This shit needs to stop. I’m not kidding. Once again, American Gun Terrorists strike. And, yes. Guns DO kill. And No. Politicians “pretend” to be upset but they are not. Politicians will NEVER seriously do anything to stop the issues with guns because they are afraid of losing votes…………………………………and so it goes…
Once Again, I give you: My Open Letter To Society
America The Triggerful!
Before I continue, I want to tell you how my Thanksgiving rolled. First of all, the timing of Oona’s flight couldn’t have gone better. Her flight arrived early. EARLY! So we went home to a nice dinner of my Essential Thanksgiving Sandwich and in no time we were pushing each other’s buttons as only a mother and daughter can do! I won’t elaborate. Just use your imagination!
But we hugged, kissed, and made up before retiring for the night! Holiday stress!
In the meantime, Bonaparte dropped Chippy off at the PetSmart hotel before we left for the airport. Chippy would stay through Thanksgiving Day. I’m not even going to broach the subject that he could have asked his daughter to watch our dog. God forbid! More Holiday stress. 
You’re bringing me WHERE?????
Bonaparte suggested we bring Chippy into NYC and have Chippy wait in the car while we dined on our Thanksgiving dinner at Claudette. Holiday stress at best.
I kindly made the suggestion that perhaps Bonaparte could just stay home with Chippy and that I could drive into the City with Oona and have dinner with my kids by myself. He could open a pack of hot dogs and dine with Chippy. The Acme of Holiday stress!
I’m getting my Holiday Bitch on! Fugget about Christmas cheer! Thanksgiving Day arrived. At 6:30 AM we received a phone call. From PetSmart. Chippy was being taken to the vet for an emergency visit. He had bloody stools. Without going into too much detail or too much about my bitchiness (many naughty things were uttered under my breath), it appeared that Chippy suffered from severe separation anxiety. He was put on antibiotics and he is fine and well and he is now comfy and cozy.
He has not left my side since her arrived home after Thanksgiving. As my son Jake stated “Well, at least ONE of your children hates being away from you!” My dream come true!
Back to Thanksgiving—we had a nice intimate dinner and NYC was great and it was truly a pleasure to be with all three kids. Poor Roman had been up since 2:30 in the morning in preparing for the crew work he had at the parade. Needless to say, he was practically falling asleep at the dinner table. Oona and I were physically fighting with each other to sit next to Jake just so we could “pet” his luxe cashmere blazer. Jake was trying to ignore us. I was annoyed at Bonaparte because he was more worried about Chippy and he wasn’t focusing on socializing during our dinner. THIS was my version of a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving.
I do not know if we will be welcomed back here.
At least traffic ran smoothly. OK. Well, we got stuck in a bit of gridlock when we got out of the Holland Tunnel into NYC, but it was just for a couple of blocks.
Oona and I did some shopping over the weekend—we checked out the new “Primark” store at King of Prussia Mall. Primark is an amazing “fast fashion” clothing and home goods store that is based in Ireland. Lots of fun stuff and the quality was pretty decent.
Primark–it’s “primarkable”!
I ended up getting a hat that reminded me of the one George Costanza wore in Seinfeld. Remember the fur hat episode? I got this hat for five bucks. It’s so me. Perhaps I am the female version of George!
George Costanza and I have so much in common. The hat I purchased for five bucks sheds just like George’s fake fur hat!
Yesterday Bonaparte and I purchased our 2015 Christmas tree. Much to my dismay, we purchased it at Lowe’s. I refuse to give Lowe’s any of my non-existent money because this shitty establishment supports the faux-Christian Duggar Family. Ugh. However, Lowe’s had a great selection of trees and Bonaparte paid for it—so technically, I didn’t give Lowe’s any of my money!
We ended up purchasing the second Douglas fir tree we spotted. One. Two. Three. Tree! The height may not have been as tall as in the past, but the tree was nice and full.
Our barenaked Lowe’s tree. It doesn’t look that crooked here but within 24 hours it was like the leaning Christmas Tree of Pisa!
Back home, Bonaparte devised a way to keep the carpeting from getting wet from the excess water that may have dripped out of the tree stand. He purchased one of those discs that kids sit in to ride down snowy hills. My concern is this “disc” isn’t exactly level. Bonaparte insisted it is fine.
Not only will this disc keep the carpet dry, but I’ll get to play the game “Guess How Many Times The Christmas Tree Tips Over”. Hmmmm–this could be a new drinking game!
With the tree set up and standing—it fell while Bonaparte was out with clients earlier today–he hasn’t come back yet, and the tree is now crooked as all get out, my “Holiday Bitchiness” is festering. A lot!
But enough about me—it’s time to decorate the tree!
I went out to the garage and got the lights, which were an unorganized mess clustered in bags.
Bags of lights and more stuff that is of great interest to Chippy!
The clustered lights were nothing but a mass of tangles. After untangling the mess, I started to place the lights on the tree ever-so-carefully.
I won’t even tell you how long it took me to untangle these lights!
I even turned the TV on to the Christmas music channel. Does it matter that I have over 50 Christmas CD’s I could have played? No. The Christmas music channel is custom made for lazy slobs such as myself.
This just proves how incredibly lazy I am–I cannot even bring myself to change CD’s. I have to listen to my Christmas music on TV!
So now, I’m in a happy little mood, placing the white lights on the crooked tree, singing along to Christmas songs and taking the time every now and then to threaten Chippy if he comes near my lights.
…..and even more lights. Oh yes. I managed to tangle these up as well!
When I got to the last strand of lights, I realized that I had the wrong connecter end. That last set of lights didn’t have the prongs to plug into the outlet.
In addition, I heard a “crunch”. Chippy was off the sofa and in the dining room. On the floor near his mouth, was a little chewed up light bulb. His stools had better not have as much as one drop of blood! After more holiday bitchiness, Chippy ran back on the sofa. He kept away from the lights and the tree!
SOMEONE got “time out”–on the comfy sofa!
I reached a new low. I stood there and called the lights a “bunch of assholes”. Who does that? Seriously. Am I the only person on earth who curses at her tree lights and refers to the little bulbs of illumination as assholes? I also had a few choice words to describe Bonaparte’s wonderful way of keeping the water off of the carpet.
It took me quite a while to remove all the lights from the tree without yanking them in a fit and taking the tree’s needles off as well. THIS time I plugged the lights into the outlet and started at the bottom of the tree working up. I finally figured it out.
Second time around, I plugged the lights in first then started from the bottom. Duh!
My crooked tree–all lit up. Crooked or not, it looks fine.
Next step. Burlap “ribbon” as garland. Yeah. This year’s theme is “Rustic”. I wrapped burlap ribbon on the stairway and decided to bring it over to the tree. I’m liking the way it looks on my tree that becomes more crooked as the day goes on.
Time for the ornaments!
Tree wrapped in burlap, it was time to place the ornaments on the tree. I’m being a bit “less is more” this year. Actually, that’s my excuse for being too lazy to hang every ornament I own on the tree. Here are some of my favorites:
Remember Bevis and Butthead? Remember The Great Cornholio? Well, here he is. I can’t remember which of our dogs ate his feet and hands. Most likely, it was Dorothy.
I love this Fisher-Price Tick Tock Clock ornament. The hands move! It reminds me of when the kids were younger…
…our beloved Red Sox ornament…
…this Giants ornament is a bit messed up–but I’m so happy to hang it in Eagle’s country! I love those Giants!
..this little chili pepper was purchased in San Antonio when my brother Pete got married…
…my 1959 Barbie ornament is just as beautiful as my original Barbie doll…
Santa Liberty always makes me feel good…
…and this little Irish Dancer was purchased at the 2007 Oireachtas–Oona was a senior in high school!
Whenever I hang this guitar ornament, I think of Roman and his love of music and the guitar lessons he took when he was younger…
…this baseball player always brings back memories of Jake’s baseball days!
Guess what THIS ornament reminds me of???
More memories of Irish roots…
…and one of my favorites–The Blessed Mother of Starbucks. On Christmas Eve she will give birth to a baby latte…..
Here’s my other Starbucks ornament–an homage to NYC! I have a yen for a cup of coffee right now!
This ornament isn’t on the tree, but it Does have a history. I purchased this at Frank’s, a store similar to Michael’s craft store. I got it in 1989 on Central Avenue in Yonkers. When I saw it, it reminded me of my son Jake–and every year I have him on display. It’s too bad I couldn’t get Roman and Oona look alike figures!
Honestly, if it wasn’t raining, I would put Chippy into the back seat of my car and we would venture out in search of a rustic, burlap type of tree skirt. Unfortunately, the weather today is horrific and I’m not going out. But—later on this week, I’ll be out in search of the tree skirt. There is NO WAY I am allowing my crooked tree to be naked at the bottom and have to look at that monstrous disc.
But for now, I’ll enjoy my illuminated tree and stairway!
I’ll enjoy my tree…and…
the stairway!
Happy tree trimming everyone! Enjoy this little song. I miss Karen Carpenter’s rich and smooth voice–she knew how to make a Christmas song so touching and from the heart…Will you be home for Christmas? XOXOXOXOXO!!!!
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of turkey. Turkey has a distinct timeline. After about two to three hours sitting out in the air of a warm kitchen or dining room, the meat gets dry. I don’t care how long the turkey has been brined, basted and babysat. Eventually, the meat will dry out.
I think that’s why everyone loves the leftover turkey on the essential Thanksgiving sandwich.
You can buy the Thanksgiving Sandwich all year–but to me, it’s special and needs to be made at home..
You know the one I’m talking about. Be it on a roll, spongey white bread or homemade artisanal bread, there is nothing quite like that sandwich of leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo. It is the relaxing and chill afterthought of Thanksgiving stress.
This year I won’t be cooking because we will be dining in New York City. But that isn’t stopping me from craving that “Essential Thanksgiving Sandwich”. Today, I’m making it happen…
OK—tomorrow we go to pick Oona up at the airport. Her flight is supposed to land at approximately 6:30 PM. Given the fact that tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, is the most travelled day of the year, I will take delays into consideration. I’m sure her flight will arrive late.
I’m sure my time on Philly’s Blue Route on the way to the airport will be spent cursing the traffic that will surround my car. I will have to give myself plenty of time to get to the airport. Actually, Bonaparte will be driving because he is a much calmer person whilst driving than I am.
When we arrive back at Chateau Bonaparte, I will have the “Essential Thanksgiving Sandwich” makings at the ready. It’ll also be fun to do the reverse—have the leftover sandwich before Thanksgiving!
I purchased a small turkey breast at Wegmans.
My little A-cup breast! I’m hoping braising it in a slow cooker will make it nice and moist! Like a milk-filled teat…..
This little A-cup won’t be roasted. Instead, I’ll slow cook it in the crock pot with some chicken broth, shallot, (onions bother my GERD—as does too much garlic); a hint of garlic, fresh thyme and Bell’s seasoning.
This stuff is freakin’ amazing. In addition, how could anyone pass this colorful packaging up?
(If you’ve never used Bell’s seasoning, I strongly suggest trying it. Not only does it smell like the incense at church, but it is so delightfully aromatic and gives a nice flavor.) Oh, naturally a bit of salt and pepper to season as well.
My ten-buck crockpot. It’s only me and Bonaparte. Actually this is the first time I’m using this–I hope it works!
The reason for the slow-cooking is to retain moisture. A slow braising if you will!
I stuffed that little titty into the crock pot with a ton of Bell’s seasoning, fresh thyme, chicken broth, shallots and a bit of garlic. Actually, I can smell it from upstairs as I write this and the scent is incredibly pleasing. I’m hungry!
Stuffing? Yeah. Only it won’t be anywhere near the crockpot. I made a quick bread stuffing, which is now officially a dressing because it won’t be cooked in the bird. My mother never added sausage or meat in her stuffing. It was a basic egg, bread, milk, salt, pepper, sautéed onion mixture and it was divine. I followed the same recipe with a few exceptions. I mixed a stale baguette in with the spongey white bread. I added Bell’s seasoning and left out the onions (remember—I have GERD).
Is it stuffing? Is it dressing? I dunno–but it’s pretty darn good! This pic was pre-bake. I took it out of the oven and the outside is nice and crispy and it’s waiting to be sliced and placed on that sandwich!
That’ll be baked for a while until it takes the consistency of a moist bread pudding. I don’t want to overbake it and it’ll firm up in the fridge.
Although I adore my canned and jellied cranberry sauce and have about four cans in the pantry to prove it.
Wegmans calls this “food you feel good about”. If I didn’t feel good about it do you honestly think I would buy it???? I’m imagining this would be great for a UTI as well as a delicious holiday meal treat!
I picked up a bag of cranberries at the grocery store. I followed the directions on the back of the bag to make a sauce/compote –cook the cranberries in water and sugar. That’s it. I did, they are in the fridge and nice and solid. I’m still debating whether to use these cranberries or my beloved canned.
Here’s my fresh cranberries. I’m buying some more because my friend, Stephanie, gave me a great cranberry sauce recipe. By the time Christmas rolls around, I may have had my share of cranberry everything!
Lastly, I’m going to make another brioche.
My brioche ingredients. I have some leftover brioche in the freezer but I’m going to use it for French Toast!
It’ll have to “rest” overnight in the fridge, then rise for a second time tomorrow—so with my time management, we should have nice fresh brioche to toast for the sandwiches.
Brioche dough–ready and placed in a warm place to rise!
It’ll be nice to have a choice of bread—spongey white bread or homemade brioche? It’ll all be good once it’s toasted.
Those sandwiches will taste fantastic on brioche because of the density–there’s no gaping holes for the cranberry sauce to ooze through. I’m getting more hungry by the second!
This Thanksgiving we won’t be seated around a table with a large amount of relatives. Even though we will be at a restaurant, it’ll still be intimate because it’ll be me, the three kids, and Bonaparte.
We will be having Thanksgiving dinner here! I’ll let you know how it was!
I am thankful that I have my children and Bonaparte.
I am thankful that I have my health.
I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to write whatever the hell I want to.
I am thankful for the roof that is over my head.
I am thankful for our little rescue rascal Chippy.
I am thankful for my Sriracha T-shirt because I thought it was “Siracha”—ya learn something new every day!
My love of “Sriracha” is so intense that I had to get this Tee-shirt to prove it! And to help me spell it correctly!
I am thankful for all the readers of my blog. You keep me going—even when my laziness creeps in, I keep at it. Thank you so much! XOXOXOXO!
Thank you. And…”Thank You For Being A Friend”…Andrew Gold!
It was a very productive Monday.
First of all, I’m so tired of dealing with the hair loss. Honestly, after I pulled my hair back in a ponytail, I got a side glance in the mirror and this time saw a huge chunk of scalp in an area that had hair not too long ago.
Slowly, I am coming to grips with the fact that no amount of Rogaine or Biotin is going to grow my hair. I am so ready to start wearing assistant hair. Wigs. Luckily I started ordering wigs some time ago which gives me a stack of pret-a-porter tresses.
That time has come today. Missing my bobbed hair of quite a few years ago, I opted for my off-black Scorpio wig by Revlon. Bonaparte thought it looked cute and gave me a 1960’s vibe. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll opt for a longer wig.
It’s cute–right? I’m kind of liking the shorter bob look!
Wednesday I’ll be going to Adam for a blowout. I’m saddened to say it will most likely be the last blow out for a long time. Because I’ve decided to just give the hair that I do have a rest. It’s breaking and brittle and dry and just needs some TLC right now. The wigs will do my natural hair well!
It doesn’t look too wiggy either. Well, I HOPE it doesn’t look too wiggy! Oh–who cares HOW it looks!
Now that the hair issue is out of the way, I’ll entertain you with the rest of my day.
After taking inventory of wrapping paper and embellishments, it was time to incorporate more tissue paper and boxes.
There was a time when receiving a nice, sturdy box—complete with tissue paper, was an automatic given. No more. Even though most people at present are Christmas and Holiday shopping, asking or kindly requesting gift box is mandatory or you will not have a box to place the gift into.
I did some shopping last month at Madewell for a couple of gifts for Oona. Although I did receive the boxes that I practically had to beg for, the boxes didn’t come with tissue paper. In addition, the boxes are one piece. The top is connected to the bottom and you need to fold parts of this one piece box into place.
Madewell’s boxes leave much to be desired but I see that they made sure their logo was quite spectacularly perfect!
I swear you have to be some sort of engineer to figure out just how to turn this one-piece of cardboard structure into what will eventually resemble a box. In trying to fold the corners, I ripped the box and had to tape it together.
It took me fifteen minutes to figure out how to fold this–and I STILL managed to rip the box. Ugh. It’s so damn cheap looking!
I’m glad that I can purchase plain, two-piece boxes at discount stores.
Oh…and let me mention that I prefer the white tissue paper because it won’t clash with the wrappings when the box is opened. But, the white tissue paper is actually more expensive than the cheesy and colored Christmas tissue paper. I’m cheap—so I went with the cheesy and colored paper.
I’m hoping that before opening gifts, way too much Martha Stewart Eggnog will be drunk-drank-drunken? so that nobody notices this cheesy tissue paper that will be inside the gift boxes. Can you believe that plain white was more expensive?
Did I also mention that each person in the house gets their own special wrapping paper? I call this “lazy mom” wrapping. I can’t stand name tags—they are too small and never look pretty. Instead, I’m able to tell which gift belongs to whom by their personal paper! Smart—right?? Sometimes it just pays to be lazy. Here’s how this practice strongly impacts my grown, adult kids. Two years ago, I went against the grain and did the mixed wrapping paper and name tag thing. The kids hated it. Yes. My adult children were shocked and disappointed because their gifts were not wrapped uniformly with their special paper. I learned a lesson that year….
Guess who got the Target deer head wrapping paper? I cannot wait to embellish these gifts!
Back to wrap.
I embellished one of the gifts with a bow. Thank God it was the first gift wrapped because I realized that the bow would be squished upon placing it back in the “hiding” bag. The ribbons, bows and embellishments will have to wait till just before the gifts are placed under the tree!
In keeping with my “rustic” themed Christmas decor, I carried it over to the wrappings. This STILL needs more—-perhaps some fake cranberries in the middle of the bow!
Scissors, tape, wrapping paper, bags and everything else created such a mess on the dining room table that I was so happy Bonaparte was with clients.
It IS rather messy. Bonaparte would definitely NOT approve of this mess!
Speaking of tape, I purchased a package of four rolls of Scotch Tape. One being “free”. Let me tell you something. The fourth roll is not free. The tape company makes the rolls of tape much smaller than usual. I used an entire roll of tape on about ten gifts. And I don’t use large pieces.
Free roll my ass. They make the rolls so sparsely filled with tape that you need one roll for under ten gifts!
And another thing–see the top tab on this box? You need to tape that tab down in order to get a decent wrap job on this pack of pencils. This kind of packaging drives me nuts!!
Gifts all wrapped, it was time to bring the remaining paper upstairs and out of Bonaparte’s sight.
Wrapped but not fancied up yet, the gifts will be hidden. And will await the rest of the gifts I still need to get!
I swear to God you will not believe what happened. One of the rolls of paper hit the wall going up the stairs and left a dent in the dry wall. When Bonaparte reads this the shit will hit the fan and he will blame me for not being careful.
Look what the wrapping paper did. I swear it was NOT me!
It wasn’t me. It was the paper!
Bonaparte, my Christmas elf, is a fine one to be criticizing though. He claims to “nut cahhr” about the decorations. For the past couple of weeks he’s been muttering about “zuh pip-uhl ou ahr crizee to ‘ev zuh decoratshunz up so uhlee”. (Translations: 1. Not care. 2. The people who are crazy to have the decorations up so early.)
This morning Bonaparte asked me “Casseee. Why do ou nut ‘av zuh leets and grins ‘ang-ing from zuh dick?” NOTE: In this instance “dick” is “DECK”—it’s the deck! He’s French! (Translation: Cathe, Why do out not have the lights and greens hanging from the deck?)
I’ll be adding ribbon to this mix as well–but for now, I need to apply some band-aids to my hands!
So after all the wrapping was finished, I was out on the “dick” with greens, wire, wire cutters and lights. And my hands have the cuts and scrapes that went along with it.
I thought I cleaned the table up nicely. Bonaparte pointed out that I left some of my mess in the bowl. Oops! Time for a cup of tea!
So now, as I relax, the only song that can possibly come to mind after this post is “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses—quite possibly one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time! Enjoy!
XOXOXOXOXO!!!
I’ll tell ya, I’m so happy to be back in front of the keyboard and returning to writing. It’s more fun to just talk about everything and nothing…
Speaking of which, Friday turned out to be both a busy and reflective day.
It started out with me traveling to the Pine Barrens in NJ to attend my Aunt Catherine’s funeral. Once I got out of the Philadelphia area, the drive was incredibly relaxing and pleasant. The trees are still scattered with their multi-colored leaves and the bright reds, oranges, and yellows against the clear blue sky was beautiful. In a couple of weeks, we will be entering into that monochromatic landscape of grays and browns and overcast skies—until the rebirth of Spring.
Anyway, lately I’ve had my share of funerals. And I’m tired of wearing black, so I decided to brighten the mood by dressing in navy. Among the sea of gray and black it was a nice change.
That’s me dressed in Navy amid the sea of funeral black!
I have to be honest here and don’t want to sound morose but this funeral Mass was the nicest and sweetest one I’ve ever attended. Let me tell you why—then I’ll get to the foodie thing—ok?
First of all, there was no casket. Instead, at the foot of the altar, was a table. On the table were beautiful flowers in hues of pink and rose. Also placed in the middle of the table was a beautiful and plain marble box. In that box were the ashes of my aunt. It was moving. And to tell you the truth, it made for a more relaxed and comfortable service. Just knowing that there wasn’t a “body”—all dressed and stuffed into a wooden casket, that wouldn’t be lowered into the dirt set a vibe that just was not depressing.
This photo of my aunt Catherine was taken when she graduated from high school. She remained a beauty till she passed away!
The service was short and sweet. Her grandchildren and children spoke about her and it was lovely. In fact, I found something out about her that I never knew. I just assumed Aunt Catherine returned to work because the kids were getting older and she wanted something to do. No. She returned to work because her husband, my Uncle Johnny, was diagnosed with cancer and his time was precious. She returned to work because she knew that she would soon be the main supporter of her family. She never let on and never complained and never set herself up as a martyr. She was a good woman.
Following the service, the family hosted a luncheon. Unfortunately I was unable to attend due to the distance I had to drive. In addition, Bonaparte and I had plans to attend dinner that night…
And now, I give you the story and the reasons that I am hanging my foodie apron on the hook.
Well, realistically, I’m keeping THIS apron. It’s my favorite one because I can get it as messy as need be and bleach will always clean it!
Bonaparte and I don’t go out to dinner often. But when we do, we make sure it is to a restaurant worth spending the money on and we make sure the restaurant will offer the types of food we enjoy.
It isn’t a matter of being a “foodie” or a food “snob”. It’s a matter of being frugal and liking to cook and dine in the comfort of our own home. We save the restaurant visits for special occasions.
Yes. I love to eat! And while I love great food, I don’t consider myself a “foodie” because that word just has a negative and douchey vibe to it!
Dining at home lends itself well to relaxing and savoring and being able to take your sweet time. We are both tired of going to restaurants and being rushed. I cannot stand when the plates are taken away before the last person in the party is finished with their meal. I don’t want servers coming up to me every five minutes and asking me if everything is ok. This is NOT the fault of the server. It is the fault of the uneducated management. It’s all about the money..
Anyway, last Christmas we received a gift certificate to a restaurant in Philadelphia, Bibou. We’ve been to Bibou in the past and the food is amazing. The service is spectacular. It’s a well-run place with a menu that offers excellent dishes. The servings are just right—not too small and not loaded onto the plate like slop. It’s the kind of restaurant where you remember and talk about the meal for a long time and when friends and family are looking for a great place to dine, you tell them to make reservations at Bibou and make them well in advance.
Are you following me?
Good. Bonaparte and I decided to “save” the gift certificate and use it when we just felt we “needed” a great night out. We made reservations for October but had to cancel them because we were in Paris for Danièle’s funeral. No big deal. We tried to move the reservations to another Saturday evening, but all that was available for the rest of the year was Friday, November 20th, the Friday that just passed. We had to take that date because, unbeknownst to us, Bibou’s policy was that the gift certificate would expire at year’s end. This was a policy that both of us weren’t too fond of. Neither of us wants to be dictated as to the timeframe of the certificate. Alas, that’s the policy. So be it.
Again. Another funeral. But again, no big deal because I would be home in plenty of time for us to go to the restaurant. Besides, both of us needed a night out where we could put all of the latest life events behind us.
In the meantime, we discovered that Bibou had changed the dining format. No longer would the regular meals be offered, but the menu had changed to a tasting menu only. This should have been a red flag for me to just let the certificate go unused. Why? Because whenever I see “Tasting Menu” , I know that the small amount of food will be incredibly overpriced and we will have to deal with a room full of pretentious foodies. (Cest MOI???).
I still laugh every time I see this commercial because this guy IS so pretentious!
Anyway, here’s the menu and obnoxious dinner pics–but I took them because I had a blog post in mind!:
The menu. If only the portions just were a tad more than one bite….
We started off with this little amuse bouche. With our Kir Royales, these tasty bites were very nice!
The Curry Mussel Cream was great, but the fennel lacked a bit of flavor….
Next tasting was the pig snout and that cute little quail egg. Honestly, the pig snout was the best thing on the menu. I would have finished off a ton of these things!
The photos are getting a little fuzzy. That’s because of all the wine I started drinking. Bonaparte isn’t much of a fish eater but he loved this Mahi Mahi. And the photo looks a lot bigger than the actual portion…but it was very good.
Bibou, luckily is a BYOB restaurant. We had a nice bottle of this Margaux. I love it because it tastes like dirt!
Foie gras was next. Again, I could have finished off a lot more than this!
The one bite of lamb was perfect…..
This is the Brillat-Savarin Truffle with Warm Saint-Maure de Touraine. Don’t even ask me to explain what it really is because the wine was giving me a buzz. All I know is that this was some seriously good shit!
Dessert. Cranberry tarte. Take a guess at why the photo is completely out of focus!! *burp*
Was it spectacular? Well—yes. And no. The food that we had tasted great. I could have devoured an entire plate platter of the pig snout. It was comparable to the pig cheeks I had at “Frenchie” in Paris. (OK, WHO sounds pretentious now? I do—but I don’t mean it in a pretentious way!)
Pig cheeks from Frenchie were fantastic–but my visits back never measured up to that first one!
What bothered me was the $100.00 per tasting plate. Honestly, I didn’t think it was worth the money for the one bite. Look, I’m not one of those diners who judge on the amount of food. In fact, I cannot stand having too much food on my plate. I believe in quality over quality. However, for one bite—the price point could have been lowered to about $75.00 per person. After all, I’m a woman who needs to prioritize my spending—I have a shoe budget you know!
We did have a great time though—we had a lively conversation with the diners at the table next to us and we did slum it by stopping at Mc Donald’s on the way home!
Yes. I hadn’t had a McDonald’s burger in years (remember, though, I did sample some McDo’s fries in Cannes over the summer and they tasted just as bad as the ones sold here!) and on Friday evening after our expensive tasting menu, I had not one, but two cheeseburgers!
Last night for dinner, I made one of Bonaparte’s favorite meals. Chicken Veronique—chicken with grapes in a wine/cream-based sauce. I made my “Chez Paul” potatoes. Potatoes inspired by Restaurant Paul on Place Dauphine. For dessert, Bonaparte enjoyed a slice of my home made Brioche topped with butter and honey.
I made these potatoes sauteed in butter AND duck fat. So tasty and delicious…
The brioche always turns out great because it is Thomas Keller’s recipe!
Thomas Keller Brioche Recipe from Martha Meets Lucy
This meal may have sounded fancy, but it wasn’t. It is just the good and comforting French home-style cooking that Bonaparte loves and that I’ve learned to cook with love and from the heart.
I yi yi! I’m tired of the foodie generation turning donuts into gourmet treats. A friggin’ donut is a donut is a donut. Just because it’s topped with bacon doesn’t mean it has been turned into a pretentious, complicated and arty form of dessert cuisine. It’s a damn donut with bacon.
Even when topped with Bacon, it’s still just a donut. It isn’t a gourmandise fancy pastry. It is a donut!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my beloved veal kidneys don’t become a foodie favorite because they will make the leap in pricing from dirt cheap to outrageously expensive. That would be offally awful!
Please keep veal kidneys unappetizing to many–or they will become too pricey! Hmmmm…I’m beginning to have a “kidney kraving”!!
Foodie has such a negative impact—doesn’t it? I’m just a person who loves to eat. And cook. And bake. Especially for those I love! I’m a “Cookie“!
Since the topic today is food—how’s about some “Food Glorious Food” from Oliver?
Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Try to keep out of the supermarket due to the crowds prepping for Thanksgiving! I am thankful we are going to a restaurant for Thanksgiving. After all, it is for a special occasion! XOXOXOXO!!!
We left off at me leaving Michael’s with a killer headache due to those scented pine cones. I popped three Tylenol into my mouth and since I forgot to bring water with me, washed the little helpers down with my spit!
The cause of my annual migranes. (See previous posting!)
Before driving to Ikea, though, I decided to take a look-see at the offerings at Home Goods. I mean, it was now 9:40 and Home Goods was opened for ten minutes. The lot was filled. I guess the shoppers from Wegmans decided to make the same pit stop as I did.
My next stop left much to be desired. Home Goods in Collegeville was a fail!
Major disappointment. Home Goods had pillows that were way overpriced and their Christmas and Holiday selection left much to be desired. I felt bad for my friends who celebrate Hanukkah—two measly shelves were dedicated to The Festival of Lights. That isn’t right!
Back in the car, listening to “The Best of C. Jerome”, singing make-believe French and on my way.
I promised a certain person (aka Bonaparte) that I would NOT listen to Christmas music till after Thanksgiving. (shhhhh–I lied. But I was too lazy to eject C. Jerome during my shopping trip)
HI-Kea! Oh there is nothing like arriving at Ikea when it first opens! Empty parking lot. No crowds—and if you’ve ever been at Ikea during the weekend, you know how pleasurable it is when the store is almost empty!
Just look at those empty spaces. Oh, I love Ikea so much!
The good thing is that I knew what I wanted–a red sheet set, and duvet cover for the bed in the upstairs guest room. I also saw a cute little red fleece throw for 3.99.
$3.99…and it is a great size. It’ll cover two people snuggled on the sofa!
It would be perfect to toss over the arm of one of the sofas. In my quest to decorate frugally, I also spotted red pillow covers for $4.00 each—the catalogue served me well and now I was armed and ready.
I ended up purchasing six of these covers. At a grand total of $24.00, it was far less expensive than the price of two new pillows elsewhere. The covers are a GREAT way to change up a look!
I got almost everything I needed with the exception of the duvet cover. My local Ikea was out of stock in the twin size. Oh well, it’ll be money saved.
Through the process I picked up a rug then put it back. Three plants—then put them back as well. A couple of baskets that when in and out of the cart. Ahhh. Bonaparte would be so proud of me for sticking to my budget and not going off my list.
I did manage to pick up some crispbreads that come in at 45 calories each. While others are feasting on pigs-in-a blanket and other delights, I’ll stick to the crispbread rounds!
I’ve already dug into this. Oops! Guess I’ll just have to return to Ikea for more!
After a successful trip, it was time to say “Bye-Kea”!!!!
Last stop. Walmart. I know. I KNOW. Don’t judge because I shop at Walmart. Many of my friends refuse to shop there but Walmart has great prices and values. And while I realize the Walmart parking lot is more dangerous than ISIS, I just cannot help myself.
Honestly, the shoppers at Walmart can’t or rather shouldn’t be driving a car. At all. Many don’t know how to read signs and cruise right through the many stop signs located throughout. Many are texting—and most likely using emoji’s to get the message across because I’m sure they cannot spell (i.e. “stop” sign means to stop). The remainder can’t see—those eyeglasses they are wearing are the non-prescription type. OK?
With my crossed eyes and balding head, I fit right in with the Walmart mix!
I came out with a bunch of beautiful poinsettias—and they are beautiful.
As Terri Hatcher retorted in “Seinfeld” “They’re real and they’re spectacular”! Yes. These poinsettias are real and spectacular! And DIRT CHEAP!!!!!
Back at home, I unpacked my goodies and got to work with the start of the decorating.
With a trunk full of Christmas goodies, I couldn’t wait to get home and unpack!
My decorating techniques are just about the same as my cooking and baking techniques. I’m sloppy.
Poor Bonaparte—he stresses during this decorating procedure and he is quite the pain-in-the-ass.
My poor Bonaparte. He is fighting a losing battle when it comes to my untidy and messy decorating! It’s his Waterloo!
Constantly badgering me with “Ahr ou dun yet?” and “Wha eez zis mess, Cassee? Ah nid tu clin an’ vec-uhm”
Yeah. This year I’m going a bit rustic. Have a look….
Lights still have to be added, but I’m draping burlap ribbon over the garland….
I added another burlap bow to one of the staircases (K-Mart special..I have one on the outdoor wreath). Notice Chippy looking back at Bonaparte who is stressing out even more due to the mess I haven’t even made yet!
I love greens on the cabinets too. This is atop the armoire in the living room. I’ve made a burlap bow to fancy it up….
Off the kitchen, I have this burlap ribbon with stag heads atop another cabinet. I LOVE this ribbon…..
Look! The throw from Ikea is draped behind this pillow. Ooooohhhh take another look at the pillow–it’s from last year but I never took the tag off. I’ll get a scissor….
Back to the staircase. Isn’t this cute?
One of the sofas in the upstairs living room–I love the white sofa with the red pillows. Check out the red covers from Ikea–they really are great!
More pillows on the sofa in the sun room……
The rustic coffee table in the sun room is also dressed for Christmas–I couldn’t help getting tiny poinsettias either!
I’m going a bit overboard with the throws as well, but I love snuggling up with hot tea or cocoa and throwing a blanket over me–especially since my hot flashes have me in minimal attire!
The downstairs guest room gets a touch of Christmas decor too!
This cute bowl is from Target–I don’t know what I”ll be putting in it, but I can tell you that those scented pine cones will NOT be in here! They will not be anywhere near my house either!
A top filled with poinsettias. I have to turn the sticker on that plant around to the back.
The red sheet set from Ikea is on the Ikea daybed. I figured since I couldn’t get the red duvet cover, I would just use the black checked one that I have–from Ikea no less. I mixed in pillows with the red covers from Ikea with OTHER pillows that I had–and you can guess where the other pillow covers are from (can’t guess? I’ll give you a hint–it starts with “I” and ends with “a”)…..
Look at this flannel plaid “ribbon”. OMG. I am going to use this on the boys’s gifts. I love this!!!!!!!
See? My mess is dwindling down. Hey, there’s the hair roller I snagged from Chippy’s mouth right next to my plaid flannel ribbon!
I still have to wrap gifts and make an attempt to clean the mess I made, but ….for starters, I think I did pretty well!
Have a blast with your decorating—and just to put you in the mood early, here’s a little Christmas music from Dean Martin for you to get you in the mood! XOXOXOXO
Hey everybody! There’s been quite a lot going on in the world of Atypical60dom. I want to apologize for a lack of posting but I’m back in bizness and happy to be back to blogging!
The temp gig ended. My tasks were completed and I have to say….
I look like the drunken Aunt on St. Patrick’s
It was great on so many levels. First of all, I felt validated. Remember how many times I whinged and whined about nobody not wanting to hire me due to my age? Well, it was nice to have been a small part of a corporation where age didn’t matter.
In fact, it was the greatest corporate culture I ever worked in next to when I worked down on Wall Street. The people were respectful. There was no micromanaging. People said hello with a smile on their face.
It was awesome—and the one possibility that kept me from staying was the company had become acquired. I’ve been through that. Twice before. So I know what the people who work there are going through emotionally. It’s tough…..
Well then, I must be the Einstein of the blogging world because I worry and suffer from supreme Anxiety!
….and speaking of emotions, I’ve had a stressful few weeks. Those pesky lady parts exams and skin checks. All is well.
Yesterday I had my semi-annual skin check. My insurance doesn’t cover the costs. So much for affordable health care in the State of Pennsylvania. Luckily, I had money left in my Health Savings Account to cover the cost. Then I had to get a “thing” burned off my chest. So that was another out-of-pocket expense. But knock on wood—it’s all ok.
Growing old sucks sometimes in the fact that you are always “checking” for bad shit.
Then I got the news that another aunt passed away. My dad’s sister, Catherine. She lived a nice life but her heart stopped beating at 88 years. She always seemed so much younger than her years. And I swear she was the only person ever to come from Brooklyn, NY without that Brooklynese accent. Her speaking voice was so resonant and articulate—it was almost unbelievable that she and my dad were from the same family.
Aunt Catherine was also one pretty forward lady. She worked in Manhattan for years and lived across the river in New Jersey! A true city-girl, she never learned how to drive—which brings me to one of the funniest things about her. She hated being in the car—especially when the kids were driving and she would always be the nervous passenger with the rosary beads in her hands actually reciting the Mysteries of the Rosary while in transit. When you are in bad and horrific traffic, with a ton of lunatics on the road, this Aunt Catherine as passenger thing could get pretty hysterical—in the most funniest of ways!
If Aunt Catherine was in the car, THESE rosaries would NOT be hanging from the rear-view mirror. They would be placed in her hands!
Tomorrow, I’ll be attending her funeral Mass. All the “older” relatives are passing through this life now. It’s giving me pause to think—I am no one of those new “older” relatives.
Bonaparte is still a bit under the weather over Danièle. Add to the fact that his last surviving aunt passed away a week after Danièle.
And then the Paris attacks. Our world needs fixing.
We are all still hurting over the Paris attacks. When will our world go back to being kinder and more peaceful?
NOTE TO SELF: As older relative you must make each day fun and delightful and live life with more gusto.
So to get me in the festive mood, I started Christmas decorating. I know. I know….this is the earliest I’ve ever done this. I’ve always waited until after Thanksgiving but with the stress of doctor visits, and the angst of final good-byes to many older relatives in such a short time and the events in the world, I want happy!
Chateau Bonaparte is starting to look festive and happy!
The first wreath of 2015 Christmas season hangs on the front door of Chateau Bonaparte!
Let me tell you about the “Prepping for Christmas Decorating” day that I had yesterday….
Got up and made sure I was in comfortable clothing. It is still unseasonably warm here in the Philly ‘burbs so luckily, I didn’t have to bundle up…
Another stellar fashion blog photo. Comfy Tory Burch Reva flats. J. Crew Factory Gigi pants. My black Uniqlo Men’s S Tee shirt reading “Je Suis Charlie” and J. Crew Regent blazer gave me a very simple outfit for a day of running around!
I get very methodical when I’m on a mission such as this. Really. I’m not kidding. I take a deep look (me, being the deep thinker that I am) not only at what I need, but the route I will travel. In addition, I try to hit the store that opens the earliest and make my way around that.
First stop: Target. One of Oona’s friends picked up the greatest Christmas wrapping of all time. All. Time! She posted it on Facebook. I had to have that wrapping. So I sent her a message. She replied that the wrapping was from Target. Off I went. Naturally, it was just my luck that I couldn’t find this spectacular gift wrapping. While cursing Target’s gift wrapping buyer under my breath, I was ready to leave when I spotted the last roll left. I grabbed it as though I were a crack addict going after a fix—and literally ran to the check out!
This stag head wrapping paper is epic. I love it! Makes my Christmas a bit merrier!
On the way out of the store, a very chivalrous man opened the door for me with a big smile. Either he thought I was a very beautiful mature woman whose looks just stunned him or he saw the look of a madwoman on my face and opened the door out of fear. I’ll delusionally go with my first thought.
Second stop was Wegman’s to pick up some groceries that would keep in the car for a few hours. At 8:30 in the morning, I was shocked at how crowded the store was. Oh. Wait. Thanksgiving is next week.
Wegmans in Collegeville is always crowded no matter WHAT time it is! Ugh.
Next was a stop over to Michael’s craft store.
I’m now wondering if the parking lot at Michael’s was empty because so many people are offended by the scent of those cinnamon and spice pinecones!
I had to make sure I had Tylenol with me. There is a reason for this. Scented pinecones. Those fucking things ruin my holiday shopping. I ran out of the garland that I had. It’s nice. Green fir with UNSCENTED pinecones scattered about. I’m sure there is more of this garland somewhere in the garage, but I just could not be bothered looking for it. So I get to Michael’s, and the parking lot is pretty-much empty. This is a good thing because I will be in and out.
I entered the store and the scent of fake cinnamon shit hit me hard. I had to hold my nose with one hand and wheel the cart around with the other. My eyes started to tear up. Yes. I AM that allergic to that horrific fake scent.
These things are THE most OFFENSIVE items ever. They actually ruin shopping for me. Am I the only one?
Two of the sales assistants noticed me and came over to help right away. These girls were amazing. AMAZING! I explained what garland I needed and they got it for me immediately. Then I started to bitch to them about how the scent of the pine cones was ruining my entire Christmas season.
This is the garland that I have wrapped on my bannisters–see the little pinecones? The don’t smell!
I didn’t stop. I went on to tell both of them that some people are offended by Christmas trees and Nativity sets and any form of Christmas celebrations. I told them some people are offended by menorahs. Then I told them that the biggest offense of all during the “holiday” season is the goddam scented pinecones.
Yes. I am offended by the scent of those pinecones. That fake cinnamon and spice gives me a headache so bad that it reaches to my neck and shoulders. AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS OFFENDED BY THOSE SCENTED PINECONES?? Apparently not, because one of the delightful sales assistants told me that she had to unpack three boxes of them and had an incredibly headache afterwards.
I’ve written letters to every store’s company who sells those things. The only store to do anything about it is Wegman’s. They now have these disgusting items OUTSIDE the store rather than inside!
The best was when I went to check out, the cashier noticed the pinecones on my garland and actually said “Oh…you know we sell scented pinecones if you are interested.”
I won’t repeat what I said back to her—but she was incredibly upset with me. I may have made her cry a bit. Her bottom lip actually quivered as she meekly whispered to me “I love that scent.”
Next stop….Ikea. But this is getting long-winded so I’ll stop for now and start on Part Two!!! Stayed tuned…..
And in honor of that smell….Lynrd Skynyrd. That Smell!
XOXOXOXO!!
Sometimes there are just no words……
But Marianne is strong. We will all help her and France to get through this horrific act.
Fuck it. I wasn’t going to add anything else–but you know what? We all need to gather our GREAT memories of Paris so I’m adding a post from this past summer. We need to be positive………The Return to Paris
Bonaparte and I are as different as we are alike. Actually we are more different than we are alike, but opposites attract.
He is French. I’m American.
Yes. My Bonaparte loves wine, baguettes, flowers and comes from an artistic family. I am an American Wonderwoman–but there’s a bit more of me than there is of Lynda Carter!
Bonaparte is Felix Unger to my pared-down version of Oscar Madison. I’m not a complete slob but I’m always just slightly askew. Bonaparte wears his clothing like the perfect Parisian.
I don’t smoke cigars, nor do I wear a baseball cap, but my hair is always in a state of slightly messy while Bonaparte is always perfect!
I’m the chef and baker. He’s the cleaner-upperer. (is “upperer” a word? If not, it is now!)
Dessert last night was an Alsatian Apple Tarte that I baked–but Bonaparte had the big clean up–especially after the duck that I cooked!
And when it comes to music, we are nowhere near the same page. However, I may have brought him over to a side of music that was always close to him but he never discovered.
Growing up as a young boy in Paris, Bonaparte listened to classical music. It was in his family. His stepdad, Jean Casadesus, was a classical pianist who toured the world performing classical concerts.
Bonaparte’s stepdad–even classical artists loved their cigarettes! Notice the cigarette isn’t even lit!
In fact, Bonaparte didn’t even have a TV growing up! I haven’t even the words……
While I was getting an education on European culture from watching The Patty Duke Show, Bonaparte was listeing to THIS version of longhair music!
On the other hand, my childhood music memories were varied. My parents listened to standards and big band music. Also added into that blend were Top 40 radio songs.
Growing up, Benny Goodman’s clarinet was familiar in our house!
In the mid-60’s, as I reached the age of 10 and into the teen years, I was hooked on the British Invasion.
Be still my heart! I’ll ALWAYS love the music of the British Invasion–it was the first time in my life that I realized how important music is!
Classical music? Bonaparte loves Bach, Beethoven and Saint-Saens.
Poor Ludwig–he looked so pissed off. Maybe that’s why Bonaparte loves him so much! Camille Saint-Saens is another favorite of Bonaparte’s.
I’m more of a Shubert kinda gal. I’m also a huge Scott Joplin fan. Bonaparte says Joplin isn’t “classical” music. I call bullshit because Scott Joplin is a perfect example of American classical music.
Shubert, in my humble opinion, had the most beautiful melodies of any classical composer. Besides, he was nicely rounded and if you look closely, he was slightly cross-eyed–I can relate!
Every American should be well-versed in Joplin’s beautiful rags. Quite honestly, he’s the greatest American classical composer. EVER!
We both agree on Mozart though!
One composer we both love is Mozart! Note to self–watch Amadeus for the millionth time soon!
Dare I even broach the subject of Christmas music? I’ll give you a hint. Bonaparte goes upstairs whenever I start blasting and singing along to my Christmas recordings!
Just a small sampling of my Christmas CD’s. How many of you have the Hendrix one?
Now while I love classic rock, I have always loved pop music because if the catchy tunes. Lately, though I realize that I’m just a bit too. Um…….mature of age (I’ll shan’t say “old”!) to even bother to a lot of the pop music on the radio today.
Don’t get me wrong. One of my favorite CD’s of all time is John Mayer’s first CD “Room for Squares”…and I consider him one of the greatest American guitarists of all time. But for me, Mayer is that rare cross between pop and rock—and I have every CD of his to prove how much I love his music. But John is another post.
One of the greatest pop/rock musical CD’s of all time. John Mayer is one of the greatest young musicians today. Oona and I both love him so much!
I’m going to the tell you how I got Bonaparte to listen to FRENCH pop music!
When Bonaparte’s stepdad, Jean, traveled to the US to tour, he would bring back “American rock ‘n roll” records for teenaged Bonaparte. We are of a different generation, Bonaparte and I, and his “rock n’ roll” was before my time.
He loved The Platters, The Diamonds, and Elvis.
Oh. I think I was just out of diapers when Bonaparte was listening to this music!
The Diamonds are another one of Bonaparte’s favorite “American” groups –shhhhh, they are really Canadian–but Canada IS in North America so they are technically American. Right????
Bonaparte also idolized THIS Elvis…..
He loved “Blue Jean” Elvis—not the “Jumpsuit” Elvis that I grew up with. (Hey, “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds” are the two greatest “Jumpsuit” Elvis songs of all time!)
…while I admit, Jumpsuit Elvis was one of my guilty pleasures!
I always found Bonaparte’s fascination with American rock ‘n roll incredibly intriguing. Especially since he was such a fan of classical music!
It wasn’t until I started to travel to France with him that I discovered French pop music. Here’s how it happened:
Out of sheer boredom of not being able to take the Metro, I started listening to Nostalgie radio in the car. I got “le ‘ooked”!
I think I’ve mentioned in a previous post that Bonaparte refuses to take the Metro whenever we are in Paris. He claims that the Metro is disgusting. I haven’t even had the chance to make my own opinion. Buses are too slow. And while I love to walk, he isn’t too fond of it. So—we drive. And given that Paris traffic is horrific, I feel the need to listen to the radio. The one French radio station that I found and was immediately hooked was “Nostalgie”. All the French pop stars from the 60’s through the 80’s.
All that “Ye-Ye” music of Francoise Hardy, France Gall, Jacques Dutronc and others is pure “tres cool” pop! Why didn’t he listen to it? This was pop greatness! I needed to know.
It’s almost sinful that a couple THIS good looking has the musical talent that they do! Oh. Wait. They’re FRENCH! Tres Cool!
His royal snobbiness simply stated that the French pop music was too “common”. Time to bring this Frenchman down to the peasant level of moi! How can you think the music is too common if you don’t freakin’ listen to it???
Um….I would NEVER call THIS couple common. Gainsbourg and Birkin were a one-of-a kind couple. Honestly, the both of them did not have the greatest of voices but yet, they managed to make it work and have great musical careers–and quite spicy ones at that!
“Nostalgie” radio station brought forth for me an education in pop music! I discovered that French pop is incredibly happy music. It puts me in a good mood! I have no idea what many of the lyrics are about but can piece words together to understand slightly. Listening to French pop also helps me to learn the language through song.
Michel Delpeche….
..the cute-as-a-button C. Jerome (R.I.P.)…
The incredibly talented singer/writer Daniel Balavoine (R.I.P.)…are just some of the talented French pop musicians.
Did you know that French pop star Veronique Sanson was married to Stephen Stills? Yes. THAT Stephen Stills of CSN &Y!!!
But the best part is that from my constant listening to Nostalgie radio, Bonaparte finally admitted that he actually likes the music. I stream the station from my iPhone. And get this—a few weeks ago, Bonaparte asked me to set up Nostalgie on his iPhone too!
Presently, my new “favorite” French pop musician is Michel Polnareff. First of all, the “young” Michel Polnareff looks a lot like my favorite music crush of all time. Ray Davis.
Hey. Davies and Polnareff–Heart throb supremes!
Secondly. Polnareff’s voice is “Pure Pop Porn”. Yes. That’s right! Anthony Bourdain may love his food porn, but Polnareff’s songs are song porn! Listen to these two songs and just tell me his voice isn’t giving you dirty thoughts!
Michel Polnareff’s “Love Me, Please Love Me”
Michel Polnareff’s “L’Amour Avec Toi”
It’s fun to feel happy. French pop music makes me happy.
It also makes me happy that Bonaparte, after all these years of classical music and being too snobby to listen to French pop as become a fan.
Hey. It’s never too late! Check it out–the French pop music. There’s a lot of happiness and silliness and joie de vivre in it!
And I leave you with one of the most censored songs of the 1960’s. Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin’s “Je T’aime, Moi Non Plus”. Which is pretty tame these days!
You know how a random thought can start an entire story or can make you ramble on and on?
Well. I was in the car on my way home from work today and I thought “I really, REALLY liked what I wore today.
But I have to tell you a couple of things first. OK? First of all, I am referring to myself as a little piggy today because my hair is so freakin’ dirty filthy and I need to do my roots so badly.
You can do the math. My hair IS that dirty–but I’m lucky because it looks better as it gets filthier. Wow. I’m REALLY cross-eyed today. I’ve been working hard!
How dirty IS my hair? You ask. Well, two weeks ago this evening I left for Paris—and I had no time to do my hair—it was dirty two weeks ago. Then Oona was home last weekend and I had no time to do my hair. Trust me, my hair (or the hair that I actually still have) is so porous and dry and coarse that it takes forever just to wash and set and let it dry. ( Yes. I do the roller set because I will only allow Adam from Bleu Mousse Salon blow my hair out!)
I honestly think that my hair has surpassed the dirty filthy stage and dirt and other elements don’t even want to be in my hair—I’m now repelling filth.
I ended up teasing my hair and putting on a thick headband. I wanted to channel my inner Catherine Deneuve.
At least I tried…but I had skunk stripped hair……
Only thing was that the front was salt and pepper and the back was black. Someone at work actually asked me if I was wearing hair extensions. I had to explain that I needed to do my roots. But I didn’t even care. I was too happy with my outfit.
See what I mean? And THIS is only part of how badly my roots looked!
Rain was falling when I woke up and I didn’t want to wear a skirt or a dress. Jeans weren’t an option because the dress code only allows jeans on Friday. Today is Thursday.
Just WHAT could this little piggy wear on this rainy day?
I opted for my J. Crew Front Zipper Pixie Pants. They are super comfortable and look pretty decent. A heavy turtleneck sweater that I pulled from my closet was not a good choice because even though we are heavily into fall, the November weather is still warm and balmy. And mixed with rain, the weather just doesn’t lend itself well for those bulky but toasty turtlenecks.
A simple and safe and classic outfit. And comfy to boot!
Instead, I opted for a sweater that I purchased last year at J. Crew. The sweater is light enough to wear on a warm day and isn’t bulky. I also like the zipper detail and was wondering why I never wear the sweater much.
I wanted a bit of bling and wore a subtle statement necklace also from J. Crew.
Look to the left hand side of the pic, see the zipper on the sweater? It just makes the sweater different and not boring! And the necklace is just a bit of bling on a dreary day!
On my feet, I decided on my well-worn Tory Burch Black Reva flats. The inside lining has completely worn out and the shoes are just about falling apart, but they are comfy and great for walking across a puddle-strewn parking lot.
But the best thing about my outfit was the coat.
The coat looks somewhat raggedy on the hanger..but it changes when I put it on!
The coat is probably my favorite piece of clothing in my wardrobe.
I stole it from Bonaparte. It belonged to his uncle, Yves. The coat is at least 45 years old.
It is an orangey-brown, almost terra cotta raincoat. The fabric is a water-repellent ultra-suede. The coat is shapeless but the fabric drapes so nicely when worn.
I’ve rolled the sleeves up slightly.
When I wear this coat, I feel as though I am in a cocoon. I feel warm and comfy. I’ve worn this coat for the past ten fall-into-winter-into-springs. This coat has a history. It was made in France and has been worn in Paris and throughout Europe. It’s been worn to film premieres and parties. It has been worn on happy occasions and sad occasions.
The coat made its way to America. To New York and now it is in Pennsylvania. It was worn by two men and now it is worn by a woman.
It is my “magic” coat because no matter how filthy my hair may be. No matter how badly my roots need to be colored. No matter how my weight fluctuates or whether I’m wearing ten-dollar jeans from Forever 21 or expensive jeans from J. Crew or Gap, this coat always makes me feel like a million dollars.
This picture does no justice to what the coat really looks like when it is on me. I wish I had the ability to take pics of me in clothing the way those OTHER bloggers do! LOL!
And despite my dirty hair and my nails that needed a manicure and my little feetsies that needed a pedicure, this little piggy felt like a million bucks today!
Do you have a special article of clothing that makes you feel like a million bucks? Well, you know what? I think you need to wear that particular item tomorrow and I think you need to leave your home feeling like a million bucks—every day!
Tonight I leave you with a song that just makes me happy every time I hear it “Himalaya” by French singer C. Jerome. I’m a sucker for bagpipes and this song’s got ’em! XOXOXOXO!
I'm honored!
A Ray of Sunshine!
