Quote of the Day!

Just in case you need some motivation today.....

there's this:

 

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Learn from the Butterfly

Walt Whitman iPad inspiration

 Have you seen the recent out-of-this-world iPad commercial? Of course the Apple gurus of advertising have done it again and this mini masterpiece is breathtaking. It features a speech by Walt Whitman that Robin Williams’ character gives in Dead Poets Society. It's the last line that completely slays me. Enjoy.

O Me! O Life!
BY WALT WHITMAN
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

The Secret

I started reading the Secret today! I think it came out in 2006, and people have been Secreting for years after Oprah told us to, but I am FINALLY taking the plunge and already loving every page. 

And this. This is another lovely little image of the LEAP we must take! Take it! Go now go forth with good intent and LEAP! 

A Unicorn Leaning to Light

Today's post is dedicated to another warrior of light, a unicorn very dear to my heart who had a moment of sparkling in the city of frustration and wonder. 

Check out his sweet story about giving away some spring tulips on the express train to Queens HERE

Love you Miles!

DIFFA DALLAS

I am still reeling from the extravaganza that is DIFFA Dallas. 

This over the top haute couture event thrown by my bestie Jim DiMarino (the "Will" to my "Grace") was just spectacular to say the least. I may have to do two or three posts because it was all very overwhelming. I was a part of the opening number, singing Lascia Ch'io Pianga with rap artist Jordan Frescher. I think we came up with a new genre called...wait for it...wait for it...

OpeRap.

In all seriousness I am actually really inspired at the idea of mixing modes to create new fresh ways of hearing old tunes. Purists may cringe, but I think a younger generation might be turned on to Opera if it was presented in a new and exciting way. The wheels are turning....

This not for profit organization is truly a special one. I was very honored to open the event and floored at the massive scale of it all!

About to take the stage

Behind the scenes. Photos by Kristi and Scot Redman, see more at StyleSheet.

On the runway....photos by Randy Anderson.

Absolutely phenomenal right? I mean, it's too bad how unattractive they are....how sad. 

;)

More to come!

Quotes of the Day

I absolutely love this one!

And this one....

And this. 

MMMMMmmmmm!

Have a wonderful day!!

Olympic Makeup

I absolutely LOVE the Olympics. I cry at the opening ceremonies and bawl when they are over. It reminds me of so many memories watching as a child, and the stories of the athletes are even better than the medal count. I think it's hilarious that the majority of the events I don't have any awareness of for four years and then the Olympics come around and it's like...Half Pipe! Luge! Speed Skating! Even CURLING is riveting. I mean, seriously.

My favorite? Figure Skating of course. As a performer I truly have no idea how they go through the pressure of the world watching them, the interviews right after they skate and only having four minutes to prove years of dedication. They fall so hard and have to get right back up with a smile on their faces. Did you see Jeremy Abbott's performance? The ultimate pick yourself up of the ground situation and the way the Russian crowd supported him was so moving. I was crying again.

So the Olympic gold medal goes to red lips! I was very happy to see red lipstick on so many of the ladies figure skaters. So dramatic and classically beautiful! Here are my favorites.

The Queen-Yuna Kim elegantly wearing red lipstick with a beautiful sequined yellow dress.

The many faces of Ashley Wagner accentuated with...red lipstick.

I don't think I ever see Gracie Gold without red lipstick on and this makes me a proud American. ;)

But these two won the figure skating gold for me. Hope you were able to catch their hilarious, wise, and entertaining commentary!

1940's Vintage Make-Up and Photography

Whoa whoa! Long time no bloggy bloggy! Sorry about that. Such a awesomely busy month. Wanted to quickly take a moment to show you what I have been up to. We have been wanting to experiment with vintage make up and lighting in the studio and this week we had a lovely actress, Kimberly Sherbach to help us capture this very thing. I would LOVE to have a division in our company for the very popular boudoir type of shoot, but tempered with a classy vintage setting. But in the meantime we will keep close up and clothing on. This is what I could see our boudoir portraits looking like:

Those a pictures of real Ziegfeld Follies girls! Aren't they divine?

Well here is what else is divine.... darling Kim. She was so patient and is just a doll in every way. Now doesn't she look like one too?

What do you think? Oh and by the way, I used all Arbonne skincare and make up. 

Beautiful right? Radiant. I am very inspired. :)

Live for the Moment In the Moment

In honor of the American Cancer Society's 100 Anniversary I would like to direct you to a video that had gone viral over the past couple of months. Many of you may have already seen it, but if you haven't I dare you not to be uplifted, inspired, and lean to living IN the moment as much as possible. (it is still freezing in NYC so I am very bitter-pun intended-I also need to watch this again to put away my petty complaints.)

Zach Sobiech, at the age of 14, found out he had a rare form of terminal cancer. He made the absolute best of his last years on earth and basically became a rockstar. Before you watch this get under a blanket and have a box of tissues easily accessible. 

Here is the version of the song Zach wrote with a couple of well known faces:

 Please donate by clicking:

Zach's Children's Cancer Fund

Creative Friends Creating-The Choreographer

My very talented friend Dylan has created a work of art with his piece "GO TO" that he is submitting to Dance Media Magazine for the ACE Award in choreography. I met Dylan doing this show (I have so many creative friends) and we had a spectacular seven days bonding over Phillip Phillips, minutiae and caramel vodka. Don't ask. Just know it was a good time and this guy is quality. (He's the one photo-bombing my Gypsy picture. See? Quality.) I had the pleasure of helping him with an extra camera to create his submission and when you click on the link below you can see he is bound for So You Think You Can Dance. ;) Watching it live was of course even better and I can't wait to see where this leads him!

Dancers awaiting instruction.

This piece is so beautiful so please take a moment to view his work and vote

HERE!

Thank you and enjoy!

Viva, I mean, LIVE Las Vegas

Doesn't Viva mean live? Vegas is LIVING with a capital LIVE.
I want to say it was one of my best weeks ever so I will. This was one of the best weeks ever!!!

I went to Vegas for my first Arbonne Global Training Conference and it was so inspiring. I was literally surrounded by thousands of women wanting to do better for this world, for their health and their families' well being. I have never worked for any company where so much positivity and radiance is fueling it's core energy. Talk about a company truly leaning to light. It's a theme people I have to stick with it.

I haven't been to Vegas since I was oh, 14 and even though that was only a few years ago......ahem ahem....the Days Inn we stayed at across from the Mirage is now Venice. Yup! Venice.

This didn't exist then:

And neither did this:

My girl Kaleigh and I ate at the base of this icon at the Parisian's Mon Ami Gabi which is kinda cool because one of my best memories with her is our magical day in Paris!!

Then

Now

They have a FULL gluten free menu with French Onion Soup!!! Oooh lala!!! C'est manifique!!

While I was there taking in the convention, I was also able to see Miss Kaleigh premiere in Jubilee!!! Well she premiered last month but I pretended like it was opening night. She is also so inspirational because last year at this time she was merely dreaming of being a Jubilee showgirl, but then she auditioned, got all her papaerwork together for her visa, got the job, moved from Australia,

and a mere ONE year later she has made her dreams come true!! Just incredible. My girlfriend Taryn from another ship contract was also in the show! So great to see these talented girls.

Kaleigh also found an apartment with this as it's back yard:

 and this as the entrance to the club house. I mean who has a club house?? She does.

 Yeah not too shabby.
We of course toured the town a bit in the time we had left....here are some pictures from brunch at the Palms and the interiors of a couple incredible hotels that don't fail to disappoint.

For even MORE on our adventures check out Kaleigh's blog, very appropriately named

The Naughty Pink Ballerina 

I also got to meet some other performers and see great friends and check out real estate. It was all...just....fabulous. Dare I say Vegas may be on my radar now of awesome places to live? Not moving yet but a girl can dream....