Sunday Morning Nature Craving

It's a sunny cold day in NYC and it's Sunday morning. I'm up extra early today to write an OP-ED for a newspaper, but as I sit by my window, I'm experiencing emotional cravings for the park. As soon as I'm done, I'll enjoy my coffee and go for a run/walk through the six miles of Central Park splendidness, starting with the Northern Woody Area. YES!

(I'm trying to get back in the habit of documenting my inner thoughts via Blogger, I've been slacking these last few months, mainly because my career took off really fast and I lost much more personal time, but I'm reclaiming that time and re-imagining what it looks like for me!) 

One week in our new place. What bliss.

Today is our one week anniversary in our new place, and in celebration of this special occasion, we bought some cheap Yellow Tail Sangria Wine for me and Pinnacle Coconut Vodka with pineapple juice from concentrate for Spanish Guy and we are dancing the night away in the privacy of our new place.

It's below freezing outside and our car is stuck in an icy spot, who has time to chip away at the ice? NOT US! We have better things to do, like take long warm showers and vacuum under our new appliances! Isn't that what married couples do? I'll be damned if I am ever the wife type that does everything! We are a couple that does things TOGETHER! EQUALITY! Anyway, we are happy with this lifestyle and this natural way of doing things. It was never discussed, we just do it together because we both love and respect each other. Anyway, I just got off track... sorry.

So we did what any REAL New Yorkers would do, complained a bit, and then made the best of our situation! WAH! Still so in love after almost three years of marriage (next week is our anniversary,), and almost five years since we first met in Spain at that little school house, we are still on the same page in terms of happiness and what we want out of life.

Living in NYC in January and February will take a toll on anyone, especially a couple, but everyday is a holiday for us. We are on CONSTANT VACATION mode. Every out-of-work activity is done with the thought of being healthy and happy as if it were our last day, therefore we live worry free!

We are so much happier here. Our quality of life has improved significantly from when we lived in Brooklyn. Instead of waking up to the noise of a four-year-old neighbor at 5:30am, I wake up to the soft illumination of the sun, turn over with a blissful feeling and see the love of my life.

How amazing. Priceless...

NYC Penthouse Living

We made it to our new home, A Penthouse in NYC! With the help of amazing friends and family, we finished the move in only a few hours. Our new place is AMAZING! I feel so comfortable and inspired here. The views are spectacular, I can't stop looking out my window. The appreciation I feel is so deep. I went for a few runs in Central Park already, my happy place, and I cooked long meals and Spanish guy is SUPER excited because we have a dishwasher now, so he doesn't have to do the dishes by hand anymore! Ha!

We worked hard for this, I really came from nothing and built something. We will stay here for a while. This will be our new home...

The view from our bedroom, Central Park. PURE ROMANCE!

Balcony entrance.

Spanish Guy enjoying the multiple views of Manhattan.

packing up yet again

I'm packing up my house, getting ready to move out. This place never really felt like home, but it was only four months, I didn't give it a chance I suppose. It's kind of sad. I'm kind of sad...

Noisy upstairs neighbors: My story

The early morning sun was lightly seeping through my off-white persian blinds. The light was soft,  providing hints of a new day. I slowly stretched and softly turned over, making sure my hair stayed loosely behind my ears with a sleepy toss. I cradled my pillow under my head and found the perfect nook along my husbands form. As my muscles relaxed, and my upper eyelids kissed their southern neighbor, I was harshly reminded that I am on someone else's schedule. That of the neighbors upstairs, with their four-(ish) year old child, bursting with energy, popping out of bed at that magical moment every morning to march around and bounce his [bowling] ball to no avail. Welcome to my world, the world of living below people with children. I want to provide the same disruption of life to them as they do me every morning, especially on those lazy Sundays, but I don't. 

It's time for us to go...

---

So is my life: I'm moving yet again. My hubby and I terminated our lease only after four months (with penalties of course, ugh) and this week we are back in Manhattan (yay). Not only will we be back in Manhattan, but this is not bad, because after being forced to leave our current apartment due to extreme noise violations form noisy neighbors, we were able to find the apartment we've always dreamed of, in the sky, with a balcony, overlooking Central Park, and right on Museum Mile! I'm living on cloud nine right now just thinking of it!

They say that you can manifest what you want by keeping it in your mind. I think I did that, with a splash of good karma. Good Bye Brooklyn, I really do love you, you raised me, but I'm a Manhattan girl at heart! 

--

And good riddens little jute-box upstairs! It's been real.

Finding Happiness

Live life, no excuses, do what you want with no regrets! Life is short and one day you may not be able to do what you've always wanted to do.

Do not perpetuate societal norms and question everything around you (actions, thoughts, environment, behavior). 

Only then will you find the true you. 

And there lies true happiness.

And happiness is the magnet of the universe.

My Yearly Reflection: 2013

This year was amazing and provocative! Here's my yearly accomplishments followed by reflections:

• I traveled to 10 countries and a few states

-Canada

-Spain

-Panama

-France

-Italy

-Switzerland

-Monaco

-Belgium

-United Arab Emirates

-Qatar

• I moved into the biggest apartment I ever had
• I survived my 3rd year of marriage (lol)
• I spent many nights awake thinking of the ideal neighborhood for my husband and I
• I drove through Europe with a childhood friend
• I took a snowboarding class and it actually improved my technique
• I took a camel and a landcruider through a desert in the middle east
• I swam in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico (multiple times)
• I let my eyebrows grow into their natural shape and texture and love them so much!
• I made five critical documentaries with amazing teenagers
• I met my husbands brother and sister for the first time, as well as his dad
• I took a bath in the mud in Panama
• I made a spear to kill a NYC Rat!
• I ran races and trained in the most gorgeous park in the world: Central Park
• I learned the ins and outs of NYC real estate
• I performed in front of a live audience, Flamenco!
• I got two articles published
• I bought all new furniture for my apartment and enjoyed every second of decorating (still not done)
• OMG, I bought a NEW car! (almost forgot about that)
• Taught a class at a University
• Ran up the Eiffel Tower drunk right before it closed and raced some Sweedes back down
• Made lots of new friends!

There were two major themes in 2013: Moving and Travel. I think I traveled more this year than any other year in my life! I remember last year on New Years Eve, I was in Quebec and I thought, maybe if I'm out of the country to ring in the new year that will bring me lots of travels in 2013! AND IT DID! I'm not saying thats the reason, but I'm sure that way of thinking helped. I've never been happier with all of my trips, I constantly had something to look forward to all year! I also wanted to spend the summer in France, and I did even better than that by traveling around the area instead!

This year was also marked by moves. My office moved, I moved, my mom moved, and my brother moved... Moving, all the People Moving, one move for just one dream! Every time my hubby and I saw a Uhaul Truck this year we sang that song, hysterical and a bit sad at the same time. I'm still traumatized by moving back to Brooklyn, as soon as our lease is up we will be back to Manhattan, specifically around Central Park.

Speaking of Central Park, I realized that my favorite place in the world, the place that makes me the most happy is that Park! Every time I am there, either walking, running, eating, etc, I feel fulfilled and like the luckiest person in the world. The energy is just amazing! My second favorite place in the world is Malaga, Spain followed by France (all over). I didn't realize how much I loved all of these places until this year. It makes me yearn for them. It makes me live in a way that I am constantly craving them all and planning to live our lives in a way that includes them. It will happen I'm sure of it. We are thinking-- summers in Malaga with trips to France (thats easy since they are so close and inexpensive to travel between), and of course move back near the Park. Then I will be filled with everything I've ever wanted! 

I also feel like I might have a deep loss in 2014. I don't know where this comes from, and I hope it's not true, but this is something else that I feel and think of often. I have to change my thinking around this, because I would be devastated! 

Well, 2013 has come and gone and I continue to grow and progress in my personal, professional and spiritual life. I am so happy with every decision I made and where my life is going. ONWARD!

Positive Thinking: New Years in Clearwater Beach, Florida

According to the MayoClinic:

"The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress"

That being said, I've always tried to keep a positive attitude and look on the bright side of everything (without being blind of course). I know it's difficult when most people around you are miserable, or you cant see a way out of a bad situation, but believe me, there's always a solution, to EVERYTHING!

And if you put your mind to it, you can have positive moments as well...

Spanish guy and I woke up on New Years Eve in Clearwater Beach Florida (I know, it's easy to be happy and positive on the beach in warm weather!), but we decided after a very long year that the 31st of December was going to be the best day that we had in all of 2013!

And we intentionally made it that way! Appreciating EVERYTHING, experiencing new (and sometimes scary) things, and dancing the night away! It was amazing. When I feel overwhelmed or have major anxiety, I will keep in mind that it is only temporary and that I have the power to change and improve. I just have to live without fear, and thats just what I did on December 31st:

Bring it on 2014!

My Birthday, 2013

This year my birthday was very low-key. It's the first time as an adult that I didn't plan a birthday party. I just wasn't into it, plus, my birthday is at such a bad time (people are broke, traveling, or at other holiday parties) so I met up with some friends in Brooklyn, and I had dinner with my amazing husband. Thats good enough for me. Next year it'll be bigger. 

My dear friend!

My life long friends and hubby. I've known them for 28 years!

@Calle Ocho, UWS

My husband and I, love.

The morning of, I had breakfast in my favorite breakfast spot in Brooklyn and spent an hour writing in my journal and reflecting on my year. It was very nice and spiritual. 

Doha, Qatar and the Persian Gulf

I never thought that I would EVER say this in my whole entire life, but I went to the Middle East! Yes, I did! I went to Qatar! It's a small, extremely rich country on the Persian Gulf. They are rich in Natural Gas and are building the infrastructure of the city as well as investing in sports (think Barca Futbol Club) and Arts, hence why I traveled there. For work, to participate in a film festival. Anyway, I wont talk much about that, instead about my experience getting to know the country.

First, one of the most AMAZING experiences I had while there was crossing the Desert into Saudi Arabia, after a camel ride, we took a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by a Palestinian, and we went Sand Dune Driving until we got to the Boarder of Saudi Arabia. As the driver was going over the steep sand dunes, I constantly felt like the car would flip over or get stuck, but that never happened. The driver had DESERT FINESS! It was such a magical, not to mention nerve racking, experience. We stopped at multiple Oasis, sand sailed down the dunes and just sat and admired the scenery. Words can't really describe how unique and wonderful I felt being there. The desert was never ending, and we saw car gangs driving towards us in the distance (one couldn't help but feel as if they were going to attack us, I am American after all, and grew up watching action movies). I LOVED it!

The day-long desert adventure ended at a virgin beach, one of the most beautiful I've ever experienced. Crystal clear water and sugary sand. I wanted to jump into the water so bad, but unfortunately it's not acceptable for females to enter into the water in bathing suits (only at the international hotels, and that I did at the St Regis Doha), and I wasn't about to get back into the car in a floor length soaking wet dress smelling of sea, so I went in knee deep and appreciated the experience as much as I could.

The rest of the time in Doha, Qatar was spent at the Museum of Muslim Art, the Damien Hurst Exhibit and the various Markets-- specifically the Pearl and the Souq (pronounced Sook), as well stuffing our face in the very new and chic Katara! 

The Qatar Skyline

My friends and I at Souq Market having a snack

Outside of the Damien Hurst Exhibit and Museum of Muslim Art

Amazing experience. One I will never forget, and one that unfortunately many Americans don't get to experience because of the Muslim fear instilled in us by the Media. I have to say, I never felt safer in my life.