life curation · words of wisdom

Powerful Words on Motherhood

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I love hearing the insights of mothers. I think of my own mother, and the words she passed on to me, and the thoughts that she continues to pass to me. I’m happy that she chose to give the best of her to me, and certain lessons she taught me have served me well up to this day. I think most of us underestimate those lessons until we are still and engaging in reflection.

I’ve found that the encouragement I received to go after the things that I desire (her famous words are, “The worst thing they can tell you is ‘No’ “) is the only reason why I’ve gotten as far as I have. I realized that the advice she gave me on interpersonal relationships (letting people “think what they want”, so long as it doesn’t hurt you) and career (get as much benefit out of a job as you can: every job offers more than a paycheck) was truly timeless. She didn’t take big risks with her own life, but she spoke words that allowed me to take bigger risks with my own life. And for that, I’m eternally thankful.

With that in mind, I’d like to share a video that was shared with me almost a year ago. Phylicia Rashad, acclaimed actress, timeless beauty, and mother extraordinaire, discusses what it’s like to have a brand new baby (she already had a 13 year old son at this time) and the lessons she learned from her experiences in motherhood. The whole clip is a treasure, but starting at 4:55, you can see that it was her mother’s words and influence that molded her into a fantastic parent.

I hope that you enjoyed this clip as much as I have! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!

art · life curation

Free Art Education At Your Fingertips

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As you all recall from my 2018 goals post, I plan to transition into an art-related career. I’m not exactly sure where I want to fall in that world (consultant, curator, collector, advisor, etc.) but I know that the art world has the excitement, beauty and adventure that I crave.

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(photo courtesy of ALISON.com)

Before I can dive into that world, however, I need to get more educated on art. I’m not a complete novice (I’ve spent lots of time in museums and I’m a voracious reader) but  I could benefit from some more targeted instruction. And, until the weather begins to warm up, I’d prefer online courses, so that I can learn without having to leave the house.

With that in mind, I’m excited to share with you all the free art course I found on ALISON. The class, Great Artists and Their Works, allows students to learn about 8 of the most famous names in art history. Learning about these artists and their seminal works has been tremendously rewarding for me. I just finished the Michaelangelo module and I will start learning about Raphael with my next module.

This course is wonderful for anyone that wants to bolster their art knowledge without a large financial investment. All that this course requires is time and a good internet connection. I fully intend to take advantage of this, and other, online learning opportunities. I have a few other courses that I plan to take this year, to help me really broaden my art knowledge base and prepare for my new career in the art world.

life curation

The Result of My Toleration Release Experiment

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It’s been several days since I completed my toleration release exercise for 2017. I wrote about it initially in this post, but I also gave an update in this subsequent post. I’m really excited to tell you about the outcome of that experiment.

As a quick recap, I’ll explain the specifics of this exercise. The goal was to release/discard items every day in the month of December, and the number of items I released had to correspond with the date of the month (1 items on December 1st, 2 items on December 2nd, so on, until 31 items on December 31st). At the end of the month, the items released/discarded should total nearly 500 items.

I didn’t release 500 items. I did release 450, and I’m very proud of that.

prawny me uk

She makes it look so easy! (image courtesy of Prawny Me UK)

I could have released more, but I’ll be the first to admit, this was HARD to do! I’m still sifting through a lot of stuff and coming up with more things I should discard, but I can’t come up with more than two or three items a day that I’m perfectly fine with releasing. I can say, unequivocally, trying to reduce my possessions has been a challenge. But I’m glad I tried, and I’m really proud of what I did accomplish.

I’ve resolved to do this again in a couple of months, and I’ll focus on clearing out some of (well, most of) the junk in my attic. I think I’d benefit from doing this at least once a quarter, so I’m sure I’ll have more to say about toleration release throughout the year.

Have any of you taken a stab at releasing tolerations? If so, let me know in the comments below!

wine

Wine Collectors Rejoice!

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Sotheby’s London is starting 2018 off with a bang! Their first wine sale of the year will feature nearly 400 bottles of rare and fine wines. The auction house has titled this sale, “A Great Collection From a Secret Grotto from a Northern European Connoisseur“. With a title like that, who wouldn’t want to participate?

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Serena Sutcliffe, MW, describes this enchanting collection as follows (you can read more of her thoughts in the catalogue for this incredible sale):

“In the dark days of winter, it takes a treasure trove of truly joyous wines
to bring a smile to the face – and this is just looking at them rather than
drinking them. Contemplation of mouth-wateringly beautiful bottles brings
immediate memories, as well as hopes of meeting these wines again, which
is more than possible for you, the wine-loving client. You literally can smell
them and taste them when you see them in the cellar, or on the written page
– they come to life in all their dimension and diversity. This is a collection
that displays some of the greatest wine-making talent of our days which,
on reflection, might well be on unrivalled top form in the last few decades.
These years have shown a glittering balance of technical know-how with
enormous human skill, driven to its peak by pride in the profession and
critical competition. It is the consumer who has benefited.

Above all, this collection puts the greatest vinous gems of France under
the spotlight. It is clear that the wines were chosen by someone with
remarkable gastronomic and wine knowledge.”

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The wines range from the luxurious but affordable to the truly exquisite.  On the lower end of the estimate spectrum, a Chateau Lafite 1994 is expected to fetch anywhere between $400 and $500 USD; for the most serious collectors, a Petrus 1995 is expected to soar anywhere between $21,000 and $30,000 USD.

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This sale is going to be spectacular! Too bad I won’t be anywhere near London at the end of the month: otherwise, I’d definitely attend. The sale occurs on January 24, 2018, at 10:30 GMT in London. If you can attend, I highly encourage you to do so!

 

(all photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)

life curation · reading list

Review: The Best Year of Your Life by Debbie Ford

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Happy Monday, beloveds! After getting the first snow of the new year, I found myself with some extra downtime – I didn’t want to go out venturing with snow and ice on the ground! That gave me even more time to pick my favorite highlights from December’s reading selection, The Best Year of Your Life by Debbie Ford.

Just a few weeks before reading this book, I decided to look up Debbie and see what projects she is currently working on. Imagine my shock when I found that Debbie had passed on nearly 5 years ago. I mourn the loss of such a wonderful writer and incredible coach. However, I am thankful that she left her wisdom with us in the form of her book and other teaching materials.

The Best Year of Your Life takes the reader through three phases involved with creating your best year. The Dream It phase involves creating a intention that will guide you throughout the year, realizing that what you really want is how you desire to feel throughout the year, and discovering the personality traits that need to be developed in order to realize this ideal year. The Dream It phase helps you create a concrete vision of your ideal year, and gets to the core of the attributes needed to make it happen.

The Plan It phase involves laying the groundwork for the best year ever. Debbie shows readers how to clean up all of the unresolved/incomplete projects and tasks in their lives and how to expose and correct common pitfalls on the path to creating an ideal existence. She then goes step-by-step through the process of setting goals up in a way that practically guarantees success.

Finally, the Live It phase gives readers daily and weekly actions that keep them on track to achieve their goals. Debbie teaches how to create integrity “anchors”, practices that keep them focused throughout the year. She then teaches about the power of having high self-esteem, the necessity of being mindful and aware of our significant moments, and the importance of regularly creating “unforgettable” days that will be the cherishable memories of tomorrow. Lastly, she discusses the power of dedicating the year to a worthy cause or individual and how aspiring to excellence is the perfect support for an ideal year.

Without a doubt, my favorite chapter was Chapter 6, “Planning Your Year”. Debbie’s step-by-step formula for successful goals was just what I needed to get clear and organized in my plan of action. Sometimes, there are a lot of thoughts swimming around in my head, and Debbie’s approach helped me cut through the mental static and get laser-focused on what I need in order to make my best year possible.

The toughest chapter for me to read and begin implementing was Chapter 3, “Stepping Into Greatness”. Identifying the traits that I needed to cultivate in order to be the kind of person that easily attains my goals is something that I’m still working on. Hopefully, I’ll continue to get more clarity as the weeks go on, and, as I get clear, I can start consciously exhibiting those traits more consistently.

My favorite quote in this book was in Chapter 9, “Claiming the Moment”. That quote reads, “Time is precious. And when we realize this, we become aware of the importance of claiming each moment. Every moment holds the potential for being memorable. We all have the power to stop what we are doing and look for a way to make each moment special. If we won’t stop each day and claim some of these moments, they will pass us by, never to be found again.”

I know that this was my December 2017 reading selection, but I suspect I’ll be referencing it throughout the year. Debbie’s words are impactful and her guidance is easy to follow: I can see myself coming back to this as a refresher all year long. This book is a jewel!

life curation · words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Eartha Kitt

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It’s no surprise that I am an enormous Eartha Kitt fan (I posted a YouTube video with one of my favorite Eartha interviews, and I included her book in my self care kit). But, funny enough, I hadn’t done an Eartha Kitt Words of Wisdom post.

Until now.

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I think Eartha’s story is fascinating: it’s both heartbreaking and inspirational. Born poor and suffering tremendous abuse during her younger years, she eventually became a star that capitalized on her impish beauty and unique singing voice. She lived on her terms, traveling the world and parenting her daughter in great style.

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I think that’s the part of Eartha’s story I find most inspirational: her relationship with her daughter was the most important relationship of her life. Parenting isn’t easy, and parenting on the road, when there are engagements, obligations, and other demands that must be handled, had to be tough. Yet, she parented her daughter well: they maintained a close relationship, full of love and laughs, until the end of Eartha’s life.

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Her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, is the owner and operator of Simply Eartha, a website that offers housewares, jewelry, and other goods that are inspired by Eartha’s warm and natural tastes. Many of the items offered on the website feature Eartha’s quotes, which Kitt fondly calls “kittisms”.

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I hope you all enjoyed this post about the incomparable Eartha Kitt. Talk to you all soon!

style

Five Ways to Make Your Wardrobe Winter-Friendly

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Stateside beloveds, are you officially TIRED of winter yet?

I mean, unless you’re in Miami, Southern California or Hawaii, you’re probably experiencing crazy chilly winter temps. If you’re anything like me, you’re ready to go into hibernation until the spring. Wake me up after the first thaw!

Unlike our woodland friends, most of us can’t burrow under the covers until the vernal equinox (mark your calendars: it’s March 20th). Since we must brave the elements, we have to figure out a way to stay warm while we do it.

Sadly, staying warm usually comes at the expense of looking stylish. Yes, it’s possible to look amazing in winter gear (cue Olivia Pope) but once you take off your amazing winter coat, stylish wool hat, and spectacular scarf and gloves, is the remainder of your outfit lackluster and unstylish?

That ends TODAY! I’m going to give you my five favorite ways to “winter-ize” my wardrobe. Not only does this let me wear my summer favorites all year round, but it helps me to look polished and stay warm, too. Enjoy!

  • Putting a turtleneck or blouse over, or under, a dress

One of my favorite dresses is a thin, pale pink, v-necked, knee-length dress. The color looks great all year round, but the weight of the fabric, combined with the v-neck, makes it a little too breezy for wintertime. I make this dress wearable in the winter by layering it over AND under a turtleneck or fitted cotton blouse. It makes the dress warmer to wear and it also adds a little preppy flavor.

The Charter School Turtleneck is thin enough for layering but thick enough to keep you warm.

The Chiffon Blouse with Bow Detail Collar adds a soft, elegant touch when layered with a dress.

  • Patterned tights with everything

Tights are a no-brainer, but if they’re thick and patterned, you can completely uplevel an otherwise nondescript ensemble. This is best with simple shift and sheath dresses. Of course, you can also wear these under slacks, giving a peek of whimsy at the ankles when you sit or step. That v-neck summer dress that I mentioned previously looks great paired with charcoal, navy, or burgundy patterned tights.

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These Into the Atmosphere Tights tights are ethereal and eye-catching.

  • Knee-high boots instead of pumps

I’ll admit to being a bit of a boot fiend. I don’t care of they’re expensive or cheap: so long as they look good, I’ll wear them. My favorites are knee-high boots, either slightly dressy or riding boots. I often opt for these instead of pumps, since these cover more skin and keep my legs warmer. They can look great when paired with the right dress or pants. Knee-high boots can look fabulous with skirts of any length, so don’t feel limited to wearing only knee-length – or shorter – skirt lengths.

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Perfect height, perfect heel, but the glitter isn’t for the faint at heart. Still, the Gone Glitzy Knee-High Boot  is a gorgeous showstopper.

  • Wear support garment and slips

These aren’t always the most comfortable option, but support garments are a great thin layer that not only makes you look better in your clothes but also keep you warm. The stretchy material woven into support garments (usually lycra or spandex) isn’t breathable like cotton, so it will help insulate your body heat. It’s not so ideal for warm weather, but great during the chilly months.

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The Emphasize Aplomb Contouring Slip is shapewear and a slip all in one

If you don’t want to wear shapewear, the  Loveliest Lining Full Slip is a fabulous alternative

Slips are a throwback to days of yesteryear, where women didn’t feel “properly dressed” without adding this additional layer between their skin and their outfit. Not only are slips beautiful, but they are super thin, so they aren’t obvious when you wear them, And thin layers are great for staying warm.

  • Adding cardigans and blazers

It’s an obvious choice, but it’s often overlooked in favor of sweaters (jumpers) and scarves. Not only do these add warmth, but they can completely change the look of an outfit. Cardigans add a preppy flair, and blazers are a great professional touch. I prefer blazers in classic colors – black, navy, charcoal gray, and camel- but I have fun with cardigans. Pink, blue, arctic white, emerald green: no color is off limits!

The Fine and Sandy Blazer comes in several lovely neutral shades

Cardis (like the Charter School Cardigan) in bright colors are always fashionable

I hope you all enjoyed my short list of items that you can wear, to stay warm all winter. If you know of any other items that make winter a little more tolerable, feel free to let me know in the comments below!

(all photos feature items available at one of my favorite retailers, Modcloth)

 

life curation

2018 Goals – Creating My Best Year Yet

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New Years Day is my favorite holiday. I enjoy spending time with family, being thankful, receiving gifts, and everything else that one can expect from the holiday season.

However, there is something uniquely magical about the start of a new year. It feels so fresh, hopeful, and exciting to know that you are standing at the beginning of a brand-new, 365 page book that YOU get to author, edit and publish.

For the past few days, I’ve been mulling over what I really want to create in my life during 2018. It’s so easy to say, “I’m going to lose 20 pounds, meet the love of my life, hit the lotto, and finally take a trip around the world”, then stare out the window dreamy-eyed, waiting for all of that to come to my doorstep.

It’s far more likely, however, that daydreaming won’t actually create the things that you want. So you end up living this year just as you’ve lived the last one, and the ones prior to that: all sorts of unfulfilled, frustrated and disappointed emotions bubble up.

I’d rather go beyond daydreaming and actually create what I want. I can’t sit still and be passive, because this year feels like the beginning of an amazing period of my life. And I want to be an active participant in it.

dreamstime

The whole world at my fingertips (photo courtesy of Dreamstime)

So here is my short list of goals. I’m intentionally keeping these short, because too many irons in the fire means none of them get hot. I’d rather have a couple of hot irons that a bunch of lukewarm ones.

  1. I want to publish some of my writing. I’ve been writing stories since I was 5 and I’ve completed several books. Now I just have to edit those and then publish. This is a test of my discipline and focus: it takes a lot for me to sit down and edit anything that I write. It’s time that I got it done so that my work can finally reach the people that will enjoy it.
  2. I want more travel than I’ve done for several years prior. I have at least two major trips lined up, and two more are strong possibilities. I need the adventure of going new places and having new experiences, so this is a necessity moreso than a luxury.
  3. I want to seriously dabble in a career in the art world. I love the arts and I’m feeling called to a career in either a museum or auction house. While I feel that I’m in a dream job already, I sense that my current career doesn’t have opportunities for certain enriching experiences. That’s why I want to try out an arts career, and see where that takes me.

I’m still toying around with the steps I want to take as I align with these goals. I don’t mind doing some sort of “efforting” but I don’t want to have a heavy-hand with this, either. I want this to be fun, energizing and memorable, and “overdoing” any particular actions will kill the fun vibe.

I’m employing a few different accountability partners to help keep me honest, as well as working out a schedule of when I anticipate completing certain milestones for my goals.

It’s a lot of upfront work, but it feels good to get clear.

Do you have any big goals for 2018? Let me know in the comments below! If you prefer that your goals stay private, just note it in the comment, and I’ll leave it unpublished. Just know that I read EACH and EVERY comment, so I’ll definitely see yours!

Until tomorrow . . .

international · music

Currently Listening To . . .

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A few weeks ago, I went to Charlotte, NC to visit one of my friends and to attend a kizomba weekender. You may have seen that in my post and wondered when the follow-up would be posted . . . Well, here you go.

I love kizomba and, while I’m a beginner, I really enjoyed learning the history and technical aspects of the dance. It’s sensual, elegant and so much fun. Not to mention, it made me very aware of some areas where my life could stand some improvement. More about that in another post. . .

So today, this is technically a “currently listening to AND watching” post. I found this kizomba tutorial and I’ve been using it to practice my moves. The position and fluidity of the female dancer’s body is what I’m watching closely: I want to make sure that I’m holding my body correctly while doing moves. I can already tell that I’m improving!

Are you all familiar with kizomba? Let me know in the comments below!

style

Boohoo Dresses – An Update

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As you all recall, I had several Boohoo hauls that I wrote about here and here. I just wanted to give you all an update on my dresses.

Since it’s been ridiculously cold in the Mid-Atlantic region, I’ve only been consistently wearing one of my Boohoo dresses: the Flo Ribbed Hi-Neck Dress (see photo below; as a side note, this color is no longer available at Boohoo, but there are still a lot of other color options to choose from on the website).

 

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This dress has been perfect for the chillier weather, since it’s thin enough to layer but has long sleeves and a slightly below-the-knee length. I’ve worn it with a blazer and knee-high boots, and it’s still a favorite! Here’s how I wore it before the weather got extra chilly:

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While I had all of the dresses in rotation, I washed all of them at least twice, using a lingerie bag and regular wash cycle. I’m pleased to say that ALL of the dresses are still in excellent condition: no loose strings, fading, stretching or otherwise damaged fabric.

I have to say, these dresses have held up beautifully and were a great value. I look forward to wearing them again when the weather warms up!