Hello there, old pals. I return, like a phoenix! WHOOSH.
(well, maybe like a retiring phoenix, not particularly grand-like, with plumes aglow and firey eyes of anything.) (what? I'm a demure phoenix)
All has been going quite swimmingly since I last wrote. It serves me right that when I finally sit down to write, I'm overwhelmed with the events to talk about. It really has been an embarrassment of riches. I mean, it's not as if every moment has been sunshine prisms and unicorn dreams, but still, my January malaise has skirted off to the shadows with its tail between its legs and I feel . . . well, I feel good. The sun is shining, the grass is growing, birds singing etc. Except this is New York so it's more: the sun is shining, I've seen the occasional blooming tree along the Westside highway, and just yesterday the cat spotted a pigeon from the window and nearly died of kitty joy. A quick (ish?) summary of Things I Have Enjoyed, Both Big and Random:
- The rest of Barcelona was divine - we ate and drank and arted and walked and seasided and just generally enjoyed life. D and I were on the same vacation wave length wherein it was heavy on the leisure, moderate on the arts, and light on the imposition. Rarely have we eaten so well, seriously. Barcelona is one of the most wonderous foodie fantasy lands, and for (relatively) cheap. By the end, we had all but forsworn Paris. Plus art galore, a beautiful, walkable city, side trips to the beach and the mountains for hikes in inappropriate footwear, concerts in perfect gems of concert halls, snuggling under blankets to watch Barcelona kick Bilbao's ass in football and listening to the whole stadium break out in song, shopping in the boqueria, cheap, mineraly glasses of cava. We left feeling refreshed and kissy and happy as clams.
- Pizza making lessons. Dakin gave me the world's best fifth anniversary present wiith a six hour lesson on making perfect pizza in your own home. Mark (pizza man extraordinaire) is perhaps the sweetest man in New York, took us all over Little Italy and Chinatown to show us the best places to buy the freshest and best mozzarella, sauce, ground pork. And then took us up to his fifth floor walk up apartment to learn how to make seriously awesome dough. He was patient and funny when my dough rolling efforts proved to be . . . ineffective, and while we all polished off some wine, helped our little six-person class make some of the best pizza I've ever eaten. I keep trying to find out if he's single (seriously ladies, he is smart, sweet as pie, passionate about pizza, affable, hunky with forearms the size of small trucks) because he is basically a dreamboat and I secretly want him and my friend Emily to meet and fall in love and raise little pizza loving kiddies.
- I ran a half marathon two weeks ago in Brooklyn. I actually sort of in my own half-assed, non-scientific way trained for it, so while it hurt and I was tired and really really happy to see that balloon-festooned finish line on the Coney Island pier, I think I ran a good race. I did not, sadly, meet my secret goal of running under two hours, I was close at 2:03! And shaved a solid eight minutes off my last half-marathon two years ago. Age! It does a body good. (um. that or sort of training this time around).
- Baby! No, damnation, not one of my own, but I became the very proud Aunt of Grace Calloway just two days ago. My nephew is thrilled as it cements his place as the Big Brother. My three year old niece Vivian (Vivi) is less enamored. She informed my sister that "Mommy, you need to come home RIGHT NOW, but that baby has to stay in the hospital. And not come to our home. No." I have a feeling she'll warm up to her teensy little sister soon enough, but thus far, the mighty Viv is deeply suspicious.
- And I luckily got in M's baby shower this past weekend. I have to say, it was awesome. I have been insufferable for weeks now with my VISION and made the invitations, had DK buy 100 vintage alphabet blocks on ebay, hand-stenciled and bound a ABC book that everyone helped illustrate (I shameless stole Maggie's idea), made tissue poofs, bought Charlie Harper flashcards to decorate the favors, cooked etc etc. It goes to show, you can take the girl out of Kansas City, but there is apparently no taking the need to throw themed ladies' luncheons out of the girl. It was a lot of work, but my younger sister S and I pulled it off and M looked radiant and happy surrounded by friends and family celebrating her. I find I get closer and closer to my sisters as we get older and no one but no one can make me laugh so hard.
It is finally a beautiful night after days of rain. I'm heading out early, yo! Plus, I'm leaving for DC tomorrow to see my best girl from college; she's taking me to a Korean spa tomorrow and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself. Do you guys know what I'm talking about here? I've been to a few in NYC and well, it is no peaceful, zen experience. But it is BRUTALLY effective. Exfoliation? Uh, wow. Yes. Holy moses. Modesty must be checked at the door, but you leave with baby-soft skin. Anyhoo, totally excited to catch up and barbeque and brunch and shop and talk talk talk.
Hope you are well. I missed this little nook, damn it.
