Then it hit me...

10 Questions I have to ask myself - - Everyday

2012-01-24T07:51:00.001-08:00

1. Have I made certain that those I love feel loved?

2. Have I done something today that improved the world?

3. Have I conditioned my body to be more strong flexible and resilient?

4. Have I reviewed and honed my plans for the future?

5. Have I acted in private with the same integrity I exhibit in public?

6. Have I avoided unkind words and deeds?

7. Have I accomplished something worthwhile?

8. Have I helped someone less fortunate?

9. Have I collected some wonderful memories?

10. Have I felt grateful for the incredible gift of being alive?

Love, this time.

2012-01-14T04:02:00.000-08:00

Fall in love.

Have I really fallen in love? I don't know. It was a good feeling before but it wasn't true. I want the real thing. And I'm wanting it so badly.

Will it happen tomorrow? Will I bump into him near my office? Will I meet him when I'm doing my grocery? For sure it won't be in a bar or a club. I'm not desperate, nor am I lonely. I just feel like this is my time now. I want to know what it feels like. To be with someone who will love you deeply and unconditionally. To have my head rest with somebody's chin.

I love romantic comedies. Happy endings, cheesy lines. Dreaming is all I have ever known and now, I'm 36.

So I'm terrified that I'll be one of those girls who never falls in love because it hasn't happened yet. I don't think I'll be one of those girls who falls for anyone just to see if love could be found there.

I'm hoping.

That one day really soon somebody will love the girl who loves getting lost in a book,
chasing those fantasies that only exist in her mind?

That this year, 2012 that somebody wonderful will love the girl (who she thinks is wonderful back) gets lost is her train of thoughts and will never be able to tell you why she got lost in the first place?

Soon, really super soon somebody who will love the girl who yearns for those midnight talks about life and what it has to bring?

It will happen soon. Somebody who will love the girl will come.

I know that I'm not the only one out there who feels this way. Younger, older, wiser: there are many of us. It's a scary concept, love, but I still want to feel it.

Dream

2012-01-05T07:58:00.001-08:00

This is the first day of your life...January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T02:35:00.001-08:00

Believe in yourself - in the awesome person you are!

Be true to that person.

Accept that you are good enough and don't need to change to make yourself and/or others happy.

You are loved exactly the way you are.

Love yourself exactly as you are!

2011-12-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

"Follow your passion, follow your heart, and the things you need will come."

By Elizabeth Taylor.

Really

2011-12-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

I need to stop being so damn emotional about everything.

My Wishes for 2012

2011-12-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

A Beautiful Love Story - my beautiful love story
Have the time of my life
Have a really good relationship with my Parents, Siblings, Grace and Rose, relatives, people, etc....

Before I fall

2011-11-27T04:42:00.000-08:00

Such an awesome book about Death.

Memorable Passages

"If you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. You just have to look up."

"It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always take and wind up somewhere new. Just one false step, one pause, one detour, and you end up with new friends or a bad reputation or a boyfriend or a breakup. It’s never occurred to me before; I’ve never been able to see it. And it makes me feel, weirdly, like maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it that look different."

Lulay

2011-11-27T04:40:00.000-08:00

I miss Lulay most days. Every time I think about her, tears well up and fills me with melancholy and happiness at the same time. I know that she's in my heart and will always be there. I miss her a lot.

Endings.

2011-11-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Dearest Sweetie,

Read this anytime you thought that you won't meet anyone....He didn’t like you and it's still hard to hear. And yes he broke your heart in a million little pieces but your worth better. Those early morning hookups, the random calls, the broken promises were nothing, yeah they were fun and that was it. Don’t ignore the fact that sometimes the memories will come by...move on. Wallowing does no good, and the memory is important. So yes, keep those lovely memories with you, because it is very unlikely your future husband will love Vanessa Paradis, Frank Sinatra as much as you do. And if he does, because he will be the best man for you and make you extremely satisfied and happy, look back with a smile at those times. Because you loved them. And they killed you but they were great. Sitting together watching tv, flirting with him. There were good times and you were friends but that is it. And he broke your heart but it will only make you love someone even more, because he won’t do that to you.

Gretchen, you’re beautiful and worth it. Mov. Love you.

Wisdom from Audrey

2011-11-03T21:02:00.001-07:00

I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe in Pink. I believe that HAPPY GIRLS are the PRETTIEST GIRLS. I believe that tomorrow is another day. I believe in MIRACLES. - Audrey Hepburn :)

2011-10-23T05:28:00.000-07:00

Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit. ~Gordon Parks

Everyday. I choose happiness.

2011-10-23T05:22:00.001-07:00

2011-10-23T05:21:00.001-07:00

So so many—all the '30s romances. Carole Lombard, Jean Harlow, '40 film noirs, Ida Lupino, '60s with The Graduate, Anne Bancroft, Bonnie and Clyde…Faye Dunaway….Brigitte Bardot, Monica Vitti—all the beautiful and wonderful female actresses....there are too many to list. As for music, ALL old jazz: Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Bix Beiderbecke, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller….all the greats. The Beatles, Stones, Bob Dylan, Donovan, Tim Buckley, Mozart, Chopin, Bach…see, this list is way too long."

2011-10-15T18:56:00.001-07:00

“ Everyone has three lives: a public life, a private life, and a secret life. Gabriel Marquez

Persistence. I can do this.

2011-09-08T23:23:00.000-07:00

So true...

2011-09-08T20:56:00.001-07:00

" There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right and pray for the people who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy."

2011-09-05T22:23:00.001-07:00

Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.

Audacity...a page from Steve Job's life.

2011-08-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine the impossible, possible.
Persuade with showmanship.
Make people believe.

Plans from the Lord...

2011-08-23T18:12:00.001-07:00

‎"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

2011-08-17T17:49:00.001-07:00

"Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake. To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know. His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below."

Enough said.

2011-08-16T18:03:00.003-07:00

Inspirational Qoutes - you can do this!

2011-08-16T17:08:00.001-07:00

“Ask yourself this question: ‘Will this matter a year from now?’” – Richard Carlson, writing in Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
“The roughest road often leads to the top.” - Christina Aguilera
“Don’t waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window- or break down a door.” – Brooke Shields
“Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou
“Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need.” – Voltaire

Cinderella....one of my fave fairy tales.

2011-08-14T18:32:00.001-07:00

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!

Only This Moment is Life

2011-08-14T06:26:00.001-07:00

‘Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis
on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without
rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh

2011-08-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

‘Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.’ ~Thich Nhat Hahn

Disco

2011-08-13T18:15:00.001-07:00

Life is like a disco, no matter how the music changes you just keep on dancing.
Jump the Broom Movie.

You can always make it.

2011-08-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

"I just want to be wonderful."

"I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn't argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn't."

"Everyone's a star and deserves the right to twinkle."

"A smart woman kisses but doesn't love, leaves before she is left and forgets before she is forgotten"

— Marilyn Monroe

Life is what you make it...

2011-08-13T05:48:00.001-07:00

"This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up becuase if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."
— Marilyn Monroe

10 Most Divine Things in Life

2011-08-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Opening and biting into Chocolate
Spending time with my family
Having breakfast with my Mom and Sister
Sitting by the stairs of my Mom's house looking at Sampaloc Lake and the mountains
Falling asleep after an amazing night
Reading a fabulous book
Having a shampoo and blow-dry
Early mornings and waking up happy
Riding an airplane heading off somewhere...again and again...
Silence

Everyday

2011-08-10T20:13:00.001-07:00

I should take photos of my outfits everyday.

2011-08-09T15:40:00.001-07:00

"This art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of energy in our great men." -- Captain J. A. Hadfield

Don't mind....

2011-08-07T17:59:00.001-07:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

- Dr. Seuss

Ask for the moon...

2011-08-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

Go further than you planned. Ask for the moon: you will be surprised how often you get it. -Paulo Coelho

Entreprenuers

2011-08-06T19:39:00.001-07:00

“Entrepreneurs are those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.” Niccolo Machiavelli

Appreciation

2011-08-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score. The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none". The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees. The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me. The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning. The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?" The youth answered," I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes' The Director asked,"please tell me your feelings." The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship. The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired. Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously. A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead? You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

2011-08-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Be bold! I firmly believe that anything is possible. I say 'Believe in yourself. You can do it.'

Richard Branson

2011-08-05T06:46:00.001-07:00

Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume there is no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. ~Norm Chomsky

Exciting End to July...my grateful list

2011-07-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

Food
Shopping
My faith
Papa, Mama, Tonie, Abbott, Grace and Rose
Joacqui and Nino
Crazy Relatives
Jakarta and the service it provides
Music
Chocolates
My legs
Wine
Confidence
Hope
Water
Good friends
Sunshine

2011-07-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams -

wisdom of Oprah Winfrey

2011-07-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.” – Einstein.

2011-07-18T15:43:00.001-07:00

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
— Audrey Hepburn

miss my lulay

2011-07-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

miss my grandma.

i know you'll always be with me lulay.

Orson Welle's Mom's Wish for his Birthday

2011-06-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Never stand in the shadows. You are made for the lights.

Now you must blow out your candles.

But you must always remember,

the cake, the light itself is nothing. The flame, the lights that is where your future lies.

You must have a dream. A great dream worthy of you.

It's beautiful and this will be my wish for my birthday every year.

2011-06-14T15:42:00.001-07:00

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring" ~ Marilyn Monroe

Break-ups

2011-06-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

“Every relationship you have, you’re learning and growing and taking something from that. So for me, it’s never been too dramatic of a thing when something ends.”

Blake Lively

June...lovely things I'm grateful for this month and everyday...

2011-06-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

love
My Family
My Bags and the exciting things that will happen to it
Books
Lunches
Lunches with friends
Smiling
Early mornings
Taking things easy and light and slow
Appreciating life and what it's offering me everyday
Korea
Traveling
This Korean guy that made me cry over his story and his voice
Inspirational Videos
New York
Chocolates
Funny people

Nella Fantasia...

2011-06-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

In my fantasy I see a fair world,
Where everyone lives in peace and honesty.
I dream of a place to live that is always free,
Like a cloud that floats,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

In my fantasy I see a bright world.
Where each night there is less darkness.
I dream of spirits that are always free,
Like the cloud that floats.

In my fantasy exists a warm wind,
That breathes into the city, like a friend.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like the cloud that floats,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.

2011-06-09T09:57:00.001-07:00

The most sensible--or, depending on what you thought of The A-Team movie--most alarming response came from Kyle Buchanan. Writing at New York magazine's Daily Intel blog, he argued the clip was definitive evidence that Cooper--whose other notable roles include playing the bad guy in Wedding Crashers and Jim Carrey's best friend in Yes Man--is our Cary Grant.

"Over the last few months, Cooper has proven his versatility (in Limitless, which was a bona fide sleeper hit that he carried on his shoulders), his smarts (he's writing the script to Hyperion, a sci-fi novel optioned by Graham King), his humility (he's said that as much as he wants to direct Hyperion, he doubts anyone would let him, and he launched a self-effacing bid for the role of Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby through the New York Times), and his charm. He's been a great talk-show guest no matter which language he was speaking, and for his current Esquire cover story, he even prepared a stuffed-squid dinner for the journalist interviewing him. It almost seems too over-the-top — can a male movie star really be so charming and guileless? But why not say oui? After all, George Clooney can't do it all by himself."

2011-05-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. -- G.K. Chesterton"
— Neil Gaiman (Coraline)

2011-05-27T19:50:00.001-07:00

"I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind."

Neil Gaiman

I love this.

2011-05-27T19:48:00.003-07:00

"Everybody has a secret world inside of them. All of the people of the world, I mean everybody. No matter how dull and boring they are on the outside, inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds. Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands maybe."
— Neil Gaiman (A Game of You)

2011-05-08T06:48:00.001-07:00

When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power." - Phyllis Bottome

2011-04-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

Rewrite your major goals every day,in the present tense, exactly as if they already existed.

Brian Tracy

2011-04-25T18:49:00.001-07:00

You're looking for obstacles...look for Magic. Magic. Always.

2011-03-28T19:51:00.001-07:00

I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.

Madonna

Oprah's places I could be in right now article...

2011-03-14T01:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.oprah.com/world/Places-We-Would-Rather-Be-Right-Now/12

Countries of the World to EXPLORE....

2011-03-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan - Kabul - maybe not anytime son
Albania - Tirane
Algeria - Algiers
Andorra - Andorra la Vella
Angola - Luanda
Antigua and Barbados - Saint John's
Argentina - Buenos Aires
Armenia - Yerevan
Australia - Canberra
Austria - Vienna
Azerbaijan - Baku
The Bahamas - Nassau - I've visited
Bahrain - Manama
Bangladesh - Dhaka
Barbados - Bridgetown
Belarus - Minsk
Belgium - Brussels
Belize - Belmopan
Benin - Porto-Novo
Bhutan - Thimphu
Bolivia - La Paz (administrative); Sucre (judicial)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo
Botswana - Gaborone
Brazil - Brasilia
Brunei - Bandar Seri Begawan
Bulgaria - Sofia
Burkina Faso - Ouagadougou
Burundi - Bujumbura
Cambodia - Phnom Penh
Cameroon - Yaounde
Canada - Ottawa
Cape Verde - Praia
Central African Republic - Bangui
Chad - N'Djamena
Chile - Santiago
China - Beijing
Colombia - Bogota
Comoros - Moroni
Congo, Republic of the - Brazzaville
Congo, Democratic Republic of the - Kinshasa
Costa Rica - San Jose
Cote d'Ivoire - Yamoussoukro (official); Abidjan (de facto)
Croatia - Zagreb
Cuba - Havana
Cyprus - Nicosia
Czech Republic - Prague
Denmark - Copenhagen
Djibouti - Djibouti
Dominica - Roseau
Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo
East Timor (Timor-Leste) - Dili
Ecuador - Quito
Egypt - Cairo
El Salvador - San Salvador
Equatorial Guinea - Malabo
Eritrea - Asmara
Estonia - Tallinn
Ethiopia - Addis Ababa
Fiji - Suva
Finland - Helsinki
France - Paris
Gabon - Libreville
The Gambia - Banjul
Georgia - Tbilisi
Germany - Berlin
Ghana - Accra
Greece - Athens
Grenada - Saint George's
Guatemala - Guatemala City
Guinea - Conakry
Guinea-Bissau - Bissau
Guyana - Georgetown
Haiti - Port-au-Prince
Honduras - Tegucigalpa
Hungary - Budapest
Iceland - Reykjavik
India - New Delhi
Indonesia - Jakarta - I've been
Iran - Tehran
Iraq - Baghdad
Ireland - Dublin
Israel - Jerusalem*
Italy - Rome
Jamaica - Kingston
Japan - Tokyo
Jordan - Amman
Kazakhstan - Astana
Kenya - Nairobi
Kiribati - Tarawa Atoll
Korea, North - Pyongyang
Korea, South - Seoul
Kosovo - Pristina
Kuwait - Kuwait City
Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek
Laos - Vientiane
Latvia - Riga
Lebanon - Beirut
Lesotho - Maseru
Liberia - Monrovia
Libya - Tripoli
Liechtenstein - Vaduz
Lithuania - Vilnius
Luxembourg - Luxembourg
Macedonia - Skopje
Madagascar - Antananarivo
Malawi - Lilongwe
Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur - I've been
Maldives - Male
Mali - Bamako
Malta - Valletta
Marshall Islands - Majuro
Mauritania - Nouakchott
Mauritius - Port Louis
Mexico - Mexico City
Micronesia, Federated States of - Palikir
Moldova - Chisinau
Monaco - Monaco
Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar
Montenegro - Podgorica
Morocco - Rabat
Mozambique - Maputo
Myanmar (Burma) - Rangoon (Yangon); Naypyidaw or Nay Pyi Taw (administrative)
Namibia - Windhoek
Nauru - no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Nepal - Kathmandu
Netherlands - Amsterdam; The Hague (seat of government)
New Zealand - Wellington
Nicaragua - Managua
Niger - Niamey
Nigeria - Abuja
Norway - Oslo
Oman - Muscat
Pakistan - Islamabad
Palau - Melekeok
Panama - Panama City
Papua New Guinea - Port Moresby
Paraguay - Asuncion
Peru - Lima
Philippines - Manila - YES
Poland - Warsaw
Portugal - Lisbon
Qatar - Doha
Romania - Bucharest
Russia - Moscow
Rwanda - Kigali
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Basseterre
Saint Lucia - Castries
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Kingstown
Samoa - Apia
San Marino - San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe - Sao Tome
Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
Senegal - Dakar
Serbia - Belgrade
Seychelles - Victoria
Sierra Leone - Freetown
Singapore - Singapore - I've been
Slovakia - Bratislava
Slovenia - Ljubljana
Solomon Islands - Honiara
Somalia - Mogadishu
South Africa - Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judiciary)
Spain - Madrid
Sri Lanka - Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative)
Sudan - Khartoum
Suriname - Paramaribo
Swaziland - Mbabane
Sweden - Stockholm
Switzerland - Bern
Syria - Damascus
Taiwan - Taipei
Tajikistan - Dushanbe
Tanzania - Dar es Salaam; Dodoma (legislative)
Thailand - Bangkok - Yes
Togo - Lome
Tonga - Nuku'alofa
Trinidad and Tobago - Port-of-Spain
Tunisia - Tunis
Turkey - Ankara
Turkmenistan - Ashgabat
Tuvalu - Vaiaku village, Funafuti province
Uganda - Kampala
Ukraine - Kyiv
United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom - London
United States of America - Washington D.C.
Uruguay - Montevideo
Uzbekistan - Tashkent
Vanuatu - Port-Vila
Vatican City (Holy See) - Vatican City
Venezuela - Caracas
Vietnam - Hanoi
Yemen - Sanaa
Zambia - Lusaka
Zimbabwe - Harare

2011-03-05T01:35:00.001-08:00

"I think you have every right to cherry-pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light."
— Elizabeth Gilbert

25 things to do in the Philippines - Philippine Daily Inquirer

2011-02-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

… before fantasizing about exploring other countries
1. Go white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro.

2. Visit Batanes.

3. See Mt. Mayon up close.

4. Swim with the whale sharks in Donsol.

5. Climb Mt. Pulag and be awed by its sea of clouds.

6. Dive, swim and explore Palawan’s underground river.

7. Hike and let the view of Mt. Pinatubo crater take your breath away.

8. Party in your bikini in Boracay.

9. Surf’s up! Choose your wave—La Union, Zambales or Real, Quezon.

10. Missed out on the pristine beauty of Boracay 15 years ago? Visit Malapascua, Cebu.

11. Dive and see the rich marine life of Anilao, Batangas.

12. Travel back in time—go to Vigan.

13. Let Bohol wow you with its many offerings—the Chocolate Hills, the tarsier, the Loboc River Cruise, old churches and the beach.

14. Go high! Drive to the Mountain Province of Sagada. Check out the caves, the hanging coffins and enjoy the laidback lifestyle.

15. Grab a Viaje del Sol map, visit Ugu Binyan’s pottery studio, eat at Kusina Salud and unwind at Casa San Pablo.

16. Spend an entire week up north. Take a road trip from Manila to Vigan, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Aparri and Isabela!

17. Try wakeboarding in Camsur.

18. Check out Malate, Old Manila and all their secret spots.

19. There are many reasons to love Davao. Kublai’s artworks, its proximity to the beach, the tasty pastil and juicy suha. And did I mention that it’s a smoke-free city?

20. Spend a weekend roughing it in Anawangin and Capones in Zambales.

21. Check out our colorful fiestas and document them with your camera. Ati-atihan, Dinagyang, Masskara, Sinulog, Higantes, Panagbenga and more.

22. Pick your own strawberries at the Strawberry Fields in La Trinidad, Benguet.

23. Go to Pampanga for sisig.

24. If it’s too hot in Manila, grab a few friends and take a quick trip to Tagaytay.

25. Enjoy a food trip in Iloilo. You’ll never go hungry in this city.

20 things I'm grateful for this February

2011-02-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

Breathing
My new job
Angels
Love
Excitement
Hope
Mama
Papa
Siblings
Lakes
Real Friendships
Prayers
Faith
Togetherness
Confidence
My little, funny niece
Wedding dresses
Books
Beaches
Stars

Remember this always...

2011-02-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

Always remember that God only makes happy endings, if it's not happy, then it's not yet the end. If you're in struggle, take courage for it's not done yet. Trust and wait and strengthen your faith and pray.

A 21-Day Negativity Fast: Inspiration from a Truly Blessed Man

2011-02-14T17:36:00.000-08:00

By Caroline Myss
Original Content | March 10, 2010

As a minister, Willie has his method of counteracting negative thinking carefully charted: meditation, referencing scripture and prayer. Not everyone is a minister, obviously, so for those of you interested in conducting a 21-day negativity fast, here are some suggestions as to how to maintain that fast when confronted with ordinary and extraordinary inner and exterior negativity:

Practical Wisdom

• Don’t strive for perfection and don't think in terms of 21 days. It's one day at a time.

• Keep your fast to yourself. Don't talk about it to others.

• Keep five favorite inspirational pieces at the ready that genuinely shift you into an altered inner state. These may be prayers, poems, a lovely selection from literature, lyrics from a song, a particularly meaningful letter, even words written to yourself—or a combination of the above. Refer to one (or more) when you feel yourself slipping into a negative place.

• Use breathing techniques for centering.

• Walk away from stressful situations or conversations that are unnecessary to your life. Do not expose yourself to any unessential stress.

• Do mini-meditations and mantras to regroup.

• Do not share with others what is troubling you, as you are feeding the negative beast within. Instead, practice detachment. More often than not, what troubles others in your world has nothing to do with you. It's your own insecurities that make you think that the bad or sad moods of others are somehow connected to you. Remind yourself of that fact. Stay detached and do not interfere with the difficulties of others. Do not invite negativity into your life.

• Consciously look for what is good, beautiful, positive and loving in your life. Remind yourself to choose love, if only in the form of seeing the positive in something or someone.

• Practice gratitude for big and small things, for friends and family, for home and food—for the blessing of your life.

• Have no expectations of any outcomes or rewards for your efforts. If you are going to do this fast, do it because it just makes so much sense.

Finally, remind yourself that on Day 22, if your life shows no signs of improvement from being loving and positive, you can always go back to being negative. Good luck.

2011-02-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

Let go of the past and go for the future.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you imagined.

2011-02-10T03:56:00.001-08:00

“Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

~Attributed to Howard Thurman

2011-01-31T06:30:00.001-08:00

Imperfection is beauty.

Madness is genius.

And its better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. -Marilyn Monroe

My Leading Men

2011-01-31T06:03:00.000-08:00

Enrique Marciano. In that movie, Marry Me should've been the guy she choose.

Melvil Poupaud. Broken English...one of my fave movies of all time.

Guilaume Canet. Smiling Eyes and the accent.

Ryan Gosling. Wow. He is uber hot.

I love him. Bradley Cooper.

Cary Grant. The epitome of a man.

Tony Curtis. There's something about him...the way he stares.

Frank Sinatra. Can sing me to sleep and wake me up with his coolness.

Gary Cooper. Ultimate cool guy.

Rock Hudson. Pajama party complete with pillow fight.

Jack Lemmon. Makes me smile.

Gregory Peck. Swoon...again.

Andrew McCarthy. Pretty in Pink

Lambert Wilson. Sahara...an oasis.

William Holden. Swoon.

Montgomery Clift. Wow.

My Fave Audrey Outfit

2011-01-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

How to Steal A Million

2011-01-30T06:44:00.001-08:00

Life is an echo; all comes back, the good, the bad, the false, & the true. So, give the world the best you have & the best will come back to you.

Flowers

2011-01-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

Inspiring ideas for the homes I will build (of course with the help of architects, an interior designer, a landscape artist, contractor, etc)...2011/2012 are the years that I will start to do all these.

2011-01-29T19:17:00.000-08:00

"The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."  ---Abraham Lincoln

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...

2011-01-28T04:48:00.000-08:00

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee…such a nice story

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again……….

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as when one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.

The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!

2011-01-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

Live out your imagination, not your history.
Stephen Covey

2010-12-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

"We say we exchange words when we meet.

What we exchange is souls."

- Minot J. Savage

Diconnected

2010-12-17T06:24:00.000-08:00

That's what I've been feeling. Disconnected. Cut-off from the world I used to live in.
It took me a year to figure that one out.

2010-12-14T21:32:00.001-08:00

Ridiculously excited over 2011! I can't wait for it.

2010-12-14T20:56:00.001-08:00

"Be the Change You Want to See in the World"

25 Things I'm Grateful For this December

2010-12-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas
Eyelashes
Good Food
Friends
Laughter
Salons
Stars
House Help
Faith
Books
Trees
Siblings
Parents
Chocolate
Clouds
My fave niece, Joacqui
Conversations
and Laughter
Music
Flowers
Water
Trust
Love
Oil
Facials

love is not negotiable

2010-12-01T07:48:00.001-08:00

Leslie: Love is not negotiable.
Christopher: Oh, baby, everything is negotiable!
Leslie: No, not love. Love is a guessing game. And that's the beauty of it, there's no guarantee. It's like diving into a pool of water without knowing if it's shallow or deep. Sure if it's shallow you end up hurt and paralysed from the neck down. But if it's deep... It's like throwing yourself out there without any guarantees. You know, that's what life's about! Ok, you know these carnival games? And you know how some of them are super easy and others of them are really hard to win?
Christopher: Sure.
Leslie: Well that's the difference between love and sex. Sex is the game where everyone wins a little price, and no one goes home a loser. And love is the game that's really hard to win. But if you do, and you gonna take home that life size dinosaur, it feels so much better than taking home a sh**** little plastic keychain.

2010-11-19T23:25:00.001-08:00

We need to learn to set our course by the stars,
not by the lights of every passing ship.

-General Omar Bradley

2010-11-12T08:54:00.001-08:00

I don't know where I'm going but I can't wait to get there.

Let's Bring Back...

2010-11-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

Manners. When did texting while having dinner with family, friends ever a good thing?

Playing outside - sunshine and rain.

Handwritten Notes.

Gentlemen. I think they all stopped at Cary Grant.

Libraries. The smell of books, literally turning the pages and getting lost in the story.

Charismatic Tennis Players. Bjorn Borg. Stefan Edberg....

Dancing. Really going out and dancing.

And on that note, big bands.

Double Features. Watching two movies.

2010-11-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

"There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up."

Rex Stout

2010-11-07T01:54:00.001-07:00

You can kiss me in the moonlight,

On the rooftop under the sky.

You can kiss me with the windows open,

While the rain comes pouring inside.

Kiss me in sweet slow motion,

Let everything slide.

You got me floating, you got me flying.

It's the way you love me,

It's a feeling like this,

This Kiss, This Kiss !!

15 days

2010-10-31T05:43:00.000-07:00

15 days till my birthday. I'm getting antsy. I'm leaving soon, I can feel it. I can't wait.

Some memorable movie lines

2010-10-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

Some memorable movie lines I keep coming back to...

Broken English

~ Most people are together just so they are not alone. But some people want magic. I think you are one of those people.~

Sex and the City

~ Don't you want to stand still with me?~

Meet Joe Black

~ Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.~

so very true...

2010-10-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present.

Under the Tuscan Sun

The bigger the better...

2010-10-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

I should always think big.
Bigger than that and always be excited.
Why do I forget sometimes.

Friedrich Nietzsche

2010-10-27T05:17:00.001-07:00

“We love life, not because we are used to living but because we are used to loving”

25 Things I'm Grateful For this October

2010-10-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

Waking up every morning
Mr. Moon and Mrs. Sun along with the stars
Fireflies
Atis, the fruit
Mountains and Lakes
Healthy and safe family members
Grace and Rosie
My Grandma's peaceful death
Chocolates
Prayers
Trees
Water
Understanding Parents
Crazy and delightful brother and sister
Rainbows
Cupcakes
Sense of Well-being
A new day, everyday
Diamonds
Shoes
Facials
Pain-relievers
Manicures/Pedicures
Anti-itch medicine
Dove Soap

2010-10-23T04:49:00.000-07:00

Life is too short, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly.

2010-10-23T02:13:00.001-07:00

She said beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up...and it will too. - HOPE FLOATS

2010-10-21T23:37:00.001-07:00

"Don't expect eternal happiness. I wasn't brought up to think everyday would be beautiful. I was taught to just stay open everyday to whatever may happen and eventually the positive will come back to you."
Christian Lacroix

Publish Post

2010-10-20T20:00:00.001-07:00

World's Most Romantic Islands

Romantic island getaways from the Caribbean to the South Pacific to help start—or stoke—the flame.

By Emma Sloley

Rangali Island, The Maldives

Courtesy of samyoyobelinda.com

Rangali Island, The Maldives

Of the 1,192 islets that make up this island nation in the Indian Ocean, roughly 1,000 are uninhabited. Suffice to say, your chances of finding romantic seclusion are pretty high. Like most of the resorts here, the Conrad Maldives Hotel occupies its own private atoll, called Rangali Island. The romance factor kicks in before you even arrive, thanks to a seaplane ride over the shallow, impossibly clear lagoon. Soon enough, you’re dining in the underwater restaurant and kicking back in the over-water spa.

Molokai, Hawaii

Photo Resource Hawaii / Alamy

Molokai, Hawaii

A conspicuous absence of international hotel chains is just one reason this idyll—situated east of Oahu in the Hawaiian archipelago—draws romantics from all over. Hike to remote waterfalls, kayak secluded rocky coastlines, and ride donkeys into the lush valleys, or just laze beachside. (Head for the golden sands of secluded three-mile-long Papohaku Beach, at the far-west end of the island.) With just one traffic light on the island, the only gridlock you’ll encounter is caused by colonies of curious sea turtles frolicking in the outrageously clear waters.

Capri, Italy

Jon Arnold Images Ltd / Alamy

Capri, Italy

Sure, noon in Capri Town can be a tourist swarm, but the bulk of visitors depart on the last ferry back to Naples or Sorrento—leaving the island blissfully free for lovers. And this dramatically craggy outcrop, a Mediterranean Garden of Eden splashed with floral color and perfumed by lemon trees and herb gardens, has remained a magnet for the A-list since antiquity, when Emperor Tiberius set up camp here.

St. Lucia, Caribbean

Courtesy of Jade Mountain

St. Lucia, Caribbean

If the Caribbean Sea were a catwalk, St. Lucia would be its most bankable supermodel. This 27-mile-long island is lush, mountainous, and blessed with gorgeous beaches and verdant cocoa plantations. The jade-green twin peaks of the Pitons, jungle-swathed volcanic plugs that rise from a silvery ocean on the southwest coast, are the Caribbean’s most striking backdrop.

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Courtesy of Punta Caracol Acqua-Lodge

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Located in the Caribbean Sea near the border with Costa Rica, this group of islands is all about low-key relaxation with a Latin American flavor, pitch-perfect for sybarites who don’t want to pack a designer bikini. The main island of Colon has a buzzy downtown full of waterfront bars and laid-back nightclubs, while the smaller islands offer deserted beaches, rainforests, mangroves, and coral reefs.

Catalina Island, California

iStock

Catalina Island, California

Just 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles, Santa Catalina has a certain Mediterranean flavor. Yachts jostle in a glinting harbor, sorbet-colored homes cascade down the hillside, and the secluded coves are ready-made for romance—including the aptly named Lover’s Cove, east of Avalon.

Santorini, Greece

iStock

Santorini, Greece

Sweeping views over a picture-perfect caldera—the result of a volcanic eruption around 1600 B.C.—is just one factor in Santorini’s romantic charm. Gorgeous, striated cliffs and black-sand beaches don’t hurt, either. Head to the famously picturesque village of Oia (book a room at the 18-suite Mystique) with its classic whitewashed, cliff-edge architecture, blue-domed churches, and stone houses overhung with bougainvillea canopies.

Barbuda, Caribbean

Claire Frank

Barbuda, Caribbean

If your idea of Eden is unpaved roads, truly deserted beaches, and nary a nightclub, this 68-square-mile island in the Eastern Caribbean is for you. Barbuda features just a handful of high-end hotels, including Coco Point Lodge, on its own 164-acre peninsula fronting glorious pink-sand beaches. Take a boat trip to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary on a lagoon in the island’s northwest and ogle the 5,000 namesake birds that call it home.

Laucala Island, Fiji

Courtesy of Laucala Island

Laucala Island, Fiji

The South Pacific fantasy of swaying palm trees and extravagantly lush scenery reaches its fullest expression here. There are just 25 cottages on this privately owned resort, which occupies the entire island, each with a private pool, dining pavilion, and outdoor hot tub and shower. While the resort attracts deep-pocketed travelers, don’t expect glitzy lobbies. The emphasis is on rustic, pared-back luxury; every detail seems crafted to appeal to couples, including the lagoon pool with its man-made “islands” big enough for two.

Pamalican Island, The Philippines

Courtesy of Amanresorts

Pamalican Island, The Philippines

You’ll find only one resort here—Amanpulo, set on its own private island southwest of Manila with just 40 secluded pitched-roof traditional villas, strung along a pristine beach with sand so white it’s blinding. Beachcombers can navigate the entire island on foot in less than two hours, keeping their eyes out for baby sharks, kingfishers, and sea turtles, which lay their eggs here between March and October.

dreamy wedding dress

2010-10-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

love

2010-10-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

he said, do you trust me?

why? she said

i need to know.

and she nodded.

what happened? she said.

i need to show you something.

once upon a time i wanted to know what love was.
love is there if you want it to be.
you just have to see that it's wrapped in beauty and hidden away between the seconds of your life.
if you don't stop for a minute you might miss it.

from cashback

2010-10-17T19:18:00.003-07:00

What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers. -- Martina Horner

2010-10-14T07:11:00.001-07:00

“Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” - Mark Twain

2010-09-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

A coward gets scared and quits. A hero gets scared, but still goes on.

That is true and this is it. I've forgotten that my goal is to conquer the world and I'm going to do it now.

NOW.

2010-09-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to launch my line. And I will, brilliantly.

Then it hit me...

10 Questions I have to ask myself - - Everyday

Love, this time.

Dream

This is the first day of your life...January 1, 2012

Really

My Wishes for 2012

Before I fall

Lulay

Endings.

Wisdom from Audrey

Everyday. I choose happiness.

Persistence. I can do this.

So true...

Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.

Audacity...a page from Steve Job's life.

Plans from the Lord...

Enough said.

Inspirational Qoutes - you can do this!

Cinderella....one of my fave fairy tales.

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!

Only This Moment is Life

Disco

You can always make it.

Life is what you make it...

10 Most Divine Things in Life

Everyday

"This art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of energy in our great men." -- Captain J. A. Hadfield

Don't mind....

Ask for the moon...

Go further than you planned. Ask for the moon: you will be surprised how often you get it. -Paulo Coelho

Entreprenuers

Appreciation

Exciting End to July...my grateful list

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." — Audrey Hepburn

miss my lulay

Orson Welle's Mom's Wish for his Birthday

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring" ~ Marilyn Monroe

Break-ups

June...lovely things I'm grateful for this month and everyday...

Nella Fantasia...

Oprah's places I could be in right now article...

http://www.oprah.com/world/Places-We-Would-Rather-Be-Right-Now/12

Countries of the World to EXPLORE....

"I think you have every right to cherry-pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light." — Elizabeth Gilbert

25 things to do in the Philippines - Philippine Daily Inquirer

20 things I'm grateful for this February

Remember this always...

A 21-Day Negativity Fast: Inspiration from a Truly Blessed Man

My Leading Men

My Fave Audrey Outfit

Life is an echo; all comes back, the good, the bad, the false, & the true. So, give the world the best you have & the best will come back to you.

Flowers

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...

Diconnected

25 Things I'm Grateful For this December

love is not negotiable

Let's Bring Back...

"There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up."

Rex Stout

15 days

Some memorable movie lines

so very true...

The bigger the better...

Friedrich Nietzsche

25 Things I'm Grateful For this October

She said beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up...and it will too. - HOPE FLOATS

World's Most Romantic Islands

Romantic island getaways from the Caribbean to the South Pacific to help start—or stoke—the flame.

Rangali Island, The Maldives

Molokai, Hawaii

Capri, Italy

St. Lucia, Caribbean

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Catalina Island, California

Santorini, Greece

Barbuda, Caribbean

Laucala Island, Fiji

Pamalican Island, The Philippines

dreamy wedding dress

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
— Audrey Hepburn

"I think you have every right to cherry-pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light."
— Elizabeth Gilbert