PompTour Boston 2014

As soon as I found out the Pomplamoose Season 2 #PompTour included Boston, we purchased tickets for the September 23 show at the Sinclair in Harvard Square. I may have slightly modified the lyrics to "September" as I counted down the days.

Much like our first Pomplamoose show, we began our evening with burgers and ice cream, this time at Shake Shack, before heading to the venue. We weren't too far back in the line, and scored a fantastic spot in the mezzanine right above the sound board. John Schroeder kicked off the show with a solo acoustic set. His Spanish guitar skills are off the chain, and his soulful songs are equally impressive.



One set change later, and the Pomplamoose band was on stage. Based on their 2011 show, I knew it would be crazy, entertaining, and full of amazing music. But they completely blew my expectations out of the water. Not only did they kill it with their set, Jack started a "mosh fractal" that culminated in a dance party, Nataly crowd surfed for the first time, and they capped off the evening with "La Vie en Rose" for an encore, with just Nataly singing and Jack playing accordion.



After the show, we landed at the end of the meet and greet line. It was late for a weeknight, but while we waited we had a great time chatting with Carlos, the drummer, as he shared more about Jack, Nataly, and the history of Pomplamoose.



When it was finally our turn to say hi, I didn't clam up like last time. And they remembered us! Also, they were still impressed with my Pomplamoose shirt, and Jack told me I look like Catherine Zeta Jones. They were so kind and patient, and they were incredibly accommodating for a Fingerwarmer fan photo.



Jack's full financial disclosure of the tour has drawn a flurry of criticism, but as a longtime fan who has attended both of their tours, I feel qualified to say they made a smart investment. The PompTour show was electric. Almost everyone we talked to in line before the show discovered them more recently, and that kind of performance can only solidify and grow their fan base. We have friends trying to make a living with music, and one thing they emphasize is they are small businesses, and if they don't treat their careers that way it isn't sustainable. The idea of artists creating art for the sake of art is romantic, but artists also have to pay the bills. I appreciate Pomplamoose's transparency, and hope they continue "making it" for a long time to come. We're already looking forward to the next Pomplamoose tour. Please come back to Boston!

See the rest of our PompTour photos on Flickr.

our 2014 Christmas letter

Their 3-foot fake Christmas tree is lit up like a… well, you know. Which means it’s time for Ian and Anna’s annual awkward, third-person Christmas letter!

celebrating #Foxlanta

At the beginning of September, we had the high honor of celebrating the wedding of two dear friends. We've known Anthony since college, where he and Ian spent five years of late nights in studio, and countless football and basketball games in face paint. They spent a summer interning and surfing in LA together, and when they graduated in a terrible economy, Anthony connected Ian to Sasaki. They have been friends and colleagues for almost a decade, and neither of us would be who we are today without him. We met Sara (with no h because h's are ew!) through Anthony after we moved to Boston. They weren't dating at the time, but we like to believe we already knew they would end up together. Sara is a fun, wonderful, and thoughtful friend, and she's kind of a big deal at Google doing lots of important things that go way over my head.

Thanks to their wedding, we headed to Georgia for our first real trip to the deep South, where our first meal was Chick-fil-a at the airport in honor of Sara. We met the rest of the wedding party at the rehearsal; after, we headed to a local restaurant for dinner, signature cocktails (The Foxy Lady and the Fantastic Mr. Fox), and wedding-themed mad libs. We had so much fun hearing Fox and Sara's childhood stories, catching up with old friends, and meeting new ones.

The wedding took place the next afternoon at Sara's family's estate, and the old horse farm was an incredible backdrop for a classy yet casual affair full of Southern charm and hospitality, down to the tiniest details (like bug repellent, and lawn games during the cocktail hour). Dinner was a delicious Southern barbecue, and the live band was fantastic. We had such a wonderful time, and are so glad we get to share life with both of them!



See more #Foxlanta photos on Flickr!

And a shout-out to our good friend Janet, who met us for brunch on the way to the airport, where I had perhaps the best chicken fried steak biscuit and cheesy grits of my life. So thank you Janet, for taking time to see us, and also for the delicious brunch recommendation. We miss you!

Megan and Phil walk all over Boston

Winter is fast approaching. We've pulled out our down coats and shearling-lined Bean boots to guard against the wet chill mixed with snow flurries that signal the eternal long New England winter is imminent. Which makes looking back on Megan and Phil's Labor Day weekend visit that much more wonderful, photos full of t-shirts, sandals, green grass, and that brilliant summer sun.

Megan has graced Boston with her presence twice before (both memorable: the first coincided with Hurricane Earl, and the second involved stealing a homeless man's vodka).  This time, she brought Phil, a good friend from our K-State days. We spent four days walking all over Boston (55,965 steps according to Breeze), packing in as much as we possibly could before their Monday afternoon return to Kansas.



We started at the office. Phil, as a planner involved with public transportation, was excited to navigate the MBTA to Watertown and also tour Sasaki. Megan was excited to eat at Roxy's on the way home (one of the many reasons why we're friends).

The next day we were up bright and early. We took the T to the Innovation District, and meandered over to the harbor to get in line for the Harpoon Brewery tour. Our last attempt at this particular tour (which also happened to be with Megan) was cut short as they sold the last tour tickets to the people in front of us in line. We were determined this wouldn't happen again. We shouldn't have worried. Harpoon had recently opened a new beer hall, which also exponentially increased their tour capacity. We purchased our tickets, learned all about Harpoon's brewing process, then hung around the beer hall for pretzels. (Forget the alcohol; I could eat those pretzels all day.) Post-pretzels, we headed straight to Yankee Lobster for our next meal, then walked it off by exploring more of the Innovation District and playing bocce at Sasaki-designed Lawn on D. And we kept on walking. We strolled the Greenway so Phil could experience the Big Dig, and we ended up in the North End for cannoli and lots of history (and inadvertently the Saint Anthony's Feast celebration).

Sunday, after a great morning at REUNION, we headed to Fenway for a ballpark tour followed by Sweet Cheeks biscuits. We enjoyed learning more about the history of Fenway and the Sox, and exploring the places most fans don't get to experience on a typical game day: the visitor's locker room, the Green Monster seats, the press box, and more.






On Monday, we had some time to kill before Megan and Phil's flight home, so we rented a ZipCar and headed to a place Ian has wanted to visit since we moved to Boston five years ago: World's End. In the late 1800s, Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture, designed it to be a residential subdivision. The carriage paths were created and trees were planted, but the houses were never built. The peninsula was eventually shortlisted to be the UN headquarters, and later considered for a nuclear power plant site, but the community worked hard to raise funds to protect the land. Now, it's a beautiful park with tree-lined walking paths and stunning views of Boston and the harbor. We walked around the entire peninsula, and even managed to dip our toes in the Atlantic.




Megan and Phil, thanks for spending your vacations with us! We had so much fun wandering around the city, eating good food, and nerding out about city planning and landscapes. Come back soon! (And Phil, congratulations on your engagement! Next time, bring Ashley too!)

Visit Flickr for more photos of our weekend!

Ian + Anna in the DR: 2014 in summary

It feels impossible to come up with words to describe our DR trip. It is exhilarating. It is exhausting. It is heartbreaking. It is joyful. Each year is both familiar and new, and each year we learn a bit more about how we can support the Vargas family. This year, that looked like painting houses in La Mosca, tangibly showing the community that Luis's church wants to meet their needs. It looked like us running the annual medical clinic out of Luis's church, watching the health of the community continue it's slow and steady improvement. It looked like us hosting a field day, playing games under the hot Dominican sun in a muddy field littered with trash, attempting to control the chaos and loving on the happy and endlessly energetic kids.







The passion we first felt on our first trip has deepened over the past four years into a strong commitment to the Vargas family and the community of La Mosca. We are so thankful for the way they support and encourage us, and that we have the opportunity to serve alongside some of the most joyful and selfless people we have ever met. And we're already counting down the days until we get to see them again!

thankful list | November 2014

01. a much needed relaxing weekend on the Cape.
02. a cozy guest bedroom in a house filled with family (and cats).
03. growing up with Car Talk, a.k.a. Cah Tahk. Thanks for everything, Tom.

04. my first opportunity to see a Sasaki project (Dudley) in process in person.
05. another dentist appointment with compliments on my "bionic teeth."

06. a fun quick project at work playing with new-to-me software (nerd alert!).

07. yoga.

08. being part of the annual awards committee to recognize awesome coworkers.

09. a Green Line operator with an amazing radio voice and kind words.
10. our veterans.

11. a caterer tasting (free food to try and earn our business!).

12. a fun craft project.

13. Grandma Judy moving in on the Cape.

14. seeing Aunt Patti.

15. copyediting at work.

16. Friendsgiving (thanks for hosting, Todd and Danielle!).

17. lunch with our community group coach.

18. a happy retirement Mylar balloon at the office going strong after 2 months (seriously?!).
19. a great annual review.

20. the company Thanksgiving potluck, raising money for a local food bank.
21. the Pioneer Woman's soul sweet taters.

22. Micki and Grandma Judy in town again.

23. another cater tasting (so much free food!).

24. a shopping trip at three of my favorites: The Container Store, David's Tea, and Shake Shack.

25. experiencing the new Wegmans at Chestnut Hill — the rave reviews do not oversell it.

26. extra help for REUNION Sunday morning setup at the Hilton.
27. the start of Advent Conspiracy.

28. a short work week.

29. a short wait for the bus to the Cape.

30. Thanksgiving with family, for the first time in five years.

31. helping to decorate a house for Christmas (a full-sized Christmas tree again!)

32. fun shops full of things like starfish and whale ornaments.

33. kitty snuggles.

34. a freshly laundered winter coat that didn't cost a stack giant stack of quarters.

35. a K-State football win on a big TV.

36. in-laws that I love to hang out with, even when Ian's not around.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: a book review

It's the worst of bad manners — and self-protection, I think, in a nervously cynical society — to ridicule the small gesture. These earnest efforts might just get us past the train-wreck of the daily news, or the anguish of standing behind a child, looking with her at the road ahead, searching out redemption where we can find it: recycling or carpooling or growing a garden or saving a species or something. Small, stepwise changes in personal habits aren't trivial. Ultimately they will, or won't, add up to having been the thing that mattered.
     —Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I feel motivated to do something to further our journey in living green. What, I'm not sure. On one hand, I'm inspired to raise chickens and grow fruits and vegetables, to learn to can and otherwise preserve our surplus, to make everything from scratch, to shop almost exclusively at farmers markets that pop up around the city when warm weather entices everyone to spend more time outdoors. On the other hand, we have constraints. We live in an apartment building in the city with no space for chickens or a garden or a stockpile of preserves. Many farmers markets are open on weekdays, when we're both at the office. And it's New England. Farmer's market season is limited (though CSA options extend beyond it).

Where does that leave me and my aspirations? What I find most compelling about Barbara Kingsolver's book is she acknowledges that conscientious eating in practice looks different for everyone. Instead of mandating what everyone should do, she highlights why the local food movement matters. She discusses the high long-term costs of our current food economy — to our health, to our environment, to our communities — and then explains how the local food movement can stem the tide through small and simple choices.

"Locally grown" is a denomination whose meaning is incorruptible. Sparing the transportation fuel, packaging, and unhealthy additives is a compelling part of the story, but the plot goes well beyond that. Local food is a handshake deal in a community gathering place. It involves farmers with first names, who show up week after week. It means an open door policy on the fields, where neighborhood buyers are welcome to come have a look, and pick their food from the vine. Local is farmers growing trust.
     —Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

This resonates so much more now than when I first heard about the local organic food movement. On 60 Minutes Leslie Stahl interviewed a dreamy-eyed foodie in California who seemed to suggest that every family had the money to buy expensive organic food and the time to make everything from scratch, and just did not value the flavor and experience enough to do so. We moved to Boston in the middle of the winter on one entry-level salary, and after cutting out all expenses not directly related to survival, we were left with a $40 budget to feed both of us each week. I wasn't buying $8/pound organic grapes.

In contrast, Kingsolver isn't puttering around in a kitchen the size of my apartment, waxing poetic about how much better an egg tastes when it's poached in a wood fired oven. She works long hard days in her garden, revels in the first shoots of asparagus, serves as a matchmaker for her adolescent flocks of chickens and turkeys, spends late summer days in a hot kitchen canning, and builds meaningful relationships with the growers in her community. By sharing her experiences — the hardships as well as the joys of pursing local food, she inspires me to believe I can do it too, in my own way.



One of Kingsolver's keys to making local organic food economical, and therefore practical, is eating in season, whether you grow food yourself or buy from a grower or grocery store. Tomatoes in the middle of summer surplus are inexpensive. The same tomato in the middle of winter is not, due to the expense of either transporting it long distances or using lots of energy to grow it in a hothouse. Because the book follows their year-long local food experiment chronologically, it lends itself to good tips and recipes to eat seasonally (basil blackberry crumble? twist my arm). And while her family was committed to the project for one full year, she admitted once it was over, they would allow themselves more flexibility. But Italian wine and bananas would be treats, not staples.

So what are our next steps, in a small city apartment and six-month winter without outdoor space or a car? Switching our Boston Organics box to the local option (I acknowledge we may cry uncle to root vegetables by mid-February). Making a more concerted effort to see if/when we can work local farmers markets into our schedules. Finding restaurants and grocery stores that buy or even grow local (like Russos and Wilson Farm). Shifting our perspective to see out-of-area and out-of-season food as treats. Eating less meat, and making sure it's from happy healthy animals when we do. Planning meals around the seasons, instead of picking recipes first. Supporting and celebrating growers who are passionate about their craft. It is these seemingly small changes that will "add up to having been the thing that mattered."

Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants.
     —Michael Pollen

thankful list | October 2014

01. a late night of work allowing me to take Friday off without using PTO.
02. an easy busy ride to Cape Cod.
03. family in New England.
04. kitties in New England.
05. a cozy house that is already starting to feel like a home.
06. an amazing skillet apple crisp (thanks, Cook's Illustrated!).
07. a school of tiny fish and lots of tiny jellyfish (this Kansans is still fascinated by ocean creatures).
08. exploring the Cape.
09. a very kind bus driver on the morning commute.
10. yoga at work after missing a few weeks.
11. a good discussion and new friends at community group.
12. a quick afternoon walking break.
13. a fixed dripping faucet.
14. a night of t-shirt making with friends for Canstruction 2014.
15. thanks to customer service, getting a new L.L. Bean down comforter (on sale) that was sold out.
16. seeing old friends for the first time since they moved back to Boston (and their adorable new baby!).
17. a successful Canstruction build out (hooray for the yellow submarine!).
18. discovering Burmese food with an awesome couple from community group.
19. introducing old friends to Orinoco via brunch.
20. hanging out again with that adorable baby and her chubby cheeks.
21. winning the people's choice award AND the Structural Ingenuity Award at Canstruction.
22. a big win for our Wildcats.
23. a freelance copyediting opportunity.
24. a football watch party with tacos and good friends (and so many cute babies!).
25. chili and pumpkin carving with some of our oldest Boston friends.
26. a little person who is so excited to see all of us ("Ian! Open pumpkin!").
27. a good turnout for REUNION setup.
28. a delicious dinner with friends, planning for the 2015 DR trip.
29. Roxy's Grilled Cheese for dinner.
30. fun events at the office (meet your library! artist reception!).
31. a bus ticket to the Cape for a much needed weekend away.
32. fall foliage.
33. Ian's awesome Cape carved pumpkin.
34. cozy weather and that new down comforter (I'll never go back).

a weekend at Newport Folk Festival

Ian loves music. The more obscure, the better. So when friends with similar musical affinities highly recommended Newport Folk Festival, Ian decided it would be his dream to go. We saved up, and as soon as tickets went on sale in January, purchased our two-day passes. And then we found out said friends who love NFF wouldn't be able to attend this year on account of their new baby's due date being right around the festival weekend. I got worried. I enjoy music but I'm not an avid fan like Ian. I didn't know anyone in the lineup. And I'm an introvert. What business did I have at a music festival with no veteran friends to guide us and hang out?

It turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Our friends assured us it was fun and low key, and they were right. Ian did a great job of planning everything. We lined up a room with a fun quirky family through Airbnb, rented a car, and borrowed a bike rack so we could exercise while bypassing festival traffic congestion and simultaneously ogling the gigantic mansions all over Newport.



Saturday morning, we headed to the park and ride, hopped on our bikes, and arrived at Fort Adams about 30 minutes before the gates opened. We admired the view of the harbor until we were allowed to speed walk to the Harbor Stage, our carefully selected home base for the day. We left blankets on a couple chairs, then went to window shop at the festival store and vendor booths until the first performer took the stage.

Willie Watson: It's like listening to a solo artist from 1920 (think O Brother Where Art Thou). Both you and your grandma will love him.
John C. Reilly and Friends: Star factor (sweet berry wine!). This set also sounded like it was from 1920 (and John C. Reilly's guitar Charlie is 60 years old, if memory serves) but was much more of a quiet hymn vibe than Willie Watson.
The Oh Hellos: We only caught the very last song, but it was the one Ian wanted to hear. And they broke into a wordless version of "Come Thou Fount" that was heart exploding.
J. Roddy Walston and the Business: All rock and roll, and they put on a great show.
Shaky Graves: NPR must listen for a reason. Unbelievable. One of my favorite performances of the weekend.
Deer Tick: We headed to the Fort Stage early to catch Nickel Creek, and heard the end of Deer Tick's set. Not too shabby.
Nickel Creek: When they first broke into the music scene, I missed the memo they were folk, not the pop-twang-country (*cough* Toby Keith *cough*) I avoid. So talented, and so fun to watch.
Jack White: Crazy. Really crazy. Superstar status. Did I mention crazy?

After the last set, we rode back to the car, then drove to Newport Creamery for dinner and an Awful Awful. The food wasn't bad, but the Awful Awful tasted like Nesquik strawberry milkshake and it made me feel like I was eight years old in a good way.



Sunday, we repeated our morning routine despite the looming weather forecast, spread out our blanket under the Quad Stage tent, and settled in. The performances began with a weather related announcement: take cover in the event of a thunderstorm. We crossed our fingers, and despite a torrential downpour that resulted in us standing for a few sets before finally snagging less comfortable but dry chairs, we had a blast. By midafternoon, it cleared up, and the sky was gorgeous as we headed to to the Fort Stage to catch the end of Mavis Staples.

Berklee Gospel Choir: Who says church doesn't happen at a music festival?
Leif Vollbekk: Soothing music for a relaxing, rainy morning.
The Lonesome Trio: Again, star power thanks to Ed Helms (what's up with comedians moonlighting as legit folk artists?). They're seriously talented and seriously funny.
Gregory Alan Isakov: He was the artist Ian was most excited for on Sunday, and he delivered. He and his band even gathered around an old-timey microphone for a true acoustic set for a few songs. Listen to "Suitcase Full of Sparks." You'll melt.
Hurray for the Riff Raff: Not my first choice in folk music, but great at what they do.
Trampled by Turtles: I did feel slowly trampled by folk music, but in a good way. Fun fact: Mavis Staples kept calling them "Tramplin' Turtles."
Rodrigo y Gabriela: My favorite performance of the weekend, hands down. We were going to bounce early to catch more of Mavis, but we couldn't tear ourselves away. They have a joy and passion they exude when performing, and it's captivating.
Mavis Staples: A legend and entertainer. She was celebrating her birthday, and had lots of special guests, including Norah Jones. ("Little Norah!")

For lunch between sets, we grabbed chicken pot pie and peach pie from Humble Pie Co. Yum. And Del's Lemonade was a refreshing afternoon treat.



We haven't decided yet if we'll attend next year, but if YOU'RE going, these are the tips from friends that came in handy (along with a few lessons we learned firsthand).

• Scope out the bands ahead of time and plan which stage you want to see each day. The NFF app was great for this!
• Use the bike park and ride. Fast, easy, and a beautiful ride.
• Arrive 15-30 minutes early; when the gates open walk fast (don't run) to your selected stage.
• Be considerate when claiming spots for a long amount of time. You can leave a blanket and chairs or stake claim to a couple venue chairs and wander (just don't leave your valuables). Most people are kind and respect your space. But if you plan to bounce around, don't reserve the best seats at all four stages at once, then try to kick people out of your seats in the middle of a set. In fact, if you don't plan to be at any one stage more than one or two sets, consider not claiming a spot at all. If you are at one stage all day but want to leave for a set to catch another artist or event, make friends and invite them to enjoy your spot until you come back.
• Prepare for a variety of weather scenarios; bring a sweatshirt, lots of suncreen, a poncho, and/or large plastic bags, and a Ziploc bag with a spare set of dry clothes, just in case.
• And about that possibility of precipitation... bring a tarp and/or chairs. Being under a stage tent doesn't guarantee the ground underneath you isn't a low spot that will turn into a miniature river if it rains.
• Pack snacks and not-glass water bottles. There are food vendors around, but you don't want to get stuck in a long line and miss your favorite artists.
• Bring toilet paper in a Ziploc bag and antibacterial hand gel. The porta-potties were fine, but you really don't want to get caught without either of these vital items.
• Make your festival/band merch purchases first thing, before they sell out of your favorite style.

See the rest of our photos on Flickr.

thankful list | September 2014

01. a morning at World's End with two fantastic friends from Kansas.
02. an evening catching up with our DR trip team over pizza.
03. a ride home from work with Micki and Grandma Judy.
04. coming home to a cozy apartment (after seeing the massive apartment fire in Brighton).
05. a day on Cape Cod.
06. a lovely backyard with gorgeous hydrangea.
07. Craigville Beach.
08. Four Seas Ice Cream.
09. a Trader Joe's location in Hyannis.
10. a quick but fantastic trip to Atlanta for a gorgeous backyard wedding.
11. Chick-fil-a (in honor of the bride).
12. seeing old friends and making new ones.
13. Ian in a new suit (dreamy sigh).
14. the #Foxlanta wedding celebration.
15. seeing a dear community group friend who moved to Atlanta.
16. finally, a good chicken fried steak (New England, I love you but you need to work on this one).
17. lunch with a friend from work.
18. a long walk with a friend around Brookline admiring giant old houses.
19. over a decade of service from my old Bean backpack.
20. a new Bean backpack (it was time).
21. cozy camp socks, perfect for boot weather.
22. killing it for our team's final bocce game of the season (Sarah and I are bocce stars).
23. new drawer liners, with octopuses and whales.
24. finally finishing that garland craft project for our living room windows.
25. a new travel agency at work.
26. a new phone system at work (because it makes our work lives so much better).
27. lunch with three lovely ladies.

28. a tailoring fix on the house from someone who knows how to sew well.

29. the Pomplamoose show.

30. meeting Jack and Nataly again.
31. Jack and Nataly remembering us and thinking I look like Catherine Zeta Jones.
32. Jack and Nataly loving Fingerwarmers and taking an awesome photo.
33. dinner with a wonderful couple and their adorable new baby.
34. a happy hour at work that meant sitting on the deck and hanging out with awesome coworkers.
35. an awesome new pair of fancy sweatpants (that I can wear to work).
36. a good crew for REUNION setup on Sunday morning.
37. tea time: a 15 minute daily break, chatting with awesome people.
39. a new book that makes me laugh out loud.
40. an even better postcard for preordering said book (see photo above).
41. family closer than a plane ride away.
42. two kitties to snuggle on a regular basis.
43. fall foliage.
44. kind words in the midst of big changes.
45. my Ricefield Collective knitwear (hoping for a successful return when the timing is right).

thankful list | August 2014

01. a night to catch up on my nerdy TV show (ST:DS9) while Ian watched the Sox beat the Yankees.
02. receiving the hulk hands award.
03. an awesome REUNION BBQ (even if it is to say farewell to one of our favorite families).
04. a 30 percent discount on Ian's new dress shirt, thanks to a 5 second email search.
05. a successful first REUNION curriculum team meeting.
06. finally finishing Castle season 6 (thanks, procrastination, for a short wait until next season).
07. a chance to flex my Google Doc muscles.
08. a relaxing evening catching up on a few things around the apartment.
09. awesome coworkers.
10. the Gallery at Sasaki.
11. REUNION movie night for The Lego Movie at the Hatch Shell (everything is awesome!).
12. a quiet weekend to prep for the DR trip without a lot of extra stress.
13. a fun hour of bocce court maintenance followed by fast food with work friends.
14. a beautiful, challenging, and inspiring DR trip (more stories hopefully soon).
15. the chance to catch up with our friends in the Dominican.
16. meeting Isaiah for the first time, in all of his adorable mischievous glory.
17. health throughout the trip (no chikungunya!).
18. a return flight that got us home by early afternoon, so we could nap AND do laundry.
19. game night with community group friends.
20. a cheap flight change to accommodate Ian's first day teaching without missing a wedding in Atlanta.
21. the office summer barbecue.
22. a couple of at-home movie date nights despite busy schedules.
23. a visit from dear Kansas friends.
24. a much smaller rent increase than we were expecting.
25. answered prayers.

Ian + Anna in the DR 2014: next stop, Santiago

At this very moment we are taking off from Boston, and by this evening, we will be settling in to the dorms we will call home for the next week, ready to serve alongside the Vargas family and G.O. Ministries staff. We wanted to take a moment to thank all of our supporters. This trip would not be possible without you. And while you are not physically with us in the DR, your presence is felt. You are making a difference. Thank you.

And we do have one more request of you. Please continue to pray for the trip. Pray for our team's health and safety, especially with chikungunya buzzing around the country. Pray for our impact in the DR through the medical clinic, construction work (most likely painting houses), field day with the kids, and overall relationship building. And pray for the Vargas family's ongoing ministry. Every day they do hard work in a place of great need. They exude such great joy, but it is not an easy road, and they can use all of the support and encouragement we can provide.

Thanks again for all your support, and stay tuned for updates when we get back!

P.S. Since we're radio silent for the week, if you want to know we made it safely (Moms, this is for you), G.O. posts team photos within 24 hours of our arrival.

thankful list | July 2014

01. our first Sox game this season (even though they lost).
02. a lovely birthday thanks to coworkers, friends, and Ian.
03. chocolate raspberry birthday cake from Russo's.
04. birthday dinner at Roxy's.
05. a fast bike ride to Cambridge side for the (early) fireworks.
06. a beautiful fireworks show.
07. a bike ride home in the rain (because it was more fun than we expected).

08. a delicious and colorful birthday dinner (gnudi!).
09. an evening stroll in the Public Garden.
10. Romeo and Juliet, the Public Garden resident nesting swans.
11. silly ducks.
12. a talented accordionist, who made us feel like we were back in Paris.
13. funny poetry by kids in the bookstore window.
14. a long weekend.
15. a tasty birthday cheesecake I didn't have to make (thanks, Ian!).
16. bocce league at the office (it's fun even if we don't have a winning record).
17. Despicable Me 2 at the Hatch Shell with friends.
18. fried dough.
19. Canstruction 2014 planning at the office.
20. an impromptu date at Tasty Burger.
21. lots and lots of turtle spotting along the Charles.
22. a fun and successful DR teambuilding meeting.
23. a friend's outdoor BBQ birthday party.
24. free ice cream from the Good Humor Joy Squad.
25. homemade mint chocolate ice cream.
26. Shakespeare on the Common.
27. a memorable performance of The Twelfth Night.
28. a big fun copyediting project.
29. a weekend at Newport Folk Festival.
30. seeing famous comedians (#sweetberrywine #cornelleverheardofit).
31. hearing The Oh Hellos live, and performing Come Thou Fount.
32. discovering new an amazing music (Shakey Graves! Roderigo y Gabriela!).
33. an Awful Awful and Del's Lemonade (thanks Danielle!).
34. gospel music on Sunday morning.
35. Humble Pies, of the chicken pot and peach varieties.
36. yoga at the office, and that after a year, I can tell a difference.

July 4, 2014

Technically, the title should be July 3, 2014. With Tropical Storm Arthur's impending arrival, the city moved the festivities a day earlier, hoping to avoid the storm. At 9 p.m., the skies were clear and so was the forecast for the next few hours, so, joined by a friend from community group, we hopped on our bikes and headed for Cambridge side.

Memorial Drive is always closed for the celebration; we enjoyed a leisurely ride weaving through the happy crowds of people. We staked out our spot and listened to the Beach Boys over the speakers as we counted down to fireworks.

At 10:07 p.m., a full 23 minutes before the scheduled start time, a pleasant voice announced the show would start immediately, and if the forecast was still clear by the time it was over, they would perform the 1812 Overture, normally the conclusion of the Pops concert and a teaser for the main event.

The show was beautiful, as always. My favorites (always) were the gigantic blooms that left trails of gold glitter suspended in the air like branches of a willow tree, and the explosions of green that hung in the sky for a moment before the sparks darted away like fireflies in all directions.

As the last of the finale sparks faded in the sky, the pleasant voice returned to the speakers. "Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating. State police have ordered an immediate evacuation of the area. Happy third of July!"

We inched our bikes through the packed crowds on Memorial Drive. As we approached the BU bridge, I heard shouts from the crowd ahead of us and felt a sudden short burst of water. Are fire trucks doing evacuation crowd control with hoses? I briefly wondered. The answer came swiftly, with a wall of rain driving sideways, followed by thunder and lightning.

We were all drenched in seconds. Unsure how long this onslaught would last or if it would get worse — Arthur was coming — we pressed on. By the time we got home, the rain had slowed down, I felt like I had jumped into a lake with my clothes on, and we couldn't stop laughing.

It may not have been our best view or biggest party, but this Independence Day in Boston will go down in our books as one of the best.

2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 (the one year we stayed in Brookline, can you tell?)

color us rad, the short white coat edition

As promised, we signed up to return for Color Me Rad 2014, and a couple friends even took us up on our offer to join the color. Thanks to one of said friends who happened to be graduating from med school the day before the race, we even had a team uniform: short white med student coats. It was a fun way to send Grant off to his West Coast residency with a bang, since graduation means trading up to the longer, full-fledged doctor coats.

pre-race white

post-race tint

post-color rave saturation (photo by Grant)

I fully intended on training for this race, even though it isn't timed. Last year it was so satisfying to know I ran the whole thing. But the cold hung on through the end of April, and the race was at the end of May. I got all of one run in, and hoped my yoga practice and weekend bike rides would carry me through. Had the course been the same as last year (flat), I'm sure I would have been fine. But the course this year at Kimball Farm (gorgeous) was mown into a field with lots of elevation changes. Almost immediately after starting, we slowed to a walk to climb a muddy hill single file while holding a safety rope. The rest of the course was less intense, but contained a few climbs steeper than my lungs could handle at a jog. Thankfully, my very fit teammates were kind enough to not leave me in the dust. We crossed the finish line together in a glorious puff of purple cornstarch.

I was slightly disappointed we were not met with free coconut water and frozen Greek yogurt popsicles, but we happily accepted free iced tea and dove straight in to the color rave. All of the running is really an excuse to enjoy the after party, which we discovered is even more fun with more friends. And it's even better when one of those friends is tall and can snag an impressive haul of the free color bombs and t-shirts tossed into the crowd. We also learned our formerly white coats were the perfect party attire. The deep pockets that hold pens and stethoscopes and other medical supplies also happened to be perfect for cell phones in plastic bags and Grant's haul of color bombs and swag. By the time we finally piled back into our rented minivan, we were infinitely more colorful than last year, and so thankful we were able to share the fun with Grant and Caroline.

Our coats are bleached white and our registrations are in for 2015 (thank you, $20 repeat runner registration), and we would love for you to join us next May. Who wants to get rad?







Read about our 2013 Color Me Rad experience, and see all our 2014 race photos on Flickr.