I'm a vegetarian (pescatarian, really, since I eat the occasional fish dish) and have been on more of a vegan kick lately (little gluten, more raw veggies, healthy juices, and coconut oil instead of olive oil).  Recently, I was alerted to the goodness that is Ambitious Kitchen.  I baked her flourless, peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies just in time for the East Coast's recent blizzard.  They were delicious.   The only adjustment that I made to the recipe was that I added a bit more vanilla than it suggested and added cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.  They were delicious...and slightly (?) healthy.

The Notre-Dame Basilica is a tourist hotspot and rightfully so.  The peace in that cathedral inspires immediate reverence.  Also - the architecture is breathtaking.  After walking around and sitting in the pews, we headed for hot chocolate at a little café.

Ugg Boots (that I almost didn't bring but pretty much saved me from the cold); Madewell Jeans

There were several horse and buggies! Ironically, this guy doesn't need a car...just his cell phone. Past meets present...

Christmas decorations were still up at Taverne Gaspar.  Our favorite dinner spot was Lola Rosa.  3 of us are vegetarian and one of my best friends who had just visited Canada recommended this place (she's also veg).   It was highly delicious (ie. vegetarian quesadillas).  PS the ability to speak French really came in handy, which we were pumped about.  

We created our own little cocktail hour at our rented apartment before heading to dinner.  It was really nice to have that period to relax, catch up, and get ready together.

I loved the joyous spirit there despite the chilly temperature!  

The first New York Times issue of the year was an omen of good things to come!

We ate at a conveniently located restaurant near Old Montreal, Kitchenette.  The food was great and the wine we had was especially delicious (I'm still trying to figure out what it was - some French Sauvignon Blanc).  In all honesty, our trip was not perfect, but it was fun and filled with laughter and love.  Montreal was quiet.  The only time we encountered crowds was near midnight along the St. Lawrence River where there are fireworks.  Many shops and restaurants were closed for the holiday which was simultaneously eerie and magical.  

Instead of making a resolution that I would most likely break, I made a small list of goals that I wish to accomplish in 2016....along with probably everyone else.  I'd been thinking about these things for a while and inaugurated the new year by writing them down...and feeling organized haha. Nothing revolutionary, but I'm proud of myself.

Happy 2016!!! Peace & Joy

Simon Pearce's commitment to hydropower significantly reduces their carbon footprint and lowers the cost of energy for them as well.  Since they're good to the environment, the environment is pretty good to them (ie. less $$$)...

 I woke up early to meditate and watch the fog roll out over the mountains from my balcony at 506 On The River Inn in Woodstock.  It was magical. The inn is cozy and inviting - the perfect resting place on a cold Vermont evening.  At night, I sat by the fire in the great room with a mug of hot chocolate, and during the day I was out exploring the area and enjoying getting to know another American mini-culture.  The land there is so bountiful, beautiful, and sprawling.  There is so much renewable energy on this earth that should be harnessed to create a healthier and more sustainable world.  My visit to Vermont made this even more poignant, as I dined in a converted mill house fueled by hydropower (more information in an upcoming post). Though I was alone, I did not for one second feel lonely in this vast landscape.

P.S. Check out Wild Hearted featured on Pink Pangea

Lining the walls of Silo Distillery are brimming bottles of vodka (among bottles of whiskey and gin).  Normally, I'm not a big fan of vodka, but this place offers the likes of freshly infused lavender vodka and similar artisan spirits.  In a mixed drink, it is quite a treat. The place was founded in 2011 by 8th generation Vermonters and man does it feel like home.  Those who work there are friendly and inviting.  The distillery has a unique blend of cosmopolitan ambiance with a rustic, country flare.  For example, on Friday evenings, they offer live music in their loft space which is painfully appealing.

We left the distillery for a cozy dinner in Barnard, home to the exclusive Twin Farms Resort.  Driving through the bucolic neighborhood it's easy to see why such a renowned Relais & Chateaux chose this area to call home.  When we passed Silver Lake, I had to pull over to get out of the car.  The amber sun setting behind the mountains and the winter sky reflected in the lake was enough to take my breath away.  Vermont...I love you.  Mother Nature is good.

Leaves create a starry veil over the sky and when the finally fall, they fly up in the wind like a murmuration of birds.  I can't stop wandering outside during work or staring out of the window.

American Bulldog Café in New Jersey.

As the air gets crisp, cafés get cozier... This one has amazing espresso and coffee - never burnt.

Last Season Lucky Brand Sweater

About a month ago, I attended a Kacey Musgraves concert.  The event was a birthday gift that I received and I'd been a little resistant to the idea at first - only because it required a 1.5 hour drive to and from the venue (NYC was sold out so we trekked up to New Haven).  In short, it was well worth it.  Kacey is a queen. The experience taught me that I am indeed willing to drive that far, if not a bit farther, to see her perform live again.  The lyrics featured in her new album, Pageant Material, are witty and unmistakably relatable - the words flow into each other and accurately reveal depths of human emotion.  There's a reason she is one of today's only critically acclaimed country singers.  She plays acoustic, with five other musicians: one on the dobro, one on a Gibson, a keyboard player, a bassist, and another guitarist.  Scenically, her concert is an experience.  The backdrop is pink and sparkly.  Good vibes all around.

Oprah is still kicking it.  For those of you who are not regular meditators, Oprah's got your back.  She has collaborated with self-healing guru, Deepak Chopra on a 21-day meditation exercise and there is still time to sign up.  It's worth it.  It targets our belief systems and challenges us to investigate what we truly believe about ourselves and our identities.  The meditation has left me feeling refreshed and with clarity of mind, as well as more empowered to follow my instincts.  I have a slightly different meditation that I normally do but I am enjoying this one.  So far, 4 meditations have been released.  The positive benefits of meditation are unbridled and there are so many ways of meditating that it's really not difficult to try out.

Image from Getaway Mavens.

My favorite dinner dish is salmon in a cucumber dill yogurt sauce with mashed potatoes.  The breakfast at Noah's is just as delicious - think fluffy pecan pancakes, french toast, and perfectly cooked eggs.  The water is only a block away and makes for a nice after dinner stroll.

In the summer months, lines often wrap around the railing of the pier, but are not more than 30 minutes to an hour.  It's worth the wait, and if you time it right, you can sail right in.  Sunset is truly the best time to be on board though.  

Revolve Tularosa Fringe Jacket; Madewell Boyfriend Jeans (Donate your denim to Madewell & see it reused as insulation for houses for Habitat For Humanity); Keds.

Several shows presented models decked out in strong, rich lipstick colors and light face makeup.  Anna Sui's makeup combination shown here was my preferred version.

I really would love to succeed in replicating this hair style especially for a formal event.  My hair is longer and straight so teasing would be key.  It's timeless.

The fusion of gentle, pastel colors in Bottega Veneta's clothes and this whimsical hairstyle creates a full on fairytale mood.  It is simple, yet completes the look.  The effortlessness is very appealing.

Last week I felt somewhat down about how to get involved in helping the environment or others in a hands on way, but then I came across the actions of Jon Rose.  He, his mission, is a beacon of light.  This does not just pertain to activism and helping others, but also to helping to empower ourselves.  

Rose has helped a load of people, both in America and abroad.  We can do whatever we set our minds to.  Hopefully, that includes positive actions that in turn benefit others as well as ourselves and the environment in which we live, creating a more loving world.  In researching Rose's company and mission I was reminded that, "you don't have to ask permission and you don't have to drop everything."  If advertisers, brands, and major magazines (ahem, looking at you, Vogue) started to feature activists, lawyers, spiritual leaders, writers, and other similar people, many children would have a more expansive view of what a role model is.  Check out Rose's story - it's inspiring.

One street in my hometown arches up into a hillside and provides sweeping views of the rest of town, the town high school, and New York City.  On the 4th of July, the street is overrun with onlookers, watching the sparks from the town fireworks fly high into the sky.  From that magical point, one can see far and wide.  On the night of the 4th, when all Hudson River towns put on their firework displays, we watch as they all go off simultaneously with those of our own town.  The view from that cliff is expansive and makes one feel the vastness and magic of the world in one glance.  It's like looking at Oz from the Yellow Brick Road.   

Chicwish dress & JCrew shoes.

I initially incorporated these products into my routine because I felt guilty about the suds that come from sulfates (which are both unnecessary and detrimental to our skin and hair).  Suds contribute to environmental pollution.  Furthermore, I'm not for animal testing and wanted to avoid as many chemicals as I could for my own well being.  I have also noticed a substantial difference in the health of my skin, especially on my face.  

I have used a variety of products, from cheaper pharmacy brands to more expensive products offered at department stores.  Prior to using these organic products on my face, I had to alter my face wash every few months due to irritation.  After using certain products for a while, my skin would suddenly become red and itchy in specific places on my face.  The soap I used was either too harsh: causing redness and irritation, or too gentle: pimples.  My face would also become dry in the winter.  Since switching to Weleda, however, it no longer does.  My skin is clearer and is never irritated (thankfully).  Plus, the rose body wash smells amazing...

Last summer I visited this mysterious, spiritual, and ancient city with my mother and brother.  Avignon was home to the papacy in the 1300's and even established its own line of popes thereafter, establishing a situation where 2 popes served in Europe at once.  The life of the city is as rich and vibrant as is its history.  

We ate along the Rhône River at le Bercail.  It was delicious and I'd recommend going, if only for the magical ambiance.  It's seriously charming: tables line the riverfront and offer sweeping views of the stone fortress walls of Avignon across the water.  In the light of the sunset, the stone walls are reflected pink in the gentle river.  It's not difficult to feel as if you're in another era, in a different world.

Nights are filled with live music - accordions, guitars, voices, and cellos echo along the cobblestone streets and high, stone fortress walls.  We sat outside and drank tea, while listening to the beautiful jazz, lit by the lights of a castle that once was inhabited.

For more posts on France, see here and here.

Tourists milled around Andy Warhol's former studio, taking pictures and admiring the architecture.  On our way down to Soho, we passed Café Clover.  It was too early to eat, but I can't wait to try this place, which serves delicious and healthy cuisine - it's first on my list!

I stumbled upon this old wooden door guarding a shop that soon became one of my favorites to date.  It is a tiny bookstore of only cookbooks.  Every crevice is lined with old books and the only furniture inside is that of a little desk and chair.  It reminded me of Harry Potter, specifically of Diagon Alley.