tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999347186236674692024-03-12T19:45:59.288-05:00create your happyRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.comBlogger609125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-29351794581515789722015-12-13T14:13:00.001-06:002015-12-13T14:15:17.558-06:00opening night!<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dwrXk7OhuO0/Vm3BwYtLdbI/AAAAAAAAKCA/16_AqsnQ9EU/s512-Ic42/IMG_7969.jpg"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dwrXk7OhuO0/Vm3BwYtLdbI/AAAAAAAAKCA/16_AqsnQ9EU/s512-Ic42/IMG_7969.jpg" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via create.your.happy</div></h4>
<p>I'm very excited...it's opening night for <a href="http://www.steppenwolf.org/Plays-Events/productions/index.aspx?id=640"><em>Domesticated</em></a> at <a href="http://www.steppenwolf.org/">Steppenwolf Theater</a>. I still can't believe that I'm part of the ensemble cast and an understudy for this production. It has been a thrilling experience, I've learned so much and the absolute best part is that I'm creating my happy! It has been a combination of hard work, and doing a lot of it, along with perseverance and trusting that things will work out that has brought me to this place. And more often than not things work out in ways I never imagined. I don't know if that's a magic formula or not but it has worked for me. It's a good reminder that you have to keep at it no matter what because this career can be very frustrating at times. There have been moments when I've had second thoughts about this path that I've chosen but my desire to keep at it has always been stronger than any doubts or frustrations that I've felt along the way. A brilliant actor and teacher <a href="http://www.vagabondschool.com/product/advance-scene-study/">friend</a> of mine said "Find joy in the pursuit because we spend very little time in the actual doing during this career." I think that's true of any pursuit...you have to find the joy in all things you do. </p>
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Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-19077160621257702192015-10-15T20:33:00.001-05:002015-10-17T10:46:29.680-05:00etsy shop update<p>You may have noticed on the side bar but I've updated my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/createyourhappy">etsy shop</a> with some new jewelry designs. It's been a long time since I've created any jewelry and a slow journey back. In the beginning, I had a lot of frustrations and doubts (about my talent, ability, style, motivations, desire) but once I decided to get busy creating...well, that's when I found my happy. </p>
<p>I'd love for you to take a look at the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/createyourhappy">shop</a> and let me know what you think. It's handmade jewelry to inspire you to create your happy!</p>
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<br>Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-91494826297692920752015-10-01T21:07:00.001-05:002015-10-01T21:08:48.303-05:00decorative gourd season<p>Because <a href="http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/its-decorative-gourd-season-motherfuckers">it's decorative gourd season, motherf**kers</a>...</p>
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<p>And because I have so much to share but I don't know where to begin. I guess starting somewhere is better than not starting at all.</p>
<br>Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-19840804401006260372015-06-05T12:14:00.001-05:002015-06-05T12:26:37.128-05:00tennessee vacation - part two<p>Our first stop in the Smokies was at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm">Cades Cove</a>. We drove the loop and saw lots of wildlife, including a black bear. Good thing we were in our car and there were park rangers standing guard so I felt completely safe. The bear could have cared less about the dozen or so people taking pictures of him from the roadside, he was probably too busy foraging for food.</p>
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<p>We drove up one of the mountain roads and went on a short hike.</p>
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<p>Just look at that view!</p>
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<p>It was my brilliant idea to stay in a tipi. Ebert grew up camping and has wanted us to camp together for sometime but I haven't camped since I was a kid so I wasn't as excited about it...tipi camping was our compromise. I was truly excited about this experience though. All of the reviews raved about what a magical experience it was. The tipi was decorated with cute vintage furniture, had a full size futon mattress and came stocked with everything you need. The hosts even bring you fresh homemade bread, hen eggs and milk for breakfast. I was even excited about the outdoor shower and composting outhouse. Can you believe that? Everything about the tipi sounded so unique and lovely!</p>
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<p>But the one thing we didn't think about, and that none of the reviews mentioned, was that a tipi doesn't have zippers or nets so anything creepy crawly can come in and anything creepy crawly did. I can't be certain because I was half-asleep but I think something was on our bed that I kicked onto the floor. I vaguely remember feeling the weight of something by my feet and the second after I kicked it off there was a sound on the tipi rock floor. At first I thought maybe it was the comforter but then I kicked the comforter around and there was no way it could have moved the rocks enough to make any kind of sound. There were other noises outside the tipi we weren't sure about and even Ebert got a little nervous. He would hear something, sit up in bed and shine the flashlight around but we never saw anything. He finally figured out what the sounds were, or at least he thinks he did. He says they were moths flying between the flaps of the tipi and the sound was their wings brushing up against the material. I'm not so sure about that, but at least he was able to fall asleep. He tried to reassure me by saying that you get used to the sounds of the forest after a night or two. You might be thinking that I'm too accustomed to city life and not used to being in nature but Ebert did have to brush a few beetle like bugs off of him so there were definitely creepies in the tipi. I think if we had the safety of a zipper, even though a tent zipper isn't really going to protect you from anything big it just gives a sense of security, I would have been able to sleep but sleep evaded me that night. I would try to sleep but as soon as I'd turn the flashlight off the pitch blackness (and my imagination) would cause all of this anxiety. I'd have to turn the flashlight back on to calm myself. Ebert told me I could sleep with the flashlight on but even that didn't help so I stayed up all night reading. </p>
<p>Once the light of day appeared I was finally able to get a couple hours of sleep. It was really a disheartening experience for me, I felt like I was ruining our vacation especially since this was all my idea- Ebert assured me I was not. But here we were surrounded by the beauty of nature making breakfast on the camp stove listening to the babble of the creek and the birds chirping and it was so serene, but the magic wasn't there for me. What was I missing? Why was I so nervous being isolated from the outside world? Maybe I'm not as adventurous as I thought. And if that's true then what does this say about me? I'm probably putting too much thought into this, trying to find a bigger life lesson here. It could just be that I don't like camping or bugs crawling on me and that's perfectly fine. I am, however, willing to try camping again but it will have to be in a tent and without the creepy crawlies.
<p>We still wanted to explore more of the park so after breakfast we went off to see what we could see .</p>
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<p>We did a short one-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail.</p>
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<p>If you're looking for a good book to read this summer then I highly suggest <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-America-Appalachian/dp/0307279464"><em>A Walk in the Woods</em></a>. It's Bill Bryson's story of his adventure walking the Appalachian Trial. It's a great combination of humor and history. I haven't finished reading the book yet but I know for certain that the one-mile we walked was enough for me. I just found out that a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178665/">movie</a> version was made. I think the cast is great so hopefully the movie is as good as the book.</p>
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<p>We came across a fallen tree in the middle of the road. It was a fun afternoon exploring.</p>
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<p>And the Smokies are beautiful.</p>
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<p>However, I really couldn't handle another sleepless night so at lunch I proposed an alternate ending to our trip. Thank goodness Ebert agreed. We left the Smoky Mountains and arrived back in the Nashville area just in time for this picturesque sunset. We're so thankful for our friends who were kind enough to let us spend the last couple of days of our trip back at their lake house. It was the perfect way to end our vacation...and critter free!</p>
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<p>Of course, the next morning we awoke feeling great! A full night's sleep, without the fear of something crawling on you, makes everything better. We enjoyed a leisurely morning on the deck eating breakfast, drinking coffee and reading. Our activity for that day was going to be either a hike or kayaking. Ebert and I both really wanted to kayak but the weather report said there was a storm coming so we decided to go on a hike. We figured if we got caught in a storm it would be better to be under the protection of trees rather than in the middle of a lake. The hike was more rigorous than we expected- it's quite steep in some areas and in no time at all I was huffing and puffing. It's also a very dense trail. The path is along the lake but is so full of trees that we couldn't see the water even though we were just a hundred yards or so away. And because of the overgrown vegetation we had to watch out for ticks and poison ivy. Ugh! Then there was the posted sign at the trail head warning hikers about the venomous snakes in the area. Double ugh! Needless to say I was a little worried throughout the hike but luckily we didn't encounter anything and since I survived unscathed I can say that it was a nice hike.</p>
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<p>After our hike we had a picnic and went swimming in the lake to cool off. We didn't get to swim for very long before the predicted storm came through, but we did sit under the cover of the trees for a while enjoying the rain sprinkling down on us.</p>
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<p>Our route home was through the backroads of Tennessee and Kentucky. It was fun meandering on these roads seeing all the lush, green farmland. But somehow we missed a turn along the way and as we were making our way back to the right road we saw a sign for an artisan cheese shop so we had to stop. We ended up at <a href="http://kennyscheese.com/">Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese</a> and it was the best detour ever. First of all, the cheeses we sampled were amazing! They were so good that we had to buy 3 different kinds to bring home with us. The other great part about this experience was just how friendly Jeanette, the manager of the cheese shop was. She took us back to where they were making cheese and gave us so much information about cheese-making and the history of Kenny's Cheese. It was a lovely stop along the way. And, luckily for us, Kenny's is sold locally in a few shops around Chicago.</p>
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Even with one anxiety-ridden, sleepless night we still had a great vacation. These past weeks have been like a mini-summer retreat. But I'm definitely ready to get to work creating my happy! </p>
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Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-82879311690248236252015-06-04T20:41:00.001-05:002015-06-04T20:41:48.315-05:00tennessee vacation - part one<p>Ebert and I went road trippin' down to Tennessee last week. We planned a little get-away so we could spend some time together, knowing that once <a href="https://www.steppenwolf.org/Teach-Learn/School-at-Steppenwolf.aspx">school</a> starts life will become extremely busy and we may not see much of each other. It's the good kind of busy though because I'll be creating my happy- super exciting!</p>
<p>After much discussion we decided a road trip to visit friends was our best option. Since we visited <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/07/nashville.html">Nashville</a> last summer we didn't feel like we had to do touristy things this time, so our itinerary included lots of relaxing and hanging out- exactly what we wanted. We spent a night at our friend's lake house which is the absolute best place for relaxing. This was our morning view. Not too shabby. </p>
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<p>We spent the afternoon cruising around on a pontoon boat...</p>
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<p>And even on a holiday weekend the lake was so peaceful.</p>
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<p>But the best part was getting smooches from this little guy...he is just too cute!</p>
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<p>If you ever go to Nashville then you must go to <a href="http://www.martinsbbqjoint.com/">Martin's BBQ</a>. We were craving it ever since we ate their last summer so, of course, we had to go there again and it's just as good as we remembered! We also got to have dinner with some other friends who recently moved to Nashville from LA. I love that so many wonderful people from our time in LA, which seems like a lifetime ago, are now within driving distance from Chicago. We're hoping to see all of our Nashville friends more often.</p>
<p>After a few days in Nashville we continued our road trip eastward to the Smoky Mountains where we were going to do some hiking and camping. And that is where I will leave you because that part of our trip was quite the adventure and deserves its own post.</p>
<br>Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-32072367159115878642015-05-01T09:26:00.001-05:002015-05-01T09:31:23.272-05:00believe you can<a href="http://www.belindaselene.com/2014/10/free-gorgeous-printable-covers-for-erin.html"><img src=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mr0-UVNgBGM/VUJxfvR_O1I/AAAAAAAAJzQ/zA6XJKgU3no/s512/eccover12.jpg width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="http://www.belindaselene.com/2014/10/free-gorgeous-printable-covers-for-erin.html">belindaselene</a></div></h4><p>I'm back...at least for one or two posts. To be honest I haven't really missed blogging. What I missed was creating and writing, but not necessarily expressing that creativity through my blog. I have somewhat mixed feelings about blogs right now- there's so much curated content and product placement that it just doesn't seem real anymore. It feels like blogs have become part of the social media conundrum of only sharing the best 1% of life. As much as I may not like it, I get it. I get that blogs have had to evolve from when I first began reading blogs and writing my own blog. I'm happy for my favorite bloggers who work hard and make a successful living at it, but it may not be where I want to create anymore and that's ok. </p><p>Anyway...I digress. I'm not here to say goodbye (at least not yet), I'm here to share with you some exciting news! </p><p>The first bit of excitement is that I've been accepted into the <a href="https://www.steppenwolf.org/Teach-Learn/School-at-Steppenwolf.aspx">School at Steppenwolf</a>. My entire summer will be spent studying the craft of acting and I'm thrilled! It's a very intensive program so the only thing I will be doing for 10-weeks is learning and growing as an actor. I've never had an experience like this before- I wasn't a theater major in college and I always worked a part-time job during school, so now I get the opportunity to just focus on what makes me happy. It's going to be incredible!</p><p>It's funny how everything worked out. I was in a play this past winter and didn't have anything planned afterwards so with only a few weeks before the deadline I decided to submit an application. The application process involved writing an essay, getting a letter of recommendation, and then if you're invited to audition you have to prepare a monologue, as well as a scene from several play options they give you. I worked with an amazing teacher to prepare for my audition, which really helped me to feel confident going into the audition. My goal was to just do my best by committing to my choices and being honest. I left the audition feeling like I was successful in doing just that.</p><p>I wasn't fully attached to the idea of getting accepted into the school, but when I didn't get a callback (I thought not getting a callback meant that I didn't get accepted) I was still disappointed. Isn't that how it always works? I had heard from several actor friends that there is a callback process and if you don't get one you're pretty much done. Although now I know that I probably didn't get a callback because the casting director was in the room when I auditioned, so there was no need for a callback, but I didn't know that at the time. I just thought that I didn't get in and that was that. I allowed myself to be disappointed for a few days then I realized that I needed to do something. I needed to create. I decided that the something I needed to do was to finish a short film script that I'd been working on for quite some time. I figured if I was going to spend money on tuition for Steppenwolf why not use that money for making my own short film. I was taking action to create energy.</p><p>When I received my acceptance email on April 1st I was completely shocked! I thought it was some cruel April Fools joke...good thing it wasn't. I was then faced with making a decision- to accept or not to accept. I asked for some advice from a few trusted individuals before coming to my decision. It was this perspective from the acting teacher I coached with that excited and inspired me the most.</p><blockquote><em>"Yes, now you’re in the position of really needing to decide whether or not you want to DO IT!! What an awful place to be! ;-)<br /><br />But - here’s how I look at it - it’s one summer of your entire life - you can shoot the film anytime - no need to see this as an end to that. It’s a great gift to be amongst artists and collaborators for ANY amount of time - money comes and goes. Why not grab the bull by the horns and live life on the edge for a summer? Of course, there’s also power in saying no, you need to gauge for yourself what decision inspires you more!"</em></blockquote><p>She is wise and inspiring and I'm so grateful that our paths have crossed. So I decided to live life where's it's most exciting- on the edge- so I said yes. But it's good to be reminded that there is power in saying no. And I can always make my film another time.</p><p>The second bit of exciting news is that I quit my day job last Friday. To be honest, it wasn't a happy ending. I didn't go into work that day expecting to quit my job. I had already requested to take a leave of absence while at Steppenwolf, knowing that when the school was over that I probably wouldn't be going back, but I still wanted to leave on good terms. It was good to have an end date though. I knew that I could handle four more weeks of this job, but then something happened that day and I just couldn't put up with a certain kind of behavior anymore. It wasn't an easy decision. I've never just quit a job like that. I've always done the responsible thing and given notice, but sometimes enough is enough and you have to do what's best for yourself. I won't go into details about what happened. I don't know if this blog is the place to discuss it, maybe some day, but not today.</p><p>I think it was inevitable that I eventually just had to walk out. Honestly, it was a long time coming. I'd put up with outrageous behavior for 3 1/2 years too long. Sometimes you have to deal with people and situations that you don't like- that's part of life- and I stuck it out that long for various reasons, a few of them being that the job was easy, I had flexibility, and I liked my co-workers. There comes a time though when you have to stand up for yourself and no longer accept being treated unkindly by another person. You don't bring out the best in people by being mean to them. Leaving that negative environment has probably been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've been so much happier this past week. I'm taking this time before Steppenwolf starts to focus on me and get back to creating my happy. Sure, we might have to tighten our wallets a bit since I stopped working sooner than we anticipated but I'm trusting that it will all work out. I'm living on the edge of trust. It's a scary but exciting place to be.</p><p>So whatever it is that you want, believe you can and do it. </p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-77808736259400022682014-12-28T13:08:00.001-06:002014-12-28T13:09:26.250-06:00the rest of the 24 days <a href="http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/post/103906014066"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XzJq3a44P0I/VKAn-NolDzI/AAAAAAAAJl4/5zL842TReg4/s512/tumblr_new4n4idcV1shcqiqo1_1280.jpg" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/post/103906014066">bippityboppityboo</a></div></h4><p>Christmas is over. And I am relieved that it is. Not that I didn't enjoy the holiday season because I did, especially since the <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/12/24-days-of-giving.html">24 Days of Giving</a> put me more in the holiday spirit than I have been in a few years. It's just that now I can get back to…well, my life. It feels like the holidays are so consuming, and sometimes that distraction is necessary, but I'm ready to be rejuvenated not by distraction but by doing a lot of work- by creating my happy.</p><p>Here's how the <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/12/24-days-of-giving.html">24 Days of Giving</a> wrapped up - </p><p>Day 17 - I had a bag of food in my car that I've been meaning to drop off to a food shelter. Then I saw a makeshift bed set up underneath the train tracks by my work so I decided to leave the food for whoever was staying there. I wrote a note on the paper bag wishing them well. It wasn't much but I hope it gives them some nourishment for a few days.</p><p>Day 18 to 23 - To be honest, I don't really remember what I gave, if anything, these days. The intention was always there to give but some days it just didn't happen.</p><p>Day 24 - I baked this <a href="http://instagram.com/p/w33uKWIrU1/?modal=true">cake</a> for my co-workers.</p><p>Even though I missed quite a few days to give this was, overall, an amazing experience. In some ways I feel like this ended up being more of a gift to me than anything because these moments of giving were so joyful and filled with love. It's kind of how I want every day to be. </p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-41127217761068269092014-12-18T22:14:00.001-06:002014-12-18T22:15:15.841-06:00Day 16 of 24<p>Day 16 - This by far has been my favorite giving day. Not only was I able to give something to one of my favorite people, my sister, but the way everything worked out was like magic. </p><p>I called my sister when I got home because, due to some emails I had received from her earlier in the day, I knew she had a rough day at work. She was on her way to meet a teacher friend for dinner after staying late at school to tutor some students. I asked her where they were going and she said "We're teachers, all we can afford is Pei Wei." Immediately I thought how fun would it be to buy them dinner. I casually asked her which Pei Wei they were going to, then came up with an excuse to get off the phone with her. She was already in the parking lot so I had to act fast. I called Pei Wei and the manager I spoke to was so helpful- she didn't hesitate at all. It was almost like this sort of thing happened to her all the time and she knew exactly what to do. She said that if I trusted her I could give her my credit card info and she would enter it in manually. That sounded like a good plan to me. The only thing was that we had to make sure that I would be buying dinner for the right people. I had no idea what my sister was wearing so I could only describe what she looks like. I've never met my sister's friend so we didn't have a lot to go on. I kept saying something about them being teachers. Then all of a sudden the manager tells me to hold on. About a minute later she comes back on the line and said that she recognized them and had to make sure that the cashier didn't charge them. At this point I had no idea if it was my sister and her friend but I just had to trust and go with it. I gave the manager my credit card and contact info and thanked her for helping me make this happen. Then I texted my sister to tell her to enjoy her dinner, but also to find out if it was indeed her that I had just bought dinner for. And it was! The best part is that my sister and her friend didn't know it was me until that text. They just thought it was some random person on the phone who was doing a kind deed. It caught them completely off guard. My sister's friend was ordering first and when the cashier told her that someone had bought her dinner she started crying. My sister then ordered not expecting someone to also pay for her dinner and was just as surprised when the cashier said that her meal had also been paid for. And it was only when they sat down to eat and saw my text that all the pieces came together. My sister knows that I'm doing this 24 Days of Giving but she never put it together that it was me on the phone, and since the cashier only said "the person on the phone" and not "your sister" they had no way of knowing anyway. It also helped that my sister's friend was wearing a shirt with the name of the school on it.</p><p>This spontaneous and random act was a perfect example of how an awesome opportunity to give can just present itself at any moment. There's no way I could have planned this. We just have to be opening to see these moments and to give. </p><p>Here's a little snippet of the text. Just thinking back on this moment makes me smile. So much happiness being created right now.</p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0Dy83_B_C7w/VJOltLcsBhI/AAAAAAAAJlI/SlBNmW8tVfo/s512/IMG_4409.PNG"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0Dy83_B_C7w/VJOltLcsBhI/AAAAAAAAJlI/SlBNmW8tVfo/s512/IMG_4409.PNG" width="400"></a><br /><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-22582485481973046182014-12-17T10:02:00.000-06:002014-12-17T17:44:37.059-06:00year six ornament<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tw94i5OZO2A/VJD8wugoZ7I/AAAAAAAAJkM/9mE6k6DET7I/s512/IMG_4100.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tw94i5OZO2A/VJD8wugoZ7I/AAAAAAAAJkM/9mE6k6DET7I/s512/IMG_4100.JPG" width="400"></a><p>This year's ornament is from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/FredArndtArtworks">Fred Arndt Artworks</a>- another great etsy find. He has about 200 mid-century wood ornaments in his shop. I'm sure you can imagine how long it took me to narrow it down to this ornament. Good thing I let Ebert help me make the final decision, otherwise I probably would still be deciding on which one I liked best. You can see all six ornaments <a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZemVPq5hjSo/VJD8xuuVCUI/AAAAAAAAJkU/i6SaOSLXUVA/s512/IMG_4325.JPG">here</a>.</p><p>The wall art work is also stunning. I'm currently loving this <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/109717667/space-symphony-1-fretwork?ref=shop_home_active_12">design</a>.</p> <br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-54738250574396425672014-12-16T21:44:00.001-06:002014-12-16T21:46:21.375-06:00Day 14 and 15 of 24<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/169056222/winter-photography-holiday-fairy-lights?ref=shop_home_feat_4"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5QffUAAKS0A/VJD65NuVnbI/AAAAAAAAJj8/IuIHWAV_jVg/s512/il_570xN.525172035_al3o.jpg" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/GeorgiannaLane?ref=l2-shopheader-name">georgiannalanephotography</a></div></h4><p>Day 14 - On this day I was actually given gifts of kindness from strangers - someone held the door open for me, when I dropped something while standing in line someone came over to help me pick it up, and someone let me turn in left in front of them so I wouldn't be blocking traffic. Those small acts of kindness kept happening to me throughout the day and meant so much to me, especially since when I wasn't feeling so happy or jolly. It really is the little gifts that can make such a big difference.</p><p>Day 15 - I'm part of an actors meet-up <a href="http://www.chicagoactinginfilm.org/">group</a> here in Chicago and on this day we had our annual holiday hurrah fundraiser party. I gave my time to volunteer at the event and also bought raffle tickets to support the group. It was fun giving back to an organization that gives so much to actors in the community throughout the year.</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-75794446212162332382014-12-14T10:32:00.001-06:002014-12-14T10:32:47.383-06:00Day 10, 11, 12 and 13 of 24<p>Day 10 - My sister asked me to adopt a couple of her students for Christmas. The package was filled with all sorts of goodies - chocolates and gum, bike lights, chapstick, toys. I had so much fun shopping for these kids! I can't wait to see pictures of them opening their presents.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ahkzMWikL0g/VI22OlITZgI/AAAAAAAAJjY/b6RMfeuUrHI/s576/IMG_4378.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ahkzMWikL0g/VI22OlITZgI/AAAAAAAAJjY/b6RMfeuUrHI/s576/IMG_4378.JPG" width="400"></a><p>Day 11 - I gave a co-worker my banana. Ha! Just writing that is funny but she was hungry and I had something to give. No picture necessary.</p><p>Day 12 - I made these DIY boozy hot chocolate gift bags and gave them to my cast mates. It was fun working with this <a href="http://www.tripnyc.org/">group</a> again, even if it was only for a one-night event.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FvEVnzoSY_g/VI22O0wloDI/AAAAAAAAJjQ/w-5b8H-tSVw/s576/IMG_4396.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FvEVnzoSY_g/VI22O0wloDI/AAAAAAAAJjQ/w-5b8H-tSVw/s576/IMG_4396.JPG" width="400"></a><p>Day 13 - I contributed to this.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2O9SE2RKQx4/VI22PFJl-kI/AAAAAAAAJjU/A1erJoVhDeo/s576/IMG_4399.jpg"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2O9SE2RKQx4/VI22PFJl-kI/AAAAAAAAJjU/A1erJoVhDeo/s576/IMG_4399.jpg" width="400"></a><br><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-65282086148083483502014-12-12T10:08:00.001-06:002014-12-12T10:08:42.667-06:00Day 8 and 9 of 24<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wj41FWSJC1g/VIidEohlPyI/AAAAAAAAJiY/Ef59fDaqRCI/s512/12days1.jpg" width="400"><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="https://lovelyindeed.com/12-days-kindness/">lovelyindeed</a></div></h4>
<p>Monday and Tuesday were a bust for me with this whole giving thing. I blamed it on being stuck inside an office all day. If I had planned better I know I could have done something. I was either just being lazy or not thinking outside the box. Also, my day job has been super frustrating this week. I've been dealing with people that aren't acting very kind so it's been really hard for me to be kind back. I know that this is a perfect opportunity to give kindness unconditionally and, believe me, in the moment I think about it but unfortunately I haven't done it.</p>
<p>But today when I needed a little inspiration I saw this <a href="https://lovelyindeed.com/12-days-kindness/">12 Days of Kindness </a> post from <a href="https://lovelyindeed.com">Lovely Indeed</a>. There are some fun ideas here that have helped put me back in the giving spirit.</p>
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Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-84406010874711531592014-12-08T21:50:00.000-06:002014-12-08T21:50:32.016-06:00Day 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of 24<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pJaVahjFmqU/VIZu1r4p9qI/AAAAAAAAJh4/M4yGHuyy3sw/s512/6300170722_6ea8d9a705_o.jpg" width="400"><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiona_mc2002/6300170722/in/set-72157627032148986/">fiona mccreadie</a></div></h4>
<p>Day 3 - Kind thoughts to all the people who cut in front of me on the highway during rush hour. This was a big lesson for me. I hate rude drivers- you know the ones who drive in bike lines or on the shoulder to bypass traffic and cut in front of everyone. I know I'm not always a courteous driver but I never do that. This time I just didn't let it bother me. It was probably more of a gift to myself because it was really nice to not get upset about something I couldn't do anything about it. It made my long drive home much more enjoyable. And who knows maybe it helped them get wherever they needed to get that much sooner. At least I hope it did.</p>
<p>Day 4 - Giving a helping hand to a woman loading boxes into her car at Ikea. The boxes weren't super heavy and it looked like she was managing just fine on her own but I thought why not just give that little extra help.</p>
<p>Day 5 - $2 to the man on the corner. I don't always like to give money. I feel like food is sometimes more helpful because you just don't know what they are going to use the money for. I guess it's not really my place to judge- if I'm willing to give money then I shouldn't put stipulations on what someone uses the money for. But since I didn't have food I gave the money and the guy wished me a "merry christmas" with a smile on his face.</p>
<p>Day 6 - Letting someone stand ahead of me in a really long line. My first instinct was to walk really fast to get in line first. I certainly didn't want to wait in a long line but then I realized that this was a simple opportunity to give.</p>
<p>Day 7 - $5 to St. Jude's Research Hospital.</p>
<p>Looking back on what I gave last week it doesn't seem like much. I feel slightly disappointed, like I should have given more or something. Then I remind myself of how giving, even something small, felt so big in the moment because I did it with an open heart.</p>
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Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-45858548660231483332014-12-02T20:47:00.001-06:002014-12-02T20:47:21.796-06:00Day 2 of 24<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nY5aBF0Iw6M/VH5oyydgw6I/AAAAAAAAJhU/4lXgriZUo_s/s512/IMG_0685.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nY5aBF0Iw6M/VH5oyydgw6I/AAAAAAAAJhU/4lXgriZUo_s/s512/IMG_0685.jpg" width="400"></a><p>On the first day of giving I gave my sister an early birthday present. She had a hand me down iPhone 4 that was super slow so my mom and I went in together on getting her a new iPhone 5s. She gives so much every day as a teacher that being able to do something extra special for her was a great way to start this giving project. And because we purchased the phone on December 1st a portion of the <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107081879257880491965/MarsEditImages#6088097831682274114">purchase</a> went to the Global fund to fight AIDS.</p><p>The second day of giving is kind of a funny story. It happened today at the airport in Phoenix on our way back to Chicago after visiting family for Thanksgiving. Ebert and I were bringing back a bottle of locally brewed Arizona beer and a bottle of wine. We normally don't check bags but since we were carrying liquids we knew we had to, but the one thing we forgot about was the fee for checking bags. When we got to the airport we were shocked with how expensive it is. The line was ridiculously long and the fee was way more than what the beer cost (the wine was a gift) so we decided to leave both bottles behind. There weren't a lot of people not flying but we finally found a guy who was dropping someone off and gave him the bottles. He was thrilled about the unexpected gift and wished us a "Merry Christmas" several times. It wasn't the type of gift I was expecting to give and, at first, I had to get over my disappointment of not bringing those bottles back with us, but if that guy is enjoying that beer and wine tonight, and has a great story to tell, then that makes me happy.</p><p>This second day taught me an important lesson about getting over myself and to just give. If I had spent too much time focusing on the money lost or the fact that I won't be able to give that beer to the person I was planning to give it to then I would have missed out on a wonderful moment to give. It's exactly what I was talking about <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/12/24-days-of-giving.html">yesterday</a>.</p><p>I'll also let you in on a little secret…another reason why I want to give more, especially during this time of year, is that as I get older I don't always feel the magic of the season. Maybe that's the curse of growing up- the magic gets lost along the way. I'm hoping to find that magical feeling again.</p><h4>{image via create.your.happy}</h4><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-64159298849054574442014-12-01T23:45:00.000-06:002014-12-02T18:57:05.205-06:0024 Days of Giving!<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F6p94pul570/VH1Hu-xgnuI/AAAAAAAAJgo/eV3uOJNcM94/s512/f90f9e5e240578179002c52280df3832.jpg" width="400"><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/444871269413196795/">pinterest</a></div></h4><p>I'm late posting this but I want to share with you a little project I'm starting this holiday season called <em>24 Days of Giving</em>. From December 1st - December 24th I'll be giving something every day. I have no idea what I'm going to give these next 24 days, that part I'll figure out as I go, but that's the fun of this project- finding opportunities throughout the day to just give.</p><p>I've been thinking a lot about that recently, how there are probably so many opportunities to give throughout the day, more than we probably realize. I know I can get caught up in whatever is going on in my life that I probably miss out on lots of moments to give.</p><p>If you want to join me then all you have to do is give something with love every day. It could be a big something or a little something, a store bought something or a handmade something, but most importantly there does not have to be any obligation to spend money. Of course, some days you might be inspired to buy a stranger their coffee or to surprise your co-worker with a little gift but it could also just be a gift from the heart. It might be a smile or a hug, holding the door open for someone, having extra patience with the server at the restaurant or the retail worker at the check-out counter, or your gift could even just be choosing to think a kind thought towards someone you may not be feeling very kind towards. It's all about finding the love this holiday season!</p><p>I'll be sharing what I give everyday and you can do the same by leaving a comment. I'm excited for this project and all the sharing and giving that will ensue these next few weeks!</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-6698860690933142502014-11-22T22:25:00.001-06:002014-11-22T22:31:52.538-06:00so this happened last night<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/k7dhEutEARbf7ktjsgRjR9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e0oChOZz6v4/VHFYVxCMaMI/AAAAAAAAJfk/gZ6ytc1i1GM/s400/BTE.m4v.gif" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr></table>
<p>Yes, that's me rockin' onstage with <a href="http://www.betterthanezra.com/">Better Than Ezra</a>.</p>
<p>I still can't believe it happened, especially since just hours earlier I <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/11/breaking-silence.html">posted</a> about how <i>"I wish I could say that I might possibly be rockin' it onstage tonight with the band...but I can't."</i>... and then it happened!</p>
<p>It didn't happen how I thought it would, but maybe it happened because I'd taken <i>some</i> action. I signed up for lessons, I practiced and put in the work to try to learn the song. Yes, I failed at learning the song in time for this concert and I was sad about that, but then what I wanted, to be rockin' it onstage with the band still happened. I love moments like this- they're reminders that by just taking action it will lead you somewhere. It's not always where you expected but it's always where you're supposed to be. That's why this experience was beyond amazing for me. Of course, it's also because I got to dance with the band!</p>
<p>It reminded me a lot of this <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2010/10/always-trust-magic.html">moment</a> and how one should always trust magic. The unexpected is always more magical than the expected!</p>
<p>Also, a big thanks to Ebert, my awesome husband, for taking this video and being just as I excited as I was!</p>
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Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-51069238494516106402014-11-21T09:55:00.000-06:002014-11-22T22:36:11.669-06:00breaking the silence<p>I hope I remember how to do this blogging thing- it's been a long time. Too long. This is my longest silence since I started blogging almost 5 years ago. Yikes! That's a crazy realization. Clearly, I haven't been too inspired to blog these days but at the same time I'm not ready to stop. I think I need to change things up, although I don't know what that means yet. Hopefully, just showing up here will give me some insight into the direction I should take.</p><p>Well…tonight is the Better Than Ezra concert and you might be wondering about that <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/07/this-time-of-year.html">guitar pick</a> and this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTwzKRjJkA0">song</a>. I wish I could say that I might possibly be rockin' it onstage tonight with the band, that all those months of practicing were worth it, that the <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/09/uncomfortableness.html">uncomfortableness</a> is no longer, that I did it- I learned the song! But I can't. Because the truth is, I didn't. And I'm a little sad about that. I'd be a lot sadder, however, if I had never tried at all. That's a bit of a consolation but not much.</p><p>I did learn how to play the chords G, C, D and Em though. And those 4 chords make up the song so all I need to do is practice A LOT and be ok with it taking awhile. I think that's the hard part really. It's not learning the chords or how to strum, the hard part is in the keeping at it…for however long it takes.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f5aDzWd3CP0/VG6rXknQJTI/AAAAAAAAJfM/N5icDg_JwSw/s576/IMG_3191.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f5aDzWd3CP0/VG6rXknQJTI/AAAAAAAAJfM/N5icDg_JwSw/s576/IMG_3191.JPG" width="400"></a><h4>{image via create.your.happy}</h4><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-46844379594931120922014-09-07T20:35:00.001-05:002014-09-07T20:35:22.915-05:00uncomfortableness<p>un·com·fort·a·ble (adjective): <em>causing or feeling unease or awkwardness</em></p><p>This is where I am right now…in the middle of uncomfortableness. </p><p>And it's all because I took on the challenge of learning <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/07/this-time-of-year.html">one song</a> on the guitar. I didn't expect it to be this daunting, that I would doubt myself this much, or that there would actually be a physical discomfort in the pit of my stomach. This uncomfortableness is so present at times that I just want to forget the whole thing. Who really cares about having a silly goal and trying to accomplish it?</p><p>I do, of course, otherwise I would have given up the second my fingertips started getting sore. Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun learning how to play the guitar (finally) and when I imagine being able to play the song perfectly I get super excited, it's just these moments, that come and go, that can be overwhelming. </p><p>I'm choosing to write about this now because sometimes I feel like we only hear about people overcoming their doubts, fears, and struggles after they've succeeded in overcoming them. That's great and it's still encouraging, but I feel that it's important to share the struggling part because we all have goals, big and little, and we are all struggling to achieve them. It's during these uncomfortable moments when we're most likely to give up and quit, but that's when we need to continue on the most. Something great is just past the uncomfortableness. But the uncomfortableness gets to be too much and we quit before seeing our greatness. Don't quit before seeing your greatness. I hope the struggle I'm experiencing right now as I try to achieve this silly little goal helps anyone move past their own uncomfortableness to creating their happy.</p><p>I'll be honest, I don't know if I will succeed. I really don't. And, that's fine, I guess. It's not always about succeeding, it's about trying. So tomorrow I will try again. I'll pick up my guitar, sore fingers and all, and slowly (very slowly) strum one chord after another. It will not feel good, I will make lots of mistakes, and I most definitely will want to quit but I've just got to fight my way through the uncomfortableness.</p> <br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-41794825093506257742014-09-02T22:39:00.001-05:002014-09-04T20:00:04.778-05:00this view<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3wKCgYNtIXA/VAaJi65Q4cI/AAAAAAAAJXw/3LgXVZULi_A/s512/IMG_3069.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3wKCgYNtIXA/VAaJi65Q4cI/AAAAAAAAJXw/3LgXVZULi_A/s512/IMG_3069.JPG" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via create.your.happy</div><h/4><p>It always seems to happen this time of year, right before the weather's about to change, I start to think about all the things I haven't done but still want to do before the year is over. It kind of makes me feel like a creative mess and takes the happy out of creating when I focus too much on what I haven't done. So, instead of doing that, I'm going to remember what I did do and the fun I had this summer. And one fun thing we did was go sailing on the lake. Isn't that view amazing? There's no place like Chicago in the summer time. </p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-37918447435465037522014-09-01T22:29:00.001-05:002014-09-01T22:31:45.446-05:00summer pies<p>I've been enjoying the last flavors of summer by baking pies. It has been a delicious experience. </p><a href=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xEClYXUOcFs/VAUqiZD3OPI/AAAAAAAAJXQ/qBOrY2WUrJY/s576/IMG_3497.JPG" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>peach basil pie</div></h4><p>The peach basil pie was inspired by this <a href="http://blog.freepeople.com/2014/07/kitchen-beth-kirby-local-milk/">recipe</a>. I was attempting a crostata but my kitchen got really warm so the dough started to get too sticky and I wasn't able to roll it out big enough for a crostata so I just decided to throw it in a pie pan. I think it came out quite nice for a traditional pie especially since I usually just bake <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2012/09/peach-blueberry-crostata.html">crostatas</a>. The crust was so buttery and flakey. The recipe called for lavender but I left that out because I just wanted to taste the peach and basil.</p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9Jue6QZT_NI/VAUqjACSThI/AAAAAAAAJXU/9e7TKnHbHwg/s576/IMG_3526.JPG"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9Jue6QZT_NI/VAUqjACSThI/AAAAAAAAJXU/9e7TKnHbHwg/s576/IMG_3526.JPG" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>raspberry peach pie with a pecan oat crumble topping</div></h4><p>The raspberry peach pie was a combination of three different recipes. I don't feel like I've found my go-to pie dough recipe yet so I've been experimenting with different ones each time I bake. For this particular pie I tried this <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/food/everything-you-need-to-know-about-pie-crust-91353367413.html">dough recipe</a>. I liked that the crust came out flakey but wasn't too buttery. I also found out that I really like mixing the dough by hand rather than using a food processor or even a pastry cutter. It's just really simple and easy to mix by hand and I agree that it gives you so much more control over your dough. This may be my go-to pie dough recipe. I'll have to try it one more time and then I'll let you know what I think. It'll be a good excuse to bake another pie.</p><p>I used this recipe for the <a href="http://zoebakes.com/2008/06/24/white-peach-and-raspberry-pie-pure-summer/">filling</a>. The only thing I changed was that I used yellow peaches instead of white. Also, I just measured out 6 cups of the peaches and raspberries and mixed them together. I don't know how many of each I ended up using.</p><p>And this was the recipe I used for the <a href="http://minimalistbaker.com/deep-dish-apple-crumble-pie/">crumb topping</a>. I followed this recipe exactly. </p><p>Summer…please don't leave. I'm not ready to say good-bye. Good thing I have a few pieces of pie still so I don't have to say good-bye quite yet. I hope you had a fun and relaxing Labor Day!</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-63853478812042754972014-08-31T15:30:00.001-05:002014-08-31T15:30:59.423-05:00poland highlights - part five<p>On our last full day in Krakow, while Ebert was at his conference, I decided to see the city on a bike. I booked a 4-hour bike tour with the <a href="http://www.krakowbiketour.com/">Cool Tour Company</a>. A bike tour is a great way to see the sights of a city and learn some of its history. Ebert and I went on a bike tour in Munich and now that I've done it twice in different cities I think it's an absolute must when traveling. Not only do you get to see more sights than just walking around, but you're also getting some exercise which means you can indulge in more of the local food and drink without feeling guilty. I don't know about you but when I'm on vacation the last thing I want to think about is how many calories I'm eating.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k3qmeP44dvI/U9_IYolRzfI/AAAAAAAAJSI/XNeu40p0XfM/s720/IMG_2954.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k3qmeP44dvI/U9_IYolRzfI/AAAAAAAAJSI/XNeu40p0XfM/s720/IMG_2954.JPG" width="400"></a><p>And when we stopped for a snack, halfway through the bike tour, I was not thinking about calories at all. The local fare we sampled was <a href="http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishmaincourses/r/zapiekanka.htm">Zapiekanki</a>, which is traditional Polish street food that is half a baguette oven-baked with a variety of different toppings. I got my zapiekanka with mushrooms and spinach topped with a sour cream type sauce. It was so delicious and after all that biking I had no problem eating the whole thing.</p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4AmjVLrR0VU/U7bjqd40jsI/AAAAAAAAJDw/LkvqGO9vI1U/s800/IMG_2956.JPG"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4AmjVLrR0VU/U7bjqd40jsI/AAAAAAAAJDw/LkvqGO9vI1U/s800/IMG_2956.JPG" width="400"></a><p>There was a wonderful outdoor market at the square in Kazimierz where they were selling the zapiekanki.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--BJg4IXh6DY/VANj1Q352SI/AAAAAAAAJW0/BEYv_zoDL4o/s912/IMGP8652.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--BJg4IXh6DY/VANj1Q352SI/AAAAAAAAJW0/BEYv_zoDL4o/s912/IMGP8652.JPG" width="400"></a><p>The fruits and vegetables were so colorful. I wanted to sample everything. </p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GQUDGeY5iKI/VANjOJysK3I/AAAAAAAAJWo/ypF17elrNh0/s576/IMG_2955.jpg"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GQUDGeY5iKI/VANjOJysK3I/AAAAAAAAJWo/ypF17elrNh0/s576/IMG_2955.jpg" width="400"></a><p>Then the tour guide showed us this little alley where the <a href="http://wizzley.com/krakow-schindlers-list-movie-locations/">stairwell scene</a> from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/">Schindler's List</a> was filmed.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iHHFb28tteY/VANjKPnzAFI/AAAAAAAAJWg/ixLN21SrHhQ/s576/IMG_2957.jpg"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iHHFb28tteY/VANjKPnzAFI/AAAAAAAAJWg/ixLN21SrHhQ/s576/IMG_2957.jpg" width="400"></a><br /><br />We rode over to the <a href="http://www.krakow-info.com/ghetto.htm">Krakow Ghetto</a> to see the Ghetto Heroes Square Memorial. <br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k4QMVJMxdLI/U7bjxlQpRLI/AAAAAAAAJD4/Ft-e0h1NxJE/s800/IMG_2962.JPG" width="400"><p>It's a moving memorial that consists of 70 empty bronze chairs representing the thousands of Jews who lost their lives during the Nazi occupation of Krakow.</p><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-trb28aIiLKQ/U7bjvcYi2GI/AAAAAAAAJCY/WJvfcPVMmK4/s576/IMG_2960.jpg" width="400"><p>Then we rode to Schindler's Factory. We didn't go inside, we only saw the outside of the factory. The Ghetto is located in a part of the city that is not easy to get to on foot so I'm really glad I was able to see this section of the city on the bike tour. </p><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xf2xEzNblsg/U7bjx3RA4RI/AAAAAAAAJDA/lrEEaJHuTGI/s576/IMG_2966.jpg" width="400"><p>On the way back we saw more street art. There are so many other amazing things I saw on the tour but riding a bike and taking pictures don't go well together. That's probably the only downside of a bike tour.</p><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X5k2qc22Csc/VANkFmLzs7I/AAAAAAAAJW8/zcT765fIu3o/s800/IMG_2973.JPG" width="400"><p>And then we stopped for more history about something but I don't remember what because I was too busy taking a picture of that white building off in the distance. What's so interesting about that building you ask? Well…that's where Ebert's conference was located. We rode by that building twice on the bike tour and each time we did there were people outside on the patio. It turns out that Ebert was on a break at the exact same time that we were riding by…both times. Ebert took a picture within minutes from when I took this picture. How crazy is that? We're too far away to spot each other but we just can't believe that happened.</p><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-E4S3hPC0mco/U7bj3bSYhFI/AAAAAAAAJDI/NU6_Gdge4_Q/s800/IMG_2977.JPG" width="400"><p>After the bike tour I met Ebert at his conference and saw this amazing view of Wawel Castle.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zfJXoViI5Tg/U7bkB01Po5I/AAAAAAAAJEg/OeufBwHTr1Y/s912/IMGP8691.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zfJXoViI5Tg/U7bkB01Po5I/AAAAAAAAJEg/OeufBwHTr1Y/s912/IMGP8691.JPG" width="400"></a><p>But the best part of that last day was having Matt and Natalia come into the city to have dinner with us. We met them at that main market square, then walked to the Old Jewish district and had one last fabulous evening together. It was so great spending time with them again. Also, I loved showing Mike the city. He got a quick tour of everything I had already seen like St. Mary's Basicila during the day…</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hCBGd672PvI/U7bkGmMhKTI/AAAAAAAAJC0/jiKmKLRo3Qw/s576/IMG_2995.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hCBGd672PvI/U7bkGmMhKTI/AAAAAAAAJC0/jiKmKLRo3Qw/s576/IMG_2995.jpg" width="400"></a><p>And St. Mary's Basicila at night.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dhLvRnpWTFw/U7bkK7tZ6TI/AAAAAAAAJBg/BkVAg5rYugE/s576/IMG_3009.jpg"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dhLvRnpWTFw/U7bkK7tZ6TI/AAAAAAAAJBg/BkVAg5rYugE/s576/IMG_3009.jpg" width="400"></a><p>We put off saying goodbye to these dear friends as long as possible and decided to walk them to the train station. As we chatted and walked through the park we came across a band playing swing music and people dancing under the gazebo. Matt took Natalia in his arms and it was a lovely moment to see these two smiling and dancing.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Sf8j9rvmosg/U7bkINLrrXI/AAAAAAAAJEA/SXyWLv5N7Zg/s576/IMG_3006.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Sf8j9rvmosg/U7bkINLrrXI/AAAAAAAAJEA/SXyWLv5N7Zg/s576/IMG_3006.jpg" width="400"></a><p>Then we said goodbye to our friends, not knowing when we'll see them next. It was such a bittersweet ending to a fabulous trip. Ebert and I took our time walking back, we wanted to take in all the beauty and wonder of Krakow at night.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-71PiEBDggp4/U7bkMIRY2eI/AAAAAAAAJAM/MMqdx0yUzLs/s800/IMG_3012.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-71PiEBDggp4/U7bkMIRY2eI/AAAAAAAAJAM/MMqdx0yUzLs/s800/IMG_3012.JPG" width="400"></a><br><p>Friends…if you ever have the chance to visit Krakow then you must go. It's such a friendly, affordable, and beautiful city with some much history and amazing sites to see. And lets not forget about the great food and drink. I cannot wait to go back.</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-13792613806533070032014-08-06T18:32:00.001-05:002014-08-06T18:32:37.587-05:00i love lucy!<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtU0iryRUn8/U-K5ASDLo2I/AAAAAAAAJVQ/0GvX5ucAV0w/s512/i%2520love%2520lucy%2520lucille%2520ball.jpeg"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtU0iryRUn8/U-K5ASDLo2I/AAAAAAAAJVQ/0GvX5ucAV0w/s512/i%2520love%2520lucy%2520lucille%2520ball.jpeg" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>via <a href="http://ultimateilovelucy.wikia.com/wiki/Lucy_Ricardo">ultimateilovelucy</a></div></h4><p>Happy Birthday, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/lucille-ball-birthday/">Lucy</a>!</p><p>In honor of the comedic genius, Lucille Ball, watch some of her funniest moments <a href="http://parade.condenast.com/212155/viannguyen/lucille-ball-funniest-i-love-lucy-scenes/">here</a>. Although my favorite Lucy moment is pictured above. Do you know which episode it's from?</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-85685185647399766102014-08-06T12:44:00.000-05:002014-08-06T12:44:00.832-05:00poland highlights - part four<p>As I already mentioned in <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/2014/08/poland-highlights-part-three.html">part three</a> of my Poland highlights post, I spent my first full day in Krakow just walking around. So this a disclaimer that you are about to see a lot of street photos from that day. But I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy sharing them with you. </p><p>A view of the gothic <a href="http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/">Wawel Castle</a>.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aY7VxglT9FM/U7bih2HdsLI/AAAAAAAAJEQ/Usruru1NcGo/s640/IMG_0445.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aY7VxglT9FM/U7bih2HdsLI/AAAAAAAAJEQ/Usruru1NcGo/s640/IMG_0445.JPG" width="400"></a><p>Wawel up close.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1YcC1qtcT3A/U7bigqh0RSI/AAAAAAAAJCQ/i7HWAs-P6oU/s512/IMG_0442.jpg"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1YcC1qtcT3A/U7bigqh0RSI/AAAAAAAAJCQ/i7HWAs-P6oU/s512/IMG_0442.jpg" width="400"></a><p>Krakow's Main Market Square. I should have just stood in the middle and taken a picture of every view of the square, but I didn't. The only side you won't see is the one with the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant. It just doesn't really fit in with this otherwise picturesque view. </p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EAdlUgq0Zg8/U9_PtAdinEI/AAAAAAAAJT4/O9c6WPmXplg/s640/IMG_2859.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EAdlUgq0Zg8/U9_PtAdinEI/AAAAAAAAJT4/O9c6WPmXplg/s640/IMG_2859.JPG" width="400"></a><br><br><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kon-VUc3Rr4/U9_P0mFW-PI/AAAAAAAAJUI/Nz96MOP8mfo/s640/IMG_0471.JPG"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kon-VUc3Rr4/U9_P0mFW-PI/AAAAAAAAJUI/Nz96MOP8mfo/s640/IMG_0471.JPG" width="400"></a><br><br><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0W4cAoZxlLU/U9_PyTzM-oI/AAAAAAAAJUA/burCC5oEH_s/s640/IMG_0462.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0W4cAoZxlLU/U9_PyTzM-oI/AAAAAAAAJUA/burCC5oEH_s/s640/IMG_0462.JPG" width="400"></a><p><a href="http://stmaryrdg.com/stmarybasilicakrakow.html">St. Mary's Basicila</a> in the square. Those clouds were ominous and were looming overhead all day. I'm really surprised I did not get rained on.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MXRrboL411U/U7bipTC6-mI/AAAAAAAAJCI/Rozi8cD-43o/s512/IMG_2855.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MXRrboL411U/U7bipTC6-mI/AAAAAAAAJCI/Rozi8cD-43o/s512/IMG_2855.jpg" width="400"></a><p>A view of <a href="http://cracow.travel/guide-to-krakow/let-s-visit/old-town/action,get,id,3505,t,Grodzka-Street.html">Grodza Street</a> and some of the buildings you'll see along the way to the Main Market Square.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uRAhk3WiWas/U9_PI2tfkRI/AAAAAAAAJTs/UVVEtTviAJ8/s512/IMG_0478.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uRAhk3WiWas/U9_PI2tfkRI/AAAAAAAAJTs/UVVEtTviAJ8/s512/IMG_0478.jpg" width="400"></a><p><a href="http://www.kolanko.net/">Kolonko No. 6</a> was a restaurant I had read about in the guidebook. It gets great reviews and is in the Kazimierz neighborhood so I knew I wanted to eat here. And it did not disappoint.</p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-duwZkAr-Aa4/U9_SCIUr0qI/AAAAAAAAJUs/GQeLFjIIvYs/s512/IMGP8658.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-duwZkAr-Aa4/U9_SCIUr0qI/AAAAAAAAJUs/GQeLFjIIvYs/s512/IMGP8658.JPG" width="400"></a><p>I had a yummy green salad with grilled polenta and paired with a Dry Apple Cider. Ebert and I came here for breakfast on our last morning in Krakow. We sat in the garden patio listening to music from this <a href="http://joliehollandmusic.com/">musician</a> and it was just perfect.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9B13HohKDw8/U9_O_Ayu6dI/AAAAAAAAJTk/BNEmdVMApr0/s512/IMG_2869.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9B13HohKDw8/U9_O_Ayu6dI/AAAAAAAAJTk/BNEmdVMApr0/s512/IMG_2869.jpg" width="400"></a><p>I like this photo because it shows how they still put up posters with glue. These types of advertisements are all over the city.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wHZNyAurrCM/U9_Os-U-m-I/AAAAAAAAJTc/40v-cbPvcmM/s512/IMGP8614.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wHZNyAurrCM/U9_Os-U-m-I/AAAAAAAAJTc/40v-cbPvcmM/s512/IMGP8614.JPG" width="400"></a><p>A cobblestone street.</p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nf2bpjQRMEU/U9_OO9oNbcI/AAAAAAAAJTQ/J8KrnpAKyHk/s512/IMGP8620.JPG"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nf2bpjQRMEU/U9_OO9oNbcI/AAAAAAAAJTQ/J8KrnpAKyHk/s512/IMGP8620.JPG" width="400"></a><p>A street that will take you to the Old Jewish District. Actually the cobblestone street in the picture above will also take you to the Old Jewish District. I discovered that these streets run into each while I was just walking around. Look at the reddish brick building in both pictures to see what I'm talking about. That's the magic of just wondering that I love.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nzIIRXrpo6o/U9_NKkEMBLI/AAAAAAAAJSg/Yxx2N9b09pY/s512/IMGP8662.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nzIIRXrpo6o/U9_NKkEMBLI/AAAAAAAAJSg/Yxx2N9b09pY/s512/IMGP8662.JPG" width="400"></a><p>The Old Jewish District of Kazimierz.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xLmZ_Lh0GXI/U9_OGhzvFbI/AAAAAAAAJTE/wn_acH9pzL0/s800/IMGP8625.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xLmZ_Lh0GXI/U9_OGhzvFbI/AAAAAAAAJTE/wn_acH9pzL0/s800/IMGP8625.JPG" width="400"></a><p>The Old Synagogue.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FRjnPURKE5w/U9_OG8Ui-bI/AAAAAAAAJTI/-ukB875KXh0/s800/IMGP8623.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FRjnPURKE5w/U9_OG8Ui-bI/AAAAAAAAJTI/-ukB875KXh0/s800/IMGP8623.JPG" width="400"></a><p>A restaurant in the Old Jewish District with a really cool bike parked outside.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mSQhnshb8nE/U9_N9SiJWkI/AAAAAAAAJS4/97bM6msO3_U/s720/IMGP8630.JPG"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mSQhnshb8nE/U9_N9SiJWkI/AAAAAAAAJS4/97bM6msO3_U/s720/IMGP8630.JPG" width="400"></a><p>The light at this restaurant.<br /></p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VduPClQaY2M/U9_No6To2tI/AAAAAAAAJSw/2W6_NCLNJGc/s512/IMGP8633.JPG"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VduPClQaY2M/U9_No6To2tI/AAAAAAAAJSw/2W6_NCLNJGc/s512/IMGP8633.JPG" width="400"></a><p>Another street in Kazimierz.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k9nd3ar7c7c/U9_M9_hqnLI/AAAAAAAAJSY/zbQsDsc1b78/s800/IMGP8663.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k9nd3ar7c7c/U9_M9_hqnLI/AAAAAAAAJSY/zbQsDsc1b78/s800/IMGP8663.JPG" width="400"></a><p>Street art.</p><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IxI4WcfrEmA/U7bjN7Q4DtI/AAAAAAAAI8c/ltBtAFecS1g/s512/IMG_2876.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IxI4WcfrEmA/U7bjN7Q4DtI/AAAAAAAAI8c/ltBtAFecS1g/s512/IMG_2876.jpg" width="400"></a><br /><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-42074180827869131442014-08-05T09:15:00.000-05:002014-08-05T09:15:00.082-05:00summer strolls<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dHSVBN1-OK0/U-AAex1a4tI/AAAAAAAAJU8/GmjBhWO2qOo/s512/IMG_3151.jpg"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dHSVBN1-OK0/U-AAex1a4tI/AAAAAAAAJU8/GmjBhWO2qOo/s512/IMG_3151.jpg" width="400"></a><div align="center"><h4>image via create.your.happy</div></h4><p>A few weeks ago I went on a walk with <a href="http://www.whoisamy.com/">Amy KR</a> and a group of lovely people who had gathered together for one of her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKx6TmFDaiU">summer strolls</a>. As with all things Amy KR does, it was absolutely lovely. It was a perfect summer evening for strolling through the neighborhoods of Chicago. And as we strolled we chatted, stopping along the way as Amy pointed things out to us and then we finished the walk where we began. Afterwards Amy treated those of us who could stay to some ice cream at <a href="http://jenis.com/scoop-shops/#chicago">Jeni's</a>. It was nice getting to meet new people who all come together just to experience something lovely.</p><p>But what I realized after this summer stroll is that I need to go strolling more often. So that's what I've been doing. Whenever my mind is stuck I find the best way to unstick it is by getting my body moving. Sometimes grand ideas will emerge during these walks, other times the quiet and peacefulness is all I need. Of course, it's easy to go on these strolls during summer when the weather is gorgeous. I only hope that I'm able to find the motivation to stroll outside when winter comes.</p><p>If you're in Chicago this Friday, August 8 at 8:08pm then come join us at The Bean in Millennium Park for the last summer stroll. It'll be a lovely night for some <a href="http://createyourhappy.blogspot.com/search/label/beckoning%20of%20lovely">Beckoning of Lovely</a>- it's sure to be magical!</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-599934718623667469.post-33146877803454773942014-08-04T14:10:00.000-05:002014-08-04T12:16:49.027-05:00poland highlights - part three<p>The last part of our trip to Poland was spent in Krakow. It's a beautiful and vibrant city that feels like it's on the verge of a modern, cultural boom. It still has that old European city charm but it's a lot more progressive than I expected. I highly recommend visiting Krakow.</p><p>We took a bus from Chrzanow to Krakow arriving at the main train station late in the afternoon, much later then we planned due to some rain and traffic. The bus terminal is located behind the main train station which is attached to a gigantic shopping mall and is very confusing to navigate through for the first time. We had a heck of a time just getting out of the train station. To catch a taxi you have to go to the top level of the mall's parking garage. Weird, right? But since it was raining there was a line of people waiting and, of course, no taxis. So we decided to take a streetcar but we didn't know where to go to catch one. We walked around the mall with our guidebook but still had no idea where to go. We even went back to the train station to ask for directions at an information desk and still couldn't figure out where to go. It turns out that you have to walk all the way through the mall to get outside and then go under a pedestrian bridge to the streetcars. When we finally figured this out we still had no idea where to buy our tickets or how to get on the streetcars. They run in the middle of the road so you have to walk through a lane of traffic to get on. We decided not to risk this, which turned out to be a good thing because we realized later that had we taken the streetcar we would have taken one that was headed in the opposite direction of where we were staying.</p><p>When we finally jumped into a taxi we were over an hour late meeting the <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/630755?s=huVe">Airbnb</a> hosts we were renting an apartment from. Ebert and I feel pretty confident about taking public transportation, living in Chicago we take public transit often, but in Krakow we definitely felt like stupid tourists. Typically we would not stress about any of this, we usually like the adventure of getting lost and turned around in a new city, but since we were keeping people waiting for us it made the experience less than enjoyable. Luckily they weren't too annoyed with our tardiness and recommended a great restaurant nearby.</p><p>The apartment was located right along the Wisla River in the old Jewish Quarter of <a href="http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/sightseeing/jewishkrakow">Kazimierz</a>. The neighborhood is becoming a trendy and hip part of Krakow with lots of great restaurants and bars. Our hosts told us to go to the <a href="http://www.barkakrakow.pl/">Barka</a>, an old Dutch cargo boat that is now a restaurant. Several other boats turned restaurants line the banks of the Wisla. Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy so we couldn't dine on the deck.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-y5KWpFPuP0Q/U9-KrZ8AdFI/AAAAAAAAJRw/n4WmScSPzq4/s640/IMG_2828.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-y5KWpFPuP0Q/U9-KrZ8AdFI/AAAAAAAAJRw/n4WmScSPzq4/s640/IMG_2828.JPG" width="400"></a><p>After dinner we walked across the bridge and discovered that it was a lovers bridge.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ml_2vt2ffSs/U7biaMZWHXI/AAAAAAAAJBw/HPFWviPz_Yg/s512/IMG_2831.jpg"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ml_2vt2ffSs/U7biaMZWHXI/AAAAAAAAJBw/HPFWviPz_Yg/s512/IMG_2831.jpg" width="400"></a><p>Lovers will lock a lock to the bridge, then throw the key into the river forever locking their love together. It was quite romantic stumbling across this bridge at night with my own love. There was even a bride and groom taking pictures. I knew about this famous <a href="http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-love-locks-paris-20140610-story.html">lovers bridge</a> but had no idea there are hundreds of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_locations_with_love_padlocks">them</a> worldwide. Here's an interesting <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/opinion/sunday/the-locks-on-pariss-bridges-represent-a-misunderstanding.html?_r=0">article</a> about how some Parisians feel about these love locks.</p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2I4DK0psJYg/U7biVxKLBrI/AAAAAAAAJE0/knfCxuCT6a8/s512/IMG_2851.JPG"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2I4DK0psJYg/U7biVxKLBrI/AAAAAAAAJE0/knfCxuCT6a8/s512/IMG_2851.JPG" width="400"></a><p>The next day while Ebert was at his conference I wondered the city streets- I had no plans this first day I just wanted to see what there was to discover.</p><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iLLJTNpUo1U/U7bicahc6QI/AAAAAAAAI6w/XZIBFJFLt6k/s576/IMG_2853.jpg"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iLLJTNpUo1U/U7bicahc6QI/AAAAAAAAI6w/XZIBFJFLt6k/s576/IMG_2853.jpg" width="400"></a><p>I did quite a bit of walking this day and what I came to realize is that Krakow is a very easy city to navigate, once you get out of the train station that is. I would walk down one street and see something off in the distance so then I'd walk down another street and before I realized it I was back where I started. Once I figured out the lay of the city it was so fun and easy to get around.</p><br />Rosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021071711857200402noreply@blogger.com0