March although a long month felt like it was over in a blink of an eye. Both Jenn and I started the month sick but by the end, we were both on our way to Paris and ready for our first “vacation” since the Maldives in September.

RECAP OF THE MONTH

It’s hard to imagine that the first quarter of 2022 is already coming to a close. We’ve already done so much this year and our plans for the remainder are only growing. But the start of March had Jenn in Nashville and me holding down the fort back here in New York. Her trip to Nashville went well and when she arrived back we both were in full recovery mode from our work trips. In fact, both Jenn and I got a cold in early March keeping us homebound. One of my favorite memories of the start of March was walking Frasier on a rare “warm” March night while Jenn recovered from a cold and the most beautiful sunset hit over the Hudson. It’s one of those rare times that the iPhone camera might not capture just how stunning of an evening it was.

One of the best days of the month was when Jenn and I did a full brunch date in Soho. We started by going to brunch at Veranda where we had some boozy brunch drinks alongside french toast and an egg dish. It wasn’t worth the expensive bill but it was a beautiful spot and it was nice to get out and enjoy a beautiful day in the city. From there we walked to some nearby furniture stores and stumbled into MarieBelle where we were thinking of getting some hot chocolate but after the free samples decided against it. Instead we somehow inexplicably ended up in a Kate Spade where Jenn went on a shopping spree and ended up with a new dress and shoes. We ended the Soho adventure at Eileen’s Cheesecake before taking the subway home.

One of the outings I was most excited about in March was going to the Affordable Art Sale where local artists can display their art for sale that’s not going to cost what you’d find in a gallery. Jenn and I aren’t overly happy with the lack of original/unique are in our apartment, it’s something we talk about all the time but don’t want to spend a ton of money as we start thinking about improving our non-existent collection. As fun as it was to be a viewer at the art sale, the pieces were not really in our style. It was still a nice outing and we enjoyed looking at some really unique pieces, but we did come away empty-handed. Luckily we did get a great brunch at Empellon for our troubles.

The next day I was back off on another work trip to London. I boarded a Virgin Atlantic flight at 8 AM on Sunday, March 27th after spending a few hours in the American Express Centurion lounge. My flight to London was really nice, I had an incredible business class seat and watched two movies (C’mon C’mon and The Father) that were quite emotional roller coasters. When I arrived in London I had to wait for my checked bag for almost two hours before getting in my car and checking in at The Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square. The workweek went by like a blur with team dinners and big meetings throughout. These trips are exhausting but I always try to get out and see a bit of London while I’m there. The month ended with me meeting Jenn in Paris, but that’s a story for a different post.

TV WE WATCHED

We watched a lot less TV in March with both of us traveling but we still managed to get a fair bit in. The highlight of the month had to be The Gilded Age which is a lovely period piece that kept us intrigued from start to finish. The other show I should call out is The Amazing Race which came back with its 33rd season that was interrupted by COVID, it was so good to see it back.

BOOKS I READ (OR LISTENED TO)

I really wish I had read more in March, I’m starting to fall slightly behind my goal for the year. I did read three really good books this month, but my favorite was Taste by Stanley Tucci which was an interesting mix of biography, cookbook, and food blog that I “ate” up.

MOVIES WE WATCHED

Instead of watching a lot of TV in March, we watched a fair amount of movies, or I should say I did. My favorite movie of the month and maybe the year was Drive My Car which absolutely destroyed me. A slow-moving Japanese movie that I was absolutely captivated by while Jenn was sick. The two animated movies we watched this month Encanto and Turning Red were fantastic.

THEATER WE SAW

Can I just say that I absolutely love the theater. There’s nothing in this world quite like it. I’ll never forget seeing both The Music Man starring High Jackman and Six back-to-back nights and my heart just overflowing with joy. The two shows were energetic, beautifully staged, and an experience that I’ll never forget. I’ve listened to both cast albums multiple times since seeing them and I have a feeling they will be in my repertoire for a while.

I’ll also never forget Hugh Jackman leading the sold-out crowd in singing happy birthday to Sutton Foster at the end of the show. Pinch me is this real life?

GAMES I'VE BEEN PLAYING

My gaming time continues to dwindle a bit each month. I did pick up my first game since shutting down Darkstation and picked up Horizon Forbidden West and although I haven’t put a ton of time into it yet, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve played so far.

2022 GOAL TRACKING

Goal #1: Read 35 Books: I've read 9 books and am on track to hit my goal.

Goal #2: Keep Weight Under 140: I've yet to go over 140lbs

Goal #3: 12 Monthly Recaps: 3 for 12.

Something Else

It is impossible to think about March 2022 and not think about the tragedy that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. When I think back on history and the start of many wars including both World Wars it’s hard not to see a “potential” outcome of something far more damaging than the current war. At the time of this writing a few days into April 2022, the war is still going and although it feels like it’s slowed down a bit, much of March was a daily reminder of the human tragedy that this pointless war has wrought. I’m happy with how President Biden and much of the EU/UK have responded thus far but this is a very tricky situation and I just hope by the time I write next month’s post it has ended.

A Look Back - March 2022