January is OVER... Rejoice!

Hello, Loyal Readers! So far, it has been a very interesting 2017. The politics in Washington have been an absolute mess... and horribly entertaining... and disappointing. Mr. Handsome and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas where I was able to frolic with a flamboyance of pink flamingos. We also went to NYC to see an amazing musical my father-in-law wrote. (How cool is that!?) I've spent most of my evenings binge watching Shameless. (If you haven't watched it yet, stop reading this post and go watch it now). And I've spent most of my weekends trying to stay warm while visiting wineries around Northern Virginia. Glug, Glug!

January is always the hardest month of the year for me. It's tough going back to work after the holidays are over and you have to put away the tree and stockings and cookies and carols. It's mind numbing driving to the office when it's dark, and driving home when it's even darker. (Sad Whimper)

BUT- It's February now, and ALL IS WELL! Valentine's Day is right around the corner and we've had a few beautiful 60 and 70 degree days this past week. I have two work trips coming up to Chicago and San Diego which should be very entertaining... and boozy. I'm planning more fun winery and brewery trips this month and just started studying up on the Whole 30 diet, which Mr. Handsome and I are talking about trying in March. (Wish us luck!)

I hope you all are having a fabulous and adventurous 2017, and may you have a romantic and/or scandalous Valentine's Day next week. Cheers!

Happy New Year! 2017

Happy New Years Eve, loyal readers! It's been a wild and crazy 2016. Mr. Handsome and I took a number of fabulous vacations, and we tied the knot in June to officially become Mr. and Mrs. Personally, it has been a momentous year for this optimistic blogger.

Unfortunately, politics around the world were an absolute mess, and peace on earth is becoming a harder and harder goal to achieve. But through all the hard times, we must tread on and hope for the best in the future.

Each year I like to publish an "In and Out" list to review what I believe is "HOT" and "What's Not" in our modern world of wonders. I also like to set New Years resolutions for the year to come. Unlike most humans, I like to set achievable New Years resolutions; ones that I'm pretty much guaranteed to achieve so that I won't feel terrible about myself and feel buckets self-loathing at the end of the year.

My New Years resolution for 2016 was simply to cook more often. And luckily for me, I got tons of pots, pans and nifty appliances at the wedding that helped me achieve my goal! Below are pictures of just some of the delicious meals I made in 2016...

In 2017, I'm stepping up my game and setting TWO resolutions...

ONE: Read more books

TWO: Get my finances in order

I have a list of 27 books that I'd like to tackle. I realistically know that reading ALL of them will never happen, but I would like to finish as many as possible next year. I've also been meaning to get my finances in order for years, so I'm finally saying that 2017 will be the year! YAY GOALS!

And now, the infamous "In and Out" list...

What's HOT?

Vacations to Iceland, Germany & Cuba

Heavy, Hearty & Spiced Craft Beers

Leather Jeggings

Hygge

Silver, Gold and Chrome

Puppies dressed as BB8 and R2D2

What's NOT?

Wine served in anything but wine glasses

U.S. Politics and everything and everyone involved

Peasant Sleeves

Crossfit

Neon

Puppies dressed like other animals

I wish you all a very, very Happy New Year. Bring it on, 2017!

Happy Early Thanksgiving!

Hello, loyal readers! It's the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so I hope you all have started cutting back in preparation of stuffing your faces this upcoming Thursday. Thanksgiving is almost here, and what a great holiday it is! You get to wake-up and watch an awesome parade, followed by a hearty meal, pie, lots of alcohol, pie, and wholesome family drama. If you're like me and Mr. Handsome, you'll be squeezing a killer long run into your schedule before the parade. This year will be our 4th annual Thanksgiving Tofurkey Trot. GOBBLE GOBBLE!

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I thought it would be nice to post a heart-felt yet semi-sarcastic list of the things I'm grateful for this year. I listed 11 things, because that's my lucky number, and I thought any more than that would be obnoxious.

1) I'm not planning a wedding this year. THANK GOD! Been there, done that.

2) Mr. Handsome, and his acceptance of my silly quirks and oddities.

3) Pinot Noir

4) My Job. Many people don't have them, and mine's pretty great. I'm very lucky.

5) Having family live locally, so we don't have to battle crowds at the airports over the holidays.

6) Air-conditioning and central heating... I don't understand how our ancestors survived without it.

7) Craft Beer

8) Netflix

9) Running, and that I'm blessed with the health and ability to do it.

10) Justin Timberlake... Because he brought sexy back.

11) Summer, because winter is freaking cold.

Tell me, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Richmond Birthday + Race Funzies!

Hello, Loyal Readers! Today is November 13th, meaning my birthday was two days ago. YAY! I am officially 29 years old. (And I swear, it was my first 29th birthday.... Not my 3rd, not my 12th, my FIRST 29th birthday)

Truth be told... I absolutely love birthdays. Birthdays are day-long events thrown in your honor where everyone is nice to you, buys you gifts, shoves alcohol at you, does any crazy activity you want and pays for food from restaurants that you choose. What is NOT to love!?

For my birthday, I was treated to filling meals at some AWESOME restaurants! My co-workers took me for tasty ramen near the office, my parents devoured amazing Greek tapas with me in DC, and some friends took me out for upscale pizza and pasta in Richmond. Mr. Handsome was best of all, taking me for a lovely birthday walk to our neighborhood bakery and dog park, treating me to drinks and food at amazing breweries and restaurants in Richmond, and being my #1 spectator at the half-marathon I ran Saturday. He also bought me a new Fit-Bit, (rose gold, to match my new iPhone, obvi), which should be arriving next week.

I am absolutely stuffed from all the food and beer, and am ridiculously sore from PR'ing in the half-marathon, (smirkity smirk), but am so looking forward to another birthday in exactly 363 days. #30andFabulous

Nickary's European Honeymoon (Bonjour! Cheerio!)

Happy Monday, loyal readers! I hope you all are doing well. I myself am doing splendidly! Mr. Handsome and I finally went on our romantic European honeymoon last week. (Only 3 1/2 months late). We took a running leap and hopped across the pond to spend eight days skipping around London and Paris.

We started the trip with a red eye flight to London, which I highly recommend NOT doing. Sitting upright in coach and trying to sleep is virtually impossible. However, we pushed through our first day in LONDON BABY and ended up spending three wonderful days taking a river cruise down the Thames, running around Hyde Park, enjoying High Tea at Kensington Palace, going on a Muggle Tour through the city, eating great Thai and Indian food, bike riding all through the city, walking across Abbey Road, drinking lots of beer and devouring fish and chips.

After we couldn't drink any more beer, we hopped on the Eurostar Train next to King's Cross Station, (yes, we stopped at Platform 9 3/4), and took the 2 1/2 hour ride to Paris! We stayed in a lovely hotel room with a little window nook where we ate our morning croissants. We climbed all 400 steps to the top of Notre Dame and walked our way through Centre Pompidou, Musee d'Orsay and the Picasso Museum. We did a bike tour through the city to see beautiful famous sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, and stuffed our faces with duck, fois gras, escargot, steak frites, baguettes, macarons and bottles of wine. We also walked through the gardens of beautiful Versailles and took a romantic boat cruise down the Seine.

If it seems like we had a packed week in Europe, you're right. WE'RE EXHAUSTED! But it was totally worth it. I feel so culturally alive and educated! I learned a little French, ate some incredible food, saw several famous landmarks and made lasting memories with Mr. Handsome. But for now... Bonjour! Cheerio!

Pre-Honeymoon Post

TGIF, loyal readers! I hope you're doing well on this fine Fall Friday. Exactly one week from today, Mr. Handsome and I will finally be flapping away on a jet plane to embark on a great adventure... our HONEYMOON! (Only 114 days after the big day. We like being fashionably late)...


We will be flapping all the way to London and Paris to spend a week doing nothing but eating, drinking and being cute little American tourists who don't speak French. (Forgive us, kind Parisians. We apologize in advance). We were talking about the honeymoon last night over a delightful frozen pizza and discussed what we were most looking forward to about our trip.


We both agreed that we were most excited for the food... (Does that make us fat?)... and all of the French wine and London ales we're going to drink... (I swear, we are NOT alcoholics!)


We're also super excited to see the Eiffel Tower, sit at Parisian cafes sipping coffee and eating croissants and macaroons, watch little French puppies walk by wearing berets, listen to everyone's "Cheerio" accent in London, have a luxurious High Tea at Kensington Palace and finally see Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station!


The above listed items are our EXPECTATIONS for what we'll encounter in both cities. It's interesting how one's thoughts of what a trip is going to be like measure up against what you actually encounter during your visit. We can't wait to see if the London Eye really only has one eye, and whether or not Madeline really is smaller than all the other little girls. Silly little Madeline...


Until the "Post-Honeymoon" Post, we wish you Au Revoir and Cheerio! Tootles, loyal readers! (Flap, Flap)

Words To Live By...

Some wise and sage advice from a cute little bird on a sailboat nest...