Good Day Sunshine!

Gotta get me a pair of these

It’s definitely not normal how excited I am for daylight savings this weekend. Even though we are “springing ahead” and losing an hour of sleep (which I will no doubt feel/hate on Monday morning) the prospect of longer, sunnier days fills me with unadulterated joy! It makes a world of difference to leave work while it's still light out (or sleep late on the weekend and not feel like the day is over at 4pm!) Plus, daylight savings means spring is coming which means summer is within reach and for a million reasons summer is just the bestest.

This Sunday, let’s all get outside and enjoy our extra hour of sunshine. To me there are few things more peaceful than going for an early evening walk by the river with Dr. H or sitting in the park and watching the world pass us by. Cheers to sunlight for officially shaking off the winter blues.

Have you heard about..?

"Ohmygod! That's sooooo hot right now!" 

I'm always amazed how things suddenly become popular or as some might say "so hot right now". Mason jars. Pinterest. The Hunger Games. You've never heard of it, then all the sudden its buzzing and you're either in the know or all "whhhat, owls are cool now!?" WELL... just like I've started doing restaurant reviews, recipe posts and travel ideas, every so often I'm going to throw a "Have you heard about" your way. Sometimes I imagine you'll be all "geez Meri, you're sooo behind the times," but maybe I'll steer you towards something on the cusp of awesome and we can all be hailed as trendsetters together!! So without further a due...

* Have you heard about Downton Abbey?

Image via Pinterest

Downton Abbey is a tv series, (on PBS of all places!) which I just started watching on Netflix. I'd heard some chatter about the show, but it wasn't until a feature in Us Weekly that I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Set on a Yorkshire estate, the show is a "period piece" which follows the lives of an aristocratic family and their servants during the reign of King George V. Think Mad Men of the 1910s. It's surprisingly riveting (even if I can't always understand the heavy cockney accents!) Check it out.

* Have you heard about Fifty Shades of Grey?

One of my girls told me that Twitter is buzzing about this book. She's reading it, her mom is reading it, "everyone" is reading it. Naturally, now I am reading it and though I'm only 70 pages in, I'm intrigued. Far from a literary masterpiece (the prose has a Candace Bushnell feel and it's sexual when it doesn't need to be) there's something about the story that grabbed me from the start. Apparently things are going to get VERY steamy (you've been warned) so we'll see if part 1 of this trilogy is onto something.

* Have you heard about friendship bracelets?

Image via Pinterest

Remember those bracelets you spent hours making at summer camp!? Well brake out your plastic string boxes ladies, apparently friendship bracelets are cool again. I personally love piling on the bracelets and though they've been modernized to include beads, charms and rhinestones, there's still something nostalgic and instantly fun about adorning your wrists with this trend. I've been admiring THESE for a while now (time to make a purchase?!) and if you're feeling crafty, here's a tutorial to make your own!

Hump Day Distractions

I promise I won't

Your weekly installment of internet goodness to help you get over the hump:

* THIS is what true love looks like.

* Taking playing in the snow to a whole new level (via CupofJo)

* Detention never seemed so amusing

* If I ever have twins, maybe I'll name them Stoudemire and Lin 

* Did you know that yesterday was the Oreo's 100th Birthday!? To celebrate the occasion I made Oreo "holy cow are you serious!?" Truffles. That good and SUPER easy. Make them. Make them now.

* A craft combining travel and photography!? Get me to the nearest map store!

BONUS Distraction: Penguins. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I seriously cannot stop watching (thanks C!)

half of a whole.

Dr. H is travelling for work most of this week (and most of next!) and I’m here in NYC holding down the fort. Though I’ve always considered myself a fiercely independent female, I’m struck by just how much I miss the good doctor - without my bud I feel incomplete! And it’s not because I’m lonely or that we usually do everything together, it’s more that his presence is part of my routine and when he’s away everything feels slightly off balance (plus there’s no one here to do the dishes!)

When did this happen!? When did “normal” come to include someone other than just myself!? Perhaps it was somewhere between "I" and "do"!? Whatever the explanation, it's nice to realize that distance truly does make the heart grow fonder. Though having a "forever roommate" can lead to serious issues (ex: when am I supposed to watch Gossip Girl? Will I ever sleep diagonally again?) in the end, things just ain't as fun without Dr. H around. I must really like him or something:)

Image via Pinterest

Turtles and Fishies.

Stella (below) & Ferdinand (up top) say "sup?"

Yesterday, when I arrived home from my weekend out of town, I walked into my apartment flipping on light switches and exclaimed (outloud) "hello babies, I'm home!!" I entered my living room and smiled in relief as two red slider turtles and one beta fish swam excitedly in their tanks at the site of their mama (because they definitely don't view me as just a potential food source... they know me... totally). I am un-embarassed to confess my unwavering love for my pets. 

And isn't it amazing just how much love you can feel for an animal that's never said a word to you!? Growing up, my family included (over many years) old english sheepdogs, a cockatiel, lovebirds, guinea pigs, aquatic frogs, newts and countless numbers of fish, and I loved every single one of them (even the borderline satanic lovebird and the often smelly guinea pig). Though pets are a completely unnecessary responsibility and expense (turtle ear surgery... that happened) there's something awesome about having a four-legged/flying/aquatic member of your family. They need you and love you and you just love them right back. So thank you Ferd, Stell and Del (Deleanor, the fish) for welcoming me home from my trip and for being the coolest pets a girl (who hasn't yet convinced her husband to get a dog) could hope for!

TGIF!

Tina Fey I freakin' love ya!

How awesome is that dress? And those legs? And the idea that Tina would hold back your hair while you "react" to overindulgence? Love. Annnnyway... it's finally Friday and I've only got eyes for the weekend ahead. Tonight I leave for a ski trip with my lady loves and though I won't be doing any snowboarding (doh!) I plan to take the "après " half of  après-ski very seriously. Après-ski is defined as going out, having drinks, dancing, and generally socializing after skiing. Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do :) 

Even if you aren't heading out of town, that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to something wonderful. Here are a few ideas for weekend merriment... TGIF!

* Read something awesome. My book club gives many thumbs up to The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh; The Midnight Circus by Erin Morgenstern; and The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins (have you read this series yet!? Do it. Do it now.)

* Treat yourself to some new music and then create a fresh playlist. Whether it's for working out, rocking out or chilling in the bathtub, there's something incredibly refreshing about listening to new music that you love.
* Arts and Crafts. You know you want to :)

* Eat a delicious meal! Cook THIS or dine HERE. Few things are more satisfying than a tummy full of tasty food (says the girl who just did a juice cleanse:)

* Find something fun that's going on in your city and go on with it! If you're in NYC you've got lots to choose from: the Muppets, Leprecons and Picasso are all in town for a limited run.

I moustache you a question.

Are moustaches trendy right now? I couldn’t help but notice an abundance of ‘staches in Hollywood lately meaning either a.) celebrities are all buying apartments in Brooklyn (hipsters unite!) or b.) moustaches aren’t just for cowboys and porn stars anymore!! Whatever the explanation, I’m not sure I like it.

While some people are meant to be moustach’ed: 

Rock on Tom Selleck

Other hotties end up looking like they’re auditioning for a role in Ron Jeremy’s entourage: 

Why Ryan? WHY!?

Generally speaking, I am not the biggest fan of facial hair (just ask Dr. H), but the moustache in particular rubs me the wrong way (dirty minds pause here). Unless you’re going to funkify your mustache with crazy handle bars or something very unique, there’s a 98% chance that sporting a nose neighbor is going to significantly increase your "creepy dude factor". While beards can be handsome in many ways on many men, moustaches are just not meant for most faces. Ron Swanson? Hellz yes. Bradley Cooper? No freakin way. Check out this super official list of the top 10 moustaches of all time and I think you'll find yourself in agreement that this is a style best left to the "experts" (I'm lookin at you Yosemite Sam).