nostalgia

So it's almost Fall...and there is no place to celebrate the Fall than in New York.

With the foliage, crisp clean air, leaves falling...it's really hard to be away from home at such a special time.

Since Danielle's been here, we have been talking a lot about how beautiful the East Coast is during the Fall. We especially love Halloween. There are so many haunted mansions, pumpkin fields, hay rides, fall festivals, halloween stores and more...

We found a really cute Halloween store in Carmel that had Halloween decorations (witches, ghosts, orange and red leaves..etc)

I guess I love Halloween so much because my birthday is around that time and it makes me think of my lovely family and friends :(

We have been looking into Haunted Mansions around this area and can't find any! That really kinda stinks cause it's making me miss NY..like the Haunted Hayride in Ulster Park. Or the haunted mansion in Poughkeepsie. Or Huguenot Street tours in New Paltz. or the original Sleepy Hallow

there are plenty of other awesome events in New York..Hope you all enjoy it!

Miss you all

-Cor

D's back!

Danielle came to visit us again and we've had so much fun so far!

She got in Wednesday night. She flew into San Jose around 7pm so our fun began on Thursday.

Thursday we did our grocery shopping and Dan had a job interview. I also had to get some paperwork together for my volunteer/internship as a counselor at a high school (starting Monday).

Friday we went for a looong bike ride around Monterey. We went down to the Warf and had a taste testing of clam chowder..Old Fisherman's Grotto won. After that we came home and I cooked us some Indian food. We then went down to Carmel by the Sea at night time and walked around town. We went into this Christmas/Halloweeen store that was so beautiful. It was like a fancy decoration store. We then stopped at this tourist shop and got some cute inspirational cards by Curly Girl Design

We then finished the night by getting hot apple cider.

Saturday Danielle woke up early and brought her breakfast to the beach. It's been so beautiful out here lately so we are all trying to soak up the sun. We then went to Garrapatta State Park and took some lovely pictures. After that, we went to Lover's Point and hung out in the sun.

Dan and I got sushi dinner followed by dessert from Chocolate Dreams. Joey, Dan and I then went to check out the sunset and took awesome pictures.

We dropped Joe off and went back to Carmel by the Sea and again got hot apple cider, stopped at the tourist shop and then went to see the play, Willy Wonka, at the Forest Guild Theater in Carmel. It was a very cool community outing.

Anyways, more adventures to come...hope all is well

Xo

PS Could not go blonde!!! My hairstylist said that it would destroy my hair! So I just put blonde highlights in it instead.

xoxo

L.A., Marina del ray, Santa Monica and Venice weekend

*Nicole Simpson's house (creepy)
*twins!


This weekend Joe and I traveled down to L.A. to visit Dennis.

Friday night we got in around 8 p.m., about a 4 1/2 to 5 hour ride.

We went to into Santa Monica to a restaurant bar and had a couple of drinks.

After a night of partying, we went to Venice beach the next day and got some color.

That night we met up with Dennis's cousin's and friends and went to Father's Office, a yummy restaurant that has hands down the best burgers. F.O. also has a bunch of noncommercial beer's on tap. It's just an awesome place to go.

Sunday we got some breakfast, walked around the beach, drove around Santa Monica (saw Nicole Simpson's house...very eerie) and just hung out before we drove home.

beach sunset fun

why not

We spend most of our lives obeying rules and meeting expectations, don't we? Wake up at this time, wear this outfit, do your homework, aim for an A on your test, punch in to work at this time, do your work, do your work well, do your work exceptionally well so you stand out, pay your bills, pay your bills on time, eat this, not that. And so on...

All these rules and expectations that I've been used to for all these years. Structure. Stability. Definition of self. What do you do when that all goes away? What do you do when you realize you need to change and grow and then it actually happens...Well first comes anxiety and fear, then depression, then well... liberation.

So before I jinx any of these new feelings, I am dying my hair a honey blonde ( always wanted to, but never thought it would be "appropriate"), taking a photography class(who cares if I don't get a job out of it, it's my passion), looking into teaching myself piano(never mastered an instrument and it sounds so pretty) and training for my first 5k(because you need to challenge your body).

This is the first time in a long long time, probably since I was a child, where I did what I truly wanted. It's the first time where I've had the opportunity to explore my "wants" rather than meet my needs.

It's taken a while to get here and I've gone through some ridiculous obstacles and heartbreak, but I am exactly where I should be, in this state, in the arms of a fantastic man, writing this blog. But first things first....I'm going blonde! Next Tuesday at 2:45 to be exact...keep you posted

Cheers!

farmer's market

Every Monday there is a farmer's market up the road with local vendors from the Monterey area. We bought chili/lime pistachio's, red/yellow Dahlia flowers, tri-tip steak sandwich, chicken shwarma sandwich and for dessert...a chocolate and p-nut butter cupcake:)

Also included are some of the cute houses in our neighborhood

Happy Monday

a weekend of movies, errands and a road trip to berkley

Friday I went to the movies and saw Eat Pray Love..... honestly, read the book instead. You'll get more enjoyment and understanding of the author's message through the novel. The movie isn't the worst, but it kind of glides past the important messages and focuses more on location, location, location. But I am dying my hair like Julia Roberts in the movie. (think: blonde)

Friday evening, we sold our California King Mattress to a couple from Cape Town South Africa. Very cool couple!

Saturday Joe and I did our errands, grocery shop, hair cut, paid the bills etc. We then went to see The Other Guys with Will Ferrall and Marky Mark. Not really impressed with that movie either. Some part were hilarious (TLC references) but it was long and not that great.

That night we watched Brooklyn's Finest with Richard Gere, Wesley Snipes, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle (spelling?) Another not so great movie...jeez I sound like a snob.

Today Joe and I drove up to Berkley for the day. We checked out the North Face outlet and the college. We laid out on the big lawn of the campus and got some rays. We haven't had sun here in Monterey in forever! It was nice, felt like college days when you would lay out and study...or chat with your friends, whichever.

Anyways a nice relaxing weekend to say the least. Danielle and her sister-in-law, Jess, are coming at the end of the month so that's awesome news.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

quote of the day

"the truth of who we are is innate goodness and that the whole journey is about removing any obstacles or false beliefs that keeps us from knowing that" -A.M

I come from a family where if you want to eat a pie, you make the dough. If you want meatballs, you make them from scratch. If you want italian sauce, well you get the point.

Anyway, all my life I've watched my mother, grandmother and aunts prepare these grand meals. Even my brother got the itch a few years ago and boy does he make some damn good meals.

I should've helped more in the kitchen, but honestly I was lazy and wanted to play outside.

I've been living on my own for the last four years now so you would think that I would have acquired this skill, but I just got distracted with work or yummy take out. Don't get me wrong, I cooked meals but never enjoyed it.

However, I don't know if it's all the free time I have out here or it's the future wife to be gene kicking in, but I've had this desire to match my italian family skill. And most importantly, I enjoy it! It doesn't hurt to know that Joe really enjoys my cooking too.

Some favorites:

*Chili (ground meat, beans, corn, tomato sauce and spices)

*Coconut red curry chicken with steamed squash, zucchini, onion, sweet potatoes and garlic nhan

*Homemade meatballs (just add egg, parmesan cheese, tomato paste, spices and bread crumbs)

*Chicken and home-made biscuit dumplings

*The best guacamole in town

*Mexicalli burritos

*Home made Jelly (yes that's right) and Spicy Jelly (Mixed berry with Cayenne pepper and Peach with Jalapenos)

*Steak, shrimp marinated with soy sauce and sugar (thanks trav!) with sauteed kohlrabi or baked sweet potato fries

*Steamed kale with red vinegar and garlic

More food to make, will let you know my progress

I really want to learn to make home-made pasta and somehow master a pecan pie (for Joe's grandpa for Thanksgiving)

The holiday's are quickly approaching so I would like to prepare an awesome meal and an arrangements of Christmas cookies. I'd also like to learn how to make fudge. It would be cool to learn how to make those awesome cakes you see on Cake Boss, but that's a stretch.

What's your favorite meal?

Big Sur Hiking

I Heart NY

What I miss about New York

* Central Park in the fall, the crisp leaves crunching against your feet as you sip hot apple cider

* Central Park in the winter, ice skaking at night with your friends with weeping willow tree's surrounding the rink.

*Riding the subways

*Running the Brooklyn Bridge

*Macy's Christmas Window Displays

*Christmas time in NYC

*The beautiful fall foliage

*Katz Deli

*Sunflowers in the spring in New Paltz

*Bike riding with my brother

*Watching the rock climbers at the Gunks

*Running the trapps in New Paltz

*Playing soccer at the college

*Driving on the back roads

*Apple/Pear/Cherry orchards

*Concerts at the Chance

*Ithaca, the farm and the grey barn

*Walks at Vassar College

*Mexicalli Blue

*Hunter Mountain

*The Hudson River

*Swimming and cliff jumping in New Paltz and High Falls

*Haunted Mansions and Headless Horseman ride

*Homemade ice cream in Beacon

*Making pie's at my grandma's

*My Uncle's Camp

*Chinese food friday's with my parents

*Chores with mom

*Farmer's Markets

*The Davie's house..dexter..scooter..bella and sunny..and of course the Davies

*Running sprints with Denali

*Concerts at the Park

*Summer parties with bon fires

*Christmas shopping in Wappingers

*Christmas eve and all the yummy Italian food my family cooks

*The Snow

Most of all...I miss all the memories with my friends and family...miss and love you all

Santa Cruz

Met up with my friend Jemma from childhood in Santa Cruz today.
I Love Sushi* (actual restaurant name in Santa Cruz..this lunch meal (plus rice and soup) costs $7.50!!
Redwood trees
#1 Fan
Wooah....
Titanic style
Where rules of gravity do not apply...come one come all...
Pacific St downtown Santa Cruz...just like Boulder Colorado
Like the jersey shore boardwalk (beat the beat up!)
School of Surfers

Natural Bridges