a little breather

Oh, hey there, blog! It's been a bit since I've last posted. That's because I took a little break from social media these past few weeks. My hiatus wasn't driven by a great purpose; I simply haven't felt like reading blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as much. And you know what? It's been refreshing! I've never really thought about how scrolling through those pages occupies the times that I'd otherwise spent daydreaming or simply letting my brain take a breather.

Perhaps this break is part of a larger ebb. For the first time in a while, I'm not training for an athletic event and I don't have a huge work project or office stint. Instead, I've been spending more time walking, reading, cooking, hanging, and managing a sizeable (but not insane) workload. I'm enjoying this quieter stretch! In a world of should-be-doings, it's so nice to be in a this-is-enough stage. Plus, I know life will go back to crazy-mode before long.

With that all said, what else has been going on with me? I just got back from a trip home to North Carolina, where I ran errands and went to doctor's appointments with my mom. We went swimming twice, and I even got her to buy a swimsuit. (!) I also caught up with some dear friends I haven't seen in ages, and booked a surf trip to Costa Rica in March. Not too shabby. :)

a touristy weekend

I swear my cat saves me thousands of dollars in therapy. Just one look at her little face and I'm instantly happier. Isn't she the cutest? This weekend I've been spending a lot of quality time with Monkey. Erik's out of town for work, and I've been in a lay-low kinda mood. Besides plenty of yoga, kitty snuggles, and Top Chef episodes, there's also been a little exploring: On Friday, I had mini-adventure on the UWS. I rarely head up to that neighborhood, but I had head that way for work, so I spent the rest of the afternoon sight-seeing. I love being a tourist in my own city! Also, I'm jealous of Fairway. Can we get one of those in Williamsburg?

Yesterday, I ran with the tourist theme and headed up to Woodbury Commons, a gigantic sprawl of an outlet mall center. Shopping for clothes is one of my least favorite things, but I was in dire need of a new winter coat. Since I love scoring a deal and had a bus ticket voucher, I made a day of it. Whoaaa, this place is INTENSE. It's full of tourists from around the world, dragging thousands upon thousands of dollars in purchases in rolling suitcases. Most of the stores are still far too pricey for my wallet (think: Gucci and Prada), but I did nab a North Face parka, ski jacket, and a few J.Crew shirts, plus underwear and socks, at less than half their regular price tags. Then my patience ran out and I high-tailed it to the bus early. I was more exhausted after those few hours than I am after a 20-mile long run. (Although I did have a bit of an endorphin high.) Serious shoppers of the world: I salute you!

6 things (holiday version)

Hope everyone had a very lovely holiday and happy New Year's. Mine was sweet and relaxing! Here are 6 things I did over the break:

1. Went to D.C. to visit Erik's lovely family. We spent time with his (four!) sisters and extended clan.
2. Did our one and only annual tradition: Tree-peeping and burger-eating in the city.
3. Relaxed. My workload was actually lighter during this break, and it was so nice to not have to frantically type away during stolen moments. Ahhhh. I spent my free time watching documentaries and cooking.
4. Watched Les Mis at the shiny new movie theater in my neighborhood (insert angels singing). Although I'm not a huge musical fan, this one was good--although I'm glad that we ladies left our respective fellas at home. :) I may or may not have sang-talked and danced around the rest of the day.
5. Went to the gym. Remember what I said about loathing this place? I take it back. I've been going to the (surprisingly good) yoga and bootcamp classes. For the first time in a long time, I'm not training for a marathon or triathlon. It's been fun mixing things up...and sleeping in!
6. Rang in the New Year by dining at local hipster piano bar and cuddling up on the couch. Heaven.