Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Class in a Glass

Since we lived in Ithaca, Michael has gotten very into wines.   He reads about them, keeps notes, goes to a huge wine shop for a great selection and what he tells me are great deals.    I just drink it and know if I like it or not.  He recently purchased Mumm Napa champagne- excuse me SPARKLING WINE because it's not from France- that we have been saving for a special occasion because, well, it's champagne.  (I am calling it champagne, folks.   Deal.)   And you should drink bubbly in one sitting once it's opened.  We tried to get Carmen and Tony to share the bottle when they were here, but the declined.   Side note:  Seriously, who declines champagne?!

So on Sunday we decided to hell with it, we're opening the bottle.   We had also that weekend purchased a champagne saver topper which somehow keeps the bubbles in.   This newfangled device allows us to drink only part of a bottle at once.   It's super fancy.  Don't ask me how it works.  As I said, I only know if I like wine or not.  

In typical fashion, before opening the bottle, Michael did research on the champagne and food pairings.   It turns out that champagne goes with a variety of foods including french fries and apple pie.  Two of my favorites.   We had neither in the house Sunday so Michael decided he would 'get some apple pie.'   We live across the street from Publix, so this seemed to be an easy feat.   But Michael did not go to Publix for the pie.   I'm so glad.

 

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Best Website Ever?

So I have heard of Pinterest.   I had no idea what it was, and it seemed a bit like a typo for someone like me who types too darn fast.  But then, Holly, at NBB, wrote about it.   I love Holly and her projects and her writing style in general.  I am not a dangerous stalker, I promise.    So once I saw she had written about it, I knew it was worth more investigation.   Then I read her post, and whoa.  You Guys!

I think this is my mecca.   Are you familiar?  I'm not really sure how to describe it.   It's sort of a.... virtual bulletin board?   For photos of amazingly awesome and often unrelated things.    At least that is how I am treating it.   It's a place where you can keep everything wonderful idea you saw online in one, wonderfully well organized, space.   Amazon has a wish list, which I use and love.   But what if you are looking for headboards and you don't like the ones on amazon that much, but there is one at Hayneedle, and one at CB2 and another one that was featured in the pages of Martha Stewart but who knows where it's from?    Well, my friends.   That's where you pin.    Log in to Pinterest and you can pin all the headboards you love.   So when you're ready to actually buy one they are all together.   And once you start pinning, you will probably see that other crazy people have also pinned headboards and you fall down the proverbial rabbit hole and have looked at photos of headboards for more than 2 hours.   At this point, the Indians game will have ended, your teacup will be empty, and your husband will be upstairs brushing his teeth.   And you have still not purchased a headboard.*

My current obsessions are: finding a headboard for our bed.  We have been married nearly 2 years, it's time to have one.    Related to the marriage thing, I am also pondering 2nd anniversary gifts.   Traditional gift: cotton.   As I do not want or need any more bedsheets, I am considering other options.   Pinterest is not disappointing!   I might have found just what I am looking for.   Finally, in true Jules fashion, I am pinning organized homes and closets and pantries and the like.    I am not a slob, but there is always room for improvement, especially with this crazy website undoubtedly patrolled by other OCD folks.

I honestly think the one thing that has kept me from totally losing it is that I am not crafty.    There are lots of cool ideas on the site but once you click you can opt to pin, and see where to buy it or how to make it.   Y'all, I do not make much.    Well, that's not totally true.    I make some tasty desserts, I make wonderful nostalgic photo gifts and montages and videos (aka family historian), and I make the bed every day.   I do not do crafty or woodshop type projects.   Silver lining: it helps me keep pinning in check.

Finally, you can follow people on Pinterest!    I read that small type in passing as I hastily requested an invite early Friday morning, only to quickly have my request GRANTED before lunch.   I dove in yesterday after dinner and less than an hour into it, I saw a familiar face: Hannah's sister Gretchen.  She has what I consider to be good taste so I am following her and she, me.   If you Pin, holler!  We can be thumbtack buddies, or whatever they're called.  

*True story, happened last night.