Cowboy Up

It's once again time to kick off a new year.  I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, but I have always loved the idea of the fresh start and new outlook that a new year brings.  

I decided a new year needed a new look, so I headed to my mane man Shaun to have him work his magic and left with a fun, fresh (and I like to think), flirty new look...and 8 inches less hair. 

I was super nervous going in (in fact, I hemmed and hawed quite a bit and created a massive "Hairspiration" Pinterest board before I worked up the courage to actually get the cut), but I couldn't be happier with the results.  In fact, after 7 years of the same style, I am just so thrilled to have an updated look.

I think I might want to go even shorter...

Final results.  What do you think?

I think it's always good to have plans to take your new haircut out on the town, so I decided to do something I've never done before: PBR.  No, not the beer (though I thought so too when my co-worker invited me to join the fun). 
PBR = Professional Bull Riders and they came to Madison Square Garden.  It was my first rodeo.  Yup, I said it.

It really was everything I hoped it would be: cowboy boots, bulls, guys with giant belt buckles and ten-gallon hats, monster trucks and well, just a whole lot of fun.  We all dressed up in our finest western-wear (luckily I had a few things saved away for JUST this sort of occasion). 

 You can't see in this photo, but I'm sporting cowboy boots & a button-down with lucky horseshoes on it, as well as my horseshoe and stallion pins I picked up a few years back at the Brooklyn Flea (clearly a purchase with foresight).

I thought my first week of the year was going well, then I got a call from one of my favorite people, Erin.  Erin and I have been on a lot of adventures together - she is quickly becoming one of my favorite travel buddies: we hit Domincan Republic just last Fall, spent a weekend exploring her (newish) home town on Minneapolis over the Summer and had a blast all through Italy the year before.  Turns out the stars (and airline miles) aligned and she was heading out to NYC for a weekend jaunt!

We started off with dinner: Korean BBQ at Don's Bogam BBQ & Wine Bar, YUM!  

(Thanks for the recommendation Nina!)

Then we did a mini bar-hop in my neighborhood to check out some of the new spot that have opened on the slowly-being-revitalized West 8th Street.  Our first stop was The Marlton Hotel Bar - a recently refurbished and re-opened hotel right down the block from my apartment (perfect for any guests who want to visit the best neighborhood in NYC).  It has 2 cozy bar areas: one that has the look and feel of a library at a stately mansion (complete with fireplace and books) and a second area that has cute little booths that provided an intimate space for the three of us to squeeze into for some cocktails & catch up. 

w/Erin at The Marlton

From there we headed to Analogue, a new jazz lounge just a few doors down.  They didn't have live music that Friday, but they had some good jazz records playing and some great cocktails.  Can't wait to stop back when they have a live performance.

w/Allison & Erin at Analogue

The next day Erin and I did what we do best: strolling, shopping, eating, drinking, repeat.  I had to take her to my favorite brunch place in NYC, Buvette to start the day.  From there we strolled through the West Village, stopping into some of my favorite shops and boutiques, and then taking cocktail break at Casa for some excellent Caipirinhas, then down through SoHo, with another spot for an afternoon Cappuccino, followed by more strolling and then dinner at my local (delicious) Indian spot: Curry Kitchen.  It was a great day!  

Man, 2014 is off to a killer start.