Happy Halloween!

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Just for Today...

 via studio ten 25

The Legend

Groan, chuckle or "Say whhhaaat?"

"Sometimes things just bug me. Like when someone leaves the sunvisor down in their car when there's no need for it; the smell left on your hands after using an old sponge; Thursdays; the number 23; and then there are customized license plates." License 2 Rant

Time Well Spent

Photo by Jen Siska

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. ~Bertrand Russell

A life without leisure is a life without pleasure. So kick up your heels and play today!



Green With Envy

During my "sabbatical"/ fun-employment/extended vacation/ period of pure bliss, I've spent a lot of time rejuvenating, exploring my creative side and trying to redecorate our humble abode. That means, I've spent countless hours looking for inspiration from designers on The Decor Diary, Studio Ten 25, Charm Home, and Design Refuge.

Pumpkin Bread

I admit, I am pretty wasteful when it comes to certain things. But one thing I haaaate is wasting food. (Yet I also refuse to eat leftovers. It doesn't make sense, I know).

Fall Fun at Friends Lake Inn

Busy weekend! Pumpkin carving... We finally figured out that, if you don't have small children or many trick-or-treaters, mini pumpkins work just as well for jack-o-lanterns.

This Song...

Never gets old. No matter how many times I play it. Look at that hair!

Date Night at the Movies

Because I have a short attention span and rarely can sit through a movie in the theater, the Sailor and I haven't been to a movie in for-ever. The last movie we went to see in the theater was Four Christmases, which in fact came out two Christmases ago.

I do however have a love of horses, and I used to get a big thrill out of playing the ponies at the Saratoga racetrack. So, we went to see Secretariat last night.

It was a feel good, family movie-- exciting even though you knew what was going to happen-- and it was inspiring. Made me want to get back in the saddle and ride again. And, to top it all off, it had a strong female lead, Diane Lane, who played a housewife that followed her heart and intuition.

"This is about life behing ahead of you, and you run at it."

Penny Chenery Tweedy, Secretariat's owner

Another great line from the movie: "You need Lucien Laurin. He dresses like Super Fly." John Malkovich was hilarious as the eccentric, semi-retired, French-Canadien trainer Lucien Laurin.

Two thumbs up.

File Under: Conspiracy Theory or Strange But True

Word around town this summer was that an acquaintance was invited to the uber-exclusive, secretive Bohemian Grove gathering that takes place each year in mid-July. This naturally resulted in curiosity about what does in fact take place at Bohemian Grove and who are the members of the Bohemian Club? And of course, how can they possibly have any fun if they don't allow women to join?

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

Drew Barrymore has never looked more elegant! Check out these highlights from the Mark Seliger glamour shoot for the October 2010's cover story in Harper's Bazaar.

Thought for the day...

The Zymurgist: Part 1

Among his many other talents, the Sailor is a brewmaster. He has been making homebrew for the better part of a decade and is pretty knowledgeable about zymurgy, the branch of chemistry related to fermentation.


Two years ago, the Sailor introduced me to the art of beer-making when we brewed a clone of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It was ready to drink just as winter arrived. We called it Snowday Pale Ale in honor those much-loved days off from school or work, treasured free time spent doing whatever your heart desired. 

Little did I know beforehand, that the Sailor's way of brewing is no "Mr. Beer"operation. It's the real deal-- lots of steps and quite the process for someone who has little patience (i.e. Me). It's all worth in the end though...

As we prepared to brew this year, the Sailor took a few days to examine recipes online for the beer I wanted to make, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale-- described on the Sierra Nevada website as robust and rich, perfect for a festive gathering or a quiet evening at home.

Although the recipe for celebration wasn't easy to find, the Sailor performed a few calculations based on the information on the Sierra site and a handy online tool at Make-A-Beer-At-Home.

alcohol content 6.8% by volume	bittering hops Chinook
beginning gravity 16.0 Plato	finishing hops Cascade & Centennial
ending gravity 4.0 Plato	dry hopping Cascade & Centennial
bitterness units 65	malts Two-row Pale & English Caramel
yeast Top-fermenting Ale Yeast

The Sailor already has a lot of the requisite beer-making supplies, including the brewer's handbook, fermenting bucket, airlock, stopper, hydrometer, thermometer, sanitizer, a giant mizing pot and long-handled mixing spoons.

But we needed to go to the homebrew shop to gather fresh ingredients -- filtered water, malt extract, yeast, hops, and grains for the Celebration Ale.

A few tips for selecting ingredients:

Use filtered water-- but not distilled (no minerals)-- to avoid any funky tastes like chlorine. Water is the primary ingredient, so if you're going to use tap water, make sure it tastes good.

The grains contain the starch that converts to sugar so the yeast have something to ferment. Beer, by definition, contains at least 50% barley. Add specialty grains for flavor.

Hops inhibit spoilage, give the beer flavor (bitterness to balance out sweetness) and aroma.  They also help keep the "head" or ensure the beer is frothy when it's poured.

Yeast obviously starts the fermentation process and determines what kind of beer you're going to make. The ale yeast hangs out at the top of the fermenting jug, while lager yeast lands on the bottom.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Agh! I just read about a so-called canned pumpkin shortage last year. Nestle, which controls about 85% of canned pumpkin production, released an apology stating that, due to heavy rains in the Midwest, there would be less of a yield.

While no such similar warnings have come out this year, I have heard from many friends about their newly-formed obsession with anything pumpkin. Pumpkin latte, pumpkin beer, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread and cookies, creamy pumpkin soup, pumpkin marmalade-- everything except good ole' pumpkin pie.

Think Pink

One in eight women will get breast cancer during her lifetime. That's me, you, your mom, your sister, your aunt, your friend, your co-worker or your neighbor.

200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,000 women die from breast cancer each year. On average, one woman dies from breast cancer every 13 minutes in the U.S.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones

I can hardly wait for the October 26th release of Keith Richards' biography "Life."In the meantime vintage concert film shot during the 1972 Exile on Main Street tour comes to home video this week. 

Boho-Chic Wardrobe Inspiration

So excited to see one of my favorite fashion designers featured in Fashion Washington Fall Style. Jules Reid, stockbroker turned interior designer turned fashion designer, features bold colors and whimsical prints inspired from her travels.

Well, are you?

Well, are you? And if you're not, what are you gonna' do about it?

Remember, Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The Road to Shamballa | music by Three Dog Night

Happy Friday! This song makes me want to dance. It's about a spiritual journey and all the good stuff in life-- kindness, cooperation, joy. Anytime I need a little pick-me-up, I play it LOUD.

Disco Diva

A quick jaunt over to Newport, RI in the rain resulted in...too much shopping! But I did get some fabulous stuff! As soon as I spotted this silver shift dress, I knew I just had to have it.

And here's the back. Love the feminine detail!

Wouldn't it be perfect for a New Year's Eve party? 

258 Days...of F-U-N

I'm still mourning the end of summer and all things that bring joy to my life during those months. In an attempt to combat the dreaded deep depression that sets in with the frigid Northeast winters, the Sailor and I spent an evening working on an agenda of F-U-N activities for the 258 days between now and the advent of summer on June 22, 2011.