Archive for the ‘Love Stories’ Category
A Valentine’s Day Love Story
Love comes in many different ways – be sure to share it this Valentines!
It doesn’t matter how you choose to tell your story, as long as you tell it. Whatever it may be – be it love letters, champagne lunches, breakfast in bed or romantic kisses – Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
A London Love Story
What an honor it was to be invited to nuna’s UK celebrity baby shower.
Walking into the spa at Sofitel London St James, we were immediately transported into a different world – the world of nuna, complete with an over-sized baby chair known at nuna as the Leaf (one of the only organic baby chairs in the world). An appropriate name for one of many products manufactured at nuna’s green certified factory. The event space was designed with comfort, style and functionality in mind, and what’s not to love about a mini mani on a mom’s day out. The philosophy of this award-winning Dutch designed brand is to help parents raise their baby in simple, smart, chic-looking and safe gear.
We weren’t the only ones glowing – Boudoir PR, the press, bloggers and trendiest UK celebrities including: Jenni Falconer, Peaches Geldof, Angellica Bell, Chantelle Houghton, Donal Macintyre and Ameera Macintyre were enjoying the afternoon nuna style as well.
With all of the new babies at Something Fabulous, our only disappointment was that the product is not currently available in the US. The nuna celebrity baby shower kicked off the re-launch of their products now available at John Lewis in the UK as well as other locations worldwide.
We definitely fell in love and we’ll be keeping in touch with our new friends via facebook. We hope to see more of nuna in the near future.
First gift, fashionista, five and FREE!
This week’s love story is on a Tuesday because it marks a special anniversary.
I drove down Woodward Avenue in a bit of a fog. It could have been the clearest, brightest, most perfect day on record, but the truth of this day was that the world would be gray for a while. Gray and LONG… at least a few hours of this day would be the longest hours of any day EVER. On this day, the reality of the battle hit harder than any of the other battle days. On this day, the magnitude of the entire seven months leading up to this day hit ME.
That day was January 31st, the day before my little sister’s 33rd birthday. If you ask her she will no doubt tell you a different story of that day, but for me that was the LONGEST day of the whole ordeal. It was the day I realized that the package my mother had called “my baby”, the one she had brought home to me 32 years and 364 days earlier was not indestructible. I could have told you before this day that she wasn’t perfect. Perfectly able to push every one of my buttons with expert skill – without a doubt. Perfectly expert in her designer heels from Nordstroms, Saks or wherever she disappears to under the guise of retail therapy, most definitely. Perfect – No. Not, perfect. But, Indestructible – Maybe, indestructible based upon years of sisterhood. Yet, that was before the longest day.
As I parked my car and went into wait, I sat with my mom and my brother-in-law. I felt sick, anxious and terrified. It was an outpatient procedure, but in these hours I realized that “my baby”, the one who never fails to let me know when “I’m being stupid” and always chimes in with an “I’d do it for you” whether I believe her or not – wasn’t replaceable.
In fact, it occurred to me that she was my first gift.
How many times in life do we receive a gift without acknowledging it’s significance or impact on our lives?
Today is a day to celebrate because today my sister is 5 years cancer free.
I hope it’s the longest day on record to date. And, as she plays with her new little baby daughter (same age as Jennifer in the picture above) and sits with my mom and my brother-in-law in her lovely home in a sunny part of the world. I will be here in Michigan soaking up the gray with a smile and with gratitude. And as I have been skillfully practiced in button pushing myself, whether she likes it or not. She IS the Fabulous in our Something – in the way only a trendsetting fashionista can be.
In Grace, with Gratitude and ALL of God’s blessing.
I love you, Jennifer and I am so glad you are my business partner, my friend, my sister and FREE!
ps. It turns out that the anticipated typical gray Michigan day is going to be sunny and 55 today. Now, that’s what I would call a sign!
A Chinese New Year Story: When One New Year Just Isn’t Enough
Joy (our “Doodler” from the SF team), kick started the Chinese New Year this weekend by welcoming her friends to a mini-celebration. She grew up in Taiwan and is always a little homesick during this time of year so she decided to bring the holiday to her home in D.C. Check out a few of Joy’s party highlights, including home made vegetarian dumplings, traditional decorations and a toast to a fortuitous new year. It’s all about life’s celebrations and we encourage everyone to make time for their own traditions.
If you’re not familiar with the Chinese New Year, we welcome you to learn a little bit more about this fun and festive holiday.
Background
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar. It is a 15-day event that starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Chinese New Year is celebrated in territories with significant Chinese populations, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and of course Chinatowns everywhere.
Year of the Dragon
The celebration includes dedicating each year to a specific animal, this year we are celebrating the year of the dragon, meaning this is the year for all those born in 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012. The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend. And in Chinese mythology, the dragon is a symbol of good fortune and sign of intense power. Characteristics of the dragon include being innovative, enterprising, flexible, self assured, brave, passionate, scrutinizing, unanticipated and quick-tempered.
Check out your zodiac sign and what it means!
Top 7 Ways to Celebrate the Chinese New Year
1) Clean your house – It is the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans their house to sweep away any ill fortune to make way for good incoming luck.
2) Shop – Definitely a holiday favorite! Traditionally each family member will purchase a new set of clothes and shoes, preferably something red (the color of happiness/luck) or gold (the color of wealth).
3) Decorate – Windows and doors should be decorated with red paper cut-outs and couplets with popular themes of “good fortune” or “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”. These decorations are usually red and gold.
4) Eat (a lot!) – On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as oranges (symbolizing good health), long noodles (for a long life), and sweet delicacies (for a sweet year).
5) Firecrackers – Traditionally, Chinese families will end the night with firecrackers. Made of bamboo stems filled with gunpowder, they were burnt to create small explosions and were once used in ancient China to drive away evil spirits. In modern times, this method has evolved into the use of firecrackers as a celebration of the new year.
6) Red Envelopes – Younger generations will receive money in red paper envelopes from their elders. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals. Money is often given in multiples of 8 and 6, which are lucky numbers because they sound similar to the Chinese words for “wealth” and “smooth” (as in a smooth year).
7) 恭喜發財 (gong shi fa tsai) – This is the traditional greeting during the Chinese New Year. Instead of saying “happy new year”, the Chinese choose to say “congratulations and be prosperous”.
Most importantly, the Chinese New Year tradition is to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone. 恭喜發財 (gong shi fa tsai) to you all!