Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Spring Re-NEW-al
Spring has arrived, according to the calendar. In Central New York, spring weather arrived last month and departed last week, when snow fell on Mother’s Day. However, I am determined not to lose that revitalized feeling that only comes one season of the year. I am giving my new spring discoveries their due here. I hope these little gems will work their magic until Mother Nature quits going loco!
New Destination
Newport, Rhode Island
My husband and I made our first trip there for our fifth anni
versary last week, and it was wonderful! We lucked out with above average temperatures in the 70s, lovely ocean breezes and minimal tourists. Sorry, but I’m saving the details about this one for a travel article I’ll be trying to peddle to recoup the expenses of this trip, since Newport is everything but cheap!
New Film
Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008, Woody Allen. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497465/
Under normal circumstances, Woody Allen films are completely lost on me. When you see your first one as an 11 year old you tend to have a scar on the brain after watching sex scenes in a movie theater as your friend’s parents are sitting behind you, watching the same unmentionable scenes. Ick and, furthermore, mortifiying.
But the other night I finally had a spare hour and a half to watch this Oscar winner in the silence of my living room, on a dark cold night. It leads one to ponder life choices, socially accepted (or unaccepted) customs and where they originated, and that fickle “what if” factor. Though stereotypical, the glimpse at those carefree Europeans, their food and their architecture are reason enough to watch this film. The only thing that could have made this a better experience would have been seeing it on an outdoor screen, with warm summer air on the neck and a big bottle of red wine at the ready. (Oh, and if I still smoked, a pack of Parliaments!)
New TV Shows
Kirstie Alley’s BIG Life (A&E, available on cable on demand)
http://www.kirstiealley.com/blog/
My husband and I stumbled on Kirstie Alley’s BIG Life on A&E the other day while waiting for our daughter to wake up from her nap. Yes, it is another reality show. Yes, it is another celebrity trying to crawl her way back to stardom. And yes, she's another star that fights weight gain. OH, and yes, there are the predictable characters strewn in. But if you can get beyond that, there are some laugh out loud funny scenes, even though some of them seem a bit scripted, and I admit I have a new appreciation for this actress. Although I never did watch Fat Actress, I did watch the entire season of BIG Life – almost back to back. I hope it makes a return for another season.
US of Tara (Showtime, available on cable on demand)
http://www.sho.com/site/tara/home.do
I know I’m the Johnny Come Lately to this one since an entire season already aired, but it is new to me! This was another one stumbled on at a time when our household’s regular shows were on hiatus last month. A bit racy, a lot crazy and a therapy-worthy addiction, this show is fresher than spring itself. I’ve caught up to the current season and I’m finding myself irritated when there isn’t a new Tara available to watch! These less-than-half-hour nuggets are perfect viewing when you only have a short amount of tube time before you can no longer keep your lids open.
New Vehicle
At the end of my lease, I headed out this spring to look for a new ride to replace my reliable (though petite) 2006 Impreza Wagon. It was an easy search as I test drove the 2010 Subaru Forester and signed up on the spot for another go-round with the versatile Subaru Family. So far we’re getting along great, and she’s proven road worthy on the previous mentioned trip to Newport, RI. Welcome, Subi No. 2!
New Snack Foods
The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese
You pick – spread on a wheat cracker, under fresh fruit, right out of the package – it’s all good. And in moderation, good for you!
Quaker True Delights Line
Low in calories and simply delicious, the Quaker Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond Granola Bar is now a favorite between meal snack. This new product line includes oatmeal as well as granola bars. Also try the Dark Chocolate Mocha Hazlenut Café Squares – the scent immediately conjures ‘local coffee house’. Truly delightful!
I’m still looking for new music, new sneakers and a new form of exercise to complete this spring’s re-new-al, but they’ll have to wait for now as I’m trying to catch up and finish old work!
Get out and try something new this spring! You might find something that will become your old reliable!
New Destination
Newport, Rhode Island
My husband and I made our first trip there for our fifth anni
versary last week, and it was wonderful! We lucked out with above average temperatures in the 70s, lovely ocean breezes and minimal tourists. Sorry, but I’m saving the details about this one for a travel article I’ll be trying to peddle to recoup the expenses of this trip, since Newport is everything but cheap!New Film
Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008, Woody Allen. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497465/
Under normal circumstances, Woody Allen films are completely lost on me. When you see your first one as an 11 year old you tend to have a scar on the brain after watching sex scenes in a movie theater as your friend’s parents are sitting behind you, watching the same unmentionable scenes. Ick and, furthermore, mortifiying.
But the other night I finally had a spare hour and a half to watch this Oscar winner in the silence of my living room, on a dark cold night. It leads one to ponder life choices, socially accepted (or unaccepted) customs and where they originated, and that fickle “what if” factor. Though stereotypical, the glimpse at those carefree Europeans, their food and their architecture are reason enough to watch this film. The only thing that could have made this a better experience would have been seeing it on an outdoor screen, with warm summer air on the neck and a big bottle of red wine at the ready. (Oh, and if I still smoked, a pack of Parliaments!)
New TV Shows
Kirstie Alley’s BIG Life (A&E, available on cable on demand)
http://www.kirstiealley.com/blog/
My husband and I stumbled on Kirstie Alley’s BIG Life on A&E the other day while waiting for our daughter to wake up from her nap. Yes, it is another reality show. Yes, it is another celebrity trying to crawl her way back to stardom. And yes, she's another star that fights weight gain. OH, and yes, there are the predictable characters strewn in. But if you can get beyond that, there are some laugh out loud funny scenes, even though some of them seem a bit scripted, and I admit I have a new appreciation for this actress. Although I never did watch Fat Actress, I did watch the entire season of BIG Life – almost back to back. I hope it makes a return for another season.
US of Tara (Showtime, available on cable on demand)
http://www.sho.com/site/tara/home.do
I know I’m the Johnny Come Lately to this one since an entire season already aired, but it is new to me! This was another one stumbled on at a time when our household’s regular shows were on hiatus last month. A bit racy, a lot crazy and a therapy-worthy addiction, this show is fresher than spring itself. I’ve caught up to the current season and I’m finding myself irritated when there isn’t a new Tara available to watch! These less-than-half-hour nuggets are perfect viewing when you only have a short amount of tube time before you can no longer keep your lids open.
New Vehicle
At the end of my lease, I headed out this spring to look for a new ride to replace my reliable (though petite) 2006 Impreza Wagon. It was an easy search as I test drove the 2010 Subaru Forester and signed up on the spot for another go-round with the versatile Subaru Family. So far we’re getting along great, and she’s proven road worthy on the previous mentioned trip to Newport, RI. Welcome, Subi No. 2!
New Snack Foods
The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese
You pick – spread on a wheat cracker, under fresh fruit, right out of the package – it’s all good. And in moderation, good for you!
Quaker True Delights Line
Low in calories and simply delicious, the Quaker Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond Granola Bar is now a favorite between meal snack. This new product line includes oatmeal as well as granola bars. Also try the Dark Chocolate Mocha Hazlenut Café Squares – the scent immediately conjures ‘local coffee house’. Truly delightful!
I’m still looking for new music, new sneakers and a new form of exercise to complete this spring’s re-new-al, but they’ll have to wait for now as I’m trying to catch up and finish old work!
Get out and try something new this spring! You might find something that will become your old reliable!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Assault by Milk
Did you know that doctors giving mental evaluations use common phrases, such as don’t cry over spilled milk, as a tool in determining a patient’s mental state? I didn’t, until recently. It seems simple enough. The doctor asks you to define a commonly known phrase, and you provide a rational, globally accepted answer. If instead you offer up “it means you ought to take the Number 7 bus on Thursdays”, well, you just might find yourself sharing a room with that guy from the movie Overboard who liked to eat his checkers.
For me, however, I now have the unfortunate knowledge of a more literal translation of this phrase.
It’s a rarity in CNY today. Sunny and 50 degrees before we’ve even reached St. Patty’s Day. I’m out in my 2006 Subaru wagon, a/k/a the Grocery Getter, and my windows are down. Of course they are, you say! It’s SUNNY! It’s over 30 degrees! What fool wouldn’t embrace a day like this around here? But my windows are down for a different reason, and will probably still be down a week from now, even if Mother Nature decides to drop another two feet of snow in honor of St. Patrick. The reason for my wind blown hair is the downright raunchy stench emanating from the way back of the wagon, where there has been a milk spill. And I assure you, I AM crying over it.
The spill did not occur on Tuesday when I brought home the week’s groceries, or e
ven last week while my toddler rode with me on a half hour trip to the city. The spill happened two months ago. So I did what most Subaru owners would do – I took care of my Subi when the half gallon of milk I bought decided it had enough of the standing up thing, tipped over on the way home, and leaked. It wasn’t a huge leak. The top to the container was even in tact, keeping the entire half gallon from flowing all over the carpeting. And as soon as I got home I cleaned up Subi's (my) mess. I blotted, I scrubbed with stain remover and water, blotted some more and said a little prayer that from now on my milk would stay upright. I figured that was the end of the lesson.
How very wrong and foolish I was. To those of you that have kids, you probably already know the evil that lurks in spilled milk. But my daughter is not quite two and doesn’t travel very far, so the adventures of roadie drinks have not yet begun in our family. I learned this week, when the sun made its way here (finally), and heated up the car interior to 90 plus, that milk should no longer be allowed near my vehicle unless it is securely fastened to the roof with bungee cords.
The nauseous factor from the reek rivaled the tummy churning teacup ride at Disney World. My niece and I got in the car over the weekend, when the sun had first appeared.
Me: “What is that awful smell?”
Her: “I don’t know, what?”
Me: “You can’t smell that? It smells like garbage. It’s awful!”
She sniffs.
Her: “Eww. Yeah, I kinda smell it now. What is it?”
We look around, lift up the dog’s blanket that protects the back seat from hair (Yeah right! The back seat upholstery looks like it's made of golden retriever fur- but that’s a smell for another blog). The brief search turns up no concrete evidence of the horrid smell. Off we go anyway, ‘cause we’re in a hurry. We haven’t got time for bad smells.
I don’t drive my car much on weekends, so it’s a few days later. I have to put my daughter’s spare car seat in the way back to get it home. And there it is. THE STENCH! The milk incident came rushing back to mind, and then to stomach- it was all I could do not to hurl.
What to do? You Google it, of course. I keyed in “how to get rid of spilled milk stains in carpet” and “how to get rid of spoiled milk smell in car”. Several million hits later, I’m in hysterics at the plight of man vs. milk. I am not the only one. And I am, by far, not the hardest hit. Some have had entire GALLONS forgotten in their car- until it exploded under the back seat... in August. Others had 'coffee with milk' products accidentally dumped in dashboards, cupholders and floorboards. The list is endless. And most of those people let their cars get re-possessed or traded them in for new rides. Really. A few solutions were offered- use white vinegar, or baking soda, or spend an hour and Shop Vac the crap out of it. On my small spill I used a microbe based, odor removing carpet cleaner that my husband happened to have on hand. It has helped tremendously. My car now smells mostly of upholstery cleaner rather than a combo of dirty feet and moldy cheese. But I was one of the lucky ones.
I hope you have the good fortune of avoiding this altogether. Don’t be a victim of milk violence. Before you ride, make sure your milk is in an upright and locked position!
For me, however, I now have the unfortunate knowledge of a more literal translation of this phrase.
It’s a rarity in CNY today. Sunny and 50 degrees before we’ve even reached St. Patty’s Day. I’m out in my 2006 Subaru wagon, a/k/a the Grocery Getter, and my windows are down. Of course they are, you say! It’s SUNNY! It’s over 30 degrees! What fool wouldn’t embrace a day like this around here? But my windows are down for a different reason, and will probably still be down a week from now, even if Mother Nature decides to drop another two feet of snow in honor of St. Patrick. The reason for my wind blown hair is the downright raunchy stench emanating from the way back of the wagon, where there has been a milk spill. And I assure you, I AM crying over it.
The spill did not occur on Tuesday when I brought home the week’s groceries, or e
ven last week while my toddler rode with me on a half hour trip to the city. The spill happened two months ago. So I did what most Subaru owners would do – I took care of my Subi when the half gallon of milk I bought decided it had enough of the standing up thing, tipped over on the way home, and leaked. It wasn’t a huge leak. The top to the container was even in tact, keeping the entire half gallon from flowing all over the carpeting. And as soon as I got home I cleaned up Subi's (my) mess. I blotted, I scrubbed with stain remover and water, blotted some more and said a little prayer that from now on my milk would stay upright. I figured that was the end of the lesson.How very wrong and foolish I was. To those of you that have kids, you probably already know the evil that lurks in spilled milk. But my daughter is not quite two and doesn’t travel very far, so the adventures of roadie drinks have not yet begun in our family. I learned this week, when the sun made its way here (finally), and heated up the car interior to 90 plus, that milk should no longer be allowed near my vehicle unless it is securely fastened to the roof with bungee cords.
The nauseous factor from the reek rivaled the tummy churning teacup ride at Disney World. My niece and I got in the car over the weekend, when the sun had first appeared.
Me: “What is that awful smell?”
Her: “I don’t know, what?”
Me: “You can’t smell that? It smells like garbage. It’s awful!”
She sniffs.
Her: “Eww. Yeah, I kinda smell it now. What is it?”
We look around, lift up the dog’s blanket that protects the back seat from hair (Yeah right! The back seat upholstery looks like it's made of golden retriever fur- but that’s a smell for another blog). The brief search turns up no concrete evidence of the horrid smell. Off we go anyway, ‘cause we’re in a hurry. We haven’t got time for bad smells.
I don’t drive my car much on weekends, so it’s a few days later. I have to put my daughter’s spare car seat in the way back to get it home. And there it is. THE STENCH! The milk incident came rushing back to mind, and then to stomach- it was all I could do not to hurl.
What to do? You Google it, of course. I keyed in “how to get rid of spilled milk stains in carpet” and “how to get rid of spoiled milk smell in car”. Several million hits later, I’m in hysterics at the plight of man vs. milk. I am not the only one. And I am, by far, not the hardest hit. Some have had entire GALLONS forgotten in their car- until it exploded under the back seat... in August. Others had 'coffee with milk' products accidentally dumped in dashboards, cupholders and floorboards. The list is endless. And most of those people let their cars get re-possessed or traded them in for new rides. Really. A few solutions were offered- use white vinegar, or baking soda, or spend an hour and Shop Vac the crap out of it. On my small spill I used a microbe based, odor removing carpet cleaner that my husband happened to have on hand. It has helped tremendously. My car now smells mostly of upholstery cleaner rather than a combo of dirty feet and moldy cheese. But I was one of the lucky ones.
I hope you have the good fortune of avoiding this altogether. Don’t be a victim of milk violence. Before you ride, make sure your milk is in an upright and locked position!
