Where have we been…
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Here I am! This past weekend, Rich and I continued our week long donut quest tradition and went to Gourdoughs! A shiny silver airstream of Big. Fat. Donuts. I think we have met our match. Rich got the Naughty & Nice donut which is sugar and cinnamon. I got the Bring the Heath with cream cheese icing and heath bar bits. Made fresh and served warm – puts Krispy Kreme to shame. We are trying not to make it a daily habit but it is very tempting because it is on the way home from the office. Lucky for us, my parents are coming to visit this weekend and they simply must experience this yummyness and we will have no choice but to take them there.
We also carved our pumpkins! Well, first I should say that we finally bought pumpkins! At Randalls, my new favorite grocery store which is another experience that I had to share with Rich and made him come grocery shopping with me. Everyone is just so genuinely friendly and helpful! Our pumpkins were buy one get one free and hearty as can be. Rich cut off the tops and scooped out the guts and then I baked our seeds and we got to work. Here are our masterpieces:
Rich made a longhorn and I made a bird which looks more like a turkey with a disappearing beak because my hands got tired from cutting.
P.S. Our apartment has no 13th floor. No button in the elevator. Just skips it like a pebble.
P.P.S. That Fuccillo sidekick, Tom – he is down here in Austin too, doing ads, selling cars…I had no idea he was such a commodity. It’s like ya can take the boy out of Grand Island, but…hehe
P.P.P.S. Yesterday, we watched an entire episode of the Doctors dedicated to clearing up myths about the swine flu vaccine and giving all the reasons why it is better to get it than get sick and then today, we see this video of a cheerleader who got a flu shot and now she can only run backwards. Needless to say, I walked in on Rich Lysol-ing the apartment when we got home. No germs in our house!
Punkin weather
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The leaves down here may not be changing (the only reason why the trees are any color other than green is because they have been deprived of a lil H2O) but I know that it is perfect punkin weather somewhere. And last weekend, I saw pumpkins at the farmers market across the street. Rich said that he wanted to go to a real pumpkin farm for pumpkins where we could drink apple cider and munch on powdered donuts. Sold! (He knows my weak spot – Starbucks’ Caramel Apple Spice and sugar) So this weekend, that was our plan. I woke up yesterday morning, excitedly hopped on my ‘puter and googled “pumpkin patches in austin” only to find that punkin patches in Austin are few and far between and the closest one was 45 miles away. These results resulted in this:
This would be the look of a lifelong member of the only child club. Not my proudest, but as an only I can not feign my utter disappointment when things do not go exactly (and by this I mean exactly – which for Only’s holds a meaning far beyond anything you will find in Merriam-Webster) how I expect them to go. So where did we end up?
Well, since we would have to drive far out into the middle of nowhere to a punkin farm, we decided to make a day out of our drive and Rich took me to San Antonio instead. Here we are at the Riverwalk which is totally awesome! I felt like I was at Disney World (which again, for an Only, is more than mouse ears and flying Dumbos – it really is the happiest place on earth) and for a few sunny hours down here in Tejas, I found a happy place (that was not between a Nordstrom and a Borders). Speaking of shopping, we did find a mall in downtown San Antonio and Rich and I went ‘splorin that too. Conclusion: It is the place that stores go to rest. i.e., there was a Sweet Factory and a Sam Goody (even Batavia let Sam Goody go).
Oh, we also saw the Alamo – guess I can check that one off the list. Conclusion about San Antonio: It is a warmer, flatter Clifton Hill. Complete with haunted houses, mirror mazes, a wax museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Rich and I woke up this morning still craving the powdered donut we had been looking forward to all week long. Again (and surprisingly I must say), the search results for donut shops in Austin were hard to come by and no where to be found downtown by us. Aren’t donuts a staple? Especially for law enforcement and down here there are metermaids on the prowl everywhere! So we took a gamble and drove out to Shipley’s Donuts and let me tell you, it was a great way to start a Sunday morning! I had a glazed buttercream donut. I think. I am not sure because Rich thought I was taking too long to decide and made me pick one. Whatever it was, it was delicious and fresh. Rich went with the basics – a glazed and a chocolate glazed.
Medical update: Last week, while I was making philly cheesesteak-stuffed garlic bread (which was an awesome hit with my number one food critic), I sliced my finger along with the top of the loaf (so unfortunately, I may not be making this again anytime soon). No, no, please don’t be too concerned and drop everything to make sure that I am okay* even though two days prior I bashed my other hand on a grocery basket (yes, a grocery basket – I still am not sure how my knuckle came in contact with the basket…) which created quite a mess at the checkout line which I blamed on poorly packaged beef…needless to say, it has been a painful week for my hands but I am happy to report that after three days of bandages and neosporin, I think that I am going to survive and merely have a couple battle scars.
*get well cards, flowers or care packages will be accepted graciously.
Feelin kinda Sunday
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While watching the Bills game this afternoon, Rich thought that the color was off because the uniforms looked pink. But it was not the tv, Rich was right – the uniforms are pink! His cousin Nick told us that selected NFL teams will be wearing pink to recognize breast cancer awareness for the month of October! While searching for a photo, I found photos of other professional sports teams in pink too. But since we are from Buffalo, here is one of T.O. donning pink gloves
While I am strongly strongly opposed to pink sporting attire*, I very much like how the NFL and other sports teams are accessorizing their uniforms with the pink gear – from pompoms waving over head to shoelaces running plays down below. In addition to supporting a great cause, I absolutely love the shade of pink they have chosen – more of a jewel tone rather than the pastel, which is very hot right now. If only the Bills could take us to a win…There are two minutes left and I just heard Rich yell at the television – I do not think today will be the day. But at least they look good! And (look like) they care!
* a) girls don’t need a cliche gimmick to be interested in sports
* b) if sports want to make a profit off of female spectators, focus on a fit that is flattering to the female form (boxy is not) and softer cottons
* c) the tacky, gummy-pink color does not compliment any skin tone
* d) better yet, forget about the tees (Chip and Pepper can take care of that) – how about athletic inspired accessories for the female market – red, white and blue silk scarves and cashmere gloves would be great in the Buffalo burr and cashmere is never a regrettable purchase even if our team is down for a loss in the last 20 seconds and silk is soothing when your team is not.
Coming up roses
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This past weekend, I went to Raleigh to visit Stephie, meet Ben and do lots and lots of shopping! Ben was such a good lil shopper too (He is the sweetest! And I am not just saying that because I am his favorite Auntie Bethie – I think you would all agree, he is just so happy!) I had lots of fun and snagged some great steals that I would like to share with you.
First, my Betsey Johnson sandals. I am wearing them now and absolutely in love with them – glittery pink bottom, wooden platform, skinny heel and a bow! Found them at the Saks outlet on clearance with an additional 40% off which made them only $35! I checked my luggage just so that I could bring them home in their bright pink box. Also at Saks, I got a pair of Sevens for a little over $60 which was such a great surprise because I did not take them from the clearance rack and was expecting to pay full price. They are getting hemmed now and should be ready to wear on Saturday anytime after 5. So, if you have a Saks outlet near you, I highly suggest going. And if the sales lady asks you if you want to sign up for a More card, do it! It is not a credit card, just a rewards card. You save 20% immediately and receive more discounts in the future without having to carry a bunch of coupons.
Next, a review of my Ulta goods. The Japonesque Precision Lash Curler – a must have for straight, sparse yet stubborn Asian eyelashes and a treat from Stephie. Honestly, the best curler my lashes have ever met. And yes, I have met plenty of eyelash curlers that I have not liked. These freshly curled lashes are topped with a coat of Prestige Lash Matrix mascara and my eyes just look and feel a whole lot brighter. This mascara is much better than the overpriced Too Faced Lash Injection mascara that was recommended to me and just as good the Fresh Supernova mascara that I enjoy but about a third of the cost!
After I came home, I was still on my shopping high and decided it was time to treat my hair to some chemical dyes and sharp snippers. So, as usual, I did my last minute search and desperate call around to find someone who could take me immediately on such short notice. And, as always, my only option ended up being a salon in the mall. At home, my go-to was the Aveda salon – Euphoria. Down here in Austin, I gave Toni & Guy a try. I spent most of my afternoon there but had a very pleasant experience. Everyone was very friendly from the moment I called to make an appointment, to when I walked in, while I was waiting and I finally left. And, as an added surprise, their S-factor haircare line is all sulfate-free! Oh, and btw, I am a brunette now!
The best part of coming home was seeing my tooker AND these:
Rich had roses to greet me!
p.s. check out our new website – T Shirt Galleries! Where you can buy art that you can wear! Also, a great place to get gift ideas (ahem, birthday – ahem, t-h-i-r…TEE) – Rich picked out all of the tee shirts himself!
And now for an update on a couple of missed purchases that I mentioned in previous blogs. I am happy to report that while shopping the Streets at Southpoint, we popped into a store called Light Years. While I was perusing all the fun items, on a shelf on the back wall of the store I found…my Matyroshkas measuring cups by Fred! And today, I went to Target and found that tablecloth dress, put back on the rack and the only one in my size – totally meant to be! I held on to it this time and now it is hanging in my closet just waiting for the proper occasion. I will see what Richie says when he gets home but I sent him a picture of it from the store with a big smile on my face and he text me back telling me to get it with an exclamation point (he never uses those unless he really means it so, who am I to resist?!)
Yesterday, I put out my Halloween decorations (mini KitKats and Twix and peanut butter M&Ms in pumpkin dishes) and it made me so excited for…CHRISTMAS! I even have my Texas themed Christmas cards ready to be signed, sealed and delivered. But Rich said that I can not send them yet…I wonder if he will let me put up the tree now if I decorate it with pumpkins and turkeys…