Bitchin' about my kitchen

Hello All-

I know I have been promising to get a  give-away under-way, but I am slightly over-whelmed.  I mentioned in previous posts that we are having our kitchen redone.  This is WEEK 4 with no kitchen (nor bathroom on the main floor as we are having it redone too).  I cook a lot and I guess I did not realize just how much time I spend in the kitchen.  Not having a kitchen is really messing with my mind and making me feel displaced in my own home.   Also, having workmen in the house all day every day WAY awkward and strange too. 

Here is a little update on the mess so far:

This is what the kitchen looked like before-empty.  I had already taken down all my decor when this photo was taken.  

This is what it looked like about 48 hours later.  EVERYTHING gone...including the wall!  We seriously considered just putting in a glass wall for about 10 minutes.  The view was beautiful! New wall,  new window, subflooring......
New tile.  Progress.  I finally feel like we are on the home stretch. 
Partial cabinet installation.  

Another photo of the cabinets with the floor and the paint.  The island is to be delivered today.  It is going to be antiqued black.   I cannot wait for all this to be  done so I can cook a big pot of chile...on a real stove.    I am not sure I will be in any hurry for any new home renovations any time soon, but you know, I would sure like some new tile in my bathroom.  I think this home renovation stuff could be addictive. 

I promise to post the give away before the end of this week.  Stay tuned.

(all photos property of and licensed by MonkeyPosh LLC)

Three things I am loving now.

Happy Tuesday.  Things around here are in total chaos.  After much thought, planning, saving, and stressing, we are having a total kitchen renovation and it is loud and intrusive and strange.  Everything has been demolished and removed and a wall has been knocked down.   I will be glad when it is over, but sadly it is a long way from being over.  

On to more pleasant things.    I have not blogged about beauty products for a very long time, so since I am sequestered in the basement out of the way of the kitchen mess, I will share 3 things I am enjoying this June.  Please forgive if this does not work as this is my first blog attempt on a MAC.  I have only used Windows my whole life and Macs are way different, so please bear with me.
OK--This Spectrum Coconut Oil is one of my very favorite things in the whole wide world right now.   It is AMAZING.  I constantly use it  on my skin, on my split ends, and even on my cuticles.   I got it at Whole Foods in the oil aisle, along side the olive oils, peanut oils, avocado oils, etc.  It comes in solid form, and soaks right into my skin.  It is so moisturizing without being overly slick and greasy.   I can slather it all over my hands, and still snap my fingers.  If you rub it betwixt your hands it will emulsify and you can put it in your hair.  I cannot rave enough about this multi tasking wonder.   If you have dry skin like me, you will love it.  It also adds a beautiful sheen to your gams while sporting your summer finery. 

Insomnia lends itself to some really bad late night TV.  Sometimes I even watch the occasional infomercial...not often, but every now and then.   One night I became engrossed in a Wen Hair Care infomercial.  I was skeptical (as I always am with infomercials).   I was all.." Lemme get this straight...it is a conditioner that cleans your hair?  It is not a shampoo, but cleans your hair just the same all the while leaving it incredibly soft and supple and Charlie's Angels like?"  WHAT?  So I went to the website and saw all the scents, and everyone knows I am a sucker for things that smell pretty.  They sounded delicious--Fig, Cucumber Aloe, Sweet Almond Mint, Tea Tree, etc.  I ordered the Sweet Almond Mint and the Tea Tree and I have to say,  I LOVE IT.   I have lamented about my hair on this blog a ton--all about my well water and my porous, frizzy hair..blah blah blah.  Seriously the WEN Conditioning Cleanser is wonderful.  Thanks Chaz Dean.  

Lastly, I am all into this little bottle of Ken Paves Color Drops.  Say what you want about Jessica Simpson, but her hair is fabulous.   Always.  The man behind the mane is Ken Paves (who also does Eva Longoria;s hair).  The color drops come in 3 or 4 colors, and of course I use the red one.  You put a few pumps of the color drops into your conditioner (or your WEN conditioning cleanser), mix it in, then distribute throughout your hair.  It just adds a little color enhancement.  Continued use can intensify the color.  I dig it.  I use it 2 or 3 times a week just to spice of the locks.

I hope you are all enjoying your June.  I promise to post the giveaway this week or next week.  

Have a beautiful day.

(photos from www.spectrumorganics.com , www.wenhaircare.com , and www.beauty.com )

Hmmmm..just noticed that typing a www on Mac does not automatically turn it into a link.  Still so much to learn.  Sorry if you click and they do not work.

Happy June 1.

Where the heck have I been? I know.

I really needed a break from blogging (and lots of other things in my life) the past few months. I decided to focus on things like traveling and spending more time with my loved ones. I really appreciate all the notes and e-mails asking where I was and telling me you missed me. It means a lot to me.
So, I have been on a few trips since last I blogged and here are some photos of 3 of my most recent trips.

In February we went to the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. It was our second time there and I think Kauai is my favorite out of all the Islands.
This was the view from our place. I wanted to move in.

It was whale watching season, so of course we partook in some whale activities. Captian Don is awesome for a laid back, personalized boat tour. You can find him here http://www.captaindonsfishing.com/ . The website has a lot of fishing information, but he does any kind of boating adventure you would like. He will also give you restaurant suggestions, and any other information you need about Kauai. Oh and his first mate watches reality TV, so when I got bored with the whales, we talked all about The Real Housewives of Orange County. I was in heaven.

Gorgeous Kauai sunset. Deep sigh.

I also went to London. It was amazing. I loved it and did not want to come home. I had wonderful weather and such a lovely time.

I got my eyebrows threaded for the first time and I loved it. I always said I would be too scared to get my brows threaded as I am a wax type of girl, but after some champagne and a manicure from the Champagne Nail Bar at Harvey Nichols, it sounded like a grand idea. When you are a dehydrated and jetlagged traveler, a glass of champagne makes a lot of things sound like a good idea. Proceed with caution.

I also went to Boston to see the Celtics beat the Bulls. I am a lifelong die hard Celtics fan....since the days of Bird, Walton, McHale, Ainge, etc. I had never been to the Boston Garden so it was a thrill and a dream come true.

The Celtics won which made the experience that much sweeter. Go Pierce!

This week I plan on doing a big giveaway, so please stay tuned, and thanks again for checking in on me during my truant blogging period.

This last photo was taken in Chicago and I am only adding it because it cracks me up and I am easliy entertained--it is one of the many perks of being an only child.

Have a wonderful evening.

(all photos property of MonkeyPosh LLC)

Happy New Year!

As I look back on how few posts I did in 2008, I fear I have become a little bored with my blog. I do not know what it is exactly. It seems that lately, I just do not have the time, nor do I feel inspired to write as much here as I used to. There are probably many reasons for this, and I could drone on and on about those reasons, but I think the crux of it is that I have become focused on many other things. I also think I am busier than usual , I have a slight case of the winter blahs, and It seems more of my energy is being used for higher priorities that have nothing to do with blogging this year. In a time like this with the bad economy and so many people suffering, and so much going on in the world, writing a blog and reading blogs about things as trivial as lip gloss and a good cup of coffee can be a welcome distraction from all the bad news. I want to thank everyone who has followed my blog, and I want to thank everyone who has made me laugh, entertained me , and educated me through their blogs. Blogging has afforded me travel opportunity and friendships--and that is a beautiful thing. Don't get me wrong, I do plan on blogging in 2009 as I have many adventures planned, and I have loads of beauty items to give away. Stay tuned.

In honor of the cusp of a new year, I wanted to list my goals and wishes for 2009.

I have had the same resolution for the past few years: to stay far away from crazy people who bring drama to my life. That has worked very well for me, so I see no reason to change it. Other than that, I usually do not make resolutions, instead I make goals. Here are a few:

I want to honor my good health by running more and eating more fruits and vegetables.

I want to drink more water and less Diet Pepsi.

In this vein, I want to consciously be thankful for my good health every day, as so many people I know and love have suffered illnesses and health scares lately.

I want to breathe deeper, be more patient and less judgemental (unless you are a crazy drama monger--in which case I will judge you all day long).

I want to physically be around the people I love more this year. I am so lucky and thankful to have wonderful family members and friends that I love.

I want to eliminate all unnecessary drama and chaos and clutter from my life and my house.

I want to take moments throughout my day to stop and really be present.

I want the world to get better, be more united, and stop fighting. I know that one sounds slightly Pollyanna in the current state of things, but I really do want the world to get better, and I have high hopes.

I want to be aware of the energy around me and how I am contributing to that energy.

I want to laugh more (lots more) and worry less (much less).
I want to feel more free, love more free, and be kinder (again, unless you are a drama-monger in which case I will not be kind to you).

I want to see the world and be more open minded. I not only want to be more open minded in reference to travel and new cultures, I want to be more open minded to many many things (again, except for drama mongers).

I want to do more things that make me happy with abandon and gusto.

And last but most certainly not least, I wish these sweet sneaks came in my size:
How hot are those kicks? Ernie and Burt and Grover! I totally want them.

Thank you to all of you for making my 2008 great.

Here is wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year Full of Love and Laughter!

(shoe photo from a Finish Line catalog and Dear Finish Line: Please make these in a size 8 ladies. Thanks in advance)

A Parisian Thanksgiving

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. I cannot say I am enjoying it, because I generally find the holidays to be stressful and slightly overwhelming-- however I have made a few decisions this year in an effort to try to alleviate some of the usual stress. I am mailing VERY few presents this year. I do not have one single family member in the state where I live, so that means I usually have to mail almost everthing. Not this year. Praise Jesus, everyone in my family has everything they need. This year I sent packages to the Troops serving our country from afar. It was much less stressful and I know it will be much more appreciated than any Barnes & Noble gift certificate I could have sent my cousins --who already have EVERYTHING.
My husband and I decided not to exchange gifts this year and instead spend money on travel. We always say that, then we always end up giving each other gifts anyway, but this year we mean it.

This year a gift to each other was a trip for Thanksgiving. We went to Paris, where they do not celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am a very lucky girl to know great people all over the globe and my friend, Jennifer (she is American) who lives there, invited us to a wonderful Parisian Thanksgiving party. Here is a photo of Jen and me and a charming Frenchman -who totally embraced Thanksgiving--even if just for one night. This has paid off for him in dividends-his good attitude and smoldering French looks have landed him on my friend Karen's FOXY LIST....and that my friends, is better than any turkey and dressing! Our Parisian Thanksgiving had all the trimmings, and it was delicious. Jennifer was the hostess and I think my husband and I were the only Americans besides her. She had everyone go around the table and say what they were thankful for. The French people were a little hesitant and Jennifer said to my husband and I in a hush hush voice that the French do not really embrace how to be thankful......instead they focus on what to complain about. Hilarious. She said it in jest, as we all know, French people are lovely.

The city was all decked out for the Holiday Season and it was beautiful. I had never been to Paris during the holidays, so it was a treat. We stayed by Place Vendome and the street had chandeliers hanging over it. Gorgeous!This is a photo of Printemps all decked out for the holidays.

The photo below is the beautiful Place des Vosges in the Marais. We had beautiful weather that day, and we walked around and had a delicious lunch at CHEZ JANOU , where they DO NOT have a menu in English and they will scoff and roll their eyes at you if you ask. We of course did not ask, but we heard from other people that the staff reacts that way so no way....we did not ask...nope not us.

This is a strange thumb statue by the La Defense in downtown Paris. There was a very quaint holiday bazaar going on by the La Defense also. Vendors were selling all sorts of French holiday trinkets and delicious food and hot wine! My husband titled this photo "Keeping the little woman under my thumb". He's funny....that's why I stay married to him. Ahem.This is a photo from downtown overlooking the tops of the holiday bazaar tents and in the distance you can see the Arc de Triomphe. You can also see the Eiffel Tower from here. I loved it.

We have tons of photos, but I will leave you with this photo from the very cool Pompideu area by Les Halles. I will post more later on Guerlain and Serge Lutens and all the street food along the Champs Elysees. Until then.........Au revoir.

(all photos taken by and property of MonkeyPosh LLC)

And-- Thanks to Jennifer for a lovely Thanksgiving!!!!

2nd Half of Fave Movie Alphabet Post--

So here is my second installment of my favorite movie post by order of alphabet.

I am only about 3 weeks late on this, but I have been traveling in and out of the country, fruitlessly trying to get ready for the holiday season, and battling a horrible sinus infection.

Before I get started on my movie picks, I must give a shout out to a hot and funny lady:

She looks GREAT in Vanity Fair this month. I admire her for her comedic writing skills and her no fear attitude. Go Tina!

As for the movies, I think I left off at M last time......so .......

N-- Neverending Story - I remember seeing this movie as a little girl with my Uncle and my cousins C and J. It was so strange and enthralling. I loved the Luckdragon and Atreau. It brings back a lot of happy childhood memories.

O--Out of Africa, Ordinary People, An Officer And a Gentleman-- Out of Africa is just beautiful. Streep and Redford in Africa--what is not to love? No special reason for Ordinary People except I just loved it. An Officer and a Gentleman is somewhat cheesy, but noteworthy . I loved Debra Winger in the 70's and 80's, and Richard Gere was hot back in the day before he got kinda strange.

P- Perfume--Any of you who know me at all, know that I am an obsessed fragrance collector. I have literally traveled the globe getting those ever elusive fragrances. Suskind outdid himself on the book, and the movie totally hypnotizes me. I LOVE IT!
We were actually in Frankfurt, Germany for one of the European premieres of the movie and it was very exciting.

Q--The Queen--I think Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen were fabulous in this movie. Totally believable. I look forward to seeing Michael in Frost/Nixon.

R--Rainman, Reality Bites, and Rear Window-- Whatever. I know Tom Cruise is Tom Cruise Crazy, but oh how I loved him back in the day. Plus, Dustin Hoffman was BRILLIANT. Part of Rainman was filmed in a small town in Oklahoma by a church where I sometimes attended, and the excitement when they filmed there was palpable. I will always have a special place in my heart for Rainman. Reality Bites was like a coming of age film for me. I love the soundtrack and Ethan Hawke --YUMMY! I know he now looks like a burnout who needs a shower, but I would still have dinner with him. Rear Window is a fave from my childhood. I loved Alfred Hitchcock when I was young.

S--*so many of my faves start with S so I will not give any details, I will just list them* The Sound of Music, Selena (I know shut up), Shawshenk Redemption, Steel Magnolias, Silence of the Lambs, Something for Joey,..ETC. I could literally list about 10 more but I won't bore you.

T-- To Kill A Mockingbird and Terms Of Endearment- Gregory Peck enough said, and Terms of Endearment ALWAYS makes me cry. Marriage issues, health issues, Mom issues, so many issues. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger were both brilliant.

U-*Let me say that movies starting with U are very hard to come by, so please do not judge me too harshly for what I am about to write* URBAN COWBOY- that's right, I said it. I rarely watch movies anymore, so most of the movies I pick as favorites are from my youth, and please know when I was a youth I lived in Oklahoma where a movie like Urban Cowboy was cool. When I was in primary school, my teacher, Mrs. Mosley was going to let our class watch a movie on a fancy new high tech gadget called a VCR. We got to vote on what movie we wanted to watch. Everyone wrote a movie down and put it into a bucket then Mrs. Mosley counted the votes. The votes were as follows: 17 for E.T., 3 for Back To the Future, and 1 for Urban Cowboy. I'll let you guess my vote. Mrs. Mosley laughed and laughed and laughed. Bitch.

V- La Vita e Belle --Known in the U.S. as Life is Beautiful, but I was stretching for a movie that starts with V. It is a lovely movie.

W-Waiting to Exhale--*edited to add What's Eating Gilbert Grape-I love a movie about strong women.... strong and hateful women. It was back before Whitney got on the pipe, and she was so gorgeous and talented. Also, I love Angela Basset. I adore What's Eating Gilbert Grape. It is so dysfunctional, and so entertaining. I think Leonardo is genius. Johnny Depp and Juliet Lewis are freaks, and the woman that plays his mother is so honest in her portrayal. Easily one of my all time faves!

X--I got nothing. I could put X-Men but honestly I have never seen it. I do not watch superhero movies. I still have not even seen the latest Batman movie.

Y--Yentl--It is Barbara as a man. She sings, she frolics, she's awesome.

Z- Zoolander-- A far cry from a favorite, but I have seen it and it starts with Z and Ben Stiller is hot and funny--so there you go.

Finished. I guess I need to watch more movies, but as I said before, it seems I NEVER have 2 hours to just sit and watch a movie. I appreciate Pat tagging me and I am sorry it took me so long to finish this post. I was in Paris for Thanksgiving and I will post on that later in the week.

Have a great day.

**oh and I was kidding about Mrs. Mosley being a bitch. She was a good teacher.

TAGGED to do a favorite movie post....eeeks.

Hello All,
My friend Pat, who writes a brilliant movie blog over at DOODAD KIND OF TOWN has tagged me to list my favorite movies alphabetically. I am not an avid movie watcher, in fact I rarely sit down long enough to watch a whole movie, not to mention I am no good at making lists, as I sometimes cannot remember my favorite things (whether it be movies, beauty products, etc) becasue the world "list" fills my chest cavity with so much unnecessary pressure.
I am going to do this post in 2 parts, because my brain might combust if I tried to do it all at once.
I did not read anyone else's list (including Pat's) prior do doing mine, as I did not want to be influenced or tempted to copy anyone else's answer....so this is all organic and all mine..try not to judge and/or laugh.
A-M

A- All The President's Men - Although I was a child when I first saw this movie, I liked it. I cannot say that I understood all of it, but all the adults in my family were interested in Watergate, so I sort of understood. Now that I am an adult I can totally appreciate this movie.

B- Beaches- Seriously, Bette is brilliant in this movie. I love a story about humor, music, and everlasting friendship. (honorable mention goes to Belle du Jour, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Barefoot in the Park )

C- Cinema Paradiso- Beautiful story of a boy and his mentor set in Italy. Thanks Prufrock for introducing me to this lovely movie.

D- Dr. Zhivago or La Dolce Vita- These are both movies I grew up watching. I have always thought Julie Christie was so elegant, and her with Omar in the Russian snow is simply amazing! La Dolce Vita--Fellini is a genius, Anita is gorgeous, and the cinematography of Rome back then is so moving. (honorable mention goes to Dirty Dancing (shut up), Dead Poet's Society, Don't Look Now, or Delicatessen)

E- Les Enfatns du Paradis- Beautiful French movie that I first saw when I was very young, but I still love to this day. It is the story of a beautiful French lady who is courted by an actor, and mime and a criminal --all set in France. I mean come on people--that is my fantasy life.

F- Father of The Bride--I know, but it is sweet and it is funny and it stars Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. There may have been better and more profound movies I have seen that start with the letter "F" , but none are coming to me this morning.

G- Grease- I know, I know....this movie posseses so much nostalgia for me. I really do love it. It is fun and simple...two of my favorite things.

H- Harvey--the original with Jimmy Stewart. I saw this movie when I was a little girl, and even as a small child, I was very moved by the story of kindness and of guardian angels (for lack of better term). I also saw a stage version when I was little and I loved it. Such a sweet story, and please....what is not to love about anything Jimmy Stewart stars in. Love him!

I- Um....yeeks, I got nothing for this one. I have racked my brain, and I just do not think I am particulary impressed with anything that starts with "I".

J- Jour de Fete- I love the sweet and Chaplinesque feel of this lovley French film.

K- Kissing Jessica Stein--I love this movie. I love the main character's awkward, quirky, sincere humor. I think the writing is smart, the soundtrack is fabulous, and I love that they make New York City such an important part of the whole package.

L- Little Manhattan, Little Shop of Horrors, or Love Actually--Ok, I cannot decide on which is my favorite out of these three. None of them are particulary earthshattering, but I love them all. Little Manhattan is so very sweet, and again I adore the soundtrack and the featured backdrop of New York City. Little Shop -again with my love for Steve Martin, and Ellen Green is amazing. I love the movie version of this musical much more than any stage production I have seen. Love Actually, what can I say? Such a cast, such fun, and so very very sweet.

M- The Magdalene Sisters- I suffer from a bit of insomnia, and although that sucks-it is also a great way to see offbeat movies that are not usually shown during regular hours. I saw The Magdalene Sisters a few years ago in the middle of the night, and I LOVED it. So quirky and scary and sad, yet totally believable. It takes place in Ireland at a convent in the 1950's or 1960's and it is so true to the era and the place. I loved it.

Happy Birthday Finley!!

Today my little Precious Puppy Pot Pie turns 2. I guess that means he is 14 in canine years, but to me, he is still a baby.

This is Fin playing ball in the backyard...the way the wind caught his fur as he ran made him look hilarious.

I love when he does this becaues it looks like he is tending bar. Look at that little skin roll above his tail....oh I could just die from the cuteness!
With one of his favorite toys. He is the master of playing catch.Trying to make time with a cougar statue he took a shine to.Speaking of taking a shine.....he fell madly in love with my friend Emily. I mean come on, she is cute as a button and charming to boot- seriously-look at her camo hat. Em and Finley slow danced then went for Indian food and I was totally left out in the cold.
He is never happier than on a walk.Being precious can really make you tired.

I am going to work on my Alphabet movie meme survey from my friend Pat this weekend, and in keeping with movies, I am going to see Dirty Dancing --The Musical this weekend also. It should be interesting. If the musical is anything like the movie, I will be over the moon and saying every line.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FIN-A-LOOOOOO!

(all photos property of MonkeyPosh LLC)

Thanks Mary!

Bon jour!

I know...I know...how do I expect to have any blog readers when I never blog? Please accept my deepest apologies, but I have not been home. I have been busy going places...like SONIC. Thanks MARY!!! I have been in a diet cherry limeade/diet vanilla coke coma for the past couple of weeks. I only wish my Sonic sold the fried pickles....then my life would be complete.

I have been really busy traveling, working, trying to decide about a kitchen renovation, silently thinking A LOT about this election, going back to school, and trying to avoid my nosy and very inappropriate neighbors. In an effort to escape the daily grind and to see some beautiful Fall foliage, my husband and I took a day trip to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

I have lived in this area for over 10 years, and I have always heard how "nice and \posh " Lake Geneva is. I have driven through on my way to other places, and it did not look that nice and fancy to me, but maybe I was missing the magic....so off to Lake Geneva we went. Many people have claimed that Lake Geneva is "The Hamptons of the Midwest". I have come to the conclusion that this is what people WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE HAMPTONS call it. Although the leaves were beautiful, and the lake itself is nice enough....I was just not having it.
Yes, I know....lovely...BUT

There were LOUD, OBNOXIOUS motorcycles EVERYWHERE. I am not a fan of Harleys and the whole Harley culture. Sorry, but just not my thing. I have worked with many motorcycle groups through various charities and they are so nice and always willing to help, BUT very loud and dangerous modes of transportation (that more often than not include white tank tops) are not my thing.
After our day of lake frolicking we decided to come back home and get some Fall shots around our house.

I love this family of geese.

Have a beautiful day!

(all photos property of MonkeyPosh LLC)