i am finally tucked into the covers of
our lovely bed.
pajamas on.
laptop on - where else? - my lap.

i packed away all of my stuff from our
little get-away to Carmel for our 13th year
anniversary where all we did
was walk around,
eat,
and watch TV in our hotel room.
It was a welcome breath of fresh air
and time away from our daily routine
and easy access to computers.
thankfully, my bf didn't type on
a computer at all for the entire weekend.
his arms, hands, wrists and fingers deserved a break.

Carmel is so quiet - a perfect place to lose
yourself in art (paintings, photography, sculpture)
as there are a gazillion galleries in the downtown
area. Me and the bf stayed in a hotel smack dab in the
middle of all these lovely galleries, shops and restaurants.
We actually hit the opening reception at the Weston Gallery
for the exhibit of work by Jeffrey Becom.
They featured some of his newest photography from his trips to Peru.
he is quite fascinated by the bright colors of buildings
and homes throughout this country.
I believe it is a cultural thing, but I haven't
quite figured out the story.

After the reception, me and the bf
wined and dined at a local french restaurant.
we share stuffed mushrooms for appetizers
and chicken pot pie and quiche for entrees.
we both had a lovely glass of merlot
which actually gave me a little burst of energy
and nice buzz.
we topped off dinner with a pot au chocolat and
an evening stroll down ocean avenue.

since the town pretty much closes down by 9p,
(even on the weekends)
we spent the rest of the night watching the SAG
Awards and tending to the bf's aching tummy.
Note to self: never mix wine, coffee, butter and dairy.

earlier that morning we had a nice leisurely walk
up and down the beach and through the shops in town.
we spent a good 2 hours or so having lunch
at one of the quaint little cafe's.
for the first time in a long time
he and i actually finished our coffee in the cafe
while we talked and waved at little kids passing
by in the window.
I don't know why we don't make the time to do
that when we are home.
We will definitely have to change that.

On our car ride home,
we both realized how much needed
this little get away was for us.
being away from everything and
everyone helps us to
"re-set" and get re-inspired,
especially since we always have so many
different responsibilities to tend to.

during our walk along the beach,
i focused on the things that caught me eye, like
the muted greyish-brown of the sand,
the muted blue-green of the water,
the bulb-like shapes of seaweed,
the various-shaped rocks peppered across the shore...
I think i have an idea now of what i would like to paint next.
and it will hang in our bedroom wall.

I focused on textures, my favorites being
the graininess of the sandy shore
juxtaposed by the smoothness of black
rocks weathered down by hundreds of
clashes with the ocean tide.

I floated on the mood, the spirit of
this tiny spec of existence
where people ran freely
dogs ran wildly
and saying hello or flashing a smile
to the stranger in front of you
happened without hesitation, doubt or pause.

On this trip to little Carmel,
I was reminded once again of
the enormouse significance
of this simplicity
of my experience.