No Plans Saturday

Gosh I love a spontaneous Saturday.

I'm convinced that my favorite Saturdays are those that flow naturally, totally unplanned. A friend of mine, Jessi, calls them "No Plans Saturday"(check out her awesome blog Modern Wonderland). As someone who likes to plan life down to the minute with checklists and pre-planned events weeks in advance, it has taken a lot to get me to a place where not having plans on a Saturday is actually enjoyable.

Living in NYC, there is always so much to see and do. Not making plans on a Saturday forces me to live in the moment, running from place to place is not an option. Things like strolling through the park, popping by a hole in the wall restaurant to grab a drink, stumbling upon a historical building or undiscovered picturesque community park. The busyness of NYC can keep us from seeing the quaint unique bits and pieces of this beautiful city.

Here is a peek into my "No Plans Saturday"...

The day started on the UWS.

With my friend Meredith.

And this awesome vintage fur and leather jacket my Grandmother gave me that she tailored in the 1950's.

We finally settled on the old faithful Piccolo Cafe for a bite to eat. 

We started with the Greek Salad. I mean come on! It was so good. The hint of capers was just the perfect touch of saltiness. 

I usually opt for the paninis, but today, went for the spaghetti and meatballs. 

Mer also chose a pasta dish, but decided on the Carbonara. I have not ever made Carbonara, but it is an awesome mixture of pancetta, parmesan & egg. It creates something that looks like this...

(Camel Love)

Full full full, I made Mer take a walk across Central Park.

We ended up on the UES...which we consider foreign territory, but we were up for the exploratory challenge. 

Our expedition took us to none other than Sprinkles Cupcakes. I mean, where else would we go!?

These are the mini Ginger Lemon cupcakes. They were out of the regular size, so we made it work.

This is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake - peanut butter cake with chocolate chips and chocolate cream cheese frosting...SHUT UP. 

 I'm pretty sure we didn't talk for about 10 minutes.

As day turned into night, I made a stop by a friend's birthday celebration. We met at La Bottega downtown at the Maritime Hotel. The restaurant has a very relaxed vibe, where guests can order food or just a drink (FYI...they serve Wolffer Rose which is a Fran summertime staple). They have a pool table and amazing outdoor seating for the warmer months.   

Exhausted from a very full "No Plans Saturday", I only stayed a bit before heading home and crawling into bed. 

sweet dreams.

d.eileen

The Trouble with Making Friends

I recently met a girl in her mid-twenties who just moved to NYC. She had been living abroad for a number of years, but returned to the states to pursue her career. When I met her, she expressed how she was having trouble transitioning to NYC for numerous reasons, the main one being she felt like she did not have any friends.

After hearing this, it made me start to think about what life would be like moving to New York and not knowing anyone. And then I remembered that I did move to New York not really knowing anyone.

In a city that is so big and filled with so many people, it is actually really easy to feel all alone. We can get into a routine of waking up, going to work, coming home, watching TV, going to bed, and getting up the next day to do it all over again. It is easy to get caught up in the routine of doing life but not really living it.

So how do you make friends?

Gosh it can be awkward to make friends! I remember those moments of asking someone who you think seems pretty cool if they want to get lunch or a drink sometime; unsure if they think you are as cool as you think they are. It must be what I guy feels like when asking out a girl...sort of right?  

When I first moved to New York, I had a couple of college friends that I reconnected with and I was lucky to be attending grad school...both provided outlets for social outings and support. I eventually found my "Fran" group two years into my time in NYC. These are my forever friends who I often feature in blog posts (Family Dinner). I don't for a day discount the rarity in our relationship. To be perfectly transparent, I believe that our close bond is due to the fact that our relationships are center on Jesus. It's the best kind of friendship...one that encourages, challenges, laughs, cries, and calls you on your crap when you are being ridiculous. It is forgiving, grace-filled, and not easily offended.

These kinds of relationships involve risk. Risk in putting yourself out there and being vulnerable...showing the real you. That is TOUGH to do. I think it gets so tough for some people, that they end up leaving New York defeated and bitter. In the end, we get in the way of ourselves due to insecurity and fear. I hope you won't let your own stuff get in the way of deep meaningful relationships.

This blog is about encouraging and challenging people to live the fullest life possible. True friendships are a major component in living a joyful life. 

I found my friends in church. I know not everyone reading this is a Christian, so I'm not going to say the only way to make friends is at church.  But, I am going to suggest that you figure out what hobby or interest you have that you love, and dive in. Join a gym or running group, take some cooking classes, sign up for pottery or knitting lessons, attend a trivia night, meet up with other photographers and take pictures, watch football at a bar and actually talk to the people around you. There are endless ways to connect with people you just have to know yourself enough to do so. When you figure your "thing" out, ALWAYS BE YOU! Everything will crash and burn if you try to create a persona or put on an act of who you think people want you to be.

Speaking of friends...I grabbed lunch with some gorgeous ladies and couldn't help but document it. They care for each other well and I love catching up with them and hearing about their life.

I don't claim to be an expert at making friends, I can only speak from my own experience. I'd love to hear from you about making friends....funny stories, tough times, happy endings? Hope you'll share! 

xoxo

d.eileen

Sweet Chick Saturday

HELLO SPRINGTIME! Man was I excited to wake up to sunshine and 50 degree weather this weekend! It was a welcomed treat after months of frozen tundra. I was up nice and early to head out to Brooklyn for the day. I had a morning meeting in Williamsburg, which turned into a late brunch with some friends. 

The warmer temp definitely got us excited for Spring fashion and it was nice to finally be able to shed a few layers. We won't talk about the fact that it is freezing again already...ssshhhhh.

I loved seeing the mounds of snow melting away, providing a bit more walking room down the sidewalk. 

The sun was OUT! Sunglasses were ON!

Natty decided to go big or go home with her outfit choice. She looked incredible in this skirt & cropped top number from Keds. She paired it here with a blazer and Converse. Later in the day she switched to a over sized knit ivory sweater. 

Her bag is Danielle Nicole from the Piperlime store and it's a seriously perfect city tote!

No photos of the celebrities please.

There is something so magnetic and incredible about getting amazing, world changing woman into one room. So much passion, inspiration, joy and beauty!

After the little get together, we decided to go to brunch at Sweet Chick on Bedford Ave & N 8th St. The wait was a good bit, so we went to the coffee spot next door to wait. When we sat down, this beautiful crew of older woman were gossiping and sipping coffee at the table next to us. I couldn't help but ask to take their picture. They did not speak English (and a couple were camera shy), but this red headed fox smiled proudly for the camera.

Eventually we moved outside to enjoy the sunshine before going into eat.

Top: H&M / Pants: H&M / Faux Leather Jacket: Zara / Shearling Collared Sweater: Loft / Accessories: H&M

Now, onto the food. Sweet Chick has some of the most incredible southern comfort cuisine. I have only ever eaten here for brunch, but I hear the dinner is exceptional too. They are really big on the chicken & waffles. 

I got the Eggs Benny, the Sweet Chick Way. The kicker is they do it over a biscuit and add shredded smoked chicken! I'm also not a fan of hollandaise sauce, but theirs is melt in your mouth good. I got it on the side because I like to control my portions, but it usually comes smothered on top. 

This is the Smoked Pork Hash with a poached egg, cured pork & a Carolina style rub. 

And here are the infamous Chicken 'N Waffles. They are served with syrup, 3 types of butter, and hot sauce on request. 

Bellies extremely full, we took a walk over to the popular Artists & Fleas, a design and vintage market. It's a great place to roam around for locals when they are bored; it is an awesome place for tourists to visit if they want to feel like real New Yorkers. 

Walking to the subway, heading back to Manhattan (the Motherland), we stumbled upon this patriotic backdrop. Miss Ashley took over the camera and snapped a few excellent shots. 

God Bless America, Springtime & Brooklyn.

xoxo

d.eileen