Tag: curation

music

Learn More About Opera

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I’ve got another FutureLearn course for you all to check out! Several years back, I took a Introduction to Classical Music course on Coursera, and I’ve desired more opportunities to learn about classical music ever since. However, there haven’t been too many courses that fit the bill, until I saw the “Inside Opera” course available on FutureLearn.

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The course will dive into defining opera, discussing the onstage and backstage activities, and how it factors into the world around us.

This opera course starts June 4. I hope that you take some time to check it out!

life curation

This Month’s Plans

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Can you all believe that June is here already?! My mind is blown by how quickly this year is moving along! I’m really pleased at how I’ve been progressing with my goals and I’m excited about what I’m envisioning for the rest of this year.

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This month will have a lot of activity, both on this blog as well as on my social media accounts (Twitter and Instagram – feel free to follow me if you haven’t already!) Over here, I’ll be bringing more information about visual arts, self-improvement, and creating/curating a quality lifestyle. On Twitter, you can see all of the latest art and culture happenings for Washington, DC and Richmond, VA (two of my stomping grounds). Check out Instagram for daily photos recapping some of my daily shenanigans, as well as a special series highlighting incredible artists that are showcasing their work on Insta.

I’ll also be posting a goal update at the end of this month. Yes, I’ve been working on those goals! And I finally updated this website to show my goals on the righthand column of the page. Yes, overdue, but better late than never, right?

 

culture · life curation

New Course: Cultures and Identities in Europe

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As part of listening to my intuition and stepping into my best life, I have stayed “light and loose” when it comes to my plans. I had been taking the ALISON Color Theory course for a bit, but I found it difficult to stay engaged in the content. Sure enough, a better online course came along that completely lit me up! When my gut told me “This is the course for you!” I didn’t hesitate to sign up and put the ALISON course on hold, so I can focus on the new class.

“Cultures and Identities in Europe” is a course available through FutureLearn, an educational website based in Europe. The course aims to give some background information and perspective into how European cultures and identities have been shaped over time. This is especially useful information for me, as I plan to travel to Europe several times over the next years.

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I’m looking forward to learning more about European history, culture, creativity, and the future of Europe’s cultural heritage. The course should be fascinating!

If you’re interested in the course, you should check it out. It’s free and available in an online format, so it’s easy to complete lectures and assignments on your schedule. Don’t delay: the course starts on June 4, 2018! You’ll want to make sure that you’re already enrolled once the materials are made available to class attendees.

I hope you join me in this class! Take care, and talk to you all tomorrow.

reading list

Reading List: June’s Book

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I’m almost done with The War of Art, so it’s time for me to select another book. I really wanted to read a book that I either 1) hadn’t read before or 2) had started reading but never completed. I also wanted the June reading selection to speak directly to one of my goals (by the way, I’ll be posting goal updates VERY soon!). At minimum, I wanted the selection to be in support of those goals.

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So, as it happens, the first book that I picked up while tidying my bedroom was Your Life by Design by Curtis R. Estes. I opened the book up and literally, the page I landed on spoke directly to me. I didn’t have to hunt for the book: my June selection found me!

I’m looking forward to reading this and discussing it with you all. Talk to you all tomorrow!

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Maya Angelou

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Happy Sunday, my friends! This Words of Wisdom post is long overdue. Mother Maya Angelou, who I’ve mentioned in this post and in this one, has been a personal inspiration for a very long time. Her life – full of adventures, love and depth – is a story of living to the fullest. I can’t possibly put all of her accomplishments here, but a short list includes a career as a singer, poet, street car driver, activist, and journalist. You can read about her many “lives” here.

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There are literally hundreds of Maya Angelou quotes worth incorporating into your life (remember, she’s a writer: she had a lot to say!) But my favorites are any of the quotes that encourage you to live a good life.

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Maya didn’t have a perfect life: her mother had a difficult time with caring for small children, so she left Maya and her brother with their grandmother. Then, during a visit, Maya’s mother’s boyfriend ended up raping Maya (he later experienced some “street justice” for attacking her).

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Maya was so traumatized by the rape and the subsequent murder of her rapist that she was silent for several years, opting instead to retreat to a world of books. When she finally did decide to speak again, she “had a lot to say”, as she had read every book available in the colored library that she visited.

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She lived through segregation, the Civil Rights movement, rapid global changes, and she absolutely THRIVED through it all. She’s proof that difficulties need not keep us from living our best lives. When we continue to prioritize joy and make sure that we live boldly, we too can thrive even when the outside world is turbulent.

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And can we talk, for just a moment, about how much law of attraction (LOA) factors into her quotes? So many of the concepts that we hear in LOA circles show up in Maya’s words. Reading her quotes is like getting a hold of some kind of LOA textbook!

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I’ve plucked a few of my favorite quotes, but I can’t do justice to Maya within this post. If you find her interesting (and pretty much anyone would find her interesting if they knew just a little about her), I encourage you to read some of her poetry, watch videos of her on YouTube and check out her autobiographies. You won’t be disappointed!

Maya Angelou Quote about Life

 

(photos courtesy of Goalcast, CreativeTalanoa, Fearless Motivation, Quotlr, Imfunny.net, and Quotesten)

food · international

Review: La Tasca Restaurant

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So, for a few weeks, I was craving tapas. Tapas – those small, flavorful plates of Spanish cuisine – are light but satisfying: they are perfect dishes for hot summer days. Eventually, my craving got the best of me, and I started researching local Spanish restaurants.

My search ended when I landed on La Tasca Restaurant. It’s been years since I’ve dined there, so I was overdue for a trip. This Chinatown restaurant has become something of a DC standard, especially since there isn’t an abundance of Spanish restaurants in the District. I decided to stop in for lunch and I was eager to see what delights the restaurant had to offer.

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I ordered a lunch special, complete with four tapas. My server was friendly and made sure that I had a table with a great view. As I sipped my iced tea, I watched the hustle and bustle of people milling around in Chinatown. Soon, my first order arrived- except it wasn’t what I actually ordered. The pan con tomate (bread with tomatoes) that arrived at my table looked appealing, but I knew I hadn’t ordered it. When my server returned, I let him know that I’d gotten the wrong dish. But he then let me know that the dish was no mistake: it was complimentary. I was surprised and delighted to get an additional tapas plate at no cost.

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My complimentary appetizer: pan con tomate

Then, my actual order started to arrive. My gazpacho was a chilled, creamy delight, bursting with freshness and flavor. Every mouthful was a gourmand’s dream.

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Gazpacho

Next I enjoyed fried manchego cheese bites, manchego frito. These crisp and lightly salted morsels were perfectly complimented by the honey orange marmalade dipping sauce that came with it.

Yummy manchego frito

Then I had the fresh tomato and lettuce salad, the tomatina. It’s been years since I’ve had sweet, fresh tomatoes (most of what’s available in stores is tart). The dressing enhanced the sweetness. I really enjoyed this!

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Tomatina salad

I ended my tapas experience by eating gambas al ajillo, the garlic shrimp. I love garlic and, when I’m not doing the vegetarian/vegan thing, seafood is always on my list. The garlic was subtle but undeniable. And the shrimp were cooked perfectly. This was accented nicely by the red pepper flakes: they added a little heat but weren’t overwhelming.

Gambas!

Overall, my meal at La Tasca was superb! It was a great value and experience. I can’t wait to return for lunch sometime in the near future!

 

life curation · luxury

Time for an Aston Martin

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seanconnery

My favorite James Bond, Sean Connery (Lot 91, this photo is expected to sell upwards of $470)

You all know that I love a vintage car. So I squealed with delight when I saw that Bonhams is having an Aston Martin auction. Its in the UK, but at least I can view the lots online!

Aston Martins are sporty, luxurious and exclusive – it’s no wonder that I love them! The auction will feature nearly 200 lots. There are all sorts of auto memorabilia, vintage car parts, autographed photos of celebrities posed with Aston Martins, and, of course, a little more than 30 automobiles available.

Here are my favorite offerings from the auction:

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Lot 222 – 1979 Aston Martin V8 Volante, expected to sell between $190,000 and $240,000

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Lot 226 – 1979 Aston Martin V8 Volante, that’s expected to fetch anywhere between between $200,000 and $240,000

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This chic model of a 1963 Aston Martin is valued as being worth $4,000 (Lot 141)

The Aston Martin sale will occur on June 2, 2018, starting at 10:30 BST in Reading, Englefield House. You can always contact Bonhams if you want more information on this auction. It should be a thrilling one!

art · travel

Review: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Part 1

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No trip to Philadelphia would be complete without a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This two story incredible museum has many treasures, but is probably best know for the exterior stairs that were featured in the infamous scene of the movie “Rocky”, where Sylvester Stallone does his boxing training by running up and down the steps.

If you want to run up the steps, help yourself, but once you get to the top of the staircase, be sure to go into the museum and buy a ticket, then take a leisurely stroll through the corridors as you soak up the rich art history around you.

I’m breaking my photos into two or three separate posts, because it takes a bit of time to write up the artist information under each picture. I’m also a little disappointed that I only got to view the bottom level of the museum: on this trip, time was not on my side. But that’s okay, because I plan to return. And when I do, I’ll have more time. In this post, I’ll share the most humorous pieces from the “Biting Wit and Brazen Folly: British Satirical Prints, 1780s–1830s” exhibit“Biting Wit and Brazen Folly: British Satirical Prints, 1780s–1830s” exhibit, on display until August 22.

I’m delighted to also mention that my ticket was complimentary because I am a member of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at the Partner Level (you can also get reciprocal privileges at several major metropolitan museums, as well as the North American Reciprocal Membership and Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums, at the Supporters level).

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The museum exterior

Statue outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

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The famous Diana statue inside the museum

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The Gout by James Gillray

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A Peep at Christies or Tally-ho & His Nimeny-pimeney taking the Morning Lounge by James Gillray

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The description next to A Peep at Christies was almost as interesting as the cartoon itself!

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The Blue Devils by George Cruikshank

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An explanation of what the “blue devils” are

Look out for more photos from my day at Philadelphia Museum of Art in the upcoming days. Enjoy!

life curation

Living Your Best Life: Managing Overwhelm

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As part of this ongoing discussion about living my best life, I’m taking the time to assess what worked – and what didn’t work – when crafting a better lifestyle. What good is knowledge if I’m hoarding it instead of sharing?

Early in my separation (leading up to my divorce) I felt like I was going in 1000 different directions. There was so much to attend to and so little time and energy to handle it all. I wanted a business, a successful federal career, a healthier body, more sleep, better relationships with my family and friends, a writing career, a financial benefactor, etc.,. So many things to do and I was trying to do them ALL!

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Look, we all have too many tasks and not enough time. We ALL are overwhelmed to some degree or in some area. The overwhelm may not be ever present but it comes up at the most inopportune times. Here are a few things that I did when I was crushed under the weight of all of my “to-dos”. I hope this list helps you!

  1. I took naps. Naps are such an underrated source of stress management. When things were just too much to handle, I’d lay down and sleep for a bit. I was always more clearheaded and rational after I got a little rest.
  2. I delegated and outsourced. As much as I could, I entrusted some of my tasks to family or friends that were invested in helping me during that difficult period. Just having an extra set of hands on the scene can do wonders for managing overwhelming situations.
  3. I focused on tackling the smallest items first and let my momentum build up. Instead of doing it all, I focused on one thing at a time. That really worked wonders for helping me feel accomplished, which lead to me feeling more relaxed and energized to tackle the rest of my to-do list.
  4. I confided in friends. Sometimes, just vocalizing my frustrations would work wonders for my stress levels. I made sure to reciprocate: I’d let my friends vent to me, as well.
  5. I journaled. When I didn’t want to use my voice, I’d reach for my pen and journal. Writing my thoughts really helped me to get those confusing thoughts out of my head and into a tangible form that I could read and process at my leisure.

Do you have any tips for managing overwhelming situations? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

art · life curation

A Day at NGA

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A couple of weeks ago, I had a free afternoon and I was feeling artsy (to be honest, I can’t think of a time when I’m NOT feeling artsy). So I took a stroll to National Gallery of Art (NGA) to check out the exhibits. It’s been nearly two years since my last visit, so I was overdue.

Tomorrow’s post will be “heavier”, as far as subject matter goes, so today, I’m taking it light and easy. Here are a few photos from my last visit to NGA. This post features a few of the sculptures that I saw at the museum. Enjoy!

Nymph and Satyr by Edward McCartan (1920)

This satyr is nothing but trouble! Look at how he’s looking at the nymph.

Play coy, little nymph! Maybe that naughty satyr will leave you alone.

Justice by Barthelemy Prieur (1610)

It’s hard to believe this lovely lady is over 400 years old! It was completed the year before Prieur’s death.

I had to do some research on this one: I’d never heard of “zephyr” before.

A Garden Allegory: The Dew and Zephyr Cultivating Flowers by Benoit Massou, Anselme Flamen and Nicolas Rebille (1683/1732)

This beautiful woman depict dew, the gentle moisture found on vegetation in the morning hours.

The charming little cherub next to Dew is Zephyr, the soft gentle breeze that can be felt on a pleasant spring day