A Day in Bella's Shoes

Sidewalk Runway.. Where will yours be today?

2012-01-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici.. come stai?

As I gaze out my window onto the shimmering sunrise which illuminates the San Francisco skyline.. I imagine all of the style, the ensembles, the creations, the hits... the misses.. the personal runway every sidewalk in our City becomes, daily. A fashionista can find her muse or even become ones muse at any moment... your inspiration awaits you, it may be on Grant.. on Sutter.... on Telegraph, in Broadway Plaza... a window display, a young woman... a classically chic woman channeling Audrey Hepburn... Style, it can define a woman but a fashionista in her truest form defines her style.

I retreat from my window, grab my latte and begin to surf the interwebs... well, it is just too chilly to go out in search of fashionistas at this hour. I came across several photos... some inspire, some dazzle, some will cock your head slightly...some will leave you guessing... but all are fashionistas in there truest form... so I invite you to snuggle in with your latte and enjoy the show...

Credit: marieclaire.com/ Sasha Pezenik

Credit: marieclaire.com / Hedvig

Credit: marieclaire.com / Lindsey Calla

Credit: marieclaire.com / June Ambrose

Credit: refinery29.com

Credit: refinery29.com

Credit: harpersbazaar.com

This fashionitsa is my muse today......the long flowing coat and OTK boots with trend tights... this fashionista is perfection on a sidewalk, Love, you need a runway, stat!

Credit: harpersbazaar.com

Credit: harpersbazaar.com

So, now that you have a viewed just a glimpse of what an average sidewalk can become.. finish your latte, get yourself into hair and makeup (also known as upstairs).. ring your stylist (also known as you) and transform yourself into your own muse... whether to the grandest of boutiques, the most mundane grocery shopping trip, the post office, the kids basketball game... Fashionistas unite! Muses, let's see you!

Today is your day. Today is Milano! Paris! New York! Where is your runway going to be... I will be out there, perhaps we will cross Sidewalk Runaways.. Ciao!

Through the eyes of my own soul...

2012-01-27T18:43:00.001-08:00

Ciao Amici.... come stai? First and foremost, I apologize for my 6 month hiatus.. the past 180 days have been filled with the mundane, the exciting, tears, laughter, love, loss, calm and chaotic... you?

May I ask a favor... from me to you, if you are intrigued, excited, upset or inspired by a blog piece... leave a comment. It is lonely here on the astral plane and I would love to know you are out there.

The mundane... although quite successful and prosperous in 2011... the daily grind was less than inspiring. Albeit, I do need to own my own inspiration at times.. and I do need to provide those around me with motivation, but nonetheless... business was uninspiring.

The exciting... where to begin, a fabulous girlfriend of mine and her husband are having their first child.. I travelled so much on the west coast I now own an A list card for Southwest*, watched my hubby race at Sears Point, Lady GaGa.... Almost seeing (making a small gesture with my index finger and thumb) the 49'ers go to the Super Bowl.. to name a few.

*A-List on Southwest.. not sure what this means. Fancier peanuts? Definitely not more leg room.

Tears... no need to go into detail, tears are part of being a... well, tears are just a part of being. Period.

Love... my husband, our kitties, the sunset, the sunrise, the smell of rain, the color of gerber daisies.. the taste of a fine Italian vino rossi, the feel of a new Balenciaga... living... I will add GaGa here too.

Loss... our loving Aunt Weedie

Calm... home.

Chaotic... Saks Shoe Salon at 2nd cut, never mind the extra 15%.... ladies, you know what I am talking about... your heart just raced a little bit reading that line.

All in all, 2011 was a year to remember. For its faults and for its fabulousness. For its ups... for its downs.

Amici, as we look ahead to the new year... remember, your days belong to you.. as does your life. You will choose who to share your life with however it is not your life that defines you rather you that defines your life. Love those around you.. never fall asleep angry... take time to listen... I mean.. really listen.

Love often, live brilliantly... and always, be glamorous.... xo

Buona Serra Amici...

Excuse me while I kiss they sky......

2011-06-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things just don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky ..... Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix

Although I am absolutely certain Jimi Hendrix was not talking about shoes....when you gaze upon or slide your foot into today's sky scraping high heeled fashon, it sure is possible...

Victoria Beckham has been quoted as saying 'I only wear high heels as I cannot concentrate in flats'...

I for one, am a believer in fabulous, statement making, show stopping, love to see me arrive.. love to watch me go...high heeled shoes... you?

'I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes......' Oprah Winfrey

'I have spent $40,000 on shoes, I will literally be the women who lived in a shoe...'
Carrie Bradshaw Sex and the City

'Comfort is not part of my creative process....' Christian Louboutin

'My shoes are special shoes for discerning feet....' Manolo Blahnik

'It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes, that's why you sometimes need really special shoes!...' Carrie Bradshaw

Shoes... they can bring a woman to her knees, stop in her tracks, cause a sensible woman to throw all sensibility aside... they fit when your favorite skinny jeans do not, they shine when your hair is a hot mess, they carry an outfit...when you are only wearing beige... they make the petite taller and the tall even taller... short, tall, thin, curvy, white, black, curly hair, straight hair, no hair.... every girl deserves a fabulous pair of shoes.

Enjoy!

Christian Louboutin Fall 2011

Charlotte Olympia Past Collections

Brian Atwood Fall 2011

Alejandro Ingelmo Fall 2011

Sergio Rossi Fall 2011

Ladies, there isn't a style to bold... too high... to sculptured... too fabulous... for you to slip into and become your own Cinderella...

CoCo Chanel may have said it best... 'It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure'...

For more Fabulous Fall 2011 Sneak Previews visit Style.com

The color pink...

2011-06-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

What is it about the color pink? Che cosa circa rosa? If you stop to think, is there anything ever associated with pink that isn't happy? Pink... is pure happiness.

Pink Rose... forever en vogue

Welcome Home Pink!

Molly Ringwald.. Pretty in Pink

Eva Longoria... a pink Croc Hermes... wow

Victoria Beckham.. fabulous in pink

Vespa.. Paint the town pink

Carrie Bradshaw... a touch of pink

Puppy in Pink...

Victorious... in Pink!

Well, she is just PINK...

The color Pink.... it is fabulous, simple, fresh, pretty, cheerful, unadulterated, sexy, mysterious, metro.... it's pink.

Ciao!

Home by any other name.....

2011-05-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

I am most at home in the arms of my husband.... surrounded by our kitties.

“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.”.... Maya Angelou

Casa Dolce Casa
Oakland, California

Across the Bay from home
San Francisco, California

Across the country from home
New York, New York

Across the pond from home
London, England

6,052 miles from Home
Milano, Italia

Home away from Home.... fuori casa domestico
Lago Maggiore, Italia

Bold Style for a Bold Life....

2011-05-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

CoCo Chanel once said... 'It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure' ..... words to live by.

Sergio Rossi
Photog: Toomy Ton
Verde Python Print 120mm Pump F/W 2010

Christian Louboutin
credit: polyvore
Batik Python Lady Peep 150mm F/W 2010

Jimmy Choo
RedLizard Print Python Cosmic 120mm F/W 2011

Alexander McQueen
S/S 2011
Mila Kunis SAG awards 2011

Vivienne Westwood
Wedding Gown F/W 2007
As seen on Carrie SATC

Lady GaGa
May 2011

A new feel for Bella's Blog...

2011-05-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? I apologize for my absence over the past four months and I appreciate the fact that I still see your faces in my blog list, thank you for sticking by me.

My absence comes down to this; I have been uninspired by the past four months world affairs.. it seems as though the world's beings have been stricken with one tragedy after another.. lives have been lost, homes shattered, memories desecrated... the amount of news coverage from Japan, Libya, the midwest tornado rage followed only by the gun violence, the senseless Dodger stadium beating and continued high school bullying leading to suicide has quite frankly turned news into disaster porn, leaving me uninspired to write or be creative in any way.

Thus my need for renewal... as a short break from news and human tragedy, my blog will be focused on things that bring light to your day versus thought, ponderance, anger or remorse...

I hope you enjoy the next few weeks of shared enjoyment in life's little things, mostly photos with a few sentences or thoughts. Please share our thoughts, I would love to read your posts!

Ciao amici, buon giorno.

Sarah Palin... and her twisted quest

2011-01-08T18:58:00.001-08:00

**Disclaimer: This is an opinion, MY opinion.. it may be vastly different from yours however worth reading**

Tonight is not about shoes, fashion, kitties, work or pleasure.. tonight is a time to reflect on a post I presented here last year. I cannot imagine this is a mere coincidence.. one of Sarah Palin's minions chose to exercise the direction given by Sarah Palin to 'take a stand, take back our 20' indicating Gabrielle Giffords AZ-8th district as one of her gun targets (see above, plain as day..4th line down on the left). I am not creating this.. this truly happened.

Well, Ms. Palin... congratulations...1 down, 19 to go... you are a monster... creating monsters that walk amongst citizens of this once great nation... you threaten to run for office in 2012, 'if no one else does'... I go on bended knee and plead... please Snookie of Jersey Shore... run for office. If there is to be a mindless, overworked, over publicized, pompadour wearing, mass converting taking head in the white house.. I vote for Snookie.

There is no difference in the monstrosity that drove the men of 9/11 to kill in the name of who they believe in than what happened in Arizona today; Jared Loughner, 22, of Tucson killed in the name of who he believes in... unfortunately, he believes in Sarah Palin. Congratulations Sarah Palin.. Don't forget to wash the blood off your hands.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the lost, injured and of those who witnessed..

Encore Post

August 2009

Where did the Peace, Love and Music go?

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me? Mystified.

40 years ago...a half a million people joined together to bring awareness to society overthrown by hatred. Woodstock. The organizers were concerned no one would show..but they did...a half a million times over. 40 years ago...peace, love, music...40 years later and I find myself bewildered...uncertain and undeniably angered by where our society is heading....again. When did it become acceptable to choose ignorance over common sense...cruelty over humanity...social unrest versus vocalizing a stance...a part of our society has reverted to an animalistic mindset that has quite frankly...left an awful taste in my mouth. Where did the peace, love and music go?

When did it become acceptable to electrocute, strangle or drown dogs? Michael Vick blames it on peer pressure...he claims to be rehabilitated...I believe differently.. he is a murderer...a cold, heartless, inhumane...murderer...but doesn't seem to bother the NFL. The NFL is paying him $5 million dollars to play football. He should be mandated to donate all $5 million...can you fine someone for being a cold hearted bastard?

When did it become acceptable to carry loaded assault rifles to a presidential appearance? Does this country have no memory of its' own history? On Friday April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth carried a gun to a presidential appearance...On Friday, November 22, 1963...Lee Harvey Oswald carried a gun to a presidential appearance...On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr carried a gun to a presidential appearance....mercifully on March 30th 1981...the attempt was merely an attempt...but today, many are showing for presidential appearances with multiple guns on hand, loaded and with an insane premise 'I want my country back'...WTF? I don't ever want 'my' country in 'your' hands...you ignorant domestic terrorist...yes, tote a gun to a presidential rally...you are a domestic terrorist.

When did it become acceptable to riot or to cause civil unrest....this thought is rhetorical as it is our right to speak our mind, stand for a cause, soapbox but what is not acceptable is not knowing what it is you are fighting for.. I have strong beliefs...a passionate stance however I, mi amici, know what my cause is...what I am fighting for...it is unbelievable when a reporter confronts an angry 'town hall crasher' or a 'birther' and they cannot string two thoughts together..my Lord...they have no idea why they are angry...why they are fighting...other than outright, inexplicable racism, bigotry and ignorance.

I hope those who have chosen ignorance, inhumanity and social unrest find peace while clinging to their ideology...their guns..their excuses...for one day, there will be a reckoning and not one of biblical proportion rather civil magnitude...and it will be then, mi amici, we will all have to answer for the unexplainable...it is that day I fear.

Be good to one another my friends...don't allow poison in your soul...life is simply too short.

Buona Notte...until tomorrow...much love...more peace. I will be back tomorrow to chat about something lighter... ciao.

New Years 'Can Do's'

2011-01-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? I am not opposed to resolutions however it would seem the word itself often leads to demise. This year instead of a resolution, I am going for New Years 'can do's'...

Here are some things I know I can do...with a little persistence, self drive and commitment...

No computer during morning coffee
Wear every new pair of shoes...which will be a fete after this sale season!
Have lunch with one new person a week at work
Only buy shoes on AMEX... Who knew bonus points were so fab!
Kick ass and take names at work
Weekday movie matinee with my hubby
Monthly massage to detox from kicking ass and taking names at work....
Diet... No details.. Just do it
Always make eye contact
Always take time to listen
A new blog post at least every other day, 2010 and 18 posts?
Hair appointment every 8 weeks
Finish that damn ankle!
Recycle, always
Take BART whenever possible

But most of all...be a better wife, mother, person, girlfriend, daughter, sister, co worker, just be better...
For there are always ways to be a better human being and if we spent the time trying... Imagine how much better the year could be...

Be good to one another and may your year be as fabulous as you!

And with a toast of a glass, 2010 is in the books.

2011-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, Buon Nouvo Anno! Happy New Year!! Before we think about today, plan for the upcoming week or take part in the festivities of Valentine's day... let's take a moment to look back at 2010... the times we celebrate, the times we were left breathless, the times that made us wish for tomorrow and alas the times we wish would last forever...

Salute 2010, it was certainly a year...

Thirty Three Chilean Miners... trapped, survived, celebrated and appeared on Jay Leno
A volcano blew its top crippling air travel throughout Europe....and a Flight attendant on Jet Blue blew his top
BP's irresponsible, negligent way of conducting business paralyzed the gulf...
Sandra Bullock wins an Oscar
We lost a golden girl, Rue...
The republicans took the house in November
Gays can serve openly in our military... embarrassing that this was not always the case.
Obama...reforms health care, adds two women to the Supreme Court, stem research funding, don't ask repealed.. and that is just a few off his ever growing resume
GIANTS! GIANTS!!! The San Francisco Giants win the World Series!
We obsessed...Facebook, Jersey Shore, bedbugs, Glee, tea party
Survival...Haiti, China and Chile's earthquakes.
Spain wins the World Cup
Alexander McQueen... a tragic loss, he is missed.
Brian Atwood is named Shoe Designer of the Year toppling the sky high heels of Christian Louboutin
Conan leaves...ad comes back
We went GaGa over GaGa...
Bieber fever
US combat operations end in Iraq (finally)
Increase troops in Afghanistan (again?)
Kim Kardashian and Sarah Palin compete for longest 15 minutes ever... is it over yet?
Wiki Leaks
Lance Armstrong like his Radio Shack sponsor, goes on and on and on...
North Korea attacks South Korea
Winter Olympics triumph even after the loss of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili
Betty Davis, Betty Davis, Betty Davis
Lost is over... I still don't get it?
Charlie Sheen.... well, he was Charlie Sheen and received a pay raise for threatening to leave... if only.
Mel Gibson is still an anti semite
Rosie the Riveter leaves this life but leaves behind a legacy
Leslie Nielson dies... he will 'Shirley' be missed
A Modern Family breaks down barriers... a kiss for Cam and Mitchell... and an Emmy!
A King's Speech, A Fighter, A Black Swan and a Tourist...all taken down by Little Fockers in the box office

All in all, 2010 was a year for the books.. for the strong willed, the weak kneed... the lovers and the players... the famous and the infamous...

Whatever your wishes, no matter how outlandish your dreams.. for the minimalist at heart or the conspicuous consumer..may 2011 be your year.. a year filled with happiness, health and may all your journeys always begin in fabulous shoes!

Happy New Year family and friends... Cheers!

The Art of Thigh High....

2010-12-19T09:25:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici and Fashionistas.... I am having a 'rain day' in the Oakland Hills. It is blustery, it is cold so I am pulling back from my Spring/Summer shoe talk and reverting back to boots! Perfect timing actually as now is the time to buy boots, the boutiques are clearing them out at 30-60% off... Let's chat boots!

Today, I want to address the art of thigh high boots. This is one shoe that warrants a lot of discussion as the first thought that comes to mind is the red light district, ladies of the night and of course America's favorite hooker...

Julia Roberts cirque Vivian Ward

Thigh high boots were all the rage at last years runway shows; Isabel Marant did an entire show with leggy models flanked in thigh high beauties. Although the runways were screaming thigh high, it took some getting used to by ladies throughout the world.. 'are they too much? I could never... hookers, strippers, yada yada yada' but wait...could we?

A year later, the over-the-knee styles are adding a sultry allure, a chic statement to skinny jeans and leggings, skirts and dresses. A woman can cover her leg with a sleek suede or leather boot give the illusion of a skinny leather legging.. wear them under your favorite Diane Von Fursternberg wrap dress, pair them with jeans, leggings, tights... the key is to keep the look as sultry versus sex on a stick.. there is a thin line between the two but it can be done..and when done well... bellissima!

So ladies, fashionistas... it is time to channel your inner 'Vivian Ward' and grab a pair of thigh highs... unleash your inner diva!

Brian Atwood Barretta

Brian Atwood RZ Boot (Rachel Zoe collaboration)

Let's go south of the ankle...

2010-12-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... enough is enough, a girl cannot live in red soles alone nor should she try as Monsieur Louboutin may be know for exquisite design but for comfort he is not.. As most of you know of me, I have stayed tried and true to only a few; Louboutin, Blahnik and Yves Saint Laurent however of late, I have welcomed a new, sexy silhouette into my wardrobe.. new to me that is..

Brian Atwood is unique for many reasons, unlike the aforementioned men of the shoe world, Atwood is home grown, a Chicago native. After a 7 year modeling career which took him throughout Europe, Atwood was discovered by one very well known Italian, Gianni Versace...working alongside and designing within the Versace house, Atwood honed is craft and launched his own line in 2001, creatively named; Brian Atwood. After two short years, Atwood was recognized by CFDA Swarovsky Perry Ellis Away for best Accessory Design. His world wide accolades continued to draw attention and the red carpets filled with hollywood starlets wearing his sexy, impeccably designed foot candy..In 2007, Brian Atwood was appointed as Creative Director of the Swiss luxury firm Bally.

An excerpt from his own website bio; '...Atwood runs the business in an old-school manner, overseeing every design drawn, material selected, and construction detail. Consciously avoiding overexposure and mass production, Atwood has positioned his label as a luxury boutique venture run with rigorous personal involvement.'

And overexposed he is not, if you can find a stockist.. it is rare to find your size as many carry one size run. Ladies, I proudly will take the blame for enabling you by introducing you to your new addiction but it comes with a caveat; bring your patience and strike when you find them as procrastination will only get you one thing... a wait list.

My signature has been a red sole for more years than I care to share or admit, my admiration for Louboutin still runs deep however I am a woman (tried and true) which gives me the unalienable right to change my 'signature' and Ladies... I am breaking my exclusivity with a Parisian and taking a new love South of the Ankle...

And now, without further ado.... 'Hello Lover....'

A Glimpse into Brian Atwood's Resort Collection 2011

DANTE (available in many colors and patterns)

MANIAC (available in many colors and patterns)

ALISON

NAYA BIS

A few resources...

Net A Porter
My Theresa
Intermix
FootCandy Shoes

Twas the night before Resort....

2010-12-12T12:22:00.001-08:00

Ciao Amici... come stai.. I thought I would depart from my norm today and share with you an holiday tale.. the air is crisp, the sun rises an hour later.. the snow is falling all along the eastern edge of the country.. the shop windows are adorned with garland, elves, snowflakes and holiday cheer. Winter is upon us but in the mind of a shoe lover... all of this means one thing... Resort 2011 is here!

And here it is indeed, before meeting my lovely mother in law at Burger Bar for lunch... I strolled past the 200 ft Christmas tree, the giant Christmas bulbs, the 'buy one get something else you don't need but feel like you have to' gift packs...and strolled into a world of lace, glitter, nudes and animal prints.. I strolled into the Neiman Marcus shoe salon. I gazed upon the statuesque 150mm heels, the platforms, the rhinestones... when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a man dressed in a suit with a blue tie and 12 tiny boxes... the brown, the red, the yellow, the black...I knew in a moment it must be my favorite Neiman Marcus sales associate... as he opened the boxes... And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, Louboutin! now, YSL! now, Caovilla and Blahnik! On, Fendi! on Gucci! on, Valentino and Chanel! I laughed, I pranced, I snapped photos, I twirled... for a shoe salon during resort, is my kind of whirl!

Alas, after the stardust settled, the shoes and their boxes had been parted... I tried them all...every last pair, a modern day Cinderella in a Resort world... a left with a twinkle in my eye, a jolly giggle in my tummy.. for I knew one of those pairs will be mine.. for now, join me as we step out of the snow and into the world of Resort 2011...

Christian Louboutin

Alejandro Inglemo

Brian Atwood

Rene Caovilla

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and fabulous..... RESORT 2011!!!

Ciao Amici!

A cat on my lap...

2010-12-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, I am sitting at my desk in my home office gazing out the window into a blustery 'pre-winter' day... I have one of my cats on my lap and nothing on my mind.. which is a fete as it is a Wednesday. I am home today as my Mother in Law is dropping by for a visit and I have an internal need to play hostess.. if even for a couple hours. Funny, I am not sure where in my life I picked up the 'Monica' in me but I have it and have it bad.. the guest towels come out, the top of the refrigerator is cleaned (actually the inside too, you never know), porch has been sweep, a lovely gouda with a fig dressing awaits aside a bottle of Pinot Grigio.. but oddly... nothing much on my mind.

The rain is falling in a steady stream upon the Oakland Hills. It sounds lighter than it actually looks, the scent of rain always reminds me of my childhood... wearing my fire man yellow rain boots, my paddington bear rain coat..hurrying myself to school just as quick as my little legs could take me. Not much has changed, swap the rain boots for my Louboutin Babels and the jacket is London Fog (Yes! The silver leopard print that Christina Hendricks is wearing in their new campaign!)... oh, and the legs not so little anymore given my 36 inch inseam... but overall the same :) I am still that little girl in the rain on days like this... perhaps that is why I have not a thing on my mind... the blissfulness of a child, the innocence of the rain... the warmth of my cat on my lap... purring so softly.

The Holidays are on quick approach and I hope you have plans to be with your friends, families, both or neither if they drive you batty...all the same, I would love to hear your plans... do share.

Have a beautiful days mi amici... ciao.

Perfectly content or just complacent?

2010-07-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai? I am sitting here in the evening sun as it begins to melt into the bay..watching our kitties wander from spot to spot in the living room. As one spot of sunshine disappears leaving only a grey patch of carpet... a kitty will stretch..look around the room, identify another sliver of sun, move over, curl up... only to have it disappear once again... the kitty looks around the room, contemplating his next move, it is purely instinctual.

Animals are always moving, adjusting... exploring...living. When they approach another animal, if love is not sensed, if it is not felt... they move on. Not out of discontent but in search of contentment.

When in our evolution as human souls did we become so content with where we are, if it isn't truly where you want to be? Are we driven by fear, mediocrity...the unknown, the desire of the familiar or simply complacent? What causes such a restless race such as humans...the very same race that breeds people to changes lanes multiple times on a highway packed with cars, not moving an inch... yet still... the other lane, I think is faster, really? We are the same people who stay at unsatisfying jobs, continue on in mundane existence.. but definitely not the same lane on the highway.

I, whether condemned by others or possibly revered... never did settle for mediocracy.. nor the mundane... or the unsatisfying relationship. I have always leaped into the abyss of fate..often blinded by my own desire to chase after life rather allow it to run me down. Please do not misconstrue my desire to seek out life as having the tendency to give up on a circumstance. For that I do not... my moves are deliberate... it is simply this my friends... in life; I will always move to the sliver of sunshine...if I know where I lie....the sunshine is not returning.

I am fortunate... in my sliver of sunshine; I have found my happy ending... my husband, our furry babies...our health and our family....but my friends, it took moving out of the shade....

Take care my friends, buona notte.

ENCORE Post! A look back to 2009... Barney's Warehouse Sale!

2010-07-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of my fabulous readers who have requested an ENCORE post of last years ode to the Barney's Warehouse Sale! For those of you who have not yet read this post enjoy, for those who read it last year or requested the Encore post... Thank you for your continued support of my blog!

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me? Things have been hectic here in the City by the Bay...I will not bore you with the mundane or the nuances that have filled my days as I would hope you come here to escape the mundane...an astral plane should hold the extraordinary, the blissful, the escape, the dream...a twist on reality but chaos does not live here. For today, I shall blog on the wonderment of the escape from the mundane rat race..leave the Jones' behind for the day and join me...

Barneys...Warehouse...Sale...arrives at Herbst Pavilion tomorrow morning and I will be there..highly caffeinated, armed with strategy and plastic..iPhone in hand, my shopping wing men on speed dial...for this is the first time BWS has come to SF and I plan on welcoming the event, properly...

If a sale is an 'event', the BWS is the Superbowl..the ladies line the street...only the bravest (or most naive) husbands choose to take part in the madness..the smart ones kiss their wife goodbye and wish them well in their adventure. An adventure is precisely what it is...from the exhilaration set forth when you hear the clack of the lock pulling back in it's core..the sight of the first sales associate ducking out of the way...the shoe racks, a Cinderella story for one and all...some women brave the battlefield solo..bringing their target list, their BFF's target list and a strict budget..other's come with an entourage with carefully drawn maps...She commands to her soliders...'You take the right side, grab anything with a red sole in 36-38..'directs the alpha female..'You take the left size and watch for any of our favorites..YSL, R Owens, Ann D, J Brand, Marc Jacobs..anything 4-6 or 40-44 grab it..' A quick pat of reassurance..'and you..get in line, you still have a slight limp from last week's shoe frenzy at Saks...you will be brought down by the strong..sit tight, see in you 45 minutes!'

A seasoned BWS soldier can spot a fellow pro...she is waiting in line, speaking into her cell, pen and paper jotting down the must have designers, colors and sizes from her friend who coincidentally is standing in line in LA waiting for the BWS doors to open...she is dressed in minimal, clingy wear...the clothing you could easily turn any open space into your personal dressing room without pause...lastly, she stands focused, steadfast and ready to battle for the size 39 YSL Tribute Pump....only to find the stranger across the room, clearly a BWS 'rookie' as she is wearing layers, carrying a bulky bag...sipping a latte, texting and most important to you...holding the left of your right...ahhh, an unknowing gazelle...stalked by a jaguar...you have seen the footage on Animal Planet...I am sure you know how the story ends...

See you at the sale Bella Donna's, I will be the one with the wing men on speed dial, dressed BWS smart, heading for the shoes...buona fortuna!

A line irrevocably crossed....

2010-07-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai... it has been ages since I have shared my thoughts however not for lack of caring... simply caught up in the everyday menusha that can be somewhat enveloping..

Today the streets are quiet... the sounds are of cars, children, geese on Lake Merritt and the occasional scooter... a few night ago, this was not the case. On Thursday evening, a jury of 8 men and 4 women came before judge, a family overwhelmed with grief.. a defendant... a defendant with either guilt, sorrow or possibly both.. in his eyes. Not Guilty of 2nd degree murder... Not Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter... Guilty... of Involuntary Manslaughter? Involuntary? I exhaled....

As defined by Webster; not subject to control of the will. Control of the will... does this mean, one had no will power? If that is indeed the case, if you could not 'will' yourself not to bring death upon another human being... should that carry a more severe penalty? A mother, is now left with a vacancy in which her son once lived... a daughter will grow up without her father.. friends without their peer... co workers without a friend. That night, young men were doing what young men do... causing a raucous after a night of drinking and celebrating... it is uncalled for..this sort of behavior but none the less.. it was not a civil uprising.

Don't confuse my thought of injustice with that of naivety... I know and I realize force, sometimes deadly.. is necessary when a police officer is met with violence or found to be in a potentially grave circumstance but this fateful night, January 1st 2009... a young man laid face first, hands cuffed... defenseless... he may have been resisting, he may have been restless, he may have been a lot of things but one thing he was...was defenseless and unarmed.

A line was crossed that night... a line was irrevocably crossed... a decision was made to use force.. it was will that drove that officer to draw his weapon... it was shear will that caused him to pull the trigger... and finally... it was will that drove him to yell 'fuck this'... and shoot young Oscar Grant.

'Will' versus an assault in which death of the victim was a distinct possibility... albeit I was not one of the 4 woman on the jury but I find it difficult to imagine Johannes Mesherle could not 'will' himself not to pull out his weapon... I do believe a young, inexperienced police officer panicked... he panicked and shot Oscar Grant...

I can only hope this tragedy brings new light onto a system that puts many human souls in the line of danger... police officers are being killed in the line of duty by careless procedures, civilians are being shot or assaulted in which death of the victim was a distinct possibility (aka 2nd degree murder), for heaven's sake... a young deer was shot dead in a backyard by a gun wielding Oakland police officer because 'he did not know what else to do..' retire sir, retire your badge and gun....

We live in a society that fires than aims... we do not stand a chance without basic judgement... that is meant for those with badges and those without...

For now... I will walk the line I have carefully set forth... and hope that I do not fall to the lack of 'will' by another human being...

For what it's worth, to Oscar Grant, to the Family of Oscar Grant; may you find peace in your memories... to Johannes Mesherle; may you find peace in what ever you believe in... for your will has been done and now you must rest with it...

Buona Notte Mi Amici... take care of yourself and each other.... Ciao.

Bella needs your vote!

2010-05-22T15:48:00.001-07:00

Ciao Amici.... come stai?

I have been entered to win a $500 gift card at Bluefly.com but I will need your help to win! Simply click on this link and submit your vote for me and my favorite 'summertime shoes...' my Christian Louboutin Ivory Python JAWS.

You have until June 1st to vote!

Grazie Mille Amici!

Ciao.... xo

You are fabulous....

2010-05-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici... come stai? It has been two long months since my last post and I apologize for my absence. The world has been spinning around me and I have finally found my footing...

When a ballerina performs a pirouette, if he or she does not have a steady spot to focus upon... even the most skilled Ballerina may stumble. In a world that seems to never slow down.. I have to find my steady spot... to calm the spinning.. or at least...slow it down to a tolerable rate.

I stepped into a new role at work this year (hence my absence), with it came a tremendous amount of work, responsibility and with it comes the fear of falling, which looms heavier than ever. It is not out of fear of inadequacy, it is certainly not doubt of skill set or knowledge. I have the skill, the knowledge, the creativity and the confidence... where the uncertainty lies is whether those who sit in the room with me, feel the same?

Marianne Williamson once said Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be?

Truer words have never been spoken... As a woman... I struggle to imagine a man has these fears... why as a woman 'in a man's world', do we have an innate feeling of self uncertainty? Is this feeling thrust upon us? Or do we cause the uncertainty?

I have come to a conclusion today..I cause my own uncertainty. For every moment of doubt we have...I believe there is someone in the world inspired by our work. For every hesitation in our step, I believe there is someone anxiously awaiting our next move... We wish for calm...while someone, somewhere wishes for chaos... I concern myself with things I cannot necessarily control rather than revel in my success...

I have an extraordinary husband, four beautiful babies (felines that is)... a warm home, a healthy life... these are my 'steady spots'... when I begin my pirouette...and the world is spinning around me... I will set my eyes on my steady spots... and let the breeze blow through my brunette locks... the air kiss my skin and the world will wash off of me... for I ask myself... 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who am I NOT to be'

Ciao Amici, Buona Notte....

I realize it is raining but....

2010-02-21T16:11:00.001-08:00

The stores in Union Square are dressed in Spring... bright colors, patent, glitter, exotics... love.

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me, I just came from the designer trunk shows at Neiman Marcus this weekend and a brief stop over at Sak's Fifth Avenue and a final breeze through Barney's..

My eyes are elated... and today I bring to you some of my favorites for Spring '10... a glimpse into Monsieur Louboutin, a taste of Jimmy Choo, a splash of Manolo and perhaps a surprise for good measure.

Enjoy!

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Christian Louboutin AltaDama in Mini Rainbow Glitter... LOVE... it is like 'Sunshine in a Shoe'

Manolo Blahnik

JIMMY CHOO

A splash of Gucci....

These are simply a few of the season's highlights... I am partial to the patent of Louboutin as well as his Watersnake Bianca. Whatever your flavor, sky high or modest...exotic skins or patent.. your Spring wardrobe must include a bright pop of color...

So ladies, don't wait for the sun...make your own; grab you best bag, your slimmest jeans, a flouncy silk top... your best shades... and make the day yours!

Ciao Amici.... chat soon...

TGIF!! Just Because.... It makes me smile!!

2010-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici! If you have not yet seen this... at first you think you are witnessing a Black Eyed Peas mega fan in the front row... but just wait....

Love.... true, unadulterated... Amore

2010-02-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... come stai? Me.. spending this hallmark holiday with the one I love.... as I would have without the holiday.

Today is about love.. whether you find your love with your best girl, your favorite friend, your dearest child, your furriest feline... no matter who you spend it with.. please keep in mind a soul mate is simply one who you can be most yourself with.. one who allows you to be your truest self, unmasked, flawed, carefree... for that is a true soul mate.

However you choose to spend your day, may it be filled with all things fabulous... and most simply put... love.

Amore mi amici... ciao.

Ones chaos is another's comfort...

2010-02-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me.. I have been here, there... as of late; it seems everywhere. In the midst of my travels, I have succumbed although not without a valiant fight, to the flu. I am not here today to gripe about my ailments however to share a thought..

As I was traveling the last week.. I spent a lot of time in airports, on airplanes, in hotels, in restaurants and the overwhelming chatter from person to person had a common theme...chaos.

Chaos either from work, school...children or spouses... finances or budgets... bosses or lovers... but none the less chaos. I am certain you have your own.. my hope is that it is manageable and your days are not overrun by it. Chaos cannot always be avoided and that is not what struck me as peculiar in the varied conversations... what was odd was how often I overheard someone say..'If only I were.... (insert celebrity, idealistic fantasy world or utopia of your choice)' That...struck me as odd.

I am not perfect.. I am far from perfect quite frankly. I have my idiosyncrasies, my compulsions, my neurosis... I suppose I would say I am 'perfectly imperfect'... my husband is a dream in every sense of the word and our finances are fine... I can shop as if it were an Olympic event which puts my budget near catastrophic levels at times, my health... good; with the exception of this nasty bug... unforeseen expenditures? Sure... doesn't everyone have these? If you have anything with a warranty.. that warranty will expire and tada! You have your unforeseen expenditure. Weight... a few pounds from my ideal...Hair...it needs a cut and a color... Boss doesn't nag me although a few colleagues do... my ups, my downs...my in between's.. sure, it can be chaotic at times but I will share something with you... there isn't a person in the world I would rather be...or a person I would rather share it with... for at the apex of my chaos.. is life. My life... the life I have built with my husband...in our home... and whether it is calm, chaotic... burning at both ends... it is ours...and that mi amici... is what makes me...me...and yes, I find comfort in my chaos.

Remember my friends.. for every pound you think you are overweight...someone envies your figure.... for every dollar you feel would make a difference in your budget...there is someone in need of a dollar to feed their family... for every debate you have with your spouse...someone goes to sleep missing theirs wishing they were there to debate with... for every overdue bill.... well, not much to say there...but the point is... your life is yours it includes the good, the bad, the ugly and the hairy... wishing you were someone else won't make your life any better.... it will only make the journey less sweet...chaos is a beast when if fed with more chaos will create a vortex of uncontrollable circumstances...all you can do is find your happiness amidst the chaos and once you do...happiness will certainly find you.

Ciao amici... xo

New Items added today at Bella's Boutique....

2010-01-24T18:51:00.001-08:00

Please take a moment...

2010-01-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... come stai? Me.. I have been inspired to reach out to you...each of you to encourage you to give to the relief efforts in Haiti... simply click on the banner above to be redirected to the site. My heart goes out to the souls we have lost and to the loved ones they left behind.

God Speed to you and yours... in good times and in trying.... love, peace and kindness.

Grazie Amici.

Cocktail Anyone?

2010-01-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me... pondering the time.

The clock does not have to chime 5 in order for me to celebrate the glam (and sometimes gaudiness) of the 'cocktail ring' ...from the genuine to the costume...whatever your budget, your flavor...your desire... a cocktail ring will spice up the casual or add extra dazzle to your night out.

Recently I borrowed a fabulous mother of pearl daisy cocktail ring by Stephen Dweck from Avelle. It was a sizable statement... not for the faint of heart... for it is called a statement piece for a reason... it makes, creates, demands...a statement... my statement was simply...'Fabulous!'

As you know, Avelle will only allow the love affair to last a short time and from the moment I returned my Stephen Dweck ring... I have been on the search for the perfect cocktail ring.

I am leaning towards the ornate, the fashionable, the truest of statements... honestly because I know my need for more lurks just beyond the keyboard of my MacBook Pro... the need for more can often begin before the first even arrives... it is obsessive, sure. It is satisfying, yes. Like a second Dirty Martini... the first gratifies the craving... need I say more?

Take a walk on the wild side with nOir...

A personal favorite... nOIr 'Jules the Octopus' $150

For the lighter at heart... nOir 'Bette the Butterfly' $165

nOir (from hsn.com) 'Porcupine' $99.95

The 'statement' behind this pave and rhodium plated piece is all in the name.... 'Sally the Shark'... perhaps at my next board meeting.... it's a man's world... why not carry a shark as you secret weapon?

Whatever your taste bella donna, may your right hand make a statement... a dazzling, encrusted butterfly to express your care free spirit or a predator of the deepest sea to announce your arrival to the big league... raise your glass ladies, this cocktail is on me!

Salude!

Italia Viva!

2010-01-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... Come stai? Me, I treated myself to a visual feast today... Italia style! Senza my husband as he was not as intrigued.. I went to see NIne this morning. It did not disappoint.. from the moment Daniel Day Lewis appeared on the silver screen, mind you.. I am not typically a fan of Mr Lewis... with the backdrop of Italia in the '60's... I sat back and let the show begin...

You may call it a chick flick... and solely for the reason that Mr. Lewis is nearly the ONLY man in the entire picture.. hundreds of scantily clad women adorn the screen...from the likes of the fabulous, apologies... the immensely fabulous that is.. Ms. Sophia Loren to the utterly fabulous Kate Hudson...

Penelope Cruz is all but mundane as the Mistress of the leading man, Director and womanizer Guido Contini.. her opening scene as the friendly caller of Guido's was a feast for men and women alike...

Whether a fan of Italian cinema, musicals or simply Italia... this movie will certainly have you smiling at some point if not cheering quietly as I did after each musical number.. It took every fiber of my being not to pop out of my seat when Fergie belted out the final note of 'Be Italian!'.... Fergie, channeling an Italian prostitute Saraghina; the Dutchess has gone Italian....

The color, the sound, the energy, the sensuality.... the underlying star of the film was the most beautiful of all... Italia! A short hour and fifty minutes had passed... and the credits rolled...

Bravo to Rob Marshall for his fabulous adaptation of the Federico Fellini film... I left with a raucous feeling in my bones, a smile on my face, a fire in my soul... alas, the world will see through the eyes of Hollywood's starlets... what being Italian is all about...

Ladies, grab your hubby... this is a flick for both.... and I assure you, he will not fight you after the lights dim and the ladies appear.... wearing not much more than an Italian attitude.

Passion.. Love... Sensuality.... a touch of Loren and a splash of Fergie... VIVA! Long live Italia!

Ciao Amici!

Happy New Year Mi Amici!

2010-01-01T18:00:00.001-08:00

May your New Year sparkle... wishing you all a Fabulous New Year filled with dreams come true....

xoxox

Bella

Reflection....

2009-12-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me... as the year comes to a quiet end I find myself in a state of reflection...reflecting on the 363 days which have passed this year... and ahead to the next 367 ( I know 365 but there are 2 more to go). What a year we have had.. collectively and I for me; personally.

We have elected our first African American President... Congratulations on your 1st year POTUS Obama.
Shops have closed... shops have opened
Michael Jackson... despite his demons (we all have them) was and will remain a genius on stage and small screen
Ted Kennedy...whether you are on the left, the right, or somewhere in between... it is difficult to shame a Kennedy
The red bathing suit, the hair that launched many a feathered do... The beautiful Farrah Fawcett
Brittany Murphy... a young starlet lost in her fame... has faded away
Health Care... Tea Baggers... Birthers... Town Hallers... a Governor leaves her post half way through... a beauty pageant contestant protests 'In my Country, Huntington Beach'.... what? And what the hell is opposite marriage anyways?
Glenn B*ck calls Obama a racist... a what? By who?
A Nigerian national tries to ignite his skivees to take down a plane...
The Hangover to Avatar.... Jennifer Lopez in a boxing ring to Adam Lambert's onstage sexcapade .... I've seen enough Taylor Swift to last me ten lifetimes... Britney has returned.. Cher has left (again) Beyonce; yes, the single ladies have heard you....
Dave Matthews earns a Grammy nod
Black Eyed Peas still have it in the E.N.D. (Shout out to Hacienda Heights!)
The DOW is on the road to recovery
Starbuck's business plan to rule the world... has been curbed.... and Mr. Schultz, instant coffee as good as urn? Seriously? What?
Amy Pohler leaves SNL... returns as Leslie Nope in Pawnee... Jay Leno, has gone and come back... I have my money on 'soon gone again'...
Too many Republican's to name but worth mentioning.. their infidelity to their wives was less than entertaining... was it something in the water? Anyway, Julianna Margulies scored a huge drama hit on their sad behalf...

I reached the end of my journey in one career... took a leap of faith into another...closed my eyes, fastened my seat belt, murmured a quick 'oh shit, here goes' and landed on a higher plane... in tack... like a cat...speaking of which; tucked in and wished sweet dreams for the last time to my sweetest feline companion for the past 10 years, fostered a litter of stray cats... found homes for 4 plus Momma and opened our home to two more boys; taking our humble little family to 4 fantastic felines, my Hubby and I...

Whether your year was full of ups... had it's downs... or plateaued mildly in the middle... I hope you touched the life of someone in your path... and may someone have touched your life as well.

As the famed, newly renovated NY City Swarovski Crystal Ball drops... I extend my warmest, sincerest, most fabulously spectacular wishes for a bright, shiny and sparkly New Year!

Thank you for joining me along my journey this year and I hope you continue to walk with me as we head into 2010.

Buon Anno...Felice Anno Nuovo mi Amici, Ciao!

Blitz of a Metropolitan Mind

2009-12-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... come stai? Me? It has been a fabulous day, fabulous weekend actually however I find myself in this very moment racing from one thought to the next. Have you ever found yourself in this state? I have bounced from Louboutin's to Blog shop... Wolford (I really need those Satin Opaque 50's in Moccasin) to traveling...from work on a Monday to tomorrow's dinner reservations in the City... in the background Schwarzenegger is stumbling through a thought on 60 Minutes which leads my mind into an entirely different space. ARGH! It all seems to morph together into white noise. What do you suppose causes our mind to race in such a chaotic manner? Attention deficit? No... I have quite the attention span, well more than 20 minutes or so which seems to be the shelf life for any thought I can hold onto at this moment. It could be stress mixed with a slight (and when I say slight, I lie) obsessive compulsive disorder or perhaps... it is a mere escape?

Do we as human souls need to escape from one moment to the next? Of course we do... but I love... I adore.... my life. I can honestly say I have absolutely nothing to escape from... but possibly the need for my mind to be occupied. Perhaps it is as simple as that, occupying my mind. Whether in chaos, racing through the transit system in the City, typing, blogging, shopping, cooking, dancing.... my mind seems to crave 'busy'... I suppose I may have a 'Metropolitan Mind'... it's exhausting just thinking of it.

Metropolitan Mind? I think that is the diagnosis... My mind is early to rise... negotiates the day to meet my goals... personally, professionally and spiritually... I pause for red lights, race through the green... refuel only when absolutely necessary and sometimes too late.. chat when needed.. provide when necessary... park. stop. go. park. stop. go.

There is only one moment when my mind truly rests... not a thought... not a worry... when I reach the Blitz of my Metropolitan Mind... I drop the change for the meter, set the briefcase in the foyer... I collapse into the arms of my love...for it is only there, only then... that I, that my metropolitan mind... will truly rest.

Buona Notte Amici... ciao.

Bella's Boutique Now Open!

2009-12-26T09:16:00.001-08:00

Bella's Boutique is now open...A simple boutique offering shoes, clothing and jewelry... from pre-loved to handcrafted and designed...featured sellers, artists and more... drop back by for updates!

tPF and tFS members receive free shipping! Please PM 'BellaShoes' on tPF or 'Ciao Bella' on tFS following checkout on Bella's Boutique. Once your PM has been received to confirm tPF status, your purchase will ship free!

Happy Holidays to All and to All a Fabulous New Year..

2009-12-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

Ciao Amici... On a brisk evening in San Francisco's Union Square, I raise my glass to each of you and your loved ones during this holiday season. Whether your year was full of triumphs and joys or a potpourri of highs and lows.. I wish you the peace in your heart today...the strength to overcome any moments of uncertainty along your journey...and the courage to know for every low..there is always a high...

May you always carry in your heart the desire to become the heroine of your own fairy tale.. Ti Amo mi Amici... Ti Amo!

Step into my shoes (literally) ...at Bella's Boutique

2009-12-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

Coming Soon...A simple boutique offering shoes, clothing and jewelry... from pre-loved to handcrafted and designed...featured sellers, artists and more... drop back by for updates!

Bella...in someone else's shoes.

2009-11-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Ciao amici, come stai.. me? Well, I have stepped out my shoes, for a moment...
There is a chill in the air...the rain has begun to fall... Bing Crosby fills the boutiques with his holiday cheer.. tis the season.
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or Fiestivus... you will surely be spending time making a list... some may say; checking it twice... the long store lines, the even longer credit card statements... the eggnog lattes, the pumpkin pies... ever expanding waistlines... sitting around a festive dining room table or next to the fire sipping on cocoa... all reminiscent of the holiday season I have been fortunate to experience in my lifetime.

I was in the City... just wrapping (no pun intended) up a quick, lunch time holiday shopping trip when I came across the Salvation Army bell chime, just beyond her... I woman not much older than me... she was not in a rain coat nor a decent closed toe shoe but in a tee shirt, sweatpants and socks. All of which were covered in what I could only imagine was a combination of rain, street grime and perhaps a little breakfast. A day in her shoes... or in her case, socks could not be more different than mine. In a split second, I find myself lost in a thought; does she know what love is? Has she ever had a warm bed, a prepared meal not scraps from the bin behind a restaurant... has she known and lost or does she simply only know loss? I felt myself glancing over her lifetime... and not knowingly... I was staring directly in her eyes. When I realized my daze.. when I realized I was staring directly at her, I approached her... and offered her my coffee. She gladly accepted. I asked her if she lived nearby, she replied 'I live nearby everywhere...' Do you sleep outdoors? 'I sleep under a stoop, mostly out of the weather, it's fine'... Fine?

Good lord, we are a glutenous society.. by nature. I know this will offend some to generalize but it is true, we super size, we over spend..we turn a blind eye on those in need...we complain, we are miserable in ambiguous times..yet this woman, a woman under the day's grime..is quite beautiful... said 'It's fine'. I had just come from buying a scarf for a girlfriend.. I reached into the bag without a moment's hesitation and gave her the scarf.

Amici. this is not a note of guilt or a message of judgment or religious intent... not today, not ever. This is simply a message to share with you a few options to give back this holiday season. Most I know have incurred loss in this ever plummeting economy; whether the stock market, a lay off, credit card finance charge increases, foreclosures... no matter the hardship.. I do not have a friend or a member of my family on the street.

Photo Credit: Declan McCullagh

If you have the means, an extra coat.. a warm blanket... a couple of cans of food... GIVE. If you are able, bake cookies and take them to a local homeless shelter... but at the very least, acknowledge them. When you walk by someone on the street who has fallen on hard times... do not pass judgement for you do not know where they have been... or where they may land...but in that moment, your kind glance...may make all the difference... and a kind glance...a warm smile...an acknowledgement.. is free.

I ask you to just think about it... if you believe we can change this world... in our lifetime or in the lifetime of our children; it has to start with me and you.

Here are a few places to give....

A Warm Coat
San Francisco Food Bank
Midnight Mission
Dress for Success

Gratzie Amici... Ciao.

Something borrowed, why not blue?

2009-10-23T18:20:00.001-07:00

(Furla Giselle)

Ciao amici, come stai? Me...balancing my budget...with my craving for new handbags. As the saying goes...something old, something new, something borrowed...yada, yada, yada... why should this only stand for the bride? Why not the fashionista in all of us? If you are on my mailing list, you may have recently received an invite to Avelle. A shoppertunistic haven for premier handbags available for rent, alas... I can have my cake and eat it too!

Judith Leiber Strawberry Cupcake Bag

It is genius actually... how many times have you needed an 'it' bag for that 'it' moment yet did not want to drop this month's mortgage for one or two wears? The bags are in pristine condition.. they come in their original dust bags, all authentic and at a fraction of the cost. Sure, it may seem odd to 'rent' a bag... or pay for something you have to return after a predetermined rental period but honestly...if you were to open your wardrobe doors...how many bags have you only worn once? And what did you pay for it.... frightening.

Valentino Python Nuage

Yves Saint Laurent Black Croc Muse

This concept also goes for fine, vintage or couture jewelery and sunglasses... my recommendation does not come as a whim, I have borrowed from Avelle and speak from experience... it filled the niche and satisfied my craving. I also discovered the 'had to have' Chanel sunglasses...looked awful on me.... the Yves Saint Laurent Downtown Bag... a must have...

Ladies, we walk through life making choices we are sometimes thrilled with and those we regret. That haircut that looked fabulous on Charlize...makes you look like a boy...for the next 8 months... the spray on tan, well..now you are successfully orange in mid October and will remain this hue for at least 4 weeks...the Tiramisu you had to have (all last week) you will be loathing on your hips for the next 4 months... why not go for instant, shoppertunistic gratification now....without the guilt and most of all...without a commitment. Now if that were true for hair color....

Here is a link ladies Avelle ..... grab yourself a bag... perhaps a fabulous Judith Leiber bag for your company holiday party... no one else needs to know your secret weapon is Avelle...enjoy!

Judith Leiber Elephant Clutch

Buona Notte Bella Donna's.... Ciao

Benvenuti Caduta

2009-10-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Benvenuti Caduta...loosely translated, Welcome Fall... Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? I found myself between meetings today strolling down Sutter in San Francisco. Although today was not your typical Fall day in the City, a touch warm, the colors and styles were out in full bloom. I was wearing black slacks (stove pipe leg) paired with a silk button down blouse, my vince leather jacket...tory burch reva flats..topped off with my Balenciaga Work and my Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Scarf in Leopard... despite the warmer day...in my mind, it was Fall.

Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Scarf- Miroslava Duma

As I walked through Union Square, I witnessed flat boots, over the knee boots...frye boots and ankle boots.... scarves...Tolani, fellow Louis Vuitton fans... a few Missoni's and a gorgeous Emilio Pucci....

Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Rose- Madonna

With some time to spare until my next meeting... I popped into a boutique and picked up a Tolani scarf... this scarf is actually a pashmina/silk combo...

A brief moment to enjoy a cappuccino on the square, I enjoyed the local sights. Metropolitan women are beautiful to watch. Their style is chic yet effortless...the perfectly paired shoe and handbag...lips meticulously lined and filled with the season's hottest Yves Saint Laurent color....Chanel sunglasses were the prominent choice today ode de Jackie... a dark matte color can be found on most of the ladies nails. Metropolitan men are just as intriguing... a finely tailored suit, some shaven...although some (as my husband is currently) wearing a seemingly aloof unshaven beard...yet you know, they spent more time 'perfecting' the unshaven look this morning than you did on your bikini line... it is Fall after all.

On my 14,231st day....

2009-09-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

The sun broke over the eastern sky...
I woke
I kissed my husband
I fell back to sleep
I woke again....
Brushed my teeth, washed my face
Coffee
Kissed my Husband goodbye
Cleaned
Shower
Received a text from my friend Mona She wished me a Happy Saturday...
Gave myself a pedicure....
Called my Mother in Law to welcome her back from vacation, I have missed her.
Kissed the kitties
Sigh...I miss my husband
Coffee
Whole Foods
Movie.... sigh.
Home
Kissed the kitties
Welcomed my husband home...a few more kisses
Lunch
Dinner
Relaxing beside my husband...sigh
Blog

My 14,231st day was nothing spectacular, I did not solve a crisis, perhaps prevented one, who knows. I daydreamed of Italy...browsed a fashion magazine...I hope I made a difference in someones life today...as my husband and our kitties did in mine.

Quiet...my husband...our kitties...our home...actually, my day was spectacular indeed.

y mi amici? How was your day? I hope spectacular.

Buona Notte...

Decluttering...Part Deux

2009-08-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici...come stai? Me...hot..and not 'Giselle' hot...'Africa' hot...the Bay Area just should not have humidity...my hair is not pleased.

In my need to stay indoors to escape the bloody humidity, I have decided to sort, declutter, eBay and revamp my wardrobe. Yes, for those of you who have followed my journey thus far, I have a fondness...let's be honest...a compulsion for decluttering. A compulsion for decluttering which only rivals my compulsion for shopping...one feeds into the next..as my husband notably said two nights ago after bidding ado to our friendly FedEx man...'Do you have any more room for new shoes?'..Honestly, no....but I can certainly make room.

This simple question..perhaps it was really a comment but none the less it has lead me to Decluttering Part Deux. Welcome to my project, if you feel compelled...following along within your own wardrobe.

We have already discussed the initial steps of decluttering..so if missed that post in early Spring, I urge you to begin there...and then rejoin us for Part Deux. I have taken the first steps of emptying out my wardrobe onto our bed (hubby is out right now...which I recommend for those who wish not to lose their spouse in a cyclone of vintage, new, with tags or without, tie dyed, bedazzled, over the knee or ankle...you can also avoid the conversation that goes something like this...'how many pairs of black pants does one need?'...clearly we need many, silly question...)With a Vesuvius size pile of the have, must have and out dated...I begin my project...stripped down to my girl bits...I begin to sort by what fits, what flatters, needs versus wants..in style versus fad gone bad...staples versus excess.
Once I have narrowed it down...I rehang everything...lose any of the forbidden wire hangers that served a 'temporary' purpose with my new favorite hangers (huggable hangers $6.99 for 6) Regardless of the 96 degree day outside, I have chosen to begin storing my spring/ summer pieces leaving the prominent space to my new Fall wardrobe. I need to make space for several new handbags..two new over the knee boots...my desperately sought after Chloe boots have made their way to me alas..all of which need space. My idea is to pare down my wardrobe leaving one entire 5 foot closet dedicated to shoes and handbags..does it get any better than that?

(a peek into Eva Longoria's closet)

A few pointers...from my own closet and from the closets of my creative friends...

Paint...chose a vibrant yet subtle color
Double your closet space with double space closet rods $9.99
Lighting should be bright...not dim
Designer handbags are best kept in sleeper bags...try storing them on the top shelf in a desktop file organizer or for a more eclectic look..add random door knobs to a wall and hang each bag on a knob! I love this look!
Shoes...I prefer a book shelf with all my shoes on display, heel to toe. I have many friends that choose to keep them in their original boxes...with a Polaroid on the front, genius!
Scarves...on a scarf hanger $5.99

All in all, organizing your wardrobe is a personal expedition...the flow, the style, the feel should express your personality and your wardrobe style. Have an open mind...if you are a self professed pack rat...ask a friend to join you...she will call it as it is...if you have not worn it in a year, lose it...store staples together...pop in your favorite CD, grab a glass of vini...invite a friend to help and possibly take those 'extras' off your hands...and most inmportant of all...have fun!

Buona fortuna mi amici, ciao!

Where did the peace, love and music go?

2009-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me? Mystified.

40 years ago...a half a million people joined together to bring awareness to society overthrown by hatred. Woodstock. The organizers were concerned no one would show..but they did...a half a million times over. 40 years ago...peace, love, music...40 years later and I find myself bewildered...uncertain and undeniably angered by where our society is heading....again. When did it become acceptable to choose ignorance over common sense...cruelty over humanity...social unrest versus vocalizing a stance...a part of our society has reverted to an animalistic mindset that has quite frankly...left an awful taste in my mouth. Where did the peace, love and music go?

When did it become acceptable to electrocute, strangle or drown dogs? Michael Vick blames it on peer pressure...he claims to be rehabilitated...I believe differently.. he is a murderer...a cold, heartless, inhumane...murderer...but doesn't seem to bother the NFL. The NFL is paying him $5 million dollars to play football. He should be mandated to donate all $5 million...can you fine someone for being a cold hearted bastard?

When did it become acceptable to carry loaded assault rifles to a presidential appearance? Does this country have no memory of its' own history? On Friday April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth carried a gun to a presidential appearance...On Friday, November 22, 1963...Lee Harvey Oswald carried a gun to a presidential appearance...On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr carried a gun to a presidential appearance....mercifully on March 30th 1981...the attempt was merely an attempt...but today, many are showing for presidential appearances with multiple guns on hand, loaded and with an insane premise 'I want my country back'...WTF? I don't ever want 'my' country in 'your' hands...you ignorant domestic terrorist...yes, tote a gun to a presidential rally...you are a domestic terrorist.

When did it become acceptable to riot or to cause civil unrest....this thought is rhetorical as it is our right to speak our mind, stand for a cause, soapbox but what is not acceptable is not knowing what it is you are fighting for.. I have strong beliefs...a passionate stance however I, mi amici, know what my cause is...what I am fighting for...it is unbelievable when a reporter confronts an angry 'town hall crasher' or a 'birther' and they cannot string two thoughts together..my Lord...they have no idea why they are angry...why they are fighting...other than outright, inexplicable racism, bigotry and ignorance.

I hope those who have chosen ignorance, inhumanity and social unrest find peace while clinging to their ideology...their guns..their excuses...for one day, there will be a reckoning and not one of biblical proportion rather civil magnitude...and it will be then, mi amici, we will all have to answer for the unexplainable...it is that day I fear.

Be good to one another my friends...don't allow poison in your soul...life is simply too short.

Buona Notte...until tomorrow...much love...more peace.

23 years ago today....

2009-08-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

la donna più bella del mondo, mi manchi mamma

85 degrees and Bella's daydreaming of boots...

2009-08-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me... I am at my office desk, gazing out the window...watching the summer breeze carry the tiny yellow flowers from the tree off into the distance...daydreaming of boots.

Yes, 85 degree's and I am daydreaming of boots...leggings...fabulous biker jackets.. It may seem a touch early however if you have not noticed in your coffee clicking...the colors are changing..maybe not on the trees that line Union Square but certainly in the shop windows that line Union Square..

What is hot for fall? Leggings...Animal...Strong Shoulders...bold boots...Leather...
perhaps deconstructed conservative?

I love...

Whether conservative ala Furstenberg..or with a rock and roll edge with LnA..leggings are a must have for fall...if you cannot bare leggings get yourself a go-to skinny pant and pair them with a boyfriend blazer or a tunic sweater..both make a perfect transitional piece and closet staple for fall.

Leopard... a statement dress from D&G or the godfather of animal.. Roberto Cavalli..perhaps a minimalistic approach to wild? Try a splash of the wild side channeled through a Louis Vuitton Leopard Sprouse scarf or a pop of jungle in your Louboutin's or Choo's...no matter the means, get in touch with your wild side and pick up a leopard print item for fall...faux of course..

Leather..Rick Owens has set the standard for the updated biker jacket..RO has perfected draping divine butter soft leather into asymmetrical cuts that command attention from designers and artists alike... Haider Ackerman has a fabulous piece for fall which I am lusting for, a girl can dream...however if Owens and Ackerman are out of your reach...try Vince. or Mike and Chris

Haider Ackerman Fall 09

Boots...over the knee if you want to rock the fashionista in you, a powerful statement but when done right...an absolute show stopper or go for a knee high boot for the more timid at heart.... Over the knee..am I saying to the office? A fashionista could pull it off masterfully..otherwise.. try dinner...a show...happy hour with your girlfriends...whatever your comfort or fashionista ranking.. a must for fall.

A few of my favorite looks for Fall....

Hermes Fall 09

Isabel Marant Fall 09

Verrier Fall 09

Ah, Fall...the colors, the transition..as I daydream today of Fall tomorrow.. Buona Notte amici...Ciao!

Intolerence is Ignorance...

2009-07-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici...come stai? Me...I wanted to share a brief thought then bid you ado for the evening. I suppose I could have waited until the new day tomorrow however I feel as though if I take this thought to bed with me tonight, it may leave me restless. If you have turned on the television or the radio the past few days, you are aware of the constant chatter of bigotry and racism in our country. For those who thought for a moment, racism ended on January 20th, 2009...I am sorry to be 'the awakening' however I believe that day in history...a day that brilliantly marked the first African-American (yes, Fox News...he is an American) as President of the United States...only proved racism is alive in this country.

How can a country with the word 'United' in its very title be so divided? I have written about hatred, about segregation...ignorance and intolerance so I will not continue my rant this evening...I will only leave you today with the thought of what tomorrow would be like if we no longer saw color, race, religion, sexual orientation..gender...age or otherwise...what if we only saw people for people. What a novel thought... What if you woke in the morning...and chose to like someone because they are a good person, a genuine, honest soul or you could choose not to befriend someone because of a moral reason...perhaps they do drugs, you do not...you smoke, they do not...you like punk rock...they are a little bit country...so be it but honestly...if it is only because a man is Jewish...a woman is black...a teenager is gay...is it truly a reason to hate? To be intolerant? To fight? Not in my heart, not now...not tomorrow, not ever.

I choose to love...love another person for what makes them unique...their color, their race, their gender, their religion, gay, straight...black, white, brown, green...my life, my journey..is simply too short for intolerance and frankly...I am too smart for ignorance.

Ciao mi amici...buona notte.

Bella's going to Barney's!

2009-07-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

Barneys Warehouse Sale that is...

Ciao Amici, come stai? Me? Things have been hectic here in the City by the Bay...I will not bore you with the mundane or the nuances that have filled my days as I would hope you come here to escape the mundane...an astral plane should hold the extraordinary, the blissful, the escape, the dream...a twist on reality but chaos does not live here. For today, I shall blog on the wonderment of the escape from the mundane rat race..leave the Jones' behind for the day and join me...

Barneys...Warehouse...Sale...arrives at Herbst Pavilion tomorrow morning and I will be there..highly caffeinated, armed with strategy and plastic..iPhone in hand, my shopping wing men on speed dial...for this is the first time BWS has come to SF and I plan on welcoming the event, properly...

If a sale is an 'event', the BWS is the Superbowl..the ladies line the street...only the bravest (or most naive) husbands choose to take part in the madness..the smart ones kiss their wife goodbye and wish them well in their adventure. An adventure is precisely what it is...from the exhilaration set forth when you hear the clack of the lock pulling back in it's core..the sight of the first sales associate ducking out of the way...the shoe racks, a Cinderella story for one and all...some women brave the battlefield solo..bringing their target list, their BFF's target list and a strict budget..other's come with an entourage with carefully drawn maps...She commands to her soliders...'You take the right side, grab anything with a red sole in 36-38..'directs the alpha female..'You take the left size and watch for any of our favorites..YSL, R Owens, Ann D, J Brand, Marc Jacobs..anything 4-6 or 40-44 grab it..' A quick pat of reassurance..'and you..get in line, you still have a slight limp from last week's shoe frenzy at Saks...you will be brought down by the strong..sit tight, see in you 45 minutes!'

A seasoned BWS soldier can spot a fellow pro...she is waiting in line, speaking into her cell, pen and paper jotting down the must have designers, colors and sizes from her friend who coincidentally is standing in line in LA waiting for the BWS doors to open...she is dressed in minimal, clingy wear...the clothing you could easily turn any open space into your personal dressing room without pause...lastly, she stands focused, steadfast and ready to battle for the size 39 YSL Tribute Pump....only to find the stranger across the room, clearly a BWS 'rookie' as she is wearing layers, carrying a bulky bag...sipping a latte, texting and most important to you...holding the left of your right...ahhh, an unknowing gazelle...stalked by a jaguar...you have seen the footage on Animal Planet...I am sure you know how the story ends...

See you at the sale Bella Donna's, I will be the one with the wing men on speed dial, dressed BWS smart, heading for the shoes...buona fortuna!

Me and my shoes....walking for a cause

2009-07-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

A fabulous morning in San Francisco.. the sun broke through early and gently warmed Golden Gate Park just in time for 25,000 people to come together for a cause often forgotten in today's everchanging priorities...AIDS and HIV.

Over the past 25 years, nearly 25 million people have died from AIDS. HIV/AIDS causes debilitating illness and premature death in people during their prime years of life and has devastated families and communities. It is a disease which has rallied a community throughout the world who continues to battle for awareness, understanding and most importantly a cure. It is pure ignorance to believe this horrific disease discriminates..as it does not. Women and children, black or white, young and old...gay or straight...it has touched 25 million human souls and countless millions of those who have befriended, loved and cared for another person stricken with HIV/AIDS.

On this morning, the 19th of July...all walks of life came together for a cause that may have touched their family, perhaps a friend or maybe just to make a difference in the lives of others. I have been by the side of friend as they lose their last breath to this disease...ironically friends I only knew as friends 'living with AIDS'. I was in the AIDS Buddy program for many years which allowed me to meet, befriend, care for and simply be there for many people living with AIDS. It is a part of my journey that will stay with me forever. Some were brave, steadfast and fought with all their might...others were beaten early and just needed a friend during their final days as their family turned their back out of ignorance...Regardless, it is a part of me I will never lose.

It was a beautiful day...and I can only be optomistic in my belief that one this morning, a morning met with an unusual break of glorious sunshine in the typical San Francisco fog...a morning which could possibly signify one day closer to finding a cure. I can only hope...

Ciao Amici...buon giorno!

Manifestation of Intolerance

2009-06-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me, I am void of the understanding of our society's desperate plight for manifestation of intolerance. This obsession for hatred spawned long before my journey even began...racism, religious wars, civil wars...world wars...slavery...genocide...at what point in our genetic make up did we decide to fear either what we do not understand, do not care to understand or worse, just do not care?

Society...what drives a select group of people to think or believe that two souls of the same gender joined together by sacred vows would jeopardize their own marriage? Why is there a 'society' that exists simply to protest President Obama's naturalization? 'He is a Muslim'...'He is a Socialist'...He is a 'Anti-Semite'...In the grace of God, if you believe any of those claims, what does that make you? Why do we have White Supremacy groups? An 88 year old man chose to walk in rifle ablaze into a Holocaust Museum... taking the life of a Security Guard. Even more disturbing...why do we need a security guard at such a poignant memorial?

If you pause to question...where does this hate come from? Is someone born to hate? I would like to think, no. Are you raised to hate? In most cases, yes...but then again the merry go round spins...did the chicken or the egg come first? Again, I ask.. where does the hate come from?

I pray the day does not come when this manifestation of intolerence creates a monster so enraged with blind hatred...it leads to a tragedy I cannot even bare to speak...and then, whose hands would be covered in blood? I will tell you, every person who has chosen to spawn such intolerance, instill fear out of ignorance...your hands will carry the blood... for the sake of tomorrow, for the sake of this world's survival...I hope you have the common sense to ask your children to leave the room as the news breaks...for that truly will be a day of reckoning...a recokning greater than any of those feeding the fury could ever begin to imagine...

Vivi e lascia vivere...live and let live...open your heart to learn, to understand, to find tolerance in society even if you believe differently in your heart..our world would be better of for it..our children's world would be better off for it.

Buona Notte mi amici...take care of yourself and be good to one another.

Ciao.

Ants marching...

2009-06-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici..come stai?

Me? I am in the midst of my latest adventure...I am wearing my new hat, figuratively speaking of course, and I can honestly say..I am happy with my career..it could be the fact that every day is different...although I see many of the same faces...I also see many new faces...yet every one holds an opportunity for me..to make a difference. It has been three long weeks since I have last shared a piece of my journey with you..and my story today will not be one of work nuances rather about the daily commute, the content of my day...what can be envisioned as ants marching.

As soulfully scatted by Dave Matthews...
Driving in on this highway
All these cars and upon the sidewalk
People in every direction
No words exchanged
No time to exchange

It is true..and in a frightening way. I am in a place in my journey...in my career where I find myself with the unique opportunity to share 30 seconds a day with hundreds of different people...what do I want to say? How do I want them to leave those 30 seconds? Unchanged or perhaps somewhat happier than 31 seconds ago? I choose the latter...If at all possible...I would like to laugh, share a smile, a sincere salutation..something, something that will leave them feeling better than before the moment they stood before me...and perhaps, just perhaps...they may pay it forward later in the day.

The world is full of people walking in oblivion or worse filled with hatred..judgement..anger and ignorance... turn on the news you hear of a doctor gunned down in his church...a security guard gunned down in the foyer of the Holocaust Museum..those two souls saw hatred in their final fleeing moments...do you think it is possible they had the opportunity to enjoy a simple, genuine, happy moment..a short interaction with another person...one of peace, of friendship? I can only hope.

We are ants marching...our feelers guiding the way..leading us around obstacles with a blind eye..and more often than not..with a deaf ear. In a world in which we are all inextricably intertwined, I come to you on bended knee...do not allow hatred or oblivion into your heart...enjoy the 30 seconds you may have..to make a difference. Whether at your local coffee shop, the train station, the gas station..on the corner of Geary and Sutter waiting for the light to turn...share a glance...a smile...if we continue to live in a bubble, we are destined to forever be ants marching..and our journey will be over before we know it..sometimes even earlier than hoped..make your journey, the journey of a lifetime.

Buona Notte Amici, Ciao!

A stranger in my own world...

2009-05-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? I have been a stranger in my own world...my world on the astral plane that is.. forgive me for my absence however I found myself in a place...a place not familiar to me...I was standing still...uncertain of my next move..if I took another step...was it the right time? The right place? Was it the right step..for me? I had the opportunity to take a big step...away from one path and towards another..the outcome, well, I did it..simply enough said..

I have never been one to stand idly by and let the world go on without me..or at a pace with which I cannot keep...I have always jumped right into the jet stream..sometimes with eyes closed and baited breath..other times with eyes wide open..all knowing and with the utmost confidence.

It is simple really...if not me, who. If not now, when?

If you recall...about 6 weeks ago..life through me a big, ugly curve ball..I told you then and will repeat it now..this is my ballgame and I will call the plays...I have, I did and I am better for it! A better wife, a better daughter, a better friend, a better woman...because I am happy...with where I am, the choices I have made...the path I have chosen.

A mammoth load has been lifted from my shoulders...my days since this revelation have been spent with my husband...in the sun, reading a fabulous book...Chasing Harry Winston what a fun read...more time spent gardening, enjoying fine wine...delectable food...fabulous friends...I even bought a hummingbird feeder...the simply joys of a simple life of a simple woman...a happy woman...a blissfully happy woman...a perfectly content, satisfied woman...me.

I will keep my absence brief..as I have many exciting days which lie before me..all of which I look forward to sharing with you..in hopes for a laugh, a smile, a pause..an inspiration...afterall...if not now, when? If not YOU..than who..

It's good to be back...

Ciao Amici...Buona Notte...

Unequivocally organized...

2009-05-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? I am feeling the urge to purge...not my inbox...but my closet. I want to sort, organize, build, re build...perhaps add a mirror or even a light...it is Sunday, raining and the prefect day to become unequivocally organized.

I am fortunate to have feet upon feet of closet space all be it..the feet are in length not in depth but none the less...I have space. It is a matter of how you use your space that makes all the difference in the world.

(the unmistakable closet of Carrie Bradshaw)

Are you with me? As in our decluttering process in mid March..it begins with sorting. I will not get into decluttering details but you should check out my post on 'Decluttering' prior to taking the next steps towards organization. If you are like me, you can spend hours in big box organizational wonderlands like The Container Store and Ikea..but if you prefer to let your organization begin over coffee clicking..I can help you there too.

Once you have decluttered, assess your fixtures...if you only have one hanging rod check out the Double-Up Adjustable Closet Rod ($8.79 at amazon.com)..how is your lighting? You can add a little extra light with simple LED tap lights, which stick onto a wall ($10 for three at bedbathandbeyond.com). If you are feeling especially creative, add a touch of paint, stencil work along the border or in a walk in closet, you may add a vanity chair...homedecor.com

(Eva Longoria)

Next...work from the bottom to the top...this way you will not have your head in trousers, trench coats and robes as you are attempting to organize your Jimmy Choos!
I personally love these shoe racks from stacksandstacks.com they expand up to 3.5 feet and are stackable. The shoe possibilities are endless. Once you have your Louboutin's, Blahnik's and Choo's stacked..organized by toe, heel and color...or perhaps that is my personal preference..now for your clothes... I tend to organize by 'purpose'...and then organize again within the 'purpose' category to style, color, length, sleeve, etc. For example; office wear...blouses...long sleeve, short sleeve, sweater tank, cami... do what works best for you but bare in mind the hangers you choose can add uniformity to your closet..try Slimline Hangers, a slim velvet covered hanger that will help keep your clothing put..without the indentations on your shoulders..

After a short Sunday afternoon, a few sneezes from dust, a little reminiscing from the 80's..an impromptu fashion show featuring your greatest hits...and a few few misses...

Voila! Your new closet is finished and congratulations...you are on your way to becoming unequivocally organized...

Ciao, buon giorno amici!

Inextricably intertwined...

2009-05-02T14:33:00.001-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? Well, it has been a week since my last post and for that I apologize...it was a week of highs and lows...a week of conference calls and homemade dinners...days filled with sunshine..evenings filled with the quiet comfort of lying beside my husband watching our favorite political satire shows..as they lead into a CSI..a Samantha Who... 30 Rock... or simply...more news.

Today, I am resting on our couch with the blinds pulled back..our large window opening up to a view of San Francisco Bay with a glass of wine...my hubby is in arms reach working on a bicycle..and I...well, I decided to check in with you all.

Have you ever found yourself in a moment thinking...gosh, it is a small world. Whether you have just realized a friend from high school was hired into your company and even more coincidental landed a spot on your research team...or you run into your old baseball teammate 3,000 miles away on a New York subway platform...or you simply overhear a conversation about a great movie last night...that you happen to watch as well...it is a vast world...yet we all intertwine...somehow...someplace...sometime.

At a concert, filled with 30,000 fellow fans...all singing along to the lyrics of Jimi Thing...the world may seem small...seeing the poverty and the genocide devastating Darfur during a news clip from MSNBC while sitting in a coffee shop in Union Square with men wearing Breitlings and the women carrying handbags worth two months mortgage...the world seems bigger than my imagination could ever fathom...

'Six degrees of separation'...'Wow, small world'...'Funny seeing you here'..it is the simplest of theories which bring me to this current state of wonderment...if we were fully cognizant that all of our lives are inextricably intertwined...if you truly believed that everything you do will inevitably have an effect on the people around you...or even bigger, the world we live in...do you think we would be better to one another? I wonder....

(photo credit: wondertime.com)

Ciao Amici...be good to one another...talk soon.

Air Force One requesting a fly over...

2009-04-27T18:04:00.001-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? I am dumbfounded and perplexed by the notion that Louis E. Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, thought for even a moment that a flyover during the morning bustle of Manhattan was a good idea. Are you kidding me?

*BELLA SOAPBOX ALERT*

Louis Caldera...as reported by the NY times, ...'Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision. While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused'.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This move was not only ludicrous of grand proportion but it was horrifically careless as a member of President Obama's cabinet. POTUS Obama was said to be 'furious' when hearing of this publicity stunt. Furthermore, the NY Times states...'Senior administration officials conveyed the president’s anger in a meeting with Mr. Caldera on Monday afternoon'...

What exactly is the penalty for gross negligence by an official holding public office? A man who single handily instilled fear upon a metropolis that is inhabited by a population who 8 short years ago witnessed the most horrific attack on US soil when two jetliners crashed into the WTC...and more recently witnessed an impromptu 'landing' of an airliner into the Hudson because of a bird strike or the commuter plane that crashed into a Buffalo NY suburb just a few short weeks ago...is there a penalty for this type of negligence? The very same negligence if performed by a private citizen would not find themselves 'escorted' by two F-16 fighter jets rather being hunted and potentially shot down for unauthorized air maneuvers above a metropolitan city...

More from the NY Times; Jim Peters, an F.A.A. spokesman, said “the photo op was approved and coordinated with everyone.” Notification was made in advance to the mayor’s office, “including its 911 and 311 operation centers,” the New York City Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, the United States Park Police and other agencies, he said. .... the photo op?

POTUS Obama, we live in a world which is so unstable I have to remove my shoes when I fly, I cannot carry a 5 oz tube of toothpaste through airline security...entire Muslim families are extracted,unjustifiably,from a NY to Florida flight because another passenger feels 'uneasy' about flying with Muslims..subway platforms are evacuated because a business man accidentally left behind his briefcase while racing to catch the A train...yet a member of your cabinet 'authorized' a Boeing 747 to conduct a flyover escorted by two F-16 fighter jets consisting of 'sharp banking, aggressive' maneuvers without so much as a public address on the morning news? Yet I have endured live streaming 'hurry and change over your antenna's to digital converter boxes before June' messages for 8 months...on every network channel?

This 'photo op' created complete pandemonium in the streets of Manhattan today.. thousands of New Yorkers fled out of skyscrapers into the streets below in terror that the past was about to repeat itself. I would hope there will be consequences for such a grossly negligent decision made by Louis E. Caldera...however I also believe their should be consequences to the previous administrations choice to use 'enhanced interrogation' techniques...aka torture. Perhaps, I am too one sided..too 'black and white'..an 'ice queen' however I was in the belief that regardless of who you are, who you know or think you know...who your Daddy is or what significance your title might hold... their are some things that are simple irrevocable and cannot be pushed under a rug with the tag line...what's in the past..or in case of today's rush hour 747 flyover...'my bad'.

I believe in our President, I believe in his leadership..his direction and most of all, I believe in his ability to no longer allow the erratic, above the law behavior of government officials to be met with anything less than the sternest fist.

Shame on you Louis E. Caldera, may you NEVER know the personal fear that resides in the heart, eyes, souls and minds of New Yorkers...perhaps if you did...your choice to permit a 'photo op' would have sounded as asinine to you as it does to me...

Negative ghost rider...this pattern is full.

Bouna Notte Amici...Ciao.

Daydreaming of Italia!

2009-04-26T16:33:00.001-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? It is a magnificent Spring day in the Bay Area..I spent the better part of the morning in the backyard..which overlooks the San Francisco Bay. Gazing off into the distance I caught myself daydreaming, not of the beautiful city in my immediate sight but of the glorious countrysides...the breathtaking duomos...the vini...the food... the sights of Italia!

Viva Italia! The cobble stone streets lined with colorful homes built of stone..each window adorn with blooming flowers...a city bike perched up against an open doorway with the aroma of freshly baked bread filling the street as dawn breaks...an old woman sits on a ledge just outside her garden...a scooter zips by with a high heeled Italian beauty at the control...her small dog perched between her feet... the corner bar is filled with smartly dressed business men...not sitting but standing alongside a bar lined with demitasse cups filled with espresso topped gently with whole, sweet foam...not a Venti-Iced anything to be found....Coffee in Italia is not made to-go...it is prepared and enjoyed in the moment...at your leisure paired with a palmier..standing along a rustic bar...tended by a gentle, very old..Italian Man...as his wife screams in Italian from the kitchen...he smirks and hollers back...

Ahhh, Viva Italia...the bustling City...the rolling countryside...the sights..the towering, majestic Duomos...the sounds....scooters zipping, micro cars honking...as my husband says..'Italian's honk to celebrate shifting'... the colors....the deep brown locks of the women...the red peppers being hung out to dry outside of a kitchen veranda, the never ending vines of Bougainvillea's... Bellissima!

I yearn for her countryside...her beauty...her majesty...her mystique...and I look forward to my husband and I returning to her land soon...

Until then, I will daydream...contando i giorni..counting the days...until the yard I leisurely spend my Sunday morning overlooks a Tuscan sunrise...

Ciao Amici, buona notte!

No one should feel alone in this big, wide world...

2009-04-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? My hubby and I went to see The Soloist today...the picture starring Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx in the incredible true life story of Nathaniel Ayers, a Julliard drop out and his friend, L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez. It was a beautiful story portrayed with Oscar worthy performances...and a message of friendship, devotion, loneliness and triumph... two short hours later, my hubby and I emerged from the dark cineplex back into reality even knowing the past two hours were as real as it gets...

How often do you cross the street to avoid a homeless man approaching you? Have you ever ignored a plea for spare change by simply not saying a word and glancing in a different direction? Unfortunately, I believe we all have...and I for one will make a conscious effort to at the very least acknowledge the request, meet their eyes with mine...pass along a genuine smile and a heartfelt, 'take care'...for it is the very least I can do for another human soul. I do not have demons in my mind...screaming in my soul...an eternal battle with someone inside of myself that is no one more than...myself. I am fortunate..the only voice I hear in my head is my own...the only judgement I feel is my own...the only demons I have are those that may sneak inside my mind in a state of dream never while cognizant of my surroundings..for that very reason it would be profoundly inhumane to think for even a moment the man on the corner..screaming into the empty space that lies before him isn't deserving of acknowledgement or the woman with eyes that look into the world with such hurt, having seen such cruelty by her own human race...is anything less than another woman in this world deserving of a second chance...

Nathaniel Ayers has voices in his head which were strong enough to deter him from a journey of greatness as a renowned Cellist...but had the fortune of friendship in Steve Lopez...the man on the corner I walked by this morning...probably doesn't know Steve Lopez...nor does he appear to have a friend...he may not have been a Cellist for the Philharmonic but what he is, is another human being...and for that reason, that simple reason...he deserves acknowledgement..it doesn't have to be in the form of a dollar bill or a shelter over his head tonight but at the least...the minimum...a glance in his direction, an acknowledgement of his existence and perhaps a prayer as you continue to walk on by...he is a human being, someones son, someones classmate, teammate, loved one...at some point, in this world..he was not alone and our world is too big for him to feel alone now...

Be good to one another...ciao amici, buona notte.

A rockstar's opinion...

2009-04-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? I was thrilled to see upon opening my daily NYTimes.com link to find Bono has signed on as the New York Times newest op-ed guest columnist. Today's entry read as; It’s 2009. Do You Know Where Your Soul Is? Bono is the epitome of a rock star, in my humble opinion...Bono and U2 have been entertaining the world with their music for decades, over 30 years to be exact. Bono could use his fame for anything in the world...his riches, his talent yet it is his passion for philanthropy that supersede the headlines. Just seven years ago, he co-founded the organization ONE. ONE is a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

Bono..the undeniable rock star...as the front man of one of the greatest, most influential rock bands in the world, selling out the largest stadiums in countries that span the globe..entertaining hundreds of thousands of adoring fans...22 Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe in 2003 for the song 'The hands that built America' for the film Gangs of New York.

Bono...the philanthropist...has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, campaigned with Greenpeace, was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and was named as a Person of the Year by Time...

He is a lyrical genius..It was simply a matter of time before Bono's words were found in print outside of a songbook...he has found a voice in one of the most read newspapers in the world..in the opinion section...and if there is one thing that Bono has more of than fabulous eye wear....it is opinions...I am thrilled to see Bono in print...I just hope it isn't gone in a New York minute....Bravo Bono, Rock On!

Buona notte amici, ciao!

Power of positive thinking...

2009-04-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? I am lost in the power of positive thinking. Kahlil Gibran once said; 'the optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose'... I am a firm believer in the premise that everything happens for a reason and the theory that..it is the worry of the unknown that casts the even larger shadow of fear. Meaning, if you worry about something long enough you have the power to nurture that worry into a much bigger fear than perhaps it ever once was...everything happens for a reason and it is the power of positive thinking that can create reality out of dreams, feed the wonderment of human tenacity and allow you to grab the stars when you were only reaching for the clouds..it is the will, the power...of positive thinking that will feed your spirit to open every single door knowing that even though behind most will lead only to another door but behind one, lies the infinite treasure of happiness. It is that very concept which drives me every moment of every day.

You must love yourself and love the journey you are on before you can truly love another soul. Your life should be filled with days that make you stronger, empower your will and feed your desire to be a better human being. You are not defined by your career or your lack thereof..you define your career...it is your power of positive thinking that can and will define your career...there are no bounds to your success unless you, yourself, have set them...there is no limit to your inner strength unless you, yourself have determined a weakness... it is not a weakness unless you allow it to be..it is only an opportunity to be stronger.

Under no circumstance do I pretend to be a self help guru to the likes of Anthony Robbins or a whimsical 'you can make your money work for you' Suze Orman... I do not get paid to spread the word of self help, personal finance or to chant all of that be the best you can be jargon... I simply have found what works best for me in this wide world of what can be a lot of disappointments if that is what you choose to see...positive thinking will get you through the toughest of times...remember 'Carrie's' shot at walking the runway in the Dolce Gabbana show? Fashionista to fashion roadkill in an instant...

There isn't a circumstance in life that you cannot bounce back from, brush off the dust, bandage up a scuffed knee and give it another go...but you must believe in the unbelievable...

I know in my heart of hearts...my journey in life has a purpose and I do not need to know what it is at my age...heck, half of the fun is NOT knowing the meaning of life and sorting it all out along the way but I can promise you when that door opens...I am not going to miss it because my head was dropped low...worrying about things that are out of my control...or worse, afraid of what lies ahead...I will see that door swing open...and I will be the first to catapult through it...for I have the inner optimism of a lioness...and the eternal belief of my magnificent husband who instills in me everyday that the only limits in life are those pressed upon me....by me....and my husband knows me better than anyone ever will...and with that, I know I can do anything.

Buona notte amici...ciao!

alas zen...a lazy day....and so worth it

2009-04-19T16:59:00.001-07:00

Ciao amici, come stai?

Me? Oh, it's a lazy day after a long, arduous week. I woke this morning to a glorious Bay Area sunrise, kissed my sweet husband...and so the day began....

The morning news..it is Sunday therefore as I have said before the news is more of yesterday's news...and yesterday was Saturday so actually the news was probably two days old..if it were a bagel, I could get it for a buck.

A little cleaning...a little decluttering...a quick post on eBay..a short read in the morning sun followed by a pedi..I chose OPI..Light my Sapphire..not quite ready to commit to OPI Miami Beet...and set a deep conditioner on my brunette locks...the epitome of a lazy morning, the only thing missing...my husband, who bucked the idea of lazy and ventured out on a 100 mile bike ride and a stack of french toast drizzled with warm maple syrup and sprinkled with powder sugar...but then, my lazy day would have to include a trip to the gym...not in the cards...gym clothes are dirty..

There are some days...you just need a lazy day... a day without a schedule, without an alarm clock, without a list of errands, a supervisor or an agenda...just a day...to spend however you please...a you day or a day you get into your jammies at three in the afternoon cuddle up to your husband, the only thing between you...a big bowl of popcorn...kick your feet up and watch a matinee...

Life is entirely too short...tomorrow is another day...tomorrow you set your alarm clock, you can start back up on your list of errands, listen to your supervisor rant about next week and attempt to rework your agenda to make the day two hours longer...but to help put it all in perspective...today is the 14th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing..and tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High in Colorado...I imagine if the 168 lives lost in Oklahoma and the 12 lives stolen in Columbine were here today, they would agree...the lists can wait, the errands can be delayed, your supervisor's endless rants...silenced...even if only for a day...silenced...

Take a lazy day...a you day...a sweetheart day...whatever you choose..at the strike of midnight...today will be no more and mi amici...today is always the best day to make it count...

Bouna Notte Amici, ciao!

The scent of a woman...

2009-04-16T18:50:00.001-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? I recieved a kind note and gift from my sales associate at Saks today...Saks signature fragrance Bond No 9 New York has introduced a new scent...I love samples!

Floating gently in the air like the last note of a Pavarotti concerto..a hint of gardenia..the mystique of musk or the hypnotic notes of lavender...the scent of a woman is personal..as unique as her fingerprint as every scent wears the woman differently.

Saks Fifth Avenue newest creation from their signature fragrance Bond No 9 New York..Astor Place.

If you are a Manhattanite..you may refer to this famed NY intersection as the corner of Starbucks and Starbucks as it is one of the few locations that the evil green empire has marked its domain twice..within eyesight..yes,twice..corner to corner. Despite the eyesore of it's overpopulation of mermaids drinking burnt coffee, it is a NY landmark...Saks has taken the artistic aura that once lived there and transformed it into an eau de parfume...Astor Place is an intoxicating, fresh spring floral that starts out with a bold and seductive freesia-poppy-violet leaf composition, and then simmers down into the smooth, steady notes of teakwood and musk...I imagine it on Ms Sophia Loren... I myself prefer the Bond No 9 New York fragrance Scent of Peace...the tangy notes of grapefruit and black currant mixed gently with the brilliance of Lillie's of the Valley...it has quickly become my signature scent...

Marcel Proust was quoted as saying, 'When nothing else subsists from the past, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered· the smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls· bearing resiliently, on tiny and almost impalpable drops of their essence, the immense edifice of memory' - The Remembrance of Things Past

Truer words have never been spoken...the faintest scent can evoke memories so vivid it's as if it were just yesterday... the scent of popcorn...a movie theatre...the scent of pine...Christmas Morning...the scent of your spouse on your nightshirt when you're away on business...brings you closer to home...the scent of Anais Anais...catapults me into a time when my mother was well and had not yet learned of her imminent fate..

The sense of smell...it is no wonder philosophers from every corner of the world will always say...'you must stop and smell the roses'... mi amici, it is the scent of those very roses that will get you through the more difficult times...
Next time you wander by the perfume counter at Sak's instead of dodging the trigger happy index finger of the perfume cowgirl...stop...take a moment...find your own scent of a woman...you may be spicy, floral, a hint of musk or a dash of lavender..take time to try them all...for there will soon be a time...in a crowded city, the breeze will carry this very scent by the one you love...and that special someone..will instantly be reminded...of you...ciao amici, buona notte!

Today, not unlike everyday, is dedicated to my beautiful mother who would have celebrated her 63rd Birthday...buon compleanno mi madre, ti amo!

'Take me out to the ballgame...'

2009-04-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? It's Baseball season...I love going to the Game. My husband and I always have a great time...whether first row behind home plate or high above in the upper deck...we come decked out in our favorite Giants gear...grab a couple of hot dogs..and cheer on our home team.

Bottom of the ninth, bases juiced, two outs, full count...the crowd rises to it's feet..the cheers drown out any hope of hearing the announcers...the wind up, the pitch....curveball...the batter has to make his move....we wait....he swings...

I was thrown a curve ball yesterday...on a full count, bases loaded...a big, ugly, unrelenting curve ball and it had some wicked stuff to it. There I was, the batter...with a choice to make...in a split second...I can let the ball fly right by...risk the strike and the final out...the collective sigh from the team would be deafening or I can hold by stance, dig my heels in, lift my right elbow...keep my eye on the ball and swing with all my might...

I chose the later...I took the curve ball...I did not let it take me... I couldn't risk letting down my team...in this case my husband and kitties...CRACK...the ball hit my metaphorical bat, the cheers far outweighed the alternative collective sigh and there it goes...where it lands is yet to be determined...but I simply could not stand there and let it whisk by me and wander 'what if'... I would rather take the swing...risk a pop fly...but hope for the grand slam...a 'home crowd pleasing, firework popping, Babe Ruth pointing, Kurt Gibson trottin, game winning' grand slam...then just hold my bat still and let the opponent's play call my game...not today...not in my journey.

'for it's one, two, three strikes you're out...at the old ballgame!'

Buona Notte Amici...until tomorrow...don't be left standing at the plate...take the swing.

Ciao!

A case of the Monday's...

2009-04-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

Me? Distraught.. just for the time being though..I try not to bring work into my blog however today seems unavoidable. I will keep my rant short and end on a positive...please bare with me...I have a case of the 'Mondays'...

In a world collapsing upon itself whether due to the economy or our persistent need as a world uber-power to meddle in the infrastructure of other countries...we have enough our our plate without a supervisor calling an impromptu meeting without explanation nor follow up...I find myself today fighting off the urge to scream. The urge to scream...because my futile attempt to gain clarity on a meeting comprised of only myself and a supervisor...a supervisor that is so oblivious to the feeling this type of meeting creates...and so inconsiderate as to not return email or voicemail inquiry...I am sure it is of no consequence as my performance in my opinion has been solid..exemplary in some cases..
With that being said, I ask of you..bare in mind the feeling of others...the way your motions or mannerisms can be terribly misconstrued and the sense of angst you have the innate power to create in such uncertain times...knowlingly or not..as the proverb goes...do onto others...it's no wonder that with each new day the morning news begins with yet another disgruntled employee bursting onto the scene taking such violent recourse for reasons completely unavoidable...now, I am not disgruntled by any means...I will not be burning down any buildings because someone moved my red swingline stapler..just upset with the lack of concern from one person to another...I am compelled to vent longer however I made a commitment last week...not to let intruders into my once in a lifetime journey...into my sacred place of retreat... and today will not be the day I break...

Enough said...inhale, exhale...zen...again I ask, come stai amici? What is new in your world? Spring is in the air..can you feel it? The feeling of seasonal change is all about...the Cherry Blossom Festival was held last week in Chinatown...the Easter Egg Roll took place on the White House lawn today...the finches have began to nest just under our roof overhang and their little voices of song are enough to whisk away the worries of any day...

I will bid you a beautiful day with this simple thought...

Is this not enough
This blessed sip of life
Is it not enough
Staring down at the ground
Oh then complain and pray more from above
Greedy little pig
Stop just watch your world trickle away
Oh it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years
Just love will open our eyes
Just love will put the hope in our minds
Much more than we could ever know
Don't burn the day away
(lyrics from Dave Matthews song 'Pig')

Buon Giorno mi Amici...get out there and don't burn the day!

Coffee Clicking leads to Preen S/S 09 RTW

2009-04-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

Along my coffee clicking journey today, I visited a friend's blog Esprit du Temps and was taken away by a fabulous designer Preen. This line may not be new to you but for me..it was a discovery...the line is fantastic...take a peek into the S/S 09 Ready to Wear line by Preen...I adore the relaxed, minimalistic feel to the line...feminine without frill...Bellissima!! A kind thank you to Velony of Esprit du Temps for sharing!

(photo credit: grazia.com)

(photo credit:style.com)

Preen is available online at ShopStyle and Net-a-Porter

I would love to hear from you, what is your favorite line or who is your go-to designer for Spring/Summer 09?

Ciao Amici!

Buon Giorno Mi Amici!

2009-04-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici, come stai?

To each and every one of my friends and family... may you have a day filled with love, laughter, good times and fond memories...

Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Buona Pasqua, Chag pascha same'ach, Christós Anésti, Bona Pasqua, Kuhreestos harryav ee merrelotz!!

It's a MINI Saturday...

2009-04-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici...come stai?

Me? I am enjoying a fabulous spring day in the bay area... it is simply magnificent out. The day began as it always does, over freshly made cappuccinos at our dining room table with my husband..the news was moderately informative today as the Saturday morning local news is mostly yesterday's news..I kissed my husband goodbye as he headed off for a bicycle ride..I watch him until he disappears from my sight.. waving and wishing him a safe ride, a hurried return...

Shortly after.. I headed out for my own morning..dressed appropriately for the tasks ahead...in my Seven straight legs, my shopbop burnout tee, my Louboutin Miss Boxe and my Balenciaga on my arm..away I went...in my MINI Cooper...

Peets..motoring...Post Office...motoring...Farmers Market...motoring...Grocery Store...then car wash...motoring... I love my 6 speed MINI... the way she scoots through town...cornering on rails...zipping through the Saturday traffic... as Dave Matthews scats his way through my speakers...the rythym of the groove is my soundtrack....I scat along, most verses I know, the ones I don't....no harm, no one else can hear me...for this Saturday Morning it's just me and my MINI...as I motor along my MINI journey takes me through the back streets of O-Town...it doesn't get much better than that la sua una bella giornata!

Get out there, enjoy the day...live it to the fullest for tomorrow it will be gone...enjoy your friends, your families..your loved ones... and if you find yourself with a little time on your hands...here are some fun things I came across during my coffee clicking earlier today, gustare!

25% off the entire site at Sol a Mia
use reesycakes for an extra 20% off

Etsy is always fun to browse for handmade treasures, today's featured item is vintage Sur la Table

Extra 25% off all Sales Items at Bluefly today

FootCandy's Shoe of the Week is the L.A.M.B Tezza sandal, 20% off

LuisaViaRoma is having their 70% last call sale...

Where is your journey taking you today?

Buona Pasqua, Happy Easter and Happy Passover..Ciao!

Ode to LeRoi...

2009-04-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

"I don't think there's any need to be lonely and overtly, self-indulgently mournful on this record," Matthews says. "That wouldn't serve us, Roi or anybody. One of the things about playing music for all of us is that it's a source of joy. So even if we're singing about death or loss or the end of the world, at the very core of everything there's got to be hope."...Dave Matthews on the bands upcoming album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (due June 2nd)

Click for Early Review of Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King

Live life for the journey it is...

2009-04-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

(photo credit: www.kostich.com)

Ciao Amici...come stai?

Yesterday's news brought a vivid reminder to all...savor every moment and take nothing for granted. You may have heard of the tragic news out of Anaheim CA...the bright young Angels pitcher had the game of his young career only to be killed by a drunk driver a few short hours later...it can all be over so fast...in the spirit of the Anaheim Angels Baseball Rookie Nick Adenhart and his two friends whose lives were also tragically cut short...I dedicate today's post...tesoro di ogni momento...treasure every moment.

Love with your entire heart
Live with every breath
Be a good listener
Meet your spouse at the door at the end of their day
Snuggle...with your husband, your wife, your kitties, your puppies...just snuggle
Smell the head of a newborn
Smell the head of your kitties
Always share a touch...even the slightest..whenever you walk by your spouse
Have a second glass of vino
Order dessert
Tell them....I love you...over and over again...
Pay attention to the details...the freckle on his navel, the dimple in her cheek..the way he smells...the way she looked when you first told her you love her...

Life is a gift...a treasure...a jewel.... a journey you only have this one time...chase down your dreams...let go of your fears and live...live every moment and every day without regrets, without uncertainty...with all your heart...live!

Maya Angelou once said...'Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: ''I'm with you kid. Let's go.'...well said Ms. Angelou...and with that, my journey continues...

Buona Notte Amici...fino a domani...Ciao!

A place of peace in a world of chaos...

2009-04-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ciao Amici...come stai?

It's been a day so I will be brief...have you ever found yourself in a world of chaos..just hoping to find a place of peace. Of course you have, we all have... typically I am able to control the chaos along my journey or at very least contain it to a space that will not likely cause spill over into my sanctuary, my place of peace...I hold that place sacred and most times it is a place impenetrable by chaos..but once in a while someone leaves the door ajar..and in it rolls..taking no prisoners...leaving nothing untouched. Like when I was a child, my Father spinning me, spinning and all of a sudden you stop...unable to focus or find your legs..

It has been a day...and I am spinning aimlessly..seeking a place of stability..something to grab onto...to stop the spiraling, to calm the noise...

So today I ask...what brings you peace.. calm.. sanctity? For some it may be a desolate beach at sunrise..for others the calming effect of a hot stone massage with aromatic lavender oils...for me... I can find this all consuming, everlasting serenity in a pastel shaded cafe situated just off a piazza in Stresa in the lakes of Northern Italy..in a dark movie theatre...on a wooded trail tucked away in the Oakland Hills...nestled on my couch with a good book...and the most scared of all...lying quietly..almost motionless...in the arms of my Husband.

In a world of uncertainty, a world of chaos...man made or otherwise...it is quite easy to become enveloped in the cyclone of life..and in this cyclone...brews a storm so grand..it can indiscriminately pull in bystanders...innocent bystanders...your Mom, Dad, Husband, Wife..even cats and dogs... and it would create a spiral so great in force..it would rival any natural disaster your mind could imagine...catapulting you and the innocent bystanders terribly and unimaginably..off course.

I will leave you today with a simple thought...contenere il caos e proteggere il vostro santuario ...contain the chaos and protect your sanctuary...you should be the captain of your own journey...build up those walls around your place of peace, your 'sanctuary'...protect it with all of your might because at the end of the day...the only thing that truly matters are those you have invited into your journey...not the ones who have intruded with their own agenda... I was not successful today...the intruders found a way in... however I am not defeated...possibly bruised...but never defeated.

Buona notte amici...sleep well...for tomorrow is a new day.

cogliere il giorno!

2009-04-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

(photo credit:Daniel Kohanski)

Carpe Diem...Saisissez le Jour...in which ever language you choose..Seize the Day!

A day is only a fragment of your journey, a single moment in an era, twenty four hours to spend in any way you see fit...for some it will be spent at work, for others it may be at play.. for all, it is a day, seize it and make it count!

cogliere il giorno!..it is a beautiful spring day in the Bay Area..the sun is shining bright, reflecting off of the bright red towers of the Golden Gate Bridge..the family of quail nesting in our backyard are racing about as quickly as their little legs can scoot..in turn our kitties as they bask in the warmth of the sunlight...click away in fascination as kitties do...the day is ours, this moment in time...this period in our journey...

cogliere il giorno!...but it is not only the day I wish to seize..it is life. Life is a journey in which we can re-create, re-define or simply accept...you can opt for what is normal, what is comfortable, what is safe or you can take this moment...grasp hold of your destiny and begin the ride of your life...each day is a new day...an opportunity for a new beginning...an opportunity to make your dreams a reality...nothing can stop you, no single person other than yourself. I do not mean to come off as selfish or worse...out of control...quite the contrary...for you can only truly love another soul when you love yourself completely..for all your worth...for all of life's meaning...

Four years ago... I took control of my life. I leaped with all my might onto a path unorthodox for some, quite scary for others but it felt so right for me. I had met the man of my dreams...I knew from the moment he stole the breath from my lips....made me weak in the knees..and produced butterflies..and I mean the kind of butterflies that induce silence because anything you attempt to say would be senseless babble so you just remain still..those kind of butterflies with a simple glance..this wonderman..a man I met when least expected, who seemed to appear out of nowhere...grabbed hold of a part of me...and it was clear from that moment..my life was about to change. He seized my day...

I didn't hesitate, I never thought 'but what if'... I followed my heart...the song in my soul and I took control of my life...fours years have since passed... I have since married that man...the man of my dreams...he continues to steal my breath away, he will always make me weak in the knees and the butterflies are endless...

Before that memorable day, I had never travelled beyond our Country...this is no longer true...My husband and I...we honeymooned in Italy...a second trip to Italy a few short months later and the following year, onto Spain...we live high atop the hills in the Bay Area of Northern California...forever Newlyweds...all because one fateful day four years ago...cogliere il giorno!.. I seized my day...and chose to truly live the only life I have..with the man of my dreams...

(Italy)

(Spain)

It begins with a day...it can turn into a lifetime...Now I ask you, what will you do with your day?

I love being a woman...

2009-04-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

I realize this is a random thought for a sunny Friday afternoon...but wow, I love being a woman...I apologize in advance if I leave the male readers out for today however if you take a moment and read along...you may just catch a glimpse into our mystique...but be forewarned I am not providing you a manual...gentlemen, you will not suddenly 'understand' women but perhaps we may make a little more sense...and if you remain bewildered...better yet.

Ladies, whether you are petite or tall, slender or curvy, brunette, blonde or a fiery red head...olive skin or an African princess...if you own your self...your core, your soul, your womanhood...you have the power to walk down a street and bring onlookers to a standstill...a woman can take the air out of a room with a glance...leave a man breathless with a wink, a woman can paint her toenails, her fingers, her face...intertwine flowers in her locks of hair... wear the scent of gardenias...own a business...be a voice for a cause...be a mother...an aunt...a girlfriend to her girlfriends...cry at the end of CSI...cry for no reason at all...we can change our mind over and over again..smirk and change it again... we can love without bounds...we can forgive the unforgivable, if we only try...dance in the middle of Union Square...all by yourself to a melody only heard in your own heart... we feel heartbreak...we are survivors...we are women...and we are fabulous.

Marianne Williamson said it best...'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?'

Ladies, sisters, girlfriends...there is nothing in this bold, beautiful world you cannot do...that you cannot accomplish...you are a woman with a inner strength, a natural born instinct to survive and survive beautifully...

Take a look in the mirror...you do not need to see perfection... allow your imperfections to be your finest traits...your freckles, your scars...for there will always be another woman who sees you as 'her ideal' so I ask you...why not be your own ideal...

I love the way my husband looks at me....my imperfections...my quirks...my compulsions...my strengths...my weaknesses...the way he looks at me...and for these and a million other reasons...I love being a woman....

(photo credit: Herb Ritts)

Coffee Clicker...

2009-04-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

The sound of the espresso beans grind, milk is frothing to a velvety foam...my husband joins me wide eyed with a freshly shaved face...ready for the day...MSNBC is coming out of the television machine...the world is awake and the news is now...as we take our morning joe in hand...each carefully crafted by moi and poured meticulously in his and hers coffee mugs...our day begins. Coffee...Click.

First is work...who is late, who has questions, who has complaints and who simply wants to make contact...click. Check in with the ladies of tPF...skim through the community to find the latest IT bag, who bought what in the midst of insomnia...you know who you are...lying awake at night nothing and no one to stop you from exercising your right to buy it now ..I am curious to know 'what did she buy?' and do they come in my size?...click. Email my sales associate at Neiman's..have to have that shoe! Click. A Day in Bella's Shoes...moderate a comment or two..click. Saks is having a denim sale, buy 2 get 25% off..Hmmm, that deserves a look...click. Which reminds me...have we received our tax refund? Banking online is genius, what I want, when I want it and without listening to an awful cover of an Eagles song as I am on hold waiting for the 'next available teller'...click. NYtimes.com ..a little G20 coverage..oh why is Blagojevich back on the front page..oh, indictment, got it..click.

If any of this sounds familiar, you too have become a 'coffee clicker'. The movement of coffee clickers has become a normal routine over morning coffee...the e-clifnotes to all you need at the click of a mouse pad. No need to wait, no fussing over ink smudged fingers, waiting on hold for the 'next teller', in actuality no need for human contact for the first several hours of your day if you so choose...When did we become a society of 'coffee clickers' and if we stopped...what could be gained?

Perhaps you would see the little tidbit in your local newspaper from a lesser known writer..the subject matter being the fabulous wine tasting dinner be held this weekend at the Embarcadero... I think I missed that on nytimes.com...You may have also caught the story on local network news that 11 lanes of the west bound Bay Bridge are closed and you should have left an hour earlier or even contemplated BART today...but hey, I do know that the Red River has been contained in Fargo although it has nothing to do with my commute which just got a whole lot longer due to the lane closures..or in lieu of coffee clicking...perhaps the SF Chronicle wouldn't be contemplating shutting down the press after 144 years if we chose a good old fashioned newspaper over a dot-com...or the most precious possibility of all...I could simply spend the extra few moments in the morning learning something new about my husband...I certainly won't find that searching for symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder on webmd.com...which by the way, I think I may have...click.

(cappuccino image:redbubble.com)

Happy 1 Month Anniversary!

2009-03-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

Well.. my blog is 1 month old today...Happy Anniversary! Thank you so much for sharing in my journey...and for those who have left comments, a special thank you...Blogging is a fabulous way to share in a creative way however it can also be lonely when you feel as though you are speaking aimlessly into the astral plane..it is nice to hear someones 'voice' other than my own...the sound of silence can be somewhat deafening at times...it brightens my day to see your comments...and adds a welcome sparkle to each post...

With each new day..brings fresh ideas..a few more questions..a need to soap box or a desire to share in a fun fashion story. I hope to continue bringing you tidbits of my journey each day...so please feel free to add your comments at the end of each day's entry.. our dialogue will make the journey even more interesting..your opinions..comments...or random thoughts...will certainly add to my day as I hope to continue to add to yours..

Well... enjoy your evening and thank you again for joining me for A Day in Bella's Shoes

More tomorrow as I have work travel on the calendar... I will certainly miss my husband, our kitties and our fabulous city however shall return tomorrow... Well, it should make for a couple of interesting days...stay tuned for tales from SoCal...

Buona Sera!

CTRL+ALT+DELETE

2009-03-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

The mind is a funny thing... the capacity to hold so much..and at any given moment present it's user with the capability to muster the most random of thoughts and produce an action..an outcome..a response..or simply another thought.

2+2=4
The Square Root of 9 is 3
Providence is the Capital of Rhode Island
Benito Mussolini...fascist dictator of Italy
The Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776
Madonna is divorcing Guy Ritchie
Manolo Blahnik was born in the Canary Islands
My husband takes two Splendas in his latte
And how do I still have the brain capacity to hold onto this....
So, when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills..you know the one Dr. Everything will be Alright.... .....

The mind is a wondrous thing and although I try not to hang onto the past as it is long since gone... pieces still seem to linger...why did that girl in Elementary school feel she needed to kick me as I walked home from school? Why did my Mom feel it was necessary to dress me in head to toe paint splattered neon with black gladiator sandals for my first day in High School? Why did I ever think 'bigger was better' when it came to my hair-do in the 80's?

CTRL+ALT+DEL....if it were only that easy to reboot your mind...as my husband said to me yesterday..'I think you need to clear your inbox'....and if it were possible to reboot...perhaps I could let go of that girl from elementary school... let go of the images of mistreated animals...erase the memory of seeing a woman shot in LA...but then again...would it also mean I would forget the scent of my mother who I lost when I was only a teenager..the sweet smell of her perfume..the sound of her voice...the poster she painted and had hanging on the garage door when I won my place on the songleading squad, the memory of my Dad flying home from halfway around the world to watch me graduate from High School, to be my cheering section beside my brother...the way my husband proposed on bended knee in the rain...zipping through the streets on a scooter while honeymooning in Italy..or even yet..lose the ability to sing along....

I've had the time of my life
No I never felt this way before
Yes I swear it's the truth
And I owe it all to you
'Cause I've had the time of my life
And I've searched through every open door
'Til I found the truth
And I owe it all to you

Fitting lyrics I suppose and with that... I think I will leave my 'inbox' just they way it is...and just upgrade my gigabytes...

Goodnight, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England...

Beauty defined...

2009-03-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Merriam-Webster defines beauty as the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit...perhaps for you it is a photograph of a supermodel, the sunset over the red tile roofs of Firenze...whichever it is, as Merriam-Webster so simply put.. a quality or aggregate of qualities... that gives pleasure to the senses..when did beauty become anything other?

Beauty can be found in the most extraordinary people or places and in actuality it is the beauty which makes these people or places extraordinary... Did you know that film historians recognize Audrey Hepburn as boyish and flat chested..a muse of imperfections with 'freakishly large feet'...really Audrey Hepburn? I see only a visual masterpiece....a quintessential glamour icon.

Beauty...within the devastatingly poor streets of Dubai...is uniquely captured through a kaleidoscope of colors...displayed brilliantly below during the celebrations of the Holi Festival..

Beauty... I try to discover it wherever I journey...the blooms of Springtime along Skyline Boulevard in the Oakland Hills..the way a child's eyes light up in a toy store... an elderly couple, walking gingerly...alongside their love of more than 70 years...holding hands as if it was only yesterday... the smell of a kitten's head while they sleep...the tranquil sounds of breathing as my sweet husband sleeps...the sound of Luciano Pavarotti's magnificent voice dancing through the joyful notes of boungiorno a te ...Bellissima!

(lucianopavarotti.com)

You can find beauty in all things...small or grand...that's, well, the beauty of beauty...it can be a complexion spotted with freckles...or skin like the porcelain of a china doll... a flawless smile or one with a slight crook... a demure laugh or one interrupted with a snort...a size 4 or a size 12...long hair, short hair...or even no hair!

(image:myheritage)

As a society, I believe we have successfully pigeon-holed what beauty is supposed to be...and although defined in Merriam Websters dictionary and creatively characterized in a brief 500 word dialogue on Wikipedia...at the end of the day...Beauty doesn't hold a true definition..Beauty simply cannot be defined..Beauty is what you want to make it..how you want to hold it and what provides you visual pleasure...a muse...a moment...the mindful stimuli within your journey...

Where does your beauty lie?

There's a new Fashion Icon in town and she lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave

2009-03-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

On January 20th, 2009... our country chose a path of change. All eyes were on Barack Obama... as he took the podium in front of millions of cheering people...a sea of hopeful faces came from all corners of the globe to witness history...he stood tall, proud, confident...Barack Obama was moments away from becoming the 44th President of the United States...millions of eyes watched on...awe struck by history and enchanted by our newest First Lady...Michelle Obama.

Michelle celebrated her 45th birthday just 3 days before becoming America's next First Lady...as she stood by the side of her husband...I couldn't help but be drawn in by her strength, her poise, her fashion and her grace... it was evident from the moment they emerged from the stoop of the Capital Building...on the world stage of the National Mall...welcomed by the hopeful...those yearning, needing, depending on change... a crowd comprised of Americans..Europeans...Africans..Asians...

January 20th...we heard it loud and clear. Change was here...Change arrived and it sounded different,it felt different,it looked different
Change was here... and there they stood..charasmatic, powerful and glamourous

Our 44th President Barack Obama and our First Lady Michelle Obama...

(Jason Wu)

Ms. Obama... a symbol of motherhood...a devoted wife..beloved daughter and sister... quickly rose to the status of fashion icon. Whether her simplistic approach of mixing JCrew with a dazzling gem encrusted broach..her ability to wear a basic Black and White Dress which moments following her appearance on The View...sold out country wide, the innate ability to wear a classic sleeveless dress in the White House or the way she glided across the dance floor of 8 Inaugural Balls in a floor length Jason Wu gown...without a doubt First Lady Michelle Obama has earned her title as one of the most fashionable First Ladies in history...

(Calvin Klein)

(JCrew)

(Tracy Feith)

First Lady Michelle Obama..a strong, educated, beautiful,fashionable,passionate black woman...has graced the historic house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with a style all her own...has captivated the world...mesmerized us all...and taken the fashion world by storm....the White House has a new Lady and her name is Michelle...

(Michael Kors)

Bravo Michelle...Bellissima!

Springtime in the City... ah, what to wear...

2009-03-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today was simply magnificent! The sun was bright...the air felt fresh..the cherry blossoms are in bloom...deer dancing through the long waves of grass...it is Springtime...tuck away your sweaters...swap your cashmere wrap for your linen scarf... your gloves for a great set of bangles...your boots for strappy sandals...your tights for sunscreen...it is time for Bella's Springtime Must Haves...benvenuto primavera!

A bright linen scarf...

(available at tobi.com $88)

A flirty Maxi Dress...

(Rachel Pally available at chickdowntown.com $281)

A bold cuff....

(Rachel Leigh Cuff available at chickdowntown.com $128)

Something truly feminine...

(Christian Louboutin Mount Street available at NM.com $995)

A delicious neutral bag...

(Balenciaga Praline Work GSH available at balenciaga.com $1825)

Don't forget...sign up for the various websites e-mail list to recieve daily updates, fashion insider coupons and exclusive sale notices!

Have fun and Happy Spring!

A day of fabulous food, fabulous shoes and fabulous friends...

2009-03-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my absence..quite frankly, the recent events in Oakland have flooded the mainstream media..the heartache can be felt in the eyes of Oaklanders...and I felt my post from a few days back should remain in silent solitude for just a short time..

I woke up this morning on the heels, quite literally, of a fabulous day in the City. A luncheon comprised of thirteen lovely women and one lone husband..and I am still not sure if he was fully disclosed on the journey he was about to embark on...I wonder if he has yet recovered...at any rate, it was a gorgeous day and the streets of San Francisco..in Union Square...were about to be taken over by thirteen women...in exquisite shoes..all emblazoned with the signature red sole.

(photo credit: mangujowa)

The luncheon..where it all begin...was at an Asian fusion bistro on Sutter, E&O Trading Company...the women all chattered about fashion, the topic of conversation based on our 'honorary guest' Monsieur Christian Louboutin. Let me be clear...although the ladies are aficionados of all premier designer shoes..the focus today was clear...if you will excuse the pun...the buzz was based 'solely' upon the man and his signature red sole. Women from all walks of life...an RN, a Civil Engineer,a full time Mom, a student, an advertising manager..each as unique as the Louboutin they each chose for the day..some petite, others tall...some brunette, some blond, some in between...all set aside the hustle and bustle of their daily lives...the headlines, the chores, the devastating news in Oakland...and let themselves be caught up in the moment..the laughter was intoxicating, the style of each woman was unique...yet the commonality of what brought us together for a fabulous spring afternoon in the City...was our love for Louboutin.

(photo credit: mangujowa)

(photo credit: mangujowa)

Our journey took us to Saks Fifth Avenue... the sales associates maneuvered about the salesroom floor carefully..as if negotiating an intricate maze...as the floor had been lined in tan boxes, dozens and dozens of them..all with the white lettering Louboutin across the lids..women perched on every available seat..awaiting their glass slipper, in hopes it would fit...for this moment...it was Saks that was their fairy tale and Cinderella awaits...

The day continued onto Neiman's and Barney's...the ladies taking the streets...like Soldiers of Louboutin...giggling, smiling...their laughter heard for blocks..the clicks of their heels in sync as the approached each new store..some with shopping bags others simply thrilled to take part in the day...and the one lone husband staying in perfect step with these obvious veterans of Louboutin..Bravo!

I could go on and on about the day...the women...the stories...the laughter...or the frenzied, scurrying sales associates caught up in the crazed shoe phenomenon however I know I cannot truly capture the day in words...so with that, Buon Giorno..

I send my heartfelt gratitude to all of the ladies that made yesterday so fabulous, so memorable. I will treasure the memories and the friendship for years to come...

(photo credit: mangujowa)

Oh, did I mention....we began the day as strangers? Strangers with a shared passion for fabulous shoes...alas we parted ways in the early evening back into the real world...strangers no more...forever connected by one day shared with fabulous food, fabulous shoes and fabulous friends..

Ciao Amicas!

Have we lost our way?

2009-03-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I just do not know where to begin today... it is absolutely gorgeous out... it rained again last night..the wind has kicked up a bit, it is a beautiful Spring day in the Bay Area. Despite the beauty just outside my window... I find myself in a quiet place...not as happy as I could be today...several things weighing heavy on my mind.

What is happening in your streets? In our world? Have we lost our way?

Five of Oakland's Police officers were shot yesterday...4 of which have since died, 1escaped with a minor head injury..the shooter is dead. My heart aches for the family they left behind... the ones who received the dreaded phone call yesterday afternoon...the call that has forever changed their life. As of today, there doesn't seem to be a reason for the shooting other than the fact...the gunman was wanted on a no bail warrant and he..in his mind...felt there was no alternative...

Three men...they were fathers, husbands, brothers and sons...the wrong place...the wrong time... a life lost...and for absolutely no reason but hatred.

We watched 'Battle in Seattle' last night...a film based on the 1999 WTO Meeting in Seattle...as you may remember the streets of Seattle were filled with demonstraters..protesters..again...mothers, fathers, sons and daughters... collectively using their voice and their passions to make a difference in our world. The protests were not violent...they just were deemed a nuisance...until a few chose to use a voice of anger and destruction which was soon met with deadly force...

A city enraged...wanting to be heard...gassed, beaten and jailed... I am not sure if it was ignorance on behalf of the enforcers or adrenaline in those holding the authority but again... because of hatred...against another human being..the streets were bloodied..lives forever changed...for a cause that a group of people believe was worth the ultimate sacrifice..they stand for causes quite frankly could only better the world we live in...if someone just stopped and listened.

I do not mean to be filled with doom and gloom today...my heart simply hurts... for the souls lost on the streets of Oakland yesterday...the loved ones they left behind.. the hundreds of thousands of voices that are quieted everyday often with brutal force simply because they stand for something other than themselves, something other than greed, monopoly and power...

I will sign off for today with this...

Be good to one another...we only have one lifetime to make a difference...only one world to live in...one message to leave behind...think about what your message will be?

I am hopeful...I am hopeful we will find our way again..I know I may be naive in my belief.. but hope is what may just heal my heart today.

This post is dedicated to the families of the Oakland Officers who gave their lives for a City they believed in...for the voices around the world that continue to believe...who continue to hope...a better tomorrow lies ahead...

Movie Date...

2009-03-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

On the heels of my staycation...My hubby and I enjoyed a movie date today... I just love the movies. In the Bay Area...choosing the movie house is almost as is important as choosing the movie itself. We have Mega Cineplexes which host the Bruckheimer blockbusters... Breakfast at Tiffany's is playing in Alameda...the quaint Piedmont Theatre for a quiet Indie and bevy of old movie houses that will transport you back to the days of Silent Movies and Charlie Chaplin...movies in the Bay Area...a past time cherished by the young, the old...the Trekies and the Talkies..

Today, we found ourselves under the well known marquee of one of our favorites...The Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland....it is a historical landmark, an old movie house with architecture circa 1920's.

The Grand Lake Theatre opened its doors on March 6th,1926 as a Vaudeville Show and Silent Movie House. I can only imagine what the Grand Lake Theatre has seen in its luxurious 83 years..all of the magic...all of the mystery...the glamour of Hollywood.. Bette Davis to Julia Roberts... Cary Grant to Daniel Craig...if only the walls could speak...I wonder what stories lie within... captured under the exquisite dome ceiling in the main auditorium.

You cannot miss the Grand Lake Theatre from the street..it's magnificent 55 foot high sign illuminated by 10,000 tiny lights is as famous as the actors on the screen inside...the building is wrapped by a marquee that alongside of today's showings...always boasts a political message...The entrance doesn't make the Grand Lake theatre unique...or the warm smell of popcorn that fills the air...but what will make you stop and take note is the mystical sounds dancing out of the Wulitzer organ on Friday and Saturday nights..

Freshly buttered popcorn in one hand... my husband's arm wrapped around my waist... we walk down the red carpet aisle of the Grand Lake Theatre..smiling...as if stunned by the flashing camera bulbs and shouting paparazzi...it is quite easy to succumb to the glamour of Hollywood in a building like the Grand Lake Theatre. Alas, we slide into our seats and take sight of the velvet curtains that still cover the screen...we have sat in these very seats countless times yet..everytime..you find yourself gazing at the walls..the ceiling...the history.

I lean towards my husband and kiss him gently on the cheek...the house lights begin to dim....the chatter around us quiets to a whisper, the velvet curtains are drawn back...and away we go...

Silence please...the movie is about to begin.....

Tourist Shoes...

2009-03-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

'Tourist Shoes'..with those two words, you may have an image of a man with a camera slung around his neck, an 'Everything you must see and do in San Francisco' tour book poking out of his pocket..and the inevitable socks paired with Birkenstock's look because we failed to mention in this morning's weather report...'warm' in San Francisco..isn't really the 'bare your toes' kind of warm you may have expected..although that is not what today's story is all about.. it is about you...becoming a tourist for a day in your own City.

If there is a silver lining in today's economic firestorm...it is the ever growing creativity of new words and phrases..recessionista, crisis chic and shopping your closet..because nothing soothes the pain of a spiralling stock market than Wikipedia and UrbanDictionary... so in staying on topic, today I bring you the staycation!

Millions of people every year, plan their vacation time, tuck away their hard earned wages...book airline travel...and hotel stays to visit this City..the same City my husband and I wake up to...shining brilliantly through our window...every morning...the Emerald City...Oz...San Francisco.

If you have been following my blog, you know...the love affair I have with my City is boundless..San Francisco..the beauty that lies within her buildings, her culture...her vitality...the sights and the sounds...the people and the places...attract so many..everyday, every year and it is all in our backyard.

Today I decided to take a staycation...in San Francisco...camera in hand... parking change in pocket..GPS on board and off I went... I will let the pictures speak for the day and leave you with this...bridge fare $4, parking $8, coffee $4 and lunch in North Beach's Little Italy $11...Spending the day as a tourist in my own City......Bellissima!!

The Art of Graffiti (Amoeba Records in the Haight)

The Palace of Fine Arts

The Seals at Pier 39

The Cable Car on Sutter

Stella's Pastry and Cafe (North Beach. Little Italy)

Bello Giorno!

2009-03-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

What a day! From the moment I opened my eyes to see the day break..to watch the sun illuminate the San Francisco Bay...the Golden Gate peeking through her blanket of Fog.. something rang out...it was going to be a fantastic day.

It may have been the kitty nestled into the small of my back as I woke...my little heating blanket still sound asleep, purring away...or my husbands first kiss when I glanced his way...or perhaps the pink cupcake I ate at 11 am...home made and freshly delivered via post from my dear friend Mona...from 3,000 miles away...

The world news was not monumental...people still talking about Jon Stewart roasting Jim Cramer on the Daily Show...the stock market,although it hit a high of 7400 today...remains abysmal...all in all...the day wasn't life changing...

Some say the day is only what you make of it...destiny, fate, karma, you choose...not today...today was a day that just set out to be fabulous..all on its own...and you had to choose whether to jump aboard! Your call...ordinary or extraordinary?

I know...any day is a good day....but today felt like it should be set to music...A sing out loud...smile for no reason...extra skip in your step...kind of day...you know...a pink cupcake for lunch kind of day!

Something made it exceptional....whether it was my husband's kiss, our sleeping kitties, the 75 degree Spring day in San Francisco...or the boundless generosity of a friend..

Whatever the reason...whatever the rhyme...Era un bello giorno!!

It was a beautiful day!

Dancing Shoes...

2009-03-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

A point of escape, a break from reality... a place of renewal...sometimes a place of pure adrenaline...
Whether the sensual, intoxicating lyrics of Dave Matthews...the groove inducing sounds of Motown or the empowering, boundless sounds of U2...music is an essential part of my journey.

'So if your heart rings dry my love
I will fill your cup.
And if your load gets heavy girl
I will lift you up....'
sings Dave Matthews in a soft, mesmerizing almost hypnotic voice....

In the shower...in the car...at the gym...strolling through a supermarket...music, if you allow it...can take you away at any moment...simply let the words in...the music will fill you...

'You're on the road...
But you've got no destination...
You're in the mud..In the maze of her imagination...'
Bono sings out to the crowds...filling the souls of thousands of faithful followers..their arms waving in the air as if in a chapel listening to a gospel...let the music in... let the beat carry you...to wherever your dreams may lie...wherever your day may go...lose yourself.

As captured on Wikipedia..music, like art, is a subjectively perceived phenomenon

A phenomenon...simply put..is a brilliant term to describe what music adds to my journey... a phenomenon that can raise my arms high above my head...cause me to sing out loud...and out of key... unleash all of my inhibitions...whether alone...or amongst a sea of unknown faces....music allows me to escape...from an ordinary day into an extraordinary experience...any time...any place...I just have to let the music in....trust the lyrics and let my soul do the rest...

A strangers words...intertwined flawlessly with music... a soul lost..soon found... a day lost in chaos...temporarialy suspended in time... a child spins in a field...I spin in a boutique...a tune gently dancing off the speakers at your local grocer...will bring you to sing a Doobie Brothers classic...c'mon you know the one...

I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand pretty mama
Come and dance with your daddy all night long

Music...my escape...my renewal...the soundtrack to my journey....a little Fergie for attitude, a touch of Sly and the Family Stone for groove...U2 for my entrances...Harry Connick Jr for my intermission...Cher for those times that just need a little Cher and always, always...a soul shaking, groove inspiring, stand on your chair with your arms stretched to the sky...Dave Matthews Band 'Two Step'... for my final act.

'Sing like no one is listening...dance as if no one is watching...'

What would your soundtrack be...

Imagination....lost

2009-03-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

He sits quietly on a sofa surrounded by those who love him...those he may not know. Glancing about the room without much to say...he struggles to stay present in the conversation...even if it doesn't quite make sense. His attention is brief....but there is nowhere in the world he would rather be at that moment..in all honesty he isn't quite sure what else lies outside of that moment.

I am not speaking of a young boy rather a grown man...a once brilliant man...who today finds himself a prisoner in his own mind. The inability to remember from one moment to the next... the flickering memories of his past...fading slowly into a place where they will forever remain, lost...the struggle to hold onto what few things remain familiar...the familiar memories that will certainly fade away...perhaps not today or tomorrow but for certain..will fade.

This unforgiving battle is Alzheimer's...affecting millions of lives every year...stealing, without judgment, your fondest memories, your thoughts, your ability to imagine..your ability to dream..one which does not have a miracle cure...a way to slow the process...a light at the end of the tunnel. A disease that has stricken my family...I stand strong, unwavering by the side of my husband as he watches his 'superman', his father..slip away a little more..every moment of every day. It is a silent struggle that can leave you feeling helpless but never quite as helpless as the soul that is trapped..in their own mind...in their own body...what can only feel like...alone.

Imagination is defined as a fundamental facility through which people make sense of the world...what do you do when it no longer makes sense?

Unfortunately, I come to you today without resolution, not with the name of a 'family of Alzheimer's patients' group or a new drug but simply this...the one thing that carries my husband and I through the daily struggles of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's..possibly to help you through this long goodbye...live every moment for the moment..for that is the only moment he knows.... be patient....for he does not remember asking you that very question moments ago... be loving...for that is an emotion he can sense even beyond the time of recognition... be grateful for the memories you hold and cherish in your heart...he depends on your memories...for his are no more...

And when your day comes to a close...hold him tight, remind him of your unconditional love..for when alone at night..he doesn't lie awake reminiscing of the day or dreaming of tomorrow...the nights are spent as are the days...battling this relentless disease...imagination...lost....

It terrifies me....I cannot imagine....not being able to.....dream.

This post is dedicated to man who I will always admire, will never judge and will forever love unconditionally...my father in law.

You have one..so why not?

2009-03-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

You have a voice..so why not be heard. You have strength...why not lend a hand to help the weak. You have courage...why not allow yourself to stand up for the fearful.

I found myself at the doorstep of a shelter today...not because I am in need nor am I hungry or fearful....quite the contrary. I visited the shelter today to donate clothes for those less fortunate than myself...those who have fallen on hard times..those who have known only hard times...for my fellow human souls...man, woman, child, simply because I can.

As I have shared with you before, I am not one of bountiful riches...I am not an heiress...I am a strong, passionate, courageous woman with a voice beyond belief. A woman that is full of hope...hope that I can better the world we live in simply by making a choice, holding out my hand...using my voice.

I do have my prorities, above all others...I care for my husband, togther we care for our kitties, our family, our home, each other...and I will not give more than what I am capable however I will give my voice to the children of Darfur who have lost their mothers..their fathers to genocide...genocide that many world leaders choose to ignore...400,000 lives have been stolen...they shall hear my voice...I will cover the shoulders of the man who finds shelter in a tent just outside the parking lot of Home Depot...leave a dog house on our patio...not for a dog but for the homeless cat who has chosen us to love... I will raise my fist in the fight for human equality for our gay,lesbian and transgender brothers and sisters... I will walk for Cancer..the dark angel that took the last breath from my Mother at such a young age...with all of my might, with all of my passion...with my voice... I will give all I have to give...for the strangers I walk beside every day...simply because I can....simply because my journey allows me to do so...

I look to you, my brothers and sisters...and ask you...who will hear your voice? Who will be lifted by your strength? Who may survive because you care?

Today I added a feature to my blog called 'Bella's Soapbox'...a place you can go to find a few of the causes I support...I believe in....perhaps one, maybe a few... will find a place with you...

Thank you for listening... now go and be heard.

Amore per Italiano

2009-03-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Amore per Italiano...Love for Italian...all things Italian. As a Sicilian woman, I may be biased however I find myself in complete wonderment..lost in the beauty of all things Italian. Whether the handsome features of my Northern Italian Husband, the sweet taste of the grapes pulled from the vineyards in Santa Margherita or the undeniably sexy lines of a Ferrari 430 Scuderia...the sight, the sounds, the feel of Italy...will leave you gasping for your breath...and more simply put...wanting more.
Manolo Blahnik...a brilliant artisan shoe designer...born in the Canary Islands...shoes created in Italy...Cristóbal Balenciaga...designed in Paris brought to life in Italy...Christian Louboutin, born in France...yet his impeccable designs are carefully, painstakenly...handmade in Italy...

Canolis.... Chianti.... Giovanni Versace...Ducati...the majestic, awe inspiring Duomo in Milan...all Italian.. Bellisima!

Is it the relentless pursuit of balance in the life of an Italian...a lifestyle that rewards a hard days work with a four hour siesta...an entire country that vacations in August,the love of family...the love of good food only to be paired with the love of fabulous wine... Is it the way that time is of no matter when an Italian craftsman is in the midst of creating..whether he is blending the finest wine, taking the final stroke on an intricate pattern on a fine Deruta ceramic...or could it be..simply the fact that in Italy..your morning espresso is never served 'to-go'...actually as I sit back and reminisce..nothing is 'to-go' in Italia...

Whatever the rhyme, whatever the reason...I find myself daydreaming...yearning for the lifestyle of an Italian...perched high atop a mountain...alongside my Lombardian Husband, our three kitties and a beautiful Chianti...overlooking Lago Maggiore...Magnifico!

Prenda una respirazione profonda ...take a deep breath...sit, relax, it isn't a riddle that needs a solution it is simply this...durata delle'Italia....the life of Italy... Amore per Italiano!

Ciao! Buon Giorno!

A Recessionista's guide to Survival....

2009-03-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow Recessionista's...the DOW has clawed it's way back above 7000, the 4th quarter earnings news is out, Neimans is down $509 million dollars, Saks continues to slide perilously into the abyss...Barney's has pleaded the 5th and has elected not to share their quarterly earnings with the public which is probably a good idea as I dropped into Barneys last week and it felt more like a Balenciaga museum than a luxury department haven... so what does this mean to you, the Recessionista?

On the heels of our 'decluttering' discussion last week, it is time to make our next move...simply with a different frame of mind... in the past our fashionista mindset had us clammering for the season's must haves which may have included the entire Carolina Herrera Spring Collection...

I introduce you to the age of the 'Recessionista'..the newly decluttered you with a fresh new mindset of 'a few great new pieces mixed creatively with my oldies but goodies'...will maintain our Fashionista status in a Recessionista world...without the shame of conspicious consumption, are you with me?

A fabulous pairing of your faithful Seven jeans...a James Perse vintage v neck tee..your Louboutin Watersnake VP's capped off with the latest William Rast leather jacket...

William Rast Ready to Wear Spring 2009 (Nordstrom $598)

Your newly acquired M Missoni maxi dress paired with the Amrita Singh must have bangles from last season and your ever faithful Giuseppe Zanotti sandals...

M Missoni Maxi Knit Dress Ready to Wear Spring 2009 (ChickDowntown.com $445)

Last season's white linen button down James Perse..paired with your favorite khaki cargo Joie shorts with this seasons Christian Louboutin wedge...Bravo!!

Christian Louboutin Wedge (Saks $475)

With a little self control, which I know you have, the same will power which you displayed magnificently last season when deciding you didn't have to have EVERY color of the new Louboutin Rolando, armed with only your debit card..Recessionista's do not 'charge it' and always remember your Recessionista's guide to Survival mantra..'Do not spend what you cannot live without and buy only...what you cannot live without....'

A few more tips....
Bluefly...Dresses 40% off
Saks Fifth Avenue EGC event today
Chickdowntown private 20% today
Net-A-Porter Mid Season Sale 40% off

Now get out there...Stimulate the Economy...it is your patriotic duty as a Recessionista!

Jet Set Shoes...

2009-03-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

This City Girl is heading home! Perhaps you could tell by my homesick post two nights ago...or my outright lack of post yesterday...this girl misses..her husband, her cats...her home...the City. Granted, I am in a 'city' now...it just happens to be a 'desert city'. The desert has its beauty...red rock mountains, man made lakes (which is odd in itself), several acclaimed restaurants, a lot of golf courses (where do they get all of that 'extra' water?),the occasional Bentley Continental GT coupe...they even have a Neiman Marcus..which quite frankly after a brief stroll through the shoe department...couldn't even soothe my yearning for the City by the Bay...

Before you pass judgment, I am not a material girl... I do not need to be showered with jewels...ensconced in Gucci or dining at the Ritz...I can find beauty in anything, anywhere, anytime...but I cannot deny this simple fact... I am a city girl...a 'husband missing-kitty momma-Louboutin wearing-Balenciaga toting-Olberman watching-Sushi eating' City Girl....roaming aimlessly in a desert.

Warm up the 737 Southwest, arm your flight attendants with those crappy peanuts (what is up with those peanut packs anyways, seriously 8 nuts?)...My tray is in its locked position and I am fully upright....this City Girl is heading home!

Blue Shoes....

2009-03-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Not of the suede variety, more a play on words as today I am away from home on a business trip...I am blue...Blue in my Jimmy Choos. My travels were safe, the rental car kiosk was a breeze and the weather is pleasant...sunny and 70's yet I find myself with a terrible pang... a pang for the familiar... the touch of my husband,the smell of our kitties little heads and the warmth of home. It is the little things that make a day special...and those little things are what I miss....in a bad way.
I have a job to do here... I will do it well, leave my mark...and in no time...will be back home..high atop the Oakland Hills...in the arms of my husband...kitties at our feet.....Olberman on the 'television machine'...I will be home...home sweet home.
Not much more is on my mind tonight...only one last thought to share....how incredibly grateful I am to have a husband...kitties and a home that I miss so dearly, so deeply when away... and I know in my heart and throughout my soul...miss me too.
I wish all of my friends...a kind of love, a kind of life...that fills you so completely...it only leaves you wanting more...more minutes in the day...days in your years, years in your life... I have that kind of love...from the moment he first stole my breath away...and I am grateful.

Declutter...

2009-03-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself standing in front...or in... your closet, wide eyed and exhausted...not a thing to wear. If we are being honest, you actually have hundreds of different pieces to choose from, in every shade of the rainbow..with more texture than the local marketplace in Dubai...long sleeve, short sleeve, no sleeve..pants, skirts or shorts not to mention another 150 pairs of shoes to pull your look together yet there you stand.....exhausted, naked and lost.

Daylight savings has arrived, the sun slept in a little longer this morning as did I...Spring is just around the corner...it's time to declutter. Those of you not familiar with the word..declutter...may spend the remainder of your weekend..naked and lost amongst a pile of clothes. I for one... am on a mission today...driven by pure desire to shop but nonetheless... driven to declutter. I know, you are saying to yourself.. 'where do I begin'...easy, with a cup of coffee.

Today, I will offer you a few simple strategies to declutter, reorganize, make some spending cash and perhaps...in the end, even get you dressed and onto your day.
It's simple really..take baby steps...remove every item of clothing you have not worn in the last year...and be honest with yourself..if you didn't wear that tie dyed shirt from Hard Rock Cafe in the last year...you never will...same with the acid wash jeans...unless you are Rick Springfield...they must go.

Next...sort them into two piles...one for Goodwill and one for your new Fashion Fund. Yes, the acid wash jeans and the tie dyed shirt will not contribute to your fashion fund anymore than they have your wardrobe. Great! Now... your Fashion Fund pile should be taken to a local consignment store...Crossroads Trading Co is a great shop that will pay you 30% of what they would sell it for...
Fabulous, you are making money already!

Back to your closet.. now organization...this step can be as personal as the clothing itself...do what makes sense for your lifestyle. Personally, I have my closet organized by business, casual, dress, skirts, slacks...then even further by lengths, sleeves, color and season. I am a self professed obsessive compulsive organizer...some may say to a fault..but they should mind their business, take some notes and clean their own closet..anyway, it works for me...you do what feels best for you.
If you are fortunate enough to have shelves..they make great space savers for jeans, sweats and tees...as for scarves, I have just the fix...buy yourself a scarf hanger..holds 12...$7 IKEA.

Not quite finished....now repeat each step for shoes...yes, shoes...once you stop hyper-ventilating...you will come to agree with me, those patent white go-go boots were a don't from the moment you brought them home. Trust me, I let them go many Springs ago....

Decluterring! It's exhausting but exhilarating... and you will thank me tomorrow when you find the 'standing in the midst of a clothing tornado..wide eyed naked and confused' part of your morning, takes alot less time......and with the time you have saved....have a second cup of coffee and pop over to Chickdowntown...afterall...you made yourself a little money.

Happy Spring!

A beautiful day....

2009-03-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

It is simply breathtaking today...the sun is shining bright...the rain has left a feeling of renewed beauty and the City is all the buzz. As I sit in Union Square...cappuccino in hand...my red linen scarf blowing gently in the breeze...I lean back and take it all in.
I love to watch all of the faces...young and old...everything in between... a slight blush to their cheeks...whether blushed from the brisk morning or the excitement of being in San Francisco..it is no matter..they appear happy. A bevy of women and thier bags... a man with his wife and child..out for a stroll. There is a couple sitting nearby, they seem to be arguing...I hope it is nothing that cannot be sorted out....for just outside of their words...there is a world passing them by.
Time for me to continue on.... my pace is not as quick as some today... I do not have an agenda...an apppointment...an actual reason for being in the City and my pace surely tells that story. A bike messenger races by....it is Saturday and his bag carries only a sourdough baguette... a woman is on the corner...head held low..hand held out... I touch her shoulder and place a folded dollar in her hand. I continue on...The scent in the air...it is familiar...a slight hint of jasmine...a glimmer of gardenia... ah, it is the perfume flowing from just inside the doors of Saks Fifth Avenue. There is a young girl gazing into the shop window..lost in the exquisite colors...she appears to be daydreaming....maybe of a fairy tale.
The floral scent fades as I continue my stride along Post Street....the sound of a taxi horn now fills the air, two young girls dash for a cable car...for a brief moment... I pause.. what's this...I see the woman, the very same woman whose head was held low a short time ago...she reaches for my hand..smiles and whispers...'thank you'...I wink...and disappear into the crowd....
Not everyday may seem meaningful...it may not be worth a scribe but in my heart..today...whether grand in sort or simple in comparision...is another piece of my journey.....and for that reason alone...is priceless.
Where will your journey take you today?

Just because...

2009-03-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

Life is too short...and the worries will still be there tomorrow
kiss your spouse...in the middle of the night.
order dessert.
have a second glass of wine.
paint your toes 'Big Apple Red.'
take a bubble bath.
love your body...because there is someone out there envious of you.
bring your husband flowers.
bring your wife chocolate.
go to the movies....at noon...on a Wednesday.
wave to your neighbor.
believe in yourself... believe in your spouse.
have a cause.
fight for that cause.
donate...a dollar...old clothes...your time.
stay for the credits.
laugh out loud.
declutter.
read a book....from cover to cover.
twirl..in Union Square..Central Park..under the Eiffel Tower.
go to Italy.
go to Yosemite.
watch the sunset.
watch the sunrise.
be fabulous.
be a friend.
be a good listener.
be good to others.
be good to yourself.
live...every moment of every day...
and always....always....buy the shoes......

Leave your footprint...

2009-03-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

This day began just as the last one thousand five days... I kissed my husband. I married the man of my dreams almost three years ago..the man that has showered me in mind blowing love...every moment of every day..from the moment I met him. I could not imagine a life without him....la mia magnifica ossessione...il mio vero amore...mio marito... my husband.

Today marked the day the Supreme Court heard final arguments in the case surrounding the reversal of Proposition 8. As you may know, in California, it was decided on election day 2008, that our gay, lesbian and transgender brothers and sisters do not have the right to marry... because the majority of Californians feel their right to marry for some unimaginable reason threatens their own marriage. As I mentioned before, I have a view..and at times it may differ from your own..and this may be one of those times..but please hear me out...it will take only a moment and just maybe... I might cause you to rethink your position...

Have you ever yearned for the kiss of your spouse so deeply you could taste it...wept because your loved one was stolen from you by disease or misfortune...cheered because your wife succeeded...became angry when your husband was wronged? These emotions are real..so real it can change the very way you see the world....emotions so real they can change the very outcome of your day, your month...even your life. Now, imagine if a stranger ripped those emotions from your heart and told you they could be no more...because a group of people feel threatened by your joy...your passion...your marriage...your choice.

It would anger me, I would fight with all my might, with every last breath to take back that right, the right to marry whoever I choose...but fortunately I don't have to... I am considered 'normal' whatever that means..because I am a woman who has married a man..and that in the eyes of the majority of Californians is okay, is acceptable. What is disturbing is that same majority does not seem to have a problem with a woman marrying a felon... a child pornographer or a man marrying a woman who killed her former husband...as long as it is man and woman. It doesn't make sense... not in my mind, not in my heart.

We live in a world that is filled with hatred, with battles so grand in scope our grandchildren's children will not see a resolve in their lifetime..does the right to marry whoever you chose really need to be one of those battles?

I come to you today on behalf of my friends, members of my family...and souls I may never meet...to plea with you...let love be love...let marriage be marriage...let destiny be destiny...whether between a man and a woman... or a man and a man...love is no more sacred to one couple than the other....at least not in my eyes...

Just think about it... if what I shared today leaves a footprint in your heart...share it with someone....share it with several 'someones'...however if you still believe that prop 8 should stand as it does today...fine, that is your right...you will need to do no more...just kiss your wife...kiss your husband...simply because you can..because you still have the right.

One last thought and I will step down off my soapbox, at least for today. If your opposition to human equality is driven by pure ignorance and has you believing as though a same gender marriage will 'threaten' your marriage...you have bigger issues than prop 8 perhaps you should keep your opinions on your neighbors marriage quiet and mind you own.

That's all for today....if you will excuse me... I am going to kiss my husband and tell him how very deeply I love him....

~*~*~

today's post is dedicated to my husband...the man who loves me for who I am despite my faults...just for me...being me...TiAmo tesoro mio!

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2009-03-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

On the Catwalk...

2009-03-04T10:47:00.001-08:00

Whether you are a self proclaimed fashionista, an international film star or a young girl with a dream of designing your own line, the creative magic displayed under the tents in New York City and in the venues of Milan during the iconic fashion week can leave you breathless. A mesmerizing gathering of the who's who within the fashion world alongside the hottest young newcomers... a bevy of glitz and glamour..with onlookers kibitzing, wide eyed with anticipation....all awaiting the premier of this season's must have... the 'it' gown, trouser, shoe or skirt..whatever your desire...the timeless classics circa Audrey Hepburn or a collection that will whisk you away into a world of dream, fantasy, lust or seduction...it will be brought to life before your very eyes.

As the tent fills with heart pounding music, flash bulbs begin to pop and the invited guests focus their attention onto the brightly lit catwalk....it all begins.....the models...like gazelles prancing wild in the fields of Africa...they enter...long and lean..draped in the color, the texture, the artistry of the season...all flowing together in meticulous style.

For it is time...the visionary geniuses of the fashion design world unveil their creations... on the catwalk...in New York....in Milan...

Dreams can be made, dreams can be dashed and it all happens during fashion week..... Bellissima!

Above: Matthew Williamson

Center: Jason Wu

Bottom: Zac Posen

Fashion Week.Fall 09

In someone else's shoes...

2009-03-03T15:37:00.000-08:00

Today's headlines read... hit and run driver kills man in San Jose... 3 year old girl abducted during home robbery... an unnamed US solider was killed in Iraq... today, March 3rd...
At what point in our genetic make up do we lose our innocence and no longer cherish the value of another human life?
This is not an entry of doom and gloom rather quite the opposite...today I received a card of condolence from a group of friends that I have shared many stories with, celebrated exquisite moments with.... yet we have never met. The card was signed with a heartfelt message from each of the ladies... a card of sympathy for the loss of a loved one. A random act of kindness. An act that blossomed in my mind into a paradise of wonderment.....take a moment, can you describe one stranger from your journeys today? The man behind you in line at your favorite coffee shop? The woman you yielded to in the crosswalk on the way to work? How many human souls walk beside us each and everyday that go unnoticed...because we are lost in the trivial moments that make up our day. When amongst strangers, we walk in solitude...how is that possible?
My journey today? I can tell you the barista at Peet's, Mikhail has sky blue eyes.... there was a young lady with red hair in the corner watching the rain outside gently fall upon the woman in the green trench coat...and this woman in the green trench coat...when her eyes met mine.. gave me the most heartfelt smile as if we have known each other for years yet we have never met...it felt wonderful to smile in return. A gesture that took no time from my day...didn't cause a moment of burden..just a smile and it made a difference.
I may not have the riches to pass a $1 to every man without a home... the ability to bring in every stray cat I see, as we already have 3...but I can pass along a genuine smile...compliment a woman that may appear saddened by the days events...help an elderly man with his groceries because the pain in his eyes with each bend of his knees, I can feel too. Perhaps tomorrow I can buy the next person in line at Peet's their morning joe... a random act of kindness.... one of the few things in our world that remains free but for some reason has been effected by the current state of our economy....puzzling when you stop to think about it.

I wonder...what would our world be like if the top three headlines in the news were the most generous, the most extraordinary random acts of kindess instead of the most unimaginable acts of hatred.

Unfortunately... tomorrow's headlines will most likely be the same... the random acts of kindness, if any, will be saved for the final 30 seconds of the news program...

I for one, will pay it forward... I simply cannot wait for the last 30 seconds.

Today's post is dedicated to all of the lovely ladies at tPF...

Three wise men...and their shoes

2009-03-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

It is Monday. As I would believe is true for most, work weighs heavy on my mind. I don't suppose you dropped by to read of conference calls, board meetings or corporate buyouts and quite frankly the Dow is sinking faster than the Titanic...I suppose you are here for an escape... as am I.

Today, I find myself lost in the exquisite design, the unparalleled craftsmanship of three wise men... better know as Christian, Manolo and Jimmy...Louboutin, Blahnik and Choo that is.

Monsieur Louboutin, born in Paris, has so famously said 'I wanted to do shoes which are really just shoes for seduction. For pleasure. For sex. That's it. A shoe, you cannot run, you cannot even walk. You want to run in your shoes? Buy sneakers.'

Manolo Blahnik, born in Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands, when asked about his design replied ' About half my designs are controlled fantasy, 15 percent are total madness and the rest are bread-and-butter designs.'

Jimmy Choo, born in Penang, Malaysia, has said 'shoes are a personal thing, a personal touch.'

All three designers talented in their own right and as undeniably unique as the snow that falls upon the Italian Dolomite's...but I cannot help but wonder if it weren't for the world of women who covet their creations... where would any of these wise men be?

Shoes... they are a splendid thing...the lines of the heel, the plunge of the toe...a heel that quite possibly is so high..you feel as though you can reach out and touch the stars...whether you are impeccably pulled together or if your hair is reaping the effects of a cold, windy day in San Francisco, your make up has run...your supervisor is on a rampage, you have just snagged your favorite pair of Wolford's or the train is running late.... an exquisite shoe can stop a woman in her track... pull her breath from her lips... cause an incomparable sigh..and in that single moment that she catches herself in the reflection of a shop window...she feels unquestionably... glamorous. A shoe can pull an outfit together or be the only reason for the outfit to exist... it can be the perfect touch for a dinner date or quite frankly... the reason for a dinner date... I can go on and on but most simply said the love affair between a woman and her shoes...is one that cannot be explained in a blog, in a book comparing men and women to planets or anything Dr Phil claims to know. Although it may be quite possible this love affair of which I speak can only be captured in a wink, a sly smirk from woman to woman... across an iridescently lit shop floor..sales associates prancing about...Mozart's concerto #3 dancing gently in the background....when she has finally found.....the perfect shoe.....at least perfect for now.

Rain Shoes

2009-03-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's raining today and according to the forecast..much of the same is expected throughout the week. There is something about the rain falling in the City by the Bay that seems... even feels unique. I am not certain if it is the way the rain makes the Bay Bridge smell, the Golden Gate seem alive, the flowers at the corner of Geary and Stockton more fragrant, the way it makes the shoppers in Union Square duct quickly into the sparkling store front of Tiffany's only to walk away with that tiny famed blue bag...but it is different. I know, not genetically or scientifically speaking... but different. Perhaps it simply adds to the texture...the style...the sound...the heartbeat of this fabulous City. A City so diverse, so very accepting of all of the souls in our wide, wide world...whether you feel bigger than life or so simple sometimes you may feel forgotten... a man, a woman, a child, dressed to the nines or parading down Howard in your birthday suit during our famed Bay to Breakers Race, no matter your choice of partner, your religion...your political voice is no matter just as long as you have a voice...our City, she will love you... I know...with every step I take...she loves me.

Day One in Bella's Shoes....

2009-03-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

In all actuality, the first day in Bella's shoes would have been about 38 years ago... in So Cal with my Mom and Dad..my brother came along 4 years later...and 4 more siblings 17 years later. I have since walked, ran, stood, laughed, cried, gained, lost, dreamt of a mind blowing love and married the man of my dreams...all in my shoes. I may not be coming to you from a grand executive office high atop Market St in San Francisco or from the front row of a glitzy New York fashion show...but I am coming to you with a view...a view of the world we live in, the people with walk beside everyday, the things we lust for...or even the things we wish were no more. It will always be an honest view and possibly quite different from your own on occasion... but a view none the less. I will never claim my view is the right view and I am always interested in hearing your take on my topics... I hope not to find myself speaking aimlessly into the astral plane yet sparking a thought, possibly an action, a 'laugh with your entire body' kind of laugh, an understanding tear or a simple smile..whatever the response... I hope I add something special to your day...now...please join me for a 'Day in Bella's Shoes...'