Things For Which I Am Thankful

1. My family, who have done nothing but provide for me even when I am a stinking brat.

2. My sister, who will always be the one who gets me the most.
3. My boyfriend, who loves me and so much more.
4. My analytical mind, my sharp words, and my argumentative prowess.
5. My hazel eyes.
6. My faith, which I will always be able to go back to if I need it.
7. Feminism. Even that crazy radical kind.
8. That I grew up close enough to the city I want and need to be in to live at home while I save to be there instead of drowning moving there with too little.
9. People who you find are surprisingly in your corner.
10. The sun.
11. Everything bagels.
12. Yoga.
13. E-mail, Facebook, Twitter and every other social media device that allows an introvert like me to keep in touch with people she probably would have lost touch with too long ago.
14. Blog comments (hint hint).
15. Chipotle peppers.
16. The open, even though scary, road before me.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'll either be lazily watching the parade or completing some sun salutations (if my butt gets out of bed early enough) in the AM and then it's off to our first blended T-Gives for me the BF. Oh, wish us luck.

Be safe and enjoy the long weekend!

Image via Cupcakes Take the Cake

Good God, I'm Cold

It used to be that I was never cold. I'd kick off my blankets and not wear pants to bed, fight with my mother about how NO I did NOT need a coat, and begged for the return of air conditioning by the beginning of May. Now, for some reason that I cannot nail down, I am constantly freezing. First I thought it was just NJTransit choosing to keep their trains at frigid temperatures, or my sweaters losing some of their warm, comforting layers in the wash, or my coat not being lined enough, but now I'm pretty sure it's just me. Seriously, my nose gets as cold as a dog's and often the only thing that will warm me is someone else's body heat. So, I've been thinking about how to get warm A LOT lately now that we're nearing winter. Below are some of my favorite solutions that I've come across.

I'm so glad that wrapping yourself as much as possible in sweater-material is stylish this season. An infinity scarf (this one from The Limited) is at the top of my Santa list.

These - from Portolano - are far too expensive (even when they were on the sample sale site ideeli last week the set was still over $100. Oh - want an invite to the site? Here you go!), but, come on, adorable. Almost worth it.

Nylon magazine has a spiffy DIY of Miu Miu's pricey knee-highs. Layer-worthy while being fun and trendy without going off the fashionista deep-end (we can't all be Lady Gaga), they look like an easy (and pretty!) project even for those of us who are needle-and-thread-challenged.

Sigh. I used to be so anti-UGG. Too preppy. Too "everybody has it." Too pricey for something that's kind of ugly. Too Villanova. But, I'll admit their styles have gotten much more likable in the past few years - I'm loving this year's knit versions. Plus my cardi UGG boots are SO WARM. And it's basically an acceptable way to wear slippers all the time. Sign me up.

When I think "Ineedtobewarmnow!!" I almost always think of hot cocoa. Oddly enough, I'd almost always prefer a pumpkin spice latte (in a red cup!) this time of year, but with these marshmallows from Smitten Kitchen, just thinking about the site of the them in steaming mug is making me feel cozier. And reminds me of diving into that foam pit at gymnastic-themed birthday parties when I was a kid. Anyone remember those?

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On an unrelated note to any of this (wow, these well-organized blogs are TOTALLY going to impress potential bosses) - you may have noticed the addition of the lovely photo of me, at right. I got the idea from Teresa Wu (she's cool - check her out), and I've read that this will help "connect" me to you more, readers! Aren't you psyched?!

We'll see if I still like it in a week.

The Boyfriend One-Ups Me by Meeting Obama. For reals.

Remember that time I met a certain pop culture figure and everyone was excited for me (shut up, play along)? (Hi, Oprah and Gayle, since I know you're scouring this blog daily to be the premiere pick for Oprah's Blog Club - oh no did I just ruin the surprise?)

Well someone has decided to steal my spotlight yet again. First he beats me regularly at Wit's End (although I did win at Scrabble last week - "QUAD" with a triple letter score on the "Q" - boo yah), and now this.

I meet (or at least make eye contact with) Oprah. My boyfriend meets President Barack Obama.

If you remember (schsssrrroooooooooooop ... um, "rewind"), I intimated in my post about our DC trip that the BF had made a subsequent trip to DC right after we were there. And that he did. To meet the president.

Now you're probably thinking, "Oh, well, he must have gotten some great honor to hob nob with the president like that. Perhaps he built an orphanage or took down a health insurance company. Or won a Nobel Prize! (har har - too soon?). "

Nope.

"Well, then he must be involved in some very official and important government-related program to be invited to have lunch with Obama. Lunch!"

Also no.

"He donated a large sum of money?"

Ha. Laughable.

...

He won a raffle. A raffle to meet Obama.

And I suppose that's cool. But that boy gets everything. First a $500 scratch-off at Christmas and now this. Oh and ME. Lucky jerk. Wouldn't shave his beard for me, but for Obama! No question! He's an all-American boy!

(Irony there - it scratches my face even more now the day after he shaves it than it would have anytime during the three years he was fully Hemingway-faced. Of course.)

Oh, and here's the photographic proof. He's making copies if you would like one.

Last Days of Gourmet

The late Gourmet's former associate art director Kevin Demaria has posted a heart-felt final pictorial good-bye and memorial to his days at the magazine - years he says were spent with loving family and the love of very unique work. His photos capture the packing-up and shipping-out of Gourmet and include the indescribable visages of former employees hit with a punch they never saw coming. The photos, simply, are lovely, if not also without a touch of torture, as much art is.

Find the rest here, and perhaps add to the comments - many read as mini love letters of loss.





For those not quite ready to let go of Gourmet, remember that the new cookbook Gourmet Today was recently released.



Although, erm, maybe someone should change this.... maybe you'll be getting a year of Bon Appetit instead? Sigh - it stings more than a little for Gourmet-lovers, I'm sure.