Weekend Learning's

Happy Monday sweet potatoes! So it is two quick weeks till this working year is over for old Coco. I cannot wait. Not only has this year flow by, but I think my followers will be in for a big shock next year. But that is for a later post. This one is about this last, and lovely weekend. This is what I learned,

• Friday was our annual Santa Drop off at our Interbrand Creche. I love doing it. We collect important daily items for the little ones and wrap them in a shoe box. When I am there I am so happy and engulfed in love. But when I leave my heart is broken. There is so little generosity in this world… what will you be doing for the less fortunate this Christmas? 
• “Generosity” n. The quality of being kind and generous - showing a readiness to give more of something than is strictly necessary or expected. (I usually place rare words on my blogs. I believe the act of being “generous” is scarce.)
• “What is done in love, is done well." - Vincent Van Gogh. 
• Now those of us who live in Joburg know The Patisserie in Illovo. There is a certain Banana Bread item on the breakfast menu that is just to die for. You have to go give it a go. Served with sour cream and hot berry and fruit compote, it is to die for. The Patisserie was also just voted Best Coffee Shop in South Africa for the second time in a row, now that’s got to tell you something. 
• "Il y a des fleurs partout pour qui veut bien les voir.” - Henri Matisse. (There are flowers everywhere to those who really want to see them).
• I love summer. No wait, I love summer in Africa. I love how hot it is one day, so hot you hear those crickets and the heat rises off everything and makes a mirage of heat waves. Then the next day its pouring and storming with rain and the wind is so strong it blows me away… its pretty magical and exciting. 
• “Don’t kiss me if you’re afraid of thunder. My life is a storm.” - Anita Krizzan
• Sometimes a girl needs a little sunshine in her life. In my case, that comes in beautiful yellow roses. When you bye roses still in bud, waking up daily to their scent and watching them bloom… Really, nature brings me pure happiness! 
• Have a lovely first week of the last month of 2014 you lovely peeps! Make it count! "Celebrate the people around you. Every breath is a big deal.” - Kid President. 

Xoxo

PS. “We live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the sea, and you don’t believe in miracles?”

How lovely, thank you Dior. 

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Weekend Learning's

"I know nothing with any certainty but the
sight of stars makes me dream." - Vincent van Gogh

Hello you. I could not make it to my blog last week with all the mountains I was trying to travel though. When I got to the other side the only thing I regretted was that I didn't record some of the thoughts I had while I was plotting those many hills. I do like a tough work week though. Why? You ask. Because it makes rewards that much sweeter. Even something as simple as a moment looking to the skies and noticing how luminescent the stars looked on Friday night. They were so much sparklier than any other night, through that crevice in the clouds. For at that moment I stopped, for the first time all week, I paused with my two pups to notice the beauty in the sky and it was blissful. This is what I learned;

• It is already April, this scares me, was it not Christmas yesterday? 
• Life is full of give and take. Give thanks and take nothing for granted.
• Le Soufflé is a rather interesting little French Brasserie in Pineslopes. They concentrate on the delicious French bistro food and great service. So do not be alarmed when you feel like you jumped into a casual restaurant in the seventies in France! In my opinion if the food and the service is good I will return. Yum, soufflés! 
• The only people I owe my loyalty are those who never made me question theirs. 
• "A writer is someone who spends years patiently trying to discover the second being inside him..." - Orhan Pamuk
• Do you even know how expensive petrol is? Well it is very expensive to fill my vroom-vroom. So on Saturday I decided to walk if I needed to go somewhere. I had a package to collect from the post office and I also needed milk. As one does when one drinks copious amounts of tea and coffee like I do living on my lonesome. So I walked. I walked to the post office. Then I started walking home and realized I should get milk and turned and went back. Free exercise and fresh air and a hello from the funny toothless local hobo versus the latter; moth wallet and bad car radio experience and wasting gold petrol… Coco likes it. 
• "When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears." - Anthony Robbins
• It doesn't matter how old I get, when my parents go away and I am home alone and there is a creep at the gate… I get scared. It's my past of break-ins and attacks and horror stories on loved ones. This country has scarred me to the point that I can't feel safe in my own home and I hate that. 
• "Perhaps strength doesn't reside in never having been broken but in the courage to grow strong in the broken places"
• Do not get me wrong I love Autumn. I am a designer and I am obsessed with nature and plants and colour changing leaves… it is like Mother Nature is giving me a kaleidoscope show. But my love affair with Summer this year was too short. I have been smitten with the few lengthy sunny days that I received that I want to be selfish and demand more! I Feel robbed for some reason… Am I the only one who would like to exchange just one Autumn weekend for just one more Summers night? Sob.
• “The true mark of maturity is when somebody hurts you and you try to understand their situation instead of trying to hurt them back.” - Anon

Happy week my sparrows. Fly high and brave!

Xoxo

PS. "Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, mirror what you admire."

I am just loving spending time with my pups.
"Until one has loved an animal a part of one's
soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

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Weekend Learning's

Fight for love, always and forever.

Weekend Learning's after a… 57 day hiatus, can ya dig it? Yes we can! No we can't I know. Thank you all of those for the pep talks, messages and the er…  "I love you but I'm going to start to hate you" mail (was it really necessary? I guess you got my attention). Especially I must add a little two cents to Atz, girl, if I see you looking at your watch once more to check the delay time on my last post… ill take you to the bar! Thank you.

I think it might have something to do with the fact that my little Cocobutton needs a little makeover, a nip tuck shall we say. I opened her up today (after all this time) and saw the lighter shade of what I used to be. Yes Coco we need some highlights! Watch this space… This is what I've learned;

• Going abroad makes you realize how truly backwards South Africa has become. Yes I know I am sorry to start off with a negative trust me, this will be the last but really, you have no idea how much bullshit we put up with till you go over there and put up with none. Its despicable. Can we all pull together to try make this a better place? And for gods sake VOTE people!!!
• I crave cake when I'm sick. I've come to the realization that this is in fact the "I feel sorry for myself" hunger. No wonder I'm so fit when I'm happy. None of that now happy clown!
• On that note, I am sorry for what I said when I was hungry… hungry = grumpy = no thinking before speaking.
• "I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." - Vincent Van Gogh.
• I think I might have a new favourite blog in my future! My fellow juicer / veggie / townie / indie baby-shoes has FINALLY joined the blogging cult! You should add In My Green Boots to your list of blogs to follow. If you love me you'll love her, welcome Nats to the addiction.
• Smile To Go is probably NYC's best kept secret. A tiny place with the best granola (yes possibly as good as mine OKAY) delicious coffee and scrumptious lunch. The sheer gorgeousness of the interior and the ridiculousness of the girl riding on the chicken… you can trust the food here! Which is more than I can say for most of the streets of New York… scary.
• Sarang.(n.) love; lit. "I wish to be with you until death."
• One cannot enjoy joy, when ones joy is at home.
• Weddings are best left small, with very close and intimate friends and family with the main breath being love (in) and joy (out). This I have learned from the last two weddings I have experienced since my last post (yea, Coco's been busy!). First was my aunt in New York and second, my dear and long time friends Ash and Guy Park. Thank you for letting me share your days with you!
• Smoothies! I am officially green smoothie obsessed. Two a day for everyday in may! Well it was a 30 day challenge and by this Sunday I would have happily done it. And I plan to stick to it forever. Adding it to my normal daily menu rather than replacing meals makes sure I am adding to my lifestyle not subtracting from my routine. And hells spinach are they delicious!
• No matter what the size or severity of someones operation, if they're a member of my family I am scared stiff! It is just one of those things where everything is out of your hands, fate is your biggest enemy and vulnerability becomes the biggest emotion I personally brew. Thank god its over.
• Getting another logo in another design book is like the cherry on my cake. I'm going in the right direction, that is all the proof I needed! Yes! Coco Winning!
• "They told me that to make her fall in love I had to make her laugh. But every time she laughs I'm the one who falls in love." - Tommaso Ferraris.

Have a leaf on the wind type of week my sweethearts, I shall try not to take so long from now on.

xoxo

PS. The streets are paved with gold my dears, and also glass… dance in army boots!

Light my way...

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