Shopping for a Cause

Several years ago, my friend Bree invited me to a Stella & Dot jewelry show that a friend of a friend was hosting. At the time, I had never heard of Stella & Dot but as there were to be mimosas and brunch, so I accepted her invitation gladly. It turned out that Stella & Dot is a jewelry line started by two friends who named the company after their grandmothers; you can only order through a registered Stella & Dot personal stylist which is a nice little personal touch in this day and age of anonymous online shopping. I purchased a necklace at that first show and have been a fan ever since.

I've been to several parties and trunk shows throughout the years since, and more often than not I leave with a gift for someone or something sparkly for myself. The line has branched out from necklaces, bracelets and earrings into accessories like tote bags, wallets and scarves. Lucky for me, my sister is a stylist so I can order whenever I want!

I just found that in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, throughout October 100% of net proceeds from Stella & Dot's Breast Cancer Awareness Boutique will support the Noreen Fraser Foundation. Take a look at the collection on the current trunk show and fight breast cancer in style! http://www.stelladot.com/ts/cujt5

Learn more about the Noreen Fraser Foundation:
www.noreenfraserfoundation.org

Southern women

As a displaced Southern belle, I find it interesting to hear and see how my non-Southern friends, co-workers and colleagues view people from my neck of the woods. It stretches from one end of the spectrum to the other--thinking Southerners are dumb as bricks to sweet as pie. In short, everyone has a different opinion, though most do have an opinion (that they want to share). This is most pronounced in the obvious settings--when I'm meeting someone for the first, and/or when that person doesn't know many Southerners.

Shocking though it may be, we don't all like sweet tea, we don't all aspire to be housewives, we don't all know how to fry chicken, and we don't all believe that the higher the hair, the closer to Heaven. However, I do think that what sets us apart is that Southern women make the effort. I think that trait, more than how we talk or what we eat or how many bless-your-hearts we utter, is what makes a belle stand out. In fact, that's pretty much what this Garden & Gun article about redefining the Southern belle says:

To be born a Southern woman is to be made aware of your distinctiveness. And with it, the rules. The expectations. These vary some, but all follow the same basic template, which is, fundamentally, no matter what the circumstance, Southern women make the effort. Which is why even the girls in the trailer parks paint their nails. And why overstressed working moms still bake three dozen homemade cookies for the school fund-raiser. And why you will never see Reese Witherspoon wearing sweatpants. Or Oprah take a nap.

It's true--I never wear sweatpants in public (yoga pants are an altogether different subject), and I neverrarely take naps [anymore]. I don't leave the house with wet hair, and I wear makeup to the gym. 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Some Good News

It's been an interesting couple of weeks.  You would think that not having a job means I have much more free time, and I do, but luckily I've had quite a few interviews that have been keeping me busy.  The short story is that I was presented with three very attractive job offers within a 24-hour period; the good news is that one of those offers was my top choice, so I am beyond thrilled!  I start work on Tuesday and couldn't be happier. 

That's me, celebrating my new job.

My birthday was on Tuesday (yep, Valentine's Day) and I had a pretty phenomenal birthday, all things considered.  Since my sister now lives in DC, and since we were born five days (and five years) apart, we had a joint birthday celebration last weekend.  It was tons of fun, and so great to see so many friends in one place!  We went to New Vegas Lounge, a DC favorite for live music and dancing.  Then, my sweet roommates treated me to dinner at Town Hall (our home away from home) on Monday night to celebrate turning another year older; my sister came by later that night with a delicious rainbow birthday cake, her specialty.  The night of my actual birthday, my sister, her boyfriend and I celebrated again at another favorite restaurant, Zaytinya.  Like I said, pretty phenomenal. 

rainbow birthday cake

I leave you with the recipe for Town Hall's Goat Cheese Macaroni, because it is amazing and I hope to recreate it myself one day.  I found the recipe via Pinterest, naturally.

Town Hall’s Goat-Cheese Macaroni

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups half-and-half
¾ cup heavy cream
1½ tablespoons white wine
1¼ cup fresh goat cheese
½ cup garlic-herb Boursin cheese 
1½ teaspoons kosher salt (or more to taste)
1⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Dash of Tabasco
½ box (½ pound) cavatappi pasta 

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux and cook for 1 minute. 

Add half-and-half, heavy cream, white wine, salt, and white pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a high simmer, but make sure not to boil the milk. Cook the mixture on low for 10 minutes to thicken. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Put the cream mixture into a blender and add the goat and Boursin cheeses and Tabasco. Blend for 10 seconds on low speed until smooth. 

Strain the cheese sauce through a mesh strainer back into the saucepan and set aside to cool until the pasta is cooked, or store it covered overnight in the fridge. 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatappi, and cook until al dente, about 8 or 9 minutes (the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce). Strain the pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and warm the macaroni and cheese until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with more salt if necessary.

Devour!

The Night Circus and Salvage the Bones

I'm not sure exactly what prompted me to purchase The Night Circus for my Kindle, except that I remember finding the reviews interesting.  The Night Circus is indescribable; it's a fantasy, a dream-like story of romance, with plenty of humor and suspense thrown in.  It's a thoroughly entertaining read that I didn't want to put it down.  Erin Morgenstern writes eloquently about the surreal world of Marco and Celia, pitted against one another in a magical and fierce competition, and the cast of characters that each play a pivotal part in their story.  From the Amazon page: 

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

While plenty of magic occurs in the pages of The Night Circus, the compelling story seems so real that you find yourself pulling for the protagonists, all the while realizing that only one can win the competition.  

It was a hard to swing from the elegant prose and vivid imagery of The Night Circus to Jesmyn Ward's stark and gritty Salvage the Bones, winner of the 2011 National Book Award.  The novel chronicles the days of a poor family living on the Mississippi coast in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.  While this book was a quick read, it was not an easy one.  Esch, the narrator, is fourteen and pregnant; her mother is dead, her father is an alcoholic, and one of her three brothers is stealing food and medicine for his pitbull's new litter of puppies.  There are some pretty graphic descriptions of dog fighting in the novel, which were hard for me to read.  Thin glimmers of hope shine throughout the novel, such as the community of friends that pull together after the storm, but these slivers of light are so fragile that I was left feeling depressed upon finishing the novel.  It's well-written and deserving of the praise it has received, but it's not a book I would choose to read again.

Christmas 2011

I such a nice, fun, relaxing Christmas in Mississippi this year (technically, since this is January 2, it was last year).  Even though my sister and I live in the same city now, it was great to both be home together with our parents.  Per tradition, we had decorated our tree over Thanksgiving, so it was nice to return and see it again.  I had a whirlwind two weeks before I headed home, so I needed a break!  There were tacky sweater parties, JLW events, a book signing, and the annual Dirty Santa party that my girlfriends and I have.  After I had not one but THREE different gifts stolen from me, I ended up with my own gift--it was fortuitous that I bought a gift that I actually would have liked to receive!

Christmas decorations

gifts for Dirty Santa

sweet Maggie at home in Mississippi

Gus the Cat, who also lives in Mississippi

our 2011 Christmas tree

Also, I am super excited about my new Kindle Fire that Santa brought me for Christmas!  It's really cool, y'all--and it will save me mucho room on my bookshelf.  Unfortunately, since I don't yet own my dream home, or at least a home with an awesome library (at this point, I'd take a mediocre library), I appreciate having the option to buy books electronically and take them with me wherever I go.  

That said, I'm currently reading One Thousand White Women for my book club.  I'm about halfway through and really enjoying it so far.  I'll do a review once I finish it, and the next book on my list is The Paris Wife.  

I leave you with some images of my ideal home library.  You're welcome.

Bow-dacious

Based on my previous shoe post and this post today, you might think I have an obsession with anything with a bow.  You would, in fact, be wrong, though I appreciate the dash of whimsy that a bow can give to an object.  For my birthday, I was the lucky recipient of this adorable Kate Spade bangle thanks to my awesome sister who thankfully can pick up on a well-placed hint!  Paired with several other gold bangles, the bow is sweet and unexpected.

Kate Spade is currently hosting a sample sale (amazing deals), and as part of my birthday present to myself, I bought this fabulous clutch that I've been wanting since I first laid eyes on it last fall.  Again, yes, it's in the shape of an over-sized bow, but it's fun and not nearly as boring as my other basic black clutches.  

Be My Valentine

I have a confession: Valentine's Day rivals the Fourth of July as one of my most favorite holidays. I'll tell you my secret--I was born on Valentine's Day 20-something years ago. Yes, that's right, regardless of whether I actually have a Valentine, I get flowers and presents. As much as some people think Valentine's Day is a cheesy holiday manufactured by greeting card companies in collusion with florists to sell more products, I think it's a day to remind your loved ones that you do, in fact, love them. Sometimes life gets busy and we forget these simple things!



Hearts

Update:  Thank you, each and every one of you, who have offered prayers and words of support and encouragement for me and for my family.  My uncle came through surgery with flying colors and is at home recuperating with family.  He has a long, long road to full recovery ahead of him, but due to his excellent health going into surgery, his prognosis is very good.  [My uncle has always had high blood pressure but low cholesterol.  He is a healthy eater, doesn't smoke, and may indulge in the occasional adult beverage.  He's been in his fair share of triathalons, and he takes spin classes five days a week.  This is why the sudden "walking time bomb" prognosis from the cardiologist was so difficult to comprehend.]

Since 1963, Congress has required the president to proclaim February as American Heart Month, since, you know, Valentine's Day (MY BIRTHDAY!) falls on the 14th.  As such, and since it directly relates to my previous post, I'm going to give you some interesting, and hopefully not too snooze-worthy, heart health tips.  Just humor me and go with it, ok?  Thanks!

• Floss daily!  Flossing can add up to five years to the average person's life expectancy.
• People that suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
• Stay hydrated – staying properly hydrated helps you feel (and look) better and water is a great alternative to high-calorie, sugar-sweetened drinks. Treat yourself to a fun new water bottle to encourage the habit – if it’s always handy, you’re more likely to drink up.
• Make a change – pick one small thing you can change about your daily diet – start buying skim milk, order the nonfat latte, skip the afternoon vending machine visit or add an extra veggie to your dinner plate.
• Try something new – dare yourself to try a new fruit or vegetable. Next time you’re at the store pick up something you’ve never made before. Many grocery stores have free recipe cards in the produce section or just type the food into your favorite search engine.
• Cooking at home is an excellent way to control the quality and amounts of what you eat. Take a date to a local cooking class to practice your skills or learn a new technique.
• Every cigarette smoked cuts at least five minutes of life on average, which is roughly the time it takes to smoke one cigarette.
• Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day.

The facts were compiled from the Google and the American Heart Association.

 
 

Prayer Request

Kids, shit's about to get heavy.  I normally keep this blog light and fun, but I have a serious request for those of you who visit me here.  I'll keep it short and simple: my uncle went to his doctor last Wednesday after having some chest pain.  About halfway through his treadmill stress test, the cardiologist told him to stop walking and said he needed to have surgery as soon as possible to insert a stent due to blockage(s) in his veins.  While serious due to the blockages, it's a pretty simple surgery.  His surgery was scheduled for today, and after surgery he'd spend tonight in the hospital for observation and be back at work on Wednesday.  Well, today in surgery the doctors found that his blockages are so calcified that a stent won't solve the problem; instead, my uncle will undergo a quadruple bypass at 8:30am EST tomorrow, if there is not an "immediate" need before that time.  I'm a praying gal, and I would appreciate any and all prayers, compassionate thoughts, good vibes, incantations, etc. that he is in capable and compassionate hands and that he pulls through.  Assuming everything goes well in the morning, he will have at least a 90-day recovery period.  That's another conversation... one step at a time.

Dad on left, uncle on right. Look nothing alike, do they?

Recent Readings

Settle in, I've been doing quite a bit of reading lately.

In my last post, I mentioned that I recently finished Let the Great World Spin (by Colum McCann), winner of the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction.  I had high expectations for this book, and while I'd rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars, I didn't like it as much as I wanted to.  The story centers on the intersecting lives of several residents of New York in the 1970s--an Irish immigrant monk and his brother, a heroine-addicted hooker and her daughter (and her daughter's daughters), two young artists playing fast and loose with life, and a group of women who meet each month to discuss the loss of their sons in the Vietnam War.  The novel is extremely well-written and showcases the New York of August of 1974, the same month that French tight-rope walker (funambulist) Philippe Petit danced across a wire strung between the Twin Towers.  While the novel ends on a hopeful note, it takes the reader through some difficult and desperate twists of fate to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.  I honestly believe if I had known less about the book before I began reading it, I would have enjoyed it more; I expected to read more about Petit, and he is merely a minor character in the novel, though his own story has been published as well.

Just prior to Let the Great World Spin, I read Still Alice, by Lisa Genova.  I thought this was such a moving story, told from the first-person perspective of Alice Howland, renowned professor of psychology at Harvard, who slowly succumbs to early-onset Alzheimer's disease.  Alzheimer's frightens the ever-living $@#! out of me, and it runs in my family, but I found this story moving, compelling, and somewhat haunting.  From the outside, the minds of those suffering from dementia seem like such a maze of thoughts and memories, and reading this book somewhat illuminated what that experience is like with the reader.  I appreciated the insight into how Alzheimer's can affect not only the family of the afflicted, but also the (albeit fictional) perspective of the person suffering from the disease, particularly when the sufferer has spent her life being praised and recognized for her brilliance and intellect.  Scary, enlightening, interesting, and a story of family sticking with one another through difficult times.

Before Still Alice, I finished Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy that begins with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and ends with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.  If you've read my previous posts (here and here, respectively) about this trilogy, you know that I had mixed feelings about the first book.  Parts of it were extremely graphic and difficult for me to read, but I remained intrigued by the story of Lisbeth Salander.  I really, really enjoyed the second book, and the final chapter did not disappoint.  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest picks up where The Girl Who Played with Fire ends, and the action doesn't stop until the final page.  The third book aims to tie up many loose ends, and there seem to be quite a few convenient occurences; however, the mystery surrounding Lisbeth's life keep the story's momentum going throughout.  Instead of merely confronting her enemies, Lisbeth must now either destroy them or face her own destruction; since she's lying in a hospital bed for the majority of novel, she's got a problem on her hands.  I'm glad that I finished the trilogy since I enjoyed the story much more than I initially thought I would, and I'd recommend it to you if you are a) still reading this blog post, and b) like stories that involve espionage, government conspiracies, and lots of action and suspense.

Between The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and Still Alice, I attemped to read The Corrections, by Joseph Franzen.  I'd read some great reviews and thought the story sounded amusing, smart, and possibly controversial, so I was ready to dig in.  Not even 200 pages in, I put it down and haven't picked it back up since.  This is significant, because I rarely don't finish a book that I begin.  In fact, the only other book that I can immediately recall not finishing was a Janet Evanovich book, and those things are just terrible (unless One for the Money was just a truly amateur effort).

Okay, done.  Still with me?  Bueller?  Bueller?

Thankful

Sometimes it seems a shame that we only "celebrate" Thanksgiving once a year since there is so much to be thankful for each day.  My immediate family and I went to Seaside, FL, a place that is special to us, and we were fortunate enough to be spend several days with our extended "family"; we may not be related by blood, but we are related through love and a rich history of friendship.  There are so many things for which I'm thankful (my family, my friends, my job, our country, red wine, the list goes on), but I was happy just to spend time with my favorite people in my favorite place.

Craig

Randy and Dad - BFFs

Craig, Mom, Anna

the extended family

sisters

sisters

Anna's pumpkin pie

Anna's apple pie

Scrabble Pillows

The weather has turned chilly in DC, and we're well into the holiday season.  Now that Halloween is over (and my decorations are put away), I'm looking forward to spending the week of Thanksgiving with my family at one of our favorite destinations.  We have some holiday traditions that include my sister and I arguing about clothes, my mother attempting to teach me how to cook, my father reminding me to change the oil in my car every three months, sipping red wine, watching old episodes of Friends, and playing numerous games of Scrabble.  As such, I thought it was appropriate to share these cute Scrabble pillows; I think they would be adorable in a child's room or guest room.