So, as you guys already know, Matt and I got engaged last year! Our wedding is coming up…fast. For us, there are so many logistics we need to handle, but one of our most favorite moments of planning so far was actually pausing to take engagement photos. We weren’t planning on shooting them, but when one of our friends introduced us to Nicki Sebastian (a Los Angeles family photographer who used to live in our Brooklyn ‘hood) and we saw her work, there was no way we could say no.

Seriously, her work is incredible (I’m actually pretty certain that if/when we have kids, we’ll snap up plane tickets to LA just so she can shoot their first pics). But what was so special was how our photo session with Nicki was the first moment that forced us to really pause and take in the fact that, omg, we’re getting married.

Yep, there’s something about dressing up to go gaze into each other’s eyes (or throw leaves in the air) in and around Brooklyn Bridge Park that really helps you feel the gravity of the situation. Of course, Nicki made every shot feel natural, not posed. We loved every minute of this shoot!

(Photo Credit: Nicki Sebastian)

Hello! I’m back — had to take a brief hiatus from blogging due to major time constraints. I’m hoping to return to a regular rhythm starting now. I miss you guys!

So, this past week, I celebrated a major milestone: 8 years in New York! Yep, it’s funny what an important anniversary this is for me since I remember how intimidated I was when I first left Boston and showed up here with my parents and a moving van back in 2008.

Matt and I always celebrate by planning a super New York-y thing to do. One year, we went and saw Woody Allen perform at the Carlyle Hotel. We’ve gone on a pizza tour. We’ve rented rowboats in Central Park. But this year, we celebrated with a toast at one of my favorite local Brooklyn bars because, quite honestly, after 8 years of living here I think one of the best parts about this city is finding a spot where you feel like a regular. (It’s hard!)

What are some non-traditional milestones you love to celebrate? (For example, a friendiversary.)

(Photo via The Hunt)

OK: I’m super behind on movies right now (seriously, there are so many good ones!), but I’m really glad I prioritized Brooklyn out of the entire bunch.

The movie is based on the 2010 book by Colm Toibin — it’s the story of Ellis Lacey, a young Irish immigrant torn between love in 1950s Brooklyn and her life back home. The film is surprisingly funny, but also deeply moving. It managed to capture the exact allure of Brooklyn and how it instantly becomes a place that feels impossible to leave.

More proof that this film should be your top pick: It has a 99 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating. Whoa.

Any other films I should add to my list? I’m trying to see one a week to get caught up before the Oscars!

(Photo 1, 2, 3)

Last week, Matt and I popped out to San Francisco for a super quick trip to meet his darling baby niece. She’s a cutie pie! Matt was working a bit while we were out there, so, in addition to seeing family, I had some time to sight see and explore. Read on for more details about the trip…

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OK, so I’m a few days late after promising this post last week, but I have to ask: Have you watched Olive Kitteridge? There’s no doubt you’ve heard of it. It totally cleaned up at this year’s Emmy Awards. My good friend was in town and we decided to crush all four hour-long episodes in one shot. Our assessment? It deserved every single one of those Emmys.

The mini-series — based on the book by Elizabeth Strout — follows Olive’s marriage to Henry, a 25-year relationship that takes place in a small town in Maine. Frances McDormand is Olive; Richard Jenkins is Henry. Both seamlessly capture the comfortable and complicated evolution of a marriage, weaving in a supporting cast of characters (Zoe Kazan, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Gallagher Jr., Bill Murray) that cement and challenge their bond.

Beyond the cast, one of the best parts of the show is the pacing. Somehow, four episodes manage to hastily and gracefully cover all the ups and downs of a multi-decade relationship. In fact, so much goes down in four hours that it’s hard not to search for meaning in every word the characters impart. Still, the speed is on par with the show’s premise — a reminder that life, however meaningful, is an act of a survival…and it’s short.