This year to save me from tears, these are a few of my favorite things: Pt.2

Here we go: the continuation of my favorite holiday things.

To Do:

Yoga

Put on your cutest yogi outfit, grab that glam bag your doting boyfriend gave you (you know, the designer one that has the special strap on the back just for your mat so you can be stylish AND fit =) and hit the studio. Not only will you feel empowered by keeping some semblance of a workout routine during a holiday that promises to wreak havoc on our slender forms, but the intensely delicious stretching and toning of the yoga poses will center you and prevent that familiar stress that occasionally rides in on the back of this blessed season.

Read

I get a surprising amount of reading done between the shopping, working out, eating, family gatherings, and the general hustle and bustle.......and that just may be one of the greatest Christmas miracles of all ;) it's important to have a little time for your self to keep from going crazy. I'm going to hunker down in my overstuffed chair, clad in my most worn in jeans and coziest sweater. My self cultivated tradition is to read Tolstoy's classic "War and Peace" every year at Christmas........but it's not a bad time to throw away a few hours on a good fluff novel. This is a no judgement zone! If you are looking for that satisfying "chick-lit" I highly recomend "Something barrowed" to be followed up with "Something Blue" both by the fabulous Emily Griffin.

Wear

I would hereby like to conclude this list of what gets me through every one's favorite holiday by saying to you ladies: For the love of Pete, Josh, Bob, Jesus, *Insert name of someone special here* put on some red lipstick and a good looking heel for a festive and sexy touch(picture your self making your party entrance to Maria Carey's "All I want for Christmas"....you'll see what I'm saying and all he'll want for Christmas is YOU). Here's wishing all of you a charming Christmas and a bedazzling New Years. Cheers!

This year to save me from tears, these are a few of my favorite things: Pt.1

It's Christmas time and everyone is feeling warm and fuzzy with holiday cheer. During this time of year, well...okay...all the time, I prefer to live my life as though it were a "rom/com". You know how it goes: the perfect song is playing loudly from somewhere while the wind blows my blonde hair back from my face as I stroll in slow motion towards a handsome stranger who makes eye contact with me as he opens my door and I breeze by with a flirty side glance.  I'm obviously wearing the trendiest over coat on the runway right now and holding a latte` in one hand while shouldering my designer bag with the other with a decided air of self importance. I. Am. Fabulous. As is my life.  Why, you may ask, am I admitting this embarrassing, never ceasing mental reel that I keep? For no other reason than to list a few of the props that I find helpful in all of the best holiday movies.........starring me....of course. Somebody tell me that I'm not the only person that does that...

-Beverages:

The Raspberry Martini

In this scene we find our heroine and her terribly attractive companion out to a late dinner after a bit of meticulous Christmas shopping. It's a week night so ordering the usual bottle of wine to be consumed in it's entirety over humorous stories and warm laughter is out of the question. However, we did use the word "meticulous" in our description of the shopping that has been done so a drink is in order. She browses the menu and decides on this jewel of a cocktail: "The raspberry martini". Not only is it Sex in the City worthy in appearance, but it tastes AMAZING and goes down real smooth. This elegant concoction has just enough kick to warm you up on the way home.

The Gingerbread latte`

I already gave you the back drop for this one....it's in my hand as I throw flirty glances at the handsome stranger and have my hair blown about by the wind. I will only add that you cannot drink this cup-full-of- awesome without feeling appropriately cheerful and ever so seasonal.

Travel: Deep in the heart of Texas...

I find my self at that stage in life where I am neither tied down by love, children, or work. These three components are not necessarily missing from my life, I'm just not grounded by any of the above at this time.  I say this so that you understand why it's so ghastly simple for me to respond: "YES." whenever He says: "I'm going *here* for *so long* and *do you want to go with?*".

So this time He opens with: "I have this thing in Texas..."
Well, I've never been to Texas. Count me in.

Now, I was only in Texas for a few days and it was for a high brow military ceremony so I didn't do much site seeing but let me just say that I have great affection for what I DID see. I can only describe Texas as "catching one's breath" in contrast to being in New York City only the weekend before. Everything moves at such a deliciously relaxed pace.  The people are kind and big hearted. The land is flat and stretches as far as the eye can see, and speckled by large, sprawling, cozy looking ranch houses.  There are plenty of horses and cows for your 3 year olds to imitate while driving through. The food is simplistic but bold, and instead of a chilly manhattan you're more than likely going to be handed a hard lemonade or frosty dark beer.  No one seems to be in a hurry and EVERYONE that is anyone has on cowboy boots.  There are plenty of educational things to do, should you feel so inclined. Being the art enthusiast that I am, I did manage to squeeze in a quick trip to the Kimbell museum for their atlantis exhibit which gets two thumbs up for sure.

I would love to go back and better cover the names of these notable activities and eateries. Hopefully on my next visit I can do this great state justice in my reporting/recording.

In closing, though slightly understated on the list of places to jet off to, Texas was warm and inviting. I look forward to seeing it again. And believe you me, next time I will not leave until I have BOOTS.

Travel: New York City, or "The Big Apple" (Part Three).

Day 3: Our final day in New York and we are determined to get in as much as is humanly possible. We shower and scarf down breakfast at roughly the speed of light, re pack, check our bags at the front desk and twirl out through the revolving door into a blustery day. We wade through the marathoners and make our way to MOMA (the Museum of Modern Art) where we spent hours marveling at priceless, not to mention infamous paintings such as Vincent Van go's "Starry night", Claude Monet's "Green reflection", and countless works by Pierre Renoir, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and so many more. There's just something about being so near another person's product of inspiration. I was close enough to do the unthinkable...I could have reached out and touched it.

We spent all day walking and talking, laughing and eating honest to god new york pizza. We went to the Guggenheim and I formed a powerful fantasy about roller skating from top to floor of that glorious structure.

By 3:00 p.m. My feet are KILLING me. My cute/comfortable flats turned out not to be as dual functional as I first imagined. Our flight back to Nashville is in less than two hours so we're burning up the sidewalk/limping towards the first available cab. We unwittingly crawl into the nicest driver in the city's taxi and an hour later we're still sitting at a green light letting other people out. It was one of those rides that make you want to put a fork in THEIR temple, rather than your own.  We make it to the airport with a miraculous 25 minutes to spare. We check our bags at the curb and chow down on one of the worst meals we've ever had.......at an airport chili's.......but things like this don't phase us. We are unflappable.  We board our flight with 10 minutes to spare and begin our short, painless journey home.

Though we saw a great deal in 3 days time, we still didn't see EVERYTHING. I'm ashamed to say that we never made it to Chinatown or the statue of Liberty (I know, I know!). I, however, see these facts merely as insurance. We're going back VERY soon. We have places to go, people to see, etc.
The next time I write, it will be as a "seasoned new yorker" with the scoop, the juice, the 411. Mark my words...........I'll be back, NYC!