A Tale of 2 Monkeys

Linkety Links

2012-01-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

Random awesomeness across the net. That is all.

Campfire Kam's Super Easy Veggie Lasagna - with no-cook noodles

Flush yourself in

1961 audition for "Black Cat"

Source: theprivateeye.tumblr.com via Jen on Pinterest

This photo, from reddit.com, makes me want a dog even more!

Shit Liz Lemon Says (and therefore Shit I Say)

I'm not particularly trendy because I think that's lame, but trends sure seem to follow me lately. Sloppy hair, comfortable clothes, bright colors, and now imperfect makeup and not washing your hair too often? Please tell me that t-shirts with Doctor Who quotes are next.

A video of all of Teal'c's "indeeds" - worth watching all the way through if you're an SG-1 fan

The 3rd Annual Fangirl Award nominations. Much more awesome than how the Oscar nominations turned out.

The ultimate apres ski outfit - wear it with long johns!

Source: athleta.gap.com via Jen on Pinterest

Movie posters redesigned for different eras

Have a great weekend!

Phantom Clutch

2012-01-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

I have this weird feeling lately, like everything is slightly off-kilter. For example, I was driving my husband's car for about a month (all over the Southwest), and just this week we switched back. As a result, I've been changing the radio stations when I meant to set the cruise control, messing up the headlight settings, and stomping down on a clutch that just isn't there. On my own car! My grandpa used to call it "washing your windows," when you drove someone else's car and, when trying to shift or whatever, you hit the windshield wipers, the most noticeable thing, just so everyone knew how big of an idiot you were.

I was anticipating a big post on how much fun Mike and I had on our Dateiversaryapalooza celebration, but it just didn't happen. I woke up Saturday with what I thought was food poisoning, but what turned out to be the stomach flu. At least I think it was. It was just like food poisoning, except with a fever, aches, and chills to boot. Fun! My other hint was that Mike didn't get sick, and we had the same dinner, and he ate the leftovers the next day. Needless to say, we cancelled our trip to Boulder. Luckily, it wasn't our actual Dateiversary and the B&B let us reschedule for our actual one with no penalty. I was actually a little relieved to have missed the basketball game as well since we lost by one point, and I tend to get a little stressed out about live UofA basketball, to the point of crying. For reals.

A bunch of other little things have been like that lately. Monday, I was absolutely convinced that my 9:30 class was at 10:30 and, luckily, I double-checked at the last possible minute and still made it on time! I ordered several of my textbooks from Amazon after checking the price differential and they got sent to my old address by mistake, and dealing with getting them back was a pain. It really stressed me out to not be able to do all of the reading for class. I also still haven't sent my best friend's birthday gift yet due to being sick (and needing to get part of it in Disneyland and then drive back to Colorado), but she's the coolest so she understands (Right, Meg??).

Of course, to top it all off, we are having issues with our rental house in Phoenix. I won't go into it here, but it's pretty obnoxious.

Anyone else just having an off week? Please share.

Random NY story (in which I sort of meet a celebrity, but not really)

2012-01-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, I totally forgot to tell you guys that I saw a celeb in NYC. Weirdly enough, it was one who doesn't live there, but it was New Years week, so there were probably lots of them in town.

It was Jared Padalecki. You know, this guy:

(sorry, that was just too awesome a picture not to post)

This was our exchange:

I looked over as I was crossing the street, pretending to be cool, channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw* (you know, I was in New York!). I see a tall guy, notice that it's Jared Padalecki. I do a (very subtle, I swear) double-take. Yep, Jared Padalecki. We make eye contact. He gives me that (very Dean Forester) look of slight concern, like he knows I recognized him and he doesn't know what I might do. Do I really look like the rampaging fangirl type? Anyway, I give him a subtle nod and walk on by like "hey, I am a fan, but I'm not going to bug you". Am I not the coolest? Very New York. Or a girl from Arizona's idea of what New Yorkers are like.

I'm also pretty sure I saw Toni Collette at our matinee of Wicked.

And that is the story of how I didn't actually meet celebrities in New York City. You might be asking why I didn't tweet this at the time. The answer is that I'm learning. The last time I tweeted about meeting a celeb, I got spammed by a bunch of crazed stalkers wanting to know where he was. And it wasn't even about me meeting him! It was my friend!

*I don't think I actually have an inner Carrie. Maybe a Miranda.

Five Awesome Things

2012-01-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

I'm mixing it up a little. Instead of "Tuesday Treasures" or "[insert day here] Treasures," I'm going to do a post about five awesome things. It's a little bit different, because I'm going to include some ideas as well as places or things. Anyway, here goes.

1. Meeting online friends, off-line. Until last week, I had never met an online friend in person. I'm an introvert, and the idea frankly made me sort of nervous. I had so much fun meeting Kam from Campfire Chic in person at Disneyland, though. We rode rides (including Star Tours, of course), we walked around and talked, and we made fun of animatronic Ariel's enormous eyes. We even yelled each other's names and ran and hugged when we first met. It was really funny, especially because I don't usually do stuff like that. For more details, Kam is a much more dedicated blogger, and she's already written about it.

P.S. there is about a 9 inch height difference between us, so I'm pretty much bending over to get this shot.

2. Wikipedia is going dark today in protest of S.O.P.A. I don't usually blog or tweet political things because apparently I have subversive ideas, like how everyone should be treated equally, we should be nice to each other, and people who are in love should be able to get married, etc., and apparently those ideas piss people off enough to flame me. Since I don't really enjoy being flamed, I tend to skip those topics. Weirdly enough, however, my worst internet flame (from a total stranger) was in response to me saying something about Robert Pattinson that wasn't even really negative, just that he was unsuited for a role. *sigh* Anyway, I think that most of the people reading this (bloggers, intelligent people) probably agree that S.O.P.A is a bad idea. Censorship is not really my favorite thing, how about you? For more info about it, go here (since I obviously can't send you to Wikipedia).

3. My cure for winter skin. In a swift lack of segue, I have to show you my newest find to combat the winter issue of super dry hands.

It's no secret that I love Carmex lip balm (and lots of other balms, but mostly Carmex). I'm happy to report that their healing hand cream is pretty freaking great as well. It's really soothing and moisturizing without being too greasy. I've been throwing it into my bag for daily use (and isn't the tin so cute?)

4. Suave Dry Shampoo. Now, this dry shampoo from Suave is just absolutely fantastic. I love dry shampoo because I strongly believe in not washing one's hair every day. It's bad for your hair, your scalp, your water usage, your color, etc. Plus, it makes styling so much easier, and you don't have to go out with not-quite-dry hair in the crisp winter weather (or blow dry). I used to buy expensive french dry shampoo for $14 a bottle (a bottle half this size, I might add), whereas this Suave stuff is $3 a bottle!!!! It works so well, too, and smells fantastic. Heck, for 3 bucks, you can try it yourself.

5. I'm currently researching and planning my next great (solo!) adventure for the summer: Belize! Has anyone been? I'm backpacking, and I want to experience as much as possible, and any must-see places and things would be much appreciated!! And yes, I do scuba dive, so any dive locations would be great as well (aside from the blue hole, that one I know).

Blogging From a Moving Vehicle

2012-01-12T11:41:00.001-08:00

I'm officially a modern blogger, writing to you from the car on my way back from California. I've never used the blogger app before, so I apologize in advance for all the pictures probably ending up in weird places.

I'm such a traveler lately, right? I've been covering both coasts. As of right now, though, I'm really ready to head back to Colorado tomorrow.

After three days at Disneyland, all I have to say is that the new Star Tours ride is fantastic. I won't spoil too much for those who won't make it out anytime soon, but I'll just say that the best part is that it isn't the same each time. After eight rides, I have been to every planet and seen every character, so I feel pretty satisfied. My only complaint is that the pod racing made me feel ill.

I promise a more substantial post when I get back to civilization (including details on my first experience of meeting an online friend, off-line!!) In the meantime, here are some silly pics for you.

My Top Five New York Travel Apps

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

These guys were invaluable for vacationing in the city. They may seem sort of obvious, but they were so useful, I have to mention them here.

Yelp - need a place to eat that is nearby, delicious, and in your price range? Check Yelp! The reviews even help you with what to order.

Google Maps - map a location and hit the "public transportation" icon. The app will tell you which trains to take and what time the next one will arrive.

Instagram - Still the best app for sharing your vacation snaps, complete with geotagging and uploads to facebook and twitter.

Museum apps - The MoMA mobile site has the audio tour built in so you can listen on your phone. It must be relatively new, because one of the guards told me to get off my phone when I was just listening to the tour. Also, that guy was dumb. I would have thought that holding my phone upside-down, away from my mouth, and not talking would have tipped him off.

The AMNH (American Museum of Natural History) has an interactive app with a museum map. It even senses which floor you are on in the museum and can tell you the fastest way to get to some of the more popular exhibits. There was also a special app for the "Beyond Earth" exhibit with an interactive game where you scan certain icons and see 3D images in "augmented reality."

Foursquare - I earned so many badges on this trip. Foursquare is fun, but it is also really useful for cataloguing where you have been on your trip when you get home and try to remember it all. It is also ideal for sharing what you are up to online (when you choose to, I have that option turned off unless I specifically tell it to share).

Any other favorite travel apps?

Back from NYC!

2012-01-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, I am back from a whirlwind trip to New York City. My brother has taken off for an Asian adventure, and he flew out of JFK. So, of course, we had to join him for a couple of days in NYC before he left. I only wish I could have joined him for his 2-month backpacking trek after that, especially now that he's added Japan to the end of it.

Anyway, here is a run-down of our New York adventure, more photos to come. We didn't do everything on my list, but we did most of the stuff, plus extras:

Visited the MOMA
Visited the American Museum of Natural History (the museum from Night at the Museum, mostly)
Went to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty
Had breakfast at Tiffany's
Ate cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery
Browsed The Strand and wished that I had brought an extra bag for all the books I wanted (bought the Magnolia Bakery cookbook)

Watched the ball drop on New Years Eve in Times Square! (well, very close to it anyway)
Saw the big tree and the ice skaters in Rockefeller Center
Visited the NBC store and wanted to buy EVERYTHING
Saw Wicked, which is now the front-runner for my favorite musical. It was so amazing, and surprisingly close to the book, though not as depressing
Visited Ground Zero
Went to Juniors in Times Square and had the best cheesecake EVER
Went to Ess-a Bagel and had the best bagels of my life (whole wheat everything bagels need to exist in the rest of the world)
I did not have life-changing pizza, I'm still skeptical about the claim that it is better than everywhere else

Went to the Sephora in Times Square and tried out some new makeup
Visited the giant (and extremely crowded) apple store
Visited the FAO Schwartz with the piano from Big (and bought candy) - there were also guys dressed up like Iron Man and Captain America. It was pretty sweet

All in all, my first trip to New York was pretty successful. Please tell me all the things I should catch the next time around (four days is not enough time!).

And the winner is...

2011-12-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

...Kaycie!

Congrats! I'm so excited to tell you that you have won the Shabby Apple dress. I have passed on your contact information to Shabby Apple and you should hear from them soon. Thanks for playing, everyone! Hopefully there will be more giveaways in the future.

Last Minute Reminder for the Shabby Apple Giveaway!

2011-12-26T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, don't forget to enter the giveaway for the Shabby Apple dress! It closes tomorrow at 11:59 PM!

Here's the link in case you missed it!

And here is a really dorky picture of me wearing the dress. I look very awkward because I'm trying to hold my sweater behind my back so it doesn't cover up all the detail.

Last Minute Holiday Round-Up

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a roundup of some great holiday tips and freebies I've found recently (and over the years):

Holiday Hair tutorials - simple, classy 'dos you can do yourself

Super cute printable gift tags - just print and cut out at home

More awesome free printable gift tags

Handmade gift ideas from Martha Stewart

Make your own jam

DIY Christmas Decor

Make your own wreaths - these would make great gifts!

Campfire Chic's round-up of holiday posts

Wine Etiquette - who knew?

Proof of Santa for you parents out there

Make bows out of magazines and plastic grocery bags (these are really attractive, despite how they sound)

How to use leftover wrapping paper

DIY gift bags - make your own or dress up inexpensive alternatives

And a few tips of my own:

Use your leftover holiday cards from previous years for gifts like money and gift cards. If it has been a few years, I'm pretty sure the recipient will have forgotten what your Christmas card looked like.
Use old holiday cards received from others as gift tags, labels, and wrapping decor.
Use yarn instead of ribbon. It's much less expensive. This is especially cool if you make pom-poms as well (see picture above)
Re-use gift bags - I keep the tags on them so I don't end up giving it right back to the same person.
Keep crumpled up tissue paper to use as gift padding
For inexpensive wrapping items, visit Paper Mart
Kraft paper can be dressed up really nicely with paper doilies, tags, and twine. So much cheaper and more environmental than wrapping paper

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!

2011-12-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, it's time for a great giveaway! I am so excited that Shabby Apple, an amazing online store that has great women's dresses, kids dresses, and accessories, has given me a free dress to give to a lucky reader.

The dress I chose is the Mariposa Grove, a really pretty green number with this cool petal detail along the neckline. It is a universally flattering cut, and it is a deeper green than it appears in these pictures (not quite emerald, but a bit darker than pictured). It would be great for the holidays, but it would also work for any season. I love this dress so much that I own it myself. How is that for an endorsement?

There are five ways to enter, but every one of them requires you to come back and leave a comment. Don't forget! This contest is open to U.S. residents only.

1) Leave a comment here on this post telling me where you would wear this dress. Don't forget to include your email address.

2) Subscribe to this blog using Google Friend Connect (in the left column). Leave a separate comment saying that you have subscribed. If you are already a subscriber, you can comment saying that.

3) Tweet or blog about the giveaway and then leave a separate comment here linking to your entry or tweet. Here is a sample tweet that you can just copy and paste:

I just entered to win a Shabby Apple Dress from @jendeats! Enter the giveaway here: http://bit.ly/rZACSn

4) "Like" Nerdified Shirts on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nerdified-Shirts/115898075180408 and come back and leave a separate comment about it.

5) "Like" Shabby Apple on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shabby-Apple/56291792791 and then come back here and leave a separate comment saying that you have liked them.

This contest will close on December 27th at 11:59pm so you guys have some time before and after Christmas to enter.

Disclaimer: This dress has been provided by Shabby Apple, and I am not being compensated for this review. All opinions are mine!

Christmas Movie Marathon

2011-12-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

Favorite Christmas movies....Go!

Here are mine, the ones I've seen a million times and are never tiring. I included movies I love where pivotal scenes take place at Christmas time.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original cartoon)
The Nightmare before Christmas (I watch this at Halloween and Christmas)
Edward Scissorhands
Mickey's Christmas Carol (my favorite incarnation of the story, since I love Scrooge McDuck so much)
Love, Actually
Miracle on 34th Street (the original)
While You Were Sleeping
Sleepless in Seattle
John Denver and the Muppets Christmas Specials
Home Alone

Runners up. These are the ones that Mike's family grew up watching, but I had never watched regularly until we started dating:

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
The Muppet Christmas Carol

Now, please list all of yours so I can go "Oh man, I totally left that one off!"

P.S. I've never seen A Christmas Story. Every year I think: This is the year! Hopefully, this will be the actual year.

Video Interlude

2011-12-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Still unpacking and doing all the final projects and papers for school (it's the last week). I had to come back to the interwebs for a few minutes to share two videos with you.

First off, we have a very enthusiastic porcupine eating a pumpkin.

And we have one of the greatest "cooking shows" of all time, My Drunk Kitchen. Watch all the episodes. Seriously. She's hilarious and uses editing quite skillfully.

Moving Update and a Book Recommendation

2011-12-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

Oh man, it has been a busy week. We are totally moved into our new house now, with boxes everywhere. After all the hauling, cleaning, packing, paperwork, and standing in line at comcast for an hour just have them screw up our internet stuff twice, I basically collapsed for an entire day yesterday. It did help that it was peacefully snowing outside and that we now live half a mile from downtown, so I got to order two meals without leaving the house! This is a big deal for us, considering the last place we lived only had pizza and Chinese food delivery, and it was the first place we have lived that had the latter.

The problem with moving only a couple of miles is that you underestimate all the stuff you have to do. We had both houses for a week and a half, so we could take our time moving things over. We rented a small U-haul for one day and brought most of our boxes over in that. We hired movers for the furniture, which was great, but we still ended up having to make several trips between the houses with just our cars. It was brutal, and we were seriously wiped out by the end. The last two days, I had a maid service come in to clean the upstairs and then the carpet cleaners came. During this time, I finished up the downstairs packing and cleaning. I was so sleep-deprived by this point that I brought a sleeping bag and pillow to catch a nap between meetings.

Moving on from all my complaints (pun not intended), I just have to say that the only thing that kept me sane during this whole ordeal was getting to listen to the audiobook of Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I recommend it to anyone who has ever done anything geeky, or anyone who just likes a good quest story. Wil Wheaton's narration is just wonderful, it totally pushes a 4-star book into 5-star territory.

It is set in a future in which mankind is suffering from several crises, and to escape from its problems, people regularly plug into a virtual world called the Oasis. It's kind of like World of Warcraft meets Second Life, but infinitely more awesome than both put together. The eccentric designer of the Oasis dies and leaves his entire fortune and his company to anyone who can figure out his riddle and complete a massive quest within the virtual world.

The thing that really tips the book into the awesome category is that this designer is obsessed with the 80s, during which he was a teenager. There are tons of references to this era and to science fiction and fantasy of every generation. Don't worry, even if you weren't a teenager in the 80s (I wasn't), you will enjoy the references. For example, the protagonist eventually acquires a (virtual) firefly-class starship named the Vonnegut to travel between (virtual) planets. For everyday driving/flying, he brings his Delorean with flux capacitor and, interestingly enough, Ghostbuster emblems on the doors. If any of that sounds appealing to you, you should read this book.

A Plethora of Snow Whites

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Seriously, people, what's with all the Snow Whites? It's like the whole Armageddon/Deep Impact phenomenon. Fairy tales, Snow White in particular, are trendy right now, and we have them popping up out of the woodwork all over the place.

First off, we've got Once Upon a Time, the new ABC show about fairy tale characters who don't know who they really are, living in a little town in Maine, ruled by the mayor/evil queen. This show is four episodes in and I'm totally hooked. I just love it. In this rendition, we have Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White.

I like her as Snow White, though she's a bit older than I usually picture the character to be. She's more like a grown up, independent Snow. Also, in the fairy tale world, her Snow is seriously awesome.

We have the new movie Mirror, Mirror with Lily Collins as Snow White. She's definitely got the right coloring, but the star of this movie really seems to be Julia Roberts as the evil queen.

Seriously cool dress.

I can't decide if this looks good or not. It's almost trying too hard to be funny and ends up being sort of ridiculous. Who knows, though, it could be great.

And lastly, we have Snow White and the Huntsman, with Kristen Stewart as Snow White. I'm not really sure about this casting. I thought Kristen Stewart was Bella Everywoman, not 'the fairest in the land'.

Again we have a much more famous evil queen to steal the show in Charlize Theron, but Snow seems like more of a bad-ass, so that's fun.

If anyone asked me, I would have said that the best person to play Snow White (in my mind) would be Anne Hathaway. I think she is so beautiful and would be ideally suited for the role.

source

She would be my Snow White. Who would be yours? Any of the above strike your fancy?

It's Time to Start the Music

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thinking back on my TV history... I was born in the eighties, but I didn't really appreciate TV until the nineties (unless you count Sesame Street, you know, because I was a small child). Interestingly enough, however, my television roots will always be in the seventies, and even the sixties. I am a child of Nick at Night. I am a child of the rerun. I am a child of watching whatever my parents liked. It is because of my roots that this variety show will always have my heart.

And that is why I think this is the best Muppet movie ever made.

It was a beautiful homage to the original show, and chock full of awesome cameos (that I will not spoil for you). If you are anything like me, I think you will feel the same way. Go to the theater! Now! Run!

Mahna Mahna

Thanksgiving Plans

2011-11-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

This year, I'm really missing a homemade Thanksgiving dinner with family. Since we are currently living in two houses and trying to consolidate into one this weekend, cooking our own dinner is out. We are going out to an awesome buffet dinner at a local restaurant instead. We have also resolved to take the day off of packing and hauling boxes.

In addition, we were thinking that a double feature would make it a perfect Thanksgiving!

What about you guys? Plans? Favorite Thanksgiving food? I'm a mashed potato girl, myself.

Simple life project: Tiny bathroom

2011-11-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

Remember when I said we were looking for a house that was smaller and I called it "minimalism: downsizing the house"? I've decided that this is a really depressing title (with the use of the word 'downsizing'), and when talking about it to my dad caused him to offer me money, I decided to rename it the "simple life project." We want to live the kind of life where we can go on amazing trips and have extra money, and live in a smaller house with a ton of character (and, let's face it, fewer rooms to clean).

Here is our first hurdle: the teeny bathroom. Our (now rental) house in Phoenix has two decent-sized bathrooms. Our first house in The Springs had three bathrooms, including one quite sizeable one. Our new house has one bathroom, and it's the tiniest bathroom imaginable (except for those ones in boats or Japanese apartments where you have to shower over the toilet). It doesn't have a sink, but shares the one in the kitchen instead. There is a positive side, however; it has a clawfoot tub! Big enough for even tall people like us to take baths in! Plus, the rest of the house is simply oozing with charm, so I can deal.

Another big plus: there is a tiny room (bedroom? office?) right next to the bathroom that I'm turning into a bathroom extension/closet.

Here are some ideas I've been throwing around to make this project awesome without spending too much.

An awesome over-the-door vanity station - found on the Urban Outfitters site. It is really pretty, too!

This would go over the door between the bathroom and the kitchen, so Mike could use the mirror for shaving near the sink, and it would substitute for a bathroom mirror. It looks like it is adjustable for height (thank goodness).

For the bathroom extension, we have an inexpensive, simple vanity made cool by some new knobs and paint:

vanity makeover by jelitan on polyvore.com

Home Vanity - White : Target
$100 - target.com

Lucky Number Knob, Red
$8 - anthropologie.com

8 oz. Flame Yellow Interior/Exterior Paint Tester # 360B-6-360B-6U at...
$2.94 - homedepot.com

This would be useful for nighttime ablutions and makeup application. It would also easily convert to a laptop desk when necessary. I already have a chair to use with it, re-purposed from a table and chairs set that we won't have room for in the new place.

For extra closet space (minimal in a small house), I love this industrial garment rack, also from Urban Outfitters.

Sweet, right? It reminds me of Rhoda's apartment on the Mary Tyler Moore Show (nick at night people, I'm not that old).

And, last but not least, nothing brightens up a small space like a cool shower curtain. I really like these:

The "Care Shower Curtain" from CB2

The "Woodland Garden" shower curtain from Urban Outfitters

I'm worried the latter might overwhelm a small space, so we'll probably go with the Care Curtain, though I love the idea of the Woodland Garden with a clawfoot tub!

I'll be looking around for some options like these. The greatest part is, because we are saving so much on rent, a few new items don't even stretch the budget!

Any other suggestions?

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

I was really skeptical about The Hunger Games movie until I saw this trailer. It's just the right balance of emotion, grittiness, and hope. They might just do justice to this book after all.

Sidenote: My Dad called me one day and told me that I should read the Hunger Games books because he really liked them. Of course, being me, I had already read them all, but I was surprised. Gritty young adult futuristic dystopian fiction where eleven-year-olds slaughter each other? This from the guy who calls anything other than a murder mystery "weird"? I was very proud of him. Go Dad!

Stuff that's awesome (aka Wednesday Treasures)

2011-11-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

If you're new, this is pretty self-explanatory. Here are five things that are awesome. Also, hello!

1. Really pretty cakes - Here's my thing about cake. I always build it up in my head to be so much better than it actually is. I look at pictures of cakes and I imagine them tasting, not like cake necessarily, but more like heaven. I think I like imagining eating cake more than I actually enjoy eating it. I actually feel this way about most sweet things (apart from Reese's Peanut Butter Cups). Anyway, here's my latest pretty cake.

This one caught my eye in the grocery store. It was on the cover of Make Ahead Holiday, a Better Homes and Gardens special publication. The recipe itself was not so pretty, considering it wasn't actually red velvet cake, but I think I could make it better. Now I just need an occasion to make it. My family is more a fan of cookies at Christmas.

For more delicious-looking cakes, I would check out this Martha Stewart Gallery.

2. Darkrooms - I love darkroom photography. The darkroom is my zen space. I love the smell of developer on my hands after a session. I love watching the photo appear on the paper. Digital can never measure up in that way. My last darkroom class at the Bemis School of Art is tonight, but I'm definitely signing up to start again in January.

(There are no good pictures of darkrooms, because it's dark in there, but here is CalPoly's.)

3. Schmidt on New Girl - He's definitely my favorite character. I'm pretty much watching just for him. He's hilariously douchebaggy. Plus, he's Deputy Leo! I can't not love the actor.

4. The Bounce Dryer Bar*. No dryer sheets, no waste, no hassle. Seriously the best thing ever for laundry. Plus, it actually works. No static, and my clothes smell very nice. My days of finding dryer sheets everywhere around my house may be over!

I have seen some complaints around the internet about the bar breaking, but I haven't had any problems with mine.

5. Funky Jewelry. I don't wear much, but when I do, I like interesting pieces. I spotted this necklace on the front page of Etsy today and it is so cute!

Buy it here

And this ring from Modcloth is so much fun.

*I should note that I did receive a free bar from BlogHer, with no obligation to post about it, but I was already using the dryer bar for months before receiving it!

Hobbit Day - Life on the Slow Carb Eating Plan

2011-11-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Mike and I have been trying out the Slow Carb Eating Plan (also known as the Slow Carb Diet), as outlined in The Four Hour Body. I hate calling it a "diet" because it's sustainable over really long periods of time, and not a fad. At least, I hope it isn't. Basically, six days a week, you eat certain foods. At each meal, you have protein, legumes (slow digesting carbs), and vegetables. It is easier to focus on what you should eat, rather than what you can't, as you can easily get bogged down in the restrictions (no fruit, dairy, gluten, bread, rice, etc.). If you actually want to try it, reading the book is a must, as there is a lot more to it.

It seems to be working well. I haven't been exercising lately (bad me!), but I've been losing weight at about the same rate as I was when I was exercising (and eating popcorn for lunch and soup for dinner), so it must be working! I really liked the parts of the book about self-experimentation, junk science, and encouraging skepticism. The only way to know if something will work for you is to try it.

I'm not really big on being told what to eat, so it's hard for me to be on any kind of plan, but I have actually done pretty well with this one because of 5 things:

1) No counting calories. Boring, boring, boring. I can't stand having to try and count calories.

2) Simplicity. I can make recipes or just throw something together, and it works. I have mastered the art of making delicious chili in 15 minutes or so. Chili seems to be the ultimate SCEP food.

3) The online community. There is a huge forum for this eating plan and every question, suggestion, or discussion you are curious about is on there. I use it daily.

4) Mexican and Thai food are his suggested options for eating out. You have to make a few modifications, but those are my favorite kinds of foods, so it works well for me! Also, you can have red wine, which is nice.

5) Cheat day. I don't like to call it "cheat day" because it's a required part of the plan, so it isn't cheating. I also don't like to call it "binge day" because every other usage of that word is extremely negative. So we call it "Hobbit Day." It is the day you eat like a hobbit, and you eat anything that you want. Guilt free.

I have some qualms with the book, especially with regard to vegetarians. Tim Ferris both encourages you to be a vegetarian while simultaneously giving little to no information about being a veggie on the SCEP. I've had to improvise a lot. Here's my initial review of the book, if you're interested.

I noticed a few things as I've been on the plan.

1) Keeping a food journal is kind of annoying, especially since you are encouraged to eat the same things over and over again. I have been keeping one, but it has shifted to putting up recipes, thoughts, and new foods only. Here's the link, if you're interested.

2) My emotional eating has shifted. I had a bad day this week, and instead of reaching for the ice cream, I had a sandwich for lunch. That's a strict no-no on this diet, but it's a healthier alternative than the former!

3) Planning Hobbit Day can be a lot of fun. Mike and I make a list of the foods we miss during the week and then have a really great day eating them all on Saturday. This week we are having ravioli with vodka sauce, fondue at our favorite french cafe, bagel sandwiches, and beer. My brother and I have started texting each other what we are eating on Hobbit Day. It makes the process really fun!

Has anyone else tried this or thought about it?

TinTin = Nerdgasm

2011-11-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I feel like every time I gush about an upcoming movie on here, it turns out to be not so great (see Cowboys & Aliens). If I believed in jinxes, I would probably avoid talking about The Adventures of TinTin, but I don't.

This movie is one of the most perfect nerdy equations I have ever seen. Here we go:

Directed by Steven Spielberg. The man knows what he is doing. I don't think I need to list his credits here.

Produced by Peter Jackson. Geek God. Lord of The Rings

Written by Steven Moffat. Writer of Doctor Who. Need I say more?

Starring, in no particular order (because they are all seriously awesome):

Daniel Craig (James Bond)

Simon Pegg (Montgomery Scott, Shaun of the Dead)

Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot)

Andy Serkis (Gollum)

Cary Elwes (As you wish!)

Nick Frost (famed Pegg sidekick/partner, on and off-screen)

Seriously cool animation (click for the trailers)

Awesome

How could it not be good? Anyone else really looking forward to this? We are going to go see it on Christmas Eve.

Thursday Treasures

2011-11-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some things I'm into right now.

1. Benefit Erase Paste concealer and They're real! mascara. The best cosmetics I've used in a while. Anyone else try these? A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.

2. Trader Joes. We don't have them in Colorado, so when I was driving through Santa Fe, I stopped by. The cashier told me that lots of people in Colorado do this, and sometimes they receive orders for dozens of cases of wine*. I'm on a specialized eating regimen right now and I was traveling with a small cooler, so I was limited in what I could buy. Here are my essentials that I had to stock up on:

Wine - 3-buck Chuck and Smoking Loon - surprisingly good-tasting cheap wines.
Coffee - not too expensive, delicious, fair-trade certified, and it comes in the most beautiful canisters.
Margarita mix - The TJs brand is inexpensive and delicious.

3. Spaghetti squash. This vegetable is easily the best substitute for spaghetti I've ever tried (and I love spaghetti). It's so good and really easy to make. Here is a simple recipe. Top with your favorite marinara or other italian sauce.

(source)

4. Mary Roach books. I just finished Packing for Mars, and I've moved on to Stiff. Basically, she teaches you (in a humorous manner) about scientific aspects of life that they don't talk about in school. Her books are everything you didn't know you would be fascinated by about space travel, dead bodies, sex, and the afterlife.

Remember to read the footnotes. Some of the funniest stuff is in the footnotes. If you have the audio book, the narrator reads them aloud. My only complaint about having the audio book rather than a physical copy is that there is no bibliography of the fascinating-sounding books she sources. I'm thinking about running to the library and jotting down a few titles.

5. Quorn Crumbles. These are a great soy-free** veggie meat substitute in recipes. They are mostly mushroom and seem to have less crap in them as opposed to other brands. If your next question is "why do vegetarians buy meat substitute products?" my answer is "because it's easy and it adds protein and texture to dishes like chili." I try to limit consumption of these items, but they can be very useful if you need to make something quick.

*It's against the law in Colorado to sell wine and other alcohol in grocery stores. It's the biggest pain in the butt ever. It's also most likely the reason why there are no TJs in Colorado.
**If you're anti-soy, a position that I don't think there is a lot of evidence for, but that I respect.

Halloween

2011-11-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a busy weekend! We had a mini family reunion in Laughlin, NV and I got the silly notion into my head that driving there (in two-day increments) would be a really good idea. It was actually an exhausting idea, and I'm still recovering from this brilliance (as evidenced by this post being my first one this week).

I got back at about five on Monday to a very spooky house and quickly changed into my costume. Mike did a really good job even with all our (extensive) decor in storage in Phoenix. He had a massive spider web going and some creepy music and lights. He was lamenting the missing fog machine, but he was pretty satisfied with how it turned out. We gave out candy to trick-or-treaters and watched 28 Days Later and the newest Walking Dead. It was a very zombie-filled night. Plus, we actually got to watch the whole movie because we only had about 15 trick-or-treaters, as opposed to 150 or so that we had in Phoenix. I was not a party animal, exhausted from driving, I passed out at about nine. I was so tired, in fact, that when I had to get up and take my cat to the vet at seven, I did it with platinum blonde spray in my hair, and loads of Billie Piper mascara smudged around my eyes. Sexy.

Hope you had a great Halloween! (and that it was more exciting than mine, obviously)

Halloween Round-Up

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad that all my Halloween decorations are in storage and I'm going to spend most of Halloween this year either in art class or driving from Santa Fe to the Springs. All of the above have made me sort of lazy and uninspired about posting or even planning to do anything. I do have a very simple costume so I'll try and post some pictures next week.

I've done the usual round-up of Halloween posts from previous years. I'm really surprised I don't have more considering how much I love this holiday.

Last halloween

Martha Stewart Halloween Inspiration Board

Halloween Polaroids

Costumes

Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party

Our House - Exterior