Cry For Help.

I am going to start this post with a few clips that I think show New York in its best light.  The first is from the movie You've Got Mail.  The second is Jay-Z's video for "Empire State of Mind".  I realize that these clips are completely opposite, but I like them.  And they get me excited for my trip to New York City in a few weeks. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2ACWi-Jm-o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8

While I am there, I plan on doing a few things that I have never done before.

1.  Take the cruise around the harbor.  Hopefully this will be my awesome view of the city.  

2.  Walk/ride through Central Park in the fall.  I am looking forward to bright foliage.  (P.S. I think this last comment really ages me.  I know that I am 27, but my #2 thing to do in NYC is look at fall foliage.  I think this is a cry for help). 

3.   Eat at good restaurants and go to some cool bars.  (I think this makes up for #2). 

Okay, so #3 is a call for assistance.  For all of you New Yorkers, where should I eat?  Where should I drink?  I like a good dark bar that has comfy seating and delicious beer.  Nothing too snazzy or club-like.  Something neighborhoody.  PLEASE, tell me where to go!  I would love your suggestions! 

Cheers!

Lusting for Fall

I cannot express enough my love for summer.  The flip-flops, the days by the pool, three months vacation...  It it truly hard to beat.  But by September when the days are still 95 degrees and the mall is starting to put out sweaters and boots, I start to really jones for some fall weather.  So I thought I would share with you a few things that I am lusting after this upcoming fall.  I realize that most of you could care less about what I want to wear this fall, so really this blog entry is just a glorified excuse for me to window online shop. 

I really want these red Hunter boots.

Wouldn't they just be perfect for rainy gamedays?  Also, they could serve as my snow boots for the five days it snows during the winter in Oklahoma.  And they are just really cute.  Anyone know where I can find some for waaay less than $125?

I also want this dress from Anthropologie.  Big shocker that I like something from this store, but they just have the cutest clothes that are perfect for teaching.   Casual but still polished.

I especially like shirt dress aspect of it.  Corduroy is perfect for fall and the nipped in waist always looks put together.  Sidenote:  Isn't corduroy the weirdest word?  It is not how you expect it to be spelled.

I love a good scarf.  As soon as it is cool enough for me to bust one out, you can bet that I am wearing one.  While I was in Italy, I got this cute pink/red scarf that is just wispy enough to wear in 60-70 degree weather.  Perfect addition to any outfit. 

But, I also like this scarf from Anthropologie.  Isn't it cute? 

I like that it has lots of colors in it that could match pretty much any outfit.  And it looks cozy. 

Well, that is it for me when it comes to shopping.  If you have any must have fall items, feel free to comment!  I would love to see what you like to wear too! 

OU Football. Enough Said.

OU football is an event in Norman.  If you have never attended a game in Norman, I'm not sure if this post will be as fun for you as it is for Sooner fans.

This past weekend was the second game of the season against Florida State.  After a kind of weak performance against Utah State, Sooner fans were ready to crush the Seminoles.   It was an afternoon game, which really meant that Saturday was ENTIRELY devoted to football at the Pawley household.  When you live around campus, the party starts early.  Like 9:00 a.m. early.  Trust me.  There are people outside drinking beer this early on gamedays.  And ESPN Gameday starts at that time, so of course it was on every television in the house.  

The great thing about football season is not just the games but also tailgating.  A longtime friend David Proctor and the law firm he works for hosts a tailgate that is worthy of mention.  The GPHG tailgate offers food, fun, and some mighty fine bar tending.   I want to give a shout out because they have hosted our gameday festivities for the past few years and I appreciate it.  The food is always good and the beer is always cold.  The last two games have been extremely fun, and we were able to see so many old and new friends from college and beyond.  Thanks GPHG!

OU football also means that we get to see our friends that live elsewhere and in town more often.  Our friends Andrew and Jill who live in Dallas come up to Norman for almost every home game and stay at our house.

I like this picture.  it shows our dedication.

I also got to see my sister and her husband who live in Dallas.

 

I also got to see my friends Kyle and Holly who also live in Dallas.  (Wow, I know a lot of people who live in Dallas).  Holly and I were lucky enough to snag a picture with Boomer.  Or Sooner...I'm not sure which one is which.  

We also got to see our great friends who live right here in OKC and Norman, which is always a good time. 


The game was incredible, and we ended up beating Florida State 47-17.  Boo ya.

 I'm looking forward to a great season!  Boomer!

Normantastic

 It has unfortunately been too long since my last post, mainly because I have started school again.  Above is a picture of my desk after four days of school.  You can see why I haven't been posting.

If you haven't guessed or read my profile, I am an English teacher here in Norman, OK.  I teach senior English, which is by far the greatest grade to teach.  (This statement applies to me and me only.  There are some teachers out there who would beg to differ).  The kids are ridiculously sure of themselves and I get to be a part of monumental moments in and outside of the classroom.  As an added bonus, I do not have any testing in my grade, which means that I don't have any added pressures from the state department.  My main goal is to help my kids graduate and learn how to write before they enter college.  The writing part is the toughest part of my job, thus, the crazy, messy desk.

This post is about Norman, and how awesome it can be.  Two Saturdays ago, Travis and I decided to take Toby on a walk and get some coffee at Cafe Plaid and we stumbled upon a street market on Campus Corner called the Dustbowl Arts Market.

It was such a cool little street market, with really neat local clothing and home decorations as well as some great music.

There was one artist in particular, Jacob Abella, who was really great.  He was a strange mix between Rufus Wainwright and Ryan Adams, and Mika.  Check him out on itunes, he has some good songs.  Also, he lives in Norman!  Help support those Norman artists!

Norman also has a great music festival in the spring called the Norman Music Festival that has some great bands and even greater atmosphere.  It is pretty huge, and it located on Main Street.  If you are ever in town during the Music Festival, you should definitely attend! 

These kinds of events are one of my favorite things about Norman.  There is a thriving music and art scene and Normanites really appreciate the local side of Norman.  Needless to say, Travis and I had a great Saturday a few blocks down the street from our house.  We rode our bikes all day, ate local food, listened to local bands, and drank a few local (okay maybe not local) brews.  All in all, it was a great day!

The Sweet Life

Il dolce far niente...

In Italian, this means the sweetness of doing nothing.  Such a beautiful phrase.  I love the idea that doing nothing is in fact doing something, and that it is considered beautiful by Italians.  This is what I love most about Italy, this phrase.  But alas, I am a teacher and my days of "doing nothing" (a.k.a summer) will be over as of Thursday.  So, these posts will be a little less frequent because I will be busy with my day job.  But, I am going to try my best to update as often as possible.  I still have stories to tell about  Italy as well as other cities I have visited so stay tuned!  But today, take some time to do nothing, and enjoy every second of it!

Where Should I Go Next?

I am always thinking of my next trip.  I am constantly looking for flight deals and Travis and I are always figuring out just how much money a certain trip will cost.  I am not so good with the budget thing (big surprise) so thankfully Travis can add quickly in his head what things will cost.  With that said, it takes some early planning for a big trip (like to Italy) and we had to make some sacrifices this past year which included less smaller trips during the year.  Here are a few places that we have been thinking about visiting this upcoming year.  Please feel free to offer suggestions if you have visited any of these places!  I would love some advice!

New York City:

New York City is a place that I have visited many times thanks to a pretty consistent girl trip with my mom and sister.  We just got back from this great place in July and had a great time taking in shows and shopping.  More on our girl trip later.  But, Travis has not visited NYC in a while and wants to visit again.  We wanted to go last fall, but decided on the big trip to Italy so we saved our money.  Now, we think we can do it this fall, so I have been looking up some flights and some places to stay and things to do.  We really want to visit in the fall (late October) because I think the weather will be beautiful.  The hardest thing about NYC is that it is really expensive.  A nice hotel in Boston or San Francisco that would cost between $150-250 would cost at least $250-250 a night in New York.  Also, food is really expensive, too.  We would definitely be spending more.  Any suggestions on decent hotels that are under $200? 

Buenos Aires:

 I am lucky enough to have visited quite a few European cities, so I really want to go somewhere different for our next big trip and to me, Buenos Aires fits the bill.  I have never been to South America, and everything I read on this Argentinean city makes me want to visit.  Here is Fodor's list of reasons to visit Buenos Aires and I am particularly excited about #3.  One of the biggest issues with visiting South America is the weather.  The best time for Travis and me to take big trips is during the summer, and in South America it is not summer, but rather winter.  For example, today it is a balmy 52 degrees.  I realize that every country south of the equator is experiencing winter right now, but when it has been over 100 degrees every day for the past two weeks it is hard to imagine wearing a coat in August.  

Okay, now I am getting into trips that if I had endless amounts of money, I would visit in the next year.  
Amsterdam:

 I have visited Amsterdam but I was only there for a few days and I was in college.  That is all I am going to say about that...

Anyway, I really want to visit Amsterdam and experience the museums (especially the Van Gogh museum) with Travis.  His favorite artist is Van Gogh and I know he would love to see his famous paintings.  Also, I was watching Ocean's Twelve, and the beginning is in Amsterdam and it looks awesome.  Maybe I could plan a trip with George Clooney and Brad Pitt.  It could happen. 

Basque Country, Spain:

 Ever since I saw Anthony Bourdain's episode of Spain on his show "No Reservations" I have been lusting over this area of Spain.  It has all things I love.  The beach, great weather, history, architecture, and great food.  I need to visit this place.  I think this trip alone is a reason that this teacher needs to get paid more.  I'll share pictures, I promise.  I'm just sayin...

Anyway, these are just a few places that I am lusting over.  I know Travis has his own list of places he wants to visit in the near future, too.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to share!  Enjoy!

Laissez les bons temps roulez

It has been over a year since Travis and I have visited our good friends Devyn and Brandon Smith in New Orleans.

 Ever since they moved there in May of 2007, we have tried our very best to visit them as often as possible.  This is because we absolutely love hanging out with the Smiths and also because we love visiting New Orleans.  We are lucky to have friends that live there, because they have the inside scoop on great restaurants and festivals.

One of my favorite things that I have ever done in New Orleans is attend Jazz Fest.

 It is mainly a Jazz  and Blues Festival that has artists from Simon and Garfunkel to Bon Jovi.  We did not attend this past spring (much to our disappointment) but were able to visit in the spring of 2009.  People take their Jazz Fest seriously.  You can see the flags in the picture above.  This is from people who set up shop early in the morning with their fancy lawn chairs and flags to mark their spots.  The year we visited the headliners were Kings of Leon and Bon Jovi.  While walking around you might see some of these guys. 

And after the show you might see this.

 This guy had a really good time at Jazz Fest.  Don't worry, he is still alive.  I kid, I kid. 

Both acts were great, and the street music was entertaining but the real reason you attend Jazz Fest is for the food.  Ahhhhhh, the food! 

It seems like there are hundreds of food stands with all kinds of Cajun food and drink.  Be prepared to eat more than one meal while at Jazz Fest.  My favorite thing at Jazz Fest is a sandwich called Cochon du Lait.  This po-boy does not exist anywhere other than Jazz Fest, so it is very popular food stand.  It is a pork po-boy made with milk fed pork and served up hot.  Ughhhhhmmmmmm.  I honestly don't have any adjectives to describe this sandwich.  My mouth is watering now.  My friend Devyn actually found a restaurant in New Orleans (I think restaurant is a relative term, she described it more as a guy's trunk) that sells Cochon du Lait at times other than Jazz Fest.  That is how important this sandwich is.  Go to Jazz Fest.  Eat a Cochon du Lait.

Enough about Cochon du Lait.  I realize I can't get one for lunch today so I will have to deal with it.  Moving on.  If you want a great meal in New Orleans are you are not there during Jazz Fest, visit Jacque Imo's. 

As you can see it is kind of a hole in the wall place, but it has great authentic Cajun food.  And a very personable owner.

Devyn and I wanted to take a picture with him and he jumped into our arms without any warning.  He is lucky we caught him.  Also, he was completely sober.  Just kidding.  He was not sober at all.  Can you tell?

Jacque Imo's is an all night kind of thing, so plan accordingly.

I could write a ton more about New Orleans, so I will save it for another post so as not to bore you.  If you want to eat well and meet some crazy people, visit New Orleans! 


P.S.  It took Travis almost the entire drive from Oklahoma to Louisiana to pronounce the title of this post.  If you can do it, props.