Toss or Sell

I live in a small apartment in Brooklyn and over the years I have acquired more and more stuff. So every year I have to figure out what I really need. From clothes to paperwork to furniture, it's not an easy task going through everything. Once I throw away what I really don't need - usually the things that are just collecting dust - I then figure out what is worth selling. Which then puts in question: Do I have a stoop sale or do I go the Craigslist route? I've tried the stoop sale a few times and it's ok for a few hours on a nice day but I've realized that I end up making small change from $30 to $100. Of course I'm usually selling tiny things like books for 50 cents or some costume jewelry, but I just can't seem to throw it away after having spent my money on it. But then there are the big items like a desk where I resort to online sales at Craigslist.com. In the past, Craigslist has been great. I've sold everything from a pair of roller skates to a bed frame to a coffee table. It takes some patience and you have to be willing to allow strangers in your home to pick up the items, but so far everything has run smoothly. And it's all cash! However, in the current economy it seems like people are really looking for a bargain and Craigslist has basically turned out to be just as useful as having a stoop sale. This past week I've tried to sell a desk and chair for $85. No bites. So I lower it to $75 and got three inquiries. The first one I had to keep calling back to try and arrange a time and then he decided he didn't want it. The second decided he wanted a different color. And the third is trying to get me to lower the price to $40 and only wants the desk. That's quite the bargain seeing that the chair would not sell for $35. I think not mister! I'm hoping after the next week I'll get my way and have room for a new baby crib (which I'm sure I'll also be trying to sell on Craigslist in a few years).

Sports And Marriage

The basketball season is almost over and although I am not a huge sports enthusiast, I am happy that the Celtics are in the finals. Not just because I am originally from Massachusetts, but because it makes my husband happy. It's funny to watch how excited a man can get over bad calls on fouls and three point shots. There tends to be the occasional outburst at the TV and a random fist pump when things go right. I have a short attention span for sports and tend to leave the room to do whatever (clean, make something to eat, check Facebook), but I do enjoy watching when I know the team. I tend to watch the games with a totally different perspective than my husband though. I will comment on the cuteness of the players, how they wear their uniforms, and say things like "I think he needs a towel." I do think it's important to get involved with the games so that we can spend time together. Because if it's not basketball, then there's baseball, and football. And now that the World Cup is starting, there will be soccer. And it's not like the games are on once a week, like a typical TV show that I would watch. There's always sports and there are many channels dedicated to them.

The thing I do hate about sports though are those ridiculous commentator shows, like "Around the Horn." Do all guys yell about sports? It just hurts my head to listen to them. I enjoy a good biography show about an athlete, but these commentary shows are just noise to me. Sometimes I think having cable is just a burden on our relationship, but we seem to be able to compromise - or just leave the room.

Vacation From Vacation

In celebration of many things (anniversary, graduation, birthdays), I went with my husband and his family to Bermuda over Memorial Day Weekend. This is the first vacation in the past 10 years that I've gone on and come back to not having a job. It was a strange feeling but a nice one. So basically, you could say that I'm still on vacation.

Here's a little about the trip...
When we arrived we hopped in a taxi that took us down many winding and narrow roads. They drive on the opposite side there so you feel like you're going to crash into a coral wall at any moment. But we arrived safely at the beautiful Fairmont Southampton and got an amazing deal because my uncle-in-law works for Fairmont. It's good to know the right people.

The weather was unpredictable so we had to play it by ear. One minute we'd be at the beach in the hot sun and then all of a sudden a downpour. Then an hour later the sun would come back out. Luckily everything is pretty close together so if you were at the beach you can just hop in a trolley and go back up to the hotel. We had free access to the spa which had an indoor pool that was above my expectations. It had a beautiful view of the ocean and outdoor hot tubs (when they were open anyway... One day some kid dumped bubbles in the hot tub so it was out of use!) One evening, the family chartered a sailboat for a sunset cruise that was delightful. Another night we had cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at The Waterlot restaurant outside on the dock, which was followed by an amazing four-course dinner. There was constantly food all around me, which actually caused some jokes because I was eating so much! Breakfast was included everyday on the Gold Level floor as well as snacks and desserts. I think I gained 5 lbs after this trip!
Bermuda is a gorgeous place and pleasantly only a 2 hour flight from NY. The beaches offer white and pink sand complemented by the bright blue ocean. I had an amazing time and can't wait to go back.

Flavor of Love

Yesterday was my five year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we took a walk down Vanderbilt Ave and had brunch/lunch at Le Gamin, a french restaurant specializing in crepes. I recommend eating in the backyard area. I'm always pleased with the way restaurants in the city are able to transform a tiny backyard surrounded by buildings into a nice Eden for food-lovers. I had a swiss/mushroom/sausage crepe with salad. Tres bon!

After, we took a long trek to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. We've missed the cherry blossoms but it was still definitely worth it to go. There are still plenty of flowers, amazing trees to check out and the fish and turtles in the Japanese garden are always cool to see. And it was surprisingly not that crowded, which is always a huge plus when doing anything in NY.


For dinner, we made our way to No. 7 in Fort Greene. We were told it was a 40-minute wait but it ended up being only about 10 minutes! However, we were stuck at the crappiest table that was right in the walkway to the bathroom and the waiter stand. Overall the service was great though and the food was delicious. We shared an appetizer of mussels with thai basil/chickpea/sake broth and then I got the mahi mahi with bock choy, lentils and artichoke dip for the entree. Unfortunately, there was no room left for dessert in my belly.

Finally, we made our way to Frank's Lounge on Fulton St. hoping to listen to some live music that was suppose to go on at 9:30. But when 10:30 rolled around and I had about enough of the R&B album that was playing, we decided to just leave. I guess I'll never know what Big Brooklyn Red sounds like.

Looking forward to our 6th anniversary :)

Food at the Flea

This past Sunday I went to the Brooklyn Flea at the Williamsburg Savings Bank - that huge clock tower you've probably seen from any distance. I've been to the one outside on Saturdays in the school parking lot but I had heard that the food area on Sundays is in the bank's vault. In my mind I was thinking that the vault would be really cool with old safety deposit boxes and bars, but the only cool thing was the big vault door. The rest just looked like an unfinished basement with Sheetrock and really dim lighting. I ended up getting a very yummy grilled cheese sandwich from the Milk Truck that was called the "Classic with a Twist." It was Gruyere on rye with whole grain mustard and pickled onions. Yum! While I was waiting for it, I spotted Jesse Eisenberg (actor known for Squid and the Whale, Zombieland, Roger Dodger) holding hands with a girl. Love the celebrity spottings!

After, I made my way upstairs to where all the stores displayed their goods. The atmosphere upstairs was so much nicer. The building looked like an old cathedral with beautiful, painted dome ceilings and all the old details I was hoping to see. The vendors are very diverse from old and new jewelry to vintage furnishings to collectible items. I didn't end up buying anything but it was worth the visit. I recommend stopping in since it is free, but check out the Flea on Saturdays for a nicer outdoor shopping experience.

DUMBO is More Than an Fictional Elephant

This past Saturday I went to the BKLYN Designs event in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn (for those not from the area, it stands for Down Under the Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass - NYC loves their acronyms). I met up with a friend who had an extra ticket, and glad she did because I wasn't about to pay $15 for this event. Apparently the stores involved do not pay to be a part of the event so they have to charge the public. It was housed at Warehouse 38 on Water St, which when you think that it's in a warehouse it would be large but it was actually fairly small and was walkable in about an hour. It was amazing to see all the great furniture designers out there but there was nothing I could afford so it was sort of like being in a museum. The DUMBO area was nice to walk around though with it's newly designed park and great stores and restaurants. It was an incredibly windy day, but the views of Manhattan and hanging out with a friend were well worth it.