Stop talking and stare straight ahead

Each city on my trip has fulfilled something different. Oregon was nature. Aruba was the beach. California was food and wine (…and San Francisco beckoned me to move there). And the theme for Houston was laughing. Lots and lots of laughing. Which is good, because I like to laugh.

The reason for the stop in Houston was to see my friend Sammi, who I’ve known since kindergarten. We grew up two blocks away from each other, had safety patrol at the same time in sixth grade (afternoon, to help kindergartners come in), played on the same soccer team (only for a couple seasons, because I was too busy picking weeds and making necklaces to care about flying balls and goalie hands and defense. Also, I honest to God wore jeans to games. Who the hell knows why, because that’s just stupid), and spent countless hours together in the journalism room in high school and on journalism trips across the country. She’s been in Houston since she graduated from Indiana University, but this was my first visit.

The trip started out with Sammi picking me up at the wrong airport and ended with the filming of this video. We had a lot of fun making it (and doing the things mentioned in it. Whatever we were doing, we were laughing). Head over to Sammi’s blog to see some outtakes and to read her recap, “Cheap, yet classy, with plenty of free kisses.” They’re pretty entertaining, so you’re missing out on your daily recommended dose of laughter if you don’t.

Once I was picked up at the correct airport (not that I minded sitting in a rocking chair, waving down strangers who looked like her in the mean time) we went to lunch because I was wasting away and in need of food upon my arrival. Sammi took me for crepes in her neighborhood. And because I loved her raspberry nutella crepe with whip cream concoction SO. MUCH. I made her take me there again after dinner, even though I wasn’t even really hungry. Because once I start eating nutella, I lose all sense of control (it’s why all the girls gained at least 10 pounds when we studied abroad in Italy. Behold, the power of nutella).

On Saturday, we were up bright and early because Sammi had to teach at Saturday school. I just sort of lurked in the corner, looking like a predator, not quite sure what to do (the bugs certainly knew what to do, and immediately attacked me as we waited outside for the buses). Sammi was looking for materials in the back of the library for her class to do on Monday (because she took the day off — to be with me) and I slightly geeked out at seeing all the classroom copies of books for the whole school. Books I read and loved when I was in school. Loved seeing that they’ve stood the test of time.

After school, we went to Target at my request so I could restock on toiletries (and get an exfoliator, because my calves are STILL PEELING from the burn I got kayaking in San Diego more than two weeks ago. SPF is your friend. Seriously.) It was almost a religious experience because of how much stuff they had that made me happy. And by stuff I mean crazy things like body wash, shampoo and make up. They had so many options, and most of the stuff was nearly half the price I would pay in New York; I just wanted to buy it all, but I didn’t. Because even though I can’t exercise restraint with nutella, I’ve learned how to at Target.

After an afternoon nap/internet binge, we went to dinner, which ended up being my favorite meal. We went with some of Sam’s teacher friends to Chuey’s for Tex Mex, which is famous for its creamy jalepeno dip. My God, America. The rest of us are really missing out on Tex Mex and Chuey’s. My stomach almost exploded because I could. not. stop. eating. it. I’d already consumed a meal’s worth of chips and dips before my entree even arrived. It was glorious.

Another highlight of my trip was when Sammi introduced me to the most incredible stationery store. As in I kept telling her I wanted to live there and never leave. They sold cards and paper products in front and ran a design studio in the back. Which would be my dream job/company right now. I touched lots of cards and notebooks, admiring the designs, illustrations and detail and ended up buying the coolest planner. 2010 can’t get here fast enough.

As you can see, we have a lot of fun together. The kind of fun and understanding that come from knowing someone so long — through bad haircuts, weird outfits, high school freak outs and life plan overhauls. Even though this was my first time in Houston and we haven’t spent this much time together for two years, everything fell right back into place. There’s something extra comforting about the friendship of someone who has grown up with you and loves you just the same, even if you constantly push her dog away because she won’t stop licking you.