Well Done

Last week, 

I got an email...

which made me write a post...

that caused a spark

in so many of you.

Five days later,

you've made it a movement.

Bloggers all over the world

are spreading the word about

Charity Water.

I dare you to watch this video...

and be able to not tell your friends how great it is!

We are $1000 away 

from finishing a well in Africa

that will provide clean water 

for 250 people.

This will change their lives.

All it means for you is $5.

We are asking you to trade 

a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, one happy hour,

...or whatever "your drink" may be.

For one day.

So that together, 

the blogging community 

can give 250 people a chance

to drink clean water.

For the rest of their lives.

So that this....

can become this...

And that

is a project we're calling:

Well Done

Join us by donating $5 here.

 Then grab our the blog graphic-

and spread the word.

We would love to have you join alongside us!

*email aspiringkennedy@gmail.com for the html blog button code

Sinnamon Sundays.

Good morning, friends!

In England, this twosome is waking up to

cinnamon toast & coffeee...

no regrets here!

via

Aren't Sundays the best day to recharge & rest...

and take advantage of the slowness to reconnect?

{...and, of course, read some good blogs!}

Friday Funday: Dilemma of the Decade.

It's fairly common to have

heroes in history & pop-culture

branded into our minds.

For instance, 

I have a {slight} fixation on 

The Kennedys.

It's because of this adoration,

I'm left looking at life

through a 1960's lens.

via

For Friday Funday,

I'm throwing out this question:

What decade would you pick to spend your twenties in?

Do you dream of Daisy in Gatsby's days?

Do you revel in Rosie the Riveters war time ways?

Would you sing like Sandy of Summer Nights as a girl?

Or did Madonna model the mood that you feel?

Gwyneth Paltrow: Aspiring Parton?

My initial reaction to Gwyneth Paltrow

dipping her toes into the country music scene was,

to be frank,

a bit defensive.... 

{like this article.}

Yes, this Texas girl got a little riled up 

thinking about that Nordic-ish-New-York-City girl

parading around at the CMAs...

Then I realized that my blog is named

Aspiring Kennedy...

and maybe it's not too harmful 

to want to play dress up in another world,

 far away from the land you live in.

Suddenly, my feelings for GP at the CMA's

moved from prickly to pudding.

I mean, afterall...
it does take a lot of courage to debut your talent 
standing up in front of the industry's best.

And she actually did great. 

Look how cute she is!

And not just anyone could pull of that flesh-bearing Versace toga gown.

{Thank you, vegan-shake detox diets & personal trainer, Tracey Anderson.}

                     

And besides,

it's probably inevitable that after so many years of us being best friends,

my Dallas roots would start to rub off on her...

 right?

Watch the performance here, and weigh-in below...

   

A Legend Amongst Mortals

My friend Laura from Something Legit is back
with her swoon worthy series:
Alluring Kennedy.

Today she is singing us the sweet praises of Mr. John Legend.

 

{image source}

John, lull me with your sweet melodies

{image source}

Can't you just imagine yourself in a John Legend montage?

running through the park,

yachting,

eating ice cream cones,

riding tandem bikes?

. . . . .

{Oh, I passed out. I'm back.}

 {image source}

What a dream!

{image source}

No woman would ever resist taking a guy like this one home. 

 

{image source}

Look at that face...

{image source}

Save room for my love, Mr. Legend.
You are an Alluring Kennedy with a lot of class.

Water Works

I'm not a celebrity.

Nope.

 I'm just an Aspiring Kennedy.

My days of paid endorsements are still far out.

Maybe someday I'll be as cool as Ms. Aniston

and get my mug on a Smart Water campaign.

via

I think I'd be good at talking about water...

because I really like it.

via

In fact, I drink it everyday...

but it's nothing I want to keep exclusive.

via

That's why when I saw this initiative

to build this water well-

I got excited.

These precious students have donated $3800 towards a $5000 goal.

And it made me think:

if students can do that,

what could bloggers like us do?

via

If half of the people that visit Aspiring Kennedy today

just give $5...

250 people will have a water well.

That means those people can drink clean water,

which means they won't get sick as often,

which means their children won't be as prone to childhood death,

... and all that means: their lives will better.

What will $5 mean for me?

1'll have one less cream tea this week.

via

If you are a blogger and donate to this water well,

let me know, I'll give you a month of free advertising.

Because if I can't be a poster child,

I'd be happy to have you be one in my place.

You are Here: Memphis

Meet Leslie of Sharp Stick in the Eye.

I've "known" Leslie 

{through mutual acquantainces}

for several years now.

In fact, I was even at her lovely wedding-
as a date of one of her friends.

Yet it's been through blogging that I've actually got to know her.

One thing I have discovered is:

 Leslie is a girl who loves Memphis.

She LOVES it.

When getting the cities organized for this series, 

I knew that we would all be in for a heart-felt treat

if Leslie would walk us through her city.

Lucky us!

YOU ARE HERE: MEMPHIS

Aspiring Kennedy: Where do you live?

Leslie J: Memphis, Tennessee: "Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll"

Aspiring Kennedy: Describe "your" Memphis- your daily experience to us.

Leslie J: My Memphis is what some call a "Big Little Small Town." Everyone has some sort of connection, so you never really meet a true stranger.


I live in the same zip code where I grew up, went to school, and learned to be who I am (mostly)...consequently, my husband also grew up in this zip code and our parents still dwell in our childhood homes.


Big trees, friendly people, and the best tap water around (artesian wells baby!).

photo by me, today!

There is a gritty, underdog spirit that underlies the Memphis city pride like I've never encountered. Kinda like, we may get a bad rap, but the diehards know the TRUE Memphis... and that it's a great place to live.

Cherry trees in the spring along {fittingly} Cherry Road, via

AK: Memphis is a really soulful place. That environment has to produce some inspired people. Tell us about the local talent.


LJ: How can we NOT start here?





The King of Rock 'n Roll.


Elvis Presley's home in Memphis, Graceland, is second only to the White House as the most visited home in America. {But I will tell you that most lifelong Memphians have never visited Graceland. Take that for what you will.}


Behind and surrounding EP is one of the most rich musical heritages a city can have... Aad this is what really makes us proud. Sun Studios (Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis), Stax Records (Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, Booker T & the MGs), Hi Records (Al Green, Willie Mitchell)...see?


Obviously, that list is PACKED with some of the best music ever.


Besides these, we claim Justin Timberlake, Aretha Franklin, Morgan Freeman, BB King, Penny Hardaway, & Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT (I went to his high school band's shows!)


AK: Where does Memphis go to see music today? And Beale Street doesn't count...


If you ever come to Memphis, rest up, and make your way to Wild Bill's juke joint. (You really can't get there until 11:30 or midnight. Late for me, at least.)

It's only one of the most wonderful places in the world. Yes, it's tiny and they only sell forties, and in part of town you may otherwise not visit, but it's my favorite place to listen to live music EVER. 

EVER. EVER. EVER. 

You can read more Wild Bill's, among other legit places, in this great New York Times travel article about Memphis here, if you'd like.

AK: So after staying out all night at Wild Bill's... where should we head for for breakfast?


LJ: Gibson's Donuts. Be still my heart.


Promise me, if you ever go, you'll get a glazed Old Fashioned.





AK: Memphis obviously has a past with some really important people. Who could we "rub elbows" with these days in Memphis?


LJ: Besides JT coming home for Thanksgiving (and the subsequent Britney, Cameron, or Jessica sightings), one of the biggest celeb events of my life was when they shot The Firm here in the early '90s.

The "Firm house" as people call it:

photo by me- taken about 5 minutes away from our house!

While they were shooting here, I remember moms keeping their kids home from school so they could try to get a glimpse of Tom Cruise. My best friend lived in the neighborhood and saw TC once or twice.


AK: I love that! What is the quintessential Memphis meal? Where do we find it?


It has to be said: Bar-b-que. But I'm not writing about it because a) it's too emotional for people [and I don't really "get" that] and b) much has already been said and written much better than I could do.


But yes, it's bar-b-que. And for the record, my preference is probably Central BBQ.


AK: And... dessert?

Muddy's Bake Shop was started several years ago by one of my schoolmates. Stop by Muddy's to get a freshly-made delicious baked good. No freezing allowed!

AK: What's the blogging community in Memphis like?


We have a wonderful resource here: a blog called I Love Memphis... Kerry's full-time job is finding out what's awesome in Memphis and writing about it [broken into sections like EAT, SEE, DO, LOVE, MEET, HEAR. She's darn good at discovering the up-and-coming spots and giving them some spotlight.


AK: Leave us with a lasting impression of Memphis. Give us a taste of the overall flavor of the city.


Underlying everything Memphis is is the constant presence of the Mississippi River... the "Mighty Mississip" or more affectionately "Ole Man River." It is because of him we're here in the first place.



[photo from here]


The Old South feel of Memphis is present yet at once it's as if everyone has acknowledged they don't revel in it too much.





Like I've said, it's underdog and people like it that way.


Come and see us!

Monday Moods: I feel... cozy.

Brrrrr... 

Welcome to England, Winter!