laura theresa golden

Life. Dreams. Inspirations.

first date.

two years ago today was me and boyfriend’s first date. i wore a pink flowery sleeveless dress and waited, heart pounding, for my best guy friend to ring the doorbell. he was an hour late of course. he drove home from school so our date could be in our favorite little town - newburyport. we went to the grog and sat at a little candle lit table in the back. there was a band playing “i’ll stop the world and melt with you” in the basement downstairs and that’s when i knew we were onto something.

after dinner, we drove to his house so i could “meet” his parents who i had already seen many times before, but never under this circumstance. i’ll never forget how he told me afterwards that his dad told him i was “just glowing”. we drove to plum island with a blanket and wine and stargazed with the waves crashing on the shore.

and two years later, here i am sitting at my desk in italy answering a phone call from someone on his lunch break three-thousand-and-something miles away. and it’s absolutely wonderful.

here are a few of my favorite photos from the last two years.

May 17th. lauratheresagolden: I know that the most beautiful place on this earth can’t compare to where you are now. Rest in peace Grandpa. I decided to go back into my archive to see what i wrote about a year ago today and i found this post. My grandpa passed away a year ago this May so he has been on my mind a lot lately. I never would have dreamt this a year ago, but I also happen to be leaving to find his house in ireland in 5 days and to see what i know will be the most beautiful place on this earth. meet you at the cliffs, grandpa.

May 17th.

lauratheresagolden:

I know that the most beautiful place on this earth can’t compare to where you are now. Rest in peace Grandpa.

I decided to go back into my archive to see what i wrote about a year ago today and i found this post. My grandpa passed away a year ago this May so he has been on my mind a lot lately. I never would have dreamt this a year ago, but I also happen to be leaving to find his house in ireland in 5 days and to see what i know will be the most beautiful place on this earth.

meet you at the cliffs, grandpa.

there’s just something so magical about lights in trees.

life lately. a little bit of food and fashion.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
The Calling

—Wherever You Will Go

YOU.

A SEMESTER ABROAD

Over the last few months, I have become so accustomed to the Italian way of life, that I have nearly forgotten what life will be like once I am back at home. This semester has forced me to communicate with a culture that speaks a different language and lives a different way of life. I step out my door every morning for school and I know what to expect and how to act on in the streets of Italy. I have discovered a greater understanding for the Italian way of life and I feel like I have grown in ways that would have never been possible had I stayed in America for these five months.  Looking back, it is safe to say I have made a slow but sure transformation from an American student living in Florence to an open-minded world traveler.

This semester has taught me a lot of things, but one of the most important lessons would have to be not to pass judgment before becoming aware of the meaning behind people’s actions. Florence has taught me to remove my foreign goggles and be patient while I look deeper into why Italian’s act the way that they do. Each day has been a unique challenge, yet I have learned to be prepared and expect that daily test. When I go back home, that challenge may be gone, but I will be leaving I with a greater appreciation and understanding for people and a respect for their particular culture.

The next time I am traveling to a new place, I will understand how important it is to prepare for the cultural differences.  Understanding how I will be expected to behave as a guest will allow me to show respect for the other’s culture and get the most of the trip. I believe it should be the foreigner’s responsibility and pleasure to “bridge the gap when cultural barriers are present. Do your best to communicate, learn the language, try the cuisine and enjoy what makes that culture truly special. 

 I feel as if I have gone from an outsider to an insider :) and that feeling is everything I wanted to accomplish during this Italian adventure. When I head home at the end of this month, I will have made new friends, celebrated new traditions and immersed myself in the culture of a new country of the world. I hope it is the first of many. 

a girl can dream.

the three photos above would make a killer dream home if they were mixed together. the beautiful photo of the back yard along the water (which twin nicely left on my desktop so i could marvel and wonder how something so perfect exists) would lead to my sailboat and a place to bring a blanket and look up at the stars at night. I have always dreamt of moving into the house from “the father of the bride.” a white house with black shutters and a big red door. the back would be completely covered in windows and a garage shaded by trees would sit off to the side of the house. i came across this lookalike. the back porch isn’t bad either :)

i can see it. these last few days, everything in florence has felt a little bit different. all of a sudden, the end of this chapter of my life feels so close. i know there is still a whole month until i pack up and fly home to the states for the rest of forever (america, i love you!) but i am prepared for this crazy, busy time to fly by in an italian minute. i keep catching myself in little day dreams where i’m squeezing twin’s hand as we touch down in boston or how big my heart will smile when i take my first steps into the sand at plum island again. i snapped this photo the other day when boyfriend and i were skyping. i have secretly been pulling it up to look at it multiple times every day. there is something about it that makes happiness inhabit my every molecule when i look at his smile and my little one in the corner. by the time this journey ends, i will have been to paris, london, rome and ireland too. i know i’m lucky. but seeing this photo gives me a little inkling of what it will feel like to be back at my home with that awesome smile. and i can’t wait.

i can see it.

these last few days, everything in florence has felt a little bit different. all of a sudden, the end of this chapter of my life feels so close. i know there is still a whole month until i pack up and fly home to the states for the rest of forever (america, i love you!) but i am prepared for this crazy, busy time to fly by in an italian minute. i keep catching myself in little day dreams where i’m squeezing twin’s hand as we touch down in boston or how big my heart will smile when i take my first steps into the sand at plum island again.

i snapped this photo the other day when boyfriend and i were skyping. i have secretly been pulling it up to look at it multiple times every day. there is something about it that makes happiness inhabit my every molecule when i look at his smile and my little one in the corner. by the time this journey ends, i will have been to paris, london, rome and ireland too. i know i’m lucky. but seeing this photo gives me a little inkling of what it will feel like to be back at my home with that awesome smile. and i can’t wait.

… a typical weekend here in flo-town for twin.

boyfriend and I in Pompeii. i’m not sure why but i just love this photo very much. maybe it’s because we are standing on top of a remarkable piece of ancient history, or maybe it’s because he’s wearing my blue leapord sunglasses hanging from his shirt. :)

boyfriend and I in Pompeii. i’m not sure why but i just love this photo very much. maybe it’s because we are standing on top of a remarkable piece of ancient history, or maybe it’s because he’s wearing my blue leapord sunglasses hanging from his shirt.

:)

lifetime dreams

  1. get married at castle hill
  2. stand in front of the cliffs of moher
  3. take off from plum island airport
  4. design and build my own home
  5. get my masters in a design field
  6. plan weddings
  7. have my own darkroom
  8. open a store in newburyport with twin
  9. have a family
  10. sail away

a night in cinque terre

spending two days and one night visiting the enchanting little villages of cinque terre was beautiful and serene. the view from our bed and breakfast in Manarola was straight out of a postcard with the colorful village that ends at the edge of the light teal sea. it rained through the night and the raindrops continued to pitter patter onto our roof in the morning. the first day, boyfriend and i climbed out onto the jetty of rocks (he had to point out each step for me as we went along and hold my hand extra tight as i gingerly stepped from one rock to the next) but it was all worth it for the kiss once we reached the last rock :) before sunset we walked the path from manarola back to the first village of riomaggiore. the path is carved into the side of the cliffs hanging over the shore and is called lover’s lane or better known as “via dell’amore” in italian. lovers come from all over to walk along and write a message on the rocks or bring a lock to “lock their love” forever on the fences on this path.


we left our mark.