Hope in High Heels

10 Brooklyn with besties

I love seeing the City through other people's eyes. Especially when those people are the gorgeous M. and her equally gorgeous husband A. Back in Melbourne, we spent more nights than I can count with these two, drinking good wine, eating A's delicious food and laughing so hard our stomach muscles hurt the next morning. We flew back to Melbourne for their wedding mid last year, and they flew here to NYC to kick off their honeymoon...

... we spent a day in Brooklyn, wandering the streets, stopping for coffee and then for dessert, handbag shopping on our way to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, drinking cocktails in the evening and eating late into the night. They've moved on to Santorini now, but we've created some fun memories to get us through to the next time we see them.

From New York, with love xox

ps. fine... The "Love me" photo was in Soho... but we were walking home from the Brooklyn Bridge!

9 Two years

I feel like I've been in NYC forever and like I only arrived yesterday all at the same time. The City has a way of doing that to you - simultaneously making you feel like a seasoned New Yorker as you power walk down whatever street you're on, only to turn into a tourist as you stop and stare at the Flat Iron Building for about the 500th time. I feel like I could write a novel about what I love about The City, and how we're trying to take advantage of our time here - but better just to show you...

... our beloved West Village - it's all about charming cafes, beautiful buildings, lazy mornings at home, quirky doorways, Washington Square Park, spectacular sunrises and the distinctive shape of water tanks on every rooftop. I loved watching the leaves change in the fall/autumn and seeing the vibrant pops of colour on the street as I wait for blossoms to burst into flower this spring.

oh... New York. Don't these photos make your heart beat a little faster? The Chrysler building is the prettiest sky scraper around, the Flat Iron the most interesting, the Brooklyn Bridge is a marvel of engineering and the Empire State is the most iconic of them all - I love looking out at it from my West Village window - in case I ever forget, it's a reminder that I'm living in the most incredible city in the world.

... it was a year of wonderful celebrations - my gorgeous sister got engaged, we went to a beautiful wedding in New York, a best friend's wedding in Melbourne, birthdays in high places (like at the top of the Hancock Tower in Chicago), Independence Day on our rooftop, our first Christmas in the city and balmy summer nights as an excuse for (more) champagne.

... and travel. We saw some amazing places in (and out of) the US. I never get tired of seeing Manhattan from the plane, I'd like to move to San Fran, we explored Costa Rica, spent time in Chicago, visted Niagara Falls, New Orlearns (and here), Toronto and went riding in California.

... and lastly - the beaches. We saw some spectacular ones in the Bahamas, Cali, Perth, Gold Coast, Montauk and Miami to name a few.

In a word - amazing. Thank you for sharing our fun times with us, here and on Instagram @hopeinhighheels. It's been wonderful sharing your lives all over the world too!

From New York, with (lots of) love xox

12 Melbourne in the US...?

Being in San Francisco felt just like coming home. Clear blue skies and sunshine, smiling, friendly people, delicious coffee from the markets and walks along the Bay. It was like our Melbourne life, just on the other side of the world. The pace was a little slower, the lifestyle a little more relaxed than here in NYC…

… if we stay in the US for more than another two years, I can feel a move out West coming on. More space, more temperate weather and definitely more fabulous coffee!

From New York, with love xox

14 Napa Valley

Every time I remember our Napa Valley trip two weeks ago, I smile. The days were so sunny and warm we could relax by the pool. As the cool evening air descended, the hot tub would beckon, and we'd settle in with a glass of red wine and a contented sigh to watch the colors in the sky slowly deepen into dusk and then night.

I spent plenty of time warming my feet by the fire in our cottage, we lingered for a long time over delicious meals, laughed till we cried as we exchanged video messages with my sister and her fiancé and slowly wound down from a crazy start to the year.

I've missed my creative outlet here, and hope life settles into a somewhat slower rhythm for the next few months so I can start taking more photos and reliving my getaways with you.

From New York, with love xox

ps. Photos from early morning and evening around The Carneros Inn... days were spent relaxing, and being far too lazy to lift a camera!

13 Costa Rica

Where to start…? I loved the big skies, amazing sunsets, vibrantly colored birds, rolling green hills, clouds rising at night, humidity in the rainforest...

... Sleeping in the hammock on the verandah lulled by the sound of rain on the tin roof, the adrenaline of speeding along a cable suspended above treetops, pulling up from a gallop exhilarated and laughing, carefree and living entirely in the moment.

We fit a lot into our week in Costa Rica, and also spent a lot of time sleeping, reading and relaxing together, recharging for the year ahead. I think lovely husband C. may have an alternate career as a nature photographer… all the gorgeous photos of birds and butterflies are thanks to his patience and steady hands.

It was the perfect end to a busy year and an incredible part of the world to visit. Now that it's over, I'm quietly tapping my feet under my desk, itching to go exploring again while my mind is dreaming up a list of places for us to visit over the next few months.

From New York, with love xox

12 Learning to fly

2012 is the year I learned to let go. To trust myself a little more. To laugh louder. Love harder. Breathe deeper. Strive higher. Smile more. Go with my instinct. To take risks. Know someone would catch me if I stumbled. To live in the moment. Find joy in sadness. Calm in chaos. Grace under pressure. Have faith that things would work out. Accept what I couldn't control. Let people in. To believe in me.

I don't know what 2013 will bring… but I welcome it with open arms, head held high, a smile on my face, a spring in my step, a heart full of love and the courage to achieve whatever I set out to do, knowing I have the support of lovely husband C., my incredible family and wonderful friends.

Bring it.

From New York, with love xox

18 It's been a while

Does anyone else feel like they blinked in October and all of a sudden it was nearly the end of December? Honestly, I'm not sure quite how this year managed to fly by so quickly. It's been full of travel, laughter, fun and excitement, with a dose of very hard work thrown in for good measure. We head off to Costa Rica tomorrow for our holiday break, and I'm looking forward to exploring another country, perhaps a little bit of adventure and a looooot of relaxing.

In case I don't see you again beforehand, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of food, family time and love. Thank you for stopping by throughout the year - I've so enjoyed getting to know you and can't wait to see what the New Year will bring for us all.

From New York, with love xox