All I Want for Christmas...

I've been asking for the same two things for christmas since I was five - a pony and a puppy. I'm now 27 and I don't have either. That's 22 years of disappointment. Realistically, I know a pudgy pony would not be happy in my tiny SF apartment. But a wrinkly little pug dog would love it! I make so easy for mom and dad. Pug for christmas = happy daughter. Verdict is still out for this year. Wouldn't you be happy if you found one of these little guys under the christmas tree?

Brit Brit

Watched the Brittany Spears MTV special last night.  Couldn't help but feel a little bit sorry for Brit Brit.  She's kind of like her development stunted around 15 years old.  She giggles, plays, gets frustrated, pouts.  I was really hoping she'd prove us all wrong.   Show us she's a pulled together fierce diva.  Instead she came off as distant and lost.  Sad really.  Brit Brit needs a hug.

Economic Stimulation

It's official. The smarty pants analysts are saying we've been in a recession since last December. I always wondered how my habits would change if the economy really slumped. Would I start making my own clothes, canning tomatoes for winter, hide my savings under my mattress? Sounds very cozy and little house on the prairie like. But no, I have been dealing by spending $$. I'm having an adverse reaction the thought of being thrifty. I'm spending more money on moi then ever before. I like to think I am actually contributing to the bailout. That it's really my patriotic duty to go but new cute motorcycle boots and cashmere cardis. What what.

Almost French

Mais Oui! I cooked a real frenchified dinner for my besties last night.  Decided to road test my skills from last week's cooking class in Paris. Success!  I recreated the coquille st. jacques in a saffron mustard sauce with basmati rice and green beens.  Of course there was lots of wine and cheese just in case, sacre bleu, there was a disaster in the kitchen.  Top Chef here I come.

Holiday Latte Watch

Pumpkin lattes are here. Starbucks, Pete's, Coffee Bean and Tully's all have them. It's only a matter of time before holiday flavors roll out too. Eggnog, and gingerbread, and peppermint mocha, oh my! They are the most sugar loaded things on the planet, yet for some reason I absolutely lurve them. Actually save up all my nickels and dimes during the year to supplement my latte allowance during the all too short flavor appearance. The first holiday latte of the year has somehow even become it's own holiday with my bestie Aaron. We go and order the biggest size of our fave (for me it's gingerbread, for him it's nog) and go on a shopping frenzy during the peak of our sugar high. It's pretty much a euphoric religious experience. Seeing how the cappuccino was invented by the capuchin monks I think it's fair to say it is. Time start watching for the red cup! It's almost as wonderful as the red insole on a pair of Louboutins.

Fallfest

I definitely miss fall being out here on the West coast.  There is no drop in temperature or noticeable change in foliage to mark the transition from summer to not summer.  It's really the arrival of Halloween that marks "fall" in my books.  And I always throw a fallfest when Halloween rolls around.  Pumpkins, cider, caramel apples, the works.  This year my jack-o-lantern carving inspiration comes from ... wait for it... yeswecarve.com.  Yep, it's a play on "yes we can." I think the options are pretty rad.  I've already enlisted one of my more artistic friends to help me with my "OOOObama" stencil.

Drowning My Sorrows in Product

Today was a really bad day at work. Thanks to corporate re-shuffling I had a new position before I knew what had even happened. My new spot got pitched to me as a growth opportunity. Essentially I was cut from the team. Boooo. Luckily for me I have a roommate who works in the beauty industry. Her room is pretty much a fully stocked spa. And for some reason, product always makes me feel better. Some people drink. I slather my face in serums and lip gloss. So once again "K" came to the rescue. Within five minutes of arriving home all puffy eyed and angry she arrived at my door toting a pink bag overflowing with this weeks hottest everything. Use everything in here, all at once, right now she purred. Pure bliss.

Superlatives

Last week over coffee with my besties, Aaron went around the table and handed out yearbook style superlatives.  Each one was witty, honest and had us falling out of our seats with laughter. But all he came up with for me was "Most likely to spend their live savings at Starbucks." Seriously?  That was the best he could do?  I do admittedly love my lattes, but as his best friend couldn't he come up with something a little punchier? After watching me sulk the entire rest of our outing he pulled me aside.  "See the thing I love about you," he said, "Is that you are logical and practical about everything. But you have this outrages secret thing for lattes." He is right. And if that's what I'm to be known for I'm going to really go for it.  Until I go broke I guess.

Hacked

I was finally in the swing of this facebook movement.  My pictures were up to date, I regularly wrote on friends walls, my status was current.  And then I got hacked.  Tragedy. Someone got on to my finally worth taking a look at page and sent notes with dirty content to all my FB contacts. So I had to pull my page.  All those hours spent lovingly finessing every detail to perfection over conference calls at work wasted. To top it off I have to email all my friends that I allegedly sent inappropriate content to and let them know my page is infected and they should delete my messages.  It feels dirty like I'm calling ex-lovers to tell them I have an STD.

The Score: Gym - 5, Couch - 360

2008 has not been a good gym year for me.  I'm an all or nothing person when it comes to physical fitness.  Staying svelte was easy in high-school and college when coach was barking in my ear to run faster and jump higher.  Self motivating is so much harder.  I was on a good kick for a while in 2007.  Started my day with a 5-mile jog or some yoga.  This year I am seriously loosing the battle.  The couch is just too damn comfortable.  But I am really going to try and make and effort for the last 90ish days in '08.  I'll keep y'all posted.

Thank You GW

This may be the only time these words come out of me.  Thanks to my government issued economic stimulus check, I am the proud owner of a shiny pair of fancy kate spade slim wedge heals. So Thank you president Bush. I may hate on you every other day of the week. But today I really do love my shoes.

Tom Brady's Left Knee

Something about the start of football season gets me pumped.  All it takes is a little crisp fall air and the smell of stale beer turns me into a smack talking feisty fan.  I dig out my lucky tee-shirt, sox, tiara (laugh all you want I swear it works) and post the college and NFL schedules on my fridge.  Sure I love the game for all the right reason.  The trick plays, the massive displays of testosterone, that no f*****g way pass that wins it as the clock runs out.  

But I also have a huge soft spot for a certain Pats QB in his tight white pants.  I'm like a squealing pre-pubescent girl at an NSYNC concert every time he gets a close up shot.  So this Saturday when Tom fell to the field clutching his leg a seasons worth of ogling brilliantly flashed in front of my eyes and went dark. Oh my tender heart.

This year I guess I'm just in it for the love of the game.  No ulterior motives for me.  Except perhaps a sideline shot or two of the gracefully recovering TB.

Secret Addictions

So I like to pretend I make my lattes at home, read the Sunday paper (all sections) and choose good for me outdoor outdoor activities over slothing out on my couch.  Secretly, I'm an in the closet addict for all the activities I condone.  

I heart my overpriced coffee house lattes and come up with farfetched excuses not to make coffee in my own kitchen.  My day cannot begin without catching up on my two most favorite celebrity blogs. And sometimes I go to the gym for the sole purpose of watching bad reality TV while I work out.

My dirty little secrets are going to stay just that.  When I saw Spencer out with, gasp, not Heidi on my last trip to LA of course I squealed.  But only on the inside.