3 on Thursday

I don't know about y'all, but I felt completely rejuvenated after my long Presidents Day weekend.  I came back to work ready to tackle the week, excited that I was already one day closer to the weekend.

Tulips are an under-appreciated flower.  Here they are displayed in front of my latest apartment addition: blinds.  It's so nice to be shielded from the sun and Peeping Toms.

1. I'm not big on Valentine's Day, but that doesn't mean I'll turn down sweets from a co-worker when they come from one of my favorite bakeries.
2. Good rain boots are essential for the New York streets during inclement weather.  So far, this is the 7th snowiest winter in NYC history (with more to come if the weather report is to be believed) so proper footwear is necessary for navigating the streets once the snow turns to slush.  I had no such boots, but after arriving to work in a snow storm with my feet soaked to the bone, I took to the massive department store that is the internet to better equip myself.  I knew for a long time that I wanted Hunter rain boots - they are widely considered the best - but could not bring myself to pull the trigger on the $150 rubber shoes.  That all changed when I was sitting at my desk with sopping wet socks.  Out came the credit card and I clicked away til I knew a pair of boots in my favorite color, green, were on their way to my apartment.  I recognize it seems like a frivolous expense, but these shoes are made from one piece of rubber (vs. the soles being attached to the rest of the boot) so they really keep the water and snow out.  After going through more than one pair of cheap boots in the past, I determined this was a good investment.
3. I did something crazy on Saturday.  On Friday night I found out a bar would be showing the USA/Russia Olympics hockey game with a $25 open bar...at 7:30 AM when the game was airing live.  Word spread and the bar was packed with stars and stripes.  People were excited from the beginning but really got into it when the game got exciting in overtime.  Team USA beat Russia in their politically strained home country and it felt like we were witnessing history.