Two images are conjured up in my mind when I think of Italy - excluding food and wine - Mother Mary and Jasmine, specifically, the scent of Jasmine in the air while taking our evening walks. So, in honor of Mothers Day… a shrine to Mary in Monfalcone and Jasmine flowers. 

Respect. RIP MCA.

(via ameliamagritte)

This is my most favorite quote in my most favorite passage in my favorite book by my favorite author. 

ameliamagritte:

This book is everything. (Taken with instagram)

(via ameliamagritte)

Continuing the effort to live with less… (and frankly, failing miserably at times), I am attempting to travel with less. I also typically fail miserably in this quest.

Except today.

Today - not only was I ready for my car service, I was ten minutes early - I packed everything I needed in one carry-on suitcase; including my laptop, work folders, random techy and office supply needs, clothes, vitamins, toiletries, make up, and yoga clothes.

I also brought my swimsuit. Further proving my point, I hate traveling unprepared. I don’t like spending money if I have the things I need at home. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not cheap. I just prefer to spend my money on, say, a new hat, instead of extra underwear, a Target bathing suit in Dallas, or sunblock.

The majority of my impulsive beauty product purchases can be traced directly back to my poor packing.

Me speaking to myself: “Sure, I DO need that Portuguese facial cleanser and moisturizer. I mean, I left my stuff at home.”

Salesperson: “That will be $120.”

Stuff like that.

I succeeded today, and I’m going to allow myself to wallow in my success for a bit….

At least until I realize the temperature is significantly cooler in my arrival city, and I’ll wish I had shoved a nice, warm sweater in my bag. Dammit!

I dig this.

npr

Show Us The Thumping, Pulsing ‘Heart’ Of Your City

From the coffee shop on the corner to the park down the street, all urbanites have a place they think of as the heart of their city. It’s where you go when you want to feel like a citizen of Memphis, New York City or San Francisco. It’s the place you think of as synonymous with Atlanta, Washington, D.C., or Portland, Ore. It’s what you talk about when someone asks, “What’s Chicago like?”

And even if your local office of tourism has never heard of it, we want to know what and where it is. We want you to show us the heart of your city. Is it the subway platform? The view from your favorite bridge? Snap a photo or make a quick recording, then send it our way via email (nprcities at npr dot org), Flickr (tag your photo #nprcities), Tumblr (tag your submission #nprcities) or SoundCloud (make sure your clip is downloadable).

Include your name, the name of the person who took the picture or recorded the sound, the location of the photo or audio (full address or street intersection, including city and state), and describe your submission in 300 characters (!!!) telling us what makes it the “heart of your city.”

As long as you can photograph it or record it, nothing’s too small! But we do have some guidelines:

1. No Liberty Bells, Please. Tourist attractions are fun to visit, but we’re looking for the part of your city that gets left out of the guidebooks.

2. Limit Your Sound Recordings To One Minute Or Less. We’re looking for sound that gives a sense of place.

3. Remember, We’re A Family-Friendly Website. This probably goes without saying, but please keep your submissions G-rated.

4. Sorry, No Videos Or Animated GIFs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative.

5. Think Public Spaces. The basement your band practices in may be SO Detroit, but we’re looking for places everyone can experience.

[NOTICE TO USERS: NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the emails, audio clips and photographs that we receive. We may edit them for clarity, brevity or format and identify authors by name and location. By sending us a photograph, email or audio clip, you agree to these terms. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.]

Photo credit: esemelwe/iStockphoto.com

fuckyournoguchicoffeetable:

Fuck your Nelson Saucer pendant.

Yep. That’s right. I’ve got one. Hanging over a danish teak table.

he is perfect.

artbyellengreene:

Bad Boy- Ellen Greene 2012

I am obsessed with Blitzen Trapper. I could listen to this song over and over and over … and you should know when I saw I could … it means I am. Like, right now.

The Ladies… (Taken with instagram)

I love a list. And I’m especially in need of a condensed, realistic, tried-and-true packing list. I am an over-packer. I always want to be surrounded by my “stuff”… be it jewelry, scarves, shoes, beauty products, books, magazines, blah blah blah…

And I’m not a rookie traveler. I know better. And yet…

I still bring too much stuff.

I will be taping this to my closet door in hopes that it will help me be a better packer. Which will reduce the weight of my bags. Which will then ease the aches and pains of shlepping my stuff all over the globe. 

Wish me luck. I have seven days until the next adventure.