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I live in New York City. And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. It is a wonderful place to live, but I am well aware of the trappings. Perhaps it's because I'm such a newbie here, but when these trappings present themselves they hit me like someone has just slapped my face. New York can be a place where conversations center around:Where do you summer?What private school are your children attending?Do you own a home in the Hamptons, too?And if it's not the actual conversation, it's the air to which someone talks to you. You are being sized up and judged immediately.The concrete jungle is an expensive place to live. It can be a place where your bank account defines you. I've seen an air of self-importance here more than anywhere else. It is a place where the outside often matters more to people than the inside. It is a place where parents drop thousands of dollars on their kid's birthday parties just to keep up appearances. A place where one's address tells others who you are. A place where it is important that you are seen bidding at an auction so others know you have expendable cash. While I really want to live in New York right now, I don't ever want to live in that New York.Rod and I have frequently discussed this side of New York. It is our desire to always be authentic. No matter how long we live here- we want to stay true to ourselves. We want to make sure our children don't get caught up in the outer shell of what many New Yorkers call important. We don't want a certain lifestyle to define who we are or are not. While it's true that we don't make the huge salaries that many do here, we still don't want to find ourselves sucked into the lies of thinking we are not good enough. That is a miserable existence. I am good enough. That's a powerful phrase. I am good enough when I am honest and true about who I am. I am good enough.I recently ran across a blog that brought all these things to the forefront of my mind and thought I would share it with you. The author is Brene Brown. Here is an excerpt:Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone; I am enough.It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging. So many of us have knowingly created / unknowingly allowed / or been handed down a long list of worthiness "prerequisites."I'll be worthy when I lose 20 pounds.I'll be worthy if I get pregnant.I'll be worthy if everyone thinks I'm a good mom.I'll be worthy if I can make a living selling my art.I'll be worthy if I can hold my marriage together.I'll be worthy when I make partner.I'll be worthy when I can do it all and look like I'm not even trying.and so on . . .Here's what is truly at the heart of Wholeheartedness:Worthy NOW! Not when. Not if. We are worthy of love and belonging NOW. Right this minute. As is.I hope this speaks to you as well. I know anywhere can be like New York in this regard. I've just never seen it in such magnitude before we moved here. I want to guard myself from feeling like I am not good enough.I'd love to know your thoughts. Do you struggle with feeling like you are good enough?

Since moving to New York, I've been mesmerized by all the unique window displays. I thought I'd start featuring these stores once a week so you can do some window shopping here in the city. This week I'm featuring the Juicy Couture shop on 5th Avenue. Click on the pictures to enlarge. Enjoy!Let me know if you like this new weekly feature!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Lily (age 6) sleeps in the dining room. Well, it's a dining room that's been converted into a bedroom. Something quite common in space-deficient NY apartments. She loves her little room and frankly, I do to. I thought I'd give you a detailed tour today. (Click on any photos to enlarge them.)We finally have the doors up that separate her space from the family room. Thank goodness! I highly suggest having doors to your six year old's room unless you are the type that enjoys high levels of drama on a daily basis.Come on in. She's at school right now, so she won't mind. Just don't touch anything, because she will lose her mind if you rearrange ANYTHING in her room. I know this from experience. Girl is very particular.I made the pink silk taffeta drapes about six years ago. Definitely a splurge on the material,but they've lasted so long, it was worth it. They are held back by jumbo pink flowers. The pink toile upholstered glider I've had since she was a baby, but it transitions nicely into a big girl room. It is by far, the most comfortable chair in the house.My sweet Aunt Kathy painted this beautiful picture as a baby gift for Lily. I love the special touch it adds to her room.This is a handmade batiste dress that my mother made for me almost 40 years ago. The detail is amazing, and it looks so girly hanging in Lily's room even though she is too big to wear it anymore.There is a collection of silver and pewter baby cups on this cute display shelf. (If my mother is reading this, she is also cringing at how tarnished the cups are. Sorry Mom!) I think I bought the shelf from Target. And I made a garland of family photos that I found in one of my grandmother's albums. The little girl with the heart on her dress is my grandmother. As you can see, I'm a tad sentimental when it comes to family.The newest addition to Lily's room is this cherry blossom mural above her bed. (And guess what? I'm going to do a give-away on Thursday for this exact mural- make sure you come back and enter on Thursday!)The white wicker dresser is a vintage piece I used for all my kid's rooms when they were babies. But since Lily is a girly-girl, she gets to keep it for a while longer. The rug is from Pottery Barn Teen. I made the upholstered headboard out of the same fabric as the glider. And you'll also notice the infamous doors I mentioned in another post that lead to the kitchen.But the best part of Lily's room is the view. (And the fact that the window has safety bars on it.)Would love to know what you think! And don't forget to come back Thursday for the give-away!

Welcome to the second edition of Bits of My Weekend. The weekend began with pancakes. Which is how every weekend should begin, right? These are homemade and contain zero calories. At least that is what I tell myself.This little girl likes to climb into my bed to watch her early morning cartoons.A lovely walk to the subway to catch the train to Chelsea.Lunch at Chelsea Market.While in Chelsea, we had a celebrity sighting. OK, maybe not a real celebrity. It was a Bravo TV celebrity - Jill and Bobby from Real Housewives of New York. I have to admit that I was not the one in our little group who spotted her first. But I'm not going to divulge who it was in order to protect their identity. I will only tell you that his name rhymes with "sod."The weekend ended with my son Bo's basketball game. I only have one picture to share, but it was not for lack of trying. The eye of shame scolded me from the court and telepathically told me that I better not take one more picture. Now you know why there are not many pictures of my teenagers on this site.It was a wonderful weekend and I do believe Spring has finally sprung here in Manhattan.I hope you'll share your weekend with us, too! Fill out the Mr. Linky below if you would like to do so.If you're not ready this week, plan on joining us next week!

How did I get up here?I contemplated this question as I stood at the top of that snow-covered mountain. I was wearing more layers of clothing than ever before, but the wind seemed to find a way through each layer. To make matters worse, my outfit could not even pretend to be color-coordinated. It looked like I had closed my eyes and grabbed garments at random during a frantic trip to the flea market, but the truth was that I borrowed most of what I had on. This was my first skiing trip in Junior High School. My friends had finally convinced me to come along and they each lent me an item that they no longer used. Jeff had donated his bright green ski pants, while Kenny provided the orange jacket. I’m not sure where the red gloves came from, but that was OK because nobody was asking for anything back. I convinced myself that at least I would be easy to spot in the snow. My parents dropped me off at the bus waiting in the school parking lot early that morning. They had never skied, and were not completely in approval of my new sport, but went along with it just fine. My mother was already discussing ways to accessorize my motley wardrobe, and my dad came right to the point with, “Don’t kill yourself, Bill”.I started feeling butterflies as the bus wound its way up the snowy mountain road. At the mountain, I picked up my boots and skis. Most of my friends owned their own equipment, and I immediately realized that my rentals were not exactly the top of the line. With every step I took in my boots, it felt like a wild animal was chewing at my ankles. My skis were thick and looked like they had been built in the early days of fiberglass. Instead of the fancy springs on the bottom of the skis that would turn them over if they got loose, mine had frayed, canvas straps that fastened around my ankles. I ran in place for about five minutes before I learned how to walk in my skis, creating so much friction that it melted away all the snow beneath me until I was standing in the only patch of bare grass within a 10-mile radius. People readily moved out of my way, and I wondered if my outfit had anything to do with it. Once the crowds had parted, I found myself at the red line waiting for the lift to come. But as I turned to ask the assistant for instructions, the metal chair swept me up and sent me up to the top, sprawled out on the seat with my skis pointing skyward as I held on to any piece of metal that I could find. I had equally little instruction when it came to getting off the lift. I didn’t realize I had to stand up, so I went down the ramp like a catcher in a baseball game until my skis slowly parted and I planted my face down into the snow. With every skier that came after me, I was buried deeper until I became nothing more than a Technicolor streak in the ground. My friend, Andy, dug me out and began explaining how to stop by putting the tips of my skis together. Unfortunately, I was facing with my back to the slope and a stiff wind pushed me slowly to the edge until I finally tilted backwards and began accelerating downwards. “I’m going down!” I declared. Andy looked on in horror. “Wait, Bill, I’m not done yet!”I remembered him saying something about pointing my skis, so I crossed them, but this sent me spinning like a helicopter across the mountain. Snow was flying everywhere, but I tried to make the best of the situation. I rationalized that some people have to ski for many years before mastering a trick like this. The mountain suddenly dropped out from under me, and in the next moment I found myself surrounded by rubber tubing. I looked up from the hole that I was sharing with the snow machine and saw bright, blue daylight. My skis should have come off under these circumstances, but the antique, and likely rusted, bindings held strong. I took my skis off and tossed them up, one at a time, past the rim of the hole. I scurried up to the surface and made it out just in time to see them sliding all by themselves down the mountain in different directions, the canvas straps whipping behind them. One landed softly in a pile of snow on the other side of the slope, while the other launched about 20 feet in the air and struck a tree, sending it twisting back to the ground with a cracking sound. I collected my skis, and half an hour later I was getting close to the bottom of the mountain. Some of the time I skied, some of the time I walked, and some of the time I slid. But most of the time I just fell. It was a painful and demoralizing experience. The tears were frozen to my face, and I repeated over and over again that if I ever reached the bottom, I would never go back up again. I took a break from feeling sorry for myself just in time to look up and see a class of small children gathered at the base of the mountain. They didn’t realize that they were in a direct collision course with a multicolored asteroid. I tried to slow myself down the best that I could but, of course, my skis popped off, sending me tumbling over and over down the mountain. My skis were still tethered to me by the strap and they flipped all around me like a helicopter blade as I gathered snow. I skidded to a stop in the middle of the class as the children now realized that I was a skier and not just a large, badly dressed snowball. I looked up and blew the snow off of my face. All around me were stunned kids with rosy cheeks and mucus dripping from their noses. One little boy stepped forward, wiped his nose with his mitten and said, “Hey mister, you gotta make a pizza wedge!” I thought to myself, “It doesn’t matter, kid. I’m not gonna need the advise anymore.” But on my way back to the rental shop, I hesitated a moment, turned around and ran back to the lift. _____________________Last month, I took my wife, my daughter and sons up to Massachusetts to ski. This was only their second year on skis, but they did better that I could have ever hoped and we all had lots of fun. And every time I see them laughing their way down the bunny slope, or ride with them up the lift, I can’t help but smile as I think back to that first time.

I'm really hoping we've seen the last of this season's snow here in NYC. I am weary of it. And although spring weather will require some definite work on my feet (read: in major need of a pedicure), I am ready for some warmer weather. I am usually not a snow girl. I really don't like playing in the snow and the mere forecast of snow usually sends me into an eating frenzy that includes large quantities of chocolate. I've even been know to tell my daughter (when she was younger) that playing in the snow was only for boys. (I'm sure I'll get some lovely emails for that comment.) But I decided to turn over a new leaf and make the most of the recent snowstorm. I told Lily that her father and I wanted to take her outside to build a snowman. After she picked herself off the floor from fainting, she grabbed her coat and was eager to go along.Once we got to the park, we started building a snowman. Fortunately, Lily watches Nick Jr and was able to recall an episode of Max and Ruby where they built a snowman. She taught her father and I how to properly roll the snow into a ball. Who says TV is not educational?In the end, Lily was not real pleased with our snowman and kicked it down, but I'm sure she still has fond memories of the outing.While we were there, we checked out the other snowmen that people had built in the park.I think those people deserve points for the leaf toupee. Very creative.And it's quite clear that this snowman's artist had Chinese food for dinner last night.This was the best one:Clearly it was built by someone who would be up for mother of the year since this snowman was complete with carrot, licorice and button eyes. I'm making a mental note for the next snowman outing.Hope you enjoyed the snowmen pics. Have a great weekend everyone and don't forget to participate in "Bits of my Weekend."Remember to take pictures of your weekend and post them on your blog next Monday.More details here.

Director Roman Polanski does Brian DePalma. Based on the novel By Robert Harris, this new "suspense" drama plays like one of Mr. DePalma's thrillers, minus the sleaze factor and the thrill. The camera work, and in particular, the score reminded me of films like "Body Double" "Dressed To Kill" and "Raising Cain". Ewan McGregor plays the title character, hired to "ghost" the autobiography of Andrew Lang, the former Prime Minister of England, played by Pierce Brosnan. Mr. McGregor is a very engaging actor and works hard to keep the audience's attention. His simple task of writing a book of memoirs takes on ominous tones after a dead body is discovered and shadowy figures begin to appear. He suspects there is more to the story than what he's been told and the plot slowly begins to reveals itself and I do mean slowly. The movie holds your attention and builds towards what you would expect to be a big revelation at the end. Granted the final moments of the film come as a surprise but after such a long slow build, it all becomes clear too neat and quick and then one final twist in the last shot. Mr. Polanski substitutes an island off the North Sea for Cape Cod and Mr. Bronson's exile for his own. The story of a American puppet Prime Minister is thinly veiled and the film contains a pretty obvious anti-American slant. There is very little action and the drama just drags on and on.Mr. Brosnan is well cast in the Tony Blair...oops I mean Andrew Lang role and it's nice to see Kim Cattrall doing something else beside "Samantha Jones". The fine actor Tom Wilkinson also turns up as an important piece to the mystery. There seems to be a big buzz around this film but to this critic, it's much ado about nothing.

You know there's problems here from the opening shot of New York City. With the Beastie Boys "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" playing in the background, the camera pans from Manhattan to stop at Long Island City, which is in Queens, not Brooklyn. Director Kevin Smith, working for the first time with someone else's script, plays it loose and lazy. There is no chemistry at all between stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. In fact Mr. Willis is content to sleep walk his way through his role taking back seat to the irritating mugging of Mr. Morgan. I haven't seen Bruce Willis with so little energy in a movie since "The Sixth Sense" and he had good reason in that film.This is a tired retread posing as a homage (a word Mr. Morgan butchers for laughs) to the '80's black/white buddy cop films like "48 Hours", and "Running Scared". The best thing is the musical score, lifted right out of "Beverly Hills Cop". The plot is weak. The action boring and even perennial scene stealer Seann William Scott can't save this mess.The film also co-stars Guillermo Diaz, who plays his bad guy role exactly like his character on "Weeds", Kevin Pollack as another detective caught up in the same case , and Rashida Jones, who deserves better than a few scenes as Mr. Morgan's wife, who may or may not be cheating on him."Cop Out" is a washout. Save your time and rent "48 Hours" instead.

An artsy party for the whole family...WhitneyKids: Biennial Opening PartySaturday, March 6th from 4:00-7:00pmGather 'round for the 2010 Biennial Opening party! Explore what's new in contemporary art with your family and neighbors. FREE with museum admission, guided gallery tours and snacks for all.The Whitney is located at 945 Madison Ave at 75th St. More InfoStart your weekend off right...Just Drinks Happy Hour at StirFriday, March 5th from 8:00-10:00pmStop by the neighborhood's sheikest lounge for a two hour open bar to kickstart your weekend this Friday! For just $40 per person, the open bar includes unlimited house wines, well drinks and Bud and Bud Light bottles.Stir is located at 1363 First Ave. at 73rd St. More InfoGet in touch with your green side...Wild Food & Ecology TourSaturday, March 6th from 11:45am-3:45pmWildman Steve Brill teaches his family tradition of foraging for food. Learn how to find daylily shoots, chickweed, garlic mustard, shepherd's purse, sheep sorrel and more right in the middle of Central Park.Meet at The Ramble in Central Park More InfoNew Year's: Round 2Spring Into Norouz: Persian New Year CelebrationSaturday, March 6th at 1:00pmCelebrate the new year all over again--Persian style! Join fellow UES-ers at the Asia Society to kick-off spring with Persian music, dance, storytelling, and arts & crafts.The Asia Society is located at 725 Park Ave. at 71st St.More InfoIt takes two...Argentine Tango PartySaturday, March 6th at 8:00pmSingles and couples of all ages and experience welcome. A group lesson will be held from 8:00-9:00pm and then its full-on tangos, milongas, valses and musica tropica all night long!The 92nd Street Y is located at 1375 Lexington Ave. at 92nd St.More Info

Ooooh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is sooo delightful! Living on the Upper East Side for now 6 years, I had never known some of the charming hidden treasures that our community holds close to heart. You see, I had this preconceived notion that in order to entertain or “be cool” it was imperative that I put my little booty into a yellow cab or make the 6 block trek in my high heels over to the subway and make the journey down town. Friends in town? Lets meet at this hard to get in place on avenue A. Dinner date? Fabulous little place in Soho. Parents in town? Great family style nook in Nolita…You get the point.However, lately, it has been well, cold. Quite frankly with this economy who wants to incorporate $40 in cabs into the night of entertaining? Even worse who wants to wait and wait for that 4 or 5 express train to come and then hear, “All express trains are running on the local track and with limited service”. I can definitely tell you that I for sure do not want to hear this as it is 20 degrees on the platform. Recently in an effort to save money, body heat and valuable night time, I started looking at some of the bars and dinner places here within the Upper East Side, and began to explore other alternate places to meet up with friends and family or go out for my treasured date night with my husband. The results have been unbelievable! I cant even begin to think about the money I have spent hauling it down town or the shoes ruined making that long journey over to the subway to wait and then end up being late!My entertainment explorations were put to a test this past weekend. Originally, I had plans to head south and meet up with friends that were coming in from the ‘burbs and wanted a “swank” night out in the city. Out of habit I thought, perfect, there is this great place in Gramercy with a fireplace and where you can reserve a table for drinks. Phone number in mid dial, I stopped, paused and reassessed the situation. They also are cigar smokers and I immediately remembered one of the very few almost unknown places in the city that allows patrons to smoke inside. Yes, inside.Lo and behold, the place that still allows you to smoke is, no not downtown…. but uptown, on the lovely Upper East Side. Lexington Bar and Books on 73rd and Lexington is one of the very few bars within NYC that still allows you to smoke cigars inside. Your friends will be impressed with this classy find and little known fact all the while having great conversation in an appropriately filled dimly lit loungey space holding either a delicious glass of wine, cold beer or a concoction of your choice. Even better on these cold nights mosey on over to the fireplace and carry your laughs and talks while being warm!Who would have thought that a great and rare find could be found in the baby stroller filled, dog walking enclave that is our community. Entertaining is a blast but doesn’t mean that we northern Manhattanites have to venture down south to show friends, family even ourselves a cool night out on the town.Lexington Bar and Books is just one of the many little finds to be found and depending on your evening outlook or entertainment purposes there is something to be ventured to on the Upper East Side.

As soon as the subway car opened my daughter Lily (age 6) spotted the pole. She grabbed on and began swinging around and around at lightning speed. Afraid that she would attempt to climb it or get so dizzy that she would fall down, I shouted: "LILY, GET OFF THE POLE!"Just let that phrase sink in for a minute.I started to laugh and before I could stop myself I added, "And I better not have to tell you that again when you are 16."I really need to stop blogging out loud. It's not amusing to people.

Cheering on all those svelte, fit Olympians the last two weeks certainly caused me to yearn for my own…leaner days. This didn’t prevent me from recently stopping into the beautiful Lady M Cake Boutique on 78th between Madison and Park Avenues. Over the years, I have often peeked through her sidewalk-to-ceiling windows and the cakes inside have certainly beckoned. I knew crossing that glass threshold was going to cost me some calories, but it just could not be resisted.

What I found inside was, well, simply put: heaven. The space is almost entirely white with a marble and glass counter lit from below. The floors are white, the chairs are white, the walls are white. And the flowers? They’re white, too. This might sound like a sterile atmosphere, but it is actually extremely warm. The pristine setting lets the cakes speak for themselves. More accurately, I think these would sing. I imagine a sweet operatic soprano savoring new love (or trying to convince you you’re more beautiful without a waistline.)

General Manager Kim Lawrence tells me that the concept behind the store was to not only have exquisite confections, but to serve them in an elegant, sophisticated space. Really, she says, “the cakes are like the jewelry of the store.” And they are gorgeous. The banana Mille Feuille is especially striking and, in its half-consumed state, looks a little bit like the Sydney Opera House. The berries circling the top of the Strawberry Mille Feuille have been placed with incomprehensible precision. And the Green Tea Mousse Cake is veritably verdant.

I opted for the selection most modest in appearance and most enticing in description: The Lady M Mille Crepes. “No less than 20 thin, hand-made crepes layered with an ethereally light and creamy custard.” This is Lady M’s signature cake, the jewel this boutique is famous for, and likely what regularly fills up the eight or so tiny tables of this unique space. Customers regularly pop in to purchase entire crepe cakes to take away ($40 for a small, $75 for full size); I assume they are the grand finale to many local dinner soirees.

My husband opted for the Blanc Glace Chocolate Cake and we both ordered lattes with skim (as if this one sensible decision would balance out the decadence.)

We were both delighted with our selections, to say the least. The crepe cake was divine: rich, but not too sweet. Eggy, and creamy, and indeed layered with more individual crepes than I could count, creating an attractive cross cut: my mother has always contended that, where beauty is concerned, what’s most important is on the inside. And this dessert certainly bears this out. The chocolate cake was also wonderful, if not quite as unique.

While enjoying this Saturday afternoon treat, I noticed that Lady M also offers a few sandwiches (Smoked Salmon, Tomato Mozzarella, Brie, etc.), some croissants, and some equally stylish individual sweets like Chocolate Eclairs and a Very Berry tartlet. I also noted that Classical music lilted softly in the background; customers seemed to keep their voices hushed as if in sugary reverence.

Lady M opened her doors in 2005. Lawrence tells me that there is no actual “Lady M”, which disappointed me, somewhat. I was beginning to imagine her as a modern iconoclast with a blackberry in one hand, a quill pen in the other, red lipstick as carefully applied as those strawberries, and just a hint of flour on her black cashmere turtleneck…but I digress, (and I suppose I can to continue to think of her in that way if I so desire...) The boutique is actually owned by various investors and chefs overseas and Lawrence was brought in to launch and run it. The cakes are composed in Queens.

This area on the Upper East Side was identified as a perfect spot for this kind of venture. It is a happy coincidence that the Wedding Library (kind of like a wedding research storefront featuring different local vendors) opened up next door around the same time. There is no connection between the businesses, but I presume many brides-to-be enjoy stopping in to Lady M with their mothers or bridesmaids. Then again, if they’re trying to squeeze into that strapless dress, they may want to think twice….

The boutique is open Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 11-7 and Sun 11-6. Even though this indulgence may have taken me even further from Olympic form, I give this little spot a gold medal…perhaps, in this case, best hung from a string of milky-white pearls, (or crystallized sugar?) Point is, I highly recommend.

I've got a few new readers now, so I thought I'd give a little history to catch some of you up.My husband and I moved our family of six to Manhattan in November of 2009. We were living in suburbia, when life hit us up side the head. My husband Rod was offered a job at a wonderful non-profit here in the city. We put our house up for sale, loaded a truck and left the mountains of Colorado behind in our rear-view mirror. People either think we are crazy or adventurous. I tend to think we are somewhere in the middle. We've been married 20 years and were living in a 5000 square foot home. You know, 5 bedrooms, home office, media room...your typical suburban trappings. We had to Downsize with a capital "D" when we moved to New York City. Getting rid of things was quite cathartic for me. Not a whole lot of mourning over things. Our entire family was willing to embrace leaving things behind and moving into a 1200 square foot apartment on the Upper East Side. It has been a bit challenging, but living in the city has been incredible. It truly is a wonderful place to live. This blog documents our ups and downs and my search to find the perfect New York cupcake.I've done a few things to the bedroom since I posted the first pics back in the fall. We painted the wall behind the bed. By "we" I mean my husband Rod painted to wall. The color is Sweet Bluette from Benjamin Moore. But I'll be changing it again, because it is not quite the color I was going for. I need something a little paler. I also thought I'd give a little description of some items in the room. Everything I kept for our apartment had to be essential to living in the space. No room for a piano anymore. But the things I did keep, still have quite a bit of meaning to me. I've also gotten some questions as to where I found certain items. I'll do my best to fill you in! You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge.The Keep Calm and Carry On is a reproduction of a poster printed by the British goverment during WWII. I found mine here.As I mentioned in a previous post, we had to downsize from a King bed to a Queen when we moved to the city. I found the headboard for a steal on Overstock.com. My linens are part of the Hudson Park Collection from Nordstroms. I've had this mirrored chest for years. I think I bought it at Bombay Company. I am not a fan of bedroom "sets." I know some people are, but I never have been. I'm just not a matchy-matchy kind of girl. The lamp base is from Target. (I'd like to take a moment and express my sadness that we do not have a Target in the city. I am suffering withdrawls.) The lamp shade is from Pottery Barn. And the artwork was a gift from my parents. It's a guardian angel. I love unique art-especially if it is vintage. I found the relief map of Africa over 10 years ago in a thrift shop. It's dated 1893. The asian silk painting was bought when we went to China to adopt our daughter Lily. The little black table anchors that tiny wall and has a tin french chalet on top of an antique Bible I picked up in London about 20 years ago. Baskets are underneath for storing bills and other paperwork.We went almost 18 years without a dresser in our Master Bedroom. We finally bought this one from Crate and Barrel a few years back. The artwork to the left of the dresser is a painting done my my sweet, southern Grandmother. She is in her late 80s now and I love having a reminder of her in our New York apartment. The long wooden table has quite a bit of history. It has been repurposed many times. It was the very first piece of furniture Rod and I bought for our first house. It was our kitchen table. Later it became a desk for our son's room. Then it was cut down into a coffee table. In Colorado, Rod sliced it in half and added new legs to make a sofa table. Here in New York it makes a great desk and display table in our bedroom. I just can't seem to part with it and keep finding new ways to keep it around.The vintage bottles with silver, soldered charms were made by me. The glass canister holds sand from a family beach vacation. Lamp was bought about 15 years ago from Ballards Design. The curtains are also from Ballards. The artwork over the leather chair are silk paintings my mother bought when we lived in Germany. They are over 40 years old now and are still in their original frames. Some of my jewelry is gathered in an old silver bowl that rests on my windowsill. And the little frames hold pictures of my children. The pictures are about 7 years old, but for some reason I don't want to change them out. If you hung in there for this entire post, congratulations to you! You do not have ADD. Thanks for taking a look and I'd love to know what you think.

After weeks of mentally JUST making it, the skies parted and dumped a think blanket of powder(and, let's not forget the slush) to come to my rescue. Waking up on Friday morning was a treat! The ground was covered, the streets were covered. It looked like a snow globe from my window. I knew I still had to work, but work would be nothing compared to racing two kids to two different bus stops through the cold and slush while snow was still pouring from the sky! Anticipation must have gotten the best of all of us. We were up before 6am, waiting to hear word. 311 confirmed that the day was ours! The entire early part of our morning was spent cuddling in my bed, watching news reports of all the snow and crazy conditions around our area, while we waited for Daddy to get home from work. It's amazing how much room my little monkeys can find in my bed when they don't want to be kicked out of it! It was such a nice, semi-unexpected morning.Work was a breeze. We spent much of the day watching people try to get in and out of parking spaces and struggle to get up our block. Many got stuck! An amazing friend weathered the storm and brought me a warm pasta lunch. I tackled a few lingering tasks, and then we closed for business when the storm intensified and the plows seemed to be defeated when it came to our block! I couldn't wait to get back to that warm bed.My babies were thrilled to see me so many hours earlier than they thought they would. I wanted to take them out to play in the winter wonderland, but refused to do so while it seemed that more was coming from the sky than was already on the ground. That really is how it felt! The older two took a short trip their friends house next door while the rest of us took a short trip to dreamland. Why does it seem like such a better nap when there is a snow storm outside? I eventually even had to wake the little guy. That was the only bad part about the nap.....no one wanted to get up! Shortly after the sun went down and the snow slowed a bit, I finally mustered the energy to take them out sledding.We brought a couple of friends along and headed a few blocks away to our "play street". It's a blocked off street that is perfect for sledding, especially after it has been packed down all day by prior sledders! The big kids sledded and chucked snowballs while the little one built a snowman with Daddy. It was a pathetic looking snowman but good enough for an almost-3-year-old, I suppose. I simply watched and spread my time between the two. It didn't last very long(since it gets so cold when you are touching snow) but we had a ball.The next day, as the city began to recover from the whole ordeal, we went out again. I have never really been one for the snow, but realizing this MIGHT be the last time to play in it this season gave me the motivation to make the best out of it. My crew had fun again, of course. They came across an unoccupied ice/snow fort, made some additions and repairs, and made the most out of what was left, although it was already beginning to melt! It was a nice storm. Honestly, it was the only one this season that I took full advantage of and truly appreciated. We need "snow days" more often. Days where rules don't necessarily apply. The kind of day that is a little bit out of our control, yet offers a different outlook on what could be accomplished. I needed that break. They did too. We could all use some more days in bed cuddling.

Welcome to the first edition of Bits of My Weekend!If you have photos to share from your weekend, please use the Mr. Linky below. For more information on Bits of My Weekend. Go here.Feel free to grab the button on the sidebar, too!

Martin Scorsese has undeniably made so many memorable films over the years that bear repeated viewing. Sadly, "Shutter Island" is not one of them. The master director and his muse, Leonardo DiCaprio have turned in an overlong and tedious "thriller" with a twist that's been done far better in other films. There have been so many TV and radio spots for this film I could recite most of the dialog by heart. That, and the long running time sucked all the possible suspense right out of the film. There is certainly a more complex story here than the ads leave you to believe but by the time all is revealed, you're just grateful it's over. I will say that Mr. DiCaprio remains one of the best actors of his generation and there is some fine work done by the supporting cast including Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow and a particularly good Patricia Clarkson (in a one scene cameo). It just doesn't add up to much by the end of the film. Mr. Scorsese has always given each of his films their own vibrant life but here he actually repeats himself by recreating the atmosphere of "Cape Fear", his remake with Robert DeNiro. Shutter Island" gave him his biggest opening weekend box office. He gave us a disappointment.

On Monday, I will start a new series here on Six in the City. It will be called Bits of My Weekend. Here's the thing, I don't want to do it alone. I'd love it if you joined me!Here's the assignment:Grab your camera and take pics all weekend of what you do. It doesn't have to be exciting. It could be laundry. It could be making dinner. But if you end up having dinner with Brangelina, we'd like to see a pic of that too!On Monday, post your pictures on your own blog with the title, "Bits of my Weekend." No text required. Only if you want to elaborate on your pics. Then come back to this blog and put your blog link so we can share your life.I realize it might take a while to get this going. But I think it would be a great way to reach across the world and get a peek into each other's lives.So, what are you waiting for?Grab your camera!Get creative!And post on Monday morning!UPDATE: Feel free to grab the button on my sidebar and be part of the Bits of My Weekend community!

Over ten years ago, clinical aesthetician Jillian Wright opened Glow Skin Spa right here on the Upper East Side, much to the delight of UES residents. Just this past September, Glow moved to a townhouse on East 66th Street and was transformed into the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa, where clients now receive a variety of premium spa treatments under the direction of the owner and namesake herself. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jillian Wright, and she gave me the inside scoop on her spa, its specialties, and her own favorite treatments. Read on, then make yourself an appointment.Located on the second floor of 22 East 66th Street (between 5th and Madison), the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa offers a comprehensive spa experience designed to both pamper and improve the functionality of your skin. Including Jillian, the spa has five clinical aestheticians, all with over ten years experience, as well as five licensed massage therapists, plus a manager and front desk staff to accommodate guests. There are four well-appointed treatment rooms that Jillian describes as “comfortable and relaxing.” All of these elements work together to create a personalized, boutique feel to Jillian’s spa, allowing staff to cater to customers’ individual needs. With the needs of her customers in mind, Jillian has developed a wide variety of spa treatments, explaining that her “role is to play skincare detective in order to achieve your skin’s greatest health.”Clients can treat themselves to several different types of facials, which include elements like microdermabrasion, aromatherapy facial massage, LED light therapy, customized masks, and homecare recommendations; massages such as the Swedish, relaxation, aromatherapy, hot lava shell, or detoxifying massage; and body treatments for areas like the back, legs, neck, and eyes. Specialty products from Somme Institute, Bioelements, and Environ are used, many of which can be purchased from the spa for home use. And the names of some of Jillian’s treatments are almost as satisfying as the treatments themselves: the Muscle Melting Deep Tissue Massage, Herbology Body Retexturizer, and Wine or Blueberry Extract Crystal Eye Mask are just a few that caught my eye.Though the spa clearly has expertise in a variety of areas, their particular specialties are facial massage and extractions, which are included in all of their facials. The spa has also become known for its Signature Massage, which Jillian describes as “a combination of Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Thai, all within a choreographed massage experience.”All of these treatments have been developed with Jillian’s personal skincare philosophy in mind. Jillian aims “to incorporate a trilogy of the heart, hands, and mind to encompass all aspects of aesthetics.” This means that she focuses on both internal elements, such as emotional and spiritual health, as well as the external goal of maintaining healthy, well-balanced skin. Jillian explains that, “If you feel good about your skin, you will feel more confident and have greater self-esteem. It’s a snowball effect that positively grows with every step accomplished.”  So, you may be wondering, which of the Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa’s treatments are its founder’s favorites? “I love, love, love the LumiFacial!” Jillian says. “I’m all for getting the most out of your time spent at my spa and this is the way to do it. The results are instantaneous.” Jillian explained that, during the 105-minute LumiFacial, “we choose an exfoliation process suited for your skin type and texture such as enzymes, microdermabrasion or dermaplaning, use steam, do extractions, put you under the light for 30 minutes and then use a polarized current to penetrate active key ingredients into the skin.” The result? “The client leaves with radiant skin.”As for massages, Jillian says she loves the Hot Lava Shell Massage, a 60- or 90-minute treatment in which Swedish and Deep Tissue massage elements are combined with the use of lava shells, each with their own temperature control. Jillian explains that it's like a hot stone massage, but safer for both the client and the massage therapist, and a truly indulgent experience.Visit Jillian’s spa online at http://www.jillianwrightclinicalskinspa.com/ to learn more about her treatments and to make an appointment for what promises to be a delightful and invigoration spa experience.

Once held under lock and key, Lisa Perry is finally opening Madison Avenue’s best-kept secret: The Vault.Late last year, Lisa transformed the former Madison Avenue Citibank into her flagship Manhattan store. Now, Lisa Perry is opening up the vault downstairs to customers offering discounted merchandise from current and past seasons with almost everything close to 75% off!The Vault will feature $200, $300 and $400 racks and a table of pick-me-up items – accessories, books, trinkets - that range in price from $5 to $100. (There are even fake jewelry and money pouring out of the safety deposit boxes.)The Vault will now be open all year long and continuously updated with new discounted merchandise. Lisa will also be selling her vintage finds from her travels throughout the world in the Vault as well.The VaultMonday – Sunday; 10am – 6pm, daily976 Madison Avenue (bet. 76th & 77th St.)212.431.7467-Lauren Dimet WatersSponsored by Uppereast.com

No need to fly to Paris to find the perfect crepe…Yorkville Creperie is right around the corner!On a snowy New York afternoon, there is no better way to warm your hands and belly than a rich, delicious crepe from the Yorkville Creperie. Whether it is a quick lunch, after-dinner dessert, Sunday brunch, or coffee break while browsing the Internet using the creperie’s free wireless - there is something for everyone at Yorkville Creperie.Having only been open since April 2009, this hot spot is the go-to Upper East Side eatery for both sweet and savory crepes. With a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, the Yorkville Creperie offers overflowing natural light, mellow music, aromatic coffee, and a variety of seating including over-sized comfortable couches, standard tables, or even a charming alcove in the corner.As I settled into my cozy alcove, I browsed the diverse menu of sweet and savory crepes, salads, and panini’s. My eyes and taste buds shifted immediately to the U.E.S. crepe. This unique crepe, dedicated to local Upper East Siders such as myself, combines life’s sweetest pleasures by layering a chocolate brownie, bananas, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and drizzled with Nutella! Before I could indulge in my sweet tooth, I started with the Roma Crepe – an herb crepe with chicken, mozzarella, and tomato bruschetta. Yum!While enjoying my Roma and Upper East Side crepes, I admired the beautiful artwork displayed on the walls throughout the cafe. Chris Boyce, one of the owners of Yorkville Creperie, explained to me that local artists approach him to showcase their art. Artists typically display for one to two months and all pieces are available for purchase. This local creative touch brings a special intimacy and connection to customers with their Upper East Side neighborhood.Next time you are craving something sweet or savory, there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a ticket to Paris, just head over to the Yorkville Creperie located at 1586 York Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets and enjoy local food, art, and ambience!For a full menu visit http://www.yorkvillecreperienyc.com/Bon appetit!