“EEEeeiiii!!… chocolat?” (Or, The Importance Of the Do Not Disturb Sign).
Item: Blouse Color/Fabric: Olive with black beading, silk Designer: Vera Wang Where Purchased: ideeli.com (go here and join! http://www.ideeli.com/invite/voltee) Years Owned: 1
I apologize that I have been so delinquent in posting. It’s just getting harder and harder for me to write at night. Somehow in the last week and a half I have suddenly returned to having appointments before 9AM. It seems like it happened before I even had a chance to think about it. If I end up having a somewhat late night, I am either too tired to start writing, or I have to be up in six or less hours and it would be a bad idea.
I will keep trying to figure out the timing of this. I do much prefer writing at night when I can.
This blouse is one of my very favorite ideeli Red Sale finds. My fingers were quick like lightening that day, and I scored this beautiful piece for an amazing price. (Wonder if you have what it takes to try competitive shopping? Try it here.)I have only worn this a single time, and it was in Spain. Madrid, in fact. I still have a hard time believing that our trip was over so quickly, given how much time we had to spend there.
I still haven’t unpacked everything. Well, what I haven’t unpacked is mostly Nate’s. Unpacking is one of his absolute worst skills. Sometimes I think that he would rather just forget about the items he brought somewhere and never see them again than take the trouble to remove them from the suitcase and put them back where they belong.
A good deal of this reluctance is probably due to the fact that I purloined the entire closet space and moved all of his clothing to the spare bedroom, where there is not as much room. But it simply couldn’t be helped.
Anyway, so I have been saving my words about Spain, hoping that by spreading out my remembrances I will somehow make the trip last longer. In my thoughts, at least.
Before I left for Spain, I really didn’t give much thought to Madrid. Most of my dreamings and plannings involved Barcelona. Barcelona just had been more deeply entrenched in my imagination, due to having read more literary works describing it, knowing more people who had been there, seeing it more in movies and tv, and knowing more than one wonderful song about it.
Of course I thought Madrid would be nice. I just did not expect it to grab a hold of my heart so quickly and easily.
We stayed in a dreamy, castle like hotel due to a lucky, 2am Priceline request. It was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in, and I will never forget the tall, skinny doorman in his quirky red top hat and Buddy Holly glasses, rumbling “Buenas dias” to us ever day in his unimaginable bass. It was a perfect hotel.
It was colder in Madrid than anywhere else we stayed, but it was still warm enough to feel quite comfortable in my linen jacket or just a sweater. Here I am perusing a quaint and curious book fair in my silk blouse and sweater:
I didn’t even buy a single book. I was hoping against hope that I would find something old about Spain or Spanish history, a little beat up or water-damaged and therefore cheap, with beautiful plates I could display. And I bet I could have found one had I enough time.
But since we we in Madrid for barely two days, there really wasn’t time for shopping.
We didn’t see museums, really, either. Not even the legendary Prado. I think we out-museumed ourselves the first time we went to Europe. The only one we went to was part museum, part castle, the lavish and glittering Palacio Real. And it took much convincing to get Nate to even do that.
Mostly we just strolled around and ate amazing things and absorbed majestic sights. It spite of all the crowds of people bustling everywhere, and the crazy, unorganized traffic, Madrid was so surprisingly laid back. Our favorite activity was to sit in one of the numerous open air plazas watching people and street performers and drinking a beer or two.
The tastes I remember most are the creamy, tangy combination of beets and avocados in a giant salad, our first taste of paella, olives that tasted of oregano, mud-like coffee with a thick layer of cold fresh cream, lots of salty ham, pastries filled with sweet potato paste, sweet, crispy churros dipped in a mug of melted dark chocolate, and our favorite breakfast bocadillo, ham and egg on thick, slightly sweet, fried bread. And yes, I did say that we were only there for two days!
The second day we were there, after some pretty hard touristing, we were hit by a wave of exhaustion. We went back to our hotel around 6 or so, intending to rest for a while and then head out into the night for cold beer, or perhaps another round of chocolate and churros.
Insted, we got into bed and watched four episodes of the second season of Dexter and went to bed before 10. It was wonderful!
We forgot, though, about the turn-down service that happens at nice hotels. At some point, there was a brisk knock at the door, and Nate got up in only his underpants to through on some type of clothes and answer.
He had picked up a pair of pants when the door was opened and swiftly closed again by an embarrassed maid. As I howled with laughter, she opened the door a tiny crack, just enough for us to see her clutching two chocolate bars in her hand.
“Chocolat?” she asked timidly.
This is one of my favorite memories ever. I don’t think I can ever properly recall the hilarity. Just the word, “chocolat,” spoken quietly is enough to make me giggle at any moment. It’s even better when we add in the imaginary scream the maid surely wished to do. I don’t think it will ever get old.
I do love this blouse, though. I have to admit that the fit is sort of strange. It’s almost too small, but yet a little boxy at the same time. But the silk is so dreamy and feels amazing. I also love the color; it’s an unusual shade of green, and I don’t think I have anything else this color. I think this one should stay around for a while. It’s earned more than a single wear.
**I have worn this again, and I loved it. I want to keep it around for more!
It’s About Time, Don’t You Think?
Item: Sweater Color/Fabric: Black, angora Designer: Arden B Where Purchased: Woodbury Common Years Owned: 6
This is one of those days when I am fighting to write every single word. It is so frustrating when writing does not come easily. I think that’s why I’m so quick to give up usually.
Last night I had a fantastic time watching the DVD of Falsettos, a show I worked backstage for last year. It was a late evening, filled with food, tears, friends, memories, tears, laughter, wine, and more tears. So I was a little bleary eyed this morning for my early AM appointment. But it was completely worth it!
This sweater is something that I bought on my very first trip to Woodbury Common. I thought that it would be my go-to Fancy Sweater. But as it turns out, I really haven’t worn this very often. I wore this for the only In-Between-The-Holidays party we’ve had since we’ve lived in New York, and I think maybe one other time. The strongest memory I have of this, though, is for the Falsettos benefit show.
I am so proud to have been even a tiny part of Falsettos. I wasn’t able to help at all until later in tech week, and by the time I was involved, it was already a pretty finely-tuned machine backstage. That was due a lot to Donna, who is a magical stage manager fairyy, and also Lizzie, who has a photographic memory. Both are so immaculately organized that it’s almost like they speak a different language to me and my cluttered, chaotic brain. It was nice to kind of just show up and have an orderly list of exactly what I needed to do.
It was a great show to work backstage for. Yes, there were a few hectic moments, and some curtain-ography I don’t think I ever would have remembered without Liz’s help, but there were many moments to just sit back and enjoy the performances. And also time for some backstage boogeying, which is my favorite backstage activity by far.
I never got bored with the show for a single moment. Every night it felt fresh and exciting, and every night I was moved in some new way. It’s just such an interesting show. At times it is utterly ridiculous, hilarious even, and then very tender, absolutely real, and ultimately tragic, yet somehow uplifting at the same time. I loved the songs and the stories just from listening to the soundtrack.
But then the amount of talent that came together in this particular cast (Bill, Maria, Jim, Johnny, Vicki, Molly, and little Thomas), as directed by my brilliant friend Kevin, really took this one to another, extraordinary level.
Just thinking about the voices of every single person in the show, and the bliss that was created when they mixed together is enough to give me goosebumps even to this day. There is a moment in the show where Liz and I had to hide behind a screen directly behind four of the actors for an entire song. We could not move, which is usually an awful circumstance to be in that can feel like an eternity. But each night, when the harmonies started, I felt completely lucky to be able to be surrounded by such a sound, and I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world.
Watching in the wings, though, did not prepare me for the glory of the recorded version of the show. I was able to see so many moments that I missed backstage, subtle nuances, and shifting of emotions on the actors faces. Every performance was so honest and powerful. I truly, truly love this production. And every person involved!
It made me miss Lizzie a lot. Somehow she really ended up being everywhere at once during the show- it was a sight to behold. And we had such fun, helping get rid of left over props every night!
Here we are backstage at the fundraiser night, with Vicki and also Bryan, who was wonderful to work with backstage:
I wish that more people had come out to see this wonderful show. It deserved much, much bigger houses than it received. I think it should be an annual event, even just as a concert, maybe, to raise money for AIDS awareness. I think it would be spectacular!
I also wish that I wore this sweater more. I like the neckline- sometimes off the shoulders is very refreshing. I also like the bow. It always makes me think of Audrey Hepburn for some reason. Which is a wonderful thing.
But it is just a little bit too short. Not like my belly button shows, or anything, but I generally like tops to hit me right around the hips. It makes me itch, though. Angora has such a nice name, it sounds so luxurious and I think can look elegant, but I don’t find it comfortable at all. I would rather pet a real rabbit than wear a rabbit sweater, I believe. Perhaps that’s the biggest reason why I haven’t worn this more. Should I do so?
**I need help with this. I love the way it looks, but hate the way it feels. So I am still torn…
And Now For Something Completely Different!
Item: Jacket/Tunic Color/Fabric: Beige/cream, cotton ( excluding rhinestones) Designer: True Meaning Where Purchased: Neiman Marcus Years Owned: 4
I have always loved rhinestones. I remember sifting my fingers through the buttons in my Grandma’s button tin as a little girl, relishing the varied textures of the buttons, and occasionally turning up a stray rhinestone.
It was like panning for gold.
These were the vintage rhinestones, the kind with a little heft to them, not these cheap flimsy things with prongs that bend in an instant that they pass as rhinestones these days. The old ones had substance!
Once finding a loose rhinestone, I would eagerly flip it over and appraise the back of the tiny thing, looking for evidence of paint. Looking to see if it was, in fact, a rhinestone.
Because I believed with my whole heart that it was entirely possible for a real diamond to somehow end up tumbling around in the buttons somehow, like the Ugly Duckling. It would be an astonishingly easy mistake to make.
An overworked factory worker bends her battered fingers to squeeze minuscule rhinestones into their tiny settings. She is so very tired that she does not notice that she has started to pull stones from the bottle labeled “Diamonds”.
“You fool!” The rich, pompous factory owner bellows at the end of the night. “I set my Diamond Bottle down for five minutes, and you mix them into the rhinestones?? Idiot! Now march straight to my diamond mine and fetch me more diamonds! And no, you will not get overtime!!”
This seems like a completely plausible, highly logical, even, scenario if you are the type of child who enjoys playing with buttons.
My point was only that this jacket-type garment has rhinestones on it.
I don’t think that I’ve given this thing a fair shake at all. It was something that I ordered online at Neiman Marcus during a big sale. Did I need to have such a thing? Of course not. I’m not even really sure just exactly what it is. Did it make my heart stop beating because it was so amazingly, jaw droppingly beautiful? No. It was unusual, and it was on sale, like REALLY on sale, and so I clicked “Buy.” Do I believe that it is dangerous to buy things online? Yes. But also exhilarating and wow, what a time saver!
Sometimes, though, you end up with things that you don’t hate enough to send back, but don’t exactly love, either, and aren’t entirely sure what to do with.
That’s the situation I found myself in with this piece.
I think I have only worn this once or twice. There was a moment when I thought someone might wear it in Pippin, but it just didn’t work out.
The time I know for sure that I wore this was on Christmas Day. What I’m not sure of is which one. I think four years ago.
For all of my life that I can remember, my dad’s extended family has celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day. And for many years now it has been the one time of the year that I get to see many of my aunts, cousins, second cousins, and their children, which may or may not be my third cousins. I forget how these things work. Family, though, whatever the name.
I have an astounding family. We are numerous, and we run the gamut of professions and personalities and opinions, and yet there is a common thread running through us all. I can’t describe it further, I just know that it’s there and always will be. I love our family chemistry. And I am amazed and honored to have such courage, strength, and talent among my relatives.
Christmas Day in my Aunt Pat’s basement has formed some of my most poignant memories ever. Too many to enumerate tonight.
Our celebrations haven’t been as consistent in recent years, and I have not heard yet if there will be any kind of gathering this year or not.
I hope so. I miss too many people.
Anyway, the jacket/tunic. I feel like I just haven’t tried hard enough to figure out how to wear this. I was so surprised by how beautiful I found it. The embroidery is quite lovely, and so is the lace. And of course, the rhinestones! I guess I haven’t looked at it up close in a while. I think it looks very becoming on Trixie! But she has no bottom half, which is always what snares me up, let’s face it.
**I am fascinated by this piece, but I’m still not sure if it should stay. I need advice.
You Ain’t Ever Gonna Burn My Heart Out.
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Sapphire blue, velvet Designer: Gap Kids Years Owned: 15
So are you ready for this madness today? It’s pretty intense. I could not believe my shock when I pulled this little number out of a trunk this weekend when I was looking for my library shelves. This I have not laid eyes on in years. I thought briefly about trying it on, and then thought better of it. It is a size 11/12. As in for eleven or twelve-year olds.
And wouldn’t you know it? I wore this in high school.
I know that you most likely looked at this picture today and thought you were seeing an excited middle school “couple” headed off to a hop.
Nope. That would be me as a junior in high school, and Nate already graduated.
This picture is at the very beginning of our courtship.
It may actually be the first picture ever taken of the two of us, I’m not sure. That’s why it’s not in the best condition; it’s not the dress that was dirty, it’s the picture. It is 15 years old, after all.
I wish I could remember what dance this was. I think it was winter or maybe early spring- it may have been a homecoming dance. But the reason we are grinning like idiots is because a) we were always like that in those days and b) I was supposed to be going to this dance by myself.
Nate was out of town. I think that it may have been his trip to New Mexico to see his friends the Matthews. He ended up going home early so he could take me to this silly dance.
I found this to be an incredibly sweet gesture.
I was excited about everything then, but I was extra excited about this dance. I was on some sort of committee, and was in charge of decorating the cafeteria for the event. Oh, Eastwood High School Cafeteria! How many memories I have of your rectangular pizza, your smooth benches, your iceberg lettuce salads with an occasional beetle, your squat milk cartons, eating with chopsticks on your food trays, and getting publicly humiliated by psycho ex-boyfriends at your long crowded tables! How I miss you!
I had a great time with the decorating. We went with a celestial theme, and strung together star mobiles to hang from the ceiling. These ended up being so gorgeous that people took them down after the dance to hang in their bedrooms.
I have this random memory of decorating with my friend Erica, and telling her that the Smashing Pumpkins song “Tonight, Tonight” always made me think of her because there was something about a lake in it. Oh, the 90’s!!
And then I remember getting ready for the dance at my friend Andee’s house, and being so hyper and squealy that our heads were probably in danger of exploding. Oh, some of the best times of my life were in that house, getting ready for some Big Event, even if it was just a football game.
She was dating Nate’s friend Bryan at that time, and I think that he wasn’t supposed to go either, but surprised her, too.
These pictures were taken in her living room, in front of the fire place, which was the prime photo taking spot in the Welling household.
This was a big moment, this picture.
Andee and I would immortalize this moment as the moment that Nate and I became a Serious Couple. He was willing to drop everything just to accompany me to a dance in a cafeteria where he did not know anyone. Of course it was true love!
This moment can best be summarized by the Oasis song “Don’t Look Back.” I remember Andee writing out the lyrics in a note to me during the difficult transition of her breakup from Bryan. Do kids these days still write notes? I think notes are fantastic, and I miss them. I’m done with this texting crap. I’m going back to notes!
Another important memory of that night- I bought my first ever pair of high heels for this event. I don’t think I wore them much, since they made me taller than Nate in those days. But I loved them, and just recently got rid of them. They were silver Barbie doll shoes, and thus began a brilliant love affair.
I love thinking back to those days. It felt like standing on the edge of a great precipice, like the world was hovering just beyond my fingertips and I was only a leap away from grabbing it. It was a wonderful, exhilarating, a little bit terrifying, but entirely exciting time in my life. I loved every moment.
Do I need to keep this dress? There is not a chance that I will ever fit into it. Should I save it for an actual child who may one be the right size? Or should I just save the memory and clear out the dress?
** I’m still not sure what to do with this. In the meantime, it’s in the costume closet. What should I do with it?
What’s The Harm In Tellin’ A Few Purdies?
Item: Jacket Color/Fabric: Yellow/grey plaid, cotton Designer: Idra Where Purchased: Anthropologie Years Owned: 2
Ok, let me start by saying, quite honestly, that I have never lied to you, oh, whomever you may be. I do have a little personal slogan, which is “I am physically incapable of telling a lie.” Which is, in fact, a lie. Those of you who have had the pleasure of watching me attempt a verbal falsehood can testify that my face, neck and chest will go from a pinkish glow to a feisty rose to a slatternly crimson to a blotchy sort of fuchsia the deeper I wade into the lie. I can however, with great flare and flourish, even, write lies until there is no tomorrow.
But I have not lied whilst writing this blog. I may have skimmed over a few details, embellished a little, changed a few names to protect the innocent, but never lied.
I might lie a tiny little bit tonight.
Here’s the problem. I have a vision in my mind about wearing this jacket, but there is a part of me that is protesting, slightly, that it’s false. So the following tale may or may not be entirely truthful.
I remember wearing this jacket two years ago, when I went to see Harry Potter in Equus. I mean Daniel Radcliffe. Definitely, definitely not Harry Potter. Daniel Radcliffe.
I was going with one of the most lovely women I have ever known, Barbara. I used to train her at the gym, and we had such delightful workouts. She was 63 and had never worked out before in her life, but she trained like she was a 25 year old athlete. And smiled the entire time.
Barbara had coordinated this little jaunt, and invited some of her friends that I did not know. I was quite nervous, to tell the truth. It seemed like it could be an awkward evening.
I remember deliberating carefully about what to wear, which is why I think I might not have worn this after all. I know it was considered. I can’t remember what I wore with it, neither the pants, nor the shirt, which is suspicious to me, since I usually remember entire outfits. But I do remember that I wore very annoying leaf shaped earrings which added their own applause to mine. They are the noisiest earrings ever created.
My fears of awkwardness were unfounded- we had such fun! We went to an unbelievable Puerto Rican restaurant, and ate things like plantains, and other things. Ok, I only remember the plantains. I think there may have been pork somewhere, or maybe beef? The plantains were amazing.
And then we went to the show.
Barbara and I had watched the movie, because we wanted to be prepared for what we were to see. Especially being that it was Harry Potter and all. I mean Daniel Radcliffe.
In case you’re not familiar, Equus is about a teenage boy who is undergoing psychiatric treatment because he blinded some horses. It’s intense. And there is a good amount of complete nudity. Also simulated intercourse.
You may now see why Barbara and I were a little concerned.
But from the very first moment of the show, I was drawn into the world of the play entirely, spellbound and overwhelmed by emotion. I never really thought about the actor being the boy who played Harry Potter. And certainly never when he was running and jumping around the stage naked as a jay bird. He was transformed, and his performance was convincing and commanding.
During the curtain call, Daniel just beamed with pride, and his face lit up with his toothy grin, and I saw very clearly the little boy who played that wizard. That was really the only time I thought about Harry Potter- he really did a brilliant job.
Later, though, when I thought about the show, I did feel a little weird. Did I really see Harry Potter’s, well, wand? I would ask myself. Hmm, sort of but not really, since I really tried not lo look, I felt like a bit of a pedophile. It would have been impossible not to have caught a glimpse, though- there was a great deal of leaping and unpredictable movement…
Anyway.
A wonderful night of theatre!
And I really am unsure of this jacket. It’s one of those things that stole my heart when I saw it on line, and then once it was on my body, I was disappointed. Sometimes the hunt is better than the kill. On Trixie, it looks a little… Oklahoma hoedown to me right now. I want so badly to like this! But if it did not actually make it to Equus, then I’m not sure if I’ve ever even worn this. Does that mean that in my heart I don’t like it?
**We are parting, this jacket and I. It really is cute, though. Who wants her?
Black Widow, Honey.
Item: Teeshirt Color/Fabric: Black, cotton Designer: Express Years Owned: 8
First of all, I am handing out huge heaps of congratulations to myself for successfully surviving the Thanksgiving weekend shopping extravaganza with my vow still intact! I did not buy a thing, although I was tempted on every level, from ads, the internet, television, excited friends talking about their finds, dreams, hallucinations, pushers, and email. But I am stronger than all of that. I have almost made it through an entire month! I am a warrior!!
Now here is a tee that has not seen the light of day for ages! For a while there, this was my go-to teeshirt. I thought it was cool and a little edgy- there are frogs and butterflies and stars in there. Plus, the crazy-eyed psycho chick. Who is this woman, you might ask, as did I. She is Sarula! And who is Sarula? Black widow, honey. It’s all there on the tee for all to read. Well, the comma is mine. I happen to prefer “Black Widow, honey” to “Black Widow Honey.”
It’s all rather silly now that I’m writing about it. Was I implying that I was the Back Widow? Or that I somehow admired this Sarula person?
Because we all know that I am one bad, man-eating psychopath.
Really I just liked the shirt.
Here I am wearing it:
See how scary I am? Do I strike fear into your heart?
I am wearing this tee on the day that we sold our first house.
Otherwise known as “The Double-wide.”
“It wasn’t a double-wide!” Nate protests. “It was a high quality, pre-manufactured home!”
Potato, pototo.
I tease that house because I love it so. We had a beautiful yard, and you can partially see the gorgeous, ancient oak tree in front. The side of the house was lined with too many lilac bushes to count, and the back yard bordered a large, sloping wilderness. Once a turkey almost flew through my window. And we had lots of open space, perfect for many a bonfire. I loved it there.
There are many memories of the house itself; painting the entire thing, the In-Between-The-Holidays Feasts, the birth of my karaoke obsession, my very first giant bathtub, mice, the burst pipe…ah, good times! And most of them during the short six months I actually lived in the same state as my amazing sister. We had the best times there with her and her husband Terry, and all our MSU pals.
It was hard to leave. And really, really scary.
I remember feeling such relief at the thought of starting over, and such overwhelming terror at the thought of starting over.
Everything happened so fast, though, that I didn’t really have much time to feel so conflicted. By some unbelievable stroke of random luck, our house sold quickly, and for a higher price than we’d hoped.
I had no choice but to jump in with both feet.
Sometimes I still look back and wonder what in the world I’m doing here, and how I got here in the first place.
Terry told me a little while ago that he drove past this little Clark Road house, and that all the plants we had planted were big and gorgeous. I want to see it myself. I can’t even remember the last time I visited Michigan, but I know for sure that I will be there this summer.
There are so many things to look forward to!
And what about this silly shirt? Am I tough enough to pull it off? Or am I too old for such nonsense?
**This was, for a while, in the toss pile. But since, it has been the one item that has had the most Google searches. I feel I must keep it until the mystery is solved.
A Whisper of A Story.
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Silver/black, acetate Designer: Breakin’ Loose (yes, that really is the name, apostrophe and all!) Where Purchased: Uncertain- a gift Years owned: Also uncertain. More than a dozen, surely.
This week has been wonderful. I love the time around Thanksgiving, when the first layers of Holiday Spirit start floating around, along with the first few uncertain snowflakes. I mentioned before that I was feeling very reflective, and so I’ve spent a lot of time this week sorting through old pictures, missing friends in far away places, and searching for pieces to write about.
I did not find inspiration. My clothes are being a little shy this week; I look at them, but no one is screaming out their story for me.
I’ve been trying to figure out why I have such clear memories of when I wore certain pieces, and absolutely none of others. It’s strange. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with how much I love the piece, or how exciting the event is. There are some pieces that I absolutely adore, and know that I have worn multiple times, but I can’t pinpoint a particular time. And there are events that thrilled my heart, that I could write about for days, but I just have no idea what I wore.
I don’t get it.
The only, very small, piece to the puzzle has been that on the days when I really struggle to find something to wear, when I am just dismissing outfit after outfit after outfit, and then I finally decide on something to wear, I will remember that outfit for years.
But sometimes I also have a perfect memory of wearing something that I literally just threw on in a second with not a thought of premeditation. It’s strange.
This dress is something that I believe deep in my heart that it has a story to tell, but it’s just too faint to hear. I think it might be because it’s too old.
I can’t remember exactly when I got this dress, or even where it was purchased, but I do know positively that this is the first article of clothing that Nate ever gave me.
I have a sneaking suspicion that I picked it out, though.
I remember being utterly captivated by this. I thought it was the pinnacle of elegance and sophistication. I loved the way that the overlay looks almost like lace, but almost like crochet also. I think I even had some sort of vision of this dress being so classic and beautiful that I passed it on to my children as an heirloom. Now I’m not so sure.
I’m sure I’ve worn this a few times, since I’ve had it close to 15 years. I have a fuzzy memory of wearing this to Nate’s grandpa’s wedding, very soon after the death of Nate’s grandma. So it was sort of a weird occasion, a little bit happy and a little bit sad, with a fair amount of family tension thrown in.
It never fails to make me smile, though, thinking about those days, when I still felt a little awkward in the presence of Nate’s family. I wanted so badly for them to like me! I remember Nate’s Aunt Laurie teasing me relentlessly, calling me “ornery.” I’m still not sure why, exactly…
And I remember that I wanted to be glamorous more than anything, and yet somehow I ended up with an enormous stain on this dress and had to wear a jacket for the whole reception.
Why do I have to get stains on everything? It’s frustrating. Well, at least I was able to get this one out.
But I can’t think of when else I might have worn this. I’m fairly sure that I could not have worn for the last 8 years, at least. I don’t know if I can see myself wearing this again, really. I’m a little worried about the neckline- I am broader now than I was in those days. And is it special enough to keep as some sort of heirloom or something? It was the first dress Nate bought me, after all. But he’s since bought me many more beautiful dresses. Is it worth saving if I don’t have any really vivid memories of wearing it?
I need some help on this one.
** I could use some help with this one. Still not sure what to do with it…
One More Time, Again!
Item: Sweater Color/Fabric: Chocolate/bronze, cashmere/acetate Designer: Theory Where Purchased: Last Call Neiman Marcus Years Owned: One
What a lovely and relaxing Thanksgiving Day I had this year! And I have made a vow to myself to be more thankful for all the blessings I have each and everyday. I am well aware that I take too many things and too many people entirely for granted. I have a very charmed life, and I could not be more filled with gratitude.
A few months back I had decided that I didn’t like writing about a particular item on the very day that I wore it. Tonight I just don’t seem to have a choice. I can’t think of anything else to write about!
This sweater was a wounded warrior that I found on the Damaged rack at Last Call. It had a rather large hole in one sleeve, and a few pulls, and so it was marked down from $455 to $14.99. And, charitable soul that I am, I had to rescue it!
Nate and I had met our friend Chris, who we knew from our days at MSU, at Woodbury Common. He mostly just gaped in amazement while I shopped, and he was a nice distraction for Nate.
Chris, however, did not like this sweater. I held it up for them after I had purchased it, as my Find Of The Day.
“Oh, Kerry, you need to return that,” he told me. “There’s a hole in it!”
“I Know,” I said. “I’m going to fix it.”
Chris was horrified. “You bought something damaged? On purpose?”
I tried to explain that I could not even make a sweater of that quality and size for $14.99. Unthinkable. I told him that if I wasn’t able to fix it, I’d just wear it around the house.
Because, you see, it’s kind of like a fancy Snuggie. The picture just doesn’t really show how much sweater there actually is in this, but it folds and drapes and wraps around and ties. It’s complicated, and takes some practice. But there are so many ways to wear it! Plus, it sparkles a little. It’s pretty wonderful!
It mended very easily, too. There’s not even a trace of the hole, or the pulls. It was a nice soft and cozy sweater to wear on a chilly Thanksgiving Day.
I’ve worn this one other time. It was around this same time of year last year, and I was going to New York City to see Next To Normal.
We had a nice group of wonderful people: myself (husbandless, as Nate was in India), Kevin and Michael, Lizzie, Maria, Donna, Diana, and Rich. We took the Metro North, and it was the most delightful train ride I’ve ever had! Here’s Kevin, Lizzie, and me on the train:
I can’t remember whose idea it was to bring wine on the train, but it was brilliant!
We had an awesome sushi dinner, which I always appreciate, because Nate won’t eat it and so I don’t have it often, and then we headed for the show.
This time, I had actually listened to the soundtrack a few times before seeing the show. I remember being completely captivated by the music, but I had no concept of how powerful the show would be.
I was sitting next to Liz, and we were both sobbing by the fifth song. And then I cried for the entire rest of the show. I think I lost about four pounds in tears. Seriously.
I empathized with every character. There was not a single song which didn’t move me in some way. I loved the set and the lighting. It was just a phenomenal show.
And oh, the music! It has been on a nearly constant loop in my car for an entire year now. I haven’t gotten tired of it yet, and I think that now I’ve listened to it more than I have any other musical. It’s just so good.
I even had to see it twice; I had to take Nate! He cried, too.
Anyway, after the show we ended up getting the most expensive hot chocolate in the world at a hotel by the train station. I’m pretty sure the hot chocolate cost more than my sweater. It was super delicious, though!
That was just a perfect day: wonderful friends, great food, astounding theatre, and a warm and fabulous sweater. What more could a girl ask for?
**I think this sweater is amazing. Plus, it bears the fruit of my labor. It shall stay.
But I’m Not The Only One.
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Black, Modal Designer: Express Years Owned: 4
Today I am full of reflection. I’ve been thinking back on all the Thanksgivings I can remember, all the dishes I’ve made, all the celebrations I’ve enjoyed with friends and family, and I know that I am entirely blessed.
It’s always hard when I’m not able to be with my family or Nate’s family on Thanksgiving. But at least I get the chance to be surrounded by love with some of the greatest friends anyone could hope for.
Last night, I did some baking and other miscellaneous food preparation. I had planned to be so occupied for an hour or so, and then write a little bit and get to bed early.
I think that it tool me close to three hours to bake eighteen pumpkin muffins.
I’ve lost what little bit of domestic magic I’ve ever had. I used to be really great at baking. I baked something fresh at least once per week. I could twist recipes to make them even better, and I always knew what would work. I made treats for Nate to bring into work. I even got requests from the office. And I cleaned daily. I was a spectacular housewife.
Now I work, a lot. The last few times I’ve attempted to bake something, it’s been disastrous. Too much of one thing; too little of something else. There is no possibility that anyone will mistake me for Martha Stewart these days.
So after the epic Battle of the Muffins last night, I was utterly exhausted, covered in flour, nursing a few burned fingers, and feeling a little ill from eating too much uncooked batter. Hence, no new post last night.
Shortly I’ll be headed to Kevin and Michael’s house, where we have always generously been taken in for great food and company whenever we find ourselves alone on a holiday.
I happened to wear this black dress the first Thanksgiving we celebrated with Kevin and Michael. I decided to go the Pilgrim route. I wore a white blouse under the dress, black tights, black boots, and a very large belt.
It was a fantastic occasion! I can’t remember exactly how many people were there, but there were numerous members of Michael’s family. And we had such a feast! I made Cranberry-Pear relish, which is one of my favorite things in the known world, and also little pumpkin and leaf shaped cookies. This was still in my Susie-Homemaker phase. Kevin made his famous pies, my favorite being the berry one. And it’s just like me to only remember the deserts, but there it is. I know that there was all the usual Thanksgiving fare. I get most excited about desert.
Anyway, a wonderful, festive celebration, Nate and I were planning to go to Woodbury Common later that night. They were opening their doors at midnight and I was so excited! Here’s what I pictured: Nate and I strolling around in the unseasonably warm night, with moonlight shining down on the sparkling store fronts, where we would browse leisurely, since we had the place almost to ourselves.
You may say that I’m a dreamer.
That would be true.
The drive to the mall was wonderful. The freeway empty. We sang and laughed and dreamed about the deals we were about to find.
And then we approached Exit 16. That’s when all chaos broke loose.
It was a nightmare. It took us over an hour to get through the toll. Women began to panic. They started to leave their cars in droves, abandoning their poor patient husbands, and strode briskly through the deep ditch and scaled the chain length fence to get into the mall. Nothing would stop them from their Thanksgiving deals!
It was amazing. Utterly astounding. I had never witnessed such madness.
One image that will stay with me for all time is a stately woman in her late 60’s, dressed in a crisp white two piece suit and carrying a red alligator bag. She daintily made her way through that ditch as though she was crossing a ballroom, one hand flexed gracefully by her side for balance.
All I wanted was to watch her climb that giant fence, but of course by then we were moving.
Inside the madness escalated. There were lines snaking around buildings just to get into the stores!
It even made the news. There were 14 million people there that night. Give or take a few.
We stayed just long enough to find some perfect Christmas gifts, and then got out of there as quickly as possible.
To this day, people still ask me about it with awe in their voice, as though we survived a battle of legendary proportions.
I suppose that we did.
To everyone planning to brave the shopping front lines tonight and tomorrow, I wish you to be fleet of feet, swift of fingers, and hardy of elbows. May you be granted that digital picture frame or $20 blu-ray player.
However, I will not be joining you. That ship has most surely sailed.
As for the dress, I now have two similar dresses, and I fear this one has slipped out of rotation a little. I still like it, especially the back:
Um, this is not a good picture of it. I was a little rushed this morning with the photo-taking. It’s much cuter than this shows.
But it’s a nice basic dress. I like the neckline, and how soft it is. Is it necessary, though?
**This one is leaving me. Lizzie, she’s waiting for you!!
Alas, A Tale Of Tears. And Food. Specifically Chocolate. Also Gummy Bears.
Item: Perfect, beautiful Dress Color/Fabric: Wild Plum/ Silky, satiny heaven Designer: Nicole Miller Collection Where Purchased: ideeli.com Years Owned: Not long enough! Not even six months.
Tonight I lay before you something that I has been tormenting me relentlessly for the last two weeks. My Barcelona dress. Yes, I am showing you the back first. Explanation to come.
I love dresses by Nicole Miller, because she knows how to make a woman’s body look amazing. (If Trixie had a butt, it would look awesome in this dress!)They feel fantastic, hug in all the right places, and are the most flattering dresses I’ve yet to find. And also rather expensive. I bought this dress on my very favorite type of Saturday, the Ideeli Red sale Saturday. This is a magical event that randomly pops up on Saturday mornings and allows you to buy fabulous clothing for ridiculously low prices. Prices that go above 90% off retail. It’s truly, truly amazing.
If you are stout of heart, and are willing to to spend some time, perhaps hours, hitting the “refresh” button, you should go here and join Ideeli. There are sales everyday, but what you really need to watch for are the Red Sales. I have a feeling that there will be one this weekend. I sweat just thinking about it. You have to be quick on the draw to get the extra fantastic deals, but you can end up with genuine treasures.
Like this dress. I got this dress for almost $400 off of retail price. I was so excited, and as luck would happen, Kevin and Vicki arrived just in time to witness my euphoria. I had to show them pictures of my conquest.
“I’m going to bring this to Spain!” I declared ecstatically.
“Um, Ker,” said Kevin, positively oozing wisdom,”You don’t want to wear that in Spain. You need practical things, like what you wore in Hawaii.”
“No,” I told him. “We’re staying in this ultra glamorous hotel, and I will need a purple cocktail dress.”
“Hmm,” said Kevin.
“It’s lovely!” said Vicki.
I had this gorgeous image in my head, of Nate and I lounging in the lobby of the Claris, me in my purple Nicole Miller, Nate in a dapper suit of some kind, patiently awaiting a car to pick us up and whisk us to a sophisticated restaurant or perhaps the opera.
Wouldn’t that have been nice?
Here’s what happened instead.
Yes, we did stay at the Claris Hotel, which is just beautiful, and yes, we did get upgraded to the rock star suite, which meant that we had a lovely spiral staircase that lead to a sitting area with leather couches, a flat screen tv, and an archeological artifact of some sort. It was spectacular!
And they did in fact get us a car. It was a Smart Car. Great fun for zipping around the city but not very glamorous.
So first we just drove around and explored Barcelona, in good old-fashioned tourist attire. We visited the ethereal Guell park, and then drove up Monjuic to watch the city gradually turn into a diamond landscape as night fell.
I think that was when I realized that we hadn’t eaten in over eight hours.
Those of you who know me well are probably already a little scared. I do not cope well with skipping meals. At all.
We started to head back to our hotel, to change and then get a much needed meal before my head exploded.
Somehow we got horribly lost.
Then the low fuel light on the Smart Car started blinking.
And I was still hungry.
The roads in Barcelona do not just go East,west, North, or South. There’s diagonal. Semi-diagonal. Transverse. Reverse. Backward in time. Circular. Roads that are undetermined if they are actually sidewalks. Spiral. Underground.
Oh, and something that is very important to know about Smart Cars that no one tells you; they have no interior lights. So have fun trying to lean out the window and read a road map by street light, crying, and hallucinating due to hunger!
Anyway, somehow we found the Claris again.
They had filled our room with chocolate! I ate fistfuls of chocolate, and two bags of gummy bears, and the dragon diminished.
Later, we had the most amazing feast of all time. It involved something like 10 courses, and there was, among other things, baby squid, warm goat cheese, and cava, although not necessarily in that order.
Since we only had one night in our rock star hotel, we went back and hung out in our fab sitting room.
Where we watched Jay Leno, in English! It was the only Englis tv channel that wasn’t the BBC we encountered in 2 weeks.
So of course I had to go put on my lovely Nicole Miller dress.
And Kevin thought I would not need it in Spain. Ha!
When we got home, The first thing I unpacked was this dress. I had put it in a special compartment, to keep it safe. And, behold:
Apparently, the shower gel I had in the front pocket of my suitcase leaked all the way through the suitcase and onto my perfect dress. And it actually bleached the fabric. I made a few wordless shocked mumbles, and then burst into tears. Nate said “This is why you can’t have nice things.”
I am considering having it shortened, since it does hit below my knee. But would a few inches off take it from classy to trashy? I am so uncertain. Does anyone know anything else I might be able to do to save it? It would be a travesty to toss it after only wearing it a single time, to watch th Late Show with Anne Hathaway. Right? Suggestions?
As a bonus, here’s Nate in his rock star robe in our rock star room. Just because I think you all might enjoy.
**I still haven’t fixed this, but I love it so. There has to be a solution. Can anyone help me?
I Am What I Wore 