Wander Lust

Proud to say, that thanks to Operation Smokin' Hot, I can now fit into the jeans I wore when I got out of high school!! I haven't got all my photos back, she sent me a few "teasers" that I absolutely LOVE. So begins the waiting game.

I'm sitting here on my only day off this week listening to the fall leaves rustle and the wind chimes deep tone with my cup of coffee.....and I can't help but close my eyes and think of the places I've been. I'm reminded of early spring in England and France...with the cold rain and endless gray skies. I thought they were beautiful then, and I still do now. I just remember thinking will summer ever come? Now there are more profound thoughts, with the winds come change. Change of the seasons, the weather...but will it bring change for me? A career job finally, a new adventure??

I am ready, ready for the winds to blow me away...and onto the next thing. In all my winter seasons out west and summers spent traveling, I don't feel I've wasted my time. I've not conformed to the norm, that's for sure. But where is the fun in that? Older people think I've not wanted roots, younger people look up to me for living the dream...but in reality every place I've been has not felt like home. Have you ever felt homesick when you were right at home? I did when I was in high school, I remember feeling homesick for a place I'd never been. And now I've "been" I've seen places I never thought I would...and I still don't know what or where I want to be when I "grow up." I just know there has to be mountains...and the possibility of snow.

New beginnings...

So in my blogging absence, I was trying something new. I took a job that was offered to me (like they tracked me down through a mutual friend to offer it to me). It came at a time when I was so desperate for work. And now another offer has come along to save me from this one! I'll be helping with the marketing and advertising of a small boutique that my friend owns. I'm excited to get some new experience. Leaving my current job was a tough decision. One I am very glad I made. My last official day is tomorrow, and then I'll be filling in one night the following week.
My "new" job starts on Monday...and no more uniform! YAY! Fashion is BACK! So hopefully I'll have some new things to post along those lines. Also, operation smoking hot begins on Monday. I will have exactly one month before my photo shoot. I'm not talking a diet, I'm talking more water, veggies, exercise...more awareness of what goes in. So all I have to do is make it through tomorrow!

Le Printemps

If you live in the southeast, you may have come to the same conclusion I had: that we skipped spring. It has felt like summer most of this week and I have not been a happy chappy...I love springtime. Usually it means a box of Kleenex and a bottle of Zyrtec, but the things that I am most allergic to are not in bloom.......yet.

Today it finally feels like spring. In fact, I'd go so far as to say today is the perfect spring day. It is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, not a cloud in the sky...a crisp breeze...perfect! A light sweater, maybe a silk scarf...how very refreshing. Thank goodness for yesterday’s rain! Now if I could only convince my neighbors to take in the day...but ah the sound of weed-eaters :-(

Death at a Funeral

This is the original movie from 2007. I (inappropriately enough) watched this after my own Grandmother's passing and I must say, it was the exact comic relief I needed. It must have been one o'clock in the morning when it came on, and maybe it was the delirium of the hour or the situation...but I laughed...and laughed.

So now they are remaking it:



And I must admit, as hard as it would be to top the British on this one...it may be just as funny.

Not that this is in any way relevant, I just wanted to put out there that this is not the first time this movie was made. Have a good Thursday!

Alice in Wonderland!

I like most of Tim Burton's movies...and I LOVED Alice in Wonderland! What a pair, this story with his dark mind. I had never seen a movie in 3D before, so it was a real treat.
Alice In Wonderland Epk Featurette
The imagery, the characters...despite the obviously intoxicated man behind me and a woman with hilarious fits of laughter...the suspension of disbelief set in. My single complaint was the fabulous Johnny Depp...let it be said first that I adore him. In playing the Mad Hatter he used a few different voices, to display his varying levels of madness I suppose. One of the voices that turned up sounded very much like Capt. Jack Sparrow. It was slightly disappointing. I realize I will just have to see it again to "get" the voices, and maybe then I'll retract what I've written here. Such a minute detail I know...but trust me I still am a fan of his and this movie!

I even made a tea-party necklace for the occasion!

Ma chambre

So I have landed back at home after 3 years of adventure. I spent my winters in Colorado and my summers traveling. Now I am on the quest to finding a "big girl" job. I am coming to terms with the idea that I need to go back to Graduate school...my major was French...need I say more? Whilst I was away my parents moved. As happy as I am for them, I miss quirks about my childhood home. Creaks of the hard wood floors, the way my room was the coldest (now it is the hottest) the view, walking distance from town etc. Seeing whereas I haven’t spent ALL my time job searching (as I should) I have taken the time to turn my space into, well mine. The new place has its advantages: a nice wrap around porch, a creek, my own bathroom (as opposed to it doubling as the guest bath) and more square footage. I think my new room is double the size of the old one.
My bedspread is Croscill’s PONZIO that I love! The bed itself is the only thing of my grandmother’s that I really wanted. The stars above are those paper lanterns without the light kits. I haven’t sorted out curtains yet... the cat likes to sit on the dresser and look out the window, so as much as I like to sit some plants there...well if you have cats you understand.

This painting is called “October” by Tissot. When I was studying in Quebec we went on a trip to Le Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. I fell in love with this piece! So much so that a very special ex-beau of mine bought this reproduction on canvas for my birthday last year.

The top left is a very unique piece. I bought it off an artist in Bayonne: Erwin Dazelle. He sketches at the tauromachie and he formed this out of an ink blot on the page...he said it just happened naturally. The one below it is the Tour Eiffel cover in snow that I found at Target years ago. The other side is all photos I took. The top two were taken in Savannah. The group of three are of: Bordeaux, Bazouges-sur-le-Loir, and Angoulême. The one of the Tour Eiffel was taken on my first trip to France as an exchange student in High School.


The bookcase is nothing exciting; I refinished it to look like my desk, which is currently serving as my TV stand...and my attempt at art that I’ve yet to hang. I am so thankful to have wonderful parents who welcome me home, wherever it is, after my wanderings. So for anyone reading out there in blog-land...THIS is my sense of style.

La Poste

I am a fan of the handwritten letter. There is something about going to the mailbox and seeing that someone has taken the time to sit down to write you a letter. Yes, I email, facebook and well blogging is a whole other creature...but I love real, tangible mail.

Here is a piece by NPR’s Brian Naylor: Post Office Forced To Rethink Model In Digital Age

Some of the main ideas are closing some branches and reducing delivery days. And as I’m not the authority all I can say is what I know. In France, La Poste is also a bank and offers several services in their locales. One thing they do have is a lovely automated touch screen system. You select your language (they offer all those in the EU) place your mail on the scale, answer a few basic questions, print your stamp and voilà: put it in the out of town slot! Also in the little towns I visited, not only were they closed on the weekends: they closed for lunch – everyday. In England some of their post offices were in the back of a convenience store...so blinkin’ convenient! I’m not sure about the pension and health benefits portion of the equation. I just hope our Postmaster General and Congress can sort it all out...in the meantime, take the time to write a handwritten letter to someone. It will brighten their day as well as save a dying tradition.

Winter Gardening: Forced Blooms - SouthernLiving.com

Winter Gardening: Forced Blooms - Photos - SouthernLiving.com

Photo: Erica George DinesArticle: Kate Karam

This is my inspiration for the day...to clean house! I could sit in that chair with a good book all morning...but alas, things to do...jobs to search for...*sigh* Let's get to work!

Whitman's Bakery...a sad tale of change in ownership

This used to be my favorite place to eat. I used to grab a pastry with my dad before he took me to school at least once a week. Every summer when we had company it was always on the itinerary to show off Whitman's, the best hot dogs I had ever eaten. It was THE place to stop on a rainy afternoon to get a yummy date bar or a fresh cookie.

Not anymore. It looks the same, but that is all. The standards are not as high as they were with the original family and staff that made the "old" Whitman's a treasure. If you wanted something to drink I recommend you go in to see the splendor that once was...but quality and the heart of Whitman's will never be the same. I ate there today and was not impressed. Sadly I think it was my last visit. I do hope it turns around, as it USED to be such a joy.

Trip Advisor's reviews.

Are you feeling the love?

My near & dears will be! Here's what I've accomplished with my recent down time: handmade Valentine cards. I used some of my Grandmother's lace for a few of the cards and bien sûr my Martha Stewart glitters. The card middle-bottom is called quilling or paper filigree. I first heard of it whilst substitute teaching for an art class a few years ago. The instructions were poor, so thanks again to Martha, all the kiddies went home with something to show off. And now so have I.

So here they are...Happy Valentine's Day!

Comfort Food

Sometimes a home cooked meal just makes you feel better.

My grandmother passed away on her birthday, January 31, 2010. It is a bittersweet thing, we will of course miss her... I always pictured her coming with me & my mother to pick out my wedding dress. She had impeccable taste. But she was suffering, so I wouldn't bring her back. I know she is up in heaven having the time of her life.

She was firm believer in eating, it was always: "you eat good now" or "what can I fix ya" even as her health was fading. Her funeral was on Thursday...so yesterday the whole week caught up with us. The sleet and rain just added to our mood. So it was defiantly a time for comfort food.

I decided to make Martha Stewart's Italian Pot Pies. I've made them before and they are easy and hearty. The recipe is from Everyday Food, December 2008. It is the Italian rendition of shepherd's pie.

Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound ground beef sirloin, thawed if frozen
• 2 cups homemade or best-quality store-bought tomato sauce
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce; bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat mixture has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, Parmesan, baking powder, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; make a well in center, and add butter and milk. Stir just until dough comes together.
3. Spoon meat mixture into four 8-ounce ramekins; mound dough on top. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet; bake until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in topping comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

Last night I realized I was out of tomato sauce, and with all the snow and slush it was not worth a trip to the store. So I substituted with Prego's traditional italian sauce. It gave it a lot more flavor, so it actually turned out to be a good thing!

By the time dinner was over, bellies full, we felt just that little bit better. And knowing Nan would've been pleased made it even more enjoyable.

These are a few of my favorite things...

My Kozi Neck Wrap has got to be my number one favorite thing right now. I was fortunate enough to receive a gift certificate to the Spa at Biltmore...they treat you like a queen! While you are waiting on your appointment they slip one of these around your shoulders. INSTANT relaxation. I suffered whiplash in a car accident I had some years ago. Should have gone to the Dr. but in being stubborn...let's just say this does wonders on my bad days.

With all the snow and rain we've been getting, another of the moment favorite is my J-41 Adventure On heels. Their romance designs are all cute as can be. I have the "fabulous" design in distressed brown. They are perfect with jeans and guaranteed not to slip, now tripping...well, they don't make you klutz free ;-)

Although I do not have a Valentine this year, I still LOVE Valentine's Day! So I am making cards for my near & dears...and it wouldn't be possible without my Martha Stewart glitters. I got the 18 Piece Gemstone Glitter Set for Christmas. I'll post pictures of the finished products.


My H&M skinny pants are another favorite of mine. I just love the side details!












I am not a fan of wrinkles or ironing. The solution: steaming! I had a bigger floor unit and the heating element finally went bust. So thanks to my loving parents, I got a hand held for Christmas! It is so much more convenient.




I'm a HUGE fan of jewelry...and I am extremely picky. I love unusual pieces: fossils, hand carved details...unique settings. I could go on and on about jewelry! So usually I don't go for catalog jewelry, as most of the time I could make it myself for half the price, but when I saw this little piece I had to have it. From Urban Outfitters...of course it has a french theme: fleur-de-lis, tour eiffel, and even one with the inscription la bonne vie. And it is a good life!

Of course, these are not ALL my favorite things...but just a few for now...

Shopping Consignment

Everybody has an "in these tough economic times" tip. Well for me...I'm just thrifty and have loved going to consignment shops for years. Good deals and a big step up over some of the things on offer at Goodwill ;-)

SO in the essence of sharing, here are some places to check out next time you are in Asheville, NC.


If you like designer (without the price tag) check out Constance Consignment off I26: the Long Shoals exit. I just checked it out last week and I LOVE it! They are having a 30% off sale on some of their items.

While you are out that way check out Serendipity, I have a feeling it will be a hit & miss type. But I found the cutest little shrug in there.

etc. has always been a favorite of mine. They have sales on different color coded tags different days of the week.

I've been to Clothes Encounters, not in awhile...they're ok too a bit hit & miss.

Another not on this little map is in downtown Asheville across from the Fine Arts Theater. Next-to-New it is the Junior League's consignment shop. I've found some nice things in there as well.

Happy shopping!

Bienvenue!

So I'm not sure how all this will turn out. I've been thinking about a blog for the last little bit...and I must admit, when I saw Ugly Betty AND Martha Stewart this past week I thought: why not!

Not that I have any profound life experiences I plan on sharing...

I am thrifty, crafty and most of the time fashionable. I am an American who loves her country but LOVES to travel. I've been to France, England, Switzerland, Monaco, Quebec, and a day's glimpse of Italy. I can't wait to explore Israel, Turkey, and India.

There is no telling what I may find the need to write about, but that's the point, no?