Hideaways

I find a lot of peace in solitude... especially when that solitude means being surrounded by nature. These 12 AMAZING escapes are literally in the middle of nowhere and sprinkled across the globe. They are my idea of heaven

Happy (Labor Day) Weekend

I can't believe it's the unofficial end of summer!! I am off to the beach this weekend to soak up some sun and get out on my paddle board before long weekends are a thing of the past. As much as I am sorry to see summer go, I LOVE the fall and am so excited to get started on the renovation for my apartment (more on that soon), break out the big sweaters and see the leaves change. I hope all of you are relaxing and enjoying yourselves this weekend!

Stuff to visit: This hotel has long been on my list of places to visit. There is something so quintessentially American about the Adirondacks and the idea of staying in one of those cabins on the water and roasting marshmallows on a cool fall night... well that sounds like heaven

Stuff that happily ever after is made of: I have no idea if I'll ever get married, but if I ever do I absolutely love this idea of a small, relaxed ceremony on a beach with friends (p.s. my mother would kill me!)

Stuff to get you ready for fall: I love this brand. Check out all of the amazing accessories they have for fall.

state of mind

both images via pinterest

The future of higher ed

I recently read an article in The Atlantic about the future of college, in particular the Minerva Project. As the name suggests, it's still a work in progress, but Minerva is an accredited college trying to change the face of education. The classes are all online, but it differentiates itself from a Coursera or Kahn Academy by 1) not being free 2) limiting to 19 kids in a class and 3) having a technology platform that requires participants to be actively engaged in their classes. Minerva also has dorms - it's first in San Francisco - but the plan is to open them up around the world to allow students to not only take class but also to experience different environments and cultures.

The whole idea is kind of fascinating because if it works the whole notion of what a college education means could drastically change. It got me thinking about my college years at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. I sat in a number of huge lectures (200+ kids) doodling in my notebook (yes, I went to college before everyone was bringing laptops to class) and only half paying attention. I can probably count on two hands the number of classes that had a real impact on me. My older and wiser self likes the idea that Minerva is really designed to get you to learn and think. It assumes that there is a great deal of information available to you on the internet that you can go find for yourself and focuses on teaching you the nuances that can't be googled. But if you had asked me whether I had that much focus at the age of 18, I would have said heck no! College for me was a place to grow-up, meet new people, decide the kind of person I wanted to be, test my judgment and my values. Sure I learned some things in the classroom, but I learned so much more from people who were interested and interesting. While I'm not sure that is worth the University price tag, I always thought Madison as a community gave me an incredible education. I worry that an online education eliminates that valuable piece. There are already a generation of young professionals who never pick up the phone at work to quickly solve a problem, instead they prefer the back and forth of a dozen emails - simply because they aren't used to communicating any other way. We are so wrapped up in making things more efficient as a society - utilizing technology to be faster and better - but at what cost? Learning how to communicate without the protection that technology provides is essential to us as a society. Let's not forget that.

Patagonia Bound

 

I have always kept a list of places I want to visit and things I want to do – a bucket list of sorts. On the travel list, the top three have always been hike on a glacier and explore Patagonia, road trip in a VW van around New Zealand and climb Kilimanjaro and go on a safari in Africa. Very specific, I know. This winter I get to check Patagonia off my list and I am SO excited. My dad, brother and I are embarking on an adventure with Backroads (my dad, not being a fly by the seat of your pants kinda guy, insisted that we let people who know what they are doing guide us. No faith!). Basically the trip is a group of strangers hiking 10-14 miles each day around the incredible terrain on the Argentinian side of Patagonia. The best part is that at the end of the day you get to rest and fill your belly in some of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever seen – including this place! The trip is booked, plane tickets purchased and a couple days after Christmas I am off. Can’t wait to share the experience. 

Happy weekend

image from here 

This has been one of those weeks where I woke up Wednesday and thought it was Friday, woke up Thursday and thought it was Friday... so basically a week full of disappointment. But now Friday is finally here! I've had one of those off weeks which I just didn't feel particularly motivated or engaged so I'm hoping to press the reset button this weekend and start fresh on Monday. Any fun plans for the weekend?

Stuff to help (if you work for or run a nonprofit): This strategy shop gives their strategic communications, website developing, social media wonder skills to deserving nonprofits for free. Awesome.

Stuff to get you healthy: Recently my eating habits have been abysmal – I blame the fully stocked kitchen at my job – and I’ve been trying to find a way to get back on track without going crazy (i,e. subsisting on liquids for days). This company has done the trick. Truth be told, I don’t follow it exactly and due to cost I only do breakfast and lunch, but that has been enough to get me back on track and I am grateful.  

Stuff to covet: There is nothing on this new site that I don't love, but what is most inspiring is the philosophy behind everything they sell.

Stuff that I'm trying: A couple of mornings this week I have thrown on a long necklace over my outfit and felt for some reason so much more put together. I'm thinking investing in a new long necklace might be a really good investment for fall. I like this one and this one.

Stuff to quench your thirst: I love all things with ginger so this drink is definitely going to get made this weekend

state of mind

images from pinterest

Wardrobe: Corporate style

dress, necklace, shoes, bag

There are occasions in my job when I have to leave the denim in the closet and actually look like I once again fit into the corporate world (after six years in a huge company I left to work at a nonprofit which is where I have been for the last six months). But I refuse to wear a suit and want there to be some sense of personality and approach-ability to my style. Since you can't really go wrong with simple black, the key is to make it a little more fun.

Life in Brooklyn

chocolate, pickles, coffee, boots, shirt, glasses, mason jar

There are so many jokes about Brooklyn stereotypes and moving there in a couple months has meant that I have started to get teased by Manhattan friends who are sure that hipsterville will swallow me whole. But truth is I can't really put up too much of a fight - after all I have a weak spot for good chocolate, pickles, local coffee and a soft plaid.

Inspiration

Kennedy Odede grew up in Kibera, Africa's largest urban slum, and lived the realities of extreme poverty. But Kennedy saw a way out and after receiving an education in the US he returned to Kibera and founded Shining Hope for Communities. What started as a school for girls turned into a movement to fight gender inequality and extreme poverty by linking tuition free schools for girls to access to social services for all. What he and his wife Jessica do is as inspiring as it courageous.... this is after all a big fight. But this video makes it easy to see where they find their inspiration. The faces of these girls (not to mention the dance moves!) brings a smile to my face.

Happy Weekend

image from here

I'm hoping this weekend to get some of the color back that I've lost in the last few weeks - whether at the beach or in the City, my plan is to be outdoors. What's your plan for the weekend?

A few things that caught my eye this week:

Stuff to make your tummy happy: I tried this yesterday for breakfast and think I could have eaten it for lunch and dinner too.

Stuff to make you laugh: As a soon to be Brooklyn transplant, I have come to learn some of the adjustments that I am going to need to make to my life like buying more flannel, using artisanal mustard oh and drinking wine out of mason jars (which my Manhattan friends swear they will never do). This video is a hilarious depiction of what it means to move to Brooklyn and leave your Manhattan friends behind.

Stuff that will make you want to explore: It's a toss up as to whether I'm more inspired by these images or the recommendations. What screams summer more than a secluded swimming hole?!

Stuff to covet: These beautiful bags are handmade in Nairobi, Kenya. Even more remarkable is the story of Zoe, the founder

Ponder

In an recent interview as part of the New York Public Library Live series, Malcolm Gladwell spoke about changing your mind in a way that stuck me:

"I feel I change my mind all the time. And I sort of feel that’s your responsibility as a person, as a human being — to constantly be updating your positions on as many things as possible. And if you don’t contradict yourself on a regular basis, then you’re not thinking."

He also had a few things to say on the subject of tolerance: 

"What we call tolerance in this country, and pat ourselves on the back for, is the lamest kind of tolerance. What we call tolerance in this country is when people who are unlike us want to be like us, and when we decide to accept someone who is not like us and wants to be like us, we pat ourselves on the back… So when gays want to be like us and get married, we finally get around and say, “Oh, isn’t that courageous of me, to accept gay people for finally wanting to be like us.”

Sorry — you don’t get points for accepting someone who wants to be just like you. You get points for accepting someone who doesn’'t want to be like you — that’s where the difficulty lies."

What I find most profound about these comments is that he said them. Articulating insecurities has such power if only to make you stop and think 

Coveting

I don’t have a lot of interesting furniture. Up until I bought this apartment in Brooklyn I have moved every 2-3 years since I left home and always bought furniture that was neutral enough that I could change the look and feel of each space. Very practical. But now that I am actually a homeowner (yay!), I want to mark the space with interesting things. Not to say I’m throwing out my crate & barrel couch or my west elm desk just yet, but I’ve been keeping an eye out for interesting extras that can give a sense of warmth and fun to the space. Here are some of the awesome places I’ve found:

For Rugs: Ok so Kulchi is an Australian and Moroccan based company, but man can they pick a rug. Some of the most beautiful I’ve seen

For Furniture: Greenhouse & Co. is Brooklyn based and has an amazing collection of vintage furniture (check out the plates too)

For Pillows: Beautiful and not crazy expensive. So basically perfect. 

For Extras: Leif is a great site to browse through for all the fun pieces that make a home. I found it looking for gifts and ended up wanting everything for my own space.

For Fun: I love these signs. I can’t quite figure out how to integrate one into my space, but I’m kind of obsessed so I’ve gotta find a way. 

State of mind

images from here and here