Gifting our children with roots AND wings

My youngest daughter left today for a Summer semester of Study Abroad in France. This is the first time she has ever traveled so far alone, without a family member, and I am equal parts proud, excited, envious, and despondent.  I know she will have a wonderful time, and that she deserves this adventure.  I also tell myself that this is what my husband and I have worked so hard to do in raising our children, to make them confident and self-assured enough to spread their wings and explore the world on their own, to discover things through their own eyes, unfiltered by ours.  I want her to see and experience other cultures and customs, and to cultivate the strength and inner composure that comes from venturing off alone in unfamiliar territory. 

Letting go is not easy, and knowing that it's absolutely the right thing to do does not make it any less terrifying.

Whoever said this parenting thing gets easier totally lied.

Meet Mr. Snakey

I never go barefoot outside, but my neighbor's dog got loose and decided to run around in my backyard, so I ventured out just this once without shoes or socks on.  I managed to wrangle Miss Daisy and get her back home safe and sound, but as I headed back inside, I came awfully close to stepping on THIS little guy.  Good thing we both have fast reflexes: I stopped in the nick of time, and he jumped out of the way onto some nearby rock. Crisis averted.  We have so many different types of wildlife outside in the yard, and I love the variety that we get to see each day.

From a safe and respectful distance, that is.

Aquagrill in NYC

We had a great time tonight, enjoying dinner with good friends who were in NYC for a visit.  The last few times they've been in town, we always end up at Aquagrill at 210 Spring Street for dinner, and it never disappoints.  We arrived a bit early and I had a cocktail that was crazy-good: a jalapeño quencher that was crisp and refreshing, with a nice hot pepper kick at the end.

The oysters were phenomenal, as usual, as was the service.  If you ever find yourself in SoHo, looking for a terrific restaurant, check our Aquagrillhttps://www.aquagrill.com/.