hiking the Hudson Valley

Last week, my friend Siv and I made plans to hit the waves over the weekend. But when Friday evening rolled around, the forecast looked depressingly flat. That evening, I suggested that we go hiking instead and she immediately said yes. (Insert heart emoji.) After a quick Google search, we decided to take the 9:43 Metro-North train up to Cold Spring, a charming small town about an hour north of the city.

There's a trailhead about 15 minutes from the station. We followed the white trail markers, and climbed up to a beautiful vista overlooking the Hudson River. On the descent, we bumped into these dudes who recommended checking out an abandoned mansion. They were cool; it was like wandering into a scene from Alice in Wonderland.

When we finished the hike, we were drenched with sweat. So we walked across the street to a park alongside the Hudson River. It felt so good to swim in the crisp, cool water. Afterwards, we feasted on a picnic lunch and made it back in time for the 5 o'clock train. What an awesome little day trip adventure! It was easy, accessible, and scenic. We definitely want to go back to do the other hikes in the area and explore the area more.

summer lately

These past few weeks, we've been dealing with some bumps in the road. At the risk of sounding cornier than usual, it's been a reminder that we only have this one life. I'm happy to report that I'm making the most of it these days! I've been stepping out of my "yes" comfort zone and saying "no" more often so that I can take time for myself. Last week, I went to North Carolina to spend time with mom. We ran errands, watched movies, and went swimming, and it was harder than usual to say good-bye at the airport. On Wednesday and Thursday, I hit up Rockaway with my buddy Jon for some fun surf, Peruvian chicken, and mural-snapping. Over the weekend, I spent some quality time with Erik and slept like crazy - just what my body and mind needed.

the influence of one

This week, I was sitting in the Rockaway lineup. It was crowded and there were a few waves rolling through, so most of the dudes were pretty serious-looking and competitive about getting on the good ones. I paddled for a wave and this voice yelled "GO FOR IT!" That encouragement powered me through, and I caught my funnest wave of the day. As I paddled back out, I saw my cheerleader: a 10-year-old fellow on a short board. We chatted for a bit, and he explained that he had been surfing for as long as he could remember. It was his birthday, and all he wanted was a video game, iPhone 6, money, and clothes. (I chuckled at that.) All the while, he hooted when sets came through and cheered when strangers flew down the line. It was rad! Slowly, there was a palpable change in the lineup: Guys were cracking smiles, shouting at each other to go, hollering at others' nose-rides, and striking up conversations. It reminded me that surfing is all about fun, and one attitude can really make a difference. Thanks, young friend, for teaching me that lesson.

weekend vibes

Summer's here and, despite the rainy, cool weather, I'm taking full advantage. I finally didn't have to write this weekend! On Friday, Monkey and I had a rare girls' night in. We posted up on the couch with snacks and watched a cute movie (Begin Again). On Saturday, I headed out to Gilgo with Sarah and Kim. Although there were no waves, we went for a long walk on the beach; rode cruisers around the neighborhood; played bocce and barbecued (all while Tom was toiling away on his house). The next day, I slept in, and surfed Rockaway in the late afternoon. Around 5:30, the crowds thinned and the winds switched offshore. The water felt soft and refreshing, and a rainbow appeared overhead before disappearing into a pink-and-purple sunset. So magical! I even got home in time to make dinner and bake a batch of oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies. Finding balance in my life is an ongoing process, and I'm making strides!

6 things

I've been up to lately…

1. Went to visit Erik's family in Northern Virginia. I'm so lucky to have in-laws that I truly love. I always wanted a sister and now, by marriage, I have five! One of Erik's sisters has a menagerie of interesting animals, including two parrots, a gecko (above!), and a crazy dinosaur-like tegu lizard.
2. Appreciating New York. There's nothing like a weekend in the 'burbs to make you appreciate your exciting city life. :)
3. Bought a new mattress. Our old one was a hand-me-down and, after tallying up the numbers, we realized that it was 20 (!!!) years old. So we scoped Sleepy's and then ordered the one we liked online for a fraction of the cost. It's like sleeping on a cloud. (Insert "A Whole New World" soundtrack.)
4. Surfing Rockaway. The waves have been fun lately, so I've been spending all my free time at the beach. I also got a locker down there, which has been a revelation. No more lugging my board on the train; hallelujah!
5. Catching up on life. After a string of trips and fill-in gigs, I finally have a stretch of staying put at home. I'm loving it! I've finally been tackling all the projects that I kept putting off: Cleaning out my closet, organizing my file cabinet, adjusting my investment portfolio, etc. Next up: Scheduling all of my checkups.
6. Having little city adventures. Of course, life isn't complete without some excitement. We've been doing fun activities, like checking out art installations, taking archery lessons, seeing the new Whitney, and going for city rambles.

oh, hey

Wait, what, I have a blog? I'm sure my only readers are Russian trawling tech-bots, but whatevs, I'm back! Let's see, where was I? I fell down a vortex of deadlines and icy bleakness (coldest winter ever!) in February and March, but have reemerged like a happy little groundhog since spring. As a whole, life is really good, doing my usual work-surf-run-friends-adventures routine. I did go to North Carolina and Montauk; and Erik and I did a impromptu trip to Stockholm. I finally lived out my dream of buying an international plane ticket days before departure; does this make me a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person? My goal for the summer (as it is for every summer): Work less, enjoy more, and have fun!

catching up

Just when I caught up on my Spain/Portugal trip, I headed off on another flurry of travel. In the past few months, I've headed to Maui, Costa Rica (Playa Guiones), and San Diego, for both work and play. It's been fun and busy, and I know I'm beyond lucky. I need to post those adventures, but in the meantime, I'm transitioning back to everyday Brooklyn life. I took on another fun magazine fill-in gig, so I'm doing the whole office-commute thing. I'm simultaneously juggling a few other projects, which means some serious grind action over here! There's been snowstorm after snowstorm, so it's been perfect for holing up inside with my computer, cat, and deadlines. I'll check back in when my head's above water...