Tall Tara

If you haven’t picked up on it yet, most of my challenges seem to revolve around athletic themes. There are the obvious physical and mental obstacles involved, but I’m pretty sure that I’m still trying to make up for lost time. And convince myself I’m an athlete.
In September of 2009, I ran my first trail [...]

I officially met Elaine in 2008. And for the life of me, I can’t remember where we were…probably at some meetup or another. But that doesn’t really matter since it wasn’t until this year that we became good friends.
From my bachelorette party in February…

To my wedding reception in June…

Elaine Eleanor Ellis rocked my world this [...]

I have Micah to thank for this one. In addition to being the #1 douchebag, he also knows art.
For Christmas a few years back, he gave me a gift certificate to 20×200. His present allowed me to purchase a beautiful print for my husband’s new office and more importantly, changed how I viewed buying art.
It [...]

I used to hate olives. With a passion.
As in, from the very pit of my being.

Then something happened.
And I’m pretty sure that something rhymes with “mirty fartini”.

Don’t get me wrong….I still don’t like black olives.
But holy shit. Those big green ones, or small green ones, stuffed with blue cheese or simply floating in vodka.

Sorry it [...]

I agree with Gwen that the way we listen to, discover and acquire music is monumentally different these days.
The fact that my father-in-law knows what Pandora is and streams it on his boat amazes me.
And 2009 is the year that I realized that Gen Y really is good for something: music recommendations. (I kid. Sort [...]

There’s something about heading out on a backpacking trip that is synonymous with peace for me. Maybe it’s because I know I won’t have any chance to log in or maybe it’s because I know that all I have to worry about is when to pump water and how many fish to fry up…

We went [...]

My reading interests are varied, to say the least.
Here are my runners-up for best nonfiction book (that I read) this year…

All really amazing, each in their own way. But there was one book that gave me loads more to think about…a book with plenty to digest…full of potty humor and a topic that no one [...]

I’m married to a foodie. There are many restaurant moments that come right out of my kitchen.
Also? I live in a town recently profiled in the WSJ and called “the best small city for great meals”.
So when I say it’s hard to pick the best restaurant experience of the year, I really mean it. I’m [...]

From Los Angeles to New York, I was all over the map this year.
However, there was one trip in particular that was by far the most magical…

Duh.