I heart puffy coats

It’s been cold and snowing, so a puffy coat (a la M and K) is just what I needed. Going past my knees and with a hood, it’s kind of like walking around in a sleeping bag. And on sale for only 20 euros, it’s a worthwhile investment to keep me warm this winter.

Next week, though, I'm shedding the new puffy coat and going on vacation to “the island of eternal spring.” Kat and I are going to the Canary Islands, a group of seven islands off the coast of West Africa and belonging to Spain, in part to celebrate my birthday. We’ll be in Tenerife, the largest island, soaking up the sun on the southern tip for six days. Besides going to the beach, playing tennis, and visiting the tallest point in Spain, Mount Teide, there’s architect Santiago Calatrava’s Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz. This exemplar work of architecture in concrete was featured in the National Building Museum’s exhibition Liquid Stone and I’ve been fascinated with it since. Two concerts are offered during our stay, so I hope we can make it to the northern end to experience this amazing building.