Dreams of Barcelona

Right now, the only new things in my own life are trips to the mechanic, job hunting, excursions to find good packing boxes, and new rolls of duct tape. As I sit at my apartment and strategize how to fit all of my worldly possessions in one 1998 Toyota Camry, or at the mechanic's shop wondering how it is possible for such a small mechanical part to cost so much money, my sister is exploring the streets of Barcelona.

For obvious reasons, I have decided to write a post in honor of my sister’s much more glamorous life.

Street in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

Barcelona.

I think of that city and immediately see visions of Moorish architecture and pitchers of sangria. Paella and cobble stoned streets and bullfighters and dark eyed women in flamenco dresses.

My only personal experience with Spain was when I made her acquaintance on a brief weekend jaunt with my friend Margot years ago. One morning we awoke inexplicably bored with the quiet streets of Bordeaux, and decided there was nothing to do but jump on a train and head south. We didn’t make it to Barcelona (or even Madrid) and instead spent a weekend exploring a small town near San Sebastian in Northern Spain.

San Sebastian

We arrived late in the night, hungry for food and conversation. We dropped our bags off at a hostel, and then happened upon a small restaurant that had stayed open late so that the owners could watch a game of futbol. With a clumsily constructed mishmash of French, Spanish, and English, we made friends with the owners and watched soccer and laughed and drank sangria, then ran to the ocean and jumped into its warm waters (just to say that we did) before returning to our rooms to fall into bed happy and exhausted, dreaming of what the next day might bring two bright-eyed, happy-hearted friends.

No, I’ve never been to Barcelona and can rely only on my imagination (and stories from my sister) to piece together a description of a city that I imagine is old and young and full of romance and stories.

La Boqueria in Barcelona

In my imagination, Barcelona is full of artists and poets and people with curious hearts that are eager to learn.

In my imagination, Barcelona’s streets are charmingly crowded with buildings close together. Lace curtains trail out of the windows, and plants grow in pots on rooftop gardens.

In my imagination, you go to Barcelona to fall in love and dance with strangers and make new friends that you recognize immediately as kindred spirits but may never see again.

In my imagination, once you go to Barcelona, you never want to come home again, but when you do return, you’re left wondering if that magical city was just a daydreamed fancy.

One of these days I will go and find out for myself if what I imagine Barcelona to be is near to the reality of the city.


But until then, I will continue to dream the city up in my mind, all bright and beautiful.

Vasanthi

I stumbled upon beautiful things this morning...

The Danish company Vasanthi specializes in lighting. According to their websight, much of their inspiration comes from the color and light at festivals in Thailand and Sri Lanka.

I love how something as simple as a clothes rack is made beautiful by their lights.

This bassonette becomes whimsical and perfectly suited for a baby girl when you add these beautiful peach and pink lights.

You can so clearly see how their adventures in the East have come through in their creative designs shown in these pictures (all from their website). 

The result is magical and romantic and whimsical and simply perfect. 

Cozy Sundays and Good Books

If you looked out of my window today, you would never guess that you were in the middle of southern California. It's one of these extremely rare days where the sun is hiding behind gray, rain-filled clouds. Mist and drizzle give everything a sleepy, comfortable sort of feeling.

It is my opinion that there is nothing more comforting than a rainy Sunday morning, especially when they only come around once a year.

In the corner of my apartment, situated perfectly in between two windows and beside our fireplace is "the chair." Though it doesn't belong to me, it's understood that it's mine. Anytime my brother, sister-in-law and I watch a movie or are all seated in the living room, they take the couch and I take the chair. Its a beautiful, old fashioned kind of chair with a high curved back and dark, wooden legs covered with intricately carved designs. Never do I appreciate the chair as much as on rainy days like today where it's mine to sit in and gaze out of the window all day, wrapped up in a blanket with a steaming cup of coffee in my hands and my journal or a new book in my lap, my imagination running wild.

This glorious gray morning calls for cozying up next to a fire with a good book. Anyone who knows me can tell you how much I love to read, so I thought that in honor of this cozy day, I would make a list of some of the best books that I've recently read. I warn you that I am no snob when it comes to books. I love a good story, and it matters little to me what genre that story belongs to. The following books are not necessarily the best literature you'll ever read, but they are the types of books that will sweep you up to another place with the magic in their pages. But then, isn't that why we read?

Read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstein if you want to be swept up in a magical love story. There are few things I appreciate more than a good imagination, and you can tell within the first chapter that Ms. Morgenstein has an astounding one. Some of the scenes in this book are described so beautifully that I read them out loud so I could really savor what was being described!

Read West with the Night by Beryl Markham if you are looking for a hero. The life of Beryl Markham completely astounds me. Although she is most well known for her work as a pilot, Beryl Markham (an incredible writer) focuses her autobiography mainly on her upbringing in Africa. This book will inspire you and probably amaze you that a woman could accomplish as much as she did in the early 1900's.

Read Zeitoun by Dave Eggers if you're in the mood to be completely outraged. This book is an account of a Middle Eastern man who stays in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Your heart will be uplifted as you read of his bravery, and then outraged as you read on about his treatment by the United States government. It's the type of story that inspires your heart to do something that might change our world for the better.

Read Entwined by Heather Dixon if you want to be completely and totally charmed. This re-telling of one of my favorite fairy tales (the Twelve Dancing Princesses) is set in the Victorian era, and the sweet, funny, plucky dialogue between the sisters in the book will make you laugh and wish that you had eleven sisters to keep things interesting!

I hope these suggestions are welcomed and help you to enjoy your next rainy, cozy day.

How to Have a Good Conversation

Recently I wrote a post about the habit my generation is making of becoming boring. I don’t like it when people choose to watch TV or play video games instead of going off and making their own adventures. I wish people would go do something interesting and risk getting into a little bit of trouble rather than sitting at home watching their favorite TV shows. I hate that we use social media to lie about how perfect our lives our. I wish that we were genuine and knew how to be vulnerable.

Part of that post was about the importance of conversation. As Christians, we are commanded to love others as Jesus did. When you’re trying to love someone well, it helps to have some basic understanding of that person. It’s pretty much impossible to understand them if you never talk with them, and if you want to talk to them without coming off as awkward, it helps knowing how to have a good conversation.

This line of thought begs the question, “what makes a conversation good?” You would think it’s instinctive, but lately I have had some pretty bad conversations, and I want to point out a few simple things that can make or break a conversation.

#1. Make introductions

If you are with another person, be sure to make the introductions between all present. Nothing is more awkward than being the third person when a duo runs into each other, and all of the sudden you’re invisible. It’s just as awkward to run into an old friend while they’re with another person, and you’re suddenly in the uncomfortable position of trying to catch up while figuring out who this new person in the background is.

#2. Ask questions

Everyone loves talking about themselves, but rarely will people simply offer up personal information. Show your interest in other people’s lives by asking questions to get conversation rolling. What are you doing here? How is your day? How is your family? What are you doing? How is your husband/wife/kids?

Sometimes people will be terrible at responding to these questions and your conversation suddenly begins to feel more like an interview. When that happens, it’s time to gently leave the conversation. If people want to talk back, they will, so if they’re not responding well to questions, now is probably not the best time to chat.

#3. Remember details from previous conversations

If this is a person that you talk to on a regular or semi-regular basis, follow up with them on things they have mentioned in previous conversations. Example: if the last time you talked they mentioned that they were close to finishing an important project at work, or that they were about to move into a new apartment, ask them about it. Knowing that someone listens and remembers details in your life makes you feel valued and loved.

#4. Make good eye contact

This one is a classic for a reason. When someone is in a conversation with you but is constantly looking around the room or at their feet, it gives the impression that they cannot wait to get out of the conversation. Conversely, if someone looks you in the eyes and maintains good eye contact, it instinctively makes you feel at ease and gives the impression that they truly are interested in you.

#5. Make physical contact

Obviously, this is a cultural thing and should be treated as such. However, I really think that a quick hug or a touch on the shoulder lends an air of familiarity and ease to a conversation. Giving a quick hug to a friend you run into at a café is a small physical detail that tells them that you are legitimately glad to see them. 


So there you go. Hopefully these are easy, simple things to make your conversations better. Happy chatting!