Music of 2011

Yesterday morning, I received an email from SparkPeople, as I do every Tuesday morning and when I opened up to glance the links, see if anything struck my fancy, and they had one about the 50 best workout songs of 2011. Now, I am not going to make a list of 50 jams that were on my iPod this year, one because I don't want to and two I don't want anyone making fun of my musical taste, although it is way better than yours. So I'll do a shortened list of 15 that were jamming on my iPod this year, and in no particular order...

1. Till the World Ends

2. Edge of Glory

3. Show Goes On

4. I'll be waiting

5. Born this Way

6. Paradise

7. Party Rock Anthem

8. Not Over You

9. Good Feeling by Florida

10. Any and all Maroon 5

11. Dancing on my own

12. Grenade

13. Who Says

14. We Found Love

15. Domino

And I am not going to lie, Justin Timberlake's "Future Sex, Love Sounds" songs came into rotation pretty regularly throughout the year, and I don't see that changing. And maybe some "Best of" lists can be the theme for these last few blog posts of 2011.

Crafting through the Holidays

Saturday I turned up the heat on the holiday spirit. Not only did I complete the rest of myChristmas shopping, but Kate, Carly and I decided to do a Cookies and Cocktails party...complete with sequenced Santa hats (don't tell me the real Santa doesn't have one). We researched some cute cookie ideas, cocktail ideas, and Kate made some delicious cookie dough. We gathered on the chilly December Saturday night and after some super yum dinner, courtesy of Carlos, and a couple of cocktails, we got to work! We had sugar and gingerbread cookie dough and a ton of cookie cutters, we made a TON of christmas cookies--I think we each went home with 2 dozen, at least. Here are some highlights of the evening...

I had to crop Kate's apron. But it was red, green and white and therefore festive.

We googled this idea for melting snowmen cookies. Easy peasy with marshmallows as heads. Well, I suppose I should say easy peasy in the loosest sense of the word. Here's what they should have looked like:

Those were Carly's of course. And below are mine. I thought it would look more realistic if I smushed their heads down. But then the red frosting for eyes just got a little too creepy.

Some sweet sparkle hats...thank you Target for doing your part to bedazzle our wardrobe and closet.

And a cookie cocktail party and holiday party just isn't complete without a signature cocktail courtesy of Emril Lagasse. Poinsettia Cocktail? 1 part champagne, 1 part vodka, 2 parts cranberry juice, pomegranate seeds and lemon for garnish. Kudos Emril, you really outdid yourself with that one. Two thumbs up.

And then some action shots of rolling out the dough...

And then the cookie decorating madness really commenced. I think we were decorating for a good 2 hours. Maybe not, I have no sense of time.

And of course, no cookie decorating is complete without a "J for Julie!" but I couldn't fit that on my stocking so a "J!" will have to do.

Two craft projects in two months documented. CHECK. Now just have to find a craft to keep the craft bug going through 2012!

And it's the Holiday Season!

The holiday spirit is in full swing in San Carlos. Slowly but surely, lights are being hung, families are purchasing Christmas trees and the post office is jam packed-thank you PostMaster Gary. I love the lead-up to Christmas and with that said, here are just some highlights of the San Carlos Holiday extravaganza:

1. Eucalyptus Street. To those native San Carlosians, they know of this street well. Not only can you see it from Alameda, overlooking most of San Carlos, but also for the traffic that's generated because of it (small town living does not welcome traffic, especially on city streets). For those who are unfamiliar, this street is essentially a whole block of Clark Griswolds who deck their houses out and jack up their electrical bills for the month of December. Every square inch of the street is covered with white and colored lights, ornaments, fake santas (sometimes we get a special appreance from him) and sometimes even snow. I believe one guy started it and then eventually the whole street caught on. It's become the thing to do in San Carlos, and even other Peninsula cities are migrating to see the display! It gets so busy that they make it a one way, and it's PACKED on the weekend with walkers going down the street. The residents are even taking the opportunity to make a profit when they sell hot chocolate/coffee/tea on the weekend nights--at least they have in the past--and you can only imagine that it's a hella lucrative idea! But maybe they're trying to break even from their astronomical power bills.

2. 96.5/94.5/Pandora: 24x7 Christmas music. What some may call a nightmare - something equivalent to nails on a chalkboard - I consider pure awesomeness. Seeing as I am a commuter now, I get to listen to it stuck in traffic, on my Pandora station in the office, and back onto the stations on my way home. Pure. Satisfaction. Oh and my favorite song that only comes on once in a blue moon? Happy Holidays by Andy Williams. Youtube it. You won't be disappointed.

3. X-Mas movies: This is a given. Sunday I watched my ALL-TIME favorite holiday flick, Miracle on 34th Street (1994 version). What more could you ask for, it's got humor, it's touching, it's the whole shebang. Some other favorites include: The Santa Clause, Home Alone (1 & 2), Elf, White Christmas and of course, Muppet Christmas Carol (not really sure why they insist on making that story again and again when the Muppets got it right). Watch those and you wont be disappointed either. And what's a better way to spend a weekend in December than watching one of these movies, reciting them word for word?

4. Christmas drinks: They could be my favorite because they usually include champagne - perhaps God's gift to the planet. And seeing as I was just chatting with Kate about signature drinks for the holiday, but I think we have another winner on our hand: Poinsettia Cocktail AND who could forget the 2009 classic: Citrus Champagne Punch (took an entire group down but my god was it delicious).

Ok those are just a few of my favorite things. I am sure there are more, but that's enough for now.

#ACandyCaneSoundsBombRightNow

Thanksgiving Crafts

A few weeks ago, I came across a craft when Lady Di and I were looking for soup recipes. So naturally, I enlisted someone more crafty than myself to help, Carly. So we had 26 mini turkeys to make to use for our name tags. And this funtivity includes: Candy Corn, Oreos, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Whoppers, and lots of frosting.

Here she is beginning to cut off the beaks for the noses (the candy corn).

This was our first attempt when we were making one complete turkey before moving on to the next. Obviously they were looking a little drunk. So we decided to regroup and start an assembly line.

Beginning with the Reeses Peanut Butter cups and Candy Corn for the arms, all lined up!

Slowly coming together but looking better since we had the assembly line.

The first completed turkey, decked out with eye balls and orange frosting feet. This one even had an attempt for a gobbler, but it was a little see through, so we decided to pass on that. But solid attempt.

All of the turkeys lined up to be placed on the table.

The finished product sitting on the table! By the end of the night, some turkeys were missing their candy corn (not because they fell off, but due to people needing a Candy Corn fix) and some were completely missing--a few people were a little hungry.

A Thanksgiving Treat

It's Thanksgiving and this week I randomly remembered a story that we had to write in 6th grade for the creative writing and was even a top 3 finalist. After tearing my room apart, I finally tracked it down and thought it would be fun to post, word for word (with the exception of a few grammatical updates) and include my sweet cover art. Without further ado...

Hi, I'm here to tell you about my "Great Escape or I'll be an Entree" story. First let me start from the top. My name is Glenn, the Turkey. I am going to be eaten for Thanksgiving. Hopefully, I can escape! I was born in a barn and I lived in a barn with my family. On every holiday, except Thanksgiving, the farmer goes to the corner store and buys a ham like normal people. But no, on Thanksgiving, they kill turkeys. My parents got killed, but this year the tradition stops--I'm going to escape!

So I made my plan; it goes as follows: get out of this barn as soon and as the door opens, I'm out of here. About an hour later, the door opens to feed us. Well, I have to make a choice, I can be free and starve or I can eat and then be free? I guess I'll take a few bites...then I'll be on my way to freedom. So I took a couple of bites, then I'll be on my way. I'm free!! Yeah Yeah Yeah! I'm free!! But I get as far as picket fence. The gate was closed. So I turned around and saw the farmer running so I ran behind the barn. What luck! An over-turned barrel saying, "Come in and hide." So I followed the talking barrel. The farmer looked around and said, "As soon as I find him, he is going to be my entree on the 26th!" and then he walked away.

My feathers were sticking up on the tips. Since I had so much time, I could use a good nap--to ease eagerness. For the next two hours, I napped. Let me remind you, it was the 24th, two days before the big feast, which was my date with death. As I am contemplating this awful thought, suddenly, a pig came into the barrel. I was so scared, I ran into the back of the barrel, shaking my white and dark meat away. "Oink, oink, oink," he said. "Get lost" I snapped, and he followed suit about 2 minutes later. My assertiveness took care of that pig! The clock is ticking, it is now, Wednesday the 25th, the day before Thanksgiving.

My last day of life! Let me tell you, it isn't easy. You have so much to do, in so little time; like plan your coffin in someone's stomach. I bet it isn't all that comfortable. As I was thinking about my friends and family who have been eaten before me, I spotted a hole in the wall. That was my ticket to the outside. So I ran as fast as my two webbed feet would take me. But just as I am tasting the sweet taste of freedom, my feathers get stuck. I was turned around and spotted the farmer, running towards me. I pushed as hard as I could. It was like God was telling me, "freedom has a price of losing feathers!" So I said to myself, "To be free with fewer feathers or not to be free? That is the question! I'll go...free!" What luck! I got out leaving just a few feathers behind.

"I'm free, I'm free! But my bottom hurts!" As I am waddling away as fast as I can, I hear a gun shot. Boom! "Yikes, he's shooting at me!" Hop! Hop! Hop! Hop! Boom! Then, like the angels were looking down on me, the farmer said, "Shoot, I'm out of bullets! I suppose I can use a hen and say it's a turkey."

Then and there I knew it wasn't my last day on earth. Not looking where I was going I ran into a tree log and did a flip in the air, and landed right on my face. Anyway, I now live with the wild turkeys. They al escaped like me and are all very nice indeed! Oh I am so happy now. Now, on every Thanksgiving, I remember the great escape from being the Thanksgiving feast!

Dated 11.22.98. Happy Thanksgiving!

Not a typical Friday night

On Friday night, Marko had a bean up his nose and took Lady Di, Lisa and myself up to the city to see Turnadot. For all of you scratching your heads thinking what the heck is that, that's what I've been saying, and well it's an opera.

For months Marko has been mentioning that we will be doing this and at the time November just seemed so far away. And before we knew it, November had snuck up on us and off we went to the SF Opera House last Frida night. I'll be honest, 3/4 of the car hemmed and hawed all the way up to the city, mostly through dinner, the walk from the restaurant to the Opera, when we got a glass of wine, when we sat down, and up until the lights dimmed, when Lady Di and I let out a collected, Hmph. And for those who have never been to one before, it's in all Italian (no my semester in Florence didn't really help) and they sing at a pitch I only reach while sneezing. And you know, I don't think I could even tell you what they were saying if they were singing in English, but, they do have subtitles that are projected above the stage--this would have come in handy if I had remembered my glasses.(Oopsies and yes, I am officially contemplating contacts...emphasis on the contemplating).

The Bonino's reception of this opera was pretty much evenly divided. Marko was all about it, like a pig in mud and Lisa seemed to have enjoyed herself. She was sitting to my left and was being the good daughter and tried to do her best to have a positive outlook on this experience and she was listening to the music and reading the subtitles (quite the contrast to me). Then there was Lady Di and me. I was squinting to read the subtitles and yet actively trying to fall asleep and then my mom was out like a light within 5 minutes.I was so jealous, all I wanted to do was catch some z's and Lady Di beat me to it. In fact, she proceeded to nap during the other two acts! Only really being chatty during the 20 minute intermissions (that's right intermissions--one in between each act--not my definition of efficiency). I leaned over to Marko during one of the intermissions and told him that it was the most expensive nap he's paid for, that he didn't take!

Looking past the opera itself for a minute, the SF Opera House is absoltutely beautiful in architecture. Gold crown molding in the ceiling, marble floors, classy bathrooms (so Lisa says). And of course the mix of people was definitely interesting. I guess I was expecting a bunch of older couples to be in attendance, but the crowd was pretty much all over the board. There were some Jay-Gloria couples (older men with wife #2 or #3), men in Kilts, women dressed to the nines, a woman wearing Shape-ups, kids dressed up like they were going to weddings, and everything in between.

But we all powered through the 3.5 hours and got some culture. When Marko tried to make a point that next year when we go...Lady Di cut him off and told him she's good for the next 10 years. Well said, Mom, well said. In a nutshell, while the music is pretty, opera just ain't my cup of tea.

#Midispiacemanomipiaceopera

(imagine me singing that at an inaudiable pitch and you'll begin to understand my Friday night)

People helping people

Yesterday I ran into a nice surprise. When I got a pretty phenomenal coupon to Gap, courtesy of the Gap credit card, and skipped my way off to spend it. So when I read it, I misread the fine print...isn’t that always the case? I read it as, “you can use this at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic as long as you use your Gap Credit Card” Well, that wasn’t the case because when I went to the cash register at Old Navy yesterday and was all stoked to pay so I could get a super good discount and surprise surprise, it was a Gap store coupon only. While bummed, I prepared to swipe my card anyhow (I snagged some pretty sweet deals) and the lady next to me threw a $20 off coupon at me. I tried to say no thanks, but she told me take it and that she didn’t spend enough to have it work and just as I get out a “No I can’t but thank you” she was gone in a flash.

That’s pretty much the long and short of it, but I thought it was a nice story. And I’m not saying that since I got to utilize that $20 discount.

#Ineedtopayattentiontothefineprint