the whole universe conspires to guide you on your path

syn·chro·nic·i·ty
The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection, coined by Carl Jung.

me holding the borrowed rare book in the bright winter sunlight today

I recently started working as a substitute teacher at a local school and one day I was at the computer looking at Susun Weed‘s website, reading about nettle infusions, when the secretary nearby said something about her sister who is an herbalist living in NY’s East Village. My ears perked up and I eagerly asked, “you have an herbalist sister?!” She saw how excited I was and told me about her sister who had studied upstate back in the 60’s with a well-known herbalist, whose name she just couldn’t recall. I had a hunch and guessed, “do you mean Susun Weed??” Her eyes lit up and she confirmed, “oh yes, her!” I was so blown away because I was literally on Susun’s site at that very moment, reading about nettle infusions. So the woman continued, “yes, my sister is an herbalist and she always teaches me about herbs. She’s even written a book about herbs. She told me to drink nettle infusion every day!” By this point I just couldn’t believe my ears. Of all the hundreds of articles on Susun’s website, I was just reading about nettles! We both became very aware of the synchronicity in this moment and felt the excitement grow. As our connection to the plants unraveled, we realized what a bond we share through them. The cherry on top was when I found out that the book her sister wrote was Herbal Rituals: Recipes for Everyday Living. This was no ordinary herb book, but rather a book that has been on my wish list for over 5 years now! It is out of print so I never got myself a copy, but here I am, sitting in my bed, sipping tea and reading the herbal book I dreamed of for so many years.

This is just one of many plant synchronicities that I’ve experienced on my journey, and I know so many of you have these things going on all the time as well. I’d love to hear about your experiences! Feel free to email me or even post on my Facebook wall, I’d love to get a discussion going where we can all share these magic happenings and reap inspiration and guidance from them! I have a strong feeling that many of us also go through common plant synchronicities as well, so it would be interesting to look at those trends as a community!

11 Herbal Books to Inspire, Enchant, and Charm Your Way to Good Health

Maude Grieve’s Modern Herbal, 1971 via Botanical.com

Herbals are books that offer information about the uses, properties, and botanical descriptions of herbs — and it’s no wonder they were amongst the first books produced in Ancient Egypt, China, India, and Europe. Ancient herbals and their modern-day counterparts are always fascinating to me, filled with legend, folklore, and other tell-tale information that reveals the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the times they were born of. Many herbals were illustrated to assist readers in plant identification, and some used the doctrine of signatures, which purported that an herb’s physical appearance revealed its healing virtues. (For example, lungwort’s leaves look similar to diseased lungs, the area of the body they are used to treat.)
The beauty of herbals is how interconnected they all are, like branches of one tree, all referencing others and tapping into the wealth of herbal information passed down through the ages. It’s fascinating to see how modern-day science and research combine with the empirical data and theories of the ages in later herbals. Here are some of my beloved herbals, dating from the 17th Century to the amazing herbals still being produced in our days:

1. Bruton-Seal, Julie, and Seal, Matthew, 2009. Backyard Medicine: Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies. Skyhorse Publishing. (*rare)

2. Christopher, John R., 1996. School of Natural Healing. Nutribooks Corporation.

3. Culpeper, Nicholas, (1653). Culpeper’s Complete Herbal: A Book of Natural Remedies of Ancient Ills. Applewood Books, 2006.

4. De Bairacle Levy, Juliette, 1997. Nature’s Children. Ash Tree Publishing. (*rare)

Herbs + Things by Jeanne Rose, 1972.

5. Gladstar, Rosemary, 2008. Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family. Story Publishing.

6. Green, Chelsea, 2005. The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines. Chelsea Green Publishing.

7. Grieve, Maud, 1971. A Modern Herbal: the Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs & Trees with their modern scientific uses. Dover Publications.

8. Kloss, Jethro, (1939). Back to Eden: the Classic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Natural Foods, and Home Remedies Since 1939. Lotus Press, 2004.

9. Rose, Jeanne, 1972. Herbs & Things. Penguin Books.

10. Shaouli, Rabbi Moshe Cohen, and Fisher, Rabbi Yaakov, 1999. Nature’s Wealth: Health and Healing Plants based on the teachings of the Rambam. Publisher unknown. (*very rare)

11. Tis Mal Crow, 2001. Native Plants, Native Healing: Traditional Muskagee Way. Native Voices Publishing.

Creme de la Creme: Favorite French Films

Rainy summer days provide the perfect backdrop to cozy up and indulge in the sultry world of French cinema. In her lovely book Entre Nous: A woman’s Guide to Finding her Inner French Girl, Debra Ollivier suggests a few of her favorites, and I’ve taken the liberté of adding in some of my own. So make like the french women do; pour yourself some vintage wine, slip into something comfortable (but stylish too, of course) and let yourself be whisked away to a world of irresistable romance and intrigue with these classics:

Les Mistons via Play it for Me Sam

1. Les Mistons (the brats) directed by François Truffaut, 1957. Truffaut was a pioneer of French New Wave, a style of film that celebrates the little details in life, urging us to see beauty in the seemingly mundane. This is a short film about a group of boys who have a crush on a beautiful young woman and their boyish attempts at winning her attention by making mischief for her and her boyfriend.
2. Amelie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001. Originally titled The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain, this popular Romantic comedy is full of whimsy and that same New Wave style of Les Mistons. It follows the childhood and early adulthood of the charming Amelie Poulain, the shy and often misunderstood waitress at a local cafe. When she hears about Princess Diana’s demise, she decides to devote her life to doing good and becomes an undercover match maker and guardian angel. Amidst all her caring for others, Amelie gathers the courage and the friendships that lead her own destiny, too.
3. Babette’s Feast directed by Isak Dinesen, 1987. Though this is a Danish film, I include it here because it tells the story of a renowned Parisian chef who moves to Denmark and becomes a housekeeper in the home of a strict Lutheran family. In a shocking meeting of two very different worlds, Babette is forced to tame her exotic cooking skills in exchange for the simple (and bland) ways of her puritanical employers. The twist is when Babette manages to convince her hosts to let her cook a full blown French meal for them, including “Potage à la Tortue” (turtle soup) and rum cake. Ultimately, both sides learn an unexpected lesson about life and living.

Babette’s Feast via Renew Theatres

4. Milou en Mai (Fools in May) directed by Louis Malle, 1990. Set against the backdrop of the revolutionary labor strikes of 1968, this film is about a wealthy family who find themselves reunited in the French countryside for a funeral. At first, the relatives argue about the inheritance while tensions flair for the revolution that threatens their bourgeois way of life. But since the whole country is on strike, the cadaver cannot be buried, and they are forced to remain together in the country. The film explores social and interpersonal issues as the family must face the changing times and reevaluate their priorities.
5. La double vie de Véronique (The Double Life of Veronique) directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1991. Some say that each of us has a twin soul in this world, and that can go for both romantic partners and friendships. This film explores twin flame concept and follows two women from different countries who share a mysterious bond that transcends time and space. It reminds us that “if we’re not living with a truly sensual appreciation of everything around us, we’re not really living at all.” (Debra Ollivier)
For more fabulous French cinema, see Time’s 100 best French films.

Painted in Love: Interview with White Bear Accessories Creator + Designer Lindsay B.

Dedication, vision, passion, the Beatles, and lots of lace is all it takes to make a life long dream become a reality. I had the chance to interview Lindsay Bleier of White Bear Accessories, a young jewelry designer and entrepreneur whose relentless dream-chasing inspires me to follow my own. 

Lace-jewelry pioneer Lindsay Bleier of White Bear Accessories began her love-affair with the craft at the young age of ten. Her creativity was fostered by her mother, the owner of a clothing and accessories company, who sagely encouraged her and her sister to put their creative energy into art. Lindsay soon found herself surrounded on all sides by her growing treasury of jewelry creations, and friends suggested that she sell her unique pieces online. She founded her e-shop, White Bear Accessories, and with time, her designs evolved and her signature lace jewelry was born.

The idea to combine lace and jewelry came to her naturally. A girly-girl through and through, Lindsay’s admiration for all things sweet, romantic, and vintage guide her design style. She takes cues from her favorite historic costumes, referencing the lace and glamour rocked by English royalty in her hand painted rings, necklaces, bracelets, and hair pins. The young designer can be found in her Miami-based studio, listening to the Beatles, quipped with a paintbrush and paint in every shade set before her. Color is perhaps the most striking aspect of her jewelry line, with eye-catching crimsons, tones of emerald, neons, and ombre in all shades. Since each piece is handmade, Lindsay is able to customize her creations for her clients, a rare find in these days of mass-produced fashion. Lindsay claims that the right necklace is more than just jewelry, it’s a statement. “I want my customers to feel empowered, strong, daring.” With jewelry backed by that kind of passion and love, it’s not so farfetched a hope.

Lindsay’s online shop White Bear Accessories can be seen at Etsy and at Blossom, NY. Visit Lindsay’s page on Facebook.

Beloved Trend: Flowers in Your Hair

When I was working at a flower shop a few years ago, every now and then a customer would request a crown of flowers to be made. They were always to mark special occasions:  weddings, children’s birthday celebrations, or Spring festivals and holidays. In fact, floral wreaths have been the crowning headwear of many cultures throughout history. The ancient Romans donned crowns made of wildflowers gathered at the sight of military victories, and the Greeks crowned Olympians with rings of herbs such as laurel. In the unsurpassably romantic Victorian era, people used the Language of Flowers to communicate secret messages to others through flowers, and garlands were one way of expressing love, hope, and other things. And who could forget the Mama’s + the Papa’s singing about the gentle people in San Francisco, with flowers in their hair? Here are some modern manifestations of this beloved trend:

via Pretty Penny

via K is for Kani at Etsy

via Pour la Victoire

via Free People

$10 headband via Free People