Today’s Book Club Choice, Normal People: A Novel by Sally Rooney has been feted as one of the best novels of the decade. I do not take that type of review lightly!! It is also going to be a series on Hulu later this spring! Here is the story:
Connell and Marianne grew up in the same small town, but the similarities end there. At school, Connell is popular and well liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation—awkward but electrifying—something life changing begins.
A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. And as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.
Normal People is the story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find that they can’t. – Amazon.com
For more information or to purchase this book, click HERE.
“Duke of Windsor’s Bahamas Estate”
Several years after Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor, abdicated as King of England in 1936 to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, his mother, Queen Mary, told him she would cut off his allowance if he ever moved back to Britain. The queen sent him to the Bahamas and gave him the island’s governor’s job where the couple bought a Bahamian mansion while awaiting completion of the renovation of Government House, the official residence.
On their arrival at the island of New Providence, the Windsors bought a large country estate on four acres located on a ridge just outside Nassau overlooking gorgeous ocean and bay views. The Spanish-colonial home was built in the 1930s by British-movie-producer Frederick Sigrist who was also a pioneer in aviation.
The 15,000-square-foot main residence has retained its British character with wood-paneled walls and fireplaces, four of which were imported from English country homes. The lushly planted tropical grounds flow out from the terraces and loggia and contain flower gardens, fruit and coconut trees. The swimming pool and spa have views of the ocean and manicured grounds. Restaurants, shops and a casino are only a short stroll from the estate.
Named Sigrist House, Prince Edward’s former home is one of the most exquisite properties in the islands and is priced at $8.5 million. The listing agent is Mark Hussey, of Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, Nassau.
You could probably say that most of us are not really doing enough to take proper care of our feet. The truth is that there are many things we could all be doing to look after our feet better, but most of us don’t really think about it enough and that means that we allow our feet to gradually worsen over time. If you are conscious that you should probably take better care of your feet in general, then there are many things that you might want to do in order to make sure of that. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of those essential things, so that you can really get to the bottom of foot care for yourself.
See The Podiatrist
One of the first things you should do is to make sure you visit the podiatrist. They will be able to tell you if there is anything wrong with your feet in particular that you need to keep an eye on, such as bunions or ingrown toenails or an infection. Many people are not quite sure about when to see a podiatrist, and if you are thinking When do I need a podiatrist, the answer is that it is useful whenever you feel that your feet could be in a better state. If you have any of those specific issues, then that is also a good time to see the podiatrist. All in all, they will be able to help you to get to the bottom of what your feet specifically need and why, and that is going to be very helpful knowledge.
Simple Exercises
Your feet need exercise, just like any other part of your body. If you are not using them properly or enough, then you are going to find that they are more likely to seize up, or worsen any problems they already have, and just generally are going to be in trouble. So you should make sure that you are carrying out simple exercises for your feet which can be as simple as going for a short walk or stretching them out while you are sitting watching TV. As long as you are exercising them, you should find that you are going to keep them in a much better condition overall.
Wash Regularly
Many people don’t wash their feet regularly. If you find that you merely stand in the shower without washing your feet properly, then that is not going to make you feel quite as clean as if you wash all the time, and that’s something that you are going to want to think about. Washing your feet regularly is easy to do in soap and water, but if you don’t do it then your feet are going to be in trouble. Make sure that you do this as often as you can, and your feet will be in a much better condition overall. It’s a simple thing that makes a world of difference.
Have you heard of Master Class? It is a site that offers online classes taught by people who are the BEST in their field…award-winning chefs, writers and performers. There are over 90 plus hours of classes! They are currently offering a special for a year subscription with unlimited classes for less than $10 per month! Let’s get learning….
How about a creativity and leasdership class with Anna Wintour
Or a filmmaking class with Martin Scorsese.
Or a tennis lesson with Serena Williams
Or a photography lesson with Annie Leibovitz
Or fashion brand building with Diane Von Furstenberg
Or a cooking class with Gordon Ramsay
The list goes on and on!!! For the full class offerings, click HERE
Well, I never really got around to getting my office to look the way I wanted it to look. AND now we are working exclusively from home. No Starbucks meetings, no working lunches out…just me and my computer and my desk. I cannot run to Homegoods to bail myself out, so I am going to have to use what I have around my house to spruce it up and make it a place I do not dread working in for the next many weeks. Plus, if you have a fully functional home office you can move with ease when the time comes, since this will be exactly what so many people are looking for. When I went to the internet to get some ideas, I thought I can do this…It really should not be that bad. Here are some of the tips that I learned. They helped me and hopefully will help you too!!!
First, we need to have light. Open up the curtains or shade and let the natural light in. It will make the room look bigger and you more lively and relaxed.
Next, think Chic!!! Try to create a space that will inspire you. Maybe add a touch of metallic, like a gold lamp or a pop of color with an Asian garden stool. Take an upholstered chair from another room and use it as your desk chair.
Add some greenery! A plant will freshen up the air and help to keep you feeling calm. I love Fig Ficus trees or snake plants. If you don’t have a plant on hand, go out and cut some greenery from your yard and place them in a tall vase.
Don’t give away your family heirlooms just yet. Decorating is a lot about mixing the old with the new. Use your grandmother’s antique dish as a catch-all on your desk. A vintage glass can make a beautiful pen holder. That odd knick-knack your mom gave you would make an awesome paper weight. Scatter some vintage vases of different heights on a shelf..Remember accessories are the jewelry of the room!!
Artwork can be whimsical. Etsy is a great place to find really cool artwork at great prices. Or even as a project, paint your own modern artwork. You can easily order paints and a canvas. Find the look you like by searching on the internet and create your own painting!!!
I use to work on 5th Ave..and St. Patrick’s Day was such an event. I would forget and run out to lunch and find myself in the middle of the parade chaos. I will never forget all those years of bumping into people celebrating, decked out in green and singing and laughing merrily along the parade route. It surely was a sight to behold. Sadly, this year the festivities have been canceled for the sake of keeping everyone safe. What I would not give to be back today, at that parade, on the corner of 57th and 5th. There’s always next year, in the meanwhile, here are some highlights from year’s past!!!
