Judgment at Chauteauneuf

Never do I feel more judged than at the liquor store.

More specifically, the Suprette a few blocks away from my apartment that sells, in addition to mostly expired canned goods, an astonishingly great selection of wine and which I stop at frequently. Frequently meaning at least 2, 3 maybe 4 times a week. For a bottle of wine.

I know the smart thing would be to buy a bunch of bottles at once but that's too smart for me. So instead I pull into their tiny parking lot knowing that there are 1 of 2 scenarios about to greet me.

The old lady is working who is totally lovely and sweet and judges not yet lest she be judged.

Or the old man who casts withering glances as soon as I enter the store, and then knowingly looks at the refrigerated wine aisle, urging me there with his eyes, knowing I will be a-sauntering down there momentarily.

His look says to me"JEEZ This one again!" and I find myself indignantly shooting HIM a look that I feel says "At least I'm not here for the Arbor Mist!".

Judgement breeds judgement, no?

And perhaps the mature attitude would be "If I feel I am being judged for the frequency with which I purchase wine, maybe I need to consider how much wine I drink" but no instead my attitude is more "If I feel I am being judged for the frequency with which I purchase wine that old man needs to STFU".

Granted it is entirely possible that the man just LOOKS like that and I am just feeling paranoid because today the wine buyer was in and he mentioned that he can't believe how fast the Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc has been selling this month and that's pretty much my most frequent purchase this month.

Stimulating the economy, people! That's what it's all about.

Also, I really need a manicure.

So I just spent an hour blowing out my hair and I haven't even done my bangs yet.

ONE HOUR. And my hair is just shoulder length now. I have worn it pretty short for the past six months and have not missed this time-wasting exercise in aesthetics. Oh how I wish there was a way to donate half your hair not lengthwise but thickness wise. You know like how liver-donors can give living donations and just give part of their liver? I just want to donate part of my hair. The annoying part.

Any takers?

In any case I decided to vent this frustration and get yet another NaBloPoMo post out of the way in one fell swoop. How you doin'?

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and at one point in my life, this meant singing "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder/Climbing high into the sun" in a cemetery with my middle school chorus. Now it means a floating holiday which, this close to Thanksgiving, means I am working so that I don't have to work the day after Thanksgiving because that frankly sucks. So big ups to all the veterans out there. Thanks to you we are free. And big ups to everyone who is not working tomorrow because thanks to you? My commute will be a BREEZE.

Whew!

Back from a busy but truly awesome weekend away!

We hit all the places we planned to (Ottaquechee Winery, Cabot Cheese Super Store, Longtrail Brewery and Harpoon Brewery), had some fabulous meals thanks to the marvelous Bentley's Restaurant in downtown Woodstock and the delicious lunch spread they have at each brewery. We took in some beautiful sights like the Quechee Gorge and the scenic views of Vermont back roads. It was a great way to spend the weekend and we had a simply smashing time.

We managed to take some photos so in lieu of a detailed post which I just don't have in me right now (the apple/pear wine we purchased is calling to me!), click on the photo below to see the Flickr set from the weekend.

Vermont or Bust!!

We're off! I will be posting a few pictures throughout the day using my phone which ensures that 1) the pictures won't be that good and 2) they might not be facing the right direction.

Ha!

Enjoy the weekend. See y'all* tommorow.





* Danielle this is for you




*

Good Times

Holla Friday.

This whole week, I felt like each day was dragging. Every afternoon I would glance at the clock thinking "Time for my 4PM diet coke" and lo, it would only be 2PM (or, on a particularly molasses -like Tuesday, not even 1PM). But now that it is sweet, sweet Friday I look back and scoff "This week flew!".

In any case, this weekend Adam and I are absconding to Vermont for the weekend because Vermont is cute and we wanted a weekend away. We were actually planning on going a few weekends ago but were you aware that hotel rooms in Vermont are basically doubled in October because of leaf peepers? We can peep a leaf any day we want here in good old MA so we decided to wait a few weeks and save some money. Coincidentally it is also our 5 (five!) year anniversary tomorrow and while we will miss spending it at Rock Bottom, as we have every other anniversary, this should still be a good time!

Here is a hint as to what town we will be visiting


Adam has already mapped out our itinerary which includes a visit to a winery, a brewery, a cheese making farm and of course plenty of time for looking at covered bridges and if the weather holds up, a visit to the Quechee Gorge. If that does not a good mini vacation make I do not know what does. We are staying at a charming little hotel that I found online and, upon making my reservation was even more charmed by their honesty as to our room when I received the following email.

Thank you for your reservation. Please note: you have reserved a smaller room with a tiny bathroom"

Good to know in advance, oui? Just how tiny this bathroom is remains to be seen but I am not the type to sweat hotel rooms since I rarely spend any time in them but to sleep when on away from home. And hey, I have used a latrine before so this has to at least be better than that.

Enjoy the weekend!


(P.S. Go on You Tube and search for "Bon Qui Qui, Burger King". You will NOT be disappointed)

Things That Have Happened Today

1) My travel perfume dispenser that I keep in my handbag broke in my hands, showering me in a veritable deluge of Estee Lauder's "Pleasures"* which I am realizing is not such a pleasure when worn by the fluid ounce. Yikes bikes!

2) Tripped over my (stylish but dangerous) wide legged gray pants in the archiving room and hit fell face first onto a cardboard box. Good news? No one was around to see. Bad news? Split my damn chin!



Why am i still smiling you may ask? Because we're having a pizza party at 2!! And not just any pizza party but a pizza party catered by BERTUCCI's. You give me one of their fresh rolls and a slice of one of their Silano pizzaa? And a bloody chin is a walk in the park. Albeit a stinky, perfumey park.

*Yes I am a fan of what you might call "Mom" or "Old Lady" perfume. Some gals troll around like "Oh hai, like my Jo Malone ?" where as I am like "Whatup White Linen??"

Proud

We're Back, Baby!!




It's been tough going these past eight years. I felt extremely jaded. Like my vote would never matter. Like nothing I cared about would ever be important to the person leading our country. And that no matter what I did, who I voted for and what I supported would always be off kilter with what the American majority voted for and wanted, making me feel isolated and completely discouraged.

When Barak Obama made his victory speech. I felt like he knew all this. And that he was speaking directly to me. I'm tearing up know thinking about it.



"Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope."

Read the full text here

And when I say "We're Back" I don't just mean Dems or Liberals or any one sect of the voting public. I mean America! What we were once and always should have been is here again.

We Are So VERY Back, Baby!

A Really Exciting/Really Scary Day

As a wise man once said


I did not vote this morning because the parking lot an my voting station at 6:40AM was full! I will be going after work when I have more time to drive around and find a spot. I am pumped.

And now a question: If you really don't care either way about an issue - do you think it's better to just pick a side and vote or simply not vote on that particular issue. I mean voting is important...but uninformed voting? Ideally at this point people would have read up on the issues and have an opinion, but I do think it's possible just not to have a strong opinion about something. But people feel compelled to vote anyway (as they should). So I don't know. Hence the question. What do you think?

Makes Me Feel That Much Closer to Jamie Oliver

When my parents came back from Europe last month, they came armed with incredible stories, gorgeous pictures and a few treats for us kids. All of which served to make me exceedingly jealous but hey, they work hard and deserve to party up in France and Italy if they so choose.

My favorite among the treats was this measuring cup from my Mom.



It gives you the grams for different ingredients like sugar, flour, rice, cocoa - so I can tackle those European recipes I may come across without having to convert from the metric system, perfect for an individual like me who loves cooking and hates math.

I am using this snazzy cup tonight to prepare the pastry cream for an apple tart my mom sent me the recipe for and that I am making in an effort to burn off the pre-election jitters and to serve tomorrow night at our Election Night Open House.

The democratic process makes me crave pastries, what can I say.

Eating Popcorn On a Piano!

QUITE a busy day today. Especially for a Sunday, a day usually reserved for sweatpants, Lifetime and laundry. Accomplishments today included:

1)Busting Danielle out of the hospital. Our girl had to spend Halloween in the ER and the weekend in the hospital because of low platelets. Jenny and I swept into Tufts NEMC this morning with muffins and coffee and fruit and "faux"mosas (Jenny's concoction of orange juice and sparkling orange seltzer) to have a super fun bed-bound brunch. While we were there, we found out Danielle's platelets were back up (wooot!) and so we wasted to time absconding with her back to Braintree.

2) Drinking liquid flame and living to tell about it. After our hospital break-out, we went to Fat Cat for a boozey lunch and Danielle and I both ordered Bloody Maries. When the bartender asked us if we wanted it spicy we said "Sure why not?".



Looks innocuous enough, right? I took one sip and was immediately like CAN A SISTA GET SOME TUMS? I did not realize "spicy" entailed being made with jalapeno infused vodka. Holy hell. I made it two or three sips in before my numb throat and enflamed tongue forced me to ask for a wimpier version. I never claimed to be a spice girl though. If you are into super spicy Maries though, get thee to the Fat Cat. You will be psyched.


2) Watched this video way too many times.



I can't stop. It's a sickness. It's a catchy tune though you have to admit!


4) Then I gave in and went to my parents' house to do a few loads of laundry ( told you, Sundays ARE for laundry) and hang out with this dude.



In any case, Now I am home and had intended to make an apple tart tonight but the sweatpants and couch? They are calling to me. You never know though, after a glass of rose I may get a second wind.

NaBloPoMo in the House!

Let's kick off this edition of Blog Posting Month with Halloween photos.
Who doesn't love that?


Miserable pumpkin dog. Sorry Bodhi!


O Hai Anne Bolyen!


A shot of brains - 3/4 oz vodka + splash of peach schnapps + shot of Bailey's.


Execution time!

Jenny had a lovely party last night which was a good time (she has more photos on her Flickr) I learned that cherry vodka is not half bad and neither are candy corn dipped in hummus for that matter. I also learned that I love the wig I was wearing and wish that unnecessary wigs were more acceptable in everyday life. I might become that person that wears wigs around her apartment for fun. That's not weird, right?

Next thing you know, I'll be sewing skin suits and gazing into the mirror saying "I'd f me".