I want to go There

Somewhere tropical. Anywhere tropical. Note the lounge chairs in the infinity pool. This way Ewan McGregor the waiter can cool his feet while he delivers my frozen daiquiri.


It snowed again today. About an inch an hour, on top of the gazillion inches we already have from the nine storms (including one blizzard) we’ve had since Boxing Day. The snow banks are so high at the street corners that you have to eek out into the intersection and pray you are not hit by oncoming traffic. And tomorrow will be a mix of icy rain and snow, to put a nice crunchy coating on top of everything. The BF is a HS music teacher and hasn’t had a week without at least one snow day since December 13 (lucky stiff, I still have to trudge to work most “snow days”).

Despite my complaining I really do love the seasons, including winter. The black trees against the white snow. The woodsy aroma of fireplace smoke in the crisp cold. The prospects of sledding, ice skating, skiing (haven’t been in years), snowshoeing (never been, would like to try it). The smell of snow in the air is palatable when the forecast calls for only an inch or two. But the pristine whiteness immediately after it falls is too quickly marred by brown road salt and debris, chunks of dirty ice and a slushy gray haze like a muddy skirt hem. New snow is beautiful. Old snow is sad and depressing, and sticks around way too long. Longer if you have as much of it as we do…

Please little groundhog, please don't see your shadow tomorrow…

Slip slidin’ away

Hartford has had the frozen heavens dump upon us about every five days since the day after Christmas. Yesterday’s special was 4 inches of snow just in time for morning rush hour, followed by an inch of icy glaze, just in time for evening rush hour. No need to rent skates since your snow boots will work just fine on the slip’n’slidewalks. Too bad the ice means the end of all the kids sledding on the big hill behind the capital building. And I use the term “kids” loosely *cough*.

GIF found via The Blogess.

A not-ugly UGG

Generally, I am not a fan of UGGs (or the ubiquitous knockoffs, pseudos and wannabes). I think it is because I have big feet and the standard UGG silhouette makes all feet look bigger than they are, like you are wearing cast. Or a cement boot. Or a tree trunk. The winter version of a Croc. But the weather has been so atrocious, with more on the way, and my vanity is getting the better of me. I really, really, really want to wear some of my stylish leather boots, and Mother Nature is not cooperating. I am sick of wearing my LL Bean let’s-go-hike-the-tundra snow boots. I want to wear things like my high-heeled, cognac leather, un-insulated, you’ll-break-your-neck-on-the-ice boots. Function vs. Form. Sarah Palin vs. Sarah Jessica Parker.

I think I have found the answer in these:

 

Yes they are UGGs but they are not ugly. Note the slim vamp and wedge heel. Note how they look more like a boot and less like a Smurf’s foot. I think they may be the answer to my warmth-vs-fashion prayers, and none too soon, as I will be headed to NYC this week for biz, and there will be lots-o-snow there. Also there? A bloggy meet-up instigated by The Queen of Boho-Contempo Snarkaliciousness’ trip east for decor/fashion-related biz , as well as a few other fantabulous NYC-area design bloggers. I can’t wait to meet them IRL!

Happy Boxing Day, grab a shovel

Happy Boxing Day! Here in Connecticut we are awaiting the storm that yesterday blanketed the Southeast with a White Christmas. The weather fear-mongers are calling for a blizzard of 12-18” and 40 mph winds, which of course had people panicked last night. “It’s Christmas! All the stores are closed! I can’t stock up on bread and milk and snowmelt and shovels (how do you live in New England and not have a snow shovel?) and we will be snowed in for months Icannevereverleavethehouseeveragain whatwillIdooooooo?” Fun times! Personally I’m annoyed that the storm will prevent me from meeting up with an out-of-town college friend I haven’t seen in years and from hitting the half-off sales for next year’s wrapping paper etc.

So I’ll be keeping cozy with The Lounging Party, some Christmas leftovers, my Google Reader and a stack of DVDs and books (including this (nerd alert) and this, received as gifts from my wonderful family yesterday). Although I live downtown, my building is on a side street that probably won’t get plowed ‘til Tuesday, so I may have to instigate an impromptu BYOB potluck in my building… I love a snow day!

Snowman Treeclip by CatandFiddlefolk on Etsy.

Happily Never After

{Cinder 3, by Dina Goldstein, from her Fallen Princesses series}

Photographer Dina Goldstein has injected a dose of Brothers Grimm-type reality, circa 2009, into the Disney Princesses. These fair maidens face modern-day issues such as addiction, self-image, illness and war. While the Snow White and Sleeping Beaury scenarios seem familiar, the consequences of Belle/Beauty's vanity and irony of Rapunzel's hair loss are a sad truth for too many real women.

The rest of the series, here.

The Year of the Ox

{Lucky Red at Night, originally uploaded by sachman75.}

Happy New Year! Today marks the beginning of the Chinese Lunar Year 4706.

I am intrigued by Asian culture, a fascination fueled in recent years by a peek behind the red curtain via films such as Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman and the gorgeous Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and books like Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Martin Booth's Golden Boy. On Sunday I watched the almost-too-beautiful Curse of the Golden Flower, about a 10th century emperor and some pretty dangerous family dynamics inside an impossibly gorgeous (and well-staffed) palace. Plot aside, the budget for costumes, sets and extras probably rivaled that of the 2008 Olympics opening ceremonies. If you enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha (the book) I recommend all of the above.

End of summer, like a ripe cherry

I spent this last weekend working at my friends' winery again for their Fall Harvest Festival. It was the last two days of summer, and the weather was glorious in a way that you hope you can remember come March, when it is cold and gray and you are digging your car out of the snow. Blue skies, bright sunshine, and a nice breeze off the lake brought the regulars and tourists out in droves, and I was too busy to say more than a quick "hello" to Marie Louise et famille, or Meg & Mo from Two Ladies in Waiting, when they breezed through the shop on their way to the tasting tent. Well, it was really crowded, so I'm lying when I say they "breezed through". Think subway platform at rush hour and you've got the right idea, especially given the preponderance of New Yorkers that come up to the country for a bit o' sightseeing.

Before the crowds arrive I like to peruse the retail area and scoop up the good stuff for myself familiarize myself with the new merchandise, and there was a nice display of new chutneys, spreads and dips by The Gracious Gourmet. I think a heaping spoonful of this Spiced Sour Cherry will be great on pork loin. Sear the pork loin on the stove, finish it in the oven, and deglaze the pan with a little wine. Reduce and stir in the cherry goodness. Yum.


Gracious Gourmet owner Nancy Wekselbaum and her husband Natan base their gourmet business out of nearby Bridgewater, CT, so they stopped by the festival to pick up some chardonnay and see how sales were going. They are not only gracious, but charming as well. Their toy poodle, Chutney, is cuter (and mellower) than the Mango Pineapple Chutney in the line.


In addition to checking out their website, I googled them and found that Natan and his brother founded NYC's famous emporium of home goods, Gracious Home. There is so much merchandise that it can be a little overwhelming to shop there, but you come out inspired to go home and move furniture and redecorate. They carry everything from basic cleaning supplies to Diptyque candles to switchplates to 800 thread-count sheets. Definitely one of those places where if they don't have it, you don't need it.