Drusti's place in the "internets" space :-)

Well, can't believe it is mid week already......another 4 day holiday coming up!!! We have MLK and Inauguration Day off!!.....hmmm, what to do, what to do?!...

So much I want to do in four days...LOL

Well, one thing for sure...I have added one more thing to my New Year's Resolution ( this one takes a little "me" time and thought) :

**** Find a cause that I am passionate about and can volunteer for.

So, far I have narrowed it down to either Make a Wish Foundation, a Nonprofit that fights Poverty and Hunger  OR an Animal Welfare League for abandoned/ abused pets (thats helps rehabilitate them to be adoptable) .....( P.S.:  I botched the idea of volunteering at the zoo--After speaking to my cousin and....."pondering" the different scenarios of volunteering to help, feed and clean within the zoo enclosures.....I think I will leave that for the biologists ...err, and people that want to make a career in that field.) ....Plus, knowing me, I would probably try petting the animals and get eaten by the lions or tigers .. or something (yes, I realize these emoticons do not look like lions or tigers, but it's all I could find).......  

LOL, ..OK, that was my dark sense of humor coming out!

 

Anyway, back to what I was saying....I was reading an article in the paper the other day....The individuals they interviewed all said volunteering impacted their life in a profound and great way. I think that is true. When you help another person or an unwanted pet you are still making A life better..and making yourself feel better at the same time.....What volunteering really requires is dedication, flexibility and passion for the cause....so on this topic...to be continued!

Au Revoir!....

 

 

 

 

It is the New Year 2009!!....Scott and I went to Miami, Fl. for New Year's Eve long weekend!! ...really, it was because Va.Tech was playing the Bowl game but it turned out to be more of a vacation than a football frenzied weekend (lol)........Miami was so much fun! I am going to post pictures for the trip soon...... We flew out New Year's Eve and brought the New Year in style at our hotel!....we could not beat the view and the weather was Amazing! .......The next morning we got up bright and early to walk around SoBe area. Our cab dropped us off at Lincoln Road. Can I say, Wow!...store after store....restaurant after restaurant...we had to do our research before deciding on one ...which was entertaining in itself......I mean we can only eat so much! ....Our eyes are Always bigger than our stomachs! ...We found a great little lunch place called Pasha's on Lincoln Road ( http://www.usmenuguide.com/pashas.htm ). It really did not look like much but the food was great, surprisingly! ...(Honestly, I wanted to go there b/c it looked healthy..lol -- and it was!) ....South Beach is interesting...I would consider it having alot of  Euro/French/Spanish influences ....it makes for a laid back, friendly, atmosphere that anyone would love........Ok,later, we made our way to Espanol Way. The road is VERY cute, colorful and romantic. The streets are lined with quaint restaurants that are pleasing to the eyes. They are not pretentious or snobbish in any way considering the quality of food and drink they serve! We stopped to have a late snack at Cafe Nuvo ( http://www.cafenuvo.com/ ) ....my cousins actually recommended it ...so I knew it had to be good . I think Cafe Nuvo is a more Euro/Spanish cafe....So chic and comfortable at the same time..and their homemade Sangria tasted "muy bien!" ....the sun was shining, music pleasing...Scott and I thought it could not get better than this!.....I am convinced people are happier in a tropical  environment! ....We walked around the art deco ( Tribeca) district afterwords. It was not only full of bright, vibrant colors ....but, I would say it was full or colorful people and characters.....you never get tired of people watching here....We passed by so many wonderful hotels...old hotel, new hotels, and residences on one row ...it makes for an eclectic and interesting stroll on the beach.....We stopped and took pictures in front of Versace residence...Surprisingly, it looked much smaller (from the outside structure)...Of course, we made our way back to watch Va.Tech play the Bowl Game...Which they WON!...Scott was very Happy!!....

One evening we had dinner at Hosteria Romana ( http://hosteriaromana.com/index2.htm ) on South Beach. The food and desert was Very Good...from a Vegetarian perspective...lol....I think we were drawn to it b/c it has a true Italian cafe look and appeal. It was worth checking out, for sure! They have one more restaurant on Espanol Way that we did not get to try.....As we were strolling along SoBe we saw Flamenco dancers on the street!.....they were in perfect unison and definitely made me want to take Flamenco dancing lessons! ...lol........The following evening we were back on Lincoln and passed a restaurant called "Meat Market" ( http://www.meatmarketmiami.com/enter.html )...Now, let me start by saying I am Vegetarian ....so, of course Scott was surprised I stopped there too......Surprisingly, they had good vegetarian options!...See, there is hope out there for us Veggie-restaurant-loving people!

I think what I loved best about Miami is that it is inspiring and fun location.....I was happily surpised that not only is the weather great ....the people are friendly and the city is rich with culture......Differences in culture makes life interesting ....

Au Revoir until next time!.....Je pense que Miami est Tres Magnifique!!!

 

 

 

Well, Can you believe it?! .... 2009 is right around the corner!! ...How time  files!!!

I started thinking...every year we make resolutions...I do, and I am sure everyone else does also....it is much easier said than done, right?

Well, this year ( with some of my resolutions) I may need an extra push...so to speak....I found a great site that I will utilize: http://www.stickk.com/ . I saw it on CNN yesterday so thought I would check it out.  It is kinda cool concept....don't get me wrong I am sure there are many other sites out there but this one seems "do-able" -- (is that a real word?!) ....The idea is to have incentive to achieve your goal.....after a while, achieving your goals is easier and procrastinating is not so much of a hindrance.

Anyway, I hope the New Year will bring lots of happiness and great times ahead in life!!

Au Revoir and MWWWAA  to 2008! ------- to be continued in 2009!!

THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

 

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle; when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls, then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with a unanimous “yes”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

“Now”, said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things…your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions.  And if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.”

“the pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car”.

“The sand is everything else…the small stuff.  If you put the sand into the jar first”, he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get a medical checkup.  Take your spouse out to dinner.  Play another 18 holes.  There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.  Take care of the golf balls first…the things that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.  The professor smile, “I’m glad you asked.  It just goes to show you that no matter how full your file may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Ah, alas the days of growing old gracefully are over...Well, according to every magazine I see now!...LOL....It is interesting though when you look through the years and see how perception of beauty has changed....Perfection (for women) seems to be the key lately...(which in my opinion, there is no such thing as perfection.) ..."close" to perfection, perhaps.

I think VOGUE magazine truly defines how beauty is perceived through the decades. I went to their archive site to actually see if I was right ( http://www.vogue.co.uk/magazine/issue.aspx/Archive ) . They have gone from natural looks to more made up ....to almost a "plastic" look....and back around ....which brings me to the point, History repeats itself time and time again ...(hopefully not with everything in life) but in general, I believe it is a true statement. If you curious to see what I am talking about the site has a dropdown menu so you can pick the year and see the cover...it's like a moment in time standing still....err, you know what I mean!

I remember the 80s fluorescent tops, leg warmers, parachute pants, etc...to the grunge look of the early 90s, to a more modern look of the late 90s...then heading back to a more simplistic look in the early 2K...(well, I could continue on with this, but I will save you the torture ) ....basically, now we are back to some designers bringing the 80s back...Why? may I ask? ....why not Keep the 80s music alive and dump the fashion?...ugh, not the best decade I would say for fashion....though, I must admit, it is a guilty pleasure to look back at old photos of me and my cousins as kids during the 80s...One outfit more outrageous than the next...but I felt like I was the best thing next to sliced bread--(yes, I realize this looks like a pizza emoticon!)  wearing my sweater with the big pineapple on it...and yeah, I had the matching green hoop earings...yes, painful even picturing, isn't it?! ....Well, not so in the mid 80s...you really were (especially if you permed your naturally straight hair---And, uh...yeah, been there , done that, too!  ). I joke about this but really the 80s (my early childhood) was one big Par-tay .....so, hats off to all you 80s adults...it was fun but we gotta leave it there.....that is, when it comes to fashion, don't let history repeat itself.....unless you are at a Halloween par-tay!

Ok, will blog a bit later...maybe I will post my fav. 80s music today if I get a chance....Au Revoir

Well, I can't believe X-Mas is right around the corner!....how exciting!!

This weekend was alot of fun...Scott and I had our fireplace going, X-Mas tree lit and family over Friday....it was a wonderful "wintery" night!...Today it is warm again..this weather is so strange!

Anyway, back to my "discovery"...I love listening to Yo-Yo Ma! He is truly an amazing Cellist!! The way he plays the instrument is truly Beautiful! It is melodic, happy, beautiful  and haunting all at the same time! I think that has to be my favorite instrument to hear in a concerto format! I know it sounds kinda "old" but I Love it. I guess I get my love for classical music from my Dad. He is a classical music enthusiast  ....so that brings me to the question, when does a person's tastes change ? I think in your 30s they change....It's so strange...in your 20s you love to shop and know exactly what to look for....in your 30s you rather online shop and have to think about ....Hmm, is that 'age appropriate' for me to wear?...LOL ....OK, yes, I am speaking from experience but I am sure alot of people go through it. My family varies in age from early mid 20s to early 40s...so I see all realms of the spectrum when it comes to changing with age and how time plays a big factor...

My motto is pretty simple, make sure your hair,skin,nails,teeth, and overall body are well taken care of ....the clothes/shoes/etc...material will look good no matter what....

Ok, so, au revoir for now!....will blog later!

Well, it's finally Friday! 

Last night I was watching this documentary on Dophins...well, Bottle-nosed dolphins. It is pretty amazing what an acute sense of empathy they have for humans. When we were in Hawaii I got to swim with a Bottle Nosed dolphin (of course the trainer at the sanctuary was there.) It was a great learning experience...hopefully I will get to do it again! It is interesting their body feels like rubber and all of their organs are tucked away so you can't tell if it is a male or a female unless a test is done.......OK, back to what I was saying...How cool that an underwater mammal can learn and have the part of the brain that controls empathy (like humans). For an animal that has virtually no expression on their faces but have that capacity is pretty amazing!...Maybe I will get to swim with the dolphins again one day ...it truly was a gift I got to have that experience in Hawaii!...Ok, will write a bit later....Au Revoir!

Well, it's Wednesday!...we are half way through the week!

So, yesterday evening I was speaking to my Aunt. She and I were talking about couples that recently had kids...and couples who did not have kids. To be more specific, we were talking about one of our family friends...their daughter got married a few years ago. She and her husband live in this area. They have a good life, two dogs...and from what I know they don't want kids. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I, honestly, believe some people are not "wired" so to speak to have children. We have another family friend....back story is their daughter had two really cute girls .... and then she just left...I don't understand that...but, it goes back to my statement...Not EVERY person is "wired" to have kids. If you think about it, it is a social norm, correct? You want to have kids so that when you (and your spouse) get older they are there..and you have a sense of family..the Hope is they will be there for you in your time of need...that is never a guarantee but a hope. In this day and technology age, there are so many things you have to watch out for....not just who your children are hanging out with...So truly, the decision a couple makes to have or not have kids should not be judged......A few times I have seen couples who have kids ....(which I am sorry to say, should Not have had kids.) ...Children are a Huge responsibility....you are truly shaping this person as they grow older...Unfortunately, I don't think all parents see it that way....not many but some I have seen. 

Anyway, I was thinking about this b/c going back to my original topic (lol) -- when I was speaking to my Aunt last night she almost sounded kind of sad for them...I said, well, if that is what they want in life -- two dogs and a happy life--so be it!..their choice and nothing wrong with it...she agreed...I think ....she is one of my most open minded relatives so it is easy to talk to her about pretty much anything

Anyway, just something I wanted to blog about ....Au revoir til next time!...

I will try and post more pictures today also

 

 

It's Monday..and its Cold ...my thought is if its gonna be this cold..Snow already!..LOL,..guess I am missing Hawaii  !...

Well,  it was really pretty to have a dusting on Saturday while I decorated the X-Mas tree.....nothing smells and feels like X-Mas than a real X-Mas tree ...I am so happy we are able to have one every year...

So, I got to thinking ...If I could pick one spot for Scott and I to visit where would it be?......I would say Australia....it looks very cool....and its below the equator ....and I don't know many people that have gone to visit....Also, from what I have read the locals are very friendly to tourists...My friend who visited France did not have the "kindest" words to say about her visit so we have to be picky about where we choose to go....I think travel is important if you can do it...read and learn a little about the culture before you go...it broadens the mind and helps you understand other cultures better....Plus, it's fun to share your stories with friends!

OK, so back to what I was talking about...X-Mas...I love X-Mas it is the most "festivas" holiday...I love everything about it!....I wish just once it would snow on X-Mas day!!.....One of the most memorable "snow" days here was when my cousin threw a surprise b-day party for her husband now (then boyfriend) at Cosi (I think it was Cosi.)  They rented out the whole place and it was glass on all sides ...and it was snowing...SO cool!...as everyone was enjoying inside you could see the beautiful snowflakes falling into a fluffy little stack...Absolutely magical site.....until we had to drive in it!  ..LOL...point is it was Beautiful and Magical! .....I wish I had taken a picture of the view outside -- the snow falling looked like a scene from a movie ...Ok, well I will blog a bit later...Au revoir...

 

 

Ok, so today I was thinking how time flies soooo fast...can't believe it is Already December!! I think once you pass the age of 25...time flies even faster!! Hard to believe our wedding is finished, we have been on our amazing honeymoon, enjoyed Thanksgiving in NYC and...Now preparing for Ole St. Nick....I think one of my resolutions for the New Year will be to "savor" the time. It is so Important to remember, take pictures and document things that are important in life....I know, I know, it sound cheesy ...but I believe it....

Lately, I keep thinking about the beach ..any beach ...maybe because it is cold out....maybe because I LOVE the water...in any case, I see a trip to a warm "beachy" location in the near future. 

Resolution 2.  create our yearly box for Good Will. I always feel better when I have cleaned out clothes I no longer need or wear.

Resolution 3.  Redecorate two of the bedrooms. That will be a challenge since it involves moving furniture out and around...but with Scott's help I think I can manage.

Resolution 4. Keep in touch with my extended family at least once a month...You know everyone gets sooo busy in their life they forget the important...and trust me I am pointing the finger at myself

Resolution 5. Accomplish personal goals in the time frame I lotted myself

Resolution 6. Take lots of funny pictures of family...you can never have too many

Resolution 7. Continue buying fresh flowers, --they are good for the soul

 

There is so much more but this is what I remember from the top of my head....as you know I keep a running commentary  ( I guess I am easily entertained....lol )

...so, Au Revoir...til I blog again !

 

Today, I want to talk about Hawaii ....Hawaii was truly like a dream. We luckily had no rain  on our two week honeymoon! Every morning was truly amazing ....we would watch the sunrise ..( I just could not sleep knowing that beautiful sun would peak through the massive mountain in the water afar.) Scott  was usually up with me...if he wanted to sleep in  I would let him ....but I just couldn't..Sometimes, I just pinch myself thinking of the Island....Oahu (Waikiki Beach) was beautiful..with its magnificent beach and Ridiculous amounts of high end shopping ( I don't know who shops there but people do!) ....Swimming with the dolphins was surreal and amazing!..I could go on and on but I will hold back!....really, Maui won my heart...Snorkeling was fantastic...so cool, they give you the snorkeling equipment and you sign a paper ( in case you get eaten by a shark...or something -- jk ) ...I wish we could have taken an underwater video or a camera ...so BEAUTIFUL to see all the underwater creatures swimming around you....the fishes were a cornucopia of color.......so beautiful, silent and vibrant all at the same time...and the whole time these beautiful quiet creatures swim around you...I think I could have swam for hours but I knew better...You know the scariest thing really is that you are this little person in this Huge body of water and you don't really know what is around you (underwater creature wise) -- exciting, scary and a learning experience all at once! ......I thought I saw a Nurse Shark but Scott thought it was a really big fish-- LOL .....we did have to be careful of the tide...if we weren't observant or careful it could easily push you towards coral or rock..which would not be a "pleasant" experience to say the least  ...We went to an amazing Luau on Maui...The Feast at LeiLei...just amazing how they combine food courses with the parts of History on island ...really beautiful and romantic. We did some boogie boarding...I finally was successful..I think it felt like I was surfing on my stomach (essentially I was)--Awesome!....One of the last places we went was Surfing Goats Farm  ( yes, I realize this emoticon looks like a sheep). All of the goat cheese made in Maui comes from this farm. It has won many awards in Napa and worldwide. The coolest part was we got to feed the goats, see how they made the goat cheese and then sample the goat cheese flight...There was just not enough time  to do everything we wanted there...I will never forget Hawaii...and hopefully we will get to go back in the near future!

...So to this I say, Aloha and Mahalo Hawaii   (pronounced Ha-vaa-ee) ....ok, will blog a little bit later