govino

I've said it before: I can be a bit of a wine(glass) snob. I'd rather dink a mediocre wine out of a nice glass than sip the finest wine from a Dixie cup. Unfortunately, this can be problematic on the go. Enter: govino. Flexible, shatterproof "crystal." I picked them up at my favorite wine shop thinking they would be perfect on the beach this summer. We finally had a chance to use them at an oyster roast last night and they were a hit! I adore the feel and all my friends mistook it for an "real" wineglass. Can't wait to break them out on the boat for sunset cruises. (c'mon summer!)

How to be an adult...

Ok, so 24 isn't really an adult. I can still depend on my mom & dad's health insurance and I can go days at a time without cooking a real meal (unless protein shakes count) but there are a few things that as a twenty-something you just have to do.

1. Own a coffee maker. Even if you don't drink coffee. Your grandmother will stop by or your best friend will come to spend the weekend with you and you should be able to offer her a cup of coffee.

2. Set up your voicemail. Even if you hate how your voice sounds on the recording- I promise it doesn't sound so strange to everyone else. But really, it takes all of 30 seconds.

3. Apologize. When it's your fault. When it's not your fault. Recognize that being happy is more important than being right sometimes. Move on.

4. Recognize when you're being unreasonable. Don't be afraid to admit it.

5. Accept the things you cannot change. (Even if it means only after trying your absolute darndest to change them.)

6. Have a signature. A signature drink, a signature pose (even if it's hand on hip with a head tilt… guilty!) a signature style… And don't forget a signature SIGNATURE. You should know how to write your name, and I'm not referring to the scribble you scrawl on the credit card receipt after two drinks at happy hour or as the line builds behind you at Harris Teeter. Take pride in it.

7. Know when to give up and have a a cup of coffee (or a margarita.) But also know when NOT to give in. Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit. So when you're holding the most grueling squat in kickboxing, remember you're not just training your glutes & hams, you're training your mind to keep going even when it's tough.

8. Trust yourself.

9. Take care of yourself. This is a tricky one, because all your life you've probably had someone dedicated to taking care of you (and a little secret- they probably still are) but you're equally responsible for yourself now. Be kind. 

10. It's ok to hold on: that box of letters that sits under your desk. The stuffed animal from your childhood. The long hair you've been rocking for approximately 11 years. But sometimes you have to let go of some things to make room for others (that's the tough part)

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Guilt-free Friday!

Hi cats. It's Friday! Truth be told, it's been a long week & I'm greeting this weekend with open arms. Nothing too exciting on the books, but it's sure to be an adventure. I must admit I'm getting SO excited for Valentine's Day. Let's be real- it's the only holiday that directly caters to my needs: chocolate, wine, flowers, and so much LOVE. So around these parts it's all things pink and RED (as in a wine tasting at one of our favorite spots) and some last minute shopping for the near & dears. Hope your weekend is sweet too. 

Hey! It's ok…

If you're slightly germaphobic when it comes to sharing gym equipment or shaking hands with strangers, but you subscribe to the 5 second rule as soon as that dark chocolate almond hits your kitchen floor [fair.game]

If you refuse to acknowledge the humble opinion of a lowly groundhog unless he comes heralding good news. [6 more weeks of this crap? Ain't nobody got time for that.]

If buying new running shoes feels like choosing a life mate. [holy.decisions. finally decided on these guys when I learned the color was called "Diva Pink"]

Here's to...

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I've always admired people who have the ability to raise a glass and propose a proper toast. Probably because toasting combines my two passions: drinking and communication! I read an article in Esquire about how it's a lost art, especially in the US, and I couldn't help but agree. The British Royal Navy, for example, has a toast for each day of the week (Saturday is my favorite!)

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Did you know North Carolina has a state toast? I loved the idea of memorizing it, but I was intimidated when I realized it's several paragraphs long! On a recent car ride though, as I was fighting sleep (I make a terrible co-pilot) we decided the give it our best shot. We picked our favorite paragraph (the last one)

It's become a tradition for us to split the toast (I do the first two, he does the last two) when we open a bottle of wine. 

What do you drink to? 

Snow Day

There's something magical about snow at the beach. Dunes are the only hills to be found for miles and boogie boards are used as makeshift sleds. Tow ropes and knee boards are retrieved from our winterized boats and we pull them behind trucks. The streets take the place of the waterways, and in the midst of all this winter we find comfort in a familiar feeling. We pour salt on our walkways and the taste transports us back to the sea. The sting of rosy, windburned cheeks in January is reminiscent of July's sunburned skin. Neighbors gather around the fire instead of the grill, and our children build snowmen with buckets and shovels that are still a little sandy from their last trip to the beach. More than anything, the sense of community that we all thought went into hibernation comes out to play, if only for a few fleeting hours. The sun sets, albeit much earlier than the days of summer, we say goodbye and retreat back into our cozy homes with a sense of satisfaction that we haven’t felt since late September. In all the snow and ice, we find within our tiny town a private island, the spirit of summer, and the promise of warmer days just beyond the horizon…