Life is a Rollercoaster Ride...

Traveling without a road map...that's what this past year has been. And I've gone off road and off course and off the rails...but I suppose the wonder of being human is that we can heal, we can fix, we can learn and we can change. And make the ride a little bit less bumpy. As the holidays come barreling toward us, I wish you peace, happiness, health and, more than ANYTHING ELSE, I wish you self-love. Without that, it's difficult to feel true love for anyone else. Love and be good, no-be GREAT to yourself and all else will fall where it may...xoxoxo

It's the Most Wonderful Time...AGAIN!!!!???!!!

SO....it's that time of year again. I was thinking of going for a Danish theme on my tree this year but the offspring practically rioted three years ago when I did a blue, silver and white theme. They like putting their beloved treasures upon the tree. And, as they are my beloved treasures, I shall abide by their wants.

More Long Branch Street Art...

More Broadway street art. I always thought I'd love a cool mural in my house, but then I realized you can't take it with you when/if you move. The lesson in THAT, of course, is that everything is temporary and eventually we'll all have to let go of everything we love/admire/cherish. Depressing yet liberating, no?

Long Branch NJ Art on the Street...OR Edgy Librarian Photos

I've never been a, well, a girl who follows too many trends. With regard to reading, films, plays, etc. I gravitate toward the original, the different, the outsider effect I suppose it could called. I was lucky enough to recently work with Andrea Phox, photographer extraordinaire, again, using the incredible backdrop of the Long Branch, NJ Broadway arts district. So many talented artists have used the area (soon to be redeveloped) as an enormous gallery.
Please check Andrea's blog out for more AMAZING photos!!! www.blog.andreaphox.com and tell her Tara sent you!!! Enjoy.

http://networkedblogs.com/gcIV0

Escape from NJ...

If anything should do a heart good, it would be escaping from this seemingly endless Jersey winter and getting away to Florida for a week. Right? And we had a great time. It was a week of quite good weather (Florida being the only state without snow on the ground), miles of walking each day-which had the benefit of knocking a couple pounds off me-and general escapism. Universal Studios is so much fun. We stayed at the Hard Rock which makes vacationing ridiculously convenient...everything is walkable, unlike the Happiest Place on Earth where transportation is always a concern, and walk we did. I actually got back to the room one night, lay down just to relax for "a minute" and didn't awaken until the next morning. Perfect. I'm a girl who is always on the quest for a good night's sleep. The daughters had a great time. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is amazing...and now I know what Butter Beer tastes like. I hit one of my favorite roller coaster (Dueling Dragons, which pre-dated but is now part of Harry Potter) and got to feel that delicious sensation of being completely out of control and flying through the air. I also got to see my gorgeous cousin and her two daughters, which was SUCH a happy reunion for me. We did have to drive back (1,000 miles) through a wicked ice storm but even that was manageable. SO, with having all that fun and being out in the sun for a week and generally being happy, why do I feel melancholic for things over which I have no control? Yeah, kind of a bummer end to a great time, and I guess leaves things kind of untied, as far as blog posts go, but this is just where I am...kind of down, at least at the moment. xo

Uniforms at Work? Well, if we must...

We were recently asked if we would be "willing" to wear uniforms to work IF the city decides all employees should have a standardized dress code. I said no, just for the record, but if we were to be forced into uniforms, what do you think the chances are the city would choose Kors, Klein, Chanel or Thakoon to design our garb? I noticed, looking at the 2011 collections, that there is a very clean, crisp line in many of the designs. We wouldn't look merely professional, we would look polished, professional and AMAZING in these beauties. Ah, well, a girl can dream...

Chelsea Bus Roll

Just purchased this awesome London bus scroll on etsy. Can't wait to get it and have it hanging in our living room. Loving black and white these days, and of course love all things which were once in service and now, re-claimed, serve as art. Check out this etsy seller for more of these:
www.etsy.com/shop/recentsettlers

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

OK, just read this fantastic gem of a children's book today. The illustrations will make you want to cry they are so amazing and the story is a whimsical delight. This is a collaborative work by a husband and wife team, Philip C. and Erin E. Stead. Erin's art is created with woodblock printing and pencil and I hope to see many, many more books by the Steads. (Philip also wrote and illustrated "Creamed Tuna Fish & Peas on Toast"...funny with great collage style illustrations). Pick it up at the book store or of course come on up to the Children's Room and I'll read it to you!

I love this time of year...sad to see Summer go but loving the crispness Autumn brings. The "Halloween Typography" sign is available at www.barnowlprimitives@etsy.com and the "Hocus Pocus" can be purchased at: www.blueeyedgirl@etsy.com . The "October" silhouette is yours for the taking, it would be cute as an invitation or made into a small sign. And I believe "Country Living" shot the awesome black and white composition. We've been working on Halloweening our little cottage...I'll put some pics up when the last black wreath is hung.

Wedded bliss...

My brother, Sean, married his love, Kelly, yesterday. Or, should I say I married them...they asked me to officiate and I was touched and honored beyond belief. They are two of the most special people I've ever had the honor of knowing, and I wish them a lifetime of love and happiness.

Changes...

are taking the pace I'm going through...OK, so Bowie sounds better when he sings the song, but I'm feeling the effects of changes these days. Eldest daughter is off to college, we took her last week. This summer has flown by with amazing fleetness. Everyone asks if I cried when we dropped Molly off, the answer is no. She worked hard to get to where she is, this time in our lives is definitely one of adjustment but I'm learning to stop being wistful for the Wonder Years with my sweet girls and, instead, embrace the future and look forward to good things happening for all three of them. So, Time may change me, but I can't trace time...

One Happy Dansk Kvinde!

Photos above are: Copenhagen canal, Maureen and Casey at the entrance to Tivoli, Casey and I at the "Pagoda" in Tivoli, Casey and her Great Aunt Maureen at the Pagoda and, last photo, Maureen with her beloved Great Aunt Sorine at the same Pagoda! I loved when Sorine and her sister Karen came to visit the U.S. from Aalborg...they were delightful, happy, wonderful women and I wish I'd been old enough to have shared more memories with them.

Though we returned from our trip last week, I've not gotten around to posting about it...I was facebooking pretty obsessively while we were still in Europe, so now it's time to update this poor neglected little blog. My daughter, Casey, (15, nearly 16), my Aunt Maureen (not much older than I am, therefore more like a big sister) and I were a very compatible trio, which made traveling really pleasant and stress free. We were able to see SO MUCH in two weeks...my grandmother's beautiful, fairy tale like birthplace Nykobing Mors, the amazingly clean and happy city of Copenhagen, the huge world cup fueled party in Amsterdam and even made it to Bruges, for a day! Never mind spending a weekend in Germany! We used our time well and Maureen was an excellent tour guide/travel agent/family historian!
Before we left for this holiday, I found myself asking the question, "will this trip be able to meet my hopes for it?" and I am grateful to say it not only met my expectations but far surpassed them. It was a strange sense, landing in a country I'd never been to yet feeling like I was home...Denmark went straight to my heart and I hope to return many times in the future. It is, for me, a sort of DisneyWorld, a place which seems nearly too good to be true. And that is a wonderful thing. I feel like Peter Pan, urging everyone who believes in fairies to clap their hands...save Tink. There was an amazing sense of wonder for me, visiting Tivoli, one of the oldest amusement parks in Europe, site of my Great Grandparents meeting each other (they were at a dance and pulled the same number, 13, which sent them dancing together, not only for that night but the rest of my Great Grandmother Valborg's life...) and having my sweet daughter with me...I felt a lightness, a pure happiness which I embraced and am trying to hold on to. Again like Peter, I do believe, I do believe... More to come on our trip, just wanted to touch base and put a few photos up. xoxo

Something's Gotta Give...

LOVED the home in the movie "Something's Gotta Give"...so crisp, cottagey and beachy without being overly thematic or cutesy...makes me want to grab a book and relax.

What's shakin' on the shore...

SO busy lately, but two things of note. Rufus Wainwright is coming to ASBURY PARK!!! Just can't wait. Tix go on sale tomorrow and the show is August 1.

Did a photo shoot today with the amazing Andrea Dorman Phox. And, featured prominently is "the" red dress which I was so psyched about in the previous post. Twenty bucks never looked so good, if I say so myself!!! Andrea is wonderful, if you're in the tri-city area and need a photog I strongly suggest you look her up!!! We shot in a "secret garden" and it was a great, relaxed day of beautiful work!!! Check out Andrea's work at: www.andreaphox.com or blog.andreaphox.com OR become a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Andrea-Phox-Photography

Mmmm hmmmm...Missus Beasley may have out-shopped herself today. While at anthropologie, storming the sale room, I found this incredibly lovely red dress for...$49.95. Ta-da! I hadnt seen it there before, unlike the items I sometimes stalk till they are relegated to the sale room. Oh, but my day was to become ever so much better. When we got to the check-out, the anthro-girl couldn't find the proper sku #. She was apologetic and calm and had to attempt to find the proper sku number via computer and it just wasn't working...I'm a mellow shopper and didn't mind the delay at all, though I felt a little trepidation that, it being April Fool Day, she would find out the dress really cost $200. She, ingenious girl she was, actually remembered which catalogue it was in and looked it up that way (there was a stash of them in a drawer behind the counter). She found it and announced after ringing in the numbers, that this beautiful find was...prepare yourself...$19.95. Words which brought tears of joy to this cheapskates eyes. As my youngest brother is getting married to the greatest woman in the world in October, I do believe I have my dress! p.s. Original price was $188.

Pretty in Pink in the Kitchen

Since, after the reno we've done, the kitchen needs to be painted, I've been looking for something which "feels right". Surprisingly enough, pink has been presenting itself as a possibility. I like the sweet, retro feel pink lends itself to. We'll have to wait and see, as I currently don't have the time to invest in a kitchen makeover. But I do love to look!

Secrets for Spring, by Shannon Richardson, oil on canvas, 20" x 24"

I love this painting, the title, everything about it. Speaking of "Secrets for Spring", what are some of yours? One of the most crucial "secrets" has got to be what we do in Autumn-months ahead of Spring...planting crocuses and hyacinth are musts for me. The past few days it's been a bit warmer here at the Shore and my Spring bulbs are pushing up and saying hello. What a welcome sight they are after an extraordinarily long-feeling Winter. Seriously, it seemed as if we were in an endless cycle of storms and darkness. And parts of the area are still recovering from the Nor'Easter which hit last weekend. We were so lucky, but (unable to stay away from the lure of the ocean) when we went down to check out the beachfront it was seriously scary. The sand was blowing horizontally and the waves were pushing foam out onto the road. Crazy exciting.

"The Old Painted Cottage"

OK, when you have time may I suggest you check out Jennifer's awesome site, "The Old Painted Cottage". Particularly her "Cottage of the Month", which she's been putting together since 2006. It is seriously addictive...as in, you will want to look at every cottage from every month from the past four years and next thing you know, 2 hours have gone by. Worth every minute! Like taking a REALLY good house tour but without any fussy, show-offy Junior Leaguers bossing you around. Have fun!

http://theoldpaintedcottage.com/pages/cotm.htm

Snow Mickey

My youngest daughter and I made a "Snow Mickey"...after shoveling out my car, of course! Tomorrow I'd like to attempt a snow fort. With all the drifts it shouldn't be too hard. I'm learning to roll with the punches, or at least roll with the snowflakes!

Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop...

View from the Children's Room in the Library...overlooking Slocum Park.
It does look pretty, all this snow, but between working full time, mothering 3 teenaged girls and life in general, I have no time for snow. I hate the time it takes to clean my car, shovel it out and drive on slippery roads! With crazy Jersey drivers! It makes everything more difficult. Please, Spring, come soon! Please?
If anyone is in the mood for a quirky, funny, touching book, pick up Merrill Markoe's "Walking In Circles Before Lying Down". I'm loving it!