Things I Love... Friday

Okay in all honesty, do you want to know what happened to me on Thursdays? I had a “get together” night with a friend move from Tuesday evenings to Thursday evenings, and it kinda took over the time I probably spent pulling this together. And sometimes we don’t meet up, but that’s when we’re both too busy to fit it in (like, you know, when I’m too busy watching Fringe). So –I think we are moving this to Fridays instead. Sorry Thursdays! You just don’t quite fit the bill any longer.


Blah! Life! So complicated-ish. So anyway here are my thoughts on the awesome for this week:





Lauren Dress
This little black dress is just so gorgeous. Black is always awesome and classic (and slimming!) but this one bumps into the Love category with the great lines and that adorable collar.

Pirate’s Booty
For anyone with a little baby who is just learning how to eat, you are probably contemplating those Gerber Puffs, Wagon Wheels, and Crunchies (we lovingly refer to them as Baby Cheetos). Anyway: while they are great, they also have lots o’ sodium and other yucks in them. We started buying Pirate’s Booty instead – it’s organic/natural, it’s yummy, it dissolves in the mouth just like those Gerber products, and it’s much lower in sodium to boot. In fact, we still give him this treat from time to time. Whenever I don’t eat the entire bag myself, that is.

Jim’s Pancakes
Pancakes: hamburger edition? The pancake necklace? The Bay Bridge recreation? I would probably never eat any of these creations (let alone even ATTEMPT to make them, I mean hee! No.), but it’s a fun blog to check every once in awhile and marvel at Jim’s pancake madness.

The Solar Family Route 66 Road Trip

The Solar family drove the entire stretch of Route 66 as part of their family vacation, and photo-blogged the entire thing. Between the gorgeous shots and the descriptions of their stops along the way, I seriously daydream about doing the same trip. If only I didn’t have a kid who detests the car to the point that he screams until he makes himself sick...

Robot Party of Awesome
I am in full-on party planning mode for the Doot’s robot party, which is in 3 short weeks (gulp). Although if I were to be honest, I would admit that I am thoroughly enjoying myself. I was always a whiz in my high school 3D art class (took Best of Show for my basketweaving skillz at the regional art fair, holla!). I really like DIYing stuff. For our wedding alone, I created the invites and all stationery and embroidered totes for my bridesmaids and made candle holders and pew decorations and and and… Yes, it was insane. So anyway! This little birthday party has allowed me to yet again unleash my inner Crafter, I’ve made banners and cupcake toppers and favor tags and yeah. Just yeah, it is fun and I must really thank the Interwebs personally for all the inspiration provided for my DIY projects. Now I’m off to finish the robot piñata…

Things I Love Thursday

Cadbury Mini Eggs
Oh my gosh, those little suckers are so darn delicious. Usually I am overjoyed to find them at the grocery store in early March, and so I buy a bag to put in the pretty glass candy dish my Auntie Anna got for me. Uhhhhh, and then between the two of us Scott and I eat them all in approximately 3 days. And then I have to buy more. It is a vicious cycle of Mini Egg gorging and you want to hear the worst part? I never ever get sick of them, I’d do it year-round if they were available. They have a perfect, thick, crispy candy shell and their interior chocolate is just aaaaaawesome. It just melts so nicely on the tongue. My favorite Easter candy hands down! I’ve shown immense self-control by not buying even one bag yet this year. (Key word: yet.)

Springtime!
Finally, blessedly, our region of the world is waking up from that wintery blustery mess and allowing in the spring. It’s been sunny and in the 70s, all around lovely. We’ve taken full advantage of the sun and warmth here: testing out the swing set every evening, taking strolls around the neighborhood, windows open and fans a-running. I’ve gotten the itch to start planning my container gardens. Now, I probably speak too soon (a cold front and thunderstorms are on tap for tomorrow) but oh, this is nice. Even just a taste of spring has done a lot for my attitude.





Papo D’Anjou
Sweet, classic children’s clothing. Maybe their clothes aren’t all slick and trendy like a lot of the stuff you see out there these days, some may call it old-fashioned even, but still I adore the clothes they sell. And yeah, it’s pretty unaffordable to the masses, but it gives me outfit ideas, that is for sure.

Key Lime Pie
This is my most favoritest recipe and it is darn easy and always works like a charm and it literally (literally, I have timed it) takes 30 minutes tops from standing at the counter staring down your ingredients to a finished, baked pie. And mmmm, crumbly slightly-sweet crust with creamy and tart tart tart lime filling, what is not to love I must ask?

Wild is the Wind
Nina Simone’s version has been on heavy rotation on my mp3 player lately. A million other people have performed this song (David Bowie probably most notably). His is like a childish lullaby compared to Nina Simone, seriously. Her version is bluesy, a pure lonely woman ballad. So soulful. I think Nina Simone is an aquired taste music-wise, but when you fall for Nina Simone you fall hard.

Things I Love Thursday

Sick. Again. Or still, or something. At any rate: head is pounding, ears are hurting, and I can barely hear. Yay, head colds. So! Here you go, enjoy. Written entirely while hopped (down?) on cold medication.




23 Breeze
Okay THIS HOUSE is beautiful. The exterior colors really get me, too. I’m not usually one for the modern living (more of a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Home kind of gal), but this house is just so pretty pretty pretty and bright with a great mix of modern and beachy and oh! It just screams 'California'. Now: if I only lived in LA and was independently wealthy.

Boon Grass Drying Rack
Now: not only do we have a drying rack that works perfectly fine and is compact (and we have no need to replace it), but also I am far from in the market to be buying such a thing anyway, with a kid soon moving to The Cup (eep!). With that being said, I saw this pretty little thing on another blog and just had to post about it, because seriously! Adorable! And probably works rather well to be honest, no spots-only-made-to-hold-certain-sized-items, compact. Um, ADORABLE. So, soon-to-be-mommies: I think you need this.




50 Bags
Like any other lady I keep several fun little party bags around. When comes to my everyday purse, I’m a little more monogamous - I only get a new one every couple of years, and I make sure to invest in a nice replica. The bag I have now is an “inspired” Balenciaga motorcycle. Before that I had a wannabe Luella Bartley Gisele. My diaper bag, too, is a fun little Birken knock-off. So, you see? No Coach for me, thank you. Not my style. No Kate Spade, no Juicy, no brandy-brand-logo-ish bags. And that goes for those fake Vuittons, too.


Anyhoo, my point: I need a new bag, really should have replaced my current one like a year ago, but I never found much inspiration anywhere. So I head out the door every day with a well loved but still tired-old-thing of a handbag. Enter: the LA Times “50” column. A few weeks ago they did 50 Classic Bags, and I must say this article has totally inspired me to finally get off my duff and buy a new handbag (well, and the fact that the handles on my current bag have seen better days). Look at all those classic beauties! Maybe something similar to the YSL Muse, or a Prada tote, or the Chloe Bay…

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Okay, so I used a random photo and I don't have this posted anywhere, so here you go: In a crockpot, dump in 2 cans cream o' chicken, 1 can chicken broth, 1 chopped onion, celery salt and poultry seasoning to your liking (S&P too), 2 Tbsp. butter. Mix. Then stir in a bag of your favorite frozen veggie mix (still frozen!). Submerge 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the mixture (can also still be frozen!). Turn on Low and let 'er go for 6-8 hours.

After that, take out the chicken and shred, then dump back in. Add cornstarch if you want it a little thicker.

Take a can of biscuits, and tear biscuits into pieces and toss into the crockpot. Push them down to submerge a bit, then pop the lid back on and let it go on high for 1-2 hours.

YUM. And! Not only a nice mindless thing to make when you don't have the energy to cook, but also very very nice indeed when you have a yucky cold. Bless you for sharing that recipe, drewie dear.

Okay dudes, I'm out. My cozy warm bed and on-demand episodes of How I Met Your Mother await.

Things I Love Thursday

I am ill, boo. This is approximately the 817th time this year I’ve caught something from that germ carrier I call my child. But do not fret, my pets – that will not keep me from my weekly verbal diarrhea known as the Things I Love Thursday. I’m keeping it to one bright, shining item to discuss.


March Madness.



It has been such a blah March for us in Lawrence this year – winter still lingers, I’m still sometimes scraping the car windows in the morning and still always bundling the baby in blankets before heading out to put him in the car, and oh hey guess what - there is RECORD SNOW FORECAST FOR SATURDAY. I kid not. No matter, though – that bitter, wintery weather may remain but I still feel happy and content and all-around ready to face the (seemingly perma-frozen) world in the morning now. Because ladies and gentlemen, March Madness has arrived.


Oh, March. I love filling out brackets, and buying a special tournament outfit, and entering office pools, oh but let me tell you – March is a magical time to be a Lawrence resident. The town lives and breathes college basketball year-round, so as you can imagine, March Madness here is the equivalent of a holiday season.

Paulo is... ah... celebrating the holiday.

Everyone is in high spirits, everyone gets dressed up (in our KU Blues) and people put out their flags and decorate their homes with all manner of KU paraphernalia. There is a certain camaraderie among us “townies”, everyone has a gleam in their eye and a smile to give when you pass on the street. At work, everyone talks only of basketball. Everyone. We have all studied our brackets and opposing teams until we have every bit of minutia memorized, and believe me you don’t want to be the least informed one in these conversations. Downtown is decorated and bustling. People discuss where the best watch parties/spots are this year, and share their special game-day recipes, and we all break out our superstitions and traditions.

Oh, but the superstitions. Some will only watch the game in a certain place, a certain spot, sitting in a special position. Or they carry their penciled-in bracket around with them at all times, as stained and beer-soaked as it may become. They don’t wash their tourney shirts, or maybe wear the same pair of undergarments for every game. Some visit Naismith’s grave before the tourney starts, or maybe Allen Fieldhouse, to pay their pre-tourney respects. They do their dances and their special routines and in the end, we all hope beyond hope that what we are doing helps.

That is a post-tourney-game keg stand, by the way. On Mass St. to boot. KU fans are serious people.

In the end, yes – it’s just a sports event. But then again maybe it isn’t, it’s also part of an identity and one of those cool little unique things that make me so happy that we decided to settle here.

Doots game face.

So: Happy March Madness, everyone! And a hearty Rock Chalk and best wishes to our boys in the tourney this year.

PS: I wrote this early in the evening but did not hit "post" until the game was pretty much won. Because I am superstitious like that.

Things I Love Thursday

Bedazzler Sculpture
Terrible name for a beautiful sculpture. This sapling structure was built up on campus last year, right outside of Spooner Hall. It is made of silver maple saplings twined around a dying tree. It’s also temporary, expected disintegrate of its own accord after a few years of Kansas weather. A pity, because I adore that thing - it looks like something out of Where The Wild Things Are. Will have to get some shots of it myself before it is gone.




DIY Paper Chandelier
I made Peter’s baby mobile myself; it was a lot of hand-sewing and balancing out on branches to get it right. I still love it, but if I knew about this little paper DIY project, I probably would have done it instead (well, except obviously with birds). For one, much more compact. And done with paper, which would be easier to work with. And the look is so airy and bright and modern, and oh! I love it.

Mad Men Barbie Dolls
You know that you’ve officially Made It when they make dolls in your likeness. Mad Men Barbies!

Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam and Escarole
Scott got a giant hunk of taleggio to go on our cheese tray this past weekend, and we still have a lot left. I plan to use the leftovers to give this recipe a shot – a nice vegetarian addition to our menu and seriously, but how good does that sound? Cannot wait to give it a shot.

Alexander McQueen's Pre-Fall 2010 Collection

You didn’t hear a lot about Alexander McQueen’s passing, and that kind of surprised me given the fact that he is one of the better known designers in this day and age. A lot of his work was Out There and Fantastical, and I’d be lying if I said he was one of my favorite designers (I’m more of a Chloe gal). However, there was no denying that the man was immensely talented. His final line is beautifully detailed and precise. RIP, Mr. McQueen. You will be greatly missed in the fashion industry.

Things I Love Thursday

JBF Sales

One week, my pretties. Then it will be all the awesome bargain goodness that a mom (or mom-to-be) could ever hope for! If there happens to ever be one of these sales in your area, I highly recommend you check it out. The one in Overland Park is fantastic, but the others I've tried out aren't too shabby, either.

Edward Piiiillow!
Oh my gosh this pillow, it slays me. I get the giggles every time I see it. I am not sure if it is the pillow itself or how seriously that woman takes her modeling. Etsy never lets me down with giving me not only with the cool, but the bizarre.

Salt and Pepper Salmon with Smashed Veggie New Potatoes

This recipe is quick (score!), easy, and it’s super-duper delicious. The salmon is a simple preparation but it pairs well with the smashed potatoes and pearl onions, which are just WOW such great flavors going on with the caramelized onions and the lemon. A good one to file away and use some random Friday when you don’t know what to make…

Braums Cinnamon Rolls

Oh, I have been thinking about these cinnamon rolls lately. They trump any other cinnamon roll I have ever had anywhere, ever. Even my own (and I have a pretty good recipe). They are big and puffy and soft, with thick cinnamon layers and a not-too-sweet icing. Best served warm, with a pat of butter on top. Mmmmm. And arrrrrgh, I wish we had a Braums nearby.

Sixteen and Pregnant
If you are unaware, this is an MTV-produced documentary series following the lives of teenage girls who find themselves... wait for it... pregnant. I really do love this show, it is addicting in a “you are watching a trainwreck” kind of way, the girls are usually clueless and slightly bratty and, at best - their boyfriends are scared out of their ever-living minds. Some episodes are funny and some are sad, and some are downright heartbreaking – the first season’s finale followed a very rational, smart, and sweet teenage couple who gave up their baby for adoption.

At the end, when she gave birth, the nurses tried to get them hold or look at the baby, maybe say good bye, but they just hid their faces and sobbed that couldn’t do it and oh my gosh, maybe it was because Peter was like 6 weeks old when I saw it, but I have never cried like that in regards to a television show. Ever. So anyhoo, you should try to catch it. I know it’s on MTV, but it’s worth it.

Things I Love Thursday

Milton's Coffee (David’s Blend)
They serve up great coffee at our favorite little breakfast spot in Lawrence. Now this should also partially be a shout-out to Milton’s, period, as their food is just amazing. And while you have to wait an hour on the weekends to get a table, it is worth every minute. You check in at the host station to get your name on the list, and then weave your way through the throngs of people to the noisy, busy coffee station. Thick white ceramic cups keeping warm on top of the grinder, pots of several different blends on the counter, coffee accompaniments to your right. You get to enjoy some stellar coffee while you stand around waiting for a table.

They buy their coffee from the Thanksgiving Coffee Company out of California, a great little free trade roastery. David’s Blend is just my absolute favoritest coffee of all time, slightly nutty with a faint, barely-there hint of something else I can’t quite pinpoint (coconut? chocolate? er, something? obviously I missed my calling as a sommelier). It’s divine with some sugar and a generous splash of cream. I enjoy about half a dozen cups of this stuff in the time it takes to get seated and polish off a plate of Milton’s famous French toast. Sooooo goooood.

The Urban Thimble Onesies
I think we all know by now how much I enjoy the shopping for the clothes of the Young One. I can be a wee bit picky, too: I like urban hipster, I like classic, and I looooove quirky. So: check out this frog onesie. It’s bright and fun and I adore appliqués. Those googly eyes! I think meh babeh needs that.

The Weary Kind
I must preface this by saying I am not a fan of country music. It is just Not My Style. I know who Carrie Underwood is and I can sing the words to Friends in Low Places, but that’s about the extent of my county-music knowledge. It’s all just a bit too… plunky? twangy? for my tastes. Anyhoo. So we saw Crazy Heart this past weekend. The song that was created for the movie is The Weary Kind and while I am not a fan of country (AGAIN NOT A FAN) I have to admit this one has been running through my head and I *may* have even listened to it online a few times since. It’s just that it’s, well, very pretty; and not at all in a “my ex stole my dog and then trashed my pickup” kind of way. More of an old-school country, maybe. Me likey, at any rate.

Annie’s Chocolate Bunny Grahams
Yum yums in our tum tums. Lately, after a long day, Peter and I snuggle into the club chair with a box of these little bunnies. And it doesn’t take us long to polish off a box. Aside from being organic and made with lots of whole grains and blah blah blah healthypants, they are also deliciously, deeply chocolate.

Decorating Obsessed Blog
Ashley happens to be hosting our cooking club tonight, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was - at least in part - attending this one in order to see her house in person, and take in all those awesome DIY projects. Well, that and I’m excited to sample all the dips we’re feasting on this evening. And see my girls. And the wine, let’s not forget the wine…

Things I Love Thursday

Fringe
Um, have you ever watched this show? It is fairly new and was originally hyped as this X-Files-meets-Twilight-Zone sort of thing. While it was a little slow to start, in the current (second) season it has morphed into an awesome little show. I like that it has a continuing story arc and yet each episode holds its own, so you don’t feel lost if you miss an episode here or there. The characters are well fleshed out and the plots are interesting and slightly-creepy and there is this Observer who will randomly appear for a moment in every episode so you kinda keep your eyes peeled to catch that glimpse… Um, there have also been spottings of him at real-life sporting events. Creepy. And best of all this show hasn’t gotten all gummed up with stoooopid romatical storylines (well, at least not yet). And finally, but most importantly, Peter Bishop is nice eye candy. So yeah – check it out.

Blessed Nest Pillow
My Muzzy gave me this at my baby shower, it is the best baby pillow ever created. Seriously. It makes the Boppy seem like a rigid, hard piece of cardboard.

When Peter was tiny, we could fluff it so the buckwheat propped up one end over another for easier feedings, and it would mold around your body. We could use it in tight spaces like rigid chairs as well as on the couch. And because it is basically like a crescent-shaped bean bag, it molded around the baby well and created almost a “nest” that the baby nestled into. Still, it was rigid enough that you could pick up the baby in the “nest” and then set him down to sleep on the bed, in the bassinet, in his crib... Not once did that kid ever wake up after a feeding.

Nowadays we still use it a ton, even though Peter is too big to take naps on the thing. We use it to prop him up for our weakling arms while rocking him or feeding him, or just to give him something to curl into while reading a book before bed. I absolutely love that pillow. It may not be cheap, but it is worth every penny.

Kodak Digital Video Camera
Look! A nice video camera! I’ve wanted to buy one for months now! It is a good price, and it is compact, and it has great picture quality and is easy to use and sounds hardy from the reviewer comments, and I am not sure if you are aware but our child is growing up so quickly and we have yet to get any videos of him and it’s making me chew my nails to the quick just thinking about how we’ve missed so much already so Hint, my dear husband. HINT.

Vosges Chocolates
I know that I’m supposed to love the chocolates of KC's homeboy chocolatier Christopher Elbow but in truth: I don’t really. I do however adore Vosges. Vosges got their start by offering those “exotic” chocolate flavors to the mainstream public – for example with chilies and cinnamon, or bacon and sea salt, or curry powder. Soon an array of other chocolate boutiques followed suit. Vosges chocolates are to-die-for, but sadly they are hard to find in this area. I have a few spots where I can find their treats, however, so I tend to stock up when I visit them.

Shoe App!
Bergdorfs has a shoe app. No, really. And now I really want an iPhone.

Things I Love Thursday

Your weekly dose of Thursday babble...






The Hurt Locker
The Oscar noms are out! Scott and I try to see as many of the Best Picture nominees as possible before the awards, and this year we have our work cut out for us: they upped the number of nominees from five to ten. TEN. And the only one viewed before the nominations came out was Up, eeks. On Tuesday evening we found ourselves with nothing to do (rarity!), so we rented The Hurt Locker. Um: great film, but I basically chewed all my nails off. It essentially is the story of an elite Army “bomb squad” in Iraq, we’ll leave it there and let you see it for yourselves. Jeremy Renner was superb. Not a lot of dialogue but man his acting was visceral. Great performances all-around in this one, actually. And the only other movie I’ve seen Renner in was National Lampoon’s Senior Trip, so let’s just say he’s really proven himself since that one.




Panera Iced Green Tea
I loooove this stuff, although I rarely drink it. It used to be my Sunday treat: if I worked out and ate well all week long, on Sundays I let myself drive on over to Panera and get a large iced green tea. I mean, not like it was some big calorie-packed beverage, it was actually pretty low calorie. But it was delicious, and if I was good I could have it’s awesome, icy, melon-flavored tea goodness. YUM. Now that I’m trying to enact better eating/exercising habits, I started up this reward system again.

Viva La Juicy Perfume
I am monogamous with perfumes, like I find one and one only and I wear it for a long long long time. Before this one, I think I’ve worn six perfumes my entire lifetime, and that’s counting Benetton Colors and Baby Soft when I was a little tween girl (and we all know those don’t really count). Well, that’s kind of a lie because I do keep a bottle of Chanel Mademoiselle that I only wear on special occasions - and when I catch a whiff, immediately reminds me of family weddings, and that trip to Chicago, and our own wedding, and special nights out and being in the hospital with a newborn Peter and basically just happy times all around). I don’t think that counts though. For the most part, I am all about long-term, meaningful perfume relationships.

So. I got this perfume as a sample when I made a random Sephora order, and never thought I’d actually like it. I mean, really, just look at the packaging. I owned a pair of juicy sweats back in the day when they were popular. The outfit was garishly pink and fitted in the waist/thigh/butt and just screamed for attention. Most Juicy Couture apparel is like that. So I was shocked that the scent was not some overpowering monster of a thing - the scent sticks around all day, but is very… light, and mellow? Discreet, if you can believe it? I really like it, it smells like vanilla and cotton candy with just a wee hint of floral. And it vaguely reminds me of Alfred Sung’s Spa, which I wore for YEARS, like all through high school. So I ended my 9-ish-years-old relationship with Dior J’Adore, and have taken up with Viva La Juicy.

Nursing Tanks from Target
Seriously: if you ever need nursing gear, get thyself to the nearest Target. I have lived in these tanks since I had the baby. Like, literally, I wear them during the day and I wear them to bed at night and I rarely put on a normal nursing bra. They come in several neutral colors (I can wear them with any shirt/sweater and they work fine, look like any other cami or tank). Plus they fit well, and are comfy, and take a million washes without falling apart or showing wear, stay latched but are easy to open/close… They just plain rock all around. They keep me nice and toasty when pumping, which I love - it can get mighty cold in the office lactation room. I am actually going to be bummed when I stop nursing, because it means retiring these suckers.

Kanye West Katrina Benefit Video
I had heard that Kanye wasn’t invited to the Haiti telethon, after how he acted at the Katrina telethon? And then I heard that was just a rumor. But it did remind me of how much I looooooved Kanye’s moronic preaching at the telethon, and in prompted me to go look at it for the first time in ages. I forgot my insane, mad love for it - I mean I sat there with my hands over my face giggling madly. He goes on about... well, it's hard to tell because he rambles and does a terrible job when he goes off script. Then he blurts out that Bush doesn't like black people. I mean really, if you didn't know any better you'd think it was an SNL skit. Mike Meyers looks like he wants to die, and Chris Tucker's eyeballs about pop out of his eye sockets afterwards. Awesome.

I need to add it to my Favorites folder of “video pick me ups” (that I watch when I’m having a bad day; what you don’t do that?). It deserves to be filed away with my undying love for the ‘Beedus and that boy who rocks out in the Yo Gabba Gabba clip.

Here, watch. And die laughing.

Things I Love Thursday

A few things I adore at the moment...





Magic Bullet
We have all seen the ads. We are all slightly scared of the random smoking lady in the bathrobe (because seriously, who thinks that sort of visual image sells product??). But more importantly, we all sit back and watch them whip up goodies with that darn thing, and we ask ourselves - really? Could it be that useful and great… really? Well: in my opinion, yes. We bought it to whiz up smooth purees for Peter (we have a nice food mill but it made food a bit too chunky for our his palate). It is nice and compact so we just leave it on the counter to use on demand. It has been a lifesaver for making baby food. What I didn’t expect was to use it for a myriad of other things: to quickly make a dressing or marinade, to mince onion and garlic, or to blend a chunky marinara. I also use it to make fresh bread crumbs and pesto. Fab! Who knew!

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Talk about product love. The first time I laid hands on this is when it was given to me at one of my bridal showers, just a little something slipped inside a gift. I have been addicted ever since. I don’t have the prettiest of nails: genetics blessed me with shallow nail beds, and cuticles/nails that constantly peel and split in the winter. This cuticle cream works a miracle: it can’t do anything for those shallow nail beds (obviously) but I no longer have the peeling and cracking problem in the winter. I apply it every night before I go to sleep. And the lemony scent is divine: this is the only lemon-scented product I have ever encountered that actually smells like real lemons, delicious (as opposed to that lemon Pledge smell that you find in everything else). And I dig the packaging - not housed in some hard plastic jar with a twisty lid, or soft plastic squeezy thing, instead - it’s a darling little tin jar with a pry-off lid. Something about that feels a little more charming and girly.





Neil Patrick Harris' tweets

Twitter = platform to express yourself. Each time a person uses Twitter, it is called a “tweet”. If you don’t know what it is, I like to describe it to people as a “140-character blog post”. A quick snippet of what you are doing/thinking/saying/whatever. You can easily tweet from your phone or crackberry or whatever, like sending a text message on a "regular" cell phone, so a lot of people do it. And you can follow them, just like blogs, which is the only reason I have a Twitter account!

A lot of daily Twitter “tweets” are boring (sorry). I do follow a few, however, and one person I follow is Neil Patrick Harris. The guy is charming and quick-witted (shocker, I know). This is his first tweet, and I have been hooked ever since. I think his tweet during the Golden Globes, when he found himself next to Mickey Rourke, is my favorite to date…

Lemon and Dill with Orzo

My friend Jules shared this recipe with me and I loooooove it. It is so yummy and dead easy to pull together: bring your liquids to a boil, pour over the other ingredients in a casserole dish, and pop it in the oven to bake. The result is a creamy, lovely dish that is reminiscent of a nice lemony risotto. Serve with a green salad and a nice mineral-y white wine, and presto! A lovely dinner on the table with minimal effort!

GlassyBaby Votives

I am a sucker for a gorgeous candle holder, and these are right up there in the LOVE category. The owner started her GlassyBaby line of hand-blown votives to help with the battle to cure cancer (she is a cancer survivor herself, and proceeds go to cancer research organizations). Each looks like a tiny work of art, the glass illuminating candle light so softly and the colors are just amazing. I want approximately 34 of these suckers for around my home. Approximately.

Things I Love Thursday

Hiya! It's late, but I'm doing it. This one doesn't have a theme, that was not exactly the route I wanted to go anyway. So behold: Things That I Love on This Particular Thursday.





Oxo Candela lights
We were suckers and bought a GloMate for Peter's room, only to discover (as did many others who bought the thing) that while it looked cool, it died after only a few months of use. Boo. Then I was introduced to these pretty little things, and I am told they have a much, much longer shelf life. And are actually cooler than the GloMate. Awesome. I think Mr. Pete needs the red rocket.

Alice in Wonderland OPI collection
Yay, I love new polish colors! And I have an insane addiction to OPI, so I am always excited when I see a new collection come out. These little colors are Sparkle City, and I like the timing on the theme (Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland comes out soon). I only wish that I knew about these colors earlier -how cool would Mad As A Hatter be for a New Years Eve party? I mean, if I had actually gone to a party... I'll probably pop into JC Penney this weekend to check them out in person.

Herringbone Fabric
It is official - the renovation bug has bitten me again. I blame it on all the reserves of energy I now have because the child only gets up once in the middle of the night (ha!). Anyhoo, where was I... oh, yes. So we're kinda sorta halfway through renovating our office. Before the baby we painted a nice relaxing Ryegrass on the walls (see on some other room on the Interwebs? Pretty!), much nicer than the previous peachy color. We bought smart new office furniture, and framed up a few pictures in black frames.

Just a few things need to be done to finish, and I'm starting with treatments for the window and door-less closet. Since this will also double as Scott's personal retreat, we don't want anything too design-y (and risk looking like a girl touched foot in there at any point). Enter: herringbone. Manly, yet more adult than Scott's old Led Zeppelin fabric poster type things from his college days. And I really dig the charcoal shade.

Ann Taylor's Perfect Soft Tote

I am in the market for a new handbag, and this one I LOVE: it's big and roomy. I like a soft bag, but this one also has some structure which I appreciate (I love my current Balenciaga knock off, I do, but it is such a smooshy shapeless thing which is sadly a little sloppy looking). And the shiny black crocodile print! Love. Oh, Ann Taylor, stop tempting me with your deliciously gorgeous bags.

Blood Oranges

It is that magical time of year - blood oranges are in season. I love them! They are more tart than your usual orange and have this slightly-raspberry-ish taste to them. They are easier to peel, and they have fewer seeds, and of course have that beautiful deep red interior. Can't get enough of them this time of year. Go buy some for goodness sake!