the roosevelts

I have to tell you guys, Al and I have rushed home each night this week so we can hurry up and change out of our work clothes, cook dinner, and settle down to watch The Roosevelts: An Intimate History on PBS.  It's a miniseries by Ken Burns about Theodore, Eleanor, and Franklin Roosevelt and it's fascinating.  For example, did you know that...

• Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt were fifth cousins

• Eleanor Roosevelt was the daughter of Theodore's brother, Elliot

• Which means Eleanor and Franklin were fifth cousins (and married)

• Today Teddy Roosevelt would have probably been diagnosed as having ADHD; he was quite energetic and some say never stopped talking

• Franklin Roosevelt decided he would become President very early in his life as he admired his cousin Theodore

And that's just a few snippets of what we've learned so far and we're only two episodes into the miniseries.  As Ken Burns put it, 

We are dealing with a century -- 104 years -- an American century – in a place and a time where so much of the modern world was created and these three people are as responsible for that world as anybody that I know,” Burns said. “No other family has touched as many Americans as the Roosevelts.

The series began on Sunday and runs all week, but I'm certain PBS will be showing replays. Check your local listings or download it on iTunes. 

This is a great piece not only about three incredibly fascinating figures in American history, but a great way to understand what makes a leader successful and to get a really good understanding of the drastic change America went though during the course of 100 years.

Have you seen any good documentaries lately?

(images via pbs.org)

weekend recap

Hello, hello! Remember when I declared this weekend a weekend of productivity?  Well, we had a strong start and a slow finish. Saturday was full of getting stuff done, but then Sunday I started feeling not too hot. I swear I'm the queen of summer colds. But we did get a few things checked off my to do list, and had a good time while doing it. Here are a few photos...

Let's back up clear to (early) Friday morning. My friend who works at Pure Wow asked if I'd like to be a model for a TV segment they were doing on Good Day New York. It sounded fun, so I agreed. And then freaked out when I realized I agreed to do LIVE television. But, it was all fine and was a really fun experience. You can see the full segment here.

I was at my desk by 10:30 on Friday and put in a full days work. Not quitting my day job yet! After work on Friday we took Mayo to the park, picked up some food, and attempted to watch a movie. I made it through about 20 minutes. I was beat from getting up at 5am! We watched an old movie, The Apartment. Anyone seen it? Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon. It was cute (I had to finish it on Sunday).

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Saturday was a good one. Al and Lil met me after spin for breakfast and sitting near the park people watching. I could just sit outside and watch people all day long. Al says I was made to loiter. And I got caught taking selfies with Lil. 

Two reminders to look up on our walk home. I find myself giggling sometimes thinking that we live smack in between these two iconic buildings. It's just so darn funny to me.

Back at home we decided to tackle Al's closet. He was finally sick of it enough to want to do something about it, so I leaped at the opportunity to purge some stuff. That pile is all the stuff we got rid of. So much to sell and donate! And, per usual, Lily was on hand to supervise/gnaw on every hanger in sight.

Then, unfortunately, Al was called in to work for basically the rest of the entire weekend so I said goodbye to him and I headed off to meet our friends Kyle and Jim to see their wedding space and help plan their wedding day. I'm their day-of-coordinator and I'm so excited! Wedding planning, timelines, and details come so naturally to me, so I love that I can help out friends with all of my weird organizational skills. And, I mean, I just didn't have enough side jobs going - blogger, model, wedding planner. ;) But really though, look at that view! The wedding is going to be spectacular not only because of the amazing venue but because they are two of the most fun people I have ever encountered.

And the fun wasn't over yet for Saturday. From one rooftop to the next. I headed to meet my friend Carrie for drinks. We checked out a new rooftop bar that apparently no one knows about it. It wasn't crowded at all and it was a beautiful night for it. We'll be back, for sure. Except, now I just told you about it, so I guess the secret is out.

Sunday, Al was at work all day (and night). :( So I did what any normal girl in the city would do - go to the spa, shop around Fifth Avenue, and meet friends for champagne. NOT. I took a theraflu-induced nap with my pooch and then got a ridiculous amount of Taco Bell to eat alone while watching Lifetime movies. Cue that song from the Oscars a few years ago "G-L-A-M-O-R-OUS". Such a posh life, I live.

In my defense, Sunday I did get off the couch long enough to write this blog post. It took me twice as long because I had a french bulldog head on my hand. So I guess you can say Lily authored this post too.

Hope you guys had a great weekend! I'm gonna go buy every cold medicine from Duane Reade and hope that I can kill this little bug/virus/allergies thing I have going. Cheers to a swift week!

friday finds

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↑ Ha! But really though, how in the WORLD is it July 18? I feel like it should be oh, April something. But that means it'd still be rainy and cold here. So I guess I'll take July 18 even though I have no idea how we got here so quickly. But enough rambling! It's Friday! Woop! We have NO plans! None. After 4th of July and then visitors last weekend, we need a few days to catch up on life stuff. I already have a 25 point to do list for the weekend that includes everything from editing photos to cleaning out Al's closet to washing my makeup brushes. The sad part? I'm excited for it.  You know things have been hectic when you look forward to a to do list on a Saturday.

Wishing you a productive weekend. My favorite finds from the web this week are below. ↓

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Interesting read:  the rise of Instagram.

Amazing.

Cute swim suit alert (and finally, a reasonable price!) - fun fact. I ordered this. And accidentally shipped it to my mother's house...in Kansas.

My first reaction when I saw this -"ohhhhh yeah!". Yes, I ogle could soup.

Because I'm still not over Frozen (and probably never will be).

We're familiar with this.

I cried at this commercial. For real. Well done, Nike. 

Oh la la, Birch Box has a shop and it's real pretty.

Got my first fall jitters from seeing this.

Well this sucks.

I want to get this (seriously) after reading this. Awful! "People who engage in an hour of moderate-intensity exercise –running is considered vigorous exercise–fare much worse. They lose 16 percent of their workout gain from each hour of sitting."

Leighton Meester's spot-on op ed. You go Blair Leighton!

So true. Especially #9 and #10 for us.

Al sent this to me. I can't imagine why ;)  (but really, do you wanna get a flatbread?). 

YES!

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Have a good one loves!

P.S.  I spent the morning helping out my friends at PureWow shoot a segment about white jeans for Good Day New York. Check it out here. So much fun! And go check out PureWow's 30 ways to wear white jeans for more styling tips. 

friday finds

Happy Friday! Whew, we made it through a five day work week! We have a fun weekend planned with one of Al's best friends and his wife who are visiting us. Lots of sights, gems, and food to show. Should be a great time. 

Enjoy your Friday. Get outside! And if you have a french bulldog, wave it in the air like you just don't care...or something.  I'll stop rambling. Finds are below. ↓

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Lots of good TV stuff to discuss. One - TV premiere dates for next season. Two - the Emmy nominations were just announced!

Made me laugh. It does look very intense! Especially the roller. Oh man if you get a bad roller, your burrito is ruined.

We're so going to this. 

Sneaky. And informative. Pretty bad odds that I see a pool this summer.

New York Philharmonic's Concerts in the Park series. Such a neat experience.

This is everything. We could not stop laughing at work. 

Lo Bosworth in this week's Grub Street Diet. I like her.

A meat lovers to do list in NYC.

Well, this exists.

More love for Olivia Palermo. Love her.

Currently reading. (Just finished this. Highly recommend it!)

And leaving you with a little pep talk. I love this so much. 

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Have a great weekend!

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ten questions

We're big fans of the show Inside the Actor's Studio. Our favorite part is after the main interview, the host, James Lipton, asks his guest ten questions based on Marcel Proust's 'Proust Questionnaire'. He asks the questions rather quickly, as the goal is for the guest to answer the first thing that comes to mind without thinking too much or editing himself. 

The Proust Questionnaire comes from the 19th century French writer, Marcel Proust, and is thought to be a tool to reveal one's true character. One night after watching the show Al and I asked each other the questions and it was such fun! It really is a great way to get to know someone better. Ever since, we ask the ten questions to our friends whenever we're in a social setting. 

It's a great little thing to do at a dinner party as a conversation starter. Or sometimes when there's a lull in the conversation or we're bored on the subway, Al and I will re-ask the questions to each other at rapid speed and we're not allowed to repeat our previous answers. Try it out!  The questions are below. And just for fun, so are my answers. 

(Hint: There's a full pin-able graphic at the end of the post with the questions so you can screen shot it or pin it and have it easily on hand the next time you're in a social setting.)

::: Ten Questions :::

(and my answers)

1. What is your favorite word?

            Snugs!

2. What is your least favorite word?

            Moist

3. What turns you on?

            Quick wit

4. What turns you off?

            Laziness

5. What sound or noise do you love?

            Children laughing

6. What sound or noise do you hate?

            People talking over each other

7. What is your favorite curse word?

            Starts with an F, ends with a K

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

            Food Network TV personality/host (duh!)

9. What profession would you not like to do?

            Accountant

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

            "You hungry? Calories don't count here!"

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Your turn! Play with your friends/family/stranger next to you at the bar. I think it'd also be funny to ask on a first date. You'd probably get a pretty good sense of the person right away. :) 

Pin-able image below. Enjoy! ↓

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weekend recap

Hi hi! How was your long weekend? Ours was fantastic. I just love three day weekends. I feel so much more refreshed and ready to take on the week. All thanks to that one extra day. Here are a few photos...

Unfortunately, Al knew he was going to have to work for a lot of the weekend. So we didn't do anything all that grand on Thursday, as I told him to just stay at the office and try and finish some stuff off his list. Standard old Wine Night for us, and we started watching Jerry Seinfeld's web show, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. Have you seen it? 

^^ Wine Night Dinner from the advanced copy of Dinner A Love Story's new book, Dinner: The Playbook. 1 pot, 1 pan, and 25 minutes. Easy peasy.

Friday it was POURING. Al worked while Lily helped hold the Apple TV remote. Meanwhile, I made omelettes for us because, well. Why not?

But! The rain cleared just in time for our 4th of July plans. We headed to a friend's apartment in Brooklyn with a spectacular view. Turned out to be a beautiful night.

^^ I spy Lady Liberty.

Fireworks time! Cameras out!

Saturday started with time at the park. "Be very, very quiet. I'm hunting wrabbits squirrels."

Since I'm usually the planner of our weekend activities (I know, you're shocked), Saturday was Al's choice. Al said if he had one free day with no work he would choose to "take a long walk, have a good lunch, a few beers, and just hang." So that is what we did. Walked down to White Horse Tavern and parked it for the afternoon. It was lovely to just sit and chat, people watch, and have some nice crisp beers along with our burgers. It was one of those really good New York days that you just can't have anywhere else. It makes me thankful that we can share this amazing city together. Wouldn't trade where we are or what we have for anything.

Sunday I headed out to the Mets game with friends, while Al stayed home to work. :( My first time at Citi Field! It was nice. Great food varieties (which is the main reason I go to baseball games, obvi). After two straight summers at Yankee Stadium, it felt good to be back watching a game with a beer and a dog/shake shack burger/quesadilla(?)/frozen lemonade. 

Came home in time to whip up an easy supper. Another one from Dinner: The Playbook. BBQ roasted chicken with homemade bbq sauce, some crispy potatoes, and a quick coleslaw. Perfect summer meal.  

And then...we crashed. In bed by 9:30. My kind of way to end three days of summer fun.

Hope your weekend was just as wonderful! Now time to adjust back to this whole five-day work week thing...

friday finds

Hello! We're off work a day early and en route to Omaha for my one of my best friend's weddings. I just love weddings don't you? All the love and celebration. It just makes my heart feel like it's going to explode (in a good way). I cannot wait to watch these two spectacular people tie the knot on Saturday. Cheers to Cassi & Michael!

While I'm away an extra day, enjoy an extra dose of finds from around the web...

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While we're talking love and weddings, I had that image up there^ printed and framed as a shower gift. Find it here. One of my favorite verses.

Also on the wedding front, these gold foil invites are to die for.

An ode to the Paris Bistro (along with what might be a knock against Americans, but oh well).

Where was this 'design your own lamp' thing when I was looking for the perfect lamp that didn't exist two years ago? 

Let's talk hair (again). The best highlights of the season. And a new way to get waves for your lob.

A way better, more herb-alicious, dairy-free, ranch-style dressing.

What the heck is T.Swift doing with my fairy godmother, Ina? Back away bad bangs. BACK. AWAY. (But really, this truly did anger me. That's so mean of me. I'm T.Swift is lovely, but still. I'm rage-y.)

BTW, my Game of Thrones name is "Kate The Ghost Rose - Lover of Giants". Obvi I picked Direwolf as my favorite weapon. And I do love giants (Al is tall).

Father of the Bride Part 3! I hope Fraank the wedding planner comes back for this one.

Loved this. Love them.

A cute swimsuit.

Jon Hamm as a young jock. Yep. You bet that's a favorite find.

This is me on the internet to a T. Let's all try out Tabless Thursdays next week, k?

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Have a great weekend my loves!

friday finds

Happy Friday! I'm still so flabbergasted that it's June. I feel like I am still ramping up for summer, but it's already here! We have a fun weekend on the books, some events to attend on Saturday and Sunday I plan to return to my urban tanning rooftop style. And a nap. I definitely could use a nap. I have been so tired this week!

::: Here are my favorite finds from the web this week ::::

•••••

Ina just announced her new book tour. Looks like I'll be heading back to KC in March next year! I have to see her both in NYC and KC, obvi.

Shake Shack tuns ten! Looks like a good way to celebrate to me. Now who wants to go wait in line with for me?

Have you noticed the new editing tools on instagram? So helpful. But I'll still always love my vsco app.

Now this is my kind of food court.

Even the Wall Street Journal thinks Birkenstocks are cool.

I can't stop wondering how the East River Piano got there.

I would wear this romper all summer long.

You had met at gin popsicle.

Orange Is the New Black Season 2 is released tonight! Wouldn't Martha Stewart-type make a good new character?

•••••

And in cased you missed it...

Asparagus, Goat Cheese, & Chicken Sausage Pasta

Park Day Essentials

Have a great weekend!

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friday finds

You know what's great? When you think it's Thursday, but it's really Friday. Thank ya four day work week. Looking forward to a pretty chill weekend. It's really our last "free" weekend until July so we'll be soaking it up and doing whatever we feel like whenever we feel like it. :)

Here's what I'm loving from the net this week...

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The phenomenon that is Manhattanhenge was last night. Why we love it so much.

I spy with my little eye, a Jayhawk fan on Humans of New York!

Can we talk about Sunday's Mad Men season finale for a second? About that little song and dance at the end. Overall, I was just happy that something finally happened on the show. A little tribute to Bert Cooper. Also, because he's my favorite, the best Roger Sterling quotes.

Would you ever pay to get a reservation at a restaurant? I just might, actually. It's a rat race to get the perfect 8:30pm Saturday reservation.

Did you notice Google's change?

A great tip for smoothies.

This book sounds fantastic. Would make a great gift.

While on the subject of books, I'm currently reading this.

How darling are these limited edition baby mocs? Love all of their stuff - great baby shower gifts!

Perfect for me. In more ways than one. ;)

And finally, leaving with thoughts on Maya Angelou. What a fantastic human being we lost this week. Her wisdom and spirit made the world a better place, that is for sure. Love this recollection of Oprah's favorite lesson from Maya Angelou.

•••••

Have a splendid weekend, friends!

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weekend recap

Hi hi! How was your weekend? We had a stellar time with my mom. It was so nice to have her around for our normal weekend activities. I always seem to get the most envious of my sister whenever she and mom are just doing normal things. And this time I was able to take mom along for our standard weekend - Friday at home, Saturday dog run, a fun dinner out, and some errands. (It's weird how a trip to Duane Reade is that much more exciting when you go with your fellow product-loving mother.) Walks, talks, and plenty of Lily time. Here are a few photos...

All set Thursday night with mom's favorite things - M&Ms, her favorite red wine, and thin crust pizza!

Mom brought a early birthday present for Al. A golf club cover she ordered from Etsy (this shop) and had made to look just like Lily! And for the record, Al is 100% going to use this on the golf course. It was not a gag gift. We genuinely like these sorts of things. We're those dog people, I know. (Al had to restrain Lily for our photo op - she thought it was a chew toy.)

Al and I headed to work on Friday while Mom and Lily hunkered down at home. We all met up in the evening to take mom to our go-to Friday night place - Friedman's! She agrees with us - great menu, friendly staff, and so convenient for us. Al asked what we were going to do after dinner and mom and I gave each other a look and responded with "duh, go put on our jammies and watch the Barbara Walters Special." Like, what else were we going to do? Was there any other option? (No. There was not.) 

Saturday morning started with me showing mom the amazing yoga class and yoga studio I attend. <Sarcasam> We did my favorite Bethenny Yoga DVD on the apartment floor like normal people.

Quick breakfast of my secret weapon pastries and fruit. And peonies because they remind us of Grandma.

And then a long family walk along the water. The weather was spectacular. I think we were out for close to three hours!

A morning of exercise and outdoors, followed by an afternoon of shopping. We're really good at Saturdays. We had to stop and take a hat selfie for my sister - she gets really slap happy when we shop together and tries on all the hats. (Side note- I think I need to back and get that hat!)

Tried a new restaurant for dinner on Saturday night - the cute and neighborhood-y spot, Little Prince in SoHo. 

The food was great (aside from one really intense, burning tequila cocktail). How pretty is my ratatouille with egg? Would be such an easy dish to recreate at home.

Wine, good food, and great conversation. Just how I like it. Love my mama so much.

Sunday started with "homework". That's what we call it when our catalogs and magazines build up into huge towering stacks. We made a pretty good dent. Lily helped too.

Then we went back to Friedman's for brunch this time. Visiting the same restaurant twice is becoming a thing we do when mom visits.

Sunday afternoon we wandered our neighborhood, stopping at the park and a few more stores. Lily isn't as in to the shopping as we are. I guess she was right though, we did need to spend time outdoors in the beautiful spring temps.

Inspired by our "homework", we decided to cook a healthy dinner based off of this recipe. Delish! Adding to my make-again mental file. It is the perfect warm-weather supper.

And some final Lily snugs before Mom headed home early Monday morning. It was a quick trip, but much needed! I think I'll be able to hold out now until September when we'll see each other again. Miss you already mom! Thanks for a great time. 

Hope you had a happy weekend!

-Katie-