Mixing genres and time periods...

This picture has nothing to do with this quote other than the fact that I love them both and find them inspiring.

 

(Steve McQueen & Ali MacGraw)

"I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it’s these things I’d believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything."

                        - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Where in the world...

would I like to be right now?

It's hard to imagine being anywhere other than New York right now - the leaves are still colorful and on the trees and it is unseasonably warm. It is by definition, the perfect autumn day. BUT, inspired by NBC's "Where is the World is Matt Lauer?" I found myself daydreaming about where I would like to be, you know, if I was a newscaster, or a person with expendable income. These are the first five places that came to mind.

 Anyone who really knows me probably knows that on any given day, my number one answer to the question: "Where would you like to be right now?" would be Paris. I know it seems like a typical girlie answer but I adore Paris. Have you ever walked around someplace foreign and felt completely at home? There is a reason Gertrude Stein called America her country but Paris her hometown. I have never been to Paris in the fall and I imagine it to be a magical experience. Joie de vivre!

Are you ever in the mood to feel completely alone and content? I would love to be lounging on Megans Bay in St. Thomas pretty much any day of the week. Feeling stressed? Picture yourself on this secluded beach for even 2 minutes and you'll feel better instantly. My schedule this week is pretty demanding and I've found myself yearning for this carefree life.

Charlotte, NC seems like a pretty mundane destination, but sometimes it isn't just about the place, but the people who are there. My cousin is a Freshman at UNC and it's her birthday this week. Ideally, I'd love to hop on a plane and go down and visit her and relive some of my college glory days. We would go out to a delicious dinner at some exotic restaurant, (we share, among the same middle name, the ability to consume copious amounts of tasty foods) and then, when too full to move, settle in and watch some chick flick. Her optimism mixed with my cynicism leads to colorful discussions on life, love and "adulthood." I miss her dearly and I'd love to be able to see her this week.

Rio de Janeiro. Why? Well, for one, my brother is dying to go there - it's on the top of his travel list and it was it was his birthday yesterday. Brazilian food and culture is alluring and intoxicating. And the forecast? 80 and sunny this week.

Anybody can be a runner. We were meant to move. We were meant to run....

... okay, if you say so...
Congratulations to all of the NYC Marathon runners! I know several people who ran, and I have to admit that I think they're all a little crazy...you have to be, to willingly run 26.2 miles, right? (I'm really just jealous of all of the people who have the courage and heart to run marathons, maybe one day I will be one of them?) But yesterday, Geoffrey Mutai (clearly meant to be a runner) broke the course record by more than 2 minutes - finishing in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 6 seconds. Ridiculous. Also, a word of advice to you non-marathoners out there: watching the marathon on TV while working out yourself, just makes you feel slightly inadequate...just sayin.

Sunday Funday

So my "Sunday Fundays" are a little tamer than one might imagine. But it's beautiful out. I am drinking some hazelnut coffee with almond milk. I am listening to "Ceremonials," the new album by Florence and the Machine. Honestly, I don't know how they did it - it's just as good as "Lungs." It's going to be my new CD that I play on repeat. I'm reading the NY Times; if you want an inspiring story, click here. And before you judge me, I was directed to this article by a friend, I was not aimlessly wandering about the "Modern Love" section of the Times. Although, so what if I was? I am beginning to realize that there are worse things in life.

Love.

Saw "In Time" on Friday...it was nothing to rave about. But I fell in love with Amanda Seyfried's wardrobe, shoes and how awesome her legs look in those platforms.

Swag.

I forgot about one of the best lines in movie history until I randomly came upon it today. Talk about swag. I am caught in the middle between finding his confidence completely irritating and completely intoxicating. Thus the basis of his appeal I suppose...

Newly discovered

Last Friday I went into the city to visit a friend before the snow hit and my only goal of the night was to go someplace new, someplace I had never been before. We settled on a small bar in the East Village - the Anyway Cafe. It's one of those places that if you're not looking for it, you'd walk right past it. The tiny bar was decorated perfectly for Halloween and the atmosphere was nice and cozy for a chilly night. We split some raspberry infused vodka and had some crepes for dinner. The live music was a treat and it's in the Village so there were plenty of cool places to go afterwards as well. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, stop in and try some delicious vodka.

Do what you love, love what you do

One of my dearest and closest friends, who also happens to be my favorite travel buddy, is a true inspiration. I know she is one of the handful of people who reads this (other than my mom who only reads this because I made it her homepage, Hi Mom!) and I hope that this list inspires her during this very exciting new phase of her life.

Tradition holds that we are supposed to "find ourselves" in college. Our rebellious years should be restricted to high school and college is where we are supposed to get our shit together and figure it all out. Update: Our rebellious years sometimes don't begin until college. Update: Our twenties are when we realize for the first time that we have the power to decide what we want, when we want it, who we are and how all the pieces of this complex puzzle are going to fall into place. Sometimes, we experience setbacks that feel crippling but are really blessings in disguise. These setbacks allow us to get to know ourselves and carve out our identity. We no longer have to have it figured out - we can evolve, change, and adapt to new situations.

I found this list to be particularly helpful to me in times of stress or when I am feeling like I have no direction. This list is part of the reason I started this blog. I hope that this list helps my friend start to identify what truly makes her happy in life. She is good at so many things - the world is literally at her feet - why shouldn't she decide what she does? Why shouldn't she do what really stimulates her and makes her happy?

Carpe Diem my love.