Beauty Heals And Gives Us Wings
If you’re inclined, please say a prayer for the men and women who have sacrificed their lives to keep us safe. Send vibrations of love and healing to their families, that will never be the same without them. And, if you can, hold your own loved ones close: life is precious, and tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.
Take care, and have a blessed Memorial Day.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!
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!
(photos courtesy of Goalcast, CreativeTalanoa, Fearless Motivation, Quotlr, Imfunny.net, and Quotesten)
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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).
The museum exterior
Statue outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
The famous Diana statue inside the museum
The Gout by James Gillray
A Peep at Christies or Tally-ho & His Nimeny-pimeney taking the Morning Lounge by James Gillray
The description next to A Peep at Christies was almost as interesting as the cartoon itself!
The Blue Devils by George Cruikshank
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!
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!
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!
Do you have any tips for managing overwhelming situations? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Well friends, I had another fabulous Embassy Open House weekend experience this year! I went to the European Union (EU) Open House event last weekend (May 12) and had a blast! Last year, I went to the “Around the World” Embassy Tour, but the rain kept me in for most of the day, so when I finally made it to the embassies, I only got to tour Kenya and Haiti. I adored the Haitian Embassy so much that I wrote a post about it. I didn’t see much of Kenya during the embassy tour but I eventually returned for an evening at the Kenyan Embassy. But this time, I tried EU Open House weekend because it had been years since I last visited the European embassies.
This year wasn’t rainy, but boy was it hot! The temperatures soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so after a couple of hours, I was drained. This year, I only got to visit two embassies but it was so worth it!
Outside of the Portuguese Embassy
My first stop was the Embassy of Portugal. This embassy was closing early due to a conflicting event that afternoon, so I had to make the most of my time while I was there. The staff was charming and they had the most amazing cheese tarts to sample! I wish I had gotten a photo of the ladies and gents in their traditional costumes, but maybe I’ll have better luck next year. In any case, it planted the seed in me for a future trip to Portugal . . .
Next, I visited the Embassy of Ireland. We had an excruciatingly long wait, but at least we got to enjoy performances from the local Irish dance classes. Here’s a clip of one of their performances:
I was delighted to enter the embassy and see some great Gaelic books written about a diverse group of children: indeed, children from a variety of backgrounds could come and see books written about children that looked like them. I also loved the charming layout of the historic building.
All in all, I really enjoyed my embassy experience this year! I’m already excited to experience it again next year!
Obligatory art photo: Mary Ellison Embroidering by Mary Cassatt (1877), at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
This will be a super-quick post: I’m going to be busy this weekend, with spending time at the embassies and enjoying Mother’s Day with my loved ones. I’m going to compile a few of my favorite posts about current issues and hot topics in the arts that you can peruse at your leisure. Enjoy your weekend!
DC’s Plan to Promote Arts and Culture: What It’s About, and How Local Artists Feel About It
All About Fort Street Studio’s Latest Collection
The Newly Re-Named Massey Klein Gallery (Ryan Massey is an alum of Old Dominion University, my alma mater. Go Monarchs!)
ArtLeadHer’s Latest Exhibition, Senses and Perception
I hope you all take some time to read up on some of the latest happenings in the art world, as well as visit a museum or support some other cultural institution this weekend. Have a great Saturday!
In late March, one of my favorite indie cosmetic companies, KoyVoca Cosmetics (you remember them – I reviewed them in this post and in this post) announce the upcoming release of their new lip gloss line. The product, Glossy, is, as the company puts it, “[…]the lip gloss you’ve been looking for! Its long-lasting formula provides a glass-like look to the lips.” The company launched 8 lip gloss shades in April and I, ever eager to switch it up from the matte lip trend, made sure that I preordered.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhPFWoRn0_C/
I ordered three shades: Panther, Princess Cut, and Rude Gyal. I got my glosses quickly after the release date and I’ve had a chance to play with all three, so I’m ready for this review!
For starters, kudos to KoyVoca for quickly shipping their products! Every time I order from them I’m impressed by the speed of order delivery. That being said, I also was very impressed with the size and presentation of the glosses:
(top to bottom: Rude Gyal, Princess Cut, Panther)
There’s a good amount of product in each tube. These also have a light fruity smell that I enjoyed. Here are the descriptions of the shades as written by KoyVoca:
Panther – a blue and purple duochrome with red and blue flecks
Princess Cut – a golden pink with holographic shimmer
Rude Gyal – a shimmery wine
I swatched the shades then I swooned. The colors are gorgeous, perfectly pigmented and thick without being sticky (basically, the glosses are perfect).
(left to right: Panther, Princess Cut, Rude Gyal)
Here I am rocking each of the shades:
Princess Cut
Rude Gyal
Panther
I find myself frequently reaching for Princess Cut because it’s such a wearable shade. But my favorite, by far, is Panther. It’s deep, dramatic and memorable.
But all that being said, there are still a few things I want to mention about these glossies. These are VERY long wearing! It takes a while for these to wear off, and they have some real staying power even as you eat and drink. The shine is INSANE: highly reflective! I love that these are true glosses and not semi-shine formulas like a lot of companies are selling right now. The smell is pleasant and the formula is nonsticky, so they are very wearable.
I highly recommend these! Check out all of the shades and see which one should be in your collection!
I’m leaving work early today so I can take a mini-vacay. Can you guess where I’m going? Take a look at the 3 photos below and see if you can figure it out (I think the 3rd photo is a dead giveaway!)
(courtesy of National Park Services)
(courtesy of Association for Public Art)
(courtesy of Wikipedia)
If you guessed Philadelphia, you would be correct! It’s been YEARS since I’ve been to Philadelphia (probably about 20 years since my last visit) so I’m overdue. I have plans for several activities in the city, as well as trying some new restaurants. I can’t wait to give you all the details of this trip over the next few days!
This is going to be a brief post, because this is a BUSY week!
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I LOVE a creatively designed pair of shoes. I also love supporting true artisans, so it was only a matter of time before I sought out shoes that marry my love of creative design and excellent craftsmanship.
I was recently introduced to Aminah Abdul Jillil from a fashionista on FB. I didn’t realize it, but I’d been seeing Aminah’s designs all over a bunch of blogs but I never knew the name behind the designs. So yeah, I’m late to the party, but I’m glad I arrived. Her shoes are DROOLWORTHY. Just look at these beauties:
Champagne Open Toe Pumps by Aminah Abdul Jillil
Considering the cost of most designer shoes, Aminah’s designs are downright affordable. These will be perfect for showing off the results of my foot exfoliation treatment. I can’t wait to purchase my first pair! When I get them, I’ll be sure to share photos and review them.
Bronze Butterfly 