Dark vs Light

Film is a passion of mine.  I love the feeling when I stumble upon a secret find.  I like to imagine no one else has ever seen the black and white screwball comedy from the 30's such as "The Thin Man".  In reality, the film series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy is very popular and has been viewed by millions over the years but in my mind, Nick and Nora are my very own whimsical couple to watch and giggle with when I screen the film.

In my teens and twenties I could stomach darker films.  The same period of my life allowed me to stomach darker brown ales as well such as Newcastle.  Funny as my taste in film has lightened (tears and suspense ok-violence and gore not so much).  Now I prefer a good Belgian White or recently I have acquired a taste for New Belgian Brewery's Mothership Wit along with a movie such as "The Beginners" and what better place to watch both then at a brew and view such as The Lyric Cinema?!

It's my birthday! It's my birthday!

 OK photo is  perhaps a few years old but I still love celebrating my birthday!  I love the simplicity of this particular birthday.  You can see my mother had out the good china and crystal and we were dining in the dining room.  I was probably turning 5 or 6 and I am sure I thought eating on the good stuff in the good room with a wonderful homemade cake was the cat's meow!

A great birthday really is made more special when celebrating with those you love.  Looking forward to cooking a special meal for my little girl and special guy tomorrow night.  They are truly the best past of what my day will be tomorrow.  Matt and Sophia, I love you both.  Thanks for making my life better.

Betabrand's Model Citizen

Love this marketing concept.  Take a photo of yourself in Betabrand's clothes and they post it on their website.  How easy is that and yet I found out about their website from a friend who posted his picture and that posted the link to his photo on the website on his Facebook page.  Successful, free advertising that works.  wow.

Just purchased a pair of Cordarounds for my hubby (a bit too short though so we need to exchange).  Those eggplant Japants look pretty cool!

You need to go to the website to see the picture that is designed into the reflectors on these bike to work pants

Very funny!

What is in a nickname?

Ever think about filling in an old childhood name on official documents like mortgage applications when they ask for nicknames?  Our daughter could fill in "Critter", though her list is constantly evolving mostly created by my very creative husband.  I of course had the moniker of "Suzabell" given to be my mother and "Putsy" by my Grandmother.  My mother still calls me Suzabell occasionally and I love having a special name which when used conjures up all kinds of lovely childhood feelings and memories.

What was your childhood nickname and is it still used?

Roll Baby Roll

Check out my friend's "store" on Etsy.  She is a great crafter and her heart is in each knit.

Sweet little bambino gifts!!

Merimace. Home Grown Knitting

Show Show!

Several years ago while at a very she-she business dinner a group of gals a bit tipsy on champagne decided to be risque and show their off their bras.  The prevailing round table chant was "show show!!!"  till all had bared their La Perla lovely straps.  At that moment I knew I had to upgrade the worn broken down slightly discolored bra I had on (I think I modestly -though I am not all that modest-slinked to the powder room to save myself the embarrassment of show-showing very unsexy lingerie).  I promptly went out and was properly fitted at Sol. Several large department stores will provide you will free fittings.  Victoria's Secret will as well though they do it over your clothes and that in my opinion is not accurate.

Over the last few years my cup size has gone up twice.  I am one of those lucky or unlucky gals who with weight gain stores most in my boobs.  I love the girls to be perky and the key is truly to be fitted and buy a great bra that fits and yes in my opinion lifts.  On of my current favs and moderately priced is Felina.

 How pretty and the straps are definitely good enough for show-show!

My Sweet Peas

Peas are not the most bountiful veggie to grow in your garden if you live in Northern Colorado.  We had one harvest and the total amount is shown above!  Alas this may not be the smartest use of garden space but they are probably the cutest veggie going.  

The well heeled lady baring her sole

The other night at an apres mountain biking party, a friend had on a pair of Frye Oxfords.   The wooden heel was starting to wear into the welt (new term I just learned as per Wikipedia: A welt is a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that is stitched to the upper and insole of a shoe, as an attach-point for the sole).  I shuddered over the potential loss of a lovely pair of shoes and mentioned she needed to have them repaired. (A future posting about the dying art of shoe repair. My local shoe repairman is lovely.  Until recently he resided in a storefront straight out of the 30's. Now he is in this local western shop but his charm is still ever present and old school as ever).

 With the unsolicited comment to my friend Suzy, I officially am turning into my mother. Years earlier, while in high school, a friend stopped by to pick me up for a night out.  Reggie had on a well shod pair of wingtips he had purchased from Goodwill.  My mother not only chastised him for the scuffs, she brought him shoe polish right there and then.   Though embarrassing at the time, now I see the wisdom in the act.  


There is nothing like owning a pair of well crafted leather shoes and finding a certain amount of pleasure in maintaining those skips.  The ritual of pulling out the shoe box filled with the polishes, whether they be waxy in the tin can or creamy in the little glass jars, the soft feel of the flannel rags to wipe the polish on and oh those fantastic wooden backed brushes with long soft bristles to buff on the shine.  I know when I perform this maintenance task, there will be no surprises (well unless I did not seal the lid properly on the tin and the polish is all dried out and cracked).  The biggest hurdle will be not to stain my hands with the polish as I swirl the rag in the cream and after 5 minutes of silent meditation following the methodical brush strokes back and forth, my shoes will be supple and scuff free, providing an immediate sense of accomplishment.  I can now go forth and shuffle in my newly shined shoes to my hearts content, knowing that when I next polish my shoes I will remember the mad cap adventures that caused all the scuffs and scrapes.  

Me in Frye Carson boots at O'Dell's Small Batch Revival having one of those adventures where I actually caused damage to the wood on the heel.   $8 to repair the heel!!!  yippee!! And the shoes will last through a lifetime of crazy fun moments.