Wine Down Wednesday

Wine down Wednesday! Yesterday was national drink wine day! I'm sorry??? No one prepared me! Thank goodness I had plenty of birthday booze to choose from! My friends CLEARLY know I am a Jesus Juicer as I received three wine glasses and 6 bottles of wine total. I had plenty to choose from yesterday! I was given some favorites Cakebread (the magical Chardonnay which is cleaner than most California Chardonnays. You know me and my buttery creamy delicious Chardonnays. I have reviewed the Cakebread before on Her LadyMess as well as another delightful birthday juice I received, the Conundrum blend, oooooo and the Cupcake Red Velvet... So, I won't go back over them. I'll just give them a slow clap, standing ovation from right here in my NYC apartment :)
New bottles given to taste test:

 I have always been a big fan of this Oregon pinot gris. When I was in Portland doing the world premiere of Somewhere in Time we clearly made it to wine country and this vineyard was beautiful. I was thrilled that my pal was so thoughtful to want to try an Oregan Chardonnay with me! This Chardonnay, again not Cali butter style as it was unoaked. It was very smooth and delightfully fruity (Just like Mario Cantone without the side of sass!) Definite notes of lemon and lime coming through with another type of stone fruit... kiwi perhaps? Sounds random but it was refreshing enough that I considered it my hydration for the day :)
 I would get this as a gift for someone who is a Savvy B fan in a heart beat if you want to change their minds about Chardonnay!

Who has ever met a Malbec from Argentina they didn't like??? Always the perfect gift for a red wine enthusiast and a palate pleaser across the board. Typical Malbecs are flavored just as it is colored: plummy, dark cherry, berry flavored with just a hint of smoke and grit to make it a full bodied glass of deliciousness. I know it doesn't sound great when you are describing something going into your system in a similar family as dirt, but trust me.  Malbecs are stellar and cost effective. The Trapiche needed a bit of time to open up or a decanter might have helped. I found it led with the smoke and grit and the fruits were dry and opposed to luscious. It seemed that this particular brand was backward in how you want a Malbec to feel. 

Fun fact: A Cahor is a french version of a Malbec. Kind of sounds like a  red-headed french prostitute...). Awkward.

What would a party be without some bubbly? Or Pro-sexy as I like to call it. If you are going to make me drink champs, which I am not usually a big bubbles advocate (and I'm not talking about my boob-age... my family called me Bubbles during puberty and I never could let it go...TMI!) then let's make it prosecco. An Italian version of Champagne, delightfully inexpensive, and it delightful with a few frozen berries in it :) Not to mention pretty! Very pale in color and light on the palate. This would be great for a pinot grigio lover if they want to try something different. You know how I feel about the PG (pinot grigio...not pregnancy...give up the jesus juice for 9 months?? NOOOOOOOOO. I'm only KIND OF kidding...)

Cheers,
 xoxo
Her LadyMess

Nothing goes better with your morning coffee and a side of Pomeranian unless you count an excellent read! I love making a reading. The perfect balance of scripts, self help, fiction, non-fiction. I can never do a male protagonist ... sounds odd, I know. What can I say?  I like my lady business and I have attempted "man books" enough to know that it isn't for me.  

But here is what I will be reading over the next couple of months:

1) Rediscovering Catholicism:

I was raised catholic but have been a spiritual seeker my entire life. All in all, I think the big picture, it is about being a better human being. There is something greater out there than us. We all call it something different, but exist under the same ideal. I am interested to see if this book aligns with the principles in my next choice...

2) The Myth of Freedom

A book given to me by my friend and inspired soul Neil. He got me started on the meditation path back in college. We are making a book club out of it and touching base once a week. The book is centered around practicing mindfulness. We could all use a daily dose of that don't you think? 

The next few are choices based on a lady book and movie club I am in. Props to Jenna for saying even if you don't read the book (which I won't if it is a man club novel...barf nation), it doesn't matter, you can still join the ladies at the movie. You should do it with your ladies too! Here is the list of fantastic books being turned into movies this year: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/books-to-read-before-they-hit-theaters-this-year 

3) Divergent

I like that my friend, Blair, picked this. She was strong in saying she had no interest in "A Winter's Tale". Post Valentine's Day, I get it. Instead, she chose a novel that is a warrior of the heart novel! I am anxious to see how it compares to Hunger Games. I'm GAME. (See what I did there...hehe)

4)  Gone Girl

I've been hearing about this since it came out! Now that is will be a movie, it was the perfect incentive to finally read it. Since I am not a kindle fan (WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO TURN PAGES?!?!?), I am lugging around the hard cover copy.

5) A Long Way Down

Oh goody a kill yourself delight. Once reading the description, I decided to put this towards the "tale" end of my list. Looks good... but I am going to need a bit more sunshine before delving into this sucker.

6) South Pacific Script

The next is a script of a show that I will be doing in the spring. I always like to read the script ahead of time and get started on lyric work as I am a "cotton headed ninny muggins (That's right. I'll reference "Elf") and I need all the practice I can get... and maybe some ginkgo biloba tea. Ew sick. I just said tea. I take it back! Coffee, yes. Tea? Boo. Vino? WAHOO! I digress...

7) Paradise Rewritten

This is research work for "South Pacific". The cool part about being an actor is that every show is a new beginning and a chance to learn new things, new cultures, new time eras. I love to make a study out of it. Makes me feel like a school girl again :)  

So, make your lists, people! Assign them to yourself. I am implementing reading at night before I get to bed so my anxiety brain starts training itself to fall asleep! Also, I love supporting used book stores and sellers from Amazon.com when I buy a copy of a book. Not only do they contain a story as a book, they also have a history of being read a shared. Love that <3 <3 <3

xoxo

Her LadyMess

She's back in action, Lady love!

 I feel like I am coming back into myself. I went into hiding for awhile and now I am ready to emerge in full force again... As a BLONDE! I rocked the red for awhile, but let's be honest: Blondes do have more fun! What do you think?

 I was feeling the weight of the world there for awhile. Life comes at you and you don't always know how to combat it. People also don't think it is acceptable to talk about Depression, but it is real and you have to know how to combat it. I watched the light go out of my eyes for months and didn't know how to get myself back together. Then, as I was about to turn 30, something shifted and I was ready for CHANGE. Sometimes a simple change of hair color will turn a new leaf! Small changes are good too. I promised myself for my birthday I would HYDRATE. For Pete's sake (No, he was not a recent okStupid Date) I never drank water! Wanting to be kind to my skin and new hair, I have made the commitment of 8 glasses a day like a good girl.
 Other changes? A beauty routine day and night that I am excited about. My best friend Blair got me Birchbox for Christmas and I must say I am addicted. I love trying new products and seeing a change! I was never a sample queen before but this is the BEST GIFT EVER. Seriously, get into it. Even for those that are hard to please! Also for Christmas, I got the Clairsonic Facial brush and it is exfoliation to the max! I have no more dry winter skin! Only a brighter complexion that I can feel proud of. (God bless the ladies in my life!) I believe my mom said : "Well, you and your father have very prominent pores."  Thank you??? (QUESTION MARK??) She keeps it real, that gal.

I have been trying to find my way back to that girl who was driven and had dreams that no one could say no to. I have lived in New York, accomplished goals that I had set for myself back in high school... and now what ? I want to be FEARLESS. We all say that and then rarely do anything about it. So, since my 30th birthday, my gift to myself is OWNING IT, I am proud of who I am and what I have to offer this world.

This journal has been through a lot. So have I. They are always so telling of the time period I have been witness to. But no more witness. It is time to be the leading character in my life and own my story. Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, I collaged and wrote pages and pages. I have been so stifled emotionally that I could barely get half a page out in the past few months. It felt good to purge!

It was time for me to come around again. Pages from my collaging: 

It is the year of the journey. The "Healing Card" that I pulled that week was "RELEASE". I thought I had done that enough this week, but listening to the universe, I accepted the card. I have had emotional release, physical release (as I got my buns to the gym for class all week!), and verbal with my journal pages. This was the motto that forced me into action: 

Balance or bust, my friends. We have no other choice!

So thank you 30 for kicking me into gear instead of being a wallowing sad sack. Life is what we make of it. It takes perspective, goal making, and forward motion. Don't get stagnant. "The only thing consistent in life is CHANGE." So get on board with that mentality and make your changes positive to your life style. YOU CAN DO IT. 

Make a wish, my friends! To nailing this decade: 

XOXO,

 Her LadyMess

 I woke up way too early today and didn't quite know how to fill my time. Sundays are meant to be lazy, I realize. But, I hate having too much time on my hands. This is why I am a lover of a to do list! Keeps me accountable and on track!

 I decided to get into some Oprah Soulful Sundays and watch a few videos from a few spiritual gurus and found it a bit more inspirational that the Catholic Mass I attended this morning. I love spiritual conversation as opposed to going through the motions of routine. Everyone goes about it differently and I respect that. I am also thankful that I can choose what works for me as well.  I also did a few activities on Soul Pancake. Ever hear of it? I did the essays such as What is your Ultimate Cool?, Make Three Titles for Yourself, Write a Haiku, and What  Kind of Pie would you be?

Check it out: 

http://soulpancake.com/activities

  I write them all in my journal and even decided to post two of them just for to challenge myself. Who cares if people judge! Just put yourself out there. YOU ARE VALID!

Soul Pancake allowed me to swallow two bits of advice :
No apologies for being me and self acceptance is the key!
Thanks for helping me get to a better day, Soul Pancake!

Now I am meeting my gal pal for a boozy brunch (New Yorker's favorite especially on a beautiful day such as this!) and then headed to the Whitney Museum for the exhibits of Blues for Smoke, Jay Defeo (bring on the White Rose!!) , and American Legends: From Calder to O'Keefe (don't make it dirty...) I have never been to the Whitney Museum in my time in NYC and I think today is the day. Especially it being FREE.

'Tis the Lord's Day! So, drink his juice! (No, you can't have any of mine!)
xoxo
Her LadyMess

Ummmmmm... this is an e-mail from a friend of mine that I woke up to! Since I posted about my new love, the color champagne, I thought this would be fun to share!

Find at : Fab.com!

I replied, "I may not like to drink it, but I'll sit on cork any day!" Don't make it dirty! ;)
But, Her LadyMess woud preger to sit here. Amongst the wine corks that have made majic,memories, and let's e honest, a few mistakes. I wish I had saved all of my corks so I could make a personalized one composed of buttery Chardonnays with Jen, Malbecs with Alaina, Fuso with Blair, Bogle with my sis and Aunt C, Nobilo with Kasey, Savvy B's with Ford, and last but never least, Mesache with Aaron, Peaches, and Sheppy. CHEERS!

Find at: Fab.com

By request, Lady Wine's Day Wednesday notes will be returning! But, for today, it's Sunday! The Lord's Day. So, go drink his juice! I plan on brunching and munching with my pal, Blair. I'll let you know where:)

xoxo
Her LadyMess

I felt stuck last night. Stuck in patterns, behaviors, and general wah wah's. So, I poured a glass of Jesus Juice and got on the TED website and was FLOORED at the amount of inspiration that was available at my fingertips that I had forgotten all about. Instead of coming home and losing your in television shows that won't enrich your life's purpose, come home and turn on a PODCAST or the TED talks. Never underestimate the power of learning something new to make you feel like a better human being!

 I also began the Artist's Way Creativity Cards. When I was on the road with Wicked, we used to draw angel cards once a week that gave you something to focus on - one mindful thing a week - be in setting intentions, nourishing yourself, challenging yourself... It was always such a lovely way of breeding new behaviors. So, for my birthday, I was given the Artist's Way cards and whenever I need a little inspiration, I draw a new card.

This far, I have drawn: CHANGE and EMPOWER. Each came with a little phrase reminding me I have the power of inspiration within myself.

 What do you dow hen you feel stuck?

xoxo
HerLadyMess

Recently my book club read "The Happiness Project" and by read, I mean, I was the only one who finished the book. We decided to call our club "Booze and Books" since it seems most book clubs, like ours, really get together just to have an excuse to crack a few bottles of Jesus Juice and have some LADY TIME.

(Do you think I should implement a drinking game while reading my blog? Every time I say LADY you have to take a sip of wine?? Bwahahaha. I just hope you aren't reading my blog in the morning in that event! We'll be sending you to rehab faster that Syliva's family on Intervention! If you don't know Sylvia's work, GOOGLE IT! You're welcome!)

Though I didn't find the book incredibly inspirational, I did take away a few quotes for my journal and a few good mentalities to adapt into my every days life.

Here are some quotables that inspired my day and I hope it does the same for you!

“Happiness is how, not a what. A talent, not an object.”

                   ~Gretchen Rubin

“It is by studying the little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery, and as much happiness as possible.”

                  ~Samuel Johnson

“Action seems to follow feeling, but really acting and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not.”   ~William James

“Fake it til you feel it! Act the way you want to feel.”- Gretchen Rubin

“Happiness is neither virtue no pleasure nor this thing nor that thing, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing.”

               ~William Butler Yeats

“Whatever you admire in others is something that is nascent in yourself, but that you have not yet brought into being. Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self. “ -      Jungian Theory

Ah, the constant tug between striving and accepting. I’ve never figured this out, except to say that it seems a balance of necessary opposites. And yes it can be sad, while being busy and running out and fulfilling all things on my dreams/desires list I am not just accepting myself as is and letting me be me as is. I’m pushing myself. And yet if I don’t push myself I find I can be dissatisfied with things about me and my life. I figure there is a time for both pursuing and accepting.

             ~The Happiness Project

I know I spend a lot of time analyzing the looking into life and it's questions. What else are we here on this earth for? The thing that I come back to over and over is BALANCE. Nothing lasts forever - no human life, no fleeting feeling, or passing emotion... but what we want to hold onto is JOY. HAPPINESS. We all have different things that make us excited to live each day and I highly encourage you to find those things out for yourself and do them for YOURSELF. You don't need someone else to come and take your hand and show you how to live. You don't need a partner in crime to take yourself to that new place you have been wanting to eat at or to that french film playing at the local art house. Take yourself. Happiness comes from within us, not from outside of us and it is high time we worked on that relationship with OURSELVES. I have been on that band wagon since my 5 year relationship came to an end. The thing I wanted to learn and perfect was how to be with ME. Now, that is not to say that we can't enjoy our lady time or not go on to have a healthy relationship with another individual - human connection is KEY! I just think my happiness, as well as yours, has to stem from a love of self. So, cheers to that! To US!

xoxo
Her LadyMess