Obsessions

1. Summer Lace - I have been on a lace obsession! I can't decide if I'm being romantic or hippy, but I can't get enough of the stuff. The closest I really get to flea market shopping is TJ Maxx/Ross, and fortunately they have a pretty good supply of unique, romantic lace tops. And, if all else fails and I'm willing to spend a bit more, I can always snag a gorgeous top from here.


2. Lavender - As in, I spent the past weekend in a little Texas town, Blanco, attending their annual Lavender Festival and touring the 4 lavender farms in the area. My shoulders are scorched, but I now have a unique supply of all kinds of lavender products (including lavender margarita mix!). Given how difficult it can be to grow lavender, it is actually pretty special that Texas has this budding industry. From what I understand, even the French are taking notice. Oui, oui!


3. Persuasion by Jane Austen - Yes, I've mentioned this before, but there are some books/movies that I get so fixated on that I just read/watch them on repeat for weeks, months (much to the annoyance of those around me). Right now, both this book and the movies are my fixation. I don't know why some stories just strike exactly the right cord for me, but this one sure does. It's been hard to get out of my mind.


4. Mumford and Sons - Like books and movies, I can also become a bit fixated on music, as well. Case in point - this new British band whose "Little Lion Man" is currently all over the radios. In spite of that, I highly recommend this record. Highly.

Wanna go to Paris?

A free trip to Paris? Yes, please! Check out the link below at Oh Happy Day to see the 4 ways you can enter. Almost 10,000 people have already left comments, but it's worth a shot!

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

Bonne chance!

dum dum da dum . . .

I really...REALLY...tried to restrain myself about all this royal wedding stuff, but I can't help it. Here is my post on pretty, princess dresses. First of all, I loved Kate Middleton's dress.



I especially loved that it was a modern version of my, hands down, favorite wedding dress a la Grace Kelly.



Even though I am not engaged, with all this wedding fabulousity (yes, I just said that) happening, I couldn't help trying to find other dresses out there that also channel Grace Kelly, but with hopefully a more realistic price tag! :)







And, finally, the dress that I have had my eye on for some time by Lazaro. It combines modern simplicity with traditional lace.

Joyeux Paques!

Happy Easter, friends!I hope everyone is celebrating the holiday weekend with family or friends, enjoying good food and time off of work. Unlike most years, this year brought me a 4 day weekend for Easter, rather than 3 days. Since I can definitely use the extra day out of the office, I'm beyond excited about how to spend my extra time, especially considering how fabulous my weekend has already turned out. Not that anything extra out of the ordinary happened. I'm spending part of the weekend with my parents, which generally entails lounging around the house with our pups, but today I also ventured out long enough to see two exhibits currently showing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - one on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art and another one on Neoclassical art of the 18th Century (aka - Marie Antoinette's time). The Impressionist exhibit obviously focused on France, Paris in particular, and even had a special shop full of all things French (books, decor, coasters, maps, trinkets). I.was.in.heaven! I snagged just a couple of little Frenchie things for myself. The Neoclassical exhibit was created in connection with the Louvre (enough said). In fact, if I recall correctly, this exhibit is only going to 2 cities in the US - Houston and LA. Both were incredibly special and inspiring - a much needed break from the grind.

persuasion

I just saw the 2007 BBC production of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Highly, highly recommend for any Austen fans out there. I've actually never read this book, which was her last before Austen passed away, but it's definitely on my list now. While, in typical Austen fashion, it ends with a wedding, the main character's emotions she experiences have a much more heartfelt realness than in Austen's other novels. Loved it!

Quote of the Day

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." ~Ernestine Ulmer

This is completely my quote of the day (or week, or month . . .). Enjoy!







All images from here.

Things I Love

I'm tres excited with my new laptop. Surprisingly in this day and age, I have been sans laptop since moving 2 months ago. I'm always super paranoid about spending a lot of personal time on my work computer, so other than my iPhone I've been a little disconnected.

However, I'm feeling a bit jovial this evening, so I thought I'd end the day with a list of things I love:

Paris!
French language (or anything French, really)
hot air balloons
yoga
lavender
pink!
champagne
dark beer
Irish ancestery
my puppies
knee high boots
tutus
ballet flats
organizing
Louis Vuitton
Hermes
church
high heels
books
solitude
frappachinos
red lipstick
shellac nail polish
pedicures
pearls
diamond stud earrings
hand fans (my new random obsession)

Let them eat cake!

Found this adorable image at Seductively French, a new fav blog. Here's to the start of a fabulous week!

French Fete!

Sometimes I’m a little slow on the draw, but I recently discovered that March is a month long French Cultures Festival in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas!  How random and wonderful is that?  Of course, I discovered this at the end of March, so I missed most of the fun festivities, but I’ll be ready for everything next year.  

One thing I did not miss was Houston Ballet’s Marie, a ballet about the life of Marie Antoinette.  It was very well done and stunningly beautiful.  I was surprised by how simple the sets were, but it was an interesting change from most interpretations of that time period, with over the top abundance and glamour.  

Another event that I’ll be sure not to miss is the upcoming French Fete! at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.  An evening of champagne and hors d’oeuvres while viewing French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.  Speaking of the MFAH, it has also recently joined forces with the Musee du Louvre and opened a new exhibit of 18th century art!  Love!

Creating Awareness

It’s been exactly 2 months since my last post. I’ve been re-reading old blog posts from December and January, especially when I was participating in the #reverb10. I remember just pouring through all those prompts during my Christmas vacation like a crazy person. It’s pretty insane reading what was going through my mind at that time now that I know what was to happen shortly thereafter – a new job, a new city. It’s been a good reminder that intuition exists and how important it is to listen and act on it.

So, what have I been up to for the past couple of months? Well, moving, adjusting to apartment life (ugh!), starting a new job, finding do-gooding opportunities in the community, only seeing my sweetie and my dogs on the weekends (so hard!), trying to motivate myself to work out and eat better (not going so well), and finding creative outlets.

One of the things that I have a seriously hard time with is following through on things I want to achieve outside of work. This has been a running issue I’ve brought up here and it just doesn’t seem to change. Even with the best plans and intentions, I don’t follow through. I don’t know if it is a lack of motivation, simple laziness, or that I really do just get thorough tunnel vision about work and zone out by the time I get home each evening. I think, like most things, it’s a combination of all of the above. Like anything important, building the life you want takes nurturing and, most importantly, awareness. So, I’m going to try to spend more time aware of my decisions and their impact on my larger goals.

2010 review - 2011 goals/word

I'm a little behind, but better now than never. I'm in a period of transition, so it seems like the perfect time to reflect and plan. So, let's start by reviewing 2010:

1. Became president of a non-profit I had been sitting on for 2 1/2 years (and gained incredible experience regarding management in the process);

2. Hosted our 2nd annual Turkey Trot fundraiser for the other non-profit I belong to (and it was an absolutely, incredibly amazing success, which means so many kiddos had a good Christmas in our community);

3. My sweetie and I celebrated 11 years together;

4. I celebrated 3 1/2 years at my job;

5. I turned 32 (boo);

6. My bff and I spent a week in Paris (and London)!!! A-mazing!

7. I went to the Texas Renaissance Festival for the first time. Kind of dorky, but still loved it!

8. I tried zip-lining for the first time and had a blast!

9. I was passed over for a job promotion that I had spent the past year and a half preparing for. A very low way to end the year.

So, what's in store for 2011?

1. New job - DONE!!! This week I accepted a new job in an area that I had my eye on for a while. It's a new legal practice that I've been wanting to spend more time in and I'm really hoping it will be a good experience. Crossing fingers!

2. Community - This is even more pertinent given that I will be moving to a new area. It's really important for me to find a home in an area that will give me access to all the things I want to do - church, yoga, shopping, fitness, dog parks, etc. So, so, so excited!

3. Budget - With the new job, comes an increased salary (ya!), which is much needed. But, instead of running out to buy a new LV or something else, I really need to be more conservative with my funds.

4. Fitness - I need to really focus on my health this year and create some long lasting habits - yoga, exercise, healthy eating.

5. Creativity - I'm moving closer to a city known for its creativity and uniqueness. So, no excuses for not finding outlets to engage.

Word of the year = Beginnings. I posted this in an earlier post and I really think this is the word I want to describe this year, not only for the new job, but also for all the other goals and changes I have for this year. Here's to 2011!!!!

black swan

So, I saw the movie Black Swan this weekend and I.Loved.It. As a former ballet dancer, I can completely sympathize with certain aspects of Natalie Portman's character. Crazy sex parts aside, it was a beautifully made movie.

#Reverb10 - Day 26

image from here.

December 26 – Soul Food What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul? (Author: Elise Marie Collins)

French macarons! I loved them so much in Paris that I actually learned how to make them myself. Coming from a girl that does not cook, this was momentous!

#Reverb10 - Day 24

December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis)

It sounds small, but the moment that happened to me that made me feel that everything is going to be alright was just this past weekend when I had an unexected car problem while my sweetie and I were visiting my parents. My sweetheart stepped forward and took care of everything for me. Given the instability I'm not feeling at work, it was so comforting to know that someone will be there for me regardless.

#Reverb10 - Day 23

image from here.

December 23 – New Name Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why? (Author: Becca Wilcott)

I honestly can say that I would not choose another name. I love my name and the fact that it shows a bit of my heritage.

#Reverb10 - Day 22

image from here.

December 22 – Travel How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt)

Paris - obviously! We also did a day trip to London, which is also a fabulous city - can't wait to go back. For 2011, my bff and I have been talking about a trip to Italy and Greece - pretty ambitious. If another trip to Europe is not in the works, I'd still like to take a smaller trip to NYC or Las Vegas.

#Reverb10 - Day 21

December 21 – Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) (Author: Jenny Blake)

Wow, I'll be 37 years old. I think I would tell myself to not be afraid to change, not be afraid to try something new, and always make time to travel and do new things.

I would tell my younger self to not be afraid to take the least traveled road, embrace my unique talents and push to pursue them even if it doesn't work out, and take a chance on someone who really cares about you.

#Reverb10 - Day 20

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?) (Author: Jake Nickell)

I should have taken care of my body more. I always say I'm too tired because of work, and this year there was a lot of truth to that, but I'm done with that as my excuse. Yes, work is necessary, but it cannot be my entire life and if I continue to let this job be that, then it really is time to do something else. I'm tired of being unhealthy, not liking the way I look in clothes, feeling not pretty.

#Reverb10 - Day 19

image from here.

December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leonie Allan)

Healing for me this year is about my mind, my perspective. Paris did a lot for me in that regard. Inspiration, contemplating an unconventional life, making big changes in my life as a whole, living differently. All of these things I think were necessary to be able to mentally handle what happened to me at the end of this year at work. Without all of that to lean on, the panic, frustration, and anger would have taken over me. It's still not pleasant, but I'm not miserable and I'm ready to move on.

#Reverb10 - Day 18

image from here.

December 18 – Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? (Author: Kaileen Elise)

In 2011, I want to try a LOT of new things: a new job, belly dancing, pottery painting, vacations, focus on me and family.

In 2010, there were lots of things I wanted to try, but let work get in the way. Gosh, I sound like a broken record and sometimes I wonder if I just use that as a crutch or excuse, but I will say with absolute honesty that this year was a crazy, overwhelming year for work. The first 1/2 was busy with me doing the job of 2 attorneys and the second 1/2 was busy trying to recover. It generally left me exhausted by the end of each day. I just can't continue to do this.