Tuesday With Moi

Tuesday, November 13

Oh man, Rebecca.  I couldn't put it down!  I'd stayed up until 2:00 the previous evening and, as soon as I awoke in the morning, I picked it right up and continued on.
She's worse than a coke dealer, that Daphne Du Maurier! 

Though I knew I should put a bookmark in and get on with my day, I stayed in bed with my coffee and my book until almost 11:00.

At which point I went into my newly finished studio and started to get on with some work.

Prepare yourself for many snippets of my studio space.  I'm quite pleased with how the room has turned out and I'm overjoyed to finally have my own place to work.  My things are organized, my mind is clear, and my heart is happy!

Everything has a place again.

I cannot stop smiling! 

Though I have yet to find a place for this beautiful Jonathan Singer Sargent mirror.... I have a few ideas as to where I'll put it.  

New shoes seem to be a theme lately.  These Minnetonka Moccasins were a lovely birthday gift from one of my oldest and dearest friends, Christa.  I pad around the flat in them every day.  Until the warmer months come once again, they shall be my house slippers.  Very Minnesotan of me, don't you think?

Had a snack and realized how dark it was getting.

I miss the daylight so much this time of year.  

Another shelf scene from the studio.

I gave David the 'together' card around the time we got married in March.

It's by Yellow Owl Workshop and I really love it.  I love all their work, actually. 

Throughout the day, I took little reading breaks and eventually finished Rebecca (naughty of me, I know).  Next on my list is this book, Paper: An Elegy by Ian Sansom. 

This is the beginning of my inspiration wall in the studio.

These are things I like.  I can't wait to see how it grows.

Instead of a chair, I opted to use a fitness ball in the studio to help my posture.

So far, I'm quite pleased with the decision.

Finally, my favorite time of day: Wine Time!  

We've lately been enjoying this fairtrade, organic, blah blah blah Running Duck Shiraz.

It's a great price, easy to drink, and is sulfite free which means, like italian table wine, it doesn't get you drunk or leave you with a hang over.  We like that. 

SO SAPPY.

Deal with it.

David got a haircut yesterday.  He looks so handsome with his hair short.

Finally, time for bed.  This is how Le Chat says goodnight.  

All in all, a productive and comfortable Tuesday around Cox Quarters.

As always, thanks for reading.

xox

Walks & Wine

I've been spending far too much time cooped up inside Cox Quarters, watching Sherlock and moping.  My legs are itching for a walk, but the weather's been unforgiving and I've sat folded on my couch for the vast majority of this week, gazing into my computer screen and taking accidental naps with Le Chat.  Glamorous, no?

As the rain pours down on this chilly Thursday afternoon, I will think back to better times- days when the sun was shining, the streets of London were filled with sights and sounds and smells, and David and I could happily stroll for hours before settling in at a small cafe for a carafe of wine and some people-watching. 

Time now to tackle some work, pour a cup of tea, and then curl up with a book. 

Are you reading anything good right now, dear reader?  I'm cycling through some literature I first read in high school and am currently rereading To The Wedding by John Berger.  Reading the notes I took in the margins makes me giggle and roll my eyes.  I was so silly at 16! 

Pasta Party

Last Saturday, our dear friends Skye and Scott invited us to a Pasta Party to recreate the otherworldly delights that we learned how to prepare last September on a trip we took to Italy together.  It was so special to again gather with our amazing friends, reminisce about the trip, and relive the flavors of freshly prepared pasta and Cupano Brunello.  It was a wonderful evening and a great way to say hello and, sadly, goodbye to our friends who we love so much.  I can't thank Skye and Scott enough for hosting and I can't communicate how much I want to bear hug everyone who came!

xox

Estrogen Central

Exactly one week ago, my mother and I hosted a small gathering of ladies for my unofficially official bachelorette party.  Because I am allergic to anything even slightly masquerading under the guise of a traditional wedding affair, I staunchly refused to call it a bachelorette party and instead referred to it as 'The Wine & Cheese Party' or just 'Party' for short.  Much to my chagrin, everyone I know called me out on my silly semantics and still referred to it as a bachelorette.  Thankfully, none of these people brought strippers, penis-bedazzled accoutrements, or clip-on tiaras and I was able to eat Belgian sheep cheese and foie gras just as I would at a normal party, which made me happy.

Many many thanks to everyone who slopped through the sleet to drink wine with me at The Wine & Cheese Party- especially my best friend Sarah who flew in from Minnesota and surprised me with an unexpected visit!  And a big THANK YOU to my Mom, Trudi, and Christa for being so organized and sweet, always.  And to everyone who was really gung-ho about it- thank you for letting me disappoint you a million percent by:
a) refusing to rent a douchey Hummer limo
b) deciding not to bar hop (you wouldn't have wanted to in that weather, anyway), and
c) not playing bachelorette games (I've heard horror stories about games involving bits of rope, cold hot dogs, and mini goal-posts.... Ummmmm?).

I think another Wine & Cheese Party is in order and the sooner the better!  The best part about a Wine & Cheese Party is that you don't need to get married to have one.  Ladies, let's make plans!

Mom @ Marliave

On Monday night I took my mother to one of Boston's best kept secrets, Marliave, where we had a wonderful evening at the bar sipping delicious wine (I love that they serve The Sum by the glass), eating comfort food, and introducing my friends, Coco and Tobi, to my mother. 

Over the past five years, whenever felt in need of a home-style meal that reminded me of my mother's cooking, I would stop in for the Sunday Gravy (I cannot recommend this dish enough) and a glass of red wine at Marliave.  In college, my best buddy (and roommate), Brent, would meet me at Marliave for afternoon cocktails and $1.00 oysters (which they serve daily between 4:00 and 6:00 PM as well as 9:00 and 10:00 PM) before we walked down the street to our night classes at Emerson College.  Marliave is the place I took my parents after my college graduation because I knew it was the one restaurant off the Boston Common that wouldn't be crowded with newly minted alumnai still wearing their graduation caps and asking for a beer menu.  Marliave is a secret place, a special place, and I love it a lot.  

Before I met him, David spent a lot of time at Marliave, too.  He lived around the corner when he first moved to Boston and spent many long and lonely hours at the bar, as foreign single men seem to do.  I often wonder if we ever sat at that marble bar together, completely unaware that one day we would meet and change each other's lives forever.  But now I'm getting all sappy and romantic, which is my cue to go...

Xoxo

p.s. Tomorrow I am flying to Florida to spend a long and sunny weekend with my mother (we can't get enough of each other these days).  She and I are going to kayak with manatees, eat fresh fruit, and soak up as much sun as possible.  Additionally- and Irina, I'm writing this just for you!- I will be devouring the Hunger Games trilogy in all my glorious spare moments.  I've been staunchly against reading the trilogy because I'm convinced it will be terribly written, like many literary phenomena.   However, I've been assured by many of my intelligent friends that it's actually worth reading, which I will decide for myself soon enough, thank you very much.  WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE IN THE POSTSCRIPT IS THAT I WON'T BE POSTING AGAIN UNTIL MONDAY.  Okay, that is all.

p.p.s.  I lied, that's not all.  I just wanted to take a moment to note how cute the tiny, rogue brussels sprout is in the last photo.  It just rolled away all on its lonesome and I took pity on it and took its picture.  SO CUTE.