Best of 2013

Oh 2013. It really does seem true that each year is better than the last. I could go on for ever and ever about this year, but I'll try to keep it simple.  Jim and I grew in so many ways, both in our relationship and separately. We started 2013 out on a road trip across the country for our move to California. We spent most weekends embracing the new space and beautiful weather, traveling everywhere we could within a 4 hour radius of our new home. We ran our first half marathon, spent a lot of time outdoors, made new friends. We've enjoyed the new challenges and experiences that go along with having new jobs. It's been a selfish year really, one just for us, and I know that's something we'll never take for granted.

It seems impossible to summarize the year, but the best way I can think of is through this list of lists...

Here are the year's Top 5:

Weekend Getaways:

1. Austin
2. Big Sur
3. Bodega Bay
4. The Lost Coast
5. Mendocino

Songs:

1. Roll Um Easy by Sarah and Christian Dugas
2. Teach Me To Know by The Lone Bellow
3. Up Above My Head by The Wood Brothers
4. Attaboy by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
5. Marmalade by Anders Osbourne
+ House of Stone by Mandolin Orange
+ Black as Night by Nahko and Medicine for The People
+ We Will All Be Changed by Seryn

Concerts:

1. Trevor Hall and Nahko / The Independent, San Francisco
2. The Lone Bellow / The Independent, San Francisco
3. Zac Brown / SAP Center, San Jose
4. Delta Rae and ZZ Ward / Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
5. The Wood Brothers / Great American Music Hall, San Francisco

Purchases:

1. Pour over coffee set, Part 1 and part 2.
2. SodaStream
3. The softest flannel sheets (actually this one was a gift!)
4. Favorite new workout capris
5. Our scooter!

Eats:

1. Lotus Cafe / Jackson, WY
2. Sushi Go 55 / Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA
3. Ciccio / Yountville, CA
4. Penny Ice Creamery / Santa Cruz, CA
5. Nick's Crispy Tacos / San Francisco, CA

Reads:

1. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
2. Sunset Magazine (my new fave)
3. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
4. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivy
5. Animal Tracks and Scat of California



It's time for a new year of favorites - bring it on '14!

Happy New Year, all.