Tag: writing & blogging

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Enjoying Summer

July is my birthday month and has always been the official start of summer. It’s now time to take a vacation or take a few days off just to relax. I’ve taken to redesigning my walking/hiking playlist because I’m listening to smooth and classical jazz in the evenings. It’s my ritual for unwinding after an extremely busy day.

Picking flowers will always be a favorite pastime. Placing blooms in vases is the best way to add a touch of beauty to our homes, and taking time to sit with an iced tea while listening to the rain is always a seasonal favorite.

It’s that time of year to pick flowers from the garden. Blossoms have the incredible power of improving aspects of daily living, such as having a positive effect on our mood, increasing creativity (my favorite), or giving us a sense of comfort. I love viewing these heightened colors spread across the yard up to the deck, because in a few short months they disappear.

Friends are down in Rio living on the beach of Copacabana. They’re relaxing while listening to bossa nova, sipping Caipirinha’s and enjoying the colorful cityscape of green mountains overlooking blue seas. Summer doesn’t get any better……!!!

My brother took this photo from his apartment in DC after a severe thunderstorm on Friday. What is more phenomenal than a double rainbow? I get the science of sunlight hitting a rain droplet, and light being reflected thru the electromagnetic spectrum of wavelengths, plus angles. But I prefer to seeing a rainbow as a magical dynamic of summer.

The sound of a summer rain is always very soothing. It can block extraneous sounds and ease stress. Studies have shown that the sound creates a relaxing environment and can lull you into a deep sleep.

Enjoy the season,
Kathleen

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Weekend in Pittsburgh-draft

The beginning of summer has been a complete and total whirlwind. Can you believe it’s already July? Once upon a time I was excited for what the season held in the way of birthdays, beaches and barbecues. As temperatures rise, I find I’m no longer a fan of heat and look forward to brief trips to reset my focus and well-being.
Last weekend was a 48-hour getaway to Pittsburgh in order to spend time with family and enjoy local food.  

A few pieces of art from The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The gallery holds an extensive permanent collection of Warhol’s art and the archives are every artist dream. I completely enjoyed perusing the library [from a distance] that contained newspapers, magazines, catalogs from shows and the artwork from others.

There’s nothing like a popping into to the Oakmont Bakery for a loaves of “cranberry raisin bread,” and “chocolate cherry bread,” chocolate coconut cookies or a coffee cake for breakfast. It’s the perfect place to get ideas for parties, tea’s or for those private moments when you want a treat.

Lunch was on the Strip at Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille for the most marvelous seafood and their Standard Bloody Mary. This drink was comprised of Skyy Vodka, a large Old Bay steamed shrimp, a thick slice of brown sugar candied thick bacon and are you ready for the pièce de resistance …… a softshell crab next to the pickle, olives and celery. It was a complete meal.

The Strip District is a vibrant mix of old-style grocers and gourmet food shops, street stands, classic Italian style eateries and Asian cuisine. This half mile area is between the Allegheny River and the hill of a mountain, creating a narrow strip of land for shopping and dining.

Travel stylishly,
Kathleen