, his parents and employees, we get to go back to Napa and relive the amazing experience we had on our honeymoon!! And coincidentally we'll be going over the weekend of our first anniversary. Perfect, no?

Yono's, the fine dining side of dp: An American Brasserie, was recognized with not one, not two, but three awards from Sante Magazine. Yono's was named the 2010 regional winner for Culinary Hospitality, Wine Hospitality and Spirits Hospitality. Complete list here.

I'm so proud of my husband and in-laws. The restaurants are truly fantastic and it's nice to see that fact recognized by someone else. 'Cause you know, I'm probably just a little biased ;)

Congrats husband... SO excited that we'll be seeing this same view in just a few short weeks!!

Pack a bag and let's go...

...is basically what the husband said to me a couple of weeks ago. I believe it was a Thursday when he told me that he was whisking me away for an overnight on Sunday. He wouldn't spill the details. All he would give me was that I needed to dress casually on Sunday, wearing shoes I can walk in (this was of great importance, as I have a serious love of heels) and bring something fancier for dinner. He also said we were going someplace near water, which, being in upstate NY could've meant a number of places. "Oh, and don't worry about work the next day because I called your boss and said you'd be late." Too bad he can't do that everyday ;)

Anyway. Sunday rolls around and off we go. We start heading north and ideas start popping into my head. First stop: The Chocolate Mill in Glens Falls for brunch.

Let's stop right here for a moment, shall we? See this picture below?

Does. Not. Do. Justice. to the deliciousness that were these apple-filled "pancakes". I also had the most perfect white hot chocolate. Where's the picture? Nope, didn't get one... I was far too busy guzzling it to stop and snap a pic. And aside from the fantastic meals this place offers, they make gourmet chocolates, selling for something ridiculous like $35/lb. We bought some anyway.

So now that we've got full bellies we can continue our journey north.

Per usual, I'm babbling away in the car... something about wanting to go to the outlet mall in St. Louis on my trip the following week when (I kid you not) we pull into the Adirondack Outlet Mall. I must be psychic.

And can I tell you? My husband is way too generous. Not that I'm complaining. What girl wouldn't want these beautiful Kenneth Cole boots purchased for her? That's right, no one. And if there is someone who would turn them down, pick up a size 8.5 and send them to me. Please and thanks.

I was also the lucky recipient of a new Coach wallet, a pair of skanky-sexy knee-high ivory Nine West boots and a few new articles of clothing from Banana Republic. Love.

What about my poor (now in the literal and figurative sense) husband? No worries, he left with some new boxer shorts. That's enough to keep any man happy, right?

Onward.

Continuing north, I now have a damn good idea of where we're headed and I am SO glad I was right.

Behold the gorgeous Sagamore Resort on Lake George.

Doesn't it remind you of kind of a cross between the resort from Dirty Dancing and the hotel from The Shining? Love it.

After checking into our deluxe king room with lake views,

we had a drink at a quite cliched bar in the resort. Definitely wouldn't know we're in the Adirondacks, would ya? ;)

From there, we went outside to walk the grounds and enjoy the beautiful early fall weather.

Then we stopped on the veranda for another drink. Sensing a theme yet? While seated, we even got to watch a wedding take place. See all the little people behind me? Wedding guests.

After the latest round of drinks, we retired to our room to rest up and change before more drinks. I mean dinner. Well, in actuality it was bottle after bottle of wine with a cocktail or two thrown in, served with a side of dinner ;)

What can I say? It was vacation!

And it was fabulous :)