I Use Bad Language??? NO WAY!!! (Like, Duh...)

So get this, people...

Someone tried to leave a comment on my last post... But I didn't think I would be doing it justice by merely publishing it in the "Comments" section... No, no, no... That would not do!

I think it deserves its own post... So here you go...

That person is actually someone who knows you very well, think XXXXXX (I deleted this part. Though it didn't help me identify who the person was.)

They have told me about this argument. (There's an argument? I thought there were just nasty comments left on my blog by someone who didn't have the balls to leave a name.)

I would like to comment that the only reason "you" pay that much in taxes is because of your husband. (Umm... Yeah... Because I don't have a job and certainly can't support my family with this job. Yes, you people know me so very well.)

You sound like a stuck up snob when the only reason you have what you have, is because you married it. (Opinions are like assholes, everyone - including me - has one. And I thought I married husband because I truly love him. And because have a genuine friendship and respect each other's opinions. I mean, one could actually argue that he married me for the Greencard! Though, I know that not to be true.)

For someone your age, I found this blog very sad.

Dear Person Who Left The Comment:

I am sorry you found this blog sad... I am quite proud of it.

It's been linked to from many significant sources on the Internet. It gets nearly 30,000 visits a month. I have received thousands of kind comments in nearly three years. I have inspired others to begin blogging because they read it and knew they could do it too. (Anyone can!) So many others have found enjoyment in it.

Not sure who you are... But half of what you said is opinion... And the other half is simply incorrect.

I never doubted that the person knew me... They just definitely don't know me well... Nor do you. If you did, you would be aware of the fact that I work too. And it's not some "silly-dilly-dally" job. It's actually a pretty good job, with a good company. For which I work very hard, and enjoy my work. And if I lost my job tomorrow, I would go out and get a job wherever I could... Even working at "D-Team" Starbucks... Because I have always been a hard worker - one who can take care of her responsibilities. (And it's not like The Husband isn't working really hard to get me an immigration status which allows me to work once I move to Canada. He knows I fully intend to work once I move up there. I don't plan to live off of him. This is a team. We both can and are able to contribute. That's how we roll.)

Additionally, what a lovely thought... To know someone who "knows" me is gossiping about me without actually knowing really anything about me. As other commenters on the blog have noted: I am passionate, I have a reason for saying everything I do, and I always back up what I have to say with evidence or thought.

I am sorry you thought I was some "weak," "quiet" and "stuck-up" woman before you read the blog. And I really don't care that you now think I am an "uncouth" and "stuck-up" woman who uses bad language. (Again, if you actually knew me... This really, truly wouldn't be a surprise.)

I've always used this language... (Trust me, my Mum has tried for decades to get me to stop.) I've always been this passionate... And I always will be this way. Sure, WHEN I KNOW WHO I AM TALKING TO, I "TAILOR" MY WORDS TO NOT INSULT THE PERSON. But, well, this person left the comments "anonymously." So they chose the weak "nasty comment and run" option. And then they got a response they didn't want? I am sorry to have to explain this to you... But it's their own fault.

So thank you for making this personal. I mean, this blog is a personal space to me... One where I can say whatever I want. It was you and your friend who chose to come into my domain and attack me. Therefore, within this space, I will rip your head off verbally if you mess with me.

You all chose the fight. And I don't back down from fights. Certainly not from people who attack me anonymously, tell me I am "rude" and tell me I am "lazy" because I didn't vote.

If you don't like what I have to say, please don't read. But plenty of my friends and acquaintances do read this blog (hell, even my Mum reads it)... And even when they don't agree with what I write (which is often enough), they respect me enough to leave a comment (using their name or initials) telling me they disagree, or that I am crazy.

So get back on your high horse of superiority, and please take your friend with you. They insulted me first. And yes, I jumped back with a response loaded with harsh words. But as the blog's owner, I can do that.

Please don't come back to this blog. Your readership is not welcome. Not until I get an apology. (Yes, that's right... I wrote it! I want an apology! And you and your friend will get one too once I get mine.)

I know you are probably shocked at my audacity... But really... You truly shouldn't be.

I don't bully others... And I don't tolerate others bulllying me anonymously.

XOXO,
The Missus

What I Do For A Living...

I think I have written about it before... But someone asked me again recently... "What exactly do you do for a living?"

Well, I do something called "search engine marketing."

It sounds more technical and glamorous than it actually is... So let me explain...

There are two components to search engine marketing (SEM), Paid Search and Organic Search...

Paid Search - This involves me buying keywords on search engines. So every time someone does a search on an engine (like Google or Yahoo!), I tell the engine, "Hey! I am willing to pay you $0.xx every times someone clicks on my advertisement." The more I am willing to pay, the higher they will list me in their SPONSORED listings.

This requires I spend my time:

• evaluating ad copy
• coming up with new keywords to bid on
• deciding what page of my site to drive the person to when they click on my page
• evaluate whether or not I am making a profit off of the price I just paid for the click

Organic Search (Search Engine Optimization) - This part of my job involves me finding legitimate ways to make my company's site show up higher in a search engine's NON-SPONSORED listings. The traffic I get from these type of listings is free. And the higher up you are listed, the more people will click on your ad. But search engines don't exactly tell you how to get listed high in their search results. So it's somewhat of a guessing game, compared to the paid search stuff.

In order to this part of my job, I have to spend my day:

• determining if we have enough content on our site (which is what users are looking for)
• deciding what new content to add to the site (should I build out new pages around keyword "X" in order to rank high on that term?)
• find other websites to link into my site (and send them a letter begging them to link to me)
• evaluating if a search engine's crawler (which is what they use to go from page to page on the Internet, indexing the content it finds in order to serve it up to users searching) can get through our site
• and much more.

I don't do this alone, of course. I have a team of five that helps me with it. And of course, the whole company puts a priority on this type of Internet traffic... So there are many people that make it happen. It's a fun career.

WTF, Boston.com?

So, I am on the Lifestyle page of Boston.com... And I see the article about Top 10 Campaign Fashion Stories...



But, when I click on it, instead of getting taken to the page with the store, I get directed to this page...



Can someone at Boston.com please fix the broken link so that I may read your content?

Happy Halloween!

My Trainer made good on his promise to dress up like a clown this morning. I didn't get to punch him, which is probably for the best... As I would have gone to town.

(I fucking hate clowns.)

I am dressing up as a yoga practitioner at work today. (Wow! So inventive of me, I know!) But it's really just an excuse to dress comfortably.

I was at the local Google Halloween party last night (which was fun), and saw some really good costumes. The best were:

• The Grammar Vandal dressed as Ashley Todd.
• A woman dressed as a House and a guy dressed as Russia.
• My two Google reps, dressed as Sonny and Cher.
• The tall dude dressed as the Jolly Green Giant. (It takes balls for a dude to wear green tights.)
• The dude dressed as a baby on a grandmother's back.

The Husband is going as a Canadian Who Works At A Financial Institution. So I am assuming this means he will wear a suit.

It looks like everyone is dressing up for Halloween... Even my Mum dressed her puppy, Savanna Rose, up this year...



She's a witch.

What's your costume going to be?

Where I Will Be At 8:30am This Saturday...

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!



It opens on Saturday!!!

Keep in mind, fellow practitioners, that the Financial District location WILL NOT BE OPEN this weekend.

And what a great deal, huh? They appear to be offering 30 days of healing hot yoga for just $30. What a great way to give it a try and find out if it's for you!

See you Saturday in the AM!

Election Day: Free Ben & Jerry's!

Just saw this over at Perez...

Hooray! Free ice cream scoop!



Though, let's face it, it's going to be way too cold for ice cream next week.

Exhale Facial & Massage Sale.

With the holidays coming up, and all the traveling I am doing, I don't really have a lot of disposable income to work with... However, I may find a way to fit a few special treats into my budget...

An Exhale Massage and Facial!



According to the above pitch that was emailed to me, if I book between the 1st and 15th of November, I can get $30 off a facial and $30 off a massage. I would have to use the bookings sometime between now November 1st and December 31st.

Hmm... With all my travel and busy schedules, I could probably use a massage or two between now and the end of the year.

'Scuse Me, But Where's My 'Spresso?

It is freaking cold today in Boston. Like mid-30s cold. I am dressed in tights, boots and a heavy wool coat. Underneath, I am wearing a cashmere wool dress.

Yet, despite being decked out in warm materials, I found myself still cold when I got into work and settled at my desk. So, I decided I would head to D-Team Starbucks and pick up a cup of warmth.

There, as usual, was a line at D-Team. But that didn't bother me. I had faith that it would move quickly. Which it actually did do. I had a cup placed in front of me with (what I thought was) my order. It had my name on it. And it read on the side that I wanted a "Double Tall Soy Latte."

I pick up my cup and go to take a drink...

I taste the vanilla soy milk. But no espresso.

I pop the lid off the cup... No brown tinge to the milk. Just frothy milk.

There was no espresso in my latte. It was just warmed soy milk.

"Excuse me!" I flag down the barista. "I don't think there's any espresso in my cup."

He offered to put two extra shots in it. And he pressed the mechanical button to release them inside the paper cup. Nothing happened.

Apparently, that part of the machine was out of beans. So he had been pressing the button, with my cup right underneath the spouts (not shot glasses), thinking the liquid copper had gone in.

Have you ever had warmed soy milk? Not good.

He kindly remade my drink with no fuss, and apologized. And I went along my merry way to work.

Excellent Places To Write In The South End/Back Bay.

So, I find myself committing to getting a lot of writing done in the month of November. So I am looking for places where said writing can get done. Here is the list of places that I have come up with...

• Boston Public Library - If you have a library card, you can access the wireless network there. And in the old part of the library is an amazing room in which to write.
• B. Good - Not only does it have kick ass burgers, it also has free wireless. Score!
• Starbucks on Tremont - I have a registered Starbucks card. So I get two free hours of wireless at any Starbucks. The Tremont location can be tricky though... As there are often many people writing in there, and there really isn't any stable place to plug in your computer.
• Flour Bakery - Yummy food. Yummy atmosphere. They don't have wireless, but you can connect to one of the open networks in the neighborhood if you're lucky.
• Au Bon Pain, Copley Mall - Free wireless. Standard food that you are used to. If you get bored, you can always get up and go shopping.

Anyone have any other good spots?

Marc By Marc Panthera Strapless Dress.

Oh wow... The 1980s are alive in this latest season of Marc by Marc Jacobs!

Look at what I just became available on Net-a-Porter for his collection...

The Panthera Strapless Dress!



Adorable! I love it.

It's so not practical. And I would have no use for it. But if I could come up with one, you better believe I would snatch it up right away.

"You're Gonna Die, Clown!"

Just got back from morning session with The Trainer at Equinox... He had something critical to tell me...

"I think you should know," he began, "that on Friday, I will be dressed as a clown for Halloween."

I thought about it for a few seconds.

"Well," I told him. "I fucking hate clowns. So it's a good thing we'll be boxing on Friday."

Yes, I am 31, and I have an irrational fear of clowns. I think this is common though. So I am not ashamed to admit it.

As Carrie Bradshaw once said, "There's nothing scarier than a clown."

Fresh Black Tea Mask.

Since I cut back on my facials a few months ago, I recently found myself without a good mask product. Typically, when I would go in for facials, I would get recommendations on new facial masks to try at home. And then, last week, I found myself all out of my Astara Green Papaya mask.

Tear!

Now, of course, I could certainly go online or back to Exhale and pick up some more. But I decided that maybe this was a good time to try something different. So, after some research, I went out and picked up the Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask.



Last night, I finally got a chance to try the stuff. And it is awesome!

It's a hydrating mask... And it is light. I kept it on for about 30 minutes... And when I splashed it off, my skin was so soft!!!

There's even a recommendation that you keep it overnight. And when you wake-up, you have a nice, smooth finish to your skin. I may try that later this week. Though that would mean sleeping only on my back, as to avoid getting the stuff on my pillow cases.

Oh the things I am willing to do in order to keep my skin youthful!

"Grande Soy Pumpkin Spice Latte, No Whip."

Sometimes... You just need to start your day with a cup of grand sweetness.



It's cloudy out and it's going to rain later. I had to spend the equivalent of a pair of jeans to re-book tickets. (Don't worry Jean Therapy! I have cash saved for the November 14th extravaganza!) I'm incredibly tired. My hair is behaving badly. I am prematurely going gray. And too many competitors are bidding on my branded term at work.

Yes... The only way I could start today was with my Grande Soy Pumpkin Spice Latte, With No Whip.

It's The Second, Not The First..

"Well, eff you too mother effer!!!!"

Sorry. Now that I have that out of my system, please allow me to explain.

The Husband and I have an event to go to in NYC this weekend. For this event, we were going to just make it a day trip. So we were going to fly down in the morning and fly back in the evening. We were told the date of the event was the 1st of November, at 9:30am.

Then, last night, I get a phone call from The Husband as he is leaving work. Apparently the event is on the 2nd of November, not the 1st. We were told the 1st, and we have it in email. But the person who gave us the information gave us the wrong date.

So we had two JetBlue tickets booked for Saturday, coming and going.

After trying to change the flights online through JetBlue's system... And getting error message after error message... I finally just decided to call and try to change it. It was actually no problem. I was able to change the tickets to the following day for a $160 fee.

So, not as bad as I expected it to be. I was imagining that there wouldn't be any tickets available, and that we would get charged a ton of $$$.

Still pissed we were told the 1st instead of the 2nd.

Palin 2012?

Yes... You can always rely on the nut-jobs to be hanging out on the Common any day of the week...

7am & 6pm Every Weekday?

I little birdy snuck the proposed schedule for the Bikram Yoga Back Bay location to me today. (It's not yet published online.)

Woohoo!!!



They are planning on having 7am and 6pm classes every weekday!!! Oh yay!

Chic-onomics: Is That Fashion Item Really Worth It?

I was reading the latest issue of InSyle while economically taking the number 1 bus to Harvard Square yesterday when I came across an interesting piece in the glossy...

"What's The Real Price?"

It is quick little questionnaire you can use to help you decide whether or not to purchase an item of fashion. I found it to be very useful. And I have written out all the questions for you to ask yourself, which you can find here.

Hope this is as useful to you as is to me!

South End Buttery Bar-Bistro.

Hmm!

One of my favorite places for the past two years has been The Buttery here in the South End. Until recently, it was just a great place for the following:

• cappuccinos
  
• muffins
• salads
• and OMG-The-Best-Cupcakes-In-The-World

But now that they have expanded the space and built out a bar-bistro area, I have discovered it's a great place for evening. The Husband and I just came back from a dinner there, and I have nothing but great things to say about it.

We got there about 6:30pm... And the place wasn't filled, so we had our choice of tables. We chose to sit in the cafe area, which had been dimmed with lighting... Very different from how I am used to seeing it.

I started with a glass of Prosecco (my usual, if I don't get a salad). And they made a fancy Sprite for The Husband, complete with lemon and lime wedges to garnish. Since we skipped starters and went straight for dinner, I had a pork loin with a BBQ sauce...



And The Husband had a spicy sausage and broccoli rabe penne pasta. We were both really pleased with our meals. And the portions weren't out-of-control-crazy large.

We decided to share a dessert of Stout Chocolate Cake...



And this was amazing too. Though, I really shouldn't be surprised... As it is The Buttery... And baked goods are kind of their specialty.

This is definitely a "must-hit" place in the South End... And now, it's no longer just for breakfast or an afternoon snack... You must hit it for dinner too.

Bikram Yoga: "This Shit Works."

I know, I was quiet all day yesterday. That's because I was at an all-day Bikram Yoga posture clinic.

The clinic was held in Harvard Square and led by Craig Villani, Bikram's Director of Teacher Education at Bikram's Yoga College of India. And for about six hours, we listened to Craig lecture on the 26 postures we do in Bikram. We also did some of the poses so that he could help critique us.

Here are some of things we learned from Craig about a few poses...

• Pranayama: This should be a continuous breath. You breathe in through your nose for six counts, then out through your mouth for six counts. But the flow of the breath should never stop. He called is "circular breathing." So, no holding your breath!
• Half-Moon: Proper form is more important than depth. Shoulders and back should not be further back than your hips. Things should be in a straight line from the side. And you should not bend yourself to the side. As you push your hips out in on direction, your upper body should stretch in the opposite direction, and will naturally bend deeper. Craig said we should focus on the outer arc to deepen the inner arc.
• Awkward Pose: Like many people, my arms get tired quickly. Craig said the trick here is to focus on stretching your arms out, and that will ease the exhaustion. Also, he said that by keeping tension in your arms, you take tension out of what your legs are doing, which allows you to go deeper.
• Balancing Stick: Craig admitted that even though Balancing Stick is verbalized as being a "10-second posture", it is not. "They are lying when they say it's only 10 seconds." Then he gave an imaginary teacher two middle fingers. (It was hilarious!) He said that every teacher is different, but that the pose is held much longer than 10 seconds... Which, if you've practiced Bikram, you know. He said to block out of your mind the 10 second bit. And just focus on keeping your body tight, and your heart slightly below your hips. He mentioned that this posture is called the "mini heart attack" because it works the horseshoe artery in your heart. When you work your heart in this posture, your heart rate shoots up. This is your cardio.
• Triangle: He said the important thing to remember in this posture is to stretch your arms in opposite directions. "Stretch up to touch your toes," he said. Which, he admitted, doesn't make sense when you hear it verbalized. But when you do the posture, it does. As you stretch your arms in opposite directions, your body starts to stretch out, bringing you down to touch your toes with the proper arm. "If you can, you must touch your toes," he commanded.
• Full Locust: Craig's advice here was "stretch your arms out to lift yourself up." I think I am odd though... Most people seem to dread Full Locust most. Where as I dread Locust the most. Having my elbows under my stomach makes me want to vomit. And when we get to Full locust, I am like, "Yay!!!!"

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. Craig had great advice, and his delivery was coupled a really funny sense of humor. Here are some pieces of advice and quotes Craig gave us throughout the class (some were quotes he credited to others, but thought we would find useful as well)...

• "Eyes are your primary motivator. Where your eyes go, your body follows."
• "Fearlessness versus Recklessness... Be fearless, not reckless."
• "Yoga isn't easy. It should feel easy and good when you are done."
• "Which sounds better, 90 years of pain, or 90 minutes of pain?"
• "This shit works."

Worth Almost As Much As Hard, Cold, Cash...

I hear it every day from The Husband...

"Things are cratering!"

"Cash is king!"

"No one wants risky stuff right now!"

The Husband, who works in finance, is a big Canadian "Bear." He is conservative. And he thinks cash is the end-all, be-all of existence. To him, nothing is more valuable right now than cash.

I however, think differently.

Well, I do think cash is the most valuable thing right now... But I think there is something almost as good as cash...



A full collection of Hermes bags!!!!

This woman has 74 Hermes bags... Many of them are Bikrin's in exotic animal skins.

This collection HAS to be worth over a million, don't you think?

Even in hard times, people who can afford to buy luxury bags will still covet the Birkins.

Porn.

Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn. Porn.

Porn.

Lululemon: There Is Merchandise!

Frogger and I went shopping after work tonight... We were on a mission to find her a pair of denim pants. But we had no luck.

While out though, we walked past the new Lululemon store in the Prudential. It's not open yet... And there is still paper in the windows to prevent you from looking in, but... I peeked through some of the torn paper in the window and saw something that pleased me...

"There's merchandise hanging up in there!" I squealed to her.

Yes, I can not wait to have a real Lululemon store within walking distance of me. It opens on Halloween.

"$150k For Clothes... What Would You Buy?"

These were the words asked of me by Bail this afternoon.

I assumed that she was doing exactly what I was doing at that same moment... Reading the NY Times Style section piece about Sarah Palin's $150k wardrobe transformation to turn into "VP Running Mate and Hockey Mom" from "Alaska Governor and Hockey Mom."

The NY Times piece breaks down just as we've seen it in many other media this week...

• $75,062 at Neiman Marcus (OMG! Think of all the InCircle points she could have received!)
• $49,425 at Saks Fifth Avenue
• Other purchases from Barney's New York, Macy's and Atelier New York

And this was just in the month of September... For clothing meant to be used for two months of campaigning. HOLY COW!

The NY Times Style section also has a slide show of Sarah Palin's campaign appearances in some of the clothing she purchased. And there's no denying it...



She looks awesome!!!!!!! I'm 31, and I would love to look as good as she does in these clothes. Stylish and chic.

Do I think she has the help of stylists? ABSOLUTELY!!!! But I don't really care about that.

What I do care about, though, is that there was clearly an excess in spending on these outfits for her. Why does she need $150k worth of clothing from high-end department stores? An occasional piece from them could be justified... But dropping that much cold-hard American cash on clothes for two months of campaigning?

I am sorry (and you may be surprised by this), but I find it ridiculous. And obscene. Specifically for someone who has positioned herself as being your average "hockey mom" from Alaska.

And I don't think the average hockey mom drops $150K on clothes for two years, let alone, two months.

But getting back to Bail's question... "What would you buy?"...

Dang... I would go for a season's worth of custom made stuff from various designers. I'd pick up some sweet designer watches and earrings... I'd buy the entire season's worth of Louboutins... A shit-load of Chanel... And a shit-load of McQueen.

And then I would go to Jean Therapy, and buy jeans for every person who reads my blog. :)

When Fall Sucks...

There's nothing more annoying than the weather lately...

Why? Well because it's making dressing and office temperatures difficult!

When you have weather like we've had this week... You find yourself waking up to chilly floors. And so you know it's in the low 40s or high 30s outside. And you bust out your wool coat.

Then, you get to work, and by midday, you don't need the wool coat. You still need a cover-up... But something a little lighter would do. But you're stuck with the heavier one.

And then, I don't know about you, but our office temperature is constantly in flux. It's either sharply cold because the air is on... Or it's sweltering, like 85 degrees, because the heat is on. And since we don't directly control the thermostat in our office, we have to call building management to adjust it for us.

At least there is a bright spot. Tomorrow it will be in the low 60s. Which means I can get away with a lighter jacket at the start of the day, and not worry about being too cold.

But for today? Well, right now it's 36 degrees outside... I'm gonna have to go with the heavier jacket.

Today's To-Do List: FAIL!

I did ONLY ONE of the things I said I was going to do today. (YOGA)

So, for tomorrow, I will do them (FOR REALS!)...

Tomorrow's To-Do...

To-Do for tomorrow...

1. Cancel hair appointment for this coming Saturday. (Forgot about it, and booked a yoga clinic for the same day. And yoga is more important than hair.)
2. Go to gym. (Had to cancel session with trainer today because I was sick.)
3. Consider buying Marc Jacobs Skull Watch. (Apparently you can get it at Nordstrom still.)
4. Go to yoga.
5. Consume no dairy. (Doesn't help while trying to fight off the cold.)

No Bikram Challenge.

I know.. I know.. "WEAK!"

But there's no way I can go in to class today... And besides, I think it would be really disrespectful to the other students if I went in sick today, and they ended up catching what I feel like I am coming down with.

In other Bikram news though...

It's not up on the Bikram Yoga Boston website yet... But there is a substantiated rumor that the new Bikram Yoga Back Bay location will be opening in a few weeks.

SQUEE!!!!

This means I can practice near my own neighborhood! And I don't have to leave work early to get to the 5:30pm class. I just walk home from work and catch a 6pm class at BYBB!!!

Location is alleged to be in an old Boston Sports Club space between Clarendon and Dartmouth, right on Boylston Street.

Man! If this location had been open back when I was working in the Hancock Tower, I would have been able to practice every day.

Anyways... I am very excited about this, as are lots of other regular practitioners at BYB.

Fighting It Off Like A Ninja.

I am sick today. (Aww!!!!)



Well, I am on the verge of becoming sick. I have the achy feeling you get right before you get struck down with a cold or the flu.

I may go to yoga today, just to see if I can sweat this out.

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 7 - The Ass Is Key To Bikram.

I had a good class. I squeezed my ass to stabilize my poses and go deeper in them.

The ass is key to Bikram.

Skull Face Watch.

I am trying to be good. Very good. And not buy new things till after Thanksgiving. But Net-a-Porter is making it very, very difficult!

My latest craving is the Marc by Marc Jacobs Skull Face Watch...



How cool is that??? It's a nice, chunky-sized watch. And the hour is noted in the mouth, while the minutes are in the eyeball.

It's so very "Nightmare Before Christmas." And I LOVE it!

UPDATE:
WTF? It's already sold out?!?!?!?! It just went online today!

I Blame The Sox.

It's 37 degrees outside right now, according to my weather widget.

This is insane. It's to early in the season for it to be this cold. What the hell?

And because of the wacky weather changes... I feel like I am coming down with a head cold.

Perhaps if the Red Sox had won last night, maybe the world would feel warmer than it does. But they lost, and now the world is cold.

Clarisonic - A Review.

A few weeks back, when I was last in to see my facialist at Exhale, I purchased on of those much-hyped about Clarisonic face thingies.



It's a face cleansing electric brush. It deep cleans your skin... And I must say, I love this thing.

I have now been using it for almost three weeks, and this thing has really kicked some major pore-ass on my face. Especially around the nose... Which we all know is the toughest place to get rid of blackheads and dirt.

And normally when I do a Bikram challenge, my jaw line and side of my face start to break out from all the sweat and laying on the towels... But so far, I've had no problems. I think it's because as soon as I walk through the door to my house, I hit the shower and use this thing on my face.

And I don't just use it on my face... I can get my upper back, neck and the backs of my arms as well. Things are nice and soft.

It's a pricey contraption, at about $200... But I am loving it so far. Almost as much as my T3 dryer.

Sunday Brunch: Toro.

Yummy...

I don't get over to Toro often for meals... It's on Washington all the way by Mass. Ave... And I just never walk in that direction. Which is a shame... Because besides having some cute stores and restaurants in that part of the South End, it also has some really picturesque brownstones.

Ahh... I am going to miss the South End when I move next May.

Anyway... I met Frogger for brunch at Toro. And I always forget how small Toro actually is... There aren't that many tables in the joint... So managing to get one for brunch is a huge score. And Frogger scored nicely.

I have only ever eaten there for dinner, so this was my first experience brunching there. And it did not disappoint. We started with some plantains with salsa...



And then I had the Huevos Rancheros...



I am a bit of a Huevos Rancheros fanatic. It's like with pasta with bolognese sauce... If it's offered on the menu, I will be ordering it. And as far as taste goes, Toro's Huevos Rancheros was definitely the best I have had in Boston. Though, I must confess, I prefer the presentation of the one from Tremont 647. But 647 doesn't have anything on the taste of Toro's. Toro's had some major kick to it. It was just enough, not too much.

I will have a hard time forcing myself to order something else the next time I go there. I can hear the perfectly running eggs whispering my name...

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 5 - The Champ Teaches.

Hit the 9:00am class today... As I have to go meet Frogger for brunch in a half an hour at Toro. (Hope we can get a table!)

Class was small today. Only about 12 people. And this made things nice, as we all had plenty of room to practice. We weren't bumping into each other on the floor poses.

I realized today that my right hip flexor is WAAAAY more open than my left one. My Standing Bow pose on the right side (balancing left leg, right leg in the air) really kicks ass. I still have a ways to go on this leg, but my execution is very solid on this leg.

The left hip flexor, though, is complete crap. And it needs some serious work. I must start to stretch that one out more than the right one.

Beyond having a good class and realizing things about my Standing Bow... The class today was taught by the NERYAC Men's Champ, Chris. He competed in yesterday's championship, and now gets to go to L.A. to compete for the bigger prize.

It's a good feeling, knowing that your teacher really knows what they're doing when it comes to what they teach.

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 5 - The Cop Out.

I copped out and put my mat in the far right corner of the room today.

This is a "cop out" because this is the coolest point in the room. It's right next to the door to the dressing room... And you get a nice chilly breeze coming in from under the crack of the door.

I just didn't want to push things after last night's class.

But it's not as though I had an easy class today... It was really hot and tight.

The studio was fully packed because the 9am was the only class being offered today. The afternoon class was canceled because of the New England Regional Asana Yoga Championship. The Boston studio has a handful of people competing... And they all gave us a demonstration.

I have a feeling there's a winner in this pack. (Good luck fellas and ladies!)

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 4 - "Nose Breathing."

A gentle reminder for Bikram yoga practitioners...

"Always breathe through your nose."

Even when you are on the ground, in a lot of pain, wanting to puke your guts out. Like me, tonight. If I had remembered to breathe through my nose, I wouldn't have gotten so dehydrated. When you are breathing in and out of your mouth, you dehydrate yourself faster.

I learned this tonight. And had a really bad class.

I am not sure what made my class so bad. It wasn't the heat. I think maybe it was all of the following:

• Shit day at work.
• Blood samples taken this week.
• Lack of proper sleep.
• Shit day at work.

I found myself getting more and more dizzy throughout class. I attempted every pose... But some left me in terrible pain in my stomach. As if I was gonna puke.

Yep... A lot of toxins to get rid of, people.

Did You See Tonight's Moon?

As I made my way back home from the really bad yoga class I had this evening, I looked behind me in the sky and saw a gorgeous Moon...



This picture doesn't even do it justice. It was so big, and it had a severely yellow aura around it.

I love Fall.

Madonna!

Squee!

The Husband and I went to see Madonna tonight... (Even though I was totally banking on him backing out, and me being able to take a friend to the concert instead... But he did not.)

It was a very good concert. The Husband was amazed that Madonna is 50, and she's up there gyrating around the stage... Dancing, singing, lip-syncing, double-dutch jump roping, playing guitar...

Here are some photos...

Madonna opening.




Madonna does "Get Into The Groove."




Madonna and Britney do "Human Nature."




Light & Sound Guy watches the Nebraska football game during the concert.




Madonna does "Like A Prayer." (Which totally ROCKED!)




Madonna ends it with "Give It To Me."

GOOP - I Don't Get It.

So... A few weeks back, I signed up to receive Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter called "GOOP."

It's an occasional update that offers advice on fashion, recipes and travel... Stuff like that. I figured it would be fun, and that it would connect me with new ideas for fashion and food. And it has, but...

I don't get it.

So, this week, for example, I received a newsletter about fashion. And it features all these great pieces that Gwyneth herself seems to be keen on. And quite a few of the pieces I liked enough to price out for myself...



But when I went to go click on the images, I realized they weren't links. They didn't take me back to her website to view the content there, and maybe link off to where I could buy them online.

WTF?

So it's just a newsletter with pretty pictures and some content?

What if I want additional information?

I need closure on my curiosity, Gwyneth!

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 3 - "Squeeze It Out."

I had a nice-sized blood sample taken then afternoon for my Canadian Immigration Medical Exam. About three hours after giving the sample, I went to my third day of Bikram yoga.

I am attempting to be more "hard core" with my training. And somewhat "suicidal."

As I made my way to the 5:30pm class, the studio was a little blocked by cameras, set stuff, props and trucks... As the new Mel Gibson movie is being filmed in the neighborhood. I finally got in to the studio, and claimed my spot in the front row, as usual.

I was relaxing before class, trying to get in the "zone," when the teacher came in...

"...We will be i in a few minutes. If you have to go bathroom, please go now," she said. "Even if you don't think you have to go, go anyway. Just try to squeeze it out."

I didn't go to the bathroom, as I was all set... But I did take her advice on "squeezing" it out. "It" being my practice!

It was a tough class, with my left arm still bandaged up from the blood test. But I squeezed through pose after pose and got things done.

Woohoo! Only 27 more days to go.

Pretty Fall.

Had to go out to Coolidge Corner this afternoon for an appointment. I never get out to that part of town, though I wish I did more often... As it is lovely.

While walking down Harvard Street to my doctor's office, I saw these beautiful Fall colors on a playground...



I love this part of Fall. The colors are vibrant, and it's still slightly warm enough to get by with just a blazer and scarf.

On The Sixth Day, God Created Balenciaga...

And he giveth it to The Missus and said, "Use it in good style. Wipe it down with a soft cloth if it gets smudged. And store it in the proper cloth bag when it is not in use."

Thank you, Lord.

And thank you, Lord, for allowing me to view this lovely Balenciaga creation...



I know... I know... I don't need another one, Lord. But I am allowed to appreciate the dark cherry blood red color.

Thank you, Lord.

And on the seventh day, God told me to rest and relax from all my shopping.

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 2.

Hot. Very hot. Little acid reflux. But still hot.

Will drink more water tomorrow.

Oh. Wait.

Just remembered... Have Canadian immigration medical exam tomorrow afternoon. They will be drawing blood.

Fuck it. Will still go to yoga afterward.

So I will have to drink even more water than usual.

"Screw World Peace."

I sent this letter to The Husband today...

Dearest Santa,

I’ve been a pretty good girl this year… So I think I deserve an extra special gift.

This year, for Christmas, I would like the new Apple Macbook.

I’m not saying my current Macbook isn’t any good. But I am saying that after two years of working on my current Macbook, it would be nice for an update. Something with a longer battery life. Something a little faster. Maybe update the Office software on it? I could maybe go another 6 months on my current one before I break down in tears, and kick a few small puppies.

It’s just a thought Santa. And every year, you ask me what I want most for Christmas. This year, screw “world peace.” I want a new Macbook.

XOXO,
The Missus

Day Trip: When Flying Just Makes More Sense.

So, I found out last week that I would be making another tip to NYC soon. The Husband was asked to be the Godfather to a friend's daughter, and we now have to go back up at the end of the month.

"Shit!" I thought. "That means another hotel to be booked and another Bolt Bus reservation to make."

Then I tried to find a reasonable deal on an NYC hotel room for October 31st through the 1st. (The christening is at 9:30am on the 1st.) But while there are plenty of great deals on luxury hotel rooms in NYC, there are no deals that I found in the price range I was looking at.

"It's gonna end up costing us like $500 just to do this trip," I figured. "And it makes more sense to just stay the whole weekend up there, and stay Friday and Saturday nights."

But then it hit me... "What if we could get an early morning flight on the 1st and leave later that same day?"

I began searching for flight deals and found a really fantastic fare. I got both round trip tickets from Boston to NYC for $278 combined.

This is less than the cost of one night in a hotel in NYC. AND, I don't have to worry about packing luggage for the trip. We get up early, do the christening/brunch thing, maybe do some shopping, then head back to the airport. It's so nice!

$21 Food Challenge: I Failed.

Sorry!

I have failed at the $21 food challenge. Why? Well, because I realized that in order to do this, you have to be REALLY organized.

Last night, when I made dinner, I threw some cheese onto my pasta... Without realizing I hadn't bought it in my Sunday-night grocery run. I bought it last week, and out of habit, I threw it on the pasta.

I should have cleared out the fridge of all other food before I did the challenge. I had done so well up until last night.

"The Sweetest Revenge..."

Good advice for today...

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Calm down or you won't finish what you need to get done. Be motivated and don't let unimportant things eat away at you. The sweetest revenge is your own success.

... And perfect timing too. Just when I thought I was gonna have to be a bitch, I get a reminder that I should be above petty stuff.

Bikram Yoga Challenge: Day 1.

It started today!

This is my fifth Bikram yoga 30-day challenge in two years. Woohoo! And as of this past Saturday, I have been practicing Bikram yoga for four years.

My, how time flies!

Tonight's class was good. I had strained my lower back a little working out this morning with The Trainer. We were too aggressive with some weight. And I had worried that the yoga could agitate things... What, with all the back-bending and forward-bending...

But, nope. Very good class. And my back actually felt really good by the end of class.

Now, I will head to bed for a nice, peaceful sleep.

Travel Space Bags.

Hmm...

So, I have at least three, if not four, trips left this year to take.

I have to go back to NYC at the end of this month for a christening. (The Husband has been asked to be the Godfather.) And then I have to go to Arizona for Thanksgiving. And then I may have another business trip at the beginning of December. And then I end the year with the big trip to Australia.

So my new Coach carry-on is going to get a hell of a lot of use!

Yes, you read that right... I intend to take only my carry-on for all my trips. ALL OF THEM. Even the trip to Australia.

Crazy, I know. But I think I can do it. How? Well, with the help of these...

Travel Space Bags.



I do not want to check luggage for any of these trips. And if I can squeeze more crap into my carry-on, I am gonna do it. I almost never even use all of the things I take with me when I travel. So I could be much better at packing.

This will, of course, require very strategic wardrobe planning... Especially for the trip to Australia. But damnit! I am gonna do it!

Things To Do In Salem: Get A Pyschic Reading.

Frogger and I ventured up to Salem this afternoon. I had never been before, and seeing as it is Halloween-y right now, we figured it would be a good time to go.

And it was.

We saw lots of things as we walked the streets of the town. But the most fun thing I did was get a psychic and Tarot card reading at Fatima's Psychic Studio.



I wanted Frogger to come in with me as it was recorded... But it wasn't allowed. So I went in by myself. It was no biggie... I've had quite a few readings different kinds of readings in my time... And most have said the same thing:

• I will be old when I die. Late 80s. And it will be of natural causes.
• I will not have to worry about money. (Knock on wood.)
• I should be in business for myself. (Though I have no desire to branch off and do my own thing... Yet.)
• The person I am with now is my soul mate. (Even though I don't believe people have only one soul mate. I believe we have many.)
• I will be very successful, and have two of the things I want most to come true. (The psychic asked that I think of two "wishes" as I was shuffling the cards in the Tarot deck.)
• I am, myself, a little intuitive.

Nothing was really a surprise to me. If anything, the surprise is how nearly every reading I have ever had comes back with the same information. And it's not vague information. It's specific.

Although... Now that I recall... She did tell me a few new things:

• I have an enemy at work. Well, someone who comes across as a friend, but is really more an enemy. (She listed specifics about this person's appearance. And it's not Frogger or Bail.)
• I have a person in my life who will act as a mentor for a good part of my life. This person has facial hair... She specifically said they have a beard. (Hee-hee.)

She also mentioned that there was a big change ahead of me in the Spring of next year. (The move to Toronto.) And that it was a very good thing. She went on to tell me that any major changes I decided to make in the rest of 2008 would be good ones.

Hmm...

The $21 Food Experiment.

The Husband and I went out for sushi this evening. I ordered a glass of wine and two spicy tuna rolls. The cost of that came to $23, not including tax or tip... Or the two pieces of gyoza I ate.

Tomorrow though, I become frugal... And will attempt to make $21 of food last me only five days.

Why $21? Well, this is the amount in food stamps an individual receives a week to use. I spend a good amount on groceries a month to feed The Husband and I... And on top of that, I eat out lunch most days and dinner at least once or twice a week. Also, whenever I hit a yoga class, I pick up a water for class, as well as a coconut water and a fruit water for after class. Then, I take a taxi home.

But this week, all of that is gone. At least for the next five days. From Monday through Friday, I will only eat the following:

:

That's oatmeal (breakfast), angel hair pasta and grape tomatoes (dinner), frozen burritos (lunch), carrots, green apples and yogurt.

The total cost of this food experiment:



I came in just under the $21 mark. So, starting tomorrow morning, I will only eat the above. Well, I will also have some black coffee from beans that I already had in storage. But everything else I consume has to be from the picture above or free.

Think I can do it????

Fall.. Autumn... Whatever You Call It.

I have to say, my favorite season is Fall.

Growing up mostly in Arizona, I never really got much of a Fall. At least not the way people in North get to experience it.

Here are some photos I took last weekend up in Toronto, where Fall starts to pick up a little earlier than in New England.







I can't wait for the color change to really pick up here in Boston. I love Fall.

Canadian Thansksgiving Dinner.

I can't bring myself to do an elaborate Thanksgiving meal for just me and The Husband. So I kept it simple this year...

• Turkey breast (Perfect for two people!)
• Mashed potatoes (Two Gold Yukons.)
• Roasted Carrots
• Corn

Simple and easy.. Took me about two hour in total to do the dinner and the pie.

Yummy!

Baking Apple Pie.

I've made apple pie so many times that I don't even follow a recipe anymore. I do it all by instinct. Since Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving, I decided that tonight I would make my dinner to celebrate it, and that includes apple pie.

I like to use about three or four large Granny Smith apples in my pie. I core and peel them first.



Next, I chop the apples up, and dress them with two tablespoons of lemon juice and three tablespoons of cinnamon sugar.



Now, I know how to make pie crust from scratch. But I just didn't have time today to make it, chill it, and then work with it. So I went with the easy solution and bought ready-made pie crusts.



Once I got the pie crust into the pie dish, I dumped in the apple mixture. I then took the second pie crust in the package and cut out little (Canadian) maple leaves. The leaves went on top. Then I placed it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes. (After 15 minutes in the oven, I placed foil around the edge of the pie dish. This prevented the crust from burning.)

The final result...



... was delicious!

What I Needed Was Home...

I have not been in the office since last Thursday.

I took off Friday for Toronto. Got back to Boston Sunday. The left for NYC for three days early Monday morning.

I am all "traveled" out for now. I just want to stay in Boston (And really, whoever thought I would say THAT?) for now.

I haven't had a proper bubble bath, sleep, or general feeling of "comfort" since last week. It feels like ages ago.

I must admit, though, all this traveling was worth it. The wedding in Canada was definitely unique and fun... And the two conferences I went to in NYC were very valuable. I have come back with quite a few ideas.

But damn, it feels good to be home!

Stuck In Traffic.

Ugh...

After a long few days in NYC, I now find myself stuck in traffic in Connecticut on the Bolt Bus.

Since I don't drive, I forgot how easy it is for traffic to get backed up. Maybe I should have taken the train? I guess the Bolt Bus is probably best for mornings, rather than evenings.

Mail Goggles From Google.

I am just now catching up on some news from the past few days, and I saw this article...

Google prevent drunk emailing.

The new service is called "Mail Goggles." It's sole purpose is to help prevent you from sending that drunk email. (Wonder if they will ever offer this on Blogger to help prevent drunk blogging?)

Once you activate it for your account via the "Labs" tab in your Gmail Settings...



... It will then prompt you with simple but thoughtful math questions you will have to answer before sending emails late at night.

I activated it for my account to see if it would work, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. It didn't prompt me to answer any math questions this morning... So it must be on a time-setting and will only prompt me late at night.

But what happens if I start drinking during the work day? I could really use this feature during the daytime then.

Hotel Ganesvoort.

So, last night I stayed at the Westin in Times Square. And make no mistake, it's a wonderful hotel. (I am still in shock of the fact that I had gym equipment in my room, but if you wanted to use the hotel's gym, you had to pay $10. CRAZY!) But I am in love with the hotel I am staying in this evening...

The Hotel Ganesvoort.

Located in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan's West Side, the Hotel Gansevoort is a wonder. I am kindly being put up here for the evening by a vendor... And I figured I would have a small, but trendy room. I walked into my room this afternoon though... And I was ECSTATIC!

I have a view from room of 9th Avenue below. I can see Pastis, the Soho House and some of the view of the West Side.









And I am really please with my room. Even after I got to see my co-worker Bail's room.

See, Bail originally wasn't going to come. Mr. Sports was supposed to come, but had to cancel when he realized he wouldn't be back from NYC in time for his day of atonement to begin. So when he had to back out at the last minute, Bail said she could come instead. And let's just say... My room is shit compared to hers.

Don't get me wrong, mine is pimped out! But hers?

• Two balconies
• On the 12th floor
• Views of the Hudson River
• Private sitting area, separate from the bedroom
• Bath products

And, they asked her what newspaper she wanted tomorrow morning. No one asked me shit.

From now on, whenever I go anywhere, I am going as "Mr. Sports." His name has WAAAAY more pull than mine.

Vegan-Raw Lunch.

I had the unique pleasure of meeting with one of my super-smart Google reps today for lunch.

When she was last in Boston, I had confessed to her that I was DYING to stop off at the Googleplex for lunch. (If you've never heard how Google takes care of it's employees with various perks, including free gourmet lunches... READ UP!)

Before we went into the secure building, and up to the cafeteria floor, she warned me...

"Now, please understand," she began, "most people over-due it their first time here. There's a lot of great stuff, and you will want it all. It's hard to exercise restraint."

Right when we walked into the cafeteria, a woman from a new energy drink company offered us a sample of a "calorie-burning" cocktail. It was blueberry-raspberry flavored. And it had extracts from red wine and green tea. It was yum.

Them I was hit by the food scene.

In front of me were stations and stations of glorious food. There was a salad bar. A "spa bar" with various healthy spa foods and fresh fruited water. (Like filtered water with mangoes in it.) Then there was the comfort food section. And a grill section. And the DESSERT section. But... I chose none of this... I went with a very unique section...

The vegan-raw bar.

Yes, if you've seen Sex and the City from Season 6... You are familiar with the concept of eating "raw." It's vegan, non-dairy and nothing is cooked over a low temperature. It sounds unappetizing... But it was delicious. So delicious!!!



I know, bad picture... But on my plate is:

• Lentil & Rice Casserole (OMG! So good!)
• Turnips with Tarragon sauce (The only thing I didn't like.)
• An Apple and Grain Salad
• Wheatberry with Cranberries Salad
• Roasted Zucchini
• Marinated Mushrooms
• Asparagus

After wards, I did hit the dessert table for a few things, including a small shot of hot chocolate with orange and mint in it. (Surprisingly, very good.)

I mean, I love my company and am very happy with a free weekly lunch... But Google people are VERY lucky!

Many thanks to my Google rep for indulging my curiosity and getting me in there.

Sox Play-off Fashion: Louboutin Papilipi Pumps.

A recent conversation between my boss, Mr. Sports, and I at work...

"Ugh!" said Mr. Sports. "I am so tired today!" "Are you not sleeping well?" I ask, faking concern. (Hee-hee!)

"Uh," he looks at me as if I am dumb. "I was kinda up late."

I look at him like he is dumb.

"Were you up late watching the news or something?" I ask.

"Uh, no," he said... Looking at me like I should know this... "I was watching the Red Sox game."

"Oh," I respond, with a "duh-you-should-know-THIS" look... "Yeah... I don't watch this thing you call 'baseball.'"

And really, he and everyone I work with should know that I don't watch baseball... Or football... Or basketball...

But even though I don't proactively watch Red Sox baseball (even in play-off season), I would consider going out to a fine establishment to watch wearing these...



The Christian Louboutin Papilipi Pumps.

Envision it: Dark skinny jeans, Sox tee in red, thick black belt at the low waist, and these pumps on your feet.

Oh, I could definitely hang around for a few hours watching baseball wearing these.