All posts tagged: living life

Resolutions

Published by

Resolution #1 Stop hitting the snooze button  The alarm goes off and I immediately hit snooze. I usually set it for 5:25 AM to give me time to slowly rise before 6:15 AM yoga, but I inevitably snooze until 6:05 and miss my class altogether. I did remedy this the other night: showered and ready for bed, I slipped into leggings, a yoga tank, and bra instead of my light flannel PJs. At 6:05 AM Tuesday morning after “snoozing” for 40 minutes I turned off my heating pad (yes, I sleep with one) rolled out of bed, brushed, rinsed, and ran out the door. I made it to the studio in a respectable 13 minutes only slightly late and ready to roll, but started wilting at the 40 minute mark in class, leading to my next resolution … Resolution #2  Keep swimming  My yoga instructor is tight in body, instruction, mindset, and in discipline. Girlfriend also uses a heck of a lot of metaphors and motivational lines during each class. “If you let go of the toe, …

Exiled 

Published by

This morning I need downtime.  A day in would be great, especially when on vacation. If I were back home, this is one of those days that I would stay inside cooking, doing laundry, and likely listening to podcasts in the background.  I was hoping to spend my early afternoon the same way out here in the apartment.  There was a slight hitch though.  The binder instructions for using the washing machine are in English, but the machine itself is not.      After a slight struggle figuring it out using an inventive google app that scans foreign text on a smart phone and translates it for you, it was easier to approach the housekeeper to help out, but even with her “magic touch,” the machine got stuck after she left. About an hour later she was back with her partner armed with buckets of water ready for the morning cleanup and was surprised to see me still in the room with the machine blinking an indecipherable warning code.  I felt it best to leave them to …

Love Where You Live

Published by

At the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Yamhill River in the Willamette Valley, sits the historic town of McMinnville, Oregon.  Fresh off of a full day exploring Portland following The Hello Sessions the night before, at least a dozen of my friends and I headed 40 miles southwest for the ‘Love Where You Live’ wine country dinner. Co-hosted by the gracious Chelsey Nichol of Type A Press and my savvy friend, Maggie Battista, of Eat Boutique, guests were served passed hors devours, cocktails, and a 5-course family style meal prepared by Let Um Eat Collective inspired by Maggie’s new cookbook, Food Gift Love. Chelsey’s fourth generation family-owned printing warehouse, which houses her antique letterpress, and the studios of painter, Zach Hixson and sign painter, Mitch Horning, served as the venue. Until you make it up to Oregon for your next weekend getaway, and I strongly suggest you do, here is a taste of McMinnville for you to enjoy at home. “Newby’s Ransom Punch”, named for the founder of McMinnville, William T. Newby, and the locally produced Ransom Spirits, was …

A Noteworthy Happy Mail Happy Hour

Published by

I had been cyberstalking Isabel Bonenfant and Kate Kellman, the duo behind Of Note Stationers since the time their stationery company was called, Isabel and Kate, not so long ago.  I am a fan of their clean aesthetic and their philosophy behind meaningful correspondence. These two ladies have the loveliest letterpressed line worth admiring.  When I realized they were Boston based, I’d hoped for an opportunity to meet them in person and was delighted that Kate reached out before I did after seeing my Instagram post taken at the Cambridge location of Black Ink, my favorite stationery and gift shop in the area. You could say my passion for paper side projects is no secret with my friends and online community. It is no surprise then that this became an immediate topic for discussion and within minutes of our meet up, an unexpected Happy Mail Happy Hour collaboration was born, as well as a hosted Happy Mail Hop on Instagram. With their warm personalities, a similar appreciation for words, and our shared enthusiasm for gathering, the last thing on my mind this vacation (planning an event) …

Snippets of My Week #8

Published by

What sits behind me. In Hayes Valley Miette Bakery is consistently stunning with their fully stocked jars of old fashioned candy and towers of perfectly packaged baked goods.  I like that it is difficult to take a bad picture in here because of their beautiful merchandising and interior details.  Whether or not I eat anything in here is besides the point.  It’s just a complete dream. Miette Bakery A short walk around the area brought me to Papabubble.  Producing all of their tightly designed candy in house, it smelled like sweet berries and cotton candy, prompting me to sample their kiwi and watermelon flavors, though I was allowed to taste my way through the shop if I wanted to.  You must come yourself to see the detail in each piece of candy. In stark contrast to Miette’s feast for the eyes, Papabubble’s minimal interior aesthetic still made a strong impact.  My favorite display is their little case here. Papabubble +++ At home I was staring at this for a little longer than I would have liked. …

My Favorite Kind of Date

Published by

Quite possibly the best moments I have had getting to know another person are the times we’ve spent while walking and talking.  Of all the memories I have with friends, my husband, and the boys I used to know, the ones while talking on a walk are by far some of the sweetest ones. The walking date is underrated.  There’s never a preplanned topic of conversation when you find yourself on foot, and I find that the words exchanged from points A to B are often the most candid and heartfelt.  With every step, my theory is, the soul opens up allowing us to become more confident sharers and willing listeners.  Good weather or starry nights help kick up the romance factor too.   There is nothing to get in the way of a conversation walking side by side, except for his hand on the small of your back to guide you or an unintentional brush up against the arm, but that’s not really a bad thing, is it?   The walking date is all …

Girls’ Day In(ward)

Published by

One of the best things I appreciate most about my adolescence is the time given to cultivating the spirit and mind.  Between my catholic high school and my involvement in our church and the community, there were opportunities for retreat and meditation regularly.  Something about stepping away from life to reflect and turn one’s attention completely inward and upward on a semi yearly basis helped me turn off the outside world and connect with what was currently brewing in my head and heart.  No judgement, just trusting in my truth.  Now, it is possible, that my ‘truth’ during those times was either a) my fear that my bickering parents were going to separate or b) B for BOYS … what else can you expect from a straight girl going through puberty?  I often came home from multi day retreats and full day recollections with my head spinning and always so happy.  The life I left behind on day 1, was still the life I came back to on day 4 or 5, but I was …