OK, one of the great summer (or if you're me...fall, winter and spring as well) pleasures is eating ice cream or frozen yogurt. I'm not necessarily a purist, but most of the time I am just as happy with my ice cream or frozen yogurt plain as I am with some sort of topping or sprinkles embellishing the top in a fancy way.
The exception to that is at Fenton's Ice Creamery in Oakland, California...that bastion of ice cream excess that is a decades old tradition for UC Berekely students especially Cal's sorority girls which I once was. We (and when I say we I mean as in 10-20 of us) used to make regular treks to this place to where we literally inhaled the most humongous ice cream sundaes you have ever seen. The most popular one was (and still is) called a Black & Tan. Traditionally, the Black & Tan is served with layers upon layers of Toasted Almond ice cream, Vanilla ice cream (I go for all Toasted Almond ice cream...others have been known to go with all Swiss Chocolate - Fenton's is very accomodating when it comes to these kind of requests), caramel sauce and creamy dark fudge sauce, then topped with a huge mound of whipped cream, slivered almonds and a bright red cherry.
The parfait glass it is served in overflows to the point of being ridiculous...by the time you've eaten just the top part of the ice cream and hit the glass part of the serving cup you've probably already consumed the equivalent of several ice cream cones. But you can't possibly stop because you have all that luscious caramel and fudge (made specially by the Fenton's people) to dig into...which you do by lowering your spoon ever so gently into the depths of that parfait glass bringing up the oozing stuff and plopping it directly into your salivating mouth. I'm telling you there is nothing much better than that. Within a distressingly short period of time you have hit the rock bottom of the cup still licking your spoon as well as contemplating licking the parfait glass to boot (the only thing holding you back is decorum...not wanting to look like a total pig in public though it is tempting).
Well, I am here to tell you that I was able to walk down memory lane at Fenton's when I was in Berkeley visiting Tracy a week or so ago. I made her promise to take me there and God bless her she did. We split a crab salad sandwich (another Fenton's/Cal sorority girl staple) and then indulged our inner gluttons...Tracy with a Swiss Chocolate Milk Shake, me with a Junior Black & Tan - Juniors did not even exist when we were in college - I opted for that version only so I wouldn't seem completely out of control). It was all pure delight...every single spoonful more delicious than the one before...and every one totally reminiscent of the delectable tastes hidden in my cobbed webbed memory banks. Tracy and I had a bunch of fabulous moments in our few days together (not the least of which was cruising the magnificent UC Berkeley campus and feeling 19 years old again!) but that Black & Tan at Fenton's was the highlight...a sense memory bonanza!
There are moments in life that bear repeating and going back to Fenton's for me is one of them...I am already plotting my next trip. And if you find yourself in the East Bay Area at any time I highly recommend you giving it a try yourself...then for sure let me know what you think...
xoxo Nanci
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Lovely Lazy Summer
I had big plans for this summer...big, big plans. I was going to really delve into my writing...specifically my new play, "SUGAR & STILETTOS - an obsessive baking odyssey". I was going to whip that first draft into tip top shape getting it ready for a first reading which is the first developmental step on the way to a workshop production, then a full production. Oh, yeah, I was going to be in the middle of a creative fire this summer.
Then, I was going to do a ton of recreational baking....tons and tons of new recipe baking...tons and tons of delicious, over the top yummy stuff that I would immediately get up on the S & S website.
Then, I was going to clean out Joshua's room...closets, drawers, shelves....everything. By the time he came home from sleep away camp on Aug. 7th, his life by way of his now perfectly overhauled room, would be transformed completely.
Then, I was going to get into shape...I mean REALLY good shape...lots of exercising, eating right and taking exceptionally good care of myself.
Well, I am here to tell you that I have done NONE of those things. Oh, I have read the first draft of my play exactly two times. And, I have tried a couple of new recipes. I have cleared out a few shirts and pants from Joshua's closet that clearly don't fit him anymore...I have even worked up a sweat once or twice...but that's about it.
Instead of a frenzy of activity, I have opted to do, well, not much of anything that requires effort of any kind. Instead, I have chosen to read A LOT of books. Now, I am always reading one book or another (few things make me happier than to be curled up with a good book) so that's no great change in my life except that I'm doing more of it than usual. I've probably plowed through at least seven books in the last month or so.
After dropping Joshua off at camp on July 20th I did go to Chicago to visit my best friend, Penny, for five days where I did enjoy eating a bunch of great food, going to the movies and seeing Jeff Garlin do his stand up routine at Steppenwolf. I've been home since Monday night and have been doing pretty much nothing ever since...a movie and a couple of dinners out if that counts at all. The next fews days I have more nothing planned and then I'll leave for San Francisco on Tuesday to spend four days with my UC Berkeley friend, Tracy (yes, she of the Cal Cheerleading outfit fame). We are going to go to the theatre, eat a lot of great food, maybe go to Napa for a day, stroll on campus and pretend that we are nineteen again...yes, it's going to be grueling. I'll get home just in time to pick Joshua up from camp.
For the next month after that, I have to admit that I have more nothing whatsoever planned. I felt very guilty about all of this crazy low key energy in the beginning but now I've just given in to my lovely lazy ways of the summer of 2011. Some things are simply meant to be...it's actually quite delightful and liberating.
So, my darlings. all I can say is follow your heart. If it tells you to be busier than a bee, than go for it....buzz around to your heart's content. However, if it tells you to kick back and enjoy a long, slow ride for a while...well, do just that...be still your heart...the world will most definitely be there for you whenever you feel like returning to the rat race!
xoxo Nanci
Then, I was going to do a ton of recreational baking....tons and tons of new recipe baking...tons and tons of delicious, over the top yummy stuff that I would immediately get up on the S & S website.
Then, I was going to clean out Joshua's room...closets, drawers, shelves....everything. By the time he came home from sleep away camp on Aug. 7th, his life by way of his now perfectly overhauled room, would be transformed completely.
Then, I was going to get into shape...I mean REALLY good shape...lots of exercising, eating right and taking exceptionally good care of myself.
Well, I am here to tell you that I have done NONE of those things. Oh, I have read the first draft of my play exactly two times. And, I have tried a couple of new recipes. I have cleared out a few shirts and pants from Joshua's closet that clearly don't fit him anymore...I have even worked up a sweat once or twice...but that's about it.
Instead of a frenzy of activity, I have opted to do, well, not much of anything that requires effort of any kind. Instead, I have chosen to read A LOT of books. Now, I am always reading one book or another (few things make me happier than to be curled up with a good book) so that's no great change in my life except that I'm doing more of it than usual. I've probably plowed through at least seven books in the last month or so.
After dropping Joshua off at camp on July 20th I did go to Chicago to visit my best friend, Penny, for five days where I did enjoy eating a bunch of great food, going to the movies and seeing Jeff Garlin do his stand up routine at Steppenwolf. I've been home since Monday night and have been doing pretty much nothing ever since...a movie and a couple of dinners out if that counts at all. The next fews days I have more nothing planned and then I'll leave for San Francisco on Tuesday to spend four days with my UC Berkeley friend, Tracy (yes, she of the Cal Cheerleading outfit fame). We are going to go to the theatre, eat a lot of great food, maybe go to Napa for a day, stroll on campus and pretend that we are nineteen again...yes, it's going to be grueling. I'll get home just in time to pick Joshua up from camp.
For the next month after that, I have to admit that I have more nothing whatsoever planned. I felt very guilty about all of this crazy low key energy in the beginning but now I've just given in to my lovely lazy ways of the summer of 2011. Some things are simply meant to be...it's actually quite delightful and liberating.
So, my darlings. all I can say is follow your heart. If it tells you to be busier than a bee, than go for it....buzz around to your heart's content. However, if it tells you to kick back and enjoy a long, slow ride for a while...well, do just that...be still your heart...the world will most definitely be there for you whenever you feel like returning to the rat race!
xoxo Nanci
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Les Fleurs Magnifiques!
Is there anything better, really, than fragrant fresh flowers in your home or garden? Alright, maybe a close tie with the sensual scent of just baked sweet treats...but, come on, those fresh flowers, like the scent of a powdered baby's behind, melts my heart and my senses every time...it fills me with such joy and serenity I don't know what to do with myself except to savor and enjoy the moment...all the while sipping a glass of wine, preferably a Provencal rose, and rocking rhythmically back and forth on my front porch rocker...ah, the nirvana of it all...
I've always liked being surrounded by fresh flowers but it was during my time living in Paris that I really came to appreciate the beauty of a bouquet. I loved spending time cruising the stalls at the flower market on Ile de la Cite or just buying something at my local florist. Not a week went by without a new arrangement in my tiny 5th floor walk up apartment in the 5eme arrondisement (near the Sorbonne and the Jardin du Luxembourg). The flowers made my miniscule space seem bigger, more open, more inviting. And there are just certain things the French do with such flair that you'd have to be totally unconscious not to notice...I noticed the floral obsession as well as the wine, bread, pastry, fashion and food obsessions...OOH LA LA!
Back in the States I try to have fresh flowers in the house as often as possible plus my English style garden has been a priority since I had it designed thirteen years ago. Even though my front and back yards are very small my garden is a complete indulgence...way too expensive to maintain...but such a breathtaking delight and joy to behold that I can't let it go.
My favorite flower has to be the incredibly fragrant Star Gazer Lily which literally fills my house with its intoxicating scent. I also love, love, love roses, peonies, sweet peas and jasmine...all flowers that are not only gorgeous to look at but also beautiful to smell. My Grandma Rose (my father's mother) used to have a rose garden at my Aunt Irene's house where she lived. I have such fond memories of her taking me by my little five year old hand out to her roses and smelling them together. To this day, every time I see or smell a rose I think of her.
Anyway, feast your eyes on the two arrangements above that were donated by Juliet of Bouvardia Flowers and Gabriela of Vida Floral for the Sugar & Stielttos Bake Sale Extravaganza...as you can see both extraordinarily gifted artists of the floral type....and next time you think that you don't have enough money to splurge on a bouquet of flowers for yourself and your home...think again and buy them...it will change the way you live each moment all week long...
xoxo Nanci
 |
| Bouvardia Flowers arrangement |
Back in the States I try to have fresh flowers in the house as often as possible plus my English style garden has been a priority since I had it designed thirteen years ago. Even though my front and back yards are very small my garden is a complete indulgence...way too expensive to maintain...but such a breathtaking delight and joy to behold that I can't let it go.
 |
| Vida Floral arrangement |
Anyway, feast your eyes on the two arrangements above that were donated by Juliet of Bouvardia Flowers and Gabriela of Vida Floral for the Sugar & Stielttos Bake Sale Extravaganza...as you can see both extraordinarily gifted artists of the floral type....and next time you think that you don't have enough money to splurge on a bouquet of flowers for yourself and your home...think again and buy them...it will change the way you live each moment all week long...
xoxo Nanci
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bake Sale Extravaganza MADNESS...so much ridiculous FUN!
Well, to say that the first annual SUGAR & STILETTOS Bake Sale Extravaganza for Charity on May 21st was a HUGE success would be a bit of an understatement. To say that is was ridiculous FUN would be another crazy understatement. Then to say that is was beyond all expectations and oh, so yummy and delicious would also be an insane understatement. I think you get the picture.
The day before, on May 20th, my house was a beehive of activity with volunteers headed by super club member, Eleanor Strauss, accepting deliveries of homemade treats all day long and packaging them in our beautiful Sugar & Stilettos finest. Deliveries and pick-ups of many of our professional treats went on throughout the day as well. My friend, Tracy McAllister (a UC Berkeley friend of over 30 years), came down from the Bay Area to help for the entire weekend...she literally drove all over the Westside for me...how amazing is that?! My friend, Madeline Cripe, who lives on the valley side of Los Angeles, drove around that side of town picking up tons of stuff and then bringing it all over the hill to my house. Again, I say, how cool is that?! Like these people have nothing better to do than help me...really...I am so blessed.
I was in constant motion...never leaving the house but busy, busy, busy...putting out small fires as they came up getting the finishing touches on a thousand last minute things. I don't think I even sat down until late that night when Joshua was finally asleep and everyone was gone. Even then I had to take some Tylenol PM to insure that I would sleep at least a bit because my heart was racing like nobody's business with all the excitement of what was soon to come after so many months of hard work, planning and plotting.
Saturday morning, I was up at the crack of dawn grabbing a hot cup of coffee to fortify me (my morning ritual) which comforted me greatly. Then the parade began...my hairdresser, Stephanie, arrived at 830am to give me her best S & S Up-Do fitting my tiara just so (see photo above)...it was my one beauty indulgence...alright I had another one...my sister-in-law Jacklynn, a professional hair and make-up stylist, helped me with my make-up in the morning and throughout the day did touch ups (not to mention helping with just about everything else!)...it was such a luxury and made feel like I was back in my soap opera acting days in NYC.
First, Miki Harris, (caterer, friend and sister of the above mentioned Tracy), came and started whipping my house (front and back yards) into a sea of hot pink perfection. Tables were draped in pink, balloons were hung, flowers placed just so...and then the parade of treats and merchandise began...piled high everywhere...it was a sight to behold. Tracy continued to do the last of the pick-ups and her other sister, Lex (she of the fabulous promo skills and creator of our stunning S & S aprons) was also an impressive whirling dervish. The troops of volunteers began showing up to help and away we went into never, never land!
By the time "doors" opened at 11am we were ready. The first 50 people got a free S & S gift (an adorable transparent cutting board)...each entrant got a raffle ticket and then every 20 minutes a winner was chosen...the prize was a FREE pastry of their choice and believe me there were a million choices! One of my personal favorites were the gorgeous cupcakes that owner, Leslie Danelian of Sweet Butter Kitchen and Cafe in Sherman Oaks, designed especially for the bake sale (see photo above)...how
S & S PARFAIT(perfect) are those beauties!
My brilliant niece, Casey, continued to have great ideas that made things run more smoothly and wonderfully plus she was one of our extraordinary photographers (BTW she had just graduated with honors from Emerson College in Boston the week before!). Barbara Jansen also took breathtaking photos that Casey and I are still sorting through. Gabby Greigo was expertly videoing every minute of the lovely pandemonium. Club member and event volunteer co-ordinator, Lisa Murphy, took to the megaphone and practically found herself a new career. Celeste Figmaka Candido turned into a selling machine. Wendy Morales and her friend, Linda Ramos, held down the fort at the cashier's table.
The music blasting out into the warm air and sunny skies was put together by my talented son, Joshua, who also headed up the Kid's Table with his friends...they all did a terrific job of setting up and selling their treats...welcoming every child who wanted to participate and helping every customer decide what to buy or sample. Michael Warren (Hill St. Blues), Kathleen Noone (All My Children) and Nancy Sullivan (Drake & Josh) all showed up to lend their support. Genevieve Ruitort of the Westside Food Bank and Paul Rubenstein of St. Joseph Center were with us to answer questions about their organizations and the tireless work they do helping those most in need. And my parents, God bless them, took prominent places in the middle of all the backyard activity marveling at the controlled (slightly!) chaos that their daughter had created and eating their fair share of sweet treats. It was quite the circus atmosphere...
At 1:30pm my good friend, comedien and actor Richard Lewis, arrived. His wife, Joyce (also a good friend and unbelievable mentor who had already been at the event from the beginning) and I circled around Richard getting him ready for the piece de resistance that we had been cooking up for months. Can you guess what we convinced him to do in the name of a good cause? Probably not...check out the photo above...no, your eyes are not deceiving you...that IS Richard Lewis in stilettos and a tiara...OOH LA LA! He was such a good sport about all the cameras that went immediately flashing in his face. It was such a delicious (sorry, couldn't help it!) moment and time during the event.
The merriment continued...people laughing, eating, dancing...children and adults alike generally being joyful and happy. To top it off, when Joshua and I went to count the money later (like 10pm) this is what we discovered...combined with the pre and post sales I did we raised over $6,000.00 and we're still counting...money is still coming in and I have high hopes that we will reach $7,000.00. Do you know how many women and children the WFB and SJC will be able to feed with that money? I can tell you that it is literally hundreds, perhaps thousands...now that is really something to feel proud of...makes me feel just silly giddy. I'm thinking at least $10,000.00 next year...why not, right?!
As the day ended the sense of community created and the raised awareness was awe inspiring...simply put...priceless. Everyone started talking about the 2012 Extravaganza...what more could I ask for?
Merci beaucoup, beaucoup, beaucoup to each sponsor, donor, volunteer and customer who came and shared in our passion and mission...there are far too many of you for me to name personally in this blog but believe me, I know who you are and am eternally grateful.
When you have time don't forget to check out the Bake Sale Page on the website plus our Facebook and Twitter pages for more details plus tons of pictures and video clips...it will all be posted very soon...that way you'll be able to relive the fun or feel it for the first time...it's MAGIC is infectious...you'll have a smile on your face and a glow in your heart for days...
xoxo Nanci
The day before, on May 20th, my house was a beehive of activity with volunteers headed by super club member, Eleanor Strauss, accepting deliveries of homemade treats all day long and packaging them in our beautiful Sugar & Stilettos finest. Deliveries and pick-ups of many of our professional treats went on throughout the day as well. My friend, Tracy McAllister (a UC Berkeley friend of over 30 years), came down from the Bay Area to help for the entire weekend...she literally drove all over the Westside for me...how amazing is that?! My friend, Madeline Cripe, who lives on the valley side of Los Angeles, drove around that side of town picking up tons of stuff and then bringing it all over the hill to my house. Again, I say, how cool is that?! Like these people have nothing better to do than help me...really...I am so blessed.
I was in constant motion...never leaving the house but busy, busy, busy...putting out small fires as they came up getting the finishing touches on a thousand last minute things. I don't think I even sat down until late that night when Joshua was finally asleep and everyone was gone. Even then I had to take some Tylenol PM to insure that I would sleep at least a bit because my heart was racing like nobody's business with all the excitement of what was soon to come after so many months of hard work, planning and plotting.
First, Miki Harris, (caterer, friend and sister of the above mentioned Tracy), came and started whipping my house (front and back yards) into a sea of hot pink perfection. Tables were draped in pink, balloons were hung, flowers placed just so...and then the parade of treats and merchandise began...piled high everywhere...it was a sight to behold. Tracy continued to do the last of the pick-ups and her other sister, Lex (she of the fabulous promo skills and creator of our stunning S & S aprons) was also an impressive whirling dervish. The troops of volunteers began showing up to help and away we went into never, never land!
S & S PARFAIT(perfect) are those beauties!
My brilliant niece, Casey, continued to have great ideas that made things run more smoothly and wonderfully plus she was one of our extraordinary photographers (BTW she had just graduated with honors from Emerson College in Boston the week before!). Barbara Jansen also took breathtaking photos that Casey and I are still sorting through. Gabby Greigo was expertly videoing every minute of the lovely pandemonium. Club member and event volunteer co-ordinator, Lisa Murphy, took to the megaphone and practically found herself a new career. Celeste Figmaka Candido turned into a selling machine. Wendy Morales and her friend, Linda Ramos, held down the fort at the cashier's table.
The music blasting out into the warm air and sunny skies was put together by my talented son, Joshua, who also headed up the Kid's Table with his friends...they all did a terrific job of setting up and selling their treats...welcoming every child who wanted to participate and helping every customer decide what to buy or sample. Michael Warren (Hill St. Blues), Kathleen Noone (All My Children) and Nancy Sullivan (Drake & Josh) all showed up to lend their support. Genevieve Ruitort of the Westside Food Bank and Paul Rubenstein of St. Joseph Center were with us to answer questions about their organizations and the tireless work they do helping those most in need. And my parents, God bless them, took prominent places in the middle of all the backyard activity marveling at the controlled (slightly!) chaos that their daughter had created and eating their fair share of sweet treats. It was quite the circus atmosphere...
The merriment continued...people laughing, eating, dancing...children and adults alike generally being joyful and happy. To top it off, when Joshua and I went to count the money later (like 10pm) this is what we discovered...combined with the pre and post sales I did we raised over $6,000.00 and we're still counting...money is still coming in and I have high hopes that we will reach $7,000.00. Do you know how many women and children the WFB and SJC will be able to feed with that money? I can tell you that it is literally hundreds, perhaps thousands...now that is really something to feel proud of...makes me feel just silly giddy. I'm thinking at least $10,000.00 next year...why not, right?!
As the day ended the sense of community created and the raised awareness was awe inspiring...simply put...priceless. Everyone started talking about the 2012 Extravaganza...what more could I ask for?
Merci beaucoup, beaucoup, beaucoup to each sponsor, donor, volunteer and customer who came and shared in our passion and mission...there are far too many of you for me to name personally in this blog but believe me, I know who you are and am eternally grateful.
When you have time don't forget to check out the Bake Sale Page on the website plus our Facebook and Twitter pages for more details plus tons of pictures and video clips...it will all be posted very soon...that way you'll be able to relive the fun or feel it for the first time...it's MAGIC is infectious...you'll have a smile on your face and a glow in your heart for days...
xoxo Nanci
Monday, May 16, 2011
We're building a MAN CAVE!
Well, my son, Joshua, at almost 12 years old, is on the cusp of puberty and all things associated with teenagers...loud music, shaggy hair, fits of attitude and high drama emotions, flirtations and ridiculous appetites (especially for boys...my mother used to call my brothers "human garbage disposals" when they were this age). In other words, life is in a hugely transitional state. Joshua is moving up from elementary school in a short month, beginning middle school in September so the future is imminently full of new challenges, adventures and excitements.
Several years ago I made some slight changes to our garage to create a playroom space for Joshua and his friends...lots of shelving and baskets full of toys, art supplies and various costumes/dress up stuff. I stuck in a couch, a table with four chairs, some indoor/outdoor carpeting and slapped some paint on the walls...done deal. In the backyard, there was a play apparatus with a slide, a fort, a swing, and various other things that were a treasure trove of fun. This was all perfect for Joshua's life and development at that time.
However, we are now dealing with an entirely different beast...literally and figuratively...so it was time to make some changes, some BIG changes. The first thing to go was the play apparatus....gone with the wind. The next was to modify the garage playroom.
I had heard, but never personally used, the phrase "Man Cave". It seems in recent months that this term has become common in the daily vernacular, so we decided to call our new venture the "Man Cave" Project. We're starting small because I just can't afford to everything at once right now. This doesn't seem to bother my son in the least..as a matter of fact, it seems to heighten the excitement...each change a true celebration.
So, the first thing we did was to get a black slip cover at Target for the decrepit army green couch...the couch itself is in fine condition, the color is simply fading and quite ugly. Joshua and I had decided on a black/grey/white theme with a few splashes of red thrown in so the couch was an easy fix. While at there, we also got some little black ottomans that can serve as foot stools or seating...muti-tasking furniture...very cool! Then we added a nifty microwave that Joshua insisted on putting in his bedroom first to"break it in". We researched a compact refrigerator/freezer and decided to wait until it went on sale which it did several weeks later. In our spare time (ha, ha!) we got some spray paint and repainted the red tables and chairs a glossy, slick black. Things were beginning to look mighty inticing...so much so that several adult men in our lives were begging for a special pass to gain entry.
The next step, of course, was a trip to Ralph's to stock up on supplies...all the good teenage junk food required of such a place...cup of noodles, sodas, ice cream, mozzarella sticks, mini-sliders, gatorade, twinkies...you get the idea...one can NEVER have too much of this stuff. Now, that meant we also needed paper goods and some shelving to house it...done deal, easy peasy. We were on a roll!
The following things require more money and so will have to trickle in...like changing out the regular garage door for a walk-in type door with plexiglass windows so Mom (me) can look in at anytime and see exactly what is happening inside the "Man Cave". I want every young adolescent (boys and girls alike) to be acutely aware that I will be able to walk by without any notice whatsoever and just peek in...it should keep a slight handle on the types of activities that will be engaged in...at least that's what I'm thinking, hoping and praying for.
Since the indoor/outdoor carpeting is already in place we're in good shape there...just need to give the walls and beams a fresh coat of white paint. Then we'll add a rod and some cheap (though color coordinated) curtains to hang up covering the shelving that still must house luggage and various boxes full of stuff/junk.
The last and most crucial "piece de resistance" will be a flat screen television that will allow the young burgeoning persons a place to watch sports, movies and play a ridiculous amount of Wii/Nintendo/Video games...all the while eating that somewhat disgusting panoply of teenage junk food, whether it be hot or cold.
So, there you have it...can't you just see this vision of Joshua's "Man Cave" as it rises up to take its place in the hallowed annals of architectural excellence? Can't you just feel its "cool, ultra hip vibe"? Honestly, I can't tell you who is enjoying this more...me or my son.
Hope you're having as much fun with your child as I am with mine...
xoxo Nanci
P.S. Since there has been precious little time to do recreational baking, what with the Sugar & Stilettos bake Sake Extravaganza for Charity coming up this Saturday, May 21, 2011/11am-3pm...OOH LA LA...I have been taking advantage of my friends, Jane and Donald Lockhart's, SWEET LADY JANE Bakery...Jane's pastries are sooo very good...and even though I am a chocolate person by nature I simply swoon over her Coconut Cake (she's donating one for the bake sale). Do yourself a favor if you live in the LA area...go there and get a piece...if you don't live nearby check out the website and plan on going when you next come to Los Angeles...you won't be disappointed!
Several years ago I made some slight changes to our garage to create a playroom space for Joshua and his friends...lots of shelving and baskets full of toys, art supplies and various costumes/dress up stuff. I stuck in a couch, a table with four chairs, some indoor/outdoor carpeting and slapped some paint on the walls...done deal. In the backyard, there was a play apparatus with a slide, a fort, a swing, and various other things that were a treasure trove of fun. This was all perfect for Joshua's life and development at that time.
However, we are now dealing with an entirely different beast...literally and figuratively...so it was time to make some changes, some BIG changes. The first thing to go was the play apparatus....gone with the wind. The next was to modify the garage playroom.
I had heard, but never personally used, the phrase "Man Cave". It seems in recent months that this term has become common in the daily vernacular, so we decided to call our new venture the "Man Cave" Project. We're starting small because I just can't afford to everything at once right now. This doesn't seem to bother my son in the least..as a matter of fact, it seems to heighten the excitement...each change a true celebration.
So, the first thing we did was to get a black slip cover at Target for the decrepit army green couch...the couch itself is in fine condition, the color is simply fading and quite ugly. Joshua and I had decided on a black/grey/white theme with a few splashes of red thrown in so the couch was an easy fix. While at there, we also got some little black ottomans that can serve as foot stools or seating...muti-tasking furniture...very cool! Then we added a nifty microwave that Joshua insisted on putting in his bedroom first to"break it in". We researched a compact refrigerator/freezer and decided to wait until it went on sale which it did several weeks later. In our spare time (ha, ha!) we got some spray paint and repainted the red tables and chairs a glossy, slick black. Things were beginning to look mighty inticing...so much so that several adult men in our lives were begging for a special pass to gain entry.
The next step, of course, was a trip to Ralph's to stock up on supplies...all the good teenage junk food required of such a place...cup of noodles, sodas, ice cream, mozzarella sticks, mini-sliders, gatorade, twinkies...you get the idea...one can NEVER have too much of this stuff. Now, that meant we also needed paper goods and some shelving to house it...done deal, easy peasy. We were on a roll!
The following things require more money and so will have to trickle in...like changing out the regular garage door for a walk-in type door with plexiglass windows so Mom (me) can look in at anytime and see exactly what is happening inside the "Man Cave". I want every young adolescent (boys and girls alike) to be acutely aware that I will be able to walk by without any notice whatsoever and just peek in...it should keep a slight handle on the types of activities that will be engaged in...at least that's what I'm thinking, hoping and praying for.
Since the indoor/outdoor carpeting is already in place we're in good shape there...just need to give the walls and beams a fresh coat of white paint. Then we'll add a rod and some cheap (though color coordinated) curtains to hang up covering the shelving that still must house luggage and various boxes full of stuff/junk.
The last and most crucial "piece de resistance" will be a flat screen television that will allow the young burgeoning persons a place to watch sports, movies and play a ridiculous amount of Wii/Nintendo/Video games...all the while eating that somewhat disgusting panoply of teenage junk food, whether it be hot or cold.
So, there you have it...can't you just see this vision of Joshua's "Man Cave" as it rises up to take its place in the hallowed annals of architectural excellence? Can't you just feel its "cool, ultra hip vibe"? Honestly, I can't tell you who is enjoying this more...me or my son.
Hope you're having as much fun with your child as I am with mine...
xoxo Nanci
P.S. Since there has been precious little time to do recreational baking, what with the Sugar & Stilettos bake Sake Extravaganza for Charity coming up this Saturday, May 21, 2011/11am-3pm...OOH LA LA...I have been taking advantage of my friends, Jane and Donald Lockhart's, SWEET LADY JANE Bakery...Jane's pastries are sooo very good...and even though I am a chocolate person by nature I simply swoon over her Coconut Cake (she's donating one for the bake sale). Do yourself a favor if you live in the LA area...go there and get a piece...if you don't live nearby check out the website and plan on going when you next come to Los Angeles...you won't be disappointed!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A Royal Wedding Affair...oh, to be so young, so beautiful and so in love!
I am not really a royal watcher per se and I had convinced myself that I was happily going to sleep through the LIVE televised nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton catching every little bit of the event later in the day when it would, most certainly, be running on a continuous, non-stop loop on every television station, network and cable.
So, I was shocked to find myself awake and glancing at my clock at exactly 3:22am. My then surprising response (at least to me) was to bolt from my bed to my tiny family room clicking on the televsion as quickly as was humanly possible...especially since I already knew that the real action had begun at 3am PST.
By the time my eyes were no longer in a blurry haze I was able to see that William and Kate (or Catherine as people were now calling her) were seated to the right of the center altar. I kept waiting for them to get up and say their vows...mostly because I just wanted to see the full effect of Kate's dress having obviously missed the grand entrance 22 minutes earlier. For me at that moment it was all about the dress.
I can't tell you how long it took me to realize that they had said their vows at the very beginning of the whole spectacle and in doing so had deprived me of my God given American right to see it all LIVE (oh, just forget that I had not intended to do so in the first place...just never mind about that). I was beyond frustrated as I struggled to stay awake long enough to get through all the church music and shots of the Queen who NEVER cracked a smile or even the hint of one...she is one piece of work that one! I mean, for goodness sake, it was her grandson's wedding...wasn't she the least bit happy about that?! Oh, well, never mind about that, too.
The music was actually quite lovely and the grandeur of the centuries old Westminster Abbey was something to behold indeed...but it was Prince Wiilliam and his new bride, Catherine (now together the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) who took my breath away. They were both so poised in the face of such enormous pressure and scrutiny. William was shy and low key in the way that his mother, Diana, was before her fame took over. He was constantly and lovingly gazing at Kate, holding her hand as if to reassure her that he was (and would always be) there to guide her through this new fishbowl life she had just signed up for. And then, there was Kate/Catherine looking as serene and quietly elegant as a human being possibly could. She was so stunning, so classy, so dare I say perfect, that I'm sure I was not the only one who was left spellbound. Though journalists and others liked to remind everyone that she was considered a "commoner" I don't think that there is one thing "common" about Kate Middleton. In fact, I would go as far as to say that that young woman has more class in her pinky finger than all of those royal Windsors combined. Good for Prince William for realizing that he was the luckiest guy on the planet to have found her.
As most of you know, I never found my Prince Charming (at least not yet...but let's be honest here, time is running out!)...anyway, I can say without hesitation that I would be ill suited for the royal life. I would never be able to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself, my past though not racy would come back to haunt me I'm sure plus I don't possess the kind of natural elegance and grace that would be required to really pull it off with any dignity at all. So, I don't secretly long for a real prince...but what I found myself truly envying was how much in love William and Kate appear to be...such a sight to behold...such magic, such wonder...yes, I admit it, I do envy them that because I would like to feel like that again... it looks like a piece of heaven.
Around 4:22am I decided that I better get back to sleep if I was ever going to get through my day with what is left of my brain intact. I staggered back to my bed feeling giddy and quite joyful actually...very happy for Prince William and his new bride, Catherine...oh to be so young, so beautiful and so in love...
Sweet dreams to them and all of you...
xo Nanci
So, I was shocked to find myself awake and glancing at my clock at exactly 3:22am. My then surprising response (at least to me) was to bolt from my bed to my tiny family room clicking on the televsion as quickly as was humanly possible...especially since I already knew that the real action had begun at 3am PST.
By the time my eyes were no longer in a blurry haze I was able to see that William and Kate (or Catherine as people were now calling her) were seated to the right of the center altar. I kept waiting for them to get up and say their vows...mostly because I just wanted to see the full effect of Kate's dress having obviously missed the grand entrance 22 minutes earlier. For me at that moment it was all about the dress.
I can't tell you how long it took me to realize that they had said their vows at the very beginning of the whole spectacle and in doing so had deprived me of my God given American right to see it all LIVE (oh, just forget that I had not intended to do so in the first place...just never mind about that). I was beyond frustrated as I struggled to stay awake long enough to get through all the church music and shots of the Queen who NEVER cracked a smile or even the hint of one...she is one piece of work that one! I mean, for goodness sake, it was her grandson's wedding...wasn't she the least bit happy about that?! Oh, well, never mind about that, too.
The music was actually quite lovely and the grandeur of the centuries old Westminster Abbey was something to behold indeed...but it was Prince Wiilliam and his new bride, Catherine (now together the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) who took my breath away. They were both so poised in the face of such enormous pressure and scrutiny. William was shy and low key in the way that his mother, Diana, was before her fame took over. He was constantly and lovingly gazing at Kate, holding her hand as if to reassure her that he was (and would always be) there to guide her through this new fishbowl life she had just signed up for. And then, there was Kate/Catherine looking as serene and quietly elegant as a human being possibly could. She was so stunning, so classy, so dare I say perfect, that I'm sure I was not the only one who was left spellbound. Though journalists and others liked to remind everyone that she was considered a "commoner" I don't think that there is one thing "common" about Kate Middleton. In fact, I would go as far as to say that that young woman has more class in her pinky finger than all of those royal Windsors combined. Good for Prince William for realizing that he was the luckiest guy on the planet to have found her.
As most of you know, I never found my Prince Charming (at least not yet...but let's be honest here, time is running out!)...anyway, I can say without hesitation that I would be ill suited for the royal life. I would never be able to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself, my past though not racy would come back to haunt me I'm sure plus I don't possess the kind of natural elegance and grace that would be required to really pull it off with any dignity at all. So, I don't secretly long for a real prince...but what I found myself truly envying was how much in love William and Kate appear to be...such a sight to behold...such magic, such wonder...yes, I admit it, I do envy them that because I would like to feel like that again... it looks like a piece of heaven.
Around 4:22am I decided that I better get back to sleep if I was ever going to get through my day with what is left of my brain intact. I staggered back to my bed feeling giddy and quite joyful actually...very happy for Prince William and his new bride, Catherine...oh to be so young, so beautiful and so in love...
Sweet dreams to them and all of you...
xo Nanci
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Babies, Babies, Babies...Axe're is in the house!
Well, as if life wasn't crazy enough right now, Joshua and I had house guests visiting from NYC for a few days last week...and not just any house guests...but Joshua's old babysitter, Vanessa, and her ten month old cupie doll baby, Axe're...what a pleasure and delight!
I am a total BABY person. I love, love, love babies...their sweet smell, their soft squishy skin, their funny little noises, their innocence, their infectious smiles and giggles, their chunky thighs and saucer sized eyes...in other words I simply find them irresistible and delicious. It is nearly impossible for me to pass one on the street without wanting to touch the little angel (I always ask first though because people are rather finicky about strangers overwhelming their babies with their unknown germs, etc).
So, even though life is quite hectic right now, it was a total joy to have Vanessa and Axe're with us... a wonderful reminder as to what's right and good in the world. Vanessa is a very calm and relaxed first time mommy and Axe're is a totally chill, happy baby (see picture above) much like Joshua was when he was a baby...lovely memories that fill me with longing...not for another baby to raise but for more time spent with babies...just gazing at them in all their magnificence.
The next time you feel yourself slipping into a funk of any kind find a baby to hold and let yourself get lost in their magic...I promise it will make you feel infinitely and immediately better!
That's all I've got to say for today...oh, and bake something...that always works too!
xo Nanci
I am a total BABY person. I love, love, love babies...their sweet smell, their soft squishy skin, their funny little noises, their innocence, their infectious smiles and giggles, their chunky thighs and saucer sized eyes...in other words I simply find them irresistible and delicious. It is nearly impossible for me to pass one on the street without wanting to touch the little angel (I always ask first though because people are rather finicky about strangers overwhelming their babies with their unknown germs, etc).
 |
| Axe're in LA...how cute is he?! |
The next time you feel yourself slipping into a funk of any kind find a baby to hold and let yourself get lost in their magic...I promise it will make you feel infinitely and immediately better!
That's all I've got to say for today...oh, and bake something...that always works too!
xo Nanci
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
