I recently interviewed five successful people (including Top Chef champion Jeremy Ford) about the weirdest ways they like to de-stress, and their answers will surprise, inform, and entertain you. Plus, I share the weird way I like to de-stress.
xoxo
Val
There are so many reasons not to have a wedding. Weddings tend to bring up otherwise dormant family issues, and they’re ridiculously expensive, not to mention time consuming and stressful. So then why did I disregard all the naysayers, including my very own husband, and willingly choose to have a second wedding?
To understand my decision, allow me to explain the circumstances surrounding my first wedding. It was an eight-person affair that took place at sunset, on the beach in Miami, where we live. I wore a knee-length Elizabeth and James white dress sans shoes, while my fiancé sported khakis and a linen button-down. I carried a pretty bouquet and we said “I do” in front of a notary and our close relatives. It was magical and beautiful, but it wasn’t how I pictured my wedding day.
Dear Readers,
After a two-year hiatus (what was I thinking?!) I’ve decided to bring back Val’s Bits and Bites. I’m using a new platform and I have a much better URL. I’ve really come to miss having this blog as an outlet where I can share my personal musings and experiences. I miss engaging in conversations with you dear readers (either on or offline) about topics that are relevant for many of us twenty/thirty somethings. I hope you’ll enjoy the new content, and, as always – please share your thoughts with me whenever you can.
xoxox
Val
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| Thinking of smart things to tell you |
What a difference 365 days makes! Since my last birthday, I’ve managed to move from Manhattan to Miami, land a new job, make new friends and most importantly — get married. Needless to say, this year has been one amazing roller coaster, and at 27 I feel I have a much better understanding of the woman I want to be and about the things that matter most. I think it’s when we’re faced with changes and challenges that we’re able to really learn about ourselves. So without further adieu, here are some bits of wisdom I want to share with y’all:
1. Things have a funny way of working themselves out. When I think about the situations that have caused me the greatest amount of anxiety, I find myself amazed by how said situations have often resolved themselves. In fact, sometimes the end result wound up being even better than the best case scenario I had envisioned. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t be doing everything we can to effect our circumstances — we should — it’s just I think at a certain point we have to let the “higher powers” play their role too. Adopting this mentality helps me eliminate the stress, fear and anxiety associated with outcomes I can’t fully control, and there’s so much to be said for that. Continue reading
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| We did it! Our very intimate wedding in South Beach, Miami |
I’ve been married for almost one month now, and the question I’ve been getting the most is: so, what’s married life like? While I’ve spent many moments in the shower trying to conjure up a smart, witty and wise answer, the best I’ve been able to come up with has been: it’s, umm, the same. Why? Because it’s pretty much the truth. Continue reading
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| The five makeup products I’m using this summer |
My first experience with makeup was in the fifth grade when my best friend and I decided to smear the contents of her mother’s bathroom drawers onto our faces. I was 11 years old and for some reason I thought mocha lipstick with brown lipliner and gobs of fuschia blush was a good look for me. I still recall being awestruck by how it took only a couple of products to make my features “pop,” although I’m not quite sure I would’ve used that word back then. Needless to say, I was completely seduced. Continue reading
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| Do kids make adult friendships, particularly the long distance kind much harder to maintain? |
Do you ever stop and think about your friendships? More specifically, do you contemplate how the nature of your friendships has changed since you finished univeristy? Or, if most of your friendships are long distance like mine are, do you mull over what makes them work? My friends are always on my mind, but they have been more so than ever since I moved to Miami nearly nine months ago.
Maintaining friendships, namely the good, solid kind is never easy. However, things are significantly less complicated when the majority of your friends live in the same city as you and everyone’s in school. The playing field is even, so to say. But it’s when college ends that everything changes. People get jobs, they move away, relationships become more serious, and friendships as you once knew them — are never quite the same again. Continue reading
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| Think of a calm, happy place… |
How do we reduce the amount of stress, worry and problems in our lives while improving our focus and relationships? A regular mindfulness practice through meditation, that’s how. Or at least that’s what actual meditators are saying, and science appears to be on their side (more on that in a bit). Continue reading
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| Sushi Yasuda takes its sushi VERY seriously and you can taste the difference. |
Long before my boyfriend and I physically arrived in New York City for our two-month sojourn, we were thinking about the most important thing: where were we going to eat? Not wanting to leave such an important matter to chance, I quikly busied myself researching new eateries. Meanwhile, the two of us poured over our extensive restaurant spreadsheet to devise a list of spots we wanted to return to. Yes, we recorded every place we ate at, no, we’re not ashamed to admit it. In my opinion, the perfect epicurean schedule should be a blend of old favorites and new restos.
We’ve been here a month already (wow does time fly!), and so far we’ve strayed a bit from the original plan and have found ourselves returning to tried and true places more often than trying recently opened spots. What can I say, when something’s good it’s hard to resist going back for more. Most of the restaurants we’ve revisited haven’t disappointed, but some unfortunately have let us down. C’est la vie. So without further adieu, here are the eateries I’m loving right now: Continue reading
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| Couples who nerd around together, stay together. |
In the early stages of dating, the ex conversation will inevitably come up. For some, it’s a chance to get to know the other individual on a deeper level, while for others the experience is akin to ripping off a band-aid. In short, they want to know in as few words as possible if there are any restraining orders, divorces or deaths they have to be privy to. Spare the extra details please.
Val's Bits and Bites 