July 31, 2008
July 30, 2008
Tennis anyone...
I just signed up recently for USTA in NYC and am excited for some healthy competition on the tennis court. Obviously there is the need for cute tennis gear as well....Game on!
Children's Books...
"Growing up is such a barbarous business, full of inconvenience..." Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
Stocking the shelves with imagination is ageless, blogger Gramercy Gaslight Girl lists her favorite livres d'efants.
July 29, 2008
Weekend in Rome...
Where to stay: Eat & Drink:
What to do:
Museo Nazionale Etrusco
The Pantheon
Where to shop:
Federico Polidori
July 28, 2008
Birdie...
Saturday I got my first 'birdie' on the 9th hole at R.I. A good game makes you want to get on the course more often, and I need alot more practice than hitting buckets of balls at Chelsea Piers in NYC. A couple years ago I took a girls clinic at Presidio Golf Club, check out Golf Link for a listing of golf clinics all over the U.S.
I Love NY...
One year ago today I landed in NYC for Part Deux! It was a long flight from San Francisco on the red eye. I slept on a pull out couch till my things arrived on the moving trucks - 3 weeks later. Time flies.
July 24, 2008
Isla...
A few times I've stated on the blog, that I HEART Mexico! Last night I heard of another great authentic spot called Isla Mujeres, located 8 Miles from Cancun, and just a ferry ride away. The island is five miles long however most visitors never leave the small town located at the west end of the island. Near the Yukatan, it's a favorite, as it's much smaller than Cozumel and more upscale than Holbox. The small town has shopping, great restaruants and beautiful beaches. Get around on mopeds and golf carts, snorkel, fish, swim with sharks, lounge, eat & drink;) Stay at Casa El Pio or Casa Zama or check out TripAdvisor for alternatives.July 23, 2008
Avocados...
A few years back my good friends used to host an annual guacamole fiesta! It entailed 10 teams of 3-5 people, who had to come up with a unique guacamole recipe. you were judged on taste and presentation (making a replica of palm trees and avocado waves perhaps?). I was inspired recently because another friend's family owns an avocado farm in Santa Barbara. For their annual picnic last weekend, avocado heaven! Here are a few recipes:Avocado Pie
2 avocados
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 (9") graham cracker pie shell
Non dairy whipped topping
Chopped walnuts
In blender, add avocados, lemon juice and condensed milk. Blend 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Turn into pie shell. Cover completely with whipped topping and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Chill about 3 hours before serving.
Guacamole
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.
July 22, 2008
Open air cinema...
Watch films on the big screen in Tompkins Square Park* this summer/fall in NYC. A blanket, bottle of wine, and a hopefully a breeze.July 30th - Better off Dead
August 13th - The Graduate
August 27th - Stand by Me
September 10th - The Toy
September 18th - The Shining
*Tompkins Square Park is a 10.5 acre public park in the Alphabet City section of the East Village neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is square in shape, and is bounded on the north by East 10th Street, on the east by Avenue B, on the south by East 7th Street, and on the west by Avenue A. St. Marks Place abuts the park to the west.
July 21, 2008
Amphicar...
The Amphicar was built between 1961 and 1968, reaching maximum speed on land at 70mph and on water at 7mph. It had a special two-part land-and-water transmission built by makers of Porsche and were sold back then at about $2,800. It was the only civilian amphibious passenger automobile ever to be produced and are hard to find these days, one recently sold for $100,000. Can you imagine Gumball Rally amphicar style? Check out the enthusiasts at Amphicar online.
July 18, 2008
Sustainable clubbing...
Club4Climate has teamed up with the world leaders in environmentally sustainable dance clubs. Clubbing isn't really my thing, but it's an interesting concept. Property developer Andrew Charalambous (who also goes by the moniker 'Dr. Earth') founded Club4Climate. He also is known for building British eco-friendly club is called Surya in the King’s Cross area of London. The actual dance floor (seen left) absorbs the movement of the dancers and uses springs and crystals to create piezoelectricity, which powers the bar. So..dance your heart out. The club also uses wind turbines and solar cells for power, and any excess energy is transported to private homes in the area. I cannot - not comment on the fact that Andrew is totally going for the Dr. Evil look from Austin Powers, again...interesting.
July 17, 2008
July 16, 2008
For a rainy day...
Queue up the DVD player - here are a few summer themed movie fav's.Caddyshack
Dazed and Confused
Jaws
Meatballs
Summer School
Stealing Home
The Sand Lot
July 15, 2008
Dollar Bill Collages...
Artist and writer, Mark Wagner says, 'The one dollar bill is the most ubiquitous piece of paper in America, what might be done to make it something else?' He finds his purpose in collaging. Visit his site, Smokeinmydreams.com to see his work. His collage's with Camel Light packaging are eerily similar to a series I did in college. All fun & Games...
Jaques London has Croquet, Snooker, Pool, Table Tennis, Indoor and Outdoor games, Football tables, Chess, Traditional English pub games and more. Love his yard games like badminton!
July 14, 2008
Run with the World...
Across 25 cities all over the world, Nike hosts 'The Human Race'. A 10k on August 31st 2008. Run with Nike, or Run on your own and enter your time. Run for chartities including Livestrong, Ninemillion.com, WWF.
July 10, 2008
Eight new natural wonders...
Joggins Fossil Cliffs (Canada)Mount Sanqingshan National Park (China)
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems (France) Surtsey (Iceland)
Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan)
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Mexico)
Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (Switzerland)
Socotra Archipelago (Yemen)
Maison Midi...
I love discovering great french home accessories stores. Here are a few of my favorites at Maison Midi.Fleur de Lis Tumblers (which i have in blue;)
Nolita Girls Night...
I get to host clients in a few weeks at FemmeGemms in Nolita. Such a find, a design-you-own jewlery boutique. You can host a party of up to 8 girls, for $46/per person for a 2 ½ hour party. The reservation cost covers red & white wine, sparkling or flat water, an hors d’oeuvres spread which includes an assortment of vegetable and fish sushi, fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, chips and salsa & hummus, and some nibbles for dessert. Assembly fees (basic clasps and wire stringing), after-hours and staffing expenses are also included in the reservation fees. The costs of the *jewelry* designs are additional and paid the night of the event.
July 9, 2008
I heart Mad Libs...
Who doesn't like a little Mad Libs? You can now play online, I personally am a fan of the verbal Mad Libs game created on a walk in San Francisco with my friend Morgan, it led to much silliness and laughing.A little history from the founder...
The creation of Mad Libs is directly linked to my inability to spell “hyperbole” in a 7th grade spelling bee. Humiliated and embarrassed beyond words, I ran home to take refuge in the family dictionary, determined to learn the correct spelling and exact meaning of as many words as humanly possible. The dictionary became my constant companion—my roommate. Even today, it’s by my bedside, and on sleepless nights I make a point of learning at least one new word. Last night it was “orthogonal.”
Random Acts of Kindness...
The Random Acts of Kindess Foundation is a non-profit organization that inspires people to practice kindness and to “pass it on” to others. We provide free educational and community ideas, guidance, and other resources to kindness participants. Kind of like a 'pay it forward' concept. They offer activity ideas, lesson plans, project plans, teacher's guide, project planning guide, publicity guide, and workplace resources on their website to try and create global compassion and awareness. Become a member today!
July 8, 2008
Netherland Book Review...
The Statesman reviews Joseph O'Neill's 'Netherland' and draws a parallel to F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. Referred to as 'a sober and joyful response to Gatsby,' the novel portrays two great love's: the city of New York and the game of cricket. A lover myself of stream of conscious and lyrical verse, I enjoyed the self-reflective and retrospective tone. This post 9/11 novel idle's in purgatory of human condition and the experience of living in New York City, while the characters embrace and connect. Much like my own belief about life, it expresses the importance of the journey and not the destination. It was a quick holiday weekend read.
Snowball in Hell...
I tried to find out the recipe for the infamous dessert at the Clarke Cooke House in Newport that always seems to find it's way to the table following dinner, with about 8 spoons fighting over every last bite. One food critic's theory is that it's a 'chocolate roulade (sort of like a Swiss roll) in a red-wine goblet, covered with vanilla ice cream, which is covered in its turn with a chocolate fudge sauce upon which toasted coconut has been liberally sprinkled.' Whatever it is...it's heaven and I may just have to make it my mission this weekend to get to the bottom of it, literally;)July 7, 2008
Modern Design Print...
Illustrator & designer Jen Renninger's gallery on Etsy is a cool mid-century modern collection. My favorite is the Modern Design Alphabet Poster.
The Goods...
New York Times Magazine's Summer Travel 2008 series takes us to Portland, Maine. Dishing up the goods on everything from eating at the Lobster Shack to shopping at Rogues gallery and resting at the Shining Sails Bed & Breakfast on Monhegan Island.
July 2, 2008
Sun Block...
The sun can be strong, especially for little ones with sensitive skin. I found an article about sun block for kids that was interesting, it said like most cosmetics, sunscreens contain chemicals that are best avoided. The Environmental Working Group says the toxic sunscreen chemical oxybenzone, which has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage, is in almost 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. Instead, they recommend trying oxybenzone-free creams that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which rest on top of the skin and won't get absorbed into it. Try Dr. Hauschka and Lavera, which are certified-natural products and also Coolibar,
July 1, 2008
Happy July 4th ...
Yay, stars & stripes! My second favorite holiday, behind Thanksgiving, is the 4th of July - this pic to the left was 4th of July in Tahoe a few years ago, since then I spent it chasing fireworks in Sun Valley, Mexico, Newport, RI, Napa, San Diego and San Francisco.Here are a few things to get you in the spirit for this Friday. Enjoy whereever you are & be safe;)
Men
Ralph Lauren Men's Polo
Tiffany American Flag cuff links
Tucker Blair American Flag Needlepoint belt
Ladies
CK Bradley Avery Shorts
J.Crew Striped Boatneck
Theory White Sailor Pants
And for your backyard bbq or cocktail party, go to Plum Party for festive decorations.
Outside Lands Concert...
San Francisco's Outside Lands Music & Art Fesitval in August at Golden Park is definitely one thing to put on the calendar this summer. Even if you don't live on the left coast. Familiar performers like Radiohead, Tom Petty, Beck, Steve Winwood, Jack Johnson, Wilco, Widespread Panic, Ben Harper, Regina Spektor, Toots & the Maytals, Broken Social Scene, Rogue Wave and others are headling this 3 day concert starting August 22nd.
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