Love to Haiti

If you’ve been avoiding reading the news about Haiti this post is for you.

While stories about Haiti can be depressing and overwhelming there is inspiration, hope and good news to be found amidst the plentitude of bleak statistics and heartbreaking details filling the media landscape about the current conditions in Haiti.

Far from intending to make light of the situation in Haiti, this post is intended to illuminate the capacity of the human spirit to shine in even the most difficult moments. The following two excerpts are from stories that attest to the strength of humanity and ingenuity as well as provide reminder that even when it appears that one may have nothing, it is still possible to create something wonderful.

These stories may surprise as they involve Haiti becoming more eco-friendly even in a time of crisis and not crying, but singing by remarkably, resilient Haitians. The excerpts are sourced from MSNBC, and The New York Times.

The Sun Shines in Haiti

With fuel sources low and dwindling, it has become increasingly difficult to cook food and provide electricity in especially important spaces like those providing medical aid to the wounded.

To cook food, families are starting to use donated solar ovens and additionally, water is being purified using solar power. As reported by MSNBC: “A solar-powered mobile water purification system, donated last year by the Haitian Project, was pulled from the rubble and put into service at a Red Cross aid station. Every day, the Mobile MaxPure rig is turning 30,000 gallons of contaminated city water into drinkable water.”

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/19/2178696.aspx <http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/19/2178696.aspx>


Singing in the Dark
Photographer Damon Winter was in Haiti one of the first nights after the initial quake. While he wasn’t able to photographically capture the goings on in the dark, he could hear them. This is what he said:
“There was one thing that didn’t really make pictures. It was my first night here last night. We were staying at a hotel on the edge of a pretty heavily damaged neighborhood and at night, you could hear people singing.  People are out on the street at night. It’s really hard to photograph because there’s no electricity. It’s pitch black. But all night you could hear them singing prayers. It’s pretty amazing the ways that people are dealing with this tragedy. It says a lot about the Haitian character. They are an amazing people.”
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/assignment-19/

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If you’re interested in helping with the situation in Haiti (or helping even more than you already have), you may want to check out www.lime-aid.tv <http://www.lime-aid.tv> . They are accepting donations of food (specific staples that are listed on their website) that they will be shipping to Haiti within the coming weeks. The food will then go to Haitian children foundations ANA Children’s Center and Brebis de Saint Michelle Orphanage.



xxNB

the Hot ticket party

As the Winter season in So-Cali breezes by, everyone is finally settling into 2010. We are now in full force figuring out plans of action for 2010.  So much has already happened in the course of this new month, new year, and new decade. Political plans proposed, and untimely disasters struck. We're reminded once again, early this year, of how precious life is, and to be ever so grateful of each day on earth. While it is easy to let these grave happenings depress us, it is important to remember to stay positive and present:   Live For Today...Plan For Tomorrow...Party Tonight..!!!
(This may even include partying to raise money for “Haiti relief” or any great cause!)

I give you a sure remedy to engage proactively especially if the news has got you down:
Two words—House Parties.

Here are my 6 reasons these will be making a comeback as the hottest ticket of 2010.

 1). Friends: The Best Company. 
 Arguably the best company is the company of friends whether they be new friends, old friends, neighbors, and even those faithful party crashers.  Seeing friends laugh and connect can be a a great way to get inspired. If you are a writer, director, actor, in entertainment biz, et al... sometimes you’ll find yourself at a party where inspiration is sparked. Tag lines can be created from embarrassing drunken blunders, and even games like "spin the bottle" can point you in the direction of a great story or character. Think of the spec video ideas for YouTube or Vimeo! You might even meet the love of your life, but realistically a sweet one night stand likely to boost the ego Californication style is a more likely possibility.

2).  Feed a good time.
  Go for the food.  If you have a good host, it's likely he or she host will whip up a spread because one of the best thing about house parties is good food.  It could be an important key to the makings of a successful party. Great food creates a buzz at parties with comments like, "Did you taste that dip. Fabulous cheese plate. The chicken was delicious!" When people are fed well, they feel good adding to the enjoyment and possible longevity of any party.

3). Boozing.
It’s a little safer to have a few drinks with your belly full of food. And to some a party just isn’t a party unless you’ve got a well rounded stock of booze options. Cocktails like Mojitos and Chocolate Martinis can be decadent treats, but of course caraffes of wine, bottles of beer and a keg or two will always be enjoyed as a mainstay to add a little social lubricant to the party's atmosphere.


4). Photos— 
Everyone loves a good party photo, and as of recently, everyone loves FB-posting party photos even more. The especially odd ones always seem to get tagged where one's head is twisted, angled just so making you look 10 pounds heavier or to the point where you don't even recognize yourself. Then of course, there are the end-of-party photos where one often looks delirious with half-closed eyes, and most likely a quintessential "boob” shot will make its way to the photo assembly. (Last year, I saw more boob photos then ever.) There are also those party-goers who post photos to show that they were there—a secret level of exploitation if you ask me because it does matter in this day and age who you are seen with and who you hang with.  I wish this weren’t the case, but it is all true especially as I observe all the Facebook scensters.


5). Themes...
One cool part of a theme party is that getting dressed for the theme can get you in the mood for the party before you even arrive. Theme parties can magically transform a regular get-together into a new world of fun.  I personally love theme parties, and have hosted as well as attended several great ones. I once went to a murder mystery themed party where everyone was given clue when they walked in the door. I’ve also enjoyed a simple yet extremely satisfying black-and-white-and-mustache party. Whatever the theme, it’s sure to spark interesting conversation. The House Party can be a theme unto itself!


6). Free!!   
Yes folks, free entertainment in the company of your friends with food and liquor for a sure hangover (think yummy Sunday grubbing) as well a possible theme and likely photos documenting the whole night... It’s kind of like free press!! The House Party is a chance to connect with potenial new friends, or at least some soon to be Facebook friends. The party (or you) could be the talk of Facebook for the next, er, three hours! And you never know when new acquaintances will pop up at the next House Party near you.

World Class Bella

Lately, I’ve come across friends who have the “will” to pack up their belongings and take off for a great adventure. At any given age we are soul searching, it’s a necessary assessment we must do throughout our lives. The grand plan and the journey that will take us there, is just not going to be handed to you. Seeking and doing it is the key to this on-going process in making a successful creative sphere.

California designer Angela O’Brien and her husband did just that. They embarked on a year long excursion, not knowing their plan, but riding their intuition that the freedom of gaining cultural experience and being enriched in their day to day lives would lead them down a golden path.  It was the unknown land of the Balinese culture that Angela soon embraced, and one part of the journey that led her to finding a passion for design. 

Cleobella began as a way of expressing the beautiful artistry she discovered abroad. Angela’s designs are works of art. Each collection is handmade by artisans in Bali, Indonesia. Since there is no machinery involved, each piece is unique and can vary slightly. It's also what makes the look of each piece so bold, beautiful and chic. Travel-inspired patterns are flush with her attention to detail, and bring forward a feminine flair that will enhance your every day ensemble and rock your sexy evening attire.

I was luckily enough to be introduced to Angela at a luncheon, and was enamored with her sweet, generous spirit. I could tell that engaging in a year full of travel, and surrounding herself with diversity of cultures has humbled her soul and has made her keen in her ventures.

When I set my eyes on her hot pink clutch design,  I knew I had to have one, and I also knew her travel inspired creations had arrived!

Check out the Cleobella website for store locations and an on-line store is coming soon. Cleobella  supports CARE ( www. care.org/ women helping women)  www.Cleobella.com

 Treasures in the Fortress.

                                               
On a recent trip to Greece I was in search of a sweet, decadent taste for a possible new flavor for my lip balm line. From my previous travels and adventures, I have found that taking a trip out of town inspires many lip balm flavor ideas. However, this wasn't the case in Greece.

Don't get me wrong, the flavors that enrich Greece are incredible whether one is sampling feta cheese, olives or a local wine. Since being back, I often crave an authentic Greek meal as some of my favorite dishes are now from Greece (more on that later).

I found that the most often used sweet in Greek desserts is honey. I've experimented with all natural honey flavors for batches of my lip balms, but for one reason or another, honey has never mixed well into my recipe. The formula is just off. That is not to say that someday I may perfect a honey-infused recipe that works, but for now, it's not something I'm ready to spend time making possible. So, after a week, I gave up searching for lip balm flavors in Greece and focused on the art scene.

I soon embraced the artistry and craftsmanship of their jewelry. In Old Town Chania (pronounced H-ania), a Venetian fortress on the island of Crete, you can find many celebrated local Cretan artists. Their craftsmanship is impressive and I wished I would have had more change to spare for such treasures. The jewelry makers include a mix of Venetian glassblowers and jewelry designers crafting pieces by hand. Their art form significantly reflects the unique Grecian goddess style. Many of these jewelry artists use turquoise from the depths of the Turkish mountains. One of my favorite artists uses semi-precious gems intertwined in his jewelry in a kind of macramé style—so stunning. Each design and stone places a powerful energy in each piece with the stones embodying a particular mood and spirit.  I fell in love with each piece I purchased and have been wearing them often since I returned.

Now,  with a natural love for promoting all that I do and see, I would like to give names and websites to some of the artist shops I visited, but unfortunately most of these locally run shops sell only locally—most don't even have websites or email contacts. I do have a street address for one of my favorite shops called Po'sov. The main artist here is Christina Douka. You can find the shop (and the artist if you're lucky) at 19 Theotokopoulou Street located in Old Town Chania. If you start there, you'll see the cobblestone street that leads into a narrow walkway of many more fantastic shops.

I must warn you: finding one's way around Crete provides somewhat of a challenge, but with a little patience and determination, you'll end up finding treasures.