"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn" - Elizabeth Lawrence

Ahh, how good it feels to be back in New Orleans just in time for the weather to start changing. I arrived back in U.S. from India a few weeks ago, and boy has it been a hectic time! I am planning to post some pictures and stories from my trip, but not this moment. After all, one of the most important lessons I learned in India, from an extraordinary Tibetan Buddhist Nun, is to be present. It is a simple lesson on the surface, but actually a truly profound message: 

Be present, as the present is your only reality, and the past and the future and simply figments of your imagination. 

So, to exist in the present, I took a personal day to live in the moment and take in the season. In short, I was a lean, mean, pumpkin machine:

Fleur de lis carved pumpkin surrounded by homemade pumpkin goodies, and of course, my personal favorite, Candy Corn!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Bread, recipe courtesy SkinnyTaste, plus I added walnuts for a little crunch!

Salty Pumpkin Seeds made with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper for a healthy, savory Fall snack

I am definitely a southern girl, Florida born-and-raised and living in good ol' Louisiana, but I welcome the change in temperature, and of course, the chance to wear boots.

Have a Happy Hump Day!

“I hoped that the trip would be the best of all journeys: a journey into ourselves” - Shirley MacLaine

So, ladies and gentleman, this is it: tomorrow I officially embark on my journey to India! But before I reflect on self discovery and all that nonsense, it would be extremely rude if I failed to introduce you to my new best friend for the next four weeks, Sandy (see us together above). Yes, Sandy is a backpack, and she is a husky lady about half my size in height and weight, thanks for asking. She has been entrusted with the ever-so-important job of carrying all of my belongs, including a week's worth of clothes, toiletries and other random necessities, as well as over 20 energy bars (have I mentioned spicy food is not my strong suit?). Vital items like my passport and cash will be stored in my straight from the runway couture money belt/fanny pack - I hear those are among the latest trends in India. Kidding, right?

Now on to said nonsense, the past few weeks have been full of emotional ups and downs preparing for the trip. By day, I am excited and running around like the Tasmanian devil trying to make sure I have what I need and that it fits in good-ol Sandy. But by night, terror strikes and I have nightmares about falling off cliffs, being attacked by monkeys, and getting trampled on by elephants (thanks Ross). I liked the quote I found today because I think it is a valuable concept. As awesome and different as India will be than America, part of the point of the trip is to take time for self-reflection - to think about where we fit into the world as people, and of course for me, as a (near) future social worker. 

I decided to take the trip because I felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I am going with positivity on my mind, excitement in my heart, and a huge smile on my face! 

If I have internet I'll try to post while I'm abroad, if not, I shall see you upon my return at the end of September!

"All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind." - Martin H. Fischer

Today I got an early birthday present: a new fancy-schmancy camera! It is a Nikon Coolpix L120, and maybe it's not fancy-schmancy on the grand scheme of cameras, but for me, this is a huge upgrade and I'm in love.

On this beautiful Saturday afternoon, I took myself out for a walk around Audubon Park to see what my new baby could do before I take it halfway across the globe to India. I tried to play with angles, scene settings, zoom, and coloration, so I want to share some of my favorites:

Close-up of a tree swing in Audubon Park

Flowers at the front entrance of Audubon Park

Bird Island in Audubon Park

A view of the trails in Audubon Park 

Playing with the macro setting inside the trees

Looks so relaxing, right?

I love this adorable little squirrel! Little guy's munching on a graham cracker.

The bark on this tree was stunning

Ducks!

Stately homes line the perimeter of the park

Details from the park's surrounding homes

Beautiful architecture and coloration on this home

I'll be practicing more this evening at New Orleans Mid-Summer Mardi Gras, and then tomorrow night at my boyfriend's gig on Frenchman street. The more I practice, the more confident I will feel that I can capture my upcoming trip in photos as well as memories!

Have a great weekend!

“Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity” - Henry Hartman

Hi everyone!

Thanks to all you faithful readers who have been asking about my blogosphere return. It's been a long summer filled with many highs, and many deep lows, so I haven't even known where to begin in keeping up the blog.

My circles above on the map are tiny, but I'll be in those regions

Yet, I've decided to start again due to this grand opportunity that presented itself several months ago: a one month trip to India! Now, the time has come to make real preparations, as I leave for the adventure on August 31. I'll be flying into Delhi, spending my 24th birthday hanging out at the Taj Mahal in Agra, then traveling to the North to spend the majority of the trip in Dharamsala. The focus of the trip, is neither purely academic, nor missionary, but as I like to call it: a cultural exchange. I took a class that included reading books and writing papers over the summer, which left room for pure exploration and observation while in India. We will be taking in the sights, sounds, and yes, even smells, of a country that is so different from our own. I have also been partnered with a Tibetan pen pal, who I will get to know while spending time with her in Dharamsala. I hear rumors of meditation and yoga, a trip to Tibetan Monks' caves, tea plantations, and coloring with children in the Tibetan Children's Village. The itinerary is "flexible," so I am keeping an open mind about where we stop and the activities that we will be taking part in while abroad.


For now, my focus is on packing (read: shopping). Yup, for those who know me, I made the jump. I traded my 5 inch heels for those bad boys over to the right. I mean, just look at that big 'ol rubber toe. No Himalayan Mountain, nor rabid monkey for that matter, is messing with these feet. I also acquired more cargo capris than any one person should own, as well as my very own hand-made sleep sack (thanks mom!). And, just like any inner-eighty-year-old wouldn't dare leave home without: crossword puzzles and a book light.

Who's ready for India? This girl.

Maybe... kind of... okay not at all... but I've got 6 days to get there!

P.S. I'm taking requests for email updates while abroad, so leave a comment if you would like to be included!

"A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin P. Jones

Today I went shopping. And It. Was. Great. Please see the evidence below:

Do you see all of those irresistible products and prices?? Normally when I shop, I tend to skip over all of the accessories in favor of trendy pieces to add to my wardrobe, but today, I broke the mold and went accessory wild! From makeup to headbands to scarves to jewelry, contrary to the quote I chose for today, I feel like I actually added necessary items to my fashion repertoire. And let's be honest, those dresses at those prices? How is a girl to pass by?

So to all those who are curious, my final total was just around $70 for 15 items, and that's an average of $4.60 per item! Everything I purchased today was on super sale, ranging from 40% - 75% off the original price. So does that mean when people ask, I can coyly say my cocktail dress was $4.60? Nah... that may not look so classy, but its definitely a great deal for my wardrobe and my wallet!

Happy Friday everyone!

"Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

Yesterday was one of those days, lemme tell ya! The heat has officially gone to my head here in New Orleans, clouding even the simplest of thoughts and decisions.

For example, yesterday morning, I stared blankly in front of my closet, wondering what I could possibly wear that would be appropriate for class, but would also keep me cool throughout the day. So I thought to myself, ah yes, a breezy skirt should be perfect. And I will ride my bike, and every thing will be glorious and magical, just like the movies:

Photo Courtesy: Rafaella | Flickr

WRONG. Instead of making my way to campus, hair and skirt peacefully blowing in the wind, I'm pretty sure in my attempt to refrain from flashing the world, I ended up looking something like this:

Photo courtesy: Flickr

Yup, it was one of those days! But, after a frantic phone call to my mom to talk me off my ledge, I walked the bike back to my apartment, threw on a pair of shorts, got back on the bicycle, and slowly but surely rode my way to class. Yes, I was 45 minutes late, but the point is, I kept moving. And as much as I wanted to give up, skip class and crawl back into bed, I regained my balance, and it actually turned out to be a pretty good day.

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." -Doug Larson

I don't talk politics too often, but I'm just going to put it out there: I love Michelle Obama. And hence, I love this campaign. This morning, The New York Times reported the release of MyPlate (above), the new and improved "food pyramid" which is a part of the first lady's anti-obesity campaign. I don't know about you, but when I was growing up, I never memorized the food pyramid. In fact, I've always found it a bit confusing, and therefore, generally chose to ignore it. Now, that's not to say I just ate cake and candy all day (I wish!), but my proportion of grain to protein to fruits and vegetables is surely not always accurate.

Courtesy ThisNext.com

A few years ago, I saw an advertisement for "portion plates" which have strategically placed decorations on them to encourage portion control (right). How great is that? Some of the plates have words on them so as to relieve any confusion at all, but in general, I think it's a brilliant guide to eating healthier.

So, I say congrats to Michelle Obama and the USDA for capitalizing on this simple, yet creative, and hopefully effective method for teaching kids (and adults!) how to properly fuel their bodies. With portion control, healthy foods, and daily exercise, I look forward to our country's improved health and longevity!

For more information on this campaign, visit www.choosemyplate.gov

P.S. Don't you love the quote? SO TRUE. Mmmm Bacon...