DAILY

GLAD:)

I suggest you visit The New American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, ASAP! First, let me say that what the Met excels in is the creation of such a wide variety of moods and atmospheres in each if its unique exhibits, and atmosphere is something The New American Wing certainly does not lack. Walking into it gave me the impression of the happiest of homes in the late eighteenth-century: This household, in my romantic imagination, would have been bolstered by wealth and driven by hope, as the Revolution was not far off in the future. To be fair, the flip-side of hope and prosperity was also fairly represented in numerous pieces throughout the exhibit, as were themes related to the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, but the grand, colonial aesthetic is what initially caught my eye.

On the whole, as someone who tends to be a cynic and struggles with patriotism, I  found the exhibit to be incredibly uplifting. The bright lighting scheme and crisply-painted walls offered balance and subtle juxtaposition to some of the more serious war scenes, without trivializing them. I also fell in love with the room of canvasses dedicated to the depiction of women; the images ranged from celebration of the mother-child relationship- featuring gentle, pastel palettes- to more provocative, richly-hued female portraits that lacked a demureness more common to nineteenth-century portraiture.

All in all, I found this exhibit to be a place you can wander into and simply enjoy the mood of celebration. America, with all of its demons, has a rich history that can be easily ignored when we have so much present-day drama and excitement to focus on.  This trip through America's storied past offers a brief respite from our daily noise, and an elegant one at that.

SAD:(
People-pleasing is soooo 2011. I've decided, that, after years of letting my people-pleasing refine and develop to the full-bodied, complex, Grand Cru of negative habits that it is, it's time to let it go. I am sad that I had the unfortunate fate of learning to be a people-pleaser at such a young age, but I'm also sad to let it go. It's my insulating blanket that shields me from the harshness of the world, but it's really more of a wet blanket, and I'm ready for something drier, cozier and more fluffy; something that will ultimately serve me better day in and day out. Look out world! My days of people-pleasing are over! I recommend that if you, too, are of the more spineless nature, consider trading out your people-pleasing habit for something more productive, and healthy, immediately!

The weirdest place you've never been: Rathen, Germany

Have you ever heard of Rathen, Germany? Without offending the people who live there, neither had I, up until about six months ago. Of course, who, outside of California would even know where Fresno is? But at least in my circle of friends and family, I can guarantee that none of them know anything about Rathen. How did I come across it, you may be wondering? In a trip-planning session with my boyfriend, late last spring, we knew that we wanted to go to Germany, and knew we wanted to see Berlin and Munich, but had no idea where to go in between. I personally prefer more rural vacation settings  because I live in New York and need a bit of countryside to preserve my sanity. So, we fingered through the Lonely Planet Germany book our friends lent us and tried to find something in the vicinity of the major North-South highway between Berlin and Munich. That is how Rathen came into the picture.

The tiny paragraph in the book spoke of the beautiful and odd "Bastei" that Rathen and the surrounding Saxon Switzerland region is known for; the town is near the border of the Czech Republic, along the Elbe river. The Bastei, or Bastion, is a rock formation that essentially looks like the outer borders of a medieval fortress, and these rock formations are dotted all over the region. However, the Bastei near Rathen are particularly incredible. Plus, add in the fact that there are many hiking trails and that the town sits at the base of a huge cliff along the banks of the Elbe, and I was sold. Like I said, all I wanted was a bit of nature.

So now, let me tell you about the real Rathen. In fact, it is not has horrible as I may be insinuating, but it was not the warm, relaxing, peaceful nature retreat that I'd had in mind. In a nutshell, Rathen is the type of place you go if you're A) German, B) 75 years or older and C) Prefer to dress head-to-toe in waterproof hiking gear- walking stick highly-recommended but not required...(to be continued)

Ayurvedic Beauty

If you are a L'Oréal loyalist and prefer BOTOX® injections to acupuncture facelifts, then read no further. But, if you have any interest in alternative medicine, especially as it pertains to beauty, you must read Absolute Beauty by Pratima Raichur, with Marian Cohn. I came across this book several years ago when I was working in a high-end resort spa and I have carried it around with me, move after move, city after city, ever since. It's one of those books that you don't necessarily read cover-to-cover in one go, but, rather, it serves as a reference for a holistic approach to beauty and skincare.

Since the author is an Ayurvedic practitioner, the entire book's message is founded on Ayurvedic principles, especially the idea that every person's constitution is made up of a combination of three doshas- Vata, Pitta and Kapha- with one dosha usually being more dominant. For me, I have self-diagnosed myself as Vata, which means my body tends to lean toward dryer skin, fast talking and eating frequent, small portions of food. It's an airy type of personality, with physical attributes to match. For the reader, once the dosha is determined, the entire books opens up a new world of understanding about why we look the way we look, based on our dosha. It's not magic, but a more well-rounded understanding of how our bodies, minds and spirits interact with our environment, and how that, in turn, affects our physical appearance.

As any true American would, I immediately jumped ahead to the section that lays out all the physical abnormalities and ways to change or improve upon them- I love a good fix-it section! I learned that prematurely graying hair can be helped with either a strange infusion of walnut leaves smeared on my scalp every night, and/or a massive array of herbs and specific vitamins and minerals that my body is lacking. Hey, why not try it, right? I'm too young to commit to the silver fox look. Of course the author warns that using these remedies piecemeal will not offer the full, transformative benefits that come from more challenging lifestyle changes.

Many pages in this book are dedicated to principles of self care, such as meditation, self-massage, light fasting and homemade skincare and makeup recipes. These principles are great in theory, but would most likely be written off as too time-consuming and simplistic for the average female American reader. When the author suggests using milk powder as the basis for a dry facial cleanser, I, too, found myself scoffing. That was several years ago, however, when I wanted a surefire, quick solution to the curse of acne. Nowadays, my acne has subsided, I'm a bit older, and I truly do see the value in taking life more slowly, with careful, deliberate action, especially when it comes to my health. I understand, now, that the more I meditate, even though it can be painful to commit to, my body feels better, my skin looks more radiant, and my mental state is much more clear.

Absolute Beauty is a book to keep in your library and take in bit-by-bit. It will read differently as you evolve as a person, and that is what I love about it. It's as if the author knows that the principles of Ayurveda are timeless, and she's just waiting for you, the reader, to figure that out for yourself. I draw the line, however, at the purification rituals she suggests in Chapter 8. Pancha Karma, which incorporates fasting followed by an internal cleansing with castor oil, is a level of self-care that I am happy to be unfamiliar with!

What are your experiences with Ayurvedic medicine, especially as it pertains to beauty?

DAILY

GLAD:)

Snow falling on Brooklyn. Finally, after a snow-less winter so far, the first snow storm of the season hit New York (without counting the freak blizzard in October). Say what you will about snow- it's annoying; it turns to brown slush minutes after falling; it slows traffic; you have to shovel it. The first blanket of the white stuff is a truly beautiful sight.

SAD:(
Joe Paterno passed away just months after the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State broke. What a sad note to go out on. I don't in any way condone what seems to have been a lack of accountability for what was going on with his staff, but it is so sad that the entire scandal colored this man's last days. Let us all seek to make wise decisions...

DAILY

GLAD:)

I was glad to listen to the story about President and Mrs. Obama, as told by New York Times Washington correspondent Jodi Kantor. Her new book follows the Obamas from their decision for Mr. Obama to run for President, through the election and into the presidency. What is most interesting is that she highlights their relationship as a dynamic partnership that definitely is not perfect, but one that seems to evolve and grow amidst incredible public scrutiny and professional pressure. First family or not, Democrat or not, I think everyone can learn from a couple who faces challenges and deals with them effectively, without drama. Did you know that Mr. Obama, barring extenuating circumstances, eats dinner with his family five nights a week? Take note American fathers!

SAD:(
In Indiana, cursive is no longer required to be taught in schools. I shed a tear not because I won All County for the Orange County Pen & Quill Competition when I was in the 5th grade (I was THAT cool), but because I believe, as I type on my computer, the craft of handwriting is essential. Putting pen to paper will never compare to putting fingers to a keyboard. It seems that our skills are being streamlined for efficiency because we no longer have the time to wait for someone to draw out those strangely shaped upper case G's, or those rounded, sweeping Z's. To me, it represents a lack of emphasis on the artistry of things- it was one of the few artistic acts that was incorporated into everyday life, especially in school; you HAD to do your work in cursive. It was definitely a pain in the ass, but a beautiful one that I don't regret learning.

DAILY

GLAD:)

My plane from Atlanta flying into La Guardia landed unscathed last night. We flew head-on into intense winds and just before touching down, the plane tipped at least thirty degrees over its left side. Usually when I fly, I beg the window seat person to open the window so I can control the plane's trajectory with my mind, while everyone else is calmly reading their magazines. This time, the older man across the aisle from me intensely gripped his armrest, the lady behind me begged the plane to land, and the woman in front of me coached the young girl next to her to visualize herself on a roller coaster. We landed safely and for this I am GLAD.

SAD:(
General Mills now has a complete line of gluten-free cereal. This would make me happy if it wasn't a complete marketing ploy. If the gluten-free movement wasn't such a fad of vanity, I would be supportive, but I know people who actually suffer from Celiac disease and their first priority is definitely not finding the right cereal to eat. Plus, has anyone really looked into the stats on how many people in this country actually suffer from a true, honest-to-goodness gluten allergy? I doubt it's enough to warrant an entire line of cereal from one of the largest food manufacturers in the country. If gluten was really that bad for everyone, French society would have crumbled long ago- these people have literally fought rebellions over bread, and definitely not the gluten-free kind.