all fancy

Do you even recognize us?! Erik actually bought a suit for the wedding -- his first ever as an adult. (Swoon. Isn't he so handsome?) Of course, this made me feel like I had to step my game up. So I went out and bought a dress (well, actually, frantically ordered one online a few days beforehand) and dusted off an old curling iron I got as a freebie back in the day. I think I managed to get it together, thanks to a few 15-year-old girls with hair-curling YouTube videos. Ha.

West Coast!

Back from a whirlwind trip to San Fran, Oakland, and Berkeley. N and K's wedding was incredibly beautiful and uniquely them! I love how they incorporated so many different cultural and religious elements into their event, like a Jewish reading, sake ceremony, and Okinawan love song. There was just a happy, effortless feel to the day -- a testament to their laidback and warm personalities! Also, as an added bonus, we got to see Tim and Sherry on our one free night. I heart California.

this guy...

...makes me happy. We snapped this shot during my favorite kind of date, an afternoon spent biking around Brooklyn. We ate pizza at Roberta's, explored random side streets, and took pics of cool street art in Bushwick. Now, after a killer workweek for the both of us, we're off to K and N's wedding in San Francisco tomorrow! It'll be a whirlwind trip, but we're grabbing dinner with Tim and Sherry on Friday night. So excited to see them!

May days

This past week has been gorgeous in Brooklyn. The air has just the right amount of warm crispness, and the people have a bounce in their step! I played hooky to ride my bike down to Prospect Park the other day, and the trees were just abloom. For a long while, I just laid on the grass and gazed up at the pink flowers against the cornflower-blue sky. Everything feels so fresh and alive! Maybe it's the weather, or the wedding planning, but I have this gut instinct that life is on the cusp of something new. There's really no reason I should feel this way, but there's a faint tingling in my fingers and toes. It's kind of exciting. I love new adventures, and the nice thing about being older and wiser having the confidence that I'll make the best out of anything that comes my way.

active weekends!

I love having friends who are just as insane as me. For the past three weekends, Kim and I have been partners in intensity. On Saturday, we met at 6:30 a.m. (!) to drive out to the Rockaways. The ocean was so much fun, and Kim caught an awesome green wave! I even went down the line (kind of) a few times. Afterwards, we met up with the other surf ladies for an afternoon of chatting, movie-watching, and eating delicious food. The next morning, Kim, Sarah, and I ran 10 miles to Brooklyn Heights and back; it was perfect weather and the view was spectacular. Phew. The rest of the day was slated for deadlines, but I wound up lying on the couch for a few hours and going to bed early. I'm going to pay for it this week, but I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

6 things...

...I've been up to lately:

1. Driving! Since the A train is still out, we've been renting ZipCars and driving out the beach to surf. My summer goal: Learn how to parallel park.
2. Reunion-ing. I've done drinks and lunch with a few groups of former colleagues these past few weeks. How quickly time flies! When I crunched the numbers, I realized that a full DECADE had passed since I last saw one lovely coworker. Yikes.
3. Deciding. Erik and I finally picked a place to have our wedding/party. Huzzah! This whole marital process has been such a fascinating exercise in figuring out what we want versus societal/industry pressures and expectations. I'm so lucky to have a partner who can laugh about it all, too. :)
4. Eating. Most brides try to slim down for their big day, but I'm kicking it up to gluttonous mode. Besides eating a humongous bagel every office day (gotta kick that habit), I also feasted on Momofuku Ssam last night. Yum!
5. Running. I'm training for the Brooklyn Half, and I just signed up for the NYC Marathon this year. I nearly shed a tear when I clicked the button, but it's happening -- knocking this one off the bucket list. No natural or man-made disasters, please!
6. Grinding. Trying to set the stage for a more relaxed summer. This song has been my go-to while meeting deadlines.

kind of excited...

...about life right now! I think Erik and I have finally found a wedding venue (cross your fingers for us), plus we have lots of summer fun on the calendar: In May, we're off to Cali for a wedding. In June, Glenna, Corrie, and I are headed to Vermont for a yoga-hiking-nature festival. And then, our wedding (and honeymoon!!). The dress and flowers and ceremony are all well and good, sure, but what I'm really looking forward to is hanging with my little family in NYC. Because of mom's health and Tim and I's hectic schedules, seeing them both together, on my home turf, will be a very special treat. I miss them so much.

Pic: view of Manhattan from the Wythe Hotel