#goals

Samantha Hoback
May 7, 2017
3 min read

My sister may be eating dinner on a rooftop overlooking the caldera in Santorini, Greece, but I had a pretty great weekend, too. No international travel required. (This doesn't mean that I am completely jealous or that I'm not experiencing major FOMO right now.)

For those of you living under a rock (no offense), Friday was Cinco de Mayo, one of my favorite non-national holidays of the year for two reasons: margaritas and tacos. In celebration of all things South of the Border, my friends and I gathered at Maya for a Mexican feast of chips and guac, classic margaritas on the rocks, and authentic corn-tortilla tacos. The restaurant was crowded, of course, and very loud. But I loved the energy and the excitement. There were even patrons wearing sombreros! So if I had to hashtag Friday, I would be #squadgoals.

*Sidenote: May 5 also happens to be Knox's birthday! So, naturally, my mom dressed him up in a little sombrero and poncho. It was the photo that broke the internet. #stylegoals

Cinco de Mayo was just the appetizer of the weekend. Saturday was the entree, and in my humble opinion, it earned five stars. After running a few errands, cleaning up, and grabbing my new-favorite salad from sweetgreen for lunch, I headed to Drybar for a blowout and a pre-dinner cocktail. (You'll soon learn why I splurged on a little pampering.) I finished up at the salon earlier than I expected, so with my extra time before dinner, I headed to midtown to be a tourist in my own city. Park Avenue, the Plaza, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rock Center--I snapped pictures as I moved through the throngs of tourists. I was in too good of a mood to let the fanny-pack vacationers bring me down. (OK, not all of them had fanny packs. But I spotted at least four.)

I met my friend Lindsay for dinner at what is easily my (and my mom's) favorite restaurant in the city: Fig & Olive. I've lost count of how many times I've eaten there, but it's always good. Actually, it's always amazing. My favorite menu item is the rosemary lamb chops. To. Die. For. Served with goat cheese gnocchi...I'm suddenly craving it just writing about it. We also splurged on a cheese board and the Piscine cocktail--sparkling wine with fresh strawberries. How could anything top that dinner?

Answer: Julianne and Derek Hough dancing at Radio City Music Hall. It was a sold-out show, and after watching them on stage, I can honestly say it was the best dance performance I've ever seen. I've met Julianne (last year at Lord & Taylor) and I've seen Derek on the streets of New York. But it was extra special to see them doing what they do best: dance. They did it all: cha cha, salsa, tango, pasa doble, jive, contemporary, tap. Oh, and they both sing. Almost as well as they dance. Needless to say, sitting in the audience made me want to jump on stage and join them. When I got home that night, I signed up for a dance class and researched salsa classes on Groupon. My hashtag for Saturday: #foodandfitnessgoals

Fact: Living in New York is not easy and very expensive. Fact: I've been in my current apartment for fourteen months. Fact: I've had some serious issues with my building over the last fourteen months (including roaches, mold, faulty plumbing, and a kitchen that just can't handle my love of cooking). Fact: I've decided to upgrade next year.

I spent the day looking a luxury doorman apartment buildings in the Upper East Side. I fell in love with one apartment that I'll never be able to afford. I found an amazing apartment in my ideal location that has a pool in the basement! And I realized what it's going to take for me to be able to make the move from pre-war walk-up to luxury doorman studio with laundry and a health club. In a word? Savings.

If I had the money, I would have signed on the dotted line today. No questions asked. And even though I'm not there yet, seeing all of these apartments made me really excited and motivated to do everything I can to afford a new place in the new year. Don't ask me what my price range is (it'll make your head spin). It will definitely be an investment. But it will also make a huge difference in my day-to-day life. (And I'll have a dishwasher again! It's the little things in life.)

Sunday's hashtag: #homegoals