Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday, and I pretty much wrote it off this year because we wouldn't be with our family to celebrate. I am very happy to say that I couldn't have been more wronger.  This was one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever.  Also, I fell in love with New York a million times over.  I always say CJ dragged me here, but he is also going to have to drag me out of here.  Kicking and screaming.

On Wednesday night we went to see Romeo and Juliet starring O R L A N D O B L O O M. The Channing Tatum of my generation! (Okay, maybe Channing Tatum is the Channing Tatum of my generation but YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.) It was so good! I have always really liked Shakespeare but I still have a hard time following it word for word on stage. The set and music were incredible and I mean...Orlando Bloom. Bye.

Then we were on the train home and started talking about whether or not we wanted to go to the parade...aaaaand neither of us really wanted to. Ha! Too cold and too many people! So we split-second decided to hop off at 81st street and see the balloons live and in person all ready for the parade! It was so cool and they are so much bigger than I thought. Did you know Macy's is the country's second largest consumer of helium?? The first largest is the government...figures.

Hannukah in our apartment lobby...LOLZ. So many variations of tile. Just imagine...this is one small corner of the lobby and you can see four different types!!!

This is the pumpkin cream pie that I actually SLAVED over just for the sake of making something for Thanksgiving. I wish I could properly express the labor that went into this pie, mainly four different grocery stores and a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond. And then I had to actually MAKE IT. But it was so so so so good. Thanks again, Pioneer Woman. You are everything.

This is my hubsband at our Thanksgiving dinner. We went to a restaurant called Jacob's Pickles on the UWS and it was so delicious.  They typically serve delicious southern fare like fried chicken and biscuits, cheese grits, etc. so I mean...we knew it was going to be good.

The first course was pickles (they are fms for their pickles, hence the name) and a deviled egg which I loved because I'm hood like that and CJ did not love so I ate his.  The second course was this lovely potato soup with leeks and bacon and probably lots of butter and cream.  And it was served in a mason jar and it was delicious.  When I saw how small the soup was I was like "WHY SO SMALL" but I later realized that they were just looking out for me because...five courses.

Good salad with rocquefort and beets. I love beets.

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THE MOTHERSHIP. Course four...a turkey leg (makes me feel so barbaric), stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy. Perfection. And yeah I had a diet coke...

Cannot even attempt to explain the eyebrow/squint situation happening here but I promise I did not get botox.

I know what you're thinking...chicken nuggets with honey mustard sauce?  NOPE.

Deep fried oreos with pumpkin spice creme for dipping. Currently salivating...heaven help me.  I will probably crave these every day for the rest of my life.

After dinner we went to Hunger Games at a move theater with recliners and let me tell you.  I don't typically love going to the movies but recliners are a game-changer. 100%.  I suggested we go to the movies probably 5 times this weekend because I liked those recliners a lot.

This is my train to work Friday morning.  My morning commute is usually body-to-body sardines packed onto the train! It was like I was the only person in the whole city going into work on Friday. Oh wait, I was.

On Friday night we ended up doing A LOT of shopping and it was really fun which is weird because I usually hate shopping.  We bought these little elephants from the Bryant Park holiday village.  They were hand-carved in Kenya and I loveeee them. Elephants are my favorite animal besides bears.  We also bought some handmade pillow covers from India and a bunch of stuff from the home section of Anthro.

CJ trying to take a picture of me at Persian dinner...and I did not like it.

But I eventually kind of complied. Kashk Bademjan is like, my favorite food at this point.

The pumpkin cream pie two days later...I was afraid we wouldn't be able to finish it by ourselves.  Understimation.  CJ got me this pie dish with matching rolling pin from Anthro for my birthday.

Saturday we began our apartment hunt.  Our sublet contract is *finally* up after December so we'll be in a new place by Jan 1st!! ...or homeless. Whichever.  PLZ SEND UR GOOD VIBEZ.  This building was actually not that pretty but I'm still not over all the art deco that's rampant in this city.  I LOVE IT.

you know new york, you need new york, you know you need unique new york.

I have lived in New York for three whole months now and I have blogged about it twice.

That is TRULY shameful.

I have drafted probably four or five blog posts but I don't want to whine about living in New York because that's stupid, and I also don't want to be overly hunky-dory about living here because...that's annoying and also stupid.

The truth is, living in New York is both terrible and amazing.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's probably the best AND worst place I will ever live. So the dichotomy makes writing about it hard...but right now I can smell the remnants of a donut I just ate from my favorite donut establishment, Dough, and if I walk five feet from my desk I have the bombest view of the Manhattan skyline.

So for today, donuts outweigh all the crazy strung-out people and pee smells I'll encounter on my way home.

DC TRIP

We started our 4th of July at the National Archives where we saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Magna Carta. COOL! I signed the Declaration! We waited in a long line for this but I thought it was cool to see the original docs. The handwriting was so pretty!

Then we went on a tour of the Capitol. I never knew but during the war of 1812 the British set fire to the Capitol and burned a lot of it down. There is also a statue of Brigham Young in the Capitol because each state gives a statue of a person to display in the Capitol so Utah naturally chose BY. There is also a portrait of Joseph Smith in the National Portrait Gallery and a sunstone from the Nauvoo Temple in the Smithsonian Museum of American History soooooo IDK.

Then we took the tunnel/secret passageway (!!!) to the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building which was probably my favorite thing we saw in DC! I hadn't been before and it was just gorgeous. We learned a lot of fun little facts about it from the tour...we always try and take a tour if it's free because you learn so much more! The building was absolutely beautiful. Bury me there, plz.

Then we traipsed over to Capitol Hill for the "Capitol Fourth" concert on PBS. It was pretty cool..........I thought Barry Manilow was pretty terrible. The best part was when Neil Diamond sang Sweet Caroline and all the drunk Americans + me were like "BAH BAH BAHHHHHHHHHH." I embarrassed CJ by dancing a lot and getting really into everything. Honestly if you ever go to DC for the 4th skip this though because you will not be able to see the fireworks. How lame is that? We only went because we assumed it would be the best place to watch the fireworks from. Not so. We ran out once they started and got down on the mall where we could actually see them.

The next morning we went to Old Town Alexandria which was honestly probably my favorite part of the trip. We ate at The Majestic and it was sooooooo good. That fried green tomato was to die for, best cheese of my life. I also had a BLT which is my favorite food basically and it was just divine. I recommend this place if you are looking for a cute classic place to eat but we paid a little more than we usually would for lunch. ANYWAY. The whole town was just so adorable. For example, this house with the 13 original colonies flag...I die! We also visited a beautiful Episcopal church which George Washington and Robert E. Lee both attended and that was very cool. Much of it is original which was awesome. Also, Queen B on Queen street.

Then we went to Arlington. Not much to say about this except that CJ and I got into a heated discussion about when war is justifiable and when it isn't and how I hope my kids never join the military and if they try to I won't let them, etc. Beautiful trees, this is just one example.

For the evening we headed up to U street to explore and eat at Ben's Chili Bowl! This is a historical black neighborhood where Duke Ellington got his start as well as many other jazz greats. Ben's Chili Bowl was fun, all I ate was a milkshake because I still wasn't very hungry. Ben is a smart man because chili is basically the cheapest thing you could ever make and he charged $5 for a bowl. 

CHA CHILI CHING. You have to go though. For the experience. CASH ONLY.

Lincoln Memorial! I don't particularly love Abraham Lincoln as a president (not going to elaborate..ha) but nevertheless this is a very historic site. March on Washington, anyone??? Not to mention it's gorgeous at night and you have a great view of the national mall.

The next day we went to brunch at Founding Farmers. YUM. Dat bacon doe....I wish I could express how delicious the bacon was. Recommend but you have to make a reservation.

We went to the White House. I told CJ that when I'm president he will be known as the First Gentleman. Don't think he liked that title much. The cool thing though is that across the street there is like this little peace camp set up and it has been there since 1981 as a protest against nuclear arms. Led by a woman named Conchita who has been carrying on the longest continuous act of political protest in the United States. Go, girl.

This is probably my favorite piece of art we saw. It's called "Electronic Superhighway" by Korean-born artist Naim June Paik. I loved all of his work but this one was soooo cool as the TVs in each state represented that state. So for example in this picture you may be able to see the potatoes on the screens in Idaho or the Golden Gate Bridge in California. Pictures really don't do it justice because the screens are constantly changing and I just love the depiction of American culture. After this we went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History which was soooo crowded but we did see the ruby red slippers and Kermit.

Then we went to Geogrtown. So adorable but we were sooooooo exhausted as it was the last day of our trip and DC involves a lot of walking. Sometimes the thing you want to see is like a mile away from the nearest metro stop which...I don't think I have ever been a mile away from a metro stop in NYC haha. We got a cupcake at Baked and Wired which was sooooooo good. I didn't want to go to Georgetown Cupcake because we have one in SoHo and I think their cupcakes are dry. Sorry not sorry.

P.S. I am really proud of myself for planning this trip because CJ is the master trip planner (he planned our trips to Paris and Lisbon and he is really good at picking out what to see and do) but I did it this time since I have way more free time than him right now. And we had fun! And ate good food and saw a good balance of touristy and not so touristy stuff. YAY ME.

TREATZ on TREATZ

I am constantly bopping around the internet to find great things to eat here in the city so I thought I would share the treats we've eaten so far! And what I thought was wonderful and what I thought was overrated. OK. These are not in any order.

Actually, I think I shall start with CUPCAKES.

Sprinkles YES
We all know I love this place. Make sure to read their tweets and go on a day when they have a secret code that you "whisper" to buy one get one free. Ate ours in Central Park. Bliss. Tried the lemon coconut one, it's a sham. I have found that most coconut cupcakes are a sham as they are vanilla/lemon/chocolate cake with vanilla/lemon/chocolate buttercream and covered in coconut flakes. The flakes being the only coconut component. HELLO. Flakes aren't even the best part about coconut!! So don't get that one unless you have a bizarre affinity for coco flakes. Strawberry is still my favorite.

Molly's YES
Started in Chicago and now she has an adorable little shop on Bleeker Street. Cannot beat the ambience here. But be careful if you use the bathroom because the lock does not work and someone will walk in on you. Molly's schtick is that her cupcakes are all filled! And delicious! CJ and I got the Cookie Monster one and it was really good and it has cookie dough inside so obviously it's the best choice. The frosting on it tasted like straight butter and befuddled me for a while. CJ can attest that I did not stop talking about it. "How do you think they make this?????" Side note: I have had the PB/chocolate one before too and it is also delicious.

Georgetown Cupcake NO
We kind of got off on the wrong foot because I noticed that they charge you for the box if you buy several cupcakes. That is morally wrong. I like this place because it's in SoHo and because everything is pink. I do not like this place because their cupcakes are dry. And kinda tiny. The end. Maybe I will give it another chance but probably not since I have about 100,000 better treats to try.

Baked by Melissa NOOOO
Another cupcake I am feeling a little bitter about. Melissa's schtick is that her cupcakes are ACTUALLY bite-sized. As in ONE bite. Two if you're lucky or splitting it. This is an adorable idea except for the fact that each of them costs A D O L L A R.  Is it just me or is that a little ridiculous??? I'll let u have a bite of my cupcake......FOR A DOLLAR! No, thanks. I had to try it for the sake of trying all the cupcake places and they actually are really yummy. I think the tiny size helps to keep the ratio of frosting to cake just perfect and the cake itself is REALLY moist. But I will not be purchasing any more of her teaspooncakes because...personal ethics. I tried Cinnamon and Cookie Dough, CJ had Mint Choc Chip.

OTHER TREATS

Crack Pie from Momofuku Milk Bar YES
Listen to me. Eat this. Don't share.

Cereal Milk soft serve from Momofuku NAH
I just had to try this for myself, but I do not recommend unless your favorite pastime is drinking the milk out of your cereal bowl after eating corn flakes.

Ice Cream Sandwich from The Good Batch in Brooklyn NAH
We stumbled upon this delicacy at Schmorgasburg, a food fair in Brooklyn that takes place every Saturday in the summer. They had a few different flavors to choose from and we chose the Goodwich: vanilla ice cream drizzled with fudge and sandwiched between two oat chocolate chunk cookies sprinkled with sea salt. I thought it was really good but it was TOO SALTY. I understand a little bit of salt (a "sprinkling" you might say) for contrast but this was too much for me. Either way we ate the whole thing and I mostly enjoyed it but the salt left a bad taste in my mouth (literal and metaphorical.)

Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3 YEAH SURE MAYBE
Get this. But not if you have to wait very long. And don't plan to share it because there is an $8.50 minimum per person at this joint. It is noted in a corner of their mess of a menu in world's smallest print. I think if I knew that before I went I would be less put-off by it but whatever. This frozen hot chocolate, which will cost you about $9, is delicious and I think you should definitely spring for it. Plus it's one of those novelty NYC things that you "have" to do...but seriously if you have to wait like an hour or something just don't go and it's really not that big of a deal. Dunkin Donuts has frozen hot choc, too.

Cheesecake (Creme de la creme Cream Cheese Cake, as they call it) from Serendipity 3 NO 3X
No, no, no. CJ only got this because of the aforementioned minimum of $8.50 per person, and I didn't think it was very good at all. It doesn't come with anything on it except whip cream, I didn't like the crust, and it just wasn't sweet enough for me. Tasted like a bite of a brick of cream cheese to me. But CJ liked it so whatever. Just no. Get the frozen hot chocolate, do not get anything else.

Banana Pudding from Magnolia Bakery YEAH 3X
REALLY yummy. $5 for a cup but you can definitely split it between two people because it is so rich. CJ and I could barely finish. If you are going to Magnolia, this is the thing to try for sure!

I am in sweet sweet love with this city.

COMPROMETIDOS

Here's the scoop, y'all.

We actually set our wedding date about a month ago because my mom wanted to make sure we could get the venue and photographer we wanted for the reception, etc. etc. I dragged my feet but with a little loving pressure from mama I picked the date. So to me, I was already engaged. It was just the logistical matter of getting the ring and making it official.

My mom offered me her first wedding ring since she got a new one a few Christmases ago and it was pretty much exactly what I had been looking for myself. It was so nice of her to let me have it and I feel really thankful...over the break we took it in to get resized and cleaned and tightened and everything so I brought it to Provo and gave it to CJ when we both got back from school on January 6th. You must know that pretty much every day after that I was expecting to get engaged. I would wake up and think "This is the day!" But it never was...haha. I was so glad he waited a bit longer to do it though because I was completely surprised! After about a week or so of my psycho-ness I started to relax about the whole thing and I wasn't thinking about it and anticipating it as much.

OKAY SO. I was not expecting to get engaged this past weekend AT ALL because CJ was really busy getting his portfolio ready and I thought he would be working on it all weekend. And just based on some other things he told me like "Don't look at my phone for the next few weeks" I thought it would be this week or this upcoming weekend. SILLY ME. So a few days before he proposed CJ told me that his sister Shannon (who we hang out with a lot) didn't have to work on Monday and was wondering if we wanted to do something fun with her and her husband. He told me he didn't know what we were going to do but to just keep my afternoon and evening free. I was really excited for a fun day with Brian and Shannon but I was honestly not suspecting a thing!

Then on Monday afternoon a little before we were supposed to leave, CJ texted me and told me that Shannon had been called into work so she and Brian wouldn't be able to come to Park City with us like we had planned. I was super bummed but he asked if I minded if we just went by ourselves...obviously I didn't mind. So we started heading up to Park City. I have only been a few times, and I thought maybe we were going the wrong way but I didn't know for sure and I didn't want to say anything. Then we got to this place that had some sign about "Sleigh Rides Horseback Riding blah blah blah" and at that point I started to get a little suspicious. CJ was like, "So I know I've been really busy this week so today I have a surprise for you." I basically knew what was going to happen but I also was feeling like maybe I didn't want to get my hopes up if it wasn't going to happen, etc. etc. internal conflict.

I was super bundled up but I decided not to wear a hat. Well, it was too cold to not wear a hat so I just grabbed an extra one that CJ brought in his car. Hence the hat that doesn't match my outfit...haha. Anyway, as soon as I saw the sleigh I pretty much knew that he would propose. I was SO excited I felt like I was in a fairytale. That sounds SO dumb but that really is the only way to describe what I was feeling. We had to sign some papers and I was paying attention to CJ's hand to see if it was shaking with he signed the waiver but it didn't so I guessed that he wasn't very nervous.

We got on the sleigh and our sleigh driver was named Skinner. Oh, Skinner was quite the character...he was talking to us pretty much the ENTIRE TIME! He started off with fun facts about the valley we were in, the hot springs near by, the natural crater, BLAH BLAH BLAH he really would not stop. I could tell CJ was a little put off by the chatter but he was a good sport! I snuck a word in when I could but then I made the mistake of asking Skinner about his life and he just went on and on. He's from Canada, was married for 3 days just to get US citizenship, joined the circus when he was 16, sews custom shirts, and plans to cross the country with 3 mules and a covered wagon visting every hot springs in the US. It will take him 3 and a half years...that's Skinner in a nutshell. Just a few tidbits from his 30 minute ramblings. (I really don't hate Skinner as much as I'm making it sound like I do.)

Back to the good stuff though. As we were coming back around to the beginning of the loop, Skinner stopped the sleigh and finally shut up. The sunset was so beautiful and so I told CJ he should take a picture. (I am such a dummy! He is about to propose and I'm like, hey CJ you should take a picture of the mountains LOLZ) He did, and then Skinner tried to take a picture of CJ and I but he doesn't know how to work an iphone. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time but I really wish he would have been successful at taking a picture! Oh well. So then CJ said the sweetest little speech...I might have cried but my smile was so big that my cheeks were shoving the tears back into my eyes. He got out of the sleigh, got down on one knee and asked me if I would make him the happiest person in the world and marry him.

I was absolutely giddy, and acting like it, too. I nodded. Then I said "Yeah." Then I realized how STUPID that was and then I said "YES. DOUBLE YES." and I realized the double yes thing was stupid pretty much as soon as I said it. I can't be held responsible for my actions though because I was practically not in this world.

Then CJ got back in the sleigh and we were hugging and kissing, Skinner decided to impart some wisdom to us which I did not really care to hear but it seemed kind of charming at the time. Or something like that. Then I whispered to CJ "I want pizza" because that is just the way I am, I suppose. So we get off the sleigh and I scream "I'M ENGAGED!!!" at the people waiting in line for a ride...thanked Skinner, talked to the other guy who was working inside, and then I went to the bathroom. I came out and CJ was like, Okay I found a pizza place in Park City we can go to so let's just head up there. I was like wow could my life get any better now I get to eat PIZZA.

So basically I thought that I picked the restaurant but CJ had another surprise up his sleeve. We got to the restaurant, Maxwell's, and I was like "CJ! Oh my gosh, I have had the pizza here before and it's so good!!" So at this point we were both feeling pretty great. We started walking to our table and we turned the corner and all of our closest friends were there. CJ made arrangements ahead of time for everyone to come to Maxwell's. I was SOOOO surprised!! I was not expecting it one single bit, especially because I thought that I had picked to go there!!! I felt a little silly because I had been texting all of them ever since we left the sleigh ride being like "I just got engaged!" and they were like "OMG NOOOO WAY" but they were actually sitting around together probably laughing at me! I was so happy and I felt so loved that everyone came up for me and CJ. It was perfect. And I got delicious pizza.

We ate dinner together and then some of us headed down to Park City Main Street to look for celebs and just enjoy the sights. We took some pictures too and it was so much fun. I saw Ben Savage (Corey Matthews from Boy Meets World) so that was my celebrity sighting for the night. So basically D-list celeb..haha.

I really do feel like the happiest, luckiest girl to be marrying CJ. We have had so much fun over the past year first as friends and then as lovers and I am so so so so so thankful to God for guiding me to make the decisions that led me to CJ. (seriously) (that's another story though). Thrilled to spend the rest of my life with him!

The guy taking the photo made me do this hand thing and I really didn't want to but I wasn't going to be like "NO."

(not all friends who came pictured here)

May 24th, Columbia River Temple. See you there!

Thoughts for a Tuesday

Working in customer service makes me never want to be rude to another customer service person ever again. Because there are people I talk to who make me want to CRY and there are also people who make my day when they call. So I guess given the opportunity I would rather make someone's day than ruin it.

I am not excited for school to start because I h8 homework.

I am excited for school to start because:
I get to see my friends.
CJ is coming back! And I will get to see him/talk to him most days! (revolutionary)
Taking a class with Trent Hickman is always a good idea.
Spanish!
Football!
No more working full-time. Hallelujah!
I will be on the Humanities Student Council with Abby.
SENIOR YEAR!

You may be wondering, "Caitlin, what ever shall you do when you graduate???" My answer: I don't know but I would love to move somewhere cool that's not Provo or Richland. Obviously hoping that over the course of this school year my dream job will present itself with a big pretty bow on top.

I am obsessed with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. I want ALL OF THEM. My favorite of the three I have is Smitten. It's really bright.

My parents are here to drop off McClickey for school! Last night McKay said "I can't handle Caitlin!" and he has only been here for 3 days...oops. GET USED TO IT, BRO.

There is a macaron cart in the Riverwoods now...see you guys in the next life.

Just spoke to Tagg Romney on the phone. In other words, I am pretty much famous!

I have been getting rid of stuff left and right as I'm getting ready for fall semester to start which is honestly UNTHINKABLE for me because I am a hoarder beyond repair. Guess I am putting away childish things or something like that. (Literally. Threw away my Justin Bieber poster.)

Time to kiss the best/worst summer of my life goodbye!

Circa Charlotte's mission call 2011
Remember how tan I got last summer? I think I am even paler right now than I am in the middle of winter. Guess that's what happens when you work in a dingy office all day every day and never see the sun. Let's actually not even talk about it or I'll just be mad. Snow white.

SOOOOOOOOOOCAL

So I had a perfect time in California if you guys were wondering.

Lunch at BJ's...all the food I had was SO good.

CJ took me to Sprinkles. What a hunk.

Brian and Shannon (CJ's sister)! We hung out with them a lot and they are so fun.

San Diego!

Hotel del Coronado. I seriously LOVE the beach.

If you squint  you can see the Hollywood sign.

Rodeo Drive. We went to Tiffany's...OBVI.

We bought a star map and stalked people...so hilarious.

Chiche in front of the Playboy Mansion. Hehehe!

I guess I realized that like...if you could live in Southern California why would you want to live anywhere else? I mean, really. You can come visit me when I live in Newport for da rest of my life. BYE.

Also, this. LOL.