Femme Curieuse

Climbing Mountains

2012-02-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

Mr. Curieuse's cousin RM passed through Los Angeles last weekend - he's been living in South Korea for the last few years and stopped by for a visit on his way home to Florida.

First, we had a fun and very tasty lunch at Pizzeria Mozza, and since it was about 75 degrees and sunny, it was necessary to order rosé:

RM reported that he had hiked like crazy in Korea, so we decided to see how LA mountains compared. We also needed to burn off lunch.

I should say that the Mt. Hollywood Hiking Trail isn't the most rigorous climb, but the views are great and the trailhead is right next to the Griffith Observatory.

For first cousins, I don't think it's possible for them to look any LESS related. Am I right? They do share a fondness for being goofs and looking thoughtfully into the distance, though...

Yours truly, with the Hollywood sign in the background:

And for those of you living in wintery tundras, a gratuitous shot of the local flora:

Happy Friday!

TOMS Ballet Flats: A Tale of Caution

2012-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but the "traditional" TOMS shoes have never been quite my style. They're comfy, for sure, but I was never able to fall in love with this view:

I bought these metallic tweed TOMS for running errands, but always ended up wearing other flats, instead. So I brought them to my office, thinking I'd keep them there for late nights when I was tired of wearing more dressy/formal shoes. That didn't work, either. They sat in the corner of my office for months, neglected. Plenty of women can carry these off, but they somehow make me look like a potato farmer. It's true. I ended up shipping them to my Mum - she wears jeans more often than I do, and thus can rock the comfy-casual look and give these shoes the chance they deserved.

I'm SO glad TOMS came around to the idea of ballet flats. On February 1, I went straight to their website and ordered a pair. Two days later, there they were on my doorstep, all ready to wear. NOT REALLY. For some reason, even though I ordered them in the same size as my previous TOMS {which fit perfectly}, these were HUGE. Huge, I say. And the size I'd exchange them for is now backordered. What the heck, TOMS. Way to give me a paper-cut and pour lemon juice on it.

Aren't they cute? And I can't even wear them! They're in the process of being returned, and who knows how long it will be before I get a pair in the right size, thanks to the stock room problem.

TOMS, I get the feeling you don't want me to like you.

A word to the wise: order at least 1/2 size down {if your size isn't out of stock}.

Hey Girl. Happy Friday.

2012-02-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

I've never been a huge Ryan Gosling fan, but these "Hey Girl" memes have just been cracking me up lately!

From Hey girl. I heart NPR:

From Feminist Ryan Gosling:

From Ryan Gosling Works in Publishing:

Happy Weekend, friends!

Plants, Phones, and Coffee

2012-02-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

It's February! How did that happen?

My sense of season is completely warped, thanks to the crazy summer weather we've been having here in SoCal. I ~~dragged~~ took Mr. Curieuse to a nursery with me the other weekend to pick up a new office plant, and it didn't look at all like January:

I love a man that carries a plant for his wife so she can take pictures, don't you?

In other news, I've fallen terribly behind on LIFE thanks to a brief-writing extravaganza at work these past few weeks {and weekends}. I owe several friends a phone call, but it seems like my only free time these days is at ungodly hours of the morning...

Is anyone else too paranoid to use their work phone as their personal phone?

I've heard too many horror stories about work phones being wiped without warning or heavily-monitored to feel comfortable using my work phone for tweeting grainy blackberry pics or texting my little sister about flash sales. The one on the right is my work phone, and any time the red light on that thing blinks, I have a mini heart attack. I officially have acquired The Junior Associate Fear. Big Law is not for the faint-hearted.

Drip coffee is still my morning beverage of choice, partly because I really like having a humungous cup of hot stuff first thing in the morning, and that much espresso would kill me.

This mug is from Anthropologie, and is indeed humungous.

I think that about covers it for my random thoughts this morning...
Happy February!

Pinot Days, Revisited

2012-01-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Remember last year, when I said I'd overdosed on Pinot? Well, I've officially eaten those words because we all decided that Pinot Days 2011 had been so much fun that we needed to go to Pinot Days 2012. This time, I brought along a few good girlfriends and we had a ball. And lots of Pinot. The key was knowing what to expect and embracing the madness.

Pinot Days is like a career fair for Pinot producers, or speed-dating wine. Every producer has a table with several different Pinots (different years, different grape sources), and once you have your handy wristband, you can try as many as you like!

There was even an app where folks could rank the wines they tried. We had a really fun group - eight of us to start and three more filtered in a little later:

My friend AMA is a big fan of New Zealand wines, having spent some time in Kiwi-land during college, so we were so excited to find the "New Zealand Growers" table!

The NZ Growers table had 12 different Pinots, so we stayed a while and chatted with the friendly man behind the table. AMA asked why most of the NZ wine she finds is screw-top, and he told us that NZ producers have had so much trouble with bad corks in the past {he claims NZ gets the worst cork since they're at the "ends of the earth" as far as cork sellers are concerned} that most have switched to screw-top.

We chatted a bit about "corked" wine, and it just so happened that he had opened a bottle earlier in the day only to discover the cork was bad {proves his point about the cork shipment problems, I guess!}. AMA and I seized the opportunity to find out what this much-discussed-but-rarely-experienced "corked" wine tastes like, and he obligingly poured us a little, for educational purposes only. Think musty, wet newspapers. It's pretty unmistakeable.

Most of the tables were pretty traditional - friends of the winemakers happily pouring away in an effort to create converts - but it wouldn't be a Los Angeles event without girls in sequined hotpants and hooker boots hawking something. Our friend T didn't seem to mind!

We wrapped things up with a fabulous meal at Lula's - after four hours of sampling wine, we were more than ready for some Mexican food!

And, after all the fun we had yesterday, I'm headed into work this morning to edit some reply briefs. Happy Sunday!

The House Hunt: Sunset Park

2012-01-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

I feel like we've seen a bazillion houses, but really we're only seen about 12 or so. Still waiting on that nearly-perfect one to pop up!

These past two weekends we've done the open-house circuit, mostly in Santa Monica's Sunset Park neighborhood. It's our new favorite area! And to think, I had no idea it existed before we started the House Hunt.

Nice, but too small and next to a busy street...

EVERYTHING in this house needed to be replaced. The only thing that has been touched in 20 years is the exterior...

Blah exterior, not too bad inside, but not particularly great, either...

Little curb appeal, but this place was totally gutted by people with great taste...

Looks like a church, but the layout is absolutely fabulous . . .

I have no idea who thought it would be a good idea to build this house. There is no front door. Made no sense to me...

Honestly, would it kill architects to make attractive homes?

That, my friends, is a sampling of what houses selling $1.1-$1.5 look like in Sunset Park. If you're thinking "so, that's mostly ugly?" You'd be right! Why the heck is that? Would it kill someone to throw up a Colonial or Georgian around here?

The hunt continues...

A Return to Coffee

2012-01-19T07:48:00.000-08:00

After months and months of raving about our Nespresso machine, I felt like something was missing in my life. Real, honest-to-goodness, brewed from freshly ground beans COFFEE. Fancy espresso drinks can only take a girl so far.

Over the weekend I climbed up on our kitchen counter and pulled my trusty coffee maker off of a dusty cabinet shelf. This baby got me through final exams, the bar exam, and wedding planning. Add some beans from Groundworks and we were ready to rekindle our relationship.

Reunited and it feels so good.

Combined with my new VS pink polka-dot pajamas {a spontaneous gift from Mr. Curieuse, who has definitely caught onto my not-so-secret penchant for ultra-estrogen-charged items}, early mornings are looking pretty good around here!

Wine Bags are the New Wine Box.

2012-01-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

Last summer the lovely RG and I picnicked with the best of them on the grounds of LACMA, taking in the sights and live jazz and feasting on cheese, dried fruit, nuts and rosemary ciabatta. It was also the very first time I'd tried wine in a bag. See if you can spot it {and check out RG's bracelet - she has the BEST jewels!}:

RG and I were wine browsing at a fabulous wine shop in Santa Monica and when we mentioned that we were looking for something to bring to a picnic, the shop girl steered us enthusiastically towards a bag of wine. This really happened. And she wasn't being ironic {it was Santa Monica, not Venice}. As it turns out, it was the perfect thing for our picnic. No corkscrew required, and the little "tap" on the bag prevents oxygen from getting in and wine from leaking out. I won't say you should serve it at your next dinner party, but it was pretty good, all things considered.

I hadn't thought about bagged wine since that wonderful August evening until I found this at our local Trader Joe's for a mere $9.99:

The back of the container extolls the virtues of bag wine:

Obviously, portability is probably the most compelling reason to buy a bag of wine, but that nice little tap on the front means {and I quote} it "stays fresh for UP TO ONE MONTH from opening." Now, I can't fathom why it would take someone a month to get through 1.5 litres of wine, much less 1 week. However, this stuff is perfect for the white-trash wine drinks that I like to whip up after a long week at the office {wine + frozen fruit + diet lemon-lime soda}.

Mr. Curieuse has to visibly restrain himself if I try to make these wine drinks out of our normal wine stock - apparently it's "too good" to adulterate in the manner just described. Well. The wine bag garners no such esteem, so it's safe for my concoctions.

I'll be honest, this wine isn't amazing, and I wouldn't really recommend drinking it as-is {unless you're camping or picnicking or on a hillside watching fireworks} but it is the perfect blank slate for creating the wine drink of your dreams. And it lasts forever, in wine terms.

Has anyone else out there been brave enough to try bag wine?

Bagels Taste Best on Weekend Mornings

2012-01-14T11:23:00.000-08:00

*editorial note: my blackberry takes terrible photos, but I've discovered a way to make them more blog-friendly - run them through Picnik filters!

Last night looked something like this for me:

Not fun, but at least I was able to bring my research home and have a glass of wine while reading about the Hague Convention and foreign blocking statutes. {Yep, that's my Erin Condren life planner in the upper left corner - can't say enough good things about it!}

Luckily, Mr. Curieuse had the brilliant idea of fetching bagels at our favorite bagel joint and then tooling around Santa Monica's Sunset Park neighborhood to see houses. He had me at bagels.

Bagel Nosh is our favorite place to get bagels {Pumpernickel with light cream cheese for me, with lox and fixings for him} in Northern Santa Monica. It's always full of couples and families happy to be indulging in processed carbs and coffee. It's the kind of place you can go with bed-head...

... or without worrying that your hair looks like Barbie's synthetic wig after too much brushing:

Something about the coffee is lovely, too. 2/3 vanilla nut, 1/3 Colombian + soy milk + 1.5 packets of Splenda. I like to be inclusive when it comes to coffee preparation.

Happy Weekend, friends!

Hello, 5am!

2012-01-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

So far, the early mornings resolution thing has been going well. By "well," I mean I am actually upright and using basic motor functions in the ~~semi-~~ near-total darkness a full hour and a half earlier than usual.

Once I send Mr. Curieuse on his merry way with coffee and a straightened collar, I pick out a coffee mug for the morning {does anyone else get as much satisfaction making selections from their mug collection as I do?}, make myself coffee and sit in front of an Apple product.

Yesterday, it was the Missus Monogrammed Mug from Anthropologie and our iMac {checking Twitter}:

And this morning it's a Ralph Lauren Mandarin Blue mug and my iPad {checking our Mint account - LOVE this app!}:

After tooling around online, I've been going for a run once it's light enough to see my feet {usually around 7am}. I went to the gym last week and it was MOBBED with people who resolved to go to the gym more often. So I'm mixing up visits to the gym where I jostle for cardio machines and hairdriers with solitary runs along pretty streets to keep my sanity. Next month things will quiet down once those with less resolve fall off the treadmill wagon.

I almost forgot that this Monday is a firm holiday {MLK, Jr. Day}! The third 3-day weekend for me in 4 weeks. I feel almost European.

Any plans for the long weekend ahead, friends?

Resolutions!

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

Say what you will about resolutions, I love them. I’m an A-type who likes to make lists and I’mjust fine with that. After all, diamonds are formed under pressure. {Yes, so is coal, but let’s not dwell on that.}

Resolutions, even if I don’t follow them religiously, arestill helpful – a compliance rate of 75% is better than 0%! For example, one year I resolved to stopdrinking Diet Coke. I used to drink italmost every day, and several times a day at that. Now I have a diet soda maybe once a month. That’s perfectly acceptable in my book. Moderation, moderation.

This year, I’m also resolving to:

1. Stick to a thrifty personal shopping {i.e. clothes, makeup, kindle books} budget.

Rodeo Drive

Since Mr. Curiseuse and I are planning to buy a house this year, I'm embracing a budget. Truth be told, Mr. C is footing ~~all~~ most of the funds for this project, but I have major plans for fabulous furniture to fill the thing once we get it. Hello, fainting couch. {Just kidding. Sorta.}

2. Booze Responsibly

Wine tasting in Washington State

My plan is to have zero booze Monday-Thursday {unless there's an Event}, and to limit intake Friday-Sunday to 2 drinks max {unless we're wine tasting}. This coming from a girl who is sipping some Chardonnay as she types on a Monday evening, but in my defense I didn't imbibe a drop over the weekend, and we're celebrating the fact that we just booked a trip to Mexico for a friend's destination wedding this spring! Wee! I should point out that I'm not a drunkard, but my liver and my jeans will both thank me for enjoying the vino a little less frequently.

3. Pop a pre-natal vitamin at least 5x/week.

My niece's foot, shortly after she was born

No, I am not planning on getting knocked up any time soon. I just started a demanding job and we {hopefully} will be moving into a new home this year. Maybe there will be baby business sometime in the next two years. I'm no spring chicken, though, and so starting on a folic acid regimen now makes me feel like I'm being proactive. I know that statement is completely NOT supported by any reliable science, but hey, at least these vitamins are fabulous for my hair and nails!

4. Wear heels less often.

My lovely friend JW, trying on heels in Vegas

I've been getting pedicures for long enough to see what feet that have been living in heels for 50 years look like. Knobby. I love, love, love heels, but Ladies - we're voluntarily crippling ourselves. Google "bunions." You'll invest in a few more flats, too. Luckily, I work in an office where the female attorneys completely embrace looking fabulous without always teetering down the halls in platforms {not that it doesn't happen from time to time - I do work in LA!}.

5. Wake Up Earlier.

Early morning lights, on my way to the airport

This one is going to be the hardest, I think. Mr. Curieuse gets up at 4:45 to go to work, and I have been sleeping in until 6:30 every morning. At night, we both get home between 7 and 8pm, have dinner, catch up on "what did you do today?", try to fit in a tv show, and then it's lights out by 9:30-10. Since bedtime is so early in our house, I feel like I'm missing out on the free time I'd have every morning if I woke up at the same time as Mr. Curiseuse. Getting out of bed early isn't the problem - it's just so darn DARK out! But I'm looking forward to getting my morning-owl on. Thank goodness for the Nespresso machine.

Saturday House-Hunt Report

2012-01-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Mr. Curieuse and I went house-hunting on Saturday morning, which seems to be what we'll be doing every Saturday for the foreseeable future. This will probably be the first of many such titled posts.

We're completely dedicated now - we each have uploaded various "how to buy a house" e-books to our respective tablets, and have a very fun, chipper, and well-connected agent who had her nails done in glitter polish for New Years. My kinda gal!

For some reason, I feel compelled to look pulled-together for house viewings. I wouldn't show up to the jewelers in jeans, and houses are a much bigger purchase. "Oh, hello, agent! Don't we look just like the nice, scrubbed-up couple your clients would just LOVE to sell this home to? At a few hundred thousand dollars below asking price?" Does it work? Who knows. Can't hurt!

This trench coat has been my winter staple. Love it. Don't worry: the Christmas tree is being dismantled this morning. Yes, it's quite dead. We're thinking about getting an artificial one for next year. I've always thought fake trees sacrilegious {not in the technical sense, more the dramatic sense}, but that's because we cut our own trees in New England. Here in Southern California, they're unloaded from a truck and propped up for inspection in vacant lots. Takes the romance out of it, don't you think?

Our favorite house of the weekend was perched way up in a canyon with ocean views and a hot tub. It just came on the market and is over-priced by a few hundred thousand, so we'll see if it comes down.

That's what $1.6m can get you in the Pacific Palisades Highlands! You could probably buy this place for $600k in the Valley. SIGH.

I really loved the Highlands until I heard that it's where everyone moves when they get divorced. Is that true? The median age is 43, so it's possible {in Santa Monica it's 38}. I'll really have to keep the lonely ladies off of Mr. Curieuse if we move there!

Onward and upward,

Sisters are the Best

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

.... and not in the least because they are fabulous at knowing just what I like!

These days, my morning coffee has been about a million times more fun thanks to my big sister {who lives TOO far away in beautiful Montana}.

Wait for it...

Why, hello there! Tee-hee! This completely makes my morning. {If you want one, too, I think they're from Uncommon Goods.}

Mr. Curieuse and I both received one of these babies from Montana Sister for Christmas, wrapped like so:

I have absolutely no talent for wrapping gifts. Thanks to the example set by Montana sister, one of my goals for the 2012 holiday season is to action a serious PLAN in the wrapping department {matching paper, ribbons, doo-dads}. Clearly, though, one sister in our family will always be the reigning queen of present presentation!

Happy Friday, friends!

Wait, it's 2012?

2012-01-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

How did this happen?

Seems like only yesterday I was whipping up my favorite holiday treats:

See you next year, peppermint bark.

Meat pie, because we've got French-Canadian blood swimming through our veins.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and that the new year is off to a good start for you!
Mr. Curiese and I celebrated New Year's at Melisse, and it's now my favorite restauant in LA.
Amazing. One of the amuses-bouche tasted exactly like my Mum's lobster pie!

{I just love shell caviar spoons, don't you? I wish I were chichi enough to need some, but we don't stock Chez Curieuse with tins of Huso Huso roe. Shocker, I know.}

Aside from the usual "eat better, hit the gym harder" resolutions, we're hoping this is the year we buy a house!

Any one of the above would do nicely.

I know - at some point in the not-too-distant past I did swear off buying any property in this wildly over-priced place that is the Palisades-Santa Monica-Brentwood area. Believe me, it's still hard to swallow the fact that we could buy an entire house anywhere else in the country for what's just a 20% down payment here. {I can see my dream Land Rover getting fainter and fainter.} Still, the market has dipped just enough for us to actually afford property in the nicer neighborhoods here, and interest rates are so low it seems silly not to get in while we can. Words, you sure are tasty.

Long story short: expect some house-hunting reports over the next few months!

Happy 2012!

Quick Trip to Washington D.C.

2011-12-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last week I spent a few days in Washington, D.C. visiting the massive firm mothership {think 400 attorneys in one building, people - clients are charged for just breathing in there}.

I love D.C., and I was happy to squeeze in some time to visit with my little brother. He does all sorts of amazing PR and media things - growing up with 3 older sisters imbued him with the ability to charm just about anyone.

How many 26-year old boys would throw on a jacket to meet their sister for Sunday night cocktails? AND make a dinner reservation? He can do no wrong in this Big Sister's book. {Well, maybe he could shave, but he claims it helps him look older and defy the age-ists in his business.}

He also took me on a tour of the Hill, which was so peaceful at night - I'll thank the recess for that!

The back of the Capitol building is so much more attractive than the front, don't you think? There were plenty of security guards, but they were all quite friendly to us and let me get right up next to the Supreme Court pillars. Apparently we didn't come off as a threat to America.

In keeping with the purpose of my trip, my brother steered me towards a certain cocktail at Zaytinya:

The Associate, in case you were wondering. Have you ever had ver jus before? Me neither. But the drink was fresh and just a little bitter. Spot on.

Turns out I can waive into the D.C. bar for a mere $400. Yes, I realize that's 25% of a nice Louis Vuitton handbag, but have you taken a bar exam? Anyone who has will tell you that they'd rather pay any sum than take a bar exam again. Myself included. Once the Holidays are over, my pennies are going into the D.C. bar funds jar. It would come in handy for cross-office work, and real estate in the burbs there is much more reasonable than in Santa Monica. Just sayin'.

It's rainy here in Santa Monica - it rains on and off all winter long and I need a new umbrella. I sense an online shopping opportunity! Please pass along any umbrella suggestions you'd like to share {need not be wind resistant}.

Happy Monday,

Too Busy for Christmas? Never!

2011-12-01T07:49:00.001-08:00

I fully credit the acquisition of a wonderful cleaning lady for the free time I had on Sunday to pick out a tree in 80 degree weather and cover it in lights and silver and gold ornaments {with a ribbon on top, of course}.

At 6 1/2 feet tall, it's probably the smallest tree we've had in a while, but it's installed and pretty to look at, darn it.

And it wouldn't be the holidays without a festive beverage:

A Stone Fence - perfect sipping stuff for activities like addressing Holiday cards. 1 part whiskey, 2-3 parts cider, dash of bitters. Pour over ice and stir.

Happy December!

Catch-Up Photo Dump

2011-11-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

Right before I started my new job, the lovely RG asked me what would become of my blog once I was a working girl. I flippantly assured her that things would continue like normal - what's a few posts a week? Cut to about 1 month later, and Une Femme Curieuse is all but sporting cobwebs.

Er, my bad. Turns out I've unwittingly put posting on the back burner while I sorted out a new schedule, new colleagues, and a new wardrobe {I think I've successfully purged my closet of all law school garb, with the exception of a few nice suits and bags}. Now that things have settled somewhat, it's time to dust off ye olde blogger {p.s.: what's with these blindingly stark new google interfaces? It's like nuclear winter in my blogger dashboard these days}.

So, friends, I present a photo-dump to bring you all up to speed on La Vie Curieuse:

We've got tickets to the bulk-buying club. Why? Did you all know that Costco is the #1 wine retailer in the US? Enough said.

This is where I go virtually every weekday morning, at approximately 6:45 am. The last gym I frequented was the university gym while I was in law school. There are significantly more beautiful people and fake boobies in this one. It's motivating (beautiful people) and depressing (fake boobies - WHY, LADIES?) at the same time.

I'm a little obsessed with Kerri Shipp's ginger jar paintings. Go on over to Driftwood Interiors on Etsy to see the loveliness for yourself.

I'm loving my blonde 'do. And brunch on Montana with a great NYTimes article about Ole Miss football. I didn't go to a football school {well, we technically had a football team, but they were pretty sorry} so I've adopted the SEC. The whole darn conference. Love it.

Speaking of college football, Mr. Curieuse and I attended a pretty great game the other weekend:

I earned wifey points by cheering for Mr. Curieuse's alma mater. It was a little harder than you'd think - the football team is great, but boy do those cheerleaders need some work! I didn't cheer for USC, but they have superior cheerleaders, imo.

We hosted a sushi-making party. I consider it a success because (1) everyone was able to actually make their own sushi rolls and loved them, and (2) we bought the tasty sashimi-grade fish at a great Japanese market and no one got sick. Which is a legitimate concern when you're a WASP serving people raw fish.

I made muffins. They were quite yummy. I'm trying to eat less gluten these days, though {for no particular reason other than major hype}, so there will be no more muffins around the traps for a while. Or beer. We'll cope with wine.

It's Mr. Curieuse's birthday today, but he got his present last week. I gave him a Sonos sound system, and can't say enough good things about it. It streams just about everything, and you can control each speaker from your iPod, iPad or Android device! Brilliant!

Happy hump day, everyone!
Thanks for your patience while I've been away.

Pottery Barn Saved My Life

2011-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Alright, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration. But when you've been living with these lumpy bachelor-pad-relic monstrosities...

Tell me you, too, wouldn't feel as if you'd reentered the world of the living when two strapping movers plopped these in your living room:

All three pieces {sofa, chair, ottoman} are from the Pottery Barn Comfort Collection, in case you're wondering. The ceramic stool is West Elm. I'm still trying to decide what to put on it - the terracotta-potted plant is just a stand-in until I make up my mind.

There is one small catch - these pieces were all to be upholstered in a linen/cotton blend {so soft!}, but the ottoman was somehow upholstered in twill, instead. Behold la difference:

The color isn't terribly accurate, but you can get the general idea - the swatch is linen/cotton, and the underlying ottoman fabric is clearly NOT. If you look closely at the photo of the chair and ottoman above you may see that they don't quite match. Luckily for us, PB is letting us hold on to the mistake until they deliver the replacement sometime next month. And I'm so happy to have comfortable, presentable living room furniture that I'm not about to tear my hair out over it. The ottoman, after all, is the only piece that shipped UPS and won't need to be delivered by movers.

Despite the fact that it took 3 months for these babies to arrive and even then PB didn't get the order quite right, I've officially downed the kool-aid: it was all ENTIRELY WORTH THE WAIT.

I ended up giving the old bane-of-my-existence couches away for free on Craigslist - they were gone, as in carried out of my house by someone other than me, within 2 hours of posting. And to think I had actually considered paying someone to come and remove them, figuring no one would want them. Turns out lumps can be overlooked when they're free.

And now, friends, please excuse me while I go plant myself in our new lump-free sofa with an e-book and some hot tea.
Thank you so much for your kind comments these past few weeks - they always brighten my day!

xoxo,

Happy Wife, Happy Life

2011-10-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Mr. Curieuse obviously took this advice (received shortly before our wedding about 1 year ago) to heart. First anniversary gifts are traditionally supposed to be papery in nature, but these babies really take the cake. Tradition, schmadition. Happy Wife, indeed.

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Workin' It

2011-10-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

I survived week one at my new firm, hereinafter referred to {did you like that bit of legal jargon?} as the the Law Factory. Thank you for all of your well wishes!

For reasons based primarily on common sense {right up there with "wear clean underwear" is "don't get fired for blogging about work"}, I won't be talking too much about my work life here. But, for the sake of entertainment, I would like to show you a few harmless and non-confidential scenes from my now-typical work day...

Daily commute:

It's about 6 miles from my home to the office, but in rush hour it takes about 40 minutes one way. Six miles in 40 minutes = NINE MILES AN HOUR {or 14.48km/hr for the rest of the world}. Welcome to Los Angeles. I've managed to shave about 20 minutes off by leaving at 6:15am, driving to the gym {about 2 miles from my office}, doing the whole workout/shower/change routing and then driving to work from there. I do love a good routine.

Prius-fest in the parking garage:

It seems like almost everyone here drives one of four cars: a Prius, Mini Cooper, BMW or Mercedes. Range Rovers also feature prominently in my neighborhood. My trusty little Toyota is fast developing a complex...

The view from my office:

Like a good routine, I also love a good view. If I were on the other side of the building I'd be able to see the ocean, but this is just fine by me. I can practically spy on Rodeo Drive shoppers.

And I'm basically never going to post a photo like this again, so take note:

Me, in one of the Law Factory's ladies' rooms, taking a photo of myself. Plenty of bloggers do this and manage to pull it off, but I am not one of them. I cannot get over feeling like a complete WEIRDO. And yes, I still say weirdo. All these years since second grade, and it's still a frequently apt noun. I mean, who brings a camera into the bathroom? Me, apparently. A weirdo.

There is a point to my posting this photo, I promise:
We have somewhat "casual Fridays" at the Law Factory, but since it was my first week I decided to wear pants instead of jeans {and my treasured pair of spectator heels - saved from about 4 years ago, biding their time until pointed-toes finally came back into style}. Unfortunately, I also wore a white cashmere sweater that decided to shed all over said pants.
Since I hadn't finished stocking my office with necessary supplies {see this great article on Corporette about things women should have in their offices}, there was no lint-roller to be found. Luckily, Lisa reminded me of the fuzz-removing tool you can always find in any office: scotch tape! She saved my day. Thank you, Lisa!

And another "thank you" to everyone who wished me luck last week! So far, so good!

Blogging via iPad - impossible?

2011-10-06T19:42:00.001-07:00

Does anyone else wish there were better apps for iPad? I downloaded Blogpress yesterday hoping to make it easier to post from my iPad. From the reviews it seemed like the best available app. I'm using it now, and it's great aside from the fact that there is no way to add photos that aren't in my iPad media library or taken by my iPad camera. Boo!

Please let me know if any of you have other apps to suggest!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-10-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday night - now there are mere HOURS to go until I'm officially a working girl again. I'd love to tell you that I made my last weekend of "freedom" an especially meaningful one, and it was certainly fun, but I'm all about practicality these days.

Friday night: Mr. Curieuse and I had drinks and nosh at the Tasting Kitchen on Abbot Kinney. There was a line of people waiting to get in when the place opened at 6pm, and luckily we were part of that crew and scored great seats at the bar. Love this place - it never disappoints!

Saturday morning: first pumpkin latte of the season at Peet's!

I love my neighborhood Peet's - everyone seems to know each other and neighbors gather there en masse with their small doggies and newspapers virtually EVERY morning. There is no such thing as a normal work schedule on the Westside.

Mr. Curieuse had to work for about 4 hours, so I did super glamorous things like tidying, grocery shopping, and making yet another trip to the dry cleaners. And since it's been over a year since I graduated from law school, I decided it was about time to get my diplomas framed {my undergrad diploma had never been outside of its envelope - so sad}. Since I'll be needing to hang these on my office walls, it's high time they were properly matted and framed professionally.

Saturday Night: Mr. Curieuse and I went to see Contagion.

{here}

I really enjoyed it, except for the part where they performed an autopsy on Gwynie. I still cover my eyes during gory scenes in movies. I have no desire to see that sort of thing. But aside from those 30 seconds, it was quite entertaining. The cast was great: Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, and Jennifer Ehle was particularly fun to watch.

This morning we got up early and posed for our holiday photo card picture:

And then we went to brunch at Cafe Montana. It's probably the first time I've had poached eggs that had been cooked to the hard-boil stage, but like most restaurants on Montana no one seems to care much about the food because the location is so idyllic.

Bad blackberry pic, apologies

After brunch I popped over to Equinox and got myself a membership. The Westwood branch is perfectly located - I can drive over early in the morning, work out, shower and change {the showers are stocked with Kiehl's products, which I love}, and then drive the rest of the way to work, saving myself a lot of lost time in morning rush hour traffic.

I've spent the rest of the day ordering our holiday cards {so excited to have that done early, for once!}, getting things ready for tomorrow, and enjoying some down time with Mr. C. After a good night's sleep, I'll be raring to go for my big first day!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

xoxo,

Jewelry Organization

2011-10-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of being a glorified housewife for this past year is that I've been able to organize nearly every corner of our house. It's good that I'll be starting my real job on Monday, because I've run out of things to categorize and sort and may have gone a bit overboard.

Case in point - my closet {inspired by Aubrey + Lindsay's Blog}:

I realize this photo is diagnosable in and of itself, sort of like neck or facial tattoos. Dead giveaway that you're cray-cray. I only feel safe disclosing this photo because I know that my new schedule is going to bring my Domestic OCD days to a swift and timely end.

One thing that actually did need to be organized, however, was my jewelry collection. It was one big jumble and impossible for me to find anything. I think I've got it under control now!

For sorting studs and small earrings, this turquoise stoneware egg crate from Anthropologie is perfect:

I've converted my necklace tree to hold bracelets, since most of my necklaces are either too long or too heavy for it:

Big earrings and cocktail rings live in the grey satin box, and other necessities like lotion, hair ties, perfume and box of Claritin live in the Missoni box I scored in the madness that was September 13th. The striped tray was a super cheap Ikea find, and the print is one of my favorite Etsy purchases from Dazeychic's shop.

I have a slight addiction to the Container Store, where I bought a zillion things including a tie and belt rack for Mr. Curieuse. On the drive home I decided that it would be a perfect necklace rack, instead:

At some point {due to my affection for big Kendra Scott earrings - 5 pairs and counting}, I'll need another way to store my larger ear baubles. Get an eyeful of what Jen from I Heart Organizing created:

So pretty! And there are many options on Etsy, like this one from DesignSea:

Am I the only one who organizes obsessively when I have too much free time on my hands? Judging from the number of organization blogs {and the fact that there is a whole chain of stores devoted to containers}, my guess is no.
So tell me: how do you keep your Crown Jewels organized? Any suggestions for statement earrings?

Happy October!

Perfume Hunting

2011-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

The other day I popped into Nordstrom ready to buy a new perfume. My old standby, Chanel's Mademoiselle, is getting well... just a little old and I wanted to pick up something different to wear to my new job. Delusion was reigning supreme, as I expected to be in and out of there with a bottle of something yummy within 10 minutes.

Half an hour later, here is what I brought home:

That's right - count them - SEVEN samples. The poor perfume girl practically wore out her spritzing hand trying to keep up with me. {FYI, most large department stores will make sample vials of perfumes for you from any bottle they're selling - for free!}

From left to right:
Cartier - Baiser Volé: means "stolen kiss," and is made entirely from lilies - stem, petals, stamen, every part of the lily!
Fendi - Fan di Fendi: tangerine, pink peppercorns, pear blackcurrant accord, jasmine, rose, tuberose, leather, patchouli.
Hermès - Jardin sur le Toit - the 4th in the garden scent series, inspired by the garden on the roof of Hermès' 24 Rue Faubourg Saint-Honore headquarters in Paris; grass, magnolia, rose, basil, pear, and apple.
Burberry - Body: freesia, green absinthe, peach, rose, iris, sandalwood, cashmeran, musk, amber, vanilla.
Jo Malone - Orange Blossom: orange blossom and water lily.
Jo Malone - Wild Bluebell: bluebell, persimmon, lily of the valley and eglantine.
Jo Malone - Nectarine Blossom & Honey: nectarine, peach, plum, blackcurrant, vetiver, and acacia honey.

I'm paralyzed by indecision.

I really love Mademoiselle, so it's hard for me to find another fragrance that can compete. I think I'm favoring Cartier's Baiser Volé, although it's a bit powdery. Usually I worry about powdery perfumes because they seem a bit dowdy. Oh, who am I kidding - I worry I'll smell like an old lady. Does anyone else have this reaction to powdery scents? Just me?

Runner up is the Hermès. I love how fresh it smells. But it seems a little more like a spring or summer fragrance. Is dotting on fresh perfumes in the fall/winter the equivalent of wearing white pants after labor day (or straw hats after Sept 15th)? I need primary sources, people.

Mr. Curieuse likes Burberry's Body, but he also thinks my hairspray smells great. Vote of no confidence.

After hearing all about the wonder that is Jo Malone, I marched up to the counter and the saleswoman immediately started spritzing different scents together on the same paper wand and waving them in front of me. When I looked baffled, she explained that you can mix-and-match, or customize the Jo Malone perfumes. I don't know about you, but I'd need a good hour or two to sit down and get all the scents organized and various combinations played out. Who has that kind of time? So I grabbed samples of the unadulterated scents I liked best. I love the Orange Blossom, but it reminds me of my ancient, wig-wearing Art History professor. She wore orange blossom perfume. Again, my old lady warning signals are beeping. {Maybe I should talk to someone about this...}

HELP!

How did you pick your personal fragrance? Any recommendations?

Scentually handicapped,

The Salish Lodge {or, Lighting Fires in Hotel Rooms}

2011-09-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a month since our trip to Washington, but I can't let any more time pass without telling you all about one of my new favorite places: the Salish Lodge and Spa in Snoqualmie.

{via Expedia}

We stayed for 3 nights, and I summoned the Girl Scout spirits and lit a fire every night. Each room has at least one fireplace, and they're well stocked with kindling, paper, logs, matches and a duraflame. I wonder what the insurance bill is like. Talk about a liability {not that I'm complaining!}.

The windows in our suite looked right out over the falls, and between the fire crackling and the rushing water there was enough ambient noise to put Bill Clinton to sleep for a solid 8 hours {the man reportedly used to live on 3-4 hours of sleep a night, but maybe he's sleeping better now that he's vegan and semi-retired}. Very northwest lodge-chic - rustic but comfortable and so soothing.

Not only was the Lodge fun and well-kept, but the wine list was over 50 pages long. And the staff was fantastic. The company the owns the Lodge, Columbia Hospitality, is wonderful to its employees - we chatted up several of the wait staff and learned that they had full benefits and paid time off. This is almost unheard of in Los Angeles, and in fact most of the country. I don't know about you, but I always try to check on the treatment of the staff {unionized preferred} before making reservations at a hotel. I love having someone clean my room and make my bed, but am willing to pay a little more if I know they're being paid fairly and have decent working conditions. Happier staff = happier stay.

The spa was a divine - I had a treatment that involved 13,492 different essential oils and left me feeling high as a kite. Good thing Mr. Curieuse met me shortly afterwards, or I would have wandered off the cliff in my bathrobe.

{via Kiwi Collection}

The Salish is a mere 30 minutes from Seattle and just 40 minutes from Woodinville, the town where many Washington wineries have tasting rooms. Honestly, I can absolutely see us flying back to Seattle some weekend in the near future just to visit the Lodge again for a few nights of R&R.

Even though you're not far from civilization, it really feels like you're Away. There are lots of mountains, trees and wildlife. Add a killer wine list and spa menu, and you've got the perfect recipe for relaxation. I suppose you could also take advantage of the hiking, biking and kayaking nearby ... if you're into that sort of thing. Me, I'm more of the drinking-bubbly-in-the-tranquility-pool type. Shocking, I know.

Is anyone else feeling the need to cozy up to a roasty fireplace these days? Even in southern California the nights are getting a bit chilly {almost in the 50's farenheit-wise} for those of us near the coast - what a friend of mine used to call "cold pillow weather." Guess there's no denying it anymore: it's definitely fall!

Gettin' My Hair Did

2011-09-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't been posting as much as I should {don't you just despise posts that start like this? me, too!}, but I've been running around like a crazy woman this month. As alluded to in earlier posts, I'll be starting my Big Law job on October 3rd. For you non-attorneys, that means I'll be working in a massive firm, a slave to the billable hour. Before I start, all of my little duckies need to be in order around here since I'll have very little leisure time in the foreseeable future. It's been non-stop Glamor around here, people: painting, dry cleaning, organizing, planting, maid-searching, furniture shopping, business-attire buying ... you name the to-do, I've done it. I've even got myself one of those handy Erin Condren planners everyone's raving about.

EC Planner in turquoise zig-zag {iron crab protecting my privacy}

It's all about the tabs. I know most everyone's gone digital, but I honestly still think it's faster to simply open to the right page and eyeball your schedule. Love this thing.

Anyway, since I'll soon be spending my days around serious grown-ups other than dear friends, Mr. Curieuse, and my Mum, I needed to fix my hair situation, pronto. I was dying it darker than my natural color, so I had it "Corrected" {read: sat with bleach in my hair for about 2 hours} and then dyed blond-ish at an Aveda salon when I last visited my family back in early August. Since then, I've done nothing to it besides wash and brush. Good thing Mr. Curieuse is already half blind without his glasses, because I'm pretty sure my roots would have burned holes in his corneas. No bueno, folks.

I trotted over to the Aveda salon just around the corner the other day and got it all fixed. Cut, color, foils. 2 and a half hours later {and lots poorer - beauty is not cheap, y'all}:

It's not as gold-y as it looks in the blurry blackberry pic, but is a definite improvement on the long, scraggly, root-rocking, one-tone "do" I had going on. I love, love, love Aveda because they shun animal testing, and their products are so gentle. After the bleaching in August and the updates I had the other day, my hair isn't brittle or frizzy in the least.

My hair is SO ready to start work. It's already writing motions up there. Now I just need to track down an eyebrow pencil to match. Any favorites out there?

Seattle: Coffee, Beach, Repeat.

2011-09-13T06:57:00.000-07:00

For some ungodly reason I'm awake at 5am, and the Missoni for Target fans {myself included, to a limited degree} have crashed the Tarjay website so I'm unable to lull myself back to sleep with zig-zagged retail therapy. Blogger appears to be in ship-shape, however, so new post it is!

Some people plan their vacations with absolute precision. Usually, I plan the heck out of our trips, but always reserve a day or two for wandering. On our third day in Seattle, we wandered. First up: breakfast at the 5-Spot Diner in the Queen Ann neighborhood. This place is an homage to everything Portland, OR. They put birds on everything. Coffee was Stumptown. Extra points for that!

We then toured the neighborhoods, and eventually ended up at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. I've never seen so much driftwood on one beach before! And yes, those are SOLAR trash compactors. A reminder that tech business {hello, Mr. Gates} dominates the region.

After visiting the Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, we stopped at the Richmond Beach Coffee Company for refills on our coffee. We drank a lot of coffee on this trip. It seemed fitting.

The house special at RBCC is {prepare yourselves, Readers} espresso with steamed milk and dulce de leche. It was amazing. Really.

The sweet girls behind the coffee counter suggested we drive a little north to Edmonds and take the ferry over to Kingston. I don't know about you, but I love a good ferry ride. So does Mr. Curieuse, except for that one time when the ferry back from Provincetown was so choppy we had to hang off the stern gasping for fresh air and trying to focus on the horizon line. Luckily for us, the WSDOT ferry from Edmonds to Kingston was traveling smooth waters.

Fate was smiling on us, because an otherwise gloomy morning weather-wise turned into a beautiful, sunny day once the ferry reached Kingston. We rented cruiser bikes and peddled around the quaint little town - it was night and day compared to the pace of the mainland.

Isn't it lovely? I'd like to be having coffee in one of those iron chairs right this second. The ice cream was a flavor I've never tried before: Zabaione (or sabayon), an Italian dessert made from egg custard and marsala wine. I couldn't resist. Like the everything else in Kingston, it was delightful.

Stay tuned for adventures in Washington wine country!

If you can't tell already, I've been having fun playing with Picnik's collage feature. I think it's better than posting a zillion stand-alone photos that take an hour to scroll through, n'est-ce pas?

Welcome to Seattle!

2011-09-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to Seattle? This was my first time visiting the Emerald City and I can't wait to return. Mr. Curieuse and I stayed there for 3 days before heading southeast to the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie. The weather was brilliant - warm and sunny for the most part, but also {sadly} rather uncharacteristic. Still, it worked out perfectly for us!

We stayed at the Fairmont Olympic since it was right downtown and I tend to like Fairmont hotels {what girl wouldn't?}. Highlights included: (1) trés cozy bathrobes, (2) pretty toile shower curtains, (3) a lovely High Tea, and (4) the fact that you can bring bubbly {or any beverage, really} with you into the hot and cold pools, provided you put it in a plastic cup.

Compared to LAX, and in fact most other large airports, Sea-Tac was a DREAM. We grabbed our luggage, scooted over the the on-site rental car counter, grabbed our car and were out of the airport in record time.

Oh, and the good people of Washington actually obey speed limits, for the most part. This was downright shocking to me, as my average speed on LA highways is either 25 or 85 mph depending on traffic. Since I'm the better driver between us {hubs will readily admit this}, I did most of the driving and it was a genuine TREAT to drive amongst such courteous drivers.

We had tickets to the Mariner's game that evening, but we had some time to kill after checking in and unpacking, so we set out in search of snackage and wine. Shocking, I know. Luckily for us, the Purple Cafe and Wine Bar was just across the street from the Fairmont. Behold the mighty column of wine:

It was almost empty due to the fact that it was a little too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but we harried travelers needed some soothing refreshments.

As an aside, sometimes Mr. Curieuse looks like he's 23. Which completely unsettles me because I've never really liked 23 year old boys - even when I was 23. I'm entirely less unsettled when he looks like a bruiser thanks to those big shoulders and a nose that's been broken twice. A bruiser with a physics PhD. Yummy.

Alright, back to the wine...

There, do you feel better? I know I do.

Purple has some fun wine flights, but surprisingly few Washington wines. To distance ourselves from California, we ordered the "Oregon" flight comprised of (1) Bethel Heights 'Estate Grown' Pinot Blanc 2010, (2) Montinore Estate Pinot Gris 2009, and (3) Argyle Chardonnay 2009. I liked the Bethel Heights pinot blanc the best. The latter two weren't so hot, but we didn't lose any sleep over it since we had a lot of Washington wine tasting ahead of us.

I find it's always tricky ordering glasses of wine at restaurants because sometimes the bottle they're pouring from has been open for far too long. Usually I play it safe by asking what's been opened recently {or is still unopened}, or just ordering a whole bottle if my table-mates are in the mood for sharing.
Any other suggestions for ensuring your glass of vino is fresh?

A Wine Country Wedding

2011-09-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Mr. Curieuse and I have been touring the pacific northwest for the last week and a half, and I've got a million things to share with you {a glimpse into the future: 893,072 of them involve wine}.

But first, I have to dish about the most important thing we did while we we away: attend the fabulous wine country wedding of our dear and beautiful friends BB and LM.

The bride's ride:

It was hard to look directly at BB because she was so divinely good-looking in all of that white:

Yes, I definitely dressed Mr. Curieuse in pink. I also, however, definitely forgot that I had packed a nude/pink dress for myself and therefore we were that obnoxious matchy-matchy couple. Everyone dealt with it quite nicely. Most people think pastels are spring-y, but I like to defy convention and wear them well into the fall.

After the ceremony we headed over to the reception at Stryker winery. BB has unparalleled taste, so it was no surprise that she picked this picture-perfect location:

RG with BB - two of my favorite law school ladies! {Photo poached cavalierly from RG}

We had dinner in the barrel room. I had a good amount of soothing Stryker wine, but it would have been equally as magical for teetotalers. Just look:

You could eat the happiness swirling about the place with a silver spoon. These two are right up there on my list of all-time favorite couples.

They danced to Rufus Wainwright singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Mr. Curieuse had to make an emergency run for tissues and wine to quell my happy sobbing. I mean, People: imagine the beautiful, smart, fat babies these two would create if they decided to go the Baby Route. They're too perfect for words.

I love a good wedding, don't you?

Trina Turk Outlet Store

2011-08-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

After our epic donut adventure, RG and I headed back to the Westside and just happened to make a stop in Alhambra. "What's in Alhambra?" you might be wondering. The answer: not much, except for a little, hidden warehouse that is home to Trina Turk's outlet store.

It's probably best not to lurk around after hours; this place is really in the middle of nowhere, at least as much as "nowhere" can exist in Los Angeles County. But you know you're in the right place as soon as you step inside:

Given that it was a Thursday afternoon, we had the place to ourselves. Prices are significantly marked down: $300-$400 dresses were about $75, and I snatched up an enamel brick bangle {normally $98} for a mere $30. If you're a fan of Ms. Turk's clothing, it's certainly worth a trip.

I'm quite happy with my purchases, but have to admit {in the spirit of full disclosure} that I was a tad disappointed at the slim jewelry pickings and complete lack of home goods. Remember the bliss-inducing visit to Trina's Palm Springs residential shop? Here's a flashback:

It's harder to recreate than I anticipated. Maybe there is nothing like the real thing, baby. I still covet those Santorini pillows.

RG calls Ms. Turk's style "resort," and I'm inclined to agree. And given that I dress myself and my house in mainly neutrals, I can't exactly say why I love it. But I do. Now please excuse me while I slip on a caftan and sit on a tufted poof for my daily palm-frond fanning session.

xoxo,

The Donut Man

2011-08-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Most women this time of year are probably eschewing carb-laden sugary treats in the name of the almighty Bikini, but RG and I bucked tradition and took the 1-hour drive east to meet The Donut Man on Route 66 in Glendora. RG had been wanting to visit for years, and I never shy away from a road trip.

These are no ordinary donuts - although the more traditional offerings are available, The Donut Man is famous for his fruit-stuffed confections, particularly those containing fresh peaches and strawberries. I whipped out my camera only to discover that the photo card was still in my computer at home, but RG kindly let me commandeer her point-and-shoot.

Behind the shop, lining the wall facing the parking lot, were piles of empty fruit crates. Rumor has it that Mr. Donut Man visits farmers markets in the early morning to collect the contents of that day's fruit donuts. Peaches are among my favorite fruits, and these tasted as fresh as the ones I used to pull from my grandmother's trees. In the spirit of being thorough, we also tried the strawberry:

Equally amazing. And to top it off, we met The Donut Man himself.

He was so gracious, and more than happy to comply with our request for a photo. Jim is in his 70's, and has been selling his famous wares at this spot since 1974. He's rumored to eat at least 2 donuts a day, but his story isn't all sweet: when he was just a toddler his parents were sent to an internment camp, like thousands of other Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II. Because the army loves a good contradiction, his father was then drafted.

And now Jim is living the American Dream: running his own successful business on Route 66. Put that in your coffee and dunk it.

If the donuts aren't your thing {and for the record that would be entirely unbelievable}, go to see Jim. Both are well worth the trip.

Deep Thoughts with Coffee

2011-08-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Some observations this morning:

All of this talk about inflation is worrying, and makes me wonder whether I should hit the stops immediately before the dollar loses more value. We live in something of a bubble, and every day I am so thankful that we aren't defaulting on a mortgage or coping with unemployment. Scary times. Us children of the 80's and 90's never imagined anything like this, am I right?

Speaking of hitting the shops, we drink a lot of water "with gas" in this house and I'm wondering whether the planet is telling me to invest in a Sodastream so those glass bottles will stop piling up.

Sodastream Penguin

My bromeliad is having babies, and rumor is that I need to split them from mummy for repotting. This makes me feel a little guilty. But FF is right, these plants require so little yet give so much.

Mid-century design is all the rage in California, but I'm lost on appreciating the much-touted Danish Modern. An acquaintance of mine is obsessed with finding enough Selig "Z" chairs for her dining room, and she's shelling out a small fourtune for these things. They remind me of the green shag carpet they would have perched upon when new.

Apartment Therapy

Farrow is the new star grain around here. Great texture, lots of protein and as the good people at Ray's & Stark restaurant at LACMA discovered, pairs well with goat cheese and apricots.

My dear friend RG is arriving from NorCal this evening! She's likely to agree with me on the farrow, but she's also very hip and might disagree with me on the "Z" chairs. Maybe she'll be able to explain their appeal to me.

The Dim Sum Truck

2011-08-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Before I moved to Los Angeles, there were only two places I'd seen food trucks: (1)construction sites, and (2) after dark in Oxford, while returning from the pubs to my dorm {technically they were Kebab vans, where we ordered more chips & cheese than I'd like to admit}.

Quite honestly, after university I never thought I'd eat anything made in a moving vehicle again. It wasn't at the top of my to-do list. But then I moved to LA, where "Food Trucks" abound and are frequented not just by Hipsters but by The Masses. I'd already tried a "gourmet" ice cream truck, but that was pretty vanilla risk-wise, if you'll forgive the awful pun. Food trucks are the real hot item. At any given day in a business neighborhood they're lining the streets, ready to serve everyone from pavers to yuppies to actors to yes, Hipsters. Food Truck lines are a true melting pot.

My dear friend AMA, who is much more hip and adventurous than I, brought me out one fine day to the Dim Sum truck. Friends such as AMA are the key to living a balance life. When in Rome...

In a past life I was a financial maven in Boston, and one of my accountants would occasionally bring me steamed BBQ buns in the morning, as she passed through Chinatown on her way to our office. Being nice to your employees pays off, people. Those days I could consume carbs without worry, and an addiction was born.

I'm guessing you already know what I ordered:

For the record, I don't really like the filling, so I toss that part {back off, purists}. The best part, in my opinion, is that sweet, fluffy dough. Somewhere, someday, someone will make steamed buns without any filling and I will die a happy, carb-intoxicated woman.

Mr. Curieuse is a fan of the Kogi truck, himself. Anyone else have a favorite?

p.s. Please note the "A" rating on the window of the Dim Sum Truck, the highest grade issued by the Los Angeles County Health Department. Proof that you can be adventurous without risking food poisoning.

Plum Pretty Sugar

2011-08-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

If I decided to start a company that made lovely, kimono-style robes for women, I may have named it something different. "Plum Pretty Sugar" is cute, but in my mind conjures up tiaras and tea parties with stuffed animals. Still, as Mum likes to say, à chacun son goût.

And they do make some pretty fantastic goods:

Plum Pretty Sugar

Yours truly, in "Beckoning Creatures"

These would be a perfect gift for bridesmaids, or anyone, really. If you're like me, you can also gift one to yourself because you like feeling pretty {oh so pretty}.

The cotton voile robes are about $65 for the knee-length version. PPS also offers robes in habutai silk (for about $124), which I would have preferred but for the more limited selection. I just liked the voile patterns better. In fact, upon revisiting PPS for the purposes of this blog post, I think I might also need to order the "5 O'Clock at Rajasthan Palace":

Plum Pretty Sugar

Just the thing to don while enjoying bonbons and bubbly at the Umaid Bhawan, n'est pas?

Do you also like to prance about the traps in pretty robes?
I may never get properly dressed again.

On Cheetahs and Turning 30

2011-08-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

There's quite a bit of of socially-conditioned psychological attachment to being "twenty-something" in this world, but I've always found that rather short-sighted. Don't get me wrong - I've loved the past decade, but towards the end of my twenties I discovered that special combination of self-knowledge and a serious salary. I'm hooked. From what I can tell, 30's are like your 20's, only with less mistakes, firmer opinions and more funds. Happy to be on board.

I'm also obliged to report that us ladies in our 30's are now eligible for membership in a special new group. Apparently "Cougar" was not enough, as Those Who Label have now anointed 30-something women dating 20-something men as "Cheetahs." Rarr.

"According to U.S. trend-spotters, the newly identified creature is likely to have spent much of her life dating men who are a bit older than her, only to realise [sic] that younger men are more fun than their older counterparts." Yes, the author {whom I highly suspect to be a Jonas brother or Justin Bieber} used the word "creature" and then misspelled "realize." Hard-hitting journalism, people.

Compare the predatory names for these creatures, if you will, to popular labels for 30-something men dating 20-something women {opportunistic} and older men who date significantly younger women {rich}. For the record, Mr. Curieuse is very slightly older than I, but this doesn't mean I can't take issue with double-standards.

Let's ponder this injustice over some vino, shall we? Perhaps with some birthday cake?

via love&lace

And if you'll excuse me I'll be going on a run to burn off that cake, just to keep Mr. Curieuse on his toes regarding my younger, more fun-loving counterparts, i.e., Cheetah-bait. {Just kidding, Mr. C. You're quite fun-loving.}

Fighting injustice everywhere,

Still Life with Vinho Verde

2011-08-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm back in California, in a hazmat suit trying to turn the place that was once our condo back into something that meets basic habitability requirements. Mr. Curieuse, with all of his wonderfully cerebral traits, will likely never master the Art of Being Tidy.

Happily, our traditional Friday evening cocktail hour and its soothing accompaniments will soon return me to that special state of bliss that comes from the potent combination of SoCal sunsets and fermented beverages.

On yet another happy note, my Furla bag arrived:

From what I can tell, it's quite sturdy. I always worry when trying a new brand, but I have a good feeling about this one. It's already helping my jet-lag.

Cheers to all hardworking girls, to Portugal for its fizzy green wine, and to Italy for its handbags.

Happy Friday,

A Perfect Picnic

2011-08-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

Bubbly, lobster pie, Ina's coconut cupcakes and a quiet cove.
Just another summer night in New England.

Do I really have to go back to California tomorrow?

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Some of My {New} Favorite Things

2011-07-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

I'm still in New England imbibing too many sun rays, shell fish and complex carbohydrates, but there are a few things that the Cosmos directed me to share with you all. Presenting the latest additions to my list of favorite things:

Almond milk in my coffee. Doubles in volume with a frother. Only 40 calories per cup, plenty of calcium but with no soy and none of the sugar in dairy {brace yourselves: there are about 11 grams of sugar in 8oz/1cup of skim cow's milk}. Add your favorite lovingly chipped mug, truvia, a long Nespresso pull, and voila: perfection.

The iPad 2. An early birthday present from Mr. Curieuse, and I can't get enough of it! So handy, especially since most of the things I usually do on our iMac {like browsing, blogging, tweeting, catching up on the news and stalking people on the Facebook} are just as easy to do on the iPad. Had to turn off that auto-correct, though. Holy not-even-close-to-what-I-meant. Bought this cover and highly recommend it. Red, leather, and perfectly functional. What more could you want?

Rosé. This has been my go-to drink all summer. I was never a big rosé fan in the past, but have seen the error of my ways and am now fully converted. Light and refreshing, it really pairs well with warm summer nights {or mornings}. Bonus: it's pink-ish. Say what you will, but that's never a bad thing in my book.

Salads from Greens Up! on Montana Avenue, just a few blocks from Chez Curieuse. We're both loving this place for weekend lunches. Their salads really are fantastic and can be easily {and happily} customized; a virtuous alternative to slaving in the kitchen. Ordering the green bowls as take-out seems to be the norm; the seating area is sufficient but nothing special. My favorite so far is the Thai salad, but I'm enjoying working my way through the menu.

Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask. After reading rave reviews of this stuff in Blogland, I finally marched into Sephora and bought a tube. As promised, the results are lovely: smooth, soft, squeaky-clean {luminized?} skin. But I'll do you a favor and give you advice I wish I had received: do NOT put this on if there is any chance you'll be spotted wearing it by anyone who isn't (1) married or (2) closely-related to you. Pull the drapes. Don't answer the door. Why? Because you'll look like an extra in the unfortunate "Abraham" scene from Holiday Inn. The mask is a great product, but not without some social baggage. Consider yourselves warned.

How about you? Any new favorites that you'd like to share?

Niece Curieuse

2011-07-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

As predicted, we're all having a ball in New England. Completely unpredicted, on the other hand, was the rate at which my niece is growing these days. The best we can hope for is to put Best Efforts into keeping up with her. I readily accept defeat when it comes to who has the superior wardrobe, especially in the swimsuit department.

Thanks to Mr. Curieuse, who had to stay at home due to work obligations, but whose early birthday gift allowed me to write this post from the couch, sans cords or much lap weight. Loving this iPad2! Anyone else have one of these handy things?

Off for more sangria,

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Back to the East Coast!

2011-07-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

This will be my THIRD trip to New England this summer, and I love that I've been able to spend so much time with my family this year. Having this amount of free time is not likely to happen again in the near future, so I'm taking full advantage of it.

I also love the fact that those long cross-country flights are now better than ever thanks to Virgin America {still recovering from that dodgy Delta experience}. It's now the Official Airline of this blog.

I'm so looking forward to fun times with family, lobster rolls and perhaps a blueberry beer or two.

Off to the airport,

Catch, a Birthday and Rosé

2011-07-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated a birthday with friends at Catch in the Hotel Casa Del Mar, one of my favorite spots in Santa Monica. The Hotel itself is beautiful, and the Veranda Bar is one of the best places to grab a cocktail and watch the sunset over the Pacific on nights when you'd rather not get sand in your shoes. Catch is an excellent option for superior seafood, people watching and ocean oogling.

The two on the left are about to get married. They're adorable.

The birthday boy and his lovely lady:

The birthday boy turned the ripe old age of twenty-seven. This meant that I - having barely a few weeks of my twenties remaining - required a large dose of rosé. Terribly reliable pick-me-up, that.

Ocean view from our table, nice accompaniment to our pre-dinner cocktails and wine:

As I manned the camera for the evening, this is the closest I came to being included in a photo:

Mr. Curieuse snapped this one. That's my coral-polished, be-bangled limb clutching the rosé {dead give-away}.

No shots of the food, unfortunately, because the sun went down and I've yet to learn how to take darker shots without the flash mucking everything up. But the dishes we ordered were fantastic, especially the John Dory I tried for the first time. Turns out that what the fish lacks in good looks, it makes up for in tastiness.

Have you been to Catch? To the Casa Del Mar? If you're in the neighborhood, do yourself a favor and pop in {and email me so we can meet for a drink}.

Bon Appétit,

Summer Reads

2011-07-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my summer reading list, a list which is best described as a random selection based almost entirely on the shameless pilfering of other blogger's reading lists {thanks for those, ladies!}. I have no shame in admitting this lack of originality, and my hot new affair with the neighborhood library just enables my shamelessness. I would, however, like to note that these books were selected purely as summer reads. I do read "Serious" fiction, but these were to serve as pleasant distractions only.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

I would have read this book last summer, but for that life-sucking task of studying for the Bar. I'm so happy to have fit it in this summer, after hearing all of the NPR chatter in praise of it. Via NPR: "[Set in the civil rights era,] [t]he book features two black housekeepers, Aibileen and Minny, who work for white families in Jackson, Miss. Their worlds are turned inside out when Skeeter Phelan returns home from college with pesky questions about segregation in the South. She asks questions like: Why are black maids subordinated so much they can't use the family bathroom, and yet they're trusted to care for that same family's children?" I believe they've made it into a movie set to open soon, so there's still just enough time to read this before seeing the film, if you prefer that order of things. I had a serious soft-spot for books based in the South {owed to plenty of exposure to Flannery O'Connor, Truman Capote and Harper Lee in my formative years}, and this one didn't disappoint.

On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan

This is {gasp} the first book I've read by Mr. McEwan, and although it was clear from his beautiful writing that he has a firm command of the English language, I just did not enjoy the story itself. Nor did I find any of the characters particularly sympathetic. The book is centered around a newly-married, disfunctional couple's inability to consummate their marriage, and I have to say that if I had read the description of this book before picking it up, I likely would have moved on and avoided this disappointment. That being said, I head his other work is quite good.

The Peach Keeper, by Sarah Allen

If you like Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg, you'll probably enjoy this book. Southern women with secrets and sass - a great beach read that's not too dense and has a fun plot. My only problem with this book is that at one point, two of the main characters barely escape being assaulted by a drunken crowd of no-good men {don't worry, this isn't an essential part of the plot}, and they don't even think of calling the police. The author instead has the characters be relieved that they escaped while feeling somewhat responsible for the attack because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. So the creepy dudes are left still prowling around town without having to face the consequences. Fiddle-dee-dee? Me thinks not. It would have taken the author MAYBE a paragraph to have the women report the incident to the police, and then everything could have been settled off-screen. Given that the number of sexual assaults is sadly vastly under-reported in real life, I was disappointed in the author's decision to essentially make light of this unlawful attack.

Death at the Chateau Bremont, by M.L. Longworth

Ahhh. This was a real treat - the perfect summer read, in my opinion. Mystery, murder, a law school professor, Aix-en-Provence, wine appreciation, Furla bags and a little romance. Brilliant. The author actually lives in Aix, and that's apparent from her spot-on descriptions. In the words of Connie Fletcher, writing for Booklist: "The mix of aristocratic mystery and guide to Provencal wines, foods, habits, and Aix itself is a delight, and the old- fashioned plot line, with actual clues planted for the reader, offers a refreshing return to Golden Age values. A nobleman, with a house in Aix and a crumbling chateau just outside the city, falls to his death from a window. Enter the duo of Antoine Verlaque, the sexy magistrate of Aix, who, according to French law, must respond to and advise police on all suspicious deaths, and his ex-lover, law professor Marine Bonnet. Verlaque seeks Bonnet's advice since she was close to the victim and the Bremont family. The action proceeds against a classic format of interrogating suspects, including Bremont's playboy brother who has ties to the Russian Mob on the Cote d' Azur ... Bon appétit."

Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

This isn't per se a light read {it made even stone-hearted-ol'-me cry}, but I loved this book. It's about two families living very different lives, one in India and the other in San Francisco, linked by an adopted daughter. I have a bit of a thing for India, if that's what you call it, but even if you don't the author's ability to weave a story and create characters with real depth and complexity will have you hooked. For all the sadness and pain in this story, there is an equal amount of warmth and hope. So satisfied with this choice.

What's on your list this summer?

Happy Reading,

Ready for Your Close-Up?

2011-07-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of living in Los Angeles County is being able to see movies being filmed. I clerked downtown one summer, and it seemed like someone was shooting one thing or another every week. Before you ask: no, I have not been in any of these films, nor tried to worm my way into the background. The late Ms. Dietrich was a champion of knowing your best light source, and generally it is not of the beaming-down-from-above variety.

Unsolicited advice from yours truly: At all costs avoid having your picture taken in overhead lighting without a hat or massive sunnies. It's unflattering, and when emitted from the sun is also bad for your skin.

The talented film crews practically overrunning this city, however, do know how to make the best of things. Last evening, they were shooting just down the street from our condo and the lighting was perfect.

It was barely dusk, the sun was sinking, and it was that magic "soft-focus" light which appears only in the early morning or evening. Perfect filming time.

I'd be a terrible journalist, because (1) I always feel like I need to get permission to be somewhere, (2) I try to be covert but fail astonishingly, and (3) for both of the previous reasons, I never ask any questions. Therefore, I have no idea WHAT was being filmed, who was filming it, or who was in the Star Waggon.

I told you, it's impossible for me to be sneaky. Mr. Maroon-Tummy is clearly onto me. We suspected the man in the chair reviewing notes might be involved in direction. My bets are on the disinterested man in the sunglasses being involved in the funding end. But who knows, since I didn't wander on over and ask for identification.

The whole production was under the watchful eye of the Santa Monica P.D. I bet they have to draw straws or pull rank to get this gig. Much better than chasing shoplifters around Santa Monica Place.

We've lived here for a while now, but I still find there to be something so glamorous about filming on location. I'm off to do decidedly UN-glamorous things today like shopping for lamps, starching sheets and flinging small weights around in an attempt to tone my arms and keep my bone density up. Stars - they're JUST LIKE US. Except I bet they pay someone else to starch their sheets.

I hear most of the country is scorching under a massive heat wave. Seems to be the worst for the farmers. Stay cool and hydrated, everyone.

Happy Friday,

Le 14 de Juillet

2011-07-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

It's Bastille Day in France, which in America means being thankful for a country that helped us liberate ourselves from the Brits and continues to teach us everything there is to know about living well.

So you'll excuse me if I take a walk down memory lane with some of my favorite photos from our trip to Paris...

And now I'm in the mood for some wine, madeleines and proposals. Thanks to Mr. Curieuse, who took me to Paris and gave me all three.

Vive la France,

Manual Labor and Revenge Retail Therapy

2011-07-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

If I ever decide to give up practicing law, I'll be able to fall back on my newly-acquired patio-installation skills. That is, if anyone out there wants to hire a slow worker who (1) insists on using a level on each stone, (2) needs constant wine-drink breaks, (3) can only carry 12 bricks stacked in an L.L.Bean boat-and-tote at a time, and (4) refuses to start the project without a pair of hot pink work gloves {true story}.

You see, there's a certain space between our deck and a cement walkway. This space gets a moderate amount of foot traffic, thus rendering it unsuitable for planting pretty flowers, but perfectly suitable for a swath of bricks. Mr. Curieuse - the Brain Trust of the family - was marched out to the edge of the patio by yours truly, where he proceeded to calculate square footage of the area, cubic feet of gravel and sand needed, and number of bricks required for the job. And then he went back inside, packed his bags and got on a plane to NYC {true story. He promised to come back by Wednesday}.

I can't even tell you how many times I had to go to Home Depot because although I am a Sturdy Gal, I am constitutionally incapable of lugging the requisite supplies in one, or even two trips. ~~I may have made FIVE trips to Home Depot~~.

This is what I was doing all weekend {avec those hot pink work gloves, which btw were superb}:

Mr. Curieuse, on the other hand, flew first class, had brunch, biked along the Atlantic coastline...

{this is Mr. C enjoying cocktail hour with me at the W Hotel, but nicely represents his leisurely activities this weekend}

It took me 3 DAYS AND LOTS OF WINE, but here is the finished-except-for-the-final-edgers-which-need-to-be-cut-to-fit product:

{No, it does not slope in the middle; I inadvertently created a trompe-l'œi. Surprise!}

Essentially, I spent the weekend embracing my peasant-stock roots. They're still there, alright. And then I embraced ~~Mr. C's credit card~~ our joint bank account and bought a pretty new rug for our living room.

Mr. Curieuse will be in for a few surprises when he gets off that plane tomorrow. Luckily for me he's a terribly good sport, even if he eschews manual labor.

Emerged from the dirt,

p.s. Look for a summer reading post coming soon! In the meantime, we're accepting submissions for your must-reads. I'm burning through my library books.

Back to the Library

2011-07-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

I've fallen back in love with The Library, scene of many a fond childhood memory. I lost my way somewhere in my teens, and for a long time Amazon.com was my main source of reading materials. No longer. {Disclaimer: I still use Amazon for everything I am too ~~lazy~~ busy to source locally. Today I ordered ultra-fine sharpies. True story. They'll be here on Thursday.}

My local branch, still rocking 1960's chic like no tomorrow.

The Library is my friend again because (1) I don't have room to store a gazillion books and (2) to be perfectly honest: even if I DID have space, sometimes I fancy a nice ~~trashy novel~~ light read, and those have no place on respectable bookshelves.

Let's not forget that (3) libraries need membership and support in this day and age of slashing funds for public services. And I like to Do The Right Thing, especially when it means I can occasionally read things that aren't TLS-approved without the secret shame that comes with paying for and storing them.

My reading for the week. Law School really can hone your speed-reading skills.

And going to the library has yet another perk: on your way there you might just see the Google Maps Car, complete with a massive camera-mount and missing hubcap.

EDITED to preserve driver's privacy {thanks Bella!}

Yes, I pulled my car to a screeching halt, leapt out and started snapping. Only on my way back to my still-running vehicle did I notice that the driver was STILL IN THERE. Thankfully, he was fast asleep. Google must have a very progressive employee napping policy.

Happy Reading,

Scenes {and commentary} from the Weekend

2011-07-04T23:12:00.000-07:00

As you know, ~~I've~~ we've decided to overhaul our bit of garden space, which means (1) making epic trips to Home Depot and (2) boat-and-tote loads of lavender plants.

Since I didn't change my name when we married, Mr. Curieuse and I jokingly refer to ourselves as the Murdricks, a word that combines our two last names. I think it's hilarious in a morose way (it sounds like we come from a line of hit men), but it turns out - after consulting The Google - that it's a REAL last name. And the name of some sort of monster in Illia's Everquest Bestiary. Yeah. At any rate, our joke was memorialized on a boat-and-tote by the good people at the L.L.Bean headquarters in Freeport, Maine a few weeks ago and now it's going to last forever. It's proving to be a superior way to carry plants.

We I planted about 25 lavender plants, and I literally lay awake last night at 2am fretting about soil drainage and sun exposure. Basically, if these plants die, the entire neighborhood is going to know that I'm a gardening failure, particularly the landscape architect who lives two condos down. Not to pressure you plants or anything...

Apart from irregular positioning to avoid pipes {shouldn't those be buried deeper than 5 inches?}, drainage grates and irrigation controls, the plants seem to be alive and well. So far. I'll think more about their chances at 2am tonight.

In cleaning up the much-neglected beds for their new purpose as my own private lavender fields, I tried to save remnants of prior gardeners' efforts that somehow managed to cling to life without proper attention. Take this guy, for example:

I think it's some kind of geranium. Or it's a weed. Time will tell.

We've finally decided on our new couches, so we stopped by Pottery Barn to run some comfort tests before placing our order.

A collection of upholstered PB Comfort pieces in Metal Grey will be arriving at our abode in a few months. I know it's a personal style thing, but slipcovers make me uncomfortable. You see, slipcovers are intended to be a temporary fix for ugly patterns or stains until a piece can be replaced or reupholstered. Why you would want a piece that is permanently in that somewhat of a perpetual-limbo condition is beyond me. Let's just say that Rachel Ashwell and I don't always see eye to eye.

Alright, enough about slipcovers. I have to think happy thoughts if I'm going to get any sleep tonight.

Having a nicely stocked and organized home bar is so soothing. Comfort in order and liquor. That WASP-mantra should be embroidered on a pillow somewhere.

I almost forgot to mention that Mr. Curieuse grew tired of me using a boring point-and-shoot and ordered me up a new Olympus PEN. It's a cross between a point-and-shoot and a SLR - fantastic for getting quality photos without having to lug a bulky SLR around.

Of course, I still have to work on mastering that focus-y thing. And believe it or not, this was the LEAST creepy photo of the batch. It's really hard to take photos of yourself without looking like a maniac. I honestly don't know how you OOTD girls do it! {But please carry on, I love your posts.}

Sweet Dreams and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

A Lady of {Partial} Leisure

2011-07-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've officially cut my summer hours down to 3 days a week, meaning I now have Thursday and Friday to do whatever I like, or whatever is on Mr. C's "honey-do" list. That man is a slave driver! {Ok, listen: don't call DSS - that was a lame attempt at a joke before finishing my coffee, which is always a gamble. I apologize.} So I'm now a lady of partial leisure.

Speaking of coffee, my new schedule means I can whip up happiness-inducing espresso + almond milk + truvia cappuccinos on my days off. P.S. They taste best in mugs from Anthropologie.

I find these caffeine-laden babies to be a key part of my day-planning process, which usually involves sitting in my pj's going over various to-do lists and books {I'm trying to brush up on style and gardening, two topics where a good technical grip on things never hurts. For example, put your arms straight down along your sides. Note where your middle fingertip falls. You should never wear anything shorter than this length, except swimsuits and La Perla. Books say so.

Yesterday, I had to replenish Mr. C's athletic shirt supply {marriage is non-stop glamour, Internet}, so I popped into the local TJ Maxx. I also wanted to ogle their home goods, and somehow meandered over the the shoe section. People: steel yourselves because it was chock full of blatant brand knock-offs. Jack Rogers Bahamas jellies took the biggest blow:

Madden Girl, $16

Jack Rogers, $68 {here}

For the sake of science, I tried the things on and they were wildly uncomfortable. I supposed that's to be expected, for $16/pair.

Fake Jack jelly on left, my real Jack Navajo Hamptons on right

I wasn't always on the Jack Rogers bandwagon, but they're honestly the most comfortable shoes I own. And you can't argue with Jackie O, who loved her Jacks:

via

The rest of the day involved (1) an epic trip to Home Depot, (2) getting all pepped up to plant things and (3) quickly realizing that SoCal dirt is HARD AS ROCK, PEOPLE. And dry as a bone.

After 15 minutes of trying to turn brown cement into something more plant-friendly, I'm obligated to report that I had to stop because I was getting blisters. Don't despair: I set the hose on that sucker and today we'll see who's boss of the dirt. Admittedly, I should have pre-soaked it all in the first place, but who's counting. Probably my neighbors.

Feel free to share SoCal gardening tips, and/or margarita recipes.

Happy Friday,

Peony Party

2011-06-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

Peonies are right up there with the Best Flowers of All Time. Sadly, they don't do well in very hot climates so I don't see a lot of them growing here in SoCal {although they do make appearances in the flower stands - hooray!}.

In the summer, green things in New England grow so fast that if you stand in one spot for too long, you do so at your own peril because there's a real chance of being overtaken by the undergrowth. "Californian, aged 29, lost to a particularly aggressive type of Araliaceae ..."

I arrived just in time for peony season - they were everywhere, in a hundred different shares of red, white and pink.

I LOVE these things. They're massive, pretty and unapologetic. And they're quite heavy, so they tend to droop as one does after too many afternoon cocktails. Sort of like a very flamboyant Great Aunt. Or Albert from The Bird Cage {"well, one does want a hint of color"}.

So there you have it, your estrogen-fest for the day.

Go forth and have wine drinks with your peonies.

Abode Updates

2011-06-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

After a lot of discussion, mulling and carefully scanning of housing listings in our area, Mr. Curieuse and I have decided that we'd rather not buy a $1.3mil fixer-upper home. Which is about what you'd get for that amount of money in the neighborhoods we'd actually consider living in on the Westside of LA. A fixer-upper. Er, no thanks. I don't mind putting a lot of elbow grease into a home (in fact, I'd LOVE to take a slightly neglected home with good "bones" and turn it into something fabulous), but not one that comes with a 30 year $6k/month mortgage.

Call it my Yankee practicality, but that seems INSANE. We're very lucky in terms of family finances, but we're also not so crazy as to think an investment like that a good deal. Because it's really, really not. And my secret hope (which I've just published on the internet for all the world to see...oops) is that we work our behinds off and save for the next 4-5 years and then move to a smaller, more civic city. One like Boston, only without the winter. Such a place exists, right? Right?

So instead of buying an outrageously over-valued home, we've decided to stay put in our condo and invest in good furnishings. We've only lived together for about a year, and our place is full of an "eclectic" collection of bachelor pad and graduate school items. That is, IKEA and Tar-jay feature prominently. It's definitely time to have real furniture.

After fiddling a bit on Polyvore, I came up with a Nautical-themed style board for our living room:

It's not perfect, but I have to say I am pretty pleased with this first attempt! Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of the lumpy, faux leather couches Mr. Curieuse purchased a few years back. I'd like to burn them and dance ceremonially in the ashes, but our housing codes prohibit such conduct. City officials are such killjoys.

Off to google "couch donations" and get some more java before heading in to work.
Any suggestions on getting rid of deadweight furniture, Internet?

Back to the {East Coast} Beach!

2011-06-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

I've been back in California for all of 4 days and already booked a flight back to New England. What can I say. In my opinion, there is nothing that says "Summer" more than a sunny walk down an East Coast beach.

Pretty white houses, nice soft sand, a lobster shack not too far away... perfection!

Also, I have it on good authority that since most of my siblings will be home - with 5 of us, this is no small feat - my Mum will be making her famous (at least in our family, with the exception of my brother who's sadly shellfish intolerant) Lobster Pot Pie.

Yes. A pie of lobster. Believe it. Ina makes a mean one, too.
If you've never tried this sustenance of the gods, throw caution to the wind and put it on your summer to-do list. You'll love it, I promise.

Returning from the Void!

2011-06-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

Breakfast on my sister KAK's Boston patio with her signature mimosas - perfection!

It's been a loooong time since my last post, but next week I'm switching to a new schedule at work and I'll again have time for more than Twitter! (I protect my tweets, but if you request a follow I'll approve just about anyone who doesn't look like an axe murderer, a robot, or a member of the Tea Party because they're cray-cray. Moi = @MEKtweets).

I HAVE been faithfully stalking you bloggers on the handy-dandy tool that is Google Reader. Despite having been on an accidental blogging hiatus, and I'm always so thrilled to read about everyone's fabulous summer adventures, misadventures and OOTDs. Thanks for keeping me amused, ladies and gents!

While I've been away from Blogland, in real life I've been pretty busy! I just returned from a trip to New England (which I'll always consider my REAL home, just like my former neighbor Whitey Bulger), and can't wait to post about the fun times I had with friends and family.

In the meantime, two things: (1) I am indeed alive, check Twitter if you don't believe me, and (2) Happy Friday! Have a beautiful weekend!

Derby Party!

2011-05-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, or have some inexplicable aversion to large hats and strong drinks, you'll know that the Kentucky Derby was this past Saturday. Mr. Curieuse and I were invited to a party just down the road, appropriate dress required.

Out came the big hat.

It was so nice to see some Lilly Pulitzer and Nantucket Red! We only knew a few people at first, but everyone was so fun and friendly - we left with lots of new friends. It didn't hurt that we were all slinging back juleps and southern tea like nobody's business.

These ladies raided their grandmother's closets for their hats - how sweet do they look? Loved the scallop hat on the right.

My hat was definitely the largest, but I was slightly disappointed when I managed to make it through doorways without my brim hitting the frame. Oh, well - there's always next year!

Loved these derby hat cookies! They were huge - hence the chipped edges from those of us who didn't feel up to downing a whole one.

After the race, we enjoyed the sunshine and played a little game called "Cheers, Governor!" New to me, it involves assigning rules {mostly of the humiliating or drinking variety} to numbers until there are no numbers left or everyone passes out. We made it through maybe 4 rounds before everyone realized we aren't in college anymore.

My horse didn't win. I had money on Shakleford. I still can't talk about it. But we had an amazing time, nonetheless - it was everything a Derby Party should be: great crowd, pretty hats, dapper gents, sunshine and bourbon!

Hope everyone had a lovely Derby Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. {Abraham Lincoln}

Mum, enjoying a mojito in Montana & having a good time, as always.

Sit Right Here

2011-05-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

..and have another beer in Mexico!

Mexico, October 2010 - Bliss!

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

Now, where's my margarita...

Derby Ready

2011-05-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Mr. Curieuse and I are going to a derby party on Saturday. I am thrilled. The Derby is like playing dress-up, only with alcohol, correctly-applied make-up, and fabulous accents. A native Texan, Mr. Curieuse can lapse into a buttery slow drawl faster than you can say "my great-great grandmother once buried this silver in the lawn out back to hide it from the Yankees." I feel no shame in admitting to wishing he talked like that all the time, but he refuses. Tragic.

In anticipation of this weekend's equine-centered festivities, I've purchased a new hat. I always check product reviews if they're available, and was SOLD when I read this one: "I couldn't walk through a door without knocking my hat on the door frame." Like that's a bad thing.

Just look at the size of that thing! Don't worry - I'm ready. I've been gradually increasing the size of my hat brims as I grow older.
C'est moi, in the early days {clearly I had superior pumpkin-decorating skills from the start}:

One of my all-time favorites is a medium-sized ditty picked up at Toppers in Boston in my early twenties.

This baby has been to Costa Rica, Bali, Mexico... and still holds its shape despite years of abuse from salt water, chlorine and crammed suitcases. A true sign of a quality chapeau.

Is anyone else experiencing Derby Fever these days?
What will YOU be wearing?

Monday Motivation

2011-05-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I needed a little kick in the pants to get my tush in gear this morning. I'm trying to use more of my own content on this blog, but couldn't resist sharing this gem this morning:

I asked myself, would an idiot skip her run this morning? Yes. And so I ran.

Happy Monday!

One of Those Days

2011-04-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days - one of those days where I have a million things to do but just want to stay in bed watching Royal Wedding coverage and eating baked Cheetos.

{here}

Does anyone else like these things? I don't eat too much junk food, but something about that neon faux-cheesiness is just SO addicting. I get a serious craving for them once every few months. Like today. Because it's one of those days.

If I could switch today for another day, it have would be one of the many I enjoyed in Bali with my dear friend Dr. JR.

Days that started like this:

And ended with dinner and cocktails at sunset like this:

Oh, the joy of doing nothing but lounging and sipping tropical cocktails.
Definitely NOT overrated.

Sittin' in the Rain - Go Sox!

2011-04-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

When I checked the weather forecast for Anaheim the night before the game, it said "overcast." So we dressed in layers and off we went. Except that "overcast" apparently meant "torrential rain." {I'm looking at YOU, weather.com! What part of "FOREcast" did you miss??}

But we didn't turn around - what kind of fans would we be if we couldn't sit through a little rain to watch our team sweep the 4th game of the series?

Where's my hot toddy?

And after a while it cleared up nicely - allowing me to see just how many fellow Sox fans showed up! I've never seen so many fans of the visiting team at a game before! The Angels fans were pretty quiet, too. If you've ever been to Fenway, you'll know that even when the Sox are losing (sometimes especially), the fans are always roaring. Granted, most of them are 6 beers in, but it's an Irish town, people. Whad'ya want?

How cute are these little ladies?

{I think the scrunchie lady was an Angels fan - ha!}

By the time the game was over {7-0 SHUTOUT!}, the skies were blue and all was right with the world.

All-in-all, we liked the Stadium, loved our Sox, and missed our Fenway Franks - Weinershnitzel just doesn't cut it. Also, I forgot how STEEP the bleacher seats are. Holy break-your-neck. I would NOT drink beer if you're sitting in those seats.

For the Record, let this post serve as proof that I do occasionally wear t-shirts and jeans {you can't see the jeans, but we're friends so you can take my word on it}. Usually those occasions are sports games, but the proof stands.

Until next time - Let's go Red Sox!

Holy Thursday Wine Garden

2011-04-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

Mr. Curieuse had Good Friday off because the markets were closed - lucky man. Since he didn't need to get up at 4:30am the next morning, on Thursday night we went to Nordstrom at Santa Monica Place for a little retail therapy {me: Bobbi Brown & watch-scouting, him: sunglasses}, and decided to swing by the Sonoma Wine Garden on the roof.

It's nothing fancy, but does offer superior views of both the beach and interesting people varieties. And they have bubbly and oysters on their happy hour menu. Essential.

If you're shopping at Santa Monica Place, Sonoma Wine Garden is a good place to grab a drink and re-group before heading out. I don't know if it's a destination in and of itself, but it's great for what it is - a wine bar in a mall with a view of the beach. Best for happy hour or a quick cocktail and nosh.

Red Sox!

2011-04-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

I can't count the number of Red Sox games I saw at Fenway when we lived in Boston. Nor, for that matter, can I remember the number of Ballpark Franks and plastic cups of Sam Adams I downed, but that's probably for the best.

Mr. C and me at Fenway, circa 2005 {we were babies}

Sometimes we had box seats, sometimes home plate seats, and sometimes bleacher seats. Loved them all. Looking at these pics, I'm realizing that I don't look too much older now {at 29+8months} than when I was 24ish. I'll thank obsessive application of SPF 70 for that. Of course I was never what one might call baby-faced, but say what you will - sunscreen saves, people.

My undergraduate alma mater is having an alumni event today at the Angels v. Red Sox game in Anaheim {about an hour south of us}, and I signed us up immediately. Y'all might think tailgating is just for football, but my fellow University of Massachusetts alums know there's no better event than one that involves the Red Sox. {Although I am SUPER excited about the football program's recent news!}

And so we're off to cheer on the Sox and meet more New-England-to-SoCal transplants. Perhaps it's not a traditional way to celebrate Easter, but I'll take the Sox over ham any day.

Happy Easter!

Save the Earth...

2011-04-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

...It's the only planet with wine!

{Mary Phillips Designs - available in cocktail napkin form here}

Happy Earth Day,

Kate Rocks MEK's Law School Uniform

2011-04-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

You guys, I now officially love Kate Middleton.
Yesterday she wore my law school uniform while hitting the shops:

I swear we're on the same wavelength: wrap dresses SAVE, people. I had 6 or so (mostly in black) and would wear them at least three times a week while in grad school.

Wrap dresses are the best stress-free "what do I wear?" decision when your brain is full of other things {mine: rules of evidence, hers: BEING QUEEN}. Throw on fun shoes and some studs and you're golden.

Add to this the fact that we both love champers, and we're practically related.
Just saying.

Sunshine and Mimosas

2011-04-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

My sister KAK {last week's birthday girl} is in the Florida Keys for a wedding and other fun activities. Yesterday morning she sent me this:

There's the proof, people: she's the Queen of Mimosas! Wouldn't you love to be in that chair right now, ordering a morning tipple of your own? Me, too!

Happy Hump Day!

butter LONDON

2011-04-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late to the game, but have you all heard of butter LONDON?

It's something of a cult phenomenon of the nail industry, founded in 2005 by two Brits {but apparently Seattle-based}, offering a nice range of chic nail products without most of the toxins found in other polishes. butter LONDON products do not contain Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP or Parabens. Here's the scary part: most other brands do.

In the spirit of putting less poison into my nailbeds, I snapped up these two on Zappos for $14/bottle:

"Primrose Hill Picnic"

the famous "Yummy Mummy"

I'm not a soap-box "green freak," but if there's a way to look cute without using Formaldehyde, count me in. That's pretty much a no-brainer. I applied "Yummy Mummy" last night while Mr. Curieuse was watching 'Weeds' {we're SO behind on shows}, and it went on easily and I love the color! Takes 2-3 coats for the color to be true to the bottle. Hopefully it holds up to grueling desk work for the rest of the week.

And guess what? butter London is NOT missing out on all the Royal Nuptials fun. Their latest color is called: "No More Waity, Katie." So cheeky!

NMWK wasn't on butter London's website last week, but it is now and you can order it here!

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-04-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dinner and a movie, retail therapy, sushi, mani-pedi, mini-cupcakes, wine drinks and Martha.

{A girl can never have too many glasses of wine or beaded tunic dresses}

{Veggie burger, R+D Kitchen}

{Recently learned that Houstons allegedly changed its name to Hillstone to

avoid nutritional info disclosure laws. So who knows what's in my veg burger.}

{Nespresso machine, still going strong}

{Ball of protein salad (spicy tuna, not raw beef)}

{Not fancy, but a Classic. We're Californians, after all.}

{I prefer Essie to O.P.I, I think.}

{It's 2pm on a Saturday. Do you know where your wife is?}

{home of the mini-but-mighty-cupcake}

{I hear pie is the new cupcake, but haven't seen any pie shops opening nearby...}

{New Martha, wine drink and Mr. C whipping up dinner. Happiness.}

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Take Us to the Castle, Please.

2011-04-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm entirely obsessed with the incomparable tumblr page Kate Middleton for the Win. See for yourself. Immediately. You'll thank me.

I'd like to take the brains behind this operation out for drinks. Big ones.
Happy Weekend!

Happy Birthday, Little Sis!

2011-04-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today may be Tax Day, but it's also my little sister's birthday. And since we all get our taxes done early (right, guys? right?), April 15th is really just about the Birthday Girl. She was such a peach when she was little - looked just like a little doll. Seriously. Tuition-bill-paying looks, that one.

{with her boyfriend at our wedding last fall}

My little brother, me, and the Birthday Girl gettin' DOWN at my wedding. Hubs, Big Sis and Brother-in-Law in the background. {Just because we've got no formal training doesn't mean we can't DANCE.} They're both on the East Coast - I miss these guys!

If I could get her anything in the world, it would be dinner with Harrison Ford. We had a life-sized Hans Solo stand-up in our house growing up. Three guesses as to who loved it the most...

Happy 28th Birthday, Little Sister - my oldest (we've known each other since I was 1yr, 8mos old) and best friend!

Can't wait to see her next month!!!

p.s. She has a serious affinity for mimosa's. Try as I might, I couldn't find a photo of her with her signature beverage! This will be remedied during my visit next month, I promise!

Mini Anniversary Vaca, Recapped

2011-04-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Our ~~excuse to take ourselves out~~ 6-month anniversary trip was a brilliant success! Even though we were just 30 miles away in Pasadena at the Langham Huntington, it felt like we were a world away from LA.

Staying in some pretty posh digs certainly helped - we were surprised to find that instead of a club room (they're lovely, btw), the hotel gave us a gigantic suite. As in: 2 bathrooms, a dining room, living room, hallway and bedroom.

The decor may have been a touch old-school for some, but for me it was even more assurance that we were no longer in dodge {and reminded me of traditional homes Back East}. I loved its lack of Chrome & White or Hipster-Chic design. Sometimes a girl needs a little Trad.

The whole place is lovely, and as for the pool: looks are deceiving - it was splendidly sunny but only about 65 degrees. I need hot tub temps to bare that much skin in such frigid conditions.

Cocktails in the Tap Room Lounge, deciding whether to dine out or order room service...

Room service won out. After all, how often do you have your own a private dining room {with a working fireplace!}?

Mr. Curieuse somehow manages to alternate quite easily between "Banker" and "Bruiser." It puzzles me, but I'm not complaining.

Room service is amazing. And entirely underrated. The next morning I couldn't stop myself and phoned us up some breakfast treats:

I can think of few things besides a prompt and accurate staff at my beck and call that make me smile this much sans a scrap of makeup and barely halfway through my first cup of coffee. Very few things. Luckily, Mr. Curieuse loves me anyway. What a gem.

On our way out we stopped at Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea in Old Town. I got a cappuccino to go, and this is what it looked like before the lid was secured:

Say what you will about Pasadena, but people there pay attention to details like nobody's business. A town after my own heart. We can't wait to go back!

Don't you find that any vacation, even a mini one {and maybe even a good old stay-cation}, is one of the best ways to treat yourself? We're already planning our next adventures!

Fornash Finds!

2011-04-12T07:36:00.000-07:00

Cut-Out Clover Necklace

Regatta Bangle

Enamel Bamboo Bangle

Small Clover Earrings

Spring is in the air, meaning my Prepster alter-ego is demanding accessories.

{here}

"I want shiny things, and I want them NOW!"

Although raised in New England, I was born in the Sunshine State, meaning I was automatically imbued with a love of Lilly Pulitzer, bamboo and gold sandals. {That's the only way I can explain it, anyway, and I've given up fighting an otherwise inexplicable penchant for pink and green things.} One visit to Stephanie Fornash Kennedy's online shop was all it took to quiet my inner Sunshine Queen.

If you're like me and occasionally need a fix of coral, turquoise and enamel elephant designs, sashay yourself on over to Fornash for some seriously cute and amazingly affordable accessories.

And then call your momma and have a mint julep.

Heady Times with RG

2011-04-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Before Mr. Curieuse and I headed to Pasadena for some 6-month anniversary R&R, I met up with the unparalleled RG.
She was in town for a Very Serious Law Student Competition. Here she is with her teammate, competitors and the Judges {pretty famous guys - you law fiends may recognize one or all of them}:

The brain power in the room was a little overwhelming. As were the superior good-looks, coming particularly from the leggy gal second from the left.

To celebrate some fabulous competing {and to toast to the END of some serious work}, we scooted over to RG's hotel for some cocktails in the panoramic restaurant/bar on the top floor. You could see all of LA from here, as well as all of the I-405 rush-hour traffic we were happily avoiding.

Not one of the bartenders knew what a French 75 was, nor did they feature any drinks with ginger, but they did have bubbly. Saved!

No one can rock a red dress like RG. And can you believe how much my hair color has faded? Is the universe directing me away from the dark side?? {I also need a cut, but Lord help me - this isn't going to turn into a hair post.}

We finished our bubbly and obligatory cheese plate and headed over to Upstairs 2 - a wine and small plates restaurant above my favorite wine shop. I like to think it's one of the Westside's hidden gems.

Dieters look away now:

Lavender-infused creme brulee and sticky toffee pudding a la mode. I had a clear favorite.
Good times are practically guaranteed when RG's around - congrats on all of your hard work, my sweet! Muah!

Friends are the best.
Happy Monday!

6 Month Anniversary!

2011-04-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

The government might be shutting down, but Mr. Curieuse and I are headed to the Langham Hotel in Pasadena for the weekend to celebrate our 6 month anniversary.

{here}

Let our Congressional representatives muck it out - we'll be having cocktails, spa treatments and high tea.
Marriage is quite agreeable, I find.

xoxo,

Sunday Brunch

2011-04-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mr. Curieuse and I are big believers in Brunch.
I get it from my Mum, who has been known to spend Sundays at the Church of St. Benedict. "Brunch" is ~~practically~~ definitely a verb in our family.

This Sunday, we ventured out to Ford's Filling Station in hip little Culver City.

{here}

Just look at this cocktail menu! I'm a big fan of French 75's and Mr. C. loves his Vespas.
How to decide...

We settled on the obligatory mimosas - it's not brunch without them!
Little sister would have approved.

If you're hungry, honey - this is the place for you.
I ordered the Blue Maxx (poached eggs, bacon-smoked potatoes, spinach, fontina and hollandaise):

The Blue Maxx is certifiably bliss-inducing. I recommend pairing it with a good dash of denial about just how much butter was used in the making of this dish. {Apologies, arteries.}

Mr. Curieuse went with his old standby, Huevos Rancheros:

And then we went home and plopped ourselves on the deck, enjoying the sunshine and devoting every ounce of our energy to digesting all of that brunchy goodness.

Did you happen to Brunch this weekend?

Lake Street Creamery Truck

2011-03-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

It is about 82 degrees here in LA. And the Lake Street Creamery truck sidled up to the curb outside of my office building. Coincidence? I'd prefer to say it was a sign.

{here}

Co-worker extraordinaire AMA follows @lakestreetcreamery on twitter, and as soon as she got the "last call" tweet, down we went.
Word's out about the fabulousness of this stuff - look who else has cozied up to the Truck of Goodness!

{here}

Close your eyes, dieters - I ordered a scoop of the Aztec Sacrifice.
Thank goodness I went running this morning.

"Hot, spicy chocolate in the tradition of the Precolumbian Americas. Made with Ghirardelli chocolate, chiles, cayenne, and the blood of a thousand virgins." It's no joke.

We devoured our treats on the office deck, reveling in sugary spiciness and the bliss that is our weather right now.

My parents report that there will be a big snow storm tomorrow on the East Coast.
My question to them is: are you ready to move yet?

From the land of ice cream, Mad Men, palm trees and fabulous weather,

Give Something Priceless

2011-03-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that until today, I had never donated blood in a vehicle of any kind. But the Cedars-Sinai bloodmobile was making the rounds in LA, taking donations for blood to send over to Japan, so as an O-Positive {a universal donor} I threw caution to the wind and hopped on the big red and white bus parked outside my building.

Luckily, it didn't move. Believe me, I thought about what would happen if it did. My imaginary scenarios mostly involved me yelping a lot.

If you've given blood before, you know what to look forward to: blood-sugar-raising snacks!

They may have gone overboard in emptying half of the Fig Newtons box into my purse. Luckily for me, I love these things, and we now have an office stash.

And to be extra sure of avoiding any sort of crash, my lovely office-mate AMA and I tripped the light fantastic down to Tutti Fruitti.

My new platelets might be rainbow-colored. Just sayin.'

Le Weekend in Review

2011-03-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

You'd never be able to tell it by the amount of sunshine streaming about the traps this morning, but it was another rainy weekend here in Santa Monica.

I'll tell you a secret: I hate worms. And they come out of their hiding places when it rains, meaning I have to try and dodge the little squirmy bothers whenever I go outside. You should see me running in such conditions {I jump a lot}. YICK.

Other than the rain/worm situation, it was a great weekend!

Friday night we went to one of our local faves, R+D Kitchen on Montana Ave. They have a killer veg burger, and like other Hillstone locations in our area, charge no corkage fee! It's superior for people-watching, too. We were feeling virtuous and skipped the frites.

Hard-line GOP-ers look away now - my new Tote bag arrived in the mail! I whipped it up on CafePress myself. I think America needs public radio and television channels - in today's age of slanted news, it's an invaluable service in keeping the electorate informed. Other first-world countries have them -why can't we? {Don't even get me started on health care...}

I was supposed to try out the Drybar in Pacific Palisades on Saturday morning {it's closer than the Brentwood location}, but 2 transformers had blown and most of the town was without power! There was no juice for the blowdriers, sadly. But everyone at Drybar was so sweet - I even got 2 voicemails apologizing for the inconvenience. And isn't the PP shop cute?

{here}

Mr. Curieuse and I went to see my first Western Conference Hockey game!

His company bought everyone tickets, which was swell. I don't think I've ever been so close to the ice before! Those empty rows in front of us were quickly filled with 2 families-worth of the most beautiful blonde children around. And they were amazingly well-behaved!

I love that Mr. Curieuse isn't afraid to wear a herringbone blazer to a hockey game. There are very few places where a man looks out of place in a nice blazer, imho. Here's a nice review of the one Mr. C is sporting.

Since he's such a nice dresser, I actioned his favorite cold-weather dinner: Julia Child's soupe à l'oignon. It takes forever, but most of the work is simply stirring, so don't be deterred. It's delicious. She's a genius.

I can't believe it's going to be APRIL on Friday. Where does the time go?

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, too!

Happy Monday,

LA Marathon in the Rain

2011-03-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

The tail end of the LA Marathon passed right by Chez Curieuse, and Hubs and I couldn't wait to see the elite runners. There was just one little problem... it was pouring. Buckets.

Just look at those grey skies:

I nabbed an umbrella (note: replace ASAP - this baby survived repeated bouts of gale-force winds throughout law school and deserves retirement):

And Mr. Curieuse braved the elements in his Harvard Physics hoodie.

What is it about Texas boys and their aversion to umbrellas? Tough guy. But he's my tough guy and he's got great shoulders. Yummy.

Oh yes, the runners... SUCH troopers. At this point, they'd been running in torrential rain for a little over 2 hours:

A good number of runners were treated for hypothermia, and it's easy to see why.

But our neighborhood did our best to cheer them on, including this little button:

Isn't she the sweetest? She was so excited, and clapped for every single runner.

And with that inspiration, I'm off for my morning run {which is nowhere near marathon-length, but we do what we can}.

Happy Running!

The Lovely Liz

2011-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor has gone to that big jewelry box in the sky, where she's surely driving all the boys crazy.

photo by Richard Avedon, 1964

I'd say "rest in peace," but for a dame who once said "you find out who your real friends are when you're involved in a scandal," that clearly isn't her style.

Rest in all of your fabulous glory is more like it.

Quick-Fix Glam: Drybar!

2011-03-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Drybar? I hadn't, until I read about Hopsy's trip to the Dallas location. Drybar is a very efficient type of salon - no cuts, no color, just blowouts for $35. I know.

Normally, I spend ZERO time on my hair besides a quick brushing - it's naturally straight right out of the shower. It is a bit fine, though, so I will occasionally spend some time trying to force a little volume in. Other than that, le coif is very low-maintenance. But I do love blow-outs.

It turns out that I live a mere 3 miles from the very first Drybar, located in chic little Brentwood, CA. And is it ever popular - weekends are booked practically a week in advance!

Luckily the hair gods were feeling charitable and gave me an appointment on Saturday.

The business model is simple: a limited "menu" {Manhattan, Mai Tai, Southern Comfort, Cosmopolitan, or Straight Up}, short appointments {30 minutes}, and cheap {$35+tip}.

And the decor is pretty cute - very white and clean with fun yellow accents.
Here's something of a "before" pic {get an eyeful of that fun light fixture! and my flat hair!}:

I "ordered" the Cosmopolitan (loose curls), and those hair gods must have been in especially good moods because my stylist spend a full hour on my blow-out.

I gave her a gigantic tip. And spent the rest of the day wishing my hair looked like this naturally.
Have you been? If there's one near you, you MUST go! I'll be popping in again as soon as I have anything close to "an event" {drinks with Mr. Curieuse counts, right?} to shine up for. Or I might just go this afternoon.

Drybar is right up there with mani-pedis as far as glam quick-fixes, in my book.
In this economy, let's hear it for affordable pampering!

Catching Up

2011-03-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Excuse the lack of posting this past week. I was preoccupied with house guests, daylight-savings adjustments, errant animals, baking and worrying for Japan. So, here's a catch-up post to bring you all up to speed on what's been happening at Chez Curieuse!

Among other things, we actioned some mimosas for our guests this past weekend:

My little sister serves up mimosas every weekend. It's a tradition I fully support.

As for errant animals, get an eyeful of my recent visitor:

This little guy flew in the window and perched on the curtain rods admiring the crown molding for a good hour.

FYI: If you live in Santa Monica, rest assured that Animal Control will not laugh at you if you call for help removing a confused hummingbird from your house. They're really quite helpful, which is rare in this day and age. {He finally flew out before they arrived, saving him some serious emotional trauma, no doubt.}

And we now have 2 bottles of Limoncello in the fridge:

It tastes like candy {remember lemonheads, anyone?}, which is dangerous considering the fact that the stuff's at least 50 proof. Luckily we're risk-takers.

Making limoncello is astonishingly easy, as mentioned in my post on the beginning stages. If you'd like to take a whack at it, I essentially followed this recipe, but let the peels steep for 10 days instead of 4.

Since it was St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, I actioned some Irish Soda Bread:

It was a perfect breakfast. And lunch. And snack. I don't know why Sunset Breads hasn't been reprinted since the 1980's. That book is full of fail-safes for the modern baker.

Spring has definitely sprung in the Southland. Nasturtiums self-seed all over the place, so I nabbed a few for the kitchen window:

I also snipped some of these party-ready Irises growing up the walk:

Every flower in the place has been pulled from the yard {being a locavore is so hip these days}.

Our table says "it's time to have a brunch, already!" I agree. Who wants brunch?

And there you have it: all caught up!

Have a lovely weekend, and at least 2 mimosas {they're an excellent source of Vitamin C}.

Send prayers, donations, special thoughts to Japan.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by these terrible events.

xoxo,

Happy St. Patty's!

2011-03-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Massachusetts, where about 25% of the population claims Irish heritage, it was nearly impossible to find someone who didn't celebrate St. Patty's. And although my family is a mix of probably every Anglo Saxon ethnicity EXCEPT Irish, when it comes to fun holidays, we're definitely Joiners. Marrying Mr. Curiuese {he's part Irish} has lent a certain legitimacy to my revelry, I suppose, not that the lack of it hampered my fun in the past.

I will say, though, that Californians have nothing on Yankees - particularly Bostonians - when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's day. It's already 11am here, and I've yet to be offered a Guinness.
I know. Shocking.

{Mr. Curieuse & me with the Green Monster in Boston, circa 2005}

May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!

Slàinte!