things
I have many things to be thankful for this year:
First and foremost, Ali survived Sunday’s Arctic blast.
27 degrees = cabs. Lots of cabs.
And although it was rather touch and go for a few moments, I survived Maya’s horrifically bad mood on Sunday.
Dinner @ Bice: Spaghetti, Apple Pie, Branzino, Molten Lava Cake
Oh, and Ali organized our collection of paper bags under the kitchen sink.
Talk about an unexpected surprise.
Lunch at Maison Kayser: Nicoise Salad and Smoked Salmon, Dessert @ CPK: Salted Caramel Pudding
We’ve also eaten some fairly decent food lately, none of which had to be cooked or cleaned up by me.
Maya and I @ Bice. One of our favorite places. Good food. Bad lighting.
And most importantly? We are in New York. And I’m not sure about the rest of my family but I Love It Here.
Thankful is an understatement.
orange juice
Last Friday night – right after concluding a very long work week and right before collapsing in bed at 9:30 pm – Maya asked me to pick up orange juice so she could have it at breakfast.*
Because clearly her weekend consumption of Vitamin C should top my list of priorities.
At Cabana Restaurant.
Which it apparently does. As evidenced by the fact that I woke up on Saturday morning, bright and early, with one thing in mind: Must. Get. Maya. Orange. Juice.
As the lines at the NYC Trader Joe’s have been known to form OUTSIDE the store, I threw any sense of fashion out the window as I put on whatever I saw first.
Seafood salad @ Cabana, Falafel @ Ilili, Salad @ Le Pain Quotidien
Time was obviously of the essence.
I got to Trader Joe’s one minute after it opened and secured – are you ready for this? – the very last freshly squeezed orange juice. The last one!
Another picture @ Cabana
And then, when I turned around triumphantly, another, even more amazing thing happened. The nicest person in the world stopped to tell me that she:
- Is a fan of my blog.
- Enjoys my random posts.
- Liked my jacket.
- Thinks I am a good mother.
- Is glad we moved to NYC.
Fig & Olive: Salmon, Chocolate Souffle, Chicken Paillard
Sorry you had to see me in the state you did M. (Ali thought you might not want to be named!), but thank YOU for making me feel (for five minutes at least) that I exist for reasons other than to supply Maya with sugary drinks. You made my weekend.
*I’m sure you may have guessed – the juice is still sitting in the fridge. Unopened.
a coat
The last 7 days have been extraordinarily busy work-wise.
This is why I’ve had little time to ponder why Ali’s super fashionable earmuffs are working my last nerve. Or why, despite having at least 15 drinking glasses, there is never a single one available when I feel like a drink of water.
Maybe we could conclude that my lack of inspiration this week is due to my extreme thirst. Not sure.
I’m too dehydrated to focus.
Which is why I’m about to blog about something as interesting to you as watching paint dry: The coat I bought last week
My new coat:
- Is Green
- Is Long
- Is Warm
- Is Wool
- Fits me Perfectly
- Was Reasonably Priced
So what’s the problem you’re wondering? Why are you rambling on and on about your coat, Ameena?
Well here’s the problem: The designer is Jessica Simpson.
It seems surreal that I now own something designed by Jessica Simpson and I’m not really sure why. I mean I don’t dislike Jessica. Although I don’t particularly love her either. I mean, who divorces Nick Lachey?
(Although his latest “projects” have me wondering a little bit less).
So if I’m indifferent about Jessica why am I troubled that her name is scrawled over the inside of my coat? I have no idea. But I have no idea why Ali isn’t bothered by his ridiculous-looking earmuffs either.
So I’m thinking that many questions just don’t have answers…
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 