Fall is Here!

I know that orange is the official color of fall but my favorite part about fall foliage is when the trees turn a bright, luscious red.  Enjoy! 

 

 

 

photos courtesy of:

 deviantart.com

garyhickey.co.uk

bouncingredball.com

ethicacounselingcenter.com

phototravels.net

Cutest Halloween Story Ever!

Growing up my favorite movie of all time was Ewoks Adventure.  I hate the 80's but this movie made up for that horrible decade's existence.  I loved the Ewoks.  They are probably the coolest creatures ever!  Just their mannerisms and faces are so cute... which makes this story so much better.

When Chris was five he wanted to be an Ewok for Halloween.  His mom, who is an incredible seamstress, actually made the Ewok costume.  Awesome, huh?  Except she forgot to make the hood.  So as Chris trick-or-treated around the neighborhood everyone thought he was a teddy bear.  To this day he always says, "I was a fearsome Ewok.  We destroyed the Empire!"  Precious, huh?

Any fun Halloween stories or costumes?  Please share.  You don't have to have a google or blogspot account to leave a comment.  Just make sure you sign off with your name. 

Photos courtesy of googleimages.com and www.teddy-bear-shop.co.uk

Awkward Turtle!

I had a friend the other day suggest I blog about awkwardness.  It got me thinking, "What was my most awkward moment?"  I realize I have many but this one is the best because there were so many players involved.  Here goes:

Location: Oakland Temple
Time: May 1, 2004 right after I am married and about to take my wedding photos with friends and family and (yay!) my new husband.
Cast of characters: Me, my family, Chris, Chris' family and my ex-boyfriend and his entire family.  Record scratch.  Say what?
 

Exiting the temple.  Unfortunately I don't have one of us in front of the temple on my computer.

That's right.  My ex and his family were all there because my ex's sister got married the same day I did at the same place, just at different times.  Somehow it ended up that as we were taking our pictures in front of the temple (prime real estate because it is so beautiful) my ex's family was waiting for us to finish on the side so they could start their photo session.  I mean, we just beat them so they were there almost the entire time.  What's more awkward is that the break-up did not go so well.  In fact, Chris brags that he stole me away from this guy although that isn't entirely true (but I let him think it).  I digress.

So yes, not a great break-up and what's worse is that I knew their family really well.  They were a really great family and I loved hanging out with them.  Super nice when I ran into them later that day.  Yes, we did have a brief and awkward conversation.  Way more awkward than I would have liked on the best day of my life. 

What's your most awkward moment?  Please tell in the comments below.  I'd love to hear!

Small Hints of Decadance

Every Thursday Chris and I have a lunch date.  It's the only time during the week that we are both free.  Sometimes we take a walk and other times we just talk and eat.  Right now he is typing an email while I am blogging.  Still, being together is the most important part.  On this date we had some pastries from the new Japanese bakery, Mahoroba on Freeport.  Here's a quick look at their menu...

The original Kobe cream is a classic.

The Japanese "an" is also popular

I've never had this one, but I like how it looks like a smiley face.

This one looks extra good, and it has chocolate cream inside!

For the more adventurous, how about some hotdogs?  I once saw one with eggs and bacon baked inside.  Heaven!

Just a few goodies.

Photos courtesy of yelp.com

Planning for the Future

I admit, when Elizabeth Bennett first saw Mr. Darcey's house in Pride and Prejudice I gasped and thought "You cannot let this man go, Elizabeth!  You cannot!"  How awesome would it be to live in a house like that?  In England.  And have your own lake.  If I could live anywhere it would be in a house in the English countryside.  Nevermind that the closest mall is in London because you live in the most awesome house with the greatest gardeners.  Check these out.  What one do you like best? 

Do you like the typical yet smaller country cottage?

Or the little bigger one with stone walls with a castlelike feel?

Maybe something like what the Bennetts had in the original BBC version. (I love the ivy)

Or would you like to live with Mr. Darcey? 

Photos coutesy of :

oldhousejournal.com

wikimedia.org

littlequebbcottages.co.uk

lh5.ggpht.com

Weekly Book Club: Part III

This week's book is my all time favorite Dickens novel, Hard Times.  I thought Great Expectations was awesome but this book beat it by far. 

Summary: Unlike Dickens' other novels, Hard Times does not take place in London.  The story revolves around a milling Victorian town in England and the people who live and work there.  In classic Dickens form it explores the lives of the haves versus the have-nots and the immense divide between them. 

Likes: The incredible writing and stellar character development.  I feel in love with half of them and despised the other half.

Dislikes: Two page paragraphs.

In summary: Read it!  Especially as the world gets more chaotic you'll kind of realize its always been that way.

Previous Book Club Posts:
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman
The Zahir


Photo courtesy of http://www.utilitarianism.com

A Sneak Preview: Dangerous Lorraines Photo Shoot

A few months ago Dangerous Lorraines Dance Theatre, the modern dance company I am in, had a photo shoot during Sacramento's Second Saturday Arts showcase. The photo shoot was also a small performance for the locals. It was fun, windy, and exciting. While our main photographer snapped away our artistic director's husband took a few shots with his own camera. Here are a few pictures:


I'll post the real ones when I get them!

This Man Knows the Way to My Heart

 Chris loves popovers.  So much so that he will get up hours early just to make them.  I introduced popovers to him five years ago and he has perfected them to the point where I no longer dare attempt to make them myself.  Which is fine because this morning I got up to the wonderful smell of popovers.  Sundays (and husbands) are great like that.  

In the Studio

 photo courtesy of posters-n-prints.com

For Christmas a few years ago my in-laws gave me this awesome photo.  It's huge and beautifully framed and one of the best gifts I have ever received.  I love this photo for many reasons.  The first being that it is just so beautiful in and of itself.  The second is because it was such a thoughtful, personal gift.  And lastly, the reason why I love this picture so much, is because I love ballet.  There is nothing more beautiful on earth than ballet and I am grateful that I have the privilege of being a part of this art form.

I was in the studio today rehearsing a few modern pieces for an upcoming show.  I love modern dance (it changed my life) but as I was stretching and keeping warm on the sides I realized how much I love ballet.  I get excited when I get to take class in pointe shoes.  I don't mind the tights and leotards and perpetually pulled back hair.  There is something absolutely stunning and awe inspiring about ballet that makes me look at a photograph like the one above and think "That is the epitome of beauty."

Here are some more ballet photographs by Richard Calmes (http://www.pbase.com/rcalmes).  Enjoy!

Compromise

The publishing/culinary world is going abuzz over the end of Gourmet magazine.  Conde Nast announced that it will stop printing the magazine although it will still be available online at Epicurious.com.  (They also discontinued Cookie Magazine.  Read the article here).  I love cooking magazines and I am sad to see such a standard of all cooking magazines leave the presses.  Gourmet was also known for its stellar photography and intellectual foodie articles while the rest of the world jumped on the quick/low fuss/cheap food band wagon.  I'm all for both, but I think it's sad that we no longer have the indulgent option.

The bigger idea here is all about compromise.  Conde Nast can save its company by cutting out two magazines.  I can lose weight by cutting out creme brulee.  Rupert Murdoch can save the journalism industry by cutting out freedom of the press. It's time to compromise.

Above are some pictures from Gourmet.com when they did a special on all things pumpkin.   Don't you love how each photo is so elegant? Don't you hate compromise?


photos courtesy of Gourmet.com

Weekly Book Club Part II

This week's book is one of my all time favorites.  The story is somewhat autobiographical although is considered fiction.  It begins with a writer who lives in Paris with his wife who is a war correspondent.  It begins with her disappearance and documents his journey to find her.  No one knows if she is alive, has been kidnapped, or ran away.  

Likes: Although the story revolves around a marriage it's so beautifully not a love story.  Yet anyone who is married or has ever loved someone would appreciate the writer's level of intimacy and respect toward marriage.

Dislikes: The middle gets kind of funky with Coelho's signature magical realism but by the end you realize it is central to the transformation of this man.  Stick with it! It's well worth the funkiness.

The writing is nearly flawless and I still get some chills whenever I think about this novel.  I highly recommend it!

Click here for last week's book about another man who's nickname was Putsy.

Great Expectations

I once blogged about the Things I Love so in order to maintain equilibrium in the universe here are things I do not like.

Things I Do Not Like

1. America's Funniest Home Videos.  I don't like laughing at people getting hurt even if they might get money for it.

2. Sharks

3.  80's anything.  It was a waste of music, fashion, hair styles, and catch phrases.  ('You got it dude!'  What was up with that?)

4.  For the food category: black olives, watermelon, and pork.  But I love love love bacon.  Don't understand? Neither do I.

5.  Local news.  I have never watched the local news without laughing out loud and even though I love to laugh, sometimes it just isn't appropriate.

6. Waking up.  There is nothing I deplore more.  Always hated and always will. 

7.  Watching movies.  There!  I said it!  I don't like to watch movies.  If I'm watching a movie I like to multi-task like read a magazine or cook while doing it.  The idea of sitting there and doing only one thing for two and a half hours boggles my mind.  Although there are movies that I love, but that is a digression from the purpose of this post.

8.  Assumptions.  People assume too much.  I won't get into the gritty details but let's just say I follow the model that was taught to Pip in Great Expectations: things are not always what they seem.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Weekly Book Club

I am starting a weekly book club so that I can remember all the awesome books I have read since I started, well, reading.  From my first book Matt Sat on Cat to Civil Disobedience I will give highlights, likes, and dislikes.  Warning: I have this notorious habit of not reading the last chapter.  Don't ask me why.  It just kinda happens.

First Book:

Chris introduced me to this book and I loved it.  Richard Feynman was a physicist with a wicked sense of humor.  He chronicles his first love, years of teaching, and time spent on the panel that investigated the Challenger explosion.

Likes: Great humor, good explanation of physics, and a little dose of love.  You could tell he lived his life without pretension and with a great love for what he did.

Dislikes: The fact that he worked on the Manhattan project.  That's a major bummer for me.

Highlights: The relationship he had with his first wife was the epitome of true love between a geek and a lady.  It was so heartwarming to see what he was willing to do to make her happy.  You could tell she was a big reason why he kept working.

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia