It's Official: We Are Moving!

"Start Spreading the News, I'm Leaving Today..."
Well folks, it's official. After a lot of talk, prayer and dream sessions (filled with snack breaks) we have finally decided what we will be doing after my husband graduates from business school in May...

We are moving to New York City.

NEW YORK CITY!!

My favorite city on Earth. I am sort of shell-shocked that it's even happening. Stevie accepted a job in NYC, so after May we will be relocating. To New York. I am so stoked. I'm sure you can't tell. True story: ever since I was a little girl, I have dreamed of living in New York. And becoming an actress. It's true. It might sound naive and pathetic, but I admit that I am one of the many who romanticize this city (probably more than it merits) as the mecca of all dream locales. Now I have the chance to see if it lives up to the hype in my mind. My oh my. Let the games begin.

Autumn in New York.
We took a little trip to NYC in the fall to visit friends, and I got endlessly carried away with my camera.  Like I said, I just really love this place. Everything was interesting and colorful and characteristic, so it was easy to just photograph my brains out. Here are (more than a few) photos from that lovely rendezvous.

From Left to Right, Read it Like a Book

1. Church of the Blessed Sacrament//2. High Line Park/3. Tom's (Seinfeld Restaurant)//4. Strawberry Fields//5. A.G. Kitchen//6. High Line Park//7. High Line Park//8. The Dakota//9. High Line Park//10. Central Park//11. High Line Park//12. Central Park (breakfast from Aroma Espresso Bar)//13. Central Park Lake//14. Chelsea Market//15. The New York Times (ever-so appropriate, right?)//16. Bethesda Fountain

The Ukrainian Institute//The Lincoln Center with the cutie couple Warren and Meredith!//Sarabeth's Bakery, Chelsea Market

Metropolitan Museum of Art

 Central Park//Central Park//Street Meat (yikes!)

Central Park lounging

Midtown//Obnoxiously Funny Billboard//Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall

Fig & Olive (Meatpacking location) with dear Hostetlers//Central Park//Fig & Olive bevvys

Times Square//Yes, you are looking at Snoop Dog//Evita (starring Ricky Martin, what a baller.)

 Evita

Open to Suggestions!
As you can see, we had a mega-blast and we are thrilled to be moving to such a stellar city. Even though we are ready for what the next chapter holds for us, I am a little apprehensive, too. The real estate market alone can scare you. I invite you to journey with us as we relocate from Boston to NYC. Even though I've been to New York a lot, I'm not super familiar with the different neighborhoods. Do you have any recommendations for realtors to seek out or areas to live? Restaurants to try? We want to seize this opportunity for all that it is, so I am open to your suggestions! Thanks folks!

Favorites: Pretty and Bitter + Handful of Goodies

Monday Mashup.
Happy Monday! I am happy to be back in my cozy apartment in Cambridge. Stevie and I went for a run last night, and I just have to say... wow. It was painful for the entire 2 miles. And not just because I was running, ha. I know that 25 degrees isn't that cold, but it was windy along the Charles River and my body just hurt the entire time. Since I practically got frost bite while taking the above photos, I just had to share them. Pretty and bitter all at once.

Favorite Things.
I have a few inspiring links to share. Hopefully these little goodies will help you power through the week Everyone likes free music, hot recipes and gorgeous art work, right? Enjoy!

...Warm Me Up: Winter Kale and 2-Bean Soup
My dear friend Natalie whipped up this recipe. I made it last night after the God-awful run, and it really lifted my spirits. It's super healthy and packed with protein. I love having a friend who creates delicious, fit-fueling recipes!

...Pantone Color of the Year: Emerald
I missed the big unveiling of this year's color, but I read about it on Closet Memoirs' blog. I'm just feeling inspired by all these emerald items. Great gift ideas, right? Valentines Day is on the horizon...

...Desktop Decor: Rebekka Seale Artwork
I am obsessed with Rebekka's blog. She is an artist that gives away free desktop calendar art each month. Her style is happy and warm. Get January's calendar here.

...Easy Listening: Crate & Barrel Playlist
After being gone for a month, I had a lot of mail to catch up on. Is it just me, or are Crate and Barrel's catalogs extremely cool these days? There was a link in the back of the mag for a free easy-listening playlist. It's been on repeat in our household. Get yours here.

...My Famous Kin: Tiffany & Co.
I just had to share this little bit. My sister is so pretty it's silly and her husband isn't too shabby, either. (You should see their baby. Its ridiculous.) They are featured on the Tiffany & Co. site in the "What Makes True Love True" photo gallery. How famous are they? Their wedding photo was chosen as part of this Valentine promotion. Bonus: You can send a free, personalized post card to someone you love. Get yours here!

Happy, happy Monday.

Sunday Reflection: Developing that Character

Let's Dive In.
I've taken my precious time easing into this new year. Spending five weeks at home in Georgia sort of stunted my dive into the new year; I just kept feeling like I was still on Christmas break. Until last week. Yes, I'm aware it's almost February. The point is, I've had a bit of an awakening.

Oh, Self Awareness. How I (sort of) Loathe Thee.
In the recent days, I've had the privilege to be made aware of a few of my own personality quirks. "Quirks" is a nice word to use when describing oddities in one's own habits and character. I am thankful to have people in my life who love me enough to tell me the truth about my own quirks. (Again, I am using "quirks" to add an endearing characteristic to my somewhat less-than-exemplary qualities. It helps soften the blow.) The point is, we should all be so lucky to have people in our lives to point out our own blind spots. Kind of like when you have food in your teeth. Awkward as it may be, we NEED friends who will tell us. And if you've got them, hold on to them for dear life.

2013 is Here. Whether Or Not You're Ready For It.
The point of my confessional is that the new year is here and I believe that means there is a bit of grace for renewed behavior. I don't mean resolutions; I mean self-awareness. Self-awareness that I am still becoming who I am. And I am quite a bit unperfect. But I have hope!

Get Love In Your Life. The Painfully Good Kind.
If you don't have someone in your life to tell you what's up, I encourage you to get in a relationship that will give you that. Someone who loves you enough to be real; someone who is vulnerable with their own weaknesses and someone who is unafraid to confront. Love confrontations usually hurt but they are significantly important. Because right around the corner of a love confrontation is a glittering opportunity to behave nobly. I believe that.

If you do have a dear friend who knows you well enough to tell you the truth (in LOVE, that's a big part of this arrangement), then I encourage you to seek them out. Have a conversation. Give them permission to speak into your life and help you improve your "quirks" (you're starting to like that word, aren't you?) They will probably be surprised, but I assure you they will be touched by your vulnerability. And in all honesty,what do you have to lose? Your pride? Well, I can tell you from personal experience that losing pride is in your best interest. The possible outcome from this character-enriching experience? Well, hopefully, an even more amazing you.

Character is more important than professional success or fashion statements or intellectual bravado. It is fuel for all the other components of your life to flourish beautifully. Let's aim for that. Beautiful character will endure the seasons of our lives and shine through our wrinkly skin when we're a million years old.

Luck Be This Lady

I'm All In.
This post is a bit indulgent, but I just had to share. Are you seeing the above hand? I'm proud to claim that it's mine. I recently won a hand of poker with a straight flush. A STRAIGHT FLUSH. And if you know anything about poker, you know that the cards in my hand are only one short of a royal flush, missing the stealthy Ace. In the words of my Father, "I have never in all my life seen someone win with that hand. The only thing more rare is a royal flush." Oh, a swell of pride. And you want to know why? Because I learned how to play poker by watching my Dad.

My Father is a feisty one. He plays Texas Hold'em well and he trash talks his way through most games. He is truly an exquisite trash talker. He's so smooth and intimidating. In Casino Royale, James Bond says, "You don't play the cards, you play the opponent." Well, my Dad does just that. He plays EVERYONE. And he makes them wet their pants.

Over the past month I've played a good bit of poker. I've won some and lost some, but I couldn't bear to not brag on my clever win. A straight flush! Luck be this lady. Casino night, anyone?

Georgia Woods

Sometimes you need a quiet getaway.  Noise can take a lot of different forms, but it mostly clouds your mind with rubbish and makes. you. crazy. That's when it's time for a wooded walk. One of the most beautiful parts about the great state of Georgia is its natural beauty. If you let nature captivate your attention, somehow your problems just seem to shrink.The other day, Stevie and I stole an hour away for an adventure through the woods on his parent's land. We walked and talked and sat cross-legged in the leaves and stared up into the sky. We let the quiet settle around us until we realized it wasn't really quiet after all. The sound of the birds filled our surroundings and we realized that we had stopped listening to nature because the sound of our own problems in our head somehow seemed bigger. I realized I hadn't had a quiet moment in a long, long time. When the outdoors finally had my attention the chaos in my heart quieted down. I've learned that my logic does not always answer questions best, but getting outdoors and listening to nature often clears up the patches of stress inside my brain. Sometime I just need to be reminded that I am a teeny tiny person in a humongous world. Discovering a minuscule chute springing up from the Earth directly next to a hundred year old Oak reminds me to never despise small beginnings. Dreaming of the days to come, I'll have to keep that in mind. 

Adventure: A Few Good Men

Skiing with Five Guys.
Each year my husband's family men take a ski trip together. Is it just me, or are the ladies getting majorly gypped on such a fun tradition? I am not a master skier, but if I skied as often as they do then I would be a regular Kelley Clark. Or the skiing equivalent of her mad skills.

So this year, I insisted on joining the fellowship.

My request was (surprisingly) met with complete enthusiasm from the male camp. They were down with me joining their trip, and I didn't even experience any hazing to get initiated into the club. Was I prepared to be one of the men? Absolutely. I expected to be shocked by their disgusting behavior, inappropriate conversation and general smelliness. And I prepared to keep my game face on and remain unaffected by their inherently bad behavior. But you know what? I was wrong. Hanging with the guys was just, well, normal.

Map + Mmm.
We flew out to Denver and skied for a day at Breckenridge and another two days at Copper. We celebrated my father-in-law's birthday one evening with dinner at an Italian restaurant called Millonzi's. Get this: when we arrived at Millonzi's, we were informed that it was Irish Night and they were featuring a special on their mojitos, if you wore a Hawaiian shirt. I cannot make this stuff up. This is real.

The weather got progressively chillier during our 4-night stay. We skied in -11 degrees on our final day. I wore 9 layers of clothes. I coveted my toe warmers much like Gollum with the ring.

Me and Them.
These boys are fun. I am so lucky to have inherited a bunch of bros. I grew up with two sisters, so my household was always pretty girly. Sharing makeup and clothes and fashion magazines was my norm. When I say sharing, I mean fighting until my little sister showed me how to be generous. She shared everything without a second thought and pretty much wrote the book on the life lesson of sharing. Am I ridiculously indebted to her? You bet. Oh my, I digress.

With my bros, I shared gloves, hand warmers and bottles of water. Oh, and Advil, sunscreen and lip balm. And socks. And peanut butter and banana sandwiches, slope-side. Even though I'm a grown adult, I relish the fact that I now have older and younger brothers and they are SO. MUCH. FUN. I love them. I simply can't help it.

The Skills.
While the boys are all righteously talented skiers (double black? More like double EASY for them.) I, on the other hand, am extremely happy to ski on the easy greens. I like to spend the day like a fresh snow bunny, navigating the gentle rolling, easy green hills. But these boys had me addressing new challenges, so I was flying like a bat out of hell down the difficult blues. My oh my. But you want to know what? I kind of liked it. Skiing a little bit fast is fun. And less stressful on the thighs.

The Sermon on the Mount.
My husband is always kind enough to ski with me, even though I choose the path of least resistance. When I hit an impasse he pep-talks me through the challenge. And this year, I didn't stand at the top of the mountain and weep with fear. We've progressed from the dark ages. I zipped down the blue runs of Copper Mountain, belting out Lumineers'  'Ho Hey' lyrics, "I belong with you, you belong with me, my sweetHEEEEEEAaarrrtttt..." Stevie's mountaintop encouragement gave me confidence to rule the slopes. The ground was bumpy, but I bumped right back at it. That's right. Take it.

Do I love skiing? You bet. Do I love my bros? You bet even more. Would I hit up the man trip again? Anytime they let me. Brothers are the bomb, skiing in Colorado is sick and toe warmers are inexplicably valuable. If you have a brother, give him a bear hug today, because sometimes (just sometimes), boys are the best.

Dreamscape: Celebrating the Musician

Let's Celebrate.
I think it's important to take time to recognize people in your life who have accomplished extraordinary things. Ordinary people who dream of spectacular and impossible things. As children, we actually believe that we can become ballerinas, doctors and astronauts. In reality, those professions are next to impossible to actually do. The training, education and experience is often cutthroat, demanding and, even if you submit your life over to such a dream, the success rate is oh-so low. Which is why I want to take a moment to celebrate Josh Fisher.

Throwback.
I've known Josh my entire life. Our families are old friends and we grew up vacationing together, going to church together celebrating holidays. Josh is several years older than me, so he was always the cool older brotherly-type guy in the church youth group with the long wild red hair and wicked sense of humor. Josh dreamed of playing drums for a living. You could chalk this up to a nearly-impossible profession like the astronaut. So few people ever really make a spankin' living as a musician. But Josh was relentless. He pursued his love for drumming and sharpened his talent throughout middle and high school and had the opportunity to play with some significant, professional Christian bands during his twenties. You can only imagine my excitement when Josh officially became a part of the family, marrying my stunningly-beautiful cousin Lisa (who rivals him with her fiercely witty humor and altogether awesomeness.) A match made in Heaven. Lisa, being the kickass wife that she is, fully supported Josh's pursuit of music. I have watched them in amazement over the years, knowing that it probably isn't always easy pursuing one's dreams. They have remained unfailing in their love for one another and their passion for music. It's one thing to talk about dreams. It's entirely another thing to fight for the dream, sacrifice for it, never knowing if the sacrifice will be worth it. Training for that hoped-for moment of success. Waiting with fear-laced, bated breath for the day the scales tip in your favor, the day someone recognizes your talent, the day you are promoted into living your dream. Josh and Lisa have displayed that die-hard vigor for pursuing the magic in their hearts. They are some of the few who know what it means to walk in faith.

Enter, Jesus Culture.
Last week, I went to see Josh play in front of 70,000 people at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta with his band, Jesus Culture. I watched in thrill and awe as this inspiring, unfailing man rocked the house with his hypnotizing, rhythmic talent. I looked around and saw the faces of strangers all around me, moving to the music, lost in the moment. I saw him on the big screen as the cameras zoomed in on his drum solos. It was an epic moment. He was living it. His time had arrived. There he was, living in the middle of his dream, down there on that impressive stage.

Hope.
Josh's life is a testimony, an inspired omen to all of us who hope and wonder if our time, and our dreams, will ever come to pass. He has proved that getting in the business of pursuing dreams is the most fulfilling way to live. There will surely be moments where fear creeps in, but that fear is a choice. In his case, he smashed that fear like a cymbal (that's my only attempt at drum humor, I promise).

It's Time.
What does Josh's story mean to me? I think it is so vitally important to celebrate those around you who have their crowning moment of dream glory. It is a such a beautiful and rare thing to experience the pure joy of dreams come true. If you have a dream that scares you to pieces, the best way to overcome that fear is to take a selfless moment and celebrate others. Stop thinking about you. I dare you to look around; I'll bet you will begin to see people all around you that are truly extraordinary, accomplishing significant feats. Focusing on another's dream will create a raw gratitude in your own heart, and will give you ammo to move forward in your own pursuit of excellence. Thanks to Josh, I am sure of the powerful strength of our human nature. We are brilliant, beautiful, curious and a reflection of our maker. Let's get on it. 2013 is ripe and ready for our mark on this world.