Faster Pussycat, Vote, Vote

Simon and Zoe would like to remind you to exercise your right to vote. They came thisclose to being shelter kitties (incredible moment of stupidity by somebody else, not me, but we don't talk about him anymore). And not the good kind of shelter either, but the Hotel California kind (you know, where you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave). As self-elected sovereign rulers of The Lounging Party, they are putting their catnip where their mouths are by voting daily so other kitties (and dogs too, like our new neighbor Tully) can have a better life. The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com are having a $100,000 shelter challenge. All you have to do is vote daily (or when you remember) for your local shelter and in American Idol fashion, grants ranging from $25K to $1K will be awarded to the shelters with the most votes. If you have no idea what shelter to vote for, please consider voting for Our Companions, a no-kill shelter in the Hartford, CT area. Many thanks to She Knits By The Seashore for bringing this to The Lounging Party's attention.

Think of this as a warm-up for voting on November 4. And if you are not yet registered to vote in the election that will make a difference for humans (although no cash will be given away), you'd better hurry up, as the last day to register in many states is TODAY October 6.

It's like crack

Addictive stuff. You've been warned.

Make that thrice

{Anika Moa CD, all the way from Kiwiland}

Another lovely package from another lovely blogger. This time, an Anika Moa CD courtesy of Raina of If The Lampshade Fits. Raina is an American ex-pat living in New Zealand (aka Kiwiland) and blogging about design, art, fashion, and the Kiwi take on American politics and culture. She's not afraid to pick apart some of the design mistakes that are out there (hello, Kelly "I love the 80s" Wearstler, are you listening?), and her sense of design is surpassed only by her sense of humor. She had posted a video from this artist and when I lamented that stupid American iTunes did not yet have this CD (and it wouldn't let me buy it from one of the international versions), she offered to send me a copy. I've already listened to it three times and will probably wear it out tomorrow while I clean the house and get ready for lunch guests and dinner guests.

In exchange for this musical goody, I'll be sending some issues of Cookie magazine off to NZ to help feed Raina's magazine addiction.... Thanks Raina!

The postman rang twice

{An unexpected package from Fifi Flowers: notecards of a painting that
she did of one of my photos, plus another of her lovely creations}

Last month I wrote a post about how nice it is to receive mail that is not a bill, and encouraging you to send a note to a friend just to say "hi". If any of you did your homework, a good 20 or so people got a nice surprise in the mail, including yours truly. Fifi Flowers decided to send a note to me (on one of her own notecards of course), and surprised me with a bundle of blank notecards, on the front of which are prints of a painting she made from my photo of peonies.

{A beautifully wrapped package from A-M of
Australia that I was expecting, with an extra surprise gift}

I, in turn, used one of the peony cards to write a thank you note to A-M, of The House That A-M Built, to thank her for the purse I won on her giveaway. The package I had received from her was beautifully wrapped (and well packed for it's trip half-way around the world) and included an extra surprise -she included the flocked pink notecards that had admired in her web store, Armchair Trader. So of course I used one of those to write a thank you note to Fifi!

Hmm... who shall I write a note to next?

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.