A Few Lovely Days in Charleston, SC
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A few of our favorite photos of the food, fun, and spontaneous moments on our family week in Charleston, SC.
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One Magical Day in the Wizarding World (at Universal Studios, Orlando)
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I had a very magical 30th birthday that kicked off at the Wizarding World at Universal Studios in Orlando. This is a selection for the scrapbook.
Read MoreHow to Write Year-in-Review | Planning Season Series
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This year, my intuition called for radical change.
Doing this “Year-in-Review” activity helps to represence all the incredible things that occurred this year - all in one place. I asked myself, What did you lean into and give your time and attention? What results did you see from your efforts? Who did you connect with? Where did you go? The answers to these questions, found by racking my memory, re-reading my journals, and flipping through the year’s photos on my hard drive, paint the picture of a year well-lived.
Read on and try this activity for yourself as you plan for 2020.
Read MoreMissing the Taste of Tradition
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Last July, I moved from my hometown of St Petersburg, FL to Oak Ridge, TN. I embarked on this new adventure with excitement, trepidation, and an open mind. While I expected to miss friends and the routine of my previous life, I didn't intend to miss this small but meaningful tradition. Read about one of my favorite gems in Tampa, FL and get a mini-travel guide for your next visit!
Read MorePastel Castle, an original poem
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Inspired by one of my archived photographs, an original poem, part of my daily writing practice.
Read MoreAsheville, NC: The Curated City
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A trip to Asheville this time last year completely changed my life. The mountain air, the yoga retreat, the city itself; I came home and jumped into the unknown that brought me all the way to where I am today. Since that time, I've been drawn back to explore with an urgency that brings it up in conversation more often than I care to admit. On Friday, I tagged along with my friend Sophia's already-planned Asheville. In the seven hours we had, this is where we went.
Read MoreBrazil on Film: 1 Year Later
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South America hadn't been on my 'list'. That bucket list I write down over and over, things to do, places to go, what to try, who to be. South America just didn't make that list. Scary, dangerous, language barrier, climate, whatever the news was feeding me at the time. It wasn't on my list, but the opportunity arose and I took it.
I'm grateful I did.
This post isn't about the trip. It isn't a travel guide; it certainly isn't about the Olympics, which was happening at the time and which I did attend; it isn't about food or neighborhoods or anything like that. It isn't even about people, truly, though the trip (and Rio by nature) was full of them, touching my life and changing my perspective.
It's about 6 rolls of film that sat on my shelf for a year.
Read MoreNYC Weekend Getaway: Where to go, What to eat, How to slow down
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Taking it slow in New York City:
- Walk when you want to, otherwise - take the metro
- Choose meals at local restaurants
- Drink locally roasted coffee
- Visit markets and talk to makers and vendors about their wares
- Keep your head up and eyes keen for murals
- Shop at local stores - this may be the best place in the world to do so
- Start in Central Park
In this post, I detail how I made the most of a slow weekend in NYC, sharing my favorite places and some photos along the way.
Read MoreFrom Stone Barns to the Cement Jungle
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Arriving at Stone Barns, the clouds looming overhead threatened to burst. We debated umbrellas, decided on only one and layered up against the wind. The tour was set for 90 minutes, the longest and most in-depth they offered, and would cover the entire grounds.
It promptly began to pour.
Our group started closer to ten, and without spoiling the ending for you, we finished with four. Our fearless leader Rene, the Director of Education, wore a rain jacket, no gloves, and braced herself to take the brunt of the storm to her front while we huddled with our backs to the wind. Her voice never wavered and her smile never diminished. I couldn't help but shiver, being a lowly Floridian so far out of her element wearing another man's boots and already soaked in her skinny jeans to the bone. Mari leans over to me,
Just keep telling yourself, mind over matter.Read More
From NYC to The New Paris
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After I booked my trip to NYC, Lindsey posted a graphic to her superb Instagram: @lostincheeseland the dates of her upcoming book signings. One happened to be at the famed Rizzoli Bookstore the weekend I'd be in NYC! Mari, being an even more avid literary-lover than myself, agreed to accompany me (and happened to be a great paparazzi for the whole event!).
Lindsey was spectacular.
The event was moderated by Esquire Food & Wine Editor Jeff Gordinier and the main discussion topics of the night were on the first section of the book, the new and developing food scene in Paris. Lindsey talks about how young entrepreneurs, fresh chefs, and individuals with mixed backgrounds are remixing the Parisian food scene, which had devolved to some degree in the past couple decades.
Read MoreThe Quaintness of Northern New Jersey
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Before venturing into Maplewood, NJ for to meet a friend for breakfast, we briefly explored downtown Morristown, about 15 minutes from where I was staying with Mari. There, we found stunning blossoming trees, neighborhoods fully rebuilt since the hurricane, and a few hidden gems I photographed below.
The Artist Baker & Colly Flowers were connected, both micro-small but seemingly full with tables and communal space I could've enjoyed all day if we didn't have plans. Mari and I mused over how the multiple-concepts business idea is a dream of each of ours. A cafe - florist - bookstore or a coffee shop - stationary - local goods compendium were among our favorite ideas.
Read MoreThe Road to Waitress
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When I learned that Sara Bareilles would be starring Waitress, her broadway musical writing debut, I booked my ticket to NYC. The culmination of being a musical theatre nerd circa my teen-hood, a Sara Bareilles fan as long as iPods have been around, and having never seen a Broadway show before set the stage (ha) for my best trip to New York yet.
In this post, I also share details about my arrival to my friend Mari's lovely home, our journey into NYC, and the slow evening that awaited me at home.
Read MoreHow I Plan for a Trip (Especially to NYC)
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New York is my favorite place to go alone. To be completely anonymous, not just in a foreign place but among so many strangers who respect your space in response to you respecting theirs. Moving fluidly from metro stop to destination, one neighborhood to the next, a new world opening up before me as I climb the stairs from underground.
In this post, I detail how I plan for my trip, the details I've arranged, and some special events I'm excited about.
Read MoreWomen Taking Leaps: Interview with Arielle Zadok
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Share a bit about your life before you decided to move your whole life to New Zealand:
Before I moved to New Zealand I literally had no idea where it was. I actually thought it was a Scandinavian country (don’t tell my Kiwi mates that!). I had a friend who did a semester abroad there in college but besides a few MySpace photos (yes, I’ve just dated myself) of her having fun at someone’s house saying it was New Zealand, I had no idea it even existed.
I would never have thought of myself as adventurous or as a risk taker throughout my life, but I think at heart I always had it in me. I’m the daughter of two immigrants, and even more immigrants before that. It’s in my blood.
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A seedy romance told through the journal entries of a failed actress-turned-prostitute in a brothel fronted by a deli in late 1970s Times Square, known then as ‘The Deuce.’