This is something my friend Andrea’s boyfriend Christer came across and shared with her. She then passed on the wisdom and shared it with me. Before passing it on, Andrea asked Christer if this is the way men really think. His answer: “Men don’t think!” Brilliant. I suggest framing it and reading it to remind ourselves that most of what we women torture ourselves over is really only a moot point.

Let’s say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time. A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else. And then, one evening when they’re driving home, a thought occurs to Elaine, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud:
”Do you realize that, as of tonight, we’ve been seeing each other for exactly six months?”
And then there is silence in the car. To Elaine, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: “I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he’s been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I’m trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn’t want, or isn’t sure of.”
And Roger is thinking: “Gosh. Six months.”
And Elaine is thinking: “But, hey, I’m not so sure I want this kind of relationship, either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I’d have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward . . . I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?”
And Roger is thinking: “… so that means it was… let’s see… February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer’s, which means… lemme check the odometer… Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.”
And Elaine is thinking: “He’s upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I’m reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment; maybe he has sensed — even before I sensed it — that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that’s it. That’s why he’s so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He’s afraid of being rejected.”
And Roger is thinking: “And I’m gonna have them look at the transmission again. I don’t care what those morons say, it’s still not changing gear right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It’s late spring, and this thing is changing like a damn rubbish truck, and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.”
And Elaine is thinking: “He’s angry. And I don’t blame him. I’d be angry, too. God, I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can’t help the way I feel. I’m just not sure.”
And Roger is thinking: “They’ll probably say it’s only a 90-day warranty. That’s exactly what they’re gonna say, the scumballs.”
And Elaine is thinking: “Maybe I’m just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I’m sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centred, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.”
And Roger is thinking: “Warranty? They want a warranty? I’ll give them a damn warranty. I’ll take their warranty and stick it right up their…”
“Roger”, Elaine says aloud.
“What?” says Roger, startled.
”Please don’t torture yourself like this,” she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. ”Maybe I should never have… Oh God, I feel so…” (She breaks down, sobbing.)
”What?” says Roger.
”I’m such a fool,” Elaine sobs. ”I mean, I know there’s no knight. I really know that. It’s silly. There’s no knight, and there’s no horse.”
”There’s no horse?” says Roger.
”You think I’m a fool, don’t you?” Elaine says.
”No!” says Roger, glad to finally know the correct answer.
”It’s just that… It’s that I… I need some time”, Elaine says.
(There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work.)
”Yes,” he says.
(Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand.)
”Oh, Roger, do you really feel that way?” she says.
”What way?” says Roger.
”That way about time,” says Elaine.
”Oh,” says Roger. ”Yes.”
(Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks.)
”Thank you, Roger,” she says.
”Thank you,” says Roger.
Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn, whereas when Roger gets back to his place, he opens a bag of chips, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of.
A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it’s better if he doesn’t think about it. (This is also Roger’s policy regarding world hunger.)

The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it, either.

Meanwhile, Roger, while playing tennis one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine’s, will pause just before serving, frown, and say: ”Norm, did Elaine ever own a horse?”

Check out the new Hindi film release “Partner”, directed by David Dhawan, produced by Sohail Khan and with two of the most beloved Bollywood stars, Govinda and Salman Khan. It’s the Hindi remake of the 2005 “Hitch” with Will Smith. In my opinion, better than the original and it appears that a lot of people think like me, since it’s a HIT in India. My friend Virginia and I did not stop laughing throughout and any film that can do such a thing is worth seeing, in my view. I also bought the soundtrack on Itunes. At your local “ethnic” movie theater.

While we are on the Itunes subject, I have just discovered the wonders of buying music online. OK, so I’m a little slow in catching on… But it’s amazing! Especially when there are only a few songs on each album which are truly worth owning. From now on, no more obsolete CDs with tons of music I never ever listen to. Only wonderful songs, greatest hits, and must haves on my Ipod!

Send out a pretty card to a good friend. She or he deserve to find something from you in their mailbox. It’s a cute thought and shopping for cards these days is more fun than ever. In NYC, Papyrus and Kate’s Paperie are the places to go, but there is no need to be fancy or spend a lot either. You can get some blank cards from office stores like Staples and create something special yourself, with the help of some stickers, images you find online or even your own personal photos. I know someone with a DVD burner who makes her own cards by freeze-framing her favorite scenes from Hindi films. You know who you are… Virginia! Anyway, don’t forget to write something meaningful inside. That’s the best part of the card for the person receiving it!

Check out the amazing documentary on PBS titled “Cloud’s Legacy: The Wild Stallion Returns” about a strong and fiesty, nearly white mustang roaming Southern Montana’s Arrowhead Mountains. For more info and lovely written thoughts by the filmmaker Ginger Kathrens, click here “Cloud’s Legacy” . I have to admit that watching anything about horses usually gets me teary eyed, but this one takes the prize. Cloud and his extended family are now deeply implanted in my heart.

Last but not least, do check out the Virb blog linked to this site. In it I share with you all my innermost thoughts, my pet peeves and my likes. And don’t forget to write some of your own thoughts and comments as well. I want to hear from you! Click on the black “VIRB” link on the bottom right of any page.

1 large Yukon Gold potato with the skin on, diced
1/3 lb baked turkey breast, cut into a single slice if deli bought or shredded if leftovers. The deli bought turkey breast should then be diced into thin pieces.
1 medium red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and sliced
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, boil the potato, already cut, in slightly salted water to cover. Drain and cool.
In a large skillet - stainless steel, since I try to avoid non-stick surfaces for health reasons - heat up the oil on medium heat. When the oil is quite hot, add the onions and cook two minutes. Then add the hot pepper - this is traditionally done with half a green pepper diced but I like my food spicy - and the turkey breast. Turn over once and add the potato, which you could even mash a bit with the back of fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Leave the mixture on medium to high heat, and turn over with a spatula a couple of times, until slightly crispy and browned. Serves two, or one large appetite.

For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. Amazing animals, truly man’s best friend as we owe to them the development of modern civilization as we know it. They carried heavy loads for us, moved entire communities to different areas of the world, gathered sheep, cattle and whatever else we asked of them and kept watch over us all the while. As you see, I feel quite strongly about these precious, beautiful animals.

GETTING TO THE STABLES

There used to be another fun place to ride in NYC, Claremont Academy on the Upper West Side, but that is old news now, the place is gone, the horses have literally moved to greener pastures and Kensington Stables in Brooklyn is what is left. For now. I suggest taking advantage of them while they are still around, since there has been talk for years about closing them down, due to pressure from our very own Senator Clinton. Apparently, she finds the idea of horses anywhere within city limits inhumane. I wonder if that would be her first directive once she is elected President. “Off with the horses…” Anyway, the best and most direct way to arrive to the stables is to take the F train to the Fort Hamilton stop and exit onto Greenwood Avenue. Then walk to the left on Greenwood, towards the park and turn right on Sherman Street. Walk to the end of Sherman Street and go over the pedestrian bridge to cross Ocean Parkway. The smell of horses should guide you from there.

THE RIDE

I am not a great rider, but what I lack in talent I certainly make up for in enthusiasm and respect for the animals. It has been difficult to maintain a constant pursuit of the sport of horseback riding, given that I have grown up in NYC, as close to a concrete jungle as one can get. But a few years ago I found in Windsor Terrace’s Kensington Stables a small community of wonderful people who love horses as much as I do. The owner of the place is a true cowboy, tough, silent and rough around the edges but that only adds to the authentic experience. They have fantastic teachers for both English and Western riding styles and two great unique practice arenas- fenced loops - right in Prospect Park. The views to and from the lessons are fantastic and they do offer trail rides to explore the true beauty of this mini version of Central Park, which truly benefits by being viewed from the height of the horse. As an interesting aside, architect Frederick Olmsted poured his soul into this park, which is apparently the true version of what he wanted Central Park to look like. And finally to the most important part of the riding experience: the horses. These are city horses, definitely. They are not the country bumpkins variety ones, but quite wise, very sneaky and a bit neurotic. It’s always a challenge to ride them, which will make the rider - even first timers - feel like cowboys and cowgirls, once back at the corral. The added bonus is the short subway ride home, or the walk over to Park Slope, for a good cup of coffee, a great brunch or some fish and chips. For riding info, prices and address, check out the stables’ website at http://www.kensingtonstables.com.

LUNCH/BRUNCH/COFFEE

In Brooklyn, you can step off a horse - make sure you have brought the horse back to the stables first - and literally walk to a coffee shop. From Kensington, on Caton Place, just hang to the left of Prospect Park, onto Prospect Park Southwest, then up Prospect Park West, which will lead you to the general area of Park Slope South. Turn onto 12th Street and walk to 6th Avenue (away from the park) to the Red Horse Cafe (how perfect a name is that!!) a lovely, quiet coffee shop with decent coffee. Hey, I am all for Starbucks, I mean I live by their coffee, but when in Brooklyn do as the Brooklynites do, I say! If you feel like having more coffee later on, there is always Ozzie’s, further up into Park Slope, on Seventh Avenue and Lincoln Place. I grew up on Ozzie’s coffee, as our accountant worked out of the same building for years, and having a cuppa downstairs before going to crunch numbers was the only redeeming factor of the day for me. Not cheap, but good, dark, fragrant coffee.

For lunch or brunch, Park Slope and Fort Green have so many places, for every taste level and depth of pocket (price levels) that it would take a whole new blog in itself to list them all. But wait! There is one, and it goes by the name of www.dailyslope.com. It’s the best resource for everything you may wish to know about Park Slope and the areas directly surrounding it. I suggest trying a good Thai restaurant, eating light, and saving the big meal for later in the walk.

Which brings me to a great place to go, after it all, the Black Sheep Pub on Bergen Street and Fifth Avenue. Their profile on citysearch says it best, so look it up on http://brooklyn.citysearch.com/profile/42317972/brooklyn_ny/ black_sheep_pub.html. It has Brit favorites fish & chips, great lagers and even true original malt vinegar to pour onto the chips (french fries in this country) all for a truly authentic experience. It is not around the corner from the stables, for sure, but then again you should wear a good pair of sneakers or comfortable boots for this. Make sure to print out a map, from www.maps.google.com, before you go, wear cute but easy clothing and shoes, pack some sunscreen in the summer, your great sense of adventure and you are ready to be a cowgirl/cowboy for a day!

Make sure to check out my favorite, ethnic-inspired clothing on Dosa’s new website www.dosainc.com. Click onto “Voyager 2007″ and enjoy a preview of wonderful items to come, which can be purchased, come fall, at a store near you. For a list of stores, the site has a retail link with names from all around the world. So, no excuse for not going somewhere and trying on some of these amazing outfits. They are also featured repeatedly on my Flickr account, as almost EVERYTHING I own is by designer extraordinaire Christina Kim. Not inexpensive, but not cheaply made and the kind of clothing that NEVER goes out of style.

Drink more tap water! If you have any doubts about the damage those plastic empties are causing on the environment, or question if the water in your city is up to standards, read this article from Sunday’s New York Times a Battle Between the Bottle and the Tap. Instead of wasting money on a product that you could basically have for free, buy a Brita water filter and attach it to your kitchen faucet. The replacement filter cartridges are easily available and about $30 for a set of two. One will last you two months. Go to Drugstore.com for everything. And don’t forget to hydrate before and after your exercise routine.

Because we are still in that running spirit this week, check out the following site: RunthePlanet.com. Full of incredibly useful info about stretching, warming up and getting started. A true godsend.

Sign up for High Speed Lite internet service, from RoadRunner/Earthlink. I did and cannot believe how cheap it is - only $29.95 a month forever - and how fast and lovely. I hate to admit that up to last week I was a snail, dial-up user, and everything I did online took at least half an hour, even simply opening my hotmail account. Now, my whole online routine takes five minutes and I have loads of time left over for a mini - at home - facial, or fixing my toenails polish while I am still able to write interesting adventures for all of you out there. Check your local cable provider or Earthlink.net and enjoy high speed, low price. And remember to repeatedly ask for High Speed Lite, as the Time Warner Cable operators are sneaky and will try to sell you another version. Just say NO.

Get an inexpensive - just as good as the fancy places - facial, at Christine Valmy’s Beauty School in NYC. At $27 for a basic facial (I usually add the vegetable exfoliating scrub for about $5) you really, really can’t go wrong. It is basic, easy, painless and the results are the same as after those $125, and upwards, facials at an upscale spa. Call them to book an appointment at (212) 779 7800, but give it time, as they are usually booked way in advance. The beauty clinic is located at 437 Fifth Avenue, right across from Lord & Taylor, on the second floor.

GNOCCHI WITH A LIGHT HERBED SAUCE

1 16 oz package of fresh or frozen gnocchi, from Trader Joe’s
1 small container of light cream
1 tiny chunk of butter - about a tablespoon or less
2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves only, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh sage, leaves only, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves only
10 basic leaves, torn up
salt and pepper to taste
3 oz of grated Parmiggiano cheese from Trader Joe’s

Bring a large pot of water, slightly salted, to a boil and drop in the gnocchi. They are ready when they begin to float to the top. With store bought ones, I usually leave them in the water for a couple more minutes, to make them softer. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the fresh herbs, minus the basil which will be sprinkled on at the very end. Almost immediately, add the light cream and raise the heat a bit so it bubbles and evaporates, to form a thicker consistency and a deeper, more yellow color. Then add the cooked and drained gnocchi, sprinkle with the basil, salt and pepper and serve with abundant parmesan cheese.
Serves two as a main dish, or four as a side dish.

And for more fun, quick and easy recipes, read this article, featured in the food section of the NY Times from Wednesday: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin. It is literally 101 meals in ten minutes or less. Who knew?!

Keeping with last week’s theme and continuing onto the horseback riding and outdoorsy mood I seem to be in this week as well, here are some fabulous tips from a true runner. And she does have the body to prove it!

Getting started in running is pretty easy – basically, you just run. Expect to start slowly and build up in time. But don’t feel that you have to run 4 miles or half an hour to make it worthwhile; anything is better than nothing, and you may be more likely to keep up with it if you’re not overwhelmed by the idea of big runs. Remember, the first 5-10 minutes always feel like an effort, even for experienced runners, as your body is working to get the heart rate up and the blood more oxygenated. Just get past that and you’ll start to really enjoy it. And 15 words to remember always: Don’t go out too fast; don’t go out too fast; don’t go out too fast!

WARMING UP
There is a difference between warming up and stretching. The former should be done before running, the latter, after.
To warm up, don’t try to pull your cold muscles, they’re not ready. Basically, you should just swing your arms, flex your feet, do some knee bends, and prance a bit. Some specific warm-ups include the following:
Knees: With feet hip-width apart, bend your knees until you feel the stretch in your ankles, and repeat a few times
Ankles: Lift one heel while the other leg stays put, and switch, gathering speed, for a dozen or so repetitions.
Hips and body: Lunge forward on one leg until you just start to feel it in your hips a bit. Reach above you with the opposite arm, look upwards towards your hand, and hold for a moment. Repeat a few times, alternating sides.
Shoulders: Make circles with your shoulders, and then swing arms around forward and back.

STRETCHING
After running, you can do any stretch that lengthens your legs and hip muscles. Typically, you would leave your weight on one leg while propping up the other on a railing, or if sitting, stretch one out in front of you, and lean gently forward. Let the weight of your body pull you forward, but do not bounce or push too hard. I’d avoid leaning all your weight forward from a standing position, as you actually end up tensing your muscles to hold you up. Most important of all is to release and relax your muscles, rather than pulling on them.

I have a few tips that should help to make the experience more enjoyable and better for your body.
The things you need:
1. Decent, but definitely not top of the line, running shoes
2. A portable music device
3. For women, a good sports bra

For the shoes, get a mid-priced pair that follows the shape of your foot, i.e. curved for a high arch and instep, straight for a medium or low arch and instep. Look for some good cushioning, but don’t bother with too many other bells and whistles, you absolutely do not need to spend $100 to run a few miles. I’ve settled on Asics as my favorite, and they have lots of styles to suit different foot shapes.

For the portable device, my suggestion is get something cheap and small, if you don’t already have one. But do run with music!! It’s the best way to get the adrenaline pumping and stay interested with every run.

For the bra, the general rule of thumb is that if you’re small to medium, you use a compression bra, which is generally just a super-tight crop top. If you’re bigger busted you go for a molded, cupped variety. Don’t worry too much about how it looks, or how it squishes you down - it’s infinitely better to get an ugly workhorse of a bra that holds you firmly and reduces bounce, than to wear a cute one that doesn’t do the job. This is worth getting right, and spending a few extra dollars for, if necessary. My favourite is the Shock Absorber, which comes in styles to suit all bust sizes – it’s one of the few that doesn’t crush you to oblivion, yet holds everything in place.

You’re better off wearing man-made materials rather than cotton, as they wick moisture and dry faster, and always better to wear a couple of light layers rather than one heavy one. With these tips in mind, you’re ready to go. Have fun!

For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. Amazing animals, truly man’s best friend as we owe to them the development of modern civilization as we know it. They carried heavy loads for us, moved entire communities to different areas of the world, gathered sheep, cattle and whatever else we asked of them and kept watch over us all the while. As you see, I feel quite strongly about these precious, beautiful animals.

GETTING TO THE STABLES

There used to be another fun place to ride in NYC, Claremont Academy on the Upper West Side, but that is old news now, the place is gone, the horses have literally moved to greener pastures and Kensington Stables in Brooklyn is what is left. For now. I suggest taking advantage of them while they are still around, since there has been talk for years about closing them down, due to pressure from our very own Senator Clinton. Apparently, she finds the idea of horses anywhere within city limits inhumane. I wonder if that would be her first directive once she is elected President. “Off with the horses…” Anyway, the best and most direct way to arrive to the stables is to take the F train to the Fort Hamilton stop and exit onto Greenwood Avenue. Then walk to the left on Greenwood, towards the park and turn right on Sherman Street. Walk to the end of Sherman Street and go over the pedestrian bridge to cross Ocean Parkway. The smell of horses should guide you from there.

THE RIDE

I am not a great rider, but what I lack in talent I certainly make up for in enthusiasm and respect for the animals. It has been difficult to maintain a constant pursuit of the sport of horseback riding, given that I have grown up in NYC, as close to a concrete jungle as one can get. But a few years ago I found in Windsor Terrace’s Kensington Stables a small community of wonderful people who love horses as much as I do. The owner of the place is a true cowboy, tough, silent and rough around the edges but that only adds to the authentic experience. They have fantastic teachers for both English and Western riding styles and two great unique practice arenas- fenced loops - right in Prospect Park. The views to and from the lessons are fantastic and they do offer trail rides to explore the true beauty of this mini version of Central Park, which truly benefits by being viewed from the height of the horse. As an interesting aside, architect Frederick Olmsted poured his soul into this park, which is apparently the true version of what he wanted Central Park to look like. And finally to the most important part of the riding experience: the horses. These are city horses, definitely. They are not the country bumpkins variety ones, but quite wise, very sneaky and a bit neurotic. It’s always a challenge to ride them, which will make the rider - even first timers - feel like cowboys and cowgirls, once back at the corral. The added bonus is the short subway ride home, or the walk over to Park Slope, for a good cup of coffee, a great brunch or some fish and chips. For riding info, prices and address, check out the stables’ website at http://www.kensingtonstables.com.

LUNCH/BRUNCH/COFFEE

In Brooklyn, you can step off a horse - make sure you have brought the horse back to the stables first - and literally walk to a coffee shop. From Kensington, on Caton Place, just hang to the left of Prospect Park, onto Prospect Park Southwest, then up Prospect Park West, which will lead you to the general area of Park Slope South. Turn onto 12th Street and walk to 6th Avenue (away from the park) to the Red Horse Cafe (how perfect a name is that!!) a lovely, quiet coffee shop with decent coffee. Hey, I am all for Starbucks, I mean I live by their coffee, but when in Brooklyn do as the Brooklynites do, I say! If you feel like having more coffee later on, there is always Ozzie’s, further up into Park Slope, on Seventh Avenue and Lincoln Place. I grew up on Ozzie’s coffee, as our accountant worked out of the same building for years, and having a cuppa downstairs before going to crunch numbers was the only redeeming factor of the day for me. Not cheap, but good, dark, fragrant coffee.

For lunch or brunch, Park Slope and Fort Green have so many places, for every taste level and depth of pocket (price levels) that it would take a whole new blog in itself to list them all. But wait! There is one, and it goes by the name of www.dailyslope.com. It’s the best resource for everything you may wish to know about Park Slope and the areas directly surrounding it. I suggest trying a good Thai restaurant, eating light, and saving the big meal for later in the walk.

Which brings me to a great place to go, after it all, the Black Sheep Pub on Bergen Street and Fifth Avenue. Their profile on citysearch says it best, so look it up on http://brooklyn.citysearch.com/profile/42317972/brooklyn_ny/ black_sheep_pub.html. It has Brit favorites fish & chips, great lagers and even true original malt vinegar to pour onto the chips (french fries in this country) all for a truly authentic experience. It is not around the corner from the stables, for sure, but then again you should wear a good pair of sneakers or comfortable boots for this. Make sure to print out a map, from www.maps.google.com, before you go, wear cute but easy clothing and shoes, pack some sunscreen in the summer, your great sense of adventure and you are ready to be a cowgirl/cowboy for a day!

This is probably my all-time favorite poem. It is my compass when I come across someone and need to decide for sure “If” he is the one for me. It is my balance “If” I feel like my courage and determination are faltering. It is also a valuable tool in deciding “If” to continue with a course of action of which I am just not sure. Read on and never keep it too far from you, for those time you may need it…

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowances for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you,
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold On!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kinds - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

A couple I hold dear to my heart has a beautiful piece in a current exhibit at the Cranbrook Art Museum, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I plan to visit the show later in the month, and will probably write something about the place and the experience in the “Adventures” section, but you don’t need to go very far at all to enjoy their work. The website for the museum is simply fantastic and very instructional and Kinnari and John Panikar’s work titled “Lotus in Clouds” is phenomenal! Then, when you decide you wish to see some of the couple’s fantastic fashions up-close, you can visit their store Kinnu, in Soho, NYC. The direct link for the artwork is Lotus in Clouds.

I am planning to re-read the book “Maximum City” by Suketu Mehta. It is a fantastically well written, in-depth look at Bombay, a city I hold dear to my heart. Mr. Mehta doesn’t hold back, doesn’t sugar coat anything, and he looks at the real issues of a city which is grimy, seedy, glamourous, congested, extremely rich and depressingly poor, all at the same time. The individual chapters flow the reader from Bollywood wannabes and big budget films, to the gangsters controlling most of the city, to the corrupt police and their need for “encounters” - which leave everyone they meet dead - and even to the endless bureaucracy required by an average citizen in order to get a cooking gas account started. And in the summer heat, it is the perfect book to hold your attention and keep you engrossed. Available at Amazon.com

Hit the Apple store in your area. They have all kinds of new and fascinating gadgets, like the sought-after Iphone and a new MacBook thinner and lighter than all its predecessors. I recently went to the store in Soho and was helped by a most wonderful salesperson who knew the products and made my purchase simple and painless. His name is Steve Quarter - spelling of the last name may not be right - but do ask for him if you find yourself in need of Apple products and in this area.

Find a true gold nail polish, for toes and fingers. It is the best summer color and looks even better paired with gold jewelry and accessories. I went to my friend’s engagement party - you can check out the photos of the happy event on my Flickr account - and decided to go all out with gold toes, gold fingers, gold shoes, gold earring and bangles. A 24 karat belle. My favorite gold polish is by Essie and it’s called “Eighteen Carrot” truly the tone and shine of Italian jewelry!! Available at the new beauty site for Amazon.com.

And finally, while you are thinking gold, it is also a good time to buy some kind of sparkly powder to dust over your cheeks and eyelids, to catch the right amount of light and cute men. Bare Escentuals makes the perfect gold in the perfect consistency. It is part of its Glimmers collection and it is called True Gold, appropriately. It is about $13 and available at Sephora stores, but I could not find it on its own online, as it only came as part of a set. Brush lightly all over your face for a glowing, sun-kissed, magical look. See Sephora.com for details.