Rose Story Farm

Emily of EmilyStyle posted a cute little list of things she's wanting for her upcoming birthday. Boy, did the flowers ever catch my eye! Aren't these flowers beautiful from Rose Story Farm???? I would LOVE to get a bouquet of Glamis Castles (Auslevel)! It appears that they ship anywhere but there is a two-bunch minimum purchase for all cut flowers. Also, the cut flowers aren't available January through April. Whew! Lucky me! My birthday is in December! :)

Oil and Vinegar

Oil and Vinegar Spooning
Originally uploaded by stuporglue.

Lately I have been ordering chicken salads for lunch with just olive oil and vinegar. Simple and delicious. I realized today that I have observed many European people ordering their salads this way too. I wonder if this is the typical dressing of choice in places such as Italy?

{{image via stuporglue}}

Victoria's Secret

So, my last order from Victoria's Secret ended up being a delivery nightmare. It took about a month and a half for my order to arrive! Apparently they are going through some changes with their order processing facility. Well, they just sent me a really nice discount for my next order to make up for it!!!

After going from store to store over on both Saturday and Sunday only to leave each one empty handed...nothing fit or looked right..I decided I can't go wrong with knee high boots from VS! I would never have been able to buy them if it weren't for the discount, so I went for it! Along with the boots, I purchased a cute little sweater in one of my favorite shades of green.

I wish I could have also ordered their new SuperModel perfume (surpirisngly, I thought it smelled pretty good in their catalog!) and the Heide Klume Glitter EyeLiner in Bang to layer over my regular eyeliner.

Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts

The next book on my list is Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts : Using the Power of Pleasure to Have Your Way with the World by Regena Thomashauer.
Could it really be life-changing as some reviewers claim?

{{available at amazon}}

Leroy and the Girl

I am so smitten with these portraits by Leroy and the Girl!

Ohhhh I love art! I so wish I could own a collection!Jordan (of Oh Happy Day) and her husband buy an original piece of art once a year and in her comments, Amber (of Daisy Chain) and her husband buy art specifically for their anniversary every year! Too cool!

Nursing Home

Not sure what my fascination is lately with portraits of older folks. Maybe I didn't realize how much character they truly hold in their faces until now? The photos that recently caught my attention are Shannon Fagan's Nursing Home images, which I found via SwissMiss.

America's Favorite Cities

Fabulous survey over at Travelandleisure.com on America's Favorite Cities!

I am thinking Austin or Seattle are sounding pretty good, right about now...fun, intelligent people, underground art scenes, good food, etc.

Vegas came in next to last for Intelligent People and 19 (out of 25) on Friendly People. I could have told you that. I have never been more bored by people in my entire life! Even Sweetwater (Little Texas town) had more friendly, fun, creative and intelligent people than here! Sorry Vegas! It's true though!

This Weekend...

Festival of the Arts & Fall Harvest Fest at the District!

I LOVE The District! I could walk around there on a nightly basis, I swear! It would be super nifty to actually live in one of the lofts along there!

Designers Anonymous

Designers Anonymous: A 12-Step Program presented by Chris Elkerton and Dave Gouvela
Click image to enlarge for legibility.

Lots of cool Handout Downloads for free at How Conference.
I would also like to purchase a few of the sessions from the conference available on the same webpage.

Metaphorical Alligators

From the Karen Salmansohn blog newsletter I subscribe to:

You know how it’s easier to walk a plank that’s on solid ground, instead of one that’s plunked above an alligator-infested lagoon -- because the fear of those yapping hungry alligators makes you less focused on what you desire?

The same is true with your career. You must avoid staring at your metaphorical-alligators, and instead stay focused on your supporting plank, which in careerland is composed of two strong fibers:

(1)Your confidence -- what you know you have going for you

(2) Your passion -- what know you really want

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
If you’re stuck in a job you hate it’s probably because you’re staring at your metaphorical-alligators. Today re-focus on your supporting plank. Make a list of your areas of high self esteem and reasons for high passion. Whenever fear strikes, strike back with these lists!

_____________________________________________

Karen is full of good advice! I have several of her books and recommend them to anyone wanting to be the best they can be in regards to their career & living their dreams....especially women!

Images above are from her post-it-note book, Quickie Stickies.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

This looks sooo good, from Martha Stewart Food! I am going to have to try making it soon...

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

Prep: 10 minutes Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 4.

One whole chicken, cut up, and a single pan -- plus some citrus, new potatoes, butter, and newly in-season asparagus. We like scrumptious, dark, crispy skin; to achieve this, use a shallow roasting pan (that means three inches deep or less). Deeper pans trap more steam, which keeps meats from browning well.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package cut-up whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes and half the butter in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

Scatter asparagus, lemon, remaining butter, and thyme around chicken. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

Radiohead In Rainbows

If you haven't already done so, I highly suggest you head on over to the Radiohead website and download their latest, In Rainbows now! Radiohead are offering it for whatever you want to pay...seriously! While you can pay absolutely nothing for it, I would encourage you to actually pay for it. It apparently isn't as great of quality as a regular CD (I can't hear the difference though) and it doesn't come with artwork, packing etc. The actual disc will be available for purchase in 2008. But it is well worth spending money on now...if for anything but applauding the band for going about releasing their music in such an unconventional manner!

I heart Radiohead!!!

New York Wedding Ring

How cool is this? Design and make your own wedding & engagement rings with these unique workshops through New York Wedding Ring.

http://www.newyorkweddingring.com


***Update: I am feeling better, although my head is still hurting a little, but I can deal with it. So, obviously I'm back at work...and NOT FIRED!!!! Yay!!!

Migraine Mania

Always nice to start the week with a migraine, isn't it? I really need to find a new Dr. with late night or weekend hours so I can get more Imitrex nasal spray. I'm out of my prescription and these migraines aren't letting up!

This art piece, Blood 1, by Lynette May, reminds me of the way my migraines make me want to pull my teeth out....my teeth and eye (only on one side) always hurt badly, along with the rest of my head. Strange.


http://lynettemay.envy.nu
http://lynettemay.envy.nu/work2.html

Renaissance Faire

I had such a great time yesterday at the Las Vegas Renaissance Faire with Austin, Willy and my mom! I'm always so grateful for fun, picture taking opportunities such as this. These are a few of my favorite shots.

Full series of pictures can be found here.

Lip Balm

I have a new favorite lip balm that doubles as a tinted gloss. CO Bigelow's Mentha Lip Tint. I found it at the Apothecary today in the Venetian. I remembered my friend, Cari saying she loved the Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine/Breath Freshener, and saw the same thing but with a lovely pink tint! It's minty and tingly and leaves my lips smooth and dewy....love it!!!! I like it even more than my old standby, Rosebud Salve.

Trackrecord

The latest issue of JPG magazine has such a fantastic photo essay by Dina Goldstein called "Trackrecord". I am mesmerized by her awesome captures of these intriguing characters at the Race Track and envious of her ability to approach strangers to take their photos. The photos are even better when viewing them in the glossy pages of the magazine!

Orbiting the Giant Hairball

This one looks good for any creative type stuck in the corporate world...
Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace
by Gordon MacKenzie

((available at Amazon))

COTTON POPLIN DRESS

Cute dress by BCBG and at $180 it's actually not too terribly spendy for this line, although it's too spendy for ME.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Birthday Cake
Originally uploaded by sfraz71.