HEUVOS BENEDICTOS (eggs benedict)

I am grateful for the amount of free time E and I have right now. No jobs, no obligations, just time. Time to be creative and time to cook. I know all good things come to an end (so they say) but I am going to enjoy this while it lasts. We aren't rushing off to work in the mornings or worrying about what time we should go to bed at night. We can take the time to make a more elaborate breakfast. We even have time to be inspired by cooks on TV.

This is recipe #2 that we have tried from the new Food Network show, Mexican Made Easy. (recipe #1 is here) I have read the comments on this show since it premiered 3 weeks ago. Most have been positive. Marcela has a fun personality, she's animated and she is Mexican. A couple people had concerns that this show would not be true Mexican food, but American food with a Mexican twist. We want Mexican! On the first show, Chef Marcela whipped up an authentic this chilaquiles dish. We copied it that day and loved her recipe.

The other dish she shared on her first show was "huevos benedictos" or eggs benedict. Now, this dish, although just as delicious as the chilaquiles, is questionable as a Mexican dish. Adding chipotles to the hollandaise sauce does not Mexican make. With that being said, this was a very satisfying and tasty breakfast. Muy rico!

Ingredients

Hollandaise:

2 sticks unsalted butter

3 egg yolks*

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce **

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Poached Eggs:

1 teaspoon vinegar

8 very fresh large eggs

2 large croissants, sliced in 1/2

4 slices prosciutto

Directions for the hollandaise: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter until bubbling hot. In a blender, add the egg yolks, black pepper, to taste, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover the blender and blend on high speed for several seconds. Either remove center cap of the blender lid or carefully remove the lid itself with blender still running. Pour the hot butter in a thin, steady stream into whirling egg mixture. Add the chipotle and pulse to combine. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. (If your sauce gets too thick, you can thin it out with a couple tablespoons of boiling hot water.)

For the eggs: In a heavy saucepan combine about 2 quarts of water and the vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a small bowl or cup and slide the egg into a ladle. Lower the ladle into the water, and hold it there, for 1 minute before removing the ladle and leaving the egg to cook for 2 minutes more. Poach at a low simmer until the whites are firm and the yolks are still runny. Repeat with each remaining egg. Transfer the eggs, with a slotted spoon, to paper towels until ready to serve.

To assemble: Arrange a croissant half, cut side up, on each of 4 plates. Put 1 piece of prosciutto on each half, then 2 poached eggs and top with hollandaise. Serve immediately.

Wednesday Weekly

WHY I BLOG

( A Listy List from LISTOGRAPHY.COM)

• Because I can
• It reminds me to live a blog-able life
• It keeps my family and friends "in the know"
• I love writing (and need/want lot of practice)
• I can look back to a trip or event if I forget, and see it vividly
• I connect with people I never would have "met" offline
• Its a place to feature my best pictures
• It's a creative outlet
• I love the idea that my kids could someday get to know their mother in a different light
• I hope something [from travel and cooking and crafting] could inspire others

CHILAQUILES WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

If my TV is on, that means one of two things is playing: HGTV or Food Network. Last Saturday morning E and I were lounging and drinking coffee when a new show came on FN. Our ears perked because we heard "real Mexican food". I had seen the promo for this new show before and Saturday was the premier dia. Chef Marcela Valladolid is from Tijuana, just like E. Her show Mexican Made Easy is on Saturday mornings at 930am. She made three recipes, and within a couple days we made 2 of them. I was happy to see Chilaquiles on her menu Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-la-key-les) are a traditional Mexican food. There are many variations, but typically tortillas are cut in quarters, fried and then red or green salsa is poured over top and softens the crisp tortillas. Usually this dish is served for breakfast or brunch and uses leftover tortillas and salsa. We made this 2 times in one week. Once with red salsa and once with green. Serve with beans. Both are muy rico!

{chilaquiles with red salsa}

{chilaquiles with green salsa}

Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)

1 pound fresh tomatillos

3 fresh serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

Olive oil, as needed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chicken broth or more as needed

Preheat the broiler or oven to 550 degrees. Remove husks from the tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove the stickiness. Put the chiles, garlic, onion and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Season with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put on a rack about 1 or 2 inches from the heat, and cook, turning the vegetables once, until softened and slightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and pull off the tops of the chiles. Add all the broiled ingredients to a blender along with the fresh cilantro and puree. Pour in 1/4 cup of chicken broth and blend to combine. Add more broth, if needed, for desired consistency.

Chilaquiles
1/3 cup vegetable oil

10 corn tortillas, cut into eighths, preferably stale (spread out to dry overnight)

3 cups roasted Tomatillo

Salsa Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

2 thin slices onion, separated into rings

1/2 cup Mexican crema, creme fraiche or sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Pour about 1/3 cup vegetable oil into a large saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tortillas, working in 2 or 3 batches, and cook until lightly browned and nearly crisp. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and discard the remaining oil. Wipe the pan with a paper towel. In the same pan, add the tomatillo salsa and bring to simmer over low heat. Add the tortillas and cook until soft but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the mixture among 4 individual casserole dishes. Top with the cheese crumbles and onion rings. Drizzle with Mexican crema, sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

A Vacation in Asheville

After wrapping up the Christmas lights last week, Ernesto and I took off to Asheville. It is such a lovely city and a short drive from Atlanta and more importantly, my awesome brother Brrrian lives there. I was shocked when we figured out that it had been 3 years since we last visited.

He is in a new apartment, in a new area, and was he excited to have E and me as his guests. His place is on Montford Street, just a 10 minute walk to downtown Asheville and lined with beautiful old houses.

{my favorite house in Asheville with a turquoise tile roof}

When I visited before, I had made a quick assumption that Asheville is just a hippie town. Yes, there seems to be tree huggers everywhere you turn, vegan eateries, smoke shops, a very relaxed dress code, but it is so much more than that. E and I extended our weekend visit to a whole weeks vacation and really got to know Asheville. With so much to see and do here, a week isn't enough time, but we got a good taste.

History:
Since its development of a railroad in 1880, Asheville turned into a mountain getaway and therapeutic health center. Artists, poets, explorers, and visionaries flocked here. George Vanderbilt made it his home in the late 1880's and his mansion is still the largest in the US. Maybe you have hear of it? The Biltmore Estates. Although we didn't get there this trip (I am holding out to see it until spring when the garden comes alive), we did go to the Grove Park Inn, a four star resort with classic arts & crafts style with amazing panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We sipped coffee and got cozy by the huge fireplace, which was nice, but next time I want to check into the amazing spa.

{Grove Park Inn}

{Basilica of St Lawerence}

Pack Square Park in downtown was completed just last year and is a great place for people to linger around.

There are 2 performance stages, a water feature (where kids will be playing in the summer) and this awesome metal pergola. It is going to be amazing once vines are growing on it, but the structure alone is a work of art.

Cafes:

There seems to be an inviting cafe on every corner, and we hung out in several during the week while Brrrian was working.

Posana Cafe was a elegant place with leather couches and chairs, a perfect place to sit for hours with your laptop. (or chat with someone of course) There are also tables to order lunch.

Green Sage is more casual place with a bakery (great biscotti) and a funny, friendly staff!

Izzy's Coffee Den is a dingy coffee house that plays screaming music and is not really built for comfort. Maybe I was unlucky with the music selection that day and the 2 annoying guys high on something (other than pot) that were sitting right beside us, but it's not a repeater for me. I crossed the street to the dreamy garden store Shady Grove, and dreamt about owning a similar store one day.

Probably the coolest coffee shop, for obvious reasons was Double D's.

This bus retired from British public transit in the late 70's, was then a party bus in Atlanta until in landed in Asheville in 1999. The new owners renovated it and the inside is turquoise!

Beer:

Asheville knows beer. There are 8 breweries. The newest is called The LAB (Lexington Avenue Brewery). We went a couple times. I really liked the beer sampler. 6 different beers starting with a Belgian white each one getting darker till you get to the chocolate stout. My favorites were the middle two IPA's. I'm not a pilsner fan. (sorry Budweiser)

MLK day was sunny and fairly warm Wedge Brewing Company was a great place to sit outside and enjoy it. Its located in the River Arts District which looked to be an industrial part of town.

{river running in front of The Wedge Brewery}

Order your beers inside, grab a bowl of peanuts, a bucket, then grab a table out on the patio which is enclosed by old metal "parts" welded together to create a fence.

I like how the huge stainless steel drums are visible from the bar.

We were told about a "Brews Cruise" that you can take with a tour company, guiding you through each one. I thought that idea was genius, (with a clever name) but we guided ourselves and ended up a in other cool places for enjoying the local brews.

The Vault, once a bank, was reborn into a swanky lounge. The small money vault can be reserved for a party and it is set up as a living room, complete with a flat screen. Very comfy.

Barley's has a great beer selection, a full menu and pool tables and darts upstairs.

You won't find may places in Asheville that don't have a good beer selection, but besides this, I found it to be a city with good coffee and international foods and many cultural activities. One afternoon we went to the Fine Arts Theatre and saw a foreign film starring Penelope Cruz called Los Abrazos Rotos ("Broken Embraces") I really liked it. Watch the trailer here.

Speaking of....

Art:

Oh the art is everywhere! Every other store is showcasing art, from painting to ceramics to jewelry, you will find something you like. One place that you must check out is Woolworth Walk, an old storefront on Haywood Street. It is filled with art by more than 150 local artists and each "room" is set up as that artists' gallery. So beautiful and inspiring!

Brrrian is a middle school art teacher and had a long weekend due to the holiday!

Thanks MLK! (not kidding, thank you for everything you did Mr King)
Brrrian showed us his classroom and it looked like a fun place to work.

Outdoor Adventures:
Hard to believe that Asheville was covered with snow the week before we arrived, but it warmed up and we had some decent weather. Saturday Brrrian planned a great hike in the Pisgah National Forrest. The trail was filled with rhododendron trees, which bloom heavily in the spring and summer. It would be amazing to hike it then. Can you imagine this whole trail in bloom?I would prefer hiking this when it's more green, but the benefit of no leaves is a further view into the mountains.

At a fork in the trail, Brrrian and Nester consulted the map.

We walked along the river for part of the trail, and came to this little waterfall. Look how daring E is as he tries to balance over the water. He is so brave!It took us three hours and although it was not difficult, it was tiring. This was probably the steepest part of the hike.

Bottom line:

Asheville is a great place to vacation and even sweeter if you have family to visit. If you would like to flip through all of the pictures from our Asheville trip, click on the pic below.

Asheville Jan 2010

PS. We took a different route on our drive back to Atlanta. More mountains and curvy roads, it was a beautiful drive. There was still a lot of ice hanging around.

We decided to go through Helen GA. We had both heard what a cute little town it was. Its 90 minutes north of Atlanta in the mountains.

Supposedly a re-creation of a little German alpine town, it was bad. It was a couple blocks of the cheapest souvenir shops (not inexpensive though) and some restaurants. My carmel apple and E's ice cream cone were delicious, but we was scared to eat there for fear of more disappointment. We walked the whole town, took the obligatory picture and left. I see no need to ever go there again.

Listography -Live from Asheville

What we thought would be a short weekend in Asheville has now turned into a weeks vacation. Since E and I don't have any particular reason for returning to Atlanta, we have taken over the futon in Brrrian cute-ass apartment, and have been exploring this cool town.

This post is not to tell you about Asheville (that will be coming up soon) but to tell you about this cool site called listography that I learned about over on hulaseventy. It is a site just for listy-lists. Since I am always making lists, I was very excited when I saw a place to house all of them in an organized fashion.

Starting today, Wednesdays will be a day for a series of posts featuring...you guessed it... listy lists!

My first one is called:

Things I love about mi hermano Brrrian

Each week I will post a different one (the site even has a "list generator" in case you aren't feeling inspired)

Feel free to add to my list about Brrrian in the comments below.

Help for Haiti

{pic source here...and there are many more}

Unless you never watch the news, you have seen all of the horrible photos of Haiti after the destruction of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit on Monday Jan 12. The pictures and video footage are enough to make you cry. While living in Costa Rica I experienced a few earthquakes, but obviously nothing like this. What a tragedy, to say the least. 80% of Haiti already lives in poverty and now with this....wow! I saw on CNN that the average Haitian lives on $2 a day.

I went to bed last night and thought about the chair I just bought on Craigslist. $150. Think about what you buy in a given week, wether at the grocery store, at a restaurant, or frivolous shopping. I think we all can spare something, right? Every dollar adds up. Any amount you can give would make a difference.

There are so many ways you can donate. The easiest way?

You can donate $10 to Haiti relief by texting "HAITI" to 90999 on your cell phone. This is so easy, there is no excuse for you not to be involved. All of this money goes directly to Red Cross relief efforts. As of yesterday, they reported over $5 million dollars had already been collected by the American public just from texting! Isn't that amazing? It's legit, you can see here.

If you would rather donate directly through the Red Cross website, you can do so here.

Another way is through Habitat for Humanity. Habitat has worked with Haiti for over 26 years and will continue with housing efforts. The form is right here.

I know my blog may not reach a TON of people, but I would love to know how many of you are reading and will or have donated.....leave me a comment below! Thanks!

I LOVE CRAIGSLIST!

I know I have said it 5 million times, but I just love Craigslist! Yesterday I was browsing bikes, jobs and furniture. I came across this brown leather chair [that was in a law office that was now closing] for only $150. One year new. Perfect condition. It looks beautiful with my turquoise walls and it is very comfortable, I tested it out for several hours today:)

I'm feeling very excited about my new purchase. Have you guys found any good deals lately?

FLIP BURGER BOUTIQUE

E and I went out to dinner last night. It was our first official date since we started the Christmas lights last October. E choose Flip Burger Boutique. (1587 Howell Mill Rd Atlanta 30318) He said I would love it, and he was right. Flip was created by Top Chef contestant Richard Blais.

The minute I stepped into the dimly lit dining room with a hum of chatter and lounge music playing, I liked the place. The hostess said it would be a 45 minute -hour wait, and there were no sighs from us. Alone time to talk, no tv, no computer, no friends- date nights have to be planned ladies! We walked though the crowded bar, which is open to all the dining tables and ordered a couple beers. I loved the modern design and admired the flat screens over the bar that were encased by ornate lacquered white picture frames. (E said he could build that for our tv!)

We were seated at a table/bar facing the open kitchen and my mouth watered as I skimmed the menu. The catch line is "fine dining between two buns" and it really was.

I am horrible at deciding when everything looks delicious, so E chose the burgers and I chose the sides.

The final cut:

steak tartare

venison burger

moroccan cauliflower salad

blue cheese wedge salad

nutella and burnt marshmallow milkshake

The final verdict:

Original! Delicious! Two thumbs up! Go check it out!

A Serendipitous Green Salsa

This winter, a guy from Mexico named Victor has been working with Ernesto on the xmas lights. Sometimes when he comes to our house in the mornings he brings us food that his wife has made: Tortas, tamales, strawberries and cream desert. We also have been to their house for pozole and let me tell you, she knows how to cook. So when Ernesto came home from work one day and said Victor told him about a tomatillo salsa we should try, I got to chopping right away!
This recipe is different than the salsa verde we usually make. It is raw and the crunch of the tomatillo is so good. Its tart and tangy, and mixed with the smoothness of avocados and the other ingredients make an interesting texture. The flavor is muy rica tambien! It is hard to stop eating it!

Fresh Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa

2 firm avocados, cubed

1 small white onion, chopped

4-5 tomatillos, chopped

3-4 serrano peppers, diced

handful of cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

squirt of fresh lime

This is a really quick treat to make and healthy too!

IT'S TIME TO GET MOVING AGAIN

Sometimes all you need to get motivated is some new workout gear! I was planning to order these Asics running shoes on Amazon for the new year and to my surprise, when we came back from Ohio there was a gift certificate in the mail. Erin and Tavo sent us one for xmas. (that was so sweet and unexpected, thanks guys!)

I have been on a 4 MONTH hiatus from working out. This is the longest break I have taken in 20 years! Im so excited that my new running shoes [my motivation] arrived today in the mail!

My last workout was a big one, biking 200 miles through Mexico, but even that gruelling workout was not enough to keep me tight for 4 months! ha!

I actually weigh the same but I definitely don't feel the same. If you work out regularly, you know the high that working out brings, and the satisfaction you feel with your body. (well, come on, Im a woman, we are never totally satisfied) But still, this break was nice and now I have a renewed energy! I know how it feels to be in shape, and I don't ever want to forget! After 20 years I think it's ingrained in me. At least I hope it is! Ill let you know in a month or so. (If I forget in the future please remind me of this post)

I do have a goal of running 4 half-marathons in the next few years. (#5 on THE LIST) I think 2 will be good for this year, so my workouts are not going to be all Crossfit, I will be trying to get some serious miles logged.

**For once I would like to be well trained for a race.

disclaimer: this is not a New Year's resolution. #1 because I don't make them, #2 because I don't need to a "new year" to start a program. It just happened this way.

Working out is a way of life kids, come on....

"Who's comin' with me? Who's comin' with me?

Color of the year for 2010: Turquoise!!!

Pantone names Turquoise the color of the year for 2010!

Pantone (the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries) announced PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010.

"Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing."

"It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens. In fashion, Turquoise makes a statement that can look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel. Because of its versatility, Turquoise is a great accent color in jewelry, purses, shoes, hair accessories and even nail polish for women, and ties, shirts and sportswear for men."
(source: Pantone press release)

And E told me to get a new color! Ha!

2009 WRAP UP

Happy New Year!! Can you believe it's 2010? Really? This year has gone by so fast, I can hardly believe it! As I look back on 2009, I have to smile. It was really jam packed with excitement for me.

I really like how my friend Lauren wrapped up her 2009, so I am going to do the same. It's nice to recap your life once in a while. It can really make you grateful for what you have and what you have done. I had fun putting this together!

Jan

- arrived to my torn up apt in Costa Rica after a huge earthquake

- attended Costa Rica's annual horse Tope ...Craziness!

Feb

- E joined me in CR and we moved into a new apartment in San Jose

- my parents visited us in CR

Mar

- made my 1st Easter egg tree

- visited 4 cities in Nicaragua

Apr

- Smita visited us in CR and went to see a volcano

- Brrrian visited and we went to the Caribbean

- visited Bocas de Toro, Panama

- my grandpa, Henry Wellman passed away at 98 years old :(

May

- we celebrated E's 37th birthday

- took an amazing trip to Tortuguero

- said goodbye to Costa Rica with a movie

Jun

- spent a week with my family in Ohio (Kelli's graduation)

- E and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary

- "moved" to San Diego for the summer

Jul

- went to US Sand Castle Competition

- attended the opening day at the races in Del Mar

Aug

- my little niece Eleanor was born

- kayaked at La Jolla Cove

- wrote my 1st guest blog on Coco + Kelley

- started Viva la Cocina cooking blog

- visited Joann's new baby

Sep

- spent the month traveling 10 cities in Mexico

- I completed the most intense physical challenge in my life, a 200 mile

Mexican bike ride

Oct

- moved into our cute apartment in Atlanta

- Did my 1st art show as Zafiro Jewelry

Nov

- The Christmas Light Pros season kicks off

- celebrated my 36th birthday with my family & friends

- my skeleton date for Dia de los Muertos

Dec

- I got a beauty boost at Carter Barnes

- went ice skating

- had a white xmas in Ohio with my family

- NYC trip for New Years Eve

What a Year! Can't wait to see what 2010 brings!

It's Complicated

If you want to laugh, go see It's Complicated. Starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin! It was hilarious. Not a chic flic as you might think. E loved it too! Check out the trailer:

NYE in NYC 2010

"New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do. Now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you. Let's here it for New york, New York, New York" -sung by Alicia Keys

Talk about being inspired! There has never been a time when I have visited NY when I didn't think...Oh God, I would love to live here.

A couple weeks ago, Smita and I were siting on the couch and we wondered what we could do for New Year's. One of us said, NY? Just the mention of that city inspired us to get online and book a hotel using our Starwood Hotel points right then and there. Would you believe that there was actually a hotel room available within sight of Time Square too? Yes! We got pretty excited. I told Ernesto we were going to NY and he was all for it!

After coming from Ohio and the cold, I have to be honest, I was not excited to go to NY. That quickly changed. Just flying in and seeing the skyline did it for me. Plus, earlier this year I got in touch with a college room mate that has lived there for the last 14 years. I last saw Michelle about 10 years ago when I was passing through NY on my way to Scotland. We lost touch soon after that. Thanks to Facebook we were reconnected earlier this year. And what a sweet reunion it was! It was so nice to see her and talk about fun times! She looks the same!

We hung out all day Wednesday when we arrived. We walked around the east village neighborhood. Stopped for lunch at 7A, (109 Avenue A at 7th) a cozy little eatery that was quite packed and had a really tasty [traditional] menu. After walking all over the east village, lower east side and soho, we stopped for drinks at Pianos (158 Ludlow St). I loved the feel of this place. Soft lighting, interesting crowd and great beers on tap. Michelle had to work at 6p, so we walked her to Stanton Public (17 Stanton St) where she was bartending that night. Another cozy cool bar. We wanted to return later that night, but it never happened. Unfortunately we did not get to meet up again New Years Eve either, but I know we will stay in touch and we'll see each other again soon.

Ernesto also has a college friend living there and we met up with him that night. Roman is such a cool guy and I have known him almost as long as Ernesto. We went to 3 more cool places with him that night. Never a shortage of places to go in NY, right? This picture was taken at our first stop, a Spanish restaurant, which I can't remember the name of, but they served delicious sangria!

Smita and Allen headed back to the hotel, and I decided to hang with the boys. After a stop at a brewery for one beer, we finished the night off at a place in China Town called, funny enough, Happy Ending. (302 Broome St) They were playing some electronic music, which is not really my thing, but despite my face, I had a good time, it was a "happy ending" to the night.
Ernesto whipped out some dance moves which always makes me smile. The next day was a late start. By the time we got moving we were starving. We headed straight to China Town. I have been to China once, and I would say this area could definitely transport you there.
All of the duck hanging in the windows were calling Ernesto's name.We ended up in Yee Li (1 Elizabeth St at Bayard) a typical looking restaurant with a lot of Chinese people inside. That is always a good sign. And the duck was delicious. We also ordered clams in a ginger scallion black bean sauce, pork and peppers, and lo mein. Verdict= A+

On our way back to the hotel, Time Square was already lit up and the blue glow from all the lights stretched to our hotel 4 blocks down 7th Ave.Police had blocked of several blocks surrounding the area and there was a growing security checkpoint to get anywhere near. We had to show our hotel key to get around the barriers.

We didn't want to be out in Time Square for all the craziness. Call me crazy, but 1 million people and no bathrooms? Lining up 6 hours before the ball drops, with nothing to do but stand there, packed like sardines? Take a look:

No thank you. I wanted to dance. We bought tickets that morning online for a club called Amalia (204 West 55th St) at Dream Hotel. Smita an I stayed there on a girls trip back in 2007 and loved it. The NYE party was $95 per ticket, but included all drinks and had a great DJ. We literally danced the whole night. (minus the 2 times I went to the restroom and had to wait 30 minutes in line! I did not like it, too much like college) It was really fun, but I could've just taken the good music to a house and left the crowd. You can't always count on guys to capture a great photo, but besides our heads being cut off, I like this one of Smita and me.

Walking through Time Square New Years day was quite a difference. Still a ton of people as you can see.

Confetti was everywhere.

Ernesto and I walked to the subway to get out to the airport for a 2pm flight. There was football to watch (eyes rolling). I let him go on the flight because there was only one seat left. He didn't want to miss the OSU game and I .....didn't want him to miss the game!

Happy New Year to all of you!!!