Team Freedom does Queens

When I went freelance, I imagined going on leisurely bike rides and beach trips for the better part of the week. In reality, I spend most of my time chained to my computer or tethered to my phone. But, once in a while, I have a gem of a day that makes it all so, so worth it. Take this past Monday: In honor of Heather's month of freedom, we decided to hit up Spa Castle. If you've never been, you must go! Located in Flushing, this three-story building is a Korean spa-food court-water park hybrid. It's insane. After dunking into hot-and-cold tubs and sweating in salt, jade, and other various saunas, we finished the day sipping lagers in a hot tub on the roof. It was so nice to feel the cold nip of the winter air on my cheeks as the rest of my muscles unwound in the steamy water. When we were all thoroughly relaxed, we headed to a delicious hot pot restaurant. I ate so much of the spicy broth that my forehead had a sweaty sheen. It was such a fun girls' day. How lucky are we?

relaxing weekend

For the first time in a very long time, I had a no-big-plans weekend. It was soooo nice. I cooked and baked a bunch and watched two documentaries (Marley and Jiro Dreams of Sushi, both awesome). I ate delicious lobster here and drooled over handsome dudes, I mean, went shopping at the Brooklyn Surf Flea. On a sad note, I also cried my eyes out over the Connecticut shooting. So so horrible.

6 things...

...I did this week:

1. Spent a relaxing weekend in North Carolina with mom. I slept a lot, ate delicious home-cooked Chinese dishes, snuggled with my adorable mom, walked around the lake, and finished up some work. I also unearthed this hilarious high school swim team collage, above.
2. Protested the cold, drizzly weather by making these delicious beer-battered fish tacos with lime-slaw and Baja sauce. Best washed down with Pacificos.
3. Finally went running. It wasn't until after the marathon-that-wasn't that my Achilles tendon started troubling me, but I've laid off for the past few weeks. It's funny how much a missed running. Who am I?!
4. Caught up with friends. Isn't it amazing how fast life zips by? You don't see a pal for a little bit, and all of a sudden they're living with their boyfriends in a new city or getting a big promotion. Happy news!
5. Conquered my 5/4 wetsuit, which is insanely thick and doesn't have a zipper. Basically, you squash your entire body through the neck hole. It's terrifying.
6. Got a new computer. Word to the wise: Do not open a bottle of seltzer within a one-foot radius of your laptop keyboard.

epic vacation, part three: Bangkok

So, where did we leave off? Oh, right, paradise! A lovely one-hour flight later, we were in Thailand's capitol city. Hustle and bustle is my baseline, but, man, Bangkok takes it to another level: streets full of vendors, insane traffic, and bright neon lights.

Our lovely hotel (the Ramada Encore) was located smack-dab in the center of city, so we spent the first evening wandering around and eating the most delicious shrimp tom yum soup ever. Erik and I were definitely those tourists with our heads permanently tilted back and a dazed, amazed expression on our face. I may have also had a camera around my neck. Ha! The next morning, we headed to the old city to check out Wat Po and the Grand Palace. We gaped at the 150-foot-long golden Buddha with enormous mother-of-pearl feet just a few days after Obama did the same.

I actually saw these sights on my last trip to Thailand, but that didn't keep me from being any less awestruck. These temples are probably the most magnificent historical sites I've ever seen, with their bright colors, gold gilt, and endless detail. Erik took about a zillion pictures. Of course I could only force him to be in two.

After our eyeballs reached their maximum gorgeousness capacity, we made our way to the famous backpacker street of Khao Sarn Road. The thing I love about traveling with Erik is that we're both adventurous and not stuck on itineraries. We poked around and explored the side streets and, finally, when our feet ached, we plopped down and got $5 leg massages on the street. Ah-mazing. I wish that was an option in New York City! When we reached Khao Sarn, we shopped and I ate some amazing street pad thai. Sadly, Erik has a sensitive stomach so he watched jealously as I played Russian Roulette with my intestines. (I was fine.)

On the final day of the trip, we didn't have any set plans, so we took the train to a ginormous flea market in the northern part of the city. We bought a mask for our apartment, and I cooled off with a fresh coconut popsicle. By the time we were going to melt, it was time to have lunch with owner of a store in Thailand that carried Erik's clothes. (Side note: We spotted a bootleg knockoff of one of Erik's shirts in a night market, next to all the Nike stuff. Does this mean he's big time?!) The owner and his girlfriend were so sweet, and it was cool to see Erik's clothes sold in a place half a globe away.

The rest of the evening, we checked out a few more neighborhoods, rode in tuk-tuks, and (what else?) got one final Thai massage. I joked that I felt like a piece of Kobe beef. Sigh. It was truly THE trip of a lifetime. How are we going to top this one next year? Guess I should start planning now... ;)

epic vacation, part two: Phuket

To say that our vacation was ambitious is a bit of an understatement: Not only did we fly halfway across the world, but we also incorporated a seven-hour flight from Japan to Phuket. We booked on China Southern, connecting through Guang Zhou, to save a couple hundred bucks each. Oh, man! The flight was straight-up Chinese style, with packed seats, yelling people, and loud Mandarin pop music. It made me nostalgic about studying abroad. It made Erik nauseous and miserable. We were both relieved when we made it to our lovely hotel (Kantary Bay) in Phuket.

We spent the next day erasing our grumpiness by dipping into the crystal-blue ocean, basking in the golden sun, and lounging beneath palm trees. After a delicious lunch of satay, green papaya salad, and shrimp curry, we got Thai massages. It's like doing yoga without actually using your muscles. Ahhh. I felt relaxed and happy; so this was paradise! In the evening, we headed to the main city of Patpong. As soon as the bus dropped us off, I was so thankful that we didn't stay there. Erik said it reminded him of Tijuana. There were hordes of people, plenty of go-go bars, and loud music blasting everywhere. Eek.

The next morning, we woke to a torrential downpour. Uh-oh. Our only plans were a tour of Phi Phi and the surrounding islands. Fortunately, the skies opened up as our boat skipped across the ocean to our first snorkeling spot. The water felt silky smooth, and neon fish darted around the coral. For the rest of the day, we were ferried from one ridiculously gorgeous beach to the next. I mean...come on!

Hands down, the islands were the most gorgeous place I've ever been. Our boat drifted through craggy limestone mountains and past mysterious caves. We passed an azure-blue swimming hole from a James Bond movie and lounged on the actual white-sand beach from the movie The Beach. I couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe I'm here!" One stop was at a monkey-filled beach, although our guide kept repeating "rabies!" so I stayed a safe distance away.

After lunch and a few more beaches, everyone on our boat was considerably tanner or redder and sleepily blissed out. What an incredible, amazing, will-never-forget-it day. To top it all off, the sun began to sink as we headed towards shore, lighting up the sky in streaks of orange and pink.

It was one of the moments that made me feel grateful down to the very tips of my toes, and awed at the beauty in the world. Final thoughts? If you ever get the chance, dear reader, jump at the opportunity to go to Phuket. You won't ever regret it!

epic vacation, part one: Tokyo

...and we're back from our epic vacation adventure. Maybe it's our go-go-go New Yorker nature, but we managed to pack so much into our trip. I don't think I've even fully processed everything that we did and saw!

As I mentioned before, we barely did any planning. In fact, both of us stayed up late meeting deadlines before rushing to the airport. That worked to our advantage, because I slept for much of the 14-hour flight and one-hour train into the city. Stepping out into the heart of Shibuya was surreal: Immediately, I was overwhelmed by the bustling crowds and bright lights. It felt like Times Square on steroids! Our hotel was only a block away. We stayed at the Shibuya Excel, which had an incredible view of the famously hectic crossing. From our birds-eye view, the crowds resembled tiny ants.

We spent most of our time in Tokyo soaking up the city. Since it's the epicenter of streetwear fashion (it's where Erik started his company), he went nuts in all of the stores for research. I mostly people-watched. My verdict: Japanese people are ridiculously stylish and attractive. Between stores, we ate our fill of sushi, ramen, chicken wings, and more. Yum!

It was fun to experience Erik's version of Tokyo, since he lived there on-and-off for months at a time back in 2004. I cracked up at his "Japanese," which was basically pronouncing English words in their cadence. I have to admit, though, everyone understood him, while they blinked at me in puzzlement. We also met up with some of Erik's friends, who were so sweet.

Randomly, our friend Glenna was also in Tokyo at the same time. She wound up coming out with us that night to see Erik's friend DJ Hazime spin at a hip-hop club. Tokyo nightlife is so lovely! Everyone was so polite, and there are even lockers in the clubs so you don't have to lug around your bag. Genius.

All in all, it was an incredible experience! I tend to be more of a beachy-backpacker vacationer, but Tokyo is such a unique city. I can't wait to go back.

Tokyo snapshots

We're having so much fun on vacation! Tokyo is amazing. It's such a modern, stylish city, full of beautiful people and bright lights. Our hotel was in the heart of Shibuya; the view was spectacular. We shopped until we dropped. Well, actually, Erik went crazy with work research while I people-watched. My favorite part of the trip was eating delicious food (sushi, ramen, yaktori) with fun friends. And, of course, laughing so hard with Erik over the silliest things. He's the best travel buddy. <3

crunch time

We're headed off on our anniversary-birthday-holiday trip to Japan and Thailand in two days. I am beyond excited...and slammed. Per usual, I'm writing lists like whoa. Please note that "vacation research" is not ticked off yet. Sigh.

6 things...

...I did this week.

1. Volunteered in the Rockaways with my friend Amanda, who I love for many reasons, but also because she is one of the doing-est people that I know. Even though she was swamped with work deadlines, she made helping a priority. So Friday was spent delivering water, hot meals, and other supplies to a powerless building in the Rockaways. There were so many elderly people trapped on the top floors; without elevators and companions, they have essentially been stranded without power, heat, communication, and running water for the past two weeks. The elevators didn't work and the halls were pitch-black and frightening (and often dreadful-smelling). I pray that power is restored swiftly.
2. Celebrated Obama's victory! Erik has been working overtime campaigning, even turning his office into a call center. So in addition to our country's future, my partner's mental health rode on this election. :) I truly believe in Obama as a leader, and I have faith that he is going to accomplish amazing things over the next four years.
3. Felt exhausted! Even though I logged plenty of shut-eye, I was wiped this week. As my wise friend Sarah pointed out, it's been a stressful week, with all the Sandy disruption. All that worry and distraction finally caught up with me.
4. Worked like bananas. I've fallen behind, thanks to the chaotic week (see previous), and we're headed on vacation this week. As Cathy from the comics would say, ACK!
5. Cashed in a gym pass. I know I've said it before, but, man! I am no longer a gym person. It is quite possibly the most boring thing ever. I'd much rather be running, hiking, or surfing outside. Only lasted half an hour on the elliptical before I had to call it quits.
6. Went to Fake Thanksgiving. It was delicious and fun, and I feel more thankful for all of my blessings than ever.

my new york city marathon story

They say that participating in the NYC marathon is emotional, and that was certainly true for me, although I didn't actually run. It all started on Sunday, when Sandy hit. My neighborhood was barely touched; it was strange watching all the devastation a few miles away on the television and look out my window to only see a light drizzle. I felt so lucky!

Over the next few days, I remained glued to the television and computer. The reports and images from places like the Rockaways and Staten Island were heartbreaking. I couldn't believe it when the mayor announced that the marathon would go on. My wish was that he would postpone it.

As marathon day grew closer, I grew more conflicted. I agreed that the race shouldn't be run, but since it was going on, should I still do it? Even heading to the expo, my emotions were all over the place. (Thank you Kristin and Aphrodite for putting up with my excited-one-minute-anguished-the-next mood swings.) I was stricken by the news reports of devastation; angry at the personal attacks towards us runners; and excited about finally running the NYCM after three years of applying, a long summer of training, and committing to the effort in memory of my dad. Once we got there, my confusion turned to hope as I saw so many charity runners and even a man from the gutted Breezy Point picking up their numbers.

Since the trains were down, Kristin and I wound up walking home from Queens with a sweet French couple stranded in the city. Right after spotting the blue marathon line on the Pulaski bridge, the texts came in: Marathon cancelled! A wave of relief and also disappointment washed over me; tears sprung into my eyes.

After feeling a little lost and depressed that evening, the next day something clicked into place: It was time to act. I decided to join my friends Jenna and Amanda and a group of marathon runners headed to Staten Island to help clean up. After biking to the ferry terminal, I was awed by what I saw: a sea of 1,300 orange bodies, each one carrying a huge bag of supplies. Like the marathon, the course was tough. We ran straight uphill (no joke) for 10 miles with 20 to 30 pounds strapped to our backs. Even though we got a little lost, the cheers and thumbs-up from Staten Islanders replaced my discouragement with with hope.

After dropping off our supplies, we wound up helping a family clear out all of its worldly possessions from their devastated home; the father nearly drowned in the surge. When we were finally done, these tough, gruff men's eyes filled with tears as we said good-bye. Heading back, we finally found to the words to chat with our fellow runner-helpers and heard so many amazing stories, like Tanya from England. She had spent all summer training and fundraising for Haiti to run NYC, and spent so much of her own money to get here. With only one day left in the city, this was how she chose to spend it.

Before Sunday, I never really considered myself a runner; it was just something I did now and then. Now, I'm beyond proud to call myself a runner. You better believe that I'll rock my neon lycra, fanny pack, and giant Garmin with pride.

i am happy

I get to wake up to the two cutest, snuggliest faces in the whole world every single day. This is one of them. Who needs stuff when this is all I need to be happy?

6 things...

...I did this week:

1. Started my taper. Wahoo! Although I did take a TRX class for a story and realized that, while I can run and surf for hours, I cannot hold a plank for more than minute.
2. Saw Ben's CMJ show. Excited to see him make things happen. It also made me realized that I am way old. I used to love going to Cat's Cradle shows back in college, but now I much prefer a comfy couch and cuddly cat.
3. Wrestled into my wetsuit and hit the waves with Sarah and Amanda. Holy chilly!
4. Did about a hundred interviews for stories this week, including some with "celebrities" with diva-like personalities. So silly.
5. Went to a beer-and-burger tasting with the newly engaged Mara and Amanda, where I inhaled about 1,000 calories. It was so worth it. Also, the founder of Sixpoint was there, and he is awesome.
6. Dropped by Erik's office and rode one of his company's skateboards, only to promptly wipe out (after scoffing at Erik's warnings). I was all, "this is like surfing!" and then, two seconds later, I ate it so hard. Ha.

one year ago today

One of my earliest memories if my dad calling me mei-mei baby (little sister) as I would giggle with glee. I remember him tossing a blanket over my brother and me as we wriggled away in a game of "goo-la-lee." (It wasn't until my teens that I realized goo-la-lee was a made-up word, not Chinese.) In high school, Babi—our pet name from baba—would wake up at 4:30 AM to drive me to swim practice, then stay up to help me with my calculus and physics homework. In his later years, after a string of heart attacks and strokes left him fragile, small, and egg-like, he would smile broadly and wave his hand like the Dalai Lama to waiters and Harris Teeter check-out ladies, who would then crumple at his cuteness. He also grew sentimental in his golden years, often telling me how proud he was of me and that he had created a good life in America. I can still feel the pat of his brown-spotted hand over mine and picture his wrinkly-eyed smile. It's been one year since my sweet Babi passed away, and I miss him more than ever. <3

P.S. This weekend, Tim flew home to see my mom, and they went to go see dad and put fresh flowers on his grave. Isn't my family the greatest?

another year wiser

Last Saturday was my birthday! It was a low-key one. After running for a really long time, I rested, chatted with friends, and then headed out with Erik for an evening out. We watched Argo, dined at a favorite restaurant from our getting-to-know-you days, and ate Momofuku Milk Bar birthday cake truffles. It was perfect. This past year has been a big one, full of both struggle and joy, and I've learned so many lessons. Life just gets better and better with each passing year, so I can't wait for what lies ahead.

marathon training, post five

Twenty-one miles, done and DONE! Friday night, I met up with Kim and Aphrodite to carbo-load, which is admittedly my favorite part of marathon training. I washed down my seafood pasta with three glasses of wine, which left me sluggish the next morning. (My theory: If I do everything wrong beforehand, I'll be ready for anything! Ha.) After shoveling in breakfast, I dressed in my full-on running-nerd marathon gear. Between my neon synthetics and gigantic watch, I looked like an alien! The weather was perfectly crisp, and I felt great heading over the bridge on the same route I ran last year. Since I don't know what my pace should be, I just ran how fast my legs wanted me to go. My feet ached (I wonder if it's the new shoes? They're an updated version that are a lot cushier), so I stopped to readjust my sneakers a few times. Given those pauses, my splits were around 9:30 or so along the West Side highway. I couldn't believe how strong I felt, even as I was trucking around Central Park. Then, around mile 20, my body started insisting that I stop. I don't know if I hit The Wall, but all of a sudden, my legs went from "okay, I've got this" to "hell to the no." New strategy: I'll slow my pace a bit to 9:45-10:30 until mile 18 or so. My plan called for 20 and I thought about doing 22, so I called it even at 21. I was a bit sore afterwards and not in the slightest hungry (weird?!), but all in all, felt pretty good. Now...taper time!!!

P.S. A childhood memory that popped up during my run: Back when I was swimming, our coach would throw "Christmas camps" where we would swim like crazy over the holiday break. On more than one occasion, I had to run to the bathroom to puke up my breakfast before I jumped back in the water. Dude. Hardcore at 15! I think I'll finish the marathon, no matter what. :)

birthday week!

Today is Erik's big day, and Saturday is mine. Compared to last year, where we wined and dined through Paris and Rome, this year's birthday week is a little anti-climatic. Erik has two big-deal meetings, and I have marathon training and deadlines galore. Womp, womp. But, not to worry, we have a birthday-anniversary-Christmas trip planned in November to...Japan and Thailand! I couldn't be more excited. Erik used to live in Tokyo, so he has friends and favorite restaurants, and Thailand is probably the most gorgeous place I've ever visited. Can't wait!

marathon training, post four

Between my cold and surf trip, I've barely run over the past week and a half. So I was pretty nervous about tackling the 20-miler that I missed last weekend. After all, a quick five-mile run on Tuesday had left me feeling winded. Here's how it went:

In typical dummy fashion, I chowed down on a huge meal of fish tacos, sangria, and truffle fries on Friday. In the morning, I was still too full, so I chugged some coffee and a protein smoothie and tucked a pack of Swedish fish and a freebie PowerBar gel into my pocket. Off I went! The weather was warm, so I worked up a sweat running over the Williamsburg bridge and around the East River. All of the runners were out in full force -- a parade of people covered in water bottles and brightly colored synthetic fabrics. To entertain myself, I listened to an audiobook (Lisa See's Dreams of Joy) as I ran down the tip of Manhattan and up the west side. It's a good book, but a little slow, so I switched to tunes after I passed David Blaine getting electrocuted over on one of the piers. (Seriously, David Blaine?) My legs felt surprisingly strong as I headed across town to Central Park for my final six miles. I choked down that chemically-tasting gel (note to self: pack enough candy/Shot Bloks for the race) and cruised until the final two miles. At that point, something shifted and I could NOT wait to be done; my legs hurt and I was dying to walk. But then...my Garmin beeped 20. Hallelujah! The run was such a confidence boost and my splits (about 10:33/mile, including trips to the water fountain and waiting at stop lights) were decent. Only 6.2 more on November 4...

6 things... (surf trip version)

...we did on Figure Eight island. I think the best part of the trip, for me, was hanging out with so many rad down-for-anything, no-drama ladies. But these other activities were close runner-ups:

1. Took a nighttime boat trip around the bay.
2. Surfed super-friendly waves. They were gentle, but long enough to think on; I actually turned and stepped forward to speed up. Progress!
3. Spotted dolphins (porpoises?) swimming north.
4. Rode stand-up paddleboards. It was my first time -- not too hard, but what a workout (especially between surf sessions).
5. Went clamming. Who knew the ocean held so many delicious things? Paula whipped up her famous clam linguine with our bounty. Yum!
6. Tried wakebording. It was fun to pretend I was a surfer who could carve all around. A girl can dream, can't she? :)

Photo credits: Corine, the coolest (and only) surfing geologist that I know

surf trip reunion

Just got home from the most magical surf reunion weekend on Figure Eight Island. Most of the ladies from our El Salvador trip made the trek to Paula's beautiful beach house. We surfed, stand-up paddleboarded, clammed, ate, drank, wake-boarded, and just had about the best time ever. Paula and Anne used to run an East Coast women's surfing competition, so, on one day, more than 40 female rippers took over the beach break. It was amazing to meet so many interesting, accomplished women. I'm inspired by all of these successful surfer moms! And there's just something so healing about the beach; I feel like a new woman -- and my croaky voice is almost healed (thanks to Sarah for putting up with my coughs on the 12-hour drive down!). What a lucky life I lead.

under the covers

Ever have one of those days you just want to give up and hide beneath the covers? That's where my head is at right now. I'm still croaky, sick, and defeated. The problem with being a freelancer is that it's kinda hard to call in sick to 10 different client/bosses. So I'm coughing and typing away right now, with little nap and kitty-cuddling breaks. Thankful to have a squishy animal to love on.

don't speak

Crooaaaaaaak. Yup. That's what I sound like right now. After my spiel about listening to my body, I still managed not to tune in. I laid low on Friday and Saturday, only venturing out to see my childhood buddy Mehdy. (Pic above. Isn't he so handsome? I knew him when he was chubby and had floppy hair! Now he's trim and the host of an amazing travel show.) I was feeling a tad better on Sunday, so decided to hit the waves -- mistake. Now my voice won't go above a whisper, which is interesting since I have a bunch of interviews to conduct. Blargh! I did sleep away most of Sunday, so I'm hoping for a speedy recovery. Poor Erik is shadowing me with a can of vanilla-scented Lysol. I was wondering why everything had a cloyingly sweet scent; I was about to comment about his weird new choice in cologne. Ha.

Edited to add: One downside of freelancing: It's so hard to take sick days! I would like nothing more to lay in bed and watch crappy television, but my computer is calling. Boo.

forced rest

Of course when my weekend schedule includes an art show, long run, surf day, deadline, and two birthday parties, I start feeling sick. Boo! I feel crummy, but not wretched, so I'm tempted to soldier through my plans. By now, though, I know it's smarter to listen to my body, so I've quarantined myself to bed. I've also been pumping myself with my go-away-sickness regimen of Emergen-C, astragulus pills, green smoothies, and lots of water. Hoping to get out for a short run later today and make it to a childhood pal's party tonight!

marathon training, post three

Okay, you guys, I'm starting to get nervous! Eeeeee! Work and travel meant fewer runs these past few weeks, as you can see by my mileage. Also, I realized that I should have entered in a faster time in my entry; now I'm stuck in one of the last start waves. Dagnabit. On the flip side, I did manage to meet a crap-ton of deadlines, do my long runs, and squeeze in some surfing...and I only cried once! (Side note: I just love a good cathartic cry, don't you?) Anyway, I've been reminding myself that, sometimes, my good enough is just perfect.

weekend pics

This weekend was all about burning and consuming calories. (My two favorite activities!) After a hellish week, Erik and I actually had a bit of a reprieve. Saturday I went surfing with the ladies; it felt great to get back in the ocean after two weeks away. Then Erik and I spent the rest of the day biking through Dumbo and Red Hook; we refueled with chocolate-covered key lime pie (YES!) and delicious corn from the ball field vendors. We made our way down to Amanda and Anthony's for an impeccable barbecue. (Between Amanda's decorating and Anthony's cooking, they should seriously start a B&B.) Sunday I retraced that bike ride on foot; Aphrodite and I covered 15.5 miles for our long run. Today I'm covered in weird tan lines, bug bites, and scratches—all signs of a fun weekend. :)