refresher

I'm taking a mental health day, a complete necessity among the mundane workday ritual.

Sometimes work feels like it is taking over my creativity and spirit, which is a tragedy that must be averted.

So, at noon, I'm headed home for some poolside reading, writing and perhaps afternoon baking?! Oh, the possibilities!

Good day to you!

happy wednesday

Where is happiness? I think that a vast amount of happiness and contentment can be found in gaining insight into your own person and, consequently, growing into your best possible self.

"We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts not breaths; in feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs. He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best."

-Aristotle

This is important (if not nearly impossible) to cherish the down-lows for giving you a more complete picture not only of life, but of yourself. Everyone wants to live a life well-lived, but life is not all rainbows and butterflies (although, I would settle for butterflies!). As most points regarding happiness are, this is much easier to understand and describe when things are going well. But, I would argue, that this is also the best time to delve into how I should approach life, obstacles and pleasures.

36 Hours in Florence

Now, I would take 36 hours, but I may exchange it for a lifetime. Florence is my favorite, of all the places I've been, it takes the cake, devours it, and doesn't look back.

The Sunday New York Times had a piece on Florence, specifically what to do if you only had 36 hours (here). Now, that would be a whirlwind trip, but what took my breath away immediately was the Four Seasons Firenze.

love with me:

(yes, this is the hotel, not Versailles, not a museum, where people stay!)

Royal Suite Living Room ">

It's hard for me to find words for this picture, but please note the floor candles.

Bathroom ">

A little breeze in the sunshine, with wine. Deal.

Premier Room ">

To sleep and dream, in, a gallery. in Italy. I would not be able to sleep.

Conventino Presidential Suite ">

(see for yourself)

Now try to go back to work.

The September Issue, finally.

Following the whirlwind last couple of weeks (including planning and throwing a surprise party), I had the most relaxing evening yesterday.

Homemade pizza, a glass of Cabernet and this movie:

Amazing. Such a great escape with such creative talent, particularly refreshing when I spend all day with politics. It's been on my to-do/see list for a year so it's about time.

On another note, will someone please start a fan club for Grace:

inspiring, endearing, love her. A little glimpse can be experienced in this article.

Simply begin

To begin, begin.

-Peter Nivio Zarlenga

spice up your life

What do you do when you need a change? My life is on cruise control and something has got to change, maybe I could pick up a hitch-hiker or something. I've been contemplating dyeing my hair blonde for a while now, but I keep second-guessing the decision, it's a big decision, lots of maintenance. I've been blonde before and after much consideration, I do think they have more fun. Now it's in my head and all I can think about. OH the trials and tribulations.

Do you have something that instantly spices up your life?

Instant Spice:

-White Chocolate Mocha Misto

-New shoes (preferably with a rather high heel)

-Red Wine and Cheese (together.)

-Phone dates with friends

-Road trip

-Mariah Carey

-Manicure and Pedicure (but separately so I can read a magazine and indulge in the chair massage while my toes are pampered)

-New Haircut

-Blonde Highlights!!

better at breakfast

Love the rounded couch, love the bright flowers, love the patterns, love the glasses, love the mirror.

love love

barriers

The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.

-Anne Morriss

amazing things happen

Conan O'Brien: Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.

Here's the beginning to a story I began a few years ago... I would love your input.

Life's A Marathon

Paragraph 1 (always start small)

When he broke up with me, I acquired vast amounts of time to my days. In a fleeting moment of empowerment, the decision was made to run a half-marathon; the moment lasted long enough for me to pay for the Cowtown marathon and drag my friend Liz into it as well. Her common sense, or repressing nature, talked me out of signing up for the full-fledged marathon, in which I may have dropped dead somewhere near the conclusion of the 26 miles. I signed her up as well. How’s that for common sense, sucker. Training began the following day.

old love

My dreams alive! These two lovebirds have been married for 72 years and now have an incredibly amusing and endearing blog to document little bits of life. They are fantastic!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/14/original.grandparents.blog.marriage/?hpt=Sbin

It's like a real-life When Harry Met Sally couple. There is something about old love like this that just melts my heart.

Check out their blog:

http://the-ogs.com/

happy days

“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.”

Robert Louis Stevenson

Now, I'm a firm believer in loving all emotions because they are part of a unique personality. But, I also think it is important to sometimes see happiness as a chore, something that just has to be done, and quickly I often become genuinely happy. Because life is better lived happy. (I think.)

Love love.

face, glow!

This will change your life. It is worth every penny. I'm always a firm believer in investing in one good thing as oppose to many cheap things that leave you wanting/needing more (and add up). SO back to this Sugar Face Polish, seriously, it is love. My face instantly glowed, I felt refreshed and was ready to hit the town, well, The City, I was ready to watch Whitney hit the City. I stayed in last night and gave myself a facial with this new addition and it was perfection.

You know it's going to be a good purchase when the guy who works a Sephora stops to tell you he just *loves (eyes closed)* the Sugar.

love love

Let-down

I just finished this book:

and I'm not sure I'd recommend it. As far as popular fiction goes the author has a great reputation, but she just didn't do it for me. The plot was fairly predictable from the beginning. You know who will fall in love and there is no real resolution for the "miracle" girl. (I also hate forced sex scenes that are contrived to make the story move forward, it is hard, if not impossible to execute them tastefully, and are often better left out, an example of good excution would be found in Rabbit, Run, Updike knows what he's doing.)The synopsis pulled me in and I wondered how Jodi Picoult would intertwine religion/spirituality into modern lives subtly and gracefully, but the execution was lacking to put it mildly. I had lofty expectations that she would compliment lives with a touch of spirituality, but this is not the case and there's not even a dramatic courtroom twist at the end.

Anyways. Over it, and I don't recommend it.

holiday!

Because why wouldn't he ride in the front passenger seat? He's just livin' the dream, george-style.

Hope you have a fabulous holiday!

butterfly mural

I die.