In a little over a month, Shauna, Kat and I leave for the turquoise seas and whitewashed buildings of the Greek Islands. I can’t wait.

But I am faced with that age-old problem: what to wear? My normal New York attire — motorcycle boots et al — simply will not do. No, when you go somewhere fabulous, you want your wardrobe to reflect it. You want to fit into your surroundings… But not too much.

I am not a boho kinda babe. As much as I appreciate Free People catalogues, soft, flowing and shapeless doesn’t work on me. I think in a past life I was the Marchesa Louisa Casati or Diana Vreeland. You’re probably not going to find me in a string bikini with braids in my hair… More likely, I’ll be the one in a turban and a psychedelic kaftan.

I’ve been gathering inspiration from everywhere, thinking about the kind of style I want to channel when I’m surveying the Cyclades. Enormous, wide-brimmed hats… Scarves twisted up, turban-style… Maxi-dresses and lots of bangles…

I keep wondering, ‘If Rachel Zoe and Stacey Bendet went to the Greek Islands together, what would they wear?’ Seems like as good a place as any to start…

I worked out a while ago that my Style Statement is Eccentric Pop. Eccentric for the weirdness and the drama, pop for the modern kick. (As much as I admire it in others, dressing for a specific historical timeframe doesn’t thrill me. I’m a thoroughly modern misfit.)

So while I may bring in elements of the past — like the lazy luxury of the 70’s, or the glamourous chill of art deco — it all gets tied together in a contemporary manner. (Irridescent snakeskin sandals, anyone?)

I plan on punctuating graphic black and white resortwear with hallucinatory bikinis and mind-bending vintage kaftans. I’ll be donning stripes and covering up my beach hair with a turban or two. There will, of course, be sequins aplenty. I’m turning 30, bitch!

...Which, of course, brings us to the next pressing question. Do they sell sparklers in Santorini?!

Daydreamin’,

Images: Roy Macam; Missoni; Raymond Meier; Chanel; Heather Evans Smith; Anja Poulsen; Graham Shearer; Jean Daniel Lorieux; The Glamourai; Urban Outfitters; Jantzen; Camilla Akrans; Max Doyle.

filed under: inspiration

After a night pontoon cruisin’ on Lake Minnetonka, a day strolling around uptown and a cheese curd fest at Psycho Suzi’s, we were well and truly ready to teach a class full of babes.

When we arrived at Public Functionary early on Saturday morning, we didn’t know what to expect. Owned by a friend of my friend, all I knew was that it was a recently-opened art gallery that had been funded by Kickstarter. (Pretty cool.) I expected to show up and be confronted with a big, white, empty room.

...But the joke was on us, because we walked into an opulent, gothic baroque daydream. There was crimson shag carpet on the walls, golden stencilled wallpaper and a 20 foot chandelier boxed up in a packing crate. Trisha, the owner, apologised… But we loved it. It was SO cool, and so unexpected!

I think Marilyn Manson would have approved. (What will it take to get him to one of our classes?!)

When Shauna first sent us the boat design for Minneapolis, we didn’t really get it… But after experiencing lake life, we do now! (If I lived in the Twin Cities, I think I would get L-A-K-E-L-I-F-E as knuckle tattoos.)

We couldn’t resist this disco ball balloon… Or Alex in a pair of ears!

Amber won our scholarship… Remember, we offer one for each class!

Alexandra Franzen was an amazing addition to our class, and had so much juicy info to share!

It’s a proven fact: Crown And Glory ears help you think during activities.

Katie cuted us all out with her flower crown.

Check out that goodie bag bulging with treats!

Thank you to Crown & Glory for the ears, The Young Aesthetic for our chandelier-esque crystal necklaces, Cicely Margo for our rainbow-coloured ring pops, Classic Hardware for delicate but edgy earrings, Tumi for the sunglasses, and Casetagram for the custom phone case vouchers! Spoiled rotten!

Frequently asked questions: “Do you guys coordinate your outfits?” Um… Definitely!

Our Minneapolis group was so sweet!

“There’s a lot of noise & nonsense out there about how to become a “professional blogger.” The Blogcademy headmistresses bring it back down to the beautiful basics: Killer content. Artful packaging. Consistent posting. Personality & charm. If you’re a baby blogger, consider this workshop your official initiation. If you’re a seasoned pro, think of it as your finishing school. Gala, Shauna & Kat walk their talk — and blog their walk. A weekend well spent? No question, for me. Get thee to The Blogcademy!” (Alexandra Franzen)

You know, I used to think that The Blogcademy was about teaching bloggers how to get ‘er done: straight-up tactics, plain ol’ strategy. But recently I had a revelation.

The Blogcademy is really about encouraging women to have a voice. We help babes step up and claim their piece of the blogosphere. We urge women to demand their worth and to push harder. We champion individuality and coax ladies out of their comfort zone.

The feeling of support between everyone in the room is strong, and it doesn’t just fade away after class is finished. After our recent NYC reunion, Blogcademy success story Latanya said…

“I realized that the Blogcademy was more than just a two day workshop but a sisterhood. I already had an overwhelming feeling of unity between all of the wonderful women I have met and continue to meet because of the Blogcademy. This feeling is so strong. Like, Incredible Hulk strong.” (Latanya Rene)

She’s right. After spending an intense two days together, we feel like we know one another… And we’re all invested in each other’s success. Our blogcadettes know they can come to us anytime for help, and they have an in-built blogging posse that isn’t just constrained to the one class they attended; they’re part of a badass club that includes all our students.

When it comes to blogging, I think your success is my success… And vice versa! That’s one of the best things about Blogcademy, and it’s what I’m most proud of.

Girl power! Like, actual, REAL girl power!

Photographs by Gene Oh.

filed under: the blogcademy

Set this as your desktop background!

Happy Thursday! You know what time it is… Time to take a second, kick off your Kirkwoods, and count yo’ blessings!

I have to admit that for all my moaning, this Mercury Retrograde has been REALLY good to me. And it wasn’t just Mercury kicking our asses the past month, it was Saturn too. If you feel like you got called on your bullshit this month, it is no surprise. I got called on everything this month… And when that cosmic telephone rang, I picked it up. Thanks to that, I have never felt more purposeful, more exactly-where-I-need-to-be, more evolved and less tied down by a bunch of old twaddle.

I hope Mercury and Saturn have been good to you this month too!

The phrase which keeps ringing in my ears lately is, we get what we think about, whether we like it or not. At the start of the year, I told myself that I wanted to get more in touch with my own spirituality… And that’s why I wasn’t at all surprised to meet Gabby, who literally lives around the corner from me. That’s why it didn’t seem all that strange to hug Amma, or to receive three copies of Sera Beak’s Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic’s Love Story! (Full review coming soon, but so far, DAMN!)

It has been an interesting year, for sure…

In slightly more shallow news (!), my office — aka Darling HQ — is starting to come together. My overwhelming shoe collection has been purged, my books have been organised by colour and I’ve edited down my accessories (and put the rest into storage). I have one more (miniature) suitcase of stuff to sell, and a few boxes of winter clothing to go into my 5×10 storage cubicle, and then I’ll be ready for stage two!

What is stage two, you may ask?

Why, it includes wallpaper, a new desk, and definitely some new art. PSYCHED!

Set this as your desktop background!

J’adore… Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (I saw it for the first time this week… SO GREAT!) Running intervals. Okay, don’t get me wrong, I don’t enjoy it at the time, but I always feel pleased when I’m done! Cracking fortune cookies Australia’s Next Top Model! Are you watching it? My favourite girls are April, Dajana and Melissa. I think Jade and Ashley are fab, too. Tacos for lunch Spending hours poolside Plottin’ and schemin’ for the Greek Islands Jay-Z The energy of warm summer nights Doing interviews while wearing an enormous hat… Getting my fill of Vitamin D Shauna and Kat: geez, I love ‘em! The fact that Hank has taken to stretching out and lying alongside me in bed Watching old Ricky Gervais stand-up Never not making a mixtape Going back to index cards (aka “the hipster PDA”) for my to do lists Meeting fantastic new people!

Also, I read this the other day, and thought you might appreciate it:

“When you bring gratitude into your finances, your energy around money shifts. Gratitude leads you to honor what you do have and appreciate the simple stuff. The ego sucks you deeply in lack, comparing and attacking others and yourself. Gratitude does just the opposite. A grateful financial perspective involves loving and respecting all that you have and honors the wealth of others. The grateful miracle worker knows that the abundance you see in others is a reflection of your own capacity for abundance. Rather than get hooked into comparisons and attack, begin appreciating the abundance around you. When you honor and appreciate what you see, you become a magnet for it.” (May Cause Miracles, Gabrielle Bernstein)

Your gratitude prompt: When was the last time you gave a stranger a compliment?

Good question, no? This one was prompted by Kat, who emailed to tell me that — after seeing me compliment a stranger on the Upper East Side when we were together — she was inspired to tell a woman in a changing room how great she looked. The woman had tried on a dress and was clearly unsure about it, but it looked excellent! After Kat’s compliment, she ended up buying the dress… How fab is that?

Oh, by the way, if you have a radical self love bible or a gratitude journal that you’d like to share with the rest of us, take some photos and email them to me! I’d love to post them as inspiration for other radical self love warriors… !

Listening to Alanis Morissette and loving it,

filed under: things i love thursday

I cracked open this fortune cookie last week. I smiled when I read the slip of paper, and then started thinking about what this actually meant.

We all have dreams when we’re young, but more often than not, when we get to a certain age, we start to get the message that our grandest plans and wildest notions are just silly. Unrealistic.

“You’ll never make any money doing that,” our well-meaning friends and family crow at us.

And so we start to file those dreams away in the folder entitled “Maybe in another lifetime”.

Sure: life has its certain, unavoidable realities. There’s rent to pay, groceries to acquire, and taxes to cough up. But you can’t let those things — and the people who talk about them — frighten you into a life of mediocrity.

The world is full of people who will make fun of your dreams, attempt to talk you down to their level, or try to persuade you that something else would be a more “sensible” use of your time.

But the only people who scoff at dreams are the ones who didn’t have the guts to go after what they really wanted.

Don’t be one of them.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” (Mark Twain)

I believe in you!

Love, always,

filed under: inspiration

Last time I was in London, it was the middle of January. It wasn’t just cold, there was a freaking blizzard. And still, The Blogcademy show went on!

Shauna and I are psyched to hop on a Virgin Atlantic flight and head back to jolly old England… And I know Kat is excited to have us!

And now we’re even more thrilled, because — after selling out thirty Blogcademy seats — we’ve added a second class!

That means we’re teaching two British workshops back to back, on Thursday and Friday (the 5th and 6th of September), and Saturday and Sunday (the 7th and 8th of September). Sure, it’s a little nuts… But it’s worth it to meet DOUBLE the babes and have (at least!) DOUBLE the fun!

Okay, so now, if you were unable to attend the weekend class because you’re, say, a wedding photographer, or a frazzled mother, or a freelancer who booked into a weekend juggling workshop months ago, you have no excuses!

“The Blogcademy is fucking life-changing. I sold half of my wardrobe (no joke) in order to attend and I’d sell the other half and show up in nothing but my undies and black eyeliner ten times over: these women are legit. Their energy is through the roof. Their knowledge is powerful. Their commitment is palpable. And they will give you the necessary kick in the ass you need to own your identity, no matter how scary that might be. Between the sparkles, sea of hair colors, and resounding tribal spirit, I kept waiting for Jessie J to burst through the window on a Tarzan rope belting out ‘Just be true to who you are’. (I wouldn’t put it past these three. I believe them capable of anything). But all in all, whether you have to walk 500 miles, subsist on Ramen noodles for a month, or fly on a broomstick to get there…GO. Stop thinking about it. GO. I kid not when I say it will alter the course of your professional career and, by extension, your life.” (Madelin Adena Smith)

If you’re curious about what goes on during class, or even better, afterwards, check out our interviews with Veronica Varlow and Latanya Rene. These are two blogcadettes who are rocking the blogosphere in their own unique way! Jess Lively recently interviewed Shauna about how we design The Blogcademy with intention, too.

And remember: Austin is our last US date for the year. You don’t want to miss it. It will be magical to the max.

So excited! Can’t wait to see you!

Mwah!

filed under: the blogcademy

On Sunday morning, my husband turned to me and said, “Let’s go for a drive.” Music to my ears! I packed some snacks, jumped in our ’69 Volkswagen Beetle, and roared onto the FDR.

Soon we were heading north up the Palisades, en route to Bear Mountain. Within an hour, we were firmly ensconced in picture-perfect surroundings.

Sitting on a park bench overlooking the lake, families barbecuing around us and little boats bobbing past, we couldn’t have been further away from the East Village.

Bear Mountain… You know.

Of course, the first order of business was a spin on the carousel… Because how can you not?! I’d never seen a carousel with such strange creatures: there were house cats, otters, frogs, bears (of course) and swans. I picked a rabbit, and hopped on…

(Click to play!) It was pretty fantastic. I was totally in my element, as you can see, below.

After a thrilling ride, we headed in the direction of the lake to see what else was on the menu. (I wasn’t worried. If all else failed, I would have been happy to spin around on that carousel all day long!)

This is Bear Mountain Inn. The first thing I thought when I saw it was, ‘Shauna would love this!’

The hotel dates back to 1915 and was recently restored. It has a pretty cool history, and is “among the earliest examples of a monumental rustic park lodge of a type that became common in state and national parks”.

It’s just SO American, isn’t it?! It makes me think of boy scouts, s’mores, roaring fires and telling ghost stories.

I like to call this one “Goth On The Lake”. Who goes to a mountain wearing high-heeled Doc Martens? This girl!

Seriously though, what a beautiful backdrop! When I think of deep blue water and green mountains, I think of New Zealand, Switzerland, Capri… Definitely not upstate New York!

I’m so in love with Bear Mountain: it’s my new favourite day-trip!

It only takes an hour to get there, and the Palisades are lush and green the whole way. Pack a great picnic, rent a boat, check out the zoo and enjoy feeling the grass between your toes!

My husband always says that going upstate feels like “hitting the reset button”, and now that I’ve experienced it, I agree. I recommend it to any and all New Yorkers feeling stifled in the heat and overwhelmed by the city. Just a few hours beside the lake, inhaling some fresh air and enjoying the sights and sounds, should be essential for the soul.

Refreshed and revived,

filed under: new york doll

It seems like a million years ago that we had our first Blogcademy class… And since Kat, Shauna and I were all in town in June, we decided the time was right to throw a little reunion get-together!

The invitation read: You. Us. Lunch. Cocktails. Photobooths. (You know how we do!)

With a fistful of RSVPs, we booked a table for 25 at The Smith.

It ended up being two tables… But we’re not complaining!

Luna sat next to me, and I was secretly thrilled, because I think she is way awesome!

It was so cool to catch up with some of our previous students. We’re unbelievably proud of them. They have all made huge strides and changes since we saw them last, and some — like Latanya — have even made the leap to full-time blogging! I’m so impressed!

Over oversized salads and insane sandwiches, we talked about everything. From blogging to boyfriends, lipsticks to living arrangements, nothing was off limits… Just how I like it!

Cocktails at lunch: it’s the blogger’s way!

Angela and Juanita are such babes. Plus, it was Juanita’s birthday!

The thing I love most about our blogcadettes is how sweet and welcoming they are. Our lunch gathering was made up of a mix of babes from different classes, and even though some of them had never met before, by the end of the lunch, they were swapping information and getting real chummy!

At one point, a girl pointed to another blogcadette and told me, “I just hired her to redesign my blog!” Isn’t that so cool?!

We definitely have our own mini economy going, which is something I never imagined!

It’s just not a blogger shindig unless there are photobooth pictures…

I love these pictures hung up against subway tile.

From left to right: Latanya (old school!), Luna (who was in our Portland class!), Kat, Kristin (from the most recent NY class), Holly (also from the Portland class!), and me. We’re all eerily well colour-coordinated, don’t you think?

Hopefully next time, we won’t have to wait so long to see each other! So much love! And if you’re in NYC, you should definitely stop in at The Smith. They have the best photobooth in town!

Click click flash,

Photos by the brilliant June Cochran!

filed under: the blogcademy

Hello, babe! This is just a quick note to let you know I am going LIVE on Hay House Radio — with the effervescent Gabrielle Bernstein — at 12pm!

SPIRIT JUNKIE: Gabrielle Bernstein

Discussions of Radical Self-Love with Gala Darling

With Special Guest(s): Gala Darling

On today’s show Gabrielle will interview international playgirl and radical self love revolutionary, Gala Darling

We’ll be taking caller questions, which is — yes! — an invitation for you to give us a ring-a-ding-ding and chat with us. I would love to hear from you!

The show runs from 9-10am PDT, which is 12-1pm EST... And it’s rebroadcast at 6pm PDT/9pm EST. Just click here to stream it and listen for free!

So looking forward to it!

x’s and o’s,

I have to admit I was shocked when I looked at my editorial calendar yesterday and saw that it was already time to do my monthly link round-up! How has your July been treating you?

Here are some of the best things I’ve read, watched and listened to over the past month. I hope you enjoy ‘em!

Kirstie Clements, ex-editor at Vogue Australia, tells all!

Overwhelm us with joy! YES please!

Kids dressed as characters from Moonrise Kingdom. I am so not into cutesy kid stuff, but this is beyond adorable.

Rita J King is pretty fascinating, and her “how I work” story inspires me to do bigger things.

What’s in Prince’s fridge?! (This is real!)

I loved Laurie Penny’s piece on being a manic pixie dream girl.

Zoe tells us how to deal with a whopping big (under the surface) pimple. Bookmark that one!

In case you were wondering, here’s why working for a modern print publication is awful.

If you’d like to give meditation a crack, Oprah and Deepak Chopra are holding a free course!

I loved what Shauna had to say about trying a cleanse!

This is for you if you have trouble telling someone how to sex you up.

Goosebumps for Grown-Ups. Ahahaha.

Ever wonder why Etsy and crafting is experiencing such a major resurgence? Emily Matchar wrote a book on the allure of the new domesticity, and this interview with her is fascinating.

In her new book, Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity, Matchar examines the DIY trend in a variety of manifestations—Etsy culture, “mommy” blogs, backyard chickens, from-scratch cooking—and sees a retreat to domesticity at the heart of it all. Homesteading, homeschooling, homemaking—home, home, home. The promise of the New Domesticity is that by circling our wagons and “doing it ourselves,” we can compensate for the lack of stability and work-life balance in the workforce and the failure of the government to ensure safe food, high-quality education, and sustainable environmental practices—all while making cool stuff! Moreover, Matchar is troubled by the way that this trend affects women economically, encouraging them to give up financial independence while breathing new life into old ideas about what women’s work should look like.

So you want to write a book? Wanting is not nearly enough.

More doing, less promoting: the key to creating great work. Go Paul! I love this: “Promotion is necessary, but for the most part, it feels like I’m looking backward at what I’ve already made. I’d rather be looking forward, at what I’ve yet to create.” That’s how I felt about blog comments!

On Wednesday, I co-hosted Hay House Radio with Gabrielle Bernstein. If you missed it, listen to the archived episode! (We had sooooo much fun, I can’t wait to do it again soon!)

Rape Joke: a poem by Patricia Lockwood.

James Altucher tells you how to self-publish a bestseller.

Skin And Sleep Have A Closer Tie Than You May Think...

So, apparently Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey aren’t friends. Lana wrote a mean song about her... And, of course, it leaked.

Bill Murray reading poetry. Sometimes, it’s exactly what you need.

10 of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice from famous entrepreneurs.

Ben and Jerry’s knows your personality based on your favourite ice cream flavour. Mine? If your favorite flavor is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, you’re more likely to be ambitious, competitive and a visionary. Sure. I’ll take that.

This Tumblr Will Ruin Your Favorite Childhood Books And It’s Amazing. No, really, it’s amazing.

Books are selling better than ever… So why are publishers so scared?

VSCO Cam is a great iPhone app for editing photos… But there’s a bit of a learning curve. This is a great guide.

Here’s how to make your whole publicity plan feel like a guilty pleasure!

Texas has kept a record of death row inmates’ last words.

Want some new music? Check out Bend But Don’t Break by Blueprint and Illogic!

Bicycle helmets can be fashion statements...

I just stopped drinking coffee, so I’m fascinated by this study on how caffeine might cramp creativity because it inhibits the two main characteristics of creative thinking: unconscious processing, or what T. S. Eliot called idea incubation, and connecting the seemingly unconnected.

When Smart Homes Get Hacked: I Haunted A Complete Stranger’s House Via The Internet. Erm, wow!

I loved this interview with Gabby!

Stop competing with other women... And kick your own ass, instead!

Have a great weekend,

filed under: carousel

When I first arrived in NYC, I would go to the opening of an envelope. I was so excited by everything that seldom an invitation went unanswered; I just loved to be out of the house, exploring the city.

These days, I am much more picky. You could be mistaken for thinking it comes down to snobbery, but the truth is that it’s hard to wrestle me away from my dogs and my husband!

When I do manage to extract myself from their loving grasp, however, I am reminded of why I love this great city. It is so spectacular, and there is always something wonderful going on.

Juicy Couture, who are celebrating the launch of their new Viva La Juicy Noir fragrance, asked me to share what goes on before I race out to paint the city pink… And I answered the call!

Do you have any pre-party rituals? I do. Here are a few of my essentials…

I am a huge fan of the disco nap — it enables me to battle on without finding myself inexplicably sleepy come midnight. Just a 45 minute kip is all I need to feel powered up!

A quick spritz of some fabulous fragrance always invigorates me and gets me psyched to dash out the door. I experiment with new scents all the time, but on a hot summer night, Viva La Juicy Noir is perfect for the girl who is always wearing her dancing shoes, sees possibility around every corner, and leaves a trail of sequins wherever she goes… It smells like berries, honeysuckle and sandalwood. So good!

One great accessory can make a huge difference to your attitude and help break you out of a crisis of confidence! I’ve been wearing this hat all summer long, and I feel like it gives me a dash of jaunty almost-French sass. Ooh la la!

Sometimes if I’d rather curl up on the couch, I set myself an intention for what I’d like to happen. It can be simple, like getting a couple of cool Instagram shots, or a little more meaningful, like having one really great conversation with a new person. This helps me feel like I’m not just scampering off to event after event, and imbues my evenings with significance and purpose.

Another tip I love to employ is to channel someone I admire when I go out. I can easily be that girl in the corner, absorbed in her phone… And really, if you’re going to do that, you might as well just stay home. To yank myself out of a wallflower moment, I think about what someone else — like Madonna, or maybe Katy Perry, or Pee-Wee Herman — would do if they were in that room with me. Just thinking about this enables you to see more possibilities. When you channel someone else, you’re able to drop those preconceived notions about who you are and how you behave, and have a much more enjoyable experience!

Be sure to pack your essentials into a cute bag or clutch. There’s nothing worse than being out and about when you realise you’ve forgotten your lipstick or your phone! (Truly, a Very Modern Nightmare.) I also love to throw a miniature bottle of fragrance (like the Viva rollerball) in my bag for touch-ups. Who knows where the night might lead?!

So… Want to win a shopping spree?!

Who would say no to that?! I’ve got you covered, girl. Follow Juicy Couture on Instagram and upload a photo of your ultimate night out on the town using #NightisforNoir and tagging @JuicyCouture for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card to Juicy Couture and the Viva La Juicy Noir fragrance! What could be better than that?! (Click here for the contest rules.)

Do you have any pre-party rituals? I’d love to hear them! (And fingers crossed that you’re the lucky winner of the Night Is For Noir contest!)

Love always,

This post was made possible with the help of my friends at Juicy Couture.

filed under: daily outfit

Stop: interview time! Today I have a cool little surprise for you in the form of a video.

Not so long ago, I was interviewed by Jonathan Fields for his fantastic Good Life Project. In his own words…

Good Life Project™ is a movement.

A set of shared values. A community. A creed, bundled with a voracious commitment to move beyond words and act. First, as a manifestation of your soul. And then as a quest to have the adventure of a lifetime, and to leave the world around you changed.

It’s about building an extraordinary life, deeper relationships and meaningful bodies of work, businesses and movements. It’s about becoming a creator, a leader, a mentor, a giver, a doer. It’s about telling a story with your life that you’d want to read and share.

Flattered is not the word! I’m so thrilled to have been featured alongside the likes of Seth Godin, Marie Forleo, Leo Babauta, Kris Carr and Lissa Rankin. Not bad for a rambunctious little urchin from New Zealand, no?!

In our interview, we discuss radical self love, blogging, business, and the way they all intersect. And we had a lot of fun, too!

Click below to watch our interview!

Love and lemonade,

filed under: video

Summer in New York City is an event all of its own. After an inevitably long, cold and dreary winter, New Yorkers can’t wait to throw off their coats and expose their chilly, pale bodies to the sun.

If you’ve never visited the city in the summer, let me summarise (ha!): it’s hot, sticky and humid. Most people live in walk-up buildings, meaning there is no elevator, and the hallways are muggy and thick with stale air. If you’re lucky enough to have an air conditioner, you spend a lot of time lying in front of it, cooling your skin, walking back and forth to the fridge. If you don’t, you while away the hours on a stoop in your neighbourhood, hoping to catch the slightest breeze.

When it’s that hot, your sartorial options become limited. You want to avoid sweltering as much as possible, and you want to play up your best features, too. My goal is always to look confident, but not show too much. Cleavage isn’t really my jam — not that that’s an option for me! — so I prefer to put the focus on my legs.

I’m completely obsessed with self-tan, and in order to get an even application, exfoliation and good depilation is essential. To help with this, I’ve been using the Gillette Venus & Olay Sugarberry razor that has 5 blades that gently exfoliate the skin and Olay moisture bars to help lock in moisture for less dryness vs. Venus Breeze, over time.

In fact, the last time the three of us — Shauna, Kat, and I — travelled, not one of us thought to bring a razor. (There’s always something you forget!) We grabbed a value pack of cheap disposable blades in a convenience store, and oh, did we suffer the consequences! Nicks, razor-burn and sad, sore legs were our reality. It was so not worth it!

If you, like the three of us, have dark hair and pale skin, and prefer to have smooth pins, you know that in summer, shaving becomes an everyday reality. Buying a bunch of products in a rush is always a mistake! It’s definitely worth splashing out to get the good stuff: a razor with multiple blades, good shaving cream, or a 2-in-1 product like Gillette Venus & Olay (perfect for travelling!). Your legs will thank you!

This silk sundress definitely falls into my “oldie-but-a-goodie” category. I threw it in my miniature pink suitcase at the last minute, and I’m so glad I did. It’s the perfect thing to wear on a hot summer night.

Kat took these photos of me as I rolled around seductively in some Midwestern grass, and strolled around the neighbourhood sans shoes. What a fantastic city…

Smooches and smooth shanks,

This post was created in collaboration with Gillette Venus and Olay and Style Coalition.

It has been an action-packed summer, to say the least, and the last two weeks have been totally over-the-top. Daytripping with my husband to Bear Mountain, secret rendez-vous with Veronica Varlow in a hidden restaurant, Saturday morning interviews with a new friend, co-hosting Hay House Radio with Gabrielle Bernstein, lazy park dates with Loulou Androlia and Jayne Rusby, private Pilates tutelage, a haircut, meditating in the mornings, interviewing with Srini for Blogcast FM, dinner dates with Sarah Wilson, oh, and did I mention it was our two year wedding anniversary on Monday?!

...Can you say p-h-e-w?!

I’m writing thousands of words every day. I have a tan (some real, some fake) and newly-blackened tresses. I’ve been trying to get to bed before midnight so I can wake up at 6am every morning. And by the end of each day, I am utterly spent.

Of course, I wouldn’t trade it for anything…

For me, this summer is a strict split of work and play. Travel, then work, then get back on a plane again. Right now, it’s two weeks ‘til Austin, and then another two ‘til the Greek Islands and London. I’m so excited to wake up in a new place, but I have so much to do before then! Head down, tail up…

It’s funny to think about the fact that what is challenging for some people is a walk in the park for others. For example, last Tuesday I debuted my thighs in a pair of preeeetty short shorts. I see dozens of women doing this exact thing every day in NYC, but it was not easy for me. In fact, halfway down the street I felt so goddamn uncomfortable that I wished I had a cloaking device, or that the street would swallow me whole. But I did it, and even though I was thrilled to change out of them later, I was proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone.

It’s always valuable to challenge your own status quo. I encourage you to mess with your own ideas about your body. It will be difficult, but it’s a step in the right direction.

When I tweeted about the experience, @alieechan told me, “This year is my first time wearing shorts in public since grade school. I call my outings ‘thigh parties’.”

YES! I was thigh partying all OVER this joint!

J’adore… Caravan Palace (Sashiko recommended them on Facebook and I can’t get enough!) The fact that the longer you’re in NYC, the more friends you see in the street (I love that!) Quitting coffee — yes indeed — and becoming obsessed with yerba mate Pilates: so difficult but so damn good! Burning incense (Nag Champa, the perennial favourite) Filling my office with pink roses Full moons Getting our itinerary from Tourism Queensland… So excited! The Unearthen x The Wild Unknown tarot collection. Dribble! Absolutely perfect weather Watching Orange Is The New Black with Mike and getting really obsessed Kat’s new sparkly headwear collaboration with Crown And Glory! Humans Of New York (whenever I click into it, I get lost and read for hours) Magical Fashionista !!! Visible obliques! Stacks of books Waiting for the rain… Scoring big at Buffalo Exchange! Getting back into Gossip Girl (I swear, it will take me until the end of my life to finish this show) My mother sending us a tin of googly eyes!

What are the little things you’re thankful for this week? You don’t have to write them down if that’s not your style; just make a mental note to look around with fresh eyes, and to appreciate the little things you see, smell, do and experience.

Your gratitude prompt: As a tribute to Tuesday’s thigh party, what part of your body are you most grateful for? And what part of your body could you develop more appreciation for? Fill me in!

Love and cups of tea,

Photos by Chellise Michael.

filed under: things i love thursday

After a couple of days rest, it was time to get this (slightly odd, very orchidaceous) show back on the road. Shauna, Kat and I had spent the weekend teaching The Blogcademy NYC in Patina’s gorgeous warehouse in Bushwick, and all of a sudden, it was time to head back to the borough of Brooklyn, and Patina’s very particular brand of magic.

Sure, we’re fond of fringe. We lust for tufting. And we adore our fancy friends Corrin, Kim and Michelle. But the real reason we found ourselves back at Patina was to do what we do best: POSE!

Take a pink velvet sofa with gold fringe, a bottle of champagne, a vintage croquet set, fill an old typewriter with fresh flowers… And this is what you get!

I love how Shauna’s twirling the phone cord around her finger. I bet she’s talking to a BOY!

The colours in this photo just knock my socks off.

I love that those pink paint splatters look like cherry blossoms have fallen off the bottom of my dress. On the right, I’m pouring champagne into Kat’s mouth… Just another day in the life!

In my natural habitat. I’m wearing the Tracy Reese Revisited Impressionist dress, which is one of very few things I’ve seen online, then immediately stood right up from my computer and walked to a store for. My high heels are by Alice + Olivia.

I’d love to say this is what we look like after a Blogcademy class. But actually we look more like this!

Kristin gave Kat the coolest side braid. She’s wearing a floral maxi dress from Topshop, a belt from H&M and shoes by Vivienne Westwood.

It’s for you…

The flowers and prop styling by Tinsel & Twine were so beautiful.

Having a floral moment…

We pulled our makeup artist, Regan, into a shot, because we love him. (Clearly!)

Then we walked around a corner to practice being professional art appreciators.

Are you ready for your closeup?

Back inside Patina, Shauna gave us major Monica Bellucci vibes! Her beautiful dress is by Paper Dolls (and is on sale!). Her headband came from H&M and her boots are by All Saints.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Kisses,

This was a team effort and we couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out! Thank you so much to our photographer, Chellise Michael, our videographer Courtney Arcese, our flower and decor geniuses Erica and Adette at Tinsel & Twine, our makeup artist Regan Rabanal, our hairdresser Kristin Jackson, our assistants Jen and Kathryn, and of course, to Patina for making this all happen! MWAH!

filed under: daily outfit

Happy Monday! This week, let magic guide you. Allow your intuition to whisper and lead you in new and wonderful directions. Give yourself permission to explore and experiment.

On Tuesday, it’s a new moon in Leo. New moons are a fantastic time to write down a list of things you want to achieve, and the best time to do it is as close to the new moon as possible. (It happens at 1.51pm on the West Coast and 4.51pm on the East Coast.) Set yourself an alarm on your phone 10 minutes beforehand and when it goes off, stop what you’re doing and start to write a list of things you’d like to come to fruition this month.

A moon in Leo has some very particular characteristics. Think of your favourite Leo: odds are that they are bold and love the limelight, they have great hair and they thrive on the adrenaline rush they get from taking a big risk. This moon is just like that. Creativity is favoured, risk-taking is to be encouraged, and anything that involves you getting recognition will receive a big boost.

It’s going to be a damn good week!

With love,

Image from Sephora.

filed under: astrology

The hiss of the milk frother, the smell of roasted beans, the ritual of the coffee shop… It’s no wonder we’re all hooked on coffee. But did you know it ain’t all that good for us?

Yep, it’s sad but true. Last Monday, after my body reacted somewhat violently to my usual soy latte, I swore off coffee permanently.

After a week off the stuff, my mind feels clearer and more naturally focussed… And I started doing a little research on coffee. What I found was pretty alarming. In case you, like me, have been kept in the dark about coffee’s less positive traits, here’s a little information…

1. Coffee doesn’t really give you energy; it actually makes you more tired. The boost you get from caffeine is nothing more than chemical stimulation as your body struggles to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones.

2. In the words of Stephen Cherniske: “Using stimulants is like a whipping a horse. They work for a short time but prove disastrous when used repeatedly.” Caffeine taxes the adrenal glands, which impacts your thyroid, sex hormones, and your metabolism.

3. Yes, your metabolism. Coffee actually encourages your body to hold onto fat. Why? Coffee is highly acidic, and our bodies store acids in fat. In fact, our bodies hold onto extra fat in order to keep acids from harming sensitive organs. If you feel like you’re storing a few stubborn extra pounds, this is yet another reason to give coffee a miss!

4. All the things we add into our coffee — milk, soy milk, sugar, artificial sweeteners — wreak havoc on our body. Among other side effects, dairy products cause pimples, soy products weaken the immune system, sugar leeches collagen from your skin (making you look older than you are), and artificial sweeteners are hideous in almost every way.

5. Coffee is extremely acid-forming in the body. Put simply, alkaline foods are good for us, and foods that create acid are the opposite. The more coffee you drink, the more acidic your pH level becomes… And the more chance you have of developing cancer.

6. Excessive coffee consumption can create a B vitamin deficiency, which in turn makes us feel exhausted, achy and nervous. The acidity of coffee sucks calcium from your body, leading to an increased chance of osteoporosis. Coffee can also prevent nutrients from being properly absorbed in our small intestine. Studies have shown that just one cup of coffee can reduce iron absorption from a meal by as much as 75%!

7. Coffee makes you look older. It prevents DHEA from being produced, and DHEA is responsible for regenerating and nourishing our skin. You also probably already know how dehydrating caffeine is. Dehydration literally sucks moisture from your skin… Meaning you’ll look ancient sooner. Additionally, if you have rosacea, coffee encourages flare-ups.

8. Coffee stresses you out. When you drink a hot, creamy latte, your brain pings the release of stress hormones like epinephrine, cortisol, norepinephrine and glucocorticoids. These hormones don’t just accelerate aging, they keep the body in a “stressed state”. While this feels good on a temporary basis — the kicky high of caffeine is familiar to most of us — we later experience tension and anxiety.

9. Coffee affects and impedes the absorption of certain medications, most notably tricyclic antidepressants. This makes the symptoms of depression much worse!

10. ...And caffeine causes depression and anxiety in the first place. It can lead to panic attacks too. According to Cherniske, a lot of people end up taking antidepressants because of the lack of sleep, fatigue and various psychological issues they experience from drinking coffee. He added that you cannot truly get off of an antidepressant if you’re still drinking coffee… And that it takes a minimum of eight weeks to totally clear your system of caffeine.

Need more reasons? Coffee is one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops; coffee taxes our liver; coffee drinkers have lower levels of serotonin synthesis in the brain (i.e., feel less happiness); many of the substances in coffee are carcinogenic; caffeine raises blood pressure; cutting out coffee can reduce and even eliminate chronic pain; coffee damages the nervous system; coffee drinkers handle stress less effectively; people who drink coffee get less sleep (and sleep makes you beautiful); caffeine plays a significant part in hypoglycemia and blood sugar disorders; coffee can lead to stroke; caffeine impedes creativity; and coffee can lead to allergies, asthma and reduced immune response.

Phew!

Okay, so I am not saying that you should never drink coffee again. I think that is a tall order for even the most disciplined of people. It’s not all bad: it is packed with antioxidants, for example. But what I am saying is that coffee is not a health elixir… And if you’re drinking multiple cups a day, you might want to try substituting it with something else.

If you’re not convinced — and are cursing me out for even suggesting you ease up on your beloved espresso — know that your brain’s automatic response (“I could never quit coffee!”) is because, well, you’re addicted. (People say the same kind of thing about giving up cigarettes and sugar; again, it’s because you’re addicted.) And all that stuff about how “I can’t function before a cup of coffee” is, quite frankly, ridiculous. The human body wasn’t created to require coffee for optimal performance.

I promise you that if you ease up on the black stuff, you will feel more refreshed when you wake up, you will have more energy and focus throughout the day, and you will be less stressed out. In short, you will still be you, just better.

So, how do I slow down on drinking coffee?

It all depends on what you want to do. I stopped drinking coffee entirely because it was upsetting my stomach too much. (It also makes my skin suck, which is a huge motivator for me.) But if you just want to reduce the number of cups you drink per day, it might be easiest to simply replace some of them with something else.

Here’s the good news: there are plenty of delicious hot beverages that can replace your precious coffee!

My favourite is Yerba Mate^[1]. I bought a bag last week, and I am into it like you wouldn’t believe. There are about a million reasons to switch to yerba mate from coffee, but here are a few: it’s rich in antioxidants; it increases physical endurance and causes you to burn carbohydrates more effectively; it aids in digestion; it reduces fat absorption, suppresses your appetite and makes you feel full for longer; it supports cardiovascular health; and it tastes great. (Really, really great! Obsessed!)

You can make a delicious — and healthy — hot chocolate using a few simple ingredients. Mix together a can of coconut milk, about 5 tablespoons of raw cacao, a drop of vanilla extract (the good stuff!) and a pinch of salt. (Don’t be tempted to try it. It will taste vile!) Store it in the fridge, and when you want a hot drink, pour a little in a cup, add some sweetener (I like stevia), some hot water and as much almond milk as you like!

Try Dandy Blend! (I love the name. If that doesn’t pique your interest, what will?!) It’s a great coffee substitute with plenty of health benefits.

Make your own chai! I love chai, but the concentrate they use in most places is absolutely chockablock with sugar. (There are 41 grams of sugar in a Tall Starbucks Chai Latte.) You can make your own easily, and store it in the fridge! You could also try making a chai hot chocolate. Yum.

Teeccino is a caffeine-free herbal coffee which comes in a trillion flavours (hazelnut, French vanilla, caramel nut, chocolate raspberry, etc.) and tastes fantastic.

...And of course, there’s good old tea. Green tea has more health benefits than you can shake a stick at, oolong tea helps to speed up the metabolism by about 4% (which results in around an 8lb loss per year), and perennial classic English Breakfast tea can’t be beaten.

So, what do you think? Are you inspired to give it a go? Or would you never, ever betray coffee beans?

With love from a yerba mate convert,

Extra For Experts:
Here’s how to make an energizing yerba mate iced tea... And 15 creative coffee alternatives!

Don’t worry, if you make the switch to tea, you’re not alone! Famous people drink tea, too. Also: lol.

Check out Stephen Cherniske’s book, Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug, for a whole lot more detailed information on the various ways in which caffeine is a major bummer. Dr Mark Hyman has written some really informative articles on the subject, too.

[1] In order to present a balanced view of things, there was a study released recently which said drinking yerba mate in massive quantities lead to an increase in cancer, but this seems to only apply to smoked yerba mate [and also, most tellingly, people who smoked cigarettes in addition to drinking yerba mate]. As with anything, do your research and make your own decisions!

Tea photo by Rodney Smith.

When I was in my early twenties, I felt like I was surrounded by chaos of my own creation. My life just kept spiralling, and happiness seemed a long way away; a distant hope at best.

I know that this feeling isn’t unique to me. I know that this is something we all battle with at times.

Can I speak to you for a minute? Because you found me — and I found you — for a reason. Because I know you. And I know where you’re at.

Deep down inside, you have a big dream… But you’ve pushed it aside because of what society tells you, and who you think you “should be”.

You’re scrambling to feel good about yourself, and sometimes it feels like the world is mirroring all your fears right back at you. You’re unsure of the source of your own happiness, and you don’t know how to tap into it at will.

You crave a deeper meaning and purpose to your life, but you know you’re definitely not going to find it doing what you’re doing right now.

You’re afraid of living a mediocre existence. Your worst nightmare is being “normal”. You’re terrified of being like everyone else: all those sad faces on the bus.

That’s not the real you. All of that stuff? It’s just a construct. It’s not your truth.

You crave the confidence to follow your heart. You want to live a life that’s expansive, full, exciting and challenging. You want to have the courage to travel alone, and the freedom to do it. You want to be happy… No matter whether you’re alone, or with a lover.

You want to live a life that lights you up.

What if I told you you can forget everything about who you think you are? What if I told you that you can be whoever you want to be? That’s why I created Radical Self Love Letters: a 30 day email program to lift you up and jumpstart your heart.

What are Radical Self Love Letters?

One of the most challenging things about learning to fall in love with yourself is the fact that it is a daily practice, and it requires daily work. But our lives are all so busy and densely-packed that making time to engage in a little self-care quickly slips to the bottom of the priority list.

With Radical Self Love Letters, you’ll be getting a personalised email love note every day for 30 days. A reminder to live more boldly, be more exceptional, take more risks, be more compassionate, and cherish yourself.

Each letter contains my personal reflections, concepts to think about, a prompt or action to explore, and some wise words to keep your heart light.

Maybe you’ll read your Radical Self Love Letter in the morning, while you drink a cup of tea or chew your toast. Perhaps you’ll let it soak in as you travel to work, on the bus or train or in the back of a taxi. And maybe you’ll read your letter just before you drift to sleep. Either way, it will become a part of your routine; a way of carving out some time to focus on taking care of yourself.

A lot can happen in a month. Allow me to show you it’s possible to believe what you want, and do what you please.

The whole experience is $20.

Are you in? If so, click YES. You’ll get your first Radical Self Love Letter tomorrow!

Got questions? Hit me up on Twitter!

Endless love,

Photo by Chellise Michael.

filed under: the playgirls guide to radical self love

Calling all Australasian geniuses! We’re bringing The Blogcademy to Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland at the end of the year, and we’re looking for fantastic things for our goodie bags. We want to spoil our students rotten!

Our attendees are a mix of well-informed, educated bloggers, entrepreneurs and small business owners with an eye for fashion and design. In other words, they’re exactly who you want to reach!

If you’re an independent designer or Etsy shop owner, we are always looking for fun, fabulous and sparkly things to put into our custom designed totes. Our blogcadettes love to Instagram and show off what they got!

If you have a catering company, you could sponsor our lunch break or post-event drinks, and put your product straight into the hands (and mouths!) of thirty social media-obsessed bloggers. Hint: cupcakes are always a huge hit!

And it goes without saying that bloggers love to party, so if you own a photobooth, you can bet your bottom dollar that our students will be click-click-flashing inside it all day long!

In addition to directly reaching a new audience and a thank you on our sponsor postcard, you’ll also be featured in 4 total blog posts on The Blogcademy, Gala Darling, Rock n Roll Bride and Nubby Twiglet. With a combined reach of well over a million pairs of eyeballs every month, you’re sure to get some major bang for your buck.

Are you keen, jellybean? Don’t delay: click here to find out more info and download our media kit. Then get in touch!

And on a hometown pride kinda note, the ingenuity and creativity of Kiwis and Aussies cannot be beaten. I can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on!

Smooch-o-rama,

When Patina first asked us to do a photoshoot, I think we all imagined that we’d be lounging on their gorgeous vintage furniture in their warehouse. We’d snap a few pictures, and maybe we’d be out of there in an hour.

So you can barely even wrap your brain around the excitement we felt when we were filled in on the scope of the day. Three fabulous vignettes set up around the streets; multiple outfit changes; hair and make-up and assistants and prop stylists… The whole nine yards.

After drinking champagne on a street corner and cavorting in a makeshift art gallery, we ran back upstairs to get changed. And when we came down, I was faced with my favourite vignette yet.

Rollerskates and discoballs, OH MY. Plus, this is literally the couch of my dreams. Have you ever seen something so beautiful?!

Of course, we quickly made ourselves at home.

...And then we noticed this trophy full of jumbo-sized confetti from Knot & Bow.

BAM!

It was messy… But pretty messy.

There were balloons too… Of course.

Kat is wearing the Celina dress by Kate Spade, and a Kate Spade In Full Bloom belt. Her boots are by All Saints.

I’m wearing pink Swarovski crystal-encrusted heart-shaped sunglasses with a Nanette Lepore dress and Alice + Olivia heels. (They don’t sell ‘em anymore, but these are kind of similar.)

Shauna is wearing a ribbed skater dress from ASOS, a oui/non belt and the same boots as Kat! (Twinsies! They bought ‘em at Selfridges when we were in London earlier this year.)

Too much fun.

Then we carried around a big metal arrow for a while…

...Played with pinwheels…

...And had some more confetti thrown at us. (We loved it.)

All in all, a good day’s work!

With love from your confetti addict,

This was a team effort and we couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out! Thank you so much to our photographer, Chellise Michael, our videographer Courtney Arcese, our flower and decor geniuses Erica and Adette at Tinsel & Twine, our makeup artist Regan Rabanal, our hairdresser Kristin Jackson, our assistants Jen and Kathryn, and of course, to Patina for making this all happen! MWAH!

filed under: daily outfit

Email used to be fun. That little ding used to be a celebrated event. These days, it feels like your inbox fills up with a bunch of garbage overnight. Well, it’s time to bring the thrill back. In addition to unsubscribing from all the junk you don’t read, why not sign on for some emails that bring you joy?

Today, I’m going to tell you about something that makes my mornings better: daily emails from Mystic Medusa, a truly transcendental babe from Australia.

Confession time: I’m not terribly captivated by most blogs. I get bored quickly. I browse a lot, and I’m always looking for something brilliant, but there are about five blogs that I check into regularly. Mystic Medusa is one of them.

Why? Her writing is hilarious and affable, she is immensely knowledgable, and best of all, the content she creates helps other people. It allows them to learn something more about themselves, and encourages them to examine their own patterns and behaviour.

And her advice is awesome, uplifting and practical. This is an excerpt from the email I got this morning…

Friday – no matter where you are in the world is a go-go-go efficiency vibing sexy strong Virgo Moon. Plus there is Venus & Mars in LOVE basically so raise your personal mojo via a little bit of power-flirting – even if it is only for ‘practice’ or to make the peeps around you feel fantastic/adore you…

I mean, who couldn’t use a little more power-flirting? She’s not a doom merchant, and that makes me love her even more.

So, most people think Mystic’s thing is her blog and her daily emails for subscribers. But that’s not the half of it.

Mystic does daily and weekly and monthly horoscopes for every sign. How does she find the time?! I don’t know. It is a mystical mystery! But one of my favourite features on her site is the Scheduler. (I use it constantly!)

As she says,

The idea is to quickly scan it and schedule your seductions, dating, biz negotiations and power-plays accordingly. If there is a truly crap day, you’ll be able to work around it. It’s the savvy way to plan the month ahead. The Monthly Horoscopes page is also where you will find the current Mercury Retrograde dates and some advice on how to kill it. Let other peeps be stuffed around by this infuriating transit – you will know how to work it for maximum moxy.

She also has an Oracle, which gets so much action she had to purchase extra server space! You get still, select a question, then click to spin. It whizzes around hypnotically, then presents you with an answer. As Mystic says, this is an easy and chic way of checking your fortune “without having to consult an expensive psychic with bad hair who patronises you”. I’m obsessed!

I’m (obviously!) such a huge fan of Mystic, so I am excited to tell you that galadarling.com readers can enter the code jupiter for $12 off the Bliss Mystic or Mega Mystic subscriptions!

Bliss Mystic gives you access to the monthly and weekly horoscopes on her site, plus the Daily Mystic email, and you get to use the Oracle whenever you like. Mega Mystic is the same but with daily horoscopes on the site, too. I’ve had my Mega Mystic subscription for YEARS now and never, ever plan on giving it up.

People ask me all the time where I learned about astrology, and the answer is — in its entirety — Mystic Medusa. She doesn’t just tell you what’s happening in the sky, she tells you what each piece of the puzzle means… And encourages you to do your own celestial detective work.

If you enjoy tripping out on an arcane astrological vibe, this is, without question, where you need to be.

I love her… And I know you will too.

Kisses from this Virgo,

filed under: astrology