NYE

a quiet new year's eve, just me and him. 
we talk about our year, our good life.  he makes an amazing steak dinner.  we have some drinks. i am not missing a party, and am looking forward to starting 2012 clear headed and refreshed.
hope yours is good, too.
cheers!

have you played this game?

while walking downtown the other day, i couldn't help but snickering at the funny wifi network names that kept popping up on my phone.  it turns out there are entire websites devoted to the good (aka funniest/grossest/meanest) ones. 
i want a clever name for my wifi network!

 

  crude, but clever?

duck fat frites

maybe it's the hangover talking (thanks kk and cg for the fab xmas party last night!), but i am dreaming of the duck fat and rosemary frites at brasserie montmartre.  they are the best fries/frites i have ever had in my life.  seriously.
i actually hadn't ever been to the brasserie before, and it is considered by many a portland institution.  the space has been recently remodeled and is under new ownership- the interior is open and clean with a touch of modern and plenty of french-y elements.  this place is at the top of my happy hour go-to list!

2012 project roster

 old cans have never looked so good

is it crazy to be thinking about next year's christmas projects already?
there were just so many fun ideas that i didn't get to this year.
i definitely want to do a homemade advent calendar  for 2012, which for me requires planning and getting organized pre-thanksgiving.  one of my favorite blogs, plenty of colour, has (as usual) compiled a bunch incredible ideas and gorgeous images.  

 i still have a stash of these little boxes left over from my wedding favors- 

they could have a  second chance as an advent calendar!

 

i saw these easy DIY paper ornaments after our tree was already decorated, 

but i'd love to cover next year's noble with them.

 and now, i think i am ready to pack up christmas and all it's accouterments, and get ready for 2012!

my christmas staycation

 room with a view

the holiday was great.  we ate, drank, hosted, visited,  and opened.  when it was all done, just the two of us escaped to a fancy downtown hotel.  it was awesome.
i think we need to make the one-night no-kids staycation a post-christmas tradition!

on christmas eve...

...mr. and mrs. claus left the kids with the in-laws and snuck away for a sushi lunch and xmas tree photo op in the city.
joy!

winter solstice and hot weather dreams

this year, winter solstice really has me thinking about... summer.  if i had to pick one season that's my favorite, it would be the hot summer months when a flip flop is the only foot wear a girl needs, and a bathing suit can be your outfit for the day.
so yeah, i'm daydreaming of hot weather and bathing suits on this cold winter day.

i really like this one from tory burch

 

and these next two from jcrew

and this one by splendid

 

but i think i might still have a few months to make my final decision.

turning the page

every december, in the midst of the holiday mayhem fun, part of me wanders ahead into the new year.  perhaps spring travel plans are hatching, or january appointments have already been scheduled, but the new year is on my mind.  i start feeling anxious that i don't have a datebook to record all of these important events in, and i can't relax until the new moleskin has been purchased and put to work.
one quick, kid-free trip to oblation later, i can check something else off my list.
2012, here i come.

christmas sweaters

 

at my last "real" job, many of my co-workers wore sweaters like these in a genuine, non-ironic way.  i'm not entirely sure if american apparel is selling their vintage christmas sweaters for the exclusive purpose of wearing to ugly christmas sweater parties, or if they are hoping that there is an element of hipster here.  either way, i was entertained by this impressive collection.  ho ho ho!

 

john gorham waved at me

the husband and i were headed to a holiday party friday night, but first, we popped over to interurban for snacks and cocktails.  it was to be their official re-opening (they opened a few weeks ago, and then closed after the kitchen was damaged by an electrical fire)  and it was the best celebrity moment i have had since chris noth/"big" and i scoped each other at LAX a few years back. 
i like to think that i don't care about fame, that i would judge someone with notoriety the same way i would judge anyone, but once in awhile, i drink the kool-aid.  john gorham just seems so cool!  he is a chef, a successful restaurateur, and is definitely a fixture here in portland where good food and heavy tattoos rule the scene.
interurban is a great spot- it's close to home, and age-appropriate cool.  we loved the turntables that have their own spot at the bar (john g himself was spinning that night), the amazingly curated on-tap selection (we have dan hart from prost! to thank for that) and it goes without saying that the food and drinks are amazing. 
thanks for the bourbon, john, and for waving at me.  interurban made my night.

lucky coffee

 i can make a heart, but not a monkey. 

when my man isn't traveling, he makes me my coffee first thing.  i am not a morning person, so this little ritual is actually a pretty big deal.  actually, it's essential.  that first americano in my hands helps me join the new day, and it is the first box to check on a long list that doesn't end until late each night.
this morning, as i wordlessly shuffled into baby girl's room, just minutes after opening my eyes, i heard a gasp from the kitchen.  we were out of coffee. 
without even having to ask, greg quickly dressed and headed out into the cold, dark morning.  he was back just a few minutes later, handing me a latte from one of my favorite spots (red e, if you must know) and beans to prevent this near-tragedy from happening for a few more days.  lucky me!

ain't nothing to it but to do it

i love when someone says something that takes my breath away.  or kicks my ass.  it could even be a little thing that's been said a thousand times before (and depending on which internet site you believe was originated by maya angelou, a muppet, or a famous body builder). 
today i ran across this one, and it got me all fired up.

still riding the wave

 the craft wave, that is.  seriously, all i want to do right now is make stuff!  i am loving purl soho for their sublime style and their ability to portray sewing and crafts as modern, urban and hip.
i want to buy everything they sell and then hunker down and create!

craft fair double header

today i got to peruse not one but TWO amazing craft fairs (and by craft fairs, i don't mean old ladies in christmas sweaters and reindeer statues made out of sticks). these two events hosted many of portland's coolest, most talented artisans and crafters, and i walked around in wide-eyed wonder taking in all the amazing creativity and ideas.
first i went to crafty wonderland, at the oregon convention center.  what the convention center lacked was atmosphere, but it made up for in sheer numbers- there were literally hundreds of local vendors, and pretty much everything i saw there was amazing!  i looked at every single booth, and left with a couple of precious little things that will soon now adorn my walls.

i loved this little squirrel/map/lemon decoupage, 

and now i get to look at it every day while i wait for the toast to pop up! 

ps- the map is of southern california's inland empire- a big selling point for me

after that i headed a few blocks over to the portland bazaar.  this event was all about the scene- as i walked up i saw a cluster of high-end food trucks- violetta seemed to be the most popular- and then i entered the bazaar through an unmarked door.  i didn't end up purchasing  anything at the portland bazaar, but i loved the concept and how the whole thing was set up.  a local distillery was sampling their wares, a band was all set up to perform, and people were hanging out, soaking it all in.  i love it!
i was so invigorated and inspired by my craft-fair-double-header afternoon, that i had to finally try the clementine candle.  it was so easy and so fun!  we all admired it as it burned on the dinner table tonight. 

there are so many more crafty projects that i cant wait to sink my teeth into!

more hours in the day, please!!

cheers to friends!

some of my dearest friends came over last night.  i put the kids to bed, and we ate, drank and laughed until the wee hours.  i've had lots of lonely nights lately, and these girls saved me! 
cheers to you, ladies!

yard work

gardening is definitely not one of my hobbies, but i do enjoy a good yard work session now and then.  today in portland, the weather was epic- blue skies, mild temps and no wind.  it seriously doesn't get better than this!  i got the kids down for nap, and headed outside. 
my rigorous leaf-clean-up/weeding/pruning bender was fantastic.  the front yard looks a hundred times better (and you know i like to keep shit tight!), and i am going to count it as my exercise for the day since i worked up a sweat.  bonus:  i got to talk to some other adults, even if it was just the mailman and a nice lady walking by with her dogs.

nothing compares 2 u

i don't know why, but i can't stop thinking about sinead o'connor.   i was in high school when her most famous song debuted, and i loved her big voice, her shaved head and her beautiful face.  she was so cool!  today is her 45th birthday, and i am sad to say that it looks as if the years have been hard on her.
here's to aging gracefully (hopefully!).

clementine love

as if there weren't enough reasons to love these sweet little gems...

i am so into these clementine lanterns!

designer diaper bags

i have been in diaper-bag-land for nearly three and a half years now.  at this point, i know no other way- i would literally be uncomfortable venturing out without my giant bag that contains a solution to every potential kid problem.
i have a pretty cool skip*hop bag (cool is used loosely- we are talking about diaper bags here), and now i am loving their new line that jonathan adler designed.  ooh la la!

i also had a dangerous moment on a recent trip to the coach factory store- the coach diaper bag is so classic-elegant and chic- and it was on sale- a lethal combination!   i think with such a nice bag i would be worried about the residue from leaky bottles and the collection of sticky raisins that inevitably forms.   good thing i talked myself out of it...

mourning the end

i just finished the first four seasons of mad men, and now i am at a loss.  it is such an amazing show!  i don't want to be done! 
the season five premiere in march seems like a long ways away, so in the mean time, i'll have to re-watch episodes or troll the amc site, playing their silly games (to my chagrin, i am betty draper) and obsessing about my favorite show ever.

brussels are the best

i need to pass this recipe on to my personal chef husband.  these brussels look amazingly delicious!

photo and recipe here

sweet jimmy

my husband is outta town, but i won't be lonely tonight- i've got this guy to keep me company.

hey jimmy, how are ya?