Planning a Sundate

Columbia and I use to plan surprise outings for each other, calling them a Sundate or Saturdate depending on the day. These were not typically something elaborate, but a stroll to a place of significance for the 2 of us, an undiscovered (by us) local haunt or a free event going on in our neighborhood. It was a plan to show our affection for the other, making a ho-hum weekend fun and exciting with the uncertainty of the surprise ahead.

We still try to plan these on occasion, it just takes a bit more thought with Pumpkin. One of my favorite resources now is the blog Manhattan Street Project. The subtitle is "I walk the streets. All of them." Isn't that awesome?!? Mary Sargent, the genius behind the site, posts at least one picture from each walk and has labeled them beautifully so that you can search posts by street number/name and neighborhood. Because of the Manhattan Street Project, Columbia and I have found some great sites in a walkable distance like Joan of Arc Island.

Now if only I had been so clever as to think of that idea first. Then again, I'm not sure I'm up to walking every street in Manhattan. I'll keep relying on Mary to take me there in photographs, and help me plan our next Sundate.

Happy Blog-iversary Free From Broke!

Today is Free From Broke's one year Blog-iversary! We love 'Broke, and it's not just because

• he lives in NYC!
  
• his wife is a teacher
  
• ... for the New York City public schools
  
• ... and is taking the year off to be home with the kids
  
• when you subscribe to his blog you get a secret message (How cool is that?!?)
  

But also because Free From Broke provides awesome financial insight and advice.

To celebrate 'Broke is having a contest and giving away amazon gift cards. See how you might get some of that action.

Posted picture used under the creative commons license from Flickr user emma. c.