Really Big News (My Head is Spinning)

So, remember I alluded to having some possible big plans in the works? Well it's been a few months in the making, but I am finally (and happily) being promoted as an Student Advisor with Across the Pond (a company I adore), and I am moving to NEW YORK CITY.

New. York. City.

Newwwwwwww York (bleepin') City.

Is this real life?!?

I don't know what else to say except that this feels right, and I feel a little less scared than when I moved to London. That's because London completely trained me for these big moments in life, moments I am ready to grab and stand up and say YES to. Not without fear, but with the knowledge that I have one life to live and I AM GOING TO LIVE IT DAMMIT. I'm excited for all the new things to come. I move toward the end of summer, and I'm really, really ready...

My 5 Favorite Boston Sites

1. The Freedom Trail 

I'm totally cheating by putting down the Freedom Trail as #1, cause the Freedom Trail actually covers NUMEROUS sites. The trail takes you on a "follow this brick road" tour through the major historical sites of Boston. It's a GENIUS idea and there's even an app for it!! Expect to see old churches and graveyards, state buildings, and the site for the Boston Massacre. The trail is something like 2 miles in length--totally walkable and completely worth it.

2. Fenway Park/Red Sox Game

At the Green Monster! Go Red Sox! #boston #travel

A photo posted by Ashley (@ashleyjay33) on Jun 7, 2015 at 12:02pm PDT

After going to a Red Sox game, I think I'm a fan now. It's hard to not be sucked into the Red Sox cult when witnessing the die-hard fans in person. All I could think while I was there was "Now this is a baseball game!!" Oh, and I got to sing "Sweet Caroline." Yep, I'm in the cult now.

3. Boston Harbor

Beautiful and historic Boston Harbor. And if you're anything like Ilse and me, you'll want to reenact throwing tea into the harbor. (Yes, Ilse and I are actually holding tea bags--English Breakfast, in case you're wondering). Of course I put this photo on Facebook, tagged all my British friends and captioned it "NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, BITCHES!" Our founding fathers would be proud. (We didn't actually throw the tea into the harbor, by the way).


4. Famous TV Sites--Cheers and Ally McBeal

Do I need to explain? If you're a fan of either of these shows, you just gotta go!


5. The Boston Public Library 

I'm pretty sure I'll be dedicating a whole post to this gorgeous library, but I had to also add it to this list. DO NOT MISS THIS GEM. I was flabbergasted by its beauty, and there's just something about lion statues.

What are some of your favorite Boston sites? 

Boston: the Old, the New, and the Pretty

Boston is this really cool mix of historical and modern buildings, and they all seem to work like an intricate puzzle. In my mind, it reminded me of both London and San Diego--sooooo, Ashley in city form, basically? Yes. I would definitely call this place a soul city of mine. I'll get into more stories in later posts, but I simply wanted to show you all the pretty I saw...

 The above picture is actually at Harvard, but I had to sneak it in, because Harvard!!

Boston, you so pretty! 

A Love Letter to Boston

Boston,

You have joined the ranks of Cities I Adore, Cities I Would Live In, and any other love list I can make for cities. You've got beauty, you've got style, you've got history, and you've got that sexy attitude. Clearly the full package, I can't help but wonder if I will indeed live in you one day. Like Rome, London, New York, and other cities I keep close to my heart, you are a new favorite I will dream of on the rough days, my beautiful muse...

Until We Meet Again,
Ashley xoxo


***
Yeah, I'm a little insane. Whatevs. In all seriousness, I have a few Boston posts up my sleeve! I need to catch up on blogs! And I've been awaiting some important news from my job. Egads! Next week should be interesting.

A Three Sentence Movie Review

I thought I would hurry up and watch a few films to get this post up sooner rather than later. All this in order to warn you against #1. Just doing my civic duty!!


1. Aloha

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME, MONEY, OR OXYGEN ON THIS MOVIE. I am convinced that Rachel McAdams, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, and Bill Murray were either drugged/owed Cameron Crowe favors/were coerced to sign onto this piece of shit film. I can't even list all the issues with it, but one HUGE problem is that has about 20 plots in one movie, all of which give you a migraine by the end.


2. Annie Hall

It took me far too long to see this brilliant piece of art that must have been extremely innovative in the late 70s. I can clearly see how many movies have tried to match the witty dialogue (Before Sunrise), the artistic elements (500 Days of Summer), and the endearing realism found in Annie Hall, which truly is the gold standard. Diane Keaton just shined from within here; the brilliant cast (a young Christopher Walken??) mixed with the loveable neuroticism that is the script had me just adoring this film.


3. Barefoot

Ugh, what even went on here? It's my fault for playing it, I guess, but you know a movie is bad when it brings down the usually refreshing Evan Rachel Wood (who plays a mental patient here). It's not the worst thing I've ever seen (see number 1, above), but it's certainly not worth your precious time.


4. In a World...

Solid film, and Lake Bell is totally loveable in it. There wasn't an innovative plot, or anything, but the acting is superb and the dialogue is ace (including making fun of how the Brits say soy, "soya" if you're interested). I'd call this a funny feel-good film that gives a small glimpse into the world of voiceovers.


Photo Credits: 1/2/3/4

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And I'm off to Boston tomorrow...the travel bug is back again! 

Do-It-Yourself Shiny Hair Mask

I don't often blog about DIY Tutorials on my blog, but when I come across something as easy as this, I need to share. I can be a lazy girl at times (she says with a big smile), so any do-it-yourself thing needs to cater to that lazy side.

You'll only need two(!) ingredients: Coconut oil and raw honey. Organic is obviously preferred, but work with what you've got, okay?

Scoop 1 tablespoon of each into a saucepan. If your hair is longer, two tablespoons of each should be sufficient. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it completely melts and you have something that looks like this:

Slather/massage it onto wet, yet unwashed hair while the mixture is still warm. Wrap your hair up in a bun/shower cap/towel for at least 15 minutes, but preferably one hour if you have the time! After the magic happens, shampoo and condition your hair like normal. And that's it! OH THE WONDERS OF COCONUT OIL! You'll notice softer, shinier hair immediately. It's recommended that you do this little "mask" once a week.

Oh and yes, it's a little messy, so be prepared for that! I originally got this "recipe" from Juilanne Hough, a celebrity blog that I actually enjoy.

Happy Tuesday, all! 

For Shits and Giggles

Previously titled "Made You Laugh," this new title has always made me LOL on its very own. One has to ponder, where does the term "shits and giggles" come from? Maybe something I shouldn't think about too hard. Since my week was a tad rough, I thought I could do with posting some lightheartedness.

Behold, things I found on the interwebs the past week that produced a laugh:

Lastly, I love how Netflix cleverly snuck this into my viewing options...

The (Mighty) Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs in Oxford is a sad and beautiful thing, isn't it? Even though it appears shrouded in despair, it seems to find strength from its solitude. I'm not sure why I find this bridge so full of woe, but I certainly identify with it this week. It's just one of those weeks for me, the kind of weeks  that always come around in life, but that I'd rather not be a part of, thankyouverymuch.

However, I do love that us humans have found a way to divide time into days, weeks, and months so that our little minds can wrap around the idea of yesterday being gone and tomorrow being hopeful. So I can say things like, "This week was utter crap! But next week is a new deal!" It's like the way that people pass through this bridge, coming and going, and the only remaining presence is the bridge itself, still standing strong despite all the years. Because it too knows that next week is a new deal. 

A Three-Sentence Movie Review

1. How to Die in Oregon

Documentary that intimately follows one story of a woman with cancer thinking about opting for Death with Dignity (also known as euthanasia). It physically hurts to watch this film, yet it also gives great insight into those choosing the euthanasia path when all other options are depleted. While the documentary covers the pro-choice side well, it could do a little more to explain the other side of the coin; either way, you can't help but feel for Cody's plight (pictured above).


2. Save the Date

One commitment phobe sister, another sister who is getting married. I wanted to like this seemingly quirky film a little more, but it simply fell short, especially because sometimes the characters felt more like caricatures (how funny that the lead character is a cartoonist). It was like they didn't know how to really end it, so they just went with something quick, painless, and unoriginal.


3. The Believer

Ryan Gosling as you've never seen him before--in the role of a Neo-Nazi. This is a little, uh, tough to watch; however, at the same time it provides great insight into how hatred is formed. Overall, there's something really interesting here and if you're into psychological stuff, you might enjoy it.


4. Refuge

Not worth your time. I saw a semblance of a story line, but it really couldn't come together, and I especially could not get behind the blasé romance they tried to create here. I was praying and praying that the movie would just END (even though Netflix told me exactly how long I had left to sit through this hell).


Photo credits: 1/2/3/4

All of these movies can be found on good ol' Netflix Instant!

Favorite Thing Thursday

1. Booking a Trip to Boston

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I have a friend who lives in Boston and it's a city I've been meaning to visit for a long time! Once I saw airfare drop to a magically low rate for the span of two short weeks, I was on it! It's about traveling smart, guys and gals, and finding a way to not break the bank for your passions! 

2. Devious Travel Websites

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To go along with #1, I finally got to use the site Skiplagged. Yes, you may have heard they are being sued by United Airlines. I think they're absolutely brilliant (any way to stick it to the man!). This CBS article explains it well:

"It works like this: A traveler looking to fly from Newark to Miami might find it's actually cheaper to buy a ticket to Charleston with a stopover in Miami. At the time, the direct flight was $541 while the Skiplagged route was $325. Yahoo Travel Executive Editor Laura Begley Bloom said hidden-city ticketing has been around for years. 

'This has been a dirty little secret of the travel industry for a really long time,' Bloom said. 'Then along came Skiplagged, and your average traveler suddenly knew about it.'"

Of course, the one thing is you can't check luggage using this system. But with all the fees airlines put on checked luggage, that's quite alright with me!

3. Seven, a Fitness App

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Chiara mentioned this app on her blog and I knew my lazy bones needed to have it in my life. Seven provides circuits that are 7 minutes in length. These circuits are supposed provide the optimum amount of exercise in the shortest amount of time. Also, the app sort of works like a video game where you can unlock new workouts, as well as lose lives if you skip a workout. And it works on me! I start the workout and put on my favorite jams (90s jams, of course) and I'm good to go!


4. Kaitlyn is the Bachelorette! 

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Yes, I am a Bachelor/Bachelorette watcher. It's pure comedy gold, that show. Besides making fun of it, I also secretly really like it. Maybe because it seems to be one huge psychological experiment! Anyway, this season had that stupid voting twist that left everyone enraged...but the right girl was chosen (I'm pretty sure Kaitlyn was the Bachelorette all along, but they wanted to build some suspense for TV, ugh!). 

I Am a Passenger (I Ride Through the City's Backsides)

I was watching an Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown episode on Miami (Anthony is my hero, but I guess I should save that for another post), and who should pop up but Iggy Pop? Apparently Iggy now resides in Miami (whhhaaat??) and enjoys the slowness of a beach town. He talked about visiting the ocean, being at peace, and finding the "end of complications" there.

The end of complications. Wow, I thought, what a notion. And as beautiful and peaceful and amazing as that sounds, I don't want that yet.

Say what, Ashley? 

You heard right. I'm still in a zone where I want challenges. I want adventure. I want to jump as highly into the sky as possible. I want to dive into treacherous waters. When I stare at the ocean I don't see the end of complications. Sure, it relaxes me. It brings me peace. But that is because when I stare at that forceful entity, I see endless possibilities. I think to myself, if I sail that way, will I reach Japan? I'm in no mood to settle down anytime soon. It's not time to retire, it's time to live!

I'm finally 30, and with that comes a lot of talk about calming down, becoming "old," and settling. But why? Don't get me wrong, I'm not the same partier as my twenty-something self. I like relaxing more, I like taking the world in through less wilder eyes. But I think I'm onto this new phase of pushing myself. This weekend I tried two new challenging things just because: salsa dancing and Buti Yoga. My butt and thighs are now majorly sore, but my heart is content. I like diving into things that are slightly uncomfortable at first. I like letting myself make a few mistakes because I know I will learn from them. I like this new Ashley; I applaud her vulnerability.

Because this post is Iggy themed, of course I felt like referencing one of his best hits. "The Passenger" is most definitely about adventuring. I especially love the line, "I ride through the city's backsides," because to me it means finding your own path, which may not always be the path widely taken.

I get why Iggy wants to settle down now. He was a mover and shaker in his day, and now he wants a bit of rest. As for me, I'm not there yet. My ride has not stopped in any one location; I am a passenger on an awesome ride, and I hope I keep pushing myself across unknown borders and unchartered territory (and cities' backsides). One day I may yearn for the end of complications, but right now I have some more riding to do.