It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times

This was an interesting week for me. I made a couple of mini-power moves that I'm proud of. Getting a little closer to a much larger goal I have. And I'm still high on the fact that Barack Obama is my president and that he and his beautiful family are living in the White House. I really am. But I realize that, as Q so eloquently pointed out in her recent blog post, the work has only just begun. Which leads me to the down side of this week. I found out that 7 people I know were laid off from their jobs. SEVEN. That is bananas. And then someone very near and dear to me received some unfortunate news about their health. What a week it was.

I also found out that one of my fave mags is folding as of their March 2009 issue. Now, I'll admit that I never had a subscription to Domino (it's been on my to-do list for about a year though) and I didn't even buy it that regularly. But whenever I did, something in it put a smile on my face. And I will miss it. The last page of every issue of this cool shelter mag listed the ten things that made some hip mover and shaker happy. One of my favorites was when VIBE magazine EIC Danyel Smith was profiled. (She's a fan of lemon water, too.) So, in honor of the soon-to-be defunct Domino, I decided to post my personal list. I might not be a hip mover and shaker to Conde Nast, but I really dig this stuff and think you will too.

Oh and before I start, the point of this post is to remind us all that despite what craziness is going on in our lives, there is always something to be happy about. ALWAYS. My father often used to tell my brother and I this (probably after we complained about not having some silly toy): I used to complain about not having new shoes until I met a man with no feet. Now that didn't mean very much to my adolescent ears at the time, but like so much of the wisdom my father bestowed upon me as I child, I am very appreciative of those words now.

Without further ado, here are 10 Things (And People and Places) That Make Me Happy (in no particular order). Recession and all.

1 - Smythson of Bond Street Stiletto Note Cards
I've blogged about these before. But I had to include them because they're just that fly. Writing and sending handwritten notes in this digital age is refreshing. And the red high heels are sexy (but tasteful). I save my pennies for these because I think they're worth it and they've become a trademark of mine.


2 - This is the first piece of "adult" furniture I purchased for myself and I'm quite proud of it. Still. There's nothing like the first, right? I like to sit on it and write in my journals or read the Style section of the New York Times on Sunday. And I got it at Macy's! Don't sleep on their furniture.


3 - Taking a shower in the dark with just the light of a scented candle is heavenly. It really is something to write home about I tell you. I like to pretend I'm back at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami when I do this, by far my best spa experience.(If your bathroom is large, you might need a couple of candles.)

4 - Drinking out of my purple martini glasses is always a quick pick-me-upper. I'm not a big drinker but my good friend Tamara gave me the glasses so they're quite special to me. I usually drink iced tea or cranberry juice out of them. I found these similiar ones at amazon.com

5 - Dancing in front of the mirror in my living room. This is one of my guilty pleasures. It has helped me get over everything from drama at work to a broken heart. I turn up the tunes in my apartment as loud as my neighbors can stand it and dance my little heart out in front of this huge mirror behind my couch. The best things in life really are free.

6 - Playing hand games with my 6 and 8 year old nieces fills my heart like nothing else in this world. "East, west, I met my friend at the candy store, she bought me ice cream she bought me cake..." Let's do it again, Auntie B! They get such a kick out of it and so do I.

7 - Getting together with my family, eating food and talking ish about everything under the sun. The last time this happen was Christmas. I love my family and we have so many great memories and I look forward to creating new ones. It doesn't take a lot of money for us to have a good time together. I used to take this for granted but now I know how blessed I am to have them.

8 - One of my favorite things to do in NYC is eating at Fred's. Located in Barneys New York (the flagship store on Madison), one would think it is stuffy but it isn't. I like to sneak in there by myself from time to time to eat and people watch after window-shopping. I never spend more than twenty-five bucks on my meal either.

9 - Kai Perfume Oil
I've blogged about Kai before too. I guess I'm pretty brand loyal, huh? Kai has a sweet and light scent that I love. It's an oil and not alcohol based like so many popular fragances. I can't really stomach the smell of alcohol in perfumes.


10 - Over the last couple of years, I've become a huge fan of dresses. They are such a no-brainer. My all-time favorite dress is a Levi's denim number I picked up in Chicago over seven years ago. (And I'm still rocking it.) I always receive loads of compliments on it but even if I didn't, I love it because of the unique details (it's longer in the front than it is in the back) and it is a rare item that looks just as good with kicks like my Air Riffs as it does with shoes. (This pic is so not doing my dress justice.)


What people, places and things make you happy?