sweet irene

Thanks for being so mild, Irene! After all the hype, the hurricane wound up being just a gusty rainstorm in my neighborhood, and I'm not complaining. We were worried about Erik's store flooding, but I think it's safe. (Fingers crossed.) Even though the circumstances weren't ideal, it was so nice to hibernate for a day. I took a nap, watched movies, cooked dinner, caught up on paperwork and curled up with these two favorites.

P.S. My new favorite Irene-inspired cocktail: VitaCoco peach-and-mango flavored coconut water mixed with rum.

hi, irene!

What a bizarre week. First an earthquake, and now hurricane Irene is blazing her way up the east coast. As a NC native, I wasn't sweating it until NYC shut down transportation and certain hospitals, plus issued a mandatory evacuation for low-lying areas. Fortunately, we're in zone B, though we're really only a few blocks away from the danger area. Eek. This calm-before-the-storm feeling is so weird: The suits are freaking out in television, sirens are ringing outside and all my patio furniture is cramming up my kitchen, yet it's lovely out and people are going about their business. Fingers crossed it's not so bad. Off to go fill up my bathtub with water...

6 things... (handy tips version)

I may earn a living sharing expert advice, but when it comes to my own life, there a few tricks that I haven't spilled. Until now. Here are a few things that make my life a little easier/better/happier:

1. Online coupons. Before I buy anything (shoes, wedding gifts), I always hunt around for an online coupon. I've saved hundreds—if not thousands—of bucks with a few key strokes! Also, the pause forces me to reevaluate whether I really need to buy another tank top.
2. Chocolate-peanut-butter veggie smoothies. If left to his own devices, Erik would subsist on a completely beige diet. I like to remedy that by adding tons of spinach to our dessert! I pop a few big handfuls of the dark leafy green into our Vita-Mix along with some almond milk, frozen banana, a cocoa packet and some peanut butter. It's sweet, decadent and healthy. Yum.
3. The public bathroom maneuver. When I lived in Bed-Stuy, I used to walk home from my office a few times a week. It was a good two-hour journey, so I'd often be stuck without a public restroom. Over time, I perfected this move: A. Pretend you're on your cell phone or looking for a pal as you walk into a restaurant or bar. B. Find bathroom. C. Make speedy exit. D. If the hostess makes eye contact, smile sweetly and say "thanks."
4. Cheesy, catchy music. I'm surrounded by a lot of music snobs, so when I first started running, I loaded up my iPod with lots of fun indie rock and hiphop jams. Uh-uh. Not gonna cut it. If you want to run real distances and train, you need lots and lots of crappy bubblegum pop and techno. Now I listen to those NOW! THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! kinda mixes. Also, some Girl Talk.
5. Lists. You already know that I adore making lists. Not only do they help keep me on track, but they also keep me calm. Whenever I feel stressed about anything, I jot down what's freaking me out, how I'm going to tackle it and all of the little steps that will get me there. It provides a sense of control in crazy situations.
6. Mint, Capitol One Rewards and eTrade. These sites help me maintain a budget, earn free money and manage a portfolio. Yup, all three get my co-sign.

congrats are in order

My beautiful pal Meg and I have been friends for nearly two decades now. You can't help but fall in love with this girl. She is the best possible mix of fun, calm and hilarity—with a dash of Peppermint Patty mixed in. I've always admired how completely comfortable she is with herself, even when we were going through our awkward and self-conscious pre-teen and teen years. So I couldn't be happier that Meg and Brian brought another little soul into this world. Welcome, Olivia! I can't wait to meet you! :)

i can see!

Dudes, my new glasses came! Being the lazy cheapo that I am, I ordered them online from Spexclub without trying them on. I got the Wayfarer frame in tortoise—and I am already in love. The frames are nice and sturdy, and the glasses are surprisingly thin despite my legal blindness. The insides are a really cool green color, too. Anyway, this online retailer has a really good return policy and glasses (with prescription!) are only $88 for the whole pop, so I highly recommend giving them a go. I'm posting these shots because I Googled the heavens out of these frames and could not find a good reference image. So, my dear comrades in blindness and budget: You're welcome.

P.S. Please excuse the mess in the background. Eek. I woke up at 3:45 a.m. today for an insanely early call time and tore up my closet like a madwoman.

little letters

Dear Monkey,
Won't you change places with me for just one day? You always look so relaxed.

Dear summer,
Slow down a sec, kay?

Dear yoga,
I miss you. I promise I'll see you soon.

Dear Hunger Games trilogy,
You were super entertaining beach reading. Can't wait to see you in movie form.

Dear Self,
Do not try to go for a long bike ride on three to four hours of sleep, no matter how glorious it is outside. Chances are high that you're going to tip over in traffic and get a big shiner on your leg.

Dear Jimmy the masseuse,
Even though our conversation was lost in translation, you are my everything. Well, at least for today.

summer streets

This morning I actually went into Manhattan on a weekend. For three Saturday mornings over the summer, New York shuts down traffic on Park Avenue from 72nd street down to the Brooklyn Bridge. Since Erik's in Vegas and I actually don't have any major plans this weekend, I decided to check it out. It was so cool to run past all the huge buildings and around Grand Central; the whole thing felt like a free road race. Plus, there were fun activities (free yoga classes and bike rentals!) and rest stops (free water and treats!) every few miles. I wound up knocking out 9 miles because I was so absorbed in soaking it all in. Chalk up one more reason why I love New York!