eating my way through NYC

Walk, Eat, Drink, Sleep. Repeat. 

I feel like it goes without saying but New York City has the best food in the world. Any food in the world you could want, I would bet you can eat it in New York. When I was feeling touristy, I snapped some shots of the delicious meals I ate. It's nice to remember how yummy it was, considering the massive hit that my bank account took after the weekend. Yep. It was worth it.

Crispy Sushi at Mira Sushi. The rice was flash-fried and tasted different than any sushi I'd had before. Amazing. 

The Formaggi & Salumi Plate @ Eataly's La Piazza

List of the cheeses (formaggi) available @ Eataly. Think this made me miss Rome? 

Brunch at The Smith. I had poached eggs with potato pancakes and creamed spinach. It was... glorious. 

It was the greatest weekend. Those girls sitting at that brunch table make my heart happy. They're all living in New York and it's everything. Fun / exhausting / crazy / challenging / rewarding / frustrating... Everything. I was happy to catch a glimpse and get a taste. 

Lions + a GoPro

If you couldn't tell by the name of this page, I'm a big cat fan. So my jaw was pretty much open in envy for 15 minutes as I watched this video of a South African man who has developed an incredible relationship with lions. The video focuses on his concern with the habitat loss and shrinking numbers of the lion population. I think it's great that GoPro, a company with a huge advertising budget, chooses to promote their product while shedding light on important moral issues. Way to go, GoPro. 

Facing 2014

I can't seem to get a thought down. I love my blog. I love LT&C. I look back at my old posts, and sometimes it's as if a different person wrote them. Well, in a way they did. Clare as of December 30, 2013 is not the same Clare who traveled to Tanzania and started this blog. In college, I felt so safe. It was easy to write my thoughts down on the internet and not give a care as to the repercussions. That doesn't just apply to blogging. Everything felt safer. Then I graduated college. Now, I'm about to enter to 2014. Minus a few weddings, birthdays and due dates, there isn't much written in the calendar for the year ahead. Is that ok? Sure. Is it scary as hell? You betcha.

But you know what's worst than being scared? Refusing look your fears right in the eye and give them a big mean look back. I've spent this last part of 2013 feeling scared. Feeling hidden and looked past. Watching the world go by and feeling more like an observer than an active participant. It can't keep going on like this. The girl who started LT&C back in 2010 would be disappointed. So, 2014. I'm ready for ya. Excited. Curious. Nervous. If I'm scared, I definitely won't be showing it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, LOVES. 

Camping is in-tents

"WHY?"

That's how most people responded when I told them my family had decided to spend a night camping in late November. I understand the confusion. It's very, very cold outside. Camping isn't necessarily a luxurious way to spend a night... but it sure was fun. 

The day after Thanksgiving, my Dad + sister + brother + their SO's + my niece + I drove to Amicalola Falls State Park, about thirty minutes from Jasper and Dawsonville. We bypassed the cabins and headed deep into the woods where we found a wonderfully preserved campsite, complete with a firepit, tree hooks and even a toilet lid balanced on 2x4's. No thanks. But luckily, I have some great family friends who lent us some camping supplies to go along with our meager belongings. Did I mention it was cold? I wore three pairs of pants/leggings, three tops + a jacket, UGG's, and a fluffy hat that I became incredibly grateful for.

looking west: view from the ridge

sister smiles: before the temperature dropped

Isabella's fire sticks: pine needles & leaves wrapped in newspaper. She's brilliant! 

dinner is served: beans & burgers on the "grill"

A lot of people try to escape their family, but luckily we enjoy our time together. We put the cellphones away (even though we had service...) and spent the time focusing on things we usually take for granted: the automatic flame on the grill, the knobs on the stove top, indoor lighting, comfy couches... But it was a special night. We drank hot chocolate, listened to music, told stories, and did our best to stay warm. For my 10-year-old niece, obsessed with Minecraft and One Direction, a night in the woods offers an peacefulness that she rarely experiences. Heck, it offered all of us some peacefulness.

The whistling of the wind through the valley all night? I could do without. But the stars? I hadn't seen them shine like that in quite a while.