.go "green" with new Boho magazine.

There have been a few changes taking place in my life recently.  My "metamorphosis" I call it.  I am reevaluating aspects of my life and attempting to make changes for the better.  A new alteration to my life has been a job change.  My new place of employment is at a local bookstore.  This, I know, I will love.  Much different from my prior jobs where I was in charge and rarely at home, even when I was home.  This will allow me more time to spend with my family and to be able to do the things I want to do.  Besides these, I will be surrounded by thousands of book titles and work with new, wonderful individuals.  And so it is at the bookstore where I came across a new magazine that caught my eye as I was getting ready to leave.  Something about the title.  The pink bird, perhaps?  As I looked over its cover and skimmed through some of the pages I knew I had to get it.  The premier issue of an eco-friendly fashion magazine with a lot of spirit and spunk dedicated to a bohemian lifestyle.  It's new, it's fresh and above all, it's inspiring.  Let's face it, I could use some of that in my life right now.  I present to you, Boho magazine!

 

The running theme to this magazine is:  re-cycled. re-styled. re-used.  There are several items shown in this publication that are exactly that.  Like bangles created out of old skateboards, bags made out of a leather jacket or a vintage quilt.  The concept of converting an item from one thing into a completely different piece with a totally different, more pratical and even fashionable purpose is, well. . . genius!  Makes you want to rethink what you drop off at the thrift store!

This magazine carries lots of material.  You can't help but get drawn into every bit of it!  Throughout every page, I am extremely impressed and in awe with the tone, photos, and illustrations in each layout.  Absolute "eye candy."  In the above photo, a page featuring what classifies one as being a "boho girl."  

To bring all the fantastic products, brilliant tips and tricks, and wonderful articles to a close, at least until their next issue (can't wait!), Boho leaves us with an inspiring poem by fashion icon, and legendary actress, the late Audrey Hepburn.  [My mistake:  The poem was actually written by Sam Levenson.  Sorry!]  It is refreshing, SO refreshing to be able to pick up something that truly aspires to bring into our lives ways to be better to the world in which we live in, but especially, to be better to ourselves - mind, body and soul.  Visit them at www.bohomag.com

.j'aime les plumes de souffle [souffle pens].

Sometimes the best time to work on a creative project is in the wee hours of the morning.  Well that is what happened with me at about 3 o'clock.  I woke up and just had some difficulties falling back asleep so I thought, Hey!  Why not make a card?  So I did.  A card for a friend using greetings from across the globe.  I chose to use my favorite colored paper:  dark chocolate brown, as well as one of my favorite writing utencils:  a white Souffle pen made by Sakura of America,  a company well known for their writing and drawing products.

What I love most about this particular pen is that it is TRULY opaque.  I have tried MANY white pens on dark paper to no avail.  I wanted something that was going to give the equivalent result of white-out on paper.  This pen does just that, plus it has a slightly raised, embossed look.  It is truly amazing!

These pens are available in a set of 10 different colors or in a double pack of just a single color.  You can usually find them at most local craft and scrapbooking retailers, as well as at the actual Sakura website.

.nashville...my how you've changed.

We have moved back to good ol' Music City USA and in the short time I have been here (about a month) already I am seeing some of the changes since leaving 3 years ago.  Now I know that as with any city that is growing by leaps and bounds, there will be changes taking place continously.  So, on a trip to downtown with Alex, I noticed that the "Batman" building, also known as the "BellSouth Tower" (above photo) no longer held the BellSouth logo.  Instead, there was a very well known circular symbol for the company AT&T.  Hmm... what else has changed?  Oh!  Behind me is no longer the Gaylord Entertainment Center but the Sommet (still not sure how to pronounce that) Center.  And what is that across the river?!  It's not the Adelphia Coliseum, but the L.P. Field.  Wow.  The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is built and beautiful.  What else?  The lanes that make up Briley Parkway towards Opry Mills is finally, drivable.  Oh!  Can't forget the I-65 towards Gallatin.  Thank you TDOT.   

Nashville may have changed some, but then again, so have I.  And from what I've gathered, I think perhaps it's for the better.  

.dream.

I was a little girl

alone in my little world

who dreamed of a little home

for me

I played pretend

between the trees

and fed my houseguests

bark and leaves

and laughed

in my pretty bed

of green

and I had a dream

that I could fly

from the highest swing

I had a dream.

Long walks in the dark

through woods

grown behind the park

I asked God

whom I supposed to be

the stars smiled

down on me

God answered in

silent reverie

I said a prayer

then fell asleep

and I had a dream

that I could fly

from the highest tree

I had a dream.

Now I'm old and feeling gray

I don't know what's left to say

about this life

I'm willing to leave

I've lived it full

and I've lived it well

there's many tales

I've left to tell

and I'm ready now

oh I'm ready now

I'm ready now

to fly

from the highest wing

I had a dream.

~Priscilla Ahn~

.the gift of bread.

The other night, my sister and I made a trip to Hillsboro Village here in Nashville and decided to stop into a little Japanese restaurant called "The Taste of Tokyo."  It had been at least 5 years since I had step foot into this little place but I recalled its friendly service and reasonable prices.  So sure enough, we were greeted with a hearty hello by the owner of the restaurant from across the room, a Chinese woman by the name of Lucy.  Yes, I know. It is a Chinese couple that own and run this well known and loved Japanese restaurant nestled in this trendy strip of 21st Avenue.  And so, my sister Iris and I were escorted to our table.  I had the bento box.  She had sushi.  The food was superb of course.  Despite the fact that I spilled miso soup onto my lap is another story.  As we were being given our check, the chef and co-owner Peter, came up and asked if we were from Nashville.  Our answer was rather swishy as we both now live in Nashville but are originally from Hawai'i.  We said a, "Yeah, sorta," like a couple of teenage dimwits and he smiled and handed us a loaf of bread.  For the life of me, I could not make out what he said due to his accent (which surprises me because I'm rather good at making out what people are saying despite an accent) and to the noise of other patrons in this tiny dining room. We smiled and said our sincerest of thanks-yous and as he left, Iris and I both looked at each other with a questioning look.  "Who gives bread to a stranger?"  Hmmm...

After having paid our bill and once again saying our thanks for a wonderful meal and for the loaf, I began to think of the deeper meaning to this offering.  It is customary in many cultures to offer gifts of bread and salt to visitors as a way of showing that they are welcome there.  Very much like bringing a pie to someone just moving into the neighborhood.  Which who even does that any more?  In this case, perhaps this was Peter's way of saying "welcome to the neighborhood."  My thoughts went back again to just the act of giving to strangers.  How times have change now.  We are so consumed with our own lives that to acknowledge and offer friendship to a complete stranger is well, in some cases, inconvenient and intimidating, not to mention down right scary!  Which oddly enough, was the conversation that Iris and I had while eating our meal.  Maybe we should just get over the fear and just connect.  Make ourselves more open to the possibility of a beautiful friendship.  Maybe we should all be making some pie!

As I sit here, enjoying my piece of this glorious mixed grain bread, spackled with butter, I believe I shall pull out my stationary box and write a note to the folks at "The Taste of Tokyo" saying simply "thank you" for this gift.  

.journey of man.

When it comes to documentary films, I usually find myself extremely attracted to ones pertaining to that of humankind and the world in which we live.  As a teenager, I can recall a time where I felt called to become an Anthropologist.  Not so much the Archaeologist as the thought of digging up things, specifically human bones, just didn't sit well.  No, I wanted to study cultures.  My personal choice:  Native American studies.  So where am I going with this?  Well tonight, I was able to watch a documentary titled, Journey of Man, that aired on NPT (Nashville Public Television).  Dr. Spencer Wells, a geneticist, has undertaken a phenomenal project in which he utilizes DNA from individuals from Africa, Australia, India, Central Asia, and far eastern Siberia to trace back the  origins of human race.  What was fascinating for me, as it always is when I watch documentaries held in countries and places I can only imagine visiting, was how people survive and have survived in the remotest of places.  Of course, any "theory" one has on the origins of man will follow with heavy debate, but I must say that I was rather enthralled by the scientific evidence that Dr. Wells was able to obtain through DNA.  To say that we all have stemmed from one Man out of Africa is...well, for me, believable.  With that being said, I was inspired by the idea, the probability that we, you and I, are many many MANY generations back, related.  We are all one giant family.  Or as we say back in Hawai'i, "Ohana."  

.moving in.

And we are STILL moving. My poor computer is unhooked and my internet won't be installed until next week. I am dying to blog! Hopefully once everything is ready to go, I will be up and running by middle of next week. We hope. Thank God for siblings and their access to the Web. :o)