Summer Summer Summer Time

Check out all that nature growing!!

The past few days in Philadelphia have been less about crisp spring days familiar to late april and more about the mid-90s blazing sunshine of late July. Whatever, I will take hot and sunny over cold and grey any day. The onset of this weather meant a return to doing everything outside. Trading in the gym for my bike and the sofa for my garden.

This weekend I took my bike out for its inaugural spin of the season (and survived...panting and sore...but I survived) and toiled like a little bee in my garden. The transformation of urban dump into urban oasis does not come easily. While in the country this weekend I stopped by the garden store and stocked up on all kinds of plants (well really only the kinds that grow in the shade). I then spent most of Sunday toiling in the earth. I was sweating and covered in dirt but was unflinching in my committment to bring the change we need to my little patio. After all the plants were in the ground I grabbed my LL Bean canvas, marched down to Whole Foods, and with the air of smug superiority befitting someone who spent all day greening her home with the the dirty skin to prove it, shopped for some food for dinner. The evening wrapped up with friends, fish on the grill, and some chilled rose! not bad.

Keep on Keepin On

It took the first 25 years of my life before I could write this statement honestly: I like running. This was not always the case, in fact wasn't even close to the case for most of my life. But as I have mentioned on this blog before, I really kind of dig it now. Gets me outside, gets me moving, gets the good ju ju flowing. This, however, does NOT apply to running on a treadmill....or so I thought until recently.

My natural gait tends to be somewhat jerky and more than just a little duck-footed. Not exactly a stride well-suited to the NARROW confines and steady speed of a treadmill. But lately I have been giving that long-overlooked machine at the gym a chance. And I kind of like it! I have to listen to my ipod to combat the boredom (i am earbud free when I run outside). I also have to stay focused on looking straight ahead. My natural tendency to try and peep everything that is going on at the gym leaves me feeling nauseous and dangerously close to tripping when I am on the treadmill. But the ability to just run for 30 minutes with no stoplights or exhaust fumes offers its own special charm.

Overall the treadmill gets 3 out of 5 stars!!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Debris and Despair








This past weekend in Philadelphia was the epitome of spring. The thermometer hit 70 degrees and all activities were moved outdoors. Drinking, eating, exercising, and just sitting are all more enjoyable when done outside on the first REAL spring day of the year. I myself had 2 dinners and slightly more than 2 glasses of wine outside.

It was not all play though. I took advantage of the warm weather to take on some serious spring cleaning. I moved into my current apartment because it was close to work, allowed dogs (more on that soon hopefully), and had access to a private patio. Well, apparently the prior tenants did not place as a high a value on outdoor space as I do....this thing was a dump. A hot mess under all sorts of debris and overgrowth of plants and leaves. I, though, was fearless in the face of such a challenge. With a rake, some work gloves, hours of HGTV in my memory, and a triumphant spirit I tackled that outdoor monstrosity head on. I cleared, I swept, I shoveled, I planted. I toiled for hours and ended the day feeling exhausted and satisfied. Even today's shift in weather from spring back to soggy cold was not enough to dampen my spirit. I comforted myself knowing that those new little plants of mine would be happy for the drink!

It still needs a little in the way of greenery but I think I am well on my way to refined outdoor city living!

AFTER
PS I would welcome suggestions of plants that can grow without a ton of light!

Tweet Tweet

I am not sure if writing the post I am about to write makes me incredibly tech-savvy or a gigantic loser with far too much time on her hands. But I felt I needed to join the public debate on the new facebook layout. That's right, I am blogging about facebook being too much like Twitter.

When FB first rolled out the new format it appeared that everyone was quite up in arms. To be honest, though, I didn't even notice. Everyone said Facebook should stop trying to be Twitter and just be happy being Facebook...uhhh ok, whatever that means.

But now I get it!

So,, the new FB layout with its constant stream of updates seeks to keep me informed with up to the second information about my "friends". Well one of my "friends"is this kid I went to middle school who was nice and nerdy when he was 11 but is now a huge tool whose status updates invariably make mention of his mixed marshall arts workouts. He is also fond of posting pictures of his tattoos and him and his "boyz" standing in front of cars. In between his grueling workout and photoshoot schedule he managages, somehow, to find the time to take EVERY FLIPPING FACEBOOK QUIZ IN EXISTANCE. I know what city he would be, what animal, even what sex position he would be. I can not ESCAPE him. FB has me trapped in this kid's world! I used to find his occasional updates really amusing but the incessant stream has made me numb and annoyed.

I hate you new facebook.

This Desert Life, This High Life

I am back from a long weekend of desert sun, friends, and nuptials. The setting was beautiful, the bride was stunning and there are few things I like more than spending time with the girls (and guys) of Kaleidoscope.

The Desert (as those in the know call it) is an interesting place. It is unbelievably pretty: clear blue skies, bright sunshine, palm trees and spectacularly unexpected mountains shooting out of the ground. It is also a town home to Bob Hope Highway, Dinah Shore Way, and the Sonny Bono Cocourse at the airport. Juxtaposed with the gorgeous natural setting are some interesting man made touches: big boobs, big cars, big hair, and big pools in the middle of the desert.

The Kaleidoscope crew also added their own touches to the desert. There were ninjas, pizza parties, pool parties, weddings, and Little Lynch dressed as a Corona-bound Lime.

An undeniably great time.