Simple Joys of the Week: July 15th Edition

And the weeks just keep flying by...hello, mid-July!! My simple, sensory joys of the week are centered around our big move across the river (did you expect anything else?)...but what brought you joy this week?

Hear: "For Emma, Forever Ago" by Bon Iver (entire album!)

Although I've loved this album for quite a while, for some reason I've been listening to it a lot while unpacking this week. Maybe it's because it's so quiet and soothing, and I've needed that kind of energy this week, or maybe I was just drawn to his hauntingly beautiful voice. Whatever it is, he got me over the past few days. Listen to one of my fave songs from the album, "Re: Stacks", below:

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Photo via sweetgreen.com

Taste: Sweetgreen Chic P Salad

One of the best parts of our new apartment? It's a 5-minute walk from Sweetgreen, my favorite salad place ever. And my favorite salad there? The Chic P. I've already had it twice in less than a week, and am SO happy to finally live close to a healthy, quick place to grab lunch/dinner to-go. Yay! There's not much I like more than a good salad (except apples, of course...)

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See: View from our balcony/balconies

Sure, our view isn't much to brag about...it's just a street, buildings, trees, a typical city block. But, I've been wanting a balcony--a way to get outside and just sit, drinking tea, working, talking, whatever--for quite a while. In New York all I had was a fire escape, but I used to sit out there and read or drink my coffee in the mornings and it was great. And now we have two balconies! Even though it's been in the 90s-100s this week, I've still spent some time sitting out there just basking in the ability to get some real air while in the apartment. Plus, you can see Tranquil Space Arlington (my work!) from here! Amazing.

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Touch: Carpet under my feet/between my toes :)

I've always been a hardwood floor kind of girl, and was honestly very disappointed when I found out that a lot of our new apartment was carpeted, but I have to say that I'm now finding out that I was wrong...carpet is pretty great. For one, it makes me want to get down on the floor and stretch, move, change positions. It's lush, warmer than wood floors, and doesn't make me feel like I need to always wear socks at home. Now I'm not saying that I'm a convert, but it sure has been a fun, new sensory joy for my feet over the past week. See Mary Catherine? Sometimes change can be good ;)

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Smell: Triloka Incense

In order to "break in" our new place, I wanted to give it a distinct, yummy smell. So I've been burning the last of our supply of Triloka incense, and it's been rocking my world. It's not *too* strong, but has a really nice, strong-enough smell (not hippie-ville smell, just a nice scent). It's been wonderful to come home and smell the incense, as opposed to just the smell of new, clean apartment. Yay! The place is slowly becoming "ours." You can pick up your own Triloka incense at Whole Foods...try it out! I like the variety pack so that you can sample all of the scents :)

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And there you have it--this week's simple joys mark the end of our first 5 days in our new apartment. It's been super-exciting, but I'm ready to be settled and back in our normal routine come next week. Here's to a weekend of yoga, ikea, finishing touches, and relaxation!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine