Through facebook re-connects, work friends, friends through different groups, I have had so many conversations about life, loves, loss, hardships. One thing I can say forsure, is that the saying of the “grass isn’t always greener” has never been so clear to me than after these conversations. I have always believed that, but it is clear as we are getting older and living our lives and different experiences.

I remember one year after I went on a med cruise with my aunt I was having dinner with a friend and showing her all the pictures. She was happy for me, and envious at the same time, commenting on how great it was that I could travel and see different parts of the world with no worries other than myself. I agreed, but commented, you are married, you are expecting a baby and you have just bought a house. I don’t have any of that. At that time, I wasn’t living in my condo at that time. She thought the grass was greener in my single yard, and I thought her grass was greener in her married with children yard. I am sure that either one of us was right or wrong. It all depends on what side of the fence you sit on.

I know I am very lucky in my life. I have good friends, I have a job, I have a great relationship with my parents and family, and being an aunt is truly the most rewarding part of my life. Not everyone I know has the chance to see their nieces and nephew on a weekly basis. I am lucky enough to have them close to me and now the girls are old enough to call me on their own and want to see me and their parents can drop them off. It is the great joy in my life.

I have had a job that has taken me around the world (literally) and back over the last 22 years. The industry hasn’t been as rewarding as it once was, but I am still fortunate to have been and seen as much as I have over the years, and will always have that. Wherever my life may take me, I will always have the trips that have I have taken, the memories from those trip and the knowledge of other places in the world other than the city/town I live in. What I have seen and learned over the years has been invaluable. I will never forget any of it. I consider myself very wealthy in the life experiences I have been able to have because of my job.

Never judge a book by its cover….we all learned that, didn’t we?

Life changing….every day life is a roller coaster – some days we want to get off the ride and other days, we scream with excitement and want more. Tomorrow is another day – get back in the line to ride the ride again!

I don’t know about you, but I know that when I have a trip planned there is always a trip to a drugstore or a Wal Mart run to the travel size aisle of products. I remember for years I used to always buy whatever shampoos, conditioners, body lotions they had in the travel sizes. I know I am not the only one.

Over the years, there has been a lot of changes in flying and travelling. More and more people want to travel with a carry on so that they don’t have to worry about their bags getting lost (a huge deal in the US) and they can arrive at their destination and go. Also, in a post 9/11 world, if you are travelling with a carry on, you have size restrictions to the liquids you can carry on board.

Everyone knows that in the marketing world that is very important to create a “brand” for your product. When you say to someone “swish” they will automatically think of Nike, or of course just see an “apple” and we all know what that is about.

Hotels are no exception. And when you have a brand hotel, you want to have brand partnerships. This holds true with the products that are offered in hotel rooms around the world. 

Just by looking at the bin of hotel shampoos and conditioners I have, I can tell you that there are amazing brands that the hotel chains have paired up with – Crabtree and Evelyn, Bath and Body works, Gilchrist and Soames, bvglari, Miller Harris (from London) and more.

Before we went to Israel, there was a question someone in the group had about ‘are you bringing full bottles of shampoo and conditioner’ to the hotel? Heck no, hotels provide all of that. Which they did.

We were two to a room on the Israel trip – and every day the maid left 2 of everything – shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. We were there for 8 nights. We just kept putting the “leftovers” in our bags every day. Imagine how many bottles we 

had at the end of the trip?

The same just happened to me on my trip to Orlando. I should stress, I was in a three bedroom, three bathroom villa. That means 12 bottles each day. I didn’t take them all (used them while I was there). This hotel used Gilchrist and Soames as their provider. I don’t think I have ever used their products, but my hair doesn’t usually like going on vacation, but these products were good for my hair. I brought them home.

If you are going away for a few days, and want to bring some extras with you (in case you are not sure what you will get from the hotel you are staying at), send me a message, I am sure I can find something for you!

And don’t be afraid to put the products in your suitcase, they will be replaced when you come back to the room!

I have talked about my trip to Israel in several post earlier this summer. As you know by now, the trip had a profound affect on my life, in more ways that I can really explain in a blog post. No, I have not become religious, I haven’t traded in my jeans for skirts, but I have become more interested in learning about Judiasm in a way that I never had before.

One of the underlying twists and turns about the trip was the fact that everyone is on their own personal Jewish journey. It is something different for everyone. There were 10 amazing women that were on my trip with me (plus one Madricha and two Rebbetzins). Everyone had a different reason for being there. On one of our last nights in Israel, the group had a get together in the lobby of the hotel to discuss topics for classes that we would be part of when we came back to Toronto.

Tonight was the last night of our second series of classes. This one was called Judiasm 101. We went through the holidays during our holiday time, and went through them in a way that I never really learned before. As I am sitting here and typing this I think I figured something out. When I was a child and went to Sunday school and after school classes, I was a child. Learning the prayers and the holidays and traditions. This is totally different. This is learning as an adult, which is different.

Tonight we talked about Shabbat. I had discussed in a previous post about how Shabbat in Israel was amazing and meaningful to me. It was nice to sit around the table tonight and hear that the others were feeling the same way I was feeling in Israel.

The next series of classes will be at my house. I am excited to host amazing women, being taught by an amazing woman, about women. My course topic is Woman’s role in Judaism – the Power of the Jewish Woman.

If you would like to come to the classes, please send me a private message on Facebook and I will give you the details. As my condo is small, I can’t have everyone, but I know that my Rebbitzen loves to teach so I am sure there will be other chances to learn.