Sunday Hiking Adventure

To close the long holiday weekend, I took the liberty to stop everything I was doing and to escape the city, even if only for the day. Life has it's unexpected twists and turns in every chapter of a person's story, and since we haven't been able to get away for a while, we just wanted, and more importantly, really needed the break.

Yesterday we went to Harriman State Park, the second largest state park in New York. With over 200 miles of hiking trails, it is a haven for hikers and paradise for dogs! We've been up to Bear Mountain last year and wanted to mix the trail up with a new path, taking the Blue Disc Trail. 

The trail climbs two mountains (!), Almost Perpendicular and Pound Mountain, and passes two major rock formations, Elbow Rush and Claudius Smith Rock. It's crazy, the trail dates back to the 1920s! It wasn't the hardest hike I've ever done but it was steep and all together we trekked around 7 miles! We played with MaQ's Hawaiian Flyer Frisbee, and of course, he chased around one of his Chuck It balls, his ultimate favorite toy. All the exercise was a great way to burn off all the turkey from this weekend. :)

Take a look at our photos from our hiking adventure below! I love when my hubby and I go somewhere because the photo results always speak for themselves, but the making of memories are what are instilled within us forever. And for every day I'm alive, I'm am utterly grateful. And, any time spent with those two hooligans is always a plus! At least to me it is! ;) ♥

How 'bout it, New Yorkers? What are some of your most memorable scenic trails in New York? There's so many to choose from, I know! What are some of your ways of staying fit with all the Holiday food ready to entice you? 

Love & xxs,

maQ + suz 

Our Thanksgiving Spread

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your day was filled with warmth, love & full bellies! I am thankful for every day. Every sunrise or sunset I get to see makes me filled with gratitude. However I'm thankful most for my husband, Gilles and our fur baby, MaQ. They are my family and without them I'm not sure where I would be today. Their love makes each day worth getting up for. I love these two more than anything else in the world. Thank you both for always having my back.

Today's post is all about my cook-a-thon from yesterday's feast! I've been cooking our turkey's for the past 7 years and I must admit, this year's turkey was the best yet! I got a decent-sized bird to last us for days, just shy of 14 pounds! I panicked the first time I handled a turkey. The idea of cooking the darn thing was intimidating enough, let alone preparing all the side dishes and appetizers, cocktails, etc. Secondly, I was honestly grossed out. But now, with persistent practice in the kitchen, I prep faster and with more confidence, therefore with much more ease. It's a breeze now and I relish the idea of cooking a 20+lber one day, ha ha! This year was also the first time where I never felt overwhelmed! My cooking skills are improving, and I'm so happy to share with you my progress thus far! Here are a few tricks of the trade I've learned from the many Thanksgiving dinners I've made in the past years:

ALWAYS PREP IN ADVANCE! I can't tell you how many times I was that dingdong who'd rush to the market on the day of Thanksgiving. BAD Suz! BAD. Life is continuously hectic in New York, and I never could seem to manage to prepare anything beforehand and made everything on the actual day! This year in particular, I bought everything I needed the day before. Lol. I also made the pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Eve, which definitely helped take off a little pressure from all the cooking on the day of.

BUTTER, BUTTER & MORE BUTTER. What's the secret to French cooking? That's right, folks, the more the better. If you want your turkey to have a super moist, rich taste, the key is where you put the butter. I like to season mine first with a variety of herbs & seasonings, then take the mixture and place it under the skin. The trick is to not to rip the entire skin off though. I will poke a hole through each end on both sides, and will especially be generous with the butter when it comes to the breast. I put most of the butter in this section because this part of the turkey has a tendency to be the most dry.

COVER TURKEY WITH FOIL. Remove the foil when there is only 1 hour left to finish cooking the bird. This is the time to baste the turkey from the cooked juices, I usually try to do this every 10-15 minutes (for an hour), giving it a nice brown on the skin. Doesn't it look delicious?!

USE UNFLAVORED DENTAL FLOSS TO TIE THE LEGS. It's easy to remove and even easier to tie if you have an extra pair of hands. (Thanks, hubby bear for the awesome teamwork!) I'm not sure what everyone else uses, but I've been using this method for years and it's never failed to secure them tightly!

A VARIETY OF SIDES GOES A LONG WAY. Some of my favorite trimmings are mashed potatoes and stuffing (or dressing as the South calls it). I could literally survive on the stuff! But you never know who's going to show up, so it's a good thing to mix it up and try different and new recipes. I also made my version of candied yams & apples, which is on the sweeter side comparatively to the other dishes. Salad is also a great starter. I mixed mine with mushrooms, red & yellow peppers, onion, cucumbers, tomatos and shredded carrots. I also will normally have some kind of bread at the table but I totally forget about it in the photo! Last are the cranberry sauce and green beans which are always winners.

HOW TO GET THE FLUFFIEST MASHED POTATOES. A whisk! Just whip those taters up like you're whisking eggs and it'll be the airiest potatoes of your life! Secret's also in the right amount of butter and milk. Don't forget the salt too!

APPEARENCE DOES COUNT. Any kind of decorative effort brings liveliness to a place/setting. Whether it's flowers, funky-looking squash and pumpkins, or a fabulous table runner, I try to keep the spread looking simple yet appealing. Plus, you'll still have all your decorations after which will still keep your place looking fun and festive, unless you like to jump into Christmas right away.  :)

What are some of your favorite tricks for Thanksgiving dinners? Favorite sides? What about your least favorite dish you still come across? Like fruitcake during Christmas? Ha ha! Have a safe rest of your Black Friday and enjoy the Holiday weekend! <3

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Remembrance of Trinkets Past

Firstly, I want to thank my readers from the bottom of my heart for your love and support these past few days. Times like these are proven difficult, but because of your acknowledgement and acts of care, it makes the pain endurable. It may never fully go away, but knowing I have people who have my back: please know I will always have yours. Thank you. I am grateful. Always grateful. Just thank you. 

I get out of bed every morning because I want to get up and talk with each and every one of you; to share with you all my life experiences, whether day-to-day or in reflection of the past or future - it's the good, the bad, and yeah, the ugly. What I love about social media, is its power to provide knowledge amidst helping/contributing to the world we live in and to the people who are in it. It should be an efficient tool, not a weapon to manufacture or destroy us.

Here's something I discovered I'd like to share with you today. An amazing company called, CaseApp, allows you to design your own phone case! You can use someone's previously created design or you can custom make one yourself! It can include typography, a collage of some sort... let your imagination run wild! I've been loving the marble trend but I wanted to create something with a little more spunk, basically including a bit more of my style into it.

Since green is my ultimate favorite color besides black, I chose a combination of the two! And voila! Doesn't it look so chic? I think it's perfect for the holiday season! Great for Christmas stuffers/ smaller gift ideas. Want to make your custom iPhone case? Don't have an iPhone? Not to worry, they carry other phone types too! Why not use my promotional code for a 20% discount?! Just enter SPIEGOSKI20 before you checkout. Click HERE to get started! :)

But before you go there's more to these photos than just a phone case. Every year during the month of November, in honor of my mother, I get statice flowers. Statice is also known as a herb and is sometimes called "sea lavender". According to Teleflora, "Its botanical name is derived from the Greek word "limonium," meaning meadow, referring to the plants original habitat and likely why this versatile flower is also called marsh-rosemary." Having a deeper appreciation for flowers and more particularly, in the language of flowers, statice symbolizes remembrance.

I discovered these flowers nearly ten years ago at a girlfriend's apartment, who also displayed them out in the open, in memory of someone she lost when she was only a little girl: her father. Since then, statice has kind of stuck with me. The flower itself is dried up and feels like confetti, yet they're so incredibly beautiful to me. With my mother's profound love for flowers and gardening, I always am reminded of her when I see these and many other kinds of flowers. I can't help but carry some in the house this time of year. I can't help but always have some kind of plant life in the house now. 💜

Every piece of jewelry except the Twin Tiger Bangle belonged to my mother. My father had gifted her with these (and plenty more) throughout their years together. Birthdays, Valentine's Days, Christmases and Anniversaries, they actually eloped in Vegas on Christmas Eve - so Rock -n- Roll by the way guys! These were passed down to me after her passing, some I can barely ever wear to this day because they are far too precious to me. I'll wear the Movado watch for a special occasion of some kind, like when I got engaged. (Oh the irony!) Everything comes in full circle, doesn't it? I believe those heart earrings were a Valentine's Day gift.

The sapphire ring is encrusted with diamonds at the top edge of gold band. This was a Christmas gift to my mother and I received this as a Christmas gift after she passed. My father had given this ring to the two women he loved most in life. I always found this incredibly touching. I still carry, in my memento of mementos, the hand-written letter he wrote when he gave me this ring.

I think the memory of someone is always possible when it comes to jewelry, trinkets, flowers, etc. These tokens of remembrance are significant, and they don't have to be someone. It can be something else, perhaps a place or a first time experience. I have a girlfriend who after becoming quite successful, bought herself a Rolex just because she could. Why? It's not the materialism that comes with the territory, but meaning behind it. In her eyes, time is money. It was now a constant reminder of her sense of urgency. Life is short, so you better damn well make the most of it. 

Like my new phone case from CaseApp, I will now always have the memory of my first time designing my own cover to my iPhone! My meaning behind it? To me green is a peaceful color. Serenity, Light, Earth. And black is well, black. Dark. The opposite of every other color. It's my own version of yin and yang. ☯

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Please Look After 엄마

Today is my mother's death anniversary. Both my parents, sadly, are deceased. My father unexpectedly passed away in July of 2013. I'm completely estranged from my only brother and any other family relative. With all the sickening, cruel, harsh news in the world this week, ranging from another earthquake in Japan to the devastating Beirut bombing, to the atrocious terror attacks in Paris, I find myself contemplating a lot about my family. This is supposed to be my flesh and blood but they've barely spoken two words to me in years. Aren't we supposed to come together, to strengthen our ties and support one another? This world leaves me more and more in doubt every single day. I see humans, but I do not see humanity. Where is the love? Perhaps, upstairs... are you watching over us? Because sometimes it really doesn't seem like it. Especially as of late. Are you with me? Are you with us? I am with you. I am with all of you. We are all valuable. Precious. Everyone counts and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. I must; we must all keep faith in the Good and remain in the Light.

Exactly ten years ago today, I watched my mother take her last breath. The last thing I said to her was, "I love you." She died from stomach cancer, fighting a horrendous battle for nearly nine months when the doctors' prognosis was even less than that. Watching her deteriorate was such an utterly gut-wrenching experience. When she lost all her hair from chemo, she, so unwilling to lose the rest of her femininity, kept the remains of her hair in a Ziploc bag. She couldn't bring herself to throw it away.

A decade may have passed, but my mother lives on through me and my brother. Her fighting spirit, her courage, and our memories are forever instilled in us. No one can ever take that away. And so, with that, I am dedicating today's blog post with a letter written for my 'ma' (as I always have called her).

Disneyland, California, 1992.

My Dearest Ma,

I miss you so much. With each passing day, I miss you more and more. I still think about you every single day. A helpless feeling at times, you are constantly on my mind. I long to see your face again. To see your radiant smile which could light up an entire room, the purity of your heart could warm the bleakness of any stranger. I yearn for those sleepless nights of watching Court TV together all the while gossiping and laughing at the jokes we'd crack while snacking down on popcorn or GyeongDan hardcore. I deeply crave your home-cooked meals, the embrace of your soft, silk-like hands. Even all those cheesy, superstitious yet romantic Korean folklore tales; they were the best of stories. Hell, I even miss you yelling at me in Korean when I really got into trouble. And most of the time I was asking for it. I was difficult. And you were an angel. Still one. You're my guardian angel.

I would love to sit here and think you and Dad are immensely proud of me in all my successes/accomplishments, but the bittersweet taste of death resonates within even the smallest of victories, finding it meaningless and insurmountable in reflection to what is missing in my life; what really matters in life. Why did you have to go so soon? Are you taking care of Dad now that you've been reunited? How is Dad? I hope he is not too angry with me. I can't even begin to explain how much he missed you. When you died, he died right along with you.

Why can't I visit you and Dad in my dreams? Don't you miss me too? I hope you're watching over your son, who (I know you're very upset with the both of us) refuses to communicate with me. I have tried to reach out in every imaginable way and his message is clear. He wants nothing to do with me. Like the both of you, I'm also dead to him. This breaks my heart.

Perhaps it's because I'm far too much of a painful, heart-stricken reminder of what and who was lost. Being the spitting image of you and inheriting 100% of Dad's rock-n-roll soul, I'm sure it's tough not to link the two together. But I pray that we will one day find a resolution, and come to terms with our tragedies. I pray we see each other again soon before it's too late and one of us is lying on his/her death bed. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on to this kind of hope because quite frankly, it's eating me alive.

Remember when I was young and dumb and how ridiculous I felt about your 'jungle safari', as I called it? Well, I've got a lil' 'garden' of my own now. Lots of succulents, flowers and plants that aren't too difficult to maintain, and I may not have a green thumb, but I'm working on it! And with that, I've grown as a person too. I've learned to take better care of myself and I hope you can see all the vessels of my heart being out-poured to the world - that you did not die in vain.

You raised (I think) a pretty capable, strong-willed and intelligent woman. It is all through your love and dedication of being the best mother you could be. Thanks for giving me a really hard time and challenging me. I am such an individual today, with no fear of my voice and the power that comes with it. My one and only - the most important part of me, most often feels like it's the only thing I've got left. And I'm really okay with it. So, really, thank you for never giving up on calling me out on my bullshit and refusing to allow a daughter to grow up to become some punk kid.

I promised to you I wouldn't be sad, but at times my heart just aches from so many losses. But then I'll see a white butterfly. One time, two summer's ago, you brushed against my cheek with one of your wings, and I knew it was you. That warm, magnetic touch was palpable. I know your visits are infrequent and short, but I soak in every moment spent with you. And I look at my boys, knowing you must have had something to do with that too. Thank you for bringing Gilles and maQ into my life. Without them, I'm not sure where I'd be. Their unconditional love always reminds me of you. So very much.

I love you with all my heart and soul. I wish you were here to share with me in all of life's endeavors, but I know I will see you soon. Until then, please watch over everyone I love. Even the ones who have deeply hurt me. To the one who are filled with hate - watch over them more so. I will continue to pray for the world.

엄마 사랑 해요

Always Love (& xx's),

maQ + suz

Rose Gold Essentials

I have always held a deep infatuation with rose gold. Most of my jewelry consists of this alloy. How a piece of jewelry can accentuate femininity and delicacy as a statement to the piece itself, or solidifying an outfit as a whole, is something I appreciate within the jewelry world. And my choice of jewelry carry sentimental or spiritual value. Let me show you some of my all-time and most recent favorite accessories I've been wearing daily.

My most recent obsession is The Kavi Bracelet from Chandrah. It's 18k Rose Gold plated beads and 8mm Howlite beads. Rose gold is an all purpose healer: stabilizes, purifies and balances. Howlite is a stone of awareness. It can prepare the user or wearer to receive wisdom and attunement from the Higher Self and the Dive. It is a wonder stone for calming upset states of mind and emotion. Howlite decreases an overly critical state of mind, selfishness, stress, and anxiety, bringing calm and relaxation.

The Hexagon Tip Bangle Bracelet from EXPRESS (in pink) goes really well with the Kavi Bracelet. I love how each bracelet complement each other, one piece a bit more bold, and the other a little more dainty in it's shape and weight. I'm not even that big into pink, but even just a touch of the not-so-bright pinks being added into an entire ensemble, brings an essence of 100% pure woman to it without being too girly.

The rings are my engagement ring and wedding band. My engagement ring is a solitaire diamond from Tiffany & Co. and my husband and I picked our wedding rings from Zales. My wedding band is also rose gold and I especially chose this yet again because it doesn't look as serious as platinum or white gold. It looks authentic, but is still sophisticated with a touch of romanticism. My kind of 'I do' to me! <3

What are some of your latest favorite jewelry trends? How about those all-time faves? Any specific stone or gem you just can't get enough of? I'd love to see or hear your choices when it comes to what's in your jewelry collection!

Have a great rest of your Thursday! Come back tomorrow for one of my savory recipes... here's two clues. It's one of my own recipes my parents taught me and it's Italian-based. Stay tuned for yummy deliciousness all over the blog tomorrow! :)

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

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