April 30, 2010

Dress shopping

I went in search for a new outfit for my birthday, specifically a dress. I like dresses in warm weather because they can be dressed up or down. I have a lot of clothes, but I feel like I've worn all my dresses in various rotations and birthdays and parties already, and I needed something new.

I went to Ross first because I've found dress deals there before. I went into the dressing room with 9 dresses and only liked one. I am always duped by juniors sizing. I know that women with a real figure (ie, hips and a butt) shouldn't shop in juniors, but the "misses" (what a crappy, dated word) dresses are often so frumpy and not fashion-forward.

So of course all the juniors dresses, while looking cute on the hanger, were awkward on me. Also, after this weekend, my get fit program goes into full force. Nothing like a dressing room mirror to show how squishy I got this winter when I wasn't looking and this is NOT acceptable. AT ALL. I am trying to not let it get me down on my birthday. I will just be better about going to the gym and eating better and it will be ok.

But I did try on a beautiful, jewel-green dress by Calvin Klein which of course was the most expensive but it fit so well and looked so nice that I bought it. There's a big difference there in the quality of fabric and cut, imagine that! It has such nice pleat detailing at the neck, back, and skirt. I can't decide whether to wear it tonight or tomorrow now.

I then went to Old Navy, which is a favorite of mine, to see if they had anything better/cheaper, but there is absolutely nothing feminine or pretty or classic in there right now. Everything is tshirts and shorts and ribbbed tanks (I HATE RIBBING on clothes) and beachy/gauzey things that are mostly terrible and were not at all what I was looking for a dressy birthday.

I did, however, buy 2 new tees and some underwear, so the visit was not for naught, but still, disappoined in their selection right now.

April 29, 2010

Things that come to you while out and about

2 nuggets of wisdom I had this week:

I had a hard time picking out a Mother's Day card. How do you choose a card when you do not particulary like your mother? I realize that sounds terrible and before everyone who has a perfect family life jumps down my throat, let me explain. Surely I have only one mother. And I am very very grateful for all the hell she went through when I was young and the things she did for me. We went through a lot together, and we are the same person in a lot of ways. She provided a lot for me as a single mother. I'm grateful for that.

But as I've gotten older, she's also consistently been the most unreliable person I know, and she hasn't come through on a lot of things she really needed to last year, especially when it came to all the heartache and struggle and legal issues etc related to my father and grandmother's deaths.

Previously, my mother and I didn't talk very often anyway. I never understood those people who talk to their moms every day. There would often be weeks or months between our conversations. This is even more true since all the tragedy of last year. I can't remember the last time I spoke to my mom but I think it was at least a few months ago. She isn't a mother figure to me now that I'm an adult. Yes she still birthed me, but she doesn't really have any role in my life. And it hurts to type that, and without knowing the whole story, makes me seem really cold. We're not friends. We don't really have anything in common. She doesn't know how to relate to me. She's not motherly--I've been taking care of myself for a long time now. And while now she's the only family I've got, I still feel like a true orphan because all of my family members are gone. It makes me sad, but I'm used to it. Like I said, I've been looking out for myself since earlier than most, earlier in life than I really should have needed to.
----------------
Other nugget of wisdom: When you are a single person without any family nearby, who do you list as your Emergency Contact? I've been struggling with this for years now. I often just have to put my mom, even though she's not in the state, and so I don't know how good of an emergency contact that really is. At times, I've listed serious boyfriends, but relationships always end, and then I have to try to remember who I put where and what to change. I've put Joe down before. And I suppose he'd still be an appropriate person, so long as he's here, but it doesn't feel right. I know a lot of people. I have a lot of acquaintances. But no one I would think would be fitting for this so-common but so elusive title.

April 28, 2010

illusions

I have to stop having illusions that I like Caliente. I keep trying. I think it was even nice once. It's in my backyard, it's usually quieter than the other joints in the Devil's Triangle. But lately it's just seemed hazy and sketchy and a little gross. AND last night when I was there, I discovered they are just blatantly disregarding the smoking ban, so that automaticaly gets you kicked off my list.

I am a big nerd and love thesaurus.com. I'm sure I've shared my affinity for big words before, and I still bemoan the closing of my favorite site: wordie.org. Apparently, it's turned into something else now but every time I try to retrieve my password, I get nowhere. :(

April 27, 2010

Updated RVA food/drink specials

Updated Fall 2010 Here

I am reposting this updated list of food/drink specials in Richmond. The details of which can't be shared apparently on "official" publications, which is total BS, because the whole reason I started doing this in the first place was for the details.

So here they are. Updated as of May 18, 2010

Richmond Restaurant Food and Drink Specials

Anytime

Acacia: Prix Fix menu-$23 M-Th 5:30-9pm Fri&Sat 5:30-6:30pm. 562-0138
Amici: Sun-Thur $25 3-course meal. Bottled wine 25% off. 353-4700
Blackfinn: 7 days a week, 4-7pm $4.95 flatbread pizza. 643-3466
Bouchon: $20 daily prix fix 5-6 pm Mon-Sat. 225-2118
Café Caturra: Social Hour Daily 5-9 pm $5 wines by the glass & $3 beers
Caliente: Happy Hour at the bar M-Th 5-7. $1 Miller High Life, $3 rail highballs and Jager shots. 340-2920
The Camel: Happy Hour 5-7pm. $2.50 rail, $3 drafts, $5 cosmos & martinis, $7 Long Islands.
Davis and Main: 1/2 price well martinis from 4-6pm M-F. 353-6641
Dot’s Back Inn: "Neighborhood Hour" 3:30-7pm. $2.50 10oz drafts, $2.25 domestic, $3 highballs, $3 house wine. 266-3167
Europa: M-F 5-6pm. 1/2 off all Small Plates. 643-0911
Garnett’s: M-Sun Happy Hour 3-6. $3 beer and wine. 367-7909
Grandpa Eddie's Alabama Ribs & BBQ: M-F 4-7pm Sun 12-6, $2 Miller Lite draft, House highballs, House wine, fried onion straws or okra, smoked kielbasa. 270-RIBS
Kitchen 64: Daily specials 3-7 pm. Rail Drinks:$4, Domestic Bottles:$2. Smoking is allowed on the patio after 10pm. 358-0064
Lemaire: Happy Hour M-F 4-7 pm. $3 beer, $8 Specialty Cocktails ($2 off) 3 appetizers for $20 649-4644
Poe’s Pub: Everyday 4-7 pm $2.25 domestic bottles, $1 off drafts. 648-2120
Sam Miller’s: $2 10oz Miller Lite, $3 House Wine 4-8pm. 644-5465
Six Burner: $24 prix fix menu M-Th 5:30-9:30pm. 353-4060
Stool Pigeons: M-F Happy Hour: $1 off bar drinks, select appetizers are $5. 344-4490
Strawberry Street Café: M-Sun Happy Hour til 9pm. $2.50 highballs, $3 martinis, $2.25 domestic bottles. 353-6860
Tobacco Company: Th-Sat, $1 drinks from 8-9 pm, $4 Red Stag Cocktails and $4 Red Bull or White Grape Cocktails all night (always mobbed in there at happy hour though). Free valet parking during dinner hours and all day on Sunday. 782-9555
Weezie's Kitchen: Happy Hour: 3-7pm M-F $1 off all drinks. 726-1270
821 Café: Happy Hour 4-7pm. All drafts $3.


Monday
Avenue 805: Cheap Date Night: a choice of a large house or Caesar salad to split, a large bowl of pasta, a dessert & a bottle of house wine all for $35. 353-2505
Baja Bean: $4 burgers all day. 257-5445
Buddy's: $3 quesadillas, cheese fries, grilled cheese 5-9 pm. 355-3701
Café Caturra Short Pump: Blind wine tasting. Discounts given for correct guesses. 5:30 - 7:30pm
Caliente: ½ off po’boys 5-10pm
Capital Ale House: $1 burger nights (with purchase of a beverage). 4pm-1am.780-ALES
Cha Cha’s Cantina: $2 off quesadillas. 726-6296
City Limit: ½ price appetizers, 5-7pm. 282-4232
Cous Cous: Date night: soup or salad, choose of 3 select menu items, dessert to share and a ½ carafe of Sangria or bottle of house wine-$40. After dinner: mystery beer night--different beers each week are $1. 358-0868
Curbside Cafe: 35c wings, ½ off quesadillas 5-10pm. 355-7008
Europa: Pasta Night-all pastas $9. 643-0911
Kitchen 64: Mojito Monday: $6
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 dozen oysters, get a half dozen free. 4-7 pm. 232-3446
Little Mexico: $1 tacos.
Mojos: 35cent Wing night. $1 off all "Philly Style" Cheese steaks, $7 Miller High Life, Miller Lite,Yuengling pitchers. 644-6676
Six Burner: Any bottle of wine $50 or under is 1/2 price. 353-4060
Sticky Rice: half-price sushi 10:30pm-12:30am. 358-7870


Tuesday
Acacia: ½ price wine
Avenue 805: Cheap Date Night: a choice of a large house or Caesar salad to split, a large bowl of pasta, a dessert & a bottle of house wine all for $35
Baja Bean: Buy 1 Get 1 Free tacos all day
Banditos: $2 Aristocrat highballs all day. 354-9999
Buddy's: Wear Buddy’s shirt, get a discount (5-9pm)
Caliente: ½ off burgers 5-10
Capital Ale House: Steal the Glass Night. Order one of the featured brewery beers, keep the named glass it comes in. 4pm til glasses run out.
Cha Cha’s Cantina: $1 tacos from 8-9 pm
Cous Cous: Facebook specials. After dinner, it’s Musi-ko (music trivia).
Curbside Cafe: 75c tacos (5-10pm)
Europa: Date night: three-course meal for just $16 per person. Weekly Wine Specials at $16 a bottle
Infuzion: $5 off all pasta entrees. 447-6852
Kitchen 64: Tequila Tuesday: $4 Margaritas
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 pound shrimp, get a half pound free 4-7 pm
Mojos: "Cheap Date Night" Any 2 Pastas and any 1 Appetizer - $15. Featured Bottles of Wine-$10, 6-10pm
New York Deli: 35 cent wings. 7-10pm. 358-DELI
Pescados: two tacos with coconut black beans & achiote rice for $10. 379-7121
Sette: 1/2 price bottle of wine from 5-9pm. 788-7077
Six Burner: Wine by the glass is 1/2 price
Star-lite: $2 Aristocrat highballs all day. 254-2667
Strange Matter: ½ price hamburgers 5pm+
Tastebuds: Prix Fixe. Salad, Entrée, and Dessert for $16. 261-6544
Tiki Bob’s: 10c tacos, 25c beers 6-9 pm. 644-9091

Wednesday
Baja Bean: ½ off quesadillas all day.
Blackfinn: $1.50 burgers 5-10 pm. Wii Wednesday at 8pm.
Buddy's: 5-9 pm Fajitas $6.95 & Half Price Nachos
Cafe Gutenberg: half-price select glasses of wine.
Caliente: Local Night-ID w/23221 or 23220 zip gets 10%off food bill 5-10
Capital Ale House: Pints of most Virginia beers are $2.50 from 11am-9pm at all locations.
Cha Cha’s Cantina: 50c drafts and $1 tacos 8-9pm
Curbside Cafe: half-price burgers (5-10pm)
Europa: half-off bottles (up to $40) with the purchase of two entrees
Havana '59: ½ off mojitos 780-CUBA
Kitchen 64: Wine Wednesday: Merlot and Chardonnay: $4
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 dozen clams, get a half dozen free 4-7 pm.
Mojos: $4 cheesesteaks 6-10pm. Drink Happy Hour extended til 9 pm. Thumb-wrestling competition at 10 pm.
Pescados: Margarita specials 379-7121
Sam Miller’s: 35 cent Wings 4-8pm
Star-lite: 1/2 Off All Pasta Dishes and Pasta Date Night: 2 salads, two pasta entrees& a bottle of house wine for $30
Tastebuds: Prix Fixe. Salad, Entrée and Dessert for $16.
Zeus Gallery Café: Wino Wed-all bottles of wine under $50 are half off

Thursday
821 Cafe: happy hour all day
Baja Bean: Until 7pm, appetizers half off
Buddy’s: $3 quesadillas, cheese fries, grilled cheese (5-9pm)
Café Gutenberg: 5-7 pm seasonal microbrew and PBR specials
Havana '59: 1/2 off appetizers
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 pound mussels, get a half pound free 4-7 pm
Mojos: "Bucket Night"-Special menu of favorite items served bucket style. 6-10 pm
Sam Miller’s: $0.75 oysters 4-8pm
Sette: 1/2 price beer 5-9pm
Star-lite: 2 for 1 burger night & cheapie cans of Coors & Coors Lite.
Tastebuds: Prix Fixe. Salad, Entrée, and Dessert for $16


Friday
Blackfinn: $20 surf n turf and $20 select bottles of wine.
Café Caturra Grove: $5/glass wine until 6 pm.
Café Gutenberg: 5-7 pm seasonal microbrew and PBR specials
Ellwood Thompson: $1 off wine and beer until 6:30ish
Infuzion: 10% off dinner for 2 (excludes beverages)
Joe’s Inn: $1 PBR and $2 Legend beer until 7 pm
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 dozen oysters, get a half dozen free 4-7 pm
Mojo’s: All things fried on special all day.
Rare Old Times: Prix Fixe: Soup or Salad, Choice from a Selection of Entrées, Dessert or Irish Coffee:$14.99 5-8pm. 750-1346
Sam Miller’s: $0.75 oysters 4-8pm
Sticky Rice: ½ price sushi, 5-6 pm. 358-7870

Saturday
Capital Ale House: American Micro Brew Day-most American Micro pints for $2.00, 11am-7pm
Curbside Café: ½ off appetizers (5-10 pm)
Infuzion: 10% off dinner for 2 (excludes beverages)
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 pound crab legs, get a half pound free 12-4 pm
Mojos: Special menu of herbed flatbread pizzas-$5. 6-10pm
Rare Old Times: Prix Fixe: Soup or Salad, Choice from a Selection of Entrées, Dessert or Irish Coffee: $14.99, 5-8pm. 750-1346
Sette: 1/2 price Bloody Marys & Mimosas. 12-5pm

Sunday
Baja Bean: $1 cheese quesadillas, $1 an hour pool, $1 12-ounce cans
Bottoms Up: $3 Mimosas and Bloody Marys all day
Café Caturra Short Pump: Extended social hour 5-9pm. $5 wines/glass and $3 beers
Cafe Rustica: Sunday Suppah: $15 per person: three courses with a monthly rotating menu. 225-8811
Capital Ale House: Prime Rib Special- 8 ounce prime rib dinner w/ potatoes & vegetable-$9.99 or a 16 ounce prime rib dinner w/ potatoes & vegetable-$16.99. Noon-9 pm.
Cha Cha’s Cantina: $1 Tacos, 25 cent Wings. 9pm+
Can Can: Beer specials til 9 pm.
Curbside Cafe: half-price appetizers (5-10pm)
Europa: half-price tapas
The Hard Shell: crab leg, including all-you can eat specials. 643-2333
Kitchen 64: Drafts $2.50. Pitchers: $9
Legend Brewing Company: Buy 1 pound crab legs, get a half pound free 12-4 pm
Mojos: Select menu items on special and build your own 8 oz. burger or chicken breast sandwich with as many toppings as you can cram - $6. 6-10pm. 24 oz. PBR Cans $2.50 all night Sunday Funday Night-play old school video games on our project screen TV. Starting around 9pm.
Pie: $3 Jumbo slice margherita pizza and pint of PBR. 257-7940
Sette: 1/2 price Bloody Marys & Mimosas. 12-5pm. Date Night 5-9pm, share appetizer, salad, pizza & a dessert for $25.95.
Six Burner: Sunday Supper-$20. Kids 10&under eat free w/ an adult.
Star-lite: 1/2 off appetizers 5-10pm. $2 PBRs, other drink specials.
Weezie's Kitchen: Food & Drink Specials 3-9pm

enough already

Enough already with the strange dreams, brain. Let's just say I woke up this morning really grateful that what tortured my dreams all night was not true.

I've been thinking I may need to go to a chiropractor (I've never been) because I keep getting the same crick in my neck that won't go away. I must have slept all kinds of funny Sunday night because yesterday I couldn't move my head to the left at all. It's a little better today, but not good. It would never have occurred to me to go to a chiropractor until we had a professional development workshop about it and accupuncture that made me consider it. Plus, the medical professional who gave the workshop was really great, and his office is nearby my work.

I need to make a list of (not new) movies I want to see because it's gotten quite long now and I keep forgetting:

Cracks. Never heard of it but a blogger I read wrote about it. Has Eva Green, so clearly a must-see
Sherlock Holmes
American Gigolo
A Single Man
that lovestory movie with Miley Cyrus (when it comes to the Byrd or on DVD) I know, lame, right?
Date Night (once it comes to the Byrd or on DVD)
Pan's Labyrinth

Movies coming to theaters that I want to see in the theater:

Sex and the City II
Iron Man II

April 23, 2010

New friends

Isn't it just delightful when you meet someone new and you have lots in common and conversation comes easily? I'm still kinda high from the meeting I had this week with a new acquaintance. Lately I've been fortunate to have met all kinds of fun new people, and continue to be grateful for my twitter friends, both those I have met and those I only know from online who I haven't (only a matter of time really).

This week's meeting started as a meshing of minds about coffee culture in RVA. I couldn't quiiite tell from the invitation if it the sender was strictly interested in business or not, but I figured I'd give it a go. The coffee shop where we were going to meet was closing by the time I got out of work, so we headed down to Cafe Gutenberg instead. It was half price wine night (which is the only day you should even get wine there, because all but the house wine is marked up so high it's ridic), so instead of coffee, we had to say yes to wine.

We brainstormed lots of great ideas about future Barista Jams and other coffee related things, but then got off on personal tangents too. Conversation flowed easily and after 3 hours, we finally parted, since it was a school night and all. I had quite a high after that, and I can't tell if it was just the wine talking. Either way, I'm always glad when meetings are both productive and interesting.

Chased

I'm not trying to turn this into a dream blog all of a sudden, but when I have particularly weird and interesting ones, I want to write about them.

I am going to blame my dream from Wednesday night on the fact that when I came home from work yesterday, I fell asleep on my loveseat, book open on my lap, for 4 straight hours. Then I got up, went to sleep on the couch for another 3 hours, and then finally got in bed. So I slept an entire night's sleep before I actually went to bed. Total sleep hours: 12. Yipes.

So Wednesday's dream. It was a "being chased/trying to get away dream" which is maybe why I was tired the next day. I dreamt a band of militant, crazy, anti-terrorism people were going around my neighborhood and rounding up people, kidnapping them and making them join their group. You couldn't resist their force, and you knew that if they didn't get you yet, it was only a matter of time, because they'd gotten everyone else. Like with all my dreams, there's never a logical order to my dreams. Many friends from different areas and times in my life were in it. At one point, I was physically fighting off a burly attacker and losing and remember threatening that I was going to call my dad and he was going to come beat them up. Here's what's trippy: Clearly, my dream self must have been thinking of the fit, strong dad of my youth, not the one that would be old and fragile now at my current age. In the dream, I actually called my dad, and halfway through calling realized that my dad was dead (which in real life is true, he died last year) I remember being so sad to realize that. It wasn't as if my dad and I were close for most of the last part of his life, but I guess a little girl always wants her daddy to protect her.

In other parts of the dream, we kept trying to come up with plans to escape, and some of it involved actual flying (like superhero flying) and hiding and getting lost in crowds, and scaling tall buildings, all very odd things. At one point, we were in a movie theater and thought we had lost them, but then they found us.

Dream interpretation from Dream Moods:
Chase
To dream that you are being chased, signifies that you are avoiding a situation that you do not think is conquerable. It is often a metaphor for some form of insecurity.

Imprisonment
To dream that you are imprisoned, suggests that you are feeling trapped or unable to move beyond a certain point. Perhaps your outdated beliefs or old ways of thinking is preventing you from going forward

I think these both stem from some of the anxiety I was having this week over getting work done and my writing.

April 21, 2010

Goo Goo Dolls at the National

Last night was the Goo Goo Dolls show at the The National. It was a big crowd, which makes sense because they are probably one of if not the most commercially successful, biggest names that have played there.

I hadn't been to The National as a viewer yet. My chorus performed there a few years ago shortly after they opened, and it was SO COOL to see all the backstage areas and the rooms they hadn't quite completed. The historic theater still had little nooks and crannies, and there was one unfinished room where an old painted tapestry of sorts was peeling off the wall. I don't know if they were planning to restore it or just cover over it but remember thinking it'd be a shame just to destroy it to put up shiny modern walls of some kind. There were all these little backstage lounges, a sauna and a 20 person hot tub. The hot tub was not finished at the time, and I wonder if it's still there. I long to be a groupie just so I can get backstage again. It pained me not to be able to walk around the back areas at the show last night.

The opening act was decent, though I don't remember their name because the name they had in lights (cool, oblong baloon shaped lights) on stage turned out to be the title of their new album and not the band name (which I thought was a little backwards considering no one had ever heard of them). I think they got to open for GGD based on the fact that the lead singer had Johnny Reznik's hair from 20 years ago (which turns out, Johnny kind of still had, and it looked good on him).

The opener's not-band-name-but-album-title was "Of Men and Angels" which honestly would be a cool band name. The lead man liked to put him hands in the air a lot, was pretty emo hipster and was quite showy, but they rocked good, so it was ok.

The Goo Goo Dolls played for 2 hours without a break (including encore) so that was impressive. It took Johnny 3 songs to really get energized though. He came out very subdued and even bored-looking. He did "Slide" third, but you could tell he really hated singing it, because he really diverged from the melody and was half-hearted about it. Luckily, as the show went on, he got more animated. Word is, he's actually kinda stage-frighty, and he even told us during one of his guitar solos that he hated playing them. Johnny also forgot some lyrics to a slow song he was doing with acoustic guitar and cursed and joked about it (much to the audience's delight) and that was really endearing. You know musicians play thousands of shows and it's only normal that they'd forget a lyric or two.

Johnny talked to and interacted with the audience, which I appreciate. When he first mentioned the hot military girl in the front row with a sign, I thought for a second it might be questionable rationale. Turns out it was a marine who was about to get deployed to Afghanistan. He gave her a kiss. Apparently there were quite a few military folks in the audience.

Despite a scuffle between some drunk older women and my friend's sister, and the group of 15-year old couples swaying and dancing and bumping into me, it was a good time. I really hate when people have no respect of other people's space. The 15 year olds were singing along and enjoying themselves but I couldn't help but think that none of them were even BORN YET when this band got popular. And if they bumped me one more time (after asking them nicely 2x to stop) I was going to smack them.

My friend had tweeted the bass player earlier in the day, requesting that he play some older, more obscure tracks, in which the bassist actually sings, and he ended up doing 4 of them, so my friend was elated. This friend is also a multi-talented musician, and we both marvelled at how many guitars were lined up on stage--more than 20 in total. My friend tells me that the GGD play in some unusual keys and tunings and that's why they needed all the guitars. Johnny switched guitars for every song.

My friend swears the drummer was wearing a Flying Squirrels t-shirt (which weirdly, my friend had on that night too) but I couldn't confirm. It looked similar, but he was hidden by the drums.

April 20, 2010

Dreams of fantasy cruises

Had another of my incredibly detailed, weird o dreams last night. This one was at least enjoyable and not disturbing. It's funny when real-life and real-world things work themselves into your dreams.

I was trying to fly somewhere, but all the flights were congested and stalled and people were having trouble getting them (real world-volcano ash problem). Somehow, the plane was not a plane, but essentially a giant parking lot/parking garage, and I kept seeing all kinds of people I knew from H.S. and college. I was sitting with Patrick from the Boka Truck (I've run into him 2x in the last week, so that made sense) and we were having a grand ole time and getting along quite well. Suddenly, Joe comes up and he looks forlorn because he was supposed to be going someplace else but got stuck on this flight thing and there were no seats. We happened to have seats near us, so he sat there.

Then the dream switches to a bigger thing, like the plane was suddenly a cruise ship, but it was like a virtual world, it was all fantastical and like a little moving island of sorts. There were cars and grass and trees and even this water like substance that people were swimming and walking and boating on. The water turned out not to be water, but millions of tiny silvery stones that gave the impression of water. It was all verry surreal. I had gone back to my seat to get money to buy food and ran into someone, some sort of authority figure in my life, or a colleague that has more experience than me. She offered to do a "reading" of me, some sort of psychic thing. I told her I barely had $ for food, but she offered to do it for free. In the dream, I never got the chance to figure that out, because when we went outside, we were so amazed by all the things this plane/cruise had on it, that we never got to the reading.

The problem I have with dream interpretation is that I am never just dreaming about one thing, like falling, or teeth, or knives. My dreams are complicated and interweaved and often about the doing, not things. So I'm never sure if I have several of these "things" in my dreams, if that means my subconcious is thinking about all of them , or if there's a dominant theme I should pay attention to.

Dream Moods says:
Cruise
To dream that you are on a cruise, represents some emotional journey that you are going through. The dream may also be a pun on "cruising" through situations in your life with ease and little effort.
Airplane
To dream that you are flying an airplane, suggests that you are in complete control of your destination in life. You are confident and self-assured in your decisions and accomplishments.
Fantasy
To dream of a fantasy world, may be a way for your mind to highlight what is normal. Alternatively, the dream may be telling you to expand your thinking and use your imagination and creativity. Explore all your options no matter how strange or illogical it may be.

April 18, 2010

full weekend

I did a lot, was lonely, spent a lot, and enjoyed the weather this weekend. I took some slow steps to figuring out how to be friends with my ex, and got props for my writing. So overall good, but there was definitely periods of alone time that got kinda well, lonely.

But that's not why I'm posting. I MUST go to bed, so I won't post photos now of all the loot I got at the Spring Bada-Bing (lame name, cool organizer--the Richmond Craft Mafia (much better name).

Got rings made out of buttons, cool photos, a possible purchase of a real art piece, a sunglasses case, art for my friend's birthday, and a blingy belt buckle.

Here's a fun site I read, they have original art, cool photos, drawings, and music, including this video I've never heard of but enjoyed.

Batzy Shop


April 16, 2010

Espresso judging and Indian food with wine

What IS it with boys and bacon? I got to drink and judge all kinds of specialty espresso beverages this week, including those with goat cheese, chili, honey, and BACON. Here's my review below over at RVA News.

RVA Barista Jam Review


2 articles of mine were published today! I also wrote a review about Olio's wine dinner from last weekend. I enjoyed the experience, though the wine pours were a little scant, and the atmosphere and staff there never disappoint.

Olio Wine Dinner Review

April 11, 2010

parody with cats

Ha, there's a Sartorialist parody with cats:

The Catorialist

At first, I thought it was a serious street-photography of cats, but after reading, you can tell it's really parodying The Sartorialist's writing style, layout, and photo titles. Clever.

Overheard in Richmond

Overheard yesterday in Mongrel:

40s-50s age woman, reading a coaster or shot glass or something out loud: "You know you're drunk when you can't lie on the floor without holding on."

Elderly man with her: "I know how that is."

I laughed to myself.

After getting all dressed up to go to a disappointing alumni recruitment committee reception that consisted of me, 3 staff, and 2 old couples, I stopped in Carytown on the way home to see if Chop Suey had any interesting books on their sidewalk sale rack (they didn't). I bought myself a pair of oversized black sunglasses in Bygones instead, and ran into a college friend who had been walking around Carytown taking photos to "make her own art." Walking back to my car, I weaved through the line for Avatar at The Byrd, which had reached the end of the block already.

April 6, 2010

WASPy

(Photo: HGTV)

I've decided I need more WASP-y stripes like this in my life.

Speaking of WASPs, I had a conversation like this with my neighbor this weekend when we walked to Easter on Parade. I was looking at his Brooks Brothers catalog and while everyone in there was decidedly beautiful, there is such a thing as too preppy. And I like preppy. I went to UR, after all. 2 of my major boyfriends have been preppy. But too much preppy that screams WASP or Daddy's Money, I have a problem with. In researching this article, I was suprirsed to find quite a few preppy-centric blogs and websites. Here are some illustrative examples.

Good Preppy:

Boys with bikes/glasses/ties
This is Matt Bomer (unfortunate name for him) who stars in USA Network's White Collar, which is a good show. This is from a Glamour spread that I have as well. This look is really more hipster-preppy though.
 
(Ten Gossip)


Anything White
Especially Eyelet. So dainty and feminine.

 
Eva Mendes (Fab Sugar)

Stripes and Argyle (in moderation)
Especially shirtdresses. I think I saw this blue and white number on a gal at Easter on Parade and I covet.

 
Ralph Lauren Shirtdress. (I Am Fashion)


(Posh Tots)

----------------------------------------
Bad Preppy:

Sweaters tied over your shoulders.
You look like a douche if you are guy and like a soccer mom if you are a woman.
(Eighties Online)

Vera Bradley
I am a proud member of the Facebook group Your Vera Bradley Bag is Not Unique or even Attractive because after I graduated, EVERYONE on campus had this type of handbag. And the FB group just says it all for me.

(Glamour Vanity)

Madras (see also: Seersucker)
Obviously a madras suit would be overkill but I don't really like it in general because everyone wears it. I don't like it when everyone dresses the same in general. (ala, Strawberry Hill Races, or Pig Roast at UR, or in the oversized seersucker suit I saw my college ex wearing at Easter on Parade this past weekend)

Printed Pants
Alligators, whales, horses, ducks, I don't care. You look ridiculous.
 
(Fashion Preserve)

I actually own this book, which I bought as a joke at a used book sale.


(Worthy Style)

I will say, like most styles, if you have the confidence and that certain something to pull these looks off, I will give you a pass.

April 2, 2010

Contemplative at work

(From: Daily Pep)

Photos to go with the mood I'm in at the moment.


I love that I can listen to my mp3 library away from home on Last.Fm

Contemplative songs scrobbled on Last.Fm this morning:
Destiny by Zero 7 (god, this song is magical)
Run by Snow Patrol
Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Boston White by Umbrellas
Citadel-Anna Nalick
Somebody To Love-Queen

It's been a few perfect weather days this week and will continue through the weekend, so that helps one's mood. It also helps to geek-out with new friends during the week, and have all kinds of things to look forward to this weekend, like First Fridays with Questionable Rationale, and Easter on Parade with my gay bois, my backyard neighbor and hopefully an old college friend.

I recently found a blogger writing about my hometown beaches: I Love Dewey Beach which makes me both excited and wistful at the same time. She appears to live year round somewhere else, but has a summer cottage in Dewey. I wish my mother's house was not a mess so that I would actually have a place to stay for free when I want to come home to my beach. Luckily my best friend's mom has offered her house for me to stay in the future.