{ trap & skeet }

I hadn't shot a gun since YMCA camp when I was like 12 until today, 

when we ventured out to Thunder Mountain trap & skeet in NJ.

Seriously, fun times.

I didn't know how I would feel about shooting, I don't like guns but I'm gonna admit that I kinda liked it. 

 But then again, we were shooting at cute, orange, clay discs.

{ mosaic loves }

this is me

saw this on niks blog and couldn't resist...I love pictures as you know.

want to make one of your own?

instructions are here.

enjoy.

{ p-town }

Em and I decided to make a last minute day trip to Philly Saturday morning.

I don't care that I JUST got back from San Diego. I couldn't pass up a road trip. 

I love the city but one day out is like a whole weekend of vacation. 

 Philly was the perfect destination and there's nothing that the road can't cure.

The day started off with the Reading Terminal Market. AMAZING! Can I please shop here every Saturday? Lunch was delicious (complete with live piano music man) and I loved shopping for veggies & fruits afterwards...SO much cheaper than my beloved NYC.

Next was cultural time with a stop at the Liberty Bell...so great (and FREE!) and then the 

Rocky steps at the art museum. But of course. The experience was made complete by getting 

hit on by an old guy (way out of his league!) trying to be sporty spice like Rocky and then 

the pee colored tooth guy who we wanted to take a picture with that ended up being:

a. not as cute up close

AND

b. a jerk

Target was next on the agenda (yes, I get excited to go to Target!) and then the perfect dinner with old nyc friends, current nyc friends & our philly people.

Thanks Philly for providing us with a great Saturday vacay!

{ the 190 trip }

I couldn't be happier...

5+ days of sunshine, family & friends.

the 190 trip to be exact.

a few of my cousins turned 30 and the aunt & uncle 50

30 + 30 + 30 + 50 + 50 = 190

...like we needed an excuse to get together.

...I was OVER winter in NYC and needed a break.

The trip started in Huntington and then I made my way south to our final destination, Coronado...

Between R & R, eating (and more eating), boat cruises and an impromptu dance party, it couldn't have been more perfect.

I'm starting to question why I ever left Cali??? It really is great here.

Although I know when I get back to NYC, it will feel like home there too.

left vs. right coast...hmmm.

I love both equally.

Although right now, the left coast trumps it.

I'm off to the beach...

{ bronx, gypsy cabs, greasy pizza & no olaya }

...we tried to do the right thing tonight.

Our good friend Oscar's father is in a nursing home in the Bronx so we decided to make the trek up there to visit him.

trek = 90 min. of really slow trains up to the last stop in the bronx

We maybe were talking too much and got off on the wrong exit. Bad idea. That's what girls do though. We talk & we're good at it.

So, we ended up at Dyer avenue, thinking we had gotten off on the right exit.

We started walking in what we thought was the right direction but after a bit we decided we had no clue where we were (and for honestly the first times since I moved to NYC I was scared).

Actually, forget service, we were really there to film an episode of snow white in the hood.

Kidding, but that's what it felt like. They loved us up there.

After a quick stop to get what was probably the greasiest slice of pizza I've ever had (with wheat crust of course!) we found a cologne infested gypsy cab to take us to Mr. Olaya miles from where we were.

We finally made it to the nursing home and they wouldn't let us in.

Seriously?!?

...something about visiting hours!

...did they not understand what we went through to get there?

what?!?

one of us got bitchy...one of us got emotional but we still didn't get to see him. sad.

As miss Em says, rules were made to be broken, but this time, 

the security guard wasn't about to let us break them.

as if.

...the place was awful and even more reason to make another attempt at visiting Oscar's papa.

We'll be back, I promise.

Now that we know how to get there...

& I'll bring the seven dwarfs with me next time.

{ spice market }

One of the many reasons to love NYC is the food.

I'm a spoiled brat now when it comes to restaurants...we have so many options here, 

cheap & not cheap, we've got it good.

Spice Market has always been one of my favorites! A recommendation from Huge (not a NYer but a lover of food & she has great taste), I loved Spice Market the first time I went and have been back many times.

I was supposed to play video games with the guys but got a last minute dinner invite to S.M. and had to go!

The best part about it was we didn't have a table but KBIII being the man that he is went downstairs and managed to get us a great table in one of the private rooms downstairs despite a 90 minute wait.

oh to be young & beautiful...

{ plumerias }

I love how certain songs & smells bring back the most vivid memories.

Borg decided to go on a last minute Hawaiian adventure and brought me back the best present EVER!

a single plumeria flower.

my favorite.

There's nothing like stepping off the plane in Hawaii and smelling the warm, sweet air.

I've been craving Hawaii lately and that flower brought a little bit of it back to me.

It's like when I listen to Air Supply's Greatest Hits. It reminds me so much of a family trip we took to Yellowstone & Jackson Hole when I was 9. Thank you Air Supply for always bringing back the memories. You're not all out of love.

I even still have my "jennifer" necklace from Jackson Hole.

ahh...memories.

{ image found via we heart it }