Yesterday was a bad day at work -- things went from bad to worse before the day was even half over. Thankfully Justin had worked out some dinner plans with friends, and I was able to forget about things for a while.
We had a delicious dinner at the Glass Wall. I had a salad with lots of goat cheese (yum) to start and pork tenderloin with smoked gouda mac n’ cheese and asparagus and apples along with a glass of malbec. And nothing makes a bad day better like some decadent chocolate bread pudding. In addition to the meal being so tasty, the company was great too. Lots of fun stories were shared by all (including my all time favorite Justin story)!
On to the weekend . . . I am hoping I can do some decorating projects that have been on my to-do list for a while. (And I am hoping my hair lady calls me back because my bangs are out of control and need to be trimmed big time.) I am also looking forward to a tentatively planned mani/pedi with Meagan on Saturday!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
The City.
Things have been crazy at work (for example, leaving around 11:30 p.m. and getting back up to the office at 3:00 a.m.), hence my lack of blogging. Any free time I have had has been spent napping or vegging in front of the TV. Hopefully things will slow down a bit, but I am not overly confident they will anytime soon.
Anywho, I watched The City's season finale tonight and have 2 comments:
1) I cannot believe Whitney said goodbye to Jay. I was shocked when I heard her say "too little too late." He was so sweet and seemed so sincere coming back and telling her he loved her. I do give her props for wanting to pursue her career, but my heavens . . . he was so cute and so charming.
2) If Whitney can stand up to Jay like that, she has got to do the same with Olivia. Her little passive aggressive comment about needing more credit for the work she is doing is BS and won't get her anywhere. She needs to say "look chick, you are totally taking credit for what I did, and I am not going to let it happen again." (She could omit the "look chick" portion if she wanted, but I wouldn't recommend it.)
Anywho, I watched The City's season finale tonight and have 2 comments:
1) I cannot believe Whitney said goodbye to Jay. I was shocked when I heard her say "too little too late." He was so sweet and seemed so sincere coming back and telling her he loved her. I do give her props for wanting to pursue her career, but my heavens . . . he was so cute and so charming.
2) If Whitney can stand up to Jay like that, she has got to do the same with Olivia. Her little passive aggressive comment about needing more credit for the work she is doing is BS and won't get her anywhere. She needs to say "look chick, you are totally taking credit for what I did, and I am not going to let it happen again." (She could omit the "look chick" portion if she wanted, but I wouldn't recommend it.)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Copying Charlie.
The other day, Riley heard me ooing and awing over Charlie, Pioneer Woman's precious basset hound. Being the spoiled, attention-loving dog that he is, Riley took matters into his own hands (or paws) and decided the only way to compete with Charlie was copy his cuteness while sleeping. I found Riley in the following position the day after I read the PW's blog post.
Thankfully, Riley is as sound of a sleeper as Charlie, so I was able to snap some pictures to document the cuteness copying. (And yes, I know that PW's pictures are much better than mine).
All sprawled out on the chair.
As PW says, this can't be normal.
And my favorite, the tired doggies showing off their pearly whites.
Thankfully, Riley is as sound of a sleeper as Charlie, so I was able to snap some pictures to document the cuteness copying. (And yes, I know that PW's pictures are much better than mine).
All sprawled out on the chair.
As PW says, this can't be normal.
And my favorite, the tired doggies showing off their pearly whites.
Cure for a Case of the Mondays.
Yesterday was worse than a normal Monday. For starters, it was the day after the time change. No one likes waking up an hour earlier than what they are used to. And to make matters worse, it was dreary and humid outside.
To help overcome what was destined to be a pitiful Monday, I wore my bright coral/pink heels from J. Crew. Nothing helps perk things up than some fun peep-toes!
(Please excuse the several week-old pedicure).
The shoes (but not in the fun colors) are way on sale and can be yours here, if you wear a size 11!
Here's J.Crew's image:
Despite needing a pick-me-up today as well, I settled on plain black pointed-toe pumps for work (boring!).
To help overcome what was destined to be a pitiful Monday, I wore my bright coral/pink heels from J. Crew. Nothing helps perk things up than some fun peep-toes!
(Please excuse the several week-old pedicure).
The shoes (but not in the fun colors) are way on sale and can be yours here, if you wear a size 11!
Here's J.Crew's image:
Despite needing a pick-me-up today as well, I settled on plain black pointed-toe pumps for work (boring!).
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Barbara Bush.
Barbara Bush had open-heart surgery here in Houston today. Here is the Houston Chronicle's story and Methodist's press release. Thankfully everything went well and she is expected to be released from the hospital in 7-10 days.
I wouldn't ordinarily be posting about a former first lady's surgery, but the cool thing about it is that her doctor, Dr. Gerald Lawrie, also performed open-heart surgery on both of my parents. He was such a nice guy (and of course, a great doctor).
He has also operated on the Shah of Iran, the President of Turkey, the King of Belgium, and other royal figures. Glad to know my parents are in good company.
Best wishes to Mrs. Bush for a speedy recovery.
I wouldn't ordinarily be posting about a former first lady's surgery, but the cool thing about it is that her doctor, Dr. Gerald Lawrie, also performed open-heart surgery on both of my parents. He was such a nice guy (and of course, a great doctor).
He has also operated on the Shah of Iran, the President of Turkey, the King of Belgium, and other royal figures. Glad to know my parents are in good company. Best wishes to Mrs. Bush for a speedy recovery.
This week around the office.
Once a year, all of the partners in our office go out of town to attend several days of meetings. While there is still a lot of work to be done, them being gone also means we can have a little more fun at the office.
We can normally wear jeans on Friday, but this week we could wear them Wednesday through Friday. I don't know what it is about wearing jeans to work, but I love it. Yesterday afternoon's event is hands-down my favorite part of the week. We had an ice cream social! The firm gets the lovely folks at Blue Bell to bring their ice cream cart, umbrella, and soda shop music. The have about 5 flavors and tons of toppings -- oreo bits, m&ms, jimmies/sprinkles, all kinds of syrups. This year they forgot the whipped cream, but I am not complaining. It was delicious.
For lunch tomorrow, the associates are going to a Mexican restaurant that happens to also serve tasty margaritas. Many won't make it back into work. It is always a blast. Tomorrow will be an extremely low billing day for our office.
Unfortunately, Monday will be here before we know it and all the fun will have to come to an end.
We can normally wear jeans on Friday, but this week we could wear them Wednesday through Friday. I don't know what it is about wearing jeans to work, but I love it. Yesterday afternoon's event is hands-down my favorite part of the week. We had an ice cream social! The firm gets the lovely folks at Blue Bell to bring their ice cream cart, umbrella, and soda shop music. The have about 5 flavors and tons of toppings -- oreo bits, m&ms, jimmies/sprinkles, all kinds of syrups. This year they forgot the whipped cream, but I am not complaining. It was delicious.
For lunch tomorrow, the associates are going to a Mexican restaurant that happens to also serve tasty margaritas. Many won't make it back into work. It is always a blast. Tomorrow will be an extremely low billing day for our office.Unfortunately, Monday will be here before we know it and all the fun will have to come to an end.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Great Deal at Banana.
I love the feeling of getting a good deal. This weekend, we popped into Banana Republic while waiting to meet Meagan and Jeremy for dinner.
Silk Floral-Print Tunic
Regular Price: $69.00
Cotton Crewneck Cardigan (in orange)
Regular Price: $59.00
I got both the blouse and cardigan for $53.33 (including tax)! The cardigan was 30% off, then I used a $50.00 rewards card, and then got 10% the total for using our Luxe card.
Total Score!
Silk Floral-Print TunicRegular Price: $69.00
Cotton Crewneck Cardigan (in orange)Regular Price: $59.00
I got both the blouse and cardigan for $53.33 (including tax)! The cardigan was 30% off, then I used a $50.00 rewards card, and then got 10% the total for using our Luxe card.
Total Score!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
5 things . . .
A bunch of odd things happened this past week, so in honor of my out of the ordinary week (which has kept me from blogging), here are the top 5 crazy things that happened this past week . . .
1. I knew the week was off to a bad start when I had to yell at some idiot in my parking garage Monday morning that was too busy and important to wait his turn in line. He cut me off, almost hitting my car in the process, and left me out in the middle of the intersection while we waited to get into the garage. Don't worry, before I started telling him how I felt about him being inconsiderate and putting my safety at risk, I made sure there were enough other people around in case he decided to do something crazy. The best part -- the lady behind me shouts "Tell him to go to hell!" Love it.
2. That same day, I had to get a MRI of my sacroiliac joint. Me being the medical genius that I am, thought a MRI and CT scan were the same thing. Imagine my surprise when the lady told me to lay still and she would be back in 30 minutes. I was thinking it would take about 5 minutes, like my previous CT scans. But the kicker is they were nice enough to give me headphones with music. Things started off normally until about half way through I start hearing (no joke), "You are special. I may not know your name, but Jesus does. He died for you and you can come to know Him right now." I was more surprised than offended. But seriously that could really offend someone. You are essentially forced to listen to it because you can't take the headphones off. It was very strange and unexpected.
3. On Tuesday, I had to go to municipal court for a traffic ticket (speeding). For the record, it was my first ticket ever. An attorney here in town that everyone uses represents other attorneys for free, so I thought what the heck, I've got nothing to lose so I challenged the ticket. It provided for great people-watching. By 8:05 a.m., I had already seen an old crazy professor-type lawyer get hand cuffed and removed from the courtroom for interrupting and yelling at the judge. After the judge's repeated requests for him to be quiet, she had him thrown out. On his way out (in hand cuffs), he yells back that he will call us all as witnesses to unlawful arrest. It was simply amazing.
4. Because I was at municipal court for several hours, the guy in #3 wasn't the only spectacle. There was also a lady, who evidently the judge had been nice to for several different court appearances. The lady, however, came in again with a terrible attitude (and flip-flops, a hooded sweatshirt, and jeans) and the judge had enough. She called the lady, who also happened to bring her 3-year old son with her, back up to the bench. Going Judge Judy on her, the judge informed her that this was her courtroom and she was sick and tired of the lady's terrible attitude despite trying to remain pleasant with her. The judge informed the lady that if her attitude did not immediately improve, she would hold her in contempt of court for 3 days. The judge also pointed out that she didn't care that the lady's son was with her -- that it would not deter her from still putting the lady in jail. The lady's demeanor quickly changed. Nothing a little threat of contempt couldn't fix.
5. And last but not least, the economy is bad and things are scary out there. I know that won't make the evening news, but everyday I hear about another law firm laying off associates and staff. February was a brutal month, and it looks like there is no end in sight. Associates are now detecting if anything suspicious is going down by looking at conference room reservations (see stories here). Thankfully everyone I know has been spared. I am keeping my fingers crossed it stays that way.
1. I knew the week was off to a bad start when I had to yell at some idiot in my parking garage Monday morning that was too busy and important to wait his turn in line. He cut me off, almost hitting my car in the process, and left me out in the middle of the intersection while we waited to get into the garage. Don't worry, before I started telling him how I felt about him being inconsiderate and putting my safety at risk, I made sure there were enough other people around in case he decided to do something crazy. The best part -- the lady behind me shouts "Tell him to go to hell!" Love it.
2. That same day, I had to get a MRI of my sacroiliac joint. Me being the medical genius that I am, thought a MRI and CT scan were the same thing. Imagine my surprise when the lady told me to lay still and she would be back in 30 minutes. I was thinking it would take about 5 minutes, like my previous CT scans. But the kicker is they were nice enough to give me headphones with music. Things started off normally until about half way through I start hearing (no joke), "You are special. I may not know your name, but Jesus does. He died for you and you can come to know Him right now." I was more surprised than offended. But seriously that could really offend someone. You are essentially forced to listen to it because you can't take the headphones off. It was very strange and unexpected.
3. On Tuesday, I had to go to municipal court for a traffic ticket (speeding). For the record, it was my first ticket ever. An attorney here in town that everyone uses represents other attorneys for free, so I thought what the heck, I've got nothing to lose so I challenged the ticket. It provided for great people-watching. By 8:05 a.m., I had already seen an old crazy professor-type lawyer get hand cuffed and removed from the courtroom for interrupting and yelling at the judge. After the judge's repeated requests for him to be quiet, she had him thrown out. On his way out (in hand cuffs), he yells back that he will call us all as witnesses to unlawful arrest. It was simply amazing.
4. Because I was at municipal court for several hours, the guy in #3 wasn't the only spectacle. There was also a lady, who evidently the judge had been nice to for several different court appearances. The lady, however, came in again with a terrible attitude (and flip-flops, a hooded sweatshirt, and jeans) and the judge had enough. She called the lady, who also happened to bring her 3-year old son with her, back up to the bench. Going Judge Judy on her, the judge informed her that this was her courtroom and she was sick and tired of the lady's terrible attitude despite trying to remain pleasant with her. The judge informed the lady that if her attitude did not immediately improve, she would hold her in contempt of court for 3 days. The judge also pointed out that she didn't care that the lady's son was with her -- that it would not deter her from still putting the lady in jail. The lady's demeanor quickly changed. Nothing a little threat of contempt couldn't fix.
5. And last but not least, the economy is bad and things are scary out there. I know that won't make the evening news, but everyday I hear about another law firm laying off associates and staff. February was a brutal month, and it looks like there is no end in sight. Associates are now detecting if anything suspicious is going down by looking at conference room reservations (see stories here). Thankfully everyone I know has been spared. I am keeping my fingers crossed it stays that way.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lazy Dog.
It is good to know that one of us in this house is getting enough rest. I guess Riley is attempting to make up for the lack of sleep Justin and I have been getting recently because of work.
Here are a few shots from the other morning, when I could not get him out of bed (he is not a morning dog). I love his little teeth!
And here he is napping in a pile of pillows in his favorite spot in the living room.
It must be exhausting being so cute all the time!
Here are a few shots from the other morning, when I could not get him out of bed (he is not a morning dog). I love his little teeth!
And here he is napping in a pile of pillows in his favorite spot in the living room.
It must be exhausting being so cute all the time!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sofette Side Table.
I had been looking for a little accent table to relieve my Jules table from stand-in duty next to the sofette in the breakfast room. Ever since I saw the Jules tables, I loved them together in a set. They just look better nesting, but I had to split them up so we would at least have something next to the sofette (a.k.a. a place to set my wine glass) until we could find something else.
In one of my trips to Pottery Barn, I stumbled on a cute little side table over by the bathroom section. It is the perfect scale for the sofette and goes well with our existing tray stand from West Elm. Only bad part was that it had to be ordered, which always irks me since patience is not one of my virtues. Once it came it, I tested it out and it was perfect . . . I put my feet up on the ottoman as I flipped through my last magazine from Domino (sniff, sniff) and had my wine within reach. Perfection.
And the smaller Jules table was reunited with its larger counterpart in the living room. Much better!
In one of my trips to Pottery Barn, I stumbled on a cute little side table over by the bathroom section. It is the perfect scale for the sofette and goes well with our existing tray stand from West Elm. Only bad part was that it had to be ordered, which always irks me since patience is not one of my virtues. Once it came it, I tested it out and it was perfect . . . I put my feet up on the ottoman as I flipped through my last magazine from Domino (sniff, sniff) and had my wine within reach. Perfection.
And the smaller Jules table was reunited with its larger counterpart in the living room. Much better!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
5 things . . .
5 things I am wishing for at the moment . . .
1. A weekend that didn't involve working more than a couple of hours.
2. A bath with my favorite Kiehl's lavender foaming-relaxing bath with sea salts and aloe.
3. For 3 of our cases to settle, or to just magically disappear.
4. A glass (or 2) of pinot noir or a malbec.
5. A massage and/or a mani/pedi.
1. A weekend that didn't involve working more than a couple of hours.
2. A bath with my favorite Kiehl's lavender foaming-relaxing bath with sea salts and aloe.
3. For 3 of our cases to settle, or to just magically disappear.
4. A glass (or 2) of pinot noir or a malbec.
5. A massage and/or a mani/pedi.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sproost Quiz.
I often wonder how best to describe my design taste. So when I saw this online quiz at www.sproost.com to take "to discover my personal style," I was hoping it would help me pinpoint my style. After taking it, I think it is pretty accurate. Here are my results:
Here was my own take on my style in a previous post -- "traditional, modern, glamour, and a touch eclectic." So it looks like I wasn't too far off. After reading the description under each category, I think I may lean towards Modern Elegance more than the others, but I am pretty evenly distributed among the three.
French Eclectic: "Somehow manages to be both formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time."
Hollywood Couture: "You can take it in any direction and add almost any style into the mix — perhaps a contemporary leather sofa paired with lacquered Louis XIV chairs that have been upholstered in lush velvet. The key is that each item feels as rich and over-the-top as possible and yet everything still seems livable."
Modern Elegance: "You may love contemporary, but wish it wasn't quite so cold and austere, or perhaps you're drawn to traditional rooms but you'd like to create a less cluttered and busy space. . . . The room feels simple and sophisticated, elegant and hip."
Definitely check it out. Besides figuring out your style, there are some great (and not so great) rooms on the site for inspiration.
Here was my own take on my style in a previous post -- "traditional, modern, glamour, and a touch eclectic." So it looks like I wasn't too far off. After reading the description under each category, I think I may lean towards Modern Elegance more than the others, but I am pretty evenly distributed among the three.French Eclectic: "Somehow manages to be both formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time."
Hollywood Couture: "You can take it in any direction and add almost any style into the mix — perhaps a contemporary leather sofa paired with lacquered Louis XIV chairs that have been upholstered in lush velvet. The key is that each item feels as rich and over-the-top as possible and yet everything still seems livable."
Modern Elegance: "You may love contemporary, but wish it wasn't quite so cold and austere, or perhaps you're drawn to traditional rooms but you'd like to create a less cluttered and busy space. . . . The room feels simple and sophisticated, elegant and hip."
Definitely check it out. Besides figuring out your style, there are some great (and not so great) rooms on the site for inspiration.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Valentine's Day Recap.
We celebrated Valentine's Day today, the 15th. I know, I know -- we're rule breakers. We started the morning off with delicious pancakes. I am a strawberries and whipped cream (read: reddi-whip) kind of girl, and Justin likes maple syrup.
I know what you're thinking. . . . No, we did not eat all of those pancakes.
We both had some stuff to do for work after we ate the tasty breakfast. Then we went to Backstreet Cafe for an early dinner. It is always super good, and the restaurant is so cute!
We had to make it an early dinner because we went to see Joel McHale (host of The Soup) tonight! He was hilarious. I absolutely love him. The "security" staff at the Verizon Wireless Theater, however, is a whole different story.
We had to park and couple of blocks away and then stand in a fairly long line to get in. But it was not until they are patting you down they inform you that no cameras are allowed. Um, that would have been nice to know several blocks and our time in line ago! So back we walk to the car to put the camera up and head back. This time the line was 2 times as long as it was before. Ugh. Oh well.
The show itself was good. He did some Soup type material and then some family-centered jokes. All very funny. He definitely did not disappoint.
Then after the show, Joel announced he will be signing shirts and tote bags that are for sale. I am like a 14 year old girl and the Jonas Brothers when it comes to Joel McHale -- so heck yeah I was buying a bag and having him sign it. As we waited in line for him to sign it, the lovely "security" staff comes along and made everyone who does not have a bag or shirt get out of line -- including those people who were standing with others who had an item. Meaning Justin would have had to wait outside for me. How dumb is that? I got ticked and blew off waiting in another long line, this time by myself. So I didn't get to meet Joel, but I was okay with that. I walked away with an awesome tote, which won't make a darn bit of sense unless you watch the show.
Side 2:
All in all, today was a great day. We both have been so busy with work recently, it was nice to take some time out and just spend with each other (and Joel).
I know what you're thinking. . . . No, we did not eat all of those pancakes.
We both had some stuff to do for work after we ate the tasty breakfast. Then we went to Backstreet Cafe for an early dinner. It is always super good, and the restaurant is so cute!
We had to make it an early dinner because we went to see Joel McHale (host of The Soup) tonight! He was hilarious. I absolutely love him. The "security" staff at the Verizon Wireless Theater, however, is a whole different story.
We had to park and couple of blocks away and then stand in a fairly long line to get in. But it was not until they are patting you down they inform you that no cameras are allowed. Um, that would have been nice to know several blocks and our time in line ago! So back we walk to the car to put the camera up and head back. This time the line was 2 times as long as it was before. Ugh. Oh well.
The show itself was good. He did some Soup type material and then some family-centered jokes. All very funny. He definitely did not disappoint.
Then after the show, Joel announced he will be signing shirts and tote bags that are for sale. I am like a 14 year old girl and the Jonas Brothers when it comes to Joel McHale -- so heck yeah I was buying a bag and having him sign it. As we waited in line for him to sign it, the lovely "security" staff comes along and made everyone who does not have a bag or shirt get out of line -- including those people who were standing with others who had an item. Meaning Justin would have had to wait outside for me. How dumb is that? I got ticked and blew off waiting in another long line, this time by myself. So I didn't get to meet Joel, but I was okay with that. I walked away with an awesome tote, which won't make a darn bit of sense unless you watch the show.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Saturday, February 14, 2009
5 things . . .
5 things I love about Justin, in honor of Valentine's Day . . .
1. He makes me laugh every day.
2. He has the patience of a saint. (I guess he has to make up for all the patience I lack.)
3. He makes the best coffee.
4. He loves me like no one else in the world could.
5. He is a great friend and husband.
(photo: martha stewart)
Happy Valentine's Day!
1. He makes me laugh every day.
2. He has the patience of a saint. (I guess he has to make up for all the patience I lack.)
3. He makes the best coffee.
4. He loves me like no one else in the world could.
5. He is a great friend and husband.
(photo: martha stewart)Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Rachael Ray.
I am not going to lie, I used to like Rachael Ray back in the early days of 30-minute meals. But for the past couple of years, she has annoyed me with her goofy laugh, acronyms (EVOO), and made-up words (stoups, sammies). I have not watched any of her shows in a while, and I am cringing just thinking about it.
Matt and Madeline, from one of the blogs I follow (Matt, Liz, and Madeline), were on the Rachael Ray show today. I recorded it and watched only that segment tonight. Matt is such a great dad and Madeline could not be any cuter (and looks such much like her mom). If you don't read Matt's blog, it is worth the read, but be prepared and have the kleenex nearby.
I have a couple of observations from the show . . .
(1) why does Rachael Ray sound like she needs a cough drop?;
(2) why does she do that thing were she licks her lips super awkwardly?;
(3) did she not know Matt's name? she kept calling him "dad."; and
(4) could the segway into the snack of the day been anymore awkward?
In other TV show news, I watched Demetri Martin's new show tonight. It was funny, but the stand-up routine last night was better. I found a clip of one of the best parts: watch it here. Enjoy!
Matt and Madeline, from one of the blogs I follow (Matt, Liz, and Madeline), were on the Rachael Ray show today. I recorded it and watched only that segment tonight. Matt is such a great dad and Madeline could not be any cuter (and looks such much like her mom). If you don't read Matt's blog, it is worth the read, but be prepared and have the kleenex nearby.
I have a couple of observations from the show . . .
(1) why does Rachael Ray sound like she needs a cough drop?;
(2) why does she do that thing were she licks her lips super awkwardly?;
(3) did she not know Matt's name? she kept calling him "dad."; and
(4) could the segway into the snack of the day been anymore awkward?
In other TV show news, I watched Demetri Martin's new show tonight. It was funny, but the stand-up routine last night was better. I found a clip of one of the best parts: watch it here. Enjoy!
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