Amy Nieto Photography + Design

Three mornings ago (oh I love the last dreams of the night), I dreamed my mother and I had taken a one day trip to Paris, for some reason on that day it was closer to us than usual. We arrive on my car (that's how close Paris was) and are looking for a parking spot in order to begin our journey. We pull up to a multi-level where the guard (who has the style of a 1968 Mick Jagger, but with blond hair) informs us because our car is US platform we cannot park here, but then he continues to chat with us in his beautifully accented English. It was Sunny, outside, perhaps late Spring. We park somewhere, and set out to walk the city of Paris. The dream ends, I wake up... with the biggest smile and heart. Oh what a wonderful dream. I mentioned it to mami and she said it ended at that moment because, somehow, we are still there, in that dream. I'd like to believe I am. Ohh, someday.

The following night my real-life desire to live on my own manifested itself in dream form. I was offered a magnificent bedroom in a beautiful Southern plantation-type mansion. The room was easily at least 800 sq ft, with shiny, yet old, dark hardwood floors, two open entryways, overlooking a perfectly set dining room and another room, possibly the kitchen. An old stand-like piano sat against the gray wall, a small sofa in the center of the room, and the over-sized ornate mirror hanging from the North wall reflected the almost overbearing light shining from the floor to ceiling glass windows that spanned the entire room, offering me a breath-taking view of the greenery that belonged to the house. It was the most beautiful place I've ever been. The lady, a very classic estately lady, offered the room for only $900 a month. I can't convey how wonderful the lighting was in this room. Oh my.

Another dream a few weeks ago had my brother and I traveling once again, this time to the United Kingdom. My purpose was to visit an old friend who I hadn't spoken to in years, but I found out she had begun her college years in a centuries old university on a small island off the southern coast of England, called Barbara. We traverse the Atlantic Ocean and arrive at Barbara Island. It was a late afternoon, the Sun shining bright but still low in the sky and I was walking through a giant field of wildflowers, backlit by the intense light and my hand caressing the rebellious flowers. VERY photographic. My friend suggests we visit the mainland, to London! Oh London, one of my biggest dreams! I don't remember us actually going, but I felt this immense happiness and giddyness about FINALLY visiting this great city. As per usual, the dream ends there.

Travel, travel, travel, that's all I've ever wanted to do. Soon, soon, I can feel it. One of the most important trips I need to do this year is spend Christmas back in Puerto Rico, which I haven't done in 5 years. And I miss it. Y'all don't understand how, um, peculiar the holiday season is in my island.

Hint: it's freakin insane.