Giants Game!

Last Sunday we went to the Giants vs. Eagles game - my first NFL game (and another item off the bucket list!). Thanks to Christmas gifts from Nate's parents and sister, we had awesome Giants gear to wear - jerseys and beanies - and we were lucky that the weather was unseasonably warm! It was overcast but it never rained, we had fun tailgating at the Bud Light Beer Garden, and even though the Giants lost we had a blast with my sister Jenni and her boyfriend Amado! Jenni gets credit for coming up with the idea of doing this as their Christmas gift and Nate and I decided to join and I'm so glad we did! It was an awesome day we'll always remember. And, win or lose, we still love our New York sports teams!

Bucket List: Giants Game!

Nate and I aren't big into buying gifts - since we started dating we've always found experiences to be more fun. For our birthdays and for Christmas instead of getting presents we've gone on trips, dined at great restaurants, and gone to concerts. Well, for Christmas my sister had the amazing idea of going to a Giants game. It has been on our NYC bucket list for ages. We decided our Christmas gift to each other will be going to see the Giants vs. Eagles a few days after Christmas with my sister and her boyfriend! I can't wait - Nate and I always thought going to a Giants game would be more fun with friends. My sister is also a huge New York sports fan so we will have a blast and it will be so special!

I'm so excited to go to my first NFL game, and a Giants game at that! Plus we get to mark it off the bucket list and I get to experience it with my sister and husband! She snagged us great seats in the lower level in the 18th row! It's going to be awesome!

We're gonna be here in just a couple months!

FSU - BCS National Champs!

Monday night Florida State played Auburn in the last BCS National Championship Game out in Pasadena California. I was proud but nervous to cheer on my noles - and it was definitely a close game! FSU scored the winning touchdown under a minute left! When it was finally over Nate and I danced around the apartment - so proud that my Seminoles finished an absolutely incredible year 14-0, unconquered both in terms of record and spirit.

FSU gave me four of the best years of my life. I made life-long friends and countless memories tailgating and cheering for the Seminoles. While 2003-2007 certainly weren't flagship football years they were special nonetheless. And, even though I couldn't be in Pasadena, it was no less special thinking about all my friends and reminiscing over old memories.

It also was a great way to kick off what will surely be one of the most memorable years of our lives! UCF also beat Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl which was awesome for me and Nate, who is a proud Knights alum! And in happy losses, we were pleased Urban and Saban lost their bowl games ;)

Some favorite FSU football pics below:

So proud of my team... 2014 is off to an amazing start!!!! 

Farewell, Mariano

Nate and I went to Mariano Rivera day last month - the Sunday before my birthday. It was a really special day with tributes from former players and coaches, including Bernie Williams, Joe Torre, and Jorge Posada. Mariano is considered the best closer in the history of baseball and it definitely showed in the special tribute the Yankees put together. They even brought in Metallica to play "Enter Sandman" live before the game as Mariano came out onto the field for the opening ceremony. Here are a few pictures from the day:

Win or lose, we love the Yankees!

Starting Off 2012!

2012 started off at our favorite Mexican restaurant - Rosa Mexicano. We dressed up and hit the town, ordered our favorite food and a couple margaritas. Super fun, just how we like it!

Next up - my sister Jenni came to town! We started off taking in the Museum of Natural History with our good friends Amanda and Steven:

We also went out to celebrate Jenni's (sigh) 23rd birthday... if she is 23 that means I'm really getting old. We went to a new place - Buddakan (SATC fans will know it as the restaurant where Carrie and Big had their rehearsal dinner):

Next up in January we had a nice snowstorm! It was not like the Nor'easter blizzard of last year, but that was fine by us! We spent a Sunday in Central Park, which was virtually deserted - enjoyed the beautiful snow!

 And finally, the first weekend in February was Superbowl Sunday! It was a rematch of the 2008 Patriots-Giants Superbowl and the Patriots were looking for revenge... but my giants won! We took to the streets of the city afterwards and people were so excited - it was awesome to be a part of it. Definitely one of those bucket-list type things you can say you've done - lived in a city that won the superbowl! It doesn't hurt that I'm a huge Giants fan and I love my New York teams!

All in all, 2012 is off to an amazing start! More updates soon on my trip home to Florida, upcoming adventures, and more!

Breakfast Club Reunion: The Return to Tally!

At the end of October I brought Nate to Tallahassee for a true FSU football weekend! We are both from Gainesville but he went to school at UCF, so he's never been an FSU fan... but all that changed this weekend! I think it helped that FSU was playing NC State, a UCF rival, but I'll take what I can get! He even wore garnet :). I was also reunited with my best friend Courtney, who like me grew up in Gainesville but went to FSU, and the rest of the Breakfast Club - our group of friends from Lady Spirithunters. Lady Spirithunters was the first club I joined at FSU and it changed my college experience. Without it I wouldn't have met these amazing women, and it helped me truly feel at home at FSU. I still remember seeing the FSView with my name as a new Spirithunter... and the way I felt a year later when I saw my best friend's name in the paper (I may or may not have delivered a paper to her that morning at 6am... haha!)

Our first night in Tally we returned to an FSU favorite - MASA Japanese restaurant. Great sushi! After that we headed to Finnegan's Irish Pub - I went there first when I was in town for Mallory's wedding. It has a really cool vibe. And I got to see Anna, one of my friends from when I was an intern in Rome! She is from Tallahassee and lives here now! It was so great to see her.



The next morning we were up EARLY (noon kickoff, thus an early tailgate). But we made the best of it! We were reunited with Laura, Kelly and Natalie for our early morning tailgate. We had Sam Adams Octoberfest, seven layer dip, free sandwiches thanks to Jimmy Johns, Publix subs, and more chocolate chip cookies than we could count! We had GREAT seats at the game thanks to Natalie, and it was a clear and beautiful gameday. It was the perfect day!

The Breakfast Club Girls: Melissa, Courtney, Me, Natalie, Laura, & Kelly

Me & Nate in Doak Cambell Stadium

After the game we walked campus for an hour, everywhere from Courtney's ADK house to the PiPhi house, and the College of Ed and the College of Social Science. And of course, we had to take a picture at Westcott. We even returned to Bullwinkles! It was an amazing weekend!

Me & Nate at Westcott

First NBA Game: Madison Square Garden

We finally made it to the Knicks game! For Nate’s birthday back in September I got him tickets for Knicks-Magic at Madison Square Garden! Neither of us had ever been to an NBA game before, and Nate LOVES the Orlando Magic! However, in November the day of the game some construction in the stadium released what was thought to be asbestos, and the game was cancelled. The next day they realized it was only DUST but the damage was done! The game was finally rescheduled for March 28, and thus was a very belated birthday present for Nate!

We were a little divided for this game! Nate is a loyal Orlando Magic fan, but I have never had allegiance to an NBA team before (have never lived in a city with a team) so I am determined to be loyal to all the New York teams – Knicks, Yankees, Giants, and Rangers. So I wore a Carmelo Anthony shirt while Nate wore a Magic shirt! We had great seats to watch the game which was a nailbiter! It was close – tied at 100 at the end of the 4th quarter! But once Dwight Howard fouled out, the Knicks pulled ahead and won. I was excited!! Nate was a little disappointed but it was okay!



It was an amazing experience to have my first NBA game be in the legendary Madison Square Garden! It definitely has a 70s vibe to it (enhanced by the choice of pre-game music) but it’s just classic. And they are renovating it, and I can’t wait to come back once it’s complete! We also had a few celeb sightings at the game - Loren Michaels from SNL, Jimmy Fallon, and Tracey Morgan. I love our “new” New-York adventures. There is always something new to do in this city!