Watch

While listening to Kids Bop "The Beatles" in the car today I was reminded of this movie.

I remember being very excited about this movie when it came out. I did not get the chance to see it in the movie theater, but lets face it, it is rare for ANY of us to see a movie when it first comes out. Unless, of course you are the type of die hard fan of a certain teenage vampire film, then you might show up to a midnight showing premiere. But then of course, that would make you a 13 year old, or 28, one of the two.

Across the Universe works the music perfectly. It incorporates 33 Beatles songs into a plot line about a boy (who is the 'I want to pinch his cheeks' picture of innocence and naiveté) who moves from small town Liverpool, England to the United States. The story follows him as he looses all innocence and becomes disillusioned through a wide array of experiences. The general time frame of the movie feels like the late 1960's.

Of course, there is the love story. The main love interest is Evan Rachel Wood. If you know who she is and know about her counter culture romantic involvement with Marylin Manson, do not be put off. This is the first film I have seen her in and she was talented, both in acting and vocals.

My absolute favorite song is a rendition of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by actress/vocalist T.V. Carpio.

Film: Across The Universe

Year: 2007

Director: Julie Taymor (Frida)

Read

This is moderately appropriate because today is April Fools Day. Only moderately so because today is a day to joke about things that are not true, to tell funny little lies, falsities. However, the following are not lies and they are not funny. In fact, I guess they have nothing to do with April Fools Day, unless of course you count the fact that April Fools Day is for fools and anyone who dares discount all that is Chuck Norris is a fool.

Chuck Norris facts are the absolute best. Nothing can rock my world like a well told Norris fact. However, they are more like scripture than fun facts.

Thus, I present to you the word according to the Book of Norris:

1. Chuck Norris does not play the lottery. It doesn't have nearly enough balls.

2. The Bible was originally titled, "Chuck Norris and friends"

3. Chuck Norris can will a game of Trivial Pursuit with one roll of the dice, and without answering a single question... just a nod of the head, and a stroke of the beard.

4. Chuck Norris once ate and entire bottle of sleeping pills, they made him blink.

5. They once made Chuck Norris toilet paper, but there was one problem: It wouldn't take shit from anyone.

6. Chuck Norris is the reason Waldo is hiding.

Check out some more Chuck Norris facts:

http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/

http://www.thechucknorrisfacts.com/

Buy

As much as we all love the Food Channel and the revolution that followed its populatiry, their recipes can be a tad over the top. I do not cook with peanut oil, most of my herbs are dried, and although I do have a pepper grinder- my peppercorns are your garden variety black, not pink or green (did you know there was such a thing as a PINK peppercorn!?!).

I can get sucked in by Giada, Bobby Flay, and Paula Dean as quick as the next person, but their cooking has more entertainment value than practicality. For good tasting meals to make at home I turn to America's Test Kitchen.

It is not hard to make a satisfactory meal. I can boil pasta, open a can, and through a bag of vegetables in the microwave as good as the next person. The true sign of a good cook though is one whose meals you can describe as being flavorful. Where the first bite and every one thereafter has taste. Some of you may not know exactly what I mean because a true good cook is not easy to come by.

Every Monday my childhood friend and I, along with my children descend on my fathers house for dinner. We drive to his house on these busy weeknights, not just because of the lour of a free meal, but because these are by far the best meals of my week. My father is a flavorful cook. Every meal he makes is packed with taste. He has a passion for making good food, and like any great cook he likes to cook.

I am not on par with my father, but the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (which my father gave me) allows me to invite friends over to dinner with the knowledge that I will receive a few appreciative groans of pleasure. I have grilled, baked, sauted, simmered, chopped, ground, fried, and minced with this book without experiencing one tragedy.

The Test Kitchen understands what it is to be an average cook, without succumbing to mediocrity. The cookbook explains technique simply and uses ingredients you do not have to run to a special market for.

The best part of the book is that they not only test a recipe over a dozen times to get it just right before making you do it, but they test the tools and brand of ingredients as well. If you have ever wondered what size, shape and name brand of cake pan or coffee maker work best, this is the book for you. If you want to know what brand of bread crumbs or canned tomatoes cook best, this is the book for you.

The Family Cookbook is a the Test Kitchen's introductory cookbook. If you feel they are too simple and that PBS sponsored programming is not quite on par with their Cable TV celebrity chef counterparts, the Best Recipes books will change your mind. I have two and they scare the heck out of me.

In a knock down drag out Kitchen Stadium food fight, I would bet on the Test Kitchen any day.

The Family Cookbook would be a perfect gift for a wedding, hew home, or even a graduate going off to college.

Product: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, Heavy-duty Revised Edition

Price: $34.95 (cheaper on Amazon.com)

Place: Amazon.com, and any book store

Listen

I was not feeling very verbose tonight, but I did want to commit to making a post.

There are a couple of recent female artists from England that have great music: Duffy, Lilly Allen and Amy Winehouse specifically.

However, Lilly Allen is my favorite by far because she is a great talent, I love her music, and most of all because she is little (or very) snarky at times. I almost fell over when I heard her rendition of 50 Cent's 'Window Shopper'. Allen's father is a famous comic in England, so I guess that particular talent runs in the family.

I found this video when trying to find a suitable Lily Allen original, but this really was to perfect to pass up.

View

February 15th posting update. This is the painting from the Louvre.

Artist: Paul Delaroche

Painting: Le Jeune Martyre

Buy

Philosophy brand products are a bit yuppie with their holistic messaging. Each product offers nuggets of information on how to live your life that are just about as valid as a fortune cookie. Their packaging is more reminiscent of a self-help book than a list of active ingredients and drug facts, but that is their shtick.

All holistic lifestyle messaging aside, they do make some really nice products. The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash is one of those nice products. It is a simple everyday wash, the exfoliating beads are smaller than St. Ives Apricot scrub (which I used to use as a teen and it feels more like it could have doubled as a foot scrub) and the Proactiv cleansers whose beads I used to think were very small and gentle, but by comparison the Philosophy wash wins hands down.

Unfortunately, I may as well buy stock in Proactive because at 29, the words Salycic Acid, Retinol, and Benzoyl Peroxide are looking to be permanent members of my facial routine. But, occasionally I do like to feel as if I am an adult and have options other than a product tied to an infomercial by the Guthy Renker company. For those times I turn to Philosophy.

A friend actually bought this wash recently and loved it. She suggested I put it on the blog, and coincidently I already had it on my list from purchasing it a few months ago. If the $25 price tag does not agree with you, she bought her wash on e-bay. If you do not have any qualms with that method it may be worth checking out.

Product: The Microdelivery Exfoliaitng Wash by Philosophy

Price: $25 for an 8 oz. bottle

Place: QVC, Ulta, Sephora, E-Bay

Do

I enjoy using prodigious words. Not in an ostentatious way, I hope. But there are times when sentiments cannot be expressed in austere ways.

I have a few favorite ‘prodigious’ words that I use probably more often that I should. But they are my favorites and therefore they circulate in my conversations more than others, because….

Sometimes a mess is not simply a mess, it is a DEBACLE!

Sometimes the way things look are their aesthetics.

Someone who lives in their own little world lives in a microcosm. (that one is REALLY hard to fit into a conversation, but I do try!)

I should give some forewarning that there are some words a person should never attempt to enter into a conversation. I heard one such example for the first time recently and twice within a months’ time, from separate people in fact, it was: doppelganger. I warn you, do not use this word. If you see someone who looked like your friends double then you tell them you saw someone that looked like them, never, I warn you never, tell your friend that they have a doppelganger. If you are female, I would imagine you just lost your best friend, if you are a male I would imagine you are in for a world of hurt.

Also, you should really know what your words mean before you say them, I was using the word ‘masochistic’ wrong for a very long time, which I assure you was embarrassing.

In all seriousness, ‘big’ or ‘prodigious’ words are great. Communication is key to the human experience and the better we communicate the richer our experience will be. Synonyms are not really synonyms at all. Different forms of the same word convey varying degrees of emotion and meaning that we need. Sometimes we do not hate we DESPISE. We may not be in love, but we are enamored.

I would like to use myself in as an example when trying to expel the misnomer that the ability to spout off a big word in conversation conveys some measure of intelligence. Almost every big work I know, I admittedly cannot spell correctly! Most of them I learned from period movies and historical romance novels. I’ve never taken an IQ test, but I assure you my scores would be merely average. And surprise of all surprises I scored better on my GRE’s in math than verbal.

There is no good reason we could not all use a bit of expanding in our vocabulary. I recommend signing up to receive a new word into your e-mail every day for a year. You can do so by subscribing to A.Word. A. Day which is endorsed by the New York Times. You can use this link:

http://wordsmith.org/awad/sub.html

Another option is visiting Save The Words at SaveTheWords.org where I learned that an Agonyclite is "a member of a heretical sect that stood rather than kneeled" and Ficulnean is "worthless information regarding fig-tree wood".

Read

Minor Essentials is on Spring Break. Enjoy the weather, and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Eat

I am a super sweets person and cherry cordials are probably my most sugar packed indulgence. They are almost too much and would probably put most diabetics into some form of shock.

There are a lot of brands of these out there, but the Gertrude Hawk ones are the best. The chocolate is smooth and melts away in your mouth to reveal the creamy, sugary inside and then the cherry treasure in the middle breaks with a snap to unleash a flavor explosion.

Most of the brands in larger chain stores have a shell that tastes and feels more like wax than anything edible. I cannot even get past the supposed ‘chocolate’ part to enjoy the middle, but if and when I do the cherry is mush- they are all wrong.

I am a bit of a binge eater when it comes to sweets (two boxes of Girl Scout cookies in 2.5 days, may not be a world record, but I think we can all agree that it does not resemble the behavior of a normal rational human-being). I have been known to polish off a box of the above brand of chocolate covered cherries in a day and a half. To add insult to injury I have done so while sitting in bed reading a trashy romance novel until the very early hours of the morning.

I am just as surprised as the rest of civilization that after a night of romance novels and the sweets that I arise to an in-tact social life and jean sizes in the single digits. (Did I mention that sometimes the filling leaks onto my hands, therefore as I am turning the pages of my smut I am also licking every last bit of fat and calories of my fingers and into my mouth? Beautiful picture, that isn't it?) But, as luck would have it, my close friends are loyal and the rest are oblivious and my metabolism has not quite caught on to the fact that we are approaching 30 together.

Product: Milk Chocolate Cherry Cordials

Place: Gertrude Hawk

Price: $11.79 for a box of 20 (Yes, I can eat 20 in a day and a half)

Watch

There are some obvious reasons that I like this film:

1. The female lead is named Jenny (same as me)
2. She works in a library during college (as did I)
3. She is musical (I used to play the piano and sing in chorus)
4. She is known for her witty remarks (I’d like to think I am as well)
5. She is super trendy and thin (ok, so we may be getting further and further away from our mark)

But the first two are indisputably true.

Love Story is one of my favorite movies. I do not know where it ranks in regards to The Princess Bride in my mind, but it is up there. It takes place in the 1960’s and became very popular when it was released, nominated for seven Oscars in fact. The theme song became a well known hit.

As romantic movies go (yes, a movie named Love Story is a romance if you can believe it), Love Story ranks #9 on the American Film Institute’s list. If that is not a recommendation, Tommy Lee Jones has a small part in the film (you can tell this to you guys friends to get them to watch it).

Even though it was nominated for Oscars and has a high ranking on an AFI list, this movie is still purely fluff. It is not a ‘great’ film as far as cinematic masterpieces go, but it does absorb you. You get vested in the characters and their completely unrealistic lives and you cry buckets at the end.

It is also the reason that if you are of the generation that started grade school in the 80's, nearly every class you were in had at least one Jennifer. Luckily, my parents were avant garde enough to name me just 'Jenny'.

Do

There are some things we can only say with ink, paper, and a stamp.

Every year on both Christmas and my birthday my two great-aunts, Annabelle and Mary Lou send me a card in the mail with $20 in it. At Christmas they are one of the few who send cards and at my birthday they are one of the two who send cards.

I know we are in the electronic age. Really, I greatly appreciate that fact when I need a snippet of information from someone who I have no inclination or intention on carrying on a conversation with so: I text them! Or when I am at work and really miss talking to my old cube mate from a former job: I e-mail! When I want to briefly check in on a friend in New Hampshire: time to instant message! And when I have not seen my husband in days because of our schedules- text and e-mail and add in some sporadic phone calls!

Despite growing up in a period when the ability to communicate with each other is at its greatest zenith since the telegraph, there are some things we can only say with ink, paper, and a stamp. In a letter or a card we are forced, for better or worse, to have a one-sided conversation.

I recently turned 29 and consequently had a birthday party. Personally, no matter what message I relate on the outside, insisting that I do not want a big party or numerous acknowledgments, on the inside I want a fuss, I want all my friends and family around because it is the one day out of the year that is a celebration of just me. However, as we get older we get busy and it becomes hard to carve time out, even for a celebration.

Fortunately, my 29^th was a success story and because of this success, I decided to run out and buy thank you cards. This is not an out of character move for me, but it has been a while since the occasion moved me to write notes of thanks. In writing my cards though, I rediscovered what a good and decent thing it is to do. As I thanked each and every person for coming I had the opportunity to have that one sided conversation, telling them all in a personalized way that I really appreciated them at my party.

There are some things we can only say properly with ink, paper, and a stamp. I have told my very best friend in Arizona numerous times how much she means to me, I have told my very brave childhood friend and former neighbor how courageous she is in my eyes for entering the Air Force at the very unconventional age of 27, and I have told my new neighbor how very sorry I was when she lost her father.

The lesson here would be that after each of the instances above I received ink, paper, and a stamp in return. The markings on each page revealed a shared sentiment from Arizona that was never conveyed by phone, gratitude from a boot camp in Texas from a friend who had no other means of communication, and heartfelt thanks from a neighbor that would never have come with the usual friendly passings.

There are some things you can only say with ink, paper, and a stamp. Often times, they are the things that are most worth saying.

Eat

It is Girl Scout Cookie time and I had been patiently awaiting my boxes for some time. Co-workers had been flaunting their boxes for weeks, it seems my resident Girl Scout was not quite on the ball.

Eventually, my four boxes did show on Sunday. Today is Wednesday and the Thank you Berry Much cookies (new to 2010) and Samoas are already demolished. I have since moved on to Thin Mints which thankfully have only a minor dent in them.

I am saving my personal favorite- the Trefoils for last. For those of you who do not know what the Trefoil is, it is also known as a shortbread cookie. I know it seems an unlikely choice, unpopular at the very least- only 9% of sales went to the Trefoil in 2005.

Most pick the flamboyant Samoa or the sophisticated Thin Mint. It may be that it is only myself and the over 75 crowd who appreciate the simple design and engineering that goes into the shortbread cookie, but I stand by my choice. That and every bite tastes like I am eating flaky, crispy butter.

I recommend that you re-visit the Trefoil in 2010 because it is time to get back to basics and simplify life.

What could be more uncomplicated than waiting four weeks for home delivery of a box of shortbread cookies from a delinquent pre-teen and then writing a check for $14 to pay for them?

The following facts were taken from an article by Teresa Wu:

1. Girl Scout cookie sales began in 1917 in Muskogee, Okla., when the Mistletoe troop began baking and selling cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
2. In 1942, Girl Scouts sold calendars in lieu of cookies due to sugar, flour and butter shortages during World War II.
3. Cookie variety was limited to the Sandwich, Shortbread and Chocolate Mints in 1951 (now renamed the Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos, Shortbread/Trefoils and Thin Mints, respectively).
4. Thin Mints are the biggest seller, making up 25 percent of all sales, followed by Samoas/Caramel deLites at 19 percent.
5. As of 2005, 71.5 percent of women in the U.S. Senate and 67.1 percent of women in the House of Representatives are Girl Scouts alumnae.
6. Jennifer Sharpe, age 15, of Dearborn, Mich., holds the record for most cookies ever sold, with 17,328 boxes in 2008. Of the $21,000 her troop raised to go on a 10-day tour of Europe, $14,000 was due to Sharpe.
7. Different types of cookies are sold in different regions at varying prices set by individual Girl Scout councils. And sometimes even the same cookies have different names.
8. For example, Do-Si-Dos, formerly called Gauchos, are also called Peanut Butter Sandwiches in other areas. Confusing, right? This is because there are two licensed bakers, ABC and Little Brownie, that get to propose and name the cookies that they bake.
9. About 200 million boxes are sold every cookie season; the Girl Scout cookie program has generated about $700 million per year since 1999.
10. New cookies pop up every once in awhile and are continued based on their success. 2010's newest addition is Thank U Berry Munch, described as "hearty cookies with real premium cranberries, sweetened with creamy, white fudge chips."

Read

It is unabashedly pretentious, clearly elitist, full of ads, and lacks any advice on how to “Learn the 10 New Moves that Will Drive Him Crazy”, but I love Vogue Magazine. I do not know any of the socialites on the pages, I do not recognize any designer names but the main stream ones, and my wardrobe is full of articles of clothing that even my husband has asked me to stop wearing. Even so, with all of my frugal tendencies that will not even allow me to buy Chapstick, I am willing to slap down $3.50 for a magazine that is 60% full of ads for products I will never buy.

It is escapism, visually and mentally. The locations they shoot on; the perfectly put together outfits; the decorating in homes of the artists, the famous, and other cultural persons they highlight. It sells a picture of someone’s ideal that is somehow my ideal as well. I could piece together my perfect life from those pages.

But I do not just look at it, I read it as well. Much in the same way most men read Playboy for the articles. The writers are by no means revealing state secrets, for example: I have read articles on the supposed ‘return’ of ¾ sleeve dresses and the trend of the rich and famous cutting their hair to shoulder length. Yes, I have wasted precious moments of my life on these little gems of knowledge.

But at the same time, I found out about the play Avenue Q (Broadway’s raunchy take on Sesame Street) and a couple of really good movies. I have also read about a near extinct type of apple that has supposed superior anti-aging qualities. (Apparently they taste really bad, but people used to eat them in the pre-refrigeration periods because they would not rot).

I know the magazine is a vice. The models are too thin and too ethnocentric, the clothes are too expensive. If you totaled the sum of the cost of every item in just one issue I’m sure you could solve more than a few social problems (you know, "for just $1 a day you could feed a child in Tanzania”). It is a guilty pleasure I suppose, but one I embrace. After all, if I cannot bring myself to buy a $1.95 tube of lip balm that I can use, I might was well spend $3.50 on a magazine advertizing a $1,195 umbrella.

Listen

I used to blast this song in my 1989 Ford Probe (if you liked the car from Back-to-the-Future, than this would have been the car for you). I even drove with one hand on the wheel and a subtle 'lean' to my seat. The combination was quite bad ass on the campus of my liberal arts Jesuit college, I assure you.

Artist: De La Soul
Song: Oooh featuring Redman
Album: Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
Year: 2000

Do

Random Acts of Kindness

Kindness is a given when bestowed on friends and family. Kindness to strangers is more significant. The acts can be small or large, but when the opportunity presents itself- take whenever you can.

I was the recent recipient of two very kind acts. They were not big in the sense that a stranger paid off my student loans with there lotto winnings or saved my life through CPR, but they made very large impacts on me. I will always remember these and I will always be grateful.

One
Two weeks ago I bought my first pair of sunglasses that cost over $20. I purchased them for an upcoming trip to Florida and was rushing around on my lunch break to get them. On my way out of the mall, even though I did not need a pretzel and it might make me even more late, I just could not resist it. However, in a mad rush to get to work and devour my pretzel, I forgot my sunglasses.

I was sure I left them lying on the floor at Macy’s when I bent down and dropped my bags to get out my keys and put my gloves on. A call to Macy’s was fruitless. I then thought that they must be sitting on the pretzel place counter- and sure enough after I contacted the store they found them.

While shopping I had placed two letters I intended to mail- one my daughter wrote (her first letter) to my friends daughter in Arizona, the other contained a $300 check to pay for our first dog. The manager of the store asked if the return address was mine. Indeed it was and he reveled that he lives a few blocks from me and offered to deliver my bag and letters to my house when he got off of work.

Sure enough, around 8 PM he showed and I had my glasses. This was a great kindness and I really felt guilty with nothing more than a thank you as a reward.

Two
In Florida, I was vacationing with family at Disney World. There were seven of use and we were going to a show on a park campus that was not a main Disney stop. We did not know the transportation system well and when we got on a main bus and casually told the driver about the dinner show we were going to, he informed us that we were headed in the wrong direction, the wrong building in fact. Not only that, but given the time and the series of bus hops we needed to make, we most likely were not going to make our show.

As we were the only ones on the bus he changed his own route and offered to take us to our first stop. While driving he gave us numerous tips on what to go see in the area the show was taking place. When we got to our stop he realized that the bus that was supposed to take us further along was just pulling out, he informed us that the next one was 20 minutes away, which would make us a little over 15 minutes late.

He stopped the bus, and got out to see which direction the other bus was turning- just to make sure it was the right one. He got back on and saying “Yup, that was your bus”, then put his bus in drive and asked us to never mention what he was about to do. Our series of stops turned into a direct charter to our dinner show.

And the show was fabulous. We did tip him, but money is a small concession for a person’s kindness and the possibility of getting in trouble at work. (While at the show I found out if you arrive more than 15 minutes late your tickets are forfeit and you are not allowed into the show)

Random acts of kindness toward strangers go a long way. They affirm and at times renew faith in humanity. They give the recipient not only the benefit of the act, but the feeling of being cared about and for by a stranger. As I have said, it is easy and expected to be kind to your family and friends. But when a complete stranger goes out of their way to help you; when they make independent decisions to improve your life- there is real value there.

Read

I really enjoy Hardy novels, no not the crime solving brother duo, Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) English novelist. His stories can seem a bit melancholic, but I interpret the negative twists and turns in his plots to be more a reflection of the struggles of the times in which he wrote. I cannot imagine life being easy for the working class tending fields in the country or working 14 hour days in a city factory.

Hardy novels are often social commentary on the Victorian Era in which he lived. Unfortunately, most of his characters suffer as a result of society and its beliefs, and just to clue you in, rarely do even the main characters come out on top, they are at times lucky to make it to the last page alive.

My favorite novel of his, Far From the Madding Crowd is an exception. The story ends happily, for both of the main characters are still giving breath to the pages at the end. Maintaining his literary integrity though, Hardy throws in a couple of tragic situations, deaths, and one graveyard scene.

Please get past the fact that the female lead is named Bathsheba. You could not convince me it was popular in the 1800’s let alone outside the Old Testament. Not so coincidently, the male lead is named Gabriel. Therefore, I am convinced that someone out there in an English Literature class has written a paper analyzing the main characters vs. there biblical counterpart’s stories.

What I like most about the novel is the relationship between the two. Hardy makes them both intelligent and independent. He gives them the freedom to choose their own paths in this book. The characters are unique in that although Bathsheba has many faults (haughty and vain to name a few), you really cannot blame her for them. Given the situations she is in and the time period, they are easily rationalized. Gabriel is very much a stand up kind of guy. Not they fight a duel to the death type, but he is very respectable. At times it seems he has a been given a poor lot, but you feel he is determined to make the best of it.

In short, they are good for each other, perfect even, but you and they have to go through a couple of challenges in life (remember mention of a graveyard scene?)to realize that fact.

Note: Do not EVER read Jude, the Obscure. Honestly, it is just too depressing. I read on Wikipedia that ‘the note’ in the novel is from a real newspaper clipping. I know you are curious. Wikipedia it if you would like your day ruined.

Drink

It is mid-February and about time to start contemplating the effect winter eating has been havocking on our bodies. I do not advocate actually curbing the hearty meals, hot chocolates, or pies and cheesecakes just yet, but entering the pre-contemplation to contemplation phases of dieting and working out might be a good idea about now.

This is a three ingredient smoothie recipe that is pure, simple, guilt-free and delicious. It usually serves as breakfast in summer, but after stepping on the scale two days ago I have started making them early.

The key to this is frozen fruit. It gives the drink a chill and the right consistency.

In a blender place:
1/3 Cup (or three heaping spoon fulls) of low-fat plain or flavored yogurt
1 Cup (or as many pieces as you like) of Frozen Fruit of choice
1/2 Cup (or pour enough to cover the fruit) of Pulp-Free Orange Juice

Blend. If you have a Magic Bullet they work perfect.

Enjoy.

View

Since my first Valentine’s post was not very romantic (one might recall a certain writer being ‘fuming mad’ at her husband) I’ll share this story and beautiful piece of artwork.

The story of how my husband and I eventually ended up in wedded bliss is a bit too long to recall entirely and I would not do the proper justice to in one post. Suffice it to say that my parents nicknamed him ‘the stalker’ when we were in high school. And yes, we did go to the same high school, we were in the same small class in fact, but no, we were not friends.

It was due to my husband’s ardor, which began in 7th grade (as a direct result of a certain pair of shorts in gym class according to him) and continued through senior year, that I quite literally never spoke more than a paragraph to him throughout those six years. His obsession with me was well known in both of our circles and unfortunately, to all of his girlfriends. I would imagine there were a couple of discussions regarding my cankles and/or the sweater I wore nearly every day in those circles (In my defense it was the only way I could spice up our school uniform).

My senior year I was fortunate enough to go on our high school Europe trip. And since I know both of my parents now read this blog- I, Jenny B., for the record, thank you both. Surprise, surprise my husband was also fortunate enough to go on the same trip. We covered France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and a small country in-between Switzerland and Austria called Liechtenstein. This trip was one of those life experiences that are burned less in your memory and more in your heart. Although I cannot remember every detail in my mind it only takes a second to remember how it felt.

In Paris, France we visited the Louvre. It is truly a wonder. I am convinced that anyone, even among those who have not been exposed to or like have in interest in art, would feel a reverence for the sheer mass of the human experience encased in that building. It would take at least a week to just view everything completely; in my case I only had a couple of hours.

It was in those hours that wandering alone I came upon a gallery and was drawn to a painting. I stood for a bit staring at it and whether he sought me out or if by some centripetal force he, my future husband, (also alone) found me. He came up behind me to view the painting as well. We proceeded to have a brief two to three sentence discussion about the art and then I went on my way to discover more.

Three years later, when we reconvened Stateside, this time as a couple he presented me with a tube. And in that tube was a copy of the painting. That he remembered was touching, that he took the time to search, find, and purchase it was and is love.

(I searched for an hour and cannot find it, please check back)

Drink

I have never been a big drinker. This fact is not based on principle, religion, creed, sexual orientation, holistic or nutritional values, socio-economic status or a lack of trying. I am not a big drinker because I have not found a large number of palatable options.

First and foremost, I hate beer. There is something about hops, barley, and the fermenting process all rolled into one that does not appeal to me.

Second, I do drink wine, but my favorites have titles like “Jammin’ Strawberry” and “Radical Raspberry”. These are hardly reputable sources. The strawberry bottle even comes complete with a picture of a huge strawberry on the label. The winery does this for reasons twofold: one, to really bring home the point that what I am about to purchase is not really wine and two, to thoroughly embarrass me and anyone who dares bring a bottle to the liquor store counter.

The first time I became truly inebriated. I was in clubbing in Madrid, Spain and drinking a large quantity of screwdrivers. At first blush that statement may sound slightly glamorous. Then you take into account that I was on a trip with my college singing troupe and that the drink itself is mostly orange juice. There is more to the story involving blacking out, walking through a park in the middle of the night and locking myself in my hotel bathroom, but I digress.

I was around 25 when I discovered the wonderful Martini and joined the world of adult drinkers. I have finally found a drink I can order at restaurants (I have yet to find Jammin’ Strawberry on any wine list). Martini’s are so important they even have a glass named after them. It is a very shapely sophisticated glass- everyone knows that I am a fancy adult whenever I am holding one.

This weekend go out and have a wonderful and tasty Martini. Just do not raise your glass. They may be fancy, but the glass was not meant for toasting, raising, or generally moving unless it is to your lips. Fancy it may be, but practical it is not (unless you can afford to loose half of your $8 drink).

The Martini comes in a vast variety of flavors to suit your mood and will knock you on your ass faster than any beer I know. A fact that somehow makes me feel that even though I may not be aligned with the majority of the consumers of alcohol in my dislike of beer, my drink is tougher, despite the fancy glass and fruit garnish.

Personal Recommendations: Strawberry Martini with a splash of champagne, Pomegranate Martini (with fruit compote), and a Lemon Drop Martini

Listen

You would think this was an appropriate post because Valentine's Day is this weekend. In reality I am fuming mad at my significant other at the moment. Marital bliss aside, this is a great song.



Artist: John Legend
Song: Stay With You
Album: Get Lifted

Do

In more ways than one I could be considered a late bloomer in life.

It was up until my early twenties that I relied on my ‘natural beauty’ to carry me through in life. Unfortunately, nature may have outweighed beauty on more than one occasion. I am sure nature would have appreciated a little effort on my part in washing my hair more than twice in a week; even showering after every volleyball practice would have been an improvement I am sure. I did at least shave during my high school years, but I have to be honest and admit that even now that act can be sporadic at times.

It was not until my mid-twenties that I started using make-up in earnest, on the surface -literally- I figured that if I knew that I did not know what I was doing in the make-up and hair department then I had better just steer clear of it all. You can see plenty of disasters around and I did not want to be the girl who came in orange every day. At the real root of it all was the fact that I have always had a very strong sense of who I am as a person. I was afraid that if I plucked my eyebrows, dyed my hair, and covered myself in make-up that I would lose that person, oddly enough for a teenager I really liked who that person was.

I had various interventions from well-meaning, and those I am convinced were not so well–meaning, friends. One painstakingly plucked each one of my eyebrows and one made me look like a 1970’s country singer, yet somehow her make-up always came out as natural and perfect as Gwyneth Paltrow holding her Oscar.

I did eventually catch on. I proudly shower on a regular basis now and I get my eyebrows professionally waxed by a women I am convinced is a true artist. My hair stylist is also fabulous and talented. I am sure she wishes I would visit more than twice a year though. With age I have learned that ‘enhancements’ are ok.

Experimenting with hair color and contouring with make-up make me feel good inside. I have not fallen into the trap of having to do it every day, but it does feel nice to go out and feel like the whole package is working or walk into a meeting with an extra boost of confidence. Even if it does take a push-up bra and a pair of spanks.

In short, go out and buy yourself a flat iron, round brush, and styling lotion. Buy the make-up for the smoky eye and the gloss for sexy lips. I endorse it all. As long as you can still feel like you when it is all off, even if it is not the sexed up glammed up Adriana Lima version of you.

Watch

Paris je t'aime

This movie is artsy to the core. It is a compellation of 18 short films by 21 separate directors, some like The Coen Brothers and Wes Craven are recognizable to the American audience.

It is very difficult to describe how great and very smart each short and the film as a whole is. The stories, all set in Paris, present unique twists on the same theme: Love. A theme you would expect from a city whose name is synonymous with romance, but on a whole this movie is more heart wrenching than endearing, with one or two exceptions.

This is the type of film that when it finishes, you just know that you have gained something. Exactly what is harder to tell, but it is something.

Read

In an effort to redeem myself for not adhering to my self-set ridged schedule of posting Monday-Thursday I am going to share a closely held secret of mine… I have a very strong penchant for historical fiction romance novels.

Some might call it an obsession, those more cruel a sickness. I would have to admit to both characterizations as being wholly accurate.

The most un-redeeming quality of this habit may be the way in which I read them. I normally only start a book on the weekends and after 8 PM, I then proceed to power through to the completion of the novel until sometimes 3 or 4 in the morning. Yes, it is just me and the heroin addicts up at 3 AM.

To be perfectly honest this is how I read most books. I think I hold the world record for getting through the Twilight Saga (yes, I read those books too).

I can acknowledge that not one of the books in this genre are masterpieces of literature. They are clearly written on a formula (if you were wondering the first sex scene happens around page 200 in nearly every book). The main characters always start out carrying animosity towards each other that quickly changes to mutual attraction. There is nearly always some sort of background drama that needs to unfolded and be subsequently resolved in a very tidy manor in order for them to realize their unbreakable, unmatched, unparalleled love for one another.

I wish I had some excuse. I even hold a minor in Women’s Studies. I took a class where an assignment was to read one of these novels and then analyze how horrible it was. By this point I was already hooked and just sat there feeling both guilty and like I wanted to claw the eyes out of those who dared to criticize the existence of a man with “unruly locks of thick black hair, a gaze distant and unreadable, mood as brooding and unpredictable as the misted mountain wilderness he called home”.

I do not dare psycho-analyze why this genre of book appeals to me so much. No, there is nothing missing at home. My husband actually buys them for me and brings them home like trophies exclaiming, “I read the back; I think you will really like this one!”.

There is one life lesson here. When I worked at a library in my teens I judged the women who came and checked them out by the truckload, making all the usual assumptions of old, single, unsatisfied cat ladies. Yet here I am today, a now out of the closet lover of the historical fiction romance novel, young, married, and with just one cat.

One positive development that has arisen from my reading habits is a broadening of my vocabulary, hence the use of the word ‘penchant’ earlier. However, when a co-worker caught me staring off into space, I probably should not have apologized for my ‘wool gathering’.

Listen

There exist albums where, rather than being individual thoughts or ideas, each track on the album seem to all be part of the same conversation. Each song blends and lends itself to the other. The first album that comes to mind exemplifying this is Tom Petty’s Wildflowers. It is a great album and even though the tempos, melodies, and subject matter of the songs may be different you know they are all part of one cohesive group.

Gossip in the Grain is the first and only album of Ray La Montagne that I have listened to. Yet, it is one of those albums that I described above where from start of finish it leaves you feeling satisfied. His music can sound a bit melancholic at times, but each song is very listenable and you will develop your favorites. This is the type of music you put on for a long drive, background music, cleaning the house or doing homework (for those of you still plugging away at school).

La Montagne has a very distinct voice that I did recognize on a commercial (some call it selling out- I call it getting paid). The song is Trouble and the commercial is for Travlers Insurance if you come across it.

One of my favorite songs is Meg White. I had listened to this song at least a dozen times until it clicked that he might be singing about Meg White, drummer for The White Stripes. And sure enough after a wiki, I was right. It is a very cute song when you listen to lyrics, although from my internet research I haven’t been able to discern how she feels about the song, or how La Montagne’s wife feels about it either….

Disclaimer: I just love Meg White because it is cute and quirky. DO NOT judge the ablum until you have listened to Let It Be Me.

Read

One month mark.

When I used to work at a library I loved to shelve the biographies. Interestingly, I think it is the genre of book that is least checked out because there were never many to shelve. I loved sliding the books of the shelf and looking at the pictures inside. Little frozen moments in the lives of the famous and infamous.

One in particular I will always remember. It was Isabella Rossellini's Some of Me. Rossellini is the daughter of actress Ingrid Bergman and famous Italian director, Roberto Rossellini. The book was put together more like a magazine spread including pictures on every page. In the forward she said that her first book would be titled Some of Me, and if she wrote another it would be called More of Me, and the last, All of Me.

This is my Some of Me.

Buy

I was watching an Oprah back when Oprah was a little more OPRAH! and she was having a fashion show of some sort. I don’t remember who the designer was or whether it was a Fall or Spring line, but they gave one piece of fashion advice I resoundingly agree with: the one wardrobe item most women do not have, but should is an evening coat.

I am not talking a cute pea coat, or a really nice tailored wool jacket- I mean a real and true evening coat.

About five years ago I saw one that I fell in love with. It was from a store called Arden B. that I really should not have even walked into because of the prices. It was cream brocade cut in a military style, the material, elegant and the pattern floral and feminine, yet the cut gave it edge and kept it interesting. I had to have it.

I cannot even remember how much it was, but it was enough that come Christmas it was the ONLY present I got from my husband that year. This single gift coming from a man who bought me a cell phone, Tiffany’s bracelet, a load of clothes, and a $100 gift card to Anthropologie for our first Christmas together. We had only been dating three months, he got a sweater.

Even given the price I have never once regretted its purchase. In fact, it really and truly is a wardrobe staple of mine. It 100% enhances my outfit when I put it on. You know when clothes can make you feel a certain way? Well this coat makes me feel and it does so every time I put it on, it makes me feel like I have my act together.

Shortly after that Christmas we went to The City to see The Producers with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. While we were standing in line outside my coat was complemented and for some reason that random act of kindness meant the world to me. Possibly because it was such an extravagant purchase at the time- so wherever you are young, hip, female NYC theater worker, thank you for your shared impeccable fashion sense.

Do

When I was very young my father gutted our upstairs bathroom in order to create a grand master bath. However, as it is with my dad for some reason or another projects were never, really, well… 100% finished. It is not that he is not a handy guy. He single handedly built a deck off our house. The problem is the deck around the pool has posts, but no rails. Then there is the deck off the garage he built that is just a shell (the idea was to create a slide into the pool). Or the fact that most of the house is painted, but the too high parts (in effect creating a four color motif). My personal favorite is the very becoming ‘French Country’ faux brick in the kitchen- all aside from the fact that he ran out of bricks and therefore the last two bricks were never placed.

As a result of the bathroom redesign three fourths of my life were spent deprived of a bathtub. It was not until my 27th year in this world that I bought a house with a tub- a crisp, white brand new tub.

There is something about soaking in the bath. When the almost too hot water encases you. That moment is gold. I love taking baths. But there are problems:

1) The environmentally conscious part of me always feels guilty for wasting the worlds water supply
2) You can never really wash your hair. It just does not look the same when washed in the tub. If I later stood up and washed it in the shower I would be using even more water
3) What do you actually do once you are in the water?

Maybe it was because I was deprived as a child, but after the initial- and totally worth it- submersion what are you supposed to do in a bath? Inevitably it becomes a fight to keep as much of your body under water as possible or your knees start getting cold and then you rotate yourself like a rotisserie. You start to fight physics and the laws of buoyancy. I’ve never heard of physics ever loosing.

My cousin and I once had a conversation about bathing and she, like me showers every other day, but she then informed me that she takes a bath the in-between days. Her rational: she does not feel right unless she washes her derrière at least once a day. I was shocked and torn between being appalled (I had just found out that she may be responsible for the lack of drinkable water in third world countries) and embarrassed (how can you fight that kind of logic? I don’t mind a dirty butt?).

The picture of women relaxing in the bath is part myth. Who really reads a book in the bath tub? Do you always bring candles with you? Do you wear a facemask, cucumbers on your eyes and a towel in your hair? Who wears a towel when they are IN the water!? I have tried everything including the cucumbers and excluding the towel.

I will tell you this though: After a long day, when the house is very quiet, and I am aching- the simple pleasure of lowering myself into that almost too hot water is momentarily sublime.

Then I start the rotisserie.

Listen

Because, "You're a dumb ass, I'm just moody today" just would not have sounded as lyrical.

This is perfect for a Monday. If you forgot about this song, shame on you.

I remember first hearing this song and instantly connecting. It is an anthem. When Monica comes in the beginning A Capella and then the beat kicks in, it is an instant connect.

I think this song is genius.

Artist: Monica
Song: Don't Take it Personal
Album: Miss Thang
Year: 1995

Eat

I have no idea what Goulash really is, however this is my world famous Goulash dish. Wikipedia says it is Hungarian, however the pictures look nothing like my dish or anything I would ever eat. Even though the dish's origins are in dispute, what Hungary did give us for sure is the Rubik's Cube, from Hungarian sculpter Erno Rubik.

I have no way of proving that this is delicious, but generally any pasta dish toped with a load of baked mozzarella cheese is bound to be at the very least, satisfying.

1 lb box of Cellentani Pasta
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 LB Ground Beef
Diced Onions & Peppers (cut up 1/2 or more of each vegetable)
1 Tbs. Minced Garlic
Large Can Tomato Soup
1/2 Container Sour Cream
1 1/2 Tbs. Italian Herbs
Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring the water to a boil, add salt and pasta, cook until it is al dente.

Cook the onions and peppers in a small amount of olive oil until soft in a large skillet. Add beef and cook until brown. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.

Add Tomato Soup, sour cream and herbs. Simmer together for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This way all of the flavors can blend. Add cooked pasta, stir until coated. Transfer to a casserole dish, top with mozzarella and bake until cheese is golden brown.

Invite people over for this dish because it gets RAVE reviews. Do not use too much olive oil with the vegetables because the meat creates its own oil. I usually use 90/10, but that is just me. If you use 80/20 you may have to drain the pan a bit. If you like spicy food you can put red pepper flakes in the sauce at the same time you add the herbs.

I actually stopped using a casserole dish. I dump the pasta into the skillet and then transfer the skillet to the oven. This saves on dish duty.

Buy

There are every few products on the market that have so dominated an area that even generic forms are called by its competitor’s name. When is the last time you used a facial tissue, indelible marker, or an adhesive bandage. Have you ever asked to borrow a Kleenex, used a Sharpie, or needed a Band-aid? Do you In-line skate or do you Rollerblade? When is the last time you have been given an affronted look at Burger King or Wendy’s when you asked for Chicken McNuggets?

This Buy is in homage to one of those products that has such brand power that its true name is a generic as well: ChapStick. It is a product I love, but for some reason rarely buy. Most likely because I have made a pact with myself to never again allow Danny Wegman to take half my paycheck. Therefore when I go to the grocery store I only pick up grocery items. I do not impulse buy- hence waiting two years before purchasing the Hunter boots. Instead I steal my husband’s ChapStick and then blame him for his irresponsible spending habits and the $1.95 budget deficit.

Unfortunately, he never buys Cherry.

Back to the point. ChapStick cannot be beat. Burt’s Bees feels absolutely disgusting your lips, gloss never lasts long and despite the range of brands I have tried it is always sticky. Soft Lips is a close second, but you always know it is on. ChapStick is like second skin, lasts forever, and does what it says it will.

Next time you are at the store give into perfection and the marketing ploy of the end cap impulse buy… but get the Cherry kind.

Product: ChapStick
Place: Just about anywhere
Price: $0.99 at Target, you'll have to put out more cash for the three pack

Do

Pilates

There are only three things I own that once belonged to the coveted 3:20 A.M. timeslot of infomercials: The Magic Bullet, Proactive, and Winsor Pilates.

Mari Winsor has been making appearances in my living room for over six years now. I have to say that although she cannot perform miracles (I have already admitted to eating pie for breakfast, a before dinner snack, and dessert), they allow me to maintain. Normally, I treat Pilates the way most Catholics treat mass. I throw the DVD in every now and then and it is only when I start to notice that I am in trouble that you will find me parked on the floor for about two weeks straight.

Pilates are great for two reasons:

First, with Pilates you really truly do not feel like you are working out (if you are a ‘feel the burn’ person, this is not for you). You are literally lying on the floor in a prone position for 95% of the workout.

Second, you start to notice results quickly. It may not be weight loss, but you notice more (and in some cases new) muscle definition within the first week.

Even though at this point Winsor Pilates are a maintenance strategy, they are also excellent for crisis management. If you plan ahead and really do them every other night or so for three weeks to a month you can drop a dress size. For me those times are weddings, reunions, major holidays, and bathing suit season.

Note: screw the band (tried it), the ‘Sculpting Circle’ (tried it), and the ball (just looked like too much work); just get the original Pilates and you’ll have enough. The 20 minute really does work, and the longer one is for the odd night that you are feeling ambitious. For real bang for your buck though NOTHING beats the Buns and Thighs Sculpting DVD, it is only 20 minutes and it is spot on.

Place: It is tough to find the original, try Amazon and Ebay
Product: Winsor Pilates Basic 3 DVD Workout Set
Price: $50+