A New "Travel" Perspective

As I trudged home through yet another blizzard last night, my thoughts couldn't help but wander to faraway places...warm sunshine warming my face by the beach, dust and dirt swiping my face while hiking a trail in the mountains, anywhere but here at this moment. When I arrived home, my roommate must have read my mind, because she was chatting with a friend of hers about an escape trip of their own…possibly including both Thailand and Switzerland. Oh how I would give anything to be in one/both of those places right now!

Then this morning as I was checking my favorite blogs, Cool Hunting did not disappoint...it had an article on an art exhibit in Sweden. One student's view of travel books was quite interesting. The name of her creation was "Anywhere: A Travel Handbook." Her alternative approach included cards with sayings like "Exchange card: Ask someone to exchange something with you (it could be a t-shirt, chewing gum, necklace, a pair of shoes, lunch for a song" and one of my favs, "Ask someone what their favorite street is and go there." What a wonderfully refreshing way to explore a place.

The funny thing about this exhibit though, is that she designed this to be a travel guide for literally anywhere...that means even in your local hood. How fun would it be to act like a tourist for a day in your own city and follow these cool tips? Anytime you close your eyes and open them looking through the view of someone else, suddenly the view changes...so you exchange your necklace with a stranger and explore a new street (or an old one that you didn't take the time to notice before) and it's like you are discovering something profound and beautiful. Suddenly the thought of needing to escape New York vanished and all I needed to do was take a fresh look at the place I am in and develop my own sort of guide.

"Find a place you like, then call someone you miss and describe it."

It's funny how in our low or frustrating points in our life (i.e. trudging through snow and cursing cold weather), something happens that refreshes our view...like this light article that reminded me that I can "travel" and explore my backyard by simply changing my perspective. If only I could tattoo this on my mind...

A Cozy Saturday

Winters are rough in the city. You had a long week and you want to go out with your friends and relax, but that nagging, bitter wind sometimes wins the inner argument you have with yourself, debating whether to face Jack Frost or not... This past weekend, noodles and spiced wine were more than enough to coax me out of my humble abode.

Sometimes I swear I am part Asian considering I tend to eat more Japanese/Thai/Korean food than regular old American cuisine, but I can't help it. The flavors and combination in Asian-inspired food just tickles my fancy more than the average burger joint. As is often the case, I was in the mood for some noodles. However, considering we were on the upper east side, downtown meant a far cab ride away from warmth and comfort, so I decided I would need to make this trip worth the while by hitting up my favorite winter-time bar, Klimat for some "hot" wine.

The noodles at dinner didn't disappoint...full of spices, pork, egg, bamboo shoots, corn and bean sprouts nestled in a pool of steaming broth...there is nothing better on a cold winter's night. As delightful as our main course was though, I have to say the dumplings we had pre-dinner were astoundingly good. Maybe I was just hungry, but they were slightly doughy, filled with shrimp and veggies, not too complicated, yet were the best shumai dumplings I have ever had. Sometimes these sorts of dumplings, the shrimp will be somewhat harder on the inside, but not in this case. Soft, smooth and almost creamy, they melted in your mouth.

Intoxicated by the tasty food and wandering out the door back into the cold, it was a good thing we only had to stumble to get to Klimat for a warm, after-dinner cocktail. If you live in New York and you haven't been to Klimat for their Hot Wine, it's high time to make a pit stop. This tiny Eastern European bar is cozy and delightful anytime of the year, but there is something so wonderful about snuggling up to your significant other with a warm, spicy, sweet glass of mulled wine.

We settled in (almost a little too much) with our warm beverages and got lost in conversation. It's funny how wine and warmth can relax you so much! In the busy-ness of life, it is easy to forget that sometimes the simplest of things can bring immense happiness.

So, even if it is just for a guilty pleasure like noodles and hot wine, it's never a wasted effort to drum up a little warmth and delight in the bitter winter. So next time you think it's wiser to stay in, throw on a comfy sweater and find a corner in a cozy place like Klimat to relax your worries away.

Happiness is just a thought away

As I was lying in bed last night, per usual, thoughts were racing through my mind. At most times I absolutely love and thrive on life's great mysteries...where will the future take me? What wonderful adventures await me? How many amazing people will I meet? Life is great like that, it always surprises you when you least expect it and each moment helps you grow and learn more about yourself and the world.

However, there are also times when I am not so optimistic and that silly worrier deep inside loathes the mysteries of life...will I ever figure out my true passion? Will I settle down and have a family some day? Do I want that? Am I making the right choices now to impact me positively in the future? As much as I hate having things figured out, it sure would be a lot easier sometimes if I did.

Really though, what does it matter? As I am becoming quite accustomed to, things happen, they might suck, but time heals all wounds and something better comes along. I mean, I nearly died in a horrible car accident at age 16 and here I am 10 years later living in NYC with a career in marketing and still pretty darn physically active. Things work out in the end if you have a good attitude. As I got nailed into my head by my old basketball coach (and I even had a t-shirt with this saying on there)... "Everything in life is 80% mental, 20% ability, so get your head in the right place first."

If I could tell you how many times THAT rang true in my life, I would never stop talking. Case in point, I could have easily moped after my accident and never played sports again, but I had a positive attitude (much thanks to family and friends) and I made it back a year later and continue to excel in sports in my free time. Your body can do amazing things when your mind tells it to...believe me, I am the living testament to that.

Now I am not one for new year's resolutions, in fact I think it is more silly than ever to do something because everyone else is doing it. But I do like the idea of coming to a point when you're ready to make a change in your life. I have been there for a while, but for some reason I decided today is the day. So that is what I am going to do. I am going to stop worrying about things that are out of my control and relish in the excitement of the future. My head is officially going to be in the right place and I will "worry" about being happy TODAY and hoping that will lead me to more happiness in the future.

Otherwise, what's the point of living life to the fullest, if we already know all the answers?

Birthday Party on the Beach

Being born on New Year's Eve has its perks and it's drawbacks. Obvious perk is that everyone is celebrating on that special day. Downside is that it is also in the dead of winter and snow is a common denominator in most cases. That is unless you get a chance to get away to a tropical island in the Caribbean...

I am lucky enough to be dating a wonderful person who surprised me with a trip to Aruba for NYE and my birthday. Barely getting out of the sea of snow that had buried New York, we were overjoyed to step outside the airport on the other side a short 4 hours later to sunny skies where only a summer dress and flip-flops are required.

Once we got settled, we were off to sample the local fare of course. Our first meal (and nearly every subsequent dinner after that) started with escargot. It was cooked in a light, buttery sauce, sauteed with mushrooms and topped with a croissant like bread. It was pretty tasty, but Paul's buttery fish for dinner topped the cake. It was thick and juicy and grilled to perfection with a tiny amount of spices and a hefty amount of lemon.

Bellies full and wine starting to kick in, we decided to hit up a local salsa dance club. It was quite intimidating at first, but after some coaxing by Paul, we dove right in and tried to keep up. It was tons of fun, but needless to say, we are going to take official salsa lessons when we get home!

Morning came before we knew it and we were off to the beach. Since our hotel was located downtown, they owned a private island of beach front just a quick boat ride away. We were met with crystal blue waters, coronas, hammocks and even iguanas and flamingos! It was so beautiful, it was hard to think of anything besides relaxing...

We did all sorts of things from riding a submarine under water to watching fireworks on the beach and dancing the night away on my birthday (NYE). The daily activities mostly consisted of lounging, swimming, reading and tanning...needless to say it was REALLY rough.

Beach time aside, the highlight was the 100+ year-old, family owned restaurant called Papiamento. Seated next to a lovely lit pool with trees and white lights glittering the landscape, it was hopelessly romantic. We had escargot yet again and it was cooked with onions and plenty of garlic butter...it was heavenly and definitely some of the best snails I have ever had. We also had duck pate served with fruity jam, figs, lettuce and cranberries...small dollop of each item made for a quite tasty bite! Our main course was lobster and steak. It was good, but sort of a let down as it didn't have a ton of flavor. The espresso and home-made mint ice cream brought it home though...nice and sweet with a yummy orange fruit that is my new favorite as soon as I figure out what it was!

Our last day, we wandered once more to the beach to soak up as much sun as we could before packing it in and heading to the airport. Minus the 6-hour delay we had getting back to NYC, the trip turned out to be a great success.

Arriving in Aruba a year younger and much paler...I was very happy to leave a more mature (or at least according to my official age) and bronzed (or slightly lobster-esque)person. A new year for me and a new year for everyone to start fresh. 2010 was actually pretty amazing and I can only hope 2011 will be half as great. Happy New Year to all!