38. Make a Newlywed Map.

I stumbled across this project a few weeks ago in my search for some DIY wedding ideas for our wedding next year. (yay!)  If you have never heard of a newlywed map - the idea is pretty basic.  Basically, it's a map mounted on foam board with tacks indicating the places you and your partner have traveled together.  Neat, right?

J and I chose to frame ours after completing it.  I used several Michael's coupons so this project only ended up costing us a little over $40.  Which is pretty good considering the map was ordered online.  (P.S. - National Geographic has a great selection of maps for this project.)

The materials!

After carefully applying spray adhesive and rolling the map over top, we used a rolling pin to help smooth out the edges.

When the glue was dry, we placed the tacks and then hung it right above over TV in the living room.  I really love maps as decorations. 

Below is a closer look of the map and the places J and I have traveled together.

All the islands from our January 2010 cruise!

Now we just need to work on getting some tacks on other continents! :)

15. Go to the NYC Transit Museum.

A few months ago, J and I took a weekend trip to Brooklyn to go to the NYC Transit Museum.

This might not be everyone's cup of tea - but for some reason - I am fascinated by the subways here in NYC.  My first few weeks of work - I would come home and tell J about all the crazy things that happened on the subway - to which he usually replied, "uh-huh, yep, seen that too."  But seriously where can you find ballet performances, a one-person band (complete with CDs for $1), and a man who would rival some gymnasts for greatest-back-flips-in-a-moving-car all in one place?

But what really made me interested in the subway was when I was stuck in it.  Literally.  One hot summer workday evening - I was coming home from work - only to find myself stuck somewhere between 42nd St. and hell on the E train.  The signals and tracks were down as an electrical problem promptly turned off all power in the train.  So let's re-cap - no light. no air. no announcements. It was bad.  So bad - that the train had to limp itself to the closest station - where its passengers had to walk through the tunnels to get onto the station platform.  It was in walking through the old rail tunnels that I had two thoughts:

1.  Thank god I had worn sneakers that day instead of flip-flops.  You do not want to know what is discarded onto subway tracks. gross.
2.  The tunnels look really old and creepy. I must know more about them.

Thus, my quest for NYC subway knowledge was born.

The Transit Museum itself is awesome.  I highly recommend it to anyone living or visiting New York.  It is built inside a shut-down station and houses old rail cars, turnstiles, old bus interiors, and various transportation artifacts.

Oh and you can climb inside everything.  Perfect for us big kids.

Original ticket booth from the station.

J inside one of the original subway cars from the early 1900s.

One of the neatest parts of the station was this working command center.  The green lights still light up and indicate trains traveling along the rail lines.

My only wish is for the platforms to look like the above one everyday at 9 and 5!

13. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and get Grimaldi's Pizza.

On sunny Saturday morning, J and I set out in search of one thing: pizza. And not just any pizza my friends - but authentic, crispy, New Yorky Grimaldi's Pizza.

Grimaldi's first opened in New York in 1905. It is the fierce competitor of Lombardi's. Both establishments boast they there were the first pizzeria's in America and use coal-fired brick ovens. I have been to both and personally - I don't take sides - I just eat.

Mama and I at Lombardi's.

Grimaldi's is located in Brooklyn by South Ferry, just over the Brooklyn Bridge. While on our walk over the bridge we snapped some pictures.

Also, I know the snow makes these pictures look like I'm really cold - but it wasn't too bad.

Once over the bridge, we headed to get us some pizza and were faced with this:

Do you see that line friends? Now, I will remind you this was a Saturday, in February, at about 3:00 in the afternoon - well after lunch and before dinner.

After waiting about 45 minutes in the cold (J claimed his feet were frozen - we totally should have brought those HotHands instant handwarmers, but alas) our name was called and we entered.

The walls were lined with old pictures and memorabilia from the past. But let's get to the good part - the food.

We ordered a large pizza with ham and onions. When it came out - it looked like this. Dear lord it smelled good.

After inhaling the deliciousness - we took our first bites - the verdict: awesome.

We are two very happy campers! 

The crust is so thin and crispy, the sauce tangy and delicious, the cheese was so fresh and melty, and the best part: the fresh BASIL. Now, I love basil - but it never dawned on me to put fresh basil on pizza It was outstanding.

For dessert we ordered a cannoli to share. Side Note: if you ever eat here - he need to order this. It was perfect way to end our meal.

Overall - this was pizza perfection.

71. Make 80 New Recipes.

Today's yummy weekend meal came to me from the lovely Giada DeLaurentiis.  First off, let me just say that I totally covet her casual, beachside home, with its simple decoration and serene decorations.  But I watch her show for more than that reason friends - I love me some pasta and Giada always knows how to please.

I choose to make her Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil recipe..

One of the reasons I decided to make this dish was the use of Lemon Oil - basically lemon zest + olive oil + time to absorb.  It gave the oil such a fresh flavor and was something I never made before - flavored olive oil.

Overall - I would say this recipe was ok.  I felt it was a bit too lemon-y and didn't really care for the arugula. 

So it's safe to say, I won't be making this again - but without trying - I would have never learned of my love for flavored olive oil - which is a total success in my book.  :D