Roshambo

This is what it's all about.

Love.

Connection.

Adventure.

Together.

Greatest Love

Valentine's Day story from my Tar-jay run at lunch.

In the parking lot, I  could hear music coming from a white Lexus SUV that was searching for a parking spot. As it got closer, I could hear Whitney's "Greatest Love of All" emanating from the vehicle. The lady driver must have been at full volume. Not your everyday car jam, right? Then I thought, "oh, I guess that's fitting. It is Valentine's Day after all."

I wouldn't call myself a Whitney fan, but will say from my childhood, I'm pretty sure I know all the lyrics to that song. The children are our future, right? Back in the day when I was a kid listening to that song I don't know that I was really paying much attention to the lyrics. It was just a fun song to sing along to. Here's the thing, as a kid these lyrics must have set in:

 "Learning to love yourself. It is the greatest love of all."

Seeds planted all those years ago, that learning to love yourself business has been a big lesson in my life. I agree 100%. They say, you can't love another if you don't love yourself. And someone who doesn't love themself cannot fully love. Can't argue with that.

Happy Valentine's Day from my heart to yours.

Currently

This is me right now:

Feeling a bit of wanderlust. Plans to hit Coachella did not come together this year. Tickets went on sale today and I am somewhat sad that I'm not going. The line up is RIDICULOUS, but am now seeing not going as an opportunity to spend the time and money elsewhere. Just have to figure that part out.

Obsessed with ankle boots. I've been looking for a pair for a while and have found TWO! Of course! Friend at work told me that I should just get them both, because "you don't splurge on anything, really." Um, talk me into it - as if I needed the help! And I just had the thought - "think of all the money you're not spending on Coachella this year."

 Sam Edelman Myron Ankle Boot

Ella Moss Print Ankle Boot

Online dating? It's been a few years since I briefly (very briefly) tried it. I've dated a couple gentlemen in the meantime that I met in real life. Considering the online thing again since I am not sure where or how I'm ever going to meet the "one" in real life, so it's back to the thought that increasing my odds might not be such a bad idea. Except...except, people seem to be in two distinct camps when it comes to online dating - they either love it/have met their match or they have creepy tales of how horrible it is. Toss of the dice. As with anything in life. So whatever, right?

Wondering "why are dudes like this?" "Like how they are." So I actually do meet dudes in real life. To date, many have ended up being super random. I've pretty much given up trying to figure anyone out. Dudes, y'all are random and I don't even know.

Where are the band aids? I burned my finger pretty badly putting something in the oven over the weekend. Have been putting neo sporin on the burn and keeping it covered with a band aid. I used the last one this morning. You know what? There are a lot of band aids in one package. I certainly am not accident prone, but somehow I managed to use them all up doing who knows what to myself. If I had to guess, there would be lots of band aids used for running/shoe related injuries. Ha!

Back on the mat. Tonight I'm going to an actual yoga class. It's been ages since I've been to a class. I'm excited and sort of anxious about it. What if I don't remember the poses? Then I'm like, dude, it's yoga, go with the flow. So that's what I'm going to do. Oh, and I painted my toes, so at least I'll have cute toes! ...so I just got back from class and it was AH-MAZING! Hot yoga, yo! It felt so good. I think it's going to be a great way for me to cross train during running season. Already have a plan to go back! My arms feel heavy already too - can't wait to feel that good-after-work-out hurt tomorrow!

Digging grapefruit. So why do I love grapefruit so much this winter? I bought a bag of them this weekend and have been eating one a day since. I thought I'd end up giving my mom and her hubby some, but they already had some and now I'm happy they didn't want them. I want all of them. So tart and sweet. Why don't I like to drink grapefruit juice then? If it's not straight outta the fruit, I don't want it.

That's all I've got for now. Gonna drink some more water so I don't wake up with muscle cramps after sweating like a beast in yoga tonight.

Happy New Year, Ninjas!

Another year and here we are. Happiness and new year's blessings to you!

I'm not much into resolutions. This is more my speed: every day is a good day to be the best person I can be, learn new things, meet new people, be healthy and generally find ways to keep life interesting.

Heading into 2013, I'm looking forward to more running, more travel, finding more ways to be creative and keeping my heart and mind open to new experiences.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Boys Don't Cry

Someone sang this song to me in a voicemail once. This version. I realize it's song by the Cure originally, but it was this version. The whole thing could have played out a bit like a movie scene, but it didn't.

Carry-On Luggage Only? YES!

Are you the kind of traveler who has to pack everything you “think” you might need and then some? I used to be that way, but on my last few trips - beginning with my trip to Costa Rica - I learned how travel with carry-on luggage only. I know! I was super overwhelmed at first at the thought of doing it, but now I strive to make it happen. Most recently, I went to Paris for seven days carry-on only! Here are some tips that may help figure out how to travel with carry-on luggage only.

• Make a list of what you want to bring. Start by thinking of all the outfits you feel your best in and feel most comfortable wearing. Put everything on the list that has to come with you including things like your camera, laptop, phone charger, etc.

• Come up with an outfit for each day you’re going to be away. Just one outfit for travel to and from your destination. I suggest wearing your bulkiest items in one outfit, provided they all work together, so you don’t have to take up space with that pair of boots, jeans and a chunky sweater. 

• If you collect pieces that are within the same color family, you’ll be able to mix and match your pieces to create different outfits using fewer items of clothing. For my trip to Paris I was gone for seven days and I packed one pair of skinny jeans and one pair of black skinny jeans. I wore black leggings for my flights. Then packed more tops that I could layer/change from day to day and coordinate with the bottoms.

• When I have my list complete, I have pull those items from my closet and dresser and lay them out on my bed. Here’s where you take a close, hard look at everything before actually putting them in your suitcase. See if you can remove any items. 

• Pack clothing that travels well and roll it up to save yourself a touch up with the iron when you arrive at your destination. This obviously doesn’t work so well when you have a formal occasion to attend or business attire to bring with you, but do what you can.

• Gotta tell you, my biggest ordeal when trying to get myself on a carry-on only travel diet was paring down my lotions and potions. This girl has an extensive collection of skin and hair products. The first thing I did was ask “is this absolutely necessary or can I live with out it?” On a recent trip to New Orleans, I left my travel hairspray because I knew it would be humid and it wouldn’t be any use - I’d just style my hair in a way that didn’t require hairspray - braids, buns and top knots. Other life-savers when it comes to complying with the TSA’s 3-1-1 requirement - small refillable travel size containers so you can bring your favorites with you and sample sizes from your favorite beauty lines. I’ve used a sample size eye creme from Aveda for my last few trips. 

Have you ever traveled carry-on luggage only? Any tips to share? If you haven’t tried it yet, but are thinking you want to, just go for it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll never go back to overpacking any paying to check that giant suitcase full of things you may not even wear. Good luck and happy traveling!

Oh, Eiffel Tower...

...you had me at sparkle! Here's a little video I shot while in Paris. One of my favorite moments of the whole trip. The only bummer of the video is that we weren't closer. This was on the Bateaux Mouches on the Seine.

Late July

Small Houses - "Late July" from Spencer Wells on Vimeo

I caved today and responded to something I probably should have let go. It was this song. I couldn't not say something. Music brings people together, right? I guess that was my (not-so-secret) hope. Now I'm sharing this with you so I can move through that hope, so as to not get discouraged or disappointed. Because at the end of the day, it's just friend's sharing music with each other and that's a lovely thing.

My love for music is so strong and this song is another that's been playing on repeat lately. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Small Houses play a show over the weekend. They played this beautiful song called "Late July." It was already a favorite of mine and I almost cried. Hearing the explanation of the song at the beginning of this clip makes me love it even more. Hope you do too!

Not in Love

I'm sort of obsessed with this song by Crystal Castles right now. Being that it features the voice of Robert Smith from the Cure makes it all the more angst-y. Completely fitting, I'd say. This fan video is pretty great too!

Maybe She's Just Different

Raymond Dufayel: After all these years, the only character I can't quite figure out...
...is the girl with the glass of water. She's in the middle, and yet...outside.

Amelie: Maybe she's just different.

ArtPrize 2012 Opening Night

ArtPrize 2012 is upon us, folks! Are you ready? It's officially opening night tonight, even though there were several preview parties last night at some of the major venues. I volunteered at Site:Lab for a spell. That was super fun and the space itself with 18 different exhibits came together so well. No pictures yet, but I'll go back and properly document the space.

Tonight I did a quick spin through UICA. They have a great mix of artists this year. Let's get to the pics!

 "Creeping Ivy" by Richard Herzog

(Detail) "Collective Cover Project" by Ann Morton

"Song of Lift" by Martijn van Wagtendonk 

 "Surrogate" by Michelle Acuff

(detail) "This Isn't Much Unless You're Here" by Dana Haugaard

"Flora Metamorphicae" Ceramic Collaborative from Bergen, Hordaland Norway 

"Flora Metamorphicae" Ceramic Collaborative from Bergen, Hordaland Norway 

"Emergent Worlds" by Carol Van Swol Prusa

(detail) "Emergent Worlds" by Carol Van Swol Prusa

(detail) "A Message for Survivors" by Bryan Leister

(detail) "Little No Places" by Rachel Bruya

If you're in Grand Rapids, did you get a chance to get out there tonight? Let's talk! Tell me what you saw, what's good so I know where to go next!

500 Days of Dreams

Good morning! How can you watch this and not smile?!

2012 Academy Awards: Fashion

Did you watch the big show? I'm actually watching the Academy Awards right now and watched the red carpet coverage that preceded the show. One thing I noticed while pulling photos for my round up of favorite Oscar dresses is that so many of the gowns photograph differently than they show during the actual broadcast. And they probably look even that much different in person. That would be a dream come true, to actually be there on the red carpet to see all the gowns and stars in person!

I'm excited to see who takes home the big awards tonight, right now they're having a Cirque du Soleil moment. The award for best supporting actor should be coming up soon though. Let's get to the gowns, shall we?

(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Michelle Williams wearing Louis Vuitton 

The color is being referred to as "coral" which makes me happy, because of the whole, "no red on the red carpet" rule. The details on this gown looked gorgeous during the telecast. The tiny jeweled bow at the waist was a brilliant touch. Michelle always gets it so right! 

(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Rooney Mara wearing Givenchy

Overall, she looks lovely. Make up and hair are flawless. The neckline and trimming across the bust are not my favorite and I would have chosen a color, but that's not been her red carpet style that I can remember, so she is staying true to her style. There's something to be said for that.

(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Image)

Gwyneth Paltrow - Tom Ford

Staying with a style, Gwyneth has that down. I like the addition of the cape for the red carpet. She removed if for her stint as a presenter with Robert Downey Jr. and the dress itself was pretty. Her make up looked radiant on the broadcast. I love the cuff bracelet too!

(Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage)

Emma Stone - Giambattista Valli

She just presented and her perky newcomer schictk was making me a little nervous, but she pulled it off. Sigh. She broke the no red on the red carpet rule, but she did so with style. The shade is just right. And it looks much more stunning when you can actually see the movement and the drape of the gown. Well done!

(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Tina Fey - Carolina Herrera

 Tina Fey doesn't usually do glitz and glitter. This simple and elegant gown is perfect for her at the Oscars. It reminds me of old Hollywood with the peplum waist. Simple, not over-done hair was the solid choice too! 

(Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Octavia Spencer - Tadashi Shoji

Beautiful everything! She looks lovely! I really love the cut of this dress on her, it's perfectly flattering. The sparkles are also a winning look and yes, she did take home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "The Help."

So, what were your favorites? I always ask and so rarely do you answer! 

What's for Dinner?

So I've had some asparagus in my fridge since doing groceries last weekend. I was feeling all inspired about making dinners this week. Friday rolls around and the asparagus is all, "hey, remember us?" Yeah, I do remember you and tonight's the night.

Here's what I did. I roasted about half bunch in the oven.  Rinse and pat dry. Snap the bottoms off. Sprinkle with a little olive oil. Salt and pepper liberally and pop it in the oven at 450-500 for 10 minutes. Fry up your egg and place it on your roasted asparagus, et voila a delicious simple dinner. Aactually it's an all around tasty, quick meal for any time you need one!

I usually fry up my eggs so they're over hard, but some folks dig the yolk with asparagus. It's like a thing, I guess. So I decided to go sunny side up and was glad I did. It was super tasty. Count me as one of those people who digs the yolk with asparagus now.

What did you have for dinner?

Wishes

Happy Birthday little Starr Fish!

Today is my actual birthday. It's an even number this year and for some reason it's not sitting that comfortably with me. It'll take some time to get used to, I guess. That or I'm going to start counting backward each year from  now on until I get to a number I like and want to keep. Ha!

For fun, here are some things I'm wishing for the coming year,  but I'll never tell what I actually wish for when I blow out the candles tonight.

To travel again really soon. Somewhere new and exciting. My wanderlust is acting up.

To best all my running times - my 25K in May, my half marathon in August and my full marathon in October.

To live well and to find happiness in all things.

To share my baked goods with more people.

To be in a situation (right dog, right time, right place) where I can finally have a dog.

Essentially it always comes down to being my best self. If I feel like that's happened at this time next year, then it will have been a good year!

Places to Visit: Austin

Oh, hello...back again? 

So for a long, long time I thought I'd make it through life never visiting Texas. What's Texas got that I need to see? They say "Don't mess with Texas," and I pretty much agreed, until I had the chance to go to Austin and Dallas for work recently.

And then...I stuck around Austin for a few days exploring the city with a former Grand Rapidian who has lived in Austin for the past couple years. Austin is the capital of Texas and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and I now know why!

You like music? Yes, they're the live music capital of the world. You like food? I don't know if they have any official food claims to fame, but I'm willing to bestow the Fresh Starr Fish seal of approval. Modern architecture your thing? They've got that in spades. Have you been? Do you love it too? If you haven't been, here are a few things I loved about it that maybe you will too when you go:

Lambert's Downtown BBQ, 401 W. 2nd Street, Austin TX. We went on a Thursday night to see some bands upstairs, so no BBQ, but my meat eater friends say it's good!  The bands were all were pretty darn good. The friendly opening band called Young Girls gave us their CD after the show when we told them we liked them best of the three that played. Oh and Lambert's has the best Coconut Cream Pie. Seriously! And if you dig some hard core cocktails, they'll hook you up. Try the Dubliner, I thought it tasted like cough medicine, but you know drinks aren't my thing at all! 

Jo’s Downtown Coffee, 242 W. 2nd St. We went for breakfast, but they had just switched to lunch. No worries though. Their lunch menu was full of goodies too. I had a the best veg bbq sandwich I've ever had in 18 or so years being a vegetarian. My friend had a burger and we were both happy! The decor is eclectic, fun and comfortable. Good music too! 

Inside Jo's Downtown Coffee

We did a lot of bike riding when I was there. The city is super bike friendly. You can easily "take the lane" and everyone driving cars just goes with the flow. There are also trails that are great for riding. Go ahead and rent bikes at MellowJohnny's, which is Lance Armstrong's store right downtown Austin.  Fast Folks on the east side of Austin is a super cool shop we actually went to. The dudes there were friendly and happy to talk bikes. Plus, they have the most awesome logo! 

24 Diner. Great vibe. Their site says they "blended mid-century modern design with Austin eclectic." and I'd agree. I loved the decor and they had super good food and lots of beers. I had "M's Grilled Cheese" with fries and wasn't disappointed. I also was eyeing the waffle breakfast with their homemade veggie sausage, which I hear (from a non-vegetarian) is delish.

There's a great independent record store one door down from 24 Diner called  Waterloo Records.  For anyone into actually purchasing music the old fashioned way like I do, this place is great! They had a ton of listening stations stocked with all the latest releases. They've also got vinyl and used music. Go!

Bar Chi 206 Colorado Street, Austin TX 78701. They do a great happy hour during regular happy hours and also have a late happy hour (featuring a DJ with dance/electronic music) both with specials on sushi. We sat at the front bar for drinks and a couple rolls. Our bartender was super attentive and they had Mike & Ike's on the bar like a regular bar might have peanuts or another bar snack. Basically they had me at the candy and the fact that we were in there in our biking clothes post ride and nobody gave us the side eye.

Although I did not stay at Hotel San Jose, on South Congress Avenue - where all the cool kids hang out - I really want to go back to Austin so I can! This place is adorable! Here are a few pics so you can see for yourself, then go check out their site. Everything about the place is cool!

Quick photo op at the Hotel San Jose.

South Congress has a ton of shops - clothing,  antiques, etc. I had fun exploring UnCommon Objects for treasures and bet you will too. You'll also find plenty of bars and restaurants for a good time. We tried Snack Bar a couple times and were not disappointed either time. We also hung out at the Continental Club and heard Hey Bale. They have a standing Sunday night gig at the Continental Club, so if you happen to be in town on a Sunday night, go for the music, especially if you like to dance.

What would a story about Texas be without a picture of a cow skull? This is just s small sample of the kinds of stuff you'll find inside UnCommon Objects!

One last thing to do. Several people told me about the Congress Bridge bats! Unfortunately they were not in Austin when I visited. Apparently they return around mid-March. Maybe I'll catch them another time!

Happy Heart's Day

Found sidewalk art on South Congress, Austin, Texas.

Freeky

I first heard the new Die Antwoord song: "I Fink U Freeky" a couple weeks ago now and am still enthralled by the sound. The video is bizarre in the standard Die Antwoord way. I wouldn't expect anything less. They are playing the Metro in Chicago and of course the show is sold out. I would have loved to go and dance myself silly to the Antwoord beats! In the mean time, until I can purchase Ten$ion, I've been watching this video. I just found out they're streaming the whole release over here, so I'm getting a preview. Click the link to get yours!

Travel As Equals

Beautiful. I never cease to be amazed by the work of Joseph Arthur.

Shoes Day

These beauties are from J.Crew, photographed on display at their Fifth Avenue (at 17th Street) store in NYC.