Resolutions

I spent New Year's Day walking the Brooklyn Bridge with hundreds of other tourists from around the globe. I lost count of how many different languages I heard being spoken. It was a beautiful day, crisp but not frigid, and by the end of the day we must have walked 10 miles exploring Brooklyn, NYU, Soho, Chinatown...Thank God for my new boots. They were warm and didn't kill my feet and slid nicely under my jeans.

I didn't come up with any resolutions by New Year's Eve. And only now, when I have spent the past couple days sick on the couch, have I given it much thought. So far, I have come up with the following:

1. Be More Healthy

General, I know, but I have been more sick in the past year than any other I can remember. I am not sure if it is the air in Philadelphia versus Portland, or if the stress of law school is just getting to me, but my immune system seems to be shot. In my quest for better health I will try to be less of a night owl, especially given the fact that I have to be in class at 8:30 every morning. I will try to tone down my caffeine addiction, switching from coffee to green tea. I need to eat more fruits and vegetables, not processed foods. Lastly, I need to start running again. Maybe more regular exercise will help as well. Hopefully those changes will keep me more healthy and energized in 2010.

2. Fine-Tune my Wardrobe

It has taken me years to figure out what works for my shape (short, tending towards muscular). I think I have been in denial about my height :) Now that I have finally accepted what actually looks good, I need to go through what I own and clear out lots of items that do me no favors. Once that is accomplished, I have to make another list of pieces that I need to add to my wardrobe. I have been filling my closet with work pieces, but I also need to focus on weekend wear. My shoe selection also needs some help. This will all be more easily accomplished once I have a job and a paycheck. Which leads me too...

3. Be Diligent About Job-Searching

I do not graduate until late May, but given the legal market I need to get a head-start. My goal is a mid-sized to large firm that has departments that specialize in either entertainment, intellectual property or employment law. That being said, I will take whatever job I can get! However, to obtain any kind of job I need to put myself out in the market and take advantage of any connections I have and to continue networking.

4. Finish Writing a Book

I have bits and pieces of books that I have been writing saved on my laptop and in notebooks strewn about our place. I want to finish writing at least one of them. Starting is easy, but the middle is hard, even if I already have an ending in mind. I think the key at this point is just to write daily and hopefully the writer's block will fade.

5. Blog More Often

When life gets hectic, this blog is the first thing to go, but it's an outlet I appreciate. I would put a specific goal number on it, like 7 times a week, but that is not realistic and, honestly, if I make at least one entry a month that will be better than my previous record!

Any resolutions on your minds?

NYE in NYC

Tomorrow the husband and I are NYC bound! Living in Philly makes the trip incredibly easy - it's a mere 2 hour bus ride (we are city people without a car). We had a tremendously laid-back NYE last year, but this year we are making an adventure of the holiday.

We will arrive tomorrow morning, meet up with my dear college friend at her place in the financial district and then lunch somewhere tasty. Champagne will be bought and drunk in copious amounts and we will avoid Times Square and instead watch fireworks from her rooftop with the roommates and neighbors.

What to wear has presented me with quite a dilemma as I am feeling the Christmas indulgences all too well around my waistline, my thighs, everywhere! It has made the thrill of choosing an outfit altogether less thrilling. The accessories are fun to select, but fitted skirts are another story...I'm sure after a glass or two of champagne I will not give it much thought tomorrow.

We will be traipsing around NYC the next day and exploring neighborhoods we haven't yet visited, such as Brooklyn. Korean barbecue is definitely on the list in the Murray Hill area as Philly lacks the plethora of Korean restaurants that Portland had and New York boasts. Also on the agenda are Murray's bagels and the Shake Shack.

Hope everyone has a festive and safe New Year's Eve!

Holi-Daze

Philly had a huge snowstorm last weekend. We made a snowman with the help of our landlord's little daughter who is so cute and smart. 'Herb the snowman' looks a little demonic because we had to use radishes for eyes. Unfortunately our snowman is more of a puddle today, but we almost had a white Christmas.

I had to work until 2 o'clock yesterday at my internship, but now I am free for 10 days! We started our Christmas break with cioppino last and garlic bread last night. This morning we lounged in pajamas with coffee and Bailey's while opening gifts. I got some lovely clothes for work from my parents and older sister and lovely baubles and BlueMercury gift certificate from my husband.

I received one of my gifts early because of the snowstorm last week: Uggs. Okay, but not the normal Uggs - they are a leather almost motorcycle-boot version. They have been a lifesaver this past week trudging through snow.

I am in a food coma because of a large breakfast, leftover cioppino for lunch and plenty of chocolates and wine. However, one I come out of this daze, I will take and post photos of my new favorite things.

Hope everyone is having a lovely holiday, or if you do not celebrate Christmas, then I hope you are having a lovely day anyway!

Vices

Whenever I get stressed, I find myself justifying any and all indulgences to soothe my nerves. Given that I am at my internship 20-25 hours a week, attending 3 classes and have my first final exam of the term in a week and a half, I am turning to every single one of my vices, almost unconsciously. Some of my top indulgences include:

Haagen Dazs:

Have you ever tried Rum Raisin? I hadn't until last week and it reminds me of the holidays - surprisingly tasty. Still, my standby is always coffee. I frequently try other brands, but none quite compare to the texture and the intensity of the flavor that Haagen Dazs creates using minimal ingredients. I can pronounce all the ingredients on the list and find them all at the grocery store, which makes me feel better about devouring half a pint.

Sleeping late on the weekend:

Normally I don't change my schedule drastically on the weekends. I still get up at 7 so I can stay in my routine and feel productive. Lately, however, 10am rolls around and I am barely rolling out of bed. I'm sure it's to compensate for the late nights of studying, but it makes adjusting to the week a lot more difficult.

Coffee, coffee and more coffee:

Even the smell of it perks me up. It can be from a street cart, I don't care, coffee makes me happy. Though, if given the choice, I prefer espresso made by Greg, a mocha from Stumptown complete with foam art, or any of Chapterhouse's creations - all are heaven.

Couch time with my dogs and a book or stack of magazines:

Pajama pants, a blanket, two small pups (one in my lap and one on the back of the couch practically wrapped around my shoulders), and a new, or well-loved, book or magazine in my hands is my happy place. I'm cozy, comfortable and my mind is getting a break from the barrage of legal language I face every day. And can you really blame me for wanting to cuddle with those pups! I'm a huge animal lover and my dogs are some of my favorite 'people' in the world.

Re-watching my favorite movies/tv shows:

This drives Greg nuts. He doesn't understand how I can watch something I have seen before again and again. I tell him, if I loved it the first time, why wouldn't I love it the second (or tenth) time? He must have every TrueBlood episode memorized by now because of me. Sometimes it is the story-line, other times it is the outfits that have me returning to my favorites. Currently on my rotation are TrueBlood, The Rachel Zoe Project, Amelie, The Princess Bride, Weeds. Netflix has been injecting my routine with a little variety, I highly recommend Sunshine Cleaning if you like dark humor or The Brothers Bloom. Otherwise, I keep going back to what I know.

What indulgences do you turn to when life gets rough?

27 and Counting...

On Monday I turned 27, which means I am now in my late twenties...I think I am okay with that. I feel very grown-up, actually, so it's probably a good year to graduate from law school. To celebrate, my husband and I went out to dinner at Supper, conveniently located a block away from our place. Prior to heading out, we took advantage of a new outfit, bag and the good lighting and took some photos.

I assure you, my chihuahua does not normally spend him time outdoors being carried in a bag. He is much more of a 'paws on the ground wreaking havoc' kind of guy. He just happened to fit in the bag, the first of my purses he could actually ride in, so it's more of a joke than a daily occurrence.

The bag is a 'vegan leather' carry-all by Shiraleah. I found it randomly at a small shop that we went to just to pick up chocolates and cut-flowers. It works perfectly as an alternative to my regular school bag, fitting my lap top and large legal tomes. Because it is a polyurethane blend, rain simply beads off of it, unlike leather, which would be devastated by Philly's inclement weather. There were several more neutral colors available, however, as I tend to gravitate towards a neutral palette in my outfits, I opted for the bright raspberry shade and it has been a fantastic offset the blacks, grays and browns that I don almost daily.

As for dinner, it was a tasty mix of small plates enjoyed in the company of our hilarious neighbor, who reminds me of my mom in best of ways. Had I not been 3 sheets to the wind, I might have remembered to take photos of the food or bugged my husband to do so for me, but as it was two cocktails later I was too giddy to be bothered with the details. All in all a fine birthday.

Life As I Know It...

In a word...hectic. My last year of law school has begun and, because I was a transfer student, I have to take the maximum amount of credits to graduate on time. In addition, I am doing a co-op program in a mid-sized firm, which I love (!), which takes up 25 hours a week. So, between classes, co-op, my pro-bono commitments and reading/preparing assignments for class, trying to exercise and spend time with husband and pups, I am not sleeping. Caffeine is my close friend and I am tempted to wear sunglasses indoors to hide the dark circles.

But, I'll tell you a secret, I love it. Honestly, truly, I love being busy. It makes me a more productive person and I feel like I am contributing something to the greater good by not sitting on my lazy ass. I do adore a lazy Sunday afternoon with a late brunch then watching reruns of my favorite show while wearing pajamas and being surrounded by small dogs. However, as I learned this summer, I go stir crazy and get depressed if I have too much time off. So, being back to my crazy schedule is a huge relief.

Am I insane, or is anyone else happiest when they are busy?

Change is Good

In 3 weeks I will once again be moving. This will make 8 moves in about 8 years. We are hoping that this next place will be our home until we decide we like Philadelphia enough to buy something, or we decide to leave the city. So many perks come with our new place, like having a park right out our front door, not sharing any walls with a neighbor, 3 coffee shops and 2 grocery stores within a 3 block radius, no homeless shelters on the block...We moved to Philly without already having a place to live, spent a week in a hotel and signed a lease on a loft that was great, but in a less than great location. Not unsafe - but more than slightly dirty and deserted at night. We are moving to a much livelier neighborhood with more trees and people and dogs, which I think will help me to like the city a lot more than I currently do.

The next couple weeks will be spent throwing out/donating anything we don't need, packing up all the loose items and trying to recruit friends into helping with the move. I'm hoping that promises of good Belgian beer and pizza will be enticing enough to do the trick. After we move, I am looking forward to picking out some new artwork and perhaps getting a new bedspread and rugs to make our current furniture mesh with the flooring and cabinets.

Anyone have any handy packing tricks?

Sorry

Sorry it's been so quiet. There was some unexpected (at least on my part) family sadness that is weighing on me. Not really feeling inspired to blog. Apologies. Hope to be back to it soon.

Creatively Sluggish

The past week's sickness seems to have sapped my creative energy along with my physical energy.  To try and regain some strength I took up Bikram Yoga and have made it to 3 sessions.  I am learning slowly and getting my ass kicked in the meantime.  I love the way I am forced to focus on the poses for 90 minutes and forget everything else.  I have never practiced yoga outside of my own living room, so looking awkward and sweaty in front of other people is not my forte.  

To combat my embarrassment of being a beginner, after my first session I went on a mission with the goal of at least dressing the part of a practiced yogi.  Along the way I picked up a new yoga mat, some shorts that will never see the outside of a yoga studio and am in the process of obtaining a few new tank-tops that are appropriate for 105 degree weather.  

I really love my mat.  It's by Nike and has great traction, even when I am absurdly sweaty.  The shorts, however, are just a necessity.  I tried the first class in a pair of running shorts and the loose material kept sticking and getting uncomfortable, so I swallowed my pride and bought a pair of insanely short lycra yoga shorts.  The consolation is that no one pays attention to anyone else during class, so no one is ogling my pasty, white legs that modesty usually keeps safely tucked away.  

I am getting progressively more accustomed to the near-naked state of most of my classmates and am trying to get comfortable revealing so much of my skin.  Honestly, the less you wear the easier it is to do the poses and deal with the sweltering heat that defines Bikram yoga.  I feel myself getting addicted to it and the detoxed feeling that I experience after each class is enough to keep me coming back. 

Anyone else do yoga?  Are there any particular brands of yoga wear that you prefer?  I'm new, so I would love any suggestions.  

Sick Day

Ever since I returned from Portland, I have been battling sickness.  It's a sore throat/head cold combo that has knocked me out.  Methinks that it is either my body rejecting the Philly air or the nasty recycled air on the airplane blasted someone's germs right into my face.  Ick.  

On days like today, when my energy has been sapped and I feel quite low, it's almost a relief to lay low and be self-indulgent.  I play catch-up on reading my favorite blogs and fashion websites.  

Keeping me entertained today: 

21 Days to Better Skin from Elle.com

Lovely collages at Boubou Teatime

Hilarious mini-models at Jezebel.com

Finding out my Myers-Briggs personality type here.  I'm an INFJ, anyone else?

Hope all you out there are feeling much better than I am today.