tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48880301310130376272024-02-18T23:59:31.420-06:00Chez La VieCreating a Home where Art, Literature, Music and Nature flourish.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-45651495909661130262012-07-26T10:57:00.003-05:002012-07-26T10:57:34.124-05:00Matchbooks and MenusThis spring, my husband finally repainted a hallway off our kitchen. Years ago, the ceiling had been damaged from a bathtub overflow; we repaired the plumbing but the ceiling remained an embarrassment until recently.
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Back in December 2010, we were lucky enough to dine at the famous <a href="http://www.alinea-restaurant.com/">Alinea</a> with our neighbors; my neighbor had the great idea to frame the menu and, so, once our hallway was presentable once again, we copied. We also framed a signed menu from Chicago's <a href="http://www.trurestaurant.com/" target="_blank">TRU</a>. I hope to add many more menus to this wall! I get so hungry every time I'm passing through and I glance through the choices.
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Earlier this summer, I was scrolling through a <a href="http://blog.lillypulitzer.com/2012/06/11/play-explore-our-new-lilly-pulitzer-phipps-plaza-store/">blog entry from LillyPulitzer.com</a> featuring charming Lilly-ish decor in a newly opened store, including a striking collection of framed matchbooks. I've been collecting matchbooks for a long time--sadly, they are harder and harder to come by--and it occurred to me that I could finally put them to some aesthetic use.
Thus, some of my matchbook collection displayed in a shadowbox frame from Michael's. Most of them come from places in either Chicago or Los Angeles, but Bermuda, Nantucket and New Orleans are also represented! (A friend brought me back a matchbox from the famous Raffles hotel in Singapore, but since I haven't been there myself, I thought that would be cheating.)
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It was a splurge-y kind of celebration long weekend. We brought along our oldest son and our *new*! daughter-in-law, and we stayed at the <a href="http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/santamonica/">Viceroy Santa Monica</a>.<br />
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Of course, we immediately hit up the gorgeous lobby bar for drinks:<br />
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Later, the soon-to-be graduate joined us for dinner at <a href="http://www.mercadosantamonica.com/">Mercado</a> in Santa Monica (the recommendation for which I owe <a href="http://destinfemmecurieuse.blogspot.com/2012/05/cinco-de-derby-le-weekend-in-cocktails.html">Femme Curieuse</a> a big thank you!):
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Graduation day dawned cold and foggy. We froze through the main ceremony, but I did get to see Kathy Lee Gifford and her daughter Cassidy (her son, Cody, graduated from USC too...my son has waited on him at a <a href="http://jacksnjoe.com/">local restaurant</a> and says he's pretty nice)! The sun came out eventually, and Max got his Bachelor of Science!
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Max and a few of his housemates:
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The proud graduate...
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Back to the Viceroy for lunch and cocktails with my brother, sister-in-law and niece, who came down from the Antelope Valley to celebrate with us.<br />
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Other highlights of the trip included:<br />
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<li>Mother's Day brunch at <a href="http://www.dukesmalibu.com/" target="_blank">Duke's in Malibu</a>, where we saw a whale AND met the <a href="http://www.coastalliving.com/lifestyle/people/the-real-gidget-00400000000547/" target="_blank">REAL Gidget</a>!</li>
<li>Seeing Conan O'Brien and his children crossing Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. He is damn tall!</li>
<li>Other celebrity sighting: Elizabeth Perkins at James Perse in Malibu.</li>
<li>SHOPPING! I hit up Planet Blue and Lululemon big time. </li>
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We adored staying at the Viceroy. The Kelly Wearstler design is not only beautiful, but amazingly comfortable, and we loved all the employees we had the pleasure to encounter. Although we didn't get to enjoy the pool because it was so cold throughout our stay, we took full advantage of the heated pool-side cabanas for meals and for late-night martinis. On Saturday night, my husband and I hung out in the lobby and met so many interesting people. I'd say if you can afford it, stay at <a href="http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/" target="_blank">Shutters</a> or <a href="http://www.santamonicaloewshotel.com/?chebs=ppc_google_brand_officialsite&src=ppc_google_brand_officialsite" target="_blank">Loew</a>'s because they're on the beach, but the Viceroy is a bit less pricey (though of course still a splurge!), and is just a walk across Ocean and down a bit to the Pacific.<br />
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No. More. Tuition. Hurray! And congratulations to my darling college graduate, Maxwell.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-50719296192773030472012-03-14T15:34:00.001-05:002012-03-14T15:35:00.325-05:00A Beginning and an EndingOn January 20, 2012, during a big snowstorm, my oldest son was married to a beautiful woman. Both the wedding and the reception were held at Salvage One in Chicago.<br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5P2V9KiJzKG8lqBLNwPknYpB7Zbsh9l6z0ymaR-J-NsRDK7Rqm7-kkkFZX5k7tn95VOgSIZGi879lT1Bna6s9HXOhu4rV45IcWLLbLePWBhk3prGpGh9TMQV1tEXqNRpjfKHwQKF5ZI/s1600/P1010346.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5P2V9KiJzKG8lqBLNwPknYpB7Zbsh9l6z0ymaR-J-NsRDK7Rqm7-kkkFZX5k7tn95VOgSIZGi879lT1Bna6s9HXOhu4rV45IcWLLbLePWBhk3prGpGh9TMQV1tEXqNRpjfKHwQKF5ZI/s400/P1010346.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>The ceremony was delayed for over an hour, as the guests--and the musicians--straggled in from the snow. Luckily, the liquor was already there and the bartender started serving immediately. Above, my youngest son (the best man), my husband, my oldest son and I hang out and try to manage our excitement.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wore a DVF dress, Jimmy Choo heels, and borrowed a gorgeous blond mink wrap from my husband's colleague. (Was sooo sad to give it back!) My husband had given me vintage Chanel earrings for Christmas, which went perfectly with my outfit.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QJmPny9Wrc4/T0qeae9li5I/AAAAAAAAOHg/T-aQy-dpUrI/s1600/Josh%2Bsees%2Bhis%2Bbride.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QJmPny9Wrc4/T0qeae9li5I/AAAAAAAAOHg/T-aQy-dpUrI/s400/Josh%2Bsees%2Bhis%2Bbride.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Finally, most of the guests were in from the storm and seated. We walked our son down the aisle, and waited for the bride. This photo was taken by one of my son's college friends and I stole it from his Facebook page. This is the very moment my son saw his soon-to-be wife in her wedding dress, starting down the aisle with her parents. I stole this one too (thanks, Nick!):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgjjDgB39IWgeyHgkJRn2qcCtlL_yUf3SQxi4HFryRtWZDyH-01adCMhJu_qKoOfzYk88JNS0jhd7b9FtXIif-xw4lOcNzOfo7244J-4I1er75G-4U97o2q7GECsIlZ0KkefDPeCqJVI/s1600/Josh+and+Taylor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgjjDgB39IWgeyHgkJRn2qcCtlL_yUf3SQxi4HFryRtWZDyH-01adCMhJu_qKoOfzYk88JNS0jhd7b9FtXIif-xw4lOcNzOfo7244J-4I1er75G-4U97o2q7GECsIlZ0KkefDPeCqJVI/s400/Josh+and+Taylor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719850239651478130" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Later, the newly married couple dancing:</div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kprx54AF2sA/T0qeZgyG2tI/AAAAAAAAOHA/mSQB5o7p3Sk/s1600/P1010362.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kprx54AF2sA/T0qeZgyG2tI/AAAAAAAAOHA/mSQB5o7p3Sk/s400/P1010362.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div>And my husband and I dancing:</div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcoBQM4psD8Wd5bqjXchljDRHN1LAn6PGuHNuUE7sO559EiWFuwOc0ONGIPMnM38NAgrmdgsXiqUjXae9SQbNo6cjXujLKwK8KQycw2p15C4dJctT8W6GOZepoa9P2Zefd3f_Ty8TlfU/s1600/Dancing.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcoBQM4psD8Wd5bqjXchljDRHN1LAn6PGuHNuUE7sO559EiWFuwOc0ONGIPMnM38NAgrmdgsXiqUjXae9SQbNo6cjXujLKwK8KQycw2p15C4dJctT8W6GOZepoa9P2Zefd3f_Ty8TlfU/s400/Dancing.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>It was a wonderful night. The venue was amazing, and the falling snow outside the loft windows made the evening even more magical. What a beautiful beginning for a loving, loved couple.<div><br /></div><div>Three days later, my Dad passed away at the age of 88, having been very ill for a couple of years and unwell for many years before that. He died at home, with my mother, several of my siblings and the next-door neighbors by his side. I happened to be on the phone with my sister-in-law, who was there with my parents, at the time he took his last breath; my brother took the phone and passed on the news. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although too unwell to attend my son's wedding, my Dad was able to watch it via Skype from his living room in Pennsylvania, sitting in "his" leather Lazyboy chair. We really weren't surprised that he passed on only days after the wedding. Everybody just felt he was holding on to see his Joshua get married.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7TTxiuCQtLEcofQ0mFEVtKKSmzmp0hAPMCT46jkzbn960HRWDpWfHvBAhofAEGXxYepJpJDCUPRXnSXDu_wqp7JiVVvAPTdIe9jah-reVaPLJ8EviKygr0ACzArxWFOXWXWX1r0qpY0/s1600/Daddy+and+Amy+12.15.65.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7TTxiuCQtLEcofQ0mFEVtKKSmzmp0hAPMCT46jkzbn960HRWDpWfHvBAhofAEGXxYepJpJDCUPRXnSXDu_wqp7JiVVvAPTdIe9jah-reVaPLJ8EviKygr0ACzArxWFOXWXWX1r0qpY0/s400/Daddy+and+Amy+12.15.65.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713553558906616162" /></a></div><div><br /></div> Here I am, at two months, sitting on my Daddy's lap, reading the evening paper with him. Love you, Daddy!<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">KLH 1923 - 2012</div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-28115475547132006382011-10-13T21:22:00.005-05:002011-10-15T19:57:21.372-05:00Need Your Help!<div style="text-align: left;">I need a dress for my son's wedding!</div><div><br /></div><div>Venue: <a href="http://salvageone.com/weddings.php">Salvage One, Chicago</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Date: January, 2012 (brrrr!)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://clairelafaye.com/home">Bride's Dress</a>:</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HoC75PEI5J7YHAdVACxhPebS_RVfPTnshGIjoNiqIx8sXgI2nEFFf_dbju-3eyy1wOyLEQ1WmRA3AAPkVqzsUfJ6u_H0_Ut0xQdtLYXOQ8TH82TBAjCHY3hKnUGsyEh3vR-qiXJKg54/s400/Taylor%2527s+Wedding+Dress+2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663170444482691890" /><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J6lxQe858iA/Tpefgu5ljsI/AAAAAAAANv0/LSE3qtS0SYQ/s400/Taylor%2527s%2BWedding%2BDress%2B1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 255px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663170441135886018" /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Inspiration for the wedding party: <span class="Apple-style-span">1920s-1940s: </span><span class="Apple-style-span">vintage, mismatched, winter, old hollywood, city, classic, feathers & fur</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Colors: </span>, Maroon, Burgundy, Slate, Cream, Eggplant, Taupe, Mauve, Gray, Copper, Bronze, gold, etc...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">I THINK the <a href="http://www.nicolemiller.com/TECHNO_METAL_DRESS/pd/c/188/np/188/p/2095.html">Mother of the Bride is wearing:</a></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF02_aYrjDaYo6gT0MK_VAd-L1ge9LcaiSW_bAAPX8sawzoXE5zenupTu5azU566JKjn9nRN8qemNt7aGbrChagkOKpI2gVCnBGL5i_nTgRWkYwTONSKraTFkHjuHU2gIO2LXe39k5dI0/s400/Mother+of+the+Bride+dress.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663170433242259762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px; " /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">I tried <a href="http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=560951">this</a>, but it didn't work (at least the dress didn't--I adore the shoes but they're for fantasy purposes only):</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJRfbrpGaxQ/TpegXdpglAI/AAAAAAAANwQ/Itpq-WBE3bY/s1600/Mother%2Bof%2Bthe%2BGroom%2BPolyvore.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJRfbrpGaxQ/TpegXdpglAI/AAAAAAAANwQ/Itpq-WBE3bY/s400/Mother%2Bof%2Bthe%2BGroom%2BPolyvore.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663171381397853186" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div id="right_top" style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">So, any suggestions? You know what I look like: fit, but not skinny; broad shoulders, tall-ish. Budget: well, I'd like to keep it under $300 but willing to go up to $500-ish if it's amazing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Bring it on, readers!</span></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-76545318545871093922011-08-05T08:58:00.007-05:002011-08-05T12:34:50.583-05:00Road Trip, Summer 2011: Route 66. Day 4.<div style="text-align: left;">First, another great shot of the <a href="http://chezlavie.blogspot.com/2011/08/road-trip-summer-2011-route-66-day-3.html">Acoma Pueblo</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtk6NfG4nJYb8lZZ-UIYLj0HB87Wx-wu_7ZyIEbvpV0AM-LtkmBUte0BM5xhUGkbELfEiN3P7Y0oZrFlJU3E0f85y1pTQARY_C5A0RU1pC1zMOt_s7AxO-1PmoAqJXlevTk4qbgOlAWA/s400/P1010227.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637373465941150706" /></div><div><br /></div>Day 4: A busy one! Holbrook, Arizona, back about twenty miles, then onward to Flagstaff, Arizona.<div><br /></div><div>We breakfasted at our Travelodge with a Swiss Banker and his family, who exhorted Max to attend grad school immediately after graduation from undergrad. (Max, who is a college senior now, is resisting further education at this point: he's sick of school and wants to experience the "real world." Snicker.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Our first stop on the trail actually took us back east to the <a href="http://www.scienceviews.com/parks/painteddesert.html">Painted Desert</a> and the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm">Petrified Forest</a>. At the Painted Desert, we ran into two Southern Gentlemen who were touring the West together in this:</div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F5ee0V7fzVs/Tjv56Xs-b_I/AAAAAAAANro/li8yzHNqwQc/s1600/P1010230.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F5ee0V7fzVs/Tjv56Xs-b_I/AAAAAAAANro/li8yzHNqwQc/s400/P1010230.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637374139774693362" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These guys had actually been on the Acoma Pueblo tour with us the previous afternoon. The older of the two men was a truck driver who has driven all over the West but, because of his rig, never was able to see the sights. So, he bought the above beauty and asked his daughter's live-in boyfriend (a retired pipe fitter) to come along sightseeing. Their transportation had already broken down several times, but at least it had air conditioning!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Painted Desert Inn, a former hotel that is now a tourist attraction, was worth viewing:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-Ya85qLNPRdwgS5W2NKaTcM5a2kATGntHfE1JQNw51HcvDx5TNePbkiCZCmczV6hflZM8nK0SraFAhnhlp26_QlF-1smy0YcawuOy_WairnMWcKgRoNnb8Lo7ZOiWFw0bXmUqp0eWAk/s1600/P1010229.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-Ya85qLNPRdwgS5W2NKaTcM5a2kATGntHfE1JQNw51HcvDx5TNePbkiCZCmczV6hflZM8nK0SraFAhnhlp26_QlF-1smy0YcawuOy_WairnMWcKgRoNnb8Lo7ZOiWFw0bXmUqp0eWAk/s400/P1010229.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637375773681387602" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi_X_Y3wVAo/Tjv7ZwDnQEI/AAAAAAAANr8/o1QQAtmjeg0/s1600/P1010228.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi_X_Y3wVAo/Tjv7ZwDnQEI/AAAAAAAANr8/o1QQAtmjeg0/s400/P1010228.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637375778399666242" /></a><br /><br />From the Painted Desert, we headed south to the Petrified Forest:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmIwDm0qBmJjBqGWwwYgk3Ro74RJUpuk7GlOlmI1SFVqC1VX3CZOrGGmvzWWKkD9lR0UPr-rVmLaPE3JCyYCqUb0kotRpWSaTX8p3wDhykudGp_nRaeYtvg2sueTjJ_LqFdpgG1qC8L0/s1600/P1010234.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmIwDm0qBmJjBqGWwwYgk3Ro74RJUpuk7GlOlmI1SFVqC1VX3CZOrGGmvzWWKkD9lR0UPr-rVmLaPE3JCyYCqUb0kotRpWSaTX8p3wDhykudGp_nRaeYtvg2sueTjJ_LqFdpgG1qC8L0/s400/P1010234.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637376660335998946" /></a>And then from <i>there</i>, we made haste to Flagstaff, one of my favorite towns in the United States. I've been through twice before and it's so pretty, and the people seem so cool, that I was excited to visit once again...this time, in the summer.<div><br /></div><div>Our agenda when we arrived in Flagstaff was 1) eat lunch; 2) find a place to stay; and 3) drive up to the Grand Canyon. </div><div><br /></div><div>Driving into town, we saw a guy rolling a cigarette on a street corner and asked him where we should go to lunch. He recommended the <a href="http://www.lumberyardbrewingcompany.com/">Lumberyard Brewing Company</a>. So Max and I walked past the Train Depot and into the restaurant, enjoying a tasty lunch and a couple of fresh-brewed cold ones (yes, my baby boy is 21).</div><div><br /></div><div>As we ate, I checked out my <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/road-trip-66/id415478066?mt=8">Road Trip 66!</a> iPhone app for recommended hotels in Flagstaff. I fully intended to stay in a Quality Inn or motel of equal caliber, but the app suggested the <a href="http://www.hotelmontevista.com/">Hotel Monte Vista</a>, built in 1926 and not only the favorite of many a Hollywood legend, but haunted as well!** I immediately called and booked the Jack Daniels suite--the rooms are named for their famous occupants. Thus, lunch taken care of and a room reserved, Max and I were off to the Grand Canyon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Max had been to the Grand Canyon when he was five, but he had no memory of that visit, so he was really excited to see it again as an adult.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ItcKpF5qGEI/TjwkIzOyYeI/AAAAAAAANsM/6_uyKYr7BhY/s1600/P1010243.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ItcKpF5qGEI/TjwkIzOyYeI/AAAAAAAANsM/6_uyKYr7BhY/s400/P1010243.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637420567170802146" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_PpZqwRGQ4Q/TjwkJWNQZDI/AAAAAAAANsU/ieLMWtf3GS8/s1600/P1010250.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_PpZqwRGQ4Q/TjwkJWNQZDI/AAAAAAAANsU/ieLMWtf3GS8/s400/P1010250.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637420576559621170" /></a>Although we didn't do anything special at the Grand Canyon, like hike or take a helicopter ride, we stopped off at a number of overlooks and were, of course, amazed and impressed. I would love to take a rafting trip down the Colorado and through the Canyon someday. <div><br /></div><div>Back to Flagstaff, where our first mission was to hit up the hotel bar! There, we met a Burlington-Northern Santa Fe train conductor (I've never met a train conductor before!) and then two Flagstaff guys who told us that everybody in Flagstaff--including the teachers, the attorneys AND even the judges--gets stoned regularly. (Don't worry, we didn't. But still, what a town!)<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jttaGX2c2O8/TjwkKaUSkwI/AAAAAAAANsk/YqDzakr9CNs/s1600/P1010256.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jttaGX2c2O8/TjwkKaUSkwI/AAAAAAAANsk/YqDzakr9CNs/s400/P1010256.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637420594842735362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRO4zr0J3-18jtct-k7O2qtlA6tvLwmDEV_C62iWH63Aamh8TNhCgbreHQspaE87O24IAK5Ts2PjO5DhtQ2fNn_ztkrT0MnftBzkVRdILm5e_ArUnwOnP_Kc5JT-R1QS0Uehulo-2VTE/s1600/P1010255.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRO4zr0J3-18jtct-k7O2qtlA6tvLwmDEV_C62iWH63Aamh8TNhCgbreHQspaE87O24IAK5Ts2PjO5DhtQ2fNn_ztkrT0MnftBzkVRdILm5e_ArUnwOnP_Kc5JT-R1QS0Uehulo-2VTE/s400/P1010255.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637420586002766418" /></a>There are two more Flagstaff restaurants I need to mention. That evening, we dined at a wonderful wine bar called <a href="http://www.cuvee928winebar.com/">Cuvee 928</a>. The food was delicious the wine selection lovely, and the prices were reasonable (I had the fish tacos). The next morning, we had a fabulous Mexican breakfast at <a href="http://martannes.com/">MartAnne's Burrito Palace</a>. Whoa, boy, my eggs + chorizo, hashbrowns and beans was spicy and filling. Perfect start to the last leg of our trip...across the desert to L.A.</div><div><br /></div><div>**Sadly, I didn't see any ghosts in the Jack Daniel's suite at the Hotel Monte Vista. But apparently John Wayne did while he was a guest!</div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-36323833431387690522011-08-04T08:19:00.004-05:002011-08-04T08:53:06.897-05:00Road Trip, Summer 2011: Route 66. Day 3.Route: Tucumcari, New Mexico to Holbrook, Arizona.<div><br /></div><div>Breakfast at <a href="http://www.clinescorners.com/">Cline's Corners</a>, New Mexico. The coffee was strong and so was the morality:</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfbb-LTPe7getRa7E7BLOHqIUMm_Jo6X4bV3X_JyHir7gUeQalofGN94UeS9jbWpB2ap7tGXdDEzjGXx7YJjnEkl3uwoziUpHL1fPC__vCG8uX-oST9ZgVarjNh-hXjR774mbJPXKBWc/s1600/P1010199.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfbb-LTPe7getRa7E7BLOHqIUMm_Jo6X4bV3X_JyHir7gUeQalofGN94UeS9jbWpB2ap7tGXdDEzjGXx7YJjnEkl3uwoziUpHL1fPC__vCG8uX-oST9ZgVarjNh-hXjR774mbJPXKBWc/s400/P1010199.JPG" bor="" div="" /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfbb-LTPe7getRa7E7BLOHqIUMm_Jo6X4bV3X_JyHir7gUeQalofGN94UeS9jbWpB2ap7tGXdDEzjGXx7YJjnEkl3uwoziUpHL1fPC__vCG8uX-oST9ZgVarjNh-hXjR774mbJPXKBWc/s1600/P1010199.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://sccc.acomaskycity.org/">Acoma Pueblo</a>, New Mexico. Max and I toured a still-inhabited ancient pueblo village on the top of a 367-foot mesa. Our tour guide, Joseph, was amazing, but it was incredibly hot on the top of the bluff. And I somehow thought Birkenstocks would be appropriate footwear. Nonetheless, our visit was totally cool and I highly recommend a detour from Route 66 to see Sky City.</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVPz8ZNpvJjm00SwV7O3OHgJdRaMUlkyFdALyUusFlpNjFVtQthNwAGDiCY5p4PW7XRislhWW9E_0TdW1mZ8mhZeka8idWegsIt5xcy1bA3PRyQef8ctZ14TQCokHYikAPMf9pZmcd38/s1600/P1010223.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVPz8ZNpvJjm00SwV7O3OHgJdRaMUlkyFdALyUusFlpNjFVtQthNwAGDiCY5p4PW7XRislhWW9E_0TdW1mZ8mhZeka8idWegsIt5xcy1bA3PRyQef8ctZ14TQCokHYikAPMf9pZmcd38/s400/P1010223.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636996045912596690" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nuq0WW2UFAY/TjqiB229txI/AAAAAAAANqs/26nLxsl7JMM/s1600/P1010215.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nuq0WW2UFAY/TjqiB229txI/AAAAAAAANqs/26nLxsl7JMM/s400/P1010215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636996036397217554" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvUCx7CzxU_Oo-OAwO8UVxZew8saTFlragmy_wVk33J2W3nCVHAn51BIg4DvhCQImeiV-eQu0k43VgVgXq2cIQbsWJebL3mtxpq1L75M5XfOYsisBeyH7SUBEFhKM38Ttcbaz457ytgg/s1600/P1010211.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvUCx7CzxU_Oo-OAwO8UVxZew8saTFlragmy_wVk33J2W3nCVHAn51BIg4DvhCQImeiV-eQu0k43VgVgXq2cIQbsWJebL3mtxpq1L75M5XfOYsisBeyH7SUBEFhKM38Ttcbaz457ytgg/s400/P1010211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636994560112517954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJIE6A3ueQpn2o0AiAPq20LNQ2gP5FemKaVgujJ3WLWe8p29oIBXIBKeFMXX2t_K-qMYulJxH-nmdgeooWBSP2pvHEAc4MyEjIRAcn9BbFzZr8fBDx-lyU4dUNHNkDozLXEqBDi4z9g0/s1600/P1010209.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJIE6A3ueQpn2o0AiAPq20LNQ2gP5FemKaVgujJ3WLWe8p29oIBXIBKeFMXX2t_K-qMYulJxH-nmdgeooWBSP2pvHEAc4MyEjIRAcn9BbFzZr8fBDx-lyU4dUNHNkDozLXEqBDi4z9g0/s400/P1010209.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636994551853102130" /></a><br /></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HH8X8L4Atgg/TjqiDeFKJDI/AAAAAAAANrE/8PhNKLoSC4k/s1600/P1010224.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HH8X8L4Atgg/TjqiDeFKJDI/AAAAAAAANrE/8PhNKLoSC4k/s400/P1010224.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636996064105604146" /></a><br /><div>Me climbing down from the mesa on the original stone steps. In Birkenstocks.</div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8q4mJFx4YX4/TjqiC7D0AVI/AAAAAAAANq8/hjJvED36jvg/s1600/Acoma%2BVillage_Max.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8q4mJFx4YX4/TjqiC7D0AVI/AAAAAAAANq8/hjJvED36jvg/s400/Acoma%2BVillage_Max.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636996054704718162" /></a></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-61848161265143430192011-07-27T01:40:00.003-05:002011-07-27T03:11:04.656-05:00Road Trip, Summer 2011: Route 66. Day 2.<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gGYk8R1WbLQ/Ti-y6EfYXaI/AAAAAAAANmE/c1OAiDaQ6Zk/s1600/P1010193.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gGYk8R1WbLQ/Ti-y6EfYXaI/AAAAAAAANmE/c1OAiDaQ6Zk/s400/P1010193.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>The <a href="http://www.blueswallowmotel.com/">Blue Swallow Motel</a> in Tucumcari, New Mexico. One of the "most historic hotels on Route 66," I found it listed on my Route 66 iPhone app and made reservations a few days before. (As is the <a href="http://chezlavie.blogspot.com/2011/07/road-trip-summer-2011-route-66-day-1.html">Cattlemen's Steakhouse</a>, it's listed in the book <a href="http://www.workman.com/products/9780761161028/">1,000 Places to See Before You Die</a>.)<br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bxIbg0qpM/Ti-y5kuql9I/AAAAAAAANls/G--5eSXOozo/s1600/P1010187.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4bxIbg0qpM/Ti-y5kuql9I/AAAAAAAANls/G--5eSXOozo/s400/P1010187.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Our car stall, with a mural of Easy Rider.</div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXXlyXPspMkWtf1fvVuybjp8AKdBB2LxprO8_YdMUH8sqzoYSycLQjpDTsUmQvUHpd1uKwZ0RIccCRvc3Ceb5CAIJAYQxp-zE6tSkSgHNBM1kA8r71j1_MQsFIhyvrEcehyWiOTHv-WE/s1600/P1010191.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXXlyXPspMkWtf1fvVuybjp8AKdBB2LxprO8_YdMUH8sqzoYSycLQjpDTsUmQvUHpd1uKwZ0RIccCRvc3Ceb5CAIJAYQxp-zE6tSkSgHNBM1kA8r71j1_MQsFIhyvrEcehyWiOTHv-WE/s400/P1010191.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />I always wanted to stay in Tucumcari because Lee Van Cleef stopped a train there in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1DcFhaCCwI">For A Few Dollars More.</a> I was sad to discover that the city of Tucumcari didn't exist until 1908, long after the movie action took place. <br /><div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ianbxtsPo0/Ti-y51l2BOI/AAAAAAAANl8/3ctRAk4zugI/s1600/P1010192.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ianbxtsPo0/Ti-y51l2BOI/AAAAAAAANl8/3ctRAk4zugI/s400/P1010192.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />My son and I arrived in the early afternoon. After checking in with Nancy at the Blue Swallow, we tried our best to ignore the 100 degree heat and went <a href="http://www.route66pulse.com/pages/articledetailsarch.asp?cat=1&art=190&iss=6">mural</a> spotting through the town. (I didn't take any photos of the murals, though?)<br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXDWZ8nHM_0/Ti-y6WNsapI/AAAAAAAANmM/aQeX6ON3cMw/s1600/P1010195.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXDWZ8nHM_0/Ti-y6WNsapI/AAAAAAAANmM/aQeX6ON3cMw/s400/P1010195.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div><br /></div>Later we hung out in front of our room and chatted with the other motel guests.<br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--400ybGZSfg/Ti-y6cuROoI/AAAAAAAANmU/36YxFQCs6lg/s1600/P1010198.JPG"><img alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--400ybGZSfg/Ti-y6cuROoI/AAAAAAAANmU/36YxFQCs6lg/s400/P1010198.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><br /></div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER">Sorry for the rambling. I'm writing from LA; we drove in from Flagstaff today and arrived in the late afternoon...2 beers, one large <a href="http://www.fathersoffice.com/">Father's Office</a> burger later and I'm really tired! Tomorrow: Day 3.</div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-15743408614376429932011-07-24T20:04:00.004-05:002011-07-24T20:38:47.879-05:00Road Trip, Summer 2011: Route 66. Day 1.Our first stop on our pseudo-Route 66 Road Trip was the <a href="http://www.cattlemensrestaurant.com/">Cattlemen's Steakhouse</a> in Oklahoma City.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IefbcQar0gs/TizH7xaHL_I/AAAAAAAANd4/PkxRVyCdHfo/s1600/P1010185.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IefbcQar0gs/TizH7xaHL_I/AAAAAAAANd4/PkxRVyCdHfo/s400/P1010185.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633097063622717426" /></a>Me under the sign, dying in the heat and waiting for a table.<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyxF38M0NF_QeIWEcrhRnA5Cb9HTzp5nU875kgJHuv5L1fhF7qRT9PQund5x4Ic7yiaaZJfIPXTEKZOwJXMWuz_DbX1ZMis706xI6B628PgXUalpS18MuA48FSg1Zf3WeUIqQLeQy4Jc/s1600/P1010184.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyxF38M0NF_QeIWEcrhRnA5Cb9HTzp5nU875kgJHuv5L1fhF7qRT9PQund5x4Ic7yiaaZJfIPXTEKZOwJXMWuz_DbX1ZMis706xI6B628PgXUalpS18MuA48FSg1Zf3WeUIqQLeQy4Jc/s400/P1010184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633097059292971874" /></a><br /></div><div>Max under the sign, looking happy even though he doesn't really like steak.</div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sEMQJfc96es/TizH8PnD5II/AAAAAAAANeE/eK4ZAaef0AQ/s1600/P1010186.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sEMQJfc96es/TizH8PnD5II/AAAAAAAANeE/eK4ZAaef0AQ/s400/P1010186.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633097071730091138" /></a><br /></div><div>My Strip Sirloin, served with a baked potato (butter + sour cream, yes please) and a homemade roll. God Bless America!</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4H0Wa4P3ht2ZlehVuNH21HrAtk_wzjUn8wNHEORAke1FinSCOjHTefZ9RRDH1_tb4d-J4CBlIyYFY3CQknIuqfU3o0IuCYKaWUSadc10oMCzBUrW3gA-O-XymQk95YpWfO24CePkGNY/s1600/P1010183.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4H0Wa4P3ht2ZlehVuNH21HrAtk_wzjUn8wNHEORAke1FinSCOjHTefZ9RRDH1_tb4d-J4CBlIyYFY3CQknIuqfU3o0IuCYKaWUSadc10oMCzBUrW3gA-O-XymQk95YpWfO24CePkGNY/s400/P1010183.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633094846067784034" /></a><br />Sunset from Oklahoma City's Stockyard City.</div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-31137335314608341402011-07-24T19:26:00.005-05:002011-07-24T20:04:40.131-05:00Road Trip, Summer 2011: Route 66.My youngest son, Max. is taking my <a href="http://chezlavie.blogspot.com/2009/04/its-spring-on-prairie.html">beloved Saab 9 3 convertible</a> back to Los Angeles with him for his final year at the University of Southern California. I'm devastated but it's definitely a car that is happier in LA. (Max calls it his little Swedish spaceship.) And a perfect excuse for a Road Trip.<div><br /></div><div>This is not the Saab's first 2,000 mile excursion to SoCal. In late December 2006, my husband, oldest son and I drove my then new (to me) car-baby from Illinois to Santa Monica where I was starting a new job in January. Unfortunately, the timing was bad. We hit Amarillo just as a terrible storm bore down on New Mexico. The state closed down the main highway, but in our zeal to reach the coast, we cut south and took two lane roads through the storm. Two days later, we arrived on the other side, into Arizona, with the Saab having performed admirably but looking like this:</div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRQbrR7qGPE/Tiy-Pxn2BHI/AAAAAAAANX0/j0gBZ1O0kVg/s1600/147_4798.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRQbrR7qGPE/Tiy-Pxn2BHI/AAAAAAAANX0/j0gBZ1O0kVg/s400/147_4798.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633086412161418354" /></a></div><br /><br />So although I'm currently watching a dust storm from my hotel room in Holbrook, Arizona, this road trip has been much less stressful!<br /><br />Other than my trepidatious 2006 voyage, I've been along the Route 66 corridor before, long ago when my boys were young, my husband was in the Army and we were moving from Illinois to Ford Ord (we always seem to end up back in Illinois, I don't know why, we don't have any family there!). But Max doesn't have any memory of that trip and it also took place in winter, so this time around it's a different adventure.<br /><br />Next post, day 1.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-14917160095736338522011-07-19T16:07:00.004-05:002011-07-19T16:22:24.264-05:00Tea & Madeleines<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4Xn2vd54S9HvlFGHgzJaqBBBLMzDByhNUtheLQyp2Tv1fSKpMRz6lZqbRMpvwReP-9yhwNEAd0th0rwiGQHyyFAj1acgi1nZfdfscP-yLvGBdH8l-KInN-7T-cyTPiaEbL5j7Qi-8sE/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4Xn2vd54S9HvlFGHgzJaqBBBLMzDByhNUtheLQyp2Tv1fSKpMRz6lZqbRMpvwReP-9yhwNEAd0th0rwiGQHyyFAj1acgi1nZfdfscP-yLvGBdH8l-KInN-7T-cyTPiaEbL5j7Qi-8sE/s400/IMG_0725.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631176701947780498" border="0" /></a><br />I've spent my afternoon going through my old Victoria magazines*, which inspired me to make some Madeleines. When my sons were at home, occasionally we'd have Sunday afternoon tea and I'd make Proust's famous tea-cakes, but those times are past and I haven't made them in awhile. I don't know why not, because Madeleines are not difficult, although they do require some pre-prep and a special pan.<br /><br />Anyway, today's Madeleine's are amazing, even though I'm the only one at home right now to enjoy them. And <span style="font-style: italic;">of course</span> I must have tea to dunk my cakes into! Tilleul (tea made from linden tree leaves and flowers) is the recommended type for Madeleine dunking; I found mine at a local tea shop but <a href="http://www.englishteastore.com/harney-sons-premium-herbal-tea-tilleul.html">Harney's</a> ( I love their tea) sells a version as well.<br /><br />Recipe <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Tea-Cakes-101801">here</a>.<br /><br />You can buy a Madeleine pan <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/nonstick-madeleine-pan/">here</a>.<br /><br />*The Nancy Lindemeyer edited issues. See Nancy's blog <a href="http://nancylindemeyer.blogspot.com/">here</a>!CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-67964298390232764662011-07-12T20:56:00.004-05:002011-07-12T21:00:29.983-05:00Hermès Scarf Ring III continued to play with <a href="http://chezlavie.blogspot.com/2011/07/hermes-scarf-ring.html">my new toy</a>. I was looking through the Purse Forum and I came across a thread on stacked bracelets; one member had used her Mors scarf ring with a leather <span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Hermès</span></span> wrap bracelet. I got to thinking: What could I use to create a bracelet with my new scarf ring? <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; ">Hermès ribbon! (Um, yeah: <i>Bolduc</i>!)</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Voila, the <i>Bolduc</i> bracelet:</span></span></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd0FwI16oR5ApMQpPFloMi3KvZrVPrWZCPjUVmtFUI20Seb9JiWHXD_pfDjd84FDZh96Is1nGnPZzJVP0jXwhev9hEDDQAnttbTnetSqxazn7EKLvuVywiAxzHAd1izKTZBUi-szbSIg/s1600/P1010181.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd0FwI16oR5ApMQpPFloMi3KvZrVPrWZCPjUVmtFUI20Seb9JiWHXD_pfDjd84FDZh96Is1nGnPZzJVP0jXwhev9hEDDQAnttbTnetSqxazn7EKLvuVywiAxzHAd1izKTZBUi-szbSIg/s400/P1010181.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628649161322682002" /></a>Appropriately, the <i>Bolduc</i> I used for my bracelet was from 2002, Year of the Hand!<div><br /></div><div>PS: I initially practiced tying the bracelet on my husband, and it looked great on him too!<br /><br /></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-56215266581875436072011-07-12T17:27:00.003-05:002011-07-12T17:35:09.433-05:00Hermès Scarf RingMy newest <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Hermès beauty: a Permabrass Mors scarf ring. For this photo, I "borrowed" my husband's Bolduc pochette and paired it with a J.Crew tee shirt. </span></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZGhdLXm0t-NxXko0TfjcWWvNHyi-kwTdcTvzlD1N3J3cbQX02eU3F2RdGktZBiaN6nlHyD_OKMc5sW6QS-rjeMnWBmnu-xQpks1mHLDlUHavWFftRuFOnWzh75gXT0zUg-eyQrOKcTo/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZGhdLXm0t-NxXko0TfjcWWvNHyi-kwTdcTvzlD1N3J3cbQX02eU3F2RdGktZBiaN6nlHyD_OKMc5sW6QS-rjeMnWBmnu-xQpks1mHLDlUHavWFftRuFOnWzh75gXT0zUg-eyQrOKcTo/s400/IMG_0719.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628597645888321506" /></a>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-54746930369967380252011-05-04T15:29:00.003-05:002011-05-04T15:41:58.560-05:00Essentials<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KC7VIS3lFrI/TcG3TaQTzZI/AAAAAAAANEY/iI0bYc2ZM8M/s1600/P1010080.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KC7VIS3lFrI/TcG3TaQTzZI/AAAAAAAANEY/iI0bYc2ZM8M/s400/P1010080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602960955518733714" /></a>I don't always use foundation, but I rarely leave the house without using these essentials. From the top:<div><br /><div><a href="http://www.lancome-usa.com/Le-Crayon-Kh%C3%B4l/138847,default,pd.html">Lancome <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Le Crayon Khôl Eye Liner in Black Coffee</span></span></a></div><div><a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P202633">Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette</a></div><div><a href="http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/183-7856765-5758049?asin=B001BMJPD4&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=|B001BMJPD4&CPNG=&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B001BMJPD4&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001">CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume (Waterproof) in Very Black</a></div><div><a href="http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Touche-%C3%89clat/141YSL,default,pd.html">YSL Touche Eclat in Luminous Radiance</a></div><div><a href="http://www.sca.shiseido.com/index.cfm?select=catalog/index.cfm?product=454">Shiseido Eyelash Curler</a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="http://www.kiehls.com/Lip-Gloss/658,default,pd.html">Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Golden Berry</a> (to right)</span></span></div></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-12411645454527692582011-04-02T20:14:00.004-05:002011-06-09T19:09:00.845-05:00Workout Style<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb4QkAS_ls1vpwgXZJhLFVSuDohkzgwG4H_kh1IG_pHlWglPCKmlBsOkdOAH9fb1dI2npUdQt1S7JyccqselGX0iP3__dxWVe2z_eYxejgj9TCGyfhIqOLYyeRsKMh12riOsFcvNTwGY/s1600/Adidas+Bag.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 131px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb4QkAS_ls1vpwgXZJhLFVSuDohkzgwG4H_kh1IG_pHlWglPCKmlBsOkdOAH9fb1dI2npUdQt1S7JyccqselGX0iP3__dxWVe2z_eYxejgj9TCGyfhIqOLYyeRsKMh12riOsFcvNTwGY/s320/Adidas+Bag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591185251322698962" border="0" /></a><br />I started running seriously and regularly right around my thirtieth birthday--so about fifteen years now. For the first thirteen years, I admittedly dressed like a truck driver woman. I had two pairs of black shorts which I would alternate, and on top I'd wear a ratty t-shirt or, in the summer, a ratty t-shirt with the sleeves cut off for a makeshift tank. To keep my hair out of my eyes, I'd wear an old bandanna of my Dad's that I'd used since my high school field hockey days. On cold days, I'd wear a baggy pair of standard-issue grey fleece sweatpants with elasticized ankles. I guess it didn't bother my husband that I dressed this way while I was an outside runner, but once we joined a gym he put his foot down. "How can it be that you are so fashionable in all areas of your life except when you work out: you are a slob!"<br /><br />I acknowledged this and was more than happy to do some shopping. My first foray onto fashionable workout wear was at the Adidas store in Santa Monica. I had moved to Southern California in January and thought I would need only shorts for running. No! It's cold in Santa Monica during the winter, running in the dark after work! I hastened to the Third Street Promenade where I bought a running pant and a <span style="font-style: italic;">matching</span> top. So coordinated!<br /><br />Later, when I moved back to Illinois and brick-and-mortar athletic wear shops weren't nearby, I relied on <a href="http://www.athleta.com/">Athleta</a>, and later at <a href="http://www.footlocker.com/">Foot Locker</a> (they have some really good online sales!). Soon it wasn't enough that my top match my shorts, I needed a <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> workout bag and water bottle. Walmart bestform bras for $12.99 failed the grade; instead I required the $58 high-impact styles at <a href="http://www.titlenine.com/">Title Nine</a>. (Hey, a girl's gotta protect her assets!)<br /><br />Now, I've really gone to the devil. I've discovered <a href="http://www.lululemon.com/">Lululemon</a>. Their stuff is pretty damn expensive. But <span style="font-style: italic;">awesome</span>. Seriously, I am addicted and as soon as I've paid off this splurge, I'm going back for more (See, husband what you have started?). Here's what I got:<br /><br /><a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/store/productdetails.aspx?productid=2798&colorid=8247&sli=1">Groove Pant, Tall</a> (Lululemon hems for free! And these pants make your butt look <span style="font-style: italic;">incredible</span>!)<br /><a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/Run_Inspire_Crop/pd/c/570/np/570/p/2579.html">Run: Inspire Crop</a> (I've never had a crop...I hate the loose ones but these are badass)<br /><a href="http://shop.lululemon.com/Wunder_Under_Crop/pd/c/570/np/570/p/1356.html">Wunder Under Crop</a> (I'm planning to do yoga twice a week this summer, alternating with running. I bought these with a rainbow waistline!)<br /><br />Yes the price was outrageous. What can I say? It's for my husband :-P<br /><br />Also added to my workout wardrobe:<div><a href="http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=44995&vid=1&pid=739504&scid=739504002">Athleta Pilayo Zippy Headband</a> and Lululemon Satin Pirouette Headband. I have fine, slippery hair; these have a silicone grip on the inside that helps prevent slippage. I hate when my headbands--which I wear to keep my bangs out of my eyes--slide off my head mid-run! Plus, the Satin Pirouette headband is pretty, so I wear it when I wash my face or put on makeup too.<br /><br />Anyone have any other recommendations to feed my addiction? Bring it on!<br /><br /></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-52800600314607550082011-04-02T19:30:00.007-05:002011-04-03T12:18:33.766-05:00Saturday Afternoon Tea Break<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufW3U-bidiPxPqnrmqCNNaDBP1uYfH4HDUvJQbSKhY5FEuDAi8tj2fyisMmxCyqstRRqIJnZuMpPI4oOKc99BdHnlglvaN8MppG1mA9sWzS1SnFOHd9pPucC9kNQjI5dTXk3SbtVFfI0/s1600/P1010059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufW3U-bidiPxPqnrmqCNNaDBP1uYfH4HDUvJQbSKhY5FEuDAi8tj2fyisMmxCyqstRRqIJnZuMpPI4oOKc99BdHnlglvaN8MppG1mA9sWzS1SnFOHd9pPucC9kNQjI5dTXk3SbtVFfI0/s400/P1010059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591155433227670882" border="0" /></a><br />If you're a knitter, at some point you will tire of the ubiquitous woollen hats, scarves and socks, and succumb to the appeal of kitschy knitted items. Such as, I recently became obsessed with the need for a tea cozy. At first I was just thinking of a traditional quilted kind, but then I got on the online knitting community <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">Ravelry</a> and found the most perfect, silly and useful cozy project. Behold, the Strawberries and Cream Tea Cozy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZqIa1os6Ps/TZfF4Ek7ROI/AAAAAAAANBY/m_jJWJ-XHtI/s1600/P1010061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZqIa1os6Ps/TZfF4Ek7ROI/AAAAAAAANBY/m_jJWJ-XHtI/s400/P1010061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591155029495727330" border="0" /></a>The beauty of it is that it matches my Wedgwood Wild Strawberries tea set. I just finished it this past week and I couldn't wait to break it in with some Darjeeling and cherry sugar cookies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzSpbhktjVJxgQY8wB8XEFt0NY8DAoAYKIQMstFlwJTPtn3ldh_LixFOmBNH4ZfAeT_0sKHYm-GPwp-qty4fQ7TMYqDcTfnzZ5Lnzoko6cUlV-6tjiIqfYxJSo5yXrovVLGdinAZZzFU/s1600/P1010060.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzSpbhktjVJxgQY8wB8XEFt0NY8DAoAYKIQMstFlwJTPtn3ldh_LixFOmBNH4ZfAeT_0sKHYm-GPwp-qty4fQ7TMYqDcTfnzZ5Lnzoko6cUlV-6tjiIqfYxJSo5yXrovVLGdinAZZzFU/s400/P1010060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591155444801063874" border="0" /></a><br />I still don't know if it did the job--that is, keeping the tea warm--because my husband and I were hungry after a morning of gardening, napping (me) and motorcycling (him), so we pretty much gulped the tea and devoured the cookies.<br /><br />Maybe I am crazy, maybe my taste level has diminished, but I have to say I thought the tea cozy adorable.<br /><br />NB:<br />1. The tea cozy instruction can be found in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cozies-Cozy-Guild-Master-Craftsman/dp/1861086598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301792796&sr=8-1">Tea Cozies 2</a>. But beware: there are a ton of errors so make sure you email the publishers before you begin and ask for the errata.<br />2. If you happen to be a member of Ravelry, please friend me! I am, of course, CashmereLibrarian.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-49161285304989921752011-04-02T12:23:00.003-05:002011-04-02T12:35:21.173-05:00Violet Eyes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB0Zc50pNZumZaZaxEwJlr5uxuomknHSJQ3HkNuauTGoWvWG9zCDg5PfgweGQ0Sjfxq7JJpUHbfckYoad89kjj7wBc5-XSx42OgfHMv_KeaAb6Y6k4zw-YeiOpnm9nLDzcgpyCDHtRwQ/s1600/Violet+Eyes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB0Zc50pNZumZaZaxEwJlr5uxuomknHSJQ3HkNuauTGoWvWG9zCDg5PfgweGQ0Sjfxq7JJpUHbfckYoad89kjj7wBc5-XSx42OgfHMv_KeaAb6Y6k4zw-YeiOpnm9nLDzcgpyCDHtRwQ/s400/Violet+Eyes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591040887883656562" border="0" /></a><br />The older I get, the more makeup I feel compelled to use on my eyes. The no-makeup look makes me look tired, so I always wear, at the very least, eyeliner and mascara.<br /><br />My eye color is hazel-green, and so I wear a lot of purple-ish shades to play up the green. Here I'm wearing:<br /><br />The pink from NARS Alhambra Duo on my lid<br />NARS Daphne in my crease<br />Stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner in Purple Tang, along my upper and lower lash lines<br />Stila kajal eyeliner in Onyx along my inner lower rim<br />two coats of Covergirl Lash Blast Volume in Very BlackCashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-49067754036697039672011-03-22T10:44:00.005-05:002011-03-29T13:18:56.408-05:00Has This Ever Happened to You?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lep6KjBeyoE/TZIiUA3-gdI/AAAAAAAAM-w/NknHOt-3ABo/s1600/Josh%2Band%2BCuda_0002.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lep6KjBeyoE/TZIiUA3-gdI/AAAAAAAAM-w/NknHOt-3ABo/s400/Josh%2Band%2BCuda_0002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589567814747718098" /></a><br />You're sitting there, and you have this cute little blondie kid, and then all of a sudden he's 25 and he phones you and says,<div><br /></div><div>"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47aPsSbRcTc">I met a woman in Chicago, and she's wonderful, and brilliant, and we're getting married</a>!"</div><div><br /></div><div>It happened to my husband and I two weekends ago, and we are all beyond thrilled!</div><div><br /></div><div>Details to follow...</div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-2953698634505537282011-02-06T15:04:00.010-06:002011-07-12T17:36:44.905-05:00Ship Shape<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqNvfCoOM0zPnWHPGBKhwzG94DDE_b8hR9gJbwGaJtZbVriCtlxzC2rdZRi7ypu83RC6TxxbMdjbWZHu1hVtD4rO3-rJxv9_knRNJPJ0LncuTVQhmyl499YnGtIuuq_xGmV2RDBX0TXE/s1600/Evi+Quaid_0001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqNvfCoOM0zPnWHPGBKhwzG94DDE_b8hR9gJbwGaJtZbVriCtlxzC2rdZRi7ypu83RC6TxxbMdjbWZHu1hVtD4rO3-rJxv9_knRNJPJ0LncuTVQhmyl499YnGtIuuq_xGmV2RDBX0TXE/s400/Evi+Quaid_0001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570687833595584418" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>H</b></span>ave you heard about Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi? Randy Quaid is an actor (and brother of Dennis) whose screen credits include Cousin Eddie in National Lampoon's Vacation and, more recently, Colonel Tom Parker in a TV movie, Elvis.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Lately, however, Randy and Evi have been holed up in Vancouver trying to obtain asylum from the Canadian authorities. Why? Well, it's a long story. It has to do with outstanding arrest warrants in the United States for vandalism and other illegal conduct, and apparently being targets of a gang called the "Star Whackers."</div><div><br /><br />Whatever. Today I want to focus on happier times in the Quaid household, when Vogue featured their Los Angeles home in a 1993 spread.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8O7RVaAOI/AAAAAAAAMz4/gX4f28nQl6s/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0002.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8O7RVaAOI/AAAAAAAAMz4/gX4f28nQl6s/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570687675508850914" /></a><br /><br />Nice Hermès bags, Evi! And I don't know why I find this Hamish Bowles line hilarious, but I do: "Most recently she has cropped her blond hair like a midshipman's...."<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8bxY1QtUI/AAAAAAAAM0w/2dEUIujVblI/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0003.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8bxY1QtUI/AAAAAAAAM0w/2dEUIujVblI/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570701799373976898" /></a>A view towards the Pacific over the Santa Monica canyon...</div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YvscbgMI/AAAAAAAAM0o/fkStPgOQeT4/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0004.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YvscbgMI/AAAAAAAAM0o/fkStPgOQeT4/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0004.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570698471743914178" /></a><br /></div><div>I love the lined-up custom riding boots. </div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8Yvcq3UUI/AAAAAAAAM0g/pq2zeLRyHZc/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0005.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8Yvcq3UUI/AAAAAAAAM0g/pq2zeLRyHZc/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0005.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570698467509489986" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YupvXIrI/AAAAAAAAM0Y/ugNNcoIWqB0/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0006.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YupvXIrI/AAAAAAAAM0Y/ugNNcoIWqB0/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570698453838144178" /></a><br /></div><div>Blue, white, shells...and a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; font-size: small; ">Hermès apron!</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YubSIGqI/AAAAAAAAM0Q/s1hm4oEuagw/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0007.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YubSIGqI/AAAAAAAAM0Q/s1hm4oEuagw/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0007.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570698449957427874" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YtxUDk0I/AAAAAAAAM0I/bxq9PWwGhRA/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0008.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8YtxUDk0I/AAAAAAAAM0I/bxq9PWwGhRA/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0008.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570698438691230530" /></a><br /><br />I love that Evi commissioned a quilted leather jacket from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_Hearts">Chrome Hearts</a> when they were just starting out...lined with a Hermès scarf!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8NSGgU6NI/AAAAAAAAMzA/aD-fX3JN8R8/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0009.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8NSGgU6NI/AAAAAAAAMzA/aD-fX3JN8R8/s1600/Evi%2BQuaid_0009.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 400px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TU8NSGgU6NI/AAAAAAAAMzA/aD-fX3JN8R8/s400/Evi%2BQuaid_0009.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570685868715600082" /></a>I'm pretty sure this house (in which they no longer reside...don't worry, Randy & Evi, I'm not stalking you) is in Santa Monica; does anyone know it's exact location? It looks like it overlooks the canyon, but I don't recall ever seeing it when I lived there. Does it still look like this? </div></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-15692610100613793662011-01-22T15:59:00.005-06:002011-01-22T17:22:05.058-06:00Lotions and CreamsI've had the driest skin since day 1 and thus have been slathered in lotion my whole life. My Mom put Keri lotion on me when I was small and used Alpha Keri in my bath, but now of course I have a whole arsenal of creams in my bath cabinet. I remember visiting a friend in Vienna for Christmas while I was in college; he was watching me unpack and laughed as I pulled six, seven, eight bottles of various lotions and potions out of my suitcase. (Since the new TSA regulations came out, I can never fly carry-on only because my ointments would never fit in a quart size baggie [Do we still have to do this??].) Then, when I was first married, my poor oily-skinned husband was horrified when I'd come to bed with my face covered in petroleum jelly.<div><br /></div><div>Now, the upside to dry skin is that I've never suffered from acne, but in daily life it's a pain. I often wonder if I would have killed myself had I lived in the Dark Ages where my only moisturizing option would have been unrefined lanolin or whale blubber or whatever they used back then. For instance, I MUST apply lotion to my hands after every washing. I can't just leap out of the shower, dry off and pull on clothes; if I don't moisturize I become a prune within minutes. (I've given up camping...aside from the hard ground as a bed, bathing is just way too inconvenient.)<br /><div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, since we're in the absolute depths of winter here on the Prairie and I am clearly an expert on the subject, I thought I'd share a few tried-and-true products for my fellow dry skin sufferers out there. Some of these are not for the fainthearted! I no longer use straight petroleum jelly on my face but at least one of the following products are pretty darn close. So, let's start with a good body lotion.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTthwyK9X5I/AAAAAAAAMww/YAGuM8Z0qnM/s1600/Eucerin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTthwyK9X5I/AAAAAAAAMww/YAGuM8Z0qnM/s400/Eucerin.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149255275732882" /></a><br /></div><div>As you might expect, I've tried a good number of body lotions, including the famous Kiehl's Creme de Corps, but my favorite is <a href="http://www.eucerinus.com/products/hb_pluslotion.html">Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Lotion</a>. It also comes in a cream, which is probably even richer, but I opt for the lotion because I like having a bottle dispenser. (The cream comes in a tube.) Not only is this moisturizing, but the alpha hydroxy helps eliminate flaky skin. And, it's available at any drugstore.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Before I get out of the bath, I like to apply <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=5022393&productId=4065&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=78skinovation1&categoryId=cat110048">Neutrogena Sesame Body Oil</a>. If I do this while my skin is still damp and then use the Eucerin afterwards, my skin seems to hold the moisture longer. Plus, it feels nice. A cheaper but as effective option is generic baby oil (mineral oil).</div><div><br /></div><div>I use a 30 SPF on my face all year round. Right now I have <a href="http://www.lancome-usa.com/Bienfait-Multi-Vital-SPF-30-Cream/990785,default,pd.html">Lancome Bienfait Multi-Vital Sunscreen</a>. It's okay, but when I've finished I'm going back to another drugstore favorite, <a href="http://www.aveeno.com/facialcare/positively-ageless-daily-moisturizer-spf30">Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Moisturizer</a>. I think it moisturizes better than the Lancome and it's certainly cheaper!</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgTWfNElTiMi17EgBQJc-6BKmD5RNV_cQfxUu6jYce_fvV5tevVro_4C_whBSJgEokTeGtzEulxrPTGB7NamDayjJNKqhH6iMYS6ctLKdkDEeLmMUjRLMm-wrqVbs-2XELpxGDeeHh4M/s1600/Aveeno.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgTWfNElTiMi17EgBQJc-6BKmD5RNV_cQfxUu6jYce_fvV5tevVro_4C_whBSJgEokTeGtzEulxrPTGB7NamDayjJNKqhH6iMYS6ctLKdkDEeLmMUjRLMm-wrqVbs-2XELpxGDeeHh4M/s400/Aveeno.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149219693474242" /></a><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTtiBM6ApmI/AAAAAAAAMw4/874sCkmh2lw/s1600/EIght%2BHour%2BCream.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTtiBM6ApmI/AAAAAAAAMw4/874sCkmh2lw/s400/EIght%2BHour%2BCream.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149537330308706" /></a><br />During the winter, I love using <a href="http://shop.elizabetharden.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2553433&cp=2779948.2571445&parentPage=family">Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream</a> under my 30 SPF moisturizer. I think you can only love this product if your skin is normal or dry: it's thick and greasy which I adore, but my husband would break out just looking at it on me. Eight Hour Cream is basically a more finely textured petroleum jelly (in fact it's main ingredient is Petrolatum), but it makes my winter skin really happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>The best eye cream I've ever used is <a href="http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/templates/products/spp/index.tmpl?ngextredir=1&CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY22769&PRODUCT_ID=PROD15045">Bobbi Brown's Extra Eye Repair Cream</a>. Extraordinarily moisturizing, lovely texture and application. It is thick--you need to dab it gently into the skin under your eye and let it soak it. I don't think this is a product that will help under-eye circles, but its moisture and line-diminishing qualities are remarkable. And my concealer flows nicely over top. Unfortunately, it costs $65. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QP9sKZDnVWwT7grQsjRfI0JyuquUdRxCd-Hy2HMc7acv0O4n5CtiVorfcl1QmdgNoReX_aDPh4Wqr6QR7_hjxRC6gljwux8J1s9_0IN0Y2Ezl_bqmnnduolVtA_myQwoG_05u8TJSPA/s1600/Clinique.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QP9sKZDnVWwT7grQsjRfI0JyuquUdRxCd-Hy2HMc7acv0O4n5CtiVorfcl1QmdgNoReX_aDPh4Wqr6QR7_hjxRC6gljwux8J1s9_0IN0Y2Ezl_bqmnnduolVtA_myQwoG_05u8TJSPA/s400/Clinique.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149250862503762" /></a><br /></div><div>I just discovered this wonderful cream for night, although it's not new: <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P122897">Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream: Very Dry Skin Formula</a>. I think the name says it all. Sephora stocks it (of course). I use my Bobbi Brown eye cream at night, too.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTthuLmCDYI/AAAAAAAAMwY/1Jk1JfGYUwE/s1600/Aquaphor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TTthuLmCDYI/AAAAAAAAMwY/1Jk1JfGYUwE/s400/Aquaphor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565149210560564610" /></a><br /></div><div>For lips and general dry skin patches, you must have a tube of <a href="http://www.eucerinus.com/products/hb_aho.html">Aquaphor Healing Ointment</a> nearby.</div><div><br /></div><div>For cuticles (hands & feet, as well as cracked heels), I like <a href="http://www.cnd.com/Products/Product.aspx/1124">Solar Oil</a>. You can find it at Ulta and CVS, among other places.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have an expensive hand cream option and a cheap one. I keep the cheap one in my drawer in my office and in my purse; I use the expensive cream before I go to bed. </div><div><ul><li>Expensive: <a href="http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/shea-butter-hand-cream.htm">L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream</a>. Luxurious and smells amazing.</li><li>Cheap: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vaseline-Petroleum-Moisture-Creamy-Formula/dp/B0000537JL">Vaseline Deep Moisture Petroleum Jelly, Creamy Formula</a>. Yes, I know: I can't help myself. And you shouldn't touch anything for a few minutes after you apply it because you will leave greasy marks (you should see my iPhone screen--ew). But even my ugly hands look soft after using it. And that's a miracle!</li><li><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslzwzRZmN8yi7fpOBjmu-PrbUosGSKt9fSzzhgnPcKX28dZapR8en_MrniTmkJne-horCbaEXyx1fzTZfo-n5UYyy46eTbjkuDhcjYVEuQqCi8tEmN6_UyXcW9SYGa6zqw0vHmMOibmM/s400/loccitane.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 212px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565151459405096434" /></li></ul></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Any reader recommendations? I have my favorites but I love to try new products!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-87651038084630445852010-11-17T15:51:00.006-06:002010-11-17T18:26:07.144-06:00Lampe Berger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRWZnJAQDxnxrXwp7bKBC5XiZBdyrBZntFr-f9w3cTaOojy0vtCpfMJAHmKYwylxjnZC-FAXllmlqPZrX1Unpc-ZTj9kfKrFozbRCCbXjq62YM00qQ28JtYLsvSvu7InKzpOsY8FS9Dk/s1600/Lampe+Berger.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRWZnJAQDxnxrXwp7bKBC5XiZBdyrBZntFr-f9w3cTaOojy0vtCpfMJAHmKYwylxjnZC-FAXllmlqPZrX1Unpc-ZTj9kfKrFozbRCCbXjq62YM00qQ28JtYLsvSvu7InKzpOsY8FS9Dk/s400/Lampe+Berger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540676792456205362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />You need a <a href="http://www.lampeberger.us/lampe-berger-official-website-luxury-fragrances-for-the-home">Lampe Berger</a>.<br /><br />What it does: purifies the air in your home and destroys odors. (Cooking smells, cigarette smoke, pet odor, etc.)<br /><br />How: Via catalytic combustion. Whatever.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Why you need it:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It works.</li><li>The lamps are beautiful.</li><li>It smells wonderful (or, it simply cleans the air without scent if you like; it's up to you)</li></ul>What you need:<br /><ul><li>A Lampe Berger lamp. They can be pricey, but they come in an array of styles and prices and look beautiful simply sitting on your table. Below, some of my favorites from the Lampe Berger <a href="http://www.lampeberger.us/lampe-berger-official-website-luxury-fragrances-for-the-home">website</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TORvvq47o4I/AAAAAAAAMs8/s-v-WSK9MBo/s1600/Lampe%2BBerger%2B114151.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 297px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TORvvq47o4I/AAAAAAAAMs8/s-v-WSK9MBo/s320/Lampe%2BBerger%2B114151.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540676306330166146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Glass, "Capri"<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TORvvMFQxeI/AAAAAAAAMs0/dA0BDUCLd_w/s1600/Lampe%2BBerger%2B113991.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 297px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TORvvMFQxeI/AAAAAAAAMs0/dA0BDUCLd_w/s320/Lampe%2BBerger%2B113991.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540676298060383714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Limoges Porcelain, "Louis XII"<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxBD9JOfjOIoyp4v1lqqGXGr1AuNpO2cc_RsBrBhZ796iOax5kfdz_zKpSupxDLmnRCTU7SgL7F0CZ7MQhy3ID87nR5c6_hTxg2bz2UpYIsP7ZdVNGwx3y4otwva8qNkKg30DCvvDr18/s1600/Lampe+Berger+5678.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxBD9JOfjOIoyp4v1lqqGXGr1AuNpO2cc_RsBrBhZ796iOax5kfdz_zKpSupxDLmnRCTU7SgL7F0CZ7MQhy3ID87nR5c6_hTxg2bz2UpYIsP7ZdVNGwx3y4otwva8qNkKg30DCvvDr18/s320/Lampe+Berger+5678.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540676293782512674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Metal, "Compression"<br /></div><br /></li><li>Lampe Berger Oil. My favorite scent is New Orleans: "A deliciously gourmet fragrance with fruity and sweet accents, enhanced by a hint of cinnamon." I've also enjoyed Lilac Blossom and Royal Jasmine (one I do not recommend is Amber Powder). As I mention above, you can also use a Neutral oil which will cleanse the air of odors but not disperse a scent.<br /></li></ul>Where to buy: My favorite on-line source for Lampe Berger lamps and oils (and candles, generally) is <a href="http://www.candlesoffmain.com/">Candles Off Main</a>. If you find a local store that carries Lampe Berger products, however, you can usually test the fragrances, which is nice.<br /><br />How you use a Lampe Berger:<br /><br /><ul><li>The first time you use it: Remove the cap and the burner/wick, fill the bottle about half full of oil. Replace the wick and let it soak, capped, for at least twenty minutes.</li><li>Then, whether you've just done the step above or for regular use: Remove the cap and light the burner. Let flame for about two minutes, or when the burner starts to turn gray. Blow out the flame, and top the lamp with the decorative cover (do not cap!). It will take 25-40 minutes for the lamp to do its thing: rid the air of bacteria while emitting the scent. NOW, remove the decorative cover (careful, it's hot!), cap the burner and replace the decorative cover. Mission accomplished.</li></ul>If you already use a Lampe Berger, what are your favorite oils?CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-75830935692119577002010-11-11T13:55:00.004-06:002010-11-12T09:49:20.134-06:00Things I'm Supposed to Feel Badly About, But Don't<ul><li>I wear white all year 'round. (Not, however, only white.)</li><li>I like Birkinstocks.</li><li>AND, I'm all for spending hundreds of dollars on beautiful shoes and handbags, preferably with cash (but usually not).<br /></li><li>I think a woman of any age can have long hair.</li><li>I apply lipstick in public.<br /></li><li>I don't really like to entertain (but I like to <span style="font-style: italic;">be</span> entertained).</li><li>I like to eat, but I don't cook and I don't want to learn. (I do bake.)<br /></li><li>I think having a career is overrated.</li><li>I think people should be able to hunt as sport. Unregulated ownership of M16s or handguns is not sporting.</li><li>Americans don't all have to speak English.</li><li>Smoking is unhealthy, but an occasional Sobranie along with a Very Dry Martini is <span style="font-style: italic;">le dernier mot.</span></li><li>I enjoy witty vulgarity, and sometimes there's no greater satisfaction than a well-rendered swear word.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></li><li>I admire Dita Von Teese<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>and Kim Kardashian for their beauty and style.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></li><li>If someone gave me a gorgeous fur coat, I would probably wear it.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></li><li>I might try hard drugs when I am eighty. (Curious about the supposed heightened awareness, concerned about addiction or a bad trip.)<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></li></ul>CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-60448727332816759942010-10-23T13:25:00.012-05:002010-10-23T21:43:37.429-05:00A Ferris Wheel in BerlinI know all your heads are going to explode when you see I am posting AGAIN so soon, but my last post on the Santa Monica Pacific Wheel reminded me that I hadn't yet shared another recent, amazing ride from my travels this summer.<br /><br />As you know, I spent almost three weeks traveling in Germany this past June and July. We were fortunate to have wonderful friends and family to stay with for most of the trip, but during the last week, we headed to Berlin where my son went off to stay with friends and my husband and I bunked down at the incredible <a href="http://www.kempinski.com/de/berlinadlon/Seiten/Welcome.aspx">Hotel Adlon</a>, overlooking the Brandenberg Gate. (The hotel is famous for, among other things, being the place where Michael Jackson <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2494249.stm">dangled his young son</a> out the window.) When we first arrived, our room wasn't ready, so we had cappuccino and strawberry cake out on the terrace while we waited...also having a coffee nearby was Calvin Klein creative director, Francisco Costa,<a href="http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/party-snaps/calvin-klein-party-berlin-0710"> in town for Berlin Fashion week</a>! (We were not invited to "mingle" with the Berlin fashion cognoscenti, alas.)<br /><br />More importantly, though, that first night, Berlin was celebrating the World Cup semi-final match between Germany and Spain. The city had set up a big party (for +300,000!) in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiergarten">Tiergarten</a> with big screens, performers, and, happily, plenty of beer stalls! It was a short walk from our hotel across the Pariser Platz to the Tiergarten, joined by so many exuberant German football fans.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInXMnEtzeqxRDEq2cIKXhHMUrgrzcIvGjU3vL_Iwj82kajyVMtvwwCzJjgr67afUU9gN7i-lqXPJ7v_YOlKBboYrw5Isz0UA7Ll2nH1mE5L7pEs-NsogqBNsP1USggH3nflLzvdIsdhs/s1600/P1000830.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInXMnEtzeqxRDEq2cIKXhHMUrgrzcIvGjU3vL_Iwj82kajyVMtvwwCzJjgr67afUU9gN7i-lqXPJ7v_YOlKBboYrw5Isz0UA7Ll2nH1mE5L7pEs-NsogqBNsP1USggH3nflLzvdIsdhs/s400/P1000830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531321844296140018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMM4mhBiGVI/AAAAAAAAMrk/PeMX0eHkFfw/s1600/P1000825.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMM4mhBiGVI/AAAAAAAAMrk/PeMX0eHkFfw/s400/P1000825.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531327001692084562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMzZzhtUuI/AAAAAAAAMq0/z_qbMswxgsg/s1600/P1000831.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMzZzhtUuI/AAAAAAAAMq0/z_qbMswxgsg/s400/P1000831.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531321285762437858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNf6vRcv9NoHqr-AayE7kTnj2zNjFnUqLAqARs8kkgLzyYG7sscmHt46msBwA9S1oOULChY7ttAwba8KCu5Pyy9bR8skU6s8LUZf8a_7ZNlVD2SSROhWgqrk3_FExdvKe1AmKR6aFRFM/s1600/P1000835.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNf6vRcv9NoHqr-AayE7kTnj2zNjFnUqLAqARs8kkgLzyYG7sscmHt46msBwA9S1oOULChY7ttAwba8KCu5Pyy9bR8skU6s8LUZf8a_7ZNlVD2SSROhWgqrk3_FExdvKe1AmKR6aFRFM/s400/P1000835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531321367172200674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMzeSpVnTI/AAAAAAAAMrE/9CLYf95Nk5I/s1600/P1000833.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMzeSpVnTI/AAAAAAAAMrE/9CLYf95Nk5I/s400/P1000833.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531321362835414322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And I was thrilled to find a ferris wheel set up amid the celebrations. (I should note that, as far as rides go, I'm more of a roller-coaster girl...I also adore Merry-Go-Rounds, especially when it plays Strauss or Sousa.) The views from the wheel were amazing. I'll let my photos do the talking...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMz53fuUQI/AAAAAAAAMrU/zOOZMZuPBmc/s1600/P1000853.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMz53fuUQI/AAAAAAAAMrU/zOOZMZuPBmc/s400/P1000853.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531321836583670018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyqCd-N0I/AAAAAAAAMqs/BFVuE7Q6mvM/s1600/P1000843.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyqCd-N0I/AAAAAAAAMqs/BFVuE7Q6mvM/s400/P1000843.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531320465139578690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW-XUcSs1eGzaNjxYaCmC9aKb41gdZubiBKFATwEIXbwlZ6TUWDPuN8QD7UDUkgGHSy7OdQ8C7l4MfAi05fyZ8F1hQW9_uOGuvTIMKcUC6hBv1tYNg7miGcIQMvH8SVzpQ39i8N2IqGg/s1600/P1000844.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW-XUcSs1eGzaNjxYaCmC9aKb41gdZubiBKFATwEIXbwlZ6TUWDPuN8QD7UDUkgGHSy7OdQ8C7l4MfAi05fyZ8F1hQW9_uOGuvTIMKcUC6hBv1tYNg7miGcIQMvH8SVzpQ39i8N2IqGg/s400/P1000844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531320461288322082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyV2t2DtI/AAAAAAAAMqU/YuyN8RbfrCw/s1600/P1000849.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyV2t2DtI/AAAAAAAAMqU/YuyN8RbfrCw/s400/P1000849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531320118387543762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyVnMceZI/AAAAAAAAMqM/S3Oza8JxvZE/s1600/P1000850.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMyVnMceZI/AAAAAAAAMqM/S3Oza8JxvZE/s400/P1000850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531320114220923282" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMx8tdMorI/AAAAAAAAMqE/bKACyWwYpdo/s1600/P1000852.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMMx8tdMorI/AAAAAAAAMqE/bKACyWwYpdo/s400/P1000852.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531319686405071538" border="0" /></a><br />Sadly, Germany lost that night. We ultimately didn't stay for the whole match in the Tiergarten; instead, we watched the final minutes from the cozy confines of the Hotel Adlon bar, sipping Hendricks martinis.<br /><br />PS: Can you tell I have papers to grade? That's the reason behind this recent re-interest in blogging.... Ah, procrastination!<br /><br />PPS: Thank you to <a href="http://mlanesepic.blogspot.com/">M.Lane</a> and <a href="http://amidlifeofprivilege.blogspot.com/">LPC</a> for kindly remembering Chez La Vie...and especially to LPC for her lovely comment regarding my family!CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-67600440131684493982010-10-23T09:32:00.004-05:002010-10-23T10:03:41.105-05:00USC Parent's Weekend!The first weekend in October, my husband and I traveled to Los Angeles to attend Parent's Weekend at the University of Southern California, where my youngest son goes to college.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDaRCMiOK_4LEOrFjQL2esuU-kHj8SrLfJ5OfhayvwG_J8BDKyLwCzJ8_5BZUGuZlYOhLkrb6bPfiaQEuIGC9cYHH8G16rBA-XBjv3rOFQmj7DXZYF1cPfe3B0SVGYSpmGK_BQVvOOE4/s1600/P1010010.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDaRCMiOK_4LEOrFjQL2esuU-kHj8SrLfJ5OfhayvwG_J8BDKyLwCzJ8_5BZUGuZlYOhLkrb6bPfiaQEuIGC9cYHH8G16rBA-XBjv3rOFQmj7DXZYF1cPfe3B0SVGYSpmGK_BQVvOOE4/s400/P1010010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531249847515491538" border="0" /></a><br />My brother, his wife and daughter came down from Palmdale to see some Trojan football with us. Too bad USC lost to the Huskies in THE LAST THREE SECONDS.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYM2Tz4-VcHhE-ECxUquYEZr5FUKAX0-O94OP30QpFtceVZqnH7nfdAg-LNRibQcRbBjaQx9iPdzOHJ6679JEBW9qltUYbT5UbnTKE1K6iF076gLNe0BqyEbEBKjnPlfyksITwxnlDKA/s1600/P1010017.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYM2Tz4-VcHhE-ECxUquYEZr5FUKAX0-O94OP30QpFtceVZqnH7nfdAg-LNRibQcRbBjaQx9iPdzOHJ6679JEBW9qltUYbT5UbnTKE1K6iF076gLNe0BqyEbEBKjnPlfyksITwxnlDKA/s400/P1010017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531251072244689410" border="0" /></a><br />It was a busy weekend, and I was so sorry not to have time to meet up with <a href="http://dailyconnoisseur.blogspot.com/">The Daily Connoisseur</a> and see her new daughter. We did have two quick visits to Santa Monica, and I kept hoping to run into a beautiful girl pushing a stroller, but no luck!<br /><br />On our final evening in SoCal, I had made reservations via <a href="http://www.opentable.com/">OpenTable</a> to a bistro in Santa Monica, <a href="http://www.anisettebrasserie.com/">Anisette</a>. (It opened after I moved away from Santa Monica in 2007, and I wanted to try it next time I was in town.) Unfortunately, no one had apparently told OpenTable that Anisette had closed its doors on September 30. As luck would have it (but not my bank account), <a href="http://www.boasteak.com/balboa/">Boa</a> was right down the street and had a beautiful table open. So we feasted on lobster (yes, I know it's a steak house, but...) and wine with a great waiter and thus celebrated my forty-fifth birthday!<br /><br />But first, I convinced my son and husband to go on the Santa Monica Pier ferris wheel with me. Even having lived within walking distance to it, I had never gone!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TML26tJbwxI/AAAAAAAAMp8/yNDedW4L8mE/s1600/P1010034.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TML26tJbwxI/AAAAAAAAMp8/yNDedW4L8mE/s400/P1010034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531254780776399634" border="0" /></a><br />Here we are, our excursion on the Pacific Wheel immortalized, below. My poor husband plays his usual role of straight man. I love the uncomfortable smile on his face!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMLybd9gXtI/AAAAAAAAMpk/Bu92U-LZa-M/s1600/Santa+Monica+Pacific+Wheel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TMLybd9gXtI/AAAAAAAAMpk/Bu92U-LZa-M/s400/Santa+Monica+Pacific+Wheel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531249846077382354" border="0" /></a><br />A big thank you to <a href="http://pinkpetuniainparadise.blogspot.com/">Petunia in Paradise</a> for her Twitter message letting me know she was still looking out for Chez La Vie! My only readers now seem to be spammers: "Kiev Girls" or Christian Audiger merchandise (yuck!) or I-don't-know-what 'cause it's in Chinese.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-75703510226173943362010-09-08T08:10:00.003-05:002010-09-08T08:25:56.964-05:00My Husband Has a New GirlfriendThis past May, my husband and I took a local motorcycle course, so now we are licensed to drive motorcycles! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95eVkOQaVyZhuErFvMUAn7zOj9-q4p4VWd1xgzIr-OJWdgikWwZWdIOuAOacPHLE38fUkOcxNiowdXAyq6p0yfIrZuwpHEtCGJiyatzPDm_O4Gec4r9YO0iiCNb2s6C5l05Bh0c84QDQ/s1600/IMG_0554.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95eVkOQaVyZhuErFvMUAn7zOj9-q4p4VWd1xgzIr-OJWdgikWwZWdIOuAOacPHLE38fUkOcxNiowdXAyq6p0yfIrZuwpHEtCGJiyatzPDm_O4Gec4r9YO0iiCNb2s6C5l05Bh0c84QDQ/s400/IMG_0554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514529775202950786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We were so busy flitting around having fun all summer, it wasn't until August that we went motorcycle shopping. My husband has been busily perusing motorcycle magazines and websites, so when we finally got to the dealership, it wasn't a hard choice: a Kawasaki Ninja 650.<br /><br />Now I am a motorcycle widow. Weekends I am left alone while my husband roars across the Prairie.<br /><br />Mid-life crisis? Perhaps, but the real truth is now, in our 40's, we're finally able to afford the extras out of our reach while raising children.<br /><br />Why didn't I get a motorcycle too, you may ask? Well, I prefer to spend my money on expensive shoes and purses, NATCH! Do you know that this toy cost almost as much as a Birkin!!!?<br /><br />Besides, I'm not really into riding around aimlessly. I'd rather read, or knit, or...shop. But I have taken it out on the road, and I admit that it's a huge amount of fun in small doses. And I like knowing how to ride, even though it's not the way I prefer to spend my free time.<br /><br />Hell, I'll probably eventually get a bike. But for now, my husband has another love. And I'm not terribly jealous.CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4888030131013037627.post-82374752110429213582010-07-13T16:32:00.004-05:002010-07-13T16:58:37.322-05:00Ich trank viel Bier.Upon arrival in Bavaria, we hit our first Biergarten...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzenDNSxfI/AAAAAAAAKec/3bGMowBUlA4/s1600/P1000085.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzenDNSxfI/AAAAAAAAKec/3bGMowBUlA4/s400/P1000085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493510407942489586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At a Sommer-Sonnenwende bonfire (on my second <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%C3%9F">Maß</a>, apparently):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzeLBCwZzI/AAAAAAAAKeU/aRtKdqoj57Q/s1600/P1000201.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzeLBCwZzI/AAAAAAAAKeU/aRtKdqoj57Q/s400/P1000201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509926325086002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoying a Russ'n at the Hofbräuhaus in München:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbvBl5yjvv10kdiKvYB-W9vR7BMZ5jgmF3rZCOC3cYBhjkzbuFQ-ICq02k2qzYfLiWTzyyGTKrcgucFow5iPZObPhekTM5lK5uZTG6HFssBceCZOs6IlvmZ1zHG37bs6kA5yR1YfOTA0/s1600/P1000223.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbvBl5yjvv10kdiKvYB-W9vR7BMZ5jgmF3rZCOC3cYBhjkzbuFQ-ICq02k2qzYfLiWTzyyGTKrcgucFow5iPZObPhekTM5lK5uZTG6HFssBceCZOs6IlvmZ1zHG37bs6kA5yR1YfOTA0/s400/P1000223.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509901786866402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In Heidelberg, recovering from the Philosopher's Walk and Heidelberg Schloss:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzeKZiLbmI/AAAAAAAAKeM/n8QRBkPR-z4/s1600/P1000613.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzeKZiLbmI/AAAAAAAAKeM/n8QRBkPR-z4/s400/P1000613.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509915719462498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sailing up the Rhine:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhed_uYIJ2pD6AuWWS0mJD12J4XQvxTJiyYEaS7TnQfb512nHyqFyq7PhG6EBwugmpxsyZmpkZKERSAdlZAszu84XWNuL9Gox1BDVmYi3ChYC0GfqPUzjCjs0gflBS17aZaufIIahyphenhyphenPFA8/s1600/P1000734.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhed_uYIJ2pD6AuWWS0mJD12J4XQvxTJiyYEaS7TnQfb512nHyqFyq7PhG6EBwugmpxsyZmpkZKERSAdlZAszu84XWNuL9Gox1BDVmYi3ChYC0GfqPUzjCjs0gflBS17aZaufIIahyphenhyphenPFA8/s400/P1000734.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509100595580242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A luncheon overlooking Linz:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzdaYT6IBI/AAAAAAAAKd0/LKRnaQS0otU/s1600/P1000792.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzdaYT6IBI/AAAAAAAAKd0/LKRnaQS0otU/s400/P1000792.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509090757451794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At the Opernpalais in Berlin:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzdZltBIAI/AAAAAAAAKds/VJYbFfUO0zw/s1600/P1000868.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2IlGYWmj7wM/TDzdZltBIAI/AAAAAAAAKds/VJYbFfUO0zw/s400/P1000868.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493509077172559874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A fantastic time was had by all. More to come...CashmereLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11729843454611380586noreply@blogger.com4