Day After Columbus Day

I love New York's love of parades. I still love, one year in, that in a city as compact and congested as Manhattan, there are parades for every single holiday. Streets are cleared, staging areas blocked off, police stationed, and people march and sing and spectators applaud and cheer and there is so much happiness for an afternoon. For every. single. holiday. Including Columbus Day which was yesterday and which brought out Italian pride in full-force - green, white and red flags as far as the eye could see, celebrating the man who so many years ago "walked into someones house and told them he lived there now" as the joke goes. Despite this particular holidays less-than-stellar origins, I do love that New York takes any excuse to celebrate most everything, and yesterday's parade was no exception.

Monday!

 {Image via}

And now we're back to it! On the proper day. And we are taking this day to wish a

Very, Very, Very Happy Birthday Boppie!

to my grandpa who turns 90 years old today! No, he doesn't read my blog as religiously as the rest of you do. Psh, if you can't trust family who can you trust? But I want the rest of you out there in the blogosphere to know that my dear Boppie has reached a true milestone in life, and that I'm proud as anything to be lucky enough to be his granddaughter. His oldest granddaughter. The First. Number One. I win!

friday...

 {Image via}

I know, I totally forgot to post on Friday! And I even had a great picture (that I took!) of the memorial to Steve Jobs that had popped up overnight at the 5th Avenue Apple store. But, then the day got away from me and before I knew it, it was Saturday morning and I realized I'd left my 3 loyal followers with no Friday post! So now I'm back-posting - so sneaky, I know. But I'm admitting it so I get points for that, eh? Anyway, since now my usual photo email address is completely ruining my life, I still have to take-and-credit someone else's pictures to get my point across. Which simply was to say that I was shocked by the amount of adoration Steve Jobs' work with Apple and Pixar developed in New Yorkers. It was a pretty impressive sight to behold.

Rock Your Body

 {All images via}

It's ironic that I spent the entire summer NOT working out, it's just so blazing hot and humid on the east coast that the thought of going inside to sweat just seemed silly, to be honest. However, due to this lack of motivation for the past four or so months, and fairly consistent consumption of sweet iced treats as a means to beat the heat, I am becoming increasingly nervous about what this habit will do come winter - when the bundling up in large coats conveniently hides stomach bulges. This is something which must be remedied sooner rather than later - on the plus side, I did rather find myself enjoying the warm camaraderie of the gym last winter, and as things are looking more and more towards my moving into an apartment with roommates rather than remaining in my own break-the-bank-with-rent-every-month studio, the gym time will once again give me some me-time after a day at work and before a night with housemate(s). Fingers crossed I actually get my tuckus into gear and back into a gym-space, though, because ever since I discovered Jamie Eason I've been salivating over the challenge to work my unwilling physique into something slightly closer to her amazing body. I much more appreciate the look of sleek, toned females versus just skinny women and Jamie has exactly the look of feminine strength and power I would love to possess. I will never look that cut - I cannot and will not give up carbs, I am a quarter Sicilian after all - but hopefully starting next week I will at least get myself back into the habit of getting my heart rate up at least 4x a week! Cross fingers for me guys! And Happy Thursday - we're almost there!

PS - Plus, isn't she just the cutest?!? Every picture I see makes me a little more smitten and motivated. I love her little bob. Makes me want to go back to short hair. See?! HOW FICKLE AM I?? In debt due in part to my need for fake hair extensions and now I'd willingly put myself right back into the position of dying for long hair. Although, I'll never sink that kind of money into fake hair again, just wasn't my style. So maybe, it was a worthwhile mistake after all, to at least now know for sure. Sorry, tangent. Still, she's adorbs, right? And to have abs like that?! Might be worth a few less cookies everyday...

facts are facts

 Another Facebook find - my friends are posting such fabulousity lately! - that I simply had to share here as well. We've made it to Wednesday! It's all downhill from here!

fact.

 {Image via a friend's facebook}

Today, this makes me smile. Happy Tuesday all!

October!

 The month of Halloween is here and New York is already starting its celebrations! By which I mean, I saw my first decorated stoop en route to work today, and it sort of made me realize that we are indeed into October. The air was a crisp 50 degrees - I had to throw on my coat as I ran out the door - and then whilst walking I passed a beautifully wrought-iron fence with ghosts and ghouls perched just so beyond it. Made me smile, as I assumed there may be children living in the abode, although it could just as easily be an excited adult. I'm not sure I want to go all out this year - I've gotten dolled up and done the Parade the past 2 years, and to be honest I think this year I sort of want a Halloween weekend filled with scary movies and sweet treats but I don't know if I want to brave all the crowds again. And I really don't know if I want to dress up. Maybe a mask if someone throws a legitimate party, but I don't want to go crawling the bar scenes, crammed in out of the cold night air with far, far too many people. I'm enjoying this easing into the Halloween scene, though, so we'll see if I get more excitable as the month goes on. In the meantime, Happy  Monday!