Lioness in Winter

They don't make 'em like this anymore...

I love my job

Two days ago I went to Montauk for a shoot with a tiny and wonderful crew (photographer Shannon Sinclair) and the most delightfully dreamy model, (Dylan at IMG models). I love a location shoot, especially in the summer near the beach in a beautiful, dreamy part of Long Island...here are few outtakes from our shoot. 

Grateful Wednesday

I recently started writing these again and I think it's such a simple act that can illicit so much positivity in a day. Sometimes just shifting the way we perceive the world around us isn't such a hefty task. Sometimes all it takes is 5 little steps (they don't have to be complicated).


Here's a few things I'm grateful for on this Wednesday:

1. Soft, clean sheets
2. Something or someone that makes you excited to get out of bed
3. Sunlight streaming in my window
4. Having the freedom to wear whatever I want
5.  The MTA

The view from my bedroom window

Reflections, musings and confusions.

ever wonder what it is that binds us together and connects us to one another? we are all isolated creatures thrown into a magnetic world searching for answers, validation, acceptance, rebellion. what makes us feel connected and understood? i always find it so curious because i see and participate in conversations and interactions that seem to involve such opposing perspectives and such directed ideas that i wonder how often we are really understood. how often do we let ourselves surrender to hear and say not what we set out to hear and say but something more open and lucid. i think at times we walk around with such strong preconceptions that we might as well close our eyes and plug our ears because what we look for is always what we'll find. how important is it for us to really understand each other?

 i suppose that ebbs and flows depending on our stability and needs and the relationship in question. i want to be better at letting in not what i expect or require but what is happening at the moment, without a past or future. i recently saw a dance performance by merce cunningham & john cage, the utter unscripted liberation with which music and dance behaved was mind blowing. at that moment i saw a lesson...to unhinge the narrative from its structure and engage in immediacy. let chance prevail.

Torch Bearers

Its so easy to look to the past for those icons of manners, grace & femininity. Who do you think carries the torch these days?

 

Here's a few of my ideas of modern mannered ladies:

BHD (Big Hair Day)

  

 With all this humidity and rain lately I've been giving up my straight iron and trading it in for my natural volume & curl. With the help of 2 of my dearest friends, I have tools and oils to bring out my inner big hair and am really getting into rocking out some volume again. Its funny how many years of my life I spent trying to suppress my hairs natural beauty. One of the things I love most about aging is accepting and loving the things about myself I used to try to change. After all these years I finally love my big, wavy hair AND my freckles. Breakthrough. 

 My favorite new hair oil, made my the loveliest Lindsay Ameodo you can find here

and Miss Tali Lev Brown will work magic on your hair if you're ever in Orlando and need some hair lovin', this is her salon: here

How do you feel about big hair?

 

Singin' in the rain

Its raining outside. Not just a little drizzle but R-A-I-N. She even has a name, Andrea. She's a tropical storm throwing a fit all up and down the east coast. When I woke up this morning I was bummed. We've have a good little batch of sun up in NYC and I was getting hopeful. I wanted to have a run by the water and put on my newly tailored vintage dress and jaunt around the city today. But Mother Nature had other plans. And I have to say, I've come to love today's weather. I had an errand packed day followed by a root canal (joy) but instead of cringing about umbrellas and soggy bags and leaky shoes I found myself delighting in observing snazzy umbrellas (clear is my new favorite) and fabulous trenchcoats and boots. Looks like rain sometimes brings out the best in people. 

At least it always did for Gene Kelly:

Enjoy the rain!

Fresh Air & Deep Breaths

I just spent the most splendid few days away in the country. My man whisked me away for a magical & rejuvenating trip upstate. Its funny when you're in the frenetic momentum of the city, even though you know you're fried it often seems daunting to think of stepping away and quieting the mind. Lucky for me, I have a boyfriend who knows when its time to get out of the concrete jungle and knows how to plan a getaway (I'm still working on getting better at this).

Here's a little taste of our playground from the week:

Thank you

The art of a thank you note is the supreme mark of a well-mannered woman. Nothing in the world packs more punch than a hand written thank you. It doesn't need to be over thought. It can be 2-3 sentences (in fact, the best ones are). I must admit, I've kept every thank you note I've ever received. And I'm well aware of those who have never sent them. You can't email a thank you.  It is most effective on a lovely little card (embossed if you really want to go for it) here's a few ideas as well as a few legendary notes from some of well mannered women of the past:

from Smythson

you can find it here:  

and my other favorite...

you can find at my favorite stationary store in New York

Gratefully yours

I’ve always heard the best way to live a life of happiness is to meditate on the good stuff. Spending time concentrating on what you want more of in your life will bring back a bigger return than focusing on all the things you wish to edit out of your life. Occasionally I make a list and I love to engage others to pick their brain and help raise awareness of those little things that we’re grateful for every day. This is a wonderful exercise to try as often as possible and they don’t have to be big life altering huge things. Keep it simple.

So here’s my list for today, just to get the ball rolling.

 Today I’m grateful for:

1. Long walks to work
2. A calm day on set
3. Warm coffee with steamed milk
4. Comfortable shoes
5. Kind creative spirits

Happy Mondays

I talk to a lot of people in my line of work. In fact some days I talk so much that at the end of the day I don’t want to talk at all. And when I’m unwinding and thinking about the day and the conversations I’ve had I realize that often times I listen to people complain. And it got me thinking about the ways we humans communicate. I think more often than not we tend to bond on shared gossip & grievance. I’m no less guilty of this crime at times but I think things need to change. When is the last time you had a conversation with someone and exchanged nothing but niceties and pleasant observations? Spoke about a friend in common with praise rather than disdain? Gave an example of a wonderful experience you’ve just had or a difficult day that you grew from? I think its high time we all learned to do this. Let’s be honest, there’s enough stuff in this world to bring us all down to the ground if we let it. I think we need to spread some positivity & optimism. I think its irresponsible not to. We owe it to ourselves and each other, to the future and to the higher level of consciousness of which many of us aspire.

A well-mannered breakfast

In these bleak & frigid winter mornings the one thing that motivates me out of bed is a steaming cup of coffee and a warm breakfast treat. I’ve been feeling burned out on oats so lately I’ve been getting creative with quinoa. Since its technically a seed & not a grain its gluten free & packed with protein. Its also a perfect morning food and will put a pep in your morning step.
Here’s the basic recipe as well as some ideas for toppings & accessorizing:

Quinoa porridge:

1. 1/2 cup well rinsed quinoa
2. 1 cup almond milk
3. dash of sea salt
4. dash of cinammon
5. tsp. of coconut oil

Bring all ingredients to a boil with the lid on. Reduce to a low simmer for 15-20 minutes (keep lid on) and stir occasionally. Garnish with one or all of the ideas below & enjoy!
Toppings:

• Walnuts & almonds
• Diced apples or bananas
• Raisins/currants/cherries
• Flax seeds
• Honey, agave or maple syrup
• Greek yogurt
• Almond or peanut butter