I’m not even exactly sure where to begin with this. I’ve still been participating in the Tranquilista Lifestyle e-course and I’m still getting tons out of it. I’m just not quite participating as fully as I’d hoped I would. It seems that for me, it’s bringing up a lot of stuff that I need to deal with (which I asked for help with way back a couple months ago with one of my VPAs that I wrote). So I’m not exactly being nearly as creative as I’d hoped.
I’ll be honest, I’m not doing daily journaling (written or artistic) and I haven’t yet gotten around to creating a daily ritual. Though i will say that I can finally (after a thorough conversation with a good friend), see the benefits in having a ritual and the need to turn inward from time to time. Like I said, I’m getting tons out of it, it just seems to be manifesting a little differently for me.
This week though, is all about entrepreneurialism (if you could only see my fingers trip over that one!). Our main focus this week is on creating a brand, or well, I guess even some thoughts around the brand. Basically, to play with your business a little.
So following some of Kimberly’s advice, I decided to look within and make a list of all the “jobs” I do from day to day. In many cases, that means ALL the jobs – mother, wife, and business woman – and break them down into tasks. Well, I haven’t gotten really specific yet, but all I can say is WOW! I often wondered just where my day went and why I often felt like I didn’t get much done and now I know.
For starters…
HOME: wife, friend, cleaning lady, maintenance crew, cook, laundress, liaison, dishwasher, menu planner, dog walker, pet groomer, secretary, event planner, personal shopper, real estate agent and all around Girl Friday.
WORK: treasurer, book keeper, web administrator, graphic designer (man am I horrible at this job), writer, mail room gal, receptionist, marketing department, personal shopper/Girl Friday, inventory management, event planner, team trainer, cleaning staff, PR consultant and so much more that didn’t leap right out at me.
Which brings me back, full circle to the need for creating a schedule and insisting on a morning “me” ritual of sorts. Times like this (and like so many others), I’m in awe of moms and how they’re able to balance so much of their life.
So yeah, I might not have necessarily embraced my inner artiste head on, I am so thrilled with all I’m learning with this course. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for next week as we dig deeper into our entrepreneurial lives.
Earlier this week I was invited to attend the Sassy City Chicks LA Fashion Bash (did you win a pair from my giveaway?) at the Peterson Automotive Museum. Whew, what a mouthful that is! But oh, it is so worth it!
This was actually my first visit to the Peterson. I wish I’d taken a moment and walked around the museum floor a bit more. Did you know they have a Hot Wheels hall of fame? I had other obligations and just wasn’t able to commit to a longer visit this time around (hello, I had some shopping to do!). Maybe next time.
Basically, SCC is a shopping Lalapalooza for women. There are racks and racks of clothes and accessories for deeply discounted prices. In some cases, the designers are there (met a lovely purse designer), in other cases, you just get the killer deals. I manged to walk away with only a little damage: two cocktail rings and gorgeous Swarovski crystal sterling chain.
This particular LA event was co-sponsored by Chevy and I was lucky enough to be invited by Chevy to attend as a VIP. This got me early access to the Chevy Lounge and some personal time with the new cars along with some live music and a post-drive chair massage. The coolest part, this time around, I was able to actually drive both the new Malibu and the Equinox Crossover.
Now I’ve been lucky enough to ride in both of these cars recently for the Best of Tours/ CraveLA event when I participated in the Best of Women Owned Businesses in Los Angeles.But this is the first time I got to drive…both vehicles! And both are quite cool for different reasons - I love the pick up in the Malibu, but it feels a bit large to me. But I have a huge crush on the Equinox and would love to talk my husband into getting me one of those for my birthday next month (it won’t happen, but a girl can dream, right?).
I wish I could say that my personal pictures came out well enough that you could get a good idea of what the event was like. But sadly, the lighting was too dim for anything to show up (even with the annoying flash). So instead, I’ll let the video below to fill you in on what the event looked like. And next year, make sure you check out the Sassy City Chicks event here in LA (they have gift bags!!)
Social Couture – If you’re planning a party, Social Couture should be your first stop for all your party planning needs. They’ve got you covered from soup to nuts…or from decorations to plates, from napkins to nametags, from center pieces to party favors. They can do it all: girls night out, baby showers, cinco de mayo, parties for a cure or cause, children’s parties, you name it. And let’s be honest, the stuff is SO much cuter than what you can get at your local Party Barn or Walmart.
Klean Spa - First, let me come clean (ha! I made a funny!)…I know Jennifer and I know Klean. In fact, on more than one occasion, I’ve helped to prepare and sell. That doesn’t stop me from raving about the awesome scents and products. And now for spring they have THE most amazing scent I’ve ever smelled… Ka-Bloom! Really, it’s like a bouquet of the best smelling flowers just exploded all over you – in a good way, of course. My favorite Klean Spa products…the Smooth-EZ Body Polish which of course can be scented with Ka-Bloom! I have to say, Fig N’Fern is quite yummy too! And if you want a chance to win your own basket of Ka-Bloom goodies, I’m currently running a giveaway on ConstantChatter (there’s a discount code too!). Oh and if you’re local, you stop by the next Blending Bash and mix your own lotions and potions!
Kirin Christianson - This Fab Find is a little different. This isn’t a product recommendation of any sort. Instead, it’s a fun video recommendation. I met Kirin about a year ago at a networking event here in LA (well, kinda…we technically met online after the event, but we did both see each other across the room during the actual event). Anyway…Kirin has recently started doing video tutorials to help women embrace their inner fashionistas and get a little sexier and sassier. She’s only made three videos so far, but they’re all good. My fave of the bunch is the Three Ways to Brighten Up Basic Black video. I mean who amongst us isn’t guilty of a little too much black in our wardrobe?
Coach Brooke Hobo- As I’ve said on more than one occasion, I’m not the most fashionable gal (hence my love of Kirin’s new venture). But, I do love me a great purse. And now that spring has sprung, I’ve decided it’s time to move on to finding the perfect non-winter bag – and here in LA, that’s the majority of the year. I think I found it today as I did a super quick walk through the Coach store. I actually swore off Coach my last bag. I find them to be a bit more expensive then I’m comfortable spending and I’m not really a fan of the HEREIAM logo thing they’ve got going on. But then I noticed the new colors and bag designs and well, I’m in love with the Brooke Hobo. With luck, I can convince my husband that it will make a perfect birth-a-versary present in a couple weeks. Wish me luck!
Wish Studio Blog : I found this blog by following a link that Jennifer from Artizen Coaching posted on her Facebook Page. They may be most known for their artist retreats and classes, the blog is great for anyone trying to embrace their more creative side.
Bessotment : Once again, Kimberly from Tranquilista turned me on to this. Part of our on-going Tranquilista Lifestyle course is to keep a visual journal. I’ll let you in a little secret…mine is not doing so well. But if you want to see some beautiful and inspiring works of art, be sure to check out Hope’s pages. Wow.
Paperback Swap : I recently posted on Facebook (yes, I’m on there almost daily) that I was looking to borrow a copy of the The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo for our next book club read. A friend of mine suggested that I check out Paperback Swap. While I wasn’t able to get a copy of the book (yet), I was able to get rid of 4 books that I was no longer interested in. Basically, you “trade” books for credits and each time to send out or swap a book, you get a credit to “purchase” or swap a book from someone else. All it costs you is the media mail shipping. I love that they even provide printable labels.
TeaZazz : This is my new favorite drink. Basically, it’s lightly flavored iced tea that’s been carbonated. So it’s a bubbly iced tea! I’ve only tried two flavors (peach and kiwi strawberry), but both have been yummy. My only complaint is that it’s not so easy to find them. Right now, I only seem to find them at my local Henry’s. They say that they’re available at Ralph’s but not the three I’ve checked. And the good news…their HFCS-free!
Remote Area Medical : The husband and I participated in this event last year and it was AMAZING! If you have a day, or even just half a day, I urge you to volunteer. It will be hard work, and you’re on your feet the entire time, but trust me, it is also very rewarding work. If you can’t make it personally, at least be sure to spread the word….FREE medical for those in need (more details to come in a full post).
Well what about major designers such as Nanette Lepore, Diane von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs, Dior, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Juicy Couture, D&G, Norma Kamali, Tory Burch, and so much more at massive discounts? They’ve got it all from designer name-brand jeans, jewelry, clothing, handbags, makeup and much more and we’re talking up to 80% off here!
Did I mention that they also have complimentary spa services, cocktails and goody bags for the VIPs (and anyone can purchase a VIP ticket)?
And of course, there’s the “Chevy Lounge,” which will include a designer trunk show, hot cars and the opportunity to participate in a Chevy “Ride & Drive” preview test drive or stylish ride-alongs before and during the event. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of that Equinox!
What: The Sassy City Chicks LA Fashion Bash will bring casual weekend “Sample Sale” shopping to a hip weeknight happening. In addition to offering an always stunning array of designer duds at reduced prices, Sassy City Chicks will introduce a special shopping bonus to this event with the Chevy Lounge, a shopper’s sanctuary featuring a designer trunk show, hot cars and the opportunity to participate in a Chevy “Ride & Drive” preview test drive or stylish ride-along before and during the event. With great cars, and 30-80% off stylish spring looks, this is a bash you won’t want to miss!
How to get your hands on tickets: Click here to buy tickets directly OR better yet, enter to win one of 10 pairs of VIP tickets directly from Sassy City Chicks.
As part of the Tranquilista Lifestyle course I’m taking, we had the assignment to plan a solo artist date. It could be anywhere (even your own home) that either inspires creativity or is just, well, artistic. For some of the ladies in my group, that meant browsing in a bookstore, gathering new art supplies, taking time to actually be creative, going to a movie, writing in their journals or spending time outside in nature just soaking it all in. So basically, anywhere where you can be inspired for about an hour or so.
I chose to visit a local museum.
I’ve lived in LA for nearly 8 years now. Many of those years, I either drive by the Autry (or as I call it, “the cowboy museum” – which by the way, turns out isn’t a very accurate description at all), the Norton Simon, the Getty or LACMA. I’ve been to both the Getty (the building itself is absolutely amazing!) and the Autry, so I decided to try something new. I’ve always wondered about the Norton Simon, so that’s where I headed.
I knew nothing about the Norton except where it was located. I headed out around noon figuring I’d get in an hour or so and maybe check out the visiting Divine Demons: Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art exhibition. Turns out, I never did get around to seeing that exhibit. Actually, I never made it to the other half of the museum (the American side…not really a fan of early American art).
The first thing I noticed when I walked up to the museum were the statues…Rodin statues at that. Then inside, you see a Henry Moore. When you start on the gallery to the left, you are overwhelmed by the Degas statues. I mean TONS of Degas statues, resting throughout. There were also a few Degas oil paintings, pastels, etc.; who knew he was such a dabbler. I sure didn’t. I’ve always loved his ballerina works so I was in heaven.
I should say here that I happen to love, love, love impressionism (and I’m also a fan of some cubism when you get down to it – not that I’d ever see myself owning anything that modern and funky, but I digress). One of my fondest memories of art (in this case, Monet), was seeing one of his water lily paintings for the first time (I think I was at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, but I could be wrong). Being able to see a Monet up close, and then step back to see the image is just amazing.
My mind doesn’t work that creatively, so I can’t even begin to imagine how someone can paint nothing but dots at close range that later turn into a larger image when you just step back a few steps. Just wow. So being in that front room surrounded by works by Degas, Renoir, van Gogh, Pissaro, Cezanne, and so much more. I just loved it.
And I loved how at the Norton, all the paintings are covered by glass (a glass that you can barely see) and you can not only get right up close to it without setting off any sort of sensors (unlike other museums I’ve been to), but you can also take photos. I can’t recommend this place enough. Especially when you get outside and view the sculpture garden. Again, just beautiful.
I’m going to stop here for fear of this getting to be far too long of a post (especially with all my photos). But let’s just say that my artist date didn’t stop at the Norton Simon on Friday…it continued through the entire weekend (but that’s a future post).
To see more photos from the museum, feel free to check out my Flickr set.
One of my favorite pieces - a Degas pastel. It's actually made up of six pieces of paper to give more space and allow for "movement".
Some of the many Degas bronzes. But see that Monet right there in the middle? That's my favorite!
I wish I'd paid closer attention to the artist here - I just loved the couple.
And who does love lotus blossoms
This little girl was sure enamored of them
This Henry Moore reminded me of what I must've looked like when I fell the the other day - though I wasn't naked!
Finished my official artist date with lunch at the local Le Cordon Bleu student-run cafe
Here’s a teaser from my Sunday night.
Herbie having a casual conversation alongside his many awards.
I took this photo towards the end of the night when a few folks were still hanging about. I loved this shot because he was just casually leaning against his collection of awards having a totally casual conversation with his piano guy, Pierre (he’s French…and single…and funny as hell!)
Etsy - I know we’ve all heard of Etsy and I’m sure be now, we’ve all purchased something or another from Etsy. In my case I’ve purchased rice packs, cat toys, and bath products. For the past couple of days, I’ve been drawn to handmade stamps, logos, and some giclee wall hangings and notecards. You better believe I’ll be sending my friends to Etsy for birthdays ideas next month.
Norton Simon Museum - I’ve driven past this museum in Pasadena for 8 or so years now. It took an “assignment” of an artist date to get me to finally visit. Wow, I had NO idea! They have a collection of over 100 Degas – statues, pastels, oils, etc. They also have a lovely collection of Henry Moore statues. My favorite part of the museum…that you can right up close to the art. More details (and photos) to come in a post about my artist date.
HauteLook* - Recently, I’ve been inundated with invitations to online sample sales. For the most part, I never really paid them all that much attention. Until HauteLook that is. I’ve purchase make up, pet toys, and Rume (my favorite) bags. All at a great discount. I’ve also been eying quite a few purses and some gorgeous jewelry, but I’ve been reining myself in.
Brizzly - I spend quite a bit of time online and being active in various social networking avenues (it’s what I teach, afterall). Out of the various Twitter applications out there, my favorite desktop (non-phone) app by far is Brizzly. They’ve got a great interface. Since they run IN the browser, they’re not a system hog. But my favorite tool by far…they open up the links, photos and videos so you can actually see where that shortened link goes. Love that.
Vermont Brownie Company - I saw these guys on Bobby Flay’s Throwdown and was intrigued by the Dark Chocolate Chevre. I love all things goat cheese, so I was totally wanting to give it a try. I have to admit, I’m not a cream cheese brownie fan and I feared that this chevre twist would taste similar. Not at all. It was good…all good. The Espresso Dulce de Leche was also very tasty. Come on their brownies, you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors.
* disclosure: this is an affiliate link and I can earn $10 for anyone that joins and makes a purchase.
I was listening to my favorite podcasts the other day (Tranquility du Jour) and the guests being interviewed mentioned that she does a regular feature called Friday Finds. Unfortunately, I’m listening to about 6 months worth of podcasts out of order, so I can’t find who it was that was being interviewed.
But I still thought it was a fun idea and something that I wanted to run with. I’m thinking that it’s something that I’ll eventually get on all my blogs since they all have different focuses.
So here we go…
Fabulous Friday Finds #001
Tranquility du Jour: I was first introduced to Kimberly Wilson at a recent Ladies Who Launch event. Since then, I’ve read her book, started listening to her podscasts and signed up for her Tranquilista Lifestyle ecourse. Definitely a fun resource (and as I said above, part of the inspiration behind this new feature).
Happy: a super fun online store (they also have a location here in LA). They’ve got it all, gift items, kitchen and housewares, unique decorating items. Very fun.
Papaya Art: Years ago, my very first job was at a card and gifts store in Princeton. I have since been crazy for cards and stationary. I was just introduced to Papaya Art and of course, I had to buy some cards. And a cool, new, blissed-out water bottle. Right now, I’m totally coveting some of the art panels and the canvas giclee wall hangings (good thing my birthday is coming up soon).
WORK: For the first week this has been an odd one for me. As I mentioned previously, my husband was home sick all of last week. So I got a slow start. Also, I didn’t do as much work as I might otherwise do on a regular week. Then the latter half of our first week, I was spent prepping for my first week back on campus – tweaking the syllabus, coordinating the emails for the class (they’re an intellectually & developmentally disabled bunch of young adults), figuring out how to work around the class with my errands, etc. So I didn’t have all too much time to get anything firm going. I like the idea of limiting my email access, so I think next week I’m going to focus on culling that down to only a couple times a day – not easy when you live online.
Which of course means, there wasn’t so much mindfulness going on while I was working. As I mentioned in a blog post, what I have been totally aware of are the many sights and sounds that have been going on. While I wouldn’t want them to come much closer, I love hearing the coyotes howling while I’m drifting off to sleep during the full moons. And nothing beats the scent of orange blossoms on the air every time I step outside. Amazing. I did remember to take time and practice my breath work. In fact, I’ve come to realize that it’s a lovely way to fall asleep.
PLAY: I did manage to meditate a couple times during the week. I also journaled once I got around to picking up the book. Funny enough, in four days, I think I’ve been to Michael’s three times and the stationary store once! Who knew you could spend $20 on a rainbow of Le Pens (my fave colored pens since my teenage years). Today I picked up some stamps and had a little fun with that after my post-teaching nap (hope to have photos on my blog shortly).
The journaling process is a little tougher than I thought it would be. Even though I’ve been blogging now for more than five years, I’m kinda used to writing for someone to read. Not writing for my own sake. So this is the first time in a long time (probably middle school) that I’m writing for me. Writing to process what’s in my head and to get it out and acknowledge it. So I think it might take a bit longer for me to get going with that.
I’d have to say, my biggest challenge thus far has been the yoga aspect. I took a yoga course at the community center about 10 years ago, but I never really got into it. I’ve also taken the occasional class to try to get back into it – you know everyone says it’s supposed to be SO good for you. But I couldn’t seem to get into my own practice (even though I have my own mat, my own CDs and quite a few audios). I have found two gentle classes that I’m going to try out later in the week. Maybe if I can just learn some of the basic moves (again), I can start a late afternoon practice.
Something I did get out of this whole first week is a kind of self-awareness. I’ve noticed this past week that I easily recognize when I’m frustrated or angry (LA traffic can do that to the sanest of gals) as well as when I’m tired. But the other thing I noticed after rereading the Tranquilista chapter, is that I seem to have the tendencies to get caught up in the *why* of not being able to do something. Like the morning ritual. I was really fighting myself thinking I had to do EVERYTHING – meditate, drink my tea, journal, affirmations, breathe work, yoga, you name it. What I realized, is that I just need to find the time and the space to sit with myself for a moment or two and set some intentions. And well, that I can do.
I have a love/hate relationship with Mark Bittman. I think he’s a cool enough guy. I enjoy reading his blog in the NY Times. I use his How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food cookbook when I need quickie steps on how to cook something correctly (like tonight’s tomorrow’s zucchini).
But sometimes he just rubs me the wrong way (as he often did during the PBS On the Road Again-Spain…A Culinary Road Trip). Or how the basics he might keep in his kitchen are totally and completely different than what many of us normal folks might keep in our kitchens (as illustrated here in this ‘07 article, Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less).
That said…
This is another great TED Talk about everything that’s wrong with what we eat.
And let me just say, as a plus-sized, overweight adult (who has dieted for as long as I can remember), I completely agree that we have to change the way we eat and weight loss surgery isn’t the answer.*
* I’m going on at least 2 weeks without soda and nearly a month without any artificial sweeteners. Yay!
cookbook when I need quickie steps on how to cook something correctly (like 
). Or how the basics he might keep in his kitchen are totally and completely different than what many of us normal folks might keep in our kitchens (as illustrated here in this ‘07 article, 
