C - is for Change

The New Year = reflecting on the year 2011.  However good or bad it was for you, and the things you would like to change going forward.  Some people are scared of change, they want it so bad, but don't know how to do it.  Well, I say... GO FOR IT.  And give it a try. The worst that could happen is...you say...well, at least I gave it a go.


CHANGE CAN BE GOOD!   

Things that changed my life in 2011~
1) START FRESH
After being a buyer for almost 10 years, I decided to make a change.  And I switched careers in June of 2011, when my wonderful boss found me.  We clicked immediately.  I knew when I met her that she saw great things in me, and I knew I could step up to those expectations and challenge.  I'm ready to conquer whatever comes my way.  It has been such an amazing experience, thus far.  I'm learning a whole new avenue of the business.  I think working with people you love and who inspire you is so important.  I feel that again in my life.  Loving waking up in the morning and excited to get the day started at work is such a good feeling.  I encourage all of you to take charge of your own life, and always know...it's never to late to START FRESH.

2) EXPLORING
I am never afraid to explore.  I actually love the thought of new challenges and finding out what is out there to be experienced.  In 2011, I explored not only EVERY NEW RESTAURANT that came my way (whether I happen to walk past in Brooklyn or in the city), I love love eating.  And there is nothing more that I love doing than eating with great friends.  Food makes everyone happy.  Especially good food and good sweets. :)  I also had the opportunity to visit a lot of great places.  We went upstate to the Catskills and camped this summer (my 1st official time camping...YES, I know you can't believe it.  I don't count the time my mom put tents up for my sister and I in our own backyard).  Jeffrey and I took a road trip to Boston, which we loved.  Lots of really great shows (I never say no...well sometimes, but for the most part-- JUST GO!).  Even exploring in my own city.  There is so much to see here in NY.  Museums, exhibits, the ferry rides to the islands...they don't call it the city that never sleeps for nothing.



3)  STAYING POSITIVE
I believe that everything happens for a reason.  It actually scares me sometimes that I can see the good in every bad.  Not very many people can do that, but I for some reason always seem to overcome the bad (with due time of course), by looking ahead ( I wanted to say..."looking at the brighter side"), but sometimes... at that very moment there is no brighter side.  You have to be strong, and take it one stride at a time... but when you are ready... just know that there is always a rhyme and a reason to all of the madness going on.  Hang around people that make you smile.  Be around people that you see the goodness in their hearts.  Goodness is contagious.  And like a wise cab driver once told me... GOOD PEOPLE ATTRACT GOOD PEOPLE.   All in all, you will prevail, you'll see...I promise!
4)  ACCOMPLISHING
If you say your going to do something...DO IT!  I actually (not too long ago), ran across of a piece of paper in one of my books with a list of things to do from...oh, I don't know...maybe 2009??  It had everything crossed off on there EXCEPT... "start a blog".  I sat my ass down that Friday night.  Told everyone I had plans... and just figured it out.  It's been a long time coming.  I've always kept a journal with pictures, and drawings since I was old enough to write.  Now, I have my very own journal...where I can write, express myself--etc.  It's sooooo good for you to write your thoughts.  And it's a great feeling to stimulate your mind and release your creative side.  If you have it in you, I encourage you to do it.  If for nobody else, other than yourself.  It's nice to accomplish what your goals are.  Write them down.  And cross them off.  It feels good, right?  Like Nike's logo/modo says..."JUST DO IT!".


5) PRODUCT
Listen, this is a fashion/food/living blog.  And it's my duty to tell you one of the products that changed my life.
MOROCCAN OIL.
Ladies, if you know what I'm talking about...HIGH FIVE!!  This stuff made my curly frizzy course bipolar hair, turn great.  It's actually soft, and growing, and I can actually brush it.  I promise you...if you haven't discovered this yet.  GO OUT AND BUY IT!  It'll change your life!  From the brushes, to the oil, shampoo's & even the hair spray.  Smells so good.  And you'll love me in the morning when it cuts your blow drying time down to half.
http://moroccanoil.com/en/our-products.html
I was allowing myself to have 1 shallow thing on here.  It's a good one!  



Things I want to change in 2012~
1) HEALTHY

As most of you know, I love food.  I say it again and again.  Last year, was my year to indulge!!!  I am not walking away from that by any means.  I'll do a bit more working out, to compensate for my love for food.  What I mean is that,  I have just seen too many loved ones get sick (old & young), and it all could have been prevented by eating healthy, or less this or less that (smoking, alcohol, more exercise).  More this, more that.  It's time for a change.  I have decided to join my friends CSA.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.   Think of it like a weekly subscription, or like a vegetable of the week club you sign up for and pick up weekly at your local farmers market.  It supports your local farmers & the local economy.  It helps the environment by not using any toxic chemicals, pesticides & herbicides.  & most importantly--- and what I am so excited about---- it allows you to explore new ways to cook with your new vegi's you get in your share!  My friend Nikki has the most amazing cookbook that she is always cooking recipes out of.  I'm excited to explore the healthy options of food.  Because it's delicious to eat healthy...we all know that!  It just a little more effort...OKAY, I'll go as far to say... a lot more effort to eat healthy.  It's completely worth it.  Think of all of the time you'll save your body from going to the doctor for him to tell you...you need to cut back on fried foods or you'll have a heart attack.  Enough said, right?  Plus I had the opportunity to visit this farm over the summer last year.  The family is so darling!  It was truly amazing that they themselves got this farm started on their own one day.  Just picked up and moved from the city life to do this.  And the amount of goodness they are doing for the people that subscribe to their CSA.  Whoa.  Now that's really contributing to life.  And P.S. guys, don't worry, I'm not turning into some crazy episode of Portlandia... where I want to know the name of my chicken and where he grew up...  It's not like that. :)



This was from our HURRICANE IRENE party we had last year at my friend Tonya's house.  We used Nikki's CSA share to make stuffed peppers & guacamole.  It was delicious!!  P>S. don't mind the Whiskey.  We did A LOT of drinking those 3 days.  What do you expect, we were locked indoors!!!!
We did buy the chicken from a local organic butcher shop near Tonya's too.  Love to support the little people.




2) K.I.T.

Do you know when I kept in touch the best with all of my friends and family?  When I lived in California.  Want to know why?  Because I sat in 2 1/2 hours of traffic each way to work, everyday!  So I was able to call EVERY SINGLE PERSON in my phone book.  NOT TEXT, BUT CALL.  Because we didn't have texting then.  And I actually left voicemails, telling them I was thinking about them.  To call me back between the hours of this and this to catch up, blah blah blah.  Weeeelllll, when I moved to Seattle, everything changed!  Because my commute to work was 15 minutes WALKING!  So nice, right?  And when I was not at work, I was with friends at all times.  I had very little alone time.  Just constantly going going going.  That's fine by me, because I was able to meet new people in a new town, and keep my mind busy from all the drama I had left behind in California.  Same here in NY, well... a little slower if you can believe it or not.  I actually do get some good quality alone time in my apartment.  It's really nice actually.  But, I'd like to start making more of an effort to keep in touch with people.  The friends that impress me the most, are the ones that MAKE AN EFFORT to keep in touch.  Whether it be a nice card, or a nice text (it's the future), or a nice message on FB.  Sorry, i will make an effort to call.  But listen... it all counts.  Right??? Thanks to Amber Boyer whom I have to say, is one of my greatest friends of all time, whom ALWAYS ALWAYS sends random texts that crack me up at all times of the day.  She sends me cute cards in the mail with her messy ass hand writing that I can somehow read, and she writes to me like I'm standing right in front of her having a glass of wine or a cup of coffee.  However far we are, I always feel her near.  She's a great friend, and she inspires me to be more like that.  Love ya girl!!








3)  BOOKWORM
Okay, for the longest time...(and i'm going to admit this everyone...don't judge me please)... I bought books because I loved the way they look.  I love the look of a library, and books on shelves.  I am attracted to covers of books and titles of them.  But once I open them, and start reading... I get distracted, disinterested, and loose focus.  That's because I have my cell phone by me and I take breaks to text someone (did you see what Britney Spears wore? LOL, blah blah blah), or update my facebook status, or check my email.  It's time for me to set time aside to focus on reading all of these beautiful books I've been purchasing.  I have to tell you, I do for sure have my favorite authors that once I pick one of their books up, I can't put it down.  There is a style of books that I like.  Most write like me... they just say what's on their minds, weird, not weird...makes sense or not.  Etc.  
Augusten Burroughs
Miranda July
David Sedaris
Jeffrey, my lovely BF trying on Harry Potter glasses, just to amuse me.  Love him.

4) CUSS less.    
Dang, living in New York... I have really put the F word into my vocabulary.  It's what people say around here!  It's like this:
"How was your weekend?"
"Oh, it was so #$#%ing amazing.  I bought this *&%ing thing that connects to your TV and allows you to $%#ing watch any &^$ing movie you want".
"No %$#ing way.  That sounds really *&^%ing cool".
"&^$, it totally *&@ing is".
I've got to just take it down a notch.  :)  I realized it's not pretty when I'm around my family and they look at me like i'm their little girl... using those words.  It's okay every now and again... but it's just my small resolution, it's been on my mind. :)

5)  EXPLORE MORE!
I can never get enough!  I love to travel, but there are so many places even in within a 5 hour radius of me that I want to visit!
- Maine (for their lobster and view)
- The Hampton's (because The Barefoot Contessa lives there, and it's gorgeous)
- Montauk - Because everyone says it's a must.
- Fire Island-  A getaway within a getaway
- Florida (even for just a weekend to get some sun and beaches)
- Montreal, Canada-  It's about a 8 hour drive?  Or we can take the train.  I wouldn't mind flying there, but I must go.  It's one of the city's that cranks out good music.  And i'm sure the vintage is super great.
- The Caribbean.  I am so close to it.  How can I not take trips there?  Dominican Republic, Curacao, Aruba, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, Saint Martin, Lucia & Barts.  These are all places I dare myself to visit.
1st Stop already booked- PUERTO RICO!!!
8 friends of mine already booked and going this month.  Wait for that fun recap! :)

I wish you all a very Healthy, Safe, productive, relaxing & prosperous NEW YEAR.
I am very blessed to have met so many amazing friends in my life.  Keeping all of you in my mind and heart.  I hope we can all get together and enjoy the time we have together.  Each second means the world to me.  Live each day, as if it is your last.

XOXO,
Happy 2012!



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