Honeymoon in Kauai

Honeymoon in Kauai

Written in the guestbook of Unit F2 at the Hanalei Colony Resort in Kauai…

This has been, hands down, one of the best trips ever.  Never mind the fact that I married my husband just over a week ago on 8/8.  A lot of it was about getting to spend so much quality time together on an island that seems to emphasize appreciating the moment.  The warmth, openness and generosity of the aloha spirit is something we hope to carry with us always.

Also, to the Lynns, our hometown is also Chicago!  So lovely to feel just as at-home here.  Thank you for the use of your stunning unit.

Our moments: Read the rest of this entry

Kauai: Day 1

Kauai: Day 1

Relaxing for a few minutes in our beautiful room at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai.  I can hear the ocean waves crashing, the palm fronds rustling, and gauzy drapes drift ever so slightly in the breeze.  It’s been a pretty fortuitous trip so far.  The cab driver who took us to the airport is coincidentally celebrating his 30th anniversary on 8/8 as well!  Of all the cab drivers we could have gotten…  His advice?  Ears open, eyes open, mouth shut!  Pick the important fights, and don’t get mad if she wants to talk while he wants to read.  (With us, it’s probably the other way around, lol!)

The flight over was also very nice!  I managed to complete an article about the Illinois budget deficit, and the words came surprisingly easily.  And then when we landed, as the flight attendant read off connecting flights, she happened to mention the Admiral’s Club, and I realized just then, that my parents were probably also at LAX awaiting their connecting flight to Honolulu!  Sure enough, we were able to spend a few minutes with them chatting, so that was nice.  And then, what do you know, Mala and Karen were on our next leg!

Everything has just been so lucky lately, I feel like so many things about this wedding are about how things are just meant to be.  My dress is another great example, I was trying to get so many things accomplished before we left, I was running late and barely made it to the tailor before they closed.  I was so lucky that day as well, traffic was completely clear (that never happens on 90/94) and I squeaked in the door 7 minutes before close.

It feels right, as though everything is just falling into place on it’s own, and I’m left feeling blessed and lucky.

Trying to juggle everything

Trying to juggle everything

Woke up with a start at 5a today realizing that I missed my appointment with the tailor to pick up my dress.  Unbelievable.  Even though there’s nothing I can do about it on a Sunday, I start mentally berating myself, and then my mind just floods with everything that needs to be done.  So here I am, it’s now almost 6a and I’m at my desk hoping to get a good start on everything before the rest of the world wakes up.

My goals before 9a:
- Update GoChicago feeds
- FB for VRPros
- LaPrima Shops proposal
- Headstart on Insight article

And, at some point today, I need to tidy up that garden.

I’m so glad vacation is right around the corner, but I’m not looking forward to falling behind even more!

Clams and Cornbread

Clams and Cornbread

Two alliterative dinners in a row, I’m a lucky girl! It started off as a really long day.  I rolled out of bed right into my laptop and caught up with wedding plans and updated the GoChicago feeds.  By the time I looked up, it was already 10a and I still wanted to get a run in before I met Margaret  of MallNetworks for lunch in Lexington.  (A string of alliterations!)

It all got done though, and lunch turned out to be more social, less business, so it was really enjoyable.  After lunch, I headed up to Burlington Mall, which didn’t live quite up to expectations in terms of stores, but blew the scale when it came to shopping finds.  Because it was such a standard mall, I wandered into “Everything but Water,” a store full of nothing but skimpy bathing suits.  I knew I wanted something new for Kauaii, but I wasn’t at the point where I was confident enough in my body to buy something.  But, I was so bored and had enough time to kill that I went on in.  I grabbed a bunch of suits that I never would have tried on before and headed for the dressing rooms.  Disposable panties on, I pulled on the first deep turquoise number.  It had a flirty little skirt on it with gathered hems, and a twisted bandeau top.  I couldn’t believe it, but it really made the most out of my body.  It was, honestly, love at first sight despite the large bottoms and small top.  Buoyed by the find, I started poking about for a cover up.  The sales lady encouraged me to try on a couple Trina Turks, a brand I often eye, but never buy.  Bright patterns, bold cuts, assertive and colorful.  Probably the antithesis of my natural persona.  But, one of the cover ups was so cute.  White background, tropical pattern, comfortable, cute and sexy…and $170.  I totally bought it.  I justified it by saying that I didn’t get myself the fancy Blahniks I wanted, and that I picked up the Vacation Rental Pros gig, so I deserved the treat.  Five hours later, I’m still so glad that I have a tissue wrapped treat snuggled in my luggage, along with the perfect turquoise bikini. Read the rest of this entry

Pork Belly and Pig Ears

Pork Belly and Pig Ears

Sitting in room 141 at the Sheraton in Needham, MA.  Right off the freeway in the middle of absolutely nothing.  Around the corner is Restaurant Depot, which appears to be a distribution center lined with big rigs.  (What is it about me picking hotels surrounded by truckers?)

It’s not a great hotel, but at least there’s a fitness center, and that’s what counts.  Plus, it’s close to my meeting in Lexington tomorrow.

Got up at 4:30a this morning, so tired I probably should have just poured coffee straight into my eyeballs.  Showered, drove to O’Hare, parked, trained and planed.  I have been really lucky with parking today.  In the economy lot, I landed a sweet spot right by the train.  In Boston, an unheard of metered spot on Newbury St, right in front of “Chillin with my Gnomies.”  And for dinner?  A spot a mere block away from Jo Jo TaiPei, my new happy Chinese home in Boston.

Read the rest of this entry