On marriage,

Last week we celebrated our first anniversary in Puerto Rico. We hiked to some waterfalls in a rainforest, did some pretty sweet zip lining, and we always made time to play in the warmest, most beautiful ocean I’ve ever seen. And listen. Even without trips to the Caribbean, marriage is so completely beyond wonderful. Anyway, I know it can be; it is for me.

britt

 view from our hotel

When we were at El Yunque, Chris took the hike like it was NBD, but I nearly died. As punishment for being more fit than I am, I'm posting this picture of him in my heart sunglasses. 

bright red face

zip lining at Toro Verde; picture on the left from Instagram

The beach on the left is the beach at our hotel, and the adorable little tree in the right is where we relaxed for a day at Flamenco Beach.

Culebra

Also Culebra, where the sand is as white as my legs.

to weekend getaways,

Chris in Muir Woods

Adventure!

I’m considering buying this print for our apartment. They make one with a white background and black lines, but I prefer this version because I like the portrayal of travel as light. This summer we didn’t have any international flights, but we made quick weekend trips a priority, and they brightened my life. We drove along the coast, explored redwood forests, and slept under the stars. We swam in ocean water on sweltering afternoons, and huddled under fleece blankets watching movies in the mountains. Every day glimmered with that warmth that only comes from embarking into The Unknown with people you love. It wasn't anything flashy, but my summer memories are filled with light.

britt

to Freedom:

Filoli is a 1917 county house (read: mansion) with pretty extensive gardens. A huge rose garden, orchards, meadows, forests, bowling greens, it's awesome. Chris' favorite part was the knot garden (i.e. the plants are all woven around each other). Grandma: we are going there, you will love it.

I'm pretty sure this was the first "free weekend" I've had since Billy was hero. Around 2:00 on Saturday afternoon, I started talking about how I wanted to go to Filoli sometime. Chris looked at his watch and said, "Oh, we could go now! Do you want to go now?!" And - if you can believe it - right that second, we got in the truck, and we went; and that's what I think freedom is. 

- happy (summer) camper

To the Salt Flats:

Picture from Harper's Bazaar shoot.

I was pretty sure that the first time I visited you, it would be for a Ralph Lauren advertising campaign. I would be a fabulous model, there would be a lot of yelling in French, and I’d have my own personal team of hair and makeup people. In reality, Chris and I were driving back to California and I had a pretty harrowing case of food poisoning. It ended up being more like a set for a zombie movie, not where I play the hero/zombie killer’s love sexy love interest, but where I am one of the actual zombies and no hair and makeup team is necessary.

- zombie 2

to the Bay:

We're home.

- girl who loves humidity, chocolate coconut macadamia treats, warm ocean water, and being old enough to get a rental car

to "stereotypes"

this was one of our last adventure trips around the island: an ancient fishing village. 

When we walked up to Mauna Loa volcano, Chris stared in awe and said, “I just want to run down there. With an ax.” And I contemplated boy-ness. Later that same day I literally (literally) cried over how delicious my mahi-mahi was. And I pondered girl-ness. There are many ways in which we don't subscribe to traditional gender roles or stereotypes, but we really hit you on the head today.

- weepie

adulthood,

I’m 25 years old, married, in law school, etc. So I’m a "grown up" now, but it was tough to discern that on our first full day in Hawaii because I frolicked and played in the ocean forever and then slept for eleven hours. Hurrah for honeymoons. Hurrah for spring break.

“adult”

Dear Olives,

Yes, Chris sliced our cheese with a spork. On the flight back to San Francisco our picnic was a bunch of Dunkin Donuts. It didn’t look as classy, but it was TEN TIMES AS AWESOME. 

Last week I read this article about packing a picnic for your flight. So for an upcoming trip to Chicago, I went into my favorite Italian grocery store, and I bought crackers, pepper jack, fancy chocolates, and you – you salty, wonderful, scrumptious, perfect olives. And I guess I'm writing to apologize that you didn’t make it to the airport. You didn’t even make through the seven minute walk to my apartment. You looked too tasty. I had to eat you. Maybe you’ll make it on next weekend’s flight to Utah

(unlikely).

I love you,

the impatient eater

Kirk and Rebecca

Hilary, Chris, Andrew, and I went to the Tavernacle. They have a dueling pianos show, and the night we went, the performers were insanely talented and hilarious. I can't believe I never went when I was in undergrad. I highly recommend it to anyone within a million miles of SLC.

Thank you for singing "Benny and the Jets" and "Fat Bottomed Girls." Two hours and many Shirley Temples later, I couldn't remember a more enjoyable night than the one I spent with you. I loved singing along, I loved your choreography to "Don't Stop Believing," I loved it all. I'll be back soon. 

-the brunette with Trophy Boy and Devilishly Handsome Andrew

to the universe:

picture from my aunt cari 

I am most thankful for:

• my family. 
• a flight back to san francisco with a travel buddy (for the first time in like seven years).
• the best travel buddy ever.
• pie.
• the people I go to school with.
• the little girl playing the ukulele in the Oakland airport this week.
• being half-way finished with law school in three weeks.
• Caltrain.
• Birthdays and birthday parties.
• the internet.

Stevie,

This is me with my plastic surgeon - he was the sweetest. And even though we had to wait like two hours for him to get out of surgery, I didn't care because A) he was so nice and B) the ER doctor said it would be worth the wait so the scaring will be minimal.

What I planned for Friday:
9:00 - Constitutional law
12:10 - Pick up sandwiches at Ike’s and leave for Carmel
4:00 - Spend the rest of the day reading First Amendment cases at the beach

I didn’t plan for this, but it happened anyway:
- Car accident
- Blood
- Crying in the emergency room
- A tetanus shot in the butt
- A plastic surgeon stitching up my face/eye

And I'm sorry I didn't call you first, and I'm sorry you had to hear it third hand, but thank you for leaving that message. I love you,
- damaged

Cyrus-

Went to Sunnyvale with Aly and Tyler (that's us in the picture) to see Siena, Miles, and Cyrus. I love the heck out of these people. And I wish I could describe how wonderful it feels to have an In N Out picnic with incredible people that you have loved for years. It is the very best kind of comfortable. 

I was so pleased to meet you (you are such a happy little man!) and thank you for sharing your parents this weekend. I could not stop smiling on the drive back to San Francisco, and the warmth I felt from our time together has stayed in my heart for days.

Love you,
your mom’s college roommate

Mr. Schleiffarth,

This week it was my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary. We got a cabin in Midway and it was awesome. Me and my family went four wheeling over the mountain to Brighton, dommed go carts, had dinner in Harriman, golfing in Orem. Me and dad spent a few hours with an estate planner. My family watched movies, went swimming. I spent Saturday morning walking through campus (library, MoA, HFAC, etc), and we remembered how great Costco lunches are. I almost went to Whitney’s baby shower. And Saturday night I went to the Heber fair and rodeo… Had a great time.

I'm so glad you are still a kid at heart.

- giggly gravitron girl

Dear West Yellowstone,

My cousin was the Man in the Chair in the Drowsy Chaperone, so we went to see him. He was great. I loved the show. Someday I will see Sutton Foster.

I think my favorite thing about seeing you (aside from the Drowsy Chaperone, which I really enjoyed) was listening to eight hours of Jim Dale reading Harry Potter.

- Hogwarts School of Law Transfer Student

Dear California,

went to orange country for Paul's brother's graduation. took a day trip to San Diego.

I miss you the most because you have the good food.

- lover of sea food and fresh produce

to everyone who said "18 hours!?"

I took the train home from school... awesome.

Yes. 18 hours. I could have gone for 80. I watched Northern California go by, wrote Christmas letters, read some poetry. And my train conductor had a white mustache, just like you'd imagine.

britt

Dear Utah,

Jonathan Canlas' photo

I can't be sure if I'm nervous to see you, or if the nausea is from these jeans being so darn tight. Either way, I'll be there in a few hours.

britt

Dear Seattle,

I hoped that the first time we met I'd get to leave the airport. Instead, I spent the night on the SEA floor, sleeping in Whitney's rockstar sunglasses waiting seven hours for my connecting flight.

britt

to all my stuff:

When I found out I was moving away from DC (literally overnight), I had to pack up anything on the East Coast I could call my own, not knowing if I would return to reclaim the leftovers. It’s an odd sensation to put your entire life on an airport scale and see that it weighs only slightly more than 100 pounds. Part of it feels wonderful, unencumbered. The other part felt exactly like buying gelato for the first time. You pay what ends up being eight dollars for a half a scoop, and in a moment of shock and confusion you stare blankly at the Italian woman holding your boarding pass/ice cream cone thinking, “Wait, are you serious? That’s it?”

You might not amount to very much, but I’m glad I have you.
britt

Hypothetical Detective,

picture from a Kate Spade "most likely to" thing they're doing this summer.

Since you’re trying to figure out what I’m doing in DC, let’s review the evidence: I packed like I was just going on vacation. No extra contacts or contact solution, no nail polish remover, no Sunday School manual, barely enough clothes for three weeks. My internship on the Hill is only a few weeks. I only got a month-long lease. Almost all the clues say, “She’s going back in June.” But directly counter to the mounting evidence of a brief stint in the District, I bought a one-way ticket…

The point is: if you figure out when I’m returning to the West, or where exactly I’ll be going, please let me know.
britt