Gratitude

Gratitude. An emotion often felt but not expressed often enough in words and even less in gesture or action. I have just celebrated one of the most joyous and suffered one of the most traumatic moments in my life. The birth of my son Blake. I had a very fast and traumatic natural delivery which left my new born son blue, virtually lifeless and fighting to breath in the NICU. What was anticipated by me to be one of the happiest days of my life ended up being one of the most stressful and horrifying quite frankly.

Now that the initial shock has worn off, oxygen tubes removed and Blake has been safely delivered to his new home I have had time to reflect on my personal gratitude, blessings and gifts.

My gratitude extends beyond the delivering midwife, nurses at French Hospital and those in the special care nursery who cared for Blake 24/7 (literally). My eternal gratitude goes to my chosen family of Central Coast Sisters who unselfishly sprung into action to help me start picking up the pieces and ensuring that structure that surrounded me stayed strong. I did not have the strength from my little mini-alcatraz a.k.a. hospital bed to express my gratitude, until now.

THANK YOU - for the visits, lunches, laughs, gifts and TIME. For cleaning my home, doing my laundry and grocery shopping. For the food in the freezer, flowers and hugs. The Half Black/Half passion, no sugar. For the available ear to listen, the shoulder to cry and the warm arms I needed to hold me when my husbands were too exhausted. For the positive energy, prayer and vibes sent to me every moment of every day. For all this and more I am sincerely GRATEFUL.

I raise my glass to the following special ladies in my life



who each in their own fabulous ways have helped me through this time and enriched my life in general.










Thank you Maggie (Hair Stylist extraordinaire) for making a house call, reviving my locks, bringing dinner, clothes for Blake and so much support and LOVE! xo I now feel like a human being again ... one with fabulous hair ;) xo



A shout out to my digital support team! Thank you for all the lovely messages, texts, BBM's, Tweets and Facebook messages during the dark days and beyond. Even though we were geographically separated your love and support was felt each day; JESSIE, CHELSA, CINDY, LAURA, NICOLE, KERRY, My cousins/brothers: CHRIS & COLIN, JO JO, KRISTEN, MARIE, .. and my Facebook and Twitter Family. I can honestly say that your wishes, prayers and positive energy helped and reached us.


To My Sister Lori; My gratitude can never really be expressed in words for your grand gesture of love to our family. Jumping on a plane and flying 2,700 miles at first word that Blake's situation was less than ideal is amazing! You left your busy life that is full of responsibly to your job(s), kids and derby team to come and help with Kaleigh, tend to my household, make me laugh and cheer me. Most of all unselfishly lending your ear and heart to my feelings and struggle. I will be eternally thankful for both your actions and words during this time.



To my Mother; I can never properly articulate my gratitude for all your help during this time and over my entire life. You have always been there for me and I am FOREVER thankful to you and your generous heart and soul. You have been an amazing mother to me and Lori and an even more amazing grandmother (Nanny) to Kaleigh and Blake. I love you.




Special Thanks to TORI and KIMORA who have taken the time to inquire about Blake, provide words of support and encouragement and illustrate through words and action what amazing women they are.





HAVE YOU THANKED THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? BIG OR SMALL?

Start a gratitude journal today. Each day write at least one thing you are grateful for. At the end of the year you will have at least 365 reasons to celebrate your life and the people in it!

Lisa
OXO

There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude. ~Robert Brault

ROCKIN' RORANGE

A HOT color that I LOVE for Summer 2011 is RORANGE ... a rich combination between Red and Orange; Not quite Crimson and not quite Rust. I have seen the color on the red carpet from celebs like Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston who usually sport a really Blah beige or a classic LBD's (Little Black Dresses). They are turning up the heat this season with Rockin' RORANGE

Nancy O'Dell @ 2011 Golden Globes

Can you ROCK RORANGE??

Sold

SHOP: EVOLUTION VINTAGE eBOUTIQUE

Grab Your Piece of the PIE

Photograph by Chris Woods

PIE Magazine is an affordable luxury lifestyle publication available three times each year and marketed as a book-a-zine in Canada. It is intended to be a collectors item with it's content that is un-dated and/or un-seasoned. The magazine is a gift to the reader and encompasses a wide range of topics; Style, Design, Art, Music, Photography, Travel, Finance and Culinary delights.

I was so thrilled to be able to contribute to PART 5, featuring Hugh Hefner.

My personal image

I had the privileged of sitting beside this iconic couch and interviewing Mr. Hefner for over 30 minutes. He was a charming and intelligent man. We discussed the lesser know aspects of his life and career. I am pleased that his feature and interview will be a tool to learn about his iconic and infuential life. My piece is entitled, Hugh Hefner: Publisher, Pioneer, Inspiration and Dreamer.

 It was also a very interesting experience to visit the Playboy mansion 8 months pregnant with my son.

Image: Chris Woods

In the pages of this issue I have also written an Elizabeth Taylor memorial piece.

And I had the pleasure of interviewing award winning costume designer Janie Bryant once again for PIE, regarding her work on the hit show Mad Men.

See Janie's interview for this blog HERE

The Bookazine is full of great content, stories and photographs.

Every Mother Counts PART ONE

LisaG (me) 34 weeks pregnant ~ Photo by Heather Millennar


Mother's Day is the perfect opportunity to reflect not only how we appreciate and love our mothers, grand mothers, step-mothers, adoptive mothers or chosen mothers. It is also a time to reflect on how we got here, the actual process of child birth; a natural, relatively safe part of the female human experience, right?

WRONG! Worldwide more than 500,000 women die each year during childbirth and 90% of these deaths are preventable. Don't let your mind automatically jump to a hut in 3rd world or underdeveloped country right away. Developed nations like the US/Canada is included in that number.


Most of us remember Christy Turlington from the pages and covers of hundreds of fashion magazines. It can be argued that her face was one that defined the decade of 1990's fashion as she is one of the original "supermodels". She continues to model but is a lot more than a pretty face!

For Louis Vuitton 2011


She has now become the face and voice for the hundreds of thousands of women at risk globally for maternal death and complications. She has become a Maternal Health Advocate for the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) and enrolled in the Masters of Public Health program at Columbia University's Mailman School. She still did not feel like she was making the difference she desired so she has created an organization and associated web site called: EVERY MOTHER COUNTS (www.everymothercounts.org).



She has also created a documentary film called "No Woman No Cry" which will debut on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) TOMORROW SATURDAY May 7th:

9:30pm Eastern & West Coast / 8:30pm Central
12:30am Eastern & West Coast / 11:30pm Central

AND

Sunday May 8:
1pm Eastern & West Coast / 12n Central

In Christy's words:

"I was inspired to make a documentary film that would share the stories of women at risk of becoming a mortality statistic. I hope that by bringing people together through the universal experience of birth, we can help create a mainstream maternal health movement that ensures the lives and well-being of mothers worldwide, for generations to come."


FILM TRAILER:




Take the time to watch the film and let it inspire YOU as a woman, a mother and a human being to get involved and help!

STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO WHERE I HAD A CHANCE TO ASK CHRISTY A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING HER CAUSE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP MOTHERS ALL OVER THE WORLD!

Portable Luxury ~ It's in the bag

Twitter has opened up a whole new world of communication, instant digital gratification and by the minute information to me (and MILLIONS of others). I came across a very creative and kind lady in Lina of Analeena's Handbags (http://www.analeena.com/) or follow on twitter @LinaAnaleena (www.twitter.com/LinaAnaleena )





With a background in high-end fashion and accessories beginning at luxury fashion house Hermes, Lina Hamed is well versed in high quality, craftsmanship, and materials. She add's her own personality, attention to detail and artistry to each of her creations to create the signature Analeena bag! She has successfully merged luxury with practicality with her added touches that women need in a functional handbag; like an umbrella pocket, a torch (for keys) and a bag hanger (keep that bag off the floor ladies). The pieces are intended as a fashionable heirloom to be loved, used, treasured and passed down to the next generation of fashionistas.

My favorite part of her collection? THE BOLD COLORS!!! I love that the clutches are made in both jewel tones and brights ~ ORANGE being my FAV! (I also love the bright yellow, lime and the jewel tone green over sized clutches!)




Her collection is quickly becoming a favorite of celebrity Style Mavens as well. Dita Von Teese, Blake Lively and Molly Sims all share Lina's appreciation for fashion and luxury!



Style Maven: Dita Von Teese




Model & Jewelry Designer ~ Molly Sims


Blake Lively (Gossip Girl)

Character "Juliet" on Gossip Girl


I had the opportunity to ask Lina a few questions about her collection:

LISA: Where did the concept of Analeena bag's come from?

LINA: Analeena was created because I have a penchant for luxury, I worked in Hermes, which was one of the most beautiful and treasured experiences I have had. I always loved bags, and was always called the 'bag lady' by my family and friends. I love Exotic skins especially crocodile, and there was a boom in the market when I was doing my market research. I wanted to create a kind of universe of things that are classic, unique, eye catching, and easy to use. I mixed colours and skins together, I added the umbrella pocket, the rose gold metal buckles which I had not seen in the stores and a torch in every bag. I created the hand woven rock ‘n roll python bags with a metal thread and added the bag hanger, so you never have to put you bag on the floor. There is a superstition in South America and the Mediterranean that if a person puts their bag on the floor, they will lose their money. “Bag on the floor be poor"...but not with Analeena

LISA: What inspires you?

LINA: Everything. Nature, People...I am inspired by life. Everything that surrounds me is an inspiration. The fact I can never find my car keys lead me to create the torch in the bags. I can't stand to have my bag on the floor in case it gets dirty, so I thought to have a matching bag hanger in each bag. I love colour, I love emotions, feelings and I reflect that in the skins I choose.

LISA: Is the Analeena line all bags? or accessories as well?

LINA: Also accessories, such as belts, bracelets, diamond and crocodile bracelets, laptop covers.

LISA: Who are your style inspirations? or icons?

LINA: I'm inspired by many people, Gianni Agnelli, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, and Diana Vreeland.

LISA: Where can my readers buy your creations?

LINA: Harrods in the Uk, Javece in Hong Kong, Hip in Cairo. The online shopping is being launched but it will take sometime.

LISA: What is your personal favorite Analeena bag?

LINA: Oh that's a difficult one! As I carry all my bags, I designed each piece around what I need, carry and use. I even carry the clutches during the day!

LISA: What would you recommend for your readers for S/S 2011 from your line? for day AND night

LINA: All of them! But if one were to choose just one bag then id say the Analeena Over sized Clutch, that gets you through day to night

For those of you who are in LOVE with the line and are unable to get across the pond to buy one, start $saving ladies in anticipation for her on-line launch! Remember when making large luxury purchases, you really DO get what you pay for!

Patriotic Pairings for Spring/Summer

Patriotic pairings are a trendy choice for Spring / Summer 2011 ~ for us residing in the USA/U.K. embrace your RED, WHITE & BLUES with a little nautical twist and glam gold accents. To be Canadian CHIC, get rid of your blues and rock your red & white!! xo

*Trends are suggestions and not to be taken literally really. They are intended to be interpreted by you and your own unique and personal style. The color pallet can serve as inspiration. For example one of the colors is white - nothing is as chic as an all white ensemble with great accessories for Spring/Summer*

I got this fabulous R/W/B striped Vintage coat yesterday and it was instinctual that I immediately LOVED it for this season.

I then cruised by my p.o. box to pick up my mail and was greeted with the latest issue of Harpers Bazaar to find the following reinforcement (Click on images to ENLARGE):





CHIC confections from Evolution Vintage (SHOP: http://www.evolution-vintage.com/ )

SHOP: http://www.evolution-vintage.com/

No matter what flag you live under you can ROCK YOUR VERSION of the above or perish the thought all together, wear what YOU want for S/S 2011 and let your Fashion Forecaster Freak Flag FLY HIGH!! I will personally be waving BOTH flags this season.