Subways, sweet potatoes and an apartment that is way too nice

Since Wednesday, I have:

Spent a night at the International House of Columbia University

Hauled all my bags/luggage up and down subway stairs and finally moved into a new apartment

Walked all around Central Park, 5th Avenue, and Spanish Harlem

Eaten delicious southern cuisine at Amy Ruth's restaurant

Went grocery shopping and bought some pricey organic produce

Walked the High Line and explored Chelsea Market

Found my way home on the subway all by myself.

It's already been an adventure, and I love it! Sometime I'll try to post pictures (but that would involve me actually remembering to bring my camera with me, first).

Our apartment is so nice. I feel like we're being spoiled by this summer because if I end up moving here for good, there is no way I'll be able to afford a place like this.

I love seeing so many different people and walks of life, and exploring this huge island. There really is no place like New York, New York.

image via

Summer reminds us every year to keep our hearts young

Okay, so I couldn't find a decent quality live version of this song, but I'm completely smitten with it.

It's so childlike and innocent.

So just listen to it, and then go run through the nearest sprinklers you can find.

a taste

Today I wore no jacket to school.

And I walked to class

And I wasn't cold.

California runs through my blood and I crave the beach almost as much as I crave chocolate.

Today felt a little bit like the beginning of spring, and the end of a winter that wasn't the most stressful, but it had its moments.

Today was a day when the world was conquered.

When somehow everything came together and worked, even when I was sure it wouldn't.

And for that, I am grateful.

images via this

cowboy take me away

Maybe I need to add one more thing to the poll on my sidebar: go spend the summer with my extended southern family in beautiful South Carolina. Oh and this little ad shop intrigues me.

Hmm..I wonder what interning in the South would be like. Do they down too many cups of sweet tea instead of coffee, and have big porches instead of basketball courts? Do they still wear suits and say "Yes, Ma'am"? Do they get late night bbq instead of Chinese?

I fell in love with the South when I was 8 years old.

And I wonder if I'd make a better southern belle or city girl.

I think I might like the pace of the South better than the hustle and bustle of the city.

But, then again, there is something magical about the city that never sleeps.

"I want to walk and not run.

I want to skip and not fall.

I want to look at the horizon

and not see a building standing tall."

-Dixie Chicks

image found from the lovely colby ranae on Pray Hard. Live Easy.

The massive, annual, hopeful, probably too long, list of summer goals:

Books I want to read/finish (at least a few of them this summer...):

-Finish Zorro

-Finish Deep Economy

-Michael Pollan's Food Rules

-Let the Great World Spin

-Finish the Alchemist

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Concerts I want to go to:

-Ryan Star...it's this Saturday, so...not likely, but it would be awesome

-Carbon Leaf..next Monday!

-Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers (in September)

-Twilight Series (concerts, not vampires)? Beirut?

Movies I want to watch:

-Karate Kid

-He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (for like the 4th time...but oh well)

-Letters to Juliet

-Adam

-The September Issue

-Coco avant Chanel

And...

-make enough money to pay tuition in the fall (car wash? bake sale? garage sale?

-continue to work in the adlab

-go to the farmers market

-eat all the bing cherries I want

-make a batch of freezer jam

-make a loaf or two of semolina bread with basil butter

-really improve my rumba, so when gold latin auditions come around...

-eat less cheese

-learn a few more phrases in French or Italian (besides "Je ne comprends pas" or "Parlo un po' d'italiano")

I'm making a goal to read something every day. The newspaper, a book, Ad Age. Anything.

And you can hold me to it. In fact, please do.

image via vi.sualize.us


"what you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. it will decide what gets you out of bed in the mornings, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you. fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

- pedro arrupe

I've started so many posts in the last week. Finished a few. Saved others half-finished.

But none were ready to post. Some may be too personal. Some may take knowing me for years to really understand. Maybe I'll post those another day.
But for now, I think a simple list will suffice.

Because, after all, it's sunny outside. So why not make one of those random, out-of-order, I-love-life kind of lists?

I love...
-barefeet on hardwood floors
-new clothes
-letting my hair air dry
-hearing how happy my sister sounds
-feeling missed and needed
-when people tell me that I look like my mom
-greek food, especially when I get to enjoy it with my dad.
-phone calls, just to chat
-nutella
-waking up and feeling rested
-having a wee bit more time, now that I'm not in classes
-just feeling genuinely happy and content with life.

image via deviantart

Much Ado

I found out from one of my favorite New Yorkers, Miss Meg Fee, that Provo is doing Much Ado About Nothing.

June 11th and 12th.

Outside.

FREE.

My favorite kind of theatre.

Who'll go with me?

fresh

summer is about discovery.

and swimsuits and sunscreen.

and late night conversations.

and baseball games and ice cream cones.

and butterflies.

and trying new things.

like letting my heart do the thinking.

and opening up the windows and letting some new light* in.

oh yes. summer is about butterflies.

image via vi.sualize.us

*or love..?

Craving California

Today, while sitting in Spanish class, I could almost feel the warmth of the sun, even in the basement of the Humanities building.

Utah looked like summer for a little while.

I love California. I always have. I consider myself 1/4 California girl, because my mom grew up there.

California, to me, means laying in the sun all day long and reading a good book.

California means having that salty smell on your skin and beach waves in your hair.
California means getting rid of your blow-dryer.

California sunshine is so beautiful, you can't help but feel fabulous.

I dream of living in a tiny little apartment right near the beach, waiting tables at some hole-in-the-sand restaurant to pay the bills, and spending all my free time playing on the beach. Just for a little while, I think that would be heaven.

And that means I'd have to learn how to surf.

But I'm okay with that.

pic from our trip to california last year.*

*this picture reminds me of Saved by the Bell or Step by Step or something or even Babysitter's Club, in a random way.

Let's pretend like it's the summer.

The past six days have been pretty heavy.

Two midterms.

One weekend living in the Adlab.

3 days of falling asleep in my classes (what's new?).

This week has been good to me, though. The crappy days are a reminder of what I'm capable of, and I needed that.

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less*, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more and all good things will be yours."

-Swedish Proverb

image via sabino

*I'm working on this one.

summer update

So...remember this list?

Summer is more than halfway over....so here are the updates:
1--hmmm..not yet..
2--okay, give me credit. I've tried to job shadow a friend a couple times, but it just hasn't worked out yet. But we're still trying!
3--I've learned a little bit more. To quote my mother, I don't just need to learn how to cook, I need to "learn how to eat." Okay, I'm sort of a really picky eater. Gimme a break, I'm trying...and I got it from her! lol
4--Oh have I ever! It might be a more-than-weekly occurrence that we share a slice of cheesecake as a staff, because it was "too old" or mutilated in some way.
5--YES! I've been at least 4 times. And definitely plan on going a couple more before I leave.
6--YES! I went to many of Kevin's baseball games. I only missed a few because of work.
7--...so far, so good. I think.
8--not yet....but Kellie and I are working it out:-).
9--YES! Although this list is never "done," I have read: Speak, The Poisonwood Bible, Persepolis, some poems from The Forgiveness Parade, and I'm currently Zorro.
10--YES! I've been keeping a scripture journal pretty regularly, to write my thoughts as I'm studying. And I've been writing in my regular journal pretty often, too.
11--YES! :)

I still want to read more....and work on the first 4 goals....and enjoy summer. But I still have a little over a month :-)

{Did you hear that, college friends? I'll be back... in almost a month:) hehe}