live*laugh*love

Live ...

to take chances. To try new things. To be sweet. To make a positive impact and to change someone's life. To fall in love. To create. To travel. For friends and family. On the edge. For miracles and for adventures.

Laugh ...

at yourself. When you don't know what else to do. With friends. With family. With strangers. To feel better. At inappropriate times.

Love ...

singing in the car. Dancing. LBD's. Italy & Australia. Dresses. Wine. Animal prints. Trying to surf. Hiking and being outdoors. Doodling. Flirting. Dreaming. Jewelry. The ocean. Turquoise. Yoga. My iPod. Summer. Dolphins. Pedicures. The Jersey Shore. Chocolate - lots and lots of chocolate. Being a girl.

And always remember - it's not just a daydream if you decide to make it your life.

What's to Come in 0-1-1!

Question of the week: what do I want to accomplish in 2011? With the New Year upon us, it's always good to take some time to focus on what I want out of life. Especially if the world really is ending in 2012 ... better live it up!

In 2011 I want to take a vacation to somewhere that I've never been before. I want to fall in love. I want to be happier, more carefree, and less OCD. I want to grow my hair longer than it's ever been. I want to go to a concert at MSG. I want to (re)learn Italian and take a cooking class. I want to start exercising regularly. I want to make more money and I want to buy something beyond frivolous. I want to dance ... all the time. I want to get in touch with an old friend. I want to move to an apartment with my OWN room! I want to spend more time with my family and be nicer to my sister. I want to find a job that I truly love and am passionate about. I want to make plans to move to a place where it's warm all year round! I want to be more spontaneous and I want to have even more fun. After all, isn't that what it's all about?

For now, I'll get up and go to work tomorrow, same as always. I'll try new things as often as I can and post my Bucket List somewhere close so it can serve as a constant reminder that there are always dreams to be dreaming.

XOXO

2010 Reflection: Here's to Lessons Learned & New Adventures

What a crazy year it's been! Graduated college, signed a lease in NYC, got a job, met guy after guy after guy (and so the story goes), made new friends, discovered new places, learned the subway system (maybe my biggest accomplishment!), and overall grew up. Quite the whirlwind welcome to the so-called 'Real World' - does this mean I'm officially a grown up?

Lessons Learned:
1. To lose weight you can't eat. Anything. Ever. Period.
2. Prince Charming is NOT waiting for me on the corner (or at the subway stop or at the bar) so maybe I need to stop looking so hard
3. Always wear shoes in NYC
4. It is either ridiculously expensive to live in this city or you can find a free/cheap way to do almost everything you want to do depending on how resourceful you are
5. Amendment to #4: contrary to popular belief, the best things in life are typically NOT free
6. Red wine actually tastes good when it doesn't come out of a box
7. There is never ever a time when you will have more freedom and life will be more fun than in college
8. Take as many vacations as possible - mini, extended, or anything in between
9. Going back little kid style to sharing a room with my best friend is like having a slumber party every night
10. Laughter really is the best medicine

Cheers to spontaneity, dancing, high heels, guest "bartending", deliciousness, and pretty things. Cheers to living simply, loving generously, caring deeply, and speaking kindly. Cheers to all the fabulous people in my life who have helped me get to where I am today and who will be there for whatever craziness comes next.

XOXO

Sweet Summertime

To make a looong story short, country mouse has officially become city mouse and moved to NYC! I've been here a little over 3 weeks in my new apartment - the same day as my big move I also started working as a receptionist (and self-proclaimed office assistant) at JBCStyle. I'm having so much fun and couldn't have asked for anything more perfect to have fallen into place.

The last few weeks have been a serious whirlwind of catching up with friends, family, dinners, drinks, going out, shopping, moving, building, painting, working, beaching it, and a little bit of everything else in between. Time is flying by fast than I'd like - I can't believe it's already the middle of August! So much to look forward to: the beautiful fall weather, hosting dinner parties, going to clubs, meeting people, long(er) hair, and finding a fabulous new pair of boots.

Made a bucket list of things I want to do while living in the city - including rowing boats in Central Park, going to Coney Island, taking a bellydancing class (check!), visiting the Statue of Liberty, swimming in the crazy cool dumpster swimming pools all over Manhattan, seeing more shows on (and off) Broadway ... and the list goes on and on! Nothing is more satisfying and exciting to me than experiencing and exploring culture in my very own city.

XOXO

12 Days and Counting ...

So one day I hope that I can change the title of this blog to 'Emily's View From The Top', but for now, seeing as I'm graduating college in 12 days with no job and no potential job, I figured this was more appropriate. First and foremost, where have the past four years of my life gone? I guess the saying 'time flies when you're having fun' really does ring true. And I honestly can say that I've had the time of my life in college. I've gotten to experience things that I would otherwise never have the opportunity too - like living in a dirty sorority house with forty other girls for a year and a half, which - let me tell you - can get pretty crazy. And 'misplacing' half my wardrobe and everything else that I own, only to find it in someone else's room - or on someone else's body - a few days later.

But in all seriousness ... spending a summer in Italy taking language and culture classes is something that I wouldn't trade in for the world. And spending a semester abroad in Australia? I left half my heart there, which definitely means that one day (hopefully sooner than later!) I'll have to go back and get it! I've come to the realization that I'm almost a grown up - something that I thought would scare me more than it does. For now I'm going to take all the chances and opportunities that I can, and hopefully find myself doing something that I love in the near future. I know it won't be easy - I've come to the realization that nothing ever is - but if you've got confidence and motivation and goals, there is nothing that can stop you. Or me.

For now, I'm just going to focus on enjoying the last week and a half of my college career. Which, if it goes the way I think it will, I don't think I'll have any trouble doing. As for my job 'quest', I'm not giving up - don't worry NYC, I'll be there someday!

XOXO