If I had $1,000 to spend at Crate and Barrel...

...Here is what I would buy:


Triad Wine Tower...$299



Marimekko Pippurikera Wisteria Sheet Set...$139



Marimekko Pippurikera Wisteria Duvet Cover...$139



Silverware Storage Box...$149




Adesso Carafe...$49.95



Olly Large Platter...$12.95


Riga Platter...$14.95


3-Section Laundry Sorter...$64.95



OXO 10 Piece Pop Container Set...$99.95




Versa 4x6 Frame...$19.95



Grand Total - $988.70

How about a Snuggie?

So last week I was chatting with my friend Christy about this, that, and the other, and she brought a hilarious blog post to my attention. Some of you may have seen it, but it is a text message exchange between a hilarious man (and my new imaginary internet best friend) Eli and his unknowing "victim" Jane. The premise is this: Jane mistakenly texts Eli, thinking that he is Amanda and begins to discuss the idea of splitting a wedding gift for a mutual friend. Jane wants to get a block of wood with some words on it; "Amanda" aka Eli, thinks a snuggie would be better. Needless to say they spend some time discussing it and hilarity ensues. Now remember, Eli does not know Jane, she is a complete stranger to him - he is just damn funny and likes to text with strangers. I like his sense of humor.
Here is the link to the blog post and here is part two (there is a part two in which Jane finds out her mistake has turned into a viral blog post...hilarity ensues yet again)
I am going to spend the rest of my free time this evening reading his blogs and laughing uncontrollable...it will be fun and also a good ab workout.

Decorating with photos - The Sequel

As you may recall, one of my earlier posts had to do with decorating with photos. Since that post, I have been pinning photos of rooms with framed decor like mad and would like to share some of them here with you. All photos are from Pinterest so if you would like to see more just click here to follow me on Pinterest!


I love how the frames creep around the edge of the wall...like a framed creeper


Check out the great use of space above! It makes a small space look bigger in my opinion


The consistency of the thick same colored frames plays so well against the blue tile


Another shot of the loo and who wouldn't love that checkered floor! So bathroom-esque!


Just one frame here but I love the look especially the bright yellow in the painting and the way it brings out the yellow in the floor times

The best cider

Have you ever visited a foreign land, stumbled upon a scrumptious alcoholic beverage and then spent months dreaming about how to get your hands on it? Did you start by Googling it, find a distributor and then hit a dead end? Well that's what happened to me folks. The hubs and I were all happy as clams in London on our honeymoon and while dining at Browns Brasserie tried an amazing concoction of the cider variety called Aspall. When I say that it was the libatious highlight of our trip, that is not an exaggeration. Well to be honest, it was probably a tie between that and all the wine in France (we had a realllyyyyyy good honeymoon). The taste of that cider makes me want to swim across the Atlantic ocean.  Anywho, fast forward to the Friday before Christmas at Whole Foods in Legacy Place. The hubs and I are in there braving the crowds. I walk away to get some pancetta and what do I see when I get back to the cart?? ASPALL!! Chris was perusing the fancy shamancy beer section and stumbled upon it quite by accident. I was so excited that I started to jump up and down and gave Chris a big hug. People stared. Some would find it embarrassing, I was too happy to care. The next few days were spent in Aspall cider heaven. Not only is it the perfect honeymoon beverage, it is also the perfect Christmas time beverage. It really is so multi functional. We went back again and only found one bottle so I fear that this may have been a temporary situation and I will never taste that sweet sweet cider ever again (that is until we visit the UK again). Has anyone ever seen it anywhere other than Whole Foods??

What it's all about

Pop Chips

Ok, so I admit I have never had pop chips but I saw one of their trucks a while back and it made me want to buy them all.  Unfortunately for me, I noticed one of these trucks while out on a run and stopping to get some some chips just seemed wrong for some reason. How great is the slogan though?!

Genius!

Color Focus - Yellow

Yellow! I kinda love you and kinda hate you all at the same time. You look awful on me but you look great on the sun and also on furniture and the walls. I wish you looked great on me.


You look great in a bowl of soup. This could perhaps be the most scrumptious looking bowl of soup that I have ever seen.

You look great on this lamp that I would hang from the ceiling.


You look great in this wheat field with a storm rolling in. By the way - is this actually wheat?


You look beautiful as your pale self in this bouquet. You match grey very well!


You look fabulous in this black and white photo even though you were clearly only added in for effect.


You look so clean and simple in this bathroom photo.



You dominate this room.


You look so fresh on this new door


And on this old door


You look like you would make a beautiful and unique wedding dress color


You are so bright that you look fantastic in very small quantities, you really brighten up a room.



You are one of the best colors for quaint little homes.

All photos courtesy of Pinterest

Glee does Grease!

Did anyone catch the opening number on Glee this week? How lovely! I love a good Grease tribute, might have to watch the movie this weekend.

Avocado and lox goodness

So before my awesome amazing massage last week, I stopped in at Whole Foods to pick up some sushi and there were samples, so of course - I grazed. The first thing I saw was something called an Avocado and lox pizza.   I said to myself: "Self, this can't possibly be real!" But alas, this was real - and it was delicious. Now the "pizza" I sampled actually looked like a square pizza with a guacamole type base and piles of lox and some capers and onions, but when I got home later that night I couldn't find anything like it on the interweb. I did, however, find a delicious recipe for an avocado and lox bagel. It is super easy to make and not so bad for you (except for the bagel) but that can be replaced with a healthier substitue such as maybe a piece of pita or a gluten free bagel.

I love this recipe because it is quick and easy and the avocado is a great subsitute for the cream cheese that you might otherwise use. Also, if you don't like any of the ingredients (such as the onions or capers) then just eliminate them. The lox and avocado would be delicious all on their own.

In order to make this tasty creation, you will need:
-2 bagels
-1 whole avocado
-1/2 lemon juiced, plus more to serve
-1 piece smoked salmon (probably a big piece)
-2 think slices of red onion
-2 tablespoons capers
-salt and pepper

Here's what you do:
Toast the bagels and mash the avocados with the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. After the bagels are nice and toasty, schmear each bagel half with avocado spread, then add the smoked salmon, red onion and capers. Squeeze some more lemon juice on there if you are feeling extra feisty.



End result

Recipe courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

Cuties of the Golden Globes

Here are some of my favorite people, things, and moments from Sunday's Golden Globes telecast, in no particular order of cuteness.


When intereviewed, Emma said the thing that she was most looking forward to is the after party. Smart and honest...I like it.


Christopher Plummer won and I am so happy! Nothing makes me happier than to see an older truly accomplished actor win an award for a job well done and who better than Christopher Plummer? The best part was that he seemed so truly happy and humbled by it all...brought tears to my eyes it did


Here is Amy Poehler looking all professional and smiling when the camera panned to her in her category and there is Tina Fey creepin' up behind her all creepy-like and blowing the whole thing. Hilarious!


After Laura Dern won her award, the hubs said "shouldn't she be running from dinosaurs or something?" Well played Chris Baughman, well played.

The president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association looks like my grandma.


Weird similarities, no?
ALSO - fun fact - Brad Pitt does not use his real first name (William) and Angelina Jolie does not use her real last name (Voight)...must be why they are together.


Ricky Gervais drank beer out of a wine glass...Klassy (with a K)


Martin Scorcese has the best glasses!


Kate Beckinsale - the reason for Seth Rogen's erection


Jane Fonda is 74, she looks unbelievable!!

Golden Globes fashion silliness

On to the next focus of my Golden Globes blog series...fashion silliness. Sometimes you walk out of the house thinking you look hot but in reality you kind of look like an uprooted tree (Lea Michele). Here are some of the fashions from Golden Globe night that I think would make wonderful Halloween costumes.

Lea Michele wearing Marchesa (aforementioned tree)

Why are the branches grabbing her boobs?

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Monique Lhuillier

It looks like some old acid washed denim threw up on her dress

Jessica Biel. Table cloth dress and no ring...boo

Show us the ring dammit!

Julie Bowen in Reem Acra. I didn't dislike the dress as much as it just wasn't right for her

Glinda the good witch at the Golden Globes

Madonna. Her dress was eh, but I just really wish she would speak in her regular voice. She knows she's from Michigan, right?

Nicole Kidman. Dominatrix.