Christmas in Paris

I know I said I was taking a break, but I just had to post about this. Because this is a big freaking deal (at least to me). So I 'm going to France (Paris) for Christmas. And I'm so happy my face hurts from smiling.

But first: a back story.

I don't know exactly when I became obsessed with France and French culture/art/history/food. I think I have to give my Grandma Jeanne some credit because we always used to watch A&E documentaries about art ("Breakfast with the Arts" anyone?), and I always remembered the French Impressionists. I still, even years later, after studying more art than I thought humanly possible, find my breath taken away by Water Lillies by Monet or The Ballet Rehearsal by Edgar Degas. I definitely think these created this romantic, artistic version of Paris that I carried around with me for years.

Then, freshman year of high school, I finally saw the movie the cemented my love for Paris and all things French: Amelie. Cliche, maybe. But I LOVED that movie. I saw it 4 times while it was in theaters and then bought it on DVD and the soundtrack (Yann Tiersen is AMAZING and this song is my favorite). Since then, I love just about any movie set in France or in French. Even if maybe it's not that good, I'll watch it, just to hear the language.

I majored in art history in college, and I studied a lot of French art and architecture, and despite practically drowning in it, I still love it. I want to learn everything and anything relating to this history of culture that country. I mean, really, it's SO fascinating. And I have always dreamed of living there...one day, right?

I got to go to France in high school, when I was fifteen. It was, and still is, probably my favorite trip I have ever taken. I was nervous because, what if it didn't live up to my expectations? Oh, but it did. It really did (The food! The art! The gardens!). I never wanted to leave and was sad when it was time to go home.

But, now, I'm going back. Finally, 8 years later. Tomorrow, to be exact. And I am so excited words cannot even describe it. This trip was a college graduation gift from my mom (the tickets) and it might be the best gift ever. Because not only is a trip to Paris, but I get to bring one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world: Jenny. She's just as obsessed with France as I am and I couldn't imagine a better person to take this trip with. We are going to eat lots of good food, check out some museums, and just wander the city we both love so much.

Even though it's Christmas, and we won't be spending it with out families, I have to say I think Christmas in Paris is pretty dang awesome. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas or Joyeux Noël!

Au revoir les amis, je vous verrai dans le Nouvel Année! 

A Little Note..

I've not blogged in almost a month. Wow. See, I really do like blogging but I've just been too busy actually living life to blog about it. There was my birthday last month, then Thanksgiving, and now Christmas and my trip to Paris are fast approaching. Between work and having a social life, blogging has taken a backseat...well more like it's in the trunk. I'm not going to stop blogging; I will start again, after the New Year. I'm going to think about what I want the blog to be, possibly even giving it a new name and look, because I'm not totally happy with it. So, peace out for now friends, I'm off to enjoy life!

A New TV Obsession

This is my new TV obsession

 I can't stop watching this, I've almost finished season two and it keeps getting better and better. And the new show, American Horror Story? Also SO GOOD.

I other news, I am very, very tired these days. I think I may be coming down with something and it also might be a side effect of some medication I'm taking. But either way, I've been going to sleep at 8:30pm every night. I'm a freakin' old lady. I hope this goes away soon.

Do you have any new TV obsessions? Tell me, tell me!

I just had to share this

You won't get it unless you know about this website, in particular, this post. I laughed forever after seeing this...so awesome.

Pinning Happiness

I haven't posted in TWO WHOLE WEEKS. I don't really know what was up with that. I guess I just didn't really have much to say. Also, I've just been exhausted between work/stupid editing class/social life/gym to come up with content for ze blog. But now I am back, with a vengeance! Since Wednesdays are "pinning" days from my much overused Pinterest account, and since it has been so long since I graced the blog land with my wonderful presence (joke people, a joke), I decided to do my "happy pictures." These are pics that for some reason put a smile on my face, are beautiful, funny, but of no real use (not outfit, home decor, or cooking inspiration), but could make a nice piece of artwork. Or something. You know.

Images via Pinterest

 What about you? have you found anything good on Pinterest that makes you happy or inspired? Link up in the comments!

The Week is Half Over, Friends

I realized that I didn't do a book post Monday or even a post yesterday about anything. This is pathetic really. How can I even call myself any sort of blogger? I decide to do away with the recipe posts, since I'm not cooking anything exciting these days. Instead, this will a day for repinning fun stuff from Pinterest. Exciting right?

These are just pics I find really beautiful...the dresses are like artwork. I would love to wear something like any of these one day, but doubt I will ever have the occasion though. But they sure are nice to look at.

images via Pinterest

Next week I'll do a larger pin, I'm just plum wiped out this week folks.

(Early) Birthday Weekend

Every year, my mom and I spend a weekend in San Francisco for my birthday. We eat delicious food, shop, laugh, and drink massive quantities of champagne. This year was no exception. My birthday isn't for nearly a month, so we celebrated early and had an absolutely wonderful time! We went to the opera, ate a several amazing restaurants, shopped until we dropped, and hit up the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. All in all, pretty freakin' fun, if I do say so myself.

Now, photos!

I have to say, the Academy of Sciences is way cool and I'm so glad I finally got to go! I highly, highly recommend checking it out, and definitely see the planetarium show. So worth it.

And how was your weekend?

Solutions

Yesterday was a not so great day. I'll spare the details, but I spent FIVE HOURS on the phone with tech support. Yeah. Ugh.

So to brighten my thoroughly dark mood Amy and I decided to go to dinner and drink at our favorite:

Left Bank. Of course.

We ordered the mussels in white wine sauce and this French bruscetta type thing. It was delicious and exactly what I needed after such a crappy day. Along with a couple of LARGE glasses of white wine.

I went home, cuddled with a kitten and then passed out, hoping today would be a better day, and ya know what? It is! I have a solution to yesterday's problem and I'm so happy that the stress is gone. Plus I'm off early today to spend time in the city with my mama!

So, dear friends, I'm off! I hope you have a lovely weekend!

PS: No playlist today (no time). Instead, enjoy some Lady Gaga. This song put a smile on my face after such a long day, I hope it does for you  too! (Cheesy? Yes. Fun? Hells yes!)

Insert title *here*

Dudes, I am tired this week. All I want to do all day is sleep, watch Law and Order: SVU, and sleep some more. I think this is all a combination of work stuff that is annoying the crap out of me, lack of good sleep at night, and my current diet/exercise problems. As in, I need to be eating healthier and get my butt back to the gym. It's just hard with this full time job thing and I am SO TIRED all the time. Not to mention the stupid editing class I have to take for work is the most boring, tedious thing ever. I really, really am not enjoying it at all. Ugh.

What I really need to do this week is take the time to plan out some meals (mostly lunches for work) and start putting my gym stuff in my car in the morning so I have to go after work, no excuses. And I NEED to stop procrastinating and do my grammar homework before Friday.

On a happier note, I'm spending the weekend in the city with my mama for my annual San Francisco birthday extravaganza. I'm really excited; shopping, eating, the opera, the Academy of Sciences. It's going to be a great time. So I need to get my act together, like now.

Do you have any exciting weekend plans?

The Night Circus

A short post today, about books. Duh.

I first heard about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern on Lainey then read this review on Salon and it sounded right up my alley: magic, love, CIRCUSES. But it's a pretty new release and I don't particularly like reading hardcovers because they are so heavy and bulky (lame, I know), not to mention expensive. But then I saw The Night Circus on a shelf and Barnes and Noble for 40% off and that baby had to be mine. So it is. After I get through at least half of the sixs book I'm reading, I will start The Night Circus and I'm excited. I mean, look at that awesome cover art, right?

In other news, I want these boots, like, soooo bad. I think their fringi-ness could save the world, don't you?

One Lazy Weekend

I was going to put this playlist up on Friday, like I usually do, but the internet was being a brat and it didn't happen. Then yesterday I was too busy being lazy all day before going out with Jenny to stuff our faces with French food (SO DELICIOUS), so it's going up today. Sometimes these things happen.

Anyway, my obsession with 90s music was reignited recently, so I made this playlist and have been listening nonstop. So many awesome songs, so many memories attached to them (like MTV playing real music). I got my inspiration from songs I have on my iPod, but I was inspired by a Vh1 countdown of the "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s", which you can check out here.

What are some of your favorite songs (with memories attached)? And not just from the 90s, but from other decades too, I'd love to hear them.

PS I think I might have to do an 80s playlist next week

Maybe we had too much fun?

Some pictures from my really fun weekend in Oakland with Miranda, my mom, and stepdad. We walked around Lake Merritt, ate delicious Thai food, then went wine tasting and bar hopping. A good time was had by all (maybe too good a time?).

Alright, now I know I should have gotten these pictures up sooner, but I got knocked out by a bout of food poisoning the last two days. But here they are. Enjoy friends!

A good time indeed. What did you do last weekend?

Recovering

Miranda and me

This weekend I visited Miranda. See, she finally got the hell out of Sacramento and now lives in a super cute apartment in Oakland and I am so happy she's in the Bay Area. It really is the cool place to be.

Anyhoo, we explored her neighborhood, ate some delicious Thai food, then my mom and stepdad came up for dinner and drinks. And well, what usually happens happened. Let's just say that today was a day spent recovering. From last night. Yeah.

I've watched a lot of CSI and ate an entire bag of cheesy popcorn from Trader Joe's. Because that is what one does when one is recovering.

Pictures to come soon, my friends!

Fall Friday Tunes

So it's fall. Autumn. One season away from winter. My music taste tends to change come fall. I switch over from obsessive Lady Gaga/Britney Spears/whatever crazy dance songs are popular playing to obsessive emo-indie rock music playing. Maybe cause it's all dark and gloomy? I don't really know. And, for the record, it is currently still very warm here in California, despite it being October, and despite the fact we had four days of rain (which were wonderful). Anyhoo, ignoring the fact that it is very sunny outside right this minute, the music coming out of my speakers is changing, because I am ready for the heat to GO AWAY. Now, push play and pretend it's raining. It makes it much more wonderful.

Rainy Days and Mondays...are the same (and some books)

Today was a rainy day and a Monday (Ha! See what I did right there?). To be exact, it was the first rainy day of the season, which means....drumroll please....fall has come to Marin County! And I am so happy because I love fall. First, we have Halloween, then my birthday (AKA The Most Important Day of the Year), then Thanksgiving (favorite holiday), then we roll right into winter and Christmas, then New Year's, both of which I will be spending in PARIS! Plus, lots of my absolutely awesome friends and family have birthdays this season, and I love birthdays!

But back to today. It was gloomy and rainy when I set off for work and it stayed that way, which I found delightful. For the first time, I actually had to use the fluorescent lights in my office because it was so gloomy outside. It rained and made all kinds of lovely noise on the skylights and the roof and made the whole day so much better. I drank hot herbal tea and wore boots and a comfy sweater and was just smiley-smiley all day. Ahhhh. Fall.

Now I sit all curled up under my warm covers with a sleeping, purring kitten by my side, trashy reality show on the TV and life is just very wonderful right now, in this very moment.

And now, books!

I was going to to a more detailed post, but I've decided just to day a list for today. The theme is young adult novels. People give YA a bad reputation (thanks Twilight!), but there are a lot of great YA novels out there. Give them a chance people!

Here are some goodies:

Looking for Alaska by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty (first in a series)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Identical by Ellen Hopkins

I've read all of these and they are SO GOOD. I love John Green because he writes how I would think. Sloppy Firsts was a hugely important book for me in high school, I can't even explain it. Identical is intense and so incredible. I feel like none of my descriptions will ever do the books justice, so I recommend at least reading a page or two next time you're in the bookstore. And, as always, let me know what you think or if you have any favorite YA novels.

On Halloween

It is October and that means this is the question that is constantly on my mind :

what to be for Halloween?

Last year for Halloween, I was a fairy. My dress came from an "adult" store, but it was not totally inappropriate. The skirt has LED lights threaded through it and lit up, as did my wand and my shoes. I still have the costume, it currently resides in my closet, hiding behind cocktail dresses and coats. I contemplated wearing it again this year, but no. I think I'm over that costume, plus it's not terribly original is it? To go as the same thing twice in a row? I think so.

The year before, 2009, I was a droog from A Clockwork Orange, all white, bowler hat, cane, and one eye done up all fancy. I loved that costume, even though only ONE person all night figured out what I was. Sad, I know. I have contemplated going as a droog again this year (a year gap between costumes is perfectly acceptable), but I realize I don't have the suspenders, hat, or cane anymore, so I would have to buy them all over again. And that is a pain in the butt. For now, this is the back up plan.

In 2008 and 2007 I was cliche "sexy" costumes (Moulin Rouge girl and a cowgirl), 2006 and 2005 were both Halloweens spent at home, sick with bronchitis. And that's as far back as I count, because in high school my costumes were just lame anyway.

I'm over "sexy" costumes, I would rather be something fun or interesting, but I am having a tough time thinking of something good that won't break my bank. I like doing stuff from movies or TV shows, so I've been trying to think of a cool character. There's The Bride from Kill Bill,the aforementioned droog, a character from Lost, Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's and...that's all I got so far.

Then, another part of me says to just give up and get a costume in a bag from the Halloween store and call it a day.

What about you? What are you going to be for Halloween and do you have any suggestions for me?

Getting to Know You

I saw this on a blog I follow (a pretty good one, too) and thought it was kind of cute. Maybe it will give my very small audience a little more info about this silly girl and her blog. I encourage you to do it too!

from The King and I

Age: 23


Bed size: Queen


Chore you hate: cleaning behind heavy things: bed, sofa, refrigerator. Awful. And usually very gross.


Dogs: I grew up with cats, and currently have a pretty cute one named Scarlett. But I really want a dog, maybe a Corgi or an English bulldog. I think they're the cutest.


Essential start of your day: Coffee! Hot in winter, iced in spring and summer.


Favorite color: Blue. And stuff that's sparkly.


Gold or silver: Almost always silver...unless gold is what goes with my outfit.


Height: 5'7"


Instruments I play (or have played): I briefly played the flute...and I can play one song on the piano. That's it. Sad, I know.


Job title: Book publicist.


Kids: Eh. Not so sure yet. Ask me in five years.


Live: Currently....Novato, CA


Mom's name: Michelle


Nickname: Mal, moo, stinky (dad's nickname), monkey(dad's nickname)...maybe a few more, but I can't think of them.


Overnight hospital stays: Nope.


Pet peeve: tardiness and bad table manners


Quote from a movie: Most of the movie quotes I like are completely inappropriate, so I'll go with a poetry quote instead. It's one of my favorites and I think it's beautiful.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all

Right or left handed: right!

Siblings:No biological siblings, but 3 stepsisters


Time you wake up: Weekdays: usually around 6:30, weekends: whenever I feel like it.


Underwear: I have a lot? Because I'm totally paranoid about running out. But it's all really cute, so it's okay.


Vegetables you dislike: None really. Sometimes I'll get sick of one and not eat if for awhile, but I like almost all of them.


What makes you run late: I am never late. Ever.


X-rays you've had done: Teeth


Yummy food you make: I make pretty good brownies and pretty good manicotti


Zoo animal: Zoos make me depressed. I don't really like going to them.

Pinned Wanderlust

Pinterest is amazing. But I find that I really shouldn't look at the travel pictures because it just feeds my wanderlust and desire to travel everywhere and see everything. I mean really? Look at these. How can you stand it? Can someone please give me a job where I get to go these places?

1.) Lebanon via  2.) Lake Como via 3.) Cayman Islands via 4.) Tuscany via

 5.) Switzerland via 6.) Portugal via 7.) Greece via 8.) The Philippines via

Linky Love

Some Linky Love in this fine Wednesday:
-- If you liked the movie Bridesmaids, you will love this gag real. It is definitely rated R, so don't say I didn't warn you!

-- I'm also pretty excited about the new show, American Horror Story. Check out the super creepy opening credits here.

-- right now I can't stop listening to this song and this song. Give them a chance, they're pretty amazing.

-- A post on stripey tops from my favorite stipey shirted blogger, Nat the Fat Rat. Doesn't this make you want a wardrobe of nothing but stripes?

-- Read this awesome excerpt of Mindy Kaling's new book. I'm so excited for it to be released next month!

Hope you're having an amazing week and happy Wednesday!!

Yummy Wednesday

I'm really trying to stick to the blog schedule, I forgot last week due to being sick. But now I'm back on track! Onto a recipe I love!

I've made this recipe a few times and I love it. It's really simple and makes for a great party dish or something just to have around and take to work for lunch. I got the recipe from Ina Garten and it's great because you can really use any vegetables you want! In addition to what the recipe recommends, I've tried artichoke hearts, squash, zucchini, and sun dried tomatoes, all delicious.

Ina Garten's Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Las Vegas Favorites

So remember I went to Las Vegas? Now I'm finally getting around to posting some photos of my totally awesome and fun trip (even if I did get a cold). I took a lot of pictures, but I'm just posting my favorites, because otherwise it would be photo overload.

Enjoy!





Mandalay Bay pool...best pool in Vegas!

 

Circus performer at Moon

 

Playboy Bunny!

Las Vegas was loads of fun and I can't wait to go back!!