Butterflies in the City

Yay I finally made it. When I arrived in Newark, I headed down to baggage claim, only to find out that my luggage wasn't there. They had told me that this possibly could happen but it was unlikely. I wasn't sure what to do. I had never experienced this before. So I went to the claims desk to file for it. Once I handled that I made my journey into the city. It was some what scary taking the trains so late at night, but I was kind of familiar from being in the city just over a month ago.

 Although nervous, I was still excited. I had finally made it and even though it was later than when I thought I would be arriving it was still before Trae :) Well Brad met me when I arrived to the hotel, we went to grab me a few necessary items since I didn't have luggage. And then it was time for bed. I was so exhausted from traveling but I couldn't seem to fall asleep. All I could think about was Trae and how after 20 days I was finally going to be able to see his face smile at me, smell his cologne, feel his arms wrap around me as he kissed me.

I missed all these things so much. I missed him. I woke the next morning early, Brad and I grabbed some coffee and headed to SoHo so that I could find something to wear for when Trae arrived. All morning I was so nervous, and excited like a little kid on Christmas morning. I bonded with Brad that morning, showing him some of the city, having breakfast and eagerly waiting for Trae's arrival. It was really nice that he helped me surprise Trae. As we waited in the lobby I was constantly looking at every door that opened hoping that it would be the man I so desperately couldn't wait to see, until there he was...he turned the corner and I felt a rush flow over me. I had missed him so much, and there he finally was in front of me.

The surprise was great, my heart was racing and I could feel the love melt me away as he kissed me. This was what I had been missing on my days spent traveling. We took Trae up to the room to get settled. Once he unpacked and settled in we headed down to see if my luggage had arrived to hotel yet and NO it didn't.

SO we then left for lunch at Justin Timberlake's restaurant Southern Hospitality in the upper eastside... it was pretty good. After lunch we headed out to Times Square where we went up to a bar that over looked the square and had a few cocktails.

It was nice to see the city from there since it was raining. Later that afternoon we went to visit with some of their family that lived in the city. Their place was so awesome. We spent the evening with them and had a wonderful Italian dinner, after dinner we headed back to our hotel to get some shut eye. When I got there I checked to see if my luggage had arrived and YES!! it did!!

I was so relieved and ready for bed after a long amazing day!! I remember laying down next to Trae and feeling him wrap his warm arms around me, I was the happiest girl in the world, I just drifted away in peaceful dreams.

The next day I got up to do a quick photo shoot and met the guys for lunch and shopping down in SoHo it was such a fun day. The shopping in New York is like NO other. All of the little vendors with such unique stuff and crowds of people. I really enjoyed spending that day with them. That evening Brad wanted to take me to Harlem for a little soul food dining experience. We had dinner at Sylvia's.

The menu was full of savory mouthwatering dishes, it was hard to choose. I ended up having the bbq salmon with mac & cheese and mashed potatoes. The best thing though about soul food restaurants is the sharing! We all ordered different things so we could taste as much as possible!! After dinner I was so full, but we walked around Harlem and went by the famous Apollo Theatre, then headed back to the hotel. I wasnt quite ready to call it a night, so Trae and I walked down to the Hardrock on Times Square for a couple drinks, it was so amazing to spend time with him in the city.

The next morning we went shopping some more and just walked the city. Later that evening we headed back over to visit with their family and have dinner. It was so delicious and also very enjoyable learning some of the families history. It was the perfect way to end the weekend.

I have to say that I have been to NYC a couple times but this one was the best. I really truly got to bond with Brad and to see Trae after 20 days was a wonderful rendezvous in the city before coming home. I couldn't have had a better time. But I was ready to come home, living out of a suitcase for almost a month was getting old.

xoxo .:TMarie:.

.:Model Behavior:.

Well as my weekend came to a close, so did my job. I was no longer happy with it, and I was ready to leave. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone in my office but I was focused on other things and just couldn't seem to keep my mind focused somewhere that it didn't want to be. I went the whole month of June booking modeling stuff and preparing for my month on the road in July.

My last weekend before I left was Independence Day. The night before we went to a party to hang out with some of Trae's friends. It was so much fun, my favorite part of that night was singing to 80's music. LOL Trae really gets in to that. I love just goofing off and letting loose with him. He melts my heart. The next day we went to the lake. I was super excited because this time we could bring Bentley. He was so cute with his little life jacket on.

The poor thing didn't know what to expect. He was terrified of the water. So he mostly chilled on the boat. We didn't get to see any fireworks that 4th of July because it rained. Which ended up being OK, since we were all so exhausted from the lake. The next 20 days in 3 different cities were gonna be so busy for me. I started in Atlanta working for Americasmart Gift & Home Furnishings Market for 10 days. It was fun to visit and stay with my friend/ model Ashley. She is always so fun to hangout with. We mostly stayed in with a glass of wine, shared recipes and cooked some yummy dinners while I was there. She also took me out one night to go with some friends of hers.

It was the only night I could actually get out, because I worked so early everyday I was down there. I also went to see my girl Alexis one night while she was working. It went by so fast and before I knew it I was boarding my flight to Miami for fashion week and the swim show. After a couple days of fittings I got booked to model for Blue Glue swimwear. The line was based out of LA, and it was their initial launch on the east coast. It was a lot of fun, I got to meet some great people that week. Amanda was one of the girls I met that I am still friends with. She was so much fun to hang out with. The ladies I worked with were also amazing! I stayed with my mom's friends Debbie & Larry once my fittings were over and I started to work. It was a relief to have them there. They were so welcoming, I felt like I was home away from home. I was having a blast, but I was really missing Trae. I had decided to surprise him in New York City. We had originally planned to go there with his Dad, but there was a problem with me getting a flight. I ended up getting it all worked out, and didn't tell him that I would be joining them after all.

With Brad and I scheduled to arrive the evening before Trae, it was the perfect plan to surprise him :) I was so excited to leave for New York City. That day Debbie took me to get my nails and toes done at this cute little place she liked on the way to the airport. I was full of butterflies, I couldn't wait to see Trae and to feel his arms around me. Nothing could bring me down from the clouds, EXCEPT for a delayed flight!!!  I was flying out of Ft. Lauderdale when I boarded the plane and sat at the gate for 2 hours. They couldn't figure out what was wrong. So they then proceeded to deboard the plane. At this point, I was freaking out that I would miss my connecting flight into Charlotte.

So I made my way to the desk where they were rerouting passengers. Fortunately I was one of the first people in line. After sitting on the plane that long my phone was starting to die. I luckily got a direct flight to Newark, but I had to walk to a totally different terminal and go through security again. Once I was at my gate, I plugged in my phone and made some phone calls. And waited to board my new flight. It was smooth sailing until I landed in Newark.

xoxo .:TMarie:.

Walking in Memphis

Once I got back in Tennessee, I realized that I wasn't very happy with my job. New York gave me inspiration to pursue other things that held my interest more. I made it back in time for my baby's birthday! His brother flew out from LA to visit during the week. Once he arrived, a bunch of us got together and took him to a great pizza place in Nashville called Mafiaoza's on Tuesday night. Where they have 2 for 1 specials. Its always nice to visit with Troy. He brings out this spark in Trae that I love. Working wasn't an option the next day, I for some reason couldn't make myself do it anymore.

But I went in anyways, and it was my week to plan our Wednesday night gathering for the office, but with family in town and it being Trae and Troy's Birthday, it was hard for me to decide. So I ended up having a cookout at our house, for their birthday party. It was a great success. Everyone had a great time, and the food turned out perfect. There was lots of laughter, jokes, and music. Troy had to leave to head back home for work that weekend. But Trae's father was coming in town to visit. So needless to say we had our hands full with company all week. I hadn't had time to really relax since my previous trip up north.

 So we planned to take Brad to Memphis for the first time. We got up early and headed out to the Delta Blues. He was excited to spend time with us. The first thing we did was lunch on Beale Street, with some delicious southern style BBQ. It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, there was a soft gentle breeze, you could smell the aroma lingering in the air from the smokers cooking the bbq. After lunch we walked along Beale street and over to the Civil Rights Museum. We took the tour through the museum so that he could see it. I had only been through this

exhibit once before, which was a long time ago, when I came to Memphis for the first time. Although, I always seem to find myself coming back there each time I visit. It is something that everyone must see for themselves one day. To walk through the history and struggles that our nation has gone through to get to where we are now, is heart breaking, but spirit lifting at the same time. That people believed in the freedom and equality that we have today. 

We also took him to Graceland, to walk through the house.  Which is another place I always visit or at least drive by to show people when I am in town. After we finished walking the grounds, we got ready to drive out to Tunica. Of course we couldn't leave with out going to the casinos so the men could play some poker!! At this point in time I had just began learning to play a little bit online so I wasn't in to gambling to much at the casinos. I just played the slots while I waited on them to finish.

Later that night we loaded up to drive home. It was definitely an interesting ride back. We got a flat tire!! Little did we know how serious it was til the next weekend, when I tried to get it replaced. I find out that Trae had ran over something that not only punctured the tire but also the wheel that caused a half dollar size hole!! It was something that I have never seen before. But it was a great little day trip to Memphis, and definitely worth it. Spending time and getting to know Brad was great. All in All I feel that Trae had a great birthday.

xoxo.:TMarie:.

Concrete Jungle

That morning we woke up eyes wide open and all we could see in the future was the BIG APPLE! New York City! We couldn't wait to walk the busy streets. It was only a couple hours away. We got to our hotel and checked in that morning. We stayed in Jersey just across the river from Manhattan. This was the second time I had ever visited NYC and we only had a few days to see everything! So we quickly unloaded all of our stuff and headed to the train station.

Hahaha That was sight, as Andrea and I tried to navigate our way through the city Erika and Tiegs followed behind laughing as our two dominating personalities collided. But hey I can at least say it was pretty funny. Andrea was on a mission... "Operation Find Benji" I can't say that I blame her. LOL when we finally made it to SoHo and found Benji, it was time to eat and shop!

First place we went was a little eatery to grab some lunch before we hit Broadway and Canal St. Once we finished up eating, Andrea left to visit with her man and we hit the shops! It was so much fun just walking to overly crowed streets and window shopping. Just spending silly time with the girls was a very much deserved reward from the previous week in Pittsburgh. I absolutely LOVE New york City. The culturally diverse city has something for all walks of life. As you walk by the massive concrete structure buildings or hop on the subways you feel this sense of ambition, like you can achieve your wildest dreams here. 

After walking the streets of Pittsburgh last week and now making our way through the city, our poor feet we need of some attention. So we decided to go get a manicure and pedicure before we left to head back to our hotel for the evening. It felt so good to sit back and just relax while getting pampered. I picked up a few cute things that day and so did the other girls. SoHo is one of my favorite neighborhoods to visit in NYC. Well after being so exhausted from our adventurous day we hopped on the train back to Jersey. Andrea went to watch Benji play that night in the City, but we were all too tired to join her, so we stayed in.

The next morning we got up bright and early, went to a little coffee shop and grabbed a latte and pastry (New York style) and made our way into the city to sight see. We headed up to 5th Ave. and Central park, where we dropped off Tiegs so she could visit with family over brunch, and met up with Andrea for lunch. When we finally all reunited, we set out on a tour of the city by foot. We saw Rockefeller center, Empire State Building, Times Square, South Street Seaport, Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, and the Statue of Liberty from across the Hudson Bay. 

The city was amazing and just as beautiful as I remembered. South Street was so much fun, we shopped at the mall there, and had famous New York Style Hotdogs on the pier. Then made our way back uptown to SoHo to get ready to go out that night in the City. We got ready at Benji's friends loft, which was so chic...I LOVED IT! The decor, the floor plan, the little cubby hole beds in the walls for guests, it was really really cool.

After we finished getting dolled up we headed to the rooftop to snap a few photos. The weather couldnt have been more perfect for this evening. Our plans were to have dinner in Little Italy at Pomodoro Resturant and Pizzeria on Mulberry St. It was so yummy after eating we walked Mulberry Street where they had a small carnival that night. The festivities brought great vibes and character to the neighborhood that evening.

After we left went spent the next few hours partying in NYC for Memorial Day. It was a great way to end our trip! The next morning we got up after only a few hours of sleep and made at our long 14 hour journey back to Tennessee. We did a lot of bonding on this trip, passed through a lot of states, and lost alot of sleep, but I can say this, IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH EVERY LOST HOUR OF SLEEP!!! I sure do miss these girls!   

xoxo .:TMarie:.

"The Climb"

Some might think it is silly for someone my age to like Miley Cyrus, but when this song came out the meaning meant everything to me and where I was in my life last year. I was in the middle of trying to find my way, and what I wanted in life. Some people may turn to TV, friends, family, and books for guidance, and yes I do those too; but nothing comes close to listening to music. I spent a lot of time on the road with my new job. And this song always seemed to give me inspiration as I drove to my next destination with words like .....

The struggles I'm facing

The chances I'm taking

Sometimes might knock me down

But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it

But these are the moments that

I'm gonna remember most, yeah

Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong

Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be a uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb, yeah

It was all to familiar as I set out on my last road trip for my job. I and 3 other girls, Erika, Tiegra, and Andrea, all managed to fit everything in the trunk of one car and we left this city of Nashville headed to Pittsburgh to help train a new office. We were all pretty close friends, so the road trip was great bonding time for us to learn about each other. One of the funniest things I remember was in KY as we drove through the “Bluegrass state” we saw an exit for Jellystone Park…Along our journey as we approached Cincinnati, We stopped off to take some pictures to document our adventures.

After a 8/9 hour drive arrived in Pittsburgh the "City of Bridges" some how we managed to get lost using our GPS...haha yes! this is the 2nd time this has happened to me. It was late and dark, and needless to say a little creepy, the old houses and skinny curvy streets that climbed mountains and dipped through the valleys, but we finally made it safely to our hotel, which we thought was a bit sketchy. It had an Indian restaurant attached to it. LOL ughhhh NO matter what we did we seemed to smell like curry when we left there. LOL it was a little joke that week we stayed in Pitts...The best way to see the city in a few days was through work, it was nice to have people show us around. It is definitely unique. I love the old style and history that thrived through the streets.

 On the last night we took The Duquesne Incline up to look out over the beautiful secluded city, tucked between the mountains, and lit up by the lights of buildings that sketched out the skyline. It was a long week, but we were ready to set out for our next adventure and we weren't wasting anytime to hit the road. We traveled through the night to NYC...on the way we crashed at my sisters place just outside of Harrisburg, PA. We were definitely site seeing the rest of the way. Some of us had never seen a covered bridge, so that was a MUST see before we left PA. We found one not far from my sisters place but it was dusk and getting late so we had to make a quick stop. I have always been fascinated with covered bridges its like something that takes you back in time when things were simple, before technology. You can just feel the history there when you stand in its presence. Sometimes when I get the chance to get out and walk on them I try to imagine how it must have been to live during that time in history when these structures were built. To be able to hear the clicking of horse hooves trot across the wooden planks, to take my mind back to the "simple life" really helps me think of how much I value my life. Once we made it to my sisters place we rested up and set out the next morning to the concrete jungle.

.:xoxo TMarie:.

Blur Between Work and Play

"The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play" - Arnold Toynbee

My new job was very different than what I expected when I took the position. It seemed all great because I could work by my own schedule in my territory, but the mornings in the office didn't seem right to me. I enjoyed the field though. It took me on some great adventures during the three months that I worked there. I met some great people also, they were just trying to make it like myself. I spent both holidays in May out of town for work. I spent the first week of May in Memphis working a territory down there.

The team I was down there with decided to go out and celebrate for Cinco De Mayo at a local Mexican restaurant. I had my first ever "Mexican Flag" shots. As I watched the bartender set them on fire I'm not gonna lie I was a little worried how these were gonna taste! But to my surprise they were pretty good, and pretty! We had a great dinner it was a lot of fun. It almost helped me forget how awful my week was going in sales. I couldn't seem to get any new accounts. I was definitely struggling so bad.

That Thursday afternoon my friend Joey had called me to see how I was doing in the field and when I said nothing had changed, he asked if I wanted to cut  out early for the day go to Graceland.  How could I object?? He was a huge fan of Elvis and wasn't sure exactly where it was, and since I had been there before I thought it would be cool to actually walk the grounds. Graceland was so pretty, it was so surreal to walk into the house of the famous KING of Rock, to see how it was when he tragically left this world years before. The Record room was simply magnificent. The records on the walls seemed never ending.

When we got back to meet up with everyone, it was our last night here in the "Land of Blues" we were talking and trying to decide what could we get ourselves in to. Once all the paperwork was finished and we all got freshened up, we headed downtown. The first thing we planned to do was stop by the Civil Rights museum, to pay our respects to the other King...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. one of the most important people in our history. During his fight for the Civil Rights Movement he wonderful life was taken from us in 1968, in Memphis. His memorial is located at the very place his life was taken that tragic day in history.

Once we left there, Rendezvous Famous BBQ was on everyone's mind and taste buds! That what we decided to have for dinner. It was definitely the best choice and signature Memphis dinner. The BBQ was soooooo mouth watering, I definitely recommend this place to anyone who travels to Memphis, its located in a small ally across from the Peabody Hotel After dinner we hit the famous Beale Street, for a couple beers and live music. That was a great night to finish the week, the next day I some how managed to get all 8 accounts that I needed for the week, so it ended up being a pretty successful week.

.:Back to my Roots:.

"Never Gona Look Back Once My Feet Hit the Sand" -Kenny Chesney

This was my exact thought as we loaded the last of our stuff into the trunk. I couldn't wait to get in the car and drive 'till the map turned blue. My best friend and I were headed back to my roots. We chose to have a small, quaint, relaxing spring break, one to reconnect and bond with each other. Destination was St. Petersburg, FL. The next few days were her and I with the sand and sun!

After a longgg 12 hour drive we watched the sunrise over the sunshine state as we reached the beautiful shell beaches of St. Pete, I could smell the salt in the air, it was an all too familiar smell, one that takes me back to the first years of my life. Its like you feel it in your blood, all things that you worry about in your day to day life seem to wash away, just as fast as the tides wash away the shoreline.  I couldn't wait to feel the sand between my toes and the sun kiss my face. Serenity it was just to be there, and spend those moments with a friend I held so dear to me.

We pulled the towels out and rested there on the beach waiting to check into our hotel. It had been so long since I had laid in the sun, that I didn't realize when I fell asleep, my skin would hate me for it later that day...LOL Later that evening I took her to one of my favorite places I remembered as a child, the St. Pete Pier. The architecture of the pier has always fascinated me since I could remember. It resembles the structure of a pyramid upside down.

 As you walk up to the building you can see the pelicans everywhere, there is a little shack that sells food so that the children can feed the pelicans...I used to love to do this when I was younger. Its always neat to revisit the places that bring out fond memories of your childhood.

It helps you to reflect on the person that you have become and everything that has brought you to that point in life. Even the small things like that, will somehow put a smile on your face in your darkest moments. At the top of the pier there is a cute little restaurant that we ate dinner at. A couple of Miller Lites and some good fried seafood, was perfect as the salty sea breeze blew through our hair, when we watched the sunset over downtown St. Pete.

The next day we had lunch on at this cute place on the canal, with 48 oz beers and kids meals! LOL as we enjoyed or lunch and the view we happened to see some dolphins swim in from the gulf, it was so amazing! Definitely one of the best things we experienced while we were there.

After lunch we went to meet a friend of ours Chet Overall who happened to be in town also, for a photo shoot together. The location was another favorite place of mine as child,  "the pink castle" as I used to call it, aka Don Cesar.

We had a blast playing in the sand, with one of the most beautiful historic sites in the background. Later that night we somehow managed to find ourselves a local bar to go to called the Green Iguana. We met some new friends and got lost trying to make our way home USING a GPS keep in mind.."dang there must be "2" 66th streets???" LOL We had plenty of laughs and lots of inside jokes that we had to document so we wouldn't forget them. But this was one of the best times of my life. She is one of the few people in this world that I could spend days with and still be on the same page. After everything our friendship has been through, it would be hard to see this one go.

CHRISTI & TIFFANY ST. PETE 2009

 

 .:xoxo TMarie:.