Seriously, watching the two trumpeters bookend the group made me wish I hadn’t given up the instrument in eighth grade after knocking out my front tooth. (It was a rough time, trust me.) But friends, these musicians were INSANE. As in absolutely, positively astounding. Now, I realize I come from a musical family and grew up around very talented performers… but (don’t tell my grandmother) this group put everyone else I have ever met to shame.

And the best part? Seeing the pure, unsaturated JOY the group had while playing their music. Honestly, you could be the most devoted follower of Japanese techno dance beats, and you would have still sat in the audience riveted with a silly, lopsided grin stretching your face.

I can’t say enough how blessed I felt to have the opportunity to attend. It was a very merry way to celebrate Christmas. Oh, and in my next life? I will be as good of a piano player as Lee Musiker. I swear that man had about ten invisible hands. That’s the only way to explain the the music he made.

(And sorry, no pictures. I played by the rules and refrained from capturing a secret photo of the performance. Unlike the elderly gentleman in front of us who not only snapped his FLASH in the middle of a song, but then proceeded to WIND HIS DISPOSABLE CAMERA during a pause in the melody. Twist, twist, twist, twist, twist, SNAP!)

But… I have been feeling festive and in the mood to be inspired, so I looked no further than my overly talented sister-in-law (yes, OVERLY TALENTED because I feel that it isn’t fair that one person should contain so much creativity!) and her latest Christmas decorations for a local business in her town.

Who would have thought to use cotton? Oh wait, Shanon did. Can you please move in with me and make my home magical too?

(Image borrowed from the every inspiring Bittersweet Floral)

[Image via Atlanta Homes Magazine]

[Image courtesy of NY Daily News]

It is officially the most magical time of the year. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is lit – so it must be official! Of course in the midst of such a busy time of year, I can’t help but feel myself sucked into the natural excitement that is created by this city. The lights, the decorations, the music. It is always and forever one of my favorites.

And as if that wasn’t exciting enough… I officially have the best Secret Santa at work considering this was delivered to my office late this afternoon. The perfect cap to the week. And yes, I shared. Do I look like the kind of girl who would sit in a room alone and just devour an entire box of cupcakes? Ok, I probably would. But it is the season of giving. So I gave.

And then I stumbled across this post on another website and it made me laugh. And laugh, and laugh. Because didn’t we all believe that dogs were male and cats were female at some point in our lives? Naturally.

11 Things You Believed As a Kid

Miss Bianca shot! I realize it has been way too long since the queen has made an appearance, and I just know that you have missed her terribly. Well, here she is in all of her glory. Still sitting like a gremlin.

Have a lovely weekend, friends! And get ready for Christmas because IT’S COMING! xoxo

Lately I have noticed a resurgence of the purposefully sheer blouse. And I have to admit that it’s a killer look. The sneak attack sex appeal really takes you by surprise, and requires a quiet confidence to pull it off. Do I have what it takes? I am not entirely sure.

[Image via The Sartorialist]

For the third year in a row, my boy and I continued with our NYC tradition of eating out for Thanksgiving. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking. In fact for all of our years living in Southern California, more often than not we hosted the meal ourselves. Sometimes two friends would join, sometimes twelve. But the reality of our city size easy-bake oven is that creating a pilgrim worthy feast is simply not happening. So instead, we tried a new restaurant venue again this year: The Cornelia Street Cafe. And what can I say? It was delicious and cozy and festive and more than slightly entertaining as we invited ourselves to be silent observers of our table neighbors… It was a Meet The New Girlfriend’s Parents Meal of epic proportions. The poor boyfriend was nervous and awkward and amazingly comical. But more in a it’s-so-funny-because-I’m-glad-it’s-not-me scenario.

Overall, it was the perfect Thanksgiving filled with relaxing, napping, watching movies and eating. And I have to admit that I could eat all starches and not feel an ounce of guilt. Because Thanksgiving is really all about the sides. In my opinion.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

How can someone get hives who isn’t at all nervous or stressed? It’s called internalizing. Apparently I am REALLY GOOD at it. So several rounds of Benadryl later coupled with lots of frantic “are you OKs?” and it started to fade. And I was more relaxed than I had ever been in my entire life. As in, I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. But at least I would look good in my dress the next day sans hives.

And the next morning, I awoke to what would be a perfect day. The church. The weather. My husband. The dress. THE DRESS. I still remember it fondly, and am thrilled that eight years later I would choose it again. Because it was me in the form of a wedding gown. But more importantly, I am more in love with my husband than I was eight years ago.

Yes, I am a cliche. And I fully embrace that fact. Because at the end of the day, I am happy with the man that I married so many years ago. And he loves me so much that even though he wanted to take me to one of our favorite Spanish tapas bars and show me the good life to celebrate our special day… I chose Red Lobster.

Oh yes, I did. Keeping it classy. What can I say? And while all of you sit there and judge me for my choice, it was amazing. So suck it.

Oh! And you notice the luminous quality of our skin that late at night? That would be TIMES SQUARE. Because that is the only place that holds host to Red Lobster in the entirety of New York City.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

The same man stands at my subway stop in Soho each morning, handing out free newspapers to anyone willing to take one. Every day on my way to the office he catcalls winks whistles says hello. Until last week when he told me I look like Lindsay Lohan. So now he calls me “Linds.” I am not sure if I am offended or not. And I can tell you right now I am most definitely NOT her doppelganger. Nor is she mine.

I am working at 4 o’clock in the morning on Black Friday. But I don’t mind in the least because it means it is just one more day I get to wear my Christmas sweater. Complete with vintage stripes and ornaments knitted across the chest. Rock on.

I have a co-worker who has such a slight accent that I nearly always forget that her native land is not the United States, but Germany. Until in the midst of a light-hearted conversation she becomes deadly serious and demands to know the meaning of “playing hookey.” And I realize for the first time in my life just how hard it is to explain that particular turn of phrase since her confusion was only compounded when I used the equally befuddling slang of “cutting class.”

Do you ever stop and think about the interesting vignettes that make up your day? It is one of my favorite things to do.

That’s right. The holidays are fast upon us as that is THE TREE of NYC. The tree at Rockefeller Plaza, and it just makes me tingly all over to think about it. So you can imagine that all afternoon my mind has been swirling with all things Christmas. Glitter, glitz and glam. Here are some favorites.

The dress…

The shoes… Oh! The shoes…

The polish…

Enough glitter and glitz? Never. Until I am fully dressed like the brightest ornament on the tree, it is never enough. Happy Merry Early Christmas!

And have a lovely weekend.

And then I found the perfect letterpress shop and my heart stopped beating as I fell in love. Cards and prints and books and candles and everything lovely and wonderful in one quaint little shop. The best part? It is called Gus and Ruby Letterpress after the owners’ dogs. In fact, we had the honor of meeting Sir Gus, the cutest little Ewok of a dog who liked nothing more than to welcome us to his domain while shameless demanding we scratch his tummy. Love.

And what would our trip be without another trip to the beach to say farewell, for now…

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our trip, because I sure had fun remembering it… Do you have any fun travel plans on the calendar?