Le Diner En Blanc

Yesterday the much anticipated Diner En Blanc had its inaugural event in the city of Houston.

The event was originally scheduled to be held on May 30th, but due to the storms and floods in our city it was moved to June 14th. A lot of people were upset by the scheduling change, but in all honesty it worked out well for both my guest and I. Many had never heard of the event, and it wasn't really well publicized here. I only knew about it via social media, and was fortunate enough to get on board.

Diner En Blanc is a concept that started in Paris, France over 20 years ago, where a group of friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time decided to meet up at a random place for a picnic. They decided to all wear white so they would be able to recognize each other. That event then continued to grow, and now thousands gather in Paris and other cities around the world for the event.

A lot of preparation and planning went into the event....

Almost too much planning..... From the outfits, to the food, finding the right place settings, the right table and white chairs, to deciding the menu... it was a lot.

A lot of time... A lot of thought. Just a lot...

But once we made it to our meet-up point & to the secret location that the event was being held at, things began to fall into place.....

I was in charge of aesthetics and my date was in charge of getting our food prepared and organized to bring to the location. The inaugural event was held at Discovery Green, which is a popular outdoors destination in our city.

Of course the attire required for the event is all white, and it was truly magical to see the 800 plus guests all decked out in their white attire for a elegant and peaceful evening outside. Aside from a few raindrops, the weather cooperated with us.

I was a little disappointed to see so many people in off-white, ivory and khaki seeing as the rules stated any colors other than white would not be allowed. I sent the dress I originally wanted to wear back to LuLu's because it was Ivory... I found the outfit I actually ended up wearing the week of the event. I wanted to wear suede camel colored heels with my dress, but it had rained so much that I didn't want to risk ruining my shoes so I wore flats the whole night.

The humidity and heat somewhat died down once the sun went down.. We enjoyed getting to know the two couples sitting on either side of us and enjoyed our dinner of penne arrabiata and strawberry spinach salad. For dessert we had strawberry-banana gummy bears, coconut covered apricots and gourmet white chocolates from World Market.

There was a DJ providing the soundtrack for the evening, and a lot of patrons were dancing the night away. We were too hot for that much movement... Despite it being almost 9pm it was still hot, but I digress....

It was so much going on it was hard to capture every moment. I wish I could've taken pictures of some of the elaborate table decorations & crazy white outfits some participants came up with. Aside from a few organizational issues, date drama & humidity/scattered showers, the night turned out being better than I could have anticipated. My only regret is that more of my friends had of known about it and could've been able to attend & that I had of been able to share the memories with a significant other that would have been able to cherish the memory as much as I would have liked to.

Of course there is a major back story regarding the date drama & whom I was accompanied by, but that's neither here nor there. Yet another memory to add to the memory banks.... and a digress seems about right here.

I'm not sure if I will attend Le Diner En Blanc if it returns to Houston, but if I do I am happy I got the chance to see how it is done so I can be better prepared for next year.

Regardless, I am truly happy to have been a part of this event!

If only I could attend the Parisian version!! Definitely a bucket list aspiration!

And Then Nothing was the Same....

This past weekend was bittersweet. 

I said my final farewells to my grandmother at a lively celebration of her life in Louisiana. Although I had written her obituary, (and helped my sister, mom & aunt create the program) I wasn't able to reread it until the actual service. Seeing the words printed out made things too official for me. 

Sunrise. 

Sunset. 

I kept wanting to pretend like the weekend before was merely a dream, but Saturday in all its finality made things very real. Everything that happened was real, and she was gone. 

Surprisingly I didn't cry during the service. I was genuinely happy for her to be at rest. She was 84. Literally one day shy of making 85. She lived a long life and made an exit in grand fashion. Peacefully, and beautifully. Almost poetic in a sense. She was a woman loved by many, cared for by many and looked up to by many. It hurts to no longer have her here with us, but one thing she did leave behind was her legacy. 

Before we left Louisiana to head back to Texas, I took some pictures of her home for the last time. It's not that I feel as if I will never see it again, I just felt the overwhelming feeling of a shift in time. Things would no longer be the same. It brought me peace to capture that moment in time, with things just as she had left them. Her rabbits playing leisurely outside, her flowers in full bloom and the peaceful serenity surrounding me. 

She loved beautiful things, making things grow & flourish and nature. There were so many things that made her and being in her presence special. So many things about her that are me. 

I'm privileged to have known and loved her. I just hate the fact that things will never be the same....

Her Last Day.....

If someone told you that today would be your last day on this Earth, what would you do? Would you shrink down in fear or would you make an effort to see all the people you loved most, eat your favorite foods, travel to a foreign land, sleep in?

The possibilities are endless of things I would want to do, but unfortunately we never know when that day will come....

This past Saturday, my aunt and grandmother travelled down to Houston for the weekend. My grandmother wanted to stay in the city for the week and celebrate her birthday with us on June 1st before going back home to Louisiana. 

Saturday was just like any typical day....

We all gathered at my moms house per usual, and laughed & talked like we always do when we have family in town. My grandmother asked me if she looked ok, and I told her of course, and said she looked pretty. She asked, "Do I girl?" and I said "Yes girl!" She showed me her nails, which she had just got done, and said that she was hungry. My mother fixed her a plate, and when she finished she said that she was tired and wanted to lay down in the bed next to me. She soon fell asleep, and I left her so that she could rest quietly. 

As the evening progressed, another storm blew through Houston. Thunder boomed loudly outside, and eventually all the lights in the neighborhood went out. 

The sound of the thunder (and us laughing) was so loud that it woke my grandmother up from her nap and she walked to the front of the house to join us.

The storm raged on, and the darkness lingered. I went to lay down until the lights came back, and fell asleep to the sound of my family laughing, putting together puzzles & reminscing on the past. I didn't get up to join in, but found comfort in the sounds. 

By the time the lights came back on, it was late in the afternoon. My grandmother had brought gifts for my sister and I as she had started doing on all of her visits. She whispered in my ear not to argue over the items with my sister & I told her that I wouldn't because that's not how I roll. She laughed and went on about getting her things together to go over to my aunts for bed. I can't remember if I hugged her one last time before she left, but I do remember her making sure that we got everything she had brought for us out of the car before she left. 

Sunday, May 31, 2015, on the eve of her 85th birthday, my grandmother left this Earth and went home to be with the Lord. She had passed away peacefully in her sleep, and did not make it to see her birthday the next day. 

We were shocked, filled with grief, confusion and misunderstanding but it was nothing we could do because she was already gone. 

We all have been taking it hard, but in a sense I feel as if I would be taking it even harder if I was not fortunate enough to have spent her last day on this Earth with her. She was determined to get to Houston, to rest and enjoy her time with us before she had to go home....and she did. 

Had I known it would have been the last day I would see her alive, I would not have let her go. But that's not the way life is set up. I've tried not to think of too many what-ifs or what could've been done to prevent this from happening but I have given up. I know everything happened just like it was supposed to, where it was supposed to and when it was supposed to. I'm happy I was apart of the final pages of her story. I'm grateful for that last conversation, those last interactions and the final goodbye. 

It hurts, but I know we will heal. Her legacy will continue and I will always love her.

I just wish I had of known it was going to be her last day. 

Houston.

I went to bed last night with thunder, torrential rains & hail providing the soundtrack for my slumber. I didn't think much of it, as it has pretty much been raining everyday lately...hence my lack of activity & pep. 

But the stormed raged on well into the night..... And when I woke up this morning, I quickly learned that the majority of our city was either slightly flooded or underwater. My morning ritual consists of scrolling through my Facebook timeline, where I read horror stories of friends who were stranded overnight on the roadways, cars flooded out and freeways & neighborhood streets looking more like lakes than roadways. 

Fortunately my side of town was spared for once, but other places in the city not so lucky. The flooding in Houston & other parts of Texas has been really bad. Worse than I would've imagined after a action packed Memorial Day weekend. 

Needless to say, I didn't have court this morning & my route to work was among those experiencing flooding so my three day weekend became a four day... I just hate it was at the expense of our city. 

The road ways have been cleared and the water is receding, but the damage is done. 

Surprisingly after all the rain last night, the weather today was perfection. Sunlight beaming down, the quiet after the storm. 

Funny how storms can seem to rage on forever, only for the sun to shine once again. A cleansing, renewal and a new day. Light beaming, illuminating the way as we pick up the pieces and attempt to rebuild. 

More rain is in our forecast, but I am hoping it is nothing like yesterday. The Bayou City has seen many a flood, but this one definitely was one for the history books. 

I'm praying for a dry and prosperous week and upcoming weekend & sending positive thoughts and affirmations to those left recovering all that was lost. 

And I am definitely praying for Houston. 

The Beauty of It All.....

It's not often I allow myself to surrender control...
I live by the rules, sometimes painstakingly so.
I'm easily irritated by change, by lateness, minor deviations from the norm, haphazard spontaneity....
Lack of a concrete plan has been known to send me over the edge.
I crave control, I yearn for it.. It has been my ultimate desire.
My kryptonite.
My weakness.

But, oh. When I let go.

When I release the reins, transfer the power.
I shut down, I feel lost.
My heart races.
I need to know what time to be ready.
No, the precise time. An estimate isn't good enough.
The who, the what, the when, the why...

But when I let go.

This weekend I agreed to spend time with someone. As the day grew nearer, I requested details but was met with nonchalant responses & half-assed details. I was forced to deal with the numerous scenarios in my mind. As I ran through the possibilities of what could go wrong, I missed out on the opportunities to enjoy the excitement of what could go right. I was too busy worried about what the day would entail instead of finding amusement in allowing someone else to execute the perfect plan to make my Saturday enjoyable.

Oh, but when I let go.

When I finally stopped worrying, and wanting to be in complete control of the day, I was surprised to see that every detail had been thought out perfectly. A picnic in the park on Lake Houston, a menu, blankets (on top of tarp in case the ground was damp) and a backdrop accompanied by the perfect soundtrack to make my day memorable.

When I let go.

I allow myself the chance to bask in the moment.
To feel the wind blow through my hair.

The warmth of the sun, I feel every ray on my skin.
I taste the air, the sweetness of a flower blooming in the distance.
Honey suckle.
A bloom.

When I let go, I allow myself to be free & freeness isn't bogged down by stress.
It's light-hearted, it's carefree.
Time stops and you are in the moment.

You are still. You can truly enjoy.
The presence. The conversation. The togetherness.
The moment.

And when I let go, I am able to fully appreciate the beauty of it all......

My Sunday has been filled with laziness & love.

And of course, flowers.

It has been a very chill day that included a trip to the nursery.

It's been ages since I've actually been to a nursery to look at flowers.

I envision that when I finally purchase a home it being covered with all sorts of annuals & perennials.

My grandmother has a green thumb & the love of gardening was passed down.

Very fitting that a family outing to the nursery ensued on Mother's Day.

As my mother, sister and aunt perused the aisles, I allowed myself to get lost.

So much beauty...

The vibrancy of the petals, the fragility of the leaves, all deeply rooted in the enriching soil. The flowers don't force themselves to bloom, they have no control over which bee will cause cross-pollination, their color...the petals that will get blown away in the wind.

They just exist beautifully. The rain falls when it must, and when the clouds aren't too overbearing the sun is allowed to shine light strengthening all that's down below. But they have no control.

They take root where they are planted. They grow, and sometimes if they are lucky enough, they grow back the next season...but when they don't, they have at least left the memory of the beautiful flower they produced before they met their demise.

When I let go, the beauty of it all is evident.

I exist in the moment, I am the moment.

It's okay to let go. It's okay to live solely for the days that are not dictated by plans, the days where your schedule has gone to shit, but the memories last a life time. I can say that the times I've let go I have enjoyed myself.

When I give up the need to be in control, when I let go...

It has been beautiful.

Flowers.

A sea of photos detail the beginnings of my May.

This past Friday, my friend and I ventured to Chicago for the weekend. We didn't have any rhyme or reason for our trip, and literally on a whim saw flight deals from Houston to Chicago and decided to randomly go. In the midst of looking for hotel rooms, we discovered that the NFL draft was being held the same weekend we were scheduled to be in town as well as a host of other events. We set off with no agenda or itinerary, just the desire to enjoy ourselves and have a good time.

It was close to midnight by the time we made it to our hotel. Danielle, who checked us in at the front desk, armed us with a ton of suggestions on places we should visit while we were in town. After debating over whether we wanted to be old ladies or venture out, we decided to get our lives together and head out towards Hubbard Street.

First off, our hotel was perfectly situated by the river and walking distance from a large majority of the sights we wanted to see. As we walked towards Hubbard, we stumbled upon a display of all the NFL teams in the courtyard directly across from the Chicago Tribune.

And of course we had to represent for the home team, and take some obligatory photos by the Texans helmet... I'm not a big NFL person surprisingly, but I do love my JJ Watt team.

I'm easily distracted, so of course I was mesmerized by the architecture, the sculptures and just the overall essence of the city at nighttime.

I snapped some pictures of the columns, and then turned my attention back to the NFL display....

I love New Orleans, so I snapped a quick shot of the Saints helmet for good measure & we continued our journey in search of Hubbard.

Let me first start off by saying that Hubbard Street was a lot. It's very reminiscent of 6th Street in Austin... a lot of drunk co-eds, a lot of too short dresses and too high heels and lest I not forget... drunk co-eds. Maybe ten years ago this type of scene would have excited me, but now it just makes me hold on to my purse tight and frown judgingly. I'm all about a good drunk fun time circa Bourbon Street (in New Orleans) but people under the age of 25 haven't really mastered the art of knowing their limits... There were plenty of people stumbling to the ground, police/ambulance, and a whole lot of vomit.

Not cute at all....

We both agreed that we were too old for this scene and decided to go out in search of food... but unfortunately we did not leave fast enough, because by the time we had made it halfway out of hell the crowds, an unidentified gentleman grabbed at my friends parts. Fortunately she was able to swat his hand away before he was able to get a handful of the merchandise, but it stood as yet another reminder that we did not need to be on Hubbard. We were also accosted by a pimp and a ton of people selling CD's.

Welcome to Chicago, I guess.

Needless to say, we spent the rest of the night devouring our food, and laughing hysterically at the events of our short time on Hubbard.

Although it was well after three am when we went to sleep, we still woke up bright, early & anxious to see the city.

It,
Was,
Absolutely,
Amazing,
Outside.

Literally breathtakingly amazing weather....

I said I wanted blooms for May, and boy did I receive them. Tulips everywhere. Beautiful flowers lined the streets as we made our way down Michigan Avenue & the Magnificent Mile. I waved at Nordstrom's as well continued our trek to the Navy Pier. Let's just say we did a LOT of walking....

So much so that we devoured lunch, and then splurged on churros & vodka flavored snowcones. While we enjoyed our treats, we were overcome with the beauty of it all. Sometimes a beautiful day, can remind you of just how beautiful your life really is. We had to take a praise break and just absorb our surroundings..... It's truly a blessing to be able to experience so many things. We had to take a moment to acknowledge just how far we had come & and just how much more we had to go.

I'm glad I was able to share that moment with my friend, in light of that weekend being the anniversary of us passing the bar and overcoming so much to make it in our profession.

Good stuff.

From the Navy Pier, we walked to Millennium Park, through the Art Institute and over to NFL Draft town.

Again I'm not the biggest NFL fan, but we still had to represent for the home team.... Go Texans!

After all of those miles walked, we crashed for a few hours then woke up ravenous. We decided to try Lou Malnati's for dinner & were treated to a pure orgasmic experience with our deep dish Italian sausage classic Chicago pizza.

Devoured.

Through instagram hashtags, I found an event for us to attend that night at NYCH gallery. We didn't know what to expect, but surprisingly ended up having a great time and meeting some really nice people. We watched the fight, admired the art, laughed at the locals then ubered to Greektown where we sat another hour talking to our new friends....

It was after 3 when we made it back to our room. After sharing a few more laughs, I fell asleep. I think the laughs are the best part of all our trips. The memories last, but the jokes and laughter last even longer in my opinion. I can't always remember where I went, or who I met but I can always remember the moments that made me laugh until tears stream down my eyes.

We were up early again to check out of our hotel & meet up with our friends who live in Chicago for brunch. It was great to catch up and pick up right where we left off with friends neither of us had seen in over 3 years. The food at Wildberry's Pancakes was also amazing. (The bacon omelet, hashbrowns & apple pecan cinnamon pancakes tasted way better than they photographed...)

After brunch we headed back down the Magnificent Mile so I can could get some shopping done. I didn't buy much, but I did buy a lovely pair of sunglasses that I will be wearing the heck out of this summer. After that, we were ready to go retrieve our luggage and make our way back to the airport so we could catch our flight.

What started off as a spontaneous trip to Chicago, literally ended up being full of beautiful moments & scenes that I will cherish for years to come. Life can be absolutely beautiful, and sometimes it takes letting go and just taking that leap without truly having a plan to experience the greatest moments of all. I feel as if we had over thought this trip it would not have been as fun. It was fun exploring the city, taking in the sights and being forced to acknowledge just how blessed I am. Around every corner was a bright speckle of color turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

May will definitely be full of flowers.