inspiration

Endless

Today I went exploring with two dear DC friends of mine, Aliya and Josh. Without a plan for the day, I decided to take them to some of New York’s best; a mix of places I’ve been meaning to see (The High Line) and personal favorites I’ve been wanting to revisit (Momofuku Milk Bar from last summer’s NYC excursion). Our time was open-ended, the weather was perfect and today, New York felt endless but not overwhelming.

My favorite part about living here so far is how visually stimulating the city is. Every new neighborhood means a new chance to see something inspiring, and that inspiration comes in all shapes and forms: paintings on buildings, the installation art in shop windows, a street performer’s costume, even the way the skyline looks from different vantage points.

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

DSC_0106

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

Photo Credit: Madeline Beard

We finished the day off eating dim sum in Chinatown, a neighborhood that I now fondly refer to as home. While nothing of great importance happened today, I feel like our adventure will be a memory I cherish for a very long time. There’s something to be said for simply enjoying the company of good friends, with zero agenda but to make the moments you have together wonderful.

When life hands you lemonade, sometimes you’ve just gotta smile and say “thanks”.

More adventures to come.

Surf’s Up… on the Interwebz

Hello readers! Or should I say aloha? As the temperatures stay well below my comfort zone and my first instinct is to hibernate under my covers for days, I have been using an alternative method of escapism to bring blue skys and sunshine into my life. While living vicariously through the internet 100% of the time can make me feel like a bit of a twitchy-eyed goblin creature, in small doses the internet can be quite the mood booster. So, here are some of my happiest discoveries from these past few weeks:

1. An epic pep talk from an unexpected source

2. A beautiful song for a grey day

3. My new favorite website for design inspiration

oh_beautiful_beer

4. A postcard that speaks volumes

Source: imgfave.com via Madeline on Pinterest

5. Planning meals for the newest addition to my kitchen

The best part about the start of a new month is the opportunity to hit life’s refresh button and get back on track — I have always preferred starting something at the beginning of a new week or month — February will be all about getting back to balance. I miss little habits that seem to have fallen through the cracks so far — carrying my camera around with me 24/7, baking for the hell of it, weekend render-vous in DC and seeing my family that lives here. So, with this post, I want to raise a virtual glass to the little steps. To the reminders and the efforts that come out of them that keep me moving forward. It’s hard to see the progress when life goes whizzing by you, sometimes you just have to stop, turn around and look at how far you’ve come. Then keep moving. That’s my plan at least.

A wish of sweet dreams to all of my night owl friends and a good morning to all of my early risers. More adventures to come.

Mountains + Air

The last few days have been restorative. Plenty of sleep, delicious meals, time spent playing with the cutest children and making memories with family, and precious moments giving thanks for the beautiful gifts this life has given me.

Yesterday I got to take a few hours to breathe in the mountain air, enjoy the gorgeous scenery and embrace life in the here and now. I spent five important summers in Colorado at Sanborn Western Camps (from age 10 to 16) and now whenever I come back for a visit, I feel right at home. I love the District for its constant movement and energy, but there is something so perfect about being able to take a walk in the woods and only hear the sound of your own footsteps.

More photos from our thanksgiving feast to come, for now a few fitting quotes and songs that have marked my trip: