is what I came home to last night. No idea how long she was stuck in it. Needless to say I won’t be leaving her alone with it anymore…
UPDATE: For the record, she came to the door with it on her head, wagging her tail. I took it off immediately. I took this picture this morning, when she got it stuck again. Also, this is what it is; it’s an interactive toy that “challenges and develops your dog’s intelligence.” Clearly it’s not working that well. She loves the squirrels, though.

Some of my more recent columns:

• The 5 Best "Healthy" Cocktails in NYC
• A Distinctive Evening with Black Grouse
• NYC's 5 Best Bars for New, Fun Cocktails
• The 5 Best New Bars to Try in New York City

Numbers, numbers, numbers, presentations, writing, more numbers, more writing. Taking a break to volunteer at this, however. Then back to it. Love this time of year. At least I remembered to wear my glasses today.

My family got this for me for Chanukah this year, knowing my general opinion about mornings. But I certainly don’t feel that way today. Every year on my birthday I am first and foremost thankful to be alive and healthy, and even more thankful to have amazing friends and family on the journey alongside me. Another year older, and although sometimes I feel like I’m still waiting for the wisdom to fully kick in, I’m certainly enjoying the ride.

I have a half-written summary of my trip to Berlin, but haven’t managed to finish it yet. Since I returned, I went up to Maine for Thanksgiving, returned to NYC, and am now sitting in the airport waiting to board for my trip to Thailand (with a layover in Tokyo). It’ll be the longest flight I’ve ever been on, but I know it’ll be worth it; I couldn’t be more excited to explore another part of the world. Many thanks to Dad & Joan for helping out, to all who have given me recommendations & tips, and to Kim & Rachel – see you in Thailand!

Between Portland Cocktail Week and National Pro Bono Week, I'm still in a bit of a whirlwind. Stay tuned for PDX recap!

It’s my first visit to Portland; I’m out here for Portland Cocktail Week, which starts tonight. In the meantime, I caught up on some sleep and am having some delicious oyster hash at the Bijou Café before exploring the city a bit. Tonight: dinner at Le Pigeon before heading to the opening festivities. Excited about my time here. If you’re in town, I’ll see you soon!

Actions always speak louder than words.
How is it possible that I am still tired after sleeping for 8 hours?
It’s amazing how much I love a good glass of rosé in the summertime (latest taste: Gotham Project’s rosé on tap).
It’s always enjoyable and interesting to get to know someone a little bit better who was previously more of an acquaintance.
I may be old-fashioned, but I prefer talking on my land line when I hunker down for a solid phone call.
I can be quite the tech nerd; waiting impatiently for the new Verizon 4G dual-core Android phones to drop.
Looks like I have a jackass in the running this year, but thankfully only one. So far.

It takes a whole bunch of stuff to get through a triathlon. Not pictured: bike, helmet, bike gloves, 2 additional water bottles, flat tire gear, sunglasses, wetsuit, swim cap, flip flops.