Mezzanotte.

The perfect midnight snack.  Fire roasted tomato & basil triscuits, mozzerella fresca (you can buy them in tubs at the grocery store), and fresh basil leaves (homegrown basil plant).

Lost in the twilight.

Twilight is possibly the only thing that can get my head out of my life right now. As pathetic as that might be, it's the only thing that actually works.  It's so easy to get lost in it, and that is exactly what I need right now.  I can't stop from thinking myself into holes that I can't get out of, and finding something that can stop that thought process is amazing.

Autumn Air.

I have to admit, I haven't been very inspired lately.  It has really been a challenge for me to find things that make me feel happy or good inside.  Everything just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Today, I searched and searched for something, anything, that i could feel inspired by or happy about.  As I was walking across campus, purposefully stepping only on the crunchy looking leaves, i remembered how young I feel.  How, being 7 or 10 or 13, it all seems so recent for me.  I remember blissfully raking up the leaves in the front yard with my brothers, trying to make it as big as possible, and then jumping in it.  I admit that fall has that certain indescribable wistful feel to it- and i honestly love it- right at the end of summer and the beginning of fall.   Sometimes, I think its good to remember what made you happy when you were younger because we didn't have the cloud of stress, work, relationships, and clutter that is in our lives as we grow up.

Escape.

Was there ever something that you didn't know you were missing out on until you had it?  That's what the Monster Dr. Dre Beats Headphones were like for me. Music is literally my life.  It is so empty and silent without it.  I spend every minute I am alone listening to music as loud as I can, and as much as I can when I am with other people. I have never heard music so clearly and beautifully as I have in these headphones.  Its like seeing an HD 3D movie for the first time after watching black and white all your life.   I always always sing in my car and it is one of my greatest releases.  Almost every day I connect with a certain song, and I'm like "Yes! That's exactly how I feel right now!" And then I sing at the top of my lungs with my windows rolled down.   

Music is my escape from life and my strongest connection to it all at the same time. 

Mon Petit Shoe Secret.

I admit, I have a shoe problem.  I love love love buying heels, that I never end up wearing.  Sometimes, I just try them on for fun, and then I always stick to my flip flops.  I really love these though!  I think this time it'll be different...

I have had this secret obsession for a few months now, and I finally gave in.  On Stevemadden.com, they have this sweet clearance section like all the time, and it is free shipping.  I got these for $33, originally $90!  And it's so much fun to get a big box in the mail!

Walking in Sunshine.

I have been focusing a lot on this whole indulge myself thing these past few weeks, especially with my birthday.  I ate a legit block of cheese with a huge box of Triscuits in 3 days and a half of a key lime pie in 2.  I am so busy all the time with my purposefully packed life, that I never have time to exercise.  And when I do have time,  I use it to lounge and eat and watch Hulu.  I have one fat burning yoga dvd that i have done every few nights at like 1am, but thats not working- I know what I am missing.

When I was in Rome, I used to walk miles and miles everyday without even noticing because that was the only way to get around.  I am positive that walking is the key to feeling more healthy, and I honestly miss it.  I enjoy it very much, as long as I can keep my thoughts positive.  So, this week, despite my crazy busy schedule, I will walk 30 minutes a day and think only of the things surrounding me.  No future. No past. Just Marty and Me.

Starbucks.

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino." You've Got Mail (greatest movie of the 90's?)


Ok, I'll admit I used to be a little out of control. I started getting two cups of Starbucks a day for a while! After I started budgeting, I saw that the majority of what I spent was on coffee.  So, I stopped, and I switched to home-brewed Dunkin Donuts coffee with Caramel Vanilla creamer.  It works. It gets the job done.  Its good. But today, I decided to treat myself to a Starbucks.

I think I discovered heaven.  There could not be a more perfect drink for this season.   
Tall. Nonfat. Pumpkin Spice Latte. With Caramel Sauce. With Whip.
Heaven in an adorable, simple, perfect cup of joy and deliciousness.  I literally was crying when i went in to Starbucks, and when I took that first sip I completely forgot about all my cares.

Wash Park.

Today has been a fabulous day of wine, bud light lime, volleyball, sunshine, and enjoying a monday off of work and school with new friends at wash park.

On my way to Wash Park (my favorite park in CO), I went to the liquor store and I found this cute bottle of delicious white wine.   

Wine always makes me feel good- it's not like any other drink- it just makes me feel happy and content.   Its smaller than a waterbottle and it packs 3 glasses of wine into a tiny little pouch.  I love it! I want to buy one for everyone I know :)  The best part: it's only $2!!!

Bruschetta.

I forgot how fun it is to cook, especially when it looks pretty.  

I feel so inspired by Emily's blog: cupcakesandcashmere.com

Home gardening is one of the greatest discoveries I've had!  It's so expensive to buy, and so cheap to make yourself. This is my basil plant outside.  It's so amazing when it is fresh.  

It reminds me of the simple amazing taste of the bruschetta in Italy.  

Italian food always makes me miss Rome, where I studied abroad 2 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long!)

On my way.

This is going to be my journey to nirvana, ecstasy, bliss, whatever you like to call it, packed into a blog.

I am on a journey right now- a time in my life-  where I have to relearn who I am again. My journey has already begun and we'll see where it takes me.  Hopefully to ecstasy- pure simple joy and contentment, a total state of nirvana.

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, 'Woo hoo! What a ride!'"