pennyring

Cheesecake and a Good Read

2013-02-08T12:08:00.003-08:00

Our nieces came to visit last weekend for a birthday party. Miss Serah had a Barnes and Noble giftcard burning a hole in her pocket, so we decided to make an evening of it.

We took her into Seattle, to the Barnes and Noble at Pacific Place. Then we made a surprise stop at Cheesecake Factory! YUM! Serah had never been before, so this was especially exciting and delicious.

After perusing the 800 page menu, Serah finally settled on Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake. Oh my, it was DEVINE! Here's Serah giving her cheesecake Bunny Ears. Hee.

Our friend, Allie, was along for the ride. She does not like cheesecake. (Heretic!!) We let her pick this yummy Godiva Chocolate Brownie Sundae. I like it. Very Art Deco... for a dessert.

Erik got the Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake. Yum. Just yum.

Of course, I had to get the Red Velvet Cheesecake. OMG. I dream about this dessert. I thought it was a seasonal offering last summer, but apparently it's permanent! YES!!! If you haven't tried it, get yourself to a Cheesecake Factory -- STAT. Trust me on this. You can thank me later.

Lastly, we have to thank Erik's Mom, Kim, for the Cheesecake Factory gift card! Thank you thank you! It was sooooooooooo good! YUM.

-xo

A Pretty Shower

2013-02-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

Our friends Danny and Cynthia are expecting their first baby soon: Hannah. Cynthia has about 62 sisters. Her oldest sister, Korine, hosted the shower in her home last weekend.

I've only been to Korine's house twice. Ever.

1st Visit: About 5 years ago to drop off some boxes she was storing for Danny and Cynthia.

2nd Visit: Last weekend for the baby shower.

What Korine didn't know (until I told her) was that my short-short visit to her kitchen was inspiring! Of course, I didn't take a photo, but I loved the color! It was a nice, bright, lime green.

I picked the exact same shade for our kitchen and Erik painted it to match a couple of years ago. She had no idea her kitchen was so inspiring! :)

There were so many yummy new foods to try! Spicy jellies, yummy cheeses!

I also tried a Macaron for the first time! YUM!!!! I know these are super popular right now, but I've never had one myself. So good! The one I tried was peanut butter and jelly flavor. So yummy and unique, like nothing I've ever tasted before. Now I really want to try making them!

-xo

Little Brother, Big Sister

2013-02-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

I love this shot! This is my niece, Serah and nephew, Javan. Their mom gets credit for dressing them in such fabulously colorful clothing. Photographing them was a must.

Look at those big eyes!

Love this picture of Javan. So excited! He sees a bird and wants to get closer.Do you think the birdie's behind the tree?

There he goes!!

Big boy climbed up all by himself. So proud!

With big sis, Serah, taking good care of him.

-xo

Across the Mountains

2013-02-05T12:08:00.001-08:00

Sometimes work takes me out of my neighborhood. Our office is in the Seattle area, but we have customers in five states.

Last week, we went on a little road trip to visit customers in Eastern Washington. This is the first real snow I've seen all winter. It was hanging heavy on the trees in the pass, and gently falling a little on the other side.

I really wanted to stop at the Antique Mall, but was out-voted by my male counterparts. Boo!

I wonder how Indian John would feel about the DOT naming a rest area after him. Not exactly something to brag to the folks back home about.

Yeah we are! Like falling back into an 80s rock video.

A little Bon Jovi from the album Slippery When Wet. You're welcome. ;)

I just really, really like this sign. Pretty blue star is begging to be scrapbooked.

...and back home over the pass to Seattle we go.

-xo

Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte

2013-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

This is my first Starbucks latte of the new year! I've given them up you know. :) In favor of frugal living and being in control of our finances.

I'll tell you a secret though. I still get my coffee flavoring from Starbucks (sugar free vanilla). They make the best flavoring! Plus, I have a few Starbucks gift cards, so with zero guilt, I decided to try one of their new drinks: Vanilla Spice Latte!

I've really been looking forward to trying one! Skinny Vanilla Lattes are my favorite, so this seemed similar enough to be yummy, yet different enough to be interesting.

So... the verdict? It was alright. It kinda tasted like a toned down version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Less sweet than a regular vanilla latte. More spicy. I didn't hate it, but it's not really my jam. I enjoyed it, but I'll stick to my usual.

Have you tried any of the new drinks? What did you think?

-xo

The Cheesemonger's Table

2013-01-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

We were reading about The Cheesemonger's Table in an Everett Herald article a few weeks ago. It sounded AMAZING!!

Cow Whimsy - moo

I'm a little bit of a cheese freak, and a Macaroni and Cheese connoisseur. This place promised both! What more could you want from life?

Erik ordered this magnificent rueben sandwich. (The Famous Turkey Reuben - Zoe’s Turkey, Swiss, slaw & thousand island on rye.)

It's served with popcorn! How odd, you say? No, no, my friend! How DELICIOUS! The popcorn is tossed with Truffle Oil and tastes phenomenal! YUM.

If you know me, I'm always on the hunt for a decent mac 'n cheese. So many nights I just need my mac! But nobody seems to make a good one, and Blue Box is hardly a substitute.

Ahhhh... Cheesemonger's Mac and Cheese (Ethan Stowell’s bronze cut pasta with the Cheesemonger’s special 3-cheese sauce and breadcrumbs)... you did not disappoint! I have a new, local favorite! I'd say it's definitely not a "Soul Food" mac 'n cheese. Definitely fanchy schmancy mac, but oh so so so so very good! Two thumbs up.

We also wanted to share a Meat and Cheese plate, since this is what they're known for. A helpful employee asked a few questions when we came through the door to determine what types of cheeses we'd like to try. We picked the International Cheese Plate - USA version.

The employee convinced Erik to try a new kind of goat cheese. (Erik gags on the goat.) I loved it!! Erik says it still tasted "goaty" but "less goaty than the goat we had in Paris". LOL! I would say it tasted more like a Romano cheese. Very yummy!

We also tried a rich blue cheese and a white cheddar. Rounding out the plate was some Finnochiona salami (Yum! Had this at Salumi too and loved it! The Finocchiona here was more mellow with less of a bite.), some fig spread and a baguette.

Sneaky Roof Cows

All in all, a REALLY great time. We can't wait to come back with friends some time soon. If you're in Edmonds, WA, don't miss The Cheesemonger's Table.

-xo

Just a Little Treat

2013-01-29T11:56:00.001-08:00

Menchie's, a cute frozen yogurt chain, has a shop near us. We popped in the other day for a little treat. Erik's absolute favorite is the Dole Whip. Yes! They carry the same frozen yogurt we thought was only available at Disneyland (and Walt Disney World)!!!! Awesome, right?! :)

I like Dole Whips, but my favorites tend toward sweeter flavors. On this trip, I had White Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet Cake and Oreo Cookie! Yum!

-xo

Nessie, my Beloved

2013-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is Nessie. She is one of ~~our~~ my favorite wedding gifts. Well, let's be clear. She's one of MY favorites, but since she keeps me sane, she is also Erik's favorite by default. Right? :)

I started drinking Lattes in high school. I remember the very first espresso stand in Everett. It opened in early 90s on Evergreen Way: Bean Me Up Espresso. Hehe. They're still in business today.

Ever since my first latte, I've been a huge espresso fan. We've had several espresso machines over the years, but none worked as well, or made as good coffee as Nessie. Nessie is a Nespresso Citiz with Milk. And she is FABULOUS!

Nessie is a capsule-based espresso machine. Nespresso sells their capsules exclusively online. That's the one drawback-- if you run out, it takes at least 1-2 working days to get more capsules. We haven't run out yet!

My daily espresso routine looks like this:

* 2 capsules "Roma" blend espresso

* 2 tablespoons sugar free Vanilla flavor from Starbucks

* 1/2 cup milk

Nessie's little milk canister sits to the side and whirrrrs happily in the background as it heats up my milk.

I love being able to quickly prepare my own Skinny Vanilla Lattes in minutes, from my own home. So far, we've had her 2 1/2 years and she's still going strong! Best espresso machine ever!

-xo

Healthy Provolone Omelette with Tasty Bacon

2013-01-27T12:28:00.002-08:00

Even though we're eating right and getting exercise, it's still important to have something that tastes decadently yummy from time to time. We came up with this simple and delicious weekend breakfast treat: Bacon and Provolone Omelette - Light and Yummy! The whole plate is under 310 calories and so, so, so good. Seriously, I think this is the best omelette I've ever had. Ever.

This is what you'll need to make it:

* 4 Slices of Low Fat Turkey Bacon
* 3 Egg Whites
* 2 Slices of Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese
* A sprinkle of salt

Heat stove to medium. Spray two small pans with Pam or other fat free cooking spray.

Add Turkey Bacon to first pan and cook until crispy.

Separate egg yolks from whites. Discard yolks. Whisk egg whites. Then pour egg whites into second frying pan. Cook on medium heat until eggs are solid.

Add two slices of provolone cheese. Fold omelette in half (or thirds, depending on your preference). Add a sprinkle of salt on top.

The heat of the egg will melt the provolone. When you cut into the omelette, the cheese will ooze out all thick and gooey! YUM!!

-xo

Resolution Numero Dos

2013-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to just come out with all my New Year's Resolutions at one time. (The first one was way back here.) I feel like, if you put it all out there, you're just going to jinx yourself. So I hold these things a little closer to the vest, until I can really get in there and get them done.

Since my 2nd Resolution is coming along, it's time to share!

2012 New Year's Resolution #2: Start Exercising Again!!

We started this week. Monday was Zumba. Tuesday was an hour long, brisk walk (Erik came along). Wednesday was Zumba again, and so was Thursday.

Seriously, y'all. Zumba is kicking my butt. But I'm not giving up!! Exercise is a requirement! At least five days a week for now.

Guess what they don't tell you about working out though? You get to buy cute new clothes!! This is my new "Hypotamoose" (Hahaha, that still makes me laugh!) shirt. Totally awesome, amiright? Love it!

-xo

Murder She Wrote: Nailed!

2013-01-24T09:41:00.000-08:00

So, I'm a little bit of a Murder She Wrote freak. Save the jokes. I've already heard them all. :P Our friend Jason, who was also our roommate at the time, was the king of barbs.

Me: (Minding my own business, watching a sweet J.B. Fletcher episode)

Jason: Did you age 60 years while I was at work?

Har har har. Yuk yuk yuk. Funny guy.

I like a good mystery. What can I say? My two earliest mystery-loving memories involve my mom and my sister.

I remember being sick, staying home from school. I was too old for the kiddie shows, but too young for soaps. My mom flicked on PBS and said, "You'll like this. It's like Encyclopedia Brown."

It was Miss Marple and I was hooked! I loved her accent and her Britishness. She was great!

Then a year or two later, I was visiting my sister. She had hired me to do some housekeeping work for her. I was supposed to be dusting, but I was overcome with allergies and lying on the couch. She flicked on the tv. "You'll like this. It's like Nancy Drew."

It was Perry Mason, and I was hooked again! I love crime shows and mysteries! Over the years, I added Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Law & Order, and Criminal Minds to my list of favorites.

When DVD collections became available, Erik and Santa Claus filled our library with every episode of Murder She Wrote and Columbo (even the made for tv movies).

I like to watch them while I'm doing something else because they're so easy to follow, you don't really have to completely focus to understand what's happening in any given episode.

Last week, I had a Murder She Wrote DVD playing while I was sorting clothes to donate to Goodwill. I happened to look up and saw this:

"Interesting," I thought, "who knew one 'different color' nail was popular in the 90s too! Haha, I guess it really is true that there's nothing new under the sun. Next thing you know, we'll be wearing Hammer pants again. Hahaha..."

Yeah, well, turns out J.B. Fletcher is more "with it" than I am. She took the one mis-matched nail and realized it was a clue to... the murderer! (Not just a fashion statement, as I'd assumed.)

Yep, turns out "Crazy Nails" here was painting her claws in the dark while she waited for the victim to show up so she could kill him. She didn't realize the bottle she was using to touch up her nails was actually Pink, instead of her usual Red. Oh you silly, criminals! You can't get anything past J.B.!

I think this might be my favorite episode, just because of the nail polish thing! Hehe!

-xo

Yummy Green Smoothies

2013-01-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

I was really, really into Green Smoothies a few years ago, but haven't had one in forever. I thought it would be fun to start making them again.

Today, I'm making a Strawberry-Banana-Blueberry Green Smoothie. This is what you will need:

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons Protein Powder (to make it more filling)

2 handfuls of baby spinach

1 banana

A handful of blueberries

A handful of strawberries

Slice the strawberries and banana. Set them to the side.

Scoop the protein powder into your blender. (I use a Magic Bullet). Add the water and spinach. Blend until combined.

Add the strawberries, bananas and blueberries to the blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour into a glass, add a cute garnish, and enjoy!

Mix and match with all sorts of different flavors! Almost everything tastes fantastic! You can't taste the spinach at all -- only the fruit! So good!

-xo

Organize and Store It!

2013-01-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

Last week was great, organizationally! I had the week off from work and finally had a chance to sort and store all the Christmas clearance decorations.

Sheila was, clearly, unimpressed with my ribbon stash. One of my favorite parts of organizing is that it seems to draw the dogs. They love to stretch out across whatever you're trying to do on the living room floor. Thanks, puppies! So helpful! ;)

On the couch, Rusty dreamt of one day becoming a professional figure skater. (Or so we imagine.)

But meanwhile, I was sorting and shelving all these great finds for next year. We have one closet in the house dedicated to Christmas stuff. Basically, I just pack it from floor to ceiling from January to November. When the Christmas season rolls around, I drag everything out and go through. Finding a dedicated spot for Christmas stuff is a great way to keep it out of the way, but handy when you need it.

-xo

Trophy Cupcakes

2013-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

There are plenty of cupcake shops in Seattle, but one of them is head and shoulders above the rest: Trophy Cupcakes. Not only are their shops adorable, they make the BEST cupcakes around.

Our favorite Trophy location is in Wallingford. It's right up the road from Dick's and an easy stop for dessert on your way to or from Seattle.

On this stop, Erik got Thin Mint (left) and I got Salted Caramel (right). Both outstandingly delicious! Yum!

-xo

Strolling Pioneer Square

2013-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

After our yummy sandwiches at Salumi, we decided to take a stroll around Pioneer Square. It's been years since Erik and I just walked around this part of the city.

The Smith Tower peeks out from behind these buildings. It seems very sneaky in this shot. Like it's following us, but trying to remain inconspicuous. Veeeeeeery tricky, Smith Tower, very tricky.

The Seattle Fire Department Headquarters building is now a Fire Museum, with lots of antique gear and equipment. The Chief and his staff still work here, but the current engine and ladder companies

have moved to a new, modern building a few blocks away.

I love this alley with its series of fire escapes. It reminds me of NYC and the neighborhood I stayed in on my first trip to the city.

I find, that in my love of pawn shops, I do a lot of "convincing" friends and family that pawn shops are not the skeevy, dank old spaces of yore. Erik and I popped into Barney's Loans and were treated to... a skeevy, dank old space of yore. LOL! Very old school pawn shop feel. The one cool thing -- they did have quite a few Masonic, Scottish Rite, and Eastern Star rings. You don't see a lot of those in suburban pawn shops.

Raccoon street art.

Tour group in a Pioneer Square alley.

Before we had to head back to the car, we hit Fireworks, one of our favorite local stores. They have a little location in Pioneer Square that we always have to visit before leaving. Then it was back to the car and off we went!

-xo

Salumi - A Local Favorite

2013-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Finally! Erik and I finally got a chance to visit Salumi yesterday! Woohoo!! :) You'll have to forgive me if I'm ridiculously excited about this. We've been trying to visit for about 5 years and just never got around to it.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats is located in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. It is owned and operated by Mario Batali's parents.

We've tried (unsuccesffully) to visit for years. We'd heard of it, locally, from friends and co-workers, but really didn't understand the lore until Anthony Bourdain featured Salumi on his show No Reservations. Once we made the decision that we HAD to go, it was a matter of timing. At lunch time, there's always a line around the block, and they aren't open for dinner. We had to wait until we had the day off work to make the pilgrimage.

It was about 35 degrees outside. We stood in line for close to an hour, but finally, once we got inside, we were treated to delicious aromas of spicy, cured meat. I skipped breakfast, so when we hit the doors and warm interior, my mouth was watering. Mmmm...

The menu is simple. You pick your bread (they have two types). You pick your salami. You say, "yay" or "nay" on the onions and peppers. That's it! Then they hand over a spicy, cured meat sandwich for your enjoyment.

Erik got the Salumi Salami. He went simple. Mozzarella cheese, no peppers, no onions. The Salumi Salami is a spicy, winter salami. Our sandwich maker gave me a little taste of the salami -- yum! Spicy and so flavorful!

I got the Finnochiona Salami Sandwich on Guiseppe bread with house made Mozzarella cheese. The Finnochiona features fennel. (I love fennel!) It has a sweeter flavor with a zing of spice at the end of the bite. Really, really yummy!

During our visit, the clientele was about 50/50 locals to tourists. Ahead of us in line were Italians, Canadians, and Scandinavians. Behind us were local kids, visiting with their friends from Orlando.

I can't believe it took us so long to go! We really want to go back again soon with friends. It would be fun to share a salami and cheese plate with the group. Can't wait!

-xo

A Trip to the Library

2013-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's so nice to have the week off from work. Yesterday, Erik and I headed to the library to renew our library cards and browse around.

Two of my favorite things about our library are the coffee house, and the used books for sale in the entry area. Some of my favorite books as a kid came from the used book sale.

I bought Cheaper By the Dozen for 10 cents when I was a kid. One of my all time favorite books. I can still name all 12 kids. Shall I demonstrate? :)

Anne,
Mary
Ernestine
Martha
Lillian
Jane
Frank
Bill
Fred
Dan
Jack
Bob

I can sing the alphabet backwards too. A woman of many talents. ;)

I've been wanting start training Rusty in agility, which was one of the main reasons for this trip. Once I started browsing through the agility books, that seemed a bit much for the moment, so I just picked up a few trick training books instead.

Rusty's a little complicated. We can't do clicker training with him because of his deafness. I've tried substituting a pocket flash light for the 'click' sound, but I can't flash the light consistently enough to teach him. Shoveling treats into his mouth and flashing a quick 'thumbs up' seems to be the most effective method I've found so far.

The library came through for us today. We left with four new books and lots of new training ideas for Mr. Rusty Roo. I can't wait to get started!

-xo

Breathe New Life Into Old Luggage

2013-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you have a nice set of luggage with plenty of life left in it... it just doesn't look new and shiny anymore!

For work, I take a lot of short flights. I try to always take a carry-on, so I don't have to check luggage. This works fine, until you get on a Big Bopper/Buddy Holly puddle jumper prop plane. They take your bag at the gate and check it anyway, since there's no room onboard for even the smallest carry-ons.

Since having my pretty lime green luggage hijacked in this way over the past five years, it's gotten a little, well... let's be honest: It looks GROSS.

I didn't know what to do about my dirty luggage, so I consulted The Peas. The Peas are an online community of (mostly) women who know everything about everything. I got lots of suggestions, but the one that seemed the most promising was "try an upholstery cleaner".

We hit Walmart last weekend and picked up a can of Woolite Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner. I was dubious as to whether this was actually going to work, but figured it couldn't look any worse! So why not!

I seriously spent all of 5 minutes and this is what I got in return:

It's a MIRACLE!!! It looks brand new. BRAND. NEW. I was absolutely stunned. This was probably the easiest thing I've ever hand cleaned, and the results are amazing!! I believe the can cost $3.78. Worth every penny!

-xo

Winter Fruit Salad

2013-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

When I saw Emma's Citrus Salad on A Beautiful Mess, I couldn't wait to make my own version. Some of the ingredients are a little different, just based on what I could find locally. Any fruit salad you whip is bound to be delicious, so feel free to use what you have nearby! This is what I used:

* 1 Orange
* 1 Blood Orange
* 1/2 Pomelo
* 3 spoonfuls Plain Yogurt

It's the easiest thing in the world: Remove the skin. Chop up the fruit. Spoon in the yogurt. Enjoy!

Using all of these fruits together is very acidic, so I love adding the yogurt. It mellows the acid and provides a little bit of sweetness in each bite. So good!

-xo

Vacationing in the Attic

2013-01-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

My furry helper

Like a lot of people, I accrue tons of vacation time from work. We're only allowed to carry over a certain amount of hours each year, so that means we take vacation time just to hang out. It's nice. :)

Except, I can think of about a million things that need to get done!

* Put away all the Christmas decorations we got on clearance. This may seem like no big deal, but when there's no place to put it... well, it's like a decorative game of Tetris.

* Go through clothes and donate a bunch to Goodwill.

* Hang the mirrors in our living room.

* Paint the bathroom! (It's currently pink. I take no responsibility for this. It came this way.)

* Dig out some of my collections, get them organized and displayed pretty.

* Actually get crafty! I wanted to make a bunch of jewelry this week. We'll see if that happens. Crafts always seem to shuffle to the bottom of the list.

The good news is, I spent all day Monday going through clothes and pulling tons out to donate.

This may look like the trash, but it's actually 6 bags of clothes waiting to be dropped off at Goodwill! Check that one off the list! We'll see what tomorrow brings.

-xo

Not so Ordinary Ingredients

2013-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

If grocery shopping can be a guilty pleasure, Central Market fits the bill. I've been dying to try this pretty salad from Elsie's blog, A Beautiful Mess, but I needed blood oranges.

We love visiting Central Market for those out-of-the-ordinary ingredients we need every now and then. Erik likes to visit their old fashioned soda section. He buys them a bottle at a time; tons of fun, old flavors. You can get a Green River, or even Lavender flavored pop.

We can't do all our shopping here -- way to pricey, but it sure is fun to pick up a few things here and there! I was excited to see that they had a big selection of loose teas. Last time we visited Victoria, BC, we came home with a tea ball and loose tea selection. It feels so much fancier when you have to pack the tea yourself, instead of just dunking your tea bag, like the Yankee you are.

Finally, we ended up back in the boxed tea section, like last week. :) I picked up a good selection then, but those were for work. I was back to get a handful to keep at home. I grabbed a few familiar flavors and a new one to try - White Peach! Yum!

-xo

A Night at the Rock

2013-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

There's nothing in the world like thin crust, New York pizza. Nothing. The closest thing we have in Washington is The Rock - Wood Fired Pizza. Nice, crispy crust with fresh, yummy toppings.

The Rock is a (mostly) local chain that first opened in Tacoma, WA. We usually visit the Lynnwood and Mill Creek restaurants. Tonight, we met our friends Joe and Allie for dinner.

Erik ordered our favorite appetizer: Brown Sugar Mozz Bread. Mmmmm! So weird and so good! They start with crispy, hand tossed pizza crust. Brush it with garlic and olive oil. Then top with romano and mozzarella. Finally, sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in their brick oven! It's a strange, sweet and salty, crispy taste. Love it!

For dinner, we always order the Founders Pie. Seriously, it's the best thing on the menu. Don't waste your time with anything else. If you haven't had a pizza with ricotta cheese yet, your life is not complete. Get to The Rock and get The Founders Pie - STAT. So good! Crispy, creamy, tangy and sweet. So, so, so, so good! Trust me on this, I know my pizza. You need this.

Gorgeous! Meat and cheese = delicious, melty goodness. All atop a crispy, perfect crust. YUM!

We love the ambiance. It's got a similar feel to the House of Blues, if you're familiar. That spot under the stairs has a tin roof. Party lights are strung from the roof up top, and old, classic rock plays over the speakers. We love it here!

-xo

Wendy's Free Frosty for a Year!

2013-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Do you have a Wendy's nearby? We don't go too often, but happened to stop off there for a quick lunch after we saw Django. Erik likes a good, square burger, and since I was FREEZING, the chili seemed like a great idea!

As I was pulling my debit card out to pay, the cashier asked if we'd like to donate a dollar to St. Jude. Well, you can't say no to St. Jude! That's like telling a poor little kid with cancer, "Nope, sorry, go kick rocks." Who does that? Nobody, that's who.

So I said, "Sure!"

And then she handed me this beauty:

Do you know what this is? It's a keytag that get's you a FREE FROSTY for a year! Seriously! Every time you make a purchase, BAM! Free Frosty!!

Now, quick -- get to Wendy's before they run out! Go! Why are you still here!! Go! :)

You're welcome. You can thank me later. :)

-xo

The "D" is Silent, Hillbilly

2013-01-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

We don't go to the movies very often. In fact, the last time we were in the theater was last summer for Batman. That's when we saw the first preview for Django.

It didn't look great. It looked fan-FREAKIN-tastic! I'm pretty sure we couldn't have been more excited!

Our friends are all big Tarantino fans. Everyone, of course, had individual plans for Christmas, so we made a date to go see it together around New Year's.

Once we got to the theater, I realized it was "the boys" (Jason, Joe, Alex, Erik) and me. Hmmm... what does that say about me? Clearly, it says I have great taste in cinema. :D

Like I mentioned, we don't go to the theater very often, and I'm pretty particular about movies. I look at a movie as a two hour opportunity for Hollywood to piss me off. (Don't get me started on Hunger Games. Ugh.) Movies have to be pretty flawless to get my Thumbs Up.

That said, Django was AMAZING. Top to bottom, amazing. It immediately took rank among my Top 5 Favorite Movies of All Time. It's seriously that good.

Christoph Waltz, who flawlessly slips between German, English, French and Italian in Inglorious Basterds, treats us to anther fantastic performance. He propels this feature from the beginning, wrapping his mouth around all the wordiness that makes up a Tarantino flick; making it sound completely natural all the while.

The relationship between Waltz and Foxx is very much Sensei/Grasshopper in the martial arts tradition. I won't give away the ending, but knowing Tarantino's background and style, it makes perfect sense.

Amazaing, amazing film. Do yourself a favor, get to the theater - STAT! You're going to want to see this one on the big screen.

-xo

A Whole New World -- of Tea

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of people share all of their resolutions all at once. Like an avalanche of New Year's promises, sure to be broken in mere days. I like to take things more slowly. Approach them slyly from the side, glide up gracefully, and then attack like a wild boar! Sink my in horns and shake the prey until he goes limp.

That's why it took me a week to get organized for my 1st New Year's Resolution: "Lay off the Starbucks."

It's really no secret that I love my Grande Skinny Vanilla Lattes. A lot. In the first two months of writing this blog, I spent almost every lunch hour at the Starbucks near my work. They know me there. It's like my Embassy.

But like many resolutions, this decision is money-oriented.

Right before the New Year, I updated our Mint.com account. If you don't have one, but want to know where your money is going, I recommend signing up right this second! It's totally free and totally awesome! If you're a nit-picking, list-making, card carrying Virgo like me, this appeals in so many minute and controlling ways. They have an app too. Guess who checks it obsessively every ten minutes or so? Ha.

So like I was saying, I updated our Mint.com account. Turns out, we spent a two-week European vacation worth of fundage eating out last year. Yeah. Bummer.

That was that. Decision made. We decided to get serious about our money and where it's going. We have a few money goals for the first quarter of this year. Setting a goal that's important to us is the way that we're going to be able to stick to the plan. (I'll share the goal as soon as I can, but it's a secret for now.) Erik is even on board and has given up his monthly subscriptions to various gaming networks.

My first concession was the Starbucks habit. Thanks to generous family and friends, I have a few Starbucks giftcards, but I am limiting myself to one drink per week. Other than that -- it's going to be tea!

So last weekend, we stopped at Central Market to pick up some new, exciting teas to try! I got three new ones from Stash:

* Orange Spice
* Chocolate Mint
* Coconut Mango

I'm a little terrified of the Chocolate Mint, but can't wait to try Coconut Mango!

I also dug out my existing tea stash from the cupboard. Moroccan Mint is an all time favorite. Pukka After Dinner is a new, yummy one I found at Marshall's or some odd place like that. It is so good! I think it's the fennel and cardamom combo that gets me every time. Mmmm...

I'm really excited to try all the new flavors! Rocking two teabags seems to be enough caffeine to compete with my previous Starbucks consumption. And saying good bye to the coffee shop atmosphere? I hole up in my office conference room. Door closed, lights off, blinds drawn, ipod on. It's my own, private coffee shop. Scratch that, it's my own private tea shop!

-xo