would you eat these?

I saw these snack-sized bags at CVS last week. I almost bought all three, but didn't. I tend to like weird flavored chips, I will admit, but I'm not too sure about these!  

Have you tried any of them? Were they good? What is the weirdest chip flavor you've ever had? What did you think? 

ettiquette?

As I mentioned, my sister is engaged and planning her wedding for this November. She and Scott, her fiance, are working on registries. They had set one up at Macy's, and then found that several things had been discontinued, so over the weekend, they went to work on them.

Here's the situation-

They went to Bed Bath and Beyond to do a registry there, and before, she checked the Macy's list to see which items were still needed, and also which things should be deleted from

Macy's and add to BBB, based on price.

Side note- apparently Macy's has an app that emails you everytime someone buys from your registry?! How awful, I think!

Meanwhile, the Macy's app showed that someone bought the set of everyday glasses and the silverware that they registered for. Apparently the buyer in question is the best friend of my sister's best friend's sister (does that make sense?). So, Bethany's best friend is A, A's sister is B, and B's best friend is C, who bought these two things from the registry.

Bethany, of course, knows C, and they are friendly, but they are certainly not friends. C was at A's wedding, and we all saw her then, but that was the last time, and that was almost three years ago. Bethany and C certainly don't talk often, maybe the occasional facebook note, but nothing more. We can't imagine that C would think she would be invited to the wedding. Bethany has sent out save the dates, but C didn't get one, obviously, and they were sent out a month ago, and mentioned on facebook, so C would likely have seen that post, knowing they had gone out and then she didn't receive one at the time, or since!

It just seems so strange that C would buy Bethany a gift, and buy two things, at that.  Bethany said that she was planning to delete that silverware, as she later learned that it isn't great quality and out mother suggested something nicer. So, they added a different set.

Now Bethany is feeling weird that C bought them stuff, and isn't sure what to do. Should they return them? She doesn't think that she can ask A or B about it, because it is an awkward situation.

It just seems to be really strange to both of us!

Have you ever been in a similar situation? What would you do if you were Bethany? Is this the strangest thing you've ever heard????



do you Wu?

Have you heard of the new line of clothing and some accessories, Jason Wu for Target? I will admit that I was way out of this loop- I've heard of him, but that's about it! I didn't know about this line for Target until the morning of the release when it was all over twitter! Apparently people were lining up hours before the stores opened, and then it was a madhouse when you got inside! Shoving people aside and ripping clothing from them. Then I read about people selling things on ebay for many times more than it cost. Oy.

I looked online, and many of them items were really cute, things I would wear. I didn't love everything, but that's to be expected, of course! I figured I'd see the collection eventually, so I wasn't too concerned about it, ha. Over the weekend, I had to go to Target to return something, and caught sight of a few of the items! They didn't have too much left, but I saw this dress in my size, and grabbed it! It's really quite cute, and will look great with red shoes, natch ;)

What about you? Did you know about the Jason Wu for Target collection and did you find any pieces to add to your closet? Would you line up hours before the store opening?

in my closet please

I've stated my obsession with pinterest before, and I just adore it, like most of you, I think! I've found all sorts of clever ideas, things that seem so simple, but I wouldn't have thought of on my own! I'm not always the most creative, but I've found many things and then put my own spin on them, in order to make them my own.

I love some of the clothing things I've seen, and outfits that people put together. I am far from the most fashionable out there...I am quite certain that I need help in that department! Again, I'm just not the most creative when it comes to my wardrobe and wouldn't think to pair some things. Does someone want to come over and play in my closet with me? Or sign me up for What Not to Wear? Stacy and Clinton are just too funny, I think!

I saw this outfit this morning, and pinned it, and then realized that I actually have most of the pieces. Not the exact items, of course, but very similar. I have a similar styled dress, though with white polka dots. It has a wide red belt attached. I bought it at HM last year, but have never worn it, as it makes my shoulders look like a linebackers. I have a goldenrod colored cardigan very much like the one in the photo, and similar tall brown boots.

So my question- how would I wear this? Would I just remove and ignore the red belt? Or would I belt over the sweater? Even though it's red? Button the sweater? Unbuttoned? What color tights would I wear? Brown? Navy? How would you make it yours? How can I make it mine?

still too many cookbooks

Remember this post from more than a year ago, where I discussed my many cookbooks?

(see teaser photo below)

I really need to purge some of these cookbooks! They are taking up space, and I just don't use them all! I use some, but not all.

So, want one? I'm more than happy to send you one or two, if you are interested, because it would be better than them sitting here and growing dust!

Yes? No? Maybe so?

hair today....

Has anyone tried a Brazilian Keratin treatment for their hair? I've been reading a bit about them and am intrigued. I think it could work well with my hair, but the price makes me hesitate a bit. There is a place in DC that does them and I read the reviews on yelp, and every single review was amazing and got five stars. Still, I'd love more opinions, if possible!


Also, I just made the amazing discovery that there is a Serendipity 3 in DC! Apparently it is in Georgetown, and opened in May! I have no idea how I missed this news! I must go, and soon!


Oh, and remember my giveaway? VA Girl, you're the winner! Please email me (find my email on my profile page) and I will put you in touch with Eileen, in order to claim your prize!


PS. Have you voted for LiLu yet? GO DO IT!!!!

bake a cake, store some wine?

My apartment is so tiny, but it seems that I have no place to keep anything! I've been looking at tv stands because my tv is currently sitting on a small end table! I think I like the hutch-style the best!

Have you ever used Le Creuset cookware? They have such amazing products, I think, though I will admit, I've never owned any myself! This week, I baked several times for work, and realized that I am in need of new baking and cookware! Most of what I have is hand-me-downs, it seems. I suppose I can register for nice things if I ever get engaged, but that is another story ;)

I was contacted by CSN Stores with this promotional opportunity, which I am so excited about. They have more than 200 stores, did you know that? Need a new tv stand? How about something funky? Bar stools! I could disply my quilts on the blanket racks they have or show off my cookbooks and Polish pottery on a bakers rack.

If I can ever decide what I should get, I will be reviewing it, for your entertainment ;)

library love

As you know, I am a lover of anthropologie, so it would make sense that I follow them on twitter. Recently, they tweeted about library love, in the form of card catalog pulls.

I'm pretty much in love with them.

When I was there the other week, I picked one up. Adorable, yes?

My plan is to find a dresser/nightstand, maybe on craigslist and use these as the drawer pulls. I'd like something with a shabby chic/antique look to it. I'm not a huge DIYer, but I think it would be cute!

I'd also LOVE to find an actual old library card catalog too. I see those from time to time on craigslist, but they are usually pretty pricy, around $800 or so. I saw one recently not far from here for only $200, but when I emailed the owner, I never got a reply. Oh well, I'll keep looking! I think it would be such a stunning piece for a living room.

I know just where I'd put it too...

schedule this

What sort of planner/agenda do you use? I know that many use blackberries/iphones/outlook, but I am a bit old school, and I like a book that I can write in, and flip through the pages. For some reason, it makes me feel more organized. I like that I can see the calendar for the month and then each week gets a page of its own.

For the last few years, I have used a Vera Bradley agenda, which I really like a lot. I think I first found it in 2007 and it has improved each year since! It is the perfect size to fit into the bags that I use for work, and has great features inside. It has pockets for notes, and room to list addresses and whatnot. I color coordinate too- on the calendar page, I use a pink pen for birthdays, green for anniversaries, purple for another day of significance that isn't a birthday or anniversary (more so a reminder to myself). Then, for random events or whatever, I usually use blue.

Of course, since it is mid-December, I am finding that now I have events coming up in January that I can't write down, and it is driving me nuts! I've been writing them on post-it notes and sticking them on the last page, so that I can write them down in my new agenda, when I get it! It's making me feel disorganized, and I am hardly the most organized, though I try!

I put the new VB agenda on my Christmas list, so I am hoping that Santa puts it in my stocking! If he doesn't, I will buy it for myself.

Anyone else crazy about their agenda, or am I the only crazy? :)

horsing around

The equestrian look has been going around for quite some time now and I am just now getting into it a bit. It's funny to me, because I rode for years. I began riding when I was nine and rode and competed all through high school and college. With the exception of one lesson last summer, with my mother, who now rides, I haven't been on a horse in at least six years. It's sad to me, because it was such a big part of my life and I loved it. I'd love to ride again, but stables in DC are expensive and harder to get to, since I don't have a car and it is unlikely that the metro runs out to wherever they are! Maybe I should look into it though....

Over the weekend, we stayed at a lovely B&B called Merritt Hill Manor in Penn Yan, NY. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend it. It was gorgeous. I didn't take any photos of the inside, but several from outside (and the view!) that I will post later. We stayed in room 3, the Matthew Joseph room. It's hard to tell from this photo, but the room (and the bathroom!) had the equestrian look going on, and I loved it.


You can't see from the photo, but to the right of that chair in the corner are two windows facing east where we saw the most amazing sunrise. The photo also doesn't allow you to see the details, but this room reminded me of my love for all things equestrian.

Then I found this blog post that detailed a lot of looks that I like (like the leather trunks!). It is so classic and pulled-together looking. Right now, my tiny apartment doesn't allow for much of it, but maybe someday? Also, look at these cute pieces. I should check out some antique shops...I'm sure I could find something similar!

Since I rode for so long, I already have most of the clothing, though I admit, I wouldn't wear much of it outside the barn :) I do have the tall leather boots though. Maybe I should have them cleaned and polished and could wear them with a pair of skinny jeans? Would that be too much?

What about you? What do you think of the equestrian look? Is it something you'd try?

bridal registry fail

I know I've mentioned my dislike for bridal registries before. Now, I see their point and realize their usefulness, but on the other hand, I just don't like the idea behind them. I don't feel as though I should tell you what you should buy me for my wedding. To me, it seems a bit pompous and presumptous. I shouldn't dictate how much you spend. Of course, I know that people register for a wide range of things of all price points, but regardless, I'm just not a fan. I also feel like they lack any sort of creativity and there is no thought put into the gift. Life shouldn't be that easy and convenient.

When my parents were married 33 years ago, they received a gorgeous clock that is above the fireplace mantle in the living room. Whenever they look at it, they think of the couple who bought it for them (I don't remember who bought it, I wasn't at their wedding!). They also had this beautiful salad bowl that I LOVED. It was white glass with a flower design painted on. It was simple, but so, so pretty. I always loved it and told my mother that when she died, I wanted it (ha!). She called one day about a year ago with bad news. It slipped out of her hands coming out of the dishwasher and crashed to the floor, breaking into zillions of pieces. I nearly cried. Likewise though, she remembered who bought it. If you buy me two place settings, will I really remember in 35 years that you and your beloved bought them for me?

When people register, I always look at their registries to see what they like. I am not cruel enough to buy a hideous vase or the like. I think I buy fun gifts for people, gifts with thought and meaning behind them. I don't want to buy you bath towels. I know they are needed, but frankly, I think they are a boring gift! Sorry. Oh, and also, I don't give money. Again, I know that most couples probably like that the most, but it's just not my style.

The other weekend, when I went to MA for my friend's bridal shower, I bought her several things, including one thing from her registry. She got two of them. My first time ever buying from someone's registry and she got two. I was so annoyed. I checked the registry before leaving work, metroed over to Chinatown to hit Bed, Bath and Beyond. When I got inside, I checked the registry again and it was still available. I bought it and they removed it from the registry. When I got home, I checked it again and it said it was fulfilled. She still got two. Apparently the person who bought the other didn't remove it from the registry. Fail!

At the same time, I have a wedding coming up next weekend in upstate NY and the couple didn't register. I have NO idea what to get them. Yes, I know how hypocritical this makes me sound and I don't mean it to! I use registries for ideas, but then go off on my own! I know that when I am planning my own wedding, I will likely register, because Steve thinks they are great and most people will be annoyed if I don't. Ugh.

I'm sure I am pretty much on my own with this opinion, but how do you feel about registries? Did you/will you register? Where did/will you register and why did you choose those stores? Have you come across many couples that didn't? What did you do about that and what did you get them as a gift?

look at this photograph, everytime I do it makes me laugh

Last night, I was looking around my apartment at some of the photos I have. They're all in frames, on the wall or on shelves documenting some of my favorite moments in time. There are pictures from the two years I lived in Krakow; all over the city and all over some of the others that I was fortunate enough to travel to. There are photos of my family; of me with my siblings when we were young and photos of my grandparents and a photo of my parents about twenty years ago when my mother's hair was long and curly. They are at the top of Mount Washington- it is one of my favorite photos of them. They look so happy and carefree, like they are at the top of the world (which they literally were! well, close!). There are photos of me with high school friends and photos of me with college friends. Photos of me with friends from in between. There are also two photos of me and Steve; one from my best friend's wedding a few years ago and the other at the Christmas tree at Rockfeller Center, also a few years ago.

Sensing a pattern here?

I found that none of the photos in my apartment are from later than 2005. Why is this? Well, I'd say that it is because of the arrival of digital cameras. Yes, I realize that they existed before 2005...but that is when I got one! I was in Poland from 2002 until 2004 and I had an older camera that took actual film that I would bring to get developed. I miss those days. One of my favorite things was to drop off a few rolls of film and then go back to pick up the pictures, with the anticipation of what was on the roll. Inevitably, there would be a few bad pictures, but they were developed anyway. There was no "delete" button if my eyes were closed or I didn't like the way I looked. I had the photo anyway, for all of eternity.

I was so sad when I recently read that Kodak decided to retire its iconic Kodachrome film after more than 70 years. Again, another move towards the world of digitalization. My two years in Poland are documented in hundreds of photos. They are in a large Rubbermaid bin, which sits in the corner of my apartment. I've begun to organize them into albums, but I can't work on this project for too long because I get so nostalgic and begin to daydream about ways to get back to Krakow and spend my days sitting on the Rynek Glowny in the sun. Those days were among the most amazing I've had and I can think of few things I'd like more then to be there again.

I suppose the solution to my dilemma is to print out new photos for frames, eh? Somehow though, it isn't the same. While I do have hundreds of recent photos, most of which can be seen on the dozens of albums on facebook, it still doesn't compare to the the thrill of real photos, fresh from being developed. I miss that.

What are your most favorite photos? Where in your house are they hung?


PS. Keep an eye out...I'll be posting a giveaway or two next week!

hmmmm

Okay, question.

Sometimes people write posts about how they did a search to see how people found their blog. Meaning, if they were googling, they came up with a phrase that led someone to their blog. How do you do this?

I'm a little slow :)

can you cook?

So remember once before when I said I had a lot of cookbooks? Tonight I was cleaning my apartment (it's a complete disaster!) and found a stack of new cookbooks that I got for Christmas (so I haven't totally put things away from the holidays...) and I realized that I really have no more room for cookbooks.



Seriously. This is why----

Do you think I have a problem?

Don't answer that :)

Instead, answer this- what is your favorite cookbook AND favorite recipe? Let me know, because I clearly need more of both.

They'll be a winner! Oh yes, another contest! This will be randomly chosen by one of those random integrator things that I see people use (I'll ask someone...) and the lucky winner will win a copy of Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book! No, it won't be the copy that you see on my shelf and is signed by Rachael herself, but a new copy of your very own!

So, get cooking!

question du jour

Okay, so facebook again (clearly I spend too much time on there...)

So when someone pops up on my "people you may know" area, does that mean that I'm showing up on theirs as well? At the same time? Or is it totally random?

Just curious!

ohhh facebook

I've been acquiring many new facebook friends, most of them from days long ago. This is the point of facebook though, is it not? I like the search aspect (oh admit it, you totally stalk people too, don't lie to me!)

I'm amused by the "people you may know" aspect. I wonder how, just because I might know someone who also knows that someone, facebook assumes I know them. Yes, sometimes facebook gets it right, but sometimes, um, no, not at all. Tonight I was searching my high school (which I found out today totally has a wikipedia entry!) and was searching my graduating class, then each before me. I found that the love of my freshman life is on facebook. He was a senior when I was a freshman, and I loved him like any young freshman girl loves that senior boy they never really talk to. Okay, we talked very occasionally, but that is another post for another day.

Tonight I noticed that we had one mutual friend. Curious was I, so I clicked to see who. It was a girl who was in my class, but I don't know if they spoke much more then I did. She had friended me very recently, just a couple of weeks ago and I don't think we've spoken since graduation. Again, the joys of facebook come full force. Still though, since a lot of new people are popping up on facebook every day, I am just waiting for the day when that love of my life pops up on my people I may know, via many mutual friends.

Then, the big question will be, to poke or not to poke....