costa rica

...And I'm back from another amazingly fun surfing adventure in Costa Rica. The camp and instruction were fantastic; I feel like I learned a ton. A gigantic swell (or, at least, huge for me) came through, so there were 10-foot close-outs! So I practiced turns in the whitewash and, on a few days, rode much more reasonable five- and six-footers. By the end of the week, I felt pretty good about going down the line. (Next up: Turning while on the wave.) Besides surfing, we ate delicious food, lounged in the pool, and laughed it up with the other hilarious and amazing folks. Good times! We also hit up the local bars, watched sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach, and did this crazy driving tour of the Costa Rican countryside. Corine and I switched off with driving, and apparently I laughed maniacally like the Bride of Chucky when I floored it through muddy puddles. One of the most inspiring parts of the trip was that a lot of the other surfers hadn't started until their 40's and 50's...and they could shred it up! Goes to show that it's never to late to learn something new. :)

beach bound

Hello, blog! I've missed you. Life has been a little hectic, between my fill-in job, writing, planning, blah, blah. Just when I thought I had it under control, THREE stories that I wrote around a year ago decided to resurrect themselves. So I had lots of last-minute requests that kept me up late. That's what I get for being a responsible freelancer and informing everyone of my vacation plan weeks in advance. (Either that, or I'm a slacker and should have given the head's up months ago.) Anyway, I've stepped back from the ledge and can see the light at the end of tunnel and lots of other cliches I can't think of now because I'm mildly delirious. Can't wait till I'm in the surf with my amigas!

Oh, wedding update: We've looked at a lot of places, and I found one that we loved and was about to book when...I had a mild freak-out. At the price. Even though everything separately isn't bad, it adds up. Y-i-k-e-s. Even though we can afford it, I'm wondering if we want to? On the one hand, I would like to take more trips, own a home, and feed a baby one day. And both of our families are not particularly wedding-minded. On the other, part of me really wants to have a pretty event with our loved ones. It's hard to reconcile the two in NYC; even the simplest options are kinda up there! Back to the drawing board...

6 things...

...I've been up to lately:

1. Started another office gig. I'm back in the workplace, and I'm kind of loving it. It's been so nice to chat with coworkers, brainstorm ideas and meet midtown friends for lunch. As much as I adore the freelance life, there's something truly wonderful about working as part of a team. Plus, this office is insanely sane. Ha! Of course, I've been going a bit crazy wrapping up outstanding projects at night, but I think I've powered through the thick of it.
2. Gone clothes-shopping. How is it that I worked on staff for the better part of 10 years, yet I only have four office-appropriate outfits nowadays? It's a mystery. I've bought a few staples, but I am in dire need of more.
3. Finished my taxes. Ugh! There's no more dreaded time of year for a freelancer than tax season. I have to part with a pretty penny, but it's well worth it. I'm not mad at giving money for more much-needed public programs. Color me Democrat.
4. Played guinea pig. My favorite thing about my job is doing the most random things. Last week, I ventured to an abandoned-looked warehouse in my neighborhood. Lo and behold, it's this amazing space with a full-sized pool inside for Watsu (water massage) treatments. Basically I shoved my head in this therapist's arm pit as he swirled me around the warm water. I felt super dreamy and out-of-it afterwards. I also did a hard-ass boot-camp-kinda class and, to balance that out, sampled fresh Italian meats and wines.
5. Scheduled some venue appointments. Everything is still way, way up in the air, but we're going to check out a roof-top farm and converted firehouse this week. I also chatted with someone who got hitched at City Hall, which is still a temptation.
6. Played single lady for a week. Erik was out of town at a trade show and, while I missed him, it was so nice having the place to myself. I had flashbacks of when I lived alone in Bed-Stuy; I've always been a people-person, so it surprised me that I truly enjoyed being on my own. There's something so luxurious about putting on a face mask and watching the Bachelor while eating peanut butter out of the jar. It's the finer things in life, people.

love list

Things that I've been loving lately...

1. Yoga. Between the marathon and triathlon training and surfing, my practice dropped off last year. But I've revived it, going three or four times a week, and it's had such a huge impact. I feel calmer, stronger, and more grounded; I'm even managing tricky poses like the side crow! Although my schedule is going to get crazy again this spring and summer, I still want to make yoga a priority.
2. Audible. Is it bad that this writer is only listening to books on iPod? Don't answer that! I've been catching up on my "reading" (current book: The History of Love) while washing dishes, running errands, and commuting.
3. Photo booths. My new photo booth project: Taking an old-timey strip with Erik on the same day each year. We kicked it off with a silly strip and skeeball in our neighborhood.
4. Scandal. I started watching this over-the-top political soap opera when I was sick, and now I'm hooked.
5. Minimizing. Between Erik's clothing samples and the swag I got when I was a staff editor, we've accumulated a lot of...stuff. Lately I've been purging, and it feels oh so good. I've also resolved to fight my urge to buy or accept more (unnecessary) stuff. New mindset: Less is more!

wedding planning

So I'm only a few weeks into the engaged life and already I'm getting the wedding questions. Eek! Although I adore going to other people's weddings, I've never dreamed about my own affair. And now that the time has come, I've realized that I definitely don't want to throw a traditional one. After all, both of our families are pretty laid-back and hands-off. Plus, we'll be footing the bill, so we get final say! We're still deciding between a City Hall/park ceremony and big party; small Brooklyn affair; or plain old elopement. Right now, all we know for sure is that the dress code will be "no suits" and the menu will be Chino-Latino. :)

lately...

...I've been treasuring the little things. The fact that I can get up in the middle of the day for a body-loosening yoga class. The sweet embrace from my overworked fiance (!) when he crawls into bed in the wee hours of the morning. The tiny kiss my cat gives me on the nose each morning. Weekend walkabouts that usually include a trip to the taco truck. Sometimes I get caught up chasing big moments (fancy assignments or adventurous trips), but it's these small moments, I think, that make a person truly happy.

Photo: Biggie toile from Three Letters Brooklyn. Yum.

the rings

I've never been one for tradition, and Erik is even more staunchly unconventional than me. I mean, the man has never once owned a suit in his 35 years! So it's only fitting that I wound up with not one but two engagement rings. My only parameters was that the ring be flat to my hand (no annoying snagging), not too flashy (no constant worry of losing it), and ethically sourced/environmentally friendly (no horribleness). Erik worked with his friend, the genius jeweler Osa, to design my gorgeous set. The top ring is diamonds set in rosegold, and the bottom is deep pink (almost purple) diamonds set in yellow gold. I adore it. It's so very uniquely us!