…cause that’s my name (in binary code). Don’t wear it out!

Remember all those funny sayings we used as children? Maybe we should bring them back.

Friend: “I love Captain Crunch cereal!”
You: “So why don’t you marry it?!” MY GOD. Comic genius!

Enemy: “You smell bad!”
You: “I’m rubber, you’re glue! Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks back to you!” Repeat as necessary.

Parent: “Go clean your room!”
You: “I’ll do it because I WANT to, NOT because you tell me to!” This one’s a kid classic. Immortalized forever in Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty McDonald, which if you didn’t read, you have no soul.

Umm…so about this completely random post…whoops.

Meant to show you a few pics from Saturday:

Outfit from our anniversary dinner at Farmstead (yep, taken in the bathroom)
Dress: Mossimo for Target
Belt: Forever21 (purchased 2007)
Shoes: Steve Madden (purchased 2008 – also styled HERE)
Headband: Target
Bracelet: gift from Mom

The restaurant was housed in a converted barn, on a property that used to be a nursery. The gardens are still lovely, and the whole place looked awesome! The decorators really took its roots (pun intended!!) into account, and used everything available (farming tools turned into lighting fixtures, refinished original woods, etc).

The cuisine was great, utilizing the local flavors and modern menu items, while adding a sprinkling of home. The Executive Chef, Sheamus Feeley, did a great job keeping both a dyed-in-the-wool carnivore and his vegetarian wife satisfied and happy!

We started off with wood-roasted asparagus (topped with ricotta, Meyer lemon and EVOO). All three of us (Marco was partaking in the adventure, too) looooved this dish!

I had an arugula, strawberry, feta and apple-cider vinaigrette salad, with a an order of the Cheddar biscuits. The biscuits came with a dollop of honey butter…and I pretty much died and went to cheese heaven. SO FLIPPING GOOD! I was excited that there were a few left over to snack on the next day.

Tim ordered the cheeseburger on a potato bun – and said that it was both interesting and delicious.

Marco enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwich, which I would have happily eaten myself – and, luckily for me, Marco loves to share food, so he handed me several bites. SCORE!

Aspara-good! *facepalm*

Schramsberg Blanc de Noir for me, and a cocktail for Tim

Marco was suspicious of the crayons

This picture makes me laugh, because it almost looks like I digitally added Tim into it!

The awesomely good Lemon Meringue pie – the graham cracker crust was dreamy.

Blissed out after delicious meal and a slow-dance to our wedding song

Might be a little sporadic with posting the next few days – trying to get things together for Marco’s 1st birthday (and his party!); will update when I can!

Haven’t taken part in quite awhile!! Link up over at The Little Things We Do

Saturday, the wonderful Adrian (check out her personal blog HERE) cut my hair, and this time we went shorter. I don’t have a picture of it yet – today was not the day for pictures, trust me), but I love it! I didn’t get home until late, but as soon as Tim saw me, his face lit up and he said ‘You look great!!’. I call that a win.  I swear I’ll post a hair update this week.

Yesterday I overslept (thanks to my iPhone – the time change threw it off. It was correct on Sunday, but I guess something happened and it reset during the night) and ended up running around like a crazy person, trying to get out of the house on time.  Clocked in a minute late. GRRR.  Work is horrid. I am ready to tear my hair out (and I just got it cut, too!). I wish I could fast forward to the end of this week. Friday should be here NOW.

Currently reading: The Waugh biography wasn’t great; after awhile it started reading like an US Weekly from the 20′s – too much gossip and ‘person A slept with person B and dated person C’ and not enough about Waugh’s character.  Zipped through The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby; a collection of his essays/article from Believer magazine, all relating to his reading habits, and how often this correlated to the books he actually purchases. He, like so many of us bibliophiles, buys far more books than he can actually keep up with.  Starting Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter, which I borrowed a few weeks ago from Justin (Adrienne’s husband). On a nonfiction spree right now, but I don’t think it will last long. I’ve got several items on my list that I’m dying to read, but then I borrow books from my friends… I don’t like to keep books too long if I can help it (sometimes I can’t).

Catch ya on the flip side!

 

During my lunch break yesterday, I decided to hit up Sogni di Dolce in St Helena for a mozzarella panini, cappuccino, and some reading. It was delicious, satisfying, and relaxing.

Currently reading: Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead by Paula Byrne

As you may already know, I am kind of obsessed with Evelyn Waugh, and am trying to read all of his published works; I figured it couldn’t hurt to learn about his life as well.

Today my office had a visit from the Girl Scouts; somehow my check book made an appearance, and 4 boxes of cookies were somehow transferred into my possession (it was like a drug deal, only legal). Those girls were straight HUSTLERS. I couldn’t resist the charms of the Peanut Butter Patties (or the Thin Mints, or the lemon cremes).

I’m sponsoring a blogger this week, Maryam of Pampelmousse 1983! Go check her out (she’s adorable! you won’t regret it) HERE!

Happy Wednesday, and may you have a Girl Scout cookie in your future.

 

Currently reading: The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro

Listening: The Decemberists‘ album The King is Dead’, multiple times per day. I love every track, no exceptions (a rare and rad occurrence).

Also, a little late to the game, but I’m digging the Ingrid Michaelson song ‘Parachute’

Loving: Marco woke up this morning in a beautiful, sweet mood. When I looked at him in his crib, he smiled, raised his arms up to hug me, and said ‘Mama!’

I kind of died a good little death right then and there.

Watching: Who’s watching the ‘Watchmen’? Not me. I finished the book (different but i enjoyed it more than expected), and borrowed the movie from Adrienne and Justin. Unfortunately, we have not had time this week to sit down and watch it! I’m hoping I can manage it tonight.

What are your weekend plans? Anything exciting?

I’m getting my hair cut today, thanks to the lovely Adrian! I will have some before and after pictures tomorrow. I’m kind of over my hair – I think it just looks scraggly on me. I want something a little more sleek and professional looking, considering my job; I just don’t want ‘mom’ hair. I can’t wait!

I finished reading The Blind Assassin yesterday.  It had the potential to be a lovely mystery, with layers upon layers of story, a book within a book – but it didn’t translate as well as all that. The two characters I wanted to know the most about came across kind of flat. It aspired to so much more! The story is essentially about two sisters, Iris and Laura Chase. Laura dies tragically in a car accident, at the age of 25. We’re given this information in the very first pages, and the rest of the story switches between flashback, present day, and excerpts from Laura’s posthumously published novel, a slight science-fiction tale. The mystery comes into play when you discover that Laura’s death was actually a suicide, and that the novel she wrote could be autobiographical.  I won’t ruin the ending for those who want to give it a try, but I think the story got a little bogged down in unnecessary details; too many layers, not enough substance. It was okay, but not one of the best examples of her writing.

On the recommendation of my friend Justin (Adrienne’s hubby!), I’m going to read The Watchmen, a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. I haven’t seen the movie adaptation, so I know very little going into it. We’ll see how it goes! This isn’t my usual literary fare, but I’m willing to give it a shot.

I had to share a couple of recent pictures of my beautiful 8-month old baby:

How has your weekend been?

XOXO

For ten minutes of every day, the world becomes quiet, still, and perfect. Before I go to bed, I creep into Marco’s room and stare at my darling boy as he sleeps. Sometimes, his mouth curls up into a smile, when I whisper “I love you”, but usually, he is unaware of my presence.  I have to force myself to back out of the room and actually go to bed! He’s so beautiful.

In literary news, I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and I admit it: I cried a bit. I think it was lovely. This afternoon, during my lunch hour, I started reading The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I love Atwood’s writing style, and her stories always keep me riveted.

What are you reading? How’s your week going? Anyone else SO FREAKING EXCITED THAT TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!?

I finished An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin last week.  I really enjoyed the art history lessons; as someone who is not very well-versed in modern art, I appreciated the beginner’s course (with accompanying photographs). Lacey, the protaganist, is manipulative, selfish, and sexually uninhibited; luckily for the story, she rarely crossed over into completely unlikeable.  I think that the big ‘reveal’ could have been a little more…surprising?  The story hints at a big, bad undercurrent that doesn’t really appear.

Now, I’m reading: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

I usually try to avoid any book Oprah has recommended, but she occasionally picks one that’s interesting. An update of the story of Hamlet isn’t the most terribly original idea, but I think that Wroblewski has hit upon a good formula for making it work in middle America.

What are YOU reading?

[The ubiquitous 'faves' post for 2010]

The past year was a beautiful, insane, yucky, badass one, for sure. I like to remember my years past with the music, books, photographs, and movies that defined the year for me… let’s take a trip down memory lane:

PHOTOGRAPHS
In order of occurrence, not of preference.

January 2010

Posts regarding the Baby-moon in Los Cabos: here, here, and here.

May 27, 2010

Posts regarding Marco’s birth: here, here, and here.

July 24, 2010

At Tim’s birthday barbecue with the Gomers

September 18, 2010

Posts regarding my birthday: here and here.

September 27, 2010

I just love his little face! This was taken after his bath.

December 24, 2010

<3 Marco’s cheesy-ham face. <3

MUSIC

Phoenix – ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’
I know this came out in 2009, but I started listening to it this year, and BOY did I listen to it. Such a great, fun album. These guys have a very tight sound (and I mean that literally, not the ‘hella tight!’ way).  All of the songs are very carefully crafted. Favorite songs: ‘Lisztomania’, ‘Lasso’ and ’1901′.

Jimmy Eat World – ‘Invented’
Well DUH! My boys put together a lovely, lovely record. I think this rates in my top 3 JEW albums. Favorite songs: ‘Heart is Hard to Find’, ‘Movielike’, and ‘Mixtape’.

P.S. The MP3 version is available for download for just $5.99 on Amazon. CLICK HERE

The Black Keys – ‘Brothers’
HECK YES.  Those are my only words.   Favorite songs: ‘Tighten Up’, ‘Sinister Kid’, and ’10 Cent Pistol’

Brandon Flowers – ‘Flamingo’
I was already a fan of The Killers, but Flowers’ solo effort has his characteristic flamboyance and theatricality, yet retains the folk-rock sound that I like. Favorite songs: ‘Broken Heart of Mexico’, ‘Only The Young’, ‘Crossfire’ . 

LITERATURE

Once again, these weren’t all released this year, but I read them this year. So there.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

FILM

‘Inception’

I know you probably agree with me, so explanation isn’t exactly necessary; the story was super, the effects amazing, and Leonardo DiCaprio forced me to accept his talent as an actor. Also, Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a three-piece suit. OMG.

There’s my list for the year, folks. What’s on yours?

* H A P P Y N E W Y E A R ! *

<3

…considering it was last week!

The first part of Christmas Eve, I baked cookies (ginger snaps and pumpkin cookies!) and cuddled Marco.  We spent the afternoon with the Gomers. Marco had fun opening presents and playing with Belle.

Belle opening her present from us

My Pal Violet laptop!!

Marco’s presents!

He loves ribbon

Such a ham

Marco got some very cute outfits, and Tim received two Blu-Ray movies he wanted. I was very excited to open my present and find The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller! I used to work at Bouchon Bakery, and was lucky enough to have a beautiful anniversary luncheon with Tim at The French Laundry. OMG, AMAZING! Most of the recipes are a little too difficult for my culinary skill set, but there are a couple of things I want to try.

After presents, we had lunch from Picante (mmm!) and let the babies take a nap. We headed to San Jose around 4 to my aunt and uncle’s house for my family’s celebration. Marco was kissed, cuddled, and entertained by my mom and sister, as well as my cousins, aunts and uncles. A few of my uncles were…tipsy, to say the least (LOL) and became quite talkative. Very funny. Tim, Marco, and I drove home later that night, so we could enjoy Christmas morning alone.

Here’s the cookies and milk, complete with bites taken out of them…

Santa’s been here…

Tomorrow I’ll post the Christmas Day pics!