Wedding Recap

The past eight months I have spent most of my computer-facing free time researching, planning, and coordinating the various aspects of our wedding that took place on March 7th in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

In some ways, it seems silly that it would be necessary to spend so much time and energy planning for what ended up being a week-long event with 30 of our closest friends and family. But it was a labor of love, and the end result really was everything I had hoped for. My #1 rule for wedding planning was that there would be no rules; we would not feel obliged by tradition/expectations for what we should do, and instead focus on what felt important and authentic to our personalities. I also wanted to make sure we had no regrets; that looking back on our wedding thirty years from now, we would feel like we had checked all the boxes on what would make it truly feel like our wedding day.

What follows is not so much a recap of the entire planning process, but more of a summary of the elements of our wedding that I am most proud of, and the memories that we will cherish the most for years to come. I wanted a place to organize all these things not only for myself, but also for our friends and family who weren't able to attend the wedding, and for all those brides out there who are looking for ideas/planning resources like I was last year.

Not having planned a wedding before, I really didn't know where to start (yes, I know, there are tons of magazines/websites out there, but they are just all so ridiculous and tell you that you need to make twenty list and follow a strict calendar, etc. etc. - basically a bunch of "rules" that I was determined not to follow). So, at the recommendation of one of my friends, I checked out the very awesome and totally my style, A Practical Wedding blog, which let me to the book with the same name, which proved to be a nice introduction on how to approach the whole process. Highly recommended.

After much web searching/contemplating and a few on-site visits to local venues, we thought we had found just the place - 128 South, a nicely done event space in the historical downtown of Wilmington, NC overlooking in the Cape Fear River. However, after tallying up the "bare bones" guest list with "only" our aunts/uncles/cousins/good friends, we realized the guest list was quickly approaching 100+, and the idea of planning an event for that many people (and having all of them looking at us) was just a bit too overwhelming. So, we went back to the idea of a destination wedding. Kevin suggested Vegas, but I quickly veto'ed that idea (I wanted something a little less, - ahem- tacky). In the end, we decided on Isla Mujeres, Mexico due to it (1) being located reasonably close to a "commodity destination" (Cancun), which meant that flight options for our guest would be reasonably priced and easy to come by (most major airports have direct flights into Cancun, and the prices are comparable to what it would have cost for guest to fly to a destination within the U.S. ), and (2) being a quaint fishing village with authentic charm that would be easy for our guest to navigate and less "touristy" than Cancun.

Selecting the actual venue on Isla Mujeres was not as strait forward as I would have hoped - there are lots of great venue options on the island, each with its own pro/cons. We decided that we wanted to have our wedding at the same place our guest were staying to make logistics less complicated (and hopefully take advantage of some volume discounts). Kevin and my Dad both wanted an all-inclusive hotel to allow for easy visiting/socializing without the hassle of pulling out your wallet every time you want a drink. That narrowed down our choices quite a bit since there are really only two all-inclusive hotels on Isla Mujeres: Privilege Aluxes (our venue of choice), and Isla Mujeres Palace (which is quite a bit more spendy and also located on the southern tip of the island away from the town).

I could go on and on about all the decisions that we made leading up to the big day, but what I really set out to do here is to share a few of my favorite details from our wedding day, along with a couple videos that our guest captured that day. Enjoy!

Video of our wedding ceremony: M&K's Wedding 
A little dancing later in the evening: Dance with my Dad


The Dress - HB6622 by Saja

HB6622 by Saja - Photo by Susan Pacek Photography

Our Invitations - "Mexican Wedding Flags (Papel Picado)" by Señor & Señora 

"Mexican Wedding Flags (Papel Picado)" by Señor & Señora 

[our full names are marked out for public internet-posting ;-)]

The Program - designed by Madeline on Zazzle, and you can buy one here

Vintage Mexican-inspired program timeline. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

[our full names are marked out for public internet-posting ;-)]

Place Cards - tags stamped by Madeline and attached to maracas bought on the island. 

Maraca placecards for vintage mexican-inspired wedding. Photocredit: Susan Pacek Photography

Menus - designed by Madeline on Zazzle, and you can buy a copy here

Vintage Mexican Wedding Menu. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Centerpiece & Table Numbers - designed by Madeline on Zazzle, and you can buy a copy here 

Vintage Mexican Wedding - Tablecard & Centerpiece. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Bouquets  - our wedding coordinators  Elba Machado & Alejandra Izaguirre did a great job coordinating this element of the wedding with very little instruction from me. 

Bridesmaids Bouquet - Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Bridal Bouquet - Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Hair & Make-up - by the seriously fabulous Anne-Marie Cote from Make Me Beautiful -  Mi  Secreto Salon. She did a great job and was super easy to work with - just sent her a picture of my dress before and hand we chatted a little bit about what I wanted and she did the rest with very little instruction from me. Made getting ready for the wedding so easy and relaxing! 

Showing off my gorgeous hair and gazing off over Privilege Aluxes grounds. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography 

A rare occassion: me with full make-up on. Love the view of the eyelashes here. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Anne-Marie works her magic as I enjoy a mimosa with the girls and look out over the Caribbean Sea.
Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Our Mariachi Band - sadly, I don't even know their name(s). It was a bit of a splurge, but totally worth it - all our guest had such a fun time, and so did we!

Posing with our mariachi band! Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Papel Picado / Mexican Wedding Flags 

Papel Picado/Mexican Wedding Flags. Photo Credit: Susan Pacek Photography

Summertime Adventures

So, it's been a while since my last post. Potential excuses are numerous, but I'll just suffice to say that I haven't made writing a priority. I've spent many of my weekends over the past few months traveling - to D.C. (several trips), Carolina Beach, Arkansas, Jacksonville, and in a couple weeks - San Francisco. I love being in a new places and getting out of the routine, but it has left little time for catching up on things at home.

We spent Memorial Day weekend at Carolina Beach in another great VRBO find - a 4th floor one bedroom condo just one row back from the beach, with dual balconies looking out on the town lake and ocean (read my review here).

View looking west: Carolina Beach Lake

Our beach-themed condo

View looking east: The Ocean! 

The summer solstice weekend was spent visiting my hometown in Arkansas, where we toured some of the local attractions such as the Wal-Mart Visitors Center and fabulous Crystal Bridges Art Museum, spent an evening shooting off fireworks on my parent's farmland, took a road trip to the Victorian era Ozark mountain resort town of Eureka Springs, went for a swim at Hogscald on Beaver Lake, enjoyed a fun-filled night on Dickson Street catching up with old friends, and even got in an engagement shoot with a very talented local photographer, Novo Studios. Really a quintessential Arkansas summer weekend.

Wal-Mart Visitors Center - Bentoville, Arkansas

Farmland near Winslow, Arkansas

One of our engagement photos! (photo credit: Philip Thomas of Novo Studios) 

On my weekend trips to D.C., we always make a point to try a new restaurant and explore a bit of the city on foot; definitely one of my favorite things to do in any city. July 4th was an extra fun weekend to be in Our Nation's Capital, with special (free) events going on all over the city, including a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence - quite good, and not as cheesy as I thought it would be!

Amazing Savory Waffles from Locolat Cafe in Adams Morgan

Fresh seafood & crabs at The Wharf @ Southeast Waterfront (en route to Nationals Game)

Two weeks ago, I made the trip down I-95 to Jacksonville to visit one of my dearest friends who recently gave birth to her first child  - an adorable baby girl. She is the first of my close friends to have a baby, and it was such a special experience to spend the entire the weekend getting to know the newest member of their family. 

Next up - a long weekend in San Francisco to visit another one of my dear friends! Looking forward to sampling the amazing food, drink, and scenery in and around the Bay Area. Not so much looking forward to my flight that departs at 5:50 A.M. But hey, on the bright side, I'll be arriving at SFO before 10:00 A.M. :).

House Warming Party, Tapas Style

With  Operation Decorate complete and the condo looking presentable, I was happy to be able to spend most of the last month showing it off to both local and out-of-town guest.

I had been waiting to host a party for while (even at my old place, I had contemplated throwing a Halloween or Christmas party), but other events always seemed to get in the way and I would ultimately end up chickening out for one reason or another. Throwing a party is a lot of work! But that is true with most things worth doing and parties can also be a lot of fun. And really, what else is going on the last weekend of February?  All the more reason the throw a party.

The end result was an intimate gathering of ten-or-so friends on a chilly Saturday evening enjoying tapas, wine, beer, and Latin pop music (what can I say, one of the perks of throwing a party is controlling the play list :). And while a number of folks ended up not being able to make it, it was great opportunity to visit with old friends and meet a few new ones, which is really my favorite things about parties. 

Throwing a party was also a great excuse to try out new recipes with exotic ingredients that aren't typically on my weekly shopping list. According to Pinterest, all great parties these days have a theme, so I felt a certain amount of obligation to conform. This also proved quite useful in providing some direction to party-planning since there are so many options to choose from on the outset. I settled on Spanish tapas, or more specifically, pintxos (some times called "pinchos"), which are the types of tapas served in the bars of San Sebastian in the Basque region of Northern Spain (see corresponding Pinterest board here: Pinchos Party).

I could really go on and on about all the amazing pintxos I tried during my visit to San Sebastian. It is a unique type of eating that combines the casual setting of standing up at a bar, with a heightened attention to detail and complexity of taste. It has been exciting to see all the new tapas bars popping up in the U.S., but I have yet to see the pintxos concept duplicated. With that spirit in mind, I attempted to duplicate the "specialness" of the pintxos bars in San Sebastian, with a variety of tapas, each offering a different taste combination. 

Olives Marinated in Orange & Thyme Infused Olive Oil 

From one of my favorite cookbooks, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America by Jose Andres, which I displayed in a fancy OLIVE DISH (they make those?) that I snagged for a song a TJ Max the week before. Pictures found here:  http://trissalicious.com/2011/01/10/olives-marinated-in-orange-and-thyme-infused-olive-oil/

Pintxo de Chorizo y Manchengo

From a great story on NPR's "The Kitchen Window" - Pintxos: The Flavors Of Spain, On A Toothpick (with recipes included!). These were really a great hit, and so simple to make! 

Datiles Con Beicon (Dates With Bacon)

Also from Pintxos: The Flavors Of Spain, On A Toothpick. 

Ok, I admit it. I love dates, and I love bacon, so there was really no way that I was not going to love this. And from my perspective, it was my pièce de résistance, if based on nothing other than the fact that it took me a solid two hours (on a dreary rainy Saturday when I literally had nothing better to do) to pack the little dates with blue cheese & an almond and then laboriously wrap each little sucker in a slippery piece of bacon.  Anyways, I thought they were pretty good, but I may have been the main one eating them :). 

White Tuna in Piquillo Pepper

From tapasbonitas.com, I simplified it a bit by just placing a piece of piquillo pepper on top of the tuna instead of attempting to stuff (most of the peppers from the jar weren't as nicely shaped as they appear to have come when tapasbonitas attempted it). 

Tichi's Gazpacho

Also from Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America by Jose Andres

Recipe is here, although admittedly my gazpacho doesn't look the same as it does on that website; mainly because I skip the garnish and just go with the blended mix of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, vinegar, olive oil (lots of it), and salt. The appearance is somewhat creamy and many people who taste it guess that the recipes includes onions (it doesn't). The zip comes from the garlic & vinegar, and the creaminess comes from the olive oil. This didn't actually fit into my pintxos theme, but this is one of my favorite recipes from Jose Andres and I wanted to share it. Since we weren't sitting down to any type of formal dinner, I served the soup in little plastic cups; several people thought they were shots. Nope! 

Tortilla de Patatas

...not the "tortilla" you're used to! This is Spain's version of the tortilla, which has very little in common with the Mexican tortilla. As the name suggests, it is made of Patatas (Potatoes), along with egg, onions and a touch of salt; all cooked in a generous amount of olive oil. This is another dish that often fools people into thinking there is an extra ingredient - cheese. But alas, no; it is a simpler dish than it first appears. The trick is in the preparation. The recipe I used (from Jose Andres' Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America), called for the dish to be cooked in a frying pan and FLIPPED, which is quite difficult to do (I've done it a few times, with varying results). This time, I decided to simplify things a bit by BAKING it in the oven. The alternative method worked out quite well. I couldn't taste much of a difference and it was much less stressful (and fool-proof) than the flipping method. Recipe can be found here.

The Spread!

Operation Decorate

I've been a busy bee this past month decorating my new condo. In many respects, it has felt like my very own version of The High Low Project on HGTV. The premise is simple: get that "designer look" without breaking the bank. But with a full time job, it is much more time-consuming than it looks! I have literally spent nearly every free moment during the past month working on some task related to decorating: searching the internet for design ideas, visiting various retail establishments, or hanging/putting together/painting/organizing the various objects I already had in my possession.

Exhausting, but also lots of fun! Even though I told myself I wasn't going to set aside any budget for decorating, I ended up spending about $1000 to make the place feel like home (because really, what good is owning your own place if it doesn't feel like home?). About $500 of that was spent during multiple trips to Target buying things like drawer organizers  recycling containers, and various other things I didn't know I needed until I absolutely couldn't do without them (evil  Target). The other $500 was spent on *real* furniture that I can now sit around and adore on a daily basis. I'm definitely not "done" yet (probably won't ever be), but I feel like I've gotten to a place where it feels like home and I can tackle future projects as time and money allow.

So, without further ado... THE NEW PLACE:

Living Room. /// Accent wall was already painted when I moved in. Loving the punch of color, high ceilings, big windows & crown molding. Most of this furniture I already had, but in case you are curious, here are the DETAILS: Lamps: Marshalls (my favorite store for lamps); Couch & Ottoman: Roomstore (my first *real* pieces of furniture purchase for my old apt.); POÄNG Chair: IKEA (it's a classic, right?); blue side table: thrift store find (for $15 - total score!); butterscotch Mimic cube: Crate & Barrel (found this when the Crate & Barrel store at my local mall was closing and everything was 1/2 off. The style is no longer available, but the Ditto cube is similar); 

Dining Room // Accent wall was already painted when I moved in; all lighting came with the condo. DETAILS:  BJURSTA dining room table: IKEA (an *extendable* table in birch veneer - makes up in versatility what it lacks in style; it works for now); VILMAR dining room chairs: IKEA (...or a similar style they used to make - in birch veneer. Really serendipitous Craiglist find a couple summers ago whereby I scored all 4 chairs for $40, just as I had almost  convinced myself to spring for these very similar  (but twice as expensive) chairs from Crate & Barrel: Felix Walnut Side Chair; Twist Swivel Bar Stools: World Market (quite possibly my favorite new apartment purchase to date); Peacock Quincy Chair: World Market (totally in love, especially after I spotted this almost-identical-chair (Modesto Chair from Arhaus) while browsing at a super fancy furniture store in the mall for - get this - $1200...seriously? I WIN). 

Kitchen // All major elements came with the condo. Love the hardwoods & stainless steel fridge. Would love granite counter tops eventually, but that won't be in the cards anytime soon. I do love my magnetic spice jars on the fridge (really great way to organize your spices to make them visible and accessible at the same time = just $2.99/each at Bed, Bath & Beyond) 

Master Bedroom // Some of you may recognize this bedroom setup from a previous post. New this year are the side tables (thrift store find w/ paint & updated hardware), along with the Adair Sconces from Pottery Barn (with nickle finish  which were my splurge item for this project. I  scoured the internet for a "knock-off" version, but couldn't find anything I liked nearly as much. Also, these were on sale and pretty much the cheapest sconces that PB sells, so I will suffice to say it was a justified purchase.  This is is the first time in my life I have had matching bed side lamps; really makes me feel like an adult! 

Thrift Store Dresser // Thrift store find + updated hardware from Amazon (definitely the best place to buy drawer pulls if you have a certain style in mind. I got these for a fraction of a cost of what they were going for a Lowes/Home Depot)

Office/Guest Bedroom // Crate & Barrel Knock-off desk from Amazon + thrift store chair + antique lamp from my parents house (one of the few items that made the trip across country with me when I moved out here in 2006) + bike that I need to ride more especially now that I live so close to the Greenway.

Office/Guest Bedroom /// OK, bare with me people. I debated whether to post this pick, because I'm not particularly proud of  how this portion of the room is styled, but maybe y'all can give me some tips :). For now, I'm just happy it's organized and I haven't spent any money on this room yet. This is basically just all my furniture that was leftover after I decorated the other rooms (my B-team items, if you will). The couch/love seat is actually a fold-out HAGALUND  bed from IKEA (in Idemo Beige; doesn't exactly pop off the gray walls...), along with some orange Crate & Barrel pillows (if you're going to buy anything from C&B, I suggest the pillows...the fabric/texture/design is simply unrivaled in my opinion, and its a relatively cheap way to upgrade any room). OH and don't you love the Schnauzer pillow? That was a Christmas gift this year; even though its kinda cheesy, it just makes happy. The chair to the left is a thrift store find, the white bedside table is one of the other remaining elements brought out to NC from my childhood (along with the desk lamp). The foot stool (which looks kinda awkward here, and everywhere, actually) is the matching foot stool for your classic Papasan chair sold at World Market (and no, I never owned the actual chair; this just happened to be the only ottoman that I could transport back to my apartment (by foot) while I was living in Chicago without a car. And that rug....that rug is an original purchase from my "moving the dorms" pre-college shopping trip to BB&B with my Mom over a decade ago. Don't you love how every piece of furniture has a story?  

New Year's Eve, Mexican Style

Happy New Year! I kicked off 2013 in the Riviera Maya, where the Mexicans seriously know how to do New Year's right. I wimped out at went to bed at 11:00 pm, but my parents (yes, PARENTS stayed up later than me...sometimes I feel like that one Toyota Venza commercial), reported that it was quite the party; complete with conga line and a bag of 12 grapes passed out to each party-goer at midnight! Here are a few pics from the "New Year's Gala", which we all agreed felt more like someone's wedding that we were crashing, but was actually part of our all-inclusive hotel package at Grand Coco Bay resort in Playa del Carmen.

 

The Mayan "show" during dinner...complete with frankincense and elaborate feather head dresses 

The band & dance floor shortly after dinner was served (at 9:30pm). Setting the scene for things to get rowdy

Kevin & I shortly after they handed out the party hats and noise makers. We took a picture and declared victory on 2012.

A Christmas Miracle: A New Blog Post!

Hello dear readers -- (I know there are at least 3 of your out there, because you each expressed your concern that I hadn't written anything in a while). Anyways, what can I say, it was a busy fall!

In summary, I ran my half marathon as promised, and finished with the time of 2:11.27, just at my goal pace of 10 minutes per mile. Even though it was cold and raining by the end of it (and I started hyperventilating at about mile 9), it was an overall good experience and I am tentatively planning to do another one in the fall. I've been asked several times if a spring half marathon is in the cards. NO. I've officially been on a running sabbatical since the day after my half marathon, save for a few "fun" races: The Tir Na Nog Oktoberfest 8k (costumes, running, beer, and friends on a perfect fall afternoon; what could be better?) and the SPCA Santa Paws 5k that I ran with Barkley (surprisingly, he ran the whole time - amazing!). We finished at right around a 10 minute pace; way faster than expected considering Barkley is not normally much of a runner.

Me and Barkley with the "celebrity" Santa

Oh yeah, and I got engaged and bought a Condo too. And took a trip to Albuquerque and Boston, and MOVED, which is official the most exhausting thing ever. So it's been a little busy. Thankfully Christmas is almost here, which means 2 weeks of relaxation by the fire/beach, just as soon as I can get myself packed for a multi-stage trip involving multiple climates.

More to come in the new year, with a goal to write more "quick & dirty" posts instead of long, thoughtful post that take hours to write, which never actually get written because I'm too preoccupied by the idea that they will take too long to write. Hence, less is really more.

With love to you all, and to all a Merry Christmas :)

Kindred Spirits

With school starting back for many folks, and everyone else begrudgingly returning for vacation, I've been thinking it might be time for another goals update.  I really like sharing my goals - I think it helps me stay focused on what I want out of life instead of just letting life pass me by.  And recently I've found a couple kindred literary spirits that have  inspired me in terms of structuring and sharing these goals.  Since these kindred spirits aren't actually personal friends of mine, but rather writers from the larger community, I'd encourage my readers to also take a look at their blogs.

12 Months of Lent, by Danne Dzenawagis, which I found via a post on Lululemon (yes, I am a total yoga groupie), is a blog through which Danne shares her progress on monthly goals (a.k.a, "lents") to focus on areas of her life that she wants to improve and/or enrich. For example, June & July were dedicated to spending every Tuesday with her "Grammy" transcribing her family's history. This month, she is focusing on sticking to a strict budget (no credit card!), and finding ways to save money. 

I love this idea of constantly improving oneself -  not just in big ways, but in small, yet meaningful ways. If only I could come up with an equally catchy title for my blog. Any suggestions? Also inspiring is the regularity with which Danne post to her blog: 1-2 times per week. Yikes, I need to improve. Ah, ha - a goal for September! 

Meanwhile, I am plugging along at my revised goal to read two books per quarter. Since my last update, I've read:

(1) the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay , by Suzanne Collins (amazing!), and

(2) a classic that I missed reading in high school: The Great Gatsby,  by  F. Scott Fitzgerald - good, but not a page turner (sorry literary friends). However, I did find it interesting to read about how life was back in the 1920's in the suburbs of New York. At least I am up to speed on "essential" American reading now (phew!). 

Currently I am reading: 

(3) The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun , by Getchen Rubin (also a blog!).

Although Gretchen's book doesn't really focus on "goal setting", the idea of doing things (that you maybe wouldn't otherwise do) with intention is certainly a focal point to her happiness project. Regardless of how you define happiness (it will most definitely be different for each individual), a key component to that happiness is feeling like you're getting something DONE (ie, reaching goals). So the logic follows that the more [attainable] goals you set for yourself, the happier your will be. It makes a lot of sense. 

I love the idea of blogging, but I am interested in many things, so it has been hard for me to really commit to one subject matter. Today: Goals! Tomorrow: Travel! Next week: DIY projects! But I know all the best blogs have a clear purpose; to Danne and Gretchen, I am thankful for your inspiration. 

Bon Bini na Curacao

Bon Bini  means "welcome" in Papiamentu - the local language in Curacao, which combines elements of Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese French and English. More on that later, but first, a bit about our "bon bini" to Curacao :).

June 30, 2012 - It was pitch black outside when our flight touched down at 8:30 PM at the Curacao International Airport . One of the unfortunate downfalls to visiting the southern Caribbean in the summertime is that the days are actually shorter than they are in North Carolina. Being located so close to the equator means that days are equal length throughout the year, with a standard 12 hours of daylight year round.

Despite our on-time arrival, there was quite a bit of trouble getting the jet bridge out to our aircraft. Apparently the jet bridges were a recent additional to this small Caribbean outpost and the staff was not well initiated with the operation of these new gadgets. After a 30 minute effort to get the jet bridges to operate properly, it was decided that we would deplane the old-fashioned way. And I can't say I was disappointed; there is something timeless about deplaning by stairs. Yes, it can be a bit of a hassle, but it's hard not to feel just a tiny bit important; like someone might snap your photo at anytime. Heck, that's how all the celebrities seems to exit an airplane! A pleasant tropical breeze greeted us as we stepped off the plane into the humid night air. The temperature was a comfortable 80 degrees, and as we walked down the stairs and along the tarmac, it began to sink in that we had arrived in paradise. 

We passed through immigration and customs without much fuss, quickly collected our bags, and were immediately plopped back outside into the fresh air. I was surprised by the low-key group of taxi drivers that greeted us at the curb. In Mexico (along with every Latin American country I've been to), the taxi drivers bombard you with offers for their services and the whole procedure can feel quite overwhelming. This was certainly not the case here; we actually had to look around a bit to locate the taxi stand.  Once we made our intentions know, we quickly secured a driver who quoted us a fair price for the 20 minute ride into town and we were headed off into the night along the quiet road leading away from the airport.

Our route into Willemstad (the capital and only real "city" on the island) took us along narrow paved roads through both industrial and residential areas. We drove along a simple two-lane road that was periodically lit by dim street lights, passed a few roadside eateries here and there, and eventually came upon the Royal Dutch Shell oil refinery perched along the shores of the prominent Sint Anna Bay. The street lights became more frequent, and the buildings taller as we entered into the commercial zone and city center, which was alive with folks out and about enjoying their Saturday evening.

 View of the  Otrobanda neighborhood across Sint Anna Bay in Willemstad, Curacao.

The Journey [to Curacao] is The Destination

June 30, 2012 - Boarding the airplane in Miami, we got our first glimpse of the diversity we would see in Curacao. It was impossible to generalize about our fellow travelers; we were already hearing several different languages being spoken, and skin complexions ranged from pale white northern European to dark African tones. There were a few Americans here and there, but none stood out as novice travelers. In any case, it was a very different group than I had traveled with on my last flight to Cancun :).

Several folks I've chatted with about our trip to Curacao were surprised to learn how easy it is to get there. Indeed, this was a key reason for selecting it among other destinations in the Caribbean.  American Airlines offers twice daily flights seven days a week, and it is a relatively quick three hour plane ride from Miami. Despite the ease of arriving in Curacao, part of its allure (to me at least) was its obscurity in the American psyche; very few Americans have any real perception of where Curacao is, let alone what type of culture exists there. This may change in the coming years as the Curacao turism board looks to grow the tourism business (their efforts were on display in a recent episode of The Bachelorette that was set in Curacao - Youtube "sneak peak" is here if you can't stand a full episode), but for now it remains a unique little island off the coast of Venezuela with a diverse mix of cultural influences and a limited number of American tourist.

Go before everyone finds out about it!

Vacation! But First, A Derecho!

Well, I'm happy to report that our vacation to Curacao was a great success! It was a whirlwind week of fun-in-the-sun in the Caribbean, and I've finally found some time to share a few anecdotes from the trip. There are so many aspects of the the experience that I'd like to blog about, but I'll start with sharing a little excitement from Day 1.

June 29, 2012 - The trip started out with an eventful drive up to D.C. on Friday night due to an unexpected line of summer thunderstorms with hurricane force winds that quickly swept across the midwest and slammed the east coast mid-way through my 4-hour drive. After learning that the storms were approaching, I exited the main highway (I-95), and started up US 1 in hopes of avoiding the worst of the storm traffic. Soon thereafter, the wind picked up and leaves and other small debris started to fly across the road. It began the rain heavily, and the frequency and size of debris increased as well. The placement of the debris was difficult to anticipate and the conditions made for highly unpredictable driving. I decided to pull over, but even that choice brought potential danger as I saw the large pine trees teetering overhead. I eventually opted for a spot with minimal tree cover, tuned the radio to a "calming" classical station and put it on full blast to block out the crazy storm sounds whirling all around my lightweight vehicle. The worst of the storm passed about 10 minutes later, but the effects of the storm continued to be felt along the remainder of my route as downed trees blocked portions of the highway and slowed traffic considerably. Finally, I made it to my destination safely (albeit 2 hours later than I had anticipated), and we were able to catch our 1pm flight the next day without any issue. We later learned that the line of thunderstorms was actually a derecho, and that millions of D.C.-area residents were without power for several days afterwards (in 100-degree heat!). Our escape to 85-degree weather couldn't have been better timed :).

The Hunger Games Spell

I've been reading a lot lately. Well, let me be more specific: I've been reading a lot of young adult fiction lately. Yes, the Hunger Games Trilogy has me under it's spell. I must say, I wasn't expecting this. I heard the hype, but I didn't believe I would like the books this much. The past few young-adult fiction crazes that have captured the attention of my demographic haven't exactly had me spellbound (i.e., The Twilight Saga and Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy). Not since the Harry Potter Series have I been this attached to a group of fictional characters in a book.

But really, it's the escapism aspect that has drawn me in. It is a different type of escapism than the kind I find in most of the books I read. Unlike the scenarios relayed in a funny travelogue or juicy memoir, I can't begin the identify with the situations faced by the characters in The Hunger Games. This means less time for self reflection and more time to get lost in the story. And sometimes this is a good thing.

So I've spent the last couple weeks totally lost in a cloud of the Hunger Games world; sneaking in a chapter  over my lunch break and even steaming a few audio chapters from YouTube played via Bluetooth on my car audio. Yes, it is a getting a bit out of hand. It's all I can do to wait the 5-7 days standard shipping time until the third book, Mockingjay, arriving from Amazon. But no sense rushing things, because after that book is read, I'm sure to feel the heavy loss that comes with finishing a beloved series. What shall I read next? Some have suggested Fifty Shades of Grey. But I am a bit skeptical. Comments?

Meanwhile, a full update on my reading list so far for 2012:
(Note:  it's only JUNE and I've already completed my one book/quarter goal for the year. Guess I'll have to up the ante to TWO books per quarter...Go.Me.)

Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses   By Claire Dederer
A great read for any yogi, but especially for young Moms or for those of us who enjoying hearing Mom stories in hopes of one day 'figuring it all out' before we are faced with the daunting task of being a Mom. I picked up this book on a whim at Target. Well, sorta a whim - the title interested me, so I flipped through a few pages and was intrigued (but didn't buy). On my next trip a week later, I gave in. I love how it's structured: each chapter relates a yoga pose to what was going on in the author's life; gradually telling the story of how she went from a new mom, to nearly loosing her sanity (and marriage), to how she found peace and balance in life through yoga. I gained a new perspective on my yoga practice and it was a refreshingly honest reminder that no one has a perfect life; being happy is learning to focus on the things that matter and to accept things you cannot change.


Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home   By Rhoda Jenzen
Recommended (and mailed) to me by my dear friend Sarah (thanks, Sarah!), this is a memoir about the author's experience of returning to her Mennonite roots after a rocky divorce (her husband ran off with a guy he met on gay.com). It was an interesting book (definitely learned a few things about the Mennonite culture that I wouldn't have known otherwise), and funny at times (although not LOL funny). I sorta felt like the author was a bit huffy about all that had happened to her and her current predicament (unfortunately, the book does not end with a hopeful romance for our heroine).

The Hunger Games  (Book 1)   By Suzanne Collins
The setting for this book is a bit complicated to describe in passing. It is the future (we're not exactly sure when; one assumes +/- 75 years after the 2012 near-apocalypse). The landmass formerly known as the United States is the location (our heroine is from Appalachia - the coal mining district). The Capital (now located somewhere in the Rocky Mountains) has dominated since the time of the near-appocolypse (if you've seen the movie 2012, you'll have a good guess as to why). The Capital now holds yearly "Games" in which a boy and a girl from each of the 12 districts must go and fight to their death. Sounds exciting, right? Well, it is.

Catching Fire  (Book 2)   By Suzanne Collins
Second installment of this highly addictive series. Basically cleaning up the mess that was created by Book 1. These books definitely read as a series. Once you read #1, you might as well just go out and buy #2 and #3, because the endings of #1 and #2 are completely inconclusive.

The Joys of Summertime: Curacao + A Half Marathon

Summertime is upon us! We've had some truly great weather recently, with temperatures generally peaking at or below 80 degrees. Really a blessing compared with years past when it wasn't uncommon to see several days in the 90's during May. I have been taking full advantage; keeping my windows open during the day and enjoying long walks with Barkley in the evening.

Mr. Barkley, out enjoying the nice weather

Meanwhile, my summer calendar is really filling up quick. We've gotten our summer vacation plans squared away - Curacao was the winner from my previous post, so looking forward to that in early July. We'll be staying on the western end of the island, in Westpunt, which is about 40 minutes away from the capital of Willemstad and considered the "quiet" side of the island. Apparently all the best beaches are located here, and it's supposed to have a very "small town" vibe, with only a hand-full of restaurants and limited lodging options, most of which are apartment-style vacation rentals. The place we're staying at, Marazul Dive Resort, was rated #1 on TripAdvisor for places to stay in Curacao. Marazul is a collection of individually owned seaside villas perched atop a small cliff, with stairs leading down to the ocean for easy access to snorkeling and diving. We rented ours through Vacation Rental By Owner (www.vrbo.com) - a website I had seen in passing while looking for a ski condo this past winter, but never really taken seriously. However, I must say I have been quite impressed with our rental experience thus far. I received a response to my initial inquiry from the owner within the hour, along with with a detailed description of the condo and pricing for our stay. I followed up with a phone call the following night, which resulted in a nice chat about the condo and logistics for our arrival. The owner then sent me a detailed "Arriving in Curacao" packet, with helpful information about All Things Curacao; on par with the advice you'd find in a guidebook, but much more personalized. Needless to say, I am a bit excited for our next adventure! 

Marazul Dive Resort (source: http://www.marazuldiveresort.an/)

In other news, I signed up for my first half marathon - the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon on October 7th! The route follows the capital area greenway along the Potomac River near Washington, DC area,  starting at Mt. Vernon Estates in Virginia, and ending at National Harbor, Maryland. I still need to finalize my training plan, but am thinking I'll need to start training in early July after our vacation to Curacao. Not really looking forward to the 7am (6am?) wake-up calls that will be required to "beat the heat" for my long runs in July & August, but I am looking forward to having a goal to train towards, and to push myself to do something new. Unlike the 5k runs I've done in the past, I know I won't be able to "wing-it" for 13.1 miles, so it sounds like I will be spending quite a bit of my time in late summer running in the shade of Umstead Park. BRING IT!

[Source: http://www.runwashington.com]

Goals vs. Reality

Somehow, it's already May (!!!), and that means that we're already 1/3 of the way through 2012. Hard to believe, but it got me thinking about the goals I set for myself back in January. With summer just around the corner, I've come to the realization that my "free" weekends are going to be few and far between for the next few months. I love being busy, but it's made me realize that in order to accomplish all the things I set out to do at the beginning of the year, I'm really going to have to get moving on making my goals a reality. I'm not sure how many of my friends/acquaintances actually read this thing, but part of the reason I'm putting my goals up here is so you guys can hold me accountable; so please - call me out if I start slacking :). I was going to list all my goals, but apparently I am a little long-winded, so I'll start with my Health & Fitness Goals for now.

Goal #1: Yoga 2x per week (1 paid class/1 free class)

Reality: Yoga 1x per week. As much as I'd like to get more yoga into my schedule, I've realized it's just not possible with my other commitments. AND THAT'S O.K.

Goal #2: Running (>30min) or walking/hiking (>1hour) at least 2x per week.

Reality: I'm walking all the time with my dog, so the walking part of this goal is easily achievable. It's the running part that's tricky. I've been getting 1 run/week in fairly consistently, but realize I really need to get 3 runs in per week to be at my desired fitness level.

Plan for achieving my goal: Designate specific days of the week as "run" days. Participate in weekly "run clubs"; make plans to go running with friends (establish an "acountabilibuddy"); bring run gear with me and change at work so I can't get distracted once I get home.

Goal #3: One bike ride per month (>10 miles).

Reality: I've only been on ONE bike ride this year :(. I love a good road ride, but it requires a big time commitment and plans can easily be thrown off by inclement weather or severely limited by the cold short days of winter. I'm starting to think I might have to tame my ambitions and revise my goal to one bike ride per quarter. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to find time for more biking next year.

Goal #4: Compete in at least one event per quarter (running race, triathlon, etc).

Reality: Does the SPCA K9-3K Dog Walk count? Well, in my book it does :). This goal is as much about the community & fundrasing aspect as it is about the exercise & competition aspect. The SPCA K9-3K was an excellent event, and I was happy to be able to bring together a small team of fellow dog lovers to raise money and awareness for the cause. Go Team Barkley! I do want to do a few more races this year, but I haven't found the next event (if you know of any fun races for a good cause, let me know!). One race I do have my eye on is the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for arthritis in December, which was a great event last year.

Sea of Dog Walkers at the SPCA K9-3k in Raleigh

Goal #5: Train & run a half marathon

Reality: I know this will require some dedicated training, but I still think it is a very achievable goal. Currently researching potential races and investigating training plans. Looking to complete this by Nov. 4th (end of daylight savings) at the latest.

Goal #6: Attend 1 yoga workshop per quarter (attend 1 out of town retreat or other all-day event).

Reality: No workshops attended so far, BUT I have been trying out several new styles of yoga, which has helped to improve my practice and exposed me to a new community of yogis in Raleigh. Thanks to Groupon (or was it Living Social?), I tried out a new downtown yoga studio - Vault Yoga - during the month of February (you can read my Yelp review here), and also attended a few Anusara ("heart opening") Yoga classes with the ever-insightful Lila Rasa Brown at Evolve, which were quite different than the Prana Flow classes I had been frequenting for the past year.

I'm only just now starting to appreciate how different the various styles of yoga really are; I used to think that the only type of yoga worth doing was the really athletic type (generally classified as vinyasa flow), but I have since come to appreciate more thoughtfully paced classes that focus on alignment and/or relaxation. My favorite classes are still the sweaty, fast-paced classes that challenge me with new and exciting arm balances and inversions that seem impossible at first, but become achievable through consistent practice.

Plan for achieving my goal: I have already signed up for a 3-hour workshop at Evolve this month, but I don't think additional local workshops will be a priority for me. I've realized that the main things I want to get from this goal is to (1) increase my involvement in the yoga community (2) expand my yoga practice by refining and improving my technique (3) challenge myself by taking my practice outside my comfort zone.

It is easy to get attached to a particular style of yoga or to become comfortable with a certain teacher/yoga studio. I like this feeling of belonging, and that is a big part of the reason I consistently go to the same studio and attend the same classes. However, through this goal, I want to break out of the routine. To grow. To have a story to tell.

So, I'm really focusing on finding an out-of-town retreat where I can do these things. As much as I'd love to fly off to India or Thailand or someplace über exotic like that, it's just not going to be feasible from a budgetary stand point. I've only done some preliminary research, but I'm intrigued by this option: http://www.yogaville.org/. Apparently Yogaville is a nationally recognized Ashram located near Charlottesville, Virginia. YES, an Ashram; like the one Liz went to in Eat. Pray. Love. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Too hippie? I haven't quite decided yet, but it just might be perfect :).

Goal #7: Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

Reality: This goal alludes me like no other. It should be easy! Why am I so challenged by the concept of going to bed before midnight! It's not even like I have insomnia - I fall asleep just fine. There's just so many other fun things to do at night; like catch up on blogging!

Plan for achieving my goal: A schedule. Yes, a very detailed timeline of events that must happen in order for me to get to bed by midnight. Home by 7:30. Dog walk by 8:30. Dinner by 9:30. Limit computer time to 1 hour. Allow some time to "chill" by watching an episode of House Hunters International. Read a little. Despite my best efforts, I am not having the best success sticking to the schedule. But at least I have plan :). Next week for sure.

Vacation Plotting

Lately I've been spending a lot of time plotting out my next vacation. For me, it is an all-consuming process, but I love it. I love researching the options, learning everything I possibly can about a place, finding the best deals, and selecting the perfect combination of location, hotel and flight to make for an unforgettable vacation.

Of course the first step in this process determining where in the world to go, and there are nearly always constraints involved. Time can be a consideration, but in this case I am planning to take a full week off from work (9 days total, including weekend), so plenty of time to go just about anywhere my budget allows. While not set in stone, I am thinking that the week of July 4th would be the optimal time to take this week off, mainly because July 4th falls on a Wednesday this year and I will already have that day off (thereby saving a vacation day). As I mentioned in a previous post, the places that initially topped my list were the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver/Seattle/Portland), and Northern Europe (Sweden, specifically); partly because I have good friends living in each of those locations and partly because those are two regions I have never visited before. However, a quick search on Kayak.com (my favorite flight search engine) reveals that airfare prices to Europe during the summer months are ridiculously expensive, and totally out of my budget. So, Pacific Northwest? 

Then there is the question who you will be traveling with and what their preferences are. While I like to think of myself as a fairly independent person and savvy traveler, I do not enjoy vacationing by myself.  I've done the solo-vacation a couple times before; back in college, before I owned a digital camera (hence no pictures here). Honestly I'm still surprised my parents agreed to let their 19-year-old daughter spend a week in southern Spain and Portugal, and then again as a 22-year-old traveling around Italy for a week. Don't get me wrong - these were both amazing trips! And because I was by myself I got to do exactly what I wanted each and every day. However, traveling alone gets lonely pretty quickly - especially at meal time. Been there. Done that. Conclusion:  I can be flexible about where/when/how to travel if it means I get to travel with people I care about. 

So I suggested the idea of a Vancouver/Seatte/Portland trip to my boyfriend-come-travel companion and got a lukewarm response - he wanted to go someplace TROPICAL. Okay, I get it...the Pacific Northwest isn't the most glamorous spot for a vacation. And we certainly wouldn't be coming home with a suntan. In contrast, the visual images conjured up by the prospect of a beach vacation are certainly tempting: a  piña colada on a white sand beach, gazing onto turquoise blue waters with the sun shining down overhead. But in July? Won't it be hot? What about the hurricanes? 

July is definitely the off-season for the Caribbean, but as I've learned from my research, that doesn't mean it's a bad time to visit. Temperatures are fairly consistent year-round, so it's only a few degrees warmer during the summer. Hurricanes can be a concern, but July is really only the start of the hurricane season, and any that do form this time of year are more likely to affect islands that fall within "the box". The U.S. and British Virgin Islands are inside the box, along with several other  islands in the Lesser Antilles, so those were quickly eliminated from our list of possibilities. The Dominican Republic and The Bahamas were also crossed off the list since I had visited those islands on previous trips. 

Accessibility has turned out to be a major factor in narrowing down our list of posiblities. Many islands in the Caribbean do not have direct flights from the U.S., which often means an extra day of travel (and added expense) to get to those places. If we were traveling on a larger budget, these remote options would be a very intriguing option. Several interesting places such as Tobago, The Grenadines, St. Vincent and Bonaire were eliminated from the list of possibilities for this reason. 

Still up for consideration: Curaçao, Jamaica and Barbados. Each of these destinations would be interesting in their own right. Now it comes down to deciding how much we value a unique adventure (Curaco) over a relaxing all-inclusive (Jamaica), or if possibly Barbados will win out with better flight connections and the promise of good weather. Lots of factors to consider, which hopefully we'll sort out over the next few weeks. The adventurer in me is routing for Curacao. The lazy vacationer in me is routing for Jamaica. The budget traveling in me is telling me to just run the number and pick the cheapest one. But it's not that simple :). Thankfully I have the community of reviewers on TripAdvisor to provide helpful tips and photos on a level of detail I wasn't aware existed (really an amazing resource for planning any trip). And of course my handy library-issue guide books: Frommer's Caribbean 2011 and Fodor's Caribbean 2012 (I couldn't imagine planning a vacation without one!). 

Willemstad - Capital City of Curacao (Source: Wikipedia)

Montego Bay, Jamaica (Source: Wikipedia)

Chirst Church, Barbados (Source: Wikipedia)