Excited for a Sunday??? How is this possible?

So, my week was quite low-key. After our trip to Pennsylvania last weekend, my body was screaming for a break. I managed to get in a workout each day which is good - I wanted so bad to take a day off after my 13K but there was no need really - I wasn't sore by any means, so it would've just been because I was lazy.

I've convinced Mr and Mrs Pooh to come up to NYC next year and visit for a few days before taking off with me and Blondie to PA to run a half-marathon. So I now have that for my goal - a half marathon next May. I'm excited to see the Poohs, and really excited to train for this properly. My 13K felt really good and it was because I kept my training/working out on a proper course. If I can get the half marathon down, I will attempt to do a full marathon next year just so I can finally stop talking about doing one.

In non-running news, on Wednesday, we hit up our bar to watch the first game of the World Series. Since the last 2 cities we lived in prior to NYC are in the World Series, it makes it interesting to watch. I'm totally rooting for SF, whereas Blondie is rooting for SF but only because of the way the games are played - he's rooting home team each time.

What's interesting about NYC, is that even though the World Series was on, nobody in the bar but me and Blondie were paying attention to it. Since there are no NY teams in it, nobody here gives a shit about it. I wonder if it would be the same way with the Superbowl (but since it's going to be a Jets/Giants Superbowl this year, we won't find out).

On Thursday I found out I have to go back to San Francisco again - in 2 weeks, I'll be flying back out for work. I love San Francisco, and have missed San Francisco - so this is good for me. I'm excited for it. After the San Francisco trip, my project will be fully kicked off which also brings a bit of goosebumps to my arms. I'm nervous and excited all at once.

Last night we hit up our bar again and just drank and chatted the night away. Blondie and I, are going to meet our bartender and his friends tomorrow to tailgate before we go watch PACKERS AND JETS in the new Jets stadium!!!! We have tickets 10 rows off the endzone, so please watch for us if you get the game in your area. It turns out that our bartender is a huge Jets fan, and he also loves us, so we're in like Flynn with his crew for tailgating. They've got us so excited for everything - I.Can't.Wait!

--K

From San Francisco, CA, to Northern, PA

Let's play some catch...up...

San Francisco was a blast - I had such a good time it seriously made me wonder why we had left in the first place. I flew in on Sunday morning, and left the airport to the most beautiful weather I'd ever seen in SF. It was a gorgeous day - breathtaking blue skies, no clouds or fogs, and temps in the low 80's. I went to my hotel, checked in, and then proceeded straight to a lunch of tacos and margaritas. I was joined by my friend Sweetie J, and then we headed over to one of her friend's house. This friend was having a huge house party (their house had a monster rooftop deck with views of the GG Bridge, Alcatraz, and the bay) that we joined in on - it was one of the 5 best parties I've been to in my life. We got some killer views of the BLUE ANGELS as they did their air show and I met a ton of new interesting people.

After my party with Sweetie J, a trip out to my old hood to visit my friend KT - we went for vietnamese food and then several drinks at a bar. We got to catch up on a lot and just enjoyed hanging out again for the first time in 10 months.

Monday, I got up and went to the gym in my hotel before heading back to my old stomping grounds for work. I won't lie, I was uber nervous on the walk over - I hadn't seen everyone in so long and while I was very excited for the social aspects of the trip, the work phase was throwing me for a loop. My fears were quickly overcome as Monday turned into a completely social day - I got to see so many people, it was non-stop someone coming up to me to say Hi and hear about what had been going on over the last few months. Monday evening, I met up with KT, Sweetie J and Dirty Sanchez for dinner and drinks - again a beautiful day, and ending it with food and beverage with some of my favorite people - it can't be beat!

Tuesday, I went for a run along the Embarcadero to enjoy the SF weather. Then it was off to work as we started meetings for my project. The morning meeting went horribly, and it kind of tainted the rest of the day. I made some hard decisions that afternoon about how I wanted things to go the rest of the week, and that helped some. Then margaritas and tacos with Miss Fenny and one of the sisters C helped the rest of the way.

Wednesday, I went for a LONG run along the Embarcadero - I needed to clear my head before our second round of meetings and the new process I wanted to follow. This totally helped, and it was with a lucid mind that I tackled Wednesday. Everything went much better and before I knew it, it was time for the party we had planned with everyone from the SF office. Such a good time! So many people came out, way more than we had expected. I think the bar was overwhelmed with how many people we had, but eh, you're a bar - deal with it!

Thursday, it was back to the gym before starting our last day of meetings. I was pretty tired at this point (I was up most days at 5 am due to the time change), and missing Blondie and the cats, so the day felt more rough than any other day. I got out early though and went with CChu for a drink before meeting back up with some work folks for drinks also. After my drinks, it was time to see Shelbs and Bbbb on the west coast! We hit up a mexican restaurant, and had a blast, before they drove me to the airport to catch my flight back.

Friday, was a good day also - I had the red-eye and when I got to the house Friday morning, Blondie and I decided to just keep going. We went for breakfast before heading up to see "The Social Network" (50000 thumbs up - go see it!). Afterwards, we did our grocery shop before heading to our bar for early dinner and drinks.

Then on Sunday we did a nice long run along Riverside Park - it was the first time we've really gone far on the park, and it was so nice - I'm glad we live close to it.

Last week was another party week - my friend from work had a birthday so Monday and Wednesday were spent celebrating with her. We did girls' nights both nights and had a blast! On Friday, I met Blondie at our bar where we watched the Yankees lose (tee hee!). We also made plans to meet up with our bartender this weekend for the Jets/Packers game we both have tickets too! We will be tailgating with him and his crew for the game.

On Saturday we got up uber early to catch a train to nothern PA - we hung out with our friends and their kids all day Saturday (um, BTW, flag football for 5 year olds? Funniest thing I've seen in a long time), and then on Sunday it was TIME TO RACE! My friend and I did our 13K (8.06 mile race) that we have been training for - I did around 1 hour, 33 mins, which for me is awesome good - 11.33 min miles. I'm not a fast runner, but I'm a determined runner, so that makes up for it. I felt so good afterwards (no leg pain, no achy knees, no blisters) that we talked Mr and Mrs Pooh into running a half with us next year.

Today it was back to work, woot. Plans this week include nothing. Nothing at all. And I'm very excited about it!

--K

OMG, has it been awhile?

So last weekend, one of my favorite couples arrived in town - they came in super early Saturday morning to spend the week with us! Yay for Shelbs and Bbbb! Bbbb came prepared with a list of things he wanted to do, and let me tell you - as much as I liked living here before they blew through town, I'm now in love with my own city. Bbbb's list - OMG. It was so awesome! He found so much good stuff (bars, restaurants, neighborhoods, stores, etc) that it totally opened my eyes as to exactly how much shit there is to do here.

I don't think we're leaving anytime soon, or anytime at all.

So they get to town and we immediately head out to show them our markets (Bbbb is a total foodie). We got our grocery shopping out of the way before heading over to the UT bar to watch the UT/OU game - it was completely packed. We had such a good time even though UT lost. We drank a ton, ate some tasty bar food, and just generally enjoyed being around a lot of Texans for the first time since we left Texas.

Afterwards it was a trip up through Times Square and Bryant Park before heading back to the apartment - we ordered some Thai food for dinner and then it was bedtime by 8:30 pm - they were exhausted from the red-eye the night before, and to be honest, Blondie and I were totally beat too.

Sunday we got up and went to the gym - Bbbb and Shelbs were troopers and came with us. After our workout, we headed over to Penn Station to pick up a friend of Bbbb's who had come in from Philly for the day - we then took the train across to Brooklyn to eat a brunch at Marlowe & Sons (Tony Bourdain fans will know all about this restaurant). Our brunch rocked - several mimosas, some oysters, a cheese/meat platter, and then finally a bowl of chilaquiles for me and a french dip for Blondie. Blondie's desert though blew ALL OF US out of the water - he got this chocolate caramel tart that was honestly one of the 5 best things I've ever eaten in my life.

After brunch, we toured around Brooklyn for a bit before heading back over to Manhattan and the Lower East Side. We hit up a bar and had a cocktail and then headed to McSorley's Ale House for many many rounds of their house beer. We shared a table with some brothers from New Jersey, and laughed our asses off at the bachelor party who cheered every single person who went to the bathroom (they cheered them going in and coming out - it was so f'ing funny!).

After McSorley's, a trip to a speakeasy Bbbb had heard about - Angel's Share. This was on Bbbb's list of where to go to get awesome cocktails and did not disappoint. You had to go into a sushi restaurant and through an unmarked door to the side to get to the bar. We got a booth overlooking the street below and had some completely killer cocktails. After Angel's Share, we hit up another speakeasy, Death & Co.

I liked D&C better than Angel's Share, but I was the only one. Angel's Share was very quiet and sedated, but D&C was balls out noisy. I loved it. We got a booth there and again, had several cocktails before splitting a huge bowl of rum punch. Then we all realized we were quite drunk so we headed off to a late night meal at Lombardi's pizza before heading home.

Monday I was completely zonked at work - it was rough going for awhile, but I got through it. The weather was awful, so we decided to just meet up for dinner in our neighborhood - we went for Turkish food, and it was so good - we split a bottle of wine, and some appetizers. Our main courses rocked, and then we headed home for a lot of beer and to watch some TV.

Tuesday I went for a run and then when I got home, I realized I felt horrible. Oops, I was coming down with a massive head cold. I made it until about 3 pm before I had to leave for the day. I met up with Shelbs, Bbbb and Blondie for a really late lunch at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. The food was not good at all and it was disappointing because this place is talked about all the time. Blondie and I headed straight home afterwards so that we could crash out.

Wednesday I stayed home from work, and spent the day in a daze on the floor. That evening, I had managed to dope myself up enough that we met up with Shelbs and Bbbb for dinner - we went to Minetta Tavern, home of the best burger ever. I skipped the burger but got pork and beans (OMG, heaven in a fucking bowl) and Blondie got the burger. It was a killer burger, but I've never been so happy with my own meal in my life.

After the Tavern, we headed back up to Broadway to see another Broadway musical!!!!! Squee!!!! We picked "Memphis" to see - the winner of the 2010 Tony for best musical, and it ruled my world. Even Blondie loved it. I'm seriously like a kid at Christmas at these things - I'm more than addicted. Seriously, this is how seeing a play goes with me - I spend the entire time completely glued to the stage, and then afterwards, I talk about it for at least 3 hours. And then entire time I'm talking about it, I'm also trying to dream up ways to break into theater. It's annoying.

Thursday I was feeling better so it was back to work, before meeting up with the gang again in the East Village for another trip to Angel's Share. After our drinks, we headed out for a cheap italian dinner (so good, sooooo good - we split a fettucine and sausage plate and I could've licked the plate clean). We tried to stop into McSorley's again but it was uber crowded. As we were looking for a cab, we spotted a hat shop and stopped in, and of course, we all ended up with new hats.

Friday we said goodbye to Shelbs and Bbbb, and I met Blondie for dinner at our local bar. Today I went for a very very long run and finally started to feel human again. I got a pedicure afterwards, and we ordered in street tacos for lunch. I have to get some packing done as tomorrow morning bright and early, I'm off to San Francisco for a week for work. I'm SO excited to see my friends again and be back in my old stomping grounds.

Watch out everyone, here I come!

--K