Monday Musings: A Week In The Life
Last week was one of those stretches that felt full in the very best way. I spent a few days in San Francisco at a bloggers’ summit, which was such a fun mix of work and pleasure.
San Francisco Adventure
I take this magnifying mirror everywhere I travel. The lighting is much better at a window than in any hotel bathroom.
We networked, shared what’s working, swapped ideas, gabbed like women do when they finally get to sit down together, and of course, managed to fit in a little shopping.
We had a private shopping experience at Sézane, which was a treat, and I came home with this fun little Bobby jacket, which I love.
We also explored a bit of the city while we were there, including Chinatown and Union Square, and had lunch at Neiman Marcus, which always feels a little old-school and lovely to me.
Mr. AWSL came along and spent time visiting his sister, who lives nearby, and that made the trip even better. We did quite a lot of walking, saw a lot, ate well, and came home tired in a satisfying way.
Feng Shui
My daughter recently asked me to help her with the feng shui in her apartment, which made me smile because it brought back a whole chapter of life I hadn’t thought about in a while.
She moved in last year and has been slowly putting the space together. While doing so, she stumbled onto feng shui and remembered that I used to know a fair bit about it. In my 40s, my brother and I studied it for a while, and I always found it fascinating.
If you’ve never looked into it, feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice focused on arranging buildings, rooms, and objects in ways that work with the flow of qi, or life force energy, to create more harmony in a space. At its core, it’s really about how your surroundings affect the way you feel and function. I’ve always thought there was something to it. I’ve noticed over the years that when I’ve made a few thoughtful changes in a room, the space often feels calmer, easier, and somehow more settled. She picked up a book for us to look through together, so we’ve been having fun with that. Have you ever explored feng shui?
Flight To Vancouver
Over the weekend, we flew back to Vancouver for a quick visit before our trip to Asia next month…and yes, this is the best photo we got of what I wore :). You can see me stowing things in this little belt bag, which I always wear to traverse the airport and then stow in my carry-on to board our flights.
We’re looking forward to spending time with our daughter and soaking up a little more of Vancouver in spring before we head off again.
Vancouver is absolutely beautiful right now. We’re in the middle of cherry blossom season, and the city looks especially gorgeous this time of year. The flowers are blooming, and the weather is gorgeous. The seawall is lined with blossoms that never last quite long enough. There’s always something about spring here that feels fresh without being showy.
Currently Reading
And before I go, I have a book recommendation from my daughter this week: The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. It’s set in 1950s Washington, D.C., in an all-female boardinghouse during the McCarthy era, where a group of very different women becomes connected through friendship, secrets, and a weekly supper club started by a mysterious new tenant. It took my daughter about a chapter to get into it, but once she did, she was hooked. It’s one of those historical novels where the female friendships are just as compelling as the plot itself. The minute she described it, I swiped her copy and am now currently reading it.
I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever tried feng shui? What are you reading right now?
I have heard of feng shui but I understand when you said that sometimes small changes can make a room look and feel better. Vancouver does look lovely 🌸
I thought I was the only one who stuck my suction cup mirror on the window.
I’ve been doing it for years! The best lighting!
If you like The Briar Club, read The Alice Network by the same author. It’s very good!
I’ll try it. I’ve seen it on shelves forever.
Loved The Briar Club! The Rose Code and The Alice Network (both by Kate Quinn) are also worth reading.
I very much enjoy architect Cliff Tan, “Dear Modern” on Youtube, especially when he mentions monkeys and birds. All in good fun but helpful, too.
I have always thought feng shui had merit but never had time to really investigate it. I’m all for anything that creates peacefulness and calm in my life. Can’t wait to see pics of your Singapore trip. Have a great time!!
I know very little about feng shui but I did keep what little I knew in mind when I made some changes to our house. There was no way to get to the front door from the street without going way down the driveway or walking across the grass so I changed that and put in a walkway. It just seems much more welcoming that way. Then the front door led straight through the house to the back door. The feng shui theory was money would come right in the front door and go right out the back and that’s about what it seemed like as we were always spending money on repairs. So when we did a kitchen remodel, I closed off the back door as another door was quite close by. Now the kitchen seems much larger even though it’s the same square footage.
I also very much enjoyed listening to The Briar Club and Theo of Golden.
Those sound like great fixes. She can’t close off a doorway so she’s going to use plants and a rug.
I loved The Briar Club. I’m currently reading The Life Impossible by Matt Haig.
I have very minimally explored Feng Shui, but I can sure can feel when the vibe is off in the rooms of my home. I appreciate you sharing a book on the subject. I would like to know more about it. San Francisco and Vancouver look so cool. My husband and I have travels to the west coast in our future plans.
Having recently re-connected with feng shui as well, I recommend the podcast, “Feng Shui Decoded.” I originally read the books by Western School of Feng Shui founder Terah Kathryn Collins. The podcast is conversations with her colleagues and a fun way to get back into the topic.
Reading: Wreck by Catherine Newman.
I LOVED Terah Katherine Collins books. Thank you, I will look for her podcast.
I’m currently reading this book and love it! Great choice
I loved Briar Club and just finished More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen which I thought was great.
I haven’t been to San Francisco for years and your photos have me thinking I need to revisit!
this is a p.s. I’m going to recommend The Briar Club to my bookclub for our next book
Awesome, I’m really enjoying it.
Beautiful pics of SF, you picked the perfect week to visit. The pictures of the China Town gate brought back a lot of nostalgia, years ago I worked in a building a few doors up and spent many a lunch hour shopping and eating at hole in the wall restaurants. I had my home feng shui’d years ago. Some minor changes and I believe it helped. I’m interested in Sezane clothes, I follow another blogger who features this brand and the items are so stylish……have a lovely week…
just ordered your feng shei book!
Glad to see that San Francisco is nice. I was told that it has declined.
It had, but is coming back now!
I am reading Loitering With Intent by Muriel Spark. This is an author who can truly write a woman. No male gaze involvement. Love your scarf.
Nice!
The books I’ve enjoyed lately are “The Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon, “Long Island” by Colin Toibin, and “Lion” by Saroo Bierley. This last book is a memoir including photos describing Saroo ‘s life after getting lost in a train station in India and living in Australia with his adopted parents.
This week my book club is discussing Kate Quinn’s The Diamond Eye. It is an amazing read based on the true history of a female sniper from Ukraine during WW2. You must read it next!
It sounds amazing! She’s a great writer
The trip to San Francisco sounds like it was a lot of fun – how nice that you ladies are a sharing community! I’ve heard rumor that a Sezane store is going to be opening in Newport Beach, here in Southern California. I’ve read Briar Club in recent months and I really enjoyed it! Now I need to find more books by Kate Quinn.
Hi Jennifer,
I just finished reading “Strangers” by Bella Bloom which I could not put down about a marriage that ends abruptly. Loved the pictures of my favorite bloggers in SF so good!! Have a lovely day!
That sounds great!
Thanks for the book recommendation. I also recommend Strangers by Belle Burden. Enjoy your travels.
The author of “Strangers” is Belle Burden. It’s a gripping memoir that, more than anything, highlights the importance of women taking responsibility for their finances.
Not sure how I learned of Feng Shui, (possibly a book in a used book store) but it was in the late 90’s. I still would love to have a red front door. My now adult children were teenagers, I was at a point in my life, where life/home was feeling overwhelming. I studied art of Feng Shui, the idea of removing clutter and bringing in positive energy. (Those were the years that I didn’t think, I would ever get the pile of laundry done or the trail of clutter from 3 teens!) I remember removing a hanging pan rack, that feng shui recommended not having objects over head or under beds, that would block positive energy. I mapped out my entire home & yard to the 9 areas of the Bagua Map, like love, wealth, health, fame, etc. (Not a good idea to store knives in your “Love” section) Rearranging my home and adding water features to my front and back yard, just made me feel more energized, so I have continued using the feng shui method in my life.
I live 45 minutes north of San Francisco, love spending many weekends there. In need of a new book to read.
I was mildly interested in feng shui, but a bad experience with an architect
turned me off. He said the flow from our bedroom ‘wing’ into the great room into the kitchen should be aligned – a straight line. The only problem: it would have cut the kitchen in half. So we built the house unaligned, and it totally works. Lucky you! I love SF and always visit Chinatown when I’m there.
Half the kitchen?!! I wouldn’t have done what he suggested either. A Feng Shui expert would have suggested other “cures” to suggest.
I can’t wait to see your outfits on the Asia trip! Have fun!
Thank you!
I have felt strongly about feng shui but have unfortunately found most rooms seem to have layouts that seem to dictate where your furniture will fit due to door and window placement. Maybe if can be applied in small ways?
All of Kate Quinn’s books are wonderful, most are WW2 historical fiction about women who made a difference in the war. A very pleasant current book is Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
Thanks for the recommendation Susan
I am reading Skylight confessions by Alice Hoffman. Great author! I fengshuid my bedroom once and it actually felt good! Have never been to San Francisco but it’s on my list!
Always look for ward to seeing what you pack for your trips!
Theo Of Golden was a Christmas gift and since then I’ve bought and given six as gifts to friends! The story is golden to me!
Theo of Golden! One if the best reads in a long time.
Enjoyed The Briar Club — also loved and recommend The Correspondent.
I’m listening to the Correspondent. It’s wonderful
A great read! I loved it.
Hi Jennifer,
My book club read The Briar Club a couple months ago and loved it! I bet you will too. Enjoy
Am adding that to my Kindle right now! Just finishing Absolution by Alice Mc Dermott which I like very much. Happy travels to you!
Glad you had a good week! The Briars Club is very good. Everything Kate Quinn writes is good.
I’m really enjoying it
Good Morning Jennifer: Thanks for sharing these photos. Loved seeing the photos of China Town. I’ve been there and it brought back fun memories of some wonderful food. And yes, I’ve always thought there was something to Feng Shui, but have never studied much about it. Again, thanks for sharing, always fun to connect through photos.
Fiona Davis is one of my favorite authors. I especially recommend The Dollhouse and The Address.
I can second those as great reads. I love her books.
Loved The Briar Club. Just finished Buckeye.
I worked for an adult beverage company for many years. When we set up an office in Hong Kong, we paid for a Fung Shui consultant to arrange the office! I’ve been retired for 10 years and still miss it.
Amazing!!
I don’t know much about feng shui but it sounds interesting. I’d like to read a post to learn more.
Good morning, Jennifer. I am reading Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty because I need to lead my book club discussion this month. Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors (previous best sellers: The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies). Apples Never Fall is a family drama with a twist. Great read!
Hi,
Your trip sounds wonderful. I was just wondering about the raincoat and scarf you are wearing in the photo in your email?
Thanks,
Karen
My scarf is here, and my trench is several years old from Loft.
I read The Briar Club last year and loved it. Would definitely recommend it.
I am superstitious enough as it is without adding feng shui to the mix, especially when I found out that a bed facing a door waywas associated with death. Am currently reading Antony Beevor’s book on Rasputin and the Russian Royal Family. Although I was already pretty well read up on the subject, I have learnt even more about his role in the downfall of the Romanovs. Have you been to Singapore before and are you visiting other Asian countries as well?
I’ve never been. We’re also going to Bali. I’m so excited.
I just returned from a week in Singapore. My husband and I added it to our recent trip, to rest up and recover from almost two weeks in Thailand. It is a small (in acreage — all the airport terminals are international, for a reason), but a beautiful and intriguing city — and HOT and HUMID!!!!!! Be sure to check out the every evening light show, in the gardens at the marina. If you can manage it, be on the skywalk during the show, in the “trees.” A number of opera’s greatest hits set to pulsing colored lights. (There is a fee, for the skywalk, but you can enjoy the show, from the ground, as hundreds do.) A fantastic experience! If you like orchids, go to the National Orchard Garden — magnificent! English is one of the four national languages and is spoken almost everywhere, but especially in the hospitality sector. Enjoy — and eat!
Thank you so much!! We will try to see that light show. I’m getting concerned about the humidity so switching things up on my rolling rack 🙂
Hi Jennifer, this was a fun post; it felt relaxed. I never got fully into feng shui, but my friend used to let me know if the fung shui in mu house needed adjustment.
I loved the Briar Club! I hope you enjoy it. I’m just finishing Theo of Golden, which I also love.