September 11, 2011
Waking Up
A cloudy Sunday morning, a breath of wind and sighing leaves. Cup of tea, dog walked and fed and resting head on paws, Coldplay's Viva la Vida soft in the background, contemplating and reflecting and glad to be alive.
September 9, 2011
Fall Fashion
Another reason why fall is my favorite season: fall fashion always seems to work best on me.
First, the colors! Gone are the pale pastels and wan flowers. No more pinks and yellows and Hawaiian prints. Instead, all the stores are stocking mulberry and paisley and dusky teals.
And then, the return of sleeves! I do not wear strapless well, given my shortcomings in the boob department. And my workplace frowns upon sleeveless shirts. So I always welcome cool weather fashion, with its sleeves, cuffed and trimmed and buttoned in all their glory.
Fall fabrics are also much to my liking. Not as thick as winter clothing, but nothing you can see through, either. And most fall styles are meant for layering, which is wonderful when shuttling from home to an office where temperature regulation is nonexistent, to grabbing a drink outdoors, to walking the dog.
Oh, and I love fall jewelry. Leaf and acorn motifs, purple and black gems, bronze and copper accents. Plus pumpkins, apples, and other harvest related designs. They sure beat seashells and roses!
The sad part is that fall is so short. Everything turns into sweaters and peacoats within a few weeks. But I'll enjoy while it lasts!
First, the colors! Gone are the pale pastels and wan flowers. No more pinks and yellows and Hawaiian prints. Instead, all the stores are stocking mulberry and paisley and dusky teals.
And then, the return of sleeves! I do not wear strapless well, given my shortcomings in the boob department. And my workplace frowns upon sleeveless shirts. So I always welcome cool weather fashion, with its sleeves, cuffed and trimmed and buttoned in all their glory.
Fall fabrics are also much to my liking. Not as thick as winter clothing, but nothing you can see through, either. And most fall styles are meant for layering, which is wonderful when shuttling from home to an office where temperature regulation is nonexistent, to grabbing a drink outdoors, to walking the dog.
Oh, and I love fall jewelry. Leaf and acorn motifs, purple and black gems, bronze and copper accents. Plus pumpkins, apples, and other harvest related designs. They sure beat seashells and roses!
The sad part is that fall is so short. Everything turns into sweaters and peacoats within a few weeks. But I'll enjoy while it lasts!
August 19, 2011
Goat!
Checking "goat" off the list of meats I have tried. This one was done by the geniuses of Stage Left, roasted whole for several hours until the meat fell off the bone. Surprisingly, it tasted like a gamey duck, tender with just a hint of chewy. Of course, it helped that the curry sauce served with it was absolutely delicious - delicate and spicy, a perfect accompaniment.
August 16, 2011
Book Splurge
The Borders going-out-of-business sale has been extremely bad for my bank account.
But very, very good for my bookshelves!
I guess the one near us is a "superstore" which is receiving stock from other locations that are closed. We keep going back each week and seeing new things to buy at very nice discounts. Man, sometimes I wish we weren't such book whores!
But very, very good for my bookshelves!
I guess the one near us is a "superstore" which is receiving stock from other locations that are closed. We keep going back each week and seeing new things to buy at very nice discounts. Man, sometimes I wish we weren't such book whores!
August 5, 2011
Another One Bites the Dust
Yet another alt-rock station in the NY/NJ area has shut down. FM 101.9 used to play everything from Pearl Jam to Cake to The Bravery. Now they play tepid soft rock. Sigh. That's the third radio station to go since we've moved here.
July 20, 2011
Savage Beauty
Went to see the Alexander McQueen special exhibit at the MET yesterday. Gorgeous stuff. I'm not really a follower of fashion, but it's easy to see how he crossed into visual design and art in general. No wonder the community was devastated at his passing last year.
July 14, 2011
Tick Tock
So I always interpreted the "biological clock ticking" phrase as feeling like you want kids because your body/mind insists it's time and you feel this urge to procreate. Kind of like an alarm, indicating "hey, it's time, get to it!"
But now I think it means something else. Not hormones or a switch which signals "time to have a baby!" but instead, it's a "have that baby before your body fails!" message. More like a bomb ticking than an alarm clock.
But now I think it means something else. Not hormones or a switch which signals "time to have a baby!" but instead, it's a "have that baby before your body fails!" message. More like a bomb ticking than an alarm clock.
July 10, 2011
Pandemic
Not to worry, there isn't some outbreak. We played the board game Pandemic last night and I really liked it! Unlike most games, it's cooperative rather than competitive. You are essentially racing the clock, to cure diseases and prevent their spread across the world.
There were two advantages to working with the other players, rather than against: that nice sense of team accomplishment (though we lost the first time we played...) and it went by so much faster, since you didn't have to sit idly by while your opponents determined their next move.
I think cooperative games are probably harder to design well, since you have to prevent the players from becoming too powerful when banded together, but still ensure they are motivated to work with each other. I think Pandemic handles that pretty well. I definitely want to play more!
There were two advantages to working with the other players, rather than against: that nice sense of team accomplishment (though we lost the first time we played...) and it went by so much faster, since you didn't have to sit idly by while your opponents determined their next move.
I think cooperative games are probably harder to design well, since you have to prevent the players from becoming too powerful when banded together, but still ensure they are motivated to work with each other. I think Pandemic handles that pretty well. I definitely want to play more!
July 5, 2011
Bath Suds
About two months ago, I tried a sample of Villainess Soap and I've been smitten ever since. It started with a thin little sample slice, and now I'm contemplating buying half a dozen bars at once.
Starting at $5 per 3.5 oz bar, they are definitely luxury items. But I love, love, love how they feel on my skin. The lather is smooth and silky, the fragrances are delicious without being overbearing, and the formula manages my oily skin without turning it to sandpaper.
It's actually kind of sad - I wish I could take more showers each day!
Starting at $5 per 3.5 oz bar, they are definitely luxury items. But I love, love, love how they feel on my skin. The lather is smooth and silky, the fragrances are delicious without being overbearing, and the formula manages my oily skin without turning it to sandpaper.
It's actually kind of sad - I wish I could take more showers each day!
July 4, 2011
Closing Time
Sign of the economic hard times: my favorite bagel place, ice cream vendor, framing store, and Italian restaurant have all closed within the past six months.
I guess there just weren't enough customers, no matter how good the product or service. It saddens me when small businesses go, especially these little mom-and-pop places which offer something unique at a reasonable price. I can only hope the owners bounce back when times get better.
I guess there just weren't enough customers, no matter how good the product or service. It saddens me when small businesses go, especially these little mom-and-pop places which offer something unique at a reasonable price. I can only hope the owners bounce back when times get better.
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