Simple Joys of the Week, June 22nd Edition

Here we are again! And phew, what a week!? As I prepare for the busy weekend ahead and for my trip to FL on Tuesday (yippeee!), I have to remind myself to try and live in the moment, instead of living in a state of anticipation for what is about to come--do you know what I'm talking about? Sometimes it's very hard to do this when you're super excited about something in the future, so pausing to reflect and enjoy the present moment is a great way to challenge yourself at times like these :) 

So anyways, that's my queue to take a look back at my simple, sensory joys of the week. What brought you a sense of pleasure over the past 7 days? Mine are below...

Hear: Regina Spektor's newest album What We Saw from the Cheap Seats

I've been a long-time fan of Regina Spektor, who I think is one of the most interesting, innovative, and talented songstresses out there right now. Sure, she's totally quirky and downright bizarre at times, but that's what I love about her. You never know what kind of crazy noises or lyrics she's going to throw into her songs. Not surprisingly, her newest album (came out in March) is no exception--it's amazing! I've been listening to it nonstop, and it just makes me so happy and lighthearted. You can listen to a very fun song from this album, her version of "Ne Me Quitte Pas," or as she calls it, "Don't Leave Me," below...

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Image via suninmybellyblog.blogspot.com/

See: Wedding Flowers Inspiration

Well, after all of my back-and-forth and thoughts about doing handmade flowers or alternative flowers of some sort, I've finally come to the conclusion (a little late in the game!) to just hire a florist and go with real flowers. In the end, it just seems like it will be easier (i.e. less stress and worry for me!), so I've decided to take the plunge. Now, I'm having fun finding flower inspiration online...I love the images to the right, but there are just so many amazing selections to choose from! How does one even begin to narrow it down? I think I have another weekend activity planned...

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Image via elizaphillipsrtf.wordpress.com

Taste: Boccato Gelato & Expresso

I haven't had gelato this good since I bought it from a vendor on the streets in Venice. It's amazing, and the line out the door is definitely a tribute to their amazing flavors. Ben and I went there last weekend and both really enjoyed it--I had a mix of Peanut Butter Banana and Cookies n'Cream (although I think they have more creative titles than that!) and he had a few more exotic flavors. But wow, so much better than Pinkberry (although I do love me some fro-yo!). If you live in the Clarendon/Courthouse area and haven't tried it yet, you must! 

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Smell: Pedicure

I know I mention trips to the nail salon a lot, but there's just nothing like a good pedicure to make you feel pampered, taken care of, and fresh. I snuck in for one last Saturday morning, and it felt like SUCH a treat. I brought along some work, my phone, and my planner--thinking that I might get a  few emails done and then read for the remainder of the time--but in the end, I just turned on the massage chair, sat back, and  vegged out with my eyes closed. It was perfect. I read a quote last week that made me feel like a pedicure was just what I needed--it said, "the time to relax is when you don't have time for it." Isn't that perfect? And it's oh, so true. So even if you're busy, make some time for yourself this weekend!

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Touch: Ben's new ROWING MACHINE (yes, he got one...)

I know, can you believe it? If you look at this picture you'll see that we now have a rowing machine in the corner of our BEDROOM. We live in a *tiny* apartment, and now, we also have a rowing machine. When Ben decided to get himself this "toy" last weekend (after tons of obsessing over it), I was slightly annoyed. I thought, really? While we're planning a wedding and living in a tiny place with no where to put it, you want to buy a rowing machine? But the sweet guy is SO obsessed with them that I just couldn't stop him. He bought it, and is now super happy, even if the only place we can actually use it is on our balcony... But anyhoo, the reason that it's one of my SJOTW this week is that I actually used it to row a 2k on Tuesday, and had a lot of fun. It was really hard, but it was kind of cool to be rowing out on our balcony in the heat, and I felt a bit hard core ;) Plus, it just makes Ben so happy that I have to love it. Luckily, the thing comes apart into two pieces, because when he first brought it home and it was sitting about 8-feet tall in the corner of the room, I was pretty worried...

See? Sometimes the things that you worry about, dislike at first, or even dread, actually become pleasant moments or simple pleasures during your week ;) 

So now I'm off to prepare for a busy, but fun-filled weekend. If you're around, join me tonight for 108 Sun Salutations at TSA from 8-10:30pm, or tomorrow at the Artomatic Art-to-go Marketplace from 1-6pm. 

I hope your weekend is full of simple joys!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine

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