Sunday, January 07, 2007

(end of the) year in review!

hey kids!
a lot of you thought that i might have fallen off the face of the web since i didn't bog for quite a while. well, i'm alive and doing fine! this holiday season was quite a whirl-wind and did not leave much time for writing about my adventures, let alone uploading the photos! but let me tell you, there was quite a bit to talk about!
i'll give you a litte recap on what was going on ...

i seem to have disappeared at the start of the holiday season, thanksgiving.
shane and i went to a nice and quite dinner at britt and gabe's apartment.


the food was delish!


and of course, brecken was entertaining!


mara and coche brought the best dessert ever! krispy kremes! they go best with a red wine!

i had to get home and get a good nights rest because the next day was a big day for us in the retail world - black friday!!! supposedly the biggest shopping day of the year. we were deffinatley ready for some big business - but as a consumer/ normal person, i don't really get it. i would have no desire to get up at the crack of dawn, the day after eating and drinking with family and friends just to hit up some "bargins" at target, kohls, and macys!!! and the stores that i would want to shop at don't have anything different going on, so why not just shop at a more convenient time?! whatevs.


here are people, out and about at 7:30 am in front of saks! it looked like the afternoon on a (non)holiday! oh well, aside from the psychology of black friday, i actually love the madness of the holidays.


i was working the night that the tree at rockefeller center was lit. it was amazing to watch all of the people and the set up for the show from my office at work (this is actually a hugetv monitor that was set up for the masses to watch the program from the streets.)
but natuarally, when my shift ended, i high-tailed it out of the nighborhood! the streets were packed! it was like new years in times square! police were blocking off streets and only letting a few people in. not my idea of fun. and needless to say, i didn't even want to watch the lighting on tv at night. why would i want to when i get to see the tree every day at work!


this is the madness that i got to walk through leaving work every night.


saks also had a wonderful light display (forget their windows!) everyone loves to oooohhh and aaahhh at the snowflakes that dance to the music.
but this is where one of the things that i hate about the holidays fits right in ... the crowds!!!!
i know that this is not a new topic for any blogger or anyone that lives in NYC, but i just don't get it! why must the tourists all walk 5 people across?? why must they just stand in the middle of the sidewalk and not move?? don't they all know that we have jobs to get to, trains to catch, lives to lead?!?!!? and i didn't help that i happend to work in rockefeller, probably the 2nd bussiest neighborhood in the city at the holidays next to times square. i did my best to keep my cool - deep breaths, leaving earlier, trying to put myself in thier shoes (i have been a tourist before!). but it didn't always help. i must admit to having pushe and shoved my way through a few innocent (yet clueless) gawkers. welcome to new york city.

and now back to the joyful holidays!

this year was exciting, not only was my apartment big enough to actually have a christmas tree and display my decorations, i got a live tree!!


shane helped string the lights,


i finally got to display my favorite nutcracker ornaments,


and voila! the tree is up!


mills decided that the tree was her new den. she loved laying under the tree on the tree skirt and chewing her bones so much that i was not able to put out the presents early! my angel.

to add to the holiday cheer, i was excited to plan a holiday event at work.


my friend, http://www.myspace.com/amieamisband ">Amie Amis, performed lively holiday tunes for the afternoon at my job. it was so nice and the customers loved it!

and and early christmas gift was seeing my old college friend, Lauren when she and her boyfriend came into town for a wedding.
shane and i met her at this crazy little resturant near the lower east side, sammy's roumanian steakhouse, where they server iced vodka (vodka in a brick of ice! deadly!), serve up yummy latkes and applesauce, and dance to the lively jewish tunes! fun times were had by all!


lauren displays the vodka! and then pours another glass!


awww, crotchy! it's been too long!


forget the horrah! shane shows us an irish jig outside!


cheers to old friends, new friends, food and DRINKS!!!!!

back to reality now. the weeks flew by with long days at work, running around, trying to find the perfect gift, and trying to get some needed sleep! but soon enough, christmas was almost here! my dad came to visit, which was great! i haven't seen my dad for an actual christmas is about 6 years!!! gotta love retail! he got to visit my new place and finally had his irish breakfast!
but on to presents!!!!

christmas morning is here!!! yeahhh!!!!


and the tree was full ...
i was obsessed with my wrapping. i only used 3 coordinating paper, this special yarn, and home made gift tags (see if you can spot them under the tree!)


millie loves presents and thought that everything was for her! she was quite an expert at opening them!


and carefully watched everyone else open their gifts! whatcha get, shane!?!?


shane is already enjoying his new camera! (anita, we have some new compatition!)


and my dad did his best captain jack impression!

santa (ahmm - shane and dad!) were very nice to me as well! :)


and of course, dinner was wonderful! compliments to the chef! (and it wasn't me!!)

it was a wonderful christmas and a great holiday season! i am actually sad that it is over (i took my tree down today). but am glad to be able to relax.

you can see all of the rest of my pictures that were not
able to be included here
on my flickr account!




1 Comments:

Blogger pinknest said...

FINALLY you have returned! what fun. i enjoyed re-living christmas. and how cute with mills under the tree.

i welcome shane to the paparrazi.

4:33 PM  

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