Good Evening...

Wedding- My one and only sister is getting married on October 1st. This is a very big deal and I am very nervous. I am nervous, not because I have a problem speaking in front of crowds, but because I am an incredibly emotional person.

*Side note- A highly recommended therapist once said to me, "Brittany, you are very emotional and that means you are probably a very good sexual partner". I was 17 years old, had just come from tennis practice, and had never been to a therapist. He also told me I had nice legs. That was my first and last time with him or any other therapist at that...besides our family therapist but that's a story in itself.

Wedding continued- My nervousness for this wedding stems from the fact that not only am I very emotional, but so is my sister, mother, father (most emo of all), aunt, uncle (big tough guy, total basket case), both grandmothers, and all great aunts. Needless to say, I come from a family of emotionally charged people and I've got to get ahold of mine before my big, shining moment! MOH Mission: Find a way to drain the ducts.

Option one: Drink a lot of champagne- Could make me even more emo...too risky.

Option two: Take a Valium- Could make me emo-less...no go on the V.

Option three: Fake Laryngitis-9th grade, World History, Doc Holiday...first oral presentation ever. Throw in some popular junior and senior guys and you've got one intimidated young lady. About to vomit, I approached Doc's desk and informed (whispered) to him that I, for some reason, had lost my voice?! CLEARLY he would understand that I was unable to give my oral presentation that day and postpone it until next period. Did he? No. What did he do? He took my report from my hand and, as I was sure going to rip it up, went over to the podium and read my entire 6 page report to the class. That afternoon Doc Holiday gave me a whole new confidence that I took and still run with. Lesson Learned: If you believe you can get away with something, chances are you will. However, can not pull this at my sister's wedding. Ironically, one of the guys I was so nervous to speak in front of will be in the audience. Full circle, people.

Everyone keeps telling me that if I recite my speech over and over again that the speech will just become words and the tears will stop, but every single time I say it in my head I start to cry....every...single...time. In my car, in cabs, on planes, in the mirror, in the bath, in the kitchen, in my bed...everywhere. I wrote my speech on my flight to Paris (Yes that felt glamorous to say) and I was literally sobbing (actual noises) while typing it out. I am ninety three percent positive the woman next to me thought that I was writing my fiances' eulogy (no, I am not engaged, but it was that intense).

Final Decision: Going eau natural. No booze, no pills, no faux illness. Natural is better and even if it takes me a box of tissues and some pride (ugly crier). Cheers!

Rapunzel's Room

If you know me, you know that I love my things. I love to be surrounded by my books, pictures, candles...all of it. Since I travel so much, any time spent at home is absolutely precious and I spend lots of it in my cozy bedroom. It's on the fourth floor of a very old building that used to be a schoolhouse in the 1800's. I have a little corner room which is, by far, the coziest room I have ever lived in and I am absolutely in love with it. Upon my arrival next week I have a project that I am so very excited to get started on...a beautiful vanity. A place where I can display my jewelry, perfume, makeup, and also get ready for evenings out on the town. I am thinking all things antique...table, seat, mirror, and lamp. As usual, my inspiration for the room is Anthropology...the soft femininity of shabby chic decor is just so romantic, soft, and inviting. Come, Tuesday I will be perusing Antique Row, Cherokee Street in Saint Louis, and am beyond excited to search for the perfect pieces to put together this special addition to Rapunzel's Room.

An Eye On the Sky

And, I'm back. Forgive me for my absence, I got a little wrapped up in a world I often visit and occasionally forget to leave....but I'm officially grounded and it feels nice. A quick peek into my little world these past few months...

Home- I survived my 68 day tour of the island of Curacao. The following I will never again take for granted: My bed, Starbucks, family happy hour, cloudy days, having a kitchen, my car, Target, trees (non palm), fall/winter clothing, and soup...big pots of soup (especially making it).

Paris- I could never insult my trip by simply including it in an entry, Paris deserves its very own...more to come on the trip of love.

San Francisco- This magical place has not left my heart nor my mind since last October. I fell in love, left, and will be making my way back. I mean, a city where a girl (or a boy) can wear leggings, boots and scarves almost all year?! Heaven! I envision a charming, shabby chic, cozy apartment (I've looked on Craigslist, realistically I would be in a rat den), market Saturday's prancing around town, picking up groceries, and taking pictures with my serious, photography girl camera that I will get this year for Christmas (*Mom/Dad Nikon d300s*), outdoor concerts, and wine country Sundays! Ugh...die, die, die at the thought of it and will be reborn when life in SF is no longer a dream, but my very own Anthropology-esque reality!

St. Lucia-Call me Caribbean Queen, because I am back! Four weeks here and nine in Curacao mean this little lady has spent THIRTEEN weeks on the beach JUST this year. If I don't see the Sun, sand, or a strawberry daiquiri for the the next twenty, you will not hear a complaint from me! (I will be home on Sunday, I will be home on Sunday, I will be home on Sunday)

Wedding- My big sister is getting married on October 1st. This is a huge deal because:

1. She is my only sister.
2. I am the MOH (Maid of Honor, daaaaa...I googled it about a year ago)
3. This is probably the one and only time I will be an MOH (Little bit bratty/Little bit flakey)
4. I have not been in a wedding since my big debut as a flower girl at the age of five. I was stunning.
5. Speech. Speech. Speech. This has been on my mind since the age of thirteen when I was informed that all MOH's give a speech.

Just to emphasize, this wedding is a very big deal (in my world). I will keep you posted.

Lastly...

Fall. Is. Coming.

Lavender Dreams

I'm rarely home. I don't mean that figuratively, in the past year I have spent over 240 evenings in hotel rooms and while they were all very nice, they never quite captured the comfortable feeling of home. I quickly figured out that it's up to me to create my own unique living space out of each hotel room I visit.

Here are some of the things that I never leave home without...

1. Ugg slippers- It doesn't matter if it's the Ritz Carlton, my tootsies touch the hotel room floor as often as my tongue does.

2. Lavender candles- They smell sensational and soften the room, creating a calm and cozy oasis which is so often needed while working long days on the road.

3. Eye blinders- I've been an advocate since the age of 12 and have gone through the cute (Limited Too), the high tech (Sharper Image), the sexy (Victoria's Secret), the sassy (Aria Spa...RIP my absolute favorites...left them on a plane), and am now back to using my old, ugly yet comfortable and reliable blinders (Walgreens roughly 8 years ago) but I won't be needing them much longer because I am thrilled to share that I have found a website that has replicas of the eye blinders in the picture above (Holly Golightly -Breakfast at Tiffany's) and I am currently on the wait list to get some (eek!) pretty blinders= better beauty rest and sweet dreams!!

4. Framed pictures-Everyone has pictures in their bedroom, so why wouldn't I have them in my hotel room? Being on the road can have it's lonely moments and seeing the faces of those I love reminds me of who I have to get home to! (I upload and have printed at Walgreens/Purchase clear, plastic frames from Walmart for only $1.00) **Programs over two weeks**

5. Wine opener-A glass of wine while soaking in a bathtub full of hot water and bubbles is the only way I can unwind both mentally and physically after a 17 hour work day...I finally learned to pack one after wasting money and precious "me" time on transportation to the closest gas stations/grocery stores/Walgreens.

6. HB (Head Blanket)- I have this cream, fuzzy blanket that I sleep with every single night. It's an amazing fluff of love that I start out snuggling in between my cheek and the pillow, but end up literally wrapping my entire head/face with it while asleep. ***ONLY USED WHEN SLEEPING ALONE*** ( Same as when you wear your not so sexy, beyond comfortable, super worn in jams....always...alone).

7. Personal computer- I always travel with both my work and personal laptop. It's a total drag lugging around two computers through airports constantly, but well worth it. For me, my computer is an extension of my life....it houses all of my pictures, my web cam, and most importantly, my music.

8. Nail set/Polish-A gel mani lasts me three weeks at the most and resort spa mani/pedis can be super pricey (Not worthy while my social life is on pause) so while on long programs I do my own nails. You learn, trust me.

It's currently 10:49 PM on the island of Curacao and as I write this I am laying in bed on my 64th night in this hotel room. I'm listening to Adele and about to blow out the lavender candle on the bedside table that has been lit for well over three hours. Before I do, I'll glance once more at the picture beside it (My family on the night of my sister's engagement), I'll then grab my HB and hope to drift off to a very sweet place I've been missing, a place I call home...sweet dreams!

April Showers Bring Sassy Outfits

Most people despise the rain. I on the other hand, LOVE it. To me, there is nothing cozier than looking out the window and seeing dark, ominous clouds lurking overhead. I then pray to the rain gods to open the sky and let it pour. Besides feeling cozy when the weather is dark and dreary there is one other reason I have a love for spring showers...and fall showers...and summer showers...and winter snow, okay so any precipitation...I love it because I get to bring out my beloved Hunters!

Whether I am headed to an art fair, a festival, market, or a concert, I use any excuse to wear my boots (Just to clarify when I actually have plans I prefer the downpour to take place while I am getting ready so that when I leave the house it's not raining, but just wet enough to justify the fact that I am wearing rain boots). I always pair the rugged boots with a feminine item such as a floral print dress or a flowy peasant top. As much as I love all things pretty, I am not an overly girly dresser. You can find me in a lace dress with ballet flats never, but always with something much grittier such as distressed cowboy boots or Frye motorcylce boots. Also good to know... Hunters can be paired with almost anything (No floor length dresses please). I have worn them with leggings and a long sleeve flannel shirt in the winter, tiny denim shorts, a white tee, and a Cardinals hat at a baseball game, a super short lace dress to the Napa/Sonoma Food and Wine Festival and many other ways...they are my go-to boots that look cute with absolutely everything. So bring on the April showers! You can find me prancing around town in my wellies, jumping in a puddle or two along the way.

***If this happens to be a dry spring and you are longing to wear the boots just say, "Thank GOD the weather turned out nice! So happy it didn't rain after all." It works every time, I swear.***

A Dose of Sass...

Just like you shouldn't wait for an occasion to open a bottle of champagne, you shouldn't wait for a run in with some money or a rich man to pamper yourself and your surroundings. Every lady deserves a little luxury and this bathroom, while simple, becomes a sassy sanctuary once adorned with a chic chandelier.

So Long Simple Life!

Week nine on the island is approaching and here is a list of the things for which my heart aches the very most...

1. My family and friends-Die, die, DIE at the thought of an evening perched on a barstool at one of the high tops at Barcelona with the leading ladies in my life gossiping over goat cheese/marinara and sangria...so soon!
2. My boyfriend-Can not wait to see mon amour.
3. Red wine- Vodka and water goes better with the warm island temps...I am very much looking forward to a glass (bottle) of cab upon arrival.
4. My bedroom-My books, pictures, purses, candles, jewelry, and of course my dreamy bed... Oh how I miss Rapunzel's room.
5. My nail salon-Love getting mani/pedis with a girlfriend...otherwise my impatience gets the best of me. Need to look into BYOB (Bring your own bubbly) salons in my area. This two month girlfriend catch up will call for much more than a cold Diet Coke.
6. Starbucks-Grande skinny vanilla latte, extra hot please... Starbucks will be the second thing I do once I arrive in Miami (Turning on my phone will be first...more than likely upon descent).
7. My esthetician Judith-No one else comes near me with wax. Her work is magic and we have a much needed date two days after my arrival, although I am actually starting to get the 80's supermodel bushy brow look that was in a few falls ago...damn.
8. My beloved Chloe perfume-I save it for sexy dates with my beau.
9. My fall/winter wardrobe-After wearing sassy summer dresses and sandals for eight weeks, I am over summer clothes. Is it fall yet? I need another London summer packed with cool days and gray skies...true love.
10. High heels-If I had brought a pair, I would be walking around my room in them daily. The Ann Taylor kitten heels, which I packed for work, just don't give me the same satisfaction as a pair of 6 inch pumps.
11. My Phone-How I have gone 18 weeks sans my cell phone in just 9 months is beyond me.
12. Cooking-One of the things I enjoy the most when I have the luxury of being in a real kitchen (Not often). I can not wait to pour a glass of red, turn on some Ray (LaMontagne), and get lost in my thoughts while preparing a scrumptious meal...heaven.

Soooooo I am officially 58 days in with only 10 to go....I dream nightly of putting on a LBD paired with black opaque tights, black patent leather pumps, and accessories galore. I can't wait to actually style my hair and apply makeup...dark eyes and nude, glossy lips oh my! And for once in my life I am looking forward to spending a lengthy amount of time getting ready for an evening out on the town! This girl has had more than her fill of beach babe au naturel and is ready for some beyond generous, overly girly glamour!

Island Bird

A little over two months ago I found out my next trip was going to be a long one... really long... long as in nine weeks on the Caribbean island of Curacao which is just off the Venezuelan coast. To say I cried is an understatement and here is why...


1. I don't like the Sun (It makes me hot)
2. I don't like the sand (It makes me dirty)
3. I don't like to lay out (I get bored)

What on EARTH was I supposed to do on an island for NINE weeks?! Seven weeks in London was a long time and at least London offers museums, markets, theatre, and shopping! This is a girl who prefers city streets to beaches, clouds to sun, cool air to warm, dresses and heels to coverups and sandals, dirty martinis to pina coladas, cute sassy clutches to big beach bags, oh my gosh... how would I survive?!

So basically that's what was running through my head an entire month before I made my way south. If I did not change my way of thinking, this trip was going to be the end of me and possibly my beautiful career as a world traveler! I knew something had to change and unfortunately it was not going to be the Sun and sand, it had to be me.

I decided to ask friends and family for some suggestions on ways I could spend my time on the island and here is what they came up with...

1. Work out-Done and done. After not working out for years I have finally gotten back into it. While sexy R&B blasts in my ears I imagine myself looking tight and toned in sexy lingerie (Don't judge until you have tried it and for those of you who can not get motivated by listening to Celine Dion like my mother, try some R. Kelly...trust)
2. Collect Seashells-Tried gathering some shells the first day I was here and fell...got angry...went to my room. Maybe another time on a more shell collecting friendly beach.
3. Read-Got a Kindle for convenience while traveling...I love my Kate Spade Kindle case a little bit more than the Kindle itself...it's true.
4. Sell Treasure Maps-I should find all the hidden (And non hidden) beach bars on the island, make a beach bar pub crawl, design it to look like a super old treasure map (Beach bars are definitely treasures), and sell them to all the tourists...best idea ever!!
5. Learn to speak the native language-The native language is Papiamentu and Danki Dushi (Love it!), which means "Thank you sweetheart", is as much as I plan on taking back to the US with me.
6. Learn to knit and play bridge-My sister suggested this and I don't know whether I am more disappointed in her or personally insulted.

So I've been here a little over a month now and I must say...I'm reeeeally warming up to island life. I've gotten myself into a routine of working out, reading...a lot, swimming and snorkling, I went cliff jumping (Huge!), and even sip on the occasional banana daiquiri (Yums!). With my sun kissed look, there is no need for makeup. I still wear dresses, but have swapped the heels for cowboy boots and I watch the sunset almost every evening from my beyond beautiful balcony. This city loving lady has met the island girl within and is soaking up every minute of this beach bum life and a little sun along the way!

Lady of Leisure

I love my job. Hands down, it's an incredible job and I thank God, probably every other day, for putting this in his big picture for me (Thanks, G!). There are so many amazing perks that come with this job and for me, at the top of the list, (Besides the travel) is probably the fact that I get to stay at some amazing, AH MAZ ING, hotels worldwide. Take this girl... settled into a 5 star hotel combined with an amazing location...add her imagination and ability to get so far lost from reality and it's not hard to see what the equation is...Brittany thinks she's a Lady of Leisure! Yes, yes, yes, it's true, but I promise that if you get over the fact that you are a faux LOL (Lady of Leisure, prob not a coincidence that it's also Laugh Out Loud) you can really have fun with it! For example, I just came off of a three week trip at an amazing resort in Sonoma, California. The spa at the hotel where I stayed was recently ranked top 25 spas by Travel and Leisure magazine. Did I attend morning water yoga at the spa with the other LOL's, all the while imagining that I was one of them? Of course I did. Did I walk around the hotel in my cute, fall clothes (Non uni hours) and make believe that I was celebrating my one year anniversary of marriage with my gorgeous husband by touring wine country? Duh. Did buy lavender candles and votives for my room to create a sanctuary of luxury, leisure, and love, all the while pretending that I was in my very own room, in my beautiful spanish mansion? Is that even a question?

I just arrived on a program in Argentina. I am in the Andes (Thanks again, G!) and in the town of Bariloche. It is often referred to as the "Switzerland of South America"...and it's more than obvious why. Upon arrival, (24 hours of really bitchy travel), I was taken aback by the beauty (Puke Pretty... aka I could vom bc it's so pretty). Bariloche is a two hour flight southwest of Buenos Aries. It's remote, quiet, and unbelievably beautiful, so after an awful journey here, I arrived and what did I do? Sleep. Ugh! What a waste, but really, I was beyond exhausted. When I woke I decided to take advantage of my one night alone here (I came one day earlier than the rest of my colleagues) so I took a hot bath, got dressed and decided to walk around the property. The hotel is this beautiful, cozy, lodge, overlooking a huge lake, with the Andes Mountains (Snow-capped, of course) in the background. I did not get far, the property is not THAT big and I ended up at the lobby bar. I sat down and my waiter informed me that happy hour was going for 30 more minutes (All liquor=50% off). You have no idea how helpful this discount is to a faux LOL (I really wanted to take advantage and order four, but knew that would give away my disguise). I ordered one (and two and three very quickly) and fell hard, very, very hard. There I was, in a beautiful room with a huge fireplace and wood floors, beautiful rugs and chandeliers, amazing floral arrangements....and tons, and tons of LOL's with their lovers, and not the typical LOL (30 something plastic female with 50-60 something impeccably dressed male)....these lovers were all well into their 60's and looked beyond amazing together. They were sharing drinks, laughs and years of love while looking out at the lake and the mountains over early evening drinks (As I sat creeping on them alone with my drink(s)). Never have I EVER been so envious of couples (Seri). Pretty sure on this particular evening I didn't come off as an LOL, they probably thought my parents were sleeping or something, but either way, I think I fell harder, on this particular evening, than Taylor Swift does on any given Tuesday.

So the upside to my crazy job? Envisioning myself as a real LOL. The downside? Ugh... being an FLOL. Why order the pork steak when you can have filet every night? Get my point? It's easy to get spoiled and it's getting very hard (Who am I kidding, it always was) for me to differentiate fantasy from reality and I know that as a SCL, my end goal is not to be an LOL, but every girl can have a dream, right?!

Until tomorrow, I will enjoy my one evening alone, sans work, and savor life as an FLOL.

I See London, I Don't See France

Three months, no posts, and no excuses, tsk tsk! Quick re-cap of my time in Europe.

I sat next to a cute guy on my flight from Chicago to London, who just so happened to be heading to Paris that weekend. I had exactly two things on my agenda, meet a cute guy and lure him to the Eiffel Tower with a bottle of champagne in hand for a late night French kiss! We exchanged numbers and cards and agreed we'd be in touch once we were settled in London the following day. One down, one to go! I arrived in London on top of the world, everything in life was falling into place and nothing could get me down. I was ready to begin the best two months of my life, starting with a little rendezvous in Paris!

My first stop was at the hotel where I was going to be staying following my trip to France. I decided I would leave my two large bags with the hotel so I would not have to lug all three, two weighing over sixty pounds, with me. Upon my arrival, my perfect plan slowly started to crumble. After spending forty minutes convincing the girl at the front desk that I was going to be staying at their five star hotel for seven weeks and that it should not be a problem for them to hold my luggage, I then received news that my train to Paris was overbooked and my ticket was cancelled. I immediately booked another ticket and headed to the train station. When I arrived I stood in the wrong line for forty five minutes, sprinted to the line I was supposed to be in, only to be faced with an evil, horrible, woman who told me that my ticket did not go through and that my credit card was being declined. I assured her that I had called both my banks on the way to the airport just the day before, but she insisted that there was nothing she could do. She stared at me and I swear on my closet if i had stood there for two more seconds, two snakes would have come out of her eyes and sunk their teeth right into my neck. I turned and left.

So there I was, in the middle of busy St. Pancras Station... I had no cell phone, no money, no internet and it finally dawned on me that I was completely alone in a country where I knew no one and had nowhere to go. I wanted to throw myself on the ground of the busy train station and cry, but refused to let tears be real. Afterall, I was in London, the easiest foreign place for an American to be. I started to wish I were in some remote town in the middle of Asia so I could have my breakdown. It really would have made me feel better.

I bought a cup of coffee with the three pounds that I had and went outside and sat on a curb for about an hour trying to get internet connection, no such luck. This is when I started to get a bit frantic. Should I go to the police station?! The American Embassy?! Who could help me?! I started staring at strangers with a sad look on my face, hoping that they would offer help. I figured that at least one of the construction workers would take pity on me and offer me food or a warm place to stay...they didn't. I needed to take a more proactive approach. I decided I would head to a bar, get really drunk and cry, and hopefully the bartender would take pity on me and after his shift take me to his place and let me crash on his couch for the weekend (My girlfriend and I did this in L.A. once, but only got one night on a couch and had to bounce the next day). I then realized I did not have money to get drunk.

I got up and walked to four hostels, hoping they would see I was desperate and not some druggie, homeless girl and let me stay the night and pay them later, but they were all booked solid so I finally accepted reality, I was homeless. I literally had no other option than to sleep on a bench in a park with the homies. Just me, my computer, and a carry on with some clothes and a couple of handbags...homeless chic was going to take on a whole new meaning. Before hitting the bench, I decided to stop at a hotel and give my credit card one more try and what do you know, my card was accepted! (Totally convinced that devil woman was not even running my card).

The crack den aka my hotel room, was itty bitty and in the basement of the hotel. I am pretty sure a seven day drug binge had just taken place prior to my check in, but compared to a bench in the park, the room was a dream (Kind of like when a homeless person salivates over a half eaten burger in a dumpster). I could not have been more relieved and happy and for the record, the next time I hear someone say that money does not bring you happiness, I am going to slap them and step on their expensive shoes because clearly, they have never been homeless and even though I technically have not either, I came pretty damn close to being a lady of the park.

After a seven hour nap, I connected to the internet and was placed in touch with someone who knew a good friend of mine. The girl took me in for the rest of the weekend and following that, I checked into the hotel which was my home for the next seven weeks.

The rest of the summer was amazing. I fell in love with London, especially all of the outdoor markets where I stocked up on little dresses and tons of great jewelry. I went to Wimbledon and Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath, and even spent a week in Spain.....it was fabulous. I fell in love with the Victoria and Albert museum and my afternoons spent walking around the parks and the city. And although I never ran into my obsession, Pete Doherty, life in London was a total dream.

Lesson Number Two Learned On The Road: Always have plenty of cash on hand when arriving to a foreign destination.