little black journal

I guess the Schnells are one year closer to becoming an old married couple, as May 20th marked our fourth anniversary.  Lucky for me, Shane was feeling exceptionally romantic and booked us an overnight getaway in a secret location – my only instructions were to meet him at the ferry terminal at noon on Thursday.  His plans were revealed as we boarded the Bainbridge Island boat – he had reserved us a night at a little cottage tucked away on the island.  It felt nice to look back at the Seattle skyline with my husband, to know that we were cruising away from work, from the house, and from the daily grind, so that we could spend the next 24 hours focusing on each other.  We were due for some ‘us’ time.

Any good getaway includes plenty of indulgent food, so after fish ‘n chips and beer at the Harbour Public House, we zipped right over to Mora for ice cream.  They have 48 flavors there.  My lifelong dream is to try them ALL.  Post-ice cream, we headed over to Fort Ward Park for a little afternoon nature walk.  The sun was shining, the wind was whispering the trees, the woods were rich with just about every imaginable shade of green, and so the stage was set for a perfectly sappy hand-in-hand anniversary stroll.  Lovely.  A snake temporarily startled me out of my bliss, but he seemed much more interested in the slug he was trying to devour than he was in us, so we continued on our way.

After our walk, we were ready to check into our cottage, crack open a bottle of wine, and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.  Our accommodations were perfect – cozy, quiet, and nestled in among the trees…  Ten minutes there, and I was ready to move in.

We had a fabulous dinner at Agate Pass, and after a spontaneous 20-minute detour to check out the casino we passed on the way back to our place (I won $15 at my first slot machine and decided to quit while I was ahead), we were ready to call it a night.  Turning in at 10 pm is another sure sign that we’re on our way to becoming an old married couple.

Sleeping in is also a crucial part of a good getaway, and so we did just that on Friday morning, rolling out of bed in time to devour the delicious homemade breakfast that was delivered to our door.  Fresh-baked scones and French-press coffee, enjoyed from a little table next to a window that looks out into the forest?  Yes, please!  I really was enamored with the woods – ferns and moss and green, green trees as far as the eye can see.  I can feel myself becoming more and more of a Northwestern-er every day.

And then it was time to bid the island farewell and cruise back toward Seattle.  And yes, that means heading back to work, and the house, and the daily grind, but it also means heading home with the man I love.  Candles and wine and afternoon walks in the woods are all good things, but I suppose there’s also romance to be found in an evening spent on the couch together watching a baseball game, or a quick kiss good-bye on our way out the door in the morning.  So until May 20th rolls around again, I will be savoring the goodness of the day-in, day-out, which is really what’s gotten us through the last four years, and will carry us through the next forty.

Oh, what a weekend…  Busy, but full of so many good things.  The weather in Seattle was phenomenal, and we spent every moment possible outdoors, loading up on vitamin D.

On Saturday morning, we headed over to the International District to volunteer with our friends from our community group at Danny Woo Garden.  This is a community garden which was created for elderly immigrant residents living in this area just south of downtown Seattle, to foster their connections to the earth and to the surrounding neighborhood.  It is an amazing space, terraced with patch after patch of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, tended to by a generation and a culture of people that have an intimate knowledge of and respect for the soil.  Our mission, as part of our church’s urging to ‘bless our neighbors’, was simple:  do whatever needed doing.  This meant weeding, digging, planting, transplanting, sowing, building, chopping, and generally having a blast doing our small part to support the growth and sustenance of the garden.  Once we were all given our tasks, we divided and conquered, and accomplished what I would like to think was a pretty decent chunk of work.  Four hours after our arrival, peas had been planted under a new supporting trellis, much of the garden waste pile had been broken down and prepared for compost, the flagstone path in the children’s garden had been mended, several planter beds were freshly cleaned of weeds, and we were one dirty, tired, happy bunch.

The G-man was a huge help that day – what he lacked in ability, he made up for in spirit:

The dudes, ready for action.:

Shane and Jack were labeled our ‘trusty swordsmen’ and were given the task of chopping up some the larger garden waste for the compost pile.  I can’t decide how I feel about this photo – funny, or kinda scary…?

Michelle, Jon, and I were put on a ‘fern rescue mission’ – moving several struggling ferns from a sunny spot to the this shadier space in the garden.  Here they are, mid-mission:

Some of the gang (Shane was supposed to snap a photo as Jack was in mid-jump, but he’s a little quick on the trigger…):

Some garden lovelies:

It was fun to see us all rally to get things done, and the intent of the garden to build relationships rang true as we labored together, laughed together, and pigged out together as we rewarded ourselves with Vietnamese sandwiches from the deli down the street.  And I gotta say, the good, good earth feels especially good when enjoyed under the sunshine with some of your very dearest friends.

Every once in awhile, I have one of those moments that makes me think, ‘Duuuuude, I love Seattle!’.  Exhibits A and B:

These longer hours of daylight have made me feel like we actually have more hours in the day, so when I got home from the gym tonight, instead of crashing out on the couch and calling it a day, I popped in the door and asked Shane if he’d be up for heading out to dinner at our most favorite pizza place.  With work and work-outs and the general to-do’s of our lives, it’s rare that we spontaneously go out on a weeknight, since we both need frequent low-key evenings at home to recharge, but I felt the need to celebrate our sun-shiny evening.  And I knew a night out at Tutta Bella would be an easy sell to the husband, considering that he has never turned down an offer of pizza in the 11 years I’ve known him.  We took our table by the window and ordered a couple of our favorites – the Giovanni, topped with prosciutto and arugula, was perfection, and the salame Pino never disappoints.  But considering this is the third time we’ve eaten pizza from this place in the last two weeks, I’d say we’re now due for a pizza fast – somehow cheese, salted meats, and pizza crust aren’t part of that ‘healthier eating’ plan I’ve been working on.  Actually, I might just have to rethink that plan altogether…

On our way home, we saw hints of pink in the sky over Beacon Hill, so we decided to jet over to the bridge that overlooks downtown and Elliott Bay to catch the final remnants the sunset – and although it was chilly out there, I felt like we were getting the first little peek of the summer that’s in store for us.  And that makes me very, very happy.

I have spent the past few days sifting through my photos and my memories of our week and Mexico – below is a random smattering of reflections…

First off, hot damn!  This place is beautiful!  From the sandy beaches to the lush jungles just off-shore, I was constantly struck by the magnificence of the landscape.  I don’t know if it’s the vastness of it, or the never-ending rhythm of the waves, or just our innate human desire to be near water, but the ocean has a draw to it that is unlike any other force I know.  And with most of our beach experiences being along the chilly Pacific of the California Central Coast, it was such a treat to set foot in the water at Sayulita and find that it was perfectly suited for swimming.  We were constantly in and out of the water during our whole week in Mexico, hopping in with a boogie board when the waves picked up, grabbing a snorkel mask when they died down, and then popping in just for a quick dip when the sun got too hot.  And seriously, how can you top waking up to the sun rising over the ocean?

Second, sometimes it is good, and perfectly acceptable, to spend a few days just being supremely lazy.  I wouldn’t really call Shane and I ‘beach-people’, but after a full day spent just camped out in a lounge chair under a shade umbrella in the sand, we were sold on the merits of beach-bumming.  On one of our last days there, with absolutely nothing on the agenda for the day, we left our room with a couple of beach towels, our books, and some bottled water, walked out onto the beach, staked our claim at a couple of lounge chairs, and, with the exception of jumping into the ocean for the occasional swim, did nothing but laze around to the sound of the waves for a good eight hours.  It was heaven.  Now if only we could get used to falling asleep to the chirping of the geckos darting across our ceiling, and if only we didn’t have those pesky jobs to return to, I bet we could find a beach-front villa with our name on it (preferably with a bathtub like this one).

Third, I loved being able to get a small taste of Mexican culture while in Sayulita, but there is no denying that this is ultimately a tourist town.  On the one hand, there is comfort in knowing that most shop and restaurant owners know how to speak English, in seeing other Americans crowding the tables of a restaurant and taking that as a sign that the food is ‘Gringo-friendly’.  But I would have liked to have been pushed slightly further out of my comfort zone – to have been forced to recall my bits of broken Spanish, or to have witnessed the customs and traditions that are integral to life in small-village Mexico.  I don’t know exactly what I was looking for, and honestly, I don’t know if we’re quite bold enough to go that far off the beaten path, I just know that there is cultural richness that has been somewhat suppressed in Sayulita.  I guess I want to have my flan and eat it, too – I want all the comforts of a tourist-friendly town, without the presence of all those other tourists…  Nonetheless, the town was still full of charm.  I especially loved the bold use of color – in the storefronts, in the banners strung over the streets, in the beach bags being sold on the sidewalks.  Everywhere I turned, I was greeted with a new shade of orange or blue or gold.  Seattle could take a few lessons from Sayulitans on brightening things up.

And now, as I sit here on the couch, cozied up in a blanket while the rain falls outside, Mexico feels so very far away…  But how blessed we are to have a week’s worth of beach-side memories.

Because we were on the East Coast, and because I am married to a wild man who will jam-pack an already-full weekend, we decided to spend a couple of hours in Washington D.C. on Sunday, before heading to Baltimore to visit my family.  I was skeptical about whether or not we’d really get to see much in such a short time, but Shane led us on a great little tour-de-monuments, and we were able to hit several of the city’s landmarks.  Our walk began near the Tidal Basin, from which we headed over to the Washington Monument and down alongside the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial.  It was a balmy 80 degrees in DC that day – perfect weather for a leisurely stroll.  Shane got a little bit ahead of me, and I pondered running through the pool and calling his name, recreating that romantic scene in Forrest Gump where Jenny and Forrest are reunited in this very spot, but I restrained myself and took the long way around.  Would have made for a good memory, though…

From the Lincoln Memorial, we walked over the Vietnam Memorial, which is nothing short of stunning.  So simple, but so powerful.  I could have sat in front of this wall for hours, just reading the names and watching the reflections of passing people in the shiny black granite.  Do you know that this memorial was designed by Maya Lin as part of a design competition she entered when she was only 21 years old, and a student in architecture?  Brilliant.

From the Vietnam Memorial, we headed back toward the Washington Monument, then over to the White House to say ‘what’s up’ to Barack.  He was nowhere to be found, so we were relegated to just standing at the gates with all the other tourists, like a bunch of kids at the zoo’s monkey cages.  The appeal of this wore off in about 5 seconds, and then it was time to wind our way back to the car.

We enjoyed our walk back toward the Tidal Basin, but it was hard to leave the city, knowing that there was so much more to do and see.  We barely scratched the surface of a few of the monuments – I’d love to head back and check out the DC’s many neighborhoods and museums.  Someday, I suppose…

On one of our last days in Sayulita, we received the sad news that Shane’s grandmother in Pennsylvania had passed away on Tuesday morning.  We quickly made travel arrangements to hop on a plane out to the east coast as soon as we returned to Seattle on Thursday evening.  We arrived in Baltimore on Friday morning, tired but thankful to be able to share this time of mourning with family.  The weekend was a whirlwind of services and family get-togethers, but through all the busy-ness, everyone found time to honor and remember Grace in their own special way.  She had been ill for some time, and although the family seemed accepting that this was her time to go, the loss was still very strongly felt – Shane’s mom was saying good-bye to her one-and-only mother; Shane and his sister were parting with a grandmother that had loved and nurtured them for years.  The night before the funeral, I spent some time at the hotel with Shane, his sister, and his parents, listening to them compose the eulogy that would be delivered the following day.  I sat on that couch for hours as they shared dozens of stories about the kind of wife, mother, and grandmother Grace had been.  Through tears and through laughter, I caught a glimpse of the kind of life this amazing woman had lived.  I wish I had known her when she was well.  She has left behind a legacy of very special children and grandchildren.

On Sunday, before heading out of town, we spent some time in the Pennsylvania countryside, taking in the beauty of a misty morning out among the fields.  Shane’s uncle had given us directions to an old covered bridge, and we eventually wound our way out to this amazing 160 year-old wooden structure, nestled into this quiet little patch of woods where bluebells bloomed along the banks of the river.  It felt like a scene out of Anne of Green Gables, as I walked among the wildflowers and gazed up at the bright green branches of newly leafed trees.  Lovely.

Since my dad’s family lives in the Baltimore area, we decided to head there on Sunday evening, for a quick visit before our Monday evening flight back to Seattle.  En route to Baltimore, we stopped in Washington, D.C. for a short bout of sightseeing, but I’ll save our 2-hour tour-de-monuments for another post – for now, I’ll just say that armed with his iPhone, Shane makes one heck of a tour guide.

Even on short notice, my aunt was able to rally the Jarrell troops and Shane and I were able to see all of my aunts and uncles in our short time there, as well as spend a couple of hours visiting with my Grandaddy.  I would have loved to have more time with them all, but I’m thankful for the couple of meals that we did have the chance to share together.  This was the first time I had visited Baltimore since my grandmother, Nannie, passed away a couple of years ago, and her absence was very evident.  Family gatherings are not, nor will they ever be, the same without her.  I was reminded again and again this weekend that family should never be taken for granted – every moment should be cherished, every memory tucked away in a special place.

We are about to embark on our fifth full day here in Sayulita, and I sit here on the beach, watching the sun rise over the horizon of the ocean, I am thinking that there is no place else I would rather be. Yes, we have already endured surfing injuries, sunburns, inexplicable rashes, geckos in the bedroom, and some rather significant digestive ‘issues’, but through it all, we cannot deny that this place is as close to paradise that we’ve ever come.

We arrived at the Puerto Vallarta airport on Thursday afternoon, and after making our way through the hoards of eager cab drivers, we made it to the car rental place, where we picked up our miniature car and hopped on the highway to head north toward Sayulita. The drive was a little nerve-racking, since speed limit signs were few and far between, and we had no intention of breaking the law on our first day here, but we made it to our hotel incident-free and were overjoyed when we were shown to our room at Villa Amor, with its breathtaking view of the ocean below. I didn’t even bat an eye at the fact that the place only has three walls, because really, why build anything that would limit a view like this???

Once settled into our room, we headed off to town to check out the local scene and grab a bite to eat. We stumbled upon Sayulita Fish Tacos, where we were shown to a table overlooking the little town plaza. We feasted on delicious fish tacos, paired perfectly with a couple of Coronas. It was Happy Hour time, which means that we each got two hearty tacos and two beers for less than four dollars apiece. Nice! The rest of the evening was spent on the beach, sipping another Corona and watching the surfers catch their final waves of the day. I have never been able to switch into ‘vacation mode’ so easily – it’s impossible not to relax here.

The next couple of days were spent bouncing back and forth between the beach for swimming, and the town for tacos, beer, and fruit popsicles. I love just wandering among the narrow, cobblestone streets of the town, taking in the vibrant colors and enticing smells coming from the storefronts and food carts. Around every corner, someone has set up a folding table with a small grill on it, complete with all the fixin’s for some of the best tacos we’ve ever tasted. We couldn’t help ourselves. But sadly, early the next morning, we were asking ourselves, “How can something that tastes sooooo good be sooooo bad?” Shane and I were totally out of commission on Sunday, with a case of Montezuma’s Revenge. Thankfully, we were able to speak with the town doctor while at the pharmacy, and he prescribed some antibiotics that had us back on our feet the next day. It could have been worse, so I’m thankful for our relatively quick recoveries. And I was thinking, if I’m going to spend all day curled up in the fetal position, what better place to do it than from a bed with a view of the ocean, right?

Yesterday marked the beginning of the second leg of our trip, as we checked into our room at Playa Escondida, just down the road from Sayulita, but in a much more secluded setting. This place has its own private beach, the most beautiful pool I’ve ever seen, and a bartender that’s rumored to mix a mean margarita – I’m currently pleading with my stomach to allow me the pleasure of one (maybe two) cocktails this evening.

Lots more pics and details to follow once we’re back in Seattle – right now, I’ve got a morning yoga session on the beach to get to. How do you say “this is the life” en Espanol?

Yep – tomorrow’s the big day!  My toenails are freshly painted, my suitcase is crammed with every strappy, shoulder-baring top I own, and Shane and I are ready for a week in Sayulita, Mexico!!!  I had so much fun pulling my summer gear out of my closet tonight – my brown ruffled halter dress hasn’t been worn since I was in Hawaii two years ago, and I’m so ready to slip back into it.  It’s taken me a little while to become really, truly excited about this trip, since I’ve been distracted with work and my funk and busy-ness in general, but tonight, once I turned on my out-of-office message at work, picked up the last few things we needed for the trip, and saw our itinerary all printed out and ready to go on the counter, the pre-vacation jitters really set in.  Right now, nothing sounds better to me than sinking down onto a towel laid out on the warm sand, ordering a fruity cocktail, and spending a few hours with a good book.  Aaaahhh!  I’m giddy just thinking about.  But we’ve got an early flight tomorrow, so I better try to get some sleep – tonight will be the first night in awhile that I won’t dream about work or chores or any other to-do’s.  Buenos noches, amigos…

My super-intense, super-awesome encaustic workshop ended on Monday (stay tuned for more on that later), and then it was back to work on Tuesday, where I was thrown into the flurry of working toward a Friday deadline.  And so by the time 6:00 rolled around today, I was beat.  Thankfully, Shane, in his infinite wisdom, knew that I would be in dire need of a beer and some chill time, so when I made it out of the office, he had already staked out a table for us at Six Arms and ordered me a pint of Ruby (their tasty raspberry ale).  Aaaaahhhh, hallelujah for weekends!  We had a fabulous evening together, toasting to Friday at our favorite old hang-out, and then sharing a demi-pichet (half-pitcher) of Beaujolais and a plate of steak frites at Cafe Presse.  Yep, it just don’t get much better than this:

The funky, eclectic vibe of Six Arms:

This lovely man:

And a glass of wine over candlelight:

Cheers and bon nuit.  Happy weekend!

After what felt like a long work week, we declared Saturday a day of relaxation and indulgence.  There are few things I love more than having the freedom to spend a Saturday any which way we please.  And so indulgence number one came in the form of a latte and a pain au chocolat from Cafe Besalu – a small bakery/cafe in Ballard known for their deliciously buttery breakfast treats.  I truly believe chocolate croissants are one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind, and this one had to have been picked out especially for me from the Big Guy himself.  So light and flaky, rich and buttery, perfectly…perfect.  Yum.

Post-pastries, we hopped back in the car, and before Shane had even pulled away from the curb, I was thinking about how nice it would be to head home, get back into my pajamas, and spend the day cozied up on the couch.  My husband, however, had other plans, and decided that since our breakfast mission had been completed, he was ready for lunch and wanted to swing by Safeco Field to check out ‘Mobile Food Chowdown’ – a one-day-only gathering of Seattle’s and Portland’s best food carts.  In his defense, he had run 8 miles earlier that morning, so I obliged, thinking I could maybe make room in my stomach for a good taco or a small slice of pizza.  Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the scene, the lines were already unbearably long for several of the carts, but Shane scored a tasty little burger from Skillet, and I waited in line for 45 minutes for an order of fries from Portland’s ‘Potato Champion’.  Yummy, but hardly worth the wait.  Ah, well, it was still a good day to be outside, and I love Pioneer Square on a clear, crisp day.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at home, reading and watching movies, basking in the laziness that was bound to follow such a decadent morning.  Then evening came, and wouldn’t you know it, Nancy, La V, and I had dinner reservations at Lark, which meant: more eating!  Yay!  We ordered plates of creamy cheeses, roasted duck leg, bacon-glazed kale, and ricotta gnudi, and ate ’till we could eat no more.  There was a point in the evening – I think it was as I was dipping my spoon into the dark chocolate mousse, served with white chocolate sorbet – when I thought, “Hmmmm…will I regret this when I’m pulling out my swimsuit for our vacation to Mexico next month?”  Then I tasted the cashew butter that had been spread on the plate right next to the chocolate, and I thought, “Nah.  Totally worth it.”  It was a perfect three-hour meal, full of good food that was only made better by the company of my lovely friends.

And so Saturday Splurge-Fest came to a close.  And once again, all was right with the world.