My Favorite Things

The original cast of the 'Sound of Music' got their first (and chances are quite high that it will be their last!) reunion @ Oprah. A friend of mine (thanks I!) shared on her Facebook the link to that special broadcast. It turned out to be quite nice to see some of those familiar faces back on stage. Jullie Andrews still has got plenty of style and that certain flair that it takes to turn a certain thing into an instant hit. Christopher Plummer (my mother called him numerous times 'hot') can still blow very convincingly on a whistle. And last but not least there were 'the Von Trapp-Kids' who lined up once more for good old time sake.

Yes, I still remember very vividly the first time that my parents introduced me to these songs. My dad owned a vinyl disc filled up with these songs. 'Maria', 'Do-Re-Mi','Sixteen going on Seventeen', I do consider for sure songs that will always stand out in a musical dictionary. But my favorite one, and I even have it hidden in a music box that is standing on my night stand, is 'My Favorite Things'. Some of the things Jullie Andrews sings about I also truely consider my favorite things.

So, just before we are about to exchange Summertime for the long dark Wintertime I want to share some of my favorite things that for the moment can brighten up my day. Things that hopefully will help me to survive the long dark winter that is ahead.


1. Perfume. I am very picky when it comes down to choosing a scent that is good enough to join me for the average nine-to-five-day or the glamerous night at the town. In most cases it has to be instant love and make me dazzle. Last month, while I was in Italy for the Comenius Studytrip, I fell in love with the smelly creation inspired by the talented fashion designer Marc Jacobs: Daisy. It was a 'coup de coeur' and the bottle now brightens up my bathroom and the precious content can chase away some bits of my notorious morning moods.



2. Macarons. Yes, I have a major sweet tooth. You can for sure punish me with making me eat less sweets, cookies, chocolate, cakes, croissants, hard or soft candy, cupcakes,.... Once in a while these sweet cravings can mess up my mind. Like when my sis announced that she was moving back to Belgium. I was not jumping up and down for joy because this would mean no more cute little pink or green boxes filled up with Luxemburgerli made by Sprüngli. When P last night arrived home from a medical focus meeting that took place in Switzerland I just hugged him to death because of the little edible gems he was holding out to me. The Champagne and lime ones I consider as extremely delicious. I am keeping this precious little box not in a fridge but in a highly secured vault.



3. Music and my cute little iPod Nano. This tiny cool looking musical device is so small but don't be mistaken by its size. It for sure can brighten up my grey days. Love its design, the high tech touch screen and the mega space it offers me to load up all my favorite musical notes. According to me I do think that 'Life should have background music to it'! For the moment I have something going on with a Canadian-French artist named Mylene Farmer! I really got into her music when we moved to Brussels and I do now own some of her albums that are filled up with her soothing and rather sexy voice. When the song 'Desenchantee' fills up my car, living room, kitchen, garden or head then you better get out of the way because then Stallie goes wild. And yes, I do try to copy the choreography!



4. Blogs. Yeah, right Stallie, that is a good one!! You blog so you must love blogs. But for the moment I do try to find some other worthwhile blogs to read up on while the nights will be darker, longer and colder. The Twitter thingy has enabled me to get on some surprising blogs. My favorite is one that is written by someone who fascinates me. Just like me this person seems to like Twilight/Carlisle Cullen/Peter Facinelli but her blog is about so much more. Her last entry did me write down a passage in my life that did change me for good. I did get to share it with her and she did mail me back. Just to give you an idea:

IndigoPetra: News from Nathalie

5. BOOKFAIR Today my colleague booklover auntie L called me to ask if I wanted any tickets to go to the annual bookfair down in Antwerp. YEAH!!! Picture me going insane for pure joy! Best of all: they are for free! 'You only will have them by Tuesday! Is that okay?', she did ask me. Are you kidding me! As long as I get to go! After all, the Antwerp bookfair is one of the annual highlights in Stallie her existence. Not that my wallet will be celebrating along. But can't wait to go and meet up with all the inspiring authors and their new and old creations. In case you want to come along I seem to get two tickets.



6. My 'Kersenpitje' Every night just before brushing my teeth I pop something into the microwave. It is an object that brings me happiness and warmth when I feel the cold entering my the bones. Because that is what I do experience once I walk into our bedroom. P must have been an artic explorer in his previous life because he seems to survive the polarlike temperatures that come along with Wintertime. Thanks to this red colored pillow case that is filled up with cherry stones I do feel so much more comfortable between my cooled down sheets. And yes, this little warm object can make me fall asleep and take me of to dream country where I meet up with many of my favorite things!



Guess that I am armed well enough to get through the cold months to come. And if not I can still turn to this musical evergreen in order to get some more inspiration. Need to go to bed now, my 'Kersenpitje' is calling me and I hope that I will find some sweet dreams waiting for me once that I have closed my eyes. If not I still have a wonderful sight to look at that is lying next to me. Still, he better stays at his side of the bed, the cold side! Cold things, must be for sure something that is on P his favorite-things-list! Still I doubt it that the list includes any vampires by the name of Edward or Carlisle!