Archive for December, 2008

Dream Hotels, Wizard of Oz and Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

I so wish I had written this (too short) article on the must-see hotels of the world.  I think about things like this all of the time!

Been watching far too much tv lately.  Stuff on the Lifetime channel, even!  Can I just say that my hands-down favorite part of The Wizard of Oz are the sepia toned scenes in the beginning and end.  I wish the whole movie had been shot like that.  Speaking of Oz, I also really like the Annie Leibovitz shot Vogue feature with Keira Knightley as Dorothy.  And the Harry Connick Jr. version of If I Only Had A Brain off of his brilliant “20″ cd.

And lastly I’d like to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

 

17 Cherry Tree Lane

Saturday, December 20th, 2008


Photo via Kenneth, was not able to find contact info for permission to repost so hope it’s okay.

When searching for the perfect historic house, one sometimes must look toward the fanciful rather than the realistic. And in that frame of thinking, what could be more fun than living at the charming Georgian(?) house at 17 Cherry Tree Lane? Sure you’ll have servants who talk back and a somewhat flaky nanny with magical powers… but the neighborhood is charming and the views from the rooftop are unparalleled. Did I mention a clean chimney?

Miss Lark next door owns a number of dogs to keep strangers away. The Admiral down the street is an upstanding member of society and keeps clocks running on time. I think you get the picture…

Of course I’m talking about P.L Travers famous creation Mary Poppins and the Banks family house in Hampstead. One of those fictional houses that looks so inviting on screen or paper that you can’t help but sigh when you see it. Something I’ve mentioned in previous posts.

Plus who wouldn’t want to live on a street called Cherry Tree Lane. Lush beauty products even named a bath soap after 17 Cherry Tree Lane (which includes a spoonful of sugar!).

 

Saving Cookbooks

Friday, December 12th, 2008

There was an interesting story on NPR the other day about Hurricane Katrina victims writing in to the Times-Picayune newspaper to get replacement recipes for the ones they lost. If you think about what you would miss most if lost in a flood or fire, you might not put cookbooks near the top… but New Orleans takes its food very seriously…

I’ve asked for the Ellie Krieger cookbook for Christmas in hopes that I might actually not only cook something but cook something healthy. Still, if you were to ask me my favorite cookbook of all time, it would have to be the Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys & Girls circa 1965. Not so much because of the recipes… but more for the food styling in the photos. Classic stuff. Especially the cakes.

Photo from A Guide To Betty Crocker cookbooks.

I wonder if my Mom still has that somewhere. Probably next to the Free To Be… You And Me album.

Dang, I miss that too.

Home for the Holidays

Saturday, December 6th, 2008

This weekend provides a rare opportunity for people like you and me to get a glimpse inside some of the wonderful homes of East Sacramento during the Sacred Heart Home Tour. Admission is a bit steep at $30 ($20 advanced) but it’s for a good cause…

 

Speaking of delightful old houses… check out this charming Georgian house advent calendar (first spied on Posy’s adorable blog). I could crawl inside and live there forever!

If you are planning to drive around looking at Christmas lights this December, be sure to stop at Ginger Elizabeth’s for a cup of her amazing Oaxacan Hot Chocolate with homemade marshmallows. [If you recall this was on my list of to-do’s for December] I’m so addicted to everything in her shop… I have to restrain myself and count the days between visits.

After indulging at GE’s shop, you might want to walk/jog/dance it off while listening to some new tunes. I’m at an age now where I rarely buy new music but I was in a bar on Thankgiving night… which sounds more dubious than it was… surrounded by fresh out of college hipsters and listening to a great band on the jukebox. I liked the tune so much, I leaned over the bar and yelled to the bartender “who is this?” – pointing up in the air at some undefinable entity above. The bartender continued to dry a glass as she stoically replied, “The Kills.”

And this next bit is what makes me feel old… I actually got out a pen and piece of paper and wrote down the name of the band. C’mon! Because The Kills is just too hard for me to remember? I could understand if it was Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci…

Anyway, I bought the cd and have been enjoying it this week. I also recommend going back and checking out their previous releases.