Making Memories with a Spoon

Well, I guess this weekend officially kicked off summer, huh?  While I'm not wild (at all) about the oppressive heat that is sure to plague us fair-skinned, indoor types for the next 5 months or so, this product almost doesn't make me mind summer. 

The other day at Whole Foods I picked up a carton of Ciao Bella Belgian Chocolate gelato.  Oh.  Wow.  It is so good. 

It was the perfect accompaniment to a quiet Memorial Day with a stack of Redbox DVDs.  I feel like I was eating this every time I turned around, but the funny thing is that there's still plenty left.  I think it's so rich that it only seems like you're eating a lot. 

And isn't that only more more reason to celebrate?  Now I'm looking forward to trying their other flavors, including the sorbets.  Hold me back.

I hope you all had a great weekend.

(Image from freshtomarket.com)

My Always List: Classic

I can't really say enough about this next item on my list.  Banana Republic's Classic is something I've worn for many years now, and it's probably my favorite go-to, everyday fragrance.  I say 'fragrance' instead of 'cologne' because this is unisex and not very heavy at all. 

It's sort of a clean citrus smell, and if I were to have designed a bottle, this would probably have been it.  Plus, I like that it lasts all day and is not expensive.  It's simple and, well, classic.  Of course.

Mais Oui!

Late last week for a breakfast potluck at work, I made this French Toast Casserole. 

It's one of those stale bread/dozen eggs/quart of heavy cream deals.  But doesn't this look worth it?

In the words of Ina, how bad could that be?  (It's not her recipe, though.  I found it in this book.)

My Always List: Shampure

After my face is clean and scrubbed, it's time to wash the hair.  And one of my favorite shampoos is Aveda's Shampure, which was introduced to me by my pal Ashley many moons ago.

If you've never smelled the scent, then it's really hard to imagine.  It's earthy.  Like dirt-earthy.  But in the best way.  I've even gotten the gals at Aveda to mix up the fragrance into a spray bottle so I can wear it as a cologne when I feel so inclined. 

What's Your Type?

Do you sometimes struggle to choose just the right font? 

I saw this super-cool link/picture in my Real Simple daily dispatch and thought I would share.  It's graphically appealing and pretty funny if you take the time to read it.

Have a great weekend!

My Always List: Scrub

After obtaining clean skin, sometimes it's necessary to scrub.  I've tried several over the years, but last year I ran across this Kiehl's scrub, and it's my favorite. 

I talked a bit about Kiehl's last year in a post about one of their ads, but I've only grown fonder of the brand since then. This scrub is a bit pricey, but my first tube literally lasted a year. A dab'll do ya, so I like to divide the price by 12 months and then by how many times a month (4-6) I use it.  Then it's not so bad at all. 

It has pineapple and papaya and smells good enough to eat, if you like fruit.

My Fish Story

Well, not exactly.

But this is the one that got away.

Remember how I lusted after just such a fixture a few months ago?  Well, the natural-colored fixture was the right size, but the blasted thing had a diffuser underneath--ya know, exactly where the light should come out.  That might be good for a pool hall but not for my poorly lit bedroom.  

They had a taller, gray fixture (see above) that actually has a metallic interior to bounce light around, and when it went on sale a couple of weeks ago, I snatched it up.  However, much like awkward teenage girls everywhere, it was a bit too tall.  At least for my space.

I do love it, but it's not right for me at this point in the game.

Le sigh.  ...the search continues. 

Finally, Lorne!

They got it (mostly) right for a change!  Did you see Betty White host SNL this weekend? 

She's a living legend, as far as I'm concerned, and she was joined by some of the great recent female cast members of the show.  They brought back skits like Delicious Dish and Sally O'Malley.  And, praise Jesus, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on Weekend Update.  And Whitney. Houston.  (Yes, AM, I got your text.  Loved it!)

To top it all off, Jay-Z turned it out with a medley of some of his greatest hits, followed by a surprisingly sweet rendition of "Forever Young," dedicated to Betty White herself.  I was a little disappointed that Beyonce did not make a surprise appearance, but there were plenty of those to go around. 

This is how the show needs to be done.  Please, Lorne Michaels, take notes if you haven't already.

And here's a sketch that didn't make it to the broadcast.  Shhh....it's Debbie Downer.  I laughed until I (almost) cried.

My Always List: Purity

Ok.  Title of the post.  You may be thinking "He's a Jo Bro?!" 

But no.  I had this idea after looking around J.Crew.  Their creative director (Jenna Lyons, for those keeping score) comes up with an "always list" for each season.  I like that idea, so I'm blatantly copying it.

I thought I would start with the basics.  And there's nothing more basic than clean skin.  My choice to accomplish this goal is a face wash called Purity Made Simple by the brand Philosophy. 

I would classify my skin as sensitive and normal to oily.  This is just what the doctor ordered--if I went to a dermatologist, that is.  It "melts" away the oil without drying my face out.  Yikes.  Plus, it smells really good. 

Secret: I buy mine from QVC, just like an old lady, because it's way cheaper to get the jumbo size there.  And it lasts (literally) a year or longer. 

Lust List: Gap

Do you ever find yourself hitting up the exact same websites every week?  Even looking at the exact same items every time?  I do that fairly regularly, and Gap is usually a place I stop. 

As I mentioned with J.Crew a few days ago, it always helps when what I want goes on sale, and with Gap, you never have to wonder.  I can honestly say that everything at Gap goes on sale if you watch closely enough.  Or they will give you a coupon or a survey/coupon.  I live for those. 

Granted, I don't need any of these things, but that's why this is the lust list.

I know.  It's another cardigan.  And it's striped.  I say, if something works, ride it until the wheels fall off.  This one's good for work because it's lightweight but long-sleeved.

And even though I get plenty of Where's Waldo and Steve-from-Blue's-Clues references when I wear horizontal stripes, I say they're worth it.

The last thing I need.  But again.  Lust.

Aren't these the coolest?!  (They're boxers, but I wish they would make this fabric into pajama pants.)

This is a kid's shirt, but I have to represent the Smokies.  Dolly would be proud.  :)  I could probably swing a XXXL.

May Days

There's really no point in my pointing out how quickly these months are flying. It seems that the storied April showers have waited until...oh...today.

Here's hoping for a mild month for mothers and meterology.