I Feel Home

Tonight I felt like I was at home. An old school favorite song of mine from high school and early college days even sang in my head as I cooked.

Even though our furniture isn’t set to arrive until Friday at 8am, I hosted someone in the flat for the first time tonight! Maybe it’s my Southern roots or just my upbringing but there is nothing I love more than opening my home to friends, whether it’s 1 or 20, and sharing a bottle of wine while enjoying homemade meal and conversation.

I realized this morning that I kept putting off hosting my girlfriends merely because I didn’t feel I could properly host without our furniture, fresh flowers and a spotless home. But, an evening like tonight is far more important than any of that. When I realized that Emily was working late and hadn’t gone to the grocery store due to a weekend trip to Amsterdam I thought it was the perfect opportunity to host and use some of the produce on their last legs. IMG_0929

Within an hour of walking through the door the apartment was cleaner than it’s been in the five weeks I’ve been here and the candles aroma filled the apartment.  It wasn’t a fancy evening but it was one more step in making Geneva feel like home versus an extended work trip.

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We laughed over stories from our respective weekends and sipped a local white chardonnay. Since I was starving I put together a quick cheese plate with a Manchego and Brie cheese bought from the store this evening paired with some crackers and cornichons. Our main course was a dinner salad featuring a bed of baby spinach topped with freshly sliced and salted tomatoes, figs, goat cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and grilled chicken sausage. The chicken sausage was a bit random as I swore it was just chicken when I took it out of the freezer this morning in my pre-run morning stupor, but it did the job.

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Choose Friends

I have a smile on my face that is impossible to get rid of right now thanks to some wonderful friends!

Last night Emily, Sara and I dined outside at La Bodega where we split a bottle of Spanish wine and more food than any of us could stomach. It wasn’t the most memorable food but the temperature was perfect and we spent more time laughing than anything else.

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I am coaching Renaud’s girlfriend as she gets back in shape and starts running. We’ve spent two evenings together talking about health and fitness while running along Lake Geneva.  The two sessions have made me fall in love with running all over again. I love being able to help and support someone along their journey to a healthier lifestyle! I’m going to talk more about it in a separate post but for now, all you need to know is that I am so proud of her and she is doing wonderfully! I think the best part is her positive and realistic attitude about the whole process!

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This morning’s speed workout found Emily and I on the opposite side of the lake before the sun which meant we stopped for a sunrise stretch break after our last sprint! I relish these mornings as I know come November the cloudy, cold days will replace the brilliant sun filled mornings. 

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I head to London this weekend! My long run will be more fun than two weeks ago just by the mere fact that I finally get to meet Charlie! We’ve followed each other on Twitter for over a year so I can’t wait to spend 10 of my 16 miles chatting and seeing more London sights! She put together a route and everything for us. Now, I wonder if she can also tell London it really doesn’t have to rain for another long run. Unfortunately the 90% chance of rain beginning at 5am on Friday makes me think that I need to upgrade my water resistant running jacket to a waterproof one. Any suggestions?

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I am leaving straight from work tomorrow for the airport which means I should already be packed and ready to go, right? Never mind the fact that most of my running clothes are in a dirty pile or that the house is a wreck. I guess sometimes happiness is more important than clean running clothes.

Last but not least, I finally answered my sushi craving! Tonight I had great intentions to make a huge salad, taking advantage of the leftovers in the refrigerator before leaving for London tomorrow. While I’m sure the salad would have been delicious, I couldn’t refuse a sushi invitation! During our run this evening, Sarah mentioned how much she loved sushi and that there was a great take out sushi spot near their flat. Little did I know that while I held Ugo she and Renaud were planning a sushi dinner.

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I haven’t had sushi since leaving New York so even the simplest of salmon rolls made me smile tonight! Some how, I found myself watching the Belgium versus France futbol game and eating sushi at 9pm instead of packing. Like I said gang, what is more important? Clean clothes and a packed bag or sushi and laughter with friends? Always choose friends, especially when living in a new city.

Your turn! What are your tips and motivational suggestions for someone starting down the path to a healthier lifestyle? In my post where I share more of my thoughts I want to include some of yours!

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Baby You’re a Firework

Greetings from our flat in Geneva! Today has been the exact Sunday we both needed after an exhausting weekend. Until today we’d each had a non-stop few days and our bodies and minds were screaming for rest! We’ll back track a bit in tonight’s post to fill you in on the rest of our weekend!

Friday Night

Bo landed in Geneva around 8:45pm which meant he didn’t get to the flat until 9:30. While he was en route I was being entertained by our dear friends Renaud and Sarah who invited me over for dinner and an evening of playing with their adorable five month old, Ugo! IMG_0533

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Ugo is almost five months but is already pulling himself up to stand and eating whole foods! Clearly he’s going to be an athlete like his father!

The evening was filled with a mix of small tastes that Sarah and Renaud prepared Friday evening, delicious champagne cocktails, wine, and good conversation. It’s so nice to get to know both of them better now that I live in Geneva versus just seeing them during work trips.

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I still can’t believe that they “whipped” this together in a just a short hour before my arrival! I have already asked Sarah for a cooking session one evening so I can learn her tips and tricks!

Saturday Evening

Within 3 hours of returning to Geneva from our Chamonix hike, Bo and I were cleaned up and ready for a night out! Last night was the final night of Fetes de Geneve, a 3 week celebration in Geneva. Each night includes different musical guests along with fair games, food stands and other carnival like attractions along both sides of the lake. We spent an hour meandering through the festivities while sipping beers with Emily, Sara and her husband PJ.

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By 7:30 we found ourselves on a gorgeous rooftop overlooking Geneva. My friend and colleague, Nora, hosted a house party in celebration of the Fetes de Geneve fireworks. We spent the evening meeting lots of new people, drinking, eating, and enjoying the gorgeous weather and views! The guests were from all over the world which is such a different experience versus parties we would frequent in the states!

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The fireworks, which many people said were better than any they had ever seen, lived up to their reputation! The show which featured music on the local radio station, lasted over 45 minutes! The finale was especially breathtaking, filling the sky with more light and color than I’ve seen before even in New York or Disney World!

 

Sunday

By 1am I could barely keep my eyes open due to a 14 mile long run and long hike’s toll on my body. Needless to say, it was nothing that 10 hours of sleep couldn’t solve because when we woke up around noon today we were excited to head out to the Plainpalais Farmer’s Market. One of the only things open on Sunday in Geneva, this farmer’s market is smaller than the one near our flat but had a great selection of produce, cheese, meats, and even wines!

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The rest of our day has been filled with booking flights for upcoming weekends in London and Geneva, planning our trip to Burgundy for September, cleaning, and cooking. Now it’s time to curl up for the evening while watching Girl with the Dragon Tatoo!

How was your weekend?

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