Hello 2012! Or do I address you as two-thousand twelve?? January 2, 2012

This little elf being put away today, says 20-12....

It seems to be a toss-up…same as this past year…is it twenty-twelve(which I prefer as shorter and more direct-3 syllables) or two-thousand and twelve(which has five syllables…and we didn’t say nineteen thousand, and ninety-nine-right?). New year, you’re 20-12 to me. End of subject.

Ok…my fave gifts this year. Ready? I told you  I wanted a new iPad case….one that had some kick to it…

From my son and the lovely Jennifer....

I love it’s wooliness, and bright tartan plaid….and it’s made by a small company called pijama-here...and they make cases for iPhones, tablets or Mac books from interesting materials that are sometimes discontinued or odd lots, and lined with a neoprene substance for protection. Love mine!

It looks so pretty with the candles lit....

My daughter did her shopping for me this year on Etsy…and she found a dealer called Fairy Lawn Forest-here…they make all things moss…which I love. Just mist it with water, or spray it in the sink and let it drain….and it’s happy.

Yep, it's a big old block of pink salt!!!

And I have toyed with the idea of getting a salt block slab for a while now…they are all the rage in cooking circles. This one came from a place that is all about salt called The Meadow-here….it’s a shop in the West Village in NYC. You can cook on it… on the grill or in the oven, or serve food on it like I did here with proscuitto and cheese and pears.

WHo knew salt could be so pretty???

I’m still figuring out how best to use my Himaylayan pink salt block…I’m afraid I’ll hurt it!

Made from oak leaves from the now poisoned Auburn Oak tree....

My friend Hannah(who grew up in Auburn, Alabama) sent me this beautiful piece from Auburn…and I just adore it. It’s an ornament made from the famous Toomer’s Corner Oak tree leaves that artist Michael Michaud had cast in wax…. and then artisan metals make a sculptural replica. I fully intend to wear it as necklace, because it’s too pretty not to. You can find Michael’s things at The Villager-here.

I have lots more to share with you about my week off…later this week. Happy New Year, everyone…I intend to make it a good one…and I hope you do too!

 

Christmas Shopping 2011….here’s what I’m giving this year… December 5, 2011

Ok, we’re all on the lookout for gifts that people will love, and yet not send your charge card into paralysis…you know what I mean. And I’m not of the school of buying one or two BIG things for the kids…I’d rather have more gifts under the tree than fewer, so I’m always on the lookout for little, less expensive presents. Here are a few ideas in a lot of price ranges..

Stila...and so many of them!

I love Stila lip glosses, and I found this set at South Moon Under-here, in Canton for $25 bucks….loves. it. (Online, SMU offers 20% off on orders over $150!)

Love these....and a great buy...

These earrings, also at South Moon Under, could be $200, but they’re $24. That’s it. And so pretty. Done.

A-gloves...a must have for winter iPhone users...

OK, these I had on the list last year, but I think even more people now have iPhones and iPads…and these are the only gloves I know of that can operate them(around $18), without having a weird little patch on the finger tip. There are silver threads woven in the fabric, so ALL your fingers can text their little hearts out. And they’re soft and warm…the white ones are made from bamboo! Agloves-here.

These are at Urban Chic...shop small and local!!

The Hunter rainboots are such a classic…not inexpensive…this is a bigger gift(around $125), but think about this. They. Last. For-Ev-Er. I have had the same Classic green pair for, well, a reeeaaally long time. And they still look great. And you can get liners for them to wear in colder weather. I saw these at Urban Chic in Canton..and dig the purple ones!!

Isn’t this so cute? Flannel and reversible pocket squares, and they come in lots of different colors and styles, along with ties that are actually reasonably priced(I mean really reasonable….around $20 each)….and cool looking! Found tons of stuff at The Tie Bar. Can we all just say it  out loud…”It is ridiculous to pay $100 plus for a darn piece of silk.”  I mean, really people. Lots of facrics..cotton and wool, skinny ties and regular, and extra length…great looks.   Check out the Tie Bar…. 

Chocolate. Nuff said… the toffee bark in the picture below makes me want to cry it looks so good….all handmade in Stephenson MD….Velvet Chocolatier. They are just sooooo good, and come in cute little bags. Ruthie knows her way around the kitchen…delicious.

The Velvet Chocolatier does it all! 

For your fave techie(even if they're not a kid)....

“Goodnight iPad“…..I got a copy of this hilarious book for my son for Christmas(they  don’t read my blog, so I’m safe), so the lovely Jenniefer can read to him as a bedtime story…and he probably will ask her to do just that….all the time. I found this at Trohv, in Hampden. They have the mother load of small, fun gift ideas, as well as beautiful furniture and accessories(great stocking stuffers). Amazing place to shop…check it out, and shop local and small this Christmas!!

New Chairs and Fat Mama’s Tamales in the house… December 17, 2010

Love the chairs....

Let me start with something pretty…I bought two of these chairs (from Overstock) to go at either end of the dining table(that is to be delivered on Monday)…and I really like them! The print in the background is going to go up on the wall there…it’s one from Relais & Chateax that I had signed by the artist, when I was in Quebec for  Great Country Inns years ago. I still love it and it’s prefect for a dining room, with a festive eating and drinking scene. But there is still much to be done.

Where did I get all this crap????

Pots and pans and various and sundry kitchen STUFF that needs to find a home. Some will get a new cabinet space, others will be taken to Goodwill..surely someone needs a potato ricer….anyone? Anyone? It’s shocking all the little gadgets and thingie-dos that accumulate in the cupboards, and you don’t even know they’re there until you clean it all out. Sigh.

So sad without it's door...so exposed...

ANd the dishwasher still needs its door to be atached…evidentally a little re-figuring has to be done..no slam dunk.

Fat Mama's in the house, ya'll!

But let’s end with something delicious,…especially on a Friday when thing should be a little delicious…Fat Mama’s Tamales-here,  came today….wrapped in the Natchez Democrat.  I first had Fat Mama’s years ago when I was actually in Natchez…such a lovely place to visit. We stumbled across Fat Mama’s…and I don’t think I’ve ever had such great tamales, and never forgot them.

Newspaper from Natchez Mississippi....

SO when I found they did mail order on the web…I ordered some for my sister in Gulf Shores(my other sister got Cheryl’s cookies) and some for me. I think how my amex card gets so high at Christmas…one for you, one for me…one for you, one for me…you know. But I wonder if the Natchez football players in the pic above have any idea they were the wrapping for six dozen tamales that ended up in Baltimore, MD…probably not. I salute you, Col-Lin Wolfpack…hope you’ve had a good season. And I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend, or even a decent one. Think of me still trying to get my kitchen straightened out and guests coming Sunday for lunch(overly optimistic? perhaps..). Play nice, don’t throw rocks and come home safe, ’cause we miss you!

A Tardy(not tacky) Holiday Wrapup…… January 5, 2010

Mea culpa to those of you(probably very few) who have wondered what on earth happened to my blog….just this weekend my sweet daughter exclaimed, “You are  a crappy blogger. If you don’t post people will stop checking to see if you have anything new up.” And I know that’s true…the me being a crappy blogger part, anyway. Here’s the thing.…once you go for a little while without posting, it’s easier to continue doing  just that…nothing. It’s kind of like anything you stop doing for a while…exercising, going to church, calling your mom….once you don’t do it for a while, it’s gets easier and easier not to do it. But that all ends. Today. At least when it comes to blogging.  

I thought I’d do a little holiday mishmash, since I haven’t told you ANYTHING about what went on. My son and the lovely Jennifer came down for Christmas and spent 4 lovely days with us….it’s so much fun having them around, and seriously I dread the first year they won’t be here(and yes, I know the day will come)…because it will just be the three of us…two doddery old adults watching my daughter open her presents. She would be horrified. Maybe that will be the year we shake it up and go to Mexico or Spain for Christmas, thought honestly, it sounds a little depressing. But I digress.  

My new Manduka Yoga mat and bag.....

I got some good stuff…presents, you know….and the following are some of my faves. A Manduka yoga mat…..and a really great carrying bag, from my son and Jen…..they love yoga, and say all the cool kids at Kula Yoga in NYC use this kind of mat. I want to be one of the cool kids too! And this mat has a lot of support and good spring for the hands, and you don’t slip on it…love it, and love the bag too.  

Ummmmm..Uggs...

New Uggs. My daughter gave me these, as she was disgusted by the fact I could stick my toes out of the side( yes really) of my old chestnut Uggs. I may still try to have them repaired…but they are really old. Oh, and tip for those of you who wear a size 8 or smaller…save yourself $40 and order kids Uggs. A child size 6 is an adult size 8….that’s what she got me…and with all the variations of Uggs out there today, I still love the Uggs classic Chestnut boot.   

play some new tunes....

Let’s see….I love, love, love  my new Bose sounddock speaker for my Ipod…this was from the hubby who gave me “portable speakers” a few years ago, but in truth, they’re not really portable. Nice smaller speakers but with a lot of wires and the plug is big, and they just don’t work for carting around. The Bose SoundDock is perfect…small, runs on battery or electric power, looks sleek, no wires….love it and have used it a lot already, after downloading free yoga classes from Itunes! There are some good ones…some that last 20 minutes, others a little over an hour, and for people who know something about yoga, it’s much better to hear the directions that watch it.  Saw some great films over the holiday…you probably did too. Avatar…I give an A-….and liked the 3D effect after I got used to it. Took me a few minutes of feeling a little disoriented though. Invictus….loved it…a solid A. Why this film starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman hasn’t created more buzz, I don’t know. Great story….go see it. Up in the Air with George Clooney…again, an A. Smart, smart writing, and it’s much more than just a romantic comedy….it is funny, but it’s also sad..and deals with the downsizing of many jobs. A multi-layered film.  And I tried a new fabulous dish, from the NFL of all places….a recipe for Pork Belly with Collard Green Risotto and Pickled Okra. It did have a few steps, and I cheated and didn’t “cure” the pork…I just roasted it with sea salt, and a little cinnamon and it was still fabulous. And I only put part of the collards into the risotto…if you put all that’s called for, I think the risotto would be overwhelmed….just serve the rest of the greens on the side.  (If it seems that I am addicted to pork belly…I am. It is just so delicious, and cheap.)  And just the recipe for the greens alone  is lovely, even if you don’t do the rest of it! 

 So there…gifts, movies, home cooking….that’s what the holidays should be about anyway, don’t you think? Many of you have asked how this Christmas was, the first without my Mom. It was…different. She was very much in my thoughts and memories of Christmas past, and I so miss talking to her. She is the one person in the world who was always, without exception, happy to hear from me. Always. Even other people who do love you, aren’t always glad to hear from you…they’re busy, have a lot going on, now’s not a good time…you know? She was always thrilled to talk to me. So I miss that. But I’m happy knowing she’s not struggling anymore, and my sister doesn’t have to race to the hospital all the time. But I miss her. A woman that I work with here  lost her Mom two years ago, and she told me, “It’s still hard for me, without her.” I think it’s the loss of the person who always  loved you( not necessarily approve…oh no, but love, yes)…no strings attached…that kind of love is hard to come by.

OK, I’m not a big believer in making resolutions for the New Year, because like many of you, I feel like I do the best I can, 24/7. Now that may not be good enough, and let me assure you it often is not…but still it’s the best I can do, ok? So why make some namby=amby “resolution” to do better when I’m not? So I’ve decided instead to to make some negative resolutions…things I will not worry about doing.  

1. Sto worrying one cat is too fat and one cat is too thin. It’s true of course, and I do what I can(my best already being done, remember?)…to make sure they eat the correct amountws, but there’s only so much one can do with cat and their eating habits. I’m letting it go.  

2. I’m gonna worry less about things I can do nothing about. My Mother, bless her, was the champion at this….I’m determined not to follow in her worrying footsteps. I can’t fix the middle east….I can’t do anything about the economy. Let it go.  

3. I’m going to sincerely try…really, really try…