dreams do come true.

So 4 months into the birth of my first child, comes the birth of home ownership. I am trully thankful and my appreciation goes beyond words. Owning a home, has been a dream of mine since childhood, as I lived apartment to apartment for years. All of you former NYC residents will know too, how apartment to apartment, is the way of life. I'm not surprised why people actually are found sleeping in storage places while they are in-between places.. I also knew when my child can hold a rattle and throw it across the room, it put me on full gear to get in house owning mode.. My cute Ikea open style home office is not working anymore, as it has become a high traffic noise zone. The craving for a door to a home office is now a must. So more space for the child, a dog that needs a back yard haven instead of our bed, and a husband craving for manly garage space. Our good friend marlena found us this perfect little heaven so that our little family can thrive happily ever after..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sugatank/sets/72157622497819995/show/

It's been too long since last update, but it's okay!

Hello Everyone! I just went through a big shift this past two months of my life, as I gave birth to my first child Helen Elizabeth. We are all calling her Ellie for short. Motherhood to me right now consist of relating my daughter's poop to indian chicken korma curry, making milk every 3-4 hours, and watching my precious one nap into dreamland while I utilize the time to catch up on work. My main focus have been carving out a weekend in August for myself to recover fully by going back to jogging, massages, and my devoted hot yoga classes. Besides wanting to burn all the fat off, I crave for shedding out the toxins that were in my blood stream during delivery and post. Right now my sciatic is getting better in my left leg, which has been a blessing, as it has been driving me crazy these past couple of weeks. I want a pain free leg today and my higher energy level so that I can be there fully for Ellie. I'm sord of back on track this week and getting back in to work mode. I'm replanning my current business structure this summer. The goal is to create more time, money, and better work flow. Stay tuned on how that will happen.

Shark Attack Hat!

I think it is a good time for a little post here today! With an awesome interface at facebook, iphones, a couple of computers in your home office, work flowing in non-stop, and a baby about to pop. It just have been non-stop for us. Here is an awesome hat find from my friend at daftcraft. It's not available for sale, I'm going to have to make i if I want it. I love it!

A Special Post for my BNI group and all.

It's been a really interesting 6 months or so being part of a BNI group. Most of all, the relationships being built, and collaborations going on that is really help shaping my business, making it stronger to build a better client base and lasting fulfilling relationships with them. It also has been very interesting to really get what everyone does, and their commitments to the group.

After some recent article discussions in my linkedin AIGA network. I still feel at times that some of you may not be clear about what the whole web industry is about, and what my part is. Trust me, It is a very big one and I really don't expect you to get it fully unless you worked or are affiliated with the design and IT industry. I like to start with distinctions today of what some of the occupations are and where my part is in all of this.

Web Programmer: This occupation entails basic understanding of graphic applications, but expert in all programs related to the web. It is also necessary that a programmer is very knowledgeble in hard coding. Which is creating web pages from HTML, meaning with no software assistance. A Web Programmer though encouraged is not required to know design. Colleges across the country are starting to change that through creating programs that integrate more with design and coding.

Web Developer: This job entails PHP, AJAX, MYSQL, and amongst many other which I'm sure I can go in depth to answer. Simply, I'll use metaphors. When Banks for example, are looking for a Web person to develop their website, which is highly depended on security and heavy on database development they go to a WEB DEVELOPER. They sleep, eat and breathe that stuff, in order to maintain a high level of integrity with the clients. They are not required to know design, but again ones with a good design background, such as a web developer that went to MIT for example would excel tremendously in the industry.

Web Designer: A Web Designer is responsible for designing the shell of the site, the look, the user friendly part, new branding or staying consistent with the original. A web designer needs to have a very good back ground in Design, preferably graphic design. She or he also has a good understanding of programming, and also is educated but not required to know the concepts behind a web developers job.

All three job descriptions are ever changing, and that's why it is quite complicated when you walk into this world, and maybe why a little difficult in how everyone is trying to help me with a good referral.

So, this is what Victoria does, let's start with: What I am not. I'm definitely not the WEB DEVELOPER I don't breathe or eat PHP database stuff. But I am educated on it and usually collaborate with third party companies, or use pre-programmed systems/widgets for me to integrate into site for a client if he or she needs it. I can be considered or called a WEB PROGRAMMER, because I can code html pages without Software Application Help and have school and work experience based around programming. I'm also pretty good at animating, so anything online that you see with movement, or requires a bit of fancy flash integration, I'm opt to do well too. The best way to go is to be aware that I am most definitely a WEB DESIGNER.

My niche here with my web design business, is that I have a strong multi-disciplinary background in Art, Design and Illustration. But I think this steers people away of understanding what I do. This background is basically the SPINE of my business, It helps tremendously with the look, functionality, User Interface, and Budget with a website. Without this Design Spine, a site can be over saturated, overdone, over priced. Writing and communication is always important. Though, with just one powerful image, logo, and consistent branding to a site. Bam! you got a million dollar site and audience. Web Design is the Gate to your money being invested further if you decided to go online with your business so to speak. A good web designer is very resourceful, organized, collaborates and get that vision clear for you. It's almost the occupation of the New Web Creative Director. But to be good, is to have knowledge in all that I have listed in the occupation categories.

I would really like to thank everyone that took the time to read this article. I think no matter what this article will help with my 10 minute next month.

Have a good one!

Vegan Garden Mango Chutney Wrap

With a little preparation of boiled eggs and frozen garden burger. This would be a great quick/in-expensive lunch solution for Home Business Owners. Light on the stomach so you don't feel tired after wards and just as healthy and filling.

Ingredients:
1 boiled egg/or leave out
1 handful of chopped lettuce
1/2 chopped and cubed cucumber
1 garden burger, pan-fried
1/2 tablespoon of Mango Chutney
1/2 tablespoon of Mayo/Veganaise
1 tortilla
salt and pepper
apple vinegar

Put together the tortilla between 2 piece of paper towels in the microwave for 40 seconds. Have all your pre-cooked items (egg and garden burger) chopped up ready. Assemble all the ingredients in the tortilla starting with the mayonaise on the tortilla first then a little bit of Mango chutney, followed by lettuce,cucumbers, garden burger and boiled egg. Then top it off with salt and pepper, and half tablespoon of apple vinegar. Wrap it up and chopp it in half. YUM! :)

The Credit Crisis Visualized

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

(Thanks to my friend Jac for posting this on facebook.) I love it when they create visual designs of things that are just way too complicated to explain. This short animation film really makes it very clear for me as a future home owner. As I went into the complete house purchase process with little experience and unfortunately excitement turned into complete disappointment. I am very grateful of my position right now with my beautiful new "rented" apartment. It maybe a waste to some people, but I calculated on all the risks that's going on and I'm saving tons of money for myself, the baby, and my business every month presently. I'm really thinking about other ways to invest these days rather then houses or mortgages. Especially when I'm still so young! Enjoy the video.

Review for Stove, Portsmouth, VA

We finally managed to try out Stove in Portsmouth this Friday. I found out about this place through an anonymous blogger that read my blog last year. This place had really good reviews and the customers all seem to be very happy with everything. I hear a lot of intimate compliments to the chef Sidney. Before I get in the food, I will start with the decor. this time. I absolutely loved the bathroom, the gaudy shrek lamp, dixie tooth picks, and awesome illustrations printed on the hand napkins were an absolutely treat. The wait Staff was enourmously friendly. The colors, people, and art work in the restauraunt was amazing. Okay so here comes the truth about the food. I really would like a second chance in ordering, and I'm not sure if my pregnancy had to do with it. But the food was a 5 out of 10 unfortunately. (again, I will give you the list what not to order, as I really had high hopes when coming here last friday;) Scotts big fresh romaine (thanks to mara hehee) lettuce salad with curly beets were really fresh, and the dressing was excellent, but I almost want a little bit more weird or interesting veggies/garnish thrown in there like, palm of hearts, or pomegranates to finish it off, even bits of fried sweet potatoe croutons like a southern touch would've have made my eyes sparkle a bit more. My appetizer called Susans Wild Mushroom Melange was again, very fresh and simple, but the rice under it was just a little boring. It would've been amazing if it was a surprised scoop of truffle based creamy rissotto and a thinly sliced cut of parmesean, on top of the mushrooms. Scott got the dumb waiter, and the shrimps were huge, sauce was good, but we were really imagining something completely different. I got the Duck Breast with fresh figs and sauce on side. The figs were great, but my duck was very bloody, and I was hoping it was thinly sliced already before it hit the table that night, as my knife though super slick and modern gave me a serious muscle twister on my finger when cutting it apart. Though I didn't give up, I asked greg our waiter for the steak appetizer, and it came with fried parnips on top. The steak appetizer was excellent, again, we needed some steak sauce, and didn't want to offend the chef. Maybe the Menu could've said with a (*) somewhere that the chef will custom make the steak sauce if needed:) If I was a hard core food critique, I would have to say, that everything on the menu needs to be amazing, especially when there is not a various amount of selections. I will go back and have drinks at the bar and maybe order appetizers or share a plate next time. But not for a full on dinner for fear of hit or miss or having to justify the food afterwards to friends/guests.

It's been awhile..

I've been trying to migrate over to wordpress, but the perfectionist that I am, I'm trying to do all sorts of different things to the new blog, and hence work coming in, being pregnant, and just busy life stuff has really kept my writing on a hold. Whatever the story is, I believe and trust in my dreams therefore, I'm just going to go with it and as Richard would say keep on keep!

I wanted to post several restaurant's information here as we had a wonderful time in San Francisco on my Birthday and New Years. First we stayed at the DIVA Hotel.

http://www.hoteldiva.com/

For 139.00 per night, you can't beat that. The Bed was sooooo niceee. I slept like a baby. Then for my birthday, I really wanted to catch some ZZZ's so we came back from the SFMOMA museum, and ate early, and I knocked out like a baby.

For new years we really wanted to dine here but it was over booked:

http://www.aqua-sf.com/aqua/

So went here that was just as FABULOUS! I ate so well:)


http://www.lecolonialsf.com

And then walk thorough china town and little italy, we found this place. Their roasted garlic appetizer, wine, and filet mignon chilli was killer.
http://www.thestinkingrose.com/

Poetry for the day..

How she let go-- and started to love/ starting with her interior sea of vastness/ that turbulent ocean current / where among decayed sea life / new growth/ new life/ beating its drums..

I'm on a roll today!

Sugadaily reaches her first birthday after a year of blogging. Wow, a total of 83 posts! I feel accomplished! I have stuck through a year on this blog, that is just splendid! I never thought my attention span will last this long. I never thought of myself as a writer, but I like to write, talk, draw, and be absolutely serious but not serious at all.. I feel good so far with this blog, and even though it's not a money maker "yet". It really is this fantastic outlet to just write and blog about anything, simply there is just unlimited flow of life to share with everyone. Like my personal and work life, I've always been a wave, I would be really active out there sociallizing and then I would need my time away for solidarity with not much social interaction unless it is with my close family members like my husband and dog. Same with this blog. Anyone who is a fan here, or are new today. Thank you for being my audience:) Have a marvelous porkchops and applesauce day! Love to you!

Pregnancy Health Routine and more CHANGES.

As many may know, I am 3 months pregnant and started my second trimester officially yesterday. I also heard my baby's heart beat for the first time too. I'm not sure how I was able to get back to work after my doctors visit, as I was happy and but also felt plain weirded out by the whole experience. It's like there is a fish swimming inside of my lower tummy. I didn't gain a pound, which was great great news, as I had started to eat meat again, and was a little worried that it may cause un-neccessary weight gain. I plan to get back more to tofu and soy, as I found a good mixture of day vitamins to take, and then my pre-natal pills in the evening. Sadly, I am stopping my hot yoga classes, as it wasn't the heat or poses that was of concern, it was that I got de-hydrated too quickly, and got really ill last week. So I purchased shiva rea yoga dvds that looked exciting and inspiring, and with our new bigger space we are moving into this week, I am sure to carve out a space for all my yoga meditaion stuff I do to keep me balanced. Other exciting news is that me and the hub booked a full on trip to San Francisco for my birthday into New Years. We have the money to do it now before baby arrives in the summer of 09. So we went full out but very smart with booking a boutique style stay at Hotel Diva. I'm looking forward to really good chinese food, and more food, art viewing, and a bit of shopping, and did I say more food? Yes we will be going to little hole in the walls to black tie dining experience to get a full effect. I say cheers to that with my virgin drinks, I guess baby wants to go to the west coast tis winter month:) (i'm so excited..can you tell?)

Everything is Changing!

I love change. And I love big changes in my life, personal or work related. I love changes when they creep up on you without knowing, and you surprise yourself with these discoveries of accomplishments simply by stopping and looking back, then you look forward, then you stay still and see what's infront of you. Our brain is like a camera, it documents, records, and archives it self accordingly to how you are living your life at the present moment. It's like, if you are living your life to the fullest, your house is clean, your daily objects are in order/organized, and you do it everyday, your brain starts to archive that naturally. But the most marvelous thing about our brain, is that its connected to our heart, our emotions, and once in a while, it does almost like a lightning spark, and what you see, hear, read, or touch triggers your emotions that activates the heart and then to the brain, and you react. There is no time lapse because we are moving so quickly. I'm not sure why even I'm blogging about this today, and if there is any point to it what so ever. But I thought I share, cause I can, and I think its super interesting:)

Lovely Virginia

I love my BNI group, we are a bunch of professional comedians, its very positive and it helps tremendously with me living here. Here are some things I'm writing here as a reminder. Virginia has really nice clean beaches, fun little hidden places to discover. People are in general pretty down to earth and direct. Community orientated with strong emphasis on good health, happiness, family and education..A lot young locals have not traveled outside much which has been interesting to me, as I am fortunate enough to travel a lot of places at a young age and in contrary never really had a very stable conventional home life till now. I'm setting things up at the moment so that I do not get sucked into too deep as a hermit. Instead, I'm allowing life un-folding before my eyes with a positive intention. It's been marvelous!!

Exotic Teas: Beach Flower Tea

Giving up my every other day glass of wine came quite easy when I discovered that I was pregnant, and it was perfect timing as I was at a point of my health where I wanted to endulge more in the Art of Tea Drinking then Art of Wine Consumption. With respect to both taste traditions and culture. Tea to me now just seems so much more healing with a tremendous effect of feeling better afterwards. When I drink a well brewed cup of tea, a sense of clarity, and calmness overcomes my being that is unwaivering. I found this beautifully presented tea off a website called the Art of Tea. It is called the beach flower, and it truly looks like a tea for a beach flower goddess.

Designer X'mas Gifts

I love big bold bracelets or cuffs, I love wood patterns I love 2 in one functions. I love this coffee cuff!

http://www.veer.com/products/merchdetail.aspx?image=VPR0005640

Asian Contemporary Art Fair

It is actually quite nice to see more and more asian inspired art pieces influencing todays culture in Art and Design. I'm naturally drawn to the context of art pieces with an obvious yet subtle influences of Asian culture along with it's rich history.

http://www.designrelated.com/news/feature_view?id=37

A Great Quote: A.Hicks & Esther

As you are born into these physical bodies, you experience the vibrational continuum of the generations that have come before you. Their desires as they have lived as individuals—and their Collective Mass Consciousness desire— has emanated to the boundary-less boundaries of the Universe, and Law of Attraction is answering all of those requests. So, each generation who follows the previous generation benefits by the desires that have been exuded by Mass Consciousness.

Poetry for the day..

i see mountains today, the million color of shades, textured greens, hills and hills of waves locking my gaze into meditative state. i feel emotions today, deep behind my throat, a mixture of lemons and floral rhythms of happiness, like i'm about to tear.. but in absolute joy. i look above to the electrical wires just a few hours ago..on my drive to get lunch. little birds perched on it, so trustingly, flying off without drama or fear.. i'm peaceful today, less wars in my brain, more accepting of myself as i think of my goals. i'm thankful everyday, but today, i am blessed.