A Staycation with a taste of Venice is close at hand.
Has this ever happened to you? You see something one day in person or a magazine and you store it in a folder or on Pinterest or put it up on a vision board. Some months, years or even decades later that vision materializes. His has happened to me on several occasions in my life.
In this case I was in Newport Beach California at a wonderful restaurant overlooking the water, it was evening and dusk was upon us. I looked out the window and saw a gondola go by …. “ I want to do that” I say.
Years later, now living in Dallas, I decide it’s time to do something different for an evening. Travel had been out of the question but I soon found out a gondola adventure was well within reach !
Who knew that in Irving Texas you could take a gondola ride down the Mandalay Canal and Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas, have an expert gondolier trained in Italy take you under quaint bridges while you sip wine, eat horsdouvers and listen as a beautiful operatic voice echoes across the water.
That was Greg our gondolier and the owner of Gondola Adventures taking us out on his favorite gondola in the fleet called Rosa. Rosa has quite the history in this fleet of several different beautifully authentic gondola styles. (I will let Greg tell you that story)
It was an unforgettable evening that transported me back to a story book time that still lives in full color in the canals of Venice Italy, but still miraculously available within reach.
Let Gondola adventures help you plan the perfect proposal, anniversary, intimate wedding, evening adventure or “just because” cruise.
With many packages to choose from- casual pizza cruises to elegant dinners or dessert cruises to breakfast cruises or even a gift card you are bound to look love your ride.
Bonus points for manifesting a long forgotten dream.
PS as it turns out this is the same company I saw on the waters off Newport Beach.
March11 handcrafts clothing with Ukrainian Vyshyvanka in mind, showcasing artisanal fashion in a modern way. From fabric sourcing to hand finishing, there is a lot of love and care that goes into creating every unique piece. A timeless traditional classic has been updated with a modern twist by adding color, tassels, and embroidery, making it a resort-wear piece you will keep forever.
Megan and I got together to showcase these beautifully detailed Ece pieces. We had so much fun highlighting these Indian Paisley inspired print dresses, easily their best sellers. Choose one from their collection or consider a made-to-order piece.
Linen is a traditional choice for Ukranian Vyshyvanka styles, sourced from Belarus. This lightweight linen has a rustic feel to it, but is still light as gossamer. Special attention to detail and hand finishing are what define these styles.
March11 is proud to revive and keep the traditional needlework and design alive in a modern wearable way.
style tip… The Ece dress comes in two lengths, and though I rarely wear a mini dress, I chose this for its versatility. Don’t be afraid to style your clothing differently, in this case, I turned this Ece https://march11.com/collections/ece/products/copy-of-ece-flared-mini-dress dress into a topper.
I was honored to be invited to a ladies luncheon celebrating the Texas Ballet Theatre hosted by Janet Rice and Capera Ryan. The Texas Ballet’s creative direction has been the source of a nightly inspiration for my wardrobe choices.
Held at Neiman Marcus I had the pleasure to get to know 10 wonderful Dallas women . we enjoyed a fantastic lunch provided by Neiman Marcus, followed by a gorgeous fashion show highlighting spring fashion. From Gucci to Ferragamo Oscar de la Renta and bottega venetta. Some great spring fashion was on display.
The Texas Ballet is one of the most frequently selected theatrical productions among my [friends and family]. The non-stop dancing and sophisticated stagecraft are exhilarating even for those accustomed to more sedate ballet experiences.
Like most fashionistas I considered what I would wear carefully. I ended up choosing this Carolina Herrera dress Which I had shortened to tea length for the occasion. A vintage Paloma Picasso purse And my fortunate find Veronica Beard shoes that were perfect for this look; not too dressy not too casual. A little bit of perfume by Fredric Malle and your set.
The Texas Ballet Theater Mission
The mission of Texas Ballet Theater is to create, present and tour world-class ballet, from classical to cutting–edge, and promote its appreciation, accessibility, and technical mastery among students, pre-professionals, and audiences of all ages. We are honored to be the only arts organization to serve as resident company for Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth and the Winspear Opera House on the AT&T Performing Arts Center Campus in Dallas. Our internationally recognized company is built on a rich history and boasts a repertoire that is creative, expressive and collaborative.
From programs for preschool and school children to summer classes for children and adults the Texas Ballet Theater School offers dance programs in Dallas and Fort Worth with classes that range from beginner ballet to elite professional training. Their curriculum is designed to nurture aspiring artists by strengthening their technical dancing skills, creating a life-long appreciation for ballet, and helping develop critical life skills like confidence, discipline and creativity, which enrich their lives long after classes have concluded. Read more about them here.
If you’ve ever attended a performance of The Texas Ballet, you know it’s a great way to spend an evening. But do not just take my word for it, go and see for yourself!
Details of Style
I also had the privilege of continuing my conversation with Dr. Max Cyader
Dr. Max Cynader is a renowned researcher at the University of British Columbia’s Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. He is a a Principal Investigator in Canada’s Network of Excellence in Stroke.
The founder of Synaptitude a proactive coaching system for life long cognitive wellness . There are so many issues that affect our cognitive function from sleep and stress. The Exercise and Nutrition his program will guide you in navigating your cognitive strength. My full interview with Dr. Max us up on my IGTV, where you can click here to watch.
My love affair with Anne Fontaine started decades ago. A gentleman that was courting me presented me with a beautiful white box. On the inside was a gorgeously detailed chic white blouse (VLADIMIR blouse) that worked for every occasion and fit me to a T. From jeans and sandals to a pencil skirt and heels, it was a compliment as to how he saw me.
Now many decades later I am still in love with that classic timeless style. You have heard me say many times before, it’s quality not quantity and that is even more relevant now. I believe in having a few high-quality pieces that fit me to perfection over trendy styles that come and go. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with fashion.
Enter the Anne Fontaine evolution beyond the beautiful white blouse to a collection of key wardrobe staples in ‘of the moment’ colors and styles with the beautiful fabrics and details she is known for.
This beautiful crisscross patterned blouse (Cressida blouse) combined with the matching skirt (Chama long skirt) or flowing Palazzo pants (Preston pant) make for a completely different day to evening look.
The skirt with her white bodysuit (Verene bodysuit) and a statement belt will take you from brunch to evening cocktails with ease. Add a Stetson hat and your outfit is complete.
I think this combination would be perfect for a summer trip to the mountains.
After all, I’m a carry on only kind of gal, ready for any adventure at any moment. Doing so with style and ease is part of the mystery. That’s what I call casual chic.
As you might know, I have been visiting the dermatologist to treat the dark spots and hyperpigmentation on my face and chest for a long time. So when the OPTE came on the market, I was curious to say the least. The OPTE Precision System was developed over 10 years and 500,000 hours to reveal the natural beauty of our skin, while being clean, cruelty free, and using the best quality ingredients.
How can an at-home system target and diminish dark spots? This state-of-the-art system scans your face for tonal differences in pigmentation and detects it using their patented Precision Skincare algorithm. Then OPTE applies an Optimizing Serum to instantly correct and, with continued use, fade and prevent dark spots.
I don’t mind telling you that when I first opened the OPTE machine, I was a little intimidated. But after two uses, I was lightly scanning the wand over my face like a pro. Now, every morning and evening, I scan my face with the wand to treat the dark spots and target my hyperpigmentation with the Optimizing Serum, powered by 5% niacinamide and advanced mineral pigments. These pigments are shade inclusive for 98% of all skin tones, and is beneficial in the morning since the wand delivers the serum and covers my dark spots just like a concealer. It is quick and easy to use, especially since I don’t take the time to put on makeup.
The Serum is formulated in Japan without sulfates, parabens, dyes, phthalates, or fragrance.
Above are professional photos from the Opte website showing The Wand on the left and the Serum on the right.
The pictures below show the instant results of one pass with the wand, which glides smoothly across your skin, targets hyperpigmentation, and delivers optimizing serum right on your dark spot. Gone are the days of trying to target and color match your skin with over-the-counter concealers.
Before
After
My journey with OPTE is one that I will be continuing. This system gives a great at-home precision skincare alternative to the more expensive laser treatments. The combination of treatment and an instant airbrushed look elevates OPTE in the future of skincare.
