Update on wedding details

Hello everyone!!! I know you have been waiting patiently to find out when and where our wedding is. I think a lot of you have already heard by word-of-mouth, but in case you haven't....

Wedding Day: May 1, 2010 (that's right, exactly one year from the date he proposed!)

Ceremony location: Beth Israel synagogue

Reception location: Omni Houston Hotel

We are currently working on our web site, which should debut very soon. We are also planning on sending out save-the-date cards within the next few months. Everything you will need to know will be on our web site.

We do want to warn everyone well in advance to begin looking into flights as soon as possible because there is a worldwide oil and gas conference in Houston the week of our wedding and there will be several airlines escalating their prices as it gets closer to the date in order to make more money on the thousands of people that come in for the conference.

For those of you who don't want to/would rather not pay for a guest room at the Omni hotel, we will be providing a couple other hotels in the same area that are a little more cost-effective. We promise to provide those options very soon as well.

Oren and I are already in the full works of planning and we're getting really excited. The date and location were the biggest accomplishments and we feel great about those decisions.

We hope this finds you all very well and stay tuned for the launch of our new web site!

An Engagement Story

Once upon a time, there was a tall, dark and handsome young man named Oren. Oren, being the hopeless romantic that he is, decided to take his lady on a vacation and ask her to marry him at a beautiful winery in Napa Valley, California on their one-year anniversary.

After arriving at the first winery, which was the famous Robert Mondavi winery, it had suddenly begun raining. Fortunately, the rain only added to the romantic feel as it lightly fell upon the vineyard and flowers and trees in the distance. There were beautiful mountains in the background with mystical clouds hovering over them. The setting was as if it was taken out of a storybook.

As Oren and his lady walked along under the covered portion of the open area, Emily pointed out a beautiful rose garden. The couple walked over there and stood staring at the pretty scenery. As they stood there, Oren was building up the guts to say some important things. He finally began and it went a little something like this:

"Well, it's been a year since I first asked you to be my girlfriend. And I knew on that day that this was the start of something really special. Emily, I love you. I am so in love with you. There comes a time in each person's life when they have to decide who they want to spend the rest of their life with. I have made that decision and want to spend the rest of my life with you. [Oren gets down on one knee and pulls a ring box out of his pocket and opens it]. Emily, will you marry me?"

[Emily shaking and having an out-of-body experience looks at Oren and the ring and back at Oren smiling] "Of course I will! It would be an honor." [Emily bends over to hug Oren and he gets back up holding on to her. They stand and hug for a long time and after a minute or so they both start crying. They tell each other how happy they make each other and how excited they are to be the other's life-long partner. After several kisses and hugs, some photos are taken and the cell phones come out. They take turns calling parents, siblings and best friends for the next hour or so.

The rain doesn't let up once, yet the newly engaged couple begin their wine tasting journey. They only get to go to three wineries before closing time, but at most places, the employees found out about the engagement and gave the couple an extra free souvenir glass with extra wine or champagne to express their congratulations.

Later, the lovebirds went to a lovely french bistro in downtown Napa Valley called Angele. They were led to a more private, quiet room where they were given yet again another two glasses of champagne to celebrate the occasion. Oren ate the steak and Emily had the halibut. It was rich and delicious. They were both pretty exhausted from such an emotional day so they returned to their lovely Marriott hotel and day spa in Napa and retired.

The next morning they awoke and ventured over to the day spa for a one-hour couples massage. The spa was so relaxing and peaceful with steam rooms and jacuzzis and other fun amenities. After a blissful experience, they returned to their room and ordered room service breakfast. It was very tasty. They soon departed and made their way to Sausalito where they were to spend the rest of their vacation with Emily's brother and family who also helped make the occasion super special and enjoyable.

THE END

------

We are so very excited in this time in our lives and have many people to thank for being instrumental in helping with the proposal, the ring, and accommodations. This was an unforgettable and beautiful experience that we will forever treasure. We promise to inform everyone of a date as soon as we get it finalized. Until then, we are trying to enjoy a few weeks in engagement bliss before all the planning gets under way. There will also be an official web site for the wedding, where all of the pertinent information and photos will be provided. We love you all and can't wait to share such a wonderful experience with you.

Oren's birthday surprise

So...many people have asked me the details of Oren's birthday surprise and I ended up just summarizing so I thought I would go into detail here, along with some fun photos.

He turned 27 on March 15, but we celebrated the night before on the 14th. Oren once told me that he had never been in a limo (other than when he was 3, and it doesn't count because he can't remember it). I stored that little fact in the back of my brain knowing I would do something to change that one day. :)

So, I rented an 8-passenger limo (it ended up being a Dodge Magnum limo, which isn't quite what I was told I would get but it was still nice) and invited his sister and 6 good friends to come along for the ride. I had everyone meet at his apartment complex but stay outside in their cars until the limo arrived. Then, they all hopped in there to wait for us. I blind-folded Oren and slowly led him down the stairs. He kept saying he heard an engine and I kept saying "well, it is a parking lot!" So finally I took his blind fold off and he got to see his long-awaited surprise. He was very shocked and thanked me immediately. Then we had the driver take this picture:



He saw heads inside so he knew it wasn't just us. As soon as he opened the door they all yelled, "Surprise!" Our first (and only) stop was at the wonderful and delicious Melting Pot fondue restaurant. Oren had also been wanting to try that for almost as long as I have known him. I kept telling him it was much more fun to go with a big group so that we should wait until we can arrange that. This was the perfect occasion to go!



The only downside to the awesome meal, was the amount of time it took. I believe we were there for nearly three hours! We only had the limo for 5 and had spent a little while in there before dinner so time was whittling away. The original plan was to go to Midtown and do a little bit of bar hopping, but with an hour and change to go with the limo, we all decided to stay inside the fun vehicle and party it up in there. We shared a bottle of champagne and another bottle of wine (Yaniv was the professional limo wine pourer), listened and danced to music and had a really good time.







After our time was up in the limo, everyone went back to Oren's apartment and played Guitar Hero for another hour or so. Oren was very happy with the evening and said it was his most memorable birthday yet! So I did good. :)

please let me win a trip to Hawaii

Dear Ellen DeGeneres,
I know you are going to get tens of thousands, if not millions, of submissions from fans trying to win that glorious trip to Hawaii. But if you ever got to know me, which oh my God that would be so great if you did because I think we could be best friends, then you would know just how much I am aching to go! Here is my very short story you requested of why I deserve to go to Hawaii:

To be surrounded by beauty. That is all I wanted after my world turned upside down one day almost exactly two years ago. I came home to my boyfriend of three years to find him sitting on the bed and telling me our relationship was over. The man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with completely broke my heart and left me there to pick up the pieces. After quitting my job and moving back home to live with my parents (and after lots of crying) I knew I wanted to travel. I had always wanted to go to Hawaii. It was just so beautiful in every TV show and movie that I ever saw. My mom reminded me that I was once there...in her womb. She was about six months pregnant with me and my twin brother when she went on vacation with my dad. I remember asking her when I was little, "Mom, why didn't you make a window in your belly so I could have at least looked out at the beautiful scenery?" She would just grin and tell me I would get back there one day. After buying the Fodor's guide to Hawaii and lots of research, I decided that I simply could not afford to go. Also, I was told by many people that it's not really a place to go as a single, depressed girl. It would hurt to see all the happy honeymooners there. So I decided to do a six-month work/study program in Spain instead. I had the time of my life there, but I have never let go of my desire to go to Hawaii. Now with an awesome new man in tow, I think it's about time I see that beautiful state. Without any windows.

*The deadline for submission was today and the winner will be chosen next week.

Writer's block

I'm having trouble following up the Hanna Montanashevitz post. Nothing is nearly as captivating that I can currently think of at the top of my head. In case you don't know, I rarely have this problem...

funny

So last night Oren needed me to open a new tissue box and I told him to get one from under my bathroom sink. He picks one up and says, "Um, Emily...did you know you purchased this box with Hanna Montana on it?" Well. I gasped in horror. Not a big fan of Hanna Montana/Miley Cirus. I think she has slim to no talent and is just plain out annoying. For no particular reason, I have a very strong aversion to her.

So, Oren and I sat there brainstorming for about three minutes as to what we should do about this dilemma. Yes it's a dilemma for me OK???

After covering several options, I got my Sharpie permanent marker out and gave Oren full rights to use whatever inspiration came to him to do with the pen and tissue box. With about 10 minutes of cracking up to the point of tears and a few suggestions on my end...here is the result.



This photo is not meant in any way to offend any sector of the Jewish population. We were just being silly and trying to make Hanna Montana look better. If anything, it's a compliment.

Venting

The past few working days have been unbelievably annoying and so I felt the need to vent a little bit. Basically, for the first time in 17 years (according to my managing editor) the entire Houston office experienced a full-on computer virus outbreak. I walked into work on Tuesday morning and was told not to plug in my computer (I use a laptop that I insert into a loading dock). I sat around for a complete 3 hours, doing absolutely nothing as I watched the IT people run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Once it hit 11 a.m. and I realized there was no way we were going to make deadline unless we started writing pronto, I told my manager we better just go home and try to work remotely. I don't know why I honestly thought the IT department would figure things out and fix things quickly. That would be too easy.

We are lucky because most of the programs we use to do our research are web-based. Therefore, we were still able to use those sites at home to get the information we needed. However, we were unable to use the program where we actually write and publish our articles. We also couldn't access the shared drive that we use to post maps so Denver (our headquarters) could get them and format them into our stories. I can't express enough how frustrating it was to find as many loopholes as possible to get something out. We ended up writing our stories in Word and emailing them along with the attachments of maps to Denver and left it to them to do double the work to put it into a normal publishing form. Of course each of us only got two stories written when we usually each write a minimum of four.

The next day, after receiving a voice-messaging system alert at 5:55 a.m. announcing that everything had been solved and we can return to work, I walked in and my editor told me once again not to plug in my computer. Apparently everyone who had, ended up still getting the virus. And so after one hour of waiting on IT to say something, I walked back out and went home to work. This time I was able to access the network. Everything was so freaking slow though and IT was threatening shutting the network down again, so I had to work as fast as humanly possible (with the slowest remote programs in the world) to get my stories out. Three stories took the entire day, but the network never went down on me. After they were published, I was exhausted.

Today I walked in and no one was saying anything. I wasn't sure how to interpret that. I hadn't been told much the past few days so it wasn't necessarily an "all systems go" kind of thing. I ended up deciding to take my chances and plug my computer in. So far so good. swaeho[gtno[inmg. Just kidding.

The other writer in my department (who has a brand new computer) seems to have gotten infected and is dealing with the IT department to get things straightened out. He found out that half of our office still has the virus. What the heck? Why can't they solve this?

I think I have two main problems with this whole debacle. No. 1: The IT department has had the poorest communication in the universe when it came to instructing employees what to do and what not to do. It was my decision both days this week to work from home because I didn't want to risk getting infected. Had I not gone with my instincts, my computer was very likely to have gotten infected. I would have appreciated much more than a little flier that was posted on one door outside the elevators stating there was a problem and IT was working to resolve the issue. I have no idea how many IT employees there are here but I know there are enough to at least make some rounds explaining what was happening and what we should be doing about it. I mean come on. This is a large corporation that depends on communication to function. Why was this element so lacking in one of the largest crises our office has ever faced.

No. 2: Why did we even have this problem to begin with? Our world today basically runs off of technology. It would not function without it. The United States is touted for being so advanced in the technological world and the people here stand proud of how much more efficient we are because of technology. Why then, are things as fundamental as computer viruses even capable of infecting an entire corporate office? Why is this company shelling out thousands, if not millions, of dollars per year to fund the top technological experts who can't even prevent or for-see a computer virus from taking over an entire office? Maybe my expectations are too high. But come on. Aren't we past this in our technologically advanced world?

I'm still not out of the water with this virus. It's very possible my computer is getting attacked as I type. All I have received communication-wise is another flier mentioning that the issue is still not solved. Great. Thanks for the instructions.

Hot Yoga

Last night I had the pleasure of experiencing a completely unique form of exercise. Oren and I decided to finally go try out a yoga class we had been talking about doing for months. We walked into Bikram Yoga thinking it would be somewhat similar to other yoga classes we'd taken in the past. Boy were we wrong!

This was "hot yoga," where they basically heat up a room to 100 degrees more or less and then have you do the more physically intense forms of yoga poses (26 to be exact) for 90 minutes straight. I have never sweat so much in my life -- not even when I ran a half-marathon! I know now not to ever wear yoga pants in that class...the fewer the clothes, the better.

It was all very overwhelming and some of the positions seemed downright impossible. But others came to me easily as I have done them in the past. Of course it takes practice to build up to those difficult poses, but some of them I just didn't even get how they were doing it! Our instructor was great, very encouraging to the new guests and reinforcing the fact that if you got too tired it was OK to give yourself a break.

The last 15 minutes were the most grueling. I even got a bit of a headache as well as some nausea. But I kept going because the instructor was slowing down a little. When I walked out of the hot room at the end of the lesson, my body felt amazing. I had worked it out literally from head to toe and it felt so relaxed and free-flowing. Not to mention the overall euphoric state I was in. I knew right then I was a little hooked.

I made the commitment to sign up for a month, consisting of 10 classes. It will be quite a challenge but I am so curious to see the kind of results I am thinking I might see since just one class made this much of an impact on me.

Today, I'm pretty sore. But it's a good kind of sore and I am going back this afternoon since that is usually the best cure for soreness. Stay tuned on this new element in my life...

25 random things about me

So, in keeping with my friend Elizabeth's blog idea, I decided to post a Facebook concept to my blog so that all my readers can learn a little bit more about me. The challenge was to list 25 facts, opinions, life goals about yourself. It is actually pretty difficult to come up with on the spot. But I'm long-winded, and therefore I enjoyed this exercise. So here you go people. A little more about me:


1. I am one who needs lots of time when it comes to getting ready, especially in the mornings. If someone tries to rush me I get really pissed off and it can potentially ruin my mood for the rest of the day.

2. I have three brothers, one is my twin, and I love them all in so many different ways. Oddly though, they were never those intimidating, over-protective types who scared boys away from trying to date me. I'm OK with that. I'm happier knowing they allowed me to learn my own lessons.

3. I have a cat who thinks she is a human being. She is the neediest thing I have ever seen...always wanting to make some kind of bodily contact with me. She even reaches up and cups her paw on my face and looks lovingly into my eyes. I know it sounds unreal, but I promise you it is.

4. After the brutal ending of my last relationship, I picked up and moved to Bilbao, Spain for six months to rediscover myself and remember what it was to be on my own and comfortable with that. I took intense Spanish courses and taught conversational English. That period of my life will always hold a special place in my heart.

5. I have one niece who is about to turn 1 year old and I recently found out I will be an auntie for the second time because my middle brother, Ben, and his wife are pregnant.

6. I am addicted to coffee. It's not even my favorite thing to drink. I began drinking it in high school in order to stay up late to cram for my very challenging Advanced Placement courses which was almost impossible to do after an entire afternoon of intense cheerleading practices.

7. Yes, I was a cheerleader in high school. We competed on an annual basis and won the NCA National Championships in 1998 in Dallas against 40 other small co-ed squads.

8. I am now living in Houston, a place I never thought I would end up after leaving for college in the year 2000. Surprisingly, it suits me very well and I am loving re-discovering the city and being close to my parents.

9. This past summer, I gave in and bought a Blackberry because I hated my last phone. It is seriously one of the neatest devices I've ever seen. And I love the new ease of texting with a full keyboard.

10. Although my boyfriend, Oren, tried very hard to find a good singing voice in me, it's just not there. I am not tone deaf, but I definitely need some form of training.

11. No matter how hard I try, I cannot whistle. And no matter how many different ways you teach me, not so much as a pathetic little noise comes out. This drives Oren crazy and it is one of his life goals to get me to whistle.

12. My two best friends currently live very far away from me and it has been hard not having them closer. They are my sisters and I love them and I am comforted to know that in the future we will have the ability to see each other much more.

13. In 2007, I trained for and ran a half-marathon by myself. It was one of the most strenuous things I've ever done and I couldn't feel my body from the butt down for about 3 days afterward, but it was one of the most rewarding personal accomplishments of my life.

14. I am technically 4' 10 3/4 " tall although I tend to tell people 5 feet (which is usually true with most of my shoes). I have always wished I was a little taller, mainly because weight is such a bigger battle for such a small person. But there are benefits to being petite as well.

15. My hair used to be naturally curly, but over the past 5 years or so, it has progressively converted to a wavy, trying to be straight sort of state. I'm not sure how I feel about this. But I've been told it will probably totally change again once I get pregnant.

16. My biggest passion is writing. I'm currently a writer for the editorial department of a petroleum information company, but my life dream would be to become an author of nonfiction novels. Words are one of my most favorite things in life.

17. Travel is another one of my passions. I am fascinated with other cultures, languages and different forms of beauty in exotic, far-away lands. Another one of my life goals is to always try to surround myself in beauty.

18. This past year has been one of the best years of my life. I have fallen in love with a person who is everything and so much more that I've ever wanted in another half. He is truly wonderful and I feel so lucky to have him in my life.

19. I love wine. I think it's a wonderful beverage full of different flavors and elements. Each time I drink it , I feel like it's an experience. I love how it is made and that it comes from nature.

20. I love food too. I'm very open-minded and like to try all sorts of different ethnic varieties. I think cooking is an art and am slowly working on mastering it and finding my cooking style. Top Chef is one of my favorite shows and it inspires me to continue working on my craft.

21. Photography used to be a big hobby of mine. I have published several photos in several publications back when I was a journalist. One of my photos even made it to a large billboard in Austin (although I never saw it) as I helped my friend in advertising with a breast cancer awareness campaign.

22. I have met some pretty famous people, including Julia Roberts and Kevin Spacey. Kevin is awesome. Yes we are on a first-name basis.

23. I'm really tired of always feeling poor. Although money is not the most important thing to me, I feel like I can never make enough to feel comfortable and/or to be saving for any big things. One day.

24. I want many children. At least four. I may change my mind but I'm pretty sure Oren is scared to death. Sorry babe.

25. I am strongly considering getting laser eye surgery. My doctor feels I am at the prime age and prescription level to do it. The expense of it is a little hard to stomach right now but I do believe in the long-run it will be well worth it.

i'm that age

As I look around me at the age of 26, I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed at life. Although I must have known this was the age most people decide to settle down and start families, I guess I never thought I would get here so fast. It was more of an imaginary place where when I would speak of my future I would pre-determine how my kids would be raised and what kind of home I would be in. But it always seemed so far away.

Now, every which way I look almost every single one of my friends is engaged, married and/or having children. I look at them and although I know they are grown adults, I still see them as the 10-year old girls I met and would ride bikes and go swimming with. Where has the time gone?

I can't express enough how neat it is to watch them transform into wives and mothers and continue on the beautiful life cycle. But it's all so surreal at the same time. I know when the time comes for me that I will be ready but until it happens, I kind of feel like I can't quite relate. I still have the younger lifestyle of going out and being social whenever I want to. I have downtime with only my boyfriend and I get to enjoy unlimited amounts of fun things to do. (Not that the other stuff isn't fun).

I like to tell people I'm not in "the club" yet, although my friends desperately want me to be. It's really funny. I always say, it will happen when it's supposed to happen and I'm not in any hurry. I'm still a little bit in denial that i'm that age. Everyone who knows me knows that I can't be pushed or rushed. That's just not how I work. My time will come and maybe I can make someone else feel the surreal emotions I'm currently feeling as I watch from the outside.

Life is so strange. But it's great too.

Childlike spirit

In one of my favorite chick-flicks, Under the Tuscan Sun, there is a line about how to find happiness: "Always keep your childlike spirit." I love it.

In childlike fashion, I decided to "play" yesterday. Oren wanted to go play shuffle board at Dave and Busters. We invited his sister along and made an evening out of it. Although Donna (his sister) and I lost the shuffle board game, we both rocked at some of the other things we played in the main game room.

I know it's old school, but Skee ball is one of the coolest games out there in my opinion. I don't know why, but I have always been good at it even if it's been years between playing. If it were up to me, we would have played that all night but since it had been who knows how many years since I've been to Dave and Busters, I thought it best to take a look around and see what other kinds of games we could play.

Although there were some cool new ones and other ones where you could definitely earn more tickets, Skee ball still comes in as No. 1 for me. Even though I stayed out way too late for a weeknight, I had a great time. There is something very refreshing about good old-fashioned playing. :)

Bright lights, cold city

It's funny how you take a vacation and when it's over, you feel like you need another one. Don't get me wrong, Oren and I had a wonderful time in New York City for the week we were there. But the problem is, there was so much planned and so many people to see that by the end of it we were exhausted! Of course it was all worth it and even if I was busy...it's not "work" so that makes it better. I say it was cold in the title but it was actually warm for that time of year in Manhattan. It progressively got colder during our stay and by the day of New Years Eve, it snowed and reached a chilling 12 degrees outside!

For those of you who don't know, Oren and I took a week-long vacation to New York City from Christmas day to New Years Day. One of my best friends lives there and I was definitely owing her a visit (She came all the way to Spain to see me last year). Oren also has several friends from school and his former band that now live there so he wanted to see them as well. I won't go through all the details of what we did, but I will mention the highlights. :)

Let's start with the day we arrived: Christmas. While I just assumed this was a traveling day and we wouldn't get much accomplished, we actually did a whole lot and it was one of the best Christmas' I can remember. After we checked into our hotel and ate an awesome dinner at a Zagat-rated Vietnamese place called Laan Nan, we made our way over to Rockefeller Center to see the huge Christmas tree lit up. It was truly gorgeous. I still don't understand how they find and transport trees that big but if I have learned anything about New York...anything is possible.

After trying to get through an almost impossible, claustrophobia-inducing crowd we went to Grand Central Station. This experience has made it to the top of my list of all-time favorites because I felt like it was out of a movie and totally unexpected. I had been before but Oren never had so we went inside and while standing in the main corridor, this beautiful laser light show started up. Complete with beautiful images on the walls and ceiling and Christmas music, it was a fantastic (and not to mention free) show! Oren and I had a little moment that made my heart melt so I will always remember that place and time fondly. :)

Later we went to Byrant Park where there is a huge ice-skating rink and tons of little shops (that were closed by that time) and a neat restaurant/bar in the middle. After vetoing the idea of skating due to the monstrous line, we decided to go have a drink at Celsius (the bar). This is kind of a scary picture but that was how red the lights were inside. We had fun!



The next big event was venturing to the observation deck of the Empire State building on Friday morning. We attempted to get up early to avoid a horrible line. Although it took 45 minutes to get to the 86th floor, it moved pretty quickly and didn't seem so bad. We went on a beautiful, clear day and were able to see the entire city. We spent about an hour on top taking pictures and looking through magnified binocular machines. Here is a photo of me looking out at the amazing view.



Out of all the awesome food we ate, my favorite by far was dinner at Spice Market. It is Asian fusion cuisine located in the Meatpacking District in a huge warehouse size space (which is rare for Manhattan). When you walk in, you feel like you walked into a very luxurious Indian palace. The food was mouth-watering and the service was excellent. Oren and I tried to make it last as long we could...before we knew it, two hours had passed. If you ever go to NYC, definitely make this a priority!

Some awesome shows we attended consisted of a matinee of Phantom of the Opera (awesome), Wicked (THE BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!) and an improv comedy troupe at the Upright Citizens Brigade black box theater that included several famous comedians from SNL and 30 Rock. The cool part of the comedy show is you never know who is going to show up and we were lucky enough to get to see Amy Poehler and Rachel Dracht from SNL!! That was pretty cool and very entertaining. It was only 9 bucks too! And seriously people, go see Wicked in New York...it's an experience of a lifetime. Here is a photo of us at the Gershwin Theater in our orchestra seats (thank you Langworthys for the awesome hook-up!)



Museum visits included the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met). While they were both nice experiences, none of the exhibits really wowed us this time around. There were some very interesting notions of art as well as entertaining ones. We didn't get to spend very much time in either museum due to always having somewhere to be next.

We got to see a lot of wonderful friends as well. Heartfelt thanks to Eva and Philip, who put us up for four nights in their adorable little apartment in Chelsea. We had a great time sharing amazing meals and seeing some great shows with you. Of course just being able to see you was a gift in itself. I got to see my dad's cousin and her family, which was special since I don't see them much. Thank you Langworthys for an amazing (and very amusing) dinner at Tartine in Greenwich Village. To my Jackie and Oren's Jackie, lovely to see you both! And it was very nice to meet Oren's other friends as well.

Last but not least...New Year's Eve. Well, due to my mother's life-long dream to be in Times Square on New Years Eve and watch the ball drop, I decided it was important for me to try to do it since the opportunity was there. The only thing was that it snowed for the majority of the day with gusting winds and a wind chill factor causing it to feel like 10 degrees outside! I also wanted to enjoy part of the evening with Eva and Philip since it was a special occasion and I never get to see them. So we all went to Chelsea Market (my favorite market) to buy fresh shrimp and live lobster to cook on the fire back at their apartment. The meal ended up being awesome (although a lot of work) and I was very glad I didn't venture to Times Square at sundown to sit and wait for hours in the cold like most tourists do.

Oren and I knew our potential of actually getting into Times Square was reduced significantly by not leaving Chelsea until 9:30 p.m. but we still wanted to try. So we walked (at a very brisk pace) all padded up in all the winter attire Eva and Philip could throw on us several miles to our destination. Unfortunately, the police kept blocking off the avenues we needed to turn down and we ended up with the late-comers at the last possible avenue you could turn down at the south end of Central Park. We still believed we could make it to the cross-section where you can make your way to Times Square, but not even a half-mile down the street they blocked it off. Initially I was very disappointed and on the verge of tears because I felt like if they let us through I could try with all my might to make my way to the ball. But, I had to accept that we were defeated by the law. There was no turning around either because the crowd behind us trapped us in. We had one of the many jumbo screens placed all around the Times Square vicinity right in front of us so we could still see Times Square and the ball. Although it wasn't the same, we were still out in the cold standing and waiting...doing the exact same thing about a million others were doing. Oren and I snuck in a couple Ozarka bottles half-way filled with Champagne. We slowly took some swigs of it to stay entertained and warm. Midnight came rather quickly and Oren and I shared a fabulous New Years Eve kiss...another experience at the top of my list! The one unique thing we had Times Square people didn't was the ability to watch the fireworks go off in Central Park. They were beautiful and it was nice to feel like waiting out there was worth while.



There is no better way I can think of to bring in the new year. Watching fireworks in New York City with the man of my dreams. (Sorry, I know it's corny but I really appreciate the happiness that has been brought to my life after some struggles) I hope everyone had their own wonderful celebration and I wish you and your families a very Happy New Year.

keeping up with boys

I have to admit it. I've always had a little complex about feeling the need to keep up with boys in certain competitive arenas. I think it has to do with being an only girl surrounded by three brothers my entire life. No matter how much of a girlie girl I was and still am, I also tried to be like a boy when I was little too. If my brothers signed up at the YMCA for baseball, so did I. If they took violin lessons, I wanted to try too. Nothing comes even close to my competitive spirit as skiing does. I began skiing at the same age all my brothers did (I believe I joined the Buffalo Ski Club at Winter Park, Colorado when I was three). They may have longer legs or more endurance, but God knows I want to keep up with them! And the cool part about it is I think I do a damn fine job of skiing at the same difficulty level.

Two years ago, my oldest brother Ari convinced me to ski down a "yellow," which basically means it's uncharted terrain that is blocked off from the general public. There are all kinds of warning signs that tell you to enter at your own risk, be ware of avalanches, you hold sole responsibility for injuries, yada yada. It's basically an 85-degree angle slope full of rocks and trees and maybe a few patches of snow here and there. So, yeah, I have no clue why I thought it would be great. I basically slid down because you can't really ski with all that madness in the way. I remember thinking the whole time that I might die. Most people get a rush after completing something like that. I was just thankful to be alive and promised myself I would never do something that dangerous again. This is a perfect example of my complex. If any girl or non-peer asked me to do this I would have said "hell no!"

Well, last night was my office Christmas party. The company rented out a lovely ballroom in the Westin Galleria hotel. There was tons of food and the best part of every company party: an open bar. I work with two men (ages 37 and 41) who are huge beer oficionados. They have basically become like brothers to me and so...here goes my complex taking over my logic again.

These dudes are about twice my weight and probably have quadruple the alcohol tolerance I have. I am not a disillusioned idiot so I know there is no way to keep up with them. But I figured if I can drink about half the amount they do...it would be somewhat equal if you factor in the body weight and tolerance levels. I definitely had a good pace going. I believe in the four hours we were there I had four beers (maybe a bit more, I can't quite remember). I know most people would laugh at this number but I can seriously get drunk off of just one...especially on an empty stomach. Four is a lot for me! I'm usually feeling good at two and stop there.

The boys had anywhere between 8-10 and guess what? They hardly had buzzes going. It's crazy the differences. So of course I decided to be safe about it and called Oren to come get me so I didn't have to drive. I wasn't too drunk but I also know I didn't belong behind the wheel. Although I don't think I crossed my boundary in intoxication levels, I still feel a bit woozy today. My stomach isn't so happy with me and I have a mild case of nausea. I would have loved to just stay in bed this morning.

All in all, I don't think I let the guys down...not that it should matter anyway. I would be just fine, if not better, if I listened to my instincts more and my weird competitiveness less. I guess we all have our flaws. The real question here is, why do smart people decide to schedule parties with open bars in the middle of the week??? That's just bad for business.

Friends

Is it me? Or does everyone secretly wish they could have a group of friends as great as the one NBC was able to create on its hit show "Friends" that lasted for ten seasons? I think it might just be a girl thing. However, it is a very appealing yet surprisingly unattainable concept.

I mean, think about it. The notion that seven human beings around the same age with very similar life circumstances that aren't tied down just happen to have tons of time on their hands outside of their "full-time jobs," where they can all meet up around the same time everyday to talk about nothing in particular, is pretty unrealistic to me. Yes, yes I know. That's why it's a show and not real life. But I bet you can talk to any girl who used to watch that show religiously and they will probably tell you that they would give anything to have a group exactly like that. Actually, they have probably already tried to create one because of that show.

The truth is, after college, we all have to grow up. We get real full-time jobs that exhaust us so much after the eight hours are over with that it takes all our might just to run a couple errands, work-out or make dinner each evening. The thought of repeatedly going to some friend's crib to hang out like nothing happened that day? I just don't know anyone that does that. And if you do have a significant other..they are the No. 1 priority to give your extra time to.

So really, the best anyone can do is have a close circle of friends that they see more realistically on an average of once per week, if that. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with friends and I feel that I have made quite a few new, good ones since I started dating Oren. He has two good buds with girls attached and we seem to have a great dynamic when we're all together.

Just last night my friend Kristi decided to throw an "end of semester" dinner party for our friend Janelle, who is taking some extra classes to further her career. Oren and I went and had a fabulous time. We ate some yummy grilled meats and veggies and pigged out on some cookies that are made from those awesome tubs of cookie dough that are usually sold as fundraisers. Good stuff. Then we played this hilarious game where you have to ask the person beside you a personal, and often embarrassing question. They have to answer yes or no and if you don't believe them, there is a "lie detector" where you can challenge their answer. If they are telling the truth according to the detector, you can move up on this board. If not, you have to stay behind.

We decided that the lie detector is seriously a crock and after a while we just all started answering the same question. It's interesting how much more you can learn about someone through this game because you would never normally blurt out questions like this on your own. The game actually makes it appropriate, which is awesome! I do warn couples though...you might not like what you hear when your partner has to answer something. Although its all in good fun and no one dwelled on any of their partner's answers for too long...it can be a little upsetting at times. Definitely don't play this game if you are the possessive or jealous type.

Last night got me thinking though. This is as close as I have come to having a group that resembles the Friends sitcom in a very long time. And definitely the first in my adult life outside of college. It's a good feeling to have a "group" where you can pick up where you left off no matter how much time has spanned between visits. It might not be everyday, but I almost think that's what makes the relationships even more fun and special.

Why can't Houston weather make up its mind?

It's 2pm on a Tuesday and the temperature is currently 42 degrees outside. When I drove into work yesterday, it was 60 degrees dropping by 15 at noon. Sunday, it must have been in the upper 70's and it was so humid I felt like I was in a bath. I know this because I went to the Texans game (yay! we beat the Titans! No offense Vince Young.) Last week, it actually snowed. But the day before the snow fell, I remember leaving work in the 80-degree range. I don't want to even pretend I understand the trends of the sub-tropic weather patterns. All I know is this is the kind of weather that gets the general population sick, moi included.

So, as Oren likes to calculate the percentage of his health (he is also under the weather), I would rate myself at about 85%. I can feel my body trying to spiral down to a meager 20% but I am battling it out with lots of fluids and Emergen-C. That stuff works wonders. Or at least I think it does, although it could all be in my head. (Remember people, I also majored in psychology).

I hope Texans everywhere are staying warm and avoiding getting sick. For me, I think this is good preparation for Oren's and my trip to New York next week. Christmas in New York...how great does that sound???

OK, it's been way too long

Wow, I have really been out of commission with this blog...I apologize deeply to my loyal readers (if you are still loyal). I feel like my life has been a whirlwind lately and I haven't had much time to sit and write, which is so important for me to do. So where do I begin?

Other than the damaging effects of Hurricane Ike to the Houston area and all the resulting power and traffic issues, Houston has been treating me pretty well. Thank God no one I know had devastating damage to their homes, but some people (Oren's parents to be exact) had no power for two entire weeks. What a pain in the butt. I am enjoying being closer to my parents and exploring all the things Houston has to offer. Thanks to Oren who really loves to experience things, it looks like I will be signing up for dance classes, attending my first opera and going to the Houston Rockets opener. How's that for variety?

Speaking of Oren, things are going really well there too. We are definitely in love and really enjoying being with each other. Time has flown so fast with our relationship I can't believe it's already been six months. He is pretty much the perfect guy for me. Sometimes I almost think he is me, but a boy. We think the same way, we're on the same intellectual level (well, he's much more of a nerd especially on the engineering end) and we like to do so many of the same things. One of the things I love most about him is that he has such a love for life. He never wastes a moment, always wanting to better himself and try new things. He really inspires me. Best of all, he's become my best friend. We talk to each other about everything and there is no hiding thoughts or holding back or any of those silly rules or games I practiced in my younger days. We also have the same core values, which I have learned the hard way is so, so important for a lasting relationship. So I am happy, and I feel very lucky to have him in my life. We recently got back from a romantic mini-trip to Ft. Lauderdale, where Oren planned everything as a birthday present. I felt very spoiled and had an amazing time. Here are some photos from the trip.


(on ft. lauderdale beach)


(oren's profile at sunset)


(beautiful water)



My job is going really well too. I have been there about 5 1/2 months and I think I have gotten really good at it. I hardly have questions anymore and I have received several compliments on my quick progress by people from pretty high up in the company. My goal is to become an editor within two years and right now it's looking very possible. I'm finally at a place where not only has it stayed interesting and kept me challenged, but I really enjoy the people I work with and for. My managing editor is awesome. He feels more like a brother than a boss most of the time. And when he has to be a boss, he is so patient and respectful. It's a wonderful change from my last jobs.

That's about all with me. I hope this blog finds you all well and happy. It's Fall, my favorite season!!

Real Life Update

It's not every day that almost immediately after beginning a new job you get to take a vacation, but that is exactly what I did! I had a trip planned about a month before my niece was born to go out to San Francisco and help Ari and Rachel for a week after all their other help died down. I told my supervisors about this trip during my second interview and told them I could always change something around if it affected my potential to get the job. But they are both really cool people and told me that would be fine. One awesome thing about my company is that the option to take vacation time begins right away rather than having to accrue it through a certain amount of hours worked. I also get 14 days within my first year, which is unheard of for journalists! Unfortunately, I came in with about 6 months to go before the beginning of a new fiscal year so I received a prorated 7.5 days of vacation until December rolls around. That's OK though because my trip to San Fran was totally worth it!

I got in on Monday, May 19 and finally got to meet my beautiful niece, Sasha, in person. She was exactly 1 month old but still pretty tiny. Rachel and Sasha met me at the airport and although Sasha was asleep, it was the perfect greeting. I just stared at her in amazement and disbelief of her very mini features while Rachel recorded my reaction for Ari to see later. Sasha was wearing a onesie I bought for her at a cute store that says "My Auntie Rocks." It was so cute to see her in it.

Hopefully by now most of you have seen my hundred or so pictures from my trip but here is one of my favorites that we took on my first day...



Isn't she precious??? I have to say that bonding with Sasha was a really amazing experience. Even if some it involved me changing her poopy diapers or her vomiting on almost every outfit I wore, it all seemed OK because she was so cute and I love her so much! Many times while she was awake, she would just stare at me with such innocent curiosity and looking back at her would physically make my heart ache. There aren't many times in life you get to experience the good kind of heart aches.

Throughout my visit, I spent lots of time with Rachel since Ari was back at work. We would run different errands and Sasha would come along. We walked around Sausalito quite a bit, which I never mind doing because it's seriously one of the most beautiful cities in the world in my opinion. We ate at some really yummy restaurants too. The one that stands out the most was called Burma Superstar which is in the city and Oren highly recommended it to me so I was determined to eat there even though for dinner there tends to be a line out the door and sometimes parties don't get seated for hours. Thankfully, Ari called an hour and a half ahead of time to get our name on the list and we only waited about 10 minutes after we arrived. The food was amazing and very different. I'm not sure I've ever tried Burmese food before this.

We also got a chance to meet up with my cousin, Devin, who lives in Berkley. I have always wanted to see that town so we drove there and ate at a world-famous pizzeria called Zachary's. Man, was that pizza delicious! I will never forget it. It was also really good to catch up with Devin since we don't chat on a regular basis.

On my last day (Sunday), Ari and I woke up and ran the length back and forth of the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge. The total distance is around 4 miles but it was so easy to run because I was so distracted by the amazing scenery around me. Not only do you get a great view of the city of San Francisco, but you got a great view of Sausalito and the water. We had a really good time running and taking pictures every so often on the bridge. Thanks Ari for slowing down your pace for me...I promise I once ran a half marathon!

Overall, I had a great trip. It went by way too fast and I didn't get much sleep since I tried to help out as much as I could at night. But it was so nice to spend some time only one year later in San Francisco with my wonderful brother and sister-in-law and my adorable new niece.

Now that I am back at my job, things are slowly but surely progressing. This week I've gotten to do a lot more hands-on things rather than just sitting and observing. The massive amount of information and instructions are also beginning to absorb into my brain so that's good. Today I attempted to write an entire story on my own, which my editor did not expect me to do. He was happy if I just began a story! It was pretty hard, but I think I did alright. We'll see once it's edited. As they say in Spain: Poco a poco (little by little).

And last but not least...the love life news! Things with Oren are going really well. It's been exactly a month now since we became a couple and we are still having a lot of fun. We try to see each other a few times during the week and do a lot of stuff together on the weekends. We seem to mesh really well personality-wise and like to do a lot of the same things. Needless to say, I really like the bloke! Here is a picture of us from one of his music shows where he played the guitar and sang for three hours!:



That's about all with me. I hope this post finds you all happy and well! Drop me a line when you can. Besos!

Lots of News!

Hello All! It's been a while since I've made a post but that's because so many things have been up in the air since I got back from Spain. It took me some time to re-adjust to the "states" and to figure out what was next. I hope all is well in your lives. Here is a little bit of what is going on with me...

First and foremost, baby Sasha Rose is here! I am so pumped to be an auntie and she is one of the most gorgeous newborns I've ever seen (no bias here!). This photo is from her birth day, April 20, 2008. I learned from a movie that the literal translation of "to give birth" in Italian is dare alla luce, which means to give to the light. This photo reminds me of that translation. Welcome to the light, my beautiful niece.




I am going to San Francisco to help the new parents out May 19-25th so the anticipation is pretty high for me. I can't wait to meet Sasha in person.

In other news, I got a job offer I couldn't refuse (little Godfather reference for ya there)! It is a publication writer position for a company called IHS. It's a major information company that focuses on the petroleum industry. I will be writing in daily wires, weekly reports and monthly publications catering mostly to all the geologist-types out there. It will be a new challenge as I will be learning about an entirely new subject matter and I will be learning some technical writing, which is a very valuable asset to have as a writer. Here is a link to the web site if you want to take a look: http://www.ihs.com. I start May 12 and I am going to be paid pretty well for only being in the real world a couple of years. Me alegra!! (This makes me happy.)

Also, there is a new boy in the picture. ;) His name is Oren and he lives here in Houston. He's a technical engineer for Schlumberger and a musician on the side. And for all my family members you might want to sit down for this...he is actually Jewish! He's Israeli-American and has dual citizenship. Fluent in both Hebrew and English and just really one of the sweetest guys I've ever met. We made things official yesterday and it's been a lot of fun so far! I promise to keep you all posted.

Whew! I think that's about all. Looks like Houston is my new home for a good while, which my mom is pleased about. I want to hear from all of you and I wish you all love.

Hasta Luego, España

Well, I can't believe it but my journey is coming to an end here in lovely Spain. It feels like last month that I was writing to tell everyone I booked my flight to come here, and in exactly 6 days I will be flying back home to Houston. I am going through a huge range of emotions as I close up my life here. I am torn between not wanting to leave and being so excited to see my family, friends and pets that I left behind. My mom said it the best. I have created my own little family here in a country that I have come to love and have called home for the past half year. That it is never easy to build such strong bonds and connections and then just leave it...but just because I am physically leaving it I have these new and fabulous people in my life that I hope will remain life-long friends. We can visit each other in our respective countries as well as have reunions in new places none of us have ever been. And as for Spain, well, I have so many memories that will stay close in my heart for the rest of my life. I also plan to come back here at least a few more times in my life.

I'd like to send a few shot-outs to some people who have really made my experience here that much more enriching and made me feel a little less crazy! First of all...mom and dad-you supported me financially to come here and I would not be here if it weren't for your help with that. Your investment was so much more than money...it was your faith in me and your wanting me to experience the best that life has to offer. You didn't question me once when I randomly told you I want to live in Spain. I can't begin to tell you how much your love and support has helped me to bloom and grow in this process of soul-searching. You are my best friends and I love you so much.

All three of my brothers-I know we didn't talk too much while I was away but each time we did, you're pride in me definitely kept me going. In return, I was so proud to tell people about you and how I am so lucky to have such wonderful siblings. And Ari and Rachel-thanks for making me an auntie!! Getting the news through a transatlantic call will always stay in my memory. I can't wait to meet my new niece.

Grandpa-thanks for all your articles you found in the papers that had anything to do with Bilbao or Spain and sending them to me. It kind of amazed me how often this great country and city came up in the U.S. news. Your interest in my trip really made me appreciate that much more what a great place in which I was living. Of course all your emails made several of my days too!

Diana-thanks for all the awesome greeting cards you sent my way...you must have sent one like every 2 weeks...that takes a lot of thought and persistence and I loved getting so much snail mail. The people at the institute said I was the most popular student they had ever had when it came to getting mail...thanks to you!

Eva-we had our bumpy times especially when I first got out here but man how much we have grown...I don't know too many people that would take the time or effort to work on their relationship over an ocean mostly through email and a few phone calls just to try to make things right. Your sacrifice to come visit me...I can't even put in words how much that means. You completed what was already an awesome experience in Spain and now we have technically finally traveled together. I hope we have many more oppotunities to come.

And all my other family and friends....thank you for checking in on me, for supporting me and for making me so excited to come back and see your beautiful faces. I know it's hard to leave Spain but you all make it easier because I know I have some amazing people in my life to come back to.

Para todas mis amigas en España- madre mia, voy a echaros de menos. Estais en mi corazon para siempre. Gracias por todo y yo lo se que nos vemos pronto. Os amo!

With all that said...I thought I would list out some of the things I am going to miss and not so much miss about Spain:

I won't miss the noisey bar beneath my bedroom that kept me up or woke me up several nights. I also won't miss the never-ending construction above our flat that several times I believed the roof would come crashing down on me. Really...Spain is pretty noisey and I won't miss it at all! I won't miss having to always look down when I am walking outside in order to dodge the endless piles of dog poop or puddles of pee. The Arabs on Calle San Francisco whistling and saying nasty things as I walked by. Always smelling like smoke because everyone and their dog smokes here. I definitely won't miss my teaching job (although it was good experience). Always being cold in the flat. Fighting to use the washing machine and never having room on the drying rack. Not being able to watch TV when I wanted to. The 25 minute train ride to and from my job. Never having enough money! People (directors of schools in particular) being a bit on the flaky side. Beds breaking in the flat almost once a month. The sometimes very constant rain and my pants always getting soaked. Getting sick almost every other month. Having to pay for the internet and having to go to internet cafes to use it every time. The endless trips to the supermarket...I never seemed to have enough food! Being homesick at least a little bit the whole time I was here.

I will miss my friends first and foremost. I'll miss the amazing food, especially the tortilla! I'll miss Nikki's awesome selection of DVD's and Bristish chic lit novels. I'll miss my yoga classes where I continued to work on my Spanish and my emotional state...my instructor was awesome and I will truly miss his wisdom. I'll miss going out to all the bars and discos and dancing like there is no tomorrow. I'll miss kissing and dancing with random, beautiful Spanish men in the discos. I'll miss Casco Viejo, the Nervion River (and running along it), Zubiarte, menus del dia, chocolate con churros, pintxos y vino, short weekend trips to other cities. My friends...I'll miss speaking Spanish and learning Spanish. I'll miss the beautiful beaches where it's normal to go topless and fall asleep for hours. Dinners and lunches with my friends. The awesome fashion and shopping. The cheap chinese stores where you could find anything and everything. My friends.... My flat and all the flatmates I have had over the course of 6 months. Hilde's massages. The sunny, clear-blue days. The view of the beautiful moutains in every direction I walk. The Umbrella song (amigas- vosotras sabeis!) Kalimotxos, Sangria, Txakoli and all the lovely and cheap La Rioja wine. The alioli at Asia di Roma. Cafe con leche. Have I mentioned my friends? Catching up each evening with Nikki. Nikki and me swtiching off making dinner for each other. Nikki helping to undress me when I was too tired or drunk. My side trips to Paris and England. The fresh organic fruit store five feet away from my flat. The fresh bakery with awesome bread four steps away from my flat. The nice pharmacy lady across the street who always gave me the good drugs to make whatever illness I had go away. Most of all...I'll miss my friends.


I could go on forever but I will stop there. I truly did have the time of my life here and I am actually really proud of myself for making it more successful than I could ever hope for. I feel I have done enough soul-searching to really know myself again and that is priceless.

What's next you all ask? Well....as always, I don't have a definite answer. I have lots of ideas and promise to keep you posted. In the meantime I plan to see where life takes me next. It is after all, an adventure.

Eva's visit to Spain

(Me and Eva in Plenzia)

On February 13, Eva took the very long flight from New York to visit me for 5 1/2 days in Spain and we used every single minute possible to soak it all up! Before this trip it had been almost a year since we had last seen each other and even then it wasn't under the best circumstances as we were attending the funeral of a very close family member. It was about time we spent some quality time together and remember what it is like to be the two crazy best friends we have been beginning from the age of ten. We have also been dying to travel together and although it's hard being a poor, post-graduate with hardly any vacation time this was a great glimpse of what it would be like. I am so thankful she made the financial and time investment to come see me...I have so many cherished memories from her trip that I will never forget.

So on Wednesday, I went to pick Eva up from the airport after a pretty significant delay. We got started with our day by going to the Guggenheim since that is basically the most crucial thing to see in Bilbao. This was only my second visit and I was once again taken away with the beauty of the structure. It is just so magestic. The main exhibit was called Art in America, which was pretty funny since we both have a good idea of the American classic artists. Also, a lot of the things in the exhibit were things that came from New York museums and Eva had already seen a good amount! Oh well, she still loved seeing it all. After that, we took the funicular up Mt. Artxanda so she could get a good view of the entire city. We went at a beautiful hour where the sun was just beginning to set.


(view from Artxanda)

After taking lots of photos we went a beautiful cafe/restaurant called Txakoli...named after the yummy Basque white wine. I made her try her first Kalimotxo (coke with red wine) and she really liked it. We also ate a few snacks. Finally we headed back to the flat to freshen up and then made our way to Casco Viejo for a lovely dinner of the best pintxos in town at Cafe Bar Bilbao. I treated Eva as a birthday gift (her birthday was in November). As I suspected, she absolutely loved the pintxos. We shared a bottle of Txakoli and I got thoroughly drunk. Then I took her to a different restaurant where I don't like the food but the desserts are amazing. Finally we made it to bed to get some rest for the next day.

On Valentine's Day, Eva and I took a nice day trip to Plenzia-a small beach front town about 35 minutes from Bilbao. It is the last stop on the Bilbao metro and I had always wanted to see it. Since we went in the middle of the day we were just about the only people walking around. Everyone else was either at work or taking siesta so it was kind of neat...it felt like the town was ours. As you walk off the metro there is a near bridge that takes you over a river that is full of little tug boats. It seems almost every person who lives in that town must have a boat and they all just park them in the river.


(sunset in Plenzia)

Other than walking around, eating a lovely menu del dia and walking on the beach, there wasn't much else to do. After a few hours we headed back to Bilbao. We socialized with all my roommates for an hour or so. It was really funny because our kitchen is the smallest room in the flat and we could have all sat in the living room but instead as more people began to join us, they took chairs from the living room and put them in the kitchen. It was really cute, you had to see it. Finally, Eva and I went out to a Valentine's dinner at a beautiful modern restaurant called Viva Bilbao where we had some of the most interesting dishes with the most interesting types of food. Eva had a tasting menu where her first coarse was in the shape of a lolipop that was frozen foie gras with this interesting sweet sauce. She also had a dish that was kangaroo...it was actually pretty good. I ate a yummy duck dish that was more of a mediterranean style with figs and fried onion. We both shared everything and it was really enjoyable. We also shared a bottle of the Spanish Cava Champagne and got a really good cheesecake dessert in the shape of a heart.

On Friday, we stayed in Bilbao and made it a shopping day. I took Eva to all the best spots like the Gran Via and Casco Viejo. We both ended up buying a purse from a famous store here called Mi Sa Ko...where all the purses are very original and are made in the Catalonia province of Spain. We took a short break at a nice place called Cafe y Te where we both had some good tea and where I had her try some tortilla...a type of pintxo (one of my favorites)made with potatos and egg. We shopped until all the stores closed and finally went back to the flat to chill for a while. Then my friends came with us to the karaoke bar because Eva really wanted to see what a Spanish one would be like. We found some English songs to sing and Eva was a hit among the crowd. They all applauded each time she sang...she really has a great singing voice.

On Saturday all my girlfriends came with us to San Sebastian. I had been here once before but I was still so jetlagged that I found a beach and fell asleep for practically the whole time! This time I really wanted to see the town because it is said to be the most beautiful city in northern Spain. After a nice hour long bus ride, we walked for a long time around the sea.


(the girls in San Sebastian)

We took a short break at a cafe and shopped a little for souvenirs. We saw the beautiful port area and then walked into the old town where there were some amazing stores. We all bought a treat from the pasteleria (bakery). They were all divine. Then we went to one of the main beaches...The Concha, where we found a beautiful cafe on the beach. Unfortunately, we had to wait about an hour to be seated and the menu del dia was not very good but we still enjoyed being in a beautiful environment and talking and resting. After a long lunch, we headed back to the buses. After eating some pasta for dinner, we all got ready to go out to some discos. All of our friends came to pre-drink at our flat and then we went to two different discos...we couldn't go all night because we were so tired but we managed to stay out until about 3am. Eva loved seeing the different environments and differents music that can change so dramatically from one disco to the next.

On Sunday, we all woke up again and all the girls went on a daytrip to Santander...another beach front city I had always wanted to see. The bus ride was a little longer this time but it was good to fit some naps in. We walked along the sea for a while and then found a little cafe that offered boat rides to different parts of the city. We sat in the cafe and had some good cafe con leche and some really awesome tortilla with chorizo. Then we walked to the port area and then walked back in time to catch the next boat. It was such a beautiful day to be on the water and under the sun. We went to the complete other side of the city where we found a beach and played for about an hour. It was so cute to see all the girls running around and jumping in the water with all the their clothes on. Eva and I started doing cartwheels on the beach and cheerleading jumps. It has been so long since we have done any of those that we were really sore the next day!


(cartwheels on the beach in Santander)

After getting burned out from all those cartwheels, we found a restaurant with a good menu del dia. Although there were some items on the menu that they ran out of, we still all had some of the most tasty meals we had ever had. Eva got her paella she had been craving too! After lunch, we headed back to the boat to get to the other side of town where we went back to the buses. After getting back, Eva and I went back out into Bilbao to do some more shopping for gifts for her to bring back home. We also decided to have a very late dinner at a lovely place near the Guggenheim called Tapelia. We ate some more lovely pintxos and a really good salad. Then, unfortunately Eva had to begin packing up. We finally went to bed after she was all packed.

The next day, we woke up and talked for a long time during breakfast. We went into town so I could buy a cheap bag that I could pack some of my things in for her to bring back with her to NY so I could avoid dealing with having too much luggage when I come home. We'll see if I still have a problem...probably. Then I took her to get chocolate con churros because you can't come to Spain and not have those. She loved it of course! Sadly, our time together came to an end. I took her back to the airport where we sat and chatted until I had to get on the bus in order to make it to work.

We were both so glad she came to visit, regardless of how short the trip was. She came when we had some of the most beautiful weather ever since I had lived in Bilbao. It was mostly clear blue skies each day and it usually warmed up enough to not need a jacket. I know this was an experience neither of us are ever going to forget and I was so grateful to have a visitor that could see my life here and meet some of the amazing friends I have made along the way.