Good Life

What is the "good life?"  It's really a complicated question and it usually involves a complicated answer.  But if you asked me (and even better . . . . . I just asked myself!) it boils down to two simple things: special people and special places.  This weekend, I was blessed to get to enjoy both.  And for this I am so thankful.

When I think of the people I most like to spend my time with, tops on my list are my family.  I am blessed.  While I wish Peter and John could have been with us, it was still great to spend a Saturday night with Brad and Mary.  We were in a favorite place:  New Haven.  Although New Haven isn't a place that most people think of as a destination, for us it is a special place.  It has food from all over the world and an energy around Yale that we love.  New Haven has such a variety of ethnic restaurants that we continue to discover new places each time we visit.  (Okay, true confession.  Since about half the time we are there we go to the same Singaporean noodle shop, it takes us double the time to try all the other places in town.)  New Haven is famous for its pizza, but there is SO much Italian food in Connecticut that we rarely crave it.  We usually reserve New Haven for Indian, Thai, Malaysian, etc.  But last night we went for pizza.  And it did not disappoint.  Modern Apizza was delicious!

After pizza, we went to the New Haven Green for a free concert by the New Haven Symphony.  Mary especially enjoyed the first selection of the night, which was Carnival of the Animals.  Back when she was in elementary school in Warsaw, she performed as an elephant in a rendition of this piece.  So she hummed along and enjoyed the memory.  The weather was spectacular and it was great to spend an evening on the Green.

Another favorite place is New York City.  And another favorite person is Sara, my friend from our days in Japan.  Now she's living back in her hometown of Perth, Australia, and this weekend she flew out here for business.  Before her work week starts on Monday, we met in New York City on Sunday and spent the day eating, visiting museums, and walking around the city.  We hadn't seen each other since she and her family left Japan to move back to Australia six and a half years ago, but it felt like no time had passed.  It was a great day.  This picture was taken on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Isn't the skyline of Manhattan behind us gorgeous!

We caught up with Brad and Mary toward the end of our day and had some time to sit down and visit some more. While Sara and I were out and about, Brad and Mary had spent a father-daughter day exploring Central Park and visiting the United Nations.  I honestly can't imagine a more perfect day in a city I adore with a friend for whom I am so very thankful and with my wonderful husband and daughter.  Without a doubt, I am living the "good life."