Biking Is Good For The Body and The Soul

I recently biked to a nearby lake and learned a lot about myself in the process.

One of my biggest and most important fitness goals is to become stronger. Until I started riding my bike I had no idea just how weak my leg muscles really are. I have seen the random old man riding a bike effortless up a very slight hill and I thought that can't be that difficult.

I was completely absolutely wrong. 

Riding a bike takes coordination and fitness. I have had to learn to really push myself through the pain and the lack of breathe to get to the top of the smallest hills. I have so much respect for people who can ride a bike for long distances and up very steep hills. 

Learning endurance and persistence have been key in my bike riding fitness sessions. It started off as just a way to save money on gas but ended up teaching me to never give up.

Thanks for reading!

Fragrance Review - Lucky Parfum

Lucky Number 6 by Lucky Brand for Women

The fragrance notes of this light floral sweet scent are: Peony Tiger Lily, Jasmine Tea, Casheran Lotus, Leaf Musk, Liquid Amber, Lychee.

I would have never thought this perfume would consist of such a long list of ingredients. The simple floral scent that I love only seems to come from one or two notes.  This light scent is definitely best for springtime wear.

Lucky Number 6 is one of the few fragrances that I loved the product packaging so much, I saved the box for display and inspiration. I have always loved Asian art and design. The cherry blossoms on the box and frosted glass of the bottle look so lovely on my perfume tray on my dresser.

A little of the perfume goes a very long way. I bought this tiny sample size from Walmart a very long time ago. I have never been one of those women who drench themselves with so much fragrance, you smell them before you actually see them. My bottles of perfume tend to last a very long time.

My perfume bottles are all getting a bit low so very soon I will be doing a bit of fragrance shopping. Any suggestions for my next fragrance?

Here is my review of another fragrance - the classic Love's Baby Soft

Thank you for reading!

Inspiration Encouragement and Motivation

I saw this cover of a blank journal in a discount clothing store (Citi Trends, I think) and snapped a quick picture of it.

Each sentence starts with a "Don't just.." This is important to note. We are supposed to do all of these things to the BEST of our abilities:

Believe

Achieve

Dream

Inspire

Hope

Accept

Wish

Trust

Wonder

Explore

Imagine

Create

Exist

Live

Do miss a another day without setting a goal to do all of these things to have the most incredible fulfilling life you can. Do what you love. Make your dreams happen - One Day at a Time.

Thanks for reading!

Bands Names - Past and Present

Wow have things changed over the years in the world of local bands.

 Check out these band names from two 1994 show lists from a now closed club Snookers and this show list I saw for the King club located in downtown Raleigh, NC. 

Planet Diarrhea? LOL! I don't know what kind of music this is. Hard rock? I would love to know the story behind this name that is a visual I do not ever want to picture in my brain. 

Naming your band is a very important part of the branding of the band. While walking around downtown Raleigh, I saw a band flyer that was actually colored using crayons. It wasn't even done in a cool artistic way either, it was kinda like in a crazy lame way.

Dead Cut Tree and Mindhorse are band names in my opinion  that were attention grabbing but in a good way. Of course, I am very pro 1990s and hair bands. Those were some great times hanging out with my friends and watching really cute long haired guys in local bands sing (or scream) very hard very fast rock music.

The Dangling Loafer...I have got to google all these bands just to at least see what they look like.

 Are these guys (and maybe some women) being funny ha ha or funny the joke is on you until you hear them play amazing music that blows you away?

Whoa. What do Plant Diarrhea's band T shirts look like? 

Thanks for reading!

I LOVE Turtles

 These turtle live at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, NC.

They are so cute! Not everybody thinks turtles are cute but I think they are cute, smart, funny and above all patient. The one thing that I love the most about turtles is that they represent a skill I try to learn every single day - Patience. Slowly but surely, turtles are determined to make it to their goal/destination.

 I was laughing so much at the smallest turtle because he as swimming up and down like he was trying to escape. He was going full speed to the top then sink down. Over and over. It was like he has some place he had to get to in a hurry. Dude was not giving up. LOL!

 The bigger turtle on the left didn't move around a lot at all. He was just being chill looking at people through the glass. My favorite turtles were the ones on the right. I don't know what kind of turtles these were.

In another blog post, I will post pictures of the tiny turtle I saw at the lake. A fisherman caught in on his line (turtles love to eat bait) and put on on the pier. That little turtle ran (yes, RAN) across the pier. That was the day, I learned just how fast some turtles can move. 

No worries, the tiny but fast turtle from the pier was tossed back into the lake to annoy the fisherman and women another day.

Thank for reading!

Marilyn Monroe Portrait Made Completely From Jelly Beans

Being a huge fan of Marilyn Monroe, when I saw this jelly bean portrait of her, I was completely awed and amazed.

I asked the young lady behind the counter details about this cool work of "candy art". She told me is the owners of the store made the art piece and it took two weeks. My most important question was how many jelly beans in the entire portrait but she sadly did not know. 

 

Lots of attention to detail: shadows, lines, and variation of colors.

A close up of the actual jelly beans. Will the jelly beans ever spoil or melt? Did the artists do a sketch or is there an actual picture underneath the jelly beans? I have always been interested in the creative process and techniques of artists.

The front entrance of the candy store located in Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, NC.

I don't even want to think what the world's biggest gummy worm would look like much less want to eat it. LOL!

Another blog post I wrote about Marilyn Monroe is here.

Thanks for reading!

Hunger Games Capital Citizen Costume and NC History Exhibit Pictures

 I saw this Capital Citizen costume on exhibit in the NC Museum of History in Raleigh.

 

 Two reasons I love watching movies: costume and production design. Every single movie I watch, I am studying in detail the costumes each actor is wearing. While everyone is looking at the actors, I'm looking over and around the people at the sets and the props. "That's the coolest carpet or desk blotter" I will tell people and I always get the "you are so strange" look. LOL!

 

 To be completely honest, one of the reasons I didn't like the Hunger Games movie is the costume and production design. Hated it. The costumes were over designed strangeness and looked cheap on screen. If a movie doesn't look amazing to me, I just become uninterested in watching it.

 

 Model of  what Blackbeard's pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge might have looked like. Info next pic.

 

This exhibit was one on the most informative and balanced view of slavery and civil rights I have ever seen in a museum. I really enjoyed walking through the beautifully rendered displays and thoughtful written information about each exhibit. 

I had a wonderful time visiting the Museum of History. There was no charge for the exhibits. Beautiful building inside and gorgeous architecture outside. The gift show has a wide range of gifts from inexpensive North Carolina souvenirs to very expensive handmade jewelry. 

Other pictures from my day trip to Raleigh are here. Enjoy.

Thank you for reading!

Downtown Raleigh, NC Pictures - Day Tripping

 Downtown Raleigh from inside the skyway bridge over Salisbury Street between the two buildings.

   Christ Church

Christ Church - I love this beautiful columns.

 Whenever I visit these church grounds, I would always feel so relaxed, calm and inspired.

The world outside your window. I immediately thought of the Daily Planet when I first saw this huge globe. There is a restaurant by the name located here.

 Post Office building - Beautiful architecture outside and inside.

 State Capital

 

State Capital building

 State Capital - I wonder if that door is made of wood or metal.

Cafe Carolina and Bakery outside seating area

 

Starbucks - I sat in here to rest a bit, charge my phone and people watch. Lots of golfers going to a tournament.

 The tall building in the middle is the Wells Fargo Builiding. One of my favorite buildings downtown.

I ate at the Mecca Restaurant years ago. It was the first time I ever got a random slice of tomato with my meal (southern food of course) and it was strange how it made my meal taste even better.

Briggs Building Hardware - This building just stands out. 

I love downtown Raleigh because there is so much to see and do. Lots of places to eat. Museums, hotels, skycraper office buildings, government buildings and more. I can't wait to go back again.

Fragrance Review - Realities By Liz Claiborne

Realities By Liz Claiborne eau de toilette spray 3.4oz

I have enjoyed this fresh floral perfume for several years.
 
My second bottle of Realities actually smells a bit different from my first bottle. Doing a bit of research online, I find out the formulation had been changed and most people favored the original formulation.  The first bottle smelled a lot better because of the more subtle rose notes.

The fragrance notes include a touch of peach, amber, sage, white lily, jasmine, rose, vanilla, and carnation. 

For many years, this product has been my go to scent for when I want to feel pretty and dressed up but I can easily wear it when I am throwing on a pair of jeans and a T shirt to run around doing errands. Realities has grown up with me and is a classic in my perfume collection.

I was sad to learn that apparently has it has been discontinued . Since I use so little perfume at a time each time I wear a fragrance, it takes a very long time for me to finish my larger bottles. Now it is time to find the more recent versions of Realities by Liz Claiborne and decide if they can replace an old favorite.

Click here for my review on my Adrianne Vittandini fragrance.

Thanks for reading!