a place i want to be.

what could be more delightful than sipping coffee under the stars at this cafe?

concert chronicle.

there are few things in this world that excite me like the thrill of hearing a favorite song performed live by a favorite artist. it doesn't get better than witnessing their passion, their skill and their artistry in person. i went to a multitude of concerts of this year. top five of the year include:

1. missy higgins
2. joshua radin
3. mat kearney
4. bethany dillon
5. U2

as it is the end of the decade, i thought i'd make note of the very first concert i ever went to in 2000, which sparked my passion of attending concerts: *NYSNC (oh, how my taste in music has changed since then!). i will say, though, that those boys put on a good show, no matter the cheese factor.

fa la la la la.

it's christmas break! four weeks with nothing more to do than read, watch movies and tv, travel, eat goodies and hang out with friends and family.

a few things on the to do list:

read this: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
and this: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott

catch up on this: West Wing
and this: Bones

go here: Chicago

i am in heaven. i love christmas break!

fancying mr. darcy.

colin firth: what is it about him that i love?

is it the accent? the charm? the handsome appearance? the humble demeanor? no matter what the appeal, i think he's fantastic.

though it's a departure from his usual roles, i'm quite excited to see him in the upcoming movie, A Single Man. it's supposed to be a hauntingly beautiful story. plus, i'm totally obsessed with the fact that it's a sixties era piece. i love the retro glasses and dresses!

a little winter cheer.

please enjoy some holiday joy courtesy of the weepies. i need it as i study for finals on this not-so-wintery day (70 degrees is not appropriate for december).



all that i want right now is for christmas break to arrive. just two more days! i could also use a little of this too:


let it snow!

a resolution for a new way of life.

i just read this article from the New York Post about the smallest apartment in NYC, which is a whopping 175 square feet. it's so small that there isn't even a closet, and the couple who lives there stores their clothes in what are intended to be kitchen cabinets.

as absolutely insane as it may seem for two adults to live in a space that is the size of a dorm room, i am inspired by their simple lifestyle. one of the biggest goals i've had for my life over the last year is to really cut back on the amount of things i buy and downsize the amount of things i already own in an effort to focus more on really living life and to place less importance on the things i have.

i'm not really big on making new year's resolutions because i know how easy it is to fail and then feel defeated. this year, however, i am going to use the turn of the new year as an opportunity for me to implement the kind of simple lifestyle i want to have. now, i'm not sure if i can commit to clearing out my closet full of Gap clothes just yet, but i hope to get there.

baby steps, people, baby steps.

dresses, tights and boots.

three things i am utterly obsessed with right now. also, three things which i have not quite infused my wardrobe with yet this season, but plan to soon, as my mom just snagged some great boots for me at a thrift shop for approximately $10. as they say on project runway: fierce.

p.s. speaking of dresses and project runway, please check out this photo featuring the work of my favorite designer of last season, Carol Hannah. if there ever was a collection that i would want to own every piece of, hers would make the cut. love, love, love it.

worth a second chance.

you know how sometimes you see or hear something, think it's particularly awful and vow that you could never like it? here's a few that i have recently seen in a new light:



kings of leon, "use somebody": i once loathed this song because of the lead singer's whiny-screaming voice. now i can't get the catchy tune and lyrics out of my head.


chuck bass from gossip girl: proof that even the worst of people can be redeemed. chuck went from an utterly despicable ladies' man to a sweet, protective boyfriend. i kind of love his relationship with blair now (yes, i'm talking about these characters as if they are real. don't judge).


sushi: i won't describe all the reasons why i disliked sushi before, but now i can say that it is most delicious. i'm glad i gave it another shot.

an esoteric taste.

frequently, when asked what kind of music i listen to, i find myself replying with, "you've probably never heard of them."

while i try not to subscribe to the notion of exclusivity, it's quite nice to feel like i know of an artist that few others know about, one that is a little off the beaten path. it's like being a member of a secret club. not only is it fun to "discover" an artist myself, but it's also a pleasant surprise when i find someone else who is a fan, as i can assume that they probably dig past the surface to find music too. and of course, one of the greatest things about being a fan of an obscure artist is being able to see them perform live in the tiniest of venues.

in some cases, it's not so bad to be exclusive.

old maid? not in the cards for me (hopefully).

so, i was having a chat with my grandmother on thanksgiving. she asked the question: "do you have a boyfriend?" of course, i replied with the usual, "no, i'm single." easy answer. that was supposed to be the end of the conversation.

then my grandma decides to add, "you're not going to be an old maid are you?"

umm, no, grandma i have no plans of becoming an "old maid," but i am in no hurry to get married either. sure, it would be nice to have a boyfriend, but i'm quite content without one right now. i'm only 24, and i'd prefer to be selective when it comes to dating and marriage. i really wouldn't want to be Cath (see below).

so adorable it's ridiculous.

revive me.

lately i've been in a pretty odd place in my life, feeling really apathetic and out of sorts, for seemingly no reason. the best conclusion i can draw is that i haven't been seeking God nearly enough, and oh, how much i need Him!

I spread out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you

like a parched land.

Psalm 143:6

the yellow house.

i have just begun reading a book called The Yellow House. it is about the two months that the artists Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin lived together in a little yellow house in the south of France. as i delve into the glimpse of their lives during this period of time, i am just fascinated by the pieces of information i have already learned about Van Gogh. from his battle with mental illness to his desperate desire to stave off loneliness to his explosive creativity (much of which was never recognized during his life), his time in that yellow house was spent finding the balance between light and dark, fullness and emptiness, joy and sorrow. so far it is a very interesting portrayal of such a brilliant man.

i also just found a blog composed of the letters and notes that Van Gogh wrote over the years. it is quite intriguing.

christmas comes but once a year.

winter. december. christmastime.

i could not be more happy about the arrival of this season. a few of my favorite things:

tree with lights.

peppermint mocha.

classic christmas movie.

however, of all the things about this season that make me happy, there is one that is better than the rest. please check out Advent Conspiracy, and help begin to make Christmas less about the superficial and more about Jesus again.



p.s. thank you to my dear roommate for the inspiration for this post's title!