‘Tis the Season for Love

I’ve fallen again for this city. Spring has officially made it’s awesome appearance, and just like *that*, I’ve forgiven and forgotten the long, brutal winter that I thought would never leave. I began to seriously doubt my capability for living in New York City through the next two years before Justin graduates Dental School.

By all accounts this was a pretty awful winter, and not just on the East Coast. Even our home town in the Bay Area was pelted with weeks of rain and threatened tornadoes. Still, something about California had an extra strong lure the past few months.

The grass is always greener.

This last week, I’m happy to report that we’ve been graced with a few days straight of sun and warm temperatures, and we have managed to take full advantage of all-things-summer in the city.

Everyone around the city seems to have a little more pep, even the notoriously grumpy statues.

Madison Square Park

Union Square

This weekend was especially gorgeous and fun. My former-New Yorker-turned-Hollywood-Hills-dwelling cousin is in town with her husband and furbaby pup, Lulu. Can I tell you how nice it is to have actual real, breathing, loving, caring, flesh and blood family living in my city again? I couldn’t put it into words if I tried. They’re renting an apartment on the UES for a couple of months for her husband’s work (ahem… Exec Producer of Cash Cab, and he’s shopping a new pilot! Stay tuned!), so we ventured up for brunch on their terrace.

No traffic on holiday weekends, so we splurged on a taxi.

Straight out of a fairy tale

Meet Lulu

Lulu is only about a year and a half old, and my cousin and her husband have just had her about 9 months. They rescued her from a shelter, merely hours before she was to be put down. Did you know that 6 million dogs are euthanized PER YEAR? Makes me want to go out and save every last one of them. Pretty please, check your local ASPCA or shelter if you’re interested in adopting.

She is the sweetest, most well behaved pooch I have ever met, especially considering her age.

We all fell in love, but Zoe and Lulu bonded almost immediately.

We all took Lulu to the great back yard that is Central Park,played in the sprinklers some more and climbed a few rocks. It was the perfect way to spend a holiday weekend.

Spending time with loved ones always makes such a huge difference to all of us, whether they come to visit or vise versa, and something that I admittedly took for granted before we moved to Manhattan.

It’s a feeling of comfort, peace, and freedom that can’t be faked or duplicated.

Of course, the kids even pick up on it.