those nostalgic moments.

today I miss my uncle Howard. last night I worked, and we hosted a workshop in which our lead designer taught shibori method of dying. we all spent our time wrapping elastic bands around cotton and using small pieces of wood to create elaborate designs on scarves that we would proudly wear. while indigo was the only colour we used, I couldn't help but remember that the last time I had dyed fabric was in memory of a man I was lucky to not only know, but who I was also blessed to be related to. a man who relished in the swirling colours of an oversized tshirt decorated with anything front and centre - as long as it bore the signature circular patterns of a well loved tie-dye. my family members and I painstakingly dyed shirts for everyone - and proudly wore them throughout the day of his funeral. we wore them like badges of honour, with stories of his eternal love for music, dancing, and - most of all - family, recounted through the service and then the remainder of the day. 
and then, the sun set in the most spectacular sunset I've ever seen... a natural tie-dye of sorts.
today - among many other people - I miss my uncle.

much more than a man.

today, is a bittersweet day. yesterday, one of the most important people in the world left this earth - and left us all feeling a little more empty inside. there are very few words that can capture his life, the impact he left, and the inevitable gap left in all of us. so i do nothing in my own words. instead i share some of my favourite moments, and snapshots of his life - quotes and images and films. 

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” Nelson Mandela (1996)

 i encourage you all - if you have not already - to watch this beautiful video, and read this incredible tribute to mandela. it's heartbreaking, and telling, and beautiful, and telling - of a life of someone who was so much more than a man.


i also encourage you - in my sports biased way - to watch the 30 for 30 documentary called 'the 16th man'. a beautiful piece on mandela's part in the bringing together of a nation over rugby - and demonstrating that in the moment he shook the hand of the springbok's captain in the '95 rugby world cup, he symbolized leading a nation away from the apartheid and a segregated state, into a place of rebuilding, and solidarity.

 Rest in Peace, Madiba. Mathongo amnandi.

a long weekend

i'm sitting in the airport, trying to determine if it's in my best interest to get a glass of wine while i wait for my flight, or, if it's more prudent to sit in the front row of seating in relation to the check in agents, so they can scope out how carefully i dressed for this flight, and THEREFORE they should bump me up to first class for the duration of the flight. they probably don't even notice. decision, decisions. 
i'm also slightly concerned for the woman beside me, who appears to be taking a nap, while breathing in short, spastic bursts. i fear i will not be able to tell the difference between her sleep breathing, and her having some sort of asthmatic attack. i'll share more as that develops. 
needless to say, i'm awaiting a plane to pick me up and brisk me off to LA (by way of SF - and a 45 minute layover), and off to the land of my dear friend mary, her husband reuben, and their little puppy max. a three day weekend of sun, a little bit of warmth, some shopping, and whatever other surprises mary and reuben have up their sleeves (because there's always something). 
it's so nice to be near friends on the west coast now - and while its hard to be far from family and the multitude of friends who live on the eastern side of the country, i have to take time to remind myself of the people i DO get to be near... mary being one of them. 
with all of that, i hope everyone has a fantastic weekend - for the americans, a weekend filled with family and friends, and food and laughter, and all of the things we can be thankful for all year. for the canadians, i hope it's a weekend filled with whatever else you need it to be. 
happy weekend!

essentials

lately, i've been playing around with different brands, and figuring out where they fit into my normal routine. since said routine often involves not washing my hair, wearing no makeup, and needing constant attention on my lips, i've wrangled up some real beauties recently.
smashbox limitless eyeliner  ||  liquid eyeliner?? girl you cray! i know. i know that's what you're thinking. i - the girl who can't figure out what kind of mascara to buy when entering a drug store - purchased a liquid liner, on the advice of a drug store person. and i gotta tell you. i'm hooked.
smith's rosebud salve  ||  founded in 1895, this company sticks to what it knows. and this salve nails it. i use it for everything - so it's amazing to travel with. i use it for lip balm - of course - but i also use it for a base for my eye liner/shadow, as a brow tamer, and as a subtle sheen for cheeks. the odd time i'll use it for dry skin, and sometimes even to law the smackdown on frizz or static in my hair (fine haired ladies? you out there?). i've written about the strawberry salve before... and this one is sort of a more multi use, and classic version of that one.
kevin murphy 'fresh hair'  ||  i was turned onto dry shampoo with the turn of the short hairdo. aka. my justin bieber hair cut of 2012. kevin murphy is a brand i love - they are paraben and sulfate free, and they smell amazing. and THIS little ditty - this dry shampoo - allows me to extend my washing of hairs for an extra day... sometimes two (if we're being honest with one another). which is amazing. because i hate washing my hair. and i have bangs - so all my bang-ed sisters out there feel me.
deborah lippman nail polish  ||  i was only recently hooked on deborah lippman, though the connection was a long time coming. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SPARKLE NAILPOLISHES SHE MAKES?! a lot. it's sort of her thing. so needless to say, when i was at a salon event recently, and they were offering a discount on these teensy tiny combo packs of DL polish... in a SPARKLY CHANGE PURSE.... i was sold. and it's amazing. biotin and green tea extract, and none of the terribly four. so not only is it not bad for my nails - it's actually helping them grow. swoon. and - of course - i love any nail polish in tiny bottles. they are perfect for travelling, and because i get bored so easily.

can i call myself a woman now? please?