things i love right now

It's the day before Christmas, and I am admittedly a bit somber. So, to brighten up my day, I've compiled this materialistic list of things I love! :) If I can't have family and friends to cheer me up, then by golly, I'm going to have things!

 1. cappuccinos from my Nespresso machine (thank you, Mom!!!) - best gift ever.

2. homemade pancakes (every morning) - with chocolate chips, banana, and coconut inside and topped with hot, fresh fruit

3. shorts with tights (my colleague recently asked me, "Are you feeling hot lately? You've been wearing a lot of shorts.")

photo via people.com

4. my rain boots (as they've become somewhat of a uniform due to the weather)

Steve Madden (purchased last year)

 5. my hooded, puffer jacket (winter essential)

similar to this one from Zara

 6. Christmas lights lining the city (my camera died while in the process of documenting this)

7. layering multi-color headbands

8. black jeans with a shiny (resin) coating on them

H&M

9. high heeled mary janes

Fendi (the dream version)

10. candles (recently went to a Partylite party - overpriced but smell so good!)

11. European bras (they actually make them small enough to fit me! thank you European women for being as flat as me!!)

Topshop

12. stripes and polka dots

Topshop

13. all things gold zippered - pants with zippers, shirts with zippers, boots with zippers

Zara

14. sheer blouses

Elizabeth and James

 15. shiny sweaters - trendy and festive, too

so many affordable (and beautiful) ones at Zara and H&M

 Hmm.. that's all for now. And, I'm not listening to music because it's too early in the morning!! I'm listening to the garbage men - everyone's sexier when they have a French accent! I've been told lately that my French is "endearing".... not exactly what I was going for but it works for now.

feel good.

What I'm listening to right now:

I'm going to take pictures of the city all lit up with lights. Then, I will eat a big meal. After, I plan on falling into a deep food coma. I will wake up tomorrow well rested and well nourished. What I do after that is TBD.... or shall I say, where I go!!

december.

Well, I am back to blogging after what has been a long absence. The truth is... I didn't think I had anything interesting for anyone to read. Then, I realized that it's not others I write for, it's for myself. I love looking back at old posts and seeing where I was and what I was feeling. Writing for me is therapeutic and maybe it's just what I need right now.

December. It's the holiday season and full of cheer. Although the lights in my new city are absolutely stunning and even mesmerizing, I'm far from home and somewhat lost. I know where I am but not where I am going. It's hard for me to be away from family and friends but even more so during this time. Everyone is busy with planning their gatherings and trimming their trees, and I am here with no holiday cheer. I could be starting traditions of my own... but how?

My birthday came and went and maybe now... newly 26... I'm acting childish to be upset (and selfish because people have it much, much worse than me). So, really, I'm embarrassed to say this (because I should be (and am, I promise!!) thankful for all I do have) but it was the first birthday where I didn't talk to my family and I didn't get to open a present. I called my family but no one answered. So far away and so easily forgotten?? Luckily, my best friend had sent me a card - and it was her one card that made me feel loved. It sat alone on the entertainment center. I know this sounds so pitiful but when I'm so far, it's when I even more so want to feel loved. 

So I'm back to the start. I'm back to having this itch to do something more. I want to paint and to add color to these dismal white walls in my apartment. These white walls... it's so boring. How can people actually enjoy white walls? I see the logic - clean, simple... blah. I desperately want to add color and life to this apartment, but it's not mine, it's not even ours, it's a rented apartment with rented furniture so the walls will remain white and the furniture will remain black. Clean and simple it is. I want to add pictures and emotion. Instead, I add throw blankets and bath mats. How exhilarating!!! I'm gasping for a breath of fresh air.

Maybe I'm the kind of person that doesn't like to stand still. I think it's true. I don't even like to walk - I prefer to run. If I have to go somewhere, I'm just going to run there... and perhaps it causes unusual stares when I'm in heels or dressed up, but walking is such a waste of time. And my apartment, I've been here for only seven months - and not even really because I spent six weeks on vacation, but already, I need change. This place has no character. The outdoor terrace was the selling point for me but that's not doing me much good. 3 straight weeks of rain. Then, snow. Sometimes hail. And, more cold rain. 

My vacation starts tomorrow evening. I have one week. Time to live.

Here's what I'm listening to now: 

Her voice is amazing.

long overdue.

I know it has been forever since I last posted, and I will do my best to fill you in on what I have been doing that has kept me from here... basically, a lot. Between a visit from my mom and work and a little bit of play and a few little colds that have had me restless at night, I feel like an energizer bunny.... without the energy. Is that even possible? I keep going and going and going... but I.... am..... so.... tired.

I won't complain, because I much prefer hitting the bed hard and having it feel like a little piece of Heaven than laying there awake at night - not tired at all. It has also been a wonderful change of pace to be very busy and constantly on the move.

I will begin to do a little backtracking to catch everyone up on what I've been doing. I will start with what is freshest in my mind (what I did this weekend), and then tomorrow I will share pictures of the wonderful time I spent with my mom.

This past weekend was a really wonderful one for me, because for the first time in a really long time, I was able to spend time with my guy. Friday night we made and enjoyed a delicious pancake dinner - something we both really love. I made a pile of delicious vegan pancakes and hot fruit syrup and then filled the table with our favorite toppings - shredded coconut, banana, Nutella, chocolate chips, all natural maple syrup (the real stuff), and powdered sugar. I used our wonderful new gift from my mother (more on that to come) and made a delicious cappuccino, topped with cinnamon and steamed chocolate milk for my guy. Mmmm Mmm good!

Last night I joined my guy and his family in going to my first Moroccan wedding and had the chance to wear a beautiful caftan. The wedding was so colorful and cheerful. The bride changed her dress more than 5 times to symbolize the fashion and culture in different parts of Morocco. It was a wonderful occasion.

The serving of the food was very different than any wedding I have ever been to so that part amused me a bit (we also ate around 11pm). The salad came out first and the servers walked to the front of the room in a line and stood in a row and opened the lids of the massive plates to display the salad for all to see and then began placing these enormous plates at the center of each table. We each took from the plate what we wanted and were even able to go back for seconds! The salad had a wide variety of veggies ranging from Moroccan olives to tomatoes to heart of palm to bamboo (and everything in between). It was very good.

After the salad, the waiters brought a few small plates to each table - some containing zaalouk and the others containing some sort of tangy, Moroccan carrot appetizer (which I will need the recipe for). After which they again marched to the front to display the main course - a heaping helping of meat. I didn't think of photographing this until it was devoured, but you couldn't even begin to imagine how much meat was being served at this wedding reception at one time. Each HUGE plate at the center of about 40-50 tables (maybe more) had an entire animal (I swear haha) on it. Everyone started taking their knives and forks and searching for the meat of their choice. I got a kick out of this. Survival 101: Don't mess with these carnivores when their native food is in front of them. I'm kidding! They actually follow the rule of always serving others before serving yourself. They each kept handing each other more meat (often with their hands) until the receiver would finally cry mercy and say, "Seriously, I'm good."

It should be noted that at the sight of this huge plate of meat, I did gasp a little. I had never seen so much meat on one plate. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a serving dish so big. His mother right away took action and said that I didn't eat meat and they began cooking a chicken for me! I had to wait to eat until everyone was finished but my chicken was worth the wait. Even for a 90% of the time Vegan / 7% of the time Vegetarian who doesn't really enjoy meat / the 3% chicken eater in me (who usually does this just to please people) actually really enjoyed the chicken. Half was dark meat which I did not eat but the other half was juicy white meat and the sauce was SOOOO good. It was some sort of mixture of cinnamon and spices and reminded me so much of fall. It's good that my new French family has opened my eyes to trying new things! And, equally as good that they don't pressure me to eat red meat.

After the meal came bowls of fruit followed by coffee and hours later followed by Moroccan cookies and cakes and mint tea. We danced until almost 3am but we were all getting pretty delirious from fatigue. We left the party then but I am sure, as per usual with these kind of events, that the party lasted for at least a few more hours after that. I have read and heard that sometimes these events last until 6 or 8am when breakfast is served!!!

 Here are some pictures:

Finally, to cap off the weekend, today was a holiday.  My guy's brother went to kill a sheep as is tradition. 3 of his 5 brothers and sisters and 5 of his 9 nieces and nephews all gathered tonight for this celebration eating more traditional Moroccan cuisine.

Now, it's time to make myself another cappuccino and relax!