Nothing like waiting to share a February recap until the middle of March! I started working on this post in February, but have been traveling ever since. In any case, February was a good, busy month. It always feels nice to say farewell to a winter month.

Analogue 3D

Perhaps the greatest recent addition to my life is the Analogue 3D gaming system. This is a reimagined Nintendo 64, which was the foundation of my childhood, but now in 4k. This device was first announced in 2023, and we promptly put our names on the release list. When it was finally released in November 2025, we strategized to be online to the second it went live. Despite a few hiccups, the gaming system and two wireless controllers were secured!

We were lucky enough to get one of the coveted Funtastic limited edition colors and opted for the Watermelon hue with matching controllers. It’s perfection. I’m not much of a gamer outside of my beloved N64 games, which I grew up with in the 90s. We still have the original N64 console, but for some reason, I didn’t want to bring it to New York. It brings me comfort knowing that our vast collection of games is safe in my childhood home. It feels like they belong there, just in case we might want to get in a quick Mario Kart race when I’m visiting home.

When the Analogue 3D arrived in the new year, it was perfectly timed. This winter has been bleak to put it gently, and this was a bright spot for the days I had no reason to leave my apartment. I think Joe had a few moments of regret about our new gaming system because I asked that poor man to play a round of Mario Kart on the daily. We’ve also partaken in many rounds of Mario Party 2, where tensions tend to run high.

If you’re familiar with Mario Party, you know sometimes you play 2 vs. 2 games. One of these games is called Looney Lumberjacks, and I absolutely loathe it. The only person who loathes it more is my husband when we’re paired up on the same team. My brain is incapable of understanding how to play this particular game, and I always lose. I can sense the tension on the couch every time we’re paired up to saw a log in unison.

Delaney and Blu

I was scrolling on Pinterest one day and saw an ad for these fun rings. Upon clicking on these beauties, I noticed that the brand, Delaney and Blu, is based in Cincinnati! I get a jolt of happiness when I find something cool and creative that comes out of my hometown.

These martini-inspired earrings immediately caught my eye, and I’m already thinking about all the outfits I’d pair them with. I scrolled through the entire online shop multiple times because everything was so fun and cheerful.

I also love the colorful prints, and this design, called the ‘Manifest Print,’ is a favorite.

Manhattan Vintage

I always see Manhattan Vintage pop up on my Instagram, and when a special Valentine’s Day jewelry event was being promoted, I was sold. Manhattan Vintage bills itself as New York’s largest and most iconic vintage event. This was their first jewelry-focused day, and it took place at The Fifth Avenue Hotel, a chic hotel in the heart of Manhattan. Joe’s Valentine’s Day gift was that I didn’t ask him to attend with me, and he was grateful.

When I arrived, I was delightfully overwhelmed. I’ve never seen so much jewelry in one place, and so many people vying to look at all the baubles. I immediately spotted Kimono Dragon’s setup and started there. I’ve been a follower of the brand on Instagram and was thrilled to browse their selection in person! Laura, the founder of Kimono Dragon, was so sweet and brought me a glass of champagne while I browsed.

Laura sells a beautiful selection of vintage jewelry and also has her own contemporary jewelry line, Laura Gray. Everything was so fabulous, and I was in a dopamine haze of baubles. I eventually opted for the Mata bangle in pink from the Laura Gray line. It’s beautifully made and feels so nice on your wrist. A perfect piece to layer or wear solo!

I eventually made my way around the entire room. It felt like an every man or woman for themselves type of situation, and I learned that if you want to see it all, some friendly elbow nudging is in order (I only learned this after being elbow nudged myself). If you saw an open spot appear at a vendor’s table, you’d better position yourself in that nook quickly, or someone else will.

The only downside of going alone was that I wished I had someone giving me a second opinion. I texted my mom and Joe about so many pieces of jewelry. I’m sure they were thrilled with the barrage of jewelry being sent to them against their will. I had to put a limit on myself, or I’d be going home with way too much. I told myself two pieces tops, maybe three.

I was browsing one vendor’s selection and was in heaven. She was super nice (always appreciate a kind person) and had a wonderful selection of pieces that were right up my alley. I spotted this sparkly heart brooch, and it was love at first sight. I loved it so much that she set it aside for me so nobody else would take it. I browsed through her table of jewelry with a fine-toothed comb. My eyes scanned hundreds of pieces.

I knew I needed the heart brooch. I have a lot of heart-shaped jewelry, and this brooch would go swimmingly with the others. I’ve also been on the hunt for another heart brooch to pair with one I already have: my grandma’s. I have a treasured selection of my grandma’s jewelry, and the heart brooch is one of my favorites. It’s missing a few rhinestones, but that doesn’t matter. I always pictured it with a cluster of hearts, so getting this one at the jewelry show was a no-brainer.

Valentine’s Day (and a tragic jewelry loss)

I spent my Valentine’s Day afternoon at the aforementioned vintage jewelry show. Once the event ended, I headed home on cloud nine. I had my two new baubles in tow and was ready for a fun night. Joe and I had dinner plans at Champers, one of our favorite spots. After the jewelry show, we had some time to kill before dinner, so of course I asked for a round of Mario Kart.

I was already wearing my Elizabeth Cole heart necklace, but was having such a great Valentine’s Day that I thought it was the perfect moment to wear my new brooch. I recently got these magnetic brooch pins to avoid puncturing my clothes, and they worked well when I tested them on a sweater. I added my sparkly new brooch to my coat lapel, and we were on our way.

Something compelled me to snap a picture of us while we were waiting for the subway, and I’m glad I did. It would be one of the only memories I had in the short time I owned my beloved heart brooch. When we got to Champers, we were perusing in their store before dinner when I realized the brooch was no longer on my coat. Panic immediately set in. I checked every inch of the bathroom and all over the store. The employees and other patrons were even helping out, which was so nice. Nowhere. Joe retraced our steps from the subway, and then I went and did the same thing.

Nothing. I was pacing all around Soho trying to find something sparkly on the ground. It was gone. It sounds silly to be so upset over a lost piece of jewelry, but I’m always so careful with my things that I felt crushed about it. I don’t spend my money on something unless I truly love it and plan on having it forever. I spent a lot of time that day toiling over which pieces to buy, but felt an instant connection to this brooch.

My theory is that my purse strap may have moved between the brooch and the magnet during our subway ride. Even though my coat was thin, I think the magnet just couldn’t hold up on that material. I felt like a depressed Nancy Drew trying to solve the mystery. I don’t know if Nancy drank champagne cocktails, but I knew I had to to forget about this ordeal. We proceeded to have our Champers Valentine’s Day dinner in a festive setting filled with pink and red balloons. I rarely drink these days, but I ordered another glass of bubbly to further drown the heart-shaped hole in my actual heart and on my lapel.

Naples

Later in February, I was off to Naples to spend some time in the Florida sun with my mom. This trip came at the perfect time. Winter hit me even harder than it usually does, so going south was a gift. Naples is our home away from home, and I love going to our usual shopping and restaurant haunts.

It’s been years since I’ve shared a Naples trip, so I’m going to do a dedicated blog post sharing my favorite places to eat and shop. I’ll share a few highlights here, though!

These colorful structures are the back of Venetian Village, my favorite place to shop in Naples. I can never pass up an opportunity to snap a picture of something colorful, which is why I’m sharing this random image of the back of a shopping center. But trust me, you will love Venetian Village (technically called The Shops on Venetian Bay). There’s something about it that feels like old school Florida to me and makes me nostalgic every time I’m there.

I’ve never left Venetian Village without some new additions to my closet, so consider yourself warned!

Another fun highlight was having dinner and drinks with my mom’s friends, Mary Ellen and Kevin. My mom and Mary Ellen have been lifelong friends, and it was so great spending time together!

Naples was a perfect time to reset and recharge. I feel ready for spring, and now that it’s mid-March, each day we get a little bit closer to my favorite time of year!