Busy Weekend

17 Friday May 2013

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This weekend we are running 13.1 mi in the Brooklyn Half Marathon. It should be amazing running weather (low 60s in the morning) and will be our third time running this race. I just love this distance, and the race course is cool – you run through a park and then down the middle of the highway to Coney Island! (Don’t worry, it is closed to cars). Then after guzzling some water and iced coffee, we’re getting on a bus to go upstate for my sister’s engagement party.

But first tonight we’re meeting some friends from college for dinner in the neighborhood. I’ll try to stick (mainly) to water and get home not too late :)

Happy weekend! What are your plans?

Reflections on Mothers

14 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Love + Life, Uncategorized

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mom, mother

While I didn’t get to spend this Sunday with my mom, I did sneak in a visit the weekend before and we celebrated a bit early. But what did we spend all weekend doing? Packing up my wedding gifts that have taken over her house, going to the mall on a wild goose hunt for a watch for me, and going out for dinner at my favorite restaurant. In a strange way, I guess it was a fitting celebration of a mother — someone who always puts you ahead of herself, and who spends her time helping you out, without even thinking of what she may prefer to be doing.

My brand-new mommy and me

So this weekend, I got to thinking: When is that point when you realize your mom is more than just a mom? That she was once your age, in more or less your shoes, faced with so many choices, with wishes and dreams all her own? When maybe she did things like this with her own mom?

Getting married has made me reconsider how I see my mom. Not only do I realize that “wife” is a significant, effort-intensive and life-changing role of its own, but I’ve also realized more and more that my mom isn’t perfect. I think that (if we’re lucky) we internalize the things our parents do and believe as the right way. But now I’m often confronted with a husband who has an opinion or a way of doing things that is different, and it was like something inside me opened and realized it wasn’t wrong, just not the same. Our parents made choices that they thought were best, fell into a rhythm that made sense for their families and showcased the traits they wanted to be sure to pass on — and now it’s my turn. It’s like a new realization of how human my mom is, how she must have faced the same things that I am facing now and chose what to give up and what to pursue.

I feel it in our conversations, too, that we’re transitioning more from a parent-child relationship to more of a woman-to-woman. All of a sudden I’ve realize there is so much more to learn from her, now that I can see the nooks and crannies of life that open up when you join yourself to another and think about becoming a mom yourself one day (somewhat) soon. I am starting to connect with her in a different way — while she has always been my best friend, maybe now is the time for me to be hers. To ask her more about her day and how she’s feeling. To start to help her do her own chores and shopping when I visit for the weekend. It’s a strange sort of in between land, these mid-twenties.

I’m thankful and blessed to have mom that’s supported and loved me more than I deserve. She’s always always been the perfect mom in my eyes. I’m just starting to realize what that must take.

How was your weekend? Does anyone else find their relationship with their mom keeps changing?

Sunday Reading

12 Sunday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Sunday Reading

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reading

Hope you are having a nice weekend and that that sun is shining where you are, too! Is there anything nicer than opening the windows on a crisp spring morning?

The half marathon is getting close (like, next week) so we sucked it up and did 12 miles yesterday. It was humid and threatening to rain the whole time but we made it right before the thunder started, and we’re no worse for the wear other than a huge blister on my right foot. The plan for the week is to drink lots of water, eat bananas, and sleep as much as possible. Complicating things is the fact that I am taking a day trip to California on Tuesday for work (yes, I will be there all of 11 hours), so I’ll have to double down the rest of the week.

Today I think we’re going to run errands, right after I make us some waffles. There’s something about Sunday morning that just calls for baking. I’m going to try to sneak in some whole wheat flour without D noticing ;)

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Mother’s day would be great time to interview your parents, first proposed by A Cup of Jo and carried out by I’d Absolutely Love To

Self Magazine reports that Bloomingdale’s has a scanning machine that will generate a list of your best fit jeans — I really want to try this out!

A new, more courteous umbrella design via The Atlantic

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a nonfiction book about a woman who died of cancer in the 50s and whose cells have played a role in nearly every major medical discovery since

A cute video of baby animals who are veeeerrrry sleepy from the Washington Post

Wishing an especially happy Sunday to all the moms!

Life is about Creating Yourself

10 Friday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Love + Life

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quote

That was the quote I chose for my high school senior yearbook. I’m not quite sure how I found it; I may have just googled “quotes” and browsed through a few web pages. But as each year goes by, it has felt more and more true.

Isn’t it exciting to think that you can make yourself whatever you want to be, and being true to yourself just means doing things you enjoy, even if they keep changing? I think it’s a bit of a misconception that somewhere there’s a ‘you’ that needs to be uncovered before you can figure it all out – that there is something you are ‘meant to be’. Sure, there may be characteristics you’re predisposed to, but life is all about change and growth!

My husband and I share a lot of the same interests. We’re long-distance runners, we love reading and cooking, eating good, local food and splitting a bottle of red wine. We have similar political/social views, and our perspectives on finances line up quite well. I’ve often wondered whether these things are a coincidence – did we get lucky and happen to find someone who fit us so well?

But (after applying the above quote) I’ve decided that we were both relatively young, blank canvases when we started dating, and have actually created most of these interests and opinions together. I used to STRUGGLE running a mile in gym class, and now we do this for fun?? Looking externally, half marathons are having a heyday, eating sustainably and cooking your own meals is totally in vogue, and all the cool kids are visiting wine bars. The social issues of today are also clearly shifting, with fellow millennials leading the charge. We’ve sort of created ourselves based on the things we love in our environment, things that came of age the same time we did.

There’s something refreshing about realizing there’s no box you have to stay confined to, no interests you have to hold on to because you once liked them. You can create (and re-create) as you grow. You don’t need to be seeking anything — you just have to make it.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Dressing in Vintage

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Beautiful Things

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clothes, mad men, style

Recently I’ve found myself drawn to vintage 50s and 60s style dresses. Maybe the return of Mad Men has something to do with it, or hipster New York is rubbing off on me, but I’ve pretty much fallen for half of ModCloth’s store.

I’m on a search now for something to wear to my sister’s engagement party later this month (it’ll be a low-key, backyard and cocktails type affair) and this silhouette is what I’m after. I love the A-line skirt and the top that shows off the arms but is totally demure and feminine. Maybe with a ribbon around the waist?

I also really like these, maybe for the party or maybe even for work.

I think they look so put together and structured, with just the perfect touch of sweetness.

What’s your favorite era/style?

Dresses 1, 2, 3 and shoes 1, 2, at ModCloth.com

Things to be Happy about

06 Monday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Happiness

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Happy

1. A hot shower after a long run

2. Tackling — and finishing — a big organization project

3. Two glasses of wine with dinner

4. Finding something you love at an antique store

5. A bouncy new haircut

What are you happy about today?

Saturday Morning Muffins

04 Saturday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Food + Wine

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baking, weekend

I had a container of plain yogurt that was days away from going bad, and not wanting to waste, I decided to find a way to use it. I’ve been on a muffin kick lately, making a batch to take to work as snacks instead of buying $$ boxes of granola bars.

So, a quick Google search yielded this recipe. I subbed in whole wheat for half of the flour, and decreased the sugar a tad. They came out really good!

I especially like recipes that don’t call for a mixer. If you have a whisk, you’re all set. Makes for a quick and easy weekend breakfast.

Blueberry Muffins

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup plain yogurt (I used skim)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour (I used 1c whole wheat and 1c all-purpose)

1/2 cup white sugar (I reduced a tad)

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare 12 muffins cups. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt, oil and vanilla. In another large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries. Fold in the wet ingredients until just combined (batter will be thick). Fill the muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes.

**Recipe from JoyofBaking.com

The First Six Months

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Love + Life

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household, marriage, memories

This past weekend we marked six months of marriage. It seemed like the first two months passed v e r y s l o w l y and then the next four flew by.

I wasn’t really expecting things to be much different come October 28. We had already lived together for a year and spent holidays and vacations together. We hadn’t run into major problems, and there weren’t really any of those shocking realizations they say happen when you move in together, like dirty socks getting left on the floor (he is actually neater than I am).

But almost as soon as we got married I felt like something had happened. I guess on a subconscious level, there had been a sense that we were playing house, and either one of us could give up and take off the apron at any time. After marriage I felt noticeably more settled, because now it was official and written down and forever. And the love; it’s like feeling something that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Like a hug that is about to explode and a smile you can’t wipe off your face. Even though we dated for 5+ years before the wedding, there is something about crossing that threshold that sets the relationship on a path of exponential growth.

I hear this is the “honeymoon” year, and it’s been really nice so far. And considering we started our actual honeymoon during a catastrophic hurricane (that’s you, Sandy), and even though we got to Hawaii four days late, we kept smiling. There are some big problems in the world, and I’m taking each day, each moment of this marriage as an opportunity to put someone else ahead of myself and count my blessings. Like when we get stuck at airports for six hours, I say let’s just pour another glass of wine and enjoy the fact that we’re stuck with each other.

^^ Yes our reception was at a castle. We’re a regular Will and Kate.

To my married friends, what was the biggest realization of your first year? And to everyone, I’d love to hear a sweet story from your relationships.

California Trip: San Francisco

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Travel

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California, friends, travel, vacation

After a very fun weekend in Sacramento and Napa, we packed up our in-laws’ car to head to San Francisco. We were excited — we had Alcatraz on the docket for Monday, followed by seeing some friends and wandering around the city the next day. We stayed down by Fisherman’s Wharf, which was a great location in a nicer-than-expected Best Western. The only not so nice part was that our room overlooked a street under construction, so it was NOISY.

After parking and checking in, we went down to the water and had a small lunch and looked at some sea lions. They were mesmerizing, let me tell you. Watching them rise up, then roll into the water, then jump back up on the floating pallets. They were loud, and not at all graceful, but something about them made me want to just stand there for hours. But we had a boat to make, so we left the wildlife and walked over to the pier for Alcatraz.

A few of the really cool sea lions

I’d been to San Francisco once before with my family, almost 10 years ago at this point (WOW). We didn’t do Alcatraz though…mostly because we preferred to sleep in instead of taking the early morning tour with the friends we were with…and I’ve always been curious. Waiting in line for the boat it was hot, and our SIL and BIL kept telling us how unusual it was for the city to break 70. I was rolling up my sleeves and sweating, but when the boat pulled away into the bay it suddenly became freezing. All of Alcatraz island was pretty cold — jeans and sweatshirt weather for sure, and we were a little underdressed.

The tour was really interesting. We learned people actually raised their families on the island, which seems crazy to me. It was perhaps a bit sanitized though, sort of giving the impression that Alcatraz was a place for reformation, where prisoners had music hour and craft time and were served some of the best food in the country.

Heading out to the island

We found some goslings

After that, SIL and BIL had to leave to go home and we were on our own. We met one of my former colleagues for a drink by the water then went out to dinner by the Wharf. I realized then why I had been feeling so utterly relaxed this trip — it was because I hadn’t planned anything! We were following the others’ lead, letting them take us around. I hadn’t even paid attention to the time for three days, just going with the flow. It was very different from my normal Type A approach to vacations and so refreshing. Buuut the downside is that Tuesday morning we stood in our hotel room, realizing we had never even cracked a guidebook and wondering what to do.

We ended up breakfasting in Alamo Square park, overlooking the Painted Ladies, Full House style. Then we went to Golden Gate park where we walked around for a while, but soon our short-and-t-shirt attire was no match for the cold Bay breezes, and we left sooner than I would have liked. After a trip to the Presidio in search of bridge views, we walked across town to get back to our little waterfront nook. Sometimes that’s the best way to experience a city, just walking and popping into little shops and cafes. We walked down the crazy-curvy Lombard St, got some gifts for Mother’s/Father’s day in Ghiradelli Square, and went back to the hotel to put on jeans and sweaters.

How do you park on this hill?

We had dinner plans with a close friend from college, and he was taking us to Mission Chinese! The newly-opened NYC branch has wait times of over 2 hours, so we were glad to game the system and go to the original :)

The food was delicious, and really more multi-ethnic than pure Chinese. We got orders of sizzling cumin lamb, thrice cooked bacon, pineapple pork and fried rice. Really good. Then we went back to our hotel to finish a bottle of wine from Napa so we wouldn’t have to sacrifice it at the airport.

Phew. That was a very abridged recap, but suffice it to say we had a wonderful time, and really packed a lot into four days! We were again delayed flying home, due to the FAA furloughs, but we didn’t really mind. In light of everything that has happened over the past couple weeks, sitting in an airport for a few extra hours didn’t seem that bad. Also, it sure beat being at work, and after so much walking around and visiting, sitting still and reading actually sounded pretty good.

Until next time, California!

What kind of getaways do you prefer, relaxing vacations or active trips? We like to mix it up, but if I had to pick….anywhere with a beach might win.

California Trip: Sacramento + Napa

28 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by Elle Sees in Travel

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California, family, travel, vacation, wine

I can’t believe it’s already been a week since we got on that plane, said sayonara to the frigid east coast and took off, a few hours late, to the west. It was an active trip — D had never been to California, so we made sure to hit up as many of the sites as we could. We also have a few friends who moved out there, so we lined up some dinner dates.

We started out in Sacramento, where D’s sister and brother-in-law live. After a six hour (!) flight delay in New York due to bad weather and our pilot clocking out after working too many hours, we finally landed at 3 am PT. Yah, we were a little tired for the duration of the trip, but at least we made it. And we were comped wine on the plane for our wait, so that helped lift our spirits.

Saturday morning we took a day trip to the Tahoe area, and my SIL and I went antiquing and wine tasting while the husbands played golf. I found a wonderful silver platter for $16; it looks just like the one my mom has, the one I always associate with serving the Christmas ham. It’s my favorite souvenir of the trip, and with a quick polish should be ready to go.

Not a bad view

If I played golf, I would be all over this

After a low-key evening of tacos and Coronas, we went to sleep early. The next morning, we were up and ready to go to Napa, where we started with a tour of Beaulieu Vineyard and a reserve tasting (courtesy of a Living Social deal). The weather was perfection, sunny and high 70s with no humidity at all. I remember standing there, listening to the tour guide and thinking just how peaceful it all was, how relaxed and (literally) thousands of miles away from work I felt. It was such a serene afternoon full of warm sun and breathtaking views. We stopped at two more vineyards before yielding to the growing heat and going back to our “condo” for the night.

I’m a red kind of girl

Interestingly, we were actually heading towards Geyserville. No sign of Old Faithful, though

Me and D and a beautiful view

Also part of the Living Social deal, what was billed as a condo was a little trailer, with a tiny bed, bath and kitchen. It was actually quite cute, in a park of about 100 of them, but we found it pretty funny when we pulled up. We decided to stay there instead of heading back to Sacramento, since we were already half way to San Francisco. We grilled up some hot dogs and hamburgers and sat outside on the porch talking.

Then after sleeping like rocks, we got up to head to the big city, San Fran…

Part II, San Francisco coming soon!

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