overflow

i don't know how to describe the immense elation that is overflowing from very being right now. IMMENSE.

last week was spent at home with my family - a celebration of the season and new beginnings. we had our fair share of cocktails, feasts, story-telling, and abundant merriment. i'm not gonna lie, but there were a few times when i missed being in our space, doing the things g and i do routinely. however, my fits of temporary longing were overcome by the warmth of mama's hug, the gusto of daddy's laugh, and the comfort of my childhood home, festive and bright.

and then there was more overflow. like a crazy, heart-wrenching, uncontainable overflow of love. my favorite people (aside from my parents) joined over the breaking of bread at our abode. emma and her beau, abby, brent, and my squeeze. 

it was the grandest of times, all of us coming from different places, gathering at the table under the common belief that friendship is insurmountable. i can't even count how many times my eyes glistened with tears of joy as i looked around me and saw some of the most influential people within arm's reach. jubilation. pure jubilation.

so i end this final post of 2013 with a full heart. it was an incredible year, definitely one to go in the book of "favorites." and i feel that if this past week is any indication of the future, 2014 will be pretty damn swell.

on giving

this year, my family decided we wouldn't do a gift exchange for christmas. g and i also agreed to do the same. there have been some big expenses (ahem, paris), new family investments, and a wedding ceremony in our foreseeable future. naturally, it just felt right that we would share a low-key holiday, gifts not included.

i must say, this no-spending-on-gifts-you-will-probably-never-use decision was a great one. this entire holiday season, i have not fallen victim to the absurdly crowded shopping malls in an effort to cross people off my list. i never even had to make a list! not once did i have to guess and guess and guess what this person wants or what that person already has. and to top it all off, i don't have to try my hands at wrapping (lord knows how much i hate/cringe at the thought of wrapping).

this year, we agreed to all be together. to prepare a feast, drink some festive (and boozy!) cocktails, and just be. there won't be a "let's open presents" time and no one will have to hide their "what in the heck am i going to do with this" face. instead, we will take time to talk and share stories and work on a puzzle and sit outside by the fire and be so incredibly thankful that we have each other...the greatest gift of all.

here's to the warmest of holidays spent with the people you adore!

on being sick

coffeeshop confession: i'm not very good at being sick. actually, i'm terrible at being sick. 

there's a reason why i use my accumulated "sick days" from work as "mental health days"...and that's because i hardly get ill enough to stay at  home. until now.

over the past three days, it has been a battle between me and the bug. you know, that annoying illness that moves from one person to another, leaving the poor victim with a sore throat, body aches, sniffles, and an overall shitty feeling. woe is me. 

after much (unnecessary) contemplation, i called in sick to work. for a real sick day. i knew there was nothing else i could do but stay in bed and rest. sleep. drink tea and sleep some more. although my body needed exactly that and nothing more, my mind fought the prospect of a do-nothing-but-lie-on-my-sick-laurels kinda day. it was tough. i wanted to run, but felt too weak. i wanted to study, but felt too tired. i wanted to bake, but couldn't imagine my sick hands preparing a treat to share with (healthy) others. i was doomed to the bed, under blankets and a hot water bottle.

but through it all - through my internal struggle and fight against "being ill" - g was there to take care of me. first thing in the morning, he sprays medication into my throat and makes a bowl of oatmeal for soothing. tea is prepared and a water bottle is heated. the lights are turned down and silence ensues. as i begin to regain energy and an appetite, we go on a bundled walk, drink hot toddy's, and eat chili in bed. 

and all the while, i forget that i feel weak and stuffy and ugly and achy and nasty. under g's care, i feel loved. as irritating as i probably was - giving myself a pity party because i couldn't do this or that - g stayed by my side with his healing hands. i might be uber emotional right now, but let me say this: i feel so incredibly lucky to spend the rest of my life with this guy who loves selflessly, who makes me stronger just by being present. 

snacky, thank you. xoxo

most excited

i love this time of year, with the holiday decorations, festive food and drink, and chilly temperatures. it's all just so lovely - the snuggle time, stews, knee-high socks worn to bed, baked goods shared with friends. and i just can't get over the pomegranates and citrus, the poinsettias and eucalyptus.

but what i'm most excited about is the time spent with friends and family. there are few occasions during the year when people are able to congregate at the same time, but christmas! the joyous season for celebration! friends come into town to visit family, family come over to feast. it's magical! i don't even know how i'm going to contain myself when emma and her beau visit la. and abby! two visits in a matter of weeks?! festive dinners with local friends...yesss. and then home for the holidays - mama and daddy in their heart-warming, perfectly decorative abode. extended family join in debauchery, and all is well.

so as the masses scramble about for the "perfect" gift, may you find excitement in the simple things shared with those you love.

college flashback to christmastime at ophir

some things don't change

a few nights ago, g and i went to father's office for burgers and beer. as much as we love our burger outings, it never occurred to us to visit f.o.'s...maybe because it's more "bar" than "eatery" or because it's where people go on first dates and college outings. to whatever kept us away, well i don't like you anymore. father's office is just as good, if not greater, than when i used to go out with my college roomies, emma and abby.

there's something about the lighting and the vibe, the selection of beers and wine, the food and conversation that makes f.o.'s so damn magical. it reminds me of saturday nights in college, when we just needed to get a drink and gush about our man-crushes (and swing on trees down the corner). it takes me back to college graduation, when a group of us had our last feast together before bidding our farewells. and i'll never forget my first motorcycle ride, hanging on to the man of my life, feeling sexy as hell wearing red heels. and it was all due to father's office.

i am glad to say that father's office will now be a regular happening for me and g. the burger...oh damn. the beer and wine...geez. the memories, new and old...priceless.

thank you, f.o.'s. you are swell.

here's to you

with thanksgiving a couple days away, i can't help but think about those who have to be away from their families, working. i have no intention of writing this as a pity party for myself (i am scheduled to work thanksgiving night), but rather acknowledge those people who have to spend most, or all, of the holiday clocking in hours for the convenience of the public. 

you know, the workers at grocery stores. or the line cooks and chefs at restaurants. you have to respect the bakers who are slaving away in the wee morning hours to provide your holiday pies, and of course, the starbucks baristas who are satisfying your caffeine requirement as you finish last-minute prep for guests. and lord help those people who have to work at department stores, being separated from their families to indulge the black friday crowds. 

this thanksgiving, whether you are at home with family and friends or working all day and night, i wish you a day filled with appreciation, blessings, and a mighty full stomach. 

it was a big weekend

this past weekend, g, chase, and i packed the gypsy caravan and headed to monterey to run a race. we had been planning this weekend for months, using any excuse to get out of town and revisit one of our favorite places in california - the central coast.

although our intention to visit monterey was to run a race, we ended up doing much, much more. we explored and dreamed, documented our findings and recharged for the exciting times ahead. i won't divulge too much here and now, but i will say this:

the juxtaposition of the mountains and the sea - the clusters of cypress converging with the vibrant waves - evokes a sense of peace within. two dynamic forces, becoming one. monterey and big sur embody everything i have with g - an organic harmony, a spirited peace, an ever-evolving unity that is only assured through respect. and love. 

all of this to say, we are excited for next year's happenings :)