All Things Fashionating by tracy mausser

"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs  - an american business magnate and inventor.

I am a coffee drinker.  I will climb to the highest peak of a free-trade coffee producing country to proclaim this truth.  In fact, I am a coffee addict.  It is a legal beverage that I have to drink every day or suffer through an insane headache; Surprisingly, I had one brief period of drying out – of less than a year – in which I lost my taste for coffee.  It was right after my son was born. I could only drink it if it was a latte with a ton of honey in it or laden down with a flavored synthetic creamer. YUK! It was during this time that I turned to tea and, despite my dependence on coffee, I have had a cup of green tea almost every weekday morning for the past seven years. I don’t mind my green tea as long as I know that cup of Java will be following soon.  In the beginning, I would drink Trader Joe’s regular green tea and Jasmine green tea for its mild flavoring, but I soon found a certain brand of tea that offered much more than just good taste and heal...

As I have posted in previous blogs, I have a bit of an obsession with shoes.  Basically, my philosophy is that I will – for the most part – invest in purchasing high-end shoes and purses.  The exception to the rule belies anything too trendy; in that case, I will not be too picky as to where I shop. My closet is full of luxury designs but, with the economy making its slow recovery, I have been trying to be conscientious of my spending habits yet still trying to be on trend with this spring/summer’s hottest fashions. But one of my sweetest discoveries this season is Dolce Vita.  Dolce Vita –a footwear and clothing line -- which according to its website, brings a nonchalant attitude towards fashion that is effortlessly stylish yet delightfully flirty. By showcasing chic styles, this brand stands out among its competition. Dolce Vita is the brand’s luxury line, with DV by Dolce Vita its mid-priced line.  They also have a DV Kids line but, the jury is still out on t...

As most of you know, I love shoes.  Even my six-year-old son asks if I love him more than there are stars in the sky and shoes in my closet, but nothing can surpass my love for Shane -- not even my C’est Moi Louboutins.  Although, this weekend I stumbled upon a pair of pink heals that give all the shoes in my closet a run for their money.   On Saturday , I dropped Jason and Shane off at the baseball field and was driving around downtown Hermosa Beach looking for a place to park.  I drove by the Hermosa Fire House and saw three huge pink fire trucks and one that was towing a gigantic steel ribbon.  As I drove by, I noticed -- what seemed to be firemen -- dressed in pink fire gear waving at me; so I waived back.   The next day, we were walking down Pier Avenue on our way to my Mother’s Day breakfast and we actually stopped to check out these dazzling pink fire trucks.    As we approached, Shane asked what was on the trucks.  On clo...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."                                             ...

Lillian Williams Today is Mother’s Day .  Personally, I view it mostly as a Hallmark holiday but now that I am a mom, I absolutely 100% take advantage and let my boys pamper me all day. Unfortunately, my own Mother will be in New Mexico so we won’t be able to toast the day together, but thank goodness for Skype.  At least it will allow us to share our sentiments face-to-face. If any of you have been following my blog, you know that my Nana passed away in March so this will be my family's first Mother’s Day without her.  But she is not the only mother in my life that I will be missing.  I know that I have spent a lot of time writing about my Nana, but I also had another wonderful grandmother who sadly passed always almost 7 years ago. In her memory, I would like to reprint a commentary that was published in the PV News back in 1998. A Post Mother's Day 'Thank You' to Grandmom Last Sunday was Mother’s Day.  Most folks spent their special time having brunch...

In less than three months, I am going to turn 42.  It seems like just yesterday that I was all hyped up with excitement and dread for my big 4-0!  Today, I am stunned at how quickly those two years – not to mention the 40 before that – have flown by.  The funny thing is that, in my head, I still feel super young.  However, recently, I have started to really notice the first signs that I am starting to age.  But I am working to counter-act those indicators by trying as best as I can to do the following: get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night; exercise regularly; drink a lot of water; eat healthy; and cut back on my number one vice – that does have some health benefits – drinking vino.  Also, I am religious about seeing my dermatologist for various remedies – which yes, sometimes include cosmetic treatments. But I also realize that staying young is not just about your health and appearance; it has a lot to do about a person’s state of mind. I am not immune to ...