Never work before breakfast.
If you have to work before breakfast,
eat your breakfast first.
Josh Billings
Where to Stay in Paris: 2 Jewels
24 May 2012 2 Comments
in Europe Travel, interior design, Paris Hotels Tags: architecture, Christian Lacroix, Hotel Le Notre Dame Paris, Hotel St. James Paris, luxury hotels, Paris, solo travel for women
There ain’t no surer way to find out
if you like people or hate them
than to travel with them.
Mark Twain
Solo travel is a privilege and an education. Once or twice a year, I take a “mommy’s vacation”–preferably somewhere I’ve never been before. This is one of the ways I expand my comfort zone, open my eyes to inspiration and possibilities, and feed my joy. I take time off from catering to everyone else’s needs, preferences, and opinions and pay attention to my own: when I want to wake up or sleep, where I want to go, what I want to do or not. I love traveling light with just carry on luggage and my own agenda–though “traveling light” is relative with my darling Mark III (aka, camera.)
If you’ve never traveled alone, what better destination for a first solo expedition than Paris? Like jewel boxes of delightful surprises, these are two hotels that I would be very happy to return to. Click on “Leave a Comment” (above left) to add to your favorite places to stay in Paris and other destinations you recommend for easy solo travel.
Hotel Le Notre Dame (1, Quai Saint-Michel 75005 Paris +33 1 43 54 20 43) is a tiny gem updated by Christian Lacroix with a view of–guess what?–the Notre Dame. Being in the center of the City of Light, there is no quiet moment if you keep your windows open, however, its interiors and view are like no other. An easy walk to the Latin Quarter, St. Germaine des Pres and the Marais, this hotel let’s you trace the Seine to reach the Louvre and the Tuilleries, too. On your walk back, stop by another jewel box with stained glass windows, the Saint Chappelle, to experience live classical music in a setting that moves me to tears. On a rainy day, you can people watch at the brasserie downstairs while enjoying the biggest escargots in town. The Saint Michel neighborhood is chockfull of restaurants and bars with a hopping nightlife for locals and tourists alike. The metro and RER B train to/from the airport are right across the street.
In the cozy lobby of Hotel Le Notre Dame…
…Grab a velvet seat for a corner “office on the road” with a view.
Be the master of the stairs (because the elevator is tiny)
Room 31 at Hotel Le Notre Dame
For a more quiet and luxe retreat, Hotel Saint James (43, Avenue Bugeaud 75116 Paris +33 1 44 05 81 81) is the only chateaux hotel in Paris. Tucked away west of the Arc de Triomphe, its water fountain welcomes you before its charming and elegant staff. The lobby of bold black and white, velvet furnishings, and vibrant wallpaper throughout the 48 distinctively decorated rooms/suites are a feast for the eyes. (Tip: Request a room facing the fountain.) And what’s not to love about their massage room with gilded mirror and chandelier? The Champs Elysee and the Eiffel are about 15 minutes on foot. A few steps outside the hotel’s gate is a metro stop I didn’t investigate, preferring to explore this city mostly walking, bathing in its renowned light.
The view from Room 306 facing the fountain.
Hotel St. James Lobby
Whimsy on the back stairs
Waiting room at the spa
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
www.PowerfulGoddess.com
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
Waking Up Gently
17 May 2012 6 Comments
in Boudoir Photography, Glamour Portraits, Mind and Body Tags: book recommendation, books, health and wellness, humor, inspirational quote, Jon Kabat-zinn, self help
From Jon Kabat-Zinn in “Waking Up to Our Senses”:
We go from one thing to the next all day long, virtually addicted to distracting ourselves, afraid of what might happen if we didn’t fill it up, if we stopped interrupting ourselves and just settled into now. We fill up our time and then wonder where it all went, why we feel so far from the mark, so far from our deepest aspirations, from contentment, from peace, from really being at home within ourselves and in deep connection with others.
What would it be like to settle into our own body, just lying in bed or sitting around for a few moments? You can drop in on yourself and purposely not fill the present moment with anything, especially anxieties about the future and everything you”should” be getting done, or resentment about what has already transpired and hasn’t gone exactly as you desired. You can play with seeing what it’s like to linger with such feelings and breathe with them for a tad longer than you are likely to think you can possibly stand.
Click on the “Leave a Comment” (above left) to tell us how you connect with yourself best in the mornings.
© Sharon Birke
Let’s celebrate you today!
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
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Many Thanks, Many Mothers
10 May 2012 2 Comments
in Family, Mind and Body, Women Photography Tags: 5 generations of women, great great grandmother, Mother's Day, Portraits
There is no way to be a perfect mother,
and a million ways to be a good one.
Jill Churchill
These photos of 5 generations of mothers are mere copies of photocopies, their originals lost to the gods of posterity. In the first, I’m the screaming baby on my elegant mother’s lap and, in the second, I’m the chubby new mom showing off her firstborn to her 104 year old great grandmother. These thin slips of paper are priceless treasures, photography’s unrivaled power to bear witness to our journey of growth. I am thankful for the many women who have helped get me to where I am today with their love, example, and counterexample. It all works and it’s all good!
My grandma taught me that gratitude is the key to happiness, my myriad talents are worth exploring without apology, funny is in the irony, and today IS the special occasion for my best dishes. She taught me to be generous with praise towards myself when others can’t, to forgive and choose to put my attention on what I want more of.
My mom taught me to mind my own business and give advice only when asked, to celebrate myself instead of waiting for others to do so, to have my own money, to speak well of my husband and to be present for my kids. And if I can’t be the mother they want, that’s ok, too. One of life’s greatest gifts is that we all get the mother we need.
My aunts, my sister, my friends teach me the pleasures of love without obligation, to bring joy where I am and to welcome more of those who remind me of my fabulousness when I forget, to explore possibilities that thrill my heart, to respect other people’s choices because acceptance and breathing room feed the soul.
My daughter teaches me that no one’s ever too young to want to mother, no one’s ever too old for mothering, and no matter what else I do for my kids, I hope they see that in mothering myself they, too, are the first reliable guardians and mothers of their own happiness.
Happy Mom, Happy Wife, Happy Life!
Click on “Leave a Comment” (above left) to share with us: How do you mother yourself well?
xoxox
Let’s celebrate what you love about your life today!
Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
From Cinderella to CEO
27 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Empowerment, Glamour Portraits, Women Photography Tags: book recommendation, Cinderella, fairy tales, Motherhood, self help
I want to know what happens
after Cinderella rides off with Prince Charming.
Melissa Joan Hart
One of the magical benefits of turning 40 (or 50 and more!) is that we fit more comfortably into the shoes of “CEO of My Life.” We recognize that rules are all made up, so why not make a few of our own? We realize there’s no time to blame, just time to face up to the consequences of our (in)actions. We claim our power to relax and reinvent ourselves in ways that suit our values, goals, and reality. And even as we live under the tyranny of “gotta have it all” and “gotta do more,” we realize we can free ourselves when we are honest with our answer to “What really makes me happy?”
At the heart of Cinderella’s story is the belief in the power of transformation, the benevolence of helping hands, the importance of work done with love and great care despite adversity or while we’re mulling through our choices. As we age, we realize that when we don’t get invited to the ball, we can host our own party. When we lose a shoe, it’s ok to walk on bare feet–and sexy does not require the highest of heels! We look at the hand holding the magic wand and find that this hand has been our own, or at least, blessed by our choices.
Click on “Leave a Comment” (above left) to tell us what Cinderella’s story means to you today.
xoxox
Book recommendation:
From Cinderella to CEO: 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales
by Cary Broussard
© Sharon Birke
Book your glamour playdate with me today!
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
Paris: What to See and Do?
24 Apr 2012 4 Comments
in Culture and Arts, Europe, International Travel Tags: architecture, Art, couture, design, entertainment, fashion, nightlife, Paris, sightseeing, Yves Saint Laurent
If Chanel gave liberty to women,
Yves Saint Laurent gave them power.
Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves St. Laurent
On my return trip to the City of Light., I may not change my mind about the Eiffel Tower being an eyesore, but I am open to being converted into a Francophile. Click on “Leave a Comment” (above left) to tell me what else to add to my list:
Institut du Monde Arabe (1 Rue des Fosses St.-Bernard | 5th arrondissement) is a Jean Nouvel designed building best known for its facade of steel diaphragms that open and close with the changing sunlight. How curious is that?! The restaurant at the top floor has rotating exhibits and fabulous views of the city.
Le Barrio Latino in the Bastille (Metro Ledru Rollin) for four floors of dancing and dining.
Hotel De Sens (1 Rue Figuier, 75004) the oldest medieval mansion in downtown Paris is not actually a hotel. It does have an impeccably manicured tapestry garden and houses an arts library.
Crazy Horse (12 Avenue George V 75008) for burlesque in an intimate, old world setting.
High tea at the Mariage Freres (13, Rue des Grands Augustins) on a charming, exceedingly Parisian street. When you enter the door, you’re transported to another time with dark wood furniture and tea tinted yellow walls lined with their iconic black and red lacquer tea packaging–beautifully detail oriented and deserving of being voted #1 luxury tea brand by Newsweek.
Musee de Artes Decoratifs (107 rue de Rivoli 75001) because I love objects that are both functional and pretty. This museum is at the end of one arm of the Louvre, offering exceptional temporary shows and a fabulous permanent exhibit. I hear museums are free on the first Sunday of every month, at least for their permanent collections. I’m thinking of Sunday brunch at their great new outdoor cafe facing the Tuillerie gardens. too.
Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent (5 avenue Marceau 75116) houses the workshop studio of the great designer and their current exhibit “Kabuki” is dedicated to Japanese costume theatre. I’m very curious to see emblematic haute couture prototypes and YSL’s design sketches where he used masculine codes to give women security and audacity whilst accentuating their feminity.
xoxox
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The Concrete Jungle
18 Apr 2012 2 Comments
in Glamour Portraits, Health and Wellness, Women Photography Tags: charities, donations, Earth Day, eco friendly tips, environment, kindle, Mother Nature, save the planet
God loved the birds and invented trees.
Man loved the birds and invented cages.
Jacques Deval
How far have we strayed from Adam and Eve’s paradise? Humorist Art Buchwald wrote:
And Man created the plastic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away that which had no further use. And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: “Look at this Godawful mess!”
Because everyday is Earth Day, click on “Leave a Comment” beside the title of this article to share your practical ideas for living green and showing kindness to our planet, not just on April 22nd:
1. Reuse: Pack a trashless lunch (or picnic) that fills your stomach, not a landfill. Reuse empty glass bottles to hold water (handy to grab and go for car rides, too,) pack food in washable glass or metal food containers, and use real cutlery wrapped in cloth napkins.
2. Reduce: Save a tree without buying new equipment with Kindle for your computer… My indestructible LL Bean canvas totes sat patiently in the trunk of my car for a full year before I actually got into the habit of taking them into the grocery store with me. My next ambition is to remember to bring my own washable containers for the fishmonger. 
3. Recycle: Donate women’s business attires to Dress for Success, cellphones/computers/cameras to Recycling for Charities, and packing materials (like styrofoam peanuts and bubble wrap) to your local shipping store. Libraries are happy to get your used books, CDs, DVDs– even their empty cases. The Lions Club is likely to have a dropbox for used eyeglasses at your post office.
4. Refuse: Before buying the next new and improved version of the latest and the greatest, take a moment to ask “Do I really need this?”
Thank you for leaving a comment and adding your ideas for creating paradise and mothering our little corner of this earth.
xoxox
© Sharon Birke
Book your glamour playdate with me today!
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
Send In The Clown
11 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Empowerment, Glamour, Women Photography Tags: biographies, comediennes, comedy, humor, Joan Rivers, laughter, Phyllis Diller, Standup
Housework can’t kill you,
but why take a chance?
Phyllis Diller
Joan Rivers’ live standup show was packed to overflowing last week. It was my very first time to witness her firecracker mouth other than the few times I’ve seen her blast the hapless who walk down the Oscar’s red carpet on her watch. I laughed in hysterical disbelief– How does she get away saying what she does?!
Having grown up in Asia and having given up TV since my kids started rolling in, I’ve only been recently “introduced” to two trailblazing comediennes through their film biographies: Joan Rivers in “A Piece of Work” and Phyllis Diller in “Goodnight, We Love You.” Their humanity and vulnerability impress me beyond their courage to say it like it is, holding no one and nothing sacred. Like Phyllis, I want a life full of laughs and I want to be remembered for my kindness. At the very least, I’ll settle for their high energy on high heels when I’m 80.
This series is dedicated to the clowns who dare say and do what we don’t. May we always laugh out loud and be so bold!
© Sharon Birke
Book your glamour playdate with me!
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
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The Guest House
04 Apr 2012 2 Comments
in Empowerment, Health and Wellness, Women Photography Tags: Glamour, inner peace, poetry, Rumi
This being human is a guesthouse
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you
out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Rumi
Find the comment link beside the title of this feature.
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
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Fools Rule
29 Mar 2012 2 Comments
in Body Image, Empowerment, Women Photography Tags: April Fools, Art, Beauty, Boboli Gardens, Botero, Florence, sculptures
Assuming women can be altered cheaply, painlessly, & with no risk,
is that to be what we must want?
Naomi Wolf
Aside from being an occasion to pull someone’s leg, April Fool’s is a good day as any to wonder what leg our beliefs stand (or sit) on.
The sculpture Contro Natura by Salvatore Crita (1828-1912) at the Pitti Palace in Florence makes my Inner Fool grin. What IS against nature: A pregnant nun or a woman who swears off her natural biological function?
In the Boboli Gardens, a giant reclining figure covered in blue bandages stares into the distance. Why do we call it cosmetic or plastic surgery when it involves pain beyond mere cosmetics and human flesh isn’t plastic?
Closer to home in our land of anti-fat, Botero’s sculptures stand proudly curvaceous and unapologetic. Who determines the “correct” size and shape of all women? Who wields the power to define beauty and who profits from feeding our insecurities?
A skinny ballerina “sculpture” blows me a kiss, a wink and a smile. She’s not telling who’s fooling whom.
What does your fool wonder about? Find the comment link beside the title of this feature.
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
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A Beautiful Bird in Spring
21 Mar 2012 4 Comments
in Empowerment, Family, Women Photography Tags: book recommendation, Brenda Ueland, caged bird, Freedom, Maya Angelou, self help, writing
I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind.
Maya Angelou in “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”
In her book about art, independence and spirit, “If You Want to Write,” Brenda Ueland tells this story:
A caged bird in spring knows quite well that he might serve some end; he feels quite well that there is something for him to do, but he cannot do it. What is it? He does not remember… Then he has some vague ideas and says to himself: ‘The others make their nests and lay their eggs and bring up their little ones,” and then he knocks his head against the bars of the cage. But the cage stands there and the bird is maddened by anguish.
“‘Look at the lazy animal,’ says another bird that passes by, “he seems to be living at his ease.” Yes, the prisoner lives, his health is good, he is more or less gay when the sun shines. But then comes the season of migration. Attacks of melancholia.
“But he has got everything he wants,” say the children that tend him in his cage.
He looks at the overcast sky and he inwardly rebels against his fate. ’‘I am caged, I am caged, and you tell me I do not want anything, fools! You think I have everything I need. Oh, I beseech you, liberty, to be a bird like others birds! But I should be very glad if it were possible for you to see in me something else than an idle man of the worst type.”
Whatever cage you’re in and no matter how others judge you, how are you gentle with yourself?
© Sharon Birke
201 697 1947
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
xoxox
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