Monday 31 January 2011

good company...

Ok, it is official... we are in the most depressing time of the year and, though there are some discrepancies about the exact date of the most depressing day of the year (statistics on suicides taken into account...) I think you would agree with me that precision has little importance on this... Here we are, Christmas holidays long gone, days still dark and cold, next break feels like a century ahead and, if you don't believe in Valentine, there is no reason for celebration in the horizon! On top of all that, the sales are almost over and, though some of us got lucky enough to snatch those Miu Miu patent leather moccasins with 50% off, the truth is that there is nothing left to ease our pain...


So there is no reason to deny it, the "blues" are here and we need to do something to feel better... My idea was simple: invite a few friends over on a Saturday night, prepare a simple Mediterranean assortment of food to share, have a laugh and drown our misery in good wine :) It turned out to be far better than I had expected as we really had a lovely time talking about our travel experiences and far away places, we were all relaxed and enjoyed the food, including an amazing octopus salad prepared by one of my friends, and I got offered so many bottles of champagne and so much cheese (both of great quality, mind you) I can have at least two more champagne and cheese parties!


Bottom line is that, if you can't make it on your own to feel better and fight depression... ask some help from your friends! Chances are everybody feels more or less the same so, get together, have a glass of wine (or two or three for that matter, provided you are not driving afterwards...) and fight the "blues" as a group! Good company always helps and is perhaps the only thing which helps in these depressing times... except for heavy medication... but you don't want that, right?!


Do I really need to say that good company is better than shoes?... nah.... you already know that ;)

Monday 17 January 2011

white sand under my feet...

...was better than shoes!!!

I am a fortunate person who got to spend the first day of the year on the beach, by a sea the colour of turquoise, under the warm sun while drinking piƱa colada and reading, finally, "The lost symbol"! I could not have asked for anything more, I had a week of absolute bliss while carrying a smile on my face which reached from one ear to the other! Everything was perfect, everything was better than I had hoped for and I came back full of wonderful memories, wish to go back and... 2 kilos extra! Yep, those tortilla chips with guacamole came back here with me...

I was determined to do something different for the Xmas holidays this year, escape the winter and go spend this time somewhere far where I could enjoy the sun and the sea. I did it and am glad I did! One week of holidays which restored my tired body and mind. Beach in the morning, naps in the afternoon, eating, drinking, dancing, shooting pool, reading... paradise could not be much different than this!! I would have loved to have stayed more but, truth be told, I am not really complaining because even to be able to be there for a week was a dream come true!

Everything was beautiful but the best thing was the sand! Seriously!! So fine and white and not hot at all though under the hot sun, and so peacefully looking and clean and comfy under the soles of my feet... like caressing them with every step...   I have always loved walking on the beach, having the water cool off my feet and enjoy the view of this line between the sand and the sea... But this time it was 10 times better than anything I have experienced before... definitely better than shoes...

PS. Happy New Year to all of you and your loved ones!