Category Archives: Awesome Finds!

MindFULL Mother’s Day Gift

04 Thursday May 2017

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shellWhile every day should be Mother’s Day, the designated day to celebrate a special woman in your life who MindFULLY mothers you, is next week. And do I have the perfect something you can send…Roses.

BFD, you say? Well, actually, yes! For the roses I’m turning you on to will last for six months. And that is truly a MindFULL way to show someone just how much she really means.

How did I find these amazing roses? Via Luxe Bloom®, the innovative flower company founded by one of my First Bosses, Marketing Mentor, Friend, and Style Icon, Shelley Rosen. While I am tired of the phrase “BadAss Woman”, Shelley really is. After rising through the ranks of the Sales Promotion Agency world and McDonalds, Shelley launched her own brand management company, AirLift. She has helped grow almost any major brand that comes to mind. It’s no wonder she turned her attention to flowers. And I think it’s kinda funny that her last name is Rosen and she sells Roses. Meant to be.

When I asked Shelley about Luxe Bloom® and Mother’s Day, she said, “Mother’s Day is a magical time for Luxe Bloom®. We receive so many gift requests and seeing the notes that accompany the gifts make us smile with joy. Mom’s do so much for us, why not gift her something she can just enjoy with no care? At Luxe Bloom, we sell real rose arrangements that can last up to 60 days without any water or care. Simply open the box and display. Leading luxury hotels like the St. Regis Washington use our rose displays to make a high impact for luxury guest just two blocks from the White House. We are changing the way people buy flowers with our time and money saving innovation. Our no care roses are sure to please.”

So, check out their Mother’s Day Collection. If you buy now, they can ship by Monday May 8th to make it in time for Mother’s Day! And for MindFULL Creative friends, use the promo code FRIENDSFAM for a 10% off discount on your purchase.

https://www.luxebloom.com/collections/all

Delight, honor and lasting sentiment. Now, that’s MindFULLY Creative!

How do you MindFULLY honor the Mothering Women in your life?

Let us know!

 

 

 

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In This Together

24 Monday Apr 2017

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When you look in the mirror, what do you see? It depends on who’s looking. For many kids, while they see themselves reflected over the sink, they rarely see themselves in young adult books and movies.

That’s where In This Together Media shines like a beacon, beckoning All kids, of All races, sexual orientation, and socio-economic diversity. In This Together Media strives to offer “diverse, realistic, unwhitewashed representations of kids, especially girls, in YA and middle-grade literature.”

When you visit In This Together Media, http://inthistogethermedia.com/ this gorgeous description greets you and pulls you into a world that celebrates All stories.

“We believe that everyone should be able to imagine themselves when they pick up a book or watch a movie. Sadly, today’s media doesn’t reflect everyone. We’re out to change that. We package books and films to create more diversity in media. We highlight the stories of all children and young adults, including gay, black, girls, transgender, and more. Beyond just highlighting them, we want them to be the stars of the stories we create, inspiring others just like them to be who the are – with confidence and power.”

Excited about the company on many levels, I was also really inspired by the founder’s stories. Over the last month, almost every woman I have spoken with seems to be grappling with the same questions: “What’s Next?” “I’ve done the same thing for so long, what can I possibly do now?” Founders Carey Albertine and Saira Rao were classmates at University of VA. Carey has an MBA, worked in Investment Banking and has held various positions in the creative world of late night television. Saira has been an attorney and news producer. After they became Moms, they recognized that few books reflected the rich and diverse world they occupied. Together they created their company and used Kickstarter to help fund it.

Basically, they stopped talking and got doing.

Check out this awesome article on them from Fast Company https://www.fastcompany.com/3031332/most-creative-people/the-stars-of-these-young-adult-books-swear-struggle-and-generally-act-l

And check out their latest offering —  Emily Ziff Griffin’s debut YA novel, Light Years.

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Let their mission MindFULLY lead you through a real world in YA literature, and let their story of friendship, tenacity and possibility inspire you to do something that speaks to you. Afterall, we all have a story.

What could you MindFULLY create that would reflect your world? Let us know!

25 Monday Jul 2016

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Caveat: This post is for TMC readers who have kids heading to college this Fall, or may already be there. For the rest of my wonderful readers, TMC will be back on track in September with lots of MindFULL Creative ideas to share!

I’m gonna make this post short and sweet. My bandwidth is rather narrow these days. With my daughter’s imminent departure for college fast approaching, my chest is tight, my heart is full and my eyes are brimming with the tears of pride and sadness. Thank goodness for my friends and family who have walked the path before us. Their support, wisdom and loving kindness have been invaluable.

This weekend, Auntie Karen and Niece Miriam visited. A rising college Junior, Miriam had much to share. One of the best pieces of advice she got and passed on: “You’re gonna have bad days. Just like you did at home. And it doesn’t mean it’s the wrong fit or anything major. It’s just a bad day in a different place.”

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There is so much info out there, so as we say, “Take the best and leave the rest” — I’m sharing two of the best saving graces I have received over the last few months: Letting Go (Fifth Edition): A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years, by Karen Levin Coburn and an article, written by an old friend’s darling, smart and honest son, James Keane, about his freshman year at Northwestern. http://time.com/3896431/to-the-freshman-class-of-2015-its-ok-if-everythings-great-is-a-lie/
In my mind, and on my desktop (Well before DT used it), The Rolling Stones song
You Can’t Always Get What You Want keeps playing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zgAWHRJC1Y

It’s a MindFULL reminder…with dear friends, honest resources, and a whole lot of Faith, ya get what ya need.

How are you MindFULLY navigating kids and college? Let us know!

MindFULL Summah Inspahration

13 Monday Jun 2016

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Ahh…finally. The dog days of summer have rolled in, and with them blooms of inspiration abound. As I clean off my iPad and iPhone, making way for new pics and memories, podcasts, books and a few TV shows, I feel the soft slow beat of ease.

Two fun TV shows fill my iPad: Season 2 Grace and Frankie and comedian W. Kamau Bell’s show The United Shades of America on CNN.

Grace and Frankie’s second season may not be as juicy as the first, but the music is still terrific and Lily Tomlin’s clothes relate-able. From her closet I discovered, Sleevey Wonders, ½ shirts you can wear under sleeveless tops and dresses to hide your Haddasah arms (www.sleeveywonders.com) I think she wears a full (and expensive) version, but these are just as good and less bulky.

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The Grace and Frankie Season 2 Playlist is at www.tunefind.com/show/grace-and-frankie/season-2

Then there is W. Kamau Bell’s The United Shades of America on CNN. The comedian takes you on a 1 hour journey to places you might not have thought to go: Inside the KKK, behind prison walls, on a beat  with cops in Camden, NJ to name a few. Last night we went to Alaska. Bell brings a perspective and sense of humor to another side of people and places. My daughter turned us onto him and now we watch as a family.

But… we can’t spend all of our time glued to a screen. While there are tons of lists for the perfect summer read, the two books I am taking on vacation are The Point of Vanishing, a memoir of two years in solitude by Howard Axelrod and Death In The Off Season by Francine Mathews. Francine is an inspirational friend and an entertaining and educational writer – from her Jane Austen series, to her historical fiction books on JFK and Ian Fleming, to these new summer page turners set on the shores of New England. If I can’t get there in person, this is the next best way of smelling the sea air as I cut just one more slice of blueberry pie and pretend.

My mom turned me onto Axelrod’s book, a memoir depicting his tale of a pickup game of basketball at the end of his junior year at Harvard, and a slight of hand that left him permanently blinded in his right eye. My mom, ever so cute and creative, chose it for her book club to read and then hosted the meeting and gave everyone a patch to cover their right eye with as they discussed his experience.

As I pack my bag for vacation, I am abuzz with the anticipation of entry into new worlds and their notings in my trusty travel journal, thanks to Judith Cassel-Mamet and her ever creative blog jcmamet.com. Let the filling of pages begin!

What are you MindFULLY watching, reading and listening to this summer?

Let us know!

Beautiful

08 Wednesday Jun 2016

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What do sex, faith and race all have in common? Your perception of each relies on your perspective.

I LOVE this! Not only because it was a question posed by a Senior high school boy for whom I hold high regard, but because his answer gave me much to think about while standing in an open field, holding a piece of painted metal in the hot morning sun. Rather than melt, I was cooled by the “aha” of how much I value perception, perspective and the heartfelt knowing of who stands for me, and for whom I stand.

Last week, at 9pm, an email from a mom I had known since my daughter’s days at her K-8 school came in. Help! Her son had bumped up against the deadline of his Senior Project and he needed several pairs of hands the next day to help finish it out. Without asking why or for what, I immediately responded Yes. To me, it wasn’t about the details, but the act of showing up for a friend and simply doing what was needed – something I personally place a high value on.

The next morning, with curiosity and delight, we Moms found ourselves in a large wet grassy field in the rolling and beautiful back valley of a local school, moving as directed – to the right, to the left, a little higher and a little lower. Turns out the project, built on learnings from The Beautiful Project, was the brainchild of this young man we had watched grow from a gangly, bright little middle school boy into a thoughtful, smart, handsome and quirky young man. I loved his project – he wrote poems and short stories about perception and perspective when one looks at sex, faith and race and then physically cut metal pieces, hand painted them and used his talent for math and science to parcel each piece individually, so that when standing at a distance, different pieces made up the words Sex, Faith and Race. One big giant metaphor.

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As I stood there and laughed, I also stood there and wept.

I wept for his creative brilliance. I wept for the support and sincere good cheer this group of moms gave to each other and to these kids over the last 12 years (and for the amazing and loving friends and family who showed up for my daughter over the last few weeks to celebrate her high school graduation). I wept for the friend who taught our children creative applications to intellectual challenges, and was no longer living to see us all standing in the field. I wept for the end of this era. I wept for the future this young man had in front of him, and how special it was that he would leave his legacy in the grassy fields of his high school.

Touched to my core, I raised my metal piece high, and low, and side to side. And when I was done, I left with my own new perspective. Amazing what our kids can teach us.

Who do you MindFULLY stand for and who stands for you? Let us know!

 

 

The Uniform

05 Saturday Dec 2015

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UNI

I love me two good things in life: a great Customer Service experience and a good “Uni” (a.k.a. “The Uniform”) — that Go-To outfit you can count on, regardless of weather or weight. Imagine my delight, when I stumbled upon both!

Color me crazy, but on Black Friday, I agreed to go to the Mall with my teenage daughter. Determined not to buy anything for myself, I wandered into LOFT while she scoured a Sale next door. Of course, there to greet me on the first rack in the store, was a tan tunic sweater for $20. It had my name on it.

“You’ll love it and should buy more than 1,” said the adorable, perky Sales Associate. Knowing I wanted for nothing, I stuck to the tan, even tho’ I eyed the black (who couldn’t use yet another black top?) and the silver. When I got home, I tried it on. It could not have fit more comfortably, nor been cuter. Of course, my “want for nothing” attitude flew out the window and I headed back to the Mall the next day. There in the store window read 30% Off Everything. My adrenaline rushed straight to my head, only to come crashing to my feet upon learning that my sweater was up to Full price and now marked down only 30%.

THIS makes me crazy. If it’s a $20 sweater, sell it for $20. If it’s $60, sell it for $60. After a quick chat with the same adorable, perky Sales Associate, we agreed I’d buy the silver sweater for 30% off and then call her Monday, when it was going to be 50% (!) off and get a price adjustment. OK. I know…I need a life…but that’s another post for another time. Excited at the thought of 50% off, I asked one of the ladies behind the counter about the houndstooth leggings to go with it. “Oh, those will never go on sale – they’re part of  a special line and if you read the fine print, you’ll see they are excluded from the Sale.” “But, that’s not fair, the sign says 30% Off Everything” I said. “You should read the fine print. I don’t set the price, I just sell the stuff.”

Those who know me, are probably laughing and cringing at this point in the story, shaking their heads and whispering under their breath, “Wait for it… wait for it…”

Well, needless to say, I launched into my Customer Service shpeal and laid out my retail background and marketing credentials. Big deal. It was what it was. I could take it or leave it. I took the sweater and left the leggings.

(Cyber) Monday, before calling my new personal shopper,  Janet, for my price adjustment, I poked around the LOFT website, only to see that the sweater was marked down to $23, but you had to pay $10 for shipping! Seriously? And to make matters worse, the leggings were right there for 50% off.

Lucky for me ( and really for them), I got a great sales rep on the phone, who patiently listened to my rant and without batting an eye, waved the shipping, sent it in 3 days and threw in a 50% off a full price item card. I ended up buying the black sweater, silver sweater and leggings for the Full price of one sweater!

I wrote a Kudos letter to LOFT and with gratitude for my new “Uni” donated a “Uni” (3 nice sweaters and a pair of pants) to a shelter. Now, I am all set for the winter. Bring on the snow and bread!

p.s. In an attempt to spunk up my “Uni”, I wear a “Uni” necklace designed by our fabulous and talented cousin, Susan Mayer. One good piece from Susan’s collection can change any outfit. Check out her jewelry line at any HML store or www.74harleystreet.com

 What’s your MindFULLy favorite “Uniform”? Let us know!  

 

 

Keep On Keepin On

15 Monday Dec 2014

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Such were the words uttered by Legendary jazz musician Clark Terry (who taught Quincy Jones and mentored Miles Davis) to his latest young protégé, blind 23-year-old pianist Justin Kauflin, every time they said good-bye. In this thoughtful documentary of the same name, Keep On Keepin’ On is the story of their touching and enduring friendship. After my friend and I sat in the theater for 15 minutes post credits, I came home and added both Terry and Kauflin to my Pandora playlist. Inspired to tears, I highly recommend it.

As some may know, I love the movies. I often go alone and am drenched in the dialogue, inspired by the sets and captivated by the costumes. I get this love of cinema from my mom, Elaine, whom I think has great taste in movies. As the weather gets colder and long winter nights encourage us to escape the dreariness without leaving our homes, I gift you with some of her favorites.

And as she would encourage, so do I — pour a glass of wine, pop some popcorn and pull up your favorite blanket. May you find inspiration, motivation or simple delight in one of her recommendations.

  1. The Grifters
  2. Coming Home
  3. Renaissance Man
  4. The Verdict
  5. The Talented Mr. Ripley
  6. Primal Fear
  7. Witness
  8. Gross Point Blank
  9. Charlie Wilson’s War
  10. Crimes and Misdemeanors
  11. God Father I and II
  12. Wall Street
  13. Fargo
  14. Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
  15. Shawshank Redemption
  16. The Good Bye Girl
  17. Le Femme Nakita
  18. Married to the Mob
  19. Network
  20. 6 Degrees of Separation
  21. The Sting
  22. Shirley Valentine
  23. Sling Blade
  24. Working Girl
  25. Goodwill Hunting
  26. Dial M for Murder
  27. Justice for All
  28. Good Morning Vietnam
  29. The Graduate
  30. MASH
  31. The Joy Luck Club
  32. Fabulous Baker Boys
  33. Diabolique
  34. Philadelphia

 

What movies have MindFULLY delighted you? Let us know!

Be of Ease

01 Monday Dec 2014

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“Be of Ease” is the quote my mom uses when signing off her emails.

With the Holidays upon us, we hear a lot about giving gifts. While I want for little in the “Stuff” department, there is something I pray to receive. Perspective.

For me, Perspective is the greatest gift. It’s free. I can give it to myself and I can share it with others. It brings with it the Ease my mom wishes for us, Humor and Forgiveness. And I love those guys!

Recently, Jill and I were talking about the book, 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story by Dan Harris. Harris, you may know, is an ABC News Anchor. After suffering a panic attack on live TV during a Good Morning America segment, Harris set about learning what he could do to reduce anxiety and came upon mediation. Meditating changed his life. Check out his interview with Gretchen Rubin to learn more. http://www.amazon.com/10%25-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works–/dp/0062265423/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417448008&sr=8-1&keywords=10%25+happier

Boy, what we could do with 10%. The anxiety level in our house is kinda high right now. Suffice to say, I am blessed with a high school Junior who is determined to do well at whatever she sets her mind to – and her mind is on overload as she juggles the next two weeks (after juggling the last month) and heads toward Finals, the State competition for one of her favorite and most time demanding classes (which happens to fall on the first day of Finals, moving some of them later into the week – which only adds more stress) and a recent realization that she will need to study over the holidays for college tests this Winter/Spring. No rest for weary Juniors the country over.

These are “first world problems” as “They” wisely say. Nontheless, managing the stress of so many balls in the air, can get to even the most seasoned handler of us all.

“Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader” and so, all I can do is cheer her on. Even tho’ I can’t pull my old skirt up past my knees, I can find ways to show I am on her team. I made her a Junior Year Stress Relief Kit for her backpack filled with Rescue Remedy, lavender oil, Emergen-cee’, protein bars and a cotton ball.  A lovely mom we know gave her this beautiful stress relieving aromatherapy necklace; she had it leftover from her own daughter’s Junior year. My intention is simply to offer a variety of touchstones to bring her back to a deep breath. With breath comes perspective. And sharing that learning is all I can do for her.

locketEveryone seems to have his or her own version of stress right now. Some friends are dealing with their own illnesses, others are dealing with aging parents, kids in school, kids out of school, work demands, family dynamics and holiday thorns. No one seems immune. However, in an effort to inoculate myself from taking it all in, today I am sporting my happy shoes –  my metaphor for taking a step toward finding my own way (I think it will be downloading Dan’s book to my iPad).

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Here’s to hoping you find your own version of ease delivered to your door and heart this Holiday Season. Peace Out.avi player download free

How do you find MindFULLY find what you need during stressful times?

Let us know!

MindFULL Noticing

17 Monday Nov 2014

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Have you ever been thinking of someone and they call? Or you open a book and read a passage that takes your breath away and teaches you in that moment, something that shifts your energy? Or you think someone has it so much better, and they reveal a detail that reminds you that everyone has a battle to fight?

I call those moments, “G-dwinks.

I’ve written about G-dwinks before. I thought it was a phrase my wise and thoughtful cousin, Evan, made up (Even tho he never said he did, it was simply my assumption in his short, but profound description of the concept). So, imagine my surprise when a few weeks ago, I saw a story on my favorite TV Show, CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood about SQuire (yes Q) Rushnell and his book, When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence.

Wow. Seeing the show, on that day, and learning about the book series…well, I think it was a G-dwink! According to Rushnell, a veteran ABC Network Television executive who has seen a lot and created even more, “The stories in this book reaffirm that g-dwinks happen to everyone. We just need to learn how to see them.” It goes on, and honestly, gets a little religious for me. But, in the spirit of “take the best and leave the rest”, I love the concept.

Check it out at www.godwinks.com. If nothing else, perhaps it will simply offer another way for you to view the happenings and people in your life; and through that lens, you might come to realize that no matter your circumstance, there is something for you to learn.

But, maybe you already knew that – and reading this post today is just a G-dwink 😉

How have you MindFULLY made sense of coincidences in your life?

Let us know!

 

Souper Sunday

02 Sunday Nov 2014

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Normally I post on Mondays, (MindFULL Mondays), but as we set the clocks back one hour, I had to find a way to make the dark, cold nights upon us, warmer. So this morning, as I woke up to the bright sun at 6:30am and thought about my day ahead and what to make for Sunday dinner (it’s in my DNA) Souper Sunday came to me.

With a strong need to warm my insides and out, I am planning to have a grand time finding one soup recipe to make every Sunday afternoon (that I can) and one quote to hold as my intention for the week.

To kick off this new Winter tradition, I have chosen my friend Jane’s recipe for Butternut Squash and Leek Soup. Easy to make and delicious!

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 leeks with and tender green parts only, coarsely chopped
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove smashed
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 large butternut squash peeled and cut into 1Ž2 inch dice (3 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1Ž4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
  • Cream or milk is optional  (almost never use)
  1. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the leeks, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened.
  2. Add the stock, squash, tomato paste an bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over moderately low heat until all the vegetables are tender about 25 minutes. Discard bay lea. You can leave in or remove the parsley.
  3. Puree the soup.  Taste for seasoning.

I am also starting with a quote my mom has on her kitchen counter:

“Ask: What is the most generous thing to do in this case?”

I love her. She is a wonderfully wise, loving and cool mom. The rooms in her beautiful home have quotes on post-it notes tacked to the fridge, walls and bookcases. I always leave her having learned something I am the better for knowing – and feeling warm, inside and out.

 How do you MindFULLY deal with the cold, dark afternoons of Winter?

Let us know!