Maria von Trapp Math

My favorite artist dude in Union Square+

My favorite leggings at the local bodega+

My new favorite live band+

(one of ) My oldest favorite live band+

My favorite stationary store (Valentine's Day Party!)+

My favorite date spot with my boyfriend+

My favorite new chef couple from Australia+

My favorite way to spend a free half hour=

Sometimes it lasts in love

Sometimes it hurts instead. -Adele

 "Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun, like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." -Fred Rogers

 As I walked to work this morning, I saw all these people with their flowers, wrapped and ready to give to their sweetie. The local bodega had a plethora of flower options available to purchase (I'm sure with a nice little markup....) and I think half the people are thinking: "Screw you!", while the other half are thinking, "Awwww".  I had my Muppet valentines that were more appropriate for a five-year-old than a thirty two year old lady. I think Valentine's has become this divisive day. I just think of it as a day of spreading some love. Since it happens to fall on a Tuesday this year, it's just another Happy Tuesday.

 I, for one, celebrated Galentine's Day yesterday and had a wonderful time at my new favorite local place, The Wayland, with delightful Emily. I brought some readings from my favorite authors and we had a great night celebrating our friendship.

It's interesting to me, because I think in my romantic relationships, I've always had that side of love that ends up hurting. Maybe this year I'll find a love that lasts instead. A love like my best friendships. Maybe my boyfriend will get gently sidelined for something real. For now, I'll just put on In Your Eyes and sing to myself knowing I'll find someone that accepts me right here as I am...all in good time.  A dear couple whom I adore, said to me today, "I think that you being single means there can't be a God. How is it possible?!" (and they are good Catholics :)!). I can appreciate all the love I get and give in other ways. I'll find peace in those beautiful words of Kahlil Gibran, those that help me see the joy and the sorrow in love. Each love revealing the secrets of my own heart even more to me.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Wrapped up.

sick sick sick+

walk walk walk+

pilates pilates pilates+

babies babies babies+

(oh and an engagement party! Yes, that's a pound of butter for vanilla coffee buttercream frosting)=

what my days are filled with

He loves me, He loves me not

My boyfriend has been a bit lackadaisical lately.

 Thank goodness he's back. I've been needing a little love note from him. 

Magical Mondays

Magical Mondays (don't you just love it when you find a new fun place and it's only three blocks from your house. That's how I roll). +

Pilates Pilates & more Pilates+

A picnic in your apt (why not? Push the couch aside, invite over your fave neighb, put a blanket down and get ready for fun!)+

Delish Upstate (the SCALLOPS! I lick the plate every time. How is it a restaurant gets better every time you go?)+

Cooking for friends part two+

Dinner Date!+

Daniel Kitson (a-mah-zing)+

Secret Projects+

Dance Parties=

I may have a very sore neck, and not due to pilates...dance parties are hard on this old lady. 

What can you do? Gotta live it up.

Week in Pictures (& words)

Neighbor time in the teeny tiny mouse house of mine+

Pilates certification (I love being back in a learning environment!)+

A walk with my boyfriend; seeing how people have recycled their Christmas trees+

Candice art opening+

Oh Bananas! (Barbara has a great idea of making a S*it Tammi Says Video)+

Brunch with Deb+

my favorite neighbors+

Dinner with Robbs & co.+

Brunch at Vandaag with Brian & Ems+

a week of cooking for friends with babies and baking for my fave peeps in the 'hood=

glorious glorious happiness.

This is a test

Receiving has never been my strong suit. I feel much more comfortable giving. So, based on a recent Happy Tuesday post, Deborah  planned an afternoon and evening of surprises for me.

She had me meet her on the steps at Lincoln Center. She started by saying, "This is a test" and handed me a beautiful book of quotes from an amazing letterpress store in NYC. She had tagged one of the quotes that read:

"You only live once But if you work it right, once is enough." -Fred Allen

She then handed me an awesome card with Miss Piggy on the front and a quote on the inside:

"when you truly give up trying to be whole through others you end up receiving what you always wanted from others "Shakti Gawain * via the amazing Happy Tuesdays blog."
(She reads it! Woop woop! She also uses it against me!).

I kept wanting to take pictures, but she insisted I take mental pictures only. She then whisked me away to the MAC store for a make over and an amazing generous treat.

She makes me happy.

She makes my life better.

God, I love that woman.

Thank goodness for that serendipitous moment in NYC that brought us together. She got me my dream job. She allows me to do what I love doing. She supports me through all of it. There is no one like her and I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Since no snapshots were allowed, my mental pictures include:

Misty eyed on the steps of Lincoln Center on a warm winter night. Totally confused and excited.

Crying and nearly ruining the make-up that had just expertly been put on me at MAC, because I was so darn touched by her extreme generosity.

Margs and Guac before dancing the night away...well, maybe Deb dancing the night away.

My neighbor asking me that night: Did you do something different today? You're just glowing. You're sparkling. Is it your hair? Me: Smiling inside, trying to remember my test of life given to me by Deb and just saying, "thank you".

Some things I learned:

Gotta pop that apple.

Receiving is REALLY hard.

After 10 years, it's time to update yourself, yo.
Sometimes there's more to the T-Zone than you think.

I need to take dance lessons from Deborah Lohse.

There is an awesome new MAC campaign with Miss Piggy.

(I may, or may not, have decided to treat myself to a mani pedi and get the new Muppet Colors, courtesy of OPI before my trip to CA after all this lovely pampering).