All posts filed under: inspirational women over 40

It’s Been A Long Time…

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I usually catch up with a select few of my friends whom I’ve known forever, and family members, maybe a few times a year. However, I’ve felt a deeper connection here at RawSilkandSaffron, where I felt the need to stay in touch more often then the two or three times a year. But it seems, with every hectic day that passes, now the 17th of March already, the connection is too few and far between. No excuse. It is a reflection of what life has become since 2020. Anyway. Here I am taking a very small break, in between work madness, to stop here and share all the things that are going through my mind every single minute of the day, and in between all of the juggling and multi-tasking. Mad weather in California, leaky roofs and other damage, and cost of the impending repair. The idea of losing an aging parent is in the forefront of all my thoughts, contained only in the early morning hours, when all are still asleep. Where I plug …

Interesting Topics For Those of Us Without Back To School Woes

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August is a tricky month for most parents as they gear up their school aged children for returning their academic year. Whether returning to, or heading to a new establishment for higher learning, maneuvering the ritual can be pretty some form of memorable experience to say the least. So I get it if you don’t stop and read the interesting topics I have added here. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Dijon, France, where I spent an entire day experimenting with the mustard produced in the region. So much so, I nearly brought a suitcase load of the product. So naturally the idea of ‘why there is no Dijon in Dijon Mustard‘ read, sparked my interest. The rebirth of an amazing destination made famous by writers and celebrity of all types – Cuba – where now a portion of the small island in the Caribbean, Matanzas, is going through major renovation worth reading about. A destination surely on my bucket list How Rome’s monuments are still standing – do you ever wonder? Do you dabble …

Boutique Hotel Picks – Positano, Italy

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Engrossed or immersed in the novel – One Italian Summer, of late, I find myself researching and compiling a list of boutique hotels. Hotel Poseidon – the main property in the story. La Sirenuse – one of my favorites Albergo Miramare Positano Positano Art Hotel Pasitea Hotel Punta Regina Covo Dei Saraceni Hotel Palazzo Murat Hotel Villa Franca Albergo California Il San Pietro di Positano Buca Di Bacco Suggested similar read by yours truly – currently available in e-book only – Piazza Navona. You’re welcome…

Film Location and Setting Wanderlust

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Two films I watched in the recent days which have whisked me away to locations and setting I am simply missing more than imaginable. House of Gucci filming location- Italy : Villa Balbiano, Ossuccio, Tremezzina, Como, Lombardy, ItalyLake Como, ItalyGressoney-Saint-Jean, Aosta Valley, ItalyFlorence, Tuscany, ItalyMilan, Lombardy, ItalyGressoney-La-Trinité, Aosta Valley, ItalyVia dei Condotti, Rome, Lazio, ItalyRome, Lazio, ItalyMilan Cathedral, Milan, Lombardia, ItalyGalleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Lombardia, Italy (Maurizio and Patrizia looking for a restaurant at the beginning)Ossuccio, Tremezzina, Como, Lombardy, ItalyAosta Valley, ItalyLazio, ItalyVilla Necchi Campiglio, Milan, Lombardia, Italy(Rodolfo’s house)Tremezzina, Como, Lombardy, ItalyTuscany, ItalyPiazza del Duomo, Milan, Lombardia, Italy(Maurizio and Patrizia eat a snack at the beginning) New York City, New York, USA Filming Dates8 March 2021 – 6 May 2021 {source}

In Films and Novels

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What are you watching these days? Or reading for that matter? The other day I noticed a woman sitting in a secluded outdoor space, in between two stores in an outdoor mall. She was reading an actual book. Not a nook, or a variation of an electronic reading devices. But an actual book. I sat a few tables away from her and occasionally glanced in her direction, me mostly wondering what the squirrel that was inching towards her was intending to do. Two things that I admired that afternoon. Her being engrossed in the novel she was reading – Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney – which I had binged watched on television-Hulu a month or so back. The second, was the squirrel utterly unafraid to be inches away from her. Perhaps the squirrel knew her, I thought. Maybe the woman frequented that very spot and they became friends. From the corner of her eye, she looked towards the squirrel and smiled, giving the squirrel the encouragement it was seeking to approach – I can …

Sunday Wind Down

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After a week of being off from all things work in the name of staycation and no social media, I am slowly inching my way back to reality. This perfect little workspace I adore Kitchen simpleness from here Excited to report I am back in the game after a long pause to heal a broken hand Aching for a trip to Cornwall very soon And naturally not a day goes by that I don’t find an interesting travel article, and one I cannot resist to share. Val d’Aran, a town in the Pyrenees {here} which stands on its own right even while part of France and/or Spain. What are you up to on this Sunday?

In The Garden

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Although I am one who manages stress pretty well, I might say, there are moments where I need to stop all things and simply sit in my garden and reflect. That’s what I did last night, while experiencing an unusual heatwave for June in San Francisco. At seven-thirty in the evening I pulled a recline from the garage and went down to my garden and sat among the colorful plants and I watched the birds, the bees and the butterflies feast among the lavender for hours. And then I heard a fluttering near my ear, and I turned my head slowly and shifted my eyes to see the most beautiful of hummingbird simply inches away from me, and I said hello… For my life, if only for a few hours, felt peaceful and complete.

Travel Series – Reinstated

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When I initially started this blog, it was simply to share all things travel. However, as we all know, 2020 put an unpredictable pause on the best form of escapism mankind has ever known. Fast forward to the present, and I am happy to report that the RS&S travel series is back, not just due to popular demand, but also to keep my head in the clouds while I navigate through some challenging times. Here’s how I escape during a distressing situation: Exploring the small villages perched along the shores of the Greek islands. Discovering Ireland one castle at a time Spending hours in a Parisian cafe with breathtaking views Paying homage to Piazza Navona (Rome) for inspiring me to write my first novel Switzerland…need I say more How do you escape?