Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Currently- January 2017


Book
How to Party With an Infant by Kaui Hart Hemmings (the author of The Descendants). A single mother in San Francisco is working on a cookbook inspired by her life and the lives of her friends. It's witty, clever, and touching. Last week I finally made myself read Carrie Fisher's last book, The Princess Diarist. It feels unfinished and self-censored, and the saddest part is that there won't be a sequel.

Music


This is an old favorite. Jesca Hoop also has a new excellent album, Memory Are Now.

TV
Grimm is finally (FINALLY!) back for their final season. In between episodes we've been streaming Voyager for our escapism fill. The writing is painful at times, but I really like Captain Katharine Hepburn.

Link
There's a new BBC documentary about the Brontë family. I hope it gets to Netflix or PBS soon.

Perfume
Edward Bess- Spanish Veil. It's one of the best 2016 releases.

Makeup
I can't stop reaching for the new Burberry blush I showed you last week, so I plan my looks around it.

Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
Black dresses in every fabric and length, with colorful accessories, sweaters, and interesting footwear. When I can actually be bothered to leave the house, that is. It's hibernating time around these parts.

Food
We gave Blue Apron a try, since they have a vegetarian option and we wanted new dinner ideas. The groceries were fresh and high quality, and the recipes precise. The problem is that the high-protein food was too heavy and dense for our taste. I prefer my dinner with more broccoli or butternut squash than various extra proteins.

Bane
No kvetching and krechtzing tonight. I think I've spent all of them on the last few months.

Joy
The Blond fixed the problem that plagued the blog. Email and Facebook notifications are back, as are the related stories links. I was becoming desperate.

Anticipation
Valentine's Day. Corny, but it's one of my favorite days of the year.

Wishlist
Rag & Bone Classic Newbury Woven Leather Booties. I'm thinking spring.




Random Thought
You know a situation is dire when you can't find a fitting Yoda quote.


How are you? What's on your list of loves and banes? Any wishes and recommendations?

Image: January 1917 Vogue cover via Conde Nast Archive.

8 comments:

  1. Book
    I'm feeling a little uninspired when it comes to reading right now, but I did recently pick up a copy of Elizabeth Hardwick's "American Fictions" which I'm excited to read (and surprised that I've never read it before).

    Music
    The new J.Cole album is on heavy rotation right now.

    TV
    If anyone needs a laugh/needs to be disturbed, go watch "My Sex Robot" on Netflix.

    Perfume
    Also feeling uninspired here. I've been forgetting to wear perfume to work, and I run a damn perfumery. How does this happen?

    Makeup
    Give me all of the eyeshadow. Give me all of the blown out creases and shimmer and red/pinks. All of them. Now.

    Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
    Boots. Leggings or skinny jeans. Sweaters that are drapey. Scarves. Repeat.

    Food
    After discovering a brand new and amazing supermarket near us, D and I are feeling really inspired. Tomorrow I'm making faux pho (faux in that I'm not spending twelve hours on the broth)!

    Bane
    Politics. The fear I feel for just being a minority woman in America. This weather.

    Joy
    My organized makeup collection. I sigh with pleasure every morning and every night. Next projects: tackling the stationary, and my closet. I also need to fiddle with the bookshelves.

    Anticipation
    Valentine's Day weekend, because who doesn't love an opportunity to buy silly candy and cards and be overly romantic? Also, doing my taxes. My accountant has been around for me for eight years, and I love him. Here's to hoping I get a decent refund back!

    Wishlist
    Can't think of anything at the moment.

    Random Thought
    I wonder if the actor(s) who played Barney resent that stupid purple dinosaur.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TV - Golden State Warriors basketball. Don't seem to have the attention span for anything else. Perfume & Makeup - Trying to get rid of stuff I never wear. No idea where to off load any of it. I hate to through it out. Food - Trying to eat more vegan food even though Dear Husband loves his steak. So that means I split a steak into four portions, instead of one and we eat lots of salad and side veggies with it. Joy - Still Dear Husband, Dear Daughter, the mare and the kitties. Wishlist - Someone to help me downsize and declutter and organize. I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in stuff. Not sure I can go as bare as Marie Kondo, but I can certainly live with less. Just can't seem to part with the tons and tons of books.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those boots look awesome! I'm not sure I could handle the heels, though.

    I love the look of that blush, but am having difficulty telling if it leans warm or cool. Maybe it's neutral?

    I would love to watch that the documentary about the Brontes.

    I would also like to know more about Blue Apron's vegetarian option. I can't figure out from their website (without joining, at least) what the vegetarian menu would be like. We use the combination-protein method (grains + beans, grains + cheese or yogurt, etc.) ourselves, use a little tofu but no manufactured meat substitutes (we would rather add some eggs or seafood), but we're always in search of new recipes and variety. I've sometimes thought of trying Blue Apron for a little while, but hesitated... some of the meals look good, though, so I would love to hear more about your experience with it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Book: The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett. What if Her Majesty took up reading for pleasure instead of information? Smart, funny.


    Music: Not much at the moment. The connection I am currently using is too slow for effective streaming.


    Fragrance: Only one I have at at the moment is current formula Old Spice. Perfectly OK.



    Food: Not cooking at all for myself at the moment, and I am not happy about it at all. I would kill, or maybe just wound for REAL butter on a real baked potato. A kind friend brought me a baked potato from Wendy's, but while they are passable, they are not crisp skinned like I like them.


    Bane? MRSA.


    Blessings: Friends visiting. Cards in the mail. Nurses and aides.


    Learning: How to do almost everything again for the first time. Adaptive technology is my friend. Missing Rosa del Gata, who is being well cared for at my friend Linda's house.


    Lawrence in Ohio

    ReplyDelete
  5. Book
    Fedor Dostoevsky - Devils/Possessed
    Monika Fagerholm - Lola Upside Down

    Music
    Slowdive - Star Roving
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCih4OavoY

    TV
    Andrew Graham-Dixon - Art of Scandinavia
    https://store.bbc.com/art-of-scandinavia

    Perfume
    Have been going through my collection of Les Parfums de Rosine, and on my days off, musk scents (MKK, Helmut Lang, Lorenzo Villoresi...)

    Makeup
    MAC Relentlessly Red lipstick (instant rush of energy) and Illamasqua Bacterium (one coat and go!) nail polish.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Book: the life of Elizabeth Charlotte Princess of the Palatinate a really interesting women.
    Music: not quite tired of my playlist during my run but might change it soon
    Perfume: Black Orchid with Bois de violette and Cuir Cuba intense de Nicolai (I need it!!!) but to beat my craving i'm wearing Tobacco Vanilla with Jazz Club. Also did you know Angelina Jolie will be the face of a new Guerlian perfume I just hope it is not a sugar bomb for tweenies! argh
    Makeup: Color pop, and Makeup geek wand everything warm colour, fall-winter makeup up at his best
    Frequently worn outfit: I just buy myself so Palazzo pants from TopShop 20$ real score... with a stripy blouse it look really relax and so comfy really digging Sarah Jessica Parker look in Divorce ... masculine and feminine and loose... but still tailored perfection.
    Food: nah still trying to loose weight from xmas but really I just want to eat a GOOD ramen soup or cuban food to remind me of summer
    Bane: ... I will go with politic too so ... so depressing and i'm not even from the state can you imagine!
    Joy: small pleasure in life... having time alone, running, my kids, going to the spa, a hot shower
    Anticipation: going to the Spa. LOL see some friends. my next day off
    Wishlist: Viseart eyeshadows cant wait till April, Darphin Neroli Oil (divine) new shelves in my kitchen and kids room.
    Random Thought: blank I cant think of anything

    ReplyDelete
  7. Book: JD Robb's "Apprentice in Death"

    Music: Rachel Podger and Arte Dei Suonatori playing Vivaldi's set of 12 violin concertos known as "La Stravaganza" on period instruments. Ecstatic, extravagant and totally delightful!

    TV: Lucifer, The Blacklist, Pure Genius

    Perfume: Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme. I always get asked what I'm wearing.

    Makeup: Keeping the eyes softly smoked, simple and neutral, with a deeper berry or plum lip being the only obvious color. It goes with the weather we've been having just lately which has been wet and cold (by So Cal standards).

    Frequently Worn: Sweaters, blue jeans, and boots has been my staple this week.

    Food: Indian veggie curries and fresh baked naan.

    Bane: I'm not a Pollyanna, believe me, nor do I live in a bubble, but I don't let things that are beyond my control define me or get me down. And, if I can do something about a situation, then I don't think of it as a bane.

    Joy: The rain! After years of severe drought, we got hit with three rain storms; one right after the other. It was glorious!

    Anticipation: Harvesting our avocados. Every other year our tree has a bumper crop and this is the year. They hang like bunches of grapes (albeit very large, green ones--lol) from the tree. I've already warned friends and family to dig out their avocado recipes.

    Wishlist: I wish Mr. President would learn how to communicate without disparaging others.

    Random Thought: Typically, as people age, they become more intolerant and more set in their ways, but thankfully, I find the opposite happening to me.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reading: "Moranifesto" by Caitlin Moran, "Independent People" by Halldor Laxness

      Watching: "20th century Woman" (Annette Bening!), "Fleabag" (you'll laugh, you''ll cry), "The Affair" (jumped the shark but juicy) & "Victoria" on PBS (silly compared to the glorious "The Crown" but still sumptuous fun)

      Listening: The Rolling Stones album, "Blue & Lonesome" & National Public Radio & whatever Alexa manages to find on Spotify and play on Echo (my life is run by robots and their algorithms).

      Perfume: Out in the world - Helmut Lange EDP (vintage) & MPG Ambre Precieux. Cozy at home - Narciso EDP (the white cube) & L'Instant de Guerlain Extreme pour Homme.

      Makeup: Dior Dreamskin (liquid & compact but not at the same time), Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, Kosas lipstick in Undone, Surratt blush in La Vie en Rose, March Jacobs gel eye pencil in forest green #56

      Frequently Worn: black pants that feel like yoga pants but aren't yoga pants, oversize cowl neck tunics in camel and and gray, new motorcycle boot Uggs with a slimmer profile but the same cozy

      Food: homemade 10 vegetable soup, garlicky beef daube, mashed celery root and potatoes with buttermilk

      Bane: EVERY SINGLE executive action signed this week, and the cabal clustered in the Oval Office

      Joy: Rain in SoCal, finally, and the green hills and running creeks it brings. And deep gratitude for the break in the storms so all 750,000 of us peaceful, powerful marchers in LA could walk in the shining sunlight.

      Anticipation: The "Girls" final season on HBO and Lorde's new album and the last translated volume of Karl Ove Knausgaard's series "My Struggle".

      Wishlist: A new kitten as wonderful as our dearly missed Indie. And the hope and optimism which come from welcoming in a new family member.

      Random Thought: "Weary of politics" is not a luxury we have right now. It's time to take great care of ourselves - good food, long sleep, dear friends, close family, plenty of beauty - because we need to be strong and fortified for handle the very real challenges to our liberty.

      Delete

I love comments and appreciate the time you take to connect with me, but please do not insert links to your blog or store. Those will be deleted. The comment feature is not intended to provide an advertising venue for your blog or your commercial site.

 
Related Posts Widget