Friday, February 18, 2011

Friday Rundow

  • i've been at work more times past 7pm than i care to count this week
  • i may have to stay late again tonight
  • next week, i travel San Francisco
  • some people love NY, I love SF.
  • PC's joining me at the end of my trip.
  • PC's never been to California
  • don't worry: Pumpkin's going to her grandparents for a few days. (she loves it there: they have stairs!)
  • i'm exhausted with my breakfast options lately. Since I'm on South Beach (or was until that pizza at 8pm last night- ugh) and am tired of eggs or greek yogurt. Give me some ideas!
  • i get to "borrow" an assistant at work next week and i have no idea what to have her do.
  • i'm a bit of a control freak.
  • i'm ahead on 2 projects, way behind on 1.
  • i'm having work nightmares this week that I forgot to put someone on the programs.
*sigh*

Thursday, February 17, 2011

the winner is....

ZUZU!! 

email me at kskaare (at) gmail (dot) com w/ your addy so I can send your prize!

On a side note: my guild is hosting the one, the only: LUCY NEATBY in April and we have some spaces left in some of the classes. We have now opened it to non-guild members, so click here to get more info and to sign up!

If you haven't taken one of Lucy's classes, this will be eye-opening! And if you have, you know what a good time they can be!


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

10 on Tuesday: no-knit version

Top 10 non-knitting blogs.
1. The Pioneer Woman. Who doesn't read Ree Drummond at this point? Hell, she's even on the morning shows every now and again. I love, love, love her "cowgirl" food.
2. The Lettered Cottage. Layla & Kevin... what a great couple. Working hard to keep it real (I can't imagine that their two professions make a LOT of money, but they trust in God and a budget).
3. The Nester. I giggle every time I see something else she's drilling to the wall or painting. Mostly b/c she's in a rental and wow: "if only I could...." is my dream sentence around this rental.
4. Young House Love. I'm not sure what's going to happen when they finish this house, but I'm thinking these two have a future at HGTV. Or writing a parenting book on how to not let your kid fall into a paint bucket.
5. Apartment Therapy. I think my favorite piece might be the scavenger. I don't know what they are typing into craigslist, but I always end up with dirty couches offered up for too much money from bed-ridden student meccas (like Brighton) or Ikea bookcases. From 5th floor walk-ups.
6. Well-Heeled Finance Blog. I like her. She's funny and practical and has made me think about my money in a whole new way.
7. Fabulously Broke. Also, another personal finance blogger who makes me think.
8. Boston Gal's Open Wallet. This used to be better. I don't know if she just got more comfortable with her finances or she's just not into it like she was before (i'm hoping there's some love keeping her too busy), but she's good. A downside? Her net wealth (that she publishes) makes me feel insecure.
9. Robin Abrahams. Miss Manners, from the Boston Globe. She's funny and smart-mouthed and I adore her. and she takes pics of her outfits. Who, in Boston, does that? I love that!
10. Kalyn's Kitchen. My go-to source of South Beach diet recipes. Kalyn's personable, and very nice--- she and I had an email conversation that involved me breaking down b/c I thought it was just.all.too.much and she said "we all fail sometimes, but you need to keep trying." I thought: she writes this food blog. She can't fail. But, she does. And she makes it work. And that makes me want to make it work.

What have you learned about me?
  • I like to look into people's houses. Even when i'm out driving, i like peeking at windows. :)
  • I'm concerned about and taking charge of my personal finance.
  • I'm slightly obsessed with etiquette ( I am. There are some things you should NOT do in public).
  • I'm on South Beach. *sigh*

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day Contest


























photo/graphic credit: xkcd:http://xkcd.com/223/
Happy Valentine's Day! Yup, the day of love, amour, smooches, roses, winks, nudges and chocolate filled I-love-yous.

PC and I celebrated all weekend, starting off Friday night with dinner with my nephew, my "other" Valentine. He's 2 and he's awesome. Saturday morning, a trip to Dunkin' (a tradition in our house and how awesome is it that we can WALK to a Dunks?) means someone has to walk past our favorite florist. They were happy to see him. So was the shop dog, Benny. These two ladies at Busy Bee love PC... y'see, he's always buying me flowers. He likes how happy they make me and he likes the smell of fresh flowers in the house. Win-Win. Saturday, I went shopping and ran some errands while he watched soccer and kept an eye on the couch. Saturday night was dinner for two at Atasca.

Let's start with a few things about Atasca. 1) it's always gotten good reviews, until recently. and 2) it was on my Boston/Cambridge to-dine list. Well, Saturday night was a flop. The food was so-so, the service was okay (once she realized we wanted a full meal experience: start with a drink, appetizer...she was more friendly) but s-l-o-w. The owner had friends in the restaurant (seated next to us) and instead of perhaps, hustling along the service or checking on customers (I overheard a few complaints that were going unnoticed), he was too busy sitting and chatting.
In addition, I have determined that people do not know how to behave in public anymore. I must be getting old... a woman (about my age) was there with her husband and friends: she was getting drunk and we pretty much heard the entire conversation. And, then there were the people with the cameras. I do not come from a generation that photo-documents everything from their morning pee to the application of night cream.

On the way to the car, we decided we might need a do-over.

Sunday was a trip to the Fiber Loft (first time!) to see the Berroco trunk show and meeting Andra Asras, a designer hosting a tea. I walked out $120 poorer, but with 7 buttons, 2 skeins of coordinating yarn for a project you'll see on Wednesday, and some baby yarns for baby shower gifts, as well as sock yarn for my PC.... who'd like the "next pair to be a bit higher." Funny, a few years ago, he was anti-handknit socks. Oh, and one of those Cha-Cha scarves. Yup. I said it. I'm going to knit with a novelty yarn. I haven't done it since the fun fur hat project. It's wool (mostly) and it'll look cute on my mom. Enough said.

Sunday night was dinner at "our place" : Legal Seafoods. We love the Chestnut Hill location and they didn't disappoint last night: clam chowder & caesar salad for me, seafood casserole & butternut squash for him. A few things to know about Legal: there are secrets, items not on the menu that you can get, if you know to ask. It's fun, like a secret club. If you can name 1 thing that you can get at Legal that is not on the menu (or a secret item at any other restaurant, to be fair), post it in the comments. Wednesday, i'll hand out prizes.


Thursday, February 10, 2011

a whale of a good time





























(photo credit: hannah haworth: http://hannahhaworth.com/blog/)


I will never complain about how big & heavy a sweater project is again. Ever.

damn.
wow.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

buzzzzz

that's the buzz of a crazy-busy worker bee (me!) who's been swamped at the office. A trip to the Left Coast (San Francisco) is coming up and I've got more deadlines than I can count. So, I'm leaving you until later this week for a knitting update. (sorry!)

Instead, my favorite commercial ever.



Tuesday, February 01, 2011

10 on Tuesday: the sleepy edition



































10 things on my beside table. Nope that's not mine up there. I wish...it's Pottery Barn and it's my ideal beside table.

1. glasses. I'm blind and they are the last thing off at night and the first thing on in the morning.
2. Watch and promise ring. Same as glasses.
3. Perfume. This is where I keep my collection of 3 perfumes: Donna Karan Cashmere Mist, L'Eau D'Issey by Issey Miyake, and Happy by Clinique.
4. Jewelry box. (my beside table is small dresser)
5. cell phone (it's my alarm)
6. lamp.
7. moisturizer (see last week's ten on tuesday for brand info)
8. wooden tulips that my grampy made for me.

and b/c mine is a dresser (and I'm desperate for 9-10)... inside, top drawer....
9. knitting stuff
10. sheep heating pad (it's shaped like a sheep, it's not for warming up sheep....)