12/28/2019 0 Comments Home for the HolidaysThis has been a pretty full year for me to say the least. I got engaged. I closed The Studio. I got married. We moved to Germany. I became a certified yoga teacher. We’ve travelled around Europe. There have been plenty of unbelievable joyful moments as well as some real as it gets sad ones. I have stayed connected from afar with friends and family who have experienced life changing struggles but I’ve also witnessed their beautiful growth in so many ways. I’ve made new friends from different parts of the world and that comforts me when I miss everyone back home. That phrase is weird. Back home. My physical home is an apartment in Berlin with Drew. Home is also a sky full of stars at my dad’s place or the view of the ocean from my mom’s balcony. It’s the coziness of chatting in my aunts kitchen. It’s sitting around a table playing games with my in-laws. It’s breakfast tacos on the patio at El Mexicano Grill. It’s our Airstream, Zeppelin, who patiently waits in Texas while her owners experience life abroad.
My last blog I titled There’s No Place Like Rome because I thought it was clever. I never really considered it but maybe the reason people say “There’s no place like home” is because home isn’t just one place. Maybe Home is everywhere you have ever been that you felt happy, loved or content. Some people feel this at the ocean, in the mountains or holding a loved ones hand regardless of the physical location they are in. What if Home for the Holidays meant Happiness, Love and Contentment??! Wherever you are to celebrate the last few days of this year and with whomever you choose to spend your time with, I hope you feel at home. Raise a glass to the last decade! Cheers to 2020! Love, Stevi
0 Comments
12/17/2019 1 Comment There’s no place like RomeDrew and I had the pleasure of being invited on a trip to Rome, Italy by our friends in Berlin. We’re always down for a trip and Rome was on my list so away we went. Besides the extraordinary city itself, we enjoyed gourmet meals prepared by a private Italian chef served in the comfort of our accommodation which was a section of a 16th century palace in the heart of the city! Are you kidding me? No. Not kidding. It was superb! Our friends hosted the perfect Rome experience and it was absolutely wonderful! Often while traveling I am reminded of what a tiny space I occupy in this world. It’s almost impossible not to reflect after spending time in such a marvelous place. Rome has me in awe of the lifetimes and countless events that have made it the place it is today. Wandering through the remains of buildings from 2,000 years ago, gazing up at 500 year old art in a massive cathedral and winding through narrow streets where thousands of others from all over the world have strolled through and marveled at the same sights, I am simply amazed. I noticed a sign posted while sightseeing and it stopped me for a moment. Just beyond the ancient ruins the sign read: This journey is not over. You too, here and now, are a part of its history. I took a deep breath and let that sink in and felt gratitude for every event in my lifetime that led me to that exact place. Maybe that’s cheesy or typical for a travel blog but I have had my share of adversity and heartbreak and I know that it is all part of my history and has absolutely contributed to the woman I am and the woman I am still becoming. The woman who was standing among ancient ruins in Rome, Italy on a gorgeous December day. I'm going to quote one of my favorite books because I know I have friends that will read this and it's a nice reminder when you are going through heavy stuff as some of them are..."Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation." Elizabeth Gilbert writes this after visiting the Augusteum in Rome. I understand why. This ancient city has endured so much chaos and yet it is still a stunningly beautiful, awe-inspiring place. Thank you to Bryan and Lacey...I am grateful for being invited on such a lovely holiday and for having the opportunity to experience the city in such a unique way and to my husband, it was an absolutely unforgettable trip with you.
Love, Stevi |