Starstruck

We're up in Maine on vacation, and we sold our house. The way life should be. 

Current Events

Went to the U.S. Open the Tuesday after Labor Day to see the mens' 4th round and women's quarters in a night session. Federer and Wozniacki both won in straight sets, so we got out at a reasonable hour which is nice in my old age, but slightly disappointing compared to 2005 when I saw Agassi beat Blake in a barn burner. Still glad I went and my date declared we should make it a yearly tradition, which is exactly what I've been wanting someone to say to me since I was 14. Victory tastes sweet.

Now I can work on getting to Wimbledon.

Did a sketch for a friend's birthday card yesterday. I need to revive my hobbies or I'm in danger of dissolving into a hybrid couch potato/barfly in my free time. Right now it feels like I'm dabbling in everything and it's not sticking. I've got a Le Carre book languishing on the bed stand, a stalled needlepoint project (I told you, I'm old), and a twice a week running schedule. Ugh.

While waiting for the train home from the Open, my friend and I were talking about current events. I admitted I don't really follow the news anymore. I read the New Yorker and follow NPR via my Facebook feed (it hurts me to come clean about that, I usually refer to it as a "news feed."). It took a long time for me to inquire more about ISIS. Because really, do I want to know more about these people? It's disgusting.

I spent most of my twenties engaged and enraged about the death and suffering caused by the ignorance and righteousness of this country -- that's your takeaway when you study American History at NYU. But at about seve months pregnant with my daughter my fascination and anger turned to sadness, and I realized in order for me to live powerfully I couldn't do it anymore. I've transferred that over to Mr. SevPrez and now he fights the good fight on that front.

I confessed to my friend that I went through old journals and correspondence when we moved and found evidence of a smarter, wittier, more relevant, firecracker version of myself. I was so sure of myself and my opinions! I used to write better. I was unabashed.

Am I a complete milquetoast? Does that come with the territory of marriage, motherhood, and mid-thirtydom? It's disorienting to feel you've lost your shine, but with that comes humility, and with humility comes the opportunity for grace. I do slightly less embarrassing things and make much better sartorial decisions. I can finally cook. Everyday my daughter eats, sleeps, and dances. So if I'm a bit of a dud, at least there's that.

Still. Gotta finish that book, sign up for a race, learn needlepoint, and get to Wimbledon. These are great projects and I should keep them alive. Never give up.

WWFD

Yesterday was the perfect late summer day to bake, cool and cloudy. No hot kitchens or remorse for staying inside. I picked up my baking lieutenant and we made pies (after going grocery shopping in the play kitchen and checking out on our new very fancy play cash register). Peach crumb and mixed berry with the same star crust I made for Memorial Day.

My daughter takes after my husband in the sense that she gets very upset that when the pie is done she can't have a piece, which always makes me think of this Cosby show episode.

I also baked chicken for the first time last night, inspired by my friend and coworker Freddi. She was diagnosed with celiac disease earlier this year and now cooks amazingly nutritious meals for herself and others for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We work from her beautiful historic row home once a week where I am benefactor of her lunches and snacks. It's turned into one of the highlights of my week.

So yesterday when we were at the grocery store and I was asking myself what we should make for dinner, I asked myself WWFD? Thus Mr. SevPrez was overjoyed to be eating baked chicken thighs on the bone (I have been scared of baking poultry all my life). I just threw them in a pan with olive oil and butter, salt and pepper, fresh thyme and lemon juice and wedges. We had baked yams (also a Freddi thing) and a fennel salad (learned from Blue Apron). It was so easy! I'm so excited to have a new answer to the most dreaded question in my life, "What should we have for dinner?"

It's BLT Season

Wednesdays

Got the chance to go to NYC today for a business meeting with my brother. It was a privilege to spend the day with him. We got to share our Fishbird work with someone new, who was a star and totally got it: I'm chomping at the bit to work with her. 

Our meeting was downtown on Broadway and 9th Street, my old stomping grounds. We got a bite at 'witchcraft (because I love Tom Colicchio and his fried egg & frisee sandwich) drove past my old office, and proceeded down the canyon of capitalism known as Broadway in Soho. It has such an effect on people that we actually stopped the car and got out to shop. Uniqlo had the gall to be closed for inventory, so we popped into Balthazar for coffee and roamed around. 

We went to Saturdays, where they sell surfboards, coffee, duffel bags, and other dude stuff. We walked by a hip barber shop, Fellow Barber, which reminded my brother that he wanted a haircut. They had no openings so we ended up at a Korean or Japanese place on the corner. He got a haircut and I got a chair massage by the strongest 100-pound woman in the world. Ouch. But also, yes! 

We waited for our car to pick us up in front of Madewell where I had just enough time to run in and get a life changing bag, inspired by Jenna at Sweet Fine Day. On Monday we met with a fancy new PR firm that had me thinking I should get a better purse. I didn't think I was serious until, in getting ready for our meeting today, I realized that I need to get a better bag. 

So I did! What a lovely day.