Rich & Elizabeth

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. (and his opponent) 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 an anti-boxy fit that is flattering to the female form and softer cottons

* c) the tacky, gummy-pink color does not compliment any skin tone

* d) better yet, forget about athletic tees that are not up to Chip and Pepper code – 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 very soft for wiping away the tears brought on by letting ourselves get too excited – again.

This weekend was another noisy one – not us, our neighbor. The first weekend we were here, the neighbor to our right kept us up all night with loud music and conversation on the patio and then this weekend our neighbor to the left woke us up with loud music and laughing and banging on the patio – finally, my deaf ear could not take it anymore and by 5 in the morning Rich asked them to turn it down a bit and they did, a bit. So annoying but seriously, the walls around here are paper thin and I was trying so hard to make the most of it and hear something juicy to blog about but it was just a bunch of lame, “i love college” babble that would make Asher Roth proud. I’ve never met our neighbor to the left but I thought she would be classy because she had Pottery Barn furniture delivered. But based on what I have seen roaming around here, even the professionals are thirty year old tweens. I have a feeling that my neighbors probably hang out on 6th street closing the bars, talking to each other via iPhone apps and showing off their Porches without actually having any fundamental knowledge about cars. Who knows, maybe they are really super cool and I will be borrowing sugar from them before you know it. But seriously, no one around here knows how to hold a door. What happened to southern hospitality?

On an up note, I do appreciate Austin style (although it should be mentioned that whoever made the fitted button up and jeans standard protocol for men did not take into consideration that a group of male friends would all follow the same fashion rule at the same time for the same occasion – it was the sight of this faux pas crossing the street, bro-crew by bro-crew, that has inspired Rich to trade his look up for the fall and I think you will all be impressed). But as for the girls that I have seen – very vintage/hipster chic and always effortless looking and well put together with simple, flattering accessories such as a nice pair of sunglasses, a nice handbag or a great pair of boots – nothing Lady GaGa-audy about it. Lately, I have been wearing a lot of flip flops and comfy clothes and the night of the Ra Ra Riot show, I had on galoshes because it had been raining earlier which sounds logical but… as we walked home by all the girls in their designer boots and stilettos, I felt a titch Bridget Jones schlumping along in my rain boots and realized that I love getting all dolled up and have been a disgrace to my motto: Fashion before function. So time to put an end to that! Time to reinvent myself! Time to stop being comfortable and back to looking smart (and sassy)! Maybe then people will want to hold doors for me if they notice that I am strutting like a warrior in 4-inch spikes.

Sunday, Rich and I went shopping and I bought a couple new dresses from American Apparel (the outlet – it’s like shopping a sale without the hassle of rummaging through racks or bins and half price means half the guilt!). I have always thought that American Apparel clothes are a bit too outrageous for me but now, after trying on a few things, I have discovered that the lines of the clothes are very flattering to my frame. And yesterday I wore a dress that I have had in my closet (here and back in Buffalo) for months. I had been waiting for a special occasion or something to wear it but why wait for an occasion when you can create one? So yesterday I wore my dress to Target, to do laundry, to make dinner and go for an evening walk with Rich around the park; Rich was in his new swim trunks . Just call me a modern day housewife (sans house, sans wife). (Yes folks, I have been applying for jobs – even retail sales clerk positions…does anyone actually look at my resume?)

Back to the dresses, I found a dress at Target that I liked, Rich didn’t like (the “tablecloth” description in the name probably didn’t help – I believe Rich said that it was so ugly that he would not eat off of it if it was his grandmother’s tablecloth) and so, with that, I put it back. (p.s. it drives me crazy when my mom takes my dad’s fashion advice) Needless to say, I thought about it and the next day I decided that I wanted the dress. So I emptied piggy and took myself to Target only to find that it had been snagged. And now I have gone to the Target website to order the dress only to see that it is no longer available (not even sold out – just not there anymore). So now, all I have left to remember said dress is an iPhone photo I asked Rich to take before I placed it back on the rack. Who would have known that that would be out only encounter.

This morning we went to the Domain! Sound cool? Shopping paradise! It was just a perfectly constructed metropolis of designer shops! Like a piece of Rodeo Drive in Austin but more convenient for me to window shop and daydream. Rich had to go to the Apple store to fix his iPhone (read more) While we were at the Apple store, this is what we saw:

What do you see? Well, the lady in red is wearing floral leggings, ankle socks and hi-tops and the jacket is wool on an 80 degree day. What stuck out most about her ensemble was the surgical mask over her face (which she removed when speaking to the salesman which I would think would reduce the spread of whatever she was trying to prevent). I nudged Rich who thought that this was odd but not too strange – he did not realize that what I was really trying to draw his attention to was the small child she was keeping in the suitcase next to her. Yes, under that white blanket is a sleeping child. In a suitcase. Any theories?

Remember how I said, “neatly organized, fully functional household?” Well…I think that we are definitely on our way to neatly organized (thanks to The Container Store) but fully functional? I would have to say not so much based on Rich’s reaction when he asked me where something was and it just so happened to be “behind the bamboo box and under the clear itso bin in a clear box with a lid.” I just hope that he doesn’t need batteries in the near future (but fyi – they are in the small plastic box on the top shelf of the cupboard above the charging station).

On tonight’s agenda is sorting through Rich’s files and making room for mine. (I know, you are all sad that you can’t make it) But first, we are going shopping! But not serious shopping – fun shopping! We are going to check out the shoppes in our neighborhood and I am very excited.

— 6 hours later —

We are back from our shopping excursion with a few new discoveries.

One. I like a pair of lululemon pants but they are 88 dollars. Our gym membership (at the South Austin Gym – home of Big Steve, a 75 year young man who benches 425!) was only $158. And of course, I should mention that there is the top which is $52…and the hoodie..and a lovely purple bag. So, my question is this: Thinking of it like Rich (in terms of percentage) is it a good investment? Probably not. Thinking of it like Elizabeth (in terms of motivation)…What do you think?

Two. I am Garmin handicapped. No matter what I am looking for, Garmin can not find it (even when I can see where I want to be as I pass it driving in the wrong direction because of Garmin’s poor instructions and with no exits or places to make a U-ie for miles). Very “frus-tra-ting” (shaking my fist for those in on the ISJ).

Three. From now on, as annoying as it may be to hear “recalculating” every 100 yards, we must use Garmin. Rich (driver) + Me (navigator) = confusion. My navigation treats every road like there is a detour ahead and the combination of alternative route options with last minute warnings causes confusion for my driver who likes commanding the far left lane. So, from now on, I am going to stick to being the passenger.

Four. We found a bodega and I can not wait until I forget something and need to run over to Royal Blue Grocery to get it. At the moment, I am eating delicious Annies organic mac ‘n’ cheese – from the bodega! There was a whole convenient assortment of organic food and eco-friendly products to be “forgotten” on my future errands. They even have Orangina (which Rich is enjoying a glass of now) and bubbly wine in a pink can with a pink flexie straw.

Well, in closing, better luck next time Buffalo Bills!