New Blog: The Best is Here and Now

I am slowly starting up in a new blog address. It would be great if you followed me there: http://thebestishereandnow.blogspot.com/

Thanks for visiting!

Vacation Break

Summer Vacation - So happy it's finally almost here! I will be traveling for the next couple of weeks and most likely will not be posting much. And when I come back it's time to turn a new page... I am thinking of retiring this blog and starting a new one. Since I am not really a fashionista anymore, it feels a bit misleading calling myself that and not reflective of who I am today. The same goes for the title "The Best Is Yet to Come". I have come to think that perhaps the best is simply here and now. You just have to take the time to notice is and appreciate it. I will let you know when my new blog is up and I hope you will follow me there. Enjoy all the wonderful things that summer brings!

Bronx Zoo

A few weeks ago we took the kids to the Bronx Zoo. It's an amazing place. I do feel a bit sad for the animals, but the plus side is that there is much education about the real habitats of the animals and about importance of preservation and what we can do to help. It is fascinating to see these exotic animals close up. 

Lake George

Here are a couple of snapshots from our trip to Lake George. Such a beautiful place, very laid-back and relaxed. Far enough from New York to feel like you're really getting away and a completely different atmosphere.. What a great time we had!

Age is Just a Number

Or that is what I keep telling myself.

I am less than a month away from turning forty, and my feelings are all over the place. In some ways I am mourning my youth... And in some ways I am so thankful for the maturity, strength, clarity and wisdom gathered along the way.

My body has a mind of its own. It's not easy to lose weight anymore, no matter how hard I watch my diet. My energy level is down, and my skin is not as youthful as it was even a couple years ago. My hormones are on a roller coaster, and I'm not even close to menopause yet.

I get glimpses of seeing myself in the eyes of young people...and it surprises me to notice that they think I am old. I don't think that I've changed, but then I see my friends and notice the change in them. I guess I am looking at the mirror through my own denial..

I am a little bit disappointed with myself. Mostly because I don't feel that I have lived up to my full potential. It takes too much effort to do that! So I've been a bit lazy and scared to leave the comfort zone.

Age has made me realize that you cannot have everything. Life is full of compromises.

On the other hand, I do realize that I have achieved some wonderful things. I put myself through graduate school without taking loans, I have a good job in the financial industry, and most of all, three healthy, happy and intelligent daughters, and a happy marriage.

My life is certainly not over..just changing..hopefully for the better.

So what gives?

I don't know... I just know that I don't feel like celebrating my birthday.

Ruis

The Finnish Love their ruisleipa (rye bread). But not just any rye, it has to be all rye, baked with a certain traditional finnish recipe.

It has been impossible to find it in NYC, and throughout the years, there has been many of suitcases filled with this earthy, healthy bread coming home from Finland. It has been lugged around the world, on trains, plains and automobiles...frozen in large quantities in freezers, and eaten sparingly and lovingly over weeks and months.

When the supply swindled dangerously low, we began asking if anyone knows anyone coming from Finland soon. And sometimes we found a "courier", like the time when a friend's mom came to NY to shop, and packed her empty suitcase full of the rye bread. So much of it in fact, that it didn't all fit in my freezer!

But all that is thankfully behind us because this delicious bread is now available in Whole Foods and the Union Square farmer's market. It's baked by a Finnish baker and tastes totally authentic. The bread has become a huge success and hopefully production will grow so that it will be even more widely available.

So when we go to Finland next week, there's no need to load up on ruisleipa on our way back...

YOLO

You only live once. Better make the best of it. We took off on an impulse trip to Lake George at the Adirondack region, upstate New York. It's been great, no plans, no pressure, just laid back relaxation. A break also from emails, cell phones, computers, iPad, news, newspapers, anything that usually distracts our attention away from really being together.. The lake is beautiful and nobody wants to leave...

Housewarming Outfit

Yesterday I wore my new Marimekko dress to my sister-in-law's housewarming dinner. The dilemma at these type of events is always what to take with you, especially for people who have everything and are very particular about their stuff... Problem solved when I spotted the giant cupcake at the fancy neighborhood deli/bakery, Kitchen Kabaret. So cute and unexpected (and quite delicious too).

The gym was deserted on a Sunday afternoon, but my work-out was totally necessary, since I got a genereous helping of the cupcake too! I noticed one downside at the locker room though, there is no full length mirror!

Sand Everywhere

I have said it many times before, but I'll say it again: I LOVE living in Long Island and close to the beaches.

Yesterday was so hot it was the perfect day to take my gang to Jones Beach. We packed some picnic and sand toys and spent a few hours playing in the sand and water. Jones beach has good waves and my 9 year old learned to body surf. She is fearless!

Friday's Outfits

Yesterday my après gym outfit was designed more to be comfortable in the heat wave, and the dinner outfit had the same requirement, as it was still really hot at night.

Also went grocery shopping, and of course could not resist the big sale signs at Banana Republic. (It's either super convenient to have a BR right next to my supermarket, or really dangerous, haven't quite decided, but leaning on convenient. (There are some really expensive boutiques too, but I do draw the line there, and rarely pop in. They don't carry my size anyway, me being mostly too huge for boutique clothing. This may be a very good thing, actually, at least for my budget if not my stylishness.))

But boy am I happy I went to BR. I renewed my jeans collection in one fell swoop, and found the perfect skinny jeans, white jeans (in pics below) as well as bootcut jeans and cropped denim trousers. All on sale except the skinnies, which the salesperson brought to me by accident, but which were so perfect I couldn't pass up. Now I can throw out all my old ugly jeans that I've been hating. Most of them are from before my last pregnancy, which changed my body the most, and they are not good fit anymore. All these things we women must deal with...

Anyway, it was a happy day, and ended well too. I took my girls to the dentist in the afternoon and they had no cavities. And then later, after kids' dinner, hubby and me went on a date and restaurant hopped to a couple favorite local places. Sometimes it's good to be adventurous and try something new, but sometimes it feels good to see familiar faces and be recognized. We've been in this area for about two years now and are getting to that point where we know people and they know us.

The best skinny jeans ever

Some of my BR sale loot

Old Navy tank top, Joe Fresh skirt, Bottega Veneta sandals and LV bag

Ellen Tracy dress, Marc Jacobs clutch,  Rolex watch and Marco Tozzi sandals

Weakness

The sales are KILLING me, or actually my budget.. I should stay away, but I just can't. What's wrong with me? If I see a sale sign, I just have to quickly see what's there. Every year it's the same thing. Every year I decide that I will only buy things that I plan in advance. Things that I actually NEED in my wardrobe to update it, or to replace something worn out. No impulse shopping what-so-ever. And then the sales roll around and all my good intentions vanish. I am so weak! So far I've been to Marimekko, J Crew, and Gap, and ordered some Marimekko stuff online from Crate and Barrell. (oops I forgot Nordstrom's and Anthropologie.) (and Gucci and Burberry).

And talking about Marimekko, that's another weakness. It is impossible not to buy something when you go to the beautiful Marimekko store on 23rd and Fifth. At least the last round was on sale...

My NYC

I have loved New York from the time I visited Manhattan for the first time as a fresh and naive 19-year old, and got my neck stiff because I looked up at the buildings all day. NYC still inspires me. And of course I am not alone. A friend of mine recently told me that she feels like it's an adventure every day, stepping out on the street in Manhattan (and not just because of the crazy bike messengers).

Wall Street is my work neighborhood, and this area has come a long way since 9/11. I've worked in four different addresses here, and was here on 9/11, which really destroyed the area for a number of years. I was happy when my company moved to midtown soon after. I've been back downtown for a few years now, and it's great to see this area bouncing back.

There's the beauty of New York: it is resilient, tough and ambitious. It's certainly not the easiest city to live in, but I am sure that it's one of the greatest.

Water Street (at Wall Street)

Liberty Street

Bike Rentals are new within the past couple of years in NYC - I always wonder how the tourists have the gut to ride here..

South Street Seaport

Goodbye Nora

So sad that Nora lost her battle with cancer.. She was an amazing writer, creating so many interesting and strong female characters. She was able to describe us women so accurately, our many layers and complications, and never resorting to boring stereotypes. I loved her movies too, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle (which she also directed) are favorites.


"Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women." Nora Ephron, from Wellesley Commencement address, 1996

Back to Normal

Last week was one of the longest weeks of my life. Work was insane, for a few days I was gone from 6 am to 10-11 pm, hardly saw the kids (I felt so guilty!). Then when that was over our basement floor was flooded on Friday. And on Sunday we had planned a mother-daughter garden party at our house, which included two full meals (a brunch at noon and a barbecue later in the afternoon).. The party was great, but I was so busy that didn't even take any pictures.

After all this I was beat!

But this week things are back to normal. My work schedule is manageable and I get to see the girls in the morning as well as after work.

Here is today's outfit: Marimakko top, Calvin Klein pants, Kate Spade bag, Bottega Veneta shoes, Toy Watch, and ancient H&M necklace.

Living Life

I don't have any outfits to post, been just living life in cut jeans shorts, white T and flip flops. When I haven't been dealing with a flooded basement (thanks to Friday's epic thunder storm and flash flood), I've been at the pool with the kiddos, and celebrating end of the school year with some decadent desserts.