Kymberly Bays

Day After New Years Resolutions 2012

kymbays — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:31:56 +0000

Here's to hoping it doesn't all end this year...

Yeah, this is late, but it’s still the New Year and today is a bank holiday (i.e. no work), therefore perfect for reflection and crafting Resolutions. Don’t laugh. I believe in continually setting both long and short-term goals. I enjoy the end of the year, the opportunity for a reflective period and especially Top Lists of 20__. I never understand the cynicism towards making New Years Resolutions. If anything is overrated about the New Year, it’s the parties on New Years Eve. I much rather take the time to set some goals and formulate how I would like this next year to unfurl. So what if not all of them will be achieved? One can always reassess or try new strategies.

For me, the past couple years have been odd, to say the least. Considering the young-20′s are famously formative years for almost everyone, it should come as no surprise that for me the last two have been filled with ups and downs. I guess this is what they call growing up, because graduating from college in 2010…I did not feel like a grown-up. I still don’t all the time, but I do feel like somewhere between the lessons, experiments, and let’s be honest, mistakes, I’m slowly starting to get wiser. For example, 2010 and 2011 seemed to meld together for me and I think it’s because I skipped making resolutions this time last year. I was just going to “go with it”. Despite the slow learning curve, while 2010-2011 was definitely an adventure…2012 will be much different if I have anything to say about it.

Here are my main Day After New Years Resolutions for 2012:

Read more. A lot more. Aiming for at least a book a week, and in different genres/subjects. Obviously I am taking suggestions! Are you on GoodReads?
Blog more. At least a post a week. Maybe about the book I read? Really…on any subject, however, published and out in the world. Consider blog overhaul. Also, trying to foster more community/participation through networking, commenting more on blogs/websites I love and guest blogging somewhere at least once before summer.
Push myself professionally, both in my new position & independently. This means learning new skills (like more coding)
Stay better organized by using productivity tools so that I can better keep to my word. Things like calenders, agendas, to-do lists, better email inbox, prioritizing, will all help me stay on top of commitments and stay in contact with people I love.
Practice patience. Suggestions are welcome, otherwise I need to do some researching on this.
Send hand-written, snail-mail birthday, anniversary and thank you cards. No excuses.
Keep track of my money and budgets, now that I have some again. Mint.com is wonderful for this.
Skydive. This year.

Lyon’s Fête des Lumières Returns Majestically for 2011

kymbays — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:46:21 +0000

Fete des Lumieres 2011 - Saint Georges, Lyon (http://www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr)

Lyon’s Fête des Lumières kicked off once again on December 8th, estimated this year to attract nearly 4 million visitors to this Rhone-Alps cultural hub. I’m dying of envy looking at the photos sprinkling in, after experiencing it last year I can confidently say la Fête des Lumières is a spectacular sight worth seeing. Each year beginning on December 8th and stretching through the weekend, the city of Lyon transforms into a nighttime light show. It’s breathtaking and my heart hurts not being able to witness it in person. Thanks to the internet, however, we can all get a glimpse even if, like me, we are 6,000 miles away. So that everyone can experience this, I’ve tried to compile the best pictures and video I can find so far.

Fete des Lumieres 2011 Place des Terreaux, Lyon (http://www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr)

While the festival in its current incarnation is on its 13th year, the tradition behind it has endured since 1850′s. Originally la Fête des Lumières was a religious celebration thanking the Virgin Mary for protecting the city of Lyon from the plague. Traditionally the Lyonnais have placed candles in their windows every 8th of December.

Now, the city comes alive for four nights as light displays take place in nearly every neighborhood and at all the major Lyon historic attractions. Euronews did a good report on the festival this year (in English) and you can get more peaks at this year’s edition at the official Fête des Lumières website (in English & French).

Videos Worth Watching:

Lyon Tourism Official 2011 Video Gallery

France 3 Fête des Lumières Playlist – Dailymotion

Most of the year, the streets of France‘s cities and villages are already sublimely well-lit. There’s a je ne sais quoi about how the natural sunlight falls on the ancient buildings and historic architecture. From sunrise to sunset, the lighting changes ever so slightly and regularly stops you in your tracks just to observe how its rays are falling at that moment.Then when the sunlight expires, there are the sights by night. On normal nights in cities like Lyon or towns like Chambery, the way the streetlights and spotlights are engineered is already breathtaking.

Lyon, France on a normal day...

Yet the Fête des Lumières finds a way to take it to a whole other level with sound, special effects and vin chaud, partout. The streets are flooded with people all night long, laughing and gasping at the clever, and occasionally odd, displays. Here are some wonderful photos of this year’s awesome installations, make sure to click through for the full gallery at the City of Lyon’s official Fête des Lumières website:

Tales From The Successful: Emmanuelle Alt

kymbays — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:09:08 +0000

The incredibly successful Emmanuelle Alt, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Paris

There is no way in life to get any cooler than Mme Emmanuelle Alt, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Paris. It is simply impossible. This woman is a fashion powerhouse, perched atop her throne in Paris, all while being impossibly confident and stylish. I think my obsession is definitely because she’s so unpretentious in her personal sartorial choices in this era of over-the-top theatrics and loud trends. You can see many, many instances of this at the events of every fashion week she attends. She is one of the best examples of the modern, 2011 version of the “French woman” cliche. Here’s just an overview of the many different ways in which she’s winning:

The Vogue Paris Girls, with Emmanuelle Alt, center

She’s not Anna Wintour, not by a long shot. +1000
Even though her style is enviable and seems imitable, the individual pieces undoubtedly bust the budgets of mere mortals. That’s what a decent Balmain obsession will do to anyone.
In Paris, where living on the ground floor is not that high in demand for the well-to-do, Mme Alt prefers to live at garden level. So she does.
She seems to know exactly what works for her and sticks to it brilliantly. She doesn’t get boring but is consistent and beautiful. She makes it look effortless which can only be explained by inherent confidence. This is clearly not a woman who struggles with her identity in the morning.
She’s almost 45 years old, always wears little-to-no make-up and keeps her hair healthy and simple. No tricks, no gimmicks, no distraction.
While clearly genetic gifts, her absurdly long legs and impressive cheekbones make any photos of her striking.
Her husband rules too, as the Creative Director of swoon-worthy Isabel Marant.
She’s a bit of a tomboy and the Editor-in-Chief of a major fashion magazine. And that is so awesome.
Vogue Paris still takes risks and can be downright provocative. It is anything but bland and stuffy.
Her & the French Vogue girls look absolutely fierce and as if they perhaps vaguely…possibly…just maybe…like each other. (looking at you Ms. Wintour)
She’s successfully climbed the ranks and has two young kids! Wonder Woman!
Alt totally commanded the group shot of Vogue’s Editors-in-Chief in Japan with her nonchalant pose, that just oozes confidence.

The woman shows clearly how to achieve success with class, style and poise, in a very understated way.

Vogue Editors, Japan Fall 2011, with Emmanuelle Alt in white, seated center

Laughable: Good Job, CNN

kymbays — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:38:58 +0000

I rarely watch CNN these days, so imagine my reaction while watching one evening this past Tuesday night. They ran a story on the G20 meeting currently taking place in the south of France. CNN included a handy map to give geographical context…except…well, look for yourself:

This is where Cannes, France is located according to CNN.

Doh! That’s Spain, sillies!