21 and sans souci

4.20.2011 [11.2010] thing to do [no.1]

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:42:00 -0400

catching fish.

so i may be 22. but i’m still sans souci. and the fun is back on (actually, it was never off, but now it’s back onLINE)

so hold on baby. because i may have been gone, but i was checking things off lists, eating good food, meeting good people, going places, drinking drinks, and living life. you better believe.

and oh yeah, i caught a fish.

several actually.

strike that one through. boom goes the dynamite. and here’s to being back.

1.1.10 place [no. 6]

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:39:00 -0500

a beach without a name

just off the trail leading from Salt Pond Bay to Rams Head Point on St. John, there is a beach that doesn’t seem to have a name. but it is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places I’ve been in my entire life. an amazing number of blue, grey, green time and sea-worn stones, piled up over ages and scattered with snow-white coral, form this quiet, stunning alcove along the southeast coast of the island. we were so fortunate as to be the only people there when we stumbled upon this gorgeous place on New Year’s Day. what a fantastically stunning way to begin the New Year.

12.31.09 food and drink [no. 6]

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:28:21 -0500

ting cocktails and whole jerk yellowtail snapper

New Year’s Eve Dinner at Lime Inn. Can’t forget the seafood sausage. Delicious Ting and Absolut. and of course our midnight toasts. a brief insight into our family dynamics: we’re sitting on the beach, listening to the band with a few minutes to go until 2010 when both my younger and older brothers head off individually to the bar to procure toasting materials. as the countdown begins my older brother shows up, four cups of champagne in hand. my younger brother: rum shots. peace. love. Happy New Year!

12.29.09 food and drink [no. 5]

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:18:00 -0500

raw sugarcane

consumed at Annaberg, a sugarcane plantation built in the mid 18th century, now preserved in the National Park on St. John. a chunk chopped right off the stalk/trunk (what have you) by a local. Chew don’t swallow! i believe my last experience with raw sugarcane somehow involved an approximately 3-foot me toting a 5-foot stalk from the farmer’s market to my second grade class or something of that sort. clearly i waited too long to try it again. we hiked around the ruins and then on down the trail to Waterlemon Cay….yeah, Waterlemon, not melon. first day away and one new food down. yes.

12.20.09 found item [no. 2]

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:13:00 -0500

1972 Raleigh English Women’s Bike

i have been on the hunt for a vintage bike ever since i found out i would be living in a bike-friendly city this summer. no hills. hallelujah. and i happened to stumble across this little gem on one of my many “study breaks” perusing craigslist during exams last week. finally decided to bite the bullet and get it- i had, after all, been pining over it for days. merry christmas to me! oh and hoorah for my first ever craigslist purchase- i only felt slightly like a drug deal was going down. went cruising this morning in my pajamas. love.

12.19.09 food and drink [no.4]

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:58:36 -0500

chicken and waffles.

for once i finally did a food in this category. CHICKEN and WAFFLES. woo! salty sweet heavenly goodness. we frequented coop and mary mac’s new favorite weekend spot saturday morning, the early bird diner (one of a trio of fabulous “west of the ashley” locales we enjoyed over the past three days). it being my first time and all i decided, hey, go big or go home. thus, i went for it and ordered the dish that coop apparently still hasn’t manned-up to yet. ha. and my goodness it was delicious. smothered in spicy mustard and dipped in maple syrup it was simply perfect. highly recommended to one and all.

12.14.09 food and drink [no.3]

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:32:00 -0500

an assorted combo of deliciousness

happy delayed birthday susan! dinner at dolce vita (some sort of pasta diavola…devil pasta), a glass of pinot, champagne with chocolate ganache cake (topped with reeses), and the rest of the night…

fun times and favorite girls.

12.13.09 place [no.5]

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:25:04 -0500

vine street

yes oh yes. vine love and christmas hit me hard this week and somehow managed to make me so extremely happy despite the fact we’re all crazy on edge with finals. we had a christmas breakfast on sunday complete with banana pancakes, pjs, and exchanged gifts. brittany and i decided to spread the christmas cheer on to our neighbors with some terrapin and cookie cakes of course. happiness achieved. now let’s just see about that 4.0 …. right….

12.12.09 place [no.4]

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:12:00 -0500

the georgia dome

following a 9 a.m. portuguese final (yes, on a saturday) i went to the georgia dome for the first time since the 1996 olympics. brittany’s alma mater was playing in the Georgia High School State Championships. alas, a two-point conversion ruined the game, but i deeply enjoyed being a raider for the day and making up ridiculous cheers. the joy of finding a surprisingly cheap Christmas outfit purchased at anthropologie whilst in the ATL usurped the misery of the rain and cold making the venture a success despite the loss. good company and football may have played a part as well.

12.6.09 place [no.3]

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:14:42 -0500

chase st. warehouses

i’ve come to the official conclusion that there may be more than 21 places this year. i just really want to document ALL of the great places i’m finding myself without having to limit it. maybe i’ll go for 21x2 places. we shall see. regardless, the chase st. warehouses are an amazingly cool little compound of commercial spaces out on (surprise) chase street, that, as you can see, have a rather industrial past. but where you once found said industrial things, you can now find art studios and galleries, local businesses and even an aerial arts studio (yes, that does mean trapezes- and yes that is on the “life list” section of the 21s…so get excited).

wandered over to this awesome little area this weekend with Bianca, Susan and Elyssa. an open house/winter festival was going on complete with local artisans, vintage goods, a funky (and large) art installation, live music (there was definitely a dulcimer) and amazing local food. fire pits, townies, and happiness.

12.05.09 place [no.2]

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:11:21 -0500

winterville, ga

what better place for a Sleigh Bell Run!? When the three brothers Winter took over management of the railroad depot in Six-Mile, Ga located (you guessed it) six miles outside of athens, in 1866, the wheels were set in motion for this morning’s adventure. Despite three nights of post 2:30 bedtimes, one night of NO sleep, and a night of ridiculous mayhem, Brittany, Emily and I found ourselves bundled up (snow was called for in the weather report) and ready to run at the crack of dawn- participants in the 24th Annual Winterville Sleigh Bell Run.

We did it ladies! With bells on no less! (although one was a casualty to my incredible speed). A gorgeous nap and Home Alone are now making this what looks to be a fantastic afternoon. Susan’s 21st tonight (i’m becoming a professional at these).

12.4.09 food and drink [no.2]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:15:00 -0500

patrón on ice.

happy birthday Brittany!

while we were not able to gas up the jet last night it is comforting to know that we are able to make our own party. complete with empty bathtubs and extremely well-made paper snowflakes. hoorah for the end of classes, termination of the term paper, and brittany’s birth!

t.i. would have approved.

11.30.09 place [no.1]

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:19:00 -0500

walmart.

yeah, i said it. walmart. walmart is place number one. and baby it’s all about the memories. the whole point of this project is to embrace life, to say “to heck with the group presentations and powerpoints, let’s go grocery shopping”, which with five of my six housemates definitely makes for an adventure. throw in the fact that it was after ten pm on a sunday night, we’re somewhat loud people to begin with, it was the final hours of our last break before exams, AND it was Brittany’s 21st- clearly we were in for a smashing time.

it is moments and minutes and hours like this that remind me of:

a. how ridiculously much i love my room mates

b. what a cool time of our lives we are all in

c. and that we don’t need to take ourselves or life too seriously all the time

so at the end of this thanksgiving week, i am thankful for frozen food aisles and the miley cyrus clothing line and unnecessarily large inflatable yard ornamentations.

singing the first Christmas carols of the season as we drove in loops around the now twinkle-light bedecked Athens with the sunroof open rounded out the ideal night. i love you all darlings!

11.24.09 food and drink [no.1]

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:44:00 -0500

Mom bought me four bottles of Spanish wine as a little “you-are-now-21-(and-i-know-you-are-obsessed-with-spain)” or as I like to think “you-can-make-it-through-this-20+-page-research-paper-over-Thanksgiving-break” surprise. It’s named Solaz, a product of the Bodegas Osborne (not so Spanish?), and I am sipping a glass of their Merlot Tempranillo. A 2006 “aged in oak barrels”. Ha. Let’s just say I’m not a wine connoisseur. Yet. And I knew I had seen and drank a multitude of bottles labeled Tempranillo over my months in España, but I didn’t really know what it meant. So tonight I decided to do a little quick research. Thanks Wikipedia!

“Tempranillo: a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano (“early”), a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes. Tempranillo wines can be consumed young, but the most expensive ones are aged for several years in oak barrels. The wines are ruby red in colour, with aromas and flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb.”

Several years, oak barrels, I think mom’s selection was definitely headed in the right direction. I shall call it a dry but very satisfying glass. I definitely picked up on that leathery, vanilla, tobacco taste too…right. On the other hand, the foil wrap embossed with a Spanish bull may or may not have something to do with me loving it all the more. Jajajaja! ‘staluego!

11.23.09 thing learned [no.1]

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:45:00 -0500

Inspiration is only the beginning

“We ought to make the best we can of the world, and if it is not so good as we wish, after all it will still be better than what these others have made of it in all these ages. A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past, or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men. It needs a fearless outlook and a free intelligence. It needs hope for the future, not looking back all the time towards a past that is dead, which we trust will be far surpassed by the future that our intelligence can create.” - Bertrand Russell

i love this quote. especiallly the bit about knowledge, kindliness, and courage. although my feelings somewhat diverge in my opinion of the past- i still personally find the past to be rather relevant- i fully believe in living with a constant hope for the future. so here’s to a fearless outlook and free intelligence.

11.20.09 book [no.1]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:21:05 -0500

water for elephants. by sara gruen

“Those horses, with whom I’ve spent every night riding from town to town to town and who normally look like regular horses, have transformed. They blow and snort, their necks arched and tails aloft. They gather into two dancing groups, one black, one white. Marlena faces them, carrying a long whip in each hand. She raises one and waves it over her head. Then she walks backward, leading them from the menagerie. The horses are completely free. They wear no halters, no side reins, no surcingles- nothing. They simply followed her, shaking their heads and flinging their legs forward like Saddlebreds.”

sara gruen p 200-201

A lighter novel to start things off, but an altogether good piece of fiction. Water for Elephants gives a surprisingly dark view of life on the rails and under the big top. Love, competition and the not-so-greatest show on earth. Who doesn’t want to end up with the person of their dreams and an elephant to boot?

11.19.09 found item [no.1]

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:48:27 -0500

vintage Parisian souvenir bracelet. enamel on brass

Notre Dame. SacréCoeur. L’Arc de Triomphe. La Tour Eiffel. L’Opéra National. L’église de St-Marie-Madeleine. Paris. Six tiny depictions. Six bold hues. Six landmarks linked together to form: The first Found Item.

“Moving to Kansas City.” I wouldn’t have guessed that this hand-scrawled sign pin-pointed the first stop on this year’s adventure, but lo and behold. It was a sign indeed. I must admit, this prize is not so much a found item as a re-found item. Back at the beginning of the semester as I faced the difficult task of filling a fabulous but vacuous new home, I wandered beyond the Athens city limits and found myself pulling into the cracked parking lot of a nondescript antique mall. Although I was on the quest for the perfect pair (or eight- we had a twelve foot table to accommodate) of Danish Modern dining chairs, I took the inevitable turn over to the jewelry counter. It couldn’t be helped. It was then that I first saw the bracelet. I looked at it, walked away, walked back, went to browse through some books, came back, etc. I just couldn’t get over how unique it was. And it didn’t help that I had made my first trip to Paris only a few months earlier. But alas, unless I wanted to spend my meals standing, I would not be leaving with the bracelet. Out of sight and out of mind.

But fate would have it otherwise. That, of course, is why the overly helpful clerk at Macy’s somehow managed to check me out and not remove the ink pin from my dress, which I did not realize until the morning of my birthday- the day on which I actually intended to wear said dress. Another long trip out to the mall. Which happened to be located right down the street from…you guessed it, the antique store. So I stuck my head in. And there was the sign: “Moving to Kansas City. Everything 70% off.” Fate had it that the bracelet was still there, nestled in its case. And fate had it at a discount. Golden.

*photographed on a Japanese paper mache tray given to me on my birthday by my amazing roommate brittany

11.18.09 the 21s

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:28:00 -0500

· 21 Things I ~~would like to~~ will do: Essentially these are the life-list things that I am going to finally cross off this year. Some are brazen and some may seem mundane, but I believe I will find fulfillment and joy in all of them in one way or another.

· 21 Found things: I have a love for finding things. Buried in thrift stores. On the curb at a yard sale. In nature. The attic. These are going to be physical objects. Treasures that I treasure, if you will.

· 21 Places or Events: Documentation of my top 21 favorite places visited/events attended in the next year!

· 21 Pieces of art: I will put my heart into and complete 21 different pieces of art. Whatever medium they may be. All original, all still a mystery to me.

· 21 Chapters: I have started a book. Writing a book. I’m not even kidding. It’s something I’ve found great pleasure in recently and I want to push myself to see this particular project through. This category will present itself in the form of 21 chapters and occasional short stories (they’ll be rough drafts often, but hey…).

· 21 Restaurants and meals: One of my favorite parts! The good food, the good drinks (I am now 21 after all) and the great atmospheres in which I will partake of both!

· 21 People I love: Brief interviews, with hopefully interesting questions and surely interesting answers. Candid and unexpected looks at some of the important people in my life.

· 21 Phenomenal outfits: What you wear is just as much a form of art and expression as the next thing. If I’m going to do such great stuff, I want to do it looking fabulous. I want to respect myself enough to present myself well. This will be the fruits of my best efforts to look semi-original and chic.

· 21 Books read: One of the best ways to learn! Who doesn’t love a good story? And these are some I’ve really been meaning to read. My thoughts and reviews (whatever those will be worth) will follow. Oh and I’m open to suggestions!

· 21 Things learned: The new vocab, the odd trivia, and the vast wisdom I hope to gain this year. Bits and pieces and odds and ends of knowledge or inspiration in every shape and size.

There they are!! The 21s! First installation: mañana. And I’ll try to keep the posts shorter than these past two. Promise.

11.17.09 ready set go

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:52:00 -0500

Today, I am officially twenty-one years of age.

So with constant discussion of the Quarterlife Crisis coming up all too frequently in the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent more than a few moments trying to figure out how I could prevent myself from getting caught in that hole. But when I got to thinking about it, I realized I was selling myself short. I didn’t need to just find a way to keep from falling in; I needed a way to climb in the opposite direction- higher- metaphorically speaking. How could I spend this next year in the fullest manner and change both myself and my experiences? Everyone marks 21 as such a milestone, and I have this crazy desire to really make it so. I’m going to keep on living vicariously through myself- a little experiment I’ve been working on over the past year- and see how much further I can push it. Thus, I started to write down my desires. What did I want to do? Well first of all there is a whole bushel-full of adventures and activities that have just been sitting idle on my life list. There are places I’ve been saying I’d visit forever and I’ve never quite made time to go. I want to get to know the people I love even better than I’ve ever known them before. I want to nourish the artist within me and let loose the performer I once was but have tamed as of late. I want to read the works of masters and find treasures on a daily basis. I want to learn and I want to be inspired. And what is a good year without good food and good drink? So, with that in mind, I created an outline for the coming year. There are no specific deadlines, but by midnight on November 16, 2010 (geez louise, hello new decade) I want to be able to look back and say: This I have accomplished.

I present to you the 21s.

I have chosen ten categories of sorts, in which I shall fulfill 21 things, for lack of a better word, as I can’t figure out how to unify the variety I’ve mapped.

Tomorrow: the real presentation of the 21s.

OH, and Sans souci? MM and I kept laughing as we drove past this street in Charleston, trying to guess what it meant. Cha-Cha to the rescue!

Sans`-sou`ci´

adv. 1. Without care; free and easy.

It seemed appropriate.

"today is not like any other day."

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:47:58 -0500

“today is not like any other day.”

- norah jones