This morning I woke up at 2:49.
In case you’re wondering, 2:49 a.m. (or really anything before the 5’s) is not a time I’d ever choose to be awake. And as I lay there willing sleep to return, my thoughts were not particularly pleasant. Something about how getting less than four hours of sleep might be less than ideal for getting anything done that day.
Tip #1: this is not a good cure for insomnia.
About five years ago I was standing in a very long line at the Clinique counter during one of their ‘free gift with purchase’ deals.
I was nearly at the front when I heard a man’s voice, clearly in distress, pleading “Excuse me ladies, I need to get through. It’s an emergency.”
Every woman in line was riveted. After all, this is not something you witness at the Clinique counter every day. Just who was this man with the audacity to cut in line?
And even more mystifying — what could possibly constitute a beauty ’emergency’?
Image ©2010 Christopher Halloran Photography
Last night was one of those times when I didn’t think about dinner until it was time to eat dinner. Luckily I nearly always have the stuff for stacked enchiladas on hand.
The original recipe.
This has all the makings of a near-perfect recipe – quick to assemble; only five main ingredients; healthy, lowfat, vegetarian (you could always add chicken I guess) and can be dressed up or down. But the best part?
Everyone likes it. Read more…
As an editor I encounter lots of confusion about these teeny tiny abbreviations.
Yes, there is a difference and since I get paid to know stuff like this, I have an easy way to remember which to use. And now you do too. Read more…
Ready to receive.
Years ago a woman I greatly admire divulged a few secrets for how she manages to be so pulled-together all the time.
Number one on her list was something she called ‘ready to receive’ — her house was picked up, clean and ready for guests by 10 a.m. every day.
Every day.
At the time it seemed like a great idea, but I’ve never been very consistent in following it. My life tends to be messy and more often than not, my house is her version of ‘ready to receive’ only when I have at least a 24-hour advance notice. Read more…
I’m not usually one to use ‘need’ and ‘nail polish’ in the same sentence. In fact, my entire nail kit consists of four items: Read more…
It’s hip to be, er, hip.
I’ve never been a big fan of roses. The lovely, cabbage-y ones that grace English cottage gardens and magazine covers? Those I like. But the perfectly uniform red ones grown in a hothouse and sold by the dozen every Valentine’s Day for $14.99 – or $30 at the Boy Scout fundraiser? Those I can do without.
For as long as I can remember my favorite flowers have been white tulips. I also dig pretty much anything orange or chartreuse.
So I’d never have guessed the object of my latest floral affection would be related to a rose:
Image ©2010 Christopher Halloran Photography
"Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind"
It’s finally Nov. 2. Since I’m a registered permanent early voter, the fate of the candidates as far as my lone vote is concerned was determined a couple weeks ago.
But something is still really bugging me. Read more…
I haven’t always hated Halloween. Like most kids, I probably liked it for the first decade or so. Dressing up. Staying out late. Getting candy. Eating candy. What’s not to like, really?
Then in 1975, I made a supreme error in judgment. When I could have been anything — a Disney princess, a disco dancer, or even a superhero (after all, Wonder Woman debuted that year) – whom did I choose?
(Ed. note: Photo to come. And yes, there really is a recipe. Eventually.)
My November 2010 House Beautiful includes a section called “101 Party Do’s and Don’ts.”
Not unlike your average 3-year-old, I have a natural aversion to being told ‘don’t’ but some of the tips make sense. For instance #17: ‘Don’t be late’ and #52: ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously.’
Some of the rules are just plain ludicrous, like #49: ‘No colored candles!’ (apparently such an obscene violation it requires exclamatory punctuation) and #55: ‘Never use paper napkins.’ Seriously?
But this one gave me cause for pause — tip #9: “Don’t try a new recipe at a party.” Since most nights it’s a struggle just to get an old standby dinner on the table, when am I ever going to try a new recipe if not for a party?
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