Move Over July

July and I have been fighting for the last thirty days.  One food-poisoning experience, a sprained foot and a maybe-broken toe later, I think it has won.

Mostly, I want to kick July in the shins (but that would hurt given the foot injury situation).  And then have a good cry (but I'll spare you that part).  So let's talk about August instead.  August is going to be Epic.  (Understatement.)

August starts with a birthday -- Brian's birthday!  He's turning old.  (But I still like him.)  We're going to Picca with the fam, and then planning a repeat beach cruiser bar crawl with some friends on Sunday.

{this guy}

And this year, Brian's birthday is made even more AWESOME by the arrival of my very best friend Ally in L.A. on that very day!  And she'll be here for an entire month!  There is absolutely nothing like having your best girl friends around.  Nothing.  Living so far apart from her (and my other very best girl friends) after living so closely all through college is something I don't think I'll ever get used to.  So having her here will be such a treat :)

{Me + Ally in Miami for Meli's wedding}

A few weeeks later, I'll be up in San Francisco to celebrate (and photograph!) my friend Emily's wedding at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley!  I got to visit the venue last weekend and take a few photos of her and her fiance, and I'm super excited for the wedding!  (Thanks guys for giving me a reason to get re-addicted to wedding blogs haha.)

{more engagement pics to come!}

After that, Melissa and Mike are coming to visit L.A.!  I love them and they live far away, so this is quite an event.  It might even call for a pop-up party.  Watch out.

{I'm currently devising ways to make these two fall in love with L.A. and never leave...}

And then.  For the grand finale:  on August 31, Brian and I get on a plane to...

PARIS!

{on top of the Eiffel Tower in 2006} 

and then to...

CROATIA!

(Split, Hvar and Korcula to be exact.  Photo of Hvar via.)

 

 

We're going for almost 2 weeks, TWO GLORIOUS WEEKS!  I am unreasonably beside myself excited.  Like I checked out French language tapes from the library to listen to in the car, and I have to stop myself from packing even though it's a month away, excited.  And if we don't leave soon I'm afraid I might spend all our savings on "vacation clothes" from ASOS.  It's becoming a problem....

I have so much more to tell you about our travel plans, but it's late for boring people like me and I still have one more day of July to battle through.  So goodnight for now my friends.

Balance...and a side of picnic

Last week, on a week night, Brian and I had a picnic (at this spot).  While it was still light out.  And then I understood why the Europeans (well, at least the French) so fiercely defended the 35-hour work-week.

Balance is something I think about a lot.  It means something different to everyone, I suppose; everyone has their own tipping point.  I'm not sure yet what it means to me.  Right now, all I can say is I try to play as hard as I work, for whatever that's worth.  But sometimes there just isn't the time.  

There isn't the time to be still, think, plan, veg even.  And sometimes all I can think about is the scarcity of it -- of time.  Sometimes I feel like I can actually see the deadlines, the calendar reminders, the blinking emails in my inbox stealing away my moments as a young, healthy twenty-something and I get sweaty and panicky and contemplate imaginary escape plans where Brian and I dramatically throw our Blackberries (well, his iPhone) into the ocean and spend all our money on one-way tickets to Costa Rica, Aruba, or a teeny little town in the Italian countryside, where we'll have all the time in the world to do and see and think and talk...but is that a balanced life?  Without our families, our friends, the normalcy of everyday working-people lives that we're used to?

That's all very scattered, I know.  I still don't know what I'm looking for.  All I can tell you is that the closest I've felt to balance was last week, having a picnic, on a week night, while the sun set over the ocean.  I want more of this.

Charleston

The Friday before Tasha's wedding, Brian and I spend the day strolling around downtown Charleston.  Have I told you before that Charleston is my favorite southern city?  It's brimming with charm, steeped in history but with a laid-back beach-culture overlay, and the sweet-tea-vokda-lemonades are unrivaled.

{City Hall}

{Rainbow Row}

{like a scene out of a movie, am I right?}

Yes, it was like 1000 degrees and humid as a sauna, and yes, I came home with a billion mosquito bites.  But I still love this place.

P.S. If you find yourself in Charleston, don't miss out on the shrimp & grits at Poogan's Porch, or the sweet potato pancakes at Eli's Table!  Basically, you should eat brunch for every meal...

Happy 4th!

{Charleston, S.C.}

I'm dashing around trying to take advantage of the day off to clean up the mess that is my life right now.  (Brian doesn't understand that a suitcase is really just a closet substitute.)  Then we're off to the O.C. for some beach and BBQ in true American style.  Happy holiday-ing!

P.S. Brian's post from last 4th of July

Tasha's Wedding Morning

{Kiawah Island Golf Resort}

 And what a wonderful wedding weekend it was.  

Congratulations Tasha + Ryan!