fireside obsession
blissful start to the day
I will be the first to admit that I love the off-season. The quiet thrill of the lull before the storm, the languid pace before the rush sets in; I find there lives a certain species of peace in the moments, however short, before the regularly scheduled crowd descends. Quite simply, I love being places when no one else is about. DC during the holidays is a perfect example. While the shelves at your nearby grocery store may be expectantly bare, come Thanksgiving Thursday a hush has settled over the center of town and you feel as if those few blocks around your house are yours and no one else’s. Or Coronado in January. For the life of me I can’t figure out why more people don’t venture across the bridge from San Diego and stake their own peaceful patch of sand. True, you won’t get much sunbathing in, but the quick-setting sun still warms you through and the sound of waves crashing faces no competition from boisterous beach dwellers. Or the Eastern Shore in winter. Yes, that takes sailing off the list of things to do. And you won’t be terribly eager to claim a seat on the veranda. And icy rain may convince you that poking around in the town’s shops is not worth the effort, regardless of any enticements they might offer. But one thing you will more than happy to spend your time doing? Quietly cozying up to a fireplace.
