be creative

I saw this over on weteachme and decided that I needed to share.

Sometimes it takes the simplest thing to motivate you. This reminds me to be creative and how to do it…

what are your priorities?

First things first, Happy New Year. Secondly I know it’s been almost two months since I’ve written on here but life decided that I needed to have a break from blogging for a while even though it was not my intent. A lot of things have happened in the past few months. I’ve had ups and major downs as well. I’ve had victories, suffered losses, been heartbroken, been renewed and am still growing. Life has changed in many ways in a small frame of time, but I’m a strong believer and advocate that tests and trials in life make you stronger and most importantly I’ve missed this outlet.

One thing I’ve learned about in the past few months is about setting priorities. Really reflecting and figuring out what is important to you in life makes a world of difference. Not just the superficial but what deep down is important.

In dating relationships for example, people have to learn about priorities rather quickly. When a person becomes a part of your life you have to learn about having balance and figuring out how to do the things you want to do all while making the person in your life feel important. If a partner feels neglected, doesn’t receive the attention they need, doesn’t feel appreciated or feels like they come in last place that relationship probably won’t last. Learning what is important to you helps you put things that aren’t important aside and focus on things that will make you better as a person.

One of my goals for the year is to prioritize what is important to me and then base my vision off of that. I was reading an article and one of the first things it said was if you have a cluttered home, it can have a negative effect on other areas of your life and in turn the same is true for your mind. If your thoughts and your priorities are all over the place or even in a negative place it makes it all the more difficult to succeed in one particular area.

So my first priority was to clean out some internal clutter that included anger, fear, regret, lack of trust, worry, unrealistic expectations and some self-doubt. Are all these things completely fixed? Absolutely not, but I recognize what the clutter is and my priority is to start internally before I take on all the external. So my wish for you in this new year is that before you jump feet first into these resolutions that you prioritize and work toward a goal versus a resolution.

A little inspiration…

Work and life have consumed me (mainly in a good way) and I know I’ve been neglecting this here place. So my current promise until I get into the new year and can shift some responsibilities is a post once a week, and anything after that is a bonus (for me). So I figure if I post something once a week it BETTER be good. So here are two videos that serve as a little inspiration to start the week.

The most important relationship in life is the relationship you have with yourself…

if you’ve never failed, you’ve never lived…

What’s Going On: Buick Discovery Tour

Over the weekend I had the chance to head to the Westin in Annapolis for the second Buick Discovery Tour sponsored by Food & Wine magazine and of course Buick. This was my second year in attendance and it was just as interesting and exciting as last.

The day is basically a day dedicated to exploring new food and wine and of course new cars.

This year I was in group A which meant I got to test drive first. They had a fleet of cars outside ready for us to test out and I chose the Buick Regal turbo. Surprisingly it was rather sleek and was very modern and my speed. I also love that you can change to sports mode which is great for those that love to drive a little fast (like myself). I liked the course this year in Annapolis versus last year when it was in Alexandria. I had the chance to spend a little more time in the car and I got to drive on different surfaces since Annapolis has some cobblestone areas. Overall the car was really nice. I’m not quite in the market to buy yet but I definitely told my mom about it since she’s considering something in the near future.

Buick Regal Turbo

Now on to my favorite part. The food!

Our second part of the journey we went into a session with Ben Roche the pastry chef from Moto Restaurant in Chicago. He was outstanding and very innovative in his cooking which I enjoy. If you aren’t into fancy food it may not excite you but I was thrilled in the presentation. He made a ‘bacon maple syrup and sage ice cream’ in a stand mixer with liquid nitrogen. It sounds awkward but it was kind of weirdly fantastic.

Chef Roche using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream

And yes I haven’t eaten meat in ages but I figured why not and if I’m going to eat it why not in ice cream lol.  So back to the ice cream, on out plate it was accompanied by a s’mores bomb which was like a chocolate shell filled with a liquid graham cracker that was lit on fire like a little bomb to give the smokey flavor.

bacon maple sage ice cream and the s'mores bomb

Our next stop was to see Dublin native Chef Cathal Armstrong, who was named as one of Food & Wines best new chefs. I wasn’t familiar with his name but I am really familiar with his restaurants the Majestic, Eamonns and Restaurant Eve. They were all within miles of my old job so I frequented them all (especially Eamonns for the fish and chips). He made the most amazing sashimi dish and was so amazing and engaging with the crowd. He discussed buying local and American when it comes to food and his journey as an immigrant from Ireland to America. Any chef that convince and entire room to eat american red snapper sashimi has to be doing something great.

sashimi of snapper w/pumpkin spice vinaigrette and a butternut squash and pecan relish

Our next stop was to see Michael Green who returned from the year before. His presentation last year  is the reason that I can say gin is one of my favorite alcohols to mix with. This year he focused on wine. As usual he was very funny, entertaining and educational at the same time. He condensed all the info you needed to know about wine into a great 20 min presentation. I love that he told the crowd if it tastes good to you that’s all that matters when it comes to wine.

2010 Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc & 2009 M. Chapoutier Cotes-Du-Rhone

The main presenter was Chef Ming Tsai  from the PBS show Simply Ming  and owner of Blue Ginger. I’ve only seen him on tv but he was a really great fun and interactive chef. he had the ballroom in the hotel smelling absolutely amazing and he inserted colorful humor and great tips and techniques into his presentation to the crowd.  He demo’d chicken chow mein and sweet and sour mango pork and we got to sample the chicken which went perfectly great with the wines we had out as well.

chicken and tri-bell pepper chow mein

An added bonus was we all received a signed copy of his book One Pot Meals and got the latest copy of Food & Wine. 

One-Pot Meals

This was a great event and like last year it keeps Buick in my mind when considering or recommending a car. Also if you are just a lover of food it’s a really fabulous event to attend. I’m definitely looking forward to it next year.

Also. I wasn't paid for this post. Just thought I'd share a really great event that comes around yearly

music monday…

This song has been STUCK in my head since the CD came out. Then I finally got it out of my head and her absolutely adorable VMA performance revealing her pregnancy made it jump in my head again and now yet again the premier of the video has me prancing around my office singing this tune

What song is this? Beyonce’s Love on Top.

I think the reason it even sticks with me is the catchy beat and also her sentiment in the song.  The lyrics aren’t anything too difficult it’s just simply about being happy and being in love and how good it can feel when it’s made a priority. Something that most people can relate to.

“Now everybody asks me why I’m smiling out from ear to ear… Nothing’s perfect, but it’s worth it after fighting through my fears…”

My sentiments exactly

What’s Going On: Autumn Soul

Sunday evening I had the opportunity to attend an event hosted by LivSuite called Autumn Soul, which I spoke briefly about last week. This event which is catered to the “music lover” showcases select artists seasonally at Twelve Lounge, and the rotation of artists are always the best of the best within the indie music scene.

A few bloggers had the opportunity to sit down with the host of the evening Shae Fiol and featured artists Levi Stephens and Deborah Bond before the show to ask a few questions and I was included in that mix.

Deborah Bond was the first artist we got to sit down with her personality was warm and inviting like sitting down with an old friend. The singer who draws influence from artists like Sade, Anita Baker, Joni Mitchell said she looks at her new cd Madam Palindrome like an art installation. She said it’s complicated and she likes it that way.

For our readers who have never heard your music, explain your sound in 5 words:

• Sophisticated
• Soulful
• Funky
• Classic
• Original

Standout Statement:

I want them to realize [with this cd] there is more to it than meets the eye. Think about the album and what the name is. There is a lot to discover. You may listen now and hear one thing and then listen a year later and hear something you missed.

Shae Fiol was cool calm and mellow when she sat down with the group. Fiol who comes from a family of musicians has lived in Oregon, California, New Mexico and Now New York. The self-described fiend for culture loves the spontaneity in music and even performs in a women’s mariachi band.

For our readers who have never heard your music, explain your sound in 5 words:

• Heart
• Melodic
• Soul,
• World
• Human

Standout Statement:

I’m writing songs that are sketches. Look forward to some visual pieces and therapy songs that I can’t keep inside.

Levi Stephens was energetic and cool when we had the chance to speak to him. The local singer said his first stage was a wooden coffee table in his living room when he was four and started writing music after reading an article in Black Enterprise on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Stephens, who has an affinity for rock, r&b and country has written for artists like Raheem DeVaughn, says he likes to constantly reinvent himself without not being himself.

For our readers who have never heard your music, explain your sound in 5 words:

• Soulful,
• Passionate,
• Honest
• Eclectic
• Genreless

Standout Statement:

I Channel Saturday morning cartoons on stage. I like to feel like a kid and free and have that kind of energy emotion and vibe on stage. Energy wise [I want to be like] a kid in front of tv when the smurfs came on.

Here is a little snippet I put together to highlight the AMAZING concert that followed…

Please check these artists out and support their music if you can.

I had a great time at this event and am glad I had the chance to participate. Special thanks to Organic Fusion for bringing the bloggers together and being amazing hosts.

Music Monday: A Taste of Soul – Shae Fiol

Happy Monday! I’m still up from attending LivSuite’s Autumn Soul which I mentioned in the post below. I was hoping to have the full post up for you today but I have so much info and I want to give you a robust post especially since I have video to share to. So expect something good Tuesday (or Wednesday) about the event.

Tonight the host of the event was Shae Fiol. Prior to interviewing her I didn’t know much about her but after talking with her and hearing her sing I absolutely loved her calm energy. So here is Shae Fiol…

Music Monday: Autumn Soul

Happy Monday all. A lot going on but I wanted to share with you this event coming up in the DC area called LivSuite Autumn Soul.

It’s basically a seasonal event with great artists and live music, in a cool spot in DC. I mentioned the last one I attended on here and I was introduced to some phenomenal artists. So here are the details:

Tickets are available at www.livsuite.eventbrite.com and more info is at www.TheLivSuite.com

LivSuite’s motto is “Exceptional Music, By Exceptional Artists, For Exceptional Music Lovers” so I hope to see you all out next Sunday.

And since it’s Monday here is a video from one of the featured artists:

a real vacation…

I’ve learned a lot about myself in the past seven days. I’ve been away from home, the office, major responsibilities and stress and pretty much doing absolutely nothing.

I decided earlier in the year I wanted to take a vacation. I didn’t want a big city, go to the club every night, see all the sights type of vacation. But a have nothing on my agenda, sleep when I want to, get up when I want, to eat what I want to, wear what I want to type of vacation. And it has been pure bliss.

A week ago I hopped on a plane and a ferry and I’ve spent the last seven days walking around, shopping, meeting people, wandering and exploring. I’ve been to the beach every single day. I’ve eaten lobster and other seafood like it’s going out of style. I’ve eaten real ice cream and drank wine by the goblet, I’ve been slightly ashy, curly-headed and makeup free all week and I absolutely enjoy it.

I haven’t had a tension headache, didn’t care what was going on my social media timeline and really let go of what was happening at work. Did I mention I also had no cable and I survived quite amazingly.

I’ve learned this week that in spite of all the things I have and things I like to do, that living a simple life can be quite rewarding. Things aren’t what make me happy, my job title isn’t what makes me happy, even the people I have relationships with aren’t what makes me happy. Just living life, being encapsulated in love and taking in all the God supplied beauty that is around me is really enough for me.

I appreciate the time I had away. God knows I needed it. Below is a picture I took while away. I’m printing and framing it as a reminder not to take life so seriously, enjoy simple things and just to live.

music monday (even though it’s tuesday)

Since I haven’t gone to bed yet I’m still pretending it’s still Monday. I had a SUPER long day filled with doctors appointments, work, meetings, shopping and writing. So I’m finally unwinding at 2:30 am…sitting on my bed, still in a wrap dress, listening to slow jams, with a glass of jam jar (an awesome South African wine) and a candle burning. Today (yesterday) was the King of Pops 53 birthday so I have to play homage to him in my musical selection this week.

One of my favorite cd’s by him is “Off the Wall,” a. because I LOVE the cover and b. because the music is great

See that cover just exudes coolness and he’s really handsome on it. 

So I have two selections for today Can’t Help It and my FAVORITE song to dance to Rock With You. 

Also some of what is distracting me from writing here is me writing for a new online magazine. Check out some of my pieces in PynkMag