Not A Model Weekly Mantra - What Now?

Books seem to be the best companions when travelling solo.

I've only been in Florence for a week, and I've already finished reading three books. Keep in mind this time frame includes my 8.5 hour plane ride and a two hour day trip this past weekend. I am not some freak speed reader.

The latest book I finished reading was, What Now by Ann Patchett. It is a published essay on the commencement speech that Patchett gave at Sarah Lawrence College. The essay includes Patchett's experiences attending her alma mater, working as a waitress and trying to become an author.

It is an essay that provides insight into the question that always seems to pop up when people find themselves at a crossroads. 

That question is, "What Now?"

Seeing as I will be returning to Canada in less than a month, the question "What Now" or "What Next" seems to linger in the air. While I should not be worrying about the future, it is inevitable when spending time solo to begin to analyze one's life path. This essay was a great reminder of the possibilities that lie ahead, not the stress.

Below is a quote from Patchett's essay, and this week's mantra. Enjoy! x

"If you are trying to find out what's coming next, turn off everything you own that has an OFF switch and listen. Make up some plans and change them. Identify your heart's truest desire and don't change that for anything. Be proud of yourself for the work you've done. Be grateful to all the people who helped you do it. [..] You are, every one of you, someone's favourite unfolding story."

Not A Model Takes Off..

I recently read the New York Times article, "Yes, Please | Party of One" about the joy of solo travel.

The author Andrew O'Hagan explains, "I want to think new things on holiday and the best way to do that is to go it alone, allowing yourself a space — a beautiful space, with any luck — that is circumscribed neither by your need to perform nor your need to blame. Get up when you like. Skip as many museums as you like. Eat or don’t eat. Dance or don’t dance. Swim far out if you want to. Drink Champagne at breakfast. Write a paragraph if you have one to write. Say nothing for days and dream of home. Keep the light on all night."

Besides last summer's New York City adventure, I've never travelled anywhere for an extended period of time, completely solo. (I prefer the word solo to alone. Alone sounds, well, lonely.) While some people would never want to try it alone solo, somehow this milestone seemed to make it on my life list. The so-called "mid-twenties" can be a challenging time period to plan trips with other people. Finances, wedding planning, rent, and career commitments are all factors when asking other people to take off with you.

So I decided to head out anyways. With a full suitcase, my laptop, a travel journal, a recipe journal, a camera, a phrasebook and a passport full of nerves, I've departed for Italy for a five-week self-imposed, solo-adventure.

I'm not sure how the blogging will commence overseas; how the Wi-Fi situation will work with my sputtering white MacBook; how the time difference will affect posts, but I will try my best to document my journey when I can.

I also hope to make at least one friend, learn to have a full conversation in Italian, work on some creative writing and create my own recipe journal.

To keep in touch in-between posts, catch me here.

Wish me luck! x

Welcome to Florence! - Travel Diaries I

The last time I was in Italy for an extended period of time was when I was 17.

It was for a three-week Italian course with my best friends. It was the first trip without our parents, and my first taste of unadulterated freedom. Translation: drinking illegally in tiny bars, pretending to be asleep when our teachers came for "night check," riding in gondolas with boys, and obsessively turning the wheel on our disposable cameras.

Now, almost a decade later, it's a bit different. I crave creative inspiration, double-scoop gelato and the temporary removal from a city desk job. 

My first two days in Florence have dispelled my outlandish nerves. I've already made a few friends, (cross that off the list), including my new roommate Maria, a former civil engineer turned fashion and jewelry designer from Greece. 

While here, I will be taking a language course and a cooking course. Today, I started both, and after a written and conversational test, I was put in the beginner's class. Although I've taken many Italian classes in my past, I get extremely bashful when speaking out loud in another language, in a group. Thus, the director put me in a class where I can work on that. I already felt more confident ordering an espresso macchiato this morning. 

My cooking instructor speaks only in Italian and even gives us our recipes in Italian!? I don't know why I assumed it would be in English. Today I learned that noce moscata means nutmeg, and cipolla means onion. It's more instructional than hands-on, and today we learned how to make tiramisu and cannelloni al forno. 

I also went to an Italian grocery store as eating out everyday isn't a thrifty option for 5 weeks when my apartment has a kitchen. I also had my first gelato (fragola - strawberry and nocciola- hazelnut) and tested out my camera skills around my living area. 

Below is my first photo diary from Florence! Enjoy. x 

Spring in New York - Not A Model Travel Diary

This trip to New York was the most confusing because of the season. The warmth of spring felt almost like summer, minus the humidity and bareness of the bod. It felt the most like old times compared to my fall and winter visits.

Upon my arrival we floated up to the roof to drink beermosas (exactly what it sounds like) and we all chattered about the gaps of information and anecdotes that you don't get via distance communication.

I discovered that in Greenpoint you will find a secret Thai restaurant in the basement of a bar. And only there will you inform your friend while she heads to the bathroom that you absolutely need to order dumplings, right now, at 1:30 a.m., before you head to the next place.

During the day, we ate pizza like we were in Naples, but more like the West Village. I also took Jules to my favourite secret (or not so secret) surf shop turned cafe patio that I used to frequent on my weekdays off in the summer. Ridiculously attractive surfer males, included. Always.

The weather brought Motown singers expanding their lungs on the sidewalk streets, and pink litter from cherry blossoms that reminded me of confetti from a church wedding.

Just like any other city that experiences the brunt of the four seasons, spring forces everyone back outside to rejuvenate and in my case, reunite.

Below is my first photo diary of spring 2013 in NYC. Enjoy! x

Boston Part II - Not A Model Travel Diary

For the second-half of my Boston travel diary - we visited Harvard, the historic Fenway Park to watch a Red Sox game and had the best cannoli's at Mike's Pastry in Little Italy. (A must-try, even if you're not a huge fan of pastries, as I am not).

I especially loved visiting Harvard.  If I could go to a new university/college every year of my life, I would. There is something in the air on those campuses. Maybe it's the bubbling knowledge that rests on the shoulders of the students or the gnawing uncertainty of the next four years. Perhaps it may be the concentrated amount of young people fumbling around to figure out lessons outside of the classroom. Either way, there was no feeling like it.

Below are some photos from the trip, with a few credits going to Jenny again. Enjoy.

Meet me in Boston - Not A Model Travel Diaries

This past long-weekend, I took a train from Penn Station, New York to Boston, Massachusetts for a mini-getaway.

I met up with Jenny, Lindsay and Daniel, three of my favourite Canadians who were all doing the same city escaping for the long-weekend. It felt really good to hang out with friends from home. It's kind of like eating a giant oatmeal cookie while wearing fleecy sweatpants or something. The trip made me a teeny bit more excited to come back to Canada in the fall, despite my intense attachment to NYC.

But I talk about New York a bit too much, let's talk about Boston.

Boston is charming and scenic with tons of cobblestone roads and orange brick buildings that love to collect ivy. I especially enjoyed Quincy Market at Fanueil Hall and strolling around the shops of Newbury Street. Daniel (who was also visiting other friends) showed up and acted as the best tour guide and took us to the Boston Public Library (my favourite place) and the Boston Public Garden.

While the pace and nightlife of Boston wasn't exactly something I would return for, I am still craving their clam chowder. It is probably the best soup I've ever had. I also finally got back to shooting with my Canon and it really made a difference in capturing the experience.

Below are a few photos from the first half of the weekend with some photo credit going to Jenny! Enjoy.

Next up: Harvard & the Red Sox