2019 was actually a pretty great year. Some highlights? I moved in a great new apartment, Nathan did The Tonight Show, I went to Niagara Falls with most of my family, I celebrated ten years with Nathan by going to Vermont, I spent Thanksgiving in the Bahamas with my parents, I went to New Orleans with Jenn, I went to Canada for the holidays, and there are so many great photos that I love (and I started using the free Google Photos so I never lose my photos again). As you may recall, I made some resolutions last year, so let’s see how they went.
Read at least one book per season.
For winter, I read Busy Philipps' This Will Only Hurt A Little, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and My Squirrel Days by Ellie Kemper. For spring, I read absolutely nothing. For summer, I read Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. And for autumn, I read Abbi Jacobson’s I Might Regret This and Lindy West’s The Witches Are Coming. So since I read six books all year, I’m counting that as a success since my goal was four.
Go to the gym or do some kind of physically strenuous activity at least ten times a month.
I crunched the numbers and let’s just say that I didn’t quite hit my target. This was the first year in a long time that I really just hated going to the gym and I’ve gotta change something about that because I used to love going to my old gym (they had a wicked pilates schedule, but unfortunately closed down). I miss pilates. I hate NYSC. I’ve got to make some changes this year.
Juice at least five times a month.
January: 11 times
February: 7 times
March: 8 times
April: 3 times
May: 1 time
June: None
July: 2 times
August: 2 times
September: 9 times
October: 2 times
November: 1 time
December: None
Yikes. I mean… I started off strong and then fully fell off the wagon. Will try harder in 2020.
Take Baby Dog on an adventure at least twice a season.
I only managed to take her on only one outing per season. I can do better. I must do better.
Properly go on a date with Nathan at least once a month.
I just looked over the entire yearly schedule that I keep and holy shit, we completed this. The only months we didn’t do were October and December which were arguably the busiest ones when I look back at the calendar. This is great! Some of the dates included: dinners, drinks, movies, museums and a Raptors game.
Go on an alone trip.
I really, really wanted to do this one but it didn’t pan out because of other trips that were taken. I will do this one day!
Clean makeup brushes on the first of each month.
There were only four months that I didn’t do this one! That’s a fucking miracle! And when compared with my numerous zero-times-a-year statistic, I’m counting this one as a raging success.
Try at least one new restaurant each month.
January: Emily (love this place, such great pizza, the burger is good but wildly overpriced), Xi’an Famous Foods (really good, one entree is enough for two people for sure), The Dutch (which has one of the best steak tartares in this whole damn city), Tavern On The Green (it was very okay but the service was great) and Dough (too dough-y! Ugh!)
February: Ten Bells (the food was average, the service was surprisingly good since the place is so crowded), Charlie Palmer Steak (nothing great, needn’t go again), The Huntress (great wings and I’m a wing-hater), Scarr’s (too inconsistent, won’t return), Empellon Al Pastor (too expensive for Avenue A, not really worth it), Mama’s TOO! (as good as they say) and Sardi’s (I ordered badly, which is my fault, but the service was impeccable)
March: Manhatta (fantastic for lunch, phenomenal view), Lilia (for my birthday, great pasta, though mafaldini is way too al dente), Pulqueria (pretty good!), Lions & Tigers & Squares Detroit Pizza (just a party, so so good), Raclette (nothing special, won’t return), Al Di La (again, nothing to write home about) and Daily Provisions (big fan, but hate the no-cash aspect)
April: Cactus Club in Etobicoke (fucking in love with the short rib pappardelle)
May: Cronuts at Dominique Ansel Bakery (good but way too sugary) (and yes, I’m six years late to this trend, SUE ME) and La Contenta (disappointing)
June: The Astorian (insanely good poutine - just shockingly good), Chama Mama (decent but there’s no reason to ever go again) and Whit’s End (good but I wish the burger was larger)
July: Misi (it was good, but it’s in Brooklyn so I’ll likely never go again), Pat LaFrieda’s Original Filet Mignon Steak Sandwich (really good for a stadium sandwich) and Village Yokocho (crazy good)
August: I was going to name this one dive-y place that my brother took me to for their calamari but it’s so aggressively average there’s no point in me listing it here, I hope you’re reading this, Robbie.
September: The Happiest Hour (super forgettable, you’d think that a place with this name would have cheapish food/drinks, THINK AGAIN) and Bar Sardine (hard pass)
October: Fish by José Andrés (one of the best meals I’ve ever had, the service was perfect), Drago’s (charbroiled oysters aren’t for everyone), Commander’s Palace (very lovely), Luke (great oyster happy hour), Mr. B’s Bistro (great service, great food), Brennan’s (the bananas foster is much too sweet but the performance of making it is fun?), Meril (decent), Delmonico (the service was so odd and not good and the food was equally unimpressive)
November: Mister Paradise (complete bullshit) and Joe & Pat’s (the service is laughably mean/bad, which is fine since the pizza is the most average slice in maybe the whole city? Staten Island can keep it)
December: Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake (weird, kind of fun, but ultimately nothing special)
Limit online shopping to once a month (exception being Christmas).
I think I was actually pretty great at doing this. It helped that I developed an intense hatred for Amazon specifically, so this really worked out.
Write for at least two hours per week & submit pieces to publications at least five times each month.
Now this? This makes me feel like shit. I’m going to make this resolution again and try my goddam best to keep it. No more excuses. I sporadically did this on and off all year but man… this is the year. I’m gonna do it this year.
2019 was really a great year. Thank you so much for continuing to read all of the thoughts that I post on here, it really does means more to me than you’ll ever know.