All posts filed under: Fantasy

oh la la – i want i want

Don’t you ever just walk down the street, especially in the business or financial sector of a metropolitan city or even the French Riviera and say to yourself, I want that, where did she get that?  If you aren’t one of those women, than just turn the page, otherwise take a look at my most recent wants. Oh how I wish money grew on trees 🙂 – but since it doesn’t I can only dream right?

inspiration: daydreams of a photo shoot

Wow, there are two things I am thankful for today: Fridays and the ability to find a momentary escape from the realities of life (even if it comes in the form of a photo shoot). I sometimes  wonder how it would feel to be pampered and prepped like a celebrity for a photo shoot, even for just one day. In light of this crazy thought I decided to include some of my favorite celebrity photo shoots, in hopes that I would get up the nerve to partake in a photo shoot myself in the near future. Anyway enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

suggested classic films: paris in springtime

Every Spring I make a point to watch some of my favorite classics which revolve around Paris in the Springtime – especially on a rainy Saturday afternoon (Or some may refer to as Spring showers).  I usually pair this event with a bottle of champagne, some fresh strawberries and hot fudge and don’t ask why, but a bouquet of colorful tulips to set the mood.  I call this escape much needed mental therapy. Of course getting rid of the family for the afternoon also helps the situation. 🙂 Happy Weekend!

my love affair with springtime

According to the calendar, March 20th marks the first day of Spring. Although this year, due to some bizarre weather patterns, it may not really feel as though Spring is actually here.  However, since Spring is one of my favorite seasons of the year, the other one being  Summer, I can no longer wait to welcome it, even if we are due to experience some bad weather this week in Northern California Happy week everyone!

boutique hotel pick – hotel splendido – portofino, italy

Ahh, the wonder of Portofino, Italy. As if I need to sell the idea of Italy to anyone. The most amazing thing about Italy is that no matter what part you visit, it is a must see for sure and so if you ask me to add a part of Italy that is a must see, just in case you haven’t been, I would have to say Portofino here. As you know I leave the tourist information details to someone else to talk about, but I do suggest a boutique hotel in most places I have visited often and love dearly. So, with my own personal blog tradition, I have included yet one of my favorite hotels, Hotel Splendido to consider to make your trip to Portofino a dream vacation for sure.

valentine’s day romance – suggestion 4 – dinner and a movie

Now, I saved the best for last, well at least from where I am sitting. Dinner and a movie suggestion for a romantic evening at home is ideal in every sense of the word, if done right. This suggestions would be best if, those with children, are able to find a sitter away from home and if one partner can surprise the other with it. Rent a couple of the movies I have suggested above or others that you think are in line with a love story/romantic theme. Contact your local purveyor of fine foods or a restaurant to order a steak or seafood dinner for two.  I prefer  Dean and DeLuca’s Valentine’s Day Meal  from their menu here . They also carry a large selection of champagne as well as  sparkling wine or wines in general so it makes the planning easier. Organize the living room or family room (wherever the television is) for the setting. Setting up the center coffee table with candles, flowers and fine china is ideal place to eat, while …

valentines day romance – suggestion 2 – date day

Most people in their 40s have children or teenagers and since February 14th falls on a school and a work day, the fun of celebrating the holiday usually takes a back seat to soccer practice and piano lessons and work. So, I suggest celebrating it on Saturday or Sunday the 12th or the 13th instead just to get the most out of the holiday. Again, these suggestions can be considered for birthdays and anniversaries as well. First:  Make arrangements for a reliable sitter on either day you want to surprise your spouse or loved one with children. Second: Clear your partner’s calendar for the day – make sure you pick the day with the least pre-arranged appointments for the children and their school events. Third: Organize a slew of events or activities for the two of you to do for the entire day – this could be an entire day spent in the country or a metropolitan city, depending on where you reside – do the opposite. For example for those living in the bay …

valentine’s day romance suggestion 1 – flowers

I really feel bad for everyone who gets caught up in the Valentine’s day madness. I mean, in my opinion, the true sense of romance should be ongoing and sometimes even when a person least expects it. That’s what makes it special and more personal. I guess that is why I appreciate birthdays and wedding anniversaries more. But for all those people who get a kick out of planning for Valentine’s Day, I have decided to dedicate this entire week for some of my  suggestions to take into account, while frantically searching for gifts and “interesting” things to do for/or with your loved one. Take note, these suggestions also work for birthday and anniversary celebrations as well. So here we go with suggestion 1. Every one loves getting flowers, unless of course they are allergic to them, but whether you believe it or not, most woman “over 40” are okay with just getting flowers on Valentine’s Day. So, this year instead of giving the usual boring bouquet of over priced red roses (yawn) why don’t …

healthy eating: understanding champagne

I admit I am one of those women who have converted from drinking wine to drinking champagne. The funny thing is it took me a while to learn about wine and by the time I finally got a clear understanding of wine types and pairing, I decided to convert to champagne when I made the decision to eat healthy. So now I am trying to understand and learn about what makes for a good or excellent champagne or since I am from California – sparking wine.  I know, I know there is no comparison and the two are not the same. But, now that I am able to address the beverage by its proper title based on what part of the world it’s from (California, USA or Europe), I want to understand how to choose quality “bubbly” so that I am in line with my healthier eating agenda. I found my answer here, from one of the best (French of course) wine conesuir I can think of 🙂 and based on what she says, these are …