2013 was maybe the most challenging year I’ve ever faced. Never have I had to deal with so many curve balls at once–from getting to know a new city and making new friends to navigating the world of freelance, raising a new puppy and watching Eaman start his own business. It was a lot to contend with at once. In a way I’m kind of ready for 2013 to be over.
That said, this year was also about many dreams coming true. I very much believe in willing things to happen and will forever remember 2013 as the year when so many goals became realities. Sometimes I sit on my couch and look at my freelance articles, my boyfriend (of nearly 8 years!), my puppy sleeping by my feet and the homey space we’ve created here in San Diego and give myself a little pat on the back. We done good in 2013.
Onward to 2014. I want more stability. I want to feel less “new.” I want to stick with the yoga regimen I got serious about at the end of 2013. (I’m loving Pura Vida, a vinyasa studio in downtown San Diego.) I want to brush more off my shoulders. I want to go to Big Sur. I want to stop falling asleep on the couch. That last one needs to happen asap.
Happy new year friends! Thank you for reading, following and writing.
Since Eaman and I work for ourselves, we rarely get time off–I even worked while in India–but the stars aligned for Christmas week and we got our very first real vacation. A whole week! And to say we took advantage is putting it lightly.
It was as if the parents had left three kids (me, Eaman and Teddy) home alone, and we were left to our own devices. We ate candy until our stomachs hurt, baked Funfetti cupcakes, spent a day in beautiful Bird Rock, watched tons of trash TV and enjoyed being complete wastes of space. Good old-fashioned G-rated fun. I think the best part was getting tons of Teddy time. We took him everywhere and probably induced some separation anxiety. As in I miss him even when he’s just in the other room.
Oh, that’s just elementary school-age me on the right at my uncle’s annual Christmas party. (My huge extended family would congregate there each yeat and right after midnight us cousins would open our presents one by one from youngest to oldest.)
I’ll just leave you with that image as I take a bit of a blog break this week to fully enjoy my first Christmas in San Diego, which means 75 degrees on Wednesday and a legit break from work (not always easy as a freelancer). You can find me on Instagram if you really miss me.
See you next Monday and have a lovely holiday week ahead!
I’m not saying I have a unique blog necessarily, but I do find it hard to peg it to one category. Food? Yes. Fashion? Sometimes. Life musings? Occasionally. Pets? Oh yeah. It’s a varied assortment of everything that matters most to me, and that’s the same reason I fell in love with Ann-Marie Espinoza’s blog, Ann-Marie Loves, a curated collection of happy, honest things and thoughts. She writes about everything from working at home and thrifting to wedding planning and crafting, and runs an online paper products shop with charming stamps, prints and more.
The Pasadena-residing designer/stylist/crafter oozes that sunny California aura — she went to college in San Diego, too! — so of course I asked her to share her rituals. Today she tells us about the joys of getting up at 10 a.m. and the key ingredient to productivity.
Yesterday I got a chance to tour The Headquarters, a new shopping and food destination located next to Seaport Village in downtown San Diego. The space was once home to the Old Police Headquarters, a complex of several historic buildings surrounding an open-air courtyard. Much of the landscaping and tiling has been preserved, and they’ve even kept some of the jail cells in tact! They’re creepy and depressing, but they’re also tucked far away from the rest of the festive space.
I’ll be honest: When I first heard about the complex and briefly passed by only to catch a glimpse of The Cheesecake Factory, I wrote this place off. But it’s a good thing I got a tour because there’s a lot to love here, from famed L.A. pizzeria Mozza to a shop dedicated solely to local artisans. Check out the 7 things to love about shopping and eating at The Headquarters:
Before I moved to San Diego, I had a couple of months to enjoy home-home (New Jersey) and prep for the move. I made sure to get a list of antique shops and restaurants ready, and during my research I stumbled upon an adorable stationery store called Sweet Paper located in La Jolla.
As it turns out, it’s just a few steps from my favorite brunch spot, The Cottage, so it didn’t take long for me to cross it off the list. They have such a well-edited selection of greeting cards, calendars and other paper goods with more goodies at the new VI Star in Little Italy. So basically, between downtown and La Jolla, your paper needs are covered.
Today Sweet Paper co-owners (and sisters!) Theresa Anderson (right) and Julie O’Brien (left) are sharing their rituals. It’s not easy running a store and raising a family, but they do it…with help from coffee and antique shops.
We spent most of our short time in Singapore visiting family friends, but I did manage to sneak away for a half day to explore areas beyond the ‘burbs and luxury malls. I knew I wanted to accomplish two things: eat from a famous hawker stall and find a unique place to do some people watching and window shopping. Here’s a little photo diary from the excursion:
