Paris, full of girliness!

Don't you just want to go live in Paris? And be all girly and pink and full of pastel colors, eating pastries and riding bikes?

Oh I do!

Wintertime Fun: What fun it is to lose a job

I never thought I would be so happy to not have a job. Don't misunderstand me: it sucks to have less money, fewer things to do during the day, and have to spend effort and time worrying about a new one (and hopefully I can FIND a new one). It also is not very fun to be out and about when everyone else is at work. That is, everyone with a job. The crazies and the drunks are around in the middle of the day (does that mean I'm going to become one?!?!). 3-4 pm sort of reminds me of siesta in Spain--just like the middle of the night--when everyone is at home with their families, or in this case, all at work.

But on to the fun stuff. I've been mentally preparing for Christmas, thinking about things--what to cook, how to decorate. And I've been really preparing, too, by shopping, wrapping presents, decorating.

Also, its great to have the time when I would have been at work but other people had off of work. This includes 4-6 pm. I love extending my evenings, which has really increased my social life! I get to do things like go to the Other Side Cafe, and ice skating on Frog Pond, and Target, and eat lunch with my former coworkers (OK, I did get to do that before)!
So its really not been that bad. But I have been going into work to finish up a project, which will be finished by Friday, God willing!

Thanksgiving

I had a great Thanksgiving visiting Bob and Elle in Maryland. We sat around and ate a lot, and drank a bit of beer and pear-tinis, and had a basic Thanksgiving time. Everyone else had left by Saturday morning, so Brentan, Bob, Elle and I took a trip to DC and visited Mt. Vernon, and learned all about our first president.

But that was all a week ago, and now it is SNOWING outside here in Boston!


Thanksgiving pies.

Christmastime

The tree is up, the sparkly decorations are around, there is a wreath on my door, and I'm writing holiday cards.

It's early, but I'm excited this year!

LOLFed

Have you heard of LOLCats?

I bet you've never heard of LOLFed.

Thanksgiving.

I am so pumped for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to go somewhere, cook some pumpkin pie tomorrow, and spend some time with people I don't see very often!

Happy Turkey Day!

Sad, Sad Day for Pushing Daisies

Today is a sad day for Pushing Daisies. I found out that ABC will not be extending the delightfully whimsical, most creative show on television, past its initial 13 episodes this season. It is effectively canceled and done. Please join me as I mourn the loss of fantastic show.

Walking House

My brother is the MIT engineer mentioned in this short article in the New York Times this week. It profiles the house that moves that he worked to build last summer with a Danish art group, N55. How cool!

Old Things

I don't have much new stuff going on right now...kinda in limbo.
So! I decided I would post some old pictures from when I was in France a few years ago. They are some of my favorite pictures that I have ever taken.This is taken outside of Versailles, on a very cold, misty, magical winter day.
Also outside of Versailles.
The top of the Sacre Coeur in Paris.
Arc d'Triomphe with tourists.
Looking out of the Musee d'Orsay at the Louvre and the Sacre Coeur.
A giant ferris wheel at dusk in Nice.
The whole trip was not just pretty sights. This is Lauren and I when we were homeless and trapped in a train station overnight. They kicked us out of the waiting area and we had to stay in a place with no heat in January! What an adventure.

Not Done.

I thought I was done with this job. It is not so.

So much more work to do. YUCK YUCK YUCK.

New York Trip

I went back to New York last weekend, this time to visit Emily, who just moved there month or so ago. We went to the New Museum, which had a cool exhibit on Elizabeth Peyton, who paints portraits of all kinds of pop icons, like Kurt Cobain, below.
(Zoe’s Kurt, 1995)

We also went to Macy's where Emily bought a dress for the Sol Lewitt art opening next weekend at the Mass MOCA. Macy's was all decked out in their holiday decor, and it was a little overkill. Like most things Christmas-y.
On Sunday, we had brunch at the CUTEST little bakery/cafe near Columbia called Kitchenette. I seriously want to open my own place just like this. It was super crowded, so I didn't get to take any cool pictures of the details, but I got a few candids of Lauren and Emily. And I had AMAZING almond-cherry waffles.

Economic Victim

Ok. Its official. I am a victim of this bad economy, and I didn't really think it would come or happen to me.

I lost my job yesterday. And now I am part of the 6%+ of this country that are unemployed. My (ex)company is "disbanding" my group and let us all know yesterday. Some of us were absorbed into other practices, but I didn't make a good enough connection with anyone in the profitable groups to stay on, I guess.

It's sad, but it is really an opportunity. I have been thinking about trying some alternative jobs--writing, teaching, entrepreneurship--and this is a forced movement for me. I have to change! I have been thrown into the deep end, and it is sink or swim. Fortunately, I feel like I have bit of a life jacket on, so sinking is not really an option.

So I am putting myself out here on the world wide web in the hopes that someone might be able to help me, to connect me, with an opportunity.

It is weird, and a little embarrassing, but will be a good change overall, I believe. I'm prepared for the worst, and am hoping for the best. It is a week of change, and also a week of HOPE!

Change

This is surely a day of change.

Election Day: I Voted!

Happy Election Day!
I don't know how I'm going to get through this day, I am so excited, so pumped, and so ready for a Democratic victory!

Election Eve

Its the evening before election day! What an exciting time to be alive and participating in our country's democratic process.

To celebrate, and to eat tomorrow while watching the results, I baked Obama/election cookies!


Update: You can also see my cookies on the Yes We Cake blog, along with some other fantastic Obama cakes and baked goods!

The EPA as a Villain in Ghostbusters?

I had a great Halloween on Friday, and my friends showed up and we drank champagne and ate pumpkin pie! Also, we decided to put on Ghostbusters, since it was the only movie I own relatively relating to Halloween. And as we watched, someone remarked that it was really strange that the villain (other than the puff marshmallow guy) is the EPA regulator.

At what point in history did protecting the environment become cool? There must have been a turning point since 1984 that moved the EPA from villain to hero. Environmental regulation and protection has become a mainstream cause of support!

And why was the EPA guy so pompous and elitist? Most people I know who support the EPA are tree-huggers! (Or at least that's the stereotype!)

Granted, the Ghostbusters were trying to protect the city from dangerous paranormal activity, but they were also collecting ghosts and storing them in a non-tested, non-verified area.

But why is the EPA guy just such a pain in the ass?

Halloween Photos from my Blogroll

Photo by Cori Kindred
Is this you, Kristy? You look creepy....


Photos by The Cherry Blossom Girl

Happy Halloween

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
I just love this holiday.

Purple yarn and scarves, plus Halloween!

Here's the purple yarn I'm knitting into a scarf. Note the book in the background: "Never too old to knit: beautiful basics for baby boomers." This was the best into guide the library had on knitting. Great, huh? I especially love the pattern inside for a multicolored knitted tank top. Everyone is too old to be wearing that!These pics are from the Halloween party last Friday. Do I make a good Palin or what. Brentan is Joe Sixpack, if you can't tell.

Oh, SJOhle, you are so fun!

People in the Middle for Obama

My friend Julie worked on putting these videos together with the filmmaker that she is working for, and I thought they are super interesting, and well-made. To watch more, go to the site, www.peopleinthemiddleforobama.org

Too much sleep and caffeine

I can't sleep, can't sleep, can't sleep.

Weekend Fun

I took a break from the computer for the most part this weekend to do some tactical things.

First, I went to a Halloween party on Friday. I went as Sarah Palin. I was pretty gosh darn good at being her. Some people thought I was being serious. I did not like that so much. Other costume highlights: Angela and Dwight from the Office, a cool blue character from XMen, great, authentic lederhosen, and Britney a la Baby One More Time.

Second, I ate lunch outside on Sunday at the Other Side. It is the coolest place within a 3 block radius of my apt, and the most happening place for Sunday brunch on a beautiful fall day.

Third, I started knitting a scarf. I just decided to, went to the library to find a book on knitting, bought yarn, and started last night. I am about halfway done with a eggplant purple chunky knit scarf. Pictures to follow soon.

Maureen Dowd on Colin Powell on Barack Obama: Moved by a Crescent

I read this in a Maureen Dowd Op-Ed, Moved by a Crescent, this morning and it really moved me. Dowd writes about Colin Powell's decision to endorse Barack Obama. This passage explains a lot of what I've been feeling in this presidential race, and why I am not always proud of the people that live in this country with me, but proud of the people who stand up for racial, religious, and sexual prejudices:

"[Powell] told Tom Brokaw that he was troubled by what other Republicans, not McCain, had said: ' "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim. He’s a Christian. He’s always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer’s no. That’s not America. Is something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?'"

Official Launch: Style Idol

Pushing Daisies is on again tonight! Hooray! I am super excited, and every time I watch the show, I get more and more into it. I introduced two friends to it last night, with one of my favorite episodes: BitterSweets, where a rival sweet shop comes to town. Tonight's episode is Frescorts- the team tries to solve a murder at a rent-a-friend agency.

And that brings me to my new good news! I am officially launching a new blog, StyleIdol, and Chuck is my first subject. StyleIdol is all about finding inspiration and fantasy from atypical media sources and celebrities. Aka, there will be no Blair Waldorf/Gossip Girl posts on style. But plenty of free spirits, vintage ideas, color, and attitude. I thought I'd give the exclusive news to my loyal blog readers here. Please check it out, and feel free to leave me comments or suggestions on future Idols, or ways to improve the site!

Also a hint...next up on StyleIdol: A precocious six year old who rules the Plaza!

Pumpkin Pie and more visitors...

Lauren is coming to stay with me for a few days while she goes job hunting. Tonight we are going to make a pumpkin pie with Sarah! And have lasagna for dinner.
Tasty tasty evening!

Wonderful Weekend: Head of the Charles + 5k + out of town friends

It was another beautiful fall weekend here, and despite being slightly sick I managed to spend quite a bit of time outside. It was Head of the Charles, so Brentan and I walked down the Mass Ave. bridge all the way to Harvard, watching the crew boats go by. I had never been, despite living in Boston for over five years now. But it was cool, and relaxed, and very collegial, watching rowers pass by (and passing by three different universities, BU, MIT, and Harvard).
Boats waiting to be used....

Brentan by the Charles.

I also ran a 5k race on Sunday morning with Sarah. It was really cold, but we warmed up quick after running. I met my goal, which would be pretty pathetic to an actual runner, but for being sick, and staying out late the night before, it was great! Sarah and I really pushed it.
My face looks kinda smushed in this picture. I blame it on that icy wind off the ocean...
There was a BBQ after the race, which just consisted of the Sausage Guy's sausages. I liked their logo. Its a spacewoman pinup on a rocket. Get it? Right....

Design Hive

I think I want to go to the Design Hive in a couple of weeks when it opens. It is right around the corner where a bunch of my friends used to live. Too bad they aren't there anymore, but maybe we can reminisce, 21 Wendell...
So it basically is a hand made fair with:
* clothing (modern and vintage)
* handbags and accessories
* jewelry
* housewares
* ceramics, prints, and paper goods

So, that's pretty much what I have been into recently, and hopefully can score some cool things, or at least look at the pretty things that I don't need.

Also, I found these cute Boston pins on a blog I like to read sometimes, Paper Menagerie, and when I went to the etsy store, they weren't there! What other Boston fan could have bought them already?! Was it you!?

Pink, White, Chandelier

The pink chandelier is no longer pink! I forgot that my mom said that she would paint it white before she sent it. But now it is installed above the dining table and makes the grand living room in my apartment even grander. It also really blends in with the walls and curtains, which are gray and white.

Also, I'm feeling under the weather today, so came home early from work. I got a lot of stuff done though, which is great!

Also, I installed Google AdSense on my page. What do you think?

Fall, Pink Chandelier Update, and New Clothes

Oh, fall, how I love thee.
I think fall used to be my least favorite season. I don't really know why (because we "fall" into the despair of winter?), because it is so beautiful, and crisp. And I like wearing new clothes for fall. Like this dress in the picture, which may be my new favorite, kinda inspired by Chuck from Pushing Daisies (new episode tonight!), and also inspired by a friend who owns it too. Though, I really don't look like Chuck (wish I did!) The dress is not so fallish, but new from ebay, and I love it. I also got a new pair of kickass boots for fall, which I received a compliment on from my dentist this morning.

On another note: I got the pink chandelier in the mail today from my mom from the wedding! The project for tonight is to hang it up and watch it in all its splendor. I will post pictures soon, mostly because I will have internet when I get home today--Verizon came today to install it!

Also, this is what I am wearing today. I love how the proportions never look right on polyvore. Ha.

Fall in Vermont

I took a short weekend break to Vermont this past weekend, inspired by a friend's request for a ride. It was good inspiration, as the weather was beautiful and the tree color at its peak.

We went to TWO wineries and TWO breweries to taste lots of beer and wine! This is Brentan sitting outside the Shelburne Winery. They had really, really, ridiculously good ice wine. We were dumb and didn't buy any. We also went to Magic Hat brewery (which was essentially a grungy bar in a warehouse- fantastic!, Otter Creek brewery, and another winery I can't remember the name of)

Me among grape vines

GRAPES!

Fire Hydrant FAIL!

Hiking up Mt. Indepence, the site across the lake from Fort Ticonderoga. Very important in the French and Indian War, and the Revolutionary War, for you history buffs!

This is right before I slipped and almost fell into Lake Champlain. I just got really muddy instead.

The view from Mt. Independence, overlooking Lake Champlain