adventures in weekending: it's that time of year again

Just before Thanksgiving, New York can become an attack on the senses. With its influx of tourists, aggressive shoppers, constant Christmas music playing on every radio station and in every store, unpredictable weather and the noisy bell-ringing Salvation Army donation collectors on every street corner, it's difficult to maintain that "holiday spirit". 

It can be hard to ignore, but that's exactly what I did. I looked past all the little annoyances like crowds and focused on better things - nothing was going to ruin my good mood. This can probably be attributed to my three-day weekend, in which I found time to be productive (signed the lease to our new apartment, yay!), relax (watched Pride and Prejudice on repeat) and have fun (saw Breaking Dawn with my sis - don't judge me, I love it!).

A cup of coffee and fluffy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for brunch. 

"Aaaw"ing at cute pups in sweaters and watching playful dogs romp in the park. I felt like I was watching the Puppy Bowl (which, for the record, I would rather watch than the Super Bowl).

The Union Square Holiday Market is one of the best places to find gifts in the city. They have tons of things from local art to specialty teas to handcrafted accessories.

After perusing the lovely little treasures at the market, I've decided that I need to get creative with my gift-giving this year. I'm leaning towards things you might find in a boutique or thrift store. Or perhaps some d.i.y. gifts. Either way, I have a lot of thinking to do...

Have you done any of your shopping yet? Or are you more of a last minute shopper?

-jillian m.