I Have Spring Fever

Camellia In A Teacup No. 1

Keep On Dancing - Day 1

time of day - morning
danced for - 30 minutes
mood before - 4.50
mood after - 6.25
(the mood scale is in the left column under the clock)

I sure could tell I haven't been dancing around the house for awhile. When I first started dancing I felt really stiff and like I had an anchor hanging off my back end. One thing I know from doing this in the past is in less than a week my body will feel much better.

It's important that the first song is one that is sure to get your feet tapping...even better if it gets your booty shaking. I call that first song my Go To song for the day. The Go To song will help carry you to the next song. Sometimes I play the Go To song over and over.

My Go To song today is Say Hey by Michael Franti and Spearhead. Shawna emailed me that this is the song she puts on when her kids are grumpy...they use it to dance the grumpies away. It sure works for me. If you don't have it you can click the iTunes button to download it from iTunes.

Below is the Say Hey music video. What is it about people "dancing in the streets" that's always so cool?

Getting Ready for the 30 Day Dance Challenge

Dance First

My goal is to dance 30 minutes for 30 days and ask other people to join me online. I want to keep a log of how I feel physically and emotionally before and after I dance...plus any other information on how dancing is effecting my day, creativity, relationships. And I want it to be fun. I've done this before, but not very consistently.

As I mentioned before I keep track of

1. the time of day I dance

2. how long I dance

3. my mood before

4. my mood after.

I use the mood scale in the left column under the clock. I then put the before and after on a chart so I can visually track how I'm doing. Below is my chart for last summer.

The link to print your own blank chart is in the left column, under the mood scale. I have made it the correct size for my moleskine pocket sketchbook, but you can resize it when you print it.

As you can see I generally wake up a bit down. When I dance I can improve my mood 15%-20%. If I skip too many days, my beginning moods drops lower again. You might ask - wouldn't my mood change that much anyway by just being up and around? I thought so too...so I watched how I was feeling on the days I wasn't dancing and yes my mood generally went up a bit...but only about 5%. And when I dance my increased mood holds for the rest of the day...and my mood increases regardless of whether I dance in the morning, afternoon or evening. I imagine the same thing must happen to runners, swimmers etc. But the chance of my running or swimming every day are zero. For me "shaking it" around the kitchen and living room is fun.

So, I invite you to join me starting tomorrow. Let me know what happens for you. Don't worry if you can't do it for 30 minutes - do it for 15 minutes. I know it must sound like I'm a bit obsessive about this - that's just me. Don't feel you have to chart and make it any big deal. Just try to shake your booty a bit every day. Oh - and I would love to hear what music you are dancing to.

Saudade

Saudade

I first heard the term "saudade" while traveling and photographing in Brazil.My understanding of the word is that it is a longing for someone or something that has disappeared. There’s no direct translation in English. It’s different than grief - more like a yearning.

It’s somewhat how I felt, when in my mid 30s, I stopped dancing. It was as if a sensual, alive part of myself was lost and might never return. I don't know why, in the U.S. we stop dancing. In both Brazil and Cuba I have seen men and women of all ages dance everywhere - at clubs, at street fairs.

Once I asked my friends Cindy and Jo what they thought women lose when we stop dancing. Cindy said, "We lose...we lose...this," and then she did a little shimmy. I remember thinking that was exactly right. We lose the shimmy in our spirits...and thus the name of this blog.

The 30 Day Dance Challenge's purpose is to try and put that shimmy back where it belongs. Check back Monday for more details about what I have in mind. Tuesday is Day 1!

FYI - Saudade is often the subject of musicians and artists. Cape Verdean blues singer Cesaria Evora has a haunting version called Sodade.

(click on the above iTunes button if you would like to download this song from iTunes)

You Are Invited

Bailas Como Sos

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

I loved the book and am looking forward to the HBO series. I know where I am going to be Sunday night...watching HBO with a glass of one of my favorite wines - Sones Cellars Petite Sirah.

Update: That was fun. The 2 hr pilot began somewhat slowly as they established who Precious is, how she decided to become a detective, and introduced the other characters. Jill Scott is terrific as Precious and one thing for sure - there's going to be great music.

Review by NYTimes

Moleskine New Website

Moleskine just updated their website with all kinds of fun things and samples of peoples art journals.

Moleskine

Ten Latin Songs That Always Put A Shimmy In My Spirit

If I Cannot Dance

If you want to download a song from iTunes just click on the iTunes button next to the song.

1. Guantanamera - Celia Cruz

2. Bailamos - Enrique Iglesias

3. Dimelo - Marc Anthony

4. Viento Del Arena - Gipsy Kings

5. Smooth - Santana

6. No Me Llores - Buena Vista Social Club

7. Mambo No. 5 - Lou Bega

8. Vamos A Bailar - Gipsy Kings

9. I Need To Know - Marc Anthony

10.Reflejo De Luna - El Alacran

Lola

One thing I have yet to mention is my dog Lola. She is a kick in the pants and makes me laugh every day. Here is a picture of the two of us on the day I took her home. That was 2 years ago. She's now all white and is house broken and I have a lot more wrinkles.

Below is a recent picture of Lola. 

New Art

My Prayer

My sweetie Richard just hung my new/antique chandelier for me. I found it at the Alameda Flea Market. (It's really called Antiques By The Bay, but my friends and I always refer to it as the flea market.) It's a smaller chandelier that fits well in my cottage. Most antique chandeliers were too big for where I wanted to hang it. By the way, those blue satin curtains hide my messy four foot deep office.

Antiques By The Bay is held the first Sunday of each month. It's a big market and has a zillion treasures - lots of mid century furniture, garden items, jewelry, dishes and lots of funky and unusual pieces. My friend Susan and I always come home with great finds. There's also good food and coffee - my personal favorites are the French crepe guys and the kettle corn. If you go, dress in layers as it can range from cool and foggy to pretty hot all in the same day.

It's Spring In The Wine Country

Spring In The Vineyard

People think California doesn't have seasonal color. Well we do in the wine country. I can't think of many places more beautiful in the Spring and Autumn than the vineyards...summer too when the vines are loaded with grapes.

There's even a Napa Valley Mustard Festival. It starts approximately the end of January and runs through the end of March. Lots of things to do at the wineries. You can check it out at the Mustard Valley Org website. This is the last weekend, so if you can't make it this year, make a note to come up next year. It really is a great time to go wine tasting.

Pink Martini - Hey Eugene

Pink Martini is one of my favorite groups and Hey Eugene is a great song to dance to. It always makes me smile. I saw them last year here in the wine country and they put on a terrific show.
To download Hey Eugene click on the iTunes Button.

New Art

Woman in Rice Paddy

Ceramic Garden Totems

Yesterday my friend Tricia and I went to the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show held at the San Mateo Expo Center. My favorite bo0th at the show was Leslie Codina's. She makes colorful, quirky "garden totems". They have a cement base that you can plant right into the ground or in a garden pot, so that the totem looks like it is growing out of the soil. If you love art in your garden and love bright colorful sculpture, these totems are a perfect addition. You can see details and more of Leslie's work at www.lesliecodina.com

By the way, after 24 years, this is the last year for the SF Flower and Garden Show. It runs through this weekend.

Improving My Mood 15%-20% By Dancing For Thirty Minutes

Part Of The Dance

In my first blog post I mentioned that I can consistently improve my mood by 15%-20% by dancing around the house for 30 minutes. For a long time I suspected that my mood increased, but I wasn't sure by how much. So I decided to chart it. I keep track of 4 things.

The time of day I dance
How long I dance
My mood before I dance
My mood after I dance

I use the mood scale in the left column (under the clock). Over the last couple of years I found that my mood increased most if I danced for 30 minutes. I also found out that I could really impact how the rest of the day went by dancing in the morning.

Pop-up Moleskine Journal from Italo Rota

I love keeping a journal and my journal of choice is the 3.5 x 5.5 Moleskine Sketchbook Pocket

I also like looking at other peoples art journals. This journal from Italo Rota has pop-up features and little pieces that expand the image. I think I will try this in one of my travel journals - showing a photo of the outside of a place I like, with flaps that open up to details inside.

Heading Home To The Wine Country

My favorite way to go to the wine country from south of San Francisco is through the city and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Traveling up the east bay and cutting over on the Richmond Bridge is faster, but is not the visual treat going across the Golden Gate provides you. No matter what the weather, or time of day, for me it is just a thrill. There is a viewing area at each end of the bridge and I often stop to photograph. I enjoy watching all the tourists taking pictures of each other with the bridge in the background. You hear so many languages being spoken. Did you know over 9 million people visit the bridge each year?

At the very next exit, on the north side of the bridge, you can take the winding road into Sausalito. Watch out for bicycles. They fly down that road. This road turns into the bridgeway which will take you along the water, past the village with lots of shops and past the piers of sailboats and houseboats. Eventually you will link up again to the freeway heading north.

On the way home, I like to stop at a cute little flower shop called Nancy Ann. They have lots of fresh, colorful flowers outside and the prices are really good. Today I picked up 5 small bundles of tulips for $1 each and the sweet peas in the above picture for $6.95.

Nancy Ann Flowers is at 1505 Bridgeway, on the left when heading north. Just look for the sidewalk filled with flowers.

Best Bakery in Santa Rosa

We celebrated my friend Joan's birthday last night and I just couldn't decide what kind of cake to get. So I went to my favorite bakery, Michelle Marie's in Santa Rosa, and bought 8. These small cakes were a great hit! We cut them into pieces so we could do a tasting. Yummy.

Top row - chocolate raspberry mouse, lemon curd cake, chocolate overload
Middle row - paddy's lime curd tart, key lime cheesecake
Bottom row - chocolate cloud, tahitian vanilla, park ave

Michelle Marie's Patisserie

Another Great Place in the Wine Country

Across from Artifact is another favorite store of mine - Opia. They describe their store as "a collection of everyday pieces gathered from the Chinese country side along with antique wood figures rich in tradition and contemporary art by Chinese masters. Here you will find the perfect piece to feed your spirit and touch your soul," and I agree. They have spectacular Buddha statues.
Opia

Great Places In The Wine Country

There are so many great places to visit in the California Wine Country. One favorite place is Artifact Design and Salvage in Sonoma. They call themselves "one of the nation's leading high-end architectural salvage firms offering antique architectural elements and garden design pieces," and they are pretty pricey. But it's also a terrific place to soak up inspiration. I'm saving my pennies so I can put one of their old doors in my cottage or garden.

Artifact Design and Salvage

I Want To Learn To Tango

From the movie Tango Lesson
To download Libertango by Yo Yo Ma click on the iTunes button

Ten Songs That Make Me Get Up and Dance

To download a song, click on the iTunes button

1. In These Shoes - Bette Midler

2. Let The Good Times Roll - Buckwheat Zydeco
3. Shake, Rattle and Roll - Joe Turner
4. Hey Eugene - Pink Martini
5. Feeling Alright - Joe Cocker
6. Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
7. Say Hey - Michael Franti & Spearhead
8. Wang Dang Doodle - Angela Strehli
9. Sway - The Pussycat Dolls
10.Respect - Aretha Franklin

The New iPod Shuffle

Okay I admit it. I'm an iPod junky. I just saw the ad for the new tiny Apple iPod shuffle. I already have an iPod Shuffle that I use when dancing around the house. I only put dance music on it, so it doesn't really bother me that I can't see a list of what's playing.

However, the new iPod Shuffle "is the first music player that talks to you." It tells you which play list you are in and what song is playing.  

Now, I don't need another iPod Shuffle. 

However, it's designed so well and is so cute... Maybe it will give me a little extra inspiration to get up in the morning and dance. 

But then I already have an iPod Classic and an older iPod Shuffle to inspire me.

It's only $79 and  holds 1000 songs!

Like I even know 1000 songs....

Did I mention it's really tiny and cute?