New ways to find me!

Greetings!

I'm delighted you are interested in my work.  I've become a monthly blogger for two popular sites.  You can visit both as I'll be sharing different tips and tricks at each location: www.TheClosetFactory.com and www.PsychologyToday.com.  I think you will enjoy the material and learn a lot of useful tips for your everyday life. There are direct links at my website to the current articles.

It's November 2011 and while all of us are thinking about Thanksgiving, I've got a big trip coming up first.  I'm off to San Francisco,  New York City and Miami Beach.  As you might imagine I'm devoting some time to clothing options and those ever necessary cosmetics and vitamins.  The latter take far more time to choose and pack than my clothing ever does.

My maternal grandmother never learned to read or write and yet she spoke five languages like a native and traveled the world.  She used to say 'If you have a tongue in your head and feet that move, you can go anywhere.'  My grandmother had wanderlust and while it skipped all 8 of her children, it flows in the veins of her grandchildren.  I'm always ready to hop on a plane and have an adventure. I have traveled the world since I was 17 and rarely had to check a bag.  My small suitcase is a true workhorse.  It fits in the overhead bin.  It's light and easy to pull. I may not have a vast wardrobe with me but I always feel free.

Happy Turkey Day!  As a vegetarian I can assure you that the bird doesn't make the holiday.  Good food, great friends & family and a huge dose of gratitude will. If you are hosting Thanksgiving and feeling a bit at sea the 11th chapter in One Year to an Organized Life will help you with step by step tips for the day from yours truly and the wonderful Chef Tanya.  You can also find tips for packing light in the month devoted to travel.  I've got you covered!

Thanksgiving, here we come!

'When I wrote "One Year to an Organized Life" I called Thanksgiving, the 'Mother of all Dinner Parties!' It is, isn't it? If you can host this holiday, every other gathering is a piece of cake. It isn't just the enormity of the dinner (and all those expectations about the food), it's the large number of family members, including those we're sure must have been adopted because we have nothing in common with them! In the book, Chapter 11 / November has detailed instructions including information from my favorite caterer, Tanya Russell founder of In Good Taste here in Los Angeles. Today I'd like to chat about something that's a key ingredient albeit not found in the grocery store: your budget!

We become so caught up in the emotions of the holiday, we forget how much it can cost. The December holidays frequently find us counting our pennies with lists and careful planning but Thanksgiving? Not so much! Remember to take into account the price of the food, any decorations you plan to purchase and of course the beverages to be served. It's cheaper to feed 5 than 25 so make up your guest list and check it twice to see who has been naughty (and can be eliminated this year) and who has been nice (and deserves a repeat invite). And don't hesitate to involve your guests: ask them to contribute a dish...or bring a bottle of wine or... I am the 'Dessert Queen' in my circle of friends. Why? Because I live near an extraordinary French bakery and I let their chef do all the work.

Take a few minutes to make two lists: one is of things/elements you remember from past happy celebrations and the other is--you guessed it--some things you'd dearly like to avoid. This holiday is about companionship, great food and gratitude. Enjoy it...every minute of it.

Blessings,
Regina