“Why do we bother with the rest of the day, the swale of the afternoon, the sudden dip into evening, then night with his notorious perfumes, his many-pointed stars? This is the best— throwing off the light covers, feet on the cold floor, and buzzing around the house on espresso—” A few stanzas from Morning,…
We’re Getting Married (And Soon)!
We got engaged a few months ago on a cloudless Sunday afternoon. Cesar was in cahoots with some of our good friends — the ones whose wedding we met at — and they suggested and planned a picnic to Kirby Cove. I’d never been, but it’s well known as one of the most incredible spots from which to see the Golden Gate Bridge and an expansive view of San Francisco.
Task Rabbit for Travel
Flying from San Francisco to New York City can be a beat down. So whenever I can, I do my best to stay for a weekend or to spend an extra day by adding another meeting. There’s never a shortage of things to do in NYC. However, on one rushed trip to the city, I had limited time between meetings near the end of the day to wander and appreciate being in NYC. I’d also promised to bring home a few delicious, big-as-your-face cookies from Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side, but getting there from my Midtown hotel would eat up every last bit of my free time, maybe more. Thankfully, I found any easy way to have both.
Surprised at Rothko Chapel in Houston
Mark Rothko is a favorite artist of mine. I love his large canvases covered in wide swaths of color and the way emotion washes over you in their presence. When I recently discovered that he had designed a chapel in Houston, I had every intention of visiting on my next trip, and that opportunity came much sooner than expected.
An Unexpectedly Busy Reality
It all started right after I got back from a trip to Houston. I found myself drastically overbooked for weeks to come and in the midst of one of the most exciting times in my personal life. As a result, I didn’t really want to be on the move, but the flights were booked, unavoidable work travel had arisen, and deposits were paid. Instead of resisting, I chose to dive in ride the waves, to give myself over to the busyness for a time.
Fixing Our Polarized Political Discourse
In the past, I’ve been drawn to elections and politics, democracy in action. But I’ve already had more than enough of this election cycle, and it’s just getting started. I think it’s safe to say that our political discourse is in a state of disaster, too many people shouting and not nearly enough listening or quality conversation. I have some hopeful thoughts inspired by a quote from Mr. Rogers about what each of us can do to make it better.
A Taste of Cuba on My Layover in Miami
On the way back from a recent business trip, I connected through Miami International, a busy and chaotic airport, but one I loving associate with trips to both South Beach and South America. I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to leave the airport for mango juice and arroz con leche at nearby El Palacio de los…
New Patterns in an Old House
The end of 2015 brought big change to my life — a new apartment and a new roommate. Cesar and I moved into a lovely old Victorian in San Francisco’s Mission District a couple of weeks before Christmas. We hustled to get things unpacked and in place, and then we dropped everything to head home…
Eat More Ugly Fruit (+Veggies)
After watching a recent show on food waste by John Oliver, I couldn’t stop thinking about one of the most surprising problems he mentioned on the show — in his words, how “our own habits and misconceptions” contribute to food waste before it even reaches the grocery store or farmers market stand. About 26% of…
Playing Tourist at Home in San Francisco
When you’re new to a city, making a concerted effort to explore new neighborhoods and see the sights is a given, but over time the newness wears off. You’ve seen more by then, so you explore less, even when there are still things you want to see or do. It wasn’t that long ago for…
