occupied

My apologies for so rudely ceasing to blog. I have been completely, and happily, occupied with my new job. I really like it! This is my fifth week and I'm learning new things every day. The people are great, the work environment is relaxed, and the product is terrific. I'm working a lot of hours, which has prevented me from blogging (and working out, making dinner, etc.). I can still check email and would love to hear from y'all!

Until next time,
S

Happy birthday Tom!

ducks in row, check

My days are all abuzz with activity this week as I prepare to start my new job on Monday. I'm really excited to start working for this company and meet everyone there. My goal has been to clear out my to-do list and prepare as best I can for this transition. I've been trying to emulate my friend Amanda who is so incredibly organized and on top of everything. I think she could take a month off and she still wouldn't be behind. She's really amazing and should write a book, or at least an article, about how she does it (plus she has a super intense finance whiz job and a happy marriage and a baby on the way!). How do you do it, Amanda???

Anyway, back to me. I've been doing tons of laundry, ironing, dry cleaning, hemming and outfit planning in preparation for my work-in-an-office lifestyle. Regis & Kelly don't seem to mind my wardrobe that revolves around yoga pants, but I think my new manager will. Working from home has been so awesome and I definitely recommend it. You can understand, though, how things will have to change for me.

Of course there are a stack of things I've been putting off. I doubt I'm alone in this. Some things you just don't want to do! Like writing thank you notes, superglueing broken pottery, polishing silver jewelry, and that sort of thing. I'm trudging through this group of tasks with the hope that I will start this job/new phase and really have a clean slate and none of this old garbage nagging at me. I suppose this is the perfect time for spring cleaning.

house tour

Now I can't even remember how I found this but I did, and you will love. Check out Hooked on Houses.

I just looked through the house set pictures from Brothers & Sisters. I love how big & comfortable that house seems. If you like lived-in, check out the house from The Family Stone. If big is your thing, peruse the estate featured in Sabrina. If you can't decide between cold & cozy and sunshine & space, check out the two homes from The Holiday.

Such fun for a Friday!

running music

I'm getting back into running now and am in need of some good workout music. What do y'all listen to?

good news!

I have some VERY exciting news to share with y'all... I have just accepted a job offer! I'll start in a few weeks. The company is a small software firm and it seems like a really great place to work. The employees are all young and they have a good time at work (while wearing their jeans!!!). While it has been nice working from home, I am excited to start working in an office again and to start meeting people here in Boston. I am thrilled!

weather

How can this be?

We had a really lovely weekend here in Boston. Everybody was outside, walking around and taking in the sunshine.



Some were even sailing on the Charles River (you can see the white sails past the iced-over cove).



Today we're back to the regular old "wintry mix."

wedding

Tom & I were in New York over the weekend for his friend Dan's wedding. We had SUCH a great time. The ceremony was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral. My snapshots do not do it justice.



Tom was a groomsman. Here he is, such a gentleman in his tuxedo.


When the front doors of the church were opened, the aisle was perfectly aligned with that statue outside Rock Center and the scale was just striking. Didn't get that image on film, but here is a "behind the scene" picture of the wedding party and family on the steps for their portrait shot.


Tom & I at the reception, which was held at the NYAC.


The bride chose a low, white hydrangea filled centerpiece. Perfect selection, in my opinion, as it neither obscured the view nor competed with the room decor.


The bride & groom enjoy their first dance. The band was really talented and had everybody up and dancing before the salad course... a personal favorite. We danced all night long and really had a ball.

what is going on

It has been just non-stop in the fun department this week! My friend Emily has been staying with us since last Fri night b/c she is in town for a conference. It has been so much fun to have her here. Last night, for example, I picked her up from her conference and we headed up to Marblehead, which is a northern suburb of Boston, to have dinner with one of her friends & we all had a great time. Marblehead is so cute. I'll have to return there for a day trip and check out the beach and the little downtown.

Tonight we're trying to decide between going to the North End (Boston's version of Little Italy, but more authentic) for dinner or going to a neighborhood spot or staying at home. Tomorrow ends our week of celebration, but the fun won't stop. Tom & I are heading south to NYC for his friend's wedding and it is sure to be a good time.

Oscars

I know this is all yesterday's news, but I've been busy! Just wanted to put in my two cents on the best of the Oscar red carpet fashion.

My absolute favorite dress, and candidate, was Taraji P. Henson. She did an outstanding job in Benjamin Button and is so cute in real life. I love her Cinderella story and mostly, I love her dress. Roberto Cavalli, who I also love.



I'm not alone in adoring Anne Hathaway's old hollywood glamour. She shined in Armani Prive. Excellent choice.



I'm the only person this side of the Mumbai who hasn't seen Slumdog, but I'm working to fix that. I didn't know Freida Pinto before Sunday but I think she is so beautiful and I loved her blue gown, courtesy of John Galliano.

back in Boston

The contrast between Georgia and Massachusetts is heightened now. Spring is in it's infancy now in Georgia, with buds emerging and birds chirping away. The golfers are out, tennis is in full swing, and runners can wear shorts without fearing frostbite. However, in Massachusetts, spring is so distant it's irrelevant and the natives are still bundled up against the "wintery mix" of snow, sleet, rain, wind, etc. I don't even waste my time wishing for spring because it's just not going to happen for a while.

I just returned from a balmy week in Georgia with my family that was so nice and relaxing. Sue was in town, too, and so we all hung out. My mom made many excellent meals-- lamb chops one night, tilapia, steak, etc. I drove my dad's 5-speed around and stalled only a few times (I can never seem to get going from a stop on an uphill. Am I alone in this humility?). I visited with some high school friends, spent time with the dog, and generally hung out. It was so nice to be home.

But home is where you hang your woolen, fleece-lined, ear-covering hat, no? I'm back in Boston now and busy around the home. My friend Emily D. is visiting us from Chicago staring on Friday (so excited!) and so I'm cleaning, washing, tidying and generally getting the house back in order after being gone for a week and also getting ready for her week here. Since she's from Chicago she'll be all geared-out and probably won't even notice the frigid temps and icy sidewalks, so we can both focus on having a good time!

Georgia

I am home at my parent's house this week, relaxing with the dog. Tom & I are going to a wedding in SC this weekend, then back to Boston on Monday. It is warm & sunny here in the south!

Bob's my uncle

Happy birthday Uncle Bob!

Flat Stanley

Have y'all ever heard of Flat Stanley? It's such a cute school project, based on a book of the same name by Jeff Brown. I recently received my second ever Flat Stanley from Tom's godson (I suppose Tom received it, but, you understand).

I had high hopes for this Flat Stanley, but he can only stay for a week and we've just been so busy. Flat Stanley & I did have a great time rushing around the city taking pictures on the afternoon of the deadline before I FedEx'd him back to Connecticut.

Here's Flat Stanley at the library, studying for the GMAT. Isn't this fun?
Area of a circle = πr². Awesome.



Flat Stanley admiring the view with the "Pru" in the background. Don't jump, Flat Stanley! It will get better!



Flat Stanley checking out the state capital (out the car window, ahem, it was freezing that day and didn't I already mention the clock was tickin?). Flat Stanely, you need a coat!



Flat Stanley doing a drive by of Fanneuil Hall and Quincy Market. This market
has witnessed significant events in our nation's history, including "no taxation without representation." It is now a mall, but still. Flat Stanley needed to experience it & get that pic up on the bulletin board.



Flat Stanley checking out Paul Revere's house in the North End (I stood on the sidewalk for this pic, with hazards blazing).



Next time Flat Stanley is in town we'll take him to our neighborhood pub, favorite sushi spot and boutique shopping on Charles St!

freezing!!

It is consistently freezing here and I am simply not well equipped to handle this type of abuse. I have a ski jacket, which I wear constantly and feel like a middle schooler, and various other woolen coats, which are insufficient to the point of being irrelevant. I have one pair of boots I picked up in Vail a few years ago for ski on ski off purposes only. Needless to say, not working. Even my skiing gloves are not warm enough and my hat is completely useless as it doesn't even cover my ears. I am not off to a good start.


Boston urban winter - by SKW on Polyvore.com

Looking around, everyone seems to have long puffy coats and Uggs (no.). If not Uggs, then Hunter wellies, or similar. The coat of choice is the North Face Metropolis. Women here have an innate talent for looking stylish while bracing against the icy snowy wind, and I wonder how they do it. One girl told me that if you're not appropriately dressed then you will be miserable. Never better put!

I'm starting today in my search for an appropriate ensemble to weather this storm... the storm that lasts 'til June, I'm told.

the results are in

So, how did I do on Saturday? Hmmm. Well, I had expected to do better than I did. However, I did achieve my goal. There are all these nuances with section scores and corresponding percentiles. I wanted to increase a certain part of my score and I did succeed! Yay! I was hoping for a higher overall score, and now I'm trying to decide if I'll take the test again or simply apply with the score I have. I know I could do better if I practiced more (my issue is timing--I spend too much time on some problems, run out of time and have to guess= NOT a good strategy), but I kind of want it to be over with. Besides, I may be able to get in with the score I have (this is where I remind myself of my ultimate goal). Plus the test is $250 and I have to wait 31 days to take it again. Hmmm. What to do?

yellow

Yellow is looking very good right now. Check out Elements of Style for an overview of how you can use yellow in your home.

tragedy

I just read the tragic, terrible news that Domino Magazine, my absolute favorite, is closing. I am in such grief over this.

I'm heartbroken.

everything is fine

Hello, blogland. I haven't been posting for a while and haven't even given an excuse. My apologies for being so rude. This Sat I am taking the GMAT and I have had my nose in a book every available minute over the past few weeks. It is crunch time now so I've had to adjust my priorities. Sadly, blogging is taking a hit. I will be back, though, so stay tuned!

Inagural luncheon

Change is on everyone's mind these days. The Blushing Hostess posted a summary of the Inaugural Luncheon, which is very interesting. They will need an army of sous chefs to put together this menu (including recipes).

The theme is "A New Birth of Freedom."
“A New Birth of Freedom” commemorates the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth and expresses Lincoln’s hope that the sacrifice of those who died to preserve the nation shall lead to “a new birth of freedom” for it.

Read more about the theme here.

this just in

The Obama's have selected a decorator! Michael S. Smith will lead the way out of interior darkness.

*photo from Domino

Educate yourself:

1. Check out Domino's exclusive on the story.

2. Who is Michael Smith? Domino knows.

3. check out the room by room tour of the White House resident, from Truman on up.



4. Take the Domino White House decorating poll.

5. Head on over to Elements of Style today to see some samples of Smith's work.

click it

One of my new, absolute favorite blogs is Mrs. Blandings. Run by an interior decorator from Kansas City, Mrs. Blandings is chiefly a design blog, with life stories and current happenings weaved through. It is visually stimulating and delightful. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

weather is now a topic of conversation

True story: last night on the local news, the weather guy said "Now, folks, get out there an enjoy the balmy 36*, because we're not going to see these temperatures for a long time." Yikes! What have we gotten ourselves into?

clear out, help out

I really love receiving Christmas cards. They add such a personal touch to the holidays and are great for keeping up with people you don't speak with regularly. I am a big fan of the picture card since many of my friends are starting families and they'll send a snapshot of the little one. I hate to throw the cards away but it is simply impractical to keep them forever.

In the spirit of all things green, helping out, etc, etc, do not toss those cards! St. Jude's Ranch for Children wants your cards. The children use the fronts of your cards to create new cards, which they resell to raise money and learn the value of "waste not, want not." Nota bene, they probably want just your standard cards (trees, Santa, manger scene) and not your college friend's baby picture (those you can keep).

Pop your cards in a big envelope and mail them to:

St. Jude's Ranch for Children
Card Recycling Program
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Make sure you get them in by:

Feb 28, 2009

For more information, click here.

911

I called 911 last night for the second time in my life. It was about 20 to 2 in the morning and we were sleeping. All of a sudden, we woke up to this loud, screeching alarm. My initial reaction was..."oh, how annoying, we'll have to sit through this," which is NOT the appropriate response. Tom said "get dressed & grab your coat!" Yikes! Emergency!

I put on my coat, grabbed my purse and cell phone and some reading material (hey, you never know) and we jetted down the six flights of stairs. Obviously we opted not to wait for the glacially slow elevator.

When we arrived in the lobby there were some people already there, in their pj's and Uggs and down coats (we live in Boston) and they were pretty calm, which made me feel better. Plus they were INSIDE, when I was expecting we'd all be out on the street. So far, so good. They hadn't called the fire department yet and so this is when I jumped into action and called 911. The firemen arrived and, after their investigation, determined the issue wasn't fire-related at all. Phew! We did find out that this alarm tends to go off from time to time. Our next door neighbor once had to spend the night in a hotel because the firemen wouldn't let the residents back into the building! I guess there were no restrictions and it was comped so he made a beeline for the Ritz. Smart man.

I'll share the story of when I called 911 for the first time on another occasion (though Laura can probably tell it better).

really nice break

This year has brought a delightful, if unprecedented, holiday for me. First holiday season in Boston, which has been fun. It is nice to see snow & Christmas decorations commingling. Where I am from, White Christmas is a song, not a reality.


(I'm not obsessed with the library, I'm just there all the time.)

Before Christmas my sister came up for a weekend to visit with friends and attend our first ever Boston Pops concert. Our friends attend the annual Christmas concert and invited us to join them. It was really loads of fun to sit at the little tables, enjoying cocktails and cheese and the outstanding Christmas music selection. They do their own hilarious version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I wish I had a copy of it to share with y'all.

Since this was the first holiday I haven't spent with my family (married... compromise...), my parents flew me down to Georgia for a few days before Christmas to celebrate and see my brother, who was home from China. It was so nice to be home and see my family & the dog and to have a great Christmas dinner. We all opened gifts and celebrated on the 23rd because I had a flight to catch on the 24th.



Life if full of surprises, and this holiday was not an exception. As Tom was driving down to NY (alone, I was in GA), a light came on the dash that said something like STOP DRIVING THIS INSTANT AND PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. He did, made all the requisite calls to parents, AAA, etc. and got the car to a dealership. Apparently the car we have has an oil sludge issue and the warranty will cover it if we can provide twelve consecutive oil change receipts. We're still waiting to hear if the repair will be covered. Car repair is one part of adulthood I am not fond of.

Anyway, after that debacle Tom made his way down to NY by train and we enjoyed the holidays with his parents and brothers. It was fun to learn about their holiday traditions and start some of our own.

I was able to sneak away for a day to go into the city and meet up with my cousin Jules for lunch at a noodle shop in the LES, Momofuko noodles. We arrived at 2p-ish on Sat and the place was PACKED. It didn't die down the entire time we were there. It was so fun to see Julie and catch up on all that is going on with her wedding plans.

That afternoon I took the train upstate to Tom's family's lake house (they had driven up that morning) and then spent NYE and the rest of the week relaxing and watching the snow fall.



It was so nice to have a break from all my projects and work. I feel refreshed now and ready to get back to business!

Happy new year, everyone.

Happy new year from the lake

 

snow covering Boston

Here are some pictures from Dec 22 in the Boston Public Garden. The snow started on Friday, continued on Saturday, came down in a white-out blizzard on Sunday, then rested on Monday. It was a peaceful sight on Monday, with the sun shining and a clear blue sky.

Merry Christmas, y'all!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season!

chair

Boy do I love a good project. I especially love it when it doesn't take too long and the results are positive and enhance our lives. What could be better?



When we moved to Durham, Tom's family gave us their dining room table and chairs (they were upgrading). This "heirloom" set will be ours until we get our own set, which will probably be after we buy a home that has enough room for a matching hutch, etc.



It was time for a change for these four chairs. I chose this creamy fabric because it complements the rest of the room (we have a living room/dining room combined into one big room) and highlights the stain of the wood frame.



I know you all are thinking of stains. Good thing we don't drink red wine!



Haha, just kidding, of course we do! I bought Scotch guard to cover the chairs. Recovering the chairs was a cinch, so even if they do get stained I don't care too much. I'll just recover them again! Now, about the cream couch....

Holiday decorations

As I mentioned before, we are forgoing the tree this year. We were planning on getting one, but then our weekends have been busy and I thought it would be too depressing to get the tree myself (how would I get it out of the car and up to the elevator?) and then decorate it myself (time consuming, but Tom did all the decorating himself last year). So I picked up some garland at the neighborhood fundraiser to see if that would do the trick. It has been nice to look at, but it is no substitute for a tree. I do miss having a tree so this will probably be the only year we go without.

This is my mantle decorating. In the day...


In the night...


And up close...


You may notice that we don't have any stockings!! I will have to get some/make some this year so we'll have them for next Christmas.

The Massachusettes State House all lit up for Christmas

the results are in: a little bit of holiday entertaining

I know you all are on the edge of your seat waiting for the run down of Saturday's cocktail party, so I won't make you wait one minute longer.

Our guest's schedule changed several times so I was determined to be flexible. They arrived around 2p and by that time I had already had the house cleaned & and the bar set up (aside from the ice) and the mushrooms all prepped and on a cookie sheet in the fridge with tin foil on top and the brownies cooling. Everything was ready to roll when they arrived, which was great because we went on an hour long walk around the neighborhood and along the esplanade before the first cocktail was poured. Tom thinks I'm a little over the top to plan so much in advance, but honestly, if I hadn't we'd be enjoying goldfish and one variety of drink with no ice for the entire evening.

Anyway, when we returned to the apartment and while everyone was getting refreshed, Tom ran out for the ice and I set up the cheese tray and set almost everything out. Only half our party was there, so I wanted to hold off on the mushrooms until everyone had arrived.

The menu remained unchanged since the other day. Here it is, with performance comments:

Cheese, crackers & grapes
I was going to go to Whole Foods (15 min walk) to get the cheese, but ran out of time so instead went to the local market. They had mostly soft cheeses and since I had the cream cheese going on, I needed a hard cheese. I selected Cabot's extra sharp white cheddar and it FLEW off the tray. Not a single square was left. The grapes were popular, too, and someone commented on how much they liked the crackers. I would say that was a hit!

Foster's Market 7 Pepper Jelly over cream cheese
Not a hit. I think the guests didn't know what to make of it. They may have heard "7 pepper" and thought HOT, which it is NOT. A few people tried it, but overall it was not a sensation. Too bad, because it is delicious. Tom said he "could have told me so." But he didn't.

Goldfish
I had to refill the bowl. I'd say they were a hit, as usual.

Stuffed mushrooms
A hit! They were definitely good, but next time I think I'll try a different recipe. These didn't have sufficient filling, IMO. My mom does something with sausage, which I will try next time. It was great to have something warm, though, and everyone was delighted that there was a new hors d'oeurve coming out of the kitchen mid-party.

Peppermint brownies
I was drinking my first cup of coffee on Saturday morning at the same time I was mixing the brownies together. I neglected to ask my mom how she made the brownies so I guessed, and guessed wrong. I sprinkled the crushed up candy canes on the mix before putting it in the oven and you're supposed to do it once they are already baked. The brownies didn't look too delicious when I took them out of the oven and Tom insisted we buy cookies because the brownies were such a disaster. I did get some cookies, then we ended up serving the brownies anyway (I put fresh crushed up candy canes on top and they were great, nobody knew the difference) and they were a hit! The cookies were gross and store-bought and were NOT a hit. Nobody wanted ice cream or decaf coffee, though I'm glad I had them both just in case.

So, overall the party was a hit! Everyone had a good time and I think we had just enough food. Tom's family loved our apartment, which was encouraging, and I enjoyed doing some entertaining!

my favorite holiday movies

'Tis the season for watching TV. After running around all day, sometimes I just feel like vegging and watching a movie. Since we don't have a tree (ba humbug!), I'm relying on our new flat-screen (graduation present) to bring some cheer into our home. It's pathetic, but all I can muster up this year.

My favorites, in no particular order:

Elf
This movie makes me laugh out loud every time! Will Ferrell is hilarious. The events company I worked with in NYC did the premiere event for this movie before I joined the company. Apparently they used candy-cane striped carpet instead of a red carpet and made the Ziegfeld into a winter wonderland. I'm sorry I missed that!



The Polar Express
My brother was a big fan of this book when he was young because it had to do with trains, which at the time was his obsession (now replaced by China). Months before the movie was released, the events company in NYC did a promo event for it in Times Square. It was July and we had a snow making machine and hot chocolate to get people's attention, then had Polar Express preview DVDs to hand out. It's hard to say how that kind of event translates into ticket sales, but it did get a lot of attention that hot summer day!

The Family Stone
I saw this in the theater with Jess & Karl during the subway strike. We really made the most of the strike and went out after the movie. Karl's sister (and blog inspiration) let us stay at her place in the city (we lived in Brooklyn Heights) so we could walk to work the next day. Fun memories.

Love Actually
This movie is cute. I saw this in Paris with my friend Kate (during my life-changing trip to Paris) and it was so fun to see a movie there! There were French subtitles and women with concession trays going up & down the aisles before the movie started. I think the popcorn was sweetened with sugar (Kate, do you remember?).

Miracle on 34th Street
This movie was one of my inspirations to become an event planner. For a while my dream job was to work on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That ship has sailed, but I still enjoy this Christmas classic.



National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Growing up we were not allowed to watch hardly anything except really kiddie stuff like Mr. Rogers. Somehow, this was slipped in and was acceptable, so we watched it a million times.

Boston is not covered in ice

Thanks, everyone, for asking about how we're doing here in Boston regarding the weather. The ice storm did not reach downtown Boston, so we are totally fine. :-)

wish list

Boston is chilly! Some hot chocolate from everyone's favorite Brooklyn (and now Manhattan) chocolatier, Jacques Torres, would definitely keep me warm. If I had to choose between the two flavors, I might choose wicked.

Christmas wreaths at the Boston Public Library

wish list

I've been improving my golf game over the past few years and it might be time to upgrade my equipment. I have a set of clubs and a bag that were a gift from my parents. They are great and I am not ready to trade those in. However, they are getting all scratched up because I don't have any socks for them! Those poor irons & woods are getting cold and need some socks. I think these from Keri Golf will do nicely. I like that they are slender and the numbers are written out in cursive.



Secondly (yes, golf is an expensive sport and we haven't even gotten to the course yet!), I think my sneakers will no longer do on the course. I need some proper golf cleats, such as these from Ecco. They come in green, too.


My game will definitely improve once I am equipped with these very necessary golf club socks and essential golf cleats. ;-)

holiday shopping, one stop

Restoration Hardware has an impressive selection of gift options this year. I can visualize their biggest Christmas gift 2008 strategy meeting last year at this time when everyone was saying "I can never figure out what to get for [dad, mother in law, cousin, aunt]." They have solved it by creating sections for the Musician, Traveler, Artist, Sailor, Star Gazer, Golfer, Fisherman, Bird Watcher and Astrologer.

Here are some picks from their selection, though I really encourage you to check it out for yourself.

Model sailboat $78.99




Golf ball personalizer $17.49



Tackle box essentials $14.99



English table Easel $89



They also have an entire category of stocking stuffers, sure to delight on Christmas morning.

Also... Restoration Hardware has a friends & family deal Dec 12-15. 20% off everything!

Christmas decorations in Beacon Hill

wish list

I think it was the New York Times that did a story on East End Fish Prints and it caught my attention. This was a few years ago, and I would still love to have one of these prints. These are actual fish, caught by the artist's husband and then dipped in ink, and finally pressed onto the paper or linen. Go onto the site and scroll through them. Aren't they different? I love them because they capture the innate beauty of the fish.

a little bit of holiday entertaining

Tom's parents are coming into town for the weekend for a family event (Tom's uncle and his family live in the suburbs) and they will come to our apartment on Sat afternoon, before dinner at 75 Chestnut, our adorable neighborhood restaurant, and then possibly after dinner for a little dessert. Dinner is early, so I want to have light cocktail nibbles before. We'll have 7 adults and it will be around 4:00 PM. Sunset is around 4:15 PM. I would say the crowd is mildly adventurous, so I'd like to have a lot of items they have seen before as well as maybe 1-2 items that are new. So far, my menu is shaping up to include:

Cheese (maybe a semi-hard like New England white cheddar OR Boursin cheese spread), red seedless grapes, and my favorite crackers, Red Oval Farms Stoned Wheat Thins. That will all be on one platter.





Foster's Market 7 Pepper Jelly over cream cheese. I am from the south so cream cheese is acceptable as an hors d'oeuvre. Besides, this is so delicious and will look very festive on a square silver serving plate. I'm thinking that I will place this next to the cheese platter and people can use the crackers from that platter.



Goldfish. Everyone secretly likes them. You know you do. I have a glass nut-sized bowl I'll use for these.



Since it is frigid up here in Boston, I was thinking I'd have one warm hors d'oeuvre. I'm trying to decide between Stuffed Mushrooms and these Caramelized Onion tartlets I saw on epicurious. The stuffed mushrooms would be good because I could stuff them in advance, then bake them right before the family arrives. However the tartlets look so yummy and would be a different experience for everyone. Hmmm. I will probably go with the mushrooms in the end so that I don't go crazy getting ready/ creating warm inviting holiday atmosphere/carmelizing onions (which takes forever). Thoughts? Other ideas?




For dessert I am thinking of making brownies and using my mom's special enhancement of dusting ground-up candy canes on the top before baking. I'll also have vanilla ice cream. Do you think I need cookies, too? Also, I'll have tea and decaf coffee on hand.

Am I forgetting anything?

wish list

Lululemon makes THE BEST yoga pants. I tried them on and felt like a ballerina (as in skinny yet athletic and totally ripped). I do think these pants are an investment piece as the salesgirl said they do not lose their shape or color. Besides, I REALLY love the Lululemon manifesto and all that they stand for. You must go into your local LuluLemon and just check it out. You will love.

first snow of the winter

It snowed in Boston yesterday! When we woke up there was a light covering on the Common and there were big fat flakes flurrying all over the place. It was beautiful. We had to get outside, so we walked down Charles Street to the world's most adorable Starbucks (I'll take a picture for y'all sometime) and then wandered around a bit and enjoyed the snowfall.

wish list

I just adore Domino magazine. I am a subscriber and am always delighted when my issue arrives. It is filled with beautiful, inventive, up-to-the-moment interiors that are so inspiring and I end up tearing out about half the pages in the magazine for future reference. Domino published a book of decorating this fall and I would love to page through this reference book and add those post-its for my future home. Click here to see a preview of the book. Gorgeous! Inspiring!

gossip girl insight

Check out NY Mag's report on meeting the creators of Gossip Girl PLUS some insight about the future of the show!

Also, I love Blair's dress for the snowflake ball. Reminds me of costumes for The Other Boleyn Girl.

And miles to go before I sleep

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it's queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.






Snowy Woods oil painting by Eric Palson

Irish castles

If you have ten minutes, read the New York Times article about several stunning Irish castles that have been revitalized by enthusiasts and owners. If you have only 60 seconds, flip through the slideshow.

holiday dinner party

The always-current NYT posted an audio slideshow featuring a winter wonderland dinner party on a shoestring budget. They hired David Monn to transform a super tiny WV apt into a winter wonderland, and put on the whole dinner party for 8 people for under $30/head (most of that went into decor). The solution involved the dollar store and KMart, as well as 2 buck chuck and a soup course. Check it out for some inventive party decor ideas.

Happy birthday Jules!

Thank you for the silver lining

In the face of stifling negativity, it's so overwhelming to review all the things I do have. This holiday I'm taking stock of my many, many blessings.

I have a supportive & loving family


and great friends


the privilege of adventure


creative pursuits


years invested in a skill


for already having what I need (yes, these are from highschool)


and the willpower to get what I want


terrific health
(what is the picture of health?)

a lovely place to enjoy it all


and someone to enjoy it all with.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Let's all focus a little less on destructive headlines and a little more on the silver lining.

extra credit

My friend Emily (Cincinnati Emily) has a huge chalkboard in her kitchen. She has such a talent for decorating and homemaking and I find every time I visit her (which, sadly, isn't often) I'm inspired by her style.

I'm still working on the organization of my new Boston home and remembered Emily's chalkboard when I came across a stick-on chalkboard that is perfect for rental apartments. You literally peel & stick these four pieces onto your wall and they are so easy to pull off and stick again. Writing on the chalkboard reminds me of back to school and getting all organized makes me deserve extra credit. Star!

Happy birthday Dad!

make it: candy cane marshmallows

Do you have a boatload of co-workers/book-club members/volunteer friends/etc that you want to remember at the holidays? Are you thinking of trimming your Christmas budget this year? If you have any spare time, making something is a great option to delight the recipient and keep your costs down.

Martha Stewart features these intriguing candy cane marshmallows on her site.

Give out homemade treats that are great in hot cocoa -- or straight from the bag. Peppermint marshmallows are easy to make; they get their red swirl from a quick marbleizing technique.

lunch

 

today in Beacon Hill

hold my hand

Aren't these gloves the absolute sweetest?

click it

Check out this gorgeous blog by a Boston Interior Designer. Gorgeous.

star sighting in beacon hill

Tom and his friends saw Jack Welch in Beacon Hill on Friday evening. He was dining at Toscano, which is right on Charles St. This is our first Boston star sighting!

Happy birthday Shannon!

Fall in NH

Late October in NH....

Head of the Charles

A week ago Sue flew up to spend the week with my parents at the cabin in NH. I picked her up from the airport and then we went out with our friends from NH who live in the Boston area. On Saturday Sue & I went to the Head of the Charles, which is an annual crew regatta (is that even the correct term?) in Boston (click here for wiki description).


We walked from BU to Harvard and it was fun to do that scenic walk along the river. This was my first time at any crew (rowing?) event and there didn't seem to be any side-by-side races, rather the boats were individually timed. I get the idea this is a HUGE party for anyone who went to New England schools and it's a huge party (care to comment anyone?). We had a good time then headed up to New Hampshire to see our parents and Kerry (more on that later).

Happy birthday Sue!

growing

Fidelity gave out the best party favors at a recent Forte Foundation event in Boston. Each guest received a little silver tin containing super condensed soil and a tiny bag of seeds. There were directions to water the soil and plant the seeds and place in the sun. Sure enough, in a few days I had a tin full of grass (it looks like cat grass). The inscription on the side reads "All the resources you need to grow."

This gift was appropriate for the guests because each of us is in a growth phase of our careers. The event was The Value Proposition of the MBA where there was a panel of six MBA women discussing their MBA experience and how that degree has impacted their lives. It was totally inspiring and the panelist highlighted even more reasons than I had come up with for why women in business should pursue an MBA.

great party!

A good time was had by all at Julie & Dave's engagement party this weekend. Sue did a great write up on her blog. Julie looked so beautiful. It was great to see all of her friends- some I haven't seen in years. My extended family was there and it was great to see everyone. I brought my camera but didn't take a single picture.

This weekend was gorgeous in New England. Friday night Tom & I headed to New Hampshire to pick up my mom's car so my parents could drive it down to GA (they flew to NJ). On the day of the party we woke up in New Hampshire to this gorgeousness of color. New England is entering its full glory season.




The drive down was more scenic than usual. In addition to the mountain views and fall foliage, I noticed the roads we passed were aptly named... Mountain Drive, Sugar Maple Road, etc. In Vermont we drove through the Pioneer Valley. I am really loving New England.

townie

So, I was walking down the street yesterday and this guy leaned out his window and asked "how do I get to Mass General from here?" The remarkable thing is that I actually knew what he was talking about and how to get there and was able to give him driving directions (opposed to walking directions-- an important distinction in a neighborhood with 98% one-way streets). Does this mean I'm a local?


View Larger Map

exterminate!

The exterminators came this morning to help with my mouse issue. Apparently other tenants noticed mice, too. The exterminator said that the mouse doesn't live in my radiator but was just exploring. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. Now there are two black plastic things in my home containing poison for the mouse to eat, then go home and sleep forever.

Apparently the grocery next door attracts the mice. When we first moved here we were all "awesome, there's a market next door!" It didn't take too long to realize that Whole Foods is worth the walk. I now go next door only for last minute items, like beer and wine. I'm getting a case from Best Cellars later today so I now I won't need to go into that mouse trap anymore. I'm so grossed out.

weeknight dinner party

I fancy myself someone who has an active social life, hosting cocktail parties and throwing together a flawless dinner party at a moment's notice. This image is far from reality as I've hosted only one proper dinner party-- and that was actually a lunch-- and the last "cocktail party" I hosted was in 2005 and there was a keg involved. Tom was always so swamped with work while at Duke so hosting a party would have added some unfair stress. So, I've been bottling up my hostessing inspirations until we're "settled in Boston." As soon as our couch gets delivered (could be today!) and we get some rugs and hang the pictures, I think we'll be settled. Now, if I could just make some friends, we could have a party! (That's a joke-- my friends have been generous in introducing me to their friends in Boston so I'm cobbling together a social life here pretty easily).

Anyway, in the October issue of my favorite magazine, Domino, there is a step-by-step on how to host a weeknight dinner party! The
menu starts with an easy hors d'oeuvre, cheese & olives, and the dinner is centered around pesto-crusted lamb chops. The starch side is most interesting-- potato-leek mini gratins that are cooked in a muffin pan so everyone gets their own!

The plan starts at 5p, so you would have to leave work early and live next door to your office & butcher to stay on schedule. I'd probably do all the shopping the night before to skip that step. The guests arrive at 730p and the steps on the schedule are otherwise reasonable. I like this layout for menu planning as one thing I struggle with in the kitchen is timing and it usually involves undercooked rice.

The Domino website has the recipes but you have to get the issue to read the step-by-step schedule.

man vs. nature

There is a mouse living in our apartment! I think it's living in the radiator in the living room. There's no evidence that we have one (food being eaten into or noises) but I SAW IT! The little bastard was trying run across the living room floor and I caught it out of the corner of my eye, jumped up on the chair and screamed! Brave Tom swaggered over with a dishcloth in his hand, ready to grab the mouse and crush it (ick). The mouse was too fast and didn't appeared again. Tom has set up mouse traps but no go. I'm completely freaked out that I'm going to see the rodent again as I'm working from home and here all day. Tom says the mouse is more frightened of me than I am of it, but I don't see the mouse throwing a tennis ball into the next room, alerting me he's coming through. I'm 100% on edge about this and so I'm going for a run to get out of here then I'll probably work at Starbucks.

I did see something on the internet about putting peppermint oil on cottonballs around your home to do something... disinterest the mice, I suppose. Please comment if you have any other tips on getting rid of this mouse! eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

Gossip Girl on the really small screen

We just got our new TV last week, so I was so happy to find out that you can watch all this season's Gossip Girl episodes on the CW website! Check out the episodes page to figure out the sequence of shows. I've seen only the first episode and loved it.