Big Magic in the Big City!

Who doesn’t love a good book?! I am a book nerd. I am guilty of buying a new book before I am even done reading another. I am currently reading NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York – by Sari Botton.*

There is nothing like a brand new, crisp, hard cover book to get you excited about entering another person’s world. For me, I enjoy reading all kinds of books. From fiction to nonfiction, memoirs, etc. I love to read other people stories of their individual journeys, just as much as I enjoy reading self-improvement books, and some good old, science fiction. I won’t deny I too, got caught up in both The Twilights Series as well as The Hunger Games. Most of us read for fun, for educational purposes, to gain knowledge or simply as an “escape”-because books allow us to enter a completely different world.

I am sure you can all relate back to a certain book you read, that really changed you, or at least change the way you thought or felt about something. That book for me was written by The New York Times best selling author, Elizabeth Gilbert, and the book was Eat, Pray, Love.

I remember coming home one day and seeing Elizabeth Gilbert on Oprah, talking about her new book, which she wrote on a journey through some very, very, dark times in her life. Her book was listed on Oprah’s Book Club reading list (along with Eckhart Tolle- another one of my favs). If you’ve never read Eat Pray Love, (or watched the movie) then you are depriving yourself of an amazing journey, and in one way or another, one that we can all relate to.

Eat, Pray, Love is the most authentic memoir I have ever read. Gilbert takes you through her journey as she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the things modern day America says you should have, (marriage, house, career). Instead, she embarked on a journey to pursue her true passions in life. She sold everything she had, packed her bags and journeyed for an entire year to learn about herself all over again, and she did it amid three different cultures. She indulged pleasure in Italy, tested her core with devotion in India, and ended her journey on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Liz found herself lost, as her marriage fell apart, and she was unfilled with life and the direction it was taking. Who hasn’t felt that way at one time or another? Freshly out of college, I felt many of the same things Liz experienced and talks about in her book.

Intrigued and completely in LOVE with the very risk Liz took, I divulged the book in two days. In fact, I still read it and re-read it time again when I need to remind myself of a few things. I can't tell you how much that book changed my life. And I've been a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert ever since. I've read all her books especially the one that immediately followed “Committed. A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage” – which is her journey with the one thing she never wanted to do again, get married, yet she did.

In Miami, she had various book signings, and I even got to meet her when she launched ““The Signature of All Things”.

I met Liz at teh Miami Book Fair, back in 2013

So when she came out with her newest book, “Big Magic”- I was so excited to read it! And when I saw her book tour made a stop in non other than NYC, I made sure I’d be there!

So, I headed over to Brooklyn, to BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), which is an absolutely gorgeous venue!

The BAM is a multi-arts center that has been the home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas—engaging both global and local communities. With world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and much more, BAM showcases the work of emerging artists and innovative modern masters.

Liz’s visit was part of BAM’s book program, Unbound. It is a book launch series that brings renowned authors, artists, and public figures to Brooklyn for the exclusive national launch of their latest works.

The New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love celebrated the release of her new book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. And she discusses the major themes at the center of her book, offering potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration, curiosity, and creativity.

As usual Elizabeth's passion for her love of becoming the best version of yourself, shines through. Simply put, she is utter authenticity. Liz always reveals herself, without holding back, in her discussions. She is passionate, sympathetic and truly reveals her core being. She encourages you to follow your passions, listen to your instinct, focus your energy on the things that you love and help make you a better version of yourself. Every. Day. She consistently encourages you to shift the focus off of the things that drain your energy, whether it be a toxic relationship, a dead-end job or even those draining friendships (we’ve all had those).

I haven’t started reading Big Magic, yet, but it’s coming right up!

Remember how I said I have a habit of buying books before I’m done reading another? Well, a few weeks later Kevin Costner was in town to also discuss his new book, The Explorers Guild. A book about adventures and I get to see my crush from The Bodyguard? Where do I sign up?

The Hudson Union welcomed Kevin and other authors and illustrators of the book at the famed MoMA Theater. The Hudson Union Society provides an intimate, modern setting for people from all walks of life to actively engage with some of the world’s biggest stars. Guests at Hudson Union events include leaders in the fields of government, art, science and more, from Colin Powell and Al Gore to Jessica Alba, Conan O’Brien and Deepak Chopra.

Recently, I got to join Academy Award–winning actor Kevin Costner at the beautiful MoMA Theater as he discussed his new book, “The Explorers Guild: A Passage to Shambhala,” along with co-creators Jon Baird and Rick Ross (no, not the one we like to Twerk to, though that would have been an interesting combo).

The Explorers Guild, is about a group of adventurers who bravely journey to places in which light gives way to shadow and reason is usurped by myth. The secrets they seek are hidden in mountain ranges and lost in deserts, buried in the ocean floor and lodged deep in polar ice. The aim of The Explorers Guild: to discover the mysteries that lie beyond the boundaries of the known world.

In a city like New York it's no wonder that world renowned actors and authors come to talk about their work, simply because this is such an eclectic city that opens itself up to this kind of stuff. New York City is an absolute melting pot and it is the ONE city that is a mecca for art, culture, literature and cinema.

I really can't wait to start reading both books but I will end this post on one of my favorite quotes by Elizabeth Gilbert:

Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it. Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless. –Big Magic.