Category Archives: go

number two.

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{ NYPD preparing for battle – 3:00pm }

{ we got to walk through the police barricades on our way to dinner – 7:30pm }

{ and on the way back – 10:00pm }

{ as close as we got – 11:59pm }

{ view from our hotel window – 12:08am }

When you tell people you’re spending New Years Eve in Times Square, they think you’re crazy. When you tell people you’re spending New Years Eve in Times Square and you’re five months pregnant, they look at you with squinted judging eyes.

As previously mentioned, it was never the plan to go to NYC while five months pregnant. I figured we’d still be trying to get knocked up by now, and that I’d be able to secure a spot front and center in Times Square, ensuring that Lady Gaga and I could make clear eye contact. I was sure I’d be drinking cocktails all night, and toasting champagne at the stroke of midnight wearing a slinky dress, dancing my heart out.

Enter: pregnancy, and the new plan. Our new plan for NYE was simple: get dressed up, enjoy a romantic dinner, venture into the chaos at 11:30pm and get as close as we could to the action.

When you watch the ball drop on TV, Times Square looks crazy. But being there, in the midst of the millions of people, is a completely different story. People start lining up first thing in the morning to secure a good spot. They stand there ALL DAY LONG, wearing ADULT DIAPERS. They get locked into fenced off areas at 3:00pm and stay there ALL NIGHT. When Brett and I walked back from Central Park around 3:30pm, we got swept up in a sea of thousands of people running towards Times Square. At 3:30pm! I still had plans to take a nap, and hadn’t even showered yet! I’m sure those people were able to enjoy the concert and see Lady Gaga and watch the ball drop and have their heads dusted in confetti. But really, at what cost are you willing to give up an entire day in New York to stand in a fenced off pen like an animal, wearing diapers?

I have no regrets about our NYE. We got dressed up, ate ridiculously good food, watched the countdown screen, kissed at midnight, cheered with millions, and were back in our hotel room safe and sound by 12:08am. No, we didn’t see the ball drop. Lady Gaga and I didn’t share a moment, and confetti didn’t fall on our heads. But I’m okay with that. Because on December 31st, we spent New Years Eve in Times Square and crossed number two off our pre-baby bucket list.

Next year I’m guessing we’ll ring in the new year New York style again, at 9:00pm. We’ll probably be at home with flutes of champagne curled up on the couch, telling our sweet baby boy about the time Mommy and Daddy spent NYE in NYC. It will be quiet and cozy and mellow, but I promise you, it will be just as good.

central park.

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I could walk around Central Park for hours. HOURS. Well, probably not walk. I am pregnant after all. But I could definitely sit in Central Park for hours. Reading….people watching….eating a pretzel. It’s a stunning place to spend an afternoon. Brett and I spent a good three hours strolling through the park on New Years Eve. It was the perfect calm before the storm….

number eleven.

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This trip wasn’t exactly perfectly planned. We booked our flights to New York on September 7th and nine days later, I found out I was pregnant. Brett and I were a bit….shocked at the time. Not that we weren’t “trying” per se, but it happened fast. Really fast. Like, I-figured-we’d-be-able-to-squeeze-in-a-few-more-pre-baby-bucket-list-items-before-it-happened fast. As in, I-was-still-drinking-alcohol-and-eating-all-kinds-of-cheeses fast. And of course I found a stellar deal through Orbitz and the tickets were 100% non-refundable. Of course.

So, without knowing how I would be feeling five months pregnant, or what would happen between then and now, we just said to heck with it, WE’RE GOING TO NEW YORK!!! And you know what? I am so dang happy we did. Yes, it was slightly exhausting and my feet hurt at night. Yes, I had to pee every 20 minutes and wait in line to use the bathroom everywhere we went. Yes, people may have judged me in my skintight sequined dress on NYE. But I was not going to let a baby bump stand in the way of me and New York City.

New York City is magical….the energy, the people, the lights. Everything about it is nonstop; people are going places and doing things every second of every day. Brett and I arrived there without a plan, aside from a few dinner reservations, and in my opinion, that is the best way to see New York. Get there, and let New York embrace you. Throw on a coat and walk the streets and open your eyes to the beauty of life whizzing all around. That’s really what New York is all about. Strangers on every corner, engaged in their own story, yet able to relate to the person standing next to them because they have one thing in common—they’re New Yorkers. Survivors. Once you look past the tourists, you can see it, this unspoken connection people share in New York. It’s an unbreakable bond, a knowing nod on the subway.

Our trip went by slowly, which was surprising, but again I attribute this to not having a plan. We woke up every morning and decided on the fly what to do and where to go. Our first day led us through grand central station, rockefeller center, and ended with pizza in the west village with some dear friends. I decided not to bring my fancy camera on this trip, so all the photos you’ll see this week are from my point and shoot. I didn’t think I could handle carrying ten extra pounds of baby bump and a DSLR all weekend (plus my iphone for NY instagrams, obviously).

All that being said, I know I’m pregnant and not technically pre-baby anymore, but on Friday December 30th we saw the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and crossed number eleven off the list, hurrah!

new york city.

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“Cut off as I am, it is inevitable that I should sometimes feel like a shadow walking in a shadowy world. When this happens I ask to be taken to New York City. Always I return home weary but I have the comforting certainty that mankind is real and I myself am not a dream.”  -Helen Keller

a napa getaway.

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This past weekend, Brett and I enjoyed a lovely getaway at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa. Holy. Smokes. This place was beeeeeautiful. We checked in around 2:00pm and found a bottle of wine in our room, which Brett greatly appreciated on behalf of both of us since I’m not drinking for the next six months (wah!).


After walking the property, we ventured to Downtown Napa, about a five minute drive from Meritage. There we found Uva, a magical place serving—wait for it—FRIED RISOTTO BALLS. Oh yes, you better believe we waited until they opened at 4:00pm to order some of those bad boys. They were delicious.

By that point, my little pregnant feet were killing me, so we drove back to Meritage and relaxed in our room for a while before dinner. Ahhh, dinner. We ate at Siena and it was positively wonderful. Since I’m currently eating for two, no calories were spared during that meal. We started off with salad and tomato bisque soup (SO good!), before moving onto chicken (me) and filet (him), before splitting three desserts. Yes, you read that correctly. One dessert for him, one for me, and one for the baby.

After dinner, our server suggested we check out the DVD library and ask for the complimentary hot popcorn. Um, WHAT? Complimentary hot popcorn? SIGN ME UP. Granted, we were too stuffed from dinner to take advantage of that amenity, but I was impressed nonetheless. I was even MORE impressed once I saw the extensive DVD collection. There were so many movies to choose from, including not one, not two, but ALL THREE OF THE TWILIGHT MOVIES. Don’t worry…I love Brett too much to do that to him. We settled on the Hangover since we were in the mood for something funny. Before bed we filled out the little door hanger to have room service delivered in the morning. It was basically the best decision we made all weekend.

The next morning we enjoyed our breakfast in bed, before heading to Spa Terra for our couples massage. Spa Terra…where do I even begin? This place was GORGEOUS—it’s all underground, in the Estate Wine Cave. Everything was beautiful and tranquil, from the locker rooms to the treatment rooms to the relaxation waiting area. I got my first (and hopefully not my last) prenatal massage, which was ah-mazing. My whole body felt like jello afterwards, and Brett, who has managed to resist getting a professional massage for 29 years, is now a convert. It’s probably been five years since I’ve been to a “real” spa and the whole time we were there I kept thinking about how much fun it would be to go back with my girlfriends. Birthday party anyone?

Overall, it was a LOVELY weekend. Brett and I are cherishing every little getaway we have left as a family of two, and this was no exception. If you’re looking to plan a weekend getaway, we highly recommend the Meritage Resort and Spa. It’s a 55 minute drive from Sacramento and our stay was flawless, from start to finish. Tell em I sent you! :)

**Accommodations, dinner, and spa treatments provided by Meritage Resort and Spa; all opinions and views expressed are my own.
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