Hollywood in DC – the Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image Exhibit

March 3, 2018February 28, 2018 Mstldelano1 Comment

One of the greatest perks of working in Washington, DC is being able to visit the Smithsonian Institute whenever I have a little time. During one of the unseasonably warm days that we experienced last week, I felt inspired to go to one of the museums during my lunch break.

I decided to stop by the National Portrait Gallery, since it’s close to my job and I haven’t been there in years. The Kogod Courtyard used to be my favorite place for eating lunch.

This time, however, I didn’t come to eat lunch. I was there to view the Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image exhibit. I’m a fan of Dietrich’s work and how she lived an unapologetically authentic life off-camera. I came for the photos but stayed for the story of Dietrich’s life.

The brochures available for visitors have a beautiful, dramatic photo of Dietrich on the cover.

This striking white pantsuit was so intimidating to the French that Dietrich was threatened with arrest if she dared wear it on land.

Those threats of arrest were empty: Dietrich wore a different pantsuit when disembarking the Europa and was greeted with flowers from the French police.

Dietrich as Catherine the Great in The Scarlet Empress (1934)

Her undeniable acting talent, her anti-Nazism stance, and her consistent image maintenance throughout her career made Marlene Dietrich a star. However, it’s her legacy of living life on her own terms that make her an icon.

I highly recommend that you check out this exhibit if you’re in the Washington, DC area. It will be at the National Portrait Gallery (8th and F Streets, NW, near Chinatown) until April 15, 2018, so get there as quickly as you can!

My Latest Fashion Obsession . . .

March 2, 2018February 27, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

While looking at a few items to spruce up my Spring & Summer 2018 wardrobe, I realized I have gotten stuck in a bit of a style rut. For years now, I’ve adored a pared down, minimalist look (just see my purchases in my Boohoo haul posts here and here). I preferred clean lines and little-to-no patterns: lots of monochromatic or simply striped pieces. That look is elegant and easy to wear, but I find myself getting . . . bored.

59a0e09ab721ef542e37a983693e611c--minimalist-wardrobe-minimalist-fashion

Not my closet but the lack of visual variety is very similar to my situation (from Pinterest)

So, it was time for something different. And, BOOM! Just like that, Joe Browns clothing popped into my Amazon recommendations. I found myself drawn to the whimsical, vintage-inspired designs. The quirky prints and bold color and fabric choices are a huge departure from my usual aesthetic, but somehow, I think adding a few of the pieces will suit my personal taste as well as add some visual interest to my wardrobe.

Screenshot 2018-02-27 at 10.59.41 PM - Edited

Here are a few of the pieces that I saw on Amazon that caught my eye:

The floral detailing is a far cry from anything that I normally would choose, but this is not only pretty, but looks like it could be worn either as a tunic or as a chic mini dress during those blazing summer days.

The asymmetric lapel is one of my favorite designs, and this boldly-colored nubby tweed is perfect for those cool spring days that aren’t chilly enough for winter coats but not warm enough for lightweight shawls.

This espresso and bronze pump has a vintage flavor and a heel that is high but not uncomfortably so.

This striking dress has an eye-catching blue, white and red print and a body-conscious fit. It has a tropical feel but without the kitsch.

I’ll order some of the pieces from previous seasons from Amazon, but for the latest Joe Browns fashions, I’ll go directly to the website here. Ooh, I can’t wait to post my pieces when I do a Joe Browns haul in the future!

life curation

My Most Personal Post Yet

March 1, 2018February 27, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Thursday, beloveds! This post will be a little different from the others, as I just felt the desire to share more about myself with you all. After 200+ posts (I can’t believe I’ve written that much!), it’s about time that I opened up and tell you all a little more about me.

This blog has been a bit of a “brain dump” for me: I write about all of the things that interest, enlighten and enrich me. As you all know, I love travel, food, art, culture, reading, and learning from wise women throughout time. This blog offers a safe space for me to share my interests.

But I’ve never revealed why I blog. I’ve blogged off-and-on for over 15 years now, and I love to write. However, this blog is much more than just a hobby.

This blog is part of my healing. You see, I’m rebuilding my life after experience a heartbreaking divorce. Writing has been crucial to helping me remember my passions and rediscover my purpose.

I never expected to divorce. It shook me to my core, because a lot of my personal identity was wrapped up in my role as wife. Without my marriage, I couldn’t remember who I was and what I wanted for my life.

But, as with anything, time is revealer. So, I allowed some time to pass. I was patient and the answers revealed themselves to me.

I was more than “Mrs”. I was a whole person before I got married, and I remained a whole person when I divorced.

I’ve rediscovered myself again. And, funny enough, I like this version of me far more than the version of me that existed before and during my marriage. This version of me is wiser, more relaxed, more appreciative, more joyful, more self-assured and more magical than I’ve ever been.

And this life I’m living? It’s GOOD. In fact, it’s better than good. It’s fantastic! I love (almost) every minute of it. And I get to share that happiness and satisfaction here, on this blog, with every post.

So, that’s a little bit about me. I hope you all continue to stick around and share this journey of further self-discovery with me. It’s going to be a blast – I promise!

food · international

Review: Carnivore Restaurant

February 28, 2018February 25, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

While in Nairobi, I made the pilgrimage to Carnivore restaurant. This meat lovers haven is similar to the Brazilian churrascaria, with endless rounds of barbecued meats. While I’ve never eaten at a churrascaria, I couldn’t leave Nairobi without trying the local fare.

Screenshot 2018-02-25 at 11.39.28 AM - Edited

Yes, I ordinarily adhere to a vegetarian/pescatarian diet. I was a bit nervous about eating meat after going so long without it. However, the meat served at Carnivore is all local animals that have not been fed the toxic ingredients often provided to animals sold commercial in the US.

I tried the following meats, which were barbecued and sliced at my table:

Ostrich
Crocodile
Lamb
Chicken
Pork
Beef
Turkey

My camera was dying while I was out, so I didn’t get as many pictures as I wanted. In any case, here are a few photos from my Carnivore adventure:

Grill as seen when first entering the restaurant.

Place setting and fresh maize (corn) as an appetizer. Maize isn’t as sweet as what’s usually offered in American restaurants. I prefer this more savory varietal.

Soup prior to enjoying our meal. I meant to ask what kind of soup this was, but I forgot to inquire before the entrees were served.

Lamb and beef. I haven’t had either meat in many years: it was tender and savory, just like I remember LOL

One of my favorite desserts, the blondie. It was delicious!

I enjoyed my Carnivore experience immensely! While I wouldn’t make it a habit (I don’t know if my body could handle so much meat on a frequent basis), I’m glad that I tried it during my Nairobi visit.

Have any of you visited Carnivore? Let me know all about your experience in the comments below!

beauty · luxury

March Beauty Challenge: Glass Skin

February 27, 2018February 24, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

I don’t spend a lot of time talking about my skin care routine on this blog because, well, there’s a lot more to life than beauty stuff. But I recently saw a post about a woman that had “glass skin”: skin so flawless that it looked shiny and smooth like glass. And, I was intrigued by what could create such a perfect, poreless complexion. After reading the post and comparing the “glass skin” routine to the Korean 10 step product routine, I decided that I would do a “glass skin” challenge during the month of March.

My skin is combination and can be sensitive at times. This routine will (hopefully!) help nourish my post-winter complexion and give me the kind of skin that looks perfect without makeup.

djournae

The goal is to look as gorgeous as Kezia by the end of the month (photo courtesy of D’Journae)

The ten steps as outlined by Self magazine are as follows, and the products I’ll be using for each step are also listed:

Oil cleanser (to remove makeup): food grade coconut oil
Foam cleanser: Mary Kay 3-in-1 Cleanser (for combination/oily skin)
Exfoliant (advised for 1 – 3 times week use): Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel for Sensitive Skin (I’ll use this one daily, as it’s gentle)
Toner: Caudalie Grape Water
Essence: SCINIC First Treatment Essence
Serum/booster/ampoule: The Ordinary Niacinamide and “Buffet” serums, Mary Kay Timewise Night Solution
Mask (1 – 2 times per week): Mary Kay Moisture Renewing Gel Mask
Eye cream: Mary Kay Firming Eye Cream
Face cream: Mary Kay Age Fighting Moisturizer (for combination/oily skin)
SPF: Mary Kay Timewise Day Solution

Whew, so many products! I currently use anywhere from 4-7 products per cleansing session, but adding these additional products will be new for me. To be fair, some of these will only be used once or twice a week, or only once a day, so, while the list looks long, not every product will be used twice a day.

life curation · reading list

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

February 26, 2018February 24, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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 . . .

February 25, 2018February 23, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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.

hamilton

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

February 24, 2018April 16, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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?

February 23, 2018February 23, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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

February 22, 2018February 17, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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!

curvesalamode