Websites That Spark Creativity

Sometimes it feels like the one constant in my life is my need to be creative, but staying inspired can be a creative process all its own. One of the best ways to keep the creative juices flowing is to regularly discover new artists. The following are the websites I visit borderline obsessively to keep up to date on what's going on in the world of art today (and to glean inspiration from some of the best up and coming artists of our time). Just trust me they're awesome, I'll let their amazing taste in art speak for itself.

The Jealous Curator

Supersonic Art 

Artist A Day 

BOOOOOOOM!

Sketch Book Project

Doodlers Anonymous

Podcast Love

Ever since starting my first office job I have been searching for ways to entertain myself while working on the computer. I quickly discovered that Podcasts are a great alternative to music that keep my brain active and engaged. I have learned SO many random and interesting facts from these shows I regularly find myself quoting them in conversation (to both the entertainment and annoyance of my friends). But hey, I enjoy what I learn so much I just want to share it.

Since I'm fairly new to the world of Podcasts, I have discovered most of my favorites through my friend's recommendations. That's why I decided to write this post. For the people who have been curious about Podcasts but don't know which ones to check out, or have not heard of them before and are now intrigued, I have for you my favorite shows, along with some of my favorite episodes from each. Enjoy!

Stuff You Should Know was the first Podcast that I really got into. I can listen to these guys for hours. Chuck (AKA "Chuckers") and Josh not only talk about interesting, albeit random topics, they do it in an entertaining, sometimes downright hilarious way. They have this bro-mance dynamic going that for some reason I really enjoy. From this show you can expect a brief, open-minded lesson on basically any topic they can think of. If you have ever found yourself wondering how something works, from Barbies to cocaine, they have probably done a show about it that's worth a listen.
Favorites: How Barbie Doll Works, How Lewis And Clark Worked

Stuff Mom Never Told You covers every imaginable female related topic. I fell in love with this Podcast because these ladies address very real, modern questions and issues faced by women today, and they do it in an educated, classy, and quite frankly bad-ass way. They are fearlessly feminist but defend their opinions with layers of research and facts. Although this show is clearly geared toward women, anyone interested in contemporary topics seen from a women's point of view will find this show engaging and thought-provoking.
Favorites: Exotic Beauty, Are Disney Princesses Good Role Models?, How Long Should You Wait To Have Sex After Meeting Someone?

This American Life is my current favorite. They tell a variety of stories each week, with a chosen topic broadly linking each together. Sometimes the stories are laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes they are humbling, at times they are hard to listen to, but all of them document a reality of the American experience. Sometimes these topics are addressing a contemporary issue faced by society as a whole, and sometimes they are deeply personal. From this show, I have learned that there is an interesting story in the most unlikely places. That within families, workplaces, houses, neighborhoods, and personal histories across this country there is a vast network of experiences. Some are completely different from your own, others are strangely relateable. I really enjoy getting an brief yet intimate glimpse into the lives of the people that contribute to this show.
Favorites: 129 Cars, Harper High School, Part One,  Harper High School, Part Two, The Psychopath Test

 

Serial is a spinoff of This American Life that has gotten a lot of media attention lately. The overall feel of the story telling is similar to This American Life, however it follows the same story week after week. Serial is currently covering the story of Adnan Syed, who was found guilty of murdering Hae Min Lee, a girl he dated in high school back in 1999. People who knew him before the murder claim there is no way a likable, popular, and charismatic kid could have committed such a disturbing crime, and there are definite gaps in the story he was convicted on. However, the jury did not hesitate to put him in jail. It plays like a murder mystery TV show, and is equally addicting. Each week I find myself eagerly awaiting, Thursday when new episodes air.

Radiolab is my most recent discovery. This Podcast examines stories and topics from a scientific and philosophical point of view. Topics range from music to evolution, from language to the science of sleep. The fast pace and engaging tone of the show makes it entertainingly educational. Each episode is infused with interviews from specialists in the field being covered, and I learn so much every time I listen.
Favorites: Haunted, Lucy, Galapagos

Workout Motivation

Hello beautiful readers! Today I want to talk to you about my workout motivation. My personal fitness journey has been… I’ll go with inconsistent. Yet I've always been interested in running, and in the year after I graduated from college I began a regular exercise routine for the first time in my life. It consisted of a combination of running on the treadmill and aerobic YouTube videos. Nothing too extreme, but I was pleasantly surprised to find benefits to working out that I wasn’t expecting. 

Unfortunately, after moving to Portland I was swept up in a whole new world of “adult” life and responsibilities. Working out no longer seemed as important. I found it more difficult to fit into my daily routine, and I also learned that once that routine is broken it is really hard to get back. However, recently I’ve found my motivation again! I’ve purchased a gym membership which has helped me continue running, and I am also pursuing a new interest: yoga. Here, I want to share my top 5 reasons for working out, the things I remind myself of when I’m deciding between going to the gym and watching a Mad Men marathon.

1) Mood Boost

Working out regularly lifts my overall mood, and energizes me. I've been going to the gym directly after work and I walk in feeling sluggish from a long day sitting in front of the computer, and walk out feeling motivated to be productive with my evening. Honestly, sometimes just moving and stretching after sitting all day fells AMAZING and clears my head.

2) Stress Relief

It also is the absolute best way I have found to relieve stress. I can use my workout to channel my frustration into a productive activity, or forget about it for an hour. I have also had strangely relevant and helpful epiphanies while running. It somehow puts things into perspective and makes solutions more clear.

3) Feeling Proud of my Body

Here I'm not only talking about appearance (although let's be honest, toning up is a definite perk). I'm talking about knowing that my body is capable of accomplishing difficult challenges. It means I can go on a strenuous hike with my friends with the confidence that I can finish it out. It means I can challenge my body because I have worked to strengthen it, and that strength gives me pride in myself and my accomplishments. 

4) Confidence Boost

One of my favorite things about working out is setting and meeting fitness goals. For example, when I started working out I had a hard time running for five minutes (sad I know). But after a lot of work I can now run for 20 minutes, which considering my humble beginnings, is a little mind blowing for me. When I began working up to 20 minutes it seemed nearly impossible but I proved to myself that I could do it, and once I finally did I felt like I could do anything. That confidence motivates me to continue working out, and that attitude helps me conquer goals outside of the gym.

5) Skill Building

At this point in my fitness journey I have come to view working out as a hobby of sorts, one that just happens to improve my body, mind, and overall health. As I practice this "hobby" I begin learning about my body, and through that knowledge I begin building physical skills. I have especially noticed this aspect of working out when I started focusing on yoga. In yoga I have been building my flexibility and balance which I view as skills to hone and strengthen, just as I would any other. Feeling myself becoming more flexible, or being able to run faster and longer motivate me to push on.

I hope you now feel more motivated to get to the gym and benefit from everything working out can offer! I believe making the decision to be fit truly is the best decision you can make for yourself. What motivates you to stay in shape?

Hike to Tunnel Falls

"Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better." -Albert Einstein

Sometimes it's healthy to escape into nature for a little while. Take a couple friends, lots of water, some snacks, and set off into the forest. Explore, surround yourself in the beauty, the fresh air,  and the refreshing freedom that comes with getting out of cell service for a couple hours.

That's exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago when I went on a hike to Tunnel Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. It was a 12 mile hike round trip on the Eagle Creek Trail. I had this distance anxiously in mind as we started walking. Thankfully however, I soon found that the trail itself was fairly mellow, not too steep and very easy to follow.

This is Loowit Falls, one of at least 10 waterfalls we spotted along the way. Just one example of the unique and spectacular sights seen from the trail.

Halfway, at about the 3 mile mark is High Bridge. It is an appropriate name, as it sits 120 feet above Eagle Creek.

The scenery along the entire trail was amazing, parts of it on a ledge high above the valley below, others areas deep in the midst of towering trees.

And finally just before mile 6 was Tunnel Falls, a destination that made the whole trip for me. This waterfall is 175 feet tall and breathtaking. The trail leads you directly up to the falls, so close you can feel the mist of the rushing water, flying by just feet away from where you stand. But that's not all. A tunnel carved behind the falls leads you to the other side. The power of the waterfall, combined with the height of the trail caused a giddy exhilaration, the feeling that I had made it. It was so incredible it is hard to describe, all I can say is I'm glad I did it.

The Oregon Coast

Last weekend my beautiful mother came to visit me in my new home, and I had a great time showing her around! It's always nice having a buddy to tag along on any day trips and other random excursions. The two main highlights of the weekend (for me) was my first trip to the Oregon Coast, and a fabulous sushi dinner to end the day.

Our trip to the Oregon Coast started with a visit to the Tillamook Cheese factory. We had a nice lunch at Rockaway Beach and drove through a cute touristy town called Seaside, drove up through Astoria (where the The Goonies takes place!), and then home. It was a four hour drive total, but it was worth it. The coast was gorgeously rugged, the sea and sky grey, rain following us the entire day.

I'm also a bit obsessed with the Oregon forests, they are so lush, and green, and overgrown with plants and moss and towering trees I just can't take it! The forests here are refreshing, cleansed by constant rain, and mystical in ways the Colorado forests that I grew up with are not (although I still love them dearly).

We ended the day by stumbling upon a sushi restaurant gem, called Boxer Sushi. Mom treated me to their specialty called omakase, a meal I would definitely recommend to any sushi lover. This phrase is used to describe a multiple course meal chosen by the chef, where the food is artistically constructed and presented. It was delicious, the best sashimi I have ever had, paired with flavors I would have never expected. It was quite the treat! Thanks for the early birthday dinner Mom (and these awesome pictures). 

Chin Up, Beautiful

Last week I was in a bit of a funk. My best guess was that it was due to a combination of boredom and homesickness.  Thankfully things have gotten much better since then, but I wanted to write about a few things I do when nothing seems to be going my way.

My some of my favorite pick-me-up products. Clockwise from left: Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick, H&M Earrings (on sale for $3!), L'Oreal nail polish, iSound Twist speakers, and Skullcandy Uprock headphones

The first is to do your best to stay POSITIVE. If you make a conscious effort to change your attitude, things suddenly look a little brighter. I know it's hard, especially when it feels like the hits just keep coming. But I believe the happiness in your life can be determined by how you view the world around you. Sometimes a shift in attitude can be as easy as adding a little extra glam to your makeup routine (for example, I wore red lipstick around the house today), painting your nails a cheery color, or adding some killer accessories for a little confidence boost. Some days all I need is to look awesome to feel awesome. 

I also really love listening to some happy tunes to improve my mood (who doesn't?). Here are a couple of songs that always cheer me up!

Anna Sun by Walk the Moon - reminds me of summer

Paradise by Ana Serrano van der Laan

And finally, I think it is important to take initiative to move toward a life you want, and out of the "funk." Learn something new or start a new hobby, find a new workout routine (my next goal is to get back into running), hang out at a you're favorite coffee shop, or find a new favorite restaurant. Focus on self improvement and productivity, and good things will come. 

What cheers you up?

Downtown Adventure

One of my favorite things about being in a new city is the necessary exploration that comes with finding yourself in completely unfamiliar territory. It amounts to an interesting combination of excitement and uncertainty. The discovery of hidden gems in your new home pairs with slight anxiety when you realize you have never seen this street before, and have no idea where you are or how you got here. For me, the feeling of discovering a new place somehow makes me see the ordinary in a brand new light. Right now, Portland is beginning to feel more familiar to me, which admittedly is comforting, but there is still so much to explore.

Yesterday, I took a trip downtown, which I have been doing on occasion. I live in the Southeast, which has been perfect because it feels more like a neighborhood on this side of the river, but I also like having downtown and more of the city experience just a ten minute drive away. I took the bus (the public transportation here is great), and did some wandering around. I stopped by Powell's City of Books, which is still one of my favorite attractions in the city. It is an entire city block, no joke! With nine color coded rooms, each with a different focus, there is literally something for everyone. I could probably spend an entire week in there, just browsing. I can't resist stopping in when I'm downtown. I also found a cute park called Jackson Square, tucked in among the apartment buildings and skyscrapers. Like I said, the little gems.

I decided to walk home. It took about an hour (yes, it was a long walk), but walking really is the best way to get to know a new area. My favorite part was crossing the Hawthorne Bridge, one of the eight bridges that spans the Willamette River in this area, connecting the East and West areas of Portland. Back on my side of the river, I got lunch at Cartopia, a little cluster of food carts parked around a small, currently tented, eating area. I got an BBQ Brisket and Mozzarella mini pie from Whiffies Pie. It was the perfect snack to make that final push home. 

About Me

Welcome to my brand new blog! A little about me: My name is Alyssa. I am 23, and admit that I am just beginning to figure everything (or at least some things) out. I graduated from college about a year ago and I feel like this is the time to explore every possible thing I can. In an attempt to force myself out of my comfort zone, I recently to moved from Colorado to Portland, Oregon. Even in the short time I've been here I find this city vastly charming and inspiring, therefore I hope to make it a recurring character in this blog. I studied art history in college and love art and creative expression of all kinds. I enjoy books, movies, nightlife, food, an excuse to dress up, good tattoos, and spending time with the people I love.

Ultimately, my main mission, my greatest hope in all of this is to build a space that captures the simple pleasures in life, and perhaps inspires creative expression. For me, this will be a creative outlet, and a fun little hobby.

I hope you enjoy!