Feb. 21 | Macinclock
My soon-to-be brother-in-law sent me this clock last week—is it not freaking perfect for me? He found a guy on Etsy who has a shop called Stuff Made From Stuff, mainly consisting of clocks made from old Macs or other computer parts.
For those of you reading this who might not be Mac-obsessed, this is the actual front of an old PowerMac G4, turned into a clock. The clock actually keeps time, but I turned it off last night after learning that Link was trying to climb the wall and catch the ticking red second hand. I’ll have to turn it on again after he forgets that it’s there.
Anyway, it’s hanging up in our kitchen by the door to give it a prominent view. I love wacky art, but I love wacky art made from Apple products even more. So thanks, Katie and Junnhi!
Feb. 17 | Planting trees
In anticipation of planting trees with a bunch of other Nashville-area bloggers next Saturday, I ordered a t-shirt as part of my donation to SoundForest, the organization that we’re going to be working with to plant the trees at Bell’s Bend.
I want to point out, also, that I ordered this shirt Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., selecting standard shipping. The shirt showed up less than two hours later, via bike messenger.
Apparently their offices are over near Belmont, and the messenger told me that while they normally use a different courier service, they called him to bike it over to me at West End.
I’m going to wear the t-shirt to the tree-planting event. You know, like the guy who wears the band t-shirt to the concert.
Feb. 18 | DevaCurl, DivaCat
I went to Ulta last night with the intent to pick up some more of one of my regular shampoos (Back to Basics Apple & Ginseng, if you’re curious), but saw they had started carrying Deva products. I never would have been aware of the product if not for Brittney, who reviewed a Deva cut she got (I can’t find the original blog entry but if I do I’ll link to it, because it was very informative for peeps with wavy/curly hair).
It’s suds-free, which is supposed to not dry out your hair and let your curls run free. I’m going to try it out on Sunday, a day when I don’t have to be anywhere, in case all hell breaks loose. We’ll see what happens.
Feb. 16 | Fat Tuesday
My office is always up for cake, and King Cake for Fat Tuesday is no exception. For the last few years (or maybe more, I’m not sure), the cake has come from Larrivieres in Gallatin and is really, really good.
I have yet to get the baby!
Feb. 15 | Cheese
I am not from Wisconsin but I love cheese more than anyone I know. This is just regular ole parmesan, grated for parmesan popcorn and shaved for a Caesar salad.
A couple of years ago I discovered Corrieri’s Formaggeria in 12 South, and I developed a really bad $20-$30/week gourmet cheese addiction. I have since kicked that habit, but after tasting the best blue cheese ever at The Mad Platter this weekend I think I might fall back off the wagon.
This is not about you (or: Don’t tell me what I’m missing)
I do not like your children
I do not find them cute
Or funny or smart or irresistable
When their faces are covered in snot and dirt
And they are running through the store unattended
Knocking things over and you are pretending not to notice because you are sick of them.
I do not want to hear your children whine during a movie
That they shouldn’t even be in
I do not want to hear them scream in the restaurant because they did not get their nap and you were too selfish to keep them home and deal with them yourself
You wanted to bring them out in hopes the change of scenery would make them behave
But that never works
And you know it
But you did it anyway.
Because you are upset that you are the only one responsible for these misbehaving children and your life as you knew and loved it is gone and you can’t take it anymore
So you want the rest of us to suffer with you.
It is working.
Feb. 14 | Dinosaur head
After Ian and I got back from Nashville, we ate lunch at McAlister’s and hung around in Hasting’s for a while. But before we headed back to the house, I had to make a stop at Julia’s Bakery today to grab some cookies. I always go in there under the guise of wanting these fantastic thumbprint cookies, but really I just want to see what different animal or other kid-friendly shaped cookies they’ve made for the day. I couldn’t resist getting a couple of these dinosaur ones today.
I love the brontosaurus.
Feb. 13 | Going out
We’re not sappy romantics, but last year and this year we’ve managed to have really cool plans for Valentine’s Day. Last year was a fancy-pants dinner at The Stockyard, and while I loved my dinner, Ian’s wasn’t so great. But this year we both really enjoyed our meals and had a great time after dinner with a night on the town, so I’m calling it best Valentine’s Day ever.
We got dressed up at home and headed into Nashville to check in at Hotel Indigo, which was the hotel we stayed at after our wedding reception last April, too. I’m really impressed with that place; it’s not very expensive but is a very clean, modern and well-decorated hotel (and has Aveda products in the bathroom!)
We had dinner reservations at The Mad Platter at 8 p.m., so after we dropped our bags in the hotel room we headed down to the bar to grab a quick drink and talk to the valet guys about procuring a cab, and were happy to learn that the hotel also has a shuttle service and could take us to the restaurant.
Dinner was amazing. I would have taken pictures of all of the courses but it was really dark and I didn’t want to be the douche using a flash, but trust me when I say they tasted as beautiful as they looked.
For the appetizer course, Ian had a Caesar salad and I had the chef’s cheese plate. Holy. Crap. It had the best blue cheese I’ve ever tasted, and I really need to call them tomorrow to find out the name of it. There was a great brie, too, and a cranberry-orange smooth cheese that wasn’t my favorite, but I still ate most of it.
For the entree Ian had the filet and I had their only vegetarian option: A vegetable risotto with parmesan and some sort of foam that was a little too sweet for me. But the risotto itself was delicious.
For dessert Ian had the crème brûlée (I copied that from Wikipedia so if the accents are wrong, sorry) and I had my favorite—tiramisu. So. Freaking. Tasty.
After dinner we grabbed a cab to 3rd & Lindsley (discovering along the way our cabbie was also a driver for Miranda Lambert and had just fought his way home through the snow storm around the D.C. area) to see Ian’s co-worker Patrick play in his band, Ball Hog, and then hung out with him for a while after his set while Old Union played.
This was the second time I’d been to 3rd & Lindsley, and I stand by my original declaration that it’s one of the best places for people watching. Especially those that could be called cougars. And the men who love them.
Then we grabbed another cab and headed back to the hotel, where I woke up this morning with a wicked hangover that I’m still working on recovering from now, as I sit here watching the Olympics and editing pictures from the spectacular weekend.
Feb. 12: Ready for the weekend
Ian and I stopped by the liquor/beer store on the way home from work to pick up a few things.
Best. Name. Ever.
Today I discovered New York-based indie band Freelance Whales, and my mind was blown.
They are playing a show March 9 in Nashville, and I’m already thinking about taking a half-day on the 10th so I can go. (Yes, I am old. I cannot be out until 1 a.m. and get up at 7 a.m. the next morning.)
I only wish that their band logo was a whale furiously working on a computer while in his pajamas, stopping occasionally to scowl that he hadn’t received payment yet for his last project.
