Month: February 2019

Thursday’s Beautiful Things

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A tough start this morning determined how best to proceed the rest of the day – by staring at a few beautiful things to inspire, warm up the soul and put a smile on everyone’s face: {source}

Travel: The English Countryside Is Highly Recommended

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Last year, I was fortunate enough to travel throughout the English countryside by car. Let me rephrase- I was lucky enough to have a family member live in England who was kind enough to take me around the island from east to west, and North to South. I still think about that trip, and I know that if I want to repeat the best two weeks of my life in terms of travel, I would need to learn to drive on the wrong (left) side of the road. Which scares the daylights out of me or find a private tour company willing to go off the beaten path to see some of the most beautiful picturesque towns and storybook homes: {source}  

A Novel Giveaway Inspired by Roman Decor

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I watched a foreign film a few weeks ago on Amazon Prime, where I was completely immersed in the style of foreign film making and story telling, as well as where it was filmed (Roma).  But, nothing captivated me more than the apartment the main character, Claudio (played by Raoul Bova)  lived in – near Vatican city, with views of Castle San’ Angelo.  I have to say, it was the best two-hour escape in a long while, and I went to bed thinking about all things Rome.   Last night, while commuting home, I stumbled upon this Roman Residence and smiled, thinking how similar  this lovely space was to the decor in the film. So I decided to give away Piazza Navona – a novel I’ve written a few years back.  Message me to get your copy.   Paperback copy will be shipped to U.S. address only. 

Food: Dinner Tonight – Beef Brisket Burrito

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I have a weakness for beef brisket, and would probably consume it every day if it was the best balanced meal. But as we know, eating too much of anything isn’t good for you – beef included, so I space out my consumption to every two weeks or so. So, I am glad to report tonight is the night we will have this IRISH beef brisket for dinner – in a form of a burrito – as my family would get excited about the idea of  “fun food” INGREDIENTS 2-3 pounds brisket 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste) 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated kosher salt and pepper 1 Guiness beer 4-6 large flour tortillas 1 cup leftover french fries or roasted potatoes 1 cup shredded Irish cheddar 1 cup shredded cabbage 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped CHIPOTLE SALSA 1 (14 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes 2 chipotle chili peppers in adobo juice of 1 lime 1/2 cup fresh cilantro kosher salt {more} …

Fashion: Oscars 2019 or Meghan Markle

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All day Sunday I wondered if there were more people following Markle’s fashion during her visit to Morocco or the Oscar 2019 styles the celebrity opted for last night? After watching everyone’s arrival on the red carpet, and photos thereafter, I had a difficult time liking some of the choices, perhaps the lighting wasn’t the best, or the angle the stars were photographed but…. Let’s blame it on the color pink, or different shades of sparkles – The safest fashion on the red carpet – and that’s a wrap – never to be spoken about again {featured image source}

How I Look Forward To Mondays

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Most of my life, I have never looked forward to Mondays until recently. Not because my weekends are boring, but because, as I get older, I am loving the idea of going to work. But even though that is the case, there are some sluggish start to Mondays, and that’s when I know I haven’t taken the right steps to prepare me for the day. By Thursday the week before, I have already planned what I need to do over the weekend to help recharge my mind and body, so that the days ahead would be as stress free as possible. You know, where the stress takes over every ounce of your being, elevating anxiety to about a ten – those kinds of days. First – Winding down on Friday night is important – where an Italian meal is in order paired with a good bottle of red  and two movies, comedy is a must.   Saturday early morning, wake the house up to a full-on breakfast, the kind you have no time for throughout …

Travel: A Week In Between Jobs or Just For Spring Break

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I just realized we are very close to March, start of Spring break across the globe – where some have already planned their Spring break getaways in between a week off from their studies.  This list offers up a handful of destinations to consider for when you are in between jobs, but I think this is also useful for those undecided about where to go for Spring break.  Here’s where I am considering – sometime early April – to a place I’ve never been… For the rest of the list – go here   

Decor: Walk-In Renovation

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I’ve been in a weird mood this week and in an effort to snap out of it I decided to switch from pondering over deep topics to something light and airy. Decor and Travel always make me feel good when I am otherwise fixated on the worst of things. Lately, I’ve been contemplating tackling my walk in built back in the late 60’s in my 1930’s home in San Francisco. I mean I do love the efforts made by the previous owner, using the finest of wood for the shelves and other materials no longer available for renovation projects. So, I grab my cup of coffee on the days I work from home, and sit staring into the closet to figure out how best to bring up to the 21st century, or one that I’ll get the most use out of it.  Disclaimer, I hate folded clothes, I prefer all things on hangers, naturally in color order and season 🙂  Don’t judge. So, here we are, glancing at the photos below and staring into that …

This Week Is All About Interesting Topics – Money, Marriage and a Move

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This week has been a strange one – with many weirdness I’ve come to learn about, and a few I’ve known about and now in the midst of them taking shape. First up, our company leadership decided to move the San Francisco office from the most desirable real estate to the least one a few blocks down. This decision has created much discontent among the staff. And although they have expressed disapproval over the course of the last six months, they know they must either pack their ‘stuff’ and move along with the program or simply leave. What is it about change that we all hate? Is it the idea of the unknown, or the fact someone else is making the change for us?  Second, a close friend of mine found out from a friend of a friend of a friend that his wife has filed for divorce, and the idea of it has shocked him immensely.  At first, I sympathized, and after hearing his story, I realized his  euphoric views of what marriage is, …