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Let me preface this by saying that we don’t have kids, and we don’t even know if we want kids.  That said, I have been thinking about decorating a nursery… basically just for fun.  One idea I’ve toyed with is a fairy tale themed room.  I’d love this chandelier and castle wall decal for either a boy or girl:

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WANT!!!  Check out this gorgeous bedding from Natori at The Home Decorating Company:

Asian not your taste?  Keep shopping - The Home Decorating Company seems to have something wonderful for just about anyone’s taste.

I loooove Indian food.  In fact, I think chicken tikka masala is right up there with Chicago deep dish pizza on my list of favorite foods.  If you know me at all, you’re wondering why I’m posting about recipes, aren’t you?  Yeah, I’m not a cook.  Since I got laid off, I’ve started cooking a little bit, and I at least help when hubs cooks.

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Okay, so here’s a glorious recipe we got from friends (I’m sure they found it somewhere, but I’m afraid I don’t know where):

1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp ground garam masala
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp paprika
8 oz canned tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

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I just finished Corner Shop by Roopa Farooki - what a good book!  And well timed considering where I am in life at the moment.  Oscar Wilde once wrote, “In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”   The story is about a family - a mother, father, son, and grandfather - and how that Wilde quote applied to their lives.

In the first half of the book, we meet the son, Lucky.  He dreams of playing soccer for England in the World Cup and scoring an important goal.  He works towards that goal with great intensity, practicing all the time.  He’s also slightly obsessed with Portia, a slightly older, gorgeous girl who works in his grandfather’s shop.  It seems as though his dreams with regard to soccer will be dashed when his teammate drops out of the team, forcing Lucky to take up the position of goalie rather than midfield.

We also meet his mom, Delphine.  She’s a sad character - to all the world, it seems as though she has a picture perfect life.  She has a successful husband who adores her, a well-mannered son with great potential, and a beautiful home.  She herself even had a successful career before she gave it all up for motherhood.  Though her husband’s always been perfect for her on paper, he has irritating habits, and she’s never really felt as though she cared for him as much as he cares for her.  She longs for something more.

Zaki, Lucky’s grandfather, appears to be fairly content to start.  He has a successful son, a grandkid he really enjoys, a corner shop he can close up whenever he feels like it to go gamble, and plenty of younger women with whom he can run around.  Both he and Delphine begin to think about their past - when they were together long before Delphine became involved with her husband.  Zaki and Delphine enjoyed a brief, passionate romance, and they both long for that sort of passion in their lives again.

It’s a story about dreams - both those fulfilled and unfulfilled.  It’s a bit sad, and, I have to admit, I did not get as involved with the characters as I do in some other books.  It is the overarching theme that makes it worth the time - if you don’t get your heart’s desire, do something about it; change something so that you’ll have another chance, and you may yet find it.  If you do get your heart’s desire, don’t allow that to make you too content.  It’s so very important to have goals in life and to work towards achieving those goals.  You have to make sure that your life is always about beginnings, not endings.

I’d give it 3.5/5 stars.

I apologize for my lack of posting over the past month.  I got laid off, so I’ve been focusing on my job search and some other goals and activities.  {Just in case you’re wondering or know someone who might want to hire me, I’m an intellectual property attorney with five years experience.  Ideally, I’d like to remain here in the Triangle, but I’m willing to move for the right position - elsewhere in North Carolina or somewhere else fun (i.e., Chicago, DC, Atlanta).  Read more about what’s going on with me here.}

Now, on to the main point of this post!

Last week, Jet Blue announced an All You Can Jet Pass for $599.  The deal is that the pass allows you to, with certain restrictions, fly all you can stand on their planes between September 8 and October 8.  Sounds pretty cool, eh?  Well, there are some catches to it.

1. All flights must be booked at least 3 days in advance.
2. The passholder must show up for each booked flight, or all other booked flights will be cancelled and no new flights may be scheduled until a $100 no-show fee is paid.
3. Only one flight per city per day may be booked.
4. Flights can be cancelled/changed for free, but this has to happen at least 3 days in advance of the flight or you’ll pay the regular change fees.
5. You can fly to JetBlue’s international destinations and Puerto Rico, but you’ll have to pay the taxes and fees.

So… it’s really only a good deal if you’re able to fly a fair amount within the time period, definitely won’t miss your flights, and plan to stay in the US.  As it turns out, it seems as though I have the time to really utilize this deal, so I booked it on Saturday.

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E’s post reminded me that I’ve been meaning to do a run-down of the vampire series I’ve read for y’all.  I’m going to put some of it under a cut since there is one Twilight “spoiler.”  Here goes:

1. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer: I read all of these the weekend that the last book came out.  Despite my seeming dedication to them, I’m not impressed.  The writing was pretty bad - how many times did Edward really need to tell Bella that they shouldn’t be together?  And it seemed as though Meyer forgot that the books needed an actual storyline until more than halfway through.  I thought the movie was a lot better - cut a lot of the useless stuff and condensed the story quite nicely.  And don’t get me started on the fourth book; I cannot believe that was classified as young adult.  All that said, if you like young adult stuff with some angsty romance and vampires, check it out.  Just don’t read them all at once because you’ll be irritated with how predictible everything is.
2. The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith: To me, this is the original YA vampire series.  I read them back in 1991 when they first came out since I was already an L.J. Smith fan.  The whole time I was reading Twilight, I was thinking, “Boy, I remember The Vampire Diaries being so much better.”  So I re-read them recently.  And I still think they’re better.  They’re definitely written more simply, but there’s just something about the Elena-Stephan-Damon love triangle that’s so classic and perfect - and far superior to the half-@ssed triangle in Twilight.  {Read the rest of this entry…}
   

I’m talking about BRAS.  Specifically, I want you to wear the right size bra.  Most women aren’t.  There are varying claims, from 70-99%, but it’s undisputed that most women really aren’t wearing the right size bra.  I didn’t really find my correct size until I was about 25, and I still have a terrible time finding bras that actually fit .  It turned out that I was wearing a band size that was several inches too big and cups that were several sizes too small.  This is apparently pretty common.  Here are my tips to making sure you look your best by beginning with your most important foundation garment:

1. Get thee to a fitter.  Please don’t go to Victoria’s Secret for you fitting.  If you’re lucky enough to fit into their bras (I’m not), then you may certainly buy bras there.  But don’t rely on them to properly size you - many of the associates aren’t properly trained in bra fitting, and they seem more than willing to tell you the wrong size to get you to buy from them.  Go to an independent place that carries odd sizes if at all possible.  For example, check out Bravissimo in London, Pennyrich Bra Patch in Raleigh, NC, and Pink Corsets in Hendersonville, NC; there are several places in NYC.  Let us know in the comments if you know of other good places like these.  These stores are the best because they have the widest range of sizes, so you are much more likely to be able to find bras in your correct size to try on.  If you don’t have access to something like that, go to a high end department store, like Needless Markup, Nordstrom, or Harrods.  They don’t care much if they don’t have your size, and they do tend to carry a wider range than Vickie’s.
2. Get thee to a fitter regularly.   Women change bra sizes many times during their life, and I’m not just talking about during and shortly after puberty.  You’ll change sizes as you gain or lose weight from various things or even just randomly as you age.
3. Once you’ve been fitted, try on a ton of bras that are about your size.  You’ll find that some give you an odd shape, some run small or large, and some just feel awful.  When you find your first bra that really fits, its… well, it’s better than really good chocolate.  You’ll experience good support without pinching from the band or straps.  Ideally, you should get a band size that fits when you’re using the largest hooks so that, as the bra stretches from wear, you can lengthen its use by tightening it up.
4. If you are, like me, a ridiculously odd size, hit up the major online retailers: Figleaves, Bare Necessities, Bravissimo, HerRoom, etc.  I’ve ordered from the first 3 and have had very good luck with them.  They have great return policies, so I don’t hesitate to order 20 bras while fully intending to only keep 3 or 4 (assuming I can find 3 I like from the 20).  Fantasie is my favorite brand.
5. If you are, like me, somewhat well-endowed, you should also consider bra-sized swimsuits.  Several of those online retailers I mentioned have these.  I have to give a little plug for my favorite brand here, Freya.  They have some great choices (including this one, which I have and love) that are cute and very supportive.

Trust me - if you’ve been wearing the wrong size for years (or maybe all your life), you will feel so much more attractive in a bra that fits properly.  Happy shopping!

Although I don’t claim to be a fashionista, I love clothes.  As y’all know, I also love to travel.  So… I’d rather have money to travel (and for retirement!) instead of spending it to be dressed head to toe in stuff from Anthropologie or Nordstrom or whatever.  If you follow me on Twitter, you might already have heard me rave about one particular place I love to shop - ModCloth.

I’m not quite an every day dress wearer like Allison, but I am Southern.  I learned at a recent seminar about dressing professionally from the boardroom to the ballroom that one reason it’s so tough to find work-appropriate dresses is because Southerners are the primary market for such things, and that’s a relatively small market.  I fall right into this stereotype, and, fortunately, ModCloth has some great stuff.

Assuming you’re not particularly well-endowed, pair this adorable polka-dot number with the right white jacket, and you’re golden for work or an alumnae tea.  At just under $100, it’s cheaper than a similar dress would be from Anthropologie and still high quality.  The Sidecar Tour dress is an even better bargain at less than $45.  I have this one and love it.

The blue Seven Year Itch dress is perfect for dinner on a cruise ship or a date with your sweetie.  I’d love to wear the Cran-Orange dress to a bridal shower or for dinner and a stroll downtown on a warm summer night.

ModCloth’s goodness isn’t limited to dresses.  I get compliments all the time on my Wuthering Heights jacket, I love their accessories, and the one of a kind vintage finds are always interesting.  Follow them on Twitter to have a chance at winning something from their website on I Spy Thursday (at 4pm EST every Thursday, they post a Twitpic of an item, and the 5th person to identify it wins one).  They also have a special Twitter account you can follow so you’ll know when they have new items available.

I speak from firsthand experience to let you know that returns are quick and easy, and their customer service is very good.

Today seems like a good day to torture E with some old travel photos, eh?  ;)  Today I’m thinking about London, but I’ll share some info about Greenwich and Hampton Court Palace with you since they’re just outside of London and are places with which not everyone is so familiar.

Greenwich
While planning our 2005 trip, I realized that I hadn’t yet visited Greenwich (”gren-itch,” not ”green-witch”).  It’s in south-east London on the River Thames.  It’s most famous for being the home to the Prime Meridian and zero longitude.

Getting there: There are two options: boat and tube.  If the weather is nice, I’d suggest taking the boat one way (from Tower Pier, 30 minute ride) and the train (Cocklands Light Railway) the other.  It was chilly and gray when we went, so we skipped the boat ride in favor of the quicker train ride.

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In honor of Elizabeth’s trip to IKEA yesterday, I’d like to share with you my tips for surviving your own trip to the home products retailer as it poses some very special issues.

1. Pre-shop online.  This is probably my best tip, so I’m sharing it first.  If you haven’t been to one before, be prepared to be overwhelmed no matter how well you’ve prepared.  IKEA is ginormous.  Seriously huge.  If you go without having checked out what’s available via the website, you may be disappointed in what you find.  While they do usually have some things in the stores that aren’t online, the online offerings are a great representation of their products.  How this tip worked for me: I wanted a new table for our breakfast nook.  I looked at IKEA’s offerings online, measured how much space the ones I liked would take up, and narrowed it down to two choices.  At the store, we checked out both (and looked at the rest I’d weeded out as well - just to be sure), and, after sitting down at each, the choice was obvious.  We’re very satisfied with my pick.

2. Start early.  I read about the crowds from folks online - and they’re not wrong.  We arrived about 15 minutes before the store opened to have breakfast.  The three of us ate for less than $8!  I’m talking bacon, eggs, potatoes, juice, and a cinnamon roll.  Sometimes they’ll even offer FREE breakfast, so you might get an even better deal there.  As soon as we were finished, we hit the show rooms.  By the time we were through them (it took us about 45 minutes) and headed downstairs to the marketplace, the place was getting slammed.  We were so grateful we showed up early.

3. Follow the arrows.  IKEA has already mapped out the best way for you to get through their stores.  Start at the top in the of the store in the show rooms.  If you start in the right place, you’ll find pencils and paper to help you keep track of what you want and where to find it in the marketplace and self-serve section.  Then, as you spot things you want, write them down, along with their location.  For furniture, you’ll see an aisle and bin number; make sure to write down both so you can locate it later.  If you want something really big (like a mattress or sofa), write down all the info and take it to an IKEA employee in the self-serve area.  He or she will make sure it’s in stock and give you what you need to purchase the item.  You’ll then pick it up after checkout.  (If you’re shopping with someone else, you might ask your buddy to go stand in line to pick up the bulk item while you wait in the checkout line.)

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