Hi!
HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(insert a zillion celebratory emojis)
I’ve got to say I’m really, REALLY happy to be back. I definitely loved the time off, but over the past week or so I found myself counting down the days to return to GML. That was actually what I hoped would happen, so…mission accomplished.
I’m putting together a post to share what I learned/realized during my blogging break, but for now here’s a little update on what I’ve been up to.
I think I left off around 4th of July, which I spent out in Montauk.
It was so much fun! A huge group of my friends were there, and we got some great beach days and nights out.
Loved wearing my Flash Tattoos on the beach!
After Montauk I spent a few days back in the city before heading to my family’s shore house, where I stayed for almost two weeks.
While I was there I got to spend a ton of time with my family (cousins and all) AND my sister Katie even flew up from Florida for a few days!
It was the perfect summer getaway – I treated it almost like it was a retreat of sorts.
If I’m being completely honest, when my vacation was over I wasn’t fully ready to go back to NYC (which is rare). But as soon as I got back, I fell in love with the city all over again.
NYC skyline from the Top of the Standard:
Beautiful church in East Village:
Pretty red windows in West Village:
Movie in the park at South Street Seaport:
Saturday with my girl friends:
Washington Square Park:
Oh, and of course I enjoyed lots and lots of great food over the past month.
Brunch at Freemans:
(The biggest and best ever) Avocado Toast at St. Balmain:
Homemade Snickerdoodle Almond Flour Pancakes:
Big ol’ dinner at The Meatball Shop:
Above: chicken meatballs with pesto over polenta
Below: snickerdoodle cookies with brown sugar ice cream
SHAKE SHACK:
A few of many delicious dishes from ABC Kitchen – pizza with gold bar squash, cherry tomatoes, chorizo, garlic and stracciatella:
Sundae with salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts and popcorn, whipped cream, chocolate sauce (image via Rachel):
…and some delicious DRINKS thanks to Nespresso!
Latte on the left, cappuccino on the right:
(Jessi and I went to their event hosted by Tim Gunn last week, and it was so much fun!)
Other than all of that there’s just been things like…
* spending a lot of time with friends
* working on Speakable
* leading Community Group on Wednesdays
* catching up on reading
* (trying to) catch up on movies I’ve wanted to see
* joining a new (closer) gym
* OH, and I found out I’ll be going on a work trip to Vegas later this month! I’ve never been, so I’m really excited about that.
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Soooo that’s what I’ve been up to! Like I said – I’m SO very happy to be back. While I was gone I got some ideas for blog posts that I’m excited to share, so stay tuned 🙂
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How has your summer been going? What have been the highlights?
YAY! You’re back!! So happy to get to read about your summer!
I just got back to my life in Austin after being away for 2 months. I agree - summer “vacation” from ordinary life is so refreshing. And I felt the exact same about returning: I wasn’t ready to come back, but the second I hit South Congress I couldn’t be happier to be back in my amazing city!
Glad you’re back to blogging:)
Thanks girl! Glad you got some time away too! 🙂
Hurray, welcome back! Looks like you had a fantastic month. 🙂
Glad to have you back lady!
Looks like you had an amazing month!! Welcome back 😀
So glad you’re back. I really missed your little blog. My summer highlight has definitely been moving in with my boyfriend and (almost) finishing a book I’m working on.
thanks sweets 🙂
It looks like you had a great month of refresh!
My summer highlights are: leading a local Youth group, studying for the MCAT, and planning an engagement party for my BFF!
nice, sounds like a fun summer! 🙂
Excellent to have you back Gracie! Looks like you enjoyed your break - what delicious eats - I want to reach through the screen for that salted caramel ice cream yum!
My highlight has been planning an upcoming trip to NYC! Can’t wait to see the sights 🙂
woooo, hope you love it here! 🙂
awesome pics — looks like you’ve been living it up and having a fab summer. 🙂
Yay glad you are back! It sounds like you had an amazing July both in Montauk and with your family! How nice that your sis was able to come up too! And those pics of NY are gorgeous- love the movie in the park, that sounds so fun! That’s so cool that you got to go to an event with Tim Gunn, I love him!!
Oooh, i’m so glad you’re back… even though you were on insta, i missed seeing yur blog in my feedly…
Missed your posts but so glad you took a break - it is definitely something we all need. As excited as I was to get back into blogging a few months ago, it just wasn’t working for my life at the time. It was hard to accept, but once I realized it, it made it better. With new changes, like a new ‘home’ and possibly a real job (keep your fingers crossed and the prayers coming!), I think I can finally make it work (yay!). And the food in this post? Oh. My. Gosh. Someone get me a plane ticket to NYC and an unlimited food budget!
I know what you mean - blogging feels like a whole new world again after this break! I must say I love it 😉 And if/when you make it to NYC, definitely let me know and we’ll go get some eats 😀
So happy you’re back! Definitely missed you on GML!
-Jose