November Lovelies/ December Delights

Learning to go with the flow... and dance in the rain more often.

Experimenting with mixed media with a warm cafe au lait.

Celebrating the last bits of fig season by
throwing them in a bed of arugula, basalmic, and goat chevre.

Savoring a Sunday morning at the Menil and pondering
about Madame de Menil and her fantastic vision for her community

Savoring my recent travels to California
and planning my 2013 travel schedule

Realizing how precious your free time is
when work projects start piling up

St. Arnold's + Sean of the Dead + avec Ai Wei Wei et mon petit copain

Rockets 5K Run + Meeting Clyde Drexler and Robert Horry
+ Getting a complimentary upgrade to the lower bowl =
Pretty much all signs I need to watch the Rockets more closely this season

Sprint training = Apparently the easiest way to run faster
is actually going out and running faster (Go figure! ha!)

Going to the Houston Dairymaids as part of mon petit copain's
birthday week (Happy Birthday, JT)

Fall boots and art deco details at the esperson

Re-learning how to square dance and handing out drinks
Casa de Esperanza's Birthday Bash

For this month's entry, I really tried to whittle this down to ten images, but I just could not. My heart is full and my life is overflowing with so many snapshots of beauty lately. I suppose, it's just a testament to the meaning of "limitless grace."

Slowing down long enough to realize that life is full of things to be grateful for (especially in November with Thanksgiving). What does slowing down mean to you?

For me, it's reading a book with a nice scone and a cup of tea in a cafe, putting my phone down and actually eating my lunch away from my desk, going for a walk (even if it's just for 15 minutes while I listen to my Pandora stations), scheduling time to do volunteer work for a couple of hours, or just taking the time to patiently listen to someone you care about. In order to fully be present in life, we need to slow down.

And sometimes, life doesn't ask us to slow down. So, you may have to carefully research, plan, and curate the projects, opportunities, and adventures you have in your life at the moment. In the end, we can only control our personal choices - all the other things that happen are beyond our control. It's been a pretty humbling lesson for me lately, and I'm sure this lesson is still unfolding.

November Lovelies
1. French: super awkward lately due to lack of time (vacation, holiday and work schedule); listened to French music and Coffee Break French; attended French mass and practiced my conversation skills with church goers. Ugh... if you want to learn a new language, you can not be shy or embarrassed about your skill level. Would like to work on my French poems more.

2. Art: been going well - 42 pages of sketches and mixed media in my journal; Artist date at the Menil; Carved out time to do my art journal exercises; I was very motivated by the trip to SFO and Gala Darling. I will try to incorporate my French into my art. Also hosted a craft party at 13 Celsius.


3. Training: pretty good - PR'd on the Rockets 5K with bonus of meeting members of the Dream Team and going to a game; 4-6 sprint sessions; 2-4 swimming and weight training sessions; more doses of yoga; and a sprinkling of zumba and walks; Ran a very slow and sweaty Turkey Trot 10K- but nevertheless, I showed up. :)


4. Travel: Booked the Shiner, Texas trip for December.


5. Work projects: BKO + MMM - done and done

6. Books: Halfway done with Tony Hseih's book and just started Anna K


7. Spiritual: examining what gratitude really means, thanksgiving with my family; mass at St. Basil's and artist dates (menil, kuhl-linscomb, path of tea, black hole)

8. Volunteer work/ Community: Casa de Esperanza Birthday party and holiday HAWC event raising money for the client store

9. Slowing Down: Indulging in self-care; Napping; Hot baths and even more napping

December Delightful Dreams
1. French: Complete fall classes. Start researching Paris & invest in my 2013 travel savings account.

2.  Art: Continue with the musings of Gala Darling and online art class. Carve in more time for art journal sessions and begin to ponder about 2013 intentions.

3. Training: Half Marathon

4. Travel: Exploring Shiner and the environs. Looking forward to a long weekend.

5. Work projects: Close out 2012 (hooray!)

6. Books: Finish Tony's book and continue Anna K

7. Spiritual: Advent; Christmas; more time with family and loved ones; More artist's dates the menil and perhaps the sculture garden.

8. Volunteer work/ Community: Open to any new opportunities

9. Slowing Down: I am looking forward to some days off; Hanging out with Remy and Nelie and my siblings

Oh... how wonderFALL...

If you are gonna run a 10K race, may as well wear some sassy argyle socks.

Indulging in tweed, leopard print, and nails by Miss Sally Hansen

Trying to find a cool and hip travel book is challenging

Inspired by bright colors and whimsical shapes and lines

Collecting sand dollars on the beach after a sunrise run through Golden Gate Park

Falling in love with the French language

Sampling treats at a caterer's tasting - one of the most interesting aspects of event planning

Sipping sangria on date nights with mon petit ami Jacob

Packing up my favorite things and going on vacation

Working in my art journal, traveling, and dreaming

How is your fall so far?
This time between Labor Day and the holidays has been really good for me. It's almost hard to believe that Halloween is almost here. So, I've decided to do a mini check-in to see where I am on my fall dreams and reflect on some highlights thus far:

Fall 2012 Dreams - Progress Report

1) Twelve weeks of French class - Completed 4 weeks thus far
and started listening to French pop rock/ Wrote my first French story which was
edited by the Prince of Togo

2) Art journal sessions - Finished one notebook, currently taking an online class

3) Two 10K races and a half marathon - Completed one 10K, will be doing a 15K this weekend

4) Fall season of events at work - Completed Christofle event, Planning MMM @ ROCC

5) Yoga classes - 13 classes in September/October thus far

6) Fall travel: Austin and San Francisco - Completed/ both trips provided some much needed relaxing, restoring, and renewing of my spirit

7) More reading - Completed 168 Hours/ Just started Tony Hseih's book and discovered the creative and thought provoking musings of the Oprah Magazine and the Bible

8) More spirituality in my daily life: church, meditation, and prayer - Started doing more morning sessions/ Beautiful mass at the Chapel of St. Basil/ Wonderful visit to Mission Delores

May all your fall dreams unfold and flourish.

What do you dream about this fall?

I'd love to hear from other people about their fall projects and dreams. I'm always inspired by positive and adventurous people who make beautiful and amazing things happen for themselves and others.

I Dream of Travel

San Francisco (photo courtesy of pixelmama - flickr.com)

I keep a "bucket list" of sorts. And one item I have on there is travel internationally (or at the very least just go out of town SOMEWHERE) once a year. The international requirement didn't come until I was assigned to go on a trip to Europe for work. And while I was busy traveling throughout the US for my job, I didn't even have a current passport at the time because I never left the country. At the time, I was a little concerned about not being at my job for a week. But, once you have enough vacation days and are finally out of town, you can get over that pretty quickly especially when you are being bussed around to various wineries, cooking classes, and museums throughout Italy. And having a daily dose of gelato can do wonders for your soul.

In the middle of this trip, I met so many Americans who were retired and not physically able to walk up the many steps it takes to get around some of the busy streets in Florence and Siena. These were hard working people who saved up, spent a lot of time on their careers, and were finally taking a break at the age of 65. It made me a little sad. And I recall one older woman warning me, "Don't wait until your old like me to go on vacations."

I got bitten by the travel bug after that. After that one work trip, the thought of leaving town brought joy to my soul. I visited a tiny beach town where my parents grew up in the Philippines, and zip-lined through a rainforest in Costa Rica. I drew sketches inside Casa Battlo in Barcelona, and I forced myself to learn Spanish on CD so I would at least know how to ask for directions. I walked along the River Thames and  spent hours at the Tate. I pretty much lost my damn mind and for the first time racked up airline miles that were not related to work travel. It was pretty amazing.

And, I think the best way to cure post-travel blues, is just to plan another trip somewhere. anywhere... I just love the thought of carrying my favorite belongings in one suitcase - my art supplies, a good book, and my iPhone. I love researching various places to visit especially anything related to cooking, drawing, and running. And solo trips are surprisingly fun too - you get to set your own itinerary, speak a foreign language without any of your friends making fun of you, and go back to the hotel and take a nap whenever you like. It can be a pretty indulgent experience. 

So if you are thinking about vacationing or it's something that you really love doing... save up your cash. Seriously examine how much money you spend on booze and food and Starbucks... It's usually where you can find enough cash towards investing on a ticket somewhere...anywhere....

Goodbye Summer and Hello Fall

Quiet times reading

Sips of sangria

Making delicious salads

Running on the trails. Going to spin class. And swimming in the pool.

Picking blueberries and enjoying many delicious smoothies.

Summer showers paired with evenings
of Netflix and take-out Chinese

Sharpening my sushi making skills.

Hot and sweaty yoga sessions

Planning with my journal

It's a bit hard for me to believe that the summer months are over! (Where the heck did all the time go?) The summer for me was filled with periods of rest and relaxation and periods of busy days plugging away at the office. One moment, I was enjoying half day Fridays, floating down a river and eating BBQ with friends. And the next moment, I was running around town diligently trying to plan a fundraising gala. It was definitely enough to make my head spin from the highs and the lows.

While the event I worked on was a success, I certainly do appreciate the time I had over the past few days to get rested, renewed and restored. Twelve hour days, working late nights, and waking up at 5am to do my workouts... I was burning a candle at both ends.

I'm thankful for the time to indulge in new fall projects.
1) Twelve weeks of French class
2) Art journal sessions
3) Two 10K races and a half marathon
4) Fall season of events at work
5) Yoga classes
6) Fall travel: Austin & San Francisco
7) More reading
8) More spirituality in my daily life: church, meditation, and prayer

What makes summer JOYful?

An afternoon reading books with the AC on full blast and a glass of sparkling water.

Meals with good friends - from venturing out for Houston Restaurant Weeks
to testing out a friend's new tomato sauce recipe.

Gearing up for back to school. Supporting and encouraging the teachers in our lives.
Helping mon petit ami get his classroom ready.

Carving out time for our creative indulgences from painting pottery with friends
to experimenting with watercolor crayons.

Diving in to work. Taking on new professional challenges.

Completing my fifth triathlon. Trying out a new weightlifting class.
Learning new dance moves at zumba.

Getting a little cray cray with the peeps.

Throwing on some wildly colorful moccasins because I can.

Gelato - especially the salted caramel flavor.

February Highlights and March Dreams

WOW... it's been a while since my last update. I've been busy slogging away in career mode, and it's time to take a breather and delight in what's been happening and what I can look forward to.
I hope that as spring (and daylight savings) comes around the corner, I hope that you are inspired by possibility, afternoons outdoors, and connecting with others.

February Highlights

Participated in the Fashion Police

Partnered with a pal as we staged a clothing intervention. Change of seasons is a great reason to declutter and update your wardrobe, closet, or desk. We celebrated afterwards by relaxing on a patio and enjoying some margaritas. (a great reward for spending hours flipping through menswear)

Got creative in kitchen again!
There's some amazing things you can do with red cabbage, leftover rotisserie chicken, onions, walnuts, and blue cheese. nom...nom...nom... Also made a vegetarian lasagna with spinach and pesto.

Playtime with Loved Ones
Sprinkled in some fun at a friend's birthday. Nothing says awesome like a fake mustache! Had a great Valentine's celebration with mon petit ami - foot reflexology, sushi, and an outing to the movies!

March Dreams

Carve in Time for Daydreaming and Cafe au Laits
Instead of being jealous of those people who hang out in coffee shops while you run around ragged trying to grab a cup to-go, carve out an hour to yourself. daydream. write. think about your next summertime vacation. and just relax. If you can't beat them, join them.

Challenge yourself.
Over the last few months, I've been constantly pushed to take a leap personally and professionally. I've been presented with new possibilities and I will continue to take the leap towards learning new things, changing old patterns, and simply allowing myself to grow.

21 Days of Yoga - on and off the mat
After a hiatus from yoga, I've been trying to sneak in doses of it back into my life. I like how yoga can challenge and stretch me and I think it will give me the strength to do the same for me outside of the studio. I'm trying my best to adhere to 21 days straight of yoga. Cheers to health, spirituality, and making my health a priority once again.

January Lovelies

Howdy, and happy new year's, ya'll! I have so much to share and update...(Patience my dears: look for entries on trip to Togo, 2011 highlights, and 2012 dreams coming up soon!)

I'd like to share a quick note on some lovely things I have been indulging in lately.

1. Pinterest: OMG! Envision idea/dream/vision boards in a digital world. It's a very creative and efficient way to organize your ideas. You can have a variety of themes. My favorites right now are: "inspired vacations" and "my sassy style." Warning: this can become quite addictive. Use in little doses like during coffee breaks.


2. Healthy Eatz: January is always that post indulgence month. So alas, we are back to eating our veggies and savoring the lean proteins. It's been fun trying to create some tasty delicious dishes that are good for you. I made two kinds of shrimp over the weekend: hoisin and honey glazed and baked breaded shrimp. No frying done here. Nope not even the potato wedges... It's funny how enduring a tough workout can diminish crazy cravings.

3. Career Exploration: Perhaps it's the new year, but this has been a huge question for me over the last couple of years. Am I where I need to be? Am I where I want to be? I have a feeling 2012 will unfold a lot of answers to these questions. Stay tuned.

4. Savoring the weather. The weather has been kinda wacky lately. But it's been nice to be able to go outside, walk, run, and enjoy the greenery. One of my favorite things to do is go for a meditative walk and take pics with the hipstamatic. Indulge in some free time and wander around a bit. It's quite lovely.



5. It's time to not only get back to healthy eating, but healthy activities. I've been going back to my mat and my practice. January is a good month to get back into it. And, slowly but surely I'm getting back into my running habit.

2012 here we go!