Hank's Coconut Curry

Fortunately not only do I love to cook, but Hank does too. When he gets into chef mode he's the most adorable thing in the world and he almost always makes up his recipes as he goes. In fact, when he and his friends get together, they most often "cook it up," as they call it, and make some amazing dishes. This one in particular is adapted from his friend Matt's curry that he made at our house a couple of weeks ago. Hank went off memory so I don't have much of a formal recipe to share as far as amounts of spice, etc, but it turned out absolutely delicious and I thought I would include the process he used (thank you Hank!).

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

1 can of coconut milk (I insisted that Hank use light coconut milk, but regular would be SO much better for a curry, since it thickens up a lot more)
veggies of your choice- we used broccoli, onions, and carrots
minced garlic
curry powder
generic "Thai" spice blend
chili paste
sea salt
1 block of extra firm tofu
brown rice (or quinoa)

1) Add the entire can of coconut milk to a wok.
2) Add about 2 tbsp minced garlic to the milk (we LOVE garlic so we go overboard, but do this to your liking).
3) Add about half of a chopped onion (also add amount according to taste).
4) Bring to a boil.
5) Add everything else (chopped broccoli, carrots, other veggies, and drained/cubed tofu, spices- all amounts of spice are to your taste, we add tons).
6) Boil it for awhile until veggies become tender- the longer you do this, the longer the tofu will have a chance to soak up the flavor.
7) While this is cooking make some brown rice.
8) Curry should thicken up during cooking time- light coconut milk will be more watery.

And done! You have a quick, healthy meal. I really enjoyed it and I hope you do too!

Random Music Post, Or, A Celebration of the American West

I've been listening to a lot of Neko Case lately. Normally I'm not a huge fan of country music, but Neko really captures a particular slice of the American West that I find particularly haunting. It's that image of eerie desolation; a blowing tumbleweed, a lonely train whistle in the distance, an old mining town and dark, rolling clouds on the horizon. There's something very special about the American West that I've really come to appreciate in recent years; it was something I always took for granted growing up in the heart of the Gold Rush country in California.

As an avid traveler and a devotee of so many other cultures, it's easy to sometimes overlook the unique culture that exists right here. It's also easy to dismiss American culture in general, given our unpopularity in the rest of the world. During the Bush years I would never introduce myself as an American when I traveled; I always said, "I'm from San Francisco." But being American isn't a shameful thing, and despite our relative newness on the world stage, we still have a fascinating and storied history that is worth exploring.

Country music in many ways celebrates the uniqueness of the American experience, right down to its unglamorous and even seedy side. And Neko Case is one of those artists who brings to life the rough and uncivilized Western past that still has traces in our culture today. 

Neko's music reminds me that I'm proud of our rugged, pioneering ancestors, who left behind civilized cities like Boston or New York and headed West to make their fortune, or sometimes to die trying. Some were entrepreneurs, some were fleeing a dubious past and came in search of a fresh start and anonymity, and some just loved adventure and risk-taking. Some succeeded spectacularly and others failed miserably, but the legacy they left behind is one of spirited determination and fierce individuality. And from an "I can accomplish anything" kind of confidence to a "This is me, like it or not" attitude, I see many elements of that legacy in my own beloved city today.

If you get a chance to see Neko Case live, don't miss it. Her live performance is wonderful, and she's quite a character to boot; she looks like a sweet, fragile little thing behind her big acoustic guitar, but the girl swears like a trucker and is funny as hell. She's my kind of country music, and my kind of American.

Today's outfit (sorry, I really should've worn cowboy boots to accompany this post, shouldn't I?):
Capelet: F21
Shirt: J. Crew, thrifted
Skirt: Anthropologie
Boots: Bronx

Lower back tattoos can be very sexy on women. These tattoo designs

Lower back tattoos

Stolen

I'll just come right out and admit straight away that I completely stole this Tealive™ combination from Kasmira. The layering of these two skirts was also stolen, from a couple of my own past outfits; only this time I did the layering in reverse. This really illustrates just how versatile these soft jersey skirts can be.

First let me explain the skirts: the teal one is mid-calf length and has a wide, jersey waistband. The gray skirt is knee length and has an extra-wide jersey waistband that folds over on itself. In past configurations, I've unfolded the waistband of the gray skirt and hiked it all the way up to wear it as an above-the-knee dress, sometimes layering the teal skirt underneath to add contrast, shape, and length. Here I did just the opposite: I hiked the teal skirt all the way up and wore the gray one as it was designed. I included a few photos at the bottom of the post showing both skirts separately and together so you can compare the different configurations.

Now if I just wore the two skirts together without something on top, two things would happen; the teal skirt would look like a giant tent on me, and it would also not stay in place on its own. Hence, the jacket and belt serve two important functions, to hold everything in place and to give the outfit shape. But also, the olive jacket and teal skirt combination was the kernel of my original idea, because together they make Tealive™.

Jacket, belt: thrifted

Necklace, pearl ring: Manu Lizarralde

Teal Skirt: LA. Made

Gray skirt: S

Leggings: Black Market Baby

Boots: All Black

Here are some past outfits that make use of these two skirts in different ways. Do you have any items that you wear differently then the way they were designed?

Austin, Texas!

image via weheartit.com

So, today is a big day for a little lady by the name of Amber Joy! Obviously if you read my blog you know her, and maybe you even read her blog (http://amberjoyh.blogspot.com/), but today is MOVING DAY for her! The reason I'm posting this, is to ask if any of you have any recommendations of things she absolutely must do, must try, should experience in her new home of Austin, Texas! Feel free to comment in the space below, I know she'll love reading any Austin-related tidbits you may want to share. Thanks in advance, and love all of you!

Wednesday, today

This week has been a good one. The weather's been a dream- thunder and lightning almost every night, some rain, and every evening sky has been one of those weird gray-yellow colors that just screams that monsoon season is here. I've been trying to really slow down a bit and enjoy this last week of summer, before I head back to work next Tuesday. We've been taking walks, and sucking in every last bit of this amazing weather up here in the mountains. This week's been full of appointments for me- Madeline went to the doggie spa, I headed to the dentist, and I have a hair appointment this Saturday. I'm truly looking forward to freshening up my color and getting a little trim. I went through a phase a few weeks ago where I wanted to cut my hair...but now that phase is OVER and I am back to loving it, in all it's long length glory! The only thing I'd like would be for it to be more of a rich chocolate brown with some more depth to it. My hair feels so dull and Saturday can't come soon enough. Other than that, I'm just winding down the summer and getting ready to enter my third trimester next month. Can you believe time has gone by so quickly? Today while at the dentist (no cavities yet again, yeah!), I had to make my next cleaning appointment for February. I was looking through my planner trying to pick a day that would work with my work schedule until it hit me that I could come anytime, since my job will be taking care of Henry...who will BE HERE then! It was kind of weird to have that realization, and think about that life change, so I went ahead and made my appointment for 10am on a weekday...since that time will work out just fine for my stay-at-home-mom self! :) So, so neat and it made me really excited, as silly as it sounds.

So, for the rest of the day today I'll be doing little things around the house- laundry, organizing, etc. and then getting a GOOD night's sleep. Last night I went to bed incredibly late, and I had to be up at 7am. It's imperative I get back into a good schedule for school because otherwise I'll be a disaster. Last night was fun though, I met up with Amber and Adie at the Raven to enjoy some dessert. Our original plan was to get pie, but we decided to do the Raven instead and enjoyed the most delicious root beer floats. I totally treated myself and it was so tasty. I can't wait to take Hank there on a little date night! I had a great time, even though it was a little bittersweet, since in the morning I knew Amber would be heading off to her new home in Texas. I'm so excited for her though, and it was great to have "one last night" before she left. So after a long night of root beer float sipping, girl-talking and downtown walking, I headed over to my friend Robyn's house for a little visit and got home way past twelve, and didn't get to bed until well past 2am. Not the best choice. I'm still feeling good though, so maybe it's what I needed in order for me to get to sleep early tonight. Let's hope!

Well, signing off now, but I hope all of you enjoy your Thursday, and have a great day!

Gangs of New York Meets Casey Jones

So clearly I'm enamored of these shorts, as it's the second time I've worn them in as many weeks. I have several ideas for these, and I aim to try them all before too long. First I want to try pairing them with my polka dot tie, and then with a pair of suspenders I've had sitting around for a long time unworn and a cute pair of oxfords which I haven't worn yet because they need a bit of stretching first. So many options! Oh right, except for the option of actually wearing them as shorts, with bare legs, because it's too fucking cold here even though it's late July. Not that I'm bitter or anything. You go on and enjoy your summer like normal people do, with exposed skin, barbeques, sprinklers, and the like. I'll be okay, just let me grab a sweater. And maybe a scarf.

For this outfit I used my idea of pairing the shorts with heavy combat boots, a thermal shirt, and a classic, chain-embellished waistcoat for sort of a Gangs of New York meets Casey Jones kind of vibe. Perhaps I should've added an oversized top hat. Not that I need a hat to keep the sun off, mind you!

Shirt: All Saints

Waistcoat: Heathen

Shorts: White House Black Market

Boots: Dr. Marten's

Tattoo Tuesday V.28

So this week I'm doing something a little different for the first time. I have a bunch of new ladies (and guys too!) lined up to show you over the next couple of months, but I really wanted to share my sister Lauren's new tattoos. Lauren was first featured on one of the very first Tattoo Tuesdays but since then she's gotten some new work done. If I wanted to, I swear I could do a T.T. post every month showing you something new on her body- she's always getting really awesome, beautiful things. At first, I was going to have her just share the photos with us, but since it's almost been a year since I last featured her I figured I would have her answer the questions again. In the future, I won't have my repeated girls/guys answer the same questions when they share new work, but since it's been so long since Lauren's been featured I'm going to do that this time!

Be sure to click here to visit her previous feature, as I'm not including ANY photos of her million other tattoos. Once you head over that way I think you will just fall in love with all of the beautiful art on her body, including a thigh-piece sister tattoo with me and her huge back piece- shoulders to butt. For those who don't know Lauren or read her blog (that she needs to update!), you should know that she's my best friend and the coolest gal I know. She's actually also a teacher, and will be getting married this upcoming March. Lauren is one of those people who infuses fun into any situation and I feel incredibly fortunate to have her not just as a sister but as my closest friend. Love her. So, without further adieu, here's my lovely and gorgeous little sister (again)!

Name and blog name: Lauren http://monsterxlove.blogspot.com/

Age: 25

Occupation: Teacher (6th grade Science)

Age of first tattoo: 18

Favorite tattoo: Girl head in rose on the back of my neck (see previous feature for a photo)

Featured tattoo/location: Girl on upper right arm and haunted house on left thigh.

Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: Cory Lenherr tattooed the girl on my arm at his shop in Phoenix. My haunted house was done by Lex at 5th Estate Tattoo in Gilbert, AZ.

1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

I love pretty tattoos and I have wanted a portrait type tattoo of a girl for a long time now. Most of my tattoos from Cory are more traditional style tattoos but this one we chose to make a little more portrait style. The girl doesn't represent anyone or anything.

Halloween has always been a special holiday for me. My sister and I used to have so much fun trick or treating every year and decorating our house with our family. Every year I can't wait to start putting up spooky Halloween decorations. I have always loved haunted houses even though I hate anything that is too scary! I knew that I wanted the tattoo to me spooky and creepy, and kind of Tim Burton-esque. I decided to go to my fiancé's tattoo guy because that is more his type of tattoo style. I absolutely LOVE the way it turned out! We have only done the outline so far, so we still need to shade and add color.

2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

Yes, I have many other tattoos. I was featured in Tattoo Tuesday V.2 and talked about my other tattoos there. But, I have roses on the tops of my feet, a lighthouse on my right shin with mom and dad banner, an umbrella with "when it rains it pours" banner, teacups with "two for tea" sister tattoo on right thigh, small star on inner right foot, heart on hip, geisha back piece, "love" on right wrist, "life" on left wrist, girl head in a rose on the back of my neck, "to thine own self be true" on my chest.

(here are just a few photos that weren't shared last time, again click HERE to check out all of her others)

3) Do you plan on getting more?

Yes, definitely. I plan on being pretty much covered.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?

My parents are not too happy about me having so many tattoos, especially the visible ones. I'm sure they think I shouldn't be spending money on something that they think is unnecessary. But, tattoos make me happy and they are a part of me. My parents seem to not notice them much anymore, unless I get a new one-then they definitely notice! It helps that my sister is also heavily tattooed. People constantly are looking at my tattoos when I am in public and I don't mind, unless they have a look of disgust on their face. I don't like when people point and whisper things to others, but I try to not let it bother me. Sometimes it can be quite embarrassing, though. For example, my sister and I were at the mall the other day on a Saturday and it was pretty crowded. A worker lady was pushing a big cart thing when she stopped in the middle of the mall, got down on her knees so she could be closer to my shin tattoos, and loudly announced, "Oh my god! Look at those tattoos!" It was quite strange and embarrassing. People were staring at us. I just kind of smiled and walked by. People definitely think that because you have tattoos that they can touch them, grab them, tell you their life story, etc. I have had men actually reach out and touch my tattoo on my chest. Yuck! I also find myself put into situations, fairly often, where I have to defend my decision of being tattooed. People find it necessary to repeatedly tell me how bad my tattoos will look 10 years from now, how I have ruined my skin, how I will hate my tattoos years from now. I don't know why people feel the need to express their negative opinions to me, it's not like it is magically going to change my outlook on life and tattoos or make me run to the laser clinic to remove my tattoos. I really just try to stay away from those types of people. People are also usually very surprised that I am a teacher. Just because I choose to be tattooed doesn't mean that I can't have a "normal" job. Yes I do cover my tattoos at work, and yes it does get hot and annoying at times having to always be covered up. But, for me it is well worth it.

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

Take your time choosing what you want to get tattooed and who you want to tattoo it. I have made some silly choices when I was younger in regard to my tattoos. My first tattoo was 3 stars on my lower back. I also had a black butterfly tattooed on my upper back. Not good! I ended up having them covered when I got my geisha back piece. After those poor choices you think I would have learned but then I got my chest tattooed. I went to a random shop and he typed up what I wanted tattooed, printed it out, and then traced it! He didn't even draw it up himself. I was silly and young and didn't know any better. The tattoo ended up okay, but one side is darker than the other, some parts are shaky, and parts are thicker than other parts. I was pretty bummed about it, especially since it is super visible. Looking back on it, I don't know what I was thinking. However, I am getting it covered up in just a few weeks and I couldn't be happier! I am getting married in 8 months or so and it will be so nice to feel confident and happy about my tattoo. Hopefully my bad tattoo experience will help someone not to make the same stupid choices that I made. Thankfully that is the only tattoo that I have that I don't like. Now I make sure to take the time to talk with whoever is tattooing me about my ideas, what they think would look good, and I always make sure to go in a week or so before my appointment to check out the drawing and make any necessary changes. Choose a tattoo that makes you happy and that is special to you, no matter if it has a significant story behind it or not.

F@#! It

This was sort of a, "Fuck it, it's Friday" kind of outfit, which I threw haphazardly together in the morning. But it turned out pretty well, and moreover it was comfortable enough to walk around in all day and then wear for meeting Fawn for cocktails later that evening.

I picked up the top at Savers while out in Minneapolis; both Mark and I scored some great finds at that store. Because of the strong pattern of the top, you can see the sheerness of the cardigan, which hasn't translated very well in the photos of it in other outfits. As a final touch I wore my Wendy Brandes swear rings, because what better way to say 'fuck it' than by flashing it in bright, shiny silver right across your fingers?


Top: INC (thrifted)
Cardigan: All Saints
Jeans: Joe's
Rings: Wendy Brandes
Necklaces: multi-chain necklace from H&M, pendant from a flea market in Buenos Aires
Shoes: Fly London

Ordering a Custom Temporary Tattoo For Your Business

Promote your business, entice school spirit, raise money, drive support for a cause; there are many great reasons to get a custom temporary tattoo. While the choice to get a custom temporary tattoo is an easy one, how to order one and what to consider when doing so can be difficult.Fortunately, this article nails down the 5 elements you need to consider when ordering a custom temporary tattoo.

Creepy Legs

My legs look sort of creepy here, but I assure you that if you look more closely you'll see that I have on nude fishnets. They simply do not translate well into a small digital photo. I didn't think it was possible for my legs to look paler than they actually are, but apparently I was mistaken. 

Don't get me wrong though; I wear my cadaverous complexion with pride, because avoiding the sun is probably the number one reason that my skin still looks pretty darn good at 40 (that and not smoking). I take great care to wear sunscreen on my face every day, and on sunny days I can frequently be seen hiding beneath a parasol. 

As for my ashen legs, there's really no way they're going to get any color anyway because it's so rare that they see the light of day. But I've found when I do want to go completely bare-legged that some mineral foundation mixed with regular body lotion does a great job at giving me a healthier glow, as well as minimizing spider veins and scars and such. Or, I just slap on some nude fishnets and forget about it.

Top: F21

Dress: Lady Language
Harness: Audra Jean
Skirt: S
Shoes: Sofft

Saturday and Sunday

clockwise: morning photo in our hotel room, working out in the 1980s hotel gym, lunch at Loving Hut in San Diego, lemongrass "chicken," tofu and veggie spring rolls, "beef" with broccoli, delicious red velvet cupcake courtesy of Alex, Hank organizing his new toys from Comic Con, finishing the first Harry Potter book on a lazy Sunday

(you can click the collage to enlarge it via the "all sizes" option on Flickr)

Giveaway time!

As you guys know, I don't do ton of giveaways on this blog, but when I do, you can bet that they're super special. Today I am really excited to host a giveaway from my sweet friend Sarah's shop, Duds and Rags. It's a resale shop based out of Los Angeles, California where Sarah resides. Sarah offers all sorts of great items; from adorable accessories ranging from hair pieces to handbags, from fabulous vintage dresses to new designer resale. She even has an apothecary section where she's included soy candles and elixirs. Additionally, there's an "under $40" section that I am loving! If you're anything like me, you love to support small-businesses, and Duds and Rags is definitely in that category. Sarah's put her heart and soul into starting this up and is truly enjoying being an entrepreneur. In the wake of her shop's success, we discussed doing a giveaway, and I was more than happy to host it here on Sometimes Sweet.

So, here's what you will win:

1 initial charm necklace (letter of your choosing- you can do your own initial or the initial of your sweetie, child, or favorite pet!)


1 Elodee hair piece (there are different versions at the Duds and Rags site)


1 LilacAve candle



AND...a sundress! The dress will be of Sarah's choosing (not listed on site) and will be sent to you as a surprise once she gets your size. This is super exciting because she has absolutely the best taste and to get a fun dress from her without knowing what it looks like is definitely something to look forward to!





Here's what you have to do to enter to win ALL of these items (totaling over $100 in value):

1) Visit the Duds and Rags shop by clicking here.

2) List your favorite item from the shop in a comment, along with your name and email address!

That's it!

For an additional entry and to up your chances of winning, you can tweet or blog about the giveaway and include a link to that tweet or blog in an additional comment (also include your name and email).

So to recap, you'll be winning:

1 initial charm necklace
1 Elodee hair piece
1 LilacAve candle
1 sundress

The giveaway winner will be chosen via random.org on the evening of Sunday, August 1st.

Good luck!

23 week update

Here we are...heading right towards the 6th month mark this week and we are so ready! We got back from San Diego Comic Con early this morning around 2am, and for the entire 6 hour ride home Hank and I talked and talked and talked about baby Henry and all of the upcoming life changes we'll be experiencing. It's the most romantic, amazing thing to see Hank so excited about welcoming our son into the world. I never had any doubts he would be excited, but to actually see the man you love, the father of your child, swooning the little baby in your belly, pondering all of the possible futures for him...that's enough to make me cry happy tears every single day. I can't wait to see Hank as a Dad. I know he's my husband so of course I think this, but to me, he is THE ideal man. He's kind and sensitive- but not a push over, open to sharing emotions and feelings, he makes me feel safe, he's a hard, hard worker but plays just as hard, he has a childlike heart, he's incredibly smart and so, so fun. To envision our children having HIM as a Dad, Henry having Hank to look up to as the father/man in his life...wow. What a lucky child. Now that we are zooming into the final few months of this pregnancy, it's starting to hit me that life is about to change in such an amazing way. I anticipate that this will be the hardest thing we will ever do, but also the most rewarding. Today we have approximately 115 days to go until our little guy gets here. Amazing!







I need to do a bit of real-talking here about this past week. I'd say that this week was probably the week where I finally felt pregnant, physically (and not in a good way!).

- I've definitely started in with some sciatic nerve pain. I started experiencing this last weekend and it's come and gone, with some days being excruciating at time and others feeling nothing. It's very uncomfortable and if it's a preview of what's to come I'm definitely dreading it a bit.

- Even though I work out everyday, I am still getting fat in strange places. I thought I would say this so other pregnant women know that even though I have been really good about staying active throughout this entire time, my body is doing what it wants to do, regardless! My back is a place I've noticed some weird back fat going on and also my thighs. Jeez Louise. I'm actually not bothered by this, but more so just really intrigued that no matter what I do, there is it! It's definitely a great exercise in surrender. :) I do my doctor-recommended squats every other day (using an exercise ball to support my back on the wall), and yet my upper legs don't look it. Like I said, it's all par for the course and I'm incredibly proud of myself for being in a place of acceptance, but it's so interesting to note that in pregnancy, my body is not really mine in a way.

- This week for some reason my skin went haywire! It's hard for me because for the most part I'm used to having skin I love, and throughout this pregnancy I've dealt with breakouts...but this week was the worst. Now it's clearing up a bit but it made me really depressed. When I'm already feeling a little "off" and not so good in my own skin, adding acne to the mix is just not a good thing at all. It's bizarre looking at myself in the mirror. I'm not sure if it's the hormones or if I actually look different, but NOTHING looks good- my hair, my face, clothing. It's almost laughable how cliche it is that I can plop myself on the bed and just cry and cry to Hank about how gross and unattractive I feel. It's funny because since I've been pregnant I swear Hank is somehow 10x MORE attracted to me, but I think that's the way it is for a lot of partners. I just don't feel very attractive. I tweeted about this last week, but I envy those women who feel glowing and beautiful throughout their pregnancy! I definitely have my days, but even those days are more like, "eh, you don't look TOO bad today." haha. I'm usually confident about my looks so it's a whole new world feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. But again, I do feel it's a huge exercise in surrender and personal growth, so in a weird way I welcome these hard times.

So other than those things, I'm just trucking along and getting ready to start a new school year in about two weeks. Mixed feelings about that, but I'm staying positive about it and I'm excited to see my teacher friends again for a bit. My next doctor's appointment is in a couple more weeks and I have a feeling that time will start to speed up a bit and before we know it, Henry will be here! We still have EVERYTHING to do. All we have are a million cute baby clothes but nothing else. My baby shower is going to be in October, and I figure after that we can do everything we need to do and hopefully (!!!) we will be in a house then.

This week, Baby H is the weight of a large mango (photo and info via babycenter.com) and has made some leaps and bounds in the development area.



Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

A couple of things I'm looking forward to in the next couple of months:

-baby CPR class
-baby massage class! We'll be taking one class before Henry arrives and then a second with him.
-birthing center tour
-birthing classes
-lactation classes

I'll be back later this evening with a pretty amazing (and quite generous) non-baby related giveaway from a good friend, so I will see you tonight.

xoxo

(dress is vintage maternity, taken yesterday in our icky hotel room)

Sometimes Sweet on Facebook!

I've had a page for this blog over on Facebook for a long time now (since I made my personal page private), but never publicized it. I've had two wonderful "fans" over there for the longest time but after a couple of my friends (namely Lindsay and Melissa- and click on each of their names to visit THEIR blogs' facebook!) got going on their blog fb pages recently, it's inspired me to actually finish mine and put it up!

I hope all of you will go ahead and "like" Sometimes Sweet over there! It's a great place to get updates about posts, giveaways, and special things that are happening. And speaking of giveaways, I'm hosting a pretty amazing one on Sunday, via a friend of mine. I'm excited, so be sure to check back.

So, all you have to do to visit me on Facebook is click this link HERE to be transported over to the Sometimes Sweet page!

Oh, and if you're feeling click-happy, feel free to click the banner below. I've met some of the coolest mamas on that site and would love to stay up towards the top. All you have to do is click once and then again to vote for me. Thanks so much in advance. xoxo

Date nights are the best nights!

Whenever Hank and I are on vacation, although we spend most of our time together, we still always try to carve out a night or two specifically for "date night." Today was really busy, so once the convention was over today we headed over to one of our favorite restaurants in San Diego, Jyoti-Bihanga. You can click here to visit the restaurant's website. It's a vegetarian restaurant that our friends Ben and Kati originally turned us on to a few years ago. One of their most popular dishes is also one of my favorite things to order there...the vegetarian meatloaf (neatloaf as they call it) dinner. It comes with a super-tasty slice of the loaf, with a side of mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. True comfort food at it's finest. We've been there numerous times and we've never been disappointed. After we had to run by Pinkberry to get some cones, which topped off a great evening spent together.



Although we've been really busy I've still managed to fit in something quite exciting and new to me...HARRY POTTER! Yes, it's taken me this long to finally begin the series and I have to say, I'm about halfway through book one and so in love with it. It's great to know that I have all the books to read straight through. I think it would be the same kind of satisfaction you'd get from just starting LOST now, and being able to watch every episode in a row. Yesterday I asked via twitter if I should read each book and then watch each movie, or read all then view all (once they come out with the rest). I got a lot of feedback, and based on the responses I've decided to read them in a row, then enjoy the films in a row. It's exciting to me to have SO much to read and so many books to enjoy. Talk about a time filler! So, I'm on this Harry Potter journey and I'll be here for awhile. I'll be sure to update on how I'm liking the books as I read through them.

Other than that, tomorrow I will again be spending the day with a long-time (since birth!) family friend! I'm so excited to finally meet her husband and spend some time together. Then we will be heading home and I go back to work in just about ten days...and the kids arrive on August 9th. By that time I will just finishing up my second trimester which is just wild to me to think that we'll have less than 100 days to go.

I know I am due for a pregnancy/belly update but I'm going to wait until Sunday to do that, since there isn't a good backdrop for a belly pic here. I'll be back then!

xoxo

Unbalanced

The colors are a bit off in these photos. This top is actually a very soft peachy pink, but here it looks very bright and salmon-y. If you take a look way back in the archives at this post, you'll see a better representation of the top's actual shade.

That old post might in fact be the last time I wore this top. I've actually tried it a few times but just never found quite the right combination. As I stated in that previous post, I'm in general not a fan of strapless garments on anyone when they're worn alone; I think all the bare skin up top does weird things to a body's proportions, mine in particular. I'm small through the shoulders and bust anyway, and strapless things always make me look disproportionately smaller. I frankly don't get why the look is so popular, especially for long dresses, where all that bare skin up top is outweighed by the huge expanse of fabric below. To my eye it just looks unbalanced.

I've managed not to wash these black jeans yet, so they're still nice and dark. I'm actually extra careful not to get them dirty, knowing if I have to wash them and they fade, that I won't love them as much. Thanks for all the suggestions on caring for them, by the way -- if and when I do need to wash them, I'll definitely refer back to all your great advice.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Mark and I are in the final stages of getting our new vacation rental furnished and ready for guests. I'm hoping to post some photos of the place next week if we can get everything done. We have a lot of work ahead of us for the weekend, but it's exciting too.

Top: Weston Wear
Jacket, belt: thrifted
Jeans: Diesel
Shoes: John Fluevog