scenes from a weekend
how do you do m'loves?
it was a weekend happy indeed. oh my goodness, i hope yours was too.
here's a glimpse of how mine went down:
i added a new rung to my wrist affair.
saturday night i had the honor of attending my lovely friend, jill grogg's, lululemon, ambassorship party. yoga, pilates, spin, boccaccini appetizers-you name it. the girl does it all! with incredible kindness, grace and beauty....it's amazing we're friends. in fact, i may have to drop her. there's just too much wonder woman going on in that tall-drink-a-water for me. and she really is that nice. i'm hoping, behind closed doors, she's a weirdo hoarder or wears the same socks for weeks.....but she always looks and smells fresh as april to me.
pfft.
on sunday morning david hockney returned to southern california. palm trees in jewel-toned green against a sky of bahamian blue, hunkiest and i brunched outdoors to soak it all in.
tea for him, coffee for me, and omelets of asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms & gruyère {mmm hmmm}.
post brunch binge, we walked off our glut with some shopping at one of our favorite stores.
new shoes for katie and hunkiest bought a shirt which brings out the golden in his eyes.
i must say, out of all the sunsets, shorelines and mountaintops in the world, this view beats them all for me.
okay, enough about me. tell me about YOU! how was your weekend? don't you KNOW how much i love hearing from you?
monday happy m'loves.
bellicose beguiles me
so here it is, after a hilarious and rife response to words that give us the ick, i give you:
~words that make me capsize with happy~
words when uttered or heard, wrap me 'round like a soft blanket of baby, mewing kittens.
like my earlier post, these words aren't necessarily about what they denote or depict.
for instance, as delicious as the confection is, fudge and brownie aren't terribly ambrosial words.
and, as pretty as it looks in a bouquet, an aster, feels rather artless rolling off the tongue.
fortunately our language pot brims full and redolent.
for example, i'm not a giant fan of popcorn, but i'll order it just for the opportunity to say it.
i'm not exactly sure what an apothecary is, but i love to work it into conversation:
"your honor, i believe the weapon was purchased at THE a-poth-e-ca-ree."
not certain we do it properly, but the beast and i prefer to frolic rather than promenade when out on our evening walks.
balls. love the word balls. always have, always will. a great replacement to my too oft' used f-word.
and just like sneezing with your eyes open, it's impossible to say fancy without smiling.
try it.
meadow, cotton, dulcet*, scamp, tomfoolery, noose, rabbit, bush, vestment, bandage, bongo, piglet, all words i wish i could bake a potpie {another favorite} out of and scarf down, no sharing.
and dap. dap is an all-timer for me. so cool. so classic. stand alone--no accessories needed; often the subject of scott schuman's shutter.
so here's your turn. tell me your favorite words....again, doesn't matter what they connote or define. they just feel good to say.
and don't you know how much i love hearing from you? maybe just tell me "hello".
monday happy m'loves.
*love that mrs burns uses this too.
and the sleaze goes on....
i'd like to preface this post by saying i truly, sincerely wished friday's confession would be a purge of my somewhat sooty ways.
a press of the publish button and i had hoped class and sophistication to magically fairy godmother themselves into my manners and circumstance.
i so badly want to be that girl: nary a hiccup in dress nor a stumble in decorum. i want to trombone out beautiful, tasteful soliloquies of peace and love, all the while wearing pretty dresses and sparkly headbands.
well, as an ex of mine used to say to me, with the warmth of nurse ratched, {typically when my face was streaming with tears},
"it's good to want things."
so here goes my sojourn back into smut-ville:
it began with a text. not from me. to me. and to my friend alison*, FROM our mutual friend rachel*.
a photo text actually.
a banana.
with the caption "miss me"? underneath.
ok, we've all seen bridemaids by now; the cat is out the bag:
ladies can be just as salty as the gents....
obviously rachel wasn't asking for banana recipes from dee-jay burnt toast and sergeant take-out 7 days a week.
so we, the wilson phillips of harmonic obscenity, proceeded with our typical "reply all" racy text banter.
i think there was mention of lubricant.
and maybe a graphic reference or two to anatomy.
{my readership is dwindling by the sentence i know}
typical friday banter, mind you alison kept all of this up while volunteering in her youngest's first grade classroom;
talk about supermom.
thinking the filth-fest had run its course, all of us returned to our afternoon duties: carpools, work, errands, etc;
when suddenly an unidentified number rings up alison:
a man, fury in his voice, rage in his belly, demanding to know the source of the inappropriate texts to his wife!!!!!
as alison gets lectured on text tact, the same unidentified number pops up on our conversation chain reading:
"so nice to see what the wives do during the day."
in her eager-beaver desire for bawdy banter, rachel had accidentally included her HUSBAND'S!!! number in our girl's only chat.
obviously mr. rachel wasn't too keen on midday texts to his wife involving astroglide and i'm pretty sure the word vag {soft g}.
luckily it was all straightened out....and yes!! another lesson learned.
i think.
i hope.
there's always tuesday.
*names have been changed to protect the not so innocent
desert bloom
today i leave for santa fe. an enchanted weekend away with hunkiest and the dearest of ones loved.
my bags are packed, my boots are shined.
my itinerary is a discourse in romance and relaxation.
from the doors of our casita, feasting on the beauty foothills of the sangre de cristo mountains, hunkiest and i plan to further feast on a gourmet breakfast in bed.
on friday, the boys will golf.
and the girls will spa.
my ayurvedic treatments promise to ease my third eye, nourish my soul, and revitalize my body.
screw the third eye, i'm happy just to hide out where cell phones are banned.
friday evening portends revelry and cozy with gang-wit.
no doubt giggle fits and knee-slaps will arise.
saturday i'll do my best to keep my tears to a minimum sob as two loved ones make it official.
kisses all around.
another evening of love, laughter, food, and drink.....maybe even dancing.
merrymaking for a marriage.
sundays are for smooching.
*{okay! okay! confession....because i surmise those who know me intimately will be calling "bullshit" on "breakfast in bed" plan. i say and imagine this whole idea of room service at fancy-nancy resort as something wonderful and decadent. each time we travel i intend for us to experience said rite of amorous treat. but never happens. i'm up at the crack, on the hunt for my crack coffee, with a face like joan rivers, and the energy of richard simmons. hunky hubby never knows i'm missing until two hours later when he awakens upon my return: paper read, smack fix seen to, breakfast in bed plan nixed}.
march
true to form, monsieur march came in like a lion;
surly and base, big paws swiping madly in the air.
agile as a cat, i luckily avoided any pops or scrapes to the face and bod.
silly little lions can't knock me down;
i'm always ready for a nice tangle and scrap.
scratch that. not true. pants on fire.
i HATE confrontation.
i'm quite the chicken.
cluck. cluck.
i'd rather hold my tongue than rumble.
my legs have a nice cozy spot for my tail.
but with all the bumps and barnacles i must share what else march has tendered:
homemade key lime pie.
mumford and son's tickets.
this year's first bloom of my jasmine plant.
a friday evening of french cuisine and friends.
new screen doors throughout the house.
a family dinner.
new bedroom furniture.
my dad's birthday.
my mom's beautiful smile.
spin and pilates students giving me goosebumps with their dedication.
blog posts making me cry, scream with laughter, and happy dance {sometimes all at once}.
my beasts discovering the art of spooning.
plum blossom bath soap.
pink nails.
hunkiest.
and finally the privilege of talking to you m'loves.
thursday happy to you!
weekend happy
just a little closer please.
one more step.
weekend what took you so long?
forgive me if i grip a bit tighter than typical.
this girl may get a little greedy with your time.
hope you don't mind.
weekend happy to you m'loves
eyes wide shut
my toes-a-tippy are solely devoted to ballerina pointé, and deeper looks into the donut display.
yet lately, my colleagues friends and i find ourselves begrudgingly walking with backs more upright,
eggshells beneath our creeping feet,
treading carefully on a landmined laced tightrope.
shifting, dark eyes have suddenly sprouted from dusty corners.
years of honesty, dedication, and love are now expected to take backseats to bottom lines.
i wasn't schooled in the game of watch your back, and i don't fancy an education now.
call me naïve. call me green. i can fashion a fabulous frock with both.
but i will not run in the race of the rats.
a white blank page
white blank page.
clean slate.
excuse me miss, but do you sell disinfectant for my brain?
something to comet and pine sol the doubt and bitten lip memories loitering in my head.
rejections of ...... the way life used to be.
the jolly and jolt of acting is losing its luster with each no and not right.
telephone silence slashing and slicing into my ever diminishing kettle of pluck and nerve.
BUT
don’t mistake me for dreary or bleak; the opposite rather.
yesterday was a task in wrangling my inappropriate giggle fits.
and each hour i'm given moments so hallmark it's amazing i don't walk around in a 24 hour cycle of blubbering ado.
a phone call with my aunt char, edith piaf at a cafe', a sparkly beret on ella, bird of paradise in morning yoga, a woo-hoo from one of my spin students, feeding the hungry, twirling, howling beasts, texts from my dad, dinner with my 'family', a kiss goodnite from my hunkiest.
a deluge of delights flooding my life.
shame on me if i choose not to recognize them.
so for now i've scoured the deep cornices of my cerebral cortex.
clogs, snags, hindrances begone!
at least until tomorrow....{a girl knows her limits}.
click image for source
put on your red shoes and dance the blues
my eyes are still burning bright from yesterday's magnificent fanfare.
i'm convinced the clouds, sun and blue sky were playing a game to see how many atheists they could convert into believers.
streaming beams of luminous love dazzling down every so often from pillowy puffs of white.
a stretched canvas of cartoon blue; fairy godmothers just waiting to cascade out from their corners.
it's these moments when i'm confronted with such grand grace and wide wonder that i feel the most.......small.
wee'er than small.
a speck.
a mite.
a dot dancing herself silly in this universal tome.
yet, i dare not shake and shimmy stag.
while i may not have you lovelies (readers) actually here with me cutting our rug on my makeshift dance floor;
you're on my brain and in my heart.
so let's dance!
happy weekend m'loves.
operation SWEET
earlier this week hh and his pal ted, aka bert and ernie, found some rather high horses to poise atop.
there, they both boasted, ad nauseum, their expertise in deciphering the varying choices of vanilla ice cream the world has to offer. i'm pretty sure i remember the words:
no, chance we couldn't tell french vanilla from vanilla bean from vanilla. etc....
it was if i had asked these two apes what their middle names were; which, given the right day, might take them a beat or two.
if smug were an outfit, these two would have chain stores rivaling GAP.
my hands were tied. i had to challenge this non-sensical big talk.
i went to ralphs and purchased EVERY flavor of vanilla ice cream i could find.
second, came the blindfolds.
the girls, i think, just wanted some ice cream.....
this is where it started to get a little patty hearst for my taste......
each was given a sheet of paper with the names of the vanillas. they merely had to number the order in which they tasted.
the most correct was..................two.
hunky hubby ernie got them all wrong. {big smile}
you would think victory would be my most coveted memory of said evening, but tis not.
this here momofuku crack pie (aptly named) is still coursing through my memory veins fondly.
after making us the entire momofuku meal of miso cod, brown rice, stir fried, farmers market vegetables, and berries, bert finished it off with homemade crack pie.
he is officially forgiven for any prior vanilla pomposity.
reverie love
i didn't think yesterday could get any jollier.
{it was a wonderful day for california}
but there on my doorstep as i twirled into my house was the most fantastic box o' sweetness.
the bonny and bright melissa of reverie daydream gifted me with her blessed blue bottle coffee.
we, down south, don't have the pleasure of this yummy, rich, organic, black love.
apparently, public tantrums are persuasive.
7pm be damned! i brewed a cup pronto. there would be no waiting until morning for me.
i savored my deep, inky wonderland to the very last drop.
my only wish was for melissa to be there to share a cup with me.
squeaks and squeals sprung when i noticed another bundle in my package?!
an exquisite alena hennessy scarf! it's like wearing art around my neck.
if you haven't already fallen under the spell of melissa mcardle your life is lacking.
her online boutique offers one of a kind, inspired, ethical and elegant products.
her blog ferries you to lands, times, and spaces where beauty blooms organically. she sets a tempo where life is lived gracefully and fair.
thank you dear mel. you stir the better girl in me to come out and play.
a simple wish
it's party time.
shhhhhh.....it's a surprise.
we've been planning, and trying to keep it under wraps.
but the day has come.......
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!!!!
it's going to be a crowded bash over at soul aperture; for the ledger of all who love the empress is long and grows by the hour.
our entry ticket must a list of simple things to "show what we appreciate, and what we are grateful for – no matter how big or small, these things may seem.”
i give you ten of mine:
sunday morning dates with my new york times and a pot of coffee. no cell phone or laptops making fourth wheel appearances.
a summer song for after dinner strolling; or for sipping wine in solitude on the sofa.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuZo7pLnL7c]
trust.
an afternoon nap.
a bare beach.
ponytails.
handwritten letters
hearty, savoury meals.
a night at the movies.
manners.
there you have it. my simple things for the summer.
happy birthday miss christina.
one giant ladleful of love to you lovely lady.
click images for source.
condolences
death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~from a headstone in ireland
in one tragic accident, a family is now minus one sweet, beautiful boy.
my heart aches for my old school mate, his wife and children.
infuriating how something as heinous as tragedy can put things in perspective.
sending love to the harris family.
weekend round up
bowling, braids, beverages (of the adult variety) and boys.
does it get more fun?
it does.
calico kerchiefs on freshly groomed beasts.
vanilla shakes shared with a steady.
weather so warm play time wraps while the grass is still wet.
an afternoon nap. a blanket of beasts. windows open to the bouncy boats on the bay.
that cup of coffee showing she loves me.
this echoes through the house this time of year. one can't help but smile sweetly, and wish love for others when listening to such pretty music.
and if you can...stay the fuck away.
fancying you the finest week ever m'loves.
happy weekend
only three more weeks of winter white. i want to store up the cold like nickels in a ceramic pig. giddy is me seeing my breath in the pitch black morning air.
although, maybe i am ready to whisk away this winter coat?
i am suffering a knotty stomach still, from ill behavior of nights long passed.
gossip girl. me. dreadful. not even a clever one either.
i had been invited to a small group of fabulous women with fabulous hair. feeling wee, pedestrian, and unsure of myself i uncomfortably asked about an item of possible town tabloid as my way of cavorting with these prettier, wittier, and more exceptional girls from private schools. luckily they had more class than miserable me. shut my gross attempt to "fit in" down right away. they don't play that way. no wonder i wanted to be in their group.........
hope you all have a lovely weekend.
in the spirit of keeping things classy, i'm sending you off with victoria.
love,
katie
off i go
goodbye weekend. good riddance to pity.
nothing like a visit with adored aunt charla to send the scary sadness away.
grilled cheese and homemade lentil soup help too.
new week. fresh start. favorite detests the mopey; he's always commanded a certain dignity. a characteristic his two siblings consistently and miserably fail to supply.
i ferociously ride into this headwind of hurt with my heart lifted high, shoulders square, wearing my sincerest smile.
i get to love.
that's not just icing. that's icing and rainbow sprinkles.
click image for source
oink oink
full disclosure: this is not a review.
i don't eat bacon. anymore.
(pause for moment of silence as i commemorate days of crispy salty, sweet love. love that made all things bad and scary..disappear, for 12 seconds as i chewed and swallowed).
i'm not one of those vegetarians who doesn't miss meat at all (take that double negative and shove it where the seitan don't shine). i crave tofu and tempeh like i crave being hungover. so when my friend, tara simon, started selling her katie treats candied bacon, i tried my best to avoid her.
but unfortunately, my plan to evade my fellow pilates co-worker (yes, you read that correctly; she is also an amazing pilates instructor) worked out disastrously.
her new company, the sticky pig is cooking like betty crocker!!! people are losing their minds over her candied bacon confections. seriously, say those two words together "candied"/"bacon". they're perfection. that's like "parisian"/"vacation"...."cashmere"/"bathrobe"..."folded"/'laundry"...(you get the idea). flavors come in coconut curry lime, raspberry jelly doughnut, s'mores, orange ginger, maple cinnamon, apple pecan dulce de leche, dark chocolate peppermint, the elvis, chocolate covered strawberry, and original.
these morsels sell and ship all over the country. orders range from 4 pieces to 12 month supplies.
this is a fabulous valentine's day present....a nice break from the normal chocolate, wine and flowers. how great would these be at your next chi-chi dinner party or reception?
love it tara!
alfresco daydream
we're having 'storm-watch' 2010 here in so-cal (insert eye roll). i do love a nice (rare) spritz here in sunny-ville, but these photographs do have me longing for skies of blue and cocktails with sand between my toes.
i read about this company in vogue. literally "a restaurant without walls," they ramble the country making meals in open fields, sandy beaches, or in forests made for fairy-tales.
join me for a daydream?
