Author: Mstldelano

Digital curator, art enthusiast, creator of daily luxurious experiences.
life curation · reading list

The Best Year of Your Life: The “Dream It” Section

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Happy Monday, beloveds! What better way to start a week than to discuss some of the things I’ve done during the past (almost) two months in preparation for my best year ever?

strangecharmed

(photo courtesy of StrangeCharmed.com, one of my new favorite websites)

As you all recall, Debbie Ford’s The Best Year of Your Life was my December reading list selection, and I reviewed the book in January. I didn’t want to make the review too exhaustive, because I intended to reference it throughout the year. This post is the first of those references, and I’ll share my takeaways from the first section of the book, the Dream It section.

Chapter 1: Creating a Powerful Intent – I’ve been doing affirmations for quite some time now, but I recently changed my daily affirmation to the one provided in the book. Daily, I affirm, “This is the best year of my life”. I’ve noticed that I have had a much “smoother” day-to-day experience, My life isn’t “perfect” but it’s good and I am more aware of the little ways that show my life as being good and satisfying. I can improve on this step by using some of the tips in the book, such as writing my affirmation on signs and notes and posting them in my office and home. I could also use it as a background on my phone and computer.

Chapter 2: Exposing the Fantasy – I need to redo this step. I did it in December but I didn’t put as much time and energy into it as I would like. I need to specify the feeling I associate with my “fantasy” life and then clarify exactly how I will activate that feeling daily. This is a key principle of law of attraction, so I’ve done it before but I’ve never been consistent about it. The consistency will really make the difference.

Chapter 3: Stepping Into Greatness – I could stand to redo this step, as well. My vision for this year isn’t as laser-focused as I would like. It’s a bit fuzzy, so getting really clear and then identifying the personality traits that would make it possible would do wonders for realizing this best year of my life. Off of the top of my head, traits such as discipline and boldness (extroversion) would bring me closer to my dream. But, I want to make sure that I’m invoking the best qualities to bring about my ideal life, so I’ll spend some more time on that.

So I’ll post again, in a couple of weeks, just confirming the progress I’ve made on redoing the activities from Chapters 2 and 3. I’m looking forward to sharing that with you all!

luxury · reading list

A Bibliophile’s Dream . . .

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I don’t often discuss auction houses outside of Christie’s or Sotheby’s auctions. These two entities usually feature more of the items that interest me personally. However, I regularly peruse some of the other big names in the auction world because, well, you never know when you’ll come across a gem of a sale.

I was delighted to see that Bonhams is having an Extraordinary Books and Manuscripts auction in just a few days (March 9). This sale will have all sorts of rare books, manuscripts, and other miscellaneous written material. One item that I found particularly interesting is a letter autographed by Alexander Hamilton. Given the resurgence of interest in Hamilton (we can thank the stageplay Hamilton for that), I expect that this memorabilia will go for much more than the estimated $10-15,000 USD.

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Hamilton’s letter

Two more items of interest to me are a violin owned by, and a letter written and signed by, Albert Einstein. I find Einstein fascinating and I would love to own some memorabilia. These items are expected to fetch between $100,000 and $150,000 each, and I can see them easily going for more than that. I’m sure the lucky winner will treasure these items tremendously.

Einstein’s violin and autographed letter

The auction will happen at Bonhams’ Madison Avenue location in  New York City, USA. If you are a collector of rare books, you won’t want to miss this event!

hollywood glamour · reading list

Reading List: March’s Book

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I know that I still haven’t posted the review for January’s book, but I’ll make up for it by posting both the January and February book reviews during the next few weeks. Now, however, I’ll share which book I’ll be reading in March.

After several months of “heavy” reading material, I’m reaching for a lighter read. For March’s book selection, I’m re-reading “How to Be Adored” by Caroline Cox. This Hollywood retrospective gives a glimpse into the beauty routines of former and current movies stars. It also provides a simple guide of how to bring glamour into your every day routine.

It’s been years since I read this one, so I’m looking forward to going through it again. From what I remember, it’s a fun, whimsical read that will help me get back into my glamour-girl routine. I’ve been slacking lately (probably because this weather has been dreadful) . . . But now that we’re going into Spring 2018, I’m looking forward to longer, warmer day and prettier frocks.

life curation · Uncategorized

Updates: What’s Happening?

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Happy Friday, friends! The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, but I’m finally winding down and getting back into my regular routine.

Now that I’ve had a little time to breathe and get back on track, here are some updates on current and future blog posts.

  • I haven’t forgotten to write up my “Four Hour Work Week” review. I had to put my reading on hold while I finished preparing for my Kenya trip. But that will be done sometime during March.
  • I have a SLEW of posts about Kenya but I’m going to release them on a one/two-per-week schedule. I don’t want to delay writing about the other things that interest me.
  • I’m always looking for something interesting to review or write about. If you have anything that you’d like me to check out, let me know!

That’ all for now. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

life curation · words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Prof. Wangari Maathai

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Since I’m still buzzing from my trip to Nairobi, I figured I would share some words of wisdom from the esteemed Kenyan educator and activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Wangari Maathai.

You may remember seeing Prof. Maathai’s name and photo in my “Night at the Embassy” post. This remarkable woman founded the Green Belt Movement, which focuses on women’s rights, conservation and environmentalism. She authored several books and her ideas continue to inspire conservation efforts down to this day.

One of the main streets in Nairobi is named in her honor (I wish I had taken a photo of the street sign!) and her impact is still felt in this region. Here, I’ll share some of Prof. Maathai’s quotes that inspire me. Enjoy!

 

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(photo from Curves a la Mode)

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(photo from Quotlr)

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(photo from Love Our Girls)

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(photo from Gloria Kendi Borona)

 

 

 

 

international · travel

I’m Back From My Trip To . . .

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Nairobi, Kenya!

No one won the prize I offered in my Guess Where I’m Headed post, so I’ll be the sole benefactor of some neat Kenyan souvenirs. But even if you didn’t guess the location correctly, you can still check out my pics from the trip: I have photos on my Instagram but I’ll also share a few on this post.

Since I enjoyed a lot of activities while I was there, I will have a LOT of reviews coming over the next couple of weeks. I am excited to talk about my hotel experience, sightseeing at major landmarks, my museum visit, my first safari, dining out, and more. I also plan to do an in-depth video explaining how anyone can afford international travel, and how to plan for domestic and international trips (including timelines and helpful tips from an experienced traveler).

Without further ado, here is a soupcon of my photos from my time in Nairobi, Kenya. Enjoy (and look out for those reviews soon)!

hollywood glamour · style

Review: “I Love My Bag” Documentary

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Hi darlings! I’m wrapping up my international trip (I will allow one more day for someone to correctly guess my vacation location, then I’m closing the comment in my “Guess Where I’m Headed?” post). But, as usual, I found something fantastic during my time away, and I’m excited to share it with you.

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A photo of the iconic Hermes Kelly bags, from BragMyBag.com

On the flight to my vacation, I got the chance to watch a documentary titled, “I Love My Bag”. It took me some effort to hunt it down (it’s in French) but I found it and I’m linking it here. You’ll have to go to Vimeo to view it directly:

I LOVE MY BAG from Melinda Triana on Vimeo.

 

I’m sorry I couldn’t find the English version: I’ll replace this video as soon as I locate it! There are, however, different segments in English that you can enjoy. In the meantime, take in the beautiful fashion and interviews with different handbag connoisseurs and designers.

hollywood glamour · luxury

Baubles, Hollywood Style Part Deux

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Not too long ago, I mentioned the Hollywood Collection, a company that recreates jewelry worn by the stars of yesterday, in a Hollywood Glamour post. Today, I’m excited to share with you all yet another company that does spectacular jewelry that is inspired by classic Hollywood actresses.

Filthy Rich has their own “Hollywood Collection“, complete with replicas of jewelry worn by stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow. This company doesn’t just limit it offerings to jewelry styled after the ones worn by Hollywood’s finest: they also has recreations of jewelry owned by Jacqueline Kennedy and Kate Middleton. Here are a few of my favorites from the site:

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Audrey Hepburn Roman Holiday earrings

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Kate Middleton Royal Engagement Ring

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Jacqueline Kennedy Gold Bracelet Watch

They have some other glamorous options for anyone interested in adding some Hollywood to their wardrobe. I love that these pieces are not only beautiful but very affordable, too: the prices average less than $50 each. So reasonably priced, so chic!

art · life curation

Review: Alison “Great Artists and Their Works” Course

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I’ve spent the past several weeks working through a few art courses, and I recently completed the first self-paced course I’ve taken this year. ALISON.com has a slew of courses that can be taken online for free, at the learner’s leisure. Completed courses are eligible for certificates of completion that learners can add to their educational portfolios.

I mentioned previously that I was completing the “Great Artists and Their Works” course. The course is approximately 5 – 6 hours long, and features 8 modules, with multiple lessons within each module. Each module discusses a different artist, and the artists are associated with different art movements throughout history (Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Cubism, etc.,).

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(picture from Alison.com)

I found this to be a very helpful free course, and a suitable, though compressed, art history introduction. I was enthralled by the artists I’d never heard of before – namely, Caravaggio, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Jacques-Louis David – and I’m glad I spent the time working through this course.

While I enjoyed the class, it isn’t without its flaws. It relies on videos created by Khan Academy, so you could just as easily study directly from the Khan Academy website. Also, the course has a single, cumulative examination at the end instead of quizzes sprinkled throughout the modules. In my experience, students learn better when they are periodically quizzed instead of assessing their knowledge after many concepts have been discussed and analyzed. Finally, there were a few questions that tested learners on concepts that weren’t taught in the course (I had to use Google for the answers).

Overall, I enjoyed the class and would recommend to anyone that wants to get familiar with some of the great names in art. If you decide to take it, let me know what you think about it!

life curation

Currently Watching . . .

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Happy Saturday, darlings! A series of related YouTube videos led me to this TED talk from 2015 (yes, it’s an older video). The term “multipotentialite” was new to me, but I quickly identified with the traits ascribed to this label.

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Emilie Wapnick’s discussion about why some of us lack “one true calling” really spoke to me. I have had several successful “careers” (paralegal, tax analyst, financial analyst) but never felt that I was in my “sweet spot”, that one place I was meant to occupy. I enjoyed aspects about each career but nothing felt like a “calling” to me.

I appreciate everything I learned throughout my careers and I’m in awe that I was able to transition effortlessly from job to job. My current position is my favorite and feels more like a dream job than any other I’ve had. And yet, I’m preparing for the next transition, because I’m being drawn to a career in the art world. But my calling? I don’t know that I have a singular one. And that’s okay.

If you haven’t found your “calling”, take heart. You may just be one of “us”, the multipotentialites. Talk to you all soon!