Dry As Toast

Here I Am...

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Oi! The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Travel has picked right up and I've been leaving the city nearly every week this month. After my trip to San Antonio for the city's Fiesta celebration, I visited Gulf Shores in Alabama to learn more about the nature scene in the area and eat way too much seafood (I think I ate enough shrimp, crabs, and deep fried whatever to last me a lifetime). A few highlights:

- Taking a golf cart tour through 12 miles of the Hugh Branyon Back Country Trail. It was such a relaxing early morning trek through sunshine and shade that I wanted a nap right after.

- Feeding a Bengal tiger with a baby bottle before playing with White Bengal tiger cubs Yeti and Kolkata at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. I took tons of photos, but my favorite are the ones freelance writer Cheré Dastugue Coen took of me when one of the cubs finally shed his shyness and ran right up to play with me and my camera. They were like big kittens and left all of us wanting to take one home.

- As if playing with adorable baby tigers weren't enough, during a nature cruise our group witnessed quite a few dolphins including an expected a maternity pod with a newborn.

Fun Facts: Fires can actually be beneficial and rangers will produce controlled fires every couple of years to promote growth. Also, new dolphin moms get an instant nanny once their baby is born and this "aunty" is able to lactate along with her.

Must Eat: If you ever do find yourself in Gulf Shores, you must try the Royal Red shrimp at King Neptune's Seafood Restaurant. It is unbelievable and hands down the best shrimp I've ever tasted (and the Amaretto Orange Blossom Daiquiri tasted like a yummy kimalito cocktail). And Al and Diane are real down-to-earth owners.

This weekend, I took a last-minute trip to Miami to catch the six teams (but mainly Abu Dhabi) in the Volvo Ocean Race during their North American stop-over. It would've been a fairly laid-back trip, but numerous speedboat thrills and a terrifying two-hour experience chasing racing sailboats through choppy waters on a small dingy while holding on for dear life brought us home with plenty of stories to tell.

Fun Fact: Abu Dhabi means "father of the gazelle" after one led tribe hunters to a spring and the island's discovery. In Greek, Dorcas means "doe, gazelle."

Must Eat: If you're ever hungry and waiting for your flight in Miami International Airport, you have to try the delicious Cuban food at Ku-Va Restaurant and Bar in North Terminal D19.

And still the traveling is not over as I have a road trip with the girls to Virginia Beach in the coming days immediately followed by a trip to Los Angeles with A. to visit the family. No joke, I've been living out of my suitcase for weeks, unpacking, washing clothes, and packing them right back in. I feel so displaced! So follow my tweets to keep up with currently hectic life and to catch pics and notes about my travels.

{Monday Inspiration} Have Less. Do More.

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Need a daily reminder? Then download this wallpaper at Design You Trust.

Image: designyoutrust.com

Would You Ever Get Inked?

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Would you ever get a tattoo? I've come across some really beautiful artwork lately, but I could never commit to getting my skin inked. For one, needles freak me out and there's no way I'd willingly go through pain like that. Then there's the side of me who worries that I'll get bored with my tattoo just a few months in though I don't know why; I've had the same textiles and decor in my house for years and haven't had a real desire to change it all up (due to laziness really). Plus, I like to keep my body fairly untouched. I've never dyed my hair, don't play around with wild makeup colors, and if my mom didn't have my ears pierced when I was a baby I'd probably never wear earrings at all. Pretty tame, huh?

But would you ever get a tattoo? Do you have one already? If I ever dared to get one I think mine would be nature-inspired or perhaps tiny and whimsical. A. loves science so much he got an atom tattooed over his heart when he was 18!

P.S. If you're a curious scaredy-cat like me, Tattly makes designer temporary tattoos that are quite adorable. I'm loving this enamorado chap and this cartoony taxi cab.

Images: pinterest.com and flickr.com

Tea Bag Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:58:00 +0000

This will have to be the next baking project I try. Just cut a tea bag shape out of wax paper or cardstock and use it to cut into the shortbread cookie dough. Punch a tiny hole through the dough with a round frosting tip. Once the cookies have baked and cooled, thread a tag through the hole, dip in chocolate, and voilà! A recipe for some instant best friends. Now what would you dunk these into? I'm not a fan of cookies, but I love love love Petit Écolier milk chocolate biscuits and think I'd slowly swirl these into a mug of warm milk...

Image: sandrakavital.blogspot.se

{Monday Inspiration} Jada Pinkett-Smith's Red Table Talks

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:12:00 +0000

During today's shift for BET.com, I had to watch the first episode of Jada Pinkett-Smith's new web series Red Table Talks. In it, the actress sat down with her mom, Adrienne Banfield Jones, and daughter Willow to talk candidly about good parenting, Adrienne's past drug abuse, and how Willow feels about fame. Despite the serious themes, it was a really motivational segment and I like how the three chatted so candidly about the topics above. When Willow asked her mom how she juggles being a wife and a mother (about 8:40 mins in), Jada went into a long but really insightful response about the need to take care of yourself and staying balanced, communicating your needs, and how pushing aside your own dreams only leads you towards resentment and relying on others for your happiness.

"Every day when I wake up in the morning, I go into meditation and I ask for guidance from the powers, the intangible powers and I get focused. I think what does Willow need to do today? Okay, let me check that off, let me handle that. What does Jaden need today? What does daddy need today? And okay, Jada, before the day is done, you better make sure that you take care of yourself. And that's a new thing for me…

The reason why you always have to be in communication, especially with me, your family, your grandmother, your father, your brothers, your friends, the people you love you, you have to understand that life is a journey. Communication creates partnerships, that we are here to assist you, that we can't make your life for you, and we can't help you with the things that we don't know, and that you always have to remember to take care of you first and foremost because when you stop taking care of yourself, you get out of balance and you really forget how to take care of others. And I think that we've been taught that taking care of yourself is a problem."

"Each year and each day I get more and more in balance and more alignment and you know what? I get more and more happy...The more happy I am and the more fulfilled I am, it works for the family."

Watch the full episode below and tell me, do you ever find yourself putting everyone else's needs before your own and feeling guilty about saying no to other's requests? I know I have a hard time slotting in some me time or putting my foot down when something truly matters to me and it's true, then I point fingers when I'm not happy or frustrated with how things are going when it's all under my control to change. How do you find balance in your life?

{Wanderlust} Time is Nothing

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Stories like Kien Lam's make me happy. After quitting his job, he bought a one-way ticket to London and proceeded to photograph and record all the places and people he came across during his 343-day journey around the world. The result: Time is Nothing, a beautiful time lapse made from 6237 photographs taken through 17 different countries.

Usually back-to-back travels leave me feeling weary and it takes me a bit to recuperate from early morning flights and dragging around luggage through airport labyrinths, but during lunch after my arrival from Alabama on Sunday, I found myself asking A. if he'd move to Paris with me in the next year or so. (The answer is yes, but contingent on us being able to financially sustain our life out there and get our long stay visas approved. I could continue freelancing, but he'd need a job.) We'll see if this actually happens (fingers crossed!), but I've already checked the requirements and am working to save up for that goal.

I like to have all my duckies in a row and take my time mulling over every detail before pulling the trigger, which could very well have me shooting for Paris 2014. A., on the other hand, is very much the "F--k it, let's do it now!" type. I mean the man did visit NYC on an August and then wound up deciding to move, sell his car, pack his things, and move to the city (without a job or a place to live) in just four months. I'm not that crazy, but there's definitely an appeal to living life that boldly.

Oh My! Handmade Guide to Businessy Goodness

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:59:00 +0000

I totally understand the value of hard work, sweat, and tears it takes to get a creative business off the ground, but raise your hand if you agree it'd be so much nicer if someone who knew the ropes pointed us in the right direction? Well a whole group of entrepreneurs who've paved their way to biz success have been gathered in the Oh My! Handmade Guide to Businessy Goodness. The 68-page digital book features articles on marketing, building a brand, and navigating obstacles along with links, printables, and motivational quotes. There are also relevant resources and advertisers to look into once you're ready to launch. I bought my copy last week (you can name your own price!) and though I wish there were more worksheets and planners included, I quickly dove into the list of companies that provide web development, printing and design services, and business coaching. So helpful!

Image: ohmyhandmade.com

Author/Illustrator Maurice Sendak Dies at 83

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:28:00 +0000

I admit I didn't read Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are until I was 27 when the movie came out, but Little Bear and Chicken Soup with Rice? Oh I loved reading all about their curious adventures when I was a child. In fact, I still remember borrowing the Really Rosie VHS tape from my library and playing it over and over until I learned the lyrics to all the songs. Now with the news that the Brooklyn-born author/illustrator passed away Tuesday at the age of 83, I've been taking a nostalgic trip through those fun songs and stories of my childhood. (Skip to 5:30 in the video below to listen to "Chicken Soup with Rice.") Funny how I still know the words to these tunes. Some things just never leave you, I guess.

In an interview with NPR in September 2011, Sendak talked about his work, children's literature, life, and loss:

"I’m not unhappy about becoming old . . .[it's] what must be. I only cry when I see my friends go before me. I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I do expect to see my brother again . . . like a dream life . . . but I am in love with the world. I look right now out the window of my studio--I see my trees, these beautiful beautiful maples. It is a blessing to get old, to find the time to do the things, to read the books, to listen to the music. I don’t think I’m rationalizing . . . this is all inevitable, I have no control over it. The wondrous feeling of coming into my own—it took a very long time. You could be talking to a crazy person."

"I have heart trouble. I’m very sick. I have nothing but praise now really for my life. . . I’m not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can’t stop them. They leave me and I love them more. I’m in a very soft mood, you gather, because new people have died. It’s what I dread more than my isolation. . . . [young people] if they only knew how little I know. Oh, God, there are so many beautiful things in the world that I will have to leave when I die, but I am ready, I am ready, I am ready."

"Although certainly I’ll go before you’ll go, so I won’t have to miss you. But I will cry my way all the way to the grave. . . . I wish you all good things. Live your life, live your life, live your life."

P.S. You have to watch Stephen Colbert's interview with Sendak (part 1 and part 2) from this January and Colbert's attempt to create a children's book of his own!

Image: lizlambson.com and tuesdaysatten.blogspot.com

{Monday Inspiration} Spring Forth from the Ashes

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:43:00 +0000

I just wanted to give you guys a huge hug and thanks for the thoughtful comments and messages about my previous post. I was freaking out during and after publishing my last post so it's incredibly comforting to know that it fell on encouraging eyes and ears. Not that I'd expect any less from you kind-hearted monkeybutts :)

Things I'm Afraid to Tell You

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:58:00 +0000

When Ez Pudewa of the blog Creature Comforts tweeted a call out for bloggers willing to reveal something personally difficult to their readers, I jumped in. I didn't know all the rules, but I knew it'd be a good push for me to be more authentic with you guys while also helping me push past some of my own fears and boundaries. When I dove into Dry As Toast after my breakup in 2008, I was a ball of emotions, struggling, and dealing with so many issues that needed to burst out. Some of you saw me through those dark days until I slowly came out of it smiling, more optimistic, and a bit more sure-footed, but I've also felt myself fall into this trap of solely blogging quick and happy snippets instead of sharing thoughts and ideas that would truly allow you to connect with me. I admit, Dry As Toast had turned into a "lovely little blog."

Inspired by Jess Constable's post about the things she's afraid to tell her readers, Ez has gathered up a group of bloggers who've decided to the same with theirs (check out the growing list here). It's a bit scary to remove the mask you've come to build for yourself. A part of me wants people to think I no longer get depressed, that I've gained back all the weight I lost years ago, that I'm healthy, that I no longer hurt myself, and that everything's A-OK, but that would be a lie. I still get incredibly anxious in social situations (and just life in general), I still get dizzy spells because I don't eat enough, and I haven't been able to stop the scratching. So I welcomed this push to share a few more things I've been afraid to tell you.

I'm afraid of how strongly the wish to have a child has suddenly swept in. For so long it'd been "not me, not now" and then whoosh! I might have gotten emotional about it a few times and find myself talking about raising kids with A. fairly often - too often perhaps. And even though I'm in a relationship that's fun as is and know I should take my time because I'm just not prepared for that responsibility quite yet, I still feel a tinge of jealousy when yet another person shares their engagement or pregnancy on Facebook. It almost makes my heart hurt how much I want those things, too, because I'm scared that it might not happen for me.

I worry that I'm not a good enough writer and that everyone else around me is infinitely more talented than I am. When it comes to this field, comparing yourself to your colleagues is pointless because everyone takes such different routes, but it happens. I'm also unsure when it comes to my financial future, am so not prepared for an emergency, and am a little insecure about my income being drastically less than my boyfriend's. I say it isn't an issue and it really isn't when it comes to the day-to-day, but when I let my mind go to future stuff, it bugs me to think that I might not ever bring in as much as he would or be able to save enough to buy a house and feel financially stable. At 30, I'm still terrible at managing my money and haven't been able to get my only debt, that damn Sallie Mae, off my back.

And here's the one that has me hyperventilating and second-guessing my wanting to share this at all, but also one I've gone back and forth on ever revealing for over a year now. Over the last five years, and more so in the last couple, I've found myself attracted to some women. It's a curiosity that has been exciting to explore with A. but also scary to admit around certain people. I've been guarding that side out of fear of being judged, talked about, or worse, have girlfriends feeling like I'm going to start hitting on them out of the blue. I wish I could be the liberated and open-minded woman that lurks inside no matter what circle of friends these topics come up in and have it not matter, but off-putting comments by those who don't know have made me think twice about ever being that honest when it comes to sex - even if I'm secretly offended by the things they say.

I've shunned the label "bisexual" opting for the softer "bicurious" instead and still get uncomfortable when A. casually throws it my way. Maybe because I don't want to attach anything permanent to who I am or perhaps because I'm still figuring out my own comforts and prejudices against the title. If I only want and seek relationships with men, but get turned on by women and full-on girl crushes that have me gushing about her to A., then what does that make me? Does it even matter? All I know is that curiosity and intrigue is definitely there and I only wish I were brave enough to embrace that this is just a part of who I am. Take me or leave me.

Now go on and read all the bravery floating through today. Maybe you'll also want to share the things you've been keeping to yourself, too. It might be terrifying at first (I just spent more than an hour "editing" this post just to talk myself into publishing it), but hopefully you'll feel lighter and a bit more genuine once you do.

Image: courtesy of Ez Pudewa

And She's Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:45:00 +0000

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have a hard time slowing down and allowing myself to play with the possibility of boredom. On Tuesday, I was busy working a morning shift from home, conducting two interviews, making calls for a side project, and doing laundry when mid-afternoon rolled in and I felt like busting out. I was getting stir crazy from being in the house doing nothing but work! And even though I just wanted to walk without the attachment of computers, Internet, books, and cameras to keep me entertained on a much-needed walk, it was hard to leave all that stuff behind. What if I get to my destination - some cafe near A.'s job where I could pop in for a breather after an hour-long walk - and I'm just sitting there doing nothing?

Ultimately, I was able to part with my heavy laptop and set off, but I still brought stuff to do. Why is it so hard for us to stop running around like mad and feeding our brain more fodder to toy around with? Working from home is a blessing in that I wake up at the office, but it also makes it hard to set boundaries on your time. I could work all day on one thing or another and barely pause to eat a meal away from the computer. It can get quite draining when I let it.

I guess the good part in Tuesday's exercise was telling myself that even though I had edits to work on, interviews to transcribe, and packing to do for an early morning flight the next day, my mind really needed a break for a few hours. Everything else would just have to wait. Besides, the world won't collapse if it doesn't get done instantly.

Now, I wish I could say that then I went home and had a relaxing evening and full night's sleep, but no. I slept for three hours before needing to get up and out of the house by 3:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Alabama's Gulf Shores where I'll be spending the remainder of the week. It's days like these that make me wish I drank coffee.

{Monday Inspiration} Design Milk Designer Desktops

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

If you're looking to change up your monitor's wallpaper, Design Milk has a monthly series of free designer desktops where artists illustrate a motivational quote using simple imagery and typography. The above quote by Coco Chanel, "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable," is a pretty/modern one designed by Alia Ormut-Fleishman.

Image: design-milk.com

{Happy Friday}

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:44:00 +0000

Happy Friday everyone! It's been a long week so I'm ready to commit to a couple days of doing a whole lot of nothing before heading back out next week. I will only break this vegetation period for picnics in the park, baking peanut butter brownies, and finishing out this month's course of Souvenir Foto School. By the way, the above photo is a cool light fixture at the CIA Bakery Café in San Antonio. It's made out of wooden spoons!

And with that, I'll leave you with some fun links from around the web:

I want these hand-carved stamps.

For the fellow orange juice snobs.

How to break in new shoes.

If you could email 12,000 people, what would you say?

One minute with...

Anyone catch a glimpse of the shuttle as it flew over NYC?

The Barackness Monster and Jimmy Fallon slow-jam the news.

DIY pink lip balm.

Family portraits 101.

Hey, did anyone see Game of Thrones this week? What the...!!

{Wanderlust} The People You Meet

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:34:00 +0000

I've just returned from five fun days of exploring San Antonio once again and taking in the city's Fiesta celebration. Whenever I go away on these group trips, the best part is clicking with other world travelers and writers, talking about countries and experiences, all the items we've crossed off our bucket list, and the places we're heading to next. For me, it'll be Alabama's Gulf Coast next week.

It's almost sad to think about how you bond over margaritas, cooking classes, and karaoke with complete strangers and share such wonderful memories for a short time only to arrive at the end of the trip and have everyone fly back to their corner of the world. I'm often left wondering if I'll ever cross paths with some of them again or if we're all just here to serve a short purpose before moving on to our next destination.

Do you make an effort to stay in touch with and meet people during your travels? I was painfully shy about talking to others during our travels through Europe, but when I flew to Thailand, I had no trouble making friends on my own. I figured I was already acting bold and no one knew me so it was the perfect time to break out of my shell a bit. Plus, everyone was so friendly it was hard to resist a genuine smile and a warm hello. That's all it takes, isn't it?

P.S. Browse through my travel tweets for a small preview (photos included!) of my trip to San Antonio.

What Do You Do With Your Ex's Stuff?

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:23:00 +0000

So I'd been cleaning out the house and throwing out bags of junk when I came across a photo of Mr. First and me that I'd wrapped up in one of his old T-shirts and then forgot about. I also have a small box of trinkets, letters, and other sentiments that I once tried to give back in a fit of anger, but he simply wouldn't accept because they had meant so much. They've been packed up for the past four years and even though I haven't looked through any of it in so long and the photos don't stir much up inside, I just can't bring myself to throw that bit of my past away. Is that weird?

So tell me, what do you do with your ex's stuff after the break-up? Do you return it all, chuck it, or keep it? What about jewelry? I have two pieces from Tiffany's - including a necklace I absolutely love and would never give away or sell - that have mixed in nicely with everything else in my jewelry box.

And would you ever wear or accept things that were once meant for your current partner's ex? Call me shameless, but I've been happily wearing a beautiful corset that A. bought for his ex years ago but was just too small for her. Never even thought twice about saying yes.

Image: someecards.com

{Wanderlust} Practical Tips for Traveling the World

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:56:00 +0000

I'm lucky enough to have really increased my travels over the last couple of years. After countless childhood summers traveling to the same Dominican village my parents grew up in, I wanted to see new sights, taste other cultures' foods, and expand my view of the world. I wanted to be surprised, push past my comfort levels, and land right in the middle of someplace I never even knew existed. So what began with a trip to France in 2002 eventually grew into Mexico, Costa Rica, and St. Lucia, a backpacking dream trip through Europe, and most recently, Thailand.

This next month promises to also bring in new adventures as I'll be taking on off a series of trips that'll take me back to San Antonio before exploring the white sand beaches along Alabama's Gulf Coast. That'll be followed by a girls' road trip to Virginia Beach to visit a good friend and the day after I arrive from that, A. and I will fly off to Los Angeles to spend time with family and meet his second nephew. It'll be madness and I might forget what city I'm waking up in, but I cannot wait to set out.

I've yet to compile my own list of the things I've learned from my travel experiences, but in the meantime, Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads shares 21 practical tips that she's gathered from her years of traveling around the world. One of my favorites is tip number 11:

"My preferred way of connecting to people is via food but regardless of your passions or interests, travelling will also open your eyes to the fact that we are all more alike than we think," Jodi writes. "Yes, there are cultural differences and traditions that differ – vastly – but the basics of human emotions and the kindness in a smile are omnipresent, and a beautiful reminder of our shared humanity...Threads of common human queries – love, food, parenting, and many more – resurface again and again. Ask questions, encourage people to ask them of you. In the end, these knots of human connection are what makes the world go round."

I know I still have to continue writing about my adventures in Thailand, but hope to squeeze some posts in during my flights this week!

{Nesting} Anne Black Vases + Pitchers

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I'm really liking the house-wares collections of Anne Black, a Denmark-based shop with handmade ceramics in very simple but pretty Scandinavian design elements. One of my favorite: the Seam Mini Vases above made of white porcelain and red silk screen details and dotted impressions. They might only stand at three to four inches high, but a small grouping of them would certainly call for attention. from $34, shopanneblack.com.

And guests will fawn over these Black is Blue Pitchers. I know I would and then proceed to crave the entire hand-painted collection - especially this precious teapot. I don't even drink tea that often, but I'd create entire parties around this little pot. from $39, shopanneblack.com.

Images: shopanneblack.com and shopanneblack.com

Morning Affection

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:00 +0000

I love morning kisses and groggy affection. It's probably because my brain hasn't started going haywire yet that I can just relax more easily and tune out the distractions. A.'s usually uncomfortable with his morning breath and overall crustiness and while I agree that sometimes you just don't want to be sexy when it feels like something died in your mouth, I couldn't care less. My face will nuzzle right into his neck and I'll slowly wake him up with kisses until he responds. In the off chance that he's conscious before I am, his touch is a better wake-up call than any alarm could ever be. I'm lucky that I work from home and therefore can't truly be late to work, but the poor guy is often left rushing out the door to get to the office in time.

What about you guys? Do invisible walls come up until everyone's fresh and clean or do you go right for it before you've even fully woken up? I might not French him pre-brushing, but sharing some love first thing in the morning is a fun start to the day. Also fun: spontaneously doing the same at some ridiculous hour in the night.

Image: lefurcoat.blogspot.com

{Monday Inspiration} Kurt Vonnegut

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Image: shopgirlsteph on etsy.com

{Happy Weekend}

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:20:00 +0000

Even though my allergies are starting to kick in, I can't get enough of this wonderful weather. Perfect time to head to Central Park or sit at an outdoor cafe and quietly judge all the people passing by. By the way, did everyone and their moms procreate over the winter?? Looks like baby strollers are in style this season.

Order the best arugula and apple salad here and delicious huevos rancheros here.

A meditation tip.

Earworm!

A time-lapse food tour through Melbourne.

A harmonica player's shining moment.

Dyed paper towels.

How to plan a business launch.

Free arrow Photoshop brushes and photo templates.

Balloon bowls.

Caine's Arcade

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Caine Monroy is a sweet little nine-year-old boy in East Los Angeles who built an entire arcade out of cardboard boxes in his dad's used auto parts store and waited for people to come and play. The heart and thought he put into this thing is just incredible so watch this touching film about Caine's Arcade and the best day of his life and prepare to smile and tear up like I did.

P.S. Thanks to people's generosity, a scholarship fund set up by the film's creator Nirvan Mullick now has more than $100,000 to go towards Caine's future.

{Wanderlust} Obscura Day

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:40:00 +0000

Obscura Day, happening on Saturday, April 28th, is a "global celebration of curiosity and wonder" and a push to explore the world around you through walks, behind-the-scenes tours of unusual spots, and workshops. Check out what adventures will be available in your hometown, suggest or organize your own event, and keep popping in from now until then as new ones make the list. Three New York City expeditions that intrigued me: a street art photography workshop, a macabre scavenger hunt at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a rooftop camp-out in Brooklyn that would be perfect for us wilderness-wary urbanites! (via Neatorama)

Image: obscuraday.com

{Nesting} House Industries Typographic Flour Sack Towels

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

I just gave my mom about 10 hand towels that I had collected over the years and never used so really there's no reason why I should be sitting here, looking at House Industries' typographic flour sack towels, and wondering if I couldn't get just a couple more. $30 for 3, houseind.com.

What Were Your First Kisses Like?

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:14:00 +0000

For some reason I really feel like dishing right now so why don't we chat about our first kisses? Were they passionate and intense or did you make-out with a couple wet fishes? I'd love to know! Mine have ranged from spur-of-the-moment intense to soft and sweet with a few awkward moments in between. Let's see...

My very first kiss was a rather out-of-character move out in San Diego. During a trip to an Irish pub with two friends, two Marines struck up a conversation with us and after learning that the other two were already married, one, named Justin, started flirting with me. Despite having a big nose (sorry, it's true though), he was cute and before long we were making out right at the bar. Yeah, we were one of those disgusting people you can't stop judging when you go out drinking. Soon, the five of us were laughing and running through the rain, me on Justin's back with his jacket over my head, to continue hanging out at the other Marine's apartment.

While it was wild and daring for me to make out with someone I didn't even know, the novelty eventually wore off and I just wanted this man off my face. My friend's attempt to act as a buffer when he finally got up for a drink and some oxygen were thwarted when he came back and lodged himself right next to me. Eventually the two men fell asleep to a DVD of old SNL episodes (*yawn*) and the three of us quietly snuck out of the house in the middle of the night, leaving no note or digits, hailed a cab, and went home never to see or hear from them again.

***

The Lawyer was the first guy I dated and after replaying our month-and-a-half-long stint again in my head, I don't see how we could have ever worked for much longer. He clearly knew what he wanted while I was still extremely timid and cautious around men. Our first attempt at a kiss came after a night of watching endless cartoons on TV. We both sat on the couch, my head resting on his shoulder, when I noticed that he kept looking at me instead of the television. "What?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm thinking about kissing you," he said with a smirk.

I smiled and looked away because inside the alarms were going off! "Holy crap! What do I do?! What do I do?! Ugh, why did he even warn me??"

Before I knew it, he was leaning...into...me...so...freaking...slowly that it gave me too much time to think about the cheesiness of it all and how nervous I was. So at the very last second, I turned away. That's right, I gave him the cheek and promptly got up to go hide in the kitchen.

"Oooh!" he flinched. "Rejected!"

Luckily, he was a good sport, we had a nice laugh about it, and a few days later, while I sat on his apartment floor listening to Luis Miguel and translating Spanish ballad lyrics for him, he surprised me mid-sentence and gently stole his kiss. I immediately felt my face flush and buried my face in his chest.

You remember that episode of Sex and the City when Charlotte dated Brad the Bad Kisser and didn't know if she should keep dating him? That's exactly what I was asking my girls after sharing my first kiss with Mr. First. It was so awkward that after we finally took our friendship there, I pretty much rolled over and went right to sleep! (I was visiting him at school for the weekend.) But you know what the funny thing was? Months later, after the kisses became way better, he admitted that he didn't think I was that good that night either! I guess it took us both some time to learn what we each liked.

***

Now I'm not lying when I say my first kiss with A. has been the best one yet, but you should know that I nearly sabotaged the whole thing, too. I met him shortly after deciding that I needed more time before dating again. I'd broken up with Mr. First nearly two years before, but the wind was still knocked out of me and the thought of going through it all over again with someone new just wasn't appealing to me. So when I met this boy and quickly found myself getting caught up in talking to him, thinking about him, and then actually making plans to visit him, my knee-jerk reaction was to put the brakes on the whole thing. I was scared that I'd start to fall for him.

"I want to hang out and keep this a casual/friend type of thing, but the pressure/expectation to possibly do something I'm not yet comfortable with was a bit too much for me," I wrote. I didn't want him getting any ideas especially after the flirtatious banter we'd been enjoying since we met. After all, I was just being a tease right?

Well turned out I had already been sucked in. I showed up at his apartment that Saturday night and spent six hours having a great time and just wishing that he'd lean in and kiss me. But the man never made a single move!

"Ugh, I totally turned him off," I thought on my way home, wanting to kick myself. "He probably doesn't like me anymore because of that stupid email."

The next day, I told him what I'd wished for and he said we were on the same page then because he was just being a gentleman and didn't want to freak me out. But then the next time I swung by his place do you know that he made me wait until he watched a season finale of Dexter before doing anything else? "Very important!" he said. So there I sat pretending to be super focused on finishing up my Christmas ornaments and drinking my glass of Champagne when we both knew full well what was coming. Shortly after the episode was over, he said he'd forgotten to do something the other night, came over to me, and kissed me 'til the room spun around. It don't know if it was the intensity or the bubbly that did it that night, but two years later, A. can still make the room spin with a kiss.

Images: flickr.com and weheartit.com

Eric Cahan Sky Series + Murray Fredericks Salt Series

noreply@blogger.com (Dorkys Ramos) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:12:00 +0000

I have a thing for photos of the sky so stumbling upon Eric Cahan's Sky Series this morning was such a beautiful surprise. The project captures sunrises or sunsets at various points throughout the world for a gorgeous color study on light and space. Can you believe how varied and deeply saturated the sky can become? It's as if the sky completely gives its entire being into whichever outfit it decides to wear at that moment.

Cahan's work also brought to mind Murray Fredericks' project on the vast nothingness surrounding Lake Eyre. The Australian photographer spent seven years photographing the featureless surface of the typically dry salt pan in the Australian Outbacks, which was later turned into a documentary titled Salt. In many of his scenes, land and sky would almost merge as one were it not for the thin horizon line signifying the end of one and the beginning of the other.

Images: ericcahan.com and ngm.nationalgeographic.com