Nature's Magic

What is it about nature? There’s something out there, unseen, undiscovered, calling to us. It’s something that heals each of us in a unique way. Is it the raw beauty, wildlife in its native world, the distance from noise and civilization, the uncertainty of what’s around the corner, or the quality of the air we breathe in? Whatever magic nature holds, it happens to be one of the best natural remedies to avoid or prevent burnout.

This particular trip I took to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado happened to come at a perfect time. I’m one of those people who doesn’t know when to stop when it comes to work, and I’ll push myself to the point of exhaustion – or eventual burnout. Yet five days in the middle of RMNP seemed to wipe the slate clean, but why and how?.

What special magic does nature possess that heals us workaholics?

Perhaps it’s the gratitude. Sometimes when we get so sucked in to our worlds – work, relationships, or adulting in general – we forget to stop and smell the roses. We’re so focused on getting to the next list item that we skip the five second “Thank You” to whomever or whatever deserved it. Yet when you’ve ascended a steep rock trail to reach to the top of a waterfall, you’re in no rush whatsoever. You take those moments to breathe it in, let it soak into your body as a whole, and you can just be awestruck for a while. Realizing how lucky we are to be alive and living in such a beautiful world, with beautiful people in it. Each plant, view, and memory is just one more reason to be grateful.

Alberta Falls

Or maybe it’s the mindfulness. I’m still deciding if I think it’s a strength or a weakness that “I can multi-task” in the workplace. There are arguments both for and against. Your best and safest option in nature though is to be present, truly in the moment. The limit of multi-tasking is working all of your senses at once. You listen for the breeze through the trees and grass, water of the creeks or waterfalls, or an animal stalking from behind; you watch for the views enfolding around you, the plant and wildlife species, or the roots, rocks or puddles awaiting you and your ankles; you feel the way your body is reacting to the weight of your bag, the steep ascent and descent, the way your heart is working with or without the optimal supply of oxygen; you smell the pine trees and the meadow grass; and you taste that much needed water and eventually the infamous PB&J. Regardless of which sense, hiking through nature calls for mindfulness and just being right there.

Mills Lake

Let’s not forget the seductress herself: adrenaline. Some people have no appetite for risk and danger, good for them. I know my parents wish I fell into that bucket. If you’ve ever done cryotherapy or a juice cleanse, you’ll know why I’m comparing adrenaline to either of them. There’s this clarity that comes with it. You gain unrivaled focus, your breathing is at its peak, you get a spike of superhero strength, you don’t feel pain, and you just soar (or sore). Whether it’s a hike, an encounter, a jump, or your heightened sense of awareness in wilderness, adrenaline brings an unrivaled physical and mental sharpness.

Sky Pond Trail

There is certainly other fairy dust in nature that can heal even a non-believer, but I know for certain that gratitude, mindfulness and adrenaline are a few of the pieces of the equation. Maybe it’s not just the beauty, wildlife, or air of nature that draws us, but perhaps it’s the healing powers it seeps into our lives. I know I’ll keep going back for more of both.

View from Trail Ridge Road

The Hike That Tipped My Swear Jar

The goal for 2018 was to stop swearing. I had gotten a lot better, made significant improvements, and was happy with that. I progressed as far as I had because every swear word costs me a $5 donation to a charity. My Half Dome hike cost me a $50 donation to Yosemite Conservancy though.

This hike was my proudest trekking accomplishment so far. It was the most significant physical challenge I’ve experienced to date, and it was a 13-hour undertaking much of which was spent so far beyond my comfort zone. As with any adventure like this one, I had a few key takeaways.

In life and on a hike, it’s simply not possible to catch up with others when you’re on completely separate trails. Our group of 5 girls got separated for 3 hours of our ascent, and both groups couldn’t find the other. The two separate groups were trying to catch up with the other, moving at fast paces, calling out, trying to call the others’ cell phones, and going through every scenario of what could be happening or how we would resolve it. Reflecting on the day lead me to realize how often we try so hard to get on the same page with someone or we can’t understand them, but maybe we’re on completely different paths.

On the day we hiked, I was having an off day; I had a tough time catching my breath most of the second half up. I’ve gone through all of the different reasons why this ascent was so hard for me. The best reason I’ve come up with was that I was so stressed about having an issue with my knee on the hike that that worry messed with me on a toxic level. That compounded with the stress of the group being separated and wondering if my friends had actually fallen down a waterfall. When you have days like that, or when you’re so exhausted (mentally or physically), the answer is more than just taking it one step at a time. It’s vital to switch up your stance or perspective – go sideways, backwards, run instead of walk, etc. On a hike like Half Dome, you also use all the tools in your belt. When your quads get tired, you’ll use those hamstrings. When your legs exhaust, put those arms to use. The synergy of your body, just like your team, can help you get that WIN.

When you look at Half Dome from afar, it’s easy to make a judgement on how that hike would be. In fact, it’s easy to decide and adjust those judgements while you’re on the hike, when you’re part way up, getting closer to the dome and starting to catch glimpses from closer than anywhere else in the park. Then you get to the sub-dome, and you have the switchbacks and granite scramble (my favorite part of the hike), and you wipe out what you think is the last of your energy. Then, you get to the base of the dome – you see it more intimately than most people do. Any judgement you made up to this point vanishes.

This sense of wonder envelops you. Maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s excitement, maybe it’s a combination. We try to make up our mind about what it will be like by looking at HD from Tunnel View, or from the videos we watched beforehand. None of that matters until you start making your way up those last 400 feet. Gripping on to cables bolted into the granite, walking along the path slick from people walking on the same 2-foot-wide path, and maneuvering your way past descending hikers on the same path. Having to pull yourself up by your arms on the most vertical portions. Wondering if you can do this, since the 6.5 hours up to that point – 8400 feet above sea level – took all your wind. Educating yourself on a hike like this beforehand is a wise move. Reserve the judgement until you’ve done it though. It’s useless to judge that big chunk of granite until you’re gripping its edges and are literally handing over any control you thought you had.  

Making your way down the cables on the dome is more daunting than going up. That’s the case for me because I fell. If I hadn’t stopped the fall, I would be a cute puddle somewhere at the valley floor. At the most vertical portion of the cables, I lost my grip – on the cables and my footing – and was free falling down Half Dome for a few seconds. I don’t think I even swore in that time period, but I’ve never felt panic like that before. I torqued my legs to try to shimmy my foot into a divot, and I put my arm out to bash into the pole cemented in the granite. Those two moves stopped my fall, and I had the bruise on my arm to prove it. How do you keep going after something like that though? 

One of the girls in my group had pranced down already, and the rest of the group was further behind me. I had no friends to boost me up and encourage me to take that next step. My heart was just about beating out of my chest, and all I could do was look down and realize I wasn’t done with this part yet. I wasn’t calling a helicopter, so I could only keep going – forward was the only option. I had to put the fear and worry aside and just move ahead with calculated steps. There’s a chance that I kissed the granite floor of the sub-dome when I got down those cables. I looked back and was prouder of myself than ever before, then continued with the descent with my girls in a much faster and easier 4.5 hours.

Half Dome was magnificent. It makes sense why it has been described as “perfectly inaccessible” and why people have perished hiking it. I’m very proud of me and my girls for successfully completing it. I learned some valuable lessons on that long hike. My bruises are gone and my muscles are no longer sore, but the memories and feelings from that day still wisp through my mind’s eyes. Although I tipped my swear jar more than I would have liked, I’m glad that it was a worthy opponent that made me slip (pun intended).

Two Years of SoCal Adventures

Southern California is a land full of dreams and adventures. For the past two years, I’ve experienced so much more than I could have hoped for when I moved here. I lived at the beach, I explored SoCal and its neighbors, I became an expert OC foodie, I worked hard and played hard, and I spent time with amazing people. As a farewell to SoCal, I concocted a manual for thriving in this beautiful place.

1. Take Advantage of the local attractions.

Many of my friends and relatives who came to visit said they couldn’t live here because it was too “vacation-y.” I loved it though. My favorite aspect of living in Newport Beach was, by far, being so close to the beach. I went on countless walks and runs on Balboa Island and the beaches. I attended baseball games of all the SoCal MLB teams; I rented duffies and yachts with friends and family; I watched the Balboa Island Christmas boat parades. I put up with the LA traffic enough to hit up most of its corners;

the Rain Room and Rodeo Drive are the “can’t miss” attractions in my opinion. Disneyland is, as expected, more than magical. Watching the whales play and splash around the beaches is one of the sites you can’t miss but you won’t experience until you stop trying to find them. The shopping is some of the best out there, even for someone like me who doesn’t like shopping. Fashion Island and the Grove were probably my top two. Ultimately though, my balcony was the true pìece de résistance in California – the place where I easily spent the most time (aside from my bed and perhaps my office). 

2. You must drive everywhere – so take advantage of that car and get away for the weekends.

Driving is the biggest disadvantage to living here, but it’s the only way to get around. The traffic is as bad as people say it is. I actually had decent traffic luck for a while, but when that ran out, it was brutal. That said, there are so many places to drive to that are easy road trips and make you happy you have your car. Mexico was probably one of my favorite road trips. It was most exciting because so many people tried to tell me not to go, of course. What a fun-filled weekend, in a beautiful place, for the best priced trip I had during my whole time here. Phoenix and Scottsdale have to make the list, though of course enjoying the Phoenician’s luxury accommodations played a major role in that. They say, “what happens in Vegas” for a reason. It’s a city of sensory overload, but it’s also full of glitz, glam, and fun.

Then, even if I flew there, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland cannot be missed – all cities with their own character and colors and foodie scenes to make the flights all worthwhile. Last, but certainly not least would be the National Parks. I made it to five of them in the past two years – Arches, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Bryce, and Zion. Each charmed and enchanted me in indescribable ways. Zion has been my favorite so far – it was majestic and imposing in a way that makes it effortlessly seep into your daydreams.

3. Explore all the best beach cities and towns to pick your favorite.

There can’t be any doubt as to my favorite of the beach towns – Newport. But, man-oh-man do they each have their own personalities and vibes. Some of my favorites from north to south include Santa Barbara, Malibu, Santa Monica, HB, Laguna, Del Mar, La Jolla, and the other SD beaches. Santa Barbara is such an adorable beach city, and when you accompany beach with wine tasting (Central Coast wineries are all within a stone’s throw) you cannot go wrong. Malibu is harder to reach; so it’s not as crowded but has those “unreal” views. Plus, when you have your Milano family along for the ride like I did the first Malibu visit, it’s bound to be chock full of “ohs” and “ahs.” Santa Monica – by far one of the best areas of LA – has the pier with the rides and the 2^nd street promenade that make it feel like the “city-est” of all the beach towns. Long Beach has such an eclectic style that you can’t pass it by. Its nightlife scene is pretty fun too – especially if you’re looking for a margarita tour. Huntington Beach cannot disappoint either.

It’s one of the most chill beach towns of them all, but what else would you expect from Surf City USA? HB is the town that first welcomed me to OC, and it’s where I first fell in love with my early morning beach runs, where the surfers and I were alone with dawn and the big blue. Laguna, Del Mar and La Jolla all have that luxury SoCal beach vibe – and rightly so. Del Mar is my favorite after Newps, but kayaking and sea lion gazing (not smelling) at La Jolla comes in pretty close after that. Then south but certainly not last would be the other beach towns of SD – OB, PB, Sunset Cliffs, and Coronado. All have their own charms and certainly add to the true San Diego nickname “America’s Finest City.”

4. Adapt a healthy lifestyle.

Running is my favorite hobby, and luck for me, it’s a healthy one. One of the reasons I wanted to move to SoCal was for its active lifestyle. If you love running like I do, SoCal is a dream come true, unless if you’re a crazy runner who somehow enjoys the sensation of your lungs freezing when you run in cold weather. Beach runs, runs around Balboa Island, Back Bay, or through Crystal Cove all had me sweating my heart out, letting my mind wander, and all while enjoying breath-taking views. You can’t beat exercising year-round, especially when you’re training for your next race. I trained hard and pushed my limits while running through wine country (near Paso Robles) to make my PR for my third half.  I also hit a few walls when I ran into tendonitis in two different seasons of marathon training. As heart breaking and frustrating as that is for a runner, to be able to heal by the coast and grow stronger through it was a invaluable. Plus, whether in cross-training, in off season, or just for fun, being able to do yoga on the beach or hop on the water to SUP, kayak or ride the waves (even if you have some close calls) is a treasure that shouldn’t be overlooked.

5. Become an OC foodie expert.

“What was your favorite” is always one of the most difficult questions in life. I thought long and hard about this one when it came to the restaurants I frequented.

Watertable, Black Trumpet Bistro, and Wilmas were my top three in SoCal. Watertable was where I had my two work holiday dinner parties, and man did we eat and laugh well. Black Trumpet Bistro is a tapas style place that I brought so many of my visitors, and its unique dishes and consistent knock-it-out-of-the-park food and service made it on the must list. Wilma’s Patio – a hearty fusion between Mexican and diner – hits the nail on the head with its brunch and dinner offerings. If you know me you know I love my chocolate. So the best chocolate places in town? Susie Cakes, Ruby’s and Vitaly, for sure. Susie Cakes has a chocolate cake that rivals Wegmans' (fighting words I know). Ruby’s milkshakes always hit ANY spot, plus when you’re at the original Ruby’s at Balboa Pier, you can’t disappoint. Then there’s Vitaly, the best little Italian place in SoCal with charming Bologna owners. Their gelato is as legit as it comes, and the fondente is simply superb. The next important category would have to be fish tacos – the best cuisine of the state, hands down. Sanchos,

Sol, Wilmas (ranked again, yes), and George’s (in La Jolla) take the cake. Taco Asylum is up there too, even if they don’t have fish tacos. Last, but not least, the coffee shops: I have explored so many of OC’s finest coffee shops with my colleagues. According to our algorithm, including comfort, wifi, good coffee, atmosphere, parking, and food, the top contenders would have to be The Lost Bean, Coffee Nature, Baou (unfortunately out of business now), BLK, and probably a few of the surrounding Starbucks. You can’t quite beat working from a coffee shop!

6. Spend time with quality people.

Like it would be any place in the world, the SoCal experience is so much more if you have A+ people. So many amazing people walked into my life here, and that’s half of the reason why I’m sad to leave. Between a roommate who became my home away from home, a colleague who welcomed me into her family and taught me how to enjoy that SoCal life, one of my best friends moving out here and making sure I always chased adventure, being so close to a couple of cousins, new UR friends, and an amazing church community, I slowly realized that I was as far from lonely out here as possible. I could not be luckier than to have these new friends – who will be lifelong friends.

My job also allowed me to work with some pretty awesome people. In addition to all of that was all the visitors I had. One of the biggest perks of being in a place like SoCal is that you are officially a destination, so everyone wants to come visit! Between family and friends, there were always new adventures with my visitors. And if you live in Newport, throw parties; it makes life so much fun. Wine tasting, pasta making, 4^th of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve parties all hit new levels of high.

I’m fortunate to be leaving SoCal with so many great experiences under my belt. The past two years was a time of healing, growing, exploring, and thriving. According to my calculations, I ran approximately 2000 miles and I went to the beach about 225 times – numbers that make me proud. I was as surprised as everyone else when I made this decision to move to New York City and leave my beloved SoCal behind. This is something I have to do though; otherwise I would have always wondered. I can’t wait for this next city adventure, and who knows, maybe I’ll end up returning to Cali down the road? Either way, no doubt I’ll be back to visit! Until next time, SoCal.