Diamonds & Daisies

Jonseing for January

2012-01-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

Can you believe January is just about over! Really, where does time fly?

Around the third week into 2012 I found I was already breaking my promise to myself for the New Year. Notice I didn’t call it a “resolution” because those just don’t work for me. So my promise was…NOT to watch any more new reality TV. You know, you just get so emotionally invested and before you know it you get hooked. I’ve had it with the Kardashians, and I will never watch anything to do with Housewives, swamp people, catfish people, wild boar (!) people or any people this side of Deliverance!

My broken promise centers on Brad Goreski who now has his own show called It’s a Brad Brad World. Original title, yes? In my defense The Brad show is a spinoff of The Rachel Zoe Project. It seems that our Brad and our Rachel had a falling out resulting in a he said, she said.

Brad and Rachel during happier times!

In any event, there was a little mini-marathon and I watched three episodes of Brad’s show and enjoyed it. It’s Brad, post Rachel, trying to grow his business. Working out of your garage can get a little stale not to mention embarrassing if you are trying to impress celebrities. So we watch Brad as he hires his first assistant, locates the right business space in LA, and we are a fly on the wall as Brad tries to sell Details magazine on a (fashion) editorial which I found fascinating. I really wanted to get into fashion when I was younger and I enjoyed working in PR for a while so this is right up my alley. By the way, Brad just signed a two year deal with preppy New York brand Kate Spade to be its exclusive brand stylist for two years

While we are still on the subject of television, I enjoyed watching episode 4 of the new season of Downton Abbey on PBS. I love this show. I love it for its lush period costuming, the gorgeous scenery, the flawless portrayals, and a great storyline. Have you heard that Shirley MacLaine is joining the cast in 2013? She will play Lady Grantham’s American born mother. Wouldn’t it be fun if Shirley and Lady Violet (Maggie Smith) got into a little cat fight???

I am also looking forward to the return of The Walking Dead. I know, right? If you had told me that I would be watching a TV show about zombies, I would have said you were crazy. But, it’s an intriguing show with lots of surprises and so far it hasn’t gotten convoluted like Lost. The storyline is simple but there are enough twists and turns to keep you coming back for more. If only zombies weren’t so icky!

I hope you have all gotten a great start to the New Year! Kung Hee Fat Choi, it is the Year of the Dragon!

I have always thought of dragons as being noble creatures. A few years ago, my mother who for some reason has always wanted a tattoo, got one at age 72. She got inked with a dragon on her ankle. Myself, I am not a fan of needles so no tattoo’s for me!

Love you all!

..and a Happy New Year!.

2012-01-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

You all look marvelous!

There is much to look forward to this 2012, like... the return of Celebrity Apprentice! Beginning Feb. 12, there is a whole cast of people I barely know or have even heard of. But there are a few people I find intriguing like the deliciously villainous Patricia Velasquez. Here she is as she appeared in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns.

Sinfully evil

How much do you miss the 80s/90s and Arsenio Hall? Remember he had a certain Arkansas governor on his show playing the saxaphone?

And how much do I love Star Trek? George Takei will be a contender this season.

Back in the day as Lt. Hikaru Sulu

I'm sure you have probably heard about my boyfriend Gerard Butler being in a near fatal surfing accident up in Northern California. He was pummeled by a 15’ wave last month at the infamous Mavericks beach while filming his latest movie.

An ambulance was dispatched to Stanford Medical Center where believe me Gerry got the once over. I am happy to report he is alive and quite well even making an appearance on the Graham Norton Show where forget surfing, he is recounting a treacherous experience with a kilt!

It's a Scottish thing

By the way, we snuggled quite cozily all the way through the New Year, thanks for asking!

And finally, my sister has just adopted a year and a half year old boxer named Brooke. She is just adorable.

Brookie Wookie

I hope you all enjoyed all your holiday festivities and I wish you the very best in the coming year!

Happy 2012!

Merry Christmas to you!

2011-12-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas morning 6:25 a.m. I've just started a pot of coffee with a special holiday blend from Lion's Coffee a friend from home sent me. I can't wait to pour a cup because it is filling the house with a delicious aroma as it brews. I wish you could be here!

This Christmas is a quiet one not a decoration in sight. Not that I'm a Grinch! I chose to celebrate Christmas in my heart today rather than with the traditional fanfare. If you'd like to visit Christmases past with me you can visit Christmas 2010 here and 2009 here.

Today will find me taking a morning walk, something I haven't done since Sadie passed. It'll do me good to get out in the brisk morning air and walk the neighborhood. Last year at this time we were covered in fog but today promises to be beautiful and bright as all Christmas mornings should be.

A friend of mine is visiting with family in Arizona so later in the day I'll take a drive downtown to check on his two cats. I've been told I've got a Christmas present waiting for me as well as all the food I can eat! Hurray!

As for dinner this evening, I'll get a pot roast going when I get home and roast some root vegetables. I can't wait and dessert will be homemade Christmas cookies.

I thought I'd share a photo taken of me and my BFF Cheri earlier this month. We met our mutual friend Ed for breakfast in Hillcrest at a place called R Gang. If you ever go there you have to try their homemade tater tots!

Well, the sun is up it's 7:30 a.m. and time, as they say, is a wastin'. I hope your day is a jolly one spent with friends and family!
Stay snug and warm!
Peace, love and happiness to you all,

Love, Bonnie

My darling Sadie

2011-12-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

If you are reading this post, thank you for sticking with me. Except for a brief period when my blog disappeared (!) the past two months have been devoted to caring for my dog Sadie and my struggle to cope with her death due to cancer. I cannot tell you how profoundly her death has affected me.

I really love this picture of Sadie

Sadie died in my arms on November 4 and though we were in a hospital setting it was not sterile. By that I mean we were surrounded by what I call “Friends of Sadie,” the techs, doctors, receptionists and groomer, those that have known her for the past eleven years. There were many tears shed besides my own as each told me what a wonderful dog she was and shared their stories of Sadie. The groomer told me how she loved taking a bath. Funny, I told her, Sadie was always difficult when I tried to give her a bath which is why I decided to leave it to the professionals!

Sadie and I on one of our many walks together

I decided to have Sadie cremated and she is back with me. There is a little Christmas mouse that sits on the beautiful cedar box that holds Sadie’s cremains. I thought I might share some of my own funny and endearing stories about Sadie but what I will remember most is how I always enjoyed listening to her softly snoring as she slept. To me that little snore meant that Sadie felt snug and safe in the world we shared. Talk about peace on earth.

Get ready here it comes....

The most beautiful smile ever!

How I miss her, I cannot begin to tell you. The cat, Sadie’s incorrigible sibling of sorts, is still with me of course. I think he realizes she is no longer with us but has moved on. They used to have tremendous fun chasing each other around the backyard and how he loved to torment Sadie by pouncing and walking all over her whenever he had the chance.

Just because he can - Sadie and the gato

I have always said that I prefer to live life on the sunny side but it’s been a little difficult of late. I am sure though one day without even realizing it the sun will be a little brighter, the sky a little bluer and when I remember Sadie I will smile broadly.

The lovely Sadie

My darling girl.

Bits and Pieces of September

2011-10-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I wasn’t feeling like getting out of bed this morning. In fact I spent most of my morning in bed with a slight headache and general blah feeling. This feeling continued when I stopped at the gas station and filled up at $3.79 a gallon. I thought the prices were supposed to be going down…oh, ok they did but by a whopping 10 cents.

A few things have happened since I last posted like... I didn’t tell you about the great SoCal power outage of 2011. Sure it’s not like you’ve never experienced the power going out BUT the circumstances were quite unusual. The “dark” started in Arizona and spread to southern California from San Clemente to San Diego (around 3:30pm) and across the border to Mexico. People in New Mexico and parts of Texas also experienced the outage that was caused by human error. Thankfully, the outage in my area did not last the two days the officials predicted and my power was restored sometime after midnight.

Who turned the lights out?

Ay, ay ay!

This is what happens when everyone leaves work at the same time.

Freakin' gridlock!

Happy birthday to me! Yes another year older on Sept. 16. I actually celebrated on that Sunday with a trip to the movies (Contagion) followed by a round of margaritas (hold the salt!). I found the movie to be a bit long and the margaritas refreshing and delightful!

Truth or dare....Uh, truth...ok so...I am looooong past 21 years old!

My margaritas must always be slushy with no salt on the rim!

On my birthday weekend I did manage a stop at Goodwill and picked up a few things. I was looking for some sweaters since the weather is changing and last year’s warm clothing no longer fits. I found a great cowl neck sweater with ¾ length sleeves that was from The Gap for $7, a cute leopard print bucket hat for $1.99 and an adorable pearl rope necklace that was $3. I’ll probably go back in two weeks or so to look for more sweaters.

I've had this for a while now but never posted, a brand new sweater for $3 and a colorful top for $2.

Yesterday I reviewed the 2010 entries on my blog. I thought it might be fun if I provide a link or two to a few of my favorite”vintage” posts. I thought I’d start off with this one of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. While reviewing my posts I realized how much fun I had doing them. It’s really a great creative exercise. I also realized how my posts have changed especially since I lost my camera. I’m really going to have to buckle down and save up for a new camera because I enjoy taking and sharing photos of my jaunts around town, the neighborhood and my latest thrift shop finds.

John and Yoko in Central Park 1980

I do have some sad news to deliver. My very sweet dog, Sadie, has been diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes. On a previous visit to the vet (about a month ago) she had unexplainably lost 14 pounds in two months so the goal was to put some weight back on. On our most recent visit, I was positive Sadie had put on some weight but was devastated to find she had actually lost 4 more pounds and that is when the doctor gave me the news.

My sweetie pie

Sadie has been my constant companion since 2001. She has always been a happy, sweet and loving dog. She helped me through my own cancer and was a hard task master insisting I continue our evening walks as usual even on chemo day. She made me look beyond my own poor pitiful self and LIVE each and every day. The day Sadie came to live with me was my lucky day. Right now Sadie is holding her own and I concentrate on keeping her as happy and comfortable as I possibly can.

Give you favorite little furry someone an extra hug tonight!

Peace out from Sadie, Kitty and your friendly blogger.

A Labor Day Post

2011-09-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

I usually start my Monday through Friday mornings watching the KTLA Morning News. I find the team affable, engaging and just plain fun to watch. Oh, and yes you do get to the news of the day both local and national. It’s a mix of news, entertainment, and in-studio guests.

(L-R) Mark Kriski, Michaela Pereira, Frank Buckley, Sam Rubin

You know how most businesses say they are a family; I get the feeling they really are a family. I find the only drawback to the show is when they report the weather and traffic as they are in LA and I am in San Diego. You get the picture, big difference sometimes. Still I would love to work there! Hollywood, here I come!

This morning in honor of Labor Day, the station had a bbq set up in the parking lot with Frank Buckley (news anchor) at the grill demonstrating his famous shrimp recipe. Apparently, his bbq’d shrimp is legendary. If only their website had the video of it, you would have enjoyed it almost as if you were there in person. As someone who has never met a shrimp she didn’t like, Frank’s shrimp looked awesome, so awesome I will have to try it soon. Thankfully, Frank is all about sharing so here’s what’s required for his shrimp recipe...

Frank Buckley's Famous Shrimp Recipe

1-2 pounds (serves 4) of large raw shrimp (tail and shell on)
Old Bay seasoning

Extra virgin olive oil

Lemon

Directions: Pre-heat grill. In large mixing bowl, coat shrimp in olive oil and Old Bay seasoning. Squeeze lemon over shrimp. Dump shrimp directly onto grill at medium heat. Cook shrimp until pink throughout turning shrimp over as needed.

As you can see there’s not much to the recipe but sometimes less is more right? It doesn’t just apply to fashion!

I have never tried Old Bay Seasoning but I see it all the time and I know it’s a staple on the east coast where it originated. In the past I have marinated shrimp in Italian dressing and most recently I’ve been trying an Asian miso dressing. Either way it tastes great once it’s off the grill and onto your plate!

I also like shrimp done old school, simply boiled and with a ton of cocktail sauce to dunk it in; oh, perfection, thy name is Shrimp Cocktail. You just know it would go great with a Mad Men cocktail right?

Classic Martini

1 ½ oz gin

1 ½ oz dry vermouth

3 green olives

Rinse martini glass in dry vermouth and pour out. Shake gin with ice until chilled. Pour into martini glass. Add olives.

Hope you all have a great week!

The last dregs of summer

2011-08-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

The sun was out today in full force.

It was hot and humid, the perfect setting for doing my favorite household chore, the laundry. Believe it or not there is nothing I like better than doing laundry. I enjoy the whole process from sorting, washing, hanging the clothes on the line (for me, preferable to the dryer), and folding. When I hang the laundry to dry, my only focus is on hanging like items together, i.e. all the bath towels in one spot, sheets together…you get the picture. I’m a little anal that way but actually concentrating on this activity frees up my mind and I find it a relaxing experience.

All neat and tidy

My other fun activity around the house is ironing. Bear in mind that the less ironing the better and I really do check for wash and wear items when I’m out scouting for new clothes. But like the laundry, I find ironing a relaxing experience.

Martha and I share something in common!

Things I don’t like…dusting, cleaning the bathroom and washing dishes. Much like dust, I’m not sure where all the dishes come from. I’m just one person after all with a dog and a cat but believe me I always have more than my fair share of dishes in the sink.

Speaking of ironing, I must mention that my cat has taken up a new hobby, lying on the ironing board. I’m going to guess that the ironing board cover is a cool place to be during the hot summer months. He’ll stretch out and take a snooze, occasionally falling off though it doesn’t seem to faze him. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I’ll find him just sitting by himself on the ironing board. Just sitting and meditating, I’m assuming, like some wise old sage.

It's amazing what you'll find when you google cats on ironing boards!

And so speaking of cats, I leave you with this little funny of cats with thumbs. You’ll enjoy it!

Now that you've had your giggle for the day, enjoy a tall cool glass of lemonade and what's left of summer!

Enjoy your week!

Donuts for breakfast

2011-08-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

It all went south yesterday when I turned on the television first thing in the morning.

Somehow I found my way to the Travel Channel and to a show that spotlighted great breakfast spots across the US. Did you know that breakfast/brunch is my favorite meal of the day? The program showcased breakfast burritos the size of a small country, 12 egg omelets whipped up as big as your head, and gigantor sized pancakes that hung off your plate. But what really got my attention were the donuts! Donuts the size of Texas!

You better believe it!

So all day long I was craving...DONUTS!

Since my mind is on food (!), how about I share a few of my fave places to visit when I get the munchies!

I love this place, it's called Pacifica Del Mar. The food is excellent whether you are there for a corporate event, meeting friends for lunch or just drinks and nibbles on a weekend afternoon. I’ve been there for all occasions and it is always consistently good.

The restaurant is located in the Del Mar Plaza which also houses White House Black Market.

The whole shooting match is just across the street from Del Mar Beach which is breathtaking. I’ve been to the beach for many a picnic that’s gone way into the evening!

The beach at Del Mar

A Blueberry Mojito - Yummy!

Rebecca's Coffee House is a great place to experience a funky and fun atmosphere. I've only been there for coffee and muffins but there are other more substantial offerings. This is an area called South Park and is full of interesting boutiques nearby.

A cute and fun coffee house to lounge with friends or a good book!

Who could resist?

The Mission has gotten a little spruce up recently on the exterior of the restaurant. I’ve been there for breakfast and lunch and always enjoyed myself. The clientele is eclectic enough so that when I was going through chemo, I could go in and feel comfortable with or without a bandana. Oh yes, I was as bald as a cue ball! There was no need for second glances because I just blended in! My favorite thing to order from The Mission is Rancheros Verde - it's delicioso! If you go to the website, I visit the one in North Park.

They have great chicken sausages with eggs

Mexican hot chocolate!

One of Big Kitchen’s claims to fame is that Whoopi Goldberg used to work there. But believe me their food is awesome too and the restaurant has been featured on The Food Network. How about some pancakes, they are pretty tasty and the egg dishes are great! I like Big Kitchen because it is really an unassuming place, casual and the food is plentiful and good.

The outdoor patio

I love spinach omelettes and potatoes

Like Mexican food? El Zarape has it in spades. It is very unassuming from the outside but once inside it’s charming if tiny. The food is excellent and I had a lobster burrito the last time I was there.

Do you like carne asada fries? I do, but you can never eat it in one session. Be prepared to get the lefterovers to go. When you think about it, it's basically steak and potatoes!

Oh, P.S., I had a donut for breakfast this morning!

Have a great week!

What's on my mind

2011-07-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

I had a dream last night.

My mother, brother and I got into a taxi but not by opening the door, we had to climb through the windows! Our driver was hunched over the steering wheel with his head turned to the right. He had some kind of condition and that's how he drove, the whole way- YIKES!

We got on the craziest freeway that had no middle barriers or side railings and we were high above the city almost in the clouds. The lane we were in suddenly came to an abrupt end and instead of driving off the edge we somehow made it into the next lane.

We finally got into the city - I forgot to mention we were in New York - and soon arrived at my godmother's house.

I started having a conversation with my mother when all of a sudden she morphed into Whoopi Goldberg. She was still my mother but in the form of Whoopi Goldberg!

Ok, if anyone can interpret that dream I'd be greatful!

I'd like to share a note I wrote to my mom. It's kind of personal but I feel compelled to share it with you because sometimes it's hard not being with her. I don't share this with a lot of people but my mother has Alzheimer's and I don't believe she quite knows who I am sometimes. I don't get to hear her voice often so I mostly communciate by writing to her.

Hi Mother!

I am wondering if you are having a good day. How is the weather, is it hot? The weather in San Diego is quite pleasant. (I drew a smiley face)

What are you up to? Right now I am reading 3 books at the same time. Don't ask me how I manage but so far so good!

What's for dinner tonight? I plan on making teriyaki burgers. Yummy! I think I'm going to use ground turkey instead of hamburger. What do you think? For dessert I would like something simple but I keep wanting cake! A white cake with fruit in the middle. (And then I ran out of space)

Always remember Mommie Dearest how much I love you!

Your daughter, Bonnie

Here is a pic of my mother and father and their littlest BonBon.

Hope you all give your loved ones an extra hug today!

For he's a jolly good kitty

2011-07-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

A shout out to our friend Baby Kitty who just turned 8 years old!

Happy birthday old man!

Baby Kitty's story is a fabulous rags to riches tale (or is it tail) that you will want to read here.

The festivities began Friday night...

...and is still going strong!

And now a birthday toast from Kitty:
Age is something that doesn't matter unless you are a cheese!

I'm sure you all know the words to this tune...

As we all know, birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake so

here's something special we baked just for you Baby Kitty!

ENJOY!

trip back in time

2011-07-14T00:49:00.000-07:00

I have been on the look out for cake eyeliner for some time now without much success. I do have an eye shadow by Lancome that you can use wet or dry but I'm looking for a product with a price point that won't break the bank! Say something under 10 bucks.

Back in the day I loved Maybelline or Yardley cake eyeliners. I guess they've gone out of fashion.

I remember when Yardley was a HOT product. I loved the packaging it was so MOD and COOL. Their commercials were mostly shown during the Monkees TV show, take a look...

Oh yes, I was a GROOVY girl!

Olivia Hussey, wasn't she gorgeous! I almost forgot about Oh! de London cologne.

Believe me I had all the products. I wanted a London luv story as much as this girl!

Jean Shrimpton, one of the IT girls of the 60s

OMG, I am having a total flashback to the hallways of my old high school trying to avoid Sister Mary Margaret Something-or-other and grooving to the sounds of oh, say...Daydream Believer or I Got You Babe on my transistor because iPods hadn't been invented yet!

Our uniform consisted of saddle shoes, white short sleeve blouses and blue plaid woolen pleated skirts. Wool in Hawaii, whose idea was that! We also had uniform inspections every morning, and seriously, GOD help you if you weren't wearing a full length slip. That would cost you at the very least, three Hail Mary's, one Our Father, the Act of Contrition and a trip home.

I later switched to a public shool and after years of being sheltered with the nuns I really did experience a little culture shock! They were crazy in public school, swearing, smoking, rude gestures! You know, real life!

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hope you are all enjoying your 4th of July today. What are you up to? BBQg, enjoying a picnic, ballgame, the pool or beach? Maybe you're taking a snooze in your hammock in the backyard?

Happy 4th of July

My nephew and his high school marching band (he plays the trombone) were in a patriotic parade today where he lives in Ohio.

Myself, I sit here at the computer with a pomtini in hand. It's hot and a drink certainly helps with the thought process! Here's the recipe, it's delish but if you don't have all the ingredients let me tell you that vodka (I used raspberry flavored vodka), pomegranate juice and a splash of ginger ale if you have it do the trick just fine.

Refreshing!

• 1 ounce freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
• Ice cubes
• Orange peel, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine pomegranate juice, vodka, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist orange peel over cocktail and add to glass; serve.

I am awaiting a friend or two to drop over for an afternoon of chili dogs, sides, drinks and movies. I am especially wanting to watch Independence Day; I'm thinking the theme at least is appropriate even if involves aliens!

Chili dog heaven!

We have been following the news as the newly minted duke and duchess have made their way over to our part of the world. They are enjoying some Canadian hospitality right now but plan to join us in California on July 8-10. Here are a series of "wish you were here" type postcards as they appeared in Us magazine.

A little something for the folks back home!

Finally, it wouldn't be the 4th of July without Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, held since 1916! This year's winner (for the 5th time in a row) is Joey (aka Jaws) Chestnut who downed 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes! The female winner was Sonya (aka The Black Widow) Thomas who managed 40 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

Joey Chestnut displaying championship form

Ladies who lunch! The Black Widow in the middle at 40 hot dogs.

Ah, food lovers! I'm sure they'll reunite next year.

And that's another 4th of July Independence Day for the books!
Have a great week everybody!

Mid week interlude

2011-06-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

I must sheepishly admit to feeling a bit like the absent minded professor today as I have spent the entire day at work with mismatched shoes.

Where exactly was my brain this morning?

Amazingly no one noticed but you know I could start a new trend. I mean after all if Helena Bonham Carter can get away with it on the red carpet well so can I!

I really don't think we'll be setting a new trend any time soon!

Hot fun in the summertime

2011-06-22T04:32:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd official day of SUMMER! I think I can finally put my little over used space heater to bed till fall rolls around. The skies are blue and the days are warming up nicely. Not too hot...yet!

Any plans for the summer? If I could, I would get me a little trailer and toodle around the countryside like Mike and Frank from my new FAVORITE TV show American Pickers!

Frank and Mike doing their best American Gothic

You can catch the guys on the History Channel already into its second season. I've only just discovered it so there are lots of episodes for me to catch up on.

The dudes

These long time friends are based in Iowa and the show takes you along as they explore America's backroads and countryside searching for long buried treasure that they hope to re-sell at their store Antique Archaeology. They are ably aided by Danielle at home base who finds contacts for the boys over the phone and internet.

A fantastic find!

One of the reasons I enjoy the show is that it's a travelogue of the American countryside. You never know what they'll find in attics, basements and decrepit old barns besides raccoons and spiders. They even came across a home that was once a part of the underground railroad, talk about history! The guys have expanded their picking and recently came out west to Arizona and southern California.

Mike, Frank and Danielle probably dreaming about their next pick

My pickings don't send me too far. Just to the Goodwill and neighborhood yard sales. On a recent visit to Goodwill I did manage to score a pair of brand new capris (black stretchy denim with a daisy print) and two bracelets for a mere $8. Definitely not the kind of stuff Mike and Frank would search out but I'm sure they'd agree I did OK on the price.

Sound like fun? Hop in my little pink caddie if you'd like to come along. The more the merrier I always say.

See ya!
Oh! The places you'll go!

HAPPY SUMMER, HAPPY PICKING!

2011-06-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody, my apologies for a rather prolonged absence from the blogging scene. I haven't been well these last few months but I've decided the best therapy is to get blogging again but how to bring you up to date? I thought maybe a fun way to do that would be to recap a recent phone conversation I had with my friend Heidi from back home.

Heidi and I met back in the deep dark 80s when we both took 80s fashion seriously from big hair to big shoulders...thankfully, we have moved on!

the 80s!

After a discussion on friends, family, weather and recent goings on, we got to the good stuff like....Dancing With the Stars! We were outraged and declared it a travesty that Kirstie Alley made it not only to the final three but to the top two! She robbed both Ralph Macchio and Chelsea Kane of their rightful spots in the finals.

Kirstie and Max

Thank goodness Hines Ward and Kym Johnson won the mirror ball trophy or I would have fallen out of bed and thought the world had gone completely mad!

Hines and Kym in a winning dance number

The adorable Chelsea Kane with Mark Ballas. Chelsea was cute as a button, talented and a worthy competitor.

Chelsea and Mark

Heidi and I felt that the final dance competition should have been between Hines and Chelsea. It seems like the voting is more about fan base than true talent. Anyway, I look forward to the next chapter in Dancing With the Stars. With all the seriousness going on in the world today, I enjoyed being swept away if only for a little while.

Ok, who got up and watched the wedding? You know which one! I admit to getting up at 3:30 in the morning all bleary eyed and watching...well, in between cat napping that is.

Young William all grown up

So I hear that Will and Kate will be in southern California this summer. What are the odds that they will be staying with the Beckhams?

The Beckham's at the royal wedding

Wouldn't it be fun if they had a reality show called Bunking With The Beckhams?

I'd like to let the duke and duchess know that Disneyland and SeaWorld both have exciting and fun new attractions this summer so start saving up!

Aaargh! I seem to have misplaced my camera! I had some photos to share but that will have to wait for another time. I remember taking pictures outside last Sunday and now can't remember where I placed my camera. Wish me luck.

Have a great week!

Batten down the hattches

2011-03-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

Funny, no one mentioned how windy it was going to be today. The windows and doors are rattling but when my heavy wind chime starts ringing, you know it's windy.

My gorgeous wind chime that was a Christmas gift a few years back. It takes a strong wind to get it to chime.

Here's one that was a gift from my aunt from a trip to Sea World probably back in 2001.

This one is a Japanese wind chime that was a gift that I brought with me from Hawaii. The original tag with Japanese writing unfortunately got quite tattered and I replaced it with one that says All You Need is Love.

We've spent a lazy day watching some TV...a marathon Harry Potter weekend...and tonite I'm looking forward to The Amazing Race and The Celebrity Apprentice...and don't forget tomorrow night is the return of Dancing With the Stars!

The wind has unnverved my usually unflapable kitty. He has spent the entire day in the house venturing out just a few times only to come racing back in when a big gust blows.

Sadie and Kitty just chilling in bed as it storms outside. We expect some rain tonite with the bulk of it coming tomorrow morning. It promises to make the morning commute a bit dicey tomorrow.

Nothing like making a pest of one's self!

I spent some time making oatmeal cookies! The aroma from the oven was heavenly! I didn't use as much sugar as it called for but I did add some chocolate chips. Does that mean I just cancelled out using less sugar? If you haven't tried the recipe on the Quaker Oats box you should, it really is a no fail recipe.

A little too close for comfort! Not to worry Kitty isn't into oatmeal cookies!

How do you like Kitty's collar? I have had trying times with him and his assorted collars. He has a habit of losing them. I can't figure out how they turn up lost but I may have found a solution and it's called Beastie Bands. They are soft, squishy, and seem comfortable for Kitty. They have a velcro closure and you can cut them to size to fit your cat. So far so good

Beastie Bands come in all colors and prints and because Kitty is very politically minded, I knew he'd appreciate the peace collar. He's also a hit at parties because we, quite by accident, found out that the collar glows in the dark.

Thought you might like to get a glimpse of the latest addition to my tea pot collection. Actually, I got this quite some time ago but never got around to making the reveal. It's from Goodwill and was only $3. It's a peach all right!

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday wherever you are AND stay dry!

Here Comes the Bride

2011-03-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is the third year that my friend Ed has invited me to the bridal show at the US Grant where he works in catering. I have to say that although I missed it last year, this has to be the "funnest" bridal show ever. Thought I would share a few pics with you.

Here's a dramatic evening shot of the historic U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Here comes the bride!

Here's one with an interesting little bustle. A lot of the dresses seemed more like lingerie

Suddenly, a flapper made an appearance!

I think this was my favorite as it seemed 20's inspired. I loved the headpiece for the veil.

Taking a cue from Madonna, a somewhat see-through bustier.

I thought this was elegant

For some strange reason this dress reminds me of Taylor Swift

The food samples were, as a friend of mine likes to say, to die for!

These were the best cupcakes I have tried in a long time.

This display of chocolates belongs to my friend Maria. At a cost of $6 per person you get a tantalizing spread of all things chocolate.

Yummy!

This was my lunch! A fabulous portobello mushroom slider with french fries that were drizzled with truffle oil. I can't begin to tell you how delicious this was!

A gourmet mac and cheese station but I have to tell you that it doesn't matter if Wolfgang Puck made it, the best mac and cheese is Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese in the blue and yellow box!

A few wedding cakes to drool over!

I believe this cake is in honor of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Did you get your invitation yet?

There were tons of gorgeous floral arrangements

I enjoyed this "lovely as springtime" table setting

I fell in love with the napkin ring

Place setting bling

I think this really was my favorite table setting

Especially the parrot

Gorgeous colors

Did you enjoy your little trip down the aisle?

The fashion show played a lot of 60's British music like the Beatles, the Stones, Spencer Davis Group, etc. It got me thinking to what kind of music I would like for my reception...were I to get married! I came up with my short list and I hope you have been enjoying it. I think the operative word for me would be FUN. What would be on your playlist?

Groundhog day

2011-01-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Everybody, let's pretend it's Groundhog day and we are repeating yesterday for just a while. I had every intention of posting yesterday but there was just too much going on! So...may I present Saturday...once again!

First enjoy these shots of the neighborhood featuring a glorious sunny sky.

As I revel in this beautiful weather, let me toast all of you with a Shandy. My friend Cheri told me about this drink that is simply equal parts beer and sparkling lemonade. She described it as refreshing and she is absolutely right! I googled shandy and there are actually recipes that put you through a lot of trouble but what could be easier to remember than equal parts? You definitely need to try it.

Just two simple ingredients to create a refreshing afternoon drinky poo!

Here is the Shandy in a pretty pitcher I purchased for $2 at a yard sale. I have a thing for this type of Mexican glassware and I’ve pictured it with some glasses I got from Marshall’s when I moved here back in 2000. Blue is my favorite color so these make me very happy. But what makes me even more happy is a calamari taco and some onion rings. Perhaps not the most caloric conscious of lunches but oh so tasty!

The little side table was a gift from a friend, I love it!

Well, despite the gorgeous weather, we are expecting a temperature drop and some drizzles tomorrow night and into Monday morning. Oh, summer can you be far away? Whenever it gets cold here I find southern Californians fall into one of two categories. They are either in deep denial continuing to dress in shorts, tank tops and flip flops or they are dressed for a trek in the arctic. There doesn’t seem to be a happy medium with us!

In the meantime, I continue to plow through the Amelia Peabody books as I sip my Shandy. The Amelia Peabody series is a series of mystery novels written by Elizabeth Peters featuring Egyptologist Amelia Peabody Emerson. The novels are part mystery and spy thriller with glimpses of Egyptian life and interspered with a little comedy. The series spans a thirty-eight year period from 1884 to 1923 and is primarily set in Egypt with some installments including action in England and Gaza.

The author Elizabeth Peters - ok, I want a pith helmet!

The book features a number of things I find fascinating like Egyptology, the Victorian and Edwardian periods and the early 20s. I find Elizabeth Peters to be a wonderful writer who knows how to draw the reader into a good story. If Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code), Stephenie Meyers (Twilight) and JK Rowling (Harry Potter) are authors considered to have drawn people back to reading, Elizabeth Peters would be the author who never got you to leave in the first place. That's my two cents!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

2011-01-16T04:53:00.000-08:00

Hi, hope you are all reveling in the New Year!

Some fun news, I found a yard sale in the neighborhood yesterday while on my morning walk and came away with a great little stash! A fabulous crochet handbag, a pair of comfortable slippers and a wonderful framed poster to add to my collection of travel posters.

The bag is totally lined and has a zipper top and quite roomy.

These were very comfy, wore them all day yesterday, and at only $2 they were better than anything I could have found at Target.

Gorgeous! A fabulous find at only $7 (down from $10) and a worthy addition to my collection of travel posters (see Art of the Casa).

The woman who was holding the yard sale was retiring and planning a move to Portugual for about a year and then to her native Scotland, which as you know is also home to my boyfriend, Gerry Butler.

Hi honey!

My big plan for the day is perhaps to do a little grocery shopping but mainly I plan on spending the day outside just chilling and enjoying some sunny weather, FINALLY! I'll catch up on some reading while outside. Right now I'm plowing through the Amelia Peabody series written by Elizabeth Peters.

A totally bask worthy day!

And speaking of reading, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my trip yesterday to the Friends of the Library yesterday. I purchased a chicklit for $1 but Bob, one of the volunteers, sent me home with a mess of magazines for free. I couldn't believe the haul, I almost felt guilty.

Which should I read first?

I'll get to them later. First the Sunday paper and dining al fresco. The weather is delightful and warm and you're welcome to join me!

Have a gorgeous day!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

When last I left you…back in October that is…it was raining the proverbial cats and dogs.

Though we’ve had a few sunny spots in between, California has been soaked to the gunnels. Personally, I’ve had enough of rubber rafting as transportation every time the San Diego River crests. It’s the New Year and I’m ready for some new weather!

This is NOT the three hour cruise she signed up for!

Here’s a shot of the weather we woke up to on Christmas morning. Funny, it doesn’t look like sunny SOUTHERN California does it? Whenever the weather gets this soupy I always pretend I’m in foggy London town!

The sun trying to peak through the Christmas fog

A soupy mess

Though we are now into the New Year, I am still basking in the afterglow of Christmas. It was a relaxing, lazy day and I watched a few DVDs, the Dr. Who Christmas special and watched Elf a million times! I also created a new drink I call Bonnie’s Jingle Bells, just some vodka, cranberry juice and sparkling lemonade.

Get your Tardis in gear - it was a great episode!

Elf!

I had it with a late lunch/early dinner holiday fare of roasted chicken, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes and cranberry from the can. Just the basics and - I know – it was the jellied cranberry that comes out shaped like a tin can! I haven’t had that since I realized how easy it is to make homemade cranberry sauce. Somehow it just seemed nostalgic.

I was visited by the ghost of Christmas Past - cranberry shaped like a tin can!

New Year’s Eve and day just seemed to fly by in one big woosh! I decided I didn’t want to cook so I went for some takeout Chinese food. It seemed somehow apropos and reminded me of the movie A Christmas Story. Remember when the crazy dogs from next door ate the Parker family’s turkey resulting in dinner at a Chinese restaurant dining on duck or what they called Chinese turkey? Anyway my dinner was delicious and I am particularly fond of a dish that features eggplant and tofu. Not traditional but yummy all the same.

I love that TBS runs A Christmas Story marathon every year!

And speaking of the New Year, I wish you all the very best in 2011!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Just a few Christmas memories of a very young me interspersed with a little Christmas decorating. How well I remember...

Trying my best not to nod off during midnight mass!

I don’t care if I did grow up in Hawaii, Santa did not come in on a surfboard or an outrigger canoe! He flew in with a team of eight reindeer and landed on the roof. I know because I’m sure I heard them one Christmas Eve!

My mother’s one rule when decorating the Christmas tree, tinsel was not to be thrown on willy nilly, it went on one tinsel at a time!

And while we were decorating the tree, we listened to two Christmas albums, one was a children’s chorale and the other was the Jackson 5. I can still hear Michael Jackson singing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause!

I remember making festively decorated candles with my mother and using milk cartons as the mold.

Christmas dinner was usually a repeat of Thanksgiving, lots of turkey and stuffing, yummy!

Waking up Christmas morning very early and the torment of having to wait for my parents to get up.

Sometimes my father wasn't able to join us on Christmas morning because he worked as a pilot and was either working or on call. It pretty much was like that on any holiday.

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was a life-sized stuffed dog, a poodle that had a little squeaker on the tip of its tail.

I loved watching a Christmas Carol every year. It was an old black and white, filmed in the 50’s and I shiver every time Scrooge says…are there no prisons, no workhouses? My other favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas.

I would like to wish everyone of you…

Peace,

Love,

Joy

and much, much happiness.

Merry Christmas from Bonnie Sadie and The Gato

2010-12-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm back!

Unleash the hounds!

It's good to be back!

The reason for my abrupt disappearance is that real life took over - I accepted a job. The reality was tho I flourished in blogville, realsville was another matter. So off I trudge each Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 to a job that may not be my dream job but it is the job that pays the bills and other sundries.

Since returning to the work a day world I’ve noticed a few things….

Hosiery: Have you noticed no one wears stockings anymore? I always wear pantyhose or tights when I am in anything that closely resembles a skirt or dress. My sister says it dates me and I guess I am old school in that regard.

I hear the 70's calling my name - remember when L'eggs came in an egg?

My wardrobe: I have not worn any of my work clothes in almost two years and I discovered something BIG! My working wardrobe has become a little ill fitting. In other words I must have lost some weight! While that’s GREAT it also presents a dilemma, I NEED new clothes.

If only!

Lunch: Ok, have you ever noticed people just chilling in their cars having coffee, reading, writing bills, whatever. I always thought that was a little weird but I must tell you that I have since discovered the joys of having lunch in my car - I know, just plain weird! But it affords me a chance to chill, get a bite to eat and read my latest book. It’s also warmer in my car than it is in the office so I get to warm up a bit. My car has suddenly become more than a vehicle that takes me from A to B, it’s become my own little sanctuary.

Wait a minute, I'm NOT the lunch! I sit in my car and have lunch!

The dog and cat: Kitty is just fine and has adjusted to my new schedule. Sadie though is a creature of habit and has gotten used to walking twice a day. Now I must get up extra early to do a quick walk around the block. She cannot just go in the backyard, she MUST take a walk or she will pout and things may get dicey in the house if you know what I mean.

Sadie and Kitty in front of their window on the world but check out the computer in the upper left. I got that in 2000 but it seems so clunky now.

Getting up on time: UGH , so hard to do now that the weather is chilly and it’s the rainy season. It has become more and more difficult to kick those blankets off at 5:30 in the morning.

I would like to send a SHOUT OUT to some pretty awesome blogger friends who have inquired after me whilst I was on my little hiatis. They are...

Sal, who is about to become a mom, at Candycane is Married
Anita sitting pretty at Castles Crowns and Cottages
Barb crafting up a storm at The French Elements
Helga awesomely outrageous at Helga von Trollop
Bonnie cooking up something yummy at From a Writer's Kitchen
Penny creating something lovely at Angel's Door

Thanks for sending out a holler wondering where on earth I was. It gives me the warm fuzzies to know that people enjoy following along with me as much as I enjoy following along with all of you out there. I know I'll have fun catching up on the latest!

Hope you are staying warm and enjoying the last weekend before the Christmas holiday!

It never rains in California...

2010-10-19T18:53:00.001-07:00

...it pours, MAN it pours!

Our corner of the world anxiously awaited a BIG rainstorm to blow through last night. Well, I waited and waited and waited some more but nary a drop fell in our neighborhood. The morning news reported that it rained and thundered and lightninged (ok, I know there is no such word!) apparently in PARTS of San Diego. Whataaa? It finally came for us around 10:30-11 this morning with a vengence! However, it seemed that as quickly and ferociously as it came, it stopped. The whole day was one big drizzle after the big downpour.

Batten down the hatches!

Current weather conditions:

Currently: 64°F Rain
San Diego, California
Currently: 18°C Rain
Wind: North at 0 MPH
Humidity: 77%
Dewpoint: 57°F
Barometer: 29.89 inches

Raindrops keep falling on my...

Forecast for the week

Rain swept street in front of my house.

Sadie softly snoring through the mid-morning rain storm safe in her bed. She's snuggled in her serape that I got at a neighbor's yard sale for $1.

Kitty positioned himself on Sadie's other bed in front of the picture window in the living room. He was resting peacefully until I disturbed him - sorry Kitty.

Hope you are managing to stay dry wherever you are in the world!

Mid week interlude

2010-10-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Photographs du jour, taken on our morning walk. Just little bits and bobs going on in our neighborhood.

A little peek into a garden

Feeling a bit naughty, who would miss just one banana?

I love figs. I know it's a wierd fruit with a funny texture. As a kid I loved fig newtons and fairly recently a friend's grandma made a fig cake and it was delicious.

A neighbor's grape vine, they look like champagne grapes I think.

I thought this vine was pretty.

Gorgeous flowers

Funny sign on a local business.

An amusing little fellow with some magic mushrooms!

Door knocker on a garden gate

Notice how the garden is in a circle? I call it the San Diego version of Stonehenge.

A remnant of happier times

If you like pinwheels, I'm sure Martha Stweart can show you how to make one.

A mail box almost hidden by the vines

Allrighty then!

Hello kitties!

It's Mikey, a furry little dynamo!

The lovely Sadie who did not want to pose for this picture!

Is it Halloween yet?

This house is always about Halloween every year

This is more my speed!

And finally, Sadie and I saw a great bumper sticker that said....

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

tea pots, bargains and john lennon

2010-10-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

If anyone is thinking of coming out to southern California, now would be the time! The weather has cleared up, the temperature is mild and in the low to mid 80s, and there is nothing but sunshine. Is there nothing better than basking in the sun's warmth after a week of cold rainy weather?

Beautiful La Jolla Cove

This calls for a day of searching for bargains and I found myself another teapot at Goodwill! I have such an obsession with tea pots and while I do have some that are functional most of them are purely decorative like this little beauty. I really couldn't pass this one by at $4.

Isn't it cute how the lid sits askew atop the tea pot?

And while at Goodwill I picked up a new blankie for Sadie as cooler weather promises to be rolling in soon. It's actually a baby blanket which is exactly how I think of Sadie...my little girl.

On a recent cruise past a yard sale, a lovely lady watched me pick up this little pitcher and said I could have it for free! I couldn't pass that up - here it is:

And finally, always one on the lookout for a bargain, I was at JC Penney's big blowout sale not so long ago where I found a pair of cropped jeans. It had some bling on it, not something I would search out, but it was my size so I figured why not. It fit, ok, should I get it? When I looked at the price tag I couldn't believe it....

...Yes, the original price was $68 and I only paid $6.49 for it...a total savings of $62! It was the find of the century!

I'm not one for ripped jeans or jeans with bling but this pair has grown on me, and they are comfortable! A close up of the bling, silver sequins.

Here I am with a bracelet from Foverever 21 and Jones NY shoes.

By now I'm sure you've heard it was John Lennon's birthday yesterday. Hard to believe he would have been 70. I still think of the Beatles as being young, very young.

like this...

or this...

or like this

Last Sunday I happened to catch CBS Sunday Morning and they had a wonderful interview with Julian Lennon on the occassion of the opening of his photography exhibit in New York. It was insightful and amazing as he talked of his father, his love of his brother, his extended family and speaking of family, the Lennon family feud. Julian said he sent invitations to his mom and Yoko and they both knew the other was invited. I think you'll be surprised when you watch this video.

Julian Lennon interview on CBS

I couldn't find any John Lennon or Beatles music on Playlist so instead please enjoy the music of Julian Lennon and Sean Lennon!

Have a great weekend.

Tuesday's Child is off window shopping

2010-10-05T17:11:00.001-07:00

I have been complaining of the weather lately being in triple digits haven't I? Well, two weeks later we are in the mid to high 60s. Today started off cold and drizzly and here are some pics as I make my way to Seaport Village to meet my niece Jamie in town for business.

At a stop light in back of a truck full of tortillas! You can see a police car on the right.

It really got dark and rainy as I headed down Washington Street

Straight ahead is an old brewery

Finally made it to Busters in Seaport Village to meet up with Jamie. I started things off with a cup of coffee and she had a delicious looking hot chocolate.

Oh, yummy!

Here is my niece Jamie about to dig in...

...to a delicious order of french toast with toasted coconut and bananas.

Yes, that's me eyeing up what's on my plate...

...Eggs Benedict!

Surprisingly the weather had cleared up when we left the restaurant BUT just for the record it did get overcast once again and the temperature cooled.

Look at these gorgeous flowers and a beautiful blue sky.

There are so many beautiful photo ops, here are a few

One of the many plaza's that dot the village

Cerveza, anyone!

Love this sign

Here's a store called Urban Lounge which features a lot of fair trade items.

This isn't such a great shot but here is a photo of the USS Ronald Reagan across the bay.

In the distance towards the left is the Coronado Bridge.

Let me take you into my favorite store at Seaport Village. It's Upstart Crow and besides books and great lattes, they got lots unique merchandise.

From fun jewelry...

...to the expected tchotchkes!

A take on soap on a rope, how about candles on a rope

Pretty little tea pot

A selection of teas

Love this mug!

Really?

Ok, remember my last post where I found that cute kitty mug? I did go back to Marshall's to pick it up and did you happen to guess what the price was? I was pleasantly surprised!

Yes, only $2.99 so I did pick it up!

Have a great rest of the week!

Something cute

2010-09-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-13T07:09:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

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!

A little of this and that

2010-09-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning with an overwhelming urge to bake something! I decided to make popovers since I came across a popover pan at a yard sale for only $1. A minor miracle as I've been wanting one for quite a while and this one was in perfect condition and soooo affordable!

They turned out perfectly crisp on the outside and light and airy on the inside. What I also like about popovers is that you never know what kind of shape they'll take and they are almost always amusing! If I do say so myself, this batch didn't disappoint!

I've noticed lately a few blogs spilling the contents of their handbags for the blogging world to see. I can be a nosy sort sometimes and so I've decided to take the plunge myself. The thing is, I went on an outing yesterday so everything was at a bare minimum. So at the end of the day, this is what was in my handbag:

-Tube of lipgloss
-Pen
-Some dollar bills and loose change
-Two little souvenirs - a key chain and a magnet
-Entrance ticket
-Wallet

Here's my handbag, a little black crochet number that has a brown flap with a faux tortoise shell button. It's also lined and has a zipper so nothing has a chance to fall out when on...say...a roller coaster! This bag was a steal at $3 at the Goodwill store. I love it!

If you haven't guessed by some of the contents of my bag, I was at SeaWorld yesterday. SeaWorld is huge and despite being there from around 11:30 to 6:45 in the evening, we still didn’t see everything there is to take in. I’ll be posting the pictures shortly but thought I would tease you with this one.

I have never seen a walrus up close like this before. The walrus and I were only separated by a pane of glass; it was the most amazing thing ever. I still can’t get over it!

Can’t wait to show you the rest of the photos!

PS – to everyone in the US, have a great Labor Day Weekend! Bye, bye summer!

PPS - Borrowed two movies from the library for the long weekend, Bride & Prejudice (the Bollywood movie) and an oldie but goodie, Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn and Eddie Albet. What are you up to this weekend?

Hawaii is calling

2010-08-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Sandi has a travel blog called Hawaii FYI that features places, attractions and restaurants you may want to visit when you are in Hawaii. From time to time, I will be guest posting on her blog about my remberences of Hawaii as it has been ten years now that I have been away from home. Here's my first...

The re-boot of Hawaii Five-0 is calling me! How thrilling must the Hawaii Film Office be that not only is the location identified as Hawaii but in case you missed it, it's in the title! The trickledown effect must be sending waves of "chicken skin" down the spine of the local economy including the hospitality and airline industries not to mention the locals. Another reason to proclaim, "Hawaii No Ka Oi!"

How well I remember the Five-0 of old, the golden years 1968 through 1980. In 1968 the state's first McDonald's opened in Aina Haina (I know I was there) and Hawaii Five-0 began a 12-year stint that September. How crazy was it when McGarrett would radio that he was traveling on Kalakaua when clearly he was out by Sandy Beach! We locals always had a great chuckle over things like that!

Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett

Jack Lord was my homeboy; we lived in the same neighborhood. In 1968 Kahala Mall was still called Waialae Shopping Center later changing to the trendier Kahala Mall in 1969. Lord and his wife Marie could always be found at the mall and the surrounding area. They were always nice and very approachable. Jack Lord says he was frequently asked 'Do you like Hawaii?' and his response was always, 'No, I love Hawaii.'

Such was Lord's love of the islands that he continued to live in Hawaii long after the series went off the air. He died in 1998 at his home in Kahala and his wife Marie followed in 2005.

Jack and Marie Lord - 1968

The estate of Jack and Marie Lord was divided among twelve Hawaiian nonprofit educational, cultural and medical institutions. A remberence of Lord, a bronzed bust, now sits outside the mall where he interacted with local kids like me all those years ago.

Hawaii Five-0 debuts on CBS Monday night, September 20. If you are lucky enough to be in Hawaii on September 13, there will be a special screening of the pilot on Waikiki Beach when the sun sets. Cast members will be in attendance so you should get there early to stake out a spot.

The new cast of Hawaii Five-0

So good luck to the new cast and crew of Hawaii Five-0, you have pretty bigs shoes to fill but the buzz and excitement of your return is palpable. Imua!, and you know I have to say this...Book 'em Danno!

# # #

For my UK friends, Bravo UK secured the rights to air Hawaii Five-0 and is expected to start airing it at the same time as the US airing. Canada's Global TV will premier the show in Fall 2010.

Here's a link you call follow to view Five-0 trailers: www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/

And here is a glossary of words and phrases you may not be familiar with in the post:

Chicken skin: local equivalent of goose bumps
Hawaii No Ka Oi: means number one or the best
Kalakaua: the main drag in Waikiki named after the Hawaiian monarch King David Kalakaua
Imua: to go forward

Aloha!

Eeeek!

2010-08-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I have to post about what happened last night BUT before I do that you must take a look at this video because like Clarissa, it explains it all.

Cute commercial yes? Except that was me and it wasn't Rocky Raccoon it was a Pepe Le Pew, a SKUNK! I've never seen a skunk up close and personal before but let me tell you, they are pretty recognizable!

I was in the kitchen when I heard the gate rattle which is usually an indication that it's a cat jumping over the gate. Since my cat was in the house, I figured it must be the new cat from next door come to say hello again. I opened the back door, just like in the commercial, and started calling...here kitty, kitty!

The only thing I could see was a dark furry tail and it was about this time both the cat and dog started getting excited as I turned on the patio light. Kitty ran into the bedroom, jumped on the chair next to the window practically shredding the curtains trying to open them. We both looked outside and that's when I actually said out loud...IT'S A SKUNK!

A re-enactment!

No kitties or skunks were hurt during this photo shoot!

As skunks go, it was cute and very furry, black with a white stripe going down it's back just like in the nature programs. Yes, it was a Mephitis mephitis coming from the Latin mephitis meaning...BAD ODOR! Not sure why they repeat the word twice, I think I'd get it the first time! Thankfully, le skunk wasn't feeling threatened so did not leave a pungent odor behind as a parting gift.

Moral of the story: Go to Sears Optical and get a new pair of glasses!

Good Will Hunting

2010-08-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday! Anybody up for a trip to the Goodwill store?

Apologies this picture is a little blurry but we are on the 8 freeway and headed south taking the Rosecrans exit toward an area called Point Loma, specifically Sports Arena/Midway. We'll save the beaches and Los Angeles for another time, ok?

The traffic on Rosecrans really isn't bad today but there are days when it is cutthroat!

Here's our stop, the Goodwill Store or as my friend used to call it Good Willies or the Good Will Hunting store.

This was the scene of my latest coup, the full skirt you saw last week. I still need to find some tops for it.

I really enjoy the thrill of the hunt and I try to look for vintage items for the house.

There are racks and racks of clothes.

You never know what you'll find...maybe a Bob Mackie sweater like this one from the 80s! Hey I could have been on the Cosby Show with this snazzy number! By the way, the back was every bit as colorful as the front.

I loved these shoes but they were just slightly tight and I know if I wore these somewhere I would have ended up in tears and hobbling in pain. I would have been in a full ugly cry mode, sadly I put them back with a big sigh.

These cute shoes fit fine but I decided not to get them because I was on a mission at the time and these fun shoes were not on the agenda. I know I'll regret it. Please don't remind me of the time I actually held a Kate Spade bag in my hand for $10 and put it back on the rack. Aaarrgh!

I had to take a picture of the sky it was so beautiful. Speaking of noodles (below), the town is like one limp noodle and we are experiencing a heat wave. We did get a little relief this weekend but the temps are supposed to pickup again this week. I'm sure it will reach around 93-95 degrees.

Oh, I stopped off at Noodles & Company for some shrimp Pad Thai. The restaurant is a healthy "fast food" chain that specializes in all kinds of noodles including a variety of Asian noodles, pasta and even serve macaroni and cheese.

Enjoy your week!

Something new to wear

2010-08-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a cute skirt? I got it at Goodwill for $5 a great price plus the skirt is fully lined. It's pleated at the top and then flares out to a very full skirt. I haven't worn it out yet but I love the swirly, vaguely Indian print of the skirt and the addition of sequins.

I'm feeling very sparkly!

But what to wear with it??? I decided to shop Le Closet! Unfortunately, there's not much to choose from but I did find this top purchased from a catalog so long ago that I can't remember its name.

The top paired with a chocolate cardie from Goodwill for $3.99 never worn and still had the shop tags on it! Imagine, originally $35!

A sampling of earrings to choose from. The hoop pair are from Forever 21 and the other three are from long ago. You can see some of my tea pot collection in the background. I'll do a post on them one of these days.

I've been jonseing for a charm bracelet forever and finally found one! For some reason they remind me of being a kid again plus they're just plain fun. This charmer was only $1.99 from Goodwill. They are supposed to be clam shells one half pearlized and the other half gold plated with a pearl in them. I think this will be a good match with the skirt.

Rampage peep-toes (ridiculously priced at Ross Dress for Less last year so I HAD to get them) and two-tone Bandolino slip-ons (from Goodwill barely worn). I think a nice straw wedge would be nice too.

Here is everything put together but I will really have to work on getting some tops to go with the skirt. Sorry the photo is a little blurry but it's the best one of the bunch! It's 93 degrees today and I am wondering what I am doing in a sweater!

How about something cool to drink? I picked up two bottles of this new drink from Canada Dry, sparkling green tea ginger ale. Don't they put green tea in everything these days? I completely demolished one bottle yesterday and am ready to start on this one. Come join me and bring some nibbles with you! Maybe we'll catch a cool evening breeze.

The glass cake stand is from a neighbor's yard sale about a year ago and the wine glass is from Marshall's. It features the Franciscan Desert Rose pattern that I fell in love with when I was a just a kid.

Have a good one!

Sushi and a movie

2010-08-12T09:32:00.001-07:00

So I had some errands to run this week and after the bank, post office and grocery store, decided I would treat myself to sushi and a movie!

I looooove sushi, any kind, and could eat it every single day. I stopped off at Sushi Hut on Mission Center Road and ordered the California Combo lunch special for $6 and some odd cents.

It may take a while to decide what you want! Sorry the menu isn't clearer.

Some awesome looking raw fish. Hope you're not squeamish!

The California Combo is a great special with 8 pieces of sushi (a California roll), a medium sized soft drink and a vege roll and on this particular day because I had to wait so long, the manager gave me an extra roll so I scored.

In the same strip mall is a Blockbuster so I decided to take a look at what was new. Funny about me and Blockbuster, I go in spurts. I won't step in the store for almost a year and the next thing you know I'm there every weekend renting up a storm. They have a new policy that all rentals are $5 for five days and kids rentals are 99 cents.

Starting to plate up! I know, I could eat from the container and save myself some dishwashing but this is more fun and I love these vintage plates my mom got for me a while back.

All set for some video watching - WAIT - I still call them videos when clearly they are DVDs! Old dogs, no new tricks and all that I guess! It's pathetic, I only recently got a cell phone and it's a pay as you go phone! Anyway, get comfortable and get ready to watch Percy Jackson & the Olympians.

I enjoyed the movie and unlike some movies, it did not stray much from the book. I liked the book so much I got a copy for my nephew which he enjoyed immensely!

In fact, I enjoyed the movie so much I'll watch it again before I return it. Something I don't always do.

Did you know Sean Bean is in this movie? I adore him. Have you ever watched this old BritishTV show called the Vicar of Dibley? The vicar is actually, surprise, a woman played by Dawn French and she had a thing for Sean Bean. It was cute and one day he showed up at her door, forget how it ended though. So that was a little off the subject but take a peak at the trailer for Percy Jackson.

Have a good one!

Fashion Valley Mall

2010-08-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

I started visiting Fashion Valley Mall back in the 80s when it was a teeny mall and I used to like to go to Lupita's for great Mexican food. News flash, Lupita's isn't there anymore!

San Diego used to be a sleepy beach town but it has since grown into a mini LA. I'm not sure if I like that or not but it still has a slower pace than LA thank goodness. One of the things that has changed dramatically is this mall. I wish I had pictures of what it used to look like! See the picture below? There didn't used to be condos on the top of ridge and the condos at the bottom are brand new. This shot was taken from the walkway between Bloomies and ZGallerie. Do you recognize the Cheesecake Factory (bldg. with the dome) on the left? There is yumminess to be had there and it's great for brunch.

There are 200 stores and restaurants in this mall and since I haven't been in a while, I noticed a lot of my favorites have gone missing and lots of new stores in their place. Someone tell me what happened to Harry & David's and Paper Doll!

A few of the usual suspects...

I used to love going to Charlotte Russe but actually am surprised it is still around since the mall did its revamp.

The old workhorse - Bloomies

The new workhorse - Banana Republic

I haven't watched MadMen yet, have you?

Love this store!

A few mall favorites....

This is a fairly new store but judging from the clothes is exactly how I like to dress, casual.

If I could afford to shop at Antropologie believe me I would!

Chico's has lots of great casual and chic garments and accessories.

There is also a mini Sephora's in JC Penney's

Oh, Jeeves, please get me a POUND of Godiva's assorted chocolates!

Lots of fun if pricey accessories here

The designers...

A sale, yippee! Actually, I really do love Carolina's designs. Notice how we are on a first name basis!

If you have to ask how much it costs...

New kids in town:

H&M, still fairly new

The very brand new (about one month) Microsoft Store

Forever 21 is a favorite to haunt for fun accessories (because frankly I don't fit into their clothing and I'm positive I don't fit their demographics)! Remember shops like Judy's, Wet Seal, House of 9? Anyway, this is a great place for inexpensive bits and baubles.

Have a great week everyone!

At the movies

2010-07-31T06:37:00.000-07:00

My friend (who is too shy to be seen in this post) and I decided to see a movie last week and we chose Fashion Valley's AMC Theater (18 theaters in all) to meet. We chose a matinee and do you know that it now costs $9.50 to see a matinee and $11 for an evening performance? Well, gone are the days of a cheap date! If you take a trip to the concession stand you are liable to spend roughly $10. I guess that's why I don't get out much!

Can't decide what to see? Here are some movie posters to peruse while you are in line.

Walking down the third level corridor to see...

...Inception! I do recommend this movie but make sure you take a bottle of aspirin with you. There is a lot of mindbending scenery, a complicated storyline, and your brain needs to be running on all four cylinders. Concentration is key! Trust me, this movie takes a lot out of you. By the time I got out of the theater, my head was spinning, I was starving, and I just wanted to lie down and take a nap!

The acting was surprisingly great. I say this because I think the last DiCaprio movie I saw was Romeo & Juliet which I did like. No, I did not see Titanic, don't know why. But he has grown into a wonderful actor since Growing Pains! Why am I the last to know? Same with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I know he has had a few successful movies but could only remember him as Tommy from 3rd Rock from the Sun. There are also great performances from Ken Watanabe and Ellen Page the girl from Juno.

Here's a huge display for the new Stallone movie featuring a host of actors best known for their action roles. Arnold Schwarzenegger makes an appearance in this movie and it did cross my mind as to how he handled the delicate matter of his salary. Did he donate it like he did the last time, he is after all still our Governator.

The new Will Ferrell/Mark Whalberg movie. It seems funny from the preview.

Lunch at last! I think I nearly collapsed because I was so hungry and tired from the movie. We went to California Pizza Kitchen and I entered the restaurant confident in what I wanted to order only to discover the Peking Duck pizza was no longer on the menu - they discontinued it!!! Arrrgh - don't you hate that! I ended up with the California Cobb pizza which the waitress said I would enjoy, and I did! It's my new favorite and here it is...oh, it was yummy!

On my next post I plan on taking you around Fashion Valley Mall where world class shopping stands at the ready! Here is a little teaser...

Pretty trinkets from Forever 21

Michael Kors anyone?

See you next week!

Passion for Fashion

2010-07-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

I've recently been inspired by various fashion/thrifting blogs and have been thinking of maybe starting another blog just about what I wear or have found thrifting. In fact just the other week I was having a fashion conversation with Anita over at Castle Crowns and Cottages. Did you know that when I was younger I wanted to be a fashion designer?

Well, we'll see about the new blog but in the meantime I thought I'd do a little test post and you can tell me what you think. I scoured the depths of my closet to find something of interest and here it is...

...the sweater in question looking a little forlorn just by itself. I got it from Ross Dress for Less about a year ago and have never worn it! I was attracted to it by the color and then by the sleeves which are ruched and it just seems vaguely Victorian to me, a period I have always found fascinating.

I've never thought of wearing grey before but I've now got two sweaters in that color; this one is a pewter and the other is a light grey. I've been trying to figure out how to wear it. I'm not a fan of the belt and will be getting rid of the belt loops. I got the brilliant idea to use the belt as sort of a necklace like this...

...and I've paired it here with a vest.

How about a flower with little sparklies? This one is my great-aunt's brooch. I love little keepsakes like this.

Here is one half of a clip on earring that was thrifted at a yard sale.

A really pretty pink pin from a neighbor's garage sale, she said it was from the 50s or thereabouts.

This is a 50s pin I picked up at a thrift sale back home

I've never been one to wear a rosary as jewelry but thought it might look ok.

It looks gold but it's really silver. The rosary was given to me by Rene who thought it might help me through a serious illness I was going through. The crucifix is an antique from France and he fashioned the rosary together himself. I really love it as it is beautifully crafted and has a lot of personal history behind it. I will probably never wear it as jewelry but it was a thought!

Ok, here I am in the getup. Photo taken in my bathroom because of the wonderful light that shines through! The John Lennon glasses were a gift from my friend Sandi who picked it up at the Beatles Museum in Liverpool. I was jazzed! I'm also wearing an oversized pearl bracelet and dark grey magnet bracelet. (Remember when they were the rage?)

And just for fun, here are a pair of cat glasses I bought for Halloween one year. I rather like it and it seems to go with the outfit! I'm really digging my Chanel lipstick! I adore Coco and all things Chanel especially vintage Chanel.

Here I am with my crazy gato.

A couple of thoughts, it's really hard to take pictures of yourself! I should probably recruit someone to take the pics or maybe train Kitty or Sadie. It's also pretty wierd to see pictures of myself on the blog!

I'd like to direct you over to the blogs that have been my inspiration....

Vix at Vintage Vixen

Rebecca at Thrifty at Sixty(one)
Sal at Candy Cane is Married

All ladies are quite individual and I think they rock their style. Rock on ladies!

Art of the casa

2010-07-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last week you got to see some unique features in my little casita. This week, it's art of the casa!

Ok, this isn't a painting but I love the scrollwork on this mirror which I got at my friendly neighborhood antique store called Resurrected Furniture. You can see the reflection of the sunflower painting and the man in the moon is a Christmas ornament from years past.

Graciella's Sunflower. This painting was given to me by a woman I would see in the alleyway every once in awhile on the weekends. She was collecting soda cans. Someone had given her this painting which she had in her cart and when I expressed how much I liked it she gave it to me! She was very sweet.

The Letter, by Renoir. I purchased this one at an impressionist exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art located in Balboa Park. I have been enamored of impressionism since high school and my favorite Renoir is The Luncheon of the Boating Party. For the longest time I thought it was housed at the Louvre but it is actually in a museum in Washington, DC. Meanwhile you can visit The Letter anytime at my casita!

I purchased these little dogs a Westie and a pug from Marshalls probably when I first moved here. They are adorable!

Bathroom art! I got this glamourous lady at Bed Bath & Beyond with one of the store's 20% off coupons. It is a 1957 Vogue cover by Henry Clarke titled Savoir Faire.

Prints and frames from Ikea in keeping with the Parisian theme.

Close up of the Arc de Triomphe, a pretty little replica I got at a thrift shop for $2.

My father was a pilot with Hawaiian Airlines and collected all kinds of airline memorabilia. Here are two posters probably from the late 80s/early 90s.

Ladies, roll your tongues back in!

This is a signed and dated painting that was given to me by someone I worked with. I am embarrassed to say that I am unsure who the artist is as I cannot read the signature but it is lovely and was painted in 1979.

Back home in the early 90s a friend of mine was moving state and knowing how much I always admired this poster she was kind enough to pass it on to me. I think about Marian every time I look at this picture.

I purchased the next two posters at a yard sale not so much because I have an afinity for Africa but because I thought I might want to collect some travel posters. These were professionally framed and when I first strolled by, this one, Africa by Air, sold for $25 and the Air Afrique sold for $75. He didn't want to go down in price so I said I might stop by later to see if it had sold or not. It didn't (!) and he dropped the price to $10 and $20 - SOLD!

I love this poster. It's like a picture within a picture.

Fruits! I got the pears from a thrift shop and the lemons from a shop that was going out of business. The double matted lemon print is by Shelley Hely an Australian artist. I bought a few things from this shop as everything was priced to go.

This adorable bunny was given to me by Kelly who at the time managed a hotel on San Diego Bay. He invited me and a few other friends to Easter Sunday Brunch and we each got a little painting. This is hanging in the doorway to my bedroom.

I think this scene is familiar to everyone! My sister got this for me for about $2 at a yard sale. It's an oil painting and the woman said she got it while she was in France. This is going in my bedroom once I get things rearranged.

The Madonna and child I got for a pittance at a neighborhood antique shop. It sits in the little telephone nook.

Even kitties need art! This is where my gato dines every day!

The background plaques were found at a yard sale and the little birdies were from a great fresh fruit and flower stand in La Costa. They also sell yummy gourmet items and have the best chips and fresh, fresh salsa and chocolate covered strawberries. Yum!

The casa art vault!

This is a poster of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel were I used to work. It is gorgeous and historical and has lots of stories to tell. However, it is a romanticized version as there are no buildings pictured in the background.

Hope you enjoyed your tour!

If you have a moment, stay a little longer and have some light refreshment.

I made the banana bread this morning. It's fresh from the oven!

Tea? Cream and sugar?

Have a great week!

tour of the ol' casa

2010-07-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hi, thought I would share a few of the unique features of my humble abode. My home is a pink 1930 Spanish bungalow quite common in Southern California. What I love about this home and older homes in general, is that there are many features you just don't see anymore

Here is a unique light fixture above the kitchen sink with equally unique cabinetry work that modern home builders don't bother with these days.

I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille!

One of two built-ins in the breakfast nook

A pair of really cute hot chocolate china cups and saucers, a little bear, and a tin featuring Peter Pan that I picked up at Marshall's probably when I first moved here in 2000.

I collect tea pots and here's one that is also part of my bunny collection. There is also a picture of my grandmother and mom and uncle as children.

This is a what people used to call a milk door. This is inside the house...

...and this is taken from the outside. There are compartments on either side of the door where the milkman would store the dairy products.

You don't see this too often, behind this door is a pull out ironing board

I'm not sure that this drawer pull is original to the house but it's romantic looking!

A lovely treasure and an original. I consider it a piece of art and it hangs in the living room.

Another interesting light fixture. It's "milky" looking and hangs in the hallway where the ironing closet it.

A regal looking front door knocker.

Here is what it looks like from the inside, you can see there is a latch which you can open...

...And here's what you see when you open the door.

An original door knob.

I never quite realized what this was until one day I put two and two together. This is from inside the house in what is the dining room and...

...and this is what it looks like from the outside! It's not used as the mail drop anymore as the front porch is now enclosed.

I've had a number of people give me their take on this little nook and the general conclusion if that it used to hold an old fashioned upright telephone.

Another built in located in the hallway which I converted into a little bar setup.

Love these glasses, I picked them up at a garage sale for only $1 each, never used.

The shaker on the right was a birthday gift and the wine rack is from Ikea.

I recently did a remodel of the bathroom. It's not complete yet I am still waiting to put in a new floor but see the silver knobs, they were the original fixtures of the bathtub and just below it is a piece of yellow tile that I saved. The bathroom featured yellow and black tile so beautiful and "old school" but had to be removed. Believe me I cried buckets!

Hope you enjoyed your tour!

A trip to the library

2010-07-11T19:14:00.001-07:00

Took a trip to my neighborhood library and came back with these little lovelies. I had just gone in to return one book and came out with three more and a DVD. I love Laurie King's books in particular the Mary Russell series. Has anyone seen the DVD? Is it any good?

And look at all the freebies I came home with! There were a TON of Martha Stewart Living mags (and others) to be had but I tried not to be piggy about it. I can't believe I even got a free book on tape, Mrs. deWinter, the sequel to Daphne de Maurier's Rebecca...Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. The freebies were courtesy of The Friends of the Library.

Here are a few snaps of the Mission Valley Library where I LOVE to hang out! I'm such a square!

View from the second floor balcony looking down

A trolley runs through it!

A shot of the San Diego trolley taken from the 2nd floor lanai.

A refreshing and cool courtyard off the children's section

And I’d like to wish Peace & Love and a happy birthday to Ringo Starr who turned 70 on July 7th.

Everybody have a great week!

St. Trinian's School for Girls

2010-07-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

I recently saw a film and frankly I’m not sure how I came to be aware of it, I think I was googling something or other and it just appeared. I followed the YouTube link and before you could say Girl Power (!) I was riveted to my computer.

The movie left me in stitches though I have to tell you it’s not world class cinema, I never even heard of it before, the film is politically incorrect and I admit there were some parts I just didn’t get. But sometimes, you just go with it right? I loved it!

The film is St. Trinian’s School for Girls which came out in 2007. Ok, here’s a brief overview…St. Trinian’s is a boarding school for girls in the UK. There is a lot of free expression going on in that school of ungovernable young ladies (I use the term loosely) and the plot centers around getting the school out of bankruptcy.

Rupert Everett is hysterical to watch in drag as Miss Fritton the headmistress. The actor has said that he based his character’s look and manner on a certain member of the Royal Family named Camilla! Equally entertaining is Colin Firth who plays his role absolutely straight as the new education minister who makes it his goal to shutdown St. Trinian’s. As a side note it appears that the two have had a “thing” in the past as whenever they appear together on screen strains of Love is a Many Splendored thing can be heard in the background!

Rupert Everett as Miss Fritton and his inspiration...someone named Camilla!

Hmmmm, I think I see a resemblance.

I believe part of my attraction to this film comes from my stint at an all girl’s school and the uniforms that are a part of the culture. Unfortunately our uniforms were not nearly as hip as the girls from St. Trinian’s. Our outfits consisted of a white blouse, a blue plaid pleated wool skirt, oxfords (yes, the old black and white clunkers), oh and almost forgot…a full white slip. You better believe a slip was a part of the uniform because we had inspection every morning. If we were honest, and I admit to this, those of us who went to Star of the Sea were always a bit jealous of the girls from Sacred Heart’s as they had that cute white middy top with the navy tie and navy blue box pleated skirts as their uniform * BIG SIGH!*

Trust me, we would never have been allowed to dress like this at Star of the Sea!

Perhaps we would have gotten more dates if we dressed like this for sports!

Here is a clip from the sequel St. Trinian's 2

My love of school uniforms aside, I hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July holiday!

Have a great week!

Summertime memories

2010-06-21T12:42:00.001-07:00

While out on an early morning walk yesterday with Sadie, I realized that it must certainly be summer. Everyone I came across was in shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. The sun was out, the sky blue and it was scrumptiously warm.

Wouldn’t you just like to be a kid again and enjoy summer the way we used to? We could…

Go to the BEACH!

This is San Souci beach in Waikiki were I learned to swim!

Another favorite spot was Hanauma Bay both a nature preserve and marine life conservation district. It was also a favorite place to camp and I vividly remember an overnight trip with the Campfire Girls. We did a treasure hunt had a marshmallow roast and told ghost stories!

Is there anything more delicious that fresh fruit to munch on in the summer?

Or how about an awesome picnic in the park?

Ok, this was always fun, camping out in the backyard. These days it pays to do a staycation.

How about a BBQ with family and friends? I can't tell you how often we did this in the summer!

I saw numerous Disney movies at the drive in. We would all pile into the station wagon in our jammies, snacks in hand, for a fun family night out.

Remember these ads for the concession stand?

One of my absolute favorite things to do was to lay down in the backyard and look at the sky and try to see if I could see images in the clouds. Did I just see a dragon pass by?

How about finding a snug little corner in your world for a little summertime reading? I loved Nancy Drew books.

You know by the time the 4th of July rolls around there will be fireworks galore to enjoy!

Now, this is something I would absolutely love to do...go RVing! It looks like so much fun and I would love to up and down the West Coast and also discover all the state parks like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. Maybe in a tricked out behemoth like this one...

...or a cute little Airstream like this one!

So what are your favorite summer memories and what are your plans for the summer? Enquiring minds and all that! Have a great summer!

2010-06-13T19:56:00.001-07:00

As you probably know, cats were once worshiped in ancient Egypt and they have never let us humans forget it!

I have tried to tell my cat, Kitty, that kitty worship went out in the 390 A.D.’s but he won’t have any of it. After years of living with me, he has trained me to be a slave to his habits and his exacting schedule. Woe am I if I refuse to get out of bed at 4 in the morning to let him out. He will take his claws to my overstuffed rocker and rip it to shreds and then go in the spare room to have a cigarette. I am not sure where he gets his ciggie supply as Sadie and I are non smokers and I really don’t allow smoking in the house. Somehow he manages.

Here he is, the boss of me!

But I have found a way to exact some revenge on my little Felis Catus. Wigs! Oh, yes, wigs for kitties! My niece gave me a book called Glamourpuss and that started the wheels in motion!

Kitties need glamour too!

My name is Madonna but you can call me Madge.

Dude, let's go Wild Hog and zip cross country this summer.

Maybe you remember me, I used to be on a show called Petticoat Junction!

What do you think? Conservative yet punky, perfect for the office, yes?

Pink is my signature color and I'll be going to Harvard Law this semester.

Don't be hatin'

My codename is Kittylicious.

I'm feeling brighter than a lucky penny!

Hold on, I'm channeling Cher.

Enjoy the video!

Kitty! You're next!

The Ballad of John & Yoko

2010-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

I was driving home from a quick trip to the grocery store this morning when the WALRUS started playing The Ballad of John and Yoko. I started a quick psychedelic flashback to 1969 with John and Yoko doing their little bed-in espousing peace and love.

Drove from paris to the amsterdam hilton,

Talking in our beds for a week.

The newspapers said, say what you doing in bed?

I said, were only trying to get us some peace.

Christ you know it aint easy,You know how hard it can be.

The way things are going, They're going to crucify me.

John and Yoko's infamous ‘bed-in’ for world peace

Caught on film

While all this transpired, I was a teenager in high school whose love of the Beatles knew no bounds! Paul, by the way, was my favorite Beatle.

The Beatles in 1969

For me, there always seemed to be a bit of kookiness that surrounded John and Yoko. Yoko was an avant garde artist but today I think they would call what she did performance art.

Here is Cut Piece by Yoko back in 1964 in Tokyo. This was an interactive piece whereby audience members were requested to come on stage and begin cutting away her garments until….well. there wasn't anything left!

But at age 70, Yoko was still at it in Paris where she performed Cut Piece in 2003.

The audience was encouraged to Come and cut a piece of my clothing wherever you like, the size of less than a postcard, and send it to the one you love. She concluded by saying Cut Piece is my hope for world peace. I’m not sure how taking a scissors to a chic black evening dress will bring about world peace but the girl's got guts and is still living for her art!

John & Yoko

John and Yoko moved to New York in 1973 and John Lennon was only 40 years old when he was killed in 1980. It’s ironic that a man who promoted peace and love died in such a violent manner. When the city of New York erected Strawberry Fields in Central Park, Yoko donated $1million to maintain the site. Strawberry Fields opened on October 9, 1985, on what would have been John's 45th birthday.

Strawberry Fields Forever

The centerpiece of Strawberry Fields

Yoko and Sean Lennon 2009

Yoko is still rockin’ it and received a lifetime achievement award in 2009 at the Mojo Awards a British music publication.

A retrospective of Yoko's work

You guys, this is what 77 looks like. Not bad!

I think I'm going to start wearing a fedora!

2010-05-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

A little tribute to dogs everywhere!

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.
~Milan Kundera ~

The once popular dog name FIDO is from the Latin word meaning "fidelity."

He is my most sincere admirer; he loves me though he has never read my work!
~Rudyard Kipling on his cocker spaniel~

Ah, city life!

New York is where I'd rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue.

I am the philospher Diogenes, the DOG. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy, and bite scoundrels.
~Diogenes~

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~Gilda Radner~

Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned by a dog.
~Gene Hill~

To err is human. To forgive canine.
~Unknown~

Every dog must have his day.
~Jonathan Swift~

Be tuff ! The "dog days" of summer can be wuff !

My little dog...a heartbeat at my feet.
~Edith Wharton~

And speaking of a heartbeat at my feet, here's a recent photo of my darling Sadie. As you can see she has the dreaded e-collar framing her lovely face. Sadie Love had an ulcer on her cornea resulting in the need for a keratotomy. Apparently the condition is common in Boxers (Sadie is half Boxer) and older dogs (Sadie is 12 years old), a double whammy, I guess. In any event she is progressing nicely and sends her regards.

Sadielicious

PS - notice the stickers on the e-collar? It's sort of the equivalent of people signing your cast!

Zoo Two!

2010-05-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

You've been waiting all week for this and here it is...the continuation of my trip to the world famous San Diego Zoo.

They say it's all happening at the zoo...

Let's start with the monkeys and great apes

There's lots of great sculpture at the zoo

Nice shot of the flamingos if I do say so myself!

I love capybaras, they remind me of overgrown guinea pigs!

It's a beautiful day for sunning yourself...

...or for snoozing.

The ever popular panda exhibit

Baby panda Yun Zi meaning "son of cloud"

Here's mom Bai Yun

Here is the awesome new exhibit Elephant Odyssey

I know this looks wierd but this exhibit allows you to travel back in time to explore the ancestors of animals that roamed California more than 10,000 years ago.

The area starts out looking like a pond of black goo which eventually recedes to reveal amazing fossils. Kind of like the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.

How would you like to find this fella in your back yard? Here kitty, kitty!

I'm watching you!

The Polar Bear Plunge!

Ah, this is the life!

Meanwhile, this guy is up for a swim

Hope you enjoyed your day at the Zoo!

Enjoy this video of the Zoo!

Have a great Sunday everybody!

A Day at the Zoo

2010-04-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

I have been an enthusiastic visitor of the San Diego Zoo since the 70s. It has definitely evolved over time and is not just world famous but a world class zoological park. I spent Sunday at the zoo and although I was there from 10:30 to 3pm, I still not get to see everything.

As you can see it was a beautiful day at the zoo

Here is a brief retrospect of some of the gardens you’ll see throughout the zoo...

A Garden Festival is scheduled May 7-9 to coincide with Mother's Day where you will learn the secrets to the zoo's beautiful gardens.

A beautiful sculpture seeking shade under the canopy of a gorgeous tree

Skyfari offers spectacular views of the zoo and surrounding Balboa Park

The California Tower and dome houses the San Diego Museum of Man in Balboa Park. The Zoo is one of many attractions at Balboa Park.

A waterfall in the Gorilla exhibit

Waterfall in the Scripps Aviary

Yee-ouch! Be sure not to take these home as a souvenir!

Gorgeous little pond with ducks if you look close enough!

Hope you enjoyed your all too brief tour of the gardens of the San Diego Zoo. There really is much more and I wish I had taken more pictures.

Stay tuned as I'll be back next week with the animals of the San Diego Zoo. Here's a preview:

Have a great day!

2010-04-19T19:28:00.000-07:00

Two rockin' reviews for you to consider....

A weekend trip to the local Blockbuster produced two videos, I mean DVDs. For some reason I still call these things videos, WHY? One was a movie I had wanted to see when it came out but didn’t, Sherlock Holmes, and the other was one I wanted to see but decided I could wait, 2012.

2012

My sister had seen 2012 and did not care for it. She found it a little too long and a little too tedious. I can only tell you I found it thrilling. It was like Airport, The Poseidon Adventure, and Earthquake all rolled into one. But I must make a confession right off the bat, I love disaster movies. Yes, file it under guilty pleasures but I do love a good disaster flick!

Love John Cusack!

The Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble...meanwhile there's Los Angeles!

Imagine this; it’s the end of the world as we know it…again. But, as I write this, the Icelandic volcano has been spewing for a few days, and it was only recently that I experienced the 7.2 earthquake in San Diego. Which is it, life imitating art or art imitating life? While watching the roads of SoCal being ripped up in the movie, houses and corporate steel and glass canyons crumbling, the sight of California sliding into the ocean seemed a little too unreal - wait - make that too real. Thankfully, it was just a movie but like that old commercial, was that real or was it Memorex? My sister was right though the movie was a little too long and a little too tedious; still, I lived to tell the tale. I give it 4 popcorn tubs!

Sherlock Holmes

This is not your Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes of the 40’s! It’s not even the Jeremy Brett version on PBS. No, it’s a totally different spin on previous adaptations of the iconic sleuth. If you ever thought of Sherlock Holmes as an action hero and Dr. Watson as, well, dashing, then this rock and roll version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary character is for you. For myself, I found it rather dull and a little boring. What I did like, and what did survive, was the relationship between Holmes and Watson.

Never thought of Dr. Watson as dashing but played by Jude Law he is!

You may have thought the movie was in color but I found it to be shot in shades of black and grey the only color being Irene Adler’s red dress. The movie did not hold up for me but being a diehard Holmes fan, I will be anticipating the sequel. I hope Professor Moriarty is in it, he might liven things up. In the meantime, I can't decide if this film is rated 2 or 3 popcorn tubs.

Any movie rentals you think I should see? Have a great week!

I feel the earth move!

2010-04-11T09:45:00.001-07:00

I FELT the earth move under my feet…honest! Carol King has nothing on me!

I’ve experienced earthquakes in Hawaii, Japan, and of course California, but not one as huge as 7.2! In California it is a common occurance although most are so slight chances are you may not even feel it. For some reason I often feel them when I am in bed but the tremblers are so slight it's not worth getting out of bed for! Not that I take them for granted, I have a healthy respect for Mother Nature. I have been through hurricanes, volcanoes, horrible California fires and tsunamis and trust me, it can be quite frightening.

Imagine this, a peaceful Easter Sunday afternoon, time 3:40pm, I was watching a great movie but was tired and was actually starting to snooze when I felt a gentle rocking motion. I thought it was the dog moving around trying to get comfortable. Well, it wasn’t the dog, she was asleep on her own bed, and that’s when I realized it was an earthquake. The gentle motion, became more forceful, I heard a big bang from the bathroom, the mirror had fallen down. I stood up and the rocking became intense, the light fixture was swaying and I was officially scared! It was the longest, most violent earthquake I have ever felt. I believe it was timed at 45 seconds but it was intense and seemed like it would never stop.

NBC News Report

We are still experiencing aftershocks. Some people reported that they felt some trembling this morning, one week later, though I did not. San Diego was lucky that there was minimal damage considering what has happened in other parts of the world.

Here's a video of a San Diego student who was getting ready to record a song when all of a sudden....

Batten down the hatches and stay safe everyone!

Happy Birthday to You

2010-03-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday I look forward to perusing the Sunday paper. My favorite section of late has been celebrity birthdays. Here are a few that will be celebrating this week:

March 28

Vince Vaughn (40)

He's great at portraying "every guy" which is probably why I loved Dodgeball!

Julia Stiles (29)

Ok, I loved her in The Prince and Me. Not the most thought provoking movie but I enjoyed the fairy tale aspect of it. I am rather fond of this hairstyle.

March 30

John Aston (80)

Eighty years old, can it possibly be? I best remember him as Gomez, of course, who would drive Morticia crazy everytime he spoke French.

Robbie Coltrane (60)

He is best known as Hagrid from the Harry Potter films but I liked him in Nuns on the Run and British TV shows. The title of the movie alone makes me giggle, me, a Catholic school girl.

Paul Reiser (53)
How long has Mad About You been off the air? Too long! I also loved him in Aliens. I think that was the best movie of the franchise.

MC Hammer (47)

Hammertime! Ok, here is an interesting tidbit, my cousin was one of his dancers. He met her in a dance club in Honolulu was impressed and asked her to be a part of his show. How could she refuse?

Eric Clapton (65 )
I remember when Eric Clapton was a part of Cream. I bet you don't recognize him in this video!

Tracy Chapman (46)

Tracy Chapman has many songs that I admire but my favorite is Fast Car.

March 31

Ewan McGregor (39)

He was in Trainspotting and played a young Obi Won Kenobi but my all time favorite role he did was as Norman Warne in Miss Potter. His latest movie Ghost Writer seems intriguing.

April 2

Linda Hunt (65)

Oooh, a great actress in The Year of Living Dangerously. Now I enjoy her in NCIS: Los Angeles with LL Cool J (yummy!) but I also liked her in Kindergarten Cop!

April 3

Doris Day (87)
I am a fan of Doris Day because she is a champion for animal rights but I also love her for all the wonderful films and TV work she has done. I loved all the screwball comedies with James Garner, Rock Hudson, and others. Remember With Six You Get Eggroll? One of my faves!

Billy Joe Royal (68)
See if you can remember this far back when Billy Joe Royal was on Shindig singing Down in the Boondocks!

Amanda Bynes (24)

Oh to be 24 and know what I know today, what would I tell myself? I just happened to catch What a Girl Wants today on TV for the millionth time. It's one of my favorite cute movies and I'm sure it has nothing to do with Mr. Darcy, I mean Colin Firth!

If it's your birthday this week I wish you a happy one!

My Cherie Amour

2010-03-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

When I'm in the car, I listen to 105.7 The Walrus. They play great oldies and recently they played a song that is an all time favorite of mine, My Cherie Amour. I love Stevie Wonder, I think he is an awesome creative genius.

The song was originally recorded in 1966, but not released (it was subsequently remixed for release in 1969). Co-written by Wonder and the songwriters-producers Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy, the song was an autobiographical account by Wonder about a woman he was fascinated with while in school at the Michigan School for the Blind. Here is that song told in pictures and verse.

My Cherie Amour

My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day

My cherie amour, distant as the milky way

My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore

You're the only girl my heart beats for

How I wish that you were mine

In a cafe

or sometimes on a crowded street

I've been near you, but you never noticed me

My cherie amour, won't you tell me how could you ignore

That behind that little smile I wore

How I wish that you were mine

La la la la la la, La la la la la la

Maybe someday, you'll see my face among the crowd

Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud

Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore

You're the only girl my heart beats for

How I wish that you were mine

La la la la la la, La la la la la la

La la la la la la, La la la la la la

Boy this song really does take me back. Ok, now turn off the volume on my playlist and click on this YouTube video of Stevie Wonder from 2008 singing my Cherie Amour in a London concert. You'll see that I'm not the only one who loves this song!

Have a happy Sunday!