This Month's Delights: February 2011

Is it just me or is 2011 moving faster than Charlie Sheen on a first date? I can't get over the fact that tomorrow we'll be starting a brand new month and pretty soon, a new season. I have to say, as far as February's go, mine wasn't half bad. Wanna see?

While everybody else drowned themselves in Bud Lights and nachos on Superbowl Sunday, I rolled around in confetti on the streets of Chinatown for the Chinese New Year Lunar Parade.

It was super-duper fun. I ate crispy noodles and some odd looking beef dish. I can't lie--I didn't miss the football. I did, however, miss the nachos.

That's when I started realizing that my eating habits were going a little off the rails. 

I started going back to the gym a little bit. The receptionist looked surprised to see me. That's never a good sign.

Over Valentine's weekend, my aunt and uncle came to town for a visit so we showed them around our sweet little town. Got a second? I'll give you the cheap tour...

This here's the skyline. You may recognize it from postcards. Not bad, eh?

These are tenements on the Lower East Side. We took aunt and uncle to the Tenement Museum, where they recreated what apartments would look like at the turn of the 20th century. Out-of-towners balked at the modest square-footage. I marveled at the high ceilings and natural light. Perspective.

This is Times Square. It's loud and bright and vendors sell nuts from carts that smell pretty good but actually taste and feel like like carmelized bricks on your molars. Get a pretzel instead. Or better yet, just skip this area altogether. Especially if you're prone to migraines.

Go to Union Square instead. They sell art and fresh vegetables there. Sometimes people break dance or hand out flyers about their left-of-center religious beliefs. It's a good time. Come to think of it, pretty much all of NYC is a good time, but that doesn't mean I don't need to get far away from it every now and again.

And thankfully my favorite retreat is only a two-hour drive away. Thank you to my friend Bridget for always opening up your cozy country house to this tired city mouse. No February is complete without a trip to this winter paradise.

Or skiing! 

Here I am, feeling ever so street in my Brooklyn ski cap and outdated puffy jacket.

Before heading back to the city grind, we stopped in an adorable little general store for lunch.

I was surprised to find out I didn't even have to go to Vermont to try a delicious little beverage called Maple Seltzer.

But this was by far the greatest find of the month. Can you believe it? (I can't. I've seen a few signs around town that seemed a little too outrageous to be true).

The sun has finally set on the shortest month of of the year. I'm ready to get my March on!!