wind-surf-sailing and other musings

everyone outside is doing it. walking down the beach, looking onto the water, you can see it: tons of people with kite-like sails flying high overhead, connected to their torso by a vest-contraption, using the sail & wind to surf the waves. pretty cool, and it looks beautiful in the sky as well. apparently this is what we do in miami when it gets windy in "winter".  i have already started seeing christmas decorations up around, last night when we were driving to the opera, we passed by a target that had all the palm trees outside decked in holiday xmas lights. dazzling, but surreal. it cant really feel like any holiday at all when im wearing a sundress to the market. (believe you me, there was still a wrap involved, but purely for those airconditioned-supermarket-moments).  

ive recently started listening to episodes of 'this american life' when i go for runs- it makes the time fly by and is always very entertaining. yesterday, for the first time, i listened to music instead which was almost as enjoyable. somehow, ira glass's voice just gets me through it so much easier though. i highly recommend listening to the pod-casts while doing anything- commuting, walking, cleaning your house, whatever.  yesterday i also did my longest run ever: 9 & 1/4 miles. it was kind of long, i must say, and slightly painful. i had to massage my poor little foot afterwards to stop it from cramping up. (and people say running is good for you?)

last night we went to a delicious restaurant in miami's design district, called michaels genuine food & drink. it was almost like being back in new york: the waiters looked bohemian-esque, with square glasses and scruff. a sigh of relief. after consuming delicious bits of braised octopus with a tomato-bean salad, and pork belly over kimchee, we headed out to see 'la traviata'. watching the party scenes, where all the ladies are dressed in huge bustling dresses, and the men are in tuxedoes and capes, and everyone is wearing little white gloves- it made me truly wish we lived in the 1850s. sadly, it would also mean that people would still die of consumption, which is what the lead lady dies of. i dont even know what consumption is. consuming too much goodness while wearing gloves? unheard of! we also made the startling discovery (1) this was the opera julia roberts & richard gere go to see in pretty woman; (2) julia roberts plays a prostitute in pretty woman (3) la traviata is about a prostitute with a heart of gold who falls in love. how brilliant is that? pretty woman has never seemed more intelligent that it did at that moment.  

just back from my little farmers market with another similar-bounty as last week. i tell you, i could eat eggplant and tomatoes every day and never get sick of them, although, i do wish there were a little more variety. cauliflower maybe? i guess i cant be picky knowing that it is local and the only other state that i know of that still can produce like that is california. then again, they have much more frozen yogurt in california, so, you know, much greater advantage than here. in fact, tangentially, i havent had frozen yogurt since leaving new york. maybe its a new york-california centric thing, but i was shocked to learn there are actually 2 froyo places here-- i just dont have the energy to drive 20 minutes to get to one. oh, the life of a lazy suburban-city dweller. the best and the worst.

somehow this post turned into more rambling than intended, so i think its time to finish my coffee and head out for another run.  perhaps it will put my head on straight again. (at the very least, it will allow ira glass to serenade me). 

xo