Herbal Housewarming

I've always thought housewarming gifts were somewhat difficult to give. Knowing how particular I am about what I want in my home, I never want to impose my own taste on someone else if I don't know them super well. So when the opportunity arose to go outside with my gift, it felt right. And, it gives me the opportunity to get in on the action of choosing the perfect herbs for my friends.

This week my boyfriend gets a new roommate: His roommate's girlfriend. She moves up from Arizona to quit the long-distance relationship stuff, and as the by-product, I get more estrogen in the house and shows like "The City" on the DVR. Cooking hasn't been something she's spent a ton of time doing, but with a new climate and people to eat with, I think it's something we will both be doing together in a small apartment kitchen .

Choosing the right herbs is a little difficult because you have to get the right mix of things that will come in handy, but also aren't too boring. In the pots for this housewarming are Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, Greek Oregano, Curly Parsley (they were out of Italian, a real bummer), BBQ Rosemary and mature Mint (in its own pot). I wish I had chives in the mix, but maybe after we test their heartiness we can add another pot of additional plants.

Charlie...

News hit yesterday that my buddy Charlie Gibson is retiring. It's a sad day for my family when something happens to our news anchors -- Peter Jennings passing literally brought my parents to their knees. And for me, Charlie quite simply is the news. While growing up, Charlie hosted Good Morning America. Then, he "retired" and when ratings plummeted, ABC begged him to come back, and then with Peter's death, he moved to my evenings rather than my mornings. Moral of the story, I have virtually never been with out my Charlie.

Two stories illustrate his importance in my family:

1) I have ever only had ONE reoccurring dream: I wake up in the morning and turn on the television, but instead of finding my Charlie, sitting there like the schmuck that he is is George Stephanopoulos (not cool, because I've hated him ever sense he turned on Clinton back in the 90s). The dream concludes with finding out that Charlie has died in the night and Stephanopoulos is his permanent replacement. Cue me waking up in a cold sweat.

2) Yesterday when it was announced that Charlie was finally retiring at the end of the year on the evening news, the phone immediately rang at my house and on the other end was my sister, in despair. She had just heard it announced, whereas I had had a full 9-hours since NPR's Morning Edition to come to terms with it. We eventually hung up, but not before she proclaimed in a sad whimper that Charlie was like a father to her.

It's amazing how the loss of a face in a TV can send us reeling, but there is something about news anchors that makes my family cling on for dear life. Somehow we imprinted on Charlie Gibson and now, he's the news anchor that all others must surpass. Waking up to him each morning, and now ending my day watching him, has bookend-ed a long period of my life and to no longer have him delivering the news is truly an end of an era.

Happy retirement Charlie.

The Best (As I Know Them)

Since I haven't been buying many things lately, I've really started to appreciate the good purchases that I made back when I was rolling in dough and was not a student, living on leftovers and "borrowed" shelter magazines.

So here is the beginning of some of the best things I have ever had the pleasure of owning.

The Longchamp "Le Pliage Large" tote bag. I lived out of it for three months day in and day out and I'm still not sick of it. There's a reason that it's on the arm of every chic Parisian! It is a timeless bag. I've used it as a purse and and as an overnight bag and the quality can't be beat. I'm also waiting for the opportunity when folding it up and snapping it in a cute little bundle comes in handy, but mysteriously, it always seems to be full...

The Clarisonic. Looks like a vibrator, but cleans like a champ. I had wanted this little buddy for a good six months before I got it and it's lived up to the reputation. Clean face and according to my friend's mom, less wrinkles. It's like using a sonicare on your face and it feels FANTASTIC.

LuluLemon "Run: Tempo Crop" pants. With no picture available online, it's hard to convey just how amazing these are. I've never (I mean NEVER) felt comfortable wearing tight, clingy pants to the gym, but what I will say about these is that they actually suck you in. The tag boasts that the fabric is made to support muscles and joints while running, but what it actually does is lift the ass and hold all the squishy bits in. They're amazing. Seriously. I wouldn't go out in public if they weren't.

After I received the worst haircut known to man in April, the godsend who fixed it sprayed only this one product on my hair and it was amazing. All of a sudden, my hair stays straight if I flat iron it, doesn't frizz up if I air dry and it smells awesome. It might only be available locally, but it's from Seven, a salon in Seattle that I'm sure ships.

The hardest working little ballet flat. I took a similar pair to Europe and walked for days straight in Paris in them. The black is on my sale list at J.Crew, because I never pay full price there -- everything goes on sale eventually. Another reason I look like a walking catalog.

My Timbuk2 messenger bag. It's been with me for years of college, years of work, and now grad school and it's still going strong. Holds a laptop and my odds and ends and goes with anything, as long as you don't mind looking a little "dot com." Sure you wouldn't catch a Hepburn with it, but if they needed to carry a laptop, a lunch, school books and a change of clothes, they might consider it.

Bulgari 8008B's. The most glamorous pair of sunglasses - large and in charge with Swarovski crystals on the sides. Needless to say, I don't wear them boating, but I love them year after year.

I could have DIED when Nordstrom's put a similar Michael Kors watch on the Anniversary Sale (jerks), but I'll just take pleasure in knowing that my big gold watch elicited size envy from my old male co-workers in meetings and that it feels powerful on my girly wrist. I love the juxtaposition of a big gold watch with a feminine top. And if, occasionally, I am asked if I'm about to retire to Barbados, so be it.

And lastly, the Cole Haan "Fiona" boot. I ended up with two pairs last fall. It started with finally finding "The Boot." You know, the boot that we spend multiple falls looking for, one that fits our calves, zips (rather than uses that cheap stretch that never stays up), doesn't give us blisters, and makes us feel just the right amount of tall? Well, behold. It was just the black at first, until I met this little number. Brown/bronze snakeskin. They are a sight to see and kick so much ass. Wearing them to work over jeans made my cashmere sweaters feel more Angelina Jolie, less Ina Garten and with skirts and tights, come on.

So there might not be rain drops on roses and dresses made from curtains, but these are just a few of my favorite things, and if you have the means, I highly recommend them. They are so choice.

Off and Running

This only represents part of my day I promise -- mainly the idea of bacon band-aids on my mangled carpenter hands just makes me laugh and cry.

But, asides aside, today was my first full day of unemployment. After being a little panicked about waking up and not having a routine to answer to, I tried to move on and started working on some furniture projects. My plan for today was this: get the first coat of paint on a desk that I'm going to use in my bedroom, while drying, go to an underwhelming estate sale, and then end the day ripping my hands to shreds deconstructing some bat-shit scary french armchairs.

Mission accomplished, the chairs are stripped and ready for more abuse tomorrow (or vice versa). Thank god they ended up having caning underneath the fabric and padding, otherwise it might not have taken so long and I would have had to panic about what to spend tomorrow on...

Something tells me I'll manage just fine though.

I've been making my list...

Oh I've got shit to do and it's overwhelming. I've got a limited amount of time to cram in all the things that the real world deems important before I take off for awhile and the clock is ticking.

I've got to seriously update my resume, but here's the rub, it's for a serious career change so how the hell do I apply what would be a successful resume in my current profession to an appealing resume for my new desired one? I have no idea?! Insult to injury, I just found out that my work has been nominated for a prestigious award, but hey, guess what? It means nothing to the new one, so big whoop. All of this means I have my work cut out for me with savvy resume writing. Did I mention I have very little experience with actually writing resumes? Serves me right for having the audacity to do what makes me happy.

I also have some interviews to set up and school to apply to. Don't envy me, I know you want to because my life seems so glamorous. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a soon-to-be-unemployed student in the worst economy in recent history? Saving grace is that I'm taking a kickass trip and that I'll hopefully enjoy the new job more than the old one.

This is me, jumping in head first.