Thinking Out Loud

Hi friends! How’s May treating you?

I have zero excuses for my two-week blogging hiatus. Of course I missed you guys, but LIFE! I’m glad I can link up with Amanda at Running with Spoons for Thursday’s Thinking Out Loud post today, because a healthy dose of randomness sounds up my alley right now.

1. Travel. I was in Colorado last week for a quick 3.5 day trip, which was definitely too short but all sorts of fun. I love so many things about that state and will take any opportunity to get back there! Tyler’s brother lives outside of Boulder (a city I really like), so we went for his MBA graduation. Of course I’ve been looking at lofts in Boulder online for the past week now, because that’s what I do every time I go anywhere cool. #wanttoliveeverywhere

2. Fit Cities. So, this article was just published on the Fittest Cities in America. NYC didn’t make the top 10, but Denver, San Francisco and San Diego did (not to mention Seattle and Portland, two cities I’ve been so wanting to visit), so I’m doing the logical thing and taking this as a sign I should move West. As if I needed more of those.

3. Run. This Saturday, I’ll run my favorite half marathon for the 4th consecutive year: The Airbnb Brooklyn Half. I’ve had great experiences running this the past 3 years, so I’m hoping this one follows suit. I’m definitely not over-trained (to say the least), but I think it’ll be manageable and hopefully fun. 🙂 It’s the boy’s first half, so that’s exciting, and I’m thankful we can do this together (even though he’ll probably finish wayyyy before me).

I don’t actually have any goals for this race other than to feel good, enjoy it, and finish under 2 hours. Not too much to ask, I don’t think!

4. Watch. If you haven’t seen the film Brooklyn and you have any sort of heart for the beauty of humanity and a touching coming-of-age story whatsoever, you must see it. I adored this movie sooooo much – one of the loveliest, sweetest films I’ve ever seen. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed it.

5. Read. I’m currently finally reading Oscar Wilde’s class The Picture of Dorian Gray and really rather enjoying it. His writing is so whimsical and thought-provoking and unique, and I need to make a note to read more of his works.

6. Drink. Boy & I lucked upon a delicious cabernet by Martin Ray Winer at a lovely restaurant called Colterra in Niwat, Colorado, and I need to track it down and buy some asap. It was one of my favorite cabs I’ve had in a while, right up there with my beloved Josh by Joseph Carr:

I feel like I try so many different cabs all the time and always hope I’ll stumble upon a gem, and this one was such a welcome surprise. Crossing my fingers I can find it!

That’s all for me today — hope you’re all doing well!

Reading anything good?
Discover any new wines lately that I should try?
Anyone else have a race this weekend (or next)?

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WILW {1/15/2014}

i sort of feel like it’s Wednesday a lot. anyone with me? yes, i’m fully aware of the nonsensical logic behind that, and the fact that it’s Wed just as often as it’s any day, but still. it seems like there are a lot of Wednesdays.

welp, you’re welcome for that little dose of semi-philosophical rambling. in other news, here’s the camel who was waiting for me in my (work) inbox this morning:

possibly one of the strangest and most disconcerting animal shots i’ve ever seen. i like it.

so, let’s love on Wednesday, shall we?

* Joe’s New Balance Outlet. what a site. if you’re a New Balance fan (or even if you’re not, and you’re starting to realize you should be), this outlet site might become your new fitness gear fix. it offers amazing deals on sneakers and apparel, and i’ve found the customer service to be wonderful. i purchased those turquoise babies dangling on this blog header as my marathon shoes last summer, and i couldn’t have been happier with them. it’s replacement time, however, so i ordered these two pairs yesterday and am hoping i love how they run as much as i love their fun and spunky attitudes.

both are 750s like my current runners, just diff styles. i’ll let you guess which i’m more stoked about.

*the theater. man, i wish i took advantage of NYC’s amazing theater experiences more often, especially given that i live in the theater district, and it’s fairly easy to get discount tickets to certain shows. last night i had the opportunity to see the brand spankin’ new Broadway play Machinal at the American Airlines Theater (right in Times Square) on press night, as it officially opens tomorrow, because a girlfriend gets tickets to shows through her job. pretty sweet gig.

i love everything about going to the theater, and it totally makes me miss my (very amateur, aka ended in college) acting days and wish i’d pursued that. this was a crazy unique show that employed a very mechanical, industrial theme in all aspects, from stage design to character development and dialogue. it was based on the true story of one of the first women ever executed using the electric chair (because she murdered her husband). lead Rebecca Hall did an incredible job, and the show was complex and dark and very character-driven. i wasn’t quite certain how i’d feel about it at first, but there were a lot of cool elements and i’m definitely glad i saw it.

*Birch Box & Nature Box. what a nice treat to have two packages waiting with my doorman last night at the end of a loooong day: both my Birch Box and my Nature Box.

January’s Birchbox was pretty decent: Fekkai shampoo and conditioners, a Burt’s Bees eye cream, a perfume sample that i haven’t smelled yet, and a little quad eyeshadow palette. i’m always glad for the shampoos and conditioners because i they’re so clutch to throw in my gym bag, as i work out in the mornings and head right to work. i have a good feeling about these.

and Nature Box — oh man. what a lovely sight to behold on my kitchen counter.

his was my first Nature Box from the subscription i received for Christmas from my bff, and i customized it online so that i’d be sure to like every snack (love this feature!). i chose the Cinnamon Spiced Granola, Dark Chocolate Berry Trail Mix, Fancy Dried Figs, Blueberry Almond Bites and Whole Wheat Bluberry Figgy Bars. so far, so amazing. just hoping i can make this stuff last more than, ya know, a week…

happy snacking, indeed.

*snowboarding. oh, how i love that mountain life. i’m heading back upstate to get some more riding in this weekend, about which i’m soooo psyched. last year i only had one trip out to CO (albeit an amaaazing trip!! pix below), and the year before i mayyyybe got on my board twice. this year, i’m three times and counting already. pretty good for a city dweller/ snowboard bum at heart.

*blog love. one of the best parts about having a blog and getting involved in the “blogosphere” is finding other blogs you like and getting to know the people behind them a bit through their writing. writing is such a powerful tool, and as someone driven by a true passion for the written word, i believe fully in the importance of paying close attention to your voice as a writer and how your personality comes across. everyone blogs for different reasons; for me, my primary purpose here is to keep myself accountable, in the midst of a hectic life, to writing on a regular basis. it has always been my true love, and it pains me when i feel it being slowly edged to the shadowy corners of my life. i need to keep it in the forefront, where it’s always belonged. this, at least, is one outlet for that passion. i think everyone who is haunted by an innate passion of some sort feels the indescribable pain that comes along with it, when you find yourself unable to devote most of your life to this pursuit.

having said that, i follow quite a few blogs that i find interesting, adorable, helpful, inspiring, funny or entertaining, and so why not promote some of these other ladies’ stories?

this week, i’m pushing Gracie’s GirlMeetsLife. it’s adorable and relevant and fun, and she’s a fellow NYC girl, so she’s automatically a cool chick. 🙂 she just started her own line of necklaces (which i totally wish i’d had the vision for, as i dig the whole vibe behind it). check her out.

Questions:

If you’re not into snowboarding/skiing, what are your fave Winter activities?
Runners: Do you swear by a specific brand of sneaks?

xoxo