So nothing is really going on with me, or exciting today. Which is why I haven't posted. All I can say is Tizz is SOOOO right about Watcher in the Woods. It's rainy and bad weather here in Chicago, and I totally want to rent this movie and watch it tonight!!!! Soo good.

Oh yeah and I would like to give an early b-day shout out to Abby. In less than 12 hours you will be 30!!! Welcome to the club.

Listen up . . .

Doesn't the Fall make you want to listen to slow jams?

It does for me.

Here's a little of what I've been listening to . . .

Spooky and Scary . . .

I'm not really into Halloween this year.

But I thought I would pass on this real gem.

It's spooky and scary and genius -

Everything Halloween should be.

I know Lish will agree with me on this -

The Watcher in the Woods was the scariest Disney movie EVER!!

We used to have free reign of the Disney section at our local video store.

My parents had no idea that this is not suitable for children.

It's seriously so frightening.

Did anyone else used to watch this?

Here's a freaky sneak peak.

I'm telling you - so scary -

and 80's cinema at it's finest!

Happy Halloween!

You'll find me at the gym workin on my fitness

I was given the go ahead from my chiropractor to return to the gym. So that is where I will be. Although I am modifying my routine a little. Longer cardio of eliptical/bike as opposed to a run/walk. And less squats/lunges more pushups/bicep curls till these hip flexors are a little stronger. I'm still mad I hurt myself again, when what I was doing was techinically not as "hard" as the bootcamp. The only explanation I got as a possibility is that since I was running for shorter periods of time I decided to increase my pace significantly. Which apparently is a no-no if you are working on anything else also. Here's a tip from my chiro, speed workouts should be done alone period. If you try to mix them in with anything else you WILL injure something. Good to know, which I had known it sooner.

I heart Lenny . . .

The concert last night was awesome.

He's just so cool.

If you ever get a chance to see him - do it!

You won't be disappointed.

Sorry the pics are a bit blury - I took them on my Blackberry.

A decade of love . . .

Today is my god-daughter's tenth birthday.
I don't know where these years have gone.
I can so vividly remember the day she was born.
It was a perfect fall day.  A little cold but lots of sunshine.
That's what she has always brought into my life - lots of sunshine.

I wish I was with her today but I am excited that in
one short week I will get to pick her up at LGA.
I'll start to show her the NYC that I love.
She's been here before but doesn't remember it.
I don't blame her she was only 5.
I'm hoping this trip makes more of an impression.
I will ply her with cupcakes and candy and
the peanut butter & co restaurant.
Anything her heart desires.

This girl is so fantastic.
She is kind.  She is smart.  She is competitive.
She has wicked style.  She is full of spunk.
She is lovely and loved. She is funny.
She is a much better skiier than I am or will ever be.
Same is true for tennis.
She has her own dance moves.
She is a rock star at the shimmy, shimmy.

She fills my heart and I could not possibly love her more.

Happy, Happy Birthday!

I told you - she is awesome

Rock it out . . .

Hello Lenny by TizzyGirl featuring Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry

I'm going to see Lenny Kravitz tonight.  This is what I was thinking of wearing.  

How do we feel about matte nail polish?  I don't have this brand but I do have the Metro Chic - matte by Sephora by O*P*I.  I like it.  Definetly takes a bit to get used to it. I think it looks a little spooky.  I dig it.  Try it.

BAM

I just bit the bullet and ordered a pair of thigh high boots online. (LOVE that i can use Banana republic gift cards on Piperlime.com!) I had two different pairs that I liked, but being a little bit of a chicken about this daring trend I decided to opt for the paid that will fold over and can double as regular knee high boots. Plus do I really need the option to be able to wear them with jeans. I don't think these thunder thighs could handle that. Now I will need to head over to Forever 21 and H&M soon to get some tops (on the cheap) to wear with leggings and really get some use out of these puppies.

PS: How do we feel about a romper/patterned tights/thigh-high boots look? hmmmmmm

PPS: I have finally decided on my winter "look" rocker chic. Think studded/leather/edgy.

Uhh ohhh

I knew I shouldn't have done it.  But I did.  I bought my Halloween candy yesterday and can not stop myself from just casually strolling through the kitchen and maybe grabbing a snickers or twix or mint musketeers.  At this pace I won't have any left for the kids.

Please candy gods help me resist your chocolate deliciousness.  My willpower is waning.  Hmm, maybe I should just go grab something from the kitchen.  No! NOOOOO!!!!

How much would I love this to be my trick-or-treat basket?!?

I have a girl crush on Ivanka Trump

She got married this weekend. I love this photo. It is so not my style but it looks perfect on her. I read that it is a custom made dress by Vera Wang inspired by Grace Kelly. And she hit it out of the ballpark. BEAUTIFUL. The reason I like Ivanka (cause ya know we are on a first name basis) so much is because unlike her public heiress peers, she is not a publicity stunt. You don't see her falling out of clubs, flashing her vag in a short skirt with no panties by dancing on table.

My favorite quote of Ivanka's after she got engaged was that "Jared is my best friend for many reasons but mostly because she has let him see all of her and he loves her anyway."

Mazel Ivanka and Jared!

My heart is full . . .

I had a great weekend.  The weather was awful and then it was wonderful.  It made it all seem worth it.  As if we really earned the perfect sunshine and changing leaves by enduring the manic rain.  But I'm grateful for both.  The rain meant that I spent the morning perfecting my duct tape skills creating flowers, wallets and clutches.  Plus an afternoon in the bead room making necklaces and bookmarks.  The sun on Sunday allowed me to shoot arrows and go fishing. Add in the Ice Cream and Cake dance at every meal and a mini-stage night and it was bliss.  Really what more could a girl ask for?

I spent the weekend with a wonderful family and whole community of families who poured love and support on each other.  To think what these kids and parents and siblings endure on a daily basis has humbled me.  Despite it all they are loving and hopeful and grateful.  If they can be - I see no reason why we all can't be.  It has given me a full heart and a new perspective.  I am grateful to have met them, shared some time, learned their story and been entrusted to carry on their spark.  Count your blessings, people. 

I can't stop listening to this song today. Well, I can't stop listening to Iron & Wine.  But this song in particular has me tapping my foot and nodding my head.   Check it out. Iron & Wine - Love & Some Verses

And for those who don't know the ice cream and cake dance - get on it.

Fortuitous Turn of Events . . .

It seems in the past two weeks that all plans that I have been making keep getting cancelled or changed.  I mean all plans.  It's really odd, I'm sure there is some sort message in these mishaps but I've been too busy to notice.

Today my luck has changed and as a result of the cancellations and changes I get to go somewhere I LOVE and do stuff I adore.  Where as earlier in the week all these changes had me a little down, today I am ecstatic.  Thank goodness my plans were mixed up, tossed around, kicked in the dirt and then represented to me so that I can go to camp and act like a 10-year old again.

I hope my bad-luck-turned-good-luck is passed onto all of you.

Have a great weekend!

Oxymoron, yes or no?!?

I'm really sad about lots of great magazines closing.  First Blueprint, then Domino, and now Cookie.  Granted I don't have children and didn't read Cookie that often but when I did come across it I liked it a lot.  I love blogs (obviously) and read lots of design blogs but it's not the same.  I can't read them in the car or in bed or snuggled up in my favorite chair.

I recently ordered two new magazines and when they arrived in my mailbox I kind of laughed.  They couldn't be more opposite.  One was Country Living and the other was Metropolitan Home.   I love them both equally and separately.

I love the tips and idea of a simpler life in the country. But could I really get by without all the restaurants I'm so spoiled by now? Would I have to become a better cook and learn to can fruits?  That seems like something these Country women are always raving about - homemade jams.

But I'm also pretty jazzed up about the contemporary interiors and shiny new kitchens and bathrooms that I associate with life in a city. Although the non-stop construction that has been occurring outside my window for the last 4 years has driven my BONKERS!  I'd also be happy to never step in a subway again.  Yeah, definetly trade in an old pick up truck for the subway.

It has occurred to me that this is a dream I've had for a long time.  So let's have some fun.  Here's what I'm hoping my city house shapes up to be.

Tizzy in the City

 

 

 

And when I'm not in the city, you can find me here at my country/lake home.

Country Mouse House

 

 

Feel free to drop by anytime.  I'll just be working on my canning.

A girl can dream, right?

If you're interested in who did any of the above interiors let me know - I will try and track it down.

Are you happy?

I watched part of Oprah last night before going to bed. The show was about who are the happiest people in the world. Apparently it's the Danish. She was interviewing women in Denmark and talking to them about some of the main differences between Danish women and American women. One being there is no pressure in Denmark for women to get married. Other differences included government funded health care, education (through college), childcare, unemployment paid at 90% of salary for up to 4 years, up to a years paid maternity leave to name a few. Oprah asked something to the effect of there being a lot of socialist funded programs but the Danish consider themselves democratic. The woman's reply was, we don't see it as socialist to take care of the sick, elderly, or children. We think of it as civilized to focus on this and education. I can't really disagree with that. Svelte, beautiful, blonde chic's got a point.

Then this morning I came across the 3 minute happiness test

Ask yourself these 5 questions.

1. How often do you get to do things you really like to do?
2. How often do you find yourself actively looking forward to the day ahead?
3. How often do you get so involved in what you’re doing you lose track of time?
4. How often do you feel invigorated at the end of a long, busy day?
5. How often do you feel an emotional high in your life?

So are you happy?

(and on a side note I think I might be part danish because I also would not care about paying 50% income tax for all of the benefits they get out of it)

ooops

Do you think my ipod will be affected by spending the morning in the fridge? I hope not. I accidentally put my ipod in my lunch bag instead of my purse this morning. Then it spent the morning in the fridge "chillin" with my tuna sandwich. I hope everything is okay with it.

It never ceases to amaze me

How pushy people are about getting on public transportation. For years I have been appalled by men who budge women out of the way to get on the el before them. Or men who don't give up their seat for pregnant women, old people, or someone with a young child. It's rude it shows you are not chivalrous, and that you have bad manners. Here's the thing I don't expect them to give up their seat for me, a peer, but I do not expect a man no matter what situation he is in to try and push me out of the way to get on the el first. It's rush hour buddy we are all going to stand.

Lately I have been noticing a new phenomenon the tiny pushy girl syndrome. This girl hangs in the background then as soon as the el pulls up she maneuvers (by maneuvers I mean slinks by, squeezes through, and shoves) her way in between all the people politely waiting for the people to get off the el, then becomes the first person to get on the el. I don't get it I don't understand it. Who wants to be this pushy this early in the morning. Your spot on the el is totally luck of the draw it doesn't matter how long you have been standing there, it's all about where the el stops and the doors open. It is roughly in the same spot everyday but it does move a foot or so.

Here is my thing if you have to literally step in front of someone to block them from getting on the el before you. Push, nudge, shove, or step on their feet to get on the el before them....Don't do it. Cause after today I am going to start throwing elbows, I've had enough. Consider yourself warned.

Keep asking . . .

I meant to post this yesterday but I couldn't get into blogger - some gmail issues I suspect.  Sorry for the delay in bringing you this fascinating story.

With the new tv this weekend came the option of getting an HD cable box.  I called my provider yesterday to find out about it.  Ultimately, decided against switching to an HD box as I'm too attached to my DVR.  While I was on the phone I asked him to go through my bill to see what I was paying.

I always do this with my bills.  I'm cheap and if I can be saving money than I'm going to try and do it.  So at the end of it I asked, "Are there any other bundles that are cheaper."  He said he would have to transfer me to billing.  So I was transferred.

The woman at billing verified all my information and I asked her the same question,"Are there any cheaper bundles?"  Right off the bat she said."I'll take $5 off your monthly bill.  You're paying $$$ and now you'll only pay $$"

 A bit taken aback I asked again "Ok, but are there any bundles that would be better for me."She replied, "All right, $10 off.  I'll take $10 off a month and you'll get HBO free for 3 months."

So I agreed.  She put me on hold while she added HBO to my service and before I knew it I was paying less and getting more services.  The whole point of this is to check your bills.  And don't be afraid to ask.

Image via Anne Taintor .  Don't you just love her stuff.

What's your role . . .

Last night I was woken up by my husband swearing and flailing about at a fly/mosquito/annoying winged insect that had gotten into our bedroom and was feasting on him.  Clearly he has more delicious blood than I do because he is always the one that insects choose.  (Would the same be true for vampires?  hmmm.  I watch too much True Blood).  Anyways, it got me thinking about the roles that are assumed, given, battled for or required in our relationships. 

There have been times in our marriage and relationship when our roles have changed to suit our current situations.  But there are also roles that are permanent.  He is the man with a five, ten and fifteen year plan carefully plotted out in Excel.  I arrange and organize all current activities, dates, meetings.  My forecast barely can reach a month out.  I am the technology guru and read manuals for any new gadget that comes in the house.  He is not a gadget or technology guy and very rarely uses his phone for anything more than calls.  (Our 15-year old 19 inch sanyo tv was just replaced this weekend by a flat screen.  Any previous discussion of a new tv was thwarted with the response - but the sanyo is still working great.)


In our family we each have a role as well.  For some reasons these roles seem harder to shake.  My older brother will always be the 'golden child' in our family. Our more-stylish -sister is clearly the most fashionable and fabulous and most likely to be wearing corn on her face.  I am the most emotional and the craftiest and Lish is the most reliable and the one to always give you the truth.

Kind of makes a girl think - what's your role here?

Theivery!!!

Uggghhhhh....Someone is stealing my food out of the refrigerator at work. It's annoying when it happens once. But you can always rational that someone thought they had brought that item in. This has happened in the past and you can kind of see how someone would mistake their your stuff for theirs, or they thought it really was their. It's annoying but could happen. The latest food snatching is just blatant thievery!!! Someone has been on an everyday basis stealing one of my string cheeses. There are very few things that I bring the full package of to work. String cheese and english muffins are legitimately the only things. Well I brought in a new pack last Monday, and today when I went to get one there were only 2 left. It is a pack of 12, so there should have been 7 not 2 today. Which means that 5 are missing. Which means EVERYDAY someone goes into the fridge and takes one. Here is the thing, I am the only one here who has ever brought in string cheese. So there is no way this thief thinks that it is theirs. I can't believe this. I am flabbergasted.

Ouch

About a year and a half ago I threw out my back. It sucks injuring your back because no matter what you do it hurts. Even involuntary things like sneezing, coughing, and laughing send a twinge of pain through you. Wednesday at the gym I re-injured my back. It wasn't as bad as the first time. But I was definitely in pain that night and yesterday. (I even took one of my spare valiums) It is super frustrating because the exercise I was doing when I felt like maybe that was too much is an exercise that is used to rehab back injuries. And the circuit routine I was following for the past week or so is not even close to being as difficult as bootcamp was in sept. I feel like this freshman 15 is never going to come off if I can't exercise. (especially because we all know I have no willpower when it comes to food, or anything really). But I so easily injure myself when I am trying to exercise. I don't know what to do. I won't be able to work out now for at least another 2 weeks, then it will be modified workouts for probably a month after that. The only silver lining in this whole thing is that my chiropractor is really cute. So I will now get to see him twice a week for the next two weeks.

Would you rock these?

It's cold and rainy in NYC today. The perfect day to curl up inside with a steamy chai latte (I'm on my 2nd) but definitely not go outside.  Unfortunately, I had to run up to Soho to get a gift for our godson.  As I'm trying to wrestle open my umbrella and figure out which door will actually open to release me from the sterile white Mac store I spied a woman coming in.

She was teetering.  I thought she was going to be a goner.  She had on platform shoes and between the shoes, the rain, the cobblestones - I seriously thought she was going to bite it.  I hurried out but my mind stayed with her.  Must be a tourist was my first thought.  No one who lives in the city would be wearing those shoes in this weather.  No one who lives in the city would be wearing those shoes while walking around SOHO.  In my experience NYC is just not that fancy that you would put on your heels to go shopping.

I gave up wearing heels when I moved to NYC and haven't really looked back since.  Sure I break them out for weddings or maybe if I travel but never really when I'm home.  Too much trouble to manage getting around.  We walk too much or we're standing and waiting and that's hard enough without the heels. Now with the platform rage I feel like people are wearing stilts.  Which begs the original question - would you?  Not for this girl.

Warm & Fuzzy Feelings...

This is one of my favorite quotes,

"Of All Moments Gathered In Our Lives,

Those Most Cherished,

Are Moments Shared."

This is absolutely the way that I feel after this past weekend spent with a bunch of college girlfriends.  No matter that our friendship began 15 years ago.  These are relationships that are timeless and effortless.  Although we may not see each other or speak that often the cord remains unbroken and is easily picked up when we do reunite.  Despite the way our lives have changed for good and bad these are girls that I will always want to meet in the basement with blankets and pillows and stay up until 4 am debating the merit of anything that crosses our minds.  There is no way we will all agree but we all love each other and through these discussions have come to a better understanding of each other and ourselves.  We have celebrated great successes together and also weathered punishing loss.  Despite it all - I will always have them - and they will always have me.  I know that in my heart - I hope they do too.
 

These are from a previous trip but perfectly illustrate my point.

We are fun. (Just ask us we'll tell you).

And laugh the hardest when we are laughing at ourselves.

10 thing not to do when it comes to dating

I had a second date last night with a match guy. I was pretty blah about him after the first date but figured why not there was nothing particularly BAD about him. So that's the #1 thing.

1) Don't go out on a second date with someone you could really care less about.

We had been texting to set up the date, then talked after work to confirm plans. He hadn't really had anything in mind when he asked me out. That's number 2

2) Don't tell a girl you didn't really think she was going to say yes when you ask her out. Then not have anything to do, when you have known for 3 hours that you were going out that night.

After some hemming and hawing he suggested Thai take-out, there is a great place by him that delivers in less than 30 minutes. I asked if the restaurant was nearby and if we could go to it. Somehow I agreed to meet him at his place.

3) Don't invite a date over and then have a completely messy place. There were stacks of paper and junk mail/magazines all over his dining room table, kitchen counter, and I believe piled against the wall on the far side of the dining room table. He had an hour and half to shove all of that shit in a closet.

So while he is giving me the tour of his place I realize there is a large comfy sofa facing a TV stand with no TV. The only TV was in his bedroom.

4) Don't invite a girl you barely know to hang out in your bedroom.

let me repeat that one cause it's a biggie

4) DON'T INVITE A GIRL YOU DON'T KNOW AND HAVEN'T EVEN KISSED OVER TO HANG OUT IN YOUR BEDROOM!!!!!!!!

I should have left then. I really should have left then and it's my bad. So we go to hang out on his bed? And of course within 5 minutes he kisses me. I keep my mouth closed and pretty much try to avoid eye contact. 5 minutes later he kisses me again. To which I reply okay you have to stop that cause it's just weird. I mean I had been there for less than 15 minutes at this point.

5) When a girl rebuffs your first kiss, don't try again right away. I mean if you are really hoping to get a little lucky maybe at least try and strike up a mutual conversation to loosen her up.

So I try to ask him about weekend he just says yeah I had dinner on Friday night, then went out with a friend on Saturday, wow got really drunk. Which I was already aware of cause he drunk text me at 2:15 am. Then he didn't ask me anything about my weekend or anything about me at all. Instead he turned on a show I don't watch and neither did he, then continued to ask me questions about the show. Which I continually answered "Not sure I don't really watch this show" So our food arrives, and we eat at the counter in the kitchen after shoving aside some of his junk mail. He made a fatal ordering error that leads to several rules.

6) Don't order a large soup that you have to slurp eat. It's gross to watch/hear someone slurping for 15 minutes.

7) Don't order something that is so spicy it makes you sweat, and your nose run. Then talk about how much you are sweating while simultaneous sniffling.

8) Don't order something that is going to make you burp for the next 30 minutes.

9) Don't eat so much that you have to sigh and rub your belly.

These may seem a little harsh, but remember this is a place he orders from regularly. He did not try something new. He contiously made the choice to do all these things.

So after our meal we return to the bedroom to finish the program neither one of us really watch. His cellphone rings and not only does he answer it but when he gets off he checks his e-mails/texts for several minutes. He also did this on our 1st date.

10) Don't spend time on your cell when you are on a date.

Once he got off the phone he switched his position on the bed so he was lounging on his side facing me. I spent the next 15 minutes trying to figure out a way to get out of there. Finally when the program ended I just said I'm leaving thanks for dinner. He walked me to the door and was going to put his shoes on. I stopped him, my car was parked right in front there was no need for him to walk me to it. I think he got the picture from that. In total I was there for an hour and a half 7:30 to 9, some valuable lessons were learned in that time.

"I like to think my flaws are more in the social, rather than the moral category" Randy Pausch

I am that person who sticks their foot in their mouth every time. I have diarrhea of mouth so bad. I say things that hurt my friends feelings. I tell it like it is too much. I over share. I ask the question the ultimately ends up offending someone. That's me.

Here is the thing about that, I never mean to offend anyone. I am just honest to a fault, and apparently missing some filters. This quote from Randy Pausch's book The Last lecture Series really resonated with me, because truth be told no matter how much I work on not having things just spew out of my mouth. I would rather they did, then be a liar. I would rather be too honest, than dishonest. I would rather be straightforward than misguided. I would rather have conviction than be swayed by public opinion. I would rather have social flaws than moral ones.

Keep on Truckin

Yesterday was the Chicago marathon. I love the marathon! I didn't have any friends running this, but one of my friends lives along the course and was hosting a brunch/cheering party. I was super excited for it. Enough to even wake up bright and early on a Sunday for it. As I drove over to her place I realized I had to literally cross the marathon to get to the party. This was a problem for several reasons.

1)I was there early so I had to cross the people who were running at like a 3 hour pace. They were fast, so even if it seemed like a break/opening these runners were coming up quick. You know cause they were running and all.

2) I was bringing Mimosa's with me. So I had a bag with a bottle of champagne, a glass pitcher, and a bottle of OJ that clattered and clanked together when I moved.

After waiting 30-40 minutes to find a good opening. (I know it's a long time, but there were times that other people crossed and slowed down/tripped up the runners. I did not want to be that person.) I found my opening and made it across. I met up with my friends and had a great time cheering on the runner for 2.5 hours. Followed by 4 hours food, convo, bloodies, laughter and Mimosa's. Every year I have fun at the marathon. In fact the first time I ever went to cheer on the marathoners was the day I started running. I came home that day put on my gymmies and though even if I just start with 4 blocks and then have to walk, it's a START. I am not an avid runner but 6-7 years later I do still run.

It's the simple things in life, or maybe the daydreams about making life simpler.

Below is the e-mail exchange between me and my BFF after I forwarded a picture of Tizzy on her new Bike and newly attached basket. The pure enthusiasm for a bike and a basket!

From: BFF
To: Tizzy N Lish
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 08:46:35 -0500
I'm telling you Tizzy, pimp it out with one (a basket) in the back. You could do all of grocery shopping at once!

From: Lish
To: BFF; Tizzy
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:04:01 -0500
HAHAHAHAHAHA. This e-mail is hilarious to me because I know you are serious when using the phrase "pimp it out" and I can actually see your facial expressions, and hand language while saying it. It's just brightening my morning...Thanks!

From: BFF
To: Tizzy N Lish
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:09:10 -0500
I'm glad. :) But I do love the idea of her riding her bike, on a bit hazy, damp, cool fall day with her scarf and blond hair blowing in the wind and her bike containing packages wrapped in brown paper and raffia ribbon.....This will be me in Denmark, PS.

From: Lish
To: BFF; Tizzy
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:14:48 -0500
She maybe is on her way home from the butcher shop and bakery with the fixins for tonight's dinner?

From: BFF
To: Tizzy N Lish
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 09:21:10 -0500
totally. exactly. and to do so she would need both baskets!

Beyond Excited . . .

'm like a little girl the day before Christmas.  Yes, that is exactly how I feel.  Tommorrow I shall be jetting to the West Coast to have a glorious weekend full of Girls! Chics! Lovelies! Specifically MY girls!  MY chics!  MY lovelies!!  Plus it's my first trip to Portland and I can feel it in my bones that I'm going to love this city/town/metropolis. I'm unclear on titles. As I've gotten older the thing that I most miss about my youth (really college and post-grad life) is the constant hanging out and nearness of my best ladies.  Life with my Husband is grand but living with a bunch of girls is hilarious. So I am BEYOND excited to have this precious time with these women.

Here are a few other things that I am BEYOND excited about:

• GLEE - If you haven't seen it - get on board.  I admit I've only seen about 2 episodes but it is so juicy and delcious I don't even feel guilty about it.  It's as if someone took Popular, added the pace of Gilmore Girls, sprinkled a little bit of Heathers and then put an exuberant song and dance number in each episode.  It's awesome.  Get yourselves to hulu.com or fancast.com and get caught up. 

• WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE:   At first I was skeptical.  But once I started seeing the trailers and promos, I was in.  What an incredible collaboration.  Go to Where the Wild Things Are  and Check out the Featurette video with Maurice Sendak (sorry can't link.) After watching this, I'm even more excited. 

• Scanwiches:  I found this website on the Cup of Joe blog.  It cracks me up.  I have no idea why.  It also makes me very hungry.

• Deva Curl:   Kermit the Frog , sage oracle, once stated "It's not easy being green."  It's also not always easy having curly hair.  Good curl management is hard to come by.  Most products either can't contain the frizz or leave hair too crunchy.  Enter - Deva Curl.  I just started using the Arc AngGel and it is fantastic.  Give it a whirl to tame those curls.  (Get it?  Get it?!?.)

• Honeycrisp Apples.  My friend Ani turned me onto these.  These apples are sweet and delicious and now in season.  Try them out if you run across them.  Sooo goood.

Happy Weekend!

I need a facelift

For my home. I have lived in my apt for 4 years now, and it needs something. A little pick up, a face lift per say.

I have already decided on new curtains for the dining room. I think that will be enough for that room. I just have to go pick them up, borrow a drill and hang them. I have attempted curtains in there before and there was some sort of problem that I can't remember what it was now. But I will persevere this time, I can feel it in my bones.

The room that needs the most work is my living room. The wall color is looking sad, I feel like I want to paint. I definitely need new throw pillows and blankets, accessories in general. There are several issues with me painting my living room.
1) I have never painted by myself before, and I am worried about the taping aspect.
2)My place has the original well preserved/immaculate molding and built ins that I don't want to screw up with my lack of painting abilities.
3) I can't afford to pay a painter to do it professionally and put my fears to rest
4) I am worried the color I want to paint the room will end up just making it very dark. That room gets light from other rooms, but no direct sunlight.
5) I rent this place do I really want to put time, energy, and money of painting into something temporary.

I am going shopping this weekend and at least getting the drapes for the dining room, and looking at accessories for the family room. Maybe I will find something great.

Break the fast . . .

 

Now that it's chilly in the morning all I want for breakfast is  a steamy chai latte with peanut butter toast or porridge. (Which was what my Grandma used to always call oatmeal.  I think it's time for a revival.  N'est-ce pas?) Something warm and sturdy to get my blood flowing.

In the summer, I'm all about making yogurt parfaits.  Most recently lemon yogurt with granola and blueberries and grapes.  Sounds odd but so refreshing and delicious. Very tart and sweet at the same moment.  Such an oxymoron.

You couldn't pay me to drink chai lattes from June to August. (Unless it's impossible for me to keep my eyes open and I desperately need caffeine.)  And right now an ice tea with lemon sounds repulsive.  Why have I become such a seasonal breakfast eater?  My lunch and dinner's are not nearly so weather dependent.

"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde.  "  - Dolly Parton

You know you have a problem when....

You seriously consider eating the whole bottle of gummy vitamins just to get a sugar fix. I am a serious sugar addict. I try to curb it at times, now being one of those times. But it is sooo hard. I am doing everything I can right now NOT to go out and get ice cream at the corner store. Or even better one of Starbucks chocolate chip cookie's. They are so good, but I am going to be strong.

Isn't she a beauty . . .

I started this weekend with a Cheshire Cat grin on my face.

There it was 5:30pm on Friday the sun was sinking low over NJ, my hair was flapping wildly behind me, I was scared my butt crack was minorly exposed to West Side Highway (no worries it wasn't) and I was doing something I hadn't done in 15 years.  Riding my bike home.

The last bike that I had I received as a birthday gift my senior year of high school. It was promptly stolen freshman year of college.  Since that time I have been without the joy of 2-wheel transportation.  I used to borrow my More-Stylish-Sister's bike but that didn't last very long. Not because she didn't generously share it with me but it was too much hassle to go and get it.

On first moving to NYC there was no way that I could have had a bike.  Our apartment was sad, dark and cramped.  I didn't want to be there let alone subject a lovely bike to it.  Once we moved - we upgraded.  A doorman, a workout room, laundry on every floor and A BIKE ROOM!  My husband had his bike promptly sent out. I have been secretly longing for one since.  Four years have passed and my day has come!

Mine isn't as shiny and new as the pretty one up top.  I bough it used from a bike rental company (side note - I got it for 1/4 the price!  If you live in a major metropolitan area and are looking for a bike - start calling around.  They usually start selling the rentals right about now rather than store them for the winter).  It's banged up and dented, but aren't we all?  It is not really a practical city bike (it's HUGE!!  longer than our couch) but it's awesome.  I love it.  I just have to get a basket for the front so me and Chloe can get paddling around this city.  Check it out below.

 

Sorry for the dark blurry pic.  We had just gotten home from dinner and I was drunk with love for my bike.  This is how you can imagine me cruising around.

Let me shine a light on that.  I told you - bigger than the couch.   My husband was especially hilarious when I first wheeled it in.  It was hard to maneuver the handlebars through the hallway.  Upon first sight he exclaimed,"That's the Cadillac of bikes."  When I stated, "You know what I need for my bike?"  His responses without missing a beat:

"A lazy boy"

"A cup holder"

"A windshield"

"A hangar"

I was thinking a basket and lock but I guess he's probably right.

I steal things

Not expensive things, not big things and I am not a kleptomaniac. But I do steal things, little things from places that I am a regular at. Like Sweet n' low from Starbucks, or straws from 7-11. Listen I am at Starbucks at least three times a week. And I used to go everyday. So I don't feel bad about stealing these minor things when I know that coffee is marked up a ridiculous amount. Plus the barista's at my Starbucks love me, in fact one stopped me on the street in my 'hood asking where I had been and if everything was okay, when I took a two week break. I told her yeah that I had just been going to the one by work. She gave me a look and told me she better see me that weekend. So I am pretty sure if I had asked they would have given me those things.

Today I stole from a lunch place that I am not a regular at. My sandwich and medium drink rang up to almost $10....$10 for a sandwich and drink, no chips!! I was shocked, this was a regular sandwich not a unicorn, and certainly not worth $10. I was considering returning it while filling up my fountain drink, when I looked over for the lid and realized JACKPOT. This is why my sandwich was so expensive they have everything for the taking. Slices of lemon to go with your beverage, every type of sugar packet/sugar substitute, several different types of butter, crackers, salt & pepper packs, everything. So I stole. I stole packets of saltines and country crock. I did not have soup or bread to go along with these items, but I do bring in soup to lunch many times and crackers would be delicious with that. I never have butter not even at home, so I thought why not. This was not a mom and pop place so I don't feel bad for stealing from them.

Sing from the mountain tops . . .

Don't you love it when you wake up in a good mood?  Ahh, nothing better.

Today I feel as if I could sing from the mountain tops - in my case concrete and glass mountain tops -  but mountain tops none the less.  There is beauty all around us.  To prove the point here are a few pics I snapped on our roof one evening this summer.  I'm always asking my Husband, "Don't you just feel lucky?"

And here are a couple more from right outside my back door.

I feel lucky.  I absolutely feel pinch-me-I'm-dreaming lucky.

Happy Weekend!

What the F*&!, Really?

To put this blog in perspective....I love reality TV.

Basically from all the celeb sites that are covering it - it seems that Jon now believes that the taping the show is detrimental to his children. He apparently did not believe this a couple months ago when I saw an interview with him where he said the complete opposite. Nor did he think this after that interview when outside organizations were mounting an investigation into the work hours of his children and how much they are being paid. He gave a statement at that time to the effect that the cameras and the show's taping do not affect their kids lives or schedules. They are just there in the background. He did not think it was detrimental when public opinion on the divorce was leaning towards him. He also did not think it was detrimental last week when he was taping the show with the kids.

BUT this week since it has been announced that he is pretty much off the show, and it is being renamed to Kate plus 8, NOW it is detrimental. Uh-huh, I believe you. I believe that you have the best interest of your kids at heart here. That you are not doing this just as some hard knuckle negotiation tactic to get the network to let you out of your contract. And you aren't throwing more attention negative/paparazzi attention onto your kids to get what you want.