Full Life Now

Beauty Salon Hussy

2009-02-19T21:43:00.038-05:00

I'm a self-hating curly-haired person. From the time I was a pre-teen (except for a short bohemian spat in college), I've been neurotic about finding ways to straighten my tight poodle curls. After experimenting with numerous processes containing harsh chemicals occasionally resulting in (at times, painful) mishaps, I found a product called Anticurl made by Rusk that was a godsend. It is a fairly mild relaxer, it's pretty safe and just slightly lightens my hair color which I like. For some reason, not many NYC salons use the product. For much of the last 10 years, I've been getting the Anticurl treatment done at a nondescript hair salon by a hairstylist there I'll call Janet (because that's her name). Janet has always done an adequate job even if at times annoying me by forcing me to acknowledge how great my hair looks when she's done and pushing unwanted products on me).

Last year, Janet convinced me to try a product called Coppola Keratin Complex. It turns out, that Coppola works miracles - it leaves your hair smooth and shiny and healthy. It is supposed to be nontoxic (although the fact that it makes my eyes tear up makes me a bit skeptical). Most importantly, it makes hair incredibly easy to blow dry. A job that used to take me nearly an hour now takes 15 minutes. This is a product that has literally changed my life!

Problem is Coppola doesn't really straighten my hair, it just works really well on the hair that's already relaxed. When I first had the treatment done, which was expensive, I was annoyed with the results because Janet had touted it as a replacement for Anticurl, but after paying a lot of money I still had curly roots. I called the salon to complain (perhaps I should have spoken directly to Janet) and they told me to come in. I saw Janet who told me that the product wasn't a hair straigtener. (Thanks for letting me know a couple of hundred dollars later). I asked her to apply Anticurl on the roots and she had a hell of an attitude while doing it, all the time complaining in some Eastern European language to her cohorts. I was frankly quite hurt that she reacted this way after I'd been patronizing her for the better part of a decade. To add insult to injury, I still had to pay for the additional treatment when it was done! Fine, I graciously tipped her anyway, gave her a kiss and said my goodbyes all the time thinking that it was the last time I'd see her.

So, around the end of the year my hair is needing to be touched up. I do my research and find a salon that does Anticurl called Dueto Salon. I should've been forewarned when every other client was an octogenarian, and the owner made me wait for my appointment while he gossiped with one of them. We do the Anticurl and I notice a lot more breakage then usual after it's done - you know, those embarassing little short strands that stick up from your head like you've been electrocuted (I felt a little better after noticing it wasn't as bad as the case of shorties Caroline Kennedy had). Being too obtuse to have learned my lesson, I asked the owner if they did the Coppola treatment, which I thought might help since it improves damaged hair. I stressed that I meant the Keratin product that did not contain formaldehyde. He said they did, and I come back a week later for the treatment. After he's done he leaves the bottle out and I notice that the label says Brazilian Keratin - a different product. I pick up the bottle and read the ingredients and sure enough it has formaldehyde (i.e., poison) in it. I'm livid. Also, for months afterward, my hair was limp and lifeless. Perhaps because my hair is naturally fine, but the process does not work well for my hair.

Eventually, I discover that my favorite salon for hair cutting, Arrojo Cutler (different salons serve different purposes), carries the actual Coppola treatment and I am thrilled. I have it done and my hair gets back that silky texture. Problem is Arrojo doesn't carry Anticurl and my roots (and every other secret I'm trying to hide) are starting to show. Do I go crawling back to Janet? NO! I decide I'll go in on her day off and ask for someone else to do my hair. Turns out they schedule me with Serge! Serge is Janet's professed nemesis. While doing the job, Serge is the consummate professional (and a flaming queen - not that there's anything wrong with that). He adds some protective cream to all of the hair strand except the inch of new growth that he's going to treat so as not to use the product on previously relaxed hair. All the time, Janet's Eastern European mafia posse is eyeing me and I feel as if I'm having an illicit affair. The discomfort. Serge meanwhile has no qualms about shamelessly offering me a discount for his services the next time I come in even though he knows that I'm "Janet's client". Anyway, when my hair is done, I'm quite pleased with the results. I feel so guilty and underhanded, but Serge was great. Can I keep seeing him behind Janet's back? Can I even go back to Janet now and snub Serge? Perhaps I should have tried to work things out with her, but at some point I must get on with my life. Yes, I know that I at least could look for someone who doesn't work in the same salon and not rub it in her face, but I've tried, I've really tried . . . and finding someone you trust to do your hair is very difficult. What exactly do I owe Janet anyway?

Outliers by Macolm Gladwell

2009-02-01T12:27:00.026-05:00

I just finished reading "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point and Blink, neither of which I have read). Mr. Gladwell argues that to understand the reason for why some people have incredible success we must look at a variety of factors such as culture, family background, birthplace and even birth date in addition to the personal qualities of the successful "outlier". Although some of these ideas may not be new, his hodgepodge of anecdotes contain the most fascinating tidbits of information. For example, out of the 75 richest people in history going back to the Byzantine empire, no fewer than 14 are Americans born in the 1830s (OK, three of these were born in the year 1840 if you want to be picky); the most successful hockey players are born in January, February and March (no, it has nothing to do with those being icy months); the most successful New York lawyers were Jews born in the 1830s to parents who worked in the garment industry; Colin Powell's family is from Jamaica; and traditional wet rice farmers in Asia fertilize their rice paddies with a combination of burned compost, river mud, hemp and human manure (this factoid is not especially relevant to his central argument, but I thought it interesting as well as gross). At any rate, I was, frankly, enthralled. I'm sure Gladwell will have his detractors - those who will argue that his ideas are recycled, that the rigor of his research is suspect, that he chooses his anecdotes selectively to support his arguments or that he does not give enough credit to the qualities of grit and perseverance over the element of social determination, but I thought the book was a fascinating and provocative read.

The Curse of the Black Cardigan

2009-01-04T12:53:00.042-05:00

At any point in time, my wardrobe typically consists of about 4 or 5 pairs of black pants, three or four black jackets/blazers and, depending on the season, anywhere from 6 to 10 black cardigans. See a pattern here? I find having mainly black clothing makes life easier. Black is versatile, it can be dressy or casual, I don't have to worry about matching colors, and I can wear the same pieces over and over again and (hopefully) nobody notices. But mainly I stick to black clothing because it's safe and I don't have the imagination or courage to mix it up. Every now and then, I go crazy and buy a white turtleneck.

Anyway, having been on vacation the last two weeks, I decided that I was going to take advantage of all the current sales and try to update my wardrobe. (Plus, I have almost no tops to wear under my black jackets and/or cardigans.) Inspired by an older gentleman who shops as a sport (and is not gay!) and buys only when he finds the absolutely best deals, I was determined to do my research. I spent hours browsing retailers' internet sites and then set upon expeditions to the stores to see the actual pieces and try them on.

I started at my fallback, the DKNY store in SoHo. I had seen a pair of trousers on their website that looked great, but that did not fit quite right when I tried them on in the store. I was able, however, to find another nice pair for under $80 and a cool boxy jacket for under $140. I also found a pair of shoes at the nearby Anne Klein store for $20 bucks that looked just like a $300 Taryn Rose pair I had been eyeing! Score! So all in all, I had bought a suit and pair of shoes for under $250. Problem is everything I bought was black. That's OK, we were just starting out.

Next stop, JCrew. JCrew is so ubiquitous and the go to place for so many teeny boppers that it is really best for only basics because otherwise everyone will know you got your clothes there. I did make an exception for a black and gold print silk blouse that was only $35. It was the wrong size, but when I tried it on it fit! I also bought a wool and cashmere WHITE turtleneck sweater from their website that they didn't have in the store for $50 (although it was almost $60 with shipping). OK, so I was regressing a bit.

Next, Bloomingdales. I spent three hours here and came home with a black cardigan to show for it. (I may be mentally challenged.) However, this was a cool silk Marc Jacobs cardigan striped with this metallic threading that was $240 on the website but only $90 at the store. Can anyone really have too many black cardigans anyway?

The true payoff to all my hard work however was this beautiful silk blouse by Milly that I tried on in the store. I knew from my research that it was $96 dollars on the website (but it was not marked down from its almost $300 price tag in the store!). Of course, I ordered it as soon as I got home. See, isn't it pretty?

Anyway, I love it and it will go well with my new trousers.

I also ordered this short raglan sleeve turtleneck to go with my new boxy jacket:

So besides a fuller closet, a somewhat diminished bank account and a blister on my foot, I came away with the following lessons from my shopping extravaganza:

1. At least for me, black is still beautiful. I can keep it simple with black pants and jackets and mix it up with the tops I wear.

2. It pays to look for sales both on a retailer's website and at the store. I found certain items marked down on the website but not in the store and vice versa. Also, especially if you're buying final sale items, you need to be able to try them on to make sure they fit.

3. Make sure you factor in shipping and handling when you order online and that you still consider it a deal after adding in that cost.

4. Shopping, if done with the object of getting the best price, is hard work. Note that I was on vacation during this time and I still only visited one store per day when I actually went out to shop. Some days, I spent a significant amount of time on the internet. For me, I think it paid off. For about $600, I was able to get a blazer, pair of trousers, pair of shoes, a turtleneck sweater, a cardigan and three blouses. (OK, I probably could have done without an additional black cardigan).

5. Know when to stop. Like with investing, you don't want to put your money into the market all at once. There is always another sale around the corner.

Last Year's Resolution

2009-01-02T23:29:00.017-05:00

I happen to have a goal right now - getting my driver's license. After years of procrastination, I went as far as taking the written exam and getting a learner's permit months ago. I once had a driver's license which I obtained when I was seventeen. While practising, I crashed my mother's car which she never let me use again. After that, I was either living at school where I had no money for a car or in NYC where I had no need. I unwittingly let my license expire many years ago and today, at the age of 38, it has become a small source of pride that I don't have a license (woohoo, I'm a true New Yorker!), but it has also been an inconvenience at times and a limitation on the life choices I can make (i.e., I know that I could not move out of NYC and be able to carry groceries for more than two blocks). Today, I had my fourth driving lesson. (So I am still taking my sweet time about the whole thing.) I decided that I will schedule the five hour safety course (required by NY State) for next weekend after which I will schedule my road test so that there will be the pressure of a deadline to make me practice regularly. After getting my license, I hope to occasionally drive. Hopefully, it will not be my downfall. After all, driving can be a dangerous thing and so far I've managed to keep that element of uncertainty out of my life. (Visions of squished guts lying by the side of a highway dancing in my head. . . .)

The Year We Were Excused From Christmas

2008-12-28T00:19:00.029-05:00

A lot of people out there recently have lost their jobs and/or financial security or know someone close to them who has. And I know many of us are worried about it happening to us. I guess that's why, judging from the dismal retail reports, many people cut back their holiday spending this year. I know it is small consolation to anyone who has recently lost their job or is struggling to make ends meet, but I do wonder whether there isn't a lot of good that can come out of the current economic mess. (At least for the time being, I am still fortunate enough to be employed, so I realize it is still relatively easy for me to say.)

At any rate, for the last five years or so, I have spent Christmas with my boyfriend's family during which time I exchanged gifts with his Dad, three siblings, and a varying number of their significant others. I then typically visited my family where I exchanged gifts with my sister, her husband and my parents. In the last few years, I have gained two nephews and my boyfriend has gained one. While buying presents for this number of people was not exactly an economic hardship for me and I derive (as I assume many people do) a certain pleasure from gift-giving, the task had become daunting. Also, I have to say that I was troubled by what seemed to me to be excessive waste in terms of time, effort and money spent in buying all of these material objects. I was often left with an uneasy feeling after all the presents were unwrapped and we were left with all this STUFF, most of which we didn't need and was frankly a drag to have to figure out how to carry home.

This year, something in the air made my boyfriend's family decide to do a "secret santa" instead of the traditional exchange of gifts. Inspired by this development, I informed my family that I was liberating myself from the tyranny of the Holidays this year and that they should not buy or expect to receive gifts from me (except in the case of my nephews). I ended up buying a few extra gifts anyway, but these were more in the nature of tokens made with no sense of obligation or expectation of receiving anything in return. The result: I didn't spend the days leading up to Xmas in crowded stores stressing out about getting the right gifts for everyone and running myself ragged. I stressed out about other things instead. My boyfriend spent more time with his siblings. I had only a small bag of stocking stuffers to carry home and enough room in my closet to put them all. I spent time with my family and it felt nice just to visit. (Although I still wish my that my older nephew had been more excited over the spectacular pop-up book I gave him (Winter's Tale by Robert Sabuda)!).

Anyway, I don't know what will happen next year, but this year, it felt more like Christmas to me than ever. We went back to the basics - spending time with family, relaxing and making the little ones happy. I was even able to maintain my anxiety in check as I sat back and watched the nephews open their presents, play with their toys and begin accumulating all this stuff that they don't really need.

New Clothes, Woo hoo!

2008-09-24T11:45:00.010-04:00

With all the election hullabaloo and the world falling apart and all over the last few weeks, I totally ignored NY Fashion Week, which is kind of sad because it really is very important that we all have clothes. Anyway, it's that time of the year again when the wardrobe needs refreshing, and so I thought I'd share my favorite recent purchases. I've previously sung the praises of DKNY, which I think has chic easy clothes at a range of prices (some more reasonable than others). Below, their classic cozy (in silk or wool) for under $200, can be worn 12 different ways:

I love to wear this wool v-neck dress over a black turtle neck tee and tights with knee-high boots. Nice and cozy for $175.

And, finally, cool, comfortable shoes for under $100.

Now, I just need to stop myself from shopping anymore for a while . . . .

Kill, Baby, Kill

2008-09-15T13:22:00.009-04:00

Source: BBC News

According to this BBC News report, the International Fund for Animal Welfare is reporting that the level of noise in the world's oceans are causing serious problems for whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, blocking their communication and disrupting their feeding. Apparently, the noise generated by ships' engines and propellers, seismic airguns used in oil and gas exploration and military sonars have been implicated.

Whales and dolphins are cool, and this makes me sad. . . .

First Job - $$$

2008-09-12T16:45:00.010-04:00

Thanks for helping to rake the leaves, Bobby.

You must share with your little brother, Bobby!

When I grow up, I'm going to be a Republican!

Let Her Take It Like A Man

2008-09-10T13:26:00.005-04:00

The latest in the sideshow that has become Sarah Palin's bid for the VP-ship is that the McCain campaign is accusing Barack Obama of using sexist remarks for using the colloquialism "a pig with lipstick is still a pig". Let's assume he did intend it as a dig at Ms. Palin (I'm sure she would prefer "Mrs." but, for now, this blog is still a bastion of political correctness (no, not really, but anyway)). . . .

By the way, does anyone remember McCain's off-color joke of not too long ago about Chelsea Clinton who isn't even running for anything (at least not yet):

"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?
Because her father is Janet Reno."

Yup, he said it. Funny? Maybe. But the point is that hypocrisy is everywhere, so let's start calling it when we see it. Anyway, let's assume Obama did mean his remarks as a dig against Palin. Why does she need so much protection anyway? I must take issue with the strategy because it is so transparent that it offends my intelligence - paint her to be the victim (ooooh, they're talking about her children, that's off limits; oooooh, they're questioning whether she can do the job b/c she has 5 children - that's sexist; ooooh, they're looking into her background and questioning whether she's qualified) so that when she comes out swinging she looks like a big vigilante hero. She's a victim when the PR people are handling things but a "barracuda" when she steps into the limelight.

Of course, she wouldn't come out herself and cry "stop picking on me!" while she's trying to prove that she can play with the big boys. But stop doing it for her already and let her speak for herself. All we've heard from her so far is her speech from the Republican convention, which she repeats verbatim wherever she goes. Enough, with introducing me to your kids, woman, come out and tell me where you stand on the issues! And please reassure me that the books in my public library will be safe if McCain ever gets elected and then croaks.

I digress

2008-09-03T15:57:00.011-04:00

I consider myself to be a generally apolitical person. Certainly, I have my leanings but I generally keep my views to myself. And zealots who share my political beliefs are almost always as annoying to me as zealots who have opposing viewpoints. Although I may have a stance on various moral issues I rarely feel a strong need to persuade others to come around to my way of thinking. Perhaps this is due to a lack of strong conviction in my own belief system or to an indifference about what others think so long as I am not personally affected. But mainly it's that I think it's futile to try to change people's minds. The cynic in me believes that people are generally hard-wired to believe that which it serves their best interests to believe. Certainly, there is a strong correlation between a person's background and socio-economic status and their political affiliations and/or leanings. (I even remember recently reading somewhere that people's political inclinations may be partly genetic.) Anyway, the foregoing are all generalizations to which there certainly exist caveats and I appreciate that people will often adjust their beliefs when presented with data that challenges their views. But I digress before I even start to make my point. The point quite bluntly is that I am fairly moderate so you should trust me. ;-) No, but seriously, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel the reader should know where I come from so that they may judge my opinions accordingly. No one is truly objective after all.

I will declare that I am left of center. I am a registered democrat and cautiously liberal. I am a Hispanic female. I am 38, unmarried with no children (I live with my boyfriend of 7 years who sometimes demands almost as much attention). I am an attorney in the financial services industry, where I assume that most people would not share my views if I expressed them. I never saw the point in alienating half of one's audience anyway. But I also have some intellectual appreciation for why some people feel that small government is best or the philosophy that people cannot be made to feel responsible for the welfare of their compatriots against their will (perhaps because I myself do not care to part with my money so freely). I AM a strong believer in individual liberties. Show me a right and I will probably be supportive - the right to privacy, the right to die, the right to fornicate (responsibly if with multiple partners), the right to generally be indifferent to other people's misfortunes.

Anyway, the foregoing is a long prelude to what I originally wanted to say, which is that I watched Senator Obama's speech when he accepted the Democratic party's nomination the other night and found to my chagrin that I was being moved. I'd watched him in debates but (although I had read his speech on race and was quite impressed with his skill or that of his speechwriters) had never actually heard him make a speech. I had been a Hillary supporter (there I go alienating at least three quarters of my audience) and although I was resigned to support the party's nominee had started out a bit deflated. His speech impressed me for what I was shocked to find it made me feel - I felt like he had held up a mirror and showed to me my cynicism - it made me wish I was a better person. When he said words to the effect that we are better than a country that says to people that "you are on your own" I felt guilt. As I've aged, I have progressively (or regressively depending on whom you ask) embraced the attitude that it's me or the other guy and rejected any suggestion that I bear any social responsibility other than to do no harm, which I still contend is not a terrible place to start. I also resent it when people tell me that I must "give back to my community" (whatever that means) or words to that effect. Having been born to poor parents, my attitude when choosing a career was that serving society should best be left to the rich kids who could afford the luxury of self-righteousness. My primary goal should be to "get ahead" and any success itself would represent progress. Of course, that thinking goes against much that was instilled in me growing up and I never fully freed myself from guilt for doing well while leaving others behind (not to exaggerate my financial well-being since I am far from financially secure and almost every other person I meet has a lot more money than I do). A few days after listening to Obama's speech, my views are not dramatically altered, but the fact remains that I was moved and challenged by a political speech. While listening, I kept asking myself - "could this seemingly right-thinking individual be for real or is he just a smooth operator?" - and I found myself hoping that . . . . Well, that's just it - I found myself HOPING. How embarrassing.

Amtrak Sucks!

2008-08-15T09:31:00.005-04:00

I travel to Philadelphia from NY and back once a week for work. The Amtrak train typically takes about an hour and a half and is ordinarily not a terrible ride. However, often, there are delays. Especially, on the returning evening trains. Yesterday, I went to Philly, in part, for a dinner for a colleague who was going to London for a year. I had timed it perfectly to get on the returning 9:10 p.m train hoping to be home by 11:00 in time to catch some of the Olympics and get to bed at a reasonable time. The train, however, was delayed by more than an hour. Basically, I found myself boarding the train when I should have been arriving at my destination. How frustrating! There was hardly an explanation or apology from the railroad, much less a rebate of any kind. Yes, I know about "the best laid plans of mice and men" and all that crap, but the fact that delays happen so often, I think, displays a basic lack of consideration for passengers' time and priorities. Unfortunately, there are few options for rail service on many Northeast routes and so we're basically at the mercy of Amtrak's piss poor service. Interestingly, Amtrak's Acela Express trains, which are more expensive, are rarely ever late. And, sometimes, they hold up the regular trains to let the Acela get through first when there are backups at the train station. I guess these days one must pay a premium to have one's train arrive and depart at the scheduled times (the Acela makes the trip in one hour, so the premium paid is presumably for this benefit; when someone decides to pay less and take the longer ride I don't think they should have to sacrifice punctuality as well). Anyway, I hope some entrepreneur out there will read this and come up with a plan to provide a competitive service because at this time all that's left for this frustrated customer to do is bitch about the problem on her blog. Thanks for listening.

Bought Them: Fit Flops

2008-07-27T22:45:00.010-04:00

I've spotted at least one wearer of these shoes almost every day for the last month. I actually looked up the company that makes them to see if I could purchase the stock. It turns out that they're a private company, so boo hoo. At any rate, I found out afterwards that Oprah has already endorsed them so I'd probably be too late to the party. Still, I predict these will be bigger than Crocs.

Recently, I've heard a lot in the media about the dangers of wearing flip flops. Regular flip flops reportedly accentuate pronation (the rolling in of your feet), which causes fatigue and stress in your feet and lower legs and can lead to overuse injuries. They can also accelerate bunion formation by increasing the stress on the great toe joint (eek, I have bunions!). The fit flop, on the other hand, is supposed to increase muscle activation and make the muscles that stabilize the foot work harder and over a period of time can actually strengthen your feet. Fit flops are touted as helping to tone your calves, thighs and butt. I don't know if that's true, but they actually make your legs look good while wearing them, and after wearing them all day, it felt wrong to wear my regular flip flops at home in the evening.

I also think they're pretty cute. I bought the Walkstar II model in patent bronze shown above. I had the hardest time finding this particular model in my size on the internet. Finally, I walked into Macy's and bought the last pair they had in my size (I generally wear U.S. size 7, but these run large so I bought a 6) for $59.99. Score!

Bedbug Nightmare

2008-07-20T13:46:00.011-04:00

This is the crap we had to deal with last week after discovering a bedbug in our apartment (once again). We had to have every item of of clothing and fabric in our apartment laundered or drycleaned, vacuum virtually every possession we own and then pack everything in plastic bags so that the exterminator could come in and douse everything with chemicals. It was as grueling as having to move, but much more aggravating because it was certainly not by choice. Coincidentally, around this time last year, I also found a bed bug. I informed the so-called "resident manager" who only asked me if I’d been travelling but basically shrugged it off. I hired a pest control company which charged me a large sum to come and spread chemicals in my apartment three times. I threw out a bunch of my possessions, including a semi-antique couch that I purchased on Ebay because I thought that maybe it could be the source, and had to dry clean almost every article of clothing that I own. A huge expense and ordeal as you can imagine. A few weeks after that nightmare, I found out from one of the other employees of this venerable, luxury building that another apartment on my floor had had a major infestation. I only ever found two bedbugs back then and the pest control company confirmed when they were done that there appeared to be no infestation in my apartment – the logical conclusion being that they came from outside the apartment. Now, almost a year later, I’ve found another one! There is no reason I should have bedbugs – I haven’t been travelling or staying in hotels, I’ve brought no new or old furniture into my apartment and I vacuum religiously because I have terrible allergies. This time, I wrote an angry e-mail to the management company, and they at least got an exterminator in here; he came and sprayed everything last week and we're now in the process of unpacking and putting everything back. He'll have to come back and spray again in a couple of weeks but we won't have to repackage everything for the second treatment. I've sent my drycleaning receipts to the management company asking for reimbursement and also asked what they've done to ensure this never happens again. They have not responded. As far as I know, they have not inspected any other apartments on this or adjoining floors or even bothered to alert people so that they can be vigilant. I've at least alerted my neighbors on my floor and actually stuck underneath their doors copies of the correspondence between myself and the management company, including the management company's feeble attempts to cover their asses at my expenses (such as by suggesting that I was taking my sweet time preparing the apartment for extermination, even though the exterminator told me right in front of the "resident manager" that he was booked for a week). Anyway, this is a video of the preparations we made for the exterminator to come in, which is admittedly goofy, but now, that (hopefully) the worst is over, I can talk about it . . . and let the healing begin.

Brand New Skin?

2008-07-16T12:11:00.006-04:00

Generally, I am not a huge proponent of spending a hundred bucks on a beauty product that comes in a tiny jar. However, I have previously written about my ordeal in trying to find a great facial in NYC, and when I saw an endorsement in Domino Magazine for Tracie Martyn's enzyme exfoliant, I was, for some indefinable reason, intrigued. This tiny jar costs $90, but my face has been looking horrid. And a facial can easily cost upwards of $100. So if this works, I thought, it could actually save me money. I received it in the mail yesterday and tried it for the first time this morning. The results? BRAND NEW SKIN! My skin looks radiant today and feels great. I can easily forgo the "spa experience." I've bought at least 10 facials in a jar - worth every penny. Finally, a purchase for which I can congratulate myself!

Celebrating Artistic Achievement

2008-05-10T19:52:00.004-04:00

Last night, I was treated to a night at Lincoln Center to see the New York City Ballet's production of Russion Roots which celebrates the works of Jerome Robbins. The ballet was mesmerizing. I kept thinking that so much hard work and effort by so many people must go on behind the scenes to create such a work and that it is important that this kind of achievement be celebrated. I spend my days analyzing transaction documents and arguing about their terms. Eventually, issues get settled, deals close and money changes hands. Life goes on. It is reassuring to know that there are people in this world who devote their lives to creating beauty.

Required Reading: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

2008-04-21T09:26:00.014-04:00

I may be a "Johnny-come-lately" here since this book was written in 2003 and has been on the New York Times best sellers list, but I just finished reading it and cannot rave enough to anyone who will listen. The author, Azar Nafisi, is an Iranian-born woman who was sent abroad to complete her studies as a child after her father was arrested for political reasons. She receives her doctorate in English and American literature from the University of Oklahoma and returns to Iran in 1979 to teach at the University of Tehran. She is enthusiastic and idealistic. The following year, Islamic extremists take over the universities and begin their purge. She recounts with horror and disillusionment how seemingly overnight the most private aspects of everyday life become subject to scrutiny under the Khomeini regime. Women are required to be veiled in public places and may not be accompanied by men other than their father, brother or husband; they are subject to being flogged and jailed if they are perceived as bearing the slightest trace of immodesty by the morality patrols that become part of everyday life; they are searched and at times subjected to the indignity of being examined to determine if they are still virgins. People's homes become subject to arbitrary searches for illegal satellite dishes or other evidences of Western decadence. Classic works of art, literature and film are banned. Dr. Nafisi is ultimately expelled from the University for refusing to wear the veil, and she begins to teach a private class to some of her most dedicated students in which they study forbidden works of classic literature.

The book is a memoir in which she describes her experiences, and those of the seven women in her class. In it she interweaves their stories and those of the works they read. She ultimately spends eleven years in Iran. There, she experiences the birth of her children and lives through the Iranian-Iraqi war and the death of Khomeini, before she and her husband make the difficult decision to leave the country that she loves despite her suffering there. Reading her work, one is provided with a literary review of many of the works of Nabokov, Fitzgerald, Austen and James; learns about the history and politics of Iran; and, through beautifully written, poignant prose, experiences the frustration of these women who, because they live so far away, we easily can forget are so much like us. I finished reading this book a couple of days ago and still feel like I have said farewell to a close friend.

I'm Still Alive

2008-04-15T21:04:00.011-04:00

I've tried to keep this site light and cheery, but lately things haven't been going that well for a number of reasons. So I haven't posted anything for more than a month and even thought of giving up blogging. Besides being extremely busy at work (I'm my own worst enemy in that regard - I'll run myself ragged until I'm completely drained and then get depressed), the noise issues in my apartment are taking their toll on my mental health. I hear my upstairs neighbors walking back and forth in their apartment as if there were no barrier between us, and they refuse to get carpeting in their living room. But worse, I was idiotic enough to buy an apartment adjacent to an elevator. It turns out that parts of the elevator machinery seem to get lose (it's a very old building), and when they do, I get clanging and thumping in my apartment that vibrates through my very soul. Making it worse, is that dealing with the management company and the superintendent has been a nightmare. They'll eventually call in some mechanics after I complain enough and make some adjustments that seem to help, but the problem always returns after a couple of months. To add insult to injury, they act like I'm the problem and claim that they don't hear the noise and that noone else has complained. However, I'm on the second floor and the closest one to the elevator motor so of course I'm bearing the brunt, and it's complete BS that they can't hear the noise. I've spoken to a couple of the porters, and they know exactly what the sound I'm hearing is. (And this is supposed to be a top-notch building.)

Anyway, today I had some soundproofing folks from City Soundproofing over to evaluate the situation. They were very professional and made me feel better because they totally validated my belief that the elevator noise is excessive (yes, I realize I'm paying them and it's in their interest to make me feel that way). They're going to go back and formulate a proposal but they tell me that although we may be able to treat the ceiling, there's not much I can do about the elevator noise on my end. So tomorrow I'll go back to the management company and start this dance again. It's really draining.

Avery Bombe Chest from Crate and Barrel

2008-03-06T23:59:00.007-05:00

Rarely do I see something at C&B that I feel I MUST have, but I am loving their Avery Bombe chest for $799. The dimensions (41 x 17 x 34) make me think that I can get two and use them as nightstands. I think they'd go well with my high bed and I need a little extra storage for clothes and the like. I also love that the drawers are lined with this silk screened black and white paper with a vine pattern. Don't know that I'll actually get it, but I think it's cute, cute, cute!

Stop Those Pesky Unsolicited Catalogs Today!

2008-03-02T11:38:00.008-05:00

I just spent 15 minutes at http://www.catalogchoice.org/ removing my name from the mailing lists of unsolicited catalogs that I've been receiving. Catalog Choice is a free service that helps you to decide what gets into your mailbox. Use it to reduce your mailbox clutter, while helping save natural resources. You'll be asked to create an account when you go on and all your information will be saved. As you get new catalogs, you can just log on and add them to your list of unwanted catalogs. At the moment, the site only offers opt out requests for individual catalog titles – unfortunately, there is no way to stop all catalogs with one click. It works best if you have your catalogs on hand when you log on so that you can type in the customer number (usually found on the mailing label at the back of the catalog) for each catalog you want to stop receiving. If you don't have the customer number you can indicate that it's not available and they'll still process the request. I've tried calling merchants in the past to get off their mailing lists and, believe me, this is a lot easier. And you don't have to talk to anyone!

Catalog Choice is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center. It is endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and funded by the Overbrook Foundation, the Merck Family Fund, and the Kendeda Fund.

Signature Scalloped Percale Bedding by Garnet Hill

2008-02-24T22:53:00.014-05:00

I have not been very lucky in the bedding department. Recently, I wore a hole in the fitted sheet of one set and was duped into buying another set that turned out to be of very poor quality (despite a 620 thread count!). So I set about looking for a new set that was: (1) made of cotton, (2) crisp and (3) white. I ordered this particular sheet set from Garnet Hill which fit the bill nicely and am very pleased with my purchase. It is made from a 220 thread count cotton percale weave, is nice and crisp and to me looks quite elegant. I've gone back and forth on the question of whether I prefer silky soft or crisp sheets and am firmly in the "crisp" camp now. Of course, these things are a matter of taste. I personally prefer sheets the breathe. Also, I understand that bedding made from smoother fibers may not last as long. (The one I recently had to throw away was from a costly sateen set). BTW, "percale," for those who do not know, refers to the weave of a material - it has a thread count of 200 or higher, is typically woven tightly, is of medium weight, firm and smooth with no gloss, and warps and washes very well. Also, note that, as Cheryl Mendelson points out in her book, Home Comforts, the durability of cloth is a function of many factors of which thread count is just one. It is affected by the weight of the cloth, the type and quality of the fibers comprising the material, the overall construction of the cloth, the nature and quality of the weave and the type of finish used. So don't be duped by a high thread count alone like I was!

True Love? Hans Olsen Compact Dining Set

2008-02-18T17:43:00.009-05:00

I saw this dining set on the Apartment Therapy website some time ago and I've never been able to get it out of my mind. It's a 1930s Danish teak four seat dining set by Hans Olsen for the Frem Rojle Company. Do you see how the seats fit neatly into the table when they're not in use? I have a tiny dining area that I have not yet been able to furnish despite countless hours on the internet and this set would seem to be a perfect size. Also, I sat on the chairs at ABC Home and they are surprisingly comfortable (note the triangle shaped seats). The price, however, is steep - about $5,ooo. I'm not quite ready to take the leap but I AM getting desperate. And although I've been claiming to be a "traditional" girl for a long time, I have found my recent "modern" purchases to have been quite satisfying. Aaahhh, love . . . how can one ever know if it's the real thing or just a passing fancy?

Around the House and In the Garden - A Memoir of Heartbreak, Healing and Home Improvement

2008-02-09T22:38:00.000-05:00

Back in July of last year, I posted an entry about Dominique Browning, the editor-in-chief of the now defunct House & Garden and how I loved her editor's letters at the beginning of each issue. A few months later the magazine stopped being published. I am surprised at the outpouring that the magazine's ending provoked. Even now, most of the hits I get on this site are from people conducting web searches for "Dominique Browning," and, in the comments to that entry, people bemoan the loss of the magazine and wonder about her whereabouts. I have never met Ms. Browning and have no idea where she might be, I just posted an entry giving kudos to a woman whom I thought admirable. But for those who never got enough of Ms. Browning's writing, I wanted to recommend this book, Around the House and in the Garden - A Memoir of Heartbreak, Healing, and Home Improvement, which I read a while ago and kept meaning to post about. It is a collection of essays written in the personal style of her editor's letters, with the same poignancy and wit, about her sense of loss after her divorce and how her home often expressed the various stages of her grief and healing. Here's a short excerpt:

I cannot say my home healed my heart. But I can say that, as my heart healed, my home reflected it. Perhaps my house forced my hand, at times, with its unrelenting demands. And perhaps at times my heart, gladdened, let me turn my attention homeward. Whatever the strange, looping path I took out of sadness, it wound its way from room to room, like a recurring dream I had as a child, in which I kept lo looking for something in a cavernous, empty old house, never finding it, but never being able to stop the ceaseless searching, either. Maybe my subject is yearning; maybe that's the case for most of us. We yearn to live in houses full of love, happiness, passion, and peace, too. We yearn for domestic bliss. Even when we have found it, we are restless about wanting things to be better. As soon as we get what we want, we want more. That's the nature of being alive, of persevering, of striving. And that is the nature of redecorating.

Cath Kidston Stationery

2008-02-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

Who?! Who doesn't like stationery?! OK, maybe men don't (Do men like stationery? Maybe they just don't care about it). Anyway, one of the gifts I received this past Christmas, which I love, is this set of Cath Kidston stationery. I love all things CK (although I'll be the first to admit that the merchandise is overpriced), and this cheerfully decorated stationery in her classic patterns is no different. The only problem is that I love the stationery so much, I can't bear to use it.

Silly Fridays: A Thief in Paris

2008-02-08T11:18:00.001-05:00

(source unknown):

A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louvre. After careful planning, he craftily got past security, stole the paintings and made it safely to his van. However, he was captured only two blocks away when his van ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, "Monsieur that is the reason I stole the paintings: I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh

Sorry, I know this is pretty bad, but I figured I had nothing Toulouse!

Dream Team?

2008-02-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

(Photos courtesy of Associated Press)
Who would've thunk that turquoise jewelry and a burgundy suit would go well together? But Hillary managed to pull it off nicely at last night's debate. I have to hand it to her hair, makeup and wardrobe people - she's been looking FANtastic!

Fuerza Bruta

2008-01-26T09:08:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday I stood outside for an hour in freezing cold weather to get tickets to see Fuerza Bruta (transl.: Brute Force), a new show by the makers of the long-running hit, De La Guarda. Regular price tickets are $70 but two hours before the show, they will sell 20 tickets at the door for $25. Fuerza Bruta is hard to describe. Much of the show takes place overhead and is set to a soundtrack of clubby thumping music - dancers traverse vertical shimmering curtains, a man smashes into oncoming walls while running on a treadmill, nymph-like beauties frolic in a pool of water suspended inches above the audience's head. The show is visually captivating and often beautiful to watch. Some scenes were a bit abstract for me and there seemed to be no unifying theme, but it was a novel way to spend an hour in NYC (audience members stand the entire time and are herded around while the props are moved). So, am I glad to have waited an hour in the freezing cold? Definitely, if only because I'm not sure I would have been thrilled if I'd paid the full $70, but, as it was, the show was definitely entertaining and worth watching. Fuerza Bruta is playing at The Daryl Roth Theater at 101 East 15th Street (Between Union Square East and Irving Place), New York, New York.

In Search of a Great Facial

2008-01-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, I used to go to a little salon for a facial that left me with brand new skin every time. The results were so dramatic, my mom would ask incredulously what I'd done. The facialist soon left the salon for whereabouts unknown. I don't remember the name of the salon, but I remember that her name was Irina and she was from Brooklyn. Even if Google had been around back then, I don't think I would have had much luck finding her with that info. Anyhoo, since then, I've been in search of similar results with varying degrees of success but none have come close. I've been to Ling's on E 14th Street in NYC (relaxing and thorough but no "new skin") and Oasis on Park Avenue (varying results but consistently stressful long checkout due to ditzy staff not worthy of McDonald's) and a number of other places. The routine is always the same, the facialist looks at your face and proceeds to tell you what's wrong with it (as if I didn't know, it's why I'm getting the facial), interrogates you as to what products you use (Lady, just give me the service I paid for) and ultimately tries to sell you a bunch of pricey products when you're done (Irina, where can you be?!). Yesterday, after having pulled a near all-nighter in order to turn in an assignment that was ultimately crappy, I decided to take the afternoon off and treat myself to a facial at Metamorphosis Day Spa on East 56th Street. Their waiting room is tiny and doesn't have the ambiance of the "relaxation room" at Oasis, but that's OK - I'm there for the facial and there's always a group of yapping bridesmaids-to-be disrupting the relaxation at Oasis anyway. My facial begins, I'm sleepy and want to rest while my facialist does her job. She proceeds to ask me what products I use, and I begrudgingly disclose the information. After her inspection, she proceeds to recommend their pumpkin peel which will renew my skin and make the extractions easier (ok, whatever you say). It will be another $40 (oh, it's all becoming clear to me now, but fine. Can I rest now?). She goes about her routine - slathering, massaging, cleaning - she doesn't spend much time on the extractions except on my nose, where I've asked her to go easy due to excessively sensitive skin there. She puts a mask on and leaves for a while, thank God. She eventually comes back in with a bang that startles me out of my snooze. Before the facial's over, she's asked me how I'm doing about 5 times. She let's me know that she will leave me my "prescription" at the front desk and tells me how I should use the products she's recommending. I'm not listening. When it's over, I look at my skin, it looks nice and clean. My prescription and recommended products wait for me at the checkout counter, there are 4 very expensive looking containers. I don't buy any and pay my bill. My boyfriend doesn't notice a big difference (no big deal, what does he know, anyway?) and today my skin feels a little dry again. Oh well, no lasting effects, but I guess the experience was worth the $160 I shelled out (Wasn't it?).

It's Not About the Packaging: Infusium 23 Works!

2008-01-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

Every now and then, a product comes along that actually does what the manufacturer says it does. Infusium 23 leave-in hair treatment not only instantly detangles hair and improves manageability, it also strengthens damaged hair, prevents breakage and leaves hair smooth and shiny. I've been using it after shampooing since I was in college and have converted a number of people along the way. I don't see much advertising for this product, but the fact that it's been around for more than 20 years leads me to believe that it must have a following. A 33 oz bottle costs just $9.99 at Walgreens. They have changed their look recently, so the container may look a bit different from the one pictured here. I just love to spread the word about a great product, and at the risk of sounding like a raving lunatic, this one may truly improve your life!

Movies To See: La Vie En Rose

2008-01-06T23:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we watched La Vie En Rose (aka La Môme), Olivier Dahan's portrayal of the life of the legendary French singer, Edith Piaf. The film has superb acting (Marion Cotillard, in the role of Edith Piaf, is riveting), beautiful cinematography and an amazing story to tell. In the movie, Ms. Piaf's life is depicted in a series of recollections, not always chronological, having a dreamlike quality.To say that her life was tragic is an understatement of the first degree - she was born into abject poverty, abandoned by her mother, raised by her grandmother in a brothel, suffered from blindness as a child, worked as a street performer with her father, lost her young son to meningitis when she was 20, lost her lover in a plane crash, became addicted to morphine and died of cancer at the age of 47. Still, Edith Piaf became an international star and icon. I love to see a film like this one. It still haunts me today, which for me is the sign of a great movie.

I'm Back

2008-01-06T22:35:00.001-05:00

I've been away for a while. We recently got back from a short, but sweet trip to Culebra, Puerto Rico, and I am almost ready to face the New Year. It's great to get away from the every day grind, but going away is also useful for putting things in perspective, I think. When I get back from vacation, I find that all of my usual worries and frustrations (about work, noisy neighbors, my boyfriend hogging the computer) come flooding back. But the fact that they've been absent for a while helps me to recognize them for what they are - bad habits. I read somewhere that a person's thoughts create "tracks" of a sort in the mind and that once we have taken a certain path, we are likely to continue taking the same one over and over again. If going away to visit a new place is good for one thing, I think it's to help one learn to form new tracks.

I suffered from a bout of ennui after returning from Culebra. The beaches there were so beautiful, the views breathtaking and the weather - sunny and hot. It seemed senseless to return to the cold, to my job, to my dark little apartment. Needless to say, I had a bit of the post-vacation blahs. I received a small bonus from work and, interestingly, could think of nothing special to do with the money. I'm past thinking that any material purchases can make a lasting difference in my life or happiness. On the other hand, continuing to save for the future while getting insufficient enjoyment in the present makes little sense. So what, then, could add some zest? At first, I resolved that we would try a different restaurant and sample new fine cuisine each week. The food, I then realize, is more symbolic - I want to focus more on experiential pursuits in general. If I have to articulate a New Year's resolution, it's that I want to be constantly forming new "tracks." Alas, I think I have a goal and, for now, the cloud above my head has lifted.

Vacation Pics

2008-01-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

(1) aerial view of Culebra (transl. "snake") upon arrival after a 25 minute flight from San Juan; (2) beautiful Flamenco beach where we stayed at a small villa; (3) the road to Carlos Rosario - a 15 minute hike on a trail at the end of Flamenco beach leads to a small lovely beach; (4) views on the way to Carlos Rosario; (5) the pristine waters of Carlos Rosario beach have some of the best snorkeling on the island; (6) me at Carlos Rosario; (7) we took a boat ride to an even smaller island called Culebrita (transl. "little snake"); (8) we were dropped off at this jaw dropping beach in Culebrita - there, I saw a stingray while snorkeling as well as tons of colorful fishies; (9) more of the beach on Culebrita; (10) the view on one of our hikes on Culebrita; (11) another view on that same hike; (12) the end of our pilgrimmage - a lighthouse built by the Spanish Crown in the 1880s.

Home Decor Dilemma: Coffee Table vs. Ottoman

2007-12-19T12:26:00.000-05:00

I previously wrote about my need for a coffee table or ottoman and my indecision over which one to get. We really like to put our feet up when we sit, so I'm partial to the ottoman. However, a coffee table seems more classy in that you can serve drinks, etc. on it when you have guests (although I think the right ottoman can do the trick with a tray on it). Also, with a table I don't have to worry about my cats scratching up another piece of upholstered furniture. Still, it's a toughie for me. Below are some options I like and/or think are interesting.

The Devin Ottoman from Crate & Barrel (52"x20"x19") -$899 I'll just show because I think it has all of the advantages of an ottoman and some of the benefits of a coffee table and is reasonably priced. Unfortunately, the style just doesn't do it for me.

The Roth Ottoman at Restoration Hardware (39"Dx17"H) - $1450 in leather is CUTE. As with everything I love, a little pricey. Also, given the layout of my space (very rectangular), I wonder if round in the middle would work.

I love the Lucia coffee table at Restoration Hardware (50Wx31Dx17H) - $775 in brass. I think it's so elegant although I'm worried that it's a bit large for my space.

The Louis coffee table at Anthropologie is currently on sale for $399 (please excuse the quality of the picture). In my space, however, I'm afraid it would look a bit too precious.

Jayson Home & Garden has this nice bench $1,345 (48x29x17). Nice, although it doesn't look like it would hold a tray too steadily.The Lowell bench at Restoration Hardware ("46x24"x16) is on sale right now - $596 upholstered; $1450 in leathers of various colors. I think the dimensions are perfect and it's flat enough to hold a tray. I love the turned legs and the fact that it has casters. The upholstered style is priced right although it's another item I'd have to keep away from my cats' paws, which argues for getting the leather version. Depending on how my wallet is doing after the holidays, this may be the one.

One intriguing option that I stumbled upon on 1st Dibs was this Louis XV style bench and coffee table, but what is more shocking than the $3,000+ price tag is that someone has already bought it!

Booked It: Culebra, Here I Come!

2007-12-12T18:16:00.000-05:00

I like to do three things on vacation - (1) escape from "civilization", (2) experience nature and (3) get in shape. Number 3 may sound strange but if you see vacation as a chance for some adventure, there are activities that are so fun you hardly notice you're working out. I look forward to biking, snorkeling, kayaking and swimming as well as some well-deserved loafing about. Culebra (which means "snake" in Spanish) is located 20 miles east of Puerto Rico and 15 miles west of St. Thomas (it is part of Puerto Rico). It is about 7 miles long and 4 miles wide and has less than 2000 year round residents. It is home to one of the oldest bird sanctuaries and is a nesting site for leatherback, green sea and hawksbill sea turtles. The island has an interesting history. It was first inhabited by the Taino Indians. During Spanish colonialism, it served as a refuge for native Indians seeking to escape slavery on the main island. In the 18th century, pirates used its secluded cays as hideways. Culebra was ceded to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American war and used for bombing practice by the U.S. military until 1975. Today, most of the island and its surrounding 23 islets are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a nature preserve. Flamenco Beach, pictured above, is said to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and the clarity of the water and reefs at another, Carlos Rosario beach, are supposed to be ideal for diving and snorkeling. I will be there for five days and four nights beginning on December 27th. I cannot wait! Now, I only have to make it through Christmas . . . .

A Different Kind of Grinch

2007-12-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a great time to foist my own taste upon other people, and I have always been a sucker for all things "Anthropologie." Don't ask me why I get so excited over a colander, but I love this bright red vintage-style colander ($15).

I'm also loving:

The Jolanta covered dish ($38), ornithology magnets ($24) and cockadoodle timer ($10). Now which lucky person on my gift list, should I get these quaint little items for. . . .

Cool Blog: GarayArtisans.com/WordPress

2007-12-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled upon this site, and am really impressed by the faux finishing work these guys do. Regina's blog is full of lovely pictures of their work, great design advice and witty writing. Below is a picture of one of their jobs, which I would love to replicate in my little dining area. If they weren't based in Florida, I might hire them.

Mi Apartamento

2007-12-04T19:59:00.000-05:00

Funny, I started out to write about my need for a coffee table and my dilemma over whether to buy a coffee table, an ottoman or some combination of both, and in the process of taking a picture for this post, all of these other problems became apparent. It's an interesting exercise, I think, taking photos of your living space to gain insight into what could be improved.

Some basic problems, I think, are that: I need a radiator cover for that hideous beast that lives under my windows; I am in serious need of some wall decor; I HAVE to do something about that cable wire; the bookcase to the right of the entryway is too short; what might otherwise be a gracious entryway is cluttered with a coat rack on which every article of winter clothing my boyfriend and I own is hung. Oh yeah, and I need a coffee table or ottoman in the seating area. It looks like a lot more work remains to be done.

Dreaming of Falling Off the Grid

2007-12-02T09:34:00.001-05:00

I may be outgrowing New York, or perhaps am getting old and crabby, but I've come to think that apartment living in the City is just not civilized. Despite moving into a fancy doorman building in Gramercy Park, I still have to deal with a next door neighbor who is unable to refrain from slamming his door, upstairs neighbors who won't get carpeting (as required by the bylaws) and a resident manager (euphemism for "super") who can't arrange to have the clanging elevator next to my apartment fixed correctly. I feel I'm under assault. Then I read an article in the New York Times real estate section about Ben and Rachel Smith who for $150,000 found a home in the mountains of Panama. They are living my dream! (Except that I want to live in Costa Rica and closer to the beach.) They have views from their terrace of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, live in a bird paradise and can hear the sound of howler monkeys in the tree tops surrounding their homes (I've heard howler monkeys and they actually sound pretty scary, but I'd take them over my next door neighbor any day). Financially, I can't see being able to retire for at least another 15 years, but truly don't think I can wait that long. Drastic measures may have to be called for. . . .

Feeling Grinchy This Year

2007-11-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

I just don't want to do it - I don't want to deal with X-mas this year. I go through it every year: dread, followed by resentment, followed by resignation. Eventually, I come around and actually find pleasure in trying to match the right gift with the right person. This may be stage one, and most likely I will come around. Still, a week in the Carribean, away from it all, during the holidays may be just what the doctor ordered . . . .

Tried and True: Restoration Hardware

2007-11-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

I previously wrote about my struggle to find a sisal rug. I ended up buying one at Restoration Hardware that was well-priced and seemed to be of better quality than that of its competitors (it doesn't have all those stragly loose fibers that I see in a lot of natural fiber rugs) . And then, I remembered, "oh yeah, Restoration Hardware!" For some reason, I'd forgotten all about them lately. But when looking for classically designed furniture, lighting, etc., of good quality, they're worth remembering. I've purchased lighting there and I'm thinking of buying a coffee table/ottoman from them. I sometimes wish I'd bought my sofa there. I think the quality and craftsmanship of their furniture surpasses that of, say, a Pottery Barn, but they are more reasonably priced than, for example, a Williams Sonoma. I recently read that the Company is up for sale. I hope that doesn't change anything on the ground floor.

You're Soooo Vain . . . .

2007-11-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

When I want to indulge my teenie bopper side, I browse the Urban Outfitters website. If I had a vanity table, I might get these adorable little items to put on it:

Vanity Top Mirror - 7.5" x 14.5" - $26

Little birch jewelry stand - $26

Round leather box - 4.5"D - $12

Environment: Plastic in the Ocean

2007-11-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

I am ashamed to admit that I did not know about this (and learned of it from, of all places, Nick Olsen's blog on the Domino website), but apparently there is an island of plastic garbage in the Pacific Ocean that's twice the size of Texas! According to this very disturbing article, countless seabirds, marine mammals, and fish die in the North Pacific each year, either from mistakenly eating this junk or from becoming ensnared in it and drowning. If that's not disturbing enough, chemicals leaching from the stuff are getting into our food chain and have been linked to everything from obesity and diabetes to cancer and infertility. What's more, since plastic takes forever to biodegrade, almost every bit of plastic ever made still exists. I think that I will never buy another bottled water again.

Life Savers: Merino Wool Twin Sets from Brooks Brothers

2007-11-10T13:06:00.000-05:00

I do not derive great pleasure from shopping for clothing. I crave order in my life, and shopping for the sake of shopping is not conducive to that goal. I do derive pleasure from making purchases that last and that I am happy to use long after I buy them. I have previously criticized Brooks Brothers for being expensive, boring and a bit stuffy, but, in fairness, I have given them credit for the quality of their clothes. It is reliance, in part, on many of their basics for my wardrobe staples that has helped me maintain some order in my closet. Recently, my boyfriend, God bless his soul, ruined the shell of a twin set (purchased at BB a couple of years ago) by hanging it over a hook while it was still wet! I took advantage of the need to replace it and, because they were on sale, purchased two new sweater sets from them that I expect will be good investments. I find these merino wool shell and cardigan pairs to be so versatile and I love the feel of the material. I don't know why it is that a lot of wool clothing makes me itch, but I don't have that problem with these particular pieces. Now I just have to keep a closer eye on Sweetie, when he's kind enough to do the laundry.

Coconut Lime Verbena Body Cream from Bath and Body Works

2007-11-08T09:24:00.001-05:00

Yummmmm! P. and I stayed at a bed and breakfast in Tarrytown, N.Y. recently, which was quite lovely. The best part, however, may have been the discovery of this lotion among the amenities provided by the hotel. It hydrates your skin and leaves it feeling nice and soft, but what I cannot get over is the delicious smell (I don't really like coconut, but this smells more citrus-y than anything else). Every now and then, during the day, I'll catch a whiff of the mild scent, and it makes me happy . . . .

No More House and Garden?!

2007-11-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

I am shocked to learn that House and Garden magazine is being scrapped by Conde Nasty. I have previously written about how much I love Dominique Browning's foreword in each magazine and looked forward to reading it every month (I'll also miss the Testy Tastemaker). Here's the most fullsome story I've read on the subject so far which still doesn't say very much. Link.

Poor Little Mooky

2007-11-01T22:42:00.000-04:00

My little kitty, Mooky (OK, he's a big fat cat), gave us a scare last week when we had to take him to the hospital. He eats all types of garbage, like shoe laces and pieces of plastic that he might find lying around. In the past, he's always passed or thrown up these items, but last week was different. After eating a thick cord, he became sick and could not eat for two days. We finally had to take him to the hospital and let him be operated on. He was away for three days, and I can't believe how much I missed him. He's home now and seems to be doing fine. But the whole ordeal gave me a glimpse of what life would be like without him. I don't know what I'd do without my big, little guy.

Books to Read: Atlas Shrugged

2007-11-01T16:49:00.000-04:00

"I don't like people who speak or think in terms of gaining anybody's confidence. If one's actions are honest, one does not need the predated confidence of others, only their rational perception. The person who craves a moral blank check of that kind, has dishonest intentions, whether he admits it to himself or not."
-spoken by the character Francisco D'Anconia in Atlas Shrugged

This quote articulates so well something I've often felt. Ayn Rand is a masterful writer and a keen observer of human nature. Although I've never fully bought into her philosophy of "objectivism", I've enjoyed her works immensely. I read The Fountainhead and We the Living back in college, and am now rereading Atlas Shrugged. One of the thickest books ever, but I'm almost halfway through and completely enthralled.

Shout it Out!

2007-10-29T17:54:00.000-04:00

Whoa, this product really works! I cannot keep my shirts clean while at work, but our darling receptionist turned me on to these wonderful wipes that work miracles. Just today, I rubbed off a couple of ink marks and some salad dressing from a new shirt saving me from embarrassment (as well as a few bucks). Yes, I'm a little piggy, but you'd never be able to tell from looking at my crisp white shirt.

I'm a Little Teapot . . . .

2007-10-21T18:32:00.000-04:00

I almost ruined a second teapot by heating it directly on the burner -- it's a cute little red one with white dots that I got from Cath Kidston (the one pictured is the "sprig" model as they've discontinued the red one). Anyway, I did some research and apparently the correct way to make tea is to bring water to a boil separately in a kettle (not in the teapot). The teapot should be heated separately with hot water from the tap which is then poured out before putting in the tea. Next, pour in water that's been brought to the boiling point into the teapot. When the tea has steeped for 5 to 8 minutes (depending on the type of tea) remove the tea with a strainer (unless you have used an infuser). It almost makes you wonder why you need the teapot in the first place. That said, if I ever collect anything, I think it will be teapots - I find them to be so quaint and charming. It is a pity that I prefer coffee.

Rogaine Sucks!

2007-10-17T13:40:00.000-04:00

The hair on the top of my head has always been pretty thin, but during the last couple of years or so, I find that I see more scalp when my hair is wet. My hairdresser has noticed it too. I'm 37 years old, which can be traumatic enough; add to that thinning hair. So, I went to see a dermatologist and, sure enough, she said Rogaine is the only product on the market which has been shown to improve hair loss in SOME people. She also said you have to be pretty committed once you start using it, and it takes between 4 to 8 months before you may start seeing results. OK, so I bought six months' worth and proceeded to use it in the morning and at night everyday as instructed. It's now been about 3 months, and I have yet to see any difference. No problem, I can be patient. What I was not prepared for, however, is the unbearable itching that this product causes. I am going crazy, and am scratching my head constantly! What's worse is that you have to keep using it even if you do see results, so there is no relief in sight. Frankly, right now, I think I'd rather be bald. I've decided to stick it out for the six months and use up the product I bought. If I see any hair growth, then I'll make an informed decision about whether the results are worth the agony. In the meantime, I must contend that Rogaine SUCKS!

Simply a Beautiful Book: Meditations from the Mat

2007-10-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

By Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison, this book contains "daily" reflections on the practice of yoga and the philosophy behind it all. Each essay begins with a thought-provoking quote, and reads like poetry. Here's a link to an excerpt from Amazon: Link.

Sisal Rug

2007-10-07T16:34:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've noticed scratches on my wood floors as well as some indentations left by the casters on my sofa legs. Until now I've resisted getting a rug, but think I can put it off no longer. I've decided on a natural fiber rug, like sisal, that will provide a neutral background while protecting my floors. Sisal, which comes from the agave plant, is supposed to be strong and more durable than jute or seagrass. However, I am confused by how much the prices can vary. An 8' by 10' sisal rug from Williams Sonoma (pictured above) costs $1375 while the same size costs $350 at Crate and Barrel and $589 at Ballard Designs. WSH's rug has a suede border while the others are fabric. Still, I don't know if that justifies an almost $1,000 price difference. Given that my cats are probably going to use the rug as a scratching pad, it doesn't make sense to spend a bundle. Another argument for getting the cheaper version is that sisal is easily stained (even by water) if it is spilled on. Is it possible that the pricier one would feel significantly better underfoot? I know I will always wonder . . . .

Home Comforts: Fabric Shower Liner

2007-10-07T15:50:00.000-04:00

Making home homey is all about paying attention to the smallest details. Unfortunately, this involves spending precious time on weekends on the most mundane of errands - like running to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a shower curtain liner. (Almost as sad as spending time blogging about it). Still, unless you're lucky enough to have glass doors on your tub, it's just one of those things you have to deal with. One of my pet peeves is vinyl or plastic shower curtain liners. I cannot stand the feel of wet plastic on my body when I've just showered (yuck!) or the smell that always seems to emanate from them. The fabric ones are so much nicer, I think. BB&B has these fabric liners ($12.99 for polyester or $14.99 for nylon) that are translucent and can be thrown in the wash when they get mildewy. I just replaced the one I've had for over a year because it didn't come out as clean this last time around. Still, it lasted long enough and I think they are so much more elegant than the stiff vinyl ones.

Exhausted

2007-10-07T14:16:00.000-04:00

Work has left me physically and mentally exhausted this week. It's now Sunday afternoon and I've barely recuperated. Worst of all, I have work I need to finish. All my little side projects have fallen by the wayside, I've done no exercise for a week and my place is a sty. It is when I most need my home's support, that it is likely to fail me as it will tend to reflect my state of mind - presently, a mess. I would pay someone to clean it for me, if it could be arranged somehow with the push of a button and no expenditure of energy. At any rate, today, I managed to take 5 minutes and meditate (again, one of those things that's hardest to do when you need it most), and afterwards managed to scrub my bathtub and take a shower. A note on a not-so-recent discovery, but I've noticed that one curious byproduct of meditation is a propensity to get up and clean after I'm done. As prayer and meditation are close to the same thing for me, perhaps there is something to be said for the old adage - "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

Garnet Hill For Pants

2007-10-01T18:38:00.000-04:00

It's that them of year again when the wardrobe needs refreshing, and I simply do not have enough pairs of pants. As a petite person (euphemism for "short"), I have much trouble finding clothes that fit and refuse to buy apparel that is not made with smaller ladies in mind. Hence, I am always grateful to find retailers which offer shorter lengths. One catalog retailer that I've been pretty lucky with in this department is Garnet Hill. I have just ordered three pairs of pants. From left: Eileen Fisher Straight Leg Pant - $148; Slim Stretch Trouser - $98; and Easy Stretch Trouser - $88. Hopefully, they'll fit. (Sigh, the perils of online shopping.) BTW, GH also sells long lengths in addition to regular!

I Strip Freely

2007-09-23T14:01:00.000-04:00

I have just embarked upon the most ridiculously laborious project I have ever been dimwitted enough to take on - stripping the paint off my moldings in preparation for painting my dining area. What could be more fun? The previous owners did a terrible job painting around the moldings (a pox on them!), and I made the mistake of not fixing it before I painted my living room (really, the mistake was not paying someone to handle this . . . ). Anyway, as one can see from the first picture, there are all these lumps of excess paint where the wall meets the baseboard, which just looks disgusting. Maybe I'll go back and fix the living room some day, but right now I just want to deal with the dining area and do that right. So I'm using this product called Soy Gel, which is a soy-based, biodegradable stripper, that's supposed to be nontoxic. I have to say, it doesn't smell bad and it does what it's supposed to do. Still, the process is labor intensive. There's also this stuff, like cardboard, that's getting exposed at the intersection of the wall and molding that crumbles when it's scraped (second picture). I'm not sure what it is, but I'm trying to remove the paint while disturbing as little of this as possible. In one area I covered the exposed stuff (which I'll call "stuff" for lack of a better word) with spackle and sanded it down, and think that worked. I won't really know how this whole project is turning out until I start painting and see what that looks like. Oy, what have I gotten myself into!

Craving: Yarn

2007-09-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

Ah, fall . . . . it does make me want to get out the knitting needles again. One of the best things I ever did was take up knitting, it is so good for the soul. I have just ordered 10 skeins of wool and am about to embark on a new project - a cardigan. Hopefully, I'll finish. If you've always wanted to try knitting, but don't know how to get started, just know that, a few years ago, I taught myself to do it using only one of the "Dummies" handbooks. Since then, I've knitted hats, scarves, afghans, a shawl (which I keep on the back of my chair at work) and socks. If you knit, though, you have to do it because you love it because, unfortunately, given the price of yarn these days (although there are good deals on Ebay) and the amount of labor involved, it's not always economical. I do think it provides one with some perspective on the true value of things. Sometimes, I won't buy an outrageously expensive knitted piece if there is a possibility that I could make it myself (even if it's only a theoretical possibility given my skill level and the amount of time I have). And sometimes, I'll pay a little more for something that is knitted by hand because, having labored over objects that I then proudly showed off as my own creations, I understand better why handmade is beautiful.

Bought It: Bee Console by Iannone Sanderson!

2007-09-16T22:01:00.000-04:00

I've been watching this item for a long time, but couldn't justify the price tag. It suddenly went on sale for less than half the original price and I bit the bullet and ordered it. I'm a bit nervous. It's on the modern side, and I've expressed previously my disdain for the whole "modern" aesthetic. However, I've been in love with this piece for a long time (even before I saw it featured in Domino Magazine and a couple of design blogs) and think maybe it's time I softened my stance (a little). It's designed by Iannone Sanderson, a philadelphia-based design team dedicated to creating eco-friendly furniture, and made of Kirei board which is an environmentally-friendly product made from stalks left over from harvesting sorghum. Frankly, I'd never heard of Iannone Sanderson or Kirei (which means beautiful in Japanese), but am definitely pleased to know it is a low impact product. Now, I just hope it looks OK when it arrives. Can you see the bee?

Environmental Angst

2007-09-13T10:20:00.000-04:00

Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it. ~ Henry David Thoreau, "Chesuncook," The Maine Woods, 1848 ~

The World Conservation Union has released its 2007 Red List of Threatened Species. The organization reports that 188 animals and plants have been added to a global database of threatened species, and that the number is certainly on the low end. Among the more troubling developments: the Western lowland gorilla is being decimated by the ebola virus and commercial hunting, coral reefs in the Galapagos Islands are threatened and the Yangtze River dolphin may be extinct. Out of 41,415 species assessed, more than 16,300 species are threatened with extinction. According to the IUCN, one in four mammals, one in eight birds, one third of all amphibians and 70 percent of the world’s assessed plants on the 2007 Red List are in jeopardy. Here's a link to a report from MSNBC News, which also contains a slideshow: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20738173/

Great CD Rate!

2007-09-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

I'm tres psyched to find out Countrywide Bank is offering these 12-month CDs with an annual percentage yield of 5.65%. I haven't heard of anyone else offering that much on this kind of product. I have an ING checking account which offers interest at a relatively good rate and has served me well, but with the Fed threatening to lower interest rates, I don't know how long that will be available, so I transferred out some funds to get what I consider to be a juicy rate. Note that the FDIC will only insure a maximum of $100,000 with any one bank, so it's best not to keep more than that amount with any one institution. By the way, I'm no financial advisor (just someone who slacks off at work quite a bit to write this blog and hopes to occasionally pass on some useful information to her sisters and metrosexual brothers out there) and, to the extent you are holding a lot of cash in your portfolio, most professionals would probably tell you to invest in the stock market through a managed fund or otherwise. However, I have an apocalyptic view of the world and have never had much confidence in the stock market which I consider to be the most elaborate ponzi scheme ever known to mankind (Hey, I said I'm not a professional!). At any rate, I imagine most people, even those who are more financially savvy and less paranoid than I am, would not risk all of their capital in the stock market, so to the extent you are looking for the relative safety of this kind of product, I think this is a great rate. Power to the peeps!

Cath Kidston Blossum Mug

2007-09-07T22:19:00.000-04:00

Boohoohoo. I've now broken two of the mugs from my China set. These are from the blossom collection at Cath Kidston, and they're not exactly cheap (they've closed down their New York Soho store and their U.S. website is down so that you can only order through the UK website and get killed on the exchange rate). Still, I would hate for them to get discontinued before I got around to replacing them. So I'll "suck it up", and order two more. Grrrrrrgghhhhh!

Bedspreads and Quilts at Urban Outfitters

2007-09-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

Urban Outfitters carries these lightweight cotton bedspreads in a variety of patterns, that I simply love. The ones pictured are just a few of the designs available. I have purchased a couple in the past (not pictured) and use them over my sofa in my living room as well as on my bed. I've been thinking of going back for a couple more. At only $32/$34, I already think they're a total steal (and some are on sale for under $18!). There are also all these lovely quilts. Pictured below are the Far East Botanical Quilt ($100) and Suzani Quilt ($120). Before it gets chilly, I may have to pick one of these up:

Quote of the Day; Reflections

2007-09-05T15:11:00.001-04:00

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important. -- Bertrand Russell, Conquest of Happiness (1930) ch. 5British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)

But I find that my work is terribly important - not in the general scheme of things (my job, in particular, is not going to make the world a better place), but to my mental and general sense of well-being. For me, a good day at work is a good day, and nothing is more depressing than becoming bored or feeling like you're stagnating in your chosen career path. That said, my ultimate goal in life is to one day not have to work, and I live (and save) with that end in mind. One of the challenges, however, is to not waste the present, especially while I'm still relatively young (I'm 37).

On a related note, I took a couple of vacation days this week (yesterday and today), and wish I'd made better plans for how to spend it, but will at least try to be active and not squander my days lying on the couch watching t.v. (not that there's anything wrong with that). Yesterday, I went to Central Park with P. and we threw around a frisbee. Today, I'm going to see about renting a bike and riding along the Hudson River. With fall approaching, I find I'm mourning the passing of summer a little more than usual (perhaps because I'm 37) and want to stretch it out as much as possible. Wish me luck!

The Power of Making Lists

2007-09-05T10:04:00.000-04:00

I am a strong believer in the power of making lists. I make "to do" lists at work and at home. I also have "to buy", "to pay", "to clean or repair" and "goal" lists. Why keep lists?

1. To keep organized. Setting things down on paper helps me to prioritize, to figure out what I need to do and decide how to allocate my time.

2. So that I remember. Numerous studies show that our memories simply cannot be relied on (although I cannot remember where I've read that), so I keep lists. Sometimes I forget to look at my "to do" list, but will invariably stumble upon it later and sure enough will be reminded of something I forgot to do.

3. To save time. I spend less time trying to figure out what needs to get done when I have a pre-existing list to refer to.

4. To keep me motivated. Nothing is more satisfying than checking something off on my "to do" list. I think I would often feel that I was not making any progress in life if it weren't for the fact that I could look back on a list of checked items to remind me that I've accomplished something, even if only having paid my bills.

5. So that I make progress. I find that when I sit down to make a list, I will come up with things that I should and want to do (as opposed to just need to do). So in the process I end up setting goals for myself.

6. To strengthen my commitment. Often, when I set a goal for myself, I make a point to tell someone about it. Something about "getting it out there" makes it more likely that I'll follow through on an idea . I find something similar happens when I write it down on paper.

7. To save money. When I make lists of items I need or want to purchase, I am making concrete decisions about how to spend my hard-earned money, and am less likely to make impulse buys or ill-considered purchases. Even if I end up buying something that I do not need or make a mistake, ultimately, I find I am still in control.

8. For my spirit. Sitting down and making lists, puts me closer in touch with what it is that makes me happy and what I want from life. For me, it is a meditative exercise and I always walk away with greater clarity of mind and peace in my heart.

Thumbs Down on Brooks Brothers' Black Fleece Collection

2007-08-29T13:14:00.000-04:00

If Pewee Herman was the governess at an English boarding school for girls, his clothes might look something like Thom Browne's Black Fleece collection for Brooks Brothers. Although I was excited when I first heard that BB was going to carry a new line of fashion forward clothing, what I've seen so far just doesn't do it for me. I thought it was well established that women had no interest in looking like men, and can't imagine that's any less true if they're comically-dressed men. Moreover, the price tag on these items is ridiculous. Of the more pleasing pieces in the collection, a wool herringbone shift dress was $1500 and a Scottish cashmere cardigan was $800. Sorry, I just don't need to be that "well-dressed" for work.

Quote of the Day

2007-08-29T09:18:00.000-04:00

"Be bold and mighty powers will come to your aid." --Basil King

Egg Decor

2007-08-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

This is too funny. I had to borrow this from the Shelterrific blog. It's a shag rug by Valentina Audrito.

I clicked on the link and there's this as well:

Moroccan Poufs

2007-08-26T22:08:00.000-04:00

Why a pouf? Because, it can be used as an ottoman or as additional seating in pinch, because it's versatile and can be moved around easily and because it's attractive. But mostly, because it's just fun to say "pouf". These are from Calypso Home, although Imports from Marrakesh (http://www.importsfrommarrakesh.com/) sells some beauties as well. Unfortunately, I was not able to download those pictures.

Etiquette 101: Asking for Help

2007-08-26T01:33:00.000-04:00

During dinner with friends not too long ago, the conversation touched on the topic of people who have no qualms about requesting help or assistance from others. Despite the fact that I consider myself to be generous, I have a pet peeve about people who presume too much, and have found it draining of my energy to be around people who are constantly requesting for things to be done on their behalf. I think it curious that I often see articles offering advice to people who have trouble asking for help or that suggest that a way to make life more manageable is to enlist the help of others. I would argue that a little self-sufficiency is an honorable thing, and that unless we are paying someone, we should not assume they are in our service. Obviously there are times when we need and should ask for help, and occasional requests and grants of favors strengthen relationships and are good for society in general. However, I also think there are a few questions a person should ask him or herself before imposing on another perhaps one too many times:

1) Can I do this myself?
2) Was help offered?
3) Does this person seem to want to help?
4) Might this person feel put upon if asked for help?
5) Am I always the one asking for help?
6) Am I making assumptions about what is owed to me?
7) Am I assuming others are at my beck and call to further my goals?
8) Am I assuming others share my priorities?
9) Am I putting the recipient of my request in an awkward position?
10) Might I be putting a strain on this relationship?

One might consider these questions and still proceed to request assistance, but at the very least, I think one should consider them.

Books: Cat Getting Out of Bag and Other Observations

2007-08-24T14:57:00.000-04:00

I'm off to the bookstore after work today to check out this book by comic artist, Jeffrey Brown, which illustrates the joys of living with a cat. I looked at an excerpt from the book on Amazon (here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0811858227/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-5093148-5803929#reader-link), and cracked up laughing. The drawings are so cute! I find it intriguing that, almost universally, cats seem to share the same insane habits (sticking their heads in paper bags, knocking pens off tables, attacking your socks -- all adorably depicted in this book). I know they also share some less endearing qualities like the tendency to wake people up in the morning! Still, I love cats (I have two), and can't imagine my home without my furry friends. Speaking of which:

I hereby introduce Ichiban (which means "Number One" in Japanese) and Mooky (being bad since he's not allowed on the kitchen counter!).

Lusting: Prada Handbag and Delman Shoes

2007-08-22T11:16:00.000-04:00

I was looking at this month's issue of Real Simple magazine and noticed this handbag on the front cover. I am still on self-imposed handbag probation and wouldn't consider such a big splurge anyway, but I think this Prada handbag is GORGEOUS (except for the logo - I hate logos). You can even get a sense from the picture of the quality of the leather (look at those juicy ripples). But enough with the salivating. The cost is over $2500.

Also, I've heard from a few sources that Delman shoes are extremely comfortable and have been meaning to check them out. My toes could use some comfort. I was intrigued by this particular pair, also featured in the RS issue. The cost is $225.
A friend once noted that Real Simple is the magazine devoted to making your life simpler by getting you to buy more stuff, which I think is pretty funny (and true). Although I do think that there is some benefit to knowing what products are out there and what they cost, etc., so that when you are in the market for something new, you're better prepared, and also, because I believe in "strategic" shopping -- i.e., buying things from a list of specific items that you've determined you need or want (as opposed to impulse shopping). I think strategic shopping to some extent helps to stave off impulse shopping and can help keep you organized. Of course, sometimes there is just "lustful" shopping . . . .

Home Decor Dilemma: Dining Tables

2007-08-20T11:11:00.001-04:00

I'm off looking for lamps and art, and I have yet to buy a proper dining table and chairs. Part of the problem is that I can't find one that I REALLY love, and a dining table seems like a much bigger commitment than accessories which you expect you eventually will grow tired of and change anyway. Now, while I think Crate and Barrel is great, I generally avoid them because I assume that's where everyone shops. For this purpose, however, I've looked everywhere (which allows online browsing), and C&B seems to have the best options. My favorites:

Although I don't know the exact dimensions, I assume this Maison oak table which seems grand would still fit in my small dining alcove. It also comes with two extension leafs which can expand the table to seat eight (although I doubt I'll ever have that many people over at once). I just wish it came in a darker stain.I like the idea of the pedestal table in that you don't have to worry about bumping your legs against those of the table. The Nova model is kind of cool, I think, but then there's my aversion to all furnishings I cannot envision in my Grandma's home (even if she would have had a much thriftier version of any given model).

The Kipling table seems like a good compromise: comfortable leg room, solid mahogany, comes with an extension leaf. But I think I'm still in love with the Maison model above and its Frenchy cottagy look. Not surprisingly, it's pretty expensive, and I just can't commit. Hence, I still don't have a dining table . . . .

Brickbreaker Madness

2007-08-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

I am a dork, but I've come to terms with that. I have now spent countless hours trying to beat my highscore on Brickbreaker. In fact, I spent my last vacation on the couch glued to my Blackberry playing this silly game. Lest you've been comatose for the last five years, the object of Brickbreaker is to move a paddle left and right with your thumb to bounce a ball so it demolishes "bricks" atop the screen. Most bricks earn 10 points. Clear a screen of bricks, and move on to the next level. Drop the ball too many times, and the game is over. Next time you see someone glued to a RIM device, don't assume he or she is working, they're probably playing this game. Even The Wall Street Journal has carried an article on how many yuppies are addicted. What's most pathetic in my case, however, is how much I stink. Everytime, I ask someone what their high score is, they've invariably made it past the 10,000 mark. I'm not even close, and I've stopped asking.

Free Classic Movies On Demand!

2007-08-20T09:37:00.000-04:00

I have previously written about how much I love the Turner Classic Movie Channel, which features classic films from the 1920s through 1980s. Well, I can't believe I didn't know this, but during dinner with friends this past weekend, I learned that I am able with Time Warner Cable to see Turner Classic Movies "on demand" for free! Sunday, I did not get my butt off the couch - I saw both Wuthering Heights (about 2 hours) and Lawrence of Arabia (4 hours!). I think I have a crush on the young Peter O'Toole - not because of his looks but because his acting is so compelling. While I love the oldies, I sometimes find the acting embarassing to watch because it used to be so hammy. With him, though, I am always rivetted and completely forget I'm watching someone act. A great weekend all in all - if only I'd made it to the gym for a tiny bit. . . .

Fixed It: Broken Floor Tile in Kitchen!

2007-08-17T10:10:00.000-04:00

Before and After:

I am tres proud of myself - all by my lonesome, I fixed the broken floor tile in my kitchen! It took me long enough, but aside from figuring out what needed to get done and lugging home all the excess material I was forced to buy (see July 21st entry below: http://fulllifenow.blogspot.com/2007/07/broken-tile-in-kitchen.html), it really wasn't that difficult. I used a flat screwdriver to force out the broken floor tile, I vacuumed out all the debris, I spread a coat of mortar in the space and then pressed the new tile into it. I cleaned the excess product out from the grooves with a plastic knife and waited a day for it to dry. Next, I mixed a little water into some grout, just enough to get it to the consistency of toothpaste and using a plastic knife again, I put as much as I could fit into the grooves with some extra over the top. Finally, I packed in the grout with a damp sponge at the same time that I cleaned off the excess. Voilà!

I Approve: Walking Shorts for Work

2007-08-16T17:13:00.000-04:00

I have been guilty of frumpiness - mainly because I stick to too-conservative clothing. I've decided that I'm going to turn over a new leaf and wear whatever the heck I want (within reason). I bought a pair of the Martin tweed shorts (far right) at Banana Republic and I have to say that paired with a set of pumps and a cardigan, I felt perfectly comfortable wearing them to work. It helps, of course, that the office is casual. At any rate, I hope this style catches on, and more women wear them to work. Power to the Peeps!

Cute or Morbid?

2007-08-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

I was looking for something to put in my entryway wall and, at first glance, thought this butterfly shadow box from Anthropologie was quite pretty. Also at 6.5" square, the size is right for what I'm looking for. However, I can't decide if the fact that there's a dead butterfly in here makes this wall decoration bad feng shui, if not downright morbid. ?

Great Website: BeJane.com

2007-08-14T11:33:00.000-04:00

I must give props to this website "dedicated to educating, inspiring, and equipping women with the knowledge and tools they need to have confidence in home improvement and themselves" founded by Eden Jarrin and Heidi Baker (the "Founding Janes"). The website is easy to navigate and contains detailed instructions for DIY projects around the house from the simple to complex, including, fixing a leaky faucet, installing privacy blinds, painting, decorative mouldings and one which I plan to rely on soon - installing a ceiling fan! http://www.bejane.com/.

Cleaning Wood Floors?

2007-08-14T08:57:00.000-04:00

Murphy's Oil Soap is simply the best product out there (that I've tried) for cleaning wood floors safely.

Artwork

2007-08-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered and now have spent hours on artaissance.com. They sell reproductions of over 2000 art works from at least 80 artists in every style you can imagine. The neat part is that they will custom-size the art to the customer's specifications, on either paper or canvas, and have a 30-day return policy. My only complaint is that I cannot even begin get through all the available works. This one by Miguel Dominguez is one of my favorites so far:

Fire Next Door

2007-08-05T14:36:00.000-04:00

Seconds after getting into bed last night, P. calls out to me from the living room and I know from the tone that it is serious. I race out of the bedroom and am informed that the doormen have just knocked and told us to get out. There's a fire in one of the apartments on our floor. I look through the front door peephole, and see only smoke. I hear a woman screaming and it sends a chill up my spine. There is a baby (I often hear) living upstairs, and I imagine the worst. For a moment I am frozen, when P. suggests we get the cats; and make our way out through the fire escape. Already, the firemen were arriving, and there is no significant amount of smoke in our unit. We live on the second floor and the fire escape is outside the bedroom window (and away from the fire), so we are not in any immediate danger or feel a great sense of urgency. I gather my purse, in which are my passport and credit cards (just in case), and proceed to get one of the cats in his carrying case, no easy feat, while P. chases the other one down. "Do we need anything else, how about the laptop?" he asks. "Screw the laptop!" I say (it's not even mine). We go out onto the fire escape but have to re-enter several times: to retrieve P.'s shoes which he failed to put on, to replace the dufflebag with a hole through which one of the cats we put in keeps trying to escape, and to get P.'s wallet left in the dufflebag just replaced. We realize climbing down the ladder with the cats is going to be a trial, so he goes down ahead to investigate while I wait. I can see through the windows of the lobby that firemen have taken over. Curious, I go back inside to see if there is any smoke. It has started coming in through the front and back doors. I return to the fire escape, closing the door to the bedroom behind me to try to minimize any damage, should it come to that.

It was back on the fire escape that I had an "epiphany" of sorts. I am surprised to find myself thinking that there is nothing inside that I really care about or am afraid to lose. Everything is replaceable. Everything that mattered - my cats, my boyfriend and me - was going to be safe. If worse came to worst, and all was lost, I knew I could start over. Anyone who is privy to the inner workings of my anxiety-ridden mind, would know that this was a breakthrough for me. Of course, it helps that the apartment is insured and that I have some savings to get me through an emergency, but I did not even pause to calculate how long my retirement would be postponed in such an event. It felt liberating (for once) not to care about such things. P. returns and we manage to get down with the cats. Of course, the few residents standing outside the building are impersonal as ever. Eventually, the fire is put out and we're allowed to go back up, and except for the smell, everything inside is fine. The occupant of the apartment that caught fire, a retired doctor, is in the hospital due to smoke inhalation but is believed to be OK. I have seen him on occasion, an unfriendly sort who never responded when I ventured a "hello" before I respectfully gave up - this is Manhattan, after all, and it is a person's prerogative to be anti-social. I found myself wondering what I should do next time I saw him - should I break the unspoken rule of silence and ask if he is OK or offer to be of service like a good neighbor? Such were my self-centered thoughts as I eventually went to bed. This morning, my thoughts were still on him. It is horrible that he'll have to return to an apartment where everything has been burned or damaged beyond repair. I find myself hoping that having lost his material possessions, a reality that I only imagined, he'll not care too much and just be grateful to be alive. My "breakthrough" notwithstanding, I'll continue to go through my apartment "to do" list: paint my entryway, wallpaper my dining area, choose a media cabinet, etc. But I recognize that it is in the process (a creative one) of organizing my home in a way I find pleasing, that I must derive pleasure, and that in the end I must not allow myself to become too attached to the results.

Digging the Lampshades

2007-08-04T21:56:00.000-04:00

at Anthropologie . . .

Craving: Wallpaper

2007-08-03T22:19:00.001-04:00

I love wallpaper (or anything that reminds me of my grandma), and take it personally when people say bad things about it. These pretty patterns are from Cole & Son.

They Just Don't Make Them Like They Used To

2007-08-03T10:37:00.001-04:00

Last night, I saw Becket, a 1964 picture based on the true story of the friendship between King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and Thomas Becket (Richard Burton), a royal courtier and confidant whom Henry appoints as Archbishop of Canterbury. As Becket takes his duties with the Church seriously, he finds himself increasingly at odds with the King. Both Burton and O'Toole were nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for their performances, and the movie received the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was riveting, and today, I can't stop thinking about it. The Turner Classic Movie channel has so enriched my life. They feature uninterrupted classic films from the 1920s through 1980s - a wealth of goodies for classic movie buffs.

Hallelujah: I Am Saved! (I think)

2007-08-01T09:26:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid to put a jinx on it, but I have to say my allergies have gotten significantly better, if not gone away completely. The only thing I can think is that the dustmite encasings I ordered for my mattress and pillows actually worked. I didn't notice the difference right away and I've continued vacuuming religiously, keeping the HEPA air filters going and the cats (I have two) out of the bedroom, but something has definitely changed and I have to think it was these covers. I've had them now for about a month and I haven't been waking up with the terrible itchy eyes and sneezing that have plagued me year-round for the last few years. I bought them online at the Allergy Buyers Club (it's not a real club) and the ones I got are the "Euphoria" brand, which are made of 100% organic cotton. They cost over $600, which I think is ridiculously expensive for undergarments for my bed, but I was desperate at the time and now I'm glad I bought them. Here's the link if anyone is interested: http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/euphoria-dust-mite-covers.html

So Played.

2007-07-27T17:27:00.000-04:00

I am not a student of design and will confess complete ignorance on the subject, but I don't think my taste completely sucks (?). So why do I keep seeing the same pieces of so-called furniture, which make a space look more like a modern art museum than a home, show up again and again in my favorite magazines, blogs, shows, commercials, etc. What ever happened to furniture that looked like furniture and was cushiony and comfortable? Also, I would think that whatever cultural value these "iconic" items may once have had because they were created by forward-thinking designers using new materials and forms has been diminished by their ubiquity. Therefore, for what it's worth (which I know is nothing in the minds of those whose opinions on the topic matter), I hereby declare all of the following to be completely "played out" :

The Barcelona Chair (sorry, but this belongs in an airport waiting area, not a home):

The Panton Chair (for a child's room perhaps, or a funhouse):The Nelson Ball Clock (cute, when I saw it on "The Seventies Show"):

All pendant ball lamps (played, played, played):

The Saarinen table (ok, I admit I kind of like this one):
The Eames rocker, or Eames anything for that matter (I just can't believe I bought this one!):

I like the Nelson bench, but I've seen it and seen it and seen it (and, after all, it's just a bench):

The Noguchi coffee table, I'll admit is lovely, but for upwards of $3,000 I better not find it in anyone else's house that I visit (unlikely):

While I'm at it, I will add the terms: "iconic", "mid-century modern" and "clean lines." SO played!

Thanks for listening.

Books: The Pema Chodron Collection

2007-07-26T12:04:00.000-04:00

Even people obsessed with organizing and shopping for their homes need a little spirituality now and then. Pema Chodron's collection of works has become the closest thing to scripture for me. In it, she interprets Buddhist teachings in a way that provides guidance for living and coping with emotional stress that is actually practical. I can't tell if Buddhism as interpreted by her is more a religion or a form of psychotherapy, but it is eerie to me how when I crack open this book at night, the words always speak to some problem or inner turmoil with which I'm grappling. I'm not into proselytizing, but her works have been so helpful to me that I think they deserve to be shared. (Pema Chodron was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown, in 1936 in New York City and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a now a fully ordained Buddhist nun and prolific author, and directs a monastery in Nova Scotia, Canada. )

Decorating Dilemma: Media Cabinet Solution Needed

2007-07-24T16:01:00.000-04:00

Judging from the number of articles in magazines and design blogs devoted to this subject, I gather this is a universal problem. What to do with your tv - do you hide it or flaunt it? What kind of media cabinet? Etc. My problem is compounded by the fact that I still only have a 21" by 21" by 18" traditional cathode ray tube model (i.e., not a flat screen), which is in a too-large dark brown media cabinet that I've decided looks hideous in my already too dark living room. Personally, I like the idea of a tv in an encasement surrounded by bookshelves. However, I imagine that if I ever get around to purchasing a new tv, it will be a flat screen. I have no desire to purchase a new tv at the moment, but I'm thinking my media solution should be versatile. Maybe something like this system from Crate and Barrel (but pretty): Also, something this big would have to be white. I've searched far and wide and have not found anything I like in that color.

If I scrap the shelving idea, I think I like this Matisse Media Cabinet ( W: 55.0", D: 21.0", H: 30.0") at Eboniste. (They have it in parchment white, which I like, I just think the "oak cherused" shows up better in the picture.) However, the price on this is so ridiculous, I don't even want to write it down lest my ultra cheap boyfriend should read this and yell because I even considered it. Also, although it's deep enough to accomodate my c.r.t. model, I don't know if it would look OK if I ever got a flat screen. Plus, I've already previously boo'd the Eboniste (see Decorating Dilemma re Floor Lamps below).

I could just go for something easy and simple, which is also cheap, like this stand at Ballard Designs:

But, it just makes me sad.

I've thought that maybe just a simple bench like this one that I spotted on 1stdibs might work, but I would have the problem of where to put the cable box to contend with:

I think the only resort may be to get something custom made that has the shelves and could perhaps be easily altered if I ever got a bigger television. Oy!

Gramercy Park, New York City

2007-07-22T23:24:00.001-04:00

One of the greatest things about my apartment is the ability to go into Gramercy Park on a nice summer day. Gramercy Park, situated between East 20th and 21st Streets at the foot of Lexington Avenue, is the oldest private park in Manhattan. Only people residing around the park have the ability to purchase a key. Inside, the park ( really a large garden, the size of a city block) is truly lovely. A guilty pleasure, I have to admit, is listening to people pass by sounding just a little bit bitter about not being able to go in. :-P

Did You Know?: Combine Baking Soda & Vinegar to Clear Drain

2007-07-22T23:08:00.000-04:00

I read about this trick in a couple of different places: If you pour a cup of baking soda into your sink and follow up with a cup of vinegar it forms an effective clog remover. You're combining an acid and base, which forms a powerful reaction as well as makes a cool fizzy sound. I do it occasionally as a preventative measure. Baking soda also helps keep drains deodorized. I've never had this problem, but I've come across a few smelly sinks in my day.

Broken Floor Tile In Kitchen

2007-07-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

It's hard enough to keep an apartment clean and organized. Then just when you think you've fallen into a rhythm you can sustain, something else turns up that needs to be dealt with. I'm not crazy about the cheap floor tiles in my kitchen to begin with, but right now, I just need to deal with fixing this eyesore and safety hazard. After making a couple of trips to Home Depot to find a replacement tile, but leaving because finding someone in that crowded labyrinth to help me was too stressful, I finally manage to get myself over there again. Although I get some help, it turns out that you can't just buy a single tile (or two or three for that matter), you have to buy a whole case, one that has to be ordered from the warehouse because they don't have it in the store. I don't even mind paying the $11 dollars it will cost as much as I'm annoyed by the fact that I'll have a whole case of tiles left over to deal with (I am tempted to "boo" the Home Depot but will refrain only because the young man I eventually found to help me was actually pleasant and knowledgeable) . Fine, I ask for some grout. It turns out there are different colors of grout, not just grout-colored grout. So I order what to my best recollection seems like the right color which of course turns out to be wrong when I get home. Also, apparently you don't just need grout to afix the tile, you need mortar to lay it on, and the smallest size they have is a gallon! So I order that too. I will try to exchange the grout for the right color when I pick up my order up on Monday. I only hope that I can get home and fix this thing without making a bigger mess. (Update: http://fulllifenow.blogspot.com/2007/08/fixed-it.html)

Something Modern (For A Change)?

2007-07-19T12:27:00.000-04:00

I am not a modern gal, at least not when it comes to furniture. I tend to like classic, traditional pieces that have withstood the test of time (e.g., my English sofa, my Italian campaigne canopy bed, etc.). Now I find I need a ceiling fan (I have a small dining area with no windows that is pretty much useless because it gets so hot and stuffy), but I haven't seen one with a light fixture that isn't absolutely hideous. Enter the artemis ceiling fan from Chiasso. Despite being ultra modern it still seems understated and sophisticated to me. Right now, I think I have to concentrate on doing something with my pitiful, spartan entryway, but I'm keeping this one on my radar . . . .

Hipper Clothes at Brooks Brothers?

2007-07-17T15:14:00.000-04:00

I can't claim to be a big fan of Brooks Brothers despite having shopped there for most of my professional life and spent a small fortune at their stores. I purchased their clothes due to, in equal parts, a lack of courage and lack of alternatives: I consider their clothes "safe" for a professional environment and am a petite who refuses to purchase clothes that require altering (they carry a petite line of women's clothes). Also, the quality of the clothes is pretty much indisputable and I can say without employing hyperbole that their non-iron shirts have just about saved my life. Therefore, I reacted with cautious optimism when I read in today's Wall Street Journal that Brooks Brothers is launching a campaign to promote a new clothing line, Black Fleece, designed by Thom Browne. Browne, who won this year’s Council of Fashion Designers of America award for menswear designer of the year, is known for his ankle-bearing men's pants and teeny tiny jackets. I have serious doubts that the average male professional, presumably Brook's Brothers' staple customer, is going to embrace these fashions. Believe me, I work in the hedge fund industry and not even hedge funds are THAT cool yet. As a woman, however, I have to look forward to Brooks Brothers quality in a not so frumpy package. Now if they could just work on their snooty sales people.

Link to the article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118463380199268380.html?mod=todays_us_nonsub_marketplace

5 Ways I Save Money

2007-07-15T23:04:00.000-04:00

I harbor what some might consider an irrational fear of becoming homeless. It helps me to remind myself of the many luxuries I forego in order to save money, at least when compared to some of my cohorts living in Manhattan:

1. I do not own a car. I wouldn't even if I had a license and could drive.

2. I make my own coffee in the morning so as not to buy it every day - especially not overpriced coffee from Starbuck's which I don't think is especially good, just ridiculously strong.

3. I buy mostly black clothing that I can wear over and over without anyone noticing (or so I hope).

4. I have no need of a personal fitness trainer. Some people tell me they need a trainer to help keep them motivated. If I am not motivated to go to the gym, I simply do not go. And if I get tired while I'm there, I just give up and go home.

5. I do my own housecleaning. I used to hire a housekeeper to clean my apartment twice a month, but I decided to cut back on unnecessary expenses when I made the financial commitment to buy a place. (Lest anyone should feel sorry for her, just know that she was really racist and rearranged my furniture without permission.)

Finally, while not recommended, I date someone who is extremely cheap and chastises me for buying things (even when it is with my own money and he is not the least bit affected). Therefore, to keep the peace, I avoid making many purchases that I cannot hide from him.

Home Decor Dilemma: Floor Lamp

2007-07-13T14:24:00.001-04:00

Alas, it never ends. I am in need, I've decided, of a floor lamp for my living room. I actually searched for and then ordered one, some time ago, which never arrived (I hereby "boo" Eboniste). So, I resume my search. It seems that everything is pricier than I anticipated, but, for my home, I don't want to buy anything that I don't absolutely love. I have narrowed it down to a few models:

The Meurice lamp at Jonathan Adler is $375. I like it, but the shade is made of some type of hard material while I prefer fabric. Interestingly, Jayson Home & Garden also has the Meurice lamp with a white linen shade, $437:

Jonathan Adler also has the Meurice w/ table for $495. It seems nifty, but . . . I don't think so:

The Wilshire at Restoration Hardware ($599) was one of my first picks but I've since decided it's pricey and maybe a little stuffy:

Anthropologie's Sky Scraper ($298 with the shade sold separately) is pretty, but I've decided that I've already given too much of my money to this store.This bamboo nickel floor lamp from fusionhomestore.com w/ crocodile stamped turquoise faux leather oval shade ($399) is cute, but I can't do the blue shade.

The Lucille from Jayson Home and Garden is $1,485. Sigh. I think this one is beautiful, but find it hard to justify the expense.

I am now overwhelmed and think I will just wait.

A Strange Book: "Remainder" by Tom McCarthy

2007-07-13T12:56:00.001-04:00

My idea of "going out" means going to Barnes and Noble and perusing the books and magazines without buying anything. Last time, I came across this book in the "urban fiction" section which I picked up. All the critic's endorsements on the back cover indicated that this book was "very strange." I was intrigued and had to have it. I took it home and finished reading it in a few sittings. The prose is eerie and haunting. The story is about a man who has been severely injured in an accident he can't remember. As part of his settlement he receives an obscene sum of money. What he does with that sum is, indeed, all very strange.

Prevent Perspiration Stains On White Shirts With Baby Powder

2007-07-13T11:56:00.001-04:00

The August 2007 issue of Real Simple magazine contains this tip: "Sprinkle a little powder on the underarms and the collar of a shirt, then iron. The powder forms a barrier that prevents oil and grime from seeping into the threads. " I assume you have to iron the powder into the inside of the shirt in order for this to be effective. At any rate, I haven't tried it yet, but if this tip works, then I will have recouped the magazine's subscription price ten-fold. Woohoo! Here's the link to the feature (hope it works): http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1642864,00.html

Costa Rica

2007-07-12T12:56:00.001-04:00

Back in March of this year, we took the most amazing trip to Costa Rica. It was my second trip there, and I've vowed to return every year for the rest of my life (unless I go somewhere else). We stayed at the Punta Marenco Lodge, which is on a nature preserve near Drake Bay and right outside Corcovado National Park. We slept in a screened cabin that had electricity for only two hours a day. The trade-off for our somewhat rustic accomodations, was waking up to views of the ocean beyond the forest below us (we were on a hill) and the sound of howler monkeys and macaws. National Geographic has called the area the "the most biologically intense place on earth," and they're not kidding. We sat on our porch in the late afternoons and watched as an endless number of beautifully-colored birds swooped down into the trees below us, we went out on a boat ride and saw dozens of dolphins leaping out of the water just a stone's throw away from us (we didn't throw any stones), we went canoeing on the Rio Claro (transl.: Clear River) and were treated to a large family of spider monkeys swinging from tree to tree, we took a stroll down the beach and came upon eight or ten macaws, large tropical parrots with brilliant plumage, frolicking in the palm trees (macaws mate for life and apparently squabble the whole time - just like people, except people don't always stay together). The most amazing experience, however, was coming upon a baby sloth on a hiking trail. He looked up at us, smiled (I swear) and went back to sleep. Sloths live and sleep on trees and only come down once a week to poop, so this was an extremely rare sight. We dubbed the little guy "Paquito". And, I don't want this to be one of "those" sites, but just once, vacation pictures:

(Arrival at Punta Marenco)

(The view from our cabin porch)
(A waterfall on a trail off Rio Claro)
(Paquito!) I encourage anyone with the slightest bit of adventure in them to go. I can stand the drudgery of everyday life a lot better knowing that this place exists.

Indulgence: Costa Rican Coffee

2007-07-12T12:16:00.000-04:00

It doesn't matter how late it gets, my morning ritual, which basically involves staring into space for 15 minutes while I drink my coffee, cannot be disturbed. I discovered Cafe Britt coffee while on vacation in Costa Rica, and found it to be heavenly. I mean to try their other coffees (they also sell Peruvian coffee), but right now I'm hooked on their Costa Rican organic shade grown roast. It is smooth and rich and picks me up without making me feel edgy. I now order it online and also give to coffee-drinking friends and relatives as a gift on holidays.

By the way, the coffee is certified organic and the company claims to follow fair trade practices and help develop sustainable practices in coffee growing countries. I really hope that's true, because I love this coffee.

Decorate My Life

2007-07-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

I have a hard time finding and choosing the right jewelry. In the case of shoes and handbags, I know what I like and look for good quality. With clothing, I look for clothes that feel good to wear and fit well (although pants occasionally are still a problem). Accessorizing, however, seems to require some innate talent that I do not possess. Plus, I like to keep it simple, and picking out jewelry in the morning sounds as difficult to me as having to get dressed twice. So I throw my hands up, and don't wear any. But, as a result, I feel that I look unfinished. I recently bought a couple of bracelets, and am in serious need of some earrings - just a set of gold or silver posts to keep me from looking so plain. However, if I ever decide to amp it up, I may have to go for something like these pieces that I saw in last week's New York Times, in the "Sunday Styles" section (cocktail rings always seem so fun to me - they remind me of playing dress up as a kid):

Cocktail rings by Kenneth Jay Lane at vivre.com and http://www.intermixonline.com/.

Dominique Browning Rocks!

2007-07-10T10:59:00.000-04:00

Dominique Browning is my hero. She is the editor-in-chief of House & Garden, and the reason I look forward to my H&G issue every month. I subscribe to few magazines and rarely bother to read the editor's foreword, but Ms. Browning's essays are different - they are beautifully written and somewhat poignant. At first, I was surprised (and amused) at how seemingly unrelated to anything in the magazine the letters are and that she writes so honestly about intimate details of her life. She is of middle age, has been through a divorce, is suffering from "empty nest" syndrome and grapples with the decision of whether to sell her home. Ultimately, I love how her humanity comes through. Also, I love it that she doesn't bother to hide a bit of grey hair in her picture on the inside cover. I just googled her and was excited to learn that she's written a few books, one of which, "Around the House and in the Garden: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Healing, and Home Improvement", I ordered right away. I can't wait to receive it. Here's a link to one of her editor's letters (they can all be found on the magazine's web page). http://www.houseandgarden.com/magazine/editor/dbletter_20070613