MJ Trim ... Hyman & Hendler

I love to shop for ribbons in NYC. It's so much fun. My two favorite places to visit are MJ Trim and Hyman & Hendler & Sons. MJ Trim has really fun novelty ribbons in stripes, plaids and patterns. They also carry a beautiful selection of floral jacquards like the green pictured above. Hyman & Hendler sells some of the finest and most beautiful ribbons in the world. It is a favorite ribbon shop of Martha Stewart. Both of these lovely shops have a limited quantity of their wares available online.

Norma's

One thing that is really fun about NYC is that you can have an elegant breakfast at 2:30 in the afternoon. This is a photo of Norma's in Le Parker Meridien Hotel. Yum! I had the mandarin orange french toast with candied macadamia nuts which was just heavenly. If you go to NYC, this is a really fun stop.

Pearl River...

If you happen to be dreaming of a Flourishing Happiness parasol, Pearl River is a fun place to visit, but you can also purchase quite a few of their products online here. It was really fun to see the store location and to visit China Town, which is only a few blocks away.

Beard Papa's Cream Puffs....

I don't even like cream puffs, but these are delish! And, they are available in San Francisco as well. This is a photo of The Upper West Side location from gothamist.com.

Another fabulous Jenni recommendation!

Takashimaya...

This is such a beautiful place that it seemed like everyone spoke in a whisper while we were there until something kind of funny happened. We were on the 6th floor in the amazing floral department and we were looking at some of the most beautiful flowers. Not a hanging leaf did they show, every flower was a perfect example. As we turned from the perfect and amazingly large white orchids to look at these fluffy and beautifully round somethings that resembled.. what??? Tumble weed! No, said a lady from Kansas, it can't be! So, we asked the clerk. Tumble weed indeed it was! Lesson: Don't judge things when they have been rolling around in the dirt, they are quite lovely in water and a crystal vase!

The Riot Relief Fund... A Great Cause!

The Riot Relief Fund annual luncheon is the main reason that I traveled to NYC. My friend Peter is President of the Trustees of the Riot Relief Fund. This organization was founded after the New York City draft riots of 1863 in an effort to help the families of fallen police officers who died in the line of duty. The fund has been praised by The New York Times and many others for its efficiency and lack of red tape... it's ability to move very quickly to help the families of officers and now fire fighters as well.

Learn about the Riot Relief Fund here.

Donations are never solicited, but they are very welcome.

Xanadu Broadway Revival...

This musical is a spoof on the original film with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John and it is so much fun! I loved it!

You have ta baLEVE we are MaGIC.. nothing can stand in our way.... very fun!

Correction: Thank you annonymous. Michael Beck played Sonny Malone in the film Xanadu which has some other interesting fact to it. Olivia Newton John fractured her coccyx while filming the Suddenly dance sequence.

The film has been nominated for lots of Razzie awards, and although I agree that it's terrible, the writing is terrible, some of the costumes are terrible, but it's terrible in a really fun way. I like it. :)

The Buttercup Bake Shop Cook Book...

This is the lovliest little bakery. I just adored it. I just returned last night from NYC and this is one of the places that Jenni recommended (she planned my trip). I had the most marvelous time, and eating a German Chocolate Cupcake here was one of the many fun highlights of my very quick trip to New York. See The Buttercup Bake Shop site here. Jenni also recommended that we visit The Fairway Market, which was amazing. Inside there is a tiny, but delightful bakery where you can buy many lovely things, but I purchased a pecan pie square that has to be one of the most delicious treats I've ever tasted. We also visited Zabar's on The Upper West Side famous for their black and white cookies.. and much, much more.

Douglas Cuddle Toys...

Douglas Toys is a company that I admire. Based in New Hampshire, these stuffed animals are made very well, priced very reasonably, soft and cute and get this moms...... drum roll... all of them that I have ever purchased are MACHINE WASHABLE... NOT SURFACE WASHABLE... MACHINE! Hooray! Check them out sometime.

Sun Valley...

Just one of my favorite places in the whole world... I had a great trip, but I'm leaving again tomorrow for a short jaunt which I will tell you about when I'm officially home on Friday.

Cassidy Clark...

This is a great site to visit if you live in California especially and want to have a child's room painted or if you need any other kinds of large scale custom art work.... Cassidy seems to be able to do about anything.. from fun, silly children's rooms to very sophisticated and elegant faux painting. See her site here.

Funny... or just sad and Scary..

read it here.

Bluebird of Happiness Earrings...

Now in

the shop..

Mrs. Dalloway...

"She had the perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very dangerous to live even one day." Virginia Woolf... from Mrs. Dalloway

This is one of the most beautiful novels I have read. It's a classic because Mrs. Woolf is able to express in clear language the agony and the ecstasy of life from suicide and depression caused by the inhumanity of man, little annoyances, slight inconveniences and differences of temperament to the total rapture of music and sunsets and flowers. Reading this book is an experience in the polarities of life and empathy. Empathy because you are able to see into the hearts of Clarissa, Peter, Richard, Elizabeth, Septimus and others. You see the bad and the good and love them as they struggle.

There is a thread throughout woven of lilies and roses. There is a hope that beauty will bring love, healing and peace. I loved this quote from the thoughts of Septimus before his suicide, "He had only to open his eyes; but a weight was on them; a fear. He strained; he pushed; he looked; he saw Regent's Park before him. Long streamers of sunlight fawned at his feet. The trees waved, brandished. We welcome, the world seemed to say; we accept; we create. Beauty, the world seemed to say. And, as if to prove it (scientifically) wherever he looked at the houses, at the railing, at the antelopes stretching over the palings, beauty sprang instantly. To watch a leaf quivering in the rush of air was an exquisite joy. Up in the sky swallows swooping, swerving, flinging themselves in and out, round and round yet always in perfect control as if elastics held them... the sun spotting now this leaf, now that... dazzling it with soft gold in pure good temper... beauty was the truth now; beauty was everywhere."

There is so much to say about this book. It would be make a great book club discussion. I hope you have the chance to read it some time. :)

Take This Fun Test...

I sometimes get strange e-mails from my dad's family.... photos of the most ginormous alligator in the world.. stuff like the. But, the other day my uncle sent a link to this American Civics test. So, yesterday I took the test for fun; weird, I know. There are sixty questions and it took me about 10 minutes to take the test. It was really fun just to take a test to see what you know without any real pressure. I don't think I've ever done that before. Anyway, I scored 78.3% keeping my c+ average going strong and teaching me that I have a lot more reading I need to do. C scored 91%! He has one of those brains where you really learn things and never forget them. It's often helpful to have an encyclopedia around. Anyway, take the civics test here and see how you do. If you can beat C's 91% (no cheating :) I'll send you a free bookmark. Have fun!

Killer Bees Hockey...

Do these Buzzzers look killer to you? I really enjoyed making these boxes for some fans of

Killer Bees Hockey.

Who knew Hockey was big clear down there in Texas?

I hope the Bees have a killer season!

Empathy...

"Empathy is at the heart of the novel." from Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

I love to read a book that opens my mind to a different view point, to another culture and history as this book does. I don't know how people can survive under a government like this one; a government that can call you subversive for a wisp of hair, a smidge of lipstick, pink socks and nail polish. Nafisi wonders how strong can a government/religion be that can be undone by such trivialities... and, yet it persists.

I think that peoples of the world can never be free until they understand the concept "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" means the person who disagrees with you is also entitled to those things. So often in the Middle East we see one blood thirsty regime replace another always making the first one pay an eye for an eye for his crimes. So many places in the world need a Lincoln who will plead for peace and for forgiveness and for charity above all.

Having lived under these regimes, those that want to plan every minutia of how a person lives, breathes, stands, talks, dresses and even thinks a person may come to fear liberty, "the ordeal of freedom" as Nafisi puts it. "It's frightening to be free to have to take responsibility for your decisions." Yes, it is.

And, like Nafisi, "the persistent lack of kindness was what frightens me most." I think that is also what frightens me most here in America as well. And, I really believe that kindness is the remedy. To be kind and to show love for another maybe the greatest form of civil disobedience.

And yet, Nafisi laments, "How can you experience love if its expression is illegal?" I do not have the answer. May Allah bless the people of Iran that they may find love, liberty and peace.

Thanks Sarah! I just loved this book.

Little c's gift...

Little c made this tiny (2inches by 4 inches) stuffie for our new great niece

Bailee Marie. I want one now.

Peace Roses in the Morning..

I Am David...

This is one of those films that makes me feel so out of the loop. I hadn't even heard of it, my dad just had it at at the house. This is such a beautiful film, really beautiful and it has such an important message. I don't want to spoil the story, so if you haven't just watch it. I am going to get a copy of the book because I would just love to read it after seeing this. Also, this film has many of the same ideas as James Michener's book Bridge At Andau, which is a must read in my opinion.