feel the love?

right now i have a loved one going through an exceptionally tough time; we all occasionally do, no?

my mama calls them "FGO's"... 

or "f*cking growth opportunities". 

i don't know 'bout you, but i've been through my share, 

and whenever i'm lost in the woods, its my gorgeous 

family and friends who get me through.

and god, of course.

anyway, for you, my very special friend; 

you know who you are. 

and for any of you going through 

an FGO of your own...

hang in there.

know that you're in this season of your life for a reason, 

that you are strong as hell, and you will get through it, 

and you will be wiser for it. 

blah blah blah, i know. 

i've been there, too; i really don't mean to sound condescending. 

when you're over all the "supportive talk", 

sometimes its best to laugh. or even just smile. 

know this. more than anything else. 

 

there is still so much color in your life. 

look around, seek it out, soak it in. 

 i get butterflies thinking about your unique, specific gifts; 

no one else in the world is you. 

you are more special than you know.

laughter is crucial. 

always. 

until your very last breath. 

hold fast to courage, make the tough choices, and don't look back.

play your own song. 

even if you're the only one who likes it.

even if it sounds like me playing the recorder in fifth grade.

...and possibly makes the neighbor's ears bleed.

...and perhaps anyone within a five mile radius.

play on.

at first you might feel timid, but just GO for it.

its always better to regret things you've done, 

than things you haven't.

you are beautiful. no matter what sex, color, religion, size, shape, age, ability... you are beautiful.

especially if you look like this.

(he's all kinds of special, and he is owning it.)

its true. 

and that's a lot. 

a whole lot.

remember i love you. and i'm always, always here. 

even though i'm here

not there.

have a wonderful weekend.

sparkley, gropey hugs & glitter puppy kisses, 

xo

i love lucy

 (via pinterest)

"ability is of little account without opportunity."

 (via tumblr)

"the secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age."

 (via lifemagazine)

"its a helluva start, 

being able to realize what makes you happy."

 (via google)

"i have an everyday religion that works for me.

love yourself first and everything else falls into line."

 (via ilovecbclothing)

"the more things you do, the more you can do."

(via npr)

"one of the things i learned the hard way is that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."

(via google)

"i'd rather regret things i've done

than things i haven't done."

(via google)

"ability is of little account without opportunity."

(via pinterest)

"in life, all good things come hard, 

but wisdom is the hardest to come by."

happy 100th, lucy.

we will always love you.

xo

delicieux

this morning, i had a quiet moment to relax over a cup of tea. 

ok it was a double espresso, 

but tea sounded so much more gentile. 

as i very often do, i clickety clacked on over to the fabulous vogue.com, and was positively transported. 

most days i am quite aware of my place and station, so to speak, but that doesn't stop me from constantly daydreaming; 

and when i do, i often find myself here. 

i just didn't know it was here until i saw it, then read about it in such gorgeous composition. 

does that ever happen to you? 

ever see a place so incredible, so breathtaking that you literally gasp and then stare, open-mouthed at its pure beauty?

this, my friends, is the grand trianon in versailles.

and she is a grand beauty, indeed.

couture week in paris recently concluded in pure opulence 

with a black-tie gala and exhibition. 

le xviii au gout du jour was put on by the city's two incredible fashion & costume museums, and, per hamish bowles, "explor[ed] the enduring influence of eighteenth-century style on couturiers and designers from Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain to Vivienne Westwood, Christian Lacroix, and Nicolas Ghesquière." 

can you imagine? 

i die for this creation. mourir.

venez voir les invites:

farida khelfa, christian louboutin, dita von teese

didier grumbach, vivienne westwood, andreas kronthaler

tasha de vasconcelos

handsome hamish with dvt

the grand finale was celebrated via golden fireworks over an enormous expanse of lawn and formal gardens,

set to--bien sur--french court music. 

le sigh.

i urge you to click this link and read the delicious article 

for yourself. 

i devoured it slowly, word by word; perhaps as one would savor one of laduree's newest flavors. 

et voila. strawberry mint!

mais oui, s'il vous plait.

(both courtesy of laduree)

ooh la la. 

maintenant, its back to reality pour moi--packing.

think i can convince mon monsieur to move to paris in lieu of la?

doubtful.

i will, however, be listening to the edith piaf station on my pandora, burning mon favourite diptyque, and just moved the princess of montpensier to the top of my netflix queue.

xo