We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. - Jawaharial Nehru
Among my beautiful adventures this week so far?
1. flying home with only Mars showing above the clouds
I realized yesterday that in the last 22 years I’ve moved about 10 times (not counting dorm rooms and going home for summer) and was absolutely shocked by that realization. I don’t feel like a person who’s always moving. Those of you who’ve known me over those years may find this surprising since you’ve had to cross out my address in your little book and find space to put the new ones.
In some of the houses I lived 4 or 5 years, and Boulder was home for 11 years. I felt rooted, more settled, at home… not like a person who can’t settle down or moves for the sake of moving.
In the wee hours of this morning, though, as I pondered the journeys of the coming months, I recalled this photograph. It was taken 18 years ago in my parents’ kitchen. I’d just graduated from college and didn’t know where I was going to live, work, or settle. I had no plan except this map. What seemed logical to me was to drive around the United States until I found my spot and something good to do. People thought I was crazy. Several asked if I was going to put a dummy in the passenger seat or carry mace or even a gun. (I thought they were crazy!)
I think maybe I’m doing the same thing on a global scale now and didn’t realize it. I’ve been researching round-the-world airline tickets. The itineraries look just like the lines I’d drawn across this map, only they span continents and circle the planet. HA!
When I’m not sure what to do next, I go in search of the next big Adventure. It’s kind-of like being in an Inquiry… you never know what will come up. The approach reminds me of this quote… not something I will ever be accused of, I think:
“Listen–are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?” — Mary Oliver
This is just one part of who I am… and I’d like a more permanent Traveling Companion and a Home to navigate from.
P.S. Don’t you just love the bob and the huge sunglasses with leopard print on them? I loved the touch of leopard print…
Addendum: I keep thinking of this great Elizabeth Gilbert talk and how she says so many womens’ lives today are like scavenger hunts. It’s so true! We get our graduate degrees here and our friends over there and our hobbies and careers in different places… then we look for significant others and try to figure out how to balance homes and children and everything else we’re lugging around from place to place… I know this isn’t just me, ladies. How’s it going for you?
Hurry and come to Ticino to visit, we’re running out of time for me to show you my favorite places! There’s this magical place I love to go. It’s not far from here, but feels a world away. George Clooney could walk up any minute, and that just makes it even more perfect.
I love surprising guests by taking them there. We drive across the border to Italy and turn at Como Nord toward Lake Como, then drive up the narrow winding road along the lake.
This is actually NOT the best way down...
At a little village called Sala Comacina we park and walk down to a boat ramp. You have to know which one.
There a little local guy sits in his traditionally-shaped boat (What do they call those things?), ready to whisk you off to the only island, Isola Comacina.
It’s uninhabited except for a couple of Dobermans. They’re fenced up during the day, though, and a restaurant is open (not all year – be sure to check and call). It’s a set menu and has been the same for decades. Arrive early and stay late. make a day or a long, long evening of it. I’ve been on hot and cold, wet, rainy nights and also during the day. A sunny day like this past Saturday is the ultimate in decadence. It’s the perfect day: Alps, boats, sunshine, Roman ruins, fabulous food, nap in the grass… may you enjoy good company as I did. This time I brought two queen sized sheets so we could sleep off the wine after lunch. That is exactly what we did! And then I made this little iMovie about it. Enjoy!
If you sleep and hike long enough you may need more gelato on the ride home. This place in Argegno, on the way back to Como, makes it homemade and it is good! The chocolate sauce and strawberries were especially fantastic.
I decided this weekend that even after I’ve moved, Lago di Como is a place I’ll always return to…
Look at me and Mufasa on HSBC bank’s Expat Explorer blog! I’ve always wanted to tell the story of moving to Switzerland the way I have there… it seemed like the time and place to do so.
Let them eat cake! Lots of it, as it turns out. I don’t know who’s responsible for the trendiness in recent years of cupcakes, but I’d like to send a personal shout out (years late, I know) laced with lots of gratitude his or her way. Yo! Way to go, person! Very. Good. Idea.
New York City seems to be the epicenter of Operation Cupcake Resurgence, so I set out last weekend to do a little recon and taste-testing. Not as much as I’d hoped, frankly. It was a good start:
First off we had Magnolia Bakery, which I’d heard good things about years ago but not lately. It wasn’t on my list, but was very near my hotel. These are their cupcakes. I didn’t even have one because (and this may come as a surprise) I don’t like frosting. I know, I know… that doesn’t seem particularly characteristic… here’s the thing about frosting: It’s kind-of like gratuitous violence. It’s just such an easy win. Too easy. And almost always too sweet, in my opinion. So these Magnolia Bakery cupcakes just did not appeal to me. Too much frosting. For me, it’s about the cake.
I tried a flourless chocolate cake that was remarkably light and fluffy for flourless, but not enough flavor for me. Almost threw it away (then decided against it!). The people behind the counter were super friendly (Bonus points for the Magnolia Bakers!). One guy gave me a taste of banana pudding. It’s what I’d get if I went back there. Outstanding!
Saturday afternoon I bailed on BlogHer sessions to try out the 2 Little Red Hens Bakery at 2nd Avenue and 86th on the Upper East Side. Oh. My. Goodness. This whole place was a little slice of heaven…
I’d read great review of the Brooklyn Blackout chocolate cake filled with chocolate pudding. How could you go wrong? This cupcake was so rich it took me more than one sitting to eat it. The Red Velvet mini cupcakes were one of the best things I’ve ever eaten… and the frosting, hands down, was the best I’ve ever had. It’s a tangy cream cheese, not too sweet.
Another huge bonus for the 2 Little Red Hens is that inside it feels like you’ve left Manhattan just for a moment… or like maybe it’s Manhattan, Kansas. If it was a little bigger it might be quiet, too. It’s a tiny little place, though, just room enough for a few tables. Perfect for an afternoon coffee and cupcake break in the neighborhood. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I’m already thinking about how to fit cupcakes into the Best of 2010 list!
More than anything… what I realize about my cupcake taste-testing is I love to bake cupcakes. You can make a whole batch and throw half in the freezer for later. They are sooooo good on the reheat, soft and warm. Making your own will save you a LOT of money, too, the cupcake market’s through the roof!
“At some point, I believe one has to stop holding back for fear of alienating some imaginary reader or real relative or friend, and come out with personal truth. If we are to understand the human condition, and if we are to accept ourselves in all the complexity, self-doubt, extravagance of feeling, guilt, joy, the slow freeing of the self to its full capacity for action and creation, both as human being and artist, we have to know all we can about one another, and we have to be willing to go naked.” - May Sarton
Pondering this quote tonight. I haven’t been willing to write much here in a couple years because it completely freaks me out that work-related people and people I don’t know are here. There — I said it. Now, people, I want you here, I really do… and I need my blog back, ok? It was mine and my girlfriends’ and my grandmother’s for years. I need to be able to just put my own personal truth out here. So before we go on, please know that in addition to being the woman in the suit at the front of the room, I am also a human. Oy, I have trouble with that… our humanity is so inevitably messy and flawed; I prefer perfection. Switzerland was a good choice for me; it’s organized for perfection.
I digress.
I have a cold — the first in months. I bet I got it on the plane. It’s late, and so you are seeing the late-night, stuffy-nosed musings I haven’t been sharing. I’ve warned you three different ways now… enough hemming and hawing. Here’s what’s going on:
Being an expat is exciting. Even just going to the grocery store is an adventure for like the whole first year. Somewhere along the line, though, maybe it was the combination of working from home solo and being an expat (having no social connections whatsoever) this became so isolated it’s not healthy. And this from a lifelong solo traveler. So it’s time to sell everything again and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do that because this is not Moscow, Idaho and they don’t do garage sales. It’s getting urgent.
Funny thing is, I’m not really worried because it’s so clearly time to move on to whatever’s next. Five years ago when I sold everything but what would fit in a 7×7 box, it was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. I’m looking forward to doing it again and being somewhere new, working with people, making friends, joining organizations… having a full life again.
First, though, there is a Summit to put on! I have no experience getting corporate sponsors and that’s what’s needed for the European Summit right now. This is getting urgent, too. If you know anyone with expertise in this area, can you please point them my way? Thank you in advance.
Oh… then there’s also that I still have no idea where I’m going when I leave. Hmmm… not really worrying about that one yet, either, because there are so many fabulous places on the planet to go. Looked into round-the-world tickets yesterday. Probably not going to do that unless I get a book deal with a decent advance. Since I’ve sent no queries that’s highly unlikely. If anyone wants to send Laura Nolan of Defiore my way, I’d be happy to speak with her. HAHAHA. I crack myself up! (Let me remind the reader once again, these are the late night ramblings of a stuffy-headed, isolated expat.)
And beneath all those superficial thoughts, in the stiller, quiet, late night hours… here’s the naked bit (from the quote above): I never thought this is what life would look like at 40. Do we all feel that way? I wasn’t expecting it. To me it feels like a failure, though I can see how that must seem ludicrous from the outside. (Oh boy, we’re now in truth-telling territory in a way I haven’t done in a long time here.) The great irony is: this is exactly how I’ve done life all 40 of my years: by the seat of my pants, like some whirling dervish cackling with sugar-induced laughter one moment… all refined, uptown, up-do the next. I like it that way. It’s who I am. Why on earth did I expect myself to become someone else all this time?
OK… that’s enough baring of the soul for one week. Let’s go back to cupcakes and videos, shall we? Thanks for being here. It means so much. Cupcakes tomorrow, I promise.
Have you ever wanted to be on What Not to Wear? I have! (Wanted to be, that is…) Last Saturday was even better, though, because I didn’t have to throw anything out. Ashlie from the CW’s Stylista, and I went shopping.
These are my new mantras:
“40 is the new 30.”
“Mourning period’s over. Let’s get with it.”
Ashlie’s definitely in her element in New York. What is she saying about a red dress? Pawn-Ti? Is that a native American tribe? Or maybe it was Pontille, in French… I have no idea.
She kept talking about textured tights. Textured tights, people. Make sure you stock up for winter. Textured tights are apparently exceedingly useful things. I asked her to show me what she meant, but then got hungry before we made it to hosiery. I had to stop for snacks.
That striped skirt in the clip? She totally did the magazine shoot styling thing on it — pulling it and folding, making it shorter, etc. You should’ve seen her cinching everything up in belts (I never would have thought of that.). Note to self: Need more belts.
Thank you, Ashlie, for our girls day out. I know you were in a hurry – next time I’ll buy lunch or dinner, ok?
I couldn’t have said it better than this myself: “This is my life; I’m goin’ for it.” I’ve been looking everywhere for this particular trailer. It’s fabulous! “When they say you can’t… DON’T LISTEN.” I love that part.
Eat, Pray, Love: it’s not just a movie… it’s a philosophy and a way of life. One that XpatAdventures shares. What’s your adventure?
This blog has been a scary place for me lately. I’m never sure how much to say anymore and do you want travel info., personal narrative or how-to tips for making big life changes? There’s also always the nagging question, “How personal is too personal on the Internet?” I’ve been self-censoring and loathe all forms [...]
First off we had 
