.SOMETIMES RAW.

Hello and Happy Sunday!

“Now you’ve said it. The hopeless emptiness. Hell, plenty of people are on to the emptiness part; out where I used to work, on the Coast, that’s all we ever talked about. We’d sit around talking about emptiness all night. Nobody ever said ‘hopeless,’ though; that’s where we’d chicken out. Because maybe it does take a certain amount of guts to see the emptiness, but it takes a whole hell of a lot more to see the hopelessness. And I guess when you do see the hopelessness, that’s when there’s nothing to do but take off. If you can.”

I would like to share a book review of one of my favorite books. I don’t even know why I haven’t written it so far. It is a beautiful, eye-opening story that is also very thought-provoking. 

How does the perfect life look? Does the perfect life even exist? The story takes place in suburban America in the 50s. April and Frank met and fell in love almost instantly. They are both intelligent, beautiful and talented and the relationship moved at a very fast pace. Maybe too quickly. Not long after they first dated they decided to get married. Both wanted to have kids and dreamt of a big house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. The American Dream. April realized one day while she took out the garbage that this is not the life she wanted and visualized; that this just cannot be everything. She wants to move to Paris with Frank. They both agree to do something out of the ordinary. However, their plans changed. April became pregnant. 

I describe this book as very wise, yet tragic and a bit depressing considering that many out there might still have dreams out of the ordinary but are afraid to take the final steps simply because of this need of routine, security or comfort. How many are out there and frustrated on a daily basis but keep working at the same job for years upon years because eventually they will retire and then they plan doing all these awesome things. “As soon as…..!”  The author does not want to dissect the suburbs or the traditional family life. If people love this type of lifestyle, good for them. Yates focuses more on the fact that April and Frank are both painfully aware of their shallow surroundings and try to escape this routine. There both think that there must be something else to life than just taking the train to the city every morning, working from 9 to 5, coming home exhausted and sad to just do it all over again the next day. They want to change because they are unhappy and frustrated and feel the need to accomplish something else in their life. 

When I read the book a couple of years ago for the first time, I realized that many scenes were just so familiar to me. I have been stuck too at points.  Stuck in relationships, stuck in jobs that I did not like, you name it. This is why I loved the part when I found out how Frank got his job. A job and financial stability that seems oh! so! important. Well, it is but it is not everything. The reader will also find out about April’s disappointment and sadness while doing the housework to a perfection because this is all she has. Cooking, cleaning and tending the house – waiting for her husband to come home in the evening. And in the meantime  dreaming about Paris. 

My favorite scene. 

Yates holds a mirror up to society and just tells a lot of truth. This kind of truth that makes people uncomfortable and embarrassed. After reading Revolutionary Road I started to ask myself some questions and realized what is important in my life. For this alone I think it was an excellent read. What gets people through life? What are their morals or justifications? Are April and Frank betraying each other? Or their own selves? 

You can purchase the book here. Also, see the trailer of the movie if you would like. 

Have you read the book or seen the movie? How did you like it? Have a great week. 

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Readers asked me many times how I can read that much with a 2 1/2-year-old. Well, the simple answer is that I just make time for it. I always loved to read. When I was a child I basically lived in the library and was in heaven being surrounded by books. Going to bed with a great book is awesome. Or curled up on the couch with my book and [some chocolate] a cup of coffee/tea – heaven! 

Two days ago I wrote about things that make me happy.  I included reading one book a week. To be honest, sometimes it is even more than that. It is just important to carve out some time for things that make me happy. I just cannot imagine how anybody does not enjoy browsing through a vintage bookstore and discover the isles of books. For me it is important to expand my mind. You want to bring books back into your life? You want to read more? These tips might help you. 

I always carry a book in my purse – wherever I go, simply because you never know. How many times I was stuck in traffic or I waited for a bus or train. Or the time spend waiting at doctor offices. [Have you ever thought how much time we spend waiting for things?] I read on my lunch break at work. I read on the bus/train to work. The best is always to take a blanket and go out to read in nature. I love this so much. My son next to me enjoying his book while taking a reading break observing the shapes of the clouds. Sometimes I read something completely new. I enjoy non-fiction but these days I am a bit into spirituality and have not read too much about it. It is always good to learn something new and amazing to explore titles that totally fall outside of my preferred genre. 

I found it very helpful to turn off my phone and computer when I read. I want to do one thing and focus on it 100%. Usually, I don’t even like to listen to music when I read or write. The less distraction the better. Joining a book club is a great way for me to stick with a book, read it to the end to then discuss it with a group of friends. The book club I joined had a meeting once a month which was always fantastic. One person cooked some food (or we got something delivered), everyone brought their books and notes and then we used to talk for hours about the story or other books we all would like to read next. I am in a book club online now, which is also fun. 

Also, when you are stuck in a conversation, ask the other person what their favorite book is and they most likely give you a blank stare. Ask anybody what their top ten books are and they will start with a list. It always worked for me. This way you get new ideas on what to read next. I also follow book blogs, in German and in English to keep me up to date in the book world. Also, visit your local library or local bookstores. 

I had a long conversation with someone about books today and I realized that some books I found heartbreaking but beautiful a couple of years ago are now full of wisdom and eye-opening. It is great how much a book changes when your own life changes. And of course interests change. Enjoy your book and your cup of tea and Happy Reading! 

What are you reading these days? Do share your list of your favorite books in the comments. Have a great day/evening/night! Wherever you are! 

Hello and Happy Monday! 

“In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothin’ you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York” – Jay Z

My dream was always to live in New York City and when I finally made the decision to the Big Apple from Jersey I fell in love. I needed to move there. I needed to finally do it. I needed the change. I needed Midtown Manhattan. It was love at first sight. No ifs, ands or buts! I moved into a tiny apartment but I did not care. I just needed the place to sleep, write and store my few things.  My new goal was to discover this amazing city one day at a time. 

All the museums and galleries, restaurants and areas in the lover east and west side that have so much to offer were on my agenda. In New York you have it all – in any aspect, but especially culturally. You can go eat to a Vietnamese Restaurant, then take a walk to China [Town]. This city is one of the most culturally mixed places in the world and never ever sleeps. It maybe rests a tiny bit here and there with a somewhat fast-paced heartbeat. 

New York is multicultural and has this sweet versatility that you can see and feel wherever you go. Here you sit in the park next to the poor, the rich, old and young. Artists, next to bankers, next to the sweaty Yoga girl who eats her salad on her lap. Here, people pray to different gods; or none. They go to different churches; or not. Some people seem to rush everywhere, some try to take their time but then usually get run over. Some talk to each other, some laugh and other look sad or angry. Everything seems normal once you lived here long enough. Nevertheless, it never becomes boring. Walking around downtown I always feel this electricity in the air, this craziness, the old buildings, vintage stores, little cafés with strange opening hours; usually pretty early to pretty late. All this electricity that is constantly in the air makes room for opportunities  and changes. Every day a new gallery opens up somewhere, a new restaurant or new café. So many hidden gems that still want and need to be discovered. Where does this little staircase lead to? Nowhere? Maybe to an underground jazz bar with live music, maybe to a hookah lounge with awesome food. It seems that everything is part of my life, everything means vitality. 

I just want to share two places that I love dearly. There are two restaurants that I love and always make me feel like home when eating/drinking there. Les Enfants de Bohème and Les Halles. [Les Halles Review here!] Seriously, as soon as I enter either of those restaurants I feel so special and happy to be at a place so calm and intellectual at the same time.  Such great memories! 

I am damn lucky! Sometimes I forget, but usually I remember and I am grateful. Many times my husband and I talk about how lucky we indeed are. How lucky to live in the middle of the Big Apple, so see and experience it all and call this city “Home”.

In a couple of minutes we are at Central Park. We walk around  with a big cup of latte from Starbucks, two books and a blanket. Looking over my shoulder I see the Empire State Building; the colors: blue, white and red. We observe two old gentlemen playing chess in the park. Next to them two people are dancing. Further along, someone is practicing playing his saxophone. There is always something going on! They might dance and play chess until 1 am in the morning. This colorful mixture of old and young is great to observe. 

As it starts getting colder we walk back home and decide to buy some groceries and whatnot for dinner. This little supermarket has it all we think and browse through the aisles. I ask an employee who put cans in a shelf and wears a “How can I help you shirt” where I could find olive bread. She looks at me,laughs and leaves. “Okay,” I thought while looking at my husband who smiles. The woman came back shortly with a bag full of frozen shrimp. They were on sale. “Olive bread?”, I asked again. She’s takes the bag of frozen shrimp and leaves again to come back with a bag of frozen burgers. “Everything already on it!”, she says and smiles at me. She must have detected a somewhat surprised, annoyed look on my face and offered me four burgers for the price of two. I walked out of the store with husband and burgers. We passed a little fruit cart on the way. Nobody was there to sell us anything. “Should I maybe just take some lettuce? It would be perfect with the burgers?”, I thought. “Oh, yeah, I don’t steal things!”, I say out loud and we kept walking home. A cab honks consistently and the driver curses like there is no tomorrow. “I love New York!”, we both say while the plastic bag with our burgers swings back and forth on my arm.