Summer Travels and Vacation Time

Ok, first off I apologize for the 2 month break in updating the blog here - but during the "down season" which is the lull between fashion buying seasons and when all the new merchandise is coming in and getting press and stirring excitement - it's that time in the fashion world where things settle down to a slow crawl with very little exciting or newsworthy to report. It is a bit equivalent to the calm before the next storm.

So with that said - we will take a short deviation in mostly fashion and retail based blog entries, and instead speak about travel - most specificlly MY TRAVEL.



Over the years in business here (going on 4) I have watched other people in my world (designers, showroom reps, industry execs etc) use this time to go on "Holiday" as the Brits say. For years I just sat and stewed in jealousy every time an auto response to an email would return with the "Out of Office, On Holiday until..." notification and think to myself..."Why don't they say what they really mean....I'm off having a fabulous time so Piss Off and don't bother me with work you Tosser", and go about my business. That is however....until now.



I have been trying to recover for the past week from a glorious 2 week break - my first in many years if you didn't pick up on that - and am now a complete convert to the European way of Holiday Thinking - that Holidays are a necessity and that the American "work ethic" of working ourselves into total exhaustion and using the very little vacation time doled out to us small piece-meal ways or when complete mental breakdown has ensued - in the form of "Mental health" days. The Europeans have it right - work hard, ok, now take off for a bit will you and come back tanned, relaxed and a wee bit happier.



So I FINALLY did just that - and the reason I have had to "recover" is I found it quite difficult to get back into my real world after having such a wonderful vacation. 12 days just wasn't enough and I had a total moment where I was sadly packing my case for the return home when I started trying to figure out how exactly to stay on longer - as in forever! Obviously when one goes on a vacation and starts entertaining serious thoughts such as "I wonder who I could enlist to bring my dog over here for me" and " I wonder exactly how much trouble I could get in for bribing a customs official to extend my visa"...well obviously the vacation was very much needed and it is pretty obvious that 3 plus years should not pass before the next one!



Owning a small business is supposed to give you the pleasure of your own time, not having to answer to anyone else, being able to create your own vacation rules...etc. Well anyone who owns a small business knows - that you have far less free time, the last person to get paid is now you and as for vacation? Well there is NEVER a good time to leave - which may not be true but certainly FEELS true!



SO at the urging of friends and family I finally decided to jump on a plane and get away - far away. About as far away as I possibly could. And where did I go, you ask on the edge of your seat? Well I'll tell you - I flew to Indonesia and more specifically Bali!



Surfing and Yoga and Sun and Relaxation at the Surf Goddess Retreat. AMAZING! To read more about my trip to Bali and learn more about the retreat - stay tuned for the next post!

Sunset in front of Ku De Ta - Legian Beach - Bali, Indonesia