Pretty!
November 29, 2012 § Leave a comment
Two things that I could not resist:
My new favorite lipstick: La Delicate. It is a matte, pinky beige and while it takes me right back to the ninties (MAC’s Twig), that is where we are going, so it feels right.
Not just a pretty thing for my desk, but actually a bottle opener! I learned of this from the fantastic blog Girls of a Certain Age, and it is from Lekker Home (http://www.lekkerhome.com/Bottle-Opener-Brass-Round.html#.ULQkOuOe_-Q).
Love!
And may I suggest that they both make great gifts??
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
The Greens Are Here
November 27, 2012 § Leave a comment
In my office, but still, that much closer to being “decorations” rather than things to trip over…
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
Sale Strategy
November 23, 2012 § Leave a comment
I should have mentioned this earlier, but if you are the type to shop online a fair amount, put things into your wish list early so that you can easily see if those items are on sale when you get the email. (I’ve already received two or three.) Keeps you from overpaying and buying stuff “because it’s on sale”.
xx
You Know What This One is About
November 21, 2012 § Leave a comment
Mr. H and I got to the beach early this morning and were able to get ourselves in decent shape for cooking Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. As I write this, I’ve got some squash roasting and we should have the stuffing and cranberry relish complete before our bedtime tonight. So I seem to have a little extra time tonight to reflect on the year so far and the notion of being “thankful”.
It isn’t hard to get down these days, which is why I like Thanksgiving. If you give it a moment, you can fill up on memories of happy times and the people — and dogs — that you love, and the world doesn’t seem so bad after all. Definitely a reason to be thankful. (Plus, you can eat stuffing!)
And then there are the Little Things, which you are probably sick to death of my going on about. But I am doing it anyway: One of my favorites is the view outside my bedroom window…
It is a small view, but I find it extremely comforting on account of it being constant yet always changing. When I remember to pay attention, it is a perfect reminder of what has past, what is here and what is to come. And yes — for this I am thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving.
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
“How Do Parents Do It??”: Gift Wrapping Edition
November 18, 2012 § 2 Comments
In a few hours I will be celebrating my God Daughter’s fifth birthday with her family and friends. For the last two weeks, I have been trying to figure out how to wrap her gift, which is sort of “Let Your Mind Go Wild” themed and includes glitter glue sticks, a proper 64 pack of crayons, drawing and crafting paper, a crafting book and three little finger puppets that I could not leave at the store.
Aside from the Crayola Box, nothing is a normal shape to wrap. And it seems as if all the stores where you can buy these kinds of presents for children opt out of carrying boxes to put all the oddly-shaped things in for wrapping purposes. So, I was left to my own devices.
I managed to get the rectangular items into one block of wrap-able matter, provided that I did not get all nutty about the sides being perfectly even. The crayons were a snap and I just kind of went with it on the trapezoid-shaped glitter glue sticks. Once I got the ribbon on, I was feeling pretty good about myself, and then I remembered: The #!*% finger puppets.
Tulle netting? Didn’t have any in the house. Same for tissue paper. And there were no shoe boxes that weren’t in use, and really, without decorating the box itself, how great would that have been to open? (My thought: Not so great.)
So, I decided see if Mr. H had any ideas, and just stacked the puppets on what was already wrapped for his review. (I get his thoughts on perplexing issues at work all the time, so why not this?) And then I happened to notice that they kind of looked good. Could proper arranging of the puppets solve my problem and make the gift more exciting from a presentation perspective? I think the answer is “Yes”.
Considering my Rookie status in the Children Gift Wrapping Department, I think I did all right. And while I debate the merits of spending time trying to make little outfits for each puppet for added zing, I think we’ll be just fine if it doesn’t pan out. And for the record, each puppet butt is taped to the package to make sure they don’t fall off.
And that is all I have for today.
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
No Pressure, But… (Holiday Edition)
November 14, 2012 § Leave a comment
It’s that time of year again: The Holidays.
You will probably remember that I am not a fan on account of all the rushing and general insanity this time of year brings. But I have made a little promise to myself not to be so Grinch-y this year.
Sadly, that does not exonerate me from the planning and prep, which does make the actual events of the season go much more smoothly. And since things can get so hectic at year end, I get started early to avoid finding myself In The Soup. So, in order to discourage you from getting into The Soup yourselves, here are some of the things I rely on quite heavily this time of year:
Wrapping
Paper Mojo (www.papermojo.com)
These folks have the most lovely gift wrap, available by the sheet, so that you don’t have to commit too heavily to one or two styles. And as an added bonus, you don’t have to wrangle those long rolls of paper, which is one of my least favorite things to do.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I don’t really do “holiday” themed wrapping — I just try to put interesting combinations together that hopefully feel delightful. This year I went gaga over PM’s Chiyogami and Katazome papers, and wound up doing a larger selection than usual. But I could not help myself and I honestly can’t wait to see them all.
One King’s Lane (onekingslane.com)
They regularly have gift wrap available and if you free yourself from the need to have specific holiday-themed papers, you can purchase it whenever, and use it now and later. Their prices are pretty good as well, which makes wrapping larger gifts feel less painful. Order early as they take time to ship.
Kate’s Paperie (www.katespaperie.com)
Oh, yes. They have been around forever and while I can’t go into the store without some kind of beta blocker, I find their house brand of ribbon to be perfect for almost anything. So, I heavy up this time of year and use leftovers until I run out. Order online to keep the insanity level low.
Dempsey & Carroll (http://www.dempseyandcarroll.com)
Here’s the thing about Dempsey & Carroll: If you look hard enough, you will find things that are well made but aren’t trying too hard. Since my wrapping will be on the effusive side this year, I just purchased enough of their cream colored gift cards for slipping under the ribbon of each package. It is just enough space to put a little something sweet without having to go on forever. Because let’s face it: People want to open the gift. And a long card feels like all those trailers you need to watch before the movie.
Gifting
Our company gift and recipient list is all taken care of by October. But that still leaves me with around forty — yes, forty…4-0* — gifts to buy for family, friends, colleagues and all the wonderful people who do so much for us year round. Need I say I use a fierce little spreadsheet to track it all? I do. It eliminates confusion and puts the attention back on the gifts themselves, which is more fun.
For hostess gifts and other smaller tokens, I always opt for something a little luxurious or totally delicious. A fabulous nail polish (Chanel, Tom Ford, YSL), fresh yummy baked goods, mini Diptyque candles…stuff I buy to treat myself that I think others will also enjoy. You can find these things at the usual places, but that does not mean I don’t like a good deal, so I also like One King’s Lane for some of these items. And I really can’t tell you how much people love things from Zingerman’s (https://www.zingermans.com). I do, too. So I guess it all makes sense. Oh, and did you know that Russ and Daughters ships?? They do. So I do, too. (http://russanddaughters.com)
As for the children in our life, I love The Land of Nod (landofnod.com). With careful digging, one can find really great things that seem to go over quite well with the Wee Folk. I always try to include an art project or two for children that will be home for the holiday break. I figure that leaves one less activity that their parents need to plan, and it doesn’t create as much long-term clutter.
More personal gifts for good friends and family are always harder, but I do think that experiences (concert or show tickets, dinners to a new or favorite place) are always nice presents for people who have all the sweaters, pjs and electronics that they need. I’ve also had great luck online with 1st Dibs (1stdibs.com), Net-A-Porter (just add the “.com”), Ruby Lane (yeah…add that “.com” again), Paul Smith (www.paulsmith.com) and Design Within Reach (dwr.com). And nothing beats taking a little time to go hunting for that perfect thing in some well-known or off the beaten path place. You know the drill.
Still, my absolute favorite gift to give and receive is one that takes the pressure off: A commitment to spend time together after the holidays. I do this with one of my dearest friends — usually spa and lunch. It gives us time to catch up and unwind. What better present for a Bestie?
Decking
If you don’t have time to mess with assembling your own greenery and the like, White Flower Farm (www.whiteflowerfarm.com) does a bang up job with pre-assembled boughs and wreaths. L.L. Bean is also an able contender in this category. (www.llbean.com) I try to keep things simple, so I just fill the place with paperwhites, amaryllis, and the usual greenery. And this year I am trying something new: battery powered lights from Restoration Hardware. You can use them for covered outdoor areas and I am hoping they will eliminate the need for the troublesome cord that always hangs down the table where we keep our little tree** in the city. Fingers crossed and full report TK.
Making Merry
I don’t host every holiday, but for the ones that I am responsible for I do try my best to follow The Ina (Garten) Principle: Keep it simple and delicious. Honestly, there is not one cookbook of hers that I do not love — the recipes always work and are not hard at all. That said, I have evolved into a pretty good Just Cook What Looks Good kind of person, so that is generally what I do. This year we are hosting Thanksgiving, so the menu will consist of whatever arrives my CSA box (yes, it includes a turkey), fresh cranberry sauce and Classic Joy of Cooking Stuffing. Oh, and Ginger Cake from Zingerman’s (I really hate baking) and some good wine of Mr. H’s selection. Pinot and Turkey? Maybe a Zin? We shall see…
For pre- and post-holiday visitors, I like to do cozy things like fresh pasta with bolognese, braised short rib and roasted vegetables and maybe a baked fruit of some kind. Easy but not Everyday. And do not forget the power of the Cheese and Charcuterie Plate!! Or the festive feeling that sparkling wine and a little canapé tray can lend to any occasion.
Savoring
This is a major Development Area for me. Work is nuts, there is the added pressure of the above AND the need to feel like This Is The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, even though you are exhausted, possible cold, and probably (if you are me) cranky.
All that said, I am going to make a real effort to appreciate the decking, make time to Make Merry and to take care of myself (early to bed when I can, keeping up with cardio and pilates, and eating a cookie now and again) as a gift to myself. Care to join me?
xx
* We’ve been over this, right? Forget The Godfather, almost all the answers to life’s questions are answered in All About Eve.
** I cannot extol the virtues of the Table Tree enough. I used to do giant trees, which always resulted in a foul mood on my part. But with the Table Tree, in under an hour I get the same effect and no dogs snooping around the presents or drinking tree water. Like!
(Photo of a bit of 2011’s Wrap-Mania: Some Cozy Night)
It’s the Little Things
November 13, 2012 § Leave a comment
So, my lunch arrived stupid late today, but with a sweet to compensate. Much appreciated in these times of “Whaaa?” Customer Service. Thanks kind folks at S’Nice!
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
Full Length Record on a Full Length Flight
November 7, 2012 § Leave a comment
Greetings from San Francisco! We are heading off to wine country in a bit, but I wanted to mention something I rediscovered on the flight out: the joys of listening to a record straight through while doing nothing else.
After watching everything I brought with me on the flight, I decided to just close my eyes and listen to some music. I started with an oldie but a goodie, Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark.
I thought I had given up my Joni Days, but listening to this record brought me right back to my twenties. While I would not want to relive them, I was left feeling appreciative of that time in my life and of the place I am in now. A feeling not easy to come by while skipping around from song to song while doing whatever. I recommend.
xx
Nobody Knows the Movies I’ve Seen…
November 4, 2012 § Leave a comment
With the office closed and Mr. H and I totally neighborhood bound, Amazon’s Instant Video service did some serious business with me this week. While the best movie I’ve seen in some time has to be Moonrise Kingdom (just watch it…it is wonderful), here are some of the things I’ve covered so that you don’t necessarily have to:
Bachelotette
Overall, a mix-up of Four Weddings & a Funeral with Bridesmaids. You will need to make your own decision as to whether that seems like a good idea, but a late-night viewing of it is totally worth it for the brilliant Kristen Dunst. Her performance, from beginning to end, is a marvelous study of repressed anger and annoying competence, that makes up for what the story itself kind of lacks.
Lola Versus
I must confess, I am a newly converted Greta Gerwig fan. (Please don’t miss Whit Stillman’s latest, Damsels in Distress for that reason. She makes the movie.) So, I will watch anything she is in, including this Breakup/Rebirth film. Somewhat predictable, but nicely diverting. And Ms. Gerwig is, once again, very charming — even when her character is kind of awful.
We Need to Talk About Kevin
This is not a happy film, but I think it is worth seeing for the performances. Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller create a hostile and symbiotic relationship that can’t quite be described, but it is potent on screen. True, Tilda Swinton is a wonderful actress and her portrayal of a proud, adventurous and accomplished woman undone and made an outcast, is something to behold in its smaller moments. (Also, her clothes are perfect and, I think, and integral part of the story unfolding. Do pay close attention to that — her costumes completely support the narritive.) Still, if you are feeling “on the edge”, watch Funny Face or something of that ilk instead.
Margaret
Starring Anna Paquin, this movie was made four years or so before its release. It is l o n g but captures the odd mix of teenage intensity and total aloofness quite beautifully. Complicated story line, except to say that Lisa (Paquin) is wading her way through the aftermath of a horrible event that is something only a really well-adjusted adult could manage, with therapy. It is also one of the few films of late that captures New York’s beauty without being at all glitzy. In the way that I liked The Ice Storm, I liked this one.
Margin Call
I had seen this movie on a plane when it first came out and thought the reviews complementing it on its even-handedness were kind of crap. I still think so — but it does remind the viewer that these people are not as in control of their jobs (and lives) as we may imagine them to be. Also, Demi Moore looks really beautiful — youthful, but her age. I approve.
Sex and the City, 2
Oh, god. I can’t believe that I watched this AGAIN! (I saw it in the theaters when it first came out and needed a movie chaser after.) Is is BAD, but I simply can’t resist Carrie and Big on screen, ever. Those two really have chemistry. And their apartment was awfully nice. So, I just fast forwarded through the scenes that I didn’t care to relive and focused on the the excellent Robsjohn Gibbings chairs, amazing window treatments and the closet. Very nice.
Capturing the Friedmans
Why would anyone want to participate in this documentary?? It is engrossing, but ultimately, I can’t recommend it. You are left to your own conclusions, but clearly the director wants you to side with the family. And I just don’t know.
And I think that was it. I did have work to do, after all. But while we are on the topic, here are a few others I’ve seen recently that I highly recommend:
Bill Cunningham New York
One of my fair city’s treasures and one of the very first “street style” photographers. Tinged with a bit of melancholy, but a wonderful opportunity to see how it is done.
Damsels in Distress
Mentioned above. Keep in mind that is is a Whit Stillman film (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco), so it isn’t for everyone. But I found it to be pretty hilarious. All Greta Gerwig, but still.
Smash His Camera
The story of the paparazzo Ron Galella, who is probably best known for his pictures of Jackie Onassis in the seventies and eighties, including the iconic one of her smiling, hair blowing in her face, as she crosses a Manhattan street. This is an interesting one, especially when you need to decide whether what he does for a living sits well with you. (And don’t miss the “Billy Squier” sections of Galella’s archives, nestled in between Liz Taylor with and without Richard Burton. Mr. Squier was white hot for a few years there and I am always amazed to see photos from the late seventies and early eighties with him and say, Basquiat. Amazing. And I hear that he is a pretty nice guy. Too bad about that “Rock Me Tonight” video.)
And that is all I have for now. Happy watching!
xx
Mixed Signals
November 2, 2012 § Leave a comment
Do you remember the week after finals in college when your body decided that it was ok to be sick? I think Mr. H I have been going through that this week.
His: A never-ending cold. Hers: I don’t know what…except that it isn’t food poisoning.
We are certainly exhausted from the stress of the storm and all the regular things that are brewing in our lives, but I couldn’t help but notice that at the exact time that we are forced to be home, our bodies kind of gave out. The thing is, WE STILL HAVE STUFF TO DO! (Like avoid working on our 2013 budget by writing this post.) But here we are, nonetheless, feeling unwell and trying to eek out a little more productivity before the week is over.
In theory, we will have power back in most of the city by tomorrow. And in theory, public transportation will be almost fully restored once the power is restored. So, in theory, Monday can be a regular day, after a week of highly irregular days. And I guess in the meantime, we’ll muddle along and try to have a little bit of fun this weekend.
However your week has been, I suggest you try same.
xx
(Photo: Some Cozy Night)
