Backwords Blog Title!

Backwords Blog Title?! What the heck does that mean? Well, it means exactly what it says, flip my blog title "From KC to NYC" and what do you get? You get "From NYC to KC!" Yup, that's right, this Kansas girl is switching things up AGAIN, only this time leaving New York City and heading back to Kansas City! Crazy exciting, right!? But wait, that's not even the best part. The best part is i'm returning to Kansas City with SO MUCH more than what I came with. With that being said, let me reflect on what exactly I did come with, and what's a better way to do that then to revisit to my very first blog post from February 2010 titled, "New Year, New City."

Here's an excerpt:
After just explaining how close I am to my family, how much I love them and how hard it was to leave them...
"So perhaps you are asking yourselves, if I am so close to my family why did I decide to move? It’s simple...I am young, single and free. I didn’t have anything keeping me in Kansas City and I realize that if I don’t try new things now while I can, I probably never will. I know that when I get a bit older, fall in love and settle down to raise a family, I will no doubt want to be near my family in Kansas, so now is really the only opportunity I have to be spontaneous and live wherever I want to live."

Now, reading this passage from my first blog post explains why I decided to move to New York. It also partialy explains what I came with: freedom, determination, sadness, exitement and so much more! I came with the mindset that I would get a good job, gain experience as a young professional and partake in exciting new adventures and that's exactly what I did. Now, back to what I came with. Other than a postive attitude, I came with 2 suitcases and a few hundred bucks so when I say, "I'm returning to Kansas City with so much more than I came with!" What do I mean? I mean other than returning with amazing experiences both in my personal and professional life and a totally different outlook on life in general, I'm literally coming back with twice the luggage and his name is Alex! Yes, that's right, Alex and I have decided to relocate to Kansas TOGETHER! I'll give you a moment to take that last statement in.

Ok, you ready to continue? No? Ok, let it sink in for another moment and then we'll continue. I totally understand how you're feeling, believe me, I felt the same shock and excitement as you do right now!

Ok, now that the news is out there, let's discuss how this all came to be. It started with Alex's simple visit to KC during the holidays, continued with a conversation about how I had always planned to move back to KC after a year or two in the city, followed with Alex's open-mindedness to the idea of moving to KC one day, moved forward with Alex bidding on a job transfer with his office that could take years to get approved, came to a climax when they told him that there was a rare opportunity in Leavenworth, KS NOW, followed with MULTIPLE conversations and decision making factors and ended with us moving to Kansas!

I know what you're thinking, WOW, that was fast! Believe me, I know. This whole thing happened really fast. I mean one minute we're simply discusing the idea of moving to Kansas one day and the next he's signing an offer letter from his job. Yes there was so much in between, but still, we went from 0 to 60 in what seems like 2 minutes flat. I can't even begin to describe how many conversations we had about this decision, it seems like a million. It's literally all we talked about for weeks, the what ifs, the pros, the cons, the other ten million things we had to think about when making our final decision. It was honestly a lot of pressure for both of us and I would be lying if I said there weren't a few heated discusions and tears that played out. We basically made a mental list of all the positives and negatives and when it came down to it, the positive side was heavy and we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to find out how it would work. We were so afraid that if Alex didn't take this job opportunity that he wouldn't get another one close to KC for a long time so we took the leap of faith and decided to move forward with relocating.

Although Alex and I are both nervous to make this move (him more than I seeing as I'm from Kansas City), we are also very excited. With the cost of living in KC so much less than New York City, we'll be able to have things/do things that we wouldn't have the opportunity to do in NYC. We'll be able to live a life that we couldn't live in the city. Alex has always wanted to own a house, to have a garage and a backyard, to have space and tranquility and to live the all-american white picket fence family lifestyle. These are all things he's never had living in the Bronx for almost his whole life and he couldn't be more thrilled to finally see these things within his reach. He's been amazing during this entire decision making process and the one thing we both know after the multiple descusions we've had over the past several weeks is that no matter what our future holds, no matter where we live, we know that being together is really the only must-have and that revalation in itself is amazing!

After making our decision to leave the big bad city and move to Kansas, we realized time was limited so we kicked it in high gear and have done so much in a little amount of time. First, I left Patch. My last day was Friday, April 15 and let me just say, it was sad. Seeing Patch HQ grow from about 30 people in 1 suite to over a hundred people in 9 suites was amazing! I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with so many different people on such a wide variety of projects. During my time at Patch the one and only constant was working with amazing people who are smart and passionate about what they do and it is truly motivating. I can honestly say that I've worked with the best of the best (which is quite the accomplishment considering Patch was my first job right out of college!) and am proud to have contributed to such a great company! I knew it would be hard, but it ended up being tougher than I expected. :/ My only hope is I find another great company that can live up to my high expectations, or at least get close! ;-)

Farewell flowers on my last day at Patch

Alex's last day at his job in NYC was also April 15 and his co-workers threw him a very nice going away party complete with cake, gifts, stories and good-bye tears. He's worked at the same place for 12 years so you can imagine it was hard for him to say good-bye to all the friends he's made over time.

Good-bye cake on Alex's last day of work in NYC

Since then, we've spent several days tieing up loose ends. Everything from renting a moving truck, subleasing my apartment, canceling gym memberships, updating our account information with a KS address, getting Alex's car cleaned and painted, switching banks, and so much more! We've also spent time doing our best to soak up the city while we can. Everything from having drinks at our favorite happy hour spot, eating at our favorite restaraunts, going to a Yankee's Game and playing handball at a Bronx park (very popular in NY). Today, I even went to Rockefellar center to walk around a bit, went to Dash NYC (The Kardashian boutique in Soho), and had a slice of pizza at the famous and orignial Ray's (the first ever in NYC) that's boasted about on the travel chanel among other places.

Friday night happy hour at XES then dinner at Pongsri Thai Restaurant (2 fav places in NYC)

Alex HAD to go to Yankee Stadium before he leaves!

Enjoying the Yanks Game and soaking up NYC before we leave!

Couldn't leave NYC without shopping at Dash NYC (even though I couldn't afford anything)

Kardashian sisters, which remind me a lot of me and my sisters (I can't wait to live near them again!)

What's next you ask? Well, Thursday & Friday will consist of serious packing considering Alex and I have both put this off until the last minute. Saturday morning we'll pick up the moving truck, load all of our stuff and then head to New Jersey where my uncle will load up his stuff too as he's also moving back home to Kansas City. Yup, that's right. After living in the city for 14 years, he's also made the decision to move back to Kansas, so Alex and I will have company on our long drive (About 22 hours that we're splitting up in 2 days) from the East Coast to the Midwest. I'm very excited that my Tio is coming with us as that will put the entire family in one location.

My Tio Marty had told me once when I first moved here that, "everyone should live in the city at least once for a little while, you learn so much." And he was SO right, I learned more than I even expected. I feel like I did what I came to do and although I am sad to have left Patch and am sad to be leaving New York, I am also VERY EXCITED to live near family again, especially my niece and nephews, skyping with them just isn't enough anymore. All 3 of them are getting so big and I'm so tired of missing out on watching them grow. I'm also excited to start a new job, whatever it may be. I'm currently looking for opportunities so wish me luck in the search! And of course, like any true Midwesterner, I'm thrilled to enjoy backyard barbeques this summer. The idea of sitting outside with Alex, my family and the kids, eating BBQ and just enjoying eachother's company puts a huge smile on my face. And to be able to watch my Jayhawks, the Royals and Chiefs on local TV again, oh the joy! Gosh, there are so many little things I miss about KC - I'm so ready to get back to my roots! ;-)

When I said last post that I would be home for Easter in April and that it was going to be a bit crazy, I wasn't lying. Unforunately, because of the big move, I'm unable to make it home for Easter like I had planned, but obviously canceling my flight home for Easter weekend is a small price to pay in order to move home indefinitely!

Alex and I have SO much to look forward to and are ecstatic to embark on this journey. The next chapter of our lives is going to be quite the adventure and I know it will take time and patience for Alex to adapt to a new lifestyle, but I'm hoping that after the culture shock wares off, he'll love our lives together in Kansas! I can't help but feel a little bit guilty as he's the one leaving his family to move near mine. I know EXACTLY what it feels like to move away from loved ones so I can empathize with him and just hope that the transition goes well.

Wish us luck on our 2-day drive to KC and keep Alex in your prayers that he may find the strength to adjust to and enjoy life in Kansas despite being away from his family.

March really has been Madness!

The title of this post say it all - March has been mad crazy! (I’m so New York using this lingo)

The madness began with Patch, Set, Hit, the company volleyball team I started in the fall of 2010. Our first season was fun, but nothing compared to our second season. Every Thursday for 8 weeks about 10 of my co-workers and me put our game faces on and rocked the volleyball court. We had so much fun during the games and at the post-game bar celebrations. We not only made it to the playoffs, but based on our record, we were seeded #2 which means we got a bye the first round and headed straight to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, we fell just short of a victory, but redeemed ourselves in the next game taking the 3rd place bronze medal. In addition to medals, we won a $50 bar tab at a nearby bar so we celebrated our season with a couple of pitchers. It was a lot of fun and let’s just say, we were all a little bit sluggish the following Friday at work!

Patch Set Hit - 3rd place bronze medalists

Celebrating with free beer!

March 11 was Alex’s Birthday and to celebrate I took him to a really swanky Puerto Rican restaurant called Sazon. We had a delicious meal upstairs, complete with desert and a birthday serenade by the waiters (despite the fact that Alex told me not to tell them it was his birthday!) and then headed downstairs to the club part of Sazon. I enjoyed a few pina coladas while Alex enjoyed some Coronas and we danced the night away. Ok, so we only danced for about an hour, but it was still really fun. I’m slowly but surely getting the hang of salsa. I love the fact that Alex can dance, and actually enjoys it. I’m used to dating guys that refuse to get out on the dance floor at weddings unless they are drunk and busting some ridiculous moves. It’s the first time I have ever dated a Hispanic so I’m excited to take Alex to family functions where we listen and dance to Spanish music, he’ll fit right in! I also love that he enjoys teaching me things and for the most part, is patient with me. In addition to salsa, he is also teaching me how to play pool. A few weekends ago we had dinner and then headed to a pool hall in the Bronx where we had a few drinks and Alex taught me “how it’s done” (as he said it). I’ll be honest, I’m not all that great, but we still had fun. That’s one thing that is definitely not lacking in our relationship – fun. We honestly have so much fun together, even on the nights we don’t really do anything, we end up laughing and having a good time no matter what. Can you tell I’m totally smitten!?

Alex & me out for his birthday

The Birthday Boy enjoying his tres leches at Sazon

In true March Madness news, I enjoyed watching KU games either at home or at the Village Pourhouse, a Kansas bar in Manhattan. We started the tournament off strong, but unfortunately couldn’t pull out a win in the Elite 8. I was SO bummed when Cinderella Story VCU beat KU to make it to the Final 4. I seriously wanted to shed a tear, but I didn’t. This year’s tournament was full of upsets, which is why my hopes to win this year’s bracket challenge at work went out the window. Overall, the Jayhawks had a great season so I can’t complain; we can’t win it every year!

Even though I love March Madness and look forward to it every year, it wasn’t the highlight of my month this time around. This year, March was special because my 2 sisters and brother-in-laws came to visit me in NYC! Starting March 1 I literally counted down the days until they arrived on March 16. I spent the entire evening before their arrival cleaning my entire apartment so it could be ready, and partly because I wanted to waste the time away to make it go by faster, the anticipation was just killing me! The time finally came and they were at my door step, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. We didn’t get to bed until about 2 am and then woke up Thursday morning, St. Patrick’s Day to take a NY Waterway cruise around the harbor. This was just the first of many adventures we had during their 4-day visit. You can read all about it on my sister Andrea’s Blog (Days 1 & 2 - Days 3 & 4). What I can tell you is that it consisted of A LOT of walking, sight seeing, talking, smiling, laughing, a little bit of eating (they say I was a slave driver who walked them to death and deprived them of food, lol) and a whole lot of fun!

Here is their visit in pictures!

Visiting my office in SoHo

Stopped at the famous Ferrara's for some italian desserts

Subway smiles!

Brooklyn diner breakfast

Time Square

Central Park

Radio City Music Hall

Andrea & George at Rockefeller Center

Empire State Building

Jersey Boys on Broadway!

Sisters, Best Friends!

Kim & Michael in Hoboken, NJ, NYC in the background

Carlo's Bake Shop from Cake Boss

Stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge

Statue of Liberty

NYC Harbor Cruise

I was so sad to see them go, but considering it was 5am on Monday and I had to be at work in a few hours, I was too tired to shed any tears. I bid them farewell, but knew I’d see them for Easter in April so it wasn’t as hard as some previous goodbyes. Overall, we had a fabulous time together in NYC and I’m so thankful they took the time, money and sacrifice of leaving their kiddos behind to come visit their little sister in the big apple. I appreciate and love my sisters (and brother-in-laws) very much!

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I decided to try Nutrisystem in addition to my exercise program to help achieve my Project Get Fit goals. It has definitely been a challenge, especially considering I cheated during the weekend my sisters were in town, but overall, my first month has gone well. The month of April is going to be a bit crazy, explanation to come next post, but I plan on continuing NS for another month or two. Wish me luck!

As March concludes, so many things conclude with it. A lot of change is going to take place in the coming months and April will no doubt be a crazy and exciting time. Details to come very soon! ;-)

March brings Spring Fever!

Just like I said I would, I enjoyed President’s Day off! I ended up doing a little shopping and made some great purchases including, 2 new jackets and 3 new pairs of shoes. I know what you’re thinking, I went overboard, but I really didn’t. Let me explain. I had been wanting a black pea coat and a brown North Face and found both for ridiculously awesome prices. You see, I own a red pea coat that I love, but red doesn’t always match everything and the black pea coat I used to own got stolen from a party a few years ago so I thought it was time I invest in a new one. I found a really cute one on sales at Burlington that I love and that will last me for a few years so I snatched it up. I had also been searching for a brown North Face coat, but either couldn’t find the style I wanted (brown, medium length, fur hood in a large) or could, but couldn’t find it on sale. Since it’s the end of the season, I knew I’d eventually find a good sale and I was right. After looking at several different places, I finally found exactly what I was looking for at half price! I love both my new coats and have already gotten good use out of them because unfortunately, Spring hasn’t hit NY yet and it’s still cold and in the 30s. I haven’t put my new shoes to good use yet, but will, next winter. You see, I bought a new pair of gray heeled boots and a new pair of black ones. I figured it made sense to buy these on sale since it’s the end of the season instead of waiting until next winter to buy them at full price. The third pair of shoes are basic simple black heels that I needed as over the last year of walking the streets of NY, my old ones really got worn down. I haven’t worn the new ones yet, but am excited to bust them out when the weather gets nicer.

I totally have Spring fever as it’s one of my favorite times of the year. First of all, it’s the beginning of March Madness and being a Kansas Jayhawk, it’s always an exciting time of year. Secondly, it’s awards season and I love watching all the shows and, of course, the fashions. I spent last Sunday night watching the Oscars, but unfortunately, I wasn’t that impressed this year. It was still a nice relaxing Sunday night with Alex. Actually, it started out that way, but he left in the middle of the Oscars to catch the Knicks game. Apparently, Carmello is more important than Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Ever since Anthony came to NY, Alex has been more into the Knicks, which basically means now I have to compete with the Yankees AND the Knicks, how’s a girl supposed to get any undivided attention!? ;-) Lastly, I have Spring fever because I’m so ready for the nice warm weather. Last Sunday we had a short 1-day preview of nice weather so Alex and I took advantage by spending the afternoon before the Oscars outside, walking down the Fordham road strip mall. It kind of reminded me of Mass St. in Lawrence which made me start thinking about Kansas, which made me start thinking about my family, which made me super excited for March. In just 2 short weeks my sisters and brother-in-laws are coming to NYC to visit me and I couldn’t be more excited! I have the itinerary ready, tickets for a Broadway show and a harbor boat cruise bought, now all I need to do is clean my apartment! I plan on doing some Spring cleaning next weekend in preparation for their arrival, and let’s face it, because it needs to be done. In all honesty, I actually like Spring cleaning, it’s one of those times of year that I get motivated to clean and organize. Next week is also Alex’s birthday. It’s on Friday, March 11 and I’m hoping to take him out to dinner that night or possibly Saturday. I’m thinking a really nice Puerto Rican restaurant in Tribeca and a Yankees jersey as his gift, shhh, don’t tell! ;-) I’m not sure what else is on the agenda to celebrate his birthday, perhaps we’ll catch a movie after dinner or meet up with his friends for drinks on Saturday. Speaking of movies, this past weekend we went to see “Just Go With It” with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston as Val recommended it and rightfully so, it was hilarious! I haven’t laughed that hard at a movie in a long time (ok, well not that long, since the Hangover!) If you haven’t already, I highly suggest you go see it, you won’t be sorry.

In other news, I have been doing pretty well with my new year’s resolutions. Here is a quick update:

1. Project Get Fit – Yesterday was the completion of my 12-week training program at the YMCA. I met with my personal trainer to discuss how it went and the consensus, pretty well! In 12 weeks I lost 5 pounds and increased my strength by quite a bit. In almost every strength training exercise, I increased the amount of weight I can lift by 10 pounds and went from being able to do 3 sets of 10 repetitions to 3 sets of 12 repetitions. I also went from doing 30 minutes of cardio per Y visit, to 45-60 minutes. In the beginning, I was able to do a walk/jog combo for about 30 minutes before feeling tired. Now, I do at least 45 minutes of straight cardio only walking about 2 minutes to warm up and 3 to cool down, so it’s about 40 minutes of straight jogging without stopping. Sometimes, when I have a lot of energy, I do a full hour of cardio, something I definitely wasn’t able to do at the beginning of the program. Overall, the program helped me learn a lot about how to target specific areas of my body, which exercises to do and how to do them, and most importantly it helped me get motivated and stay that way! Just because the program is over doesn’t mean that I am, it’s really just the beginning of a healthier me!

2. Learn how to cook – I’m really proud of myself regarding this resolution. Since I’ve made it, I’ve cooked one, if not two, new meals per week. I’ve tried a few Puerto Rican recipes from Alex’s mother and a variety of other ones from family members and online and although some turned out better than others, overall, I’ve learned a lot about cooking already. I’ve also tried a few healthy recipes that are simple and delicious, one of which is baked chicken fingers and homemade baked french fries. The key here is that both are baked, not fried! I’ve also made a Weight Watchers Chicken Enchilada Casserole dish (a recipe my sister Kim’s Mother in Law gave her) that was really yummy!

The final product, they were delicious!

I know it’s only March, but I am already taking a “break” from this resolution. Not because I am giving up, but because I have made the decision to do a 1-month trial of Nutrisystem, which means instead of cooking or eating just anything, I will only be eating Nutrisystem pre-packaged meals. This diet does allow for fruit, veggie and protein additions with the occasional eating out, but for the most part, you stick to the meal plan, which hopefully will aide in my weight loss goals. With my sisters and BILs coming to town this month, I will definitely be eating out for a few days, but I am promising myself to make healthy choices while doing so. I will evaluate my progress over the month of March and let you know how it goes.

3. Read more – As much as I hate to admit it, I haven’t done so well on this resolution. I definitely still read, just not as much as I had hoped to. My weeknights pretty much go like this: Get home from work at 7, hit the gym from about 7:30-9:00pm, come home and eat dinner, take a shower, go to bed. I try to read and then go to bed, but by the time I open a book, I’m already half asleep! I tried reading on the train in the morning and after work, but because I have a slight case of vertigo, it makes me dizzy to read while moving. So this leaves the weekends, which considering I don’t spend a lot of time with Alex during the week, are spent with him as well as working out, doing laundry and cleaning. I know these are technically all excuses, but you have to admit, they are some valid ones! I am definitely going to try and work harder on this resolution in Q2 of this year.

The whole point of my resolutions is to become an overall healthier person, that means in mind, body, and spirit and I feel like I’m off to a good start. In addition to working out, eating healthier, cooking more, and reading more, I’ve also had a 1-hour full body massage and have a facial scheduled for next week. In addition, with the Lenten season approaching, I’m taking up praying on a daily basis. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t pray each and every day like I should, so in an attempt to prepare myself for Easter and to work on the full mind-body-spirit trifecta, I’m going to take a few minutes out of my day and talk to the man upstairs.

Well, I have a volleyball game tonight so I must be going. Wish Patch, Set, Hit luck in our last game before playoffs next week! I’ll let you know how we do in my next post.

February Celebrations

It is only the 20th and I’ve already done my fair share of celebrating and/or partying this month. First a Super Bowl watch party, then a Luau office party, then my 1-year NY anniversary celebration, then my and Alex’s 7 months together and then to top it all off, Valentine’s Day!

First was the Super Bowl party on Feb 6. Alex and I went to his brother’s house to watch the Steelers take on the Packers. Of course my Kansas City Chiefs nor either NY football team was in it so the game itself was pretty pointless to me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love football and knew it would be a good game, but it’s just not the same when you don’t have a team to cheer for. So what did I do? I chose a team. I decided to root for Pittsburgh because I have a few co-worker friends who are fans and I wanted them to get a victory. Alex of course decided to go against me and root for Green Bay. It ended up being a pretty good game, even though “my team” didn’t win. Of course Alex knows I hate to lose, as I am competitive by nature, so he did his fair share of rubbing it in that “his team” won, but it was all fun and games. I enjoyed the game, the food, the company and of course, the commercials. I wasn’t as impressed as past years, but there were a few ads that made me laugh or think, “good marketing strategy.” One example of a chuckle ad was the child Darth Vader using his mind power to start the car while his Dad was inside the house pushing the keyless-entry remote starter button (I will talk more about Darth later, weird I know, but you’ll see why). A good example of the latter was the Faith Hill Teleflora ad, where she tells a guy to “write what’s in his heart” as he’s struggling with what to say on a personal note he’s going to send with the flowers he’s sending his girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. He then writes, “Dear Kim, your rack is unreal.” I literally thought, “Funny, reaching the target audience, timely as Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, overall, good strategic planning on this one!” This was one of many ads that I made marketing strategy remarks on and eventually, Alex stopped me and said something like, “Lisa, you’re ruining this for me because I have no idea what you’re talking about.” LOL, I laughed and said “Sorry, I can’t help that my mind works like that, don’t blame me, blame KU’s J-School!” :-)

With NY experiencing a pretty harsh winter, it’s easy to start experiencing a slight case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. That being said, Patch decided to have a Luau at the office! What better to fight the winter blues than a Hawaiian Luau? Because I have the pleasure of planning events as part of my job at Patch, I was lucky enough to help plan and participate in a really great office happy hour fully equipped with decorations, food and drinks! The piña coladas were delicious and let’s just say I left the office this particular Friday feeling pretty good, which worked out nicely as I left work and headed to Arriba Arriba to celebrate my 1-year NY anniversary with my Tio Marty, Alex and friends.

Piña colada, yum!

Alex and I really enjoyed catching up with my Tio, Teddy and Jixxy (2 friends I met through my Tio right after I moved to NY) while eating delicious Mexican food and drinking the best margs in the city! My first time to Arriba Arriba was during my first trip to NYC when I was 18 and underage drinking (sorry Mom). I ended up getting so drunk off just 2 margaritas that I ended the night throwing up in my uncle’s toilet and sleeping on the bathroom floor. During another visit to NYC with 2 of my college roommates, we enjoyed 2 pitchers of margaritas at Arriba during our meal with both Martin and Jim. Then I moved to NY and have been frequenting the restaurant ever since. So when my Tio suggested Arriba Arriba as the venue for my anniversary celebration, I couldn’t think of a better place. During dinner I thought about everything that has taken place in the last year and it definitely put a smile on my face. Like I mentioned in my last post, it truly has been an amazing year and I’m so thankful for all the opportunities I’ve been given and proud of my accomplishments over the past 365 days. It will definitely be a year I will never forget!

Tio Martin, Teddy & Jixxy at Arriba Arriba

Alex and me at Arriba

As of February 9, Alex and I have been together for 7 months. It’s crazy to think how quickly the time went by. Sometimes it feels like just the other day I was crushing on the mailman trying to make small talk and forcing myself to “put myself out there.” I’m typically not a shy person, but when it came to meeting guys, I wasn’t very confident and definitely didn’t ever let guys know I was interested in them. After multiple chats with my sisters and friends about this “Alex guy” I had a crush on, I received enough encouragement to “hit on” him. I’m so glad my flirtatiousness lead to the exchange of numbers and soon after, a first date. Going out on a limb turned out to be totally worth it and Alex and I have been on some amazing dates and continue to really enjoy spending time together. Recently, we’ve been spending our time watching classic movies. It started because Alex would quote movies and I had no idea what he was talking about. I mean I love movies and watch them all the time, but mostly chick flicks and new stuff. You want to quote How to Lost a Guy in 10 days? Be my guest, I bet I’ll beat you to the next line, but if recite dialogue from Scarface, I’m at a loss, or should I say, I was at a loss when Alex did in fact quote Scarface. Other times we’d be flipping through the movie channels on cable and he’d ask me, “Have you seen this, have you seen that” and most of my answers were, “No.” Which would then follow with a, “You’ve never seen (fill in the movie title here)? Are you kidding me? Babe, it’s a classic. How have you never seen it?” I would usually say something smart aleck like, “Babe, I’m not as old as you, this movie was WAY before my time!” LOL, some of the movies were before his time as well, but he of course, had still seen them all. So all this lead to our new thing, watching classic movies together. We started out with Scarface which led to others like the entire Star Wars collection, Indiana Jones movies, Casino, Cleopatra, and the list goes on. To my surprise, I really liked these movies, especially Star Wars. Now I understand what all the hype is about. This type of movie typically doesn’t interest me, but I really enjoyed all 6 movies. Alex is obsessed with Darth Vador (see, told you I would mention good ‘ol Darth again) and his face would seriously light up when his character came on screen. He thinks he is one of the greatest villains of all time and “an all around bad ass.” You know how they say every couple should have a hobby or something they really enjoy doing together? Well, we found our thing, classic movie watching! Needless to say, I’m super thankful to have met such an amazing man and am grateful for the past 7 months!

Last weekend Alex and I celebrated Valentine’s Day on the Sunday before, February 13. I started the day off by going to the gym and then got a much needed manicure and pedicure. Then I headed to the hair salon to get my hair cut and styled. I love getting my hair cut in NYC because a blow out and style is included in the price of the cut. A blow out for those of you who don’t know is when they take a special brush and blow dryer and blow-dry your hair nice and straight. I love when the stylist does this because it only takes about 30 minutes to get my crazy curls from super curly to sleek and straight. I told my stylist I had a Val date that night so she did something a little extra and barrel-curled my straight locks, the outcome was awesome!

It is so rare for my hair to be straight, but when it is, I love it!

Alex picked me up about 5:00pm and was pleasantly surprised to see my new do. He said I looked beautiful and gave me red roses (smart man, lol! ;-) We headed to Benihana, a Japanese Steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan, for our dinner reservation at 5:30pm. Alex had been before and said it was delicious and he was right, it was great. We followed dinner with some ice cream for dessert and then headed to the Empire State Building. Being a New Yorker, Alex had been to the ESB twice before, but it was my first time so I was more than excited to experience one of the world’s most iconic buildings. Considering it was about 9:00pm on a Sunday night and a little windy outside, there wasn’t a line at all. We walked right in and were sent straight to the elevators. When we got to the observation deck and walked out the door, I was breath-taken (I don’t think this is a real word, but you know what I mean). Partly because the wind was twice as intense that high up in the air, but mostly because it was amazing! Everyone knows that the New York City lights are incredible, but seeing them from this point of view was unbelievable. I could see all 5 boroughs, all the famous bridges, Times Square, the Chrysler Building and just about everything else there is to see in this city. It only took me 4 visits and 1 year as a permanent resident of New York to visit the Empire State Building and I’m so glad that when I finally did, it was with Alex. It was an amazing experience and something I will never forget!

Our chef made a rice heart for Valentine's Day

Alex and I at Benihana

Empire State Building entrance

Alex and I riding the elevator up, up and higher up!

Amazing view of the city

New York City baby!

Alex and me on top of the ESB! :-)

I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day last week and a good President’s Day this week. Sorry for those of you who don’t get the day off, I’ll be thinking about you when I’m sleeping in and enjoying my Monday at home! ;-)

2011 So Far

A New Year brings the inevitable - New Year’s resolutions. I have made three resolutions for myself this year. The first, and most important to me is what I like to call Project Get Fit. I started this project in 2010, but plan to really stick with it in 2011. My overall goals are to lose some pounds, tone up, and improve my overall health. So far it has been going well and I can definitely tell I’m gaining muscle mass from all the weights I’ve been lifting. Now I just have to work on the cardio side of things so I can hopefully shed a few pounds. Unfortunately, losing weight is not easy and something I have been struggling with for a few years now and quite frankly, I am sick of it. I am sick of being self conscious about what I wear and how I look. I am sick of looking at pictures of myself and thinking, “Who is that? Do I really look like that?” I am sick of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin so in addition to the 3-4 times a week workouts, I have been dieting. Nothing too drastic like a no carb diet (because I need my energy!), but instead a low cal diet. I track the calories I intake on a daily basis and try to keep it under 1700. I’m hoping once by body adjusts to this, I can drop it again to about 1500 a day. I’m hoping the exercise in conjunction with the eating healthier will help me reach my Project Get Fit goals. So far I have lost 3 lbs, which isn't a lot, but you have to start somewhere, right?

My second resolution is to learn how to cook. I know how to make a few dishes, but I’m trying to widen my knowledge in order to make a wider variety of foods. This resolution goes hand in hand with Project Get Fit as I’ve been making healthy meals I find online. I have tried a few weight watchers recipes and a few from the healthy choice options on the Food Network. My goal is to cook a healthy meal for myself (and usually Alex) one time a week and I’ve kept with it throughout all of January. Some weeks I’ve even cooked twice in one week, which is quite the accomplishment for someone who is used to eating ramon noodles, macaroni & cheese, and peanut butter sandwiches.

My third resolution is to read more. I have never been a huge reader unless it was my college text books or a good gossip magazine. I think this is partly because I never had a whole lot of spare time on my hands and I am not a super fast reader, but I’m not in school anymore and other than work and working out, I have nothing else to do so I’ve taken up reading. At the end of 2010 I read a Nora Roberts novel, Vision in White, the first book in the Bride Quartet, and I loved it. I guess what they say is true, if you find a good book that interests you, you will love reading. I partly owe this new found entertainment to my sisters and Val. They are all book worms and have all encouraged me to read several books that they really enjoyed. I finally did what they said and opened a book and they were right, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks guys, you were right! In 2011 I plan on reading the remaining 3 novels in the Bride Quartet as well as any other titles that sound interesting.

Other than resolutions, January has brought A LOT of severe winter weather. We are talking exponential amounts of snow, sleet, ice and freezing cold temperatures. I have worked from home three days in one month due to the crazy winter storms. At first I thought it was lovely, the pretty white snow outside and all, but now, I am so over it. I am tired of trudging my way through the slushy mess, freezing my buns off, and almost slipping and falling on the way to the subway station. I am hoping Mother Nature will be a little friendlier to NYC during the month of February.

Outside my kitchen window

Trudging through the snow on my way to work one morning

Lots of snow!

Resolutions, snow, January really has brought a lot to the table, but more importantly, yet regrettably, it has taken something very valuable to me, Val. Returning home from my 11-day vacation in KS was odd this time because when I arrived in NY, Val was missing. Ok, so she wasn’t really missing, as in lost, she was just plain gone. The first few days going to and coming home from work were so weird because I usually made the commute with my BFF and co-worker. I will admit, doing this alone was quite the adjustment, but that wasn’t the worst of it. The worst part was not having anyone to eat dinner with and talk to at night. My roommate Katy works late hours so by the time she gets home from work, I am already headed to my room to read, relax and go to bed. When Val was my roomie, we always had nice chats, sometimes about important things other times about nothing at all, but nevertheless, she was there to talk to me. I’m slowly getting used to coming home to an empty house, and working out in the evenings has helped fill the void, but still, Val is missed. I’m just grateful that she got to spend 4 months in New York with me. We were already close, but I think being roomies in a big, brand new city brought us even closer. We talk on the phone and skype in order to keep in touch and as long as we continue to do so, all will be well.

January came and went in the blink of en eye and before I knew it, February was upon me. Thursday, February 3 was especially notable as it was my one-year anniversary in New York City. I moved to the city on Feb 3, 2010 and I can’t believe an entire year has gone by already. Although the year went by so quickly, I feel like it was a really important year for me. It was my first year out of school. It was the year I worked at my first real job. It was the first year I was living in the real world, paying bills and being a responsible adult. And of course, it was the first year living in one of the biggest and most exciting cities in the world. There were definitely trying times and feelings of fear and uncertainty, but getting through that brought feelings of excitement and accomplishment. Sometimes I still look back and think, what the heck was I thinking? How did I bring myself to pack up and move away from my family, friends and everything familiar to me to live in a place where everything was unknown? I honestly don’t know how (or sometimes even why), but I’m so glad I did. I have learned so much from the experience and it’s definitely one I will never forget and always cherish. I can’t even begin to describe all the things I’ve gained in just one short year, but one that I must mention is the better understanding of myself. I feel like the harder you push yourself and the bigger chance you take, the more you learn about yourself. You know what they say, the bigger the risk, the greater the reward and let me just attempt to say this without sounding conceited; I’m very proud of myself for what I have accomplished in my professional and personal life over the past year. My Tio Martin is proud too so we're going out to celebrate my 1-year NY anniversary next Friday! ;-)

February 9 is Alex and my 7th month together and February 14 is of course Valentine’s Day so needless to say, February should be a good month. This will be my first Valentine’s Day in YEARS that I have had a Valentine so I’m super grateful to have someone as great as Alex to spend it with. In the few short months we have been together I have been so happy and it’s so nice to be reminded how wonderful relationships can be when you’re with a great person. After so many years of being single, I slowly forgot what it felt like to be loved and appreciated. Don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot from being single and I don’t regret at all spending all those years by myself because I think it taught me a lot about myself and how to be independent. It also allowed me to grow and understand myself better which in turn made me realize what I want in life and what I want and need out of a relationship and I’m happy to say that Alex fits the mold. Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone, I hope everyone gets the love they deserve on the 14th and every day of the year! ;-)

Then till Now

Wow, I can’t believe my last update was December 16, over a month and a half ago. Just when I was starting to get good about posting more often, I fell off the wagon. Sorry to all of my loyal readers. Just think of it as I gave you a LONG holiday vacation from reading. Now that we are a month into the New Year, it’s time that I get back on the saddle, so here I go. Giddy up!

As always, the holidays were crazy, fun and busy. Some of the highlights were:

It was the first year that I sent out my own holiday cards. I typically am included in my parents’ card, but since I’m on my own this year, I decided to go ahead and send everyone a card from NYC. I also received quite a few cards from family and friends which was really great because I love getting mail (other than bills!)

I went Christmas shopping in the city, which was quite the experience. I know shopping around the holidays is crazy no matter where you are, but shopping in the city was insane. I felt so overwhelmed and claustrophobic so I went in, got what I needed to get and got the heck out!

I watched the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on TV and then Alex took me (and his daughter and his daughter’s friend) to see the tree a few days later. It was spectacular. I know it looks big on TV, but let me tell you, that tree is huge. It was a really fun night that started out by going to Rock Center, eating street vendor honey roasted peanuts, then was proceeded by touring the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral and driving to Pelham Parkway to see amazing Christmas light displays.

Alex & me in front of the Rock Center Christmas Tree

The most elaborate Christmas light display I've ever seen

Nativity Scene portion of the light display

Katy and I threw a little Going Away/Holiday Party the weekend before Val left. We had snacks and drinks at the house and then headed to a local bar for a few going away shots. It was super sad to see Val go, but I’m so glad I got to spend 4 awesome months with one of my best friends in NYC. Our roomie experience is something I will never forget.

Val's Going Away / Holiday Party

Val is basically a hunk magnet! ;-)

Going Away Shot (#2 I think)

My friends Irina was in town from Switzerland!

My company holiday party, Patch the Halls, was the Tuesday before I left for holiday vacation and turned out to be a fun night. I was on the planning committee so I was doing a bit of behind the scenes stuff, but I still managed to have a good time.

Patch the Halls Holiday Party

The morning after the holiday party, we all (Blake, DJ, Val & I) woke up at 6:00am to embark on our journey back to Kansas. We met up with my Tio Martin in Jersey then headed west. This was my first ever road trip and let me tell you, after approximately 22 hours on the road, it might be my last. My Tio and I took turns driving so it honestly wasn’t too bad. I was so excited to arrive at my parents’ house, but considering it was around 3:30 in the morning, all I really wanted to do was hit the sack.

I spent my first full day back in Kansas by partaking in holiday traditions. I baked Banana Nut Bread with my mom, wrapped Christmas presents, and spent time with my family – my absolute favorite thing to do in the world!

Before I knew it, Christmas Eve was upon us and as always, the Zarate clan celebrated with brunch and opening gifts. Sitting around the table, then the fire with my Grandma, parents, sisters, brother-in-laws, niece and nephews was more special to me this year than any other year. The pics tell the story.

Jaxson & Adurina at Christmas Eve brunch

Carson rocking his new KU hat and chair

Jax & Aunt Wesa

Drina & Mina Sesa

Carson & Auntie Lisa

3 of my favorite people in the world!

I went to Christmas Eve mass with my family then we all headed to my Abuela’s. As always, we ate, drank, played games, chatted and stayed up until midnight waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Once he did, we began opening gifts and sharing memories until the wee hours of the morning.

Cousinly love on Christmas Eve

Because my mom’s family does the Starks Holiday Party – a celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas in early December – we no longer have Christmas Day on my mom’s side of the family, which is why my Christmas day was spent resting and relaxing. I stayed home with my mom and dad watching Christmas movies and let me tell you, it was lovely. I, of course, am sad that I had to miss the Starks Holiday Party and I can’t wait to see my mom’s side of the family again in 2011.

I spent the few days after Christmas and before New Years spending time with my family and friends. I, of course, soaked up Jaxson, Audrina and Carson as much as I possibly could. I just couldn’t get enough of them so I took hundreds of pictures, proof below!

Lovable Jaxson

Princess Audrina

Sweet baby Carson

The next thing I knew, Alex was on a plane to Kansas City. I was so excited for him to meet my family and get to know more about where I come from. He was only in town for 4 full days, but let me tell you, it was go, go, go the entire time. I wanted him to see as many people and places as he possibly could in such a short time frame. He got to spend New Year’s Eve at the annual Zarate NYE bash. We had fun talking, dancing, drinking, chatting, and playing beer pong with family and friends.

Alex & I at Allen Field House - A Kansas trip must see!

Alex & I on New Year's Eve

My parents dancing on NYE - aren't they so cute!

On New Year’s Day Alex and I ate a delicious barbeque lunch with my mom. I just couldn’t have Alex leave Kansas without tasting some delicious KC BBQ. That night we met up with my girlfriends and their boyfriend’s for dinner on the plaza and then went double date bowling with Blake and Val. Although I’m sure Val is going to hate me for pointing this out, but Alex and I won both games of bowling! ;-)

After almost 2 weeks in Kansas, the first Sunday in January came and it was time for Alex and I to hop on a plane back to New York. It is always hard to say goodbye, but this time was really difficult. I think it was a combination of a couple of different things. 1) I visited for so long this time and got used to being home that leaving was harder. 2) As the kids get older, it is harder and harder to leave them because they understand that I’m not coming back for a while. 3) I know the longer I live in NY, the more my sisters and parents find it difficult to be without me and it breaks my heart. The good news is, I am very good about visiting so I fight the tears with the thoughts that I will be home again soon. And it’s true, my flight is already booked for a trip home in April for Easter! Having a concrete date in my mind of when I will be home again makes being gone easier for both my family and me. I am already looking forward to Spring!

Well that brings me into the New Year and I have a great feeling about what 2011 has in store. I will catch you up on January in my next post, and I promise it won’t be months from now! ;-)