20something knowitall

new blog

2010-10-04T18:04:00.002-04:00

Hey, I'm now blogging over here: justabouthome.wordpress.com

It's about (you guessed it) my home, and I'll be blogging with my mom (what an experiment!).

If I have anything non-home-relevant, I'll probably still stick it up here!

I spy: a good blog series

2010-09-24T21:52:00.003-04:00

I really like sfgirlbybay's "i spy" series. Here's the most recent one. Here's one of my favorite ones.

Clotheslines

Chalkboard black

A secret garden

Summer

It makes me want to start my own little I spy series! I like how she varies the theme and always seems to put one of her own photos in the highlights.

Delish.

Spring Projects

2010-03-20T23:38:00.005-04:00

So not too many blog updates, but lots of things going on.

Spring is here, lots of flowers, green-ness, and nice, warm weather. Last week I started a mini garden in the backyard using a few old filing cabinets, spray paint, and screws. Nothing is ready to harvest yet, but the onion, peas, lettuce, and cilantro have grown a little.
Today I put together a little flower bed with the help of Brentan and an old door. No pictures yet, though.

Brentan is busy building a cabinet to house the kegerator and other various bar supplies. It is really coming along. I keep joking that he will finish before I am done with my chair cushion covers. (Which are still long in process...)

Work is going really well, and taxes are done. But tomorrow is the start to a six day work week. Maybe I need some camillas to get me started:

I'm an Upholsterer

2010-02-25T21:08:00.004-05:00

That's what I keep telling myself: I'm an upholsterer.

I started the other day taking notes and taking apart the cushions from this chair so I can recover them with some pretty green lattice fabric.
It's a little overwhelming. But a good start to becoming an upholsterer. If only I could learn enough to recover couches! Someday!

Homemade Headboard Project

2010-02-02T18:45:00.004-05:00

Brentan and I finally decided we needed to do something with our bed. Well, it's really just a mattress on wheels. We decided to make a headboard. After seeing it done on HGTV a while ago (see here, or an Apartment Therapy how-to here ), I figured it would be easy enough.

We bought fabric and batting from the fabric store and plywood and a staple gun from Lowes for the main piece. Also from Lowes, we got a few pieces of of molding and some wood stain for the frame. All the pieces for the main part were pre-cut, and all we needed to do was staple. Brentan cut and fit the molding together, and it is screwed on to the back of the plywood. We hung it on the wall and ta-da!

Easy as pie. And our bedroom looks way more put together.

From a Previous Life

2010-01-28T19:58:00.002-05:00

I was quickly looking through old posts and saw this:

Oh I miss those high ceilings and dramatic views from a previous life, don't you?

I just don't miss the green carpet!

New Projects

2010-01-26T16:25:00.003-05:00

I have already completed some projects that haven't been posted on here and started some new ones. I've started to tackle sewing again!

Here's what's been done since the last post:

I hung up two drawings that my Grandpa did while he was in SE Asia. They go really well in the dining area. See above.
I sewed a new cute dog bed for Daphne, and she loves it. No more stinky, ugly plaid, hello soft, fleecey pawprints and green!
Brentan made a doghouse for Daphne. (She is super spoiled) It is made with redwood, which makes it almost better than the regular house! It needs to be painted (prob. Wipeout blue!)
Reorganized the office. The big white Ikea bookshelf is now housed there, leaving the living room way more open and airy. And the office feels finished and is a productive space.

Here's what is in the works or soon to be started:

Framing some pretty pictures of Spring flowers from around our old apartment in Boston to hang above the bed.
Making a headboard for the bed. I got some cute fabric from the store and some molding to stain, so hopefully it will look really classy.
Reupholstering a mid-century chair from the Alameda flea market. I get some great green trellis fabric and am ready to start my first sewed furniture project. OK, maybe not. Maybe I need to mentally prepare myself more. It's really just making two new covers for cushions, but I'm scared they will look sloppy. Any tips?

Doggie Dog Dog!

2009-12-07T16:08:00.005-05:00

Meet Jackie, our new labradoodle!
She's a super sweet 5 year old, who we adopted yesterday from the NorCal Poodle Rescue. She's still a little scared of things, but I think will adjust soon.

New Danish Teak Table!

2009-11-11T20:21:00.002-05:00

I am so excited! Not only did Brentan and I find a nice, rectangular table from craigslist, it is a beautiful Danish teak table! I really <3 craigslist sometimes.
I swear, I would have had to pay $500 for this at the Alameda flea market.

Green Filing Cabinet and the Alameda Flea Market

2009-11-02T21:52:00.005-05:00

Brentan and I picked up this free (and heavy) filing cabinet yesterday from a craigslister. It was an ugly tan color, with no excitement. So after the Alameda Flea Market yesterday (which is AMAZING!!) I went to Home Depot, bought a can of spray paint and painted it green. It is an awful similar green to that in the kitchen, which I think ties the rooms in the house together nicely!

And it gives a nice pop of color to the office, and a great place to store files, which were previously all over the floor.

The office is still coming together. At the flea market I was keeping an eye out for a pretty vintage low and long cabinet or bookshelf to store all of our crap. There weren't any in good condition or quite what I wanted. What there were many of were pretty Danish modern kitchen tables--unfortunately none in our price range! I'm keeping an eye on craigslist for a good one.

PS. I'm linking this to DIY Day! Hooray!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T13:06:00.004-04:00

Zombies!!

Happy Halloween!
I'm off to the farmer's market, and then to make some creepy halloween decorations in time for trick or treating tonight. I'm excited to be in a neighborhood with lots of kids, and hope we get a few trick or treaters!

New Decor: DIY Art and a Bar

2009-10-28T17:48:00.003-04:00

I just finished up these paintings the other day, after being a work in progress for about a month and a half! Sarah helped me create the painting on the left. We went to Michaels and got some crafty stuff (paint, canvases, etc.) when she was here in September. We faux 'woodblock' printed it inspired by a print of a real woodblock print we saw in the store. The other canvas we put 3 circles on.

Well, after putting everything away, I decided I didn't really like the canvas with just 3 circles, so finally, finally Brentan and I painted over it the other night.

I think they look really nice, if not a little small for the wall in the picture. It was way cheaper than buying 2 canvases with pre-made art on them too! And now our little house is just a little more personalized with Sarah, Brentan, and my fingerprints on it!

I also put together this little bar schene on the wall next to the TV where the kegerator is. Don't pay too much attention to the creepy hand, that's just the tap handle. I got the mirrored plate at an estate sale a few weeks ago and I LOVE it. So mid-century and really pretty, and exactly what I was looking to put here. The art above it is from an ad in an old 60's magazine (Holiday) that I also found at an estate sale and framed. It's for Seagrams, and I liked the color and thought since all my friends from Boston love gin and tonics it's a little dedication to them! :) Then I put together a little still life on the top of glasswear and alcohol bottles I already had.

I'm looking to make a little skirt with some wild pattern to cover the base of the kegerator. It just looks like an ugly mini-fridge so I thought it needs some interest. I still have to find some good fabric and measure it all out and find some time to do it though...

Sonoma Wine Country

2009-10-09T21:30:00.005-04:00

Last Sunday Brentan and I went up to the little town of Windsor, CA in Sonoma County to meet up with Uncle Lloyd and Helene who were there for the past week tasting wine and eating good food with their wine group from North Carolina.

We went to a few wineries with them and had a nice dinner with their group! I took a few pictures at Acorn Vineyards, which was super tiny.

Wine country was not as snobby and upscale as I thought it would be. I had only ever been wine tasting in Vermont and Maryland, which are not known for their nice wines like Sonoma County is! (Not to say Vermont or Maryland wine was bad) I did have some delicious wine on Sunday though!
Oh boy, Brentan enjoyed those fresh-from-the-vine merlot grapes! Where can we buy those? :)

It was a party. Lloyd has some wine for the party later, too!

Lonny Mag -- The new Domino?

2009-10-05T14:06:00.002-04:00

A few people from the ill-fated Domino magazine have returned to the design publishing space with the launch of Lonny Magazine. It's an online magazine that has a similar aesthetic as Domino, and many, many more pages. And it's free, since it's online!
Thanks to Design*Sponge, which I love love love, I found out about the cool new magazine. And the first issue features the apartment of the editor of DS, Grace Bonney. Very cool, and I am already looking forward to the next one!

Things have been very good here-- Carpet is being installed as I write, I'm working more (yay money!), and I took a quick trip up to wine country this weekend. A full report on that to come....

Fresh Home Table and Thailand Send-Off Party!

2009-09-28T22:20:00.004-04:00

Becky was visiting on her way from Boston to Thailand this week and we cleaned up the backyard for a going away shindig for her and to celebrate the new backyard! Sarah B also came to visit, but more on that later. I got a cute outdoor tablecloth from Target on sale that matches the benches to the table. Love it. Also love the table and benches that are made from the plans in the summer edition of Fresh Home magazine.
Becky and I posed for some photos before the party as we relaxed for the afternoon with lemonade and design magazines (along with an Economist that neither of us read!). Oh I love these gorgeous warm fall afternoons here!

Pebble Beach, Monterrey and Guests!

2009-09-19T01:43:00.003-04:00

Despite the patio makeover, which is still going on, I've had a little bit of time to chill out, relax in the end of summer California weather, and entertain a few guests in the new home. Last week I took a quick day roadtrip with Brentan and my grandparents to Monterrey and saw a few things...

Brentan had a good time exploring old buildings.
Grandpa caught a giant sea squid.
We had lunch at the Pebble Beach golf course, and watched people as they finished the 18th hole.
And I saw giant dahlias...
and giant cacti, as inspiration for the garden!

Sarah came to visit this week and we had a delightful time picnicking, exploring, pretending we were undergrads again, and meeting up with old friends. Pictures to come as soon as she sends them to me!

Pretty Patio and Pergola PLUS Picnic Table

2009-09-14T19:54:00.005-04:00

Brentan is finishing up the pergola on the patio right now as I sit here and blog! He started a few days ago, sawing and drilling, and now we have a beautiful, California, redwood pergola, that seems ubiquitous in our neighborhood. After deciding to put one in, I started noticing them everywhere, even at the gas station down the street. It is going to provide some much needed shade in our backyard! It is still not quite finished, as I said before, but you can see the results.

In process:
And mostly finished!
We're looking for some cute, durable, cheap lights to hang around the pergola (since Brentan hard wired it for electricity, of course), so if you have any suggestions, please tell me!

You might also notice these cute built in planters that Brentan made all by himself:

I love them, and the colorful poppies and snapdragons he picked out for them! (I also love him, because he made me a pergola, AND a picnic table)

A picnic table for the patio is still in the works, mostly because I haven't had time to finish painting/staining it, and it was RAINING here for the last few days. From all that I've heard, rain in September in San Francisco is unheard of. But here is the table and benches in progress, they will eventually be a blue-aqua color on the base ("Wipeout"), and natural color stained redwood on top. More to come...
Also! We put up these cute mid-century house numbers to go with our mid-century house:
Also! You might want to know what we decided on the carpet! We dumped Home Depot, and went with the large carpet store. We managed to talk the sales guy down to only $300 above Home Depot, and we will get much better installation, continuing service, and product. I'm really happy about it. Installation in about 2 weeks!

Spotlight on the Kitchen

2009-09-12T11:47:00.006-04:00

Kimba over at A Soft Place to Land has picked my kitchen redo as one of her favorites in her weekly Do It Your Day posts! I am so honored to be picked, and thanks for the many comments on my blog! I posted a comment attached to that post, but thought I would reiterate what I wrote here:

My husband and I did all the work on the kitchen project, without the help of professionals. Just to clarify a few things on what changed:
-Primed and painted the cabinets white
-Tore out a tile counter top and replaced it with one from Ikea
-Retiled the backsplash with white subway tile
-Installed under cabinet lighting from Ikea
-Painted the walls green

And we did it all for about $1000. Saved so much by doing it ourselves!

Guests! and hating Home Depot and Lowes carpet

2009-09-05T20:58:00.007-04:00

As of yesterday our house looked like this:

But now it is all clean because we have our first guests visiting tomorrow! My grandparents are coming from Connecticut to visit us and go to a Bar Mitzvah in Palo Alto. So they get a nice, freshly painted room, with new (to us) furniture, thanks to my friend Kate! Here is the "Before" of the guest bedroom:With our mess in it:

And the "After":

Like always, it needs a little more personalization, so this isn't the complete after. In fact, Brentan and I went shopping yesterday for new carpet for the bedrooms and hallway. So it will look even nicer in a few weeks when we have it installed! I really hate Home Depot and Lowes right now for their service on carpet. Brentan and I first went to a few carpet stores where the people knew everything about the carpet, installation, and anything we want to know. At Lowes, they tell us it is about $40 just to get a non-refundable measurement and quote, and we walk out. The carpet stores don't charge anything. At Home Depot, the woman there tells us it is a $50 measurement. Plus, she doesn't even work in the carpet section and doesn't know a thing about the carpets. Not a thing. So half of me wants to go with a carpet specialist and get great service, and the other half says we are on a tight budget and the only thing we can afford is Home Depot carpet and installation despite the crappy service. A guy from the carpet store is coming on Tuesday to measure (for free!), so we'll see if we can talk him down a bit, and maybe save $500 from his quote. Always the dilemna... expensive specialists, or cheap big box stores.

Bathroom "After"

2009-08-30T20:19:00.004-04:00

The bathroom is finished! Brentan worked very hard last week, and I did very little since I was at work most of the week. It looks great!

Before:

After:

Brentan installed new tile on the floor and countertop, (Do you like the blue decorative border?), replaced the faucet, and painted the walls. I painted the cabinets and all the trim, and designed the color scheme. :) It still needs a bit more detailing, like new handles on the drawers and some towel racks and just a little more warmth and coziness. But you can see the big changes to the room, and how it is just more inviting.

Any ideas for pictures/decor above the toilet? I'm open to something fun, since the rest of the bathroom is pretty conservative!

Also, look what our house has:
No blue tarp on top of it! Yes, that's right, our house got a new roof last week too! By far the most expensive of our renovations, yet the most inconspicuous.
I need to plant some flowers in the front yard to cheer things up a little in that barren yard, but so far there's just been time to focus on the interior.

Next project to tackle:
Put drywall on the water-damaged room, and paint the bedrooms (as well as finish up the living room arrangement).

Kitchen "After"

2009-08-24T18:20:00.003-04:00

The kitchen is finally finished! There are still a few more things to touch up, but for the most part it is done! Brentan and I unpacked all of our kitchen things, and set up shop in the kitchen. I forgot that I own so many kitchen accessories. I just have too many! (But I'm going to love being able to use them again.)

So here are the official before and after shots:

Before:

After:

And this is a better picture of the color we painted the walls. Do you like it? I didn't know if I liked it at first. It is very vibrant, and is definitely growing on me.

Still Painting

2009-08-20T16:47:00.002-04:00

I'm still painting the kitchen cabinets. I had no idea how much work it would be to paint all of them!
Step 1: Scrub
Step 2: Sand
Step 3: Prime
Step 4: Paint
Step 5: Sand
Step 6: Paint
Step 7: Wipe
Step 8: Attach hardware and hinges
Step 9: Hang on cabinets

And I need to do 1-7 for each side of the cabinet doors, as well as for the cabinets themselves. I'm on step 6 right now, waiting for one side to dry. So I'm almost there! And then I get to paint the kitchen (bright green!). Brentan installed new countertops (which you can see in the last post) and just finished grouting the new subway tile backsplash, which I am SUPER excited about. I've seen it in design magazines and such for a while, and really wanted it, and now I have it! Pictures to come, hopefully tomorrow or the next day!

Kitchen Remodel

2009-08-18T16:27:00.005-04:00

So many things have happened since that last post. Brentan arrived here in California, we "moved in" without really opening any boxes yet, and started remodeling the kitchen in the new house! We've been working really hard, for about 10 hours a day (except for when I'm working), and making good progress. Here are some before and "during" shots. I hope to have the "afters" by tomorrow or Thursday!

Before:

During:

We do have one room set up in the house:
It still needs a new coat of paint and new carpet, but that will wait until we are done with the main living spaces.

The living area:
It has gotten even messier since this picture!

More San Francisco and the new house!

2009-07-24T23:03:00.004-04:00

It has now been a few days in San Francisco and I'm adjusting to the cool weather and different life!
I interviewed a bunch of people at the museum and today I had the day off, but I'm working all weekend!

Today Kate and I hiked a bit of the Coastal Trail in Lincoln Park. It was very dramatic and a beautiful view of the GG Bridge, the sea, and tankers coming in and out of the bay. Until the early 20th century a train ran where the trail is now, leading to baths and a hotel. The train kept derailing and the track eroding, so they stopped service. We took the remnants of the 1 California street car (actually bus) to the park to begin with.

After our little hike, I went out to Newark to see the house that Brentan and I are buying. It sure is a fixer-upper! Notice the blue tarp on the roof? Yeah, the roof needs some fixing. And there is some termite damage....
After looking at the house I came back into the city, did some shopping, and went to this amazing book store, called Green Apple Books, which is a block from where I am staying! It is one of the better bookstores in the city (as touted by my NFT San Francisco book), and I traded my recently finished "In Defense of Food" for Madame Bovary.

Tomorrow I'm going to the famous Ferry Plaza farmer's market! Oh I think I love being in this new West Coast culture.

But I have to give a shout out to my Boston people, who I miss so much! Especially since they are going camping/having a BBQ this weekend and I'm not going to be there!!

In California!

2009-07-23T00:25:00.004-04:00

I'm in California!
I left Boston yesterday morning, and have moved in (for a few weeks) with my friend Kate from college in the Inner Richmond. She lives in a cute condo with another fantastic Wellesley woman, Carla.
I forgot how cold it is here! It hasn't reached 60 degrees since I've arrived in the city. When will it get warm? Will it ever? I didn't really bring too many warm clothes...

So it is cold, but that is about the only negative. Good things are:
1. There is great shopping. I forgot that I love to explore new cities for shopping. Kate took me to this place called Jeremy's yesterday, which feels like this really posh department store, but it is all at discount prices. It is in this gorgeous old loft-like factory building in SOMA. So what if the majority of clothes are Dianne Von Furstenburg and Prada and Dior? It is fun to look and hold them, and know that you might be able to afford it. Also a lot of J Crew and Anthropologie, so that's more affordable. I didn't buy anything, but can see that I might go back in search of a sweater or something if I get really cold.
2. I get to drive by the Golden Gate bridge on the bus on my way to work all the time. So iconic, so structural, and yet still so beautiful.
3. Delicious Mexican food! Before I went in to Jeremy's I went to this Mexican fast foodish place called Mexico au Parc. (I don't know why the name isn't in Spanish and is in Catalan or Portugese or something) My burrito was SMOTHERED in sauce and guac and salsa. And *bonus* came with fresh tortilla chips.
4. My new job! It seems like it is going to be great. I had a quick orientation today about how to interview people, and I will hit the ground tomorrow with a bunch more interviews! HR and data entry orientations to come next week. I think it is going to be a fun, good steppingstone job!

Anyways, I wish I could be back in Boston this weekend to go hiking and camping, but alas, I am going to be working....and I'm still in CA. Must find some other great stuff to do. Farmer's markets? Hiking to Land's End? Good coffee shops? Suggestions?

Also, here is a cute picture of my nephew, Jack, in his car seat from when Brentan and I visited him, Bob, and Elle in Maryland.

LFO

2009-07-13T22:58:00.003-04:00

So apparently these guys were at the Middle East in Boston tonight

I was having a drink outside, but unfortunately didn't hear them sing this song.

Oh nostalgia. It brought me back to 8th grade. Though I never had realized that they are SUPER from Long Island. And the video is filmed at Coney Island, which really is the epitome of summer.
Ha. Ha ha hahahahah. So much internal laughing.

Life Update

2009-07-07T16:54:00.005-04:00

Its been a month! I've been blog lazy. But I've been otherwise busy!

First, I got a job! I went out to San Francisco to interview for a position at the Exploratorium, and found out less than a week later that I got the job. I am super excited for the job, it involves interviewing lots of people and building on my research/interview skills. I'm starting in 2 weeks and have to get my apartment in order to move out. I won't be back to live in Boston after my one-way flight to CA! Brentan will drive across the country with some of our stuff.

Second: The house that we were looking at before completely fell through (though the deal isn't completely dead yet), so on my trip to San Francisco I looked at a few more houses in Fremont and Newark and put an offer on a really cute house with a large yard. I would love to live there, but who knows what will happen.

Third: I took a trip back to Minnesota to visit my family and go to a wedding of my childhood friend, Sonja. The wedding was really pretty, and I had a fun time, as always, catching up with people I haven't seen in years. Since high school!
Brentan and I at the wedding.Flower envy!

So thats the big updates in my life. Next weekend I'm visiting my new nephew, Jack, in Maryland. I can't wait to meet the little guy!

Also, Henry got a boat. I got to ride in it. We almost sank, but it was an adventure!

Hipsters in Williamsburg and Freaks in Coney Island

2009-06-08T14:33:00.005-04:00

I went for a quick weekend trip to the Big Apple this weekend, which may be the last in a long time. Brentan and I stayed with his friend Ante (mr best man from the wedding) in his cute apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is home to the most hipsters ever. We started counting, but lost track immediately. I loved the neighborhood--it was gritty, urban, and friendly and interesting. Tons of cute shops and cafes that I didn't get to explore! There was also a street market and crafty fair that we perused. So nice!
On Saturday afternoon Ante, Brentan, George and I went to Coney Island. It was pretty much like I expeced, a little of the previous kitsch, and a lot more of more recent touristy stuff. The Cyclone and Nathan's hotdogs were there.

George

Ante

Brentan

I also got to see Emily on Saturday night in Manhattan for a fun party before she heads off to Turkey forever again!

So, a great weekend!

California Update: Short Sales and Decorating a la Anthropologie!

2009-05-28T17:19:00.002-04:00

I am just super excited about the two places Brentan and I put offers on. I just found out that we are the highest of two bids on the little house in Redwood City that I previously posted about. Since it is a short sale, and there are two lenders on the house, it has to be approved by both of them. The price was originally pre-approved, but I also found out that that has expired, so it is going to take a little bit longer. I get to excercise my patience. I hope I'm just not getting my hopes up too much. I think I might be a little because I'm scheming of all the pretty things I'm going to put in that house...
I walked into anthropologie today and got some inspiration. Like these chairs and table for a outdoor patio:

Or some cute linens:

And some lanterns:
Hanging under a lush umbrella for shade:

Ok, so I could put this stuff anywhere. But so cute.

House Hunting: Peninsula Style

2009-05-27T19:21:00.007-04:00

Just got back early yesterday morning from a weekend of house hunting in the Bay Area! Brentan and I put an offer on two very different places. We're hoping to get the best bang for our buck. We saw about 15 properties, condos and single family homes, in various states of disrepair, all short sales (which is the step before foreclosure, the bank sells the home for less than what the owner owes). So here are the two we bid on:
"Dollhouse" on Northumberland Ave.

Condo in Shelter Creek

You can probably tell which one I am leaning towards.

Hello Mr. Olympus E-510

2009-05-21T19:50:00.004-04:00

I want you all to say hello to my new digital SLR Olympus E-510, who will now be the main photographer for this blog.
He is very happy to be a part of this project, and I am very happy to have him as my early anniversary/birthday gift from Brentan. Though he is not brand new, he has some experience from a craigslister who has upgraded. It is safe to say, he is in good hands now...

Whiptails Weekend + Bro-In-Law

2009-05-19T10:19:00.004-04:00

Last weekend was a Whiptails filled weekend. It was Millyfest + Alum Game, and I'm pretty sure the alum, ahem *vintage*, whiptail team dominated. I didn't take any pictures, because I was too busy having fun. And it was great seeing people who I hadn't seen in a year or so. Although I missed the far away people (JessKwan, Tori, Rachel, I'm calling you out)! It was great playing frisbee again, which I also haven't done in a year. I used muscles I forgot that I have.

Also, my brother in law, Bryce, came into town from CO on Saturday, and I'm playing tourist with him, especially when Brentan is at work. Sunday we went to see Spring Awakening, which, although the music and singing was outstanding, was a little disappointing. There was very little plot, and the acting was sub-par. I felt like there was so much emotion and very little expression of it on the actors' part. I wanted to cry, to laugh, but it wasn't there.
Also, Bryce and I went to the Museum of Science yesterday and hung out with the schoolchildren. I'm also always underwhelmed by that museum. But then we went to see the Pawtucket Sox game last night after Brentan was done with work, and that was fun. And cheap! Including the food and beer!

So now, Bryce is still sleeping and I should come up with something to do this afternoon....

Camping on Cape Cod

2009-05-12T13:07:00.008-04:00

I already posted my photos to Facebook, but I thought I would add some description to my Cape Cod adventure from this weekend.

Brentan and Sarah B. and I decided around midnight on Friday that we would go camping at the Cape Cod National Seashore for the weekend. Brentan and I had been thinking of it for some time, and now that Sarah doesn't have a job (sad) we had a little room for spontaneity!

It rained until 2pm on Saturday, which was ok, because we left late on Sat. morning (per usual, I'm turning into a not so prompt person). But then we were on the Cape, and I had never really spend any time there, and it was so beachy, more than I would expect. We went for a little walk on the beach by our campsite in Nickerson State Park. We saw lots of sea creatures, including a crab metropolis. I couldn't count how many tiny crabs lived in the sand!
Then we went and looked at some lighthouses. There was a bride and groom there taking pictures. A Cape wedding would be so beautiful. And later we set up camp and made some delicous dinner of brats and corn.Sunday morning we got up really early to see the sun rise over the Atlantic. It was the first time I had seen the sun rise over the ocean, and probably the last in a long time. However, I am more looking forward to some sunsets! After snapping some quick pictures, we went back to camp and slept for 3 more hours.
The rest of Sunday was spent hiking and exploring Provincetown. We took a 4 mile hike out onto this peninsula which used to be an island. It used to be a hot whaling location. We did see a dead blackfish, which is a type of whale, on the beach. We had lunch in P-Town at a restaurant with a nice patio overlooking the marina.
Then it was a drive back to Boston! Great weekend!

Taza Chocolate and Albertine Press

2009-05-03T10:55:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a quite lovely afternoon. I went with my friend Lydia and Brentan to the open house at the Taza chocolate factory in Somerville and went on a tour of their factory. It was very cool, and although I've been to a brewery, a winery, and a tea factory, making organic chocolate is a bit different. And it was a smaller place, where they still do a lot of the work by hand--including wrapping all of the chocolate. The chocolate is all made in a traditional way, stone ground, and it is all dark chocolate, they don't use any milk! And quite delicious. Our tour guide explained that they don't conch the cocoa beans which makes their chocolate have a nice, authentic texture. Oh yum, I'm just remembering it so well, I want to eat some of the chocolate I bought! They sell their chocolate all over the Boston area, and I would recommend trying it if you never have. It's all made locally at thier cool factory!

After the tour, and tasting more chocolate, we went upstairs to visit Albertine Press, a cute little letterpress printing shop, which is in the same building. They had about 7-8 letterpress machines, and did a little demo on how they work. Very cool. I love the aestheic of letterpress, and it was so cool seeing it in action. It makes me want to become a printer. So how much do you think a letterpress machine costs? I bought a cute card that I can use soon!

Little Neglected Blog

2009-04-30T17:59:00.003-04:00

Oh little neglected blog, I miss you. I ended up going out and taking some beautiful pictures of the streets of Back Bay a whole week ago, with the intention of putting them up here. And now it is a week later, and I am just finally putting them up.

Coco Avant Chanel

2009-04-23T15:20:00.002-04:00

I can't wait for this movie to come out in the US! I love Audrey Tautou, and this just looks beautiful. I'm a little sorry I don't understand any French, because I would like to know what they are saying in the trailer.

I Heart Flowers!

2009-04-22T22:25:00.003-04:00

I just can't get enough of this GLORIOUS spring!

Monday was the Boston Marathon, and I basically spent all day outside watching the runners, and picnicking with friends. All of the flowers are blooming along Commonwealth Ave., tulips, magnolias, pansies, cherry trees, all beautiful and colorful. I seem to forget how cheerful the world gets in the spring, how more fragrant the trees are than I remember.
I just want to go out and take more pictures of flowers!

Guest Post and Mass Innovation Night

2009-04-09T15:52:00.003-04:00

Two big events in less than 24 hours, both personally and professionally.

First, Tina at the Carrots N Cake blog was generous enough to let me write a guest post about finding the right restaurant for you. I talk about traditional ways, like talking to friends, as well as exploring new media, like my site xelago.com.

Second, last night was Mass Innovation Night! xelago and nine other companies showcased new products to an audience of several hundred people. It was very helpful and productive for xelago, and for me personally. Brentan and I met all sorts of people, and even got interviewed by a Boston Globe reporter. All the interesting people and new ideas were incredible. I only wish I had been able to check out some of the other products that were there; I was too busy telling people about xelago. Also, I don't think I realized how huge Twitter is until last night. omg so many people on Twitter!

Anyway, thanks to the new people I met, new people I will meet, and to Carrots N Cake!

Back on the Job Search Horse

2009-04-07T14:02:00.002-04:00

I'm back looking for jobs in San Francisco, and working on xelago after a few weeks hiatus doing a bit of contract work for a consulting company. (Ask me in person how much I liked this).

Its hard to get myself motivated to do stuff. Stuff I don't necessarily want to do. I want to search for things online, and make crafts, and just be passive, and I have to be a little more aggressive and motivated. Well, I am motivated, just not motivated enough to do anything about it.

Any tips for actually getting your butt in gear? Also any tips on how I can make xelago super successful? Or tips on fantastic jobs that I would love and am completely qualified for in San Francisco starting around August?

Mole!

2009-03-28T14:45:00.003-04:00

Last weekend Brentan decided to make some absolutely delicious mole sauce for some tacos. I decided to document. He used a recipe from his new Rick Bayless cookbook he got from my mom, and the mole turned out AMAZING. It brought me back to Mexico, and tasted very authentic. Too bad he had to go to hockey afterward, otherwise I would have made some fresh margaritas!

Here are the roasting tomatoes, which made for a smoky salsa.
And the roasted hot pepers.
The final, colorful meal!

Dear Penelope Trunk,

2009-03-23T00:45:00.004-04:00

I think you rock. I think you rock in a way that I don't normally admire in people. I like that you are honest and open in your blog posts and tweets. I like that you don't post annoying things like most of the people on my twitter feed and blog roll and Facebook page, and that you only post when something really, really funny or interesting happens to you. You don't post as often, but you post way more quality.

You respect my time and effort to read your input to the blogosphere and don't fill it with mindless crap. It might be mindless, but it is ALWAYS entertaining. I come out of reading your blog posts with a fresh attitude and a lighthearted look on life. I like that you are fresh. So thanks.

Sincerely,
Liz

Startups are exhausting.

2009-03-17T14:09:00.003-04:00

xelago.com is off and running! It is a huge time-eater, and I know the battle is uphill from here! I have to develop a marketing scheme, gain a large user base, establish it as a LLC (which may or may not include spending several hundred dollars), and get the word out. I sure have my work cut out for me. So send it to all of your friends, 20somethingknowitall readers! (Shameless plug, I know!)

Last night I was just so tired after working really hard on it all day. And everything I read says startups will take up all of my time! I just want to reiterate that--it has so far! I am also having a ton of fun, and am planning a large launching party next week--all of my friends can come over and we can just send it out to as many people as possible who might be interested!

Wow, this internet world is so large, and so overwhelming. I feel so little, and so disconnected as I try to promote things from my apartment every day. I might as well be in China.
But I'm not, and that lights a fire under me. xelago has a lot of content to offer, and hopefully it changes the way people interact with their city--trying out new things, recommending things to do to their friends.

xelago.com Pre-launch!

2009-03-13T10:30:00.002-04:00

I finally have xelago.com up and running and it is ready to be tested! If anyone is interested in trying it out, I would appreciate it so much!

If you haven't been to the site before, it will ask you to register. After you register you can find friends, and connect through Facebook to automatically add your Facebook friends that use xelago. Then you need to rate a whole bunch of places and events! I keep adding and updating them, so there will be more, but if you see that your favorite or least favorite thing to do isn't added, please suggest it through the site!

Once a few people have signed up and rated things it will give you recommendations, which is the best part!

PLEASE let me know if you have any trouble using the site, or if you have comments, fixes, spot any bugs, or think of any cool features I should add.

Oooooh, I am so excited for people to begin using it!

Dear Doostang,

2009-03-05T16:55:00.003-05:00

I really would like to use your website, I would. You offer so many interesting sounding jobs, and not just in finance. But I can't justify paying you $30 a month to join your premium membership. And all of your job postings seem to be premium access only! I can't even look at these jobs. How are you getting the best of the best if you insist on PAYMENT to access these jobs. I am an exceptional job candidate, but I can't justify paying you money, because I am OUT OF A JOB which is why I need to use your site. Please give me free access so I can continue to use your services. I'll even look at some ads if you want me to.

Sincerely,
Liz

Domino Mag?!

2009-03-05T15:34:00.003-05:00

I thought Domino was out of business! I was super surprised when this showed up at my door today!

What a great surprise!

Also, there was no mention of them shutting down in the editor's note, or anywhere else that I could see.

Can't wait to start reading it.

Ok, now I'm looking at their website, and it says March is their last month. So this is the last one...

xelago.com

2009-03-04T13:26:00.003-05:00

I keep working so hard on the website, now named xelago! I hope its really going to be amazing and have tons of users, and be just great!
I keep reading all these other blogs about startups and entrepreneurship, (I really like Jun's Startup Life, I even got a shout out from him, and Mixergy). It is really interesting. You always hear about doing what you love, and I really love (so far) making my own web site! (Especially since I have an awesome cohort that already knows how to code)

So, all 4 of you who read this site and live in Boston, better go join xelago when it is ready!
You can see (to the right) that we even made a little widget to post to your blog that will show which places are recommended to you! I don't have any recommendations yet, because I have to rate things first.

oh, SOOOOOO exciting!

Snowy, slow day, and new Twitter!

2009-03-01T11:59:00.003-05:00

Today it is snowing outside, and it is going to be a lazy Sunday. Well, a lazy Sunday where I get a lot done, hopefully.

The website-in-development is going so well. Brentan is amazing at coding it, and I am scheming on how to get the word out and get people to use it. We want to launch it soon, so we can get it going. Its really going to be good I hopw.

I also just joined Twitter, so am now part of the mini-blogosphere. I heart web 2.0. I just can't get enough. I've also thought about looking for technology/web related jobs when we head out to San Francisco later this year. It might be something interesting to pursue, since I have such a fascination with it. And it will really help that I've started my own website!! So, if you want to connect with me on Twitter, I have the same username as always, ekronick.

Maine Trip

2009-02-16T23:54:00.003-05:00

I just got back from great short weekend trip to Maine with a few friends. It was very relaxing, since everyone was getting over sicknesses, we stuck to easy activities. I forgot my camera though, but took a few pics on Sarah's, so maybe I will get them up sometime...

We went to this beautiful lighthouse, five minutes away from Becky's house!

I'm Published: FDIC Releases First National Survey of Banks' Efforts to Serve the Unbanked and Underbanked

2009-02-05T17:13:00.003-05:00

The report that I worked on for the past year and a half finally got published by the FDIC. You can see my name on the attached document! I am super excited about it, since it really took a long time, and I was (one of) the driving force behind it for a long time.
It probably doesn't sound that exciting from the title and press release, but we started on this before the sub-prime crisis, before the banking crisis, before the huge economic downturn, really. So it is breakthrough information, as well as timely information.

Barack Obama

2009-01-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

Barack Obama inspires me to be a better person.

New Web Site Idea!

2009-01-18T18:10:00.002-05:00

I've recently been looking for some entrepreneurship opportunities and came up with a great idea for a new website, which is a little like a combination of Yelp and Netflix. I don't want to reveal too much, but essentially, it will give recommendations on things to do (concerts, museums, restaurants, etc.) based on previous ratings. Brentan is helping out with the coding a lot. And if you want to help me out a little, you can go to this survey I made, and fill it out!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=B_2bU7mXFsKukqy5UCpjim5A_3d_3d

It would be fantastic if you could spend about five minutes filling this out. If you could send it out to some other friends, I would really appreciate that, too!

Also, if you have any web site hints or tips, or would like to help me out in this endeavor, please feel free to get back to me! Wish me luck!

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Really?

2009-01-13T18:56:00.003-05:00

Really? I saw the preview for Confessions of a Shopaholic while watching TV earlier. Really? In this economic crisis? Is it really ok for the movie/fashion/entertainment industry to be pushing a movie portraying a woman going crazy trying to break her credit card out of a block of ice? To liken shopping with love? I'm sometimes a sucker for chick flicks (I liked The Devil Wears Prada), but I don't think this one is really going to be good. In fact, I think it is going to completely flop. I'm sure there is a good, wholesome, moral ending, where Isla Fisher's character finds true love and a way to pay off her debt, but I don't think that that is even appropriate when our entire economy is going under, when it makes light of people like that who are in serious financial trouble today.

Since its loosely based on a book, like so many other mediocre movies of the same genre (Nanny Diaries, He's Just Not that into You), the filmmakers may have think it will be a success in the same vein. But when the New York Times style section is shopping at WalMart, and Vogue is half as thin as its previous volumes, how is this film going to make it? Who am I kidding, they may think it will flop, too, and are out of money that they just need to try to break even...

Tess of the D'Urbervilles on Masterpiece Theater

2009-01-12T11:44:00.004-05:00

On Sunday nights, while Brentan plays hockey, I have taken to watch Masterpiece Theater on PBS. Sometimes the shows are cliched Masterpiece Theater, like Pride and Prejudice, but the last few weeks have been Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Now, I've never read the Hardy novel, but after watching the tragedy, and hopelessness of Tess, her doomed life, has made me want to read it! (I first have to finish Middlemarch) You can watch it on the PBS website, though it won't be as nice as on HDTV!
The scenes and cinematography was breathtakingly beautiful, more so than so many older Masterpiece Theater pieces. Sweeping scenes of the English countryside, an ending at Stonehenge!
Tess was played by a Bond girl, so she was lovely, of course, but also so dramatic, and passionate. And Angel Clare, a god of this earth! And Alec, so cruel, so handsome, and so bad boy!
(I just wish I had better pictures... it was gorgeous)

New Knitting Supplies

2009-01-10T17:48:00.004-05:00

I went to some estate sales today and bought some new knitting supplies--a few balls of yarn, and some new needles. I'm going to start some new projects, and hopefully finish my old one...

I love going to sales, mostly just to check out the old houses. One of the ones I went to had crazy wallpaper everywhere. In the kitchen it was retro 70's colors (burnt orange, mustard) salt and pepper shakers, the kids bedrooms had airplanes and Indians and tepees. What a great way to decorate!

Alliance for International Women's Rights

2009-01-08T10:39:00.003-05:00

I was chatting with an old friend online the other day, and she recommended this AMAZING organization to me, the Alliance for International Women's Rights. The Alliance connects women (and men) across the world who want to use their professional skills to help women's rights groups in central Asia. Women can volunteer their time, from their own homes, to edit documents, provide legal advice, anything that the women's rights groups need, in their "Armchair Development" program.

It is such a simple idea, that is ingenious! The groups would love to have help from experienced individuals, and women in the US and Europe would love to help out! I've signed up to volunteer already, and hopefully they will get back to me soon.

The Alliance also has another program, the Armchair ESL program, in which women can use Skype to teach English to the leaders and members of the women's rights group.

I love it. I love the idea. I just need to find a cool idea that I can pursue, that is just as SMART as this one!

Volunteering at the ICA

2009-01-05T10:56:00.003-05:00

Fortunately, soon after I found out about the new (non)job situation, I got an email responding to my volunteer application at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. So yesterday was my first real day of volunteering (I helped wrap presents at the gift shop a few weeks ago). It was the last day of the Tara Donovan exhibit there (which I unfortunately never got a chance to see), so it was really crowded, especially when coupled with the New Years holiday weekend.
So that's it. I like to volunteer.

Events!

2009-01-03T18:58:00.005-05:00

Wow, so much has been going on, that I just haven't had time to write in my blog! I went to a wedding, did Christmas at my apartment and went to the frigid region of Quebec! Below are the picture highlights!

Phil and Annalise's wedding at the chapel at Rice University. Annalise looked gorgeous, and Phil looked pretty good too! It was fun, and beautiful! The reception was at the Sweetwater Country Club in Phil and Annalise's hometown of Sugarland, which again, was so beautiful!
Brentan and I with Phil and Annalise at the reception.
Here is our Christmas tree in our apartment with the table all set for Christmas dinner. It snowed lots and lots the weekend we were in Texas, right before my family came to town for the holidays, and my mom was shocked that they didn't clear away any snow from the streets or sidewalks after a blizzard. It all melted within three days.
We used our new china from our wedding! I love it.

The next few pictures are from Montreal. We were there after Christmas through New Years. This is the Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome called the Biosphere from the 1967 World's Fair. My dad remembered going to it when he was a kid. The biosphere is now a museum. We learned all about alternative energy from this French Canadian guy. They have their own natural water treatment plant at the biosphere!My whole family outside the biosphere!
My mom and dad atop Mount Royal, after which the city is named.

Paris, full of girliness!

2008-12-17T11:15:00.003-05:00

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

2008-12-16T21:53:00.004-05:00

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

2008-12-07T11:24:00.004-05:00

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

2008-12-02T16:27:00.001-05:00

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

2008-11-26T13:36:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of LOLCats?

I bet you've never heard of LOLFed.

Thanksgiving.

2008-11-25T16:55:00.001-05:00

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

2008-11-21T11:19:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-21T08:57:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-19T13:46:00.006-05:00

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.

2008-11-17T12:13:00.003-05:00

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

So much more work to do. YUCK YUCK YUCK.

New York Trip

2008-11-13T10:46:00.004-05:00

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

2008-11-06T16:38:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-05T11:34:00.000-05:00

This is surely a day of change.

Election Day: I Voted!

2008-11-04T09:48:00.001-05:00

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

2008-11-03T21:47:00.005-05:00

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?

2008-11-03T16:49:00.003-05:00

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

2008-10-31T11:41:00.005-04:00

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

Photos by The Cherry Blossom Girl

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T10:42:00.001-04:00

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

Purple yarn and scarves, plus Halloween!

2008-10-28T22:46:00.004-04:00

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

2008-10-28T12:44:00.002-04:00

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

2008-10-28T00:39:00.001-04:00

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

Weekend Fun

2008-10-27T16:17:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-23T10:32:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-22T14:45:00.005-04:00

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...

2008-10-21T13:45:00.004-04:00

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

2008-10-20T21:16:00.004-04:00

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

2008-10-20T15:40:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-16T16:55:00.003-04:00

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

2008-10-15T16:37:00.006-04:00

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

2008-10-14T17:10:00.007-04:00

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

Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Economy

2008-10-13T12:08:00.004-04:00

Jezebel's Fine Lines column last week wrote about Laura Ingalls Wilder's book The Long Winter, and it compares the Wilder family's hard winter to the current economic crisis. Interestingly, it is very appropriate. Oh, the economy.

Fall in MA

2008-10-09T17:15:00.003-04:00

It is fall in New England, one of the prettiest times of year. Though I don't have any pictures of colorful trees, I do have a few pictures from the last few weeks of life.
The new Sel de la Terre kitchen in the new Mandarin Oriental hotel complex. The window opens up to a hallway that will have some pretty swanky shops in it eventually.

Classic Boston shot on the bridge in the public garden. Brentan doesn't look so happy, probably since we always make fun of people taking pictures here!
A wedding party moving from the Taj to the public garden, most likely to take some wedding pictures. I love how everyone is looking at the bride as if she is a celebrity. A bride should be a celebrity on her wedding day. I loved the bridesmaids dresses. They had these giant bows in the back.
I made cupcakes with Sarah the other night. They were so cute, and VERY delicious.

Topsfield Fair!

2008-10-08T16:10:00.003-04:00

I went to the Topsfield Fair, the oldest fair in the US, this past weekend. And it sure was a fair. Fairs are just a celebration of American abundance (gluttony?), and this was no exception.

I saw:

Animals. Many. (Turkeys, bees, an elephant, pigs, roosters, birds of prey, sheep, cows, horses, and even a kangaroo)
Giant produce.
Miniature plants.
The midway.
Racing pigs.
Art.
Live infomercials.

I ate:

Cider donuts.
Hamburger.
Ice cream.
Pulled pork sandwich.

I should have had some kettle corn and cotton candy and a corn dog to really make it a fair.

Beautiful peppers!

Multitudes of corn!
The larges pumpkin in New England (over 1,400 pounds).
The midway!
Haunted house with equally creepy guy outside of it.

I should have taken a picture of the racing pigs, but forgot to. That was by far the worst, most uninteresting thing at the fair.

Liveblogging the Second Presidential Debate

2008-10-08T09:22:00.003-04:00

As you can probably tell by the time stamp, I am not, in fact, LIVEblogging the presidential debate. I am, in fact, writing this the morning after the presidential debate because my internet continues to not work at home. I wanted to write this during the debate. Not to worry though! Brentan called Verizon and we are having our own internet installed next week. Hooray!

Back to the future president...
I have heard all that the candidates have to say. They are not saying anything new, and I don't need to listen until there is a big news event happening that they can comment on. Obviously, I know whom I am voting for.

The Great Schlep

2008-10-07T16:32:00.003-04:00

The Times had an article yesterday about Sarah Silverman's "The Great Schlep", which I had originally heard about from my uncle. Now, I'm not a huge Sarah Silverman fan, mostly because she is too crude for me (that's the lady in me :o ), but this was great. The article describes the great schlep as a "mix of sarcasm and sincerity," which is a really good description.

The project basically encourages young Jews to tell their grandparents in Florida that they will not come and visit them unless they will vote for Obama. It describes all of the ways to convince grandparents that Obama is a great candidate, namely:

Obama hearts Israel and so do you!
His love for the United States is similar to that of the Jewish immigrants, who loved America for giving them an opportunity to succeed if they worked hard enough.
Obama opposes privitizing Social Security.

Presidential Debate

2008-10-07T11:58:00.000-04:00

Presidential debate #2 tonight!
I'll be there. Will you?

Style Icon- Pushing Daisies

2008-10-02T11:10:00.004-04:00

After watching the season premier of my FAVORITE show last night, Pushing Daisies, I decided the Chuck (aka Anna Friel) is my new style icon. I just want to be in the show, or be her, or both. Is that weird that I want to be fictional, and semi-dead?

Her style is so stylized, like the show. Last night, it was so cute, she was wearing a little bee pin that worked as a microphone so she could infiltrate a honey cosmetics company. Chuck also always wears these 50's silhouettes, full skirts, tight, tailored tops, and cardigans. Its so vintage and feminine.

2008-10-01T16:31:00.003-04:00

(As Eloise would say)
Oooooooh, I just absolutely love her!
Can we just have some miniature tea parties wearing our pastel heels in a pink room full of bubblegum and pastries?

Plus, she's French.

(So instead of my own content, I'm just posting someone else's pictures. I'm adding to the conversation though! I promise!)

Boring and Exciting

2008-10-01T16:10:00.003-04:00

Life has been a little slow...as soon as I got really excited about writing in my blog last week and this past weekend, things slowed down and I didn't really feel like writing or posting. I haven't even come across any interesting web sites.

However, I have been reading a very good book, called The History of Love, and spending my nights reading it. Its about writing, and living, and loving life so far, in a fictional story spun from Jewish immigrants.

Other than that, there is some exciting news in my life that is not to be shared in a place that is so public like the internet.

Getting Organized

2008-09-28T15:44:00.005-04:00

Brentan and I are finally getting organized in the apartment, and we went to Ikea a few weeks ago to buy some new stuff for the apartment, including this white bookshelf. It is very modern and has clean lines, and was like something I saw in a design magazine, but is from Ikea, so it is cheap and you can see the screws when you look at it from the side (which I don't particularly like). The bookshelf and the mirror that we also got at Ikea almost didn't fit into our car, but after a few minutes of strategically pushing and shoving, we moved the front seats completely forward and fit them both in the car. By then the seats were so far forward that Brentan could barely fit in the seat with his knees up to his chin, and I had to drive back about 3 inches away from the steering wheel. It was a sight.

So nevertheless, the bookshelf has helped us get organized as you can see, with showcasing some of our wedding goods. My favorites are the green vase from Miss Emily A, and the glass cake platter on the lower shelf which I have already used for my birthday cake!

What I Wore Yesterday

2008-09-26T14:59:00.003-04:00

Its a rainy rainy day today, that will probably turn into a rainy rainy weekend, so I thought I would post what I was wearing yesterday! I made this on polyvore yesterday, cause I didn't have a camera to take my picture, cause I though I looked pretty cute, especially in my pink high heels! The heels in the pic are not quite as cool as my own, but I couldn't find a picture online of the ones I have.

Why does it feel like I am so much more grown up wearing heels? Even tight, high, uncomfortable ones? That is one think I like about dressing for the office: heels!

Website of the Day: The Fail Blog

2008-09-25T17:24:00.001-04:00

Brentan showed me a new cool website that I like. The Fail Blog. Pretty funny. And sometimes ironic.

Photography

2008-09-24T17:26:00.004-04:00

I recently have been hankering to take some photos. Some real artsy, cutesy photos of interesting stuff and people. But my camera is dead.

I feel like I need a digital SLR to be good, but I don't really know the first thing about taking pictures! Can someone please just put a fancy camera in my hands, set me in front of a beautiful scene and teach me?

This was probably exacerbated by all the time I spent on Flickr yesterday looking at their Interestingness feature.