Home Sweet Home

I finally arrived back in New York yesterday. Though it wasn't the most beautiful of days, the city was shining through my eyes - it's amazing how comforting home can feel when you've been gone for so long. I may have been dazed and exhausted, but walking into my apartment after almost four weeks away was beyond thrilling - I couldn't help but run my fingers along my counter top and look at all of my framed pictures and open my windows and just collapse onto my bed - my own bed!

It took about a 25 minute shower to cleanse myself of so many days in hotel rooms, but I was quickly energized and excited to return to living my life in the city. After dropping off an excessive amount of dry cleaning, I trudged through the rain to the grocery store. It was such a treat to have an empty pantry and refrigerator - a perfect opportunity to refresh my kitchen for the spring!

For dinner last night, I was craving something light, cleansing, and most of all, comforting. I immediately turned to Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food and prepared her braised chicken in tomatoes and onions. I used both breasts and legs, cooking the meat just through so it was juicy and delicious. Paired with a refreshing green salad with a lemon and shallot vinaigrette, I could not have asked for a better meal to bookend so many nights of eating heavy food in restaurants. While we tried our hardest to stay up (okay, I tried, Wright completely gave up), it was an early night to bed. (Followed by a very early morning - love jetlag!)

I'm back in the swing of things today, but still am working on wrapping my mind around such a fantastic trip. Working was both exhausting and energizing, full of standing in high heels but also adventures and fun with friends; my time with Wright was an absolute treasure, a trip I know I'll never forget, full of delicious food, fabulous beers and champagne, stunning scenery and lots of laughter. I'm looking forward to gathering my thoughts and sharing them with you.