Friends

So I got the waitress job to save money. BUT I'm just spending it on Travel. :)

ON A WHIM, i decided to go to NYC and Chicago this month. 

BUT I'm REALLY excited because I'm going to see friends I have not seen in a long time. I cannot wait! I haven't been to Chicago since 2011! I haven't been to NYC since Feb 2014!!!

I cannot wait to see my friends who live in these two awesome cities. I will not be saving money but wtf you only live once. And the friends I'm going to see are some of the most important people in my life!! Some of my longest friendships that i deeply cherish.

So i got no complaints.

Istanbul

I had my first Istanbul interview yesterday morning.

I'm thinking I do not need to make this decision; they will kind of make it for me if they pick me or not. But I can't help but think about the possibility. Right now, I have neither a yes or no feeling.


I mentioned this on my vacation with my parents. They were not pleased. But I am trying to not have their thoughts color my choice. I do not want to be that person who does things based on others opinions. I just want support if I choose to do it. It's not enough to have my own confidence. Still working on that.




 My two best friends are helping me and sharing their advice. They both say "do it," because like me they are adventurous badasses, too.

The pay is less than I make now. Contract from August '15 - June '16. Summer is paid and they hope you return for the next year, obviously.





Cost of living is CHEAPER than DC.

I don't know if I'd be saving any money if I did this, so it would be for the experience. My main concern is being able to support myself since I'll be far from home.

 It seems to be a pretty cheap place to live. I think I could have about $750-1000/month left over after rent and student loans, I should have enough to live comfortably and also do quite a bit of travel.

I flip flop between stress free security and poor adventure. 

Only time will tell. 


 

To love the moments we live in.

i had a beautiful walk all over the city today. i took a half day from work for an afternoon of doctor appointments. this wandering is something i rarely do. i walk with purpose even when i have no purpose. i walk very fast thinking of other things. i'm not in the moment. i also listen to my iphone or check apps. 

today i had no headphones. i let the world fill my ears and eyes. also, getting purposely lost, i had to focus on the little things to figure out where i was. it was great fun and i need to do it more often. now that the weather is good, i'm going to try to more. 

i wrote this on my "notepad" on my phone. when you get the feeling to write, you must write. and it was just one of those moments when the words were floating in my head and had to get out if i was going to remember the images i had seen today. 

Little girl bouncing along the hopscotch - the beads in her hair following suit. Jazz notes falling down the club stair case, floating through the air and taking a ride on my pounding of the pavement. I think Seaton street is my favorite. It's dripping with roses and ivy and all the houses are painted in the color of "home." To love the moments we live in. How easy one forgets.

and here are the pictures i took of Seaton street. I couldn't help it. 

Out of Town Weekend: NEW YORK

i stayed in a different city this weekend. all the girls who walked the streets had tired dyed blonde hair, dark brown roots, matte red lips that cradled a cigarette. All of them wore leather jackets or fur but no puffy sleeping bag ones. such as myself.




Me and my friend watched couples on Friday night, Valentine's day, making out on the street between 2-4 am. We were in a bar, seated by a window that overlooked the avenue. After seeing the first couple macking face, we started betting if the couples would go home in the cab together or take separate cabs. It was fun to watch these little soap operas from afar, displaced enough outside the chaos to enjoy the stormy romance without the consequences.

My big purchase of the weekend was my signature perfume. I've realized every sophisticated woman has a signature scent and i want one. It's something I always thought as a rite of passage of sorts for a grown woman so i took the plunge. I bought a REALLY expensive french perfume. It says this on the back of the bottle:

“A woman of such intimidating beauty and sparkling vitality gained the adoration of everyone around her. However, no one knew what she had been through. With her wild spirit, she was tough, stronger than metal, and never looked back. When she met him, for the first time in her life, she could stand still. She may have found the absolu man.”

This is what's in it:

Top notes :

tangerine from Italy, pink pepper from China, blackcurrant from Burgundy

Heart notes :

violet leaves from Grasse, iris Pallida from Tuscany, mimosa from Grasse

Base notes :

patchouli from Indonesia, white amber, tonka bean from Brazil

Recent Obsessions of late

• Marc Maron - his unlikely sexiness, neurosis, sexy old man-ness, humor, sound of his voice, the fact that he dates women half his age (i realize it's wrong, but i don't care - and it's probably because i am half his age that i approve of this).

• Suki Waterhouse - her hair, face, fashion, and the fact that she has charmed the pants off Bradley Cooper. Girls must have something goin' on. And she's only 22. At the very least she'd have some great stories to share over tea time.
  

• Surfer music and surfers

• Beaches... in general

• Plantation houses - minus the whole slavery issue - that is the one part about liking them i could ignore. 

• Spain. Spanish men. Anything to do with Spain. 

• Swimming in the ocean naked ... off of a Greek island.

Labor Day weekend in DC

One of my BEST friends Jessica came to visit me in DC for the long weekend. We did SO much in the short time she was here!! Holy Moly.

A quick run down:
Friday: I brought Jes to Ping Pong Dim Sum. My favorite Dim Dum place in D.C. thus far. I'm sure there is a more authentic, cheaper place, but this place never fails to delight my senses. With the flavors, textures and beautiful presentation it's always a delectable time.

After Dim Sum we walked around, looking at the monuments at night.

Then, we headed over to my corner bar.  The bar manager who has seen me there before bought me and Jes TWO rounds then asked me on a date. He seems to be a playa, and when i quipped this to him he said, "i truly do find you absolutely stunning." - oh my. ALSO - mind you this is the same bar i have gotten two dates at previously after going there in yoga clothes, no makeup. I'm CONVINCED this bar like releases pheromones in my body or something. CRAY-CRAY.

Saturday: We woke up, got breakfast at a cute french bakery next to Eastern Market, then went to Eastern Market.  I bought a pack of organic lavender products a lady made and was selling and Jes got a stellar jade ring that matched her sea-foam green nail polish. Then we went to the American History museum - saw Julia Child's kitchen, the ORIGINAL star spangled banner (like the one the song was written about, AKA the one Francis Scott Key saw as he watched the battle), and Dorothy's red slippers.We then went to the Natural History Museum and after traipsing around we saw the Hope diamond and an IMAX film in which they played this song:

The film was "Ultimate Wave" with Kelly Slater surfing the ultimate wave in Tahiti.
Later that night we went to Alexandria for Eamonn's Chippery and PX Lounge Cocktail drinks. PX Lounge feels like an old Speakeasy. Kinda like being in "Midnight in Paris."

 Sunday: We had brunch, walked ALL over Georgetown, went to Madam's Organ, danced to an amazing Blues band (Stacey Brooks) and sang some Karaoke.

Monday: We went to the National Portrait gallery and then went to Teaism for really good zen food.

IT WAS A HELLUVAH WEEKEND. Love you, Jes!