Every so often, it's fun to be impulsive and indulgent...

As Virgos, we live to plan, and many of us have difficulties being flexible to changes in plans or acting spontaneously.  Thankfully my [Leo] husband has taught me over the past ten years the joys of 'changing it up.'  For example, while he was getting ready to work the night shift at his job tonight, I had just finished watching the movie Julie & Julia (love!), and was majorly craving some food that I didn't have the energy nor the creativity to whip up, so I decided I would shower, get cute, and treat myself to a nice dinner downtown.  I told him I was craving French food (thanks, Julia, for all your talk on beurre blanc) and fish, and that I planned on going out to dinner.  He asked, "with whom?"  I said, "myself."  He thought it was a great idea! 

Since my Internet was unresponsive while I was getting ready, I looked up restaurants in an old Sacramento Magazine, which has reviews of all the local restaurants, and found a pathetically low number of French cuisine options.  Please, if any of you know of a decent French restaurant in Sac, do share.  I settled on Waterboy, which has been around for years and has consistently received good reviews.  I liked its central location and had walked/drove by it many times in the past, so I was intrigued;  plus, Sac mag classified the food as "Northern Italian/Southern French" fare.  I called to see if a reservation would be recommended, which for one diner, wasn't necessary.  A plus, I think.

I sat at a cute little table for two next to two businessmen, one local, one visiting from Indiana.  They were good company.  I brought a book I recently started, in case I had some 'down time' in between ordering, titled The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris, by Alicia Drake, which I picked up for free when I worked at Borders Bookstore a few years ago on the promo shelf.  Not bad.  Not great either, so far.  I'll report back on that at a later date, if there's anything to report.  I always like to hear the restaurants' specials, especially if nothing on the menu immediately grabs me.  I chose the fish special, which, oh man!, was seared filet sturgeon with fregola, porcini mushrooms, lima beans, and sauteed spinach, topped with a buttery and mild chipotle sauce...and a glass of Barbera, nothing worth naming.  It arrived very quickly, and I de-vou-red it.  I felt like eating it all over again afterward--until I heard the dessert specials, then I shifted my focus to the house-made strawberry rhubarb pie with some kinda nut-crusted topping and vanilla ice cream that I would soon be enjoying with coffee.

If you plan on eating there, know that the menu is quite small, and the wine list is even smaller--and honestly, a bit lacking--but I think their food selection is satisfying, and judging from my experience with the special, you'll be very pleased with anything you order.  I'm thinking of going back for the bouillabaisse, although I have a huge bias, because my aunt Cheri makes a legendary bouillabaisse, so I don't know if it is worth the risk, or the $25 test.  I also plan on bringing my own bottle of wine and swallowing the corkage fee...Oh yeah, and next time I'll bring others along, now that I can give the place some personal credibility.  Not that I didn't enjoy dining solo, it just baffles people, especially when they see a wedding band on your finger, and I'd rather save the explanations...   I wish I had pictures to share, but I already felt like I looked to the servers like a food critic, so I refrained.  Bummer. 

When was the last time you did something indulgent? 

And when I get my license, I fully intend to brake for animals...

Ah, nostalgia.

Last night while the hubs was at work, I decided to transport back to 1995 by indulging in one of my favorite and most influential movies:  Clueless.  Although I was a tomboy, this movie really spoke to me during my adolescent years, and truthfully, still does.

As a pre-teen / teenager:

• I had the poster hanging in my room of "'isms" (?) that defined words like "boink," "Betty," and "hymenally challenged."  
• I wore spaghetti strap tanks over crew neck tees.  
• My hair was exactly like Cher's.  
• I learned and used a new word every day to expand my vocabulary.
• I used the word "like" about ten times in a sentence. (annoying!)
• I got my Pop saying "buggin' and wiggin'" 
• I dreamed of one day having an automated closet like Cher's, but what girl didn't...
• Carrot sticks became my favorite after school snack
• I listened to the soundtrack all. the. time.
• My best friend Kelly and I bought dresses like the white CK dress Cher wore to the club -- mine was white, Kelly's was red; although, ours were cheapo's from Wet Seal.
• two words: FEATHER PENS
• I had a huge crush on Breckin Meyer (Travis)

I really did look up to Cher, and her character taught me to be nice to my fellow peers in school, even if we didn't run in the same crowds.  She was never outwardly rude or condescending to anyone, except in her spat with trampy Amber, but she deserved it.  ;)  I love how Cher was all done-up and lady-like, but had such a strong presence like she could kick your ass if you had it comin' to ya.  She remains one of my top female role models today, and I really hope I have a daughter with whom I can share this movie.  Not only to expose her to Cher, but to the 90s pop culture! OMG, the grungy skateboarders, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, exposed lip liner!

All of it.


How did this movie have an effect on your life?  What do you remember most from the 90s decade?  Did anyone else beg their parents for a white bikini top Jeep Wrangler?

Better than nothin'

First, readers, my apologies for being MIA lately.  I truly have been extremely busy, and not in a good way, unfortunately.  I wish I could say that I finally kicked myself into gear and have been rollin through projects like a mad woman, but I've just been working. working. working. working. Oh! And drinking. drinking. Wine, that is. So, that's something good to post I think!  Especially since I've been drinking some really super good wine.  But, that's another post... Right now, I want to share with you another very cool and inspiring video I stumbled upon while blog-hopping.  I discovered [through various channels] Makeunder My Life 's blog just now, and watched this video, and thought I'd break my procrastination mold and post about it. 
Also, if you have time, check out the rest of her blog--it's cute... :)  Lemme know what you think....  of the video, her blog, my drinking, anything.  Really.

Yes, I've said this before.

got five minutes?

I just had to share with you a very good thing I just did (and should have done a long time ago)...

The Internet was down in my office--boo bad weather and wireless connex--so I decided to be productive and call all the toll-free numbers printed on the unwanted catalogs I receive, and asked each one to kindly remove my contact information.  Every rep I spoke with was just delightful, and acquiesced my request without hesitation.  Every one of these catalog companies bought my info from another source, as I have never requested to receive a single one of them.  I'm not upset, but I also don't feel I need to be a part of that paper-wasting industry, when I can easily shop on their websites.

My mission was simple, and was completed in record time.  Bonus!  When I called West Elm Customer Service, the rep asked if I would like to be taken off all their mailings, which include--unbeknownst to me--West Elm, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Seasonal, Pottery Barn Teen, Pottery Barn Baby, and Williams-Sonoma.  Who knew?? It was like I killed two birds with one stone, or rather, "saved six trees with one call."  ?

The others I unsubscribed to include: Crate and Barrel, CB2, Chia'sso (?), and Urban Outfitters.  I'm an anthro gal, and I know UO owns anthro, but c'mon, completely different aesthetic here, people!

Not to gross you out or anything, but...

...there are times when this will suffice. 

The thing I worry most about when I hear we're going to entertain visitors last minute around my house is:  dog hair.  We have two children dogs, one who sheds all year long, and the other only seasonally.  I say this worries me more than anything else because fewer people can relate to having dog hair on almost every surface, while most can respect a less-than-gleaming bathroom sink or stove-top.  However, when there's no time to vacuum or dust away the dog hair, I just have to deal (read: suffer in silence and stealthily kick some fur balls behind a door or into a closet). 

Of course I worry about not having enough food or drinks to go around, and whether or not there are clean hand-towels hanging in the bathrooms, but when I only have a few minutes before last-minute visitors arrive, I always clean the mirrors of the bathrooms.  I bypass the dishes in the sink, the untidy coat rack, my husband's socks and sweater on the bar counter, and head straight for the mirrors with glass cleaner and paper towels.  I remember my mother telling me, when I was younger and had a giant floor-to-ceiling mirror in my bedroom (I was a dancer and cheerleader, but that's another post, or maybe not) that if I at least cleaned the mirror, the room would look clean.  Somehow I've morphed this into convincing myself if I at least clean the mirrors in my bathrooms, guests won't notice the grimy base of my pedestal sink or the dust settled atop my make-up cabinet, which, for my younger [but much taller] brother, is right at eye level.

I would love to hear [really, I would, so, just click the 'comments' link below] what you do when you learn you only have a few minutes before guests arrive at your home.  You won't gross me out, so be as detailed as you like, and hey, maybe we can learn from one another!