home.

after being in denver all week i can say with my whole heart that i love home more than anything.



haven't felt high 70's in quite some time. perfect jog to the bridge. and perfect sunset.

makes me think of this song...

"home" edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros.

home, let me come home
home is whenever i'm with you
home, yes i am home
home is wherever i'm with you


may you find your home.

off to san diego next!

let love in.

it's going to be a busy couple of weeks.

starting tomorrow i depart for almost a week straight.

denver then san diego.

after resting at home for just three days, i get to jet-set back to deer valley. how lucky am i?

i am thrilled to be traveling.

sometimes traveling is good for the soul.

i've been feeling a bit stagnant lately. do you ever feel the need to spread your wings? to stir things up? it's time...

time to reunite with some of the most amazing people. old friends, new friends. i am just blessed to be able to experience this life.

i'm taking open-heart "let love and joy and learning in" yoga mantras with me on this journey.

until we meet again.

sherry.

i've been getting restless in the afternoons.

maybe it's staring at the computer all day. maybe it's improper hydration or lack of riveting work. maybe i need some b vitamin supplements for a little extra energy.

anyhow, that's beside the point of my story. it's just to preface you that i wasn't in the most energetic of moods this evening...how i usually prefer to be. i knew, deep down, that a rusty class would turn that all around for me even though i was questioning even attending at all.

sitting on my mat before class a woman lays hers next to mine.

"hi!" she says. and disappears.

moments later she's back. "hi, again. i'm sherry."

(it's usually rare to have such friendliness in y-o-g-a of all places).

i've noticed sherry before. maybe it's her incredibly slender physique, but i've definitely spotted her.

"hi, i'm gina"

we have small-talk for a few seconds until there is a short silence.

she then adds, "i rode on a scooter with a 'gina' during the 1989 earthquake. she was the only person i knew that had a way out of downtown with all the chaos that was going on. we hopped on that scooter and got the heck out of there. everything was crumbling and we just needed to get home to fillmore."

i thought this was the most endearing memory of someone with the name gina. can't you just picture two young women in their twenties on a vespa zipping home up the steep hills of san francisco?



great mental picture.

"...gosh, i wonder how she's doing, i don't keep in touch with her now."

sherry was my new best friend at that point. i told her i was five years old in 1989 and we joked how she was "old" and got married at twenty three. "age is relative though" she adds. she told me how she had to act older than she really was at my age because she was "signing deals with big clients and had to talk the talk."

now she's in her forties and chooses to "do things she's scared of" that she didn't do "back then," like get her yoga teacher training.

she showed me her decorated sigg water bottle after i showed her "peace love gina" on mine. hers had a squaw valley sticker on it "because i love to ski!" and a namaste sticker "that my husband gave me for christmas!" her next decoration of choice to fill the blank white space that was left was "an elephant sticker because i just love elephants!"

as the moments to the start of class approached i mentioned that i love to chant. "oh me too" sherry said. "i can just feel the joy in my heart when i do it."

i couldn't agree more.

and just like that, a complete stranger brightened my day. i vow to be more like her. to say "hi, i'm gina" to someone who least expects it.


*picture via one of the most talented fashion photographers i know.

cupid.

i've passed this piece of art over a hundred times on my walks in SF, but today it looked different to me.

i had a thought...

that cupid is right here in san francisco. i can feel the love.

look who's right outside my building.

cozy.

(adj). a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation.

tonight i am feeling rather cozy if i do say so myself. must be the rain.

then this photo made me want to get cozy with someone else :)



someday...

until then i'm relishing in my independence...my tuesday night solitude...full of yoga and roasted veggies and blogs and new songs. i am happy. i am happy on my own. it's a really nice freeing feeling being completely contented with yourself.

i'm off to bed, but i'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes i stumbled upon tonight.



may you find what makes you come alive.

sweet dreams.

spring.

march 20th marks the first day of spring.



last night, without even thinking about the start of spring, i took it upon myself to burn some sage for cleansing purposes. i guess subconsciously i was clearing away anything i didn't need from the winter months out of my aura and preparing to feel refreshed for spring.

just for kicks, i decided to look into the meanings of the changing of the seasons.

spring: youth, newness, birth, starting fresh
summer: harmony, perfection, content
autumn: harvest, middle age, ripeness, knowledge
winter: death, barren, discontent, running out of time

my interpretation...
as we start off the year letting old habits die hard in the winter months, we then move on to experience a rebirth and freshness in the spring. this leads us to relish in a newfound sense of self in the summer, and finally allows us to put down roots in the fall. oh, the cycle of life.

maybe the universe is on to something when it comes to love being in the air in the springtime. there is a deeper meaning. i love that feeling when you see the higher force.

springtime reminds me of one of my favorite words ever invented.

twitterpated.

...which comes from the disney movie, Bambi.



Flower: [about two birds fluttering around] Well! What's the matter with them?
Thumper: Why are they acting that way?
Friend Owl: Why, don't you know? They're twitterpated.
Flower, Bambi, Thumper: Twitterpated?
Friend Owl: Yes. Nearly everybody gets twitterpated in the springtime. For example: You're walking along, minding your own business. You're looking neither to the left, nor to the right, when all of a sudden you run smack into a pretty face. Woo-woo! You begin to get weak in the knees. Your head's in a whirl. And then you feel light as a feather, and before you know it, you're walking on air. And then you know what? You're knocked for a loop, and you completely lose your head!
Thumper: Gosh, that's awful.
Flower: Gee whiz.
Bambi: Terrible!
Friend Owl: And that ain't all. It could happen to anyone, so you'd better be careful.
[points at Bambi]
Friend Owl: It could happen to you...
[points at Thumper]
Friend Owl: ... or you, or even...
[Flower looks at Owl shyly]
Friend Owl: Yes, it could even happen to you!
Thumper: Well, it's not gonna happen to me.
Bambi: Me neither.
Flower: Me neither.

it's hard not to smile after reading that. i think deep down, we all want to feel twitterpated.


i'll sign off with a "popsicle stick" joke i learned in the fifth grade that always re-surfaces in my consciousness this time of year.

____________________________________________

april showers bring may flowers.

what do may flowers bring?

pilgrims.
:)
____________________________________________




"the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." -ferdinand foch

may your spring be full of positive fresh starts and newness and, of course twitterpated-ness.

sand tropez.

i think i've made it pretty clear throughout the lifetime of this blog that i love a good manicure. in fact, i'd go once a week if i could. there's just something about perfectly manicured nails that makes me sooooo happy.

when i go home for the weekend, nine times out of ten, i visit lavande spa. they do a fairly affordable really luxurious mani/pedi.

i've been on the hunt for essie, sand tropez and finally found it at cvs of all places (yes, they now sell opi and essie here and it goes for about $9 a bottle). this fabulous polish is part of the "french affair" essie spring 2011 collection. it's the perfect basic and i believe i said aloud several times throughout the weekend that "i will be wearing this all spring!"



my sweet sissy also accompanied me on the nail adventure. isn't she just adorable. PURPLE was her color of choice. out of her box, BIG time. love you.

welcome to the BIG two-five.

although i only hit twenty five a mere five months before you, i can honestly say it's a great age. so much in store for you friend. so much growth and good things to come. happy birthday! i love you.

from then...



til now..



...to always.


we're forever friends.

friday.

if there's one thing i've learned about myself, it's if there was a medical term for "friday night anxiety," i'd have it.

or, at least i used to have it. that is until i started really listening to myself.

there's something about friday evenings that is so sacred...kind of like sundays. you want to be sure to spend them the right way since they both set the tone for the start of the weekend and beginning of the week.

here's an example of my perfect friday night.



chardoney, crackers, sunset. R-E-L-A-X.

heartbeats.

i watched this video a couple years ago. i remember it was at nbc in our old dark "dungeony" office {oh what a lifetime ago that seems}.

this is currently one of my favorite songs (discovered from cara at 6am yoges). the commercial is for a new sony tv. i don't know if it was ever released because i never saw it on the air.

today i rediscovered this video.

i love when things come full circle.

...and i love that i walk these streets of san francisco.

i am lucky.

innocence.

why do you like her?
she wears earrings. she wears her hair in a ponytail. she's pretty.

just tooooo sweet. his face full of utter excitement when he finds out she feels the same way.

enjoy the little things in life today.

happy friday.

tulips via joanna.

to be loved is to live forever in someone's heart.

flattery.

i wanted to share (aka mostly selfishly remember for myself) this amazing note a dear friend wrote for me.

back story.
a well-known copywriter in the advertising world released an ad in dailycandy SF yesterday redirecting readers to here. he wants to find love. and is offering $10k to the person who finds him his future wife. sounds sketchy, but if you read up, it's actually quite comical...and endearing.

this kind of task is right up stace's alley. based on his website, she so creatively and kindly came up with this:
__________________________________________________________

...you can keep your $10k when you marry GINA MARTINI.

or, how about you just promise me that the $10k can be put towards the fabulous party of a wedding day that the two of you will have???

as of this moment, you're probably inundated with emails so i'll make it kind of snappy...after scrolling thru you're photos here are a few reasons why i think the two of you would make a great match.

example a) she knows how to read... AND she'll read the genius words of SHEL to you each night in her most angelic voice, as the two of you are tucked into your comfy bed.

example b) she loves san francisco too. she'll be right by your side jumping into the bay and with her always happy and vibrant optimism...she's bound to make you feel HUGE even with any shrinkage that may occur.

example c) she believes music is the soundtrack to life. she wants to listen, dance, and find her favorite songs within your music collection. and as a bonus, one of her best friends just happens to work at the house that harold and maude was filmed at (i noticed that was the album of choice for your shoot). if you get married, i bet she'd pack up you & your record player and head down there to dance and be whimsy ala harold & maude.

example d) she embraces her inner monkey...check it out.

example e) she's got game when it comes to words with friends, so i'm pretty sure she can hold her own at the real version too.

example f) gina is hands down one of the truly happy souls that i know. she'll bring your 8/10th's to a full cup for sure... or if you wanted to quote jerry mcguire, "she'd complete you"

... i could keep going but i want you to find some of this stuff out for yourself. i wouldn't have wasted my time emailing you if i didn't think she was legit. i just hope you're as good as you seem in pixels.

love, cupid.
__________________________________________________________

honestly, i'm just so so so flattered. and grateful. thank you. i hope he emails you back, because this could turn into a fun adventure.

guardian angels. featuring ms. audrey m.

so, i've been brewing on this post for quite some time now. not sure where to begin.

guardian angels.

we all have them.

this term recently popped into my head when a certain out of the ordinary situation came into my life. if there's ever a way to find your truest of true, it's to observe who flits and flutters and flies around you when you're in an important, new, and scary situation.

does that make sense?

...you literally feel the wings of your best friends protecting you, wishing you nothing but the best. to be brave. to be bold.

how fantastic. i've searched for friends like this my entire life. and i've found them. how lucky am i?

i'd like to start sporadically featuring my guardian angels on my blog. to share their love with the world. to let them know how important they are to me. to celebrate them and their existence and the goodness they bring to the world - especially my world.

exhibit a.

a for audrey. meet her.



isn't she just darling?

aud and i have a special language. we quack. we don't talk, we quack.

i once found this little drawing on the muni.



i immediately snapped a photo and texted it to her. the universe was trying to tell us something that day.

i think, though, that the universe is trying to tell us something every day.

that we were meant to be friends.

the special thing about audrey is her sincere love for her friends. oh the countless hours we've "quacked" and she's helped me through my deepest fears and problems. oh the many many giggles and tears we've shared.

i want to take this moment to congratulate her on her BIG accomplishment. yes, ladies and gentleman, my quack sister got into the ever-competitive georgetown mba program. hip hip hurray!!

i have this vivid memory of a phone call from her last october. it was the middle of applications and essays and tests and we all know what it's like to get pushed to the end of our rope. she was having a bit of a moment so to speak. aud, i want you to reflect back on that time and BE PROUD. you got through it. relish in your success. we all have to go through the rough patches to experience the goodness. i'm just so thrilled i got to be here every step of the way with you.

what i mean is...from the bottom of my heart... i'm so happy i got lucky enough for you to choose me, little 'ol me, as a friend.

i'm going to miss audrey living four blocks from me more than words could possibly express. but our friendship is for a lifetime. that's how guardian angel friends work.



thanks for being my angel.

love.

could this be anymore true? i think not. my mantra today.



photo stolen from one of my all time faves mackin ink who stole it from here.

bieber shoes.

okay okay, i need to put a hold on my bieber posts. i know i knowwwww.

but, between the purple hoodie i received and the bieber shoes my co-worker rocks, i just have to add ONE MORE THING.

john mayer.

mar met john mayer last night. at the spotted pig in new york's finest west village (i've been there)!

anyhow, on my lunchtime walk, i was mulling it over in my head and i decided what my pick-up line would have been...

"hey john. i thought you never liked this apple much. it always seemed too big to touch."

...then we'd live happily ever after (although he seems to really be tipping the needle on the jerk scale as of late). i still have a soft spot for him.

enter the lyrics of one of my favorite john mayer songs of all time.



enjoy.

bieber.

i heart him...we heart him. maybe stace does just a tad more so than i do.

we love each other so much that we agreed to be sister-wives.

that's until i decided last night that i would go for scooter braun (j.b.'s brand manager and close friend) since he seems like a more realistic catch. and, quite frankly, i'm too jealous of selena gomez. there really are no words. must.stop.thinking.about.it.



last friday we had a special lunchtime rendevous adventure at the metreon. what a treat. my first 3D movie ever. and, let me tell you...i am hooked. why would you see it any other way?

justin bieber is too cute for words. his story is wonderful. never say never.

missing deer valley.

elka soup.

elka's healthy vegetarian fiesta soup

1 package tj's taco mix or any fajita/taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 medium yellow or red diced onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can green chillies
1 can yellow corn
1 can kidney beans
2 cans black beans
1 large diced yellow squash
1 large diced zucchini
2 medium diced carrots
1 cup cubed firm tofu
2 32oz. containers low sodium chicken broth

garnishes:
-fresh squeezed lime
-low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
-avocado slices
-cilantro
-whole wheat tortilla chips and/or corn chips

in the bottom of a large soup pot saute spray olive oil, onions, garlic, and seasoning mix. add small amount of chicken broth. begin adding ingredients in order listed above. add rest of chicken broth or just enough until desired consistency is achieved. bring to a boil.

enjoy.

someone gave you roses this morning.

secret admirer.

not-so-secret admirers.

i made the parking attendant, chris, my bff. and, this is what i get in return.



keeping this one for the file. because it's just too dear.