NYC To Do List

So this is all the stuff I can think of that I want to do before I leave - please to be noting that 95% of the list is bars...BIG SHOCK!!!

Coyote(?)
Doc’s
Turkey’s Nest
Shake Shack
Holiday  RIP Stefan, all over again :-(
Grassroots
Trivia - Pete’s or Big Quiz Thing
Duff’s
Subway
Call Box
Temple

The Great Aussie Adventure!!!

Just to give you all an idea of where I will be for the next year!  The Whitsundays are a group of 85 islands off the NE coast of Queensland, between Brisbane & Cairns.  This area is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.  If you're interested in reading more about the region, click here! 

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Merry Festivus, & HAPPY 2012!!!
(I realize this holiday greeting arrives a little late, but hey, when have you ever known me to be on time???)

2011 was quite a rollercoaster ride for me - in February, I was laid off from JSL after almost seven years.  I was fortunate to find a new home with one of my previous co-workers and started working at Carpet Couture in April.

During my time between jobs, I set off on an amazing two week scuba diving & fishing trip to beautiful and exotic Belize.  Some of my other travel highlights this past year included climbing ancient temple ruins and driving a Hummer through the jungles in Cancun, relaxing on the charming island of Isla Mujeres, exploring the picturesque streets of Old Montreal, and snuggling up to fuzzy alpacas at fiber festivals in both Maryland and Rhinebeck.
Outside of work & gallivanting around the world, I enjoyed weekly get-togethers through the year with both my knitting club, Girls Who Purl, and another group in the city, where I was lucky enough to meet a number of cool, fun girls who share my passion for fiber arts.
The other Big Event of the year for me was turning The Big Three Oh.  I was very nervous about the departure from my 20s, but my friend Maggy helped ease the transition with a girls’ weekend in Key West right before Halloween.  if you don’t know what Fantasy Fest is all about...I high recommend it!  Pretty sure we could have used a week of recovery when we arrived back home.
And now on to the new adventure that 2012 is bringing my way!!!  As some of you already know, I am headed off on an exciting new journey to the Land Down Under.  I have been granted a visa to work and travel in AUSTRALIA for up to a year!!!  I have given my notice at work and will be leaving NYC at the end of February, with a brief stopover in LA to visit friends, since it’s on the way.  I plan to continue my scuba training while I am overseas and working toward becoming a dive professional.  I will be making my home in the Whitsundays region, on the East coast of Queensland about halfway between Brisbane and Cairns.
If anyone is going to be in that part of the world, please let me know - I would love to have visitors!  Hopefully I will make a good local tour guide once I get settled in.  If you’re interested in following my (mis)adventures, I will be posting regular updates here!
I wish you & yours the happiest of new years & hope all is well in your lives!  :-)
XO
Ashley

My Everest!!!

It is finished.  FINALLY.  I can breathe again.  And it only took 6 months!!!

Run THIS WAY!!!

Went to watch the NYC Marathon today for the first time ever - usually I avoid the course like the plague.  Unless there are MYmosas involved...  But today my friend Liz was running the marathon, so I went with the girls to support her and hold signs.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining the runners were.  I had no idea that there would be so many costumed runners!  It was a little like the Village Halloween Parade, only faster.  There were ladies (and men!) in tutus, Uncle Sam, a full-on pimp complete with coat/hat/cane, and so many more.  The spirit of camaraderie between the runners and the crowd would have melted even the Grinch's heart - the cop stationed near us (for crowd control, ostensibly) shouted encouragement to the runners, patting them on the shoulder and giving high-fives.  Our group got into the spirit by shouting out the names of the runners, most of which were written on their shirts.  Some of them waved at us, or shouted their thanks as they dashed by.

Most entertaining of all was the dude next to us wearing a cardboard box spray-painted gold on his head.  He was holding a sign that said Everybody Shufflin' and also a tray of bananas.  Some of the runners actually stopped dead in their tracks or circled back to take pictures of him.  Rock on, Box-Head Man.

Key West Fantasy Fest 2011, or "holy crap, I'm turning 30"

This was when I still thought I could drive

To celebrate my impending 30th birthday, my friend Maggy and I ran off to Key West for a long weekend, which just so happened to coincide with the annual Mardi Gras-type debauchery called Fantasy Fest.

After flying into Miami and scoring a sweet red Mustang convertible, we started our mini road trip down the Keys, but not before we made an important discovery at a local "beer & bait" store:  cocktails in frozen foil pouches reminiscent of Capri Suns, with oh-so-clever names like Marg-GO-rita, Pina GO-lada, Daq-GO-ri - you get the idea.  They seemed like a brilliant idea...until we tasted them.  The ingredients list mentioned something about orange flavored wine, but mysteriously omitted what we determined to be the main component, PURE EVIL.

With that plan abandoned, we raced toward Key West in an effort to make it in time for the Friday night races at Turtle Kraals bar.  We befriended a former NYer behind the bar who tempted us with insanely cheap happy hour drinks and a round of Key Lime shots while we awaited the grand event.  Finally, it was time for the big race - everyone in the bar received a number, one though four, and rooted for their turtle.  We were lucky enough to join the line of winning #4 ticket holders after the race, and waited patiently for our chances to pick a key to try to open the winning treasure chest.  In a "Let's Make a Deal" twist, the emcee, a true KW personality with a flowing blond wavy mullet, would offer the participants "Turtle Bucks" to give up the key.  I was determined to emerge victorious, so I held fast to my key, until it was dropped into a pint of beer, which I was instructed to slam.

When the contest finally drew to a close, we (very carefully) made our way to our hotel, La Te Da, to check in.  It's entirely possible that we made a lasting impression on the front desk staff.

Hula hoops and hot tubs and baby kangaroos, OH MY!

AKA as Rhinebeck, AKA Knitter Prom, AKA the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival.  Needless to say, the weekend was a smashing success all around despite a bit of less than ideal weather.  This year I had the good fortune to stay in a house rented locally with eight other girls.  Outside of the actual fiber-y fun, we enjoyed pizza, beer, french toast casserole, bagels, and more maple cotton candy than a person could imagine.

I was on a yarn diet this year due to my upcoming move, but I did manage to score some gorgeous charcoal & black tweeded alpaca yarn to complete a sweater for my mom.  It doesn't count if it's for an existing project, DUH!

The best part of the actual festival this year was the Alpacas & Llamas On Parade.  In case you're not aware, I have an unhealthy adoration for alpaca, both the fiber and the animals.  They're just so fluffy and funny!  If they're in the mood, they will even give you alpaca kisses (basically rubbing noses with you)!!!

Ok, so he's a llama, but who wouldn't love that face???