Category Archives: TV

A Little Bit of Rest

Posted on 05.15.2012 | 11 Comments

Can we just talk about tonight, kittens?

Because it has been wonderful.

I did some intensive workshopping with Galina at the Whole Foods Salad Bar.  I have not been in forever, so it was necessary.

Plus, Galina is The Friend who understands my deep and unabiding love of roasted garlic.  That they sell it already roasted there, ready and for the picking is just…beyond.

And then I came home, cracked open a beer in honor of American Craft Beer Week and watched Weight of the Nation (Part I: Consequences and Part II: Choices).

Why, yes.  I do have a yen for documentaries about public health, obesity, nutrition and food production.  Funny you should ask.

As I sat curled up on the couch, I started trying to figure out when the last time I had the time to sit and watch a few hours of TV by myself was.

Looking back on The Blog, it looks like it was April.  At least.

We can all ask the obvious question of spring, Where did the time go? but we all know that question doesn’t have an answer.

Don’t get me wrong, the last month has been absolutely wonderful and beyond full of friends, family and adventuring.

But tonight, it was really nice to have a little bit of rest.

How much “me time” do you get every week?

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Posted in TV, Zen

Falling Behind

Posted on 03.20.2012 | 16 Comments

So, here’s the thing.

When the weather gets warmer, I stop running inside.  Because spending time on the treadmill is a waste when the sun is in the sky and there are tank tops to be worn.

As a result, I have 15 shows hanging out on my DVR.

Fine.  I can take that.

I’ll get around to them someday.

Or maybe they’ll just get deleted and sent to The Big DVR In The Sky.

It happens.

Because how many cooking shows does one girl need to watch, really?

When the situation becomes unmanageable: I’m beyond behind on my magazines.  By that, I mean I’m three months (AKA 12 issues) behind.  Because when we went to Napa, I ended up napping on the plane instead of reading.

I had priorities, I guess.

Apparently my priority is not finding out that neon, tribal and Halston-esque pleats are “in” for Spring/Summer 2012.

Talk about terrible discoveries I made last week as I was browsing at The West End.

I am surrounded by clothes and there is NOTHING to wear.

And last but not least, if I’m not reading my magazines, it’s because I have real, physical books to enjoy.

Y’all know me, saying no to Kindles and yes to real pages.

Which is great, except for the small detail where my “holds” list at the library has been raining cats and dogs.

To quantify: I have six books hanging out in my reading box.

Where does it ever end?

Are you behind on your DVR/reading materials?

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Posted in Books, Mags, TV

Screen Testing Lavender

Posted on 02.22.2012 | 10 Comments

Most important order of business: Marcus is home!  He’s was off on a business trip for the past few days, so I got to fill my time with the following fabulous activities:

  • Watching Something Borrowed, which in case you were wondering most depressing movie ever because there really isn’t a “winner.”
  • Doing a mini-marathon of 19 Kids and Counting…Am I the only one wondering when they’re going to announce the next Duggar engagement?  Because I’m really rooting for Jana.
  • Feasting it out on single girl food (like monstrous salads and sweet potato fries for dinner) and doing dinner with my parents.

I very much prefer having Marcus around versus not.  But sometimes, it’s really nice to be able to just…do all of the things without worrying about whether or not another human being would find the activity to be tolerable, much less enjoyable.

We have all been in that place, no?

About a week or two ago, I came to terms with the fact that I am officially pale.

Ironically, this did not happen while we were in California, but about a week after the fact when I saw a snap of yours truly out with The Runners.

But today it just seemed…worse than usual.

I didn’t know one could get pale-er.

Yes, I agree.  A belt would have been a welcome addition.  Which I realized when I was sourcing the day’s first mug of tea.

Hindsight.  20/20.

Back to the pale-ness.  I kind of wonder if it might have to do with the sweater.  I don’t know the last time I wore lavender.  Lavender and slate?  Probably hasn’t happened ever.  But Ann Taylor was having a great Valentine’s Day sale and after snapping up two of these last year (in black and pink), I knew I couldn’t go wrong by adding a few more colors to my repertoire.

I mean, I’m sorry, but why would you pay $78 when you can get it for $29?  HONESTLY.

Can we all agree that sale shopping is cathartic?  I’m fairly certain that if we still lived in a hunter-gatherer society, wool would be my prey.

Back to the matter at hand, considering the fact that I absolutely despised cardigans as a pup, It’s actually kind of astonishing to see how many I’ve managed to amass.

In case you were wondering, between my open cardigans and those with buttons, I possess 22.

It’s best if you don’t spend too much time thinking about that number.

To answer your question, yes I wear them and love them all.

Meanwhile, a co-worker tried to re-assure me that yes, lavender was my color.  Since I already own the sweater, it’s not as if it will disappear from my wardrobe.

See also: All of the snow we haven’t had has left me totally unprepared for just how dry winter can be.  I’ve gone from living my life and not asking questions to feeling like the entire top layer of skin wants to secede from the union.

I’m not okay with this.

What colors wash you out?

How many cardigans do you own?  Guesstimates are welcome.

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Posted in Clotheshorse, Movies, Style, TV

For Good Reason

Posted on 01.22.2012 | 7 Comments

This morning I woke up to a raging sore throat that felt not entirely unlike what I hypothesize swallowing sandpaper might be like.  No, not the stuff with the really fine grit.  The stuff with the really coarse grit.

Apparently sometimes you don’t know how much you were using your Outdoor Voice until you’re not anymore.

Croaking = Not My Cutest Moment.  Though Marcus seemed to get a bit of a kick out of it.

As we all know, The Show Must Go On.  Even though, in this case that meant leaving the house with a wet head to drive in freezing rain.

Y’all know I don’t ever want you to forget that I was a blonde in a past life.

But it was for good reason – Emily, Ann and I made plans weeks ago to gather at Falafel King so we could workshop a summer plan of ours that is (finally) starting to come together in a coherent way.

I mean, come on kittens, I wouldn’t leave the house on a day like today for just anyone.

So we workshopped away over plates of wonderful Middle Eastern food.  Hummus, Spinach Pie, Falafel and Salad were just what the doctor ordered.

Once we adjourned and I made it (safely) back to The Nest, I curled up in bed with a marathon of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that I promptly fell asleep to.

It’s extremely rare that I actually have a three-hour chunk of time on the weekend where I can enjoy that sort of thing without the fear of Getting Everything Else Done hanging over my head.

And to be totally honest, I usually can’t justify spending that much time in front of the television set.  I mean, come on.  There’s always life that needs living.

So just call it coincidence.  Or The Universe at work.  Because there was definitely a point where I thought that the best I was going to be able to do was Guy Fieri.  No one is strong enough to take that for 30 minutes, much less three hours.

Once I emerged from my fleece-cocoon, I took it upon myself to research The Official Date of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  Because really, it’s never too soon to start making plans to watch The River Pageant and throw a “street party” of our own.

For the record, The Big Day is June 3rd.

How this actually fits in with anything else I’ve just told you, I’m not entirely sure.   It likely has to do with the fact that beyond doing three loads of laundry and windex-ing every flat surface in our house, I’m counting it as My Major Accomplishment of the day.

What’s your definition of a perfect lazy afternoon?

p.s. Mads is hosting a giveaway on her blog that includes everything from slippers to dark chocolate with sea salt.  You know you want it!

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Posted in Royals, TV, Zen

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Strikes Again

Posted on 12.01.2011 | 6 Comments

Mistake of the evening: Watching the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

And yes, I realize this makes my blog post days late.  Because we’ve already had lots of time to dissect it on Twitter and Facebook and everywhere else besides here.

See, we didn’t have the time to watch it when it originally aired (yes, Marcus and I watch it together) and I kept on putting-off watching it because I wasn’t in the proper state of mind to see so many wings.

Yes, I believe that you need to be in the right mood to enjoy The Wings.  That’s the whole reason I watch the show.  That and the shoes, the rhinestones and the glitter-covered runway.

What I totally forgot is that once you turn that show on, you cannot tear your eyes away.  Not to text, not to tweet, and certainly not to blog.

It’s dazzling stuff, really.  Though I could do without all of the backstage clips since it’s not actually live and they run it through more than once.

Less drama, more sparkles please.

Had I thought to look back through this digital diary of mine, I would have seen last year’s post, remembered and behaved accordingly.

You can’t win them all.

Quite honestly, when the show was actually happening live, I was extremely confused by the stats everyone was sharing about how The Angels are not built like the average woman.

Um, no shit.

I can say with 100% assurance (take that 99.9%!) that I don’t know ANYONE who looks like an Angel.  That doesn’t really phase me in the slightest.

I would actually say if anything, I like the Angels more because we do see them on TV once a year.  We now know (for better or worse) exactly what they put their bodies through to prepare for the show.  We get to see them move.  You can tell what’s “real” versus what has been airbrushed/edited/touched up in a picture.  Do they walk a runway that has extremely flattering light?  Yes.  Do they have their makeup professionally done?  Of course.  But it’s far more tangible than looking at a mystery-meat picture in a magazine.

Did you watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?

Truth: Next year I’m throwing a Ladies’ Night.  It’s just necessary.

Who is your favorite Angel?

Miranda Kerr.  Still.

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Posted in Style, TV

Can’t Stop Watching

Posted on 10.26.2011 | 16 Comments

People usually put Watching TV in the category of things that you do when you sit around.  Which is great.  It can be really relaxing.  However, since I really haven’t had the time to just “sit” as of late, the only time I really get to watch is when I’m on the treadmill.

Which can actually serve as some pretty good motivation to get my body moving on the days where I just don’t feel like it.

The shows that serve as the wind beneath my wings?

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

How thankful am I that these girlfriends are back?!

With the addition of $25,000 Sunglasses-Dana and Angry Brandi, I cannot tear my eyes away from the screen.  The fights that Camille got into and the situations that she found herself in last season seem absolutely tame by comparison.

Like the rest of the world, I thought the whole Taylor and Russell Armstrong relationship disintegration thing would be more than enough to keep my attention and yet somehow, that has become like the least fascinating part of the entire season.

The Biggest Loser

I still have some major issues with this series, primarily the fact that right now viewers are under the impression that the only thing the contestants eat are turkey-stuffed peppers and Subway sandwiches.

Would it be so difficult to try to teach viewers what healthy eating habits actually look like?

But when I’m trying to find the motivation to stay on for just 10 more minutes, Bob Harper yelling at someone on an elliptical machine or a contestant losing upwards of 15 pounds certainly gets the job done.

Moral of the story: Only you get to decide how your workout is going to end.

Whitney

Truth: Watching Whitney is kind of like the equivalent of my visiting a psychic to find out what sort of wacky shit I’m going to come up with next.

The first episode.  Was dry.  The laugh track (in front of a live studio audience!) is a little bit early-90′s.  But once you get past those things, you’re all-in.

Originally Marcus had sworn up and down that he wasn’t going to touch this series with a 10 foot pole.  Which was all right and good until I went to our DVR and discovered that he had beaten me to watching the most recently recorded episode.

The nerve.

Pan Am

The plot on this show is only slightly richer than The Playboy Club (RIP), but there’s just something about jet setting in the 1960′s that’s just so addicting.

I think that we can all agree, it’s definitely not the blue uniforms.  Polyester is not a friendly fabric to anyone.

Or maybe it’s just the fact that no one can remember the last time Christina Ricci did anything (besides Casper, of course), so it’s kind of like a safer version of a throwback.

What are your favorite shows to watch this fall?

I really need to watch the first episode of Once Upon a Time.  I can’t wait to check it out.

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Posted in TV

Mother Nature vs. Pop Culture

Posted on 08.01.2011 | 12 Comments

Before we get down to business, a few of you have been asking about what kind of planner I carry.  I got a myAgenda by momAgenda.  If you want to see a snap of what it actually looks like in the flesh, check this post out.

I got the desktop size, which is an absolute beast.  So if you were to size-down (provided your handwriting isn’t especially loopy) I’m sure you would be more than happy.

So, there’s that.

Confession: When I found out that the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills would be coming back in September, I practically jumped for joy.  I missed those girlfriends.

They keep it real with their Calypso-St. Barth’s frock/tunic arrangements, spa days and the glasses of wine that they NEVER seem to finish.  Toss in a pair of Kendra Scott earrings and they’re ready to roll.

They keep me grounded, kittens.

And after that brief wave of jewel-toned nostalgia, I realized that September is almost…uncomfortably close.

The light is starting to change, for crying-out-loud.  My evidence?

An epic craving for canned pumpkin.

Yes, I have a giant can stashed away in the pantry from last fall.  No, I won’t be taking it out just yet.

I feel like we’ve only just entered the part of the Minnesota summer where we can FINALLY eat our own sweet corn like it’s going out of style (it is).  I refuse to give that up.  You have nothing on me, Mother Nature.

But it’s kind of on the same level as that one time last March where I couldn’t stop eating sweet potatoes.

Not good.

So to embrace the last month of summer, I sourced  new wallpaper for my phone.

I know most people do something a little bit more low-key.  Like tan.  Wear swimsuits.  Mow the lawn.  Eat popsicles.  Make popsicles.  Seek shelter.

I needed something that came with a little less commitment.

As it turns out, less commitment actually looks a little bit garish.

But I’m still obsessed.

I will say that even though Dandelions are Hell On Earth as far as keeping a well-manicured lawn, the way their seeds waft around at the end of the summer is one of the prettiest sights.

You know, once you get over the fact that you’re basically watching an invasion take place.

Have you had any unseasonal cravings lately?

I’ve also been dying to braise various cuts of meat with a ferocity usually reserved for buttercream frosting.  Where on earth is my head at, right?

What shows are you looking forward to watching this fall?

I’m also looking forward to the return of Boardwalk Empire on HBO as well as the beginning of a few new shows on the Food Network.

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Posted in Confessions, Foodies, technologies, TV

A Bone to Pick

Posted on 05.05.2011 | 11 Comments

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, people!

After a brief convo with Jillian on the way home from work in which we tried to ascertain what, specifically, Cinco de Mayo was about (we know it’s NOT Independence Day), I mashed up a couple of avocados and called it good.

So, for what it’s worth, I hope that at a bare minimum, the rest of you found yourselves in a restaurant with steaming platters of fajitas in front of you and sweet velvet sombreros and sarapes covering the walls.  That, right there, is unadulterated pure goodness.

When I wasn’t mashing (or snarfing) avocados, my focus for the night was playing the Catch-Up On The DVR game like a pro.  Let it be known: Recorded Food Network shows don’t count!  While I was on the treadmill I tackled The Biggest Loser (I HIGHLY recommend this technique – it’s super motivational) and after dinner, I polished off glee and the second episode of Game of Thrones.

And all of this TV watching got me to thinking about a bone I’ve wanted to pick with The Biggest Loser for a while now.

You see, I started watching a year and a half ago when I was about 35 pounds into my healthy living journey and had the cutest studio apartment that lacked the following: Internet (I docked my BlackBerry modem-style) and Cable.

Hence, a newfound commitment to network television.

And this season, as I watched Rulon Gardner proceed to lose weight at a sloth’s pace relative to his size, and Kaylee’s weight Yo Yo like it was the New Thing To Do, I realized something.

For all that The Biggest Loser deals with the issue of how important it is for Americans to live an active lifestyle, it doesn’t deal nearly enough with the food choices that we’re making.

When Rulon’s fellow cast-mates called him out on the binge eating he had been sneaking in, off-camera for WEEKS, my jaw dropped.  My heart sank.

Because there’s a MAJOR issue there.  Which fits in just perfectly alongside my beef with healthy living blogs that don’t tell you the WHOLE story.

Yes, I know that we’re talking about reality TV here.  But since The Biggest Loser  takes the pay-it-forward approach with its message, I think it’s completely valid to call them out on this one.

At the most basic level: Americans need to see the scenes of self-sabotage just as much as they need to see the scenes of sweat.

They need to understand that when Kaylee gained two pounds, it wasn’t just because she was “stressed” or because “her mind wasn’t in the right place,” but because she managed to eat 7,00o calories in addition to the calories she burned and the essential calories her body needs to function.

Viewers need to be able to know that we all have weak moments.  I mean, in order to truly embrace healthy living, people have to understand that most of one’s day is spent making healthy choices outside of the gym.  Because real life involves work and families and errands.  Real life is busy, chaotic, disorganized.

But in order to acknowledge those moments and move forward, they need to know that there are more food options available to them than the pre-packaged Biggest Loser meals, the food products that get in-show placement, Subway and the odd cooking competition.

No, The Ranch isn’t real life.  But what you choose to put in your mouth on a daily basis is.  And for a lot of people, that’s a much easier place for them to start making changes.

How did you spend your Cinco de Mayo?

Biggest Loser-watchers: Prior to this season, did you know that binge eating was an issue on The Ranch?  How do you feel about the amount of air time they give food/eating choices?

I will say that I think they spent more time this season on eating choices than they have in past seasons.  I by no means think that they’ve dedicated enough time to it though.

And seriously…am I the only person who didn’t know that these people have been secretly binging off-camera?

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Posted in Holidays, Living The Skinny, TV

Noted.

Posted on 03.15.2011 | 16 Comments

Kittens, as per yesterday’s post, I don’t know that we’ve gotten that fussed about a food group since I ate the cheese off of the bottom of the pie pan.

To draw a completely non-scientific conclusion, cheese-lovers are also jam-lovers.

Noted.

Where does that leave me?  Sitting on the couch watching Weeds (they FINALLY released the 6th season on DVD – thank you Netflix!) and sipping red wine.

Calling?  Or Calling?

You be the judge.

I’m filing it under Worthy Ways To Spend A Tuesday Night.

And now, a detour into the land of random.

After last year’s post-South Padre encounter with a former inmate from San Quentin (yes, seriously), Billy decided that Panama City Beach wasn’t even in the running as far as Spring Break destinations were concerned.

So, somehow at the last-minute he ended up in Myrtle Beach, SC.

There was some sort of actual decision-making process behind this sojourn, but given that I didn’t even know he was out of the state until he was past Lexington, Kentucky, it was neither here nor there.

Little brothers are so tricky sometimes.  Even when they’re 21.

Getting back to the point, today for whatever reason that the golf course wasn’t calling their names, they all went fishing at the pier.

Totally normal.  A lovely pastime.  It’s something that Billy does all the time when we’re Up North at the Cabin.

Until he caught a Sand Shark.

I don’t know about you all, but that is NOT something that happens at the end of the dock on Big Pine Lake.

When he texted me that picture this morning, I was all like, Why can’t you do normal spring break things like binge drinking and stuff?

But another one of his friends managed to reel in a stingray.  So I suppose in the scheme of things, Billy actually got the better end of the bargain.

Right?

What’s the one vacation destination you would NEVER return to?  Was it dirty?  Was it frightening?  Was it a lawless land?  Spill.

Do you fish?  What’s the strangest thing you’ve caught?

I used to fish off of the pontoon when I was  little pup.  I never caught anything particularly fascinating, but every once in a while, one of the cousins would catch a snapping turtle or something equally as bizarre.

p.s. Both animals were released back into the wild.  Billy and I were raised in a you kill it, you eat it-type of house.

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Posted in Faves, TV, Weird as Hell

Being Reveled

Posted on 03.10.2011 | 10 Comments

Exhaustion strikes, kittens.  Wisconsin is falling apart at the seams.  We managed to dodge not one, but two rounds of snow this week.  But that doesn’t stop me from sharing pearls of wisdom like they’re going out of style.

Life Lesson: Don’t write your promotional tweets at 10:30 PM when your “A” key is on the fritz and you’re on your second glass of Chardonnay.  Instead of “revealed,” you will be “reveled.”

I almost broke into a fit of hysterical laughter when I saw this one.  Which would have been totally fine, except for the fact that Marcus was sound asleep next to me.

Trainwreck.

Today, The Power Color at work was red.  Last week, it was teal.  It’s kind of like Pantone.  Except the complete opposite and on a micro-scale.  Who knows what next week may bring.

Fingers and toes it’s orange, kittens.  That actually IS the color of spring this year.  Part of me wants to invest, but the other part of me is 99.9% positive that I already have three orange tops hanging in my closet and that’s really probably enough.

Speaking of workday discoveries, I’m getting a heinous zit on my chin.

Even though this is basically the most disgusting/dull thing I could possibly admit to y’all, you have to understand that I’ve been blessed with great skin (and I mean that in the least-vain way possible).

To clarify, I have, I never wash my face or take off any of my make-up and the world doesn’t come crashing down around me-great skin.

I don’t even own any concealer.

So “unacceptable” doesn’t even really begin to describe the situation.

We finally watched the season finale of GREEK.  Which, basically snuck up on us.

Yes, it was low-budget.

Yes, it was on ABC Family.

Yes, it had extremely gimick-y moments.

But for all of that, it was real.  It was Greek Life.  And I know that I’m not the only person who is positive that I met all of those people at school.

The ending?  Was intense.  I don’t think either one of us looked at the other once during the entire show.  And surprisingly enough, after we finished it, Marcus was the one to observe that it was one of the most depressing moments on television…Ever.

Which of your favorite shows have gone off the air?

Even though The Office’s number is definitely up, I live in fear of the day that it ends.

How often do you end up matching your co-workers?  Did you have a power color at work this week?

Honestly, for all of the extremely bizarre colors I wear (thank you, J.Crew sale rack!), I’m surprised by how often I’m matching at least one co-worker.

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Posted in Style, TV, Weird as Hell, Work