Charlotte Tag

July 17, 2017 In North Carolina, Photos

because you never know who’s watching

I just went for an early morning run through the blue-skied city:

Charlotte City Skyline

About halfway through beating feet, a guy walking toward me pulled a cigarette out to light up. When our eyes met, he looked at the cigarette and back at me a couple times. Right as I passed him, he put it back in the box.

Yahoo!

Maybe it was a coincidence, and maybe he lit that stick up two seconds later. Either way, I’m hoping our unexpected quick interaction made him stop and think for a minute about smoking.

Happy Monday!

Want to make a positive impact? Keep going out into the world and doing what you love.

#LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #HopToIt #TodayIsTheDay

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June 4, 2017 In Articles, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Photos, Recommended reading, Today Is The Day, TTAA

attached to people, not things

I might have to start crediting my friend Michele for my whole life. (Kidding Mom and all my other amazing peeps, just trying to be funny here!) Michele is constantly sending news clips, tips, articles, blog posts, links- you name it, attached with “worth the read” or “read this!” notes. They are always on point with where my head is and what I’m interested in. Did I mention she introduces me to fabulous people too, and throws a damn good party? This woman is giving me a run for my money.

(I have to side note here that I’m just pinching myself at this point in life. I’m 38 and I’m surrounded by SO MANY incredible gal pals, near and far, who are just ridiculously badass and so good to me I can’t even believe it. I never thought girls could be this easy, fun, and no bs. My tribe rules! I LOVE YOU, LADIES!)

Anyway, this just popped in from Michele. She knows me well. A couple of my favorite lines:

~ “The best way to remember is to “DO.”

~ “Figure out the 10-15 things you want in your bag before you die tomorrow.”

~ “This is the problem with self-help books. They seem to be written by someone on a pedestal giving advice without having any blemishes.”

…but the best in this above article is his last question and answer.

Thanks for the read Michele! And all of them, always. And! To all I’m so lucky enough to have in my ultimate girl tribe, like 80 year-old Grazia:

Grazia Walker & Diane Peacock

…yes EIGHTY with that hot pink hair and fashion sense! – thank you for continuing to help me feel young and energized, so I can keep kicking all those doors to laughter and joy wiiiiiiiiiide open.

#NeverWaitForPermission #Freedom #FindYourTribe

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May 31, 2017 In Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, North Carolina, Photos

the next big thing

It’s happening.

The next big thing

There’s more than coffee brewing over here on this Blue Lollipop Road! The doors blew off my life last week. Big time. I AM SO EXCITED. I am also determined to help you blow up the things in your life that aren’t working by constantly blowing up things in mine that aren’t, and sharing them here with you.

After boogying for about 10 hours over the holiday weekend in the mountains at a big ol’ blast of a life celebration, this summer’s ride is soon on it’s way to catch some waves, a lot of fresh perspective, and a new passport stamp, far south. After that, road tripping north will be the game, to where this all began. We can never forget where we came from.

There’s no time for anything but living my friends! Get clear on what matters to you, take all your filters off, and respect the clock.

#BlowUpYourLife #TodayIsTheDay #HopToIt

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May 8, 2017 In Food, Food Porn, Links, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Photos

kicking off the week

Good food and time with good people are my key to a good life! (Those, and not having a bunch of crap in my space I don’t need or use:)

Here’s what we business brainstorm Monday noshed on today, lunching in the sunshine:

 Zio Charlotte

Zio Charlotte

If you haven’t been to Zio yet, I highly suggest you make your way there to dine in deliciousness sometime soon.

What do you eat?

#Feast #Collaboration #Community

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March 3, 2017 In Links, Videos

let’s talk about sex, bay-bee

(Did anyone get that Salt-N-Pepa reference? I love the 90’s!)

This Blue Lollipop Road has and always will fully support Planned Parenthood, so you bet your sweet bippy we bought tickets to Condom Couture tomorrow night! Won’t you join us?

$1,000 says you couldn’t reach out and touch more than one person who has NOT used the services/support/resources of this fantastic organization at some point in their lives. I have! I am so thankful places like Planned Parenthood exist, to give care no matter what.

Condom Couture is a blast and does good. I hope to see you all there!

#CLT #DoGood #GetYourFashionOn

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February 23, 2017 In Live the life you want to live, Operation Charlotte, Photos

at the end of the day

Balcony sunset time could never get old:

Sunset

…especially when it’s 80 degrees in February.

Interesting that we all too often make life complicated and spin fast when what we could really use is just a few simple quiet moments in the fresh air to stare up at the sky.

It’s fun to stop and think about what really matters and what we’re running around for, eh?

#AlwaysLookingUp #KeepItSimple #GetOutside

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January 25, 2017 In Freedom, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Projects & Organizations I dig, TTAA

micro-apartments rock my socks

After reading this article last week about micro-apartments coming to Charlotte, I jumped out of bed like an excited kid ready to race downstairs to see what was under the Christmas tree. I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve mentioned in conversation since moving to the Queen City, that I wished well designed micro-spaces were here.

Ask and you shall receive!

My favorite apartment to date was the 430 square foot one I had in Virginia back in 2009:

Small smart spaces

Small smart space

Small is simple. Simple is smart. Smart is mighty.

I have no idea why I took or saved these shots. Perhaps they were meant just for this, eight years later. The above is what my place looked like every day in all of It’s simple, small, unfussy, glory. No extra CRAP anywhere to take care of/manage or pay for! Ahhh…I love you, freedom! (Not pictured are my full sized bathroom and kitchen.) The units were brand new and my rent was $595/month. At the time I rented there, the developer tried selling me the unit. It would’ve only been $80k to own. What a deal. I should have scooped that spot up in a heartbeat. I’ve occasionally kicked myself for not doing it.

A Charlotte Agenda writer put out this piece today about the new micro-apartments coming soon. I completely disagree with her. The claim of small spaces and everything having to have a place all the time being stressful, is the exact opposite of anything I’ve ever experienced. (Still love you anyway, Agenda!) Everyday I work with clients who hire me because they have too much space, too much stuff, too many expenses…and they’ve reach a point they’re so over it all. I’ve found time and time again that the stressed and buried feelings much of us swirl in, are directly related to the excess of everything in our lives, not because the carefully selected items we’ve chosen, we love, and we actually use are best kept in their specific places at days end.

I’d never try to convince anyone who wasn’t interested, to live in a small space. You do you! I don’t necessarily think big is bad. I do think however, that far too many of us are incredibly wasteful, living smack dab in the middle of a serious drone zone believing we need a whole lot more than we actually do, to be happy.

I’ll see you for the Grand Opening at The RailYard!

#SmartSpaces #LiveSimpleDoMore #LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife

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December 7, 2016 In Articles, Links, North Carolina

gettin’ hitched

I went to a lot of weddings this year. My sister recently teased me, “Mom and I think you’ve been to more weddings than anyone else we know!”

Probably true. I love weddings. I love, love. I am a love geek.

So yes, I love weddings, and I’m a huge, huge schmoopy (thanks, Goette!) love geek, but I’ve never wanted my own big wedding. Read this piece from today’s Charlotte Agenda about getting married at the courthouse. Yeah! Perfection. Katie & Nick are my kind of peeps with their simple but sweet wedding plan and execution.

In 2015 as invites to weddings kept coming into my mailbox, I was thrilled for 2016 travel; Napa, Tahoe, Aspen, Charlotte…hello awesome celebration spots! Lucky me to have amazing friends living in fabulous places. I had a blast. If you catch me on a good day I might share details about the 6 hours straight I spent on the dance floor after Aspen nuptials wearing my animal print stilettos every second thankyouverymuch. (Thanks, Ronnie!) Lets just say I’m still giggling from that one. Misbehaving is sometimes fun, much deserved, and completely necessary.

Some people like big parties, some like small. I like a dance party. However you like to plan and do your party, do it. I will be there every time. Celebrating love and knowing there is plenty out there is all that matters:

Surprises

You might see me at a courthouse soon, at a fountain in Madrid, or just on another dance floor. Life certainly does take turns we don’t expect.

Here’s to love in every shape/color/size/place. Cheers my friends!

Blue martini

(Of course It’s a blue martini!)

#OnlyTheBeginning #LessStuffMoreLoveHappyLife #Celebration

*Have you scrolled to the bottom of my web page and signed up to get these blog posts in your email inbox yet? Please do! Feel the love:)

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