My first blog from Israel! I have had blog subjects running through my mind since I have boarded the plane in LA! It amazing how much your life and your perspective can change within 4 days. I went from working at one of the most beautiful areas in the world to going through an army check point with boys holding guns on the westbank of Israel.
A story I have decided to blog about is from my trip to the Old City in Jerusalem. It is a brisk walk from where I am staying, about 20 minutes away. I got to the gates of the Old City and right away felt a presence when I walked through. It is an amazing experience! I thought I had my route planned out but my world was turned upside down by the lay out of the city. From what I can compare it to is, when I was a child and went to the fun zone there was a maze you would wonder through and collect stamps and once they were all collected whoever exited first won! That's what it was like, a crazy maze with streets lined with vendors and places I knew I wanted to see. Since I was by myself I didn't want to walk around with a map in front of my face so once I realized I saw the same place 3 times in 2 hours I sat down and tried to figure my route out again.
I was looking for a church and this boy, who was no more than 17, came up to me and asked if I was alone, I told him noooo I am meeting my friends at the Church of the Sepulcher. He then asked if I knew where I was going, I said oh yeah I am fine and walked away. He came up to me again and said, mamm you are not going the right way let me walk you there. I thought "red flag" after I told him I was American and he said his sister lived in Chicago, New York...hmmm really? But we walked quickly through narrow streets and up narrow stairs and ended up on a roof top. I thought right away if anything happens here this guy is going off the roof!
It turns out that it was an amazing view of the city and of the Dome of the Rock that only locals would know. He then showed me the street that I needed to go on. I thanked him for his help and gave him 20 sheckles. He said NO! That's not enough you give me 50! I gave him another 10 sheckles so that he wouldn't harm me and went on my way. I almost said "You can't hussle a hussler homie", but left it as it was.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Final Count Down...
Ok so I have a mixed feeling of anxiety and nerves. Today I took my luggage out of my closet and laid it open on the ground thus officially beginning the packing process. I have bought things I think I might need like snacks for my walking adventures, new clean white socks and things my uncle has asked me to pick up like a salad spinner and goo gone.
How does one prepare for an adventure of a lifetime? I think I have everything I need but am not sure and I guess I won’t know until I get there. But that is precisely the point of me going, to make sure that anyone to follow will have the knowledge of what to pack, where to go (and NOT go), what to expect, where to eat and what to do. This is truly my dream job!
I am preparing as best I know how. From what I have read the greatest and most memorable way to get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is to take the train, then you can experience the country side and towns throughout your one and a half our trip. Also a good tip is to purchase travelers insurance, they cover medical, dental as well as luggage loss…very important!! I have also bought the Discovery Channels book Guide to Israel; who would know better than discovery channel they made the show Earth after all! Next I checked my in-flight entertainment and I am happy to announce they will be showing Twilight. (Don’t groan, roll your eyes or have any negative thoughts it’s an amazing book and you should read it too!!) I have purchased a box of Kashi Go Lean bars for those moments when I am out and about and starving and wouldn’t have a clue where to turn for a kebab (more research for the trip, apparently the local common snack is a kebab aka gyro).
The final preparations is to make of list of items I need to pack to make sure I am not forgetting anything, put aside things that I need to bring to New Zealand only because don’t forget I will be going there 36 hours after I get back for Israel, spend time with co workers at my going away party on Wednesday, also spend quality time with my nephews and family. And last but not least make sure my roommate does not feel like I am abandoning her in anyway. (We have joked for the last couple weeks that I am going to come home with my things in the courtyard, my room rented out and locks changed.)
All in all I have to just keep telling myself that I have prepared for this the best I can and that though I will be by myself most of the time while touring I am just going to walk around looking like I know exactly where I am going and what I am doing. Self confidence? That won’t be too hard at all! Count down is T-minus 2 days 15 hours!
How does one prepare for an adventure of a lifetime? I think I have everything I need but am not sure and I guess I won’t know until I get there. But that is precisely the point of me going, to make sure that anyone to follow will have the knowledge of what to pack, where to go (and NOT go), what to expect, where to eat and what to do. This is truly my dream job!
I am preparing as best I know how. From what I have read the greatest and most memorable way to get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is to take the train, then you can experience the country side and towns throughout your one and a half our trip. Also a good tip is to purchase travelers insurance, they cover medical, dental as well as luggage loss…very important!! I have also bought the Discovery Channels book Guide to Israel; who would know better than discovery channel they made the show Earth after all! Next I checked my in-flight entertainment and I am happy to announce they will be showing Twilight. (Don’t groan, roll your eyes or have any negative thoughts it’s an amazing book and you should read it too!!) I have purchased a box of Kashi Go Lean bars for those moments when I am out and about and starving and wouldn’t have a clue where to turn for a kebab (more research for the trip, apparently the local common snack is a kebab aka gyro).
The final preparations is to make of list of items I need to pack to make sure I am not forgetting anything, put aside things that I need to bring to New Zealand only because don’t forget I will be going there 36 hours after I get back for Israel, spend time with co workers at my going away party on Wednesday, also spend quality time with my nephews and family. And last but not least make sure my roommate does not feel like I am abandoning her in anyway. (We have joked for the last couple weeks that I am going to come home with my things in the courtyard, my room rented out and locks changed.)
All in all I have to just keep telling myself that I have prepared for this the best I can and that though I will be by myself most of the time while touring I am just going to walk around looking like I know exactly where I am going and what I am doing. Self confidence? That won’t be too hard at all! Count down is T-minus 2 days 15 hours!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Shoulda been...
I am often told, and will freely admit, that I should have been a housewife in the 50's. For goodness sakes I got myself a crock pot and was given a sewing machine for Christmas this last year! My favorite show currently is Madmen which I think you should all watch because it's an amazing show! I love the little outfits that Betty wears and how she is always so put together. She prances around the kitchen and with her perfectly put together children in a dress and coordinating apron, and then dresses up in heels and pearls in the evening to have a dirty martini with her hunky debonair husband. So the other day I was strolling around the "net" and saw this amazing little number...
...Now an apron like THAT would make you want to stay in the kitchen all day whipping up something sweet and savory!! It is on a site called heavenly hostess and while looking at their locations of course I found that they sold it in a little store on 17th called Fleur de Lys.
Now all I have to do is find some cute fabric (and a hunky hubby) and copy them whilst saving myself $80!
...Now an apron like THAT would make you want to stay in the kitchen all day whipping up something sweet and savory!! It is on a site called heavenly hostess and while looking at their locations of course I found that they sold it in a little store on 17th called Fleur de Lys.
Now all I have to do is find some cute fabric (and a hunky hubby) and copy them whilst saving myself $80!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Tick, tock it's almost time!
A few of you might have heard recently that I am gearing up for a month long adventure overseas. I leave in a week in a half to spend 2 weeks in Jerusalem, Israel with my uncle and then fly back home for 36 hours to spend a little time catching up on sleep, doing copious amounts of laundry and visiting the nephews before I fly off again to New Zealand. I am still in disbelief that this is all happening! I am so excited and in a bit of denial that I am this truly blessed!
So I have been trying to prepare for my trips and as I have lived and been to New Zealand many times I know what’s in store for me there. Israel is a whole new ball game. I went shopping a couple of weekends ago with my bestie trying to figure out what to wear while touring over there and not sticking out like a sore thumb. I have heard that I need to cover my knees and shoulders, well for goodness sakes coming from Southern California I don’t have many items that go past my knees or that are some form of tank top.
Luckily Old Navy just came out with these long flowing dresses I can put a shirt under or throw a cardigan on top when in need of covering my shoulders. Needless to say, little by little, as I was piecing it all together I noticed my "look" was very reminiscent of biblical times, a long flowing dress with a cardigan and roman sandals. So I guess I subconsciously concluded that when in Israel one should still look like they did when Jesus roomed the earth 2 thousand years ago!
Another fun fact about my trip is that my uncle emailed me suggesting that I learn a few key Arabic phrases. Fortunately I work in the hospitality industry and have a co worker who speaks Arabic so he has been teaching me words like hello, goodbye, where is the woman’s bathroom, don’t shoot…you know the basics. Hopefully those few words will suffice along with whatever I might find useful and easy to understand on the pod cast that my roommate was so kind to find for me.
A few things I think about while I am gone, one that I somewhat have an understanding of what people are saying or ironically there will be a group of English speaking tourist who also can speak, read and write Hebrew and Arabic that are coincidentally are on the all same tours as I am! Two that I won't get completely lost in a foreign country, get kidnapped become missing, turn into an Arabian princess and have a movie made about my life. Three that I will not want to come home because I am already internally struggling with the over abundance of things and stuff and nonsense that are consumed by Americans these days.
Over all I am so overly excited about this adventure, it finally pays off to be single 25 with no major responsibilities therefore having the ability to whisk myself away for a month of fun adventure and memories to last a life time!
So I have been trying to prepare for my trips and as I have lived and been to New Zealand many times I know what’s in store for me there. Israel is a whole new ball game. I went shopping a couple of weekends ago with my bestie trying to figure out what to wear while touring over there and not sticking out like a sore thumb. I have heard that I need to cover my knees and shoulders, well for goodness sakes coming from Southern California I don’t have many items that go past my knees or that are some form of tank top.
Luckily Old Navy just came out with these long flowing dresses I can put a shirt under or throw a cardigan on top when in need of covering my shoulders. Needless to say, little by little, as I was piecing it all together I noticed my "look" was very reminiscent of biblical times, a long flowing dress with a cardigan and roman sandals. So I guess I subconsciously concluded that when in Israel one should still look like they did when Jesus roomed the earth 2 thousand years ago!
Another fun fact about my trip is that my uncle emailed me suggesting that I learn a few key Arabic phrases. Fortunately I work in the hospitality industry and have a co worker who speaks Arabic so he has been teaching me words like hello, goodbye, where is the woman’s bathroom, don’t shoot…you know the basics. Hopefully those few words will suffice along with whatever I might find useful and easy to understand on the pod cast that my roommate was so kind to find for me.
A few things I think about while I am gone, one that I somewhat have an understanding of what people are saying or ironically there will be a group of English speaking tourist who also can speak, read and write Hebrew and Arabic that are coincidentally are on the all same tours as I am! Two that I won't get completely lost in a foreign country, get kidnapped become missing, turn into an Arabian princess and have a movie made about my life. Three that I will not want to come home because I am already internally struggling with the over abundance of things and stuff and nonsense that are consumed by Americans these days.
Over all I am so overly excited about this adventure, it finally pays off to be single 25 with no major responsibilities therefore having the ability to whisk myself away for a month of fun adventure and memories to last a life time!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Hello World!
It is an astonishing thing what a new baby can bring. There is a sense of excitement and something new in the air.
I went over to my sister’s house Tuesday night after picking up some frozen yogurt which was a craving, for her husband, to find she was having contractions. One would find this uncomfortable to watch and though it was hard to see her in pain, it was a different feeling because I knew that the baby was coming. So it was more of an exciting anticipatory feeling rather than a negative one.
The last time she had a baby I was living in Seattle and so I missed most of her pregnancy and moments before the birth. This time was much different as I was able to watch her grow and go through those pregnancy moments with her, also fortunate to throw great baby shower with her dearest friend. Now nine months later I am an auntie (or Tia as Zach would call me)again to a beautiful new baby boy, Mason Charlie.
I am even more excited now to have children of my own in no less than 10 years. I am excited to share those precious moments with my family and friends. I am also excited to go shopping and register for all the fun things that the baby can use and wear. Some things that I am hope that will not happen when I have my babies are as follows. One that we will not be in a recession, two that my sister will not be too busy with her 15 children that she will be too busy for me, three that my parents won’t be living more than 20 minutes away from me at any time before, during or after the birth, and finally four that I won’t gain more than the baby weighs. My only hope is that I can look as good as my sister does after giving birth because I’m pretty sure there was an extensive list of people who thought she looked amazing after the birth of both her sons!
I wanted to add photos of the little guy to this posting but didn't want to spoil it for his parents, so photos to come!
I went over to my sister’s house Tuesday night after picking up some frozen yogurt which was a craving, for her husband, to find she was having contractions. One would find this uncomfortable to watch and though it was hard to see her in pain, it was a different feeling because I knew that the baby was coming. So it was more of an exciting anticipatory feeling rather than a negative one.
The last time she had a baby I was living in Seattle and so I missed most of her pregnancy and moments before the birth. This time was much different as I was able to watch her grow and go through those pregnancy moments with her, also fortunate to throw great baby shower with her dearest friend. Now nine months later I am an auntie (or Tia as Zach would call me)again to a beautiful new baby boy, Mason Charlie.
I am even more excited now to have children of my own in no less than 10 years. I am excited to share those precious moments with my family and friends. I am also excited to go shopping and register for all the fun things that the baby can use and wear. Some things that I am hope that will not happen when I have my babies are as follows. One that we will not be in a recession, two that my sister will not be too busy with her 15 children that she will be too busy for me, three that my parents won’t be living more than 20 minutes away from me at any time before, during or after the birth, and finally four that I won’t gain more than the baby weighs. My only hope is that I can look as good as my sister does after giving birth because I’m pretty sure there was an extensive list of people who thought she looked amazing after the birth of both her sons!
I wanted to add photos of the little guy to this posting but didn't want to spoil it for his parents, so photos to come!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Golden Birthday
Happy 50th Birthday Barbie!
You might wonder why I am wishing Ms. Barbie a Happy Birthday. Well this falls under the savoring the memories category. Recently my mom decided to get rid of all the things at her house that belong to me, which includes a box of my old barbies and accessories. I was going through the box and came across two barbies that had me giggling for quite some time!
They had pink lips and obnoxious purple and blue eyeshadow circa 1980's. Interestingly enough one was bald and the other had a failing attempt for a short cut a-la Zach Morris from Saved by Bell. Memories came flooding back to the fact that I wasn't allowed a Ken doll, therefore defying my parents by cutting my barbies hair instead to make them Ken!!
Needless to say after my run in with my past I picked the fanciest dress I could find in the box, put it on the Barbie, took it home to my apartment, propped he/she up on the mantel place so my roommate could see it with a sign next to it saying NO on Prop 8!
I actually owned the barbie below which was featured on most memorable barbie looks on LAtimes.com! I am pretty sure she was one of the ones who had her locks cut off!
You might wonder why I am wishing Ms. Barbie a Happy Birthday. Well this falls under the savoring the memories category. Recently my mom decided to get rid of all the things at her house that belong to me, which includes a box of my old barbies and accessories. I was going through the box and came across two barbies that had me giggling for quite some time!
They had pink lips and obnoxious purple and blue eyeshadow circa 1980's. Interestingly enough one was bald and the other had a failing attempt for a short cut a-la Zach Morris from Saved by Bell. Memories came flooding back to the fact that I wasn't allowed a Ken doll, therefore defying my parents by cutting my barbies hair instead to make them Ken!!
Needless to say after my run in with my past I picked the fanciest dress I could find in the box, put it on the Barbie, took it home to my apartment, propped he/she up on the mantel place so my roommate could see it with a sign next to it saying NO on Prop 8!
I actually owned the barbie below which was featured on most memorable barbie looks on LAtimes.com! I am pretty sure she was one of the ones who had her locks cut off!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
What's in a Name...
...well let me tell you. I have wanted to start a blog for quite sometime now. My roommate and I have even considered starting one together and the only thing holding me back was what to name it. I went through many avenues trying to figure it out...posting in my status on facebook asking for ideas, also asking various friends what they thought. I considered naming it "Running in Heels" (but then quickly discovered I had only thought of it because it is a name of a movie, very cute name mind you!!). Then my roommate suggested I named it Cheerio. Multiple reasons there, first I eat a bowl of honey nut Cheerios everyday, and also because I am "British" and that is the term for goodbye. But I thought since this will be a blog about my travels around the world and my love for the street I live on (17th in Newport, the cutest and most convenient street in all of America), I came up with this name.
Savoring the World is more than just taste, it's in the moments, in the photos and in the memories. So here's to my first blog and to savoring the world! Hope you enjoy!!
Savoring the World is more than just taste, it's in the moments, in the photos and in the memories. So here's to my first blog and to savoring the world! Hope you enjoy!!
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