the Mellow one
 It was one of those weeks, where nothing on the social front seems appetizing. Sure, there were a lot of things going on as most of my friends and social networking pals seemed to be buzzing with events. I heard about the LA Food Fest truck extravaganza, and though the idea of a parade of trucks at your eating disposal is a good one, I also thought, just how much could I eat and what could I really get out of tasting food from a truck? Gourmet trucks are certainly a trend and I do appreciate them and their efforts but a festival centered around eating from a truck?

There was also the big Decade 2 sale; designer shoes for $150 buck a roos! Lines around the corner would have been a barrier to get to this sale, I mean who could pass this up (I guess me); I didn’t feel like checking out shabby designer shoes. Don’t get me wrong, for a $150 I am down for this kind of stuff, but another year, another time. I guess the thought of hanging out in lines with crowds of people just wasn’t suiting my style for the week. Maybe the gloom has made me more fickle, or the fact that some of these events seemed cool, but then reeked in a general public sorta way. I guess without sounding like I had my nose up in the air about joining the hundreds doing the cool hipster thing; I wanted to stay close to home with the company of my nearest and dearest, and so I did. 

                                                    Here’s my post-weekend round up:
 
Thirst for Thursday 
Thursday night, our crew headed on bikes to the new bar in town, the basement tavern at the Victorian in Dogtown.  News of this bar caught on like wildfire.  It had been open nearly a week when I got the tip on the happenings.  Heard about it on Monday, and by Thursday the bartenders were serving a more than packed house.  And they seemed to be scratching their heads, wondering how in the heck all these people found out about this low key bar!  They claim to have had no press, but there were write ups in blogs, an LA Times review, and plenty of facebook walls status updates.  The times referred to it as speak easy bar.  In my heyday, speak easy bars were dive bars in hard places to get to, down an alley and across bridge or something to that effect; some well know musician would be performing with an acoustic guitar and a disguised name, and you felt lucky to be experiencing that moment.  To sum it up, it was a very cool bar and I did love the chandelier décor (I have a soft spot for bars designs with chandeliers) but, speak easy... not so much.  it was at least an hour wait for drinks and people were crammed like sardines.  It wasn’t an enjoyable experience waiting in a crowded spot, but the vibe was nice and there certainly were a lot of good looking people. Months from now, this will be a great bar to be had. Go if you feel brave and inclined. GO...

tip:   I did learn one very cool trick via @ Niles Harrison...the text bomb trick.  If you want someone to come play—the best way to get them out—is to do the text bomb. Everyone texts the same phrase all at the same time to one person, sending that person a text that will buzz accordion style... They’ll feel the love in one hot second.

Friday Fever
While I am usually up on the weekend happenings... mellow sank in like a comfy old recliner on Friday.  The mood and the vibe was telling me just to relax.  Friday became an evening walk to get cones at Nice Cream  on our block, it’s not the most decadent of ice cream parlors, but I like it’s simplicity in flavors.  I will say that our Netflix rental of Hot Tub Time Machine  was pretty awesome. The movie is just ridiculous, over the top and completely nostalgic, but it’s definitely clever, humorous and completely good fun movie watching.  So, if you are feeling like a night in and you want to watch something completely effortless and silly but great, rent that movie.

 

Some kind of.... Saturday
With an evening of rest, we felt rejuvenated but still needed to feel mellow— we thought we’d start off with a little brunch, and set out in motion down the bike path.  It was a choppy day, clouds scattered, winds muffled, and the sun barely peeked out.  We brunched at an old stomping ground, The Figtree , one of the better dining experiences on the board walk.  It’s been there over 30 years and earned its legacy as a tried and true mainstay of the Venice boardwalk.  The cooler dining is inside, the outdoors can seem very touristy but the food will over shadow that.  They also serve Groundwork coffee , a good choice for supporting local business.

Then we biked down to the theater to see SALT... the new Angelina Jolie action flick... Surprisingly it was pretty bad ass; it had great action, girl power fighting sequences with mega twist and turns.  It was definitely worth the matinee fee!  After the movie we headed on our bikes back to our hood, we were meeting up with friends to go to the Getty for the Off the 405 concert series.  I’d been hearing that there were great musicians performing in this series, and I was excited to finally get a chance to see a live performance.  The fact that it was a Cumbia style music performance was just the tip of the ice berg; singer Liliana Saumet’s Bomba Estéreo fierce dance hall vocals made for some seriously exhilarating beats stuffed with electronic riffs that connected her rhythmic style into euphoric exposition.  We sat under the moonlight with a brilliant view and music in our ears.  Not to damper the draw of these events but getting there is a whole other story.  And go figure that after trying to avoid “crowds and waiting,”… We ended up sitting in traffic waiting a few beats.  To make a long story short— there is no easy way to get there, either sitting around in traffic or walking for a couple miles. We chose to walk, normally I would be so up for it, but I had heels on! I made it, and only with the smallest whimper.  

Sunday Sage Love
Gotta love Sundays...lying in bed then biking to the main street farmers market, where there is Valet for your bikes.  That’s right, a bike Valet!  I had some decadent crepes and sat on the lawn listening to African funk beats.  It’s a great way to kick off summer Sundays... Later, we decided to put out the BBQ spread with our closet pals.  Personally, the way I look at it, we Sage’s like to throw down with our food and adult beverages— we like to feed our peeps well.  And that sums up my extremely mellow week!

         Next weeks round up should be more exciting! already on the path to a few good  outings!!

Summer Inception
by Maharlika Sage 


The gloom traveled into July, creating endless rants from summer hopefuls looking to get some warmth and sunshine.  Alas, Tuesday (last) the sun peaked out, the clouds moved on, and the delicious summer air was set in motion.  The buzzing of activity began floating in my mind.  I’ve decided to spend my summer blogging about what I do and see on a weekly basis and highlighting some special moments.  It’s always hard for a writer to find their voice; there is a sea of different kinds of fish wiggling their tails, and I am just one tiny fish trying to swim up stream.  Sometimes the current is so strong that my voice is not heard and there are fish that are bigger and meatier and have the weight to push further up stream.

I’d like to say that the beginning of my week starts by accumulating thoughts of what I did over the past few days.  I believe it’s important to think about what affected you personally and socially.  I am far more organized and productive when I know what I have already done.  I am not a creature of habit and though I like planning and organizing my endeavors, I am hardly a person who does the same thing week after week.  At the start of the week, I poke around for recommendations in the trades, suggestions on the blog spheres, and events on facebook.  I tally up my week of must do’s and possible innuendos…I love a good week of activity and one that includes a lot of outdoor fun. These past four days were wonderful with the summer heat rolling in, making it one of the first truly hot summer weekends since the beginning of summer. We’ve all been waiting for this moment and it had finally arrived.

Here’s a recap of my week— some events are happening all summer long, so if you feel inclined and inspired by this blog post, check it out!

A thirst for Thursday: 
Living on Venice island can create an enclave of good times during the summer.  The activity sparks Thursday evenings each week with the twilight music series held at the pier.  This series began during the “save the pier” years and has continued to whip up local and well known artist around the world.
We pack our picnic gear (blanket, wine, olives, cheese... check!), and ride over on the bike path, a sea of lights appear from far.  I must say riding there has always been my favorite part, and especially on the beach path during sundown is quite magnificent!! Its not just for pier nights, it’s something ever Westsider should do... I like to ride early mornings and around sunset during the week.   
As a local, I stay away from the local bike path during the weekENDS... for good reason :)

As we approach, in search of our friends, I look at the smiling happy faces of hundreds of folks sitting beach side of the pier with their blankets laid out in picnic fashion.  There are police on horses to keep a watch but the vibe is easy and chatter of good times permeates the air.  That night the Australians performed and I could only hear the soulful voice of Ben Lee  faintly in the background.  The only draw back to pier nights is once you are on the beach, it’s a little difficult to get to the pier because they’ve closed off the pier/beach access, which makes you going around to the other side, a little bit of a trek, but if you are not so committed to staying beachside and seeing the artist up close and personal suits you, than I am sure it’s no big deal.  It’s definitely a very fun, community thing to do, and those who are coming for just the evening—get there early and pick up your trash at the end. July 8th through Sept 2, 2010 http://www.santamonicapier.org/twilight/  
ps. the photo taken above was the exact time Ben Lee performed!! Big love to Ben.




Feel Good Friday: 
There is always something to feel good about when it’s Friday.  I sure feel good when I hear about a good deal.  I am always on the hunt for new openings and store sales. I took a tip (thanks Serena!), and went down to Weho for the COCO DE MER summer sale.  Coco de Mer is known as the “classiest” naughty sex apparel store.  A peep show is set up in the dressing room for couples to have a little fun while trying on their lingerie.  They had $10, $20, $30 bins of sexy lingerie pieces that are normally in the hundreds... I got some fashionably sexy bras for twenty bucks!!  (sadly-the sale was for only this past weekend so hopefully some of you went!).

                                      
After a trip to Coco— I decided to hit up Magnolia Bakery , the cupcake shop made famous by a Sex and the City episode and the darling of the East coast.  It has gotten so many reviews since its opening that I wanted first hand experience on what a truly fabulous cupcake is...or so they say.  There have been many sweet bakeries that have opened in LA and some are more notable than others.  My favs are still Sweet Lady Jane and Milk ...  I have yet to experience a truly great bakery on the Westside, and with all the tapas and wine bars crowding the streets of Abbott Kinney we are definitely in need of a good one!!  Magnolia opened on the 17th!!  What’s your cupcake opinion?

Sweet Saturdays 
I love lazy Saturday mornings were I can sleep in a little, read a book, magazine or digital news in bed with my sweetie.  My Saturday’s are always random when there are no plans for a getaway.  I did however attend a sweet baby shower around the corner from my house, which was very lovely and traditional.  I’ve always love the oohing and ahhing that those adorable one-sies inspire, and the sweet treats that cover the table made for a great afternoon with the ladies and mama-to-be.  


Later in the evening, I was also invited to a “Steam Punk Barbarella” style party, in South LA.
As we were driving there, I found myself saying “Where are we?” and for a native... these words hardly ever come out of my mouth.  I’ve been there and done that many times over, but we wound up on Slauson and Southwest drive in South LA.  I couldn’t quite get a sense of the area, except that it felt like I was warped back to 1982, and the houses surrounding the area seemed like little boxes near the train tracks.  We entered a warehouse loft style, were we were greeted by two big bouncers and a welcoming committee dressed in the style highly noted as Steam Punk fashion ala Burn man esquire. I have to say that I truly love these types of loft, I’ve been to a few amazing converted warehouse artist lofts in the industrial district downtown, but this was no where near downtown.  Every nook of this loft emanated a bohemian personality enriched with lustful colors, comfy pillows, and a boisterous charm was felt throughout.  The party was well stocked in every sense of the word.  The birthday party host also steamed up and laid out a long table of deliciously seasoned Crawfish with baby potatoes and carrots.  It was almost never-ending as they had boiled pounds of this stuff every hour in order to please each guest to the max.  It was a great party and another fun filled evening.

Golden Sundays 
Sundays feel like Gold, better known to most as the day of rest or Sunday fun day. I like a little of both; 
I like being restful and engaging in activities. For me that's Golden.
We started off mid-day on our bikes, along the way grabbing sandwiches & pop at our local stop Bellisimo’s (S. Venice and Pacific), where they make a delicious Capreses and have all sorts of picnic items, then headed for a spot on the beach near the Washington pier away from the Venice tourist madness.  It was quite nice to be on the beach, chilling out, reading and getting some sun.  Neither my husband nor I are sun-bathers, but it was perfect, because the sun was not too hot.  We swam in the ocean, which felt great! (Yay for summer!), and stayed long enough to get a little blush on our cheeks.  In the evening we headed east to the Grove and started our evening at the Whisper Lounge …it was a great night to be sitting on the patio because the temperature was perfect. We had summer cocktails called Zingers (made with ginger brew and rye whiskey), and Spiked Watermelon.  We also ordered their mouthwatering Sunday night BBQ special.  Now if you are a no fuss vegetarian, one that still eats dairy and wheat, and can deal with sharing food with a carnivore, than this meal is great for sharing!!  It’s a lot of food for $23.00.  While my husband ate all the meat items, there was so much delicious southern style beans, cornbread, and potato salad for me to pick at.  I wasn’t too hungry and just wanted some bites here and there, and found myself eating more than my share, mainly because the southern style taste was incredibly scrumptious!!  We were licking our fingers even after we cleaned the plate, and it also came with red velvet cake bites.  Can you say delicious!!?!  I highly recommend ordering this if you are out that way.  The night ended with seeing the highly anticipated and visual stunning Inception directed by Christopher Nolan.  Though the continuity in this cerebral flick was a little tough for me to wrap my brain around, it was indeed a very engaging and visually cool movie.


 tune in next week for my weekly roundup! 

by Maharlika Sage

                                   One Big Tree Hug !

Last weekend’s impromptu getaway made for a happy kick start into summer. The summer weather has been playing tricks on us and rather than participate in the collective group of complaints about the weather going around on facebook, I opted for a positive approach and decided “weather” or not, it’s still summer and that to me means a series of camping trips and weekend getaways, exploring the beauty of this earth.  


We headed north, through the winding roads, where the forest and trees grow bigger and age to perfection in the high elevation.  It has been a some 15 years since my last trip through the Sequoia National Park and riving through a window of cedar, lodge pole pines, and sequoias, the smell of its aroma gave me a feeling of calm and made me happy to be away from the hustle of beach going tourists that surround my community each summer. Our friends headed up earlier to secure a spot and we were told the adventure would start at Buck Rock camp ground. This is one of the few campgrounds that doesnt require a fee. We rolled into camp in complete darkness with a spray of twinkling stars and smoldering campfires recently put to rest. In the morning I gazed at the beauty of our camp and the surrounding trees, it was indeed a quieter summer as the weather must have deflected the many yearly camp goers. For me— this was a big score as I rarely like camping when it’s so crowded and this year is shaping up to be the perfect year to camp. 


As we settled into the weekend of exploration our first journey was to pay homage to General Sherman. The General is believed to be two thousand seven hundred years old and standing a brilliant 275 feet tall. Over the years, the Sequoia National parks have been updated and set up in a  theme park fashion. The landscapes are beautifully manicured and a sea of recycling bins are highly promoted, making it easy for newbie campers to get a taste of nature without leaving a trace.   After our visit with General Sherman came my favorite part of the weekend. We hiked to Tokopah Falls located outside of Lodgepole. This is one of the most beautiful Waterfalls I’ve seen this year. It sits along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River nestled between impressive granite cliffs, Tokopah Falls is 1,200 ft high, and is said to be the most awe inspiring in early summer, when the run-off from the melting snowpack in the Pear Lake region upstream is at its peak. 


At night we enjoyed the usual campfire bliss and the sounds of crackling embers and laughter echoed through our forest. There is so much to explore in the Sequioa’s that I’ll definitely be going again sooner than later— we just missed the tour to Crystal Caves, and since we stayed on other side of Kings Canyon in Buck Rock, we decided to end our trip with a few pretty awesome site seeing spots near that area.  A notable site to see is the Buck Rock Lookout, which sits perched high atop a granite dome and offers a breathtaking view of the Great Western Divide and other spectacular high mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Access to the top is via a brisk 172 stair flights, suspended from the side of the rock.  The current lookout building was constructed in 1923 and is historically significant as a representation of the earliest 4-A style live-in cabs of which there are only three in existence in the world today.

  

The Welcoming Sun.

As a lover of community I have been in search of a yoga class close to home, and one that I could connect with like the sun is to the earth. through word of mouth from various friends, I came into the shining light of Yonnus Becker’s yoga studio, Surya, just a couple blocks away from my house.
Surya means "Sun" in Sanskrit.  Her practice is very much enriched in true yogi beliefs and yet she has keen sense on the physical strength that one can achieve during this practice. Her vinyasa flow class engages your core yet her poses take shape with whimsical and graceful manner.  she has an alluring kindness and get to know presence that definitely speaks community. 
Get to know Yonnus with my Q&A and drop by her class! One thing you’ll notice is her presence alone is like the welcoming sun!


1). When did your quest for yoga begin?
My first experience with yoga began when I was attending UCLA. My girlfriend had a video of Bryan Kest. The classic video where he dons torn jeans and long hair. Neither one of us had done yoga before so she popped in the video and we literally almost died. I thought, what is this? Are these people crazy!!! Clearly, I was not yet ready for yoga to come into my life. Then three years later, I can’t say what inspired me,  I went to a Bikram Yoga class. I fell in love immediately. I was absolutely hooked. I went almost every day for a year. At that time in my life, my enjoyment of yoga from yoga came from the physical result of how my body felt. About a year later, I took myself to a Hatha class and that’s when my personal journey truly began.
2). Where did you study and who were your mentors? I studied predominately in New York. As my desire in life, as well as in my yoga practice, is to experience as much variety as possible, I try to practice with someone new whenever possible. As a result, my mentors comprise of all the different teachers with whom I have had the privilege to practice with. As teachers, we are constantly learning from one another. We become inspired by something and then we rework it into our own teaching style. With so many amazing teachers available, the inspiration is endless.
3). Are you a native of California, as well as Venice Local? I am a native of California. However, I have a spirit that loves life and the discoveries that come from new experiences so as a result, I have lived in quite a few places over my lifetime. As for Venice, I moved here at the beginning of 2009. Coming from New York, Venice is the only place that makes sense. It is one of the only places in the city that truly feels like a community. You can walk or bike to everything you need without having to get in your car and I love that.
4). How do you see yoga as a fundamental practice? For me, yoga is a fundamental practice because in our society we are pressured, rushed, and oftentimes struggle just to keep up. Our energies are being pulled outward. Yoga gives us the place to reconnect with ourselves so that we are able to return to the world and be more compassionate, patient and loving…. And truly isn’t that what it’s really all about?
5). How do you encourage folks to continue their practice, or do you just let them decided? I am not really into making people do things that they don’t feel motivated to do on their own. However, sometimes I wish I did. The only person I do that to is my best friend because every time I do, she is always so happy and joyfully expresses how great she feels and that she loves when I motivate her to get her butt into class.
6). In terms of Yoga style... Why were you most interested in vinyasa as opposed to ashtanga, kundalini.
I enjoy Vinyasa for several reasons. One of the main reasons is the graceful quality of Vinyasa yoga. As a  water sign, I am naturally drawn to fluidity and this flow of movement, this dance with ourselves feels like a natural and innate expression of our body. In addition, from a physical standpoint, Vinyasa is incredibly beneficial for the body because the constant movement does not allow us to become joint dependent. Instead we must use our muscles. In addition, the movement produces synovial fluid adding in the health of our joints and mobility.
7).  What does Surya Mean? Surya means "Sun" in Sanskrit. We have two energies within us, Surya (sun) and Chandra (moon). They represent our polarities. It is through yoga that we are able to balance these two energies of light and dark, masculine and feminine, heat and cold. Surya represents the shining of our inner light. Practicing yoga allows us to connect to our purpose and radiate from within.
8). What did you previously before becoming a yoga instructor? Before I became a yoga teacher I did just about everything under the sun. You could probably name a job and I have done it from working at Victoria’s Secret to pumping gas. I have my contractors license, teaching credential, license to sell insurance. There is a long list. However, my life is in a place where I am really ready to settle down and I have begun for the first time in my life begun to grow roots. Yoga is my life, my passion, my inspiration. Being a teacher holds an indescribable fulfillment for me. It is healing, connected and brings happiness into existence. I can’t imagine ever doing anything else. Although I do believe that I will be focusing more on retreats as this also feeds my gypsy blood and need for adventure.
9). Have you traveled to places like India where it is a common practice? I spent a month in India. What an incredible place! It is unlike anything you could ever imagine. Basically you have to forget everything you grew up knowing or have become accustom to because India is a different world. It is a magical terra and deeply, deeply spiritual. Just the air alone carries a knowing that is palpable.
10.)  Some teachers teach power yoga as a form of workout—  Is your practice based on a lifestyle and or spiritual connection?
There are so many different forms of yoga and just like food proclivities, there are also many different tastes for yoga. All yoga is lifestyle and spiritually based. To the degree is based on the individual practitioner. I teach all levels. However, I tend to teach a slower paced vinyasa class as that is what resonates for me. I like to see people discover the gifts of being still within themselves. Each asana each breath carries a discovery, a new world, we just need to be present to receive it.
For Surya Class Schedules: http://www.studiosuryayoga.com

names vs. flavors by maharlika sage

  
CUPCAKE FACE

Since creating my lip balm my senses and taste have heightened to it’s fullest.
Every time I am out and about.. I stumble upon a flavor that tempts me to ask
Maybe I should create a mexican chocolate flavor spiced with chili to give those
lips a hot treat??

My Ginger lime was inspired by an ice tea from a restaurant called Blossom in
Downtown LA. and Grapefruit Gelato (originally called Pomelmo), came from having the most
delicious grapefruit gelato in Riomaggiore, Cinque terre Italy.

My inspirations come from everywhere and not just my outings but also my friends.
Usually, I am intrigued by the flavor first which inspires the name of my lip balm.

This time I am inspired by the NAME and intrigued by what flavor I will come up with.
For the last month I’ve been tasting different cupcake flavors and names. I’ve eaten and made
more cupcakes in the past month than I have in ten years.  What is the ultimate cupcake for you?

CUPCAKE FACE.. the name inspired by friend Jessica Locke... will be the latest addition to my balms. There is a lot of inside meaning to how this name came about, but it’s definitely by far the cutest and the sassiest lip balm name I’ve heard in a while.


So back in the kitchen I go.... What will this flavor be? Any Suggestions?

Geo-Adventure ( written by the Sage's)

"The Wilderness Must Be Explored!!", even if its just down the block. So our usual itch for adventure took a decidedly high tech turn this weekend as we explored the exciting world of geocaching. If you've never heard of it, Geocaching is a sort of  “high tech treasure hunt” where fun little doodads are placed inside of a "cache" and then hidden in creative ways. Sometimes, the adventure takes you into the wild, sometimes its right around the corner, either way you have to go at it with an explorers eye.

  With iPhone hand (yep, there's an app for it) we took to the back streets of Venice on our trusty beach cruisers in search of hidden treasure. Like a modern day Sherlock Holmes, we were soon sleuthing about, hot on the trail of untold fortune. Our quest this day... the "Dutch Juliet". You see a lot of these little gems have a story and many have travelled around the world, hitching a ride with other cacher's  on there way to fulfill a destiny. The "Dutch Juliet" is one of a pair of key chain sized wooden shoes whose other half, the "Dutch Romeo" is on his own journey. Currently astray somewhere in Australia, he is desperately trying to find his way back home to his beloved in a Venice Paseo, or at least thats the story anyway.

It’s a go at your own pace kind of game that's fun, inexpensive, and best of all, gets you outdoors. The treasures that are left behind can be anything from a charm from a bracelet to a matchbox Trans-Am (our reward for a job well done). If you take something, you have to leave something of equal value and often stealth is required as these chests are hidden in public and you don’t want to spoil the game by letting others in on your secret. Once you uncover your first cache, you cant help but wonder how many other little secrets are buried around town, right under your nose.    http://www.geocaching.com/  

...

One to the Nine.. 

Last weekend I was asked to contribute my Hiwa lani lip-balm
for a “Hollywood Soiree” by the newly established One Nine Designs.
Graciously I accepted and was happy to share my buttery lip treats with
owner & creator Stephanie Kimes whose keen sense of texture, composition and color
I have come to admire.    http://www.onenine-design.com 

 

Enter the Tiger

This Sunday is a day of love and to many this is an important

Love-fest. Happy Valentines Day everyone. Enjoy the day!!!

That being said, there is also a truly important tradition I celebrate each year—the Chinese Lunar New Year— which happens to fall this year on Valentines day (feb 14th). The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and continues to be celebrated today. One part of this that I particularly pay attention to is the animal sign each new year brings as it can reveal what the year holds in store for everyone.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on cycles of the moon. A complete cycle is 60 years broken up by the Chinese Calendar into five cycles of 12 years each. According to legend, one Chinese new year the Buddha invited all the animals in his kingdom to come before him. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to the animals, only 12 showed up. The first to arrive was the rat, followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and the pig. The symbols of earth, water, wood, metal, and fire are also reflective in each animal and each 12 year cycle. Buddha decided to name each year after one of the animals and that those born during different years would inherit some of the personality traits of the animal designated to its particular year. Those born in the year of the ox would be hard working, resolute and stubborn. Those born in the year of the dog would possess among other qualities, loyalty and fidelity, just like the dog. You get the idea.
  

Predictions of what your year will be like can be based on the animal sign connected to the year you were born. Some people born in certain animals years don't get along well with those born in your birth animal year (including you). Other people for differing animal years are highly compatible for each other. Some years are years for reflection, growth, and abundance, other years are years to spend more conservatively, investing in work, and staying close to home. Not every year will be the same for you depending on your animal sign. 

 

This year is the year of the Metal Tiger.   Powerful, distinctive and fast, it can be a dramatic year with intense activity. It is the year for making an Impact, and in this year you can launch and complete major projects. It is a year to remain vigilant in your investments and many will feel wiser by saving rather than impulsively spending. It is a year for considerable opportunity, and depending on your sign, you may relish the new possibilities coming your way. It is a great year for Travel and not a good year for taking RISK.... Change will be the key word this year. It is a year for passion! 

I have drawn from various sources to compile a rundown of summaries on your animal year!

  

Gung Hay Fat Choy!...

RAT
2010  will be a great year overall for the Rat, although you will need to put some effort in and also follow all the advice here. This year should be good for wealth, career and general luck. Those Rats born in 1960 and 1972 need to make extra time for those that are important to them. This could involve taking them on a trip that you might be planning or just spending more time socially. 2010 will be a productive year for the Rat. The Rat will need to work hard to see results which can make them feel restless about the developments  of the year. If the Rat can stay alert and is able to accept that they need to adapt then they can benefit in many ways.     

OX
2010 will be a particularly good one for Oxen. Your Yin essence harmonizes and balances well with the Yang Tiger energies. Family and security matters are high on your priority list this year and you may wish to expand or upgrade your home. The Tiger year brings good financial luck for you, but be cautious not to overspend. You will attend many social events and have new opportunities offered to you now, but all of the socialization may take a toll on your health. 2010 will be a time of commotion, uproar and some bold new moves on your part. An unusually charismatic influence surrounds you this year and you will want to be more active, involved and on the go more than usual.

RABBIT
2010 will be another mixed year for female Rabbits, however, the year is a lot better for the males and they will have slightly better luck. Overall, it will be a good year for both sexes especially if you follow this advice: it could be beneficial for the Rabbit if they start a new job where they have to travel away from their home town as the change of scenery will refresh them and give them a whole new positive attitude toward work.

DRAGON  
The year 2010 is a year of ups and downs for the Dragon although overall the  year will be good. Dragons will be enthusiastic to advance at work and will feel ready for new challenges with the new experiences they have had throughout 2009. They will be persistent when applying for new jobs. Although the year of the Tiger will produce a lack of results which can discourage you at times, stay strong. You will miss some opportunities, but a good one will appear that you thought you had no chance of getting! Aim high and do not underestimate your abilities for work in 2010.

SNAKE
The  Snake likes a slow and steady pace which may give him/her shock in the Tiger  year as it will be filled with so much activity at times. Snakes will need to adjust to a fast pace to make the most of the year of the Tiger.  You may find that your workplace is becoming unfamiliar and everything  is changing around you as you enter the Chinese New Year 2010, but this will easily mold around your way of working if you give it time and adjust a little. You may find that in February, March, June and November you are given opportunities to do well in work. I would recommend taking them.

HORSE
This is a great year to reflect on your life and be honest with yourself. Our true character is what we do when we think no one is looking. Be true to yourself and help as many people as you can in 2010. You will get real rewards from this. Read my words again, this could change your life! Expect good changes in 2010. Reputation is what the world thinks a person is, character is who they really are. Enjoy your year, it will be great.

GOAT
2010  will be a year of career and financial gains for the Goat. You may accumulate a considerable amount of wealth and fame throughout this year if you follow this advice, work hard and smartly. There could be a lot of activity this year at work; you will find that a project that has previously brought  you a lot of stress and taken up a lot of your time will bring out many of your positive qualities drawing the attention of you and others around you. If you are going to take on a new responsibility you should be warned that you will need to learn new skills quickly (this will be very beneficial to you especially if you are given the chance to go on a training course). You will find yourself meeting a lot of new people in 2010 and you will find that you win a lot of them over with your ability to relate to others. You may meet new people this year that you could build a strong friendship with.

MONKEY
2010 will bring many changes to the Monkey; this will be at work for most of you. You may find that you are introduced to new staff, a different approach to work, or you may take on a different role. Many Monkeys will not be to keen about this but you need to learn to adjust  if you are to find happiness in your work place. The Monkey is known for great people skills but you will need to be careful with your relations with colleagues—if you do not keep an eye on this you may find yourself  feeling isolated or under-appreciated. Your ability to overcome problems  and think of solutions quickly will leave you with good results this year.

ROOSTER   
2010  can be a bit tricky to start off with as the Rooster likes to plan and be organized;    this does not mean that there will be no good to this—the Rooster will have a lot of success in 2010.A great year overall offering good relationships and wealth is in store for the Rooster, although he/she will need to take care of his/her health this year especially those who like a tipple or smoke, do not have a good diet, or lack in exercise. Please take a look at your health especially if you are a Rooster born in 1945 as they can suffer most this year with regards to health. The stomach and chest are weak in 2010, but nothing to worry about.

DOG
This will be a very successful year for all the creative Dogs out there; this  includes people involved in art, drama, song, literary pursuits and anyone in the entertainment industry. Students can expect to do very well this  year. This year would be good for you to travel abroad for work as there are many opportunities in different countries for Dogs this year. Big purchases and impulse buys are to be kept to a low this year as you will be tempted to spend your money a lot. Many expenditures are not recommended as  you will need to manage your money and keep an eye on your accounts throughout  2010.

PIG
Being in a karmic “soul mate” connection with the Tiger year of 2010, a harmonious and successful year awaits Pigs! With an easy-going, peaceful and trusting personality, there may well be a promotion (or two) in store for you this year! Your popularity grows and you could ace any exam or even win an election now. Hardworking, but also very fond of pleasure, sensual Pigs must be careful in matters with the opposite sex. Exercise caution in May and August and avoid becoming involved in any legal disputes or allowing someone to pull you into their legal matters. Vivid dreams and powerful emotions could take your tranquil soul by surprise.

 

 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.