He Said, She Said

1

On one of our regular walks at the local park, I enviously spied the in love couples of all ages snuggled on picnic blankets, eating, reading, or just being together. A pipe dream for a parent of toddlers who won't sit still for more than two minutes. After passing one particularly close older couple, I turned to my husband and said dreamily, "That will be us in twenty years." Serious faced, he replied, "I hope not. That was two women."

2

My sister recently went out with a group of friends. The girls in the group were already close friends, the guys were more casual acquaintances. After being at a bar for awhile, the guys tried to get the girls to do a shot. The girls preferred to sip their drinks, but the boys persisted, saying, "Don't worry, we got this!" Finally the girls relented, and the boys went to the bar and returned with the shots. Shots went down, and then one of the guys said, in complete seriousness, "That will be $5.50." He proceeded to collect money from each of the girls! After the fact, Liz said, "I guess by 'we got this' they meant they would, literally, get them from the bar."  

3

My husband is so sweet, always concerned that the women in his life are getting enough to eat. My sister came for a visit, and he commented that she had lost some weight and was getting too thin. That night, he offered to make her a blended cocktail. He brought her the drink and she sipped it. A strange look passed over her face. She sipped again. Not wanting to be rude, she said, "Hmm, that's interesting, good, interesting..."  After she worked on the drink for a few minutes, husband asked, "Do you taste the secret ingredient?" Hesitantly she asked, "Did you put butter in this drink?" His grin said it all. "Butter my shake" has become an expression to indicate any gratuitous attempts at fattening!

4

Since finals were finished, and time was abundant, my sis and some girlfriends decided to hit up a Tuesday  college night at a Pittsburgh bar. The crowd was primarily guys. After waiting for someone to get the dance floor going, the girls decided to start things themselves. Their move broke the ice, and some of the guys started to make their way to the floor, even politely asking the girls if they could dance. The guy nearest my sister leaned in and asked, "Are you white, or are you Spanish? Because you look white, but you dance like you're Spanish..."

5

Upon asking my daughter H where she got her beautiful blonde hair (neither my husband nor I have blonde hair), she paused for a minute, and then replied confidently, "Uncle Tony!"

Uncle Tony used to have long hair.

Because we can't have a post with no pictures!

6

Often, to preclude attempts at negotiation, I will tell my kids that we are doing or not doing such and such because Daddy said so. Since I do this when he is away at work, whatever the ruling is, it has to stand. I realized that maybe I am over using this tactic when H said to me, "I don't want to be the wife, I want to be the boss!"

18-19 May

WEEKEND DIARIES

Images: Canticle for Liebowitz // Bernie

For all of last weekend's barometric fury, this weekend was sunny skies and warm breezes; for all of last weekend's hither and thither bustle for graduations and maternal holidays, this weekend was slow paced relaxing. We stayed close to home and made the most of the weather, catching up on yard work, busting out the kiddy pool and assorted water toys we had tucked away for the winter. 

That's H up there, pausing from play long enough to do a ballerina pose for the camera. We ate cherries outside and the kids spit the pits on the ground. The husband grilled and I had some time to relax. I couldn't put down A Canticle for Leibowitz, but as per my usual I'll hold my comments 'til the end (really a page turner, though).  On Sunday night we watched Bernie. It was enjoyable and not as dark as I expected. But strange. Definitely strange....

And that last pic. I don't know why but I feel kind of self conscious including it. Anyways, H snapped it, and I like it, so there it is. That's my warm weather go to tank for this year, because I'm sure you care. Now I'll let you get back to your busy Monday!

The Casual Uniform For Men...

According to Vince Granado

This is my first (and hopefully not last)  [Editor's note: definitely not last!] post for my dear friend Mary. My name is Vince Granado and I am an American expat living in Vienna, Austria. I moved here for work 5 years ago and I now consider this Imperial city as my home. Did I mention I met my beautiful wife here as well? It is a city of art, music and coffee and maintains a strong tradition to its rich history.

Anyways, living here for 5 years now has allowed me to learn the art of dressing appropriately for the occasion. I think it’s something that is much more common here than Stateside. One can see this in the evening gown and dinner jacket attire of the ball season to the coordinated jumpsuits of the Nordic -walking clubs that crowd the jogging paths every morning. In Vienna, there is a uniform everywhere for everything.

One thing I like a lot is the seasonal uniforms. Here in Vienna, once October comes around you’ll see the tweed jackets and flannel pants start to come out. In the spring, the linen and cotton suits start showing up. Topcoats, cashmere scarves, and shearling gloves are not uncommon with even the blue collar workers out here. The men know how to dress here, and it’s almost like it’s expected of you once you reach a certain age. For sure you won’t see a man wearing sweats and sneakers in any of the fine coffee houses out here, or in any casual setting for that matter.

With that said, I have come up with a casual uniform set for men that has worked for me in most of the casual social situations I have found myself in. These are my go to clothing on the weekends and after work. I can’t tell you how many times tourists ask me where something is when I’m walking in Stephansplatz, or how the Viennese shopkeepers on Mariahilferstrasse now speak to me in German rather than assume I’m a tourist. It feels good to blend in.

Clockwise from the left: Jacket – Blazer from Mango ($249, more affordable option from Uniqlo, $49), Watch – ($195, more affordable $54), White Oxford Shirt – ($70, more affordable $49), Silk Knit Tie ($15), Levi’s 511 Jeans ($35-$50), Belt ($29), Bass Weejun Loafers ($60), Chinos ($59)

All the pieces in the kit are versatile and work well with each other, and most likely with clothing that you already have. I would say that they can be used in nearly every casual setting1. Even better, these selections are pretty affordable. Besides the blazer and the watch (but I also included affordable alternatives) there is nothing over $75 in the kit, and if you keep your eye out you can easily get any of these items on sale.

This set revolves around one item, the white oxford cloth button down shirt (OCBD for short). This to me is the epitome of casual elegance. Gentlemen, my brothers, if you don’t have this item in your kit, you need to procure one immediately. The versatility of an OCBD makes it an essential piece that can paired with suits to swimming trunks (sometimes I even use mine as a night shirt). I would even go as far to say that if you are going only own one shirt, own this one. Moreover, there are so many makers and fits of this shirt that anyone with any body type can find a good fit. You just have to try on a few. My personal favourite is the vintage oxford from J.Crew.  I just want to emphasize the most important rule in dressing. Get the right fit!

I have included some sample pictures of how these look on a real person (me).

Five Favorites

Today I'm going to do a little something different and link up with Moxie Wife's Five Favorites. Don't worry, I haven't given up on style posts! Recently, I did a guest post on tips for dressing postpartum, and another yesterday on the mom uniform for This Felicitous Life. If you missed them, please head over  to the respective sites and check them out!

I'm going with a theme for my five favorites: kid shows. My parents very wisely restricted the amount of television my siblings and I watched as children. I firmly believe that was a critical factor in our eventually becoming raging geniuses... Whatever the case may be, I try to limit the amount of tv my kids watch, but they do watch some. There are just those times when you need ten minutes to shower, or make that call to the doctor's office. And then there are those days when everyone is sick and miserable, and mom's mental state is sick and miserable. You catch my drift.  Let me tell you about our five favorites.

From the Left, Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

1

Word World  

This educational show is equally clever, fun, and visually stimulating. It really helped my son identify letters even before we formally began working on the alphabet together. For awhile, Word World was available on Netflix, recently I have only been able to find it weekdays on PBS or via instant streaming on HuluPlus.

2

Pingu

This stop motion claymation show was created in the 80's for Swiss television. It follows a lovable family of penguins who make their very humanlike life in the South Pole. Everyone in my family finds this show funny, from the 16 month old to me, it can elicit out loud laughter. And the craziest thing? There is no discernible dialogue; the characters speak a blend of babble occasionally smattered with a recognizable word from an actual foreign language. It sounds ridiculous, but trust me, somehow it just works. You want to know what is ridiculous? In 1993, David Hasselhoff released a rap song based on the series. Oh, David. If I have piqued your interest, you can find Pingu on Netflix.

3

Pocoyo

This show is for preschool age children, and hales from Spain, though the version available on Netflix has English narration. The simplicity of the bold animation against a stark white background is visually pleasing, and the music is pleasant, but my favorite thing is the episode length. Six minutes. Yep, that's it. I find that Pocoyo is perfect for when I need a few uninterrupted minutes to accomplish a task but I don't want to commit to 45 minutes of television. I don't know about you, but it's so damn hard to turn off an episode of anything if it hasn't reached it's conclusion. Let's peg it on my ingrained Christian understanding of history as linear and the subsequent desire for narrative finality, or on the fact that I love peace and quiet. You choose.

4

The Adventures of TinTin (the 1991 cartoon series)

These shows bring Hergé's classic comic series to life. They are set in a realistic world beginning with the late 1920's and follow the title character as he solves mysteries and foils villains. The series might be a little too action packed for some young viewers. One episode involves the honest and brave hero taking on the corrupt mob in Chicago. Appropriately, there are gun fights and moments of intense suspense. This and other renditions of TinTin's adventures are available on Netflix.

5 

Tinga Tinga Tales

Tinga Tinga Tales are twelve minute episodes based on African animal folk tales. The animation is done by East African artists in the style of tinga tinga, a mode of painting that involves bright colors and complex and varied patterns. This is the most gorgeous children's show I have ever come across. Even if you don't have children, but are simply interested in art or design, check this out! You won't be disappointed!

The Weekend...

WEEKEND DIARIES

11- 12 MAY

Continuing on with this week's Weekend Diaries...

For all of last week's nice weather, this weekend was cold, rainy, and windy. There were storms, hail; it was a veritable atmospheric wailing and gnashing. But that didn't stop us. I attended the pinning ceremony for my wonderful sister-in-law, Nicole,who just finished nursing school. We are all prouder than words can say. Enquiring minds may see above for what I wore (which was also what I wore Sunday). Please politely ignore the face-to-leg tan disparity.  

My sister Liz also graduated this weekend. Though I wasn't able to make it to Steubenville, I was there in mind and spirit. And again, prouder than words can say.

Saturday we had a friend over for dinner. There is nothing better than good food, drink and conversation when the weather is blustering outside. The topics ranged from beer to hipsters to the slight absurdity of documenting food and drink on social media (don't worry, I see the irony!). Our guest left us with a copy of A Canticle for Leibowitz. While I must say I'm not much for science fiction or post-apocalyptic anything, he made it sound so enthralling that I can't wait to dive in!

In addition to the graduations, there was also Mother's Day, obviously. My sweet husband kept surprising me with little treats, from him and the kids, of course: sushi for dinner, an assortment of microbrews, my favorite artisanal bread and other baked treats, a hanging basket of begonias... He knows the way to my heart!

I hope that everyone else had a nice Mothers Day, especially you, Mom! You know who you are...

Pretty Presentations: Making Food Beautiful

The way something is presented to us can greatly effect our perceptions and responses. If an item is beautifully prepared, we pick up on the fact that an effort has been made to please us and to respect the food. A subconscious communication is made, "This food is worth it, and so are you." Food and drink that looks great also predisposes us to savor and enjoy each bite; if it looks this good, how could it taste bad? At times it may be more a matter of imagination than reality (does Schlitz really taste good in any receptacle?); in such cases, presentation is priceless.

But what's a girl to do if she has unexpected guests, or just wants a special late night snack to share with the hubby? Pretty presentation need not be a complicated or expensive thing. Let me share a few quick tricks based on simple items that are easy to keep on hand. Since each stays fresh for quite a long time when stored properly, there is no excuse to be caught empty handed!

Garden Shears

Why shears? Because the first step to a lovely food experience is a pretty table. If you need one pronto, the easiest thing to do is head outside and cut some greenery. Here's a secret: Almost anything living and fresh looks great in a vase / pitcher / glass / jar / old bottle.  Try hosta leaves, a single small tree branch, or even a bouquet of shrub branches (I do this all the time, and guests always admire and ask what this beautiful plant is. And I lie. Just kidding.)

Limes and Lemons

I can't get enough of lemons and limes. A slice of citrus can perk up even the most basic of beverages - a glass of water. They can be added to soda water, cocktails, lemonade, and ice tea for an injection of freshness and visual appeal.  Many main dishes also benefit in flavor, aroma and appearance when served with a few bright slices of lemon or lime. Some that come to mind immediately are fish, shrimp, tacos, chicken, and nachos. Another wonderful thing about citrus - it stays fresh for up to two months if stored in the refrigerator (lemons usually last longer than limes).

Hard Cheese

 I always keep a wedge of hard cheese, such as pecorino romano or asiago, on hand. A delicate shaving of a tasty cheese can make the simplest of soups, pasta, salads and even steamed vegetables look like something out of Bon Appétit. And guess what, many types of hard cheese  (if properly wrapped) will stay fresh for up to a year in the refrigerator!

Chocolate Chips

I try to keep some chocolate chips in the freezer (though they often fall victim to my chocolate craving...). Many desserts require special ingredients that most of us don't keep stocked regularly, so unexpected company used to leave me baffled when it came to dessert. Then I realized that most things look exquisite when drizzled with melted chocolate. In the past I've used basic pre-made baked goods such as short bread cookies or freezer pound cake (we buy these from a local baker), easy and cheap homemade oatmeal cookies, and fruit, but the possibilities are only limited by your pantry and imagination. Bonus: A little chocolate goes a long way!

Do you have any pretty presentation tricks? Oh, do tell!

How To Stay Young

Since I turned 30 some months back, I've been thinking a lot about aging. Sure I have a  few fine lines, but I started wondering if something more had changed from my youthful twenties. I realized that I had started to grow "old" on the inside. By "old" I don't mean "mature," or any of the other positive connotations that you could imagine. I mean tired. I mean worn out and spiritless. For a better understanding, let's contrast it with being "young."

Being young on the inside frequently coincides with being young on the outside. In my school days I was fervent, hopeful, energetic. I was idealistic.  I had an impervious resistance to settling.  I was ready for any and every adventure, and I needed very little to get by. I spent plenty of time pondering the mysteries of life, the nobility of man and the tragic beauty of human existence.

And then I finished school, and got married, and had kids, and moved, and moved, and moved some more. Looking at mysteries turned into living mysteries, the mysteries of marriage and parenthood, of the passing of time, and of physical aging in myself and others. And as paradoxical as it seems, the proximity often made it harder to see. Instead of revealing the big picture more clearly, it takes great effort to see beyond the concrete present, beyond the dirty diapers and lack of sleep, the general difficulties and anxiety of making one's way through life.  Sure, occasional intense rays of the real pierce the veil, such as at the birth of a child, but these moments are fleeting when weighed against the balance of "average" days.

I found I wasn't carried away regularly by the great transcendent things anymore - sacrificial love, honor, heroism. In fact, I wasn't even thinking of them. Unconsciously, the valid struggle for material success and financial well being was being elevated to the primary striving of my day to day, month to month. Life was becoming more about comfort than flourishing, security more than the adventure of living authentically. The subtle haze of survival mode was slowly settling over my heart. And this is the beginning of growing "old."

Sounds awful on paper, doesn't it? Worse, even, than grey hairs and crows feet! Yet it is such an easy trap to fall into. The great news is, this is one type of aging that is preventable and reversible. How is one to stay forever young? Here is what I've come up with:

Reflect. I try to spend a few moments daily to think about why I am doing what I'm doing, and really let the answer impact my actions. Everyone should take a few minutes to jot down his or her reasons, core beliefs, and goals, just to have them down, so if things get muddled and confused one only has to look so far as the journal for clarity (I also do this for individual projects, like blogging).

Discuss. Have regular discussions that go beyond the surface, either with a close friend or your spouse. These talks are absolutely necessary in a marriage. Two people can get through many difficulties if they  are united in purpose, and assured that they aren't going it alone. The lead in to such conversations is often as simple as asking, "How are you?" and waiting for a real answer.

Nourish. Feed your soul with what it needs most: the true, the good, the beautiful. These are found so readily in nature, literature, prayer, the arts, and time spent with good friends.

Does this resonate with you? How do you see beyond the daily grind?