Took a little trip to Vegas

Matt and I did a long weekend in Vegas last week to celebrate our anniversary. We mixed a little business with pleasure and met with an import sales rep and I can tell you we will be adding some Asian culture to Soul of the Rose soon. I think what made our trip special was where we stayed –City Center. We didn’t actually set out to celebrate our anniversary in Vegas – this was the big 25th anniversary so we would have preferred Europe…Paris to be exact. With the economic turmoil of the last two years we just were not feeling the love of taking another European jaunt at this time. I’ve got family overseas so Europe will still be there for us. We were really looking forward to some time together and a little relaxation. We actually wanted something quieter than Vegas and when I checked out the new hotels I was surprised to learn about Vdara at City Center. City Center is a collection of hotels and a new mall smack dab in the center of the strip but with a whole new attitude.



If you’re looking for the new hip place to stay this is it. Our room had a panoramic view of the Bellagio fountains and a nice view of the Paris Eiffel tower…romantic! The Vdara is a quiet hotel, hip, non-smoking, non-casino with a slight Asian overtone.



It is connected to Bellagio so if you get a hankering for the poker tables or the slots you just cross a walkway and you’re in. If you need more hipness you can cross the outdoor walk way and go to the Aria. The Aria is the new Vegas elite, all of the swank with little or no garishness. Here is where you find the casino, shows, night clubs and outrageous shopping in a brand new mall called Crystals.

In addition to all this goodness both hotels pump these fantastic fragrances throughout – and I mean wonderful to die for smells!! Think of a cross between vanilla and sandalwood with a bit of citrus. I put my name on the waiting list of 2500 people in line to buy it when it comes out! They still don’t have it completed and they are not sure if it will be a candle or perfume or both. Whatever form IT will take I will take it! So if you are looking for a totally different Vegas experience you should check out the Vdara…and the rates are amazing since they are so new.

Getting detached from the things I think are so important...

I have been working with the idea of detachment lately and I came across something that Wayne Dyer said that really resonated with me regarding the idea of detachment. Think of water and a rock, of the two which is stronger? Water is always going to wear away the rock. If you think you need to harness the water, the more you try to squeeze and hold on to it the less you end up having. It is only when you relax and lay down in the water…float, that there is such an abundance of water, more than you actually need really. I guess that is the true meaning of “Going with the Flow”.

My favorite birthday card

Perhaps only a parent can know you so well. This is a scan of a birthday card I received from my father some 25 years ago. It says so much about who I am and why I am here. I was so struck that he found this poster and thought of me and kept it to give to me on my birthday. There are six kids in our family so I am impressed that with such a crowd my Dad had the insight to get me so well. Here is what he wrote on the back:

Happy Birthday Kim -
This poster reminded me of you. You are such a strong individual person, but you are constantly caught up in the machine. Keep fighting it, Kim you will eventually do what you want to do. And remember, like this poster, the finger print (you) has a beautiful variation of line, it has color, texture and rhythm - just the opposite of the computer code, which is straight, static, lifeless, colorless and predictable.

I love you Kim,

Dad

Yes, that says it all for me.
Thank you Dad for knowing me so well and loving me so much.

The Photographic Art of Shadi Ghadirian

I stumbled upon the photo gallery site of Shadi Ghadirian and was so impressed I had to share it with you. I wrote to her and asked if I could share her work with my readers and she was kind enough to agree. I hope you will visit her site and view each of her photos. She makes some great observations about women in Iran but I think relevant to women everywhere. As it is most of the time, we all seem to have more in common than our differences, at least that is the feeling I get when I look through these photos. I may see them from a different vantage point as in the Qajar Gallery. I feel "where is my history?" But I think many women can totally identify with "Like Everyday" Gallery. Go visit I think you will love it!


"I am a woman and I live in Iran. I am a photographer and this is the only thing I know how to do." "It does not make a difference to me what place the Iranian woman has in the world because I am sure no one knows much about it." - Shadi Ghadirian

Beingness...

I was barely watching Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer the other night and thumbing through a few books on the bedside table, Wayne Dyer's "The Power of Intention" and Geneen Roth's "Women, Food and God". The latter because I must now lose the weight I have put back on from inability to exercise over the previous months of injury, surgery and recovery. I must be honest here, during recovery it was not uncommon for me to come downstairs and enquire "Who will be going to In & Out Burgers today?" So it was not entirely for lack of ability to exercise that caused all the weight gain. Just clearing that up...

The TV was on as background noise, I thought I was present and ready for soul searching. As I picked up these latest self help books it came to mind that there is a point of recognition that takes over my desire to change or cure myself. Oh sure I need to shed a few pounds but I see myself clearly and I like what I see. Certainly I laugh a little too loud. and I always love too hard. I feel way too much for my own good and there never seems to be any dessert that is really too rich for me. But do I really need to "fix" all this?

It was about this time that Cesar began talking to me. Well, he was talking to some dog owners about their dog problems. I like Cesar - even though I am a cat person - he is easy on the eyes if you get what I am saying. Anyway, Cesar was making some great points here.

Master the Walk - set aside time and engage the proper frame of mind, position matters, be the pack leader and define exploration time.

Achieving Balance - Calm assertive leadership not emotional arguments or outbursts. What are the needs, take responsibility for the state of mind.

Energy as Communication - Energy is what Cesar calls Beingness; it is who and what you are in every moment.

I LOVE THIS GUY!

So perhaps I am not some wild overgrown puppy tearing up the furniture or dragging my owner down the street on our walk but I do get out of hand from time to time. I forget my Beingness, I forget how to Master the Walk and then I need to work on Achieving Balance again. I don't need to fix everything in life as there is no thing that is wrong; rather recognition of my Beingness and re-setting the right frame of mind is all I really need right now.

Road Trip & Recovery

We're headed to Santa Barbra this weekend. Matt and I are taking a little get a way to unwind and relax before my surgery.

Don't worry, if you place orders on the shop they will still ship. Nina our administrative goddess will come to the rescue and ship all orders in a timely manner.

If you have read this blog then you know that entrusting Matt with post surgical care is a tricky endeavor. If not read here. But I am assured by friends and family that all will go smoothly. Matt's history of devil-may-care medical mishaps have branded him as one who can not monitor his spouses recovery alone. He loves me deeply but I just can't explain what comes over him at these times, really.

Trust me we are prepared this time. We have the Polar Care 300 a super sonic ice therapy machine that I get hooked up to that will freeze my shoulder to an appropriate temperature that will help with swelling, recovery and surely any hot flashes that might come up! I have a multitude of fetching sweatshirts and loose tops to pop over the shoulder dressing that I will be bundled in for God knows how long. I have books, movies and both my kids will be around me so I am sure that all will be well.







Though the it may not be this sunny this weekend I am sure we will have a great time! Talk to you soon...

A little travel log - Cedros Design District - Solana Beach, CA

We got out and did some shopping just up the coast the other day. If you are in the San Diego area then you have got to check out Solana Beach. It is a sleeply little beach village between Encinitas and Del Mar. If you are going by train - it has it's own stop right there across the street from the Cedros Design District. THE place to shop for all things Cool!

One of my favorite places is SoLo, a very nice warehouse with lost of sophisitcated merchants selling everything from vintage religious iconic stuff to mid-century modern pieces and sprinkled with asian antiques and topped with hip childrens goodies. Pictured above is a sweet little bowl of ceramic blue birds - a total must have!

Religious iconic goodness - I would like to get more of that going at Soul of the Rose.

Mixture of vintage silver, asian statuary and bits of whatever!

We always stop at Bon Bon too. These pictures don't do it justice. Imagine Shabby Chic meets a "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane".

They manage to take a sometimes too sweet decor and set it just on it's edge where you think "That's a little spooky"

We finished up with a great lunch out and then went home for a nap....