Showing posts with label alex. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alex. Show all posts

Making friends as an adult

Alex wrote an article for last Sunday's New York Times about how hard it can be to make close friends in your thirties and forties. The astonishing thing is what a nerve his story has hit. The article has been viewed a gazillion times and is getting a record number of comments. It's fascinating to realize how many people feel the same way.

Read the story here, if you'd like, and weigh in: Have you, too, found it hard to make new friends after college? Do you wish you had more close friends these days? Do you ever find it awkward to "ask someone out"?

P.S. Seinfeld's take. :)

(Illustrations by Roman Muradov for the New York Times)

Vacation photos: Chicago and Michigan

We just got back from a week-long trip to Chicago and Michigan to visit my parents. We hadn't spent much time in Chicago before (thanks again for your advice!) so it was awesome to explore all the neighborhoods. Here's what we did...
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Are you a city mouse or country mouse?

Toby is a born-and-bred city kid (who knows how to hail a cab and wear tattoos), but this Saturday, we decided to escape to the country...
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Toby the boy

At two years old, Toby is becoming such a BOY. The other day, I asked him what he wanted for breakfast, and he said, "Butt." So I laughed and asked him what he really wanted, and he said, "Penis." Ha, noted.

Thankfully, this recent photo of Alex and Toby watching a video in the morning still captures that baby look. If only for a fleeting moment. Oh, how I love my little man.

The weird thing we do on vacations (I swear by it)

When Alex and I were first dating, we went on vacation together, and something surprising happened...
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What annoys you about your significant other?

I recently got an email from a reader, who was stressed because her boyfriend gets on her nerves. "I love him, but sometimes he really bugs me," she said. "Does Alex ever annoy you?" Here's my answer...
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Family photo dump

Just thought I'd share a few family photos. First up...
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Do you have a dog?

Do you have a dog? Alex wants one badly, but my family didn't grow up with any dogs, so I've never really wanted one. But you know what is slowly changing my mind? Pinterest. I mean, all those sleeping puppies?! They're totally irresistible. And they make me envision having one. We honestly might end up getting a dog because of that website!

Do you have a dog? What's its name? (I always thought it would be funny to name a dog a very human name--like Kevin or Jennifer.)
(Photos by OYAP, Olivia, Alkeemi and Besotted)

NYC Date Night: Fire Escape Drinks

Alex and I are always lamenting the fact that we don't have a garden or balcony or any outdoor space. Once Toby goes to bed, we're pretty much stuck inside for the night. But then! We had a lightbulb moment...
We could hang out on our fire escape. So we've started a little ritual of climbing out there on random warm evenings, and last night, we decided to snap some photos. First, we dress up to make it feel more like a real date. (I usually wear jeans and a T-shirt at home...or, let's be honest...pajamas:)
Then we climb out our bedroom window. (Whoot, whoot! Nice legs!)
We sip and chat, three stories up. We can hear the street noise (cars honking), the trees (leaves rustling), and a restaurant garden nearby (people murmuring, glasses clinking)...
Do you ever drink rose? Sometimes it gets a bad rap, but it's the perfect refreshing drink for a warm evening. And I love the bright pink hue; it just feels like summer. (Side note: You can spot the restaurant garden below us, to the left of Alex.)
Our fire escape looks across a courtyard onto another apartment building, just like Rear Window.
We love our little outdoor drinks, and I'm glad, after six years of living here, that we finally thought of it!

Do you have a fire escape? Or a balcony? Or (gasp) an actual garden? Be still my heart.

(Update: I'm wearing this silk polka-dot skirt and these Swedish Hasbeen sandals.)

Happy 2nd birthday, Toby!

Today is Toby's second birthday!!! Hurray!!! (I cannot believe this happened two years ago, it feels like yesterday.) To celebrate, we threw a birthday picnic for him last Sunday. Here are some photos, below, if you'd like to see....
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NYC Dates: Trapeze class

So. Last Saturday, Alex and I took a trapeze class, and it was wild...
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Vacation photos: Amsterdam

As I mentioned before, Alex and I recently took a (very) spontaneous four-day trip to Amsterdam to visit my college friend and explore the city, while Toby stayed home and guarded the fort. It was a whirlwind adventure! Thank you again for all your tips! Here are some photos, if you'd like to see....
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NYC Date Idea: Sailing on the Hudson River

As I mentioned, I'm currently trying out a Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone, since it's supposed to be the best phone for social media. Now I'd like to share our favorite New York City date: Sailing on the Hudson River. Here are some photos, if you'd like to see...
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Will you cry at your wedding? (Did you?)

Before we got married, Alex told me something that made my jaw drop...

One evening, we were chatting about whether we thought we'd cry during our wedding ceremony, and Alex admitted that he hadn't cried since he was ten years old. "Guys are taught to hold in tears," he explained. "As a little kid, you don't want to be labeled a cry baby by your friends. I quickly learned to be stoic." And that lesson stuck: He hasn't shed a single tear since then, even when his father died.

I couldn't believe it. (I would be embarrassed to know how many times I've cried since I was ten.)

So, when our wedding day arrived, I wasn't surprised that Alex stayed lovely and strong through his wedding vows, and I broke down while saying mine. It was such an intense and moving moment, and I couldn't make it through the words without my voice cracking. (In fact, every makeup artist I know says their #1 beauty tip for brides is to wear waterproof mascara!)
More weepy brides...
Weepy grooms...
And don't forget the dads! :)
What about you? Who is more likely to cry at your wedding: you or your partner? Or do you think you'll both be equally dry-eyed or weepy? If you're already married, how did it go down? I'm so curious!

P.S. 10 funny wedding moments.

(Photos by Max Wanger (including ours), Dixie Pixel, Kelly Benvenuto, Jessie Holland, Lynn Michelle; Brandon Kidd and Ventola Photography, via Green Wedding Shoes, Belle Rempert via Ruffled; and James Moes, and photos, cropped, by Audrey Hannah and Sarah Maren, via Ruffled)