Monday morning at Logan airport, we stepped off a bumpy red eye flight into the blistering cold. We'd had a great weekend in LA-- one that went by entirely too quickly and almost without incident.

It was a while ago now, but Matt and I spent New Years in Palm Springs with some close friends. I've wanted to start beefing up my travel stories around here, and I love some of these photos too much not to share.

We stayed at the gorgeously colorful Saguaro hotel, and spent the mornings in the hot tub after snacking on a short rib skillet at the hotel's El Jefe bar. The Saguaro is dog-friendly, too (!!) so we brought the boys along and snuck in a quick hike at Murray Canyon on New Year's Eve before settling in at El Jefe with our friends for tequila and noisemakers.

Before leaving town, we headed right down the street to the amazing Moorten Botanical Garden to check out some cacti and other gorgeous plants. We came home well rested and fed, with a few new little succulents to add to our collection.

While Palm Springs is currently full of Coachella chaos, I loved our quiet holiday here so much. The mountain views, the bright colors, and friendly faces of Palm Springs made for a great little getaway we were in desperate need of. It was a hell of a year, and I was thrilled to bid it adieu on a balcony in the desert with my guy.

It's been forever since I've posted just a set of photos. It's been a nice few months out here in sunny LA. We had a few visitors a couple weekends ago, and I've taken to frequenting Runyon Canyon with the dogs on a regular basis. Also, I met some cute puppies in my travels including a miniature siberian husky. Swoon.

I've gotten better about bringing out my camera on what seems like a boring afternoon. Some moments are just worth capturing.

Speaking of which, I upgraded to a Canon 70D this past Christmas, and the shutter bug is strong with this one. I can't stop using it, editing photos, and learning new tricks. Here's hoping my skills keep improving so I can share prettier and prettier photos here. Also, to all my northeast loves, I am sending you all the sunshine I got.

Almost exactly a year old, at this point, but this trip is still fresh in my mind. We drove from Boston to LA in just under a week, and now that we're fully settled into left coast life, I'm oddly nostalgic for this week last year. The open road and our optimism was boundless, and it's nearly palpable in these photos.

Hello from the road.
Today, we're on our way to Omaha.
Yeah. I know. Not the most glamorous road trip destination, but not the worst by any stretch of the imagination. We are leaving Chicago well rested and full of love, after quite the "hello/goodbye" type-party at Matt's mom's yesterday.

So, needless to say, I probably won't have recipes for a while. And though this may not mean much to many of you, I figured it'd be nice to share some of our final moments in the city that has been Home, to me, for the past ten years. Between the freezing temperatures, the packing of all our worldly possessions, and the well-attended farewell party we had last weekend-- it was the absolute definition of bittersweet to say goodbye to our friends, our apartment, my parents' house, our favorite stomping grounds... everything.

I don't know what this adventure will bring. I don't know what California will hold.
All I know is I will miss these moments, these faces, these places, that lobster roll (obv), and everything else my fair city has offered me over the past decade.

Oh, Boston. I love you so. But I've got to go.

New Year's Day was a good one.

We dragged ourselves out of bed around noon and ventured down the street to our friend's house-- he's kind of a big deal chef in Boston-- on the promise of homemade sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits.

He and his wife put together an amazing last minute brunch that featured all kinds of delicious treats, a few hours of Cards Against Humanity, and mimosas until the sun set.

We capped the night at our local dive before heading home.

Happy New Year to all.
 

This was an epic year.
One that saw me compose seventy blog posts (70!) about everything from food, to travel, to love. (The dogs wrote a few, too, I suppose. So let's give credit where it's due.)

I started the year off by promising to blog better-- aiming to share more moments, better photos, good recipes. I think, as I close this year out-- I am finally getting there. With a massive rebrand  of this here space in progress, and better food posts than I've ever had-- I think it's safe to say I am holding up my end of the "blog better" bargain.

I hereby promise, so it's in writing, to do even more this coming year. But for now--

Here's ten moments that will forever leave me nostalgic for 2013.


February
Day after winter storm Nemo pounded Boston with over two feet of snow. We ventured out to see how our neighborhood had weathered the storm. The local dive let everyone know their status via snow message.



March
Ozzie turned two, and not that I am one to make a big deal out of my dog's birthday, but I'd be remiss to recap this year without a nod to my first-born-puppy-child. Words cannot describe the love and happiness this little white guy has brought us. He's also an excellent blogger.



April
We went to Chicago for Matt's 30th birthday. His twin brother's wife threw them a hell of a party at a dive bar. Matt and I danced like fools and drank like drunks. It was the weekend before Marathon Monday...and it puts a pang in my heart thinking about that trip. 



May
Found myself on a business trip to Los Angeles, and suddenly weighing the pros and cons of residing there permanently. I was reminded just how much I love California. More importantly--I started to picture myself living there. And I liked it.

I hope everyone had a really lovely Christmas yesterday. I know I did.
This year, and this holiday season in particular, is kind of bittersweet.
You see, while I've alluded to it quite a bit on here-- I have yet to officially state that this is my last year in Massachusetts.
At some point, early next year, Matty and I are moving to California.
And while it positively kills me to leave my family and dearest friends, I know I have to do it. I know I want to do it. I've been within this all-too-comfortable Boston box for so long, it almost slipped my mind that I could go somewhere else.
But the opportunity has presented itself, and I know it's a decision that would haunt me later on, had I let it float on by. So, there's a lot of planning to be done. But in the meantime--it's Christmas. And it's nice to be present.
This year was pretty tough on my family. I lost an uncle, and a grandmother, in a few short months, and I didn't really address it.

But a week before Christmas, like a little holiday miracle, my cousin gave birth to a baby. A beautiful baby that arrived so perfectly and looked so content that you had to just know my uncle had a part in this whole thing. He would have been so happy to hold his first grandchild. We all took turns for him on Christmas Eve.

Apparently, I've brought up my friend Court a few times around here.

I guess after ten-plus years of friendship, it's pretty difficult to maintain a quasi-online-diary without mentioning her a couple hundred times. And since I feel like this is always a good place to store some photos and memories of mine, maybe even more so than whatever food I just shoved down my gullet, here are a few of my favorite shots from my best friend's recent baby shower.

Yesterday, I shared some of my favorite photos from the past few months in our backyard. Today, I wanted to put out some more glorious shots of summer. These are from all over the place-- SOWA open market, some gigs of Matty's, dinner parties at friends.

It was a hell of a final summer in Boston.

One of my hidden talents seems to be finding rental properties in the greater Boston area.

Back in August, our friend Justin texted Matty in need of musical entertainment for the bar he is tending these days.

Justin's my buddy from college--and has always been a bit of rambling man, if you will. In the winters, he spends every day doing what he loves--skiing, and teaching others to ski, on Loon Mountain. However, when the season ended and he remained in the state of New Hampshire, he knew he had to find something to do for the warmer months.

So, for whatever reason-- I'm a Massachusetts snob, who knows-- when I heard "bar in New Hampshire" I pictured spending my Saturday pounding Coors Light in a dimly lit dive while Matt played guitar. And that didn't sound horrible, of course. But it didn't sound great, either. Couple that with the absolutely staggering hangover I awoke with Saturday morning after a Red Sox game on an empty stomach the night before-- and I wasn't exactly raring to go to this gig.

So, I know we're going about two hours away, but I don't know it's Laconia when we are getting ready-- so I throw a toothbrush and some other shit in a bag, try not to puke, and I get in the passenger side of my car, all but bawling with how I am feeling. Matt asks if I want to just stay home a few times, but I know I would be livid with myself if I did-- it's his first out-of-state gig and I haven't seen Justin in months. So I tough it out, slap an address in my GPS, put my feet on the dashboard and sip ginger ale the whole way up 93 North.

When we're about fifteen minutes out, my best bud Courtney texts me and mentions she is super jealous we are going to see "Justin and Corey!"
"Corey is here, too?" I reply, unaware that our other buddy from Boston has decided to flee north and bartend alongside Justin.
"Yep!" Courtney replies, and then, "hope you remembered sun screen."
At this point, I call her, because I have no idea what she means.
"Did you bring a bathing suit?" she asks immediately.
"What?" I reply. My fucking head hurts.
"Did Justin tell you anything about where you are going?" she asks.
"Clearly, no." I say, still trying not to puke.
"You're going to a fucking yacht club," she says, laughing. "So."
"Ohhhh," I reply. "Welp. Better shake off this hangover."
So we make it to our destination, Akwa, I see the absolutely beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee is right before us, and my jaw drops.
And then I puke next to my car.
But then it gets so much better.

So, Matt and I haven't exactly been the quickest to get on the wedding-planning train.
That's probably because we're actually in the process of making some big decisions about where we will be living in the next year (more on that to come, promise)--and planning a wedding on top of that is not exactly feasible.

But before all of this, we were pretty hellbent on getting wed by the Atlantic ocean. We looked at one place only-- the gorgeous Thompson Island right off the coast of Boston-- and that was it for me.

For one week, each and every summer, Matt's somewhat extended family gathers on Lake Michigan, a few hours north but a world away from their usual lives in Chicago.

I have been fortunately able to attend these vacations for the past five summers. It is always an amazing time -- some years are more monumental than others, but I always return happy and refreshed, with an overwhelming sense of love. And a need to eat a salad and stay away from Bud Light for a while.

I have poured over thousands of pictures I took during that week in July, and have put together some carefully edited photos that capture just what an amazing time it was.

I couldn't be more thankful for this extended family I am marrying into, and the traditions they hold so dear. Here's a peak at the best week of the year.

It was a scorcher this past weekend, resulting in lots of (kiddie) pool time, frosty beverages, cranking air conditioners and hot, hot dogs.
A little late-night, backyard skinny dipping never hurts, either.

A little while back, I headed out west to LA for work. Due to some recent developments on the career front, I now find myself slinging ads for my beloved company, and I needed to get up to speed on all things digital advertising, especially in the West.

PSA: If you're inclined to find out more about my professional life, you can check out the newly developed alliebeau.com for my résumé and some other pertinent details. Yes, I can build you a website. No, it won't be quick, nor free. Yes, my skills are abundant. No, I won't leave MocoSpace and come work for you.

There were many handshakes, and meetings, and Keynote presentations. And, I assure you, plenty of business was done.

But, there were moments when I was able to sneak away from my MacBook, and my room at the Standard Downtown, and I remembered just why I love Los Angeles so very much.

It's been a while.
I'd love to say I've been gone doing awesome, fun, exciting things this whole time.
And, partially, that is totally true. There's been a business trip to Los Angeles and a new puppy, after all.
But, the main reason I haven't been putting these fingertips to the keyboard lately isn't any of those things. It's a much more crushing writer's block. One that stems from just... overwhelming sadness.

And while someday, I will probably have to write out just how much the death of my uncle has affected me, I am not ready just yet.

In the meantime, I will honor him by being present in every moment I have.
That, and hug my people. Call my parents. Squeeze the hands of my cousins.
It's really all that I can do.

I have never been happier to have taken up photography.
Reliving these moments in April, before the devastating reality that was marathon Monday, and prior to my knowledge of my uncle's sickness, was a humbling exercise. We headed out for a long weekend to celebrate Matt, his twin, and their older brother's birthday. The days included a stay at the Hard Rock downtown, some cupcakes and sight seeing, lots of niece and nephew time, and an epic birthday party put on by my soon to be sister-in-law.

This second city, these beautiful children, these moments of dancing and laughter...
I am so very thankful for them all.
So, enjoy. And see you soon.