my grand adventure

Yesterday morning's chai tea latte.  Photographed with Nikon Coolpix.

You don't often hear people describing Houston as "breathtaking" or "magical."  Years of urban sprawl and lack of any thoughtful zoning have rendered the city a maze of strip malls; coupled with the hot, humid summers, Houston rarely makes the top ten of any "Coolest US Cities to Visit" lists.  Since I've lived in Houston for a total of 20-something years now, I often find myself wistful when I visit more "user friendly" cities:  walkable cities, cities with more effective mass transit, more plentiful green spaces; cities located in more topographically-interesting areas.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to live here, I think to myself.   One day.  One day I'll settle in a really beautiful town.  It will happen.

Then I'll end up having a morning like yesterday morning:  mornings where I visit a great independently-owned coffeehouse, located in a pretty, architecturally-pleasing space, a spot that makes the best chai tea latte in the state, where the baristas greet you with a cheery "hello" and the strangers smile when they catch your eye, because, frankly, that's just the Houston way.  And I'm reminded of the message in that lovely Disney/Pixar movie, UP, that lesson that even though it's good to have goals, perhaps every now and then we should take a break from pining for That Other Life, that Longed-For Adventure, lest we miss the Grand Adventure that's happening right before our very eyes, right here, right now.

I hope you enjoy your adventure today.

Song:  More than this by Vanessa Carlton