Town & Country ~ My Favorite Magazine

When girls my age were all drooling over Tiger Beat, Teen Bop or even Seventeen magazine, I was  perusing Town & Country. Yes, I know I was an odd child.

Never the less I've had a subscription to Town and Country on and off since about age 10... that's 23 years for those of you counting and I'm still just as enamored with the publication now as I was then. There is something otherworldly about this magazine. As a kid I must admit that I was more enthralled by the wedding and party pictures... oh and those Ralph Lauren ads, mmmmm. I didn't have pictures of Kirk Cameron or Johnny Depp covering my bedroom walls as a tween.  Instead, I had the boys of Ralph Lauren pasted all over my wall in all their polo playing, garden strolling glory. Somehow they always seemed to have a gatsbyesque quality to them. And for those tweens today... think Chuck Bass!



As I got into high school I started noticing a few of the articles, especially "Social Graces". It was about that time I received my first Emily Post's Etiquette book. I was enthralled instantly and began what has been a lifelong interest in historical and present day etiquette. So, as you might imagine the "social graces" editorial quickly became a favorite. I can't be the only one that finds it fascinating that at one time the dimensions of one's calling cards denoted that person's age and if they were single or married. Okay, maybe its a very small pool of people but I know you're out there! And for years I kept an enormous folder filled with my favorite wedding invitations I'd received. At the time I justified it as planning for my own wedding but now, I'm not sure what my excuse is other than the fact that I love looking at beautiful calligraphy.

And now that I'm a bit older I still appreciate the party pictures ~ think"where did she find that dress and where can I get one too! ~ and look fondly on the wedding photos, remembering my own special day with DH. Hard to believe we will celebrate our sixth anniversary in a couple of months. And I still read the social graces column and chuckle. It is really very well written.

But now my favorite articles are those on travel. How did I miss these in years past?! Oh to be a travel writer for Town and Country! Well a girl can dream right? As I am a travel junkie, there is hardly a place on the globe I wouldn't want to go assuming they have indoor plumbing. I said travel junkie not adventure junkie. I can't tell you how many folders I have in our filing cabinet that are over flowing with torn out pages from past T&C's with all sorts of travel tidbits and recommendations for the classics ~ NYC, London and Paris to the more obscure ~ Croatia, Honk Kong and St. Petersburg. I may never get to some of these places and thats okay, I can still enjoy learning about them and for that I have Town and Country to thank.

I could go on and on and on... I haven't even mentioned their annual Bridal Issue -- really does any woman get tired of looking at bridal magazines? I don't think so. Their Green Issue, Philanthropy Issue, Home Issue & Fall Fashion (ahhhh two of my absolute favorites) and so on.

So, if you aren't familiar with the magazine I implore you to please pick up a copy or if you've been thinking about getting a subscription, do so!

For me, I'm going to re-read my January issue again as I eagerly await the arrival of my February issue.


Cheers, 
Ousier

Time Suckage...

So apparently this whole parenting thing is a full time job! Who knew that being a stay at home mom would be so much work. Don't get me wrong it's increadibly fulfilling and I am so lucky to have all these moments with my kids... even the ones where they are both red faced and screaming they are crying so hard but it doesn't mean I don't look forward to bed time... theirs ... not mine.

So two days with no posts and darn I was doing so well this week too. Well real life just totally got in the way. Between the BCS National Championship last night. So sad for Colt McCoy, he's such a great kid. And I'm sad for the Longhorns but Alabama did a great job and they deserved the win. Sniff Sniff, doesn't mean I'm not still sad about the loss.

Plus my littlest ones 2 month check up and a play group this afternoon has meant that something had to go and this week it was any hope for a new blog post.

however I have a few minutes on my hands before I need to hit the hay  so I'm blogging of course. That is since both kids are asleep, the hubs is busy with his new PlayStation 3 -- yes I'm the coolest wife ever. With this year's christmas gift we are up to FOUR video game units in our home and our boys aren't even old enough to hold the game controllers! and I'm totally up to date with all my fanfiction although I do have a number of stories I need to start reading but thats for another time.

I don't have too much to add today other than there is a certain song that I want to share with you. I heard it recently while at a dinner party at a friends house. I can't seem to get it out of my head and as DH can attest when that happens I usually go into full on obsessive mode for a few weeks.

As I discovered while looking online for the song, it's from the soundtrack of a movie called Donnie Darko. I don't know about you but I'd never even heard of this flick and judging from the images I saw on Google I NEVER EVER want to. It looks scary... like pee in your pants and hide under the covers scary. So aside from that aspect, I love the tune, Mad World.




I believe the Tears for Fears version is the original but don't hold me to that.

I'll try to be better next week about posting every day. I really do have a few books that I want to write about if these darned kids didn't take up so much of my time. They are so bossy... you know asking for food and love and play time! Oh and DH is heading out of town for work so I may be too deliriously tired to write anything that makes sense. Boy, nothing like setting expectations super low right? :)

Well enjoy your weekend! I'm off to pour another glass of wine and listen to Mad World on repeat, irritating DH to no end I'm certain.

Cheers,
Ouiser

Recipe of the week ~ Halushki

As you could probably guess, I love (almost) all things Southern and if I am totally honest I think life in general is better in the south. However, I also have to admit that there are a number of things I never would have discovered or fully appreciated until moving to the north (I know I know-- Virginia is hardly "the north" but lets not get into semantics.



1. Meeting DH, natch. Even though his folks live less than 90 miles from my own in Texas, I fear our paths were unlikely to cross.

I know you're jealous of my mad photography skills!

2. Cashmere sweaters. Now obviously I was aware of them but really had no need for any until moving to a climate that actually sees temps below 40 more than twice a winter.

3. An appreciation for the good folks from New Jersey (cast of Jersey Shore not included). This is due completely to my utterly charming friend, Miss Tory and her lovely family-- although since they are actually from Britain this may be a stretch.

4. Lastly, good non-southern food.

I know it sounds like an oxymoron but it's true, there are some great dishes that didn't originate in the south and today's recipe is one of them. As I've been told (from google) Halushki is a popular dish in the coal region of Pennsylvania and amongst a lot of Eastern European immigrants. Regardless of who created or popularized this dish, I thank you all! This is a cheap and simple one (or two) pot dinner that is hearty and filling during those cold winter nights. And we are in a long long long stretch of cold and windy days and nights here in DC. I'm sooo ready for spring and I know we are no where near close.

If I can brave the cold I may just pack up the kiddos and hit the store so that we can have Halushki tonight. Or I could just continue our hibernation and pull something out of the freezer. Well I'll just have to keep DH in suspense till he gets home, assuming he reads today's post.

Halushki
Serves 2 for a main course with some left overs or 4 as a side dish

1/4 - 1/2 lbs bacon or pancetta, small chop

1 head cabbage, shredded (any type)
1 lg. onion, quartered and thinly sliced
8 oz. egg noodles
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
optional: hot sauce to taste

In a small saute pan cook the bacon or pancetta till crispy. Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan, cook onions in the butter over medium heat till translucent. Reduce heat to low and add shredded cabbage stirring till well mixed with onions.

Cover pan and let cook till cabbage is tender (about 10 mins) stirring occasionally. Once cabbage is tender remove lid and continue to cook till cabbage is caramelized and lightly browned.

While cabbage is cooking prepare the egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and then set aside.

Mix bacon or pancetta, noodles and the cabbage onion mixture and heat through if necessary. Add salt, pepper and your favorite hot sauce (optional) to desired taste.

Happy Cooking!

Cheers,
Ousier

January's White Sales

Does anyone else remember a time when there were traditional annual sales for certain things during certain times of the year? Like winter jackets in August? Or like today's post... linens (or white sale) in January?

Perhaps you don't and this just make me really old. And I will admit that it seems like you can buy pretty much anything you want at anytime of the year and someone is inevitably offering it on sale. For me however, I'll stick to buying my new linens on sale and in January.

Cause I'm just like that...change is hard... and yes I'm totally going to be that type of older dame. Perhaps by then DH won't be able to hear me and can happily putter around with whatever it is he'll do in retirement. Personally, I hope it's writing the great American novel. Yep, he's that good, but I've wandered off topic again.

I'd like to tell you that I've been scouring the web to find you the latest and greatest hot new bed & bath linens but I haven't. I've already found ones that I absolutely adore and return to the same brands whenever we are in need. And by the way, this year we are in need.

The only thing I need to decide is what colors. I'm crazy when it comes to colors (insert sarcastic wink). I'll probably be deciding between a second set of ivory or beige sheets and about the same for the towels. Although I'm thinking perhaps I'll branch out and try a shade of blueish-gray towels to match the new shower curtain I ordered yesterday.

If you are looking to spruce up your bed and bath but aren't sure you want to order something online I completely understand. I'm a very tactile person (poor poor DH) and so the idea of spending money on sheets and towels I've never felt makes me more than a little nervous. This is especially true because I like to monogram everything I can get my hands on, which inevitably means they can't be returned if I don't like the texture. In both of these cases I can attest that the products are just perfect!

Here comes the part where I ask for your trust.... ready??

These are Ralph Lauren 600 thread count Regent Sheets and can be purchased on the RL website as well as from Macy's. They are cool, crisp and smooth even after countless washes. And long ago when I used to iron our sheets it made them even more luxurious. I highly recommend it if you have the time. These may (or may not) be on the higher end of what you'd like to pay for sheets but I promise they are worth every penny!


These are Charisma Egyptian Cotton towels and can be ordered from Horchow or The Company Store. They are fluffy and soft, two qualities I adore in bath towels. Plus they are very reasonably priced, especially when they are on sale. Which they are right now. And they come in a wide variety of colors if you are so inclined.

Me? I'm sticking with the neutrals. And frankly I'd go with white but considering we have two kids nothing in our house needs to be white. At least nothing we want to keep white.

Since I only have about 30 mins before my little one wakes up and no telling how many minutes left before my even little-er one wakes up I'll say adieu so I can order my new sheets and towels. I do hope you check these out if you're looking for new linens this January.

Happy Shopping!

Cheers,
Ouiser

Blogs That Will Make You Cry ~ In a Good Way!

And welcome back to the real world...

I know it sucks a little bit doesn't it? My day is filled with laundry, groceries, cleaners and bills. ugh. Oh but I can tell you that my Comcast bill is already paid. Thanks to the fact that DH and I were denied the right to order 500 Days of Summer on Saturday night. After several failed attempts DH called Comcast only to be told that we were bad bad people who were too irresponsible to pay our bill on time and so we aren't allowed to order a movie. Gahh, what? All of a sudden I felt like my 22 year old self sweating bullets that my debit card would be declined at the corner market and I'd have to go home without dinner. Which at that time consisted of wine, cheese and crackers split amongst myself and my two roommates.

In a flash I closed out of the fanfiction I was reading (Emancipation Proclamation if you're curious) to pay our bill. Assuming that in today's high speed world it would update instantly. Sadly for us, no. "It will take 3-5 days for your payment to process." ho hum... maybe next weekend assuming I've paid the electricity bill.

Okay so that was totally not the point of today's post but since I spend the better part of my day talking to two boys under two years old I had to vent to someone!

Now that everyone's holiday break is wrapped up and we are all getting back into our daily routines I thought I'd share a few blogs that I've found (some new and some just new to me) that make me laugh so hard I want to pee... or cry... or pee and cry.

It's amazing how many really talented people are out there writing some hilarious stuff. It's even funnier when I realize that I've actually done some of the same crazy things. Take a break from the umpteen million emails you need to respond to and the two page to do list for a moment to visit some of these blogs. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Aiming Low is a blog that features a number of different authors. All are hilarious and remind me that I'm not alone in my crazy behavior.  Like when you want to kill your spouse for leaving the turn signal on while driving with no plan to actually turn for who knows how long. Or certain compulsions that you think only you suffer from. Fear not, someone else does as well. For example, do you prefer your toilet paper to unroll in a specific direction? I do, and so does at least one writer at Aiming Low. For the record the paper should unroll from the top down and yes before you ask I have actually changed rolls that were hung incorrectly when I am at a friends house. I don't bother in public restrooms mostly because I avoid  touching anything I don't absolutely have to. I mean come on that's not too crazy, right? right? anyone?

Barefoot Foodie is another blog I love. It's written by a mom with a wicked sense of humor and great writing style. There is always something going on in her life or the lives of her family that make me laugh until I'm in tears. And anyone that's seen me get to that point knows that it is quite a sight. And she even gives out killer recipes (note: this is not "foodie" website)... like this special little holiday kicker... Bourbon slushies... Umm, sign me up please!

Stuff White People Like. Wow, okay so apparently this one isn't new at all. In fact when I sent a link to DH thinking I'd found something he'd really like and would be totally impressed with me I was denied. I believe his response was "yeah, I remember that site from a few years ago. Its funny." Gee thanks honey. Anyway the site is a riot, that is if you don't already have it book marked "from a few years ago" argh! It's actually exactly what it sounds like... The author talks about all this stuff that white people are crazy to like. His writing style is absolutely hilarious and I'm not kidding I can relate to every entry I've read. I especially like the one about white people all going through a "bob marley" stage at some point in their lives between jr. high and college. For me it was 8th grade. I'm thinking tied-dye and some rediculous poetry cause I was like really deep back then. (insert belly laugh at the sarcasm)

Okay so there you have it, three blogs that will keep you laughing for the next few hours before you can leave work. You can thank me later!

Cheers, 
Ousier

Book Review ~ The Southern Vampire Series

Well boys and girls this camper has been doing a lot of reading over my holiday break. Never fear, I'll be sure to review all the books I've read... the good, the bad and the gut wrenching!

I'm going to start off with the second half of Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Series (books 5 - 8) since I've already reviewed the first book here and then books 2-4 here. I was under the impression that the series ended with book 8, but all I have to say is "they" better be wrong because I was left with way too many questions and a lot of pent up angst about a certain blond vampire... did I mention he's hot? And even though I don't watch the TrueBlood series (on HBO) I still picture Alexander Skarsgard as Eric. This really hot Viking vampire stole my heart somewhere around book 4 and I've been waiting patiently for some resolution since then.

The story continues to be told through Sookie Stackhouse's perspective which I'll be honest as a Southerner myself I find to be a bit patronizing at times. For example, I do know how to season a cast iron skillet, I don't need it explained to me like I'm some yankee reading this "charming southern tale." Wow... where did that pent up angst come from? maybe living so close to the Mason-Dixon line has gotten me all defensive and if that is the case, my apologies.

Back to the book...

Sookie continues to find herself in a heap of trouble at every turn,  some by her own mistakes and some is just pure bad luck. In any case, she always manages to find a way out either by her own accord or with the help of the ever growing supernatural population. I'm pretty sure we discover a new race of "sups" with each new book.  If I had to pick just one "supe" to be... it'd totally be a fairy. (snicker snicker) Aside from being deathly susceptible to iron and lemon juice (yes that's what I said) they are smart, witty, attractive to all and very very powerful. Oh and apparently they smell amazing.

By far my favorite development is that of Sookie's love life. As with the first few books, she seems to attract every supernatual being in a 100 mile radius. I believe I've already mentioned that I'm smitten with Eric the Nordic Vampire Hottie. (Gosh, I hope DH isn't reading this, not because I'm embarrassed about crushing on a fictional vampire - been there done that- but because I'm pretty sure DH is rolling his eyes and snickering at how silly I am. Oh well, he's stuck with me now!)

These are extremely easy reads, I finished each one in a day or two. They aren't exactly going to win a pulitzer prize but they are fun, fantastical, witty and I'm not going to lie a little smutty.

If you are looking for something that you can talk about with your girlfriends over a bottle of wine than this is the series for you. If you are looking for something to pitch at your next book club or discuss with a colleague you should probably go with Reading Lolita in Tehran or The Kite Runner or something else international and slightly depressing but will make you appear all learned and erudite.

Happy Reading!!

Till next week, when I share another book review and I'll tell you ALL about my new toy, the Kindle! I'm in love!! And I promise, even though I've also read a ton of fan fiction over the break, I'll skip any kind of reviews... even I am blushing thinking about that!





UPDATE--- Can you update a post before you've even posted it? mmm, well anyway just as I was searching for a fun picture to add to this post I discovered some VERY exciting news!! Book 9 (aka Dead in the Family) is due out this May! Woo Hoo 






Cheers, 
Ousier

Restaurant Review ~ Ray's The Steak

Like any good red blooded southern gal, I like a big fat steak once in a while. And after living in DC, a town that serves A LOT of steak for the past decade I've had the opportunity to try out a number of great steak houses... some chains and some not.

However, it was a few years back when DH took me to Ray's the Steak, a tiny little hole in the wall restaurant in Arlington of all places that I truly fell in love (with the restaurant... I was already in love with DH, natch). The space was shockingly bare. Nothing, and I mean nothing on the walls, not even paint! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more than a little bit skeptical that first night. Did I mention they didn't take reservations? what tha? in this town?

After my first sip of lobster bisque my interest was peeked. More than peeked really, I wanted to lick the cup and if I was alone I probably would have, it was that delish! Then things got good and I mean really really good, my steak arrived.... mmmmm... and it was heavenly. Cooked to a perfect medium rare and had an amazing crunchy char.

DH and I happily took all our friends and family here when ever we could. The no reservations thing was a pain but totally worth it for the amazing food and incredible prices! I figured this would be our "go to" place for years to come. Then they moved....

Oh dear, my inner worry wort came out big time. I just knew that somehow when they moved, more than doubling the size of their restaurant something would go amiss. It always seems to happen-- change  too much and the experience just isn't the same. Happily I was completely wrong. We've been to Ray's several times since their big move last year, most recently last week and I've left full and happy and maybe a little tipsy every time!

With two kids under two at home DH and I don't get out as much and never as spontaneously as we once did. But with mamere in town we took full advantage of the live in sitter and made a reservation at Ray's. Okay that is another very welcome change!

We were seated immediately and our very patient waiter waited as I perused the wine menu. We settled on a Napa blend he recommended. Delish!

We started with two (new to us) appetizers-- Bacon with sauerkraut was the first and a steak tartar version of a deviled egg. I was surprised how similar the flavor of the steak tartar was to an actual deviled egg. And I would never have ordered the bacon dish, but I'm so glad DH did. The richness of the bacon was surprising well matched with the sauerkraut, something that I really don't like.

DH is much better about trying different cuts of meat, while I pretty much always stick with the petite filet mignon with blue cheese crumbles on top. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I was upset to see they no longer offered the petite filet but when I asked our waiter he said that could still serve it.

Ummm, now I'm thinking I shouldn't have mentioned that last bit about asking for an off the menu item oh wait no one reads this blog... right right, so I'm sure it'll be just be fine.

I'll leave it here, before this review gets too long to hold your interest but I will add that the new space is lovely... none of the wood paneling you'd see in a DC steakhouse instead they have floor to ceiling windows with heavy velvet drapes and three separate dining rooms that make the restaurant seem more intimate than it probably would be otherwise.

If you live in the area you MUST try Rays! If you are visiting from out of town and can make your way across the Potomac you'd be remiss not to check out this gem of a steak house!

Ray's the Steak, 2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201

Happy Dining!

Cheers, 
Ousier