CRANK POT

I woke up this morning cranky. I went to yoga hoping it would help, it didn't. The girl next to me put her sweaty towel on my mat, she clocked me in the head with her elbow, and then breathed heavily in my face with bad breath. Now I was in a worse mood and instead of being calm, my head was spinning with things to be more cranky about like, why don't people write thank you notes anymore? Emails DO NOT count.. neither do facebook ones (that is a joke... seriously, how lazy can you get?). Or, how gross it is to walk around holding a beer bottle (instead of having it poured into a glass) at a formal event like a wedding? Nothing ruins the look of a beautiful table LIKE A BROWN BEER BOTTLE!!! (I told you I was cranky)
But then the instructor read a poem called The Guest House. I'll post it. It says I'm supposed to invite cranky in... did I have a choice? (A yogi would say I do, which quite honestly is annoying me more right now but maybe this will help any other crank pots today.) Om, blah blah blah.


The Guest House 


This being human is a guest house. 
Every morning a new arrival. 


A joy, a depression, a meanness, 
some momentary awareness comes 
as an unexpected visitor. 


Welcome and entertain them all! 
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, 
who violently sweep your house 
empty of its furniture, 
still, treat each guest honorably. 
He may be clearing you out 
for some new delight. 


The dark thought, the shame, the malice, 
meet them at the door laughing, 
and invite them in. 


Be grateful for whoever comes, 
because each has been sent 
as a guide from beyond.



~ Rumi ~

MOMMY DEAREST

While onsite for a commercial shoot, one of the mothers of the models (who was only 12, mind you) asked me when it was okay to start giving her daughter unsolicited advice about her beauty routine, specifically wanting to know when she could tell her to pluck her eyebrows. Um, Never? was my reply. It's one thing if agents or people in the business give the advice, but as mothers don't we need to send out the message that we love unconditionally no matter what our daughters look like, what they wear, how they do their hair or makeup? It's one thing to tell them to brush their teeth, eat their vegetables and do their homework, quite another to give, what you think, is constructive beauty criticism. It never is. Unless they ask, pluck off.

SASSACLAS

I recently had to attend a charity event for my husband's work. When I asked him what I should wear he replied, "Um, I don't know... just don't go too..... Larissa, Larissa." Nice.
What I think he meant to say, as told to me by my fashionista friend, was to dress "Sassy Classy", which is classy but with an edge.
So while I knew my jumpsuit was out of the question, I also knew I wasn't going to show up looking like my grandmother in a St. John knit suit! Nope. I wound up in a Rozae Nichols black dress, vintage leopard coat and deep burgundy, retro suede pumps. Tailored enough for the event, but fun enough for me, Larissa, Larissa.

ALL IN KNOTS

Katherine Kwei Donna Evening Bag

While I'm usually trying to undo knots (out of my hair, my kids' hair, straps, the hose, you name it) this is one knot you don't want to undo. Inspired by Chinese knotting, learned from her grandmother, Katherine Kwei's designs are a piece of art. These are luxury bags with a really cool twist.
www.katherinekwei.com

EVENT IN WELLESLEY, MA!!!