Walking Barefoot

Girl 1: I can never finish a story with you when we are walking outside.

Girl 2: That’s not true. He was just cute.

Girl 1: You’re like the dog in “UP”.  Instead of squirrel’s, it’s men.

Girl 3: Where can I find you some boy adderall?

Girl 2: What would that do?

Girl 1: Make you focused and not notice all of the men around.

Girl 2: What a horrible life!

Your beauty, intelligence, compassion and truth is never diminished by another person’s inability to recognize or acknowledge it.

You have everything you need to get to where it is you want to go.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to work on being the best version of you possible.

Your love, time and attention is precious and should be bestowed only upon those who know and appreciate its value.

Compliments are gifts.  Gratitude (not deflection) is the appropriate response.

The universe sends you messages every single day.

You can’t time love.  It comes when the time is right, not when you think you are ready for it.

Your life is yours to shape.

E.B White’s “Here Is New York”.  I love to re-read it every few years.  A must-read for any New Yorker.

The smell of Gardenia’s

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge on a balmy summer night.

Dance lessons.  Salsa. Tango. Sign up!

Forgiveness.  Give some, get some.

Friends laughing together.

The guy who confidently kissed his fingers like an Italian appreciating something wonderful and mouthed “You’re Beautiful” to me in the Canal subway station this morning.  Thanks for the smile.

Journal writing before bed.  Log your life a little bit!

You.  I am so blessed you allow me to write for you.  Thank you so much.

Get off of my baby’s face on your own or I’ll cut you.

Even for Che, Not O.K.

Or maybe we Have many soul mates, platonic and otherwise.

Winged Victory

The Floor scrapers

                                                                      Cupid and Psyche

My friend, Chiquira Wagner, posted this and I just had to share it.

While searching for travel tips for my impending trip to Italy (cannot wait!), I stumbled across this delightful blog.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

Mara and I are going to have a dream vacation of epic proportions.

Vespa’s, Chianti, Eyelash batting on cobblestone streets….

Sigh.

My Naughty Book Club: I just started it and am loving how many of my gf’s want in. First up: Fifty Shades of Grey (obviously).

Saturday Stacey Dates: There are very few things as fun as spending time with a positive, supportive, fun and funny friend.  My girlfriend, Stacey, is a master at making a random day wonderful. She and I have a ritual where we spend the day brunching, shopping, chatting over mani/pedi’s and doing all kinds of lovely, girlie things.  Why not set up a weekly play date with one of your besties?

Loreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner (in Brown):  Vanity is my sin & this is hands-down the best liner to ever mark my eyes (Bonus: It’s less than $10.00)!

Hosting Friends: Now that my A-P-T has gone from “eh” to a little slice of paradise, it’s completely company-ready! With candles, a balmy breeze, tapas and Marc Anthony on the iPod, 1A has become a little vacation spot accessible by subway.

Zac Efron: Holy Hot Teen Idol, Batman.

My Faux Boyfriend: Seriously one of the best, funniest, kindest and most honorable guys I have ever met.  He makes me smile every single day.  Thanks, Mister.

The Cute & Grouchy (and Generous) Trainer at My Gym: He never smiles but lets me sneak into his kick-booty boot camp classes. I’m a little bruised but bikini shopping will be more painful without it.

The Hilarity That Is Me Attempting To Rock False Lashes: Seriously, how does one put those things on, LDiva?

Mangos: Fresh, Dried, in a Margarita…

Shedding Skin: No, not literally.  That would be gross.

Looking for a little extra motivation to get up and head out to the gym? New research shows that exercise not only makes your body better but it can also make you smarter! Love it!

Love everything about this song and video (hence my always posting it).

A little scared that evil Marc Anthony makes me kind of swoon in this. Damn his stylist and swagger.

My song with Tony Montana.  Don’t judge.

One of my favorite scenes and songs of all time.

When looking at others, it’s essential to remember that perception is not reality.  Sometimes, it’s not even closely linked.  Though it might seem that those around us have a better sense of who they are, where they want to go and how to get there, that’s rarely true.  While it’s wonderful to be inspired by the strengths of those around you, it’s counterproductive to sit and compare.  Your journey is unique to you and you must navigate through it–meeting challenges, tweaking and changing lanes as best as you can and as often as you feel you need to.

When Girls Talk About Boys.

I.

Girl 1: I am stunned. How did he turn that situation into me being crazy?  I would not have been so emotional had he not been so reckless. What is that about?

Girl 2: I don’t know, hon, but I usually err on the side of the guy being a dick.

II.

Girl 1: Oh, I met a boy!

Girl 2: Tell me about him!

Girl 1: He’s smart, cute, funny, tall and always texts me.

Girl 2: OK, listen.  He sounds awesome.  Be normal this time.

III.

Guy: So, what happened with that dude?

Girl: Eh, not going anywhere.

Guy: You end it?

Girl: No. I figure he’s good practice.

Guy: Practice?

Girl: Yeah. You know, get all of my issues out now so that when I meet the right guy, I am the right girl.

Guy: That is the most screwed up-yet-brilliant logic I have ever heard.  Girls are messed up.

IV.

Girl: I am so sad.  That jerk broke my heart.

Guy: That guy is a loser. If he got hit by a train, five people would care because they have to.

Girl: Sheesh.

Guy: It’s called reality. That guy doesn’t have anyone who cares about him because he only cares about himself.

V.

Girl 1: Oh, you met a Brazilian, that’s exciting!

Girl 2: Let me tell you how this will go.  We’ll go out, I won’t like him, he’ll work to make me like him and as soon as I do-boom-…

Girl 1: … He’ll be a jerk.

Girl 2: Sounds like you’ve played this game, too.

Girl 1: Frowns. I hate them.

VI.

Girl 1: So, what’s the deal? You like him?

Girl 2: He’s awesome. He’s romantic, sweet, thoughtful, smart, kind–he gives me the best relationship of my life but nothing physical.  I asked if he was just not that into me and he swears he is.

Girl 1: Is he gay?

Girl 2: Definitely not. He says he respects me.

Girl 1: You have to end it. That’s crap. All flowers, dinner romance and no making out, what in the hell?

Girl 2: Wait, do you hear us? Are we in the Twilight Zone?

VII.

Girl 1: I feel bad.

Girl 2: Uh, you shouldn’t.  He’s projecting. No girl wakes up and thinks, “Oh, gee, let me act like a crazy lady today.” My theory is that if someone is a functional and normal person outside of the relationship, it’s the relationship, and that’s made up of two people.

VIII.

Girl 1: So, I guess he met someone out in S.F. I feel like such a loser.

Girl 2: He had a small penis, right?

Girl 1: Yeah, on the smaller side. But that’s not his fault.

Girl 2: Oh, honey, then she’s the one who loses.

Girl 1: Poor thing.

IX.

Girl 1: I think I am gonna get medication.

Girl 2: For what?

Girl 1: I obsess.

Girl 2: Um, so you’re like everyone else in the world.

X.

Girl 1: I need to make out.

Girl 2: What about Felix?

Girl 1: No, he wasn’t good at it.

My friend, Robert, said that our Facebook timelines put energy into the Universe. This weekend, all I want to do is dance & play.

He Puts Me Into Such a Great Mood

This song got me through such an uncomfortable time.

One of the most beautiful salsa songs I have ever heard.  I may or may not dance alone in my room to this

Our New “Engaged Guy” is just fantastic.

When someone first recited this to me, it read like the most heartbreaking poem I’d ever heard.

It has since become one of my favorite songs.

So painful and yet so beautiful, just like love.

Pro’s: Juan, The Mistress, Magaldi, The Chorus, Direction and Stage were all wonderful, and the audience was so fun! To my left, a giddy man who whooped every scene. To my right, an 80-year-old couple cracking jokes and telling me to sneak pics and “do that texting/Facebook thing.”  Sipping champagne in grown up sippy cups was funny.

Con’s: Eva was pitchy and all guts (no Glamour).  Ricky was amazing as Ricky (swoon) but played Che with too much humor and less grit.  Antonio would have been great up there.

Celeb Sightings: Trump & Cindy Adams were just a few rows in front of us.

Best Moment: At the end of the show, the cast came out and shared info about a charity.  The theater was silent and I told my friend, Luki, “I am about to emberass you.”  I then yelled out, “$5,000.00 for Ricky Martin, right now!” Everyone–including Ricky–laughed. It went silent. “I’m not kidding.” Laughter once more (and high-fives from my row mates).

We ended the night with a chat with Eva.

Lovely.

The universe bestows a chance meeting upon us, and in it, we find a moment of reflection.

We realize that four eyes and two minds see and remember the same experience differently.

We are lucky enough to realize that clarification is not the point. It’s about learning from our own missteps and making things right within ourselves.

Stories of us are painted with the colorful projections of others.

We do the same.

We are hopeful those we have engaged have learned from their own missteps.

We must ignore our impulses and leave well enough alone.

We find joy in hearing of the happiness of those we have known, however briefly.

1 heaping cup of Ricky Martin

2 C Evita (My favorite Play!)

1  Great Friend making a bucket list night possible

1 Great friend coming as my date

2 Orchestra seats

1 Sprinkle of hope that I get a smooch, a photo and an autograph

There is a lot of power in interpretation.  The next time you find yourself up-in-arms about something that was said or done, take a moment and think about why negative emotions are being triggered and see if you can’t relate it to a past experience with someone else.  Perhaps you’re right on point with your reaction, but you also might be projecting.

The one who deserves you will not only text you, call you, and want to see you, they will slay dragons for you.

There are possibilities and opportunities hidden in each and every day.  Keep your eyes, heart and mind open.

There are a lot of little boys and little girls walking around in big boy and big girl bodies.

Life is too short to sit around waiting for someone to have an “a-ha moment”.

How you speak to others determines the tone of your conversation and relationship.  How you speak to yourself determines how your day (and life) goes.

It’s OK to be excited but being too eager often leads to a sloppy execution.

You can live”Happily Ever After” without a partner.  But the wrong partner can make finding yours a hell of a lot more difficult.

You choose what you will (and won’t) engage.

Someone thinks you’re the most precious person in the whole world.

The apartment upgrade continues (with the help of patient and fashionable friends who kindly share their “eh” or “yay” when I send photos of my find’s).

Inspiration: Love the feel of open space and the glamour the silver/glass gives while sitting on the black table. I’m thinking a plush white rug would work well in my space and will swap the mirror with something more antique-looking as I want my apartment to have a very “1940′s/50′s Movie Star living in Positano” feel.

This is the “Ashton” sofaI wanted but it was double what I alloted myself for a couch (799.00 at Raymour & Flanigan). I did a bit of shopping and found this one in Oatmeal Leather for 150 less. Thanks to the lessons I learned from my friends in finance, I negotiated them down quite a bit (I took a store model) and got free delivery as well. I promised I would not announce the deal I got (great!) so you’ll just have to do a bit of wheeling and dealing in your area. Gotta love being a gal in Astoria

I bought these pillows on sale at Marshalls(14.99 on sale) in a (failed) attempt to upgrade my old green sofa. Fortunately, the decorating God’s had a plan because they will look lovely on the new piece along with a plush throw.

I have an intention to place silver on my low, black coffee table but thought these pretty colored glass vases (big 10.99, small 6.99 at Marshall’s) would look pretty as well. If they don’t match, I will place them onto the table that sits on my terrace to bring the Positano vibe outside.

I’ve never been one for decorating but I am slowly realizing that putting time and attention into your space is very nurturing to the soul. I suppose this is why they call it “nesting”. No baby on board but definitely feeling the joy of the little girl I was as she gleefully squeals at the idea of building her very own happy home.

There isn’t a song of hers that doesn’t bring a special mood into the room.  R.I.P, Little Ms. Winehouse.

Feel it if you have to, but don’t believe it unless it’s true.

Tonight’s guest post comes from Brenda Della Casa.

Here’s what I love about her story – it’s about the little things.  The music on the radio and the flowers on the table.  Sometimes we get confused; we think that miracles have to be BIG.  The little moments are sometimes even more satisfying.

Yesterday, as I was scrubbing the floors of my apartment, listening to the Tango Flamenco station on Pandora, I started to think about what my walls had seen in the year and a half I had lived there. Tears, fears, stagnancy, and finally movement, painting, laughter and invitations for others to join me inside for a glass of wine. I thought about where I began, in a violent, abusive and neglectful home. I thought  about my journey to this peaceful moment and Read the rest here.

My friend, Vance, shared this on his wall today and I found it so lovely (and true) that I simply had to share it with all of you.

While this piece was written for an entreprenureal readership, I found the tips useful for all areas of life.  Forward-thinking folks who keep the needs of their audience in mind are likely to be more successful than those who live in the past while caring only about their own belly-buttons, no?

It’s turns out that it’s not just our love of mascara that leaves them confused…

Find out here.

I was just recently discussing the idea of “loser” language vs “champion” language with a friend of mine so when I came across this piece in Inc., I was eager to share it.  I hope you all will snoop around the site if you haven’t before.  Inc. is one of my favorite magazines, online and on the shelves.

4 Glasses of Sangria

1 Pita & Hummus Plate

1 Side of Fries

2 Close Friends

1 C Antics

2 Dressing Rooms

Garnish With Nonstop Laughter

Stacey Takes Her New Car For a Spin

Lookout Summertime!

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What’s Groser Than Gross?

A married man trying to get a woman to go out with him under the guise of work.

No thanks, dude. I don’t care how cute & successful you are.

Yes, this post is for you.

The thoughts you meditate on, the words you speak, the decisions you make and the actions you take all work to shrink or expand your world.

There is a place for you here in the world.  A place for you to carve your name into marble by making an impact.  Ignite your passion & work your butt off to make your mark.

A man who wants a woman will be relentless in courting her. If he’s not coming after you, he’s not for you.

You have to jump out of a sinking ship and swim.  It’s nice that you want to save everyone else but sometimes it is “do” or watch your dreams die.

There are very few philanthropists.  Translation: most people want something from you.  Your friends should be the select few who want only your company and who view all of the other benefits as blessings.

Those ruled by ego are easily manipulated.

Never (ever) let him stress you. Seriously.

The biggest mistake we can make is to force ourselves to re-live painful situations we’ve already survived and moved away from.  Life is still moving forward, catch up to it and move closer to your happiness.

You can make it alone but it’s more fun to do it with someone who supports and believes in you.

To love is to live.

There are few things that satisfy like the feeling of success.  Whether it’s standing out at work, rockin’ a respectful, loving & passionate relationship, running that mile under your goal time or conquering another personal goal, a job well done feels damn good.

If you’re looking to shine a bit of light on yourself without looking like a you-know-what, this little piece from Inc. magazine might help you move a few steps up the ladder.

Your best life starts with your best you.

This looks divine!  I cannot wait to makeit and serve it to my girls al fresco!  I’ll bet it’s delicious with Italian sausage, too.

Brenna: I like cold cream.

BDC: I am using this cream that costs $175.00

Stacey: That’s insane.

KK: That’s the amount in my bank account.

An actor accidentally slit his own throat while performing a suicide scene on-stage.

Yikes!