StoryCorps, Historias

This month through January 30, StoryCorps is in Miami recording, "Historias".

As you may know, StoryCorps travels around the country and collects oral histories. Through a partnership with the Library of Congress, the stories collected go into archives of the library. Participants are asked to go in with a partner, friend, family member and in 40 minutes share their stories in an informal interview process. Historias is traveling to a handful of cities and collecting stories from the Hispanic community. You can record in Spanish, English or Spanglish. At the end of your recording, you get a CD of the session.

1% of recorded stories air on NPR on Friday mornings (the 40 minute sessions, get edited down to 2 minutes). It's such a wonderful program.

Today I went down to the Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus and recorded 40 minutes of shared time with my best friend, my sister from another mother, Ivon. WE had a really amazing time and I am so glad to have been able to have shared this with her. We talked about our families, our friendship and in the end had a love fest of sorts professing the importance of our friendship to each other. ...yes, I

cried...all in an organic flow of Spanglish.

It's definitely one of the coolest things we've ever done together. I can't imagine having done this with anyone else.

If you ever get the chance to record your story in the coolest airstreamer, do it! ...and be sure to bring someone you love.

A Gables Home Tour Kind of Weekend

This was quite a weekend in the Gables if you wanted to see homes. It started on Saturday morning with the Coral Gables Community Foundation Kitchen Tour. For $25 a ticket we had from 10:00 am-3:00pm to visit 6 homes and sample food from area restaurants. The funny thing was the third home on the stop was that of our ex-neighbors on Catille Ave.

However my favorite part of the tour wasn't even a kitchen...it was the mega-mahusive closet in the town house at the Old Spanish Village. You'll be able to recognize it in the pictures...because it looks a lot like heaven!

Today I spent the afternoon at a museum event on one of the most iconic homes in Coral Gables, if not the entire county-- Java Head, 200 Edgewater Drive. Gorgeous home which can be yours for $13.9 million dollars. I had a good time roaming the grounds and home with museum friends and on my own. I did my best to take a number of pictures, but they do not do the home justice at all. By the way--the first picture here is of my father-in-law and I in the winning look for Miami Chic!

Today's Look...

So this is my look today.

Brown short sleeve cardi- Target

Silk purple print dress- J.Crew

Wide brown leather belt- Banana Republic

Black tights

Brown suede desert boots- Bronx

Gold hoop earrings

Gold keys necklace

I feel like I need to dye the laces...like they are throwing off the ensemble.

OK--back to sketching now.

Miami Chic...

Sunday I am going to an event for the museum. The invitation called for, "Miami Chic"...I know what this means at 8pm, but what does this mean at 4pm?

Since I just organized the closets...I'm going to have fun shopping in my closet to figure this out. Especially since Saturday I am going on the Coral Gables kitchen tour...and feel the need to look cute then too.

So here are some ideas...
I could carry a really cool purse like this Kate Spade bag I've always been a fan of.

I could put on a fantastic and fun pair of shoes like these Kate Space puzzle shoes...that I have also been a fan of for years (every now and then I scour the Internet for them with no luck. If you ever find these in a 10...lemme know!!)
Play with color. I know it's cold in most places, but not in Miami, so I could throw on a fun skirt with skimmers if I wanted to. These here happen to be "vintage" J.Crew

I could even wear a strapless number like this one from J.Crew (which I have in the degrade version), just add a cardi and belt it for more of a Miami Winter look. Pair up with fun jewels, snazzy skimmers and an easy purse...right?

We'll see. I'll try to take and share pics...in the mean time...what do you think Miami Chic (afternoon edition) could be.

Organized Closet(s) = Happy Home

Baby steps right?

My 4 resolutions are well under way...

1. Stay healthy be healthy--- doing that (pretty much) on a daily basis.

2. Save money--- baby steps

3. Get on the golf course or driving range once a week (harder than I thought)

4. Get and stay organized! (Starting...)

So I spent my Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday organizing my closet(s).

I have a confession to make...in our old home we shared ONE closet...in this house we have 5 closets...I use 4 of them. I also use 75% of the drawers, and have 4 storage bins under the bed. The worst part is that as much as I love my clothes and take care of it, I tend to be lazy and disorganized about them.

So with this new year, I decided to once and for all get organized. I have! ...well at least with 3 of 4 of the closets. My clothes are hung in color order, shoes are tucked away and I did some purging.

It looks and feels great in our bedroom. So proud of me!!

...now to do some sketching.

Coral Gables Farmer's Market Begins Tomorrow!

This has to be the happiest month for me.

1. Birthday month (YAY!)

2. New Year, new beginnings

3. Coral Gables Farmer's Market kicks-off

You know where I'll be with Maggie (the best golden retriever in the world), every Saturday morning from about 10-11am.

Help Haiti

Miami is an incredible city. An international city made up of people from all around the globe. Their cultures become a part of ours.
Our neighbors in the Caribbean are in need after this massive record breaking earthquake in Haiti.

If you can help, please do so.

Here are some websites you can donate money to, and if you are in Miami there are places to collect donations of food, blankets, clothes etc.

In Miami: On 1st and Alton Road, Miami Beach, there is a truck taking donations starting today at 6pm.

On the web,

www.redcross.org
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
www.salvationarmyusa.org
www.yele.org

All My Summer Babies

This summer 4 of my friends were pregnant and due within weeks of each other from Mid-August to Mid- October.

This past Sunday the eldest, Georgia Ann (I showed off the painting I did for her room this summer), was baptised. I was fortunate enough to be one of her 2 Godmothers. Georgia's baptism was the first time that all 4 babies were together.

From left to right, Carlos Andres (born October), Adria Blythe (born mid August), Georgia Ann(born beginning August) and Julia Grace(born September).

All my munchkins... and now that the holidays are over, I get to finish Adi, Julia and Carlos' paintings. I'm looking forward to seeing them on the walls of their sweet nurseries.

44 and rainy in miami...toto i don't think we're home anymore

Yeah...uh...I feel like I'm living in NYC again!

Don't get me wrong, I really do like cold weather, but this has been a near record breaking week with it being cold for a week straight! ...actually it warmed up yesterday...if not we'd be setting a new record for longest amount of time with cold weather in Miami.

This morning it was 43 and rainy in Miami...you know that spitting rain...the light rain. We were suppose to ride our bikes to the Beaux Arts Festival...but I don't think we're going to be doing that since its only 45 and rainy now.

It's even been snowing in Tampa, Ocala and Gainesville and Orlando! Crazy!

So bundle up...because no matter where you are, it's COLD!

Making Headlines

This morning at around 7:50am I walked out of the museum across the street to Government Center to catch the people mover to Brickell for a meeting.

It was about 45 degrees, and this picture was taken of me by a Miami Herald photographer. The picture was on the newspapers homepage in about an hour for about three hours...and my phone and email began to be flooded with messages from friends saying, "You look so cozy today!"

So here are my fifteen minutes of fame for the day. Granted, they spelled my name wrong, but oh well, c'est la vie.

It's my birthday month...and Anthropologie remembered

I adore Anthropologie! Every year they remember that it's my birthday month and send me a little discount card in the mail.

This year's little card has the sweetest candle necklace. It comes tied like a bow and after you untie it, you can wear it.


These are the kinds of things I adore...sweet surprises.

If you have an anthro card, you'll probably get one of these this year too.

HOORAH for birthday month!!

First Day Back...

Today was my first day back at work after a week and a half hiatus.

As the emails poured in and the phone began to ring I took my mind to this poster (which I covet...especially in this frame)...

Keep Calm and Carry On!

It's the first of many Mondays until another break like that, so I will keep telling myself to 'Keep calm and carry on'.

If it was your first day back too...I hope it was productive.

Kristin is giving away some treasures!

It's my favorite thing! A give away!! Kristin Pearce the fun and talented blogging jeweler is at it again. You must submit quickly to have a chance at winning one of these lovely necklaces.

Bon Chance, and don't forget to mention where you heard it first!