Training Day

Yesterday I did the unthinkable. I ran on hard surfaces, this thing called the ground, in this world called outside. I was without elliptical or treadmill, and was desperate to catch up from my vacation hiatus, since I never found the energy to wake up early in the morning or forego a sandy day by the sea to run. So on Sunday I took to the streets of Long Island City in Queens. Not too shabby considering this was my view



As it turns out, running on a treadmill and running on the ground are completely different beasts, and I was embarrassed for myself. It was miserable. I couldn't go 3 minutes without breaking, and I ultimately maxed out after half an hour, which was interspersed with walking, stopping and stretching out the cramps. Oh dear Lord what did I get myself into and why did I think I could do this?!

The good news is that I appear to have dropped a pant size in this aerobic mess. I figure that if I can't finish the half marathon, I can at least put my pants on inside-out so the tag shows and consider that lesser number my victory.



Here is Anja and I in Key West before we swam out to what we called "Stein Insel" and then watched the sunset. I miss vacation...!

Olympic Commentators

Writing this article gives me a little deja-vu... somehow I recall the Summer 2004 Athens Olympics when my friends and I used to spend our days watching the Games on TV and then play volleyball into all hours of the night, and I feel like we used to make fun of the commentators back then too. So maybe it is a thing.

This morning I was flipping between swimming, fencing, and ping pong (excuse me, "table tennis"), and got completely drawn into the fencing competition. It was South Korea's Nam versus Italy's Di Francisca. Nam had a heavy lead, but Di Francisca came back to tie it. There was 20 seconds left and they were just going back to positions when Di Francisca stopped to tie her shoes.

Commentator #1: Uh-oh. Di Francisca is stopping to tie her shoes... do you think she's playing a little psychological sportsmanship here?

Commentator #2: Um, no. I think the score is tied, her shoes are not, so she's tying them now.

I did laugh out loud, but how stupid are they? These are professionals? This struck me as the kind of conversation/commentary Jayna and I would have if we were the ones on the microphones. "The score is tied. Her shoes are not." And something tells me that we would be way better at it.



Above see my patriotic pride in the cleanest, classiest, and clearly most scenic borough: Brooklyn. And doesn't that dark/wet spot look like the Nike sign? I should be collecting royalties for this masterpiece.

Update: On a recap of highlights, Kazakhstan won something, and the commentator said verbatim "Somewhere, Borat is happy." Is that kosher? Cause I'm guessing not. So lame, they are!

Olympic Marathon

I just got done watching the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremonies with one of my roommates. I just love the Olympics, it gives me chills and makes me so happy. What is so hard about us all acting so civilized and respectful and courteous and loving? Clearly we are capable of it, and yet it's a struggle to do this daily. Some day...

HOWEVER, watching that spectacle reminded me of my marathon training and I wanted to document it since this is such a new and huge thing for me (totally out of character, as I say. I'm no runner!)

First, I had to just stay running/power walking for 20 minutes at a time. Then I got up to doing 30 minutes consistently. Then, I had to start training myself on distance, not time. I started by getting around 2.34 miles in 30 minutes, and then started to touch on the 2.5 mile mark, even though I wouldn't hit it until about 31 minutes, but I am improving! Next week I should have 2.5 miles in 30 minutes consistently, and then I'm going to have to start running after work so that I can run longer than half an hour. I'm getting somewhere! So watch out, you may need to look for me in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Lulz.

Here is me and Anja from when we were gallivanting around the city.





I am adjusting to being alone after having her in town for over 2 weeks, but consoling myself with my fabulous tan.

Operation Rejuvenation

Day 1 of beaches and palms. Well, first full day. The tan is progressing exponentially well. Anja has accidentally taken on a full sunburn, and there are $1.50 beers.





More as this story develops.

Is This The Elevator?

Yesterday evening, Anja and I went to Bryant Park for the free showing of Roman Holiday. I love that movie and have an even softer spot in my heart for it after our Cinema Under The Stars experience in San Diego this past May, but I think I am going to have to retire myself from these mass events NYC puts on: the crowds and lines and humidity and heat is just getting to be too much. We were already shoulder to shoulder-to-shoulder and blanket-to-blanket in sweating heat when I ran to Chipotle across the street and then had to wait 20 minutes to use the bathroom and 20 minutes to get food. I swear it's only grown over the past few years. Once the movie was going it was nice to sit in the park with our dinner and watch Audrey and Gregory charm us away, plus it was much cooler and breezier.



My FAVORITE line, as made famous by Pam's boyfriend Doug is: "Are these pyjaaaaamas?!" and a close second is Audrey saying "Is this the elevator?" and Gregory Peck: "It's my apartment!" Lulz.

Friends auf Friends

Anja is visiting from Germany this week before she and I take off like two flighty birds for warmer weather and adventures down south in a few days. It's fascinating how I can still find new sites for even myself in this city.

Friday night drinks on the Frying Pan boat on the Hudson


Saturday morning brunch in Long Island City, Queens along the East River


Long walk from Queens to Brooklyn


Went to a friend's birthday party at a superfun sports bar called 4th Down in Williamsburg complete with a giant jenga! Anja and I dedicated ourselves to winning at Quarters for most of the night, however


And yesterday we stumbled across Monica and Rachel's apartment at the corner of Grove & Bedford in a beautifully unrealistic neighborhood for them in the Village


We got caught in a summer storm last night and made dinner together around 10pm with the windows open and listening to a warm rain. It's so nice to have company.

Can You Believe It's The Day It Is?

I hate to be THAT person who's like "Can you believe it's already July? Where does the time go?" It's almost as cliche and blah as talking about the weather. But I just hate the way June didn't exist to me like, at all, in the midst of work and moving, so I can't believe it's July and I'm bitter about it. Still, I have some fun pictures to show for the start of summer. Enyoy (not a typo, it's a Spanish accent.)

Palak and I did a Road Trip 2012, from Baltimore to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to meet up with some of her coworkers at a beach house. If you're a West Coaster like me, you have no idea what Outer Banks means; if it's a band or a rare animal species or what. Turns out it's one of the East Coast Spring Break Destinations since before Florida and it's gorgeous, it's the small lay of islands outside the mainland of NC (Google map it!)

North Carolina just out of Virginia


This is the bridge traveling from the mainland to the Outer Banks


A look on the OBX


The beach was just outside our door, and Pal and I are both huge fans of Greece, so our towels had to touch


I'm not one to take the stock photos of food or your toes in the sand, but I was OBSESSED with my pedicure that Palak picked out for me, pink and sparkles!!


Me and Pal on the beach (water was nice!)


All the houses were like 5 stories with outside decks and spas and staircases, and ours was no exception. When we packed in from the beach, we had beers in the spa and watched the sunset


Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums could easily be considered my favorite movie. The house they filmed in/at (you will know it as 111 Archer Ave) was a short walk from my old neighborhood. It had been on my to-do list to visit since I moved there, and I was able to visit it the weekend of my move.


The first Saturday after Summer Solstice is the Annual Mermaid Parade & Festival. Coney Island photographs all right I suppose, but don't let that fool you


Even with (because of?) the mermaids, it's still pretty campy


Palak came up for 4th of July in the city and we watched the Fireworks off the Hudson and listened to Katy Perry perform somewhere ahead of the masses...


Ronnie and I did rooftop drinks at the Empire Hotel last Friday, before we went off to eat, and started yelping new places while still inside the old one. He said we were the Hansel & Gretel of New York City, eating our way out of Manhattan


Gretel. So hot right now.


In the move I discovered my retired iBook, Ambrose. And found this text document on it from sophomore year of college. To think I'd almost forgotten about emergency dance parties...


Yesterday Ronnie and I stuffed ourselves on sushi and created some great alternatives to our lives if other things don't work out. ZERO of these involve marriage, but MOST of them involve co-habitating to the tune of a fabulous reality TV show. Just another summer in the city.

Padfoot and Prongs

I would like to introduce you to something you will sadly never know, now that it is already too late: my favorite pair of shoes, dead and gone.





The story of these shoes is simple: Back in 2007, my college roommate Becca and I ventured out for a shopping run to Kmart. (Rumor has it that Target is still not allowed in Santa Barbara!) and I don't remember one thing about what I got on that trip, but I will never forget these were an impulse buy. As we were making our way up to the registers we happened to go down the shoe aisle on exactly my size and I decided in 10 seconds that they would be worth it. And they were!

They quickly became my absolute favorite pair of shoes, for five years. These babies took me to and from classes, work and parties on foot and bike in college, and they even took me to Germany...



And the Netherlands on that same day...



And to Luxembourg...



And Sweden...



And made the cut to New York, obviously. When the soles broke and they became unwearable on the street, I kept them by the door for the Bring-The-Trash-Out-Or-Check-The-Mail runs.

And they carried me through to this move. I would truly keep them longer if I could, but in the process of cleansing through the move, I just couldn't justify it, and they were laid to rest.



Fare thee well, faithful good shoes! You were the best and highest quality an unexpected good buy could have been.