spring in bloom, brooklyn

I don't know if there's much more that captures joy than the joy of spring finally arriving. After a much-too-long winter, the anticipation of it all was just killing us. But by the time we got our first day of warmer weather above 40 and the flowers started to bloom...we knew we were going to make it after all. Summer is finally in view on the horizon. You can smell it in the air. 

The transitional seasons in NYC are always a bit tricky, but they are the most enjoyable. We can't wait for the leaves to change color in the Fall or for the flowers to bloom in the Spring...but it's so hard to predict when exactly it will happen! We wait and wait and wait...and then by the time I actually make plans to go take that iconic walk through Central Park, either the leaves have mostly fallen or they haven't quite changed colors yet. I suppose the best practice is to be ready for things to change and bloom. To be present in whatever season we are in. Such is the seasons of life (good things bloom...eventually)! 

One of our favorite ways to experience Spring in NYC is heading to check out the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. And they've got this nifty map you can use to keep up with the bloom status. Needless to say, we've been watching this like a hawk for the past 4-5 weeks. (Yes, I always have 100 tabs open on my computer.) I watched it last year and still waited until it was too late :/ 

We were determined not to miss it this year and spent a quiet, sunny afternoon strolling, reflecting, and enjoying the pink wonderland. Once a new season finally blooms you've got to kick up your heels and enjoy it in good company. Meg's childhood Irish dancing days did pay off.

“I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.”

— Pablo Neruda

There were lilacs too!! And people with selfie sticks. We didn't have one, so we showed them!! (I mean we did the best we could.)

notes:

- i think i may go back and spend my whole weekend there laying in a bed of fallen pink pedals. pink really is the best color ever, right?

- Pablo Neruda does something to my soul. (see full poem)

- if you're making a day of it, there's a killer Basquiat exhibit in the Brooklyn Museum next door. 

how to survive: traveling with your mother

It seems fitting that as we are in this weekend that celebrates all things motherhood that we should talk about our mothers, namely my mother who has accompanied me on many hare-brained and full-brained adventures.  While my family has always made traveling a priority (a perk of having a father who earns a ridiculous amount of miles from work), it wasn’t until after high school that my mom and I started having our own trips without the menfolk.  Side note: there was the epic college road tour of 2002 while I was in high school, but since I have a narcoleptic response to motion sickness and we made that journey via a standard vehicle, I have very few memories.

In the 10+ years we’ve been adventuring together, my mom and I have traveled about in Paris, Poland, Uganda, Tanzania, Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Not to mention the various weekend trips we’ve taken to visit friends and loved ones here in the States.  Throughout all of this adventuring, we have managed to actually enjoy each other and ourselves on these trips to the extent that we continue to make future plans together.  So if you are thinking about setting out on a trip with your mom, here are some lessons we’ve learned along the way:

1. Be vocal about your needs before you start your trip. 

My mom loves history and story and art and then more history and then even more art… and you see where this is going.  I sometimes think that if it was possible and not creepy that my mom would live in an art museum.  I on the other hand need a whole lot of fresh air and a fair amount of downtime from crowds.  When traveling about in Paris, we made a deal.  In the morning we could go to any museum, exhibit, or the like that my mom desired but in the afternoon we would mosey about a new arrondissement and take advantage of the numerous cafes.  Both of us got what we needed and hurt feelings/unmet expectations were avoided.

2. Embrace alone time. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I love my mom.  It’s just that space is a good thing, even on or especially on a mother/daughter vacation. Make it a point to spend some time wandering about your new locale on your own terms.  This is especially important if you don’t both operate on the same schedule.  Instead of waiting for your travel buddy to wake up, get ready, etc., go outside and stretch your legs.  Hey now, you may even make a new friend during your wanderings.

3. Pursue activities that only make you happy solo.

 In case you are new to this neck-of-the-interwebs, I love to explore the outdoors and have a hard time saying no if it is in any way, shape, or form related to some kind of activity in nature.  My mom enjoys these things but also really appreciates sunbathing with a cold beer and a good book.  In Vietnam, we all were invited to go on a hike through the woods to a waterfall.  Two out of three of us thought that sounded like an excellent idea so my friend and I went and my mom hung out down by the beach.  Happily.  Without resentment. 

4. All you need is love.

Need I say more?  But seriously - you’ve made this decision to travel with your mother so there is a general assumption that she’s a pretty sweet lady.  After all she had something to do with you now being an (almost) adult.  Inevitably, we all get on each other’s nerves at some point but the best response we can have is to choose to assume positive intent.  Because after all we love our mamas and I’m pretty sure they love us too.

notes:

- all these photos are from our trip to cambodia and vietnam.  it was pretty epic.

- what do you say mama, antartica next?

wanderlust wednesday: sarong life

We've had a sneak at warmer weather life here in NYC, and I'm just wishing to live the sarong life today as it rains throughout the afternoon. Truly, what is better than sarong life? It's comfy, you can wear it creatively all day long, and it keeps getting ready in the morning (and at lunch and at dinner) really simple. Roll out of bed, throw on desired bathing suit and sarong, and you're ready for the day. What more could you ask for? 

Oh yeah... you could ask to be back in Thailand as well. In and out of the ocean, all you really need is a bikini, and life is all good. 

Think it would be acceptable to bring sarong life to NYC over the next few months? :) 

Notes:

- sarong life pairs nicely with hammock life as you can see above.

- these photos are from a backpacking trip we took in Thailand in late 2009. we strongly suggest some island hopping if you make it out that way (perfect for sarong life), and if you make it to Koh Phi Phi to stay at the Viking Nature Resort. we want to go back on a daily basis. the [wanderlust] struggle is real. 

- why on earth was i into wearing a white bikini? 

wanderlust wednesday: the rockaways

While wanderlust often leads to the desire of faraway locales, sometimes you need to look no further than your own backyard.  With today’s weather approaching summery temps, there is no place we would rather be than soaking up some sun at the Rockaways. 

Here’s what we would be up to if we could escape the midweek humdrum:

 - To get there, hop on a Rockaways-bound A train and transfer to the S at Broad Channel.  Your beachy oasis awaits you at any stop along the way.

- After spending some quality subway time escaping the city, reconnect to the decidedly not urban with a morning surf session.  New to surfing or need a board/wetsuit/surfing buddies?  We’ve heard good things about Locals Surf School and Rockaway Beach Surf School.  Both are located down by 67th street so stay on the Far Rockaway A (don’t transfer to the S) to get there.

source

- Swing by 87th St to Rockaway Beach Surf Club, as you have now worked up your appetite, and enjoy some grub from the new/old Tacoway Beach (former Rockaway Tacos - RIP).

- Walk off the food coma along the shoreline for some nature-appreciating and prime people-watching.  We also fully recommend the time honored activities of beach lounging, trashy novel reading, and maybe even some frisbee throwing.  Make sure to take advantage of the ocean to cool off.

- As the sun begins to set, mosey to the Wharf Bar and Grill at 116th St down by Jamaica Bay.  Unassumingly tucked away behind a gas station, this pub offers prime sunset viewing while enjoying a couple of beers and some deliciously fried food.

There you have it!  We’ll just be sitting here daydreaming of tacos and the perfect wave.

note:

- the rockaways are awesome all year round.  during the off-season, the beach is pretty much empty but consider this your warning - it can be a bit brisk.

breakneck ridge, ny

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in NYC with nothing to do for the upcoming weekend.  Work had been a bit of a beast, as is its wont, and I was itching to get out of town.  Actually, let’s be real - I am always up for stretching my legs in a new-to-me place.  A good friend and I hatched a plan over late Friday afternoon drinks for the following day so bright and early Saturday morning we found ourselves winding up along the Palisades in search of some rock scrambling and fresh air.

I had never heard of Breakneck Ridge before that Friday which surprised me, especially with its unforgettable name. Since I grew up on Long Island, my parents grew up in Putnam County, and I have lived in NYC for about 10 years, I have the tendency to assume that I am at the very least familiar with all things to see and do within 100 miles of my current home.  How ridiculous is that? If that were the case, the New York metropolitan area would only consist of a handful of places and parks.  In other words, it would be terribly boring.

Breakneck Ridge is not a hidden gem by any means.  Don’t get me wrong - it’s a well-worth it and rewarding hike - but everyone and their mother have heard of it which we found out as we started off at the trailhead.  For the initial ascent, we climbed alongside fashionable European tourists who must have had a good chuckle at our ‘mountainous’ hike,  swarms of students with an endless supply of  nature commentary and boob jokes, and a hodgepodge of localish adventure-seekers ably ambling their way to the top with the rest of us.  A few times I became concerned about my well-being as a fellow hiker slid down while trying to climb up and over the boulder-filled paths.  For the most part though, it was prime nature and people watching.

Up and up and up we would climb only to come to a landing and realize there was yet another path leading higher up in the distance.  I appreciated the unveiling of total elevation in this piecemeal fashion.  Instead of getting burned out quickly and feeling like we were not making progress, we had little victories to celebrate before continuing on our way.  It also helped that we didn’t really need to pay attention to trail markings or distances traveled.  For the entire ascent we were in a pack of people and the trail description assured us that we would not be able to miss our turn off.

Lo and behold our trusty guide was right and we made the descent in less than half the time it took us to reach the top of the ridge.  In fact, the way down was so easy we ended up heading over to Bear Mountain to try out the Lemon Squeezer before making our way back to Brooklyn.  The trail was almost the same distance and total elevation as Breakneck but it seemed at times effortless which is funny because the first time I hiked this with Grace back in September, I had to stop multiple times during the ascent to catch my breath.

There is probably a lesson in here about how I should be approaching daily living.  I’ve mentioned before that my life is about to be turned upside down when I start school at the beginning of June.  The monstrosity of managing work, life, and school has begun to weigh me down and the preemptive anxiety is starting to take hold.  Perhaps the smarter plan would be to look at the tasks at hand instead of getting stressed out at the looming and never-ending checklist.  I may need to return a few more times to Breakneck Ridge before that lesson is learned. Just saying.

notes:

- for public transit takers, the trailhead is easily accessible by metro north.  if heading up on the weekend or a holiday, take the metro north hudson line to breakneck ridge station which is just a few hundred feet north of the trailhead.  otherwise take the same line to cold spring and walk about 2.5 miles north along 9D.  the trailhead will be on the west side of the road just after a short tunnel where there’s a small parking area.

- to keep hiking hangry at bay, check out the hop in beacon.  i can personally attest to the deliciousness that is the vegan reuben and elly ate just about every last bit of the hog burger.  also, they get bonus points for ignoring the fact that we had just been hiking for 3 hours. don’t worry we at least attempted to wash ourselves up a bit.

our hoppy easter

I moved to New York 10 years ago, and it's always been a no-brainer to go home for the holidays. I've only missed two Thanksgivings with my family (one I was in China for... so it's kind of far) and we've been together for every Christmas. The thought of being apart doesn't sit right -- Christmas wouldn't feel like Christmas without the smells of my mother's kitchen and her hand-stitched stockings or the little last minute things that make my dad (ahhhmmm "santa") all giddy. Thanksgiving wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving without reuniting around a table for our favorite activity: eating ourselves into a food coma. (We're really good at it, don't be jealous).  If I was away from my family around that time of the year, I would probably throw myself quite the pity party. 

However, since coming to NYC, I never went home for Easter, and I never felt like I was missing out. Sure, we celebrated Easter growing up, but we didn't really have any steady traditions once my youngest sibling was too old to scavenger hunt for plastic Easter eggs around the yard. (We know there's one hiding inside the grill, dad). When Meg invited me out to her family's house for Easter, I was up for it, and I've been hooked ever since. You had me at sunrise bike to the beach... 

First, we leave the house at 6:30am, and no matter how early we go to sleep the night before, it's torture. But you throw on as many layers on as possible, and hop on the bike that her dad set out for you...and try to catch up with him. That brisk air wakes you right up, you pedal for your life, and about 5-10 minutes later you pull up to a small gazebo on the beach. And you see that sunrise and that beach and peace enters your heart. A friendly face offers you hot cocoa and a program as you join the group of people in a few songs, prayer, and some reflective passages. (And if you're from the Bible Belt like me, it's the best church service ever as it's 20 minutes long!) There's something so hopeful to me to see the sun rise, think of how big the world is, and be amongst a group of strangers singing old familiar melodies. And also to look over to this family that isn't mine and feel as though I belong. 

The rest of the day is filled with brunch, lots of sugar, adult beverages, and games made for children under the age of 6, which always makes for a fun combination (since we're all 30ish and above).

One year I missed Easter because my grandfather passed away, and I went to go be with my own family. Not only did Meg's mom send me a card and a basket of goodies that I missed, so did her aunt! I realized I truly did have my own seat at their table, I wasn't just a plus one. I'm so grateful to be welcomed into a tradition that I now claim as my own. Easter won't feel like Easter unless I'm freezing and riding a bike to the beach at sunrise and relapsing from a tipsy sugar coma in the afternoon. 

I'm thankful for a surrogate family full of such joy, hospitality, and laughter. I can only hope I can offer this to others. Though this post is a little late, hope you had a HOPPY Easter. Because I'm an adult and am easily amused.