Sunday, Sunday, and Sundae!

buona domenica is one of my favorite greetings!  For those who don't know, my life can be boiled down to a handful of words, all starting with the same letter.  My favorite Fs: faith, family, fashion, food, friends, and fun.  Sundays are traditionally a day of rest, but I much prefer to promote the day to be used as desired.  Not everyone worships, not everyone can be off from work, and not everyone has a family to feast with.  Having the ability to choose how you spend your time is the ultimate luxury. 

Sundays are important for me, and typically fine tune my focus for the week, recharge my motivation, and allow me to connect with the people and things I love the most.  A few moments at the local coffee shop with a good book or magazine, or a simple cup of Joe with my headphones while running errands and preparing for a great week ahead are all it takes to set the mood and ensure success.  If you envision a great week, plan for the worst, hope for the best, and keep the faith that all will be well, all really will be well.

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I am a skincare junkie.  The other day I discovered a new product from Sunday Riley that I absolutely love.  It's called Luna and I am definitely a fan.  Luna contains an advanced retinol complex unlike any other. Its trans-retinol ester corrects damage caused by the sun, time, pollution, lifestyle, and stress. The essential oil complex soothes the irritation typically associated with retinol. You will enjoy a more youthful, healthier complexion as Luna works to reduce the depth of lines and wrinkles. Simply apply before bed to erase the past and wake up refreshed. A few drops of this sublime serum melted instantly onto my skin and left a fresh, radiant view.  Really impressed!

Why do I love Sunday Riley?  The products work.  The ingredients are potent and proven to deliver real results.  A few of the main ingredients in Luna are:

• Trans-retinol Ester

  Belonging to a class of chemical compounds called retinoids, it’s the most potent ester of all trans-retinoic acids. Helps fight the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of skin elasticity. Not appropriate for use during pregnancy.
  

• Blue Tansy

  Deep blue-green oil, high in azulene. Heals damaged skin and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Helpful with eczema and dermatitis.
  

• German Chamomile

  Deep indigo oil, high in azulene. Wonderful for treating inflamed, irritated skin.
  

• Avocado Seed Oil

  Great for plumping fine lines. Rich in Vitamins B, C, D, E, and A. Contains high sterolin content, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
  

• Chia Seed Oil

  Richest botanical source of Omega-3. A powerful source of alpha lipoic acid, which helps minimize fine lines.
  

• Cape Chamomile

  Thought to help skin irritation, it is believed to encourage a healthy inflammatory response and support the skin’s ability to regulate sebum.
  

 

Clinical Results:

Statistically significant improvement in skin radiance and smoothness at both 4 weeks and 8 weeks. At 4 weeks, there was a clinically proven decrease in the number and depth of fine lines and wrinkles. For the women in our tests, the results speak for themselves.

• 100 felt the product absorbed well into the skin.
  
• 96 felt that their skin looked brighter, more radiant, healthier, refreshed, and revitalized.
  
• 92 felt that their skin tone looked more even, and their skin felt calmed, smoother, and softer.
  
• 90 felt their pores looked smaller.
  
• 85 felt their fine lines and wrinkles were visibly improved and the appearance of sun damage spots was visibly reduced.
  

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Sundaes.  I love ice cream, especially gelato.  Unexpected trips to get ice cream might be one of my favorite surprises of any day.  I think so fondly of the many outings for gelato in Italy when I was just a wee little joey, the countless trips to the local ice cream staple with my goddaughter and family, and the sweet surprise of making frozen confections at home to finish off dinner parties and celebrations.  Sundaes on Sundays are an extra treat.

What fuels your motivation and success?  How do you prepare for a great week? 

Style + Class in a glass

What makes for the perfect bar? For me, it's an effort by several parties and includes a multitude of factors. I'll describe one of my favorite bars, as an example and try to shed a bit more description and understanding.

Over the weekend I visited my alma mater for a fraternity reunion. I was amongst friends and familiarity, so nostalgia was peak. Walking downtown with one of my best friends, I remembered how wonderful a past birthday celebration was and how much I loved the hotel's bar. So a return visit was necessary. 

Location: the perfect bar should be in a wonderful location. The space for libation should either be accessibly convenient, in an unexpected place, have stunning views, or a combination of the three. Maybe it's an incredible prohibition era style bar hidden in a secret room in the middle of a hamburger joint. Or maybe it's a local wine bar in your old neighborhood post office. Or a swanky lounge in a boutique hotel full of art, style, and class. 

Decor and lighting: the lighting should be bright enough to see the menu, your friends, and provide seamless ambiance. Sunglasses and squinting need not be required. The desired experience of the owner / creator should be enhanced by the decor. From the furniture materials to the way the wine, spirits, and other liquid refreshments are housed and displayed, to the art, accessories, and dinnerware / flatware / linens, everything should be in harmony. 

Happy Distractions: for me, bars are more than just a place to drink. There should be another hook. Maybe it's incredible food, a gorgeous view, or the perfect setting for wonderful conversation. 

Options: selections on offer should be edited, varied, and of the best quality. Gorgeous garnishes. Mixers of top quality. Maximum flavor. 

The barkeep: an expert, hands down. Their gentle smile welcomes you, setting the stage for what's to come. They decipher your tastes, leading you on a journey around the culinary globe with finesse and flair. They might pepper in an opinion, fact, or story, shaking in a spice to your conversation. The service provided by bartenders is a true art - just the right amount of attention, interaction, and privacy. 

The points above are all demonstrated at many places, and especially the Grand Bohemian hotel. Amongst an endless row of typical downtown bars, filled with beer stained floors and a bit too tipsy tourists, enter the stylish + swanky Grand Bohemian: part art gallery, part hotel, part restaurant and lounge, all class. A gorgeous rotunda and lobby, with incredible art and sculpture, and one of a very few Imperial Grand Bösendorfer pianos literally set the tone. 

We quickly met Ivy. And I must say, she's a pure professional. Ivy is smart, skilled, polite, kind, and simply beyond. From the very first of many drinks, her ability to not only identify personal tastes and desires and shape that understanding into the most wonderful culinary journey seemed effortless. Her drink recommendations and crafting were spot on. The contribution to our conversation was that of an old friend. And the food - incredible. The perfect portion, execution, and presentation. Thin pizza crispy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, with mountains of mozzarella and mushrooms, finished with herbs and truffle oil. Wagyu beef carpaccio perfectly prepared. And the most copious crab cakes you've ever imagined, with so much crab you swear their held together with magic and angel's breath. 

I love this bar. But ultimately, any time spent with your best friend, no matter the location, regardless of decor, will always be the best.