The OASIS on the lake

Even with 102 degree temps outside, there is one spot in Austin, Texas, that people still flock to for a great Mexican meal. It is The OASIS on Lake Travis. I was introduced to the restaurant many years ago by my friends, the Eliasophs. The view is breathtaking and the food is very good. We recently took my nephew & brother-in-law to dinner over the lake. It was hot as blue blazes outdoors, but certainly worth it. The best time to go is in the fall when the temperatures are more mild and you can stay on the terrace for hours as the sun sets. If you are ever in Austin, the OASIS should definitely be a destination spot for you.

Where Am I?

I am standing at one of the "wonders" of the North Shore, Il. This is the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, IL. Completed in 1953, this is one of only seven temples in the world! Other locations include, New Delhi, India; Santiago, Chile; Apia, Amoa; and my sister's birthplace, Frankfurt, Germany. I had the opportunity to worship at the Baha'i Temple two years ago. My synagogue offers a class called "How Chicago Worships," and gives congregants the chance to observe other religious services in and around Chicago. The class covered Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and other services, but my favorite was at the Baha'i Temple. The reason was not because their service was only 15 minutes long either. Sitting inside the building was very serene for prayers. There is no official leader, such as a rabbi, priest, minister, etc. Instead, the brief services are lead by members of the congregation. The front of the temple is filled with fountains and an exquisite garden. The building is circular and has nine sides, as do all of the temples around the world. The number nine is the largest single digit and represents "completeness" in the Baha'i faith. The religion was founded in 1844 in Iran and worshipers strongly believe in "Baha'u'llah's" teachings of world unification. These are the symbols of the Baha'i Faith: When I am staying in my Illinois home, I love driving past the temple. It truly is a beautiful and calming place.

video: An Evening Backstage With Kenny Rogers

Yes, I know that I have spoken about Kenny Rogers quite extensively among my blog, Twitter & Facebook, but geez louise, the man is a legend. The influence of other artists has waxed and waned over the years, but Kenny has remained the only constant. I have talked about my favorite concerts of his as well as the KR poster I kept on my wall for years. It has been nearly SIX years since we last saw Kenny, but he remembers us well and I finally had the poster signed by him Friday evening before his concert. you can click to enlarge the photo below and read Kenny's message to me: Cory videotaped us backstage prior to the concert. Here you will see what an awesome person Kenny Rogers is and why he is so revered by his fans. I also want to thank Gene again for helping to make the last few years so memorable and for making our "meet & greets" possible.

baby wants to be a preppy

Humans are born with a certain instinct. For example, a baby already knows how to suck his/her thumb before birth! Without any influence from me (*wink, wink*) our baby instinctively knows that he wants to be a Preppy....and I am merely the enabler by adding to his wardrobe:

Mamaste

To remain centered, focused and stress-free, I have been taking prenatal yoga. Now I can take my relaxing yoga classes with me on my travels, thanks to the podcasts on iTunes.

ode to the Black Russian

As I continue to sip on my water, club sodas or virgin mojitos, I want my favorite cocktail to know that I haven't forgotten about you. I think about you every now & then and I promise that we will be reunited one day next year. In the meantime, I am enjoying my baby-friendly beverages.

Happy 4th of July!

My brother was born on the 4th of July, so needless to say, we always did a double holiday celebration in our family. Can you imagine what it is like growing up with someone who insists that the entire country is celebrating HIS birthday? Happy birthday to Sherman II and Happy independence Day to everyone else.

North Shore Cover Girl

On newsstands now, North Shore's Make It Better magazine. The slick covers everything happening on Chicago's North Shore, but I am partial to the current issue because my sister & jewelry designer, LeAnita graces the cover with four other artists. LeAnita's signature piece was recently worn by Real Housewife of New York City, Alex McCord during the American Heart Association's Heart of the Hamptons Ball. Here are the artists during the July 2010 Cover photo shoot