new york city

Friends, it's been about 3 months since I embarked on a trip, and I'm thrilled that tomorrow I'll be taking a train with my love to New York City. I can't describe the excitement I feel for this nostalgic and romantic trip to a city that is still so new to me.

We are taking a train to New York.

Imagine the multitudes who have said those same words, brimming with anticipation and joy at the prospect of seeing the famous Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building, etc. Thousands who packed huge trunks or simply caught hold of a railing on a whistling train headed east.

And oh, the food.The first time I was in New York I was still a new vegan and was worried I wouldn't find anything to eat.

I'm going to let that sink in for a sec.

I was worried I couldn't find vegan food. In New York.

Yeah. Newbie vegan. I can't even count the number of vegan restaurants that have been recommended. And then there's bakeries, diners, etc. We happen to be staying with a vegan power-couple whose life work is food. So, I know we'll be taken care of.

Adam and I really love traveling by train together. We enjoy the time to relax, without the hassle of 3 oz liquid restrictions and body scanners, without the stress of hurtling ourselves in metal shell at a mile a minute on hazardous highways for hours on end. We bring movies, snacks, reading, knitting, games, and pillows, and just let the trip include a leisurely 8 hour start on the train.

While I finish packing, I'm going to listen to Joni Mitchell's blue album. I discovered that her song, My Old Man, is a great picture of my old man, my love, my travel companion.

Can't wait to embark on the next adventure with him.

equinox

Today is the first day of Autumn. Somehow the day the seasons change seems to slip by me every time. I always plan on doing something symbolic at the moment of the equinox or spending my day intentionally, but then life happens and it's 1:00 PM and the equinox was 3 hours ago.

Nevertheless, I've made today worthy of the first day of fall. I woke up and had a nice little breakfast with Adam and then started cooking right away. I made tourlou (a middle eastern style ratatouille), baba ganoush and acorn squash lasagna with fresh sage and tofu ricotta. While I cooked, I cleaned, and my regular weekend chores are off to a good start. 

I'm nursing a headache today, unsure of its origin. Either it is a small hangover from the cocktails I had last night at a coworker's birthday celebration, or it is a caffeine headache. Whatever it is, I'm using mint tea and ibuprofen to stave it off. Later today I'll skype with my sister and hopefully get a bunch of knitting done. Then around dinner time we're taking K and N for the night, the first time babysitting all night at our house. I'm looking forward to it, but I know it will probably be quite an ordeal. As long as my headache goes away, I'll be ready for anything. 

So here's to the turning of the seasons, the start of a new stage of slowing down, turning inward, and being present, if only for a few moments every day.