A Rainy, Run-Around Kind of Day

Hey hey,
So last night my rooommate and her girlfriends from Somers and I went out for Mexican, to Sol Azteca just a few doors down from our apt. The food was good but their sangria was bad--it was sweet and sludgy, with no pieces of fruit to spear out. We then headed across the street to Taberna de Haro, an always-packed Spanish (not Latino) tapas bar, where we had more sangria and some desserts. Which included chocolate truffles with sea salt and olive oil. Weirdest concept ever, until you took a bite--the salt and oil created a briny film that enhanced the bittersweet dark chocolate flavor.

My roommate had the most orgasmic expression on her face, so now we are planning to make ghetto versions of it for Xmas, where it will NOT cost us ten bucks for 3 little truffles. We also had flan (eh--never was a big fan of it), this weird dish called zurracapote, which is like a plum compote with creme anglaise--not exactly my cup of tea--and pudin, or pudding. Then Sheila and I had a nightcap at Beacon St Tavern, where we gossiped about academia, literature, and boys, before we called it a night.

Today was pretty interesting. I met with my running club at 10:30 this morning, and we all had breakfast at this guy's house afterwards. But then some people started an impromptu Ultimate Frisbee game, and you knew I had to get it on it. We played 3 on 3-- 4 guys, 2 girls, so of course that means a TON of running--and I was running my head off like a dog, diving for the disc here and there, was covered with mud, and pretty much had the most awesome time ever. And it was still only 1pm on a Saturday afternoon. A bunch of the guys from the group are going to this bar/club in Cambridge called Middlesex tonight, for this girl's birthday party. It's one of those things where you're like, should I go? Was I necessarily invited? I mean, the birthday girl--whom I met officially that day--was like, you all should come! So, if my tentative drink plans with my friend Vince and his BU lawyer friends fall through, then I will just crash this party and hope that people recognize me when I'm not wearing sweaty gym clothes and a ponytail.

Making friends here is pretty interesting, because everyone's so friendly (so far), and there are a billion different activities going on at once. It's more a matter of keeping my eyes on the prize, you know? Like, if I have one big night out, that means I'll be drinking, which means I'll probably eat crap late at night, and then the next day I'll be sluggish, and I can't get much work done. Wah wah wah.

One of my authors from RH is setting me up on a play date with her cousin who lives in Cambridge, and we're meeting for coffee tomorrow afternoon. Sans the author. I find it so refreshing that people here are willing to do this kind of thing (like Jessi's really cool friend Mara!). Part of me kind of laments that I'll only be here for one year--just as I'm warming up, getting into the groove, I'll have to pick up and go again. So it goes!

(The photo above doesn't look quite like what we ordered, but it's close enough. Photo courtesy of aidanbrooks.blogspot.com)

i passed!

the bar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how beautiful

tonight for the first time ever i walked down the street to the end of my block and looked at the beach in the dark. the moon was hovering high in the sky, casting a beautiful light all over the beach, reflected in the ocean. the sound was so peaceful and calm. i cant believe its taken me so long to do that- i think oftentimes i am just so tired at the end of the day, especially after a run outdoors (like today), that i dont even consider it. instead i think, oh, its sketchy, its dark, who knows, whats that noise, etc etc. but it was really nice to shut up those voices in my head and just breathe in the night air for a few moments.  it was especially refreshing after a long run in the thick humid air, where even my shins were wet from perspiration. i wonder sometimes if miami makes one sweat more, or if i am just a more sweaty person. now theres a puzzle for you.

i must disclose, i have not yet signed up for the half marathon, but am planning on it. i also tentatively agreed to go on a training 1/2 marathon run on sunday with some people in hollywood, fl, which is about 20 minutes from here. ill see if i actually make it up there (or instead just reason that i can run on the beach here solo without having to be nice to strangers). we shall see. 

last night i met up with my lawschool friendie blake who was in town, and we grabbed a few drinks outside at my one and only favorite bar, the outdoor tikish thing in south beach. it overlooks the bay-side of miami, where there are boats and a marina, and the air was so thick and humid, but a breeze would come along every now and again, and we just chatted about work and caught up, and it was really nice. it reminds me that sometimes, the people you initially meet, you never know that you will later develop a friendship with them-- you just never know how the world works. we were always friendly in lawschool, but we never really hung out, aside from being in groups; but hes quite funny & good company, and its just a nice feeling of - whats the word? - bizarre happenstance, maybe-- when you find yourself in such a situation. 

afterwards, i drove him back to his hotel, and actually caught up (!!) with the other coauthor here, miss patty park, on the telephone. so nice to chat! although i was not joking when i told you that i was shoving marshmellows into my mouth whilst talking to you. i have this weird affinitiy recently for marshmellows, cool whip, and fruit. ((mirz, though, i must admit-- i hate ambrosia salad.)) tangent. anyway i got home and into bed, but didnt go to sleep until about 1.30, so that was rough waking upsies this morning. it was a busy day, but its almost over - i am about to put myself to bed with my bookie.

but before i even forget-- i had a little visitor in my house today!!!!!   i walked inside after my run and saw another little caterpillar (or inch worm? or centipede?) on my floor. i tried to cajolle it onto some lettuce, but no dice. after about 5 minutes moving the lettuce around, trying to coax it onto the green deliciousness, i finally got the thing onto a supermarket circular, and tossed it in the garbage. i feel content that he will go on to live in my trash, in the trash chute, for a long and healthy life. i mean, there was tons of produce he could eat, some coffee grinds, etc etc. im sure he is a happy bug. but honestly, never before have i encountered so many catepillar/inchworms/centipedes in my apartment anywhere, ever, before. i think this is number three. unique miami, i tell you. 

with that my little caterpillars, i bid thee good night

xo

Most Unproductive Week, Ever!

Hey Annie,
I'm really sorry to hear about your itching. You didn't happen to run into a spot of poison ivy, did you? The only other thing I can think of is maybe your laundry detergent? When I was working at Park Natural, a customer came in to return all of his Myers Lemon cleaning products--he said his daughter broke out into a rash with the stuff. So if you're rolling around in sheets with new/strange detergent, maybe that could be the cause... OR it could also be my favorite paranoia: BED BUGS. AUGH!

Speaking of personal ailments...I lifted free weights on Sunday, was fine Monday, but when I woke up Tues my upper and fore arms were so sore. Like, they're cramping up kind of sore. I have no idea why--everytime I lift, the pain/soreness happens the following day. I've decided to work on a new fitness goal--getting my speed up and my time down. I'm through with long distance blah blah bull shite. This is kind of hard to do, though, because the BU gym's indoor elevated track is so small, you have to run 7 laps to the mile, while staring down at the 4 basketball courts and volleyball courts and weight rooms--talk about vertigo.

I'm also really proud of you for signing up for the Miami half-marathon! I think you will have a lot of fun, and if I know you, you'll not only kick its ass, but also wish you had done the whole thing, too. But NYC is definitely doable, and I will run miles 19-22 with you in Harlem/Bronx until one of the bandit catchers flags me down and pulls me off the course. Did you see that article in the NYT? Unbelievable.

I'm in the theology library at the moment, and for whatever reason, I cannot seem to concentrate on work. Ever since I came back to Boston from the marathon, my concentration has been at 2%. So the work just keeps piling up, and I keep pushing it back. But I am looking forward to having girls' night this Friday with my roommate and two of her friends, which will involve sangria and tapas and possibly my new suede hooker boots. Oh, did I tell you? I finally broke down and went to Roosevelt Field Mall back when I was in NY, so I could outfit myself in the latest trends among suburban Long Island teens. Now I blend right in with all of the undergrads in my annoying lit classes. That's hot.

i dont get it

"the good shepard." am i dumb? maybe it was because i watched it while i was making dinner, and broke the viewing into two parts, but i just didnt get it. why couldnt matt damon smile at all? he was such a serious little CIA doober. ok, i dont want to spoil it (you know, in case no one else has seen this move from like 2002), but it was successful in that first, it made me hate angelina jolie, and then second, made me feel very bad for her. this second part was certainly attributable to her horrible stage makeup. why cant she look like that ALL the time?

also one other random though.

why is the npr station here playing kenny-g-esque music? now, i know its not fair to compare miami with ny, as you so mentioned in your previous post re: boston & ny-- but i mean, COME ON. any OTHER city has an actual NPR station that continually plays NPR shows. here, its like the international shit show. sure, they have a few shows on during the day. but then its like variety hour at a bad supermarket. kill me! i have to turn this off.

btw, i think i made up my mind re: the marathon.... i think i am going to sign up for the halfsie this time around, since im not feeling very confident about getting in any runs longer than 8 miles, and i dont have the motivation to go at it alone. the halfsie wont be so bad, and hopefully i can shoot for a good time to then emmulate and focus on in the coming years when i run the nyc marathon. (its a possibility, right??? i mean, ill just make you run with me into harlem bc that part sounded horrible).

ok, itchy baby is now signing out after another random, rambling post. while you might have an excuse involving jameson and beer, i have no excuse other than too many grapes with cool whip (annies new favorite desert. EVER!).

love yoooou

Hanger Bar closed...

Sad news: Hanger Bar in the East Village is closed! Annie, remember when you took me there for a random 2-for-1 happy hour? Tear.



http://gothamist.com/2008/11/11/elsa.php

Back to this dumb paper I'm writing on Middlemarch from the BU Law library...

Economics 'n Beer

Okay, so I'm a little tipsy as I write this, having had a Jameson--neat--and a few pints of Ipswich ale--but I'm feeling better about things here in Boston. I can totally hear you, Annie, about missing the Fall air quality--while New England seems to get the same kind of damp-leaf-crisp-air smell, it's still not the same as NYC. There's maybe a wistful (?) feeling in the air... I don't know. It makes me a little sad.

Speaking of NYC comparisons, I just had drinks with my Swat friend Vince, who tells me I need to stop the NYC--Boston comparison already. He's been here straight from undergrad--incidentally, he also went to BU, but for law school. In an even more bizarre turn of events, I crashed an anniversary party in NY a few months back, and he went to law school with every single person in attendance. He probably would have been at the party if not for his work schedule. Small world. Anyway, Vince is an economist turned lawyer, and I actually had him vet one of my short stories (we took micro together). I had a protagonist who would wonder whether the guys she was dating would assess her based her marginal utiliy. I even inserted a little PPF curve into the story--unfortunately the image I belabored over--below--doesn't get reproduced correctly =(.

Anyway, the pic above is courtesy of Yelp--we met at Audobon Circle, which has a great Geary's on tap, but does not do much in the way of their vaguely Asian-fusion menu. It's conveniently 2 blocks from my apt, though, so I may have to visit again. As it were, the BU pub is getting a little old, especially as I'll be back there Thurs night with my class....

Quantitative Assessment of Fun Produced at Party X

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