Table for Two

It was the BF's and my 2 year anniversary this weekend ( oh, I know). To commemorate we decided that a nice dinner out would be sweet, and while really a customary choice for such an event, it allowed me to wear my new pretty cocktail dress and play arm candy to my similarly well-dressed boy. However, stilettos and feels-like-freezing Philly temps aren't the best pair ... unless you count how your feet get numb from all that stress you can't even feel them.

Regardless, we made the trip to the Rittenhouse Square area and enjoyed a lovely meal (read: BYOB) at La Viola. Yes, the restaurant was smaller than any I've been in that were meant to accomodate 50 people (we were practically in the laps of the couple next to us) and it was loud, cramped, and you had a new waiter running past you at any minute, but all that really only added to the place's charm. The cuisine is Italian, so you almost expect that loud, welcoming, big-family sort of atmosphere and the close quarters made it feel special and distinct. The lighting was romantic, the service was particularly speedy, and the food - my God - was delicious. That's my fettucine al salmone in cream sauce; I regret not having a better picture to really showcase the I-can-die-happy-now goodness.

AND Love Actually was on this weekend. The holidays and love are upon us!



Any Philly-ites out there have other restaurant raves? It's my goal to eat my way through the city in 2009.

The Man Skirt

Just read this post on NYMag's fashion blog The Cut (fashion commentary that's a little snarky and a little sweet, but with a lot of good info - love it) about the elusive Man Skirt. Apparently Barney's is all on-board, but the buyers over at Bloomy's are less than thrilled. I'm afraid I have to side with the latter in this case. Men in skirts? Really? Unless you're getting married in a traditional kilt or maybe (MAYBE) playing field hockey, I'm afraid I have to pass. The day men decide they look good in skirts is the day I know advertising and marketing has gone too far. Although, I suppoe it would be a win for those rallying to overcome gender stereotypes.

Thoughts on the Man Skirt?

Sorry, Marc, I'm just not buying it.

Write or Die

I'm writing this post using Dr.Wicked's Write or Die application - an interesting find I saw posted on The Renegade Writer this afternoon. The idea is to force you to crank out your writing without allowing yourself to be distracted or procrastinate...or else you get "punished." Stop writing for long enough, and you may get a reminder to keep going or - if you've set the app to "Kamikaze" - apparently it starts deleting what you've already written. Let me stop for a moment and see what it does. I'm on "Gentle" mode....

Uh Oh - after about 5 seconds the screened turned red and I received a pop-up commanding me to keep going. OK Dr. Wicked! My first inclination for testing out this nifty little device was to work on a couple pieces I'm writing for class with it. However, truth be told by this post, this application may not make for the best writing. Although, now it's less than ten minutes after I've started and I've got myself an intriguing, 200-word blog post. My money's bet on you trying this out too - curiosity after all did kill the cat - or, at the very least, his writing.

Oh my goodness it just trumpted as I reached my desired word count! If that happened when all writers finished their work, there would certainly be a lot more happy writers out there.

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Beginning of an Era

We here at Life Minding (meaning...well...me, Lauren), would like to congratulate President-Elect Barack Obama. I am so proud to have been part of such an historical election, and I am so looking forward to the new face and ideals America will soon project onto the world. We can argue back and forth about what sort of change is good and what is not, but this change will bring opportuntiy to America that we've missed in recent years. I suggest you embrace the opportunities that come toward you - due to this change or otherwise, and remember the country that has given you the rights you've come to accept and know.

And now back to my less serious commentary on magazines and cupcakes....haha.

Don't Vote Part II

Celebrities really do make me want to vote. You should vote too. Not sure where you're registered? Go NOW to voteforchange.com. I know this sounds like a public service announcement, but please, this is important.