This past weekend was super hectic. Rene recently moved into a new place - with roommates - so on Saturday, I helped him move and set up his stuff. We woke up early, fully intending to make it to IKEA before the afternoon rush, but of course it had to rain like crazy so we waited it out and only got there around three. Then we made some other stops and finally got to the apartment to haul boxes and a giant mattress up three flights of stairs. It was ten o’clock by the time we settled down but we weren’t ready to call it a night yet so we took a nap and went out for over-priced drinks and dancing around midnight.

Sunday was our two-year anniversary, and I must say, I found myself reflecting on our relationship a lot throughout the weekend. The last two years have often been trying for us both individually, including family issues, anxiety attacks, work troubles, and so forth (p.s: post-college life sucks), but no matter the circumstances, we remained supportive, understanding and helpful to one another. No matter how crappy a day I’ve had, I always feel better as soon as I see him. The trick is that he doesn’t let me be Debbie Downer. Even when I insist on bitching, he urges me to be stronger, push forward and not take everything so personally. And when all else fails, his tickle attacks really get the job done. Granted, we bicker, nag and disagree like any other couple, but we respect each other immensely and would never scream or call the other an ugly word. He is whip-smart, super creative, funny and devastatingly handsome, and I am beyond fortunate to have him as my partner in this awkward stage of life. Phew, okay - enough mush!

To celebrate, we decided to keep it simple and enjoy a nice brunch. My first choice was Buvette - a trendy French bistro in the West Village with a cult following. They don’t take reservations but I hoped we’d get lucky with a table. It didn’t happen. The place, which is tiny as is, was so packed that we couldn’t even get inside. Those who were seated were squeezed like sardines and those who were waiting were hovering above. I like fresh croissants and pulpy orange juice as much as the next guy, but come on… So, we headed out hungry, in search of another place. We walked two blocks over and stumbled into Pagani. Their menu looked good, the prices were reasonable, the interior was gorgeous, and best of all, no wait.

I started with a latte, which was surprisingly small, especially for it’s five-dollar pricetag, but I was so happy to finally get some coffee in me.

We ordered the chestnut banana pancakes and the mushroom and herb omelette to share.

What can I say - I’ve made better pancakes without a recipe. These were chalky and strangely crumbly, and reviving them with maple syrup did no good as they were so sweet on their own that the syrup made them almost unpalatable.

And the omelette was equally disappointing. The eggs were overbeaten and rubbery, the mushrooms were poorly seasoned, and the herbs cited on the menu were nowhere in sight. The accompanying biscuit was tough and eating it was not unlike chewing cotton. Rene and I agreed that the best part of this meal were the greens dressed in a citrus vinaigrette. What a shame.

This just goes to show that you can’t judge a restaurant by its cover, no matter how chic. Of course it sucks that our anniversary brunch was mediocre but we still had a great time being together. Either way, it’s just one meal in the grand scheme of our lives.

We returned to Rene’s later that day to finish organizing his stuff; more specifically, he screwed together furniture while I hung up his clothes, told “that’s what she said” jokes and sang along to Beyonce.

On Monday we ran some more errands and stopped by our favorite thrift store in Williamsburg, where we both found really awesome stuff. Check this out: I got Club Monaco trousers, Top Shop and J. Crew sweaters, and a blouse - all in mint condition - for only $55! I’m so excited and proud of these purchases that they totally made up for our sad brunch.

How do you prefer to spend anniversaries?