{ machu picchu }

The adventure begins tomorrow! We've been talking about this trip for so long I can't believe it's here!

I'm praying for no altitude sickness and only small thunderstorms. It's supposed to rain quite a bit but it will only add to the adventure. I'm ready for the challenge!

I haven't worn a rain poncho in awhile...it could be cool, right? The last time I wore a poncho I was hiking in Yosemite and we got caught in a blizzard on the top of the mountain. Good thing I at least had the poncho. Someone told us it would be a fun, easy, hike. Right.

 I don't ever remember being so hungry and all we had was the one mini trail mix packet 

that I decided to throw in my bag last minute. We held off until we reached the peak, 

then each took a small handful. That's all there was. 

 So dramatic at the time but so funny now that I think about it.

I'm excited to hike & explore all of Peru that I can, and of course take a photo or two or a thousand.

I hope you have a wonderful THANKSGIVING! We'll be having make-up Thanksgiving when I return.

 I kind of love stuffing & cranberry sauce. Not together though.

{ yobama }

I had a huge project to finish for class the night of the election so instead of turning on the TV I kept refreshing CNN on my computer every few minutes to get the latest election updates.

A little after 11pm, I didn't have to refresh anymore.

I heard someone screaming outside, then honking & more screaming and I knew what the outcome was. I've never felt more excitement in the air. 

It felt like what America is supposed to feel like.

{ life is what you make of it }

life is what you make of it.

...spoken by jimmy, my professor at SVA tonight (and a few others I'm sure).

Class started with our normal review of everyones work, then diverted into quite the discussion.

People are losing their jobs and struggling to make ends meet and it isn't easy to watch but it's not 

such a bad thing that people are finally shifting their focus onto more important things. We really have 

had it so good for so long and I'm thankful to have the opportunity to take a step back and reevaluate things. 

We think we need stuff to make us happy but stuff will never make us as happy as the things that truly matter. 

Life is truly what you make of it. You can choose to wake up and feel sorry for your self and the situation you are in or you can wake up and decide you're going to do the best with what you've got. It's okay to have bad days. How else would we be able to experience such great joy if we never had sorrow but when your bad day is over, get over it and wake up the next day and decide that things are going to get better.

we're all so lucky...life truly is what you make of it.

{ image found via we heart it }

{ sweet caroline }

I have amazing friends.

I don't know why they keep coming my way but I'm so grateful that our paths cross.

I got lucky.

Caroline and I first met at the infamous Duck Beach in 2007. I don't know anyone who doesn't love this girl. How could you not? We're not great at picking up the phone but every time we're in the same place at the same time, we pick back up where we last left off. I have no doubt that we'll be friends forever.

THANKS for coming into the city today and for lunch. I can't wait until next time...

{ jens orchids }

I'm hardly ever home when it's light outside but it was Saturday, 

I was sitting in my room and the light came streaming in through my window. 

 It was so beautiful, the first thing that came to mind was to grab my camera. 

My friend had just given me the most gorgeous orchids and I thought that they 

definitely deserved to be in my shoot. So there I was in my room, with the light, 

the orchids and my camera for a little impromptu flower photo shoot. 

The funny thing is, they were already in a photo shoot, not with Jen Fernie, but with Jennifer Connolly.

{ nerd }

I went to toysRus in Times Square today
to buy my very own copy of Settlers of Catan.
I couldn't have been more excited.

I'm such a nerd.

I love excel spreadsheets too.

{ image found via we heart it }

{ cuz joely }

Joel and I finally got to catch up over lunch at Bukhara Grill today.

If you love Indian you have to check this place out. Apparently the Indian guru at Citi says Bukhara is king so I made the trek over to the east side for a long overdue birthday lunch for the one and only, Joel Cohen.

My cousin Joel more than deserves his own post. Not only is he the best cousin, he welcomed me to the start of my adventures in NYC by letting me sleep on his couch for 3 months! I wasn't supposed to be there that long but when my first apt. here fell through last minute, he let me stay as long as I needed. I laugh picturing the night I showed up at his apartment with my bags, not knowing exactly what I was doing here but things all worked out...somehow they always do. I don't miss Joel's couch but I do miss our chats, and the never-ending stream of Joel's favorite tunes. Most mornings I was woken up to Bruce Springsteen or Billy Joel or Joel Cohen singing his heart out. If only you could all be so lucky to have Joely as your cuz.

Somehow this picture didn't get erased from my computer after downloading Joely's China pics. 

 The King is alive!

Blue Drinks....a Cohen family favorite

I didn't know any guys when I first moved here so I took Joel as my date to my works 

holiday party as I knew he would fit right in. He is the life of every party.

Cousins trip to Cabo

After lunch at Bukhara Grill.

{ fallapalooza }

promise me that you'll add NEWHAMPSHIRE to your list of dream vacations?

seriously. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend...

I've never seen fall splendor like I experienced in New Hampshire.

seriously. unbelievable.

the drive is worth it and if you're lucky, Dairy Queen will still be open for the season.

{ beehive state }

I needed a little break from the sea of buildings I live in, so Whit & Tom's wedding at Sundance came at the perfect time. Utah couldn't have been more beautiful. The sky was clear & blue and the leaves, in perfect fall hues. I didn't get to visit with as many people as I would have liked (isn't that always the case?!?) but I managed to pack quite a bit into a few days. Hires limeade (thanks for the rec Em!), great hosts, HI friends, CA friends, new Vans (yay!), Cafe Rio (my first time!), gorgeous drives, midnight photo shoot, too much greasy food, Warren Miller, 2am at IHOP, Provo garage dance party (seriously) and of course, the main event, Whit & Tom's wedding. Sundance was the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening. 

 I loved having the NYC in SLC.

{ congratulations! } whitney & tom and thanks for letting us join in the celebration!

{ huge }

The older we get the harder it is to find time to get together. 

 There is still fun to be had, it's just harder to coordinate. 

 Huge was in town visiting Ryan this weekend so we met up for a stroll in Central Park.

 Although brief, it was perfect. I love having the OC in the NYC. 

The city couldn't have been more beautiful. It was another perfect fall day.