Quote of the Day - 8.28.06

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

-- Benjamin Franklin

Lone Stars

Hmmm...I hope none of my friends ever get married!

Lone Stars: Being Single

The soulmate culture insists that one person can satisfy all your emotional needs, says DePaulo. "But that's like putting all of your money in one stock and hoping it's not Enron."

"Single people are more likely to have a good relationship investment strategy. They tend to have a diversified portfolio of relationships—friends, siblings, colleagues—and to value a number of them," says DePaulo. "They have not invested their entire emotional capital in one person." Having a broad social network is physiologically as well as emotionally protective, although society perceives singles as psychologically vulnerable precisely because they lack the built-in support system of a spouse.

A broad array of friendships also appears to be a developmental plus. "Having a number of relationships allows you to develop different parts of yourself and a more complex, autonomous self," Trimberger finds

OMG, Tofie's Not the Only One!

Check out this site: Cute Overload

Scroll down to "Cat-a-loons" -- Tofie and this cat, Snowball should join together and start a tour!

Also, check out "The Best Kitten Video Evar" -- that cat looks JUST like Miso!

Horoscope for All

I liked my horoscope for Friday. I just think that it's generally true...

Imagine if you had never made a dubious choice in your entire life. Suppose you had been right about absolutely everything. What if your every action had been impeccable? What if each decision had been guided by an infallible inner genius? You think you would be happy now? I doubt it. You would be bored and, worse, you would be boring! Any idiot can get things right. Only a noble fool, though, can recognise the hidden magic and meaning in an apparent mistake and then learn from it.

Restaurant Week Synopsis

I went to 3 restaurant week meals! Count em'! Anyways, there's the lowdown:

1. Pigalle: (A-) Very nice ambiance, absolutely love the decor (mod blue and brown combo) and the service was excellent. What was impressive was the extensive selections they had for a restaurant week menu when all the other joints in town were only offering up one or two meager choices. For appetizer, I had pan-seared duck liver on risotto...yum. Although I've had much better mouth-watering foie-gras, it was not bad. My entree was a nice mushroom risotto with all sorts of mushrooms -- chanterelle, oyster, cremini, portobello, shitake (if it's a shroom, it was in my dish). My only complaint is that the risotto was a bit stiff and hard. Maybe I'm just not a fan of risotto. Dessert was an ice cream sundae which they innovated on by crumbling bits of sugar cone all over it instead of using nuts. It took a while to figure out what the heck it was but pretty ingenious if you ask me! Overall, this is definitely a place I'd return to! Plus I had requested a booth and they gave it to us, even though we only had two people! It was a luxurious and rewarding meal after a hard day's work of shopping!
2. Avila: (A-) This is the new modern Mediterreanean restaurant in that building across from Finale's, a former parking lot that they've since built into luxury condos. I worked across the street from this construction site for 5 years and it took that long to finish it. Well, this restaurant was an exact carbon copy of Davio's - since it's owned by the same people. However, the light wood paneling and multi-colored pattern on the chairs just really did not appeal to me. I felt like I was in some hotel restaurant where they serve breakfast buffets instead of sitting in a fine dining establishment. BUT, the waiters were ultra-attentive and the food was delicious. Chef's compliments included 2 bowls of gazpacho - I think they thought we hadn't gotten it and gave us eah another bowl. Appetizer was a divine octopus dish made with hot peppers, olives, and chili oil in a red sauce that you just want to keep sopping up with bread. The entree was either a lamb souvlaki or a scallop and crab paella. The lamb was seared just right although I like mine more on the rare side. The paella was way too stiff and undercooked and frankly, a bit tasteless. Dessert was a smash though, it was a trio of flan, chocolate torte, and raspberry cream puff. Yum! All in all, probably the best restaurant week meal we had.
3. Excelsior: (B+) This is one of those chic hangouts where pretty people like to be seen. However, since it was restaurant week, there were lots of young people and college types. We didn't like the service as much here, or the ambiance, which was just kinda loud and crowded. The appetizer made up for everything though! It was a seared duck cobb salad. Generous slices of duck breast on top of greens with gorgonzola, avocados, and carmelized onions. The entrees they had included a veal schnitzel or a scallop and crabmeat pasta carbonara. The pasta was good except mine was a bit too creamy. The schnitzel was way oily and quite a disappointment. Dessert was this blueberry shortcake that was not as tastey as advertised. The bread basket and the duck salad I think, made up for all.

Till next year!

Ugh!

I'm so sick right now. Throat hurts, head hurts, body hurts! I'm supposed to be in the Hamptons right now but had to scratch my plans. It was really really hard saying "no" but my fever won over. I realized I have a lot of trouble saying "no" to people. I always feel like I'm letting people down but honestly, do they really care that much? Probably not. Anyhoo, I slept something like 14 hours and got up, ate, showered and then slept another 2! If that's not bonafide sick, I don't know what is. At least I can catch up on little things here and there when I'm not all groggy and dizzy. Plus, it's all gray skies out there so at least I know I'm not missing out on any sunbathing or boating activities I would otherwise be engaged in. Honestly, I just want to curl up on the bed all day and be served on hand and foot! ;)

The Adventures of Mimi

I went to see Mariah this week and it was awesome. She sang nearly all of her #1 hits like Vision of Love, Honey, Fantasy, Hero, I'll Be There, Always Be My Baby, and of course her new songs - Don't Forget About Us, Shake It Off, It's Like That, and We Belong Together.

Unfortunately, MC took almost two hours to come out on stage and everyone started getting restless and booed her! When she finally emerged, she was pretty much stark naked. A bra and panties with a see-through cape does not qualify as "an outfit." (At least with her wardrobe changes, all she needed to do was throw on a shirt or a pair of pants!) Anyways, I enjoyed all of her hand gestures and all the "real singing" (as opposed to her "whisper" singing).

What was priceless was that sitting behind us were a bunch of Southie types - the kind you usually find at a Sox game. They were like "Go Mimi" and "Oh, my Gawd, she's gonna sing my song!" As I was filming a mini-video through my camera, you could hear these guys behind me causing quite a ruckus.

After the concert, we walked around the Fleet center waiting for traffic to subside and I swear, every bar and restaurant was playing a Mariah tune. Add to that every car driving by with crazed fans singing along. It was as if Mariah had passed and there was a sudden tribute to her memory. It was fun tho...so of course, we had to roll down our windows and blast a song or two as we peeled away into the night...

Housing Virgin

The Housing Virgins of Manhattan depicts the insane apartment hunting process in NYC. Absolutely ridiculous. Thank God I'm not 21 and making $35K a year looking for a place right now. But you know what? I think living in the city is way overrated. (Maybe I've been in the burbs too long). I would like to think I'm a bit saavier than these fresh-faced newbies. Plus, because I'm from NY...I can totally see living in Queens or Brooklyn in areas most out-of-towners would not take a second look at but are pretty decent to live in. Say Forest Hills. My bottom line is, I refuse to settle...high standards will get you everywhere. It's always gotten me what I wanted! ;)

Jin's Shower & Bachlorette Parteee!

A lovely tea room, much nicer than uh-hum...other cheesey Japanese tea houses I've had the unfortunate pleasure of being taken to...
















Later in the evening...Eek! Mercy, mercy...too much to drink for lil' ol me!!! =)

Belated

I just got a belated bday gift! So cute - Frette slippers and a gift set from L'Occitane. Little gifts always seem to mean more than a fancy dinner or a big gift for some reason. Well, really it's the thought that counts. My other cool gift this year was a donation to the ASPCA. I thought that was really unique. I'm glad I was able to serve a good cause. =)

Drowning In Cats

I had a strange dream last night. In it, Tofie was standing up like he does and then he walks into a pool in this upright position, even using his hand to hold the guardrail. I think to myself, "how weird! Cats hate water...what does he think he's doing??" Then he goes a bit too deep and starts drowning. I start panicking and then reach in the water to save him. I grab onto one paw and it was so heavy, I had to pull his heavy body to get him out. Then I had to administer CPR and he was ok.

Then, Miso comes along and goes treading in the water just fine. Then all of a sudden he turns into a penguin but still begins to sink! I went in to save him and then all these penguins emerged in the water around him and I didn't know which one to save! I started picking all of these penguins out of the pool hoping to save Miso. I think it turned out ok. I don't remember. But yep, this was my dream.

Quote of the Day - 8.16.06

"I must see her and press her to my heart. I love her to the point of madness, and I cannot continue to be separated from her. If she no longer loved me, I would have nothing left to do on earth."

-- Napolean Bonaparte

Who knew Napolean was such a romantic? You almost forget that he was a ruthless conqueror. Hmmm...you just don't hear stuff like this anymore because people today are too cynical. Yet you can't help but admire that kind of passion.

"You Won't Be Single for Long"

I can't wait to make this. I'm getting really good at making all sorts of pasta and noodles. I think I'm gonna add shrimp to this one.

"You Won't Be Single for Long" Vodka Cream Pasta
It's Rachael Ray's most romantic dish!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Serve with:
Crusty bread, for passing

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Quote of the Day - 8.14.06

James Thurber said, "Love is what you go through together." That’s why we love our families and childhood friends so much.

Easter Surprises

If only my litter robot actually produced golden eggs! I had to clean the damn thing this morning and it was so filfthy because I forgot to empty it. Blah!

Adam + Eve

Oprah's Favorite White Tee

This white basic tee is all the rage and back-ordered everywhere because of Oprah's recommendation. I'm dying to try it. I really want the white v-tee and the white 3 quarter length sleeve v-neck.

Hmmm...maybe I'll get it as gifts for people...they have these tees for men and women alike. Actually, my friend Kelly's bday is coming up. But then, I think she would be just as happy with a pizza cutter (you know, the kind that rolls) b/c she eats frozen pizza all the time. Just like I'd be really happy with a classic ice cream scooper like the kind that they sell at Ben & Jerry's...oh but don't get me a vintage one because I don't want a used scooper! Ok, so I digress.

Hmmmm...50 bucks for a t-shirt? It had better fit like a dream. That eats into my clothing budget...considering I'm alreay over for this month. Maybe next month. =) I'm being a good girl. =)

Yay! Out Damn Spot!

I finally got a new parking space away from the trio of Mazda 3's that have cropped up in my lot since I debuted with my car. Now there are 4 of them in my lot and 2 are right next to me! What are the chances? Well, mine is the one that does not have the suction cup sign that says "Bitch" on it. It's the cute one with the yellow rubber duckie lookin' out for my back in the rear window. I finally earned a space next to the swamp border and not near a ditch that fills up into a lake when it rains. Can I tell you the number of times I went "doh!" when I got soiled up to my knees when I stepped in that massive puddle??? Plus the parking space is SO SO tight, I'm constantly adjusting my car to fit it into the itty bitty space. Now I can back out big and wide and comfortably! Yay!

Living In Another Zip?

My God, rent is so ridiculous in NY. I'm almost resigned to saying forget it to Manhattan so I can get a better value in Jersey or BK. But all the places in BK are old and there really aren't many high-rises. If I can get a nice place in Jersey, maybe I can even keep my car for the weekends and drive home to visit Mom and Dad to pick up home-cooked meals and such. ;) Oh, but parking costs money too! Gotta save and pay off shit. This may take forever! I still wanna check out some of these places tho. I remember shopping in Jersey City's Newport Mall when I was a kid. That area seems to have a ton of high-rises. They aren't all that expensive either...I wonder if it's because the neighborhood is shitty as compared to Hoboken, which has all the nice restaurants and bars.

Foiling Terrorism

I couldn't believe it when I heard this morning about the foiled attempts to blow up planes using liquid substances. We are so fortunate to have stopped the terrorists in time. I couldn't imagine another 9/11 so close to the date. Ironically, I was just reliving my whereabouts on 9/11 and talking about how awful it was. Thank goodness for the tight security at Heathrow and for British intelligence alerting the US. It's awful that just when we thought we could relax a bit, this kind of shit happens. Now you can't even bring a coffee through security. It's such a crazy world we live in. I'm crossing my fingers that I won't have to travel again for quite a while. With the Ted Williams tunnel collapsing and now this, it must be a zoo at Logan. I have to give it to British and US intelligence for sussing this out in time...at least we've learned from what happened.

Vow

Ok, I'm really upset with myself. I've decided to stick to a budget and to stop overspending. I'm going to create a plan and stick to it. So like $300 to eat out per month and that's it. $50 on personal products per month and that's it. I need some discipline!!! Ugh. I'm so annoyed with myself. I need to get a grip.

A Collage of My Summer Activities

The holy trinity is Toscanini's, JP Licks, and Coldstone...the classic trio is 31, Ben & Jerry's, and Haagen-Daaz. It's a no-no to Brigham's and Breyer's. I was like "eck@#!" when I saw Breyer's at the Boston Common Loews...yes, an ice cream snob I am.

P.U.P.P.Y

Really solid business plan by Cleveland the Puppy -- "I'm Taking Cuddliness to a Whole New Level". See excerpt below.

You've played with other puppies, enjoyed scratching their little heads and rubbing their fuzzy-wuzzy tummies. Heck, you probably thought they were really cute. But what would you say to a cuddliness experience not 100, not 200, but 300 percent better? That's right, folks: I, Cleveland The Puppy, am taking cuddliness to a whole new level.

And how did I make this quantum leap in snuggliness? That's simple: The secret lies in my extraordinary five-point P.U.P.P.Y. plan. That stands for Pettability, Undying devotion, Positivity, Preciousness and—most important of all—You, the petter. In the Cleveland Cuddliness System, the petter is king. This revolutionary system, which promotes active involvement in the playing process, fosters a puppy-human play dynamic that virtually guarantees enjoyment and warmth.

A shout-out to J-town for bringing my attention to this plan. Tofie has since adopted it and made it his own -- the C.A.T. system -- Cherubic charm, Adorableness, and Totally pretty pussycat.

Horseneck and Wollaston

I went to Horseneck Beach this weekend and was pleasantly surprised at how clean it was. At first, we wandered off to the wrong section and it was just rocks and water. I'm like, "We drove all the way here for this???" A lovely old couple told us of people "our age" over yonder and so we finally found the right area where there was an abundance of sand castles, youthful frolicking, and bored lifeguards. What was super-fun was watching all these men and little boys alike learning to body surf. I had never seen that before. You're standing at the edge of the water and suddenly this strange man emerges out of the water at your feet as you scramble to get out of the way. There was one guy who was the body surfin' champ and would catch the wave perfectly each time...going all the way to the shore. It was awesome to watch. There was just the right amount of people sunbathing and splashing in the water and to top it off, the weather was perfect.

The next day, I was strolling along Wollaston Beach and was like "eek...this place is so shitty"...plus you know the bacterial count in the water will kill you if you just dip you toe in the water. Blah! And of course, behind us in a parked car was a not-so-lovely couple, grilling hot dogs next to their beat up car. Sitting inside their car, they had these blank stares as they peered over a box of Cheeze-its and some Surplee cups on their dashboard to view the scenery before them. You just knew that that Cheeze-it box was a permanent fixture in the car. Then next to them were some bikers, not the cool kind but the overweight old grandpa kind that hasn't yet realized he's too old to be dressed that way. Anyways, it was fun watching all these characters in their element.

Quote of the Day - 8.7.06

"Birds of a feather? Yeah, they stick together."

-- Me

Lickety-licious

I'm deep in thought...contemplating where my next ice cream cone will come from...

Tofie's New Trick

I taught Tofu how to stand up and beg. It is the CUTEST THING EVER. Lynnie even took a video of it. You can see his whole white body with his pink belly when he stands up and looks at you yearningly. I've got it down where I say "up" and he stands right up and then I give him a Meaty Morsel treat. Now he follows me around everywhere standing up and I have to run to the kitchen to give him his reward. I hope he doesn't get too fat!

Quote of the Day - 8.1.06

I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.

-- Lucille Ball, American radio and motion-picture actress and comedy star, 1911-1989