post-parisian announcement

If you haven't yet read, I'm moving from New York to Paris. Allow me to explain:

new 'do, old school

P.S. If you have a chance, please send Katie some love. She deserves it. xo

the possibility of you

Hiya, lovelies. Hope you're enjoying spring-like wherever you may be. Between cleaning, packing, laundry, and (oh yeah) work, I've got lots and lots to do today. So, I thought I'd save myself some time and vlog about the book below. Enjoy... :) 

P.S. Considering I'll soon be on my way to Oklahoma (!), I figured I'd also provide some extra reading/viewing material to keep you occupied:

• Whether or not you like Jon Stewart, his interview with Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood is worth watching.
• Another must-see? Actor Thandie Newton speaks to TED about dealing with prejudice and rediscovering oneness.
• There's no magic formula to being creative, but a cold beer (or glass of wine) might be the key to your next big idea. <- Click to find out how.
• In unrelated news, I recently reported a ton of healthy travel trends.
• "Entering the unknown often triggers an avalanche of self-doubt." Wouldn't you agree? Rich, happy, and hot Marie Forleo gives you the secrets to getting over it.
• Oh, and one last thing: are we friends on Goodreads yet? 

splashing in the new year

Today, as I was filling out customs papers to re-enter the United States, I wrote out the year, 2012, for the first time. I love everything about that fact. Gosh, this new year has been so happy so far. We will soon review 2011, the family vacation I just returned from, and the many, many things to look forward to. Until then...

one last fyi

In other news, I have far too much hair... it and I both wish you a happy weekend!

leaves turn, life changes

mmm, perfect

a foodie fantasy come true

If you do not wish to watch the video above, please allow me to explain: I want to win the Whole Food's Foodie Fantasy vacation. I need to. The price package includes a "Berlin to Paris" trip for two along with a $500 American Express Gift Card and two in-country food producer visits.

Does that not just sound like the most amazing opportunity? And could it not be any more appropriate for a globetrotting foodie like myself? I'd be able to travel internationally again which won't happen for quite a while otherwise. I'd have such an exciting, enriching and unique experience and I'd obviously share it with all of you right here. Not to mention that it'd be yet another reason to love the ever-wonderful Whole Food's more than I already do. Mmm, WF's hot bar:

Voting begins tomorrow, if I make it that far. No matter how much I want this and feel as though I would take it for beyond all it's worth, there's a chance I may not get chosen by the Whole Foods Market Team. All I ask is that you please, please, pretty please watch the video and comment. I know it's a bit of an inconvenience to use the Facebook app to do so... but I'd be forever in your debt. Seriously. Anything. And if you're willing to go above and beyond, I'd also greatly appreciate you sharing the video with your friends. Thank you in advance for your help! Hopefully I'll be annoyingly begging for your votes in a few days :).

think happy thoughts

And one last thing I forgot to mention: An audience member asked Elizabeth Gilbert about fear. She had a very eloquent response, as per usual, with one spectacularly memorable quote from her guru, "Fear. Who cares?" How's that for perspective, huh? Brings a whole new meaning to "Don't worry, be happy." :)

life well done

Final thoughts: Smile. Eat Breakfast. Do Less. Focus on Making Memories. Be Grateful.  Sleep Enough. Face Your Challenges. Keep in Touch. Move Often. Say Something Nice. Just Breathe. Hug it Out. Savor Those Snapshots. Chocolate. Also, pretty please (with three cherries on top) visit The Well Daily, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Live Fearlessly.

pipas in bocas

Yep, I'm still here. Panama is a fascinating country- the weather and landscape are beautiful, the people are diverse and oftentimes rather pushy (which is unfortunate yet understandable), and the food has been mediocre at best. But, yesterday I went on a boat ride with a group of seven friends from around the world. We saw dolphins, we went snorkeling, and we beached it at a national park. It was fabulous, I'm still exhausted, and as such I've decided to share an important instructional post with you all.

Pipas are baby green coconuts; the same ones that produce the coconut water collected and bottled up in popular beverages like Zico and Vita Coco. They're plentiful in Costa Rica and Panama, among other countries, thereby making coconut water free here. How? Please allow my friends to demonstrate:

Although I certainly am not encouraging consistently taking from nature without a second thought, sometimes, after a long day at the beach, the water from one pipa makes all the difference. It's both hydrating and full of potassium, electrolytes, and other nutrients. That, and smashing them is kinda fun. 

Mmm, mmm, good. ¡Hasta luego!

the most wonderful time of the year

faqs

'ello friends! Following a night of babysitting my cousins and friends, and a day of doing absolutely nothing, I have minimal blog material aside from this video I recorded a couple of days ago. Please watch and respond. It's actually short and sweet this time! Oh and on a side note: please also don't mind my quiet and slow speech... it's the pre-video-recording wine's fault. Even as I progress, some things never change ;). Thank you and have a great Saturday night!

P.S. Today I am thankful for cute, little, farmers market pears. They're fantastic!

in the name of health

epilogue

Don't value money. "A new study from the University of Liege in Belgium shows that it (money) can...impair our ability to appreciate the simple things."

Get engaged. "Find an absorbing, challenging pastime that allows you to feel some mastery...Research shows that achieving this state...will allow you to function at your fullest and lead to more positive feelings about yourself and life in general."

Do good. "Studies show that those who volunteer report better mental health than those who don't. Volunteering can increase a sense of capability in the world."

Buy experience, not things. "Experiences lead to lasting memories, which can result in satisfaction, meaning and a sold sense of self. Other studies suggest that spending on leisure is smart because activities generate social connections, and strong connections contribute to happiness."


P.S. I also want to get back into sketching and collages since I've certainly collected enough material from my travels. This will be fun, we'll make sure of it :).

before & after

These videos were recorded 41 days and 8,506 miles apart, yet all the while in the same car. By chance, I even wore the identical shirt. There aren't words to describe how spectacular Road Trip USA has been, nor how much it has influenced me, but I will attempt to explain everything in the next blog post. If you have any questions regarding my trip, please comment below, otherwise, I'll let PostSecret wrap it up:

motown's suburbia (ann arbor,mi)

[Red Hawk CouchSurfing dinner: Oktoberfest beer & Delhi pizza]

[University of Michigan campus]

[U. Michigan law quad]

[U.Michigan arts centers]

[U.Michigan Nichols Arboretum]

[Soy latté at Mighty Good Coffee]

[Seva Restaurant dinner: red wine flight & anything but special stir-fry specials]

Like I said, dining with Claire was such a treat. Her and I started blogging around the same time so we were anything but strangers in the blogworld. Still, even with the knowledge that we both loved travel, food, wine, and writing, (amongst other things,) I couldn't have foreseen how amazing it was to meet her in person. 

For instance, if baking chocolate chip cookies, while sick, for a friend you've never met, isn't going above and beyond... I don't know what is. She is absolutely wonderful and I wish she lived closer. Or, maybe I'll move to Ann Arbor. Michigan is a great school (graduate studies?), the city is beautiful, the art scene is extensive, and there are many more culinary hot spots to try.

the final stretch (chicago, il)

Hi, hi, hi. I just wanted to "pop" in and apologize for being so absent and inconsistent. I've just been traveling, and driving, and traveling, and re-living my college glory days at Syracuse University. You understand, don't you? I promise we will catch up and reflect and detox (because it's necessary, more on that later) as soon as humanly possible a.k.a. within this upcoming week. 

Before I drove out of the glorious state of Wisconsin, I sat at Holly's dining table enjoying coffee alongside stove-top banana oatmeal with cinnamon, coconut, and almond butter. It was wonderful, and just what I needed for my beautiful yet somewhat long drive to Michigan. On that drive I recorded a (gasp) video post of the previous days and the days to come. What else is new :) enjoy.

the black hills (spearfish, sd)

By the time I arrived in South Dakota, it was dark. By the time I arrived in South Dakota, I was exhausted following a 7.5 hour drive. I barely talked to my host for 45 minutes before hitting the hay.

What a great night's sleep that was :). The next morning, Friday, I sped off to see some of the United States' most recognizable monuments.

[Mt. Rushmore]

Fun facts: The famous faces of some of the USA's most influential figures were supposed to be supported by upper upper bodies as Gotzon Borglum (the sculptor) had intended. When it came down to it, however, he, and the 400 that worked with him, discovered that the rock would not support it. Alas, heads it was. It took 14 years to build.

[Crazy Horse]

Fun facts: The Crazy Horse Memorial in a nonprofit humanitarian project by Sculptor Korczak Ziokowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear. It officially began on June 3, 1948 with a mission to honor the culture, tradition, and living heritage of North American Indians. The Korczak family continues to oversee the development of a completed memorial which could take another 40 years.

[Lunch: California bean salad + 2 (unpictured) Dr. Kracker flatbreads]

[Touristy reminisce of the Wild, Wild West]

[South Dakota Wine Tasting: Locally-made, brandy-infused]

Later that afternoon, I returned to Spearfish to join my host, Tessa, and her two friends on a rainy hike through Spearfish Canyon.

We hiked passed Bridal Falls (above) and numerous baths, but the precipitation kept me from my crazy photographic ways. 

Still, after trekking for two and a half hours across slippery rocks and loose logs, I felt pretty darn strong and accomplished. And since it obviously cleared up right at the hike's end, I was able to capture the moment.

All that, plus some of the surrounding views. I think I took these two pictures about 10 minutes apart from each other. Amazing, isn't it?

And then came supper time. Yes, "supper time," because people from South Dakota say "supper," and I love it.

Tessa started her meal with a French Onion Soup, I did mine with a House Salad.

For my entrée I ordered the herb-encrusted Walleye with rice pilaf and braised cabbage. I had never heard of the mild river fish and was excited to try it. It certainly did not disappoint.

Shortly thereafter, Tessa and I went out for a night on the town. It began with a low-key chat, local beer, and live bluegrass at an Irish Pub.

[Tessa & I - I <3 CouchSurfing]

And it ended on the dance floor of a dive bar while singing along to bad 80's music. I wouldn't have had it any other way :). Whoever said there was nothing to do in South Dakota was wrong... very, very wrong. As for the happenings on the East River side of things, please watch the following: