Hey gals! Sorry for my absence this past week, but I’ve been busy moving into my new apartment. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve relocated to gorgeous San Francisco! The city by the bay was calling my name. Anyway, things have been cray. Moving across the country is not easy, but luckily I’ve had the support of my family and boyfriend (like LITERAL support, see #1). Thank you SO MUCH, everyone. Even though I’ve only been here a few days, I’d like to reflect on a few things I’ve learned so far.
Take care of yourself. The day before I left, I badly injured my back by lifting my embarrassingly heavy suitcases. I was in a lot of pain and could barely even stand up… let alone walk! It’s been six days since then and I’m still riding the struggle bus. I figure I must’ve pinched a nerve or slipped a disc in my spine, which is pretty terrible when you’re not sure how accessible healthcare is out here and you’re relying on public transportation. My #1 piece of advice? Never overdo it and take good care of yourself.
You need less than you think. A few months before I moved, I made a spreadsheet with how much it would cost to move, using various scenarios (i.e. fly out and ship my stuff, pack my car up and drive out, etc.) and determined that I would save thousands (!) by only taking what I needed in a suitcase. I’m telling you now… sell it all. I sold all my furniture, consigned a huge bag of clothes, shoes, and purses, and packed up only what I truly loved to take with me. It’s kinda liberating starting our new apartment from scratch!
Public transportation isn’t really that scary. For a gal who’s been lucky enough to have a car to drive, public transportation in a large city can be an intimidating beast. I know I still have a lot to learn, but from what I can tell, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be too difficult to get around. Sure, there are certain limitations to it (no more drive-thru at 2am…) but I’m pretty sure I can adapt to eating my McChickens at a normal hour like a normal human. Besides, I’ve already signed up for ZipCar for our weekend outings!
More SF updates coming soon! Thank you for all your continued love and support.
Doesn’t it seem like every January 1st we tend to make the same resolutions? We resolve to finally get in shape, find a boyfriend, and floss our teeth religiously. Aren’t you gals tired of making and breaking the same resolutions, year after year? Instead of dragging out those old, tired resolutions, try this exercise that will actually help you succeed.
The Power of Knowing What You Want
All too often, people focus on what they don’t want in their life instead of clarifying what they do want. By completing this circle exercise, you can begin to define what it is you want to do in the future.
By completing this exercise, you’ll be able to visualize your goals. You will realize what is (and isn’t!) important to you. You may find yourself writing down things inside the circle like “a stable career,” and “travel” and realizing that you left out things that seem important to you now, like getting a new tattoo or buying a pair of shoes. This exercise puts your life into perspective and is a great way to visually focus on your goals, thus making them seem more tangible and attainable.
Ah, Maine. Sometimes I forget how different you are from the rest of the world. Up here we find ourselves encased in a layer of ice. As beautiful as it looks, many people were without power for several days. We lost power Monday evening around 5pm, but it returned sometime that night while we were all sleeping. At some point, the words “get me out of this God-forsaken wasteland” were uttered out of frustration (by, you know, me)… but I know that when I move to San Francisco, I’ll miss the familiarity of this icy, winter wonderland.
Dramatic contrast. Light and dark.
Ice-encrusted branches and berries.
The stuffed stockings above were hand-knit many years ago by my grandma. We love you, Gram!
Our tradition: my Mom’s fish stew. She’s been making it every Christmas Eve for 27 years.
FaceTime-ing with my love over in San Francisco. See you soon! :)
Things are about to change for me, but I’m ready for it. 2013 was a great year, and I know 2014 will be even better (and more challenging)! It was wonderful to catch up with my family and friends and make the most of our time together here. San Francisco, here I come!
I truly hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday. Bring it on, 2014!
This weekend kicked off with a cozy Friday night at Meghan’s house. She made me a super delicious birthday chicken pot pie, spiked cider, and cinnamon rolls for dessert (recipes to come!). We attempted to watch Bridesmaids but it wasn’t loading properly so we just settled for White Chicks instead (can we please talk about how they look NOTHING LIKE WOMEN and how everyone was fooled?). On Saturday we grabbed breakfast at Bagels & Cream and then got our brows done at the Benefit Brow Bar. We planned to have leftover pot pie for lunch, but food doesn’t last long around her house (thanks, BRENDAN).
Savoring the last few days of fall!
On Saturday night, Kyle and I grabbed burgers at Shake Shack, which is (obviously) my new favorite now.
Thanks for being so delicious, Shake Shack! It’s going to be hard to stay away from you.
On Sunday afternoon, Kyle treated me to SoulFire for a late birthday lunch. Amazing BBQ, you guys. They actually have BBQ chips crumbled into their mac & cheese! I think it’s safe to say this weekend was all about good food.
Yeah, that’s a puddle of gravy inside those mashed potatoes… and that cornbread tasted like cake!
How cute is this mini raspberry cheesecake?! Whole Foods, you always doin’ it right.
Thank you, friends and family, for a beautiful birthday! Can’t wait to see what you have in store, 23.
I’m so happy to finally introduce my closest group of friends on the blog! I know that you’ll be seeing them on here regularly. I’ve known this group of girls since we went to elementary school together way back in the day. We all grew up in the same town and kept in touch, but our friendship really strengthened during our college years (even though we went to different schools). They have grown into such amazing women and I couldn’t be more proud of them!
We all met up for a cozy girls’ weekend in Farmington on Friday night. Catherine is the ultimate hostess and I kind of maybe want to move in and never leave (okay, Cathy?!). Many stories, laughs, and bottles of wine were shared. On Saturday night we went to Front Street bar, danced our booties off, and fended off creepy townies. A sprained finger, skinned knee, and lost $20 bill were also involved but we loved every minute of it. We might technically be adults now but we still have a darn good time!
Melissa, you make me laugh. :)
Catherine, Kelsey, me, and Alyssa. Aren’t they stunning?! I love these girls.
Sunday was my Dad’s birthday. We all met up in Cape Elizabeth and went out to lunch to celebrate. It was the most gorgeous, breezy October day and it was great to spend some time with my family. Happy birthday, Dad! You’re awesome.
Photos are from Two Lights State Park. Check out that view! Maine sure is amazing. Living in Massachusetts makes me appreciate it so much more… ;)
