Inspiring Women

Empowered Women Empower Women

Always standing out from the crowd, Tracy is the one wearing orange coat & yellow sneakers.

Yes; it’s a beautiful thing when women build each other up instead of tearing each other down.

We can all use support more than ever right now.  So when beautiful and successful design diva of the desert Tracy Turco decided to head up an Entrepreneurial Women’s Club of Palm Springs despite her otherwise very busy schedule with a baby to boot… I was very pleased to be included on the list.

I’ve always been drawn to strong successful women.  They’re such an inspiration and each of these incredible women have something unique to offer.  It was a collaboration of getting to know one another, exchanging business cards and finally making plans for the next meetup.

A 1962 mid-century hotel with 12 rooms, The Cheetah Hotel was reinvented by local designer Tracy Turco and her property developer husband Jerry, in 2021. They also own the Art Hotel (most photographed hotel in Palm Springs) & the Tiki hotel with more properties to come including an interactive Mod Museum that will have a roller rink and pizza parlour.  Busy people.

We met on the rooftop of the Flannery Exchange which is located in the heart of Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District.  The building is a mixed-use space providing desert guests and residents the opportunity to work, play, shop, dine, and celebrate. My favorite new coffee shop (Cafe La Jefa) is right there along with new shops and more to follow.

Erika (wearing striped sweater in photo) and husband Mike Flannery are no strangers to hospitality and design.  They also own ACME house company vacation rentals.

The next meeting will be held at a soon to be disclosed local restaurant.

Have a wonderful weekend

 

 

Summer Breeze

It’s official.  I read somewhere that the goal is…to create a life you don’t need a vacation from.  I’m taking that to heart.  Here are a few recent photos to keep the mood:

Ahhh…picnics are pure pleasure.  This is Vanier Park in Kits Point – short steps from where we live.
We’re like mice with our love for cheese. We’re so cheesy!

Sunset Beach. Gather and Co.

Kits Beach Coffee Company

I don’t know about you but I’m on my way to the beach with a picnic basket.

 

Happy International Women’s Day

I want to acknowledge this special day in celebration of all womenthe better half of the world’s population.

Having said that, there are a bunch of women in my life worth paying special tribute to. They’re women of strength, courage, intelligence, integrity, creativity, capability, beauty, talent, style and fun with a capital “F”… as shown here in photos of me with them (and a few without me).  But one thing is for sure… they’re all simply fabulous!

with Alex, Elizabeth & Ramona at The Tropicale, Palm Springs.
with Tammy & Kathy at a fashion show in Palm Springs.
with Rosa at Sandbar, Vancouver.
with Lisa (my sister) at home.
with Renée (my ex sister-in-law) at Pinky’s (now Romer Burger), Vancouver.
with Lynda on Robson (watching Pride Parade from her balcony).
with Lisa
with Susanne at The Naam, Vancouver.
with Margeaux at the Planetarium, Vancouver.
with Ryoko & Margeaux in Castlegar, B.C.  – at Margeaux’s beautiful resort-style  home overlooking the river.
Two Tramps.  With Tamara (or; Tramara) on the Tram, Palm Springs.  I know, it’s a silly one.
with Natalia in Palm Springs.
With Natalia at Lulu’s, Palm Springs.
with Jenni at Roadhouse, Palm Springs.
with Stacey & Jen at a restaurant on Main St., Vancouver.
with Ann Marie at the Revel Room in Gastown, Vancouver.
with Lynn in Palm Springs.
with cousin Liz in a tree – Vancouver.
with Joanne on Galiano Island, B.C.
Rosa & Louise (Louise’s birthday at Colleen’s).
with Tracy at Asia SF, Palm Springs.
with Tamara & Cassandra on a blueberry farm in Richmond, B.C.  (The picking was plentiful).
with Candy, Claudia, Tracy & Rhonda at the Riviera (now Margaritaville), Palm Springs.
chilling with London-based Masako at Colleen’s.
with Masako at a Boutique Hotel, Vancouver.
Celeste, Kiki & Candy at “A Curated Collection” – Palm Springs.
Joselle (had just met her but nonetheless) at “A Curated Collection” – Palm Springs.
Donna & Llana (two of the most capable women I know) in Palm Springs.
Angie (in middle) with Jackie (L) and Colleen (R).
with Anik, Tamara & Jolie at The Victor, Vancouver.

This year’s IWD theme is #ChooseToChallenge, with the following shared on the official #IWD2021 website: “A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality.

with Tammy (Valley of the Dolls) in Palm Springs.

Here’s to ALL OF US making Herstory!

Tracy & Candy at Asia SF, Palm Springs – the last outing before Covid shutdown.

Below are two friends gone way too soon.  I miss them both terribly.

with Jackie and her cheshire grin in Gastown, Vancouver.
with Colleen at the Sailing Club, Vancouver.

ps: If you’re my friend and you don’t see your photo here it’s only because I don’t have one (if so, what a shame).  Please send me one for next time – with or without me in the photo (but preferably with).

 

 

At Kits Days on 4th – with Colleen, Robyn & Stacey.  Always a fun meet-up with music & shopping and friendship.

Feel-good Friday: joyful meditations

A friend of mine gifted me with this uplifting and inspiring little guidebook.

 

This daily companion is a kind of spa for the soul.

One that tends to motivate women in a mindful manner to care more deeply for themselves and to face life’s challenges with courage and joy.   The book is a practical resource for accessing inner wisdom, enhancing self-esteem, overcoming sorrow, and deepening relationships.  I look forward to reading excerpts on a daily basis.

Each of the 150 meditations in this volume begins with an inspirational quote, followed by a thoughtful meditation, and concluded with an affirmation. These meditations provide the opportunity to contemplate a wide range of topics, including:

Developing awareness
Letting go
Believing in your dreams
Living in the now
Finding your true purpose
Practicing kindness
Being optimistic
Trusting the universe
Appreciating life’s blessings

Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better, it’s about befriending who we are. Ani Pema Chodron

To order:

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind– Buddha

Feel-good Friday: Outlook

We don’t need a life coach or shrink to tell us what we already know – that our attitude and outlook on life says a lot about who we are.  

I keep witnessing unpleasant remarks on Facebook from people I’ve otherwise admired. Even quotes that are neither witty, profound or significant in any way.  Just plain offensive and meaningless.  Questionable at best – although others seen to find them funny.  Disappointing.  Has our human race taken a dive?

Positive Attitude = good

Negative Attitude = bad

It’s that simple.  However, it’s not easy to maintain a positive attitude at all times in our present climate of overwhelming discord over health and politics – both of which have a profound effect on our lives.

For our personal sanity at this time in history it makes sense to pay attention to what’s going on while maintaining as positive an attitude as possible.

The idea of Positive Thinking is almost a cliche in the personal development world that can be polarizing. Some people shy away from it, believing it to be pretentious, while others swear by it as if it was some sort of magic pill.

My friend Michael (one of the two smartest people I know in the whole world) has this to say about positivity: it can mean all, or some of the following: 1) Optimism 2) Proactivity 3) Constructiveness 4) Resilience 5) Hopefulness 6) Confidence

If any, or all of these resonate with you, go for it! 

When we consciously cultivate positivity in our minds, we think we can get through anything.  And it’s been scientifically proven to improve your work life, physical and mental health, and relationships.

A University of Michigan study, led by psychology professor Barbara Fredrickson, explored the importance of positive thinking and emotions on our experience of:

  • joy,
  • interest,
  • contentment, and
  • love.

These four positive emotions have a number of ripple effects on our behavior.

Fredrickson had this to say:

Joy sparks the urge to play, interest sparks the urge to explore, contentment sparks the urge to savour and integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each of these urges within safe, close relationships.

By adopting a positive mindset, our resilience increases and with it our capacity to explore the world, while feeling confident and secure. Negative thoughts and emotions, on the other hand, can skew our perspective and in the long-term, damage our self-esteem.

One way to get into the habit of thinking positively is to peak into the minds of other positive people’s quotes by reading what they’ve said or written.

Hope you enjoy the quotes I found here.

Gratitude is the seed that sparks Positivity.

It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”– Germany Kent

Kent went on to say…”Gratitude is a key tenet in all major philosophies, religions, and schools of thought. That’s because gratitude is a foundation of positive thinking. We only have a limited amount of focus, so when you are able to be appreciative of what you have, your brain is unable to give life and energy to thoughts about what you don’t have. Seeing events in your life as gifts allow you to perceive how they may help you grow and become a better person, and the application of this attitude during tough times is the hallmark of resilience.”

The most important thing you will ever wear is your attitude.”– Jeff Moore

 

Feel-good Friday: Picnic in the Park

Some say life is no picnic.  I say make a picnic part of your life.

Summer isn’t complete without one.

Essentials: blanket, wicker picnic basket, sandwiches, cherries, cider, salad….dog.

A little history on the subject:

The word “picnic” comes from the French language where it became a popular pastime in France after the Revolution (1789) when royal parks became open to the public for the first time.

The term derives from pique-nique, used to describe a group of people dining in a restaurant who brought their own wine. The concept of a picnic therefore had the connotation of a meal to which everyone contributed something.

Picnic may be based on the verb piquer which means ‘pick’ or ‘peck’ with the rhyming nique meaning “thing of little importance”, or on “pique un niche” meaning “pick a place”, an isolated spot where family or friends could enjoy a meal together.

During the Victorian Age picnics were ways for people to escape the restrictions of etiquette and formality and offered the rare opportunity for young men and women to spend time together in the open air. They could also be quite elaborate since a picnic for twenty people might feature sandwiches, fruit, a selection of cheeses, and a variety of baked food!

The modern-day picnic is much less complicated.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!