Friday, October 29, 2010

Boo!


Happy Halloween! Here's a fun clip to get your spooky weekend underway.


Have a ghoulishly good time, folks!
Image courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Winter Shorts Trend or 'Back to the 90's'



When I was in college in the early-to-mid 1990s, one of the big fashion trends for the preppy set was wool walking shorts worn with tights. Often you wore them with a nice sweater and one of those large belt buckles that you could trade out. I had a horse buckle, as well as lion heads. I think they’re still somewhere in my dresser.

Anyhoo, now it appears that this trend had returned for the fall and winter of 2010. Although, this time around, the shorts are a bit, well, shorter and often worn with high heels. To this, I say, “No.” Now the look is more Boho Chic, rather than preppy. In some cases, almost sloppy looking. If I were to jump into this trend again, I’d wear a pair of loafers or ballet flats - maybe riding boots - and make sure the heam line is a tad longer than what the young’uns are wearing.


Last Sunday I saw a woman wearing a pair of wool shorts in a fabulous pink herringbone, in what I consider to be the appropriate length. She wore it with a gorgeous pink cashmere turtleneck. Never mind the fact that its 80 degrees outside, she looked great. I wish I had asked her where she purchased them. But is that the appropriate thing to do in church? Even after mass? Probably not. I'm not there to people watch. Shame on me. (And, cue the Catholic guilt.)

So, what do you think of the return of wool walking shorts? Like/dislike?

P.S. – For those of you who are fans of “The Sound of Music,” be sure to watch or DVR tomorrow’s Oprah Winfrey show. She’s going to have the entire cast on her show, including Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. She also plans to have members of the actual Von Trapp family there as well. I can’t wait to watch it with my daughter!
Images courtesy of katemossfashion.com, The New York Times and Tommy Hilfiger

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

How I Spent My Monday


On Monday, I took the day off to spend time with the kids, since Miss. E. was on fall break. I kept Little Man home from daycare as well so we could enjoy the day together. No, I didn't have a fantastic day at the museum or zoo planned. Well, I wanted to try the zoo, but it finally rained after weeks of drought - of course - so we took to a trip to the grocery, visited my mom and then took Mom to her physical therapy appointment. The kids really enjoyed this part because it involved a visit to the hospital gift shop for a treat. Mom is making amazing progress. Her therapist is working to transition her from a walker to a cane. To think where she was in late May to now is a true miracle.

Anyhoo, after my kids wreaked havoc at the physical therapy gym (don't get my son around those giant exercise balls - you're only asking for trouble), we headed home to get Miss E. dressed for her class's Halloween party. It was supposed take place at one of the parent's homes, but given that it rained (again, seriously, of all the days that it finally rains) they moved it to one of the fire houses. So, we took Dorothy and her ruby slippers to the party. As you can see from the photo above, it's late October, yet my kids are still wearing summer clothes. Today it's a warm, stormy day. Batten down the hatches, folks.

We then returned home and met some more of our new neighbors who stopped by to drop off Halloween cookies. They seem very nice and I look forward to talking with them at our other neighbors' Halloween party on Saturday. 

By the way, notice the doors in the photo? Yep, we did away with the yellow doors. Yes, they were cheerful, but not quite the color we wanted. Now we have the traditional black and I'm quite happy with the change. And those white things around the door are skeleton lights - they're actually pretty cool at night, but during the day, it's an odd look to say the least. :)

Happy Tuesday, folks. Hope you have a good one!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Random Ramblings about Ina


As we head into a fall weekend, thoughts of yellow squash soup, pork tenderloin, warm brie salad and other delectable fall foods fill my head. If only I could actually cook these items. Then my mind wanders to Ina Garten, the fabulous food connoisseur/entrepreneur and all of the wonderful fall-themed and holiday meals she has showcased on the Food Network’s “Barefoot Contessa.” Then my mind wanders yet again to her East Hampton home. That house. D-I-V-I-N-E.



During both of my maternity leaves, I had a serious addiction to Food Network, and the “Barefoot Contessa” was my favorite. I think I was more drawn to her home, mainly her gorgeous black and white kitchen, than the actual dishes that she cooked – although they looked so scrumptious. Ina has an interesting background, having worked for the Department of Energy in Washington, on policies and regulations. She then did a 180 and purchased the Barefoot Contessa gourmet food shop in The Hamptons, which eventually became her culinary empire.


In addition to the home in East Hampton, she has apartments in Manhattan and Paris. Her hubby, Jeffrey is a professor who only comes home on weekends, therefore Ina is left to cook fabulous meals Monday through Friday for her close-knit group of gay friends. Jeffrey then returns home Friday evening to TONS of food, freshly cut flowers from the garden and a sparkling clean house, because they have no kids and, again, the gays have been by for a visit. What a life you lead, Mr. Garten.


In fact, “30 Rock” wrote Ina into a show recently, as Liz Lemon compared her relationship with her pilot boyfriend, Carol, to that of Ina and Jeffrey.

Liz Lemon: I'm like that woman on the Food Network whose husband only comes home on the weekends, and spends the rest of the time eating and drinking with her gay friends.

Jack Donaghy: Her name is Barefoot Contessa, Lemon, and you will never be like her, starting with the 'barefoot' part.

Oh, Ina. You’re living the dream, my friend. You’re living the dream.
Images and content from The New York Times, House Beautiful, Hamptons Magazine and The Huffington Post

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Birnbach Watch - Part II

As an addendum to yesterday’s post on Lisa Birnbach’s Verdura watch, I did a little searching on the brand and came across a photo of Princess Diana wearing a Verdura bracelet. Not only is Verdura a favorite of our Queen of Prep, it's been worn by royalty.


I’m so never getting one of those watches.
Image courtesy of dianasjewels.net

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The 'Birnbach' Watch


If you have been following the "True Prep" book tour on Facebook – and who hasn’t – you’ve seen Ms. Birnbach making the rounds, signing books for green and pink-clad fans across the country. Signings have not only taken place in book stores, but at such preppy outfitters as Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Brooks Brothers and Sperry to name a few. At some locations, she’s joined by the bespectacled Chip Kidd, her partner in preppy crime.


Ms. Birnbach with True Prep collaborator Chip Kidd at a book event at Brooks Brothers. See the watch on her wrist? Fabulous! Hey, what kind of drink is that?


If you look really closely at the pics of Ms. Birnbach, you may notice her divine Verdura Beehive Charm Bracelet Watch she's worn to some of the signings. I SO WANT THIS WATCH!


I know that other bloggers have written about this piece of jewelry, so I just had to jump on the bandwagon because it’s so fabulous. I hate to think how much it costs, though. Clearly "The Original Preppy Handbook" and "True Prep" have been good to Ms. Birnbach over the years and likely Verdura is just a drop in the bucket purchase for her.


Birnbach with a young fan at a recent signing, again sporting the famous watch.
 
 
There’s also a version of the watch that features a pineapple pendant – just as fabulous. So, Hubby, if you happen to be reading this, and are looking for a Christmas idea, perhaps for Christmases 2010 to 2015, you may want to think about the Verdura charm bracelet watch. Thanks so much for your consideration. ;)
Images courtesy of Betteridge, Patrick McMullen, via True Prep Facebook page

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Creative Costumes


So, what are the kids in your lives wearing this Halloween? We have a Spiderman and Dorothy in our house. Thank God no Lady Gaga costumes this year.

Hubby and I are planning to dress up for our neighbor's costume party in a couple of weeks. He's wearing camouflage pants and I'm wearing a camo shirt and hat. Can you guess what we're going as? An Upper and Lower GI. Hee hee.

Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone!
Image courtesy of Southern Living

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Booyah!


Kentucky 31, South Carolina, 28
Take that, Spurrier.
Image from the Herald-Leader

Friday, October 15, 2010

11 Years


October 16, 1999

Happy anniversary to my best friend, the love of my life and a terrific father. You mean the world to me. (Wow, look how young we look!)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Think Pink

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I encourage you to read your kids “Pinkalicious." No big message about BCA, it’s just a great kids’ story. And it’s pink. ;)

Then, read “Purplelicious.” Especially if you have a child who is trying to fit in or wants to embrace something he or she really likes, but is being pressured to follow the masses. Celebrate your unique self, kids. Love pink. Love purple. Or whatever color you like, even if it’s not popular with the rest of the group. Be who you are and don’t try to let anyone try to change you.

As the mom of a kindergartener, I have recently been introduced to the world of “Pinkalicious” and the series of books by authors and illustrators (and sisters) Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. I’ve come to learn that not only are there books, but there are toys, a curriculum guide for teachers, a musical and even a how-to on hosting your own Pinkalicious party. Seriously, why can I never be on the front-end of these ideas??


And, if you purchase any of the Pinkalicious cupcakes from the Crumbs Bake Shop chain (or online), a percentage of the sale will go to the Ink Well Foundation, an organization that pairs professional animators, illustrators, and cartoon artists with hospitalized children so they can create art together.

So, think pink today!
Images courtesy of thinkpinkalicious.com and Cupcakes Take the Cake blog

Monday, October 11, 2010

Hello? Fall, Where Are You?

Thought we were done with summer, but it insists on sticking around. The temps have been in the 90s the last couple of days. The pansies I planted in our window boxes are fading fast. And, the drought has been awful. Everything is so dry. I saw my neighbor cutting his grass and plumes of dust surrounded him. We don’t even need to cut ours because I think it’s pretty much dead.

So, I’m going to will the return of fall by thinking of fabulous fall clothes. Please let the crisp, cool fall weather return. Please!


Barbour can do no wrong. I love the waxed-cotton Sofia jacket for fall. Seriously, pair this with some Wellies and your ready to trudge around the back 40 in style.



This coat, available through the Sundance Catalog, is pure furry fabulousness. (Chill, PETA, it's a synthetic blend.) Funny coincidence, it's called the "Sophia" jacket as well.(Just like my daughter's kindergarten class - lots of Sophias/Sophies!) 


These boots would rock any outfit. Alas the price tag will keep them from me. And the fact that I'm only 5'2. Don't think I can pull off over-the-knee boots. But, more power to the tall woman who can sport these babies with gusto!
 

These riding boots paired with a skirt would make for the perfect outfit at Keeneland.
 

And just for kicks, I think a cool pair of red Western boots would be great for a fall wardrobe. Pair them with jeans, a skirt or dress and you can't go wrong.

Here's hoping the seasonal weather returns and stays for a while. Not quite ready to jump into the winter weather, but would like to experience a true autumn. Happy Monday, everyone!
Images courtesy of Sundance Catalog, Taigon and Orvis

Friday, October 8, 2010

One More Reason Why I Adore Johnny Depp


"'Help us mutiny': Johnny Depp pays surprise visit to London primary school dressed as Jack Sparrow after letter from girl, 9"

To read more, view the article online.
Image from U.K.'s Mail Online

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Secretariat

“Please and thank you go a long way with a horse.”
- Actress Diane Lane, who plays Penny Chenery in the new film, “Secretariat”



The other day I wrote about a football movie. Today I’m writing about a horse movie.

This Friday, Disney releases “Secretariat,” a film about one of the greatest horses in the history of racing. Diane Lane plays Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery and John Malkovich plays trainer Lucien Laurin. Many of the scenes were filmed in Kentucky.

If you’ve read my blog long enough, or even for a brief time, you know my love of horse racing and Kentucky. So, as you can imagine, Secretariat is near and dear to my heart, as well as the hearts of many Kentuckians.

“Big Red,” as he was also known, won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont, thus capturing the elusive Triple Crown. He won the Belmont by 31 lengths on June 9, 1973. I was born on June 10, 1973.


Last Sunday, Diane Lane attended the premiere of the movie at the Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington. She has endeared herself to Kentuckians through her kind and gracious attitude; never the diva. In addition to flying in from Los Angeles for the premiere, she served as the Grand Marshall for the Kentucky Derby Festival Parade this year and attended the Derby (in a lovely hat, I might add).

Now, before you think that all I watch is schmaltzy, light-weight films, know that I do enjoy independents, art house films, character studies and psychological thrillers as well. But every once in a while, you need to watch a movie that brings back your faith in human kind; that makes you cheer for the underdog (although in the case of Secretariat, he wasn’t the underdog, he was a champion; Chenery was the one who had to fight against the giants, holding her own in the Good ol’ Boy club. So we cheer for her as much as the horse in this picture).

This weekend, consider watching a light-hearted, feel-good Disney film. Put a smile on your face and forget about the world for a couple of hours (or 116 minutes to be exact).

Seen any good movies lately? If so, what would you recommend?
Images courtesy of chamiongallery.com and Disney

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The White Watch



So, last night I’m watching “The Blind Side” for the first time – yeah, I’m late to the party – and I have to say I really liked this movie. I’m a sucker for overcoming-adversity stories, especially ones that are sports related, like “Hoosiers,” “Breaking Away,” “Rudy.” (Wow, Indiana is home to some really great stories, huh?) They’re all great.

Michael Oher, the young man who is the subject of “The Blind Side,” has quite the story to tell. Hubby was out last night, so I’m going to make him watch it with me tonight. Although, he may not be too pleased to watch a story about Michael Oher, who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens, the team that handed Hubby’s Steelers their first loss of the season. Ouch.

Anyhoo, back to the movie. Now, while I loved the story of Michael Oher and the Tuohy family, I do tend to get distracted when it comes to accessories, wardrobe and set design featured in movies (the kitchen in “Something’s Gotta Give” or the house in “Father of the Bride” - all fabulous).

So, I wanted to know: What type of watch was Sandra Bullock wearing in the movie and did this watch start the “White Watch Trend” of the summer of 2010? Or, did the movie reflect a trend already taking place among Southern woman for the last several months? The chicken and the egg conundrum. Discuss.

I Googled the watch (yes, I did), and according to one of the sites, Ms. Bullock wore the ToyWatch White Plasteramic, available on at Nordstrom, Amazon and other retailers for beteen $225 to $275. And, of course there are a variety of knock-offs. Fossil has some nice ones that range from $65 to $85. So, here’s the burning question: Do you only wear a white watch between Memorial Day and Labor Day? Or, like Ms. Bullock’s character, Leigh Anne Tuohy, does one wear it throughout the year?

Yes, I’ve managed to take the film's message about overcoming adversity, racial barriers, homelessness and poverty and make it about a designer watch. Yeah, I hang my head in shame. But, that was a really cool watch, wasn’t it? ;)
Images courtesy of Amazon.com, Nordstrom and EW.com

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Look What Sissy Did, Mom!

Dear Eldest Child,

I am thrilled that you are learning to read, write and spell at such an amazing pace. But, from now on, please refrain from writing your brother's name on his leg. Right after his bath. With a red Sharpie.

Love,
Mom

Friday, October 1, 2010

Nulu


If you're anywhere near Louisville this weekend, consider going to the Nulu Festival.

Nulu is downtown Louisville's East Market District, a cool up-and-coming area of town. Saturday night will feature a street party, great bands, food and micro-brews. Plus, all of the local art gallaries, boutiques and restaurants will be open for shopping and dining.

See you there!
Image from nulufest.com

Be Kind


Yesterday, I read an article about 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers freshman who committed suicide after his college roommate filmed him during a private encounter with another person in their dorm room. The roommate and a gal pal streamed the footage on the Internet. Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge three days later.


This story saddened me because of the humiliation and pain this young man suffered at the hands of a classmate (the encounter was with that of another young man, so one can conclude that Tyler was closeted). I then felt great anger toward the two people responsible for this act. It was so cruel. Why, why do kids - and in this case, young adults - do this to others?!

Much discussion has been made about this event over the last couple of days. Would the
situation have been so bad if the act caught on camera had been between a male and female? Is this a case of two kids who really aren’t evil, just stupid and insensitive? Are they products of the Twitter/Facebook/reality TV generation and therefore think this is normal? Some believe they should go to jail. Others think expulsion from Rutgers should be the extent of their punishment.

What do I think? Yes, they should be charged with a crime! And not just invasion of privacy, which is the current charge both students are facing. How can you lack so much empathy and awareness that you would even consider doing such a thing? The kids who tormented Phoebe Prince, the young Irish girl who committed suicide after enduring unending bullying, both to her face and online, are facing criminal charges in Massachusetts, as they should.

The other day, I was having a discussion with a friend about bullying and mean kids. We remarked that there’s always that “one girl” or “one boy” in a class who is the target of mean kids. I wish I could get to the root of why there is a “one kid” in the first place. Why must these children be singled out, made fun of and tortured in a such a way? It made me think of two particular kids from grade school. While I didn’t participate in the taunting and harsh words, I didn’t stand up and say anything either. I didn’t tell the bullies to stop, in fear that I would be made fun of; I didn’t come to the defense of the child being tormented. That makes me just as guilty as the bully. To this day, I feel horrible about that. I wonder what those kids are doing now. I pray that they are living wonderful lives. Of course, having experienced teasing and hurtful comments from mean kids myself, I know that the wounds heal, but underneath the surface, they are still quite fresh.

According to the article, the news of Tyler’s death “came on the same day that Rutgers kicked off a two-year, campuswide project to teach the importance of civility, with special attention to the use and abuse of new technology.”

How sad is it that a college has to create an initiative about civility? Why isn't this groundwork being laid when the child is a toddler? Yes, I know that people have free will and a person is going to act how he or she wants. But, I am of the mindset that you ingrain in your children the concept of putting oneself in another’s shoes, and, of course, living the Golden Rule. I know I could have practiced that more in school. Believe me, if I could find those kids now, I would apologize for not sticking up for them. All I can do now is try my hardest to raise compassionate, empathetic children and drive home that message  every chance I get. And, of course, if I need to, take out whoever bullies them. I may be small, but I am mighty. :)

If you have a moment, think of those kids who have suffered at the hands of bullies and other mean-spirited people. Say a prayer for them or just send positive thoughts their way. This world could use more civility; let’s be the ones to lead the way.
Image from Google