The Good Girl Gone Blog

The last bits of Spain March 01, 2010

I realize my trip to Spain was over a week and a half ago, but I still want to share some of my favorite photos with you. I could probably spend an entire week sharing photos and talking about the trip, but I think it's time to move on. Anyway, you can check out the rest of my photos here.

Meet Allison, one of my friends from BU. Allison has a sort of effortless style that I definitely admire. I love how she always manages to look super chic, whether in an all black ensemble, or dare I say it, her newly purchased mink coat.

We enjoyed our first Paella/Sangria lunch at the top of the Castillo de Gibralfaro, a place whose name I only remember because of this photo. Though paella traditionally includes seafood, I opted for the vegetarian dish and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Sangria was great too. My favorite ingredient: cinnamon sticks!

Too funny, right? I took tons of photos of this little guy running on the beaches of Marbella. There were so many cute dogs in Spain, although there are definitely more here in London!

We must have gone to the local grocery store, Super Sol, about a million times. They had tons of great food there along with some extremely cheap wine that perfectly complimented our brie and baguette. Some of the packaging made me laugh a little, like the "Bimbo" bread and some item in a box that had a label in braille. Seriously, if it's the only item in the store with a braille label, how is that helpful?

I absolutely love rainbows. Maybe it's because they're so rare, or because I've associated them with miracles ever since I learned the story of Noah's Ark. Did you know there's even a special blessing you're supposed to say when you see one? Of course, I never remember it, but I always think about it when I see a rainbow.

Walking around the Castillo de Gibralfaro reminded me so much of the City of David in Jerusalem. Although the views were quite different, walking around the fortress made me nostalgic for the old city and its history.

I entitled this photo "heavenly" because there is just something so unearthly about those clouds. The photo was taken on the way up to the Castillo de Gilbralfaro and shows the diverse mix of trees, tall buildings and coastal construction equipment in the Malaga skyline. 

Again, you can see the rest of my Spain photo set here.

Flirting or Converting? December 09, 2009

A few days ago, I mentioned a run-in on the T with an "uber Christian boy." I thought the story was too funny/interesting to pass up- so here goes. I will warn you, my roommates didn't laugh as much as I thought they would, so maybe it's not actually funny. Oh well, this is my blog :)

To set the scene: It was Saturday afternoon and I was sick of working on my Com Theory paper. All I could think about was my lack of London-appropriate clothing and the fact that Ann Taylor Loft was having a special shopping event with 30% off all full price items. Even though it was raining, I knew I had to go. So, umbrella-less and wearing my cropped red wool coat, flat boots and jeans and sporting a rain-styled hair do, I braved the elements. To summarize- I did not look cute.

When the T finally arrived, I pushed my way through multiple cars in search of a seat and ended up leaning on the wall. That's when a boy occupying a single seat said something to me.

"Would you like to sit here, I definitely could stand up and stretch my legs."

I glanced at him, immediately decided he was cute, and then looked at a strange nametag on his black puffer coat. Not wanting to stare, I turned away quickly. The only words I remember seeing were "church" and "Jesus."

I told him I was fine standing, but couldn't help checking out his reflection in the window. I felt like he was watching me, but I didn't want to turn around and make it obvious that I was watching him too.

Eventually, he started talking to me. He asked me if I was on my way to a date (I was not...it was 4 in the afternoon) and what stop I was headed to (Copley, to buy clothes for London). He asked me what I was doing in London (a PR internship) and if PR had to do with the government (no. It's sort of like advertising...my answer when I don't feel like explaining PR to people).

He then asked if I was going to come home with a British accent (no) and if I was from New England (no). He shared that he was from California (cool) and getting off at Park St. (0k). He had a bit of a lisp, which made him sound almost British and beautiful bright blue eyes. I had no idea how old he was because I didn't want to stare- for all I knew, he could have been in high school.

I wanted to ask him why he was in Boston and if it had anything to do with his special name tag.  I wasn't in the mood for a whole Christianity spiel, you know, the one where I'm told I'll go to hell unless I find Jesus, so I kept my mouth shut.  We said our goodbyes and I got off at my stop.

He was really cute and very Christian. I like to think he was talking to me because he thought I was pretty, but who knows. Maybe he would have gotten to the proselytizing if we'd talked for longer than the duration of 3 t-stops. Who knows?

Forgive me? A massive Sunday Confessional December 07, 2009

How could you say no to this face?

Ok, I'm the first to say that I hate when bloggers apologize when they take blogging breaks, yet for some reason, I'm doing it right now. It's just that finals are approaching, I have a paper to write and my room is an absolute mess.

I'm freaking out about what to wear in London. I'm extremely tickled that Jaime decided to help me via her Style you Sunday post...but I still haven't found the perfect black shift dress. (Although, I did buy this one on sale at Banana Republic- a place where I NEVER shop. And um, it was only $25!) I still don't know what shoes to pack- I definitely cannot transport my entire boot collection. I don't know if I should invest in a new coat- one that is cute but actually fits and will keep me warm. I love this one from JCrew, but it's just so expensive even with the 30% off discount and free shipping.

I spent my weekend getting hit on by uber-Christian boys on the T, indulging in pop rock garnished drinks with friends and making my roommates sandwiches. I can't stop burning my tongue on hot tea and don't understand how I had an allergic reaction to a turkey sandwich last night...it must have been the condiments. I can't stop scratching- it's either fleas or allergy related.

My online scrabble obsession is turning into full on addiction. I haven't made my bed in about 25 years, which is hard to do, considering I'm not yet 22. I need to stop buying lattes. I miss cuddling with my non-existent boyfriend. My dark green nail polish is chipping and looks terrible.

I want to celebrate my 22nd birthday in London with the queen. Yes, the queen of England. I want her to come to a tea party. Ha. Wouldn't that be the best?

I'm about to listen to Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" because it reminds me of someone special. It's the third time I've played it since last night.

I told myself I would start working on my paper at 9:00. It's now 9:38. Ugh.

Rosh Hashana Traditions September 15, 2009

I've written before about why I love Jewish weddings- I love seeing my family all together, I love the music and I love the meaning behind every small detail. I actually forgot to include this video from my brother's wedding of the 7 circles in my original wedding post, so I'll add it to this one:

But this post isn't really about weddings; it's about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah is a time for new beginnings (which I am extremely fond of), a time for family to get together for a large festive meal, a time for going to synagogue. Rosh Hashanah is for apples & honey, for greetings of "l'shana tova" (happy new year) and for hearing the shofar.

Though all of these traditions are important facets of my Rosh Hashanah, there are a few more personal traditions that mean a lot more to me- like the chair-shaped place card holders at my grandmother's Rosh Hashanah meal, or my mother's apple cake, or the 2 new outfits (to wear on the two days of Rosh Hashanah) from my grandmothers.

After my Bubbie (my mom's mother) passed away, my mom continued the tradition by buying me  a new outfit for synagogue. Now that I'm sort of an adult, there are no new outfits purchased for me. But the thing is...I love this tradition. I love the idea of starting off the new year in new clothes; in something special from the people I love. I love dressing up for my family and in honor of this sacred Jewish holiday...

That's why today, I'm going to do the best I can to squeeze in some shopping time. Sure, it may seem like a trivial or even shallow tradition, but to me, it's a huge part of Rosh Hashanah. Sure, I could buy a new outfit for myself after the holiday, but it just wouldn't be the same. And hey, if I don't find something I like, Rosh Hashanah will still be great, because I'll be home with my family.

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition?

WASP vs JAP: Graduation Edition June 10, 2009

Editor's Note: Please don't take this post too seriously :)

 As you know, I spent the past few days back home in Baltimore in honor of my little sister Sophie's high school graduation. It was great to see my family, a few friends, as well as my pediatrician :)

Soph's graduation was totally different than mine, most likely because she went to an all girl's school, while I went to a Jewish high school. Though both were relatively affluent private schools, Sophie's school mostly catered to ehemm...a WASPier crowd.

Keep in mind, I have a lot of trouble remembering the exact details of my graduation because it was 3 years ago. Plus, I somehow managed to cry through most of it, walk the wrong way on stage and lose my diploma. It was stressful.

Below is the comparisson between our two graduations...it's sort of turned into a  JAP vs. WASP list:

Graduates' Attire

Sophie's school- all of the girls wore white gowns. Some of them were so fancy, they looked like bridal gowns. It was borderline ridiculous

Alana's school- we (boys and girls) wore caps and gowns, the boys in blue and the girls in white.

Location

S- the graduation took place outside in a beautiful courtyard.

A- the graduation took place in a synagogue.

Families' Attire

S- Lilly Pulitzer dresses, sear-sucker shorts, bare shoulders, khaki pants and navy suit jacket combos

A- covered shoulders, nice skirts and pants outfits, suits.

Accessories

S- girls walked in with blue and white bouquets.

A- nothing. We had nothing, unless you count our caps.

Music

S- the national anthem, a few a cappella selections, the alma mater

A- ummm most likely the national anthems of America and Israel

So our graduations were pretty different, but they were both nice overall. It was particularly fun to check out the VERY non-Jewish looking boys at Sophie's graduation. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have found an American marine in full uniform at my high school's graduation. Nor would you find a boy wearing khakis, a pink polo and a white sear sucker jacket. It sounds so preppy and yucky...but I was completely intrigued.

The Surprise Passover Guest April 09, 2009

Yesterday I received a bitter-sweet email from my mother. As you may or may not know, the holiday of Passover began last night. Passover has always been very special to me. The first two nights, called the seders, we have big family meals complete with matzah, wine and bitter herbs. For as long as I can remember, I've run/been  the "fun and decorations committee," meaning my mom puts me in charge of decorating the dining room and coming up with a new ideas every year for keeping the seder fun. Because the seder lasts up to a few hours, we need to keep everyone entertained. That's where I come in: fun pictures on the walls, plenty of little toys on the table to play with, and of course the traditional food fight with my cousin Rachel.

Well, this year (as far as my mother knows) I'm spending my seders at school because of an inflexible class schedule. In all actuality, I changed some stuff around and took a flight home last night. Though I kept my dad in the loop, my mom still doesn't know I'm here. After arriving at BWI around 6:45, I took a (very expensive) cab from the airport to my cousin's house to spend the first seder with my dad's family. I got there just as the soup was being served. It was delicious.

In a few minutes, I'll be heading over to my mom's house. 

I can't wait to see the look on her face. Passover has always been a special holiday for the two of us. We usually spend hours in the kitchen together, preparing for the seder meal and the rest of the bread-free week.

But back to the email- here it is:

Lani,

I'm so sad that you won't be here for the seders, so I thought at least I could send you a few pictures to bring the seder to you (thanks to Steve for his technical assistance).  Enjoy the seder at Hillel with your friends and when we open the door for Eliyahu, I'll be wishing with all my heart that he holds the door, like the gentleman he is, and then you walk in.  

Love and kisses and crunch, crunch, crunch 

-Mom

Here are a few of the photos: 

The dining room table.

These lovely pictures that represent the 14 steps of the seder were made by me in about the 5th grade- we've been using them ever since. Whoever put them up did it EXACTLY how I usually do it! Nice work!

That's my brother Jeff and his friend Jay holding my place card pyramid. Even though they look sad, Jeff actually knows that I'm here. He's such a good actor...

Anyway, I'm off to the seder. I hope everyone has a lovely Passover/Easter. Oh, and get excited for some pretty cool photos for my next design project. Think springtime, color and sun.  (Andrea, I was thinking of you during the "photo shoot." You're going to love the pictures!)

Listed: My week March 27, 2009

 
{Bye snow! It's almost April and I am sooo ready to whip out my favorite sundress and peep-toe heels. PS- this picture is from my birthday weekend. Thank goodness the snow has since melted.}

What a busy week! If you've noticed, I haven't really written that much about my personal life this week. Well, that's because A LOT of stuff has been going on. While I have enough blog fodder for at least 10 different posts, I think I should boil it all down to a 10-part list.

1) Things on the boy front: bad.

2) My teacher loved my Audrey Hepburn project and is putting it on display!

3) I had my much anticipated housing appointment yesterday and will be living in a brand spanking new apartment next year. I'll have my own room, a beautiful view and most importantly, a kitchen. I can't wait to start using my old recipe notebook again. It's currently somewhere at home, its chocolate spattered pages just waiting to be opened. The last time I used it was back in Israel.

4) Megan's mom gave me a box of pizzelle cookies :)

5) I met made friends with a pseudo-celebrity yesterday in class. Normally, I sit next to a really sweet girl named Tina, but yesterday there was a guy in her normal seat. I of course struck up conversation. I then found out that this kid is not only a sports model, but also spent some time on the set of  Scrubs with my favorite Jewish boy- Zach Braff! Ok, so he's probably not my favorite Jewish boy, but he is pretty funny. Oh, and I saw pictures.

6) I had a really annoying test today. I'm just glad it's over.

7) I received two packages in the mail, the first from my old high school ( a Passover survival kit) and another from TBS...as in the TV station. More on that later :)

8) My room is a mess. This only happens when I'm a) super stressed or b) super busy. This week, I was both.

9) The girl getting my coffee this morning at Starbucks greeted me by saying "Hello sir. What can I get you." I was only slightly offended. I'm pretty sure I don't look like a boy. At all. Maybe it was because I wasn't facing her, but still. Curious.

10) I learned about rosary beads from a cute Catholic boy. He also shared with me his vast knowledge of Judaism: "Wait, so on Saturday, Jews can't drive cars or watch sports, right?" Haha. Whatever, he's hot.

Teacher crushes December 24, 2008

I think this video pretty much sums up how I'll be spending my Christmas:

So the guy in the video started teaching at my school after I graduated. I think if I'd been his student, I totally would have had a major "teacher crush" on him.

Did you know that (according to me...) the term "teacher crush" doesn't only refer to crushes on actual teachers? I've had many teacher crushes in the past, and although some have referred to certain geeky, grad student English teachers who wear denim shirts and talk about Shakespeare, others have been people I've met outside of the academic world.

A teacher crush refers to anyone who is older than you and has a position of authority. For example, this past summer, I totally had a teacher crush on a guy at work. I even told the guy I was dating about it, and he seemed to find it pretty amusing. I found myself smiling if he talked to me or if we rode the elevator together. Teacher crushes are amazing because they're unrealistic and slightly comical.

Do I have a teacher crush on someone at my new internship? I guess it's possible, but if I did, I wouldn't tell.

...and Adam Sandler saves the day! December 23, 2008

Yesterday, Becca and I hit up Loehmann's and the mall to try and find some cute and fun bargains. Loehmann's of course was a success- the entire store was 25% off, and I ended up buying an adorable purple dress from Free People, and a cute Free People top to wear over leggings.

We also checked out the new Forever 21 and were excited to see it kind of resembled H&M with a center staircase and two floors of cute clothing. I felt like we'd hit the cute clothing jackpot- cute clothes and really great prices. Becca and I grabbed tons of stuff and headed into the dressing rooms. We came out with nothing.

I was thoroughly disappointed. Although the actual store had undergone a complete makeover, the clothing had not. Clothing was oddly shaped and poorly made. Nothing fit, and everything looked cheap. After trying on a bunch of things, my skin began to itch.

While I love a good bargain, I think I'm allergic to "cheap."

The only saving grace: they played Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song, and I yelled out all my favorite lines, much to Becca's embarrassment.

Some of my favorites:

"You don't need deck the halls or jingle bell rock
Cause you can spin the dreidle with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock--both Jewish!"

"Some people think that Ebeneezer scrooge is,
Well, hes not, but guess who is: all three stooges."

And my most favorite line of all time:

Some holiday photos December 22, 2008

Cooking latkes!

Check out the amount of oil in the pan...disgusting.


That's my mom's arm.

Even the dog thought they looked delicious!

Contrary to popular belief, these things are actuaually called "chanukiah"s...
"Meorah" is a more general term.

Lighting candles.

I love Chanukkah!