My Therapy

I love to run.


There is nothing like it. It is my therapy. It gives me a chance to reflect on the day; it gives me a chance to forgive myself for whatever decisions I made during that day and to process everything I've done. It gives me a chance to calm down if I've had a bad day. It gives me a chance to daydream or to just pump myself up with whatever playlist pops up on the iPod.

I don't know. It's relieves all of my tension, anger, frustration, etc. It's just amazing. I have a goal of running in the Mercedes half-marathon in February. I've been training pretty hard to be able to not just finish, but finish in a respectable time. Guys, that's 13 miles. 13 miles! I mean, who would have that the chunky girl from high school would be running in half-marathons?!

I'm so glad that I discovered the power of exercise. It doesn't just do good for your body; it helps out mentally...seriously.

(via through pinterest)

New Orleans Cotton Mouth Kings

I heart jazz music. I love the rhythm; I love the instruments; I love the chance to swing dance to anything!!

So we went to the Spotted Cat (look it up! nothing but good reviews!!) and were pleasantly surprised to hear the New Orleans Cotton Mouth Kings playing! And I mean, these guys were incredible. They had a standup bass (which I love!!) and a clarinet! And, I mean, I was blown away. We stayed until their complete set was over. You couldn't pull me away!!

There was this amazing trombone player that came out of nowhere, and the upright bass player mouthed to me that he was amazing! Look how close I was to him! He could have blown my ear drums out. He didn't; don't worry.

I wonder if all the flashes bothered them? Oh well. I had to do it. Plus, the bass player? Gorgeous! I didn't really get any super good pictures (or that up close). Sue me, I don't want to look like a completely crazy person!

We heard about this bar from one of Bennett's friends who is from New Orleans. It's actually next to two other bars that are supposedly just as famous (DBA Lounge & Snug Harbor), but we got so pulled in by the dive-y feeling of this one.

Seriously. Go Yelp! it and check out all the great reviews!

Oh, and if you didn't know, and on a completely different note, Teen Nick started playing all the old shows from the '90s. Why didn't Clarissa ever date Sam??

My Heart Belongs to NOLA

Yet again, we spent another weekend in New Orleans. I love this place. There is no place full of such pride and amazingness than here. (I'm fully aware that amazingness is not a word, but for the purposes of this post, it's going to be.)

And I'm not talking about just Bourbon Street, although we had some fun there (AKA $6 HUGE vodka tonics), but walking on Frenchman Street (more to come on that in later posts), eating at Mandina's (ditto), and finding a delicious Italian hole in the wall that actually took one of our checks, since he didn't take credit cards.

I think moving there would take the magic out of the place, although they seemed to have so many condos, apartments and homes near Loyola University for rent. I guess I wouldn't mind living there for a year or so.

I'm a nomad. I love to move and change. You know how change bothers some people? I am so not one of them. In face, most of the time, I embrace it, but that's for another date and time. On to the NOLA goodness.

Saturday morning we got up early to eat breakfast at Cafe Beignet. Below are some of the pictures from their place...

Jazz statue in the courtyard.

Italian wedding lights are my fave.

Holla, they were everywhere!

The chair backs in the shapes of hearts. Loved it.

And the food! Cajun hash browns with andouille

The beignets! Yummy!!! And way better than our home-made ones.

I'm telling you from the bottom of my heart, if you have not made a trip there, you really really need to.

Seriously. Go. :)