As I recently mentioned, I’ve been doing some major rearranging in my apartment.  My new living room is really coming together and I am loving spending time in here.  It is so full of light, has tons of plants (including these adorable succulents I repotted and put on my window sills) and has a desk set-up I actually use.  I want to invest in a large photo to go over the couch and a small little rug for under my desk but other than that I’m feeling super settled in this new set-up.

Since I moved to Los Angeles I may have mentioned that I am in love with my plants. If I didn’t – I am. We have been through some ups and downs with the extreme heat regarding my herbs, but everything else has done so well.

I always thought that bangs were out for me considering I saw how my sister’s hair looked in 2nd grade. It seemed that curly hair + bangs = chaos. I have been proven wrong as I have noticed more and more of my curly haired sistas have been rocking the fringe.

I’ve been endlessly scrolling through pictures of fringe clothing, fringe boots, fringe jewelry, fringe curtains…but nothing is popping out to me and all I can hear is Billy Crystal’s voice in my head screaming, “Six years later you find yourself singing ‘Surrey With the Fringe on Top’ in front of Ira!” Man, this movie never disappoints.

Tomorrow our little brother is getting married. It is hard to not to feel a bit nostalgic and all these memories keep popping into my head of when we were little. After school we used to watch all these shows like The Mickey Mouse Club and Kids Incorporated. Here is just a quick reminder at how weird the 90’s were. Happy Wedding Teds, its been a pleasure being your older sister.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc88Uxhq4ug] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnsHpPNltBw]

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I always love being back in Cleveland in the summertime but being home for our little brother’s wedding has been extra special.  The wedding is at our house so this past week has been full of activity and preparations.  Can’t wait to share photos of the celebration to come.

I have had so many of my closest friends (including these two favorites) and family move out of New York in the past couple of years. It’s a funny thing because life just keeps moving at such a fast pace in this city that I look like pictures like this one, taken five years ago, and it feels like such a recent memory.  Just three friends, dressed up and barefoot, laughing in a bubble.

This past Christmas, we had a homemade gift exchange. I have never considered myself crafty, but these silhouettes were totally do-able.

Here is how I made them.

Oh, sunshine!  What more could we ask for?!  You make me want to sing and dance.

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I was reading this crazy article about the benefits of sunlight that I wanted to share. Here are some of the things that stuck out to me:

Sunlight kills bad bacteria

Sunlight builds the immune system

 Sunlight increases oxygen content in human blood

And, it also enhances the body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to the tissues; very similar to the effects of exercise. The sun has a great effect on stamina, fitness and muscular development.

For the whole interesting article, check it out here.

When I first started at my new job, my teammates went around the table and shared a goal they had for the summer. Not only was I thrilled to be at my new job, but I was so inspired by this exercise. I was enjoying hearing what people had to say and then it was time for me to answer. I knew there was going to be a lot on my plate this summer. Two very special weddings, two very special bachelorette parties, a very special birthday and a lot of visitors. It was hard not to feel bogged down about all that I had to do. So, I made it my goal for this summer to remember that all these very special things that were happening were just that – special. I have put all my focus this summer on enjoying and celebrating all the good things and not letting myself get overwhelmed by the details. I gotta tell you, it feels good.

Over the past few weeks, I have been prioritizing downtime and health. I still have ample room for improvement but I’m hoping that in creating time for stillness, I will be more present in the way I address the other priories in my life. Forever a work in progress…

This weekend we are celebrating Albert’s 30th birthday in style. With family, friends, great food, swimming, dancing, laughing and smiling. Have a great weekend!

I have never been a morning person and the thought of coffee has for many years been my biggest motivator for getting out of bed.  At the suggestion of the holistic practitioner I saw last week, I have been drinking a glass of water with a half of lemon every morning.  I can’t believe how much I look forward to this simple drink.  It is so refreshing and hydrating, which has been especially appreciated on these hot, muggy June mornings.

I am a morning person. Always have been. Although I don’t always wake up whistling or dancing, I achieve a lot of things in the morning. One important part of my life is my morning routine. Nothing keeps you on your life path like a solid morning routine. It goes a little something like this.

Hot Lemon Water

Time to chill

Meditate

Smoothie

These are the things that start my body, my mind and my day on the right track. I just love my morning times!

Those who know me, know that I am a huge fan of sleeping. I went to this fantastic holistic practitioner earlier this week and ever since I have been feeling incredibly in-tune with what my body is asking me for. Sleep/rest/slowing down are definitely up there!  For any of you who live in New York, I would love to tell you more about this woman/experience.  It was super powerful and I would recommend her to anyone.

(Image found here)

I gotta say – life is pretty fantastic right now. I am loving LA. I just got a new job that I love. My little brother and his fiance live down the street. I am healthy. There are so many things and people to celebrate. I am safe. All areas in my life are covered and full of positivity. I just wanted to take a moment and acknowledge that things are pretty fantastic right now.