I can’t help but feel a level of responsibility for the actions of the unconfirmed owner of the anti-Islamic YouTube video owner, which caused the tragic deaths at the U.S. Embassy in Libya, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. I feel guilty because I’m left thinking, how could we have fostered such a person?

I am sorry for the anti-Islam YouTube video.

As Americans and global citizens, we should realize trite and nonsensical actions only create a more difficult world in which we all have to live. Obviously the individual(s) who created, posted and support the anti-Islamic YouTube video is responsible for the subsequent actions; but as an American, should you feel responsible for the anti-Islam YouTube video?

Sounds absurd, because one man’s words should never represent all of America. Moreover, as Americans we should not take the actions or ideals of certain groups in other countries to be representative of the population as a whole.

America is not based on hate; we are the all welcoming land of the free. We believe in certain freedoms and rights, which is what binds us together. No matter how much apparent irony you see in the contemporary idea of American freedom, it is the one ideal that should never change. Especially the freedom to speak your mind. Our freedoms bind us together.

Unfortunately, when we have a free individual like Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, whom reportedly claimed responsibility the anti-Islam video under the name “Sam Bacile”, we are forced to realize that our actual great freedoms comes with an absolute and nonnegotiable level of responsibility. We (Americans) should be bounded together in that responsibility. We as a whole are responsible for what we say and do, as a collective, with our freedom.

In an ideal world one soul would not represent the ideals of our nation, but because of one man’s words other lives have been taken. The subsequent actions and retaliations have caused unnecessary guilt to be placed on another group of people.

As an American, I feel that since we posses the greatest power on Earth, freedom, we should make a conscious effort to truly try to foster people who understand the right and wrong way to handle that power.

I think that when these situations arise, we shouldn’t wait for the people in power to apologize. We are the ones in control of our freedoms and because of that we should take a slice of humble pie, accept responsibility and apologize to ourselves for letting one of our free citizens make this choice.

If we don’t suffer a bit of humility, we are only ignoring the fact that irresponsible and senseless acts only beget other senseless acts.

I am sorry for the Anti-Islam YouTube video.

In memory of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens

Toast of the Palmetto City

Quarterlife Magazine: What were you feeling in the hours leading up to the curtain call? Was this like a replay of NY Fashion Week?

Faith Thornburg:  I was totally calm all week-long, just excited to see it all on the runway. Once show day rolled around though, I could barely eat! I remember being back stage and unloading all the garments, literally surrounded by all my work, and I had to sit down and just bury my face in my hands for a second. I could just feel my chest going up and down from breathing so hard and had to take a minute to tell myself to calm down! It was nothing like NY Fashion Week! This time, I was showing as a real designer and not in a competition that I never thought I’d really win. In NY, everything was done for me – all the fittings, the hair and makeup, the music – all I had to do was show up! Plus, I had so many doubts that I’d win that I never really got extremely nervous. In Charleston, I felt much more pressure because I was presenting myself this time, and I just really wanted everyone to love what I worked so incredibly hard on.

QM:  How did it feel to see your first full collection walk down the runway?

FT:  It’s a feeling I don’t even know how to describe. I’ve never smiled so big before! Your collection becomes your life as you spend countless hours and sleepless nights working on what you love, and to see it on a runway of such grand scale… I just can’t describe it. You just get this pure sense of joy through your entire body.

QM:  Any favorite moments or pieces from the show?

FT:  I have two favorite moments: First, I’ll never forget seeing the models all lined up and ready to go. It’s one thing to see your collection all lined up on hangers, racks, and dress forms but it’s another to see it come to life on an actual person! Second, was doing my final walk on the runway with my collection ahead of me.

I had to keep biting my lip so I wouldn’t cry! The tears kept swelling up in my eyes though! I’d say my two favorite pieces were the finale and the full body lace corset with english net overlay dress that has a hem covered in silk chiffon petals cut and sewn on by hand with a navy blue velvet sash.

QM:  Did you have any last-minute mishaps that you’d like to share?

FT:  We did have a zipper split at fittings! Luckily that happened on Thursday and the show was on Saturday, so I made a mad dash to the fabric store and put the new zipper in. Other than that, everything was very easy and smooth!

QM:  If you haven’t reached your ultimate goal, what’s next on the road to your goal?

FT:  Next I’d like to focus on getting the line in boutiques. I love working on custom gowns but with the line being sold in bridal stores, I can reach even more brides every season.

QM:  When can we expect the next line of Faith originals?

FT:  I’ve already started visualizing new creations and have even developed a new inspiration to start research on! I have some custom work I’ll be starting on right now but I’d like to get back to the sketchbook by the end of this Spring. Perhaps by Fall we’ll see even more new designs and “Faith originals”!

QM:  Are you taking any new clients?

FT:  Absolutely! I’m always taking new clients! The more brides, the merrier!

To learn more about Faith Thornburg, or to contact her visit  FaithAnnetteThornburg.com

Photo Credits:
Ed Kavishe of Fashion Wire Press
Marie Rodriguez of Post and Courier

As March winds down and the weather gets warmer, I’m sure gyms all across the country are starting to return their normal crowd. Those New Year’s Resolutions that your friends are giving up on (not you guys – our readers aren’t quitters!), are starting to seem like real mountains. From their point of view, it seems like there’s obstacle after obstacle that stands between them and their goal.

S.M.A.R.T Criteria to Live Your Life

However, after reading this – you should be able to start self motivating and have the right mindset you need to achieve your dream. The best part about a dream is it gives you something finite – a destination – you can strive for. Once you’ve set that landmark, you need to outline the steps to achieve your goal.

It’s important to make sure that your goals are S.M.A.R.T. Not smart as in where you went to college; but goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

SPECIFIC goals give your thoughts and actions direction and focus. Remember the 5 W’s (who, what, where, why, which). This will help you pinpoint exactly what is expected.

MEASURABLE goals are important because it gives you the criteria you need to celebrate small victories and constantly find encouragement. (ex. You set a goal to lose 10 lbs. Once you’ve lost 6 lbs., you can be proud of hitting 60% of your goal and know you only have 40% to go.

ATTAINABLE goals are important because it requires introspection (you’ve got to be honest with yourself). At 5’10” I’ve never had a goal of playing basketball in the NBA but I can aspire to graduate with a 3.3 GPA.

RELEVANT goals. Does the goal matter? True goal setting should be used for matters which will affect your team, your family, and your dreams.

TIMELY goals provide deadlines. Deadlines are something you will have to get used to so why not go ahead and start giving yourself some practice in the art of following through.

No matter where you are in life, you will have dreams. With S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, you will be more prepared to reach them. When you’re prepared, your biggest problem will be the extra time you have when you reach goals ahead of schedule.

HP

If you’re a bit right of center you might not be aware of what’s been going on in the past few weeks with the GOP candidates for President of the United States.  Being someone with a taste for the “red meat” of politics, you’ve probably been avoiding TV, newsstands, and anything close to a 24/7 news cycle.  And, honestly, that’s probably for the best.

GOP 2012 Candidates:
A Cure for What Ails You

If you have been tuning in to the now regularly scheduled programming of the GOP circus, that sharp and persistent ache you’re feeling is your stomach…turning.  I feel for you, I really do.  This is what the lefties were going through in 2004.  So I have a few options for you to consider to try to soothe your pain during this difficult time.  WARNING: You’re not going to like any of them (truth hurts people).  And let’s just go ahead and acknowledge the inevitable (unless you’re Sheldon Adelson): Newt “Cranky Pants” Gingrich has walked himself out of this race one leg at a time.  So he’s out as soon as his ego can handle it.  Thanks.  Also, Ron Paul is great, but he’s the right’s version of Ralph Nadar.  Moving on.

Option 1: Mitt Romney
Pick the generally electable RINO who makes you cringe.

Hate the idea of a “Mitt Romney for President” sign in your yard?  Well you can either take solace in the fact that there is, irrefutably an “R” after the name “Mitt”, or nominate the other guy who is unquestionably right of center and who will unquestionably lose (Spoiler Alert!: we’ll get to that in option 2).  Mitt may consider himself to be “severely conservative” but it’s obvious that he’s the candidate the Obama camp would least like to face in the general election.   The Romney Paradox is a three-edged sword (stay with me).  The reason Republicans are so wary of Mitt is the exact same reason he would fair best in the general election.  However, because he is more Technocrat than Idealogue, everyone on both sides of the aisle are wary because there’s simply no way of knowing where he stands on any one issue.  He was a moderate running for Governor in Massachusetts.  He’s severely conservative running for President.  He’s Pro-Choice.  He’s Pro-Life.  He supports the auto industry.  He condemns the auto bail out.  Healthcare reform was his idea!  He hates the idea of healthcare reform.  I won’t even mention immigration (self deportation anyone?).  Either this guy is a politician for hire who blows whichever way the majority is going, or his motherboard is short-circuiting…  The end result:  Obama Victory

Option B: Rick Santorum
Pick the generally unelectable Conservative who makes everyone else cringe.

Traditional wisdom would say that you can’t win a majority vote when you’ve alienated and condemned the majority of your constituency.  And unless the majority of voters this fall are middle-to-upper class white men, Rick Santorum will get a shellacking of epic proportions.  Yes, Rick Santorum is much more of a conservative than Mitt Romney.  So at the very least Republicans can hold their heads high and say “At least we stuck to what we  believe”…but Rick tends to go a bit far in some of his beliefs, that would still alienate some of the more moderate Republicans.  This is a guy who has openly fired on working women, single mothers, the African American community, Hispanics, the LGBT, auto workers, the poor, and moderate conservatives, just to name a few.  So far Rick has gotten by without having to answer and defend many of his more offensive comments in recent years, but you better believe that they’ll start coming out of the wood work Bachmann style as soon as he touches down in the general election arena.  The most recent debate in Arizona saw him already having some difficulty defending his own congressional voting record to fellow conservatives.  If they don’t like his policies…who will?  The end result: Obama Victory

Final Option: Barack Obama
Take two aspirin, hit snooze until 2014, then work on the 2016 cycle.

It’s important to note that all current options, both documented and imagined, will lead you back here.  Even a solid candidate from the GOP would face an uphill battle given the continued economic progress (23 consecutive months of growth) being made under the Obama Administration.  Not to mention his military successes (Osama Bin Laden, Iraq scale down, Moammar Gadhafi), lowering unemployment rate, rising graduation rate, and his deporting of 1.2 million illegal immigrants in the past 3 ½ years.  And no matter where you stand on the Healthcare issue, remember, if you go with Option 1, it sort of becomes a non-starter when your candidate came up with the framework for an individual mandate.  So you’re not winning any battles there.  With Option 2, you’re forced to watch a guy who hasn’t won a majority vote since 2004 get pulverized in numerous debates against the man who neutralized John McCain in 2008. It will not be pretty.  The end result: Obama Victory

However, the somewhat bright side for the red is that the Democrats will face in 2016 what your party is currently experiencing now: the lack of an heir-apparent.  The lefties don’t have anyone (yet) who is positioning themselves for the next run in 2016.  Sadly, Hilary already said no.  That means if the GOP can find a candidate who is both socially AND fiscally a conservative (it’s been years since they’ve been able to find that particular combo) with whom the party can finally coalesce around, he (probably not a she) could propel the right into a return to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

But until then, don’t turn on your TV.  Don’t open the newspaper.  Ignorance is bliss.

Coming into Fashion Week, Thornburg was concerned with her chances as the lone bridal designer, but talent won out as she walked away from New York Fashion Week propelled into a bigger spotlight as the winner of the ELLE competition.  Quarterlife Magazine caught up with the designer before her first big show for her new collection at Charleston Fashion Week:

Faith Thornburg:
A Bridal Designing Woman

Quarterlife Magazine:  When did you know designing was your passion/dream?

Faith Thornburg:  I’d say I grew an interest in design in middle school, not necessarily fashion design, but just design, art, and creativity overall. By high school it grew into that passion and dream and continues to grow even today!

QM:  Has it always been your dream to design bridal?

FT:  Not exactly. I started college thinking I was just going to focus on ready-to-wear but quickly found that it wasn’t what I wanted. I got really discouraged and contemplated switching majors when it suddenly hit me – I’ve always been drawn to bridal and that’s where my real passion was. For some reason I never thought to put my focus there because it was something I enjoyed so much, almost like it was too good to be true! From then on, everything I did was centered around bridal and evening wear.

QM:  Coming up through SCAD, did you ever consider switching back to a full womens-wear collection?

FT:  You mean did I think of discontinuing bridal and switching to ready-to-wear only? Never. As soon as I discovered my passion was in bridal wear, I never looked back on anything else.

QM:  Was winning ELLE’s NY Fashion Week competition the “realization” of your dreams?

FT:  In a way, yes. Honestly though, I never even dreamed of making it to NY Fashion Week. It seemed so unreal and I tried to create realistic goals for myself. One of the biggest things I’ve learn

ed from my journey with Elle is to stop doubting myself. I still struggle with that but it’s definitely taught me to be confident in my designs and to not be afraid of any dream. You never know what could happen!

QM:  Is there a chance your passion could change to design something different in the future?

FT:  Possibly. I probably won’t ever do a swimwear collection or anything but whatever I’m passionate about, I’ll go for it. You never know where your path will take you. For now though, I’ll stick with designing some amazing white dresses.

QM:  This is your first full collection after winning ELLE’s NY Fashion Week competition. What was your biggest point of inspiration for this collection?

FT:  Women are always my inspiration. I love meeting and hearing stories about extraordinary women beaming with confidence and beauty, and then imagining in my mind something they might wear. This collection is for that confident, feminine, and chic woman who’s not afraid of the world. When I think of this woman, I imagine the women of the 1920s and 30s, embarking on this incredible journey of change and power in the world. Velvet ribbons, flowing silk chiffons and georgettes that are sheer in just the right places (wink wink), textural laces and other fabrics will highlight the graceful yet sexy woman this collection was made for.

QM:  Has your passion become work after winning in NY that you hadn’t felt with previous designs?  Are there any added pressures?

FT:  It definitely feels different designing now than it did before NY. I don’t know that I’d say there’s any added pressure, it’s just a different kind of pressure. Instead of working hard to impress professors and mentors, I’m working to impress clients. It is a little daunting to think that my critiques now come from the real fashion industry and not a classroom. I think what’s most exciting now than before is that when I make a gown, I’m making it for a real bride to wear on the most important day of her life and it’s not just another project to be graded on. It feels much more special and exciting now.

QM:  What’s been the most exciting part of getting out a complete collection in 3 months?  Project Runway style!

FT:  It feels real now! If that even makes sense! The anticipation of seeing the final pieces on the runway has probably been the most exciting part. Not a day goes by that I don’t find myself daydreaming about seeing it with the lights, the music, the people. The past 6 months have been so surreal and incredible, teaching me so much about myself as a designer and developing a whole new passion and dream to run with. What could be more exciting than that?

Quarterlife Magazine will have a follow-up interview
with Faith Thornburg after her first full collection shows
at Charleston Fashion Week.

Goodbye Ironic Hipster Mustache

In a shocking revelation, The Center for Hipster Studies has officially declared that mustaches are no longer a viable option for ironic facial hair. Instead, mustaches shall once again be considered creepy, lecherous and unattractive to girls in their early twenties.

This comes as unfortunate news to the burgeoning hipster community, which has adopted the once forgotten

fashion trend and made it their own. What was once only seen on the upper lip of men in Kool cigarette ads from the late 70’s could be found adorning the face of every young guy wearing a straight-billed baseball hat and talking about how he liked the band Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. before they “went commercial.”

This now leaves the hipster’s follicular throne open to such exciting new contenders as The Neck Beard, The Van Dookie and the increasingly popular Face Mullet.

From Braces to Barack:
A Gen-Y Look at Our World Since 9/11

Paul Eulette: Creator of Quarterlife Magazine

I was so thankful that morning, I couldn’t have been happier to be at the orthodontist at 8 in the morning. I was almost thrilled to be in an uncomfortable chair having my braces tightened, than be at early morning marching band practice with Mr. Walsh. For me, just like many of us (then) kids, it could have been any other morning. We were starting our school day, rolling our eyes at our teachers and texting our friends on our coolest monochrome Nokia phones.

It was the last day of our normality.

Normal, do you remember what that felt like then? It was the feeling of knowing what tomorrow held. We would go to school, read our Harry Potter Books and go to bed knowing we would do it all over again tomorrow. But that Tuesday morning changed everything, and we came to realize after 9/11 that tomorrow really wasn’t a sure thing. After 9/11, while many of us were trying to understand basic algebra or trying to get a (then perfect) 1600 SAT score, we were also trying to understand the malignant diatribe between nations, terrorists, and countrymen that have seemed to unravel our world with every utterance.

In 2001, I would have bet my newly downloaded Aaliyah CD from Napster that I was not the only one who thought, “will things ever be normal” after 9/11. And today, I’d bet my (rumored) iPhone 5 that a lot of us still don’t know that answer. To those of us now Gen-Y adults, the past 10 years have played out like an elaborate movie plot. Only Hollywood could interject such a level of political absurdity, death, devastation, and unknowing into our lives. As we’ve watched and listened, our developing minds have seemed to stand still since 2001, as the world continues to stumble around us.

Why does it seem that after 10 years, our world cannot regain its footing? Was this how the world felt for our grandparents after WWII? Did the young generation of that time find a gleaming and defining moment that reigned in “normality”? Many would say things are back to normal, but the truth is the past decade has raised a generation of children watching adults squabble, steal, and murder—and now as adults, what are we supposed to do?

The road to the “status quo” has been repaved over the past 10 years, and no one knows where the median is; leaving us to decide if we will be the ones to answer “will things ever be normal,” or are we still waiting for someone to tell us, “Mission Accomplished”?

Jenna Wessinger: Editor-in-Chief of Quarterlife Magazine

I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001 when I heard about the World Trade Center being hit. I was in the 11th grade, and everyone had just arrived to homeroom for 1st quarter progress reports. Everyone, including our teacher, sat in silence watching the news, not sure of how to react. It was completely inconceivable. First processing that we, our country, had been attacked; and secondly, the repercussions of this attack on our lives. The latter of which I don’t think is something that will ever be able to be fully understood.

In the aftermath of this day, in the last ten years, our country has shown incredible durability, and incredible hubris. Immediately following the chaos of 9/11/2001, our country, our leaders, our people, everyone showed a remarkable ability to band together and refuse to cower in the face of such unequivocal evil. While we mourned for the loved ones who were taken from us, we proved that we, as a country, are far more than the sum of our parts. We were attacked by people who simply had no capacity to understand what it was they were attacking. Freedom, simply put. Our inalienable rights as Americans.

Our enemies hate it, because they don’t understand it. And that’s something that should be remembered, but often seems lost in a world now consumed with hate and finger-pointing. This was not an attack on a religion. This was not an attack on a political party. This was not an attack on a race. This wasn’t Christianity vs. Muslim, Radical vs.Extremist, Black vs. White vs. Yellow vs. Brown, vs. Green vs. Blue. This attack was on the fundamental principle for which all of the Americans just listed live and base their lives.

Freedom.

My most fervent wish in the coming decades is that we are able to remember that all creeds and types of American citizens were attacked that day – “We are all Americans”.

How are you feeling 10 years after 9/11?

With Love From Paradise:

In Transit

An Improvised Adventure…

My flight from Edinburgh to London was at around 5am – a time when no human being should be awake without a good reason!  To add insult to injury, we sat on the tarmac for almost an hour due to air traffic delays! Not the best start to the trip. Less than an hour into flying, I discovered the airplane was not equipped with any real entertainment or snacks.  I was seated on the aisle seat next to an elderly woman who slept most of the time we were on the ground – not much for conversation – and on the other side of the aisle sat three lively women about my age. Out of the three, one was actually headed to Nice as well. Gabrielle, a journalist for a local French newspaper, was a delightful source of conversation. She was a fresh-faced, inexperienced, but adventurous traveler. The hour we spent on the ground flew by and I was slightly sorry that the plane did take off in the end. Nonetheless, the unfortunate consequence of the delay was that I ended up missing my flight from London to Nice.

We landed safely, just an hour and a half later than expected, meaning that I missed my connecting flight by 20 minutes – and, you guessed it, no refunds. I had to be in Nice the following day for a meeting, but the next flight wouldn’t get me there until after the meeting (there had been several other flight cancellations). So, my only option was to drive there… Oh joy. From London to Paris, I managed to grab a ticket for the underwater railroad (the “Eurostar” tunnel) that passes under the English Channel. It was a packed but pleasant ride that took about an hour. I didn’t manage to get much done, but I did enjoy the conversation of the lively British bunch on board.

Renting a car was an expense that had to be paid, but luckily I wasn’t alone: Gabrielle, my new friend from the airplane, also had to get down to Nice and was also trying to rent a car to get there. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but we decided to split the cost of the car and drive down to Nice together. With two potential drivers, we could alternate if one of us felt tired. I grabbed the keys to the Polo from the car rental guy, Gabby grabbed some snacks from the confectionery shop next door, and we hit the road. Fueled by friends, friendly locals, protein, and caffeine, Gabby and I drove for 15 hours (including rest-stops) to Nice. Let me tell you – it was a very “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” kind of ride because most of it took place during the night.

The French Riviera during one of our Petrol Pit-Stops

We had some good times, some great times, and some improvised adventures. I’ll sum up the best part of the trip – I like to refer to it as the “fuel maneuver”. With a little over four hours to go before Nice, Gabby and I had spent most of our money on snacks and didn’t really have much left to buy petrol. I offered to pay for gas on a credit card, but Gabby wanted to use the opportunity to flirt with a couple of men at the gas station. I was convinced that her actions wouldn’t lead to any free gas in the tank, so I started to dig through my purse to find my (rather bare) wallet. By the time I actually opened my wallet, Gabby had opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat again – I figured that this meant that she was unsuccessful, until I heard the car start to make a noise. I turned around to see a not unattractive (double negative = hot!) young man filling up the car with petrol. How did she do it? She handed him a piece of paper before telling me to drive away. This girl has talent. The rest of the trip’s highlights included listening to blaring music and singing along to it, rolling down the windows while on the freeway and having our hair blown around, playing road trip games, and even a few prank phone calls here and there. Definitely a day to remember!

So now we’ve come full circle: I arrived here (in Nice) about 30 minutes ago, where I parted ways with Gabby, and checked into an inn at the airport. Gabby is a great road trip partner and I hope to be able to do it again with her, but just for fun this time! The bottom line of this story, I suppose, is that no matter what life can throw at you to mess up your “plans”, don’t make a fuss about it. The more you resist change, the harder it will hit you – because it will hit you. It’s just a matter of when. I’m lucky because I didn’t react to the flight delays and such with anger or frustration, and I had alternative options – but that advice can be applied to other situations, not just concerning travels.

I’ll leave you, friends, as I usually do, with something that a new (and now better) friend of mine said to me when we went our separate ways in Nice: “never forget to bring snacks and just enjoy the ride.”

With love from paradise,

Amita

The next stop on Amita’s Adventure: Nice, France (seriously this time…)!

With Love, From Paradise:

Edinburgh, Scotland

Paradise, my friends, is a myth.  Its not a Caribbean beach, or a trek in Peru, or a journey across the Sahara desert, or scuba diving off the coast of Australia.  Its a state of mind.  A playground of mundane amusements can become a world to discover in proper sunlight

It’s a Sun-in-Your-Face, Wind-in-Your-Hair Life

I arrived three days ago, after spending a few days in sunny London visiting friends, and it was pouring down rain – oh great, I thought, more of that weather drifted over the border along with my plane. But all hope wasn’t lost! Scottish people are really nice – genuinely nice. Ok, maybe I’m generalizing a bit, but my first encounter with anyone Scottish came at the airport – and I think that these people are the indicators of a country’s attitude to foreigners. In my opinion, if you have a good airport experience, then you’re bound to have a good time in the country itself. I appreciated, upon my arrival, the instant acceptance of any cultural differences between me and the local people. Truth be told, I had some trouble understanding the taxi driver’s accent – but he was kind about it.

Now I’ll skip all the boring stuff of me getting to the hotel, getting cleaned up and getting my camera out for sightseeing, because all that was interrupted by a call from an old friend of mine who I haven’t seen in years. Mike, a fellow comedy lover and all-round solid guy, called me because he heard I was in town and offered to give me a private tour of the city. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance!

Oh. My. God.

We went everywhere from the Edinburgh castle, to the Royal Mile, to tiny side streets that led to open fields of emptiness and wholeness all the same. There was even a change in the weather to cloudless skies and bright sunshine, helping the beauty of the city to really strike you in the face (I mean that in the nicest way possible – like a slap in the face from someone you love to tell you to pay attention!) I’m not a terribly active, sporty person – while I do appreciate nature’s beauty – but you know you’re in some form of paradise when you hike to the top of a mountain in the middle of the city just because it’s there. More than that, I felt that it was almost a spiritual experience. I felt free, and close to nature that it brought me a sense of peace. Maybe this was a taste of that paradise-state-of-mind that I spoke of previously. The words that ran through my mind just as I was leaving the mountain was something my grandfather used to say to me, but really hit home in this moment: “never hesitate to take a first chance at something life-changing.” It was so clear to me. Right there. Right now. Stop worrying. What’s the point? You spend so much time and effort into worrying about the outcome of a decision instead of the possible opportunities that could come of saying yes. I vowed that I’d milk this adventure for all I could get… “why not?” would be my new mantra.

With this newfound mental clarity, we revisited the Royal Mile – definitely my favorite place in Edinburgh because it’s always bustling with activity in preparation for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, evident from the crazy number of advertisements stuck to a pillar in the middle of the street. This festival is a month-long theatre festival where actors come out onto the Royal Mile and promote their performance while in character. It was an incredible experience, and you haven’t lived until you’ve had someone in rags come up to you while crawling on the ground and hand you a flyer – and before you say anything, it is nothing like any encounter with beggars on the street. Since the festival doesn’t start until August, most of the shows at the moment are doing a test-run, so to speak. Best part… cheaper tickets! Mike and I ducked into two shows while we were there: an improv show, which was hilarious, and a drama, which honestly wasn’t anything to write home about – so I won’t. The only thing I will say about it is that, although it wasn’t my cup of tea, the hot blond male lead definitely caught my attention!

At night, the real party started. I realized that I had gone the whole day without seeing a man in a kilt – my personal goal while in Scotland! At 9.30pm, this goal was completed. Let’s rewind… I got back to my bed’n’breakfast at around 9pm, and I was starved! I had eaten bits and pieces here and there, but I hadn’t actually sat down to eat a meal all day. Before going on his way, Mike suggested I try some real Scottish pub food, and after a day like today, I had to give it a try.

The Greyfriars Bobby Bar was amazing. Named after a famous dog who guarded his owner’s grave for years until he passed on, this bar is host to great food, people and music. This place has typical Scottish cuisine in the restaurant section, as well as good ol’ draft beer in solid glass pints – one step into this joint and the friendly atmosphere overwhelms you into calmness and excitement. The meat dishes looked exquisite, but I went straight for the bar, which didn’t have a long line of people waiting for tables, and told the bartender to give me what he thought was the typical Scottish dinner… big mistake. He brought out two pints of beer, a massive plate of french fries, a leg of lamb, and I stopped him before he got to the haggis (I’ve already had that pleasure before!) I looked up at him and gave him one of those “are you kidding me?” looks, when a flock of men, and I mean manly men, strode over to me and started to talk to me. Now, I’m not one to be easily intimidated, but these guys looked like rugby players because they were all about 6’ in any direction you measured them – but these were the men I was waiting for: they were wearing kilts! I inadvertently broke the ice by mentioning that they were the first men I met in Scotland with kilts, which made them laugh so loud I swear the floor shook a little. Quite surprisingly, they kindly asked if they could join me. Usually I’d be weary to accept, but it was perfect timing to test out my new mantra! They sat down with me, we had a couple of beers, they finished off the rest of my food, it was a good night. The best part, however, was once these 6’ Scotsmen got some alcohol in their system and started to teach me some Scottish slang. Let’s see how much of it I remember: “Aye, I’m visiting a but and ben, but I dunnae ken. Yer haver s’gotta mean yer bluttered! Yer auxters are boughin’ an yer hair is a burach, an ye looks like an eedjit, but do what suits ye. Show me to the shunky and give me a tattie, else yer erse is oot the windae.” You can do the translating on all that – I’m not too sure what that all means, but those are the phrases that stuck in my head after that night. Oh what a night.

So with only one full day to really explore this beautiful city, I have yet to explore it’s cracks and crevices and find out what makes its people so happy. A second and third visit are definitely in store for the future! I don’t think I have the words or the ability to describe Edinburgh’s beauty. I can’t do it justice. Breathtaking during the day and at night, the city is filled with so much greenery and life that my eyes were constantly entertained.

I’ll leave you, my friends, with three words that seem to capture the city’s vibrance: “just say yes.” You never really know where life is going to take you, and you’ll never get anywhere if you block off new roads with skepticism or refusal. Take my word for it, you can always go back, but you may not always be able to go forward that same way again. Take the chance, any may yer lums reek lang and weil!

With love from paradise,

Amita

The next stop on Amita’s Adventure: Nice, France!

“Well I guess I’ve always been “destined” to be a bridal designer. I’ve been fascinated with wedding fashions since I was little (think Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner when she’s a little girl playing “wedding” with her Barbie dolls – that was me!), so it was no surprise when I decided to make it a career.” Faith Thornburg had big aspirations at a very young age – she knew she wanted to one day design the gowns that would help define one of the most exciting days of a woman’s life – her wedding day. She has done just that.

After finishing high school Faith applied to one school, The Savannah School of Art and Design – she got in – and starting in the fall of 2007 – she had her eye on one degree – Fashion Design.

While at SCAD, she started working at a bridal store in Savannah, where as she described, she played “dress up” with “brides to be” all day long in beautiful Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Priscilla of Boston and Oscar de la Rent (just to name a few).

The following summer she interned at Anne Barge and Badgley Mischka Bride in Atlanta, GA. Upon returning to Savannah, she started her senior collection. Each year, SCAD works with top designers in the “SCAD Style Lab”. Seniors are encouraged to submit their collection vision and then a few are selected to work one on one with a designer. This past year’s designers were Christian Cota and Chris Benz and they were so impressed with Faith’s vision, she was selected to work with one on one with Christian Cota – an opportunity which she describes as a dream come true!

Cota would visit Savannah throughout the year, assisting Faith in the whole “collection process” – she explains that it was at that point in her career that she was truly shaped into a designer. Along with that incredible opportunity, Faith’s work was also chosen (in a select group of senior designs) to have her collection “walk the runway” in a show choreographed by Miss J. Alexander from Project Runway.  After the show she was personally showered with praise and implausible advice from Andre Leon Talley, Miss J and Manolo Blahnik – some of the industry’s leading men!

Faith thought all of her dreams had come true until she was told that her collection had been chosen by Elle Magazine to be showcased at New York’s Fashion Week this September as well as have a special feature in the magazine in it’s October and December issues (so keep your eyes peeled for her)!

Faith is now working on a few gowns for brides that will be worn this fall and will be moving to Atlanta, GA in three weeks to get her career “up and running” – she is well on her way!

Check out her website to get to see all of her collection!

www.faithannettethornburg.com