b l o g o r e l l i

Keeping On (with) Keepin' ON

Hi Inter-net,

Thought I'd check in, catch up, and post some recent pics. BKP Sophia and I are lounging at home with a glass of vino (me, not her,) waiting for premier of Project Runway Season Five. Bobby Crocker pointed out that I failed to notify anyone of this momentous occasion (and the last season of Runway on Bravo) so I must apologize. But look...the gays didn't understand the marketing plan, either! Is it possible that Bravo under-promoted the show because of its move to Lifetime? Hmmm.

In other events, the BBK is officially two, although if eating a Carvel ice cream cake acts as the pass key, he is technically not in the "terribles." After many emphatic "NO!"s we stopped trying to get him to take a bite of the frozen deliciousness and concentrated on prezzies. I am happy to report that The Prof and I's gifts, mostly centered around "cookin'," were well received, most particularly the fake yet oddly realistic play eggs that we bought at Target.

Some shots from last night (and our trip to the Boston Harbor Island of Spectacle -- see all of the shots here, plus one cute lake shot.)

Introducing Albert the Wonder Dog...amazing in both his calm temperament AND willingness to wear accessories...

In most of my free time, I've been organizing and prepping for the SEOM. Part of the market planning revolves around coming up with some sort of merchandising scheme, thoughts of which led me to realize that I have no tent, tables, or stands to display anything...which is probably what caused me to drag a T-rack I found  on the street (while I was supposed to be getting morning pastries) back to The Prof's car and try to jam it into the back. Imagine this, but A LOT rustier:

So part of my Sunday involved trying to remove old rusted-on bolts, which led to a nasty scrape but (hopefully) nothing that requires a tetanus shot. One trip to Home Depot and some serious wire brushing and spray painting, and I should have my refurbished FREE display rack ready by the end of this week. I've also investigated some alternative shade ideas, one of which is a reconstructed umbrella canopy:

A few of my SEOM dates might move around, so I'll post an update once everything is confirmed.

Since we weren't speaking of awkwardness, let's look at some celebrity shots posted today on People.com. First up, Katie Holme's ever-badly transforming haircut:

 

AAAAACK!!!!

Next, "lovebirds" Mariah and Nick Cannon, with übercouple The Mouses:

Prom, anyone? Because Nick is posing like he's got a corsage in his pocket...or maybe he's just happy to see Mariah. My teeth are chattering in discomfort.

Last but not least, which of these would be a better (or worse) impulse buy?

 

Just saying.

Cheers!
Blogorelli

Update: Terrarium How To

A while back, I wrote about how I thought that modernist terrariums would make fantastic gifts (but couldn't find any online instructions.) Luckily, one of my daily reads, Decor 8, posted a step-by-step to making your very own succulent terrarium (via M Stetson Design.) The whole shebang is a bit more involved than I expected, but still makes for an inexpensive and unique birthday/moving/hostess/you get the idea gift.

BofA + MoU = <$!

If the title hieroglyphics are unclear, Bank of America is once again sponsoring its Museums on Us program for 2008. Basically, holders of BofA cards can gain free admission to museums on the first weekend of every month for the entire year. For us in New England, the program means no payola for looksies at galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park, and RISD Museum (technically in RI, but a pleasant short drive from Boston Proper.) Unfortunately,one museum near our apartment that I've been meaning to check out -- the Larz Anderson Auto Museum -- didn't make the MoU cut, but I'm hoping to win a one year membership in the Brighton High School "Breeze into Summer" Online Auction in time to see the Design, Performance, Passion: Italian Cars exhbit.

Not being eaten alive by the ridiculous cost of living here in The Bean? Don't worry, BofA has expanded the program to include museums in 17 other states. With sales of Spam at an all-time high, MoU = thriftiness that doesn't necessitate pairing with an antacid.

Grobal Gifting

One of my favorite things about the warmer, sunnier days? The time is ideal for planting outdoor gardens. This year, I'm hoping to not kill my green flock through under-watering by using Grobals, "The Cutest Self-Watering Plant Pot(s) Ever" (not to be confused with Josh.)

Designed by Karim Rashid (who did the Method packaging, among many other things,) these adorable pots are not only available in lots of stylish colors but also draw water and nutrients from the reservoir into the soil to keep plants happy + healthy. I love that the product photos feature succulents, which are my personal favorites due to their general heartiness.

Plus, Grobals look like the little machines from Batteries Not Included when open and come in various sizes...perfect for gifting, not to mention mixing-n-matching.

The Inevitable

To truly prove that some things are just a matter of time, I came home on Friday after work and found:

Yes, the BKP vommed on our new(ish) Corona. Luckily, using the "water only" technique described in the booklet that came with the sofa, I got all of the offending matter up and off. Three hours and much fretting later, the spot had returned to its original, appealing avocado hue.

Funny how much less protective one feels about a "big ticket" purchase  after knowing that another living thing regurgitated on it.

Forever is Now

Like diamonds or teflon, the US Postal Service's Forever Stamp truly does lock per-letter postage price at 41 cents -- a fact that I mocked upon the stamps' release until I found out at the post office today that stamps are going up to 42 cents on May 12. Get 'em before they fly out of the stamp books like lightning, or risk having to buy scads of the new generation of those lame G rate make-up stamps.

I n n i t ?

Well, boil my pickle. Between Pittsburghese and a new British tag question, I may actually be unintelligible to English speakers.

"For some people, 'innit' is just another tag question, a contraction of 'isn't it'. But kids in urban Britain are using 'innit' to cover a wider and wider range of situations. Here are some examples of non-standard use, gleaned from recent messageboard postings:

'We need to decide what to do about that now innit.' (don't we?)
'Now I can start calling you that, INNIT!' (can't I?)
'I can see where my REAL friends are, elsewhere innit!!' (aren't they?)
'I'll show young Miss Hanna round to all the shops, innit.' (won't I?)"

If the BBC says the above is proper grammer, that's enough reason to early adopt, innit?
(link via kottke)

File Under: Never Knew I Needed

...but I DO! (Yes, this is another shameless "dream purchases" post, since I am basically broke until I receive my economic relief check in May.)

360electrical rotating wall outlets
Now I can use my laptop and dry my hair all in one place

5 in Uno Set of Glasses

When neat storage and eye-catching presentation merge, I'm sold...until I see the $250 price tag. Still, the nesting of hand-blown glasses for spirit, port/prosecco/dessert wine, wine, water and cognac/brandy are a great idea for minimalists or cityfolk.

Old Phones

The Prof's grandpap worked for the Rhode Island Telephone Company, but unfortunately none of the beauties he stockpiled from his years of service work with contemporary hook-ups since most phone lines run through cable these days. Luckily, all tellies from OldPhones are "fully restored, work on modern lines, have a modular line plug, and are fully guaranteed."

Hubwear

Now everyone can know that, besides believing the Hype, I also have many dream travel destinations. My co-worker Jackie's hubby wore one of these tees at brunch this past weekend (BOS-LHR, they lived in London for a year) and it looked very cool in person. As an example (below,) I just picked my most frequently flown path.

The Stinger Finally Resurfaces

...at Taos? As of March 19, 2008, Taos (one of only four remaining mountains in North America which bans snowboarders) will open its slopes! Even though we weren't able to secure tickets out west for late February, I'm not completely giving up hope for the season. I'd love to take The Stinger out for his second day on the slopes ever with the scornful eyes of Taos skiers burning into my back.

"Dear Media Partner,

We are pleased to make you one of the first to be know that Taos Ski Valley will open to snowboarding beginning March 19, 2008.

After years of discussion and planning this exciting new chapter in Taos Ski Valley history and putting many of the pieces in place, the time is right. We are excited about this change and look forward to welcoming a whole new group of snow enthusiasts to our mountain.

There will be events and festivities to kick off this new era during the final 2 ½ weeks of the season (more details to come). We’ll plan to spend the summer addressing any issues that arise and continuing to prepare our facilities and staff to take care of both our new guests and our long time friends. We’re committed to attending to all of our guests in the personal manner that TSV is known for, and which the Blake family is committed to preserving.

We would like to offer you our heartfelt thanks for being a part of our nearly 55-year tradition. It would be our pleasure to share this new era with you. Please let us know if we can arrange a visit.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Alejandro, Adriana and Mickey Blake"

YESSSIR!
After a day on the slopes, I'd follow with aprés ski and perhaps a cozy dinner in one of the town's "wintry dining rooms."

Vinny Joins the Mile High Club

Or rather, the high mileage club! My randy sedan's odometer finally passed 100,000 miles about two months ago. Of course, I had to spend OVER $1,100 for the 100K service because the Vin needed new belts, miscellaneous repairs, and a new exhaust system from the catalytic converter back because either The Prof or I backed into a giant snow bank last month and pushed the tailpipe forward about eight inches.

All said, Vincenzo is looking sharp in his advanced age. I attribute much of his recent spunk to the fact that he is no longer hauling ass, or specifically, hauling my store (and storage space) in his ass. Soon he'll have his shiny prize for trudging along with me these past 10 years -- "an attractive grille medallion and letter of verification, with ongoing recognition for every additional 100,000 miles they drive."

(Tear.)
And WOO!