Something kind of amazing starts to happen when you make a life list; You start start doing the things you’ve always wanted to. Some people attribute it to the Law of Attraction (and the like), but that’s a little too woowoo for me.
I think it’s more about making yourself think about what’s important to you, and in taking that step, you’re more likely to work toward your goals. You’re also more likely to say yes to things. I had assumed that Brandon would be the one I’d go sightseeing with (and I still want to go with him), but the opportunity came up last weekend, I was available, and I went for it.
Jules and I arrived at the Ace Hotel for Camp Mighty, and noticed the cute red scooters out front. That’s a life list item of mine, to go sightseeing on a Vespa. (I know that technically the scooters weren’t Vespas, but I’m using the name as one would say Kleenex instead of tissue.) ‘Maybe I’ll do that one while I’m here,’ I thought. I also thought that it probably wouldn’t actually happen.
The next day, we had a bit of a break from all of the mightiness in the afternoon. I mentioned that I was still thinking about the scooters to Keryn, whom I had not known before Camp Mighty, and she was in. We were trying to figure out when the best time to go would be. I could feel myself slipping away from spontaneity and trying to plan it. “There’s another break tomorrow, but it’s supposed to rain. My flight doesn’t leave until 3 on Sunday…” Then in an uncharacteristic move (for me, at least), we decided to just go do it. Right then and there. We called the scooter rental company, and 20 minutes later, we were on our way.
It was amazing! (And now we each want one.) Thank you, Keryn, for helping me check off something super fun from my life list. Thank you, Jules and Andrea for being so supportive. Thank you, Maggie, for the mighty life list inspiration, and thank you also to Laura, for being an instrumental part of making Camp Mighty happen. Thank you, Brandon, for watching the kids so that I could go to this fantastic event in the first place.
Have you made your list yet? Get on that.
Boston Mamas
November 17, 2011 at 11:32 amOMG I wanted to ride one! Yay for you!
Keryn
November 17, 2011 at 11:39 amYeee haw! Scooting through Palm Springs with you was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend. Let’s start a cross-country Vespa gang, shall we?
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:23 pmYes! And thank you again. It was an amazing experience.
Andrea Howe
November 17, 2011 at 11:45 amI was so happy to have been there to witness it. Awesome and very cool story to checking something off the list :) And I loved meeting you and getting to know you, truly.
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:24 pmI loved getting to know you too.
agirlandaboy
November 17, 2011 at 11:52 amMy favorite part is that you did it in dresses. Kick-ass!
Kat
November 17, 2011 at 12:20 pmYou look great with that fabulous wardrobe! Reminds me of when my husband and I celebrated our anniversary in Charleston. We met a really cool couple at a communal table during dinner and they offered to drive us to a comedy club afterwards. Driving on the backs of their scooters was a perfect way to zip through the city!
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:24 pmIt sounds perfect!
Bridgette
November 17, 2011 at 12:27 pm! You look so cute! I want one now, too.
Emily
November 17, 2011 at 12:38 pmI’m addicted to my scooter (although now I added “ride in a fabulous dress” to my list). Glad you got to experience it!
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:25 pmSomeone slapped my hand for doing so a little further down in the comments.
Jennelle
November 17, 2011 at 12:44 pmWow! What a great idea. So jealous b/c visiting Palm Springs is on my lovely life list. Maybe I’ll see the sights on a scooter if (when) I make it there!
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:26 pmDo it when you go!
meredith
November 17, 2011 at 12:55 pmi hate to be a nit-picker, especially because you already mentioned that you know it isn’t a vespa, but i thought you’d be interested to know that this scooter is made by a chicago-based company, genuine scooters. they’re sold at scooterworks, which is a sister company, on the north side (damen just south of rosehill cemetary). i should probably disclose that i actually work for genuine scooters, but i’m a long time reader of your blog and was excited to see this.
so if you’re considering one…go for it! sadly, we don’t make the buddy in pink anymore (for now), but they do come in white (which is the color i have) and you can get pink panels for a 2-tone look.
riding a scooter is super empowering, and really practical unless you need to take the kids with you. i’ve never ridden in a dress, but you may have convinced me to add it to MY list.
Making it Lovely
November 19, 2011 at 10:27 pmCool, I didn’t know there was a Chicago connection. I don’t go many places without the kids these days, so I don’t think it’s all that practical for me right now, but maybe a few years down the line…
Sarah
November 17, 2011 at 1:01 pmthe photo of you looking over your shoulder with the rocky desert landscape in the background is adorable, and your copper piggy clutch made me squeal :)
Mar
November 17, 2011 at 1:03 pmis that a pig purse? and if so…where did you find it!?
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:16 pmTsuruBride.
Courtney
November 17, 2011 at 1:46 pmLOVE the pig clutch and…is that a tattoo on your wrist??
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:18 pmNo, no tattoo! We painted our hands and photographed (tweeted, instagrammed, etc.) them to show our support for the Ronald McDonald House Charity (which I am a big fan of).
jbhat
November 17, 2011 at 1:49 pmWhat good fun! I’m glad you and your pal went for it.
jbhat
Molly the Waffler
November 17, 2011 at 1:50 pmOkay, first I’m going to make a list of all the lists I need to make (one for xmas presents for the kids, grocery, etc.) and then I’ll work on the actual lists.
Amanda
November 17, 2011 at 2:24 pmIf I could “like” this I so would! I’ve been known to make lists for making lists before. Ohhh the love of lists.
Lets say it one more time, shall we? I LOVE LISTS!
Laurie
November 17, 2011 at 1:58 pmok, so it is established that you’re inspiring with the life lists and amazing style. But the dress! Have you always been a dress wearer? You always post such awesome dresses on style boards, but then I think when/how could I actually wear that and then seeing this post really blew my mind. To wear a dress in an everyday situation… and look completely comfortable?! just how do you do it?
Rachael
November 20, 2011 at 8:12 pmI believe in a post a while ago Nicole mentioned that she almost always wears skirts or dresses and owns only a few pairs of pants. I think she wears tights in the winter.
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:20 pmI do wear a skirt or dress nearly every day, and I have for nearly a decade now (wow). I find them to look nicer and feel more comfortable than pants. I have been wearing pants more than I used to, but it’s still a 5:1 ratio!
Diana
November 17, 2011 at 2:05 pmI’m totally in love with your piggy purse!! Where can I buy it?? By the way, kudos for wearing a dress while riding a Vespa. So COOL!!
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:21 pmTsuruBride, though it looks like they’re on hiatus.
Louise M
November 17, 2011 at 2:41 pmThe scooter is so cute! Maybe one day I’ll learn to ride one and swap my car for a cute scooter to scoot-scoot around in.
Sahnda
November 17, 2011 at 2:54 pmLooks like SO MUCH FUN!!! Good for you doing something you’ve always wanted to do! (-:
Kristin
November 17, 2011 at 3:02 pmLove this. The post. The lists. The pics. The just go do it attitude you have. Thank you also for the sweet inspiration. We leave tomorrow for Clearwater, FL for our first trip away as a couple since the little’s where born. So thanks to you madam I decided to google scooter rental near our hotel to see if this was something we could try as a couple for the first time. Low and behold our hotel has a scooter rental in the lobby. how can we pass this up?!
my life list is a list of lists too guys. I love lists but I also like checking things off before they get on a list.
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:23 pmHooray! It’s so fun — you’ll love it.
Jules
November 17, 2011 at 3:30 pmAwesome.
Charlene
November 17, 2011 at 3:49 pmLove it!! You’ve inspired me to start a life list. I will have to put ‘take a mid century modern tour of Palm Springs’ on it!
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:24 pmExcellent addition to a life list. :)
tiffany smith
November 17, 2011 at 3:58 pmwow you can totally see your daughter in the last picture of you.
Emily @ Go Haus Go
November 17, 2011 at 4:01 pmI spy a tattoo!!!! Love these photos! You look so pretty!
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:24 pmNo, just some face paint!
Mairi
November 17, 2011 at 4:09 pmWhere did you get your pig purse??? I want one!
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:25 pmIt was from TsuruBride.
Jenna
November 17, 2011 at 5:33 pmWhere is that gorgeous dress from??
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:26 pmAnthropologie. I wrote about it on Babble a while back when I first got it.
Kate
November 17, 2011 at 5:34 pmSuper fun!!!! Great snaps. :)
Emily
November 17, 2011 at 5:58 pmPlease tell us about the piggy purse!
Meghan
November 17, 2011 at 6:19 pmAwesome post! I’ve always wanted to ride a Vespa myself. Thank you for featuring my piggy purse and taking him on your adventure! =)
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:26 pmEveryone flipped over the piggy. I brought it along because it packs so well!
Sarah
November 17, 2011 at 8:40 pmOkay, as a big fan of your blog I was really really really disappointed by this post. As an avid scooter/motorcyclist I cannot believe that you would be so irresponsible to ride a scooter in a frickin dress and then post pictures and encourage others to do the same!
Yes a helmet is great but it only protects 5% of your entire body. Have you not heard of road rash? What would have happened if you had lost control of your scooter and crashed? Your skin would be scraped off and your wounds filled with asphalt. Yes, gross but also true and a real danger.
Seeing as this was your first time on a scooter I would think you would take proper precautions to protect yourself, and as a mother, wife and blogger you have a responsibility to keep yourself safe. You don’t need full gear, but a pair of jeans and a sweater would be a million times better than a sundress, but then you wouldn’t look as pretty I guess.
I just can’t get over this. It’s absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible.
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:29 pmWe never went more than about 15 mph, so no faster than we would be on a bicycle really. We both happened to be wearing a dress and a skirt that day, so that’s what we went out on. Thanks for your concern though.
Anne
November 17, 2011 at 8:56 pmI LOVE the fabric of your dress – you look great in it! And the pig purse is wonderful! I can’t pull it off, but you look fabulous! (and I’ve always wanted a Vespa, with a sidecar for my dog to ride in, too!)
Nadia
November 17, 2011 at 10:17 pmI can see from the pics that you were not riding a Vespa. You were cruising on a Buddy scooter by the The Genuine Scooter Company. http://www.genuinescooters.com/buddy.html
They deserve the props for your ride, not that other brand you erroneously plugged four times in your post.
Other than that error, this post rocks. You look so chic and happy. Keep on keepin’ on!
Rachael
November 17, 2011 at 10:34 pmOr she totally linked to the scooter rental website to give them credit.
Didn’t realize you had such loyal Scooter-ist reading your site Nicole.
Jules
November 18, 2011 at 1:48 amSeriously.
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:31 pmNadia, thanks for linking to the proper scooter company. I did link to the scooter rental site, but you’re right that it was a Buddy that I was riding. “Vespa” is one of those terms (like “Kleenex” or “Band-Aid”) that has come to represent not just a brand, but a type of goods, and that is how I had used it.
Kelsie
November 18, 2011 at 6:47 amCan’t.deal.with.the.cuteness. Great photos!
Maureen
November 18, 2011 at 9:15 amAwesome post! You look fantastic!!
megan marie
November 18, 2011 at 9:50 amWas it hard to rent/ride a scooter with no experience? i always see those scooters when I go to the Ace but I always assumed you need a special license to rent one! Next time, I have to do it.
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:32 pmIf you’re a California resident, you need a motorcycle license. Otherwise you’re good to go with a regular driver’s license. They were easy to ride! They have a relatively weak motor (I think they top out at 30 mph), so they aren’t too hard to handle.
Jamie
November 18, 2011 at 5:26 pmNicole,
Have loved your blog for a couple years now – now that my husband and I live in OP, it’s more relevant to me than ever! :) Delurking to tell you that my mom is selling her Vespa (she’s out in the NW suburbs) – it has very few miles on it – it’s Silver – and had been professionally maintained by a scooter place out in Crystal Lake. If you’re interested, I’m sure my parents would be happy to entertain an offer…just shoot me an email and I can put you in touch with them.
Thanks,
Jamie
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:33 pmThanks for letting me know! It’s probably not very practical for me right now, since I’m always with my kids when I go out, but thanks.
Tia
November 19, 2011 at 7:58 amGood for you! Driving scooters/motorcycles is one of my favorite things ever! I rented a motorcycle on my last trip to the Pacific and last year when I was in India (THAT was a bananas experience, but also pure freedom from my India claustrophobia).
Sara Rose
November 19, 2011 at 9:07 amScooters + You = CUTEST EVER. AWESOME GOAL ACHIEVED!!!! BTW, the pig purse? Total awesomeness.
Amber, theAmberShow
November 20, 2011 at 7:25 pmSo excellent that you did this! Fun photos! I like what you said about the Law of Attraction vs. just opening yourself up to saying yes. It’s my point, exactly.
ArticulateArt
November 21, 2011 at 7:07 amGreat idea! Looking great in that dress and red vespa! I should set a list too although I don’t think it’d happen anytime soon. But I can dream right?
Making it Lovely
November 21, 2011 at 1:35 pmMake a list! It’s all about dreaming big.
Natalie
November 21, 2011 at 5:49 pmHow fun! And your purse is too cute! :)
Vicki
November 24, 2011 at 7:25 amScooter riding is great, I have driven one for 9 years now and still get a thrill every morning when I hop on board so I’m glad you had fun!
I think Sarah’s comment above re your choice of clothing while driving was clumsily worded and unnecessarily harsh but I have to say that as a scooter driver myself I would never consider driving in a dress/skirt/ballet flats.
My Vespa is a 50cc which has a top speed of about 50km but I had an accident whilst driving at around 10-15km and even at such a low speed I ended up with road rash and permanent scars on my leg (and I was wearing jeans and boots) and I was also driven into by a car who ran a red light and have another scar on my leg from that- an accident that happened while I was stationary and wearing leather boots/jeans!
Riding a scooter is super good fun but it is always a good idea to wear heavy clothes and boots to make sure you’re as safe as possible :)
Good luck with the rest of your life list, I hope you manage to cross everything off!
Isabela Oliveira
November 27, 2011 at 6:53 pmHey you inspired me to have my list of goals, I loved …..
His small bag of pork made my heart beat faster, so much fun …..
Cheers !!!!!
Isabela Oliveira
November 27, 2011 at 6:55 pmForgive me, and that the English is not my language ……
jenny
December 1, 2011 at 3:19 pmYou are ADORABLE! It’s like a Kate Spade advert! But for real! :))
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