Thursday.

Oh, no! A week without posting! I spent a lot of time at my desk actually working, which isn't always so. Anyway, things to know about this week:

It was very humid most of the time.
The August issue is almost finished.
I have managed to maintain strict kitchen neatness, in spite of the boyfriend and both cats.
Started reading Sarah Waters' The Night Watch.
My pool passes have not yet arrived, and if they do not appear in the mailbox tomorrow, I will cut a bitch.
My very best friend lost her handsome orange cat to feline leukemia, and there was nothing anyone could do.

Things about this weekend:

I will get to sit by the pool even if it means killing someone.
Making my not-yet-famous-but-someday-it-will-be guacamole for bbq at mom & dad's.
Maybe will try to squeeze in a high-heeled showing of SATC2, once it's too dark at the pool, and all the quac is gone.
No, that's it. Pool, quac, maybe a movie. That is how my weekend is going to go.

Fin.

A Re-Upholdstering Adventure in Several Acts: Two

Victory! I am the crafty person I always just assumed myself to be! Thanks to G Street Fabrics for the "this color goes so well with your skin tone; you're a sweet girl" 20% discount on the silk dupioni, the protagonist of our story.

Tools: Scissors, staple gun.

Materials: previously-mentioned green silk dupioni, cotton batting.

 Resulting telephone table in my living room / proof that I can successfully assess and execute craftiness:

I'll staple gun any cat that goes near the silk dupioni.

A Re-Upholstering Adventure in Several Acts: One

New Craigslist find: this beautiful telephone table for $30 (flowers courtesy of my guy, TS). It may be a little rough around the edges, but it's gorgeous... except for the fabric covering the seat. That's a cheap-looking faded red, tattered at the edges. TS pulled the wonky orange cat off it yesterday citing unauthorized chewing. Eww.

Detail of the rosette carved into the back of the chair:

 The seat is removable with four screws (three, in reality) and I assumed that re-upholstery would be a breeze, because I fancy myself crafty: cotton batting, staple gun, beautiful fabric. Well, I wandered around G Street Fabrics for over an hour, looking for a fabric to speak my name. I originally planned on a blue or green velvet, but all the velvets were either boring or gaudy. The brocade I liked was $60/yd, which is absolutely out of the question, even if I only need one yard. Finally I found a green silk dupioni for $30/yd. I demured, because an hour of fruitless searching can weaken one's resolve (that, and the look from the salesperson after confessing that you want something that seems luxe, and yet relatively cat-proof), and took home a swatch to hold up against my chair and consider:

Gorgeous, right? That's exactly what I think. It's stunning, and it matches the green wing chairs in the living room. It's looks amazing against the wood. I'm going back tomorrow, and also buying a staple gun. And stapling any cat that so much as looks at my green silk dupioni.

Wednesday: More Coffeeshop

It's 2pm on Wednesday and I am shocked by the number of people in this coffeeshop. I'm here because it's my magical bi-weekly half day. Why are the rest of you here? Do you even have jobs?

I wonder the same thing when I read other blogs. I'm currently blog-stalking a girl I knew in high school, and she seems to never actually work. Her life is an endless series of gorgeous photos of charming activities in which she partakes with her family, friends, and dog. How does she have the money to live the way she does? Golfing, wine festivals, trips to Maine, the energy/time to bake. I don't understand.

Monday: Coffeeshop Edition

Dinner at Cosi. Not particularly exciting, except that quality coffeeshop time is hard to come by in my life. I am looking forward to my chicken t.b.m. (tomato, basil, and mozzarella) sandwhich, and tomato basil soup. I am looking forward to finishing my book review, but really that means I ought to start it. Mmm, dear Cosi, why is the cabernet chilled?

Fuck You, Flowers

thebigcaption:

Fuck You, Flowers.

original

A Sunday Unplanned

Cleaned the kitchen and dining room, top to bottom, including the long-anticipated pantry-cabinet reorganization of victory. Now almost all food items live in the pantry, and all dishware, bakeware, Tupperware items live in the cabinets. I've been dreaming of this day. No, really. Finally put up the wine rack my guy got me for my birthday. Planted the tiny plants he gave me for Valentine's Day. Basically, I did all the things that have been haunting me in the kitchen and dining room.

Next up: Email the landlord and ask if I can repaint the bathroom. I'm over the sickly yellow tinge. I'm thinking lavender, or pale blue -- something to offset the yellow lighting and gold fixtures. Is there some kind of spray paint that will turn gold fixtures into chrome?

A Summer Wardrobe

Every so often, I completely revamp my wardrobe. A function of the seasons, gifts, mood, my bank account, sometimes I reload, so to speak, and create a whole new, but complementary, look. My guy's mother sent me a Kate Spade bag from Nordstrom's for my 25th birthday. It was completely unexpected, and when I first unwrapped it, I eyed it suspiciously. It's my first 'brand name' bag. It took a few days for me to realize how 'me' the bag really is, and how it matches 95% of my wardrobe, effortlessly. Anyway, this is a sampling of my style at the moment; I'm totally in love with jersey maxi dresses, and jersey not-maxi dresses, and cardigans / shrugs of all kinds. I live in my faux-pearl earrings and matching bracelets, so look for those in future Polyvore posts. Flat sandals, big bags, statement jewelry, and I promise, always a pair of sunglasses -- this is how I will take the coming summer by storm. 

A White Dress is a White Dress?

Do you like the dress Sarah Jessica Parker is wearing in the Sex and the City 2 movie poster? You can get it from Neiman Marcus for $325, here. Or, you can get it from Macy's for $59, here AND see it on a less stick-like model, too.  Hmm, $266 cheaper and some realism thrown in for fun! Thanks, Macy's (although I wish whomever styled the shot had put her in a larger size, to get the same drapy, flowy look of the NM photo).

Delicious Tacos

... In which leftover summer salad makes a fine substitute for taco toppings!

The salad topping can be done up to a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. I found that letting it sit overnight brings out a stronger flavor.

Serves 4.

2 large garlic cloves, pressed

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup baby spinach, chopped

½ cup diced red onion

3 tablespoons chopped pitted green olives

1 jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)

2 Bob Evans 32 oz. Zesty Hot sausage rolls.

8-10 taco shells

Goat cheese

Fat free sour cream

Black pepper and salt to taste

 ____________

Mix together the first six ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a large skillet, brown the sausage, breaking up the roll in the pan with a wooden spoon.

Bake/heat the taco shells according to package instructions shortly before you plan to eat.

Fill the bottom 1/3 of the taco shell with sausage, and then as much salad as desired over it. Top with sour cream, goat cheese, or both!

Things That Are Delightful; Things to Share

A blog: of sunlight, furniture, photographs, food, clothes, and, probably, my kittens; to chronicle the good things, the pretty things, the things that remind me of me; as a guide to Ms. Mary Katherine's sense of style, sense of humor, sense of self.