Happy Monday! I just (barely) survived my first solo travel excursion with both kids. To make it easy, we made the trip to Mexico…. with a stopover…. and a forty minute drive (joking on the easy part). All worth it to meet my parents on vacation (I meet Ken, who couldn’t take two weeks off, next week), but boy, was it an effort!
The below (while not taken yesterday), summarizes my (our) feelings.
Toosh… Make a mad face
We just arrived in Florida after a solid week of lounging / eating / lounging / eating / lounging / eating at my brother’s house in Seattle. My brother, who happens to not just be my brother but also Ken’s best friend from college, along with his wife, 3 kids, cat and dog hosted the 4 of us, my parents, sister and mother-in-law all in their home. Gracious, open, and welcoming as always, we had the best time with them all. Thank you so much, Proskurowski-Rob family for taking us in to your beautiful home and letting us bounce off your walls for the week. And thank you to my parents, who like always, fed, spoiled, and took care of us all. Although I am wider than last week, I am more refilled with love from those closest to me. We love you so much and miss you all, already! Here are pictures to recap our vacation in Seattle.
Space!!! Needle! Space Needle!
Colors on the green
Per request, here are photos of my son’s 5th birthday party! (JK no one asked to see them, so thank you for letting me share them with you!) My son, who turns 5 in nine days (who is counting?) celebrated his birthday with friends from school this past weekend up in Pound Ridge. Dedicated to sharks and the ocean (perhaps he will take after my brother), the party was shark centric. Here are the pictures!
Eeks, there is a shark in the grass!
I am not going to lie, but the past week has been difficult. It has been a hard transition for me to move from Summer to Fall, lounging to responsibilities, house to apartment, and Oregon to NYC. It is during those times — when I feel down and irritable — that I try to remember that everything is relative. At least I am alive and well with my family and loved ones. Unlike Joanna. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Joanna. On good days, bad days, cherished moments with my children, phone calls with my siblings, walks in the park, and routine activities, Joanna flickers through my mind. It is with a heavy heart that I remember my sister-in-law’s sister, Joanna. Might seem like a convoluted relationship, but she was more than just a distant relative; she was the sister of my brother’s wife as well as a friend, a mother, a daughter, a partner. Although Joanna passed away more than 2 years ago, it seems like yesterday and still brings tears to my eyes. 9 months after she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, the world lost her. And what a great loss it was.
Spencer’s Butte. My favorite stomping ground in Eugene, Oregon. My home away from home. Thanks for letting me share pictures from over the years…
Summer 2009, Cruz in belly.
Here are my August loves! Take a look!
gon-DO-la or gond-uh-la? Who else is with me on pronouncing the “O”
Over the weekend, we went to the Lavender Festival on the McKenzie River with the family, including our nieces and nephews. What’s at an Oregon Lavender festival? Lavender. And a couple of lavender vendors. And, well…that is about it! That said, we enjoyed the scenery, smells, colors, and ummmmm lavender.
Purple lavender haze
Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a wonderful celebration today and this weekend. Ken made it out to Oregon late last night (despite an East Coast weather scare) and we’re so excited to all be out here together.
The kids in their bike trailer
Sorry for the silence on my end — went to Paris for our 7th anniversary — ate, shopped, slept, walked, parlez francais-ed, and came back to NYC. All in the span of 3 days. Holy jet-lag-where-am-I-what-language-should-I-speak. So much fun!
In Paris, even their cars are more elegant and chic.
What a gorgeous weekend in the city! Yesterday was the perfect day for a visit up to the Top of the Rock. Clear views, blue skies, and moderate temperatures. Highly recommend going to visit Top of the Rock for the beautiful views and scenery of New York City.
Empire State Building in all its glory
Happy (belated) Easter! Happy (belated) Passover! Happy (belated) Spring! Some pictures from Pound Ridge of the holiday weekend!
As a typical 4 year old, Cruzzie decides to NOT listen to his papa, and throws rocks into the pond regardless.
Almost 2, and already throwing mega-fits, this little cutie ALSO decides to not listen to her papa and dangerously walks on the rocks with neither supervision nor shoes.
AHHH Pareeh……How I really love thee. If I could, I would move there in a heartbeat. I have had the privilege of spending a lot of time there in my life time — as a child in the summers with my dear and lovely French family (I went to a French immersion school, and lived with an exchange family for the summers) to my adult life with the Natoris and their beautiful apartment. It is unlike any city and I am in love. Here are the highlights of my trip this past weekend for the Paris Marathon! A whirlwind trip, that will forever be remembered!
The Marathon
Obviously, the main reason I went to Paris, but just one of the many activities I did over the weekend. The route was incredibly scenic and beautiful!
Place de la Concorde
Hola from Puerto Rico! Today is our last morning in tropical paradise before we head back to Nueva Yorka. We have been here for the past 5 days on a family vacation with the Natori Seniors. And what a perfect time we have had! I know, SUPER annoying to the (cold and snowy) New Yorkers (sorry!)…but really, it has truly been a great escape! Here are some pictures of our trip! Enjoy!
Looking up at the sky never made me so happy.
We safely arrived yesterday in Oregon where we will spend the next week lounging, eating, skiing, reading, and laughing with my parents, also known as Nana and Tata. (I wrote that sentence before our flight. We are here missing a bag and had to drive four hours through the mountains because we missed our connecting flight and they couldn’t guarantee us on another flight until Tuesday. So we are flustered, but yes, still safe!) We are all so happy to be with them and to celebrate the holidays. As Ken’s parents just left for the Philippines to be with Ken’s grandmother, we had a “pretend Christmas” (as Cruzzie said) at the end of last week at the Natoris. Here are Christmas posts from 2012 and 2011, and now CURRENT shots of the Natori Srs apartment from this year! Enjoy!
White Winter Wonderland! Last year, the decor was pink, this year, ALL WHITE.
One of the highlights of my Ayurveda Training was learning how to make different masalas. Masala is simply a spice mixture, and depending on the season and your dosha, certain masalas can help you become more balanced. Not only are the masalas delicious, but the act of creating, roasting, toasting, pounding, grinding, blending the spices is theraputic and rewarding. People over 5,000 years have been creating these simple blends in the same method — heating spices over hot fire, and pounding with a mortar and pestle. The aroma, the family bonding, the creation; it is all so great. Making masala is a metaphor for harvesting the spirit of ahimsa and maturing intelligence.
Mortar and pestle.
Happy December! And Happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend celebrating your loved ones, your life, and your health. We had a terrific holiday full of resting and family activities with the Natoris, although we missed my parents and brother who were all together celebrating Thanksgiving a la Oregon style. Here are some pictures, thanks for looking at them!
My everything.
Before I get to the post, one quick note: my fabulous mother-in-law Josie Natori will be on HSN launching N Natori Ready-to-Wear and selling exclusive N Natori loungewear styles. Be sure to tune in! Times:
Tuesday, 10/29:
2 AM EST
7 PM EST
8 PM EST
The collection is actually already available online at HSN.com here. Happy shopping! On to the post!
As a compulsive organizer, I rely and *need* to write down and organize my thoughts. Jotting down my errands, tasks (and yes, I do write “Take a shower” on my to-do-list) is an essential part of my day. And not just on any type of paper, but on pads and posts from Knock Knock.
HALLELUJAH! Thank goodness for all these tools!
Back into the swing of things….so here is my current Top 10 NYC Fall to-do-list! So many different options and adventures to experience this fall. Check it out.
Tata and Toosh — although it is not FULL ON FALL, the leaves *are* starting to fall, and before you know it, all the leaves will be off the trees….
Ken and I are just back from Norway and one of the most amazing wedding celebrations/weekends we have ever been a part of. There are some Norwegian themed posts to come, but in the meantime, Ali Berlin, Contributing Editor, to the rescue! Take it away!
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My dear friend Kate Seward is a cool, brilliant captor of beauty. Street style photographer, pro blogger and wordsmith, her way of witnessing the world stirs my insides. Kate and I met through our mutual BFF Carrie when we all lived in San Francisco, and I was instantly intrigued by her choices: lifestyle, clothing, books, words, perspective and humility (yes, I believe humility is a choice). Her talent is profound, her self-expression exquisite.
Kate started her blog The Styley in March 2011, and since then the New York Times has featured 25 of her streetstyle photos.
Since I am a wannabe amateur photographer (Bixby, my dog, is my main subject), I went straight to KS with my questions on how to snap better. Thought we could all use a few tips so here are her responses, along with some images which are individually labeled with the Hipstamatic film, lens and flash used on each one.
Kate Seward, Mistress of Light and Lens.
Not that there is much difference between a weekend and a weekday during my summer vacation in Oregon, but we have had a great last couple of days. My brother and his family came down from Seattle, and there was a constant influx of noise, commotion, and chaos, combined with love, laughter, and happiness. When the two of our families are at my parents house (minus Ken, who is working in New York but coming out on Friday!), there is A LOT going on, but we all love being together so much. Here is a look at what we did. A lot of outdoor activities, as normal:
We set up a tent in the backyard for the cousins to sleep in.
Tomorrow, my little itty bitty baby, turns one. I have absolutely no idea how it happened, but I blinked, and now I have a one year old (and a three and a half year old). It seems like only yesterday we welcomed Baby Zoe Esther Natori (aka Tusia or Toosh) into this world. As with most parents and their newborns, it has been a wild ride, from the pregnancy to the sleep deprivation, to the smiles, kisses, and hugs. I have an incredible amount of love for this little peanut, and I am proud to have her as my daughter. Thank you for letting me indulge in posting the following pictures of Toosh, I know it will only interest a handful of you (Nana, Tata, Lola, and Gramps!) so thanks for giving me the satisfaction of remembering the past 12 months.
Welcome to the world, ZEN. You were the cutest little Eskimo!
First hairbow, of hundreds. So sleepy and soft.
And the sibling rivalry begins…always letting your big Kuya brother have his way and attention.
The only time her legs have been this skinny! (I love meat on bones!). What a little cute love bug!
Loving kisses.
Camera shy. Aw shucks.
Religion-based guest post week continues! On Tuesday, my childhood friend Heidi-ho posted on Passover Traditions. Today, close friend of the Natoris (Junior and Senior) Georgia Frasch shares her Easter Traditions. Enjoy!
Gorgeous, smart, witty, and oh so funny, Georgia.
Having grown up in a staunchly Catholic household (I am now Episcopalian. What’s the difference? I have no idea. I’m radical that way). I am well versed in the vicissitudes of Easter Tradition, secular and sacred.
I have never quite reconciled myself to the relationship between dead person coming back to life and bunnies- so I am just gonna go with the happy, pastel version of Easter! Somewhat.
Ham and lamb are traditional Easter meals. I find it inconceivable that a nice Jewish boy like Jesus would have come within 40 feet of a plate full of pork but lamb has always been the symbol of sacrifice- as in Abraham, who had to sacrifice his son. In our family, we like to present a ‘Pascal butter lamb’ on Easter and then my siblings and I would fight over who got to chop off it’s head.
Butta
Butter aside, I do serve lamb at Easter, along with asparagus and parsleyed new potatoes…all foods that herald the onset of Spring. But let’s be real….Easter isn’t about the dinner…it’s about the candies and desserts!
I somehow missed the crafty gene and I attribute this to the fact that I was asked to leave my Brownie troop in 2nd grade. So I am in complete awe and reverence for people like Amy Atlas who recently presented some of these fabulous Easter inspired desserts on her blog.
PATIENCE!
Morning! For those of you who celebrated Passover last night — or who are celebrating it again tonight (and even for you NON Jews who want a special treat!), my lovely friend Heidi-ho (nickname) made an AMAZING treat for all us Josie Girls (Jews, Christians, and all religions alike)! Since I am solo in Florida with the kids, and therefore being a bad Jew and eating bread, more bread, and MORE bread, AND not having a seder or two or ten to attend….. I am thrilled Heidi-ho is riding to the rescue with a great post on the tradition of Passover .and the food that comes with it! (And come back for another guest blog on Friday on Easter traditions from Georgia Frasch). Without further ado, my lovely friend and guest blogger Heidi will take it from here:
Heidi. Don’t you just LOVE her already? So fitting that we met each other in 1996 on an Israel Team Tour. She didn’t know Oregon had Jews, and I had no idea someone could be so fun. (Good trade off, huh?)
Does your kitchen smell like brisket today? Ah, mine does! The sweet celebration of Passover is upon us and, while we may lose out on bread and some other fun carbs for eight days, we do okay with some Passover specialties. Favorites like matzo ball soup (this is the version simmering on my stove this year!), matzo brie (trust me), matzo bark (the kosher-for-passover version of this) and I haven’t even started on the real desserts yet. Stay with me – it’s coming.
