End of a season.

With November's arrival comes the official close of my favorite Italian ice stand for the season. I filled my stamp card just in the nick of time and treated myself to a delicious cup of my two favorite ices- peanut butter cookie dough and peanut butter fudge pretzel. My friend Brianne and I have been getting Ralph's together for years on 24th Street and Lex and I always love our Italian ice dates.

Ralph's, thank you for another delicious spring and summer of peanut butter cream ices. I will be eagerly anticipating your re-opening in the spring.

It's back!

So many lovely things return to New York City in the springtime- tulips, bright blue skies, dining al fresco, and...

RALPH'S! 

I couldn't be more excited about my favorite Italian Ice destination opening its window again for the season. Cheers to many more cups of peanut butter cookie dough and peanut butter fudge pretzel ices!

Life according to Instagram, Week 27. Back in NYC!

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. I met up with Brianne, Mansi, and Lindsey this week for a girls' day out. We started with Magic Mike... 
2. And enjoyed Soft Serve Fruit afterwards. Such a yummy frozen treat! 

3. & 4. Happy birthday Andy Warhol! 

5. I was in desperate need of a manicure/pedicure after my trip. It was so good to see Jolin! 
6. Happy hands and feet. 

7. When I stepped off the train on Tuesday afternoon someone was handing out free empanada samples... well, okay. 
8. Back at Ralph's! Brianne and I caught up over our favorite frozen treat. 

9. Shake Shack dinner in Madison Square Park. 
10. So great to meet Leanne and see Kate! 

11. Shopping on 5th. 
12. Astoria sunset. 

13. Dinner at Andrew and Kara's is always a treat! Kale stuffed onions and Spanish-style quinoa. 
14. Brooklyn sunset. 
15. This chick was so cool- Cambridge satchel and wooden clogs. I felt it necessary to take her picture. 
16. After dinner in Brooklyn, I was not quite ready to go home. So, I hopped off the train and strolled through midtown. 

17. Korea Town. 
18. Dessert. 
19. Empire state of mind. 
20. Times Square. 

21. 5 Pointz from the 7 train. 
22. I love, love, love getting my hair cut! 

22. & 23. After my hair cut, I decided to go on a mini-bakery tour through the West Village. Stop #1- Milk and Cookies. I loved the salted oat cookie. 
24. Stop #2- Doughboy Bakeshop. The cheddar chipotle chive biscuit hit the spot. Plus, they had Mud Coffee. Yum. 
25. Summer. 

26. & 27. My final stop in the West Village was Sockerbit. I am a sucker for those little heart gummies. 

28. Rainy Friday
29-31. Lindsey and I battled the rain for Gray's Papaya and 16 Handles frozen yogurt, following by Sex and the City trivia and episodes.

32. & 33. Out celebrating Andrew and Kim's move to Astoria. So happy to have Lindsey's brother and future sister-in-law right down the street from me!

Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A. 

Life according to Instagram, Week 23.

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. Swimming with Grandpa Chuck is a Minnesota trip highlight for Reese and Sage. They absolutely love it. 
2. Our little fish. 
3. We thought Connor might be a little hung over after the wedding Saturday night, but he was all smiles with a Mike's Hard Lemonade in the hot tub early Sunday morning. Oh Connor. 
4. A storm cut our swimming day short. 

5. My little Sage-face. 
6. Katie and her wolfpack men. 

7. I loved every page of Bloom. It made my subway commutes fly by this week!
8. Astoria sunset. 

9. Alli's favorite part of field day is using the megaphone. My boss is the best. 
10. Kindergarten, first, and second grade field day was a blast. The water balloon toss is always a highlight. 

11. The dreaded forecast. Temperatures in the high nineties with high humidity is a nightmare in the concrete jungle. 
12. Wednesday afternoon we took our second graders on a boat ride around Manhattan in honor of our transportation study. We braved the heat and had a great time admiring the skyline and passing under the Brooklyn Bridge. 
13. Manhattan love. 
14. Lady Liberty. 

15. Ralph's was necessary after our boat trip. 
16. Ugh, it is so hot. 

17. 7 am, feels like 86 degrees. Ick. 
18. Iced coffee was necessary to survive the early morning heat. 

19. The last day of school involved lots of cleaning, packing, and movie watching. We just finished reading our second graders Because of Winn Dixie, so it was the perfect feature for the day! 
20. Done with another school year! Pumped and headed to happy hour. 

21. I love the people I work with so much. We celebrated another wonderful school year together at Graziella's in Fort Greene. 
22. I somehow ended up with two glasses of wine for most of the evening. 
23. Delicious pizza. 
24. Patios make summer feel all the more official. 

25. Brian and I had a date night in on Saturday night, complete with Chinese food, Cinderella Man, and  two pints of Ben & Jerry's. It was the best way to kick off summer. 


Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A. 

Linking up with Amy from A Good Life. 

Life according to Instagram, Week 19.

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. My clog sandals are back. 
2. Perk of being home in Minnesota- listening to all of my favorite CDs from high school. My CD books are jam-packed with memories. And the homemade CD mixes? Forget about it. 

3. Sunday we celebrated my little sister Katie's upcoming nuptials. It was a wonderful day! 
4. After a delicious lunch of fresh salads, soups, and breads, we indulged in cookie pizzas. My mom and I had fun prepping all of the desserts! 
5. The cookies were delicious (and so cute!). 

6. Africa preparations begin! 
7. My mom carefully packed all of the cookie pizza fruit leftovers in my suitcase back to NYC. I enjoyed fresh fruit all week! 

8. After days of rain, there was a little glimpse of sun Wednesday morning. 
9. Brooklyn brownstones. 

10. Wednesday morning our school attended an African dance performance at BAM. 
11. The theater is beautiful. 

12. After walking home with 26 second graders in the rain (sans umbrellas) after our morning at BAM, eating lunch with the kids, and no prep, I was in desperate need of some Ralph's after school.  
13. My peanut butter fudge pretzel and peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough made me very happy. 

14. Sage turned four on Thursday! I got to see her open all of her presents over Skype. 
15. Our weekly pizza date night. I always have to take my first bite the second I pull my piece from the box. I just can't wait. 

16. Gloomy Friday morning. 
17. Where did the city go? My morning commute view was covered in fog Friday morning. 

18. Rain, rain go away... 
19. We celebrated our second grade May birthdays on Friday; I asked for seconds of the Mochi ice cream treats. 

20. 8th Street blur from the Q train. 
21. Union Square Greenmarket. 

22. Blue skies finally returned Friday afternoon! Amen! 
23. Stay away clouds. 

24. Good morning Astoria. 
25. Saturday morning pick me up while running errands. 

26. Roses are blooming all over Queens. 
27. Boo's daily routine. 

28. Saturday felt like summer! 
29. My favorite: The Chrysler Building. 

30. Sunset in Manhattan. 
31. Fleet week in NYC! 


Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A. 

Linking up with Amy from A Good Life. 

Life according to Instagram, Week 12.

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. Our Sunday afternoon was spent playing Sorry and watching Toy Story 3. It was a fun day!
2. Spring perfection in Astoria.

3. Oh. my. god. What a Cluster is my new favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor. Amazing.
4. I cooked! I never cook. I don't know how to cook. But Pinterest inspired me to attempt stuffed peppers, and they turned out pretty great!

5. The adventures of an urban squirrel.
6. I work with the most amazing kids. This little gift made my day.

7. & 8. Street art near Prospect Park.

9-11. We celebrated Brian's birthday on Tuesday night at Christos Steakhouse in Astoria. Our dinner was perfection, from the steaks to the pesto basil mashed potatoes.

12. I returned to Ralph's on Wednesday night after school with Brianne. I smartened up this time and just ordered a medium (instead of two back to back smalls like last week). The peanut butter cookie dough and graham crunch combo was delicious.
13. Easy come, easy go.

14. I kicked off my spring break on Friday in the village. Washington Square Park was where my New York story all began, and it will forever have a very special place in my heart. So many fond memories from 2003 in this park.
15. Haircuts with Motoki make me so happy.

16. & 17. I stopped into Sockerbit after my haircut for an afternoon candy fix.

18. Cheers! I enjoyed a mexican lunch and margarita sampler at Agave with Brianne Friday afternoon. Spring break is such a happy, carefree time for teachers!
19. I couldn't resist a second manicure in Thanks a Windmillion. Loving this color.

20. 9/11 tiles in the West Village.
21. I couldn't have said it better myself.

22. Ralph's cravings strike again! Peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter fluff combo.
23. Grateful Brianne is my Italian Ice partner in crime!

24. Brian, Emily, and I spent our Saturday afternoon at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. We went on an egg hunt all morning, and then enjoyed a picnic lunch outside in the sunshine.
25. We spent the afternoon hiking. Emily is an expert hiker!

26. Apparently hiking works up a crazy appetite. We chowed down at a diner before dropping Emily back off Saturday night- I thoroughly enjoyed breakfast for dinner, while Emily and Brian devoured sandwiches and fries.
27. By the end of our meal, we lost all control. Brian and I split a six-layer piece of carrot cake.

28. And Emily had an ice cream sundae.
29. Hello NYC. Driving over the Whitestone Bridge home from Connecticut.

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones.

Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A.