{Hurricane Sandy} Scenes from Recovering Hoboken

Hoboken is a beautiful town with a gorgeous waterfront overlooking the incredible NYC skyline & quaint side streets boasting wide, shady sidewalks lined by brownstones.  Beagle Bailey & I love to meander the side streets on a daily basis, admiring each street's unique personality, beauty & vibe.  These post-Sandy days, all the side streets share the same look & feel: disaster & recovery.

Two weeks after Hurricane Sandy flooded our streets with the Hudson River, Hoboken is still trying to get back on its feet.  The sidewalks are piled high with flood-damaged debris; as fast as the garbage trucks pick it up, another home or business adds its losses to make another giant pile.  I get the saddest when I spot children's toys or old photographs among the debris.  The streets are littered with flood-damaged cars marked with an ominous "X", a clear sign they are totaled & waiting to be towed.  We have one such car.  Disaster recovery teams with their bright orange trucks & hazmat gear are common sights.  I'm more likely to run into a disaster worker than an actual resident.  Telephone poles once stapled with For Sale condo flyers now display FEMA & other disaster-related information.  I barely recognize my hometown.

& yet.  Hope is flourishing & strength is palpable- that is the Hoboken I know & love!  Hobokenites are struggling but they refuse to give up.  People, whether it be a neighbor from next door or a stranger from Georgia, are pitching in to lend helping hands, kind words &/or generous donations.  It's pretty amazing.  I know when Hoboken's recovery is all said & done that I will never see the Hoboken I once knew again- it will be better than ever!

Hoboken is just one small town of many still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Sandy.  Please consider donating to the Rebuild Hoboken Relief Fund,  New Jersey Relief Fund or American Red Cross.  As always, thoughts & prayers are appreciated too!  Thank you so very much!!

home very sweet home

Downtown Hoboken on our Wedding Day

One week & one day (but who's counting?) after we were displaced due to Hurricane Sandy, my husband & I came home last night.  It felt so good, so right, so sweet to be home again.  Hoboken, we missed you so much.  If there was a way to wrap my arms tight around our home & give it a big kiss, I would.

Hoboken means the world to us not only because it is our home, also it is the backdrop to our love story.  My husband & I met in Hoboken, dated in Hoboken, tied the knot in Hoboken, live in Hoboken & hope to start our family in Hoboken.  Not to mention that my business, Koru Wedding, was started in Hoboken.  The streets of this town tell our stories & hold our memories.

Right now, our beloved little town is still hurting so we hurt too.  There has been remarkable recovery in the past almost two weeks since Hurricane Sandy but there is much, much more to be done.  Fellow Hobokenites can't come home because their home & their belongings were lost to the flood waters.  Many of our favorite businesses remain shuttered because they were severely damaged & ruined.   I walk around the neighborhood that is familiar yet different.  I see the sadness & I feel the hope.   

& this is a familiar scene all across our area.  Staten Island, Breezy Point & Jersey shore towns to name a few.  RZ & I have pledged to do what we can to bring Hoboken & other areas back better than ever.  We will shop, dine & volunteer local & we know many others who have the exact same plan.  We are Hoboken Strong AND Jersey Strong!  

Photography: Timothy Glenn Photographers

    

{Hurricane Sandy} Scenes from Hoboken

 

Well.  What. a. week.

I wrote all my posts in advance last week because rumor had it that Hurricane Sandy was going to hit Hoboken & the surrounding areas.  RZ & I prepared: we stocked up on batteries, we bought non-perishable food & we filled the car with gas.  We prepared for the worst & hoped for the best.  By Monday evening, it seemed like Hurricane Sandy had spared Hoboken of anything more than heavy winds.

Around 10:30pm, things went really wrong really fast.  Power was lost.  Water came gushing down our street, turning our street into a rushing river & the first floor of our building into a pool.  Fire alarms started blaring.  We needed to get out of our building but we couldn't get out because of the water.  Panic set in.  The worst had arrived!

After getting through that scary night, we woke up still trapped in our building.  We had no power & no gas.  We couldn't leave because of the flooding.    

Instead of pavement, this murky river greeted us beyond our front door:

Further down our street, the flood waters were much deeper:

 

As Tuesday progressed, our little slice of Hoboken started looking much better.  Flood waters were receding in one direction:

 

The other direction still didn't look so good but we hoped & hoped & hoped some more we could leave in the morning:

For other images of the devastation in Hoboken, please see other residents' photos on Hoboken Girl Blog.

Thanks to our lucky stars, we were able to leave Wednesday morning & we were welcomed into our brother & sister-in-law's home.  For the first time, we could see the Hurricane Sandy coverage & truly understand her wrath.  National Guard rescuing stranded Hobokenites from still-flooded areas.  People surveying the burned spot where their home once stood.  The ocean obliterating my favorite spots on the Jersey shore.  Every single image & report broke my heart. 

We received word that Monday is the first day we may able to return home.  I feel very lucky & blessed that we have a wonderful place to stay & a home to return to at some point.  My heart remains in my home sweet home of Hoboken & I can't wait to go home.  To Hobokenites & others affected by Hurricane Sandy- stay strong!!!!

November 5 Update: We're still not home yet we are still feeling very lucky & grateful.  Blogging may be spotty for the next week or so; please be patient.  Our hearts, thoughts & prayers remain with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Hoboken Strong AND Jersey Strong!

{Mrs. Monday} Home

Today marks the debut of Mrs. Monday, a little series dedicated to my thoughts & observations on my marriage.  I plan to post Mrs. Monday about twice a month, bring back Koru Kate Finds (remember?) one Monday a month & take a break one Monday a month.  Sound like a good plan?  Good, I thought you might like it.  Let's get this Mrs. Monday party started!  

A few months ago, I stumbled upon a twist on "Home Is Where The Heart Is" that said instead "Home Is Where Your Husband Is."  You could replace husband with wife, partner, family or whatever pleases you.  I thought it was cute then I promptly forgot about it.  

Until my husband left on a business trip to India for three weeks.

I knew I would miss my husband greatly but I grossly underestimated how much I would miss him.  We're not an attached-at-the-hip couple.  We have our own interests & our own friends so we're often in two different directions.  Still, with very few exceptions, we eat dinner & walk our dog together every night.  It's our time to connect, to share the joys & frustrations of our days.  I didn't realize how much I looked forward to this every day.  Suddenly, life was not the same when he wasn't walking through the front door each night.

Trust me, I was grateful to be home with all its comforts & familiarity whereas he was navigating a foreign country alone.  I had Beagle Bailey to keep me company, I had all my belongings at my fingertips & I could sleep in my comfy bed each night.  Family & friends were just a phone call away.  Nothing was the same though.  An emptiness permeated every moment & every moment seemed to last forever.  

When my husband finally came back, it clicked.  Home is where my husband is right by my side! 

Photo by & Sign Available at YertleandMyrtle's shop on Etsy

            

Koru Kate Finds: Firsts

Hello, Koru Family & Friends!  Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend?  Our first Thanksgiving as husband & wife was fabulous, thank you very much.  Then I got sick on Friday & Saturday & I missed some fun festivities like attending a 45th Wedding Anniversary party & decorating our home for Christmas.  Bummer.  Now that I'm on the mend, I can't wait to unpack our Christmas decor & make our home festive!


But long before we fetched our holiday decor from storage, I've been on the hunt for the perfect Our First Christmas ornament.  We'll only enjoy one Christmas as newlyweds & I want a beautiful ornament to commemorate the special occasion.  My dears, after a long & hard search, I found IT.


A holiday Koru Kate Finds is this sweet Our First Christmas ornament:

Oh, how I love, LOVE it!  Simply send a lovely wedding photo & make any color or font requests & presto- you'll receive a personalized ornament to treasure forever!


Perhaps you & your friends have moved on from the newlywed stage in life.  Don't worry, there are plenty of other firsts to celebrate!  For the new parents, is there much more precious than a Baby's First Christmas ornament?  

  
Or how about giving the jubilant new homeowners an Our First Home ornament?

For plenty of other personalized gift ideas, please visit Oceanside Designs.  If you act fast, you can take advantage of their super Cyber Monday sale!!!  Now excuse me as I scroll through my favorites to pick our best wedding photo for our ornament!  This may take awhile . . .


P.S. If you're looking for all things ocean wedding & honeymoon inspiration, Oceanside Bride is a must-read!


Images by Oceanside Designs

Thankful.

Him, I am so thankful for him

Photo by the great Timothy Glenn Photographers

Thankful.  Very, very thankful.

My husband RZ is at the tippy top of my gratitude list this Thanksgiving.  I dedicate this post to him.  

I am thankful to call you my husband.  I am thankful for the beautiful moment we clasped hands, looked into each other's eyes & pledged our vows in front of our nearest & dearest during our marriage ceremony.  I am thankful for the fun, rockstar party that followed.  I am thankful for our sunny, dreamy Hawaiian honeymoon.  I am thankful for the incredible, lovely newlywed times that came after our wedding & honeymoon.  & for the times that were not so happy or easy, I am thankful we weathered the storms together.  I am thankful for our sweet home we share with our sweet pup.  I am thankful that I look forward to the moment you walk through the door every night.  I am thankful for every big & small moment that we make special.  I am thankful for this amazing life that is ours. 

More than words. 

Dear Koru Family & Friends, I wish you the most Happy Thanksgiving!  

Koru Kate Finds: 7th Edition

Making Memories

Image via Treasury of Memories 

Newlywed Nesting.  Is there such a thing?  Well, the hubs & I got major nesting fever back in June when we started several major projects in our home sweet home.  Now we're finishing up with a few little projects, including choosing, printing & hanging wedding & honeymoon photos on our walls.

That's where my latest Koru Kate Finds comes in.  I found this Established Canvas Kit gem during one of my many Pinterest binges & I thought it was absolutely perfect for displaying a few of your wedding photos.  It's beyond fabulous!!!  The kit comes with the four canvases, the ribbon & the established sign.  All you need to do is choose & adhere three of your favorite photos.  Then presto: you have a sweet wedding memento to adorn your home! 

Now, of course, I opt to take the more difficult route & make my own Established display.  I will pick up the four canvases at my craft store, plus some pretty ribbon to match our decor & wooden letters to make our name & wedding date.  Then I have the difficult task of choosing three favorite wedding photos.  I'm excited about these personal touches that will make the display the perfect match for our home.  I'll post the results soon :-) 

I hope my find inspires you.  Get those creative wheels turning . . . Make your own to celebrate your Wedding.  Fun gift for a First Wedding Anniversary.  Lovely gift for a baby's First Birthday.  Or great gift to mark any special occasion! 

It's A Wrap! 4th Edition

Just a Pretty Picture of Cheery Clementines

I skipped It's A Wrap! last week due to the good cause of For Japan With Love but I'm back this week with some fresh pretties for your enjoyment.

While none are as cute as my Gucci & Bailey, these furry friends are pretty adorable!

I need this, I want this! Please, please let it be MINE.

Flowers with serious spunk!

I admit it, I adore winter weddings- especially this stunner!

I welcome the opportunity to learn more about marriages that are different from mine.
And pleasantly surprised to learn we share some common threads!

Happy Weekend!

No Place Like Home

106 Fourth Street is For Rent
For Rent sign available on etsy at anissadesigns' shop

After five and a half, wonderful years on charming Fourth Street, Koru Wedding Shoppe is moving home!

I'm sad & excited about this new venture for Koru. I've enjoyed my time on Fourth Street & I will miss the wonderful people that came through the doors on a regular basis. What won't I miss? The retail hours. Phone calls from customers wondering why I'm not open at 7am or 9pm or whatever time happens to be convenient for them. Emails from customers begging me to meet them on a Sunday afternoon, the only weekend day my fiance & I share. As 2010 comes to a close & my single days are numbered, it seemed like the perfect time for a fresh start for Koru Wedding Shoppe too.

It's time to get back to the basics: wedding planning. It is, after all, my first love. I will keep Shop Koru open to offer my best-selling products & I will keep selling wedding invitations to Brides & Grooms. But the focus is back on wedding planning. I couldn't be more thrilled!

I'll be packed & gone from Fourth Street by Friday afternoon. Then I'm taking a loooong break to fully enjoy our wedding & honeymoon. I'll be back in February: refreshed, recharged & ready to celebrate Koru Wedding Shoppe's new beginning!

Dream Day

A girl & a guy can dream. That's exactly what RZ & I did on our lazy Sunday afternoon yesterday.

First, we peeked in an open house on historic Willow Terrace.

Cobblestone street of Willow Terrace
Image via Forgotten-NY.com

As we wandered through the beautiful four-bedroom, three-bathroom, two-balcony row home with original hardwood floors & exposed brick walls, we pretended it was ours. Just for a few moments. Here is where I could curl up with a good book & enjoy a Fall afternoon. Here is where we could host a fun dinner party. Here is where we could put the dog bed for Bailey. Imagine, imagine!

Sadly, we couldn't afford the fabulous home so we came back to reality. Sort of. Next up was a trip to Home Depot to cruise the model kitchen section.

Lovely Skylands kitchen
Image via Home Depot

We dreamed & remodeled our current kitchen into our ideal kitchen. Tile backsplash, yes! Gorgeous granite, yes! Clever cabinets with handy pullouts, yes! We had no limits. Give us anything & everything!!

In the end, we returned to our perfectly lovely condo. It was fun to dream. However, our reality is pretty dreamy.