Month: September 2014

N.Y. Till I Die

Heart to heart I Love NY. Its one of those things you know, you just know. If someone asks me why, i stutter, I’m speechless, i draw a blank and have a million thoughts at the same time. Its special, like that guy  who has no money and  smells and but when people ask  why you’re with him you’re like “because i love him, duhh”. So yeah, New York is cool. Last week i spent time there for the first time in a year and a half (waaayy too long), I was on a semi-work trip, it was  fun, they took us out, wined us, dined us and such but when i think about my favorite memories as i often do i think about just walking down the street, admiring the graffiti that i fucking love so much and the convenience of a city where you can truly get your hands on anything you want whenever you want, Ethiopian food at 2 am? why not? There’s grime and natural beauty, a perfect balance that i haven’t found anywhere else and strongly feel that i wont, even if i tried. I had almost forgotten how beautiful Central Park is, how confusing the subway is (to me), and how much i love Italian food (TX is so deprived). Although the  leaves weren’t quite like fall  i could see a small change in color, another thing you take for granted when you move away from a place with seasons. One thing i couldn’t forget and immediately missed so much when i moved away was the attitude, the east coast attitude. You can take the girl away from the east coast but you cant take the east coast away from the girl. There’s something about not feeling like you have to be overly nice to someone that makes me feel so relieved, it doesn’t mean I’m angry or upset I’m just minding my own fucking business okay? I had an awesome exchange with this girl at a coffee shop one morning, i came in, she asked what i wanted, got my hot tea and muffin and then moved on to the next customer. She didn’t have to pull out the bells and whistles and do any magic tricks for me because that’s not a part of her job, fuck she didn’t even ask me how i was doing and why should she? I’m not her friend so why should she care? It warms my heart. Sigh. Its the little things. The big things were reconnecting with friends/old coworkers who have just moved to Brooklyn, meeting an awesome person in the park who inspired me and encouraged me about love and life, hanging out and bonding with my current coworkers and of course doing what i do, roaming.

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One of my favorite places

Sitting on a rock getting to know you, getting to know allll about you

Sitting on a rock getting to know you, getting to know allll about you

 

The best

The best

Andre the Great

Andre the Great

my MORE guys

my MORE guys

My favorite part of the trip, roaming around Brooklyn screaming at the top of our lungs with these fools

My favorite part of the trip, roaming around Brooklyn screaming at the top of my lungs with these fools

NY, I love you

NY, I love you

Anytime i try to think of my favorite place my mind can never be made up, but my heart knows.

 

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My Rocky Road to Inspiration

I’ve never been much of a nature girl wooo! (Rick Flair reference anyone? Nature Boy?……*crickets*moving on) but i love natural beauty. I had never even heard of Rocky Mountain National Park until a coworker suggested i go. I love suggestions when i travel, some of the best places I’ve been to have been recommendations.IMG_7311

The ride was almost as beautiful as the destination.

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It was National Park Service 98th birthday so we got in free!

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Greetings

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this rock is forming into a mighty fine stone

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While Eileen went to go meditate i took a measly wimpy 2 mile hike to Alberta Falls, i don’t remember walking downhill so much on my way there because the way back felt like i was climbing a mountain. I did happen to run into some adorable animals and everyone i passed greeted me with a smile that tickled my heart.

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The hike to Bear Lake was equally as beautiful! I even found some art deep in the woods!

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Bear Lake

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The clear water has bacteria in it because of animal feces so humans can’t drink it.

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I sat on a rock at this lake (ridiculous i know) for a long time and i was really thankful i brought my journal with me. I’m often frustrated because there is always something I’m longing for. I know i am fortunate but my heart has infinite desire when it comes to traveling and always will. Before this trip for some reason i felt like i couldn’t write, i had so much in my head and in my heart that i felt like i was going to burst but for some reason i just wouldn’t write. It was the first time i had experienced some sort of creative blockage. I love going on trips but  I thought it was kind of corny that i would go on a trip and voila i can write again but it happened.  I was in awe sitting there, the sun shining , dragonflies buzzing, mountains looming, i don’t think Ive ever written surrounded by so much natural beauty before. I felt a surge of purpose, the sun was so bright i should of should of worn shades but to hell with being comfortable, i needed to see everything before me, my future. On our way back to Boulder we stopped in the adorable town of  Estes Park to eat some comfort food and play a mean game of Pac Man. Two weeks before this trip i had no idea where i was going, all i knew was that my high school reunion was cancelled and i knew didn’t want to go home. Eileen had serendipitously taken the same days off work and we decided to visit to ‘Colorful Colorado’. An amazing place to share an experience, bask in natural beauty, and sigh your heart out…..all while using a fake name that you keep forgetting when introducing yourself, sigh! Good Times Colorado, good times.

Bababa Boulder

 Bold (adjective)- a person, action, or idea showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.

Bold is such a strong word. When i hear it i think big, standing your ground, being absolutely sure with  no apologies and  full of nerve, i could stand to be more of those things.   Me and Amy, ahem Eileen and Janell (our alias’/middle names) spent our last 3 days in the Mountain Time Zone in Boulder, CO. Much anticipated, Boulder is beautiful with pine trees, mountains, and cute homeless guys, Eileen found 2 husbands!

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The Pearl St Mall and all its adorableness for your family friendly shenanigans

Theres the Pearl St Mall and all its adorableness to fulfill all your family friendly needs

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Eileen, the apple of my eye

Eileen, the apple of my eye

The Flat Iron Mountains are very beautiful, of course we’re taking the scenic route.

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Whats a girl to do when shes in the moutains….have a photo shoot duh!

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After i pick my wedgie

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Yes i am the warrior, victory is mine!

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shits n’ giggles

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and meet spirit animals!

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One of the friendliest dogs Ive ever met!

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Me and Eileen met so many inspiring  animals on this trip, this sweet puppy and beautiful cat, bees, chipmunks, bunny  rabbits, dragonflies, beavers, spiders, i even had a sleepover with a moth 2 nights in a row. Eileen had a book that described what each animal met to us.

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she wears her heart on her foot

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Colorado, known for being one of the most beautiful states is also known for legalizing marijuana, these dispensaries are throughout downtown Denver and Boulder. Now  I’m known to be square but I’m a “When in Rome”  kinda girl so i had to partake, the stores are really nice, they have something like a front room/lobby kind of deal where you go in and then to be let in to where all the good stuff is you have to show ID. I’m not a smoker of anything, lets just say i’d rather chew than inhale.

I may or may not have went streaking that night as a result of something i got from the dispensary.....the hills are alive!

I may or may not have went streaking that night as a result of something i got from the dispensary, now that’s bold…..the hills are alive!

Dadada Denver

What  does make the Mile High City so unique,  well i learned that there’s no air conditioning in some places because it never really gets too hot, there’s a lot more of a selection of guys #Menver and  there’s these really awesome pianos on the 16th street mall open to the public to  sit and and let your inner Mozart out!

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Whenever i take a walk, especially in a new city i consciously don’t put headphones in my ears and i don’t like to talk on the phone because i want to hear and feel where I’m am so that’s why i got such a kick out of all the random pianos out on the street, these everyday people keep  Denver sounding so lovely and its much appreciated.

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Dun Dun DUN DUNNNN……

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Street Art is just something that Ive accepted as a gift from the universe, it doesn’t matter where i am i will find it or it will find me but yarn bombs are kind of new to me. Like graffiti you wonder how? when? also how long it took? You don’t  actually  sit and knit it right there do you? ….right? Either way its adorbs!

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I also ate at a pizza place that had some awesome graffiti as well. The Pie Hole is one of those places  you go after the bar closes to get a slice or 2 and just hang out, its on South Broadway which is kind of like the east side of Austin.

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I don’t care for sports at all but there’s something about a stadium that fascinates me. I was roaming by Coors Field taking pictures and saw that they had a home game that following evening! #takemeouttotheballgame

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wearing a baseball shirt! it was fate!

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Look how happy she is!

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my husband

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so this is actually a thing?

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Later that night me and Amy got back to our hostel and hung out with a guy that was staying there named Chris, we hung out in the room for a little bit when we saw that the police were in the hallway, apparently this guy that was also staying there called them because his roommate was cleaning a gun and acting questionable. It blew over so Amy went to bed and me and Chris went out, we were on the hunt for a bar but ended up just walking around all night talking about traveling and drinking  slurpees. We found our way back and as i was laying down i couldn’t stop thinking about how the past 2 days were so much fun,  i also couldn’t stop coughing. I was drowning myself in water and nothing was working, i thought i was having an allergic reaction to the fabric on the sheets but whatever it was i just wanted it to let up so i could sleep, i could also hear someone else in the hallway coughing. The next morning me and Amy got up early to check out so we could head to Boulder when we saw Chris in the lobby and he told us that the crazy gun cleaning guy shot pepper spray in his roommates eyes in the middle of the night and everyone had to evacuate because the police came again! (Everyone except me and Amy  who never heard the banging that allegedly took place on our door.) So yeah that happened, the whole night I’m thinking I’m allergic to some dust or something and its pepper spray from 4 doors down, if it affected me that much i can’t imagine someone spraying it right in my face. Must be a doozy, off to get affected by something else in the Centennial State. Deuces Denver, hey Boulder!