A Real Gem

A few weeks ago I was asked to help out a close friend with her annual jewelry show. In exchange for my services, I would receive a sweet insider's discount. Um, yes! Little did I know 'helping out' translated to 'modeling' the goods. Oh mylanta! If you knew me in person, you'd know that I am one of the shyest girls in the world. So I swallowed up my timidness this past weekend and turned my clavicle into the lady of the evening.

I was ooh la la-ing over her amber collection all evening.

Aside from the array of gems, her home is beautifully adorned with presentations from her culture and her passion for the arts.

[ tinkle with the mermaids ]

Did I mention she is an avid thrift shopper?! Check out this dining room set she scored years ago at a second hand store.

Towards the end of the night I was able to take a quick snapshot while I was wearing one of her biggest pieces displayed that night; a Mediterranean coral necklace.

I'm keeping my purchases on a hush hush level as they will be Christmas gifts for some lovely ladies! 

Kenny Rogers Roadsters

After a long and rested three day weekend, what better way to enjoy the last day of summer than a little topless driving.

As in convertible topless.

I'm officially ready for the fall solstice...particularly my fall boots.

Something Borrowed, Something Glued

This past weekend Chris and I had a long Sunday date with this little guy...

A (borrowed) compound miter saw (thank you Corin and Brent!). We worked on installing baseboards in Operation Oscar's Room and you know what? It wasn't so bad. I do, however, have one word of advice; invest in knee pads! I swear I felt as though my knees and quads were flame broiled by the end of the night. (I think the medical term is "El Pollo Loco Legs")

Coincidentally we paired the date with catching up on the latest season of Dexter (oh mylanta, the finale was a total jaw dropper!) Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea considering how paranoid I was every time the saw was in gear. I unplugged the brawny tool every few seconds when we weren't slicing and you can imagine how ornery Chris was about it.

Three hours later we wraped up the baseboards and dispatched onto our mounds of legos.

And here is what's left.

The glue we used to interlock the bricks for life did a number on my body and lets just say I woke up looking like Quasidmodo this morning. Allergic to pvc pipe glue...check!

Legos are done and pending its starshots shoot.

Speaking of starshots, I have a shoe box full of the Barbara-Walters-soft-filter wallet size pics never to be seen again. 

Scones, Seaweed Rolls, and a Viagra Burger

Weekends sure do feel like they are getting shorter and shorter. How about enforcing a permanent 3-day weekend...Obama??

Gradually painting more walls in the Family Room this past weekend; we're a little iffy on the 'Subtle Touch'. After living with the color for a few days and seeing it in different light settings, it's giving off a purplish hue which was not in our decorative plan. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes the neighboring darker colored walls will repel the amethyst intrusion. 

Sneak preview and our picture debut.

I look like one of those Precious Moments "I love you this much" figurines and Chris looks like one of Bob Baker's Beauties.

Sunday was a full day of cooking 101. After our weekly Sunday jaunt to Home Depot, I partook in the making of some homemade scones with Chris' mom. YUMMY!!! Not only was it ridiculously easy to concoct, but delicious to the max! 

Later that afternoon, my friend/brother-in-law's-girlfriend, Annel and I attended a vegetarian cooking class hosted by Veggie Land, in Orange County (Brea). Although it was not a hands on experience, the 1hr presentation (and menu) were intriguing. 

The chef shared some of her dishes, which originated in her restaurant in Taiwan, including a quick Kimchi-esque recipe with only 1 day of fermentation (usually a 3-6 day storing process!), a roasted seaweed roll substituting rice with sliced bread and a veggie burger whose patty contains elements used in Viagra and is believed to produce the same side effects. Long story short, we made a Boner Burger. Nice. Tickles the mind, doesn't it? Unfortunately, we gobbled all of the food before I could take any snapshots. Definitely signing up for upcoming classes in the near future. Cost for attendance? $5! Totally worth it.