The Fresh Air Fund is in need of loving host families for the summer of 2011

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of loving host families for the summer of 2011

The Summer of 2011 is approaching fast!

The Fresh Air Fund is in need of loving host families.
We are looking for families in the following areas to host THIS summer:

• If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign up now. In 2010, The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.
  
  Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air experiences.
  
  More than 65% of all children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.
  
  Fresh Air Fund Host Families:
  
  "It is rewarding to see the smile on our Fresh Air child's face as she enjoys the simple things we take for granted..."
  
  Friendly Town host families are volunteers who live in the suburbs or small town communities. Host families range in size, ethnicity and background, but share the desire to open their hearts and homes to give city children an experience they will never forget. Hosts say the Fresh Air experience is as enriching for their own families, as it is for the inner-city children. There are no financial requirements for hosting a child. Volunteers may request the age-group and gender of the Fresh Air youngster they would like to host. Stories about real Fresh Air host families and their New York City visitors are just a click away!
  
  Click here to learn more about becoming a host or call (800) 367-0003!
  Fresh Air Children
  
  "We made s'mores and hot dogs over the fire. I've never cooked outside before!"
  
  Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 18 years old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12 years old and stay for either one or two weeks. Youngsters who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.
  
  The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.
  
  Fresh Air children are registered by more than 90 participating social service and community organizations located in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the five boroughs of New York City. These community-based agencies are in close contact with children in need of summer experiences in rural and suburban areas. Each agency is responsible for registering children for the program.
  
  What do Fresh Air children enjoy?
  

Playing in the backyard
Laughing in the sunshine
Catching fireflies
Riding bicycles
Learning to swim
Running barefoot through the grass
Gazing at the stars on moonlit nights
Building sandcastles
Making new friends
Simple pleasures of life away from the inner-city

The Fresh Air Fund at the Five Boro Bike Tour:

Join The Fresh Air Fund at the Five Boro Bike Tour on May 1st! The largest recreational cycling event in America, the TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour, leads bikers on a 42-mile fun course through the city and you can be a part of it! The Fund provides guaranteed entry into the event in exchange for a fundraising minimum. What better way to bike through an amazing route while knowing that the money you raise will help children from low-income communities who live throughout the city. Along the way, bikers will enjoy entertainment, rider photos, bike repair, medical support and the company of thousands of well-wishers! Click here for more information about the race! If you have questions or are interested in participating, please call Kate Brinkerhoff at (212) 897-8890 or email kbrinkerhoff@freshair.org.

Learn how two weeks can transform a child's life forever and you can make a huge difference in a child's life. What on earth could be better than that?

xo,

Christina

The Secret

As reading the book "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne a few paragraphs seem to jump off the page at me. So, I thought you may find it meaningful.

~~

"Everything we want, whatever it may be, is motivated by love. It is to experience the feelings of love in having those things-youth, money, the perfect person, job, body, or health. To attract the things we love we must transmit love, and those things will appear immediately.

The Catch is, to transmit the highest frequency of love, you must love yourself, and that can be difficult for many. If you focus on the outside and what you see now, you may trip yourself up, because what you see and feel about you now is the result of what you used to think. If you don't love you, the person you see now is likely to be full of faults that you have found in yourself.

To love yourself fully, you must focus on the presence inside of You. Take a moment and sit still. Focus on feeling the life presence inside you. As you focus on the presence within, it will begin to reveal itself to You. That presence is the perfection of You. That presence is the real You. As you focus on that presence, as you feel, love and praise that presence, you will love yourself fully, quite possibly for the first time in your life.

Any time you look at yourself with critical eyes, switch your focus immediately to the presence within, and its perfection will reveal itself to You. As you do this, all imperfections cannot exist in the light of this presence. Whether you want to regain perfect eyesight, dissolve disease and restore well-being, turn poverty into abundance, reverse aging and degeneration, or eradicate any negativity, focus on and love the presence within you and perfection will manifest."

~~

I truly hope you find some value here.

Do you have any other books

you would recommend?

xo,

Christina

Graphic from Wilson Graphic Designs

Antiques and Uniques has something for everyone in San Clemente, California

I am exicted to share a new Antique store that opened up this week in downtown San Clemente, California. It is right on the main street Avenida Del Mar that leads to the peir. The store is right across the street from the exquisite Stanford Court Antiques store. It is minutes off the 5 freeway off the Presidio or Palizada exits, off of El Camino Real and onto Del Mar. Donna and Steve are the owners and creaters of this fabulous store. They are excited some of our dealers have had some awesome sales in the first few days of business. They have such a great variety of items & dealers. From fine porcelains, to vintage clothing, purses, shoes & jewelry...not to mention the mid century and vintage vinyls. Great selection of collectibles, pottery, toys and more!

Glitz and Glam

Vintage, retro and newer clothing, accessories and such

from my booth called Christina's Closet.

It's been a great and busy week creating this closet

and putting my touches to the space.

The upbeat and fun owners and dealers make being in this store a delight.

FABULOUS FURS

EQUISITE JEWELRY

SHABBY CHIC

MID CENTURY
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT!


Come visit us today!!
103 Avenida Del Mar
San Clemente, CA 92672

949-429-6777

If you can't make it to San Clemente,

check out their blog!

xo,

Christina

Peace

Thanks to FrenchBlue for sharing

this over at her fabulous place.

Happy Friday, dear friends!

I'm off to get paid to decorate.

Is this a joke? Doing what I truly love

and getting paid for it.

Awe... life is good.

May you find peace today

and get to use your creativity in

whatever brings you bliss!

xo,

Christina

"Be Mine" Belle Inspiration Magazine January 2011

The "Be Mine" Belle Inspiration Sneak Preview Video

Is Full Of Romantic Eye Candy. The E-Magazine Arrives January 15th.

My Article "Age Is Just A Number" Covers Current Fashion Trends

And Dressing Age Appropriately. Subscribe Here.

xo,

Christina

Let's Ring In 2011

Let's Ring in 2011 in style.

It's been a tough year for most,

but surprisingly still full of many things to be thankful for.

It's clearly not all about the balance in our checkbooks.

What is important is we dance anyway.

No matter our circumstances and where we find ourselves.

That's my new years resolution for all of us.

Let's just dance...

xo,

Christina

Winter Inspiration From Anthropologie

Anthropologie is a must see store for me each holiday season.

I can't wait to see their creative and extravagant holiday decor that brings the holiday season alive.

Last Christmas all I wanted from Santa was a

sweater for this great store.

Thank you Santa for listening.

I still love that cozy sweater.

Whenever in doubt of what to buy a special gal

for Christmas,

this is the place to find it.

They have the most amazing hand knit scarves, sweaters, hats and gloves that have been my cherished favorites.

And, their home goods are so funky , fresh and rustic.

Oh, did I mention the killer boots they have?

Visiting this store is like going on an adventure.

Oh, I need some inspiration. I will be there very, very soon... I am taking photos today for my next fashion feature in Belle Inspiration magazine. And, Belle Inspiration is having a holiday giveaway you won't want to miss and their holiday edition is out! Good luck to us today.

Do you have a favorite store or place you love to visit during the holidays for inspiration or gifts? Please share.

Happy Holidays,

Christina

All photos found on Anthropologie's Facebook page.

It Gets Better~Links A' La Mode Top Fashion Posts Of The Week

It Gets Better

Edited by: The Sunday Best

As we head full on into the "holiday" season, with its unbridled consumerism, endless head-whacking charity pleas, and weird tie-ins, I expected the links list to be inundated with shopping guides. Instead, many dealt with what can only be considered harassment or, terribly, abuse; several looked at blogging as a cathartic experience, others as a rallying cry. I was lucky enough to be raised in an openly affectionate household with two strong female presences in my mother and sister, and this has undoubtedly affected my manner and attitudes as a married man. Since I can't go around changing men and society, no matter how cool that superpower would be, I offer this reminder, in what I believe is the spirit of the season (when that spirit is allowed to express itself unfettered): respect is the bare minimum we owe each other, and the bare minimum we should expect from others. Respect is not necessarily agreement, but it is always acknowledgment. For those who are struggling this season--financially, emotionally, physically--I can only echo the words of Tim Gunn, George Takei, and others when I say, "It gets better." Happy Holidays.

Links à la Mode: December 2

• Analogue Chic 1 step forward, ten steps back: Skinnygirl by Bethenny Frankel


• Be Fabulous Daily Women at work: An immodest proposal


• Crimson Rosella My safe haven


• Finding Tokyo Why Paris is no longer the fashion capital of the world


• Independent Fashion Bloggers: The Comment Challenge


• Melina Bee How to host your own clothing swap in five easy steps


• Mrs Bossa Friend Friday Guest Post: Size Matters


• My Heart Blogged Losing 40 lbs., and what I've learned


• Oranges and Apples An ethics code for bloggers


• Piewacket Hot off the press


• Statements in Fashion My Alex, My Dragonfly


• Style Eyes A fashion bloggers mini guide to psychology


• The Button Owl Control freak


• The Chic Curve From the author: "Fat Bitch"


• The Coveted Nicole de Carle: Subversive Architectural Lingerie


• The Demoiselles Can't stand the hate: Cutting Bridalplasty down to size


• The Elegant Bohemian The sisterhood


• The Laugh Slut Giving thanks


• The Sunday Best Give him scotch


• Vogue Vintage The future of fashion blogging


• Wearabout Streets on the runway

The New Patchwork Chanel Bag.

Here it is, the new Chanel bag

for Spring/Summer.

Just in time for your Christmas list.

Like or not so much?

I likie.

Happy Holidays,

Christina

The Captains Helm Creates A Unique Shopping Experience While Mixing Vintage Finds And Skate/Surf/Motor

The Captains Helm in Oceanside and Costa Mesa are one of the best stores for creative inspiration, gifts and unique finds. The Captains Helm carries the best new and vintage finds around Orange and San Diego county. Our visit starts off with your favorite coffee drink in hand from a friendly local and talk of the waves of the day.


As you enter, if feels like you are in a lounge that is like no other. One side of the store caters to men
and the other equally as important, women.
If you need a cool t-shirt for any man in your life,
this is definitely the place to go.



They are a buy, sell and trade type of place.
So, it is always fresh each time you visit.
The perfect place for a fab find.

They also carry surf, motorcycle and

skate favorites for all.

Up-to-date jewelry to complete your look and surf mags to keep you in the know.

Their love for vintage is obvious.

A store decorated like no other.

Classic biker leather jackets, denim and

flannels are in abundance.

Classic denim and flannel for the gals as well.

All are hand picked by their talented buyers

to only carry the best pieces available.

One of a kind boots for men and women.




Surf's up. Grab a board.



A true collector's delight of classic rock albums.
It's hard to leave this store empty handed.

Every square inch is designed to perfection.

Even the changing rooms are a work of art.

It's a feast for the eyes.

And, they even have a few chairs

to sit back, grab a mag and take a load off.

Not in just any chair. I love this baby!

If you are ever in Oceanside or Costa Mesa

be sure to visit the Captains Helm. Check out their inspirational and hip blog called 3rd Floor Musings. Or, you can pick up the hottest items featured in their online store.

Do you frequent any local shops like this

where you live? If so, please share!

Happy Holidays,

Christina

All photos taken by Christina Gough in the Oceanside Captain's Helm store.