Olea

Olea is my favorite restaurant within walking distance of my apartment. I like it because of its beluga lentil salad and flamenco guitarists, but go there because I can walk.

Last weekend Alison and I were trying to pick a place to go while it was snowing and my only request was that it had to be within two blocks of our apartments. Olea didn't win that night because it's more like eight blocks, but I did walk home from Olea tonight which was the best feeling ever. Walking home was something I longed for in my pre-New York days when I was living in a strip mall.

I had dinner here tonight with Meredith, a college friend from my AmCon days, and Katie, a fellow Ole whom I actually never knew at Olaf. Much of what we talked about related to Olaf and the American Conversations program... our outlooks, our values, our goals. We live opposite lives, in all practical terms, but all maintain that ethereal bond of twentysomethings figuring these years out on our own.

I wouldn't trade my life right now for anything. Anything. I love that I'm left wandering, and I mean it. For even though none of us quite have it together, we are able to laugh at our struggles and hold pride in our situations.

We might not have heat in the middle of January, or a job during a recession, or a boyfriend... ever. But, lordy, its so much fun.

Thanks for a great night, girls. Um Ya Ya. :)