rachel zoe

i just finished this book, and i couldn't put it down!

rachel zoe is just awesome, i love her.

as a once-travel blogger (which is what i will go back to once chemo is over!) i had to share this excerpt from her book:

Holiday Pack List for Hot Weather:

"bikinis, cute bras, and boy shorts to wear under sheer dresses (and that can double as swimwear when the moment arises); tunics, caftans, and sundresses that can serve as dresses or tops. A fabulous belt can turn a sarong into a dress, so pack one that sits on the waist, in leather or raffia, or a color woven or gold chain.
Anything in lighter, brighter colors, and definitely white, is appropriate, and leave most of the black and any items that require dry cleaning at home. leave the pumps behind, too. this is one of the few times I'll pack flip flops, and a sandal of any kind is requisite. Also, great are espadrilles and open toe wedges. Clothes might be minimal, but not accessories. Stockpile hoops, anything ethnic, and bangles (island cheapies are such a great addition). And layer yellow gold on top of a St. Tropez tan for a look that is always uberfabulous."

more to come!

my january list- part one

if you go back to this post, you will read my list of goals for the month of january.
here's what i've done so far in respects to:

• clean out the house of negative stuff
• clean it out of un-necessary clutter 
•  add all articles to blog i thought were interesting (and hopefully you will, too)
• add to blog list of items i wanted to blog about

i think i accomplished SO MUCH so far this week. here's what happened monday and tuesday, aside from writing and research...

i took down the christmas tree, and put all ornaments in the ornament organizer.

i cleaned out and purged things from this spot in my kitchen

(sorry, i don't have photos of the before )

i cleaned out my closet and drawers...i didn't organize it yet

the picture above my closet shot are the items going to donations at the church.

cleaned and cleaned out

the freezer and refrigerator

do you see my tofu, cider, greens in a bag and beer?

i cleaned out this cabinet that's in the corner of my kitchen.

i didn't shoot the before picture on purpose.

you did not want to see the before.

i cleaned out LML's closet, and will

bring stuff shown to my office.

i HAD to clean out this part of my pantry. it was making me crazy.

whew- it looks a little better now.

my family likes to fatten me up by giving me chips and cookies.

thanks, family. it's my just in case stash :)

i also cleaned the ceiling fan, and cleaned out a box from the boiler room.

and cooked.

and as for those last 2 items...

my blog is going to explode with information from now until february.

do you have a january to do list?

i love wednesdays...erm, fridays!!

today, i had a beautiful day...
interrupted for a minute,
but otherwise beautiful!

my pup slept all day,
was uber-productive!

i didn't take many pictures,
not very many at all.

i organized our wardrobes,
the drawers and the closets.

i ran outside for a bit...


and then realized i didn't post this!!

happy friday to all!!

how did you spend your week??

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

travel style: the [newer] mummy movie

i love it.

i love the movie.

i love the actors.

i love the setting.

i love love love the costumes.

sigh.

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

a room of my own!

before the marriage, the travelling, the drama...

reeeeewwwiiiiiiinddd...

picture it...

new york, 2004.

• engaged.
• graduated with masters.
• homeowner.
• homerenovator.
• helping family move.
• organizing and moving my own stuff.
• returning 15 toasters and blenders.
• planning the kitchen...
• planning a wedding
• lists, lists, lists
• paperwork!
• appointments!

who said i ever did anything the right way?
the write way maybe...



love,
me

enhance your life

about a week and a half ago..

i cleaned out the house of unnecessary objects.

i do this every so often, and find

that the experience is quite rewarding :)

i feel as if the whole atmosphere of our home

changes, becomes lighter,

as i purge.

there could be another reason for this purging.

hoarders, anyone?

the television show freaks me out...

and that fear makes me clean.

i know a hoarder...but so-called hoarder

will never admit

that she has a problem.

i posted about this way back in the fall, i think.

but i digress...this is what i cleaned out...

i moved all my cd's...since my car radio doesn't work...(great, i know) to...well, away...

that's them in that huge curves bag.

that was everything i got rid of!! unbelievable...and my house is *really* organized, so it shocked me.

see how beautiful the organization looks? awwww...

that huge empty space there is where that purple box used to be...don't mind my shoe-mess.

i mean to get a shoe stand for that area :) so exciting...

ok, do you see that? this closet is hugeeee- lengthwise. i need a shelf where

that red travel bag and box is sitting so i can store things more efficiently. any ideas as to how?

point of the story is...

cleaning is good!

:)

it makes you feel good...

:)

and then you know where everything is!

:)

so if you're stuck indoors today...

rent some movies, read some magazines..and

find the mojo

to get organized!!

love,

your crazy mg

friday wishes

*items i would enjoy to have in my closet*

*what my assistant wishes for: comfy, cozy sleep:*

hope you get everything you wish for this weekend!

love,

mg

10 things

(shot by me, DR)

10 things I love:
1. sleeping in
2. shoppin'
3. LML
4. my puppy
5. cookin'
6. sushi
7. coffee
8. bookstores
9. cashmere sweaters
10. all things travel

10 things I don't love:
1. bitter cold
2. miserable people
3. copycats!
4. repeats
5. broken dishwasher :(
6. being home with nothing to do, and no good movies on TV
7. bad cooking
8. bad coffee
9. fast food joints
10. people who say they're dieting and then order the world...with a diet coke.

5 random things about me:
1.  i love buying my doggie clothes.
2. i am stationery-obsessed
3. i have known LML for more than half my life
4. my best friend is was (updated December 2010) Ms. New Jersey United States
5. i like to reorganize my wardrobe...and closets...when I am bored.

Love,
MG

Yesterday...

*I ordered business cards!
*and a T-Shirt, and a pen
*and sticky decalls
*went out and found dinner! (Domino's, since I knew I was going for sushi today)
*researched
*received a rejection letter!
*realized I need a publishing agent
*made a new list of goals for the upcoming year...

and that's it. It was kind of a mind-numbing and upsetting day after that- but nothing that I want to talk about. Just that, when people are miserable they try to bring everyone else down with them and the notion makes me sick. If someone is doing well for themselves and/or for their family, then why can't you just be happy for them instead of wishing the worst or saying the worst about them behind their back. Obviously, this is because one is too scared and too struck-stupid to approach someone. Yuck.
These people should just all co-habitate in one state all together. Then, maybe they would find some joy in their misery, since everyone is miserable. What do you think?

I have a ton of dates of various events I'd like to enter in my planner, just so I could keep track of everything in case I am bored or have a free moment to check things out. Wouldn't it be nice to just flip through a planner and have that happen? Every day this week, LML comes home with interesting, exciting news and we both feel like its a waiting game to see what will happen and when.

I have a pile of books that I haven't even attempted to read yet, and about 3 boxes filled with the like, that LML shoved into the overhead closets last week. Out of sight, oui? I wish...Today should be a good day, filled with friends, and laughs and sushi. Despite the weather, we're going to go shopping and have a great time...and hopefully, I won't be so tired as to stay home instead of go out for drinks with more friends :)

The rest of our closet makeover:

And another of my favorite pairs of shoes: (so happy I've finally whittled down to all the pairs I really, truly love)

More later,
MG

HAVE AN EXCITING WEEKEND!

Closet Space

Welcome to my crazy-house. These are snapshots of our closets...

Crazy, right? That doesn't count the two dressers packed with mostly my things...and all the items of clothing LML has left at his parents house. Hopefully, we'll be acquiring some more closet place (wink, wink) within the next year, so that will be a good thing. We are constantly cleaning them out of pieces we have stopped wearing or have deemed worthy for work or gym only. Isn't it crazy?

Yes, and a little messy...

This is the collection of fairies I've started and finally completed, straight from Greece:

From left to right: winter, night, autumn, summer, spring,  and day...I now need a new collection to pursue!

This is our hookah that is used as decor, because no one will teach me how to do it- and LML is too lazy to help when he gets home from work. Poor baby. I love hookah!

Things on the agenda, still? You don't want to know...not even I want to know. But it's true that when things happen, they happen in threes. What a pain. Just when I am starting a new business, a thousand other prospects come into play. Isn't that the way it always is? Geez. That's aside from the gallery entry I wanted to do, the website I wanted to create for my photography, the writing class I wanted to take...yipes.
Slow down, right? I'll just keep writing my to-do list, so please go out and have fun so that I may live vicariously through you, you sweeties!

Much Love,
MG

Excessive-List Maker

You wouldn't be the first one to tell me that I have issues.

This past summer, when my best friend went on vacation for a month, I offered to clean up her house. *Note: I always knew that she was messy. I always had helped her clean her room when we were little, and it was never anything that I couldn't handle.

This time, I really couldn't handle it. I actually wrote 16 pages of the heart wrenching- ew ew experience that was my summer. There was so much. SO MUCH STUFF. In my journal, I wrote this:

Day 1, 3:30 to 7 pm with $60 cash
Horrible Mess. Used two bottles of windex because there is nothing else to clean with in this house. Stuff everywhere. Everywhere. Needs paint job, as to there are unmentionable species growing on the wall. New oven, since I can't even see what color it USED to be. New couch. Matching chairs that aren't lawn furniture. Bedframes. Need to throw EVERYTHING AWAY.

Note: When she comes back, teach her how to clean. Give her list of phone numbers for cleaning lady services.

Wanted to go home to take a bath immediately. Held my pee pee in until I drove 5 minutes to my parents house to do just that.

Need for tomorrow: clorox, bounty, red bull (or i'll die), air freshner, air deodorizers, dish soap, baking soda (10 of them!) brillo, comet, toilet bowl scrubber, gloves, contractor bags, mop, folders for organizing.

Then need to: paint the house, clean the floors, jewelry boxes to fill, put frames on walls, draw living room layout, coffee table, 4 matching chairs, place rugs, curtains for living room, vases, kitchen list, bed frame, twin sheets, wash clothing, throw garbage out, towels, sheets, to buy and then put in linen closet.

This has to be compulsive hoarding. Interesting that there is a show starting on compulsive hoarding.

The experience is still traumatizing to me. Sometimes I think about how before she left to go on vacation, she told me to let it all rot. So basically...20 garbage trucks later, one visit to IKEA, multiple visits to Target and Dollar stores later, she had this: