forever summer fashion

top from anthropologie

---

summer is eternal here in hawaii. we have two seasons, sunny and hot or rainy and hot! so while i see all of fashion blogs talk about all the wonderful cooler season wear, we will still have 85 degree weather most days. i’m not complaining because i love living here, but it does get challenging sometimes not being able to swap out seasonal clothing.

i also have much fewer clothing now that i’m retired and fewer opportunities to dress up, and since i spend most of my time at home, it has to be heat friendly (not to mention menopausal, but that’s a different post!).

i don’t have a capsule wardrobe per say but i do now like having fewer clothes to choose from because it makes it much easier to get dressed in the morning. i keep my selection for the season in the front of my closet and put the rest folded and in baskets or hung in the back so i don’t see them until the next season. i eliminate items that i don’t like but kept just in case, things that don’t fit, and most things that are not natural fabrics. now i like everything in my wardrobe and don’t often have that “can’t find something to wear” feeling.

what works best for me is to have a basic wardrobe of items i wear all year long. my favorite jeans, basic tees, and ballet flats. then in each season i add a few pieces to change it up. this keeps things fresh and i don’t get bored because i really do wear the same things over and over again so i have to really like them. the way i break up the seasons are Nov-Jan, Feb-April, May-July, & Aug-Oct. here are a few things i do to fake my seasons!

1. each season has different color themes - i like neutrals but add in one different color for the season. this summer i added a few pink tops. i even have the breton top above with pink stripes. in fall and winter i add more darker pieces and this fall i’d like to add a new camel colored piece. during the winter, i’ll also add something sparkly for holiday events.

2. change my shoe style and colors - again i choose the shoes for each season and put them together. they really don’t change in terms of style, except i may use a dressy sandal more in the winter because of the holidays and i’ll make an effort to wear more covered shoes in winter just because.

3. jewelry - i use more casual delicate pieces in spring & summer months and will wear my more formal pieces even with casual clothes in the fall & winter. pearls are fun to wear during fall and winter with a button down shirt & jeans.

4. makeup - dark lipstick and makeup does not work in heat and humidity but i do play a bit more with a darker lipstick in the evenings or a little more sparkle on the cheeks or eyes for the holidays.

5. accessories - again it’s mainly the colors that change more so than style. so scarves and bags can be lighter and brighter in the summer months. i have a burgundy tote that i’ll pull out for fall & winter and put away my lavender purse.

6. fragrance - changing your fragrance is a wonderful way to change up the seasons. you know, light and fresh in the spring and summer, warmer and spicier in the fall and winter. i’m loving everything roses right now with chloe rose perfume and jo malone velvet rose.

overall i think the key has been to break up my wardrobe and pretend there are seasons so that each time i put the wardrobe together, it feels fresh. it’s funny how quickly you forget something when you don’t see it and “surprise” it’s like shopping again when you pull them out. when i do have several days that i feel like i don’t have the right thing to wear, i’ll look through my stored clothes to make an adjustment and if i don’t find it there, then it’s probably a sign of something missing in my wardrobe and it goes on the shopping list. but through that process it has made me shop much less and gave me pause to see if i really need it.

if you live in a warm climate or have any tips on how to feel seasonal, i would love it if you would share them!

aloha friday

this weekend we’ll be cleaning out the garden from the heavy rains this week from tropical storm olivia. thank goodness it wasn’t as strong as anticipated but it did do some flooding in certain areas. thoughts also for those in the wake of hurricane florence.

Perseverance: The Seven Skills You Need to Survive, Thrive, and Accomplish More Than You Ever Imagined- by Tim Hague - Looking forward to starting this book this weekend. Tim was diagnosed with PD at age 46 and is now a motivational speaker.

Lovely Day - Bill Withers - You’ve got to listen to this song in the morning. It’s a great way to start the day!

Did you know that the New York Public Library has more than 180,000 digital photos that you can download for free? Browse this amazing collection of anything you can think of. Here are few cool drawings that I printed out and framed for art.

Aviation Cocktail

We enjoyed this beautiful and delicious cocktail with homemade brandied cherries and is a great way to kick off the weekend.

finding the rhythm of your day

before i retired, the rhythm of the day usually involved waking up early, reading something motivational, look over my planner and plot out the day and week, and then off i went. i as many people do, had more things to do, than time to do it. and i enjoyed it. i felt productive, busy, important, and always had the next project or goal in mind. 

i also had the luxury of retiring over a period of time, giving me space to slowly get used to the pace of my new life. even with that, it has taken some time to find the daily routine that fits my current lifestyle. the physical and cognitive changes from my parkinson's including fatigue, and trying to reduce stress also play a part of how i spend my day. lastly i had to make a mind shift that the things that i do now have tremendous value, even though they don’t involve earning a living or adding to my career path. but enough time has passed and with the help of family and friends and the extraordinary PD community, i have transitioned from seeing what i can’t do but what i can do.

so i started with listing all the things that i could do during a day.

gardening

home maintenance

exercise

cook

read

listen to music

meditate

practice a 2nd language

research family history

volunteer

blog

journal

advocate for PD

meals or time with family or friends- whether that means in person, by phone, email, text, or social media

that’s 14 things and some items can be broken down further into sub categories. then i decided on the ones that i’d like to do daily, or at whatever interval is appropriate. then i tried experimenting throughout the day to see what worked out best for me.

i found that still getting a good morning routine helped me set the rest of the day in a more positive tone. i also found that i exercise much more if i do it first thing in the morning before i get too fatigued. i have coffee and read something inspirational or motivational whether it’s a book or podcast, and sometimes it’s reading a story from the davis phinney foundation website called moments of victory. then i review and plan my day, read my emails. then do some exercise, have breakfast, and some gardening.

after the sweaty work is done i like to get cleaned up and dressed. even if i’m staying home all day i find that showering, putting on makeup, and getting dressed (even if it’s shorts and a t-shirt, we are in hawaii after all) i feel better and ready for the next stage of the day. i try to make my appointments in the late morning to early afternoon. in the afternoon when i’m back home i pick one or two things from my list to do depending on how i feel.

i’m sure that rhythm will change over time and I’ll make adjustments as needed. i’d love to hear what the rhythm of your day is like. oh, and i forgot there is one more thing to add to my list when needed. a nap!

aloha friday

looking forward to digging in my garden this weekend and going for a walk. the weather is gorgeous with clear blue skies which always brings me joy. enjoy your end of summer weekend!

burt reynolds - sad to hear of burt reynolds passing. he was a charmer, had a great laugh, and said of his life, "no one had more fun than i did"....hope to be as lucky.

without gorky - saw this interesting documentary on netflix about the family of Abstract Expressionist painter Arshile Gorky and how his life and death impacted his family. for some reason i've been on a documentary kick about families and their interesting dynamics.

embracing the present moment - when i have a tough day, this is a good reminder.

a tree grows in brooklyn - i just started reading this classic book selected as one the top 100 books of the century by the new york public library. it's a wonderful book and i'd love to hear your thoughts if you've read it.

a blast from the past - i've been watching these old videos on youtube that show all about different thoughts on lifestyle. this one is a crack up about how young people should take care of  their clothes in the 1940's.

the only royal palace in the US

yesterday we took a tour of iolani palace. the modern hawaiian monarchy was formed in 1810, when king kamehameha I consolidated rule of the hawaiian islands, until 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown and queen liliuokalani was deposed. the palace was built by her brother king david kalakaua, during his reign in 1879. it's a beautiful little palace in the center of town and it's been such a joy to drive by and see most of my life.

image credit

it's a lovely mixture of hawaiiana and western culture. the native koa wood furniture and staircase just glow with a patina. the dining room table is set with original tiffany silverware gifted from napoleon III from france and crystal from what was called bohemia (now the czech republic).

image source

each room features a different color filled with artifacts and period furniture, many of which were repatriated over time.

in 1893 the monarchy was overthrown and sadly queen liliuokalani was forced to abdicate and eventually imprisoned in one of the bedrooms in the palace for eight months. after her release she lived her remaining years in a residence called washington place, which was until recently the residence of the governor of hawaii. 

eventually hawaii was annexed by the united states government and became the 50th state in 1959. the palace was used for many years as various government offices and had come under disrepair. the group the friends of iolani palace was created to lead the effort of its restoration.

it's a wonderful tour and i'd recommend it to both visitors and residents. bravo to the docents and other guides who were wonderful!

aloha friday

photo courtesy of Justin Ornellas

this weekend my inlaws are visiting from hawaii island (we call it the big island), so we are looking forward to spending time with them. we are also stopping by the made in hawaii festival that showcases locally made products. enjoy your weekend!

~between two ferns - zach galifianakis' show interviews famous people and is a total crack up. 

~beneath the scarlet sky - enjoyed this book. i'm not usually a ww2 book fan but the personal story was very moving. based on the true story this is an epic tale of one young man's incredible courage and resilience during world war II. pino lella is an italian teenager but his days of innocence are numbered. when his family home in milan is destroyed by allied bombs, pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the alps, and falls for anna, a beautiful widow. in an attempt to protect him, pino's parents force him to enlist as a german soldier--a move they think will keep him out of combat. but he is recruited to become the personal driver for general hans leyers, one of the third reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders. now, with the opportunity to spy for the allies, pino endures the horrors of the war and the nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.

~aware in care kit - many people with parkinson's or a chronic illness will have a visit to the hospital at some point. this is a great kit to have ready that will help hospital staff know about your condition so they can incorporate the knowledge into your treatment.

~ everlane linen box tee - this has been my favorite t-shirt this summer. it took me through the blazing humid road trip on the southeast coast and i've been wearing both the grey and navy colors constantly. i'm also only 5'2" and the length is perfect!

~ homage to the queen of soul - sad to hear of the passing of aretha franklin. she was truly one of a kind. however we are lucky to be left with her incredible music to enjoy forever. 

road trip here i come

For the last few weeks we were on a road trip. San Francisco, Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York! Marc and I have never driven many of these southeast states and we had a fantastic time. We had a lot of wonderful conversations with people we met. Everyone from our Lyft driver to random folks on the street, and along the way ate some incredible food.

San Francisco –the weather was blazing hot everywhere we went except in San Francisco. The skies were sunny with cool breezes and we stayed in an airbnb in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, and enjoyed a wonderful little cafe across the street called Precita Cafe & Grill.

Golden Gate Park was in full bloom and has lots of interesting things to see including the Conservatory of Flowers.

Lolinda restaurant in the Mission. A bustling Argentinian restaurant with mostly small plates, melt in your mouth shortribs & provoletta which is melted provolone cheese drizzled with a chimichurri sauce. It was all delicious.

Redwood Regional Park in Oakland is a great place for a walk, hike, or picnic. The bed of green below are clovers and it was wonderful to soak up the nature. We will definitely be back for a hike.

Atlanta - What a terrific city. It was vibrant, tons of great places to eat, bustling businesses, and was the start of the incredible southern hospitality that was to come. A few highlights were the Ponce City Market, One Eared Stag, Piedmont Park, & The Lawrence.

This incredible place is called Wormsloe in Savannah Georgia. Savannah is just overflowing with old Southern charm and the antebellum architecture was just stunning. B. Mathews & A.Lure were two restaurants we enjoyed.

Charleston, South Carolina has a great buzz to it. It's a beautiful mix of older homes, newer buildings, and lots of young people moving into the city for opportunity. I loved it! We stayed at the Andrew Pickney Inn which was right in the heart of the historic district and walkable to great shopping and restaurants. Although we had many fabulous meals, one of my favorites on the entire trip was at Husk. If you visit, it's a must.

More to come in my next post with Charlotte, DC, Philadelphia, & Brooklyn!

aloha friday

photo courtesy of Justin Ornellas

this weekend we are going on an architectural walking tour of downtown and chinatown and then dinner at sorabol which is a fantastic korean restaurant. hope you enjoy the weekend!

~wild wild country - this documentary on netflix is so interesting. you can't make this stuff up!

~lauren's hope -these are the cutest medical id bracelets. yes you can still be stylish!

~this is such an inspiring story.

~send help, i can't stop making this sausage & broccoli pasta -bon appetit has a website called basically which has simple but delicious recipes. they are great for easy dinners.

~how to reduce social isolation while living with pd - this has great tips for all of us.

happy aloha friday...........

aloha friday

happy fridays gals! next week we are headed off for a long road trip and i can't wait. san francisco, atlanta, savannah, charleston, charlotte, dc, philly, and nyc! have a wonderful weekend and here are a few bibs and bobs from around the web.

~something about the anxiety - a really personal and interesting article from fredrik backman 

~milk street - christopher kimball (formerly of america's test kitchen) has a fantastic show on pbs as well as a podcast that i really enjoy. although i enjoy america's' test kitchen, his newer concept with milk street is filled with "simple, bold recipes". on the 4th of july we grilled the singapore chicken satay skewers and they were delicious. 

~tips for traveling with parkinson's -this article has great tips for anyone traveling with a health challenge or takes medication.

~billions, showtime series- this is an awesome, hedonistic series about power, wealth, & corruption set in new york, but if you're a foodie it's even better if you look up this blog while you're watching it, that gives you information on all the cool restaurants they film in.

~striped cotton dress, linen tee - these two items from everlane are my favorites to wear this summer. the striped cotton dress is a great to throw on and go. it's cool and the fabric is just stiff enough that it has some structure. the linen tee was such a surprise. i didn't like linen in the past because it was too stiff and wrinkled in a strange way. but these tees are soft and again cool for the blistering summer heat!

~20 absorbing door stop novels for your summer reading - anne bogel has a great blog and podcast about books. just put the lake house and the time in between on my to be read list.

~are you an upholder, an obliger, a questioner, or a rebel? take gretchen rubin's quiz and find out. i'm an upholder.