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Helloooo!

Sometimes a vacation feels more than a couple of weeks away.

When I returned home from Greece, I felt like I'd been away for over a month. I came home to a completely different routine, to a different me. Before I left, I was a bit of a mess. I had tired panda eyes, and a slightly dropped spirit.

In Greece, I spent two weeks violently shaking my hair underwater like a happy sea monster. I relished in taking sweaty naps in the afternoon, and cold showers at night. I glued my forehead to car windows that took me down highways that snaked around cliffs of yellow flowers that smelled like a freshly perfumed French woman.

I carried around two notebooks, writing down everything I saw. I reconnected with my fictional characters that I sometimes set aside, like that game you played as a child, when someone yells "Freeze!" and you don't move until someone says you can. I thawed them out, and their stories started up again.

Before I left, I went to dinner with my best friend, and she took some photographs of me in Roncesvalles. While I stood in the cubbyhole she picked, she asked me to use the space around me; to embody the newfound freedom that I badly wanted to embrace.

So I did, and when we found the best shot, I hesitated to post it. She told me to own it, to stop caring about the rest.

While away, I began reading Dr. Brene Brown's, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. I first came across Brown's Ted Talk on vulnerability and I couldn't get it out of my head for days. I've always struggled with vulnerability. I've even been told that by a few people. But Brown believes that being vulnerable makes you stronger, even if at first, you feel weaker.

This week's mantra comes from her book. It is a quote I can re-read 100 times and still feel something. Hope you do too!

"Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don't exist in the human experience. We must walk into the arena, whatever it may be— a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation— with courage and the willingness to engage. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and hurling judgment and advice, we must dare to show up and let ourselves be seen. This is vulnerability. This is daring greatly." 

I have a bunch of travel diary posts coming up. Stay tuned! x

Final Days of Florence - Travel Diary

When first planning my Italian adventure, five weeks on my own felt like an eternity.

I agonized about every little detail and imagined the worst possible scenarios in each aspect of the trip. However, as per my usual neurosis, the moment I stepped off the plane I was completely enthralled and in love with my new city.

Fast-forward to today, and I can't believe how fast a month went by. It's a strange sensation because while I feel like the time raced by, I also feel like I've been away from Canada for five months, not five weeks. (Also, Happy belated Canada Day!!)

I left Florence on Saturday, and I was surprised at the feeling of melancholy that came over me. As I mentioned, I started to become attached to my routine here, and having the same apartment for a month forced me to get comfortable, more than I could have at a hotel.

Below are the things I will miss...

• Daily gelato - I've become an expert on gelato here in Florence. There is an art to choosing the right place. It is best to avoid the gelaterias that feature giant, brightly coloured mounds of globby ice cream. (These mounds are mostly full of artificial colourings and preservatives). For example: Mint gelato should be white, not green, as mint is naturally white. Always try to find places that are marked "artiginale" or "organico" as they are made with real ingredients and taste 1000% times better. Special mention goes to Grom. 
• Sunset walks by the Arno river. There is really no place more magical or romantic to walk by at night in Florence. (Yes, I just used the words "romantic" and "magical" in the same sentence). 
• Waking up to church bells, and having Chiesa Santa Croce as my backyard  
• The appertivo bars and wine drinking piazzas. Appertivo is a relatively new concept in Italy where you purchase one drink, and then get access to a free dinner/buffet/snack bar. The food is also quite diverse, (no chips or salsa; depending where you go), and it's quite economical. You can have dinner and a drink for $5-7 euro. Special mention to Piazza Santo Spirito (The Brooklyn of Florence as I call it) and Zoe for a vegetarian appertivo.
• All the friends, students and new acquaintances I met throughout the month that gave me a new perspective on life, and who helped me to become more social and outgoing. Special mention to those who showed me around like a true Florentine.
• My roommate Maria who departed for Greece on the same day, and with whom I've found a new best friend across the world. Already plotting my trip to Greece in 2014! 

Lastly, below is my final Firenze photo diary! Enjoy x

Coney Island - NYC Diaries

One of the first things I wrote on my New York summer bucket list was: Visit Coney Island.

I finally made the trip to South Brooklyn with my roommate Jules for a lazy beach Sunday. Despite overzealously checking multiple weather networks for the forecast, somehow the day ended up being breezy and overcast, with a sky the colour of a giant marshmallow. We still wore our bathing suits but ended up walking around the grounds instead of lying out on the beach.

Coney Island exudes a sense of retro simplicity that seems to get lost at other amusement parks. Everything looks a little bit worn out, a little bit abandoned, a little bit muted. There is nothing shiny or corporate rubbing its nose in your face. It's old-fashioned goodness that attracts families, friends, young people and musicians who need a little escape from the city.

The highlights of the day had to be riding the Cyclone roller coaster (and pretty much losing my voice afterward from screaming like a 90 year old lady who's never been on a rickety ride) AND eating my first hot dog in five years from Nathan's famous.

Below are some photos from the day trip. The only good thing about the clouds is they help capture better photos. Additional photo credit to newbie shutter bug: Julia C.

Enjoy! xx

Mom & Dad are here! Mom & Dad are here! - NYC Diaries

I don't just love my parents, I like them as people.

I remember when I was a teen and the thought of going anywhere cool with my parents was mortifying. I love how things have changed. My parents are pretty fantastic. They are young in spirit and always up to try new things. We are never stuffy with each other and over the years I've come to really appreciate our relationship. I couldn't imagine being formal or awkward with them.

Though we've gone many weeks without seeing each other in the past, this time it felt a bit longer than usual. We spent the weekend walking (a lot), eating (a lot), inquiring about future life plans, commenting on every single dog that walked by and missing the other addition to our core-four (my sister who will be visiting at the end of the month).

I also showed them around my hood in Brooklyn and they actually enjoyed their introduction into hipster culture. My Dad kept referring to himself and my mother as just plain, "hip." They met my roommates for lunch (and loved them) and we ended the trip by watching Rent and strolling around Times Square for 15 minutes as it is my least favourite place to be, ever.

I took advantage of their foodie personalities and booked some restaurants that I've been dying to go to  I knew they would enjoy. Though I'm no food critic, below are some recommendations if you find yourself in this big city looking for some good eats and atmosphere:

• Locanda Verde - Chef Andrew Carmellini and Robert Deniro's Italian restaurant in TriBeCa. The beet and goat cheese stuffed Raviolini was the perfect mix of savoury and sweet; but I'd order more of the crostini if I could. 

• Eataly Rooftop Birreria - The perfect after-work drinks spot (if I actually worked in Manhattan) on the roof of Mario Batalli's Eataly mecca. Without pizza or pasta on the menu, their local meat, fish, cheese and mushroom selections are perfect for sharing. The view of the city is pretty great too. 

• Big Gay Ice Cream - The best ice cream you will ever have. Ever. With ingredients like sea salt, dulce de leche and Nutella, and creations called "Salty Pimp" you know you're in for a good time. Order: The Monday Sundae. It was the only thing my mother could talk about for the next 2 days.

• Momofuku Noodle Bar - My parents couldn't believe their eyes when I, a former vegetarian (who still doesn't eat much meat) sunk my teeth into a pork belly steamed bun. (It's chef David Chang's specialty! I had to). Fan of ramen? You'll get the freshest noodles here. 

• Fornino - This pizzeria in Williamsburg creates authentic, thin-crust wood oven pizza. The kind that made four Italians give their salivary stamp of approval.

All in all, I'm grateful to have these two wonderful and supportive people in my life. Thanks for visiting Mom & Dad. (Yes, they read my blog).

Below are some photos from their trip! Enjoy xx

Not A Model Travel Diary - Las Vegas

When I first decided to go to Las Vegas, I didn't really think I would enjoy it. "It doesn't seem like my scene," I lamented. I strongly dislike gambling and I'm not much of a "wild and crazy" party girl but I figured it was a rite of passage. I packed my bags and headed over to the desert with three of my girlfriends and let's just say I loved every waking second of it.

Below are 6 things I learned from sin city and a mini photo diary. Enjoy! xx

1. Sleep is extremely overrated.

2. You then may fall asleep in other places like Cirque du Soleil to catch up.

3. Happy people listen to house music.

4. Rules aren't just bent, they're crazy straw twisted. 

5. Gambling is lighting your money on fire, with hope that the flame won't catch.

6. After four days, you may not want to go home, but your body will have to.

(photo cred: Christina Tac)