The City so Nice…

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

I’ve been to New York City too many times to count, but each time I go my goal is to have a difference experience. Even with a big city like New York, it’s easy to slip into a routine when you visit that same destination more than once, especially when you liked what you experienced the first time. You loved everything about that restaurant so you go back right? You absolutely had the time of your life when you went to that one jazz club so you revisited the experience. I get it. But the reality is, we never get to experience anything new if we don’t stray away from the comfort of what we know we like, to find something perhaps even better. That was my experience this past weekend.

The weekend started with my first stay on the Upper West Side. Most often when I’ve traveled to New York and I didn’t stay with one of my friends, I’ve stayed in a hotel in midtown Manhattan closest to the train station. This time, my traveling buddy (aka my mom) and I decided to venture off the beaten path and take the recommendation of a friend of a friend to stay at Nylo, a boutique hotel within walking distance of Central Park. (And we’re talking real walking distance, not the New Yorker’s version of walking distance.)

One of the first things I appreciated was that upon check in, the front desk clerk presented us with two complimentary drink tickets at the snazzy hotel bar. They had me at FREE. It just goes to show you that a little can take you a long way. Upon entering the room, we also noticed something very different than most of the standard rooms in which we’ve stayed in New York – it was actually pretty spacious! The rooms were also very well decorated, comfortable, and had a nice size bathroom and tub as well. The bar/lounge area reminds you of a friend’s comfy living room, complete with a chess set, and during the late night hours, you can find a small band with a vocalist crooning some of your favorite tunes. The hotel also boasts an award-winning restaurant, Serafina, which we didn’t get to try but perhaps we’ll have an opportunity on our next stay.

That night, my New Yorker friends took me to a fish bar called Crave a few blocks away. I’m typically not one for an entire meal of cold food but the salmon sashimi salad and the Whale platter, a tower of crustacean delights, was quite delicious. When in Rome, right? They serve a number of cooked items as well, including the Jamaican jerk spare ribs, which we had as an appetizer and they were quite tasty, especially with the sauce that accompanied them.

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Whale Platter

The next morning I found myself back in foodie heaven for brunch at a hidden treasure above the Museum of Arts and Design on Columbus Circle called Robert. Not only was each dish delightful in its own right (I’ll get to my lobster benedict in a moment), the beautiful décor and stunning views of the city may have me bending my own rule a little bit and returning for more. Now onto my love affair with this lobster benedict. It was so beautifully prepared on my plate, I almost didn’t want to eat it but my grumbling stomach said otherwise. It had to be one of my top benedicts of all time, and I’ve had quite a few. My dining partners loved their plates as well – endive salad with pears and apples topped with salmon and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs, bagel and asparagus. Delicious!

Of course the highlight of our trip was getting to experience what we came there for – Whipped Cream, the ballet featuring Misty Copeland! Anyone who knows me well knows that I absolutely love to dance and experience it, especially live. [See Beyond the Barre] And having been a Misty Copeland fan ever since I knew she existed, it was a real treat for me to get to see her perform for the first time. Having seen a number of ballets, I can say that this was one of my favorite performances. The backdrops, the choreography, the music were all colorful and upbeat and had an overall joyful tone. In addition to Misty, who was absolutely amazing, I was also very impressed by the talented ensemble of dancers, especially the male lead. Considering Misty is only in four of the performances, you might not get to see her in this particular run but if you have a chance to check out Whipped Cream, you will not be disappointed.

We concluded our trip with a wonderful dinner at Keen’s Steakhouse, not too far from Penn Station. If you are a meat lover like me and mom, this place is for you. My mom and I opted to split the 24 oz T-bone steak, which was way more than enough for the two of us but believe it or not, they had an even larger steak and chops for couples to share. It was perfectly prepared and seasoned and the hand cut fries and green beans were the perfect complement. If you are a wine lover, they have a nice wine selection as well. Despite almost burning down the place (once with my mom’s scarf catching the flame of our table candle and the second time with my menu burning as I unknowingly held it over the flame moments later) we had an enjoyable evening lol. Hey at least we got great service because our waiter wanted to keep an eye out on us!

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Next time you’re in New York, do yourself a favor and live a little and experience some of those off the beaten path joys that make the city so nice they had to name it twice.

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Lalah

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Lalah Hathaway is a freak of nature. I said those words aloud to myself as I witnessed her stellar performance for perhaps the fifth or sixth time as she opened the DC Jazz Festival last weekend at the Howard Theatre. I had to look up the meaning of that term to ensure I’m not insulting one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Yes it can be used in a derogatory way but I mean this statement in the most complimentary way possible: an unusual, unexpected natural phenomenon. That’s what she is. I feel comfortable saying she is by far one of the best vocalists of all time. Yet there are people who haven’t heard of her. Despite her natural soothingly melodic voice, a famous father, and making Grammy history for being the only singer to win three consecutive wins in the Traditional R&B Performance category, sadly many don’t even know she exists. What a shame.

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Lalah belting out a tune at one of her previous Howard Theatre shows.

I was only partially sad that I couldn’t take any pictures of her performance, once I found out why I couldn’t. At the request of Lalah, the Howard Theatre did not permit any video recording or photography. And it wasn’t because Lalah is some diva like unfortunately many artists of our time are. She spoke from the stage, “because I like to make a connection with you.” And boy did she! She expressed quite hilariously, that she finds herself wanting to make that connection with her audience only to find someone’s entire ipad in her face, and they’re looking and connecting with the ipad rather than connecting with her. It’s true. With my phone tucked away in my purse and my sole focus and attention tuned into her and her incredible band of equally talented artists, I was able to experience her like I’d never had.

Her show was more than 90 minutes of amazingness. From her female DJ to get the crowd going with some oldies but goodies from each decade, to her fantastic background singers who absolutely more than held their own in their solo introductions, to the dynamic musicians that played every single note to perfection…it was a night to remember. Of course she belted out some of my all-time, absolute favorites like “Forever, For Always, For Love”, her cover of Anita Baker’s “Angel” and her original song “Mirror” that I adore from her Lalah Hathaway Live album, which earned her a Grammy this year for best R&B album (woohoo, go Lalah!). However, some of my favorite highlights of the evening surprisingly were the songs she performed from her upcoming album set to be released later this year. In general, I’m not impressed with new music, which is why I’m a bit of an “old head” if you will, and listen mostly to my 90’s music on Pandora, my ipod, and yes I still listen to CDs (don’t judge me). But Lalah’s new music…I think I’m going to have to go ahead and buy a CD for the first time in years.

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Not only is her vocal ability unmatched, her lyrics are honest and authentic and she’s actually telling a story. I honestly don’t know what happened to R&B music but it’s definitely not the R&B music I grew up on and love. Unfortunately, many of the artists who are singing real, authentic R&B music have had to go the independent route, as Lalah has, and their music is not getting the exposure it so desperately needs. Which brings me back to Lalah…she is worthy of being supported so if you have a chance to see her in concert and/or buy an album whether in the store or online, my recommendation…do it! You will not be disappointed!

I do have to put a footnote in here to express my disappointment with the venue of the Howard Theatre. After finding out the demand for her show, they tripled the prices to $75 and did not make clear on any of the communication for the show that if you bought a general admission ticket, you would be standing…for 2 hours! As a venue that serves food and drink and has the capability to seat people (as I have been for several concerts there) that is unacceptable. As a result, they had a venue full of angry people requesting to get their money back, which unfortunately put a bad taste in people’s mouths for Lalah, in addition to the venue. Ultimately they found seats and chairs from somewhere and the poor service staff had to physically hump tables and chairs to the floor while Lalah was starting her performance. Super tacky and unnecessary. To add insult to injury, because they packed the venue to capacity with standing room only ticketing, the bar and kitchen were all backlogged so it took anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes just to get a drink delivered to your table, if you had one. Needless to say, it will take a lot to get me to ever spend my money there again.

But I digress. Going back to Lalah, if you ever have a chance to see her in concert, you are going to get something really special, especially if you are a true music lover. Pure, unadulterated musicianship – not just from the band members but from Lalah herself. Her voice is truly an instrument. Did I mention she whistles as if she has a harmonica placed to her lips?! And at one point in the performance, she literally belted out an entire musical chord with her vocal chords and some type of breath simultaneously. I don’t know how it works but it does. And you deserve to witness it.

Even if you missed Lalah, if you are in town or if you are looking for something to do this weekend, the DC Jazz Festival continues through Sunday. There are many more talented artists that will be featured throughout the weekend and tickets are still on sale. If you love good music like I do, come on through!

 

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Throwback to 2011 when I met Lalah at the BET Honors. (Yes I have a girl crush and I’m ok with it!)

My Big Fat Greek Getaway

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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This week I returned from one of my best vacations to date. Sure you can say this was up there with the other highly anticipated getaways that have been on my bucket list since forever. But I believe the reason this getaway was so special was because it gave me a taste of everything I love about traveling – experiencing the food and the culture, learning the history, taking in the breathtaking scenery, enjoying the R&R, and maybe going for a little adventure – it was the total package. And for that I must say that if you are looking for all of the above, Greece should be on your list of travel destinations as well.

We started off our journey in Athens, which is not unlike many of your other major bustling cities around the world where you experience tall buildings, tons of tourists, street vendors and yes, rush hour. There was yet, something charming about Athens and in addition to that, LOTS of history. I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of downtown Athens, which included a stop at the Panathaneic Stadium (home of the first modern Olympic Games) and the infamous Acropolis of Athens where the Parthenon is located. By the way, these two should not be confused. We learned that the Acropolis is the elevated ground on which the Parthenon, the most famous Greek temple, and many other temples and monuments sit. It was fascinating to learn about the preservation of the original structure and experience the fairly new museum sitting adjacent to the Acropolis that houses most of the artifacts of ancient Greece.

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The original Caryatid Statues of the Acropolis
The Acropolis Museum was built over the ruins of ancient Greece
Some of the ladies in our group posing in front of Greek sculptures in the museum
Beautiful sculpture preserved in the museum
Greek sculptures representing ancient Greek soldiers
Standing in front of the Parthenon makes me feel so miniature!
The glass exposing the Greek ruins the museum was built above

From Athens, we hopped over to the magnificent island of Santorini. Of the three destinations we visited within Greece, Santorini was my favorite. It was literally one of the most beautiful, charming, peaceful places I’ve encountered yet.  I’m quite sure the hotel where we stayed, the Santorini Palace, had a lot to do with it – it was literally a slice of heaven here on Earth. The open hallways with a light warm breeze flowing through, the bright blue water, contrasting against the white structures, the breathtaking views of the sunset over the cliffs, oh my!

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Sunset view over the cliffs in Santorini
Breakfast View
Pool time
View from the balcony

While in Santorini, we had an opportunity to visit a charming little winery that was built literally into the side of the cliff. While Greece is not really known for their wine (it’s not the best), it was fascinating to see the production of it and witness a wine tasting on the side of a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea. I did enjoy one of the Rose’s we tasted and brought a little back for me to enjoy this summer (wink).

The second island we visited was Mykonos, known for its beaches, shopping and partying. While I can’t say we had the party experience everyone raved about, we did have an opportunity to enjoy the beach and appreciated the options of nice restaurants to choose from on Ornos Beach, one in particular that provided free beach chairs and beach beverage and food service. Being the massage junky that I am, I couldn’t resist giving one of the masseuse hustlers on the beach my business. I called myself supporting the local economy. (smile)

While Santorini was my favorite island overall, I would have to say my best experience of the trip was going on a five hour catamaran sailing experience in Mykonos. I was amazed by the overwhelming beauty of the different colors of blue and green waters the further we sailed out into the Aegean. It made me ALMOST want to hop in, which I would have if the water hadn’t been so cold! A few of my adventurous friends decided to partake in spite of the frigid temps but I think I’ll wait on my next trip back towards the summer months when the water is warmer.

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In addition to the scenery, the catamaran crew was so delightful, we wanted to take them all back home with us. Not to mention the amazing meal they cooked fresh on the boat…I was in heaven! If you travel to Greece, definitely make sure you have some type of sailing experience and be sure to call on Mykonos Catamaran if you are in Mykonos! …Thank me later.

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Speaking of food, you know as a foodie I have to give you my impressions of the cuisine overall in Greece. While some was better than others, I can’t say that I had a bad meal in Greece. Everything, particularly the vegetables, were so fresh and of course the carnivore that I am loved the plentiful meat options. One thing I was surprised by was the lack of “fresh” seafood. We were warned by one of the delightful staff members in our Santorini hotel that most restaurants that claim to have fresh seafood, aren’t really being that straightforward, unless it is an expensive dish. That being said, I did have some of the best salmon I’ve tasted in Santorini and the prawns in Mykonos were delicious as well without beating up my pockets too bad.

My second favorite experience was partaking in a cooking class in Athens. It was fascinating to learn about their many uses of yogurt and while they are meat eaters for sure, vegetables are a huge part of the Greek diet. Thanks to our chef and teacher Eva, who was also amazing, I can now say that I know how to make spanakopita (one of my favorite Greek dishes), zucchini balls, and stuffed grape leaves, which I never in a million years think I would like but they were actually tasty!

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A few things to note that I wasn’t aware of prior to traveling to Greece:

Bring your mosquito repellant. Yes there are tons of mosquitos, especially on the islands (Mykonos more specifically). Some of us were not as badly affected as others but I was literally eaten alive. I had never experienced mosquitos in Europe…I guess there’s a first time for everything!

If you have a thing about cats, Greece is probably not the place for you. Being a cat lover, I didn’t mind, but they have an abnormally large cat population. We literally saw cats everywhere, including on the property of the hotels and restaurants. Think iguanas to the Mexico and the Caribbean. If I didn’t know any better I would think cats were the official animal of the country.

This little kitten was tucked in between these beautiful gates
Look at that pitiful face begging me for food lol

In addition to olives, and thus olive oil, honey is kind of a big deal in Greece. It’s literally everywhere. After doing a Google search when I returned home I found Greece has some of the best honey in the world because it is produced from bees that feed on countless wild plants that are part of the Greek flora, which is the richest in Europe. Who knew? Needless to stay, I stocked up on it and brought some back for me and my loved ones.

Opa isn’t a real word. And darn it if that wasn’t the only word I knew when I arrived lol. Sure Greeks use it frequently, but we learned it’s an expression like “Oh” or “yay” or my favorite, “Owwww” to express excitement or sometimes shock. It started off as a word more like “oops” in English when a mistake was made like breaking a plate unintentionally, but in true Greek fashion, they found a way to celebrate that.

This brings me to my next point. I love the overall warm and inviting culture of Greece. To me, it had a different feeling than many of the other European countries I’ve visited. Sure there were a few people with bad attitudes here and there (which is to be expected anywhere) but they were greatly overshadowed by the many others who were very welcoming and pleasant. To me, the people of a destination can make or break your experience. I’ve heard many travelers talk about how they would never return to a place because of the rudeness and unwelcoming nature of the natives.

I could literally write for days about my first experience in Greece but since I know it won’t be my last, I’ll save some for later. Stay tuned for more on my next Big Fat Greek Getaway. Until then, yamas (cheers)!

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A must have experience at the rooftop 360 Cocktail Bar in Athens

Review: Finest Playa Mujeres

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Having visited dozens of resorts and hotels around the world, I have to say I’ve become a bit of a hotel snob. And while I haven’t quite made it yet to the level to which I aspire, there are few resorts that I would say WOW me at this point. But after visiting the Finest Playa Mujeres Resort in the greater Cancun region of Mexico, I must say they became an exception to the rule for me. I mean they had me at hola.

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One of the things I loved most about this property was how special you are made to feel as soon as you step foot on the resort. You are welcomed by at least a handful of people before two gigantic wooden doors open automatically for you and reveal one of the warmest, most inviting, open area lobby and reception areas I’ve experienced. It feels, as if for a moment, you are entering a modern castle. As you venture down the marble steps (be careful not to fall; that’s a tough way to begin your vacay!) you are greeted by a beautiful bronze bar that just screams please come visit me. Being coachable, I grabbed a drink before heading out to the beautifully landscaped terrace and walkways to check out the scenery and head to one of the outdoor restaurants while we awaited our room.

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The Golden Bar…yes the name is Golden 🙂

With each few steps it seemed everyone greeted us with a warm smile and cheerful hola! When we weren’t quite sure of which way to go, one of the Finest staff who was clearly on a mission to get to her next destination, still stopped to ask if we needed help. When we asked for directions, she kindly escorted us directly to where we needed to go instead of pointing us in the general direction. You just can’t find that type of service everywhere so I appreciate it when I receive it!

When making the arrangements for my stay, I opted for the swim out suite since that was something I had never experienced before. And boy am I glad that I did! It’s now tough to go back to any other type of room. In fact, it was so beautiful I literally stayed until the last possible second admiring the beauty and calm of the scene before departing. If you are unfamiliar, swim out suites are just as they sound. You literally have your own private pool right outside of your suite that you can swim out to, and beyond that was a shared hot tub among the other three adjoining suites. These particular suites also have indoor private jacuzzis in addition to a nice size terrace with a number of options for lounging. Did I also mention there was a hammock set strategically over top of the swim out pool? Absolutely gorgeous!

Considering that I aim to write balanced reviews, I will start here with a few criticisms. From the moment I saw the hammock over top of the pool, I had a vision of relaxing there and sipping one of the many delicious cocktails they served daily. However, once I dipped my toe in that water, I was presented with a challenge. The water was freezing! Even though our pool received a good amount of sunlight all day, that water temperature was not budging! After much deliberation and mindset training on myself, I eventually braved the waters to get to my vision, but I can’t say it was fun. I absolutely HATE the cold…especially cold water. But once I finally got in the hammock, which was a bit of an issue as well based on my height challenges and the positioning of the hammock, it was glorious. If anyone from the Finest happens to read this review, please invest in some warming mechanisms for the swim out pools!

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I must say, Finest fully redeemed themselves with the spa. It was magnificent! Though, I’m not a hydrotherapy type of girl (just give me the hot tub with the jets), they had a full hydrotherapy offering for those who like to torture themselves at the spa with an ice bath, ice water pool, sauna, steam room, etc. Not my deal but I know many who love it so you’ll be a happy camper here. For me, the massage itself was the highlight. I received the Thai bamboo massage treatment and it was just the amount of pressure, relaxation and stretching I needed. It was 80 minutes of goodness. And then they topped it off with a luxurious relaxation room complete with gigantic (swinging, if you wanted it to) lounge beds. I could have stayed in there all day!

As a foodie, you know I cannot complete this review without talking about the food. In a word, it was DELICIOUS. As I’ve mentioned before about all-inclusives not all being created equal (Having it All), I was happy to learn that this all-inclusive resort took palate pleasing seriously and my foodie appetite was thoroughly satisfied. Even the buffet options were up to par, which at times can be hit or miss at some of the nicer resorts as well. I of course especially loved the Japanese Hibachi, French and Steakhouse specialty restaurants. I only wish I had stayed a bit longer to experience some of the other dining experiences.

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I couldn’t have said it better myself.

As a bit of a disappointment, we went to the seafood restaurant for lunch when we first arrived to not find much seafood on menu offered at lunch time. In fact, the name of the restaurant is called Duke’s Lobster, yet there was no lobster, or any other shellfish for that matter, to be found on the lunch menu. Instead we found a lot of chicken, cheeseburger and pork options. As you would expect, we were expecting and had our mouths set for some actual seafood. I mean it’s “pretty standard really” at a seafood restaurant. (smile) If you didn’t get the Austin Powers reference, well you just didn’t get it lol.

In closing, I will share that the grand purpose for our visit was for the nuptials of two of my dearest friends, who are also both fellow travel professionals. It was only fitting that they have a destination wedding in true travelpreneur style. If you are a couple or know a couple who is looking for a property to host your destination wedding, the Finest should be on your list. They absolutely did a wonderful job of catering to the bride and groom’s needs and it was a gorgeous setting for such a beautiful occasion. I would also recommend this resort to anyone who is looking to get away as a single, couple or a family. It had just about everything for everyone but still managed to maintain the charm and peacefulness of a small to midsize resort. While no property is perfect, I will admit, this was indeed one of the Finest.

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A Lesson in Joy

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Last week I returned from a wonderful 8 day retreat with my family in Miami Beach. Literally within a couple of hours of my return, BAM! Life happened. I found myself totally deflated on the side of the road waiting for the police to arrive after having gotten into a collision with another vehicle on the highway. I was determined to be at fault so that accident came with a $130 ticket. Moments before I had received a voicemail from a client who wanted to downgrade a service, which meant that I would now have to pay out $300 extra that I thought was contributing to my bottom line that week. To add insult to injury, the words “possibly totaled” were uttered and that almost sent me into a tailspin. You mean that car that I just invested hundreds of dollars in for a new tire, a new battery and a new registration within the last few months? That car?! This is not happening.

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Upon returning home that night, as I replayed the accident over and over again in my mind and what I could have done to prevent it, I tried to think about how grateful I was that I was physically OK, as were the passengers in the other vehicle involved in the accident. It could have been much worse I told myself. I tried to make those words console my spirit but I couldn’t. “Thank God you weren’t injured. Everything else will work out.” I read the words in my mom’s text message but they weren’t landing on me the way I desperately wanted and needed them to. I tried watching TV to get my mind off things and 10 minutes in, the power goes out. It’s completely black and quiet, except for the sound of raindrops outside. I’m left with these ridiculous thoughts consuming my brain. So I pray for the second time that night and at some point during that prayer I drift off to sleep.

I’d like to say that joy came in the morning and I felt better but sadly, I was just bitter. I questioned God and myself and the pity party continued. Yes, in the midst of my prayers and quiet time I still had a bad attitude. It was a bad scene getting worse. As if the car accident wasn’t bad enough, I started thinking about all the other things in my life that were not going the way I desired. It was an ugly snowball effect that seemed unstoppable. But something happened the next morning. I woke up and God led me to a scripture I’ve read probably a hundred times or more.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2

Really Lord?

The scripture was embedded in a devotional I read from time to time in the mornings and this particular entry was entitled, “Don’t Let a Bad Attitude Rule Your Life”. Yep, it was clear God was talking directly to me. I needed an attitude adjustment…quickly. I read further…

“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James 1:3

At first I was resistant to the message because these last two years of my life have been nothing but test after test after test. I told God I was over all these tests. But I stuck with the scripture and I continued to meditate on it. The next day my attitude shifted completely in the midst of an “aha” moment. I realized that God was giving me an important lesson in something I thought I had already learned. It was a lesson in joy. And I felt a thousand times better once I learned it.

Most of us are experts in what I am now defining as circumstantial joy. Merriam Webster defines joy as 1) to experience great pleasure or delight 2) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. Yep, that makes sense. When things are going exactly the way we want and plan or even better, we have joy. That’s how the world defines joy and that’s why we’re so good at it. But what happens when things don’t go our way and we experience trouble, which tends to happen to us as humans if we live for any period of time. Does that mean we can’t or won’t have joy? I then asked myself how God views joy, especially in light of that scripture in James.

I was led to another definition of joy offered by Theopedia (think Wikipedia for Biblical Christianity) that states joy is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. It is the settled state of contentment, confidence and hope. That sounds more like the joy James was talking about.

When I look back to those low moments last week, I had those moments not because I wasn’t genuinely grateful for all of the good things going on in my life. I was and I still am grateful. I now know that it is possible to be grateful without being joyful. I was not really experiencing joy because I needed a lesson on how to be “full” of joy in spite of my circumstances. I always wondered how some people are able to have such great attitudes (without faking it) in the midst of their hardship. I can admit that prior to now I was one of those who was “faking it until I make it.”

Had I not gone through what I went through I would not have learned this valuable lesson so for that, I am grateful. And I’m continuing to learn while I’m still going through it. I believe the most important lesson I’ve learned in this process is that joy is a choice. We can’t control a lot of things that happen to us in this life but it’s a blessing to know one thing we can control is our joy. It’s a choice we have to make every single day when we open our eyes. I share this humbling experience because I know I’m not the only one who needs to learn or be reminded of this lesson. We’re all going through things that trouble us big and small. My word of advice as you are going through it…choose joy.

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The Birth

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

 

A few months ago I wrote a post called I’m Expecting. It’s funny how many people do not take the time to read in this fast-paced, microwave society in which we live. I can’t even tell you how many heartfelt congratulatory remarks I got from people who genuinely thought that I was pregnant and expecting a baby lol. My intent was to grab people’s attention and then have them read and get excited about what it was that I was actually expecting. Well I’m expecting no more…the baby has been birthed and I’m beyond overjoyed to share it with the world!

About five months ago God gave me an idea. Upon leaving my job in June of 2015, I ramped up the public relations division of my business Golden Life Ventures and I began soliciting clients for my public relations services. I met a lot of great people with amazing ideas and brands and visions for their businesses and I was excited about helping them. The disheartening thing about this process was they wanted and needed my services but they couldn’t afford them. Even more troubling for me, I wanted to help them but I didn’t want to sell myself short in the process either. After much brainstorming and a lot of great counsel from some business coaches and trusted advisors around me, the concept of PR 101 was born. I decided I would help business owners learn the basics of how to do their own PR through an online course format and a supplemental book Teach Me PR 101.

Here I was with an idea. A tiny seed had been planted. I then had to nurture and cultivate that seed and prepare for the harvest. I’m not going to lie, the last several months bringing that idea to fruition have been hard. The labor pains are real y’all. There have been a lot of sleepless nights, frustrations and disappointments, mistakes made and having to go back to the drawing board…but I get to say today that it’s all been worth it. Yesterday when PR 101 launched I woke up with a sense of accomplishment. I created something from nothing. And now I get to share that gift with others.

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You know we all have something to create. God is the ultimate CREATOR and did you know He created us in His image? That means you, yes you have something to create as well. Each of us has something special that deserves to be birthed into the world and it is up to us to figure out what that is. As I shared in “I’m Expecting”, for some that may be creating a family – partnering with someone and birthing human life into the world. That’s amazing! For others, that may not be the case, and that’s ok too! God may have another purpose for you. Whatever it is, you find it and you make every effort to make it come to fruition. If God gives you the idea, He’ll also make a way for you to deliver it.

I’m grateful for all of those who supported me in this birthing process because I certainly did not do it alone. I had a tribe of people coaching me and encouraging me along the way and they share in my excitement as well. To all who participated in the launch of this project, THANK YOU!

In case you haven’t checked it out already, visit my new baby at www.masterprbasics.com to sign up for free PR tips and learn more about the course and www.prformybusiness.com to enroll in the course. Even if you aren’t an existing business owner, self-employed professional or aspiring entrepreneur yourself, bless someone you know who is with this information to help them with their entrepreneurial pursuits. They’ve created something great and people deserve to hear about it!

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The Top 5 Reasons Every Business Needs Public Relations (PR)

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Chances are, if you are an entrepreneur, self-employed professional, or small business owner you did not learn PR 101 in school. In fact, most business owners do not have advanced degrees in business, much less an education in PR. Many people don’t even know what PR is. It’s funny when I tell people that I’m a PR and communications professional, I either get a blank stare or someone brave enough will ask me… “so what do you do exactly?”

I believe public relations is one of the most misunderstood and undervalued tools in business. However, it is one of the most vital components to the long term success of a business and a brand. I know this information coming from a publicist may generate some “side eyes” and skepticism, so that’s why I generated this list of the top five reasons every business, yes every business, needs public relations.

  1. Lack of effective PR is one of the reasons most businesses fail.

Don’t take it from me. Take it from Forbes contributing writer, lifelong entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of Mighty Wise Academy: A Virtual Academy For Entrepreneurship, Eric T. Wagner. He wrote an article in the September 2013 edition of Forbes titled, “Five Reasons 8 Out Of 10 Businesses Fail“. Two out of the top five reasons fall under the public relations umbrella: 1) Not really in touch with customers through deep dialogue and 2) Failure to communicate value propositions in clear, concise and compelling fashion.

  1. You need brand loyalty to establish business sustainability.

There are many companies that sell product simply because they have a great product. But if you want to have staying power, you need to build a relationship with your audience and keep them coming back for more value – PR at its best. Therefore, your focus as a brand cannot be to simply sell a product—no matter how enticing that goal may be. Your focus needs to be to establish brand loyalty. The more interested and engaged your audience is, the more likely they will continue to choose you over your competitors who sell the same products and services.

  1. Your business and brand image mean everything to your audience.

To the point above, some companies have early success simply because their product or service is amazing.  However, the reality is if they have a bad public image due to poor PR skills, they probably won’t be selling products for very long. When you become a business owner and start developing and publicizing your brand, everything you do and say becomes a reflection of that business and brand. Yes, on your personal social media accounts…especially on your personal social media accounts.

  1. What other people say about your brand matters to your business.

What other people say about your business or brand is just as important, if not more important, than what you say about your own business. When you have effective public relations at work for you, your audience members, including those who haven’t even given you a dime yet, will be your best brand ambassadors. If you are adding value for your audience and building a relationship with them, they will want to share you with their network. Over the last several months, I have become a fan and follower of Marie Forleo, multi-passionate entrepreneur, life and business coach, and author. I have not bought any of her products (yet), but she has built such a valuable relationship with me through email, social media platforms and her Youtube channel, I’ve been compelled to share her with my circle of friends – who by the way, have gone out and bought her products.

  1. Your business growth relies on more people knowing who you are and that you exist.

When people think about public relations, they naturally think about publicity. I get it. While public relations is more than just publicizing yourself, it is a huge chunk of what makes it work. If you don’t have a clear, compelling message that’s being disseminated as widely and as frequently as possible to the people who are going to most benefit from your product or service, your business will become stagnant. And stagnancy is the first step towards business failure.

In a couple of weeks I will launch a course and resource guide that teaches entrepreneurs the basics of how to do their own PR, because unfortunately many entrepreneurs, especially new ones, can’t afford to hire a professional. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need it and deserve to know how to do it on their own. Be sure to stay connected and watch out for information on the launch. Even if you aren’t an entrepreneur, you might just have an opportunity to bless someone with your referral.

UPDATE: The course has been launched and can be found at www.prformybusiness.com. You can also sign up for FREE weekly PR tips and buy the Teach Me PR 101 book at www.masterprbasics.com.

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P.S. Today marks the one year anniversary of Golden Life Musings! Leave a comment and share your favorite blog post thus far and what you’d like to see more of in the future. Keep living life like it’s golden…

Review: Art Basel Miami

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

I’m really a novice when it comes to knowing and being a collector of visual art but I do appreciate and love the experience of witnessing it on display. So when one of my friends suggested we go to Art Basel (a wildly popular international art fair) for a girl’s trip, I was all in. I had heard of how amazing it was and that it was one of the most, if not the most, popular events in the Miami region so I knew I wanted to see for myself what all the hype was about.

First, it can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have somewhat of a general strategy in place in terms of what you want to see and how much time you want to devote to it because there is A LOT to see and experience. We spent several hours at the main exhibit in the Miami Beach convention Center and I think we only scratched the surface of all there was to see. There are exhibits all around the area, but the majority of them were in South Beach thankfully because that is where we were staying and the traffic was horrendous. Recommendation, if you want to see the bulk of the art, stay somewhere in South Beach, not downtown Miami or the outskirts. Otherwise, you will spend most of your time stuck in traffic trying to get from place to place.

One of the unexpected bright moments of the weekend was visiting the M.U.C.E. (Miami Urban Contemporary Experience) Now or Neverland Urban Uproar’s Exhibit in Little Haiti. My friend had commented about her disappointment with not seeing much black art and just like that, a couple hours later, we found ourselves in a sea of striking pieces from black artists due to a slight misreading of the GPS on our way to a party two buildings down. The event was not promoted with the rest of the main Art Basel festivities so we literally would have missed it had we not gotten “lost.” Another recommendation, in addition to the listing of activities you may see on the official web site or newspaper reviews, check out social media for some additional options by searching #artbasel or #artbaselmiami hashtags.

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This M.U.C.E. exhibit was by far the highlight for me of the weekend as far as the art was concerned. For me, it wasn’t just that the canvases had black faces on them, which many of them did. It was that the pieces here made more sense to me, even some of the more abstract pieces. Visual art is very subjective, as many art forms are, and I have to say many of the items on display in the main exhibit halls just didn’t make sense or seem like art to me. Many of the pieces quite frankly I felt I could have put together in 5 minutes and called it art myself. Again, I am no connoisseur and in an effort to not completely tear down other people’s work, I’ll just say that many of the pieces were not my cup of tea. Though we did have some fun with the pasta exhibit, which was absolutely crazy!

I honestly don’t know what this was.
Yes this is a brush in a microphone stand.
The pasta exhibit was among the craziest we experienced. When we sat down to snap a photo some thought we were a part of the exhibit lol.

Next to the M.U.C.E. exhibit, the event at the Aqua Hotel was my next favorite. Art Basel took over the entire Aqua Hotel and turned it into an art exhibit. Literally all of the rooms in the hotel were rented out by artists and art gallery owners and converted into galleries to display and sell their art. I found these pieces to be some of the most amazing, thought-provoking, visually appealing works of art I’ve ever seen. One highlight was an artist who created the faces of famous people using their own words in speeches, songs and literature. Another artist created an entire line of art using brown and red packing tape. Then there was a combo painting and sculpture called “Who Am I?” that I literally could not take my eyes off of for about 5 minutes.

Original, fictional images made from packing tape
Images of famous people using their own words
Who Am I?

What I also appreciated about Art Basel was that much of the nightlife scene incorporated art as well. If you are someone who likes to party and enjoys the Miami nightlife scene, this weekend is definitely for you. Many of the events even offered complimentary adult beverages and passed hors d’oeuvres, which is a nice change of pace from the typical high priced food and beverage scene in the Miami area. There were so many parties and events happening, we found ourselves hopping from venue to venue just to try to get a taste of it all. And at each one, there was something visually appealing to see while you got your party on as well.
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Overall, I give this weekend two thumbs up and I would definitely come back and bring others. If you are looking for something different to do in your travels, this can certainly be an option. Even if you aren’t a big art lover or connoisseur, I think the diversity of events offered provides a little something for everyone. If anything, you will definitely be entertained.

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Some of my other favorite pieces
These two pieces were made entirely from pencil
These two pieces were made entirely from pencil

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I’m Expecting!

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

It really is a beautiful thing to watch the miraculous process of new life growing inside of an expectant mother. In addition to the growing fetus, the mother sees herself gradually transform over several months as she prepares to give birth and while it is a bit of a scary time for her, especially if she is a first time mom, it’s also a very exciting time as well. I love to see the “village” of a growing family come together and celebrate the pending birth of a child. It is a joyous occasion no doubt and it should be celebrated.

There are some people, like myself, who haven’t had the pleasure yet of bearing a child into this world, but they are indeed expecting. Several months ago God sowed some ideas within me that are now starting to take form, as I’ve been quietly nurturing and cultivating them behind the scenes. Bringing these ideas to completion has been a very exciting, but also very scary process for me. While I have a desire and a picture in my mind of what the end results will be, I won’t really know what they will look like until I deliver the final product. Also it’s been difficult because it’s required growth on my part, and growth sometimes can be painful. Perhaps not any blood has been shed, but there’s definitely been some sweat and tears in this process and I’m very grateful to have trusted advisers, coaches and friends supporting me along the way.

If the point hasn’t been made clear, let me set the record straight that I am not pregnant in the traditional sense. Before any rumors start, no I will NOT be having a baby any time soon lol! But I am expecting, and I pray that what I’m giving birth to will be just as exciting and create just as much cause for celebration as if I were having a baby. What I’m producing is important to me and my hope is that it will be of importance and significance to the lives it touches for generations to come as well.

I’m not taking anything away from expectant mothers because as I’ve shared before, it is a miraculous process that should be celebrated. I also think it should be celebrated with just as much enthusiasm when someone takes a teeny tiny idea and turns it into a tangible, living, breathing project that can benefit the lives of others. Sometimes our society tends to be one track minded when it comes to what we celebrate and support. Absolutely, show up when a loved one invites you to a baby shower or a wedding because those milestones are significant. It’s also important to show up for those grand openings and book launch parties as well. It means the world to that person who has worked really hard to bring something to fruition. Not everyone will get married or have a baby but everyone has the capability to produce something great and we should all show up for them too.

Some time in the near future, you’ll start to see signs of the projects I’m giving birth to and prayerfully within the first quarter of 2017 I will deliver. My hope is when that day comes I’ll have a whole village of people rooting for me and cheering me on as I bring new life into the world.

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Review: Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe Punta Cana

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

The last week of September I visited the beautiful 5 star Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe in the Punta Cana region of the Dominican Republic (affectionately known as the DR) as part of my participatio…

Source: Review: Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe Punta Cana