An Ordinary Day...

Wednesday, April 12th started off as an ordinary day. The alarm sounded off at 6:00 a.m. like it always did. Reggie did his work day morning ritual, showering, grooming, selecting a suit and accessorizing with the perfect accents for Read more

Why are some people mean?

Why are some people mean? I'm not talking about a little mean, but bazaar, go out of their way to be mean. Recently I've encountered a few mean people, I remind myself that these situations will make me a stronger Read more

Maldives

Our last trip of 2016 was to the Maldives. Last year was one full of excursions, We traveled to Cameroon, Paris, Bali, Hawaii, New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Lake Tahoe, Atlanta, Napa, San Francisco, Dubai, and I must say Read more

Quote

It's okay to venture out of your comfort zone... Lately I've been doing it quite often. This weekend is going to be one of renewal, my personal Super Bowl. What are your plans? I will be working today and tomorrow. Happy Read more

Do you enjoy yourself?

Both of my kids are in New York, my son is in school in the Hudson Valley and my daughter is living in Brooklyn and working. So we are officially empty nesters, and have been so for a while Read more

Golden Gladiator #1 Rosetta

Posted on by Gigi in Aging, Girl Crush, gladiator, Inspiration, Mother's 5 Comments

I love celebrating women who live life to the fullest, especially women who are of a certain age, that are embracing who they are at every decade never missing a beat. So I am thrilled to present to you my first “golden gladiator” Rosetta.

Rosetta

Rosetta

 

Rosetta and I met when our girls were in pre-school 20 years ago. Initially it was a friendship based on our little girls, getting them together for their play dates.

They were like siamese twins, so of course our friendship blossomed over time we spent sitting in the park watching the girls and talking about everything. Now those girls are young ladies finished with college and starting their careers. Although we were blessed to be able to focus on our families, we never forgot about who we were as women, outside of our role of full time moms. I sat down with Rosetta and over a cup of tea we chatted about her recent graduation from law school (btw at the top of her class) at the young age of 56.

GIGI: I remember when we met, two things you shared with me: 1. that you were fluent in french and had lived in Paris 2. that you wanted to be a lawyer.

Rosetta: At the age of 15 I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating from USC I moved to Paris, while there I had a near fatal accident. I moved back to the states to recover. While home I attended a party where I met my husband, we got married started our family, and I put my law school dream on the top shelf.

Rosetta

Rosetta

GIGI: Why did you decide to go to law school now? I remember you went back to school in 2006 and completed your real estate license, and then you got your brokers license and had established your business and were doing quite well.

Rosetta: It was always my plan to get my law degree at some point. My older daughter had graduated from college and my younger daughter had started college so the time was right for me, my husband was supportive of my plan as well.

GIGI: Was it difficult returning to school, considering you were a little more “mature” than the other students? I remember when I returned to school many times I was older than my professors.

Rosetta: Not at all…quite the opposite, I was not “trying to meet someone” so there were no distractions, I was so much more prepared than some of my younger counterparts. I could manage my time- all those years of balancing my family and their lives came in handy. I also stood out in my class, I “dressed everyday” the younger students were very casual and I was focused on my course work.

GIGI: Were there times when you got discouraged?

Rosetta: Yes, every semester I doubted myself. But what kept me going was my husband, morning runs with my running partner Angie, and my support system of 3 women who I met with regularly. I also always had a positive attitude and studied nonstop, basically I did what ever I had to do to do the work.

GIGI: What is your passion? And any advice to those who may be thinking about making a life change, later in life?

Rosetta: My passion is for women and property. Through my real estate business I have seen so many women who are not prepared and as a result they end up in poverty by making uninformed decisions. My advice is to follow your passion whatever it is, and never give up. Do not let your age be a deterrent.

GIGI: Well I know you will make a difference and come up with a plan or a program empowering women you have always been a “giver” as long as I have known you.

Rosetta J.D.

Rosetta J.D.

Rosetta I want to share with my followers some of your tips on “keeping it together” you are beautiful inside and out and your body is slamming…

1. Pray everyday

2. I fast 2 days per week

3. I run 2 to 3 times per week (6 miles)

4. 2 days per week I go to the gym and do strength training

5. sit ups, push ups, hydrants 200 per day of each

6. weigh daily

7.watch my diet, but I don’t deprive myself of a treat now and then

8. always purpose to weigh what it says on my license on my birthday

9. Peace

There you have it from gladiator Rosetta…with her plan we would all be ready for “battle”.

Rosetta

Rosetta

Happy Weekend Everybody

XOXO,

GIGI

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At My Age…

Posted on by Gigi in Aging, Beauty, Fitness, Well-Being 2 Comments

I’m going to be honest here. We live is a youth obsessed society, everywhere you look there are images of celebrities in the news, on the TV, FB etc., whether an update on Bey’s comings and goings or some Kardashian story, we are bombarded by these images.

Celebs in the news

Celebs in the news

BEY

BEY

Our “norm” of what a person looks like is an overly photoshopped picture that leaves a little remnant of what the person actually looks like in person. Digital images once uploaded and magnified expose any sensitive areas you may have or shall I say did not know you had…

Madonna Before and After

Madonna Before and After

Most days I feel like I am holding on pretty good, considering I’m 5’4″ and 54. I inherited my father’s hair color gene, just a sprinkling of grey strands, which allows me to color my hair about every 5-6 months and wearing a curly “do” hides a multitude of sins.

Photographer Gigi

Photographer Gigi

The body however, is something that needs constant monitoring. No more of the magically tight 20’s, or the taunt 30’s or the firm fine 40’s this is the “betta find your a$$ in a gym 50’s” or else ease on down the middle age spread road. Is there anything really wrong with that? Passing on the baton and settling comfortably in to a pair of spanx and a good bra? No. Not at all-but of course there are other benefits to working out other than the “I don’t like the body that I glanced at in the mirror” reason.

Spanx

Spanx

And don’t throw in the dreaded “M” work…That blanky-blank will jack a body up until you outsmart it…My theory is that menopause has a timer that tries to tell the world in subtle ways that this body is no longer available for reproducing. Let’s try and plump it up just enough to take away that youthful hourglass figure, just enough so somebody may slip and call you “Ma’am”.

menopause

menopause

My car is a 2007 model, which is old by California standards, the moment the service light comes on I am at the dealer, never ever missing an appointment, that is how you have to be with these bodies, diligent. I have to do yoga or I risk stiffening up like the tin man, strength training-a must do especially since I was diagnosed with osteoporosis a few years back. Cardio, cardio and more cardio if you want to have some memory of a waistline, and finally the most important one of all-drumroll THE DIET!

Chair Pose

Gigi yoga

You have to fine tune what you put in your body and know what works for you. I’m not here to preach the vegan diet, vs raw vegan or vegetarian sermon, because even those can wreck havoc on a body if not followed properly ie. we all have met the obese vegetarian who lives on macaroni and cheese and pizza. The only rule I want to share is “GRREN UP” Saturate your body with as many anti-oxidants as you can stand, from fresh organic produce-you will notice the benefits inside and out especially in your skin. Everyday I have at least one big glass of fresh green juice.

Green Goddess Juice

Green Goddess Juice

Of course there are skin care advances and procedures available, but I want to do everything I can holistically before I investigate those options. I know I owe a lot to my diet and protecting myself from our beloved sun.

botox filler injections

botox filler injections

So Gigi’s advice to all my pretties:

20’s Have fun, but set up a foundation of being active

Gigi @ 25

Gigi @ 25

30’s “twerk” the diet if you had bad habits in the 20’s, especially if you are starting to have babies

Wedding Day july 23, 1989 1 week before 30

Wedding Day july 23, 1989 1 week before 30

40’s if you don’ get your shit together here, this is like the last hooray-lots can happen in this era

Gigi @ 40

Gigi @ 40

50’s you can still be FAB, but you have to do the work No get our of jail card here, you will go direct to “fifty and frumpy”

50's Gigi

50’s Gigi

60’s and beyond KEEP it MOVING and watch the diet, it is a lifetime commintment

The good thing is our bodies are truly amazing, with a lot of effort and hard work you can still get results and reverse the aging clock. Will you ever look 22 again? No, but you can be a damn good looking 50 something year old

So start today by making good choices or bumping it up a notch if you already have a good routine. I’m always trying to do something, whether it is trying a new workout or training for an event, anything to keep my butt moving instead of drooping…

So let’s toast with a green juice and move your body today!

Xoxo,

GIGI

 

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Gigi’s Meanderings Around The Web # 10

Posted on by Gigi in Web 2 Comments

Just wanted to share a little of this and little of that… As you may or may not know my son Reggie is doing a year abroad in Italy, so of course all things Italian are on my radar. Blogger Tamu McPherson lives in Milan, her blog All the Pretty Birds is one of my favorite street fashion blogs, she  is featured in an HM video about living in Milan and being a street photographer. I hope to get to Milan on one of my visits and check out some of her favorite spots. Check it out.

http://youtu.be/nxrp47OUG4M

 

No matter how busy I am I like to take time to read for pleasure, I am a magazine addict and I love literature. Waiting on awarding author, Jesmyn Ward‘s  memoir Men We Reaped to arrive, it comes out tomorrow, it may inspire me to resurrect my old book club Round Table.

Men we Reaped, Jesmyn Ward

Men we Reaped, Jesmyn Ward

I have hoarder tendencies, but as I “mature” I am editing and getting rid of things that no longer serve me, or repurposing items. Living in southern California, our winters are mild, but I do wear boots occasionally, a few years ago I bought a pair of Stuart Weitzman 5050 boots, a boot that debuted 20 years ago. I am glad I did not get rid of them,because they are still my go to walking boot.

stuart weitzman 5050 boot

stuart weitzman 5050 boot

Check them out here, or if you are patient like me, maybe you can catch a pair on sale at the end of the season.

I don’t watch must TV, but every season this is some series that catches my attention ie. Scandal, this past summer I found myself watching netflix’s Orange in The New Black, so of course I got a giggle out of this spoof with these cat faces. check it out here.

Orange is The New Black

Orange is The New Black

 

So so true…so easy to spend time complaining about life, instead of doing something about it. It is easy to get in a rut, combat those times with exercise, yoga and green juice…works every time.

True

True

When we were traveling back from Thailand, we had a stop over in Tokyo. My friend Nancy Kutsura met me at the airport and we quickly caught up on our lives since design school. Prior to design school Nancy was one of the first African-American models to grace the runways at the big couture shows, back in the late 70’s.

Nancy & Gigi

Nancy & Gigi

Barbara Summers book, Skin Deep: The story of Black models in America and Abroad gives a detailed history of these models of color that opened the door for many of the models we see today, so of course I was saddened to read this article about New York fashion week and the absence of models of color in 2013.

Skin Deep

Skin Deep

Tomorrow I have an incredibly business day ahead of me, so I am going to call it a night.

Xoxo,

GIGI

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SURRENDER- WORD

Posted on by Gigi in Well-Being 6 Comments

SUR-REN-DER

1. To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion

2. To give up in favor of another

3. To give up or give back

4. To give up or abandon

5. To give over or resign (one self) to something, as to an emotion

The act of surrendering can be viewed as being weak or giving up. I was thinking about this and came to the conclusion that it can be quite the opposite, matter of fact empowering. When you surrender you get closer to the true you, this can apply to so many situations in life. Surrendering comes from the heart, and operates from the present not focusing on the past. Once you are able to surrender, magical things can happen in your life. No, you are not giving up or accepting failure- by surrendering you are using your power within to overcome and give in to something that was weighing you down. When I “let it go” I gain clarity that allows a negative space to be filled with positive energy. 

My husband is the master of surrendering. I recall one time he had a patient that he did a surgery on for little of nothing, it may have even been free. The procedure went fine, but the person was not happy with the outcome and decided to sue him. Many years later the same person to the dismay of the staff, came back as a patient again and my husband was so gracious and of course accepted them again as if nothing ever happened…

Gigi

Gigi

“Surrender is faith that the power of love can accomplish anything…even when you can not foresee the outcome.”Deepak Chopra

xoxo,

GIGI

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To Do Lists…

Posted on by Gigi in Inspiration, My Life, Well-Being 3 Comments

I don’t know about you, but there are so many things I want to do, places I want to go, experiences I want to have-before I am to old or in my case “older”. My daughter Amani turned 23 yesterday, as I looked at her birth announcement that I have framed along with all our yearly holiday photo cards that each year are retired to a permanent montage on the wall, as cliche’ as it sounds ” time really does zoom by”. I am reminded every morning as I glance at my “family” life.

Birth Announcement

Birth Announcement

The Wall

The Wall

 

Everything on my list really is doable-the fantasy things, such as living in a foreign land are just that fantasies, and I don’t focus on the “have it all” list either. For the most part I’m content where I am, not Jones-ing for a new car or a bigger house, or another designer bag, OK maybe a pair of shoes but I’m good where I am.  Going to Brazil, Madagascar,  Bali, New Zealand are just a few destinations on my long list, I know I will get to those eventually, it is the day to day lists that are sometimes overwhelming. I often feel as though there is not enough hours in the day to do everything, perhaps it is because I am always bombarding my brain with new information, and like my MAC it starts going real slow and of course my friend “time management” is always at my backdoor.

I’m a list writer and before I go to bed I jot down my “to do” list, you know the usual suspects, go to the cleaners, bank, store etc. or clean this up, email and such, those lists I handle pretty well. The list that challenges me is the one that has items like this:

1. kids need to be responsible adults and be able to take care of themselves.

2. We need to be healthy – so we can “see” item 1.

3. keep spiritually grounded

4. don’t let the small shit, get to me…

5. take quality time for those that are important to me–tomorrow is not promised…yeah another cliche-but this year I have learned the hard way

6. continue to take a stand-even if it means fallout

7. have a desaster plan in place – ie. if Reggie’s stroke really would have been bad- What was my plan?

8. keep working on having that “jamming” beach body- never give up

9. apply lotions and potions every night-and when that fails go for the big guns–

10. Every day live a FULL life- take time to do something SPECIAL

Happy Monday and let me start on my lists…

XOXO,

GIGI

Gigi

Gigi

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A Taste Of Thailand

Posted on by Gigi in Travel 1 Comment

 

Gigi & Ele

Gigi & Ele

We are a family of foodies! Reggie and I follow a vegan diet with an occasional backslide here and there, my son is a carnivore  and my daughter’s diet is as fickle as the weather. We flew on Air Japan and thanks to saving those miles, we were in business class which was nice considering it was a 20 hour journey. I pre-ordered hindu vegan meals which I fine more flavorful that just regular vegan meals. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the meals, so fresh and delicious.

business class vegan meal Air Japan

business class vegan meal Air Japan

Our first day in Bangkok started off with a 4 AM wake up call, we were meeting a guide to participate in the daily alms round, a tradition where lay people feed the monks in order to earn merit. The monks come out at dawn in search of their daily meal which must be eaten by noon. We left the hotel around 5 AM, stopped at one of the many roadside food stands to buy flowers and small individual packets of food for the monks. We then were dropped off at the dock where we boarded a long tail boat, after about a 10 minute ride we were greeted with the light of dawn and monks in their saffron robes gliding on small boats receiving alms from the residents along the river. It was a moving experience to participate in this ritual. Each time we had an exchange with a monk, he would  say a few sentences in Thai, which our guide told us the monk was blessing us for our generosity.

Making Alms to the monks

Making Alms to the monks

After our morning of visiting temples we returned to our hotel and had afternoon tea. The Peninsula Hotel is known for their tea,  so with our complementary voucher in hand we took advantage and escaped the heat for a minute.

Peninsula Hotel Afternoon Tea

Peninsula Hotel Afternoon Tea

The next day we decided to have dinner at an Indian Restaurant I read about in Vogue India. I was intrigued by the description of “progressive Indian” cuisine. So after a crazy ride on a tuk tuk we arrived at Gaggan only to be told we did not have a reservation, fortunately Chef Gaggan happened to pass by and notice us, which was not difficult considering I had not run into any African-Americans since we arrived in Thailand. He was so gracious and accommodated us on the terrace which was perfect.  Our meal was “progressive” but delightful, numerous courses of artfully prepared Indian inspired dishes, but the highlight of the evening was running into our neighbor Samir and his children. What are the odds of that? Mind you this is our neighbor who lives across the street and we did not know that we were both traveling to Thailand.

Samir and Gigi in Bangkok

Samir and Gigi in Bangkok

Damnoen Saduak floating market gave us a chance to travel outside of the city, I had read that this is a tourist trap but still a must see. We hired one of the wooden boats, which are all are paddled by women, and went up and down the narrow canals buying fruit, and other trinkets.

Floating Market

Floating Market

floating market

floating market

Floating Market

Floating Market

After a few days in Bangkok we traveled north to Chiang Mai, our home for the next few days was the Four Seasons a beautiful resort  surrounded by rice paddy fields. The service was impeccable, we had breakfast there every day and the staff quickly accommodated our vegan requests and greeted us by name every morning.

Four Seasons Chiang Mai

Four Seasons Chiang Mai breakfast

pool time

pool time

 

Flower Garden

Flower Garden

Of course we could not go to Thailand without doing a cooking class. I did my research before leaving and settled on “A Lot of Thai: Home Cooking School” which was held at the home of Yui. Chef Yui was an excellent teacher, we made all the thai classics, pad thai, spring rolls, mango sticky rice, green curry and many other dishes. Thai cooking is so quick and so full of flavor.

A Taste Of Thai Cooking Class

A Taste Of Thai Cooking Class

Gigi & Family

Gigi & Family

One of the highlights of our trip to Thailand was spending a day at Patara elephant farm. You are paired with an elephant when you arrive and you take care of it for the day, ie. feeding, bathing doing a health check and going for a ride through the jungle. These majestic animals are so gentle. I really wanted to go and just take pictures of everybody, because I was afraid, I have had bad experiences riding horses so riding an elephant-Oh my. My monkey brain was telling me that I was going fall and be stepped on by the elephant. At the end of the day I was in love with these giants. We had a beautiful lunch on banana leaves next to a waterfall after we bathed our elephant.

Patera Elephant Farm

Patera Elephant Farm

Amani & baby

Amani & baby

Reggie feeding the Ele

Reggie feeding the Ele

Amani with mom and babe

Amani with mom and babe

 

Thai Picnic

Thai Picnic

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54 COUTURE

Posted on by Gigi in photography 9 Comments
Remembering...

Remembering 9-11

Acknowledging all those that lost their lives…I remember that morning like yesterday, it was my son’s first day of pre-school and I was upset because of something that had happened in the classroom and then quickly I put it all in perspective. Life has never been the same in our country.

Those of you that have been stopping by, know I am passionate about photography. I close my eyes thinking about it and wake up grabbing my camera excited about what I’m going to capture any given day. My kids get annoyed with me at times…”Can’t we just do what we are doing? Why do you have to take a picture?”. I am the family history documenting everything, I know one day they will thank me.

My favorite subjects are women, I love shooting “regular” ladies ie. women that perhaps have not been photographed since graduation or perhaps their wedding day and giving them a transformative experience like an A lister, professional makeup, wardrobe tips, a pampering session directing them and the outcome being extraordinary images. Beauty portraiture inspired by fashion magazine styled sessions, photographing women of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors-finding the beauty in all of them.

I’ve been tossing around names trying to come up with something that feels right for my new venture. Drum roll please…

I think I am going to go with “54 Couture”. Of course you all know “54” is my current age, a number that symbolizes my own transformation. I know I did not want to go with Gervel Sampson photography etc. and my friend Elsy suggested “54 couture” and I really like it. So my friends stay tuned for more info as “54 Couture” evolves. Here is a peak at my latest session with my friend Elsy a fellow photographer that I train with. She will be doing my “beauty” session next week-excited.

Beautiful Elsy

Beautiful Elsy before and after…

XOXO,

GIGI

 

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Quote

Posted on by Gigi in My Life, Quotes 7 Comments

Came across this quote today and it really resonated inside of me, I read it a few times and thought about what these words meant to me…

Quote

Quote

We spend so much time trying to be what we think we need to be for others. At 54 years young I am finally living each day as the woman I am meant to be…This did not happen overnight, it was a long journey and the most difficult part was learning to say “NO” and accepting that everybody was not going to like me all the time. Many times being who you are meant to be sometimes means not following the group, being an independent thinker. It can be unsettling, especially if you have spent a lot of time “creating a facade” of yourself.

Sometimes it can be something simple like changing a hairstyle, I remember when I started wearing my hair natural many years ago, many well meaning friends and family had reactions, it was if I somehow let them down by changing my long relaxed tresses. I even had one person say to me “what about your husband?, is he OK with your hair like that?”. Now 10 years later the natural hair movement is booming.

I remember when I started dating my husband, after a few months he wanted to take me to his church, which unbeknownst to me was pretty uptight. On this particular morning he picked me up and I was dressed, but I had on no stockings and a pair of hoop earrings, so on the way to the church he stopped at the mall and told me he had to get something. So we go in the store and he finds stockings, a “little house on the prairie” dress and some little flat shoes and he asked me to put the outfit on, and take off the earrings. He explained that his church was really conservative and I would be more comfortable in that outfit, so I reluctantly changed into my costume and we went to church. I remember feeling really uncomfortable in my “new” outfit, and thinking this is not me, and I cannot transform into this person for him or anybody else, there had to be a happy medium. So of course we talked about it later and I told him that he was  attracted to me the way I was and I can’t change into someone else and perhaps he could meet one of the ladies that already have the image he was  trying to create. So my friends you know the rest of the story almost 25 years later …

So everyday I strive to be my true self, most days it is effortless and some days not so easy. I find that having transparency frees my mind to be creative, because I’m not fixated on keeping up an illusion, I’m just being me…plenty of flaws included.

Photographer Gigi

Photographer Gigi

XOXO,

GIGI


Reginaldo In Italia

Posted on by Gigi in Family, Italy 6 Comments

 

Little Reggie

Little Reggie

A little over a week ago my 16 year old  son packed all his worldly possessions in to his suitcase in preparations for his school year abroad in Italy. I chuckled as he tired to stuff as many big tennis shoes as possible in to the large bag, that I could already see was going to be overweight. We traveled to Boston to meet up with the 50 + students who had come from all over the country to catch the flight together to Rome. It was bittersweet, while I was proud of my son for taking the risk to go to another country, learn a new language, become part of an Italian  family, I was still sad to see him go. I’m happy he has the intellectual curiosity to even want to do this, to step out of his comfort zone, but I know the separation will be difficult.

Reggie

Reggie

The room was filled with other glassy eyed parents, listening to cautionary tales the administrators were sharing with all of us, “your child will have freedom, there are no drinking restrictions in Italy, the academic program is rigorous, there is opportunity to travel around in small groups and yes your child will probably be home sick but please don’t call them more than once a week.” After exchanging small talk with random moms who were exchanging tidbits about their kids, it was time to walk to the terminal for check in. 21 boys and 34 girls, from a variety backgrounds, a sprinkling of “brown” children which I was happy to see, all of them already forming little groups laughing with one another, most of them like my son not knowing anybody prior to that day.

departure

departure

I remember last year when my son told me he wanted to apply to SYA (school year abroad), I was supportive, but at the same time not encouraging the process, I’m going to be honest there was a part of me that secretly thought that maybe he would not be accepted. Of course on March 15, as promised the acceptance letter arrived and I saw the biggest smile ever, his dream to study in Italy was becoming a reality. We were in Italy for the first time a few years ago and I remember Reggie said to me then “Mommy one day I am going to live here”.

Alitalia ticketing

Alitalia ticketing

I know this will be a transformative experience for my son and Reggie and I as a couple. We will be “empty nesters” for the next 10 months, no distractions of having a child at home to focus on, I will launch my photography shingle, and Reggie will play even more basketball. I just booked our tickets to go visit Reggie for Christmas and I had one phone call from him so far, letting me know how much he loves it there and that he can already speak Italian!

 

Gigi & Son

Gigi & Son

Reggie will be living in the charming city of Viterbo, located just north of Rome. SYA will celebrate 50 years of sending high school students abroad. They have four programs, France, Spain, Italy and China and summer programs as well.

SYA

SYA

Reggie promised me he would create a tumblr…no time for a real blog. So check him out at reggiechibiitalia.tumblr.com

Ciao,

GIGI

 

 

 

 

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Travel Transformation-Bangkok

Posted on by Gigi in Family, My Life, Travel 4 Comments

 

Traveling...

Traveling…

 

The past few weeks have been emotionally charged, the unexpected death of Reggie’s brother Jimmy, complications with my son’s travel visa for Italy, my sister’s hip replacement surgery, combined with the normal challenges of day to day living. Every year we have been fortunate to go on a family holiday. We typically decide on a place, do a little research and  travel in August.  Last year we went to South Africa, a first for us, it was an incredible trip full of history, beautiful people, and one of the highlights was going on safari. With so many places in the world to go, we always try to pick some place new each year.

Safari Family

Safari Family

Travel is transforming, we leave our comfort zone and step out into the big old world, I love going to a foreign place and observing with my eyes, capturing with my lens and savoring with all my senses what this new place is about. Growing up our travel was mostly visiting other relatives, and an occasional trip to Hawaii, which I loved, because we stayed in a hotel. I have always loved discovering something new, even exploring a neighboring city can be fascinating if you take a moment and walk around like a tourist, you will be surprised with what you might see. This year we decided to go to Thailand, I have always been interested in eastern culture and love thai cooking. We wanted a trip that had city life, sprinkled with salt water in the hair, sand between the toes and some shopping thrown in for good measure. So this morning after putting on my long flight travel uniform-black lululemon yoga pant, tee shirt, my fav calypso black cashmere sweater, and a pair of “worn in” slip on wedges I was ready to go.

fav travel wedge...

fav travel wedge…

I know our family trips together soon may be ending as our children start their own life journey, but I am happy for the ones we will be able to do together.

The family

The family

 

Japan Air was fabulous, the first leg of the trip was 10 hours. I pre-ordered vegan meals that were really fresh and tasty, of course my son had tradistional meals, and he was pleased as well.

vegan Japan Air Meal

vegan Japan Air Meal

kid-lets fast asleep

kid-lets fast asleep

 

 

 

A brief layover in Tokyo and then another 7 hours to our finally destination Bangkok. After a short ride to the city we checked into The Peninsula got settled in and of course my body clock is out of wack so I decided to post while everyone else is fast asleep. It is a little after midnight, our room is very elegant, and well appointed with buttons for everything, I’ll take a pics tomorrow.

The Peninsula

The Peninsula

 

We have an early pick up at 5 am to participate in a tradition of feeding the monks and we will go to some of the famous temples. Not sure what the weather will be, it is monsoon season so I know it will be raining at times tomorrow, and the temperature will be about 95, btw read in one of my guides book that Thailand is one of the hottest places on the planet. So I guess I rest my eyes for a moment so I can be fresh for tomorrow.

XOXO,

Gigi

 

 

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