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forever in our hearts

September 12, 2015Ashley Healy

Everyone has a story they can recall immediately. On September 11th, 2001, at 8:46 in the morning, I was at my desk in my top floor room of my sorority chapter house, on my computer wishing my old friend Felicity a happy birthday. I had the TV on, but not the news, and a friend's mom IM'd me to tune in - one of the Twin Towers had been hit.

The hours that came after are a tearful blur. At Syracuse, a great population of the student body is from New York, New Jersey, and it was only a matter of time before friends and classmates starting learning of the devastating news of their parents, uncles, family friends. It was horrific.

I went to class, as they instructed, and somewhat insisted that we do. But halfway in, when a classmate got a phone call that her father had been on the plane, I left.

I went to the supermarket. I filled my jeep with bottles of water, and I drove as far as they would let me towards Manhattan, eventually delivering the water to a firehouse of fighters who were about to make the trip down. I don't even remember what fire house. And I pray that all those that went, made it home safely that day, that week, those months.

There's not a day that goes by that I take for granted that I live in NYC. And also not a day that goes by when I don't think of what this city went through 14 years ago. There are plaques at every fire house of those souls lost. There are patches pinned in every pub from fire and police brigades that came to help from out of state. Photo memorials of friends, sons, daughters next to cash registers in diners. We have rebuilt, but we're still sore, bruised and emotional. And the truth is, is could have been any one of us. And we miss and pray for those that we lost. Because they are us. We are them.

There are stories of people who missed their trains. Forgot their laptops. Had the day off. I cannot imagine.

I now work on the 25th floor of an iconic building near Times Square: The Time and Life Building. I sometimes catch myself flinching when I see a low plane, or cringing when I hear sirens. I'm not a nervous person, but the truth is, I'm 34 years old and I've chosen to live and work in city that is a target. I'm older than a lot of the firefighters who lost their lives, and business people who perished at the World Trade Center. It is a constant reminder to me to do good, be kind, work hard, and make it a great day.

I pray for the families and friends of all those lost. And remember the bravery, courage and humanity shown that day, and in the days that followed. You are forever in our hearts. And that is how you will continue to live and inspire us.

#healyholiday: santa margherita ligure

September 05, 2015Ashley Healy

I've always dreamed of going to the Italian coast. Colorful buildings built right into the mountain and boats dotting a sparkling harbor, while people play and swim and the sun never wants to go to bed. I've seen calendars and posters, but the real thing was better than I ever could have imagined!

Santa Margherita Highlights: 1 Sept - 2 Sept

- Seaside dining

- Warmest water I've ever felt

- Old Italian grandmas in bikinis

- GELATO!!

- "American" Bars

- Yachts

- Fishing boats

- Seafood

- Mountain fog

- Sailors and crew

- Fresh delicious air

#healyholiday: montepulciano

September 05, 2015Ashley Healy

Just an hour and a half south of Lucca is the Tuscan wine country around Montepulciano. We were hungry for the landscape of cyprus trees, sunflowers and villas, as well as more great Tuscan cooking along the vineyard tours we'd planned with a private driver!

Montepulciano Highlights: 30 Aug - 1 Sept

- Stunning landscapes

- Huge old red and yellow villas

- Vineyards over every hill

- The smell of manure

- Crashing a vespa (oops!)

- Exploring the old town of PIenza

- The leatherworker's shop

- CHEESE shops!

- Dinner in the garden at La Grotta

- Our own private driver for a day of vineyard tours

- Vineyards: Tenuta Valdipiatta, Politziano, Avignonesi

- Borgo TreRose

- Exploring Montepulciano at sunset

#healyholiday: barga

September 05, 2015Ashley Healy

We drove about 3 hours to Barga, a small town on the north part of Tuscany, where small, delicious, organic vineyards prevail, nestled in the peaks of mountains.

Barga Highlights: 27 Aug - 30 Aug

- Renaissance Resort & Spa

- Lazy days by the pool

- Family-style fish grill on the terrace for all the guests

- Tour and lunch at Podere Concori, and meeting Pietro!

- Night out in Barga with our new Danish friends

#healyholiday: milano

September 05, 2015Ashley Healy

We started looking into an anniversary trip to Europe in January, exploring destinations throughout Belgium, Scotland, Greece, Italy, Portugal. When we found amazing prices on roundtrip tickets to Milan, we were on our way to an Italian holiday!

Milan Highlights: 26 Aug - 27 Aug

- Beautiful shops

- Gorgeous warm weather

- No tourists (high season is over!)

- Cafe culture

- Pedestrian only roads in the old quarter

- PIZZA!!!

- Suite upgrade at Boscolo Milano Autograph Hotel

- Teatro alla Scala to see La Boheme

- Taking all the waiter's recommendations at a sidewalk cafe (Il Cestino) for dinner - best meal we've ever had!

one pink line

September 03, 2015Ashley Healy

I can picture myself driving my child to soccer practice someday. I'm a mix of excited and anxious on the sidelines, recalling winning goals but also several hospital visits during my days on the field. I remember how glad my mom was to have a "night off" from Julie and me. I missed her when she left, but we had the best babysitters, and knew we were in for a fun night. And by the time she got home, it was Mom who was seriously missing us and couldn't wait for hugs and kisses, even if we were asleep. I look forward to teaching a little one how to ride a bike, and even cringing when they fall. And the mix of pride and agony upon dropping them off at college. As I get older and closer with my mom, I realize both the sunshine and the pain I've brought to her life. And the hardships of being a parent, I hear, are greatly outnumbered by the joys. I just never thought the pain would start as early as month after month of negative pregnancy tests.

I've made extra efforts to be in great shape for pregnancy. Kicked up my already healthy eating habits and have been taking pre-natal vitamins for 2 years, thanks to Heidi Murkoff, who shared the added benefits of strong hair and nails! I've drastically cut back on alcohol, drinking water with lime to appear as if vodka soda is my new thing - people ask a LOT of questions when I don't drink, and I see no harm in fooling them a bit, right? I'm even cutting back on the amount of heavy exercise after one late period that I was SURE was "it" decided to show up after a much needed intense SoulCycle Survivor class.

I usually handle stress very well. But the repeat offense of one pink line has been a roller coaster of emotions and lies that recently brought me to a place I've never been before. Being "happy" for other people who announce their pregnancies. Feeling anger at those friends that choose to end them. Canceling plans with friends because I'm no longer late and the last thing I want to do is socialize that night, and see-sawing between obsessing over every blog, podcast and piece of health information under the sun and ignoring all the noise and just breathing and having fun "i-don't-care-if-it-results-in-a-baby" sex. But seriously, what's with EVERY woman being pregnant on EVERY subway, and how I just HAPPEN to turn on the TV to see every First Response ad? Add wallet injury to insult when I then spend another $20 on three more tests from Amazon Prime the next week.

We just got back from our anniversary trip to Italy - an amazing, relaxing adventure. I hope I can soon say that we have the very best souvenir ever in the form of one happy, healthy, well-adjusted little friend in 9 months. But for now, I'm calling on positive thoughts, patience and peace. I believe there's something bigger that knows what's best for us, and all will unfold as it is meant to.

moving is a four letter word

August 29, 2015Ashley Healy

And that word is hell. We purged, bubbled, boxed, made trips to the new place with breakables, purged more, cleaned, cleaned again. And after numerous trips and drop-offs at goodwill, it was finally time for the movers to take over and finish the task. Or so we thought. We were still left with the stuff that doesn't neatly fit in boxes or that we weren't sure we'd have a place for. Our new place, essentially a 1-bed, 1-bath in 1000 sq feet is a big change from our 3-bed, 3-bath, and we want it to feel like a hotel, not a museum. So after some tough long nights that wore us out, and tough love sorting through belongings that had been acquired along the way and held sentimental value but didn't make sense in our life, or items that didn't get moved along quickly enough when they were unwanted, our hell came to end. After a long summer of apartment hunting, packing, lifting, and more trips up the 4 flights of stairs at Prospect Place than I can even count, we're enjoying a new beginning in a gorgeous, open loft with no nooks for hiding anything that's not important to us on a day to day basis. I may be the only girl who was ever glad to downsize in this city, but less truly is more. And from now on, I'm going to seriously reconsider each and every purchase I make. if I don't love something enough to literally carry it by hand across Brooklyn and know exactly how and where I'm going to use it, it just can't come home with me. My apologies in advance to the lovely employees at my local TJMaxx for the decreased revenue numbers. It's not you, it's me.

the first day of the rest of my life

July 16, 2015Ashley Healy

it's not everyday that people actually FEEL their life changing. unless you're me. then you get used to it. a thousand stories for another time, but most recently: in 10 months, i've held positions at 3 different, awesome, innovative and respected companies, which in NYC, means changing your commute, your routine, your pharmacy, and *gasp* your usual lunch spot! and just yesterday, dan and i were over the moon to start our transition to our new apartment (the 4th in 6 years), which truly feels like a fresh start, and the first day of the rest of our lives - but more specifically, the lives we want to be living.

our apartment in prospect heights is gorgeous. i mean, stunning to the tune of $1.6MM if one was to buy: top floor of a 4 story brownstone, duplex, skylights, vaulted ceilings, a condo that has been very well taken care of by our wonderful landlords. but we never really felt at home in the 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 1400 square foot "house" we lived in for 2 years. maybe it was the just-too-long walk to the subway. or the fact that our street had drug addicts, shootings and some wildly obnoxious, rude teenagers. it wasn't all bad, though: i'll miss our favorite restaurants and bars (still over a 10 min walk away from our front door), our jogging route to Prospect Park, our walks through Park Slope to the shops and puppy park. but stepping into Vinegar Hill yesterday, a cobble-stoned nook of the Brooklyn Navy Yard much closer to our daily lives, the water, parks and restaurants, we felt as if we crossed some imaginary, welcomed line into grown-up-ville. and that felt really good, and as if we've just been counting down (okay, we have) to get to this new apartment, this new life. as we spent the day unpacking, the wise words of Taylor Swift kept popping into my head: "welcome to New York, it's been waiting for you."

Prospect Heights: