How did I get here? And where am I going?

Image by Chris Piascik

I’m a frequent visitor to IFB for their great posts on blogging. This week, they posted a prompt that is really quite relevant to me right now: why did you start your blog?

Between working full-time, keeping up with my friends and family, and doing all of those boring adult things (paying bills, doing laundry, cooking dinner, etc.), I often let my blog go stagnant for weeks at a time. Lately I’ve been trying to work harder at building my blog, focusing my content, and really making it a reflection of who I am, how I got here, and where I’m going.

When I first started my blog, I was on the verge of graduating from college and had just secured a new job and apartment in New York. It was a really exciting time in my life because I felt like I had finally crossed the border into ADULTHOOD, and I was filled with nothing but hope for what was to come. I didn’t really have a clear vision of what I wanted the blog to be, but I posted occasionally about things that I did, places I went, and (of course) clothes that I liked.

Going back today to think about what my vision (or non-vision) was for my blog has been really refreshing. I’ve realized that my content here hasn’t always been a true reflection of who I am, and maybe it’s time to change that. I have looked to a lot of very successful blogs over the years and wondered why I couldn’t be more like them — to have the money for travel and pretty clothes, to live in a perfectly styled apartment that provides a beautiful backdrop for photos, or to have hours each week to test out new recipes and crafts to feature. But that’s OK, because that is just not who I am at this point in my life.

I want to be able to connect with people here who, like me, are balancing the things they want in life with reality. And more importantly, I want to be able to show people that there is a positive way to find a balance — whether it’s updating their wardrobe while staying on top of their student loan payments, or finding time to whip up something homemade and fabulous in their kitchen despite their 9-to-5. So, cheers to the future of City Coeur! Here’s hoping that I can bring back that same new-graduate hope to this blog years later!

Back on the horse

So… I’ve had quite the hiatus from this blog. Honestly, the holidays and life in general just sort of got in the way of things that I wanted to do, like blog. Sorry about that!

I’m planning to get back into the swing of things now, and so will leave you with this teaser: I received the most beautiful cookbooks for Christmas this year, and they were a complete and total surprise — recipes from none other than Ladurée! I didn’t even know these existed before I unwrapped them! There are separate books for Sweet and Savory dishes with lovely velvety covers, and they each come nestled in boxes that resemble the macaron boxes at Ladurée. I’ve already tested an eclair recipe that was pretty damn fantastic, so I’m very much looking forward to trying more and posting the results right here! Of course if you can’t wait for that, you could always pick up your own copies of the books as well… the Savory version seems to be pretty readily available, but the Sweet recipes are sold out at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, unless you want to pay $96 for a copy — yikes!

In the New Year

2010 was a pretty great year overall for me — I saw many of my goals come to fruition, spent some quality time with my family and friends, and got to try on a “magnificent specimen” of a mustache (and if that doesn’t make a fantastic year — well, friends… I don’t know what does).

I’ve never really been one for resolutions, but after having a successful 2010, I want to continue that trend in 2011. Here’s what I’m looking to accomplish this year:

1. Blog more. I love having a venue for expression, and I’m really going to work at keeping this thing updated with tasty recipes and fun photos all year.

2. Make our spare bedroom functional. Roomie and I pay a pretty unbelievable price for a three bedroom apartment in New York, but until now we haven’t made great use of our spare room — what’s the use? It’s my goal to turn it into a functional guest room/dressing room/hang out room/etc. this year (suggestions on how to use a teeny-tiny spare room are welcomed!).

3. Master a new yoga pose. Fortunately, I already have a decent diet and exercise regime so I don’t need to re-motivate myself on that front. I do yoga at least twice a week, and I’d love to work on a new inversion, like a forearm stand!

4. Sew more often. I used to sew in high school, but cramped dorm rooms forced me to go on hiatus during college. I made one skirt recently that posed a number of challenges because I’m a little out of practice… not only do you get new clothes when you sew, but I’m also convinced that it sharpens your critical thinking skills (and forces you to exercise patience from time to time!)

5. Save more money to travel. I’m so fortunate to be employed and to work a job that I love, but the reality of student loan payments is still hitting me hard. I’m tightening up my budget wherever I can to save money for travel this year — it’s no secret that travel is a passion of mine, but there is no way around the fact that it is just plain expensive! I’m making a conscious effort to cross at least one destination off of my travel dream list this year.

6. Make more “me” time. Sometimes I think that my life is similar to that of a 9-year-old with parents who force him to play every sport and practice every instrument — I’m terribly over-scheduled. I like to structure my time in order to get a lot accomplished, but this year I’m going to make it a point to schedule at least one block of “nothing” time into each week. You know, so I can read a book, or go shopping, or even update this blog!

What are your goals this year?