Mommy Happy Hour

MHH 20Hello weekend! Hope you all are having as glorious weather as we are in NYC. It’s pretty crazy how cool it is here, I even needed a jacket yesterday. Totally bizarre for August, but it certainly makes running around the city a little more enjoyable when you aren’t melting with each step. Rylan has finally adjusted to having just one nap a day, so we are now free to roam all morning long. You forget how nice it is not to have to rush home for naps. So far we’ve been to the zoo, a new playground, out for breakfast, and we actually got to use up the whole 2 hour allotment for childcare at the gym! I’m a big fan of that last one.

So here’s what we’ve been reading, eating, and loving this week:

Books I'm Reading

Eve in Hollywood by Amor Towles (Only $2.99 on Amazon). This short novella was our book club pick for the month. It follows one of the characters from Rules of Civility through a series of interactions with rather unique individuals in Old Hollywood. If you’ve never read Rules, then this is probably a pass for you. It’s full of the glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood, but it’s just a collection of stories that don’t necessarily have a point rather than adding to the portrait of their heroine, Eve. If you did read and love Rules, like so many others, than this would be a quick and entertaining read. My full review is HERE.

Angelfall by Susan Ee. I’m working through a rather serious, thought provoking book right now, and needed a break with something fun and entertaining. So naturally, I reached for a YA book full of angels and end of the world drama. This was exactly what I was in the mood for, with hardly an idle moment in the story and a building, forbidden romance (it is YA all the way, so there is no hanky panky whatsoever). I felt like I was watching a movie rather than reading, which is a telltale sign of a good YA novel in my opinion. My full review is HERE.

Eating

Montmarte. This cute French bistro was the site of our book club meeting this week. It has a gorgeous garden area that was unfortunately closed up do to the rain, but would be the perfect romantic spot on a nice day. The food is an interesting fusion between classic French dishes and Asian flavors. The highlight of our meal was most definitely the french fries. They were amazing. Not only were they thin and crisp, but they were topped with this delicious mixture of salt, sugar, and mustard powder. Hands down the best fries I’ve ever had in NYC, and I’ve had a lot of fries over the years!

Witch Fingers Grapes. These grapes have such a cool shape. They taste like regular red grapes, but are long and skinny. I especially liked that they didn’t have to be cut in half before the kids could eat them. When I was buying these, I also randomly picked up some Cotton Candy Grapes, which are officially my new favorite fruit. They look like regular green grapes but taste just like cotton candy. I can’t stop eating them, and you should definitely try some if every given the chance.

PicMonkey

PicMonkey. I LOVE PicMonkey. This is the easiest and best photo editing program I’ve ever used. I’m not a professional by any means, but PicMonkey makes turning your photos into something special doable for even the most inartistic of us all. I use it for 90% of my graphics and pictures on this blog, and love the huge selection of options. PickMonkey has a basic option that is free, that would be totally sufficient for most purposes. I used that for months before upgrading to the paid version, which I don’t necessarily even need for most of my editing. You could use this to make really cute computer backgrounds, awesome Facebook profiles, personalized gift tags – the options are endless. Something Swanky has tons of great tutorials that can get you started.

So what about you – do you read multiple books at once? try any new and fun foods this summer? 

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Comments

  1. I’ll read a fiction and non-fiction book at once. Hmm most recently Ultramarathon Man and Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green. I’ve been eating alot of avocado lately. Isn’t this weather amazing?! I’m in Central NY and definitely enjoying running in cooler air!
    Em @ Love A Latte recently posted..New Shake With Avocado, Coconut Water, and Cocoa PowderMy Profile

    • I will have to check those books out! I think I might turn into an avocado I eat so many sometimes. Whole Foods had a huge sale on them last week and I seriously bought like 20. Good thing the whole family loves them!

  2. Sometimes I run out of things to do with my kids..what a fun momma you are..you’re kids must have a blast!! I honestly look forward to this post every week!
    Those fries look killer…I really need to get on top of this standing date night! What a great idea to keep your relationship a priority..love your book recc’s..I’m workin on Gone Girl now…but its taking me forever because I like TV too haha
    Hope to get to spend some time in NY with you and your cute kiddos soon! xo
    Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats recently posted..Biscoff Cinnamon Chip Ice CreamMy Profile

  3. I think we’re getting close to one nap. I look forward to days where our whole mornings are free! Those fries sound right up my alley! I’m reading Bringing up Bebe right now, pretty fun.m
    Alex recently posted..Nordy BarsMy Profile

    • I read that too – it was cute. :) And days are certainly more free with just one nap, although having a little break in the mornings is nice too. Enjoy it while you can!

  4. I usually have one fiction and one non-fiction going at the same time … and often one on Audible I have going too. Thanks for the recommendation about PicMonkey – just opened it up and can’t wait to play!
    Meg recently posted..Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2010My Profile

    • I’ve been debating on trying out on Audible for a while. Thought it might be nice while running, but then I could easily space out and miss a whole chapter. :) Have fun with PicMonkey! I’m already working on our Christmas cards!

  5. Looking forward to running around with the boys and not worrying about morning nap – nice adjustment for you – trying to get things done in 1-1/2 hrs is difficult.