Snow Day

"Snowverated" is the word of the day this morning in New York City.  After all of the preparation and worried texts from my parents, I woke up to freshly plowed streets and clear sidewalks.  The 2 feet of snow we were supposed to be covered in was, on my end, only about 5 inches.  With school called off and most of the places in my neighborhood closed, this day is just a continuation of the break that was supposed to end yesterday.  I got back to the city Saturday and was happily reunited with friends and my favorite city.  New York said "Welcome home!" with a lovely blizzard and my winter break is now the never-ending vacation.  My school cancelled classes yesterday afternoon when the storm was at its peak; the prediction looked horrible and I was glad we weren't going to take any chances.  Last year I was just told to trek safely to class in the snow storm that covered Washington Square Park with nearly a foot of accumulation.  This snow day is NOTHING compared to the tundra I had to walk through last year.  On the bright side, my school can't send an email retracting their previous decision to cancel all classes, I think if they could they definitely would. 

I am excited to stay in my pajamas all day and catch up on some reading - I am halfway through We Were Liars by E. Lockhart for my sorority book club and so far it's a good story, and an easy read! My roommates and I have thrilling plans to drink lots of hot chocolate and watch too much "Dance Moms". A snow day is the perfect excuse to do nothing, despite a lack of snow, I'm happy for a reason to stay home all day and make fun of the blizzard that never came. 

{My view of the blizzard, Juno}

♥ Caro

NYC Eats: Gemma at the Bowery Hotel

Nestled on the corner of Bowery and 3rd street, Gemma is the quaint restaurant connected to The Bowery Hotel.  With delicious food and a warm, rustic feel it was the perfect place to have brunch with some of my Pi Phi family.  Meeting on a cold and rainy New York morning, I was immediately impressed with the location.  Candles and white painted brick stand in contrast to the dark wooden bar and exposed ceiling beams.  Interesting light fixtures and mix-matched plates brought out the contemporary hipster feel that the Lower East Side favors.  

Not only was the food delicious, but it was also reasonably priced.  As a college student, I am always excited to find places with food that feels indulgent - without breaking the bank.  I ordered the baked eggs, avocado, and prosciutto, a meal served in a skillet, the three items were cooked in a yummy tomato sauce that was great on toast too.  Our table ordered the pastry basket to share, a little treat to ourselves on the rainy Saturday morning.  Delicious, warm buttery and chocolate infused croissants, sweet muffins, and other mouth-watering carbs were piled into the basket.  I was impressed by everything I tried and we all left the restaurant full and happy.  I can't think of anything better than being with good friends and sharing good food.  I loved having brunch at Gemma and I am excited to go back sometime soon! 

♥ Caro

Jumping Into 2015

Happy 2015! I can't believe it is a new year already, I blinked and 2014 was over - it's going to take me months to get used to writing 2015 on things ;) I started to look back and reflect on the year I've had, 2014 has been an incredible year and I have so much to be excited and thankful for.  2014 was a year of firsts, a year of discovery and growth, a year of recovery and strength. I have been tested in ways I did not know possible and I have come out stronger and ready to take on 2015 and all it may bring.  

I have been recovering over the last week from back surgery I had the day after Christmas - I know, crazy right?! It is still pretty insane to me too.  It was nothing too major and waking up pain-free after the surgery made it so worth it.  I struggled for 8 months with intense pain from 2 herniated disks in my back and I am so thankful that it is finally behind me.    

Taking things easy and letting myself heal has given me a lot of time to think, in between binge watching Gilmore Girls and The Office.  2014 was not only a great year but it was also one of the most challenging years I think I have ever had, and if I am being honest I did not realize how difficult it was until I took a step back.  It was a year that made me grow and helped mold me into the person I am becoming.  I had great moments and I had some very low moments but I believe I can learn from every single one of them. Life is all about change and growth, it is amazing to think about where I am now compared to just a few years ago.  I am so lucky to have an incredible support system behind me every step of the way.  And lucky to have the faith and strength necessary at times to take a deep breath and keep moving.  

I know that 2015 will be amazing! Every moment may not be perfect but it's the imperfections that make life what it is.  Happy New Year to all of you - I can't wait to see where this next year takes us! 

♥ Caro