A Surprising Source of Beautifully Better Home Goods

INSPIRATION. ABRAHAM-HICKS DAILY QUOTE (sign up for the daily quote at Abraham-Hicks.com > subscribe to daily quotes):  "You're always on your way somewhere. The key is:  find a way to be happy wherever you now are on your way to where you really want to be. (We're speaking of the state of being you want.) It does not matter where you are; where you are is shifting constantly, but you must turn your attention to where you want to go. And that's the difference between making the best of something and making the worst of something."  --- Abraham

Oh, I do love this quote reminding us to be happy happy happy now.

REALIZATION. I usually wake up happy and rested, but this morning I woke up ecstatic and silently singing Oh Happy Day. Must be something good coming my way!

BACHAN LOVES TO "REDECORATE" THE BATHROOM WITH DIFFERENT MATCHING SETS OF TOWELS AND RUGS. Since she was having the girls over this week, I looked for a new bath rug and found this at Marshall's:

Isn't it pretty? Oh, I wish you could see it in person. It just makes you smile just to look at it.

Marshall's on Almaden Expressway, San Jose, has never been my favorite place. Things always looked a little shoddy to me and I haven't been there for over a year. But they must have changed the buyer or something because I found all kinds of things I liked:  shoes, shoes, shoes...designer tops...pretty plates and rugs.

I'll go back again for something beautiful to add to my home.

May beauty surround you,

Catherine

BebeCakes Cupcakery *****

OBSERVATION. SCRAPS OF GIRLY PINK CLOUDS STREWN ACROSS A BABY BLUE SKY. A newborn day greets me.

INSPIRATION. ABRAHAM-HICKS CALENDAR QUOTE (please buy one at Abraham-Hicks.com > Store > Calendars > Planning Calendar/Workbook). TIME OF AWAKENING. This is one of the most remarkable times of physical man being physically focused and Non-physically intertwined. It's the reason we call it time of awakening. So let's begin by saying, you wouldn't have missed it for anything. Every Non-physical Energy of good report, praiseworthy and eager to be of value to the Universe and to the All-That-Is, is present in some form or other on this planet at this time. We don't know of any intense Energy that is not represented by one of you. In other words, we are here in all of our fanfare and all of our glory to experience the remarkable planet Earth experience."

I love knowing there's a party going on here and that we've all been invited. The question is:  Did you show up and what did you bring?

WHILE I WAS IN PALO ALTO RECENTLY, I STUMBLED UPON A TINY CUPCAKERY (don't you just love saying that word?) called BebeCakes. They're across the street from the Stanford Theater and at the front of the Paper Whirl (stationery store) at 230 University Avenue, 650-722-9528, BebeCakesCupcakery.com

The cupcakes are soooo pretty and the descriptions are enticing. I was trying to decide between the:

--  VaVaVoom:  Intense chocolate cake, filled with cream cheese & chocolate chips, topped with a cream cheese frosting and Belgian chocolate straws.

--  Pink Lady:  Moist white cake, a Bavarian cream filling, topped with a pink champagne frosting, finished with white chocolate shavings.

--  Drama Queen:  Tropical coconut cake, coconut buttercream frosting, and fresh coconut shavings.

Decisions. Decisions.

I finally chose the Drama Queen since coconut is not a flavor most bakeries carry. AMAZING. Moist. Flavorful. Delish.

I was chatting with Johann Machado, the creator of Bebe Cakes. She asked if I was a lemon person. OH, YEAH! So she gave me one for free because she had so many. Not just any old lemon cupcake, mind you. That would be Pucker Up, a lightly scented lemon cake, filled with a tart lemon curd, and topped with lemon cream cheese frosting. Oh, be still my heart!

Seems Johann is a former fashion designer. In fact, her handbag line was featured by Lucky Magazine as the "it" bag. She thanks her grandfather, a NYC baker, for introducing her to the world of sweet goodies from the oven. BebeCakes started from a family recipe, which she expanded into 14 different flavors (lucky us).

These cupcakes are moist and flavorful. For about $3.25 each, they're a bargain.

And for those of you on a diet, you can have your cake and eat it too by ordering a Mini for just $2.00.

I hope she's wildly successful.

When you finish your movie at the Stanford Theater, walk across the street and end your night on a sweet note with a luscious BebeCakes cupcake.

May sweetness surround you,

Catherine

PaperWhirl (Stationery Store) *****

ON THE WAY TO WORK TODAY:  The towering silhouette of redwoods punched through the fog bank like spires of a lost city waiting to be discovered. 

ABRAHAM-HICKS CALENDAR QUOTE (see Abraham-Hicks.com > Store > Calendar > Planning Calendar/Workbook):  "YOUR INNER BEING. You are much more than you see in these physical bodies. And that is not always easy for you to see, as you are using only your physical senses to make the valuation. But there is another part of you--a greater, broader, and older--that exists, right now, in the Non-physical dimension. That is a surpirse to most of you. While many of you accept that you have lived before this, that there was something before this physical experience, and while many of you want to believe--you are hoping--that there is something beyond this physical experience, very few acknowledge that, right now, while you are physical, that there is another part of you, a greater part of you that remains in Non-physical dimension. And we are wanting you to know that, so that you may reconnect, consciously and deliberately, with that inner you. We call it your Inner Being. Some of you call it your Higher Self or your Soul. It matters not what you call it, but it is of great value for you to acknoweldge that it exists, for there is wondrous guidance that is available to you through this inner you."

I am asking for inner guidance more and more each day...even for little things...just to practice tapping into that resource of knowledge. For example, today I asked:  "Which cashier will I most likely enjoy?" and then I got in THAT line.

I prefer to take baby steps now, when things are calm and quiet, rather than trying a new technique in the middle of trauma and drama.

How about you? When was the last time you asked your Inner Being a question?

PAPERWHIRL IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STANFORD THEATER IN PALO ALTO. Yes, they have wonderful stationery, including the complete line of Kate Spade and Vera Wang. Yes, they specialize in custom invites and announcements. And yes, they have a wedding service to help you pick out the most perfect programs, menus, and placecards for your special day.

But they're soooo much more than a stationery store.

You could spend HOURS wandering around looking at all their little gifties. This is where I bought my Koko Lunch Bag. And they have candles and unusual soaps and silly toys and baby gifts and unique pens and convenient little gadgets that are so hard to resist and look at this happi by Dena cupcake apron I got for Alexis for Valentine's Day:

Plus a Decorate Your Own Cupcake Sticker Note Cards, Band-Aids, and Cupcake box (perfect for hiding $$$ in)! So fun. So cute.

You've got to go to this store. It'll entertain you for hours. Well...some of us are easily entertained.

They're at 230 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 650-328-6141, PaperWhirl.com.

May cupcakes surround you,


Catherine

Stanford Theater

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE STANFORD THEATER TO SEE A BLACK & WHITE MOVIE? No? If you love old time movies, you've got to go!

The Stanford Theater opened in 1925. In 1987, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation bought and restored the theater to its original beauty:  neo-classical Greek/Assyrian architecture, gold trim, red velvet curtains.

It's dedicated to bringing back the movie-going experience of Hollywood's Golden Age. I think they've succeeded since more people watched Casablanca there on its 50th anniversary in 1992 than anywhere else in the United States! If fact, sometimes the Stanford Theater accounts for 25 percent of all classic film attendance in the US.

They believe the classic films were meant to be watched on a big screen, not your TV screen, in a sumptuous environment with the shared reactions of a real audience.

They usually dedicate an entire month to one genre (like film noir) or star, such as Cary Grant. Watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve is a great family tradition to start.

I just got their schedule in the mail. It tends to run 1-2 weeks late so it's better to check their schedule online. January 8-March 27 features:

--  20 early films with Bette Davis

--  8 classics produced by Val Lewton in the 1940s. Mostly low budged "horror" classics, such as Cat People (1942). He relied on suggestion and understatement, rather than the shocking visuals popular today. I'm going to try and catch of couple of these since they only show every several years or so.

--  18 other films worth seeing again, such as The Mark of Zorro (1940), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), and Heaven Can Wait (1943).

And that's not all. During intermission, the crowd goes hush...a hole in the stage floor opens...music pours forth...and a Mighty Wurlitzer organ rises up! A musician plays several songs...hands skipping across the keys...feet dancing along the pedals...lights dim...the theater organ lowers...and the next feature film begins.

Where can you get an experience like that for $7 and a tub of popcorn for $2.50? Or you could have dinner at one of the many restaurants on University Ave.

If you'd like to experience classic movies as Hollywood meant them to be, go to the Stanford Theater at 221 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, (650) 324-3700.

May music surround you,


Catherine



Saga Hair Salon *****

HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SAGA HAIR SALON? IT'S UNLIKE ANY SALON YOU'VE EVER been to. Trust me on this.

It's run by Yuki from Japan. She's won a number of contests. In fact, she was awarded first place in hair cutting at the All-Japan Excel Festival and now she's HERE. Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

The Salon is a lovely space with lots of windows. They use a separate Family Room when cutting your child's hair.

And, oh, they have full-flat shampoo lounge chairs imported from Japan (see pic). You sit down, they put a fuzzy bankie over your legs, they press a button, your "chair" slowly flattens out. Voila! You're lying down flat. No more neck pain from being in an awkward position during your shampoozle. AND you get a wonderful scalp massage.

And if you're sitting in the styling chair and someone asks you, "would you like massage?" JUST SAY YES. Mmmmm! A wunnerful neck and shoulder massage. All that pounding, squeezing, cupping is sooooooo nice.

Of course, you can have tea while you're waiting.

I always bring a photo to show Yuki. She's great at cutting my hair. Don't be scared. She cuts your hair dry, not wet, because she feels it lays better.

The last time I went, I took Bachan to get her long hair cut. Cindy was her stylist and she was so patient and kind to Bachan. Bachan looks 10 years younger!

Saga Hair Salon uses high-end hair products from France.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!

The next time you want to get a hair cut and pampered at the same time, call Saga Hair Salon at 408-777-8111. You can also log on to SagaHairSalon.com and make an appointment online. They're at 20488 Stevens Creek Blvd. #2050, Cupertino, CA 95014. Parking is on the Stevens Creek side, under the building.

I think my cut was about $75. That's the usual rate around here, but you get sooo much more at Saga!

Try the deep hair conditioning treatment. Amazing!

May abundance surround you,


Catherine

Japanese Stores

BACHAN ASKED ME TO TAKE HER AND ASAKO TO SAN JOSE TO STOCK UP ON Japanese food. We have our fav stores. You're probably not familiar with them. They'd be a fun day trip for you and your fam.


I-280 Freeway, De Anza Blvd Exit

--  Marina Foods, 10122 De Anza Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014. This is a Chinese grocery (you can always tell because it smells when you walk in), but it has a large selection of Asian food at a cheap price. They also sell hot food at the left side of the store. If you're not Asian, watch where people line up and and what they do and then get in there. Someone shorter than you will probably get served before you, but eventually you'll be allowed to buy something, like roast duck or cha sui (Chinese bbq pork). I rarely buy anything because I don't trust the quality of the food or the labeling, but Bachan and her friends love it because it's so cheap. If anything, it's entertaining to walk down every aisle. You've never seen so many different kinds of rice and tea!


I-280 Freeway, Wolfe Rd Exit

--  Marukai, 19750 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino CA 95014. This small Japanese grocery has a good selection of food at a reasonable price.

--  Shhh! This is our secret source of kawai (cute) gifts. Don't tell anyone. Daiso (next door to Marukai), 19750 Stevens Creek Blvd. Cupertino CA 95014. The U.S. has the $1 Store and Japan has the $1.50 Store. Girls LOVE the kawai staitionery, pens, stickers, etc. I LOVE the bento (lunch) boxes, cute toothpicks, shaped sandwich cutters, etc. And there are other items that are sooo Japanese, like this:

 

--  Beard Papa (about two stores from Marukai) makes yummy cream puffs. Try the dulce de lech (vanilla custard with a squirt of caramel) or hold out for strawberry available in the summer. They also feature a weekly flavor, like Green Tea. Somehow they're only 220 calories each so you can enjoy one guilt-free. We buy boxes for friends and neighbors.

--  Yogurtland is several doors down from Beard Papa. It's one of those serve-yourself-and-put-anything-you-want-on-top-of-your-frozen-yogurt places. We like it 'cause it has unusual toppings like mochi (squishy rice cake).


I-280 Freeway, Saratoga Ave Exit

--  Mitsuwa Marketplace, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA, 95129. This is THE Japanese supermarket. It's clean (no smell when you walk in) and carries authentic Japanese products, including bakery goods shipped from Japan, kitchenware, tableware, video rentals, etc.

--  Kinokuniya Bookstore. Across the parking lot from Mitsuwa is a large Japanese bookstore. Great place for J fashion mags, books, kawai stationery (including Hello Kitty and all the other kawai critters).

Abraham-Hicks Calendar Quote:  "The statement, 'What's been bothering me?' is a powerful statement that will help you to uncover your resistance. If you've got a pattern of resistance relative to something so that you are not allowing the stream--out of habit, but not consciously knowing you're doing it--then that's why it feels like diseases creep up on you. Things that are unfair or unjust are happening to you. Because it feels normal in most cases. Most of you feel resistance and think it's normal. And we want you to know it's not. It's abormal. It is not anything like who you are.

What is normal to you is enthusiasm. What is normal to you is laughing a lot. Many, many times a day. Feeling strong and secure. Feeling so much self-confidence, so sure about who you are, that when you look at others, you're always in a position to uplift them. What's normal for you is to have so much energy that at the end of the day you are still looking for things to do. Having such a passion for life that you're eager to get together with other people to hear about what they're doing, to see if it's anything you might want to turn a little of your attention to. To have so much energy at the end of the day, that you're already eagerly planning tomorrow. Feeling disappointed that the sun goes down and enthusiastic that the sun comes up. What is normal is a zest for life beyond anything that most of you, over eight years of age, have remembered or felt in a long, long time. That's what's normal.

It is our anticipation that 30 days of talking the resistance down, to feel a little better, and writing on the Universe's side of the Place Mat what you'd like the Universe to work on--will put most of you in a position 30 days from today of feeling an enthusiasm for life unlike anything that you've felt for a lontg time. Give that six months and people won't even recognize you as the same person, truly."

What have you gotten so used to that you now consider normal?

May insights surround you,


Catherine