Happiest Girl in the Whole USA

This weekend as Sandi and I were discussing "Women Singers That We Love," I told her that I liked Classic Country Women Singers, such as Skeeter Davis and Donna Fargo, who sang my absolute favorite Classic Country song, "Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." Every time it plays on my iPod, I mentally dedicate the song to Kelly before belting it out. It is also one of my go-to karaoke songs, and I've been known to serenade Kelly with it if he's present as well. I feel that whatever I lack in skill, I make up in enthusiasm. Sandi indicated that she hadn't heard it before, so I present it now without further ado:



Sandi, do you like the song?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone stuffed themselves silly and had a wonderful day of thanks!

Like Jessica, I too have a lot to be thankful for. I look forward to this time of year not only for the gifts, decor and carols, but for just the general feeling of good will and happiness in the air. And all of the time we get to spend with family and friends.

Before I get serious, I wanted to share something on the lighter side... Though not the most traditional fare, both dished below were so VERY easy to prepare and met with great reviews.

Baked Apple & Cranberry Tart


1) Layer 4-5 sheet of phyllo dough with butter and cinnamon, bake for 10 min. 2) Brush on maple syrup and cover with apples and cranberries and brush on butter, syrup and sprinkle with sugar. 3) Bake until fruit is cooked, about 25 min. 4) Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Mushroom and Israeli Couscous Salad


1) Toss mushrooms (portabella, oyster, button) in cilantro, dill, truffle oil and a little salt. Put in oven 15 min and cool. 2) Prep couscous by simmering in butter, then chicken stock until cooked. Add extra finely chopped mushrooms and cool. 3)Mix both cooked mushrooms and couscous in a large bowl, chill and serve.

And in the spirit of Jessica's Post and the spirit of the season, wanted to share another charitable effort that a friend of a friend is supporting. Although I do not know her and her family very well, I do know that they are all quite down to earth and actively support many charities and non-profits. This is from an evite for an event she recently hosted in her home for the charity:

Robert, Knolton, and I have been supporting a foundation in Haiti for many, many years that support the needs of underprivileged kids in Haiti. They are a foundation that provide schools, housing, food, and various other needs. On Robert's last home-building trip to Haiti, he tells of how he had a group of kids begging near him as he was going on a walk. Sharing what he had, all that remained in his pocket was a small packet of peanut butter sandwich cookies. Giving it to the smallest, hungriest looking boy, he watched the selflessness of these people in this child's actions. This little boy who needed a full meal, let alone one small packet of cookies, carefully broke each cookie in half, and passed it around to 11 other kids, taking only a small half of a cookie for himself. They've forever been in our hearts after, and we love the idea of providing what we can for them.

One of the fun things that we've recently started doing is the Christmas Shoebox Drive that go to these children. Often, these shoeboxes are the ONLY gifts these kids receive for Christmas (compared to the mountains and piles of gifts under our children's trees each year.) This year, Knolton will be doing his first shoebox by himself, with the money he's saved up from allowance and chores.

We will be having an early Thanksgiving (style) meal at our home on Saturday, November 21st, and would love if you could join us. It'll be a great chance to see you all before the crazy holiday rush begins! All that we ask is that you bring a Christmas Shoebox if you are able.

Here's the deets!
What you can put in it: coloring books, crayons, dolls, cards, jump rope, balls (deflated with small pump), yoyo's, stuffed animals, stickers, marbles, checkers, etc, pencils, pens, sharpener, notebooks, solar calculator, ruler, eraser, socks, underwear, tshirts, sundresses, shorts w/elastic bands, braided belts, flipflops, caps, sunglasses, toothbrush & paste, bar soap, washcloth, hand towel, hairbrush, comb, nail file & clippers, deodorant, flashlight & extra batteries, watch, compact umbrella, christmas card, family photos, etc.
PLEASE DON'T SEND: medication, vitamins, candles, perishables, chocolates, liquids, lotions, breakables, glass, aerosol cans, toy (or real) guns & knives, rubber snakes, etc.
Write boy or girl & age on top of the box.

So they hosted a full on Thanksgiving dinner at their house and collected over 125 shoe boxes that they Fedex-ed to Haiti. (I wasn't able to attend, but sent a box. Apparently it was quite a party and there were like 6 home cooked turkeys and some how I ended up with a leftover whole pork loin in my freezer!) Although it seems like such a small thing, it makes the biggest difference for a child. And it was quite fun going around Ikea and Target collecting little things to fill a box with.

Check back soon: I'm going to get more info on the charity and post here soon so if you're interested in creating a box of your own, you'll be able to.

Thanks Giving Back

(Image from anitagrant.com)

These days, we (and by "we" of course I mean "I", but let's just go with it) get so overwhelmed with stress and work (like working on Friday, not that I'm bitter) and all the manufactured drama that goes with my life o' relative privilege that we forget that there is actually quite a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that all my friends and my family are healthy. I am thankful for being able to see some of my cousins last weekend, and seeing my other cousin next weekend. I am thankful that my mother will be here in a few short weeks, and that both Kelly and I will be able to spend the holidays together with our mothers, Kelly's extended family, and Casey and Molly(!).

I'm thankful that Jason and I decided to start this blog, mostly for us, so that I can keep up with what is going on in his life even though he now lives behind the Orange Curtain. I'm thankful that my friends are all safe and sound and employed (mostly). That no one is hurting for basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter), and that families are growing larger with new little ones and weddings, and not smaller.

I'm thankful for Nancy, who gives us candy, cards, and compliments, and lets us walk Foxy; and Foxy, who is always so happy to see us, even if we aren't carrying doggie treats, and even when we are rushing out the door and can only stop for a second to rub her belly or behind her ear.

In addition to recognizing all that we have to be thankful for, I also think that this time of the year is a good time to give back to our communities, our societies, our world, to help others that do not have as much to be thankful for. This could be a donation of goods, money, or time - whatever you have to spare. The best thing about giving back? Is that every bit (no matter how small) counts. Here are some things I'm thinking about:

Donating bedding and food products to the Los Angeles Mission. It is just amazing to me that we are one of the most prosperous and advanced countries in the world, yet we still have homelessness and people going hungry and falling through the cracks in the system.

Clearing out the closets and donating gently worn, re-sellable items to the American Cancer Society Discovery Shops.

We can't forget our animal friends too, both in our communities (by donating to the ASPCA) and to preserve their habitats on our planet (by donating to the WWF). If the wallet and budget are tight, please consider volunteering some time at an animal shelter. Many of the positions just require one orientation and then you can set your own hours as a volunteer (in case your schedule, like mine, is up in the air all the time).

Literacy and writing are THE MOST ESSENTIAL SKILLS for children (and adults) to have to enrich their lives, enhance their critical thinking, and empower themselves. Get involved in a Motheread-type program, which provides literacy programs for children and adults, or WriteGirl, which mentors high school girls in the art of creative writing and story telling.

We can also share some of the love and joy we feel this season with those that may not be as lucky. One of my favorite Christmas memories was spending a day at a domestic violence shelter wrapping donated Christmas presents for the women and children residents. But you could also volunteer at a hospice center to provide some much needed companionship to those that may feel forgotten and alone.

So this Thanksgiving, I will remember all that I have to be thankful for, in my life, in my community, in this world. We're all in this together, after all.

I will also look forward to eating turkey, stuffing, and pie. Yum.

bring me a Sprinkles any day

So one would think that the place that started the whole cupcake craze would have good cupcakes, right? WRONG!



After the Fatty Crab dinner, we walked to Magnolia Bakery. Which is very cute (and in the cutest neighborhood! is that the area called the west village? Bleeker? Anyhow, lots of shops including Marc Jacobs that open until 10pm! And the Jack Spade where the whole Top Banana incident went down.)

looks good, right?! looks can be deceiving as my cupcake was no bueno.

Anyhow, I was warned so I was a little prepared to not to blown away. My red velvet was tiny, $3, covered in a so-so whip cream and DRY! What's up with that?! However Matt recommended the banana pudding, that was in one word bahNAHnas. Wonder why there's not a country wide banana pudding craze?!?

mmmm. shut up right now. this was bananas amazing! so good in fact that someone totally stole matt's from his fridge!

Fatty Crab

Totally cute name right? Another fantastically delicious NYC meal.

The food is South East Asian (I know!), which surprised me since I though it was going to be like a New England clam bake for some reason. But anyhow, I think what made it so delicious was that everything was in flavors that I've not really experienced or eaten a lot of. It was like Thai or Vietnamese, but more exotic and a hint of spice. Matt and I shared like 5 things and that was PLENTY. And funnily enough, we didn't even get the crab, even thought is was Crabby Monday (aka all you can eat chili crab special).

Meal highlights:

Crispy Fried Pork and Watermelon Salad:


Fatty Sliders with Beef and Pork


We also had Lo Si Fun (a delicious fat noodles in a sauce) and Spare Ribs = so good! (And note the chicken wings were good, but just ok).

Thank goodness that there's lots of walking when in NY!

Momofuku Ko

OMG, I died. DIED!

So I previous posted about my obsession with David Chang and how I got up early to fight the internet crowds to get a reservation at 12 seat Momofuku Ko... It was WELL worth it!!!

In an iron gate covered tiny store front, with not signs, other than a small peach logo, a magical meal awaited! Ignore the bald spot!

Lunch = 3 hours = $175 = 16 courses = No menus = No photos allowed inside

It was SO good. Bananas ah-mazing people. So innovative! And unlike the time Jessica and I dined at Per Se, I didn't pass out at the table from the wine pairings. Although I must say, I was silently hoping that Mr. Chang himself would make an appearance. It was he who made the comment about how messed up it is that chefs open a restaurant, charge a ton for a meal and then are not even the ones there preparing it... His hypocrisy aside, that is my only complaint.

Anyhow during the meal, Matt and I were trying to recall all the things we ate... and we could not. There were a few dishes that we remembered, but we were not able to come up with all 16. And as I type this now, I'm at a loss!!!

1) rolled chip filled with ?

2) 2 soup spoons filled with ?

3) Oyster on the half shell and caviar

4) Trio of sashimi

5) egg foam in a bacon broth?

6) Bread soup with bagel roll filled with bacon, chives and cream cheese

7)

8) Braised duck (which the basted and browned with hot oil in front of our eyes for like 2 hours!)

15) Dessert #2

16) Dessert #1 puree of ?

I'm at a loss... I hope Matt can help!
stay tuned...

Jessica's Holiday Gift Guide 2009

I'll confess, I'm a hit-or-miss gift giver. Some years, I get a fabulous idea and hit it out of the ball park with the PERFECT gift that is remembered and cherished YEARS later (if I do say so myself), and some years I bomb and give a totally boring gift that I don't even remember giving the day after Christmas.* Like one year, when Jason and I first met, I was showing Jason the socks I was wearing, and then he, in turn, showed me his socks, which were these boring NIKE swoop socks, and I was all, "Ummm, okay, why are you showing me your boring NIKE socks when I am showing you my fun sparkly SUPERSTAR socks?" He informed me that I was showing him the socks that he gave me as a present (oops, I had forgotten where I'd gotten them - my terrible memory is a bane of my existence), and so he was reciprocating by showing me that coincidentally he was wearing THE SOCKS I HAD BOUGHT FOR HIM AS A PRESENT. Yes, friends. I had bought my bestest friend (granted it was early when we first met, but still) NIKE athletic socks for Christmas and then I promptly forgot about it. It is a wonder Jason found it in his heart to give me another chance and didn't dump me as a friend right then and there.

* No matter what, if the gift is a hit or a....(I guess I'll just say it) miss, I always try and put 110% into the wrapping. I have never met a person that does not appreciate a well-wrapped gift. Jason and I have had a competition through the years about who is the better and more creative gift wrapper. I'm sure we'll elaborate more on our wrapping styles and techniques in a later post. (This also reminds me, I've got to stock up on ribbon! (Ribbon is what MAKES the gift wrap.))

ANYWAY, tangent aside, my point is this: We all want to give good quality gifts to the people we love, but if you are like me and just barely climbing out of credit card debt, you are in no condition to spend unlimited quantities of money on gift-giving. Therefore, I am compiling this list for some great ideas that will make your family and friends happy, but will also do minimal (hopefully!) damage to your wallet.

I started this list with one basic rule: Just because I was trying not to spend too much, I didn't want to simply give "stocking stuffer" gifts to everyone. I mean stocking stuffer gifts (NIKE socks, magnets, one small candle, etc.) are fun and definitely have their place in a Holiday stocking amongst other stocking stuffers, but as a stand alone gift to a friend? I think we can do better, don't you? So let's get to it!

FOR THE ONE WHO HAS EVERYTHING
We all know people like this - they are always shopping and always buying things so that it is impossible to find something that they want that they haven't already bought for themselves. For these people, the key, I think, is to get them something that they NEVER EVEN KNEW THEY WANTED. Which, as you know, is hard to do. But how about a Jeweled Skinny Headband ($32)? A girl can never have enough hair accessories, especially if she idolizes Blair Waldorf.

The other option would be to go basic with this friend. Everyone can always use another basic - like leggings, or tees, or tights. The key with basics? Make sure they are quality. So LNA Latex Leggings (on sale for $64) (admittedly, maybe not so wallet friendly). Even if she already has a pair (or several) of leggings, she'll always appreciate one more pair. Or Wolford ($45) or We Love Colors ($12.50) tights, in a fun, deep fall hue or pattern (lace, deep berry, grey). Or how about an unbelievably soft Alternative Apparel basic tee ($38) that she'll want to live in forever (Bonus! This tee is unisex!)?

Of course, if this friend REALLY has EVERYTHING, you can't go wrong with a donation in their name to their favorite charity. I know money and money-type gifts get a bad rap, but I think they are ok. If you don't know what kind of charitable leanings your friend has, I suggest the adopt an animal program from the World Wildlife Fund. They have a list of species that need help, and different donation levels. For as little as $25, you can adopt an animal (snow leopard! polar bear! grey wolf!) in your friend's name, and they will get a species info card and a photo. For $250, they get other goodies like a plush toy and reuseable bags, etc. Who wouldn't want to help these animals?

FOR THE ONE THAT NEEDS SOME INDULGENCE
She's so busy that she doesn't have time to pamper herself. Fabulous lotions and potions would allow her to indulge herself on a day-to-day basis, and can fit seamlessly into her wash-and-go lifestyle. There's the Bliss body wash and lotion set ($25) in that addictive lemony scent. Or the Fresh Rice Body Oil ($45) which smells clean and divine. Or the Rachel Zoe recommended Kiel's Argan Dry Oil ($30) for a luxurious after shower experience.

There are also hair products. Hair dries out in these winter months and then gets frizzy and unmanageable. Give her a bottle of Kerastase Bain Satin 3 ($35) for a luxury hair shampoo that could add a fun oompf to her hair care routine. And I know both Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie swear by Moroccan Hair Oil ($39) as a conditioning treatment - it is supposed to work wonders!

FOR THOSE CRAFTY GIRLS:
You know what I have recently discovered love of? Etsy.com. It's like homemade ebay for hipsters. Or a virtual flea market/craft fair.

(BTW, did I ever tell you that my friends and I in elementary school started a stationary business in which we would stamp our stamps on card stock and then try and sell them at craft fairs? It was pretty pathetic because it would only be our parents that would buy our "wares". I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name of our company. But we expanded to other girls (mostly because these other girls had more rubber stamps that we could use) and finally, we expanded too much where I felt like I was losing creative control over the company and the design aesthetic (no, Summer, I DO NOT WANT you to make stationary with BLUE BALLOONS. EVERYONE KNOWS that our signature stationary has PINK BALLOONS.) The group also became fragmented and political (as all large groups of pre-teen girls are bound to do) and it became less about the stamps and stationary and more a popularity contest. So we disbanded. And [insert totally forgotten name here] shut its doors for good. And now I apologize for this tangent, but this is what I remember when I first wrote "craft fair".)

ANYWAY, Etsy is like a modern-day internet craft fair. And you can get canvas bags or scarves or fingerless gloves in all kinds of bird patterns and funky colors for $30 or less.

(Hahaha, do you like that when I think "hipster" I think orange feathers, owls, scarves, ironically printed bags, and fingerless gloves?)

Alright. That's all I've got for today. I was going to post on gifts for guys and maybe gifts for kiddies, but my brain is hurting a little and my laundry is piling up so I will have to save guys and kids for another time. I hope this was helpful for you. At the very least, I hope the little tangents and stories of my ineptitude have amused you!

the two best purchases I have made for fall

Purple Target tights = $5
Payless black suede booties = $50
(not pictured, Agnes B grey turtleneck, Old Navy kids black cotton dress with pleated skirt)

AM I AWESOME OR WHAT WITH THE BARGAIN SHOPPING? This winter, I will probably be living in cheap Target tights, oversized sweaters/tunics, boots. To that end, man, those equestrian style boots would sure come in handy.

Matt's on top!

No, seriously. He's a Top Banana!

Matt posing with his new prize while getting a celebratory BANANA pudding at Magnolia Bakery

No gay jokes I swear.
So Matty luvs him sum Jack Spade... A little obsessively. But his passion for the bags got him 20% off for a year! In the Bleeker St. store, he was sharing his passion with the sales peeps (he even has the Jack Spade travel scrabble and took it to Cuba!) and one of them happened to be a corporate merchandiser. It was, as Matt puts it, a "NY moment". And then and there, they presented him with a the magical card!

Congrats to the ONLY Top Banana at the Jack Spade Bleeker St. Store!


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Update: Lorenzo

Spotted, at the baggage claim!

It was totally him?
-he has louis vuitton luggage that was well worn.
-he was wearing marc jacobs suspenders ($9 from that cheap accessories store)

It totally wasn't?
-The luggage was typical beige nylon looking that could have been from china town.
-no one picked him up. He went to the courtesey shuttle pickup and boarded a National/Alamo bus!

I'm so confused... My cousin would have known. I'm gonna email him...


UPDATE! (no new post because that would just be excessive... ha!) after some cyber stalking... I found out that IT WAS HIM! Alamo car rental and all. He was in NY the night before for the opening of his PR company. But the give away was the tattoo on his forearm. The couple next to him was complementing him on them and of course I just so happened to over hear that... It's not like I'm a stalker or anything!


picture taken on 11/17/09

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Jetsetter.Com

From the people that brought you Gilt, there is now a new travel website called Jetsetter. From their website:

Jetsetter provides exclusive access to insider travel deals by invitation only to our membership. Sales are limited time offers while availability lasts. Properties don't pay to be listed in our sales they are hand-selected by our team of curators and our globetrotting correspondents.

So, they will feature travel deals culled from actual experiences at the most fabulous places. (Above is a deal for a suite at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris for $550/night.) Send us an email if you'd like an invite to join this website!

If it's good enough for the president...

Five Guys Burgers & Fries

Finally got to try it! Val and I had searched the boonie of PA and didn't see any... Tho we had heard that it was out there... Anyhow, found one! Right near soho. Omg it was good. I'm a total west coaster and luv me my In 'N Out, but this bacon burger was so much better than my last double double... And the fries too! And now I KNOW Obama has good "taste"! (sorry... I had to)

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Got the Boot?

One of the best things about fall is trouncing around in some tall flat boots, into which your jeans are tucked. I have recently bought the "generic" heeled black knee highs ($80 ish at zappos), and I also have the $40 Payless brand black suede booties. But, to round out the boot collection, I'm looking at a pair of flat "weekend" boots. Something more sophisticated than Uggs, but not something with a heel. The only problem? These boots are expensive!

These Frye Veronica Slouch Boots are $304 on Zappos:



These Loeffler Randall Matildes (in a gorgeous wine/brown) are $695.00 on Singer22:


Hmm, maybe I should hit up Nordstrom Rack and/or the Zappos kid section to see if I can score something under $50. I remain on the lookout and will keep you posted if I find something.

And it's over

Boo hoo! NYC, I'll miss you.
I didn't quite get to live blog all of the fun things I saw... But I'll be post-posting soon!

First a nap and some downloaded Mad Men. But hurray for free Wifi and electricity on Virgin.
Ps: I think Lorenzo Martone is on my flight. But would he fly coach?

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Mmm mmm Keller

A little morning coffee and dolce from Buchon bakery (one floor below is Per Se where jess and I dined previously and got a little wasted! Actually a lot wasted... we took turns passing out at the table. note to self... wine pairings not the best idea for people with low tolerance for alcohol.)

That was one good mocha and raisin pastry, even though I'm not the biggest raisin fan.

Soon we'll have Buchon in LA! I wonder if it'll ever make it to the OC? doubtful...

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Today in Food

Even though I'm not in NY with Jason (sigh, I wish), I have found myself eating all day, like I would when I'm on vacation. Fried chicken (breakfast and dinner), stovetop stuffing (dinner), a very buttery apple crisp (dessert, baked with the apples Sandi bought me), and pan-fried noodles (lunch). I guess I was hungry today. Maybe I have a worm?

Momofuku bakery and milk bar

And of course after shopping in soho, there always room for some dolce - pork buns, stuffing and fruit flavored soft serve and cookies (fulled with chocolate, pretzels, marshmellows and cornflakes!

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Meal #1

First stop.
After arriving and a Dunkin' Doughnut and coffee to get me going, we breakfasted at little neighborhood restaurant that I'm not allowed to tell you the name of per my friend matt. (honest! sorry, he was pretty serious when he said it.) It was really good. It opened at 10 and seats about 25 - by 9:45 there was a line of 10 people waiting to get in. TOTALLY worth it.

Matt ordered Sausage & Oysters (yum!) and my huevos rancheros (also good!). And the mystery restaurant.
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Hit the ground running

A little dunkin' doughnuts and coffee to keep me up.

Once I arrived on Harlem, we were off! No naps and rest for the weary. It was a rainy day so those boots ended up being more than just a Halloween costume.

Ps Harlem is totally gentrified! So not the area of the movies.

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It has only just begun

Yes, my lovelies. After a year and a half of effort, (and about nine months of concerted effort) this Lil' Bit has become credit card debt free!

It has not been an easy road, let me tell you. There has been many a clothing item that I wanted to buy, but I didn't. Many a restaurant I wanted to dine at, but I didn't. Many a vacation I wanted to take, but I didn't.

Granted, much of the blame for the un-taken vacations and non-party times (aside from lack of funds) lies with my crazy, hectic, unpredictable work schedule (boo) and my learned love of "staying in" on a Saturday night (yay!). These days, instead of fun fancy dinners, you can find me snuggled up with Hon watching a movie, or grabbing "cheap eats" with Jason. The staying in, I think, is also a product of the super crazy busy work schedule, because the older I get, the more I realize that the last thing I want to do on my so-called "days off" (in quotes because I am more often than not working in some capacity on the weekend, or at least stressing about upcoming work) is to exert any effort at all. I mean, I've got a pile of laundry from a month ago that I'm scared to look at. I CAN'T EVEN DO LAUNDRY PEOPLE. What makes me think I could plan a party and/or go out? WORK: Keeping the Kitty off the Streets since 2008.

I also gotta give Hon some credit. Now, I can hear his incredulous voice in my head almost as a knee-jerk reaction when some of my baser and more materialistic instincts assert themselves. Like the time I recently found myself in Bed Bath and Beyond, fondling the $120 SonicCare toothbrushes. "Are you kidding me?" I heard (virtual) Hon say, "Don't you already have a SonicCare toothbrush?" Yes, I do. Two, actually. (Shut up, one is for travel.) It's just the home one is gross and a little grungy and there are newer, prettier models, and...well, you get the idea. And you can pretty much insert any product that I may think of in for the "SonicCare toothbrush" and get Hon's authentic reaction to most anything I would want to buy.

I know that while I may have won this battle, I must remain ever vigilant so that I don't lose the war. This is only the beginning, and the hardest part, actually is to come. (It is easy to say, "I can't afford that," when you are in debt; it is harder to justify the non-spending when you don't have debt to blame it on.) Which is why I'm devising new goals: Paying off my car loan (early), saving money for a real estate downpayment, and saving money for an international vacation. So friends, no, I will not be rocking that new Gilt Group item that is OMG such a good deal, or those McQueen "Faithful" booties that are mesmerizing because they are so ugly, because now that I have pulled myself out of the morass that was credit card debt, the last thing I want to do is dive right back in (even if I would be wearing McQueens).

The weary traveler

Sigh. Didn't sleep as much as I hoped on the plane although the guy to my right snored loudly the whole way.

I'm fighting the sleep now that I'm in a cab heading to Harlem. But my angry swearing cabbie is keeping me alert. On the road for 30 mins and this is the 3rd accident already



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I've got a ticket to ride

I'm off for a weekend in Nyc! And will do my best to live blog the trip.



So first and formost, look at me blogging from the sky! Free wifi on Virgin America! Gotta love it. Well, everything thus far has been loveable except for the whole 1 hr departure delay. Time for bed... I land at 6am and need to be rearing to go. night!

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The new cupcake?

Mmm! A friend turned me on to this delicious macaroon shop on Beverly Hills, Paulette. These little bad boys are not only so pretty to look like, they are ahmahzing! I die with every bite. My personal favorites so far are the caramel ones, pictured on the far left.

I'd like to do a taste test with these and ones that I had a few years ago on Tokyo by Pierre Herme that were just bananas. But will these loverlies ever dethrone the cupcake? We shall see...

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oh no leighton...

"Je t’adore, Je t’adore" Blair. I love Blair Walfdorf, but Leighton Meester, well, I'm not fully head over heels. I want to like her as the new Rachel Bilson, but there are those terrible interviews she gives, that sad showing at the MET Gala... And now this?


Don't get me wrong, I'm digging the song in that same "tardy for the party" is really catchy-kind-of-way. (I do like it better than "tardy for the party" even though I'm not a Robin Thicke fan, but will agree that he adds a nice touch and some legitimacy to the ditty) But WHO thought it would be a good idea is she pranced around her video looking like a high priced hooker? BAD outfits! BAD scenarios! BAD acting! and BAD camera angles! (did you all see the flesh rolls!?)

AND to make things worse we got to see Dan Humphrey trying to dance and bop to the song at a supposed college dorm party on Monday's GG episode. And Leighton, it is NEVER a good thing if the Dan-Humphrey-types across the country are dancing to your music.

snoozefest part 2

What's up ladies? Why the tied tongues?
Oh, the ladies of the ATL were just a boring, if not more so than in part 1 of the reunion show. And seriously, if this is how they plan to be in their pending 3rd season then there's no reason to watch it. Something is OBVIOUSLY going on as they are all fake smiles and eye rolls. Even Duh-wight who makes a brief appearance likens the taping to being in church. And thankfully he and Lisa get into it a little bit!!! but just a little.

And they didn't have anything bad to say about this:

oh Kim... Tardy for the Party? that was just awful. And Andy makes the rounds with all the ladies who dance around the question by saying sh*t like "they like the beat". PLEASE. We loved you all for your honesty. If this crap is going to continue, then its time to recast them all or move the franchise to a new city.

Well, at least OC is back in the house tonight!

It's coming... It's here!

Christmas arrvies in Newport today!


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one more reason to heart David Chang

Jessica and I are team David Chang. We sought out Momofuku when we were in NY and enhaled our Korean buritos and saam with delight. Momofuku then took a step closer to my heart when Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar - a haven of sugar and sweetness that I'm dying to go to - opened. (You must check out the goodness on video here on eatmedaily.com when Martha visited. I DIE!!!)

Anyway. Recently he, and another fav, Anthony Bourdain, were on a panel at the NY Food & Wine Festival where he said very funny things, but one item truely made me die:

image via nypost.com
"Fuckin' every restaurant in San Francisco is just serving figs on a plate. Do something with your food."

YES!!! thank you D for saying it!!! I know that there are SF foodies out there, and yes your city has rep for being a "food city" but honestly... can I say "overrated"? I've visited quite a few times. And all I know is that I've never had a great meal in SF. I've had a few good or decent meals, but nothing mind blowing. (and, btw, I have had a few great meals in LA!!)

Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with me... apparently SF the city was pretty upset:

The Asia Society in San Francisco just cut a Momofuku cookbook signing with Chang before the book has even dropped, according to Mouthing Off. Chefs involved with the event cited offense at Chang’s comments. In what may further fuel reactions, Chang issued a Larry David–style apology — somewhere between sincere and begrudging — when he added, "I'm never gonna open a place in San Francisco." article via newyork.grubstreet.com

oh well. boo-hoo for you SF! David, how about a Momofuku in LA?

ps: OMG! This AM I scored Momofuku Ko reservations! Yes I had to stalk the website from early this morning rapidly refreshing the screen during a 4 minute window. But I'm in! I'll let you know how my 3 HOUR set lunch is. But very carefully as D doesn't like people who take pictures and notes of the food at Ko. “The food’s getting cold”.

oh, HEEEELLLLLL no!

I love me some drama and I love me some Housewives of ATL. And this last season did not disappoint! It was again, oh so good. But what-up with the Reunion part 1?!?!?!??!?!?!?! Kim and Nene reconciled? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? Not a peep between Kandi and Nene? Shree and Lisa not talking smack? OK, I KNOW that something is UP! What is going on? It was SO boring!!! All of them just smiling through their teeth and laughing and tossing their fake hair back like they're all off to a slumber party together. They all either have new lawyers OR are under some sort of gag order OR there some secret pact not to make each other look bad OR have they decided to be all Deshawn Snow (i.e. taking one look at the season and saw their own foolishness and decided not to further embarrass themselves further).



WHAT'S UP WITH DAT! you know something dirty is going down. All of them smiling coyly, rolling their eyes, obviously wanting to speak their minds... but no! Even Andy Cohen tries to hide is frustration when his jabs land on collagen filled dead faces. Ladies, we saw that show and you DON'T have that kind of self control unless there's $$ on the line.

BravoAndy, I blame you!!! Ask better questions and get the truth out of dem'bitches! Although Part 1 was a dud, I'm looking forward to Part 2 since in the previews there appears to be some heat. AND Kim performs Tardy for the Party!!! until Thursday...

OMG me too!

Some may say it's sick while other may just pass it off as being friends for so long... or maybe its just that taste and style are our middle names? Either way, I TOO have just bought black boots on zappos! (I swear that we never discussed it until after we had both done so).

However, unlike Jessica, I'm totally new to boots. I've always thought to add them to my wardrobe, but have never actually done so. But I finally took the plunge! And they arrived a few days ago (2 day free shipping! love zapppos!), in time for Halloween. (My costume was other reason that pushed me to get them.) But I'm torn... I ordered 2 pairs that I liked thinking that I would send the less desirable one back. Both are the same, but different... and I've ended up liking them both! what to do?!

Both pairs are comfortable, surprisingly light, and can be worn to work. The ones on the right are Steve Madden and under $100 and have a cap toe that I'm digging. I like the little strip thing on it too... but perhaps it makes them too casual? The others are Kenneth Cole, little higher, chunkier, and combat-like, but have a zipper that makes for easy on & off. Although they are just over $100, I'm leaning towards keeping them because of the ease of the zipper. Also I think that I can find more stylish lower boots that I'd be willing to pay more for, maybe? What are your thoughts?