This goes out to someone very dear to me–and most importantly, thank you for being a friend.

To tide you over: a beautiful rendition of “Dido’s Lament” by Jessye Norman. Enjoy!

The beautiful saal from behind

On a whim, Dave and I decided to visit Lancaster, PA this past weekend.  We usually go away overnight during the first weekend of January, and we were happy to continue the tradition this year!

We visited the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre to catch an amazing production of Nunsense the first night.  The experience was so incredible–and the show was absolutely of Broadway quality.  It was amazing, and I would highly recommend a visit to anyone looking for an overnight retreat in the eastern half of the US!

The next day, we stopped by Denny’s for breakfast (our first visit–not bad, really, but definitely an artery clogging establishment).  Then, we perused the Tanger Outlets in Lancaster and found a ton of great buys.  It was excellent!  Before heading home, we took a scenic drive through the hills of Amish Country and soaked in the beauty of the landscape.  It was breathtaking.  I think everyone should try it once in their life.

On our way home, we stopped at a fantastic place–the Ephrata Cloister.  (This weekend certainly did seem to have a nun theme, right?)  Though the cloister was neither Catholic nor restricted to women, it was a marvel to behold.  Founded in the early 1700s by Conrad Beissel, the cloister was a center of strict religious observation and celibacy through the 1800s.

The buildings on the grounds are all in their original locations, though they have been restored and updated for modern times.  You can stroll through the cemetery and stop by the creek where baptisms were performed.  In the old saal (pronounced: “zh-all”), you can practically hear the cloister’s choir singing.  Fortunately, a group still sings the elegant music of the cloister and you can even purchase a CD of selections entitled, “Anticipating Paradise.”  It’s worth the $15 you’ll pay at the museum; I’ve been listening to it in my car nonstop ever since!

I’ll share some photos of our visit later today!

Have you visited the Lancaster area?  What did you think of the Ephrata Cloister?  Share with a comment below!

The sun sets on 2009...

Today, as I was driving home from my wonderful new job, I had a great idea for my last blog post of 2009.  Rather than writing a long-winded trip down memory lane, I wanted to post the single most profound event in my life from each month of 2009.  It was–by far–the most up and down year of my life, and I don’t want to forget any of it as the decades roll by.  So without further ado, here is 2009 a la Alex.

JANUARY: Embarking on the final semester of college during one of the economy’s biggest downturns–fun!

FEBRUARY: “Mawwiage.  Mawwiage is what bwings us togetha twoday.” 

MARCH: Busiest month of college projects–from long papers to major presentations, it was time to tackle them (successfully, I might add!).

APRIL: We became uncles to one of the cutest little babies in the world, Mr. Luke Angelo!

MAY: RIP Grandma–thanks for the lemon bars–they’ll never taste quite as good again.

JUNE: Au revoir, Hamilton; Metuchen, here we come!

JULY: A promotion that wasn’t entirely as it seemed…

AUGUST: RIP Grandpa–and thanks for the subtle message in October: you were right, it was “time to make the donuts”!

SEPTEMBER: Picking battles and winning a few.

OCTOBER: Celebrating our love surrounded by family and friends!

NOVEMBER: Diving in and following dreams without holding back; opening the book to write the next chapter.

DECEMBER: A new job, a new outlook and new horizons–might 2010 bring a house (or other great surprises)?

Looking back on it, how was 2009 for you?  Tell me about it with a comment below!

The rows of trees at Pochuck Valley Farms

Dave and I got our second live Christmas tree this year, and it is beautiful!  We met up with my family at Pochuck Valley Farms in Glenwood, NJ this past weekend and chopped down two stunning trees.  One is in our living room in Metuchen, and the other is in my parents’ living room in Waldwick.  I don’t think we could have picked a better day to go tree hunting–it was blustery, but otherwise perfect!

We started by walking the rows of trees looking for the right one.  Dave and I found our tree right in the first row–and it was just what we were looking for.  After my dad chopped down the first tree, we got right to work on ours.  It only took five minutes to fell the tree and five minutes more to load it up, but it was still such fun visiting the farm and getting a tree at this place we so love.

The ride home was filled with quite a few white knuckles.  Above my parents’ van, their tree came loose and started shimmying from side to side.  It took two separate pull-overs to fasten it, and about five miles away from the house, it did a major jump on the highway.  With my mom grasping onto it through the sunroof, we all made it home in one piece (miraculously!).

It was fun trimming the tree here, and I hope you’ll enjoy the photos.  May they bring you some holiday cheer!

Our snowmen ornament is cute!

Today, David and I went to Pochuck Valley Farms in Glenwood, NJ to pick out and cut down a Christmas tree for our condo.  We found a great tree–and it was a lot of fun!

Picking out a Christmas tree and decorating it together is a great way to enjoy a weekend afternoon together.  It involves coordination, teamwork, and style.  However, if one guy is pulling the tree by the trunk while another clutches on to the limbs, the results will be disastrous–think Charlie Brown’s tree with a heaping side of relationship woes.  It’s one of the most significant times when communication plays a critical role during the holiday season.

When you arrive at your local tree farm, you’ll need to select the tree together.  Find one that you both adore, and measure it to make sure it fits in your living space.  (A tip–our ceilings are a standard height, and a 7-foot tree just barely fits.) Then, one man needs to hold the top of the tree to keep it from falling over while the other saws away near the base of the trunk.  Once the trunk is almost completely severed, the guy holding the top of the tree should gently lower it down.

Carry it back to your car together.  You’ll need to tie it on the roof by coordinating knots and twine throws.  It’s fun, but it also requires talking to one another and working in sync with each other.  Make sure the tree is secured tightly to the vehicle before you head home together.

When you arrive at home, install your stand together.  Insert the bolts and tighten them slightly.  Have one person hold the tree while the other cuts the very bottom off, loosening up the sap plug that may have formed during the drive home.  With one man guiding the trunk into the base, the other should lift and tilt it into the appropriate position.  Tighten the bolts fully before filling the basin with water and cleaning up stray needles.

Begin decorating the tree by wrapping it with lights.  David and I prefer classy white lights, but you can get a lovely rainbow effect if you so desire.  Next, add the topper (we use an angel) followed by garland and tinsel.  Finish up by strategically placing ornaments and candy canes to make it your own.  Buy an ornament that commemorates your relationship–like our rainbow snowmen–and place it front and center.  Put a skirt on the tree and light it while you sip mugs of hot cocoa together.

Have you and your partner purchased a Christmas tree together yet?  How do you plan on decorating your home this holiday season?  Share your thoughts with a comment below or by e-mailing relationships@alexseise.com!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you (and your families) a very happy Thanksgiving!  David and I are celebrating with his family in Massachusetts, and we’re having a great time.  We drove up with his mom and sister last night–it was a great trip–and we’re going to be meeting up with the rest of the crew soon.  It is going to be a really excellent holiday, and we can’t wait to dig into some delicious turkey, stuffing, and other amazing dishes at his uncle and aunt’s house.  But the best part–being surrounded by such a fun, energetic group!

Here’s to hoping that my side of the family enjoyed their time at the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City–it sounded like a blast, and I can’t wait to see the pictures and video!

Have a very, very happy holiday with your family and loved ones, and don’t eat too much!
-Alex (and David, too!)

PS: If  you haven’t read it already…  Be sure to check out my post on Examiner.com about taking your partner to Thanksgiving for the first time.  It’s not too late to prepare for dinner celebrations later today!  And if you have any suggestions for future celebrations–either Christmas, New Years, or any holiday, send them to me at relationships@alexseise.com!

The beach was absolutely stunning, and it was the perfect day for a nice, long stroll along the sand. Since Tropical Storm Ida barreled through just a few days before, there were a lot of murky puddles and piles of shells all along the waterfront. We could even see her remnants off in the distance–quite a sight to behold!

We wound up walking from the southern-most beach on Sandy Hook all the way to the tip, which took just over 1.5 hours. Unfortunately for us, the sun began setting when we reached the tip so we had to hurriedly rush back to the car along the access road. Of course, it was well worth the trouble of scuttling along a dark path when we caught these sweeping views of the sunset. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we did!

Have you ever visited the beach in autumn? Tell me about it with a comment below!

I didn’t take any “Before” pictures as the basement was pretty horrendous, but I’m really pleased with the outcome.  I worked on several projects there this afternoon and felt really satisfied.  Since my budget was really low (under $100, and as close to $0 as possible), I couldn’t do major renovations.  I think my little bits of TLC worked wonders, though.

What do you think of my new office area?  Any more decoration suggestions?  I’d love to hear from you!