Introducing...

I fancy myself a stylish woman... I tend to have strong opinions and correspondingly a strong personal voice that is manifested in the myriad ways I express myself.

But if there is one woman whose style I consistently admire, it is my friend Mojan Sami. 

Spring 2012 Trend Report

courtesy Mojan Sami

The rad thing about Mojan (okay... one of the rad things) is that she really does her homework. And this is why she is my ad hoc stylist - not only does she have her ish put together, but she legitimately knows what she's talking about. 

Like light blue for spring, which will supplement my deep love of all things orange very nicely!

Now only for some past due warm weather for spring.....!

Bon Chance...!

Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Aimee on Pinterest

Ladies and Gentlemen... I got myself Coachella tickets today! I am so excited that I'm having a super tough time focusing on other tasks at hand... I keep having this day dream where Justin Vernon asks for my phone number (what? that could totally happen!) or where Thom Yorke and DJ Shadow let me in on their pre-show coffee and jazz pow-wow... or maybe where Zach Condon casually winks at me from stage. And I haven't even gotten to the part where Dre & Snoop give me a shout out!

So yeah, I am clearly having a productive Friday afternoon.

In related news, now I get to scour Pinterest for mid-desert 3 day festival concert outfit options. Because I'm totally getting Justin Vernon's phone number!

On Development...

'Akka, Israel

I've finally had a chance to upload the last roll of film I shot in Israel... and I'm pretty happy with the results.

One of the things I like most about film are the little surprises that are in store for you when you get your pictures back. Like the way that the sun races through this picture I took last month at the House of Abdullah Pasha in 'Akka. It's like a gift to your future self.

I think that all development works that way, though. Sometimes you need a moment to step back and really examine how you've been growing and maturing.

"I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defense. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favor." - Baha'u'llah

I hope your day holds a myriad pleasant surprises....

On Flexibility...

"The wind does not break a tree that bends."

Via Bitte Ein Kuss.

I'm in life lesson mode... kind of perfect considering that we've had the coldest, blusteryest (yes, that's a word) spring of all time!

Or you know... of the last 4 years.

Open Letter...

Courtesy Tralalere!

Dear Spring,

I am so ready to rumble!

Best,

[Kind of] rowdy aimee piper

Counting Waves...

Courtesy Eduardo Sancinetti

via Bitte Ein Kuss.

So Israel finally changed time in a 'welcome Spring' kind of way. This means that the sun is actually still up when I get off work - and this is just really really excellent.

The prospect of awesome sunlight and the sweet little inspirational photo above makes me want to dust off my camera and take my own pictures. Gasp! I know!

And yes, it may take me 3 or 4 months to finish my roll of film. But that's part of the fun.

Just Because...

Courtesy Heart of Light.

Ranunculus' [Ranunculi?] :: some of my favorite flowers!

Dr. Seuss Says...

Courtesy the interwebs.

Soundtrack courtesy Adele.

Time finally springs forward in Israel tonight. So I'm losing an hour of sleep - but gaining an hour of sunshine. Either way, both prospects leave me anticipating loopy silly times.

Watch out! ...or don't.

Lovely Day...

Image courtesy Le Love.

I'm having one. As you were....

Do Something...

Image courtesy Things We Forget.

So today is Naw Ruz - the Baha'i New Year!

And I know that I'm a pretty optimistic person, but at this time of year I always feel like anything (and everything) is possible. Likely it's the fact that today is also the first day of spring and even nature is complicit in this feeling of "you can DO it!" - little blades of grass and beautiful flowers popping up all over the place, the heady scent of jasmine and orange blossoms in the air....

It's amazing to me, how many ways there are to be of service - to be truly useful to society at large - there are. And that's a sweetness more intoxicating even than the smell of orange blossoms in full bloom!

...Just Can't Get Enough

Head's up courtesy Jason... thanks!

So I know that spring is still 2 days away (!!!) - but I really can't wait for this to be my summer jam. I think it's perfect for relaxing on the beach.

In related news, yesterday was totally warm and awesome - and I had the opportunity to walk (more or less aimlessly) around Kiryot Ata for what felt like an eternity in search of a bus back to Haifa before Shabat.... And I got my first "tan" of the year!

Okay... so I got a little sunburned. But give me a couple of days - by spring, it will totally be tan!

On the Horizon...

Photo courtesy Shirin Beheshti

Bahji, Israel

Spring is almost here. Just saying.

Worth A Thousand Words...

So I know that I said I'd be more conscious of living in the present tense, but I can't help but get excited for some long and short-term plans.

Image courtesy Little Brown Pen

Shhh... but I think I may have some more concrete ideas about what to do with my future self. It's still kind of secret, mostly because I'm nervous about thinking myself out of what could really make me really happy.

When I'm feeling braver, I'll put you in the loop.

Images, above and below, courtesy Oh Joy!

So I know that it's only January and totally not beach weather (not even here in comparably warm and sunny Haifa, Israel), but I've done some research into my little holiday situation. Friends, it's time to start planning. By my calculations, I have nearly 3 weeks of vacation to take!

I'm thinking to stay much closer to home than my last trip home to see the family in California. So far I've got my eye on Croatia, Brussels, Greece and Italy. I'm also tempted to just block out the time and go where the cheapest flights are going that very day!

What?! I can be spontaneous! *wink*

Particularly if I find a way to get my hot little hands on the lovely orangeness above and perfect bathing suits below.

April Revisited...

In April some very dear friends of mine :: Jean-Pierre and Bahiyyih :: got married here in Haifa. He's from France, she's from South Africa - such a lovely and international celebration! Anyhow, since I suck at taking pictures... better late than never?

Nava and I - up to our usual shenanigans, I'm sure.

Neda and I - just after the ceremony, if memory serves...

Cool and the gang...

aka Jubin, Nava, Will Y yo.

On a totally vain side note... I kind of miss the darker hair. What do you guys think? Keep it light, or back to dark? ...it's also cool if you don't care. It's not like the color of my hair will solve world hunger, or anything. As you were. [Insert sheepish grin - slash - wry wink here.]

...In The Garden of Good

Aimee, MaSovaida, Lydia

The Divine Springtime is come! Now is the time of the festival of Riḍván - 12 days of joyous celebration for Bahá'ís in honor of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh.

The picture above, however, was taken on the night celebrating the Declaration of His Holiness the Báb. Certain of the Bahá'í Holy Days are commemorated according to the lunar calendar here in the Holy Land, the Declaration of the Báb happens to be one of them. This means that the Declaration of the Twin Manifestions of God for today were celebrated back to back - happy times, indeed!

Photo courtesy Major Chad. Cheers!

Weekend Plans Include, But Are Not Limited To...

Right?!

Project "pimp my balcony" is in full effect - I've finally scored some rad cushions for the futon frame on my patio (I think the poor thing was starting to get a 'plant-stand complex'). My balcony is shaded by a really lovely tree (known during the rainy season as 'the whomping willow') - necessary for mediterranean summers.

Picture it: warm off-shore breezes, comfy seating arrangements, a charming xylophone, chirping birds, iced tea.... Heaven.

Once Upon a Time...

When I was a kid we moved around a lot (no... seriously. A lot). So it was always exciting to me when I got to see my cousins. I remember the first Easter Sunday that my cousin Jessica and I were at together - I was 5 and she was 4.

Image credit.

It was a glorious time! I actually still remember it - we were at our grandparent's house in San Clemente (CA)... all dressed up, masquerading for the day like proper little girls out of a fairy tale and not the fun tomboy-facade we usually presented to the world. That magical Sunday (playing in the backyard that still felt huge - aviary & coi fish pond, orange trees & tomato plants props for a world only accessed through the wild imagination of little girls) probably marks the first time I took a real interest in fashion - or at least the outfit I was wearing.

I felt so pretty in my little dress, shoes, gloves, hat and Easter basket... except that I preferred Jessica's hat. Luckily she felt the same.

So we swapped.

Oh friends! Our Grandma Connie had such a fit when she learned that we'd switched hats (conveniently just before it was time to take pictures)! Naturally, messing up the family pictures for Grandma Connie became a bit of a tradition with we grandkids after that!

Thanks for indulging my childhood memories - I hope all of your family holidays and together times can be as magical..... Happy Easter!

[Gasp...!]

The first weekend of spring... and I'm that excited!

Image via mackin ink

And... Jazz Hands!

*Heads up courtesy I Heart You*

Possibly the best video I've seen all year - and just in time for spring?

Hecks yes.

Enjoy!

...On Vocabulary

Today's Word of the Day (WOD) is sartorial.
sartorial \sar-TOR-ee-uhl\, adjective:
1. Of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring.
2. Of or relating to clothing, or style or manner of dress.
3. [Anatomy] Of or relating to the sartorius muscle.
If we're going to be friends, you should know that this word has, ever since Nasim hooked me up with - quite possibly - the world's largest head's up ever, been one of my favorite words since late summer 2007. You see, I encountered Scott Schuman's blog The Sartorialist nearly 2 years ago. I know - I don't know why it took me so long, either.
I think that this should pretty much wrap up the debate among certain of my friends as to whether Sir Schuman qualifies as a celebrity when we play Celebrity (fun game, I'll explain it someday I'm sure)... m'kay? Oh! Hey, Jared.
*Lovely image of the epitome of summer and completely perfect attire excerpted from The Sartorialist. As per of course.*