A few interesting tidbits I found around the web.
I love this product– it adds so much to my smoothies.
Looking forward to Viola Davis’s new show…Check what she has to say here.
What is your beauty routine? Is it similar to this woman’s?
Interesting take on Self Control.
Needed to read this…Yes. I’m guilty of all of these things.
Yes, I am a kitty girl, but I Love this Doggie.
And lastly this Quote- so so True.
Quote
Happy Monday!
XOXO,
GIGI
Came across this video and wanted to share it with everyone…when you have those moments when you feel you just can’t get it together, think about this piece and what are your blocks.. I’m distracted by random things instead of staying on point and I am good at making “lists” of things to do tomorrow.
I have problems with being consistent, which takes me off my plan of action. After watching this video, I called my friend and we did our 3 mile hill hike. I always feel wonderful after a workout and I know all the benefits, but sometimes it just does not happen.
I know some of us have the problem of not being consistent because we are perfectionists and that can be a block as well. I was at a seminar last week and the speaker said “Perfectionism is fear in expensive clothes” I thought about that for a moment and how I admire those individuals that appear to be perfectionists, since I am not, and I realized that a lot of perfectionists have the same problem I have with consistency- not finishing the task because it is never good enough, or never taking a risk for fear it will not be perfect.
perfectionist
Today I got a late start and hence a late blog post today…but I’m learning I want to be CONSISTENT and that is what is important, little steps in the right direction.
Have a wonderful weekend-
Xoxo,
Gigi
Those of you that are on facebook, know I am pretty active, I post often and enjoy keeping up with friends that I may not see or chat with via phone, but non the less it is nice to see their comings and goings. Today is “throw back Thursday” and I love digging in my pictures and pulling something up from the past to post, so I came across these pics from summer of 1988, the year before Reggie and I got married.
Gigi @ 29 pretend wife
Reggie @ 36 Pretend Husband
We had gone on an amazing 18 day trip to Hong Kong and Taipei, stopping off in Kauai on the way back. We were not engaged, that’s another story, but Reggie my BF at the time felt the need to tell people we were married. The interesting thing about that was that people we met wanted to know details about our wedding, I guess being a young couple traveling abroad together they assumed we were honeymooners. So the conversations would go something like this: “So when did you all get married?” “Did you have a big wedding?” “Where did you get married?” you get the gist…
I smiled and watched Reggie fumble as he told “stories” of our wedding and reception, and I just nodded and would say “Yes, uh hum…a big wedding- yept- Honey what was the name of the place???” or “When IS OUR anniversary?”…we still laugh about time I was a “pretend wife”.
A romantic I am, I came upon this poem, by Pablo Neruda, NIGHT ON THE ISLAND that speaks to that time…
NIGHT ON THE ISLAND
Pablo Neruda
I have his book of love poems, you should pick it up, the poems are in spanish and english.
favorite love poems
Happy Thursday,
XOXO,
Gigi
Quote
This quote speaks to me, every time I pick up my camera and look through my lens, I know the history of all the images I have viewed, everything that has ever inspired me and influenced me is captured. This brain of mine has years and years of information stored, memories cataloged, and my own personal itunes library there as well.
Do your life experiences creep into your profession and influence your work?
Photographer Gigi
Happy Wednesday!
Xoxo,
GIGI
Last week my son and I traveled east to visit colleges, seems like only yesterday I was enrolling him in pre-school.
Reggie
I’m much more relaxed this time around, than I was with my daughter, the possibilities are varied and that makes the process interesting – the unpredictability of it all.
Reggie and a classmate at Vassar College
When I graduated back in the dark ages, I applied to two schools, Long Beach State and University of California at Riverside, I did the applications myself, filled out the financial aid forms, signed up for the SAT, which I only took once and I don’t know if they had prep courses back then, but I was not in one of them.
Both my kids have this fixation with the east coast, so our journey started in Syracuse, seeing 2 schools a day, finishing in Rhode Island. My trip was planned down to the minute, hotels, car rentals, restaurants etc., not that I’m a paranoid person, but I am aware of my “being” in strange remote areas. I drove during the day and checked into our hotels before dark, something about those little backroads that was a little unsettling.
So this particular day we were driving from Clinton, NY to Saratoga Springs about a 2 hour drive, I was incredibly tired, this college process, with the interviews, and tours can take a toll on you. We finally arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saratoga Springs, and I am greeted at the front desk, I do the typical routine present ID, credit card and my hotel confirmation number, only to be told that the hotel is completely SOLD OUT. Now remember I have been driving all day, I have to be at another school first thing in the morning, this is not what I wanted to hear.
All I got was an apology, a couple of gift cards and a reservation at another place in the town, but for some reason, something just did not “feel” right. I took my complimentary water and got in the car, when I saw a man getting out of a car with luggage, I watched as he entered the hotel, followed by yet another man also carrying luggage, I get out of my car and go back in the hotel and I observed both men getting rooms.
“Do you need something?” the clerk says. She comes toward me, as if she does not want me to see the men getting their keys from her co-worker.
Before I knew it this is what came out of my mouth. “Did you not give me a room because I’m African-American? “What is going on here…” You said you were SOLD OUT!” I said shaking my head and taking pics with my phone.
“NO, NO , NO, you’re making me feel so baaaaad- I’m so sorry I lied.” she says. “I have to give the corporate guests the rooms first. That is what we are told to do.” she says nervously watching as I continue to take pictures.
Now I’m feeling disgusted and sick to my stomach, I’m not sure if it was a racist thing or what considering the 3 men checking in were all white, so I go from sad to mad and I tell her I’m not leaving. So she then says, “I’m going to call my manager and see what she can do…”
Moments later she comes back. “We have a one bedroom suite we can give you.” she says. “And free dinner, drinks, breakfast and anything else you want.”
I take my key and go to the room and ask myself “why?”.
Why does everything have to be so difficult? I just wanted to check into my room like all the other guests. I’m paying the same $200 plus dollars, I’m not in a set aside hotel room program. Maybe it was not “race”, but I’m willing to bet if I were a blond mom traveling with her son, I would not have been turned away. I would have been upgraded to that one bedroom suite, no questions asked…
Happy Tuesday,
Xoxo,
Gigi
Gigi
24 year-old Amani
24 years ago today my daughter entered the world and my life has not been the same. I got married at 30 and Amani was born a year later, so my life as a couple was short lived.
young mother Gigi
She went every where with us, which I know contributed to her independent spirit and the need to constantly explore. At the age of 6 weeks we took her to Hong Kong, against the advice of our pediatrician, when I think back on that time I don’t know what we were thinking.
I made sure Amani did all the things that I could only dream about – dance classes, acting, boarding school, traveling to Australia by herself at the age of 12, exposure to all the things that I thought would enrich her life. I wanted her to be this young woman who would be fearless and willing to conquer the world.
Amani
Currently living in Brooklyn, working and taking care of herself for the most part, it is nice to sit back and watch the process, to see her and observe subtle similarities of myself – like the way she tilts her head when looking in the mirror.
Amani
As time goes by I can’t help but to think about the next phase of parenting, will she marry, have children, where will she settle down, and although I pushed for this independence will it back fire in the future when perhaps I would want to live close to my children.
Gigi and Amani in Rome
For now I will be happy that both my kids still want to go on “family” vacations and as of this date, Amani has not missed one, we are connected. I will appreciate the “texts” that I get just because, and the occasional tag on instagram, and of course the rare phone call.
It is scary and exciting to see our family dynamic shift, especially with my son looking at colleges in the northeast, and Amani applying to med schools all over and Reggie and I starting the discussion of what retirement looks like for us…as I have said before I will embrace each day and savor it…
Happy Monday,
Xoxo,
Gigi
“The Manhattan”
I’ll never be a size 2, Butt…
Nor would I want too, “butt” I do want to be the best “me” , and this post 50 body is a full time job. I recently stepped up my program and I am really eating clean, I am determined to drop 10 pounds, which would put me at my “market” weight, the one on my drivers license. I think menopause tries to play a cruel trick on a women’s body by attempting to take away our waist and making everything a little plumper. It’s like my Mimi kitty, once she got spayed her little figure changed as well getting thick in the middle, and nothing else changed, same food, same routine.
My Babies…diva Mimi in the front
menopause
For me I noticed rather real or imagined that after my birthday, I gained a few pounds- granted I did go on vacation, had a little more wine than my usual, a few more desserts etc. and now I am paying for it…
So moving forward, the key is to recognize, acknowledge and put a plan into action and do the work! So this is what I’m going to do:
I don’t like the term “diet”, I like to think of it as my “lifestyle” since this is what I should be doing all the time. Eating natural food in its natural state, drinking lots of water, juicing, and portion control- even to much of a good thing can backfire.
Bump up the workouts- cardio, cardio and more cardio, I’m digging the dance workouts, strength training and of course finish it off with some yoga or pilates.
I’m also wearing a fitbit device , which I am loving, it will definitely keep you honest. I had to get used to wearing a rubber “thing”, but I just mix it in with a few bracelets. Tori Burch has designed a fitbit bracelet, that I may have to splurge on when it comes out.
gigi’s fitbit
Tori Burch Fitbit
It is recommended that you get in 10,000 steps in everyday, so I will be working on that as well.
Of course we all have a little bit of vanity, yes I want to look nice in my clothes and without them too, but more importantly so many health issues are attributed to excess weight, even 10 pounds can make a difference especially on your joints.
So friends, what sort of things to you do to keep on track– do you find it difficult to stay in shape as those birthdays come and go? Share your techniques on keeping it together.
gigi
Happy Friday,
Xoxo, GIGI
I’ve been wanting to do an update on my hair routine, ie. photo shoot, video etc., but for whatever reason that has not happened, so I decided to do a quick iphone diary of my current routine.
this hair is a mess-
First I have to admit, between vacation, the beach, pool, and sun my hair is in need for some TLC- it is like a tumbleweed, so dry. I keep wetting it, which rejuvenates it enough to be presentable without starting from scratch. This is my “poof” first thing in the morning, normally I wet it, add some oil and smooth the fly aways and make this work again for another day…but enough is enough.
really bad…
See, I’m letting you see the real funky get down dirty “me”-these tresses are not falling down at my shoulders anytime soon. This hair needs to be done! So I don’t have a lot of time, I have an appointment in the city, so lets get this party started.
shampoo and detangle
Jump in the shower and shampoo with my “No Poo” 2x and detangle with lots of Tresseme conditioner. Today I’m going to deep condition with Bask Y.A.M conditioner , I should sit under the dryer, but I’m pressed for time today, so I will put a plastic cap on and do a few things around the house.
post wash
Y.A.M. conditioner by Bask
Rinse out the conditioner and “style” with these products:
love this product
I put a generous amount of this on my soaking wet hair in the shower. I then separate into 3 sections, one in the back and two in the front using big clips.
big clips
Today I am styling with these items. I change up a lot, just because I’m always searching for the mother lode product.
current cocktail
I start at the nape of my neck and quickly add products with my fingers, a little one condition, followed by Heaven in hair and a smidgen of b-leave in gel, I quickly apply in sections and then do the same to the front, separating my hair where I want it to fall in the front, ie. side part, enter part etc.
product applied
Next step is the hardest–don’t touch it anymore, I have to let it dry, if I am in a rush I use the diffuser, but I prefer for it to air dry. So I will leave it like this and go about my business. Once I get dressed I will use my special towel around my shoulders so my outfit does not get wet.
ready for the day
So I was out and about for about 4 hours, not completely dry the back it is still damp/wet and I am looking like a pilgrim. Not good.
Pilgrim hair
I’m going out tonight and cannot do the “pilgrim” look, so I will use the diffuser to encourage some volume. I really don’t like “first day” hair and I usually time my wash day a couple a days ahead of an event. Considering I did a rush job, it is okay and will work for tonight.
finished “do”
Finished “do
Happy Thursday!
Xoxo,
Gigi
Browsing the net I came across this article about “Describe yourself in 5 words.” I thought long and hard and these are the words I came up with: WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, WIFE, MAMA & EVOLVING .
Gigi
It was difficult to narrow my list down to only 5 words, I like to think of myself as this complex individual, and it would certainly take more than 5 words to describe moi. I realized that throughout my life these words would have changed numerous times. Growth and change are a part of life, it is what keeps us interesting. I thought about what others see me as compared to who I see…the public image versus the private one- or are they the same…well I think you all know I am an open book, I share everything, I’m very transparent almost to a fault.
In my 20’s it was SINGLE, EXPLORER, BOHO, DREAMER, ENTREPRENEUR. Moving on to my 30’s it was MARRIED, MOTHER, VOLUNTEER, CONFORMIST, QUESTIONING.
Gigi @ 25
Nov 18 1996
Late 30’s early 40’s PHYSICAL, KINKY-CURLY, DESIGNER, TRAVELER, STUDENT Mid-40’s another shift, FOLLOWER, VEGAN, FOCUSED, WIFE, MOTHER.
Reinvent
Gigi’s Graduation 2006
Gigi & Ele
Late 40’s PERI-MENOPAUSE, SKIER, WIFE, MOTHER, DISCOVERER.
How would you describe yourself in 5 words? I’d love to know…
Happy Wednesday,
XOXO,
GIGI
After spending the summer of my 10th year in San Francisco with my great aunt Sally and uncle Henry, I fell in love with the bay area. The steep hills, crisp sea air, cable cars, shopping, dining, and the international feel of this charming little city, stole my heart.
cable car
Last weekend we celebrated my in-laws 90th birthday. We stayed in San Francisco at Hotel Palomar and had a blast, didn’t even feel the 6.0 earthquake. My mother was traveling with us and even she liked the hotel, and she is not easy to please. This was my second time staying here and I will definitely be coming back. Short list of why I liked Hotel Palomar: the animal print robes coffee tea service and wine tasting in the lobby-complimentary the funky restaurant “Dirty Habit” free wifi interesting room decor i-pod player yoga mat right in the middle of the shopping district underground parking not to expensive-
Hotel Palomar
The lobby
We also had 2 fabulous meals…I’m paying for it now between Kauai and San Francisco I am on my “training” diet, but it was worth it! We had a really delicious lunch at A16 an Italian spot that was fab. Everything was so fresh and they were very accommodating with taking the meat out of certain dishes, which is always nice.Sunday we had dinner at Dosa, really good modern indian food–I had a watermelon salad that was incredible.
Dosa
We shopped for school stuff for Reggie, and walked all over downtown, stopping off in the park to catch some music.
Here are some pics from the weekend- enjoy! Xoxo, Gigi
The cutest 90 year-old couple I know…
My mom and sister-n-law Paula
Gigi and sister-n-laws
Amani & Reggie
The cousins
bay bridge
Gigi & Hubby
Amani & Daddy
Mr. and Mrs.RS
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