Alice’s Book Club – SUMMER session of 2025

~ featuring the famous Romanian poet, Mihai Eminescu, during "Eminescu year of 2025" ~

As the summer season gradually concludes, on Friday (September 19, 2025) I held the third edition of our book club at our Circle, this time focusing on the poetry of Mihai Eminescu, the renowned Romanian poet. Also, I would like to mention that following the recommendation of the Romanian Academy, year 2025 has been officially designated as the “Year of Mihai Eminescu” in order to commemorate the 175^th anniversary of the birth of Romania's national poet. 
This initiative seeks to emphasize Eminescu's life and contributions through a variety of cultural activities, fresh literary releases, academic studies and potentially new stamp collections, all working together to pay tribute to the genius who established the roots of Romanian national culture.

In light of the year 2025 being a particularly significant one from this perspective, I organized at my Circle 3 events (#1 – January 2025, #2 – June 15, 2025) and this one is the 3^rd – all of them meant to honor our esteemed poet. As you all know, our group has a yearly practice of honoring our national poet on his birthday (which falls in January) and we have never failed to do this over the last 7 (seven) years since our Circle came into existence. 

Once again, my most sincere appreciation to those friends who honored my invitation...your support is truly appreciated! Until we meet again, my best regards to all!

Alice

The most beautiful tribute we can pay to Mihai Eminescu is to read his work.

To further honor our national poet, here are some of my thoughts, written directly in Romanian language

To translate this into English or into any other language, please use the automated translator installed at the bottom of the page. Thank you!

Anul Mihai Eminescu – 2025: o reverberație a geniului românesc

Anul 2025 marchează o aniversare semnificativă: este oficial declarat Anul Mihai Eminescu, un omagiu adus poetului național, ale cărui versuri și gândire filosofică continuă să modeleze identitatea culturală a României. Acum, mai mult ca niciodată, trebuie să recitim, să reinterpretăm și să revalorificăm opera sa.

Eminescu nu este doar un simbol romantic al trecutului, ci o voce puternică și relevantă în prezent. Poezia sa oglindește esența umană, frământările intelectuale și căutarea unui ideal într-o lume aflată în continuă schimbare. Într-un secol al vitezei și al tehnologiei, Eminescu ne amintește de profunzimea gândului, de frumusețea limbajului și de necesitatea reflecției.

În Anul Eminescu, să ne propunem să citim și să discutăm despre creația sa cu un ochi nou, fără clișee, fără limite impuse de timp. Fie că este ”Luceafărul”, ”Scrisorile” sau meditațiile sale asupra destinului național, fiecare vers ascunde adevăruri universale.

Sărbătorim, dar și reflectăm: Ce mai înseamnă Eminescu pentru noi, astăzi? Cum putem păstra vie moștenirea sa, dincolo de simple festivități? 

Într-o lume dominată de zgomot și superficialitate, lectura lui Eminescu rămâne un act de rezistență intelectuală și emoțională.

Tu ce poezie eminesciană recitești anul acesta?

“Ce te legeni codrule” (poem de Mihai Eminescu – format audio)

”Luceafărul” (poemul integral al lui Mihai Eminescu; recită actorul Gheorghe Cozorici – format audio)

”Sara pe deal” (poem de Mihai Eminescu; interpretează corul Madrigal – format audio)
”Dintre sute de catarge” (poem de Mihai Eminescu; interpretează grupul Pro Musica – format audio)

”Și dacă…”  (poem de Mihai Eminescu; recită actorul George Vraca – format audio)

Alice’s Book Club – SPRING session of 2025

Spring is peacefully unfolding in our part of the world, allowing me to organize on Friday (April 11, 2025) the session of the current season for my Book Club series, having as guest speaker a dear friend – Daciana Healey (her biography in comments section), who spoke to our fairly large group about retirement planning and investment opportunities.

“It is not always easy to think about retirement because retirement plans do not carry the excitement usually associated with one’s life ambitions and professional goals. Yet any prudent person knows retirement planning is one of the most important decisions in life, even more now as people are living longer and social security system may not be sustainable in the long term. Planning for the long term may continue to evolve according to life circumstances which are naturally hard to predict.”

Our guest speaker this evening graciously delivered an interesting presentation, adopting the interactive approach - addressing questions as arise.

It was clearly understood that retirement planning is a very structured process, and in order to do it right you need to have a proper framework and access to a trusted financial advisor.

On the other hand, briefly talking about investment/s it helps to refresh that investing is “the act of putting money into something with the expectation of gaining a profit or income”. It can involve purchasing stocks (stocks represent ownership in a company; when you buy stocks, you can earn money if the company does well), bonds (bonds are loans to companies or governments; you earn interest over time), real estate (real estate involves buying property to rent or sell at a higher price), or even starting a business.

“The goal of investing is to grow wealth over time. However, it does come with risks….understanding these risks and potential rewards is crucial for anyone considering investment options. It is important to understand that people invest for many reasons. One common reason is to build wealth for the future. Many individuals want to save for retirement. Investing can help grow their savings over time. Others may want to reach specific financial goals, such as buying a home or funding education. Some investors seek to generate additional income through dividends or rental payments. Understanding personal financial goals helps determine the best investment strategy.”

Every investment carries some level of risk (risk refers to the chance of losing money or not achieving the expected returns).

Generally, higher potential returns come with higher risks. For example, stocks can provide great returns, but their prices can also fluctuate significantly. On the other hand, bonds are usually considered safer, but their returns are often lower. Balancing risk and return is essential for successful investing. Before investing, it’s important to conduct thorough research. Understanding the market, companies, and economic conditions can help make informed decisions. For instance, when investing in stocks, knowing a company’s performance, industry trends, and competition can be beneficial. Many investors also analyze historical data and financial statements to gauge potential risks and returns. Knowledge is key to successful investing.

Diversification (involves spreading investments across different asset types or industries) is a strategy to reduce risk. By diversifying, investors can protect themselves against losses in one area. For example, if someone invests only in technology stocks, a downturn in that sector could lead to significant losses. However, if they also invest in bonds, real estate, and other stocks, they may not lose as much. Diversification can lead to a more stable overall portfolio.

Time plays a crucial role in investing. The longer you invest, the more potential your money has to grow. This is due to a concept called compound interest (compound interest means you earn interest on both your initial investment and the interest that accumulates over time). For many, starting to invest early can lead to a more comfortable financial future, as the effects of compounding can be significant.

In summary, investing involves putting money into various assets with the hope of earning a profit. Different types of investments come with unique risks and rewards. Understanding personal financial goals and conducting research is vital. Diversifying investments can help manage risk. Finally, leveraging time can significantly enhance the growth potential of investments. Making informed choices can lead to successful investment outcomes.

Wrapping up my briefing, for your convenience, here is a “retirement financial checklist” (offered by the Government of Canada) which might help you with the process. Additionally, here is another document, called “Basics of investing” (also offered by the Government of Canada) which might bring along supplementary insights. Once again, dear friends, thank you for joining our event this evening! Until next time, from me, only the best!

Alice

“Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials: much to live on and much to live for.”

Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2025

“Reading gives life more life.”

Before the astronomical winter it is completely over in our part of the world, on Wednesday (March 19, 2025) I was happy to be able to organize the winter session of the year for the Book Club of our Circle.

I truly enjoyed the company of those 16 beautiful and intelligent ladies, and together (using an open voting system) we chose three books this time (yes, you’ve heard it well…3 books were chosen to read as a group), books which we will discuss (together) by the end of the year….needless to say how interesting those sessions are!

On the other hand, while at this page, I would like to quickly mention again few valid points the scholars usually emphasize in their papers about the benefits of reading (in essence, why it helps to read at least a bit every day):

 - Reading books allow readers to gain better insights into human nature (you could gain interesting and helpful knowledge that never can be taken away from you)

- Readers become more sensitive to the emotions of other people, quality which seems to disappear in today’s world

- Good literature of any language improve and expand the comprehension skills; also, at the same time, by considering all the aspects involved, you could become even more versed with your critical and analytical thinking (the more skills you have, the better equipped you are to tackle any challenges that sometimes life might present). Additionally, a well written novel could 'transport' you to different places, while an engaging article might distract or keep you in the present moment allowing relaxation to occur. 

- A book always stimulates the brain (amazingly enough, through reading new brain pathways are created and the existing ones become even stronger, facts that assist with the short-term memory recalls as well as mood stabilization).  

So, dear friends, please be kindly reminded that the journey of a life time starts with the turning of a page. 

Once again, I am grateful to share that it is a true delight to continue to stay in touch with likeminded fellows who are passionate about arts and culture, about reading and harmonious conversations. Until next time, dear beautiful readers and members of our Book Club, my warmest regards to each of you!

Alice

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Alice’s Book Club – AUTUMN session of 2024

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Alice’s Book Club – SUMMER session of 2024

  The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Alice’s Book Club – SPRING session of 2024

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2024

“READING:
Some people call it a hobby;
I call it a passion!”

As the current winter is slowly coming to an end, on Friday (March 15’24) I was glad to organize my first book club of the year (the winter session of 2024), this time selecting together the book we will discuss as a group, as well as a brief brainstorming regarding other educational subjects, which we might like to touch on during our future gatherings.

Lovely meeting, lovely ladies, lovely vibes….awesome books were proposed and fantastic topics were added to our agenda….stay close to us to learn more about our reading “adventures”, as well as our themes of interest…indeed, there is a lot to be grateful for!

As usual, my most sincere appreciation for those kind & dear friends who honored my invitation!

Until we meet again, my best regards to all for a beautiful spring to come!

Alice 

  “The man who doesn’t read has no advantage over the man who can’t read.” (Mark Twain) 

Alice’s Book Club – AUTUMN session of 2023

“Face of Peace”
Drawing by Picasso (1950)

Days around here are getting cooler and cooler, but on Friday (October 27’23) I organized the autumnal session of my seasonal book club series, which is also the last session of the current year, and the chosen topic was “Reinventing yourself”…an interesting, while intriguing concept, genuinely appreciated by everyone. Comfortably, we have gathered on-line for our evening talks.

This time as well I had 2 special guest speakers: my dear friend, writer and well-known painter, visual artist Pnina Granirer (here is her website: www.pninagranirer.com), and my dear friend Rodica P. (a retired electrical engineer), both discussing their perspectives on the above mentioned theme. Definitively, both these ladies captured the audience with their wisdom, with their extensive life experience, and more than anything else, with their charming attitude which in a way left us wonder how both of them managed to maintain their poise unaltered while facing so many challenging situations in their lives. Without any doubt, such amazing people are precious in many ways, and the only thing I truly wish is to see younger generations value more the wisdom of the ones before them.

Anyhow, before I will give you the usual briefing with few main concepts of general interest (like I always do), I would like to share with you something else, equally amazing, in my opinion.

Recently we had in our city the “Vancouver Fashion Week”, which is the second largest fashion week in North America, very popular around here, featuring a large variety of runway shows, all sorts of industry professionals and many, many designers from all over the world.

Being super busy at that very time, I couldn’t attend it, but a very dear friend of mine went and there she met an amazing lady from Japan (her name is Akiko), who featured during her presentation in Vancouver our traditional Romanian dresses. My friend found that amazing and knowing that I will also be so super excited about the concept, she invited Akiko at our event, on October 27’23…and, as the saying goes…the rest is history….

Because I found Akiko’s work in Japan absolutely fascinating, I had her open the evening and give us all a brief talk about her activity in Japan. As a result, we’ve all learned that Akiko went to Romania (in Northern part, in Maramureş area), with the clear desire to learn more about the Romanian traditional dresses, as well as our traditional embroideries. She traveled through our old villages, meeting people, taking lots of pictures, appreciating our traditional foods and truly enjoying, for the time being, our countryside.

Needless to say that myself, as a person borne in Romania, listening to the beautiful stories of this amazing Japanese lady about my birth country brought so much joy to my heart. Below, I’ve put together a concise collage featuring Akiko’s passion for the Romanian culture, her store in Kyoto from where she sells throughout the world lots of traditional dresses from Romania, as well as her Instagram page (here is the link: https://www.instagram.com/rochie_romanian_vintage/).
Also, for your reference, here is the YouTube video of Akiko’s participation at Vancouver Fashion week, where her models were exhibiting the Romanian vintage dresses. At our gathering, Akiko herself was wearing a traditional Romanian dress. All in one, a truly amazing story!  
Now, coming back to my 2 special guest speakers of this beautiful evening: as I’ve mentioned, each of their presentations brought to our attention many, many valuable points. Lots of questions were answered and many more were raised, being graciously addressed.  

For your benefit, here are few concepts of general interest:

- Major life changes are never easy, but if you focus you will be surprised of how much you could achieve

- Before you plan to reinvent yourself, first of all you have to know who you really are (know your strengths, weaknesses, passions, etc.)

- Have a good understanding of what is going on in the world, clearly list all the opportunities you are noticing & try to match what suits you

- In life it is important to evaluate yourself objectively, and keep at by the tendency of illusory superiority

- It is significant to find a functional balance between the goals you wish to chase and your values (what really matters to you)

- As you integrate reinvention efforts into your daily life, remember to always be honest with yourself.

There were many other angles discussed as well, in essence having change at core, but for now I think these deep highlights would suffice.

As usual, our group talks were lengthy, honest, interesting, enjoyable and balanced, leaving each of us with a very pleasant feeling of benevolent camaraderie.

Before I’m ending my brief update here, once again I would like to express my most sincere appreciation to those who honored my invitation.

Till we meet again, my best regards to all!

Alice

“Every end is a new beginning.” 

Alice’s Book Club – SUMMER session of 2023

On Thursday (September 21, 2023) we had our end of the current summer book club session, this time discussing few beautiful concepts:
“Femininity. Style. Wardrobe selection”. For everybody's convenience, we've meet again on line, making sure the personal comfort was not overlooked. Our gathering was really pleasant, cozy, fun and nicely engaging (like good friends talks about subjects of common interest). 

To everybody’s delight, this time I've invited 2 very interesting guest speakers, who have a lot to say on the chosen notions and who are very dear to me:

 – Mihai S. (here is his website: Mike Consulting) who explained us from a medical perspective, the connection between femininity and our health (because there is a very well-defined one) and how each woman could proceed to keep a functional balance between them in daily life

– Magda Bitoiu, (here is her face-book account, Magda Andrei Bitoiu & her Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/magda_trueliving) who shared with us her extensive experience explaining the following:  how we can identify our clothing style and the outfit that best benefits us depending on the body shape we each have; how we can choose the most suitable clothes for us while staying within a reasonable budget, and how we can make a clothing capsule, depending on the season.  

As I usually do, prior to our meeting, I gave my confirmed guests few reading materials about these concepts, in order to spice up even more the group conversation, while adding more depth to personal perspectives.

Needless to say that my special guests of the evening were absolutely amazing, both delivering extremely interesting presentations, while offering many important details that we each could benefit from in our daily lives.

By now, most of you know that in my public briefings the confidentially of the personal matters discussed is paramount, but because I truly believe in sharing the knowledge far and wide, here are few key concepts of general interest that might be of some sort of assistance to you…

- It is important to be aware that some actions in life might destroy your femininity....consciously avoid them

- Healthy femininity is characterized by few of the following traits: ground-ness, receptivity, reflectiveness, clear boundaries and gracious strength

- For women it is important to do whatever they each have to do with satisfaction, because passion and joy could be truly uplifting and rejuvenating at once

- Femininity completely disappears when women engage in conflicts, and mind you, the subsequent stress inflicted upon yourself it is very damaging

- Fashion in clothing is not necessarily the care for the correctness of clothes, taste and attitude; fashion is an "outfit", it is a "style"

- The fashion of an active woman is the fashion of coordinated elements: harmony of form, style and colors, simplicity, naturalness, poise, grace and intelligence

- Personal charm and elegance are always above the trends of fashion.

The group discussion of the evening were truly warm, inspiring, deeply pleasing, as well as heart and mind nourishing, facts which again made us all completely forget the time, of course, in a flattering manner. As a wise person said once upon a time, "In learning one will teach, and in teaching one will learn". 

Now, I'm concluding my briefing here, yet again extending my sincere appreciation to my dear friends who honored my invitation, wishing them only the best!

Warm regards,

Alice

“Women forget how much we can inspire one another. No one understands us like us.”

Alice’s Book Club – SPRING session of 2023

While the beautiful sunny days of the current spring time have such a marvelous effect on all of us, on Wednesday (May 31’23) I was truly happy to be able to organize the second gathering of the year for my seasonal book club (the spring session of 2023), and for everybody’s convenience, we’ve meet on line.

The theme of the evening was “Fashion in daily life”, and instead of our usual novel, in order to better ignite the conversation, this time a research paper conjugated with a documented essay have been chosen as reading materials.

Of course, in addition, personal experiences and individual perspectives were amply discussed, making our evening together really special. 

It was truly beautiful to observe how well my guests embraced the proposed subject, and how easily our talks emerged, nicely leading to meaningful discussions, with breadth and depth.

As usual, respecting the privacy of the personal matters discussed, here are only few thoughts of general interest, as well as some additional concepts issued by the fashion industry leaders, which might be of interest to you:

- The best fashion is truly what makes you feel happy and, at the end of the day, confidence transcends any fashion rules

- Feeling confident in your clothes is more attractive than any trend could ever be

-  Fashion originated from people’s traditions and cultures, and became what it is today, through individuals adopting each style and making it their own 

- Each era had its style/s that directly resulted from that time’s circumstances

- Fashion industry is a very competitive industry, which depends on person’s search for identity (fashion is a reflection of who you are)

- Fashion has several benefits, such as: boosting self-confidence, lightening moods, and developing creativity

- Generally speaking, fashion choices could help people send messages and present their beliefs, implying the fact that fashion could also be very political

- Each new generation is surrounded and continuously exposed to extensive commercial influences concerning fashion

- It has been observed by many that nowadays youths are more sensitive to what people think of them, and some will always do everything to follow trends, even if they’re not presentable or appropriate, etc....

Typically, our group talks were lengthy, honest, interesting, enjoyable and balanced, leaving each of us with a very pleasant feeling of benevolent camaraderie.

In closing, once again, my most sincere appreciation to all my friends who were able to join me this evening, wishing them each a wonderful rest of spring!

Till we meet again, my warmest regards to all!

Alice 

“FASHION says: me too. STYLE says: only me.”

Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2023

Before the astronomical winter was completely over, on Sunday (March 19’23), I organized the first session of the year for my seasonal book club (the winter session of 2023). At this on-line gathering, all my guests presented a number of favorite books, and because our group was of such a reasonable size, some titles were discussed in more depths.

Also, I was truly happy that Mihai was able to join us again, this time explaining the audience, from a medical perspective, how reading books could benefit both physical and mental health, and how those benefits could last a lifetime….reading for at least 30 minutes every day could take you far!  
Additionally, he briefly touched on “neuroplasticity” (also known as “brain plasticity” – this is a term that refers to brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience), which is a central concept to theories relating to memory and learning abilities as well.   
Apparently, there is a lot of scientific research which indicates that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain, and the more you practise it (the more you read) those networks get stronger and more sophisticated.

Now, back to the books we’ve discussed that evening, here I’m glad to share only several titles that were briefly touched on, hoping that by doing so, you might find the inspiration to read them (in case you haven’t yet):  
– “When Breath Becomes Air” (by Paul Kalanithi)                           | – “Sense and Sensibility” (by Jane Austen)
– “All the Light we cannot see” (by Anthony Doerr)                          | – “To Kill a Mockingbird” (by Harper Lee)
– “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” (by Dr. Joy Dispenza)      |– “My Brilliant Friend”…The Neapolitan Novels (by Elena Ferrante)
– “Gone with the Wind” (by Margaret Mitchell)                                 |– “The Biology of Belief” (by Dr. Bruce Lipton)

– “Shogun”…the Epic Novels of Japan (by James Clavell)                 |– “The Old Man and the Sea” (by Ernest Hemingway)

– “The Prayer of Jabez” (by Bruce Wilkinson)                                    |– “Finding Me: A Memoir” (by Viola Davis)

Of course, many other books and writers were also referred to (spanning from spiritual to health, from science to fiction, and so on), but for the purpose of this briefing, the above mentioned titles might suffice.

So, dear friends, once again, I would like to refresh that reading is an indispensable skill in life, which allows you to discover new facts, by opening for you the door to new ideas, stories and opportunities. This beautiful habit of reading books could bring people knowledge & wisdom, making them more intellectual & sensible.
In closing, once again, many thanks to all my friends who honored this invitation! Until we meet again, warm wishes for a beautiful spring to come!
Alice  

“The journey of a lifetime starts with the turning of a page.”

Alice’s Book Club – AUTUMN session of 2022

Special edition – live session with writer & painter Pnina Granirer

~ exclusively for ALICE & Friends Circle™ ~

With great joy I’m sharing that on Friday (October 28’22) we had a pleasant group conversation with my dear friend, writer and well-known painter, visual artist Pnina Granirer (for your quick reference, in the comments section is Pnina’s short  biography, and here is her website: www.pninagranirer.com), discussing author’s perspective on her book called ”LIGHT WITHIN THE SHADOWS – A Painter’s memoir” (in case you wish to have this book, here is the link  where you can procure it from; additionally, it might be also found in Indigo stores in Vancouver, or if you wish only to read it you could borrow it from a public library).

This on line event constituted the autumnal edition of my seasonal book club series, happening only 4 times per year. 

At my suggestion, given her impressive life experience, Pnina was very kind to agree to share with us her views on resilience, achievements, focus and positivity – aspects of inspirations for many. Our evening together was interactive and the audience had interesting questions of general interest so all guests could benefit from the answers received. I was super happy to have 36 people registered for this event, but since few of them couldn’t make it for objective reasons, I provided them with the recording of Pnina’s presentation.

Also, I would like to refresh that artist Pnina Granirer has been featured at one of my past literary gatherings, back in November 2019 (for your enjoyment, here is the link of the occasion I’m referring to).

For your reference, here is an overview of Pnina’s book, as it has been circulated by different publishing houses:

“Light Within the Shadows is a lively and moving memoir that chronicles Pnina Granirer’s life as an artist, wife and mother. Conceived as a play in three acts, it begins in her hometown in Romania, moves to its second act in Israel, and concludes with her life in North America. It encompasses her years in Romania, Israel, the USA, France and Canada, and her travels to Japan, Spain and Mexico, all of which inform her understanding of the world which is then reflected in her art.

Besides producing art and preparing for gallery shows, she is committed to educating her community about art. In 1993, Granirer co-foounded the on-going Artists in Our Midst, the first open studios walk in Vancouver.

In this compelling memoir, Granirer shares her successes and failures, addressing issues of dislocation, ‘otherness’ and uprooted soul’s wish for permanency. With determination and resilience, amidst the joys and restrictions of family life, Granirer created a large body of art, ignoring trends and searching for renewal.

She became an internationally respected artist whose profound work is an enduring expression of the search for beauty and spirituality. Her works are found in museums collections in Canada, Spain, Chile and Israel.

Light Within the Shadows gives and inside view of how art is forged and released into the world. Granirer’s work has been featured in two other books: Her own Trials of Eve (Gaea Press) and Portrait of an Artist, by Ted Lindbert (Ronsdale Press).”

Our time together flew by very quickly and we adjourned in a lovely note, concluding that resilience, kindness, focus and positivity are significant aspects of existence able to take one far in life.

Since this was the last book club session of the year, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all those loyal, dear friends who each time (not just occasionally) make  themselves available to honor my invitations, and who genuinely & continuously are supporting the activities of ALICE & Friends Circle™.

Until our paths will meet again, my best regards to all!

Alice

SERENDIPITY....let it find you!