Friday, April 30, 2010

40 Pounds Lighter

No, I didn't join the Biggest Loser. But what I did do is bring two HUGE bags of clothing to Goodwill. After my last move, I knew I needed to downsize my wardrobe as I just don't want to continue to transport clothing I no longer wear. I still have a few shirts from college and some pants from high school(!). This, combined with my inability to get rid of clothing and my love of finding new deals, has caused my closet(s) to get a little out of control.

I recently tried to do some weeding out of my closet. Now I can proudly say it is no longer overflowing. I am well aware that come next fall/winter I will have to purchase some pants, but for now, I will simply ignore that need. In general, I tried to follow the rule of if you haven't worn the item in over a year, it is time to let it go.

Of course, with all this extra space, I just want to go shopping...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Spandex on a Budget

If I am going to subject myself to running outside, I might as well have some decent workout clothes that fit. The last time I was an active athlete I was in college and really haven't purchased any gym shorts, spandex, sports bras, etc. since. I was thinking it was high time I got some new gear. Specifically I wanted capri length spandex pants. They look adorable and I feel I would be a bit more comfortable in public in a longer spandex pant. My spandex shorts tend to ride up when I wear them and I wouldn't want anyone to accidentally see a cheek.

After asking the runner who sits across from me at work, I found out that the best line of running pants are from lululemon. I took her word for it and headed to the Pru.

The staff there is amazing! So nice and helpful. Now, normally these running pants can run upside of $80! BUT they always have a killer sales rack. See, every 45 days they change their colors. Any stock that they have left in the previous "season's" line, is now marked down. One of the employees told me that if you see anything on the sales rack, just ask if there are any additional colors in the back.

If you are an active woman, I would suggest going to the store and check it out. If you're lucky one of the employees may make a mistake, which they have to do push-ups for. Seriously. No joke.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sugar Daddy is in my future!


I loved Freakanomics and thought the book was full of food for thought. Please don't take that sentence as me taking everything as gospel, but the mathematician in me can't help be graviate to the logic.

There is a blog on The New York Times website that is posted to regularly. Recently, the writers let me know that I am destined to marry well and earn more than my brunette counterparts. I will admit, I have played the "dumb blonde" card before and it is so useful. To all the brunettes and redheads in the world, I am sorry you don't have this luxury.

With this in mind, I will be calling my new fabulous hair dresser to make an appointment to freshen up my highlights as the lack of sun from the winter is sadly keeping my hair dark...

PS I found this random post while looking for images and wanted to share :)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Running Running Running


"I can't even be bothered to run to my mailbox"

I once heard someone say this in response to the classic "Do you run?" question that fit people love to throw out to us lazy people and thought it was perfect. Over the last few years I have come to rely on this statement which has kept those who run from continuing on with trying to convince me I am missing out on some amazing experience. Recently, I developed runner's envy (I completely admit this stems from watching people run the Marathon), and just like when I had bloggers envy, I have decided to act on it.

First, I went Marathon Sports on Boylston St. If you have never run and know that you have a tendency to just pick the shoes that are the cutest and not necessarily the best for you, I'd suggest going to one of the Marathon Sports locations. They will watch you walk, suggest some shoes for you and then send you outside to awkwardly jog up and down the side walk.

In the end purchasing sneakers by Saucony. These shoes will keep my ankles nice and stable as they have a habit to flop around while I walk/run. I think this is why I am able to twist my ankle at the drop of a hat. With the spirit of full disclosure, I twisted it at one point when I was test jogging two different sneakers. Personally, I am going to fault the fact that one sneaker was padded more than the other so I became lopsided.

Oye. This will be quite an adventure folks. Let's see if I can make it through the "couch to 5k program!"

As a side note, I'd love to praise the employees at Marathon Sports. The female that helped me out was super eager and nice. Not once did I feel awkward (well more than usual) and felt very safe that she was going to put me in a shoe that would be comfortable and safe.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Nah, I just love Tots.


I stopped at the grocery on the way home from work. I needed lemons and limes so I figured I would be in and out in 30 seconds or less. Of course, that didn't happen.

As soon as I stepped into the store I got a craving for chips and dip. Since I was already there, why not grab some salty treats. By the time I got to the register I had a very strange array of products including a package of tiny tater tots. They had been a last minute grab, I mean how do you say no to tots that are on sale??

I was so excited about the idea of making my own tater tots that I must have been grinning like an idiot. The woman bagging up my groceries saw my smile and said "oh you must have a really good paying job because you look so happy". I immediately responded "no I don't make much, I am just really excited to eat some tots!" She looked at me like I was crazy, and well, I can understand that...

Can't wait to eat these mini tots. Now if only I had popcorn chicken bits to go with them!

PS - While looking for an image of tater tots for this post, I came across a recipe for tater tot casserole! I think I might have to give this a whirl

Oh-no Emilio

I don't like Emilio as a person. Well, I can say I don't like Emilio as a designer as he was portrayed on Project Runway and based on this I do not like him a person. I also understand based on everything that I have read, that he was even more of pain in the ass than the producers let us know. As there were many arguments with Tim Gunn that were left on the editing room floor. Anyway, let's get to the fashion.

The finale for Project Runway Season 7 was yesterday. My gut told me that Seth Aaron would come through in the end to take the prize, and I am happy to say my gut was right. As the second half of the season progressed, I became less and less of a fan of Emilio's work. His final show screamed outdated 80s to me. Apparently the judges didn't get the same feeling as their biggest critique was that the collection was more of a line than a show.




My neighbor and I had the same reaction to this piece. Ick and 80's. The silhouette in our opinions is not modern. Beyond reminding us of decade's past, and not in a good way, it looked bulky. Not in the sense that the jacket necessarily made the model look bigger but that the fabric itself seemed thicker and possibly a heavy polyester blend.

I am pretty neutral on the pants or leggings, not completely sure what they are. The snaps up the back of the calves are interesting, but don't really understand how they go with the jacket.

All in all, not particularly excited about this look. So let's continue on.








Seriously? What made Emilio choose this print. Maybe it could be used as an accent, but to make an entire outfit is just ludicrous and ugly. What woman wants to wear that. It makes this poor model look like swamp thing.

The elbow length red rubber gloves also baffle me. I don't think I even need to write anything more about them. Speechless.

I will say I love the height to the shoes. There should be at least one positive statement, right? Makes me a little less bitchy...









This is the last garment I am going to type about. The color selection for this print is drab. It reminds me of what happens to printed curtains that get too much sun. I feel that the purple and blue should pop a bit more. But even if the color wasn't sickly, I don't know if it would make me like the dress any better.

The idea of creating a print is awesome, my best guess is he got the idea from the print challenge, and I will give him credit that this is much better than the version he created the first time (as at least this time it didn't look like he stole it from Louis Vuitton). But I feel like he put effort in creating this branding because he has convinced himself that he was the winner. He still needed to convince us we are the winner. If I liked the silhouette, maybe I would be willing to wear it with his name plastered all over it. The truth is that the dress is more on the ugly side, and the print only makes it worse.


I will agree with the other bloggers out there that his last dress was gorgeous. While it didn't fit with anything else that walked down the runway, it at least reminded us that he can make beautiful garments.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

I wish I was a little bit shorter.

Just kidding!

I love my height, but sometimes I just really want to be a cute little petite person who can wear anything that the fashion world dreams up. Case in point: Urban Outfitters sent me an email letting me know they have a whole line of them this spring! Of course, I couldn't resist taking a peek and subsequently felt that if I even attempted to try one on I would look like I was wearing clothes made for a toddler. Not sexy and flirty, but awkward, spidery and pathetic. I really love the Pins and Needles Eyelet Piped Romper (see above) but know when it is time to close the web browser and step away.

I'm thinking that I might be able to jump on the jumpsuit bandwagon, a similar trend that seems to be also picking up steam. The extra length in the legs make me believe there is a higher chance these pieces will flatter my body. I have tried a few on in stores here and there. Generally they are not quite proportioned quite right for my long and lean frame - major issues in the crotch area when pulling the top up so as not to be arrested for indecent exposure. But maybe there is hope this year?

As if the fashion deities were looking down on me, as I began this post, I looked to the floor of my living room and saw a Free People catalog. When I flipped it open, I landed right on a page with a great looking jumpsuit (see right). You can't tell by this picture but there are spaghetti straps which I think is a must given the amount of fabric that apart of this look. The last thing I need is my outfit sliding down my torso because my tiny boobs can't create enough of a shelf to hold the look in place!

There was one other article that caught my eye. It is like a new take on overalls. Kind of digging this. Need to find one in a store to try out!

How old am I?

I have been an amazon customer since I was in college. Which means I have been actively ordering movies, books, cds, etc for about 8 years now. Amazon tries to suggest media that I might want to purchase, sometimes it is on target, sometimes it couldn't be more wrong.

Today, was a bad day for Amazon. The website wants me to go to prom...


I am super glad that Amazon is looking out for me and knows that if it is going to offer me a deal, it should be on shoes, but prom? Come on man.

While I did refrain from going any further from opening this email, it did make me realize I haven't bought a new shoe in almost a month. Which means I am due for something new. I have been looking for a good summer sandal (thinking of going for a wooden heel) and maybe it is time to be a little more aggressive.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Most Awesomest Game Ever

If you have some time on your hands today, you may want to start playing Most Awesomest Thing Ever. The game is super fun, and super addictive.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Stupid AI


American Idol annoys me. Apparently, it currently annoys America, too. From what I hear, the contestants are pretty terrible this season and I can only assume this is why Glee's new time slot has been scheduled to immediately follow this disaster.

I don't care that Glee has been moved, as the power of DVR lets me continue with my life without ever having to miss an episode. What I care about is if a show is placed after some reality crap that involves voting, my show won't necessarily start on time. The DVR is not that smart and begins to record at 9 pm and stops at 10:02 based on the tv guide. Unfortunately for me,the mindless banter ran a little late which pushed back Glee's start time by about 4 minutes. This in turn means that I missed the last 2 minutes of my show. Grrrr. I hope I didn't miss any particularly witty remarks, as this week was full of some great lines. Here are a few of my favorites!

"What you call insanity, I call inspiration. Let me break it down for you. It has been the biggest dream of my career to pay homage to Madonna the woman most responsible for my take no prisoner demeanor and my subconscious tendency to always be desperately looking for someone named Susan" "What would madonna do? Well the answer that question is usually date a younger man" "Girl, don't look at me. The last guy i liked was the mayor of gay-town" "Lindsay Lohan looks like something out of lord of the rings..." "When I pulled my hamstring, I went to a misogynist" "Everything about you screams virgin your as sexy as a cabbage patch kid. It is exhausting to look at you" "You have all the sexuality of one of those pandas down at the zoo that refuse to mate" "Just come out so we can talk, or sing about it"

Pretty OK with this.

Of course, the one morning I am not dragging my body around my apartment trying to get ready fast enough so I can make it to work, I end up making a quick post. Every morning I check the weather and this was the first six day forecast that didn't make me completely cringe!


Not even the least bit concerned that it may rain on Thursday, a week in the 60s and 70s is a good week for me. Yes, I see that Sunday is 57, but give the weathermen a few days, or hours, and I am sure they will make it an even 60 so that the people are then happy.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Too Tired To Type


Today is Patriot's Day. Or for those of us that live in the Boston area, Marathon Monday. While I have lived here for almost four years, this is the first year that I had the pleasure of having the day off. Previously, my employers have opted to require the staff to show up, as our offices were not along the 26 mile route. With my new job, this is no longer the case, so the day was mine.

A friend of mine decided to run this year, and so, I, with a handful of others, chased him along the racecourse cheering him on the best we could. It was actually a lot of fun trying to figure out exactly where he was at any point in time. Technology allowed for us to see if he made it past various check points. That, with the help of phone calls from friends who were staying stationary along the course who could provide us with visual confirmation of his progress, allowed for us to stay a few steps ahead.

After catching up with him by the St Mary's T stop, I had to call it quits and let the group know I would catch up for dinner. I needed food, beverage, and a bathroom. Honestly, I was exhausted. Cramming on crowded trains and maneuvering along sidewalks isn't as easy as it sounds. And by seven I was ready to call it a day and climb into bed! Granted it is now almost 11 pm and I am still up and typing, but once I hit "publish post" this little blogger will be heading to dreamtown. I hope to sleep enough tonight to make it through the work day tomorrow.

I know the runners will have it worse when they wake up - with the lack of toenails and inability to walk up stairs - which only reinforces my belief that I will never be a marathon runner. My body just cannot handle that kind of stress. My hat, or I should say sunglasses, is off to you fine people. May your body recover quickly.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

For the love of cotton

It has been awhile since I last posted about clothing or shoes. Well, I just got my weekly coupon for one of the local clothing boutiques, which was for $15 off already marked down sleepwear by Cosabella.

Usually I ignore the coupons from this store as the mark downs are typically on full priced items, and well, the items are usually pretty pricey. Thankfully this sale could be used on an existing sale, so, SCORE!

I was able to pick up a really comfortable cotton nightgown. Not only did the store had a small in stock, but it came in the color I wanted (bitter chocolate). My love for soft cotton nightgown slip-like sleepwear has become exponentially more intense each time I manage to find another piece. Honestly, it is like sleeping in second skin. Ladies, please unite behind my mission of bringing sexy back in the form of cotton/lace nightgowns.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Awwww Puppies!

I was watching the tv and there were a slew of commercials starring puppies. Of course I couldn't bring myself to fast forward any of them. The first was for Pedigree dog food. The company is donating a portion of the sales for each purchase of Pedigree food. I was so moved by the commercial I was tempted to purchase some even though I do not own a dog. Please know that I quickly realized it would make more sense to just donate directly to local shelters.

The next commercial was a Cesar dog food commercial that just makes me smile. Nothing like a Great Dane trying to fit in a bike basket. :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Stouffers for Lunch. Yum!


Considering I love their french bread pizzas, it is a no brainer that I found there frozen meals to be delish. When ever I go to the grocery I will cruise down the frozen food section to see if any of the frozen meals are on sale. The frugal fanny inside me will not pay more than 2 dollars for a sodium-filled, small-portioned, meal. I know that the dinners I prepare myself are not always huge, but I find the Lean Cuisine and Smart Balance dinners to leave me hungry.

For the first time, I saw that Stouffers had meals on sale for $1.99 so I decided to go for it. I always go for the fetachini alfredo (with chicken and broccoli) or thanksgiving dinners. Honestly, I bought about 7 different kinds (including the french bread pizza because it was on sale for $2.49! yay!)

Well, this morning I was far too exhausted to make a Dagwood style sandwich, so I grabbed one of these meals and went. It was honestly the best frozen meal I have had so far. I think I will now be on the look out for this brand from now on. Pass the word, they are actually relatively tasty!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Eeeeep! gLee is back!!

"did you get a new hair cut? It looks awful"

"no she's dead, this is her son"

"you may be two of the stupidest teens i ever encountered and that is something, i once taught a cheerleading seminar to a young sarah palin"

"take five everybody, drink a redbull"

"have a seat boy hips"

"sometimes i forget my middle name

Glee is back! I actually forgot some of the things that had occurred in the last episode and so it took a moment to get back into all of the crazy plot lines. A few minutes in, it was like there had never been a break. As excited as I was for the show to start up again, I will admit, I had higher hopes for the musical numbers. But at least next week is the all-Madonna episode...

Snacking in the Grocery

The general rule is that one shouldn't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Everything looks so tasty and the trip always ends in at least $15 worth of impulse purchases. The only time I think that you can ignore this rule is if you plan on hitting up the Deli. Basically the deli gives you free snacks and help tied you over on the way home to make dinner.

I was busy having fun on saturday and then opted to not leave the apartment on sunday, leaving me with an apartment with no food. Thus, I had to eat some baked beans, and cheese & crackers for lunch. It was actually way tastier than it sounds. On the way home, I stopped at STAR Market to pick up just a few items. I always start in the produce section and in this market the deli is right there. As I passed by I thought I would get some salads, and the meat section just stared back. I asked for some samples of provolone and turkey. Delish. I did go forward and buy some of each as well, but there really is nothing as satisfying as snacking on some good cheese while browsing through the grocery store.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Show Me The $$$!

I had sworn that I would get my taxes done in February, and unfortunately, the month just got away from me. Then March arrived, and the GMATs became the priority and taxes fell to the way side. April 1st showed up and, well, I wanted to go out and have fun. Today, I realized that this is the last weekend before April 15th. Even though I knew I would get a refund, and the tax deadline only penalizes those who don't file but will need to pay, I really needed to get my rear in gear.

Since high school, I have been doing my own taxes. Yes, I would have father check them over. And I will admit that when I had super complicated taxes that involved cross filing in RI and MA, I did have turbo tax step in on the state side,. But in general, I prefer to them by hand, the process makes me feel accomplished.

I do miss the RI state tax return. First, it was less complicated than the Massachusetts one. And second, if you were eligible for a refund, it ended with a smiley face. The MA return is not as friendly. Now that the returns have been filed, I just have to sit back and wait for the money to show up in my bank account.
Clearly if I were a cartoon accountant, I would be a doughnut

20 seconds of face time. I'll take it

Chelsea Handler had a book signing before her show yesterday. I love watching her show, and if I could be someone famous, it would be her. Not only does she have sweet job of reading tabloids all day, talking about them for about 15 minutes with fun coworkers and then interviewing celebrities in a no-hold-barred way, but she is sponsored by Belvidere and has Margarita Thursdays.

The line for the book signing wasn't too long, granted my friend totally got in line early and let me join in with her when I showed up. But either way everything moved along rather quickly. There were some 40+ women who were ahead of us and they tried to keep up their conversation with Chelsea as she was signing our books which made both my friend and me concerned. We didn't stand in that line to not even get to say hello!

Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything particularly clever to say to her, and I was fairly certain most people would have told her she was f*cking hysterical, so I let her know I loved her shoes (see March 2010 Marie Claire). She told me I was cute for saying so, and then complimented me on mine since they were in my hand at the time.

I don't mind that the exchange was short and over in the amount of time it took her to sign my book. I wasn't deluded thinking we would have a chat over some tea, there were people wrapped around the block! Her 500th episode is coming up, I am sure it will be super fun. Hopefully, things continue to go well for her and in another year or so she will be touring again, and I can stand in line to have her sign another book. Hopefully by then, I have a little more disposable cash and can afford a bottle of whatever high price vodka she is plugging at that point to have her sign. Right now, I can't justify the bottle of Belvedere , but I did justify the Grey Goose cocktail at the W Hotel prior to the show...

Friday, April 9, 2010

Sock Bucket?

Sometimes I see items on the market, and wonder why I didn't think of it first. The $30 missing sock bucket is a perfect example of such a thing.

For the last few months, I have had a missing sock pile in my living room next the tv. (I thought that was as good of a spot as any) But I would agree that a bucket would make me appear a little more organized. And the graphic is rather cute.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Kickballing drunks


I was watching Chelsea Lately and she showcased a clip from "Over the Limit" in her opening monologue. I was so happy to have taped the show because I definitely repeated the clip a few times. After focusing on the clip carefully for a few minutes, I can now be relatively certain that the drunk girl in the clip has come home from a WAKA event. The logo on her shirt is blurred out, but there are moments where small pieces can be seen. Honestly, I have been playing for a few years now, and I think I can recognize the logo even if I only get a small glimpse of it.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Summer Sun in April? I'll take it.


The day was beautiful today. I think it hit 80 degrees at some point. As soon as it hit 1 pm I hopped on out of the office to take my hour lunch in the quad. Thankfully I stayed in the shade because even then, I began sweating in my new summer work dress. I knew right then and there that I would be heading back to my apartment for homemade nachos and margaritas on my balcony.

If you are in the market for a new type of guacamole, I would suggest you try out Santa Barbara. The company is genius, the guac is packaged in an air-tight plastic bag so you can squeeze out as much as you want and left the rest in the packaging. None of the unused guac turns brown, which happens whenever I have purchased a style that comes in a tub. There are some red peppers in the mix and I only like guacamole with a kick. Prior to about 8 months ago, I would have refused to try the stuff because avocado has a butter like texture and I prefer crunchy.

Also, this company makes a great pico de gallo. Just the right combination of veggies and spice. After baking my nachos I scattered a few spoonfuls over the pile. Delish!

Honestly, I hope to have many more afternoons filled with this Mexican themed snacks in the late sun. This apartment and I get along quite well.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

LC, I like your stuff!

I think I saw one episode of Laguna Beach. If I recall correctly, one of the girls was rejected from BYU and extremely upset because that was the only school she applied to. I thought it was a strange school for a girl on the show to apply to based on what I knew about the cast, but that is neither here nor there. Since I never really got into Laguna Beach, I never bothered with The Hills, I thought I wouldn't know what is going on - I do realize that I would have been able to catch on pretty quickly, the cast is not that deep.

The reason I mention this, is because when I heard that Lauren Conrad, one of the cast members, came out with her own line of clothing, I figured I would never go near them. How could they be any good? They were from a fake reality show star. Well, I was wrong.

While home for Easter, I went to Kohl's with my mum and sister. I ended up trying on a pair of her skinny jeans. They were on sale for $29.99 and then we had 20% coupon on top of that, so of course I had to try them on. I am a recent convert to the skinny jean. These jeans fit fantastically! I will say that they aren't true skinny jeans in that they aren't tight around the ankle, but I also wouldn't call them matchstick. Regardless, the purchase was made and I am quite happy about it.

If you need a pair of cheap (but nice) skinny jeans, I would suggest taking a trip to your nearest Kohl's.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Snippy comments make for sad customers


Customer service makes or breaks an experience. When I bought shoes from Nordstrom's I thought the department store was amazing. They were attentive and helpful. The service woman told me that if I ever had a problem with the shoes to come back and anyone would be more than happy to help me either return them or exchange them for a new pair. I had never heard of something like this as she let me know that wearing them around the city was not a problem at all for them if I felt dissatisfied.

The first night I wore out the shoes, I noticed that there was a small tear in the leather. Nothing too terrible, but it bothered me. Those shoes cost bank. Then I remembered what I was told and so I figured when I drove home for Easter I would stop by the new Nordstrom's and try out this spectacular service.

Ok, so the experience not so spectacular. The first shoe saleswoman, super nice. Complemented me on the shoes and went to find the manager. The manager took one quick look at the shoes and told me that the tear was my fault and that it would not have happened if I didn't trip or something. If she had said it only once, or maybe after, "sure let me help you" than maybe I would have felt more comfortable. But I honestly think she drove it home by telling me at least 4 times that it was my fault my shoes were torn. Then after making me feel terrible that I even brought them in to begin with, she scanned the barcode, let the receipt run, tore it off, and then slapped it to the counter announcing that they are completely sold out at all stores. It was a mortifying experience.

I had thought about shopping around for another pair of shoes since I was returning the ones I bought from piperlime (they were sadly defective) but this saleswoman made me feel beyond uncomfortable. I just needed to leave, immediately.

Basically, I think it will be a while before I attempt another trip to Nordstrom's. I don't like feeling like an inconvenience when I go shopping. Afterall, I am about to give the place my hard earned money, please be nice to me. Case in point, earlier that day I had walked into the GAP because I saw a huge sale sign, but then remembered that last time I asked if a pair of pants came in tall, the saleswoman looked at me with a "hell no" expression and told me I could buy them online (which meant I would be penalized with shipping costs because tall sizes can't be bothered to be kept in stock at that store...). With this in mind, I don't want to find something I love only to find out that it doesn't come in my size, so I just walked right out.

Ugh. I will get over this, eventually. In the mean time I will keep looking online for new shoes.