the first city

“I guess I'm in a trivial pursuit question. It's really weird.” Kevin Youkilis

This fall, I had an experience that every true shopper should be blessed with: when I visited Brandon in Italy, I got to see the world's first shopping mall.

As I was walking around the building, looking at the hand painted ceiling and perfectly carved architecture, I felt overwhelmed. Essentially, during my entire stay in Italy, I had the same feeling.

To think that these buildings have existed for hundreds of years...

To think that before so much of the technology we use today ever existed, before so many current countries had developed, and so many ideas we hold as commonplace today were far from being discovered...

...these buildings were standing.

I can hardly wrap my mind around it.

In a way, it's similar to how I feel when I think about outer space. I know that it goes on forever. However, when I truly think about it...it kind of hurts my brain.

The historic places in Italy give me the same mind-boggling feeling.

Although it may not be quite as old, the first American city also has an impressive amount of history. This weekend I had the great pleasure of visiting Boston for the first time with Sara and Jim. Between the Freedom Trail and the nation's first restaurant, the Union Oyster House, I saw quite a lot of the area.

As we sat at the bar in the oyster house, watching the battle of the Sox (the Red Sox won), I kept looking around for Sam Adams. In a city so historic, part of me really believed that he might still be moseying around town.

Unfortunately, this was clearly not the case. However, I was able to enjoy a drink at the Cheers at Faneuil Hall (which landed me a Cheers cocktail glass...I'm such a tourist).
After traversing the city almost two complete times, which led to an accidental following of the Freedom Trail, I feel as if I have a pretty good grasp on the city (not directionally, clearly, but an idea as to what Boston has to offer).

And with such extensive research, I can confidently say that it was everything I could have imagined, and so much more. It's a city of history, great (great) shopping and so much pride, especially in the realm of athletics.

While I can say I learned a lot about the history of the Northeast, I can say I also learned a lot about Boston sports fans. It's been said that between the Patriots (ahem), Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics, Boston has one of the largest fan bases in the nation. And everywhere you look, this fact becomes more and more evident. With every piece of history I saw, there was also a pair of red socks nearby, spewing off team trivia.

With all the knowledge I took away from such an information-filled city, one fact really stuck with me: Kevin Youkilis has a secret obsession with Mexican food and his favorite summer drink is a Margarita.

...Talk about a girl who knows her baseball stats.

Béla Károlyi!

One year, for Ashley's birthday, she asked for a very short list:
1. The Paul Mitchell haircare kit
2. A really large beach towel with elephants on the ends
3. An even larger trampoline

Ashley's list was especially good for her siblings. You see, she took one for the team in asking for the trampoline, because it was certainly a gift that all five of us could enjoy.

My favorite solo-activity on the trampoline was to put on my swimsuit from the IAC swim club and go out to the trampoline. I'd then perform certain tricks, which, in my head looked similar to Dominique Moceanu's floor and balance beam routine.

I'd say, out loud, "Now, with her floor routine, from the United States of America, Dominique Moceanu!"

I'd strike that perfect pose they have at the start of the routine, with their hands in the air, one leg out, back arched. I'd perform my routine, then land, again, just how those little gymnasts do. After landing, I'd turn and smile to all four sides of the stadium (aka my backyard).

Next, of course, I would announce my score, always above 9 but rarely a perfect 10 (obviously, let's be realistic).

After I finished my routine, I'd perform for the other countries. I'd always mess up or trip on purpose, then at the end I'd say, "Oh, only a score of 3 for Russia." or "China did not complete their beam routine." (I'm cool, I know).

Of course, the reason that I, one who is very far from being a gymnast, was so inspired to perform such routines in my Speedo was because of the Magnificent Seven. The only U.S. women's gymnastic team to win a gold medal.

What made them so great, though, was Keri Strug's finale. The one-legged hobble, but still a perfect landing made the 1996 Olympics ingrained in my brain forever.

And while Keri did not make the cut among these eight Olympic legends, her performance was undoubtedly memorable. Already, the memory of her routine has lasted much longer than the Paul Mitchell kit, the towel and the trampoline. Now that's staying power.

work it...

When in a dressing room, there are some surefire ways to tell if a girl likes what she is trying on. For one thing, every girl has a mirror face (some even have a full-body stance). The face can be made not just when she likes a potential purchase, but also when deciding whether or not it's a winner, though.

However, it holds steadfast that if she comes out of the dressing room to look in the mirror and begins to dance to the music playing in the store, she undoubtedly likes it.

When shopping with Katie this weekend, we saw it happen firsthand.

The girl, most likely in her mid- to late-twenties had been in the dressing room for quite some time. She'd emerged in outfit after outfit, modeling for her posse, which included her mom (it was definitely her mom) and potentially two aunts and a grandma (Whether they were truly blood related, it's hard to say. However, they behaved like relatives).

With each outfit, she'd make her face in the mirror, then stand and wait for her mom to tell her what to do. There were a few winners and a few losers among the bunch. However, when she walked out in a brown and white striped dress, looked in the mirror (face in effect) and smiled, I knew she was feeling the ensemble. She quickly turned to her mother and awaited her response, bright-eyed and full of hope. After her mom smiled and gave the dress her blessing, the girl turned back to the mirror. Immediately, as if on cue, she began to dance. She was feeling food. She was definitely buying it.

And, although there were other dresses among the group that I would have chosen over the interestingly striped getup, the fact that she was feeling oh-so-good, made me like it a little bit more. The fact that when she looked in the mirror, she thought "Oh ya, I'm hot. I'm going to dance in this extra-crowded store, in my tax-free dress (ya holidays) and shake it. I don't care if I don't know anyone. That's how good I feel."

And you know what? Since she felt that good, she nearly convinced me she looked that good.

Mind over matter, baby.

Girls just want to have fun

When I went to college freshman year, my new friends would joke that all of my friends from senior year were blond. I don't think I purposely discriminated against fellow brunettes, but I guess I thought that I needed to surround myself with blonds, just in case they really did have more fun.

It seems, though, that I should have been seeking out brunettes. Apparently, we're the ones who have more fun...especially on payday.

A recent study revealed that brunettes are more successful in work and love (Brunettes make about $6634 more than blonds per year). So basically, when payday rolls around, brunettes are more likely to enjoy a little shopping trip...and treat their man to a nice dinner.

Luckily, this weekend, everyone will enjoy a little extra cash, as it's a tax free holiday in Georgia. I personally find this to be a fabulous idea. I didn't realize all the things I needed, until I discovered so many of them were tax free. What an ingenious way to stimulate the economy.

When my roommate, Emily, found out it was a tax free weekend, she decided she had to take care of something she'd been putting off. It was time to buy the Kate Spade wallet she'd been eying for so long.

Unfortunately, when she arrived at the cash register, she was informed that the wallet did not qualify for the theme of the holiday: back to school basics.

Personally, I'm on Emily's side. You need a wallet at school, especially in college. I definitely think it should have been tax free. However, the Georgia government begs to disagree.

Already rung up at the register and having dreamt of it all day, she went ahead and bought it. Now, Emily and Kate Spade are happy and the economy is one step closer to revival: she just bought the luxury items we've been neglecting. (I only wish Starbucks qualified as back to school. I mean, study at Starbucks...)

I can't help but wonder if it was a blond or brunette who came up with such a wonderful holiday...or maybe it was a redhead. We can't neglect our redheaded friends. I mean, they may not have as much fun as brunettes, but as far as I can tell, they're still a pretty good time.