Jan 12
A Week of Dining and Redecorating Adventures
When it comes to dining in the Big Apple, my late, wise mom used to say–
“If you want good French food, go to France. If you want good Italian food, go to Italy. If you want good everything, come to New York.”
This week, I was reminded of just how true this is as I had the pleasure of eating out five times (a personal record, I think). Four of those meals were at three favorites: my beloved Beach Cafe, La Fonda Del Sol and Hill Country Barbecue.
The fifth brought me one of the great foodie joys of being a New Yorker — discovering a fantastic new restaurant right at your doorstep.
Jean Claude II is utterly delightful (photo courtesy: jeanclaudenyc.com)
Tuesday night, my friend Colin and I enjoyed dinner at Jean Claude II, a cozy, charming little French bistro on the UES that I’ve walked past many times. Perfect for quiet conversation, the restaurant also offers warm, attentive service and fabulous food. The escargot, sautéed skate and chocolate mousse are all magnifique.
An effervescent force of nature, Colin and I met through work a few years ago — the company he worked for was producing a photo shoot at The Westin New York Grand Central. But he was already acquainted with me–
“Are you the single gal?” he asked, a reference to my dating blog, SingleGalNYC.com.
We immediately hit it off, as he blew me away with his creativity and extraordinary talent for completely transforming a space.
I am having the great good fortune of tapping into Colin’s expertise as I continue my big home makeover project. After dinner, we spent hours going over every nook and cranny of my place. Thanks to Colin’s suggestions, I have moved some furniture around so my living room already feels like it has been infused with new energy and breathing space.
The buffet and table pictured here are showcased so much more in this new configuration!
The same could be said of my perspective on other areas of life. I’ve never felt readier or more excited for the fresh start afforded by a new year. Those feelings only grow with each change I make to my abode.
Green accent wall, here I come!
Dec 31
Farewell To 2014
With 2014 drawing to a close, I’m feeling the inevitable wistfulness that accompanies turning the calendar page. It’s been a year of breakthroughs and new beginnings for me — on several fronts.
As always, family and friends were by my side for all of 2014’s milestone moments. From celebrating the big 4-0 in January to making the front page of The New York Times’ travel section in August, my nearest and dearest made the joys sweeter and the sorrows infinitely more bearable.
Celebrating the big 4-0 with my brothers Ray (left) and Steve
For the first time, I found myself seriously considering a move out of New York. But after multiple trips to potential new hometown L.A., I realized it was a change of perspective and not a change of zip code that I needed. The experience of attending Oprah’s The Life You Want event in September hastened this long overdue mental shift.
Oprah!
The two-day event at Newark’s Prudential Center offered wisdom and inspiration from Miss O, Rob Bell, Mark Nepo, Elizabeth Gilbert and Iyanla Vanzant. One of the mantras that truly hit a nerve came from Iyanla–
“The life you want is on the other side of the labor pains to birth it.”
That’s when I finally (!) realized I have literally been living in the past. And so began the cathartic process of changing my home from being about my deceased parents to being a reflection of me. Repainting, decluttering and discarding has never felt so good.
Of course, no recap of the last 12 months would be complete without reflecting on my love life. This year, I have been reminded several times that people appear, and in some cases, reappear exactly when they’re supposed to. 2014 gave me the opportunity to make amends and reconnect with two significant others.
Just before Thanksgiving, I was reunited with someone special I dated last year. During a wonderful evening together, we effortlessly picked up right where we left off. I apologized for the times that I wrongfully held him accountable for previous romantic disappointments. As always, he responded with understanding and tenderness – reaffirming for me how fortunate I am to know him.
More recently, I heard from an ex-boyfriend I dated when I was in my twenties and then again briefly nine years ago. He too gave me and taught me so much during the time we were together. He made the most of the connection we had while completely respecting that we were at different stages of life.
When we reconciled back in 2005, I was recovering from a recent breakup and ended up hurting him as a result. I should have reached out to him sooner to say how badly I felt about it. Being the wonderful person he is, he took the initiative instead – giving me the opportunity to express my remorse and reiterate how much I will always value what we’ve shared over the years.
I am ending 2014 exactly where I should be, with a clean slate emotionally and the desire to look forward and not back. Maybe life really does begin at 40.
Happy New Year!
Dec 23
A Season Of New Beginnings
The holiday season is a time for making new memories and cherishing old ones. I’ve been doing a lot of that – especially today. Eight years ago today, my beloved Dad passed away after a lengthy, heroic battle with prostate cancer.
Dad and me
As I shared in this Father’s Day roundup of paternal wisdom, Dad packed a lot of living into his 90 years. He taught me so much about living life with zest, always seeking to learn and embrace new adventures and loving with an open heart. Which is why I’m so thankful that, for the first time on this anniversary, the sadness I usually feel has been eclipsed with what this time of year is all about: feeling blessed.
This weekend, I welcomed an intimate group of family and friends for my annual holiday party.
All smiles next to my tree
Along with laughter and some yummy dishes (including homemade vanilla pudding from my late grandpa’s recipe), I shared my home makeover progress: a fresh coat of paint in the bedroom, a completely reconfigured office and framed recent photos replacing the many I had displayed of my parents. If there’s such a thing as feng shui, I’m definitely feeling a lot more of it as this process continues.
Being the wise man that he was, Dad had urged me long ago not to hold on to so many knickknacks from our family home. But letting go of the past – or, at least, honoring it without letting it hold you back – is something that takes time to be ready for. I can think of no better Christmas gift than to know that I am finally in this place of embracing a fresh start.
Today also marks the seventh night of Hanukkah. I could feel Dad’s spirit with me tonight when I lit the menorah.
Rest in peace, Dad.
Nov 30
What I’m thankful for
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I’ve always been a big fan of making time to count your blessings — and having a special day to do that with loved ones never fails to soothe my spirit.
Family bonding: Me with (from left) my cousins Bruce and Amie, sis-in-law Barb and brother Ray.
In keeping with tradition, I spent the holiday in Delaware with my brother Ray, sister in law Barb and family. As we went around the table and shared what we’re each thankful for, I found myself thinking about how this has truly been a year of breakthroughs and new beginnings for me.
Back in July, I bid farewell to my Single Gal In The City blog after six years. More than a few wise, dear friends had encouraged me to do so and now I know why. Saying goodbye to my ersatz Carrie Bradshaw online persona created room for a seismic shift in my love life and how I approach it. And that change has paved the way for others too.
As I recently mentioned, I am in the process of making over my home to be a reflection of me instead of a shrine to my late, beloved Mom and Dad. It is quite a process, one which has illuminated just how stuck in my grief I’ve been. With each parental knickknack I take down and new self-chosen item that goes up, it feels like another step toward healing.
Then, of course, there is my job. A job I adore so much that my Facebook friends are probably tired of hearing me rhapsodize about it in my many “why I love my job” posts (I think I’m up to reason #530 approximately). I recently added The Westin New York At Times Square to my Marketing Manager duties for Starwood Hotels.
From my very first day, I could feel the energy and level of excellence that make this such a fantastic hotel. After more than two years with Starwood and being at The Westin New York Grand Central, it’s exciting to now be a part of the WTS team too. This new opportunity reinforces how grateful I am to have a job that I love, in a city that continues to challenge, inspire and reward me in so many ways.
With the holiday season in full swing, I can’t think of a better time to feel truly blessed —both professionally and personally.
Nov 22
Experiencing Parlor & The Joys Of Moving On
Last Saturday, my dear friend Sara and I visited Parlor, a private members-only club in SoHo.
Parlor in SoHo (photo courtesy: fastlifeluxury.com)
Tucked away behind a private, unmarked door on Spring Street, the exclusive 5,000 square foot venue is – according to the invite I received to try it out — for people who enjoy “making connections, have a love of fine dining, exceptional wines and cultural events.”
Sara and I enjoyed a tasting menu of creations by Chef Hilary Ambrose, a protégé of David Bouley. After a round of scrumptious, creamy pumpkin martinis (in graham cracker-rimmed glasses—mmmm), we enjoyed a three-course meal: smoked avocado puff pastry, couscous salad and pike fish for me, deer chop for Sara and for dessert, espresso-flavored ice cream. Our overall verdict: the portions were small but that was our only complaint. Parlor offers the attentive, first class service you would expect from a club that charges $1500 for annual membership.
Parlor’s low-lit, upscale ambience is very conducive to conversation. Sara and I talked about family, upcoming girls nights out (including a black tie charity event next week) and the importance of being true to yourself — especially when it comes to saying goodbye to people and patterns that are no longer any good for you.
It is, of course, one of the great rewards of being older and wiser; having better instincts about when and how to move on. Some people are only meant to be in our lives briefly. As I shared with Sara, realizing this about someone recently reminded me that everything really does happen for a reason. And that there’s no feeling more exhilarating than taking the positive from an experience and leaving the negative where it belongs, in the past.
I can’t help thinking of one of my favorite sayings, by writer Mary Wollstonecraft: the beginning is always today. I’ve never felt that more or been happier or more excited to live in a city where fresh starts are always around the next bustling corner.
