Thanksy Thanks

Well, once again, time has seemed to escape me! With Thanksgiving, weddings, catch-ups with friends, finals approaching, grades due, and the usual work/life/school balance with which to contend, my favorite pastime has fallen by the wayside...Final final next Wednesday...then, I promise to be back!

In the meantime...

Here are some things that I am thankful for on this last day of November:
Essie "bike ride:" Yes, it's superficial and shallow, but somehow finding my perfect pink brings me great joy and gratitude...

The peanut butter cookie smell that filled my apartment when I came home exhausted at 9:00 tonight: I am lucky girl! Thanks M.!

Loved Ones: It was so nice to see family and friends over Thanksgiving. I am lucky to have so many amazing people in my life.

New York, New York: To live in the greatest city in the world is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!

The best class I have ever taken: It's funny, I actually debated dropping this class because I was overwhelmed just looking at the course load on the syllabus. 7 papers later (with still a major final paper to go) it has been the most amazing graduate school experience I have ever had. I have made new and amazing friends through the class, had my perspectives challenged and challenged others' views, and really transformed in many ways as a person. Ahhh yes...the power of education...

(All images via Pinterest)

The Photogenic City

Next Saturday, the boyfriend and I are taking some pictures around this city that we love and that has been our home for the past eight years. We figure with the holidays coming up and the gray hairs beginning to sprout, now is as good a time as any to memorialize our favorite places here. That, and we can finally send out those shiny, mass-produced, happy holiday photographs!

We hired a photographer (recommendation to come--if she works out!) who I think does a good job of not being too formal. There is nothing I despise more than stiff, formal photos. Today, as I walked home through Central Park, I began thinking about places to capture shots around the city. There are so many that it is hard to narrow down, but here are a few of my favorite "Photo Ops" around New York City!
Carl Schurz Park: I mention this neighborhood park frequently, as it is truly a New York City gem. It is never overcrowded, always carefully groomed, and it contains our favorite dog park!

Stoops: I love a good New York City stoop. Whether it's in Brooklyn or scattered across the upper west side, graffiti covered, or a picture-perfect brownstone with ascending flowerpots, I find the stoop quintessentially New York!

Taxi Cabs: Ahhh yes...the iconic taxicab; canary yellow, black, bold, typography...Someday, this type of taxicab will reveal the era that the pictures were taken and I love that idea.

Central Park: Filled with subcategories, as there are so many amazing photo opportunities around the park, this is one of my favorite places to take pictures in the city. While we may avoid Bethesda Fountain, since everyone else in the world doesn't, there are still many a gems to be found on the quest for the perfect photograph in Central Park.

The Corner Store: One of my favorite things about NYC is that something is always open. The corner store can be counted on for midnight memory lapses, holidays, chocolate cravings, we-ran-out-of-toilet-paper-and-it's-two-in-the-morning, and they always seem to have an excellent flower selection. For this reason, they have earned a coveted spot in the best photo-ops in NYC list!

With all these lovely places in mind, now I just have to hope that the leaves will stay just as brilliant until Saturday and that I can manage the 6 AM wake-up call--since apparently, that is when the light is best in this metropolis...sigh...

Friday Footnotes

Well, I have been on quite the hiatus! Life, as you well know, is busy and these past few weeks have been filled to the brim with commitments (both exciting and mundane), which have made it difficult to make time for my favorite pastime of blogging. That said, here are some lovely things that I am enjoying on this beautiful, fall Friday with the auspicious date: 11/11/11!

The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League. This exhibit at the Jewish Museum was fascinating and I recommend it. They have free admission on Saturdays until 5:45 too! The boyfriend and I went last Saturday and found the photographs to be an amazing reflection of every day, urban life during the Great Depression in New York City. Check it out!

From The Jewish Museum Website 

Not to focus entirely on museums or anything, but another exhibit that looks like it is going to be so much fun is the exhibit at The New Museum: Carston Holler "The Experience." In this exhibit, he transports museumgoers back into childhood where they ride the carousal, fly down a giant slide, try on upside down goggles, and experience zero gravity. Now that's my kind of museum! I can't wait to head down there today after a stop at The Meatball Shop...YUM!

From the Huffington Post 

Precious Knowledge: This film is being screened on Saturday up at the Schomburg and I can't wait to attend! Click HERE for the trailer. 

My date tonight with the boyfriend...we are heading to The Mussel Pot, which is one of my favorite places to indulge in one of my favorite dishes...MUSSELS!!! I think I will order the Thai mussels...yum...perfection! The last time we walked by this street was on Halloween as we headed over to the Village Halloween Parade and, on the way, we saw a lovely little wine bar that we plan to stop at tonight as well. In my mind, there is no better way to spend a Friday; wine, mussels, good company! 

Happy, happy Friday!