Boo!

Ooooooh, I love Halloooooooweeeeeeeeeeeen (said in a sing-songy, floaty, elongated, ghost voice)!

Such a noncommittal, fun, and silly holiday. And it involves costumes and candy!

LuRuSo as Donald Duck, circa 1989

I've picked up a few treats for the treaters although I find apartment trick or treating one of the oddest things ever. B might redo one of his costumes from last year. I bet it stays on 16 seconds at most.

Bryndal the Pumpkin - definitely NOT a happy pumpkin.

I'm excited to carve my actual pumpkin tomorrow. He leans back like he is taking it all in. My Mom named him Homer. I'm sure he is also excited to become a jack-o-lantern because then he can move on from his current 9 to 5 job:

Homer the Pumpkin as a box keeper

  (Please excuse the iPhone pics. My camera is out of juice and the battery pack is still hidden away somewhere in boxes #1-13.)

There will be some toasting of pumpkin seeds and hot apple cider complete with a cinnamon stick. I'm attempting to use fall foods as much as possible in the next few weeks. Tonight's dinner consisted of butternut squash, red potatoes, onions, pork, apple cider, brandy, apples, garlic, herbs, and too many other good things to mention. The one essential ingredient it did not have was pepper (tragedy), but the pepper must be chilling with my camera charger.

What's for dinner

Maybe I will even watch some Dexter alone to appropriately creep myself out. 

But you know what is really scary? This:

Paula Deen's Cheeseball Goblin

I mean, I'm all for being festive but the crafty holiday fare is also supposed to be appetizing, right? There is not one thing on this plate that I would feel comfortable eating in pictured form. Maybe a cracker...?

Speaking of scary wackadoo festive food, if you haven't seen the Sandra Lee Kwanzaa cake episode, you MUST go HERE now. It's terrifying, but in the best possible way. I dare you not to scream.

Green for Greenery

I ran across this picture on a friend's Facebook page.

photo courtesy of El Stans-NYC

This reminded me of a sight I saw a few years back while browsing at Crate & Barrel:

Crate & Barrel - NYC

Hm...I'm thinking of starting a new business venture...taking road trips and collecting colorful leaves, dogwood, moss, mold, dirt, bugs, whatever is in fashion in the Big Apple and free everywhere else and setting up my own stand. Dad, maybe I will help you rake those leaves, after all! ;)

Wee Wee Wee All the Way Home

If you own a smallish dog in a big city, it is likely you will be very familiar with these:

Four Paws Wee-Wee Pads

The infamous wee-wee pad. Meant for house training puppies as well as occasional use for the small apartment dwelling set. I've always felt slightly guilty about using them as they are not very eco friendly and somewhat wasteful (no pun intended). So I was happy and surprised to find many an unintentional purpose for them during my move:

• Bubblewrap & newspaper substitute. There are only so many AM New Yorks you can take from the corner newsstand. These provided great cushioning when you are in need last minute!
• Towel/Mat. When you haven't unpacked your bath rug yet, guess what is just as absorbent under your feet? I know it sounds gross, but trust me.
• No scuff or water marks. We found ourselves placing the pads on furniture so that the boxes and items wouldn't scratch up the table or counters while the sorting and unpacking was being done. Brilliant. Also placed a few under plants to prevent water ring stains on the floor.
• Art Protector. Draping a wee-wee over framed pieces of art protects and separates the frame and art as they are piled together.

Now I feel a wee bit (har-har) less guilty knowing that I was able to make use of the pads before the actual use of the pads. So does he:

Judging A Book By Its Cover

I'm in the process of editing and simplifying the material items in my possession. After a big move consisting of packing, hauling, re-packing, re-hauling, and unpacking tons of boxes full of STUFF, you realize that things like your musical theatre CD collection and all of your college textbooks might not be as sentimentally important as you once thought. 

That being said, I'm having a hard time giving up many of my beloved books. I still haven't jumped on the e-book bandwagon and I still pine for the feel, smell, and look of a real live book. Each time I am about to put a title in the "giveaway pile", a vivid memory pops up causing me to place the book right back on the shelf where it will undoubtedly be moved and hauled once again.

I remember Jen devouring Bridget Jones's Diary as one of her many reads during our EuroStar trip around Europe. Once it was my turn to read it and she had moved on to Ivanhoe, I finally understood why she was giggling all the way down the French Riviera.

I also remember seeing the movie in a London mall, where the screen was about as big as a household plasma and where I saw my first movie commercial before the previews began. I thought it was the oddest thing at the time!

I love Penguin's Ink series that features a few of their favorite books with nifty cover illustrations by tattoo artists. Bridget is looking good! She is a keeper, no?

Bridget Jones's Diary: A Novel (Penguin Ink) (The Penguin Ink Series)

How High? Real High!

Digging the collection of tall socks over at FreePeople. I know a pair of boots that would be happy to make their acquaintances.

Keep those knees warm!

Who's There?

My new doormat:

Who's There Doormat - Chiasso

Cheesy, I know. Yuk-yuk. But, I like something that will make me laugh after a long day away from home. And at least it's not THIS.

We Can Never Go Back to Before

Future abode:

Bathroom?

I know, SCARY. But, I think with a little love, a little scissors and paste...

A home can be accomplished.

More to come!

100 Proof Positive

Sometimes a girly girl just needs some bourbon. 

Old Forester Signature Bourbon

Enjoying the notes of caramel and vanilla of this 100 proof smooth bourbon with a friend. Sharing stories. Preparing for the many fall events in the weeks ahead. Celebrating a good midweek.

Oh, and I'm drinking it out of a diner coffee mug. Class.

Tightrope Tipping

Ever since hearing this song on So You Think You Can Dance this summer, it has been upping my mood every play. You gotta tip on the tightrope, folks...

Tightrope - Janelle Monae

Have a Seat

I am 35,000 feet in the air, flying over Lake Michigan, sandwiched between Michigan and Wisconsin, heading to the lovely Twin Cities, enjoying a free cocktail way before the appropriate hour only because it is "free", and anxious to share this terrific flight planning site with you:

www.SeatGuru.com

If you don't already have it bookmarked, do it now.

SO helpful in selecting a future flight or preparing for one you are about to depart for. It illustrates the seating plan on your specific flight, detailing which seats are great or poor, as well as the drawbacks to each. I would have appreciated this service when I scored a window seat recently that looked like this:

Thank you, Delta!

It also gives measurements of seat width, pitch, locations of exits and bathrooms, and if your flight is equipped with wifi and power outlets, TV locales & types, and food service.

Check it out and get seat savvy!

Location Location Location

I've been staying at a place directly across the street from the Carnegie Deli.

I decided to walk the 30 paces to grab some soup for dinner.

This is what greeted me as I walked into the iconic eatery:

Monster Sandwich of Meat

Somehow, somehow, I managed to walk out with only the planned-for soup. I did ask the cashier if anyone is actually able to eat the entire sandwich. She said no but that it was very entertaining watching them try.

 

Sweet Tooth

Something caught my eye while reading the latest GOOP newsletter. Something organic, bite-sized, chocolaty, marshmallow/caramel filled, AND fair trade. Something called Theo Chocolate.

Theo Big Daddy Chocolate Marshmallows

Is it wrong that I've already searched for store locations in order to pick up a tester on my way to work today? Don't answer that...

By the way, check out Gwyneth Paltrow's website: GOOP. It is filled with ideas and recommendations from Gwyneth and pals in the categories of Make, Go, Get, Do, Be, See. Sort of The Likes of Lucy, but the movie star, blond version.

Lucy and the Great Caper

I saw this in Anthro recently, and fell in Fall love:

 Daily Constitutional Coat - Anthropologie

A cape, not a coat. Plaid. British hunt colors. BUCKLES on the elbow-length sleeves that would be perfect with long slim gloves underneath. Roomy. Hooded.

I can see myself doing all of those previously listed October activities in this outerwear.

The more I thought about my newest want, the more I realized that there was a sense of familiarity about it. Then, I remembered where I had seen a similar look before...

American Girl - Samantha's Cape

My favorite doll growing up. It all makes so much sense now.

All I need is a furry muff, hat, and matching gaiters and I'm ready for 1914 Victorian New York.

Anyplace I Hang My Hat is Home

decorI would like to hang my hat here:

Walnut Eames Hang-It-All, Limited Edition

Classy, modern, mid-century, and actually useful. I always liked the original but it didn't really fit with my new, toned down color scheme. Now I'm just waiting for a good knock off.