Tay Zonday: Cherry Chocolate Rain.

Oh Tay! I just don't know what to say!




I heart Tay Zonday. Tay Zonday is the best thing I have seen on the Intertubez. Tay Zonday moves my soul.

Bleeding Gums Missus.

Despite drinking a few cocktails and not getting to bed till midnight, I was up at 6:30am and out the door by 7:45am.

I am never, ever late to doctor and dentist appointments. And today was no exception.

I am very pleased with my dentist, Dr. Davis. I arrived at my appointment a little early, and he was all ready to go for me. But first, he complimented me on my shoes.

(They are lovely, aren't they?)

Once I sat down in the dental chair, he went to X-raying, cleaning and scraping me teeth. About 30 minutes later, I was all done and he was lecturing me on not flossing enough.

"You have sensitive gums. I recommend an electronic toothbrush every day, and a water pick," he said.

So I decided to go ahead and pick one of each up while I was there. I hate having dental work done, so I am willing to spend money on pieces with all the "bells and whistles" to avoid ever having to go through another emergency root canal like I did three years ago.

When was the last time you went to the dentist????

Drunk.

Drunk, Drunk, Drunk. Four Cosmos at The Living Room. One Corona at Clark's. (I'm TOO OLD for that place!)

Now home.

Can't feel my feet. Or arms. Or fingers. Or teeth.

Oh! Remembered I have a dental appointment tomorrow morning... So no worries on da teeth.

(World, stop spinning! I really have no tolerance for alcohol!)

"It Helps Me With My Search Campaigns."

So, every few hours during the work day, I pop into Facebook to check a few online Scrabble games I have going.

I'm only in for a few seconds usually... Just to plop down the word I want to play. But a few moments ago I got stuck trying to figure out which word to play.

"Do I play 'sinner'? Or do I play 'noise'?" I asked myself.

(I decided to go with "sinner.")

While I was trying to choose my word to play, my boss (who sits two feet away from me) leaned over and asked, "Are you winning?"

I was caught a little off guard. But I had my response rehearsed and ready to go...

"Yes I am. And it helps me with my search campaigns. Helps keep my creative fresh."

He just laughed.

I'm sure he believed me. I mean, I said it with such a genuine delivery... He had to.

Project Runway: Carmen Had To Go.

I was in the T&C last week, so I didn't watch last week's episode till this past Sunday.

I was thrilled to see it was Sarah Jessica Parker who was the celebrity guest. (Way cool!) And I was glad to see it was Marion to get the boot in that episode. He really just designed a poor outfit. And I was glad Victorya won. Her outfit was spectacular... As was crazy Elisa's outfit.

Speaking of crazy Elisa... On last night's episode, what was up with the whole not looking at the male model when he was getting dressed? For someone who is so into nature, she's not very comfortable with the male human body.

I was happy to see it was Carmen that got the boot. She really had no excuse for not finishing sewing her outfit.



It really was poor time management on her part.

And I was glad Sweet P didn't get the boot. Her outfit was mostly crap, but she tried. And she finished sewing it.

And what about Ricky? Dear Lord! That boy has more emotions than me on the Clomid. Does he have to cry in every freaking episode? And the hats! They're AWFUL!

My bet is that Ricky gets the boot next week. Thoughts?

The Absurd Toilet Dream.

Okay... So, I wasn't going to write about this dream I had last night... But, what the hell?

It was a funny, silly kind of dream. And I don't really remember much about it. Just one or two details...

I am in a restaurant. Some kind of restaurant that has wooden walls and a wooden floor. I have to pee (like, duh, what else is new?), so I go to the bathroom. When I get into the bathroom, I find a stall that is available. (That's a rarity in my dreams. And let's be honest... Sometimes in real life it is rare to go to a public restroom and find a stall readily available for you.)

I sit down on the toilet and I see that there is a seat belt attached to it. For some reason, I didn't find this odd in my dream life. I immediately strap myself in. It was a basic instinct.

As soon as I started to pee (yay!) the toilet started to move, trying to shake me off.

No, I'm not kidding.

The toilet not only shook... It started to zoom around the bathroom. Like a little race car.

There were other people in the bathroom too. No one seemed to look at me funny as I sat on the moving toilet.

In the dream, I was shaken (and stirred) so hard that I ended up getting pee on myself. But at least I peed. Despite the shaking. And the toilet trying to prevent me from peeing.

I conquered the toilet!

Then I woke up.

I don't even want to analyze this peeing dream. It's just too funny.

Power Body Detox - So Cool!

Ohmigosh! I LOVED this treatment!

After a Pilates session this evening, I headed over to Exhale to finally test out the Power Body Detox treatment they offer there. It was way cool.

The total treatment takes about 90 minutes. And you are pretty much naked, except for a disposable thong they make you wear. First, the esthetician dry brushes your legs, butt, thighs and stomach. Then she swabs toner all over these same areas. This all helps get the skin really clean. Then, she applies a lotion to the areas. And then on goes another solution.

After all these solutions get put on, she then puts a pillow/mattress thing underneath you legs and bum. This pillow has a seaweed clay, gauze and electrodes on it. Once the pillow is in place, a gauze is then put over the tops of your legs, thighs and belly. Then goes the same clay and the electrodes.

This whole cleaning and set-up process takes about the first 45 minutes. No lie. Then, the machine gets turned on. And wow!

You REALLY feel your muscles getting worked!

At first, you feel a tingling and "pins & needles" sensation. The machine goes in three second spurts... Three seconds rest and three seconds of stimulation to the muscles. The longer the machine works, the deeper the stimulation gets... And it feels like a deep tissue massage.

It's a weird sensation. You don't have control over your muscles contracting. It's weird and cool.

I will definitely go back for another treatment sometime in the future.

No, No To The No! No!

I guess I am going to have to be a slave to various waxings for the rest of my life.

A few weeks back, if you recall, I purchased the No! No! from Sephora.com. The No! No! is a hair removal tool. It is an electronic tool that removes the hair (basically by shaving). As it shaves the hair, it zaps the hair follicle with heat. The idea is that over time, you will notice a decrease in the amount of hair and/or a change in it's texture.

I purchased the No! No! and tested it out on my arm hair. I figured that was the safest place to test it out. I didn't want to try any other areas of my body just in case it decided to shock me.

I watched the video on how to use it at least twice. It seemed easy enough to use. But, when I began running it up my arms, the thing began to smoke.

It smoked!

And it smelled really bad. No one likes the smell of burnt hair!

I found that the No! No! really didn't shave the hair that well. And the hair that it did shave seemed to collect inside the contraption, which caused the thin streams of smoke to puff out and the smell to accumulate.

I have not used it a second time. I am too afraid of it catching fire. But I may give it another try in the next few days. But so far, I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT.

I, however, do continue to endorse the T3 Hair Dryer. That thing is SO worth the money.

Power Body Detox!

After months of curiosity, I have finally decided to give in and try the Power Body Detox at Exhale tonight.

I saw a demonstration of the procedure a few weeks back during their "Spa Week." It looked interesting. And they say it really works the muscles. I'm not looking for a quick fix or trying to avoid working out or anything... I just find the procedure fascinating, and want to know what it really does.

Expect a write up tonight or tomorrow morning!

Chased By A Skunk.

Odd dream last night... I was in a classroom in a high school. I was a student there. I went into one classroom and sat down. I was staring in one direction, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small black creature crawl past me.

I momentarily thought it was a black kitten. I was wrong. It was a skunk.

I immediately began to worry that he would spray on me, so I walked quickly out of the room. He kept following me though. So I moved more quickly. I temporarily lost him. I then decided I had to go pee, so I went to find a bathroom.

But when I got to the bathroom, there was someone sitting on the toilet, and I couldn't use it. (No surprise.)

That's all I can remember. I didn't get sprayed by the skunk. Here's what the dream dictionary says about these elements:

Skunk - To see a skunk in your dream, suggests that you may be driving people away or turning people off. (Which I don't think applies to me, as the skunk was chasing me.)Alternatively, it indicates that all is calm about a certain situation but you do not necessarily like it or agree with it.

Chase - To dream that you are being chased, signifies that you are avoiding a situation that you do not think is conquerable. It is often a metaphor for some form of insecurity. In particular, to dream that you are chased by an animal, represents your own unexpressed and unacknowledged anger which is being projected onto that animal. Alternatively, you may be running away from a primal urge or fear.

Bathroom - To dream that you are in the bathroom, relates to your instinctual urges. You may be experiencing some burdens/feelings and need to "relieve yourself". Alternatively, it may symbolize purification and self-renewal. You need to cleanse yourself, both emotionally and psychologically.

To dream that you are in a public restroom with no stalls, signifies your frustrations about getting enough privacy. It may also indicate that you are having difficulties letting go of old emotions. If you reveal these feelings, you are afraid that others around you will judge and criticize you.

To dream that you can not find the bathroom, signifies that you are have difficulties in releasing and expressing your emotions.

So, apparently I have emotions that I am not releasing. And I am avoiding a situation because I don't agree with it. I have no idea what it is referring to. So this bothers me.

I'm going to yoga tonight.

Holiday Shopping - You Pace Yourselves!

The poll just closed a little while ago for last week's question on holiday shopping. Thanks to all 32 people who voted. I appreciate the votes, especially considering it was a holiday week.



Good news, the majority of you all pace yourselves with your holiday shopping. Additionally, only one of you admitted to being anal retentive and having all your holiday shopping done before Thanksgiving.

Bad news is, ALOT of you wait till the last minute to do your shopping. That makes absolutely no sense to me. Is that in hopes that you'll save some extra money with last minute discounts?

New poll for this week is up. "What's your favorite holiday season drink?"

Holiday List... So Far.

Like last year, I am having a bit of trouble putting together a holiday "wish list" for The Husband.

Don't get me wrong, there are things I like. But that's the problem... If I like it enough, I'll usually just go buy it myself. I've never really been the kind of girl to let a fellow buy me expensive gifts. (Not until I married The Husband did I get comfortable with the idea.)

So, bottom line: If I like it and want it that much, I will likely have bought it before he can get the chance to give it to me for Christmas.

So, over the next few weeks, I am having to restrain my consumer instincts on the things I have found myself to be craving lately. I don't want to buy them in case he decides to get them for me for Christmas.

So far, here is a list of things I think would be delightful...

Orange or Black Leather Mocs

From J. Crew... These are an ideal substitution for the Tod's Driving Shoes I lusted after that cost $4k. I think the orange is a great color. But I would definitely do the black.

Stainless Steel Bread Bin

I know, "Kinda boring!" Right? But I have actually put this bread bin on my holiday list for the past two years, and have not gotten it.

Bamboo Cutting Board

I am in desperate need of a counter top cutting board made of wood.

Black Toile Garbage Can

I LOVE this. And I have been looking for a unique waste basket for my home office. I love the Chinoiserie look.

These are the suggestions for him to choose from for this year. He is more than welcome to go completely off the list. But he knows not to buy me jewelry. Not a fan of the stuff.

Huck Chuck.

Now, I have to admit, I think Mike Huckabee has a good sense of humor.

I haven't been paying much attention to the Republican presidential race lately, because I just haven't really connected with any of the candidates. But Soxy Lady had this link attached to her Gmail chat pager, and I found it to be HILARIOUS.



Very cool. Very silly. Very funny. Didn't learn anything about Huckabee, other than he has a sense of humor.

Glasses For The Peoples, By The Peoples.

It wasn't till I was lying on the beach last Monday afternoon that I realized I had lost my sunglasses on one of my flights down to Provo.

Yep, I lost my sunglasses on my way TO my vacation.

So I had to spend my vacation without my sunglasses. And let's just leave it at, "I have now slathered on Creme de la Mer around my eyes in hopes that the pink fades into the milky white again, and not leather."

So the first thing I did after we got back this afternoon was head out and pick up some new sunglasses. Some decent sunglasses. Not the crappy plastic ones that break every other month.

Without any fuss, and minimal searching, I went to Saks and picked up a pair of Oliver Peoples "Dunaway" glasses.

(Named so after Faye Dunaway. "She's my sister. Shes my daughter. She's my sister AND my daughter!" Never has watching a hysterical woman get slapped been funny till that movie. Then Airplane came out... And that was even funnier.)



They're very simple. On the bigger side with the lenses, as I like them that way... They give fuller coverage to my eyes. I didn't want anything flashy - and trust me, there were some flashy* glasses being pulled out and purchased at Saks.

*By "flashy" I mean "trashy." Like Posh Spice trashy. Or J-Lo trashy. Not good looks, people.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A little late in the day to be sending out Thanksgiving wishes... But I'm still on vacation! And it's my last day of va-cay! So I spent it on the beach ALLLLL DAAAAAY!

It was sunny again today. The Husband loves it here so much that he has suggested we start popping down here twice a year. It's a quick enough trip down. And you really only need 3 to 4 days (tops) to have a good time. And it's relatively cheap each time (less than $2k.)

Even though it isn't a local holiday, I did manage to find a turkey dinner on a restaurant menu. And I ordered it. It wasn't the same as the way I make turkey. But it was sufficient. And dessert was yummy... A molten chocolate cake with ice cream. (There was no pie on the menu.)

We hop on a plane back to America tomorrow very early. I haven't had coffee the entire time I've been here. I've gotten through four of the five books I brought down. I have just the one the Dalai Lama wrote about spirituality and science. It's a bit of a heavy book. So it may take me a while to finish.

Here are my quick reviews of the other four books I have read...

Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim - By David Sedaris, this book is AWESOME! As all his books are... This one was definitely "laugh out loud" funny. I highly recommend it.

The Female Brain - A VERY good read. All about female hormones. The writer (a doctor) discusses the differences between male and female hormones at various stages of life. And what she wrote makes a lot of sense. It was an easy read as well.

Julie & Julia - I am so happy this book was recommended to me. A "funny as hell" read.

Elements of Style - I find the late Wendy Wasserstein to be a very talented and inspirational writer. But... This book kinda blew. My biggest issue with it was her inaccurate timeline for the really small elements of the book that should be insignificant to the reader, but are meant to shape the story. Two examples:
*In one part of the book, it is supposed to be October/November 2001. One character (a mother) yells at a nanny for letting the children watch "Punk'd" on MTV, something they are forbidden to do. HOWEVER, Punk'd did not begin airing on MTV till March of 2003.
*Another piece of the story takes place in early 2002. One of the characters throws a hiphop benefit in Brooklyn. Many celebrities attend. Including 50-Cent who raps his "In Da Club" single. That single didn't drop till LATE 2002 though. And the album didn't get released till early 2003.

Sunny Day.

It was sunny again all day today.



Screw Weather.com and their lousy predictions. It hasn't rained at all since we've been here.

Even though we're on vacation, The Husband and I both keep popping into our email for work to check on things. I usually just do it once, at the end of the day. He does it more frequently than I... Even while at the beach.



All we really have left is tomorrow here at the resort. We booked an early morning flight on Friday back to Boston. There's only so much reading and laying about one can do while on the beach.

You can kind of see in the background of the above picture that there are condos being built on the beach. You see it all over the island of Providenciales, actually. There is a lot of development going on throughout the island... And it ain't cheap either. We saw a penthouse one bedroom with an asking price of $800k.

Now, I love the Turks and Caicos... But there ain't a lot to do here. I enjoy relaxing and all, but after a few days of that, I need city life. And to get access to "city life" in this area, you have to hop on a boat and go to one of the more populated islands in the Caribbean.

Vacation is nice. I am looking forward to getting back to Boston though. The food on the island isn't really that great.

A Sick Mind Is An Active, Dreamy Mind.

We were so exhausted last night, The Husband and I cuddled into bed and popped a DVD into the player. He had asked me to rent "Transformers" via Netflix last week, so I obliged.

I'll be honest, I wasn't really interested in seeing this film. But it actually wasn't that bad. My only real complaint with the movie was that it was WAAAY too long. Almost two and half hours!

I could only make it through the first two hours before I dozed off. And man, did I need it. I slept straight through the night, from about 10pm till 9am this morning.

When I woke up, I peeked through the black out drapes in our room and saw sunshine and a beautiful blue sky. Two minutes later, I had on my bikini, tunic and flip flops. And I was heading out the door to the beach.

"You're going to the beach?" asked the Husband.

"Yep!" I said.

he joined me about three hours later, after he had slept in for a while longer, eaten breakfast and gone to the shopping area down the street to get some cold medicine for me and some extra water bottles.

The beach was gorgeous and quiet. I laid on a chair, got some sun and read Wendy Wasserstein's "Elements of Style." In the early afternoon, we had lunch, and then I settled in for a nap in the room while The Husband went back out to the beach.

When I woke, The Husband said he could tell I was in a deep sleep.

"You're eyelids were fluttering back and forth," he informed me.

And I definitely was having a deep sleep. I dreamed a lot last night and this afternoon. And I do remember elements of both sleep activities. Last night's involved me going up stairs to get to a beauty appointment. And this afternoon's involved me trying to plant strawberries in little patches around the resort I am staying in this afternoon.

Being sick always induces very memorable dreams for me.

I Am In The T&C...

And I have Internet power!!!!

Wow! It's been 11 months since I was last at the Royal West Indies, and I have to say, "The Internet service is much improved."

I had no problem whatsoever getting online just now. Most excellent!

I am in Providenciales, which is one of the more popular islands that make up the Turks and Caicos. "Provo," as it is called, is located near the West Caicos and the North Caicos.

It was cloudy today, but a balmy 75 degrees. Which beats the snowy coldness we would be enduring if we were still in Boston.

I am extremely tired today with all the traveling and the cold I have... So I didn't do much but lay on the beach after I arrived. So many couples and families with babies here! Everyone seems to be looking for the same thing we are... A nice, quiet, relaxing vacation.

More tomorrow...

Regifting It Is!

Wow! There was a huge number of people voting in this week's poll, "Do you regift presents you don't like/can't use?" A whole 39 of you voted. So thanks, everyone!

The majority of votes were in favor of regifting. And I very much agree with this practice. In fact, a co-worker and I chatted last week about the practice... And we both admitted that we will intentionally buy gifts for others that will make it easy for them to regift if they need to. Like bottles of wine or exotic chocolates.

Again, thanks for voting. And there's a new poll up today. (I am posting this while laying-over in Miami.)

Props To American Airlines.

The Husband and I are waiting for our flight to Miami right now. We are connecting to our Providenciales flight through there.

And after the disaster that was our departing flight to the Turks and Caicos last year, I am pleasantly surprised with our experience so far.

American Airlines is awesome. Check-in was a breeze. The line was a little long, but it moved quickly because people working totally had their shit together. And the desk attendant checking us in took extra time with us to make sure we had seats next to each other on both of our flights. She put us in the exit rows on both flights. (Very nice!)

So American Airlines rocks so far. Yay American Airlines!

Off For Vacation!

Posting might be kind of non-existent or the next few days, while I am on vacation.

The wireless connection at the resort isn't the best, and the last time I stayed there I had trouble posting pictures. But I will be posting plenty when I get back Friday night!

I hope you all have an incredible American Thanksgiving Holiday! Eat lots of turkey and pie. And drink lots of wine!

A Sign?

My favorite brand of tea has got to be Yogi Tea. The flavors are somewhat unique (like my favorite, Green Tea Pomegranate), but I must confess that what I like most about the tea aer the inspirational sayings on the tea bag tag.

This was the saying on the bag I am drinking now...



Maybe this vacation this week will be what I need to snap me into a creative streak? I can hope. And manifest. But I found it funny that I received this message from the tea.

Stirring Skulls.

These I found while browsing through the Barney's catalog this afternoon as well.




They're cocktail stirrers. They would be the perfect compliment to my new skull and crossbones glassware. But, again, they are quite expensive. (They have Swarovski crystals for the eyes!) And The Husband and I don't really drink enough to warrant fancy cocktail stirrers.

They're cute, nonetheless.

On The Street And Some Day In My Hands?

This weekend's On The Street section in the NY Times featured black and white pieces. There were various shots of women and men wearing the contrasting Ying and Yang colors.

There was even a shot of a woman wearing the Louboutin wedges I wanted to get from last Spring's Net-A-Porter offering, but were sold out. (Whore.)

Bottom line, though, is that black and white is a very "in" style right now. And you can totally go and do the stripes thing with you clothes like most of the people in the pictures... Or, if you're like me and somewhat fear stripes on your body, you could attempt to pull off the trend with your accessories.



No, I won't get this bag. But I spotted it in a Barney's catalog that was mailed to me this weekend. It's, of course, Balenciaga. And I love it. But it's very, ridiculously extravagant for a bag... Nearly $1600.

It is on my ultimate wish list. But I know it is very unlikely I will ever possess it. I'll have to find a cheaper way to do the crisp black and white trend.

"Single" Is The "New Green?"

When I got married, I refused to let it change who I was. I was all for having it further me and my growth. But the core values I had to start with, I refused to compromise those just to be with someone. (Luckily, it never was an issue for The Husband and I. I mean, I still drink coffee and will eat chocolate for breakfast, despite his protests.)

So, I think marriage can be a wonderful thing... But one person is trying to justify that it may not be...

Did anyone else happen to catch this article in the "Coupling" section of the Globe Magazine this morning?: Single Rules - Why the un-married are the real do-gooders of the world

Now, before I start picking the writer's argument apart, let me tell you a little bit about my stance on legal couple-dom versus single-dom.

• I don't believe there is one "soul mate" out there for everyone. I believe there are MANY people you could meet, marry, and have a happy life with. It all just depends on what you want out of life, and whether you project that to others.
• I would never have gotten married myself if I hadn't met someone who compliments me as well as The Husband does. He's a rare find. And I am the type of person who DOES NOT compromise on much. "What you see is what you get" with me. The Husband gets that. Many other men have not.
• If, God forbid, something ever happened to my husband or I got divorced, I can 95% guarantee you that I would not remarry. I would definitely have long term relationships, and possibly even children, with others. But I would just simply not do the whole business of marriage again.

So, while I do enjoy being married to The Husband, I don't think marriage is the only way to go in life. And you don't have to be married to be happy.

But this article struck a nerve with me. The writer comes across as being bitter she is not married. Does she really want to be married that badly?

In the piece, she argues that (based on a study), "While couples, especially childless ones, often focus on their marriage to the exclusion of other social ties, singles spread their energy over a broader sphere. Singles are more likely to help out friends and family. We are also more politically active and more helpful to our elderly parents than our married siblings. "

Um, really? Married couples (especially childless ones like The Husband and I) focus only on our marriage and exclude all broad social ties? I HIGHLY disagree with that. I think I have even more friends (who are at various stages of relationships in their personal lives) now then when I was single.

And, I am much more politically aware now that I am married. You want to know why? Because I can afford to be. Both emotionally and financially. I am not afraid to step up and challenge anything that I find to be questionable. And I can actually now afford to contribute to causes I believe in because I have that disposable income.

When I was single, I tended to be more focused (politically) on taking care of my well being. Now that I am married, I am much more focused on what is happening around me. So for the writer to make her above argument is weak, and merely illustrates her bitterness at the clueless people who assure her "it will be your (her) turn next."

And when it comes to caring for elderly family members, in my experience, it has always been the married siblings who are more responsible for this. It's because the single family members have much more on their plate with out the additional assistance and support of a spouse.

And what about the marriage tax? The Husband and I pay more in taxes as a couple than we did when we were single. Aren't we giving a significant contribution to American society by being married and giving so much of it back to Uncle Sam?

I don't think anyone can ever put into words whether it is better for society to have more married couples or singles. It's impossible. What needs to be taught to people is that you need to be who you are whether you are single or married. And, more importantly, if you do decide to get married, you can't let it change what's important to you.

I Found A Chair!

FINALLY!

I have found a desk chair for my home office. So no more crappy old kitchen table chair at my nice desk.

I am having a piece made from the Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams store on Columbus Ave.

I can't find a picture of the chair we ordered, but here is a picture of the swatch sample.



It's a soft suede plum. It will contrast nicely with the deep eggplant fainting couch I have in there. The chair will be finished in about six weeks. Just in time for the new year. Yay!

Go Helena!

I am a pretty defensive person. I am. I can admit that. I let small comments go by. But when it comes to certain issues that really push my buttons, I will pretty much take someone to task and bite their balls off.

I got quite the kick out of a little post on Page Six this morning about Helena Bonham Carter, who is currently eight months pregnant and isn't afraid to make it clear that unsolicited health advice isn't going to be graciously accepted.

"People - particularly men - saying with surprise, 'You're still drinking caffeine?' as if I'm performing a criminal act on my unborn as I tuck into my treasured one-a-day cup of tea/coffee. Yeah. You try nine months of gestation and self-abnegation before you start censoring my diet. Your mother was probably on vodka, and do you have three heads?"

Here's a tip people (both men and women), don't ever try to give health advice (unless you're a medical professional or midwife) to a woman with an obscene amount of hormones in her body.

It surprises me how clueless people can be when it comes to pregnant women. ESPECIALLY when it comes to caffeine. A certain amount of caffeine is TOTALLY fine for a pregnant woman. And believe it or not, in the later stages of pregnancy, even an occasional glass of wine or beer is fine for pregnant women as well.

I would never try to give unsolicited advice to a pregnant woman. I would prefer to die of natural causes. Not manslaughter. (Because, it definitely would be spontaneous and not premeditated.)

Tag! The Missus Is It!

A fellow blogger (Jenn) tagged me for a meme yesterday. This means I now have to write seven random facts about myself, and then tag seven other bloggers who have not already been tagged.

So, here are my seven random facts:
1. I LOVE peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. But only on whole wheat toast. (It maintains its crispiness despite the pickle juice.)

2. I am obsessed with my dreams lately. Since I started acupuncture earlier this year, I have had really weird and repetitive dream themes.

3. I am fine with not ever having children, but still want to try to have them. (What's meant to be will be. But my life doesn't revolve around others. And, no, I don't think that's selfish.)

4. I like Hillary Clinton. And I don't mind saying that.

5. Every once in a while, I can see the image of a man out of the corner of my right eye. But when I look to see them straight, they aren't there. I only see him when I am here in my apartment. Something tells me he used to live here. (Someone else I know sees people out of the corner of their eyes too.)

6. I never really studied in high school or college. My philosophy (which my husband hates) has always been, "If I can't learn it and retain it by going to the classes, then it's not worth knowing." I attended classes religiously in college. But once class time was done, my books were put away. Needless to say, I was always a B/C student in my non-major classes. And I am totally fine with that. Why work extra hard on something you're really not interested in anyways? "No thanks."

7. I've always wanted to write a novel. And I have about a dozen ideas. But I outline them, and then decide they suck and don't do much writing around them.

I'm not going to tag anyone else though. It makes me feel guilty.

South End Orange.

When you get married, you accept that there are things the two of you will share...

• Bill payments
• Closet space (Though I don't allow him much space. Seriously, how much room does one need for dress pants, khakis and light blue dress shirts?)
• TV viewing time (He knows I get the TV at certain times during the week.)
• Germs

The last on the list is the one affecting me the most right now. I have caught The Husband's cough he got last week. It's not too bad, but definitely annoying. (If I had been able to go to yoga this week, I wouldn't have caught it.)

So, to cheer myself up and avoid staying inside all day, I got outside for a walk. And I am glad I did. Because I never realized before what a pretty color of orange the leaves around here can turn!



Growing up in Arizona, I never got to see colors like this. I am in awe of Fall in New England.

Project Runway Online Game!

This is AWESOME!!!!

Thanks to one of my readers, I have learned that there is a Project Runway game online that you can play each week.

It's similar to the Fantasy Fashion League in which you pick new players each week... And depending on how your team does, you get points.

Here is my team for next week.

Lola's Coming! Can You Feel The Excitement?

Actually, I am only moderately excited. I don't have high expectations for the Boston Globe's new guide aimed towards women called "Lola."



I still find the name stupid. But I imagine there will be some useful content on its pages.

Click here to find out where you can pick up your free copy of Lola when it comes out on Sunday.

Heidi Montag's Fashion Line?

Hooker say, "What?"

Sorry... Just read something quite disturbing over at Perez... Heidi Montag has landed a deal, with the Anchor Blue chain, to design her own line.

Umm... Okay.

How many "faux-careers" is this girl gonna have in this lifetime? So far, she is an event director for Bolthouse Productions, she's trying to be a pop star, actress... And now a fashion designer?

The girl needs to just pick one career, get good at it before she moves on to the next thing.

The Hottest, Ghetto-est Mess Ever.

I'd like to thank my buddy CT for introducing me to the Hot Ghetto Mess.

The best thing I've seen so far on the site?

The Tommy Hilfiger coffin.

I always said that when I died, I wanted to be cremated. But now, I'd like to amend that. I'd like to be put into this coffin, and then be cremated.

If I have to "roll out," I wanna "roll out" in style.

On The Street: Fashion Gone WRONG.

So... The other day I took the Green Line E train over to the Prudential Center. (I was too exhausted from my day to walk all the way home.)

While waiting for the train, I noticed something that horrified me...

A young woman wearing the following:

• Gray Tights
• Ultra-mini black tweed skirt (Seriously, the thing BARELY covered her ass.)
• Caramel-colored knee-high boots

I snuck a picture of the horrific-ness:

Now, separately, the pieces she was wearing were each quite nice. But the skirt was really work-inappropriate. And I am assuming she was part of the "9 to 5" crowd.

And the boots... Very cool, but brown and black and gray don't go together in one outfit.

Do I need to start a fashion rehab center, people???

Perhaps I should make a business card that I can pass out to people that lists all the style "help" books they should look into reading.

Project Runway Season 4: It's Gonna Be Sew Good!

Despite having an early training session scheduled for this morning, I did stay up past my bedtime to watch the season premiere of Project Runway.

It's gonna be a great season!

The talent is clearly there among the candidates. My favorite so far,style-wise, is Christian. Though I am not a fan of his cockiness. He should have won the competition. Seems like he would have had he chosen a more pleasing color combination.

And I totally agree with the judges on who they got rid of in the first episode... Simone. She just put together a really boring piece. And it wasn't a piece that had particularly unique construction. Yet, somehow, she managed to not finish the piece. It was poorly sewn together.

Thanks Mum...

... For making me learn to play the flute as a child.

According to this study, 83% of adults who earn over $150k a year took musical lessons as a child.

Poppy Pea Coats.

I find it rather annoying that when you order something from Victoria's Secret, they feel at liberty to waste trees and send you repetitive catalogs every week.

Normally, I just recycle them without even turning a page. Straight from my mailbox and into the bin they go! But today's catalog was a little heavier. It was the holiday edition.

So I decided to flip through it. And I'm glad I did. No, I didn't find something for myself... But I did find something that caught my eye...



The VIA wool A-line coat in a powerful red!

It's super cute! And I do like the buttons on it. Best of all is the price - on sale now for $149.

The reason this coat caught my eye was because it reminded me of a Juicy Couture coat I saw a few months back...



Very similar, no? Well, okay... The Juicy one is shorter, and it costs $398... That's more than double the other one!

It's always nice when you can still get in on a trend and find a reasonably priced substitute.

Heidi Looks Good?

Wowie! NEVER thought I would be saying this...

Hedi Montag doesn't look fugly in this Blender magazine photo.

But, she barely looks like herself here. There's lots of "airbrushing" going on here. I was so used to the "coked-out whore" look she had going on.

Holy cow!

Sometimes...

... You just gotta go for it.

I haven't had Taco Bell in nearly a year. (Not since last Thanksgiving weekend in Arizona.) I grew up eating Taco Bell once a week in Arizona. We had two in my small town. It is wonderful food. I love it. (I even worked there for 4 hours once in high school... But walked out because "the fast food industry isn't for me.")

Anyhow, I know Taco Bell isn't "gourmet." (My foodie friends shudder at the thought of me loving Taco Bell.) But I had to have it today. HAD TO. So I hopped in a cab and went over to the closest Taco Bell, which is at the CambridgeSide Galleria.

It was so worth it. I think I may do it once a week during lunch time. I could eat this stuff every day.

It's the most divine thing.

Celebrity Sightings In Boston.

I made my usual morning stop at the "D-Team" Starbucks on my way into work. But the line was just too freaking long. Too freaking long.

"Screw it!" I said. "I'll come back a little later."

And so I did. Because I needed my chai tea to get my day started. I went in. I placed my order. And I turned around. That's when I noticed...

... A stunning blonde. Tanned. No make up. Very stylishly dressed. (Dark sweater poncho, jeans, light brown Uggs, dark beret on top of her hair.)

I tried not to gawk... Doing it only out of the corner of my eye. But there was no mistaking... Everyone in the crowded Starbucks knew who it was...

Cameron Diaz.

Man is she gorgeous in person!

Beach Reads.

I have about four full days in the Turks and Caicos next week... And I read so quickly that I know I will need a good number of books to keep me occupied on the beach.

Thanks to a few readers' recommendations, I have put together a solid list of paperback books that I have purchased and am taking with me in my carry-on (because I ain't packing hard covers!).

The Female Brain - Touted as being "particularly useful to women..." This is an analysis of the female brain and female hormones. So it's of particular interest to me right now.

The Universe In A Single Atom - Written by the Dalai Lama, he examines the similarities between science and spirituality... Sounds like a very enticing book.

Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim - This is David Sedaris. Enough said.

Julie & Julia - This is one of those true stories about a girl who feels stuck in a rut and does something to change her life. In Julie's case, it's picking up where Julia Child left off... Or, at least tries to.

I will be sure to pick up some magazines for the flight down. And I will pack a few DVDs for the evenings at the resort. Should be relaxing.

Private Pilates Session.

As part of my gym's membership, each member is entitled to one free Pilates session with an instructor. It's not the Pilates done on the mat, it's a session done on the machines... Which I had never done before.... Till tonight.

Normally, when I do a Pilates class, I don't feel like I get much of a workout. I took a mat class last night, in fact, and my heart rate didn't go over a 100 beats per minute. Sure, Pilates is a "core-focused" class... But come on.

So, tonight, I decided to finally try my free session on the machines. It was interesting. Most of the time was spent chatting about my general fitness goals. So I only got a few repetitions on each of the machines. And again, I only burned a handful of calories.

So, I'm not really impressed with the "workout" that I get from Pilates But... I am going to do at least one more private session in about two weeks. I think it has the potential to do good things. So I want to try a full session where all I do is work out.

ShopBop 20% Discount.

Yeah... I was right on the money last week when I said retailers were dying for business.

This afternoon, I received the following in my Gmail...

Twenty-percent off? Nice! Though, there isn't anything additionally I need from ShopBop. Kinda all set now.

But I figured I'd post the code in case any of you wanted to use it and get the 20 percent discount.

Skull Key.

My friends sure do know my taste...

I had two of them send me a link to Coach.com for this really cool Skull and Crossbones Key Chain!

LOL!

FYI people, this would make a GREAT stocking stuffer for those who love this kind of thing. (Hint. Hint, Husband.)

Swimming With Dolphins.

I have decided that I would like to swim with a dolphin at some point in my life. Ideally, it would be great if this could happen during my vacation next week. However, I am not really finding any programs in the Turks and Caicos that do the whole "swimming with dolphins" thing.

Anyone know of anything?

Damn Rain!

Bloody hell!

The Husband and I were chatting this weekend (as we were freezing in our icebox apartment) about how we are glad it's gotten cold here in Boston, as we can now look REALLY forward to our annual Turks and Caicos vacation.

But... Now, it looks like it's going to eff-ing rain while we are there!

Nooooo!!!!!

I'm sure we'll get some Sun while we're there tough. So I'm not really worried. But dang!

Poll: Do You Regift?

It's a new week, therefore, we have a new poll.

This week's poll was inspired by the guys at the "A-Team" Starbucks located in the Devonshire here in Downtown Crossing. This morning, they were taking an informal survey as customers waited to place their orders...

"Regift or No Regift?"

At the time, the "Regift" votes were much higher than the "No Regift" votes.

I am definitely in favor of regifting. Especially if it's something you can't use... Like alcohol.

True story... A few years ago, The Husband and I received very extravagant bottles of wine from business associates. They were in the $50 t0 $90 range. We don't drink very often at home. A bottle of wine will take us a week and a half to finish. So, instead of having this wine sit and go unused for YEARS (because believe me, it would... we have a bottle of Smirnoff Ice in the fridge that has been there for TWO YEARS...), I decided to regift them to people for the holidays.

Now, if anyone would like to regift me these awesome Choos, I would be very open to receiving them.

Boston's Best Coffee.

I was quite impressed that there ended up being a whole 18 votes. I was only expecting like four. So many thanks to you if you voted in last week's poll, "Best Place To Get Coffee In Boston?"

Here are the results...



Peet's Coffee & Tea it is!

Peet's is a weekly treat for me usually. It's a nice 10 minute walk from my office in downtown. Here are Peet's locations in the Boston-area:

Downtown:

176 Federal St, Boston, MA

Harvard Square:

100 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge, MA

Brookline:

285 Harvard St, Brookline, MA

Newton:

776 Beacon St, Newton, MA

Lexington:

1749 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA

Belmont:

100 Mount Auburn St, Belmont, MA

Wellesley:

9 Central St, Wellesley, MA

Emo Hair.

Just got back from my day of beauty... It started at 9am with my hair getting colored and cut at Umi Salon on Newbury.

Why did I ever stop going to that place????

Actually, I do know why I did... It's because I wanted to try out different places for beauty treatments. And since I am so anal about my skin and who touches it (I only go to Exhale for facials), I figured I could be casual with who did my hair.

I mean, hair is pretty hard to screw up. My hair is anyways.

But now that I have gone back to Umi, I don't think I can go anywhere else ever again. They just do too good a job that you can't help but be afraid no other salon will measure up.

I had two different people work on my hair today than when I last went there a year and a half ago. Jennifer did the color, Erin did the cut. And they both did amazing jobs.

The color is nearly all a nice dark brown. There is a hint of light brownish/blonde where the streak of pink once was... But it looks like a natural highlight. And my hair isn't dry. It's nice and smooth. And I have to give Umi props on their staff when it comes to coloring hair... At most other places I have been to have my hair colored, they do kinda of a sloppy job at making sure they don't let the dark brown color bleed down past your hairline. But not the staff at Umi. They take care of any bleeding color ASAP. They even have a special formula to do it. So I have no awkward bleed marks. And that is a first.

The hair was cut dry, since I was adamant about it remaining on the longer side, but wanting it severely thinned out. Erin took her time doing it, and it was well worth it. It's sleek and much thinner. I can't wait to see what happens when I go to blow dry it with my T3 later this week. It'll probably only take me 5 minutes to do it all, instead of 10!

So if you want an amazing color job and a kick ass cut, definitely go to Umi on Newbury.

Though, I have to confess, my hair does have kinda of an Emo look to it now when I wear art of it in my face. But I love it!

A Day Of Beauty.

Since I can't work out or go to yoga tomorrow, I have decided to just make it a full day of beauty. Getting my hair cut and colored in the morning. (Yay!) And then I am having a Power Facial at Exhale in the afternoon. (Double Yay!)

I REALLY need the Power Facial too. I just can not even begin to tell you how crazy insane my skin is because of the drug my specialist has me on! Hormones are evil! And all the activity is happening on my chin, which is totally a hormonal area. So I KNOW it's the drug that is affecting me. So I really need the laser therapy!

Ugh!

So C-C-Cold!

Brrr!!!!

Our apartment is a vortex of odd weather.

In the Summertime, it is hot. So hot that you sweat simply lying on the couch. But as soon as the weather turns, and it gets 45 degrees outside, it turns into an icebox!

It is so cold now in this apartment!!!!

So cold that I am layered in a few t-shirts, a sweatshirt, jeans, two pairs of socks and my new Uggs. I am also wearing cashmere gloves. And I baked cookies a little while ago just to have a reason to turn the oven on for some extra warmth.

I know the heat will be turned on in the building in a few weeks... But it probably won't do much good. This place doesn't really get that warm when the heat is turned on. It just stays an icebox.

Time to think about buying some space heaters!

No More Bikram Yoga.

... For at least the next two weeks.

This totally blows, but it's for my greater good. I saw my specialist this morning. She has forbidden me from the following things for at least the next two weeks, possibly longer:

• Bikram yoga (No raising my body temperature!)
• Jogging (No interval training, as it could jostle things around.)
• No elliptical machines. (Same reason as above.)
• No added pressure on my abdomen. (Could also push things around unnecessarily.)

So this bites. But, it is for my health.

Though, Winter is probably the one season where I am most devoted in my Birkam practice, as I love being able to sweat in little clothing, and then go outside where it is cold and icy. It feels really good in the two extremes.

Turkey Basting.

I've been so preoccupied with other things lately (like turkey basting), that I hadn't realized how quickly this month is zooming by until my boss emailed me to tell me this will be the last day he sees me till after Thanksgiving.

It's already time for Thanksgiving?

Well, to be fair, he and I won't be seeing each other because he is out next week. I am out tomorrow for medical appointments. And then I am out the entire week of Thanksgiving for my vacation.

But I have to admit, even though my job is very low-maintenance, I love it. It's so easy-going. So much less stress than before at my previous jobs.

Tunneling Hair.

So, I haven't had my hair cut since I chopped it all off back in the Summer. (Eight inches - gone in a flash!) Around the same time, I had purple streaks (which came hot pink) put in my hair in strategically chosen places.

Well, it's four months later... And I haven't really dyed my hair in that time, nor have I cut it. So I now have dark blonde streaks in my hair (from where the hot pinks were and which actually don't look bad - but aren't me...) and I have long hair again.

So it's time to cut and color again! And pronto!

This Saturday, I head back to old salon I used to go to last year, Umi on Newbury. I like trying new places with my hair. But I always had a great experience at Umi, so I figured it was time to go back.

This time, the hair is getting a wash of deep dark brown, and the hair is getting tunneled.

"Tunneling" is when the hair underneath is cut shorter than the hair on the top. It helps make thick hair more manageable... Preventing me from having a "triangle" look.

It'll be so nice to have this mass of hair on my head thinned out... And it would be nice to have it all one color again... Instead of blonde, black, gray...

New Fall Coat.

Many retailers have been throwing really generous discount codes out there to consumers in the past two weeks. With these discounts, I have purchased the following...

• Tees from J. Crew ($10 each!)
• New Ruby bag from Shopbop (20% off!)
• The No! No! from Sephora (20% off!)

Now, I was made an offer I could refuse today... Thirty percent off at Neiman Marcus for today only.

So I had to do it... I got this cute fall coat from the Marc by Marc Jacobs line.

"What Don't You Follow?"

I don't get it.

The Husband is looking at me all "confused."

"How do you follow this? It makes no sense."

He points, waving his hand around at that which does not make sense to him.

"How can any normal human being follow this?" he asks.

I look at him confused myself. I don't see how he CAN'T follow it. I mean, it's pretty logical. It's standard and formulaic.

"You seriously don't get it?" I ask.

"No!" he confirms. All dignified and "Canadian-like."

"Look, " I begin. "It's simple..."

"Sammy, who's marrying this Elvis Demira-guy used to have a thing with Lucas; who is actually the father of her son, Will. BUT, for a number of years she told everyone that Will was Austin's son. Austin and Lucas are brothers, and they hate each other. Both of them loved Carrie, Sammy's sister. And Sammy was jealous of Carrie, because she loved Austin. But she had slept with Lucas and got pregnant. But she had drugged Austin and slept with him after she found out she was pregnant, because she knew that was the only way she could get Austin to be with her... Because he is a stand-up guy. Sammy almost married Austin 10 years ago, until Carrie busted in on the ceremony with the REAL results of the blood tests (which Sammy had always faked when Austin and Will were tested to confirm paternity), showing that it was Lucas, not Austin, who was the father of Will."

"Eventually, Lucas and Sammy got together and made an attempt to raise their son. So I don't even know who this Demira-guy is... Other than the evil Stefano's son. And Stefano - you wouldn't believe what he and his children have done to the Black/Evans/Brady family... So I don't know why she would be with him...Thus, these are the Days of Our Lives. Forever and ever... Amen."

"Dear God," says The Husband. "You watched too much TV growing up."

"Growing up?" I asked. "This isn't from my childhood. This is just from a few years ago. Soap opera story lines don't change much. It's the same things over and over again."

He just doesn't get it. And never will.

Interval Training, The Evolution.

So, I did the interval training that I wrote about last week. It was recommended to me by my trainer at Equinox.

I followed her initial pattern. But instead of stopping at 6.5 mph, I continued up to 8 mph. The next day I came into work and told her about it. She was surprised I was able to run that fast and maintain my form. So she evolved the the internal training plan to the following:

• 8 sets of 7 mph for 30 seconds
• 1 minute full stop in between
• 5 minute walk/jog warm-up and cool down

I've done it this way twice since last week. And it is definitely challenging. But very cool. I actually like running. I never thought I'd ever say that. And doing intervals is so easy, I just never realized.

I mean, the most intimidating thing for me whenever I thought about running before, was the idea of running for a long time. But with intervals, you have a defined stopping time. And it's only 30 second. It goes by so quickly. And then you stop!

They're a great way to learn to run and to get in shape. The extreme differences in your heart rate in a short amount of time means your body has to work extra hard. And that means it is burning through calories.

Down Another Pound.

I finally got around to weighing myself for the first time in about three weeks, and discovered I am down another pound. Which means it is actually closer to two or three pounds that I am down, as I have definitely replaced fat with muscle.

I noticed a few days ago when I was taking a shower that my elbows didn't come into contact with the sides of my body at the point where they normally do. I figured (correctly) that it meant I had trimmed in my torso.

As soon as I got out of the shower, I told The Husband about my discovery.

"I didn't want to say anything, because you know how sensitive chicks can be, " he generalized, "but I noticed you had slimmed down. Your back is looking really hot. Not that it wasn't before though."

Well, he sees me every day... And if he has noticed a change in my body shape, then it must be real.

So maybe only another 10 pounds I should lose? Imagine how quickly it would come off if I actually dieted!

Enter Sandman, Little One.

This is so freaking awesome!

Metallica Lullaby Renditions!!!

I don't have babies yet, but I may just buy this for myself. The "Enter Sandman" lullaby sounds so cool.

They also have them for Radiohead, Led Zepplin, Nine Inch Nails U2 and a whole host of others.

Book Review: Style A to Zoe

One book I do not recommend you waste your hard-earned American dollars on (especially since they aren't worth what they used to be in the world of currency exchange) is Rachel Zoe's "Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, and Everything Glamour."



The book is really quite useless. I found it to be more of a look-book of who's on Zoe's client roster than a book of style hints. And the tips are not well organized.

Also, Zoe tries to dish beauty advice. Beauty advice? Have you seen Rachel Zoe? This is a woman who, in the book, says that she still bakes in the Sun year round. That explains the heinous wrinkling she has for someone only in her mid-30s.

Rachel Zoe is a reminder to us all to douse ourselves with SPF 45 every day. She has a knack for style, I can admit that. But she sucks at getting her hints across in her book.

No! No! (... More Unwanted Hair!)

A co-worker hooked me up with a 20% discount code (FF2007) for Sephora this afternoon. So I decided to go for it and get something I have wanted for a few months...

The No! No!



It's an electronic hair removal device. And consumer reviews on it so far have been pretty good. It actually works at getting rid of unwanted hair permanently. And, it doesn't hurt at all. (Allegedly.)

I would love to get rid of my underarm hair and leg hair forever. And Lord knows how much I hate waxing both my underarms and legs. (Probably the two most painful places to get waxed. No lie!)

I can't wait till it arrives and I am able to test it out!

Guy Fawkes Day.

Happy Guy Fawkes Night people!

Perhaps I'll celebrate tonight with a fire in our fireplace (which we've never used since neither The Husband or I know how to use it) and some Bonfire Toffee...

Cell Phone Jammers.

I seriously need one of these black box devices for my gym. When activated, they make cell phones unusable.

And my gym is seriously in need of them.

Despite a lobby-posted notice about not using cell phones on the gym floor and locker rooms, and ANOTHER notice in the locker room, people still continue to use their cell phones in the gym and locker rooms.

I don't know why people are so lame that they can't hold off on using their cell phones for an hour and a half while they work out. Are they this co-dependent with everything else in their life too?

There was one girl yesterday at the gym who was stretching in the same area as me. She was "passively" stretching... Reading a magazine while laying on the ground. Then I heard a buzzing sound coming from her leg. She pulled out her Blackberry phone and began having a conversation.

She saw my evil look at her, and she got up and walked away.

"There's a no cell phone policy in here!" I called after her.

The other people stretching around me looked at her walk away too. I have no idea (or care) if they agree with the policy. Bottom line though is, it's the rule. Either follow it or don't come to the gym. I don't believe in breaking rules.

I just think people who have to use their phone while at the gym are losers. Get a life people!

Boston.com - Like Tara Reid Before The Boob Job.

Totally flat, that is.

Yeah... I'm not really "feeling" the new lay out of the Boston.com home page.

Check it out for your self...

As my co-workers pointed out (and I quite agree) nothing pops out. Where's the color?

And more importantly... Where the EFF is the Horoscopes section????? I've been looking for it for about 10 minutes. WTF?

Drinking Out Of Skulls.

One of the best stores in the city is right downstairs from my apartment... Motley Home.

My neighbor and I were marveling the other week about what a delight it is to have the store attached to our building. Every other week, we've noted, Motley Home puts together a new window display. And it's always something fun and catchy.

This week it's a display with lamps and boxes. So it's one of the tamer displays... But I still felt the need to pop in tonight. And I am glad I did (because actually don't go in the store very often), for I found something I not only LOVED, but needed as well.

Skull and Crossbones rocks glasses!



I've been looking for some shorter drinking glasses for a while. I hadn't found anything that appealed to me anywhere I looked. As soon as I saw these sitting on a table display in the shop, I was very tempted.

But I momentarily stopped. They have an etching on them. So I worried that they were some form of crystal and wouldn't be dishwasher safe. (Crystal contains a very small amount of lead to allow for stability when etching it. But it's NOT dishwasher safe.) However, the shop girl let me know that they were indeed just etched glass.

Score!

I picked up six. And they are perfect!

Ready For Va-Cay!

I am determined for my vacation to the Turks & Caicos in two weeks to only bring a carry-on.

Yep, that's right. You read it correctly. I am only bringing a carry-on.

The more I thought about it, it just makes more sense to just take a carry-on. All I pack for clothes are bathing suits, some yoga pants, underwear, tank tops, a sun dress, flip flops and a long tunic. The rest of the bag is filled with facial cleanser, sunscreen, a little make up and a beach towel.

To make sure all this fits in my carry-on, I did a test packing today...



Yes, I'm a bit anal retentive with planning. That's okay though.

In my extra-large purse (since I am allowed a carry-on and a personal item), I will carry my lap top, DVDs, books, faux-cashmere shawl, moisturizer, Lara Bars and magazines.

So far, my book list only includes Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. It will grow before then though. I need at least two more books, possibly three, to make it through the five days.

If you have any suggestions for beach reads I should consider, leave them in the comments section. Thanks!

Karta Polyester Dresses.

I don't get it. I just don't freaking get it.

Why? Why would a designer choose to use polyester as their medium?

I don't think anyone should ever buy a Karta dress. Please don't ever pay $348 for a polyester Karta dress.



This dress, I have to admit, is cute. But still! Polyester is NOT a luxury fabric. And you will begin to sweat and smell after wearing it only a few minutes. And, the recommended care instructions for the dress include that you Dry Clean it.

Dry Clean it???? Polyester???

Karta dresses are just a total "NO!" all around. Yuck!

Christmas List?

The Husband asked me the other day what I wanted for Christmas this year.

My immediate thought when he asked me was, "Shit! It's that time of year already!?!? Where did my year go?"

So, I have not yet put together a list of options for him. But I have to "get on it" soon because he would like some guidance on what to get me.

I already know what I'm getting for him this year. It's the same thing I get him every Christmas.

I don't think there's anything I need or really want right now for myself. I'll probably just ask him for a gift certificate to Exhale and Lululemon.

Beauty Confidential by Nadine Haobsh.

About two years ago, I began reading JolieinNYC every day. I was obsessed with getting my fix of daily gossip and beauty advice.

Nadine Haobsh, the author of JolieinNYC, was a dethroned glossy magazine beauty editor. (Her blog got her into trouble.) But because she is a naturally talented writer, Nadine had any opportunities to pursue outside of the magazine-beauty-editor world. She took her knowledge and wrote a beauty book, Beauty Confidential: The No Preaching, No Lies, Advice-You'll- Actually-Use Guide to Looking Your Best, which came out this past Tuesday.

Now, I have a ton on different beauty books. I didn't really need another one. And I hadn't planned on picking this one up. But then I read an interview with Nadine about the book online and realized I needed to pick it up.

It really is a no-nonsense beauty book. And it has actual USEFUL tips. Including...

• Don't wash your hair every day. I've said this before, myself. And many beauty books say this. But it's so true... You don't need to wash your hair every day.
• How to create the perfect ponytail. Believe it or not, this is a hard thing to do... Especially if you have really think hair, like me. Low ponytails, which are the chicest things to wear, always look bulky on me. But Nadine has GREAT advice on how to combat this problem... Straightening shampoos and a flat iron. Oh! And a sleek-inducing blow dryer!
• How to decipher hair stylists' glossary of looks. Long layers. Blunt cuts. Shag versus Fringed versus Feathered. Graduated Bobs. She defines them all for you AND she tells you which ones will likely work best on various face shapes (Round versus Oval versus Heart versus Square).
• How to properly put on eyeliner, as well as how NOT to be "shy" with your make-up. I am disaster when it comes to eyeliner. It always smudges on me, no matter how much powder I use on top of it. But I've realized that I am applying it in the WRONG place on my lower eyelid. I need to be placing it more on the inside of the lash line instead of outside it. Plus, Nadine discusses how to apply the rest of your make-up so that it enhances you.

It's a great book, and I highly recommend picking it up. I am only half-way through it. But it will definitely be a beauty manual I will return to from time to time.

Day Clutches...

Slept in incredibly late this morning (10am! - oh my!). Once I finally got up, made breakfast and sent The Husband across the street for my latte (thanks, honey!), I was able to sit down and read this weekend's Style section of the NY Times.

One of the featured bits to day was a piece on Daytime Clutch purses. Apparently they are all the rage now in Manhattan. Even beyond the Upper East Side ladies.

Now, I love the idea of a clutch for the day. Especially if it's a fun color, like the green one I bought last month. But let's be realistic here...

Career gals, especially those who commute, can't always fit their daily needs in a clutch. Even if it is one of the over-sized large clutches.

So how does one stay trendy and still pack what they need into a mere 11 inches by 6 inches? Well, let's breakdown what I typically carry in my big daytime bags, and then see what I can transition into the clutch...

Here's what I normally pack in my bag for work each day...



Contents: one day planner/wallet, a key lime Lara bar, cheapie sunglasses from Jasmine Sola, Clean & Clear blotting sheets, cell phone, mineral make-up compact and brush, Stila lip gloss, Rosebud Salve, Norwegian hand lotion, hair elastic, change purse, eye drops, keys and iPod.

Here's what narrowed down to for the daytime clutch...



Contents: keys, change purse with license/ATM card/Charlie Ticket/Cash, cell phone, Clean & Clear blotting sheets, keys, lip gloss, hand lotion and iPod.

So clearly, if you're going to do the day clutch thing, you need be okay making it through the day with access to the bare minimum. (It's hard for me to go anywhere without my day planner!)

It's not impossible, but it is a challenge. Could you break down your bag to just the bare minimum to take advantage of this current fashion trend?

What Kind Of Blogger Are You?

Came across this fun little quiz linky tonight... What Kind of Blogger Are You?

According to the quiz, I am a Life Blogger!

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

Take the quiz and figure out which kind you are!

Scrabulous & Facebook.

So... I joined Facebook about two years ago through my friend kT at one of my previous jobs.

She was just out of college, and had been using Facebook for a while. She set up a network for the agency we were working at and invited people to join. I joined but never did anything on Facebook. To be honest, I didn't really understand how it worked. So it pretty much sat unloved for about a year and three-quarters.

Flash forward to a few months ago when EVERYONE and their Mum's Mum started joining Facebook. I soon found myself with dozens of friends... Old co-workers who I haven't spoken to in years... People I went to high school with and never talked to... Current co-workers... Vendor reps...

Thus, now, I am obsessed with Facebook and on it at least 10 times a day.

You may be wondering, "Why does she spend that much time checking it?"

Well, in the past two days, it's been because of Scrabulous.

I am currently in three different games of online Scrabble right now. And I love it! Problem is though, I'm still a beginner at Scrabble, and I seem to have done a major "no-no" with one of my games...



I steered the game to the right-side of the board, with no thought of building out to the left.

So you can see, we're running out of options here. The letters I have left include: V, U, U, K, R, R and a free tile. And with what is left on the board to build with... I may be screwed.

Still though, I love Scrabulous. It's a fun game to check-in on every few hours during the day. (Though, one game can take like three or four days to get through.)