updated: 25 at 25.

1. Go to Dylan's Candy Bar
2. Spend some time volunteering I wanted to do more but Rutgers Day was still a blast to help out.
3. Take a walk through Central Park
4. Visit Thailand
5. Eat healthier with a few cheats
6. Better my photography skills: food, couples, outdoor, people
7. Visit my brother in Boston at least twice He moved to Seattle so scratch that!
8. Read 10 more books (+ the 7 for my NYR)
(granted some are cheesy romance novels but who cares! The Last Lecture, Tuesday's with Morrie, The Time Keeper, Beautiful Disaster, Thoughtless, Effortless, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden, The Edge of Never)
9. Eat out at 15 new vegan/vegetarian places
(so far Life Alive, Lovin' Oven, Sticky Fingers, The Cinnamon Snail, HipCity Veg)
10. Throw a party and decorate everything
11. See a Broadway show
12. Bake and decorate a cake
13. Teach Fifa roll over
14. Take a graphic design class
15. DIY 10 craft projects seen on Pinterest
16. Buy a new wardrobe
17. Bake a vegan cheesecake
18. Go to a concert (bought Taylor Swift tickets for July!)
19. Attend a food festival
20. Walk through the 9/11 Memorial
21. Try more vegan bakeries I'd like to try more but this one is one I had been dying to go to!
22. Get colorful mani/pedis
23. 365 year 25 (iPhone, DSLR, point-and-shoot) - I am trying again
24. Be more creative
25. Move out into my own apartment


I would say that I did a decent job on my list considering I was working a full-time job and taking on a full class schedule. The one I wish I had done the most? The new 15 vegan/vegetarian restaurants. I lost my partner in crime who went with me and none of my friends are willing to go, because they suck. Just kidding.

This year I am going to go without a list and just enjoy the spontaneity of my life. I will finally be finished with classes after 4th of July. One summer class with two of my good friends, piece of cake. So here it goes with just having a good time with good friends and spending as much time at the beach as I possibly can.

a list of twenty-five: what life was like at twenty-five

As I say goodbye to 25, I look back and I love it.
Even through the terrible events that occurred in my life, I understand that all things happen for a reason. When we embrace change we find exactly what we need and in my case, I found myself. My birthday last year amazing and I thank Steve for spoiling me with NYC, Central Park, and RENT. He made my 25th birthday exactly what I wanted and I love him so much for it. He helped me in so many ways I can not even count. I hope that I gave him as much as he had given me. Now that I am going to start a new year of my life, I can't help but smile when I look back.

1. I finished my last semester as a graduate student.
2. I moved home and saved money so I could start my own future; eventually.
3. Found my female best friend and watched her get married.
4. Vacationed in Thailand, amazing.
5. Went to a total of 3 weddings. All great.
6. Catered a wedding with 125 vegan cupcakes.
7. Made some amazing new friends and rekindled with old ones.
8. Went on a first date for the first time in three years.
9. Weathered through a ridiculous hurricane.
10. Visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
11. Took my first trip into the city alone.
12. Spent time with Steve and I loved every minute we shared together.
13. Became more responsible with juggling school, work, and being a dog mom.
14. The love of my life broke my heart.
15. I picked myself up and began enjoying my life.
16. Fell in love with Instagram.
17. Dreamed of moving to California more than anything
18. Broadened my musical horizon to more mellow
19. Consistently worked out for the first time, I have abs!
20. Traveled, not always far but it's okay
21. Began job searching for a new career
22. Stuck to being a vegetarian out and about, but eat vegan at home. I still love it.
23. Realized how lucky I am to have so many wonderful people in my life
24. Found my bubbly, outgoing personality again
25. Happy. It was overall happy.

Yes, there were rough patches, but who doesn't have those? I loved twenty-five. I know I am going to love twenty-six.

thailand: ONE MONTH!

Only one month until I visit my parents in Thailand! I can not wait to go back again! It has been about two years since I've been back so it will be nice. I can not wait to see my parents and their condo and everything!! I will be counting down the days.

And this was on my 25 at 25 list. HOORAY! I need to update that soon. I will, I swear!

hello august

This summer is really flying by. I can not believe it. I can not believe Priscilla is moving out in 9 days. I am so sad. We are having her going away party on Saturday and then she leaves the following Friday. I do not want her to go! Our new roommate will be moving in between the 19th-20th, which will be fun to get to know someone new, but boo at the same time because then it means Priscilla is gone!

Onto other news, Steve and I started my fourth Pinterest project! This one has to be, by far, my favorite one. We are not quite done yet, I have to string it together, which I started but did not like and wanted to destroy it haha. I have about 2 projects that I haven't fully finished, and this one makes it 3. I seem to start and never completely finish these projects because I get side tracked or have not had time to pick up the last part. We spent all of Sunday doing it and it was great.


Step One: Staining the wood. This is Fifa attacking the air compressor. Steve was spraying air and she kept going after it, crazy dog. We used it to clear off the parts we sanded.

Step Two: Staining the wood, my favorite part. It comes out so awesome!

Step Three: Outline printed. Nails starting to go in!

Step Four:Almost completed project. I need to string it, but I have to find new string that I like because I 3/4 strung it up and wasn't happy with it haha.


Now August.. I like the way Elise does her goals, she sets them for each month!

Visit Craig and Elizabeth.
Try a new cupcake creation.
Finish my DIY projects.
Hang up some photos.
Make a photobook from Road Trip 2010.
Take Fifa for a walk every morning and evening.
Take more photos.

new york city

Steve is not a big fan of NYC, it is too busy for him and since he loves to drive it definitely is not the place for him. It is nice to visit once in a while and we have not been since our anniversary in May. My rheumatologist is at Columbia University and he was kind enough to drive me since I hate driving in the city. Besides the traffic and humidity, we had an enjoyable day. I even got to scratch one item off of my list :) and work on two others.


9. Eat out at 15 new vegan/vegetarian places
21. Try more vegan bakeries

Although this does not scratch it completely off of the list, I tried one new vegan food lunch truck (a first!) and we bought donuts from there, so that applies to vegan bakeries too! The Cinnamon Snail vegan food truck is from Hoboken but has been trying to go into the city so we tracked them down on Facebook and went to have lunch. It was DELICIOUS. I enjoyed the Maple mustard tempeh sandwich on grilled spelt bread with roasted garlic aioli, kale, tomato, and onion; it was amazing. Steve was not as happy with his only because it was SO messy and falling apart into his lap (on napkins), but still. Difficulty eating takes away from the enjoyment and flavor, in my opinion at least.

1. Go to Dylan's Candy Bar

Dylan's Candy Bar is exactly what it says in the name, a candy bar. A huge three story building that is full of different types of candy, bright colored t-shirts, stuffed animals, and souvenirs. One the third floor they have a cupcake and ice cream parlor and I partook in the ice cream eating! Cake batter and Candy blast on a cone please? THANK YOU! I enjoyed myself very much. We did not buy any candy, it was at least 100 degrees with the humidity, I could not bear to have melted chocolate or gummy bears in my purse. It was worth driving around for 2 hours looking for parking ha ha.




It really was a great day in the city. And the best part? We got out right before the huge storm, lightening, and hail hit Times Square so we were safe and sound at home :)

the list

I am slowly getting to my 25 things list.

I did indeed bake a cake and decorate it, it was not as decorated as I would have liked but it was layered and stuffed with strawberries. Something I have not done. I made the Father's Day cupcakes that were decorated quite nicely so if you put those two together, that is completed ha.

I finished one of my New Years Resolution - read 7 books.

1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
5. Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James
6. Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Now on my 25 list, I want to read an additional 10 books. So far I have finished one: The Last Lecture by Randy Paush. I would like to reread Tuesday's with Morrie by Mitch Albom, it is by far my favorite book and I love the message it sends to people. I love inspirational books that will make me see life in a different light; more importantly a more positive light. As of right now, I am reading my new copy of VegNews and I love it. I have been to tons of the places that they mention in some of the articles, from Philly to Los Angeles.

I plan on sitting outside on my deck in the sun on this fine first day of summer in high 90 degree weather sipping on a lovely cold fruity drink. Enjoy the day! :