Arkan-sas

This weekend i celebrated my darling friend Martha's wedding to her high school sweetheart (how cute is that??) Martha and i have only been close friends for a couple of years now. She was my fifth roomie when i studied abroad in London, and we had an instant connection. Not only does she share my love for fashion and design, but she's also extremely close to her family, like i am. After our stint in London, Martha and i returned to Europe post-Bar exam for a luscious vacay in the South of France, Lyon, Paris and of course, Londy!

Since Martha and her new hubby were both born and bred in Little Rock, Arkansas, it was only natural that they'd get hitched there. So off i went! Got to Little Rock Friday night and checked into the DARLING Capitol Hotel. My room was ginormous and full of southern charm, complete with delicious local toffee. YUM.



After a brief siesta and luxe bubble bath, i got dolled up to head to the evening's cocktail party, only to realize that i forgot my contacts in Austin. That's what i get for being healthy and going to yoga before catching my flight! ARGH. After a brief meltdown, i got ready anyway and simply made it a point to take off my Chanel's for every picture.

From left to right: Martha W. (my Martha's BFF), moi, Jenny (my bf from law school who also lives in Austin), Grace (Martha's sister), and at the very bottom, the bride herself!

Voila me and mon amie Leanne, my Canadian pal who lives and works in Dallas, on the hotel balcony, overlooking downtown Little Rock.

I happily fell into my delicious white, fluffy bed after Friday night's festivities and spent a delicious Saturday morning/afternoon in bed, avec room service (complete with grits - YUM!) the Food Network, a book (which i finished and will blog about later!), and my journal. After yet another bath and shower, i slowly began getting ready for the wedding. I planned to meet up with Pony (bestie from law school) and her boyfriend for drinks in the hotel bar before heading to the ceremony. Leanne and Samantha (another law school amie) met us, too! Aren't my friends beautiful? (From left to right: Pony, Leanne, moi, and Samantha.)

And off to the wedding we went! The night was a whirlwind of drinks, dancing, a grits bar (that i visited more than once), more dancing, lots of sweat (the A/C wasn't working or something), and oodles of hugs and kisses. I had a blast EVEN THOUGH some other chick was in my dress. Thank God i shortened mine and added a belt! All in all, it was a fantastic evening, and Martha could not have been a more beautiful bride.









I hope y'all had lovely weekends as well! I'm so not ready for Monday, but thank goodness it's another short week!!

Thursday Friday Musings

First - The lovely Revisionista taught me how to do the strike-out thing. Fun, huh?? I've always wanted to know. ;-) Anyway the reason this post is entitled "Friday Musings" is because this is Friday to moi as far as work is concerned!! I'm off to Little Rock, AR (exciting, i know) tomorrow for what's bound to be a super fun wedding weekend. It's the closest thing i'll have to a vacay in a long time...

Second - I actually have work today - hooray! For this reason (and b/c i'm out tomorrow and need 2 leave early today to pick up my dress 4 aforementioned wedding from the alteration place) i am "working" through lunch and slurped a bowl of instant korean ramen noodles to satiate my neverending hunger. I have the, um, broth splotches all over my skirt to prove it. Oops...

Third - I love fabulous gals who rock sexy one-pieces avec tremendous style. I'm constantly bombarded by pics of women in bikinis, friends in bikinis, celebs in bikinis... Enough with all the skin! Naomi rocks her suits in a sexy, chic way that i hope i can one day adopt.

Fourth - Bienvenue to those of you who are new to Hang On Little Tomato!! J'adore having you here.

Fifth - I'm thinking i need a food processor, a big one. I have one of those cute mini cuisinart's, but it (obviously) has limited capacity. Can you recommend a nice big one that doesn't cost a fortune? I really want to make things like PESTO!

Sixth - Merci for your lovely comments & tweets re: my decisions. :)

Seventh - I had a million things to do when i got home last night. Instead i opened up my fun snail mail package from this sweet gal and immediately began crafting it UP. First i did a couple pages in my journal with my new goodies. Then i busted out some scrapbook paper and made two collages. They're pretty good, if i say so myself, and i will be sure to post some pics later. Someone at the HTC Retreat i attended in NY back in 2008 jokingly told me i should start collaging classes. I wish i could! How fun would that be? Would you come??

Here's a tip - collaging is way more fun if you have beaucoup glitter glue, don fun knee-socks or sparkly tees, and SURROUND yourself with inspirational goodies. Voila moi at Kimberly's Costa Rica Retreat in September 2007. I'm *SO* in my element...



Eighth - I too LOVE gift giving. Read all about Kimberly Wilson's enthusiasm for it here.

Ninth - If i sent you an Artist Date package and you haven't already, pleeease email me pics of what you create! I am constantly inspired by all of you and am hungry for more.

Tenth - C'est tout. Love y'all!!

Eleventh - I lied!! For those of you who have Netflix, did you know you can instantly watch episode after episode, season after season of Law & Order (reg, CI and SVU)?? Yeah. Blame my total lack of sleep and inability to get out of the apt in the mornings on that fantastic feature!!

Bad Monday

Today sucked. Today was a crappy, CRAPPY, shittastic Monday.

All the terribleness in Iran (i can't even begin to discuss the magnitude of this one). Then the DC metro crash. And now Jon and Kate divorcing.

I know the last seems like stupid celebrity gossip, but it's the one that *really* hit home for me. I don't know why, i haven't seen their show in ages. But i love those little kids. Those kids are the reason i got through the awful summer of BAR studying last year. The only pleasure activity i allowed myself was watching episode after episode of Jon and Kate Plus Eight. It was like a summer 2008 marathon or something.

Anyway, there's nothing more to say. Except that i'm sad. I'm sad for the kids. I'm sad for Jon. I'm not really sad for Kate because honestly, i kind of agree with everyone else who thinks she's become a monster.

Poor kids... Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Joel, Aidan, and Colin. Mady and Cara. Those kids' lives are going to be screwed up, there's no doubt about it. And i can't even imagine how they'll explain this one to them. Didn't they just have a 2nd wedding? Didn't they say, "We're doing this so that you guys can see Mommy and Daddy are married and are going to stay married forever"?

I'm not a child of divorce. I have no idea what that feels like. And even though the divorce rate is something obscene, it still never fails to shake me to my very core when parents with children call it quits.

WHY AM I SO ANGRY AND UPSET BY THIS??

Sigh i need to go to bed.

Another Award!

Sweet Rachel gave me the sweetest blog award - the "Love Ya" Award. I'm so honored!!



About the award:

"Apparently this award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."


I wish i could give this award to everyone, but since i'm limited to eight, i pass this award onto...


1. City Girl of City Girl Lifestyle


2. Kirsten of Kirsten's Karma Project


3. Kiki of The Prosecco Life


4. W of Well-Heeled, with a mission


5. Alison of Globetrotting Cacti


6. Maryam of Pamplemousse!


7. Sarah of The Analyst


8. Chelsa Bea of Pencil Skirts & Pearls



These women are all fabulous, thoughtful, compassionate and undeniably sweet. They have definitely becomes "friends" of mine!!

New Friends, Old Friends

Bonsoir, mes amies! I hope all had a fabulous weekend. My trip to San Antonio was SUPER fun, and i'm actually still in such a good mood from le weekend that the Sunday night blues haven't hit me (yet).

Anyhoo, after a somewhat annoying drive (the highway i had to take was CLOSED, like all lanes, not fun), i arrived at the Sarah's amazing house. Love!! Complete with a bar, gorgeous pool, beautiful marble floors, and a stunning grand piano. And Sarah herself was beautiful, of course, and sweet as ever! I felt immediately at ease (she and i met via the blogosphere), and we spent the afternoon chatting and thrifting. Scored some awesome duds from Goodwill (one of which is a fabulous sequined jacket that i found - woo hoo! Sarah will be featuring it on her blog soon!). I'm so not a clothes thrifter, but after our day together i couldn't wait to get back to Austin and hit up all our Goodwill's!



That night we had dinner @ Cha Cha's, a so-cheesy-it's-fun Tex Mex restaurant. We sat in an ivy lined gazebo, adorned with twinkling Christmas lights. Provided divine ambiance! I feasted on queso, fajitas, and a strawberry-coconut margarita. YUM! Voila Sarah in her aforementioned sequined jacket!


Post-dinner we sat with our feet in the pool, enjoying the breezy evening, and chatting for hours about any and every thing. It was just what i needed. Merci for a fabulous weekend, Sarah!! I can't wait for our next adventure.

This morning i met up with Lauren and her adorable hubby for brunch at Brasserie Pavil, a tres French brasserie with fantastic food at fantastic prices. I ordered the Croque Madame (which came with les frites), beignets, and a large latte. YUM. I can't believe i forgot to take pictures!! I plan on making Brasserie Pavil a regular stop every time i go to San Antonio. Mmmm...

Finally, after returning 2 Austin, snuggling w/ Lola and taking a petit nap, my dear Matty picked me up for dinner @ Trudy's, an Austin tex-mex hotspot, well known for its Mexican Martinis (limit of 2). Matty and i haven't seen each other in something like EIGHT YEARS so it was oodles of fun to catch up, pass on gossip, and laugh. We also began to plan our weekend of fun avec Melly, another dear friend i haven't seen in way too many years. Divine! (Oh and ignore Matt's pained face...)



Anyway, all in all, i had a FANTASTIC weekend with new and old friends. :) (TOTALLY made up for the fact that i missed Kimberly's Summer Staycation. Although i am still sad about it...)

Meet Pierre

I came home yesterday to a bulging FedEx package from Ma Soeur. Inside it was this. Meet Pierre, my new SQUISHABLE sheep!

Knowing i've been having a rough and frustrating time at work (this week being no exception), Ma Soeur thought Pierre would be just the thing to cheer me up. And boy, she was RIGHT! Not being a huge fan of stuffed animals in general (i was way more into barbies and babies), i was really surprised how much tension and stress was relieved by squishing Pierre.



Plus, aren't those pics on the website hilarious?? She got the idea when one of her team members, during a VERY frustrating project, bought a bunch of them and "placed" them around the office. So cute!

I can't wait for Pierre and Lola to be friends. (She's not terribly impressed at the moment.)


Merci, Ma Soeur!!!

Bon, now i'm off to sip coffee, do my mourning pages, run a few errands, and then hit the road for FUNTIMES in San Antonio!!!

Blogtastic

Look what i figured out...

Tee hee! I love personalizing my blog. :)

The Office

I've been trying to beautify my office since i've been here, but alas, it has been a slow, slow process. Right now it's feeling cramped and way too cluttered (story of my life), and i'm trying to figure out ways to clear, minimalize, and streamline. The one part of my office i do adore is my bookcase. Not the actual bookcase, mind you, it's hideous, and if i had it my way, i'd order a new one but i refuse to spend money on that sort of thing right now. But the things ON my bookcase bring a smile to my face everytime i see them (which is all the time since the bookcase faces my desk). Voila!



You can see pics of my beautiful parents, Ma Soeur et moi @ her wedding, and moi avec Kimberly Wilson taken at our very first meeting back in 2007. (It is rumored Kimberly later said she didn't quite grasp the magnitude that is Carolyn until Costa Rica. Tee hee.) Also my adorable KEEP CALM AND HAVE A CUPCAKE print. (Psst you can get yours here!) Cute "suitcases" from Paperchase, fun hot pink vases that Ma Soeur gave me, and of course, the Hip Tranquil Chick Manifesto.





Some might say i have too much pink in my office and that it's not terribly professional. To those people, i say suck it. No client will ever see the inside of my office, and so far i've gotten zero complaints. Actually i've gotten compliments, particularly on my "KEEP CALM" print. AND, if certain attorneys can hang DEAD ANIMALS on their walls, i don't see what's wrong with a little pink! Pink is powerful. (Oh and the Minnie Mouse is actually a gift from a PARTNER in my office. Ha!)

My bare walls will soon be adorned with a beautiful vintage-y map of Paris and an actual vintage map of France i picked up at the Paris flea market. Yay!

Now if only i could do something about this god awful furniture...

Things I'm Happy About

1. TGIT. I spent all day yesterday convinced it was Thursday, and when the reality set in that it was not, i kind of died. Luckily today is, in fact, Thursday which means...

-1 more day until le weekend

-2 more days until i go to San Antonio to have a fun blogger playdate with Sarah (we plan to to eat good food, drink champagne, thrift to our hearts' content, and lay by the pool - divine, n'est ce pas?)

-3 more days until i have a tres French (and undoubtedly delicious) brunch with Lauren at Brasserie Pavil

Of course that brings me again to Sunday night, and let's not even go there because i'm already depressed just thinking about it. UPDATE: Totally forgot i am having a reunion playdate with my dear Matty on Sunday night - yay for something to look forward to!!

2. On a brighter note, i'm thrilled that some of you have gotten your snail mail packages. I've been so exhausted this week so i haven't made up anymore, but hopefully i'll get to do some this weekend before and/or after my trip to SA.

3. Have any of you seen Enlighten Up? I know it showed in DC a little while back. It's opening in Austin tomorrow night, and i'm tempted to make a solo date out of it and lose myself in a dark movie theater (avec smuggled treats). Thoughts?

4. In the midst of my soul-searching, i sent an email to a few dear friends asking, "What am i good at?" Eloquent, huh? But really, i just found myself unable to answer this question on my own and was curious as to how my friends would answer it. I've gotten some wonderful, helpful and heartfelt responses, which of course, j'adore. And now, I open up this question to you, dear readers - What is Carolyn good at?

5. I'm taking my friend J to Sandra Bullock's restaurant BESS BISTO for lunch today. It's her belated birthday lunch, and i'm TRES excited! I have a $25 gift certificate (that i got for $2 via restaurant.com), but the catch is that we have to order $50 worth of food. That means appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, cafe's, and leftovers!!

Tell me, mes amies, what's making you happy these days?

Serena!!

Um, how AWESOME is this dress Blake Lively (aka Serena van der Woodsen) wore to the 2009 CFDA Fashion Awards?? The color is PERFECTION and looks great against her tanned skin. I want! I NEED!!






Also - how great is it that she's not 75% naked?? I mean seriously, i love you Serena, but showing T & A (which is pretty much all you did last season - i realize that's not entirely your fault) is trashy, not classy.

P.S. i am kind of dying right now b/c Twitter is "currently down for maintenance." Oh and FYI Twitter, it's NOT cool and i CANNOT chill. So HURRY. UP.

But It's TUESDAY

Bonjour, darlings. How has your Tuesday been? Moi, well, it's been more like a Monday than a Tuesday! I did manage to wake up early enough to do my new SHAPE bikini boot camp DVD this morning (um, it kicked my "i thought i was in shape" ass) and get to work by 8:30. Unfortunately, as i got into my car, i managed to somehow to drop my coffee tumbler all OVER my lap, and therefore had to rush back in the house to change. At first i thought i could just change my skirt. But then i realized the bottom of my shirt had gotten spilled upon as well. Great. It took me, i kid you not, another 10 minutes at least to figure out what i was going to change into (this is on top of the first 15 minutes spent in my closet earlier this morning). I am really starting to hate getting dressed for work. (And just now, of course, a coworker informed me that my cardigan was on inside out.)

Which brings me to my next topic... What happened to the days when you could just put on pants/skirt and a top, and that was enough? These days i feel naked in just a simple top & bottom combo and usually have to add in a third (and maybe fourth) element into my ensemble, whether that be a cardigan, vest, oversized belt, scarf, or combination thereof. I don't think i'm alone in this thought as all the fashion blogs and magazines i peruse have only reinforced this concept. Layering is in. The more, the better. Blame Mary-Kate, blame whomever, but it sure does make getting dressed more complicated. (Of course, i found this to be fun back in my schooling days, when i could layer whatever-the-heck i wanted and not worry about being inappropriate.)

Bonjour, New Readers!

UPDATE: okay, i'm starting 2 think that maybe my face just doesn't belong on my blog header!

I've noticed (with absolute DELIGHT!) in the past few weeks that i've gained some new readers, and i just wanted to say, "HELLO!" I'm *SO* glad you're here!!

Btw y'all... i realize that my new header is OBNOXIOUSLY HUGE and that my already oversized face is, like, RIDICULOUS. Sadly i cannot figure out how to, um, stretch it out without making my face, um, even wider. I desperately need the help of someone who not only has Adobe, but knows how to use it! I also redid my layout so that it has 3 columns, which i love, but which also contributes to the GINORMITY of my face.

Le sigh.

I apologize for FREAKING YOU OUT everytime you click on my blog. I am trying to fix asap.

It's Summertime and the Livin's Easy...

I'm changing her nickname from Lolabear to Lazybear.

P.S. i LOVE when she's all shaggy like this, but alas, i think a trip to the Groomer's is in order...

Oh Dimanche...

Bonsoir, my darlings. How was your weekend? Mine was short, oh so short! So funny b/c i had absolutely nothing planned this weekend (was going to retreat, but hmm, didn't really happen... or did it?) but found myself "doing" a lot. Rearranging by bedroom, thrifting for a new bedside table (scored one for $35!), baking an asparagus/feta/mushroom quiche and a blueberry cobbler (recipes coming soon), finally going to IKEA and getting a bunch of frames for my prints (including a vintage map of France for my office - ooh la la!), making up a bunch of snail mail packages, and going to yoga - yay!

Speaking of snail mail packages, i received a ton of addy's (merci!!) so it will take me a little time to get these all out the door. I made my first "batch" this weekend (making them in the order of addy's received), and i'm not sure when i'll be able to make my second (and third), seeing as how my next couple weekends are packed. Please be patient - i assure you that yours is on its way! I've had oodles of fun being creative with them. My goal is to not spend any outside money (aside from postage and packaging), which has proven fairly easy considering i have, well, a LOT of stuff. You'll see... ;-)

In other news, i've discovered a multitude of gorgeous blogs lately and can't wait to share. As promised i fully intend on updating my blog list (vers la droite). But for now, my darlings, i've got to get some beauty sleep! (Okay, maybe i'll be blog-reading and tweeting a bit until then...)

xoxo,
C

L'Artichaut

If I had an extra $625 lying around, i would most definitely purchase this fantastic artichoke lamp. It's such a lovely lamp, n'est ce pas? I mean, i love artichokes, and i love the color pink (not to mention the colors yellow, turquoise, orange and green), and it seems like the perfect table size. It's too bad it's about $575 more than I'd be willing to pay. (Okay, maybe just $525 more than i'd actually be willing to shell out...)

Le sigh.

P.S. In my humble opinion, the best way to eat an artichoke is the simplest way - steamed or boiled and dipped in delicious melted butter. I could probably eat 5 in one sitting.

...and then my pants fell down

Tonight i went to see what is probably one of my favorite movies to date - UP. I saw it on the fancy new 3D/4K screen. I laughed. I cried. I sobbed a little bit. And then i guffawed. It was wonderful. On top of all that, i was able to enjoy a tall ice cold glass of Blue Moon and a delicious artichoke/tomato/goat cheese pizza (ok and yes, maybe some chocolate cake and ice cream as well) whilst enjoying the flick. What a perfect evening.

As S and i walked out of the theater, we heard the torrential downpour that apparently had made its way down from North Texas. I was thrilled, of course, as i love thunderstorms and was insanely jealous of all the rain Dallas was getting. Unfortunately, the parking lot is large, and i wasn't entirely sure of the exact location of my car. That's ok - S suggested we run to hers and then she'd drive me to mine. Great idea.



Now, this wasn't just rain, it was fat rain. You now the kind that gets you wet no matter how fast you run or how long you're outside? Yeah. Here I am in my white denim shorts and black American Apparel sexuali-tee (LOVE those btw), clutching my Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 with one hand and my leftover pizza in another, frantically running towards S's car. Suddenly i see my car not far in the distance and scream a goodnight/talk to you later to S and haul it.

Guess what? It's not my car. I can't find my car ANYWHERE. It's raining so hard i can barely see. Headlights flash in every direction. I'm soaked to the bone and starting to freak out. And as i run up and down the aisles of the parking lot, my white denim shorts, growing heavy with wetness, start to slide down my hips. Suddenly i feel them fall. To my ankles. In the pouring rain. With tons of people around me running to their respective cars (b/c unlike moi, they remember where they parked) and driving away. Hands full i have to stop, put my stuff down on the trunk of another car and desperately try to pull up my shorts. Meanwhile i'm getting wetter, if that's even possible, which i don't think it is.

Eventually i found my car, threw Lola's blanket onto the driver's seat, wrapped myself up in a beach towel (thank G these were in my backseat!), put the keys in the ignition and started to laugh. Hysterically.

I swear, these things only happen to me...

NOTE: When my shorts hit the pavement, i couldn't help but think, "Phew - thank GOD i'm not one of those girls who wears dental floss on a daily basis or this situation would be 100x more embarassing." You know what i mean.

Have a Seat

I love everything about this image. The color of the couch, the stacks of books, the lucite coffee table, vintage bird print screen, the random throws. LOVE. I'm feeling the urge to redecorate... someone stop me.

{photo credit: design sponge}

Blog Award!

One of the things that *totally* made my week was receiving the One Lovely Blog Award from the completely adorable Tiffany from I Am Style-ish.



As part of the award, I need to mention six things that made me happy today. It's really early in the day here in TX (only 10 a.m.), but luckily, it's been a GREAT day so far! Here i go:

1. Getting a pretty big new project from the managing partner at my firm - not only will it give me billable hours, but also be a good addition to my resume.

2. Reading sweet and funny blog comments/emails :)

3. Knowing that i don't have to buy my lunch today b/c we have a lunch meeting, aka the firm caters - woo hoo!

4. Receiving The Woman's Retreat Book by Jennifer Louden in the mail this morning. It's exactly what i need in preparation for this weekend!

5. Losing about 3-4 pounds b/c of my bout with strep! Total loss during that week was 6 pounds, but since i've started eating again i've regained a few. Still, i'll take ANY net loss and be happy with it. I stopped by Anthropologie on my way home from work yesterday and tried on about 5 dresses. For the first time in a LONG time, every single one looked great on me, and i completely attribute that to shedding those few extra pounds. (Sadly, i could not purchase all 5 dresses...) Glad something good came out of that awful week ;)

6. Seeing UP tonight with a dear friend at Austin's incredible Alamo Drafthouse. (P.S. If you have the latest Anthro catalog, it's shot in Austin, and in one of the pics, the model is standing right in front of the Alamo downtown - exciting!)

I pass this award to:

-Yogadiva's Divine Life
-Gussying Up the Tuttle
-Everyday Revelry
-Naturally Nina
-The Revising Life
-Creatuitive Coaching

Les Livres

bib⋅li⋅o⋅phile [bib-lee-uh-fahyl, -fil]: a person who loves or collects books

In case you haven't checked out my blogger profile (see right), i am a bibliophile, aka lover and collector of books. My love affair with books began long ago when i was in elementary school and lived in Lafayette, Louisiana. My mother had a store in downtown Lafayette, mere blocks away from the Lafayette Public Library. On the days we accompanied my mother to work, my sister and i would spend our afternoons at the Library, reading, absorbing and checking out a multitude of books. (Back then i thought that Library was huge. Who knows how big it actually is because after all, every place seems huge when you are a child, n'est ce pas?)

Every summer the Library had reading contests in which you got little prizes for x number of books read. My mom and dad would sign off on this piece of paper where i listed all the books i had read that summer. I always ran out of space and had to request more and more sheets. I was a voracious little reader, i couldn't get enough! To this day i am frequently reading several books at a time. I'm also a freakishly fast reader so it doesn't take long for me to get through them. (It took me one day, working day mind you so really just a few hours, to read each of the Twilight books, except Breaking Dawn. But that's because i didn't want the series to end, and let's be honest, that book kind of sucked compared to the others.)

Unfortunately, these days i often start too many books at one time and find it difficult to actually finish them. One of my June goals is to finish 2 of the books i'm currently reading, which in theory, should not be that hard to do. The problem is new books are so alluring that i often cannot stop myself from starting another and another and another. This is why my bedside table (which isn't really a table after all but really just a tray, and i desperately need to replace it with something that can actually house some of my books, candles, chargers, etc.) is overflowing with books. It's a serious problem.

I just got home from a trip to Tarjay. While i was there i picked up about ten different books, but only 4 made it back home with me (don't worry, they were paperback and discounted so not terribly expensive). I'm currently seeking chick lit, as it's lighthearted, fun, and i haven't read one in awhile. Plus this summer heat also inspires me to buy beachy reads. I bought:

1. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
2. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell
3. Shoe Addicts Anonymous and 4. Secrets of a Shoe Addict by Beth Harbison (per recommendation by Jen Lancaster)

Have you read any of these? Thoughts? Should i return any of them??

Books I Am Currently Reading (aka have started but not finished):

1. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn
2. Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper by SARK
3. Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK
4. French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guilano
5. Pretty In Plaid by Jen Lancaster
6. La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer
7. The Women's Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden

See what i mean?

A Note On Audiobooks - While i love hard copy books, i also frequently enjoy a good audiobook, especially these days when i have less time to read due to my annoyingly full-time job. Currently playing in my car is Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck read by Ms. Ephron herself. This is not the first time i've listened to this audiobook, i've had it for years, and i adore it. Nora is delightful, witty, and charming. I want to be her friend. I highly suggest you pick this one up if you like audiobooks. I honestly think it's better listened to by the author herself than read. Her tone and inflection are priceless.

I should probably get off the computer now, unpack my Target bags, brush my teeth, wash my face, and get in bed with one of my many "currently reading" books. But let's be honest. I'll probably open one of my newbies. Old habits die hard!

But first, i have to know: what are you reading these days?

Lean On Me

Dear Readers,

I know i sound like a broken record, but thank you thank you THANK YOU for your amazing support. I've already deleted yesterday's post, but not before i copied and pasted all your lovely comments into a word document and printed it out. I've read these words a number of times already. You. are. incredible. (Btw, not only did you comment, but those of you who couldn't took the time to send me personal emails and even multiple tweets - i mean, how did i get so lucky?)

First, it just goes to show how nice y'all are that i didn't get a single, "SHUT UP you whiny brat and stop complaining about your ridiculously overpaid job and plush life!!!" I mean, seriously, i know i deserved it a little bit. (Note: When i mentioned this to Ma Soeur, she responded with, "That's what i would've said!" One word: H8ER.) Second, not only did you offer virtual hugs and words of comfort, but you also took the time to say something to me. Can i just say, that means the world to me? I'm not sure when or how it happened, but in the past few months we (yes, all of you and moi) seem to have created the most beautiful online blog/twitter/whatever friendship and support circle, and i just LOVE it. It fuels me. It gets me through hard times. It brings tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside. It makes me laugh and clap my hands and dance around. It's so GREAT! Don't you agree?

I have a lot of friends from various stages in my life, and i love and appreciate all of them. But there's something so special and unique about making virtual friends (and not in that creepy, pedophile chatroom sort of way). We connect, not just because we're in the same graduate program or our Mom's are friends, but because we share similar interests, thoughts, feelings, creative expressions. It's like we bypass all the frivolity that so often comes with normal relationships and get down to the deep nitty gritty. And for that reason i feel compelled and completely comfortable with sharing my thoughts with you, no matter how silly/wretched/whiney/cheesy they may be. And you never fail me. You surpass my wildest expectations every time, and our friendship deepens continously. I love you more and more with every blog post, every tweet. (Author's Note: When i got sick with strep, the FIRST people who noticed my silence/absence were my fellow tweeters. How funny/endearing is that??)

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all rendez-vous? Wouldn't it be SO fun to have a blogger weekend somewhere fabulous? We could eat delicious food, relax by the pool, sip champagne cocktails, and dish about our jobs, our love lives, our families, our latest purchases. ;) I still think that one day, this will become a reality. And, in the meantime, just know that i appreciate you more than words can say. And if i could lay on the beach and giggle and laugh and share my deepest darkest secrets with you, as i do my "normal" friends (ok, maybe not on the beach), i would. (I would also bake you cupcakes, insist we get pedicures, and encourage every fun purchase possible! Yes, i am an enabler.)

Now, in response to what you actually said, I'm still processing. Your suggestions were brilliant, and i am totally going to use/implement/incorporate them. (Also, for those of you who so graciously extended your contacts so that i could chat further, i am definitely going to take you up on that, it just might take me awhile!) I have some free time this weekend and plan on using it to dive deeper, reflect, process, read your comments again, pray, journal, collage and emerge with some semblance of a plan. Or, at the very least, some small steps/micromovements towards establishing a plan. :) I will (obviously) share this journey with you so get ready!

One last thing - i have yet another favor to ask. I absolutely adore sending my friends snail mail, be it little notes, thank you's, mixed CD's, stickers (yes i sent my bestie from law school My Little Pony stickers once), etc. Don't you love getting fun nonbill-y stuff in the mail? If so, then i ask that you please email me (carolyn.park@gmail.com) your contact information. (Obvi i will keep everything confidential.) I know it sounds kinda weird, but i promise not to stalk you and only send you lovely things. ;)

On that note, i must run. But i have more posts soon to come (including a blogger award from darling Tiffany - it's my first! And an exciting upcoming blogger rendez-vous with beautiful Sarah. More details soon!). Also - i desperately need to update my blog list to the right b/c so many of you aren't on it. Will do it asap. Ciao bellas!

xoxo,
C

P.S. Most of all? Thank you for believing in me.

Welcome to Bollywood

I heart Bollywood. If you don't know what that word means, you are certainly missing out, and I highly suggest you get thee to wikipedia asap and also search "bollywood" and "Aishwarya Rai" on youtube.



My obsession with all things Bollywood, i'm ashamed to say, came from watching a silly little flick called "Bride and Prejudice", aka the "Bollywood" version of Pride & Prejudice featuring the beautiful Aishwarya Rai. It was a small taste of what was to come. Since then i've watched a number of flicks (can't remember any names, sorry!), mostly with my BFFFEFEFFF from college (who's Indian) and loves to entertain my obsession. I've also seen the musical Bombay Dreams, own the soundtrack and frequently dance around to tracks like "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and "Shakalaka Baby" in my apartment when no one but Lola is watching.



Sadly, my dancing is quite limited as i have zero training in Bollywood-style dance. Enter BOLLYWOOD BHANGRA WORKOUT, a new class through UT Informal Classes that will allow me to pursue my love for bollywood moves AND sizzle some calories at the same time. Genius! Classes start July 15, and i CAN'T WAIT!!


P.S. It's no surprise that one of my fave scenes from Slumdog Millionaire was the end scene in which the actors danced to Jai Ho!

June Goals

JUNE GOALS

-Be at office by 8:30 a.m. (starting... tomorrow!)


-Keep up with yoga and add cardio 2-3 times per week


-Finish 2 books i've started (my book starting but not finishing has been APPALLING)

-Create personal retreat weekend somewhere lovely (this will have to be next weekend, as it's my only free weekend, and it may have to be at home b/c of $$...hmm)

-Dust off bike and go for a ride!

-Ditto tennis racket (and no, i cannot play tennis but i enjoy trying)

-STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF (more on this later)

{photo by Alicia Bock}

Etsy Love

I *SO* need this pillow. (Doesn't everyone??) Too bad it's un peu out of my price range...

Quarantine

Ugh. I am officially over this illness. Being stuck at home with nothing to do but sleep, cuddle with Lola and watch girly movies is fun in theory, but when you can't taste anything and get nauseous almost every time you do manage to get something down, SUCKS. Not being able to eat is K-I-L-L-I-N-G me. I'm so cranky when i'm hungry. :(

Luckily, i do have this sweet thang keeping me company (even though she's probably bored to tears). This has pretty much been our life for the past 4 days...


Bless her little heart. I promise her oodles of outside playtime and delicious treats once i'm fully recovered.

By the way, when will that be??

Oh and dear readers, i promise you some beautiful, inspiration and fun posts soon, too!! I'm sure you're tired of my cranky blogs/tweets. ;)

Reflecting On May

First, i can't believe May is already over. Wasn't it just yesterday i was discussing my May Goals? Let's see how i did...

My May Goals:

1. get my yoga back on! Yes! I went to several yoga classes in May, and it felt AWESOME. Can't wait to get back into it once this nasty strep is gone.

2. rediscover artist dates (a Julia Cameron term) Check! Used my lunch breaks as a time to go to local cafes or fun restaurants and spend time journaling, reading, etc.

3. make morning smoothies (made one this morning for the first time in months.... holllaaa!) Did this, but not EVERY morning b/c i kept forgetting to buy bananas... oops.

4. start BAR trip scrapbook Fail... not even close.

5. document life more with cameras (aka take more pictures, esp. with my new Holga which i have not yet received :-( ) DID take more pics, but have not yet used my Holga. I'm baaad with instruction booklets...

6. drink more tea, less coffee (even bought some green tea this past weekend, not the biggest fan of green tea but working on it as its health benefits are vast) Definitely did this, and i think it definitely helped with my energy levels and reduced my afternoon headaches.

7. PRAY Yes, but again, still need to work on this.


I'm going to spend some time tonight thinking about my June goals (one of which is definitely to beef up my immune system!) and will share soon.

How did y'all do?? I want to know!

Sick Girl

UPDATE: Not the flu - apparently it's strep and possibly mono (AND?? i didn't know you could have strep AND mono, but apparently you can). Anyway i have antibiotics and prescription strength pain meds. And popsicles. And wonderful readers/tweeters. Love y'all...


Hello, dear friends. Please forgive me for my absence in the blogging/twitter world, but i've been plagued with the flu (after one of the funnest weekends of my life - go figure). I've never had the flu before, and i now understand why everyone who has had it says that you basically want to die for 3 - 7 days. Well i'm on day #2, and everytime i think things are getting better, something new comes along (like nausea this morning - FUN). I'm off to the doctor in a bit (although i really don't think i should be driving) to see if i can get ahold of some Tamiflu and confirm that i do NOT have the swine flu. Ugh. I can't even talk about it.

Miss you guys... thx for your sweet, sweet messages. xoxoxoxoxoxo

P.S. As much as i love living alone, it's times like these that i wish my mom was in the same city as me. Her homemade chicken soup would do wonders for me right now...

P.P.S. I've lost 5 lbs in the last 36 hours. This is the best diet ever. AKA i'm STARVING, but everything tastes like mucus. Gross. I know.