PinStripes & BowTies

...And Everything In Between.

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these past few weeks i have been so thrilled to see and capture some beautiful sunsets. it&#8217;s been a hobby of mine ever since i was in middle school. i have always loved and enjoyed photography since the first day i owned my very own polaroid 600. my first photos would be a lot of nature and animal shots because i was outside so much as a little kid, i took pictures of everything around me. a big part of me still does that today. capturing life&#8217;s moments and sharing it with other people. i capture the things that are beautiful to me. i still have that polaroid and my first &#8216;professional&#8217; camera i got in high school, but truth be told i take the majority of my photos simply from my camera. i am in the market for a new camera, so if you have any recommendations send them my way :)

these past few weeks i have been so thrilled to see and capture some beautiful sunsets. it’s been a hobby of mine ever since i was in middle school. i have always loved and enjoyed photography since the first day i owned my very own polaroid 600. my first photos would be a lot of nature and animal shots because i was outside so much as a little kid, i took pictures of everything around me. a big part of me still does that today. capturing life’s moments and sharing it with other people. i capture the things that are beautiful to me. i still have that polaroid and my first ‘professional’ camera i got in high school, but truth be told i take the majority of my photos simply from my camera. i am in the market for a new camera, so if you have any recommendations send them my way :)

this week it dawned on me that I haven&#8217;t been doing a good job of cooking most of my meals at home. so, I decided to change that and re-visit one of my favorite recipe sites called &#8216;vegan stoner&#8217; to help with some cooking inspiration. don&#8217;t let the name fool you because it has a lot of healthy and creative dishes like &#8216;tvp sloppy joes&#8217; (one of my faves),  or &#8216;yuca fries&#8217;  or &#8216;lentil loaf&#8217;. what I like most about this site is that it&#8217;s easy to read, straight to the point of the ingredients you need, and how to prepare it in less than 6 steps. the only downside I would say is that it&#8217;s not updated consistently, but there are plenty of recipes already on the site to get you going. let me know what you think and what you decides to cook up :)

this week it dawned on me that I haven’t been doing a good job of cooking most of my meals at home. so, I decided to change that and re-visit one of my favorite recipe sites called ‘vegan stoner’ to help with some cooking inspiration. don’t let the name fool you because it has a lot of healthy and creative dishes like ‘tvp sloppy joes’ (one of my faves),  or ‘yuca fries’  or ‘lentil loaf’. what I like most about this site is that it’s easy to read, straight to the point of the ingredients you need, and how to prepare it in less than 6 steps. the only downside I would say is that it’s not updated consistently, but there are plenty of recipes already on the site to get you going. let me know what you think and what you decides to cook up :)

Argo &amp; Lehne to Host Book Signing of 92 yr old Sculpture it was a busy weekend and especially a busy sunday. no complaints at all. better to be busy than bored, i always say. but today was not like my usual sundays nor like any other day. today i was introduced to a 92 year old sculpture named alfred tibor. my meeting with him was a very educational, eye-opening but mostly inspiring. a few ( and I mean fewwwww) facts about alfred: 1.) he lost 80+ family members in the holocaust. he and his brother were only survivors 2.) he lost oldest brother tibor in the holocaust. alfred changed his last name to tibor to honor his oldest brother. 3.) he knew since the age of 6 he wanted to be a sculpture. 4.) proudest moment of his life was seeing the statue of liberty. freedom. something he never had. 5.) wants to teach emotions and wants people to feel through his works of art 6.) oh, he kissed me on my check and said I had nice teeth. hehe his story. his life. could not be all told in the two hours we met. he said i only got a &#8216;crumb&#8217; of his life. i was eager to hear more and I&#8217;m only sharing a sentence of everything he&#8217;s been through and experienced, yet maintained such a positive and loving outlook on life. yet, he was exposed to so much hatred and discrimination when he was younger. &lt;p&gt;view part 1 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IykDa8j1bE&amp;feature=youtube_gdata_player view part 2 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rru_TGwdn44&amp;feature=youtube_gdata_player view part 3 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbrAREizPS8&amp;feature=youtube_gdata_player i will update later this week when he will be having a book signing at argo &amp; lehne where you can also view many of his sculptures :) UPDATE: Book signing will be held May 5th &amp; 6th at Argo &amp; Lehne. 2pm-4pm both days. See a variety of Alfred&#8217;s sculptures, meet the artist, get book signed, enjoy food &amp; drinks. This event is free and open to the public. All ages welcomed.

Argo & Lehne to Host Book Signing of 92 yr old Sculpture it was a busy weekend and especially a busy sunday. no complaints at all. better to be busy than bored, i always say. but today was not like my usual sundays nor like any other day. today i was introduced to a 92 year old sculpture named alfred tibor. my meeting with him was a very educational, eye-opening but mostly inspiring. a few ( and I mean fewwwww) facts about alfred: 1.) he lost 80+ family members in the holocaust. he and his brother were only survivors 2.) he lost oldest brother tibor in the holocaust. alfred changed his last name to tibor to honor his oldest brother. 3.) he knew since the age of 6 he wanted to be a sculpture. 4.) proudest moment of his life was seeing the statue of liberty. freedom. something he never had. 5.) wants to teach emotions and wants people to feel through his works of art 6.) oh, he kissed me on my check and said I had nice teeth. hehe his story. his life. could not be all told in the two hours we met. he said i only got a ‘crumb’ of his life. i was eager to hear more and I’m only sharing a sentence of everything he’s been through and experienced, yet maintained such a positive and loving outlook on life. yet, he was exposed to so much hatred and discrimination when he was younger. <p>view part 1 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IykDa8j1bE&feature=youtube_gdata_player view part 2 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rru_TGwdn44&feature=youtube_gdata_player view part 3 of his interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbrAREizPS8&feature=youtube_gdata_player i will update later this week when he will be having a book signing at argo & lehne where you can also view many of his sculptures :) UPDATE: Book signing will be held May 5th & 6th at Argo & Lehne. 2pm-4pm both days. See a variety of Alfred’s sculptures, meet the artist, get book signed, enjoy food & drinks. This event is free and open to the public. All ages welcomed.

yesterday morning i received a phone call from my dad letting me know our 8 year old cat passed away. i was driving to go pick up a friend for lunch, and immediately headed for home. i didn&#8217;t want to believe him because I saw Tiffy just the other day and she seemed no different from other times I&#8217;ve seen her. when I got to my parents house all I could do was sob. there was no sight of her- her water and food dishes were already taken from the floor and washed, her toys were no longer scattered every where in the living room. It was a sad place. My parents had already taken her to the vet where one of the doctors was going to take Tiffy and bury her on his land. that just didn&#8217;t seem right to me- giving her in the arms of someone that wasn&#8217;t family. i wish I could have done something. but my heart goes out more to my parents, especially my dad who witnessed what appeared Tiffy having a heart attack and trying to save her. even he said it all went by so fast and happened so sudden. I&#8217;ve grown up with cats my whole life but felt more of a bond with this one. there will be no more greetings at the top of the stairs, purring when you immediately start petting her, no one waiting outside the bathroom door or knocking down my laundry basket. they may seem like the smallest things, but it&#8217;s meaning spoke volumes. after I could finally stomach something to eat after hearing the news, I just sat outside and watched the cars and people quickly pass me by downtown. as the fast paced world moved, I was hoping that whomever everyone was with, that they were cherishing that moment with that person. Cause you never know when you will see them again or not. cherish the moments you have with one another.

yesterday morning i received a phone call from my dad letting me know our 8 year old cat passed away. i was driving to go pick up a friend for lunch, and immediately headed for home. i didn’t want to believe him because I saw Tiffy just the other day and she seemed no different from other times I’ve seen her.

when I got to my parents house all I could do was sob. there was no sight of her- her water and food dishes were already taken from the floor and washed, her toys were no longer scattered every where in the living room. It was a sad place. My parents had already taken her to the vet where one of the doctors was going to take Tiffy and bury her on his land. that just didn’t seem right to me- giving her in the arms of someone that wasn’t family. i wish I could have done something. but my heart goes out more to my parents, especially my dad who witnessed what appeared Tiffy having a heart attack and trying to save her. even he said it all went by so fast and happened so sudden.

I’ve grown up with cats my whole life but felt more of a bond with this one. there will be no more greetings at the top of the stairs, purring when you immediately start petting her, no one waiting outside the bathroom door or knocking down my laundry basket. they may seem like the smallest things, but it’s meaning spoke volumes.

after I could finally stomach something to eat after hearing the news, I just sat outside and watched the cars and people quickly pass me by downtown. as the fast paced world moved, I was hoping that whomever everyone was with, that they were cherishing that moment with that person. Cause you never know when you will see them again or not. cherish the moments you have with one another.

spring has officially sprung and a lot of people are planing there vacation destinations or a simple road trip to somewhere new. one place that i never get sick of os the wonderful city of Nashville. ive lost track in how many times i have been there, but i tell you that each time i go i experience something new and exciting to see or to do. i have been there for both pleasure and for work, so i have decided to make a list of things to do if you are heading down south. here are a few of my favorite places&#8230; the parthenon: it is the only full-size replica of the parthenon (in greece) in the world and it&#8217;s huge! take a walk around outside it and can get a tour underneath the building for more greece history. gaylord opryland hotel/gardens:  this place is a must see! the hotel rooms look down on all the live plants and flowers, shops, water fountains, restaurants. i have decided where i am getting married :) music row: located near belmont university, this street is lined one after one of music production houses and record labels. can walk or just drive down it. downtown nashville: this is more of the &#8216;touristy&#8217; thing t do and i recommend doing it just for the experience. be sure to wear comfortable shoes because there is a lot of walking involved, and some hill inclines along the way. you will hear a lot of live music filling the streets as well as the bars and restaurants that line the main streets.  places to eat/drink: fido: grab great local coffee, food, and pastries at this casual place. be prepared to wait in line to order, but it will be worth it. ive had a soy latte and everything bagel with pb and banana&#8217;s on it (elvis style, naturally) and loved it. frothy monkey: another great place to grab coffee or tea. ive never experienced a long line and i cant say anything about the food because i&#8217;ve never tried it&#8230;but the coffee is good! sky blue cafe: cant go wrong with their salads (or anything else, really). pancake pantry: on the same street as fido&#8217;s. i recommend going to fido&#8217;s and grabbing a coffee there because you will be waiting in a long line outside to get into this place. it is a first come, first served kind of a place and each time that i have been the line is wrapped around the corner. it is worth the wait for these pancakes. the place is somewhat small and certainly has the country/southern feel to it. east nashville: if you want to get away from the tourist part of nashville, i recommend heading east. you will find a lof of unique shops, boutiques, places to grab a bit to eat (with no line) or grab something sweet to eat. thrift shops: amazing, amazing, amazing thrift stores in nashville! but you gotta travel a few miles to get to the good ones. you wont see any downtown

spring has officially sprung and a lot of people are planing there vacation destinations or a simple road trip to somewhere new. one place that i never get sick of os the wonderful city of Nashville. ive lost track in how many times i have been there, but i tell you that each time i go i experience something new and exciting to see or to do. i have been there for both pleasure and for work, so i have decided to make a list of things to do if you are heading down south. here are a few of my favorite places…

  1. the parthenon: it is the only full-size replica of the parthenon (in greece) in the world and it’s huge! take a walk around outside it and can get a tour underneath the building for more greece history.
  2. gaylord opryland hotel/gardens:  this place is a must see! the hotel rooms look down on all the live plants and flowers, shops, water fountains, restaurants. i have decided where i am getting married :)
  3. music row: located near belmont university, this street is lined one after one of music production houses and record labels. can walk or just drive down it.
  4. downtown nashville: this is more of the ‘touristy’ thing t do and i recommend doing it just for the experience. be sure to wear comfortable shoes because there is a lot of walking involved, and some hill inclines along the way. you will hear a lot of live music filling the streets as well as the bars and restaurants that line the main streets. 
  5. places to eat/drink: fido: grab great local coffee, food, and pastries at this casual place. be prepared to wait in line to order, but it will be worth it. ive had a soy latte and everything bagel with pb and banana’s on it (elvis style, naturally) and loved it. frothy monkey: another great place to grab coffee or tea. ive never experienced a long line and i cant say anything about the food because i’ve never tried it…but the coffee is good! sky blue cafe: cant go wrong with their salads (or anything else, really). pancake pantry: on the same street as fido’s. i recommend going to fido’s and grabbing a coffee there because you will be waiting in a long line outside to get into this place. it is a first come, first served kind of a place and each time that i have been the line is wrapped around the corner. it is worth the wait for these pancakes. the place is somewhat small and certainly has the country/southern feel to it.
  6. east nashville: if you want to get away from the tourist part of nashville, i recommend heading east. you will find a lof of unique shops, boutiques, places to grab a bit to eat (with no line) or grab something sweet to eat.
  7. thrift shops: amazing, amazing, amazing thrift stores in nashville! but you gotta travel a few miles to get to the good ones. you wont see any downtown
after all the tornado warnings and sirens going off, what seemed to be like every 5 minutes, i was glad that my building maintained all it&#8217;s power. when i felt i could change the tv station from watching the local radar, i was happy to stumble upon the broadway musical &#8216;phantom of the opera&#8217; on wosu. the last time i saw it was when it came out in theaters in 2004 (though i have seen it once or twice live and loved it!) when i was in high school my dream was to be on broadway and got to audition for a program at an out of state college. long story short, i didnt get accepted to the program, but accepted to the college.  going to broadway shows or even seeining them on tv or listening to the music really inspires me. there is something about it that gets my creative mind really thinking, or to say &#8216;my juices flowing.&#8217; after tweeting about how inspired i was after watching the phantom, a friend informed me that west side story will be coming to town this april. you can purchase tickets here, http://theatrecolumbus.com/Tickets-Active.php?eventID=1597304&amp;venueID=8130 Now, whose coming with me?? :)

after all the tornado warnings and sirens going off, what seemed to be like every 5 minutes, i was glad that my building maintained all it’s power. when i felt i could change the tv station from watching the local radar, i was happy to stumble upon the broadway musical ‘phantom of the opera’ on wosu. the last time i saw it was when it came out in theaters in 2004 (though i have seen it once or twice live and loved it!) when i was in high school my dream was to be on broadway and got to audition for a program at an out of state college. long story short, i didnt get accepted to the program, but accepted to the college. 

going to broadway shows or even seeining them on tv or listening to the music really inspires me. there is something about it that gets my creative mind really thinking, or to say ‘my juices flowing.’

after tweeting about how inspired i was after watching the phantom, a friend informed me that west side story will be coming to town this april. you can purchase tickets here, http://theatrecolumbus.com/Tickets-Active.php?eventID=1597304&venueID=8130

Now, whose coming with me?? :)

Loving this look ❤

Loving this look ❤

look what came in the mail! i will be getting a lot of great runs in this spring/summer and i can&#8217;t wait. i LIVE for warm weather- such an outdoorsie person. ever since high school i have been participating in most of these races (college and living in chicago restricted me from some of the races). last year i oined a team with a group of friends and we called ourselves &#8216;run, tweet, cure.&#8217; haha! i cannot take credit for this very clever, creative name. it was a blast ad i am hoping to relive the same experienc this year. last year i was honored to be featured on Komen&#8217;s blog talking about why i joined team &#8216;marathon for the cure&#8217; and how breast cancer has impacted my life. you can read it here http://ow.ly/9Ey77 hope you are able to get out and enjoy this beautiful spring weather!

look what came in the mail! i will be getting a lot of great runs in this spring/summer and i can’t wait. i LIVE for warm weather- such an outdoorsie person. ever since high school i have been participating in most of these races (college and living in chicago restricted me from some of the races). last year i oined a team with a group of friends and we called ourselves ‘run, tweet, cure.’ haha! i cannot take credit for this very clever, creative name. it was a blast ad i am hoping to relive the same experienc this year.

last year i was honored to be featured on Komen’s blog talking about why i joined team ‘marathon for the cure’ and how breast cancer has impacted my life. you can read it here http://ow.ly/9Ey77

hope you are able to get out and enjoy this beautiful spring weather!

what a beautiful day it was yesterday in the cap! my day was off to a great start by meeting one of my friends (who i hadn&#8217;t seen in forever!) at a local park to get our 10 mile run in to prepare for the half marathon in may. i usually am one of those runners that run with music to motivate me, but i decided to try something different and not use them. i noticed i was more aware of my surroundings from the people, the weather, and especially giving me a chance to catch up with a friend. from now on, i will be doing a lot more runs with other people, especially the long runs that i must tackle.  i think i was always skeptical about running with another person because i feel you both have to be on the &#8216;same page&#8217; in what you want to accomplish out of the run. are we at the same pace? are they aiming for a certain time? do they never want to stop while running? do they want to talk or not while running? i was happy to put all that aside yesterday to learn something new about myself that i CAN and WILL start running with other people. the runs are a lot more enjoyable. if you are thinking about ever running a marathon or half marathon, this is always my go-to training schedule, http://ow.ly/9BNXl . i love this because it offers three different levels you can train at- beginner, intermediate, advanced. do you use a training schedule or do you just &#8216;wing it?&#8217; after my run, i made my usual protein smoothie for recovery. the rest of the day i got carried away in deep cleaning my place up. i took spring cleaning to a whole other level&#8230;so i felt :) last night i grabbed dinner with the folks and on the way to our dinner destination, i took this picture of downtown (above)&#8230; and no, i wasn&#8217;t driving. the city looked so alive and vivid, i had to capture the moment. i can&#8217;t wait for many more shots like this&#8230;thank you spring!

what a beautiful day it was yesterday in the cap! my day was off to a great start by meeting one of my friends (who i hadn’t seen in forever!) at a local park to get our 10 mile run in to prepare for the half marathon in may. i usually am one of those runners that run with music to motivate me, but i decided to try something different and not use them. i noticed i was more aware of my surroundings from the people, the weather, and especially giving me a chance to catch up with a friend. from now on, i will be doing a lot more runs with other people, especially the long runs that i must tackle. 

i think i was always skeptical about running with another person because i feel you both have to be on the ‘same page’ in what you want to accomplish out of the run. are we at the same pace? are they aiming for a certain time? do they never want to stop while running? do they want to talk or not while running? i was happy to put all that aside yesterday to learn something new about myself that i CAN and WILL start running with other people. the runs are a lot more enjoyable.

if you are thinking about ever running a marathon or half marathon, this is always my go-to training schedule, http://ow.ly/9BNXl . i love this because it offers three different levels you can train at- beginner, intermediate, advanced. do you use a training schedule or do you just ‘wing it?’

after my run, i made my usual protein smoothie for recovery. the rest of the day i got carried away in deep cleaning my place up. i took spring cleaning to a whole other level…so i felt :)

last night i grabbed dinner with the folks and on the way to our dinner destination, i took this picture of downtown (above)… and no, i wasn’t driving. the city looked so alive and vivid, i had to capture the moment. i can’t wait for many more shots like this…thank you spring!

as i was preparing to make tea, my hand bumped my pitcher and landed directly onto my kitchen floor, breaking the handle. i was so sad (but knew life would go on). i tried to super glue the pieces I had gathered on the floor together to put it back in one piece. no dice. some pieces got shattered into teeny tiny pieces that there was just no way. do you have any creative ideas to transform this pitcher into something else I could use around the house? i would love to hear your ideas! maybe a flower vase? lets get creative&#8230; :)

as i was preparing to make tea, my hand bumped my pitcher and landed directly onto my kitchen floor, breaking the handle. i was so sad (but knew life would go on). i tried to super glue the pieces I had gathered on the floor together to put it back in one piece. no dice. some pieces got shattered into teeny tiny pieces that there was just no way.

do you have any creative ideas to transform this pitcher into something else I could use around the house? i would love to hear your ideas! maybe a flower vase? lets get creative… :)

i cant help but share these beautiful yellow (my favorite color) flowers that i received from one of my good friends i went to high school with. i&#8217;ve been doing a lot of reflecting on life the past couple of days and maybe this past birthday had a lot to do with it. almost like a &#8216;wake up&#8217; call in how fast time flies by. i had a long talk with my parents the other night ( who, i am so thankful for, are my rock. without them i dont know where or who i would be).  we talked about life, the ups and downs, friendships that form and change, jobs&#8230; happiness. during our conversation my father compared life to a bouquet of flowers. &#8220;you have so many pretty flowers (or talents in life), which one am i going to choose to smell?&#8221; it made me chuckle, which i needed at that time, but really opened my eyes. throughout the journey of life, wherever it may take me and guide me, i can say that i am optimistic about the future. one must keep looking forward and not in the past. the most important thing to do from that is to learn from all experiences and be thankful for them, even the bad ones. i believe they are tests in forming your character. maybe this will make you look at flowers differently from now on&#8230;i know i will. here&#8217;s to flowers blooming in spring!&#160;: )

i cant help but share these beautiful yellow (my favorite color) flowers that i received from one of my good friends i went to high school with. i’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on life the past couple of days and maybe this past birthday had a lot to do with it. almost like a ‘wake up’ call in how fast time flies by. i had a long talk with my parents the other night ( who, i am so thankful for, are my rock. without them i dont know where or who i would be).  we talked about life, the ups and downs, friendships that form and change, jobs… happiness. during our conversation my father compared life to a bouquet of flowers. “you have so many pretty flowers (or talents in life), which one am i going to choose to smell?” it made me chuckle, which i needed at that time, but really opened my eyes.

throughout the journey of life, wherever it may take me and guide me, i can say that i am optimistic about the future. one must keep looking forward and not in the past. the most important thing to do from that is to learn from all experiences and be thankful for them, even the bad ones. i believe they are tests in forming your character.

maybe this will make you look at flowers differently from now on…i know i will. here’s to flowers blooming in spring! : )

thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes and cards. i survived my birthday in chicago. thank you :) always when the month of february passes, i am even more ready for spring, although the weather hasn&#8217;t been cooperating the way i thought. where did this mild winter we&#8217;ve been having go? i know i wont let it get me down, so i welcomed the month of march with a new color for spring. this color was shown a lot during fashion week and i couldnt resist. maybe this will help the warm weather get here faster&#8230;wishful thinking, i know! what color will you be rocking this spring? pictured: opi- &#8216;italian love affair&#8217;

thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes and cards. i survived my birthday in chicago. thank you :) always when the month of february passes, i am even more ready for spring, although the weather hasn’t been cooperating the way i thought. where did this mild winter we’ve been having go? i know i wont let it get me down, so i welcomed the month of march with a new color for spring. this color was shown a lot during fashion week and i couldnt resist. maybe this will help the warm weather get here faster…wishful thinking, i know!

what color will you be rocking this spring?

pictured: opi- ‘italian love affair’

I&#8217;ve been finally starting to take banjo lessons for the first time. I have always loved the sound of a banjo and I thought , &#8216;why not play and give it a try!&#8217;. My father told me that my grandfather used to play. I guess it runs in my families blood and I am aok with that. People tell me that I have taken on one of the hardest instruments and I am up for the challenge. I&#8217;ve never even played guitar (if you count strumming on my dads guitar when I was younger. Ha) I believe life is short and I try to keep as much of an open mind as I can to experience new things. You may surprise yourself and be skilled in an area you never would have imagined.

I’ve been finally starting to take banjo lessons for the first time. I have always loved the sound of a banjo and I thought ,
‘why not play and give it a try!’. My father told me that my grandfather used to play. I guess it runs in my families blood and I am aok with that. People tell me that I have taken on one of the hardest instruments and I am up for the challenge. I’ve never even played guitar (if you count strumming on my dads guitar when I was younger. Ha) I believe life is short and I try to keep as much of an open mind as I can to experience new things. You may surprise yourself and be skilled in an area you never would have imagined.

such a beautiful day! while on a walk, this stopped me in my tracks while enjoying this beautiful fall day-like in february (so rare and amazing! no complaints whatsoever) i feel this is something you don&#8217;t see necessarily everyday and it was something i felt to capture. love. happy weekend :)

such a beautiful day!

while on a walk, this stopped me in my tracks while enjoying this beautiful fall day-like in february (so rare and amazing! no complaints whatsoever) i feel this is something you don’t see necessarily everyday and it was something i felt to capture. love.

happy weekend :)

just thought i&#8217;d share a good line from a song by mumford &amp; sons. (Taken with instagram)

just thought i’d share a good line from a song by mumford & sons. (Taken with instagram)