half & half

I am afraid all the time. Not of getting sick or pickpocketed, nor of public speaking or heights, but mostly I'm fearful of not doing the right thing. I spend time worrying about the "right" choices for myself and my wellbeing. The rest of my nervous energy is then spent thinking about how my actions affect the people I care about, and even the rest of the world. It's exhausting. And I guess not so surprising that my sole new year's resolution then is to live fearlessly :). Anyway, I bring it up because I need to tell you how worked up I got myself when deciding whether or not to come to Central America. Very.

My friend Matt invited me to work with him as he traveled throughout Costa Rica and Panama. It probably shouldn't have been so hard to eventually take him up on the offer, right? It was. Thankfully, I have friends like Leslie, Holly and Claire, amongst others. I have the incredible support of my beloved family. I have people in my life who encourage me to take advantage of opportunities and pursue my passion no matter where in the world it leads me. Being that I'm sitting in San José, Costa Rica at the moment, I'd say I'm pleased with the outcomes so far.

Before leaving I enjoyed a fabulous "going away" dinner at Half Moon with two of my best friends from home. We discussed life and love and all of it's uncertainties, and I couldn't have felt more at ease with where I'd been, where I was, and, dare I say it, where I was going. We also, of course, ate...

[Tasting Menu Appetizers: Butternut Squash & Granny Smith Apple soup, Crab Cake, Seafood Ravioli] 

[Tasting Menu Salads: Ceasar, Angry Calamari, and

Frisee, Broccoli & Butternut Squash Salad]

[Tasting Menu Entrée: North Atlantic Salmon]

[Dessert: New York Cheesecake]

All of that plus a bottle of Cabernet Franc made for a delightful meal shared by all three. I love to travel, I do, and I also love to be home. I really am just a walking contradiction, I suppose... or a classic Gemini. For as much as I find myself scared to take leaps of faith, I believe that potentially missing out on experiences (and people) worth the risk is the most frightening chance of all. And in the occasion that certainty falters, I have my team, as mentioned above, to convince me otherwise. We simply cannot make any progress by playing it safe!

Yesterday, we ventured outside the city to visit woodworking studios and craft galleries. Today we're going downtown to explore San José's museums and el mercado central. Right now I'm all in, and I'll most definitely share photos/stories soon. Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend so far!