HOTEL CHELSEA.
135.
FLATIRON.
THE STANDARD GRILL.
LOWER EAST SIDE.
ONE TRAIN.
NYC.
GRAND CENTRAL STATION.
PHOTOGRAPHY.
In the past two years, my photography portfolio has grown considerably as a result of coursework at the International Center of Photography, travels, and various personal projects. I can't wait to share my photos with you on the new site soon. Until the new site launches, I'm challenging myself to post a photo a day for thirty days and hope you will follow along here on the blog. Hopefully, it will help me get in the habit of sharing my work again. As a wise person once told me, "Don't be a secret."
BACK IN THE SADDLE.
Hi there, long time no see! I'll get to my absence in a second, but first off you might notice a few changes on Tiny Bits from Boo. I was ready to give the blog a makeover, and enlisted the help of the incredibly talented Molly Jacques to work with me on a new logo and illustration. What do you think? I couldn't be happier with how it all turned out, and I am especially in love with the Boo Radley illustration. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Molly throughout the entire process, and I would highly recommend her if you're looking for someone to collaborate with on a custom design, illustration or lettering. Also, you absolutely must check out more of Molly's work including these fabulous thank you notes, this inspiring print, and love this beautiful return address stamp.
Now, where exactly to begin? I couldn't possibly catch ya'll up on the past seven months of life, and where would I even start? I have to admit I missed sharing my bits of inspiration with ya'll. So, what took me so long to get back on the blogging bandwagon? For me, blogging is one of those things where the more you do it, the easier it becomes. And well, if you haven't done it in a while, psyching yourself up to get back at it can be {just a tiny bit} challenging, to say the least. No promises you'll see daily updates, or the same content as before, but I can guarantee that after taking a much needed timeout I'm back reenergized with a new vision for this blog, and hope to share the new vision with ya'll next week. In the meantime, thought I'd pass on a few things I'm loving this week:
Conquer your fear and learn to speak confidently in front of a crowd with these useful tips you should definitely bookmark for future reference. 15 Reasons Why People Move to NYC...spot-on. Number three I'm looking at you.
Fantastic video by Marie Forleo on how to surrender to your calling and be open to what comes next. Gosh, I really get Mastin Kipp after watching this video.
Draw Your Tomorrow.. and do it in this perfect planner.
How successful people talk-they pay attention. Simple as that.
Things my dad was right about..because there is nothing like wisdom from dad.
The One Thing These Crazy Successful People Do Every Morning. Inspiration for getting up early enough to make a little me-time right?
After an unbearable week of heat here in NYC {yes, even for this Texas girl, it was brutal}, the aptly titled Heatwave cocktail sounds like the perfect cocktail to beat the heat.
Life Lessons We All Need to Learn via Brene Brown.
One final note, I'm majorly in search of any recommendations for someone to help with blog design and installations... any help or ideas ya'll have please share them below or shoot me an email! Have a fabulous Sunday and end to your weekend!
ONE YEAR...
HAPPY ONE YEAR IN NYC TO ME (and Boo Radley too, of course!). I can't believe I did not realize that my one year anniversary as a NYC resident was several weeks ago. To be honest, I completely forgot about it with my mom being in town and a few other things going on...it just hit me this weekend that I have lived here over a year now! WOW and what a year it has been. I'm so thankful for the amazing experiences I've had this first year in New York, and for all of the wonderful friends I've made so far. I could never have predicted in my wildest dreams the past year to turn out the way it did but I'm immensely grateful for each and every experience life has thrown my way. I also believe now more than ever that with each new experience there comes a chance to learn a lesson or something about yourself and the world around you. That certainly is the case here in New York, because every single day, without fail, I see something new. It's really quite interesting to think what used to make me stop in my tracks to take another look no longer warrants a second glance anymore. For me, that is one of Manhattan's biggest allures, and often the biggest drawback for those outside the city. There is something I've come to love about the day-to-day craziness, and the belief that truly anything can happen in this city, and quite often it does!
I absolutely love this article by Brett Nelson titled "Fifty Important Lessons New York City Taught Me." Such a great read and definitely recommend it to anyone who currently lives in NYC or is thinking about making the move here. Another good article to take a look is Goodbye To All That by Joan Didion.
Looking forward to what the next year brings in NYC and if you're ever on the fence about moving to NYC or really just outside of your comfort zone to try something new, I would say DO IT. Don't wait. You could convince yourself forever that you'll never have enough time, money, friends living in the city, job opportunities, whatever the excuse, they are all just that...excuses. As the inspirational Randy Pausch, once said, "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people." If you want it badly enough, you'll figure out a way to make it happen, whether that is moving cities or not is something only you know, but the reality is that if you want to move, then move, because I can guarantee you it will be worth it and change your perspective on life allowing you to see the world through a different, larger, lens. I'm working on a list of my NYC favorites for anyone who is visiting and in need of recommendations, make sure to check back in a few weeks and hopefully I'll have it posted by then!
HELLO, OCTOBER!
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| Images via:1/2/3 |
Hello, October.. show me what you've got! October brings with it the cooler temperatures, the actual changing of the leaves here in NYC (one of the MAJOR perks of living in the northeast...you actually get to experience four true seasons, and I absolutely love it!), Halloween-which as a true candy aficionado means I can find just about all of my favorites in "fun size" perfect to throw in my purse (just in case I get the sugar urge while out and about, you just never know), and finally, Halloween has to be Boo Radley's favorite holiday of the year-I mean she does happen to be white, fluffy, and named Boo... this holiday screams her name. Judge all you want, but I'm the first to admit I love dressing Boo Radley up for Halloween-she's been a hippo, taco, and ballerina...and I'm looking for the perfect costume for this year, which I'll make sure to share with ya'll once I find it! If ya'll have a pet, do you dress them up for Halloween? If so, would love to hear your ideas for costumes!
I will spare ya'll the details of where I've been the month of September and why I didn't keep up my regular daily posts on the B-L-O-G, and just say that I'll give an update when I get the post on this finished and edited down to ensure I don't bore you so much so that you never come back and visit the site again, now that would be a shame wouldn't it? What I will do is say that while I have every intention of posting once a day on the weekdays, there will be days when that just doesn't happen. It doesn't mean I've given up blogging, in fact it's quite the opposite. Simply put- life happens and sometimes I'd rather go out and live my life than sit down and type away on the computer thinking about the life I want to live. Does that make any sense ? I often wish I could be two places at once, both at my computer finishing my to-do lists while also outside breathing in this gorgeous fall weather on a leisurely walk with a close friend and Boo Radley...that would be the best of both worlds, wouldn't it?
I couldn't welcome in October without mentioning my guilty pleasure and very favorite show, Gossip Girl, kicks off the show's final season Monday, October 8th, at 9 p.m. ET. If you're anything like me, you will want to check out this trailer for the final season.
Hope this Monday was amazing and the week is off to a fabulous start!
WEEKEND WRAP UP...
How was your weekend? I hope ya'll had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed your Sunday! A little fun fact for ya'll about this past Friday, did you know that it was the last Friday the 13th of entire year? Yes you read that right, the last Friday the 13th of 2012 has come and gone. Pretty unbelievable to think that we are more than half way through 2012!
I spent this past week in St. Simon's Island in Georgia with my parents and grandfather and had a wonderful vacation! Below are just a few pictures from the trip. On a side note, if you haven't tried boiled peanuts, they are amazing and addictive and you must try them out sometime. Delicious! I prefer them with a little spicy kick myself, so if you happen to have a good recipe or know where I could find one for boiled peanuts with a little kick, let me know because I'd love to try them out!
Did you happen to notice both my mom & I practicing our "hand on the hip pose" and I'm just not sure I'm loving the super pageant like look of it now that I'm seeing it online. Seriously though, how in the world do ya'll pose in pictures and achieve a balance between not looking super awkward (a.k.a. the hand on hip pose my mom & I demonstrate above) while at the same time not pressing your arm against the side of your body, which for the record will not look good on anyone, ever. Do ya'll have any tips for looking your best in photos? Do tell, I'm clearly in need of them!
Finally, a few of my favorites from around the web this past week:
- Tonight on 60 minutes, a great revelation by Steve Jobs' that one of his defining moments came as a kid when his parents told him regarding being adopted that he was not just abandoned, but chosen by them to be their son. Check out the entire recap here.
- You won't believe what they've turned into wi-fi hotspots here in NYC now. What will they think of next?
- I can never have enough arm candy, and these bracelets are the perfect addition to my growing collection of fabulous bracelets, not to mention a great deal!
- An interesting article on making friends as you get older from the NY Times, particularly the finding by scientists of the three conditions "considered crucial to making close friends: proximity; repeated, unplanned interactions; and a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other."
- I'm dying to do this next month here in NYC, but it appears to already be sold out, so sad! The Color Run is described as the happiest 5K on the planet, with the only rules being that you wear white, and prepare to get head-to-running shoes covered in what they call "magical color dust", have ya'll heard of this? Sign me up, ASAP!
