February Favorite Things

The list is a bit short this month, haven't been on the path of great discovery lately, but there are some things worth mentioning.....

1)  JAMAICA - SANDALS RESORTS!!!  If you're like me and every year you plan to use your tax returns to pay off your credit cards but instead go on an over the top vacation, then high five!  Dave and I figured that we would scratch our plans for Spain this year for a group trip with friends.  We figure everyone is quickly growing up, spreading out, and acquiring more responsibilities, so we all need to vacay pronto before any kids come out.  Via Facebook we all settled on going to Jamaica during the week of Memorial Day, and now that all the planning is over, I am counting down the days til I'm in paradise....ahhhhhh.  Who knows if Sandals is hurting from the economy, string of bad hurricanes, or is putting up good deals for those brave enough to travel during the off season, I don't care.  It is fairly affordable for the two of us to go for five days and with our flight included in the all inclusive price, I'm happy to take advantage of the bottomless drinks and blue water beaches...just this one time.  We will take a more intellectual / stimulating vacay another time. 



2)  Shutterfly.com makes it soooo easy to order prints, cards, and photobooks...I'm. in love.  It took me a few weeks to put two books together, but only because I had a gabillion pictures from Oregon.  Shutterfly will take an album and chronologically organize it into a book for you, and all you have to do is choose the layout / style, and insert your captions!  I got two 8 x 8 books printed in hard back and they were shipped for free in about a week.  (you can also view e-copies of Vol. I and Vol. II).  Prices for books are discounted now and start at $11 (includes 20 pages and additional pages are 0.50 each), can't beat that, and the pictures looks great, not grainy and blurry like I thought they might.  After I ordered my books they also gave me thirty free prints, and those are in the mail now (or you can pic them up at a local printer of your choice), and I plan on making another book for my sister, and book of my India pictures so they don't spend an eternity on my laptop. 




3.  LOVE LOVE LOVE Mila Kunis' dress at the Oscars this weekend.  I wasn't in love with all the red hot and sleek silver dresses that dominated all the ladies and I really was not a fan of Anne Hathaway's wardobe / over the top bubbly / smiley persona, but dammmmnnnnn Mila Kunis made me lust all over that flowey purple dress:

 Also worthy of mention, Cate Blanchett, LOVE it:

4. New blog:  Under the Table and Dreaming is about decorating and design like many other sites, but I really love the diy projects and the organic style in Stephanie Lynn's crafts and ideas.  Not to mention she does some amazing things with paper that make elegant pieces for the ol' house. 

 4.  In the same line of thinking...check out this awesome antiques shop on Morningside and Central, C. Dimery's Morningside Antiques.  If you are at a loss of what to do on a Sunday afternoon, go in and look at the amazing collection this guy has.  There are multiple rooms organized by time period and you will find everything from mid-18th century furniture, silverware, jewelry, clothing, books, to retro furniture and art work, all resotred and displayed beautifully.  Granted, I don't know much about the costs of these things, but compared to prices of furniture at Target or JC Penny's Homestore, I think their pieces are SUPER fair and I don't know about you, I'd much rather have an antique with history and character, than some fiber board veneer crap.  Even if you don't plan to buy, it's like walking through a museum and all pieces are tagged with a full description and history for your reading pleasure.  IT MAKES ME WANT A HOUSE SOOOOO BAD so I can fill it with all of these beautiful things!!!

5.  Bathing suits at JCrew.  I know, it's way too early, but it's the same concept as a hanging that polka dot bikini in your room as motivation to shed those extra pounds...except times 100, and on the internet.  Love them, but damn!  why they gotta be so expensive!  shiiiittttttttt



6.  What else...what else?  Nothing really.  Feb. was an ok month.  It was short and I didn't really do anything too exciting. But when thinking back, my family has been my main focal point this past 28 days and I've gotten some perspective on how much I really really love them.  My parents are really special to me, my sister and I have gotten closer this month, whereas before I felt like our relationship was a chore, now I am enjoying the comfort of having a big sister in my life, my nephew is nuts and freakin adorable at the same time, my little brother is the coolest 19 year old I know, and my older brother turned 40! yesterday and I plan to use the occasion to open the lines of communication between us that are fairly non existant at the moment.    So sappy, I know.

July 2009

Things to look forward to in March:  Dave's 28th Birthday!!!! and Our 6 Year Anniversary!!!