Where Have You Been?

Hello Friends, it has been awhile, awhile, awhile since I blogged and honestly there has not been much more than a day that has gone by in which I didn't think about and miss my old hobby. Yes, I have intermittently posted a few things about dresses I like or good old Mary-Kate Olsen, but this little place used to be where I documented what was actually going on in my life. The truth is I was uninspired and sad for a few months and didn't have the desire to share much of it or even the fun and distracting things I still managed to do. Then that lifted (it's amazing how that happens!), then I got a new job and my melancholia was replaced with excitement, happiness and a whole lot of work. But now that I am starting to wrap my head around a full-time schedule after almost three years of freelancing, traveling and blogging, I am trying to get back here. Hello. So what exactly did I do these last couple months worthy of sharing...well I:


Biked to Brighton Beach and Drank Beer

Crashed a Law School Prom Dressed as Brenda Walsh 

Bussed it to Boston for a Weekend at a Real House

To be continued...

Weekend Roundup: Things New and Old

I haven't done a roundup, especially a weekend one, in quite some time now. The truth is, the last couple of months have not been a time in my life that I have had any desire to document (Yay 2012!). But as spring is springing and the weather is warming up, the cloud has started to lift off myself and my little group of friends and what is underneath is something that's getting good.

So yeah, let me tell you about my weekend: It started early as my time working Fashion Month (oh was it a doozy) ended on Wednesday and then the next morning my two friends, Sunny and Scott, on a whim (if you can even use the word whim for a couple who have been together for ten years and have a now one-year-old) decided to tie the knot on the first birthday of that beautiful said daughter Sophia. It couldn't have been a more perfect day, 75 degrees in March with clear blue skies and the sweet smell of spring (and wedding flowers) in the air. We celebrated with a lovely picnic on the water in Dumbo, a cupcake for the not-so-baby-any-more little girl and lots of cheese and meat for us — and a ride on the Carousel for all. 

What a day it was, but lucky for me, when the tired mom and newlywed wanted to go to bed, a dear friend of mine had just arrived into town from Chicago so the fun didn't have to end. After over two years of not seeing each other, we had a late night of many things, that may have rivaled the ones of the past. And still, somehow we made it to the Empire State Building the next day — something I haven't done in all seven (minus a year and half in Berlin) years of living in NYC. 

The rest of the weekend continued in such fun fashion with a long solo walk through the city, a night with Mare, a flower surprise, an early evening in hunting attire, a birthday dinner for the visiting Chicagoan at my favorite restaurant, birthday drinks, Sunday brunch at the newlyweds, a bike ride, an afternoon in the park and a farewell dinner. So fun... It's good to be back, New York.   

We Can be Glamorous Too

All day I look at photos of glamorous people from my little computer and put them on the Internet for more people to see. Just realized I never put my photos from New Year's Eve on the blog. Here's one of Mary, me and Sunny. We can be a little glamorous at times too...

Do you remember when I got that leopard coat? Do you remember when I got that leather dress?

Something Nice About Coming Home...

I took a week off from blogging after returning to NYC after six weeks away and per usual the transition back into city life was not such a pleasant one. Amazing to see my friends yes, but I came back to a room left in disarray by my subletter, missing clothing including a special Paris purchase that I adore, a house with mice in it (my absolute and yes, most irrational fear) and the anxiety that comes with having to search for a job once again. Oh and that whole missing someone thing doesn't really help either. So yeah, coming back has not been the easiest. But things are looking up and it is even pretty nice and warm in good old Brooklyn, especially compared to freezing Manchester. And despite the non-wintery weather another nice thing about coming home is the holiday season that has erupted around me. Everywhere I go there is Christmas music playing (on Sat night on our way out the other Megan asked our cab driver to turn his Xmas tunes up as we drove to Williamsburg, and of course he obliged, it was all very cute), Christmas trees are being sold on the sides of the road and every time I leave my apartment I get to walk past this house with its massive amount of lights, glowing angels and the Christmas music they are playing for the neighborhood to hear, naturally. This all makes me happy. 

My Shopping Addiction May Have Ruined Thanksgiving….

Well that could be a bit of an exaggeration, as sadly I am not even in the States (and I might love Thanksgiving even more than I love Halloween. Boo.), so there is not much to ruin. But still I had a little something special planned here in Manchester: I was going to make a pumpkin pie for the first time and the boy was going to taste a pumpkin pie for the first time. And knowing that I'm sad to be missing Thanksgiving and that a lone pie doesn't necessarily cut it, he made a reservation at a special restaurant for tonight at eight.

But back to the pie. Since I just got back from my second trip to Glasgow (still no baby!) last night, there was no time to grocery shop until today. My only possession was the hardest to obtain ingredient, a can of Libby's pumpkin, which I found at a little Mexican/American specialty shop in Glasgow. An amazing find, as pumpkin pie is solely an American dessert, but little did I know it would be the easiest.

So today, which was actually quite beautiful, I headed out to get the rest of what I needed. Maybe it was the blue skies that were distracting me, but more likely it was all the little shops in Manchester's Northern Quarter. There are so many cute little places around here, and I feel like every time I leave the house I notice a new one. So I wandered in and out of some and spent too much time at a certain terrible/wonderful place where I was really just looking for a pie dish, I swear. And before I new it, it was well into the afternoon. This is why stores should be closed on Thanksgiving even outside the US, right? 

But I still thought I was fine, if I was home by 3 that would give me more than enough time to bake a pie before our dinner reservation. But then I picked up the pastry dough and to my great horror it was frozen! In no way did I factor defrosting time into the equation (maybe that is what I get for not making the dough from scratch or knowing absolutely nothing about pie making?). Shit. 

So I hurried home and now as I write, I am waiting and staring at this piece of dough on the counter hoping all that ice will melt away before it is too late. But you know, at least I am the proud owner of a hot little leather (maybe fake [probably fake {definitely fake}]) dress, a beaded top and a little polka dot Alexa Chung-esque number that will never make me as happy as the taste of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Waah.

Well I have certainly learned my lesson and hopefully it will all work out in the end. Melt little guy melt! But either way, I want to wish you all a very very Happy Thanksgiving from abroad. Hopefully you are surrounded by plenty of loved ones, plenty of food and wine, and plenty of comfy couches. Oh triptafen.

30 Days to 30: Day 26

Mood: Mellow but a little out of it.

Progress: Worked, bought a book. Been on a reading stump for so long with everything that is going on lately. I just want to read a good novel, and I finally got around to getting my hands on one. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Mentally: I had some time to kill after work before dinner with Megan and Jules, so I wandered to the Strand book store and perused for about an hour letting my hands run through pages, read back covers and immersed myself in a room filled with millions of words. I forgot how good bookstores make me feel. 

Physically: My feet are killing me. The most expensive pair of shoes that I have ever bought kill me feet. Is that irony or just terribly annoying?

Emotionally: Feeling a little needy waiting for a phone call from across the pond.

Thoughts About Turning 30: Thought about life a lot today, but not in the context of turning 30.

30 Days to 30: Day 20

Mood: Friday relief, but onto another weekend of working. 

Progress: Met up with with my old intern, who I have been meaning to see for a long time, at my local watering hole Washington Commons.    

Mentally: Out of it. A few beers, which normally wouldn't have had a terribly bad affect on me, did me in.  

Physically: Oh you know, exhausted. 

Emotionally: So nice catching up with someone I haven't seen in at least two years. But still a little overwhelming having to explain to her everything that went down since the last time we saw each other: going to Berlin, falling in love, moving back, moving to Berlin, breaking up, moving back again, you know the deal.

Thoughts About Turning 30: So yeah, I had drinks with my old intern, but I realize I really have to stop calling her my intern. She hasn't been in a long time, she is my friend and she is 26. When your old intern is 26, you are definitely at least 30, and she should no longer be called your intern!

30 Days to 30: Day 12

What a difference a day makes! Even with the aftermath (slowness) of yesterday's emotional wine drinking mayhem, today was a good, maybe even great, day. And the night was better: beers outside at DBA, dinner at Lil' Frankie's, followed by karaoke at Sing Sing! The photo above was not tonight, but it is of two of the same people I was with, at the same place a few weeks ago. This karaoke thing is getting to be a little bit of a regular for us it seems. Too bad I have such a terrible voice. 

Mood: out of it, excited, proud, happy 

Progress: This afternoon I got called for an interview for a job I really want! I am not going to go into details, but I will say that just getting the interview made me feel pretty good. 

Mentally: Feeling better after finally getting it all out last night (sometimes mental breakdowns are okay) and confident that I will find a job I love, maybe (hopefully) this one, maybe another. 

Physically: Definitely craving sugar, but have not succumbed. Trying to get working out in my schedule, but it seems being social is coming first. Is singing a workout?

Emotionally: Happy to be surrounded by my friends. 

Thoughts About Turning 30: If I got this job it would be above par to where I wanted to be at 30. This thought definitely crossed my mind, but no more talking about it.

30 Days to 30: Day 11

Julia finished her last final of law school this semester this evening, so we all went out to celebrate with a late sushi dinner, at which despite the festive occasion, I was in really terrible form. After my ridiculous behavior at dinner, I had the first meltdown during this little experiment of mine. After such a healthy and productive day prior, I wonder why I was in such a bad mood. Well, I know why...

Mood: stressed, overwhelmed, flustered

Progress: Maybe I took a step back today. After a tiring day at work, I spent an hour setting up my new phone, and then went out. Then cried.

Mentally: So out of it I could barely talk. I was such bad company at dinner, I pretty much sat in the corner, drank wine and didn't say a word the whole time. A friend of Julia's joined and I hope she realized that I am not normally not like this, I swear. I just couldn't get myself into proper social behavior mode. I guess I have been keeping my feelings of stress to myself, because I know after the last couple years of traveling and working part-time, I really should not be allowed to complain about being busy. But the truth is, working full-time, plus my copywriting job, plus moving into my new house (my room is still a disaster), plus getting used to new roommates, plus the long distance from the guy I like, is really getting to me. And after my weird silent behavior, when it was just Julia, Rach and I again, it all came out in the form of tears.

Physically: All over the place. You know how when you are stressed or over-worked that is when you end up losing/breaking things? Well, after my incredibly long work day, I had to run home and change before I met the girls and as I walked in to my still-living-out-of-suitcases room, I knocked my make-shift mirror into a coffee cup from the morning and it shattered to the ground and spilled all over the floor. More stress. Oh and I think you might know that I am not eating any sweets or carbs after 3 this month, well I cheated a bit today. You really can't avoid a little rice at a sushi restaurant, I mean you can, but I didn't. 

Emotionally: Exhausted, from keeping it all in and then letting it all out. Thank God for my friends who are so supportive and never once (despite my fears) made me feel bad for being over-whelmed with my new life situation.

Thoughts About Turning 30: The breakdown wasn't so much about turning 30, but more about moving, breaking up, working and having so much stuff on my plate. Definitely hope to be out of this state before the big day though. 

Photo from This Isn't Happiness.

30 Days to 30: Day 10

Mood: tired, stable

Progress: Today was a productive, healthy day. I worked, worked out, and ate a boat load of soy products.

Mentally: Clear headed.

Physically: Set my alarm early to try and get up and do pilates before work, did not get up. I have to realize that I am just never going to be that girl who works out at 7 am. Never. But I did manage to do it after work, so all is well.

Emotionally: A little drained, but that seems to be the norm these days.

Thoughts About Turning 30: Slim to none.

30 Days to 30: Day 5

Mood: content, mellow, happy, still tired but excited to sleep in my newly improved bed.

Progress: Went to Target after my jobby job (so domestic) and bought white sheets, pillows, towels and all those necessaries for my new room, which is so so so slowly coming together.  

Mentally: Feeling fine, feeling good, feeling happy for it to be Friday tomorrow. 

Physically: Walking past TCBY and Mrs. Fields Cookies in the Atlantic Mall was kind of painful, but still going strong on day 5 of no sugar. Oh and I bought some running shoes in regards to the getting in shape plan. 

Emotionally: Chatting with my friend online today, talking about way too serious topics for work hours, I came to a nice little realization of just how happy I feel. Despite all this moving and working stress, it does really feel good to be back in NYC. 

Thoughts About Turning 30: Thought about what I was going to wear to my party a few times. 

Photo from Flickr. 

30 Days to 30: Day 2

Mood: stable, tired, mellow, content, sober. 
Progress: First real day at job goes well. 

Mentally: Feeling good about succeeding on my first day alone after one day of training at my new freelance gig and still on a high from an amazingly fun weekend that consisted of house parties, gay bars, Coney Island (pics above), roller coasters, backyard bbqs, dance parties, karaoke, brunch, oh and moving too.  

Physically: Feeling exhausted from all of the above and an actual 9 to 5ish day. But doing okay on the first days with no sugar and no booze, even at a friend's dinner party with it all around me.  

Emotionally: It was my first night alone in my new apartment and one of the only nights I have spent alone since I left Berlin and I felt good, just wish all my stuff was hung up on the walls and put away in my new closet, so I can actually feel settled, and good. 

Thoughts About Turning 30: slim to medium. 

30 Days to 30: Day 1

So there are 30 days until I turn 30 on May 30th, crazy I know. So I thought, what a better thing to do then document the countdown to my golden birthday right here on the blog and make note of just how mental or not mental I go. I really want to see if this whole no longer being in your 20s thing is that big of a deal. What do you think?

I always said the same thing when I witnessed other people bid farewell to their 20s, some with pure grace and others in an anxiety-fueled panic. I thought, you know, I'll be fine if I turn 30, no big deal just as long as I am doing well, am in good shape, have a stable job, a nice place, a healthy relationship with someone I love might be nice. With all those things, turning 30 will be a breeze. 

But the funny thing is, I had all those things, up until just about a few months ago. So now I am heading to the big 3-0, single in New York City, after spending two weeks on a mat in my friends' living room, with some freelance gigs here and there, but pretty much with none of the things that I thought I needed to glide through this rite of passage with ease and confidence.

I mean, I am actually better off than I anticipated I would be when I decided to uproot my life in Berlin and leave all that behind: as I write this I am looking at all the boxes in my new apartment and tomorrow is my second day at a job I scored for the next few weeks and I feel happy. But still, this is not how I ever thought I would be when I turned 30.

So I am giving myself a challenge or conducting an experiment if you will, to see how I feel and how much I can change in the next 30 days before my birthday celebration. I am going to analyze my moods, measure how much I actually think about turning 30, and take a look at my life on a mental, physical and emotional level. I have cut out sugar from my diet and am hoping to get some more work, maybe even a date? But most importantly I want to feel good about my life on the big day. 

So that is that: here I am, 29 for 30 more days. Hope you will stick around to see how I handle it.


Photo from here. 

While I Was Away...

Hey, I'm back. And while I was away getting situated in my friends' NYC apartment, working from their home, finding my own NYC home, spilling water on my computer, killing my hard drive, redoing all my work from home, buying a new computer and spending time with all my friends in between, some pretty people went to the desert in Southern California for a gathering of the trendy, good-looking and musically inclined. Oh Coachella. 

Would have loved to have gone this year, for the music yes, but also for the fashion. I love festival garb — long-flowing skirts, white vintage dresses, cut-off jean shorts and rompers. Kinda how I would dress everyday if I could, and will as soon as it warms up in New York. Seriously, did I bring the Berlin grayness to this city? And seriously, why did I look at the Berlin weather report (ironically perfect and sunny) this morning? Anyway, here are some of the festi looks I was into:

Photos from Vogue, Refinery29 and Harper's Bazaar.