We usually have coffee on Fridays, but we need to catch up. Leave a comment below and tell me everything you’re up to because I’m codependent and care too much for my own good.
Life
Today I’m fresh off a plane from the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, and I don’t want to overstate it so I’ll just say: Park City is the most beautiful city ever. I spent 4 days with a dozen incredible women who inspired me, made me laugh to the point of tears, and I think mostly just shocked me with the amount of warmth and encouragement they offered. I’ll share so much more about this trip soon because it really was unforgettable and you should be in on that.
Moving
So, I had assumed that most of my major muscle groups had atrophied due to lack of use, but I recently found out otherwise. Last Sunday, I rented a UHaul to move all of my big furniture and the last of my belongings to Daniel’s. On the first piece we moved — my bureau — we maneuvered our way down a narrow staircase, and as we approached the second flight that leads to the street, Daniel said with a smile, “Aren’t you so glad we didn’t get movers?” He then tripped backward off the last step, the bureau fell on his leg, and he sprained his ankle. We’re so good at moving.
When we were done, I looked around at my bare apartment. My sweet little kitchen. I wrote a damn cookbook in that nook.
I walked through it and ached knowing I’ll never be in my tiny bedroom that only fit a full-sized bed. I’ll never open that sticky door and walk to the bathroom in the dark every night like clockwork. I’ll never come home with hands too full with groceries and accidentally slam the heavy front door and have to, 5 minutes later, answer the door to angry, sound-sensitive neighbors. And I’ll never sit on the couch with my girl, Sabrina, and talk, or not talk, or watch our stupid shows.
I think about the past two years and I recognize just how much I grew up, how much more confident and accepting of myself I’ve become, and it’s no coincidence that Sabrina, this gusting wind of unconditional love and support, was there. Somehow we never ran out of conversation, never stopped hating all the same things, never took a pause from fiercely supporting each other, didn’t get bored of working on weird self-improvement projects together. We felt each other’s pain…all the time. We celebrated everything down to the new season of The Mindy Project, with a cake. We cry-laughed at how plainly wrong we can manage to approach life sometimes.
I’ll only be 20 minutes away now, and back all the time, but still, my eyes were a flood zone passing the nail salon we always went to, the Starbucks where everyone knew my name and made my drink ahead of the line, my grocery store…
It’s a good thing to have such wild love for a time and place (and person) that you can’t bear to think it’s over. But it’s a chapter, and I have to remember that.
The thing is, I am so crazy happy to be starting my life with Daniel. And moving in with him feels like finally being home again. Cheesy, but true. It’s this irresistible contentment and peace that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world now that I know what I know and have it back.
But enough about me. Tell me what’s new with you. I can’t wait to hear what’s going on.
. . .
Oh and also–this Tuesday, October 27th, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is hosting a culinary event in NYC to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. The event is hosted by Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, but 18+ of New York’s superstar chefs will be there alongside her, preparing amazing dishes. For more details and to order tickets, click here.
I can relate to how you feel about being simultaneously sad to leave your old apartment but also happy to start a new chapter in your life. I’m excited at what’s to come for you. Congrats on the move and I hope Daniel’s ankle is better!
You are one of my favorite people ever and I’m so happy to have spent so much quality time with you this weekend. You are HILARIOUS and so beautiful inside and out. I MISS YOU, WAH. Also, I haven’t laughed that hard in way too long.
Come visit me in Chicago stat.
Oh, and that photo could use a bit more saturation. Just fyi.
I am new to y blog, but have really enjoyed it so far. We moved without movers as well – so sorry about the sprained ankle ;-) Enjoy your new place
Sounds like you are carpe-ing the f*** out of every damn diem!
I’m reading that stupid book everybody is reading that I can’t ever say right- the japanese magic art of tidying or something. Except it’s not stupid at all. I’m an organizer and the practices she talks about are making my heart sing. But it’s freaking hard- like physically and more. The guys at good will know every vehicle we own. It’s kind of similar to moving except you aren’t going anywhere :) Plus working and cooking your stuffed bell peppers (well close) and they knocked my socks off! Liking bell peppers in any form has been an evolution/process for me.
Congrats on moving – your story made me reminisce about when I moved in with my husband…I *needed* my over sized love seat and we ended up having to remove the doors to maneuver it into the tiny house. When we move again (hopefully next year) i am totally hiring movers lol.
I’ve been traveling on and off for the past two weeks and am totally out of sync with ‘normal’ life…this week is all about getting back on track (especially eating wise) and setting a plan to get work done!
Hope you have a great week,
Phi
I’m in the middle of planning this week’s meals – this is week 5 and while I haven’t stayed on it perfectly, I’m slowly adjusting and learning. It was surprising when I sat down to do this, my meals really aren’t all that bad. My boyfriend is an amazing cook, so we eat mainly fresh made stuff. It’s just the portions I’ve got to work on. I’ve learned that fish tacos don’t actually require the tortillas, and you’re absolutely right: anything (including tacos) can go on a bowl of lettuce! Thanks for the inspiration!
Also, my knitting is grounded. I swear this pattern is laughing at me. It’s impossible. So, it is sitting in the corner thinking about what it has done to me.
Your trip to Park City looked so lovely and I so enjoyed following along! I hope you settle in soon, new beginnings are always scary/awesome/exciting! xo
I am the same way – I often get sad about change, but excited for the new adventures that come with that change. I always end up happy that I made the changes, but it can be difficult to leave certain things behind at first! Wishing you all the best with your move and starting a new chapter! :)
Dani | http://www.styledvariety.com
Congrats on your move! so exciting! Hope you had a blast in PC! I am a New England Native who has lived in Utah for the past year. Park City is a gorgeous spot, especially Deer Valley. Glad you enjoyed it!
Katie @ Katie Wanders
Hey Andie,
It rained all weekend and turned cold here in ATX and my husband is on business in India, so I sat in my favorite chair most of the weekend reading and finishing your book! It has everything in it..struggle, romance, sadness, joy and redemption..I was so moved and could relate more often than not! Having just finished the book and now knowing you and Daniel are back together is so fun for me lol So happy for you both…He seems like such an amazing person! Having some girls over for dinner and one is gluten free so I am making one of my favs….your coconut curry chicken! Glad you had an awesome weekend! xoxoxo
That photo is amazing. I saw it on IG this weekend too. It screams sweaters and coffee and cuddling and all the glorious calories.
Congrats on your exciting new chapter with Daniel!
Wishing you two all the happiness :)
xoxo
I absolutely adore these coffee dates! I have a fantasy that we’re real life friends, so these posts help me live in my delusion. A commenter above mentioned The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and as someone who has always despised clutter and been a minimalist at heart, the book is aMAZing. As much discarding as I have regularly done over the years, I always felt like there was still more that needed to go. Because there was! Marie Kondo helped inspire me in such a deep way, and I’ve been spending the better part of 2015 discarding and organizing *for the last time* – and it feels so, so good. One of my biggest projects has been tackling our small kitchen. Although I hesitate to call it small, because it’s about four times the size of your NY one! But even still, it’s small. Only five drawers, just one under-counter cabiner (besides the one under the sink), and just a few upper cabinets.
So I’d absolutely LOVE to hear more about how you managed living and cooking in such a small space. Where’d you keep everthing!? How’d you (try to) organize everything!? How’d you manage food storage and pantry items!? Fill me in girl; I imagine there are lots of other small-kitchen readers out there who would be interested, and that even those with larger kitchens would be fascinated!
Hugs,
Beck
I just got home from a weekend in Paris. On Friday I celebrated 2 months since I moved to England from Australia and the end of the first term of teaching in a new school. The challenge now is to make another friend!
When I moved in with my Daniel (Micah) we had to hacksaw our box spring in half just to fit it up the stairs of our perfect place. Even if we had known that box springs are actually sold in pieces we couldn’t have afforded them anyways. Most people think of social media as this embarrassing documentation of youth, but I wish it would have been around to document dumb shit like that. The only people embarrassed by their pasts haven’t lived long enough to find it funny.
I’ve moved 30 times in as many years so the notion of farewell to beloved places is a familiar one. In fact, I will always feel a little torn apart inside with my love for cities in different countries on two continents that felt like home. I loved how you described the melancholy of moving out and into a new chapter that sounds so wonderful and exciting! Good luck with it all! Your post reminded me of one of my favorite quotes and I thought you might like it, too: “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” ~Anatole France
I can’t imagine cooking dinner in that tiny kitchen, much less writing a cookbook from it. You are amazing.
Mmmm, yes, the letting go of the old to let in the new. I’ve been there too. You have many wonderful years ahead of you, my friend.
For me, I’m switching up some of my medication and the transition has left me rather melancholy. I find joy in my daughter mostly, and this delicious up of coffee (Donut House Chocolate Covered Donut flavor…mmmm) but everything else is just trying to survive at the moment. I find no happiness in my job, my home, my place in life. The days come and go, living for the weekends when I can actually spend some good times with my family. But I’m adrift.
Good thing is that I know that this, too, will pass. These dips in my mood are temporary and I just have to wait for it to pass. In the meantime, I will continue to live vicariously through your adventures and those of others until the day I can get up and start making some of my own.
Have a wonderful week!
Awww, Andie, I’m so sad we never got the chance to meet up in Manhattan, but I feel like you living there for the last 2 years brought us closer together. :) I recently moved back home to California and I miss NYC like mad.
Also, I’m so glad you had some time to live with Sabrina. I haven’t lived with friends since college more than 6 years ago and there’s definitely something special about living with your best friends and doing everything together. I’ll always miss that time in my life!
Congrats on the move with Daniel (and so excited you guys are back together!!). Can’t wait to see your Cookbook!
Shelly
LOVED meeting you last weekend. Pretty much the highlight of my life! I am so excited for you and your new adventures! xoxo
I moved in with my partner fifteen years ago, and I still miss my darling apartment with its similarly-sized kitchen. I have told several people about your book and also recommended it on GoodReads and Facebook. Now I’m at work taking a break from a too-huge project. I just finished eating a Milky Way Midnight bar which I bought at the gift shop (I work at a hospital) – when I bought it I told myself I’d only eat half. I even ate half, sealed the remaining part in the wrapper with a binder clip, and tucked it in my desk drawer. But it was singing so loudly, I just ate the rest of it to shut it UP. In the plus column of nutrition, I haven’t purchased any candy corn this season and do not plan to. This weekend, I wrote a poem of apology to my thighs. They’re awesome, and I’ve been mean to them because I don’t think they look right. To hell with that – they carry me around every day don’t they?! So, that’s what’s new with me. Peace, Annie
I stumbled upon your book at my local library this week and have been quite drawn into your life story, staying up late to read it after my kids and husband have gone to bed. So well-written. Although my life looks very different from yours, I can relate to your struggles with body image and eating for all the wrong reasons. Even today, at 40, I still always want to lose 10 or 15 pounds and feel so guilty when I over-indulge at a meal and beat myself up for several days. I think many women can get inspiration from your story. I am looking forward to finishing your book and following your blog. Thanks for being brave enough to share it! Jen
I saw the location on Instagram and had to google it to find out where it was – gorgeous and it went on my bucket list of places to visit.
My living room remodel is finally finished! Last year our roof started to leak but between trips to Mayo clinic it got put on the back burner. His dying wish to me was to get the roof replaces last winter and two weeks after he died, I had it replaced. There was some drywall damage in the corner of the living room, which I finally got around to fixing in June. Um, turns out the whole front of my house was rotten the way the insulation was installed and the whole front of my house had to be replaced.
My friend did all the decorating. I hated spending any time in the living room because that’s where my husband always was when I left the house and came home from work. It was a tiny stab of grief every time I looked at his recliner and he wasn’t in it.
What my friend did for me was priceless – she honored my husband but made a space where I can feel comfortable and I know I’ll make great new memories in this space.
You can check it out here – I sometimes have to pinch myself that it’s actually my house!
http://www.mybizzykitchen.com/2015/10/26/i-live-in-a-magazine/
Hugs!