Slice of Pink

Friday: Keepin' it Casual

Ruffles and Things

Task 24: Make an Article of Clothing.

(I know I shouldn't call the things on my 30 Before 30 list tasks. I chose all the things on the list, after all. But there are a just a few things that are starting to feel like chores here at the finale of my 29th year.)

Anyway, make an article of clothing.

Here's what I did: I bought two Forever 21 black tees ($3.50 a pop! Big Spender!), cut up one of the tees into strips, made the strips into three ruffles and a flower, sewed the ruffles and the flower onto the second tee, and voila! Homemade article of clothing! Sort-of!

(You know, these things go for, like, $60 at J. Crew.)

I was on my way to drink champagne with my girlfriends, but Will managed to snap a quick photo while I was getting ready. The lighting is poor and there was no time for retakes--I was on my way to drink champagne, people--so I have pointed out the ruffles and flower in the photo, to draw attention to my handiwork.

The shirt may very well fall apart in the wash.

Wine Tasting

Will and I took a day trip to Sonoma for some wine tasting, in an eleventh hour attempt to cross things off my list. I tried six wines, all red. I'm not sure if that's the proper way to wine taste, limiting one self to red only, but it was rainy and cold and I think rainy, cold days call for red wine.

Plus, I happen to just like red wine better.

An Education

I took your advice and went to see An Education. We stopped at a vintage movie house in downtown Sonoma (a great way to sober up after wine tasting!) and, without hesitation, bought two tickets for the film, a bucket of popcorn, and Red Vines.

Friends, you were right, it was absolutely superb. If you haven't seen it, you must put it on your Netflix queue right away.

Take Tieks

A lovely friend told me about Tieks, these so-fabulous ballet flats that fold up and fit into a small purse. How sweet are these ballerina pink ones? And, the black ones? So versatile!

Alas, they are outside my current student budget (sigh), but if you want a pair I happen to know a top-secret code for 30% off {email me!}.

I hear that the packaging itself is absolutely delightful, so if you do order please report back.

Healthy Morning Muffins

I've been eating these muffins non-stop for two weeks. They aren't bakery sweet, but they are low in fat and relatively nutritious.

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk (or soy milk)
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium ripe banana, smashed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.

Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store up to three days in an airtight container.

Grace in Small Things 40/365

1. Dinner night with the girls
2. 100 Best Blogs for the Literati
3. Having lip glosses in every jacket pocket
4. Healthy breakfast muffins {recipe coming soon}
5. This gorgeous print from Sycamore Street Press {on my birthday list!}

The Polite Contest

A few days ago, our Internet went out and Will spent some time on the telephone sorting out the problem (diagnosis: broken modem). I overheard the last few minutes of the conversation, the part where Will was absolutely gushing thank yous.

After the call, Will came out of the office and informed me, "I was talking to a guy in India and it was a competition between us to see who could be more polite. I almost invited him out to California!"

They were even on a first name basis, Will and the guy from India (who is named Michael, by the way, though I suspect that is probably not his real name). Will kept referring to the guy by his first name: "Michael says the modem will be mailed out tomorrow." "I need to go online and fill out a survey about my experience on the phone with Michael." "Michael thinks we'll be back online by Friday." They were practically friends.

A few days later, the modem arrived, and Will ran into the house exclaiming, "I can't believe it! Michael OUT-POLITED ME! He won the polite contest!"

The box, you see, was addressed simply to "Will." That's it. No last name. Just "Will" and then our address. First name basis indeed.

The Greatest Place

I adore this quote from the wedding section of the N.Y. Times. I want to be the type of person that thinks everyplace is the greatest place.

If I Would Make a Documentary

I love the Conversation Starters at the Creative Mornings events. This set is particularly interesting: if I would make a documentary, it would be about...

What would you make a documentary about?

Me? I don't know...The secret lives of museum curators?

A Long Walk in the Countryside

Will and I went on a hike, crossing number 4 off my 30 Before 30 list. This was Will's addition to the list originally and, while I agreed that everyone should try a hike sometime in their lives, it wasn't exactly top on my list of priorities. I imagined hiking involving really ugly boots and gross protein bars. So not my cup of tea.

But, as it turns out, a hike can just be a long walk in the countryside. Now doesn't that sound much lovelier?

It's Not Too Late!

How are your resolutions coming along? It's not too late to revive a dying resolution or renew a forgotten one! For a little extra help, print out this wonderful, free resolution record.

And, then, for every thirty consecutive days that you keep your resolution, buy yourself a treat to celebrate! Keeping goals should be honored!

{My resolution--no Internet after 8 PM--is working out quite spectacularly! I've almost finished a non-law book and I'm spending more time drinking tea, cuddling, chatting, and sleeping.}

Parisian Escapade

DACE Spring 2010 from Dace on Vimeo.

{via Ruby Press}

Glittens

I received two pairs of glittens for Christmas--a thick, cozy pair from my sister and a thin, dressier pair from Will.

I know most of you don't have the same sorts of problems that I do, but in case you are looking to keep your hands warm while simultaneously applying mascara and eating a English muffin on your bicycle, these fingerless glove-mitten hybrids are so the way to go.

April and Will both gave me a cream-colored pair but, for variety, I decided to return one of the cream pairs for a black pair. My local J. Crew didn't have a black pair in stock, and they were sold out online, so the lovely folks at J. Crew went on a company-wide search to find the last unsold pair of black glittens in the United States. They pulled it off (I am so impressed!) and today I received my new pair in the mail, along with four pennies (change? a difference in the sales tax?).

Seven More

I've told you eight and six random facts about me, and now I've been tagged to tell you seven more, which, if you do the math, will be a whopping 21 random facts about me. Y'all are very demanding.

1. I was tagged to do this, like, two years ago.  I started the post in October 2008, but never filled in the seven items, instead saving a draft blank list. And then I added a few things in October 2009, but saved a draft again.

2. I wait until the last possible moment to do most everything. This is because I am perpetually a day behind on my to-do list. Sometimes a week behind. Sometimes more. I am extraordinarily overextended.

3. I've been eating wheat toast with smashed avocado for lunch lately. Except that I wrote that in October and I'm not eating wheat toast with smashed avocado for lunch lately, actually. I'm eating yogurt, berries, and granola for lunch lately.

4. I think it would be awesome to have a "uniform" à la Steve Jobs or Dean Kamen, except it would have to be something incredibly fashionable à la Audrey Hepburn. 

5. If I don't finish this in three minutes, it will be deferred until tomorrow (or later) due to the no-Internet after 8 PM rule in this house.

6.  I prefer my Coca-Cola fountain-style.

7. I'm taking a class on Law and Popular Culture this semester. We're gonna find out what you all non-lawyers think about us lawyers, based on our portrayal in pop culture. Do I even want to know?

Fan Club

For those of you who don't have a Facebook account, one of the many things you can do on the site is become a "fan" of something. So, for example, a band or company or sports team or author makes a Facebook page and then you can become a fan of that band or company or sports team or author. As a fan, you get updates, tour dates, coupons, news stories, and so on. Makes sense, right?

(I'm a fan of Mireille Guiliano, the Oakland A's, Curly Girl Design, and the San Francisco Ballet.)

(Doesn't that make you want to go out and get a Facebook page right away?)

Anyway, I have a Facebook pet peeve (no, you don't say) and it is this: people keep becoming fans of things that aren't really fan-worthy type things. Like, for instance, pineapples. The fruit. You may like pineapples. You may love pineapples. You may want to make out with pineapples behind the bleachers. But becoming a fan of pineapples is just, well, kind of weird. Pineapples don't have updates to make to you, they don't have news to report or tour dates to share. Pineapples have nothing to say to you.

(And, notice: a pineapple did not get online and make the pineapple fan club. Pineapples don't go online. A weird person with too much time and too much love for pineapples made the site.)

But here's the thing: when people become fans of stupid, generic things and I get the update, I sometimes sort of want to join the club because hey! I also like pineapples! I like them at least as much as you do!

But I don't join, because then I would be a fan of a bazillion ridiculous generic things. I am above that. But I like things and I am not above telling you all the things I like.

Bicycle Roundup IV

Bicycling to the Louvre in the snow!

Snow covered bicycles in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Many more bicycles in the snow at this Flickr Pool.

Got snow? Add bicycle.

The Eyeliner Chronicles

A few months ago, I tried to cross number 13 off my 30 Before 30 list: Buy an Amazing Eyeliner. I visited the Lancôme counter, all prepared to buy a Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Liner. But, when I told the Lancôme lady that I was looking for an eyeliner that "would stay on forever," I was once again derailed by sales staff when she directed me to the MAC counter. Don't they work on commission, these Lancôme ladies?

***

A few days after Christmas, Will and I went on a quick getaway with our good friends Jen and Gavin to Santa Barbara. We drank some afternoon Margaritas and then walked up State Street to Nordstrom where Jen whisked me off to the Lancôme counter and promptly ordered me a Le Stylo Waterproof in Cafe, thankyouverymuch. Sometimes you need a friend to do your bidding and, er, makeup buying.

***

I'm crossing number 13 off the list. The eyeliner is good. It's not magic good, but it's very good and I'm happy (particularly when I wear it with my new Lorac Publicity Stunt 3-Day Long-Wearing Mascara, a gift from my friends at Nintendo, which is magic in that it basically refuses to come off, even with soap and water).

***

This concludes the great eyeliner search. Unless somebody comes out with a 3-Day Long-Wearing Eyeliner. I'd definitely give that a go.

Things Over which Will and I Disagree

1. Whether we need a nutmeg mill
2. The deliciousness of cheese
3. The perfect thermostat set-point

{Proof that a good marriage does not require agreement on every issue}

Factory Touring

I crossed #11, Visit the Jelly Belly Factory, off my 30 Before 30 list a few months ago and promptly forgot to tell you all about it. This is probably due to the fact that we visited the factory on a Saturday. Here's my factory touring advice for you: visit on a weekday, when there are employees at the factory who are actually doing things. Like, people making Jelly Bellies, for instance, would have been totally cool to witness. As it was, we saw some large equipment, ate some beans, and watched videos of the process that, had we visited on a Tuesday, we would have witnessed live.

I don't much like Jelly Belly beans, anyway, so I'm not in a big hurry to visit again, weekday or otherwise. My next factory tour? I'm thinking Budweiser.

2009 Favorite Films

These are my favorite films of 2009. If you haven't yet seen them, I promise that they are Netflix-worthy!

1. (500) Days of Summer
2. The Hangover
3. Julie and Julia
4. Up
5. Star Trek
6. Sherlock Holmes
7. The September Issue
8. This Is It
9. Inglourious Basterds
10. Whatever Works

Now, tell me: what must-see movies did I miss in 2009? I'll put them in my queue pronto!

Resolutions

For most of my life, I made grand, sweeping New Year's resolutions: be a better person, get in shape, enjoy life, be supremely organized. These resolutions always failed or, more likely, were simply forgotten about by the end of January.

2009 marked the first year that I made and kept a resolution for the entire year. The resolution was incredibly simple, specific, and measurable: to wash my face every night before I went to bed. No matter how sleepy, no matter how late, no matter how drunk, I would not, under any circumstances, go to sleep with makeup on (even though my makeup claims to be "so pure you can sleep in it").

It's not all that remarkable of a resolution. In fact, I hardly notice any difference in the quality of my skin before 2009 and after 2009, so I can't even say that the resolution changed my life in any grand way. But, it's a pretty awesome feeling to have completely fulfilled the promise I made to myself, to have kept a resolution for 365 days.

This year? No Internet after 8 pm. Specific and measurable, yes, but obtainable? Eek! We'll see!

Happy 2010