Off to Canada!

Tomorrow at the crack of dawn, myself, my husband (Spanish Guy), and one of my best friends will be on our way-- crossing the boarder-- to spend the next few days, including the new year, in a charming French mountain village in Canada. (I'm aware of the run-on sentence)

I couldn't ask for a better way to ring in the new year!

SUPER EXCITED!

Surprise Birthday Party

On the weekend before Christmas, I was thrown a surprise birthday party! I've always wanted one and there it was! Dinner, cake, dancing, my closest friends, we partied until 7am! It was AMAZING!

A Vegetarian Christmas Dinner-- The menu

I Hosted Christmas Dinner this year and I made a point to buy all sustainable foods, all organic! 

I made EVERYTHING from scratch, NOTHING was bought prepackaged or already made/cut (except the cheese and crackers). 

On the Vegetarian Christmas Menu was:

Appetizers (First Course):

Fresh guacamole with tortilla chips

Homemade Hummus with peppered crackers, carrots and celery

Garlic bread with Brie cheese from France and Manchego cheese from Spain

Second Course:

A christmas salad (lettuce with pomegranate and feta cheese) with a balsamic lemon dressing

Butternut Squash Soup

Third Course:

Veggie lasagna

Southern Style macaroni and cheese

Fourth Course:

Chocolate cake with raspberry drizzle

Sugar Cookies

Vegetarian Egg Nog with nutmeg and cinnamon

Heres a few prep shots and finished dishes:

Preparing the ButterNut Squash

Icing the cookies

Making sure the lasagna doesn't stick while cooking it

The first lasagna layer

The Christmas Salad

The dessert table

I really love cooking and hosting dinners. Next up is Three Kings Day!

Christmas Morning and Christmas Day, a NYC Family

I felt like a child this christmas morning! On Christmas Eve I went to bed at 3am, and on Christmas morning I woke up at 9am, I couldn't sleep... it was CHRISTMAS! So Spanish Guy and I jumped out of bed, made breakfast and then ripped open our presents. I LOVED his gift, it was so thoughtful and right on point! He got me waterproof Geox-Tex knee-height leather boots! I've wanted tall boots for years and never got them. He knew!

Christmas Morning, 2012

Christmas Morning, 2012

After breakfast we went out for a walk and grabbed a coffee-- its a christmas tradition that we have (along with a game of ping pong-- long story). It was a nice morning.

All afternoon I was prepping dinner and the house for my family's visit. I planned well because I had enough time to sneak out for a run in Central Park. That was nice because everyone who was in the park was so happy and calm, it was a cheerful beautiful environment.

Christmas with my family was crazy and fun as always. This year I was happy that ALL my brothers were together! love LOVE LOVE it!

My Birthday, 2012

My special day was soothing, delicious, and slow paced.

amazing.

Spent the morning at the Lake in Central Park

Had lunch at a Vegan Restaurant

Went with Spanish Guy to see the Tree at Rockefeller Center

The Cafe at Rockefeller Center

Cake in my adorable living room/kitchen

a little dancing in the house.

Just lovely. 

my birthday morning

I'm slowing down today, I'm going into work late because I want to jog in the sunshine, have a long leisurely breakfast and visit an art museum, its the perfect way to celebrate my birthday morning!

This evening will be a different story...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

a crazy packed life

I want to stop and pause for a minute... my life has been so crazy. I have SO much going on: a full time job (more like a SUPER full time job), dance class, I started my own business, travels, friends, bootcamp class and racing. Oh yeah, and  husband, which is a 24 hour job to maintain a healthy relationship!

After tomorrow my work is going to be a little less intense. I'm leading my last PD session of the year, so I'll be able to take a REAL lunch break and write in my journal again, and just enjoy the small moments. It should be nice, especially leading into the holiday season... looking forward to it.

My Birthday Party at the Art Studio

I had a pre-birthday mini-painting PARTY today. It was so nice to spend time with my ladies making ART! I feel like painting should be a mandatory activity, not only in elementary school, but throughout life. Its so therapeutic, especially if you are with your friends. I feel a little closer to them all, when you share art, you share a piece of your soul. The styles I saw were all so different and beautiful in their own unique ways!

Starting off my birthday celebrations in an amazing nurturing way! 

my art (c)clmendoza

Home renovations Complete: Our Tiny NYC apartment

Our bedroom renovation is done, we just have to order some art for the feature wall (above the bed). Its was A LOT of stress and bickering for me and Spanish Guy, he got mad over little things that went wrong and couldn't wait until it was over (He's obsessed with cleanliness and orderly spaces)! I'm surprised our marriage survived it! I recommend anyone who is going to renovate their homes to hire someone! haha.

Despite all that, there were some fun moments of painting/non-stop laughter and dancing with the music blasting-- the final result is a perfect little bedroom for us and the rest of the house came out so darling as well! Happy ME!

We used light icy colors to create a larger bedroom illusion and we are limiting the things that we hang on the walls (this is hard for me because I love pictures and art!)

before:

after:

Christmas Decorating

Every year around the holidays we eject our ornaments that have been stored away for almost a year while reminiscing on holidays past. 

Last year I had a 4ft tall tree and my whole family came over to help Spanish Guy and I decorate. We made home made hot chocolate with marshmallows and sang christmas carols (yes, kinda like what you see in the movies, but a little less cheesy).

This year Spanish Guy and I decorated with one of my dear friends. We combined it with our puppies third birthday celebration where we bought him doggie cookies and we had cupcakes and wine! We all adorned the tree together and shared christmas stories. We fooled around with the "silly" decorations like the lights and tinsel, throwing them on top of each other and sliding on the floor. It was a nice experience. I wish my family were here with me though, I miss them during times like these. Although we are in the same city, they are still so much farther away then they were last year.

Well, I tried to document this years experience, mainly because as I always say, its important to reflect, and my memory is getting worse and worse as the time goes by, soon I'll have to open my blog to remember holidays past! :D

Happy beginning of the holiday season everyone! 

I hope this year is as special as ever!

Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center

I had the pleasure of attending a Brooklyn Nets game at the new Barclays Center a few weeks ago. It was so special because it was Spanish Guys first NBA game in America. He flipped out when he saw the stadium, and we had a great time exploring all the shops and eateries!

I love live sports events, theres an energy like none other! 

GO NETS, BROOKLYNNNNNNnnnn!!!!!

Thanksgiving 2012: AMAZING