2013.

Another year gone by, another chance to remember that being merry is a wonderful way to be! Tonight, celebrate everything you've been, everything you are and everything you are absolutely determined to become. You got this.

Cheers to 2014!

don't forget to sparkle :)

The end (of the year) is near!

Cold and grey, but we're ok!

Hello and happy Monday my merry friends! Welcome to another weirdly wonderful holiday week where Monday feels like a Thursday, we get "two Fridays" and there's a bonus free day in the middle!! I've spent a lot of time this week trying to figure out how we get the work-week to permanently include Wednesdays off... tis truly a glorious thing:)

Here to make Monday more manageable (and as a perfect compliment to your Pinterest searching for all things glitter, black and gold) are some New Years themed goodies from around the web (and of course more lists!!)

A star shaped sparkler!!! Are you serious right now!? 

Check out all the awesome sparkler options from TOPS Malibu HERE.

Who can I buy THIS absolutely ridiculous and completely hysterical calendar for!? (SO funny!)

Effortless glam - grey top and sequin bottoms

Would you, could you, wear sequin pants!? 3 options HERE, HERE and HERE for the glamorously brave.

* 2013 was definitely the year of the Selfie. Thanks to smartphones and their ingenious "flip feature" that points the camera at you and let's you see what you look like, evvvveryone selfies everywhere now. In honor of our new self-photobsession, here are some of the most important selfies of 2013

* Some of the funniest moments from 2013

* The perfect playlist for your NYE party, here are the top songs of 2013 according to Rolling Stone. Do you agree!?

* The best and worst celebrity moments of 2013

* The 22 biggest sports controversies of 2013

* And finally, to make you smile, here are some totally awesome people who definitely "nailed it" in 2013.

Let the "Best of's" begin!!!

Smile, it's Friday!

One of my favorite things about the week before New Years Eve is sifting through the "Best Of" lists from the previous year. You know the ones... "Best songs of 2013", "Best celebrity moments of 2013", the list of lists goes on and on. To take you into the weekend (and courtesy of my awesome co-worker) here is the ever important "Best News Bloopers of 2013" highlight reel... It's a long one, but I'm fairly certain it will be the best 15 minutes of your day. Have a great weekend!!!

Healthy Habit of the Month XII.

This post is the 12th (and final!) installment of SeektobeMerry's "Healthy Habit of the Month" series. Sourced from my bff's at Weight Watchers, online articles and my own efforts to keep fit and trim, throughout 2013, I will attempt to integrate one new healthy habit into my life each month. Join me! 

I actually laughed out loud when I realized that it being the end of the month, we here in Merry-land are due for the year's final Healthy Habit of the Month. That's right, in the Christmas-cookie/leftovers/pass-the-gravy/stuck-in-sweatpants clusterf*ck of joy that is the holiday season, we're here to reflect on the past 11 months of healthy habits and add one more to the pile... sort of. 

Healthy Habit of the Month #12: Be Realistic.

I don't think I can do better than the quote in this month's image... So often fitness and diet goals are abandoned because they aren't achieved on a certain timeline or because sticking perfectly to a plan becomes overwhelming/seems impossible. I know first hand how incredibly tempting it is to throw in the healthy habit towel after a bad week (or just a bad night!!) But that's where our final Healthy Habit comes into play. Adding 12 new diet and fitness habits into our routines is ambitious business and not that we aren't all ambitious folks here, but let's be REAL. Let's pick 3 or 4 of the new habits that really worked and now that they're habit, absorb them as part of "the new you". For me, scheduling a workout, packing a snack and keeping track of my movement were three gold-star earning habits I implemented this past year. Now that they're Merry Meri perfected, I can spend 2014 exploring new ways to be a healthier me, knowing that I've made tremendous progress since the end of 2012. Maybe I didn't lose and maintain the number on the scale I'd hoped to (doh!) or become a person who lives and breathes a healthy lifestyle (I just love cheese too much!!) but I'm finishing the year in a better place than where I started and I hope that you are too!!! Cheers to all of us for 12 months of healthy habits and here's hoping this is only the start of a fitter, happier, healthier you!

Be sure to check out ALL of the 2013 "Healthy Habit of the Month" posts here: 

- Month 1: Adding a fruit or vegetable to every meal

- Month 2: Schedule a workout
- Month 3: Find an accountability buddy

- Month 4: Keep track (of your movement)

- Month 5: Challenge yourself

- Month 6: 1 Perfect Week
- Month 7: Sleep on it

- Month 8: Pack a Snack

- Month 9: Drink up!

- Month 10: Rise & Shine with lemon

- Month 11: Double Down

Merry & Bright!

Sending Christmas Cheer from NYC!!

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!

See ya in a bit!!

(I'll let you know what movie I see and how tasty my Chinese food was. xox, m)

Last Minute goodies!

awwww

Hello my friends and happy "we're almost there" day to my fellow stuck-at-work'ers (yes there are some of us at work today!) In an attempt to spread a little more Christmas cheer before the big day, here are some more (super easy to create at the last minute!) eats and treats (first edition HERE) to ensure that the gifts under your tree aren't the only thing making loved ones smile this holiday!

This easy to execute and adorable to deliver treat is perfect for your host and hostess or as a small gift for exchanges which stick to a lower price-point. Hot cocoa/chocolate milk powder with mini marshmallows inside and a Bailey's treat on the outside, plus, who doesn't love a good mason jar!? Pin it HERE.

Forget reindeer games, these sweet and salty treats are no joke! A glorious combination of pretzels, rolo and sixlets (which I've never heard of, but red m&ms would do just fine!) and you have an unmistakably awesome holiday treat perfect for dessert platter display! Pin it HERE (full instructions HERE).

Still stumped for table decor? This colorful idea requires just a few holiday items and will have guests complimenting your craftiness. Using mixed height candle sticks (painted in a favorite color at the bottom if you have time/don't mind the permanent paint job!) place small colorful ball ornaments (CVS has quite the selection still) and candles at the top. Store bought mini trees are an excellent compliment if you're able to track them down! Pin it HERE (more pictures and info HERE).

How freakin adorable are these tiny Santa snacks!? Perhaps the perfect thing to mix with pretzel/rolo reindeer, these santas are made of just 3 ingredients, marshmallows, strawberries and frosting. You can create your frosting beard with a piping bag if you're fancy or a plain old ziplock with the corner snipped off if you're an amateur like me. Santa's face goes on (pre-beard and berry!!) using edible marker. So simple, SO sweet to see (and eat!) Pin it HERE (full instructions HERE)

Family Day!

I love this.

Visitors from Hotlanta of the Bro, Sis and Niece variety mean Merry Meri is in Aunt Meri glory today. I'll make it up to you on Monday. Until then, have a wonderful weekend!!!

ps - Do you love Beyonce like I do? Do you need her like I do? If so, click HERE.
pps - a brutally honest NYC tourism ad that will CRACK you up.

good gets (and some regrets)

j'adore.

This post brought to you by the fabulous 

(parent)thetically speaking.

You ever open your closet and just sigh with happiness at some of things you find hanging there? The pieces that you turn to time and again and never let you down? When I think about those pieces, I find that most of them are within a certain color spectrum (black and cream are totally a spectrum), cost slightly more than I normally spend and were purchased pre-motherhood (see point #2). So my sigh of happiness is usually more a sigh of thankfulness that pre-baby me had the foresight to purchase some nice, quality pieces (or get them as gifts).

These items are clutch, always always. For a wedding, a weekend away or a celebratory night on the town - when I want to reach for something just a little bit more special than the Cheerio-dusted duffel bag that is my purse, or the American Eagle jeans I live in.

To contrast, there are also times when I open my closet and I see missed opportunities. The shirt with the tags still on or the shoes with nary a scuff on the sole. And I find that most of them were impulse buys. We all do it, and we will always do it! Shopping is fun! But at least as I "mature" I'm getting better at impulsively grabbing something I may actually end up putting on my body.

5 items 25-year-old-me totally nailed:

 *Michael Kors satchel bag (I wanted to link to something similar, I did, but I couldn't find anything. It's black, with gold, and some buckles, and some patent leather, and I just love it. Every single time I use it. It was love at first sight - for both of us)

*J.Crew strapless black cocktail dress (ugh, again no linky. I'm giving away my age here, aren't I?!)

 *J.Crew black patent heels

 *vintage knee-length winter coat, with fur-trimmed (faux?) neck and cuffs. yup, it's black.

 *red (just kidding, black) belted trench coat. I do wish I had gotten a hooded one though.

  

5 items that I...oh, something shiny...

*turquoise flats. in theory, they are the cutest ever and lend such a pop of color! nope, uncomfortable and too bright.

*black skinny jeans. not a flattering fit and too long. I was desperate to make my Pinterest dreams a reality.

*American Eagle "women's" hooded sweatshirt. It's a little too form-fitting. Now, I'm allll about the hoodie, but hoodies are supposed to hide holiday cookie transgressions, not highlight them.

*There's this one store that lures me in, and other than some jewelry and one awesome dress, the stuff I buy there just gets worn once...

*For a time I was drawn to crew neck shirts. I grabbed one at every store I went to, all different colors. And guess what? I wear the black one, and the white one. You knew it, why didn't I?!

Pretty please, I'd love to know what some of your favorite, go-to pieces are! Anyone else have a problem item (or whole store!)?

For previous posts from (parent)thetically speaking, click HERE.

Hump Day Distractions

Holiday Cheer. (hehe)

I think the most important thing to tell you right now is that last night I had bread that had bacon baked INTO it. You heard me, bacon embedded within fluffy, perfectly toasted, freshly baked bread. Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen, you are a sly little devil... And because maybe you aren't going to be distracted by the idea of bacon bread all day the way I will, here are some goodies from around the web to get you through Hump Day.

* This actually, kind of makes me want a pair of hamburger earmuffs for myself!

* Absolutely horrible and still completely hysterical... gotta love a good pun.

* THIS is the way every "year-in-review" holiday card should be done (ps- MILF/DILF much!?)

* I think I need THESE golden beauties...

* Lego creations by state, because toys aren't just for kids (be sure to click the individual images for the witty captions and a chance to buy each print for only $22!!) (via HonestlyWTF)

* A might tasty winter pasta recipe.

* A fantastic gift for your favorite New Yorker (eghm!!!)

* And speaking of New York... I'd never noticed the little black and white striped signs on subway platforms before, but now I always look.

* I must ride THIS swing.

* And lastly, we've seen some of these before, but they are just SO good. 

The Literal Photographic Memory

Fact.

I love photography. Ever since my Dad gave me my first DSLR camera so that I could "major" in photography at summer camp (USDAN Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, I heart you!) I've been hooked on viewing the world through a lens. When I walk around I often "see pictures" in the light, colors and sites around me. When I'm with loved ones, I am always trying to capture moments so I can save them forever - a collection of literal photographic memories that tell the story of my life.

Dr. H has become accustomed to my photobsession over the years - he slows his pace when he sees I'm about to stop and bust out my camera/phone (so that I only have to jog a little to rejoin him on a stroll!) and he's developed an arsenal of ridiculous faces to be featured in my many many snapshops of him. And I try hard not to "lose" moments by always having my face behind a lens, but it's truly a compulsion to capture for me - when I spot beauty, on a big vacation or a boring morning commute, my desire to freeze time and revisit it later is uncontrollable. I just need to try to get the picture!!! Do any of you suffer from photobsession? Is it really such a bad thing!?

A few things you should know right now...

Sassy ruby slippers!? Yes please!

Annnd we're back! Another manic Monday, but hey, another day closer to all those lovely holiday days off right!? I am so full of excitement for family visits, friend get-togethers and time off at home with my favorite Dr., that waking up this morning, despite not nearly enough sleep* was a pleasure. I feel like I'm full to the brim with good good stuff... like:

Did you know that Beyonce dropped a whole damn album, a visual album (14 tracks along with 17 music videos to compliment them) on Friday!? No hype, just a whole lot of "here I am, Queen B, Sasha Fierce, hottest mama (and I brought my baby and epic husband along for the ride)" in your face-ness. The album is ridiculously good and though I've only watched some of the videos at this point (Dr. H and I may need to have a screening tonight) it is clear that this woman absolutely owns life. Talented, business saavy, beautiful, powerful, everything. Download the full fierceness HERE and for some more info on this unique approach to rocking the music industry, check out THIS article.

Last night I made my own version of this delicious dish for dinner. I've been re-motivated to get back to eating better/cooking more recently (after several weeks of rock bottom laziness and indulgence) so I prepared this tasty one-pot dish more healthfully by swapping in chicken chorizo, whole wheat pasta, skim milk, and low fat cheese. The result was Merry Meri tested and Dr. H approved! (Pin it HERE, full recipe via Damn Delicious HERE)

Have you heard about Unroll.me? I don't know where I first heard about this great new email service which helps clean your inbox, but I'm in lurve. As a big online shopper, contest enter-er and activist, I get about a billion "junk-but-I-kinda-want-it" emails a day (think coupons, GW alumni updates, Gilt sales, Amnesty International newsletters). Using (the totally free!) Unroll.me, you plug in your email address and it identifies all your subscriptions (I had over 200!!) Then you either unsubscribe or "bundle" the subscription into a daily Rollup which you have sent to you at a time of day of your choosing. Now I get 1 email a day with thumbnails and the subject line of each subscription I elected to keep and the chance to add any new subscriptions to my roll with just the click of a link. It is like a daily housekeeping service for my inbox!! Though still a work in progress, I highly recommend you give Unroll.me a try!

Lastly, this sassy little lady who signed to her deaf parents throughout her Kindergarten concert will absolutely melt your heart:

* Funny story: Yesterday morning at about 8am I sprang bolt upright in bed and said "F*CK I had physical therapy at 7:30! I overslept!!!" until I looked around (in particular at a completely bewildered Dr. H), remembered it was Sunday, and passed the hell out again. Well that over-sleep anxiety apparently didn't go anywhere because I had the most fitful, in-and-out sleep last night. 4 hours 40 minutes total (thanks Jawbone Up). On the bright side, I was 10 minutes early to my PT appointment :)

A Gift Guide, Guide.

Sparkle Baby!

Happy Friday my merry friends! I woke up with some extra pep in my step knowing that the happiest of happy hours was finally within reach and because the lovely Ms. (parent)thetically speaking and her hubby are in town for a little work trip/visit. Nothing like waking up to a favorite friend snoozing on your pullout couch:) It's a happy Friday indeed!! 

Here to take you into the weekend, one of our last before Christmas, is a roundup of holiday gift guides. Since every blogger on the planet has been posting gift guides all week, I thought I'd create the pièce de résistance, a "Gift Guide, Guide" (game over I win!). Check out my favorites of other people's favorites and then get shopping! (And because every Friday should have a funny, THIS is just.... HA!!!)

For the Dudes

* For hip dudes 
* For cool dudes 
* For the man (or lady really) with a mug in his hand 
* For the man who likes a drink 
* For your hottie husband 
* For your fashionist'er 
* For your super cool Dad 

For the Ladies

* For adventurous chicas (love this whole list!) 

* For your female foodie (especially love these tea towels designed by Diana of exPress-o!)

* For Miss Betty Crocker Jr 

* For a classy gal 

* For the home decor obsessed 

* For the chic one 

* For little miss elegant 

* For your wonderful mom 

* For the lady who gives what she really wants to get! 

For the Kiddos

* The perfect toy collection

* For baby and big sibling

* For little miss sophisticated
* Perfect for any age

High end gifts for Friends, Family & Lovers

Super glam Manhattan mama Marissa over at Lady & Prince has had some amazing guests post carefully curated lists on her blog. These lists all ooze elegance and though some items are pricey, they won't all break the bank!
* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/12/holiday-gift-guide-curated-abigail-klem/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/12/holiday-gift-guide-curated-cannon-lewis/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/11/holiday-gift-guide-featuring-katie-evans/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/11/holiday-gift-guide/ (this one is my fav I think!)

Plus! YouAreMyFave has been crushin it with creative gift wrap ideas (HERE) 

PS- For Dr. H, my avocado King http://diana212m.blogspot.com/2013/11/christmas-gift-guide-2013-part-four-for.html

Seasonal Eats and Treats

Tis the season!

Brrrrr! Baby it's cooold outside!! A crisp 23 degrees here in NYC with a forecast of more snow for the weekend, winter has most certainly arrived! Since the weather outside is frightful, this is the perfect time to share some of the seasonal goodies I've been curating and collecting. Here's hoping these fun eats and treats help make the next two weeks extra merry and bright :)

What a ridiculously adorable way to add a bit of cheer to your holiday table!! This festive "snow globe" (but actually salt shaker) craft is sure to have your guests smiling while the season their food so click HERE to Pin it, click HERE for original post (via Country Living).

Santa Claus is coming to town and my oh my does he look tasty! Click HERE to Pin this tasty treat or click HERE for this cupcake and a few other Santa inspired sweet treats (via Kids Kubby)

Salty and sweet make the perfect seasonal treat!! Though finding circle shaped pretzels may be a bit tricky (or maybe that's just in the tiny grocery stores we have here in NYC!?) these treats are super easy to make and are sure to be a hit with your holiday party crew. Pin it HERE or click HERE for step by step instructions. (via Shugary Sweets)

Want your house to smell like Christmas cheer!? Keep this pot of fresh winter wonder boiling during your holiday get together as the perfect compliment to your holiday tunes and treats! Pin it HERE.

The perfect bite-sized holiday themed dessert! Easy to prepare and adorable to display, these Dipped Minty Marshmallow Pops are an awesome low maintenance sweet treat to put out after the big meal. Pin it HERE, full instructions HERE (via Liv Life)

Hump Day Distractions

Nailed it.

This is one of those Wednesdays that had me waking up in disbelief... "It can't possibly be only Wednesday... it's got to be at least Thursday by now!" Do you feel me? Alas, Wednesday is the best we can do so here are a few distractions from around the web to get us through the day and safely to the other side of this BEAST of a week!

* Everyone is sharing this video because it is so.damn.awesome. If you haven't already watched WestJet absolutely rock the Christmas spirit, watch it now (and grab a tissue!)

* This is the best map of the NYC subway system I've ever seen. Thank you Super Bowl!

* What a pretty version of this song (sorry about the annoying pre-roll!)

* Any ladies out there have THIS hair gadget? Tell me straight, do I need it? (I might need it)

* A super interesting article about ACL injuries if you're a knee geek like me.

* Omg coolest bicycle accessory EVER. 

* Miles Redd is my fav. Somebody tell Dr. H to buy me THIS.

* I wish it would rain tacos too (and other hil-ARIOUS kiddie notes).

* First of all, that sketch is divine. Second, this list is so true.

* Remember when it was autumn and colorful and beautiful?

* BUBBLE BUTT PUP!!!

* and because THESE naughty dog notes never get old (thanks sis!)

ps - in case you were wondering, I was right. Bespectacled, sequin owl was found under the stuffed elephant at the bottom of my hamper. HOORAY!!

A Foodie's Farewell

Preach!

Last night Dr. H and I went out to dinner with a bestest friend who is moving to Costa Rica for several months. A mutual bff between the two of us, Q is about as special a friend as you can get, so when his departing flight got delayed (for 2 days!) due to weather, we were honored that he and his lovely lady wanted to share his last, last supper, with us. We told him to pick anything he wanted for his "Farewell to NYC" meal and Q went to work thinking about what would be the perfect thing to hold him over until he comes back this summer. The following is a summary of the epic NYC culinary adventure my boy Q took us on last night... hats off to you Q, you definitely know how to eat :)

Located at the corner of Ludlow and Houston since 1888 (though across the street and not called "Katz's Delicatessen" until 1917) Katz's is a New York City institution. If you do deli, you must do Katz's... if you don't do deli, you still must do Katz's (their matzoh ball and split pea soups and knishes are BEYOND). Made even more famous by THIS iconic scene from (my most favorite movie) When Harry Met Sally, Katz's is one of those wonderful places that absolutely refuses to change - the atmosphere is only rivaled by the pastrami.

At Katz's, you order at the counter from a deli guy (ranging from younger than you to as old as your Grandpa), a hot foods guy and a drink guy, all of whom stamp your ticket with what you get and you pay on the way out (unless you want to use credit card; the knish/latke guy can help you with that!) When I go to Katz's, I'm tempted by the brisket and corned beef no doubt, but in my opinion, the pastrami is a no brainer.

Get. In. My. Belly.

When you order your sandwich, the guy fresh slices the meat right from a giant hunk. He even gives you a slice on a little bread plate to nosh while he constructs your masterpiece. Naturally that monstrosity of meat on rye was not enough for this fatty (<-- actual endearingly used high school nickname) so I ordered a side of potato latkes (I miss you Channuka!) Everyone also gets two huge pickles on the side (and you know how Dr. H and I feel about pickles).

We ate until we could eat no more (along with a latke, I packed up 1/4 of a half sour pickle because I was so at my limit, but clearly couldn't leave it behind) and then Q informed us that it was time to move on to dessert. Good lord. "We have to you guys... before I go I need tiramisu." How could we deny that plea? So we cabbed it west to Mezzogiorno for "the best tiramisu in the WORLD" (as declared by Q).

Turns out, Q has been going to Mezzogiorno (Spring at Sullivan St) since he was a little dude visiting NYC with his family so I wondered if the deliciousness he felt was actually nostalgia until I took a bite... You guys, this tiramisu is NO JOKE. Light and sweet, perfectly combining flavors, I'm not even a big tiramisu person and this thing was just... Wow. We also enjoyed a ricotta cheesecake and sweet pudding (both the bees knees). Then we rolled ourselves out the door into the wintery night.

Q, thank you for reminding me just how much I love New York City... and food... and you! Good luck in Costa Rica and come home soon!!

Happy Day.

Today, December 9th 2013 is SeektobeMerry's 2nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you bloggity blog.

Over the past two years, my attachment to this tiny project, to Grandpa's suggestion that I write a book, has grown larger than I could ever have anticipated. Hundreds of daily visitors and over 505 posts to date (on more topics than any human should be able to dream up!) make this my most ambitious "hobby" yet. But more than any statistic or number, the best thing about writing this blog continues to be all of you. I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to hear someone say that they are a reader or that they enjoyed something I shared. Knowing that I am achieving my goal of sharing merriment with all of you is what keeps me coming back, motivates my creativity and brings me joy on a deep and incredibly fulfilling level.

Fact.

I don't know what the next 365 days will bring for me as a blogger (or as a real life human for that matter!) but I do know that being Merry Meri is awesome so I'm going to try my bestest to keep at it for another year of Hump Day Distracting, Craft inspiring, Healthy Habiting, Restaurant reviewing,  and Smily-worthy musing. Thanks a million to all of you for making this blog the source of joy that it's become.

Looking back... The Blog is born!! * Happy First Birthday *