Happy Earth Day!

 Have a nice Earth Day, especially important to those who love nature and want to see our environment improved and saved for future generations to enjoy.

May this day be food for thought......

April, 22..... Earth Day......

random thoughts about the “new” Fashion Blogland….. personal style and my new challenges….

My dear readers and blogging friends, so much time has passed since I last wrote that it feels a bit weird and I really don’t know where to start. But let’s just the mind flow…

I have been thinking daily of my blog and weekly I think of two or three topics that I could write about and then don’t. The longer I don’t write the more I feel a lot of pressure which then stops me from posting.

During my absence some “important” events have happened. I had my Birthday, now I’m a FOF – Fabulous over Fifty, can you imagine that….?

I have been very busy at work with three trips to other islands, each one of a week and also felling very tired and also have been sick.

Meanwhile I made “a journey through the desert” thinking about Fashion Blogland, how it was when I started blogging and how it is now, if I really wanted to stop blogging or if this somehow forced break was “just” a break.

Something is off now, I can feel it. People no longer blog because they have the desire to share their unique perspectives with the world. Every single fashion blog is starting to look the same. The most famous and visited are young fashionistas and big brands sponsored. And why is that?

It pains me to say this, but the vast majority of fashion blogs have become little more than glorified advertisements for online shops and products. Some bloggers are out there chasing sponsors, treating their blogs like a full-time job.

Me, well these days, I must admit, I never solicit advertising, but whenever I get an e-mail and feel like having a little extra cash in my pocket I don’t refuse. But it kind of distresses me that I have not learned to compete in this market.

However I don’t know if I care about it. I am not an entrepreneur, just a regular person with a savant-like fascination with fashion, who will never be able to afford some brands and that’s totally okay. But I can’t compete with that because it’s just not my field. The looks I create are for everyday, for a woman of my age that works and despite not having a strict dress code I have to look presentable. But I would like to diversify and step outside of my comfort zone. Because when I started to align with the mainstream I fell in a fashion route.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still interested in sharing my writing, my style and ultimately myself with the world. I’m still searching for my personal style. But I don’t want it to be just another Fashion Blog.

Because your personal style is your identity. As you create it, as you discover the things that enhance your view of the world and figure out how to bring them into your life, your personal style transforms into a autograph, something distinguishable as belonging to no one else but fabulous you. It’s your personal style amplified, flourished and complete.

Taking personal style into the signature territory is about a lot of things. Analyzing your life and understanding the many elements of it – from how you behave to what you wear, read, watch and eat – can give you more insight into who you are and what best describes your style. Do you have a signature scent? A signature lipstick? A signature film? Things that not only your friends recognize as being very “you”, but things that you instantly recognize as being favorites; deeply-important-to-you favorites.

As I’m challenging myself to cultivate my signature style, I’m also trying to change my posts form, keeping the content and I’ll invite you to make this path with me.

Hope to see you soon….

Namasté

For Japan With Love...

If you are a blogger, there will be a Day of Silence this coming Friday, March 18th . The aim is just raise awareness and respect and acknowledge the devastation going on in Japan.

This is part of “For Japan With Love”, a initiative of Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours that also have a fundraising page. ShelterBox is the organization that has handpicked to donate to.

Get involved and join this, for more information, follow the links.

Let’s pray for Japan!!!

We will be also praying for us!

Namasté

pink for a cause...

Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness

"No Car Day" in the city....

September 22 marks the “Car-Free Day” in many cities and towns of the world in a bid to encourage people to leave their cars at home and join the campaign “Space for People.”
In 2000 the event was established as a Europe-wide initiative by the European Commission.
On “No Car Day” there are special 'green zones' in hundreds of cities. These normally vehicle congested areas are open only to pedestrians, bicycles, and buses from 7am to 7pm.
My city is one that takes part of this event, with the most important streets closed to car traffic and lots of people walking in the middle of it.
That’s where I took these pictures…. At the middle of the city main street… (Well it wasn’t a very comfortable situation with everybody looking at me and wondering what I was doing, because they knew I wasn’t a tourist…. So I just laugh!!)

The temperature is slowly dropping and a blazer can be already precious during some periods of the day.
I guess Fall is really arriving….

brown shoes - Zara
kaki skirt - La Redoute
shirt - Pull and Bear
blazer - Acetato
perfume - YSL

Lady Gaga's meat dress...

We know she’s “l’enfant terrible”, but I think this time she lose it.

Lady Gaga’s hat, dress and boots, which is thought to have been real meat, although that has not been confirmed, was a touch outré

As a vegetarian I’m still in shock!!!!

Well she sure got attention, but does she need attention that bad?

behind Grateful Dead...

In 1965, Grateful Dead was initiated by Jerry Garcia in California. Before they decided their band to be named Grateful Dead, they named themselves “Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions” and “Warlocks.” Their recorded albums band most especially their tours, made them a popular rock band in music history.

Until now, many “Deadheads” or the Grateful Dead’s fans still enjoy listening to the band’s music and continue purchasing their albums and merchandise like Grateful Dead t-shirts. There has to be something about this group that catches music lovers’ attention. Here is a brief history of the great band, the Grateful Dead.

Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions

Grateful Dead had its beginning in 1964 with guitarist Jerry Garcia, drummer Bill Kreutzman, and guitarist Bob Weir. It was said that Garcia and Kreutzman met at a local music store and instantly became good friends. Weir, on the other hand, was Garcia’s friend and student while working at the same music store as a guitar teacher. Later on, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan for the keyboards and Phil Lesh for bass were invited to join the band that was first named as “Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions”, which Garcia initiated.

The Warlocks

The band’s type of music was so varied. They played just about any music genre during their time, including folk, rock. country, blues, bluegrass, reggae, jazz, and psychedelia. Almost every popular band in town went electric and soon they decided to go electric , too, as encouraged by Pigpen. With this transformation, they changed their band name to “The Warlocks” and hired Phil Lesh as their bassist. They had their first performance on May 1965 at Magoo’s Pizza in Menlo Park, California. The group later decided to change their name after Lesh found out that another band who had signed a recording contract also named themselves “The Warlocks.”

The Grateful Dead

Hence, the name “Grateful Dead” came to being, randomly taken from a dictionary. This term was described as “the soul of a person who died penniless, showing gratitude to a good Samaritan who arranged his burial as an act of charity.” The group performed many free concerts that gathered lots of fans.

The albums

Later on in 1966, they signed with MGM and recorded some demos, which unfortunately did not please the label, forcing them to drop the band off. In 1967, they signed up with Warner Brothers, and launched their first album. It was a failure, not being able to capture the spirit of their live performances. Later that year, the band decided to include in their line-up Mickey Hart as their second drummer and Tom Constanten as their second keyboard player to assist Pigpen who was having a severe drinking problem this time.

Their second album called “Anthem of the Sun” was launched in 1968 with success to the music scene, but was said to have left them over a hundred thousand debt to Warner Brothers. In a effort to raise money, they heeded the advice of many fans and recorded a “live” album, called “Live/Dead”. It was followed by other successful albums, entitled “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty,” which are said to be foundation of their many concerts that follow in the coming years. It reflected the band’s effervescent folk and country roots.

Even though the recent recorded studio albums proved to be successful, they decided to record another live album, which was self-titled, followed by “Europe ‘72.” More fans were attracted to their music and called themselves “Deadheads.” Later that year, the band ended their contract with Warner Brothers.

In 1973, the ailing Pigpen finally died of liver failure caused by alcohol abuse. The band hired Keith Godchaux and wife Donna for vocals to replace Pigpen. Later that year, they released another album called “Wake of the Flood,” which showed their jazz influence, followed by “Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel” in 1974. After that album, the group took a short hiatus to give members a chance to work on solo projects.

The band went touring again in 1976 and launched their album “Terrapin Station” under Clive Davis’ Arista Records. In late 1979, the group dismissed Keith and Donna Godchaux as Keith started using hard drugs and Donna often sang off-key during concerts. They hired Brent Mydland as their new keyboard player. In 1980 they released another album called ” Go to Heaven,” which was said to be a weak album. Although the band were less successful with their albums, they still proved to be popular with their tours during the 80s. It was also during these days that the band members started to go into drugs. Garcia was addicted to Heroin and his concert performances declined because of his drug abuse. In July 1986, he collapsed and had diabetic coma, but regained consciousness after a few days.

1987 was a great year for the group as they released their album “In the Dark”, with their hit single “Touche of Grey” reaching the Top Ten charts in the US. It was their first ever single to reach the US charts. Their videos became popular in MTV and the Deadheads suddenly grew in number. More and more fans flock to their concerts, but this time, the fans who used to be calm, were more active. More police encounters were also observed. During this time, the Dead were making lots of money with their tours and was labeled as one of the top money-makers in US. They even had a live album with Bob Dylan called “Dylan and the Dead.”

In 1989, the group recorded another studio album called “Built to Last,” following the death of Brent Mydland in 1990. He was replaced by Vince Welnick on keyboards. The Dead went around touring until the band breaks up in August 1992 when Garcia was diagnosed with exhaustion and enlarged heart. The group reunited in December of the same year and continued with their tours. The shocking news came on the 9th of August 1995, when Garcia was again found comatose, but this time without a pulse in a treatment facility in Marin County. With Garcia’s death, the rest of the members announced that they decided to just break up.

Despite the break up, the members have had several reunions with other musicians. Many of their classic live performances were also released. Even until now, many Grateful Dead fans continue to enjoy and listen their music and watch their videos.

Of shoots, stems, and leaves!

A Guest Post that came my way from Guestwriters.net trough Yellow Fire Marketing.

All images were chosen by me.

The Seeker

Of shoots, stems, and leaves!

Fashion from flowers and plants should come as no surprise to anyone. With the first signs of morality creeping in, man took the closest object that he could lay his hands on to cover himself. And, plants and flowers came to his rescue. Clothes made from plants and flowers have been in use for ages. Linen, which is made from plant fibers, was used to make clothes even in ancient Egypt. Cotton flower seeds have been used for making clothes since 5 BC.

If you think about it, almost all fashion depends on plants directly or indirectly. Some, like cotton and linen are obvious, whereas some like silk are not. (Silkworms, from which silk is made, eat only the leaves of mulberry tree, without which they cannot survive.)


Whether it is Project Runway (a reality show in which contestants were given the challenge to make clothes out of plants and flowers), or ‘ephemeral clothing’ made by Nicole Dextras, or even the eco-fashion line during the New York Fashion Week, some amazing fashion have come out of the green world. Dextras’ collection includes a party dress made up of yucca leaves, flowers, and thorns, and a cheerful waistcoat made up of laurel leaves, rosehips, and a mix of varieties of leaves and thorns.

If you had witnessed the green shows during the New York Fashion Week, you would know that organic clothing is not just a fad anymore, but it is here to stay. Samantha Pleet’s collection made from organic wool, Chinese mud silk, and recycled ultra suede carried home the message that ‘going green is cool’.

When a good message is screamed from a podium, it can fail to raise the desired effect. But the same message becomes an instant household mantra if you see your favorite stars saying it or wearing it. That is true of the eco-friendly clothes that many Hollywood stars were seen wearing during this year’s Oscars or even at the Grammy’s. Did you guess that Jason Mraz’s suit, at the Grammy’s, was made out of recycled goods? Even the U.N. is backing eco-friendly fashion, naming this year as the International Year of Biodiversity.

Not only clothes, but also accessories made from plants and flowers are hitting the market huge. ‘Symbiotic biomimicry’ is what Tara Booth Mooney called her fur stole. But this is one fur that the PETA would not object, as it is made from a thatch of living moss. If you are a shoe lover, and going green is on your agenda, you should consider getting a shoe designed by Carmel Walsh. She has designed a pair of heels from walnut wood, covered with sprouting barnacles of organic cotton, vegetable-tanned leather, linen, hemp, and cork.

Will a ring or knuckle jewelry made of Icelandic moss evoke the same feeling like gems on your fingers? ‘Growing jewelry’ as designed by Icelandic designer, Hafsteinn Juliusson, encases live green moss in silver. Just keep watering the moss for shining green vegetation throughout the year. If you are planning to commit yourself to your love, think different. Think green. Try pledging your love with Cbikoux’s tiny plant, covered within a glass-domed, ring.

With the green revolution entering every realm of the world, it’s no wonder that it’s making bold statements in the fashion industry too. So wake up and hold hands with the rest of the world by wearing green!

This issue, which I consider particularly significant, just brought to my mind the lovely Emilie Simon....

Fitness Myths by Jenny Evans*

All images were chosen by me

MYTHS AND FACTS

1. LONGER WORKOUTS AT A LOWER INTENSITY BURN MORE FAT.

Short and intense interval training sessions can improve whole body fat oxidation by 36% and may offer greater benefits than lengthy bouts of steady-state exercise. Interval training allows you to get more work done in the same amount of time because you can work at greater intensity levels than if you were doing steady state training. Your overall production (calories burned) will be greater despite the frequent breaks because you are able to work at a higher intensity. Interval training also improves your level of fitness very quickly, typically in a matter of just a few weeks, and this improvement in fitness allows you to perform more work and burn more calories during an exercise session.

2. I SHOULD WORKOUT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH SO MY BODY WILL BURN FAT.

You must put glucose (food) in the system before you exercise. If you are exercising with no glucose in the system, it sends your body into Emergency Mode. Emergency Mode = hold on to body fat for as long as possible because it is valuable energy and will be necessary to survive. Instead of fat, your body will break down muscle tissue and use that as energy. It does this for two major reasons:

1) Muscle is metabolically active tissue. For this reason it's viewed as costly when there is not enough energy coming in. Your body is "doing you a favor" by getting rid of really needy, high maintenance cells. Emergency Mode is all about energy conservation: Get rid of muscle, hold on to fat.

2) Losing muscle mass slows down your metabolism, which conserves energy. This is your body's goal when you are in Emergency Mode.If you are working out - or even physically active - and there is no glucose in the system, your primary fuel source is muscle, not fat. Get your body out of Emergency Mode by making sure to keep adequate glucose in the system by eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day.

3. IF I DON’T HAVE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO EXERCISE I SHOULD JUST SKIP IT BECAUSE I WON’T GET ANY BENEFIT.

Science has shown that you do not have to do long, continuous workouts to get benefit. Studies have taken two groups of exercisers and divided them in to '30 minutes of continuous exercise done in one session' and '30 minutes done in 3 bouts of 10 minutes each, spread throughout the day'. Guess which group got more benefit? The second group that spread out their three 10 minutes sessions reaped more benefit, and here's why: Every time you exercise, your metabolism increases. When you finish exercising, it takes a while for your metabolism to slow back down. This means free extra calories being burned! I like to think of this as the "Afterburner Effect". The group that did 30 consecutive minutes got only one "afterburner effect", whereas the second group got three!Another benefit to splitting up your workouts is that it may be more do-able from a time management perspective. Finding a big block of time can be very challenging, but finding 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes mid-day and 10 minutes in the evening definitely has possibilities. Instead of bagging a workout because you don't have 45 minutes or an hour, see how much you can accumulate throughout the day or week.

4. IF I STOP EXERCISING, ALL MY MUSCLE WILL TURN TO FAT.

Muscle cannot turn into fat. Molecularly the two are as different as oil and water. As you begin to exercise your muscle fibers hypertrophy (grow), causing your metabolism to increase. This increase in energy expenditure creates an energy deficit, and so your body uses stored energy from the fat cells causing them to shrink in size. When you stop exercising the muscle fibers atrophy (shrink), causing your metabolism to slow. This decrease in physical activity and energy expenditure coupled with eating the way you did when you were working out creates an energy surplus, which is stored in the fat cells and they grow larger. It is just a matter of taking up space, not turning into something else.

5. WORKING MY ABS ALL THE TIME WILL GET ME A SIX-PACK STOMACH.

Physical activity - including resistance training - will help reduce body fat, but not specifically or exclusively in the isolated muscle group being worked. Current theory shows that a reduction in calorie intake coupled with exercise results in fat reduction throughout the entire body, not in localized spots. You cannot “spot reduce” fat on specific areas of the body. Body fat decreases in an all over body sense - your body genetically decides where the fat goes to or comes from first and unfortunately you can’t control it. Reducing body fat is best accomplished through a combination of cardiovascular activity, resistance training, and a healthy diet.

6. I’M TOO OLD TO HAVE A FIRM STOMACH OR TONED LEGS.

Although studies indicate you may lose muscle mass as you become older, you can slow or even reverse the process through exercise. There is no reason why you cannot improve the strength, flexibility, and overall appearance of your body no matter how old you are. The old adage “Use it or lose it” applies here. Most people lose muscle mass because they stop exercising, not because they are old. They become sedentary. Depending on your present level of fitness, you can add muscle mass to some degree or another. You’re never too old to receive the health benefits of exercise and to look great!

If you are interested in more information about Jenny’s speaking engagements, you can visit:

www.powerhouseperformancecoaching.com/keynotes.html

*Jenny Evans

Stress/Exercise Physiologist & Founder of PowerHouse Performance Coaching

a picture is worth a thousand words…

I want to thank everyone that showed solidarity with the people of my Island who were affected by the forces of nature that left behind a trace of destruction. God bless you.

Namasté.

TO - 12/14 - on the Island not all is well…

Contrary to the bad weather that has done the next day and still is, Monday was a sunny, yet cold (for us, of course) day, as you can see by these pictures in which I’m wearing my warm Mango’s military style coat.

But on Thursday a catastrophe felt in the dawn, on our Island’s northern part, (far from me) because of the rain. Torrential downpours left people injured and houses severely damaged.
Houses were flooded and there are fears some may now collapse.
As a result, entire families have been left homeless.
The first downpour struck at 1:30AM and a second one - more violent - followed at 4:00AM, causing two rivers to flood.
People either fled or sought refuge on higher floors of their houses.
Cars were swept up to 0.5 km away and furniture floated away through the door while water levels within houses reached 2 meters.
The priority now is to clear the rubble for fear that the rain - which is still falling in abundance - may bring more surprises.

Time to Step Out to Fight Diabetes!

Hunter's wish...a cure for type 1 diabetes...walk video.

Watch "Hunter's Diabetes Story" video on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnJsm8vqLJs

Also check Hunter Sego steps out to fight Diabetes here.

Make some difference!!!!!