le brouillon de vie

Mario and Luigi Visit Art Annual

2013-05-20T06:25:00.000-05:00

Traffic was rotten in our nabe on Friday, which generally means there's something happening in the realm of concerts and sporting events. I always get a kick out of guessing what musician is in town based on what people are wearing as they wait for the light to change. It's not judgmental. It's called making an educated guess based on life experience, you guys. Cowboy boots = Tim McGraw or some other name of a country singer, as I struggled to even come up with his. Toddlers in slicked back ponytailed tiaras and too-short skirts = a cheerleading competition. March Madness is a different kind of nuts. You get it. Well, Friday was easy! White tents and barricaded streets = Art Annual.

Talking, always talking + Tents

My parents used to drag us to the Des Moines art fair (a 3+ hour car ride) when we were younger to embrace the artistic talent that my siblings stole from the gene pool prior to my birth. I'll never forget the year my too-young-to-party brother endured the trip totally hungover, as my folks reveled in the punishment, I'm sure. My mom and I are always drawn to the mixed media jewelry booths, with funky metals and the kooky wavyhairs who create them.

These white top street fairs hold such a special place in my heart, but it breaks just a little when I see idea clones, where one person puts a different spin on photography or turns a rock into a candle and everyone jumps on board to make a little moolah. It frustrates me, because I want to give credit to the first dude to do it. But alas, if you think about it, no idea is ever an original idea anyway. They all have to stem from sooomething.

Phil and I walked the few blocks to take it all in and find some lunch on Saturday. He and I independently scanned the menus and ordered meals called Mario and Luigi, respectively. It was that very moment when I actually considered starting a Twitter account so I could tell the world this information. Then, I remembered I have a blog. So yeah, that happened. I hope the weekend treated you all well! I'll leave you with the best hand-me-down of my life lately; the old camera bag of my Dad's that I'm using as a satchel/purse/camera bag of my own. Thanks, Dad! You're cool. Have a great week, everyone! xo

Vulcans Never Lie

2013-05-19T17:36:00.000-05:00

Give a little. Take a little. It's always been my motto for a healthy relationship. (That, and COMMUNICATION... and belly full, balls empty. Winky face.) Turns out, I have a lot of mottos. Today I gave a little, if giving means Trekking. "Fork and screens" are great in theory, but I learned long ago that I am not a fan of eating a full-on meal in the flashy inconsistent glow of the movie theatre. You end up dipping your fingers in buffalo blue cheese sauce while probing for a fry. It's really all very questionable since they serve your plate of food in the dark. My nerdybird is all for the experience, though, and therefore a wet blanket about stowaway snacks (you've heard), so I ordered popcorn which arrives in a bowl the size of a kiddie pool. Movie popcorn is the best and worst. You know what else is the best in a worst sort of way? Star Trek cardboard cutouts on Instagram. We practically speak Klingon now.

Jorts.

2013-05-16T20:36:00.002-05:00

Shants. Cutoffs. Whatever you call them, Phillyboy's old pants became my baggy shorts this afternoon.

She's 26!

2013-05-10T20:06:00.001-05:00

Panama hat, Swim top, Book, Ceramics, Baggu, Sunnies, Ring, Pouch

You guys! It's my BIRTHDAY! I'm headed out for dinner with my sweets. A little wine just a short walk from here, twinkle lights and spring breeze. I'm typically big on treating oneself on your birthday so I mashed up a few items that I've considered getting myself this whopping 26th year. The pie will happen regardless, and the bowls... I'm searching to sign up for a ceramics class in the area.

Last night, P surprised me with this amaaaaazing lens, that I didn't even know I wanted. We're pretty excited to play with it. Then this morning, my littlest love gifted me the potted flowers below. All before seven a.m.! My Grandma G used to give potted flowers for my birthday, but that's been awhile. Needless to say, it was fun to receive them this May 10.

A perfect weekend to you all, and even better to your mamas! xoxo

Over the Humpday

2013-05-08T18:53:00.000-05:00

Just a few things:

:: Our internet has been too flakey for my liking. If it were a gal pal, I'd let her flit on her way. I'm convinced Google Fiber sent out a raccoon to chew on the wires in hopes we'll feel the need to contract an upgrade. Well, it's not entirely necessary as my nerdy bird is basing all life events on the date it becomes available to us.

:: Parenting is really flipping hard (I'm sure). But, you know what else is hard? Parenting a child that also has parents. Grumps today, apparently. Yesterday, I wasn't allowed in the tent. Whatever, kid.

:: My birthday is on Friday. I'm just not ready to be 26, but somehow I feel like when I'm 30 I'll slide right into myself. I have requested rhubarb pie and for my sister to detail the Bravada (due to the messy aforementioned small one).

Stepping Out

2013-05-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, I went shopping and wrote about it.

Don't you just loooooove that Amy is holding my hand in this photo. She was SUCH fun.

As a result I was graciously invited, alongside a few incredibly stylish men and women of Halls KC and Charity of Curvy in KC, to the 6th annual Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Gala as a guest fashion judge. Now, I've never claimed to be a "fashion blogger" or even really a "blogger" (that's such a loaded word- another story for another day), more a "documenter of life happenings" I'd say, but that's a mouthful. Let's be real. So when PR extraordinaire, Kara Cowie offered me the opportunity, my initial reaction was similar to when a telemarketer transposes a few letters in your name or calls your friend's mom "Pa Molla" instead of Pamela and you want to blurt before thought, "none of those here! kaythanksbye!" ...or in this case, "no fashion~~istas~~ bloggers here!"

But then, I thought about it. Actually thought about it. Why NOT me, I posed. Who's to say?! I have opinions! I am capable!

Palling around with the auctioneers. It was fun to watch them work the room as a team. blah-bidda-blah bidda-blah!

I'm realizing that some of the very most defining moments in my life have been when I attack the awkward, as my obnoxious friend Adam would say. When I look at a situation, as ill-fitting as it may seem at that place in my life, and take it head on. It is just outside my comfort zone, where I meet the most fascinating people, and as cheesy as it is to say- often meet myself. (For example, that night in college when a perfect storm swept all my friends into homework, away, or otherwise. I took myself to the not-so-successful Jennifer Aniston movie, Friends With Money, and I happened to be the ONLY soul in the entire theatre. Wild, huh?) That's life though, a series of moments and experiences that oddly fit together to form our complex existence.

Anyway, I'm grateful to have been invited to the event. It was blast, all in the name of bringing support and awareness to The Mission Project. It seems I'll forever be an introvert by nature, but an extrovert in training. I have to practice being social- and that's okay! I always feel richer having done so.

horse pins for the nominees and favors for the fashion judges

Also, doesn't my sweet boy look great in a bowtie!

Rooftop Season, Or So We Thought

2013-05-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

Eighty degrees for the greater part of this week and now I can't bring myself to peer out our second-story window for fear the flakes are accumulating. I ventured to the northland this morning to run a few errands and our weather got confused in the meantime. On my way back, I had a flash of horror that I'd frozen my furbaby, President Theodore Roosevelt, to death with the window I'd left open (my dad did that once to our beta fish growing up)... because I am a crazy person and phew! to my crazy person eyes as Teddy greeted me at the door stretching his warm cat body from a coiled up slumber. Back to the beautiful weather that we have not...

I snapped a few shots from our rooftop in the earlier part of the week, because that's my life when the atmosphere allows. Our view is eclectic and unassuming, relatively private but precious open air.

Philly texted me Tuesday, "Lunch on the rooftop? Something fresh." Clever boy, knows how to get me swooning. I'm kind of a nut about eating outside, you see. So, I slapped together some sandwiches and stirred some lemonade. Rooftop season commenced this week! ...and I refuse to believe it's snowing.

p.s.

+ I raved about picnics on Ginny's site if you care to take a look.

+ My modest rooftop Pinterest collection.

Sometimes, The Stems Are Just As Stunning.

2013-04-29T20:26:00.002-05:00

We've acquired a third roommate in the form of roughed-up cardboard boxes weighted by baseball cards, VHS tapes, and an adolescence worth of notepaper. Philly Phylo's not thrilled about it either, so speak of the hindrance is a bit moot. Instead, I'm focusing on this wild batch of blooms from my parents' yard. Thanks, Mama! They smell more fragrant than any supermarket posy I've ever picked up. A tulip girl, I've never been- more of a messy bun under the forsythia bush type, so these I adore. Let's hope they hang around a while.

Spiderman and the Civil War

2013-04-26T17:18:00.001-05:00

We've got these two posers packed and ready to go for the weekend.

I, on the other hand, plan to paw through my mom's closet and my sister's makeup drawer, all the while dubbing myself lightest packer in the land- a title that never holds true. Our little mew mew is an excellent traveler, if you don't recall this kittygram a while back.We're both in for a touch of sentimentality this weekend. Philly's mom is moving from the house he's know since he was a young buck; a prepubescent painter of the very detailed and to-scale Spiderman on his bedroom wall. Nerd alert! He'll be scrounging through his old stuff. 'Tis the season, right?!As for me, I'm excited for my hometown's annual... Civil War Re-enactment. You read that right. It's a grand affair with smelly old wool-clad "soldiers", cannons booming, and the best sarsaparilla on this side of the Mississippi. I think it's been a good 10 years since I've been! I'll share next week so you can a) have a good moment of mockery at my town's live-action role playing, or b) appreciate the history, because it is pretty wild. Sorry for the blurry photos lately. That cool cat on the right's circa 2008. And also, I am lame. Happy Weekend, darling blog people! xo

Things.

2013-04-26T08:52:00.000-05:00

Always and forever working on decluttering this little life of mine.

I'm starting with weeding out all. that. shtuff sprouting roots in my bathroom tower, then moving on to my closet. There'll undoubtedly be a wave of guilt when I get to throwing shirts, and shoes, and dresses into their get-rid-of tubs. I mean, how does one person accumulate so much stuff ...and kinda sorta totally forget about it until they don't care anymore? "They" is me here. Ugh.

And then, I stop feeling guilty because I pumped dollar bills into our economy, have loads of girl cousins to share with, plus I donate what's left. It's a yearly process, but I'm getting better! Collect those moments, girl. Not the things.

Monday

2013-04-21T13:06:00.000-05:00

...because, I actually really like my job and I'm a morning bird by nature, but the first light of Monday always creeps in without knocking.

I thought I'd share a few things that are keeping my chin up lately:

Ben Howard- Keep Your Head Up by MMMusic

+Erin's huger than huge giveaway at Living In Yellow, including yours truly! Best of luck to you all. If that's how you found me, WELCOME! I hope you'll stick around. I'd really love to hear more about you.

+ Making an express effort to value social media as inspiration, rather than allowing comparison to wipe clean my contentment in this one life that's been given to me. My favorite few lines of this article: "And on the days when you peer into the screen of your laptop and all you see are other people’s peak experiences that highlight your lack in that moment, remember that life isn’t about the story you tell about yourself on the Internet. It’s about a million more beautiful and complex things than that, like love and faith and really listening. It’s about using what you’ve been given to craft a life of gratitude and passion and grace. Remember that the very best things in life can’t be captured in status updates."

+ Philly and I are still working our way out of hibernation. Last night's run, this, and sorting plans for my cousin Kendie's Key West wedding sure help.

+ Don't lose the lesson.

Hope your week is tops, friends! xo

33 Years and 9 Before It

2013-04-19T06:02:00.000-05:00

Happy 33 yrs to the pair that shaped my perception of love; the two that instilled within me the reciprocal nature of respect, trust, and affection. I've demanded no less and will always give more, because I know no differently.

These cuties met in the 1971 halls of my dad's public high school, when my Catholic school mama dropped in for driver's ed. My aunt took this photo long ago and it's always been a favorite of mine. I suppose, it just appears to have been a really good day.

The Dogwood's Been Shedding

2013-04-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

It's been a dreary week at best here in our midwestern city, but we're holding our heads above water with the ardor of a thousand poets and a gratitude like never before. Do you ever have those days, when above the early-to-rise and the faded gray skies and the frizz inducing mist; when life feels just enough?

I hope the same for you today.

Boston

2013-04-16T21:51:00.000-05:00

If you had asked me yesterday morning, I'd have called it a case of The Mondays. I'd have told you about the coffee-spilled thermos in my driver's seat, or distracting the little dude from his foggy aquarium and the dead snail within. I'd have mentioned tripping over the weekend to-dos that never got done. But then again, that's not really the stuff that mattered. Life always has a way of slapping me in the face with a palm full of perspective.

I really loved the manner in which Erin wrote of Monday's emotions, so I'll send you to Reading My Tea Leaves and simply say, I'm sending an extra bit of love into the universe today.

River Market Ramblings

2013-04-15T10:50:00.001-05:00

Long long ago, in a time of 9 hour weekend commutes, homework and mere hopes to someday share a city, my boy used to live in the River Market. In the summer, I'd come for weeks at a time. While he devoted his brain to the dayjob, I was happy exploring the city on my own. I spent a lot of time close to (his) home, stretched on a patch of grass with a beach towel and good book.

(...and actually, one time his boss took us to lunch and got my under-aged self sufficiently intoxicated, so I had to fake study for my upcoming exams because I was too drunk to retain anything, or drive back to P's place. To get away, I took a walk over to the center of the market and bought dried pineapples and coffee, then stumbled upon some Dutch lady at the flower shop bathing her baby -named Kieron, like my cousin, which is rare- in a 5-gallon bucket. Completely random, I am aware.)

Anyway, the River Market has a sort of peculiar vibe, unless you're there on a weekend during harvest for the farmer's market. Nonetheless, it's dear to me, as forever the place we hammered out our hearts. My nerdy bird had to drop into work Sunday for a few files, so we ate in the area at Farmhouse. They claim to have grass-finished burgers, as opposed to grass-fed. I'm not sure I have an opinion on that, but our server was a complete sweetheart. The type of person you want to clone, because she had a beaming aura, and more because she brought you free biscuits on a whim. Let's blame my schmaltziness on a girl crush, but the food was GOOD... as good as the company of my broken-in boy.

Shopping for a Cause- Tulip Boutique

2013-04-11T10:54:00.001-05:00

Far too much time has passed without me mentioning the promotional event I attended, hosted by Tulip Boutique on the Country Club Plaza and the charismatic Kara Cowie of Edit. Truly folks, Kara has such a dynamic personality... the girl radiates passion and sweetness. She's such a gem! Since her days reporting for the KC Star, Kara's had her heartstrings attached to a fantastic local non-profit in support of young adults with developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome and Autism. The Mission Project enables these individuals to work and live on their own with minimal assistance. Kara and Tulip came together in advocation for both The Mission Project and First Downs for Down Syndrome, inviting the Kansas City blogging community to shop for a cause.

The two organizations are gearing up for their annual Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Gala on May 4.

My eyes were opened and heart swelled as we listened to Honorary Derby Chairperson, Jennifer Crable, speak about her experiences parenting a child with Down Syndrome and her emotional investment in bringing awareness to these fine organizations.

Jennifer Crable and Kara Cowie

Social time with the KC Blogger Meetup is a guaranteed thrill (spectacular hats, shopping, and sips aside), but I'm grateful to have taken the time to learn more about what Kansas City in doing to support and create community. I wish The Mission Project and First Downs for Down Syndrome the greatest encouragement and best of luck championing these causes in the time to come.

William Tell

2013-04-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

That snarl in the upper left turned five last month and I could swear he fell into that whole hand of fingers over night.

Physically, some mornings I come to wake him up and standing there in his dinosaur pizjammy jams, I have to ask, "My goodness! Who is this child?! Have you grown?!", because he's grown like those pill-sized foam creatures that stretch in a cup of water. I guess growth spurts are no joke. To which he always proudly responds, "yeah! I'm bigguwr! I gwoh everyday."

Socially, the kid turned five and his shy little ways have taken a backseat to a newfound VOICE. He's got to tell everyone his life story and make announcements just the same. We step into the dry cleaners and he declares, "DRYYYYY CLEAners!" in a sing song to the rhythm of the Green Giant commercial. To the PetCo worker who swiftly offers help in passing to his next task, W feels the need to scamper down the aisle and holler with his cupped megaphone hand, "I don't have any pets!" Which is true, but somehow we always find ourselves comparing dog bones and kitty cat huts. The kid's got it made.

Prepping him for the playdate with a few little girls later in the week:

W- "Do they look just like me?! Wif blonde hair just like me?"

Me- Well, yep, actually they DO have blonde hair.

W- "Wif blue eyes, too, just like me?"

Me- Yes, those too!

W- ...(thinking)... "and a SQUARE head, just like me?!"

I mean, I guess no one's to tell him he doesn't have a square head.

Three days after picking up a garlic press at Target while running errands with him:

W- (letting out that first breathy morning yawn) "So, just wanted to ask you how it's going with that garlic press?"

W- (showing me his fingernails) "I have these claws to protect me from creditors!"

(Predators??)

Out of the quiet blue at lunch one day:

W- "When I'm ten, I want a baby."

Me- Oh, okay. Tell me more.

W- "...like a sister. I sink when I'm ten, I'll want one."

W- "Hey! Want to see the furnace?!!"

pssh. yyyyeah??!

Outside school one day, a mom compliments me on my shoes:

Lady- Cuuuute flips flops!

W-(confused and mildly disgruntled) ...but... I'M not wearing flip flops!!

***

And some honest to goodness sugar sweetness...

W- "You missed a really fun time at my birsday pawty."

W- "I had that bad dweam again." (A reoccuring dream where their chandelier comes alive and towards him- I know, terrifying!). "I called your name from the hallway, but you weren't there."

Anyway, this little turd has my heart.

No Complaints

2013-04-05T11:59:00.001-05:00

My Philly boy ran off to work in San Antonio for a few days this week, but my mamabird came to fill the void. She and my sweets get along swimmingly, so they were both generally disappointed to be ships passing in the night, but it works out really well in my eyes because a.) we have a one-bedroom loft with no doors... that's awkward. And mostly because b.) I don't have to divvy up my lovin'.

When my mom comes I usually find myself at every corner of the city, making best friends with knowledgable people in the supplement aisle at Whole Foods, consuming excessive amounts of Mexican food, and oh! I took her to work yesterday. Yes, 'twas take your ma to work day. It was, in fact, a cheesy good time. She got to be nutty with my favorite 5yr old, and I got a glimpse of her future grandma-hood.

I only actually worked two-half days this week, and not because I asked off. It just happens from time to time. I've always embraced the "get what ya give" mentality and have been blown away by the like-mindedness of my nanny family. They never take more than they need of me, always earning my best foot forward. They're good to me, and I'm good to them. THAT is the company I choose to keep; the way I want to live my life. The weather this week has been so gorgeous, it's almost unfair (whatever that means) and it's only supposed to get better. I've found myself falling deeper in love with Kansas City, as I do at every change of season. Good gracious, I'm a sappy one. (On that note, someone please give me a kick in the butt to get off the computer and out the door.) We've got First Friday tonight, a birthday party tomorrow, and I'm really just glad to have my boy back home.

If I needed anything more to provoke that squinty-eyed smile above...

+ My cousin Lindsay and her husband welcomed their baby girl into the world on Wednesday and our entire extended family is OVER THE MOON about her. (Hello, group text! You da best.)

+ I got a hefty tax return in the mail. I mean, thanks self for paying too much all year?

+ There is a pretty well-curated Hall and Oates Pandora station groovin' from my speakers. Yep!

Happy Weekend, folks! Love yoous!

Latelies

2013-04-01T07:28:00.000-05:00

You can find us willing Spring with open windows and fresh raspberries in the water cubes. We spent the weekend catching up on laundry and other little things... like crafting Easter crinkles from a snipped up Paper Source catalog. Paper source, the irony! And group texting my girl cousins about mucus plugs (news to me- gross!) and the any-day-now baby girl who will wear the babylegs and homemade headbands that I shipped off not too long ago.

I'd typically have been in Iowa on Easter Sunday, hunting for my basket with the help of a little rhymey riddle left by ~~my dad~~ the bunny, but some good friends expected us here in KC to share the love at their nuptials Saturday night. Not to worry, friends, my mom will be here Tuesday to hand deliver my basket (loaded with jellybeans and beef jerky, among other somehow-traditional Easter fillers) and her usual amazing mom-ness, naturally.

It should be a great week. I hope you feel the same!

Happy Easter, Every Bunny!

2013-03-31T10:02:00.002-05:00

Lastly, NYC

2013-03-28T11:03:00.001-05:00

We've been back from NYC for a couple weeks and Kansas City feels pretty darn great in the Springtime. I could fiiiinnnnally feel it on my fingertips as those last inches of snow soaked back into the Earth yesterday! I'll forever have that metro city in mind, but for goodness sakes I'll quit rattling on about it (after this post, for posterity really).

****

Early in the week, we found our way to Canal Street, in Chinatown. I don't know what I was expecting, Chinese lantern canopies and an intense aroma of world spices, I guess. It was a tad underwhelming.
Philip has been to China a few times for work, so perhaps it would have been more logical to base my expectations on his more realistic account of the grimy streets and lack of attention to detail. (Ouch, but seriously.) I tend to do that to myself. I am excitable by nature and often form colorful notions of what my day may present or how an event will play out. I've grown a lot better and am still learning to be flexible as life unfolds in real time. We had a fantastic time, nonetheless.

On the phone that morning, my mom forewarned, "They'll try to ~~invite~~ cajole you into their 'back rooms' to buy black market purses and such. It's lowbrow, but you should do it for the experience. Just know it will take some assertion to get away." We opted out of that hoopla, Mom, but my attention was indeed snagged by a table of smoking paraphernalia and pocket-size Buddhas. The vendor approached me in a forceful monotone uttering, "Girl, GET over here." He meant business, which was fine because so did I. Little fatty Buddha came home to rest atop my computer speaker.

Near the end of our visit, New York turned to a blustery bitch so we holed up in the MoMA for the morning getting our mugshots taken and stepping on some art. Richard Serra wouldn't mind.

Hotwire was sugar sweet to us all week, but being planted on the 26th floor of the Millenium Hilton in the Financial District was exceptional. While the trains are fickle at night there, we worked it out for a bird's eye view of Ground Zero. I was heartened to see the new World Trade center piercing the sky and massive cranes milling about the construction site. Keep on keepin' on, America! p.s. We also went to the Lion King on Broadway at the Minskoff theatre. The set design and costumes were phenomenal. I would have loved to take photos, but it wasn't permitted. I'm the girl that brings her own candy to the movie theatre, so had I not overheard the girl in front of me being scolded and fine-threatened, I'd have some photos to share. Que sera. Simba's pectorals were strange and Timon's Jersey accent was a bit hyperbolic, but that's okay- the show was AMAZING, just as I told myself it would be.

Dr. Oz 3- Day Detox Cleanse

2013-03-25T10:23:00.001-05:00

So you're wondering how our weekend went on the infamous Dr. Oz 3- Day Detox Cleanse? Well, let me start by saying my experience is probably nothing upon which to base your decision "to cleanse" or "not to cleanse". However, I do have a few tips to get your head in the game and perhaps through the challenge.

My personal experience: You know when you donate blood and they give you a sticker to wear that says, "Be nice to me. I gave blood today." Well, this juice detox made me want a sticker that said, "I'm ~~dying~~ cleansing today. Be nice to me." Those two days were rough, folks. That's right. We made it two full days and threw in the towel as confidently as we came into it. Hear me out! It was not for lack of will power. (Oh no, my boy was raised on will power and self control.) For me personally, it was more of a cost/benefit analysis than anything. I had a migraine from mid- day one, late into the second. With that, I had nausea, light-headedness and a general case of misery. It just wasn't for me. I'm a fruit and veg- aholic, so I was truly surprised it hit my body so hard... But I'll say it again- it just wasn't for me. Many people say they lose a few pounds the first day or so. Did I lose any weight? ...No? I don't own a scale though, so I couldn't truly tell you. What I did notice was a little less bloat at times, but nothing as extreme as many of the reviews claim for day one to two on the website.Breakfast: The breakfast drink was tasty! I often drink smoothies for breakfast anyway, with greens and flax and fruit. This was no problem, even enjoyable.Lunch: By lunchtime, I was mildly hungry. If you've read just about any comments at all regarding this cleanse, you know that the lunch drink is what posed the biggest hurdle for most people. I was prepared for it to be less than delicious, but again- I really like celery, cucumbers and every ingredient listed for lunch. This recipe prepares significantly more to drink than the other two. It is bitter and tastes quite a bit like lawn. The consistency is much chunkier, leaving you to chew the last fourth of it. Day two, we left out the four stalks of celery and whole cucumber from blending and ate them on a plate. This satisfied the growing desire to actually bite into food, and made the lunch drink bearable.Snack: The snack between lunch and dinner was important to me as I'm the type of person who eats smaller meals 5-6 times a day. Dr. Oz suggests picking your favorite of the three drinks and repeating it for a snack. With the freedom to choose, I felt that as long as I was both using ingredients from the shopping list and blending diverse food groups (i.e. picking a healthy fat like avocado or almond butter, plus a green, and some fruit including a touch of lemon), I was following the regimen.We liked frozen banana, raspberries, almond butter, and flax for our snack smoothie. Dinner: Dinner wasn't bad. It packed a little heat, which I like.The Detox Ultra Bath: Enjoy! Baths are just about my favorite thing so this was a no brainer. Phil, on the other hand, wasn't so sure about it. "So... What am I supposed to be doing in here?" he hollered to me from the bathroom. A couple other things of note: I would recommend doing this cleanse during the work week, or when you'll otherwise be distracted. Having cut and measured smoothie ingredients beforehand would help. For me, weekends are a time to indulge a little, share meals with friends, etc. so the temptations were much more present. Staying busy would obviously help get you through it.Dr. Oz claims the entire shopping list averages to around $16/day. I'm not sure where he buys his groceries. I purchased all organic fruits and vegetables, so the price was much different, even with a handful of things already in my fridge/pantry.

Mint Condition

2013-03-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

Phil, Baby Girl, her beautiful smiling Mama, and our gal pal Brooke

Last night, we were blessed to meet the brand newest of beings. I am still in absolute amazement that all that dark hair (like her daddy) and all twenty of those looong digits (like her mama) were bundled up in cozy pre-birth perfection at lunch with us just last Wednesday!

Spring Cleansing

2013-03-21T23:14:00.001-05:00

We're welcoming Spring with the freshest of minds and bellies here. Tomorrow through the weekend, we're taking on the Dr. Oz 3-Day Detox Cleanse and I am probably more thrilled (and nervous) than any normal person should be. I keep prepping my P love for the big event by repeating in my most epic wrestling ring announcer tone, "Three Days! Two Roommates! One Toilet!"

Check back next week and I'll tell you all about it!

Let's Talk About Eats

2013-03-20T10:19:00.002-05:00

A few days ago, I was uploading our vacation photos to Facebook and yapping at Philly about how I could plan an entire New York City visit based solely on breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The words had just rolled off my tongue when a friend messaged me about helping her plan a trip to NYC- what to do, where to go, what to EAT. I am no expert, I told her, but here's our story.

The very first thing we did post-flight after dumping our bags at the hotel, was hotfoot it to Shake Shack. I'd never been, but you really don't have to bully me into wolfing down a burger and (crinkle) fries. They have ice cream with mallow fluff and Rice Krispie crispies?! Seriously, I didn't need any encouragement. We ate there again later in the week. I really miss it.

Eataly. I think there are a few peppered throughout NYC, but the one that reeled us in sits up 5th Avenue from the Flatiron Building. It's a market, a cooking school, a cafe, and about 7 sit-down restaurants under one roof. We ordered prime rib sandwiches (meat, olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt- that's it!) on the go one afternoon, and it was truly one of the best food decisions we made that week.

I had read Eataly termed a "circus", so we were prepared to tough it out... but we must have slipped through the rush. The only wait we endured was behind a woman ordering 24 of their signature prime rib sandwiches. Looking back, I wish we'd done the same before boarding our return flight. Every few days, one of us says in the most melancholy tone, "I wish I were eating that prime rib sandwich right now".

The menu credited Donley Farms in Kansas to the meat, so we're still holding out hope we can track some down a little closer to home.

We somehow fell into a routine this vacation of having coffee for breakfast and breakfast late. Lunch happened around 3 or 4pm. The photo above was taken within the wall below. Oh, New York. You master puzzlers, you. We seared our tongues clean off with delicious Mexi-heat one late lunch at Pinche Taqueria in SoHo.

We fell into Beecher's Handmade Cheese on Broadway, and quickly realized it was no accident. Destiny drew me to a place where they HAND MAKE their cheese on site. I know that from the bottom of my milk curd-molded heart.

We climbed the stairs and ate in a window seat overhanging E. 20th St. and listened to the conversation held between an adorably ancient New York man and his son, or young companion. Below, I'm (im)patiently waiting with confidence in my decision to order thee BEST Mac n Cheese on the face of the planet. As much as I raved about the weather when talking about Brooklyn, we did have a day or so of rain-tramping and dusting snow from our hats. An Instagram friend (who lives half her year in NYC and the other half in Australia playing tennis (yes, that is her life- I can't even begin)) suggested we have a burger at The Corner Bistro. That we did.

Two barstools, this rain-spattered window, and burgers that bore a striking resemblance to those cooked on my parents' back patio, all while the locals bantered and offered us their leftover fries.

"Dude, it's CAASH OOONNLY." Don't mind my talky talkerson face. I'm just trying to get the point across to P, while he's lining up these ducks for their mugshot.

Anyway, we ate in Chinatown. I don't really like Chinese food, but it was what it was. This place is called Big Wing Wong and the teenage boy that I am can appreciate that.

...and a grainy phone photo of the refreshing Kirin and right-on sushi that greeted us at the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge. Iron Chef House Sushi, we will meet again.