Wednesday, November 30, 2011

High High High Heels

They've been around for a few years now, and when Jimmy Choo or Dolce and Gabbana do them they look less like stripper shoes than Steve Madden's versions. And I must say: I want a pair.
Christian Louboutin Leather Platform
Would I be able to walk in them?
Christian Louboutain Double Platform Pump
Probably not.
Dior Round Toe Platform Pump
But oh my goodness, so sexy!
Pour la Victoire Leopard Calf Hair Pump
Of course I'd probably fall and break my ankle walking in them.
Valentino Microstud Platform Bow Pump
Especially on Boston's crappy brick sidewalks.
Jimmy Choo Glittered Platform
But a girl can dream.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

How is your new job?

Its going great thanks for asking! I've been working there for almost two months now and I think that allows me a decent perspective on the job.

Day to day its pretty great. There are enough new things going on that I don't get bored, and I learn about new areas of law in depth (sometimes I do lots of researching). But then there are things I get to do every day, like mail, emails, billing stuff, etc. So there is enough routine in the job so that I don't feel like I'm doing things by the seat of my pants (which if you know me, you know thats not usually how I roll).

The BEST part about my job is my boss, yes sometimes he is frustrating, like when he asks why I can't double space a pdf for him, but 4 out of 5 days of the week he takes time to talk to me about legal theories in a case, and explain why he is doing something a particular way, or share stories from his experience. He is really an amazing mentor for this stage of my career where I just want to get experience.

The office is exactly the size I can see myself really enjoying 15 attorneys, 6 support staff (including me, who is technically also an attorney). Its big enough so you aren't constantly breathing down the same people's necks, but small enough so you know everyone in the office pretty well, even if you don't work with them. The small office really works because everyone is so darn nice! (Even when they yell at each other....somehow... I swear...) But I suppose it wouldn't be that great if people were actively mean, but they aren't so no worries.

I'll stop gushing about my job now, I just wanted you loyal readers to know a little bit about how its going... short answer is "Its going great!".

Monday, November 28, 2011

Gorjana Jewelry

Its been a while since I told you about a new jewelry website... Well if you're stumped on new jewelry to get your mother, sister, girlfriend, me, this christmas you should check out Gorjana. They have some hits and some serious misses... some of the hits:
Hammered Heart Necklace
St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital Necklace
The proceeds from this sweet little bird necklace go (100%) to St. Jude's hospital, and I don't know if you've seen the celebrity commercials, but it seems like possibly the best cause ever.
Vine Drop Earrings
Large Peacock Earrings
Aren't those gorgeous? I won't go into the misses, because Tallman might read this wrong and think I want one of the misses (this is something that has happened... poor guy). Check out gorjana if you're stumped this year or are just looking for new jewelry inspiration.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Mooooooose!

How amazing would these be on a Thanksgiving table? Or at a holiday party?  Particularly in a glade of tall candles... in green...
Moose Salt and Pepper Shakers
Green Tapers
 I hope everyone had an excellent thanksgiving yesterday.... even if there were no moose at your table.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving!
 I'm ready for a day full of friends, family, food, and fun. Today is the day we forget our diets and remember how lucky we are to have enough bounty to be able to share it with others.
I'll be sharing pie, sweet potatoes and champagne. :)

In the spirit of the day, I'm thankful for:
The support of my parents, their love and free rent have been enabling me my entire life.
Tallman, meeting him might not have been The Best thing to ever happen to me, but sometimes it sure feels like it :)
My friends, who I cherish for the ways in which they are all different, despite the similarities that make me love them (like senses of humor, or appreciation for IKEA).
The opportunities I've been given, education, travel, etc that have shaped me into the, frankly, fantastic person I am today.
Having a job. So simple. But so nice.

I hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving that is sane and happy and that you take a moment to think about the things you're thankful for.
GOBBLE GOBBLE! (all images are from pinterest)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Slim Burner by BrasaFire

Thanks Knowledge for pinning this AMAZING product!

I like fire. I don't think I'll be able to have a home of my own with a working fire place for a long time (especially since Tallman is VERY opposed to chopping wood). But Burkedecor has a product that is warm and toasty, just like the upcoming holiday season....
Slim Burner
Fire. Portable. Hot. Safe. AMAZING. 
Where would you put one? In a fire place? On a coffee table? On a patio? On an island in a kitchen?
I want one. Don't you?

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Book Review: The Marriage Plot

I was on a super long waiting list for this new best seller by Jeffery Eugenides, until a fellow at work asked what I was planning on reading next and said he'd just finished this book, so why didn't I borrow it. Excellent! My primary hook up for new awesome books got a kindle a while ago so I've been relying on the library and Amazon's recommendation system (which isn't very good by the way).

Anyway... I borrowed The Marriage Plot from my co-worker and read it. I would say it is just as good as I expected. I enjoyed Middlesex and this book is more about growing up in tough economic times and dealing with mental illness than it is about gay or transgender issues. But it is well written and interesting, and ultimately I was happy with how the book ended.

Its always good when you get so invested in the characters that you are dreading what the ending will be at certain points:  no don't marry the crazy dude, get your act together, Jebus I hope Mitchell doesn't become a MONK!

You'll enjoy this book if you enjoy good writing, a well thought out story line, are unemployed and wondering what to do with your life, or recently suffered a bad nationwide economic period (I guess there is a reason its a best seller). This book might not be for everyone though, the characters are a type of over educated intellectual that some might find annoying, especially since the author portrays their devotion to esoteric learning as a pitfall of their youth.

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Neat Littlle Project

(I'm sorry if there are typos, I'm posting this from Tallman's computer, and he thinks that a keyboard with no letters on it is awesome.... humph... I guess this will be a test in how well I touch type)

A webcomic I read "Least I Could Do" is fairly crass towards women and humanity in general sometimes, but I kinda enjoy it, and I started reading it while studying for the bar while my own opinion of humanity wasn't that great either (though I love and respect women much more than the main character does... I have to... I am one).
The Bear
The writer of the comic has a new project I want to share with you, its a book of illustrated vignetts relating to fatherhood. They're really pretty awesome, the illustrations are great, but so are the sentiments. Very men of my generation, or maybe just new fathers in general (I don't know) but I can tell that I'll be buying a copy for all the new dad's I know as soon as it comes out.
The name of the project is called "The Bear" and I just love the illustrations. Adorable!
This last one is by far my favorite.... :)

Sunday, November 20, 2011

CRANBERRIES!!!!!!!

No, not the 90's girl band (which is what first comes up when you search for Cranberries) the delicious little berry that is only available at this time of year!

A guy at my work got a wooden crate of them the other day (why? I really don't know) as a present from an insurance agent (yes, this IS weird) and had no idea what to do with them, so I saved them from rotting on his desk by taking them home.

I made the MOST delicious cranberry nut bread, and brought it into work for all to enjoy, of course.

But I still have a LOT of cranberries, so NUT BREAD FOR ALL!!!!! I'm joking, but not really, Sunday I made loaves for work (again), Tallman's parents, my parents, and we still have more cranberries.

After reading Animal Vegetable Miracle however I've decided (or was told by the book, whatever) that its completely ok to go totally overboard with one vegetable/fruit when they're in season. Then the rest of the year when its out of season don't eat it. With cranberries you actually can't get them at other times of the year, so I'll be filling up on fresh cranberries like mad in the next few weeks.

The cranberry nut bread recipe is super easy, I suggest you pick up some cranberries and try making it. Its Ocean Spray's recipe, but it comes out soooooo moist and amazing you are totally allowed to tell everyone it is an old family secret :-p

Click the link for the recipe and other ideas for how to enjoy cranberries while they're fresh this season!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Which Christmas Card Is LESS Me?

In case you want to buy...
Is it the "dolphin wrapped in ribbon"? Or...
In case you want to buy...
The Happy Birthday Jesus-esq Christmas card?

I don't know which is less me... both are very NOT me. I'm thinking more along these lines:
In case you want to buy...
Festive birds are more my scene.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Rave Review: The Fish and Bone

Guys, you all know I work in Boston. I'll stop hiding it. I'm coming out as a Bostonian in order to tell you about The Fish and Bone. It is AWESOME. I was wandering Newbury Street this weekend and I remembered a red haired girl a blond friend of mine likes to hang out with (I can only reveal so much!) telling me about an amazing pet store on Newbury Street that might be able to help me out with Sage's issues.

Background: You know Sage was peeing every where and was sick... you don't? well she was... for months, and they took a bladder stone out and we're supposed to give her special food so it doesn't happen again. Problem is the special food is hard to find.

So the redhead suggested I go to Fish and Bone and see what they've got. Well, what they've got is an amazing owner who knows her stuff. She is extremely knowledgeable about animal health and the available products. I was seriously impressed.

Sage (and Parsley too because its unclear if Sage eats more than an 1/8 of the food put out, not from hunger, but from stage fright and bullies) now is eating wetter food with a cranberry powder mixed in. It looks kinda weird red but if it helps, it helps and hopefully Sage won't have anymore problems.
If you're in the Boston area and you have a pet, or you have a friend with a pet who you like buying toys for... go to Fish and Bone. AMAZING.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Crate and Barrel Plates, follow up

Last weekend I found myself desperate for parking (remember that parking ticket I told you about?) and so I pulled into a Crate and Barrel and in exchange for a place to park while I got some coffee next door, I bought some plates.

Some plates I'd already been thinking of getting... so its ok right?
I got these blue plates, I'll wrap them up and give them to myself for christmas...
Navy Appetizer Plates
Maybe along with a few of these plates....
Mum Plate
I like the idea of the blue and the yellow in my green kitchen, I like the idea of them playing off all the green and making it more dimensional in color, but still with the theme. Am I over thinking this?

Monday, November 14, 2011

TV tables and Desks...

Tallman and I were talking about what furniture of his wouldn't make the move when/if we move in together. We heartily agreed on a rickety yet heavy bookshelf, the rock band drums, the second x box, and the rug in the spare room/hobbit hole. I ventured that the desk in his bedroom and the matching TV stand were too modern (They're glass and black metal, bleck) and too bachelor pad to go with the rest of his furniture. (We'll address the two giant TV's if it becomes a problem, so far our compromise is I have two cats, he has two giant TVs.) The rest of Tallman's furniture (and mine for good measure) is dark sold hard woods, so the glass and metal just doesn't work.

I was thinking something like this for a new TV stand:
Hemnes TV unit
Because then it would have somewhere to store video games, and extra cords etc. (Tallman has a LOT of etc.) I would especially like it in an office with this desk.
Hemnes Desk
It would be able to store his desk top and a printer and not much else. (Which is good, because sometimes if a space is big enough one's mess will encompass the entire space, I know I can be guilty of this too.) But speaking of me... if I were to be the one picking a desk, I would want this one:

Hemnes Secretary Desk
I love me some secretary desks. Also I know Tallman would disagree but I wouldn't mind going the Ikea route with these pieces. No other part of his or my furniture comes from Ikea, so I think it would be alright for an office to have these pieces. Especially since desks can be HEAVY if made from solid wood.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Barnyard Pic of the week

Happy Friday!
You deserve a nap...
Thanks Pinterest Buddy!
Good thing its the weekend!
Happy Weekend!

Book Review of The House on Tradd Street

I read The House on Tradd Street last week, and despite the main character I enjoyed it. Its possible that I only enjoyed it because I like old houses, I was hoping two of the characters would hook up, and I didn't know it was a ghost story until 10 pages in. Finding out there are ghosts 10 pages in is a real hook.

But now I've ruined that element of surprise for you. Sorry.

Without that hook its still a good light read. No heavy lifting here, but I am enjoying expanding my habits from books that take place in England to books that take place in the South (maybe I'll understand Tallman's mother better?)

If you want a nice light read that might frighten you a bit but not keep you up at night, I'd recommend this. But remember, despite the ghosts, or perhaps because of the ghosts, there is no literary heavy lifting.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Book Review: Committed

Who didn't read Eat, Pray, Love? Everyone did, then everyone read it again, then everyone watched the movie, or didn't because it wasn't going to be the book.

Well I enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love... not in a super crazy way, but I liked it. So I thought I'd try Elizabeth Gilbert's follow up, Committed.

If you read the first book you'll understand that the author is hesitant about marriage, so when immigration issues for her boyfriend force them to get married she spends the entire year thinking about marriage and preparing herself to enter into it.

I enjoy the book's look at the religious history of marriage, statistical analysis of marriage failure, as well as the author's discussions of marriage with Hmong women and depictions of her and her future husband nearly breaking up on a truck full of pigs because of the tensions surrounding his immigration case.

If you don't like marriage, don't read this book. If you're about to get married (SLM, looking at you) read this book. If you're so-so on marriage but think its in the cards, read this book because no matter what else this book has going for it, I definitely laughed aloud a few times, so that's pretty good!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Lunares Home Goods

I find a lot of new and cool home goods websites via Real Simple (I love Real Simple btw). Lunares Home is a recent example. I like a lot of their stuff, and much of it is in the fun, almost in that time of my life but not quite there yet...

Miss Pigglesworth Charcuterie Platter
Like this platter... Amazing... but I don't think I really quite need it... even after I get an apartment... not until my dinner parties really feel like they're missing a pig shaped sense of whimsy.
Gold Scottie Dog Wings Coinbank
Or this coin bank... not to mention, I've already got a coin bank, she is a very handsome piggy.
Athena Candleholder
But I love the smaller candle holder here. Its so gorgeous. Can you imagine how it would gleam by candle light? I can already picture using two of the small ones as Shabbat candle stick holders... Gorgeous.
Canto Leaf Salad Bowl
Tallman and I aren't big salad eaters, but I think we would be if we had an amazing salad bowl like this one. It makes me want to have dinner parties.
Anyway... I think you should go check out Lunares Home. Whether you need stuff for your apartment or not, its just really pretty!

Cute Purse... and on sale?!

Cole Haan Satchel
I know its after labor day, but how cute is this purse? Pretty darn cute... right? Its currently 50% off... Nordstrom is having some kind of crazy sale... go check it out.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Keratin Treatment!

I got a keratin treatment this weekend, I bought it with a groupon ($175), then paid for additional straightness ($50), shampoo ($37), a tip ($35), and while sitting in the chair I got a parking ticket($25), which was the salon's fault (a story I don't feel like getting into).

It was expensive, true. But was it worth it? YES! My hair is fairly unmanageable, impossible to blow dry, takes days to dry, and frizzy. But man, this keratin treatment is amazing, my hair is silky and soft and straight. I'll let you know how it goes after I wash it on Tuesday, but I hope it will be amazing, and everything promised.

Site.
Site
These are some pretty dramatic before and afters from salon websites, but it does approximate what my hair looked like before and after getting the treatment done. I just hope it looks half this good after I wash it. Cross your fingers for me!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Barnyard Pic of the Week

Happy Weekend Everybody!
Hope you had a great week and are about to have a truly excellent weekend!
From Pinterest
Ahhh baby goats!
Happy Friday!

Last Weekend's Snow Storm

This week was thrown out of sync (so was my back btw) by last weekend's snow storm. It was fun at first, my parents were up in Vermont for work, so Tallman kept me and the cats company at my parents house. We made dinner had a fire in the fire place and watched the snow fall, the lights flicker, and listened to the sounds of howling wind and crashing around us.

When we woke up the house had no power and it was COLD. Tallman slept poorly (tiny bed +cats) so I let him sleep a bit while I investigated. I wrapped myself up in two pairs of pants, a puffy jacket, gloves and a hat that tied under the chin (no pictures, thank god) and went out to inspect the damage (I figured there had to be some, we had no power after all).

Well good news: this was the closest anything came to the house-
And this was the only property damage-
Bad news: the drive way needed to be shoveled to prevent it turning into a solid block of ice full of sticks and leaves (and the car keeps getting flat tires so I didn't think driving over it would be a good idea) and this needed to be moved:
Yeah. Pretty. Ugh. Not. So I went and woke up Tallman, and we proceeded to start shoveling, sawing, and clearing the drive way. In the process I destroyed my already sore back, I burned 700 calories (according to my iPhone), and Tallman continues to hate the Northeast.

But it all turned out ok, the power was restored Monday night and happiness was restored at about the same time.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

I PASSED THE BAR!!!!

Oh my goodness why have I not shared this yet?
Last week I found out that I passed the bar! That means that the insane studying I did and the crazy girlfriend that Tallman put up with were worth it! I cannot express how happy I am to have passed.

My parents are pretty happy too, so happy they took Tallman and I out for a very very fancy dinner at L'Espalier, a very very fancy restaurant in Boston.
Its the sort of place where your food looks like that and you taste it and are blown away by delicious. Though I must admit the pretzel rolls were pretty darn good and there was no hiding the ball there, which is what I love about L'espalier, some of it is haut and confusing, some of it is haut and solid good food.

Anywhooo, so I passed the bar, in a few weeks I get sworn in and then I am officially an attorney and I can do all the things attorneys can do. Unfortunately my current job is as a paralegal and they aren't putting me on their malpractice insurance. Oh well, my plan of learning as much as possible at this job is going great! and I'll do a post updating you on the job soon, I promise...