Le Italian Summer

Only You 

I'm sitting in bed today, wrapped in my new soft blanket. It's raining and cold outside and I'm watching Only You, a '90s romantic comedy about an Italian road trip, as I catch up on my correspondence. The movie is a postcard of some of the most beautiful places in Italy, and I love the story of Marisa Tomei running around trying to find her destiny.

With the shortest day of the year behind us, we are well on our way to warmer days and nights. For a little taste of summer on a grey Manhattan day, here are some photos of my sister's own little road trip through Italy this summer.



Umbria


Umbria


Cinque Terre - Hidden in the mountains


Cinque Terre - Perched on top of a ragged cliff


Cinque Terre


Cinque Terre


Cinque Terre


Cinque Terre - Sparkly water


A Brescia street


The Lesser-Known Straight Tower of Pisa


Sunset in Pisa

Le Six Months in New York

Sex and the City

Today is six months that I have been in New York. I sit here all dressed up and ready to go out for a drink with a group of girls and then dinner later with a boy. I feel very Carrie in my black leggings, new short haircut and pink feather handbag. Six months. Wow. 

It's been a roller-coaster, but I finally feel like I am getting a grip on things. The battles I fought have paid off and I feel like I have built a foundation on which to build my life. I know my way around a bit more, have a place to stay for the time being thanks to good friends, have enough money to last me for a while and am meeting new people so that I can keep busy in the evenings. All of this gives me the freedom to focus on looking for a permanent job and even that has gotten easier with all the interview-experience that I have gained since July. I can understand people better and know how which answers go across better than others. And most importantly I am finally almost healthy. 

It was difficult, and even though I am still up in the air, it was worth it. I never knew fulfilling a dream would be so hard and along the way I often asked myself what I was doing here and why. I still don't know the real answer, but I believe that when the time is right it will unveil itself. The surprises that lie around the corner excite me so much more than the monotony of my former life. 

But now is not the moment to get into the meaning of life and dreams. I am running late to meet the girls and it is time for me to go. 

Love,

Sabrina

Le Birth of a Christmas Tree Part 2

The blurry lighting of the Rockefeller Tree

The subsequent stages of the Rockefeller Christmas tree looked very similar to the first, mainly because the tree didn't change. I paid a visit the morning of the tree-lighting and it looked exactly the same as it had three days before. 

That night I made my way over there to witness the ceremony. Unfortunately I didn't make it even close because this got in my way: 

I decided to skip the mayhem and do what everyone else does; namely watch the ceremony on TV. I didn't actually realize they have concerts and celebrities there until Tony Bennett popped up on the screen. I finally understood the fuss. I went back a few nights later and got the shots I wanted:

At some point the shots became a little artistic:

Le Day of Endings

Friday was my Day of Endings. I had my last day at work and then ran off to finish my National Novel Writing Month novel which I uploaded around 2.5 hours before the deadline. The last week of November was one of the hardest. I got sick again with a mutant earache and was very stressed about finishing everything, being broke and mostly about what will happen after this month. But once Friday hit so did Zen. I finished everything with ease and I felt like something new was about to begin. I even got a lovely text message from a Kind Soul that commemorated the ending:

I am so proud of you..congrats, not just this month but overcoming every obstacle that has come across your path with grace. 

I decided to take Saturday for myself and celebrate this new phase. I woke up to find out that I was getting a manicure and massage as an early holiday present, which was perfect. After the pampering, I continued my day by going to the Guggenheim Museum, doing some holiday shopping and then rounding it off with a Thank God it's Over Party in the Financial District. I loved going all over the city and just enjoying it. 

Today is the first day of snow in New York City and it's fab, but of course I would say that considering I haven't been outside yet. I am off to Brooklyn today and then off to Munich on Tuesday to see my family and friends after five months. I am very excited and trying not to worry about what happens afterwards. Hopefully this new phase will be a good one. By the way this weekend has been going, it sure looks like it. 

Love,

Breens