Tuesday, December 18, 2007

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...


....my true love gave to me: four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves AND a partridge in a pear tree!

i love these little guys.

On the Third Day of Christmas...


....my true love gave to me: three french hens, two turtle doves AND a partridge in a pear tree!

On the Second Day of Christmas....


....my true love gave to me: two turtle doves AND a partridge in a pear tree!

On the First Day of Christmas...


I've been so busy enjoying the holiday season that I've neglected to post! And now I'm leaving in two days for vacation so I'll smoosh in my adorable days of Christmas. So:


On the First Day of Christmas my true love gave to me....


....a partridge in a pear tree!

Friday, November 30, 2007

The show will go on!

The Broadway strike is over! I was given tickets to Pygmalion for my birthday--I am so glad I'll get to see it on Dec. 15. The New York Times has the story here.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A holiday treat


candy cane
n. A striped stick of peppermint candy with the top curved to resemble a walking cane.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Sweets




There is beauty all around, when there's love at home.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Today's Mantra: I am thankful for planes...no matter how long I wait


NEW YORK - The start of the Thanksgiving holiday week has all the wrong ingredients at LaGuardia Airport: foul weather and normal congestion combined with extra holiday travelers. Flights are delayed an average of 80 minutes, and at least 10 planes can be seen lined up for takeoff. Rain mixed withgusty winds also caused delays at Newark International Airport, where flight arrivals are delayed an average of one hour and 21 minutes.

Thankfuls


I am thankful for so many things. I am an incredibly blessed person and give thanks for the following:
01. my winter coat. there is something special about shrugging on my down parka that makes me so happy
02. cashmere sweaters. sexy + cozy. 'nuff said.
03. some seriously rockin' roommates. you girls are the best and i love ya
04. burrowing under layers of blankets with a good book to tear through
05. sunsets--the view of the Hudson River from my window while the sun burnishes the sky a blazing pink is the most beautiful sight i've ever seen
06. my great job, amazing coworkers and the security that comes from having a paycheck
07. a body that can sing and dance and feel and move
08. Trader Joe's and Fresh Direct and David Kirsch's protein shakes
09. health insurance
10. the Gospel. We are so lucky to live in a time and a place where we can love the Lord and follow His commandments
and last but most certainly not least...
11. my sweetheart. I love you so much.
12. my amazing family. You are my joy and my happiness. I love each of you more than I have words to express. You are my support and my rock, my hopes and my dreams, the loves of my life. I can't wait to see you again. TONIGHT!!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Thanksgiving


Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God [...] The mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union. It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.- Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation October 3, 1863

Sweets


Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. --WT Purkiser

Friday, November 16, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

To Liesel from Vin Diesel


Dear Liesel,

You are the most beautiful, intelligent and sassy girl I know and I'm wishing you the happiest birthday in the world!

xoxo,
Vin

Since I might not be able to make it to the birthday bash on Saturday, I wanted to be sure to participate in the grand Enke tradition of telling you reasons why I love you:
01. you give amazing hugs
02. you always have delicious smelling lip gloss
03. you tell the truth
04. you know you are a daughter of God
05. you are a trustworthy and faithful friend.
Happy Birthday sweet girl! You deserve a magical day! xoxo!

Happy Birthday Ellie!


A special birthday shoutout to my favorite fashionista! You are so sweet & fun & loving & kind & you understand the importance of pearls! You also seriously have one of the best giggles in the world. I'm so glad we are friends. I wanted to get you a little something from Chanel...enjoy. Happy birthday darling!

It's baa-aack!


Finally Project Runway has returned! While not only being the best reality show EVER and thoroughly entertaining and inspiring, PR will always have a soft spot in my heart, because watching it last season was how I became friends with and bonded with the people who are now my besties. Heidi, Michael, Nina and Tim are like my guardian angels. Thanks, guys! (In a strange twist of fate, one of my oldest and best friends, Liz, worked with Tim on his new show, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style--it's awesome, check it out. She assured me he was a total sweetiepie. Whew!) My early favorites are Rami of the chic gray dress and Christian of the quirky tailored suit. And Heidi. Always, always, always Heidi. "That dress looks like it's poo-ing fabric"?? I love her. They all are quite accomplished and awesomely catty. This season looks to be full of drama and surprises and some incredible sartorial breakthroughs. Make it work!

The only good thing about rain is that I have supercute wellies

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.

Sweets



"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."
--Anthony Brandt

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Home is where the heart is



A week from today I will be at home with my family celebrating Thanksgiving! Oh, I can't wait to be tucked in with them in our lovely warm house, laughing and playing games and just soaking in all the love and snuggling up with our kitty. I'm really grateful I don't have to sail like the Pilgrims had too...I am thankful for planes. I'll remember that next week while I'm sitting in La Guardia Airport.

Brrrring goes the phone...or does it?

Caroling, caroling through the snow, Christmas bells are ringing! Ok, well, it's 55 degrees in New York and I haven't spied even the tiniest little snow flurry BUT no matter. I'm enveloping myself in Christmas joy. I'm just the tinest bit obsessed with Christmas music (ask my roommates, I've been known to play it in July) and have taken advantage of wonderful new software on my iPhone that allows me to create ringtones. Getting phone calls is also one my life's greatest joys. Christmas music + the telephone?? Out of this world! So can you please take a moment to imagine the glee with which I selected songs and then made ringtones last night? Five, yes FIVE (5) new ringtones were lovingly created, all from the glorious sounds of the season. (And for those who keep track of these things--you know who you are--each person has their very own.) So please call me. I might not answer, because I'll be too busy singing along to the song, but then I'll totally call you back. And tell you to call me again. xoxo.

The other thing I did last night was work out. For a really, really long time. You see, my family and I are going to Hawaii for Christmas. We've known about this trip since last December, and have all taken necesary steps to become "bikini beautiful." And not only that purpose--although it is uber-uber-important. According to my dad, here are the reasons to be in tip-top condition for this holiday:

I need to be able to go pretty hard for our time in Hawaii. That will include walking up and down a bunch of hills on the golf course (big hills per the guys in HI), surfing until my tongue hangs out, zip lining and loving it, riding bikes should the need arise, cookie baking, cooking of dinners, and, AND, multiple marathon sessions of poker, Rack Rummy and other semi late night activities, all while adjusting to a six hour time change. Yep, I think I am going to need to be in pretty good condition to be on top of all aspects of my game at Christmas. In fact, I now have an answer for people who ask me why I am training with such vigor and purpose : Christmas!!

Dad, I couldn't agree more. And while I won't have to climb the arduous hills of the golf course, we will have to (get to!) listen to you lot talk about it, so maybe I should add some inner ear conditioning to my regimen. You know, ear drum presses and auditory calisthenics. What do you think?

Yeah, this green bikini lady doesn't have anything on me. After a month of working out with her (+ lifting + cardio + not eating seconds at Thanksgiving dinner + gulping down protein shakes every morning) I'll totally be that hot. Who wants to take the bikini challenge with me?



Tuesday, November 13, 2007

She made me do it!

My boss made gingerbread loaf last night and we have been snacking on it all day. We can't stop! It's so delicious.


Maybe it's Maybelline...


Like most girls, I have spent my make-up wearing years in pursuit of the perfect mascara. Maybelline has been a constant fixture in my life since the age of 14, and it's been quite a happy love affair. Yesterday, while at Duane Reade, stocking up on many items and spending a fortune (why does buying shampoo and hairspray practically break the bank these days??) I remembered that I needed a new tube of mascara. I'm not normally one to change things up just for the fun of it--ask anyone who knows me--but for some reason I was clutched by a sweeping feeling of Carpe Diem! (OK, really, Duane Reade was out of my kind and after all, it's only mascara...GULP.) After looking through all the tubes, I finally settled on new one. It was a go. So this morning I was prepared to embark on a new voyage of mascaraism. I cracked the plastic packaging open, twisted the top off, and away we went. And I'm so happy. I'm beginning a personal revolution one step at a time!

Monday, November 12, 2007

What a crock

For weeks now, my boss has been telling my about the joys of crock pot cooking. How easy it is, how delicious it is, so on--and she actually uttered the words, "crockpots can be sexy." I didn't go so far as to actually scoff out loud to her that crock pots were seriously un-chic but my cynicism on the subject was palpable. She retaliated by bringing in some tantalizing-looking cookbooks full of crock pot recipes and yet, I remained unconvinced. She then announced that whether I liked it or not, I was being given a crock pot for Christmas (I protested), and then last week she hauled the pot into work and told me "take it for a test drive." Hrmph. FINE. She told me how to make barbeque chicken using the inane contraption and wished me well.

Well. I have changed my tune. Not only was the chicken BETTER THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER MADE BEFORE but it was the easiest as well, and a snap to clean up. Food prep that allows me to spend the day with my sweet and then return home and dish up an amazing meal? She was right, it is sexy. I am a true convert to the cult of the crockpot and now cannot wait to receive my very own at Christmas!



Friday, November 9, 2007

Travels far and wide




Like most New Yorkers, I often fall prey to habitual paths. By this, I mean our tendancy to only stay in our neighborhood and to simply zip to work and back and basically remain isolated in our tiny orbits. And then someone will send me a note or tell me about something so wild and different that I want to leave everything and go travel the world. Recently, a co-worker sent me these pictures and the following note:

Go to maps Google and put in Sainshand. That’s the provincial capital in Gobi – it’s about 200 miles from the capital, connected really only by a railroad. The map shows a road but it is fictional as far as I could tell. It’s the last major town before the Chinese border. The holy mountain is ten or fifteen miles outside the town. You reach it by driving across the desert. There’s no road, but believe it or not, there are road SIGNS! It is surreal to drive through the sand and come across a sign…I don’t know what makes the mountain holy, but there’s a shrine about a quarter way up; people get little written prayers and try to burn them in a little tiny altar – very difficult in a strong wind (which is perpetual). Women are not allowed to go beyond the shrine. Once again, I’ve no idea why. The men and boys go up the mountain, which comes to a perfect peak at the top with a level space maybe ten or twelve feet across with a stone altar in the middle. Or rather, an altar made of lots of loose boulders and pebbles. People tie prayers to it. Also, they have this strange habit of flinging vodka in the air whenever they’re near an altar (or indeed, even before they have a social drink) so as I was gasping and dizzy on very wobbly knees clinging to the tiny level space between the altar and the edge, I was suddenly doused by flying wind-driven vodka. Bizarre. But everything about the trip was bizarre.

I am grateful for reminders that this Earth is full of strange and unexpected treasures. And to always remember that there is more to learn and see and experience.

CONGRATULATIONS!!







My amazing little sister, Jessica, won Homecoming Queen at Tulane Univerisity! When we found out she had been nominated onto the court, we all (Mom + Dad, Grandma, Aunt Martha and I) made arrangements to fly down for the weekend. What fun we all had! Tulane plays their games in the Superdome and being in that building was incredible. And I must say that winning Homecoming Queen at a Division 1 school is a huge deal and the fact that she got to walk across that field with swelling music from the marching band AND get crowned while we cheered our little hearts out for her...it totally made me cry.

After she won the rest of the game went by in a blur. But as we were walking through the halls of the Superdome after it was all over, we passed through a large group of Superdome staff. They all started cheering and clapping and whistling for Jessica--it was totally awesome. She is a superstar!

The rest of the weekend was just a whirlwind of fun and amazing food and so much laughing. Just the way I like it. Mmm...bananas foster.

After weeks of reading friends' blogs and LOVING hearing all about thier escapades, I decided to join in the fun. I'm hoping that loved ones around the world will enjoy reading about my little corner of paradise. Love you all!


Now, on to the post...can I just tell you how much I love Christmas time, especially in New York? It's like the air has just been given a shot of cheer, and suddenly there are twinkly lights and ribbons and bows and happiness everywhere. While some think pre-Thanksgiving is too early, I am a firm believer that November 1 is a perfectly acceptable kick-off for the season. Carols have been loaded on my iPod and I'm beginning to plot and scheme about gifts for my darling ones. Silver bells indeed--it is Christmas time in the city. xoxo.