Half Moon Bay

Today Robbie and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. It has been a wonder four years full of laughter, growth, and love. He was my best friend on the day we were married and he has grown to be so much more than that today. In celebration of our time together, we decided to spend the weekend in Half Moon Bay. Neither of us had ever been to Half Moon Bay (HMB), so we were excited to experience a new adventure. One of my co-workers, Elaina, has family that owns a restaurant right in the middle of downtown, so I knew that she would be the one to talk to. She recommended that we stay at the Half Moon Bay Inn, and it couldn’t have been a better choice. Robbie and I love unique local hotels that offer more than a chain can provide. This hotel was just that. Our room was titled the “Renaissance Queen” and it was beautifully decorated with romantic touches of a Renaissance era. We had the corner room, so two of our four walls were lined with windows and plantation shutters. The hotel’s character was found in even the simplest forms, such as our toilet paper rolled into a rose.

The point of our weekend was to relax. We spent a lot of time in the town, walking around browsing shops, and just enjoying the atmosphere. My parents had gotten Robbie and I a gift certificate for a great Italian restaurant named, it’s Italia! We could not be more pleased with the service and food we received. We sat at this amazing table in the corner of the back patio, right next to a fireplace; the fireplace was perfect because Half Moon Bay can get chilly at night. To kick off the evening, we started with a caprese appetizer. I had forgotten how delicious that plate is! Taking my first bite flooded my mind with memories of Italy and the amazing food adventures we experienced last summer. Next I moved on the prawns, linguine, and tomato cream sauce that was so tasty that I could not restrain myself. After dinner I was not compelled to by pass dessert, so I ordered the tiramisu and a hot chocolate. Needless to say, I was stuffed but elated.

We were able to spend the Fourth of July in HMB and watch the local parade. It was pretty full of cheese, but it was really fun to see the locals so involved. We also drove to Pacifica to see the fog, but were disappointed to find out that we drove there on one of the two days a year it’s not foggy. The California coastline was incredible; the ocean was bluer than I have ever seen it. After our drive we came back to the hotel and took naps. It was wonderful! I can’t remember the last time I had a nap, let alone not holding feelings guilt for it. Later that night we stumbled upon The Cocktail Monkeys at the local bar and grill. They put on quite a show and the crowd of cougars were loving it. I even impressed Robbie with the amount of lyrics I could recite from AC/DC’s, “You Shook Me All Night Long”.

Overall, the weekend was fabulous. I could not have asked for a better time with a better person. Robbie and I are at a time in our careers where we have opposing work schedules, so being able to spend so much time together is irreplaceable. He is a man that has challenged me to think outside the box and become a better person; he has made me want to pull my hair out with his crazy ideas; and he has taught me to love deeper than I could have ever imagined before. Half Moon Bay will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Running

Over the last few weeks my husband, Robbie, has been running on almost a daily basis. He has had a burst of motivation and hasn’t looked back. Last night he ran nearly 4 miles! Now, this may sound amateur to some of you, but it sounds inconceivable to me. I have never enjoyed running. I was the kid in PE that never ran a mile in less than ten minutes, and I would purposely walk the maximum amount before I got in trouble. As Robbie dives head first into the world of running, he provides me tidbits here and there on how to make my running experience more enjoyable so that I do it more often.

One idea Robbie uses to entice me to continue is that the more I run the more I will push through the burning lungs and nausea, and plateau at heavy breathing. I know it’s sounds appealing, but it doesn’t motivate me to actual begin running. His personal drive has been more motivating than the possibility that I will eventually get good at it. Another attempt at getting me started is that I will have time to contemplate my day and the thoughts I am mulling over. This sounds appealing. I feel like I don’t have enough hours in the day, so mutli-tasking and being able to think about my thoughts while working out is sure to be guilt-free. Plus, the monologues in movies during running scenes are so compelling. The only problem with this plan is that while I am running, I am solely concentrating on pushing through my discomfort. I have to identify a location in the distance and assure myself I will get a break at that point. Solving complex life issues is the last thing on my mind while I’m concentrating on my breathing.

Although I don’t enjoy running, I have been making an effort to try. My hope is that I will be able to enjoy it at least a little bit so that I can use it as a release. My first breakthrough came 2 nights ago. Robbie and I had a heavy conversation that left me feeling hopeless, frustrated, and discouraged. I decided to go for a run afterward and I found comfort in my steps. I ran further than I have, stopping less than I normally do. I’m not sure if the adrenaline was pushing me, or if I was actually reaching a plateau, but I will admit that it brought relief. Running just over a mile allowed me to release the tension I felt at the kitchen table, it helped me realize my frustration was just a battle I needed to overcome.