Rambling Woman

I have had wanderlust as long as I can remember. This trip has really been a great way to scratch the itch! And it occurred to me that, being young and reckless, I don't really have to have it end just yet. I want to stay in California, for sure, but I don't want to commit to an apartment quite yet. Not until I have a secure job, you know? And even then, I want time to kind of ease in, test the waters, save some money...

So I'm buying a conversion van.

The first vehicle I have owned in years, this van is going to be the ultimate symbol of this year for me, and the freedom and adventure I've been searching for forever. It's a 1990 Dodge Ram van 2500, in shockingly good condition. And it is going to effectively be home for me for at least a month or more, while I get the whole "responsible adult" thing figured out. I'm honestly pretty excited about it. I want to hang on the coast? Done. Feel like taking a mountain getaway? Home's where I hit my E brake! It'll be an adjustment,  for sure, but I'd rather just pay for gas and insurance than overpriced rents until I can afford it. I am going to try to convert it into as much of an rv as possible, to make life a bit easier, but otherwise I'm just going to take things by ear and make it work. It's Adventure Time, bitches!

Along this same wanderlust craving, I seem to have hooked myself a follow-up internship to this current one. It'll take me from the Sonoma Coast to the Napa Valley. It is a fantastic opportunity, and I am supremely grateful,  but at the same time, I am finding this hilarious. The time I am putting in at these wineries is very reminiscent of my days in culinary school, where I had no plans or desire to follow the career path- I distinctly remember my classmates asking why I was wasting my and everyone else's time. I have an idea of why I'm doing this now- and it's certainly not for any decent reasoning.  But ultimately? All I want is to have fun. This life path is just full of nonsense, hilarity, and a healthy dose of spite. This seems to be covering my bases for now.

Moving, and Fast!

Nothing like moving to cause me to stress the fuck out! Criminy. Although a large portion has been self-inflicted. Since last posting, Nathan and I started dating. I initially thought that it'd be a last, temporary fling before I left Georgia. Then I started getting legitimate feelings,  and tried to push him away by coooonstantly mentioning the move. After all, what fool would stay with someone who was leaving?

That fool. My favorite fool. Because he decided to come with me. So we started planning this undertaking together... and I started working every day, doubles, for the past few weeks. I have never been so tired. But now, the move is a scant week away. I am on the verge of freaking the fuck out. Don't get me wrong, I am 100% committed to the move, and totally ok with the insanity that is moving with a boyfriend. But I don't feel like I am financially ready, nor emotionally ready to leave my dog Clooney behind. Everything will work out, I know that, but old insecurities have a habit of coming back when you least want them to. So keep your fingers crossed for me. I need it right now!

Binge in the City Part One

I've been intending to post for the past week now, but I've been caught up in such a foodie fest it just made more sense to try to post something after the dust settled and I had time to sort through beer-soaked memories.

Since I decided to leave Atlanta, I created a bucket list of things that I wanted to do before I left the city. I posted it on Facebook, and my friends have all started helping me accomplish them. Coincidentally, I've been having the best time of my life lately!

First on the agenda, it is World Cup time of year again! I am a staunch Germany supporter (big surprise, right?) So I've been making time to watch all of their games. Last Monday, Germany had their first match against Portugal. I called my friends Anthony, Thomas, and Darrell, and we convened on a local Taco Mac (www.tacomac.com) with a vengeance! The beer was flowing, the wings were surprisingly mild (next time I'm getting a way hotter sauce), and Germany *decimated* Portugal 4-0. My friends tried getting me to stay out for the US-Ghana game, but I had other plans- my evening was commandeered by my other friend, Nathan, and the Atlanta Braves.

I have been to Braves games before, but I have never been able to remember the end of a game (a curious side effect of hanging out with alcohol distributors...). On my bucket list was the entry, "See a Braves game, and remember who won!". So, Nathan got the tickets, and away we went!

Surprisingly enough, every game I've ever been to has been Braves v Phillies, and this one was no exception. Hopefully, however, the Braves performed better in the games I don't remember; because holy crap did they phone it in for this one. This is the game that I learned that Turner Field essentially shuts down at 7pm and beer and coffee became totally unavailable. Thankfully, we did manage to snag a couple of H&F burgers before we realized what a tragedy gameplay was going to be.

H&F burgers are a " thing" here in ATL. The original was created by Holeman & Finch, one of Chef Linton Hopkins' restaurants. I've never had the pleasure of a classic Holeman & Finch burger, but with the H&F burger stand at Turner Field, I got to try an approximation. And it was deeeeelicious. Juicy, messy, and just a beautiful double stack of burger, onion, and cheese. Paired with a Sweetwater 420 and I was a happy camper!

Fast-forward to Friday. Item 2 knocked off of my bucket list was going to see more live music- Atlanta has some great local acts, and I haven't been able to make the time to see any of them. So I nabbed tickets to see a coworker's band, Greco (www.wearegreco.com), and planned on having a chill night at home prior to the show. However, got roped into watching another World Cup game prior to the show, and thanks to the Black Bear Tavern (www.blackbeartavern.net), got to try my very first Boot. They have secured my loyalty for this upcoming Germany-USA game just because of this Boot. <3

Had a blast afterwards at Greco's show, of course. They played at the Basement, a fun, grungy dive venue in East Atlanta, where I proceeded to drink far too much vodka soda and sadly had to dip out early. However, my weekend was really just beginning... (Continued in part 2!)

New York, New York!

As I mentioned last post, I was in NYC! It was a very last-minute, fly by my ass vacation,  and it was just what I needed.

What had happened was, after I had been hired for the new gig, I had 4 days free between my last day at the old job and my first day at the new one. I had never been to New York City before, so I said screw it and got the flights arranged. After getting things mostly in order, I called J to share the news.

"Guess where I'll be Sunday?!"
"Wh-"
"NEW YORK CITY!!!!" (I was a little excited)

That's when he started laughing. "Really?? You are never going to believe this..."

He proceeded to explain he had been invited by one of his wine distributors to go to the city Sunday and Monday for a mset and greet and dinner. He wasn't sure if he was going to accept or not, but given the circumstances...

He had to do work stuff on Sunday, but we promised to spend all of Monday together.  So Sunday I flew up and walked all of the touristy parts I wanted to see- Chinatown, Little Italy, DUMBO, Brooklyn, Manhattan b the whole gamut. I saw an old improv friend of mine and got to catch up with him and meet a friend of his in a cute little Swiss café (can't remember the name to save my life, but they had phenomenal french toast). I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, that was a fun hike- I even learned something!

When you walk across the bridge,  if you are paying attention, you notice a number of padlocks randomly locked along the course of the bridge. According to a tour guide I was sneaking behind,  a local legend is, if you write you and your lover's name on a lock, hook it on and throw the key off the bridge, you two will stay together forever.  A sweet tale... and I'm curious as to how many of those couples are still together? Some of the locks have been there so long, they've been painted over with the bridge a few times.

In the spirit of adventure, I hadn't booked a place to stay for the night officially.  By the time I thought about it, buses to New Jersey (where I had been offered a couch) had stopped. Being on the broke side, I decided to test the motto, "City That Never Sleeps". I headed to Times Square, where I proceeded to people watch and caught some "visual poetry" on the big screens. Met some fun random people that gave me insight on the Square itself, lied to Spiderman (he was being a pushy ass), and saw the excitement of the area fade into a sparse, deserted street. About 3am, I was wandering around the perimeter of Central Park when I stopped to write a bit. That was when I met Carl. An Upper West Side local, we got chatting and he was cool enough to hang out and keep me company. We talked about our significant others, life, the whole shebang. He was a great example of New York hospitality,  and I am happy to have met him.

In the morning proper, I met up with J. We had brunch in Manhattan at a little Italian place that was more atmosphere than anything else, though it did have an impressive wine list. We then hopped a cab to Chelsea, where we booked a room at the Chelsea Lodge. Built in the 1800s, it is a ...cozy B&B for lack of a better description.  We napped, then went to the Chelsea Market. We tried doughnuts at the Doughnuttery, and later got dinner at The Meatball Shop. Almost immediately after,  we came across a little German café that I insisted we try. We had a blast- it was the first time in a LONG time we had spent so much time together. I was sad to say goodbye- the day had felt like a beautiful dream,  and I was being forced to wake up.

My last day in New York solo was spent bumming around Soho, then heading to Queens to the hostel I was staying in my last night. The trip was an awesome,  and I couldn't be happier I took it- it was just what I needed to recharge my batteries and get ready for my next big adventure!