Something cute

Can you believe it's Thursday and how did it get here so quickly? I guess I wasn't looking.

The other day while out and about, I stopped off at Marshall's to see what was going on and came across this cute coffee mug with a little kitty peering over the edge. Ok, this is not a new concept to get so excited over but I just thought it was the cutest thing. In fact since I have some errands to run today, I might have to stop off and bring it home with me. I didn't check the price but I'm going to guess somewhere around $5. Do I have any bets as to its actual cost? I'll let you know.


While I am ooohing and awwwwing over cats, here is one of my kitty tea pots. It's surprising I don't collect Hello Kitty....anymore! Ha ha for the record, no, I never collected Hello Kitty. I mean seriously. :D


Here is my latest tea pot purchased at a church thrift shop. It's my most expensive one and largest at $7 but it was in great shape so I got it but it does leave me wondering what the tea cups looked like.

In case you're interested here's what today's weather looks like:

The weather has finally cooled off a bit. The sky is a little overcast right now and the weather is predicted to be in the 70s with a slight chance of rain. In fact, it just thundered! Hard to believe we were sweltering in the 90s and 100s last week. This has definitely been the wierdest summer ever.

Of popovers, makeup and lunch

A few posts ago I told you about a batch of popovers I made. From the comments I got it seemed a few people never heard of this yummy concoction and someone else had never seen a popover pan before.

A popover is a light, hollow roll made from an egg batter similar to that used in making Yorkshire pudding. The only difference is you do not add the savory drippings from the roast. I'm going to guess that popover got it's name because the batter swells or "pops" over the top of the tin while baking. You can use a muffin tin, ramekin or a popover pan.

Here's the popover pan I got for $1 at a yard sale and it does the trick nicely.

The ingredients for popvers are simple, here's a basic recipe from Paula Deen:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Grease tin or ramekin with melted butter. Break eggs into a bowl and beat well. Add milk, flour and salt, and beat until just blended. Fill the tins 3/4 full with the batter and bake for 30 minutes without opening oven door. Serve hot with butter, jam, syrup or honey.

I'm doing a half recipe this morning and as I am running low on milk I will be adding some coffee creamer to the batter. I'm pretty sure this will make for a slightly sweet popover.

Here they go into the oven!

And here are the glorious puffed beauties, it's always a surprise to see what shape they take.

Remember the contest I won over at Barb's at The French Elements? Well, I decided to try out the cleanser and I have to tell you that it is wonderful. The texture is silky, creates a nice soapy lather and has a pleasant scent.

Never mind my face, look at my hands they look HUGE. On second thought don't look at my hands!


Had to show you my favorite lip gloss from Lancome called Bengali Gaze, sort of a brick color.


And here I am bright and shiny after my little Chanel facial! I am not wearing a lot of makeup because it is freakin' hot here - 103 degrees yesterday! Just a little face powder, lip gloss, and my brand new Chanel mascara. I'm the person that never wins anything and then when it actually happens I feel like the luckiest person on the planet!

I got ready to meet a friend of mine for lunch at Benihana's which is only a 7 minute drive if the traffic is light and I don't hit any stop lights!

Once past the front doors, on either side of the waiting area is...

Maneki Neko, the welcoming or beckoning cat. His right paw is raised so supposedly that brings good luck...

...and on the other side is a samurai's suit of armor.

The first thing I ordered was an ice cold Diet Coke when I got there! Ah, so nice to be in air conditioning. My friend Christine and I always order the same thing, it's called the boat because it comes on a platter shaped like a boat. I get mine with salmon and Christine has the chicken.

I'm not going to lie, it's a HUGE lunch and we always moan and groan that we will never order it again but as you can see we still do! What you don't see is the salad and miso soup that also comes with the lunch!

Sayonara for now!

mid-week update!

I call this one, Fighting Crime in the Neighborhood...

Oh boy, so, Sadie and I go walking this morning and what do we see??? A car blocking the driveway. I can't believe it! It was a little after 8 so i thought if the car isn't gone by the time we get back Iwill call the police. We come back and the car is still there! Well...

...i call non-emergency police number, operator takes info, i wait...wait... wait...must remind self i called NON-EMERGENCY number! after more waiting, about an hour total, i notice passenger door ajar. whaaa??? i go out to look, jot down license then notice man sleeping in car! i call police with update...THERE'S A MAN SLEEPING IN THE CAR! i wait...wait...this time about 20 min., police arrive look spiffy in navy blue. each takes spot on either side of car, they talk to sleeping man who is reclined in seat. this goes on and on, finally police put on gloves. UH OH! man gets up and out of car, is handcuffed taken to cop car, settled in back seat possibly goes back to sleep. police search car up and down, still parked in driveway. cop scrolls thru perp's cell phone and looks at other various items. suddenly man and woman appear on scene. man is gestering wildly, hands police what appears to be some form of i.d. still gestering wildly, perhaps wondering why police disturbed perp's sleep. all gather by window of perp in cop car, too bad could not hear conversation. man walks down sidewalk, woman gets in car and drives, presumably picks up man. cops drive away with perp snoring in backseat. perhaps parking violation just tip of iceburg! maybe just helped cops pick up master criminal!

Pic of crime scene

You can't see much but that's the car blocking my driveway. You can see the two cops and the "perp" is in the car probably trying to catch some zzzzz's and wondering why the cops are bothering him.

My friend just called, we are going out for nachos and margaritas! Can't wait to regale her with my wild and exciting tale of Truth, Justice and the American Way!

Went out to dinner for my rockin' BIRTHDAY on Thursday night. Yes, another year older my friends. Remember in the 60s people used to say, don't trust anyone over 40, well I threw that one out the window many years ago!

So out to dinner to celebrate the ol' birthday to a real Indian restaurant, Gourmet India. Can you believe I have never been to an authentic Indian restaurant? I have never had samosa or even naan. I enjoyed the food immensely with some Taj Mahal beer but I really couldn't tell you what we ate except that we did eat family style and I know we had chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken and samosa for sure. I did enjoy what seemed like creamed spinach with chunks of cheese and something the waiter called "vege balls," I found that amusing and it actually tasted great!

This is the honest truth of how much we enjoyed our meal!

Back to the condo for some birthday cake, a German chocolate cake that sent me into sugar overload...


...and a present! Five beautifully handmade and scented bars of soap. They are wonderful and from a shop called Clarity Soap & Candles which is not far from me in South Park. Visit the link and you'll find some cute and interesting shops in the area. You'll remember Rebecca's, I took you there last year for a latte and muffin.


And just in time for my birthday, you'll never believe this, I won a contest thrown by Barb at The French Elements.

The prize package included four Chanel products, an eye shadow brush, mascara guaranteed to give intense volume and curl, a wonderful facial cleanser and exfoliating gel so I can sparkle and shine!

Look! A fabulous burlap embroidered pillow with Joyeux Noel stitched under the Eifel Tower just in time for Christmas. The little pig was something I bought so long ago just because I thought it was cute. Barb made the pillow and if you visit with her you will find directions to her online shop as well.

The Chanel products were wrapped in this adorable tea towel stitched with the ever leaning Tower of Pisa. It's adorable!

I am ALSO sooo lucky to have won a great book from Tammy's contest over at Mug of Moxie. The book is Another Pan and is a paranormal take on Peter, the Lost Boys and the Darling Family. Things are slightly different than the original story! I am on page 125 of 392 and loving it.

I've been lucky recently on my thrift shop finds and wanted to show off two new tea pots that I have added to my collection. The flower shop with apartment above on the left was purchased for $3.50 and the pot on the right was just $1 from a yard sale. The platter in the background is part of my rabbit collection.

At two separate yard sales I found these scarves each priced at $2. The one on the left was crocheted by the person throwing the sale. She said she paid about $10-15 in supplies and that's not even including the hours she spent making it. She said it was hard to give up but she needed to make way for other things.

Here are some recent book acquisitions from scouring book sales at various libraries. No book was over $1. I'd like to point out a Georgette Heyer book that I will be reading soon. The author was recommended by Vix at Vintage Vixen and a few of her friends.

Finally, you guys, I have to sign off now because I just noticed that Lara Croft: Cradle of Life is on TV and you know I have to support my boyfriend Gerry Butler. Here's a shot of him taken from the movie.

Oh, and visit this link to view Gerry's fab New York loft featured in Architectural Digest, you'll love it...I do! Hope you don't mind BUT I must DASH now!

SeaWorld Part Deux

I know I promised you gardens! They're coming up, but first how about the roller coasters of SeaWorld? Well, there really only is one so hold on while we explore the lost city of...Atlantis!

Shipwreck Rapids is the other ride at SeaWorld and believe me you get plenty wet! They even have water jets on the outside of the ride that people can slip a quarter into and blast you with water. Yes, total strangers will shoot right at you just because they can, I guess! If you weren't already soaking wet, believe me you will be! It's probably best to leave this as your final visit for the day. And yes, I did get drenched!

Is there nothing sweeter than a daisy?


I seriously need to get creative with my plantings at home, this is lovely.

The view across Mission Bay. A cute couple stopped me right here and asked me if I would take a few pictures of them. From what I could tell, they turned out lovely.

I am *hearting* this birdhouse. I want one, in fact I want a couple in my yard.

I think this is just so cute and vaguely New England looking, like we'll be seeing Mrs. Fletcher on her bicycle any minute now. My mom and I had a standing date to watch Murder She Wrote every Sunday night.

Remember the shot of the cute autumnal looking starfish in my last post? Well they are separated from their bigger brothers who live in this gorgeous pool because otherwise, well, the larger ones would cannibalize the littler ones. :(

Scenic views across the bay while at the Sea Lion and Otter show. Is there nothing cuter than an otter? Here's a view from the left...

...and from the right. The show was pretty much packed as you can see.

So pretty in person.

Snaps of a tranquil Asian garden.

I love these colors, so vivid, alive and happy!

Hope you enjoyed your visit. If you are ever in San Diego and visit SeaWorld, let me know I'd be happy to go back one more time!

SeaWorld

SeaWorld is a huge aquatic park located on Mission Bay. You can also find SeaWorld in Orlando and San Antonio. There were plans for Dubai but they have been shelved for now.

I've been to the park at least three times previously but you know, I always seem to miss something.

Shamu and friends

Sea lion and otter show, very cute!Fancy a trip to the Arctic? There's a copter waiting for you!

Remember that Walrus you met in my last post? Here he is in all his glory!

A Beluga whale checking YOU out!

Just in time to catch the next flight out to Resolute Bay!

Shades of JAWS...sh...sh...SHARK!

Who is that strange fellow staring at us?

Calling Captain Nemo!

Don't these star fish look like autumn leaves?

My nephew feeding the manta rays. They feel oddly spongy.

This guy looks cranky!

Next post the beautiful gardens of SeaWorld!