Wine Country

This past weekend, I joined a group of about 20 friends to Sonoma to go wine tasting for our friend, Will's birthday. For obvious reasons, it was one of my top two favorite weekends here. We all met at Will's at 9am for a some mimosas and a light breakfast of scones and croissants before we all piled into a party bus where the drinking of mimosas continued. Not to be trashy, but I was kind of drunk by the time I got there...as in 11am. With the tasting of wines keeping my hearty buzz going, I enjoyed the perfect weather, stunning views, and some great company.

All in all - perfect Saturday afternoon.

Alamere Falls

One of the many benefits to living in San Francisco is being in such close proximity to so many great (and totally different) weekend activities. You're basically one hour from...anything: the beach, skiing, wine county, hiking, so on and so forth. (And that's if you even want to leave the city) The only hiccup people run into is a lack of car, but even then there's the option to Zip Car it...or have friends with cars.

This past weekend, my three closest friends in the city as well as some other good SF friends drove the winding (like winding to the point to where I almost thew up from being car sick) roads up to Alamere Falls to go hiking for the afternoon. Literally, I was freaking out because of all the photo opportunities; I could barely even handle it. We all had a great time laughing and telling stories the entire way. On the way back we were especially funny...but I think that was the delirium and not so much us actually being funny. We were out there for like a million hours and by the time we got back to the car we were starving. Our car (Mike, Adam, Andy, and I) stopped by this little restaurant in town where I shoveled down garlic fries, clam chowder, mac n cheese, a burger, and a baked potato. As much as you'd think I would be wishing I had ordered a sensible salad, I don't at all. It was the perfect meal to wrap up a perfect day.

I live in LA

Until I can find something permanent in the city (SF), I'm staying with some family friends down in the Los Altos/Mountain View area (where Google is). My 70ish year old roommates (as I refer to them), Joan and Ernie are quite possible the nicest people I've ever met and I kind of love them. Since the weather's been so bad and because my main mode of transportation is a bike, I was a little limited in terms of things-to-do so I decided this would be a perfect time for a little roommate bonding time! It's also why sometimes I get dropped off and picked up from the Caltrain station #amIin10thgrade?

We did all sorts of fun things this weekend: we went to the library, we walked downtown Los Altos, and we went to a coffee shop. Please don't think for one second that I didn't love it. No offense, but who doesn't want roommates that cook delicious home-cooked meals every night? Like...EVERY night.

I really did enjoy my time at Peet's in downtown LA (Los Altos). I got to sit, RELAX, and enjoy a lazy rainy afternoon over two lattes and Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns). Seriously - best book ever. I've never laughed so hard (or cried from laughing so hard) from a book.

On top of all of this, I got a chance to catch up with some of my best friends. Facetiming with Ryan, gossiping with Michael (something that was LONG overdue - omg the stories) and conference calling with Johnny and Patrick (even though it made me forget my helmet on the train so now I ride illegally) really made me miss home. Life is great here, and I'm really enjoying my time with my roommates, but you know how it goes. It's hard to not look back sometimes.

The High Line

One of my first days here, my friend, Brian, brought me to The High Line when I went to visit him in Chelsea before a job interview. It was actually pretty incredible and innovative. It's no surprise that space in NYC for parks is nearly nonexistent, and I thought that this was a great creative solution to that problem. Instead of paraphrasing the details, I just copied and pasted from here. Enjoy!

BASICS

What is the High Line?
The High Line is a public park built on a 1.45-mile-long elevated rail structure running from Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street on Manhattan's West Side.

What was it used for?
The High Line was a freight rail line, in operation from 1934 to 1980. It carried meat to the meatpacking district, agricultural goods to the factories and warehouses of the industrial West Side, and mail to the Post Office.

Who owns the High Line?
The High Line, south of West 30th Street, is owned by the City of New York and is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks & Recreation. It was donated to the City by CSX Transportation, Inc. which still owns the northernmost section (West 30th Street - West 34th Street).

Is This a Date?

I think so. I hope so.

After joining a few friends for brunch this past Sunday, a guy (remaining anonymous) and I left the group to grab a latte in the Meatpacking District at this great shop called Kava. My latte, our conversation, and the coffee shop were all great and I really enjoyed myself. I'll leave it at that because if he ends up being one of the 6 people that reads this blog, I'd be really embarrassed.

Finally, the weather doesn't feel like it does in Louisiana (which is what it's basically been like for the past week). Saturday night, the temperature dropped down to 50ish degrees, so yesterday I was able to bust out my fall wardrobe - basically one of the best days of the year. As I was walking to the subway after I left en route to Tribeca, I couldn't help but smile. I love this city. I (insert heart) NY.

Mexican Cook Out

This past Sunday (the first day of this GORGEOUS weather, we (we being friends, Danielle, Ryan, Brennan, Krystal, and I) decided it was too nice of an evening to sit inside. There's about 7 days a year where this state has enjoyable weather, and I was not planning on wasting it. Solution: cookout by the pool! After a little deliberation, we chose a Mexican theme and got to work on the menu.

While sipping on Skinny Girl margs and beer, we sauteed a veggie medley and grilled chicken and steak for some yummy fajitas (with fresh cilantro, sour creme, salsa, and cheese). That, along with homemade guacamole and black bean salsa...I'd say we did alright.

Bistro Byronz Brunch

I love this place (and not just for their Blue Cheese Chips). Bistro Byronz, located on Government near Superior Grill is one of my favorite dining locations in Baton Rouge. The New Orleansy atmosphere coupled with their delicious cuisine make a perfect setting for a date (or try reserving a room for a great party space).

Either way, Some friends and I brunched there this past Sunday. We chose Bistro Byronz for the reason above AND because of their great patio space (a rarity in Baton Rouge). This weekend, a heavenly cool front came in and made sitting outside not only bearable, but comfortable and enjoyable!

Estate Sale

As I was nursing my hangover enjoying a scone and coffee Sunday morning, I ran into my friends, Jason and Lou who had run in to grab a coffee in between estate sale shopping. Lou goes to them all the time (he has this weird obsession with chairs) and I've gone once or twice, but not too, too often. Therefore...I packed up my stuff and decided to join them. As I thought, there was a ton of crap, but there was also some pretty awesome pieces. I can definitely see myself going to more and more!

Polos and Pearls

This past Saturday, my friend, Johnny Patrick (Patrick's Fine Jewelry) participated in St. Francisville's Polos and Pearls event. Similar to a While Linen Night or White Light Night, locals and tourists flocked to downtown St. Francisville to enjoy live music, food, and drinks. My friends, Patrick, Ryan, Danielle, Krystal (APOL) and I drove up late Saturday afternoon and ended up enjoying ourselves so much that we stayed much later than I anticipated. I love these kinds of events so if you go next year, you'll definitely see me there!

Rain in the Quarter

It seems these New Orleans posts are becoming more and more regular. This time was much more low key than other trips, though. After heading home to Covington on Saturday for some grilled (yes grilled) pizzas, I drove down to the South Shore to spend time with friends. Since there was no special occasion, it made my time there nice and relaxing.

The next morning/early afternoon after going out, my friend, Frank and I drove down to the Quarter for lunch at Stanley's (after trying a few other places that were PACKED). I love the French Quarter in the morning - especially when it's raining. It really is a beautiful part of the city, and it was so nice to get out and walk around despite getting a little wet. Not surprisingly, the restaurant was deeelish. (Try it if you haven't been! I got the Pepperoni Pizza Caesar Salad Poor Boy – French Bread Pizza with Pepperoni, Provolone and Mozzarella Cheeses, Basil Pesto, Romaine Lettuce And House Made Spicy Chipotle Caesar Dressing. OMG) After that and a Bloody Mary (clearly), I took a quick nap then headed back to good ole BR. Good to be home...even if the word "home" is a bit ambiguous right now...

Jeri's Corner! (Birthday Lunch)

Sunday, after the Red Dress Run, I invited a few of my closest friends to my parent's for some apps, drinks, and lunch. Despite the fact that we were all a little hung over, we all had a good time hanging out and laughing (especially with MawMaw) as we recounted the weekend's festivities.

After we ate grilled chicken and sausage, salad, and black bean salsa, we all stuck around for some cupcakes that we butchered cut into fourths for easier sharing (and champagne). A quick GREAt Jeri's corner idea: hand-written cards for sauces, dressings, and ingredients. It adds a personal touch to something that's ordinarily pretty generic. All in all, I'd say it was a pretty great afternoon. Now, as I write this back in Baton Rouge, I'm nursing one of the worst hangovers of my life (dramatic enough for you?)

PS - The picture of the 6 of us is somewhat a joke - picking at the fact that our lives are so "wonderful and perfect". Orchid, anyone? #besties