Cocktail Hour on the Divan

Capital!

2011-09-13T18:21:00.023-04:00

I just finished reading Rules Of Civility, by Amor Towles, (which I absolutely LOVED) and in it, one of the main characters used the expression "capital!" in place of splendid or brilliant. Though, I have heard the expression before, I was taken with it and decided "Capital!" was the very best title for this blog, indeed. Ma and I had a splendid, first rate, excellent, brilliant, top notch, "capital" time on our trip to Washington, DC! Trying my best to shun the pun, our Nation's Capital was just that.
Ma had planned the trip months in advance, but as the trip grew near, we decided to forgo the larger, historic, Willard Hotel for the smaller, French, Sofitel Hotel. We had stayed at the Sofitel in New York City and decided that the smaller boutique style hotel, was a better fit for us. Ma had been battling a cold in the weeks leading up to our trip, but was thankfully feeling a bit better as the departure date neared. I, on the other hand, had my first sneeze the day before we left. Oh, it was just a sneeze. And a runny nose, but that could be anything. But my throat... it hurt. I tried not to mention my symptoms, and just made sure to pack plenty of vintage hankies, all color coordinated to my outfits, of course! Washington, DC was a place that Ma had been wanting to visit for years. With all the travel that we have done, I am not sure if this trip had slipped through the cracks or if she was just saving it, but either way, Ma was looking forward to the trip and colds were not going to slow us down! So off we went, trying to keep as many germs to ourselves, as possible.
As we arrived at the Atlanta Airport, we missed the exit for the Park-Ride lot and ended up in the long term airport parking. Not only was the long term parking expensive, it was also packed full of cars and they had no nice little shuttle to drop you and your bags off right in front of the Delta ticket agent. What is up with that? After we made our way down row after row of endlessly filled parking spaces, I initiated the vote that we just suck it up, pay the $15 and try like hell to find the Park-Ride lot and that handy dandy shuttle. Though this was not the best thing, we were running low on time, and something had to give, so after another go up and down a few rows, Ma agreed that $15 seemed to be the only way we were going to find a place to park and make it to our gate on time, so we made our way to the exit. When we got to the booth, prepared to pay our due, a really wonderful lady, who had clearly seen our kind there before, offered us a get out of long term parking free card and directions to the nearest Park-Ride. She said, smiling, to think of it as a "grace period". We smiled and I told her it was indeed "grace", we thanked her and made our way to the land of the shuttles.
At the Delta curb side check-in, one of our luggage tags didn't print. One bag was sent one way, while the agent dragged the other, with us trailing behind, into the terminal to try and locate the other tag "in the system". Oh gah. Okay, still smiling! Finally our check-in was complete and we made our way to security, which was surprisingly uneventful aside from my bracelet setting off the dinger thing and inciting an argument between two agents who were determined that it was a bangle that I could not remove. Wait people, I can take it off! So, I did, and it was fine. Ma and I got spared the weird body scan thing for some reason. A female agent pulled us aside and said we didn't need to go through, which worked for me, cause I was already sucking in a much as I could suck in! (hehe)
So we flew, and we arrived, grabbed our bags (both arrived, thankfully!) and after a brief bout of mistrust of the taxi line (it is different at LaGuardia) we were on our way!
We have been to Virginia before, (I loved Virginia Beach) but we were immediately struck by the calm and had a very pleasant taxi ride to the hotel. Nothing looked as either of us had pictured. It was all so much better. DC had a wonderfully calm vibe that I was not prepared for and the feeling of a big small town that immediately put me at ease. We saw lots of green space and amazing trees and the traffic was nothing compared to NYC. We wasted no time and after checking in and dropping our bags off in the room we hit the streets of DC, intent on seeing it all! See it all, we did not, but see a ton we most certainly did! That day we walked for miles and miles, as we made our way to most, if not all of the memorials! We saw The Washington Monument,

The Lincoln Memorial,

The White House, the vegetable garden, The Vietnam Wall Memorial, The WWII Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, oh gosh, I have lost track but, we saw a ton of memorials, and we spent time touring the Holocaust Museum. Ma had read that the Holocaust Museum was not recommended for children, which gave me and my sensitive self pause, but I am glad that we decided to go. It was horribly sad and the images were graphic and horrific, but it was real. It happened. It never should have, but it happened and I did not find it to be any more heavy than what a child would see in a history book, but obvioulsly that should be a decision left up to a parent, which clearly, I am not, and I think they might have said not for children under 12, but I am not certain.

At dusk we made our way back to the hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was very nice, but since it was French, was at a slower pace and lasted long into the evening. We drank an Alsace, ate salade niçoise, drank french press coffee, which was served with a wonderful little lemon macaron, and even had dessert! I had a poached peach with some sort of fruity fluff that I can not recall and Ma had something nice and chocolate.
The next day we ventured out to the Renwick, American History Museum (our favorite), The Natural History Museum (packed and not even close to NY. The Hope Diamond fell short of my expectations), The Air and Space Museum ( 9 year old "O" wanted a picture of Amelia Earhart's plane and we were gonna find it),

we walked to The Capital (which the hotel concierge said could not be done. Pshaw! Did the Titanic sink?), where they were having some sort of free concert, but at that point we were not really up for the festivities so we called it a day and made our way back to the hotel and ordered room service.
At this point, one must note, that Ma and I, we are not your average sight seeing tourists. We are seasoned professionals with skills developed in the hallways of the Louvre, and honed in museums big and small across America and Europe. We know our goal and we set out, at what could never be described as a leisurely pace, to attack it head on. We are in and we are out. We know what we have seen and what we haven't. We know what we want to get out of each particular thing and we accomplish it, never missing a beat. We do not stop when we are tired. We do not slow our pace when we have blisters or are in pain. We are professionals. We have a mission, and we accomplish it. Then, when we get home, we crash. So, if our pace seems impossible or unlikely, perhaps for most it is, but when we have a goal, we have a goal.

On day three we took a tour bus to Arlington. I can't begin to do Arlington justice. I can not describe the feeling as we watched the Soldier guard The Tomb Of The Unknown, or The Changing Of The Guard Ceremony.

It was something that I know, I will never forget, and something that filled me with such pride and respect for not only our Soliders, but for America. I think it is easy to lose sight of the realities of what it means to live in a Free Country. To live in America. I think it is easy to lose sight of the realities of War. I went to Arlington thinking of it as getting to see JFK's gravesite, Jackie's, Bobby's, Teddy's, (I do, like it or not, have a Kennedy fixation), but in the end I left with so very much more. Seeing the Solidiers. Seeing the lives devoted to serving and lives lost for America was so much more. I can not begin to do Arlington justice.

After leaving Arlington we toured the National Archive, where we saw United States Government's Charters of Freedom, the U. S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence, among other things.

We had dinner in a quaint little Italian place near the hotel, where I could neither hear a word from my clogged ears, nor taste a thing, due to my cold, but Ma said it was all very good!
Day four, with our trip and energy winding down and rain steadly pouring, we decided to take a taxi and spend the day shopping and sight seeing around Georgetown. Georgetown was charming, even in the rain.

We shopped, had lunch, and even popped into a Sprinkles Cupcakes to grab Liila a little cupcake treat!

After shopping and walking all day in the cold and the rain, we had cocktails and dinner at the hotel and called it a night. The Sofitel staff were all amazing! The restaurant staff could not have been better and that is insanely high praise coming from me. They were all perfection, we could not have asked for better and to top it all off our waitress indulged me in a few extra macarons for the road (or the air, as it turned out)!
We had an amazing time in DC! We loved the place, loved the people, loved the vibes. When all is said and done, our trip can be summed up with one word, "capital"!

Comfy Casual Elegance

2011-02-21T17:17:00.000-05:00

1. LargeStone Earrings - Fornash www.fornash.com 2. Sally Dress Boucle - Lilly Pulitzer www.lillypulitzer.com 3. Idalee Jacket - Lilly Pulitzer www.lillypulitzer.com 4. Murfee Scarf in Peel and Eat - Lilly Pulitzer www.lillypulitzer.com 5. Multi Feather Headband - Samantha Casteel www.samanthacasteel.com 6. Liz Leather Flats - Elaine Turner www.elaineturner.com

Clementine Cosmos Anyone?

2011-02-17T12:24:00.001-05:00

Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson (via The Food Network.com)

Ingredients
•3 clementines, plus 1 very thinly sliced, for garnish
•1 cup sugar
•1 cup water
•2/3 cup cranberry juice
•1/3 cup lime juice
•1 1/2 cups vanilla flavored vodka (recommend: Grey Goose

Directions
Cut the clementines into quarters and squeeze their juice into a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and clementine flesh and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Pour into a strainer set over a measuring cup, pressing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, cool the liquid to room temperature and pour into a pitcher. Add the cranberry juice, lime juice and vodka and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Put 6 or 8 martini glasses in the freezer.
To serve, pour the mixture into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until very cold. Pour into the chilled martini glasses and garnish each with a clementine slice. Drink up and enjoy!

*I will use Raw Honey in place of the sugar, but doesn't this cocktail sound divine!*

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Carob Cookie

2010-10-10T15:27:00.006-04:00

In a world of food intolerance, you have to be creative if you want to eat. It is a process of trial, error and substitutions, for me at least, to see which ingredients I can tolerate, which I can't, and to, in the process, stumble upon something edible. I mostly stick to whole, unprocessed foods, like fresh veggies, fish, nuts, and fruit, but sometimes you have to have a little treat. This recipe is for those times. It is a simple recipe that I adapted from an old recipe that has been in our family for years. I have to avoid most sugars, however, so far I have done okay with small amounts of honey (I am knocking), so the sugar in this recipe has been replaced by local raw honey. I used raw carob powder rather than cocoa and peanut butter that had been freshly ground, so there are no additives, simply the ground nut. These are not pretty cookies, but if you like chocolate, oatmeal and peanut butter I just know you are going to love them!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Carob Cookies

Combine in a sauce pan:

1/2 cup Milk

1 cup raw local honey (I use sourwood)

4 Tbsp raw carob powder

1 stick of butter (I use unsalted)

Bring to a boil, stirring continuously over medium heat, no longer than 2 minutes.

Then add:

3 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup freshly ground peanut butter (I use crunchy)

1 tsp. good quality vanilla (I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Spoon drops of desired size onto wax paper.

I like to refrigerate mine, but it is not necessary, as they will harden a bit as they cool.

They also make a tasty treat from the freezer.

Makeup to Love!

2010-09-06T17:11:00.016-04:00

I love Laura Mercier makeup!
If you knew how complicated it is for me to find a makeup that I can use on my crazy sensitive skin, then you would understand just how grand of a declaration this actually is! I have tons of allergies and very sensitive, acne, rosacea prone skin that seems to react badly to every product that promises to work on even the most sensitive skin. I wanted a makeup to look natural, but still needed full coverage to conceal blemishes, rashes and uneven skin tone. It seemed like when I found the coverage, it either caked up, turned orange, melted off throughout the day, or broke my face out worse than before. I had read wonderful things about Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage concealer but dismissed it as something that would probably breakout my skin. Then I learned that the Laura Mercier product line was specifically formulated with my type of skin concerns in mind and decided to give it a shot. I purchased the Secret Camouflage along with the Mineral Powder SPF 15 foundation. I was amazed at how well the Secret Camouflage covered not only blemishes and sunspots, but also blotchy patches and dark circles. Even before I applied my foundation, the difference was amazing. The Mineral Powder just added to the effect. Unlike other mineral makeups I had tried, the Mineral Powder did not cake up or turn orange and it stayed perfectly intact though intense exercise and even rain storms! My skin looked smoother, my skin tone more even and my dark circles disappeared. I have been using Laura Mercier products for several months now and I am just as happy with them today, as the day I first tried them! I hate to gush, but I honestly feel this is a product line to gush about! Try it! I bet you will love it too!

Late Summer Goodness

2010-08-31T19:54:00.010-04:00

I discovered a couple of years ago that I love to can things! Canning is actually quite fun. Hard work, but in the end, you are left with wonderful treats to enjoy all winter long. I had great success with apple pie filling and though the birds, bugs and worms kept the apples for themselves this year, the cows were kind enough to leave the pears for me!
My last foray into canning pears was a sugar laden mess! One batch did not set, and the other set like concrete. So this year, I decided to go back to basics with a vintage recipe for pear chutney. I love vintage cookbooks and the simplicity of the recipes and ingredients. In this case, I used the vintage recipe as a base for forming my own "vintage inspired" pear chutney recipe. Unlike my previous pear venture, I am very happy to say that tradition paid off and the chutney is a savory success! It is a simple recipe and makes a wonderful treat to share in a late summer gift basket!

"Vintage Inspired" Pear Chutney Recipe

8 lbs. ripe pears
1 jumbo purple onion
1 large clove of garlic
1 cup white raisins
1 cup raw honey
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp hot pepper flakes
dash cayenne
1 qt. white vinegar
.

Peel, core and dice pears
Peel and chop onion and garlic
Put pears, onion and garlic in large pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook until onions are translucent and mixture begins to thicken, roughly 2 hours, stirring often to prevent mixture from sticking. Ladle hot mixture into clean jars, seal and place in hot water bath for 5 minutes.

.
Makes 5-6 pints.

Spring

2010-04-22T17:48:00.008-04:00

It starts with the faintest tint of green in the grass, or the tiniest bud on a tree and then, before you know it, the colors of a Southern spring are in full swing. From azaleas to camellias, hydrangeas to wisteria, jasmine to roses, if you can wade through the yellow pollen haze, bright beautiful colors are everywhere! I love how the color sweeps in, washing away the dreariness of winter. It's nice. It's refreshing. Beautiful blooms and blossoms have a way of making everything seem a bit brighter and more hopeful. Our first rose of the season bloomed quietly. Nestled in the middle of the dark green leaves, just out of view from the brick pathway, its blooming was much like spring itself, creeping in quietly with the tiniest bud, and then, without warning, captivating you with its beauty.

The Economy Is Killing My Romanticized Ideals!

2010-02-09T11:34:00.018-05:00

Without a fantasy what is left?

Well, okay, lots of things are, but the current economy has changed so much in so many peoples lives, wouldn't it be nice, if we could at least keep our fantasies. Those romanticized ideals that you keep tucked in the back corners of your mind, pulling them out when you want a break from "reality" or you just want to day dream. A "happy place" if you will. (And I do!)

Since the first time I laid eyes on Sea Island, since the first stories I heard, the first time I clicked on http://www.seaisland.com/, browsed through the pictures and dreamed of even a summer rental, since the very first time The Cloister entered my realm, Sea Island has had a permanent place in those back corners of my mind. While I have been there, I have never stayed, and when presented with the opportunity over the years, I have declined. I do not know the "reality" of Sea Island, and to be very honest, I'm not sure I would want to. As it stands now, in fantasies, it is perfection. An infallible culmination of southern charm and the Kennedy mystic, with hints of The Great Gatsby thrown in, just for fun. That's the beauty of a fantasy, you can make it whatever you want it to be. You can make it perfect. In fantasies, I have spent countless hours on Sea Island, have stayed in beautiful luxury suites at The Cloister, and dined on fabulous food, in an oh so refined, yet comfortable, setting. I have rented "cottages" and held events with caterers, flowers, quartets and tents. I have worn the most beautiful clothes, donned decadent jewels, danced and laughed until the wee hours of the morning, a tad bit tipsy from that extra glass of champagne. In these fantasies, Sea Island, is a "happy place" of casual comfort, tradition and old world luxury. "Reality" strips that away.

A few nights ago, while battling insomnia, I decided to do a Twitter search, in hopes of finding some sort of fun tid bit about Sea Island. I was thinking, maybe the resort had an account where someone would tweet random facts, or event updates, or even the weather. I did find Sea Island, but I was not, at all, prepared for what I found. Tweet after tweet from financiers, business news, analysts, all saying the same thing: Sea Island In Financial Trouble. What? How could that be true? I did a Google search. Article after article, headline after headline, I read in disbelief. "Legendary Resort Placed On Blocks By Jones Family" reads the Portfolio.com headline. "Economy's Tides Turn Against Sea Island" says Atlanta Business Chronicle. As I read, dumbfounded, I was a bit disgusted by what I learned. It seems that the demise of this great, fabled, five star resort, a resort that not only survived, but thrived throughout the Great Depression and World War II, ultimately comes down to greed. You would like to think that some things are immune to our bigger is better society, but that appears to be a naive thought indeed.

They called it redevelopment and expansion. The price tag was estimated over $500 million. It was an arrogant move. It did not work out. Hundreds of employees were laid off. Loans were defaulted on. And now, its seems, Sea Island has met, along with my fantasy, an uncertain future. Is it the economy, the greed, the bigger is better mentality or just "reality" that sinks the unsinkable? I don't know the answer to that. My guess is that it is a combination of all those things and more.

I always assumed that Sea Island would be there, unchanged, if ever I wanted to realize my fantasy, but now I am not so sure. Then again, would it ever be able to live up to all that I have built it up to be? I doubt it. I guess that is why I choose to keep the "reality" of Sea Island at arms length. Preferring rather, to save it for the future or simply for fantasies. It is good to have fantasies, and I think I am going to hold on to mine for a while longer. After all, if you actually go inside the Guggenheim, rather than sitting outside, on a bench, staring at it, while eating a miniature candy bar, what is left?

Where To Begin...It Was A LONG Day...

2010-01-27T16:34:00.014-05:00

Toni, this one is for you.

I am really not sure where to begin. If you don't have an hour or the inclination, just stop reading now, because there is just no short way to put this. Believe me, I tried.

I guess I will just start with the moment I opened my eyes this morning. Well actually, the dream that lead me to open my eyes. I was alone in an unfamiliar, European style city, that in retrospect, I believe must have been New Orleans. It was a jumbled mess of a dream that centered around people in costumes, sewage, a pink fringe, flapper style, skirt that was missing most of the fringe and was 3 sizes too big, an attack by mutant squirrels that left me wondering if I was up to date on my rabies shots and if it was a bad thing that I was not feeling the pain as the creatures teeth sunk deep into the flesh of my left arm. Thinking the squirrel was just misunderstood, I attempted to pet him, as I continued to walk with him dangling from my arm. This spurred his accomplice into action and left me fighting off two jumbo sized rodents. Just then, as another sewage line burst, like a fire hydrant full of doodie, my eyes opened, and so began the day.

The events that followed were far less violent and disgusting, but eventful all the same. Liila had an appointment for her yearly shots and check up at the vet, which went well. A few shots and a display of her strong will and strong muscles later, we were out the door and headed toward the interstate for home. This is when Ma decided that she would, indeed, call the hair salon, where we had been on Monday, to try to get the girl who had cut her hair to correct some of the damage she had done. She didn't want to call. But, the cut wasn't right. The salon had set her up with this new stylist when her old new one, (who took the place of her old, old, new one who was on maternity leave, who took the place of her old, old, old, one who ripped her off every time, but was "sweet" so she would not change, left to go to a new place where she thought she could charge the same amount and keep more of the money) was "no longer employed" there, and though the newest stylist talked a good game she did not have the talent to back it up, and Ma was left with, what she felt, was a terrible hair cut, that made her feel like she had a mullet. So after much turmoil, as we passed by the salon, she decided to call. They said, yes, for her to come right over and they would fix it. So, we both sighed a sigh of relief and she headed for the door, as Liila and I settled in for our wait. Our wait was surprisingly short. A few minutes later, I looked up to see Ma coming down the stairs of the salon, cheeks red, hair...well, looking the same, headed for the car. I was completely confused, and asked if she had gotten it fixed. Well apparently, the stylist, who was so sweet and friendly on Monday, turned into a bitchy little monster when Ma asked her to take more off the back. (She didn't even mention that the entire cut was all wrong and she hated ever little bit of it.) Needless to say, the girl did not listen to what she was asking. The stylist furiously snipped at a few hairs and then pretty much refused to do anything else. I have been going to this salon for...oh gosh...over 5 years, but I will not be going back and neither will Ma. It was always over priced, but it seemed like a price worth paying to get a better cut, from an experienced stylist. My past several visits to the salon have left me feeling worse about myself walking out, than I did walking in and dreading my next appointment far in advance. Each time, things got a little worse, and Ma's experience today sealed the deal. So, if you know of any really good salons, where the people are pleasant, that aren't over priced or loaded down with bad vibes, and where the stylists are truly experienced and hang around for longer than a day, I would love to hear about them! Meanwhile, I'm thinking of letting my hair grow longer... Just a thought.

So, since it was early afternoon, we dropped Liila off at home, ran by the post office to mail some things and headed to the court house to get my car tags. Ma dropped me off at the door, I ran up the stairs, flung my bag down for the security guards to scan, and walked through the metal detector, that then spring to life with beeps a plenty. Pointing out my jewelry, one guard asked me to walk though again with my arms raised above my head to see if this would solve the problem. Nope. Beeping. The guards look at one another, one settles on an expression and the other seems to understand. He pulls out a big wand thingie and tells me to lift my arms. A woman passes without incident as I stand there, being scanned, like a potential suburban threat in Joe's Jeans. After the guard concluded that it was officially my jewelry causing the beeping and not some nifty homemade shiv, they apologized for the delay and I moved on to the tag office, where I was met with a mishap in billing and a temperamental printer, but eventually got my tags, waved bye to the security guards, ran down the stairs, and hopped in the car. On to the nail salon. We have been getting our pedicures at this salon for several years. Owners have changed, hot stones (which I loved) have been replaced by warm neck pillows and a nice orange tropical punch with frozen punch ice cubes, served in lovely crystal glasses. Since it is a slow time of the year for nails, we are often the only customers and the owner is often the only one working, so we have come to know details of her life and personality. We have bonded over stories of gardens, celebrities, food and family. We have talked about modesty and laughed about thongs. She is a sweet lady. She works really hard. She loves her daughter. Her business is slow. We bonded. So today, as we sat sharing stories, the only customers, her the only one working, we were in no hurry and she was in no rush. That is until two other customers walked through the door asking for pedicures. This was a surprise, and visibly made her nervous, but she needs the business, so after making sure they were in no rush, she asked if they could wait about 30 minutes. They said yes, that they would shop a bit and be back. Content, she went back to work. A few minutes later another girl came through the door wanting a pedicure and acrylic nails, but unlike the others she had a time limit, she had to get to class. In a bit of a panic now, but not wanting to turn away a customer, she began calling everyone she knew to try to get someone to come help her. It seemed hopeless for a while, call after call and then finally she found someone. Her phone rang several times after that. Time passed and help was nowhere to be seen. Another lady came through the door wanting her chipped nail fixed. At this point, she looked around at the salon, now full of people and asked if the lady could come back tomorrow. She said she could. As she finished painting my toes, she hopped up and ran off to do one thing or another and never came back. She had moved on to the girl who had to get to class, which was fine, but what about my top coat? I thought she would come back after the paint had dried a bit and finish them up but she never did. I looked at Ma, who can not read my lips to save either of our lives, and tried to get across the point that I had no top coat. When she finally understood what I was getting at she looked at me like, "well, I'm sorry, you see what all she is dealing with here". Yes, I know but a quick sweep of the brush on each toe and I'm good. Two seconds. Two seconds is all I ask. The top coat is one of the most important parts! Ma just kept mouthing the words "I'm sorry but you aren't getting a top coat. You will just have to do one at home". Please note that if I could paint my own toe nails and not have them turn into a gloppy mess I would be more than happy to do that, but alas I can not. Which is why I have to have them done at a salon. I need that top coat! Well, her help arrived and as the salon buzzed with energy, I resigned myself to the fact that I was not getting a top coat. As the boy who can not work the credit card machine, attempted to work the credit card machine, and the pretty girl with the mask and gloves took it away from him, we paid and left, in summers flip flops, with paper towels rolled and twisted, woven in between our toes, lacking the very important top coat. We had to stop on our way home at the gas station and after standing in the cold, pumping gas, the receipt did not print. The screen flashed, "clerk has receipt". Great. I make my way across the parking lot, flip flops and paper towels fully intact, and ask the clerk for the receipt. Handing me the receipt, she tells me that for the inconvenience, I am welcome to a free soft drink or coffee of any size. I perked up, said thanks and made my way over to the drinks. I decided on a large coffee. I figured Ma and I could pour it into our own cups at home and have plenty to share. As I stood there trying to decided between the medium roast, the dark, the bold, I felt eyes upon me and heard laughter. I know I tend to be paranoid, but this was real! I looked to my left and see four sets of eyes staring right at me and one man behind the counter laughing so hard he was red in the face and could not breathe. I look at them, eyebrow raised in question while the man attempts to explain and act out the scene that he seems to have witnessed. Apparently, while I was contemplating the coffee, I was making a less than attractive and utterly amusing facial expression that left this man breathless with laughter. He tried to explain, but couldn't contain himself long enough to get out the words. All I understood is "I love it!" I have no idea what kind of coffee I ended up getting but, it was hot. Very hot. In the chaos I forgot to get a sleeve for the cup and the one that Ma gave me when I got back into the car did very little to keep it from burning my hand. But after pouring it into our cups at home, it was a nice and unexpected treat. I tried to tell Ma what had happened inside the store, but even I'm not sure. It was a heck of a day. And to think, this was our "day off".

It wasn't until I looked in a mirror that I saw the rash, or burn, or...well who really knows what, on my neck, that I'm guessing was from the warm neck pillow at the nail salon... Whatever.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T19:51:00.009-05:00

The Whole Can of Nuts

2009-07-09T20:33:00.010-04:00

I am not a fan of the Publix brand salted mixed nuts with peanuts. I like Kroger's brand of salted mixed nuts with peanuts, they are good. Kroger's Private Selection nuts are best, but they are also more expensive. Actually, a mix of the Kroger mixed nuts with peanuts and the Private Selection deluxe mixed nuts is my absolute favorite...but anyway, I digress. Point is, I do not care for the ones from Publix. The majority of the can is filled with peanuts and those peanuts are not very good. The almonds have a smoky flavor that I am not a fan of, the pecans are nonexistent and the cashews are sparse and tiny. The only thing this can of nuts had going for it was the salt, which was abundant. So here we are with this can of nuts (Ma doesn't like them either) that we don't want to waste, but don't really care to eat...not in their current state anyway. Then it hit me. What these nuts needed was chocolate! Of course!
So I melted some Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate, mixed in a little Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme, and then stirred in the whole can of nuts (well, minus the ones we had already eaten). I didn't have any little candy cups, so I used the ones for cupcakes instead, placed them in a muffin tray and then in I dipped the nutty globs of chocolate goodness. Problem solved. Well, that one anyway. Now we have 12 massive (cupcake sized) chocolate nut clusters just sitting around... Dang that can of nuts!

***UPDATE***

Publix brand mixed nuts with peanuts make absolutely delicious chocolate nut clusters! The abundance of salt, the sweetness of the chocolate... Oh my, they are good!

"Pet rescue. We Deliver."

2009-07-04T14:24:00.010-04:00

I didn't think about what I was wearing before I threw the car in park and made my way down a patch of landscaped lawn, on a busy road, right in the middle of town. Not that it would have changed things, but it truly is something to think about before you leave the house. Ma, Liila, and I were just going to a drive-thru for tea (nothing fancy, no need to change), until we saw him. A little Chihuahua, dragging a cord, panting, very close to a major (well major for us) intersection, clearly needed our help! Tons of cars passed, looked at him and kept driving. When I could, I changed lanes, and circled back around to where he was pacing. Before I could get out, Liila started barking like crazy, almost sending the lost little guy into the busy road. Ma and I gasped, rolled up the windows and I hopped out. Unlike "Poodle", this run away was not so sure about me. When I spoke to him, he smiled, but he looked at me with uncertainty. As I was perched there, on the nice green manicured lawn, on the side of the busy road, in the middle of town, talking to this strange little dog, I could feel the eyes upon me. And rightly so. They could not have missed me. There I was, in sharp contrast to the nice green grass, in bright pink, stretched out, Juicy Couture pants, that had belonged to Ma several years ago, a white tee shirt, a string of Tahitian pearls, unbrushed hair, not a drop of makeup and my little Louis Vuitton bag strapped across me, like some sort of disheveled fashion reject who couldn't settle on a dressing theme, trying to coax a strange Chihuahua closer, and having no idea what I would do with him when I got him. When he finally decided that I didn't seem to pose a threat he came closer and I picked up the cord he was dragging. A nice lady stopped and poured our little friend some water, he was timid at first and then drank a good bit before deciding to lick me and plop in my lap. Meanwhile, Ma, who has dubbed herself clairvoyant or psychic, she can't decide, (for your free reading dial 1.800.shecrazy) had a vision of this Chihuahua's life, across the street, in the house, on the hill, in the woods, behind the Steak 'n Shake, so we loaded him into the car, (I had to let her drive...you know the Psychic one) and made our way up a wooded driveway where she jumped out and headed for the door with determination. I was a bit unsure of the whole thing. She knocked. She waited. She rang the bell. She began to fidget. I saw a guy, holding a small child, peak out of the back door and I waved to get Ma's attention. I saw them talking and seemingly getting nowhere, as the man did not appear to speak English, so I got out with the dog to try and show him what she was going on and on about. Sure enough, a look of recognition crossed the man's face, he said something we could not understand, took the dog, inspected his cord, said "ah" and then called the dog what I thought was "Beijing" (though I agree, that makes no sense, seeing as the man appeared to be Hispanic), before he started saying "thank you" many times and headed toward his door. "Beijing" looked back, as if to say "damn it, it is Independence Day, why the hell did you bring me back?" or maybe just "bye guys, thank you!" Then they headed off into the sunset (okay not really, more like the back yard, but whatever), and we drove away wondering where it was we were headed in the first place. Not so clairvoyant after all huh, Ma. Well, I guess you were right about the house, on the hill, in the woods, behind the Steak 'n Shake.

Small Town 4th of July Celebration!

2009-07-04T02:01:00.026-04:00

There is something about an Independence Day celebration in a small Southern town that lifts your spirits and eases your mind back to a simpler day and time. Maybe it is the crowds that gather in the freshly cut fields to watch the fireworks display. Or, the vine ripened watermelons with big black seeds, and the kids chasing lightning bugs and playing catch while a cool breeze washes away the heat of the day. Or perhaps it is simply this: A community coming together, with blankets and picnic baskets, looking up in the same direction, as a glowing burst of light and tradition, lifts away the stresses of the day, if only for a brief moment. Wherever you are, I hope you can still see the lightning bugs. Happy 4th of July!

Classic Cocktails

2009-06-29T20:40:00.009-04:00

I am very fortunate to have inherited a vast and varied, collection of vintage cookbooks and recipe books. I adore them! Everything about them! The worn pages, the fonts, the sometimes extremely random ingredients, the visions I get of, what I prefer to believe was, a more idyllic time. A more civilized time. A time where manners mattered, and people dressed for dinner. My vision of this time is never complete without a cocktail. Luckily, my grandparents agreed, and thus I have some rather nifty vintage barware and a nice assortment of random promotional cocktail recipe pamphlets, like the one pictured below that was put out by Southern Comfort in 1978! This baby is as old as I am!

The "After Five Happy Hours Barguide" lists the top 20 drinks, and recipes, used by "famous bars, restaurants and nitespots". The recipes are delightfully simple, lacking the modern day pretension of acai berries and expensive bottles of spirits. Grey Goose and cranberry juice with lots of lime wedges aside, I am most definitely a classic cocktail kind of gal!
These truly classic recipes were ranked by popularity at the time, in this order:
1. Dry Martini
2. Bloody Mary
3. Manhattan
4. Whisky Sour
5. Screwdriver
6. Gin 'N Tonic
7. Tom Collins
8. Margarita
9. Daiquiri
10. Old Fashioned
11. Gimlet
12. Black Russian
13. Tequila Sunrise
14. Pina Colada
15. Bacardi cocktail
16. Rob Roy
17. Rum 'N Coke
18. Harvey Wallbanger
19. Stinger
20. Sombrero

Liila "cops a tude"

2009-06-29T10:28:00.015-04:00

Liila is spoiled. We know it. She knows it. Anyone who comes into contact with her knows it, but it was her veterinarian who was bold enough to point out the fact. When he mentioned that she was spoiled, Ma and I looked at each other with confusion and amusement. Yes, she is spoiled and we are well aware of this fact, but is it that obvious? What had she done to make him say such? Was it when she over dramatized her mani-pedi? Was it when she refused to look at him, hid her head and cried? Or was it something we did? I guess we will never really know, but this morning Liila took spoiled to a whole new level. In recent months Liila has turned a new leaf. Maybe it is her third birthday that is swiftly approaching or maybe she has decided enough is enough, but Liila has an attitude. More so than normal. She refuses to eat her treats when she is mad and a couple of times has spit them into the floor. She is rebelling against her bedtime and seems to think she is too old to have to sleep in her room. She has become more demanding and expects a fresh rawhide bone every morning, even though she has a zillion little pieces hidden all over the house that the cats use as hockey pucks. This morning was no exception. As Ma and I sat drinking our coffee, Liila walked into the kitchen and sat beside the cabinet that holds the bones and like many other mornings, she began to whine. Incessantly. I looked down and saw part of a bone at my feet, picked it up and flung it into the kitchen. We could hear her fumbling with the little piece of bone and, thinking that would appease her, continued on with our conversation. In less than a minute here came Liila prancing into the room, bone in her mouth, tail wagging. She walked up to me, stood by my feet and with all the force her little body could muster, she spit that bone right back at me! When the shock of what happened wore off Ma and I both looked up and then collapsed in laughter. After making her point, Liila made her way to Ma's lap, where she sat with a smile on her face.
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An hour later: She holds a grudge.
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XOXO

2009-05-10T12:49:00.024-04:00

Happy Mother's Day

to the Bestest Ma EVER!!!!!

I could never ever Thank You enough!

I Love You More than the entire world!!!

Happy Mother's Day, Ma!!!!

And the crowd roared "BBBRRRRRRUUUUUUUCCCCCEEE"!

2009-04-27T11:54:00.005-04:00

Last night, John and I, had a very nice meal at McCormick & Schmick's. I started with a spinach salad topped with walnuts, apples and goat cheese, followed by a nice piece of salmon roasted on a cedar plank, served with berry sauce, veggies and asparagus. It was very tasty and beautifully presented. John had a Greek salad and the halibut with veggies and rice noodles. Mine was better, but his was pretty good too! We passed on dessert and moseyed down to Philips Arena. We were there to see "The Boss", who now, apparently, is just "BBBRRRUUUCCCEEE". New one on me, but obviously I am the one out of the loop. John knew it, the guy sitting beside us who was working on his 91st Springsteen show knew it, but I guess I am stuck in a big bathroom, in the 80's, with my mom doing leg lifts and a whole exercise routine, while the Born In The USA tape blares in the background , cause I didn't know it. I thought he was still "The Boss". The 91st show guy asked what song we were hoping to hear and I so badly wanted to answer "Cover Me", but I didn't. I had a feeling that would be like saying that you were looking forward to hearing "Truckin'", to a Deadhead. I kept my mouth shut. Good thing too, cause I was out of my element for sure! He didn't play "Cover Me", or any of the other songs I remembered so fondly from my childhood. He did play "Born to Run" and that new song from the "Wrestler" movie that John likes so much, but as far as the songs that I could belt out word for word, not so much. But even so, the show was fun. Bruce has more energy than I could ever dream of having. He is in amazing shape and has the flexibility of a seasoned yogi! That man did a back bend to the floor and then up again that would have done Britney Spears proud! Go you Bruce, you will always be "The Boss" to me!

"Whatever looks like a dog hasn't peed on it."

2009-04-25T20:58:00.008-04:00

This was the response that Ma gave me when I inquired as to what part of the rosemary I should cut from to add to our dinner. Yeah, instills a lot of confidence, huh. Well, we have a new dog in the neighborhood and for some odd reason, that dog insist on coming to pee on our rosemary! It is horrible! I am mortified each and every time I see him do it! Thankfully, he tends to stick to one little spot, but still! Yuck!!! But he is a young, happy, carefree dog who pays my dirty looks no mind at all. I can yell, I can wave my arms around, I can stomp my feet... Nothing. He just smiles. He is really cute. He is a happy dog, who, incidentally, smells of rosemary.

Fig Jam...of sorts.

2009-04-23T17:54:00.009-04:00

I came across a recipe in Ma's Ladies' Home Journal for a quick fig jam. It used dried figs, we had dried figs, so I decided to make it. I chopped a cup of dried figs, and soaked them in 3 cups of hot water for 25 minutes. Well, okay I got a bit impatient somewhere around the 15 minute mark, but I did make it to 23! I used the blender rather than the food processor, mainly because I didn't want to dig the food processor out, or clean it up after the fact. I put the figs in the blender along with a bit of the liquid as per the instructions. I thought a few chopped walnuts might be a nice addition and while I was at it I added a few pecans as well. I secured the lid and I hit puree, "until mixture is spreadable". I clearly added too much liquid to the mix. My mixture was not only "spreadable" but a bit drip-able. But it tasted good. Kinda bland...
As I stood in the kitchen staring at the sightly mixture I had just concocted, I wanted nothing more than to add cinnamon. Lots of cinnamon and maybe a hint of nutmeg and ginger. But I didn't. Ma says I have a tendency to spice to the point of covering up the flavor of the food. But to me it's like this: What flavor??? The spices are the flavor! I love, love, love spices! The more the merrier! But, If she wants to taste the actual fig flavor... I guess... :)
Well, it at least needed a little honey. Two tablespoons did the trick, and even thickened it a bit.
Then it was time to stir in the orange zest. I added the zest of one small orange rather than the 1/4 tsp the recipe suggested. And it turned out great!
The fig jam was a tasty compliment to our dinner of wild salmon, a mixed baby green and spinach salad, and (gifted) homemade Italian sweet bread. But you know what I think would have made it even better? A little cinnamon.

Ladies' home Journal Recipe: Fig Jam

Plump one cup chopped dried figs in 3 cups hot water for 25 min. Drain figs, reserving some liquid. Puree in a food processor. Add saved liquid until the mixture is spreadable. stir in 1/4 tsp orange zest.

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My version: Fig Jam

Add one cup chopped figs in 3 cups hot water for 23 min. Drain most of the liquid and place in blender. Add 2 or 3 tbs. chopped nuts (walnuts & pecans) and puree. Stir in 2 tbsp honey and zest of one small orange.

Rugelach!!!

2009-04-22T17:37:00.008-04:00

I have a new obsession. Rugelach, a traditional Jewish cookie, has won me over in a big way! I decided to try one today from Abraham's Bakery and I promise, I think I could live on these things! They are small, some would say "bite sized", cookies packed full of wonderful fruit, nuts, cinnamon and sugar! Oh my, they are good!!! All of the delicious treats at Abraham's are kosher and dairy free, which is a major plus for those of us who are lactose intolerant and it also cuts the fat and calories! Win, win! Anyway, I got two little rugelach, one plain and one with chocolate. I ate the plain one right away and saved the chocolate one to share with you! Aren't I sweet?

Guaba... Guava? Guaba? & A Big Hunk Of Flatbread!

2009-03-02T18:04:00.010-05:00

So today Ma and I decided to be a bit adventurous and try out a new bakery! Well, more Ma than me, seeing as her sweet tooth is much longer than mine, but I ate good all weekend, so I figured a little splurge was okay. Ma saw a write up in the newspaper that talked about the bakery, the family that runs it, the treats, and that was all it took. It is kosher, they don't use any dairy, which is good for me, or any nasty fatty additives, which is even better! We walked into the sparse bakery and were greeted by a friendly family and shelves of nice baked goods. Ma had read about the cupcakes so that was high on her list, and then a pastry caught her eye, so she decided to get both! The handwritten sign said "Guaba Pastry". Guaba? What is Guaba? Well, whatever. The guy behind the counter asked if she had ever had Guaba before, she smiled and said no, so he offered her a sample. (The sample alone was big enough to satisfy a craving.) Ma happily took the sample and took a small bite. hehehe... I could tell from the look on her face that it was not the taste that she was expecting. hehe... She was good and didn't spit it out, or say yuck, yuck, gag, gag. In fact, she did not say anything for a minute or two. heheh... When she did speak it was to say, hum, that is interesting. I don't believe I want that. The guy kind of laughed. (I'm not so sure that he likes it either.) Then she shoved it toward me and said with a big smile "here, taste this"! So I did. It wasn't bad. Huh. Guaba. Tastes like something I've had before... This is what I kept repeating as I tasted the gooey center of the pastry. He told us that it was a fruit popular in the Caribbean, and Ma decided that perhaps I had encountered it on some of our travels. But, no... This tasted like something I had in a drink. Sweet, sour and a bit bitter. I like it. It's odd, but I like it. Well, heck I guess it could have been a drink in the Caribbean... I donno.... But Guaba? Did they mean Guava? Now, I've had Guava. In fact, that may be the taste I am remembering! Is Guaba, Guava? Is Guava, Guaba? Are they related? Are they the same? Could that "b" have actually been a "v"? Am I just completely insane? Well, I don't know what to tell you about the Guaba. It was good. But as far as the Guava connection is concerned, I am at a loss. Meanwhile, Ma loved her cupcake and I enjoyed my black and white cookie. We also got a big beautiful hunk of flatbread to go with dinner. ($2.00 for a huge piece!) It looks so good that the barista who took our order in the drive thru at Starbucks, held up the line when she spotted it, just to find out where we got it! After you see the picture you might want to go too! Abraham's Bakery, on Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga, TN near Hamilton Place Mall. Ma is already plotting her next trip, to get a raspberry filled treat she saw today, and to try a loaf of the fresh baked bread. It was a great bakery, with great prices, friendly people, and Guaba.

Poor Liila...She Had A Rough Day...

2009-02-24T21:04:00.011-05:00

It all started this morning. Liila had an appointment for her yearly checkup at the vet. Last year, her doctor said she was a little on the heavy side, and that she should never gain more than another pound. Well... she did. Two pounds to be exact. Liila loves to eat! Peanut butter is her favorite, but she isn't picky. As Ma, Liila and I, walked into the office we were greeted by our favorite lady behind the front desk. She knows us well, seeing as Liila also goes to "camp" (boarding) there whenever we travel, and we call constantly during her stay (got it on speed dial), which I know has to get old if you are the one answering the phone and giving a report. Liila last saw her "camp" friends in July, so quiet a bit of time had passed since her last visit. The lady asked how "Miss Liila" was doing, and when I lifted Liila up for her to say hey, the lady exclaimed, "girl you have put on some weight"! And so it began. As we chatted, Liila made friends with a very cute little dachshund with long hair, and one blue eye and one brown eye. She made unpleasant faces as her new little friend licked her hello, and never offered to returned the greeting, choosing rather to turn her head away with a pained expression, just waiting for it to be over. When the doctor's assistant came to show us to the exam room, she said Liila, I know you, you board here. I couldn't help wondering what Liila had done to be instantly recognizable...but she has had some extended stays at "camp" and she is awfully cute! But anyway, I digress. As we settle into the exam room I asked the assistant if she wouldn't mind trimming Liila's nails, since last time I did it she threw a fit and yelled like something crazy, making me think she was close to death! I thought maybe it was me. That maybe I was doing something wrong and hurting her as I trimmed. The assistant said, not a problem, and carried Liila back into the "lab" for her tests and mani/pedi. It wasn't long before we heard it. It was the unmistakable shrill cries of one overly dramatic spoiled dog! She yelled, she whimpered, she whined, she cried, she hit repeat. We were starting to worry, and then in a few minutes the door to the exam room opened, and in walked the doctor, the assistant, and the drama queen. They explained that Liila had started her yelling when they touched her feet and it only got worse as they trimmed her nails. She had put on such a show that they felt the need to assure us that they had not hurt her in any way, and then in the nicest way they knew how, they called her spoiled. hehe... The exam progressed. The doctor was very nice and did a through exam before addressing the weight issue. Ah...there it was again. Liila had gained two pounds and he wanted to know why. Well...yes she does get treats but not too many. Yes, she gets a little food from the table, but really its just enough for her to feel like she has gotten something. Does she go with us as we jog? heheheheh..hehehe..hehehe.. Um...no. No, she does not. But she is gonna start! I need to jog, why not make her jog too? It would do us both some good! She really only HAS to lose a pound. That shouldn't be too hard. And how cute would we look!!! Sooo... We left the vet and set fourth on our mission to buy a harness so that Liila could start her exercise! As we approach the pet store Ma says, "I hope it doesn't stink". It did, but we were on a mission. We stopped to pet a grey kitten, Ma got sidetracked looking at dogs, and I asked where we could find a harness. Having measured Liila ahead of time, I knew just what to ask for and was only given the option of color, as the particular harness we were looking at was "awesome" and no others should even be considered. It was the type of harness that my Aunt had been telling us about, with one closure, that you only have to adjust once and then can just slip it on and off with ease. Yep, sounds good. We got the pink one. The adjustment time was less than a treat. Liila was not happy, or patient, or even half way nice about having that thing strapped to her as I attempted to tighten and loosen and tighten again. She started biting me before Ma stepped in and started babying her enough that I could finish doing what I was doing. We got it adjusted and I asked Ma if she was sure that I should take the tags off. Liila walked oddly around the kitchen very displeased with this pink contraption that was now attached to her. Ma said she was sure, and though I hesitated, I removed the tags. Liila seemed to be walking better without the tags attached and so we headed to the foyer to get ready for our walk. I hooked her short leash to the harness, put on my shoes, my jacket, my ray-bans, stuck my phone in my pocket and we headed out. Ma said "have fun" as we made our way down the sidewalk toward the street. Everything was going very well until we got to the mailbox. At the mailbox, Liila started freaking out completely! She stood on her back legs, flung herself around like something crazy and the next thing I knew I was holding a leash, attached to a pink harness that was no longer attached to a dog. "Liila! Liila get back here!!!" I herded her into the house. Ma asked "what happened"? I said, "she took it off". "What do you mean she took it off?" "I donno, she took it off." So, I plopped myself down in the floor, examined the harness to see if I had done something wrong, and started the whole process over again, tightening it just to be sure. And then, with stupid optimism, we set out down the sidewalk, Ma says"have fun". Everything was going very well until we got to the mailbox. I am sooo not kidding! That dog started freaking out, stood on her back legs, flung herself around like something crazy, and then there I was again, holding a leash, attached to a pink harness that was no longer attached to a dog. But this time I saw how she did it! As she is standing on her back legs and flinging herself around she pulls back from me slipping her front legs and head out of the harness. She is like a reptile!!!! She can contort herself in ways that a normal dog would never dream possible. I herded her into the house but there was no point in trying again. Liila was not staying in that harness any further than the mailbox. I called the pet store, explained the problem and the fact that I had removed the tags and asked if I could return the harness. They said I could, so we did. The sales guy asked why I was returning it, and I told him that she kept slipping out of it. He said, "slipping out of a harness??? What is her name Houdini"? "No", I said, "it is Liila".

Wine and Hors D'oeuvres!

2009-02-20T20:16:00.009-05:00

Be it a simple plate of cheese and crackers, or an elaborate gourmet spread, sometimes there is nothing more perfect than wine and hors d'oeuvres! A snack for one, a feast for many, a welcoming gesture that has the power to set a room at ease, in a way no "meal" ever could. Many of my favorite social memories begin and end with wine and hors d'oeuvres. Then again, it is my firm opinion that there is nothing better than a nice spread of snackie treats! Maybe that is why I find the tradition of cocktail hour so appealing! Speaking of cocktail hour, here is a little treat that is a perfect complement to a nice glass of red wine. It is bruschetta basically, but boy is it tasty!
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Start with a nice loaf of bread. (I used french bread topped with garlic and spices.)
Slice the bread and lay it on a cookie sheet.
In a bowl, mix olive oil and seasonings. (I used garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.)
Brush olive oil mixture onto bread with a pastry brush.
Bake bread in oven at 265 degrees for about 30 mins. or so. (I like mine really crunchy, but if you prefer it more bread like, you are on your own.)
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Meanwhile, you can prepare your tomato topping (or prepare it ahead of time and store it in a jar in the fridge, which is way more convenient).
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The tomato topping is very basic. You can dice it all up by hand or throw it in a food processor.
At your discretion, add diced tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, onion, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. (They sell this in jars if you aren't into making it yourself.)
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I like to heat the tomato mixture before topping my bread, but that one is up to you.
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When the bread is sufficiently crunchy, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cool plate.
Spread each piece generously with goat cheese and top with the warm tomato mixture.
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Pour a glass of wine and enjoy!

p.s.
Untopped bread is good to use the next day too!

A Valentine's Day Surprise!

2009-02-14T09:56:00.009-05:00

A Dozen Beautiful PURPLE Roses!!!

Thank you John! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Retro Wild Child Finds Place In Hearts Of New Generation

2009-02-13T11:00:00.011-05:00

Ray-Ban's version of edgy rebellion, the Wayfarer, is back in a big way! Originally designed in 1952, the Wayfarer first gained cult status when popularized by such iconic stars as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, John Lennon, and Bob Dylan, just to name a few. The bold mid-century design was not for the faint of heart. Or was it? Perhaps the Wayfarer was just the push "Princess" needed to break free from "Daddy" and let the world know that she too had a dangerous side lurking just beneath the surface. Or maybe, like tailfins on a Cadillac, the Wayfarer was worn as a badge of cool. And cool they are! To cut the history lesson short, they were in, they were out, they were in, they were out, they were redesigned, and now they are in again. And I got a pair! I had a pair back in the day (the 80's), but they weren't near as festive as these babies! I broke from solid black and made the leap into color. Pink and blue to be exact. A bold choice, if I do say so myself! And I do. They are cute, quirky and unlike my over sized Giorgio Armani's they don't take themselves too seriously or fall off my face, which is a major plus in my book! I slip them on and right on cue, Don Henley begins his sweet serenade. (Boys of Summer, another itunes purchase well worth the $.) What a great song! What a great pair of sunglasses! What a great marketing plan!!! Fifty seven years later, through thick, and thin, outstanding product placements and awesome ad campaigns, Ray-Ban's Wayfarer is still very much the epitome of cool. Not even "Princess" could turn down James Dean.

Angelina, Flo Rida and a Milk Jug. Plug Me In...I'm Smokin'!

2009-02-05T20:24:00.008-05:00

Today, for the first time in my 31 years, I shot a gun. If you know me at all, you know just how odd this statement actually is! I am not a fan of guns or even dangerous power tools! My little "mouse" sander was intimidating, the shrub trimmers downright frightening, and don't even get me started on chainsaws!!! So, me touching a gun, much less firing it, is one for the books. But, like CPR, I feel it is knowledge that I should have, albeit knowledge I never care to use. After going over the basics of guns, gun function, gun safety, gun everything, Stan was off to find my ear protection. When he emerged, he handed over the massive earphones that I had as a child, saying "here, wear these". "These are EARPHONES!" I exclaimed. He said it didn't matter and it was all the same. "But they have a PLUG", I protested. "It's okay, doesn't matter", he said. Uh huh. So, off I went, to have my first shooting experience, wearing the massive earphones, long spiraling cord dangling, plug stuck in my pocket. Terrified, and feeling more than a bit ridiculous, I got my lessons on sighting, posture, stance, etc. before setting my eye on the prize. In this case the "prize" was a yellow milk jug with a black circle marking the spot, that I most assuredly would never hit. "But what if I hurt something?" I asked. "You won't," he said. "I might," I said. "What if I did?" "You won't." My thoughts race as I try my dangdest to get my left eye to close. "It doesn't work," I said. "What do you mean, it doesn't work?" Stan asked. "My left eye doesn't close, only the right one, see..." I demonstrate how I can close my right eye, but when I try to close my left eye, both eyes close involuntarily. We have had this very conversation before, but centered around a pool cue. We move on. As I stand there, I can't help having visions of transforming into some Angelina like sharp shooter! My thoughts are quickly interrupted. "You are aiming high." "You are aiming to the left." "You are aiming low." "Samantha, are you using your sights?" Okay... so maybe sharp shooter is not in my near future. I focus, attempt to steady myself and after asking a zillion questions and procrastinating as long as I could procrastinate, I pull the trigger. "Did I hit it?" I asked this knowing the answer. No. Too high and off to the left. Okay. We do this several more times with varying results until finally that milk jug got so tired it could no longer out run me! Lined up with the black circle, but about 3 inches, give or take, to the right, was a hole! I actually hit it! Go me! So, it wasn't perfect. Whatever, I don't care. Still pretty good for my first time ever trying! I later learn that my "piece" was a Ruger. A .22 caliber Single-Six to be exact! See, I did learn something! Ruger...Why does that sound familiar? Oh my gosh! Its Flo Rida!!!! "Got money on the shooter, am I talking 'bout da Ruger?" Everything triggers a song with me, you should hear some of the stories behind my itunes purchases! When I was interviewing for Pharmaceutical sales I just had to have Curtis Mayfield's Pusher Man! It only made sense. Didn't get the job, but I really like the song. Peace loving, gun slinging, vegetarian... humm.... I might have to write the lyrics to that one.

It was a Happy Birthday for Me!

2009-02-03T09:22:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was my 31st Birthday!

It was filled with Lemon Cake, Flowers, Gifts, Phone Calls,

Text Messages, Emails and Lots of Love!

I am Very Blessed!

Super BOWL!

2009-02-01T17:22:00.005-05:00

I do not care about the football. Nor, do I care about the commercials. These are statements that landed me squarely in the C student category in my college marketing class...well maybe it was a B...but I doubt it. The man who experienced the "perfect haircut" in February of 1990 something, was speechless at my declaration. It was a marketing class after all... But, a fact is a fact. No matter how you cut it, I did not, and do not care about the Super Bowl. Last years was fun. I think I even ventured into "woo girl" territory, but last year was an exception to the rule. There was a bet...and we were winning! Anyways... I like the idea of the Super Bowl... But this year I am giving Super Bowl a new meaning! Check out this beautiful bowl of super goodness! This is my Super BOWL! Seven layers of yum. Nuff said.

Wishing you lots of "woos"!

"Poodle, Where You Been?"

2009-01-21T16:10:00.012-05:00

Sometimes things fall into just the right place at just the right time and land right in your lap!
Today, Ma and I saved a little white poodle from the middle of a busy road near our house. He was clearly lost, wandering in and out of traffic, and though cars were stopping for him, his movements were as unpredictable as a little drunk leaving a bar. He crossed in front of us, Ma stopped, I got out, he came right to me, we hopped back into the car, he cuddled a thank you and sat nicely in my lap. As we made our way to turn around, discussing the "now what" part of our rescue (signs, ad in the paper, you know...), Ma spotted an older gentleman clearly searching for something. Perhaps, a little white poodle! She rolled down her window and inquired if he was indeed looking for a dog. Yes he was! A white dog, she asked. Yes he was! A little white poodle, he said. We pulled over and returned his baby! His face lit up as he asked "poodle, where you been?" It seems our furry friend was an inside kinda guy, who had managed to get tangled around a tree while on a walk, pulled free of his collar and leash, and had the sweet taste of freedom before deciding he was lost and wanted to go home. As we drove away, we watched the man cradling his baby, his poodle. Guess we all just happened to be in just the right place at just the right time. That is one lucky little poodle!

Speaking of things falling into place (I hesitate to even write this as I am fearful of jinxing myself, but I will), I have finally made peace with my Bialetti Cappuccino maker! After many failed attempts and reviews read, I finally listened to my Ma and I made a cappuccino. She had been telling me that I needed to wet the rubber seals and get the coffee part a little damp and not grind my espresso beans into dust. Yeah, uh huh, I thought, she doesn't know... Well, turns out she did know! When I did all of those things, the coffee did not drizzle out of the reservoir, it did not erupt like a volcano, I got perfect foam and it didn't taste half bad either! Aways the skeptic, I just knew that it was a fluke and would never work again, but it did. I have made several more cappuccinos since, following Ma's advice, and each one has been better than the last! Thank you Ma! You were right. Again... :)

I Wish Starbucks Delivered...

2009-01-05T14:50:00.009-05:00

I am in massive need of some espresso!
It has been a very busy year for me so far, and though I am not complaining, I am very happy that there is a Starbucks down the road to fuel me along, paid for by my Christmas gift cards. On the down side, I have developed one mean caffeine addiction! If the espresso has not entered my body by a certain point in the day my head starts to pound and nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, can ease that pain. But the way I see it, why not enjoy my espresso. What else do I do??? I don't eat meat, or fast food, or potatoes to speak of, or cheese (except goat and the occasional treat, a treat that kills my stomach)...I don't drink coke or any other soft drink, I stay away from most sugar and starches, I restrict my calories, I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, I don't watch tv really, the list goes on and on... but damn it, I am gonna drink my espresso! I got a Bialetti Cappuccino maker for Christmas and when I figure out how to use the thing I will be in business! It seems simple enough. Measure the water and put it in...check. Put "espresso ground" coffee in, but do not pack it down...check. Put specified amount of milk (soy milk) in...check. Make sure it is all screwed together tightly but not too tight and put it on a cold heating element and heat to medium...check. I watched the included dvd, I read the book, I was prepared to throw out the first three pots as instructed (though I found this insanely wasteful). I did all this and yuck! But that's okay, they said the first ones would not be good. I tried again... coffee dribbled out of the reservoir down the sides and onto the cook top where it burned and stuck... Okay, still okay. I try again...following every step to a T each time, always thinking that this time I will make the perfect cappuccino! Well... So several tries and two coffee explosions later (This part was scary as heck! Hot coffee, soymilk and froth erupted like a volcano! I had to flee!), I have yet to make the perfect cappuccino or even a drinkable one... I have not given up! This little contraption will not break me!!! (I'm still singing my New Years song..."I've got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine"!) But for today, I'm going to Starbucks. Think I will add an extra shot.

Pictured above is my New Years Day treat from Starbucks. I ordered a Venti Soy Cappuccino, they made a Venti Soy Latte (which I like but not enough for the extra calories), so they offered to give me both... What was a girl to do?

Yum!!!

2008-12-26T14:36:00.003-05:00

Thank you Toni & Mike!!!

Holiday Treats!

2008-12-23T11:01:00.008-05:00

Thinking back on the fondest of my Christmas memories, it is no surprise that I tend to land on the treats! Homemade treats! Candy, fudge, divinity, cookies...all perfectly packaged in the most idyllic of holiday containers, decorative tins!

Oh, how I loved it when those tins started rolling in! Not only were they beautiful, but they contained the most marvelous little treasures! Some were old favorites, some were kinda scary at first but turned out to be rather tasty! Others...well...you win some you lose some...but that is not the point! Point is that good or bad, it was a treat! It may have been taken for granted at the time, the hours of effort seemingly unappreciated, but looking back, it is the little things, like the tins of homemade candy that I so loved and miss.

This year I decided to embark on my very own candy making adventure!

I started slow, as you have to ease into these kind of things.

My first thought, colored by my love of most things vintage, was rum balls.

I never really remember eating a rum ball but they were a staple in my Grandmother's Holiday tins!

I found a recipe at: www.joyofbaking.com and altered it a bit by using amaretto rather than rum!

I know, I know, rum was kind of a key ingredient in making rum balls...but amaretto just sounded better! (I didn't toast the pecans either). They turned out pretty good, garnering rave reviews in the "test kitchen".

So, with the glowing reviews and dwindling stack of amaretto balls prodding me along, I started to feel brave. So brave in fact, that I concocted a little recipe of my own! Hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Graham Balls

2 1/2 cup........ Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter (I used Peter Pan)

1 1/2 cup........ Confectioners Sugar

2 1/2-3 cups... Crushed Graham Crackers (I used 2 of the packages in a box of Keebler brand)

1/4 cup............ Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (use your own judgement here)

16 oz............... Semi Sweet Chocolate

Directions:

1. Mix together peanut butter, confectioners sugar, crushed graham crackers and chocolate chips. Blend together really well to form a dough. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls in the fridge to chill while you prepare the chocolate.

2. Melt 16 oz of chocolate (I used Bakers chocolate squares 8 oz. at a time in the microwave for no longer than 30 seconds at a time as the chocolate will burn...trust me.)

Use two forks to dip the balls into the melted chocolate, rolling the ball from one fork to the other to remove excess chocolate. Place chocolate covered balls on parchment paper until the chocolate has set and the balls are cool.

3. Store cooled balls in the fridge. (They keep longer this way!)

Makes about 70 balls.

Ho, Ho, Ho & A Bottle of Rum!

2008-12-22T19:37:00.005-05:00

It is not what you drink...

2008-12-17T09:56:00.006-05:00

"Cocktail Hour!"
An elegant evening ritual? A time after work to just sit on the couch and read the paper? A little blip in the day set aside to visit your guilty pleasure... celebrity gossip blogs?
Whatever cocktail hour means to you it should be a moment of calm, a time to gather your thoughts or throw them out completely and just relax! It does not matter what you drink, where you drink, if you drink. The local drive-in has "Happy Hour" everyday 2-4 with half price fountain drinks and iced tea. This has been my cocktail hour more times than not!
So in the spirit of Americana, vintage crystal, travel trailers and long buried recipes, take a moment, slow it down and enjoy whatever cocktail hour means to you.

I Found Polyvore!!! And I LOVE It!

2008-12-15T13:12:00.001-05:00

It was Love by love...love...love...

SLOW...

2008-02-26T20:11:00.000-05:00

I've been called many things, but something I will no longer take offense to is slow. I am slow. In my work, in my tasks, in lots of things, I'm slow. I take time, care and I want things to be right. If that takes a little longer then so be it. And you know what? I am not alone!

It seems there is a whole movement out there that is urging us all to slow down. Taking its cue from Slow Food, Slow Design is emerging, bringing with it hope for those of us who just want to do it right. As a designer and artist, I can not compete with a market of mass production. I'm not even in the same ball park. I make everything by hand. Every stitch, every cut, every stroke of the brush, every everything is a thoughtful and deliberate attempt to get it right, and that takes time. Can you get a mass-produced handbag cheaper than you can get a hand made one? Yes. Will it be the same quality, have the same attention to detail, the same loving care? Absolutely Not.

Slow Design is cajoling you to take that time, to once again connect with not only your tasks, but with one another, with the environment. Encouraging the use of local materials, local resources, local craftspeople. Craftspeople! Slow design embraces craftspeople! Embraces time-honored techniques, though they may not be the most time efficient option. Slow Design isn't about quantity, but quality and sustainability. In a world of throw away, Slow Design is attempting to bring back heirlooms.

Until recently, I had never even heard of Slow Design. It was just the way I did things. But it makes sense. Use what you've got, do your best, appreciate the process, focus on the details, take from the past, and strive to protect the future. How could being called slow be a bad thing?

happy wishes!

"Chain, Chain, Chain"

2008-02-15T10:47:00.000-05:00

Oh, the Chain. An idle threat, yes, but after yesterday's little display of rebellion, I'm not sure that a chain isn't just what "Little Miss Liila" needs!

As you can see, in our reenactment photos, yesterday, during her "alone time" on the deck, Liila decided to chew her retractable leash in two, squish herself under the gate, and launch herself into the freedom of the yard.

I looked out onto the deck to follow the black cord, that starts at the pink leash handle under the chair leg and usually ends with a dog. But this time there was just a pink handle.

Wait, what?

So I ran outside and started looking for the other half. The dog half.

I got out of the door just in time to see her making her way down the back sidewalk, a portion of the leash still attached.

I yelled, she stopped.

The gig was up.

happy wishes!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2008-02-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

Savannah Sunshine!

2008-02-12T17:43:00.000-05:00

I LOVE Savannah!!! I LOVE the Georgia Coast!

It is a happy place filled with beauty, moss, and sunshine!!!

What better place to celebrate a 30th Birthday?!?!

It is a familiar path to and from Savannah. One that we have traveled many, many times, and yet, one that never gets old. The weather was perfect for our entire trip! The forecast threatened rain, storms, wind, but with true southern charm, we were greeted with a warm breeze, a blue sky and sunshine! For my official birthday lunch we visited my favorite tea room, The Gryphon, where I had my usual, a roasted veggie sandwich and a pot of chamomile tea! It was even better than I remembered! The chamomile is the most perfect shade of yellow and the sandwich, delicious!!!

We made our rounds and visited all of the familiar places, but the highlight, for me, was the Bonaventure Cemetery! It is the most beautiful cemetery that I have ever visited. The huge old trees, the moss, the river, the marsh, all of the old monuments and the crosses, seem to be plucked from a movie set. An awe inspiring beauty, that never seems to fade. Then again, I guess that sums up Savannah herself.

A southern beauty, of whom, you never seem to tire.

happy wishes!

THIRTY!!!!!

2008-02-11T18:54:00.000-05:00

Thirty! Thirty!
As of February 2nd, I am Thirty!

The Big 30, baby!

I never got around to climbing the tree and singing my song (something that Ma is plenty thankful for, I'm sure). But, the birthday came and went without a hitch! Ma made me a beautiful lemon coconut cake and there were lots of beautiful flowers and happy wishes! It was a Happy Birthday indeed! The festivities did not stop there, oh no they did not. A Birthday Trip was just a few days away!!! So far 30 hasn't been so bad! (I'm soooo knocking!!!)

happy wishes!!!

FREEDOM FIGHTER!!!

2008-01-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

"Hey, Ma, Why is Oliver out?" "And Tom?" "And Coco???"

This was my response when we arrived home yesterday and were greeted at the door by Oliver, and looked around to see Tom in his spot on the sofa, and Coco, in hers.
The cats lost privileges a while back, and now have to be closed up in the laundry room, with access to the garage, when we are not at home or are sleeping. They can not be trusted. So imagine our surprise the first time we came home to find them out and about. Yep. This was not the first time and I hesitate to think it to be the last. Our initial thoughts were that the door had been carelessly left ajar, enabling the escape, but then we came to realize, that Oliver, is a freedom fighter.
You can see it in his eyes. Determination. Pure Determination. The sweetest cat you could ever hope to meet, but with the strength of mind that you quickly learn to dread. For Oliver, a closed door is nothing but a challenge. The times he wins the battle, he and his friends roam the house freely. The times he does not, only leave him more determine the next.

Ben Harper sings it best:
"oppression, I won't let you near me
oppression, you shall learn to fear me".

Yes you will.

happy wishes!

"68"!?!

2007-09-30T17:25:00.000-04:00

"O", who is now 5, had to use the bathroom. This, he decided, after nearly causing an avalanche of fruit, trying to convince me to eat a strawberry that he had plucked from a display box, and generally touching every piece of produce in the small, over crowded market. We were approaching the fish counter, when he decided that he could not wait a minute more. So, I rearranged the groceries in my arms and took the ones that Ma had been carrying, so that she could escort him to the restroom. Before she left, we decided on the fish, and I waited patiently at the counter. As Ma and "O" start to walk away the lady behind the counter starts shouting "68"! "Number 68"? I looked around... I looked at Ma... I looked around again... There was no one at the counter, or the surrounding area, except me. I looked at the woman. I looked around. She looked at me, showing no intention of waiting on me, unless I was number 68. I felt like I was in some sort of bizarro TV world, but, with my arms full of groceries, I made my way to the take a number machine. I pulled a number, and what do ya know, I was number 68. Woo Hoo. What were the odds? I walked back to the counter. She looked at me. She took the paper, looked at the number, and said aloud, "68". Yep. Thats me. 68. She then turned and started walking away, and said, "I'll be with you in a minute".

happy wishes!

He played the harmonica!

2007-09-25T14:44:00.000-04:00

And we joked, "oooohhhhhhh mmmmmaaaaaaama".

Tangled up in songs that were anthems to a generation, before I was born, before people realized they were anthems, or that this crazy looking little guy named Robert Zimmerman would someday be dubbed the "informal chronicler" or "reluctant figurehead" of American unrest in the 1960's. The man is a legend in every sense of the word. He has given us so many songs, so many stories, so much poetry.

So, maybe there is a little more gravel in his voice, and he tweaks his classic repertoire a bit past the point of recognition... he is Bob Dylan! The Bob Dylan! Back in the day Bob Dylan!!!! And I got the chance to see him, in concert!

Along with Elvis Costello and one of my newest folk favorites, Amos Lee, Dylan hit the stage at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA, this past Saturday, playing to a sold out crowd.

The arena roared as a "suited up" Dylan sauntered onto stage wearing a wide brimmed hat and began strumming a guitar. Still very much an active performer, Dylan quickly hit his stride and showed no signs of slowing as he made his way through songs, both old and new, in an upbeat "Texas swing" kinda way.

He played the keyboard, he danced, he gave an encore, he took a bow.

Though, I do wish that we could have gotten a peek into what once was... just Bob, a guitar, a harmonica, and a song, sung the way it would have been back in Greenwich Village, at some hole in the wall, he did play the harmonica, and that was good enough for me!

happy wishes!

"There were days and there were days and there were days between"

2007-09-22T08:39:00.000-04:00

Monkey Tail & All!

2007-03-12T17:42:00.000-04:00

She had been gnawing on the tail of her toy monkey all night, choking herself in the process... I kept telling her to stop. She wouldn't, so I finally gave up. The next morning I got up to Ma saying, "Liila is sick. She won't eat. All she has done is sleep and she threw up this big long black thing!" Ma had this dire look on her face, like the poor dog was soon to meet her end.
I kinda laughed as I said, a monkey tail?
Sure enough... The monkey no longer had a tail. Liila had eaten it. The monkey tail was in perfect condition in a paper towel in the trash can...Where it stayed. I am happy to report that Liila and monkey are both back to their happy bouncy selves!
Maybe a little too bouncy! This morning, Tom the cat, who also lacks a tail... the fault of a crazy mini-van driving woman, not Liila, had finally had enough of the puppy attacks and decided to attack back. I was awakened at 6am, by the frantic voice of Ma, who I have almost decided is a total drama queen, calling for me to come quick cause the dog is bleeding all over everything! I had only enough time to stumble out of bed before she was even more beside her self yelling "are you coming???". Yeah... I was on my way... give me a freakin' minute! So... I get into the sitting room and there was indeed bright red drops of blood everywhere! It was all over Ma, the dog, the floor, the chair, the curtains... I donno what they had been doing in there but it was a problem! Ma's face was contorted in horror as she attempted to hold down the dog who was sufficiently freaked out. She looked up at me exasperated as she proclaimed that she had no idea where the blood was coming from... From the looks of the scene, it could have been from anywhere!!! I looked and saw a big drop of blood on Liila's nose... Nope... That wasn't it.... Then I saw her ear. Yep, it was her ear. I was wiping away blood and applying pressure, Ma was exclaiming that now I had blood on me too! We were all covered in blood... Then I remembered the flour. Yep. Flour. Ma had read in her Dachshunds for Dummies Book (no joke, we are cat people), that when you cut a dogs toe nails too short you can dip them in flour to help it clot and stop the bleeding... So I held the dog, Ma retrieved the organic flour on a small paper plate, and we proceeded to batter the dogs ear. Then, on top of the blood, was flour. All over Ma, the dog, the chair, the curtains and me, was flour. The bleeding finally stopped, and we all got cleaned up. At some point during all of this I learned it was Tom snapping that had led us to this point and I have to say... I felt a sense of pride! He took her abuse for sooooo long and then he stood up for himself! Go Tom!
Poor Liila. She never did anything to deserve us.

happy wishes!

Boys Don't Have Issues!!!

2007-02-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

I was trying to build a train track, and he was taking it apart. Every time I could see the end in sight, my little friend "O", would decide to incorporate a new piece of track that would throw my whole design and put me back to where I had started. As he pressured me to add more and more I finally said, "hang on one second, we have issues". Wrong thing to say! His response was way beyond his four years. He looked at me, as only a frustrated guy can, and said... "Kiki (his name for me), don't tell me about issues. I don't want to hear about issues. Boys don't have issues!" By this point, he was more than a little testy. His eyes were narrowed and face contorted just enough to get his point across. He continued on to tell me that girls have the issues and never boys. I smiled, stifled a laugh and said, "you know what "O" I think you might be right!"
I think that boys might always think that girls are the ones with the issues... Even grown-up boys!
Never underestimate the truth of a 4 year old!

Oh The Horror!!!

2007-02-24T20:55:00.000-05:00

Okay....so true story.
This morning my cell phone flew into the toilet.
It sank to the bottom. I shrieked. I laughed. I plunked my hand down into the cold toilet water and fished out my beloved friend.
It was only in there for a second, if even, but still!!! My cell phone was submerged in toilet water!!! Luckily, I had already flushed and had recently read an article about what to do if something like this happens... Never thinking it could ever happen to me... Wondering how it could happen to anyone... But, learning all the while.
So, here is your lesson.
If you already know it... Good for you! If you have already experienced it... I'm sorry. If you think that it could never ever happen to you... It will... So keep reading!!!
I didn't remember specifics from the article, but I did remember that you could put just a bit of rubbing alcohol on the phone to help dry up the water and also something about a hair dryer and the oven... The oven part sounded a little scary, but the alcohol I had to do anyway to disinfect the thing, so why not! Since plucking it from the depths of the bowl, I had been pushing buttons to make sure that my poor phone still had some life about it. Lucky for me, it did! The lights were bright and the buttons worked... I removed the battery! Very Important!!! Then soaked it with just enough rubbing alcohol, before enlisting the blow dryer.
So far so good! It was a little touch and go there for a while... Muffled voices and all... But I guess it just needed a little drying time, cause now (I'm knocking) everything seems okay. So there you have it! Experience speaks...
But if its a less haphazard, more technical point of view you crave, then I've got a link for you! http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Wet-Cell-Phone
If you are like me, you will probably end up rolling your eyes... But who knows, we may be learning something!

happy wishes!

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T08:21:00.000-05:00

This Valentine's Day, I had the pleasure of participating in a wonderful little swap organized by Free People. It was an amazing idea that brought so many creative people together in such a fun way! Everyone made a gift filled with love and shipped it off!!! Tonight the UPS man delivered to me this beautiful handmade box and sweet treats! So much time and detail was put into making this valentine! Even the card was handmade! I will treasure it always! This swap was soo much fun! Lots of really neat things were created by very talented and creative people! Check out photos from the swap at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/fpvdayswap/

happy wishes!

Shine Bermuda Shine!

2007-02-06T18:19:00.000-05:00

I have never been to Bermuda. I have always had an irrational fear of the whole triangle thing... Silly...but true. Though, we have never been properly acquainted, Bermuda shone her beauty down on me today, in the form of a package on my doorstep! Inside the super neat looking package, which I saved of course, were the Beautiful champagne saucers that Ma and I found on Ebay! I am sooooo very excited!!! I have officially started my very own crystal collection!!! What better glass to kick it off, than Champagne!

Thank you Alan from Bermuda!

~happy wishes

Love, Love, Love

2007-02-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

I am completely in love with this pillow!!! I finished it this evening and posted it on my site and on Etsy for sale... But it is with a heavy heart. I love the yellow vintage fabric, the waterlilies and dragonfly... It didn't look this pretty when I first started painting... In fact, I was ready to scrap the whole thing before Ma came in and rescued it... I guess she saw something I couldn't. That happens a lot with us... And though I fight her tooth and nail, she is usually right! Trust your heart! Trust your Ma!

~happy wishes!

Happy Birthday Wishes to Me! :)

2007-02-02T10:05:00.000-05:00

Today is my Birthday!!! Its always so much fun to get happy wishes from family and friends!!! I feel loved!!! :) My Sweet Ma fixed me a lemon cake!!! It looks beautiful and I can't wait to have a piece! Yesterday one of the crystal champagne saucers that I ordered off of Ebay came! I wish they were all here... but this one is absolutely Beautiful!!! I love it and am excited to fill it full of my favorite champagne!

~cheers

Inspire Me!

2007-02-01T02:02:00.000-05:00

As an artist, I am inspired daily by so many things...
Lately, I've found, a lot of that inspiration is coming from blogs! All sorts of wonderful blogs about art, design, and just general creative ideas for living, are coming together to form this amazing and unique creative community!
The possibilities that can arise from this are incredible!!!

Sooo.... In the spirit of creativity, I am very excited to introduce Sam Speak! My very own little spot in this vast blogging world, to share ideas and ramblings!
I hope you will join me!

~happy wishes