{enjoy more} BLISS

Color Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:40:00 +0000

I watched this movie last weekend: The Merry Gentleman. I thought it was quite good. But what really struck me was the feel that the background colors lent to the movie. The colors were just gorgeous... lots of grays, blue-greens, blue-grays, green-grays. Moody colors for a moody movie.

Mmmmmmm... I love these colors.

Images via The Merry Gentleman DVD

Busy! Busy!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Here is a adorable photo of my pup to keep you occupied until I have something better:

The dream shall never die...

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000

When I was getting my car fixed a few weeks ago, I read Ted Kennedy's article in Newsweek about health care reform and nearly started crying. Right there, in an auto shop waiting room.

People say a lot of things about the Kennedy family but one thing nobody can deny is that they served America. They didn't have to. They were rich. They could have sat on their asses, propped flags up on their porches, bitched about taxes & called themselves "real Americans" (seems to be the litmus test lately). But they didn't. After every tragic event, they could have retreated... but they didn't. They evolved, they compromised, they got shit done. A good portion of them still go into public service or work to improve the lives of a great number of people in other ways. And you don't have to agree with any of them to admire that.

Some people would be happy if America goes backwards instead of forward... and that is just sad. Sure, change is scary. But an inability to evolve never ends well. And personally, I just don't get it.

(sigh)

RIP, Senator Kennedy...

Edward Kennedy, Senate Stalwart, Dies

The Cause of My Life

Me Likey

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Ceramic and Wood Tea or Coffee Set

via nybgshop

Ha!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Oh, I know it's politics but this quote from Spencer Ackerman just sums up my feelings on Sarah Palin's resignation so well that I had to post it somewhere:

I feel insulted by the idea that I have to take such a transparent maneuver concocted by a Coen Brothers' third-tier character as an actual political event.

via Jezebel

GOOP

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Gwyneth Paltrow has a newsletter... GOOP. Everyone knows this by now, right? Well, if you don't, I highly recommend it for the recipes alone. And now she made a little cooking video! And well, damn, she can come over and cook me dinner anytime.

I like this

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:18:00 +0000

via imgfave

The September Issue

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:55:00 +0000

I'm only gonna post trailers from now on*:

I don't buy Vogue as much as I used to but I adore fashion & documentaries so I see this movie as a win/win.

*just kidding

The Pacific

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:26:00 +0000

What? Another Trailer? Yes, absolutely. This one is from Spanks (That's Spielberg/Hanks, people... get your mind out of the gutter!) and is the long-awaited companion miniseries to the brilliant Band of Brothers miniseries. How long has this been awaited by moi? So long that I'd cursed Spanks for dangling it in front of us, figured they just weren't making it and then, finally, forgotten all about it. And I will probably forget again until it's out on DVD in late 2010 because I don't subscribe to HBO*.

*see also: Grey Gardens, Curb Your Enthusiam, Big Love, and (coming soon!) Bored to Death.

via The Live Feed

Julie & Julia

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:53:00 +0000

This was a really cute book & the movie looks equally cute:

High Line

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:35:00 +0000

I'm terribly jealous of New York's new High Line Park... it looks so gorgeous:

Akron is pretty good with parks but I'd love to see us do more interesting things like this...

All photos from High Line Blog

Oh Look, More Flowers...

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:37:00 +0000

No. 5 and No. 6

Peony Season is almost over... and tragically, about 5 or 6 of mine were destroyed this weekend by the gaggle of unsupervised children who live next door to me. I need a really tall fence.

(sigh)

More Peonies

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Peonies #1 (the one that looks like its been around the longest), #3 and #4.

I'm keeping track of how many blooms I get this year. I love peonies.

Pink Peony

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:18:00 +0000

A Peony (#2) from my garden & a ceramic egg that I hope will sprout a plant sometime in the near future.

8

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:42:00 +0000

I saw this meme and figured, since I hadn't posted in awhile, "eh, why not?"

8 things i look forward to:

Walking with my puppy
Something that's NOYB
Blooming Peonies
Riding my bike
Finished home projects
Sleeping in on weekends
Being outside
Vacation Days

8 things i did yesterday:

Worked
Went to a Lunch & Learn thing
Walked to my brother's house
Took my dog to the dog park
Went for a walk on the Towpath
Went out to dinner with my mom
Watched a SATC rerun
Laundry

8 things i wish i could do:

Make things quiet when I want things quiet
Control a mystical force that smacks people upside the head when they aren't paying attention and they totally should be
Speak 20 languages fluently
Afford to take all the classes I want to take
Afford a new car
Wear flip-flops to work
Magically beam Starbucks drinks to me
Go back in time & write LOST with many, many improvements ;)

8 shows i watch:

LOST
The Office
The Biggest Loser
Better Off Ted
Gossip Girl

(Uh... might be it for new shows. Reruns!)

Seinfeld
MASH
Sex and the City

8 posts i've starred recently in google reader:

My Bike: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Remember way back when I promised to show you my other bike as soon as I took a picture? Well, guess what I finally did today?

I picked up this bike at a tag sale last summer for $40 just as a little something different. This is a Columbia Tourist V from the 70's. It's super cute... came with a old school headlight & rear view mirror. It also has 5 speeds & hand brakes where as my other bike is just one speed w/coasting brakes.

I don't have any other bikes... promise.

My Part: Part 1

French Milk

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:01:00 +0000

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

Read this delightful little book last night & loved it. It's like a graphic novel-y travel journal photo journal journal (or something). Makes me want to fly away for my own trip somewhere...

Another great travel journal is Carnet De Voyage by Craig Thompson

Away We Go

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:29:00 +0000

I am feeling like a fool tonight... this trailer totally made me cry. Anyway, it looks really good:

Mmm Mmm Good

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Lately, I have been obsessed with trying new recipes... I always tear recipes out of magazines and bookmark them in cookbooks & blogs. So, I thought it was about time that I dusted off all my kitchen tools & tried some of them. This week I tried:

Parsley & Walnut Pesto (from Cooking Light Magazine)

3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

I tossed this with whole wheat angel hair pasta and YUM. It was good. Oddly enough, parsley and walnuts are something I only like when mixed with other things. Apparently, I also like them when mixed together. A couple of notes: My food processor left this too chunky for my liking, so I dumped it into the blender and made it smooth. With the leftovers, I froze individual servings (1 tbsp.) in an ice cube tray just like they suggested. Now I have 9 more servings of it in a freezer bag just ready to go. I love this little trick. Now I'm planning on making a traditional pesto & freezing the extra, too.

Next up:

Spiced Lentil Tacos (from Self Magazine)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
8 taco shells
1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Preparation: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping tsp sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

OMG. These were also super delish... I have had these for dinner 3x in 5 days. Notes on this: I cooked the lentils for a little longer (about 40 minutes) because they weren't soft enough for me. The recipe says it makes 4 servings (8 tacos) but I have had 7 tacos and have enough leftover for 3 or 4 more. And I left off the tomatoes because I'm not a tomato person.

That's it, so far. Here are a couple of recipes that I plan on trying in the next couple of weeks:

Spicy Black Bean Burgers
(scroll down to Thursday)
from CJane

Asian Tuna Sandwiches w/Soy & Sesame Mayo
Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
(scroll down to below the Buckwheat & Banana Pancakes... unless you want to try them too. I highly recommend them)
both from Goop

Grey Gardens Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:44:00 +0000

I'm excited to see this:

I admittedly could never sit all the way through the documentary... it just felt a little too icky. But I'm interested in this movie because it seems to have more of their back story.

Where the Wild Things Are Teaser

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Oddly, it reminds me of the Marie Antoinette teaser. but maybe that's just because it sorta sucks you in with the music? I dunno...

What I'm Not Buying (Yet)

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:43:00 +0000

I need a water bottle for my bike. Last night, I almost bought a bottle cage at Target but didn't when I couldn't find a stainless steel or bpa-free plastic bottle that fit in it. Then I remembered klean kanteens...

The 18oz one fits most standard bike cages. But who wants 18oz of sweet hydrating water when they can have 27oz of it? Not me. I'll be getting a 27oz klean kanteen & bike cage next month.

image via klean kanteen

Dear Eyewear Designers,

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:33:00 +0000

Look, I know how it is... you wanna be hip, you wanna be cool, you wanna be trendy. But do you think maybe you can lay off trying to make every last pair of eye glasses look "fancy." Some of us just want something simple... something classic. Some of us don't want a 3 inch high "status" logo on the side of our heads. Or white lining the inside of our black glasses. Or the bling... oh dear god, the bling. Maybe I'm being short sighted (haha, totally awful pun intended). Maybe someday, I'll be trapped in the woods & all that will stand between me & a life-saving fire will be the shiny, sparkly bling all over of the pair of glasses I didn't pick. You know, because I could use the bling to reflect the sun into a pile of sticks & dried grass. Just maybe then I will regret my snarky judgments of your designs. But I really fucking doubt it.

The fact is, sometimes you want a change & you sometimes you wanna stick with what works for you. Last year, I settled for change because you refused to give me what I wanted. And so, for the last year, I've been wearing a pair of glasses that are greenish and purplish with paisley on the inside. Oh yes, I said paisley. And they didn't even look bad... they just didn't make me feel as confident as my old pair did. For a year, people have had to hear me bitch about how all I wanted was a simple pair of tortoise shell eye glasses. Like these:

See? There's nothing fancy going on there*. They're not pink inside or (shudder) purple reddish rainbow puke like the only two pairs I could find today that were generally this same style.

Now, I know what your thinking. "Well, Miss Snarkypants, if you liked those glasses so much why don't you just use one of your two previous pairs that looked just like that?" Well, let me tell you. Because my then 8 month old dog chewed both pairs into itty bitty pieces while I slept within 1 month of each other. Is that your fault? Noooo. But it had only been 4 months since I bought the above pair and when I went back to Lenscrafters, this style had been discontinued. In favor of many styles featuring status logos, bling & contrasting colors lining the inside. Gag. And that was your fault. So I tried it your way... your stupid trendy Nine West glasses in a different color (multiple colors even!) and slightly different style. And you know what? I didn't like them. And now I'd like to go back to classic & simple, if you please. Other people? If they like the highly stylized stuff out there right now, more power to them. I'll admit, some people look great in them. But that is just not me. So kindly throw a couple of simple pairs into the mix when you're adding jetpacks to next season's line. Mmkay?

Thanks!

*except for with my hair... how great does my hair look here? (sigh) Miss you, Brett!

Where the Wild Things Are

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:55:00 +0000

I have heard not so great things about the making of this movie which have me worried about it's outcome. But I'm completely in love with the poster:

And since it is based on my all time favorite children's book, I'll definitely reserve judgment until I see it for myself.

via Design Crush

Daytrip Society

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:23:00 +0000

First of all, best. name. ever.

Daytrip Society is a destination for those inspired by the romance of nature and the adventure of travel, founded by native Mainers and ardent daytrippers Jessica Jenkins and Andy West.

Love it. So much great stuff all in one place.

Speaking of daytrips... went on one the other day & have since been thinking of creating a little supply kit for future trips (of which there will be many). I'm all for exploring but damn if it doesn't suck being in the middle of nowhere without a bottle of water handy. Heh.

photo via Daytrip Society