Last year, I mentioned that Shakespeare in the Park is one of my favorite summer things to do in New York. This year, I feel the same way. On Friday, I got to see the musical version of “Love’s Labour’s Lost“, penned by Michael Friedman and Alex Timbers (the guys behind “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson”). This modern take is hilarious—and features splashy, boy band-inspired dance numbers, too. In 90 minutes, it delivers a ton of fun, all set against the beautiful backdrop of Central Park. If you plan to see it, tickets are available now through August 18. I highly recommend it!

(Images via Theater Mania)  

What do you do to add peaceful moments for yourself into your day, your week, or your month? After reading this thoughtful post by Megan Gilger over at The Fresh Exchange, I realized: Finding the calm is something I need to start prioritizing…now.

I actually used to be very good at squeezing in time that was just for me. In fact, I cherished it, and put it at the top on my list of things to do. Now, I’m on a mission to get back to this ideal—even if it is only for 22 minutes a day (the length of an episode of Friends, my favorite TV show) or 90 minutes a weekend (the length of time necessary to get a manicure/pedicure and maybe a 10-minute massage if I splurge!) or eight hours a month (the length of time to take a break—from speaking English, at least—and brush up on my French).

Anyways, the point is that it all starts with finding the calm—and doing the things you need to do to “repair yourself”, as Megan describes. Good advice, don’t you think?

(Image via Pinterest)

Ever since I heard Hugh Grant describe the blue door that marked his flat in the film Notting Hill, I have thought about how charming and distinctive this design choice really is. Enter Brooklyn, and my new neighborhood there. Somehow it seems that there is a colorful door to be found on every block! I love it, and look forward to spotting one while walking around. 

When I do find a brightly colored door, I’m instantly transported back to that opening scene in Notting Hill. I can’t help but think how fun it must be to describe your address with a simple statement: “It’s the one with the blue door.” 🙂

PS—Colorful apartments in Brooklyn.

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This weekend was gorgeous, but since Saturday started off a little bit rainy, Matt and I decided to catch up on all the museums we’ve been neglecting this summer. We started at the Guggenheim, then worked our way down the East Side, hitting the Met, the Whitney, and finally, the MoMA. Overwhelming? It could have been, but we zeroed in on the exhibits we wanted to see most, then hopped over to the next!

Here, the exhibits you should drop everything to see:

– The Guggenheim: James Turrell’s first exhibition in a New York museum is all about light.
– The Met: The Punk installation here is an impressive follow-up to the Alexander McQueen exhibit from 2011.
– The Whitney: Edward Hopper’s iconic “Nighthawk” is on display—along with 9 of the charcoal sketches he used to create the final piece.
– The MoMA: Contemporary artists brilliantly experiment with sound and architecture.

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My dearest readers, what do you have planned for the next couple of days off? I’m excited to check out this production of Shakespeare in the Park—Matt is waking up early to get tickets. What a guy! 😉 Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead. Here, to get it started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

A frog with an umbrella.

The original George.

Create your own cookbook.

The joy of a belly flop.

Write drunk; edit sober.

A Royal cover.

Marvin Gaye’s solo track.

Summer cocktail.

Who’s your hostess muse?

Reasons to be amazing.

(Image via Pinterest)